Cooking system

A cooking system for cooking several different food items at once over a single heat source. The cooking system includes a pan with a base panel, a peripheral sidewall upwardly extending from the base panel, and a handle extending from the peripheral sidewall. An insert rests on an upper edge of the peripheral sidewall of the pan. The insert comprises an upper panel and an abutting wall downwardly extending from a rear edge of the upper panel and engaging the base panel of the pan. The abutting wall is designed for confining food to an area of the pan not covered by the insert. The insert has a pair of depressions therein designed for receiving food therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to cooking devices and utensils and more 
particularly pertains to a new cooking system for cooking several 
different food items at once over a single heat source. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of cooking devices and utensils is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, cooking devices and utensils heretofore devised and utilized 
are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious 
structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs 
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the 
fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 2,515,617; U.S. Pat. No. 867,086; 
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 383,354; U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,728; U.S. Pat. No. 
4,495,861; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,714. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new cooking 
system. The inventive device includes a pan with a base panel, a 
peripheral sidewall upwardly extending from the base panel, and a handle 
extending from the peripheral sidewall. An insert rests on an upper edge 
of the peripheral sidewall of the pan. The insert comprises an upper panel 
and an abutting wall downwardly extending from a rear edge of the upper 
panel and engaging the base panel of the pan. The abutting wall is 
designed for confining food to an area of the pan not covered by the 
insert. The insert has a pair of depressions therein designed for 
receiving food therein. 
In these respects, the cooking system according to the present invention 
substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the 
prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for 
the purpose of cooking several different food items at once over a single 
heat source. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
cooking devices and utensils now present in the prior art, the present 
invention provides a new cooking system construction wherein the same can 
be utilized for cooking several different food items at once over a single 
heat source. 
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new cooking system 
apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the cooking 
devices and utensils mentioned heretofore and many novel features that 
result in a new cooking system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, 
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art cooking devices and 
utensils, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a pan with a base 
panel, a peripheral sidewall upwardly extending from the base panel, and a 
handle extending from the peripheral sidewall. An insert rests on an upper 
edge of the peripheral sidewall of the pan. The insert comprises an upper 
panel and an abutting wall downwardly extending from a rear edge of the 
upper panel and engaging the base panel of the pan. The abutting wall is 
designed for confining food to an area of the pan not covered by the 
insert. The insert has a pair of depressions therein designed for 
receiving food therein. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new cooking 
system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the 
cooking devices and utensils mentioned heretofore and many novel features 
that result in a new cooking system which is not anticipated, rendered 
obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art cooking 
devices and utensils, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new cooking 
system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new cooking 
system which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new cooking 
system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to 
both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low 
prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such cooking system 
economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
cooking system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior 
art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some 
of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new cooking 
system for cooking several different food items at once over a single heat 
source. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new cooking 
system which includes a pan with a base panel, a peripheral sidewall 
upwardly extending from the base panel, and a handle extending from the 
peripheral sidewall. An insert rests on an upper edge of the peripheral 
sidewall of the pan. The insert comprises an upper panel and an abutting 
wall downwardly extending from a rear edge of the upper panel and engaging 
the base panel of the pan. The abutting wall is designed for confining 
food to an area of the pan not covered by the insert. The insert has a 
pair of depressions therein designed for receiving food therein. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
cooking system that saves time in that only one pan needs to be cleaned, 
not three. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
cooking system that saves energy in that several different food items are 
cooked over one heat source. This invention also saves space on the stove, 
permitting a user to use the other burners for other things. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 9 
thereof, a new cooking system embodying the principles and concepts of the 
present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 
will be described. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9, the cooking system 10 generally 
comprises a pan 12 with a base panel 13, a peripheral sidewall 14 upwardly 
extending from the base panel, and a handle 15 extending from the 
peripheral sidewall. An insert 16 rests on an upper edge 17 of the 
peripheral sidewall of the pan. The insert comprises an upper panel 18 and 
an abutting wall 19 downwardly extending from a rear edge 20 of the upper 
panel and engaging the base panel of the pan. The abutting wall is 
designed for confining food to an area of the pan not covered by the 
insert. The insert has a pair of depressions 21 therein designed for 
receiving food therein. 
Preferably, the pan is generally rectangular with corner portions 22 and 
side portions 23 extending between the corner portions. Ideally, the 
corner portions are rounded. Also ideally, the side portions are arcuate 
bowing outwardly of the pan. The corner portions and side portions are 
curved to hold the food over the heat source, which is typically a round 
burner. Inner surfaces of the base panel and the sidewall may have a 
nonstick coating, such as TEFLON.RTM., which resists adhesion of food 
thereto. 
The insert is removable. Ideally, the abutting wall has curved opposite 
ends 24. The ends curving away from the upper panel so that there is no 
sharp corner formed by the abutting wall of the insert and the sidewall of 
the pan. 
Preferably, the upper panel has a generally hemispherical outer edge 25 
shaped to overlappingly engage the upper edge of the pan. The shape of the 
outer edge of the insert should be substantially similar to the upper edge 
of the pan so that there are no gaps through which heat could escape. 
Also preferably, the depressions of the insert are generally circular. 
Inner surfaces of the depressions and the upper surface of the upper panel 
may have a nonstick coating such as TEFLON.RTM.. 
Preferably, the insert has a pair of flaps 26 extending from rear ends of 
the outer edge and a third flap 27 extending centrally from the outer 
edge. Each of the flaps is designed for engaging an outer surface of the 
sidewall of the pan. The flaps maintain alignment of the insert on the 
upper edge of the pan. 
Ideally, each of the flaps has a groove 28 extending into an inner surface 
of the flap. Three of the sides of the pan each have a tongue 29 extending 
centrally therefrom and inserted in a notch of the pan. 
The cooking system may also include a generally cylindrical pot 30, 
preferably with an upper portion 31 and a lower portion 32. The lower 
portion is designed for insertion in one of the depressions of the insert. 
Ideally, an outer diameter of the upper portion is greater than an outer 
diameter of the lower portion. 
An upper rim 33 of the pot defines an upper opening into the pot. The upper 
rim may have a spout 34. The pot has a lid 35 for closing the upper 
opening. 
The cooking system may also include tongs 40 that have a pair of arms 41 
pivotally coupled together at one end thereof. Free ends 42 of the arms 
have complementing grasping portions 43. 
Preferably, opposite side edges 44 of each of the grasping portions taper 
away from each other towards the free ends of the arms. The tapering helps 
grasp food from the peripheral corners of the depressions. 
Also preferably, the free ends of the arms each has an angled portion 45 
extending towards the opposite arm generally perpendicular to the 
associated arm. The angled portions help grasp food items from the pot, 
pan, or insert. 
The cooking system may also include a spatula 50 with a head portion 51 and 
a handle portion 52 extending at an obtuse angle from the head portion. 
Preferably, the head portion of the spatula is rounded. The curvature of 
the head portion is substantially equal to the curvature of each of the 
depressions of the insert. The head portion has a plurality of apertures 
through it. 
An exemplary height of the pan is about 3/4 inches from the upper edge of 
the sidewall to the lower surface of the base panel. An exemplary length 
and width of the pan is about 12 inches by 12 inches taken between central 
portions 53 of the upper edges of opposing sides of the pan. An exemplary 
length of the handle is about 8 inches. However, it is to be understood 
that the invention may be constructed in other dimensions as well. 
In use, the insert is placed in the pan. The pan is placed over a heat 
source. Food is placed in the pan and food is placed in one or both of the 
depressions of the insert. The pot may be placed in one of the inserts 
instead of food. The spatula is used to add, mix, flip, and remove food 
from the pan and depressions of the insert. The tongs are used to add, 
mix, and remove food from the pot as well as to remove food from the 
depressions. 
In an exemplary use, bacon could be cooked on the base panel of the pan 
while eggs are prepared in one of the depressions and hash browns in the 
other of the depressions. In this way, an entire breakfast may be cooked 
in the same apparatus. Since the eggs cook faster, they could be removed 
from the depression and coffee could be brewed in the pot, which would be 
placed in the now free depression. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.