System for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables

Abstract

A system for preparing baked applies ( 12 ) and other edible fruits and vegetables which comprises a component for coring through a top of an apple ( 16 ) and into a core ( 18 ) thereof to remove the core ( 18 ) with its seeds, so as to form a hole ( 20 ) therein. A facility ( 22 ) is for removing some pulp ( 24 ) of the apple ( 16 ) from within the hole ( 20 ), so as to form an expanded chamber ( 26 ) therein with a top inlet port ( 28 ). A prepared sweet food mass filler ( 30 ) can be inserted past the top inlet port ( 28 ) and into the expanded chamber ( 26 ), a food topping ( 32 ) placed thereon and the apple ( 16 ) baked.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:  
     
       1. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables which comprises: 
       a) means for coring through a top of an apple and into a core thereof to remove the core with its seeds, so as to form a hole therein; and  
       b) means for removing some pulp of the apple from within the hole, so as to form an expanded chamber therein with a top inlet port, in Which a prepared sweet food mass filler can be inserted past the top inlet port and into the expanded chamber, a food topping placed thereon and the apple baked.  
     
     
       2. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  1 , wherein said coring means is a hand-held coring instrument. 
     
     
       3. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  2 , wherein said hand-held coring instrument includes: 
       a) a handle to be grasped by a hand of a person;  
       b) a hollow plug cutter barrel extending at a right angle from said handle; and  
       c) a crossbar at a distal end of said barrel, so that when said barrel is pressed through the top of the apple into the core thereof and turned, said crossbar will dislodge the core, allowing the core within said barrel to be removed from the apple.  
     
     
       4. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  3 , wherein said hand-held coring instrument further includes means for limiting the distance said barrel can be pressed through the top of the apple, when the core is to be removed therefrom. 
     
     
       5. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  4 , wherein said distance limiting means includes: 
       a) a depth setting indicator; and  
       b) means for retaining said indicator on said barrel in a releasing manner.  
     
     
       6. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  5 , wherein said depth setting indicator is a washer shaped disc which slides upon said barrel of said hand-held coring instrument. 
     
     
       7. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  6 , wherein said retaining means includes: 
       a) said barrel having a plurality of spaced apart opposite paired indents therealong; and  
       b) opposite paired spring biased bails carried in said washer shaped disc, so that when said washer shaped disc is manually moved along said barrel said spring biased bails will engage With any of said paired indents on said barrel.  
     
     
       8. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  1 , wherein said pulp removing means is a hand-held rotary power tool. 
     
     
       9. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  8 , wherein said hand-held rotary power tool includes: 
       a) a housing having a socket and a handle to be grasped by a hand of a person;  
       b) an electric motor carried within said housing; and  
       c) a rasp bit having a shank that can be inserted into the socket of said housing, so that said electric motor can rotate said shank to allow said rasp bit to remove the pulp a the apple, when said rasp bit is placed within the hole in the apple.  
     
     
       10. A system for preparing baked apple and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  9 , Wherein said rasp bit includes a ball-shaped head on a distal end of said shank. 
     
     
       11. A system for preparing baked apples aid other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  9 , wherein said rasp bit includes a dome-shaped head on a distal end of said shank. 
     
     
       12. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables which comprises: 
       a) a hand-held coring instrument to core through a top of an apple and into a core thereof to remove the core with its seeds, so as to form a hole therein; and  
       b) a hand-held rotary power tool to remove some pulp of the apple from within the hole, so as to form an expanded chamber therein with a top inlet port, in which a prepared sweet food mass filler can be inserted past the top inlet port and into the expanded chamber, a food topping placed thereon and the apple baked.  
     
     
       13. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  12 , wherein said hand-held coring instrument includes: 
       a) a handle to be grasped by a hand of a person;  
       b) a hollow plug cutter barrel extending at a right angle from said handle; and  
       c) a crossbar at a distal end of said barrel, so that when said barrel is pressed through the top of the apple into the core thereof and turned, said crossbar will dislodge the core, allowing the core within said barrel to be removed from the apple.  
     
     
       14. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  13 , wherein said hand-held coring instrument further includes means for limiting the distance said barrel can be pressed through the top of the apple, when the core is to be removed therefrom. 
     
     
       15. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  14 , wherein said distance limiting means includes: 
       a) a depth setting indicator; and  
       b) means for retaining said indicator on said barrel in a releasing manner.  
     
     
       16. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  15 , wherein said depth setting indicator is a washer shaped disc which slides upon said barrel of said hand-held coring instrument. 
     
     
       17. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  16 , wherein said retaining means includes: 
       a) said barrel having a plurality of spaced apart opposite paired indents therealong; and  
       b) opposite paired spring biased balls carried in said washer shaped disc, so that when said washer shaped disc is manually moved along said barrel said spring biased balls will engage with any of said paired indents on said barrel.  
     
     
       18. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  17 , wherein said hand-held rotary power tool includes: 
       a) a housing having a socket and a handle to be grasped by a hand of a person;  
       b) an electric motor carried within said housing; and  
       c) a rasp bit having a shank that can be inserted into the socket of said housing, so that said electric motor can rotate said shank to allow said rasp bit to remove the pulp of the apple, when said rasp bit is placed within the hole in the apple.  
     
     
       19. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  18 , wherein said rasp bit includes a ball-shaped head on a distal end of said shank. 
     
     
       20. A system for preparing baked apples and other edible fruits and vegetables as recited in claim  19 , wherein said rasp bit includes a dome-shaped head on a distal end of said shank. 
     
     
       21. A hand- held coring instrument for coring fruit or vegetables comprising    
         a )  grasping means to be grasped by a hand of a person;    
         b )  hollow plug cutter barrel connected to said grasping means; and    
         c )  means for adjustably limiting the distance said barrel can be pressed into the fruit or vegetable.   
     
     
       22. A hand- held coring instrument for coring fruit or vegetable comprising:    
         a )  grasping means to be grasped by a hand of a person;    
         b )  hollow plug cutter barrel connected to said grasping means;    
         c )  a crossbar at a distal end of said barrel so that when said barrel is pressed into the fruit or vegetable and turned, said crossbar will dislodge a core, allowing the core within said barrel to be removed from the fruit or vegetable; and    
         d ) means for adjustably limiting the distance said barrel can be pressed into the fruit or vegetable. 
     
     
       23. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  21 , wherein said distance limiting means includes:    
         a )  a depth setting indicator; and    
         b )  means for retaining said indicator on said barrel in a releasing manner.   
     
     
       24. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  23 , wherein said depth setting indicator comprises a cylinder which slides relative to said barrel of said hand - held coring instrument.   
     
     
       25. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  23  wherein said retaining means includes:    
         a )  a plurality of spaced apart indents along said barrel; and    
         b )  engaging means carried in said cylinder for engaging with any of said indents on said barrel when said cylinder is manually moved along said barrel.   
     
     
       26. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  24 , wherein said retaining means includes:    
         a )  a plurality of spaced apart indents along said barrel; and    
         b )  engaging means carried in said cylinder for engaging with any of said indents on said barrel when said cylinder is manually moved along said barrel.   
     
     
       27. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  23 , further comprising means for retaining said grasping means on said barrel in a releasing manner.   
     
     
       28. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  24 , further comprising means for retaining said grasping means on said barrel in a releasing manner.   
     
     
       29. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  25 , wherein said indents comprise opposite paired indents.   
     
     
       30. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  26 , wherein said indents comprise opposite paired indents.   
     
     
       31. A hand- held coring instrument as set forth in claim  21  or  22  wherein said hollow plug cutter barrel is detachably connected to said grasping means.