GB2244208A - Motor driven peeler for fruit & vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

A peeler comprises a housing enclosing a motor (19) and its batteries, the housing forming a handle. The motor (19) is connected to a blade (27) for peeling which is moved to and fro substantially linearly by the motor (19). The blade (27) is connected to a drive arm (29) which is driven by an eccentric cam arrangement rotated by the motor (19). A guide which automatically adjusts the depth of cut is formed by a shaped supporting arm (40) (Figure 1) which guides items to be peeled to the blade (27); in an alternative embodiment (Figure 11), the guide comprises a roller (34) and a roller carrier (35). A spike or pointed projection (36) extends from one end of the housing to act as a knife point. The housing may be foldable. <IMAGE>

Description

1 1 :2.,,I.:;:- c> E! r- PEELER This invention relates to a peeler for

fruit and vegetables.

Generally, a peeler has a frame forming a handle and supporting a blade or knife which is required to be dragged over the item to be peeled. The effort required to peel the item depends on the thickness and toughness of the skin and the sharpness of the blade. Sometimes considerable effort must be expended by the 10 operator to peel an item such as an orange or appl e.

The present invention provides a peeler with a blade driven by a motor to achieve the actual cutting of the skin.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a peeler comprising a motor, a housing enclosing the motor and forming a handle for holding the peeler, a blade for peeling connected to the motor and arranged to move to and fro substantially in the plane in which the blade lies, and guide means for guiding the item to be peeled to the blade.

Preferably, the movement of the blade is substantiall linear.

- 2 Optionally, the blade may be mounted on an arm which is connected to the housing by flexible members allowing the depth of cut to be adjusted automatically to suit the item being peeled.

Preferably, the portion of the housing to which the arm is attached is pivotable with respect to the handle portion of the housing.

Preferably, the arm is oscillated by an eccentric cam driven by the motor.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a peeler according to the invention seperated from its cover; Figure 2 illustrates a main housing portion of the 15 peeler of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the housing of Figure 2 taken along line A-A; Figure 4 illustrates the blade of the peeler of Figure 1 1 'i 1 i i i 1 i i 1 i i i i i i i i i i i i i 1 i 1 1 1 - 3 Figure 5 illustrates a motor housing portion of the the peeler of Figure 1 Figures 6 and 7 illustrate an eccentric cam and crown wheel arrangement used to drive the blade of the peeler of Figure 1; Figure 8 illustrates a variation of the peeler of Figure 1; Figure 9 illustrates a folderable peeler shown closed position; in the Figure 10 illustrates the peeler of Figure 9 in the open position with the housing in partial section; and Figure 11 is a view from above of the blade portion of the peeler of Figure 9 with the housing in partial section.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a peeler according to:he invention separated from the cover for clarity. The operational features of this embodiment will now be described.

The peeler of Figures 1 to 7, has a housing (11) and a 20 blade support arm (40) rigidly connected thereto and - 4 forming an integral part thereof. The motor (19) lies longitudinally within the housing and the housing is designed to accommodate a single battery.

A gearing arrangement is required to transfer the 5 longitudinal rotational movement of the motor shaft to the reciprocating longitudinal motion of the blade (27). This arrangement is shown in Figure 5. The shaft of the motor is fitted with a drive cog (50) which engages a crown wheel (51) which rotates about an axis transverse to the peeler and motor shaft. This crown wheel also acts as a small flywheel. An eccentric cam (52) is formed on the boss (53) of the crown wheel (51) and engages with a slot (32) formed in the end of a drive arm (29) for driving the blade. This slot is arranged in a transverse orientation so as to impact substantially reciprocating motion in the longitudinal direction to the drive arm. To ensure substantially longitudinal direction of motion, the drive arm reciprocates within a guiding channel formed by ridges (55). The arm is connected directly to one end in the blade and forms a slide (129) which reciprocates within the guiding channel.

The dista.1 end (80) of the blade (27) is formed with ears or lobes (81). These lobes are fitted with respective bushes (82) to allow the blade to slide 1 1 i 1 i i i 1 - 5 within but remain captured by a channel (90) formed at the distal end of the support arm (40) of the peeler. The channel is formed by a U-shaped ridge (92) formed around the end of the support arm and having an overhanging lip (91), the lip (91), ridge (92) and arm (40) defining the channel (90) within which the bushes reciprocate. A hole (93) is formed in the ridge at the very end of the arm (40), defining the end of the channel and allowing the end of the blade to extend therethrough. The hole provides easy cleaning of the end of the blade and prevents build up of foreign material which may interfere within the operation of the blade if the channel was formed in a blind hole.

Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8, the other end of 15 the blade may be connected to a small slide which is able to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction along a small slot formed in the distal end of the blade support arm (40). Ridges may be formed along the slot to guide the slide in its.movement.

It should be realised that the blade may be permanently secured to the drive arm and slide or it may be removably mounted so that it can be reversed or replaced.

The blade may also be sharpened on both sides to allow 1 - 6 the peeler to be used from both sides. Alternatively, the blade could be sharpened differently on each cutting edge for cutting or peeling different items. Serrated blades are advantageous as the teeth cut the skin of the item being peeled by a sawing action as the blade repidly oscillates.

The support arm has been shaped, as shown in Figure 3 to form a smooth guide surface (28) for guiding items to be peeled to the blade on both sides of the arm and the blade is double sided to allow peeling from either side.

Alternatively, the guide (28) may be a special slide fitted to the support arm as shown in Figure 8 or it may be a roller fitted to the support arm, preferably, removably fitted as shown in Figure 9.

The peeler housing (11) has four main sections. A main housing part (12) which. includes the blade support arm (40), control switch (20), motor chamber (60) and battery chamber (61). A motor housing (58) in which the motor (19) is fitted and a battery lid (17) for covering the battery chamber, connect to the main housing. A cover (118) completes the peeler.

1 i - 7 From Figure 2, a contact strip (62) connecting the negative terminal of the battery to the motor via the control switch (20) can be seen. The end of the negative contact strip bears against the body of the motor to complete the electrical circuit when the peeler is switched on. A positive terminal contact strip (63) is fitted to the motor housing and can be seen in Figure 5. This contact strip is connected directly to the positive terminal of the motor (19).

Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a foldable peeler. The operational features of this embodiment are further illustrated in Figures 10 & 11.

In Figure 9, the peeler (10) is shown in the closed or storage position. The peeler has a housing (11) which can be divided into two major sections, the main housing (12) and the auxilary housing (14).

The main housing (12), forms a handle for holding the peeler and accommodates two batteries used to power the motor (19) is shown more clearly in Figure 10.

The auxilary housing is pivotably attached to the main housing to allow the auxilary housing to pivot from a closed position to an open or operational position The motor (19) although located within the housing is ma in secured to the auxilarv housina and rotates - 8 within the main housing as the rotates.

auxilary housing The auxilary housing (14) has a within which the drive end of the motor (19) located. The motor is secured to the turret portion and the lower portion of the turret portion is captured within the main housing for r,tation with respect thereto by a ridge and channel a-rangement. Rotation of the turret is restricted by si-)ps (26) 10 located on the auxilary and main housings.

-urret portion (25) is A switch (20) connects the battery contact (21) te the motor contact (22). The other battery contact (23) is connected to the motor by a wiper contact (24) bearii.T on the frame or casing of the motor to complete the electrical circuit. Motor contact (22) is fixed with respect to the motor so that as the motor is rotated within the main housing, the switch is unable to cause the arm of the battery contact (.21) to contact the motor contact (22) until the auxilary housing is in 20 the operational position (as shown in Figure 10). This prevents accidental operation of the peeler when it is closed.

The auxilary housing supports the blade (27) and the guide arrangement (28). The blade (27) is carried by i i i 1 1 z - 9 a drive arm (29) which is connected to the housing by supports (30) which are flexible in substantially one direction only. The drive arm is connected to the motor by an eccentric cam arrangement arranged to move the arm and thus the blade to and fro along a substantially linear path.

The eccentric cam arrangement comprises a small flywheel (37) mounted to the drive end of the motor shaft. Located on the flywheel is an off-centre spigot or cam (31) which engages with a slot in the drive arm to drive the arm and thus the blade along a path which lies substantially in a single plane. A cover (18) conceals the connection between the motor and the drive arm.

The guide arrangement (28), in the form of a roller (34) and a roller cairier (35) supported by the auxilary housing (14), guides the object to be peeled towards the blade. The depth of.cut is varied to suit the thickness of the skin of the item to be peeled by firstly, the initial gap between the roller and the blade and secondly, by the flexible nature of the drive arm and the supports (30). Although the supports (30) are substantially flexible in one direction only, i.e. in the direction of oscillation of the blade, they do flex slightly in the - 10 perpendicular direction allowing the blade to ride up to a position where the depth of cut becomes easy. Thus the depth of cut is automatically adjusted to suit the item being peeled. Alternatively, the de pth of cut can be varied by using guides of different heights or spring loaded guides.

i i i 1 i A spike or pointed projection (36) extends from the distal end of the housing (14). This can be used to remove "eyes" from potatoes, bad portions of the peeled item and other such similar operations.

i 1 I 1 i i 1 i i i

Claims (14)

1. A peeler comprising a motor, a housing enclosing the motor and forming a handle for holding the peeler, a blade for peeling connected to the motor and arranged to move to and fro substantially in a plane in which the blade lies, and guide means for guiding an item to be peeled to the blade.

2. A peeler as defined in claim handle is arranged to accommodate powering the motor and the electrical connection between the motor and the battery is by a contact arm caused to bear against a motor contact by a hand operable switch.

1, wherein the a battery for

3. A peeler as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the blade is supported by a support arm rigidly connected to the housing and the blade is driven by a drive arm connected to the motor by an eccentric cam and crown wheel arrangement.

4. A peeler as defined in claim 3, wherein a drive cog fitted to the shaft of the motor engages the crown wheel directly, the crown wheel being arranged to rotate about an axis transverse of the housing, and the eccentric cam is formed on a boss of the crown 12 wheel and locates within a transverse slot formed in the drive arm.

5. A peeler as defined in claim 3 or 4, wherein one end of the blade is connected to the drive arm and the other end is connected to a slide arranged to reciprocate within a slot formed in the support arm.

6. A peeler as defined in claim 3 or 4, wherein one end of the blade is connected to the drive arm and the other end is slidably captured within a channel formed at the distal end of the support arm.

7. A peeler as defined in claim 6, wherein the other end of the blade is formed with two lobes which are fitted with bushes for sliding within the channel.

8. A peeler as defined in claim 2, wherein the blade is mounted on a drive arm which is connected to the housing by flexible members and arranged to be driven by an eccentric cam arrangement rotatable by the motor.

9. A peeler as defined in claim 8, wherein the eccentric cam arrangement comprises a flywheel with an off-centre spigot arranged to locate within a slot formed in the drive arm.

i i i 1 1 i i i 1

10. A peeler as defined in claim 8 or 9, wherein the portion of the housing to which the drive arm is attached is pivotable with respect to the handle portion of the housing from a closed position to an open position.

11. A peeler as defined in claim 10, wherein the hand operable switch is only able to urge the contact arm into contact with the motor contact when the peeler is in the open position.

12. A peeler as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the arrangement of the blade and guide means is such that the depth of cut is adjusted automatically to suit the item being peeled.

13 A peeler as defined in any one of the preceding 15 claims, wherein the guide means is a roller.

14. A peeler substantially as hdreinbefore described with ref..rence to the accompanying drawings.

Published 1991 atThe Patent Office. Concept House. Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent Npq IRH. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch, Unit 6. Nine Mile Point, CwnifelWach. Cross Ke:, s. Newport, NP1 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent.