Abstract:
A cookware underliner as some having a top and bottom layer encapsulating at least a portion of a rigid frame. The top layer provides a base with upwardly extending sidewalls which receive a cooking article therein. The top and bottom layers are preferably constructed of silicon rubber or thermoplastic rubber and provide an attractive alternative to planar birchwood underliners currently available in the marketplace.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an underliner for use with cookware, and more particularly, to a grill trivet such as may be utilized in the restaurant industry. More particularly, a silicon surfaced underliner may replace wood or other underliners, utilized to support hot cooking implements such as skillets and grills such as when serving fajitas at a restaurant or other dishes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many restaurants across America today, one can order fajitas. The server often brings a hot skillet or grill to the table resting it on an underliner or trivet. Other dishes are also believed to be served in various restaurants with extremely hot cookware at the table. 
     A common way of supporting this cookware is to provide a wood underliner. Wood underliners provided by the applicant and others are typically a laminated and planar Baltic-birch product. While these products work excellently for their intended purpose, one perceived disadvantage is that when a hot grill or skillet is placed on the wood, burning of the wood can occur upon contact. A black burn line occurs usually starting with the very first use. Charring off layers or portions layers of the underliner is a common next step. After repeated uses, someone may decide to wash the underliner in a washing machine. These products are not dishwasher friendly. Further delamination and/or deterioration of the underliner can occur due to washing. Accordingly, these underliner products typically have a relatively short life span. After at least one, if not a few, uses, a somewhat unattractive surface appearance may appear. Accordingly, a perceived need exists to provide an improved underliner for various uses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved underliner. 
     It is another object of at least some embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved underliner which can withstand any high temperatures of cookware without burning. 
     It is another object of at lest some embodiments of the present invention to provide an improved underliner which can assist in preventing inadvertent touching portions of hot cookware which could otherwise burn an employee of the restaurant or a customer. 
     It is another object of at least some objects of the present invention to provide a trivet or underliner having an imbedded frame surrounded by a heat resistant and dishwasher safe material and in some embodiments even non-slip surfaces. 
     It is yet still another object of at least some embodiments of the present invention to provide a slip resistant underliner configured to retain a hot cooking article thereon without burning a horizontal resting surface and preferably resisting movement of the hot cooking article relative to the underliner. 
     Accordingly, a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an improved underliner having a heat resistant non-slip surface disposed towards the cooking article and preferably a second non-slip surface directed towards a horizontal resting surface such as a table that the cooking article is supported by through the underliner. Between at least a portion of the top and bottom layers is preferably a frame which is utilized to impart structural stability to the underliner. The frame preferably includes at least extensions which extend upwardly from a somewhat planar base. The underliner has a side wall preferably may rely on the extensions for support. Furthermore, from the boundary wall a lip preferably extends to provide an outermost periphery of the underliner. The base may include a plurality of protrusions and the bottom may include a series of ridges both of which may assist in the insulating characteristics of the underliner. 
     A hot cooking article such as one of 450° to 500° can be placed on the underliner and then be safely carried by a waiter to a table without burning his hand with the underliner between the waiter&#39;s hand and the hot cookware. Furthermore, this underliner is preferably constructed of dishwasher safe, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved materials and does not burn at temperatures at temperatures to which cooking articles are normally subjected. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a improved underliner in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the underliner shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the underliner shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side of the underliner; 
         FIG. 5  is a bottom view thereof as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  shows a top perspective view of the frame removed from the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  shows an underliner  10 . Underliner  10  is shown having a base  12  sidewall portions  14  and lip  16 . Other embodiments may have these and/or other structures. 
     Although many of the surface features are relevant and will be discussed below, the construction of this underliner  10  of the presently preferred embodiment can be best shown with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Specifically,  FIG. 6  shows a cut away view of the underliner  10 . Frame member also known as frame  18  is shown from a perspective view in  FIG. 7 . Frame  18  could be constructed from a number of materials such as metal, like stainless steel, or other metals, plastic such as heat resistant plastics often marketed under the Ultem® trademark owned by Sabic Innovative Plastics, although other competitive products, and still other materials as well. 
     With one embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , nylon was attempted to be utilized as a frame  18 , but for the prototype developed, the nylon frame  18  proved to be unsatisfactorily brittle at the thickness  20  utilized. Other embodiments with a thicker nylon based frame  18  may prove to be satisfactory. Although a single frame  18  is illustrated, multiple frame portions could be utilized in other embodiments. Frame portions may connect or remain spaced apart from one another. 
     Frame  18  is shown having planar support surface  22 . Support surface may be provided with a plurality of openings  24  which can provide multiple benefits in the preferred embodiment. One such benefit, while specifically not addressing other known benefits, is a reduced weight of the frame. Other frames  18  may, or may not, have openings  24  which may be similarly or dissimilarly constructed. 
     Extensions  26  and  28  are illustrated extending from support surface  22 . Extensions are useful to assist in supporting and/or defining side wall  24  to preferably provide at least some structural strength thereto. Although extensions  26  and  28  are shown extending only partially around periphery  30  of frame  18 , one or more different shaped extensions  26  and/or  28  could be provided to provide at least some structural support about a larger portion of periphery  30  in other embodiments. As can be seen with reference to  FIG. 6 , extensions  26 , 28  may assist in defining the side wall  14  as well as even providing support for at least a portion of lip  16 . 
     The frame  18  is preferably installed relative to upper layer  32  and lower layer  34  such as by imbedding the frame  18  in a mold and then forming the upper layer  32  and lower layer  34  thereabout. The upper and lower layer can therefore join together at connectors  36  which are located at the bores  24  shown in  FIG. 7  as well as toward the front and the rear of the frame  18  as well as above the periphery  30  and/or about the extensions  26 , 28 . Other methods of construction would be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     The upper and lower layers  32 , 34  preferably employ a silicon product. Rubber or thermoplastic rubber (tpr) could also be utilized. Either or both of the upper and lower layers  32 , 34  preferably provide at least partially non-slip surfaces. Furthermore, the selected silicon-like products identified above and now specifically defined as silicon like materials are heat resistant. Some silicons are known to provide heat resistance of up to at least about 600° F. to 800° F. In addition, other properties of the layers  32 , 34  may include an ability to be dishwasher safe and are FDA approved materials. From an aesthetic point of view, silicons can be colored in virtually any color. While this group of materials are referred to silicon-like materials, other non-silicon-like materials could be utilized in other embodiments for one or both of the upper and lower layers or portions thereof. 
     In a presently preferred embodiment, when silicone-like materials are utilized for the upper and lower layers  32 , 34 , they can cooperate to encapsulate at least a portion, if not all, of the frame  18 . In other embodiments, a portion of frame  18  may be left exposed and/or covered by other materials. Furthermore, like in the preferred embodiment, additional structural materials such as portions of the sidewall  14  which do not have underlying extensions  26 , 28  embedded therein can still provide structural characteristics to the underliner  10  apart from the frame  18  as can be seen by reviewing  FIGS. 7 and 8  as well as  FIG. 1 . Much of the side wall  14  of a preferred embodiment lacks the extensions  26 , 28  providing direct support of extensions  26 , 28  thereunder. 
       FIG. 3  is useful to show supports  38 , 40 . Supports  38 , 40  are also shown in cross-sectional form in  FIG. 6  which receives the extensions  26 , 28  therein. Supports  38 , 40  may be a part of sidewalls  14  and/or lip  16  or may be a separate feature. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the base  12  preferably provides a planar surface in a preferred embodiment and a non-perforated support platform for receiving the base of cooking articles such as a grill or skillet thereon. Other bases  12  may be perforated. The base may be provided with one or more elevated protrusions that extend upwardly from planar surface  44 . In the illustrated embodiment, a number of elevated protrusions  42  are substantially semi-circular in shape. Protrusions may extend to provide a contact area for the base to contact a grill or other cookware article when in use. Furthermore, as can be seen with reference to  FIG. 6 , spaces  46  between intermediate protrusions  42  can create one or more air pockets to assist in providing an air insulating barrier. 
     Sidewall  14  is illustrated as extending upwardly relative to base  12 . Sidewall  14  in this embodiment surrounds periphery  30  of frame  18  as shown in  FIG. 7 . A lower sidewall portion  48  provides a periphery internal to periphery  30  of the frame as illustrated in  FIG. 6  and is helpful in this embodiment to define base  12 . The sidewall  14  from the lower sidewall portion  48  preferably extends upwardly such as to provide a upward wall  50  which can be perpendicular or otherwise oriented relative to the base  12 . From the upward wall  50 , the sidewall then can continue through one or more upward slopes  52 , 54  such as to ledge  56 . The slopes  52 , 54  may have differing thicknesses  58 , 60  at the ledge  56 . Slope  52  is useful particularly when utilized in combination with spaced apart slopes  52  such as illustrated in Figures. Air pockets adjacent to slopes  54  can further assist in providing insulating effects. In fact, bumpers  62  may be the only portion of sidewalls that contact a grill and/or skillet or other cookware item when installed. 
     Lip  16  preferably extends outwardly relative to sidewall  14 . Lip  16  may first extend upwardly such as spaced by projection  64  which may provide a perimeter about and assist in defining sidewall  14  about its periphery. Projection  64  preferably surrounds base  12  as well as periphery  30  of frame  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the projection  64  does not extend beyond a perimeter designed by ends  66 , 68  of the projections  38 , 40  of the frame  18 . However, other embodiments may have other constructions. Lip  16  preferably is provided with a periphery  70  which extends beyond the peripheries defined the projection  64  as well as the ends  66 , 68  or of the extensions  38 , 40 . Lip  16  is illustrated as being planar and perpendicular to base  12  but may not be so in all embodiments. Cutouts  72 , 74  are useful to assist in for many grills, griddles and skillets to transition from the cooking article to the handle so that the bottom of the cooking article fits down through the lip  16  into one or both of the cutouts  72 , 74 . The cooking article can then contact the elevated protrusions  42 , if provided, while providing the cooking article in a level orientation while resting on the base  12 . Lip  16  may have a thicker portion  76  such as at opposing sides  78 , 80  which can be distinguished from narrower portions  78  disposed towards the front  80  and back  82  in at least some embodiments. Accordingly, the perimeter  84  of a lip  16  may be more elongated relative to the axis defined by A-A in  FIG. 1  relative to a periphery  86  defined by the projection  64 . Cutouts  72 , 74  are illustrated interrupting the periphery  86 . 
     In looking at exterior portions of the underliner, supports  38 , 40  extend at an elevation below outer exterior surface  83  of sidewalls  14  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Furthermore,  FIG. 3  also shows a plurality of ridges  90  which provide a series of valleys  92  which when placed upon a surface such as a person&#39;s hand or on a table, once again may provide air pockets in the valleys  92  which can have insulating effects relative to a hot cooking article which could be at 450° or higher relative to a table or hand. Ridges  90  may be interrupted by design element  94  which could be a logo of the manufacturer, customer, or other design. 
     While the wood underliners often weigh roughly 14 ounces, the applicant&#39;s underliner  10  as illustrated, weighs one pound, fourteen ounces when silicon is utilized to coat a stainless frame  18  as illustrated. Other weights may come into play as thermoplastic, rubber, and/or other silicone like materials are utilized with various frames  18 . A lighter or heavier frame  18  could also be provided in other embodiments which could also affect the weight. 
     It is perceived an advantage of the preferred embodiment to provide a construction of dishwasher safe materials which are heat resistant and FDA approved. This may not necessarily be the case for all embodiments. The silicon-like materials are known to withstand 600-800° F. without burning. An anticipated life of an underliner  10  is believed to be significantly greater than the wood alternatives presently offered in the market place. 
     Although frame  18  is shown in the presently preferred embodiment, it may not be required in other embodiments and/or may be provided in different forms. 
     A portion of a cookware article is illustrated in phantom in  FIG. 6  as representing a grill  94  or a skillet. As can be seen in this illustrated embodiment, the height  96  of the grill  94  is greater than the height  98  shown in  FIG. 4  which is a height from the top of the protrusions  42  of base  12  to the top of the lip  16 . In fact, the height  96  may be greater of preferably at least as high as the height  98  shown in  FIG. 4 . However, in other embodiments, height  96  may be up to twice the height  96  or other height. Accordingly, the sidewalls  14  can extend roughly at least half the height  96  or a substantial portion of the height  96  to potentially assist in protecting the various users from inadvertent burning. 
     Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.