GB2479588A - Measuring cone - Google Patents

Abstract

A food measuring device 1 for measuring out a food ingredient comprises a furlable sheet 3 that can be rolled from a substantially flat condition into an operational condition in which the sheet 3 forms a conical measuring receptacle. Attachment means may comprise a popper arrangement with a protrusion (17) on one part of the sheet that engages, when the sheet 3 is in the operational condition, with recess 19 on an opposed part of the sheet 3. They are operative to attach the opposed parts of the sheet together to retain the sheet in the operational condition such that the receptacle formed has a volume which corresponds to a predetermined measure of the food ingredient. The volume of the receptacle may correspond to a single portion of the food ingredient with reference to a guideline calorific content of the food ingredient.

Description

A FOOD MEASURING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a food measuring device particularly but not exclusively for use in a domestic kitchen.

It can be desirable when preparing food to be able to measure some or all of the ingredients used. This may be to ensure a recipe is followed and/or to help produce the correct volume of food. Increasingly there can also be a desire to be able to regulate the calorific content of a meal to ensure portion sizes are within certain guidelines.

Weighing scales are well known for measuring the weight of ingredients but this process can be relatively time consuming and unwieldy, and the scales take up valuable space in the kitchen. It is also not apparent from the scales themselves how much of a given ingredient is required to achieve a desired portion size or a required calorific content.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a food measuring device for measuring out a food ingredient, the device comprising a furlable sheet that can be rolled from a substantially flat condition into an operational condition in which the sheet forms a conical measuring receptacle, attachment means being provided on opposed parts of the sheet and being operative, when the sheet is in the operational condition, to attach the opposed parts of the sheet together to retain the sheet in the operational condition such that the receptacle formed has a volume which corresponds to a predetermined measure of the food ingredient.

Thus the receptacle may be filled with the food ingredient in question such that the user of the device knows that, when so filled, there is a predetermined amount of the food ingredient in the receptacle.

The volume of the receptacle may correspond to a single portion of the food ingredient in question. The portion may be predetermined with reference to a guideline calorific content of the food ingredient.

Preferably the sheet comprises a substantially circular sheet having a segment removed to define two opposed margins inclined at an angle relative to one another, the two opposed margins being moved together to form the receptacle.

Preferably the angle is obtuse.

Preferably at least one of the margins is reinforced so as to be less flexible than the remainder of the sheet.

Said margin may comprise a raised ridge extending along said margin.

Preferably the attachment means comprises a popper arrangement comprising a protrusion on one part of the sheet that engages, when the sheet is in the operational condition, with a recess on another part of the sheet.

Preferably the recess comprises an aperture.

Preferably the protrusion comprises a barbed finger.

Preferably a plurality of attachment means are provided, spaced apart along one part of the sheet such that the sheet can be rolled to form a plurality of conical receptacles of different volumes, each volume corresponding to a respective attachment means such that the opposed parts of the sheet can be attached to retain the device in the operational condition to define a receptacle of the particular volume required.

Preferably one part of the sheet comprises indicia provided adjacent the attachment means, indicative of the food ingredient corresponding to the receptacle volume formed.

Preferably another part of the sheet comprises a window positioned to be aligned with a given indicia when the device is in the operational condition such that the given indicia can be viewed through the window to indicate the food ingredient to be measured for the volume of receptacle formed.

Other aspects of the present invention may include any combination of the features or limitations referred to herein.

The present invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a food measuring device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view from below of the device of Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is a perspective of the device of Figures 1 to 3 in an operational condition; Figure 5 is a plan view of another food measuring device in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 6 is a plan view of a further food measuring device in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a food measuring device 1 comprises a sheet of flexible material 3 of circular outline having an obtuse segment 5 removed to define opposed, straight, sheet margins 7, 9.

One of the margins 9 is reinforced by way of a ridge 11 that extends along the margin 9.

The sheet 3 is thus arranged to be rolled from a flat condition as can be seen in Figures 1 to 3, to an operational condition as can be seen in Figure 4. In the operational condition, the sheet 3 forms a conical receptacle 13, with the parts of the sheet adjacent each margin 7, 9 overlapping 15 to some extent.

The device 1 further comprises attachment means operative to attach the overlapping parts 15 of the sheet 3 together to retain the sheet 3 in the operational condition.

The attachment means comprises a popper arrangement comprising a protrusion that engages a recess. In this example the protrusion comprises a barbed finger 17 on the underside of the sheet 3 adjacent margin 7. A plurality of recesses in the form of apertures 19a to 19g are spaced in a curved line extending away from reinforced margin 9. The aperture 19a is radially closer to the curved periphery of the sheet 3 than the aperture 19g.

The protrusion 17 can be pressed in use through any one of the apertures 19a to l9g to form the conical receptacle 13, the spacing of the apertures 19a to l9g being such that a receptacle 13 of different volume is defined for each different aperture 19a to l9g.

Adjacent each aperture 19a to 19g is respective indicia 21a to 21g which indicates the food ingredient corresponding to the aperture 19a to 19g that is to be used to define the volume of receptacle 13 for that particular food ingredient.

On a part of the sheet 3 adjacent protrusion 17 is an elongate viewing window 23 which is arranged to be aligned with one of the indicia 21a to 21g when the sheet 3 is in the operational condition.

In this example, the device 1 is for use with pasta, grains and cereal. If the user wishes to measure a portion of cereal flakes, they roll the sheet 3 such that aperture 19b is aligned with protrusion 17. Indicia 21b would be visible through window 23. The receptacle 13 formed when the protrusion 17 is pressed through aperture 19b is of the volume required to measure a predetermined amount of cereal flakes. This amount may be predetermined by any convenient measure such as weight or calorific content for example. If the latter, the user knows that by filling the receptacle formed using aperture 19b they will obtain a measure of cereal flakes of a given calorific content. This may be predetermined with reference to portion size information as provided by an independent body or the government for example.

Thus, the device 1 provides a simple, easy to use, non-electrically powered and compact device for measuring food ingredients to control the amount of a given food ingredient used in a recipe, or the calorific content of a food ingredient for example. The device 1 when in the non-operational condition is of course flat and so may be easily stored in a kitchen drawer without taking up excessive space.

It is envisaged that the sheet 3 be formed from a silicone material although any other suitably flexible material may alternatively be used.

The ridge 11 on margin 9 may be formed from additional material of the sheet 3 or may be provided by a supplementary component, of different material, attached to sheet 3.

It is envisaged that the apertures 19a to 19f could instead comprise protrusions, and the protrusion 1? could instead comprise an aperture.

Likewise, the described popper arrangement is an example only and may be replaced with any other alternative attachment means.

An example alternative attachment means would be a set of magnets to replace the apertures 19a to 19f, and a further magnet to replace protrusion 1?.

The apertures 19a to 19f may be replaced with recesses that do not fully penetrate the sheet 3.

With reference to figures 5 and 6, modified devices 1 are shown for use with different food groups, namely fruit and vegetables, and peas and beans. The principle of operation is as described above with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

Claims (14)

1. CLAIMS1. A food measuring device for measuring out a food ingredient, the device comprising a furlable sheet that can be rolled from a substantially flat condition into an operational condition in which the sheet forms a conical measuring receptacle, attachment means being provided on opposed parts of the sheet and being operative, when the sheet is in the operational condition, to attach the opposed parts of the sheet together to retain the sheet in the operational condition such that the receptacle formed has a volume which corresponds to a predetermined measure of the food ingredient.
2. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the volume of the receptacle corresponds to a single portion of the food ingredient in question.
3. 3. The device of claim 2 wherein the portion is predetermined with reference to a guideline calorific content of the food ingredient.
4. 4. The device of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the sheet comprises a substantially circular sheet having a segment removed to define two opposed margins inclined at an angle relative to one another, the two opposed margins being moved together to form the receptacle.
5. 5. The device of claim 4 wherein the angle is obtuse.
6. 6. The device of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein at least one of the margins is reinforced so as to be less flexible than the remainder of the sheet.
7. 7. The device of claim 6 wherein said margin comprises a raised ridge extending along said margin.
8. 8. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the attachment means comprises a popper arrangement comprising a protrusion on one part of the sheet that engages, when the sheet is in the operational condition, with a recess on another part of the sheet.
9. 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the recess comprises an aperture.
10. 10. The device of claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the protrusion comprises a barbed finger.
11. 11. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of attachment means are provided, spaced apart along one part of the sheet such that the sheet can be rolled to form a plurality of conical receptacles of different volumes, each volume corresponding to a respective attachment means such that the opposed parts of the sheet can be attached to retain the device in the operational condition to define a receptacle of the particular volume required.
12. 12. The device of claim 11 wherein one part of the sheet comprises indicia provided adjacent the attachment means, indicative of the food ingredient corresponding to the receptacle volume formed.
13. 13. The device of claim 12 wherein another part of the sheet comprises a window positioned to be aligned with a given indicia when the device is in the operational condition such that the given indicia can be viewed through the window to indicate the food ingredient to be measured for the volume of receptacle formed.
14. 14. A device substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings.