Ham stand

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ham stand (1) that comprises a support structure (2) for a ham (3) and a base structure (4) for the assembly, and a connection element (5) of the support structure (2) with the base structure (4). The connection element (5) comprises a spherical joint (6) and a housing piece (7) of said joint (6) attached to the other structure such that it presents multiple degrees of freedom due to the combination of pivoting and rotational movements of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4). Thanks to the pivoting movement, the user can rotate the ham to position it as desired in order to cut it conveniently and safely.

Claims

1. A ham stand (1) comprising a support structure (2) of the piece of ham (3) with holding means for said piece of ham (3), a base structure (4) for an assembly, and a connection element (5) of the support structure (2) to the base structure (4), characterized in that said connection element (5) comprises: a spherical joint (6) on at least the side area of that joint (6) connected to one of the structures (2, 4); and a housing piece (7) of the joint (6) that is at least partially complementary to the geometry of the joint (6), said housing piece (7) being attached to the other structure (2, 4), such that it presents multiple degrees of freedom due to the combination of pivoting and rotational movements of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4); wherein: the distance between the support structure (2) and the base structure (4) is such that the rotation angle around any axis parallel to the base structure (4), for the pivoting movement of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4), is at least between 0 and 55; the rotation angle for the rotational movement of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4), according to any axis comprised in the rotation angle of the pivoting movement, is between 0 and 360; the joint (6) comprises a connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4); the joint (6) has a spherical shape along its entire surface except in the area that joins to the connection piece (8); and the connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or to the base structure (4) is formed by a truncated cone.

2. The ham stand (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the joint (6) is connected to the support structure (2) of the piece of ham (3) and the housing piece (7) of the joint is attached to the base structure (4).

3. The ham stand (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the joint (6) is connected to the base structure (4) and the housing piece (7) of the joint is attached to the support structure (2) of the piece of ham (3).

4. The ham stand (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4) is formed by a cylinder, where the connection thereof to the joint (6) is carried out externally thereto.

5. The ham stand (1), according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4) is formed by a cylinder, where the connection thereof to the joint (6) is carried out externally thereto.

6. The ham stand (1) according to claim 1, wherein: a user can rotate and lock the ham stand at any desired angle between 0 and 55; and the user can rotate and lock the ham stand around any axis comprised in the rotation angle of the pivoting movement between 0 and 360.

7. A ham stand (1) comprising a support structure (2) of the piece of ham (3) with holding means for said piece of ham (3), a base structure (4) for an assembly, and a connection element (5) of the support structure (2) to the base structure (4), characterized in that said connection element (5) comprises: a spherical joint (6) on at least the side area of that joint (6) connected to one of the structures (2, 4); and a housing piece (7) of the joint (6) that is at least partially complementary to the geometry of the joint (6), said housing piece (7) being attached to the other structure (2, 4), such that it presents multiple degrees of freedom due to the combination of pivoting and rotational movements of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4); wherein: the distance between the support structure (2) and the base structure (4) is such that the rotation angle around any axis parallel to the base structure (4), for the pivoting movement of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4), is at least between 0 and 55,the rotation angle for the rotational movement of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4), according to any axis comprised in the rotation angle of the pivoting movement, is between 0 and 360, the joint (6) comprises a connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4); and the joint (6) has a spherical shape along its entire surface except in the area that joins to the connection piece (8), characterized in that the connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4) is formed by a second spherical joint that is directly attached to the spherical joint (6).

8. A ham stand (1) comprising a support structure (2) of the piece of ham (3) with holding means for said piece of ham (3), a base structure (4) for an assembly, and a connection element (5) of the support structure (2) to the base structure (4), characterized in that said connection element (5) comprises: a spherical joint (6) on at least the side area of that joint (6) connected to one of the structures (2, 4); and a housing piece (7) of the joint (6) that is at least partially complementary to the geometry of the joint (6), said housing piece (7) being attached to the other structure (2, 4), such that it presents multiple degrees of freedom due to the combination of pivoting and rotational movements of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4); wherein: the distance between the support structure (2) and the base structure (4) is such that the rotation angle around any axis parallel to the base structure (4), for the pivoting movement of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4), is at least between 0 and 55,the rotation angle for the rotational movement of the support structure (2) with respect to the base structure (4), according to any axis comprised in the rotation angle of the pivoting movement, is between 0 and 360, the joint (6) comprises a connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4); and the joint (6) has a spherical shape along its entire surface except in the area that joins to the connection piece (8), characterized in that the connection piece (8) to the support structure (2) or the base structure (4) is formed by a second spherical joint that is connected to the spherical joint (6) by a cylindrical section (9).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For the purpose of helping to make the characteristics of the invention more readily understandable, in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied by a set of drawings constituting an integral part thereof which, by way of illustration and not limitation, represent the following:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an elevation view of the ham stand with the ham in a vertical position, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the ham stand with the ham in a vertical position, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a profile view of the ham stand with the ham in a vertical position, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIGS. 4.1 and 4.2 show two elevation views of the ham stand in extreme pivot positions according to an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ham, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2 show two profile views of the ham stand in extreme pivot positions according to an axis along the same longitudinal direction of the ham, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a plan view of several possible overlapping positions due to rotation on an axis perpendicular to the support structure of the ham stand, with a pivot angle of 0, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 7 shows an elevation view of the joint, in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(9) FIG. 8 shows an elevation view of the ham stand with the ham in a vertical position, in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

(10) FIGS. 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6 show, respectively, an elevation view of the joint, in accordance with various preferred embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(11) With reference to the figures provided, it can be observed how in the first preferred embodiment of the invention the ham stand 1 of those that comprise a support structure 2 of the piece of ham 3 with holding means for said piece of ham 3 and a base structure 4 for the assembly that is proposed herein comprises a connection element 5 of the support structure 2 to the base structure 4, where said connection element 5 comprises a spherical joint 6 on at least the side area of the same connected to one of said structures and a housing piece 7 of said joint 6 that is at least partially complementary to the geometry thereof and attached to the other structure, such that it presents multiple degrees of freedom due to the combination of pivoting and rotational movements of the support structure 2 with respect to the base structure 4.

(12) As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 5.2, in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the joint 6 is connected to the support structure 2 of the piece of ham and the housing piece 7 of the joint is attached to the base structure 4. Said housing piece 7 comprises a braking mechanism on the joint 6 (not shown in the Figures), such that this braking mechanism fixes the joint 6 in the desired position once it is reached.

(13) Likewise, as may be seen in said Figures, the joint 6 comprises a connection piece 8 to the support structure 2 or the base structure 4.

(14) Thus, in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, it shows that the joint 6 has a spherical shape along its entire surface except in the area that joins to the connection piece 8, where in this case, this connection piece 8 is connected to the support structure 2, formed by a truncated cone. An elevation view of the joint can be seen in FIG. 7.

(15) In terms of the pivoting movement, in this first preferred embodiment of the invention as can be seen in FIGS. 4.1, 4.2, 5.1 and 5.2, the distance between the support structure 2 and the base structure 4 is such that the rotation angle around any axis parallel to the base structure 4, for the pivoting movement of the support structure 2 with respect to the base structure 4, is at least between 0 and 55.

(16) As shown in FIG. 6, the rotation angle for the rotational movement of the support structure 2 with respect to the base structure 4, according to any axis comprised in the rotation angle of the pivoting movement, is between 0 and 360.

(17) A second preferred embodiment of the invention is presented in this specification, in which the ham stand 1 is similar to that of the first embodiment proposed except for the fact that in this case the joint 6 is connected to the base support 4 and the housing piece 7 of the joint is attached to the support structure of the piece of ham 3, as shown in FIG. 8.

(18) In FIGS. 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, and 9.6, the joint 6 can be seen for other possible preferred embodiments of the invention, all of them containing joints 6 that comprise a connection piece 8 to the support structure 2 or the base structure 4.

(19) Thus, it may be a joint 6 formed by a sphere which lacks a spherical segment in the area opposite to the area that joins to the connection piece 8, as shown in FIG. 9.3, with a truncated cone-shaped connection piece 8, or a spherical joint 6 which lacks a spherical segment both in the area that joins to the connection piece 8 and in the area opposite the same, as shown in FIG. 9.4, which also has a truncated cone connection piece 8.

(20) It is also possible that the joint 6 has a spherical shape along its entire surface except in the area that joins to the connection piece 8, and where said connection piece 8 is in the shape of a truncated cone. This is the case of the proposed first and second embodiments and which is shown in FIG. 7.

(21) Another possibility for the joint 6 is that which can be seen in FIG. 9.1, where the joint is spherical, like in the proposed first and second preferred embodiments, and the connection piece 8 is formed by a second spherical joint that is directly attached to the spherical shape of the joint 6.

(22) FIG. 9.2 shows a spherical joint 6 with a connection piece 8 that is formed by a second joint that is equally spherical and connected to the spherical joint 6 by a cylindrical section 9.

(23) In addition, another possible case for the joint 6 can be seen in FIG. 9.5, in which the connection piece 8 to the support structure 2 or the base structure 4 is formed by a cylinder, where the connection thereof to the joint is carried out externally thereto.

(24) As shown in FIG. 9.6, another possible case for the joint 6 is one in which the connection piece 8 to the support structure 2 or the base structure 4 is formed by a cylinder, where the connection thereof to the joint 6 is carried out internally thereto.

(25) The ham stand that is presented herein achieves major improvements relative to the state of the art because it significantly increases the convenient and safe use of ham stands since it can be easily positioned in the direction and angle considered to be most appropriate for the correct cutting posture of the user.

(26) Therefore, the combination of possible movements offers the option of pivoting around the axes parallel to the base structure, pivoting from the shank to the rump of the ham as well as from side to side, and rotating around any axis comprised in the possible pivoting angle with the possibility of rotating between 0 and 360, or with any of the possible combinations of the previous movements. This creates many mobility options and the possibility to place the piece of ham at the appropriate position and angle for the cut to be made in optimal conditions of convenience and safety.

(27) Therefore, this ham stand is very efficient, convenient and safe.