Garlic peeler

{
  "publication_number": "US9510704B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Garlic peeler",
  "abstract": "A garlic clove peeler comprising a housing formed with a clove receiving compartment and with a friction wall and a balloon-like complimentary peeling element made of resilient material and having a shaft that has a rotational axis and that removably connects to the housing. The peeling element being formed with a peeler surface extending adjacent the friction wall and resiliently biased in a direction facing the friction wall wherein the friction wall and the peeler surface are concentric with respect to the rotational axis of the shaft. A displacement mechanism is provided for rotating one or both of the friction wall and the peeling element about the rotational axis, wherein a gap extends between the peeler surface and the friction wall, and wherein the gap is sized so as to snugly receive one or more garlic cloves and to allow the cloves to be carried around in the gap while maintaining contact with said peeler surface on one side and with the friction wall on the other side during the operation of the displacement mechanism and to be peeled without being bruised, and wherein the peeling element retains its shape.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A garlic clove peeler comprising: a housing formed with a clove receiving compartment formed with a friction wall; a complimentary peeling element comprising a balloon having a bottom hemispheric portion made of resilient material and having a shaft that has a rotational axis and that removably connects to the housing, the peeling element being formed with a peeler surface extending adjacent the friction wall and resiliently biased in a direction facing the friction wall wherein said friction wall and said peeler surface are concentric with respect to the rotational axis of the shaft; and a displacement mechanism for rotating one or both of said friction wall and said peeling element about said rotational axis, wherein a gap extends between the peeler surface and the friction wall, wherein the gap is sized so as to snugly receive one or more garlic cloves and to allow the cloves to be carried around in said gap while maintaining contact with said peeler surface on one side and with the friction wall on the other side during the operation of the displacement mechanism and to be peeled without being bruised, and wherein the peeling element retains its shape.",
    "2. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the friction wall is fitted with or made of a resilient material.",
    "3. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the displacement mechanism is a manually operated hand-crank.",
    "4. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the displacement mechanism is an electric motor, substantially accommodated within the housing.",
    "5. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein substantially all components thereof are made of plastic material.",
    "6. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the friction wall and the peeling element are fitted with projections and wherein the projections are in the form of bulges or ridges.",
    "7. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a top cover fixable over a base member, both made of a rigid material, said top cover supporting the peeling element projecting towards the friction wall.",
    "8. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 7, wherein the friction wall is an inner liner of the base member.",
    "9. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 7, wherein the friction wall is integrally molded with the base member.",
    "10. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the peeling element is retained by a retention ring articulated to a top cover.",
    "11. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 10, wherein the peeling element is detachable from the top cover.",
    "12. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the friction wall and the peeling element are deformable to snugly receive a garlic clove there between.",
    "13. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein when both the friction wall and the peeling element rotate, the friction wall and the peeling element rotate in opposed directions.",
    "14. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the size of the gap is adjustable so as to comply with different fruit/vegetable sizes.",
    "15. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the friction wall and the peeling element are replaceable.",
    "16. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 1, wherein the peeler element is rotatably retained within the housing.",
    "17. The garlic clove peeler according to claim 16, wherein rotation of the peeler element is imparted by a power unit fitted at a cover or at a base member, the cover or base member having an axle extending there from and supporting the peeler element."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to fruit and vegetable peelers and more particularly to a peeler suited for peeling a fine peel/skin from garlic and other fruits and vegetables such as dried union, different dried nuts such as peanuts, almonds, etc.\n\nOften the skin of a fruit or a vegetable is dry though in some cases it is not completely dry and is adhered to the fruit or vegetable. In some cases there is only one peel/skin layer (e.g. as in the case of different nuts), and in other eases there are several peel/skins, some of which at dry state and one or more layer which may be in damp state and inner most of which may still be adhered to the fruit or vegetable (e.g. as in the case of garlic, unions and the like).\n\nFor sake of simplicity, herein the specification and claims, all such fruits and vegetables are collectively referred to as garlic, though it is to be appreciated that the appliance according to the present invention may be used for peeling a selection of different fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the terms ‘skin’ and ‘peel’ are collectively referred to hereinafter as ‘skin’.\n\nGarlic is a member of the onion family, which has been cultivated for thousands of years and is widely used for both its culinary and medicinal attributes, resulting in an ever growing popularity of this crop. Garlic is already mentioned in the old testimony, where it reads: “We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic” (Numbers 11:5).",
  "cpc": [
    "A47J 17/14",
    "A23N 15/00",
    "A23N 15/08",
    "A23N 4/04",
    "A23N 5/002",
    "A23N 7/00",
    "A23N 7/02",
    "A47J 17/18",
    "A47J 17/20",
    "A47J 43/0711"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "A47J 17/14",
    "A23N 15/08",
    "A23N 7/00",
    "A23N 7/08",
    "A47J 17/00",
    "A47J 17/18",
    "A47J 17/20"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Tichkum Distribution Of Advanced Consumer Products"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Simon Haimoff",
    "Ofer Haimov"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-06-18",
  "publication_date": "2016-12-06",
  "grant_date": "2016-12-06",
  "priority_date": "2004-08-05",
  "application_number": "US-201414307944-A",
  "family_id": "35787511",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US2032562A",
    "US2047819A",
    "US2407819A",
    "FR1249671A",
    "US3961418A",
    "US4656936A",
    "US4768429A",
    "US5065672A",
    "US5305527A",
    "US5996483A",
    "US5950529A",
    "US6131508A",
    "US20020153440A1",
    "US6968778B2"
  ]
}