Pour Bowl

Abstract

The Pour Bowl is a vessel with multiple applications to aid in the preparation, cooking and serving of food items. It can be applied to solid food items from first step rinsing, through steaming or cooking in water or natural broth. The Pour Bowl is generally round or oval in shape. It can be from single serving to banquet size. It has a loop handle or handles projecting at a right angle from a vertical exterior surface. The opposing vertical exterior surface has a rising sector that ramps above the otherwise common vertical plane of the vessel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates generally to the field of food preparation, cooking and serving. Specifically, it relates to the separation of desired amount of liquids from solid food items during preparation, cooking and serving actions.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] There have been many of food service devices presented that provide the potential for the physical separation of liquids from solids. They have, however, been found to be separately classified as cooking vessels, serving dishes or colanders.

[0005] One example of a serving dish with separate pouring attributes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,277 issued to Bateman, et al. This serving dish has selectively divided compartments and a cover to offer either closure or colander effect to the compartments. This device is a serving dish only. It does not provide the means for preparation, cooking and/or steaming solid food items in or with separable liquids. It is also too complex in configuration to be inexpensively produced.

[0006] An example of a cooking device with a selectable drain port is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,881 issued to William and Marianne Bruss. This device is shaped as a typical stovetop sauce pan with the exception of an open porthole located at a right angle to the handle near the top of a vertical side. A cover is provided with four downward projecting skirt segments. One skirt has a strainer configuration. The cover can be rotated to select the strainer skirt, solid skirt or an open segment to be in-line with the porthole. With the cover integrated to this process, there is no visual means to determine and regulate a partial liquid removal. This device is not configured or intended to apply beyond that of a potential liquid separation cooking vessel.

[0007] Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,045 issued to Michel Delaquis, et al. This device is also shaped as a typical stovetop sauce pan with the exception of some circumferentially applied slots and grooves placed at or near the top vertical edge of the sauce pan. The cover has a skirt with tabs and strainer configurations that can be positioned to pour off liquid or not. With the cover integrated to this process, there is no visual means to determine and regulate a partial liquid removal. This device is not configured or intended to apply beyond that of a potential liquid separation cooking vessel.

[0008] A limited example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. D327,605 issued to Deanen, et al. This is typical of most colanders that are classified as single function ornamental design items. The separation of liquid from solids is staged in a like manner to different shapes for total liquid straining from solid items in or over a pot or sink.

[0009] These known devices all provide limited function in terms of preparation, cooking and serving applications. None provide the means for a visually controlled partial separation of liquids from solid food items.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0010] Disadvantages inherent to known devices have been outlined. The need for this multipurpose device has been pronounced. The present invention has been developed with diligent consideration toward satisfying these major function conditions: 1) assist in the solid food preparation process by providing a washing and rinsing vessel; 2) provide a microwave oven compatible vessel that allows for a desired and controllably executed separation of liquids from solid food items at or during the cooking cycle; and 3) Be attractive and functional with liquid separation capabilities at the serving table. The preferred embodiment is round or oval in shape. It is formed in ceramic, plastic or other non-metallic compositions.

DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS

[0011] Drawing FIG. 1. An elevated perspective drawing figure displays the feature configuration relationships to the specific functions they provide.

[0012] The Pour Bowl (1) is a vessel generally round or oval in shape. It has an elevated front surface sector (2) that ramps (3) above the otherwise common vessel vertical plane (4). This elevated sector provides a dam to hold the solid food contents when the device is tilted by use of the loop handle (5). Liquids can be passed, as desired, through the integral strainer (6) and out through the in-line exterior projecting pour spout (7).

Claims

1. A unique food preparation, cooking and serving vessel comprised of:

a round or oval ceramic, plastic or composition formed structure;

a loop handle stationed on an exterior vertical surface;

an opposing elevated vertical surface sector with a integral strainer in-line with a formed protruding pour spout;

a device that is uniquely multi-functional and attractive.

2. The combination Pour Bowl of

claim 1, wherein the elevated vertical surface sector with the in-line strainer to the pour spout will allow a safe visual reference to the desired amount of liquid separation and removal from the contained solid food items.

3. The combination Pour Bowl of

claim 1, wherein the visual obviousness of the device provides the visual cue to function.

4. The combination Pour Bowl of

claim 1, wherein a single vessel can safely and inexpensively replace the need for three separate food vessel elements.