WO2001008988A1

WO2001008988A1 - A plate

Info

Publication number: WO2001008988A1
Application number: PCT/GB2000/002855
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeannette Yates
Original assignee: Tec Chef Limited
Priority date: 1999-07-31
Filing date: 2000-07-25
Publication date: 2001-02-08
Also published as: GB9917890D0; AU6298000A

Abstract

The present invention provides a plate (2, 20) having an upper surface (4, 40) and an opposing lower surface (6, 60), said lower surface (6, 60) being adapted to provide a drip point (18, 180) for condensed liquid, said upper surface (4, 40) having a downwardly sloping peripheral edge (8, 80) and said drip point (18, 180) being located below the sloping section (8, 80) of said upper surface (4, 40).

Description

A PLATE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to plates especially, although not exclusively to plates on which food or drink can be heated. In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the term plate refers to any plate, bowl, dish, cup, saucer, receptacle or body suitable for use with food or drink, and its plural form shall be construed accordingly.

Background of the Invention

In recent years new forms of cookery have become common throughout the world. In particular, steaming food and microwave cookery are widely used.

There are several methods of steaming foodstuffs. Generally, these involve placing the foodstuff inside a chamber through which a heating or cooking vapour passes. The chamber may be a steamer basket of an electrical steaming device. Alternatively, the chamber may be a steamer basket, which is positioned in a pan, for example a wok, a saucepan or a roasting dish, which pan provides a source of heating or cooking vapour. Both electrical steaming devices and steamer basket for use with pans frequently comprise two or more chambers that can be stacked one above another.

Microwave cookery is commonly used for re-heating foodstuffs, including beverages. Generally, the foodstuff is placed on a plate or in a container and placed inside the cavity of a microwave oven for cooking or re-heating. In order to utilise the maximum space within the cavity of a microwave oven, support devices have been designed which allow two or more plates to be stacked, one above another, for simultaneous heating or cooking.

A problem associated with both steaming foodstuffs and microwave cookery results from the technique of stacking multiple plates one above another during the cooking or heating process.

Often when foodstuffs are heated or cooked liquids, such as water, are emitted from the foodstuff in the form of a vapour. When multiple plates are stacked one above another, vapour emitted from a lower plate of foodstuff rises upwards and condenses on the underside of an upper plate. The condensed liquid generally forms droplets which eventually fall from the underside of the upper plate and contaminate the foodstuff located on the lower plate.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention aim to overcome or obviate the disadvantages encountered with the prior art, whether referred to herein or otherwise.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a plate having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, said lower surface being adapted to provide a drip point for condensed liquid, said upper surface having a downwardly sloping peripheral edge and said drip point being located below the sloping section of said upper surface. Suitably, the lower surface comprises a recess. The recess may comprise a side wall having a substantially outwardly sloping peripheral region. The recess may have a conical or modified conical cross-section. Suitably, the peripheral edge of the recess provides the drip point .

Alternatively, the lower surface may comprise a ridge, which ridge provides the drip point . The lower surface may otherwise be substantially planar. However, the lower surface may otherwise comprise a recess as described in the previous paragraph. In this case, the ridge may be located at any suitable point in the recess, although the ridge is suitably located towards the peripheral edge of the recess.

Suitably, the drip point is located towards the outer edge of the plate.

The upper surface of the plate suitably comprises a peripheral sloping section, which provides the downwardly sloping peripheral edge, and a central section.

The central section may have any suitable cross-sectional shape. Suitably, the central section is substantially planar. However, the central section may also comprise a concave cross-sectional shape, for example.

Suitably, when in use, foodstuff is placed on the central section of the plate.

The peak of the peripheral sloping section is suitably spaced apart from the central section. Suitably, the peak of the peripheral sloping section is separated from the central section by means of a side wall. The side wall may have any suitable orientation. Suitably, the side wall is substantially perpendicular to the central section of the upper surface. However, the side wall may alternatively be inclined at any suitable angle to the central section.

Alternatively, the peak of the peripheral sloping section and the outer region at least of the central section may be substantially on the same level .

The drip point and the downwardly sloping peripheral edge are arranged relative to one another such that droplets of condensed liquid falling from the drip point of a first plate fall onto the sloping section of a second plate, which second plate is located below the first plate. The droplets of condensed liquid can then run down the outwardly sloping peripheral edge and off the edge of the plate .

A plate in accordance with the present invention can advantageously reduce the amount of condensed liquid contaminating foodstuff located on the central section of a lower plate.

If the plate is to be used for steaming foodstuffs, the lid of the steamer suitably comprises a drip point which is located above the downwardly sloping peripheral edge of a plate in accordance with the present invention when such a plate is located inside the steamer.

A plate according to the present invention can be regarded as having a first surface (to receive food or the like) with when the first surface is uppermost, a downwardly sloping edge, and a second surface opposite the first surface, which second surface comprises a condensation drip point aligned with the sloping edge of the first surface.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that follow; in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view from the upper surface of a first embodiment of a plate in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the plate of figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a plan view from the upper surface of a second embodiment of a plate in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the plate of figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a side view of a plurality of plates in accordance with the present invention located inside a steamer .

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a plate 2 in accordance with the present invention. The plate 2 comprises an upper surface 4 and a lower surface 6. The upper surface 4 comprises a peripheral sloping section 8 and a central section 10. The peak 12 of the peripheral sloping section 6 is spaced apart from the central section 10 by means of side wall 14. Side wall 14 is substantially perpendicular to the central section 10.

The lower surface 6 comprises a recess, generally designated by reference numeral 16. Recess 16 has a substantially conical cross-section. In the embodiment illustrated, the side walls of the recess taper inwardly to converge in the region of the centre of the plate.

A drip point 18 is provided by the outer edge of the recess. In this case the drip point is continuous around the plate in an annular manner. Figures 1 and 2 clearly illustrate that the drip point 18 is located below the peripheral sloping section 8 of the upper surface.

Figures 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment of a plate 20 in accordance with the present invention.

Again the upper surface 40 comprises a peripheral sloping section 80 and a central section 100. The peak 120 of the peripheral sloping section 80 is spaced apart from the central section 100 by means of side wall 140. Side wall 140 is substantially perpendicular to the central section 100.

The lower surface 60 comprises a recess 160, which recess has a frusto conical cross-sectional shape. The side walls of the recess taper towards the centre region of the plate. The plate 20 of figures 3 and 4 has a polygonal shape whereas the plate 2 of figures 1 and 2 has a generally circular shape.

Figure 5 shows two plates 200 and 210 in accordance with the present invention, for example as described with reference to figures 1 and 2 or figures 3 and 4.

Each plate 200, 210 is located inside a steamGr basket 220 and 230, respectively. Figure 5 clearly illustrates that when stacked one above the other, the drip point 240 of the upper plate 200 is situated above the peripheral sloping section 250 of the lower plate 210.

When in use, liquid which condenses on the lower surface 260 of plate 200 will form droplets, which droplets will run to the drip point 240 of the plate 200. Droplets will fall from the drip point 240 onto the peripheral sloping section 250 and will then run off the edge 270 of plate 210.

Therefore, the amount of condensed liquid that contaminates foodstuff held on the central section 280 of plate 210 can be reduced.

Figure 5 further illustrates that lid 290 of the steamer can be provided with a drip point 300. In this case, the drip point 300 is located towards the periphery of the lower surface of the lid 290. Therefore, when liquid condenses on the lower surface of the lid it converges at the drip point and falls from the lid downwards back into the steamer baskets 220,230 below. In the embodiment shown, the diameter of the plate 200,210 relative to the diameter of the lid 290 that the drip point 300 of the lid 290 is not above the plates 200,210. It is feasible that plates of a greater diameter could be used. In this case, the drip point 300 of the lid 300 should be arranged to be above the peripheral sloping section 250 of the plate 200 below.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invention extend to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A plate having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface, said lower surface being adapted to provide a drip point for condensed liquid, said upper surface having a downwardly sloping peripheral edge and said drip point being located below the sloping section of said upper surface.

2. A plate according to claim 1, in which the lower surface comprises a recess.

3. A plate according to claim 2, in which the recess comprises a side wall having a substantially outwardly sloping peripheral region.

4. A plate according to claim 3, in which the recess has a conical or modified conical cross-section.

5. A plate according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the peripheral edge of the recess provides the drip point .

6. A plate according to claim 1, in which the lower surface comprises a ridge, which ridge provides the drip point .

7. A plate according to claim 1, in which lower surface is substantially planar.

A plate according to any one of the previous claims, in which the drip point is located towards the outer edge of the plate.

9. A plate according to any one of the previous claims, in which the upper surface of the plate suitably comprises a peripheral sloping section, which provides the downwardly sloping peripheral edge, and a central section.

10. A plate according to any one of the previous claims, in which the central section is substantially planar.

11. A plate according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the central section comprises a concave cross- sectional shape.

12. A plate according to any one of the previous claims, in which when in use, foodstuff is placed on the central section of the plate.

13. A plate according to any one of the previous claims, in which the peak of the peripheral sloping section is spaced apart from the central section.

14. A plate according to claim 13, in which the peak of the peripheral sloping section is separated from the central section by means of a side wall.

15. A plate according to claim 14, in which the side wall is substantially perpendicular to the central section of the upper surface.

16. A plate according to claim 14, in which the peak of the peripheral sloping section and the outer region at least of the central section are substantially on the same level .