Device for cracking shelled objects

Abstract

A device for cracking the shell of an object is provided comprising at least three members, each including an outer surface, an inner surface, an attachment end, and a grasping portion located on the inner surface, each of the grasping portions including a plurality of protrusions for contacting a shelled object, each of the protrusions containing a pointed tip extending outward and down toward the grasping portion, and an attachment portion coupled to the attachment end such that the at least three members define an interior cracking region bounded by each of the grasping portions. A user can crack the shell of the shelled object by placing it in the cracking region and exerting a uniform force on each of the at least three members. The members can be attached by a ring, secured by pins, welded together, or screwed or snapped into an attachment portion.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a Continuation-In-Part of Ser. No. 11 / 313,045 filed Dec. 21, 2006.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]This invention was not federally sponsored.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]1. Field of the Invention[0004]The embodiments of the invention relate to the field of food treatment devices. More specifically, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a device for disjoining the shell of a food object from another portion of the food object.[0005]2. Description of the Related Art[0006]The effective cracking of shelled objects, such as nuts, has been a problem facing humans throughout recorded history. Nuts, in particular, have long been sought as a good source of food, but most commonly eaten varieties are protected with a hard shell, which needs to be cracked before the nut can be removed from the shell and eaten. Presumably the first nut cracking invention was the use of a small rock to crac...

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