COOKING UTENSIL

Abstract: A cooking utensil for reducing spattering of juices in an oven, comprising a container having an upper opening and a base, a grill substantially traversing the opening, and an intermediate liner located within the container, wherein a space is defined between the intermediate liner and the base of the container.

Description: COOKING UTENSIL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a utensil for use in an oven. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Traditionally ovens are of approximately cube shape having a central cavity in which food is placed to be cooked. Other types of ovens have been promoted including ovens with domed tops and ovens which have an inside cavity approximating a spherical shape. Foods such as meats , which are cooked in ovens are cooked in a dish in which fat is often added to promote browning of the meat. Consequently, the meat is cooked in that fat as well as those juices which issue from the meat. Meat cooked in this way can be high in saturated fats which are a significant source of cholesterol and nowadays considered to be unhealthy. In an effort to reduce the amount of fat in which meat is cooked, arrangements have been proposed which enable food to be placed upon a grill above a container. This separates the food from the fats and from juices issuing from it. This also avoids the need to add fat other than that which may be necessary to promote browning. Fat and juice gravitate away from the food and drop or flow into the container. In the following description reference to "juice" is meant to include not only the juice issuing from the food e. g. meat, but also the basting oil or fat. With either of these forms of cooking, the juice comes into contact with the hot surfaces of the container. This causes the juice to attain a high temperature very quickly at which it tends to explode causing droplets of juice to be sprayed onto the inside walls of the oven. With fan forced ovens the droplets are further circulated within the oven by the movement of air. Cleaning of ovens in which meat has been cooked has always been a problem as the sprayed juico becomes baked on the walls of the oven. Also if the oven has a viewing glass it becomes obscured by the sprayed juice preventing effective observation of the interior of the oven. Many oven cleaners have been proposed, however, these are usually toxic in nature and a great deal of care is necessary by the user to ensure that no residues are left and further that they are not inhaled. It will be appreciated that this problem is particularly prevalent when the oven is operated at high temperatures, e. g 180 °C and in particular at 240° C and above, where juices may vaporise and subsequently condense. Accordingly, investigations have been carried out in an effort to ascertain why the juice is sprayed during cooking, and what arrangement may serve to minimise this spraying. Such investigations have revealed that in an oven operated at high temperatures, the juice is at a much lower temperature than that of the container walls or dish walls in which the meat is being cooked. Consequently when juice contacts these walls its temperature is rapidly increased by heat exchange with the wall. This causes a rapid expansion of the volume of the juice and explosions result which propel droplets of juice in various directions. In addition, often the juices which run out of the meat contain a large portion of water and other liquids which explode upon coming into contact with boiling fat or oil. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION When considering the form of any utensil which may reduce the spraying phenomenon it is proposed to separate the meat from the container by means of a grill (as is known in the prior art) . However, it has now been discovered that spraying of juices of the food being cooked in an oven can be reduced by locating an intermediate liner between the container and the grill. It is believed that the reduction in the spraying of juices occurs as a result of either or both the temperature of the liner is less than the temperature of the container or by shaping the liner so that juices which gravitate onto the liner tend not to substantially spray beyond the container. According to this invention, there is provided a cooking utensil comprising a container having an upper opening, a grill substantially traversing the opening, and an intermediate liner located within the container, wherein a space is defined between the intermediate liner and a base of the container . In a preferred aspect of the invention, the intermediate liner is clear of the base of the container. The space between the intermediate liner and the base of the container appears to help insulate the liner from the container, thereby maintaining the liner at a lower temperature than the container for at least a portion of the cooking cycle time. The intermediate liner may take any convenient shape . Preferably, the liner comprises downwardly sloped or curved walls . Such sloped or curved walls cause fluids (such as those emanating from the food being cooked) falling onto the walls to gravitate to a lower portion of the liner. A liner having concave walls is particularly preferred. The intermediate liner preferably will have at least one wall which slopes, from an area adjacent the container circumference about the opening, downwardly towards the lowest portion of the liner. In this arrangement, juice drops onto such a wall and continues to gravitate towards the lowest portion of the intermediate liner as discussed above . Preferably, a top portion of a wall of the intermediate liner has an angle of inclination of at least 45° downwardly from the horizontal. Preferably, the intermediate liner further comprises an outlet adapted to permit juices to pass through it. It is particularly preferred that the outlet be situated at the lowest portion of the liner. The juices which gravitate towards the lowest portion of the liner will enter the outlet and pass into the base of the container. Further, a cover may be positioned over but spaced from the outlet in order to prevent juices from dropping straight through the outlet without first contacting the cover or the intermediate liner. The cover also prevents juices which have passed through the outlet into the base of the container from spitting or spraying back up through the outlet. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the space defined between the liner and the base of the container is at least partially occupied by an insulating material or by water. Most preferably, the space is at least partially occupied by water. The water may be present as a pool in the base of the container. More preferably, the level of the water in the container is sufficient for the water to contact at least one portion of an underside surface of the intermediate liner. The level of water is preferably greater than the lowest portion of the liner. This enables a direct heat exchange between the liner and the water, wherein the liner acts as a heat source and the water as a heat sink. The use of water in the container tends to maintain the liner at a lower temperature than would be the case if no water had been used. The use of water in the space also simplifies the cleaning of the container as juices which pass through the outlet in the liner tend to float on or be dispersed in the water. Where water is to be used in the container, the liner will further preferably comprise a projection extending down from about the outlet of the liner for immersion in the water. This extends the period of time during which the liner contacts the water, as the water tends to evaporate during cooking, reducing the level of the water in the container. The projection may comprise a wall surrounding and extending from the outlet. Also, when water is used, steam is produced on a small scale. It has been found that this tends to maintain a moist atmosphere within the oven and has a beneficial effect on maintaining the moisture and flavour of the food being cooked. The cooking utensil of this invention may further comprise a lid to substantially cover the upper opening of the container. The lid may have an outlet for steam to escape therethrough. The lid may further comprise a handle which may preferably be in threaded engagement with the outlet of the lid. In a further preferred embodiment, the intermediate liner may be inverted and placed over the upper opening to constitute the lid. When used as a lid, the intermediate liner may have a handle attached thereto for lifting the liner. The handle may be adapted to threadably engage the liner through the outlet of the liner. Surprisingly, the use of a cooking utensil according to the above description reduces spattering or spraying when ovens are operated at high temperatures such as above 180°C. When water is used in the container, as described above, it may also contribute to the maintenance of a moist atmosphere in which the food is cooked which enhances its flavour. The container may be any suitable shape, such as rectangular, spherical or elliptical. The shape of the intermediate liner will be adapted to fit within the container as described above . DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a perspective view of the grill and the intermediate liner according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a cooking utensil according to one embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the intermediate liner of Figure 1 in an inverted position. Figure 4 is a top plan view and a side plan view of a handle for the intermediate liner. Figure 5 is a top plan view of the intermediate liner of Figure 1, with the handle of Figure 4 attached thereto. EET G . Figure 6 is a side plan view of a cooking utensil according to another embodiment of the invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the cooking utensil of Figure 6. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the grill and the intermediate liner according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a cooking utensil according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the intermediate liner of Figure 8 in an inverted position. Figure 11 is a top plan view of the intermediate liner of Figure 8, with the handle of Figure 4 attached thereto. Figure 12 is a side plan view of a cooking utensil according to another embodiment of the invention. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the cooking utensil of Figure 12. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the grill and the intermediate liner according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a cooking utensil according to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 14. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the intermediate liner of Figure 14 in an inverted position. Figure 17 is a top plan view of the intermediate liner of Figure 14, with the handle of Figure 4 attached thereto. Figure 18 is a side plan view of a cooking utensil according to another embodiment of the invention . Figure 19 is a cross -sectional view of the cooking utensil of Figure 18. Figure 20 is an assembly drawing of a cooking utensil according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of the utensil of Figure 20 with water added; Figures 22 , 24, 26 and 28 are further assembly drawings of cooking utensils according to other embodiments of the invention; Figures 23, 25, 27 and 29 are cross-sectional views of the utensil of Figures 22, 24, 2G and 28 with water added; Figures 30 and 32 are perspective views of cooking utensils according to further embodiments of the invention; and Figures 31 and 33 are cross- sectional views of the cooking utensils of figures 30 and 32. In the drawings, like components are designated with the same numbers . As will be apparent from Figures 2, 9, 15 and 20 to 29 the cooking utensil 10 comprises a container 3, a liner 1 and a grill 2. Container 3 is a bowl shape but may be of any suitable shape to fit into an oven (not shown) . As shown in Figures 1 , 3, 8, 10, 14 and 16, liner 1, has a flat rim 5 for engaging a shoulder 6 of the container 3, as shown in Figures 2 , 9 and 15. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 21 and 23, liner 1 has a periphery 11 which contacts the inner surface 12 of container 3 at point 13 on its surface . In place, as shown in Figures 2, 9, 15, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29, the liner 1 has a lower surface 7 which is suspended above the base 14 of container 3. Liner 1 has an outlet 15 formed in its lowest position. As shown in Figures 20 to 27, above outlet 15 is a cover 16. Cover 16 comprises a frusto-conical surface 17 and three legs 18 (not shown in figure 24) . These three legs 18 engage liner 1 about the outlet 15, as shown in Figures 21, 23, 25 and 27. Figures 28 and 29 show a cover 16 comprising a triangular surface 17 and numerous legs 18. Grill 2 is placed over container 3 and liner 1. It comprises a circumferential ring 19 and cross members 20 which extend across ring 19 and are affixed to ring 19 by welding. Figures 20 to 23 show attachment members 21 formed at both ends of the grill 2 and the sides of the grill 2. These attachment members 21 comprise a horizontal portion 22 which engages upon the periphery 23 of container 3 (shown in Figures 20, 22, 24 and 26) . Figures 22 to 29 show a wall 25 extending downward from about outlet 15 towards the upper surface of the base 14. Figures 21, 23, 25 and 27 show the liner 1 having a surface angle adjacent the rim 11 of at least 45° downwardly from the horizontal. The steepness of the surface which tapers off as the liner approaches the base 14 of container 3, ensures that the juice from the cooking meat (not shown) runs quickly down to a lower portion of the liner. Figures 26 and 27 show a rectangular shaped form of the invention. The components are the same in function to those shown in Figures 20 to 25. The rectangular shape may in some instances be more functionally and aesthetically acceptable to the consumer. It is more stable than the spherical shape and is also more traditional in its outward appearance. Figures 28 and 29 show another rectangular form of cooking utensil 10. Again the components of this utensil 10 are functionally the same as the utensils shown in the previous drawings . Unlike the earlier embodiments, there are few curved surfaces which may lessen the manufacturing costs. More particularly, liner 1 has four plain panels A,B, C and D which converge towards each other. Instead of the frusto-conical surface of the cover 16 of Figures 20 to 27, the surface of the cover 16 of this form of cooking utensil 10 is composed of V-shaped cross- section which substantially extends the length of the utensil. Another variation of the embodiments illustrated are shown in Figures 6, 7, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 30 to 33. A lid 26 seals the interior of the utensil 10. Preferably the lid is the liner 1 which has been inverted. Accordingly, where the the utensil 10 is not to be used with the cooling system, the liner 1 is removed and may act as a lid. The utensil 10 is therefore readily adapted to take the form of a conventional baking dish having a lid by inverting the liner 1. In use, the utensil 10 is assembled as shown in Figures 9, 15, 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29. Water 24 (as shown in Figures 21, 23, 25, 27 and 29) is placed into container 3 up to a level which is preferably above outlet 15 but below the surface 17 of the cover 16. Meat (not shown) is placed upon the grill 2. Once in the oven, as the temperature exceeds 200°C, juice begins to drop from the meat. The temperature of the liner 1 is regulated by its contact with water 24. The liner 1 acts as a heat source and the water 24 as a heat sink. Consequently, at high operating temperatures the juice drops onto liner 1. As the liner 1 has a steep angled rim the juice runs towards outlet 15 and encounters water 24. Surface 17 covers outlet 15 to prevent juice from dropping directly into contact with water and splashing back. Whilst this is not essential, it further reduces the potential for spattering particularly when the liquid has evaporated. Legs 18 distance surface 17 from liner 1 to enable juice to run beneath surface 17 into outlet 15 and water 24. Figure 4, shows a handle 4 comprising a handle portion 8 and a thread portion 9. As shown in Figures 7, 13 and 19 the thread portion 9 is inserted through the outlet 15 to connect the handle 4 to the liner 1. As the temperature of the oven further increases, the heat exchange between the water 24 and liner 1 similarly increases as water 24 does not increase its temperature at the same rate as liner 1. Effective heat transfer is therefore achieved notwithstanding the use of high temperatures . At temperatures below 200 °C , the utensil has also been found to reduce the amount of spatter. It is thought that these lower temperatures the - steep angle of the rim ensures that the liquid is caused to quickly gravitate to the centre portion of the liner 1 and does not give the liquid an opportunity to explode or spatter. The container may be of cast metal or be pressed into the desired shape using known metal forming techniques. Likewise the intermediate liner can 10 be similarly formed. The grill is typically formed by welding a lattice work of metal bars or rods together at their intersecting points.

Claims: The claims defining the invention are : 1. A cooking utensil comprising a container having an upper opening and a base, a grill substantially traversing the opening, and an intermediate liner located within the container, wherein a space is defined between the intermediate liner and the base of the container. 2. A cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate liner is clear of the base of the container. 3. A cooking utensil according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate liner comprises downwardly sloped or curved walls . 4. A cooking utensil according to claim 3 , wherein the intermediate liner comprises concave walls . 5. A cooking utensil according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the intermediate liner further comprises an outlet. 6. A cooking utensil according to claim 5 , wherein the intermediate liner further comprises a cover situated over but spaced from the outlet . 7. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein at least one of the walls slopes from an area adjacent the upper opening of the container. 8. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein a top portion of a wall of the intermediate liner has an angle of inclination of at least 45° downwardly from the horizontal. 9. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising a lid to substantially cover the upper opening of the container . 10. A cooking utensil according to claim 9 wherein the intermediate liner is adapted to be inverted and constitute the lid. 11. A cooking utensil according to claim 9 or claim 10, further comprising a handle for lifting the lid. 12. A cooking utensil according to claim 11, wherein the handle is removably threadably connected to the lid through an outlet in the lid. 13. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the space is at least partially occupied by water. 14. A cooking utensil according to claim 13, wherein the water is in contact with a portion of the intermediate liner. 15. A cooking utensil according to claim 14, wherein the water is at a level higher than a lowest portion of the intermediate liner. 16. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the intermediate liner is suspended from a wall of the container. T AMENDED CLAIMS [receveid by the International Bureau on 6 November 1992(06.11.92) ; original claim 5 cancelled;- original claims 1 and 3 amended ; new claims 6 - 8, 18 and 19 added ; claims 6 and 7 - 15 amended and renumbered as claims 5 and 9 - 17 ; other claims unchanged (3 pages)] 1. A cooking utensil for food comprising a container having an upper opening and a base, a grill substantially traversing the opening to receive food to be cooked, and an intermediate liner located within the container and defining a space with the base of the container, the intermediate liner having at least one outlet positioned and proportioned to permit juices issuing from the food to pass therethrough into the space and to substantially prevent the juices from splashing back therethrough. 2. A cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate liner is clear of the base of the container. 3. A cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate liner comprises at least one downwardly sloped or curved wall. 4. A cooking utensil according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate liner comprises concave walls. 5. A cooking utensil according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate liner further comprises a cover situated over but spaced from the outlet. 6. A cooking utensil according to claim 4, wherein the base of the container includes an upwardly extending protrusion which is aligned with the outlet. 7. A cooking utensil according to claim 6 , wherein the upwardly extending protrusion extends into the outlet. 8. A cooking utensil according to claim 6 , wherein the upwardly extending protrusion extends through the outlet. 9. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein at least one of the walls slopes from an area adjacent the upper opening of the container. 10. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein a top portion of a wall of the intermediate liner has an angle of inclination of at least 45° downwardly from the horizontal. 11. A cooking utensil according to any one o£ claims 1 to 10, further comprising a lid to substantially cover the upper opening of the container. 12. A cooking utensil according to claim 11, wherein the intermediate liner is adapted to be inverted and constitute the lid. 13. A cooking utensil according to claim 11 or claim 12, further comprising a handle for lifting the lid. 14. A cooking utensil according to claim 13, wherein the handle includes a thread removably engaged with the lid through an outlet in the lid. 15. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the space is at least partially occupied by water. 16. A cooking utensil according to claim 15, wherein the water is in contact with a portion of the intermediate liner. 17. A cooking utensil according to claim 15, wherein the water is at a level higher than a lowest portion of the intermediate liner. 18. A cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the intermediate liner is suspended from a wall of the container. 19. A cooking utensil for food comprising a container having an upper opening and a base, a grill substantially traversing the opening to receive food to be cooked, and an intermediate liner which, in a first position, is located within the container and defines a space with the base of the container and has at least one outlet to permit juices issuing from the food to pass therethrough, and in a second position covers the opening to close the container.

Inventors: MCDONALD IAN ROSS, MCDONALD, IAN, ROSS
Applicants: HERTFORD PTY LTD, HERTFORD PTY. LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A47J36
IPC codes: A47J27, A47J37, F24C15