Food product grasping apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US10827882B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Food product grasping apparatus",
  "abstract": "A food product gripping mechanism is provided. The food product gripping mechanism includes a shaft connected to a hub. A release mechanism has a first passage in fluid communication with a second passage. The second passage is configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough. A tension member is positioned partly within the first passage of the release mechanism. A guide spool is configured to receive a portion of the tension member and further configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough and a plurality of tongs is connected to the hub. The plurality of tongs are configured for a contracted orientation and further configured for rotation to an expanded orientation. The plurality of tongs are further configured to grip a food product without piercing a skin of the food product.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A food product gripping mechanism comprising: a shaft connected to a hub; a release mechanism having a first passage in fluid communication with a second passage, the second passage configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough; a tension member positioned partly within the first passage of the release mechanism; a guide spool configured to receive a portion of the tension member and further configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough, the guide spool having the form of an inverted conical frustum; and a plurality of tongs connected to the hub; wherein the plurality of tongs are configured for a contracted orientation and further configured for rotation to an expanded orientation and wherein the plurality of tongs are further configured to grip a food product without piercing a skin of the food product and wherein the guide spool includes a plurality of vertically oriented channels spaced apart on an outer surface.",
    "2. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the shaft and the hub are connected together with a threaded connection.",
    "3. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the shaft includes an annular groove configured to receive a snap ring.",
    "4. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein an annular groove is located in a center section of the shaft.",
    "5. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the release mechanism includes a head and an opposing threaded second end.",
    "6. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first passage has a larger diameter than the second passage.",
    "7. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein a shoulder is formed at an intersection of the first and second passages and wherein a snap ring seats against the shoulder.",
    "8. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the shaft extends through the tension member.",
    "9. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the tension member is a coil spring.",
    "10. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertically oriented channels are configured to receive portions of the tongs.",
    "11. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 10, wherein the tongs have upper segments configured to slidably move within the channels.",
    "12. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 11, wherein in a contracted orientation, the upper segments have a spaced apart distance than is larger than a spaced apart distance in the expanded orientation.",
    "13. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the hub is configured as a fulcrum for rotation of the plurality of tongs.",
    "14. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 1, wherein the hub includes a plurality of wings, with each of the wings having opposing legs forming an opening to receive the associated tong.",
    "15. A food product gripping mechanism comprising: a shaft connected to a hub; a release mechanism having a first passage in fluid communication with a second passage, the second passage configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough; a tension member positioned partly within the first passage of the release mechanism; a guide spool configured to receive a portion of the tension member and further configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough, the guide spool having the form of an inverted conical frustum; and a plurality of tongs connected to the hub; wherein the plurality of tongs are configured for a contracted orientation and further configured for rotation to an expanded orientation and wherein the plurality of tongs are further configured to grip a food product without piercing a skin of the food product and wherein the guide spool includes a first and second bore in fluid communication with each other and configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough.",
    "16. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 15, wherein the first bore is configured to receive a portion of the tension member and has a larger diameter than the second bore.",
    "17. A food product gripping mechanism comprising: a shaft connected to a hub; a release mechanism having a first passage in fluid communication with a second passage, the second passage configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough; a tension member positioned partly within the first passage of the release mechanism; a guide spool configured to receive a portion of the tension member and further configured to allow the shaft to pass therethrough, the guide spool having the form of an inverted conical frustum; and a plurality of tongs connected to the hub; wherein the plurality of tongs are configured for a contracted orientation and further configured for rotation to an expanded orientation and wherein the plurality of tongs are further configured to grip a food product without piercing a skin of the food product and wherein guide spool includes an annular groove configured to seat a retention member, the retention member configured to retain a portion of the tongs.",
    "18. The food product gripping mechanism of claim 17, wherein the retention member retains the tongs within a plurality of channels as the tongs slidably move within the plurality of channels."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "A47J 43/283",
    "A23G 3/24",
    "A23P 20/15",
    "A47J 43/18"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "VERHELLE MATTHEW L"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-10-31",
  "publication_date": "2020-11-10",
  "grant_date": "2020-11-10",
  "priority_date": "2017-11-08",
  "application_number": "US-201816176492-A",
  "family_id": "66326417",
  "citations": [
    "US1600649A",
    "US1777248A",
    "US1801456A",
    "US2350692A",
    "US2493949A",
    "US2829918A",
    "US4034542A",
    "US4348044A",
    "US5503446A",
    "US925212A"
  ]
}