Abstract: A double-hinged food press for extruding foodstuff through a grate and operational by hand while held aloft or placed on a work surface. An upward-curved plunger handle, combined with a receiver handle designed to rest on the surface, positions the press for the operation. Rollers enable the grate to be snapped smoothly over risers into and out of recesses in the receiver without undue wear and resulting loss of integrity. A raised lip of resilient material surrounding a plunger face further ensures a tight fit between the plunger and receiver cup. Resilient material between the plunger face and the hinge barrel of the grate ensures a tight fit between the two. Hinge pins may be removed by the user for replacement of the grate. Bosses can extend from the receiver unit for support on the surface to assist in operation of the press. An attachable paddle can be used to collect extruded material and to scrape it from the grate.

Abstract: A rotary grater includes a grater body with a body arm portion; a rotatable cutting device; a grater plunger with plunger arm portion connected to a plunger head portion; and a lever member pivotably coupled to the plunger arm portion or the body arm portion, the lever member having a first lever end portion and a second lever end portion, the second lever end portion of the lever member being oppositely disposed relative to the first lever end portion, the first lever end portion of the lever member configured to receive an input force applied by a user, and the second lever end portion of the lever member configured to apply an output force against a bearing wall of the grater body or the grater plunger so as to facilitate a compressing of the workpiece between the plunger head portion and the rotatable cutting device while grating the workpiece.

Abstract: A double-hinged food press for extruding foodstuff through a grate and operational by hand while held aloft or placed on a work surface. An upward-curved plunger handle, combined with a receiver handle designed to rest on the surface, positions the press for the operation. Rollers enable the grate to be snapped smoothly over risers into and out of recesses in the receiver without undue wear and resulting loss of integrity. A raised lip of resilient material surrounding a plunger face further ensures a tight fit between the plunger and receiver cup. Resilient material between the plunger face and the hinge barrel of the grate ensures a tight fit between the two. Hinge pins may be removed by the user for replacement of the grate. Bosses can extend from the receiver unit for support on the surface to assist in operation of the press. An attachable paddle can be used to collect extruded material and to scrape it from the grate.

Abstract: A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. The hole in the clamp plate is counter-bored on the “V” side to accommodate a spring, which surrounds the bolt.

Abstract: A double-hinged food press for extruding foodstuff through a grate and operational by hand while held aloft or placed on a work surface. An upward-curved plunger handle, combined with a receiver handle designed to rest on the surface, positions the press for the operation. Rollers enable the grate to be snapped smoothly over risers into and out of recesses in the receiver without undue wear and resulting loss of integrity. A raised lip of resilient material surrounding a plunger face further ensures a tight fit between the plunger and receiver cup. Resilient material between the plunger face and the hinge barrel of the grate ensures a tight fit between the two. Hinge pins may be removed by the user for replacement of the grate. Bosses can extend from the receiver unit for support on the surface to assist in operation of the press. An attachable paddle can be used to collect extruded material and to scrape it from the grate.

Abstract: A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt-tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. A hinge clamp with a retained clamp plate that retains the position of the clamp plate near the handle when the hinge clamp is loosened.

Abstract: A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. The hole in the clamp plate is counter-bored on the “V” side to accommodate a spring, which surrounds the bolt.

Abstract: A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt-tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. A hinge clamp with a retained clamp plate that retains the position of the clamp plate near the handle when the hinge clamp is loosened.

Abstract: A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. The hole in the clamp plate is counter-bored on the “V” side to accommodate a spring, which surrounds the bolt.

Abstract: A hinge clamp adapted to clamp a hinge assembly with an eyelet to position and protect a retraction spring, a counter-bore in the V-plate to accommodate the spring, and a finger loop to position the user's finger during operation. In some aspects the clamp may have a removable bolt tightening handle, the release of which enables the handle to be removed to avoid damage and to prevent theft. The handle may be removable over the head of the bolt in a first rotary configuration, and be constrained under the head of the bolt in a second rotary configuration. The hole in the clamp plate is counter-bored on the “V” side to accommodate a spring, which surrounds the bolt.

Abstract: A container is provided for shipping and storing a pre-wetted and pre-conditioned microfluidic “sipper” chip. The container contains both dry compartments and wet compartments. A base contains a fluid-filled reservoir configured to house the capillaries. The opening of the reservoir is sealed with an O-ring. The plastic mount of the chip rests on the base in a dry compartment. The upper surface of the chip contains several wells containing fluid. A gasket is provided with plugs configured to be disposed within and seal the wells. Alternatively, the wells are first sealed with a foil film adhered to the well openings with an adhesive and a gasket is disposed between the foil and a cover, which is removably attached to the base. When the cover is closed, the gasket and O-ring seal the wet compartments to prevent leakage and to slow evaporation.

Abstract: A container is provided for shipping and storing a pre-wetted and pre-conditioned microfluidic “sipper” chip. The container contains both dry compartments and wet compartments. A base contains a fluid-filled reservoir configured to house the capillaries. The opening of the reservoir is sealed with an O-ring. The plastic mount of the chip rests on the base in a dry compartment. The upper surface of the chip contains several wells containing fluid. A gasket is provided with plugs configured to be disposed within and seal the wells. Alternatively, the wells are first sealed with a foil film adhered to the well openings with an adhesive and a gasket is disposed between the foil and a cover, which is removably attached to the base. When the cover is closed, the gasket and O-ring seal the wet compartments to prevent leakage and to slow evaporation.

Abstract: A container is provided for shipping and storing a pre-wetted and preconditioned microfluidic “sipper” chip. The container contains both dry compartments and wet compartments. A base contains a fluid-filled reservoir configured to house the capillaries. The opening of the reservoir is sealed with an O-ring. The plastic mount of the chip rests on the base in a dry compartment. The upper surface of the chip contains several wells containing fluid. A gasket is provided with plugs configured to be disposed within and seal the wells. Alternatively, the wells are first sealed with a foil film adhered to the well openings with an adhesive and a gasket is disposed between the foil and a cover, which is removably attached to the base. When the cover is closed, the gasket and O-ring seal the wet compartments to prevent leakage and to slow evaporation.

Abstract: A container is provided for shipping and storing a pre-wetted and pre-conditioned microfluidic “sipper” chip. The container contains both dry compartments and wet compartments. A base contains a fluid-filled reservoir configured to house the capillaries. The opening of the reservoir is sealed with an O-ring. The plastic mount of the chip rests on the base in a dry compartment. The upper surface of the chip contains several wells containing fluid. A gasket is provided with plugs configured to be disposed within and seal the wells. Alternatively, the wells are first sealed with a foil film adhered to the well openings with an adhesive and a gasket is disposed between the foil and a cover, which is removably attached to the base. When the cover is closed, the gasket and O-ring seal the wet compartments to prevent leakage and to slow evaporation.

Abstract: A simple, easily cleaned press having a grate (28) in which perforations (34) are created by inside and outside grooves (30 and 32) running at angles to each other. A ram wall (36) is provided with ridges (38) which mate with the inside grooves of the grate. These grooves and ridges can be cleaned by scraping or wiping comb teeth (40 and 42) along them. The comb teeth protrude from the far ends of the two levers (16 and 14): one attached to the ram (12), the other attached to the cup (10). The two parts are joined by a detachable hinge (18 and 24), allowing the comb of one part to be engaged with the corrugations of the other.

Abstract: An easily-cleaned press and grater combination, which can press, extrude and grate material. It also serves to collect and hold material. It opens to release the material and to expose all surfaces for cleaning. It comprises a first cup (12) with a first lever (16) attached to one side. Opposite the lever, the wall of the cup is formed by a first grate (26). This is held on by two hinge pins. The first hinge pin (38) is held at the bottom of the cup. The second hinge pin (20) snaps into the rim of the cup. A second cup (10) nests in the first cup. It is similar to the first, but has a solid wall (18) instead of a grate. The second cup also has a lever (14). A second grate (26) is interchangeable with the first. It shares the second hinge pin with it. The second grate snaps over a cavity (54) on the second cup into a recess (34). Exclusive of the grate and levers, the nesting surfaces of the two cups are concentric about the second hinge.

Abstract: A tool for the exertion of firm, well-modulated, compressional and shear force, ideally suited to the removal of nutshells by hand. An inclined surface moves alongside another surface, creating a V-shaped gap. Such movement will cause materials to be gripped, rolled, and crushed. This pair of surfaces is curved end-to-end around a central axis so that one becomes a circular cylinder, while the other assumes the form of a spiral curve, either around or within the first. One part rotates in relation to the other upon the central axis. The rotary-drum embodiment comprises a spiral curve (20a), the ends joined by a convex arc (22a), the resulting shape extended to form a cylinder. A web (38) spans one end of the cylinder to form a cup (40). The web serves to retain materials (92) being worked (such as edible nuts), as well as to support a central spindle (42) upon which a drum (22a) is turned by means of a key-shaped handle (46).