Abstract: Manual can openers that include longer-lasting knife designs, knife holders that securely hold a knife as well as a securing mechanism that provides for fast and easy knife replacement, and a toolless design that includes a dual purpose pull pin configured for use as both a pin for a knife hinge as well as a drive gear lock for disassembling a drive assembly of the can opener.

Abstract: Electronic weighing scales with check weigh functionality that include user interfaces and programming capability that are designed for both ease of use and configurability. In some examples, electronic weighing scales include check weigh memory buttons configured for one-touch programming that can be used for quickly and easily storing and recalling a target weight. In some examples, electronic weighing scales include check weigh visual indicators designed and configured to conspicuously display a result of a check weigh function weight comparison.

Abstract: A thrust-type food cutting apparatus that includes a blade set, food product pusher, and a manually operated pusher arm having a self-stable resting-open position in which the food product pusher is spaced from the blade set to allow a user to load the cutting apparatus with food product to be cut. In an embodiment, the cutting apparatus includes a chassis and a pivoting link linking the pusher arm to the chassis to provide the pivot arm with a movable fulcrum pivot that enables the self-stable resting-open pusher arm position. A thrust-type food product cutting apparatus of the present disclosure may include a blade set, a food product pusher, and a retractable food product stabilizer that stabilizes food product loaded into the cutting apparatus and retracts as the food product pusher moves toward the blade set. Such a retractable food product stabilizer may be integrated with a self-stabilizing pusher arm mechanism.

Abstract: A food product cutting apparatus having a cutting thrust axis and that includes a chassis designed to allow a user to mount, at the user's choice, the cutting apparatus on a horizontal surface and a vertical surface. The food product cutting apparatus includes a set of horizontal-mounting features designed and configured to secure the chassis of the cutting apparatus to mounting base on a horizontal surface, and a set of vertical-mounting features designed and configured to secure the chassis of the cutting apparatus to a mounting base on a vertical surface. The sets of horizontal and vertical-mounting features are located and configured on the chassis so that the cutting thrust axis has the same orientation relative to its environment regardless of which set of mounting features are employed.

Abstract: A food-product slicer that includes a camming arrangement that induces a slicing action as between food-product being cut and a blade set effecting the cutting. In some embodiments, the camming arrangement includes a camming region formed on a food-product pusher, wherein interaction of the food-product with the camming region during a cutting operation induces a slicing action into the food-product. In some embodiments, the camming arrangement includes one or more camming structures, such as slots, and corresponding cam followers to impart slicing action motion into a product pusher, which in turn induces the slicing motion into food product engaged therewith, and/or into a blade set to creating the slicing action.

Abstract: A food product slicer that includes a blade set and a food-product cradle for supporting a food-product in spaced relation to the blade set. In some embodiments, the cradle is configured to inhibit a user from contacting blades in the blade set in order to prevent injury. In some embodiments, the cradle is incorporated monolithically with a food-product pusher. Food-product cradles of the present disclosure can be enhanced with product-stabilizers that assist in keeping a food-product from moving within the cradles. Food-product cradles of the present disclosure can also be enhanced with side members to created housed cradles. The cradles may be made of fingers spaced from one another to allow the cradles to extend into and/or through the blade set.

Abstract: A food-product slicer having a blade set designed and configured to be skewed and tilted, i.e., double-beveled, relative to a thrust axis of the slicer along which cutting action occurs during a slicing operation. In some embodiments, the blade sets of the present disclosure can be integrated into a blade cartridge that is readily engageable and disengageable with the slicer. In certain configurations, a double-beveling of blade set can reduce binding of food-product slices within the blade set and/or create desirable discharging of food-product slices from the corresponding food-product slicer.

Abstract: A sanitization cabinet for sanitizing items such as kitchen utensils using ultraviolet light type C (UVL-C). In some embodiments, the sanitization cabinet includes an enclosure having interior surfaces having mirror-type surfaces to increase the sanitizing efficiency relative to conventional UVL-C cabinets having like-power UVL-C light sources. Some embodiments include an article support having an article support region that contacts an article to be sanitized and is made of a material transparent to UVL-C. Transparent portions of an article support of the present disclosure may be additionally configured to direct UVL-C to contact regions and/or shadowed regions of the article. Other features, such as article stabilizing features, are provided to article supports of some embodiments. Methods of making an article support for a UVL-C based sanitization cabinet are also disclosed.

Abstract: A food-product slicer that includes a camming arrangement that induces a slicing action as between food-product being cut and a blade set effecting the cutting. In some embodiments, the camming arrangement includes a camming region formed on a food-product pusher, wherein interaction of the food-product with the camming region during a cutting operation induces a slicing action into the food-product. In some embodiments, the camming arrangement includes one or more camming structures, such as slots, and corresponding cam followers to impart slicing action motion into a product pusher, which in turn induces the slicing motion into food product engaged therewith, and/or into a blade set to creating the slicing action.

Abstract: A blade cartridge for a food-product slicer having a frame and blades located on multiple blade levels, wherein all of the blades are held in tension by the common frame. In various embodiments, the blades on each blade level are held in spaced relation to one another by blade holders located at opposing ends of the blades. In various embodiments the blades on each blade level are tensioned using adjustable fasteners. In various embodiments, blades on one level within a multilevel blade cartridge are spaced from blades on an immediately adjacent bladed level to inhibit binding of slices of food-product sliced using the blade cartridge. In various embodiments, a removable blade cover is securable to the blade cartridge when the cartridge is installed in the food-product slicer.

Abstract: A food-product slicer having a blade set designed and configured to be skewed and tilted, i.e., double-beveled, relative to a thrust axis of the slicer along which cutting action occurs during a slicing operation. In some embodiments, the blade sets of the present disclosure can be integrated into a blade cartridge that is readily engageable and disengageable with the slicer. In certain configurations, a double-beveling of blade set can reduce binding of food-product slices within the blade set and/or create desirable discharging of food-product slices from the corresponding food-product slicer.

Abstract: A food product slicer that includes a blade set and a food-product cradle for supporting a food-product in spaced relation to the blade set. In some embodiments, the cradle is configured to inhibit a user from contacting blades in the blade set in order to prevent injury. In some embodiments, the cradle is incorporated monolithically with a food-product pusher. Food-product cradles of the present disclosure can be enhanced with product-stabilizers that assist in keeping a food-product from moving within the cradles. Food-product cradles of the present disclosure can also be enhanced with side members to created housed cradles. The cradles may be made of fingers spaced from one another to allow the cradles to extend into and/or through the blade set.

Abstract: A food-product pusher that includes features that adapt and optimize the pusher to the configuration of the blade set used to cut food-product into multiple slices during a cutting operation. In some embodiments, the pusher includes a pusher head having pushing region configured to highly stabilize the food product during the cutting operation. In some embodiments, the pusher head is configured to minimize the amount of material needed for making the pusher head. Pusher heads having monolithic construction and pushers having modular construction are also disclosed.

Abstract: A programmable weighing scale and a system and method for programming values of adjustable operating parameters used in generating the displayed output from the weighing scale. The weighing scale is placed into a restricted-access programming mode, which allows an authorized programmer to select values of operating parameters that allow the programmer to initially set or change the service characteristics of the scale. Operating parameters that can be varied include variables used in sampling the weighing scale's transducer electrical output, mathematically processing that output, and displaying the results. Once the operating parameter values have been selected, the weighing scale will utilize those values until the weighing scale undergoes a subsequent reprogramming.

Abstract: A weighing scale that is calibratable without a calibration weight that is separate and distinct from the scale. The scale has a weighing mode and a self-calibration mode and includes a base that supports a load cell, which in turn supports a mass receiver. Electronic circuitry within the scale is configured so that, during the calibration mode, the sprung weight of the base when the scale is inverted and supported by the mass receiver can be used to calibrate the scale. This avoids the need to maintain a calibration weight external to the scale. A process of calibrating the scale includes inverting the scale during the self-calibration process and allowing the circuitry to acquire a calibration parameter that is based on the inverted sprung weight.