Patent Publication Number: US-2022218149-A1

Title: Baking Tray Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/137,310 filed on Jan. 14, 2021. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a baking tray assembly. More specifically, the present invention provides a baking tray assembly that includes a tray with a removably attached splatter guard, wherein the tray includes pour spouts that allow individuals to drain excess liquids from the tray even when the splatter guard is attached. 
     Cooking vessels such as baking dishes can be utilized to prepare a wide variety of foods. When cooking on the stovetop or within the oven, some foods tend to “splatter” and send material outward from the cooking vessel to the surrounding area. For example, when foods are cooked in oil, the moisture in the food can turn to steam, which rapidly expands outwardly and causes the oil to be splattered in the surrounding area. An example of such a food is bacon, but any food cooked in oil may result in unwanted splattering. In addition to creating a mess that can be difficult and time consuming to clean, oil and food debris splattering close to an open flame can be a dangerous fire hazard. The individual preparing the food can also be contacted by the hot oil and food debris as it splatters out of the cooking vessel, which may cause painful burns. 
     One solution to the splattering is to cover the cooking vessel with some object. Some cooking vessels may include a solid lid. This retains splattered oil and food debris within the interior volume of the cooking vessel. However, the solid lid also retains moisture, because the evaporating water from the food condenses back to liquid water on the cooler surface of the solid lid, and drips back into the cooked food. This may cause unwanted reactions to the cooking food, such as making it too moist to properly fry in oil, for example. 
     Other solutions include using a mesh-type screen as a lid for the cooking vessel, which blocks oil and food debris but allows water vapor to escape, thereby alleviating the issue of unwanted moisture buildup. However, the mesh screen typically obscures the entire cooking vessel, making it impossible to remove material from the cooking vessel without removing the mesh screen. For example, bacon and similar foods release fat as they continue to cook, and it may be desirable to drain off any unwanted or excess fat. An individual must first remove a typical mesh screen before doing so, which can result in the individual being burned if the screen is too hot. The temporary removal of the screen also reintroduces the issue of splattering oil and food material, which even if for a limited time can cause a burn and fire hazard. In order to address these concerns, the present invention provides a baking tray assembly that includes a cooking tray with a removably attached splatter-guard, whereby the structures of the tray and splatter-guard allow excess liquids to be drained from the tray even when the splatter-guard is still attached to the tray. 
     In light of the devices disclosed in the known art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the known art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to cooking vessels and splatter-guards, particularly with regard to the above-described need for a cooking vessel that can be drained of excess material even with the splatter-guard secured thereto. In this regard the present invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a baking tray assembly wherein the same can be utilized for effectively and safely supporting a splatter guard on a cooking vessel such that the cooking vessel can be drained of excess liquid without removal of the splatter guard. In general, the baking tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base, and an open upper end defining an interior volume. A splatter guard is removably securable to the tray, wherein the splatter guard is configured to cover the open upper end of the tray when secured thereto. At least one pour spout projects upwardly from the perimeter wall of the tray, such that a tip of the pour spout is positioned above an upper edge of the perimeter wall. The pour spout allows individuals to pour excess material out of the tray. The splatter guard may include small cutouts that define the pour spout openings, such that liquid can be effectively drained even while the splatter-guard covers and attaches to the tray. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention includes a sheet tray. The sheet tray comprises a base, an internal rack, and a mesh cover. The base further comprises a plurality of sidewalls extending upward therefrom. The internal rack is removably disposed within the sheet tray. Food may be placed directly onto the internal rack. The mesh cover is slidably engageable with the sheet tray, such that the cover may slide over the entire sheet tray. In some embodiments, the cover is composed from a fine mesh or densely wired material. At least one drain spigot or pour spout is disposed on the corner of the sheet tray to drain an accumulated grease from the sheet tray after food items are cooked therein. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the baking tray assembly with the splatter guard secured to the tray. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the baking tray assembly with the splatter guard separated from the tray. 
         FIG. 3  shows a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the baking tray assembly with the splatter guard secured to the tray. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the baking tray assembly. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, a preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for covering a baking tray with a splatter guard in such a way that liquids can still be effectively drained from the baking tray. As used herein, the term “baking tray” or “tray” is used for exemplary purposes, and the present invention may include any type of cooking vessel having an interior volume capable of supporting food therein, including but not limited to pans, woks, pots, dishes, and the like. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the baking tray assembly with the splatter guard secured to the tray and a perspective view of an embodiment of the baking tray assembly with the splatter guard separated from the tray, respectively. The baking tray assembly generally includes a tray  11  having a base  12  and a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base  12 , which includes a pair of opposing lateral walls  13  and a pair of opposing longitudinal walls  14  in the shown embodiment. The lateral and longitudinal walls  13 ,  14  define an open upper end  15 , such that the tray  11  includes an open interior volume. The tray  11  can be made from any suitable materials that are compatible with oven cooking, including but not limited aluminum, steel, ceramics, and the like. While the tray  11  is shown as rectangular, other embodiments may include different shapes. 
     A splatter guard  30  is removably securable to the tray, such that the splatter guard  30  covers the open upper end  15  of the tray  11  when secured thereto. In the shown embodiment, the splatter guard  30  includes a mesh screen  32  supported by a perimeter frame  31 . The mesh screen  32  includes mesh openings sized to allow steam to escape but prevent oil and other particles from splatter out from the tray  11 . The perimeter frame  31  of the splatter guard  30  is removably securable to the perimeter wall of the tray  11  via any suitable means, including frictional fit or via one or more fasteners. For example, a slot on the splatter guard perimeter frame  31  can removably receive the upper perimeter edge of the tray  11  for a frictional fit. In other embodiments, a removably clip, clamp, or similar fastener can be applied to the perimeter frame  31  to secure the splatter guard to the tray  11 . In other embodiments, the splatter guard  30  may simply rest atop the tray  11 . 
     At least one pour spout  18  projects upwardly from the perimeter wall of the tray  11 . The pour spout  18  allows an individual to easily drain excess liquids from the tray  11  as needed. In the shown embodiment, a corner  17  is defined at each intersection of an endpoint of one of the lateral perimeter walls  13  and one of the longitudinal perimeter walls  14 , such that the corner  17  forms a liquid channel for the pour spout  18 . A pair of corners  17  include a pour spout  18  so that the tray  11  can be drained from different directions. The tip  19  of the pour spout  18  is positioned above an upper edge  20  of the perimeter walls, which prevents excess material from escaping the tray  11  during the draining process. 
     In the shown embodiment, the perimeter frame  31  of the splatter guard  30  includes at least one cut-out  33 , whereby the at least one small cutout  33  that defines a pour spout opening  34  between the edge of cut-out  33  and the pour spout  18  of the tray  11  when the splatter guard  30  is secured to the tray  11 . The pour spout opening  34  allows excess liquid to flow from the tray  11  out of the pour spouts  18  while the splatter guard  30  is still secured to the tray  11 , eliminating the need to remove the splatter guard  30  when draining excess liquids. The pour spout openings  34  are sized to allow liquid to flow while keeping a large enough size of the mesh screen  32  to effectively prevent splatter. In the shown embodiment, each corner  17  includes a pour spout  18 , and the splatter guard  30  includes cut-outs to define pour spout openings  34  at each corner&#39;s pour spout  18 . In some embodiments, the mesh cover or splatter guard  30  fits entirely overtop the open upper end of the tray  11 , such that the pour spout emerges from underneath the mesh cover or splatter guard  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a cross sectional view of an embodiment of the baking tray assembly with the splatter guard secured to the tray. In some embodiments, the baking tray  11  and the splatter guard  30  may include one or more handles that allows the user to easily grab and maneuver the tray  11  or splatter guard  30 . Additionally, the baking tray assembly can further include a removable rack  22  that is supportable within the tray  11 . This allows the rack  22  to support a food item while liquids can drain into the bottom of the tray  11 . The user can then empty the tray  11  of excess liquid by pouring it out of the pour spout  18 . The cut-out area  33  of the splatter guard  30  allows the user to drain liquids without removing the splatter guard  30 , while the splatter guard  30  remains in place to prevent splatter and further to help retain the food in the tray  11  as liquids are drained. 
     In operation, the user can place bacon or other food items within the tray  11 . The user may place the bacon on the rack  22  so that excess fat will drip down into the bottom of the tray  11 . Placing the bacon on the rack  22  ensures a crispier final product, while placing the bacon directly within the tray results in a chewier final product. Once the bacon is finished cooking, the user can remove the tray  11  from the oven and let cool. In embodiments where the splatter guard completely covers the tray  11 , the splatter guard can be removed, along with the rack  22 , and the fat can be drained from the pour spout  18 . In embodiments that include a small pour spout opening, the fat can be drained without removing the mesh or splatter guard. 
     It is therefore submitted that the present invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.