Abstract:
A sauce applicator apparatus combination for applying sauce to a food product and a corresponding method are described. The combination comprises a first sauce applicator apparatus positioned above a second sauce applicator apparatus. The first sauce applicator apparatus comprises a first inner bucket having apertures formed therein, a first outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the first inner bucket having apertures, and a first lid sized to cover the first inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the first inner bucket. The second sauce applicator apparatus comprises a second inner bucket having apertures formed therein, a second outer bucket sized to receive at least a portion of the second inner bucket having apertures, and a second lid sized to cover the second inner bucket and arranged to prevent escape of food product from within the second inner bucket.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority from, and is related to, prior U.S. Provisional Application having Application Ser. No. 60/822,829, titled “Method of Applying Sauce to Food Product,” having the same inventor, and filed on Aug. 18, 2006, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods of applying sauce to a food product and a corresponding apparatus therefore. Existing vessels used for applying sauce to food products use an amount of storage and counter space equal to the size of each of the individual vessels. This is inefficient and requires multiple cleaning of vessels and additional use and/or wasteage of sauce. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]     The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein elements having the same reference numeral designations represent like elements throughout and wherein:  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a first bucket useable in conjunction with an embodiment of the present invention to advantage;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a second bucket useable in conjunction with an embodiment;  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a sauce applicator apparatus according to an embodiment;  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is a side top perspective view of the sauce applicator apparatus of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 5  is a side top perspective view of more than one stacked sauce applicator apparatuses according to an embodiment;  
         [0009]      FIG. 6  is a side top perspective view of a stacked sauce applicator according to an embodiment; and  
         [0010]      FIG. 7  is a side top perspective view of a stacked sauce applicator according to another embodiment. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  depicts a side view of an inner bucket  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Inner bucket  100  comprises a cylindrical sidewall  110  and a circular bottom face  140 . The top or upper portion of inner bucket  100  is open. Bottom face  140  of inner bucket  100  is perforated by a plurality of apertures  150 . Each aperture  150  is of a size large enough to allow a sauce to pass through, e.g., drain through, while being small enough so that the food product, e.g., chicken wings, can not pass through.  
         [0012]     Cylindrical sidewall  110  narrows in circumference between the top or upper portion of inner bucket  100  to the bottom face  140 . That is, inner bucket  100  narrows toward the bottom of the bucket.  
         [0013]     In at least some embodiments, each aperture  150  may be formed by punching, drilling, etching, or other aperture-forming mechanism. In at least some other embodiments, the plurality of apertures may result from a grid structure positioned over an open bottom face  140  of inner bucket  140 , e.g., the apertures may be formed in openings between crossing wire segments or flat strips of material. In at least some embodiments, apertures  150  may be formed in at least a portion of sidewall  110  extending from near the bottom of inner bucket  100  toward the top of the inner bucket. In at least some other embodiments, apertures  150  may be polygonal-shaped, ellipsoidal-shaped, or a combination thereof. In at least some other embodiments, the plurality of apertures  150  may be arranged in a pattern or randomly distributed about bottom  140  of inner bucket  100 .  
         [0014]     Inner bucket  100  further comprises a rim  130  about a top portion of the sidewall  110 . Sidewall  110  of inner bucket  100  also comprises a protruding ring  120  extending around, e.g., circumscribing, the sidewall near a top or upper end of the sidewall. Inner bucket  100 , in at least some embodiments, further comprises a lid  160  sized to fit onto rim  130  to retain the contents of the inner bucket  100  within the bucket. Inner bucket  100  further comprises handles  170  at each side thereof.  
         [0015]     In at least some embodiments, the seal formed by lid  160  on rim  130  is sufficient to seal within liquids, as well as solids. In at least some embodiments, protruding ring  120  and/or handles  170  may be omitted.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  depicts a side view of an outer bucket  200  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Similar to inner bucket  100 , outer bucket  200  has a cylindrical sidewall  210 , a bottom face  240 , a rim  230  at the top or upper portion of the cylindrical sidewall and a protruding ring  220  beneath the rim  230  but near the top of the sidewall  210 . Similar to inner bucket  100 , outer bucket  200  further comprises handles  270  at opposing sides of the bucket on sidewall  210 . Outer bucket  200  differs from inner bucket  100  in that the outer bucket does not have apertures perforating bottom face  240 .  
         [0017]     In at least some embodiments, outer bucket  200  may have a lid similar to lid  160  which is able to form a seal with rim  230  sufficient to seal within liquids, as well as solids. In at least some embodiments, lid  160  may fit one or both of inner bucket  100  and outer bucket  200 . In at least some embodiments, protruding ring  220  and/or handles  270  may be omitted.  
         [0018]     In at least some embodiments, outer bucket  200  is the same size as inner bucket  100 , i.e., the outer bucket dimensions equal the inner bucket dimensions. Because both buckets  100 ,  200  have equal dimensions, inner bucket  100  fits within outer bucket  200 . In at least some embodiments, inner bucket  100  fits snugly within outer bucket  200 . By varying the slope of cylindrical sidewall  110 ,  210  of the buckets  100 ,  200 , the amount of the inner bucket sidewall which fits within the outer bucket may be varied.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  depicts a side view of a sauce applicator apparatus  300  according to an embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus  300  comprises inner bucket  100  positioned within outer bucket  200 . Further, a sauce  310 , e.g., chicken wing sauce such as WY&#39;S WINGS Buffalo Wing Sauce of Strasburg, Va., is positioned within outer bucket  200  and a food product  320 , e.g., chicken wings and legs, is positioned within inner bucket  100 .  
         [0020]     In order to coat food product  320  with sauce  310  using sauce applicator apparatus  300  of  FIG. 3 , inner bucket  100  is positioned within outer bucket  200 . Sauce  310  is placed, e.g., by pouring, into inner bucket  100 . Sauce  310  passes through apertures  150  in inner bucket  100 . Sauce sufficient to reach a level not higher than bottom  140  of inner bucket  100  is poured into inner bucket  100 . Food product  320  is placed within inner bucket  100 . Because apertures  150  at bottom  140  of inner bucket  100  are smaller than food product  320 , the bottom of the inner bucket supports the food product  320  without the food product touching bottom  240  of outer bucket  200 .  
         [0021]     In at least some embodiments, sauce  310  is placed within outer bucket  200  prior to positioning of inner bucket  100  within the outer bucket. In at least some embodiments, food product  320  may be placed within inner bucket  100  prior to positioning the inner bucket within outer bucket  200 .  
         [0022]     In at least some other embodiments, inner bucket  100  may be placed within outer bucket  200  prior to placement of either or both of sauce  310  and food product  320  within inner bucket  100 . In at least some other embodiments, food product  320  may be placed in inner bucket  100  prior to pouring sauce  310  into sauce applicator apparatus  300 .  
         [0023]     Protruding ring  120  of inner bucket  100  rests on rim  230  of outer bucket  200  in order that bottom  140  of the inner bucket remains a predetermined distance above bottom  240  of the outer bucket. Also, the bottom  140  of inner bucket  100  remains above sauce  310  within outer bucket  200 .  
         [0024]     In at least some embodiments, the predetermined distance between bottom  140  and bottom  240  is based on a predetermined volume of sauce  310  to be applied to a predetermined amount of food product  320 . In at least one specific embodiment, the predetermined distance may correspond to a predetermined volume between bottom  140  and bottom  240 . That is, a given number of fluid ounces to be applied to a given amount of food product  320  may be poured into sauce applicator apparatus  300 . Because the predetermined distance is related to the given number of fluid ounces, a measuring step may be eliminated with regard to sauce  310 , as well as elimination of an additional utensil, and a given amount of food product  320  to be coated may be positioned within inner bucket  100 .  
         [0025]     In at least some embodiments, the predetermined distance may be indicated to a user of sauce applicator apparatus  300  by viewing whether sauce  310  meets or exceeds the level of apertures  150  in inner bucket  100 . In at least some embodiments, sidewall  210  may be transparent and/or translucent such that the level of sauce  310  within outer bucket  200  may be viewed from the exterior of sauce applicator apparatus  300 .  
         [0026]     After insertion of inner bucket  100  into outer bucket  200  and the addition of sauce  310  and food product  320  to the inner bucket, lid  160  is fixed to the rim  130  of the inner bucket. With lid  160  affixed in place on rim  130  and inner bucket  100  within outer bucket  200 , food product  320  is sealed within the inner bucket and sauce  310  is sealed within outer bucket  200 . After sealing sauce applicator apparatus  300 , a user is able to use handles  270  of outer bucket  200  to shake the apparatus.  
         [0027]     In at least some embodiments, a user grabs handles  270  using the user&#39;s fingers and places the user&#39;s thumbs on top of lid  160  reinforcing contact and the sealing action of the lid with respect to apparatus  300 . In at least some embodiments, a user may shake apparatus  300  in a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, a circular direction, or a combination thereof.  
         [0028]     Shaking sauce applicator apparatus  300  causes sauce  310  located below the bottom  140  of inner bucket  100  to pass through the apertures  150  to within the inner bucket and contact and coat the food product  320 .  
         [0029]     After shaking the apparatus  300 , the apparatus is placed in a quiescent position in order to allow excess sauce  310  to pass through apertures  150  to the bottom  240  of outer bucket  200 . Recovered excess sauce  310  may be reused later and minimizes sauce waste  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  depicts a side top perspective view of sauce applicator apparatus  300 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  depicts a side top perspective view of a stacked pair of sauce applicator apparatuses  300 . In at least some embodiments, a plurality of pairs of sauce applicator apparatuses  300  may be stacked within each other. In this manner, the amount of counter space and/or refrigerator space required to store sauce applicator apparatuses  300  is reduced. Further, unused sauce  310  may be stored in a sauce applicator apparatus  300 , in either a stacked or unstacked arrangement with other apparatuses, for later use.  
         [0032]     In at least some other embodiments, a single inner bucket  100  may be employed in conjunction with one or more additional outer buckets  200 . For example, two or more outer buckets  200  may each retain differing sauces  310  and a single inner bucket  100  may be used in conjunction with a given food product  320  for a particular desired sauce. In accordance with at least this embodiment, fewer utensils may require cleaning as only inner bucket  100  contacts food product  320 .  
         [0033]     In accordance with the  FIG. 5  embodiment, a user may place a food product in one or both of first and/or second inner buckets of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses  300 . The user may place a sauce in one or both of first and/or second outer buckets of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses  300 . The user may cover one or the other of the stacked sauce applicator apparatuses  300  using a lid and shake the covered sauce applicator apparatus to apply the sauce to the food product.  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  depicts a side top perspective view of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses. As depicted, an inner bucket  600 , similar to inner bucket  100  described above, is positioned within a first outer bucket  602 , similar to outer bucket  200  described above. First outer bucket  602  may further comprise a first sauce previously poured into the bucket.  
         [0035]     First outer bucket  602  is positioned within a second outer bucket  604 , similar to outer bucket  200 . Second outer bucket  604  may further comprise a second sauce previously poured into the bucket. Second outer bucket  604  is positioned within a third outer bucket  606 , similar to outer bucket  200 .  
         [0036]     Third outer bucket  606  may further comprise a third sauce previously pouted into the bucket. A lid  608 , similar to lid  160  described above, is sized to fit over the open end of at least inner bucket  600 . In this manner, a user may place a food product  320  into inner bucket  600 , remove the combined inner bucket  600  and the first outer bucket  602 , and shake the combined buckets to apply the sauce to the food product.  
         [0037]     If the user desires to apply the second sauce in second outer bucket  604  to food product  320 , the user removes inner bucket  600  and second outer bucket  604  from the stacked applicator apparatuses and places the inner bucket  600  within the second outer bucket. The user then positions lid  608  over inner bucket  600  and shakes the combined inner and outer buckets to apply the second sauce to the food product. Similarly, the user may apply the third sauce to the food product by use of inner bucket  600  and third outer bucket  606 . In this manner, the user may reduce the amount of counter and/or storage space required for the individual buckets of sauces. After use, the user may position lid  608  over inner bucket  600  and/or outer buckets  602 ,  064 ,  606  to seal the sauces inside the buckets for later reuse.  
         [0038]     In at least some further embodiments, the food product may be placed in one or more outer buckets  200  for marinating prior to use. During marinating of the food product(s) in outer bucket(s)  200 , two or more outer buckets may be stacked as described above.  
         [0039]      FIG. 7  depicts a side top perspective view of stacked sauce applicator apparatuses according to another embodiment. As depicted, a first sauce applicator apparatus  700  comprises an inner bucket  100  ( FIG. 1 ) positioned within an outer bucket  200  ( FIG. 2 ) and a lid  160  ( FIG. 1 ) positioned over the top of the inner bucket. Similarly, a second sauce applicator apparatus  702  comprises an inner bucket  100 , outer bucket  200 , and lid  160 . Second sauce applicator apparatus  700  is positioned on top of first sauce applicator apparatus  702 , i.e., the second apparatus sits on top of the lid of the first apparatus.  
         [0040]     In at least some embodiments, one or both of first apparatus  700  and second apparatus  702  include one or more sauces, e.g., sauce  310  ( FIG. 3 ), inside outer buckets  200 . In this manner, the first and second apparatuses  700 ,  702  may be stacked with an appropriate sauce inside for application to a food product which may be placed in inner buckets  100 .  
         [0041]     Stacking first and second apparatuses  700 ,  702  reduces the amount of space required for the apparatuses. In at least some embodiments, the amount of space required is reduced during time periods when the apparatus may be in use storing one or more sauces. For example, multiple apparatuses may be stacked to conserve space use at a work and/or preparation table. In at least some embodiments, three or more sauce applicator apparatuses may be stacked in the above-described manner, one atop the lid of another.  
         [0042]     Additionally, by using a translucent material for at least outer bucket  200 , the amount of sauce  310  within an apparatus  700 ,  702  may be easily determined in order to quickly assess whether more sauce is to be added to a particular apparatus.  
         [0043]     It will be readily seen by one of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosed embodiments fulfill one or more of the advantages set forth above. After reading the foregoing specification, one of ordinary skill will be able to affect various changes, substitutions of equivalents and various other embodiments as broadly disclosed herein. It is therefore intended that the protection granted hereon be limited only by the definition contained in the appended claims and equivalents thereof.