Compartmentalized cooking pot

Abstract

A cooking pot with internal dividers defining compartments to segregate food being prepared therein is disclosed. Each compartment acts as an autonomous cooking pot, sealed from the other compartments. A lid may be used to cover a portion of the pot, usually corresponding to one of the compartments, so that one compartment is covered and another compartment is uncovered. The cooking pot is of conventional external dimensions, so that a standard lid may be used to cover all of the internal compartments. Various configurations of the cooking pot allow for from two to several internal dividers to form from two to several internal compartments, respectively.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 60/189,177 filed Mar. 14, 2000.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Confronted with increasing pressures, a modem cook finds less time and space to prepare meals. Several innovations have been made to ameliorate these problems. For instance, the microwave oven has substantially decreased the amount of time necessary to prepare certain kinds of food and beverages. However, few homes have more than one microwave oven, and so various portions of a meal must be cooked sequentially in the single microwave oven, or some portions cooked on a conventional range and others cooked in the microwave, thereby reducing the efficiency and time savings that the microwave actually provides. Furthermore, the microwave consumes a considerable amount of electricity, especially for meals that require at least a quart of boiling water. Finally, the microwave has limited space in which to cook, precluding large food item preparation.

[0004] There is therefore a need for an efficient, space and timesaving solution to cooking multiple meal portions at the same time.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention resides in a cooking pot with internal dividers defining compartments to segregate food being prepared therein. Each compartment acts as an autonomous cooking pot, sealed from the other compartments. A lid may be used to cover a portion of the pot, usually corresponding to one of the compartments, so that one compartment is covered and another compartment is uncovered. The cooking pot is of conventional external dimensions, so that a standard lid may be used to cover all of the internal compartments. As few as two, or as many as six internal compartments may be formed in the cooking pot. The dividers may be integral with the interior surface of the cooking pot, or may be formed as inserts for addition to a conventional cooking pot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The objects of the invention are achieved as set forth in the illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings which form a part of the specification.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sectional pot of the present invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an embodiment of a sectional cooking pot of the present invention;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a sectional cooking pot of the present invention;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a partially covered sectional cooking pot of the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a cooking pot lid of the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a cooking pot lid of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of a cooking pot lid of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the alternative embodiment of FIG. 7.; and

[0015] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention including an integral lid.

[0016] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0017] The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what I presently believe is the best mode of carrying out the invention. As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 1, a cooking pot 10 has a generally cylindrical outer wall 12, and inner wall 14, and a bottom portion 16. In the preferred embodiment, a handle 18, of conventional size and shape, is affixed to the outer wall 14. The handle is well known and forms no part of the present invention.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the inner wall 14 is divided into interior compartments 20 and 22. Interior compartments 20 and 22 are isolated from each other, that is, water or other liquid poured into compartment 20 will not seep into compartment 22. Compartments 20 and 22 are fromed from internal divider 24. Divider 24 extends from a first end 26 of internal wall 14 to a second end 28. In the exemplary illustration, divider 24 bisects the interior of pot 10. However, it is within the scope of the present invention to include a divider that forms a smaller internal compartment and a relatively larger internal compartment, that is to say divider 24 would not bisect the interior of pot 10.

[0020] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 7, a semi-circular lid 30 is sized to fit over a single compartment. For example, lid 30 could cover compartment 22, leaving compartment 24 open. This is desirable when cooking two different foods, one which requires covering and one which requires an uncovered pot. If the user wishes to cover both portions, a standard, circular lid (not shown) may be employed, as the cooking pot 10 is preferably of standard dimensions, so that a lid fitting the diameter of a standard pot would also fit the pot 10 of the present invention. Lid 30 is preferably fitted with a handle 32. Handle 32 is conventional, and forms no part of the present invention.

[0021] Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of the present invention is depicted. Here, cooking pot 40 has an external wall 42 and an internal wall 44. Internal wall 44 is divided by internal dividers 50, 52, and 54. Internal dividers 50, 52 and 54 form compartments 60, 62 and 64, respectively. In this embodiment, the internal dividers 50, 52 and 54 do not bisect the pot 40, but rather form a bifurcated internal wall. As in the first embodiment, (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4), the compartments are internally isolated, so that liquids in one compartment do not seep into any of the other compartments. While the illustrated embodiment shows dividers 50, 52 and 54 as meeting at a point 56, it is within the scope of the invention to have discrete dividers forming internal compartments and not meeting at a point.

[0022] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, a lid 70 has three openings 72, 74 and 76. Openings 72, 74 and 76 correspond to compartments 60, 62 and 64, respectively, of pot 40 (FIG. 3). Openings 72, 74 and 76 are defined by lid dividers 80, 82 and 88. Lid dividers 80, 82 ad 88 correspond to dividers 50, 52 and 54, respectively, of pot 40. A movable covering 90 pivots about a pivot point 92 on the top of lid 70. Covering 90 is adapted to completely cover opening 66 or 74. Rotation of cover 90 about the axis defined by pivot point 92 allows for cover 90 to cover some or all of openings 66, 72, or 74. This in turn acts to cover corresponding compartments 60, 62 or 64 in like manner.

[0023] Referring now to FIG. 9, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention cooking pot 100 has an integral lid 102 attached to an external wall 104. Cooking pot 100 is divided into compartments 110 and 112 by divider 106. The lid 102 has an outer edge 103, corresponding to internal divider 106. Hinge 108 secures lid 102 to cooking pot 100 at wall 104, and allows lid 102 to be in either an upward position or a lowered position. When it is desirable to cover the compartment 110 defined by divider 106, lid 102 may be moved into its lowered position, leaving the second compartment 112 open. Of course, both compartments may remain open by raising lid 102 into its upward position.

[0024] In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects and advantages of the present invention have been achieved and other advantageous results have been obtained.

Claims

1. A cooking pot, said cooking pot comprising internal dividers defining compartments for segregating food being prepared therein, each of compartment acting as an autonomous cooking pot, sealed from the other compartments.

2. The cooing pot of

claim 1 wherein a lid covers a portion of the pot, said portion corresponding to one of said compartments, so that at least one compartment is covered and at least one compartment is uncovered.