Knife Guide Holder for Finger-Safe Chopping and Blade Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cooking knife handling methods fail to adequately protect users from cuts, require manual handling of sharp knives for food removal, and do not efficiently manage excess food stuck to the knife blade.

Innovation Solution

A knife safety apparatus with a food holding body, handle, and knife guiding slit that holds food in place, protects fingers by eliminating direct contact with the knife, and allows for safe removal of excess food without touching the blade, using a contoured handle and flexible knife guide sidewalls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional knife handling methods are used, then the user has direct control and flexibility in cutting, but the user's fingers are exposed to cut hazards

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecut hazard to userVSAvoiddirect control of knife

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary device (the holder with knife-receiving space and food-receiving space) that positions the knife blade within a protective structure. The user's fingers remain in the food-receiving space while the blade is confined to the knife-receiving space, creating a physical barrier that mediates between user control and finger protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder is segmented into distinct functional zones: a knife-receiving space for the blade and a food-receiving space for the food item. This segmentation separates the hazardous knife area from the safe finger area, allowing independent optimization of each zone for its specific function while maintaining overall safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the user manually handles the knife to remove excess food, then food can be transferred, but the user is exposed to cut risks during handling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecut risk during food removalVSAvoidtime for food transfer

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The holder acts as an intermediary that receives excess food from the knife blade through its sidewalls and transfers it to the food-receiving space. This eliminates the need for direct manual handling of the knife for food removal, protecting fingers while maintaining efficient food transfer capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder's sidewalls are designed to automatically guide and collect excess food from the knife blade as it is withdrawn, transferring the food to the food-receiving space without requiring additional manual intervention. The structure performs the food transfer function automatically as part of the cutting motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the knife blade is used for chopping, then food can be cut efficiently, but excess food sticks to the blade sides requiring manual cleaning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechopping efficiencyVSAvoidknife cleaning operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The holder's sidewalls serve as an intermediary cleaning mechanism that contacts the knife blade during withdrawal. These sidewalls scrape or guide excess food off the blade sides and into the food-receiving space, automatically cleaning the blade without requiring separate manual cleaning actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the cutting function and the cleaning function into a single integrated operation. As the knife is withdrawn from the holder after cutting, the sidewalls simultaneously clean the blade by guiding excess food into the food-receiving space, combining two operations into one seamless motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Ease of operation

If the user maintains constant grip on the knife, then cutting control is maintained, but finger safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting controlVSAvoidfinger exposure to blade

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The holder provides an intermediary grip surface for the user's hand, positioned in the food-receiving space away from the knife blade. This allows the user to maintain control of the cutting operation through the holder while keeping fingers in a safe zone, separating the control function from the hazardous zone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent shifts the user's grip position from the traditional knife handle area into a different spatial dimension (the food-receiving space of the holder). This dimensional relocation places the user's fingers in a safe zone while maintaining control through the holder's structure that guides the knife motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8959776B2Knife safety apparatus

Publication Date: 2015.02.24 SHIPP JENNIFER

AI summary

A knife safety apparatus that is used to protect the fingers from being cut while cutting and chopping the food items is disclosed. The knife safety apparatus includes a food holding body and a handle connected to the food holding body. The food holding body helps to hold the food firmly with the help of its bottom sidewall. The handle has a gripping surface which helps to hold the knife safety apparatus. The apparatus has a knife guiding slit which acts as a knife receiving and knife cleaning space. The apparatus is helpful to cut, chop, and mince a food item irrespective of its size and shape.