Patent ID: 9113743
Filing Date: 2015-08-25
Classification: A47J,B65D,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A kitchen appliance comprising: a housing having a base adapted to rest on a support surface and a side wall extending upwardly therefrom, the side wall having an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface, at least portions of the interior surface of the side wall and the base defining a cavity within the housing, the housing having a housing rim at a first, free edge of the side wall defining an opening to the cavity; a heating or cooling element disposed within the housing proximate the cavity to heat or cool the cavity; a container sized and shaped to fit within the cavity of the housing, having a generally hollow interior adapted to retain contents therein and a container rim adjacent an upper end thereof defining an opening for accessing the interior thereof; a lid sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container, the lid having an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface facing the interior of the container when the lid is placed on the container; at least one handle assembly engageable by a user for carrying the kitchen appliance, comprising a handle anchor positioned on said housing and a handle pivotably connected thereto, wherein said handle is pivotable between an engaged position in which at least a portion of the handle contacts the lid to retain the lid in sealing engagement with the container rim for inhibiting leakage of the contents from the interior of the container, and a disengaged position in which the portion of the handle is spaced-apart from the lid to permit the lid to be removed from the container rim, and wherein the handle includes a locking mechanism for locking the handle in the engaged position, the locking mechanism comprises a locking member, a biasing member adapted to bias the locking member from a first, unlocked position to a second, locked position, and a lock release adapted to move the locking member from the second, locked position to the first, unlocked position; and the handle further comprises an upper generally planar surface having a slot therein and a depending skirt wall defining a generally hollow interior cavity therein, wherein the locking and biasing members are located with the interior cavity of the handle and the lock release extends through the slot into engagement with the locking member.