Abstract:
The present invention provides a basting device comprising an elongate body portion defining a first passageway therethrough and having a distal and a proximal end and a resilient and flexible squeeze bulb having a collar portion located therein for removable attachment to the distal end of the body portion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a basting device and in particular to a basting device having a removable bulb portion with a screw fit connection. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Basting devices are well known in the culinary field. Basting devices generally are used to extract and discharge liquids from and onto food items during cooking. 
         [0003]    Traditional basters have a main body portion and a bulb at one end that includes a cavity within it. In order to extract liquid from a liquid reservoir, i.e. container or dish in which the food is cooking, the bulb is squeezed while the opposite end of the baster is out of the liquid. The tip of the baster is then placed in the liquid while the bulb is released and the liquid extracted is drawn into the body of the baster. In order to release the liquid the bulb is then squeezed and the liquid exits from the same aperture through which it was extracted. 
         [0004]    In use such basters can leak, not only through the opening that the liquid enters and exits, but also between the connection of the baster body and the squeeze bulb. Any such leaking cannot only be frustrating due to the loss of liquid but can also harm a user if the liquid is warm or hot. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a basting device comprising an elongate body portion having a passageway through it and having a resilient and flexible squeeze bulb with a collar portion located within it for removable attachment to one end of the body portion. 
         [0006]    The present invention further provides a basting device having removable head portions including a showerhead type head portion and an injector. 
         [0007]    In another aspect the present invention provides for the use of the basting device described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present invention will be discussed in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side isometric view of one embodiment of the basting device of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the basting device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side isometric view of a second embodiment of the basting device of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the basting device of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an embodiment of the collar portion of the basting device of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The present invention provides a basting device including a squeeze bulb that is removably connected to the body portion of the basting device using a screw fit. 
         [0017]    The present invention will be described with reference to the Figures in which the basting device is indicated generally at numeral  10 . The basting device  10  includes a body portion  12  with a removable head portion  14  and a squeeze bulb  16 . The body portion  12  has a proximal end  18  and a distal end  20 . Preferably the proximal end  18  is tapered for easier control of the flow and direction of fluid/liquid when the basting device is used without the head portion  14 , as described below. 
         [0018]    The body portion  12  of the basting device  10  may be made from any material that can be used to contain a liquid food product that is hot or cold. Preferably the body portion  12  is made from any material suitable for use in culinary applications, such as food grade plastics or metals such as stainless steel. Preferably the body portion  12  is made from polycarbonate. Preferably the body portion  12  includes at least one elongate portion that is clear or transparent to allow a user to identify the quantity of liquid contained within the body portion. To that end, and as can be seen more clearly in  FIG. 3 , the at least one elongate portion  13  preferably includes indicia  15  that represent volumetric measurements. 
         [0019]    The squeeze bulb  16  of basting device  10  is flexible and resilient. It will be understood that a person skilled in the art will understand the types of material that may be used for the squeeze bulb, for example rubber or plastics. It will also be understood that the size of the squeeze bulb will be chosen in relation to the size of the basting device and in particular the size of the body portion and the passageway to be filled with liquid. It will be understood that larger body portions will be used in conjunction with larger squeeze bulbs. 
         [0020]    The head portion  14  is attached to the body portion  12  at the proximal end  18  of the basting device  10 . It will be understood by a person skilled in the art that any form of connection between the head portion  14  may be used to attach the head portion  14  securely to the body portion  12  to prevent the head portion  14  from separating from the body portion  12  during use. As will be seen more clearly in  FIG. 2 , the proximal end  18  of the body portion  12  of the illustrated embodiments includes a threaded portion  22 . Likewise on an internal portion, not shown, of the head portion  14  there is a corresponding threaded portion that matingly engages with the threaded portion  22  of the proximal end  18  when the head portion  14  is connected to the body portion  12 . In this embodiment, located between the head portion  14  and the body portion  12  is a gasket  23 , shown in  FIG. 2 , also referred to as an o-ring. Gasket  23  provides a secure seal between the head portion  14  and body portion  12  that prevents leaks between these two parts. 
         [0021]    As discussed above, the basting device  10  also includes a collar portion  26  that connects the squeeze bulb  16  to the body portion  12 . The collar portion  26  is sized to releasably fit within the opening of the squeeze bulb  16 . The fit of the collar portion  26  in the opening is preferably a friction fit. The collar portion  26  may include projections that assist in maintaining the frictional fit between the two parts. 
         [0022]    The internal portion  28  of the collar portion  26 , shown in  FIG. 5 , is threaded and is operable to connect with and thread onto a threaded portion  24  of the distal end  20  of the body portion  12 . By threadingly engaging the collar portion, and attached to it the squeeze bulb  16 , with the body portion  12  a seal between the passageway of the body portion  12  and the inner portion of the squeeze bulb is maintained to prevent liquid leaking onto a user at the point of connection of these parts. In addition the squeeze bulb  16  may be readily removed from the body portion  12  for cleaning. Further, the squeeze bulb  16  may be easily removed from the body portion  12  many times without cracking, which can occur in traditional basting devices and leads to a loss of vacuum in the basting device. 
         [0023]    The collar portion  26  is preferably made from a material that is more rigid than the squeeze bulb  16  and assists in achieving a secure connection to the body portion  12 . Preferably the collar portion  26  is made from polypropylene. However, it will be understood that the collar portion  26  may be made from any other material suitable for use in this application and operable to include a threaded portion to attach to the body portion  12  of the basting device  10  and to frictionally engage with the squeeze bulb. 
         [0024]    As can be seem in  FIG. 1 , the head portion  14  may be a shower type head portion. A shower type head portion allows a user to sprinkle liquid evenly across the surface to be covered. Alternatively, the head portion may include an injector, as indicated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  that allows a user to inject liquid directly into a predetermined portion of a food product. The head portion  14  includes a passageway within that allows for liquid to pass through the head portion  14  and into the passageway of the body portion  12  when the head portion  12  is attached thereto. The basting device  10  of the present invention includes at least one removable head  14  that may include a shower type head, an injector or other head portions that will be known by a person skilled in the art. It will be understood that the basting device  10  of the present invention does not have to be used with the head portion  14 . 
         [0025]    The cross sectional illustrations in  FIGS. 6 and 7  show the fluid passageway located within the basting device  10  that allows liquid to be drawn into the basting device  10  through the head portion  14  and up into the body portion  12 . These figures also illustrate the threaded connection of the squeeze bulb  16  to the body portion  12  by way of the collar portion  26 . 
         [0026]    The use of the basting device  10  of the present invention is as per any basting device. Liquid may be drawn into the basting device  10  by first squeezing the bulb portion and then placing at least a portion of the proximal end  18 , including the head portion  14  if used, within the liquid to be extracted. The squeeze bulb  16  may then be released and the liquid will be extracted up into the passageway of the body portion  12 . When the user wishes to discharge the liquid the squeeze bulb  16  is squeezed and liquid forced from the body portion  12 . If a particular amount of liquid is used the indicia located on at least a portion of the body portion may be used to accurately measure the amount of liquid being extracted and/or discharged. When a user wishes to clean the basting device  10  or store the device, the squeeze bulb  16  can easily be unscrewed from the body portion  12 . 
         [0027]    While this invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments and examples, the description is not intended to be construed in a limiting sense. Thus, various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments. Further, all of the claims are hereby incorporated by reference into the description of the preferred embodiments.