Patent Application
20100095853
The present device relates to a food baster. Specifically, the present device relates to a food baster which provides access to the inner cavity for ease of cleaning.
Food basters are common household devices, generally used in cooking but also utilized in a variety of other household tasks requiring a manually-operated suction device. When used as part of the basting cooking method, a baster is integral in maintaining a food's moisture by periodically redistributing juices released by the food, or introducing external moisture such as through the application of sauces, broths, or marinades.
There exist variations on the basic bulb suction food baster design as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,234,884, including a design which allows for the device to be attached to a canned beverage, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,651. However, existing food basters suffer from a shared deficiency which limits access to the cavity into which fluids are suctioned.
Existing baster designs require users to clean the baster through suctioning water with detergent into the cavity, or submerging the device in a cleaning fluid. This method of cleaning, however, cannot ensure that all particulates are removed from the cavity. The problem exhibited by these baster designs can lead to serious health implications, as failure to properly clean the inside of the device, particularly when involving raw meat juices, can enable harmful bacteria to proliferate and be redistributed upon the next use of the device.
The present invention is intended to address this and other possible problems associated with existing food basters.
There is disclosed herein an improved food baster which avoids the disadvantages of prior devices while affording additional structural and operating advantages. The elongated tubular body is comprised of at least two segments for providing access to the inner cavity. At opposing ends of the elongated tubular body is a squeezable suction device and an open-ended tip.
In one embodiment of the food baster, the plurality of segments comprising the elongated tubular body are connected by a living hinge. It is an aspect of one embodiment of the food baster that the living hinge allows for separation of the segments while preserving the unity of the elongated tubular body.
It is another aspect of one embodiment of the food baster that a removable squeezable suction device attaches to one end of the elongated tubular body. It is a further aspect of one embodiment of the food baster that a removable open-ended tip attaches to an end of the elongated tubular body opposing the squeezable suction device.
Finally, it is another aspect of one embodiment of the food baster that the squeezable suction device and the open-ended tip, either in combination or independently, serve to lock the plurality of segments comprising the elongated tubular body.
These and other aspects of the invention may be understood more readily from the following description and the appended drawings.
For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to embodiments illustrated.
Referring to
As shown in
With reference to
A user may separate the body segments 24 by simultaneously applying diametric pressure to each of two protrusions 46 from the meeting longitudinal edges 44 of the body segments 24. While only two body segments 24 are illustrated in
One aspect of an embodiment shown in
Similarly, the open-ended tip 34 engages a distal male portion 40 of the elongated tubular body 22. In one aspect of an embodiment of the food baster 20, the open-ended tip 34 is attached to the distal male portion 40 of the elongated tubular body 22 through interaction of at least one tip detent 56 and corresponding tip recess 58. The open-ended tip 34 may alternatively engage the distal male portion 40 by providing a threaded inner tip surface 62 corresponding to a threaded distal male portion 40. Alternative means of engaging the open-ended tip 34 with the distal male portion 40 known to those having ordinary skill in the art could be envisioned, including where the open-ended tip 34 slides over the distal male portion 40.
Although the food baster 20 depicted in
The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants' contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.
