vegetable leaf peeler

Abstract

Vegetable leaf peeler (10) for cutting a food to be cut (23), with - a Y-shaped base body (11) comprising a head (13) and a handle (12), the head (12) carrying a blade cutting element (14), - a cutting edge (15) for cutting the material to be cut (23), characterized in that - the blade cutting element (14) comprises a stop plate (16), wherein a gap (17) is formed between the cutting edge (15) and the stop plate (16), and - the blade cutting element (14) has an adjustment mechanism (18) by means of which the width of the gap (17) can be varied to adjust the cutting width of the material to be cut (23).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vegetable leaf peeler for cutting food, with a Y-shaped base body comprising a head and a handle, wherein the head carries a leaf cutting element and a cutting edge for cutting the food.

[0002] Vegetable peelers, especially vegetable peelers, are available in a wide variety of designs. These devices typically have a relatively narrow blade, with a cutting width of approximately 35 to 40 millimeters. This narrow blade means that when peeling larger or wider vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, kohlrabi, or similar produce, only very narrow strips of peel can be created. To remove a larger area of ​​the vegetable, the user must therefore make numerous individual peeling strokes, which is not only time-consuming but also results in an uneven and visually unappealing peeling pattern. The peeling process also requires increased effort, as the vegetable must be repositioned and realigned several times.

[0003] While peelers with wider blades are known from the prior art, these designs have significant technical disadvantages. Due to their greater span, wide blades tend to bend and, especially with pivoting blades, lose stability. This leads to uncontrolled peeling movements and an unpredictable peeling thickness. Furthermore, with wide blades, the peeled food often accumulates in front of the cutting edge, interrupting the peeling process and requiring the user to exert additional force. Fixed blades, on the other hand, tend to jam when making wide cuts, and the peeling angle cannot be adjusted to different vegetable shapes.

[0004] Another problem is that the cutting width on existing peelers is not adjustable. This means that neither particularly fine nor significantly wider peeling strips can be produced, so the user is always limited to the factory-set width. Interchangeable blade sets, as suggested in some solutions, also do not offer a practical alternative, since changing the blades is cumbersome and wider blades wear out or warp more quickly.

[0005] Overall, it is evident that vegetable peelers known in the prior art are only of limited use for producing uniform, wide peeling strips due to their inherently narrow and unchangeable cutting width. Wider blade designs, where proposed, suffer from instability, clogging, increased force required, and reduced precision. Therefore, the prior art does not offer a satisfactory solution for providing a vegetable peeler capable of efficiently and controllably producing wide and uniform peeling strips.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a vegetable peeler that enables the efficient and controlled production of wide, uniform peeling paths, thereby avoiding the problems encountered with known peelers, such as insufficient cutting width, blade instability, food clogging, and increased effort. The peeler should ensure improved handling, consistent peeling quality, reliable guidance and material removal control, and be suitable for use with both large and irregularly shaped vegetables.

[0007] The problem is solved by a vegetable leaf peeler with the features of claim 1, in particular its characterizing features, wherein the leaf cutting element comprises a stop plate, wherein a gap is formed between the cutting edge and the stop plate, and the leaf cutting element has an adjustment mechanism by means of which the width of the gap can be varied to adjust the cutting width of the food to be cut.

[0008] To allow for variable cutting width adjustment, the blade cutting element features an adjustment mechanism that changes the width of the gap. This enables the user to adapt the cutting width to the specific material being cut and the desired result.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment, the gap width is continuously adjustable, thus enabling a continuous transition between different cutting widths without relying on fixed increments. The adjustment mechanism can include a screw, in particular a knurled screw, which allows for simple manual adjustment without tools.

[0010] The blade of the cutter is intended to be either smooth or serrated. A smooth blade allows for particularly clean, even, and smooth cuts. It is especially suitable for firm or homogeneously structured foods where a precise, continuous cut is required, such as carrots, kohlrabi, or zucchini. Smooth blades produce a very uniform cut and prevent tearing of delicate surfaces.

[0011] In contrast, a serrated blade offers advantages when cutting softer or fibrous foods, as well as surfaces that tend to slip or slide. The teeth grip the surface of the food more effectively, allowing for controlled scoring and slicing of thin layers. This is particularly beneficial with tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, or similarly smooth, moist surfaces. Furthermore, a serrated blade facilitates the cutting of fibrous structures, as the teeth tear them open in a controlled manner, thus enabling more even cutting.

[0012] In another embodiment, the blade cutting element is equipped with a spring plate that assists the contact pressure or the restoring force of the adjustable element. The gap width is preferably variable between 0 mm and 5 mm, allowing both fine, very thin blade cuts and wider strips to be produced. The cutting edge can be smooth or serrated to enable either smooth cuts or textured cut patterns and to optimally process materials of varying hardness or fibrousness.

[0013] The head of the vegetable peeler has a maximum cutting width of up to 100 mm, allowing for the production of particularly wide vegetable strips. The stop plate is connected to the head via at least one hinge or hinge axis, enabling a defined swiveling motion. To prevent uncontrolled over-rotation or swiveling, the swiveling motion is limited by semicircular recesses in the head. These act as mechanical stops, ensuring that the stop plate always moves within a defined working range.

[0014] The entire vegetable peeler is made of stainless steel. This ensures high stability, corrosion resistance, durability, and food safety, and also allows for hygienic cleaning, especially in dishwashers.

[0015] The invention thus enables a vegetable leaf peeler that provides a variable, precisely adjustable cutting width combined with a robust and durable construction. The combination of an adjustable gap, high-quality materials, and a defined swiveling mechanism of the stop plate ensures particularly safe, consistent, and versatile operation.

[0016] Further advantages of the invention are shown in the following figures. Fig. 1: Perspective view of a vegetable leaf peeler according to the invention Fig. 2: Exploded view of the vegetable leaf peeler Fig. 3: Top view of the vegetable leaf peeler Fig. 4: Underside view of the vegetable leaf peeler Fig. 5: Cross-sectional view of the vegetable leaf peeler according to cutting lines AA from Fig. 3 Fig. 6: Detailed view of the head of the vegetable leaf peeler with the screw relaxed and the gap wide. Fig. 7: Detailed view of the head of the vegetable leaf peeler, showing the tensioned screw and narrowed gap Fig. 8: Perspective view of the vegetable leaf cutter in cutting mode for an aubergine.

[0017] Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a vegetable leaf peeler 10 according to the invention. The vegetable leaf peeler 10 comprises a Y-shaped base body 11, which is divided into a handle 12 and a forked head 13. A leaf cutting element 14 is arranged on the head 13, which has a cutting edge 15 and an opposing stop plate 16. The cutting edge 15 is toothed.

[0018] A gap 17 is formed between the cutting edge 15 and the stop plate 16, through which the material to be cut 23 (not shown) is guided. Above the stop plate 16 is a knurled screw 19, which is part of an adjustment mechanism 18. This adjustment mechanism 18 allows the width of the gap 17 to be varied in order to adjust the cutting thickness.

[0019] In Fig. Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the vegetable leaf peeler 10. Besides the base body 11, the knurled screw 19, and the two bearing elements 25 for the cutting edge 15, the stop plate 16 and the cutting edge 15 are shown as separate components. The knurled screw 19 engages in a thread provided in the stop plate 16. The stop plate 16 is pivotally connected to the head 13 by means of a hinge 20.

[0020] Fig. Figure 3 shows a top view of the assembled vegetable leaf peeler 10, looking towards the side of the cutting edge 15. The knurled screw 19 is arranged centrally above the gap 17.

[0021] In Fig. Figure 4 shows the rear view, with the cutting edge 15 concealed. The stop plate 16 is shown in its rest position.

[0022] Fig. Figure 5 shows a side view in section, illustrating the mechanical coupling of the adjustment unit 18 with the stop plate 16. A spring plate 21 ensures elastic return of the stop plate 16.

[0023] Fig. Figure 6 shows the gap 17 at its minimum opening. The knurled screw 19 is almost fully screwed in.

[0024] Fig. Figure 7 shows the gap 17 in its fully open position. The screw 19 is turned out further. The pivoting movement is defined by limiting recesses 22.

[0025] Fig. Figure 8 shows the vegetable peeler 10 in use on an eggplant 24, which serves as an example of the vegetable product 23 to be cut. The eggplant is guided along its longitudinal axis through the gap 17 between the blade 15 and the stop plate 16. The blade produces large, thin strips of vegetable. The vegetable is guided in a controlled manner across the entire cutting width.

[0026] The following describes the cutting process using the... Fig. 1 and the Fig.As described in section 8, during operation of the vegetable leaf peeler 10, the material 23 to be cut is first placed at the front opening of the head 13 and inserted into the gap 17 formed between the cutting edge 15 and the opposite stop plate 16. The material 23 is preferably aligned along its longitudinal axis so that it is guided with a flat contact surface against the stop plate 16. The gap 17 acts as a linear guide channel that holds the material 23 in a defined position during the feed and ensures laterally stable guidance.

[0027] The cutting thickness formed by the gap 17 is adjusted by means of a knurled screw 19 located in the upper part of the head 13, which is part of an adjustment mechanism 18. Turning the knurled screw 19 clockwise transmits an adjusting force to the stop plate 16 via its thread engagement, causing it to pivot about its axis of rotation towards the cutting edge 15. This reduces the gap width and results in a thinner slice of the material 23 to be cut. Turning the knurled screw 19 counterclockwise moves the stop plate 16 away from the cutting area against the restoring force of the spring plate 21, thus increasing the gap and producing correspondingly thicker vegetable strips. The stop plate 16 is held in a defined end position by the kinematics of the adjustment mechanism 18 and by the limiting recess 22.

[0028] To perform the cutting process, the food 23 is fed through the set gap 17 at a constant rate. The serrated cutting edge 15 continuously removes a thin layer from the food 23, with the stop plate 16 precisely determining the thickness of the peeled layer. The preload set by the knurled screw 19 thus directly determines the gap width and therefore the cutting thickness. During cutting, the food 23 slides across the entire width of the stop plate 16 and is guided in a controlled manner by the gap, enabling reproducible, large-area cutting of vegetable strips of varying thicknesses. A particular advantage is that even large foods 23, such as eggplants 24, can be easily cut with the vegetable peeler 10. Reference symbol list 10 vegetable leaf peelers 11 Y-shaped base body 12 handle 13 heads 14 blade cutting element 15 cutting 16 Stop plate 17 gaps 18 Adjustment mechanism 19 knurled screw 20 hinge 21 Spring sheet 22 Limitation exemption 23 Cutting material 24 aubergines 25 bearing element

Claims

[1] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) for cutting a food to be cut (23), with - a Y-shaped base body (11) comprising a head (13) and a handle (12), the head (12) carrying a blade cutting element (14), - a cutting edge (15) for cutting the material to be cut (23), characterized by , that - the blade cutting element (14) comprises a stop plate (16), wherein a gap (17) is formed between the cutting edge (15) and the stop plate (16), and - the blade cutting element (14) has an adjustment mechanism (18) by means of which the width of the gap (17) can be varied to adjust the cutting width of the material to be cut (23). [2] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the width of the gap (17) is continuously adjustable. [3] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the adjustment mechanism (18) comprises a screw, preferably a knurled screw (19). [4] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the blade cutting element (14) is provided with a spring plate (21). [5] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the gap width is variable between 0 mm and 5 mm [6] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the blade of the cutting edge (15) is smooth or toothed. [7] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the head (13) has a maximum cutting width of 100 mm. [8] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the stop plate (16) is connected to the head (13) via at least one hinge (20). [9] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the pivoting movement of the stop plate (16) is limited by semicircular limiting recesses (22) formed in the head (13). [10] Vegetable leaf peeler (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the entire vegetable leaf peeler (10) is made of stainless steel.

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