The present disclosure generally relates to kitchen gadgets and tools. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a food handling device.
Tongs are typically used in a kitchen to handle food items. For instance, tongs may be used while cooking or serving food.
Tongs typically includes two tong arms pivotally attached at one end with mirror-image food handling tools at the other end. Certain textured foods, for instance waffles, may be difficult to pick up using tongs with standard mirror-image food handling tools or ends, especially when removing them from a waffle iron. Therefore, a need for an improvement in tong technology exists.
There are several aspects of the present subject matter which may be embodied separately or together in the devices and systems described and claimed below. These aspects may be employed alone or in combination with other aspects of the subject matter described herein, and the description of these aspects together is not intended to preclude the use of these aspects separately or the claiming of such aspects separately or in different combinations as set forth in the claims appended hereto.
In a first aspect, a food handling device is disclosed. The food handling device includes a first tong arm having a first proximal end and a first a distal end with a first food handling tool positioned on the first distal end. The first food handling tool includes at least one prong. The food handling device further includes a second tong arm having a second proximal end and a second distal end with a food handling tool positioned on the second distal end. The food handling tool on the second tong arm includes a spatula. Furthermore, a connecting joint located at the proximal ends of the first and second tong arms resiliently connects the first and second tong arms. The connecting joint resiliently urges the first tong arm and the second tong arm towards a resting configuration wherein the first and second tong arms are in a spaced relationship.
The embodiments disclosed herein are for the purpose of providing a description of the present subject matter, and it is understood that the subject matter may be embodied in various other forms and combinations not shown in detail. Therefore, specific embodiments and features disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting the subject matter as defined in the accompanying claims.
Food handling devices according to the present disclosure and their individual components may be variously configured without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
An embodiment of the food handling device of the disclosure is indicated in general at 100 in
The connecting joint 126 is located at the proximal ends 108, 120 of the first and second prong arms 102, 114, connecting them to one another. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting joint 126 includes a U-shaped joint made of a resilient material. The resilient material may be, as examples only, plastic or other resilient material known in the art. As shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the first tong arm 102, the second tong arm 114, and connecting joint 126 are made of a continuous resilient material, such as plastic.
As seen in
Furthermore, as seen in
The longitudinal length of the first tong arm 102, including prongs 112, is preferably shorter than that of the second tong arm 114, including the spatula 124. As a result, the prongs 112 are positioned to engage the spatula 124 when the food handling device 100 is moved and deflected into a fully closed configuration.
A user may use the tongs to remove a waffle from a waffle iron by grasping the outer surfaces 104 and 118 of the first and second tong arms, respectively, inserting the angled spatula 124 between the waffle and the waffle iron, or under another food item, and then squeezing the first tong arm 102 and the second tong arm 114 towards one another. As a result, the prongs 112 of the first tong arm 102 engage the cavities of a waffle to hold the waffle in place against the spatula 124 of the second tong arm 114 so that the waffle may be lifted. The angled position of the spatula 124 allows a user to wedge the tool between a waffle and a waffle iron more easily, facilitating removal and lifting of the waffle.
As seen in
It will be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative of some of the applications of the principles of the present subject matter. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter, including those combinations of features that are individually disclosed or claimed herein. For these reasons, the scope hereof is not limited to the above description but is as set forth in the following claims, and it is understood that claims may be directed to the features hereof, including as combinations of features that are individually disclosed or claimed herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/287,348, filed Dec. 8, 2021, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
63287348 | Dec 2021 | US |