DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Embodiments together with the above and other objects and advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 depicts a side perspective view of a pan and lid combination in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the lid being shown raised above the pan bowl;
FIG. 2 depicts a top plan view of the pan and lid combination of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 depicts another side perspective view of the pan and lid combination of FIG. 1, with the lid in place on the pan bowl;
FIG. 4 depicts a bottom plan view of the pan and lid combination of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of another embodiment of a pan in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the present invention comprises cooking utensils. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present invention relate to cooking pans that enable a user to pour the contents of the cooking pan directly away from the user. This cooking pan is easy to hold and use, in addition to being elegant and eye-appealing.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a pan 1 in combination with a lid 2 is illustrated. The pan 1 has a housing 20 having a longitudinal surface 22 extending between a first open end 24 and a second closed end 26 opposite the first open end 24. In at least one embodiment, first open end 24 has an upper edge 28 running around a periphery thereof.
The pan 1 has a handle 3 removably or non-removably attached to the pan bowl 4. In one embodiment, one or more rivets 5 attach the handle 3 to the pan bowl 4. Clearly other removable and non-removable attachment methods, such as a welding, ferrule mountings and screw mountings for example, are also contemplated. In at least one embodiment, the handle 3 comprises a proximal portion 6 and a distal portion 7 as illustrated in FIG. 3. The proximal portion 6 rises upwardly from the pan bowl at an acute angle to the vertical, and then curves round in a smooth arc to the downwardly angled distal portion 7. In at least one embodiment, distal portion 7 is shaped to permit a comfortable grip in one hand by the user. Other handle shapes, ribbed handles for example, are also contemplated.
In at least one embodiment, the proximal portion 6 of the handle 3 is bifurcated to minimize heat transference from the pan bowl 4 to the distal portion 7 (best viewed in FIG. 2). One important feature of the invention is the acute angle the distal portion 7 forms with respect to the vertical as illustrated in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the angle the distal portion 7 forms with the vertical ranges generally between about 25° and 65°, advantageously between about 35° and 55°, and more specifically between about 40° and 50°. It has been found that, in one embodiment, the optimum angle for the majority of users is a 42° with respect to the vertical, which is a more natural angle for a user's wrist, enabling the user to lift the pan and its contents with effort and strain on the wrist than when lifting a conventional pan.
The pan bowl 4 includes a pouring lip 8 over which liquid contents of the pan can be poured. Normally pouring lips would be provided at 90° to the line of the handle, in the positions indicated A and B in FIG. 2; but according to at least one embodiment of the invention, a single discrete pouring lip 8 is formed in upper edge 28 substantially more than 90° from either direction from the point of attachment (i.e., substantially more than 90° but substantial less than 270°, generally ranging between 150° and 210° from the point of attachment, but more specifically 180° (i.e., generally diametrically opposite to the handle 3). This tip, in conjunction with the shape of the handle 3, makes for an unexpectedly easy and safe pouring action. The safety is assured by the fact that the pan pours away from the body of the user, so that there is less risk of scalding from hot liquids. The ease of use is more unexpected and surprising, and can be explained by the fact that the pouring action is a more natural action places less strain on the wrist and enabling the user to lift and pour greater weights of liquids without muscular or joint strain at the wrist.
The lid 2 is illustrated in FIG. 1 and comprises a conventional pan lid or curved, closed end or top portion 30 with a deep flange 9 depending from a circular periphery 32 thereof. In one embodiment, the flange 9 fits closely in use in the pan bowl 4, forming a friction fit therewith. The flange 9 is deep or long enough to extend down to or past the bottom of the lip 8. That depth serves to retain the lid 2 on the pan 1 over a range of pouring angles. In at least one embodiment, the lid 2 defines two zones of two or more perforations or apertures 10, diametrically opposite one another as shown in FIG. 1. It is contemplated that each zone of perforations 10 may have the same or different number of perforations. Further, the perforations in each zone may be the same or different sizes (one larger than the other), the same or different shapes or some combination of any of these.
Alternatively a single zone of perforations may be defined; or two or more such zones may be offset from one another at a different angle; or the entire periphery of the deep flange 9 may be perforated. Two discrete zones of perforations 10 in the lid 2 in respective zones may include perforations of different diameters or sizes, permitting fine and coarse straining. Similar straining lids are available, but the particular advantage of using a straining lid such as illustrated in conjunction with embodiments of the pan 1 is that the shape of the handle of the pan makes it unlikely that the user will rotate the pan through a pouring angle so great that the lid falls away with the poured liquid. A conventional pan having a horizontally extending handle is normally poured by rotating the pan bowl around the axis of the handle, which makes it possible to turn the pan through excessive pouring angles, even to the extent of complete inversion. The pouring action of a pan 1 according to at least one embodiment of the invention involves rotating the pan 1 around line X-X illustrated in FIG. 2. It would be unnatural for a user to rotate the pan 1 about line X-X until the lid fell off.
FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of a pan 101 similar to that provided previously. In this embodiment, the pan bowl 104 shape is different, as is the shape of the pouring lip 108. More specifically longitudinally extending surface 122 is tapered moving from first open end 124 and upper edge 128 towards second closed end 126 (i.e., frustoconical in appearance) while pouring lip 108 is more rounded. Although the tapered, frustonconical or rounded shapes and sides are discussed, other shapes are contemplated. However, handle 103 having proximal and distal potions 106 and 107 arr similar to that provided previously.
It should be appreciated that the upward direction of the proximate portion 6, 106 of the handle 3, 103, makes the handle suitable for use with pans with low bodies, such as frying pans or skillets. Such pans, which do not normally incorporate pouring lips 8, 108 are advantageously provided with pouring lips 8, 108 positioned according to the invention.
While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20080011164
