Abstract:
A self-releasing pan-handle holder for thermally insulating a handle on pots and pans. The pan-handle holder is designed to receive the long handle on a pot or pan. The pan-handle holder comprises an insulating sleeve having a sleeve axis with first and second complimentary sections and a lumen, which allows for closely receiving a pan-handle. The pan-handle holder further includes a biasing mechanism for holding the first and second complimentary sections apart. When the pan-handle holder is placed on a pot or pan-handle, it is squeezed tightly and held around the pan-handle to protect the user from heat in the handle. Typically, the component parts of the of the present pan-handle holder are made of a non-metallic thermal insulating material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a thermal insulated holder device which is readily attachable to and removable from the long handle of a pot or pan for the purpose of gripping the handle of a hot cooking utensil. More specifically, the present invention relates to such insulating holders which have a biasing means for holding the device in a normally open configuration to receive or release the pot/pan-handle, with the biasing means being overcome by the grasp of the user when squeezing the device in place on a pan-handle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The culinary arts field has long been motivated to provide auxiliary thermal-insulated handles for cooking utensils. For example, Achberger (U.S. Pat. No. 1,162,896; issued in 1915) discloses an auxiliary cooking utensil handle. The Achberger handle is a separately portable two part handle hinged along the length of one side and opens and closes in clam shell fashion. The Achberger handle includes a spring to radially bias the handle members normally apart. Because the Achberger device opens along the entire length of one side, there is a relatively large opening of the device from which a pan handle can inadvertently slip. However, the Achberger device does incorporate the benefit of being easily (i.e., single handedly) releaseable from a pan handle. A later example is the device of Budelman (U.S. Pat. No. 2,609,563). The Budelman device is an auxiliary skillet handle vertically split along its length into a pair of handle members. The handle members are joined at one end and are pivotable relative to each other. The Budelman handle has the benefit of an adjustable pivot that allows the device to be used with a range of skillet handle widths. However, the Budelman device opens along the entire length of both of its sides, therefore having an even larger opening in the device from which a pan handle can inadvertently slip.  
         [0003]     Case metal cookware often presents the problem of needing an auxiliary means of insulating skillet or long pot/pan type handles. Colasent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,877) discloses a thermally insulated supplementary handle for cast iron cookware. The Colasent insulating device is a cage or housing affixed over the existing long handle of a pan. More recently, auxiliary pan handle grips made of high temperature resistant rubbers or polymers have become available in the field. These auxiliary grips stretch to slide over and tightly engage the pan handle. These latter insulating grips have the advantage of providing not only an insulating benefit, but also provide a cushioned grip over the metal handle. (See U.S. Pat. No. D456,667 to Veltri et al.). However, both the Colasent handle and the insulating grips are relatively permanently installed onto the pan&#39;s handle.  
         [0004]     Although the above devices and others in the field may be useful for their intended purposes, it would still be beneficial to the field to have alternative auxiliary thermal insulating handles for use with culinary cookware. Particularly, it would be beneficial to have available such auxiliary insulating handles that may used to easily engage the handle of a hot pan while the pan is being manipulated, but which can be easily removed when manipulation of the pan is finished. This allows one auxiliary handle to be easily used with more than one pan, and allows a kitchen to be equipped with a few representative such auxiliary handles for use with a wide range of pan handles. Importantly, it would be additionally beneficial if the auxiliary handle provided a relatively limited portion of its surface from which an engaged pan handle might inadvertently slip out of the auxiliary handle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is a self-releasing, heat insulating auxiliary pan-handle holder. The present self-releasing insulating handle easily slides on and off the long handle of a cooking utensil such as the handle found on a frying pan or skillet. Because the present auxiliary insulating handle is easily removed from the pan with every use, this allows the auxiliary handle to be easily used with more than one pan, and allows a kitchen to be equipped with a few representative such auxiliary handles for use with a wide range of pan handles. The self-releasing, heat insulating pan-handle holder is used in place of the typical “pot holder” for gripping the handle of a hot pan. Use of the present self-releasing, pan-handle holder provides an easy means for a user to grasp the handle of a hot pan and be thermally insulated from the heat. The pan-handle holder has an opening at one or both ends and an interior space or lumen for receiving the long handle on a pot or pan. By having a receiver opening at only the ends of the auxiliary insulating holder, and not along its sides, the present insulating handle has a relatively reduced risk of an engaged pan handle inadvertently slipping out of the auxiliary handle. The interior space is held in an open configuration by a biasing mechanism. Once a pan-handle is received into the interior space (or lumen) of the present pan-handle holder, the interior space is closed around the handle by the grip of the user overcoming the force of the biasing mechanism that otherwise would hold the holder open.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a self-releasing, heat insulating pan handle holder of the present invention, with openings at both ends for receiving a pan-handle into the interior space of the holder, and showing a biasing mechanism comprising two bracket and spring type bias assemblies.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2A  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the present self-releasing, heat insulating pan-handle holder installed on the long handle of a pot or pan. This embodiment of the device has an opening disposed at only one end and a specifically configured lumen for engaging a pan-handle of a specific shape.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2B  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the present self-releasing, heat insulating pan-handle holder similar to  FIG. 2A , but having openings disposed at both ends and a specifically configured lumen for engaging a pan-handle of a specific shape.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of an insulating sleeve of the present invention, illustrating complimentary sleeve components of the insulating sleeve that are substantially similar or symmetric.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3B  is an end view of an insulating sleeve of the present invention, illustrating sleeve components of the insulating sleeve that are complimentary, but not symmetric.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of a portion of a spring and bracket type assembly used as a biasing means for the biasing mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are perspective views of a portion of an embodiment of an insulating sleeve complimentary section (A), and an exploded partial cross-sectional end view of both complimentary sections of an insulating sleeve (B). The figures illustrate a biasing mechanism utilizing a pair of integral biasing means proximate an end of the insulating sleeve.  
         [0013]      FIG. 6A  is an exploded perspective view of the present insulating handle illustrating an embodiment having symmetric complementary sleeve parts.  
         [0014]      FIG. 6B  is a top plan view of a sleeve part of  FIG. 6A .  
         [0015]      FIG. 6C  is a side elevation view of a sleeve part of  FIG. 6A .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Referring now to the drawings, the details of preferred embodiments of the present invention are graphically and schematically illustrated. Like elements in the drawings are represented by like numbers, and any similar elements are represented by like numbers with a different lower case letter suffix.  
         [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the self-releasing, heat insulating pan-handle holder  10  of the present invention comprises an insulating sleeve  12 , and a biasing mechanism  14 . The insulating sleeve  12  is fabricated from an appropriate non-metallic thermal insulating material, such thermal insulating materials include wood, plastic, rubber, resin or any other non-metallic material as may be appropriate in consideration of its weight and thermal properties. Metallic materials are specifically avoided because they have the potential to become deceptively hot when directly exposed to a heat source and they conduct electricity.  
         [0018]     The insulating sleeve  12  of the self-releasing pan-handle holder  10  is made of a substantially rigid, non-metallic thermal insulating material. In a preferred embodiment, the pan-handle holder  10  was practiced using both wood and plastic. However, other appropriate thermal insulating material are known to and practicable in the present invention by one of ordinary skill in the art. Examples of such other materials include rubber, resin and composite materials (e.g., carbon-fiber). The non-metallic insulating sleeve  12  of the pan-handle holder  10  is divided into two complimentary sections  20  &amp;  22  along a length I (see  FIG. 3A ) parallel to a sleeve axis  24 . The first  20  and second  22  complementary sections respectively have a first  28  and second  30  receiver surfaces (see  FIG. 3B ) adjoining between them. The receiver surfaces  28  &amp;  30  define the insulating sleeve&#39;s interior space or lumen  26  into which the long handle  16  of a pot or pan is received.  
         [0019]     The insulating sleeve  12  has an interior space or lumen  26  defined by the interior surfaces  28  &amp;  30  of the complimentary sections  20  &amp;  22  respectively. The insulating sleeve  12  has an opening  34  in one or both ends (see  FIGS. 2A &amp; 2B ). The sleeve opening  34  allows a pan-handle  16  to be received into the lumen  26  of the insulating sleeve  12  when in the sleeve  12  is in an open condition. The interior surfaces  28  &amp;  30  of the complimentary sections  20  &amp;  22  are generally configured to fit closely engage a pan-handle  16  received in the lumen  26  when the pan-handle holder  10  is in a closed condition. Alternatively, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , interior surfaces  28  &amp;  30  of the complimentary sections  20  &amp;  22  can be specifically configured to closely engage a specific pan-handle  16  in the lumen  26  of the pan-handle holder  10 . Such specific configuration of the lumen  26  can reduce the risk of the pan-handle  16  inadvertently slipping from the present holder  10  when in use.  
         [0020]     Additionally, the interior surfaces  28  &amp;  30  preferably have a friction feature  32  to enhance engagement of the pan-handle  16  to prevent the pan-handle  16  from slipping out of the insulating sleeve  12  when the insulating sleeve  12  is in a closed condition. See  FIG. 3A . The friction feature  32  can be accomplished by any of a number of means known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such as disposing on the interior surfaces  28  &amp;  30  bumps, suckers, stippling or other anti-slip features.  
         [0021]     In a preferred embodiment, the insulating sleeve  12  of the present self-releasing pan-handle holder had the first and second complementary sections  20  &amp;  22  similarly configured with each comprising about half of the insulating sleeve  12 . See  FIG. 3A . However, as shown in  FIG. 3B , the complementary sections  20  &amp;  22  of the insulating sleeve  12  can be asymmetric. A variety of configurations for the insulating sleeve&#39;s complimentary sections are practicable in the present invention, the selection of which is accomplishable by the ordinary skilled artisan.  
         [0022]     The biasing mechanism  14  of the self-releasing pan-handle holder  10  exerts a biasing force sufficient to hold the complimentary sections  20  &amp;  22  of the insulating sleeve  12  normally apart (i.e., in an “open” condition). However, the biasing force is readily overcome by the grip of a user grasping the pan-handle holder  10 , which puts the holder  10  in a “closed” condition. As shown in  FIG. 1 , in a preferred embodiment, the biasing mechanism comprised a biasing means  14  disposed proximate each end of the insulating sleeve  12 . In this embodiment, the bias mechanism displaced the first and second complimentary sections  20  &amp;  22  apart parallel to the sleeve axis  24  of the insulating sleeve  12 . The biasing means  14  used in this embodiment were spring and bracket type assemblies  40 .  
         [0023]     As noted above, in a preferred embodiment of the present pan-holder device  10 , the biasing mechanism  14  was a spring and bracket assembly  40 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The spring and bracket assembly  40  for practice in the present invention may be accomplished in a number of ways known to one of skill in the art. The spring and bracket assembly  40  shown comprised a telescoping tube  42  &amp;  42   a  which contained a bias spring  46  set into the spring cap  44  at the closed end of one or both of the telescoping tubes  42  &amp;  42   a .  FIG. 1  shows two spring and bracket assemblies  40  holding the first  20  and second  22  complimentary sections of the insulating sleeve  12  in an “open” condition. The spring cap  44  at each end of the telescoping tubes  42  &amp;  42   a  are set into a bracket  48  as shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0024]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , alternative biasing means are anticipated for practice as the biasing mechanism  14  of the present pan-holder  10 . These figures illustrate a integral biasing means  40 a, the means being integral in that its components are housed in or integrated with the complementary sections  20   a  &amp;  22   a  of the insulating sleeve  12 . As illustrated, an integral biasing means  40   a  comprises a spring housing  52  integrated into the construction of a complimentary sleeve section  20   a  &amp;  22   a . The spring housing  52  has a spring receptacle  54  set into it. One end of a bias spring  46   a  is fixed in the housing  52  at the bottom of the receptacle  54  on the first sleeve section  22   a , while the other end of the bias spring  46   a  is fixed in the housing  52  at the bottom of the receptacle  54  on the second sleeve section  20   a . In this embodiment, four integral biasing means  40   a  (see  FIGS. 2A and 2B ) are used to accomplish the biasing mechanism  14  that holds the insulating sleeve  12  in the normally open condition.  
         [0025]     In another preferred embodiment exemplified in  FIGS. 6A  to  6 C, the present insulating handle  10   a  utilized gravity to bias the complementary handle sections apart. When the handle  10   a  was installed on a pan handle  16  (e.g., see  FIG. 2B ), gravity biased the bottom handle section  104  to fall away from the top handle section  102 , until the insulating handle  10   a  was grasped by a user. Upon being grasped by a user, the handle sections  102  &amp;  104  then engaged a pan handle  16  received into the device. In the embodiment shown, the insulating handle  10   a  had two biasing mechanisms  108  disposed at each end of the handle  10   a . The biasing mechanisms  108  each comprised a detent post  110  which was snapped into and loosely held within a slide passage  118 . The detent post  110  had a neck portion  112  having a cross-section that allowed it to freely slide within the slide passage  118 . The height of the detent post  110  was chosen to allow the handle sections  102 &amp;  104  to be displaced sufficiently to receive a pan handle  16  between them through the handle port opening  124 . One of ordinary skill in the art knows how to select an appropriate cross-section and height for the detent post  110 , as well as to select alternative gravity biasing mechanisms  108 . The embodiment of the insulating handle  10   a  as illustrated was made of a slightly flexible pliant material that provided a cushioned grip and increased frictional engagement with the pan handle  16  than with more rigid handle materials. As an option, the illustrated handle  10   a  included hand-grip enhancing features, such as a thumb grip  130  and surface grooves  134 . Additionally, the illustrated handle  10   a  included an optional tether attachment point  138 . The tether attachment point was utilized to attach the insulating handle  10   a  to a retractable tether (not shown) mounted at the waist of a user.  
         [0026]     While the above description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of one or another preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible, which would be obvious to one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined by the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, and not just by the embodiments.