Device for cleaning a food cutting screen

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device (20) for cleaning a predetermined food cutting screen (22) comprising perpendicularly intersecting blades defining cells between the blades. Said cleaning device comprises: - a fixed base (21) comprising a cut-food collection space and a support for the cutting screen, said support being provided with a locating element (25) for precise positioning of the screen on this support, with the edges of the blades oriented on the side opposite the cut-food collection space; - a guide casing (23) configured to be positioned on the fixed base on the blade-edge side, this guide casing comprising recesses (27) for guiding punches, the walls of which are placed one on top of the other at the edges of the blades delimiting a cell; and - a set of parallel punches (24, 28) which are movable and each guided by a guide recess, this set of punches being configured to be positioned on the fixed base in any one of four positions that correspond to quarter-turn rotations relative to the base according to an axis of rotation (A) perpendicular to a plane passing through the edges of the blades, at least one cell of the screen facing a punch in one, and only one, of the four positions of the set of punches on the base.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: DEVICE FOR CLEANING A FOOD CUTTING GRID

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The present invention relates to a device for cleaning a food cutting grid. More particularly, the invention applies to the cleaning of cutting grids provided with blades forming a grid of square cells, for example for cutting food, for example meat, fish, fruit, vegetables or salad to form pieces of the same dimensions.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] Cutting grids with blades forming a grid of square cells are used to make food sticks, for example to prepare macedoines. These grids can have hundreds of cells, for example 728 cells for a grid in which the cells have a side of 5 mm. When cleaning them, the difficulty is to expel all the food stuck in the grid. These foods are compressed between the blades, which requires significant effort to remove them. Moreover, despite these significant efforts, the edges of the blades must not be affected during cleaning.

[0007] Document FR2948053 describes a tool comprising three combs with around ten teeth designed to push food through the cells. The number of movements and the time required to clean the hundreds of cells make these tools ineffective.

[0008] It is also known to use pushers equipped with as many teeth as there are cells in the cutting grid. These pushers are mounted on a rigid support, for example metallic, and guided, for example by rails on which the rigid support rests. However, when they pass between two blades, the food is compressed laterally due to the thickness of the blades. The food present in the grid is therefore trapped there by compression. The effort required to simultaneously expel the food stuck in the cutting grid therefore requires the use of an additional tool, for example a mallet to strike the rigid support. These systems have several disadvantages. On the one hand, shocks due to the use of a mallet can damage the blades of the cutting grid.On the other hand, the complete system comprising the removable pushers, the pusher support, the guide rails for this support, the cutting grid support and the weight is heavy and bulky. Finally, pieces of food get stuck between the pushers forming a grid similar to that of the cutting grid. So much so that cleaning the grid must be followed by cleaning the gaps between the pushers. The number of operations and the resulting time make these systems relatively inefficient.

[0009] Document FR3031918 describes a tool for cleaning food cutting grids. This tool has a surface from which projections are projected perpendicularly distributed to correspond to half of the cells of the grid on a first half-surface of the tool and to the other half of the cells of the grid on the second half-surface of the tool. This tool makes it possible to reduce by half the force required for the operation of cleaning the grid and its cleaning using two presses on the tool separated by a turning of this tool. This tool also has several disadvantages. On the one hand, the force to be exerted, half that of previous pushers, remains very high. On the other hand, if the edges of the blades are oriented towards the tool, the latter can damage them and be damaged by these edges when the projections pass.On the other hand, if the blade edges are oriented in the opposite direction to the tool, any food leftovers not cut before cleaning remain after cleaning and must therefore be discarded.

[0010] Statement of the invention

[0011] The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these drawbacks. To this end, the invention aims at a device according to claim 1.

[0012] Thanks to these arrangements, the force to be applied to the punches to evacuate food residues through the grid is reduced since, in each of the four positions of the guide housing, only food in cells opposite a punch applies resistance to the movement of the punches. In addition, since the number of punches can be limited to a quarter of the number of cells in the grid, cleaning the punches with water is facilitated. Indeed, due to their small number, the punches can be spaced apart from each other and the wide gaps between them can thus be easily cleaned. Furthermore, any food residues remaining on the grid straddling several cells are cut off, since the edges of the blades are oriented opposite to the movement of the punches. These cut residues can be recovered, which limits, or even eliminates, the quantity of food lost during cleaning of the grid.Finally, the edges of the cutting grid blades are protected against punch impacts thanks to the walls of the guide housing which overlap these edges of the cutting grid blades and therefore separate the trajectories of the punches from these edges.

[0013] In embodiments, the set of punches corresponds to cells of the cutting grid that are not joined by a side or an angle.

[0014] Thus, the punches move in the housings which are distant from each other, which reduces the force applied locally to the grid and, consequently, the risks of lasting deformation of the blades of the cutting grid under the effect of the support of these punches. In addition, even if the food deforms laterally in a cell of the grid when pressing on a punch, since there is no support on the food in an adjacent cell, the flexibility of the blades absorbs this lateral deformation and prevents, or at least reduces, the increase in the static friction of the food on these blades.

[0015] In embodiments, the guide housing is configured to position itself on the fixed base on the blade edge side in any one of four positions corresponding to quarter-turn rotations of the housing on the base along an axis of rotation perpendicular to a plane passing through blade edges, at least one cell of the grid being located opposite a punch housing of the guide housing in one and only one of the four positions of the guide housing on the base.

[0016] Thus, the operator rotates the housing with the set of punches so that the punches successively pass through the cells of the cutting grid. Since the number of housings can be limited to a quarter of the number of cells in the grid, cleaning the housing with water is made easier. In fact, the punch housings can, due to their small number, be spaced apart from each other and the large gaps between them can be easily cleaned.

[0017] In embodiments, the punches are integrated into a single-body punch holder having a surface carrying the parallel punches. This makes pressing the punch assembly easier and faster.

[0018] In embodiments, the device comprises a clip for assembling the housing and the punch holder in the center of the housing, allowing the housing and the punch holder to be separated by simply pinching the clip. The housing and the punch holder can thus be separated easily. In addition, their separation causes an initial cleaning of the punches and the housing housings.

[0019] In embodiments, at least one punch is movable in a housing of the guide housing independently of the other punches. Thus, the operator responsible for cleaning the grid can successively press each independent punch to expel food residues stuck in a cell of the cutting grid.

[0020] In embodiments, the guide housing comprises a number of guide housings equal to the number of cells of the cutting grid, and the punch assembly is integrated into a single-body punch holder configured to be positioned on the guide housing in any one of four positions corresponding to rotations of a quarter turn about the axis of rotation perpendicular to a plane passing through edges of the blades. Thus, the guide housing can remain secured to the base during cleaning, with only the punch holder being moved between two presses on food stuck in the grid.

[0021] In embodiments, the housings of the housing and the punches jointly have mechanical clearance so that the surface of the punch holder can tilt relative to the plane passing through edges of the blades and that certain punches have, during the movement of the punch holder towards the blades, exceeded this plane and that other punches are still spaced at least three millimeters from this plane.

[0022] Thus, the operator can exert a more limited and more progressive effort, by pressing, first, on one side of the punch holder to evacuate food residues from one part of the cutting grid and then on the opposite side of the punch holder, to evacuate other food residues from the opposite part of the cutting grid.

[0023] In embodiments, the lengths of at least two punches, measured parallel to the axis of rotation, are different by at least three millimeters.

[0024] Thus, the longest punches are the first to penetrate into cells of the cutting grid and expel food residues, then the shorter punches expel food residues from other cells of the cutting grid. The maximum pressing force required to clean the cutting grid is thus reduced. It is noted that, preferably, the distribution of the punches of each group of punches of the same length is uniform on the surface of the punch holder.

[0025] In embodiments, the base is provided with at least one suction cup on the external side of the wall of the collection volume furthest from the cutting grid support, and the device further comprises means for retaining the cutting grid in the base. During removal of the punches from the cutting grid, this suction cup retains the base on the work surface and the retaining means retain the cutting grid in the base.

[0026] In embodiments, at least one punch has at least one beveled surface at its free end. This punch shape facilitates the cutting of food remaining straddling several cells of the cutting grid, by constituting the equivalent of a pair of scissors with at least one blade of this grid. In addition, this bevel shape has the advantage of detaching food stuck in a cell from one side of this cell. Preferably, the punch has a double beveled surface at its free end and, even more preferably, a quadruple beveled surface. These shapes promote the cutting of food remaining on the cutting grid and the reduction of lateral compression of the food between the blades.

[0027] In embodiments, the grid positioning key comprises a housing for a lateral protrusion of a frame supporting the cutting grid, beyond its cutting surface.

[0028] In embodiments, the housing is provided with handles on each of its sides surrounding the fixed base. This makes it easier to press on this housing in the four positions of the housing around the base. The handles of the housing also facilitate the separation of the base between two punching movements.

[0029] Brief description of the figures Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the invention will emerge from the following non-limiting description of at least one particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0030] Figure 1 represents, in exploded perspective, a first particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention,

[0031] Figure 2 represents, in perspective and seen from below, a single-body punch holder of the device illustrated in Figure 1,

[0032] Figure 3 represents, in perspective, a fixed base of the device illustrated in Figure 1,

[0033] Figure 4 represents, in perspective, the fixed base illustrated in Figure 3, surmounted by a cutting grid,

[0034] Figures 5 to 8 represent, in top view, a guide housing of the device illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, in four configurations relative to the fixed base separated by three rotations of a quarter turn in the clockwise direction,

[0035] Figure 9 represents, in exploded perspective, a second particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention,

[0036] Figures 10 and 11 show, in perspective from below and from above, a guide housing of the device illustrated in Figure 9,

[0037] Figure 12 represents, in perspective, a fixed base of the device illustrated in Figure 9, surmounted by a cutting grid,

[0038] Figures 13 and 14 represent, in perspective and seen from below, a single-body punch holder of the device illustrated in Figure 9, and, seen from below, a layout of punches of this punch holder,

[0039] Figure 15 represents, in perspective, the device illustrated in Figure 9, once its elements are assembled,

[0040] Figure 16 represents, in perspective, a third particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention and

[0041] Figure 17 shows, in perspective, different free ends of punches, including one with a flat head and others with beveled surfaces.

[0042] Detailed description

[0043] This description is given without limitation, each characteristic of an embodiment being able to be combined with any other characteristic of any other embodiment in an advantageous manner.

[0044] Throughout the description, a vertical axis of rotation A has been shown, thus defining the terms "above", "below", "upper" and "lower", with reference to the normal configuration of use of the device illustrated in the figures. However, the invention is not limited to devices arranged horizontally on a horizontal work surface but extends to devices arranged obliquely, a simple inclination of the figures then ensuring equivalence to the terms recalled above. An axis A, perpendicular to the work surface and to the plane passing through the edges of the blades is thus shown vertically in the figures. The lengths are measured parallel to this axis A.

[0045] The device that is the subject of the invention is configured for cleaning a predetermined food cutting grid. This cutting grid comprises blades crossing perpendicularly defining cells between these blades. This cutting grid also comprises peripheral cells whose contour is the intersection of the square cells with the inner circle of a cylindrical frame with a circular director supporting the blades at their ends. Throughout the description, this cutting grid has square cells with sides of 10 mm. Of course, for other cutting grids having a different number of cells and / or cell dimensions, at least the set of punches, which clean these cells by passing through them, is configured differently from those described below. These differences concern the dimensions of the punches, their pitch and their number, so that they correspond to the cells of the grid.For cutting grids with different cell dimensions, the punch guide housing is also configured differently, with punch housing dimensions and pitches between these housings corresponding to the cells of the cutting grid. A cutting grid with rectangular cells is, for example, obtained by removing blades from a cutting grid with square cells.

[0046] Figures 1 to 8 show the first particular embodiment of the cleaning device 20 for a food cutting grid 22 comprising crossed blades according to a mesh of square cells. The axis A is perpendicular to a plane passing through the edges of the blades of the cutting grid 22.

[0047] The device 20 comprises a lower fixed base 21. As illustrated in figures 3 and 4, the base 21 comprises a volume 39 for collecting cut food, below a support 35, here a shoulder, for the cutting grid 22. The base 21 is provided with a key 25 for precise positioning of the cutting grid 22 on this support 35, this positioning being done with the edges of the blades oriented upwards, that is to say on the side opposite the volume 39 for collecting the cut food. The key 25 here takes the form of a housing for a lateral protrusion of the frame supporting the cutting grid 22, beyond its cutting surface.

[0048] In this embodiment, the base 21 also comprises two elastic retaining means 33 and 34 which retain the cutting grid 22 in this base until one of them is moved apart by hand by the operator, to remove the grid 22. Still in this embodiment, two columns 36 and 37 pass from bottom to top through the volume 39 for collecting the cut food to support the grid 22. These columns 36 and 37 reduce, or even eliminate, the risks of deformation of the cutting grid 22 when pressing on punches 28 to evacuate the residues remaining on the grid 22. The base 21 has external faces having an invariance by rotation of a quarter turn around the axis A. Preferably, these external faces are vertical.

[0049] Above the fixed base 21 is a guide housing 23 configured to be positioned on the fixed base on the side of the edges of the blades of the cutting grid 22. In other words, within mechanical tolerances, the internal volume of the guide housing 23 corresponds to the external faces of the base 21. Due to rotational invariance, the guide housing 23 is configured to be positioned on the fixed base 21 in any one of four positions corresponding to quarter-turn rotations of the housing 23 on the base 21 along the axis A. The guide housing 23 has handles 26 on its four lateral faces to facilitate the positioning of the housing 23 on the base 21 and its removal from this base 21.

[0050] The guide housing 23 comprises housings 27 for guiding punches 28, the distribution of these housings 27 being described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 8. Each punch 28 can take any shape capable of translating in a cell of the cutting grid 22 while having at its free end (the one which comes into contact with the food) surfaces capable of pushing this foodstuff until it is extracted from this cell, all while maintaining sufficient functional clearance with the internal faces of the cell. The housings 27 are configured to guide the punches 28 in their vertical translation.

[0051] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, in the device 20, the set of punches 28 is integrated into a single-body punch holder 24 having a lower surface carrying the punches 28, a surface whose geometry corresponds to the upper surface of the housing 23. The upper surface of the punch holder 24 has four indications 30 of orientations around the axis A 30 (ranging from “1” to “4”). The punches 28 are truncated cylinders whose generatrices are parallel to the axis A. The punches 28 are movable with the punch holder 24, and are each guided by a housing 27 for guiding the housing 23.

[0052] The upper surface of the punch holder 24 and the upper surface of the housing 23 each bear at least one indication 29 of the dimensions of the cells of the cutting grid 22 to which the horizontal sections of the punches are adapted. For example, in figures 1 and 5 to 8, the indication 29 is "10x10" meaning that the punch holder 24 and the housing 23 are adapted to cleaning a cutting grid 22 whose cells have a horizontal section of 10 mm by 10 mm.

[0053] The guide housings 27 are truncated cylinders whose generatrices are parallel to the axis A. The walls between two housings 27 are superimposed on the edges of the blades delimiting a cell of the cutting grid 22. The punches 28 guided, during their movement, by these walls of the housings 27 cannot therefore touch the edges of the blades of the cutting grid 22. The housings 27 and the punches 28 are arranged in such a way that at least one cell, and preferably each cell, of the cutting grid 22 is located opposite a housing 27 and a punch 28 in one and only one of the four positions of the punch holder 24 and the guide housing 23 on the base 21.

[0054] Elastic retaining means 32, here an assembly clip, of the punch holder 24 engage in the central opening 38 of the housing 23. Their elasticity allows the separation of the punch holder 24, on the one hand, from the housing 23, on the other hand, under the action of manual pinching exerted by an operator on these retaining means 32. The housing 23 and the punch holder 24 can thus be separated easily. In addition, their separation causes a first cleaning of the punches 28 and the housings 27 of the housing 23.

[0055] To explain the sequence of steps for using the device with regard to figures 5 to 8, there is shown, on a quarter of the upper surface of the housing 23, a mesh of ten columns referenced “B” to “K” and nine rows referenced “1” to “9”. Each cell of this mesh has the same dimensions as the cells of the cutting grid 22, i.e. 10 mm by 10 mm in the example shown in figures 1 to 8. The cells of the cutting grid 22, which is circular, correspond to only a part of the cells of this mesh (precisely, cells B1 to B7, C1 to C7, D1 to D8, E1 to E9, F2 to F9, G2 to G9, H3 to H9, I4 to I9, J5 to J9 and K7 to K9).

[0056] In the first respective position of the housing 23 on the base 21 and the grid 22 illustrated in figure 5, the punches 28 guided by the housings 27, only reach approximately a quarter of the cells of the grid 22, that is, in the quarter of the upper surface where the mesh is drawn, the cells of the odd lines of columns B, D, F, H and J.

[0057] After a rotation of only a quarter of a turn in the clockwise direction, in the second respective position of the housing 23 on the base 21 and the grid 22 illustrated in figure 6, the punches 28 guided by the housings 27, only reach approximately a quarter of the cells of the grid 22, that is, in the quarter of the upper surface where the mesh is drawn, the cells of the even lines of columns B, D, F, H and J.

[0058] After a second rotation of a quarter turn clockwise, in the third respective position of the housing 23 on the base 21 and the grid 22 illustrated in figure 7, the punches 28 guided by the housings 27, only reach approximately a quarter of the cells of the grid 22, that is, in the quarter of the upper surface where the mesh is drawn, the cells of the even lines of the columns C, E, G, I and K.

[0059] After a third rotation of only a quarter turn clockwise, in the respective fourth position of the housing 23 on the base 21 and the grid 22 illustrated in figure 8, the punches 28 guided by the housings 27, only reach about a quarter of the cells of the grid 22, that is, in the quarter of the upper surface where the mesh is drawn, the cells of the odd rows, of the columns C, E, G, I and K. Thus, in four successive presses on the punch holder 24, separated by rotations of a quarter turn of the assembly comprising the housing 23 and the punch holder 24, the operator extracts the food residues from all the cells of the cutting grid 22. The cutting grid 22 is thus entirely cleaned while having limited the force that the operator must apply vertically on the punch holder 24, since, in each vertical movement, he extracts the food residues only of a quarter of the cells of this grid 22.

[0060] By implementing the invention, the force required on the punches to evacuate food residues through the grid is thus reduced. In addition, since the number of housings can be limited to a quarter of the number of cells in the grid, cleaning the housing with water is easy. Any food residues remaining on the grid straddling several cells are cut off, since the edges of the blades are oriented upwards, opposite to the movement of the punches, and recovered, which limits, or even eliminates, the quantity of food lost during cleaning of the grid.

[0061] Preferably, and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 8, the housings of the housing 23 correspond to cells of the cutting grid 22 which are not joined by one side or by an angle. Thus, the punches 28 moving in the housings 27 are distant from each other, which reduces the force applied locally to the grid 22 and, consequently, the risks of lasting deformation of the blades of the grid 22 under the effect of the support of these punches 28 on the food.

[0062] Preferably, the housings 27 of the housing 23 and the punches 28 jointly have a mechanical clearance so that the lower surface of the punch holder 24 can tilt relative to the plane passing through edges of the blades of the grid 22 and that certain punches 28 have, during the movement of the punch holder 24 towards the blades, exceeded the plane passing through edges of the blades and that other punches 28 are still at least three millimeters away from this plane. Preferably this spacing is at least equal to the dimension of the blades parallel to the axis A. This mechanical clearance can be obtained by a clearance between the vertical walls of the punches 28 and the housings 27 beyond the tolerances necessary for their manufacture which would ensure the sliding of the punches 28 in the housings 27.Thanks to this clearance, the operator can exert a more limited and more progressive effort, by pressing, first, on one side of the punch holder 24 to evacuate food residues from a part of the cutting grid 22, then on the opposite side of the punch holder 24, to evacuate other food residues from the opposite part of the cutting grid 22.

[0063] Preferably, the base 21 is provided with at least one suction cup (not shown), on its lower face, that is to say on the external side of the wall of the collection volume furthest from the cutting grid support 22. Such a suction cup retains the base 21 on the work surface during the removal of the assembly consisting of the housing 23 and the punch holder 24 after a cleaning push on the punch holder 24, before pivoting this assembly a quarter turn in order to carry out the next cleaning push. Indeed, due to the friction forces of the punches engaged in the cutting grid 22, the withdrawal movement of this assembly drives the grid 22 which drives the base 21 via the retaining means 33 and 34.

[0064] Preferably, and as illustrated in Figure 2, at least one punch 28 has at least one beveled surface at its free end, that is to say its end remote from the bearing surface of the punch holder 24. Thus, the punch 28 facilitates the cutting of a foodstuff remaining straddling several cells of the cutting grid 22, by constituting the equivalent of a pair of scissors with at least one blade of this grid. In addition, this bevel shape has the advantage of detaching the food stuck in a cell from one side of this cell.

[0065] Figure 17 shows, in perspective, different free ends of punches. Punch 71 has a flat head 72. Punch 73 has a single-bevel head 74. Punch 75 has a double-bevel head 76. Punch 77 has a quadruple-bevel head 78.

[0066] Preferably, and as illustrated in Figure 2, each punch 28 has a double-beveled head terminating two opposite sides of the rectangular parallelepiped shape of a punch 28. This shape allows double cutting of the food remaining on the surface of the cutting grid 22. In addition, it reduces the lateral compression of the food stuck in the cutting grid 22. Even more preferably, each punch has a quadruple-beveled head, which further increases the cutting of the food remaining on the surface of the cutting grid 22 and which further reduces the lateral compression of the food stuck in the cutting grid 22. In other embodiments, a single bevel-shaped surface can be implemented at the free end of the punch 28.Each beveled shape makes it possible to reduce the radial thrust against the walls of the cell of the cutting grid 22 and therefore the effort required from the operator, when the punch 28 presses on the foodstuff to extract it from this cell.

[0067] In variants (not shown), the guide housing 23 comprises a number of guide housings greater than the number of cells of the cutting grid, for example to be compatible with cutting grids 22 having cells of the same dimensions, but different numbers of cells.

[0068] In variants (not shown) of the device 20, the lengths of at least two punches, measured from the surface of the punch holder, are different by at least three millimeters, as in the punch holder 44 of the device 40 described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 15. Preferably, this difference in lengths of the punches is at least equal to the dimension of the blades parallel to the axis A. Thus, the longest punches are the first to penetrate into cells of the cutting grid and to expel food residues therefrom, then the shorter punches expel food residues from other cells of the cutting grid. The pressing force necessary for cleaning the cutting grid is thus reduced. It is noted that, preferably, the distribution of the punches of each group of punches of the same length is uniform over the surface of the punch holder.

[0069] Figures 9 to 15 show the second particular embodiment of the cleaning device 40 for a food cutting grid 42 comprising crossed blades in a mesh of square cells. The main difference between the device 20 and the device 40 is that:

[0070] - in the device 20, the guide housing 23 has a number of guide housings equal to a quarter of the number of cells in the cutting grid and remains associated with the punch holder 24; the guide housing 23 performs, with the punch holder 24, successive rotations during the cleaning of a cutting grid,

[0071] - in the device 40, the guide housing 43 has as many guide housings as there are cells in the cutting grid 42 and remains positioned on the fixed base 41, only the punch holder 44 performing successive rotations during the cleaning of a cutting grid.

[0072] The axis A is perpendicular to a plane passing through the edges of the blades of the cutting grid 42. The device 40 comprises a lower fixed base 41. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the base 41 comprises a volume 59 for collecting cut food, below a support (similar to the support 35 of the first embodiment) for the cutting grid 42. This support is provided with a key 45 for precise positioning of the cutting grid 42 on this support, this positioning being done with the edges of the blades facing upwards, that is to say on the side opposite the volume 59 for collecting the cut food. The key 45 here takes the form of a housing for a lateral protrusion 54 of the frame supporting the cutting grid 42, beyond its cutting surface.

[0073] In this embodiment also, preferably at least one column (not shown, similar to columns 36 and 37 of the device 20) crosses from bottom to top the volume 59 for collecting the cut food to support the grid 42 near its central opening, to reduce, or even eliminate, the risks of deformation of the cutting grid 42 when pressing on punches 48 to evacuate the residues remaining on the grid 42. The base 41 has external faces which are preferably vertical.

[0074] Above the fixed base 41 is a guide housing 43 configured to be positioned on the fixed base 41 on the side of the edges of the blades of the cutting grid 42. In other words, within mechanical tolerances, the internal volume of the guide housing 43 corresponds to the external faces of the base 41.

[0075] The guide housing 43 comprises housings 47 for guiding punches 48 in such a way that each housing 47 is superimposed on a cell of the cutting grid 42. Each punch 48 can take any shape capable of translating in a cell of the cutting grid 42 while having at its free end (the one which comes into contact with the food) surfaces capable of pushing this foodstuff until it is extracted from this cell, all while maintaining sufficient functional clearance with the internal faces of the cell. The housings 47 are configured to guide the punches 48 in their vertical translation.

[0076] As illustrated in figures 9, 13 and 14, in the device 40, the punches 48 are integrated into a single-body punch holder 44 comprising a lower surface carrying the punches 48. Preferably, the upper surface of the punch holder 44 has four indications (not shown) of orientations around the axis A, similar to the indications 30 of the device 20. The punches 48 are truncated cylinders whose generatrices are parallel to the axis A. The punches 48 are movable with the punch holder 44, and each guided by a housing 47 for guiding the housing 43.

[0077] The punch holder 44 has guide columns 50 at its four corners. These guide columns 50 are parallel to the axis A. Their arrangement on the lower surface of the punch holder 44 and their dimensions correspond to those of housings 51 formed at the four corners of the guide housing 43. The lengths of the guide columns 50, measured parallel to the axis A, are greater than the lengths of the punches 48, measured in the same way. Thus, before the punches 48 enter housings 47, the guide columns 50 have already entered housings 51, which ensures the correct positioning of the punches 48. The housings 51 correspond to recesses at the four corners of the base 41, recesses delimited by walls 52 in correspondence with walls 53 inside the housings 43 (see Figure 10).

[0078] The upper surface of the punch holder 44 and the upper surface of the housing 43 each bear at least one indication 49 of the dimensions of the cells of the cutting grid 42 to which the horizontal sections of the punches 48 are adapted. For example, in figures 9 and 11, the indication 49 is “10x10” meaning that the punch holder 44 and the housing 43 are adapted to cleaning a cutting grid 42 whose cells have a horizontal section of 10 mm by 10 mm.

[0079] The guide housings 47 are truncated cylinders whose generatrices are parallel to the axis A. The walls between two housings 47 are superimposed on the edges of the blades delimiting a cell of the cutting grid 42. The punches 48 guided, during their movement, by these walls of the housings 47 cannot therefore touch the edges of the blades of the cutting grid 42. The housings 47 and the punches 48 are arranged in such a way that at least one cell, and preferably each cell, of the cutting grid 42 is located opposite a punch 48 in one and only one of the four positions of the punch holder 44 on the guide housing 43 and on the base 41. The location of the punches 48 illustrated in FIG. 14 is, for example, identical to that of the punches 28, for a cutting grid 42 identical to the cutting grid 22.

[0080] Thus, in four successive presses on the punch holder 44, separated by quarter-turn rotations of the set of punches 48 carried by the punch holder 44, the operator extracts the food residues from all the cells of the cutting grid 42. The cutting grid 42 is thus entirely cleaned while having limited the force that the operator must apply vertically on the punch holder 44, since, in each vertical movement, he only extracts the food residues from a quarter of the cells of this grid 42.

[0081] Since the number of punches 48 can be limited to a quarter of the number of cells in the grid, cleaning of the punch holder 44 is easy. Any food residue remaining on the grid straddling several cells is cut off, since the edges of the blades are oriented upwards, opposite to the movement of the punches and recovered, which limits, or even eliminates, the quantity of food lost during cleaning of the grid.

[0082] Preferably, and as illustrated in figures 9 to 15, the punches 48 correspond to cells of the cutting grid 42 which are not joined by one side or by an angle. Thus, the punches 48 are distant from each other, which reduces the force applied locally to the grid 42 and, consequently, the risks of lasting deformation of the blades of the grid 42 under the effect of the support of these punches 48 on the food.

[0083] Preferably, the housings 47 of the casing 43 and the punches 48 jointly have a mechanical clearance so that the lower surface of the punch holder 44 can tilt relative to the plane passing through the edges of the blades of the grid 42 and that certain punches 48 have, during the movement of the punch holder 44 towards the blades, exceeded this plane and that other punches 48 are still separated by at least three millimeters, and preferably by at least the dimension of the blades parallel to the axis A, from this plane. Thus, the operator can exert a more limited and more progressive effort, by pressing, first, on one side of the punch holder 44 to evacuate food residues from a part of the cutting grid 42, then on the opposite side of the punch holder 44, to evacuate other food residues from the opposite part of the cutting grid 42.

[0084] Preferably, at least one punch 48 has at least one beveled surface at its free end, i.e. its end remote from the bearing surface of the punch holder 44.

[0085] As illustrated in Figure 13, the lengths of at least two punches 48, measured from the surface of the punch holder 44, are different by at least three millimeters, and preferably by at least the dimension of the blades parallel to the axis A. Thus, the longest punches 55 are the first to penetrate into cells of the cutting grid 42 and to expel food residues therefrom, then the shorter punches 56 expel food residues from other cells of the cutting grid 42. The pressing force necessary for cleaning the cutting grid 42 is thus reduced. It is noted that, preferably, the distribution of the punches of each group of punches of the same length is uniform on the surface of the punch holder.

[0086] In embodiments, the punch holder 44 is provided with handles 46 on each of its sides perpendicular to the axis A. Pressing on this punch holder 44 is thus facilitated in the four positions of the punch holder 44 on the housing 43. The handles 46 also facilitate the separation of the punch holder 44 from the housing 43 between two punching movements. Indeed, as illustrated in FIG. 13, these handles 46 have a central notch 57 allowing the operator to maintain, with the thumbs, a pressure on the housing 43, while his index fingers raise the handles 46. The housing 43 thus retains the cutting grid 42 in the base 41. Thus, the upper surface of the housing 43 constitutes, in combination with the notches 57 of the handles 46, means for retaining the cutting grid 42 in the base 41.

[0087] Figure 16 shows the third particular embodiment of the cleaning device 60 for a food cutting grid comprising crossed blades in a mesh of square cells. The main difference between the device 20 and the device 60 is that, in the device 60, the punches 68 are not integrated into a single-body punch holder, but are retained in housings in the guide housing and movable independently of each other.

[0088] In Figure 16, the guide housing 63 is already positioned on the base, so that neither the latter, similar to the base 21, nor the cutting grid are visible. The guide housing 63 bears at least one indication 69 similar to the indication 29. The guide housings 67 are distributed as in the device 20 (see Figure 5). Each punch 68 is movable in a housing 67 of the guide housing 63 independently of the other punches 68. Thus, the operator responsible for cleaning the cutting grid can successively and independently press each punch 68 to expel food residues stuck in a cell of the cutting grid. Of course, this operator can also press simultaneously on several punches 68, for example with the palm of the hand, or even on all punches, for example by means of a flat tool. Thus the pushing force is substantially proportional to the number of punches pushed simultaneously.Each punch 68 is provided with a head 70 retained, due to its extension in a plane perpendicular to the axis A, outside the housing 67. Preferably, each punch 68 also has a retaining means on the cutting grid side, for example another head, to prevent the punches 68 from escaping from the housings when the housing 63 is turned over. With the device 60, the lowest individual pushing force is that required to clean a single cell of the cutting grid, by actuating only one punch 68. For example, the individually movable punches of the device 60 make it possible, if necessary, to limit this force to that required to clean a single cell, or in the case of a grid having 208 cells, to divide it by 208 compared to the pusher system described in the prior art.

[0089] As can be understood, devices 20, 40 and 60 have in common the following:

[0090] - a fixed base comprising a volume for collecting cut food and a support for the cutting grid provided with a key for precise positioning of the grid on this support with the edges of the blades oriented on the side opposite the volume for collecting cut food,

[0091] - a guide box configured to be positioned on the fixed base on the side of the edges of the blades, this guide box comprising punch guide housings whose walls overlap the edges of the blades delimiting a cell, and

[0092] - a set of punches parallel to each other, movable and guided, each, by a guide housing, this set of punches being configured to position itself on the fixed base according to any one of four positions corresponding to rotations of a quarter turn relative to the base according to an axis of rotation perpendicular to a plane passing through edges of the blades, at least one cell of the grid being located opposite a punch in one and only one of the four positions of the set of punches on the base.

[0093] Preferably, and as in the three embodiments described with reference to the figures, each cell of the grid is located opposite a punch in one and only one of the four positions of the set of punches on the base. However, in variants (not shown), at least one cell of the grid is located opposite a punch in more than one of the four positions of the set of punches on the base. For example, these variants are obtained by adding one or more punches to the punch holders of the devices described with reference to the figures. These punches are, for example, intended for guiding the punch holder.

[0094] As can also be understood from the above, the use of punches of different lengths, the implementation of mechanical clearance between a punch holder and a guide housing and / or the independent movement of the different punches, reduce the maximum effort required from the operator in a proportion much greater than the factor of four obtained by the general concept of the invention. The present invention also relates to a food cutting device comprising a food cutting grid and a device for cleaning this cutting grid, the elements of which have a geometry configured to be adapted to the cleaning of this cutting grid.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Device (20, 40, 60) for cleaning a grid (22, 42) for cutting food, of predetermined geometry and comprising blades crossing perpendicularly defining cells between these blades, the position of the blades and the positions, dimensions and spacings of the cells forming part of the predetermined geometry of the cutting grid, device characterized in that it comprises: - a fixed base (21, 41) comprising a volume (39, 59) for collecting cut food and a support (35) for the cutting grid, provided with a key (25, 45) for positioning the grid on this support with the edges of the blades oriented on the side opposite the volume for collecting cut food, - a guide housing (23, 43, 63) configured to be positioned on the fixed base on the side of the edges of the blades, this guide housing comprising punch guide housings (27, 47, 67) whose walls are superimposed on the edges of the blades delimiting a cell, and - a set of punches (24, 28, 44, 48, 68) parallel to each other, movable and guided, each, by a guide housing, this set of punches being configured to be positioned on the fixed base according to any one of four positions corresponding to rotations of a quarter turn relative to the base according to an axis (A) of rotation perpendicular to a plane passing through edges of the blades, at least one cell of the grid being located opposite a punch in one and only one of the four positions of the set of punches on the base.

2. Device (20, 40, 60) according to claim 1, in which the set of punches (24, 28, 44, 48, 68) corresponds to cells of the cutting grid (22, 42) which are not joined by one side or by one angle.

3. Device (20, 60) according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the guide housing (23, 43) is configured to be positioned on the fixed base (21) on the side of the edges of the blades according to any one of four positions corresponding to rotations of a quarter of a turn of the housing on the base according to the axis (A) of rotation perpendicular to a plane passing through the edges of the blades, at least one cell of the grid being located opposite a punch housing of the guide housing in one and only one of the four positions of the guide housing on the base.

4. Device (20) according to claim 3, in which the punches (28) are integrated into a single-body punch holder (24) comprising a surface carrying the parallel punches.

5. Device (20) according to claim 4, which comprises a clip (32) for assembling the guide housing (23) and the punch holder (24) in the center of the housing, making it possible to separate the housing and the punch holder by simply pinching the clip.

6. Device (60) according to claim 3, in which at least one punch (68) is movable in a housing (67) of the guide housing (63) independently of the other punches.

7. Device (40) according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which the guide housing (43) comprises a number of guide housings (47) equal to the number of cells of the cutting grid (42), and the set of punches (48) is integrated into a single-body punch holder (44) configured to be positioned on the guide housing in any one of four positions corresponding to rotations of a quarter turn along the axis (A) of rotation perpendicular to a plane passing through edges of the blades.

8. Device (20, 40) according to one of claims 4, 5 or 7, in which the housings (27, 47) of the housing (23, 43) and the punches (28, 48) jointly have a mechanical clearance so that the surface of the punch holder can tilt relative to the plane passing through edges of the blades and that certain punches have, during the movement of the punch holder towards the blades, exceeded this plane while other punches are still at least three millimeters away from this plane.

9. Device (20, 40, 60) according to one of claims 1 to 8, in which the lengths of at least two punches (28, 48), measured parallel to the axis (A) of rotation, are different by at least three millimeters.

10. Device (20, 40, 60) according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which the base (21, 41) is provided with at least one suction cup on the external side of the wall of the collection volume (39, 59) furthest from the cutting grid support (22, 42), and the device further comprises means (33, 34, 46, 57) for retaining the cutting grid in the base.

11. Device (20, 40, 60) according to one of claims 1 to 10, in which at least one punch (28, 48, 68) has at least one beveled surface (74, 76, 78) at its free end.

12. Device (20, 40, 60) for cutting food comprising a food cutting grid (22, 42) and a cleaning device (20, 40, 60) according to one of claims 1 to 11, of geometry configured for this cutting grid.

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