BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Food items can be cut into smaller sections or slices using a number of different implements for example a knife, a cutting disc, a cleaver or a slicer. These instruments may be available for use in an unautomated handheld, automated handheld, or completely automated configuration.

Food items having a soft consistency, for example cheeses, food spreads, butter, margarines, ice cream, dough and even processed meats such as salami, bologna and wursts can be sliced using a tensioned wire that is moved through the food item. Commonly, a length of wire is affixed and held taut between two arms provided on an apparatus, although it is also possible that the wire is attached only at one end to an apparatus and a handle is provided at the opposite end of the wire for a user to grasp while moving the wire through the food item.

For a slicing apparatus provided with an affixed wire for cutting through a food item, such as a bar or block of cheese, repeated use of the apparatus results in a stretching of the wire and a decreased utility of the apparatus. Once the wire becomes stretched, cutting of the food item becomes problematic as the wire will be moving through the food item in an arched or inverted V-shaped cutting line relative to the direction of movement of the apparatus. Potentially, this can result in a slice having at least one damaged or unsightly surface, while the remaining cut surface of the food is similarly marked. As well, once the wire is stretched beyond a certain point, cutting a complete slice from a block of cheese while the cheese block rests on a cutting surface such as a board or counter-top becomes practically impossible as the apparatus will contact the cutting surface while the wire remains in an arched position within the cheese. Removal of the slice from the cheese block will thus require a user to either cut the remainder of the slice from the block using a knife or cutting wheel, or to physically break the slice away from the cutting face of the cheese.

Once the cutting wire of the slicing apparatus becomes overstretched, the user will be required to discard the whole apparatus, or at least the head unit to which the wire is attached. From both an environmental and an economic perspective, such a practice is considerably wasteful of resources.

Thus, there is a need to provide for a slicing apparatus that addresses at least some of these shortcomings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for a slicing apparatus having a replaceable cutting wire. In a first embodiment, there is provided a slicing apparatus for slicing food items comprising : a cutting wire having a pair of mounts ; and a body having a pair of opposing arms adapted about respective ends to releasably receive the mounts to secure the wire between the arms whereby the cutting wire is removable for replacement.

In a second embodiment, there is provided a cheese slicing apparatus comprising: a head having a body, a first arm and a second arm ; a cutting wire having a first end and a second end ; a pair of mounting members, each mounting member secured to a portion of the wire proximal to one of the first and second ends and adapted to releasably interlock upon an arm to tension the wire between the arms.

In a still further embodiment, the present invention provides a cutting wire replacement. The cutting wire replacement comprises a cutting wire having a pair of mounts for a handheld slicing apparatus for slicing food items, the apparatus including a body having a pair of opposing arms adapted about respective ends to releasably receive the mounts to secure the wire between the arms whereby the cutting wire is removable for replacement.

In each of the embodiments, at least one of the mounts preferably comprises a pulley with an actuating lever and wherein at least one arm comprises a pulley surface for rotating said at least one mount into engagement with said one arm to secure the wire under tension.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to attached figures, wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view, exploded, of a slicing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and, Figure 2 is a side view exploded of a slicing apparatus including a handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described with reference to embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 1, there is a slicing apparatus 2 comprising a body 4 having a having a pair of opposing arms 6 and 8. Apparatus 2 further comprises a cutting wire 10 to which is attached a pair of mounts 12 (one shown) or mounting members. In the present example of the invention, the wire 10 is provided with a first end and a second end (not shown), and the wire 10 is attached to each mount 12 substantially near each end of the wire 10. In the present example of the invention, both the first and the second end (not shown) of the wire 10 are knotted, and the mounts 12 are moulded over each of the knotted ends of the wire 10 to secure the wire 10 to the mounts 12. In the present embodiment, each of the mounts comprise a wire tensioning pulley with an actuating lever rotatable about the opposing arms 6 and 8 to attach the wire 10 to the body 4 under tension.

The end of each arm 6 and 8 is adapted to releasably receive one mount 12. Each end defines a cavity 18 at an outer side of the end. The cavity is dimensioned to frictionally engage a mount to hold it in place, keeping the wire in tension between the arms 6 and 8. To mount the wire 10 onto the arms 6 and 8 of the body 4, a user places the wire 10 in the guide slots 14 provided at the tip of each arm 6 and 8. Thereafter, a rounded pulley portion 16 of the mount 12 is inserted into cavity 18 and the rounded pulley portion of the second mount is inserted into the corresponding cavity provided on the opposite arm. The wire 10 is of such a length between the mounts 12 so that upon the user rotating at least one of the mounts 12 on a cooperating rounded surface 26 ( Figure 2) of a respective cavity 18, the wire 10 is tensioned across a distance spanning the arms 6 and 8. Once each mount 12 is rotated into its respective cavity 18, the wire 10 is effectively secured in place onto the body 4 of the apparatus 2. Once the wire 10 becomes stretched or is broken, the mounts may be disengaged from the arms 6 and 8. A fresh cutting wire replacement comprising the cutting wire 10 and a pair of mounts 12 may then be installed onto the arms 6 and 8 of the body 4 as described. A recess 20 is provided in each of the mounts 12 to facilitate the removal of the mounts 12 from the arms 6 and 8. To accomplish removal of the mounts 12 from the arms 6 and 8, an object such as a fork tine or a fingernail is inserted by the user into the

recess 20 and the particular mount 12 rotated outwardly, thereby becoming disengaged from the respective arm 8.

Apparatus 2 preferably includes a support bar 22 mounted between each arm 6 and 8 to provide further support to the apparatus. As well, the mounting of the bar proximal to the body relative to the wire allows for the bar 22 to act as guide for controlling a thickness of a cheese slice. In the present example of the invention, the bar 22 is mounted between the arms 6 and 8 so that the bar 22 can rotate.

The body 4 of the slicing apparatus 2 can be attached to a handle 28 by any number of attachment means known in the art. In the present example of the invention, a tang 24 is provided that inserts into a co-operating cavity of separate handle portion 28. Other means of attaching the apparatus 2 to a separate handle 28 can be achieved by providing a screw, a clip, a threaded bolt or a hollow member on the body 4 of the apparatus 2 for mating onto the handle 28.

Attachment of the apparatus 2 to handle 28 allows for a user to apply a greater amount of cutting force to the wire 10 as the wire 10 moves through the food item. Alternatively, apparatus 2 may be formed with an integral handle.

Though the present embodiment comprises a pair of like mounts cooperating with cavities in each arm, other mounts will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, only one mount may be configured as a tensioning pulley with an actuating lever with the other mount shaped for simple anchoring or coupling to an arm without wire tensioning or mount rotation. While mounts 12 include rounded pulley portions 16 and cavities 18 have flattened cooperating surfaces, each may be oppositely constructed. Further, mount 12 could comprise a hinge for coupling to a cooperatively adapted arm 6 or 8 about which mount 12 may be rotated to lever the wire into tension.

The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be examples of the present invention and alterations and modifications may be effected thereto, by those of skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims appended hereto.