Cutting Device for Food Products and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

A circle cutter for a food sheet comprises a center knob assembly, an arm, and a cutting assembly. The center knob assembly comprises a base portion adapted to contact a food sheet and fix a position of the cutting assembly relative to the food sheet. The arm is adapted to rotate about the center knob assembly. The cutting assembly comprises a cutting portion having a rotatable cutting blade. The cutting assembly is releasably fixed to the arm to cut a generally circular pattern into the food sheet as the arm rotates about the center knob assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A circular cutter for a food sheet comprising:
 a center knob assembly comprising a base portion and a knob portion, the base portion having a base core and a center section projecting upward from the base core, the knob portion having a knob core releasably attached to the center section of the base core;   an arm rotatably coupled to the center knob assembly, the arm comprising a bottom surface, an elongated opening and a generally circular opening, the center section of the base core extending through the generally circular opening, the base portion of the center knob assembly being disposed generally below the bottom surface of the arm and the knob portion of the center knob assembly being disposed generally above the bottom surface of the arm; and   a cutting assembly coupled to the elongated opening of the arm, the cutting assembly comprising a cutting portion and an activation portion, the cutting portion having a rotatable cutting blade rotatably coupled thereto, wherein at least the cutting blade of the cutting assembly is moveable along the elongated opening of the arm.   
     
     
         2 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising a base overmold connected to the base core. 
     
     
         3 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 2 , wherein the base overmold comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         4 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 1 , further comprising a knob overmold connected to the knob core. 
     
     
         5 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the knob core releasably attaches to the center section of the base core via threads. 
     
     
         6 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting portion of the cutting assembly further comprises a support arm, the rotatable cutting blade being attached to the support arm. 
     
     
         7 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 6 , wherein the activation portion of the cutting assembly comprises a cam and a slidable base, the cam being generally disposed below the elongated opening of the arm, the slidable base being generally disposed above the elongated opening of the arm, the cam and the slidable base cooperating to releaseably fix the cutting assembly relative to the elongated opening of the arm. 
     
     
         8 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable cutting blade is moveable between a first non-cutting position and a second cutting position. 
     
     
         9 . A circular cutter for a food sheet comprising:
 a center knob assembly comprising a base portion adapted to contact a food sheet and fix a position of the cutting assembly relative to the food sheet;   an arm connected to the center knob assembly, the arm being rotatable about the center knob assembly; and   a rotatable cutting blade coupled to the arm, the rotatable cutting blade being moveable along at least a portion of a length of the arm.   
     
     
         10 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 9 , wherein the rotatable cutting blade is moveable between a first non-cutting position and a second cutting position. 
     
     
         11 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 10 , wherein the cutting assembly further comprises a biasing member, the biasing member biasing the rotatable cutting blade to the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The circular cutter for a food sheet of  claim 9 , wherein the arm includes an elongated opening and wherein the cutting blade is positionable along the elongated opening. 
     
     
         13 . A cutting assembly for a circle cutter comprising:
 a cutting portion having a rotatable cutting blade, a support arm, and a cam, the rotatable cutting blade rotatably connected to the support arm, the cam having a generally flat portion and a generally cylindrical portion projecting upward from the generally flat portion, a portion of the support arm extending through an opening formed in both the generally flat portion and the cylindrical portion of the cam; and   an activation portion having a slidable base, a biasing member, a biasing member cap, and an activation cap, the slidable base removably connected to the cylindrical portion of the cam, the biasing member cap attaching to the support arm, the biasing member being disposed between the cam and the biasing member cap and passing through the slidable base, the biasing member applying a biasing force to the biasing member cap to position the support arm and the rotatable cutting blade in a first non-cutting position, the activation cap connecting to the biasing member cap, wherein a force applied to the activation cap compresses the biasing member thereby positioning the support arm and the rotatable cutting blade in a second cutting position.   
     
     
         14 . The cutting assembly for a circle cutter of  claim 13 , wherein the biasing member comprises a spring. 
     
     
         15 . The cutting assembly for a circle cutter of  claim 13 , wherein the biasing member comprises a gas strut. 
     
     
         16 . The cutting assembly for a circle cutter of  claim 13 , wherein the biasing member comprises a polymeric foam.