AU4471699A - A cooking vessel support and table - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Bao He ZHANG of 4/15 John Street, Mordialloc, Victoria 3195, Australia Bao He ZHANG DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia A cooking vessel support and table Details of Associated Provisional Application No: PP5673/98 filed 3 September 1998 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: -1- 0 \OPER\DH\2208370 CAP 25/819 P \OPERiDH2208370.CAP 25/8/ -2- A COOKING VESSEL SUPPORT AND TABLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a cooking vessel support, particularly but not exclusively to a support for supporting a wok or the like over a burner of a wok table.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A wok table is known in which a pair of burners are provided in chambers recessed in a metal table top and an annular support is provided around the periphery of each of the chambers. Each support is defined by a domed metal surface with a downwardly directed inner lip which provides a seat for a wok to rest on. A disadvantage of such a table is that 4 the domed surface of each support provides a relatively large area which is exposed to radiant heat from the burner and which conducts heat directly to the table top. Accordingly, the wok 4**4 table is generally provided with water jets for spraying the table top to dissipate heat. The provision of water jets leads to water wastage and increased manulfacturing costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a cooking vessel support and/or table which provides favourable heat insulation between a burner and a table top so as to avoid the need for water jet cooling.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a cooking vessel support including a heat insulative body formed about a combustion chamber and an annular element, provided concentrically about a periphery of the body for supporting a cooking vessel, the body having P.\OPER\DH\2208370. CAP 25/8/ -3an upper surface arranged to face the vessel in adjacent spaced relation when the vessel is placed on the element.

Preferably, the element is in the form of a support ring.

Preferably, the body has heat insulation panels embedded therein, the panels facing into the combustion chamber. Preferably the panels are interlocked.

In another aspect, there is provided a table with a combustion chamber formed therein and a cooking vessel support, as described above.

Preferably, the table includes a chimney and a flu communicating between the chimney and the combustion chamber.

Throughout the specification, the words "cooking vessel" are to be taken as including any form of wok, pan, pot or the like.

i BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a table and cooking vessel support; Fig. 2 is a partial cross-section of the cooking vessel support of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the table of Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A table 1 is shown in Figure 1 as including a work surface 2 with a cooking vessel support 3 formed therein. The support 3 serves to define a combustion chamber 4 which communicates with a chimney 5 via a flue 6.

P:\OPERDH\22Ol37O CAP 2518I99 -4- The support 3 is formed of an insulative body 7 provided around the chamber 4 and an annular support ring 8 provided concentrically about a periphery of the body 7. The support ring is welded to a annular collar 9 which is in turn tack welded onto the surface 2.

The body 7 is preferably formed of concrete and serves to secure heat insulation panels which are embedded therein and face into the chamber 4. The panels 10 have adjacent edges which are preferably interlocked by, for example, dove tailing or the like.

A wok 11 (shown in phantom lines in Figures 1 and 2) or other suitable cooking vessel may be positioned over the cooker support 3 so as to rest on the annular ring 8. The body 7 has an upper surface 12 which faces a bottom 13 of the wok 11 in adjacent spaced relation, as shown in Fig. 2.

The ring 8 is preferably formed of a stainless steel tube. Such a configuration provides relative structural rigidity similar in strength to the known domed support whilst minimsing material costs. The surface 12 of the body 7, being marginally recessed from the wok 11, ensures that the wok 11 rests on the ring 8 alone and that the wok will be able to flex :15 somewhat to absorb impart from cooking utensils whilst not being damaged by the concrete, or vice versa. The ring 8 also serves to contain flame and radiant heat at the bottom 13 of the wok 11 to maximise heating efficiency.

The internal construction of the table 1 is shown in more detail in Fig. 3 wherein the 4 wok 11 is shown as being supported by the cooker support 3. A gas burner 14 is shown disposed in the chamber 4. When the wok is in the position shown, excess heat generated by the burner exits the chamber 4 via the flue 6. The flue itself is lined with heat insulative panels. The chimney further includes an insulative panel 15 provided between a front wall 16 and internal wall 17. The base of the wall 17 includes flanges 18 which are inserted into P:\OPERIDH\2208370.CAP 258/99 the flue 6 so that heat insulation is preserved between the gas exiting chamber 4 via flue 6 and the front wall of the chimney.

As can be appreciated from the above, the cooking vessel support of the invention provides considerable advantage in material costs and heat insulation with respect to a table in which the support is housed, such that separate water jet cooling of the work surface 2 may be avoided.

The table 1 as abovedescribed includes only a single support 3, however, a plurality of cooking vessel supports and associated burners may instead be provided, if required.

The invention has been described by way of example only and many modifications and variations may be made thereto without the parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as described.

*o

Claims (6)

1. A cooking vessel support including a heat insulative body formed about a combustion chamber and an annular element, provided concentrically about a periphery of the body for supporting a cooking vessel, the body having an upper surface arranged to face the vessel in adjacent spaced relation when the vessel is placed on the element.

2. A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the element is in the form of a support ring.

3. A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the body has heat insulation panels embedded therein, the panels facing into the combustion chamber.

4. A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 3, wherein the panels are interlocked.

A table with a combustion chamber formed therein and a cooking vessel support as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A table as claimed in claim 5, wherein the table includes a chimney and a flu communicating between the chimney and the combustion chamber. *fl S S* DATED this 25th day of August, 1999 Bao He Zhang By his Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE