US 2003O234205A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2003/0234205 A1 McGuyer et al. (43) Pub. Date: Dec. 25, 2003 (54) MULTI-TOOL KITCHEN UTENSIL, KIT AND Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/286,691, CONTAINER filed on Nov. 1, 2002. (76) Inventors: Carter W. McGuyer, Muscle Shoals, Publication Classification AL (US); Rodney W. Robbins, Run-florence, AL (US) (51) Int. Cl. ................................................... B65D 1/34 (52) U.S. CI. ... 206/564; 206/553; 206/576; Correspondence Address: 30/123; 99/506; 206/372; 20.6/372 Gregor N. Neff, Esq. cio Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP 919 Third Avenue (57) ABSTRACT New York, NY 10022 (US) A kitchen utensil kit including a multi-tool device having a (21) Appl. No.: 10/458,461 Single handle with one or more easily attachable accessories Such as peelers, pizza cutters, cheese slicers, Zesters, ice (22) Filed: Jun. 10, 2003 cream Scoops, graters, juicers, jar openers, etc. The kit includes Stationary or Slidable attachable and/or Stackable Related U.S. Application Data holders or trays for the compact, organized Storage of the kitchen implements in drawers or on countertops. Indicia are (63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/177,699, provided for each receptacle to identify the implement filed on Jun. 20, 2002. which the receptacle is designed to hold. The preferred Continuation-in-part of application No. 29/164,208, indicia is the shape of the receptacle, which matches the filed on Jul. 19, 2002. shape of the article. Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 1 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 2 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 3 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 4 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 5 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 6 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 7 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 8 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 9 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 10 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 …<!--******* Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 11 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003 Sheet 12 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 13 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 14 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003 Sheet 15 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 i G, S4 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 16 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 17 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 18 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 19 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 20 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 (a 22 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 21 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 22 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 Patent Application Publication Dec. 25, 2003. Sheet 23 of 23 US 2003/0234205 A1 US 2003/0234205 A1 Dec. 25, 2003 MULTI-TOOL, KITCHEN UTENSIL, KIT AND 0015 Still further, it is an object to provide improved CONTAINER kitchen implements with Superior or performance and/or 0001. This invention relates to kitchen utensils, kitchen Structural Strength and cost advantages over prior compa utensil kits and containers and manufacturing methods. This rable implements. patent application is a continuation-in-part of application 0016. Another object of the invention is to provide pack Ser. No. 10/177,699 filed Jun. 20, 2002, and of application aging for the Separate Sale of individual implements and Ser. No. 29/164,208, filed Aug. 19, 2002, and of application trays So as to assure that the implements are properly Ser. No. 10/286,691, filed Nov. 1, 2002. matched to the trays in which they fit. 0002 The crowding and jumble of kitchen utensils in the 0017. In accordance with the present invention, the fore usual kitchen drawer is a hindrance of long Standing. The going objectives are Satisfied by the provision of a multi-tool jumble makes it difficult to find individual implements, and kitchen utensil kit with a container to hold and organize a often extends the time and exasperation in obtaining a plurality of components of a multi-tool device in the con utensil from the drawer due to the fact that the drawer cannot tainer. be closed until the utensils in the drawer are rearranged. 0018. An additional object is to provide a multi-tool 0003. One of the causes of the foregoing problems is the kitchen device and kit in which the tools are both attractive amount of Space occupied by each implement. in appearance and yet are made dishwasher-Safe at a mod 0004 Proposals have been made in the past to provide a erate to low cost. partial Solution to this problem by Supplying a single handle 0019 Preferably, the container has a plurality of recesses, with a plurality of attachments to be attached to the handle, each shaped to hold a component of the multi-tool device. each being an implement for a different purpose. Each kit is adapted to be Secured together with other 0005 Such prior proposals have been considerably less containers containing different components of the multi-tool than fully Satisfactory. Although, in theory, those proposals device to form a organization System to keep the tool result in a reduction of the Volume occupied by the kitchen components in an orderly fashion in a kitchen drawer or on utensils, they are believed to do little to lessen the jumble a shelf, or in another available Space. and difficulty of finding and retrieving Specific implements. 0020. In one embodiment, each recess is shaped to receive a specific component, and means are provided for 0006 Furthermore, the means used to attach the indi attaching various containers together to form a unitary vidual accessories to the handle are relatively difficult to use Support structure for holding and organizing the multi-tool and/or less than fully satisfactory in other ways. components neatly in a kitchen drawer. Thus, Space is Saved 0007 Another problem with some kitchen implements, and the usual jumble of kitchen implements in the drawer is especially those whose handles are visible when the imple avoided. ments are Stored Such as kitchen knives, the handles are not dishwasher-Safe; that is, the handles, usually made of wood 0021 Alternatively, the kit includes a container for stor or heat-Sensitive plastics, will fade, crack or otherwise age on a counter-top or Similar Surface. deteriorate if they are washed frequently in the dishwasher. 0022. The implements can be stored with one end up in 0008 Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention a relatively deep container, or flat in a relatively shallow to provide a kitchen utensil device which alleviates or container for use in shallow drawers. resolves the above problems. 0023 The single handle needed for use with a variety of 0009. In particular, it is an object to provide a utensil tools, and the tools themselves, can be made both dish System in which the components are ordered and housed So washer-Safe and attractive in appearance at a modest cost. as to minimize tangling and disorder of the components, and 0024. In one embodiment of the kit, the handle and a to minimize the use of kitchen drawer and other Storage plurality of accessories are Stored in units Suitable for Space. display on a kitchen counter-top, shelf or other Such Surface. 0010. It is another object of the invention to provide a The kit also is useful for display of the product in Stores, on multi-tool kitchen implement device with a handle and a television and in other advertising. plurality of attachments easily and Securely attachable to and 0025. In another embodiment of the kit, the handle and a detachable from the handle. plurality of accessories are Stored in Stackable trayS. The 0011. It is a further object of the invention to provide such trays preferably have upstanding posts which are used to a multi-tool device which is relatively strong, durable, Support and accurately align one tray on top of the other. Simple in construction and easy to use and Store. Preferably, the trays have side walls which are substantially shorter in height than the attachments which fit into the 0012 Another object of the invention is to provide such trays, thus Saving material for the trays and making the a device which is ergonomically shaped So as to make it easy attachments easier to grasp and remove. The Stackable trayS to grasp and comfortable to use. occupy a Smaller footprint than the other trays designed for 0013. It is a further object of the invention to provide a use inside drawers, thus allowing for more flexibility in the method of manufacturing the multi-tool device of the inven use of the drawer Space. tion and the kit with economy, Speed and quality. 0026. The multi-tool device includes a handle with 0.014) Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment means mating with Similar attachment means on organizer tray or receptacle for organizing and compactly each of a plurality of accessories So that each accessory can Storing kitchen implements in the kitchen.