Punching Device for Food Products and Method of Using the Same

Abstract

A food punch assembly for a food sheet comprises a base, a lid, a die and a punch. The base has a food receiving surface, and a die receiving opening. The die receiving opening is formed through the food receiving surface. The lid has a punch receiving opening. The lid is hingedly attached to the base. The lid is adapted to move between an open position and a closed position relative to the base. The punch receiving opening generally aligns with the die receiving opening of the base. The die has an opening formed therethrough. The die at least partially resides in the die receiving opening of the base. The punch has a punch protrusion. The punch at least partially resides in the punch receiving opening of the lid. A portion of the punch protrusion is adapted to enter the die opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A food punch assembly for a food sheet comprising:
 a base having a food receiving surface and a die receiving opening, the die receiving opening being formed in the food receiving surface;   a lid having a punch receiving opening disposed in corresponding alignment with the die opening, the lid being hingedly attached to the base and being moveable between an open position and a closed position relative to the base, the lid having an actuatable punch receiving surface, the actuatable punch receiving surface being biased to a first inactive position and movable to a second activated position;   a punch at least partially residing in the punch receiving opening of the lid, the punch having a punch protrusion configured to correspond with a die opening when the lid is in the closed position and the actuatable punch receiving surface is in the second activated position, the punch having at least one punch base assembly projection, the at least one punch base assembly projection contacting the actuatable punch receiving surface; and   a die having an opening for receiving the punch protrusion, the die at least partially residing in the die receiving opening of the base.   
     
     
         2 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base further has at least one alignment protrusion extending upward from the food receiving surface, the at least one alignment protrusion aligning the lid relative to the base as the lid moves to the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base further has at least one hinge protrusion, the at least one hinge protrusion projecting upwardly from the food receiving surface. 
     
     
         4 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lid further has at least one hinge connector, the hinge connector adapted to be positioned proximate the hinge protrusion of the base, wherein a hinge pin connects the hinge connector to the hinge protrusion. 
     
     
         5 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lid has a top surface with a peripheral ledge. 
     
     
         6 . The food punch assembly of  claim 5 , wherein a top surface of the punch has a lateral edge, the lateral edge overlying the peripheral ledge of the lid top surface with the movable punch receiving surface in the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuatable punch receiving surface is disposed proximate the top surface of the lid in the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the punch further comprises a plurality of punch base assembly projections, the punch base assembly projections contacting the actuatable punch receiving surface of the lid. 
     
     
         9 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a die securing groove is formed in the base, the die securing groove projecting downward from the food receiving surface. 
     
     
         10 . The food punch assembly of  claim 9 , wherein a portion of a sidewall of the die forms a press-fit with the die securing groove. 
     
     
         11 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the punch is adapted to form a predetermined design on an edge of a food sheet. 
     
     
         12 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the punch is adapted to cut a predetermined design from a food sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The food punch assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a second punch may be interchanged with the punch residing in the punch receiving opening of the lid, and a second die may be interchanged for the die at least partially residing in the die receiving opening of the base. 
     
     
         14 . A punch base assembly for a food punch for a food sheet comprises:
 a base having a food receiving surface and a die receiving opening formed in the food receiving surface, the base further having at least one lid aligning protrusion projecting upwardly from the food receiving surface; and   a lid having a top surface and a punch receiving opening passing through the top surface, the lid further having an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall, the sidewalls projecting downwardly from the top surface, the inner sidewall being in communication with the punch receiving opening, an actuatable punch receiving surface having a first inactive position and a second activated position, the actuatable punch receiving surface being disposed between the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the lid, the actuatable punch receiving surface being disposed proximate the top surface in the first position, the lid being adapted to move between an open position and a closed position relative to the base, wherein the lid hingedly connects to the base.   
     
     
         15 . The punch base assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one alignment protrusion contacts a portion of the lid as the lid moves to the closed position. 
     
     
         16 . The food punch base assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the base further has at least one hinge protrusion, the at least one hinge protrusion projecting upwardly from the food receiving surface. 
     
     
         17 . The food punch base assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the lid further has at least one hinge connector, the hinge connector adapted to be positioned proximate the hinge protrusion of the base, wherein a hinge pin connects the hinge connector to the hinge protrusion. 
     
     
         18 . The food punch base assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a die securing groove is formed in the base, the die securing groove projecting downward from the food receiving surface. 
     
     
         19 . A food punch and die set for a punch base assembly comprising:
 a first die having an opening formed therethrough, the opening having a first die pattern formed therein; and   a first punch having a top surface, a generally continuous sidewall projecting downward from the top surface, at least one punch base assembly projection projecting downward from the top surface, the at least one punch base assembly projection being positioned outwardly of the generally continuous sidewall, and a punch protrusion being disposed proximate to a bottom of the generally continuous sidewall, the punch protrusion having a first punch pattern, wherein the first punch pattern is adapted to be received by the opening of the die having the first die pattern, wherein the first punch pattern is complementary to the first die pattern.   
     
     
         20 . The food punch and die set for a punch base assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a second die having an opening formed therethrough, the opening having a second die pattern formed therein, the second die pattern being different than the first die pattern; and   a second punch having a top surface, a generally continuous sidewall projecting downward from the top surface, at least one punch base assembly projection projecting downward from the top surface, the at least one punch base assembly projection being positioned outwardly of the generally continuous sidewall, and a punch protrusion being disposed proximate a bottom of the generally continuous sidewall, the punch protrusion having a second punch pattern, the second punch pattern being different than the first punch pattern, wherein the second punch pattern is adapted to be received by opening of the die having the second die pattern, wherein the second punch pattern is complementary to the second die pattern.   
     
     
         21 . The food punch and die set for a punch base assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first die and the second die are interchangeable and the first punch and the second punch are interchangeable. 
     
     
         22 . The food punch and die set for a punch base assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a punch storage cover, the punch storage cover receiving at least a portion of the punch protrusion of the first punch.