BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pancake pan insert member invention mounted in a standard pancake cooking pan;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pancake pan insert member shown in FIG. 1 when the insert member is removed from the standard pancake cooking pan;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pancake pan insert member which is shown in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the pancake pan insert member shown in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment and best mode of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. While the invention is described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is not intended that the present invention be so limited. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalent arrangements as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The present invention generally refers to the existing prior art as pancake pans throughout the application but this definition does not relate solely to pans for cooking pancakes but should be construed generally to those cooking pans used for cooking food which is initially is in a liquid or semi liquid-form which solidifies and conforms to the shape of the pan when cooked.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention is shown as a cooking insert member 10 that has a pan section 12 with a curved side wall 13 and a circular flat bottom surface 14, a flat surfaced ergonomically shaped handle 16 defining rivet holes 17 and a front pivot member 18. The front pivot member 18 is formed with a planar extension section 20 having one end secured to pan section 12 by welding or other means and the distal end formed with a U shaped channel section 22. The “U” shaped channel can be formed by welding a piece of metal with offset legs 23 and 24 as more clearly seen in FIG. 4 onto the upper surface of the planar extension section 20 or by securing a “U” shaped metal piece directly to the end of the extension member 20. The channel section 22 fits over a round hinge bar 42 extending between the hinges 40 of an existing standard pancake cooking pan 30. The top and bottom surfaces of the insert member 10 are preferably coated with one or more nonstick coatings, such as for example TEFLON®(i.e., fluorocarbon polymers), (e.g., tetrafluroethlene and fluorinated ethylene propylene). Alternately the insert member 10 can be constructed of sheet steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, cast iron, Pyrex®, glass, porcelain, ceramic or any type of microwaveable material at a uniform desired thickness commonly used for baking pans and containers. If desired, the flat handle 16 can be coated with or made of a thermal insulating material.
The prior art cooking pan 30 as shown in FIG. 1 is constructed of two sections, a flat, thin, circular, disk shaped section 32 which is made of a heat conductive metal such as aluminum which has a handle 34 attached to the flat section body by a plurality of rivets 35 and a concave pan section 36 which has an integral or rivet attached handle 38. Both pan sections 32 and 36 are pivotally mounted together by a pair of spaced hinges 40. The hinges 40 are connected together and supported by an elongated rigid rod 42 having a circular diameter. The flat pan handle 34 is positioned adjacent the concave pan handle 38 when the pan sections are closed for cooking to allow easy grasping by the user. The flat handle 16 of the insert member is positioned between handles 34 and 38 with the axis of all three handles being parallel. The rivet holes 17 of the insert member handle 16 seat the rivet heads of the associated rivets in handles 34 and 38.
In operation the liquid of the pancake batter or the eggs is placed in the concave pan 36 of the pancake cooking pan 30. The insert member 10 is mounted around the hinge rod 42 with the hinge rod 42 being seated in the U shaped channel of channel section 26 formed at the distal end of the extension member 20. The insert member handle 16 is then laid against the upper surface of handle 38 with the bottom flat surface 14 of the pan section 12 extending into the concave pan section and engaging the cooking liquid in the concave pan 36. The insert member 10 and cooking pans sections 32 and 36 together cook the batter or liquid mixture so that a depression or reservoir is formed in the cooked product. This depression or reservoir will have the same general dimensions and shape as the pan section 12. When the food product is fully cooked, the cooking pan 30 is opened on its hinges 40 and the inset member 10 removed with the cooked food positioned on the bottom surface 14 of the pan section 12, it being noted that pan section 12 is now the supporting structure. The cooked food is then removed to a serving tray or plate leaving a cooked product with a depression or reservoir into which a filling material can be later added.
The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments which have been described above. Instead, the embodiments described here should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims:
Patent Application
20070284382
