WO2007138587A2

WO2007138587A2 - Liquid colander - ladle

Info

Publication number: WO2007138587A2
Application number: PCT/IL2007/000649
Authority: WO
Inventors: David. Barkan; Berkovic Shloomo; Meir Igal
Original assignee: Visionary Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-05-31
Filing date: 2007-05-30
Publication date: 2007-12-06
Also published as: WO2007138587A3; IL176030A0

Abstract

A single utensil to serve liquid foods or solid foods or both from a vessel, which can be operated with one hand, comprising an outer spoon, a handle that extends upwardly from the outer edge of the outer spoon, an inner colander that sits within the outer spoon and pivotally attached to the handle, and a locking mechanism that maintains the colander in the locked or released positions, wherein in the locked position, the inner colander remains seated within the outer spoon; in the released position, the inner colander swivels freely, apart from the outer spoon.

Description

LIQUID COLANDER - LADLE

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates generally to serving utensils, and specifically to devices that are able to serve liquids or solids or both with equal ease.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, a spoon or ladle is used to serve liquid foods such as soup and stews. However, such utensils are not suited to separating liquids and solids. In the event that liquid and solid foods are cooked in a single container, as is often the case with soup, one would require two utensils on order to separate the liquids from the solids, in a convenient manner. In order to serve only the liquid portion of the soup, one must carefully use the ladle to scoop up the liquid. Conversely, if the objective is to remove the solid food in the soup, one must select the slotted utensil or colander.

Prior art devices have attempted to overcome this convenience.

DEl 9540781 provides a ladle with a separator, wherein a screen or filter insert, releasably joined to the ladle by a fitted clamp, can be arranged at the pouring point in such a way that its upper rim, when pouring, projects beyond the top edge of the ladle scoop at the pouring point. US3822020 presents an adjustable soup ladle for controlling the ratio of soup solids to soup liquids spooned from the soup mixture, where the straining portion of the ladle is made to have a variable position with respect to the bowl, so that different quantities of solids are entrained by the straining element. US4825551 describes a strainer ladle, which comprises an outer ladle having an imperforated bowl and a handle, an inner ladle having a perforated bowl, which is nested within the imperforated bowl and a handle, which is slidably mounted on the handle of the outer ladle. Although these patents provide ladles that are useful for separating the liquids from solids, they also require the user to use both hands to configure the devices prior to use.

GB1083177 describes improvements relating to spoons and ladles, where the edge of a dished sieve is welded to the edge of the bowl of a soup or sauce ladle. The bowl is riveted to the handle or integral therewith and the sieve may be integral with the bowl. US6550146 relates to a sieving ladle allowing separation of solids or coarse material from liquids or fine particles comprising a generally concave-shaped bowl, a handle, and a sieving wall. While these implements are suitable for separating liquids from solids but are not adjustable

US5367775 provides a skimming ladle, which consists of a bowl that is capable of holding a liquid with a fatty oil therein with a structure for guiding the liquid away from the fatty oil when the liquid is poured out of the spout, so that the liquid will be free of the fatty oil when exiting the spout. US4040185, a ladle for serving soup, describes a substantially hemispherical bowl, provided with a handle and an inner boat-shaped receptacle, where the space between the boat-shaped receptacle and the inner surface of the bowl forms a pouring passage. US2001045388 discloses a soup ladle structure that comprises a soup ladle having a spoon portion with a perforated strainer pore, an elastic element and a stop straining plate to achieve the purposes of either straining the liquid while leaving the fat for scooping up and removing the floating fat of the broth or only picking up the solid food. Although these are useful utensils for separating the liquids from the fat, they are not primarily intended for separating solid foodstuff from liquids.

Currently, no device exists that allows the user a simple-to-operate method of serving liquids or solids or both, wherein the device can be adjusted at the time of use with a single hand and operated with a single hand.

It would be both useful and convenient if there were such a serving utensil that overcomes the shortcoming of prior art ladles. Such a new device would further require a single hand to operate, have no removable parts to lose, be simple to use and easy to clean. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention solves the above-discussed shortcoming by providing a new ladle that lets the user use a single utensil to serve liquid foods or solid foods or both from a vessel. This device comprises a single unit, which can be operated with one hand, which requires no additional parts.

This is accomplished by equipping the ladle, which has an outer spoon and an affixed handle, with an inner colander, a release button, and a locking mechanism.

The inner colander, shaped similarly to the outer spoon and seated within the outer spoon, is pivotally attached to the handle. There are two possible positions for the inner colander: in the locked position, the inner colander remains seated within and rotates with the outer spoon; in the released position, the inner colander swivels freely, apart from the outer spoon.

The release button engages and disengages the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism maintains the inner colander in the locked or released positions.

The ladle is in a normally locked position, wherein the inner colander remains seated within the outer spoon and the two are locked together so that when the user rotates the handle, the device functions as a traditional ladle.

When the user moves the release button to the released position, the locking mechanism disengages, allowing the inner colander to swivel freely. When the user rotates the handle, the outer spoon rotates with the handle, thus positioning the outer spoon vertical to the revealed colander, while the colander is held in a horizontal position by its own weight.

The ladle returns to the normally locked position when the user releases the release button. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and further features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in light of the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein-

Figure 1 : shows an elevated view of the present invention.

Figure 2: is an exploded view of the present invention.

Figure 3 : demonstrates the present invention in use under the three possible configurations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a novel ladle for serving food, which provides the option of using a single utensil to serve liquid foods or solid foods or both from a vessel. The device comprises a single unit with no removable parts, which can be operated with one hand.

The various components of this novel invention can be viewed in Figure 1, which shows an elevated view of the ladle (10), and in Figure 2, which is an exploded view of the ladle (10). All of the components of the ladle (10) may be constructed from any material that is suitable for serving hot foods and liquids, including, but not limited to, heat resistant plastic, Teflon, and stainless steel.

The new ladle (10) presented here somewhat resembles a traditional ladle in that there is an outer spoon (12) for scooping contents from one vessel and transferring them to another vessel, and an affixed handle (14), which extends upwardly from the outer edge of the outer spoon (12). However, to the standard ladle components there have been added several useful items that serve to create a novel and highly practical utensil. These components are clearly seen in figure 2. An inner colander (16), shaped similarly to the outer spoon (12) and equipped with a plurality of strainer holes, sits within the outer spoon (12). The inner colander (16) is pivotally attached to the handle (14) at two swivel points (18). There are two possible positions for the inner colander (16). In the locked position, the inner colander (16) remains seated within and rotates with the outer spoon (12); in the released position, the inner colander (16) swivels freely, apart from the outer spoon (12).

An important element of the ladle (10) is an arm (20) that allows the user to control the inner colander (16) with the same hand that is operating the ladle (10) itself. This arm (20) is conveniently located over and parallel to the handle (14), easily accessible to the digits of the hand. The user chooses the position of the inner colander (16) by depressing a release button (22), located on the upper portion of the arm (20). The release button (22) swivels the inner colander (16) between the locked and released positions.

In one embodiment, the release button (22) slides up and down to lock or release the inner colander (16). In another embodiment, depressing the release button (22) releases the inner colander (16) and releasing the button (22) returns the inner colander (16) to a locked position. There is also the option of utilizing other methods for releasing and locking the inner colander (16).

A locking mechanism (26) maintains the inner colander (16) in the locked or released positions. In the preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism (26) takes the form of two prongs, situated at the lower most end of the arm (20). These prongs fit between the inner colander (16) and the outer spoon (12) in order to hold the inner colander (16) and the outer spoon (12) securely together. The release button (22) engages and disengages the locking mechanism (26). A spring contained within the locking mechanism (26) causes the device to return automatically to the locked position. In alternative embodiments, the locking mechanism (26) may be located elsewhere on the ladle (10) and may operate in a different manner. The ladle (10) is in a normally locked position, wherein the inner colander (16) remains seated within the outer spoon (12) and the two are locked together so that when the user rotates the handle (14), the device functions as a traditional ladle.

When the user moves the release button (22) to the released position, the locking mechanism (26) disengages, allowing the inner colander (16) to swivel freely. When the user rotates the handle (14), the outer spoon (12) rotates with the handle (14), positioning the outer spoon (12) vertical to the revealed colander (16), while the colander (16) is held in a horizontal position by its own weight.

The ladle (10) returns to the normally locked position when the user releases the release button (22).

A useful feature of the present invention is that the inner colander (16) is able to swivel both to the left and to the right, making this device equally effective for right-handed and left-handed use.

The present invention may be manufactured in a plurality of spoon sizes. There is also the option of varying the size of the strainer holes on the inner colanders (16), allowing the user to choose the device according to the size of the strainer holes in the inner colanders (16). Another option is to equip the present invention with a plurality of interchangeable inner colanders (16), wherein each inner colander (16) has different strainer hole sizes, thereby allowing the user the flexibility to choose the size of the inner colander (16) as required.

Figure 3 demonstrates the present invention in use under the three possible configurations, where the liquid and solid components of soup are removed from a serving container and placed in a bowl.

Option 1 shows the present invention configured for use as a traditional ladle, wherein both the liquid and solid portions of the soup are scooped from the serving container and all of the contents of the ladle (10) are poured into the bowl.

Option 2 again demonstrates the present invention configured for scooping both the liquid and solid portions of the soup from the serving dish. However, before the soup is placed in the bowl, the release button (22) is depressed, enabling the inner colander (16) to rotate freely. Thus, when the ladle handle (14) is rotated in order to pour the contents of the ladle (10) into the bowl, the inner colander (16) remains in a horizontal position. As a result, only the liquid portion of the soup is able to flow into the bowl while the solids remain in the inner colander (16).

Option 3 shows yet another method of use for the ladle (10) where the release button (22) is depressed after scooping the soup from the serving container. The ladle handle (14) is then rotated over the serving container, causing the liquid portion of the soup to strain out of the ladle (10) and return to the serving container. The release button (22) is then locked, returning the inner colander (16) to the locked position. The solid portion of the soup, which remains in the ladle (10), is served into the bowl.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of the preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other possible variations that are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A ladle apparatus enabling the selection of liquids or solids or both from a vessel, said apparatus comprised of: an outer spoon, an affixed handle, an inner colander, a release button, and a locking mechanism, wherein the locking mechanism is controlled by the release button, enabling the user to select between a first position wherein the inner colander remains seated within and rotates with the outer spoon and a second position wherein the inner colander swivels freely, apart from the outer spoon.