Device for fixing a wiping felt and assembly including the same

The present invention relates in particular to a device (1) for fixing a felt for wiping the smooth surface of a cooking appliance, such as the surface of a crepe pan, which includes a gripping member (3) opposite which extends an element (5) with flat smooth surface for receiving a wiping felt (2), characterized by the fact that it includes, at the periphery of said element (5) with flat smooth surface, at least one pinching member (6) and that this element (5) with a flat smooth surface (5) and this pinching member (6) are configured to be selectively moved towards or away from each other to pinch, respectively release, said felt (2).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for fixing a felt for wiping the smooth surface of a cooking appliance, such as the surface of a crepe pan.

It also relates to a set that includes such a device.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present applicant manufactures and markets such cooking appliances, and particularly crepe pans.

For a good use of such apparatus and a better cooking of crepes and pancakes, the necessity of periodically spreading, on the surface of the crepe pan, a small amount of liquid fat such as oil, is well known.

It is also necessary to regularly wipe the cooking plate so as to get rid of food residues that have accumulated thereon.

To this end, the present applicant proposes “pads” that allow applying a small even layer of such a fat. These pads include a gripping member, opposite which extends a surface for receiving a felt, which is regularly soaked with fat.

By the term “felt” is meant throughout the present application, a thin sheet made of a synthetic material configured to retain and release on demand the liquid fat with which it is soaked.

In the case of the aforementioned “pads”, the periphery of said surface is provided with a groove in which the contour of the felt is tightly engaged. This operation is not easy to implement because of the relative stiffness of the felt. In addition, it sometimes happens that this felt is unexpectedly partially detached from its support.

In addition, the relative rigidity of this felt is partly due to its significant thickness.

And this causes another problem. Indeed, this pad tends to store the fat with which it is soaked. In other words, it retains more fat than required to treat the entire surface of the crepe pan. As a result, the fat is retained for a relatively long time in the felt, so that it tends to degrade, which is not desirable in terms of food.

Also, there is an unmet need for a device for fixing a felt for wiping the smooth surface of a cooking appliance, such as the surface of a crepe pan, that does not have the aforementioned drawbacks and that allows using a very fine felt that does not store fat and which is of undeniable food quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the present invention relates to a device for fixing a felt for wiping the smooth surface of a cooking appliance, such as the surface of a crepe pan, which includes a gripping member opposite which extends an element with a flat smooth surface for receiving a wiping felt, which includes at the periphery of said element with a flat smooth surface at least one pinching member and that this element with a flat smooth surface and this pinching member are configured to be selectively moved towards or away from each other to pinch, respectively release, said felt, characterized in that said at least one pinching member is stationary, while said element with a flat smooth surface is movable.

According to other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of this device, namely:said gripping member is kinematically connected to said element with a flat smooth surface;said element with a flat smooth surface comprises a plate constituting said flat smooth surface, which is surrounded by a peripheral wall;said pinching member includes a central body provided with at least one peripheral flap, this flap and said peripheral wall extending facing one another, parallel or substantially parallel to one another and in the opposite direction;said pinching member is at least partially covered by a cap in which is formed at least one guide groove forming a cam path, while said gripping member is engaged on said cap, the connection between said pinching member and said element with a flat smooth surface being provided by a stud engaged in said groove;the fact that said stud is removable;said device is configured such that said element with a flat smooth surface and said pinching member are selectively moved towards or away from each other through rotation of said gripping member on itself, by a fraction of a turn.

The present invention also relates to an assembly consisting of a device as described above which is equipped with a felt for wiping and retaining a liquid fat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The fixing device1represented in the appended figures is mainly formed of plastic material.

It essentially includes a gripping member3which overhangs a base4, which covers elements for fixing a wiping felt2, seen in particular inFIG. 4.

The gripping member3, which may also be described as handle, has a generally cylindrical shape with an axis of revolution X-X′(see particularlyFIGS. 7 and 11).

It consists of a body30and receives a removable sealing cap31at its upper end.

The body30consists of an outer cylindrical element30which is open in its lower part and partially closed, not far from its upper end, by a disk-shaped partition301.

The partition301has a circular opening302centered on the axis X-X′, and this partition continues in the direction of the lower end of the body30by two cylindrical portions303and304of decreasing diameters, these portions being connected to the one another by an annular step305parallel to the partition301. It will be noted that the lowest cylindrical element304is of smaller diameter and stops substantially at the lower end of the outer cylindrical element300.

The base4consists essentially of a cap made of plastic material40which covers several elements, including an element with a flat smooth surface referenced5in the figures. This element5is preferably made of metal, such as food-grade stainless steel.

It includes a plate50with a smooth surface which, in the exemplary embodiment presented here, is substantially part of a rectangle. This plate is surrounded by a peripheral wall51, which forms with the upper face of the plate50, an obtuse angle. In a way, it can be considered that the element5has the shape of a hollow container.

The element5receives, in the space delimited by the plate50and its peripheral wall51, a part52made of plastic material for connection to the aforementioned gripping member3.

For this purpose and as shown inFIG. 14, four gudgeons9are welded to the plate50and passing through the part52. Nuts90engaged on the gudgeons9ensure the fastening of these two elements.

This part52has a circular recess53of axis X-X′ which delimits a slightly frustoconical vertical tubular column54, whose bottom55is pierced with an axial opening550.

On either side of this opening, and of the upper face of the bottom55, extend vertically several elastically deformable fingers56whose free upper end has a locking tooth shape, as it is well known.

The connection part52also includes, on either side of the column54, vertical wells57that each delimit a cavity, each well57receiving a helical spring R whose axis is parallel to the axis X-X′.

Each of these springs is trapped, that is to say sandwiched between the connection part50and a pinching member referenced6in the appended figures.

This pinching member6is made of the same metal as the element5. It has a flat central body60, substantially of the same size and shape as the element5. It is pierced by a central opening61which allows press-fitting it on the element5until it abuts on the column54, thereby trapping the aforementioned helical springs R.

Moreover, the central body includes two opposite flaps62. It will be noted that these flaps have the same orientation as the peripheral wall51of the element5. They are therefore parallel and extend in the opposite direction.

The pinching member6which has just been described is covered by the aforementioned cap40, as more particularly seen inFIG. 13.

The cap40goes back in its central part to form a cylinder7for receiving and guiding the gripping member3.

To this end, it includes a bearing flange70and its wall includes three guide grooves71, which are angularly equidistant in pairs along the periphery of this receiving cylinder7.

As shown more particularly inFIG. 13, each guide groove71includes a long horizontal section, which continues to one end by a downward portion.

The dimensions of the cylinder7and of the gripping member3are such that it is possible to engage this member3on the cap40until the member3abuts against the bearing flange70described above. This engagement is axially made tightly on the elastically deformable fingers56, until locking the gripping member3by their tooth-shaped end which is positioned against the shoulder305of the element3.

Furthermore, this assembly receives three small studs8which are positioned in openings32provided in the cylindrical element300of the element3to be engaged inside the aforementioned grooves71.

The present device finds its utility when used in combination with a wiping felt2such as the one represented in the figures. It is for example a felt of known structure, consisting of a very fine fiberglass weft coated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).

As particularly seen inFIG. 4, such a felt2has a shape substantially identical to that of the element5with a smooth surface which has been described above and includes in particular two flaps20that extend opposite one another.

The establishment of such a felt is made as follows. Before a first use, the device1occupies the position visible in particular inFIGS. 1 to 8 and 13. In this position, the element5and the pinching member6are touching each other and this position is symbolized by the fact that one of the studs8described above is positioned vertically to a symbol formed on the base4and consisting of the representation of a locked padlock.

Starting from this position, an operator grasps the gripping member3and makes it rotate about itself by a fraction of a turn in the clockwise direction (arrow f inFIG. 13).

This forces the studs8to move inside the guide grooves, forcing the gripping member3to move upwards. As seen inFIG. 11, a small clearance a appears between the lower part of the gripping member3and the bearing flange70of the cylinder7.

Insofar as the element5is kinematically connected to the gripping member3, a displacement, also upward, of the element5occurs so that the springs R are then compressed between the element5and the pinching member6.

It is then the position illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12wherein there is a small clearance e between the peripheral wall51of the element5and the flaps62of the pinching member. This small clearance is sufficient to allow introducing therein the opposite ends20of the felt2.

Of course, by a reverse movement of the gripping member3vis-à-vis the base4, there is then a return to the initial position as illustrated in particular inFIG. 7, so that a pinching of the felt2occurs as shown by the arrows P inFIG. 8.

The device according to the invention can then be used by being grasping by the gripping member3, for the wiping of a cooking plate such as that of a crepe pan.

When the felt has been sufficiently used and must be changed in particular for hygienic reasons, it is sufficient to proceed as explained above so as to allow the spacing of the element5vis-à-vis the member6.