# US 7,743,690 B2 · Thumb utensil with cutting board > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,743,690 B2 - Document ID: US7743690B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/205,415 - Filed: 2008-09-05 - Published: 2009-02-12 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2005-08-17 - Assignees: Wonder Thumb Products, LLC - Inventors: Jackson Wells White; Thomas James Philpott; Daniel Lee Bizzell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743690B2 ## CPC - A41D 13/087: {especially for fingers} - A47J 43/288: {Spatulas; Scrapers; Multi-purpose hand implements} - Y10T 83/04: Processes - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An apparatus facilitating a cutting operation includes a knife; and a hand-mountable cutting board utensil. The utensil includes: a cutting board for disposition between the thumb and an index finger of the hand, the cutting board having an exposed cutting surface for orienting toward the index finger and a second surface for orienting toward the thumb; and a retainer having two lateral sides and being configured to receive and releasably retain the thumb along a longitudinal length of the retainer. The cutting board includes portions that extend transversely to a direction defined by the longitudinal length respectively beyond the two lateral sides of the retainer, each portion having exposed, oppositely facing front and back surfaces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of cutting, comprising the steps of: (a) mounting a cutting board utensil for protecting a digit of a hand onto a single digit of a hand, the hand-mountable cutting board utensil comprising, (i) a cutting board having an exposed cutting surface; and (ii) a retainer having two lateral sides and being configured to receive and releasably retain the digit along a longitudinal length of said retainer, said retainer being attached to said cutting board along a portion of said longitudinal length of said retainer, said longitudinal length of said retainer being greater than a majority of a longitudinal length of said cutting board; (iii) wherein said exposed cutting surface is uninterrupted for protection of the digit during cutting against said cutting surface; and (iv) wherein said cutting board includes first and second portions that extend transversely to a direction defined by said longitudinal length and that extend respectively beyond said two lateral sides of said retainer, each said portion having exposed, oppositely facing front and back surfaces; and (b) cutting against the cutting board of the hand-mountable cutting board utensil using a knife. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the knife is held in the hand of the digit on which the cutting board utensil is mounted. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the digit on which the cutting board utensil is mounted is the thumb. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said exposed front surface of each said portion of said cutting board is continuous with and forms part of said cutting surface, and wherein said cutting surface is a convex surface. ### Claim 5 Apparatus facilitating a cutting operation, comprising in combination: (a) a knife; and (b) a hand-mountable cutting board utensil for protecting a thumb of a hand from the knife during cutting against the cutting board utensil, the hand-mountable cutting board utensil comprising, (i) a cutting board for disposition between the thumb and an index finger of the hand, said cutting board having an exposed cutting surface for orienting toward the index finger and a second surface for orienting toward the thumb; and (ii) a retainer having two lateral sides and being configured to receive and releasably retain the thumb along a longitudinal length of said retainer, said retainer being attached to said cutting board along a portion of said longitudinal length of said retainer, said longitudinal length of said retainer being greater than a majority of a longitudinal length of said cutting board; (iii) wherein said exposed cutting surface is uninterrupted for protection of the thumb during cutting against said cutting surface; and (iv) wherein said cutting board includes first and second portions that extend transversely to a direction defined by said longitudinal length and that extend respectively beyond said two lateral sides of said retainer, each said portion having exposed, oppositely facing front and back surfaces. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said exposed front surface of each said portion of said cutting board is continuous with and forms part of said cutting surface of said cutting board. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said cutting surface of said cutting board is a convex surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said exposed back surface of each said portion of said cutting board is continuous with and forms part of said second surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said second surface of said cutting board is a concave surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said cutting board comprises a first material, and said retainer comprises a second material that is different from said first material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said retainer is molded on said cutting board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first material is harder than said second material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said first material comprises Nylon 66. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said second material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said second material comprises silicon. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said retainer is stretchable and recoverable for accommodating different sizes of thumbs. ### Claim 17 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cutting board defines a tool. ### Claim 18 Apparatus facilitating a cutting operation, comprising in combination: (a) a knife; and (b) a hand-mountable utensil for protecting a digit of a hand from the knife during cutting against the utensil, the hand-mountable utensil comprising, (i) a shield having an exposed cutting surface; and (ii) a sheath having two lateral sides and being configured to receive and releasably retain the digit along a longitudinal length of said sheath, said sheath being attached to said shield along a portion of said longitudinal length of said sheath, said longitudinal length of said sheath being greater than a majority of a longitudinal length of said shield; (iii) wherein said exposed cutting surface is uninterrupted for protection of the digit during cutting against said cutting surface; and (iv) wherein said shield includes first and second portions that extend transversely to a direction defined by said longitudinal length and that extend respectively beyond said two lateral sides of said sheath, each said portion having exposed, oppositely facing front and back surfaces. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said exposed front surface of each said portion of said shield is continuous with and forms part of said cutting surface of said shield. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said cutting surface of said shield is a convex surface.