Abstract:
A cookware assembly includes an open-top vessel with diametrically opposed handles and diametrically opposed pour spouts, and a lid including an outer peripheral frame member, a central member spaced from the frame member and support structure coupled to each of the frame member and the central member closing the space therebetween. A flange depends from the frame member and has a plurality of vertically elongated apertures therethrough adjacent to a predetermined location on the frame which carries indicia to indicate the location of the apertures.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of copending U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/438,835, filed Jan. 9, 2003. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    This application relates to cookware, such as cooking vessels or containers. The application relates specifically to lidded cooking vessels, the lids therefore and the cooperation between the vessel and its lid.  
           [0003]    Various types of lidded cooking vessels or containers have heretofore been provided, including a variety of different types of pots and pans. It is also known to provide lidded cooking vessels with pour spouts which are substantially blocked in one position of the lid and unblocked in another position of the lid to facilitate pouring without removing the lid. However, it is often difficult to determine which position the lid is in relative to the spout and, furthermore, it is often difficult to pour contents from the vessel while the lid is in place without dislodging the lid, particularly in the case of large-capacity vessels, which may be rather heavy when filled, and which may be quite hot where pouring is to be effected immediately after cooking.  
           [0004]    It is also known to provide cooking vessel lids which are formed substantially of a light-transmitting material, such as glass, the lid being provided with a metal rim for engagement with the vessel. The glass covers substantially the entire width of the vessel opening and this large expanse of glass substantially increases the weight of the lid and the risk of cracking or breakage.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    There is disclosed in this application an improved assembly of a cooking container or vessel and associated lid which avoids the disadvantages of prior assemblies while affording additional structural and operating advantages.  
           [0006]    An aspect is the provision of an improved lid of multi-part construction.  
           [0007]    A further aspect of the disclosed assembly is that it provides ready indication of the position of straining apertures in the lid relative to a pour spout on the vessel.  
           [0008]    Another aspect is the provision of an assembly of the type set forth, which facilitates holding the lid in place on the vessel while pouring.  
           [0009]    In an embodiment, there is provided a cookware lid comprising an outer peripheral frame defining a central opening, a central member discrete from the frame and disposed in the central opening, and support structure connected to each of the frame and the central member for cooperation therewith to seal the central opening.  
           [0010]    There is also provided, in an embodiment, a cookware lid comprising a main body, a flange depending from the main body, the flange having a plurality of vertically elongated apertures therethrough grouped adjacent to a predetermined location on the main body, and indicia on the main body at the predetermined location to indicate the location of the apertures.  
           [0011]    There is further provided, in an embodiment, a cookware lid comprising a main body having a peripheral rim, and pads formed of thermally insulating material disposed on the main body adjacent to the peripheral rim.  
           [0012]    An embodiment also provides cookware comprising an open-top vessel having an upstanding peripheral wall terminating at an upper edge, and a pour spout formed on the peripheral wall adjacent to the upper edge; and a lid having a main body, a flange depending from the main body, the flange having a plurality of vertically elongated straining apertures therethrough grouped adjacent to a predetermined location on the main body, and indicia on the main body at the predetermined location for indicating the location of the apertures, the lid being disposable on the upper edge of the vessel in a covering condition for closing the open top thereof with the flange disposed within the upper edge of the peripheral wall, the lid while in the covering condition being disposable in a first orientation with the apertures out of alignment with the pour spout and a second orientation with the apertures aligned with the pour spout. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an assembly of a cooking vessel and a lid, with the lid in place in a venting orientation;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, with the lid removed;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the lid of FIG. 2 taken generally along line  4 - 4  therein;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the lid of FIG. 2 taken generally along the line  5 - 5  therein;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of a portion of the lid of FIG. 4 taken generally along the line  6 - 6 -therein;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the lid of FIG. 2 taken generally along the line  7 - 7  therein;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the circled portion of the lid of FIG. 7;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7, but with the lid rotated 90° to a blocking orientation;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 9;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating pouring from the vessel;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 11;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 13 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a lid;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the lid of FIG. 13;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken generally along the line  15 - 15  in FIG. 13; and  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 16 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the circled portion of FIG. 15. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0030]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a cooking assembly, generally designated by the numeral  10 , including a container or vessel  11  and a lid  20 . The container  11  is in the nature of a stock pot or the like, but it will be appreciated that it could have any of a number of different sizes and shapes. The container  11  includes a substantially circular bottom wall  12 , integral around its periphery with an upstanding peripheral side wall  13  terminating in an upper edge  14 . Formed in the upper edge  14 , at diametrically opposed locations, are two laterally outwardly projecting pour spouts  15 . Integral with the side wall  13  and projecting laterally outwardly therefrom at diametrically opposed locations spaced substantially 90° from the spout locations are two handles  16 , each having a slot  17  formed therein. It will be appreciated that the container  11  could be formed of any of a number of different materials, preferably various metals. If desired, each handle  16  may have a core formed of a suitable material, such as a phenolic, and be provided with a thermal insulating covering formed of a suitable material, such as a silicone, and adapted to be grasped by a user&#39;s fingers.  
         [0031]    Referring also to FIGS. 2-8, the lid  20  has an annular frame  21  with a convex top wall  22  curved under around its periphery to define an annular shoulder  23  (FIG. 3), from which depends a substantially cylindrical outer skirt or flange  24 . The inner edge of the top wall  22  is bent downwardly to define a support portion  25  including a substantially cylindrical depending inner flange  25   a , integral at its lower edge with a laterally inwardly extending annular flange  26 , which is in turn integral at its inner edge with an upturned lip  27 . At two diametrically opposed locations on the frame  21 , the flanges  25  and  26  extend laterally outwardly to define a pair of enlarged recesses  28  (see FIGS. 2 and 6).  
         [0032]    The support portion  25  defines a circular central opening and forms part of a support structure which also includes an annular ring  30 , which may be formed of a suitable thermally insulating plastic material, such as a suitable polyester. The ring  30  is generally channel-shaped in transverse cross section, having a cylindrical body  31  integral at its lower end with a laterally inwardly extending annular toe  32  and at its upper end with a laterally inwardly extending flange  33  (see FIG. 8). The ring  30  is dimensioned to be seated against the flanges  25  and  26 , so that the toe  32  fits up beneath the lip  27 , as can be seen in FIG. 8. The support structure also includes an annular gasket  34  which lines the inner surfaces of the ring  30 , the gasket  34  being formed of a suitable elastomeric material, such as silicone. The gasket  34  grips the peripheral edge  37  of a generally circular central member in the form of a glass top  35 , which is spaced from the frame  21  by the ring  30  and the gasket  34  and cooperates with those parts to close the central opening defined by the annular frame  21 . The top  35  may be provided with an upstanding, centrally located knob  36 . The ring  30  may be integral with enlarged, laterally outwardly extending thumb pads  38 , which may respectively fill the recesses  28  (see FIG. 6) and may be formed of a suitable thermally insulating material. It will be appreciated that the thumb pads  38  could be formed unitarily with the ring  30  or, alternatively, could be formed separately therefrom.  
         [0033]    It can be seen that the glass top  35 , the annular ring  30 , the gasket  34  and the top wall  22  and shoulder  23  of the frame  21  cooperate to form a main body of the lid  20 , from which the skirt or flange  24  depends.  
         [0034]    Formed through the skirt  24  at diametrically opposed locations thereon, respectively spaced approximately 90° from the recesses  28 , are two rows of apertures  40  (see FIGS. 3, 5 and  7 ), each of which apertures is generally oval or oblong in shape with its long axis oriented vertically. Formed on the top wall  22  of the annular frame  21  at locations respectively centered along the rows of apertures  40  are marker indicia  41 , which may comprise a group, such as three, of markings shaped generally like the apertures  40  to provide an indication of the location of the rows of apertures  40  in use. The indicia  41  may be formed by stamping the top wall  22  of the annular frame from the underside thereof to form slightly raised indicia (see FIG. 4).  
         [0035]    It will be appreciated that the lid  20  is dimensioned so that, in use, the skirt  24  will fit telescopically down inside the edge  14  of the container side wall  13 , so that the edge  14  seats against the shoulder  23 , all in a known manner.  
         [0036]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the assembly  10  is illustrated in a vented cooking position, wherein the lid  20  is installed in place on the container  10  with the rows of apertures  40  respectively aligned with the spouts  15 . In this orientation, steam or other vapors emanating from the cooked contents of the container  11  may escape through the apertures  40  and the spouts  15 . It will be appreciated that the user can determine from above that the drain apertures  40  are properly aligned with the spouts  15  by aligning the marker indicia  41  with the spouts, as illustrated in the figures.  
         [0037]    When it is desired to cook the contents of the container  11  without permitting venting of vapors therefrom, the lid  20  is installed in place in the orientation illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, with the apertures  40  out of alignment with the spouts  15 . In the illustrated embodiment, the rows of apertures  40  are respectively aligned with the handles  16 , as indicated by the positions of the marker indicia  41 .  
         [0038]    Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, when it is desired to pour liquids from the container  11  with the lid  20  in place, the lid  20  is first rotated to the vent position of FIGS. 1 and 2 to align the apertures  40  with the spouts  15 . Then, the user may lift the container  11  by grasping the handles  16  with the fingers of both hands, while pressing the thumbs against the thumb pads  38  to hold the lid  20  in place during the pouring operation. The thermally insulating nature of the handles  16  and the thumb pads  38  will protect the user&#39;s hands from burning. The apertures  40  are so sized in shape as to perform a straining function, permitting liquid contents to be poured from the vessel  11 , while preventing the passage of most non-liquid contents through the apertures  40  and the spout  15 .  
         [0039]    Referring to FIGS. 13-16, there is illustrated an alternate lid, generally designated by the numeral  50 . The lid  50  has an annular frame  51  with a convex top wall  52  curved under around its periphery to define an annular shoulder  53  (FIG. 14), from which depends a substantially cylindrical outer skirt or flange  54 . The inner edge of the top wall  52  is bent downwardly to define an annular, depending support channel  55 . More specifically, the inner edge of the top wall  52  is bent back on itself to define an upper leg  56  of the channel, and then bent downwardly to define a vertical leg  57  and then laterally inwardly to define a concave lower leg  58  which terminates in a curled back lip  59 . The support channel  55  forms part of support structure which also includes an annular gasket  60  which is generally channel-shaped in transverse cross section and is disposed in the channel  55 . More specifically, the gasket  60  has a vertically disposed, cylindrical body  61 , integral at its upper end with a radially inwardly projecting upper flange  62  and in its lower end with a radially inwardly projecting lower flange  63 .  
         [0040]    The lid  50  also includes a circular central member in the form of a glass top  65  which may be provided with an upstanding, centrally located knob  66 . The glass top  65  has a peripheral edge  67  which is received in the channel  55  and disposed in sealing engagement in the gasket  60 . The upper leg  56  and the lip  59  of the channel  55  respectively define contact points  70  and  71  disposed in contact, respectively, with the upper and lower surfaces of the top  65  adjacent to its peripheral edge for firmly supporting the top  65 .  
         [0041]    The lid  50  is provided with two rows of apertures  40  and marker indicia  41  in the same manner as was described above with respect to the lid  20 , and the lid  50  functions in essentially the same manner as the lid  20 .  
         [0042]    From the foregoing, it can be seen that there has been provided an improved cooking vessel assembly which includes a container and a lid which is provided with apertures and with indicia to indicate the position of the apertures relative to spouts on the container. Thumb pads may be provided on the lid to protect a user&#39;s thumbs from burning while pouring liquid contents from the container. The multi-part construction of the lid  20  permits a reduced-size glass top  35  to be mounted on the frame  21  while effectively sealing the main body of the lid. It will be appreciated that the top  35  may be formed of transparent or translucent glass, or could be formed of light-transmitting materials.  
         [0043]    The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.