Abstract:
A tool for carrying high temperature container is typically made of silicone rubber and has the properties of heat-resistance, anti-slip, and high elasticity. The tool can serve as a hot container carrier when removing a hot container with heated food, which is often nearly as high as 100 degrees centigrade, too hot to touch with bare hands.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention is directed to a tool for safely carrying hot containers. The present invention is mainly used in the kitchen area where most houses have their microwave oven. When taking out the heated food from the microwave oven, the container is often too hot to be held by hand. The small size of the present invention makes it easier to promptly take out the hot food and its container and to safely carry it.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Food is heated in the kitchen by baking, broiling, and simmering in an oven, roaster, stove or microwave. There have been devices to help carry hot plates, cookers, and containers, such as a pair of mittens and specially designed steel handles. These items, however, are suitable for higher temperature and heavier cooking utensils rather than small containers like cups or dishes.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The microwave ovens are widely used for heating up pre-cooked meals, leftover meals or even for cooking stew or soup. There has been, however, no safe and convenient tool for carrying hot containers with heated food. A pair of mittens can be used for this purpose, but may be a little awkward and slow because the person has to wear thick gloves on his hands.  
           [0006]    The microwave-heated food is usually not a large portion and the temperature is no more than 100 degrees centigrade, and people want to handle it promptly. Most people have experienced saying “ouch!” as they rush to take out the container with heated food from the microwave oven without taking any protective measures. If there were a simple device or tool available at the time to safely carry the hot container with heated food, people would no longer have the inconvenience, the potential hazard, and the pain. This invention has been developed in this regard.  
           [0007]    The tool is typically used in pairs, each element having a part that contacts the hot container surface and a part that supports the former part and is accessible by fingers. A specially designed handy tool made of suitable material enables the safe, easy, and immediate handling of the microwave-hot food and containers.  
           [0008]    It can be kept on the sidewall of the microwave oven with magnets adhered to the tool so that one can use the tool promptly whenever he needs it. Several different tool designs fulfilling the above conditions are possible.  
           [0009]    When one holds a hot food container using this invented tool, he pushes each piece against the hot surface or the hot edge of the container from opposing directions, thus sandwiching the hot container with the two tool pieces applying secure holding force. In this way he protects his fingers from heat while carrying the hot food and container safely.  
           [0010]    Any material can be used that is heat-resistant, anti-slippery, and flexible enough to fit the shape of various food containers, among which elastomer such as silicone rubber is an example. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of the invention, the most basic type.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 shows how the first embodiment put on the sidewall of a microwave oven.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 shows the second embodiment of the invention, a flat-tube type.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 shows the flat-tube type put on the sidewall of a microwave oven.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 shows an example of how to hold a hot container with the flat-tube type.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 shows another example of how to hold a hot container with the flat-tube type.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 shows third embodiment of the invention, a sucking-disc type.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 shows an example of how to hold a hot container with the sucking-disc type.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 shows another example of how to hold a hot container with the sucking-disc type.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 10 shows the fourth embodiment of the invention, a triangular-prism-tube type.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 11 shows an example of how to hold a hot container with the triangular-prism-tube type.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 12 shows another example of how to hold a hot container with the triangular-prism tube type.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 13 shows a third example of how to hold a hot container with the triangular-prism-tube type.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 14 shows an example of the triangular-prism type, not in tube form, although the same kind of FIG. 11.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 15 shows the fifth embodiment of the invention, a tetrahedron type.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 16 shows the sixth embodiment of the invention, a tetrahedron four-ball type.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 17 shows an example of how to hold a hot container with the tetrahedron four-ball type.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 18 shows another example of how to hold a hot container with the tetrahedron four-ball type.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment of this invention, most basic type. The hot surface contacting part  1  and the finger accessing part  2  is connected to each other perpendicularly. The whole part or at least the surface should be of a material which is heat-resistant, anti-slippery, and flexible. Elastomer such as silicone rubber is an example of the material. In FIG. 1, silicone rubber  3  covers the tool&#39;s container contacting part surface.  
         [0030]    People usually want to take out the food and its container immediately after the microwave cooking. This means the tool has to be close at hand any time they use the microwave oven. FIG. 2 shows how the invented tool is kept on the corner of the microwave oven  10  with the help of magnetic rubber sheet  4 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 shows the second embodiment of the present invention. The tool of a flat-tube type is more flexible than the first embodiment. The whole body is made of an appropriate kind of material, e.g. silicone rubber with a piece of magnetic rubber sheet  4  adhered near the flat end. Either side of the flat-tube type tool can be the hot container contacting part  1 ′ or the finger accessible part  2 ′. FIG. 4 shows a microwave oven  10  with the flat-tube type tool  6  put on its steel sidewall. FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show the two different basic ways this flat-tube type tool  6  is applied to the container  5 . As the tool is simple, symmetric, and flexible, the user may hold the tool with his fingers to his best likings. A comfortable way of holding a container with this simple tool would differ from person to person. The same can be true with the other type of the invented tools, as follows.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7 shows the third embodiment of this invented tool, a sucking-disc type, which is also made of an appropriate kind of rubber, like silicone rubber. The nipple part  2 ″, which protrudes from the convex side of the disc, is for the fingers to nip and hold. The concave side of the disc  1 ″ is the part that contacts the surface of the hot container  5 . FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 shows the two basic ways of this tool being used. As is shown, both bare hands press the container  5  with the pair of sucking-disc type rubber tools  7 , thus avoiding direct touching. The sucking disc can be also used in order to put the tool itself onto the sidewall of a microwave oven or a refrigerator for storage when the tool is not used.  
         [0033]    The invented tool can be more symmetric, like the one in FIG. 10, a triangular-prism-tube type. Any one of the three curved side surfaces can be the container contacting part, or likewise either one of the three side wings formed by any two of the three curved surfaces can be the finger accessible part. This type also should be made of an appropriate kind of material like silicone rubber so as to be flexible, heat-resistant, and anti-slippery. By making it as a tube, material is saved obtaining higher flexibility. With a piece of magnetic rubber sheet  4  adhered to the either side of any of the three wings near the end, the tool can be kept on the microwave oven&#39;s steel sidewall. FIG. 11, FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 show the three basic ways of how to use this type of the invented tool  8 . The tool easily fits the shape of various kinds of containers  5  and  11 . Due to the simple and symmetric design, this type of invented tool is very easy to use.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 14 is an example of the same group of the type shown in FIG. 10. This type, although not in the form of rubber tube, can be applied to containers in the same way as in FIG. 11, FIG. 12 and FIG. 13.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 15 shows the fifth embodiment of the invention, which is three-dimensionally symmetric as well. It is a regular tetrahedron type. Any of the foul concave faces can be the container contacting part, and any of the corresponding peaks with the surrounding three remaining concave faces can be the finger accessible part. By making the faces concave, material savings and better finger accessibility are obtained at the same time.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 16 shows the sixth embodiment of the invention, which is of the tetrahedron type. Four rubber balls of the same size are connected each other thus forming a frame of regular tetrahedron. Any one of the four balls can be the finger accessible part, leaving the remaining three balls to be the container contacting part. FIG. 17 and FIG. 18 show the two basic ways of holding the container  5  with this type of the invented tool  9 .