Wide flanged cooking device with collapsible stand
A cooking device having a liquid containing well in a center surrounded by a connected flange positioned or formed at an angle to the well draining liquid into the well, has a controllable flame directed to said well. A collapsible stand has a frame that holds the cooking device and the source of the flame, and has articulated legs selectively collapsible alongside the frame.
This application is a continuation-in-part application of presently co-pending application Ser. No. 12/653,147 filed Dec. 9, 2009 by the Applicants herein, among others. Applicants herein claim all priority rights under Title 35 U.S.C., §120 et seq., for all matter disclosed in said co-pending application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of cooking device and more particularly to the art of portable cooking devices storable in tight spaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been known to provide portable frying assemblies, as may be seen, for representative example, in Kimbrough, U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,498. Some portable cooking arrangements have provided optional shelf attachments, such as, for example, Coleman, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,213. Typically, such shelf arrangements are provided primarily for positioning cooking tools such as spatulas and tongs. Id. Such shelf arrangements are typically flat or level shelving, as may be appreciated given the purpose for them. Some frying arrangements are configured to be inserted in a level table which provides extended storage area adjacent to the frying pan or well. See, e.g., Segroves, U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,276.
All such arrangements show and describe significant improvements in the art of cooking by frying in portable devices. However, it has been sought to provide for a frying configuration which also provides for storage of the cooked, fried food immediately following the frying, whereby the frying oils or other liquids are drained from the fried foods while the fried foods are maintained warm, even hot during such a draining process.
Moreover, it is desired to provide a portable cooking by frying device which can maintain the cooked food at least warm, if not hot for substantial times, even after the foods have been drained. It is further desired that both of these desired objectives be provided in a portable structure that can be folded into a relatively small, tight spaced configuration that can be carried simply with one hand.
SUMMARYIn brief, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a relatively large plate structure has a well or reservoir at its center for receiving cooking oil or liquid and a substantial surface or flange integral with the reservoir on which surface cooked food may be drained of excess oil or liquid and be kept warm for substantial periods of time. In another aspect of the present invention, the plate structure has a second flange integral with the reservoir on which the cooked food can be kept warm, even hot for a substantial time even after the food has been drained of the cooking oils or liquids. In yet another aspect of the invention, a collapsible stand comprising legs that can be retracted into a tight space provides a stable support for the plate which can be detached from the stand, and provides support and position for controllable heating means.
These and other novel aspects of the present invention, together with other aspects thereof, can be better understood by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which are designed to be read in conjunction and together with the accompanying drawings.
A cooking device plate structure 10 is shown, reference being had initially to
The cooking device assembly 30, is best seen in
In
A wind ring or chimney 58 is placed upon the metal support arms 61 around a heating plate 70, the flame end of the pneumatic tube 78 and the nozzle 90 beneath the heating plate 70, for the purpose of shielding the flame 92 from wind and other disturbances. It is preferred that the upper end of the wind ring or chimney 58 not be in physical contact with the vertical side 16 of the reservoir well 12, but slightly spaced below the reservoir well 12 so as to allow heat from the flame 92 to flow out from the wind ring or chimney 58 and around the vertical side 16 which will result in directing heat to the flanges 22, 24.
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The control valve or regulator 82 to include the manually operable control knob 84, and the gas or other energy supply 88, and the spark ignitor switch 98 are spaced a substantial distance from the flame nozzle 90, the spark ignitor 94 and the heating plate 70. By this structure, heat from the flame 92, or from the heating plate 70, or from liquid in the liquid containing means 12 is kept at a safe distance from the control valve or regulator 82 and the control knob 84 so that the heat will not interfere with safe operation of the cooking device structure. Moreover, the chance for extreme heat destructively contacting the control valve or regulator 82 or the gas supply 88 is substantially reduced if not completely eliminated.
In operation, the cooking device 30 is assembled initially by extending the each of the pair of legs 36, 37 and 38, 39 into their extended, upright position by pivoting the legs about their corresponding hinges 50, 51 and 52, 53. The legs are locked into their extended, upright position by locking the corresponding lock arms 54, 55, 56, 57. The burner and wind shield support 60 is then attached to the legs by inserting the bent ends 62 into corresponding holes in the legs 36, 37, 38, 39, each bent end 62 in its corresponding leg. The burner assembly 34 is then put into position by inserting the heating means support plate 72 into the slot 64 of the burner and wind shield support 60, with the heat shield 80 nestled into the “U” indent 68 on the brace 66. A gas supply 88 is then secured to the valve or gas regulator assembly 82. The cooking device structure 10 is then positioned onto the stand frame 44.
The gas regulator control knob 84 is then selectively turned to open the valve proportionately and establish the desired gas flow though the pneumatic tube 78, supplying gas to the flame nozzle 90 within the cylinder 74. The gas is ignited by pushing the switch 98 to cause a spark at ignitor 94. Alternatively, the gas can be ignited by any convenient and safe means, such as by safety matches or the like. The resulting flame 92 will heat the heating plate 70.
Frying oil is then inserted into the reservoir 12. Food to be fried is placed within the reservoir 12. When cooked, the food is removed from the reservoir 12 and placed on the beveled flange 22, allowing excess oil from the frying process to drain back into the reservoir 12. The heat transmitted to the underside of the reservoir 12 from the heating plate 70, is transmitted by the thermally conducting metal of the cooking device structure 10 outwardly to the beveled flange 22 and to the horizontal flange 24. Heat is trapped within the space immediately below the cooking device structure 10 by its outer vertical flange 26 surrounding the cooking device structure 10, in effect creating a downward lip trapping the heat underneath the flanges 22, 24. Food cooked and laid on the flange 22 will be kept warm, even hot while excess oil is drained from it. After satisfactory amounts of the excess oil is so drained, the food may then be moved to the horizontal flange 24. The heat trapped underneath the cooking device structure 10 by the downward flange 26 will continue to keep the food warm while further waiting.
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When it is desired to store the cooking device altogether, the gas control knob 84 is used to close the valve or regulator 82 to stop the gas supplied to the heating plate 70, and the cooking device assembly 30 is cooled. The cooking device structure 10 is then removed from the stand frame 44, and the used oil safely removed from the reservoir 12. The gas supply 88 is detached from the pneumatic connector 86. The wind shield or chimney 58 is lifted from its position on the metal support arms 61. The burner assembly 34 is then removed by lifting the heat shield 80 from its nestled position in the “U” indent 68, and the heating means support plate 72 is slid out of the slot 64. The burner and wind shield support 60 is detached from the stand 44 by removing the bent ends 62 from their corresponding legs 36, 37, 38, 39.
Next, the lock arms 54, 55, 56, 57 are unlocked by articulating the joint in the lock arms in the direction of the arrows 118 as shown in
In
Although the preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described by a primarily circular cooking device structure 10 and cooking device assembly 30, other designs may be used to work the same purpose and benefit.
The foregoing detailed description of my invention and of preferred and of alternative embodiments to products, compositions and processes, is illustrative of specific embodiments only. It is to be understood, however, that additional embodiments may be perceived by those skilled in the art. The embodiments described herein, together with those additional embodiments, are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A flanged cooking device comprising:
- a. a cooking structure having a center constructed of heat conducting material comprising liquid containing means for containing high temperature liquid positioned substantially at said center, said liquid containing means having a closed side integral with a bottom and being open at a top, said cooking structure further comprising at least a first flange means thermally connected at the top of said liquid containing means, said first flange means for holding cooked food and for allowing liquid to drain into said liquid containing means;
- b. heating means, for providing variable pre-selected heat to said liquid containing means, said heating means comprising regulator means for pre-determining an amount of heat to be supplied to said liquid containing means, and further comprising means for supplying heat energy; and,
- c. collapsible stand means for selectively holding said cooking structure a predetermined distance from a floor and for holding said heating means in thermal conducting proximity to said liquid containing means, said collapsible stand means having a stand frame for receiving said cooking structure and further having articulated legs connected to said stand frame, said legs in a first articulated position being extended from said frame to a floor and in a second articulated position being collapsed alongside said frame.
2. The flanged cooking device of claim 1 further comprising a second flange means comprising an inner edge and an outer edge, for holding cooked food, and wherein said first flange means comprises an [substantially] annular flange having an inner edge and an outer edge, said first flange inner edge being thermally connected at the top of said liquid containing means and said first flange outer edge being thermally connected to said inner edge of said second flange means.
3. The flanged cooking device of claim 2 further comprising a third flange means for confining heat substantially within and underneath said first flange means and said second flange means.
4. The flanged cooking device of claim 3 wherein said third flange means comprises substantially a vertical cylinder having an upper edge hermetically connected to said outer edge of said second flange means.
5. The flanged cooking device of claim 1 wherein the first flange of said first flange means is positioned with a beveled incline from the outer edge of said first flange to the inner edge of said first flange, whereby liquid is induced by gravity to flow into said liquid containing means.
6. The flanged cooking device of claim 5 wherein the second flange of said second flange means is oriented substantially horizontally relative to said first flange.
7. The flanged cooking device of claim 6 wherein said third flange holds heat beneath said first flange and said second flange, whereby heating said first flange and said second flange.
8. The flanged cooking device of claim 2 wherein the second flange of said second flange means is oriented substantially horizontally relative to said first flange.
9. The flanged cooking device of claim 1 wherein said eating means comprises a nozzle positioned in proximity to said liquid containing means, a pneumatic tube pneumatically connecting said nozzle to said regulator[, and] means, and means for connecting said regulator means with a source of gas.
10. The flanged cooking device of claim 9 wherein said regulator means comprises a manually operable variable control valve for pre-determining the amount of gas flow into and through said pneumatic tube.
11. The flanged cooking device of claim 10 wherein said control valve is spaced a [substantial]distance from said nozzle sufficient to prevent heat from a flame from said nozzle will not destructively contact said regulator means.
12. The flanged cooking device of claim 9 wherein said nozzle is pointed upward, and said heating means further comprises a heating plate positioned between said nozzle and said liquid containing means for spreading heat from a flame from said nozzle more evenly to said liquid containing means.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 21, 2013
Publication Date: Sep 7, 2017
Patent Grant number: 9788689
Inventors: Michael John Bizal (Blaine, MN), John Joseph Egart (Andover, MN)
Application Number: 13/998,664