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: 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 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 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: Julienning/dicing food pushers having backings that include strategically located wash openings that promote efficient cleaning of the pushers. Each food product pusher is designed and configured for use with a thrust-type food product cutting apparatus and includes crisscrossing blade-receiving channels that receive blades of a blade grid during a cutting operation. The crisscrossing channels form intersections and define food pusher fingers that extend into food openings within the corresponding blade grid. The pusher fingers are supported by a backing that includes wash openings that expose, from the backside of the food product pusher, the channel intersections and portions of the channels beyond the intersections. These wash openings are particularly effective in cleaning the channels of compacted remnants of food products cut during cutting operations.

Abstract: A food product cutting apparatus having a cutting thrust axis and including a pusher assembly and slide rails for guiding the pusher assembly along the cutting thrust axis during a cutting operation. The slide rails may be integrated with a food product guide that assists in stabilizing a food product in the cutting apparatus before the pusher assembly engages the food product. A food product guide of the present disclosure is particularly useful when the food product cutting apparatus has a backward-leaning design.

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 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 chassis designed and configured for onboard pusher/blade-cartridge set storage. The food product cutting apparatus is designed and configured so that one food product pusher can be readily swapped out for another food product pusher and so that the corresponding blade cartridges can be swapped. The removed pusher may be nested with the removed blade cartridge and the combined nested pusher/blade-cartridge set stowed in a storage receptacle provided in the chassis of a food product cutting apparatus. In some embodiments, each pusher/blade-cartridge set may be provided with a tool-less retainer that retains the pusher in nested engagement with the corresponding blade cartridge. In some embodiments, the retainer may be provided with one or more wash openings so that a pusher/blade-cartridge set can be washed and/or sanitized with the retainer in place.

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 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.