Clearing device

Abstract

Described herein are embodiments of a clearing device. In one embodiment, the clearing device comprises a first side arm, a second side arm, and a top arm connecting the first and second side arms. The clearing device further comprises a slit defined by the first side arm, second side arm, and top arm. The slit is configured to receive a blade of a knife such that the clearing device gets placed over the top side of a blade, leaving the cutting edge exposed. The user of the knife may slide the clearing device along the blade of the knife, pushing food particles off the blade of the knife. The clearing device further comprises ribs on the inner surfaces that abut the side surfaces of the blade so that the clearing device may slide down the blade more effectively.

1 . A knife clearing device comprising:
 a first arm, a second arm, and a top wall;   wherein:   the top wall connects the first arm to the second arm at a top end;   the first arm comprises a first rib on a first interior surface, the second arm comprises a second rib on a second interior surface;   the first rib and the second rib extend in a top to bottom direction.   
     
     
         2 . The knife clearing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first arm further comprises a first slit which extends through an exterior surface to the interior surface;   the second arm further comprises a second slit which extends through an exterior surface to the interior surface;   the first slit defines a first cantilever portion;   the second slit defines a second cantilever portion.   
     
     
         3 . The knife clearing device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first arm comprises a first indentation on the first exterior surface that is circular in shape;   the second arm comprises a second indentation on the second exterior surface that is circular in shape.   
     
     
         4 . The knife clearing device of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first indentation is at least partially located on the first cantilever portion;   the second indentation is at least partially located on the second cantilever portion.   
     
     
         5 . The knife clearing device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first indentation and the second indentation comprise a plurality of circular protrusions.   
     
     
         6 . The knife clearing device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the knife clearing device comprises a notch located on a top wall interior surface proximate a top end of the first rib and second rib.   
     
     
         7 . The knife clearing device of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first arm comprises a first flange and the second arm comprises an second flange; and   the first flange extends approximately perpendicular to the first arm away from the first interior surface; and   the second flange extends approximately perpendicular to the second arm away from the second interior surface.   
     
     
         8 . The knife clearing device of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a length of the knife clearing device, measured in a top to bottom direction from the top most portion to a bottom most portion, ranges from 1 inch to 3 inches.   
     
     
         9 . The knife clearing device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a width of the knife clearing device, measured in a front to back direction, ranges from approximately 0.25 inch to 0.5 inches.   
     
     
         10 . A knife clearing device comprising:
 a first arm, a second arm, and a top wall connecting the first arm and the second arm at a top end;   wherein:   the first arm comprises a first rib on a first interior surface, and the second arm comprises a second rib on a second interior surface;   the first rib extends in a top to bottom direction along a length of the first arm, and the second rib extends in a top to bottom direction along a length of the second arm;   a knife-receiving slit is defined between the first rib and the second rib;   the first arm comprises a first inner portion and a first outer portion and the second arm comprises a second inner portion and a second outer portion;   the first outer portion comprises a first bore that received the first inner portion and the second outer portion comprises a second bore that receives the second inner portion;   the first inner portion comprises a first inner portion bottom end, and the second inner portion comprises a second inner portion bottom end; and   the first outer portion comprises a first outer portion bottom end, and the second outer portion comprises a second outer portion bottom end.   
     
     
         11 . The knife clearing device of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first inner portion is slidably coupled to the first outer portion and the second inner portion is slidably coupled to the second outer portion.   
     
     
         12 . The knife clearing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first and second inner portions have initial positions and extended positions relative to the first and second outer portions, respectively;   the initial positions are defined by the first inner portion bottom end being positioned adjacent to the first outer portion bottom end and the second inner portion bottom end being positioned adjacent the second outer portion bottom end; and   the extended configurations are defined by the first inner portion bottom end being located approximately 1 to 2 inches from the first outer portion bottom end and the second inner portion bottom end being located approximately 1 to 2 inches from the second outer portion bottom end.   
     
     
         13 . A knife clearing device comprising:
 a first arm, a second arm, and a top wall connecting the first arm and the second arm at a top end;   wherein:
 the first arm comprises points P 1 , P 2 , P 3   
 P 1  is located at the top end of the first rib 
 P 2  is located on the first rib proximate the bottom end of the slit/cantilever portion; 
 P 3  is located at the bottom end of the rib 
 The second arm comprises points P 4 , P 5 , P 6   
 P 4  is located at the top end of the second rib; 
 P 5  is located on the second rib proximate the bottom end of the slit/cantilever portion; 
 P 6  is located at the bottom end of the rib; 
 alpha 1 is defined as the angle between the lines formed from P 1  to P 2  and P 2  to P 3 ; 
 alpha 2 is defined as the angle between the lines formed from P 4  to P 5  and P 5  to P 6 ; 
   the notch, first slit, and second slit allow the knife clearing device to be adjusted between a static configuration and a deflected configuration;
 the static configuration is defined by α1 or α2 being approximately 180 degrees; 
 the deflected configuration is defined by α1 or α2 being less than 180 degrees.