Patent Application
20100059393
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article for handling hot items, and more particularly, to an item for holding, moving, and placing underneath hot food serving items.
2. Background
Various articles for use with hot items, especially food items, have been in existence for centuries. When a dish or pot is heated and one wishes to remove it from an oven, stovetop, or microwave, one must use something to protect one's hands. Pot holders and oven mitts are well-known. Furthermore, there is sometimes a need to protect a surface such as a table top when placing a hot item thereon. Various placemats are known for this purpose.
While various items are used to handle hot items, there is a lack of a single article which can be conveniently used to grasp and move a hot item, and additionally be conveniently usable to place the item on top of such as with a placemat on a flat surface.
Various articles have been proposed to assist in hot item handling. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2005/0035114, filed by Cron et al., discloses an article for food handling. The article has a bottom portion designed to sit underneath an item in a microwave oven, and flaps which fold up to protect the microwave from splatter. However, the item is not designed to provide the user with a convenient way to grasp the item and remove it from the cooking area. The article would need to be microwave safe, and the user would need to place the article underneath the dish or hot item before cooking, as the article is not suitable for use if not used prior to cooking.
Another article is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,232,979 issued to Bray. Bray discloses an oven liner which would surround a hot item while being cooked. However, Bray also fails to disclose an article suitable for use to grasp and remove a hot item.
Thus, there continues to be a need for an article which can be conveniently used to grasp and move a hot item, as well as be used to protect a flat surface from the hot item conveniently. Therefore, it would be desirable to produce an article having these and other features.
The present invention is an article for handling hot items. The article enables a user to grasp the hot item using the article, and further serves as a resting place for the item to protect surfaces from the hot item.
The article, in its various embodiments, includes a coaster region, preferably centrally located, and two side regions. The side regions can be used to fold around and grasp a hot item such as a heated dish, cup, bowl, or pot. For example, a user may use the article to grasp and remove a heated item from a microwave oven or other heating device. The side regions are preferably made of a flexible, heat-resistant material. Ideally, the entire article is formed of the same material. The side regions have enough width such that they can be folded around a rim of a dish, but also may be used flat against a side surface of a cup or dish.
The side regions may have grooves or protrusions to enhance the grip. When the side regions are used to grasp an item, the coaster regions hangs downward. When the user places the article and hot item on a flat surface, a slight backward movement can be used to place the coaster region flat on the surface. The hot item is then placed on top of the coaster region, and the side regions are released. Ideally, the side regions will then return to a resting state in a substantially planar configuration with the coaster region.
In various embodiments, the article is generally substantially rectangular in shape. The coaster region forms a circular shape along at least a portion of it. The side regions are not substantially separated from the coaster region when in the resting state. In certain embodiments, the front edges of the coaster region have a reverse cut to provide flaps on either side of the front edge of the coaster region. This eliminates the side regions from having very narrow edges which might interfere with the ability of the side regions to repeatedly return to their resting state in plane with the remainder of the article.
Various suitable non-stick heat-resistant materials are contemplated for the composition of the article. Various forms of silicone or rubber may be most suitable, though any suitable materials is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein it is shown and described only the preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious respects, without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like features, and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, preferred embodiments 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 the embodiments illustrated.
The present invention is an article for use with a hot item. The article can be used as placemat when placed on a flat surface, as well as a tool for grasping a hot item such as a bowl, cup, dish, or pot. In various preferred embodiments, the article includes a member 10 having a coaster region 15 and two side regions 20. The coaster region 15 and side regions 20 are preferable attached at a back region 25 of the member 10.
In various preferred embodiments, the coaster region 15 of the member 10 is curved to conform with the outline of a rounded or curved bottom surface of a hot item, such as a bowl, cup, dish, or pot. For example, a substantial portion of the coaster region 15 may be circular in shape. In this fashion, the coaster region is suitable to be placed on a flat surface such that the hot item may be placed thereon.
Once the member 10 is placed on a flat surface, preferably, the side regions 20 and coaster region 15 will return to a planar configuration. Ideally, the side regions 20 and coaster region 15 are formed by cutting a contour between them. Thus, the surface will include no substantial gaps when placed on a flat surface and allowed to conform to its resting planar configuration. In this manner, the member 15 can serve as a placemat once an item is placed on top of it.
In various preferred embodiments, the member 15 is generally substantially rectangular in shape. Having rounded corners would not remove it from the meaning of being substantial rectangular in shape. In various embodiments, the coaster region 15 is attached at a back region 25 as illustrated. Along the sides of the coaster region 15, the contours may be substantially circular in shape. In certain embodiments, the contours toward the front edge 30 of the member 15 may reverse direction and form a slight flap on either side of the front edge of the coaster region. This configuration eliminates the need for a narrow flap to be present on the side regions 20, thereby making it easier for the side regions 20 to conform to their resting position.
Side regions 20 are used by folding them around a hot item to grasp and lift the hot item. The coaster region 15 hangs downward while the item is grasped using the side regions 20. For example, a user may remove a hot item from a microwave oven or other heating device by grasping the item using the side regions 20. The member 15 is then placed on a flat surface such as a table top using a slight backward movement to place the coaster region 15 properly on the surface below the hot item. Once the side regions 20 are released, the will tend to conform to the rectangular planar resting configuration and form a surface suitable for use as a placemat. Thus, the member 15 enables handling of the hot item without harming the hands of the user, and additionally protects surfaces from the hot item.
The size and shape of side regions 20 and coaster region 15 are preferably such that a range of sizes of hot items can be conveniently grasped. Ideally, the configuration is such that when the sides of a hot item are grasped using side regions 20, coaster region 15 hangs far enough below the hot item that it can be placed properly on a flat surface, and the hot item can be placed upon it, without the need to release the item from the side regions 20.
The circular shape of the coaster region 15 in various embodiments can be described as follows. From the attachment at the back region 25, side contours extend in a substantially circular path first outward toward the sides of the member 10, and then back inward away from the sides. At a front region, the contours reverse direction to form the side flaps 35.
The bottom surface of member 10 is preferably a non-stick surface so as not to stick to a flat surface to a great degree. The member 10 is preferably formed of a heat-resistant material which will not melt or incur damage when placed in contact with a hot item such as a heated dish, cup, bowl, or pot. Various types of rubber or silicone may be suitable materials, though any heat-resistant material is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.
The top surface of member 10 is preferably substantially non-porous. In various embodiments, the top surface may contain grooves or protrusions 40 to provide an enhanced surface for grasping hot items.
While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of protection is limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.
