HAND-HELD FRUIT SQUEEZER

This invention relates to a hand-held fruit squeezer and particularly, although not exclusively, to a squeezer for segments of lemon. According to this invention there is provided a hand-held fruit squeezer including a pair of jaw members connected together by pivot means, each jaw member having a base with opposed side walls, at least one pair of the side walls being relieved to provide a mouth at an end remote from the pivot means, and fruit gripping means on the inside of at least one said jaw member, whereby fruit located between the j aws may be manually squeezed and juice from the fruit is able to exit the jaws through said mouth.

Preferably, the side walls of each member abut one another when the jaw members are closed. Alternatively, the side walls of one jaw member are arranged to overlap exteriorly the inside walls of the other jaw member when the jaws are closed. Advantageously, gripping means are located on the inside of both said jaw members.

Conveniently, the gripping means comprise three or more projections extending away from the base of each jaw member.

Advantageously, the projections are arranged in a triangular or quadrilateral fashion.

Preferably, an indentation is provided on an outer surface of each jaw member for location of a user's respective finger and thumb.

Advantageously, the pivot means is integrally formed with the jaw members.

Conveniently, the squeezer is made from plastics or metal material. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an interior of a hand-held fruit squeezer in accordance with this invention with the components thereof in an open operative position, and Figure 2 shows an outside perspective view of the hand-held fruit squeezer shown in Figure 1.

In the Figures like reference numerals denote like parts.

The hand-held fruit squeezer shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a pair of jaw members 1, 2 connected together by an integrally formed pivot 3, the jaws and pivot being preferably formed from plastics material. The pivot is such that parts 31, 32 and 33 are formed on jaw member 1 and interlock with portions 34 and 35, which are formed on jaw member 2. Each jaw member 1, 2 has a base 11, 21 respectively with opposed side walls 12, 13 and 22, 23 respectively, the side walls extending substantially orthogonally from the base to which the walls are attached. The side walls 11, 13 and 22, 23 are relieved to each provide a mouth 14, 15 at an end of the base which is remote from the pivot 3. The mouth is provided so that, when fruit is squeezed, the juice from the fruit may exit the jaws through the mouth 14, 15. In an alternative embodiment, only one of the jaws may be provided with a relieved mouth.

The side walls 12, 13 and 22, 23 may abut one another when the jaws are closed or, alternatively, one pair of side walls may overlie the other pair of side walls so that, for example when the jaws are closed, rim 121 of side wall 12 and rim 131 of side wall 13 may abut an inner surface of base 21.

At least one of the jaws and, preferably, both jaws, are provided with a fruit gripping arrangement 41, 42 which is formed by three or more projections extending upwardly away from the inside surface of the respective base 11, 21. In the embodiment shown there are five frusto-conical projections, although there may be three or more projections and the projections do not necessarily need to be frusto- conical, but may be any convenient shape provided that fruit may be gripped.

As shown in Figure 2, an indentation 51, 52 is provided in an outer surface of each of the jaws 1, 2 respectively for location of a user's respective finger and thumb to assist in closing the squeezer against a fruit. Although the hinge is preferably integrally formed with the jaws, the hinge may be formed by members through which is provided a pivot pin.