Modular food processing and preparation device

#The present disclosure relates generally to a food processing and preparation device. In particular, the device is an attachment for a mixer or similar appliance that peels, slices or shreds, and cores a food product.

#Various types of food processing devices in the form of combination peelers and slicers have been developed to allow for easier and more uniform slicing and peeling of various food items. Such devices have typically also incorporated coring functionality, facilitating the use therewith in connection with cored fruit, such as apples and the like. Many of such devices are hand-operated, including a crank to drive a screw that advances the food item, mounted on a retaining device on the end of the screw, while rotating it. When the food item contacts the corer and associated peeling and slicing blades, the food item engages these features, and is peeled, cored, and sliced, simultaneously, by further turning of the crank. Powered variations of such devices are often similarly configured, advancing the food item on an unanchored end of a drive screw toward fixed cutting implements. Both forms of such devices can limit the size and weight of items to-be processed due to eccentricity of the advancing screw end created by sagging thereof under heavy weight. Further, such devices can require lengthy time in retracting the core from the corer after processing and in advancing a new food item into contact with the processing implements. Accordingly, further advances may be desirable.

#According to an aspect of the disclosure, a food processing device includes a gear housing, a frame arm extending from the gear housing on a first lateral side thereof, and a drive screw extending between and operably coupled on respective ends thereof with the gear housing and a support end of the frame arm. The device further includes a retention hub operably coupled with the gear housing and extending generally parallel with and adjacent a portion of drive screw and an input hub extending from the gear housing opposite the drive screw and the retention hub and operably engaged with both the drive screw and the retention hub to drive synchronized rotational movement thereof with respect to the gear housing. A carrier is slidably coupled with the frame arm and is further operably engaged with the drive screw such that the rotational movement thereof drives corresponding linear movement of the carrier along the frame arm. The carrier defines at least one cutting implement thereon.

#In the drawings:

#FIG. 1 is a top-back perspective view of a food processing and preparation device;

#FIG. 2 is a top-front perspective view of the food processing and preparation device of FIG. 1;

#For purposes of description herein the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the device as oriented in FIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that the device may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

#Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 generally refers to a precision food preparation and processing device (hereinafter referred to as a processing device 10) that is capable of paring, coring, and spiral slicing or shredding a variety of food products, such as, but not limited to, those described further below. Device, 10 includes a gear housing 12 with a frame arm 14 extending therefrom on a first lateral side 13 of the gear housing 12. A drive screw 16 extends between and is coupled on respective ends with a first face 15 of gear housing 12 and a support end 18 of frame arm 14. A retention hub 20 is operably coupled with gear housing and extends parallel with a portion of drive screw 16. The drive screw 16 and the retention hub 20 are linearly arranged with respect to the frame arm 14 to sequential positions away from the first lateral side 13 of the gear housing 12. An input hub 22 extends from a second face 15 of gear housing 12 opposite the first face 15 and is operably engaged therewith to drive synchronized rotational movement thereof with respect to gear housing 12. A carrier 24 is slidably coupled with frame arm 14 and has a coupling unit extending therefrom to engage with the drive screw 16 such that the rotational movement thereof drives linear movement of the carrier 24 along the frame arm 14. Carrier 24 has operably coupled therewith a peeling arm 26 and a cutting implement 28 that, in an embodiment can include both an annular coring blade 30 and a straight slicing blade 32 that are positioned on carrier to simultaneously implement peeling, slicing, and coring actions on a product retained on retention hub 20 during synchronized rotational movement of drive screw 16 and retention hub 20.

#It is noted that frame arm 14, and gear housing 12 can be arranged in a single unit and can be made of a common material, including plastic, metal, or the like. In one embodiment, at least portions of frame arm 14 and gear housing 12 can be made of cast aluminum, which may give device 10 adequate strength to reliably cut even dense foods. Similarly a portion of carrier 24 can also be made of cast aluminum. To facilitate reliable sliding of carrier 24 along frame arm 14, one or more inserts 25 can be assembled into carrier 24 along portions thereof that contact frame arm 14. Such inserts can be of plastic, nylon, or the like and can include a coating (e.g. of Teflon™ or the like) to reduce friction between carrier 24 and frame arm 14. Further, inserts 25 can compensate for draft within carrier 24, allowing for a more secure fit along frame arm 14.