IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS

Abstract: A support arrangement comprising a holder (4) having a base (8) for receiving an object such as a plate (2), the base (8) having one or more holes (18, 20) therethrough and a stand (12) comprising at least one projection (22) configured to project through one or more of the holes (18, 20) in the base (8).

Description: IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SUPPORT ARRANGEMENTS Field of the Invention The present invention relates to support arrangements especially, though not exclusively, to heated vessel support arrangements for heating food or drink on a plate. In this specification, the term "plate" refers to any plate, bowl, dish, cup, saucer, receptacle or body suitable for use with food or drink, and its plural form shall be construed accordingly. Background to the Invention Over recent years, progressively more diverse forms of cookery have become common throughout the world. In particular, different forms of cooking food and drink have been introduced into previously staid culinary regimes. For instance, oriental -type cooking using a wok has become popular in the United Kingdom over recent years. One method of cooking which can be used with a wok, to which the present invention has particular (though not exclusive) applicability is steaming in which a liquid is heated until it gives off substantial amounts of vapour, the vapour being used to heat or cook the food or drink in a steamer - often a bamboo steamer. However, it can be difficult to find arrangements that enable steaming to be carried out successfully in a wok. Even when it is, there is the problem of handling the very hot steamed plate and carrying it to table. If as is known a plate is used to steam food and a plate is held in a holder, it is very difficult to get the plate out of the holder without doing one or more of, burning oneself or spilling food. Similar problems can be encountered when steaming over a more conventional pan. Preferred embodiments of the present invention aims to overcome or obviate a disadvantage encountered in the prior art, whether referred to herein or otherwise. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a support arrangement comprising a holder having a base for receiving an object, the base having one or more holes therethrough and a stand comprising at least one projection configured to project through one or more of the holes in the base. Thus, there is provided a convenient arrangement for lifting an object from a vessel which, the inventor has realised, can be used in many applications just some of which are described herein. Using this arrangement, if an object is on the base of the holder, as the holder is lowered on to the stand, the at least one projection can lift the object off the base. The hole or holes can be circular, elongate or otherwise . Suitably, the base comprises a plurality of holes therethrough. Not all of the holes need have a corresponding projection but suitably there are a plurality of corresponding projections. With many holes through the base, the arrangement is more suitable for steaming. Suitably, the hole or holes adapted to receive the projection or projections comprises or comprise an elongate slot or elongate slots, which preferably is or are curved . Suitably, there is an inner projection and a radially outer projection so that objects of different sizes, such as plates can be supported. Suitably, the holder comprises an upstanding side wall. Suitably, the side wall includes an annular flange extending outwardly therefrom. Suitably, the stand comprises an upstanding side wall. More suitably, the holder is dimensioned to be a sliding fit within the stand. Advantageously, the flange of the holder abuts on the top of the side wall of the stand. Suitably, the side wall is configured to receive the holder in a nested configuration . Suitably, incidia is or are provided to show alignment of the holder and stand such that the projection or projections can pass through the hole or holes. Suitably, the arrangement comprises an intermediate platform, which platform lies on the base and receives the or each object, whereby the projection or projections raise the platform, in use. The platform may be perforated. Suitably, the object or intermediate platform to be received by the holder is a cooking vessel such as a pot, heated vessel, bowl or plate. Typically the holder will have a diameter for receiving a plate of about 10 inches (about 25.4 cm) . In a smaller version the diameter may be 8 inches (about 20.3 cm). Suitably, the holder is adapted to be placed in a heated environment such as a pan, roasting dish or wok. Brief Description of the Drawings The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings that follow; in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a plate with a plate holder for use in the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic plan view of the plate holder shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a schematic side elevation of a stand for use in the present invention. Figure 4 is a schematic side elevation of the stand shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a schematic plan view of a plant pot. Figure 6 is a schematic side elevation of the plant pot of Figure 5, with a disc in the plant pot. Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of a stand for use with the plant pot shown in Figures 5 and 6. Figure 8 is a schematic side elevation of the stand of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a schematic partly shadowed side elevation of the plant pot and stand of Figures 5-8 in use together. Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings that follow, there is shown a plate 2, suitable for holding food (not shown) thereon for steaming. The plate 2 may be of any form suitable for steaming food, such as PYREX (trade mark) glass. Other suitable materials include plastics and bamboo. Beneath the plate 2 is a plate holder 4, comprising a circular upstanding side wall 6 and a perforated base 8. The edge of the side wall 6 distant from the perforated base 8 includes an annular flange 10 carrying handles 11. The plate holder 4 can be formed of any suitable material, including metal or PYREX (trade mark) glass either as an integral or multi-part unit. Referring to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings that follow, there is shown a steamer base stand 12 comprising an upstanding side wall 14 and a base 16. The side wall 14 has handles 17 and an internal diameter slightly larger than that of the side wall 6, but less than the exterior diameter of annular flange 10 so that the plate holder 4 forms a sliding fit within steamer base stand 12, but the flange 10 will project therefrom. The perforated base 8 of plate holder 4 is shown most clearly in Figure 2. In the perforated base 8, there are steamer holes 18 and elongate slots 20. The steamer holes 18 comprise a multiplicity of relatively small circular in cross-section holes distributed evenly about the base 8. The holes 18 can be distributed in a regular or irregular pattern. There are eight elongate slots 20 distributed symmetrically in the perforated base. Four elongate slots 20 form a discontinuous inner circle about which are four more elongate slots 20 forming an outer discontinuous circle . Referring to Figure 4 of the drawings that follow, the base 16 of steamer base stand 12 can be seen to comprise eight elongate projections 22 sized and configured to pass through the elongate slots 20. The elongate projections 22 are of substantially the same height as side wall 14. A method of use of the present invention will now be described. Food (not shown) is placed onto the plate 2 which in turn is placed in the plate holder 4. The plate holder 4, carrying the plate 2, is then placed into a steamer unit (not shown) such as a pan or wok. The food (not shown) is steamed over time in known manner during which it will be apparent that both the plate 2 and plate holder 4 will become hot. When the steaming is complete, the plate holder 4, holding the plate 2, is lifted from the steamer unit (not shown) and lowered onto the steam base stand 12 so that the elongate projections 22 are aligned with elongate slots 20. Marks (not shown) or other indicia may be provided on the plate holder 4 and steamer base stand 12 to ensure accurate alignment even if the plate 2 is opaque. As the plate holder 4 is lowered onto the steamer base stand 12, the elongate projections 22 lift the plate 2 from the perforated base 8. When the plate holder 4 has been lowered completely onto the steamer base stand 12 and nests therein, the plate 2 stands on the elongate projections 22 and can easily be removed from the plate holder 4. Even if the plate 2 is of a similar diameter to the internal diameter of the plate holder 4, the plate 2 will have been lifted from the base 8 of plate holder 4 far enough by the elongate projections 22 that it can easily be carried away without having to try to slip ones fingers down the side of the plate 2 with the concomitant risks of burns and food spillages. Furthermore, if it desired to carry the plate 2 to a table without placing the hot plate 2 on the table the entire unit comprising plate 2, plate holder 4 and steamer base stand 12 can be carried, holding the steamer base stand 12 which is cool and can be placed on a table. The only substantive means of transmitting heat to the base 16 of steamer base stand 12 is via the elongate projections 22 which do not provide sufficient conduction for there to be a risk of damaging the table or other surface on which the steamer base stand 12 is to be placed. If desired the tops of elongate projections 22 can be covered with a heat insulating material . This can enable the steamer base stand 12 to be made of decorative material which, otherwise, might not be capable of withstanding the heat from plate holder 4/plate 2. The plate holder 4 can always easily be lifted from steamer base stand 12 because of the overhanging lip formed by annular flange 10. The present invention is not limited to the cooling of food by steaming although it is particularly advantageous for such a use. According to this preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an arrangement for steaming food which enables it to be removed from the plate holder easily and without risk to the user. Furthermore, it enables the plate 2 to be carried in a relatively cool body and, because the plate 2 is lifted by elongate projections 22, conveniently be served at table. The applications of the present invention are many and varied. By way of example, another application is now described in relation to Figures 5-9 of the drawings that follow. In this second embodiment, application of the present invention to a plant pot is described. In Figures 5 and 6 there is shown a plant pot 100 having a base 102 with four holes 104 therethrough and a circular side wall 106 as is well known. In Figures 7 and 8 there is shown a stand 108 for receiving the plant pot 100. The stand 108 comprises a base 110 upstanding from which are four projections 110 corresponding to holes 104 in plant pot 100. The stand 108 additionally comprises a circular side wall 112 slightly larger than that of the plant pot 100 so that the latter rests neatly in the former. For convenience, an intermediate platform 114 can be located in the plant pot 100. In this case, the intermediate platform 114 is a circular disc. In use, a plant (not shown) is grown in sod (not shown) in plant pot 100 on intermediate platform 114 (which may optionally have holes therethrough) . When it is desired to lift the sod from the plant pot 100, the plant pot 100 is placed onto the stand 108 with projections 110 aligned with holes 104. As the plant pot 100 is dropped or forced onto stand 108, the intermediate platform 114 is forced upwards, lifting the sod from the plant pot 100 allowing the plant to be transferred with the minimum of disruption. In some instances, the intermediate platform 114 may be unnecessary. Only one stand is required for any number of plant pots . Another possible application is for use of the present invention in a roasting dish to lift meat therefrom. The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A support arrangement comprising a holder having a base for receiving an object, the base having one or more holes therethrough and a stand comprising at least one projection configured to project through one or more of the holes in the base. 2. A support arrangement according to Claim 1, in which the hole or holes can be circular or elongate. 3. A support arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2 , in which the base comprises a plurality of holes therethrough . 4. A support arrangement according to Claim 3 , in which there are a plurality of corresponding projections. 5. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the hole or holes adapted to receive the projection or projections comprises or comprise an elongate slot or elongate slots. 6. A support arrangement according to Claim 5, in which the slot(s) is or are curved. 7. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which there is an inner projection and a radially outer projection so that objects of different sizes, such as plates can be supported. 8. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the holder comprises an upstanding side wall . 9. A support arrangement according to Claim 8, in which the side wall includes an annular flange extending outwardly therefrom. 10. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the stand comprises an upstanding side wall . 11. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the holder is dimensioned to be a sliding fit within the stand. 12. A support arrangement according to Claim 9, in which the flange of the holder abuts on the top of the side wall of the stand. 13. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the side wall is configured to receive the holder in a nested configuration. 14. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which incidia is or are provided to show alignment of the holder and stand such that the projection or projections can pass through the hole or holes. 15. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the arrangement comprises an intermediate platform, which platform lies on the base and receives the or each object, whereby the projection or projections raise the platform, in use. 16. A support arrangement according to Claim 15, in which the platform may be perforated. 17. A support arrangement according to any preceding Claim, in which the object (which may be an intermediate platform) to be received by the holder is a cooking vessel such as a pot, heated vessel, bowl or plate. 18. A support arrangement according to Claim 17, in which the holder will have a diameter for receiving a plate of about 10 inches (about 25.4 cm) . 19. A support arrangement according to Claim 17 or 18, in which the holder is adapted to be placed in a heated environment such as a pan, roasting dish or wok.

Inventors: YATES JEANNETTE, YATES, JEANNETTE
Applicants: DAVIES PAUL, YATES JEANNETTE, DAVIES, PAUL, YATES, JEANNETTE
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A47J36
IPC codes: A47J36, A47J37