Cooktop Stove Protector

Abstract

A removable dishwasher safe form-fitting transparent, flexible protective glass, or glass and ceramic sheet, designed to lie flat on a cooktop top stove to allow the user to cook with pots and pans, even cast iron, on this surface, thus protecting the actual stove-top from scratches, boil-overs, and other damage. Removable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, the Cooktop Stove Protector

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority under 35 USC 119 (e) (1) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/465,780 filed Mar. 1, 2017 of Scott Lucas, entitled “Stove Top Saver”, ” which is incorporated herein by reference as though the same were set forth in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of protective covering devices and more specifically relates to a form-fitting, transparent, protective glass, or glass and ceramic sheet, designed to lie flat on a glass-top stove and allow the user to cook with pots and pans, even cast iron, on this surface, thus protecting the actual stove-top from scratches, boil-overs, and other damage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The popularity of smooth-top or glass-top stoves, hereinafter referred to as “cooktop” or “cooktop stove” in which the burners lie beneath a smooth, translucent glass/ceramic surface has increased.

Retailing for about $600 to more than $3,600, these cooktop stoves are a significant investment. Many consumers are drawn to the sleek, shiny appearance of smooth cooktops. Rather than separate coiled burners, these cooktops are made of completely smooth glass-ceramic cooking surfaces. The heating units, usually in a traditional four-burner layout, sit under the surface. A built-in sensor lets the user know when a burner is still hot. This is important with smooth-top cooking surfaces. If the heat is on very low, the burner does not always turn red. The downside to a glass cooktop is that it is prone to scratching and does not function with all cookware. For example, cast iron stoneware or glass cannot be used on cooktop stoves. Additionally, it is important to place cookware on the heating portion of the stove-top. If a pot is dragged across the cooktop, or dragged into place, it will cause scratches. Also, if a metal pot on a glass-top stove should boil over and boll dry it can actually fuse to the cook-top, ruining it.

The present invention provides consumers with an easy and effective protective cover for cooktop stoves. Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in protective covering device art.

Among these are found in: U.S. Pub. No. 2009/0064990 to Karen V. Wilkins et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,044,834 to Nicholas Zappetti; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,282 to Rodney B. Fischer. This prior art is representative of protective covering devices for use on flat stove tops. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed. Thus, a need exists for a reliable Cooktop Stove Protector, a form-fitting, transparent, protective glass-, or glass-and-ceramic sheet, designed to lie flat on a glass-top stove and allow the user to cook with pots and pans, even cast iron, on this surface, thus protecting the actual stove-top from scratches, boil-overs, and other damage.

Removable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, the Cooktop Stove Protector protects consumers investments in glass-top stoves, and keep these popular appliances looking clean, sleek, and new and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known protective covering device art, the present invention provides a novel Cooktop Stove Protector. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a form-fitting, transparent, protective glass, or glass and ceramic sheet, designed to lie flat on a glass-top stove and allow the user to cook with pots and pans, even cast iron, on this surface, thus protecting the actual stove-top from scratches, boil-overs, and other damage. Removable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, the Cooktop Stove Protector protects consumers' investments in glass-top stoves, and keep these popular appliances looking clean, sleek, and new. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, Cooktop Stove Protector, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the Cooktop Stove Protector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the Cooktop Stove Protector according to the present invention.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a protective covering device and more particularly to a Cooktop Stove Protector, form-fitting, transparent, protective glass, or glass and ceramic sheet, designed to lie flat on a glass-top stove and allow the user to cook with pots and pans, even cast iron, on this surface, thus protecting the actual stove-top from scratches, chips, boil-overs, and other damage. Removable and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, the Cooktop Stove Protector protects consumers' investments in cooktop stoves, and keep these popular appliances looking clean, sleek, and new.

Referring now to the drawings FIGS. 1-2, the Cooktop Stove Protector comprising a novel product offering consumers a practical solution to the aforementioned challenges. As the name implies, the Cooktop Stove Protector comprises a specially designed flat, flexible, form-fitting sheet of glass material designed to lie flat and securely on top of a smooth-top stove, thus protecting the stove-top from incidental damage such as scratches, boil-overs, and chipping, while remain remaining easily removable and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. The intent of the Cooktop Stove Protector, then, is simply to protect the cooktop stove which, in the absence of such protection, is susceptible to damage.

The Cooktop Stove Protector is essentially flat, flexible and form-fitting to the stove for which it is intended generally measuring about 30 to 32 inches in (end-to-end) length and 28 to 30 inches in (front-to-back) depth. The Cooktop Stove Protector can be made of any suitable material. Material suitable for use in the present invention include Ultra-Slim Flexible Glass such as Willow™ Glass, available from Corning Glass, Corning, N.Y. This material is transparent or translucent, heat-conductive, pliable, and exceptionally stable in the presence of intense or prolonged heat. In translucent versions, the Cooktop Stove Protector can be produced n a variety of colors that would accommodate the range of consumer tastes and kitchen decors. A variety of textures may also be available.

In an embodiment the Cooktop Stove Protector comprises a downward-oriented “safety lip” along the front and side borders to provide a more secure fit.

To use, the Cookstop Stove Protector is simply placed carefully atop the smooth stove top to provide an additional surface for cooking. Any problems that might otherwise have affected the stove-top, such as scratching, boil-overs, etc., are intercepted by the Cooktop Stove Protector, keeping the underlying stove-top looking flawlessly new and unmarred by use, yet performing at optimal levels. For easy cleaning, the Cooktop Stove Protector can be wiped clean or washed in the dishwasher as needed.

FIG. 1 shows a cooktop stove protector 10 having a top surface 12, a bottom surface 16, and heating element inidicia 14. In this embodiment, the entire top surface is homogeneous and conductive.

FIG. 2 shows a cooktop stove protector 20 having a top surface 22, a bottom surface 26, and heating element indicia 24. In this embodiment, the top surface 22 is conductive only above the heating elements. The remainder of the top surface, which is not covering heating elements contains insulating material and is non-conductive.

In the Cooktop Stove Protector, cooktop stove owners have an accessory of utmost utility, a protective glass sheet to be laid atop the primary cook-top o as to prevent the most common types of damage to which it is susceptible: scratches; remnants, stains, and discoloration left by boil-overs; as well as chipping. The Cooktop Stove Protector has been designed to interpose an easily-cleaned barrier between the primary cook-top and the pots and pans, or cast iron cookware used in cooking, so that the smooth-top stove will long retain its “like-new” appearance, and its value.

Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited thereto and various modifications which will become apparent to the person of ordinary skill in the art are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as described herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooktop stove protector comprising: an essentially flat, flexible, form-fitting sheet of glass material, wherein the material is heat-conductive, pliable, and stable in the presence of intense or prolonged heat designed to lie flat and securely on top of a smooth top stove.

2. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the stove protector is removable and dishwasher-safe.

3. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the protector measures approximately 30 to 32 inches in length and 28 to 30 inches in depth.

4. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1 wherein the protector is made of Ultra-Slim Flexible Glass such as Willow™ Glass, available from Corning Glass, Corning, N.Y.

5. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the material is transparent or translucent.

6. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the material is produced in a variety of colors.

7. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the material is produced in a variety of surface textures.

8. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the protector further comprises a downward-oriented “safety lip” along the front and side borders to provide a more secure fit.

9. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the protector has a top surface and a bottom surface and the top surface comprises heating element indicia, wherein the entire top surface is homogeneous and conductive.

10. The cooktop stove protector of claim 1, wherein the protector has a top surface and a bottom surface and the top surface comprises heating element indicia, wherein the heating element indicia covers heating elements, and wherein the top surface of the protector is conductive at the heating element indicia, and further includes insulating material in the area is not covering heating elements.

11. The cooktop stove protector of claim 4, wherein the material is transparent or translucent.

12. The cooktop stove protector of claim 11 wherein the material is produced in a variety of colors.

13. The cooktop stove protector of claim 4, wherein the material is produced in a variety of surface texture.

14. The cooktop stove protector of claim 4, wherein the protector further comprises a downward-oriented “safety lip” along the front and side borders to provide a more secure fit.

15. The cooktop stove protector of claim 4, wherein the protector has a top surface and a bottom surface and the top surface comprises heating element indicia, wherein the entire top surface is homogeneous and conductive.

16. The cooktop stove protector of claim 4, wherein the protector has a top surface and a bottom surface and the top surface comprises heating element indicia, wherein the heating element indicia covers heating elements, and wherein the top surface of the protector is conductive at the heating element indicia, and further includes insulating material in the area is not covering heating elements.