GB2496929A - A food retaining receptacle to aid cooking within a kettle. - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooking utensil 1 comprising a receptacle body 5 for holding food (e.g. an egg) within a kettle for boiling. A support arm 25 that may be resiliently deformable is coupled to the receptacle body. In use the arm is retained between the kettles s body and its closed lid. Water movement between the receptacles interior and the kettle may occur where the receptacle body has a plurality of cage forming arms and where a mesh or net-like web material spans adjacent arms. A cap 7 may be pivotally mounted to the receptacle body allowing at least partial closure of the receptacle body. The arm may be adjustably coupled to the receptacle body allowing alteration of the food receptacles location within the kettle. A retainer (37, Fig2) possessing a clip may be adjustably coupled to the arm, so allowing it to be clipped to the edge of a pot or pan.

Description

COOKING UTENSIL

Field

The present invention relates to a cooking utensil.

In one embodiment the invention relates to a utensil that may be employed to cook food within a kettle. The food to be cooked may comprise, for example, an egg; and in one envisaged implementation the utensil may also be employed for cooking food (such as an egg) in a saucepan.

In the disclosure that follows particular reference will be made to use of the utensil disclosed herein for cooking an egg, but it will be appreciated and should be noted that this application is merely illustrative of the teachings of the invention, and hence should not be read as being a limitation of the scope of the present invention.

Background

Eggs are often cooked by pouring some water into a pot or saucepan, bringing that water to the boil, and then placing the egg in the boiling water. The egg is then left in the boiling or hot water for a period of time that varies in dependence upon whether the person consuming the egg wants the yolk of the egg to be soft or hard. Once the appropriate period of time has elapsed, the egg can be fished out of the pot with a spoon or the boiled water can be poured through a colander (or other like strainer) to capture the egg.

This traditional method for cooking eggs has several disadvantages. For example, if a user wants to get the egg out of the pot and does not have access to a long enough spoon, they might not be able to reach the bottom of the pot where the egg tends to sit during and after boiling. Even when the user has a spoon (or similar tool) long enough to reach the egg, the risk of the user scalding themselves or spilling hot water and hurting themselves or dropping (and potentially damaging the egg) is high.

This is particularly the case for disabled users whose motor skills may not be up to the task of balancing an egg on a spoon and withdrawing it from a pot of boiling water.

Another disadvantage of such a technique is that since one would normally fill the pot with water from the cold tap, it can take a considerable amount of time for the water in the pot to boil (often as long as, if not longer, than it takes for the egg to cook).

Even if one were to use water from the hot tap, it will still take much longer to boil the water than would be required to boil water in a kettle, for example.

To address such disadvantages it has previously been proposed to boil eggs in an electric kettle, and whilst such an approach would doubtless be quicker than boiling eggs in a pan on a stove, it will be appreciated that dropping eggs into a kettle full of water could cause the eggs to break, whereupon it will be difficult -if not impossible -to clean the inside of the kettle (particularly if the egg should coat the element of the kettle).

It will also be appreciated that although it would be relatively easy to remove the boiled water from the kettle at the appropriate time, it will be difficult to remove the eggs from inside the kettle once they are cooked without inverting the kettle or reaching inside it -each of which could cause an injury to the person boiling the egg.

The present invention has been devised with the foregoing in mind.

Summary

In accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a cooking utensil for use with a kettle that comprises a kettle body closable by a lid, the utensil comprising: a receptacle for food to be cooked; and a support arm that is coupled to the food receptacle and is configured to be retained between the lid and the body of the kettle when the lid is closed; the arrangement being such that the receptacle may be immersed in water provided within the kettle with the arm retained between the lid and body of the kettle.

In this embodiment, food to be cooked can be placed in the receptacle and located inside a kettle for cooking. The arm functions primarily as an aid for retrieving the receptacle from within the kettle, but could function as a means for suspending the receptacle within the kettle to facilitate fluid flow around the receptacle and food contained therein.

The receptacle may comprise a receptacle body that defines an internal volume for receiving food, and a cap moveable relative to said body to at least partly close said internal volume and retain said food therewithin.

In one arrangement, the receptacle body is configured so that water can move into and out of said internal volume.

The receptacle body may comprise, for example, a plurality of arms that co-operate to form a cage that defines said internal volume. The receptacle body may comprise a mesh-or net-like web of material that extends between adjacent arms of said plurality of arms.

The receptacle may be adjustably coupled to said support arm so that the position of said receptacle relative to said arm may be changed.

The utensil may comprise a retainer coupled to said support arm.

The retainer may be adjustably coupled to said support arm so that the position of said retainer relative to said arm may be changed.

The retainer may comprise a clip that may be clipped to the rim of a pan or pot.

In one implementation the retainer may be decoupled from said arm.

The receptacle may, alternatively or additionally, be decoupled from said arm.

In preferred arrangements, the support arm is resiliently compressible, at least in part.

Other features, aspects and advantages of the teachings of the invention will be

apparent from the following detailed description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Various aspects of the teachings of the present invention, and arrangements embodying those teachings, will hereafter be described by way of illustrative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a schematic elevation of a cooking utensil according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic elevation of a cooking utensil according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 3 and 4 are schematic perspective views of different pads of a component of the utensils depicted in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a component of the utensil depicted in Fig. 2: and Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of another component of the utensil depicted in Fig. 2.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

As mentioned above, in the disclosure that follows particular reference will be made to use of the utensil disclosed herein for cooking an egg, but it will be appreciated and should be noted that this application is merely illustrative of the teachings of the invention, and hence should not be read as being a limitation of the scope of the present invention. For example, the utensil disclosed herein could well be employed for cooking of a variety of different foodstuffs, and as such should not be construed as being limited merely to a utensil for boiling eggs.

With the above proviso in mind, reference will now be made to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings in which there is depicted a cooking utensil 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The cooking utensil 1 of this embodiment comprises a foodstuff receptacle 3 into which food (for example, an egg) may be placed for cooking. As can more clearly be appreciated from Fig. 3, in this embodiment the receptacle 3 comprises a base part 5 which defines an internal volume 9 into which the foodstuff to be cooked may be placed.

A cap 7 (shown in Fig. 4) is attached to the base part 5 and is pivotable with respect thereto between a first position where access may be had to the internal volume 9. and a second position where the internal volume is closed off (at least partially) so that the foodstuff placed within the receptacle 3 is retained within it.

In use it is intended that the receptacle should be immersed in a boiling liquid, such as water, so that the heat from the liquid heats and cooks the foodstuff located within the receptacle. In this particular embodiment the receptacle 3 resembles a cage so that hot or boiling liquid may pass freely around the periphery of the foodstuff whilst it cooks. To this end, the base part 5 comprises four peripheral arms 11. The arms 11 curve to meet at a point distal from a rim 13 that defines the entrance to the internal volume 9, and the cap 7 includes a central aperture 15.

Whilst this arrangement is convenient for cooking an egg, for example! it will be appreciated that it may not be appropriate for some other foodstuffs. To that end, the first portion could comprise a greater or fewer number of arms. Similarly, the cap need not necessarily be provided with an aperture. In fact, in one envisaged embodiment the first portion and cap may cooperate to provide an internal volume that is entirely sealed from water (for example) that is boiling outside of the receptacle, and in this instance the cap or first portion may comprise a pressure relief valve operable to relieve pressure within the receptacle as the foodstuff is heated therein.

In a preferred arrangement, the cap 7 and base part 5 are configured so that the cap 7 locks to the base pad 5 when the cap is moved to close (at least partly) the internal volume 9 of the base part 5. In one envisaged arrangement (shown in Fig. 4) the cap 7 is provided with a tongue 17 that extends from a rim 19 of the cap 7 and carries, towards an end distal from the rim, an inwardly projecting rib 21 that locates in a slot 26 (Fig. 3) provided in the rim 13 of the base parts. The tongue is resiliently flexible and the cap 7 includes an outwardly extending tab 23 that can be manipulated to outwardly flex the tongue and thereby release the rib from the slot 26 in the base part rim 13 to permit access to be had to the internal volume 9 (and any foodstuff located therein).

Referring again to Fig. 1, the utensil 1 further comprises a support arm 25 that is provided with a plurality of spaced ribs 27 (in this particular instance, four spaced ribs) towards one end of the arm. The support arm 25 is configured to co-operate with a slot 29 provided in a tab 31 that extends laterally outwardly from the rim 13 of the base part 5. Specifically, the arm 25 is configured so that it can be slid through the slot 29 to enable the position of the base part 5 relative to the arm to be adjusted. The ribs 27 extend laterally from the arm to retain the base part 5 in a selected position relative to the arm 25, and are preferably of a resiliently deformable material (such as silicone rubber, for example) so that a user can apply tension to the arm and pull the ribs 27 through the slot 29 until the base pad is retained at a desired position relative to the arm when the base part is suspended from the arm (i.e. in the orientation generally depicted in Figs. 1 and 2). In a particularly preferred implementation, both the arm and the ribs are of a resiliently deformable material (such as silicone, for example) that is capable of withstanding being immersed in boiling water. The arm can either be stiff so that it always assumes a generally linear shape, or can be flexible so that it can assume a non-linear shape, and in either case it is preferred for the arm to be thin enough or sufficiently resiliently compressible (at least in part) so that it can be jammed between the lid and body of a kettle so that the automatic switch-off function of the kettle is not prevented from operating.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing, the teachings of this aspect of the present invention provide a utensil that facilitates the cooking of foodstuff in a kettle, and facilitates the removal of that foodstuff (once cooked) from the kettle.

Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a cooking utensil 33 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of a support arm of this utensil, and Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a retainer of this utensil.

This embodiment is similar in many respects to the preceding embodiment, and for convenience like features are designated with like reference numerals.

The principal difference between the utensil of this embodiment and that of the first embodiment is that in this arrangement the support arm 25 is provided with a second set of spaced ribs 35 (in this instance, four spaced ribs) towards its other end.

This second set of ribs 35 co-operate with a retainer 37 that is operable to couple the support arm 25 to the side of a vessel in which the food receptacle is received. The retainer 37 can be slid up and down the arm 35 to adjust its position relative to the arm, and as with the food receptacle 3 the second set of ribs 35 are configured so that the retainer stays at a selected position until a tension is applied to the arm to pull one or more of the ribs through a slot 39 (Fig. 6) provided in one end of the retainer.

In this particular embodiment an end of the retainer 37 remote from the slot 39 is bifurcated to provide a clip 41 formed by two arms 43, 45 that can be prised apart and fitted onto the rim of a pot, for example, in which the food receptacle 3 is located so that the position of the food receptacle in the pot is controlled. In this connection it is preferred for the retainer to be formed of a resilient material, such as a plastics material.

When the utensil of this embodiment is used with a kettle, it is likely that the retainer cannot be clipped to the side of the kettle without preventing the lid of the kettle from being closed (and thereby interfering with the automatic shut-off function of the kettle). This notwithstanding, the presence of the retainer outside the kettle body makes it easier for a user to retrieve the food receptacle from within the kettle.

In a modification of this embodiment, the retainer 37 need not be adjustable on the arm 25, and could instead be hinged to the arm, for example by means of a so-called living hinge. In another arrangement, the retainer could comprise a sucker that is stuck onto the outside of the pan or kettle, and that sucker could either be hinged to the arm in a fixed position or adjustably coupled to the arm -for example by means of a barbed peg that can be engaged with one of a plurality of holes in the arm.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the teachings of the present invention provide a utensil that can be employed to facilitate the cooking of foodstuffs in a kettle.

It will also be appreciated that whilst various aspects and embodiments of the present invention have heretofore been described, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the particular arrangements set out herein and instead extends to encompass all arrangements, and modifications and alterations thereto, which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

For example, in an alternative implementation of the present invention the arm 25 could be provided with one or more hook-like protrusions on which the food receptacle could be hung. In another arrangement a hook-like protrusion may instead be provided on the receptacle and the arm could be provided with a plurality of apertures.

In yet further implementations of the present invention it envisaged that the utensil may be configured as a single unitary device with a fixed relative spacing of the food receptacle and retainer. It is also envisaged that the food receptacle need not necessarily include a cap.

It is also envisaged that the base part may include a mesh-or net-like web of material that extends between the arms 11. In this configuration, the implement could also be employed as a means for separating the yolk and white of an egg or (if the pore size of the mesh or net is sufficiently small) as a sieve.

Lastly, it should also be noted that whilst the accompanying claims set out particular combinations of features described herein, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the particular combinations hereafter claimed, but instead extends to encompass any combination of features herein disclosed.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>CLAIMS1. A cooking utensil for use with a kettle that comprises a kettle body closable by a lid, the utensil comprising: a receptacle for food to be cooked; and a support arm that is coupled to the food receptacle and is configured to be retained between the lid and the body of the kettle when the lid is closed; the arrangement being such that the receptacle may be immersed in water provided within the kettle with the arm retained between the lid and body of the kettle.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A utensil according to Claim 1, wherein said receptacle comprises a receptacle body that defines an internal volume for receiving food, and a cap moveable relative to said body to at least partly close said internal volume and retain said food therewithin.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A utensil accordingly to Claim 2, wherein at least said receptacle body is configured so that water can move into and out of said internal volume.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A utensil according to Claim 3, wherein said receptacle body comprises a plurality of arms that co-operate to form a cage that defines said internal volume.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A utensil according to Claim 4, wherein said receptacle body comprises a mesh-or net-like web of material that extends between adjacent arms of said plurality of arms.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A utensil according to any preceding claim, wherein said receptacle is adjustably coupled to said support arm so that the position of said receptacle relative to said arm may be changed.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A utensil according to any preceding claim, further comprising a retainer coupled to said support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A utensil according to Claim 7, wherein said retainer is adjustably coupled to said support arm so that the position of said retainer relative to said arm may be changed.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A utensil according to Claim 8, wherein said retainer comprises a clip that may be clipped to the rim of a pan or pot.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A utensil according to any of Claims 7 to 9, wherein said retainer may be decoupled from said support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A utensil according to any preceding claim, wherein said receptacle may be decoupled from said support arm.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. A utensil according to any preceding claim, wherein said support arm is resiliently compressible, at least in part.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. A cooking utensil substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>