Patent Application
20080223997
This invention relates generally to kitchen utensils.
A variety of utensils may be used while cooking, such as spoons, whisks, ladles, and spatulas. When the utensil is used, it may become soiled with the food that is being prepared. If the utensil is placed on a countertop, it may create a mess on the countertop, leaving remnants of food behind. In some instances, perhaps with certain sauces for example, the food from the utensil may stain the countertop. As a related problem, the countertop may not be perfectly sanitary because, for example, it was recently used for cutting meats. There is therefore a need for a device that can elevate the utensil tool head above the countertop to reduce the potential mess and eliminate the need for a spoon rest or similar device.
Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
An exemplary collar is shown in
The outer rim 20 may be formed in any shape. In one example, it is substantially circular. Preferably, however, the outer rim has at least one side that is either flat or that has at least two points 52, 54 that will contact a flat surface such as a countertop 60 to provide stability. Configured in that manner, the collar 10 will rest on a flat surface without rolling away and onto the floor. In the example as shown, the circumferential shape of the outer rim 20 is that of a smoothed hexagon having scalloped sides. It may alternatively be triangular, square, pentagonal, or any other shape (with our without scalloping or other aesthetic shapes). Likewise, the shape of the outer rim may be generally circular except for a single region that is flattened and therefore has at least two points that will contact the countertop.
In a preferred example, the outer rim 20 of the collar is made from Polypropylene or a similarly substantially rigid plastic. It may alternatively be constructed from other materials, including wood or metal, for example. In other examples it may be made from rigid or semi-rigid materials, including rubber or silicone or other materials over-molded onto plastic or other base materials.
The pivot 40 may be formed from mating sections of threaded fasteners, rivets, or other fasteners. As additional alternatives, the two halves of the outer rim 21, 22 may include complementary fastening sections, such as male and female fastening sections that snap-fit together to provide a pivotal attachment.
The interior portion 30 includes two resilient walls 30a, 30b (one on each side of the device, as shown in
As shown in the preferred form, the interior portion 30 is formed such that opposing sides of the upper and lower halves of the interior portion fully define a circle when joined together. Alternatively, a central portion of the interior region may be formed with a bore, thereby defining an annular or “donut” shape. In such a configuration, it may be desirable to use a thicker or somewhat more rigid construction for the interior region. As illustrated, the interior region may be considered flexible; in the annular alternative embodiment, it may be considered semi-rigid such that it will still deflect to accept a variety of tools, but the range of deflection can be narrower due to the central bore.
As best seen in
In order to use the collar, the two halves of the outer rim are pivoted to open the collar. A kitchen utensil is placed between the halves of the collar, which is then pivoted closed again to hold the utensil in a desired location. As shown in
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the tool may be made with a single annular outer rim, without the use of a pivot. In such a form, the tool is simply slid down the handle of a utensil to a desired location. As another example, the interior portion may be formed as a single wall, rather than with two opposing walls 30a, 30b as shown. In still another example, the collar may be formed from a single material (rather than a hard outer rim and more resilient central portion) having a central opening to receive the handle of a utensil. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/890,993 filed on Feb. 21, 2007 of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60890993 | Feb 2007 | US |
