Abstract:
This disclosure relates to the field of kitchen implements, specifically a kitchen implement for separating the solid portion of gravy from the liquid portion and then dispersing the liquid portion of the gravy through an opening in the bottom of the implement. A handle, release lever, and valve are provided to allow distribution and portion control of the gravy while the implement is in an upright and vertical orientation.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     a) Field of the Disclosure 
     This disclosure relates to the field of kitchen implements, specifically a kitchen implement for separating the solid portion of gravy from the liquid portion. 
     b) Background Art 
     For clarification, gravy herein describes a food product which can be produced from the fat and juices that run from cooking meat and/or vegetables. Gravy is often thickened, seasoned, flavored, colored, etc., and used as a sauce for meat, potatoes, rice, etc. 
     As it is often desired to remove the larger solid pieces of meat, vegetables, and thickener from the gravy to produce a food substance having 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Disclosed herein is a gravy dispenser comprising a pitcher shaped main body having a tapered bottom wall; a sidewall where the sidewall has an upper rim. In one form, the lowermost portion of the tapered bottom wall is open to allow passage of the gravy there though. A handle is provided for grasping and lifting the main body. A gravy release lever is provided and is attached to the handle. The gravy release lever is attached to and configured to operate a gravy release valve. A surface defining an opening is provided in the lowermost portion of the tapered bottom wall through which the gravy will be dispersed. The gravy release valve is configured to selectively close the opening in the lowermost portion of the tapered bottom wall to selectively allow passage of the gravy therethough while the gravy dispenser is in a vertical, upright orientation for portion control. 
     To support the dispenser above a countertop, table, stove or other kitchen or dining surface, a support base may be provided. The support base coupled to the main body and extending downward to maintain the main body in an upright and vertical orientation when the gravy dispenser is placed to rest upon a support surface such that the main body and gravy release valve are vertically above, and not in physical contact with the support surface. A fine strainer may be removably attached to the upper portion of the main body and extend downward into the main body. The fine strainer may be combined with a coarse strainer removably attached to the fine strainer to further filter out larger solid components from smaller solid and liquid components. 
     In construction and use, the gravy dispenser may be arranged wherein an upper portion of the gravy release lever is pivotably attached to an upper, inner portion of the handle so as to pivot relative thereto. In this embodiment, a lower portion of the gravy release lever may be slidably coupled to a sliding portion of the gravy release valve, such that repositioning of the gravy release valve toward the handle linearly repositions the sliding portion of the gravy release valve toward the handle to open the gravy release valve. To seal this valve when distribution is not desired, the gravy dispenser may utilize a malleable gasket positioned between the gravy release valve and the surface defining the opening in the lowermost portion of the main body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the gravy pitcher. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view thereof. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side exploded view thereof. 
         FIG. 5  is a left side view thereof. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view thereof. 
         FIG. 7  is a front view thereof. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view thereof. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom view thereof. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before beginning a detailed description, an axes system  10  is disclosed as shown in  FIG. 1  comprising a vertical axis  12  pointing in an upward direction and a radially outward axis  14  aligned with the vertical central axis of the main body of the main body  22  and pointing outward therefrom. These axes are not intended to be limiting, but are simply used to aid in understanding of the overall apparatus. 
     Looking to  FIG. 1 , a gravy dispenser  20  is shown generally comprising a main body  22 , handle  24  a support base  26  and at least one strainer  28 . In use, unfiltered gravy is poured into the strainer  28  to remove any solid components larger than the perforations  30 . The liquid component of the gravy along with any solid component smaller than the perforations  30  will continue through the strainer  28  into the main body  22  of the gravy dispenser  20 . The main body  22  may be an opaque container as shown in  FIG. 1 , and may have a window  32  therein for viewing of the contents there through. The window  32  may assist the user to determine the volume and consistency of the gravy product within the main body  22 . In another embodiment, such as shown in  FIG. 3 , the main body  22  is translucent or transparent and may be made of glass, plastics or equivalent materials. In either embodiment, a plurality of measurement marks  34  may be provided to quantify the volume of gravy within the main body  22 . 
     One significant advantage of this dispenser  20  over prior gravy filters and pitchers is shown in  FIG. 2 . This advantage being easy removal of the strainer(s)  28  from the main body  22 . In one form, the radially outward surface  36  of each strainer  28  may simply rest upon an inner surface  38  of the rim  40  of the main body  22  such that gravity alone holds it in place, and the frusta conical outer surface of the strainer  28  may align with the frusta conical inner surface  38  to fix the relative position of the filter  28  relative to the main body  22 . Of course spherical or other surfaces could be used. In addition, while a single strainer  28  is shown in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of filters  28 A and  28 B are shown in  FIG. 2 . While the filter  28 A appears to have perforations similar to those of the strainer  28  shown in  FIG. 1 , when two or more filters  28  are used, the upper filter  28 A will normally be a coarser filter which rests upon and partially within the lower filter  28 B. The lower filter  28  in one form as shown in  FIG. 2  comprises an upper solid portion  42  which may or may not be perforated, and a lower mesh portion  44  which will ordinarily be of finer perforations than the upper filter  28 A. 
     In another embodiment not shown, the lower filter  28 B is constructed in the same way as the upper filter  28 A. In either embodiment, it will normally be desired to have a gap between the lower surface  46  of the upper filter  28 A and the upper surface  48  of the mesh or perforated portion of the lower filter  28 B. This gap allows the finer solid materials which pass through the upper filter  28 A to be held within the lower filter  28 B, and not plug the perforations in the upper filter  28 A. 
     In use, as shown in  FIG. 3  the gravy dispenser  20  is partially filled with gravy  50  having an upper surface  52  which can be seen through the window  32  of  FIG. 1  or through the translucent sides of the dispenser  20  as shown in  FIG. 3 . To improve the ascetics and sanitation of the apparatus in use, a covering lid  54  may be provided which can attach to the upper filter  28 A, lower filter  28 B if the upper filter is not present, or the upper rim  40  of the main body  22  if neither filter is present. In another embodiment, the upper portions of the lower filter  28 B, and/or upper filter  28 A may not project vertically upwards beyond the upper rim  40  but may rest completely within the main body  22 , as such the lid  54  may engage or overlay the upper rim  40  while one or both filters are in place. 
       FIG. 3  also shows a gravy release lever  56  which is attached through linkages to a gravy release valve  58  on the lowermost portion  60  of the main body  22 . As shown in this embodiment, a tapered (in one form conical) bottom wall  62  extends from the sidewall  64  of the main body  22  inward and downward towards the lowermost portion  60  to direct the gravy  50  toward the gravy release valve  58  while the dispenser  20  is in an upright position. 
     While several different release valves  58  can be utilized, a very simple mechanism is shown here wherein the upper portion  66  of the gravy release lever  56  is pivotably connected through a pivot  68  to the handle  24 . In one form the pivot is formed by positioning the upper portion  66  between pins  88  and  90 . At the same time, the lowermost portion  70  is connected to a slider  72  by way of a pivoting slip joint  74  this slip joint can be more easily seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In  FIG. 1 , it can be seen how the lowermost portion of the handle  24  comprises a channel  76  in two which is placed a slider  78 . A slip joint  74  may be provided at one end of the slider  78 , and the gravy release valve  58  is provided at the opposite end of the slider  78 . Looking to  FIG. 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 9 , it can be seen how as the gravy release lever  56  is grasped with sufficient force to overcome an inward biasing member the gravy release lever  56  rotates about the pivot  68  in direction of travel  80  which repositions the slider  78  in direction of travel  82 . Looking then to  FIG. 9 , it can be seen how the gravy release valve  58  would then reposition in direction of travel  84  allowing fluid communication of the gravy through the lowermost portion  60  of the main body  22  to dispense a desired volume of gravy. Upon release of pressure to the gravy release lever  56 , the inward biasing member forces these moving components in the opposite direction just described, to close the gravy release valve  58 . In one form, a rubber or other malleable gasket  86  may be interposed between the slider  78  and the lowermost portion  60  to provide a more positive seal for the gravy release valve  58 . 
     As the configuration of the gravy dispenser  20  described hereto may require or benefit from additional stability when a user is not grasping the handle  24  but rather the dispenser  20  is resting upon a support surface  88  such as a table, countertop, stovetop or equivalent, a support base  26  may be provided. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the support base  26  is a wireframe, three legged base although other materials and configurations may be used equally as well such as a cylinder, cone, sphere or equivalent structure. The significant component of each of these is to provide a more stable base than otherwise achievable and simultaneously to provide a gap  90  between the support surface  88  and the gravy release valve  58  to increase sanitation of the overall apparatus. 
     While the present invention is illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments are described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications within the scope of the appended claims will readily appear to those sufficed in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicants&#39; general concept.