Concave tapered product, method, and apparatus for producing such a product

Abstract

A concave tapered food product includes a cross section and a second end having a shape defined by a generally concave arc and a generally convex arc. The concave tapered food product has a first side and a second side shaped by a longitudinal cut along the foodstuff. A cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form the concave tapered food product includes a housing member. The cutter assembly also includes a curvilinear blade including a cutting edge for cutting the foodstuff, the cutting edge defining an arc along a first portion of the curvilinear blade and a foot positioned at an end of the curvilinear blade for supporting the curvilinear blade. The foot is configured for being received and secured in the housing member. The housing member is configured for at least partially enclosing the curvilinear blade.

1 . A curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, comprising: 
 a knife edge for cutting the foodstuff, the knife edge defining an arc along a first portion of the curvilinear blade; and    an attachment means for attaching the curvilinear blade to a cutter assembly,    wherein the attachment means is configured for attaching and securing the curvilinear blade in a cutter assembly for forming the concave tapered food product.    
   
   
       2 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the curvilinear blade forms a sigmoid curve.  
   
   
       3 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a ridge on said knife edge,    wherein the curvilinear blade is configured for producing a concave tapered food product with ridges.    
   
   
       4 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a housing member,    wherein the housing member is for at least partially enclosing the curvilinear blade.    
   
   
       5 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a base affixed to the housing member.    
   
   
       6 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a blade holding member,    wherein the blade holding member receives the curvilinear blade and wherein the blade holding member is disposed of at least partially inside the housing member.    
   
   
       7 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein curvilinear blade is configured to form a substantially uniformly shaped, concave tapered food product.  
   
   
       8 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.  
   
   
       9 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: a fruit and a vegetable.  
   
   
       10 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the arc has a radius from about one-half of an inch to about three inches.  
   
   
       11 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the curvilinear blade has a frequency of ridges ranging from about four ridges per inch to about sixteen ridges per inch.  
   
   
       12 . The curvilinear blade for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the ridges on the curvilinear blade have an amplitude ranging from about one-sixteenth of an inch to about three-eighths of an inch.  
   
   
       13 . A cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, comprising: 
 a housing member; and    a curvilinear blade including a knife edge for cutting the foodstuff, the knife edge defining an arc along a first portion of the curvilinear blade, and an attachment means at an end of the curvilinear blade for supporting the curvilinear blade,    wherein the attachment means is configured for attaching and securing the curvilinear blade in the housing member, and the housing member is for at least partially enclosing the curvilinear blade.    
   
   
       14 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the curvilinear blade forms a sigmoid curve.  
   
   
       15 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a ridge on said knife edge,    wherein the curvilinear blade is configured for producing a concave tapered food product with ridges.    
   
   
       16 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a base affixed to the housing member.    
   
   
       17 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a blade holding member,    wherein the blade holding member receives the curvilinear blade and wherein the blade holding member is disposed of at least partially inside the housing member.    
   
   
       18 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein curvilinear blade is configured to form a substantially uniformly shaped, concave tapered food product.  
   
   
       19 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.  
   
   
       20 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: a fruit and a vegetable.  
   
   
       21 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the arc has a radius from about one-half of an inch to about three inches.  
   
   
       22 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the curvilinear blade has a frequency of ridges ranging from about four ridges per inch to about sixteen ridges per inch.  
   
   
       23 . The cutter assembly for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product, as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the ridges on the curvilinear blade have an amplitude ranging from about one-sixteenth of an inch to about three-eighths of an inch.  
   
   
       24 . The cutter assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the cutter assembly includes a number of curvilinear blades ranging from 2 through 36.  
   
   
       25 . The cutter assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the cutter assembly includes four curvilinear blades, and wherein the blades are configured at suitable angles such that eight substantially uniformly shaped, concave, segments of foodstuff are produced in a single pass.  
   
   
       26 . The cutter assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 a spoke blade.    
   
   
       27 . A method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, the method comprising: 
 preparing the foodstuff for cutting;    securing the curvilinear blade to a housing member, the housing member configured for at least partially enclosing the curvilinear blade, the housing member defining an aperture sized for the foodstuff, and    presenting the foodstuff to the curvilinear blade at a speed effective for passing the foodstuff through the curvilinear blade to form the concave tapered food product.    
   
   
       28 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the curvilinear blade forms a sigmoid curve.  
   
   
       29 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 a ridge on said knife edge,    wherein the curvilinear blade is configured for producing a concave tapered food product with ridges.    
   
   
       30 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein curvilinear blade is configured to form a substantially uniformly shaped, concave tapered food product.  
   
   
       31 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.  
   
   
       32 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: a fruit and a vegetable.  
   
   
       33 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the arc has a radius from about one-half of an inch to about three inches.  
   
   
       34 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the curvilinear blade has a frequency of ridges ranging from about four ridges per inch to about sixteen ridges per inch.  
   
   
       35 . The method for cutting a foodstuff to form a concave tapered food product utilizing a curvilinear blade, including a knife edge defining an arc for cutting the foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the ridges on the curvilinear blade have an amplitude ranging from about one-sixteenth of an inch to about three-eighths of an inch.  
   
   
       36 . A food product shaped from a foodstuff, comprising: 
 a cross section defined by a first edge including a generally concave arc having a first radius, and a second shaped edge including a generally convex arc having a second radius;    a first side defined by the first edge;    a second side defined by the second edge; and    a third side defined by at least a portion of the outside of the foodstuff,    wherein the first side and the second side are shaped by a longitudinal cut along the foodstuff.    
   
   
       37 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 a ridge on the food product.    
   
   
       38 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams.  
   
   
       39 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of: a fruit and a vegetable.  
   
   
       40 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the convex arc has a radius from about one-half of an inch to about three inches.  
   
   
       41 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the concave arc has a radius from about one-half of an inch to about three inches.  
   
   
       42 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the food product has a frequency of ridges ranging from about four ridges per inch to about sixteen ridges per inch.  
   
   
       43 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the ridges on the curvilinear blade have an amplitude ranging from about one-sixteenth of an inch to about three-eighths of an inch.  
   
   
       44 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the generally convex arc is defined by an outside edge of the foodstuff.  
   
   
       45 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 a fourth side;    wherein the fourth side is defined by a radius concentric to at least one of the generally concave arc and the generally convex arc.    
   
   
       46 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the first edge and the second edge converge from the third edge to define a cross-section of varying thickness for providing a texture variance upon cooking of the food product.  
   
   
       47 . The food product shaped from a foodstuff, as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein the cross-section has a thickness across the third edge ranging from about one-eighth of an inch to about two inches.