Tilting bowl

Abstract

A mixing bowl which can be tilt-stable without user intervention is described. The body of the bowl has the geometry to cooperate with two securely moulded rims that define the degree of tilt when the bowl is tilt-stable. The body of the bowl further includes a pouring spout as a pouring aid, a smooth interior, and an asymmetry to facilitate mixing, when the bowl is placed in an upright or tilted position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to bowls, and more particularly, to mixing bowls that can be tilted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mixing bowls are widely used in food preparation processes such as ingredient mixing or whipping. A user may need to tilt and balance the bowl at a desired angle and manually stabilize the bowl. This requirement may make mixing, either with electronic appliances or manual tools, tiresome. A mixing bowl with a flat bottom may be placed stably on a flat surface, but cannot be tilted without manual stabilization.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bowl that is stable when tilted.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bowl with an improved lip arrangement that compliments tilting action.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a bowl that is stable when tilted and has a cooperating lip arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tilting bowl from the underside

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tilting bowl

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the tilting bowl, viewed along the direction of the AA′ line

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the tilting bowl, taken along the AA′ line

FIG. 5 is another cross-section of the tilting bowl, taken along the AA′ line

FIG. 6 is an elevation of the tilting bowl in the tilted position

BEST MODE AND OTHER EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, an embodiment of the tilting bowl (or “bowl”) comprises a main body 11, an inclined lip 12 which rolls out from the mouth of the main body 15, a circumferential first surface contacting rim 13 on the lowest part of the main body 11, and a second circumferential rim 14 located above the first rim 13, preferably at a point lower than the half-way vertical height of the main body 11. The main body 11 is preferably polymeric, but may be made in other materials that can be used in bowl-manufacture. The first rim 13 and the second rim 14 are a non-slip elastomer, and softer than the main body 11. In the embodiments described, the lip 12 completely surrounds the mouth 15, but may surround only a portion of the mouth 15 in other embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lip 12 is tapered so as to project out and be wider at its highest point, so as to suggest to users a convenient orientation and location for pouring contents out of the bowl. This wider, projected portion of the lip is hereinafter referred to as the pouring spout 21. In the present embodiment, the bowl is bisected by an imaginary midline 22 which lies along the plane AA′, so that when viewed from either end of this midline 22, the bowl is symmetrical, as shown in FIG. 3. In other embodiments, the bowl may be asymmetrical, as long as the imbalance in weight due to this asymmetry does not destabilize the bowl.

Referring to FIG. 3, the main body 11 is further divided into two portions: an upper portion 31 between the mouth 15 and the second rim 14, and a lower portion 32 between the second rim 14 and the first rim 13. The first and second rims are preferably in parallel planes. Note that both rims protrude radially from the outer surface of the body.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the bowl in the upright position, taken across the bisecting midline 22. The inner surface of the main body 41 is a smooth concave with no corners or angular edges, to facilitate mixing. The exterior of the main body 42 preferably thickens 44 near the rims. The first rim 13 and the second rim 14, possibly made from a different material than the main body 41, are preferably moulded so that they extend beyond the exterior surface 42, but are more than half-way embedded in the main body 11. FIG. 4 further shows a lip arrangement where the pouring spout 21 formed from the tapered lip is situated at a higher point than the rest of the mouth 15. The asymmetry resulted by arrangement facilitates mixing as the user pours the content out of the bowl.

The bowl may be placed in an upright position or tilted. As shown in FIG. 4, in the upright position, the bowl is supported entirely by the first rim 13. The bottom of the main body 43 is recessed with respect to the first rim 13, and does not interfere with stabilization. In FIG. 4, a radius 45 is defined as the shortest distance between an outermost surface of the bowl and a central axis 46 perpendicular to the bottom 43.

As shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to draw an imaginary straight line 51 between two surface contact points 52, 53 of the two rims. The radius of any part of the lower portion 54 is always less than the radius of the imaginary straight line 55 at the same vertical elevation. Preferably, in the lower portion 32, the exterior of the main body has a concave profile towards the interior, that is, no part of the outer surface between the two rims 13, 14 interferes with the tilt stability provided by the rims. In this example the lower portion is concave in cross section.

Referring to FIG. 6, in the tilted position, the bowl is supported by the first rim 13 and the second rim 14 and rests on the contact point of the first rim 53 and the contact point of the second rim 52. The imaginary straight line 51 becomes coincident with the surface on which the bowl is placed. The bowl is thus tilt-stable, defined as the stability achieved when the bowl is supported by both rims. The further apart first rim 13 and the second rim 14, the more stable the bowl. The spout 21 can be oriented, for convenience, as the lowest part of the lip 12 when the bowl is tilted for mixing.

More than one tilting bowl with the same proportions but different sizes may be nested within one-another, and be sold separately or in the same package. The tilting bowl may be used for purposes required by the users other than mixing, and may be used as a regular bowl. The spout 21 can be oriented, for convenience, as the lowest part of the lip 12 when the bowl is tilted for mixing.

While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to particular examples and details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A mixing bowl comprising:

a main body with a mouth and having an interior and an exterior;

a circumferential first rim located near a bottom of the main body;

a circumferential second and protruding rim located between the mouth and the first rim.

2. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the main body has an upper portion between the mouth and the second rim, and a lower portion between the second rim and the first rim, wherein,

the lower portion is shaped such that, if an imaginary straight line is drawn between a contact point on the first rim and a contact point on the second rim, any part of the lower portion will have a radius less than that of the imaginary straight line.

3. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the bottom is recessed with respect to the first rim.

4. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the main body thickens to receive the first rim and the second rim.

5. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the first rim and the second rim are made of a softer material than the main body.

6. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the first rim and the second rim are moulded in place and protrude radially from the body.

7. The mixing bowl of claim 6, wherein,

the first rim and the second rim are more than half-way embedded in the main body.

8. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the interior of the main body has no corners.

9. The mixing bowl of claim 2, wherein,

in the lower portion, the exterior of the main body is concave in cross-section.

10. The mixing bowl of claim 1, wherein,

the mouth at least partially rolls out and becomes a lip at its highest point.

11. The mixing bowl of claim 10, wherein,

a pouring spout is formed where the lip becomes wider.

12. The mixing bowl of claim 11, wherein,

when the mixing bowl is placed upright, the pouring spout is located higher than the rest of the mouth.

13. The mixing bowl of claim 2, wherein,

no part of the lower portion interferes with the rims when the bowl is tilted.

14. The mixing bowl of claim 9, wherein,

the first rim and the second rim are made of a softer material than the main body.

15. The mixing bowl of claim 14, wherein,

the first rim and the second rim are more than half-way embedded in the main body.

16. The mixing bowl of claim 9, wherein,

the bottom is recessed with respect to the first rim.

17. The mixing bowl of claim 9, wherein,

the mouth at least partially rolls out and becomes a lip at its highest point.

18. The mixing bowl of claim 9, wherein,

the interior of the main body has no angled edges or corners.