Apparatus and method for moving a workpiece through an opening in a container
AssigneeBrian Hill
InventorsBrian Hill, Hector Chavez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for narrowing and moving a workpiece from a fruit or vegetable through an opening in a container wherein the workpiece is relatively wider than the opening is provided. The apparatus has a plunger with an extension portion slidably movable within a bore formed in a loader. The loader has a base portion mountable over the opening. In one preferred embodiment of this invention, the apparatus includes a compression plate for compressing the fruit or vegetable into a slicer, forming a plurality of workpieces. The slicer, holding the workpieces, is aligned with the plunger and one workpiece is plunged through a first bore and into a container.
Claims21
An apparatus for inserting at least a portion of food into a beverage container, the beverage container having an interior chamber for holding a beverage and an opening into the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- a loader having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being capable of holding at least a portion of food and having at least one surface for compressing and guiding at least a portion of food into a beverage container, and the lower portion defining a cavity being capable of receiving at least a portion of a beverage container opening to mount the loader thereon;
- an elongated plunger having integral handle and drive portions, the drive portion being capable of extending through the upper portion of the loader to engage and drive at least a portion of food from the upper portion into an interior chamber of a beverage container through an opening in the beverage container when the plunger is moved from a loading position wherein the drive portion is substantially removed from the loader to an inserting position wherein the drive portion is inserted fully within the loader;
- and
- wherein the loader and elongated plunger cooperate to form a longneck bottle shape when the plunger is positioned in the inserting position.
An apparatus for inserting at least a portion of food into a beverage container, the beverage container defining an interior chamber for holding a beverage and an opening into the chamber, the apparatus comprising:
- a food loading mechanism defining a bore and having a portion mountable over an opening in a beverage container, the bore being capable of containing at least a portion of food and capable of inserting at least a portion of the food into a beverage container;
- a plunger having an extension portion, the extension portion being slidably movable within and guided by the bore of the food loading mechanism such that the plunger can engage and move at least a portion of food in the bore through an opening defined by a beverage container;
- and
- wherein the food loading mechanism and plunger cooperate to form a longneck bottle shape when the extension portion of the plunger is positioned fully within the bore of the food loading mechanism, the longneck bottle shape having an elongated neck portion having a top and bottom and extending from a body and tapering toward the top thereof.
An apparatus for inserting at least a portion of food into a beverage container comprising:
- a food compressing member having an integral handle and drive member for compressing at least a portion of food into a beverage container;
- a loader with which the food compressing member cooperates in order to insert at least a portion of the food into the beverage container;
- and
- wherein the food compressing member is movable between a first position wherein at least a majority of the drive portion is removed from the loader, and a second position wherein the drive portion is fully positioned within the loader such that the apparatus takes on a longneck bottle shape when the food compressing member is in the second position.
An apparatus for inserting at least a portion of food into a beverage container, comprising:
- a food directing mechanism having first and second openings with a bore extending therebetween, wherein the first opening is shaped for receiving a portion of a beverage container top and the bore is shaped for receiving at least a portion of a food product;
- a food insertion mechanism having a top portion with an elongated member extending therefrom and into the second opening of the food directing mechanism, wherein the insertion mechanism is capable of being moved from a first position where a majority of the elongated member is removed from the food directing mechanism for loading the food product into the bore, and a second position where the elongated member is located within the food directing mechanism for inserting at least a portion of the food product into the beverage container;
- and
- wherein the insertion mechanism and food directing mechanism cooperate to form a longneck bottle shape when the food directing mechanism is located in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.