Abstract:
A cookware system is provided having a container, particularly a cooking vessel, at least one downwardly directed receiver, and a non-coupling handle having a contact member at its end sized to the receiver, which combination provides increased safety and utility. By virtue of the downwardly directed receiver and the upwardly directed contact member, the handle of the cookware system contacts and drives the cooking vessel only during and for so long as the operator, the cook, provides upward force to the handle to temporarily engage the cooking vessel. Upon removal of the upward force from the operator, the handle disengages from the receiver, preventing the potential that a person, whether the operator, a child or another, could contact the handle and cause a spill or burn.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a system having a cooking or baking vessel, a container such as a pot or pan, together with a separate handle, designed for improved safety. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cooking or baking vessel having a separate, non-coupling handle which docks with a receiver associated with the vessel and which immediately ceases to engage the vessel when upward force is no longer applied at the non-grip portion of the handle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Attempts to develop handles for cooking or baking vessels, such as pots and pans have largely focused on the benefit of a detachable handle for storage purposes. Few attempts have been made to develop handles for cooking or baking vessels to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic burns caused by careless contact with stovetop handles or by unintended contact with stovetop handles by small children. As a result, most attempts to develop handles for cooking or baking vessels have focused on handles which may be actively detached and removed from vessels, but which otherwise are attached and affixed to pots, and become integral components thereof. 
     Each year more than 30,000 children under the age of 4 are injured in cooking accidents, usually when a protruding handle from a pot or pan is pulled or bumped, dropping hot food or liquid on them from above. A similar danger exists to employees in commercial kitchens where cooks work in close proximity to many protruding handles. And the danger of injury may be generalized to a number of other settings where handles are required to manipulate vessels containing hot, caustic, or otherwise hazardous liquids, but overlooked or unattended handles create a “bump-and-spill” hazard for workers. 
     Various patents exist which teach the use of handles to be attached or detached for convenience. However none identify safety as a primary function of the invention. Consequently, all current designs work by some mechanism (pins, springs, pumps, latches or locks) which must be manually actuated to secure (or couple, attach, affix or join) the handle in place and again manually actuated to remove the handle from the vessel. If the mechanism is not intentionally actuated for handle removal, the handle will default to remain attached to the vessel, thus presenting the same danger as a fixed handle. Moreover, the prior art teaches use of attachment systems which require inclusion of various additional parts and which require a substantial protrusion from and beyond the body of the cookware. These systems thus have increased cost due to the necessity of additional moving parts and shorter lifespans as wear of these various moving parts can render the attachment system inoperable. This could be particularly dangerous as the occasion of such failure cannot be predicted and is most likely to occur during use, when the cookware contains food and may contain a heated liquid. Moreover, as these systems include attachment systems which protrude from and beyond the body from the container body, the risk of contact and accidental spillage remains to anyone near the cooking surface. 
     Therefore there is a need in the art for a cookware system which reduces the likelihood of accidental burns to users and others in the kitchen, particularly children, by eliminating the presence of a handle or extension from the cookware body. Thus, there is a need for a cookware system wherein the handle or handles do not attach or become affixed to the cooking vessel and which instead have a handle or handles which cease to be in contact with the vessel upon removal of operable force from the operator, such as the cook, and which does so without conscious or intentional operator action or input when the pot is rested upon the heating surface. Additionally there is a need for a cookware system which provides for such safer operation without the use of various moving parts susceptible to failure and which can be readily, efficiently and relatively inexpensively manufactured. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention therefore meets the above needs and overcomes one or more deficiencies in the prior art by providing a cookware system wherein the handle or handles engage the cooking vessel only during and for so long as the operator, the cook, provides upward force to the handle to temporarily contact the cooking vessel. The present invention, a handling system for cookware, provides a handle assembly which mates, which may be by contacting and fitting within, a dock, which may be a handling ring assembly, joined to the container to be moved or controlled. 
     Unlike prior inventions, the present invention uniquely provides a handle that does not remain in place unless an operator is actively applying upward force to the handle into a receiver in fixed relationship with the cooking vessel. In the absence of the application of upward force to the handle when the vessel is resting on surface, gravity causes the handle to separate from the receiver associated with the cooking vessel. While only one receiver is necessary, in further embodiment, a plurality of receivers are utilized, thus affording the opportunity to have multiple locations about the entire perimeter of the cooking vessel for the handle to temporarily contact a receiver. The invention can thus be utilized to match the curvature of a round, oval or even square object (example: a cooking pot) so that a common size male docking flange or contact member may be used for objects of different diameters. Alternatively, the sizes of receiver and the male docking flange or contact member may be sized depending on the size of the cooking vessel. The present invention thereby provides a handling system for lifting, moving and using containers while eliminating the dangers and issues presented by a protruding handle when the handle is not in use. 
     Moreover, the invention permits use of various handles having a number of orientations and styles (vertical, horizontal, canted, “suitcase style,” etc.) in connection with a single vessel, all providing the same safe handling features. 
     As a result, the cookware system reduces the likelihood of accidental burns to users and others in the kitchen, particularly children, by eliminating the presence of a handle or extension from the cookware body, provides for such safer operation without the use of various moving parts susceptible to failure and which can be readily, efficiently and relatively inexpensively manufactured. 
     Additional aspects, advantages, and embodiments of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the various embodiments and related drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       So that the manner in which the described features, advantages, and objects of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent; are attained and can be understood in detail; more particular description of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by referring to the embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the drawings, which drawings form a part of this specification. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical preferred embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope as the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a bottom-oriented illustration of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of the container of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of a container of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of an exploded view of the parts of the container of the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of an exploded view of the parts of the container of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a top-oriented illustration of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a series of illustrations ( FIGS. 7(   a ),  7 ( b ) and  7 ( c )) depicting the steps in employing the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a series of illustrations ( FIGS. 8(   a ),  8 ( b ) and  8 ( c )) depicting the steps in disengaging use of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom-oriented illustration of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an illustration of various handles which may be used in the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a view of one embodiment of the contact member of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a view of one embodiment of the outer ring of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a view of one embodiment of the outer ring of the present invention depicting one system for attachment to the container. 
         FIG. 14  is a view of one embodiment of the outer ring of the present invention depicting one system for attachment to the container. 
         FIG. 15  is a view of one embodiment of the outer ring of the present invention depicting one system for attachment to the container. 
         FIG. 16  is a view of one embodiment of the outer ring of the present invention depicting one system for attachment to the container. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-8 , the improved cookware system  100  provides a container  102 , at least one receiver  112 , and a non-coupling handle  118  sized to the receiver  112 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the container  102  may be any type of pot, pan or dish intended for use on a stove, grill, oven or the like. Examples of such containers, which may be characterized as cookware or bakeware, include dutch ovens, braisers and roasters, frying pans, skillets, sauce pans and stockpots, and cake pans and sheet pans. Regardless of the type of cookware, the container  102  has an interior  604 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 , a vertically-inclined exterior wall  106 , a bottom  108 , and a top opening  610 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 , providing access to the interior  604 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the top opening  610  may be an orifice or opening formed by the upper edge  402  or  504  of the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106 . The vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  of the container  102  need not be purely vertical, but is, intended for the purposes of this invention to be generally vertical, i.e. not forming an acute angle to the heating surface. Ideally, the exterior wall  106  is purely vertical. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , at least one receiver  112  is provided and is positioned in fixed relation to the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  of said container  102 . Each receiver  112  may be directly affixed, attached, joined to or made from the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  of said container  102  or may be fixed in relation to the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  of said container  102  by virtue of other parts. In the alternative embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 , each receiver  112  is constructed so as not to protrude from the container  102  in such a way as to form an arm or extension which might be contacted by the user and to provide a location for application of force from the user to cause movement of the container  102 . Each receiver  112  has a receiver downwardly-oriented opening (or space or void)  114  of fixed size and shape and which has depth  116  and which preferably is not circular. This opening  114  thus provides an empty area which functions as female docking space. Ideally, receivers  112  are positioned about the entire circumference of the container  102  for ease of access regardless of the orientation of the container  102  relative to the operator, with no more than one, receiver  112  at any longitudinal position along the circumference. In the preferred embodiment, the receivers  112  are constructed to provide a smooth exterior to or about container  102 . Finally, the cookware system  100  includes a non-coupling handle  118 , which fits within, contacts and drives a receiver  112  when lifted into a receiver  112  and maintained in relation under upward force from the handle  118  against the receiver  112 , thus not coupling with, or becoming integral to or joined to, the receiver  112 . The handle  118  has a first end  120  and a second end  122  and may be part of a handle assembly  142  which includes a grip member  124  and a contact member  126  connected by the handle neck  140 . Ideally, a grip member  124  is positioned at or adjacent the first end  120  of the handle  118 . This grip member  124  may be of any of various types of handles, such as a flat grip, a basket grip, a lifting handles, loop or tab handles. The type of grip utilized can be selected based on the intended use of the cookware at the time, thus providing a variety of options for handles, such as those depicted in  FIG. 10 , such as the conventional pot handle  1002 , various vertically-oriented handles  1004 ,  1006 , or a pair of lifting handles  1008 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , at the opposite end of the handle  118 , its second end  122 , the handle has an upwardly-oriented contact member  126  of fixed size and shape and having a height  128 . The upwardly-oriented contact member  126  is sized and has a shape selected to fit within the receiver  112  without interference but to fit sufficiently well within the receiver  112  to fit within, contact and drive the receiver  112  and prevent lateral rotation of the handle  118  relative to the receiver  112 . Ease of entry may be accomplished, in part, by incorporating a tapered end  1102  onto contact member  126 , as depicted in  FIG. 11 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the cookware system  100  may also include at least two-spaced-apart depth members  130 , an outer member  132 , where the spaced-apart depth members  130  are positioned intermediate the outer member  132  and the container  102 . Thus, the size and shape of a receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  can be defined largely by how the spaced-apart depth members  130  are positioned intermediate the outer member  132 . Thus, each spaced-apart depth member  130  also functions as a side brace for the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114 . 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  6  and  7   a ,  7   b  and  7   c , the cookware system  100  may include a plurality of spaced-apart depth members  130  positioned equidistant about the exterior wall  106  of the container  102  to define, together with the outer ring  134 , which may be a series of outer members  132  or a ring atop outer members  132 , a plurality of receivers about the entirety of the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  of the container  102 . Thus, the spaced-apart depth members  130  may be positioned intermediate the outer ring  134  and the container  102 . Thus regardless of the orientation of the cookware to the operator, a receiver  112  is conveniently accessible to the operator. This plurality of receivers  112  may thus be present regardless of the shape of the container  102 , which may be, for example, round, oblong, or rectangular. 
     To better provide a readily constructed fixed size and shape of receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  of the receiver  112 , the cookware system  100  may further include an inner ring  136  intermediate the plurality of spaced-apart depth members  130  and the container  102 . The spaced-apart depth members  130  may be affixed to this inner ring  136 . In the absence of an inner ring  136 , the upwardly-oriented contact member  126  may, but is not required to, include a curved face  902  and a top edge  904 , depicted in  FIG. 9 , to fit within, contact and drive the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  of the container  102 , rather than the flat face  602 , depicted in  FIG. 6 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , when an inner ring  136  is used, the outer ring  134  may have an inner surface  206  and the inner ring  136  may have an outer surface  208 , which, together with the spaced-apart depth members  130  fully define the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  and the receiver  112  and provide the surfaces against which contact member  126  may apply force and slide without interference. Referring to  FIG. 12 , the outer ring  134  may be associated with an upper outer ring  1204 , which is substantially perpendicular to the outer ring  134  and which ideally is bounded by and does not extend beyond the outer ring  134  and inclined towards the container  102  (not shown) so as to approach or contact the container  102 . The upper outer ring  1204  may further include a segment  1202 , which may be a separate member or thickened section which defines the top of receiver  112  and provides a final surface against which contact member  126  may apply force. A contact member  126  on the non-coupling handle  118  is therefore sized to slide upward and without interference into the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  and the receiver  112 . The contact member  126  may be rectangular or trapezoidal, or another shape. As can be appreciated, even novelty shapes, such as the shape of the State of Texas, may be used as the shape of the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  of the receiver  112  and of the contact member  126 . Preferably, the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  of the receiver  112  and the contact member  126  are not circular in shape as such a shape precludes single side, single handle lifting of a container  102  without the risk of rotation between the receiver  112  and contact member  126 , which would pose a danger to the operator. 
     As can be appreciated, the outer ring  134  may be affixed to the container  102  by various systems known in the art. These include use of an interference fit, such as depicted in  FIG. 13 , wherein the outer ring  134  may include a plurality of teeth  1302  providing an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the container  102 . These also include tack welding of an outer ring  134  by welding the underside of some of teeth  1402  attached to the outer ring  134 , as illustrated in  FIG. 14 , which requires a less precise fit, will generally be obscured from view, but which has the potential to require excessive time and to burn any non-stick coating of the container  102 . These further include use of grip ring  1502 , such as depicted in  FIG. 15 , and an outer ring  134 , wherein the grip ring  1502  can be an interference fit or soldered to the container  102  and would maintain the outer ring  134  in position. These would also include, among others, use of a ring  1602  with a polymer ring  1604  that fits tightly within, wherein an upper vertical flange  1606  of the ring  1602 , generally horizontal in orientation, can be soldered or joined to the container  102 , and the polymer ring  1604  then fitted within the ring  1602  and adhered to it, such as depicted in  FIG. 16 . 
     Still referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  6  and  7   a ,  7   b  and  7   c , the cookware system  100  may also include a docking area indicator  210  positioned adjacent said receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114  of said receiver  112 . A docking area indicator  210  may be particularly helpful to identify to the user the location of the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114 , necessary for use of the cookware system  100 . The docking area indicator  210  may be any area intended to indicate the location of the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114 , such as an area of differently colored material, an engraved portion, a contrasting color or texture, or even a depressed area. As depicted in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  6  and  7   a ,  7   b  and  7   c , the docking area indicator  210  is preferably located below the outer ring  134  on the outer surface  208  of inner ring  136 . The outer ring  134  and depth members  130  may be considered a handling ring assembly  144 , which may also include an inner ring  136 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the receiver  112 , having the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114 , is defined by the positioning of the depth members  130 , 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 9 , in a further embodiment, the container  102  may further include a downward lip  302 , which extends outward and downward from the top edge  304  of the vertically-inclined exterior wall  106  about the container  102 , either with or without the outer ring  134 . This downward lip  302  may be extended downward to merge with the outer ring  134  and thus provide a more streamlined exterior for the container  102 . 
     Alternatively, as depicted in  FIG. 5 , the container  102  may include, instead of a downward lip  302  from its top edge  304 , a container ring  502  and an outer ring  134 . 
     Referring to the contact member  126  depicted in  FIG. 11 , the contact member  126  may include a tapered edge  1102  intended to provide a thinned top of contact member  126  to provide ease of insertion of the contact member  126  into the receiver  112 . Such smoothing or reduction of the tapered edge  1102  of the contact member  126  is not intended to reduce the height  128  of the contact member  126  which is sized to fit within, contact and drive, or to dock with, the receiver  112  without difficulty and to do so without wedging or forcing the contact member  126  into the receiver  112 . Thus, the depth of the receiver  112 , the receiver depth  116 , is preferably at least equal to the outer operable portion  138  of the contact member  126 , the section of the contact member  126  adjacent the outer ring inner surface  206  when the contact member  126  fits within, contacts and drives the receiver  112  and may be at least equal to the height  128  of the contact member  126 . Thus the contact member  126  preferably has a height  128  equivalent to the receiver depth  116  to ensure operable contact between the two. In the preferred embodiment, contact member  126  further includes a notch or channel  146  intermediate the outer operable portion  138  and the neck  140  and perpendicular the major axis of the handle  118 , running through the first end  120  of the handle  118  and the second end  122  of the handle  118  and sized to fit about the lower edge  148  of the outer portion of the receiver  112 , depicted in  FIG. 2 , particularly the outer member  132  or outer ring  134 , and thus provide additional support and control by handle  118 . Additionally, the handle  118  may be formed to present a square profile near its second end  122  adjacent the channel  146  of contact member  126 . Such a square, or thicker, profile near the second end  122  provides additional stability when used. 
     By providing a handle  118  that never becomes integrated into the container  102  but simply docks with or contacts and drives the container  102 , the cookware system  100  depicted in  FIGS. 1-12  provides an advantage over present cookware for increased safety and for maximization of cooking surfaces and storage. To use in operation, as depicted in  FIGS. 7(   a )-( c ), the operator, using the grip member  124  of non-coupling handle  118 , first places the contact member  126  below the receiver  112  and particularly below the receiver downwardly-oriented opening  114 , as depicted in  FIG. 7(   a ). This placement is made easier with the presence of a dock area indicator  210 . As depicted in  FIG. 7(   b ), the contact member  126  is then moved upward to contact and drive the receiver  112 , without coupling or joining to the container  102 , but instead becoming only in temporary contact. Thus, so long as upward force is applied by contact member  126  to receiver  112 , the contact member  126 , and thus the handle  118 , remain in contact and in relation to one another and the operator can control the position of the container  102 , as depicted in  FIG. 7(   c ). Thus, when the contact member  126 , functioning as a male docking flange, is inserted into the receiver  112 , the female docking space, from below the receiver  112 , and the handle  118  is lifted, the container  102  becomes temporarily associated with to the handle assembly  142  via the handling ring assembly  144  by the weight of the container  102 , expressed as a downward force on the contact member  126 . While upward force is applied by the operator against the weight of container  102 , the container  102  can be moved, handled and rotated freely. When the operator finishes moving the container  102  and removes the upward force against the handle assembly  142 , gravity causes the handle assembly  142  to downwardly separate from the handling ring  144 . 
     Conversely, as depicted in  FIGS. 8(   a )- 8 ( c ), when the upward force applied to the contact member  126  ceases to be greater than or equal to the force of gravity on the handle  118 , the initial position being depicted in  FIG. 8(   a ), the handle  118 , including contact member  126 , descend downward, as depicted in  FIG. 8(   b ), until, as depicted in  FIG. 8(   c ), the handle  118  ceases to contact and drive the receiver  112  and by association the container  102 . The handle  118  therefore ceases to extend outward from the cookware  102 , precluding the possibility of contact by small children with an unattended handle. Moreover, as the handle  118  ceases to contact and drive when sufficient upward force is removed, a plurality of containers  102  can be placed on a stovetop or in an oven without concern of interference among the containers  102  by their respective handles  118 . For example, a pizza pan can be constructed according to the present invention so that the pan can be placed in the oven by use of a fixed and sturdy handle, which is then not subject to heating in the oven, and which can be removed from the oven by virtue of that same handle, thus avoiding the need for an oven mitt and avoiding the risk of heat penetration while moving the hot pan. 
     The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof.