AU2003100768B4 - Commercial utensil rack - Google Patents

Description

Sep 04 1239p PnG0 SAMPSOM 0397120015 p.

12 Submitted: 15 September 2003 COMMON SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT COM MERCIAL STYLE FOOD UTENSIL RACK (FRONT OF HOUSE) The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of using it known to me.

COMS ID No: SBMI-0014451 Received by IP Australa: Time 11:14 Date 2004-09-15 Sep 04 12i38p PRGO SRMPSON 0397120815 p.13 2 COMMERCIAL STYLE FOOD UTENSIL RACK (FRONT- OF- HOUSE) A simple device, the food utensil rack is focused at simplifying the storage, and easy access to the main utensils used when preparing food for customers in take-away food outlets and such similar outlets, where utensils such as longs, knives, prongs and sandwich cutters are predominately in use and, are constantly being handled.

The utensil rack offers the take-away tixxd and generally the entire food industry a foolproof method of sorting and arranging these utensils. Giving the user easy access, safety measures to help prevent accidents, organizing for the purpose of hygiene (with minimal training)', it also promotes the concept of food safety as will been shown further on.

Currently, the industry lacks such a utensil rack. Most take-away food outlets utilize stainles.s steel buckets or, utensils are simply stored on the bench where food is prepared.

'The main advantage of the food utensil rack, is that it offers business' the ability to prevent cross contamination of utensil. Whereas previously the above mentioned storage methods would act to promote many instances of such cross contamination situations as meat tongs being stored in the same bucket as fish tongs I vegetable tongs fruit tongs.

Visually, the food utensil rack blends in with its surrundings but to the discerning eye of the customer, it gives the impression of the shopkeepers concern tor their customer's health and indicates that they indeed have a knowledge and awareness of issues of health and hygiene.

In Figure 1, there are three versions of the food utensil rack: Figure la- a large unit, for use in larger food shops and sandwich liuit bars, has the ability to hold up to five or six pirs of tongs 2 five to nine knives (or prongs, variable depending on products served by the business), and two sandwich cutters (one on either side of the safety bar).

Figure lb a medium sized unit. for use in larger, medium and small food shops and sandwich fruit bars, has the ability to hold between two to three pairs of tongs 3 two knives (or prongs-again depending on business products), and two sandwich cutters (one on either side of the safety bar).

Figure c a small sized unit, designed mainly lor small sandwich fruit bars (or as an additional unit in large take away stores), has the ability to hold one knife and one pair of tongs.

As in all the illustrations, there is an additional "safety bar" which acts as a holder fur the sandwich cutter. It also acts as visual reminder and a tangible protector from the knife blades prong spikes, which would be otherwise exposed on the underside of the food utensil rack. This is provided for the prevention of accidents during the everyday movements of service staff 4 Figure 2 shows the posterior view of the food utensil rack and gives indication of its permanent attachment to a bench or wall, via the base plate (fig 2a).

Hygiically oranising utnils for use with meat fih vegetable Items.

Z I pmctlcal model, the unit holds six pailr f tonUp.

SIn pratical smoel, the unit holds hre pairs of tong.

4 On the small siaud unil, the afety bar is double layered as vicwablc in Figure I c COMS ID No: SSMI-00914451 Received by IP Australta; Time 11:14 Date 2004-09-15 Sep 04 12:38p PAGO SRMPSON 0397120B15 p.14 3 This illustration also gives indication of the 'ood utensil rack's detachment and reattachment for its "day to day" cleaning requirements. The attachment area (fig 2b) locks into place on the permanent "base plate" (fig 2a) via the three locks as are seen. These lucks give the device support and stability. Then when the device requires a thorough cleaning, the user simply "presses and lifts" each lock and removes the unit for cleaning.

Figure 2 also shows the pennancit attachment of the safety bar (fig 2b) as aforementioned on page 2. The arms are allached to an appropriate under bench area via four screws. On the medium-sied and larger units, the safety bar is adjustable prior to attachment but then locks into place after permanent attachment. (Sec Fig. 2d).

The food utensil rack is curved to assist in holding the tongs in place; the curve also assists in the stability of the unit and helps to prevent the device from protruding too much.

The device is composed ot'Perspex, which has been determined to be the safest, most durable, and most lightweight of all investigated materials. An exact replica is also possible in stainTlss steel.

The thickness of the Perspex s is to be approximately 5 millimetres, consistently across the whole device.

All "holding areas" arc to maintain a bevelled edge in the promotion of safety for the user/s no sharp edges). The outside edges of the food utensil rack are also to maintain the same design of bevelled edge but also have curved (soft) corners, again to promote safety for the user/s.

Superior Viewpoint This viewpoint in Figure 3 shows the approximate measurements lor each of the three styles of food utensil rack: large (Fig. 2a)- medium (Fig. 2b) small (Fig. 2c).

More accurate in actuality, are the inner measurcments, which depict the measurements of the utensil rack "holding area's".

SIn the curren practuial model.

COMS ID No: SBM-00914451 Received by IP Australia: Time 11:14 Date 2004-09-15