WO2020021434A1

WO2020021434A1 - Combination of tongs utensil with rigid spatula

Info

Publication number: WO2020021434A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/056250
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shahrooz TAVAKOLI
Original assignee: Tavakoli Shahrooz
Priority date: 2018-07-22
Filing date: 2019-07-22
Publication date: 2020-01-30

Abstract

When cooking, frying or grilling, usually there would be various food types and sizes. Normally, there are several utensils, such as spatula, tongs and etc. which should be changed frequently in hand, depending on the function needed. Meanwhile, each of them is useful only for a limited types of foods, with plenty of shortcomings. This utensil, which is created in a variety of embodiments through the integration of the tongs utensil with rigid spatula, in addition to combining the tongs and spatula functionalities in one device, has many additional capabilities in gripping, moving, flipping and handling a wide range of foods having various shapes and sizes.

Description

Combination of Tongs Utensil with Rigid Spatula

This invention is about designing a kitchen utensil by combination of tongs utensil with typical spatula which would have more features than typical tongs and spatula.

There are a few patents about combination of tongs utensil with spatula which can be classified into following 3 categories:

1- A kitchen utensil consisting of tongs combined with a flexible and soft sheet, such as rubber, connected to tongs heads in both sides. When the tongs arms are open, the sheet is flat and roughly like a spatula, but when the tongs arms are closed, the rubber sheet bends. (Clever Tongs: US10076212B2)

- Pros: It is suitable for some food type with medium sizes or linear shaped such as green bean strings and sausages.

- Cons: When pressing its arms, the rubber sheet bends like a fabric and does not have the normal spatula performance, for example, flat food such as pancake or hamburgers would be bent and wasted. Due to high thickness of its rubber sheet for endurance, it ruins the form of soft foods, such as fried eggs, when took beneath it for flipping.

2- A kitchen utensil consisting of tongs arms having different heads, such as spatulas, forks or tongs heads which has two modes:

- First mode: Both heads are spatula or one head is spatula and the other head is fork: Are suitable for gripping and flipping flat foods, but they do not have the function of the tongs heads so they are not suitable for grains, linear or small pieced foods. (US5123689, US5403052A)

- Second mode: One head is spatula and the other end is tongs head:

In some cases, it has poor performance, due to the lack of alignment of the heads, it does not provide good stability for various forms of food, and the likelihood of splitting the food during the flipping.

It does not have the function of the typical tongs, and its only advantage on spatula is the ability in flipping flat foods. (US20150305570A1)

3- There are also some other utensils having tongs arms and spatula heads, and the like, which in practice have no function of the tongs. For example, a spatula with a second arm which is blade-shaped that pushes the food like a broom onto a spatula surface. (US20170224173A1)

According to the above, the disadvantages of the previous solutions can be summarized as follows:

- Their functionality scope is limited. That is, if they work as tongs or spatula, they will not have more capability, but if they have a new function, they will not have the performance of typical tongs or spatula.

- Are weak in handling various forms and sizes of foods, and each one is suitable for a limited type of food.

- None is a perfect combination of tongs and spatula, which means that they have not the performance of tongs and spatula both, or even any additional performances.

When cooking, frying or grilling, usually there would be various food types and sizes. Normally, there are several utensils, such as spatula, tongs and etc. which should be changed frequently in hand, depending on the function needed. Meanwhile, each of them is useful only for a limited types of foods, with plenty of shortcomings.

Figs.1a-1h – The first embodiment of this utensil comprises a tongs utensil 11 having two arms 13 and two heads 14, and a spatula 12 under the tongs heads 14 and connected by a handle 15 or arm to the point of attachment of the tongs arms, to the hinge 18 thereof.

So when the spatula 12 is taken under the food, by pressing the arms 13 of the tongs 11, the food gets tight in place while retaining its shape on the spatula surface 16.

Figs.2a-2d – The second embodiment of this utensil is a device comprising a tongs utensil 11 having two arms 13 and two heads 14, and a spatula blade 16 without a handle consisting of two halves 21 that together form a spatula 16, and each half 21 is attached to one of the tongs heads 14, moving together.

When taking it under the food, by pressing the arms of the tongs 13, the two half-blades 21 overlap each other until the tongs heads 14 grab the food and when the top half-blade 21 reach the other side, it passes through the slot 22 so that the tongs heads 14 can reach each other.

Figs.3a-3d – The third embodiment of this utensil is the same as the second embodiment, while each half of the spatula 21 consists of a plurality of strips or blades 23, which from one end are connected to underside of the tongs head 14 and on the other side are free. So they are in the form of a fork or rake.

Figs.4a-4d - The fourth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the third embodiment, while a strip 24 at the ends of the toothed blades 23 connects all the teeth tips together to become more stable and keeping the tongs heads and half-spatulas from getting away from each other.

Figs.5a-5g – The fifth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the first embodiment, while the spatula plate 16 is without a handle and instead of being tied to the hinge of the tongs 11, is connected directly to the tongs heads 14 by means of sliding or clamping joints.

Figs.6a-6d – The sixth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the fifth embodiment while the spatula plate 16 has a fixed connection on one side to one of tongs heads 14, and the tongs head 14 of the other side is bound to the spatula plate 16 by means of the pins or appendages 26 beneath them, which are linked to the grooves 25 of the spatula plate 16 while it can move easily along the path of the grooves 25 and reach the tongs head 14 on the other side.

Figs.7a-7f – The seventh embodiment of this utensil is the same as the first embodiment, adding rotatable joint 27 such as the hinge 18 at the joint of the tongs heads 14, to their arms 13 which makes the tongs heads 14 able to rotate to push the food onto the spatula plate 16, for better gripping.

Figs.8a-8e – The eighth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the first embodiment, adding an arm like the handle of the spatula 29, which is attached to the tongs 11

hinge joint

18 on one side and have a spatula-like 29, fork-like or tongs head-like head 14, on the other side which In fact acts as the fourth arm of the utensil, allowing different foods to be limited from four directions to four different plates and the best form of maintenance achieved.

Tongs and spatula have their own specific capabilities in the stages of preparation and handling of food:

1- Tongs capability is in gripping and moving pieces of foods in medium size, which has the following problems:

- It is not suitable for granular foods, only a small amount can be gripped between its heads, with the possibility of falling.

- It can grip large food pieces, but only from the corner, hence the possibility of bending and fragmentation of the food piece.

2- The spatula, normally is only suitable for carriage of fine or flat foods, horizontally, but likely to fall. For a spatula to easily go beneath everything, it is designed without any edges normally, but has the following problems:

- Due to flatness and lack of edge, the stability of most foodstuffs is difficult.

- In flipping the contents of the container, the food is not stable well on it when turned over.

Figs.1a-1h – The first embodiment of this utensil comprises the following parts:

- A tongs utensil 11 having two arms 13 and two heads 14, each arm 13 on one side has a head 14, and on the other side attached to another tongs arm 13 by a joint, including a hinge 18 having a spring 19. So that when that tongs arms 13 are pressed toward each other by hand, the spring 19 at hinge 18 attachment will tend to return them to the first state.

- A spatula 12 having an approximately flat surface 16 located under the tongs heads 14 and connected by a handle 15 or arm to the point of attachment of the tongs arms, to the hinge 18 thereof.

- Two appendages 20 as supports are located below the tongs heads 14, their heads facing the bottom of the spatula plate 16 to prevent the tongs heads getting away from spatula surface 16, while moving easily on it, also there are two appendages 20 on the spatula surface 16 corners which limits the tongs heads 14 to the surface of the spatula 16 from extending beyond it when tongs arms 13 are opened.

- There is a hook 17 in the hinge joint location of the tongs 11 for suspending the utensil.

The function of this utensil is that when the spatula 12 is taken under the food, by pressing the arms 13 of the tongs 11, the food gets tight in place while retaining its shape on the spatula surface 16.

It is possible to make the connectors between the tongs 11 and spatula 12 detachable, so that each of them can be used separately if needed, by joints such as slider, bolt, groove-wedge, magnet and the like.

The size of the tongs heads 14 can be larger, that is, wider than the one shown in the drawings, given the fact that the tongs heads 14 should match the level of the spatula surface 16.

Figs.2a-2d – The second embodiment of this utensil is a device comprising the following parts:

- A tongs utensil 11 having two arms 13 and two heads 14, each arm 13 on one side has a head 14, and on the other side attached to another tongs arm 13 by a joint, including a bend on the plate of the arms 13 having spring property, so that when that tongs arms 13 are pressed together by hand, the spring at arms bend joint will tend to return them to the first state.

- A spatula blade 16 without a handle consisting of two halves 21 that together form a spatula 16, and each half 21 is attached to one of the tongs heads 14, moving together.

- There is a groove or slot 22 along the length of the half of the spatula 21 between the tongs heads 14 of the one side and the half-blade 21 on the same side,

The way it works is that when taking it under the food, by pressing the arms of the tongs 13, the two half-blades 21 overlap each other until the tongs heads 14 grab the food and when the top half-blade 21 reach the other side, it passes through the slot 22 so that the tongs heads 14 can reach each other.

Figs.3a-3d – The third embodiment of this utensil is the same as the second embodiment, in the following way:

- Each half of the spatula 21 consists of a plurality of strips or blades 23, which from one end are connected to underside of the tongs head 14 and on the other side are free. So they are in the form of a fork or rake, and when the tongs heads 14 approaching to each other, the teeth of them 23 get inside each other and shifted from underside of the tongs head 14 in the opposite side so that the tongs heads 14 can reach each other perfectly.

In this embodiment, the slot 22 between the tongs head 14 and the spatula 21 is removed. The joints of the strip blades 23 must be reinforced to the tongs heads 14, in order to resist deformation due to the weight of the foodstuff.

Figs.4a-4d - The fourth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the third embodiment, in the following way:

- A strip 24 at the ends of the toothed blades 23 connects all the teeth tips together. Such that the strip 24 move under the teeth and tongs head of the opposite side to cause the rake-like blades 23 to become more stable and keeping the tongs heads and half-spatulas from getting away from each other and making a gap between them.

Placing the strips 24 on each side under the teeth 23 of the other side, allows each half of the spatula to pass through the tongs head 14 of the other side, and allowing the tongs heads 14 to reach each other.

Figs.5a-5g – The fifth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the first embodiment, in the following way:

- The spatula plate 16 is without a handle and, instead of being tied to the hinge of the tongs 11, is connected directly to the tongs heads 14 by means of sliding or clamping joints.

Wherein the spatula plate 16 has one or more curved grooves or slots 25 in the direction of the tongs heads 14 movement path, and the pins or appendages 26 attached to the tongs heads 14 are linked to that grooves 25 while they move in the groove tracks so that the tongs heads 14 can move easily along the groove tracks 25, while they are bound to the surface of the spatula 16.

In other case, instead of a pin 26, under the tongs heads 14, the teeth can be made so that they pass through the grooves of the spatula plate 16 and bind to it by a strip 24 connecting those teeth along their the tongs heads 14 to improve the gripping ability of the tongs heads 14 and strengthening the binding of the tongs heads 14 to the spatula plate 16.

Figs.6a-6d – The sixth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the fifth embodiment in the following way:

The spatula plate 16 has a fixed connection on one side to one of tongs heads 14, and the tongs head 14 of the other side is bound to the spatula plate 16 by means of the pins or appendages 26 beneath them, which are linked to the grooves 25 of the spatula plate 16 while it can move easily along the path of the grooves 25 and reach the tongs head 14 on the other side.

Figs.7a-7f – The seventh embodiment of this utensil is the same as the first embodiment, adding a few parts for more usefulness, including:

- In one point of the arms 13 of the tongs 11 or at the joint of the tongs heads 14, to their arms 13 there is a rotatable joint 27 such as the hinge 18, which makes the tongs heads 14 able to rotate to push the food onto the spatula plate 16, for better gripping. This action also results in better stability of foodstuff on the surface of the spatula 16.

- The spring 19, in the hinge joints 27, along with the rotational limiters, cause the tongs heads 14 to return to their normal vertical position.

In the case that the tongs arms 13 are made up of a simple sheet, this rotation ability could be added by one or more vertical incisions in the arms 13 plate close to the heads 14 and using the spring property of the plate 28. Adding one or more tabs on the plate allows the tongs heads to rotate only in the desired range.

Figs.8a-8e – The eighth embodiment of this utensil is the same as the first embodiment, adding one part for more usefulness, including:

- An arm like the handle of the spatula 29, which is attached to the tongs 11 hinge joint 18 on one side and have a spatula-like 29, fork-like or tongs head-like head 14, on the other side which moves downward by pressing the hand on its handle, and moves upward by removing the hand pressure by the help of its springy property.

In fact, it acts as the fourth arm of the utensil, allowing different foods to be limited from four directions to four different plates and the best form of maintenance achieved.

In the case, its head be a fork, it would be used to pick up some food like a fork.

A few points to note at the end of solutions part:

- All embodiments of this device can be made entirely of refractory plastic materials, in order to be resistant to heat transfer at the same strength.

- If the main components are made of metal, we can use a coat of refractory plastics and heat insulation in the necessary places, such as on the arms and handles where in contact with the hand.

- In metal made case, the thickness of the components is less, and the performance is improved and its life will last longer.

- There should be an angle of about 10 degrees or more between the tongs arms and heads line, to allow it to function more comfortable and to better position in the palm of the dishes.

- In addition to the new features, it has both tongs capabilities and spatula capabilities.

- Its quality of gripping and moving foods is better than typical spatulas. (Capable of gripping more food types and forms)

- Its ability to grip and move foods is better than ordinary tongs utensils. (Ability to work with more varied food types and forms)

- The rigidity of its spatula has improved its efficiency, quality of function and life of the device in comparison to flexible silicon spatula.

- Ability to work with a broader range of foods with different shapes and sizes than other utensils.

- It performs gripping, flipping and releasing food better than tongs or spatula.

- It has the ability to work with charcoal and food in barbecue and grill.

- By integrating some utensils, the plurality of kitchen utensils and the need for changing them frequently are reduced, and brought convenience and speed to food preparing, cooking, frying, grilling and serving operations.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate the same or similar elements:

Fig.1a

Frontal isometric view of the first embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.1b

Frontal isometric view of the first embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.1c

Top plan view of the first embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.1d

Top plan view of the first embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.1e

Exploded frontal isometric view of the first embodiment

Fig.1f

Side view of the supports and limiters in first embodiment

Fig.1g

Side view of the first embodiment

Fig.1h

Exploded side view of the first embodiment

Fig.2a

Frontal isometric view of the second embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.2b

Frontal isometric view of the second embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.2c

Top plan view of the second embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.2d

Top plan view of the second embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.3a

Frontal isometric view of the third embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.3b

Frontal isometric view of the third embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.3c

Top plan view of the third embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.3d

Top plan view of the third embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.4a

Frontal isometric view of the forth embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.4b

Frontal isometric view of the forth embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.4c

Top plan view of the forth embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.4d

Top plan view of the forth embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.5a

Frontal isometric view of the fifth embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.5b

Frontal isometric view of the fifth embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.5c

Top plan view of the fifth embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.5d

Top plan view of the fifth embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.5e

Exploded frontal isometric view of the fifth embodiment

Fig.5f

Side view of the supports and pins in fifth embodiment

Fig.5g

Side view of the fifth embodiment

Fig.6a

Frontal isometric view of the sixth embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.6b

Frontal isometric view of the sixth embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.6c

Top plan view of the sixth embodiment while the tongs arms are open

Fig.6d

Top plan view of the sixth embodiment while the tongs arms are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.7a

Frontal isometric view of the seventh embodiment having hinge joints between arms and heads, also showing the moving path

Fig.7b

Frontal orthographic view of the seventh embodiment having hinge joints between arms and heads, also showing the moving path

Fig.7c

Cross section view of the hinge joint between arm and head in the seventh embodiment, also showing the moving path

Fig.7d

Frontal isometric view of the seventh embodiment having twisting joints between arms and heads, also showing the moving path

Fig.7e

Frontal orthographic view of the seventh embodiment having twisting joints between arms and heads, also showing the moving path

Fig.7f

Cross section view of the twisting joint between arm and head in the seventh embodiment, also showing the moving path

Fig.8a

Frontal isometric view of the eighth embodiment while the tongs arms and the spatulas handles are open

Fig.8b

Frontal isometric view of the eighth embodiment while the tongs arms and the spatulas handles are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.8c

Top plan view of the eighth embodiment while the tongs arms and the spatulas handles are open

Fig.8d

Top plan view of the eighth embodiment while the tongs arms and the spatulas handles are closed, also showing the moving path

Fig.8e

Side view of the eighth embodiment while the spatulas handles are open, also showing the moving path

Due to wide range of functionalities of this utensil, as well as its versatility, it would be one of the most useful utensils in the kitchen, for preparing, cooking, frying and grilling various types of food, which is why it will be highly demanded in the kitchen utensils market.

The simplicity of its structure and, consequently, the simplicity of its production, indicates its high manufacturability in various industries, such as household and kitchen tools industries, as well as metal and plastic industries.

The special attention to the four principles “functionality”, “simplicity”, “stability”, and “durability” would be the key factors in the success of this product in the relevant industries.

11- Tongs

12- Spatula

13- Tongs arms

14- Tongs heads

15- Spatula handle

16- Spatula plate or blade

17- Hook

18- Hinge

19- Spring

20- Tongs and spatula supports and limiters

21- Spatula half-blade

22- Slot between tongs head and spatula for passing other side half-blade of spatula

23- Narrow strips or blades forming a spatula half-blade

24- Connection strip of the narrow blades tips

25- Spatula blade slots for moving supports or limiter pins as rail joints

26- Tongs and spatula supports and limiting pins moving in spatula slots as rail joints

27- Hinge joint of tongs heads to its arms

28- Bending or twisting joint of tongs heads to its arms

29- The upper spatula or the fourth arm, its head can also be a fork or tongs head instead of spatula blade

Claims

A utensil, Comprising:
- A utensil, like kitchen tongs 11 having two arms 13 and two heads 14, each arm 13 connected to a head 14 in one end and connected to another arm in other end by a hinge joint 18, having a spring 19 so when they are pressed together by hand, the spring 19 helps to return the arms 13 to the first state;
- A rigid plate 16, such as rigid spatula blade, having a flat or formed surface that lies beneath the heads 14 of the tongs 11 and connects to that tongs,
wherein the heads 14 of that tongs 11 have the ability to move on that surface 16 with or without the surface.
The utensil of claim 1, wherein:
The spatula-like plate 16 part of it, having a handle 15 or arm that connects it to the point of attachment of the tongs arms 14 or the tongs hinge 18, while the tong heads 14 can move easily on the surface of that plate 16.
The utensil of claim 2, further comprising:
- one or more appendages 20 or pins 26 in the lower part of the arms 13 or heads 14 of the tongs 11 located below the edges or in the slots 25 of the spatula plate 16,
wherein that appendages 20 or pins 26 as supports and limiters, restrict the movement of the tongs heads 14 on the surface of the spatula 16 and prevents the tongs heads 14 from going out of spatula’s surface area 16.
The utensil of claim 1,
wherein the spatula-like plate 16, has not any handle or arms and is directly attached to the heads 14 of the tongs 11, while the tongs heads 14 movability is maintained.
The utensil of claim 4,
wherein the spatula-like plate 16, has two parts 21, each part of which is approximately half the surface of the spatula plate 16, and each one 21 is connected to one head 14 of the tongs 11 and moves with it and overlaps the other half of spatula 21 in the other side, so that when the tongs arms 13 are open and closed, two halves of the spatula plate 21 move on each other.
The utensil of claim 5, further comprising:
- One elongated slot 22 at the junction of one of half-blades 21 of the spatula with the head 14 of tongs 11 in its side,
wherein when the tongs arms 13 are closed, the other half 21 of the spatula blade gets into that slot 22 so that the tongs heads 14 can approach each other, while the endurance between the tongs head 14 and the half-blade 21 attached to it is kept.
The utensil of claim 4,
wherein the spatula-like plate 16 is composed of two parts 21, each part consisting of a plurality of parallel narrow blades or strips 23 in the form of a rake or fork, approximately half the size of the spatula plate 16, so that the teeth 23 of two rake-like halves are interspersed with each other and when the tongs arms 13 are open and closed, the two rake-like halves 21 get inside each other and their teeth 23 are shifted from underside of the tongs head 14 in the opposite side so that the tongs heads 14 can approach each other perfectly.
The utensil of claim 7,
wherein each of the two rake-like halves 21,23 of the spatula-like plate 16, includes a strip 24, extending along the tongs 11 axis, which attaches the tips of the rake-like teeth 23 to each other and that strips 24 move under the teeth 23 and tongs head 14 of the opposite side, and also when the tongs arms 13 are opened, makes the teeth 23 of the two sides engaged and locked so that the two halves 21 of the spatula-like plate 16 can’t get away from each other.
The utensil of claim 4,
wherein the spatula-like plate 16 is attached to the tongs heads 14 by sliding or clamping joints having limiters 26, such as a spatula-like plate 16 having one or more slots 25 in the shape of a curve in the direction of the movement of tongs heads 14 as tracks, and the pins or appendages 26 which are attached to the tongs heads 14 link to that slots 25 so that the tongs heads 14 can move easily within the range of the slots 25 while are bound to the spatula-like plate 16.
The utensil of claim 4,
wherein the spatula-like plate 16 in one side is fixed to one of the tongs heads 14 and in the other side it is connected by sliding or clamping joints to the other head 14 of the tongs 11, such as a spatula-like plate 16 having one or more slots 25 in the shape of a curve in the direction of the movement of tongs heads 14 as tracks, and the pins or appendages 26 which are attached to one tongs head 14 links to that slots 25 so that tongs head 14 can move easily within the range of the slots 25 while the tongs 11 bound to the spatula-like plate 16.
The utensil of claim 4,
wherein the arms 13 or heads 14 of that tongs 11 can be rotated by fitting a hinge joint 27, including hinges 18 and springs 19, or by a twisting or bending surface 28, while their rotational movement is restraint by limiter, in a range between the vertical and the oblique state facing to the middle of the spatula-like plate 16.
The utensil of claim 1, further comprising:
- A springing arm or handle 15, 29 on top of the tongs 11, connected to the hinge joint 18 of the tongs 11 and at the other end, having a spatula-like 29, fork-like or tongs head-like head 14,
wherein acts as the fourth arm of the utensil, and surrounds the foods in this utensil from four directions.