Peeler

1. A peeler, comprising:

a handle having a distal end and a proximal end and defining a handle axis, the handle further having a front side and a back side and defining a housing;

a peeler blade having an elongated central opening and an inward-facing sharpened edge, the blade being attached to and extending away from the proximal end of the handle along the handle axis, the blade further being attached for pivotal movement of the blade about the handle axis; and

a knob attached to the blade at the proximal end of the handle, the knob being carried on the handle and mounted within the housing for rotational movement of the knob together with the blade about the handle axis;

the knob further having a flattened surface facing the front side of the handle, whereby the flattened surface may be engaged by a thumb of a user to restrict rotational movement of the knob and the blade.

2. The peeler of claim 1 , wherein the knob is shaped as one of a barrel, a flattened sphere, or a cylinder.

3. The peeler of claim 2 , further comprising a rod attached to the blade and mounted on the handle along the handle axis, the knob being attached to the rod.

4. The peeler of claim 3 , wherein the handle is formed with a housing defining an open area which is circular or cylindrical in shape and having a diameter which extends along the handle axis, the knob being positioned within the housing.

5. The peeler of claim 2 , wherein the blade has a width determined perpendicularly to the handle axis and the knob has a width along a line parallel to the blade width, the knob width being greater than the blade width.

6. The peeler of claim 2 , wherein the knob is formed with an upper planar surface and a lower planar surface, with a rounded surface extending between the upper and lower planar surfaces.

7. The peeler of claim 2 , wherein the handle has a handle depth extending from the front side to the back side of the handle and the knob has a knob depth, the knob depth being greater than the handle depth.

8. The peeler of claim 2 , wherein the knob extends out of the handle and beyond either the front side or the back side.

9. A peeler, comprising:

a handle having a peripheral frame, a distal end, and a proximal end, the handle further having a housing positioned at the proximal end of the handle;

a peeler blade having an elongated central opening and an inward-facing sharpened edge, the blade being attached to and extending away from the proximal end of the handle along an axis defined by the handle, the blade further being attached for pivotal movement of the blade about the handle axis;

a knob mounted within the housing and attached to the blade at the proximal end of the handle, the knob being carried on the handle for rotational movement of the knob together with the blade about the handle axis;

a rod attached to the blade and supported by the housing, the knob being attached to the rod;

the handle further having a handle depth between an uppermost and a lowermost surface of the handle, the knob having a knob depth, the knob depth being greater than the handle depth; and

the knob further having an upper planar surface extending parallel to the handle axis and a lower planar surface extending parallel to the handle axis, with a rounded surface extending between the upper and lower planar surfaces.

10. The peeler of claim 9 , wherein the rod further extends from the proximal end of the handle to the distal end of the handle.

11. The peeler of claim 9 , wherein the handle frame defines an open internal area.

12. A peeler, comprising:

a handle having a distal end and a proximal end;

a peeler blade attached to and extending away from the proximal end of the handle;

a knob attached to the blade; and

a rod connected to the knob and defining an axis along the rod, the rod being attached to the handle to mount the knob to the handle for pivotal movement of the knob with respect to the handle about the axis;

the knob defining a width transverse to the handle axis, and the rod extending through the knob for a distance substantially equal to the width;

whereby the blade and the knob are mounted to the handle for pivotal rotation together about the axis.

13. The peeler of claim 12 , wherein the knob is attached to the handle within a housing positioned within the handle.

14. The peeler of claim 12 , wherein the handle further comprises a peripheral frame and the knob is attached to the handle within the peripheral frame.

15. The peeler of claim 12 , wherein the knob is formed in the shape of a barrel.

16. The peeler of claim 12 , wherein the knob is formed in the shape of a flattened sphere.