Dual-Mode Culinary Tool With Medial Ridge for Cutting and Food Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing culinary tools, such as knives and spatulas, are inefficient for both cutting and transporting food, often resulting in messiness, accidental cuts, and reduced efficiency due to the need for multiple tools, with existing solutions like using a knife as a transport platform being hazardous and ineffective for handling large food quantities.

Innovation Solution

A single culinary tool with a cutting portion and a spatula portion separated by a curvilinear medial ridge, which serves as a backstop, stabilizer, and comfort feature, allowing for safe and efficient cutting and transporting of food without the need for multiple tools.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a knife is used to transport food by sliding the edge under the food, then food can be moved from one location to another, but the knife-edge may become dulled and accidental cuts can occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood transport capabilityVSAvoidknife-edge sharpness and safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tool is divided into distinct functional segments: a cutting portion with a sharpened edge for cutting food, and a spatula portion with a blunt edge for safe food transport. The curvilinear medial ridge separates these segments and prevents food from sliding off during transport, eliminating the risk of dulling the cutting edge while maintaining food movement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The curvilinear medial ridge acts as an intermediary structure between the cutting portion and spatula portion. It provides a backstop that prevents food from sliding off the spatula portion during transport, while also serving as a structural support that maintains the integrity of both functional areas without compromising the cutting edge.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Length of moving object

If a uniformly thin blade is used for chopping, then the blade can be thin enough to chop vegetables, but the chopping hand may find the blade uncomfortable to hold

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade thicknessVSAvoidhandling comfort

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The tool member features varying thickness throughout its structure. The cutting portion maintains a thinner profile for effective chopping, while the spatula portion and handle area increase in thickness to provide comfort and stability during handling. The curvilinear medial ridge also creates a thicker central region that enhances grip comfort without compromising the thin cutting edge performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a knife is used for both cutting and transporting food, then the number of tools is reduced, but the knife is not sufficiently wide to accommodate sufficient amounts of food

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of toolsVSAvoidfood transport surface area

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The culinary tool is designed as a multi-functional utensil that combines cutting and food transport capabilities in a single tool. The tool member includes a cutting portion for slicing food and a spatula portion with sufficient surface area for transporting multiple food items simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate knife and spatula tools.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The tool member is designed with sufficient width and surface area in the spatula portion to accommodate multiple food items during transport. The curvilinear medial ridge extends across the tool member to provide structural support while maintaining adequate surface area for food placement, solving the limitation of traditional narrow knife blades.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Area of stationary object

If a uniformly thick blade is used to be wide enough to flip fish, then the blade may result in accidental cuts when food objects are loaded thereupon

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblade widthVSAvoidaccidental cuts

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The tool is segmented into a cutting portion with a sharpened edge for cutting operations and a spatula portion with a blunt edge for safe food handling and transport. The curvilinear medial ridge separates these segments and provides a backstop that prevents food from sliding off during transport, eliminating the cutting hazard while maintaining adequate width for handling various food items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9975261B2Culinary tool for cutting and transporting food

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 LAUB MAURICIO

AI summary

A culinary tool (100) suitable for both cutting and transporting food includes a tool member (101) and a handle (108). The tool member (101) begins at an asymmetrical base region (102) and tapers along a major face (103) of the tool member (101) to a distal tip (104). A curvilinear medial ridge (105) begins at the asymmetrical base region (102) and passes along the major face (103), thereby defining a cutting portion (106) and a spatula portion (107). The cutting portion (106) sometimes the distal tip and occupies less of the major face (103) by area than does the spatula portion (107). The handle (108) is affixed to the tool member (101) along the asymmetrical base region (102). The culinary tool (100) can be used in either a cutting mode or a spatula mode.