INTERCHANGEABLE PAN
The present invention is an article of manufacture for cooking. Specifically, it is a pan and frame system such that one frame may be used interchangeably with a variety of pans for cooking, thus allowing the user flexibility in use. The invention cooks a range of foods, and allows one such varied options as stir frying or making toast over a heat source. The invention is easy to use, the pans are easy to install and remove from the frame, and the frame with set of pans is useful in a small space where storage is limited.
This application claims the priority of U.S. Ser. No. 61/370,850 filed on Aug. 5, 2010 and U.S. Ser. No. 61/381,630 filed on Sep. 10, 2010, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to cooking utensils, specifically to cooking pans.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany different types of pans exist for varying cooking purposes. Cooks may have a plethora of pans in their kitchens, all of which take up space. This can be an issue in small kitchens, such as those found in many apartments and small houses. Stacking pans inside each other may destroy a non-stick surface if they are shuffled around and scrape one another. In addition, if a cook uses multiple pans during the preparation of a meal, the kitchen may become littered with dirty pans that must be cleaned to make room. If one pan is used repeatedly, it preferably must be cleaned between uses, which takes time away from meal preparation such that one cooked food gets cold while the cook is waiting to prepare the next item in the pan.
Attempts have been made to alleviate some of the problems cited above; examples of the prior art are below.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,249 discloses a multi-purpose cooker including a base having a circular top formed with a plurality of equidistant holes, a heating seat having a bottom formed with a plurality of downwardly extending pins engageable with the holes, a heating member mounted within the heating seat and provided with a switch and a control button on an outer side of the heating seat, a frying pan configured to be mounted on the heating seat and provided with a plurality of slots for passage of oil so as to prevent food from sticking the frying pan, a barbecue grill provided with a plurality of supporting legs adapted to be arranged on the heating seat for roasting food, a circular tray having an annular recess and a central portion formed with a projection, a pot having a bottom formed with a cavity configured to engage with the projection, and a plurality of condiment trays configured to be fitted in the annular recess of the circular tray.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,293,271 and 6,718,966 disclose a cooking pot which includes a base portion and a removable cover therefor. An annular lip of the pot is formed with at least one vent opening therein. Airflow between ambient and a cooking chamber defined within the pot is adjustable by rotating the cover relative to the base portion. The cooking pot is also multifunctional in that it is operable in any one of a plurality of cooking modes including but not limited to an open charcoal-grilling mode, a closed charcoal-grilling mode, an externally-heated charcoal-grilling mode, a grilling and smoking mode, a deep-frying mode, a boiling and simmering mode, a steaming mode, and oven modes.
US Patent Application 20060027106 discloses an apparatus for holding multiple pizzas including a pan and an insert adapted to fit within the pan. The insert includes a plurality of sidewalls extending between a base of the insert and an upper portion of the insert, and the sidewalls generally surround a plurality of openings defined by the insert in the base. The insert is adapted to fit within the pan such that each of the multiple pizzas contacts a bottom of the pan and the sidewalls of the insert. A method of making multiple pizzas includes placing a support into a cooking vessel, placing dough across the support to form multiple dough portions, placing ingredients on the multiple dough portions to form multiple pizzas, and placing the support and the cooking vessel into a heating environment to bake the multiple pizzas.
US Patent Application 20070289983 discloses a removable cooking container for use with one of a pot and pan to eliminate time-consuming task of cleaning such pots and/or pans. The cooking container comprises a reusable holder having a first portion capable of fitting within at least one of the pot and/or pan and a second portion capable of extending out from the pot and/or pan. A preformed heavy-duty aluminum disposable insert is provided which is capable of being positioned within and held by the holder. The insert is capable of holding food for cooking within the pot and/or pan. A handle is attached to the second portion of the holder for removing the holder and the insert from the pot and/or pan. Upon completion of cooking, the food is removed from the cooking container and the insert is simply removed from the holder and disposed of, significantly reducing the time needed for cleaning messy pots and/or pans and eliminating the chance of scratching and/or marring the surface of such pots and/or pans due to scrubbing.
PCT International Patent Application WO 96/10942 discloses a multi-purpose pan-stove consisting of a heating pan, a cooking pan which fits into the heating pan, and accessories, which allows one to carry out various cooking operations. It can function as a stove, a frying pan, a grill, a braai, a chinese wok, a poacher, a steamer, a fondu, a chip fryer or a baker, and with some small modifications it can even be used as a pressure cooker. The heating pan contains a heating device such as an electric element or a gas burner. Protrusions are pressed into its side wall just above the heating element, for air ventilation and to act as support. The main accessories are a lid, a grid, a frying basket, a chinese wok, a pan with large openings in the bottom into which fit small cups and a steamer plate with small holes and a divider. For grilling, the grid is put on the bottom of the cooking pan and the heating pan is put upside down on the cooking pan, else the cooking pan is installed into the heating pan and rests on the protrusions and whenever necessary the lid is put on top of the cooking pan. For poaching eggs, the pan with large openings is put into the cooking pan and the small cups are placed in the large openings. For steaming, the disc with small holes is led down upon the bottom of the pan with large openings.
European Patent Application EP 2 140 786 discloses a cooking utensil comprising a frame having a base with recess. The cooking utensil may be adapted for receiving a removable and/or exchangeable bottom for closing the recess in the base, and fixing means for removably fixing the removable and/or exchangeable bottom to base of the frame. An advantage of cooking utensil according to embodiments of the invention is that when a cooking surface of the cooking utensil is damaged, e.g. scratched, the removable and/or exchangeable bottom can be removed and replaced be a new removable and/or exchangeable bottom with undamaged cooking surface. This significantly decreases costs with respect to prior art cooking utensils where the complete cooking utensil has to be replaced when the cooking surface is damaged, e.g. scratched. The present invention also provides a removable and/or exchangeable bottom for use with a cooking utensil according to embodiments of the invention and a method for making such a cooking utensil.
The present invention solves the problems stated above in a unique way by allowing a user to cook various foods using a frame that can accommodate differing pans.
One unique feature of the present invention is that a user may not only cook foods traditionally cooked in a stovetop pan, the invention allows a user to toast bread over a stovetop. The present invention allows a user more versatility than with conventional cookware and utensils disclosed in the prior art.
Switching pans is more facile than in the inventions of the prior art; the user may rapidly switch pans during cooking without getting burned by the hot pan. The frame doesn't contact the food being cooked and therefore doesn't need to be cleaned when the pans are switched. This is an advantage over the utensil disclosed in European Patent Application EP 2 140 786 cited above; in EP 2 140 786, the base may be switched but the frame remains an integral part of the pan, such that it gets soiled by food and gets hot, thereby causing the user to have to clean the frame and base both between uses. It also causes the user to have to wait for the frame to cool before switching pans.
The present invention allows a user to cook in a pan inside the frame, then quickly eject the pan into the sink for cleaning and place another pan in the frame immediately for further cooking. This feature is valuable to casual cooks, but also to anyone who must cook quickly, such as cooks in a restaurant or chefs in a contest.
Another advantage of present invention is the unique feature that it can be used as a toaster as well as a variety of pan types, and thus can replace a toaster in a small area where there is limited counter space.
Another venue where the present invention is very useful is in camping, RVing, or traveling, or anytime access to cleaning facilities and space is limited. The pans can be used once each and then stored together for later washing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is an article of manufacture comprising a frame, having inside and outside edges; a first holding mechanism located on a first portion of the inside edge; a second holding mechanism located on a second portion of the inside edge; a handle, disposed on the frame; at least one pan having a first engagement assembly which may engage the first holding mechanism and a second engagement assembly which may engage the second holding mechanism, wherein the second engagement assembly has open and closed positions and the pan is secured to the frame when the second engagement assembly is in the closed position and the pan may be removed from the frame when the second engagement assembly is in the open position.
The invention is a pan that can be removably disposed inside a frame for cooking. The ease of insertion and removal of the pan in the frame makes cooking with multiple pans quick and easy. It also makes it easier to store multiple pans in a small space; in one embodiment the frame has a foldable handle and the pan has a retractable handle so neither handle protrudes, thus reducing needed storage space. Additionally, the pans and frame can stack together to be stored as a compact unit, thereby freeing up the space that multiple pans would otherwise occupy and making transportation easier.
It is an object of the invention to provide a multiple use cooking article.
It is an object of the invention to provide a frame that can accommodate pans with varying cooking surfaces.
It is an object of the invention to provide a frame and pans that can be easily stored and transported.
It is an object of the invention to provide a frame which allows the user to quickly and easily switch pans.
It is an object of the invention to provide mechanisms such that the frame and a pan are securely and safely engaged while in use.
It is an object of the invention to provide a variety of pans for use with a single frame.
It is an object of the invention to save time while cooking.
It is an object of the invention to provide a pan that can be removably disposed inside a frame for cooking.
In the preferred embodiment shown in
The frame 100 is shown as a complete rectangular shape, but it can be any shape, including but not limited to, a partial or complete rectangle, partial or complete circle, partial or complete oval, partial or complete square, partial or complete triangle, or any shape or combination of shapes. The complete shape is preferred, but a partial shape may be desired for alternate embodiments. For instance, to make the invention resemble a griddle, the frame may be a rectangular shape constructed with three sides such that food could easily slide into or out of the pan and frame using the open fourth side.
The dimensions may vary for different types of pans, with preferred dimensions of 1 inch to 20 inches length per side, 0.1 inch to 10 inches depth per side, and 1/64 inch to 1 inch thick walls for each side. In the case of a complete circular frame, the diameter may range from 1 inch to 25 inches. One preferred embodiment is to have a complete square shape with dimensions of 12 inches length per side, 2 inches deep on each side, and ⅛ inch thick walls for each side.
The handle is optional but is preferred. The handle may be permanently affixed to any side of the frame or may be detachable. Other features of the handle will be discussed with
In addition,
Although not shown, a lid or cover may be used with the invention, either for cooking or storage and transport or both. The same cover may be used for all of the pans, each pan may have its own specific cover, or two or more pans may share a cover. The cover is preferably the same shape and size as the pan or pans, but it may be a different shape or size.
The pan 200 is shown as a rectangular shape, but it can be any shape, including but not limited to, rectangle, circle, square, triangle, or any shape or combination of shapes. In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the pan is the same shape as the frame, with slightly smaller dimensions such that the pan can fit inside the frame. The shapes of the pan and the frame may be differing however, for instance, a user may use a smaller rectangular pan inside a square frame. The dimensions may vary for different types of pans, with preferred dimensions of 1 inch to 20 inches length per side, 0.1 inch to 10 inches depth per side, and 1/64 inch to 1 inch thick walls for each side. In the case of a circular frame, the diameter may range from 1 inch to 25 inches. One preferred embodiment is to have a square shape with dimensions of 11 and 1/16 inches length per side, 1 and 7/16 deep on each side, and ⅛ inch thick walls for each side. These dimensions of the pan are such that the pan can fit inside a frame that is 12 inches long, 2 inches deep, and has ⅛ inch thick walls.
The pan 200 is shown with an optional pan handle 480. In a preferred embodiment, the pan handle 480 is retractable and is made from a non-flammable material, such as but not limited to, silicone rubber or other rubber, metal, glass or glass products, high-temperature plastics, or any other material or combination of materials. The handle is on the pan top rim 282 so that it is easily accessible when cooking. Although shown on the pan rear edge, the handle may be on any edge of the pan and anywhere along the length of the edge. The handle is present to allow the user to easily remove the pan from the frame by providing a lifting surface. The lifting surface may be a handle as shown or may be an extension of the pan top rim, or any other device that aids in removing the pan from the frame.
An example of the invention in use would be when a user is camping and wants to make a hot breakfast. The user would set up a cook stove, assemble the desired pan in the frame and place the assembled invention on the cook stove. He could use pan top surface flat surface 410 to cook pancakes, use pan top surface texture surface 420 to make toast, use pan top surface ridged surface 430 to cook bacon, use pan top surface waffle surface 440 to make waffles, and use pan top surface egg surface 450 to cook eggs and hashbrowns. If he forgot the coffee pot, he could skip the pancakes and boil water in pan top surface flat surface 410 and make instant coffee. The user would then let the pans cool, pack them together, and wash them the next time he's near a clean water source. If he's camping with someone who can't eat a certain food, for instance bacon, he doesn't have to worry about contamination of the other foods with bacon grease left in the pan.
The frame 100 and pans 200 and their components can be made from any material, including but not limited to: metal, including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, and copper; glass and glass products, including but not limited to borosilicate, fiberglass and ‘gorilla glass’; plastics; rubbers; textiles; or any material or combinations of these materials with each other or any other materials. The pans 200 may be coated with a non-stick coating such as, but not limited to, Teflon®, or any other material that may be desired as a coating.
As can be seen in
The user then engages the frame second holding mechanism interlocking pin receiver (not shown) with the pan second engagement assembly interlocking pin 275, further securing the pan 200 in the frame 100. The pan second engagement assembly 265 and the frame second holding mechanism (not shown) comprise a pin and receiver assembly which may be activated by a spring loaded lever. The spring loaded lever allows the user to quickly and easily engage and disengage the pan 200 from the frame 100.
The interlocking pins on all or any of the pan engagement assemblies may be spring loaded so that they collapse when they contact the side of the frame, then expand when engaged with the interlocking pin receivers in the frame.
The frame has a front, rear, and left and right sides, and the in a preferred embodiment, the first holding mechanism is at the front side of the frame and the second holding mechanism is at the rear side of the frame. These holding assemblies correspond to engagement assemblies on the front and rear sides of the pan.
The engagement assemblies and holding mechanisms may be located anywhere on the pan and frame, respectively. There may be any number of engagement assemblies and holding mechanisms on the pan and frame. The engagement assemblies may be on the pan or on the frame, and the holding mechanisms may be on the pan or on the frame.
The number of engagement assemblies preferably matches the number of holding mechanisms, but the numbers of engagement assemblies and holding mechanisms can differ. For instance, a lighter weight pan such as the pan with pan top surface texture surface shown in
Although shown as pins sliding into slots, the engagement assemblies and holding mechanisms can be any structure or device that secures the pan in the frame, such as but not limited to, a latch, a clamp, etc.
The dimensions of some or all of the pan sides may be smaller than the dimensions of some or all of the frame sides so that some or all of the pan sides don't contact the frame sides. This may be desirable if a user wants to keep the frame edges cool while cooking in the pan.
Although the figures all show the pans as being the same size and close to the size of the frame, the pans could all be different sizes so that they could nest together for storage. In this case, the same frame could be used for all the pans; as mentioned above in the discussion of
On one side of the frame, a logo plate may join the logo ends of the half-frames to each other. On the other side of the frame, a bridge may join the handle ends of the half-frame together.
A handle, that is preferably hinged, may be attached to one or both of the half-frames. The handle may also have an adjustable locking mechanism for securing and releasing a pan.
The pan may have a base and a surrounding containing element, such as, but not limited to, four vertical sides. The surrounding containing element may be attached to the base. The surrounding containing element may have an upper lip extending outward from the top of the surrounding, containing element, and at least two locating holes. The pan may be configured to fit inside the frame formed by joining the two half-frames. The pan may also be sized so that when the upper lip rests of the pan rests on the top edge of the half-frames, the locating holes align with the locating pins. The locking mechanism may then be adjusted to lock the pan into the frame formed by the two half-frames.
The adjustable locking mechanism may include a locking shaft slidably mounted within the handle. The locking shaft may, for instance, be attached to the handle by means of a screw-thread.
Further in a preferred state of this embodiment, the handle may have an inner handle covered in part by a gripping surface. The locking shaft may be slideably mounted within the inner handle and fixed to the hinged attachment plate in the vicinity of a proximate end of the gripping surface. A locking knob may be attached to the locking shaft in a vicinity of a distal end of the gripping surface.
To form the frame 100, the handle end 710 of the first half-frame 610 may be joined to the handle end 720 of the second half-frame 620 by means such as, but not limited to, a bridge 630, while the logo end 730 of the first half-frame 610 may be joined to the logo end 740 of the second half-frame 620 by means such as, but not limited to, a logo plate 640 as shown in
Each of the half-frames 610/620 forming the frame 100 may have a frame locking pin 750. The handle 650 may be secured to a hinged attachment plate 760 that may be attached to the frame 100.
The frame 100 may have a top edge 770 that may have a step down 940 that may run along the full periphery of the top edge 770 of the frame 100.
The dimensions may vary for different types of pans, with preferred dimensions being in the range of 1 inch to 20 inches length per side, 0.1 inch to 10 inches depth per side, and 1/64 inch to 1 inch thick walls for each side. In the case of a complete circular frame, the diameter may range from 1 inch to 25 inches. One preferred embodiment is to have a square shape with dimensions of 11.5 inches length per side, 2 inches deep on each side, and ⅛ inch thick walls for each side.
The frame 100, the pan 200 and their components may be made from any material, including but not limited to: metal, including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, and copper; glass and glass products, including but not limited to borosilicate, fiberglass and Gorilla™ glass; plastics; rubbers; textiles; or any material or combinations of these materials with each other or any other materials. The pans 200 may be coated with a non-stick coating such as, but not limited to, Teflon®, or any other material that may be desired as a coating.
The pan 200 may have a base 810 and a surrounding containing element 820. The surrounding containing element 820 may have an upper lip 830 that may extend outward from the surrounding containing element 820 and run the full periphery of the surrounding containing element 820.
The surrounding containing element 820 may also have one or more locating holes 840 situated on the outside surface of the pan 200.
In a preferred embodiment, the pan 200 may be configured to fit inside the frame 100. The pan 200 is preferably sized so that when the upper lip 830 rests on the top edge 770 of the frame 100, the locating holes 840 on the outer surface of the pan 200 may align with the corresponding locating pins on the frame 100. The adjustable locking mechanism 900 may then be adjusted to lock the pan 200 to the frame 100 formed by the two half-frames 610/620.
In this arrangement, rotating the locking shaft 910 in the other direction may cause the contact end 930 of the locking shaft 910 to disengage from the locating indent 845 in the pan 200, allowing the frame locking pins 750 to disengage from the locating holes 840, thereby releasing the pan 200 from the frame 100.
The locking shaft 910, inner handle 950, locking knob 1020 and gripping surface 1010 may be made from any material, including but not limited to: metal, including but not limited to aluminum, stainless steel, and copper; glass and glass products, including but not limited to borosilicate, fiberglass and Gorilla™ glass; plastics; rubbers; textiles; or any material or combinations of these materials with each other or any other materials.
The gripping surface 1010 is, however, preferably made from a non-flammable material having a low heat conductance such as, but not limited to, silicone rubber or other rubber, metal, glass or glass products, high-temperature plastics, or some combination thereof.
Although the figures all show the frame and pans as being rectangular, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that they may have a variety of other shapes such as, but not limited to, square, circular, elliptical, polygonal or some combination thereof.
Although the figures all show the pans as being the same size and close to the size of the frame, the pans could all be different sizes so that they could nest together for storage.
Although the use of the invention has been discussed primarily with stovetops as the heat source for cooking food, it may also be used in any type of oven or over a fire or with any other heat source.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An article of manufacture comprising:
- A frame, having inside and outside edges;
- A first holding mechanism located on a first portion of the inside edge;
- A second holding mechanism located on a second portion of the inside edge;
- A handle, disposed on the frame;
- At least one pan having a first engagement assembly which may engage the first holding mechanism and a second engagement assembly which may engage the second holding mechanism, wherein the second engagement assembly has open and closed positions and the pan is secured to the frame when the second engagement assembly is in the closed position and the pan may be removed from the frame when the second engagement assembly is in the open position.
2. The article of claim 1, wherein the frame is a complete square.
3. The article of claim 1, wherein the frame is a complete circle.
4. The article of claim 2, wherein the frame has a front, rear, and left and right sides, and the first holding mechanism is at the front side of the frame and the second holding mechanism is at the rear side of the frame.
5. The article of claim 1, wherein handle is disposed on a hinge that allows the handle to be folded over the frame.
6. The article of claim 1, wherein the first holding mechanism and the first engagement assembly comprise interlocking pins and pin receivers.
7. The article of claim 1, wherein second engagement assembly and the second holding mechanism comprise a pin and receiver assembly which is activated by a spring loaded lever.
8. The article of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional holding mechanism and one additional engagement assembly.
9. The article of claim 1, wherein the frame has a rotatable section, and the handle is attached to the rotatable section.
10. The article of claim 1, wherein the pan has a top surface, said top surface being flat or having a waffle, egg, texture, or ridged surface, or combinations thereof.
11. The article of claim 10, wherein the pan top surface is coated with a non stick coating.
12. The article of claim 1, comprising a set of at least 2 pans.
13. The article of claim 12, wherein the set is disposed on a storage rack.
14. The article of claim 1, wherein the frame has a front, rear, and left and right sides, and the first holding mechanism is at the left side of the frame and the second holding mechanism is at the right side of the frame.
15. The article of claim 1, wherein the frame is a complete or partial circle, triangle, rectangle, oval or square.
16. The article of claim 1, wherein frame touches the pan only at the first and second holding mechanism.
17. A cooking apparatus, comprising:
- a first half-frame, and second half-frame, each having a handle end, a logo end and a frame locking pin located proximate to said handle ends;
- a logo plate configured to join said logo end of said first half-frame to said logo end of said second frame;
- a bridge configured to join said handle end of said first half-frame to said handle end of said second frame;
- a handle attached to one or both of said first and second half-frames, said handle having an adjustable locking mechanism; and
- a pan having a base and a surrounding containing element attached to said base, an upper lip extending outward from the top of said surrounding, containing element, and at least two locating holes, said pan being configured to fit inside said joined first and second half-frames such that when said upper lip rests on a top edge of said half-frame, said locating indents align with said locating holes and said locking mechanism adjusts to lock said pan to said half-frames.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a hinged attachment plate fixed to said frame, and wherein said handle is attached to said hinged attachment plate.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said adjustable locking mechanism further comprises a locking shaft slidably mounted within said handle.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said handle further comprises an inner handle, a gripping surface covering a part of said inner handle and affixed thereto, a locking knob attached to locking shaft in a vicinity of the distal end of said gripping surface, and wherein said inner handle is attached to said hinged attachment plate in a vicinity of a proximate end of said gripping surface.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 when said locking shaft attaches to said handle via a screw-thread.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 5, 2011
Publication Date: Feb 9, 2012
Inventors: TEDDY GOTSIS (HILLSIDE, NJ), ANGELO GOTSIS (HILLSIDE, NJ)
Application Number: 13/204,190
International Classification: B65D 25/28 (20060101);