Abstract:
An apparatus for suspending a food product, such as meats and the like while cooking comprised of two planar interlocking grids that allow for easy assembly and storage and allow for use in high heat and microwave environments.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a cooking apparatus for suspending a food product while roasting to expose all surfaces of the food product to uniform heat and to allow excess oils and grease to drip off the food product into a pan below. Most specifically, the invention relates to a two-piece cooking apparatus suited for roasting meats and the like in high temperature and microwave environments. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Roasting, in which an article of food, usually meat or poultry, is placed in an oven is an early and still popular cooking technique. 
     It is common for oven roasting racks to be made from wire to provide the advantages of simple and cheap manufacture and distribution. However, a wire roast rack is often cumbersome in configuration and occupies appreciable storage space. This is a particularly troublesome problem when the racks are stored in cluttered kitchen cabinets. 
     When roasting a food product on a wire roast rack, it is often difficult to manipulate and remove the food product from the rack. This is due to the fact that most roasted foods are highly proteinaceous and are therefore prone to stick to a hot roasting rack. For this reason, there is a need for the removal of the food product from a rack which will not cause damage to the cooked food. Further, the heat of the oven in such methods of roasting penetrates the body cavity of the meat or other food product being roasted and thus causes the object being roasted to drip excess oils and grease onto the rack and into the pan below. Many wire racks do not provide for adequate means to allow the food product to drip off excess oils and grease, thus making cleaning of the rack difficult and affecting the taste of food product. 
     In addition, any roast racks made of wire tend to rust after repeated use and cleaning and its metallic properties prevent it from being used in a microwave. 
     Recently, microwave cooking has become a popular alternative to oven cooking. Current kitchen cookware must be able to not only withstand high temperatures but also have the capacity to operate in the microwave environment. Microwave ovens have become popular kitchen appliances and it is apparent that use of microwave ovens will continue to increase. The wire roast racks are not suitable for use in microwave ovens because wire, metal and other such materials are not microwave compatible. 
     Cookware does exist that has been designed specifically for use in microwave environments. Such cookware usually takes the form of a tray or pan made of microwave compatible material. However, such cookware is unsuitable for the efficient roasting of meats and the like as such cookware does not uniformly cook the meat and does not provide the means necessary to allow oils and grease to drip off the food product. 
     Barder, British Patent No. 1,519,776, discloses a rack in the form of two wire grids having three planes. The reference device however is not microwave compatible and buffers the disadvantages known to wire racks. Its configuration also makes it difficult to store in kitchen cabinets. 
     It has been discovered that polyetherimides and, in particular, polyetherimide bearing the grade designation Ultem®1000 and Ultem®1010 are virtually unaffected by microwave radiation. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus that is unaffected by high temperatures and microwave energy. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus that is durable and will maintain its shape. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus that is easily assembled and stored. 
     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus that allows for uniform heating. 
     Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus that will allow oils, grease and fat to drip off the meat or other food product. 
     Still a further object of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus that is easy to clean and will resist rust. 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to cooking apparatus for suspending a food product while being roasted formed entirely of polyetherimide. Specifically, the cooking apparatus of the present invention is formed of two identical grids that interlock with each other to form a rack that will expose the maximum surface area of the food product for uniform cooking. Each grid is also provided with a means for allowing oils and grease to drip off the food product onto a pan below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The invention will be better understood by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cooking apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a grid of the cooking apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of FIG. 1 of the cooking apparatus of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1 of the cooking apparatus of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The cooking apparatus (2) of the present invention as seen in FIG. 1 is comprised of at least two grids (4) and (4a) and a means for reversibly interlocking each grid (4) and (4a) with each other to form a trough (6) for suspending a food product while cooking. The grids (4) and (4a) are substantially identical. 
     A grid (4) as seen in FIG. 2 is substantially rectangular and planar in configuration. The grid (4) has a forward portion (8) and a rearward portion (10). The forward portion (8) and rearward portion (10) are separated by the interlocking means. 
     The interlocking of the grids (4) and (4a) causes the rearward portions (10) and (10a) to form a trough (6) and the forward portions (8) and (8a) of the grids (4) and (4a) to form a base (14) to support the trough (6). The forward portions (8) and (8a) diverge from the interlocking means at an angle of at least 90°. 
     Each grid (4) and (4a) is also provided a means for maintaining the rearward portions (10) and (10a) at an angle of diverge. The means comprise at least one projection (18) and (18a) found on the underside of each grid (4) and (4a) on the rearward portions (10) and (10a). The projections (18) and (18a) engage the upper surface of the forward portions (8) and (8a) of each grid (4) and (4a) when the grids (4) and (4a) are interlocked and maintain the angle of diverge of the rearward portions (10) and (10a). 
     The grid (4) is also provided with a substantially elongated slot (12), a second slot (28) and a (22). The elongated slot (12) and second slot (28) are longitudinally aligned and are of the same width. The elongated slot (12) has an open end (16) and a projection (30). The panel (22) connects the forward portion (8) and rearward portion (10) of the grid (4) and the elongated slot (12) and second slot (28). Second slot (28) also is also provided with an open end (24). 
     The slot (12), second slot (28) and panel (22) are means by which the grid (4) interlocks with a second grid (4a). 
     As seen in FIG. 3, the grids (4) and (4a) are aligned so that the panel (22) of one grid (4) will longitudinally pass and be inserted through the elongated slot (12a) of a second grid (4a). The projections (30) and (30a) will prevent the panels (22) and (22a) from exiting the elongated slots (12) and (12a) after the grids (4) and (4a) have been interlocked. 
     The rearward portions (10) and (10a) and forward portions (8) and (8a) of each grid (4) and (4a) can be provided with a plurality of openings (20). These openings (20) are substantially ellipitical in shape and allow for any oils, grease and fat to drip off the food product being roasted onto a pan below. 
     Each grid (4) and (4a) is integrally formed in one piece and is made of a microwave compatible material. The preferred material used to form the apparatus (2) is a polyetherimide identified at present by the trademark Ultem®1010. Practice has also taught that Ultem®1000 is another acceptable polyetherimide for use in forming the grids of the present invention. The preferred method of manufacture of the apparatus (2) is conventional injection molding. 
     It has been found that the necessary structural characteristics for the apparatus (2) is achieved when the length of each grid is between about 51/2 to 71/2 and the width of each grid is about 5&#34;. The preferred length of the elongated slot is about 33/8 in length and 158 &#34; in width. The preferred dimension of the second slot is about 1/2&#34; long and 5/8&#34; wide.