It's Christmas and the traditional crate of tangerines/clementines/satsumas etc arrive. But lo! they were the cheap unpeelable one's that get everyone's fingernails caught with mushy orange pith. I propose a simple deivce which uses standard sensors to gauge depth of skin peel and then peel it automatically in about one second. It also could offer the option of removing irritating pips, and the final function would be the 'white bits' remover. All enabling the family to enjoy a trouble free festivities.-- stickyman, Mar 02 2001 I envisage a short tube, about the diameter of a drinking straw, with a 'trigger' on one end and a 'claw' on the other. The tube is inserted through the top of the fruit (where the stalk was) and pushed down until the claw contacts the inside of the peel at the bottom. Press the trigger and the claw contracts, taking a firm grip on the inside of the peel. Then pull the whole thing sharply back up, instantly turning your satsuma or whatever inside-out. Eat at your leisure.-- DrBob, Mar 02 2001 Thanks Dr Bob, I sense I am in the presence of a visionary. However, I worry that children will use the device for the traditional xmas bullying of younger siblings and a nation of small children turned inside out could ensue. We have to factor in some safety mechanism. hmmmm.-- stickyman, Mar 02 2001 A tangerine worthy of the name requires no equipment, just the eager tangerine-eater's hands. If the skin won't come off easily, put the silly, inferior thing down and eat something else.-- Redbird, Mar 02 2001 Search for "orange peeler" turns up a surprising variety of gadgets, most of which would presumably work fine on tangerines, too.-- egnor, Mar 02 2001 For the record, such a gadget exists in the UK, available from Lakeland Ltd.-- rjswanson, Apr 06 2001 an orange peeler makes sense. tangerines are easy to peel though. so why a peeler?-- LaLaLaLola, Aug 31 2001 an orange peeler makes sense. tangerines are easy to peel though. so why a peeler?-- LaLaLaLola, Aug 31 2001 random, halfbakery