Abstract: A Fruit Pitter is disclosed where a plunger and shaft are slidably disposed within a generally cylindrical barrel. The shaft contains a pit engaging end that serves to cut and push a pit through a food item and expel the pit into a pit ejection chamber. The plunger is spring actuated for ease of operation. The food item rests in an opening in the barrel and remains there throughout the pit removal operation until a user removes the food item from the Fruit Pitter. The pit ejection chamber keeps the pit retained until it can be disposed of, and further serves to reduce splattering while the Fruit Pitter is in use.

Abstract: A monolithic nut opening apparatus includes a hinge portion forming a rearward end. A first elongated arm and a second elongated arm longitudinally extend towards a forward end from opposing ends of the hinge portion. A first tip extends from the first elongated arm and at least one upward extending lateral tapered edge extending from the first tip. A second tip extends from the second elongated arm and at least one downward extending lateral tapered edge extending from the second tip.

Abstract: A stuffing hand tool for inserting food material into pitted or cored produce items such as olives, figs, strawberries, cherries, which includes a body easily gripped with one hand by a user allowing a tube projecting from one end to be pressed into a mass of food material creating a plug of food material retained in the tube which is stuffed into an item when a plunger is advanced by depressing a pusher cylinder extended out from the opposite end of the body.

Abstract: A cherry pitter includes a container having a removable cherry holder with a plurality of cavities for holding cherries. A mating plurality of cutters is secured to the lid of the container, which is pivotally secured to the container. By rotating the lid downward the cutters are pushed into and through the cherries, pushing the pits into the container. A spring-loaded push-off plate holds the cherries down against the holder as the lid rotates upward again, separating the cherries from the cutters. These and other examples of the invention will be described in further detail below.

Abstract: A hulling device includes a cap, a pushing member, a spring between the cap and pushing member, and at least one nipper having two nipping members coupled to the pushing member and extending toward the cap. The nipping members are mutually shaped with the cap and slide contiguous respective contact regions of the cap to separate tips of the nipping members upon actuation of the pushing member. The separated tips can be inserted in a food item, such as a strawberry, and twisted and pulled to hull the food item. The user can release the pushing member when the tips are in the food item to improve gripping and severing the hull. The hulling device can also include a main body housing at least a portion of the pushing member, cap, spring, and first and second nippers, the main body being coupled to the cap, the pushing member, or both.

Abstract: A food cutting apparatus includes a body defining a first opening and supporting a first blade extending within the first opening. The first blade is configured to cut the food item. The apparatus also includes a dial rotatably coupled to the body about an axis and defining a second opening substantially aligned with the first opening. The dial supports a second blade extending within the second opening. The second blade is configured to cut the food item.

Abstract: Apparatus and method having a first and second arm jointed on one end by a U-shaped member together forming a set of tongs which can be used to de-seed fruits and vegetables. The arms being biased away from each other an effective amount so as to keep the tips of the arms separated from each other. Each arm formed into the shape of cutting blades being concave shaped throughout their entire length and being sharpened on each side of the blade so that the tip of the arm can be inserted into the fruit or vegetable and then rotated clockwise (right hand) and/or counterclockwise (left hand) in order to de-seed the fruit or vegetable so that the blades cut in either the right or left hand direction.

Abstract: A candle-maintenance tool for carving a substantially arcuate path in candle wax of a surface of a candle. The candle-maintenance tool includes a shaft having a candle-contacting surface at one end thereof and a blade coupled to the shaft near the candle-contacting surface. When the candle-contacting surface is pressed into the surface of the candle, at least a portion of the blade contacts the surface of the candle. When the candle-maintenance tool is rotated in place with the candle-contacting surface pressed into the surface of the candle, the blade carves a substantially arcuate path into the surface of the candle.

Abstract: A kitchen utensil for removing a hard center from a food item, such as a seed or a pit from a cherry or olive, has a shield for controlling a splatter of juice or other debris that may result from the removal of the hard center. The shield is removably securable with the utensil so that cleaning is simplified and so that the kitchen utensil can be stored in a compact arrangement. The shield secures on a first portion of the utensil in an operational configuration, and is received on a different portion of the utensil in a storage configuration. The utensil may include a locking mechanism to hold the utensil in a closed position so that the storage configuration is further compact.

Abstract: A kitchen utensil for removing a hard center from a food item, such as a seed or a pit from a cherry or olive, has a shield for controlling a splatter of juice or other debris that may result from the removal of the hard center. The shield is removably securable with the utensil so that cleaning is simplified and so that the kitchen utensil can be stored in a compact arrangement. The shield secures on a first portion of the utensil in an operational configuration, and is received on a different portion of the utensil in a storage configuration. The utensil may include a locking mechanism to hold the utensil in a closed position so that the storage configuration is further compact.

Abstract: A stone removing tool for removing a stone from a fruit having an outer flesh portion surrounding the stone, the tool having a head section configured for being gripped by a user and a stem section extending from the head section and having an end opposite the head section configured for penetrating the flesh of the fruit and positively engaging the stone for removal from the fruit in an axial pulling action.

Abstract: An opener for pistachio nuts which uses a multiple prong approach to remove the shell halves from a pistachio nut. By using a multiple prong approach which start in a juxtapose position, the pistachio nut is opened with an evenly applied force. The multiple prong approach also provides a space in which the meat of the nut can be captured upon returning to a closed position. The ability to grab the meat of the nut upon returning to the closed position is the reason that the name of “Pistachio Nut Extractor” was chosen over “Pistachio Nut Opener”.