This invention relates generally to cookware items and, more particularly, to a spatter screen for use with cookware items.
During the cooking of food within a cookware item such as a pot or pan, spattering of high temperature grease, oil or food may occur. This occurrence presents a risk of burn to any person standing in the vicinity of the cookware item. This occurrence also causes surroundings to be soiled.
To prevent such spattering, it is known to employ the use of a spatter screen over the cookware item. U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,596 describes an exemplary prior art spatter screen. The spatter screen includes a circular metallic rim, a handle attached to the rim, and an aluminum screen retained within the rim. During use, the spatter screen is placed loosely on top of a frying pan to prevent spatter from the pan.
A spatter screen for a cookware item has a screen element with at least one planar surface formed of heat-resistant, silicone rubber, a rim about said screen element; and a handle extending from the rim.
A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be apparent from the Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, in which:
Referring to
The screen element 12 in one embodiment is integrally formed of heat-resistant, silicone rubber. The term “integrally formed of silicone rubber” means, in the context of the present invention, that the screen element 12 is made out of silicone material alone without any other component material. A plurality of cylindrical walls 20 (
In one embodiment of the invention, the screen element 12 includes a plurality of ribs 22. The ribs 22 have a depth perpendicular to the screen element surface 14 to space the screen element surface 14 away from a plane formed by edges 24 of the ribs 22. That the edges 24 all lie in one plane is best illustrated in
A plurality of feet 30 have a depth perpendicular to the screen element surface 14 to space the plane formed by edges 24 of the ribs 22 away from a plane formed by edges 32 of the feet. The feet 30 extend from the rim 16, the rim 16 is circular, and the feet 30 are slightly arcuate as shown in
In operation, the longitudinal and radial character of ribs 22 allows the spatter screen to be engaged with a wide range of open-topped cooking vessels. The spacing between the plane of the rib edges and the splatter screen surface allows steam and heat to escape from the gaps formed above the perimeter of the pot or pan. After use, grease and moisture can accumulate on the spatter screen surface and ribs, so the relatively-cleaner feet are provided to space the ribs from a work surface separate from the cookware, making clean up easy.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a particular spatter screen mounting system, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/279,516 filed 2 May 2007.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29279516 | May 2007 | US |
Child | 11835611 | US |