Patents by Inventor Donald G. Ridler

Donald G. Ridler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6412177
    Abstract: A hand crank driven fruit and vegetable peeler for peeling away an outer portion of a fruit or vegetable. An arbor is detachably mounted in the hand crank for rotating a fruit or vegetable against a sharp cutting blade. The cutting blade is mounted in the end of a slender member which is pivotally and slidably mounted to a base. During peeling, the fruit or vegetable is manually rotated with the crank as the blade is traversed across an outer portion of the fruit or vegetable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Inventor: Donald G. Ridler
  • Patent number: 6408520
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable peeler which is driven by a small rotary power tool. An arbor is detachably mounted in the power tool for rotating a fruit or vegetable against a sharp cutting blade. The cutting blade is positioned relative to the fruit or vegetable by a steady rest on the handle. The blade has a narrow elongated front cutting portion and a spaced apart narrow elongated rear portion which pivotally attached to the handle. During the peeling of the fruit or vegetable, the steady rest maintains the position of the blade relative to the fruit or vegetable. In a first aspect of the invention, the steady rest is an integral portion of the handle and has a fixed spatial relationship to the blade. In a second aspect, the steady rest is attached to the handle and its position on the handle is selectively adjustable to accommodate large differences in the size and shape of fruits or vegetables. In a third aspect, a pair of blades and steady rests are provided on a common handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Inventor: Donald G. Ridler
  • Patent number: 6327971
    Abstract: A fruit and vegetable peeler having a blade mounted on a handle and a handle for supporting and traversing the blade along an outer surface of a fruit or a vegetable. The handle has a steady rest for maintaining the position of the blade relative to the fruit or vegetable. The blade has a narrow elongated front cutting portion, a narrow elongated spaced apart rear portion and short connecting end portions for attaching the blade to the handle. In a first aspect of the invention, the steady rest is an integral portion of the handle and has a fixed spatial relationship to the blade. In a second aspect, the steady rest is attached to the handle and its position on the handle is selectively adjustable to accommodate large differences in the size and shape of fruits or vegetables. In a third aspect, a pair of blades and steady rests are provided on a common handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Inventor: Donald G. Ridler
  • Patent number: 6082253
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for peeling a variety of fruits and vegetables wherein a sharp blade is traversed and rotated in a continuous or intermittent manner across a rotating fruit or vegetable. In a first aspect of the invention, the fruit or vegetable is mounted on a slender arbor which cooperates with a pair of surfaces to rotate and constrain the fruit or vegetable with respect to the peeling blade. The arbor is manually rotated with one hand of a user as an opposite hand controlled peeling blade is traversed from side to side and rotated to engage center and end portions of the peeling blade with the fruit or vegetable. In a second aspect of the invention, the arbor is driven by a small electric motor, a small kitchen appliance, such as an electric can opener or mixer, or a small kitchen appliance such as a mixer which cooperates with the arbor to constrain and rotate the fruit or vegetable with respect to the peeling blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Inventor: Donald G. Ridler