CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of Invention

The present invention generally relates to a knife block apparatus, and, in particular, to a knife block in combination with different utilities.

(2) Background of Invention

Knife blocks are used to store kitchen knives, and typically consist of a wooden compact structure that has openings that run along the length of the block. These openings or slots receive and hold the knife. The blade of the knife is inserted, and the handle of knife remains extended outside of the box. This protects the blade of knife, and the extended handle is used to draw the knife form the block. The knife block may contain more than one slot to receive a number of knives, and, generally, slots of different sizes are available to accommodate different types of knives, such as a slicer knife, a peeler, a butcher knife, etc. Additionally, the knife block may contain knife sharpeners, which may be removable or fixed to the block. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,637,803, issued to â€œRobert Welch Designs Limited,â€ discloses a combination of a knife storage block and a knife-sharpening unit with a guard to protect a user's hand while drawing a knife through the sharpening unit. The knife sharpener may be external to the knife block, or integral to it.

Besides this, prior art discloses attempts to combine other utilities to the kitchen block. For example, published U.S. Patent appl. No. 20130306500 discloses a knife block system that has a magnetic core and a plurality of knives secured to the magnetic core. It includes at least one chopping board protruding from a surface of the block unit that is removable from the block unit for use. The chopping board is configured to fit into a chopping board back support positioned opposite the knives on a surface of the block unit for storage when not in use, and a knife sharpener unit is removably attachable to the foot for use. The block system may also contain other electrical utilities.

Combinations of other utilities to the knife block results in a compact unit that may save floor space and provide different utilities in one place. Such a device could be elegant and convenient to the user. Thus, a need is appreciated for an improved kitchen block with different utilities combined such that the device is compact and commercially advantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, therefore, has as its principal objective to provide a kitchen block in combination with different utilities.

Another objective of the present invention is that the knife block is compact.

Yet another objective is that the knife block is economic and commercially advantageous.

Certain embodiments of the current invention provide a knife block apparatus for use in a household for storing knives that provides other integrated utilities in a compact structure. The knife block apparatus is comprised of a knife block that has at least one slot for at least one knife, at least on speaker integrated into the side wall of the knife block, a receptacle for receiving a music player, such as an I-Pod, and a knife sharpening unit that is engaged to the base of the knife block and couples thereto through magnetic attachment. The apparatus also includes a Bluetooth device to receive an audio stream from an audio transmitter and play the audio through the speakers.

In another embodiment, the invention is further comprised of a computing and a display device for displaying culinary related information, such as food recipes and videos. The computing device may receive the input from a database through the Internet, or read from an optical disc drive. The apparatus may further include an optical disc reader. However, the apparatus could be restricted to play culinary related media.

In addition to the various objectives and advantages of the present invention, described with some degree of specificity above, it should be obvious that additional objectives and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention, and is, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is the perspective view of the knife block apparatus showing the knife block in combination with different utilities.

FIG. 2A is the rear view of the knife block apparatus showing the display screen.

FIG. 2B is the front view of the knife block apparatus showing the sharpening unit and knife slots.

FIG. 3A is the side view of the knife block apparatus showing the knife-sharpening unit retracted from the knife block.

FIG. 3B shows the knife block apparatus with the knife-sharpening unit in the open position.

FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a three dimensional view of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a rear isometric view of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows an isometric view of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a knife block apparatus for storing culinary knives in combination with different utilities into a compact apparatus.

Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting.

As a preface to the detailed description, it should be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms â€œaâ€ , â€œanâ€ and â€œtheâ€ include plural referents, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Referring to FIG. 1, the present invention is a knife block apparatus that includes a knife block 1. The knife block could be similar to any ordinary knife block, with a top surface, bottom surface, and sidewalls wherein the top surface contains at least one opening that extends down along the length of the knife block. The extended opening is referred to herein as a slot. The slot is dimensionally adapted to receive and hold the blade of a knife, and, preferably, the knife block contains more than one slot to store more than one knife. The knife block could be divided into two docks, one dock for bigger knives 2, while the other dock for shorter knives 10 as shown in FIG. 3B. The slots could preferably store various types of knives that are used in an ordinary household kitchen. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a knife block in an inclined position with an angled sidewall 8 extending from the bottom surface to the front sidewall.

A knife-sharpening unit 3 is coupled to a knife block 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The knife-sharpening unit is removably coupled to the base of the knife block, as shown in FIGS. 3A & 3B, the sharpening unit 3 could be engaged to the knife block through a channel having sliding mechanism 5 and snaps to the knife block through magnets. Both the sharpening unit 3 and knife block 1 could have corresponding magnets, which allows the sharpening unit to be securely retained, and could be easily retracted for use without causing any wear and tear. The channel 5 is pivotally hinged to the sharpening unit 3 and knife block 1, which allows the sharpening unit to be moved from the closed position to the open position. As show in FIG. 3A, the sharpening unit could be retracted using the hand wherein sufficient force is applied to break the magnetic force, or preferably a magnetic push catch assembly could be incorporated. The assembly of magnetic push catch is obvious to a skilled person, and, if employed in the current invention, would allow a small nudge to open or close the sharpening unit. The dotted line in FIG. 3A shows the open position of the sharpening unit 3. When the sharpening unit 3 is retracted to a sufficient distance, the upper end of the sharpening unit could be pulled downwards in a direction shown in FIG. 3A. The sharpening unit turns downward, as shown in FIG. 3B, to expose the sharpening base or blade 12. This is the open position of the sharpening unit. The handle 4, as shown in FIG. 2B and FIG. 4, could be used to change the sharpening base or blade for left or right hand use.

As shown in FIG. 1, a semi-recessed speaker 7 is mounted on the sidewall of the knife-block. The apparatus includes at least one speaker. Preferably, the apparatus includes a pair of speakers that are mounted on the left and right sides of the knife block 1. Each speaker could be coupled to the left and right channel of an audio signal. All versions and models of the present invention preferably have a sub-woofer along with the speaker. FIG. 5 shows a round, semi-recessed/grill rim speaker 7. The apparatus also includes a wireless communication device that can receive a streaming audio from an audio transmitter and processes the audio signal to the speakers for playing. The wireless communication device could be based on Bluetooth technology, Wi-Fi, or both. Such technologies to stream the live audio are obvious to a skilled person, and any such technology for wireless audio play are known in the prior art could be incorporated in the current apparatus. The figure also shows Bluetooth power indicator 15.

Moreover, the apparatus provides an inbuilt receptacle or iPod block 6 as shown in FIG. 1 for receiving and holding a music player, such as an I-Pod. The receptacle is preferably integrated on topside of the knife block, and could accommodate different types of the audio players. The audio player occupied in the receptacle could be either wirelessly connected to the communication device to stream audio to the communication device, or it may be connected by an electrical cable, such as an aux cable used to connect an audio player to the speakers. FIG. 4 and FIG. 7 show a USB port 11 and MP3 controls 13 for accessibility of the user. The USB port is preferably located within the control panel.

FIG. 3B shows the sharpening unit in the open position with the sharpening base 12 exposed for sharpening the knife. The sharpening base or blade could be made of any material known for sharpening knives by rubbing the knife on the base, such as ceramic, diamond, or grit stone like material. Furthermore, the knife-sharpening unit could have a protective flap to prevent the knife blade from running over the sides, which may harm the person. The knife sharpening unit further includes a shaving collection receptacle. The receptacle or well 14 is located below the sharpening base 12. The shaving collection well could be very small. It is compiled of layers of doubled sided cushioned tape around the sharpener, in a recessed well. As shavings compiled, the user could remove them simply by attaching a piece of one sided adhesive to the well and removing the double sided tape with the shavings, leaving the next layer ready for use.

In another aspect, the knife sharpening apparatus is further comprised of a computing and a display device 9, as shown in FIG. 2A. Preferably, the display device 9 is coupled to the rear side of the knife block facing slightly upwards. This may allow a person standing nearby the apparatus to view the display clearly wherein the apparatus is kept below the line of sight of the person. The computing device may receive data from a database on a server through the Internet, or the apparatus could be provided with a digital optical disk reader to read an optical disk, such as a MP3 or CD or DVD 17 as shown in FIG. 6. All the versions and models preferably have a projection screen to see the clock and when a DVD/CD is playing one can see the track or time or the like. The rear side of the apparatus, shown in FIG. 2A, measures 6 in.Ã—4 in., and the entire space could be occupied by a display screen. This could provide a larger view for user convenience, and would allow easier reading from the display. The display may further include a touch interface to provide input by the user. Moreover, the computing device may also be operated by a remote control apparatus. FIG. 7 includes a LCD screen 18 for display attached to the sharpening unit 3. All the versions and models having LCD screen preferably have a tilt screen. The knife block apparatus could be powered by AC current, wherein suitable AC to DC converters could be provided either inside or outside of the knife block apparatus. The knife block apparatus may contain an access point for connectivity to an AC/DC supply for power. The power cord of the power source preferably is enabled to plug in and out from center counsel. Also, the apparatus may include a battery, which may be replaceable or rechargeable. Use of the battery could make the apparatus easy to move, thus enhancing portability.

The contents that could be viewable or played on the knife block apparatus could be limited to culinary based content, such as recipes, and such material could be coded to play material from sponsors, such as â€œhow toâ€ lessons from sponsor chefs, TV personalities, and others, thus making the invention commercially advantageous.

It is to be appreciated that the knife-sharpening unit can be made commercially available in various commercially viable models for example (but not limited to)

I. a knife-sharpening unit that can be controlled remotely and has Bluetooth connectivity with media player capable of recognizing MP3 and MP4 media files along with an internal sharpener.

II. a knife-sharpening unit that can be controlled remotely and has Bluetooth connectivity with media player capable of recognizing MP3 and MP4 media files, compact disc player and an internal sharpener

III. A knife-sharpening unit that can be controlled remotely and has Bluetooth connectivity with media player capable of recognizing MP3 and MP4 media files, compact disc player, digital video disc player and an internal sharpener.

Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention, and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form.