GB2171591A

GB2171591A - An under-mat

Info

Publication number: GB2171591A
Application number: GB08604395A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Svein Eide; Arnold Vigdel
Original assignee: Ardal og Sunndal Verk AS
Current assignee: Ardal og Sunndal Verk AS
Priority date: 1985-02-22
Filing date: 1986-02-21
Publication date: 1986-09-03
Also published as: NO860649L; SE8600775D0; GB8604395D0; DK161662B; NO157283B; DK161662C; DE3506280A1; DK81286D0; DK81286A; NO157283C; FI83027B; FI83027C; SE461889B; DE3506280C2; SE8600775L; FI860775A; FI860775A0

Abstract

The invention relates to an under-mat for a cooking pot or pan such as a saucepan, a frying pan and the like, having a magnetizable base layer. The under-mat is designed according to the invention as a disc (1) and has at least one permanent magnet (5) and a standing face (4) composed at least in part of a material which is a poor conductor of heat. The under-mat adheres automatically to the cooking pot or pan and thus protects the respective setting surface from contamination adhering to the cooking pot and from the action of heat. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An under-mat The invention relates to an under-mat for a cooking pot or pan having a magnetizable base layer.

Nowadays, most cooking pots and pans such as saucepans, frying pans, kettles and the like have such an attractive form and such pretty decoration that they can be placed directly on the table. This has a further advantage that the hot cooking pots and pans keep the contents warm or hot for longer and additional pots and pans need not be used and washed up. However, a disadvantage resides in the fact that an under-mat usually has to be placed on the table beforehand to protect the respective surface on which it is set, for example on a table, from dirt which may be adhering to the base of the cooking pots and pans and from heat. If the undermat is forgotten, however, and a hot cooking pot is held in the hands, there is no hand free to grasp and position an under-mat.When removing some contents, the cooking pot or pan often slides from the under-mat and causes soiling and/or heat damage.

An object of the invention is to provide an undermat for cooking pots and pans having a magnetizable base layer which does not have to be covered beforehand and which prevents the pot from sliding off the under-mat even during relatively strong stirring movements.

This object is achieved by an under-mat having the features of the present invention.

According to the present invention there is provided an under-mat for a cooking pot or pan having a magnetizable base layer, which is designed as a disc and which has at least one permanent magnet and a standing surface composed at least in part of a material which is a poor conductor of heat.

The invention is described in more detail below by embodiments which illustrate only a selection of possible variations and combinations with reference to schematic drawings which are not true to scale.

Figure 1a is a cross-section of an under-mat composed of sheet metal.

Figure 1 b is a plan view from the side of an undermat composed of sheet metal.

Figure 2 shows half of the under-mat according to Figure 1 in a plan view from above.

Figure 3 shows an under-mat in the form of solid disc in a cross-section along the radius.

Figure 4 shows an under-mat in the form of a box with lid in cross-section along the radius.

The under-mat is preferably circular in design as most cooking pots and pans have circular bases though they can have other rounded forms, for example they can be designed as ovals, ellipses or as a triangle, rectangle, pentagon or other polygon.

Figures 1 and 2 show an embodiment of an undermat comprising a disc 1 with a downwardly angled edge 2. The free end 3 of the edge 2 is joined to a separate ring 4 which acts as a standing surface.

Permanent magnets 5 are fixed symmetrically to the central axis in the centre and/or in the edge region of the disc 1 on its inwardly directed face.

The disc 1 is produced from sheet metal (for example from brass, copper, steel etc). Flat grooves 6 or furrows in a concentric arrangement can be provided to stiffen discs 1 of relatively large diameter. Edge grooves 6' can also serve to receive contents of a pot which might flow out when scooping at the outer edge of a pot. The ring 4 is composed of a material which is a poor conductor of heat, for example wood dr plastics material. It is joined in any manner to the free end 3 of the angled edge 2, for example by adhesion, clamping in a groove, by nails, screws of rivets. The free end 3 can also be angled and secured in the ring by this further angled end.

The embodiment of an under-mat shown in Figure 3 comprises a disc 2 of heat-resistant plastics material into which the permanent magnets 5 are completely embedded. In this arrangement, the standing surface is an integral part of the disc 1 which is therefore composed completely of a material which is a poor conductor of heat. In a variation (not shown) of this under-mat, the disc 1 is provided with recesses in a surface into which the permanent magnets 5 are subsequently inserted.

This is the simplest solution in terms of production as the disc can be cast or shaped in one operation.

These variations can also have an angled edge 2' which can be worked in the form of individual feet.

Feet for radial or concentric supporting ribs 7 (shown in broken lines in Figure 3) can optionally also be provided in the central region.

These variations can also be produced from a ceramic or glass material.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the disc 1 has an angled edge 2 and acts as a lid 8 for a box 9 which is open on one side and the base 10 of which acts as a standing face. The edge 2 of the lid preferably passes over the edge of the box 11. The join between the lid 8 and box 9 can be produced detachably, for example by catch, bayonet or screw fittings or rigidly by adhesion, rivet or welded connections. To reduce the contact surface and to compensate for irregularities in a setting surface, the base can also have annular or point-like projections 12 acting as standing surface. Holders 13 for the permanent magnets 5 which can act as supports 14 between the lid 8 and the box base 10 at the same time can be arranged in the interior of the under-mat.

A decorative strip 15 (Figure 4) can be provided around the periphery ofthe under-mat. The ring 4 of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 can also be designed as a decorative strip. The ornamental or decorative strip can also be composed of a precious metal or can be coated with it.

The permanent magnet 5 is fixed on the disc 1 by adhesion or by welded clips 16 (Figure 1) or in any other manner depending on the material selected for the disc 1.

As many cooking pots and pans are designed with a central indentation nowadays, the centrally arranged permanent magnets 5' (shown in Figure 1) for such cooking pots and pans can also project over the surface of the disc 1 so that the cooking pot or pan can be arranged centrally on the under-mat in a simple manner.

A cooking pot or pan with a magnetizable base layer, for example of iron or iron-containing alloys, of the type present, for example, in all enamelled pots and many new metal pots having multi-layered bases is removed from the heating position and then placed directly on the under-mat. The undermat then adheres to the cooking pot or pan due to the magnetic forces and is placed, for example, on the dining table together with the pot. Soiling by contamination originating from the heating position or from over-flowing food as well as damage to the setting surface by the hot cooking pots and pans are thus avoided. The risk of the cooking pot or pan sliding off the under-mat is substantially eliminated by the adhering power of the magnets and the frictional forces thus produced. The flow of heat from the hot cooking pot or pan to the standing face is interrupted by selecting at least a proportion of the standing surface from a material which is a poor conductor of heat, so that transfer of heat is avoided.

Claims

1. An under-mat for a cooking pot or pan having a magnetizable base layer, which is designed as a disc and which has at least one permanent magnet and a standing surface composed at least in part of a material which is a poor conductor of heat.

2. An under-mat according to claim 1, in which permanent magnets are arranged in the centre andl or in the edge region of the under-mat.

3. An under-mat according to claim 1 or 2, in which the permanent magnets are embedded completely in the disc.

4. An under-mat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the centrally arranged permanent magnet projects over the surface of the disc.

5. An under-mat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the disc has an angled edge.

6. An under-mat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the free end of the edge forms the standing surface.

7. An under-mat according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the edge is joined to a separate standing surface.

8. An under-mat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the disc is designed as a lid and the standing surface as a box, the lid and box being joined together.

9. An under-mat according to claim 8, wherein holders for the magnets are fixed on the interior of the lid.

10. An under-mat according to claim 9, wherein supports are arranged between the lid and the box base.

11. An under-mat according to claim 10, wherein the holders are also supports.

12. An under-mat according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the under-mat has a decorative strip.

13. An under-mat according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the box and/or the disc are provided with concentric-and/or radial grooves and/or ribs arranged at a distance from one another.

14. An under-mat substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.