Patent Application
20090049993
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The present invention generally relates to an insert member for a conventional toaster usable for cooking any liquid, semi-liquid, semi-solid, or batter material that solidifies with the application of heat. More specifically, this invention relates to cooking forms insertable in a conventional toaster, shaped to permit the cooking of foods that are liquid, semi-liquid, or semi-solid in their uncooked state, for example, breakfast foods such as waffles or pancakes.
The cooking of food products that start from a batter and subsequently solidify with the application of heat while cooking is well known. For example, so-called “waffle irons” are widely available for creating a crisp, flat, food item traditionally eaten during breakfast or as a dessert ingredient. The familiar rectangular or circular shape with multiple indentations is designed to advantageously contain various syrups, jams and jellies, or other condiments. Nevertheless, making “homemade” waffles or pancakes is a time consuming, equipment intensive undertaking generally reserved for weekends or special occasions. The process generally involves pulling a heavy, unwieldy, waffle iron or flat plate from storage in one of the kitchen cabinets (put there because the device is so rarely used and counter space is limited), plugging it in, greasing it, pre-heating it, mixing the batter, lifting the iron's top and pouring the batter in, closing the top and waiting a sufficient time for cooking. Thereafter, clean-up can be equally daunting because these cookware devices cannot be put into the dishwasher or submerged in the sink. Hence, they are generally wiped clean as best as possible instead of being washed, thereby increasing the likelihood of bacterial colonization, and placed back into the dark confines of the kitchen cabinet, further increasing the opportunity for the growth fungi and bacteria. Similarly, pancakes or griddle cakes are slightly less problematic to cook but equally time consuming and messy to prepare.
What is needed is a cooking appliance that can quickly and easily cook batter-based food items, yet is easy to manipulate and clean, and optimally, can make use of existing kitchen appliances in order to maximize their efficiency and conserve counter space. The prior art is replete with various waffle and pancake making devices. The instant invention solves the above noted disadvantages.
A number of cooking devices are shown in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 1,546,347 issued 9 Jan. 1923 is a waffle iron that cooks waffles in a generally vertical orientation. This device is a large, counter-top appliance utilizing the familiar clamshell-like configuration used commonly in current waffle makers. Flat, textured cooking surfaces are joined at a hinged connection in a vertical orientation. These cooking surfaces are pressed together while cooking, then separated when cooking is complete in order to permit access to the food item within. The traditional means of using these waffle cooking devices is that an appropriate amount of batter is poured onto one cooking surface, thereafter the other surface is closed upon it until cooking is complete. This device is used by first closing the cooking surfaces against one another, then filling the device via its fill spout, and cooking.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,922 issued 28 Jan. 1997 is a hamburger grilling appliance including a bifurcated sidewall assembly that effectively seals the device while cooking but allows easy access to the cooked food when the device is opened, thereby facilitating removal of the cooked product. It is inappropriate for use with batters, however, with a problem of leakage of the uncooked material.
The present invention is an insert for conventional toasters enabling the user to cook batter-based foods, for example, waffles and pancakes, using the toaster's heating mechanism. It solves the aforementioned problems in the prior art regarding unwieldiness or difficulty in cleaning up, and additionally makes more efficient use of an already existing kitchen appliance. It includes two hingedly connected complimentary cooking surfaces, that when closed one upon the other, define an interior volume shaped in the form of the desired product, for example a waffle or pancake. Additional features include a clamping mechanism built into the handles and an overflow reservoir positioned to vent gasses, steam, and/or contain excess batter when the device is placed in the toaster for cooking, thereby protecting the interior mechanism of the toaster from spillage or other deleterious materials which may ultimately affect its functioning. The handles may also serve as a means of suspending the device within the toaster slot in the event that the aforementioned slot is particularly deep and/or the desired food product is designed to be significantly smaller in one dimension compared to the depth of the aforementioned slot. This placement additionally enables easier manipulation of the entire device, for example, when opening the device and removing the cooked food product.
It is an object of the invention to provide a device that is easy to clean, and because it relies upon the heating source within the toaster, the entire device is dishwasher safe.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device that is light in weight and takes up little space for storage.
It is yet another object of the invention that it will permit the existing toaster that users already own to function in multiple roles, thereby eliminating the need for traditional electric waffle iron and its attendant inconveniences.
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.
The preferred embodiments and best modes of the invention are shown in
This invention may be constructed from any heat resistant, yet heat conductive material. Such heat conductive materials have been made from metallic material, including aluminum for the primary cooking elements. However, it is noted that this invention may also successfully using sheet steel, stainless steel, copper, cast iron, Pyrex® (or similar borosilicate glass), porcelain, ceramic, or polymeric material. The cooking surfaces are also preferably coated with one or more non-stick coatings, for example Teflon® (i.e., fluorocarbon polymers), (e.g., tetrafluoroethylene and fluorinated ethylene propylene).
The present cooking device 20 includes a base member 25 having a hinge 26 at one end and cover member 30 with a hinge 31 at a corresponding end. Not shown is a hinge pin interconnecting the aforementioned hinge elements 26, 31, which are themselves incorporated into the base member 25 and cover member 30. A cooking cavity 28 best shown in
An overflow reservoir or cup 50 is defined by the two end cup halves 27, 32 defined in the base member 25 and cover 30 shown in
Another important feature of this invention is the placement of its handles 38, 39 and the clamping feature formed by the handles. As illustrated in
A handle attaching pin 42 permits rotational or pivoting movement of the handle 38 attached to the base member 25 as shown in
Handles 38, 39 and clamping members 40, and 41 are rotated away from base member 25 and cover member 30 in order to open the device. The now open apparatus may be placed on a table or countertop, and either the base member 25 or cover member 30 filled with an appropriate amount of batter. The unfilled member is rotated about hinge 26, 31 and allowed to rest atop the filled member. Handles 38, 39 are rotated inward, towards the now adjacent base and cover members 25, 30, and clamps 40, and 41 rotate on pin 42 to lock the base member and cover member together. The entire assembly is then placed into a conventional toaster, wherein heat produced therein cooks the batter in the cooking cavity. Small amounts of batter may leak due to imperfect sealing at the interface of said base member 25 and cover member 30, but the apparatus self seals by solidifying instantly upon coming in contact with the comparatively highly heated portions of the base and cover members 25, 30 not previously in contact with the batter. Steam or other byproducts of the cooking process tend to vent upward into the portion of the base and cover members 27, 32 that form the overflow reservoir 50. Excess batter will tend to follow this path of less resistance, thereby tending to collect into said overflow reservoir 50 rather than into the toaster, thereby simplifying cleanup.
It is noted that the critical features of this invention are equally amenable for use with regard to cooking any batter-based product that solidifies with the application of heat. The specific embodiments described herein include waffle making and pancake making incarnations, but are not limited to same. Moreover, it is understood that while this invention is ideally suited for use in a conventional toaster, this invention may be used with any heat source with little or no modification. For example, this invention may be equally useful in conjunction with an open flame, so-called toaster oven, or conventional oven.
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:
