GB2280097A

GB2280097A - Double omelette pan

Info

Publication number: GB2280097A
Application number: GB9314383A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Amuludun; Santo Surace
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-12
Filing date: 1993-07-12
Publication date: 1995-01-25
Also published as: GB9314383D0

Abstract

A cooking utensil is constituted by a pair of substantially identical bowl-shaped pan members (3a) and a handle (3b). The internal surface (7) of each of the pan members (3a) constitutes a cooking surface, and the two pan members are such that they can be placed one upon the other to define a completely closed space delimited by the two cooking surfaces. Each pan member may be provided with an integral electric heating element. The utensil may be further provided with a base (B) which has an electric plug (1) connectible to the socket of either of the pan members. <IMAGE>

Description

COOKING UTENSIL This invention relates to a cooking utensil, and in particular to an omelette pan.

The present invention provides a cooking utensil constituted by a pair of substantially identical bowlshaped pan members and a handle, the internal surface of each of the pan members constituting a cooking surface, and the two pan members being such that they can be placed one upon the other to define a completely closed space delimited by the two cooking surfaces.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the pan members is provided with an electric heating element encapsulated in the wall of the pan member. In this case, the electric heating element of each pan member is electrically connected to an electric socket provided in the outwardlyfacing surface of that pan member. Advantageously, the utensil is further constituted by a base member for supporting the pan members. Preferably, the base is provided with an electric plug which is electrically connectible to the socket of either of the pan members.

Conveniently, each of the pan members is integrally formed, from a thermosetting plastics material such as Bakelite, with a handle member, the two handle members defining the handle of the utensil when the two pan members are positioned to define said completely closed space.

Advantageously, the two pan members are hingedly connected to one another.

Preferably, each cooking surface is covered by a polytetrafluoroethylene non-stick coating.

An omelette pan constructed in accordance with the invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective of the omelette pan, together with its base; FIG. 2 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, of the omelette pan and base; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the omelette pan and base, and shows the pan in an open position; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pan in a closed position; and FIG. 5 is a cut-away perspective view of the pan.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows an omelette pan P and a base B, both of which are made of Bakelite. The base B is provided with a two-pin electric plug 1 connectible by a power lead 2 to a mains electric power supply. The pan P is of two-part construction, having two identical halves 3 connected together by a hinge 4. Each pan half 3 has an elliptical (8 inches by 4 inches) cooking bowl 3a, and a handle 3b. At its centre, each bowl 3a is about 1F inches in depth. As shown in Fig. 5, a metallic heating element 5 is provided in the material constituting the base of the bowl 3a of each pan half 3. The heating element 5 of each bowl 3a is electrically connected to a respective two-pin socket 6 provided on the outer surface of that bowl 3a. The inside surface 7 of each bowl 3a is covered with polytetrafluoroethylene.Each pan half is provided with an indicator light 8.

In use the omelette mix is poured into one of the bowls 3a, the other bowl is moved into the closed position (see Fig. 4), and the pan P is positioned in the base B with the socket 6 of the lower bowl in mating engagement with the plug 1 of the base. The omelette is cooked for 2 minutes with the mixture in the original lower bowl 3a. The pan P is then lifted from the base B, turned through 1800, and placed back on the base with the socket 6 of the other bowl 3a in mating engagement with the plug 1. The cooking of the omelette is then completed by heating the mixture for 2 minutes in the bowl 3a which is now the lower bowl.

In this way, the omelette is cooked on both sides without having to turn the omelette over manually, as is necessary with known omelette pans. Another advantage of this omelette pan P is the ease with which a cooked omelette can be removed from the pan without being deformed. Thus, to remove a cooked omelette, it is necessary only to lift the upper bowl 3a, and slide the omelette onto a plate by tilting the lower bowl. It is not necessary to use a spoon or spatula (which could deform the omelette) to scrape the omelette out of the pan.

A respective thermostat (not shown) is associated with each of the heating elements, thereby ensuring that omelettes are cooked at the optimum temperature.

Alternatively, a single thermostat is provided, in the base B, for controlling whichever of the heating elements 5 is in use.

It will be apparent that modifications could be made to the omelette pan described above. Thus, each of the bowls 3a could be of other shapes and sizes than those referred to above. For example, the bowls 3a could be of circular or semi-circular configuration. Also, depending upon the number of eggs used per omelette (the size described is specifically for omelets having 2, 3 or 4 eggs), the bowls 3a could be dimensioned differently. It would also be possible to make the inside surfaces 7 of the bowls 3a of aluminium, copper, brass or stainless steel.

In a modified embodiment, the base B would not be provided with a plug and electric power lead, and the bowls 3a would not be provided with heating elements 5 and sockets 6. In this case, the pan would be heated externally, for example by a gas ring. Here again, however, the advantages of the invention would be obtained by heating the two bowl halves 3a in turn for say 2 minutes.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cooking utensil constituted by a pair of substantially identical bowl-shaped pan members and a handle, the internal surface of each of the pan members constituting a cooking surface, and the two pan members being such that they can be placed one upon the other to define a completely closed space delimited by the two cooking surfaces.

2. A cooking utensil as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the pan members is provided with an electric heating element encapsulated in the wall of the pan member.

3. A cooking utensil as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electric heating element of each pan member is electrically connected to an electric socket provided in the outwardlyfacing surface of that pan member.

4. A cooking utensil as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the utensil is further constituted by a base member for supporting the pan members.

5. A cooking utensil as claimed in claim 4, wherein the base is provided with an electric plug which is electrically connectible to the socket of either of the pan members.

6. A cooking utensil as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the pan members is integrally formed,

from a thermosetting plastics material such as Bakelite, with a handle member, the two handle members defining the handle of the utensil when the two pan members are positioned to define said completely closed space.

7. A cooking utensil as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the two pan members are hingedly connected to one another.

8. A cooking utensil as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein each cooking surface is covered by a polytetrafluoroethylene non-stick coating.