CAMPFIRE COOKING IMPLEMENT STORAGE AND CLEANING APPARATUS

An apparatus includes structure defining a chamber containing brushes with bristles. The chamber has an opening that, in use, is at the top of the structure so that the chamber is upwardly-open. The chamber and opening are sized so that the prongs of a roasting utensil are insertable into the chamber to be scrubbed by the brushes and so that the brushes support the roasting utensil in an upright position for efficient and safe storage when not in use.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to utensils for holding food adjacent to a campfire or other outdoor fire for roasting.

BACKGROUND

Campers sometimes use the heat from campfires to roast food such as hot dogs and marshmallows. To roast food, the food must be in sufficient proximity to the fire to receive adequate heat. However, the campers must maintain enough distance to avoid the negative effects of heat on their skin. To hold the food close to the fire while maintaining their hands at a sufficient distance from the fire to avoid burns or discomfort, various utensils, sometimes referred to as “roasting sticks” or “roasting forks” are employed.

These roasting utensils include a shaft having a grip or handle at one end and a food retention portion at the other end opposite the grip or handle. In most cases, the food retention portion is either a sharp end or a bifurcated fork on which the food is skewered, as understood by those skilled in the art. The shaft separates the food retention portion (which retains the food) from the grip (at which the camper holds the utensil) so that when the food retention portion and food are close enough to the fire for roasting, the grip and hand is far enough away to avoid burns or discomfort.

The roasting utensils are therefore, of necessity, long and have one or more sharp points at one end. This geometry and size makes roasting utensils cumbersome to store and clean. When not in use, the utensils are stored unhygienically on the ground or take up significant space on a picnic table, with the sharp skewer portions creating a poking hazard. If the utensils have been used, food residue on the food retention portions may also soil clothing or other surfaces that may come into contact with it.

SUMMARY

A roasting utensil holder is provided. The roasting utensil holder includes structure defining a chamber and an opening to the chamber. The roasting utensil holder also includes a plurality of brushes. Each of the brushes includes a respective central shaft having a plurality of bristles mounted thereto and extending substantially radially therefrom. The brushes are mounted to the structure such that the brushes extend across the chamber. A clamp is mounted to the structure.

The clamp enables the selective attachment of the holder to various objects that may be found around a campfire, such as a picnic table or folding camp chair. The roasting utensil holder is configured such that, when the clamp is engaged with the picnic table, camp chair, etc., the opening to the chamber is facing upward.

The opening to the chamber is sufficiently sized such that the food retention portion of a roasting utensil is insertable into the chamber through the opening. The central shafts of the brushes and the structure defining the chamber cooperate to limit lateral movement of the food retention portion such that the utensils are maintained in a substantially upright (i.e., vertical) position.

The bristles extend through the space within the chamber between the central shafts and the structure; insertion of the food retention portion of the utensil into the chamber causes contact between the bristles and the food retention portion, thereby causing the bristles to scour the food retention portion and remove unwanted food residue. In one embodiment, the structure is formed by two pieces that are detachable from one another to expose the brushes for even more effective scouring of the utensils.

Accordingly, the roasting utensil holder provides a secure and stable place to store roasting utensils when not in use, and also provides a way to clean the roasting utensils.

A corresponding method of use is also provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components throughout, a holder10for use with roasting utensils14is schematically depicted. The holder10includes structure18that defines an open space, which, in the embodiment depicted, is a chamber22having an opening26. More specifically, in the embodiment depicted, the structure18has five walls30A,30B,30C,30D,30E.

Walls30A and30B are substantially parallel to one another; walls30C and30D are substantially parallel to one another and perpendicular to walls30A and30B; and wall30E is perpendicular to walls30A,30B,30C, and30D. Walls30C,30D, and30E extend between, and interconnect, walls30A and30B. The walls 30A-E cooperate to define the chamber22. The structure18as shown in the Figures is in the shape of a rectangular prism, though other shapes and structure configurations may be employed within the scope of the claimed invention. The opening26to the chamber22is directly opposite wall30E.

The holder10includes a plurality of brushes34. Each of the brushes34includes a respective central shaft38and a plurality of bristles42that are connected to the central shaft38such that the bristles42extend radially outward from the shaft38. The brushes34are mounted to the structure18such that the brushes34extend across the chamber22. In the embodiment depicted, each of the central shafts38extends from wall30C to wall30D such that the central shafts38are parallel to one another. In the embodiment depicted, the brushes34are mounted to the walls30C,30D with threaded fasteners44that extend through holes in the walls and the central shafts, though any method of mounting the brushes34to the structure18may be employed within the scope of the claimed invention.

In the embodiment depicted, the structure18is formed from two segments46,50to assist in assembly of the holder10. The segments46,50are also selectively separable to facilitate access to the brushes34for cleaning. More specifically, segment46includes wall30A and half of walls30C,30D,30E. Segment50includes wall30B and half of walls30C,30D,30E. The segments46,50are separable as shown inFIG.5to make the brushes34more accessible.

The holder10includes a fastening system to fasten the segments46,50together to form the chamber22. In the embodiment depicted, the fastening system includes a threaded rod54that is attached to segment50at wall30B. A hole58in wall30A is positioned so that the rod54extends therethrough when the segments46,50are positioned to form the rectangular prism, as best seen inFIG.4; a nut62having internal threads is engageable with the threaded rod54and contacts the wall30A, thereby connecting the segments46,50. It should be noted that other fastening systems to releasably connect the segments46,50may be employed within the scope of the claimed invention.

It should be noted that, in the embodiment depicted and as best shown inFIGS.4and5, a first set64of brushes34is connected to the portions of the walls30C,30D that are formed by segment46, and a second set65of brushes is connected to the portions of the walls30C,30D that are formed by segment50. Thus, each segment46,50has a respective set64,65of brushes34mounted thereto. The central shafts38of the first set64of brushes34are parallel to one another and coplanar on a first plane66that is parallel to walls30A,30B. The central shafts38of the second set65of brushes34are parallel to one another and coplanar on a second plane68that is parallel to plane66.

The holder10includes a clamp assembly70that is mounted to the structure18. The clamp assembly70is configured to removably attach the holder10to various outdoor objects or furniture that may be at a campsite or near a campfire, including, but not limited to, a picnic table74, the leg78of a portable camp chair82, etc. The clamp assembly70may be any type of clamp suitable for releasably attaching the holder10to a picnic table top74, a cylindrical camp chair leg, etc. within the scope of the claimed invention. The clamp assembly70is selectively rotatable relative to the structure18and the brushes34so that the clamp assembly70can engage objects of various shapes and orientations while maintaining the structure18in a position in which the opening26is at the top of the structure18and the chamber22is upwardly open, as shown inFIGS.6-8.

A method of using the holder10may include operatively connecting segments46,50to one another so that they cooperate to form a rectangular prism and define chamber22, as shown inFIGS.1-4and6-8. Operatively connecting the segments46,50may include extending the threaded rod54that is attached to segment50through the hole58in wall30A, and then engaging nut62with the threaded rod54so that the nut62contacts the wall30A.

The method also includes using the clamp assembly70to attach the holder10to an object at a campsite or near a campfire, and, more specifically, to cause the assembly70to clamp, i.e., exert compressive clamping forces on, the object. The object may be a picnic table74, as shown inFIGS.6and7, or the leg78of a camp chair82, as shown inFIG.8. The method may also include rotating the structure18(and the brushes34mounted thereto) relative to the clamp assembly70so that the opening26to the chamber22is at the top of the structure18and the chamber22is open and unobstructed from above.

The method further includes inserting the food retention portion of a roasting utensil14through the opening26and into the chamber22, as shown inFIGS.7and8. In the embodiment depicted, the utensil14includes a shaft86, and the food retention portion attached at one end of the shaft86is a fork having two prongs90,94; each prong90,94has a respective terminal end95,96that is tapered to form a conical tip. A grip or handle (not shown) is mounted to, or integral with, the shaft86at the end opposite the prongs90,94as understood by those skilled in the art.

When the prongs90,94have been sufficiently inserted into the chamber22, the bristles42, the shafts38, and/or the walls30A,30B will prevent or restrict lateral movement of the prongs90,94, which will maintain the shaft86, which remains outside the chamber22, in a substantially upright, vertical position. More specifically, the bristles42, shafts38, and/or walls30A,30B act on the prongs90A,90B to prevent the utensil14from falling to a horizontal position. This upright position of the shaft86provides efficient storage of the utensils14until they are ready to use.

The use of two sets64,65of brushes enables the storage of a plurality of utensils14, as shown inFIG.8. Referring specifically toFIG.8, the prongs90,94of a first utensil14are between wall30A and the shafts38of the first set64of brushes34; the wall30A and the first set64of brushes34restrict movement of the prongs90,94of the first utensil14. The prongs90,94of a second utensil14are between wall30B and the shafts38of the second set65of brushes34; the wall30B and the second set65of brushes34restrict movement of the prongs90,94of the second utensil14. As shown inFIG.7, the prongs90,94of a utensil14are also insertable between the first and second sets64,65of brushes34such that the shafts38of the two sets64,65of brushes restrict lateral movement of the utensil. Accordingly, in the embodiment depicted, the holder10can store at least three utensils14.

As the prongs90,94move through the chamber22, the bristles42scour the prongs90,94, thereby removing food residue. The method may include moving the utensils14up and down repeatedly to increase the scouring action.

The method may also include separating the segments46,50as shown inFIG.5to expose the brushes34for cleaning the brushes34. It should be noted that the structure18may have other configurations within the scope of the claimed invention. For example, the walls30A,30B,30C,30D may have holes to reduce the weight of the holder10or to facilitate the removal of water or residue from the chamber22. In one embodiment, the bristles42are metal.

It should be noted that the clamp assembly70is shown highly schematically inFIGS.1-5.FIGS.9and10schematically depict the clamp assembly70. Clamp assembly70includes first and second jaw members98,102that are pivotably connected to each other via a pivot pin106. More specifically, jaw member98includes an end110that is proximate to the pivot pin106, an end114that is distal relative to the pin106, and a concave surface116between the ends110,114. Similarly, jaw member102includes an end118proximate to the pin106, another end122distal to the pivot pin106, and a concave surface124.

Surfaces116,124generally face each other. The distance between surfaces116,124, and the distance between ends114,122, are variable by causing jaw member98to rotate relative to jaw member102about the pivot pin106. Accordingly, a compressive clamping force is exertable by the jaw members98,102on an object located between the surfaces116,124, or between the ends114,122, as understood by those skilled in the art.

The clamp assembly70includes a thumb screw128having external threads. The thumb screw128extends through a hole in the first jaw member98having internal threads. The external threads and the internal threads engage each other such that rotation of the thumb screw128causes rotation of the first jaw member98about the pivot pin106and relative to the second jaw member. Thus, a user of the holder10attaches the holder10to an object, e.g., the picnic table or camp chair, by positioning the object between the jaw members98,102when the jaw members98,102are in an open position as shown inFIG.9, and turning the thumbscrew128until a sufficient compressive clamping force is exerted on the object.FIG.10depicts the clamp assembly with the jaw members98,102fully closed.

The surfaces116,124may have a high-friction coating applied thereto to prevent the holder10from sliding along the object to which it is attached. In the embodiment depicted, end114is bifurcated into two prongs132,136. When the jaw members98,102are fully closed, as shown inFIG.10, the end122of jaw member102extends between the prongs132,136of jaw member98to permit the surfaces116,124to be closer together.

Although a thumb screw style clamp assembly70is shown and described, it should be noted that any clamp configuration suitable for attaching the holder10to an object may be employed within the scope of the claimed invention.

The clamp assembly70is connected to the structure18via a shaft140. The clamp assembly70is selectively pivotable about the shaft140such that the orientation of the clamp assembly70can be altered while maintaining the structure18so that the chamber22is upwardly-open. For example, and with reference toFIGS.6and7, the picnic table top74has first and second horizontal surfaces144,148. Surface144faces upward and surface148faces downward, as understood by those skilled in the art. The clamp assembly70is positioned such that one jaw member98contacts the lower surface148and the other jaw member102contacts the upper surface144. Thus, the jaw members98,102are coplanar about a vertical plane.

However, the orientation of the clamp assembly70shown inFIGS.6and7will not permit the clamp assembly70to clamp onto a vertically-oriented cylinder, such as the leg78of the camp chair82as shown inFIG.8. A user may rotate the clamp assembly70relative to the structure18such that the jaw members98,102are coplanar about a horizontal plane so that the cylindrical outer surface of the leg78may be clamped between the jaw members98,102. The clamp assembly70inFIG.8is rotated ninety degrees relative to the structure18from its position inFIGS.6and7.

A mechanism may be employed to selectively lock the clamp assembly70relative to the structure18once the clamp assembly70is in its desired rotational position.