Abstract:
A kitchenware utensil composed of fibreglass reinforced polyphenyl sulfide PPS is provided. In particular, a kitchenware scraper and an improved scraper blade, composed of PPS are described. The invention also provides a stand for storing the scraper in an upright position, and an abrasive apparatus for reshaping or sharpening the scraper.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The claimed invention relates to the field of kitchenware utensils, and more particularly to scrapers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Cooking surfaces, such as pots, pans, grills, stove tops, and pizza stones, and food preparation surfaces such as chopping boards, counters and kneading surfaces, typically require cleaning. Cleaning may involve the removal of burned or stuck food particles from the surface that must be removed through the application of force and the use of some cleaning tool. 
         [0003]    These cooking and food preparation surfaces may have different contours or configurations. For example, countertops and pizza stones have substantially flat, smooth surfaces, while the surface of grills or grilling pans are typically ridged, corrugated, or perforated. Pots and pans are typically provided with a sidewall forming an angle with the interior cooking surface of the pot or pan, and food particles may collect in the angle between the cooking surface and the sidewall. Different surfaces, therefore, may require differently shaped cleaning tools. 
         [0004]    It is therefore desirable to provide an improved cleaning implement, such as a scraper. It is further desirable to provide a base or support for holding the cleaning implement when not in use. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a scraping implement. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a scraping implement. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a partial view of the blade of the scraping implement of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of a scraping implement blade on a ridged grilling surface. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a stand for the scraping implement. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a base and its openable lid. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a package for displaying and storing a scraper. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a scraping implement  1  comprising a blade or spatula  2  and a handle  3  is provided. The blade comprises a first surface  10  and an opposing surface  11 , a handle end  12 , and a distal end  13 . The handle end  12  may be integrally formed with the handle  3 . The first side  14  and opposing second side  15  of the blade  2 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , may be substantially parallel; in other embodiments the first and opposing sides  14 ,  15  need not be parallel, so the width of the blade  2 , as defined by the distance between the first and opposing sides  14 ,  15 , may be narrower near the handle end  12  than near the distal end  13  of the blade  2 . The first surface  10  and the opposing surface  11  may be substantially parallel to each other, although in some embodiments the blade  2  may be tapered towards the distal end  13 , such that the thickness of the blade  2 , as defined by the distance between the first and opposing surfaces  10 ,  11  is greater near the handle end  12  than near the distal end  13  of the blade  2 . 
         [0014]    The distal end  13  of the blade  2  may be provided with a bevelled edge  17  to facilitate the use of the scraping implement by providing an acute angle between the opposing surface  11  and the bevelled edge  17 . In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the opposing surface  11  is substantially flat and the bevelled edge  17  is further provided with an arc or camber  16 , such that the central portion of the bevelled edge  17  of the blade  2  extends further than the first and opposing sides  14 ,  15 . It has been found that the provision of a slight arc or camber in the profile of the bevelled edge  17  helps reduce snagging of the blade  2  on food particles or surface features as the cambered, bevelled edge of the scraping implement  1  is used to clean a surface. As depicted in  FIG. 2 , one of the first or second sides  14 ,  15  may be longer than the other, thus defining an acute angle  18 ,  19  that may be useful in cleaning certain angled regions in cooking surfaces, such as the interior corners of pots or pans. 
         [0015]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the handle  3  of the scraping implement  1  may be provided in any suitable shape or length. In one embodiment, the total length of the blade  2  and handle  3  is between about 18 cm and 25 cm long, so that the scraping implement  1  may be used with one hand. A user may grip the handle  3  at an intermediate point at or near the handle end  12  of the blade  2 , and the end of the handle, mounting end  4 , may rest against the palm of the user&#39;s hand. The mounting end  4  may be provided with a rounded end to fit within the user&#39;s cupped palm. Thus, in use, the user may apply force both downward and forward on the scraping implement  1  by both bearing down on the implement  1  near the handle end  12  and by pushing forward on the mounting end  4 . 
         [0016]    It has been discovered that polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) compounds are particularly useful in the manufacture of utensils such as the scraping implement described above. PPS is a thermoplastic polymer comprising alternating sulphur atoms and phenylene rings in a para substitution pattern. The polymer is known for its high strength, thermal and dimensional stability, abrasion resistant and chemical resistant properties. 
         [0017]    Suitable PPS compounds are widely available from different manufacturers, and can be moulded using conventional moulding equipment. In particular, R-4-200, a 40% fibreglass reinforced PPS compound, sold by Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP, P.O. Box 4910, The Woodlands, Tex., U.S.A. 77387-4910 under the Ryton™ brand, has been found to be a useful PPS compound for manufacturing kitchenware utensils. This particular PPS compound will not deform when contacting surfaces up to 500° F. and is flame resistant. Accordingly, utensils made of this PPS compound are suitable for use on cooking surfaces and open flame grills. 
         [0018]    The inherent properties of PPS provide for the manufacture of a utensil having low thermal conductivity, resistance to deformation and degradation despite repeated exposure to high temperatures, and enhanced strength and toughness. Such utensils are particularly useful when handling or working with hot cookware or surfaces. 
         [0019]    Since PPS has low thermal conductivity, little heat will be transferred from a cooking surface to the handle  3  of the scraping implement described above. Thus, in another embodiment the blade  2  of the scraping implement  1  is formed from a PPS compound. In a further embodiment, the handle  3  and the blade  2  are integrally formed from PPS. An integral construction of the scraping implement  1  using PPS provides increased strength and rigidity to the utensil, allowing for more force to be applied to the scraping implement  1  when cleaning or scraping a cooking or food preparation surface, without deforming or damaging the scraping implement  1 . 
         [0020]    The scraping implement  1  may be manually shaped and reshaped by the user to provide varying angles or curves along the various edges or surfaces of the blade  2 . For example, the user may shape the bevelled edge  17  to provide a sharper or duller bevel angle, or may smooth or sharpen the angle  19  defined by the bevelled edge  17  and the second side  15  so that the scraping implement  1  fits more easily in the angles or surface contours of a cooking or food preparation surface. In addition, the arc  16  of the bevelled edge  17  may be reshaped. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the blade  2  of a scraping implement  1  is shown with a contoured edge shaped to accommodate the ridges  30  of a grilling surface  31 . In addition or alternatively, the handle  3  may also be manually shaped or reshaped to conform to the user&#39;s preferred method of gripping the scraping implement  1 , for example to provide or enhance a convex area on the handle  3  corresponding to a position of the user&#39;s thumb when gripping the implement  1 . In particular, where the blade  2  and/or handle  3  is formed of PPS, it may be sharpened or reshaped using a common, inexpensive abrasive or shaping apparatus, such as a sheet of sand paper, a file, burr, or rasp, a ridged, hardened metal (such as, but not limited to, hardened steel) surface, or a natural or manufactured sharpening or honing stone comprising materials including, but not limited to, natural stone, ceramic, and diamond material bonded to a substrate. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a stand  20  for holding the scraping implement  1  is provided. The stand  20  allows the scraping implement to be stored in a substantially vertical position. The stand  20  comprises a base  100  for resting on a substantially flat surface, such as a countertop or table, and a seat  101  for receiving the scraping implement  1 . The base  100  may be formed or manufactured from a variety of materials, including PPS, or any other suitable material such as plastics, metals such as stainless steel or aluminum, or natural materials such as wood, marble, or other stone, and the like. The base may be circular, elliptical, square, or rectangular in shape, or it may take any other shape that provides sufficient stability. 
         [0022]    In a first embodiment, the base  100  may be substantially solid so as to provide additional stability. In a further embodiment, a base  200  may include an opening or receptacle, discussed below. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the seat  101  comprises at least one support means  110  extending from the base  100 . The support means  110  may be formed integrally with the base  100 , or may be manufactured as a separate component and fixedly attached to the base  100 . The support means  110  includes a channel  111  shaped to receive either the first or the second side  14 ,  15  of the blade  2 . The channel  111  may be an open bore in the support means  110  extending through the entire length of the support means  110  extending from the base  100 , or it may terminate at a shoulder  112 . The blade  2  may then be inserted into the channel  111  so that the corresponding side  14 ,  15  is held within the channel  111 , with the end of the side  14 ,  15  resting on the shoulder  112  or on the base  100  directly. In one embodiment, a second support means  120  is provided with a channel  121 , shaped to receive the remaining side  15 ,  14  of the blade  2 . The channel  121  may terminate at a shoulder  122  which, depending on the configuration of the blade  2  of the scraping implement  1 , may be provided at the same height above the base  100  as the first shoulder  112 , or may be provided at a different height. For example, if the bevelled edge  17  of the blade  2  is oriented so as to provide an acute angle  19  defined by the side wall  14  and the bevelled edge  17 , wherein the side wall  14  is longer than the other side wall  15 , the channel  121  corresponding to the first side  14  may be deeper (for example, the shoulder  122  may be disposed closer to the base  100 ) than the channel  111  shaped to receive the second side  15 . The dimensions of the first and second support means  110 ,  120  may be sized to provide an interference fit with the blade  2 . 
         [0024]    Turning to  FIG. 6 , in an alternative embodiment the seat  201  of a base  200  may comprise handle support means  210  configured to receive the mounting end  4  of the handle  3 , wherein each of the handle support means  210  is shaped to receive a portion of the mounting end  4 . In the example depicted in  FIG. 6 , a plurality of handle support means  210  are provided in a “claw-like” configuration and are shaped to receive the mounting end  4  of the handle  3 , such that the mounting end  4  rests on a shoulder  211  of each handle support means  210 . 
         [0025]    As explained above, the base  100  or  200  may be a solid form. The base  100  or  200  may be manufactured from a medium used for shaping the scraping implement  1 , for example a sharpening stone material. The base  100  or  200  may also include at least one external surface provided with a shaping surface, for example one side of the base  100  or  200  may be provided with a sandpaper surface (e.g., sandpaper may be adhered to a surface of the base  100  or  200 ). 
         [0026]    In a further embodiment, the base  100  or  200  may include an opening or receptacle. In  FIG. 6 , the base  200  comprises a container portion  220  and a removable cover  230 . The cover  230  may form the surface of the base  200  that rests on a countertop or table. A groove or recess  231  extending around the perimeter edge of the cover  230  is sized to receive one or more tabs  221  extending radially inward from an inner sidewall of the container portion  220  to provide a snap fit between the cover  230  and the container portion  220 . In an alternative embodiment, the cover  230  may be hingedly attached to the container portion  220  (not shown); for example, if the base  200  is made of a suitable plastic composition, the cover  230  and the container portion  220  may be integrally formed and joined with a living hinge. A shaping medium, such as sandpaper or a sharpening stone, may be concealed inside the container portion  220 . The base  200 , including one of the container portion  220 , the cover  230 , or both, may be weighted to improve the stability of the base  200 . 
         [0027]    It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that a stand  20  can be formed using any of the features described above, with respect to the base or seat. For example, one possible configuration of the stand  20  may comprise the base  200  having an opening, wherein the cover  230  is made of a shaping medium, and the seat  100 , configured to receive the blade  2  of a scraping implement  1 . 
         [0028]    Turning to  FIG. 7 , packaging  300  for displaying and marketing the scraper implement  1  is provided through cooperation of a stand  310  and a sidewall  320 , such that the stand  310  may be used to store the scraping implement  1  without the sidewall  320 . The sidewall  320  can be transparent, translucent, or solid and could be printed or formed with indicia suitable for marketing purposes. The stand  310  includes a flange (not shown) or a shoulder  312  extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of its base  311 , having a shape corresponding to a first end  321  of the sidewall, to support the sidewall  320 .  FIG. 6  depicts the shoulder  312  extending around the entire perimeter of the base  200 . The sidewall  320  may be removably attached to the base  311  through an interference fit between an upper sidewall surface  313  of the base  311  and an interior face of the sidewall  320 . In a further embodiment, the base  311  may have an annular or perimeter bead which cooperates with a corresponding recess in the sidewall  320  to provide a snap fit. Alternatively, the base  311  may include a helical groove to engage a corresponding thread disposed on the inner surface of the sidewall  320 , or vice versa. A lid  330  cooperating with a second end  322  of the sidewall  320  may be used to close the packaging  300 . The lid  330  may use any of the means for cooperation with the sidewall  320  as the stand  310 . In a further embodiment, the lid  330  comprises a second stand to engage the respective distal  13  or mounting end  4  not engaged by the stand  310 . In an alternative, the sidewall  320  may extend to provide an integral cover for the packaging, without the need for a separate lid  330 . The packaging  300  may also enclose a shaping medium, which may be conveniently located in the container portion of base  311 . 
         [0029]    Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For example, in further embodiments the implement  1  may be provided with an angled handle  3 , such that when the blade  2  is held substantially flush on a surface, the mounting end of the handle  4  extends upwards from the surface. The angle may be provided at or near the junction of the blade  2  with the handle  2 . Alternatively, the handle  3  may be provided with a dogleg or double angle so as to offset the axis of the handle  3  near the mounting end  4  from the plane of the blade  2 . The blade  2  may be rounded or cupped so as to be usable as a spoon or scoop, or in a further alternative may be generally rounded in shape for use as a spreader, with or without one or more serrated edges.