Abstract:
A pizza peel features a blade and a handle that are pivotally-connected by a fastening arrangement featuring a knob. The handle may be moved between a storage position and a deployed position and may be locked in the selected position by manipulation of the knob. When the handle is in the stored position, the pizza peel may be easily stored.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to pizza peels of the type used to insert and remove pizzas from ovens and, more particularly, to a pizza peel with a handle that can be folded or collapsed for ease of storage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Pizza peels used at pizza restaurants have long been known in the art. The basic design of a pizza peel includes a peel blade, usually made of metal, attached to a handle, usually made of wood so as to provide insulation. The pizza cook uses the peel blade to transfer the uncooked pizza into the pizza oven deeper than he would be able to using his hands alone. Also, the pizza peel allows the pizza cook to transfer the pizza to the oven without losing the shape of the pizza, whether it be round or square, which is an issue due to the flimsy nature of an uncooked pizza. 
         [0003]    Pizza peels have traditionally been used in restaurants where storage of such cooking tools is not a significant issue. There has been an increasing interest among consumers, however, in performing restaurant style cooking at home. With more pizza peels being used in the home, storage has become an issue because a home kitchen usually has less storage space than a restaurant kitchen. 
         [0004]    As a result, a need exists for a pizza peel that can be easily stored away. Furthermore, it would be desirable for a pizza peel to have a handle that is collapsible or foldable, thereby having the benefit of both a handle and storability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view an embodiment of the folding pizza peel of the present invention with the handle in the deployed position; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is an exploded top perspective view of the folding pizza peel of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the folding pizza peel of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the handle in the storage position and with the handle deployed position illustrated in phantom. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0008]    An embodiment of the folding pizza peel of the present invention is indicated in general at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The pizza peel  10  includes a blade, indicated in general at  20 , a handle, indicated in general at  30 , and a knob, indicated in general at  40 .  FIG. 1  illustrates the handle in the deployed position so that the pizza peel may be used to insert a pizza into an oven, shift the pizza within the oven and retrieve a pizza from the oven. As will be described in greater detail below, the handle may be pivoted with respect to the blade so that the pizza peel may be placed in a compact storage configuration. While the invention is described in terms of use for baking pizzas, it is to be understood that it could be sized and used to prepare other types of baked goods. 
         [0009]    The handle preferably is constructed of wood, although other materials featuring temperature insulation capabilities, such as plastic, may be used. The blade is preferably constructed of aluminum, or another type of metal, although other materials capable of withstanding oven temperatures may be used. 
         [0010]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the blade  20  has a blade edge  22  and a mounting portion  24 . The handle  30  has a blade mounting end  32  and a grip end  34 . 
         [0011]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the mounting portion  24  of the blade is affixed to the blade mounting end  32  of the handle by a bolt  36  protruding from the blade mounting end  32  of the handle that is engaged by the knob  40 . More specifically, the knob  40  has an upper cap portion  42  and a lower portion  44  that features a reduced diameter and a threaded bore on its underside. The threaded bore receives the bolt  36  so that the knob  40  is capable of being tightened or loosened with respect to bolt  36 . Both the blade mounting end  32  of the handle and the mounting portion  24  of the blade features openings (illustrated at  46  for the blade in  FIG. 2 ) through which the bolt  36  passes. 
         [0012]    The mounting portion  24  of the blade features an arc-shaped edge and rests in an indentation  38  on the blade mounting end  32  of the handle that features a corresponding shape. As a result, the handle is locked in the deployed position illustrated in  FIG. 1  (and in phantom in  FIG. 3 ) when the knob  40  is rotated so that it tightens with respect to bolt  36  with the mounting portion of the blade sandwiched between the knob lower portion  44  and the blade mounting end  32  of the handle. 
         [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates the pizza peel  10  with the handle  30  in the storage position. Such a folded configuration provides the pizza peel with compact dimensions for ease of storage. To place the handle in the deployed position, indicated in phantom in  FIG. 3 , the knob  40  is rotated so that it is loosened with respect to bolt  36 . The mounting portion  24  of the blade can then slide along the axis of the bolt to a position where the mounting portion  24  of the blade is no longer resting in the indentation  38  ( FIG. 2 ) of the blade mounting end  32  of the handle. The handle can then be, as indicated by arrow  48 , pivoted 180 degrees around the axis defined by bolt  36  to the deployed position indicated in phantom. The knob  40  is then rotated so as to lock the handle in the deployed position. 
         [0014]    While a knob and bolt are illustrated in the embodiment of the pizza peel of  FIGS. 1-3 , alternative fasteners known in the art could be used to secure the handle to the blade in a pivoting fashion. 
         [0015]    While particular elements, embodiments, and applications of the present invention have been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto because modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teaching. It is therefore contemplated by the appended claims to cover such modifications and incorporate those features which come within the spirit and scope of the invention.