Abstract:
An inexpensive, cost-effective press lock cooker for cooking poultry, meat, and fish. The press lock cooker allows the user to simply, quickly, and inexpensively cook poultry, meat, and fish of varying sizes and shapes in the restaurant or home environment by simply locking the cover over the food to be cooked and by optionally adjusting the height of the cover over the food to regulate the food&#39;s contact surface with the frying pan, the thickness of the poultry, meat, and fish that is cooked, the time it takes to cook, and the crispiness of the food.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention relates to making poultry, meat, and fish in a commercial (restaurant or cafe) or home environment. Using the press lock cooker of the present invention, anyone can make fresh, delicious poultry, meat, and fish with just the right tools. Although primarily aimed at commercial use, the press lock cooker for making poultry, meat, and fish of the present invention can also be successfully used at home for making fresh fried poultry, meat, and fish to order. 
         [0002]    Poultry, meat, and fish are popular restaurant and home-cooked dishes with adults and children alike. Currently, there is a number of ways to make fried poultry, meat, and fish as fully disclosed in the brief description of the prior art, but none are so easy and simple to use as the inexpensive press lock cooker of the present invention. 
         [0003]    In addition to being inexpensive, the press lock cooker can vary regulate the thickness of the poultry, meat, and fish that are being cooked by simply varying the height of the adjustable press. Furthermore, the user can regulate how fast the food cooks by adjusting the pressure applied to the food. Poultry, for example chicken, may be cooked crispy with the press lock cooker. Thus, the consumers—both chefs at restaurants and moms making dinner at home—have the control over the thickness of the final dish and how fast it cooks. 
       DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
       [0004]    The current state of the art involves frying poultry, including chicken, meat, including steaks, burgers and chops, and fish using either two-sided grills with a pair of pivotally-connected cooking plates or griddles, using a heavy, weighted press with a plate that presses the food down while it is being cooked, or using a handheld press, applying pressure to the food manually exerting force through the handle. This is done to ensure the better contact of the food with the frying pan, and to prevent the sides from curling from the heat. The improved contact between the food and the pan ensures better heat distribution through the food and helps the user regulate how fast, and how thoroughly, the food cooks. 
         [0005]    However, neither of these methods provides a great degree of adjustability because the weight of the food press remains constant (usually as a heavy or weighted plate), and the two-sided grills have a preset thickness of the food contemplated to be produced. Furthermore, the heavy presses weigh many pounds, and are simply not as practical to produce (require more materials), store or transport because they are heavy. The manual presses have the disadvantage in that they require constant or frequent application of pressure to achieve the desired effect. 
         [0006]    What is needed is an easy-to-use, lightweight cooker for making poultry, meat, and fish of any shape and size the users want. A great variation of foods of varying shapes, sizes, and thickness can be cooked using the press lock cooker of the present invention. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    This invention meets the current need for such a cooker. A novel press lock cooker for making poultry, meat, and fish is provided. The preferred embodiment of the press lock cooker of the present invention is a frying pan with a plurality of substantially vertical channels in the walls of the frying pan, each channel having a plurality of slots or horizontal channels extending substantially horizontally in the walls of the frying pan from each channel, and a substantially flat-bottomed cover with a handle and a plurality of cooperating protrusions reciprocal in number to the number of channels, where the protrusions of the cover are capable of interlocking with the slots in walls of the frying pan to lock in and cook poultry, meat, and fish of different shapes and sizes in the restaurant or home environment. Food such as poultry (chicken for example) may also be cooked to be crispy under pressure using the press lock cooker. 
         [0008]    Yet another embodiment of the press lock cooker of the present invention is a frying pan with a plurality of short protrusions extending inward towards the center of the frying pan from at or below the upper edge of the frying pan, and a substantially flat-bottomed cover with a handle and a reciprocal plurality of cooperating protrusions capable of interlocking with the protrusions on the frying pan to cook poultry, meat, and fish of different shapes and sizes in the restaurant or home environment. 
         [0009]    The cover of the press lock cooker may be comprised of two parts: an upper part with a handle and a reciprocal plurality of cooperating protrusions capable of interlocking with the protrusions of the press lock cooker, and a substantially flat-bottomed lower part connected to the upper part by an adjustable screw or different means that allow the user to regulate the height of the lower part over the meat (and the distance between the bottom of the frying pan and the substantially flat-bottomed lower part). 
         [0010]    The upper part of the cover is preferably removably attachable to the lower part of the cover for the ease of removing the bottom part and easy cleaning. The preferred method of attachment of the upper part to the lower part is by using a screw permanently mounted on the upper side of the lower part, preferably terminating in a handle, for example a knob, above the upper part. However, other methods of attachment may be used, such as latches and other means known in the art. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    These features, aspects and advantages of the novel press lock cooker and a kit for making poultry, meat, and fish will become further understood with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings where 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a top side view of one embodiment of the frying pan and cover of the press lock cooker of the present invention, having six vertical channels and six protrusions; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top down view of another embodiment the frying pan of the press lock cooker of the present invention, having eight vertical channels; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top down view of the cover of the press lock cooker of the present invention illustrate, having eight protrusions; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a top down view of the cover of another embodiment of the press lock cooker of the present invention, having four protrusions; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged side view of one substantially vertical channel and its substantially horizontal channels in the wall of the frying pan of the press lock cooker of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged side view of another embodiment of one substantially vertical channel and its substantially horizontal channels in the wall of the frying pan of the press lock cooker of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged side view of yet another embodiment of one substantially vertical channel and its substantially horizontal channels in the wall of the frying pan of the press lock cooker of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a top down view of another embodiment the frying pan of the press lock cooker of the present invention, having four inward protrusions; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a top side view of the cover of the embodiment of the press lock cooker of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 8 , having four outward protrusions and a top part and a bottom part. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the preferred embodiment of the press lock cooker of the present invention comprises a substantially round pan or frying pan  10  with a substantially vertical wall  12 , the frying pan  10  being suitable for cooking poultry, meat, and fish, and a cooperating cover  20 . The frying pan  10  has at least two substantially vertical channels  30  in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 , where the channels  30  extend from the upper edge or rim  14  of the frying pan  10  and terminate at a predetermined height above the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 . The embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1  has six substantially vertical channels  30 . The frying pan  10  may include a handle  15 . 
         [0022]    Each channel  30  has at least one, but preferably at least two substantially horizontal channels  35  extending substantially horizontally in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10  from each channel  30 . Having more slots allows for greater adjustability of the height of the cover  20  over the bottom  16 . The wall  12  of the frying pan  10  is preferably at least two inches high and includes several substantially horizontal channels  35  extending from channels  30  in the wall  12 . The channel  30  and the lowest substantially horizontal channel  35  may terminate an inch or half-an-inch above the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 , which has to be determined during the design and manufacture of the specific embodiment of the press lock cooker. The wall  12  of the frying pan  10  should be of sufficient thickness to allow for the channels  30  and substantially horizontal channels  35 . The channels  30  and substantially horizontal channels  35  preferably have the same depth in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 . 
         [0023]    The cover  20  is a substantially flat-bottomed cover with a handle  22  and a plurality of cooperating protrusions  40  reciprocal in number to the number of channels  30 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , there are six cooperating protrusions  40  corresponding to the six substantially vertical channels  30 . The handle  22  may be thermally insulated so as to prevent accidental burning if touched by the user when it is hot. The cover  20  may also have one or more apertures  24  for the steam to escape when the food is cooked. This serves several purposes: relieving the pressure that forms in the frying pan  10 , between the wall  12 , bottom  16  and cover  20 ; allowing the excess moisture to evaporate to cook food that is less soggy; and reducing the weight of the cover  20  and the amount of material needed to manufacture it. 
         [0024]    Both the frying pan  10  and the cover  20  may be manufactured from the commercially used materials: cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic and other suitable materials and combinations thereof known in the art. For example the cover  20  may be made from glass, with a steel rim including the protrusions  40  pursuant to the disclosure of the present invention. 
         [0025]    The cover  20  is sized to be slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the frying pan  10  when measured from the inner surface of the wall  12 . The protrusions  40  are sized to be of such length that the combined diameter of the frying pan  10 , when measured from the inner surface of the wall  12 , and the length of two approximately opposite protrusions  40  are greater than the diameter of the frying pan  10  when measured from the inner surface of the wall  12 , but slightly less than the combined diameter of the frying pan  10  measured from the inner surface of the wall  12  and the depth of the reciprocating channels  30 . 
         [0026]    The protrusions  40  are positioned on the cover  20  in a reciprocal fashion to the channels  30 , and preferably spaced equidistantly from one another, just as the channels  30  should be. The protrusions  40  are sized so that they are able to pass through the channels  30  when the cover  20  is inserted into the frying pan  10 , but the protrusions  40  are engaged by the substantially horizontal channels  35  when the cover  20  is twisted or rotated in the direction of the substantially horizontal channels  35 . It should be noted that the figures illustrate an embodiment that utilizes a right-hand twist or rotating motion to lock the cover  20  in place because the substantially horizontal channels  35  are on the right side of each channel  30  from which the substantially horizontal channels  35  extend, but the substantially horizontal channels  35  may also be on the left side of each channel  30  and then the twist or rotating motion of the cover  20  to lock it will be left-handed. 
         [0027]    When in use, the user positions the food to be cooked on the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 , takes the cover  20  by the handle  22 , aligns the protrusions  40  on the cover  20  with the channels  30  in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 , and inserts the cover  20  into the frying pan  10 , keeping the cover  20  substantially parallel to the bottom  16  so that the cooperating protrusions  40  pass unimpeded through the channels  30  until the cover  20  comes in contact with the food on the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 . When the cover  20  is on top of the food that is to be cooked, the user presses the cover  20  to press the food to the thickness that is desired, and, while applying constant pressure to the cover  20 , aligns the protrusions  40  with the substantially horizontal channels  35  that will yield the desired height of the cover  20  over the bottom  16 , which equates to the desired thickness of the food to be pressed, and twists or rotates the cover  20  clockwise so that the protrusions  40  are substantially within the substantially horizontal channels  35 . The user then releases the handle  22  of the cover  20 , which should remain securely in place propped up and held by the springing action of the pressed food but also held in place by the substantially horizontal channels  35  that engaged the protrusions  40 . 
         [0028]    The food is then cooked at the intensity desired, and the thickness of the food, i.e., poultry, meat, and fish, may be more or less depending on the level of compression by the cover  20  selected by the user, and it determines how well and how fast the food cooks. 
         [0029]    Although the press lock cooker of the present invention will work with only two substantially vertical channels  30  in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 , which channels  30  should be substantially diametrically opposite in such configuration, it is preferable to have three or more substantially vertical channels  30  in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10  for secure, non-wobbling retention of the cover  20 . When there are three or more substantially vertical channels  30  in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 , the substantially vertical channels  30  are preferably equidistantly positioned from one another in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 . There may be many variations of the present invention, employing three to eight vertical channels  30  in the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 . 
         [0030]    An enlarged view of one substantially vertical channel  30  and its corresponding substantially horizontal channels  35  are illustrated in  FIG. 5 , where the wall  12  of the frying pan  10  has the channels cut in the wall  12  starting at the upper edge  14 . For even more secure retention of the cover  20 , the ends of the substantially horizontal channels  35  may be slanted slightly upwards, or the substantially horizontal channels  35  may be U-shaped or inverted U-shaped as illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7  to facilitate better retention. The present invention may also use leaf springs or another mechanism to snap-in and retain the cover  20 . 
         [0031]    The protrusions  40  are substantially planar, being substantially in the same plane as the cover  20 . The protrusions  40  are thus also substantially parallel to the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 . The protrusions  40  look like outward gear teeth, and they may be substantially square as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , rectangular, trapezoidal as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , or semicircular as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Although a square, rectangular, or trapezoidal protrusion  40  may engage the cooperating horizontal channel  35  better, the semicircular protrusions  40  would have less difficulty moving in and out of the substantially horizontal channels  35 , experiencing less snags because a semicircle has no corners to snag on. 
         [0032]    Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes and round frying pan  10  and a round cover  20 , the frying pan  10  and, correspondingly, the cover  20  may be square or rectangular. The difference in use would be in the locking motion of the cover  20 : the user would not be twisting or rotating the cover  20 , but rather sliding the cover  20  so that the protrusions  40  are engaged by the substantially horizontal channels  35  of the walls. 
         [0033]    If necessary, the user can unlock the cover  20  and press it further down and lock the cover  20  at horizontal channels  35  that are lower than the horizontal channels  35  in which the cover  20  was previously locked. This may be desirable when the food loses some of its mass or moisture and becomes thinner as the result of cooking. 
         [0034]    Another embodiment of the novel press lock cooker of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The press lock cooker comprises a frying pan  10  suitable for cooking poultry, meat, and fish and a cover  20 , illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  4  as a circular cover  20  having a handle  22  and apertures  24 . The frying pan  10  has a wall  12 , an upper edge or rim  14 , and a bottom  16 . The frying pan  10  is preferably a substantially round frying pan with at least two inward protrusions  50  extending from the wall  12 , at or just below the upper edge or rim  14  of the frying pan  10 , and aimed towards the center of the frying pan  10  in the plane substantially parallel to the bottom  16 , which is the cooking surface of the frying pan  10 . The inward protrusions  50  are substantially planar themselves, and they have the appearance of inward teeth that may be square, rectangular, trapezoidal or semicircular in shape. 
         [0035]    In this alternative embodiment, the cover  20  has a number of outward protrusions  60  reciprocal to the number of the inward protrusions  50 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the number of both inward protrusions  50  and outward protrusions  60  is four each. The diameter of the cover  20  is slightly less than the distance between the ends of the inward protrusions  50  that are approximately opposite. The outward protrusions  60  are shaped and sized to cooperatively interface with the inward protrusions  50  and to hold the cover  20  in place. 
         [0036]    To use the press lock cooker, the user places the food to be cooked on the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 . Unless the height of the cover  20  is adjustable, the top part of the food should typically be above the inward protrusions  50  in the frying pan  10 . While holding the cover  20  by the handle  22 , the user then inserts the cover  20  into the frying pan  10 , and presses the food into the frying pan  10 , thus compressing the food while allowing the cover  20  and the outward protrusions  40  of the cover  20  to pass between the inward protrusions  30  of the frying pan. When the outward protrusions  60  of the cover  20  are below the inward protrusions  50  of the frying pan  10 , the user twists the cover  20  and positions the outward protrusions  60  of the cover  20  below the inward protrusions  50 , thus locking the cover  20  in place. The combination of the food&#39;s resistance to the cover  20  and the friction between the outward protrusions  60  and the inward protrusions  50  will keep the cover  20  securely in place when the food is being cooked. 
         [0037]    Although this embodiment of the press lock cooker will work with only two inward protrusions  50 , which protrusions  50  should be substantially diametrically opposite in such configuration, it is preferable to have three or more protrusions  50  for secure, non-wobbling retention of the cover  20 . When there are three or more inward protrusions  50 , the inward protrusions  50  are preferably equidistantly positioned from one another along the wall  12  of the frying pan  10 . There may be many variations of the present invention, employing three to eight inward protrusions  50 . 
         [0038]    As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , with this embodiment the cover  20  may be adjustable as follows: it may include a top part  26  and a bottom part  28  connected to the top part  26 , preferably by an adjustable screw  21  or other adjustable means that is permanently attached to the bottom part  28  facing the top part  26  and is threaded through the top part  26 . The top part  26  in this embodiment has the outward protrusions  60  for interfacing with the inward protrusions  50  of the frying pan  10 , and the bottom part  28  is substantially flat for pressing the food down to the bottom  16  of the frying pan  10 . The height of the bottom part  28  may be adjusted before the cover  20  is inserted into the frying pan  10  and locked in place, or the height of the bottom part  28  may be adjusted at any time if the adjustable screw  21  threaded through the top part  26  comes out of the top part  26  and has a handle or knob  23  for adjusting the height of the bottom part  28 . 
         [0039]    This embodiment of the cover  20  has a further advantage of enabling the user to adjust the height of the bottom part  28  after the cooking process has started if it is necessary to adjust the height because the adjustment may be made from the cover  20  closed position by simply rotating the handle or knob  23  to adjust the screw  21 , thereby lowering or raising the bottom part  28  of the cover  20  and thus exerting more or less pressure on the food that is being cooked. 
         [0040]    As further illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the outward protrusions  60  and the inward protrusions  50  may have cooperating locking means such as a groove or a channel  62  in each of the outward protrusions  60  and a cooperating ridge  52  in each of the inward protrusions  50 , further assisting in locking the cover  20  over the food in the frying pan  10  when the ridges  52  are caught by the groove or channel  62  after the cover  20  is twisted in place and the outward protrusions  60  overlap with and are below the inward protrusions  50 . The arrangement may be reversed, with a groove or a channel  62  in each of the inward protrusions  50  and a cooperating ridge  52  in each of the outward protrusions  60  (not shown). This further prevents the outward protrusions  60  in the cover  20  from slipping from under the inward protrusions  50 , even when the press lock cooker is oily or wet. 
         [0041]    Instead of the groove or channel  62  and ridge  52  locking, other retaining configurations may be used: semi-spherical protrusion and cooperating semi-spherical depression in the cooperating inward protrusions  50  and outward protrusions  60 , or any other number of cooperating protrusions and receptacles to further aid in retaining the cover  20  in the pan  10  and prevent it from slipping. 
         [0042]    The above description of the disclosed preferred embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention and the subject matter of the present invention, which is broadly contemplated by the Applicant. The scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments that may be or become obvious to those skilled in the art.