Food Grating Device And Improved Hinge Mechanism
The present invention comprises a hinge device. The hinge device is located within a housing, and may comprise a rotating drum mounted on a hinge bar. The rotating drum is slidable between a first, locked position and a second, unlocked position, and also rotatable with respect to the housing. The hinge device may also comprise a engagement wall positioned within the housing and having a shelf and at least one locking slot. A locking member may be formed on the rotating drum and may cooperate with the engagement wall when the rotating drum is in the first, locked position to prevent the rotating drum from rotating with respect to the housing. A biasing spring may be located within the housing, which biases the rotating drum toward the first, locked position.
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This invention is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/424,694 filed on Jun. 16, 2006, which claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/691,369 filed on Jun. 17, 2005. These prior applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to an apparatus for grating food products as well as a hinge mechanism to connect arms of an apparatus in multiple fixed positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAn apparatus for grating food products, such as cheese, is disclosed herein. The apparatus comprises a pair of arms that are fixable in different positions to enable the apparatus to be easily used in different manners, and to be easily collapsed into a storage position. An improved hinge mechanism that may be used in connection with other devices is also disclosed. The details of this invention are set forth below in connection with the detailed description of the embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Grater 12 has at least three different positions, which are achieved by the rotation of handle member 16 through the hinge mechanism 10 to be described below. The first, or closed, position is depicted in
It will be appreciated by those in the art that the figures depict an exemplary embodiment rather than a limiting one. For example, this apparatus is described as a food grater but other applications are possible. Grating surface 18 may also be removably attached to permit different grating or slicing surfaces to be used with the apparatus, and handle member 16 may comprise different shapes than gripping portion 20. Moreover, hinge assembly 10 has many applications and is not limited to applications such as food grater 12, nor is it limited to use with food-related utensils, as there are industrial applications for such assemblies.
Curved portion 25, having a first end 26 and a second end 28, is formed at one end of main body member 14. Cavity 36 is formed within curved portion 25. Caps 31 and 32 are removably secured to curved portion 25 proximate to first end 26 and second end 28, respectively. Cap 31 comprises circular element 91, while cap 32 comprises circular element 92.
Groove 35 is formed between first end 26 and cap 31 on the one side, and second end 28 and cap 32 on the other side. Groove 35 is sized to accommodate neck portion 15 to permit handle member 16 to move between the first, second and third positions as described herein.
In the embodiment depicted, curved portion 25 is integrally formed as part of main body member 14; other means of securing curved portion 25 to main body member 14 are within the scope of the invention. Similarly, caps 31 and 32 are removably secured to curved portion 25 by means of screws (not shown) threaded into openings 39; covers (not shown) may be used to enclose the screws to provide a smooth outer surface of caps 31 and 32. It will be understood that caps 31 and 32 may be removably secured by other means such as snaps, a tongue-in-groove arrangement, etc. It will also be appreciated that the depicted embodiment is exemplary only, rather than limiting, and it is within the scope of the present invention that curved portion 25 and caps 31 and 32 may be replaced by a number of variations.
As shown in
Rotating drum 50, having a drum first end 51 and a drum second end 52, may be an integral part of handle 16 and is mounted on hinge bar 43. Biasing spring 60 is located on hinge bar 43 between drum second end 52 and second collar 42. As can be seen by a comparison of
A locking member 55 is formed on drum first end 51. As shown, for example, in
As seen in
As shown most clearly in
In order for food grating device 12 to operate, a force that is sufficient to overcome the force supplied by biasing spring 60 is applied, to the left as depicted in
As the user rotates handle member 16, and consequently rotating drum 50, toward the second rotating position, locking member 55 will slide along face 74 until it aligns with locking slot 75. When locking member 55 aligns with locking slot 75, spring 60 will urge locking member 55 to engage and cooperate with locking slot 75, allowing rotating drum 50 to return to the first, locked sliding position. As in the first rotating position, when rotating drum 50 is in the second rotating position, the cooperation of locking member 55 and locking slot 75 will prevent rotating drum 50 from rotating about hinge bar 43.
When the user once again supplies a sufficient force to rotating drum 50 through handle member 16 (again by pressing on cap 32 while grasping handle 16), rotating drum 50 slides to the second, unlocked position, where rotating drum 50 is again free to rotate about hinge bar 43. While rotating drum 50 is in this second unlocked position, the user slightly rotates handle 16 toward the third rotating position, as shown in
As rotating drum 50 continues to rotate, locking member 55 will slide along face 74 until it once again aligns with shelf 73, at which time biasing spring 60 will urge rotating drum 50 to return to first, locked sliding position, where shelf 73 and locking member 55 once again cooperate to prevent rotating drum 50 from rotating about hinge bar 43.
It will be appreciated by those in the art that the use of any of the rotating positions is optional and not necessary for the use of the present invention. By way of example, rotating drum 50, while in the second unlocked position, may be rotated from the first rotating position to slightly past the second rotating position before the force acting on handle member 16 is removed. In this way, rotating drum 50 may be rotated from the first rotating position directly to the third rotating position.
It will also be appreciated that more than one locking slot may be formed in engagement wall 70. Because any additional locking slots will cooperate with locking member 55 in the same way as locking slot 75, the number of additional locking slots would allow rotating drum 50 to rotate between the same number of additional rotating positions.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements of the food grating device and hinge disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A hinge assembly for use with a first and a second member rotatable with respect to one another, the hinge assembly comprising:
- a hinge bar engaged to the first member;
- a drum rotatably and slidably disposed on the hinge bar, the drum comprising a first end and a second end and slidable along the hinge bar between a first, locked position and a second, unlocked position;
- a locking member located on the first end of the rotating cylinder;
- a locking wall disposed within the hinge assembly proximate to the first end of drum, the locking wall comprising at least one locking slot, and wherein the locking member engages the at least one locking slot when the drum is in the first position, preventing the drum from rotating about the hinge bar; and
- a spring engaged to the second end of the drum to bias the drum to the first, locked position.
2. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking wall comprises a plurality of locking slots, and wherein the locking member engages one of the locking slots when the drum is in the first position, preventing the drum from rotating about the hinge bar.
3. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second member is engaged to the drum.
4. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the drum is integrally formed from the second member.
5. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first member comprises a food grating surface and the second member comprises a handle.
6. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking member comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is positioned on the opposite side of the hinge bar from the first portion.
7. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking wall abuts the first surface of the drum when the drum is in the first, locked position.
8. A hinge assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a rotating drum comprising a first end and a second end, the rotating drum being positioned at least partially within the housing and slidable between a first and a second position, and rotatable with respect to the housing;
- a locking wall disposed at least partially in the housing and positioned proximate to the first end of the rotating drum, the locking wall comprising at least one locking slot;
- a locking member formed on the first end of the rotating drum, wherein the locking member engages the at least one locking slot when the rotating drum is in the first position, preventing the rotating drum from rotating.
9. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a hinge bar disposed within the housing, wherein the rotating drum is slidably and rotatably disposed on the hinge bar.
10. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a biasing spring disposed within the housing and engaged to the rotating drum, wherein the biasing spring biases the rotating drum to the first position.
11. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein the locking wall comprises a plurality of locking slots, wherein the locking member engages at least one of the locking slots when the rotating drum is in the first position, preventing the rotating drum from rotating.
12. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 8, wherein a first member is engaged to and extends from the housing.
13. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 12, wherein the first member is integrally formed with the housing.
14. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 13, wherein a second member is engaged to the rotating drum.
15. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a first and a second cap, wherein the first and the second caps are engaged to the housing.
16. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 15, wherein the locking wall comprises a first portion, integrally formed with the first cap, and a second portion, integrally formed with the housing.
17. A hinge assembly for use in connecting a handle to a body member in multiple operative positions, the hinge assembly comprising:
- a hinge bar engaged to the body member and positioned within a cavity formed in the body member;
- a rotating drum having a first end and a second end, the rotating drum rotatably and slidably mounted on the hinge bar, the rotating drum slidable between a first sliding position and a second sliding position and rotatable between a first locked position, a second locked position and a third locked position;
- a locking member formed on the first end of the rotating drum;
- an engagement wall positioned within the cavity, proximate to the first end of the rotating drum and comprising a shelf and a locking slot, wherein, when the rotating drum is in the first sliding position, the shelf cooperates with the locking member to selectively lock the rotating drum in either the first or third locked positions or, alternatively, the locking slot cooperates with the locking member to selectively lock the rotating drum in the second locked position.
18. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 17, further comprising a biasing spring engaged to the rotating drum, wherein the biasing spring biases the rotating drum toward the first sliding position.
19. A hinge assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a first member engaged to and extending from the housing;
- a hinge bar disposed within the housing;
- a rotating drum positioned at least partially within the housing, the rotating drum disposed on the hinge bar and comprising a first end and a second end and slidable between a first position and a second position, and rotatable about the hinge bar;
- a second member engaged to and extending from the rotating drum;
- a locking wall positioned proximate to the first end of the rotating cylinder and at least partially within the housing, the locking wall comprising at least one locking slot; and
- a locking member formed on the first end of the rotating cylinder, wherein the locking member engages the at least one locking slot when the rotating cylinder is in the first position, preventing the rotating cylinder from rotating.
20. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 19, wherein the first member is integrally formed from the housing and the second member is integrally formed from the rotating cylinder.
21. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a biasing spring engaged to the rotating cylinder, wherein the biasing spring biases the rotating cylinder to the first position.
22. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 19, further comprising a first cap, wherein the first cap is engaged to the housing.
23. The hinge assembly as set forth in claim 22, wherein the locking wall comprises a top half, integrally formed from the first cap, and a bottom half, integrally formed from the housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 24, 2007
Publication Date: Aug 16, 2007
Applicant: Columbia Insurance Company (Omaha, NE)
Inventors: Terri Webb (Elmhurst, IL), Louis Chalfant (Russellville, AR)
Application Number: 11/739,511
International Classification: E05D 11/10 (20060101);