Abstract:
A cooking utensil combining the capabilities of both a whisk and a spatula is arranged with a plurality of resilient wire loops protruding outwardly from a handle forming a cage wherein at least one of the wire loops is provided for with a heat resistant flexible wiper arranged for making contact with and wiping the internal surfaces of a mixing container.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates in general to kitchen cooking utensils used for mixing and beating such cooking ingredients as sauces creams oils eggs etc. in the preparation of foods. And more directly to the combining of two different utensils that are normally used in conjunction with each other, the whisk, a common utensil used for mixing and stirring ingredients in a container, and a Spatula (also a common kitchen utensil) which provides the “wiping” action required for removing the stirred ingredients from a mixing container. 
         [0002]    The whisk is a well known and common cooking tool usually comprised of a number of loops of wire extending from a griping handle. The utensil is used to beat, stir or mix up ingredients that require blending. Although the traditional wire cage type design of the whisk has proven ideal for the purpose of mixing or blending ingredients in a sauce pan or similar container. When the mixed or blended ingredients are poured or transferred from the mixing vessel or sauce pan, a different utensil such as a Spatula is usually required. The Spatula is also a common food preparing instrument usually comprised of a rubber or elastic material formed in a paddle like shape and bonded to a gripping handle. The spatula allows the user to wipe all of the pre mixed ingredients as prepared with the whisk, out of the vessel or container wherein it was mixed; into another container as might be required by the cook or chef. The paddle shaped end of the Spatula is usually arranged with a decreasing thickness in cross section providing for an extremely flexible lip along the bottom and at least one side of the paddle like shape. This flexible lip aids in the Spatula&#39;s ability to conform to the interior geometry or shape of a mixing vessel or container, thus allowing the user to wipe the interior of the vessel clean when transferring the mixed ingredients from one container to another and reducing waste of any of the prepared or pre mixed ingredients. 
         [0003]    Presently, the operation as described herein requires the need for two separate utensils, one for mixing the ingredients, and one for wiping or transferring the mixed ingredients into another vessel. This need for two separate utensils contributes to not only considerable loss of time for the cook, but an increased number of utensils to manipulate and clean. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, It is an object of the present invention to disclose a combination utensil that combines the attributes of the whisk and the Spatula into one kitchen utensil wherein the mixing, beating and stirring of an ingredient can be preformed, as well as the clean and efficient transferring of all the ingredients from one vessel or container to another without changing utensils or dirtying additional utensils. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In accordance with the present invention, a combination whisk/spatula kitchen utensil is disclosed. The combination utensil comprises a griping handle for holding the utensil wherein a plurality of resilient wire loops extend axially from the handle. Wire loops are oriented to generally form a pear shaped cage. An outer most wire loop is provided for with a heat proof highly resilient rubber or composition material forming a wiper, This aforementioned wiper is vulcanized or otherwise bonded to the outer most wire loop wherein the combination of the paddle shaped geometry of the wiper component and the resilient nature of the material from which it is formed allows the wiper to conform to and wipe clean irregular shaped surfaces of a plurality of configurations of containers. 
         [0006]    It is an object of this invention to provide a kitchen utensil that combines two of the most common and necessary kitchen tools, the Whisk and the Spatula, into one inexpensive easy to use utensil thus simplifying mixing or stirring of ingredients as well as the disbursement of the prepared mixture. It is a further objective of this invention to reduce the number of utensils required to be cleaned or otherwise maintained or handled in the process of preparing food. 
     
     
         [0007]    Further definition of the preferred embodiment including details of the invention and it&#39;s advantages will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings included below wherein, 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  shows the whisk/spatula utensils general configuration and component parts. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2   a  shows cut away details of the handle body. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2   b  shows hole pattern detail of whisk/spatula handle wherein radial spacing is Maintained between resilient wires. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2   c  shows cap detail of whisk/spatula 
           [0012]      FIG. 3   a  shows flexible wiper, partial view of cage and resilient wire clearance details. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3   b  shows end view of radial orientation and cage diameter difference between Resilient wires and flexible wiper. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3   c  shows enlarged cross section view of flexible heat resistant wiper detail 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  wherein the whisk/spatula of the present invention will herein be referred to as the utensil and be referenced by the numeral  10 . Basic component parts of utensil  10  are comprised of a metallic or plastic composite handle  11 , for the purpose of griping utensil  10 . A plurality of resilient stainless steel wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , and  23 , approximately 0.075″ in diameter provide for both the spatula and whisk component of utensil  10  by forming an approximate pear shaped cage  12 . A spatula component herein referred to as wiper  13  is part of cage  12 , and a Cap  14  provided on top of handle  11 . 
         [0016]    Referencing  FIGS. 2   a,    2   b,  and  2   c  wherein  FIG. 2   a  shows a shortened cutaway view of body  15  of handle  11 ,  FIG. 2   b  shows the radial pattern of holes in base  16  of body  15  arranged for orienting resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22  and  23  which form cage  12 , and sealing recess  19  in base  17  of handle  11 , and,  FIG. 2   c  shows plan view of cap  14  of handle  11 . 
         [0017]    Referencing again  FIG. 2   a  wherein handle  11  comprises an elongated cylindrical form approximately 4″ in length and 1″ in diameter and further described as having body  15 , a base  16  located on the bottom end of body  15  is provided for with a recessed sealant cavity  17 , and a top  18  opposite base  16  on the upper end of body  15  of handle  11 . Top  18  of body  15  is arranged for mating with cap  14 . Both cap  14  and body  15  of handle  11  to be molded or otherwise formed from a metallic or plastic composition material, which would be compatible with a standard bonding agent and with each other. 
         [0018]    Referencing now  FIG. 2   b  wherein a pattern of diametrically opposed holes labeled aa., bb, cc, dd, and ee are provided in base  16 , of body  15 . Holes aa, bb, cc, dd and ee continue through body  15  as shown in  FIG. 2   a,  and exit at top  18  of body  15  in handle  11 . Diametrically opposed hole pattern is provided to accommodate the plurality of resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , and  23  which form pear shaped cage  12 . Holes aa, bb, cc, dd and ee, being diametrically opposed allow resilient wires  19 ,  20 , 21 , 22 , and  23  to maintain a radial geometric relationship with each other to form pear shaped cage  12 . 
         [0019]    Continuing to reference  FIG. 2   a,  Wherein top  18  of body  15  section of handle  11  is provided for with an integrally molded in shoulder  25 . Shoulder  25  is provided for the purpose of properly locating and providing a bonding surface for cap  14 . 
         [0020]    Referencing  FIG. 2   c  wherein Inside wall  26  of cap  14  is arranged to fit over shoulder  25  at top  14  of body  15  during assembly of handle  11  of utensil  10 . Cap  14  is to be substantially bonded to shoulder  25  of body  15  on handle  11  for the purpose of limiting axial movement of resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , and  23  between inner crown  27  of cap  14  and top  18  of handle  11  body  15  of utensil  10 . Cap  14  of handle  11  to be provided with opening  40  for the purpose of hanging utensil  10  on a hook when not in use. Referencing again  FIG. 2   a    
         [0021]    Wherein the approximate pear shape of cage  12  is formed by the manner in which resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , and  23  of utensil  10  bend in a natural fair curve generated by the means in which they are contained in body  15  of handle  11 , wherein each of the two terminal ends  24  of resilient wire  19  are passed into the diametrically opposed pairs of holes aa, located at base  16  in body  15  of handle  11  and wherein each of the two terminal ends  24  of resilient wire  20  will be threaded into opposed pair of holes as indicated by bb in base  16  of body  15  of handle  11 . 
         [0022]    and each of the terminal ends  24  of resilient wire  21  will be threaded into opposing holes cc in base  16  of body  15  of handle  11 . Continuing on, each of the terminal ends  24  of resilient wire  22  will be threaded into opposing holes dd in base  16  of body  15  of handle  11 , And finally, each of the terminal ends  24  of resilient wire  23  will be threaded into opposing holes ee in base  16  of body  15  of handle  11 . Each of the five sets of terminal ends  24  will enter handle  11  through base  16 , continue through body  15  of handle  11  and exit through top  18  of body  15  of handle  11 . 
         [0023]    Each of the pairs of terminal ends  24  of resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , and  23  are then bent over or otherwise deformed as shown in  FIG. 2   a  insuring that resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 ,  22  and  23  will not slip back through their respective holes aa, bb, cc, dd and ee in top  18  of body  15  in handle  11  upon completion of assembly of utensil  10 . 
         [0024]    Continuing to reference  FIG. 2   a  wherein cavity  17  in base  16  of body  15  in handle  11  is provided for application of an optional sealing compound, wherein sealing compound would be applied as a final assembly operation for the purpose of insuring that foreign or food partials would not contaminate the areas where resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22  and  23  enter base  16  of body  15  in handle  11 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 3   a  showing a partial view of pear shaped cage  12 . For the purpose of establishing clearance  28  between resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , 22  and  23  where they converge at tip  29  of cage  12 , each individual resilient wire forming cage  12  starting with resilient wire  19 , and including each of the following resilient wires,  20 , 21 , 22 , and  23 , are to be increased in total length from the previous wire approximately 0.200″. This slight difference in length will provide for a non-interfering clearance between resilient wires  10 , 20 , 21 , 22  and  23  at tip  29  of utensil  10 . 
         [0026]    Resilient wire  23  will have the greatest length as resilient wire  23  is the wire that wiper  13  is bonded to; allowing wiper  13  of resilient wire  23  to extend outside resilient wires  19 , 20 , 21 , and  22  insuring that there will be no interference between resilient wires  19 ,  20 ,  21 , and  22  and wiper  13  insuring wiper  13  clear and unobstructed access to internal sides of cooking vessel  36  as shown in  FIG. 3   b    
         [0027]    Referencing now  FIG. 3   c  showing wiper  13  cross section. Wiper  13  to be molded or otherwise formed of a resilient heat resistant rubber composition. Width  30  of wiper  13  to be approximately 0.500″ with thickness at major cross section  31  to be approximately 0.150″. Major cross section  31  to taper to approximately 0.035″ at end  32  of wiper  13 . Wiper  13  cross sectional geometry to provide for a hole  33  to continue axially through length of wiper  13  and centered approximately within major cross section  30 . Hole  33  provides clearance for resilient wire  23  to be inserted substantially through wiper  13  wherein wiper  13  is vulcanized or otherwise permanently bonded to resilient wire  23 . Referencing  FIG. 3   a  again wherein wiper  13  material to be bonded to resilient wire  23  wherein wiper  13  will extend approximately from point  34 , down resilient wire  23  around tip  29  of pear shaped cage  12  and continuing upward to approximately point  35  on resilient wire  23 . Points  34  and  35  will normally fall slightly above the midpoint between tip  29  of pear shaped cage  12  and base  16  of handle  11 . 
         [0028]    It is the inventors opinion that the preceding detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the WHISK/SPATULA satisfies the afore mentioned objectives Of combining two important and necessary kitchen tools into one useful and efficient utensil. 
         [0029]    Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, It should be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous arrangements, modifications and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the basic spirit of the invention Accordingly, the present invention is intended to encompass such rearrangements, modifications and substitutions as parts and elements as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.