This morning, like many in the past, involved shambling into the kitchen, still bleary-eyed to scrape together some toast for breakfast.
Unlike many previous mornings, there was the threat of having to wash up dishes. Not dishes from the previous night or anything, it's just that we've decided to wean ourselves off using the dishwasher so much. Anyway - I am a little more midful of the process of breakfast this morning...
Bread pops out of toaster, I carry it over to plate, take margerine tub out of fridge, take butter knife out of drawer, scrape margerine out of tub and spread. Great. Stage one complete.
I fancy some marmalade. I replace margerine tub in fridge, taking out jar of marmalade, close fridge, reach for teaspoon, open jar, spoon out a little orange stuff, spread with knife - replace jar into fridge.
As I am spreading the marmalade I ponder - "This all seems very tedious. Couldn't this stuff come directly out of the knife?".
Course it could - as friggin patented in 1908 (linky 1). So much for my *amazing* HB idea. Just as I typed this idea in I did a search for prior art. Pardon the pun, but that's put this well and truly down the tubes... Or has it?
I propose combining the Dispensing Knife with the toothpaste technology described that dispenses mutliple stuff at the same time (linky 2).
This invention has multiple reservoirs in the handle that hold marg/ butter/ marmalade/ jam/ chocolate spread /etc. Keep the knife in the fridge, and wipe it after use. A little squeeze of the handle is all you need to top your toast with a little of what you fancy.
There's no way *that's* baked, surely?
Super quick toast and marmalade - Huzzah!-- Jinbish, Apr 05 2007 Linky 1 http://www.freepate...ne.com/5894959.html"Viscous substance dispensing knife". [Jinbish, Apr 05 2007] Linky 2 http://www.patentst...62-description.html"Dispenser for dispensing viscous fluids" [Jinbish, Apr 05 2007] Isn't there a danger of cross- contamination of things which wouldn't go very well together? - e.g. marmalade/ mustard?-- hippo, Apr 05 2007 Ah, I was expecting a knife in the style of a twin-necked guitar.-- calum, Apr 05 2007 [hippo]: You mean mustulade?! That's not a danger. That's an opportunity.To be fair, yes, but it is a challenge of valve implementation. Some kind of selector is needed.-- Jinbish, Apr 05 2007 I happen to like marmalade and mustard and bologna sandwiches!!! Ah, the idea might work if the knife cum "mini-refrigerator contents" device also has a mini refrigerator and a toaster included...all in one breakfast machine. If we could fit in a microwave and a scrambled egg with bacon chips dispenser..we might have something GE will be keenly interested in...of course, we may also need a set of wheels under it...but, such is breakfast!-- Blisterbob, Apr 05 2007 Thinking about it, toothpaste tubes have a flat end which would be pressed into service to spread things. Perhaps a simple alteration to a toothpaste tube design would suffice...+-- moomintroll, Apr 06 2007 Two questions - why are you limiting dishwasher usage, and why not just get the marmite of the jar with the butterknife? Obviously it's good karma to wipe any excess margerine onto the bread first.
The spoon method is as crazy to me as combing one's hair with a frisbee.-- Texticle, Apr 12 2007 My dear [Texticle], it is a sorry tale of woe. I'm moving house in the not too distant future, and the chances of the next place having a dishwasher are pretty slim. I am trying to wean myself off it now to lessen the impact...
The spoon is used so that the marmalade is not contaminated with the margerine (more than good karma - I am reliably ranted at that the marmalade will go mouldy). Of course, the knife could be wiped - but that is not sufficient to keep all housemates from "doing their nut".-- Jinbish, Apr 12 2007 Under the circumstances I suggest rampant, frivolous use rather than weaning. You need to be able to look back fondly on those heady dishwasher days.-- Texticle, Apr 12 2007 Excellent idea.-- jpnick, Nov 02 2007 random, halfbakery