Patent Publication Number: US-2012037618-A1

Title: Flexible kitchen container

Description:
FIELD OF THE ART 
     The present invention relates to a kitchen container made of a flexible material for culinary applications, such as a silicone elastomer, capable of being deformed to adopt different positions befitting different uses, in particular cooking in a microwave and in a conventional oven, and it is washable in a dishwasher. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     International Patent Application WO 2008/112717 describes a flexible bowl, made of silicone or another similar material, having a base, a circumferential wall and a rim that defines an upper opening. The circumferential wall is flexible so as to allow the opposite sides thereof to lean towards each other forming a spout-like outlet groove to allow for the efficient pouring or extraction of the food. The base is thick in order to provide stability. The container is fit for dishwashers, and for microwave and conventional ovens. In this container, however, it is not contemplated that the opposite sides of the circumferential wall, once deformed, be fastened to each other to provide a partially closed container with specific properties for cooking in a microwave and a conventional oven. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a kitchen container, made of a flexible material fit for culinary applications, such as an elastomer, preferably based on silicone, comprising a base, a perimetric wall and a perimetric rim that forms an upper opening, wherein said perimetric wall is flexible enough to allow first and second opposite sides thereof to be bent towards each other. The container is characterised in that, in addition, it comprises fastening elements to fasten said first and second opposite sides of the perimetric wall to each other in such a position that portions of the first and second sides of the perimetric wall are mutually overlapped and said perimetric rim forms two opposite openings separated by said overlapping portions. 
     Said fastening elements are made of the same flexible material and form one single body together with the base and the perimetric wall. 
     In one embodiment, the fastening elements comprise a slit formed in the first side of the perimetric wall and a tab extending from the second side of the perimetric wall to be inserted in said slit when the perimetric wall is deformed. 
     Preferably, has smooth edges and forms an angle with the second side of the perimetric wall when the kitchen container is in an open position free from external pressure, said angle being sufficient to retain the tab in the slit when the kitchen container is deformed in a bent, fastened position. Said angle is selected so that, when the kitchen container is in said bent, fastened position, the tab can be released from the slit by simply pressing the tab or the second side of the perimetric wall downwards, or, more properly, in a direction opposite the direction of insertion of the tab in the slit. 
     Alternatively, the tab could have serrated edges in the shape of a harpoon to lock into the slit, whereby a firmer fastening would be achieved, although the release operation would be more complicated. 
     When the kitchen container is in said open position free from external pressure and, as a result, not deformed, the upper opening formed by the perimetric rim is substantially circular or elliptical, and the container can be used as a conventional bowl, for instance for holding, rinsing, mixing food, etc. When the kitchen container is deformed in the bent, fastened position, the two openings formed by the perimetric rim have substantially the form of a tear and facilitate air circulation through the partially closed container, so that in this partially closed position the container is useful, for instance, for cooking food in a microwave and a conventional oven, and it is especially suitable if the oven is a convection oven provided with means of internal recirculation of hot air. The circulation of hot air through the kitchen container can be regulated varying the orientation thereof inside the oven. 
     The base of the container has a bottom surface that, when the kitchen container is in an open position free from external pressure, is substantially to provide stability to the container. The perimetric wall has a progressively increasing thickness from an edge connecting it to the base up to the perimetric rim forming the upper opening. Preferably, the base and the perimetric wall exhibit a common smooth, continuous inner surface, without a groove along said connecting edge. Optionally, the base and the perimetric wall also exhibit a common smooth, continuous outer surface. These smooth, continuous surfaces greatly facilitate the washing of the container, which can be carried out in a dishwasher, and they are favourable to cooking in a microwave and a conventional oven. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other characteristics and advantages will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a flexible kitchen container according to an embodiment of the present invention in an open position; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the container of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane III-III of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1  in a partially closed position; 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of the container in the partially closed position of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the container being open with a finger starting from the partially closed position; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a flexible kitchen container according to an embodiment variant; and 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of a flexible kitchen container according to another embodiment variant. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring firstly to  FIG. 1 , reference number  10  designates in general a flexible kitchen container according to an embodiment of the present invention. Said kitchen container  10  is made as one single body of a flexible material fit for culinary applications, such as an elastomer, and, more preferably, a silicone-based elastomer. The kitchen container  10  comprises a base  11 , a perimetric wall  12  and a perimetric rim  13  that forms an upper opening. Said perimetric wall  12  is flexible enough to allow first and second opposite sides  12   a ,  12   b  thereof to be bent towards each other. A slit  14  is formed in the first side  12   a  of the perimetric wall  12  and a tab  15  extends from the second side  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12 . 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show the kitchen container  10  in an open position, which is the one it naturally adopts when it is free from external pressure. In this situation, the upper opening formed by the perimetric rim  13  is substantially circular or elliptical ( FIG. 2 ), and the base  11  has a substantially flat bottom surface ( FIG. 3 ) to provide stability to the kitchen container  10  when it rests on a table or another supporting horizontal surface. Said tab  15  forms an acute angle with the second side  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12  when the kitchen container is in said open position free from external pressure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the base  11  has a substantially uniform thickness, whereas the perimetric wall  12  has a progressively increasing thickness from an edge connecting it to the base  11  up to the perimetric rim  13  forming the upper opening. The base  11  and the perimetric wall  12  exhibit a common smooth, continuous inner surface, which facilitates cleaning and is favourable to cooking in a microwave and a conventional oven. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the slit  14  and the tab  15  form fastening elements to fasten said first and second opposite sides  12   a ,  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12  to one another when the kitchen container  10  is deformed to a bent, fastened, partially closed position, wherein portions of the first and second sides  12   a ,  12   b  thereof are mutually overlapped and said perimetric rim  13  forms two opposite openings separated by said overlapping portions ( FIG. 5 ). These two openings formed by the perimetric rim  13  when the kitchen container  10  is in said bent, fastened position have substantially the form of a tear and facilitate the convection circulation of hot air through the container during cooking in a microwave and a conventional oven, whereas the first and second opposite sides  12   a ,  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12 , bent towards each other, partially retain the vapours generated by the food during cooking. 
     Alternatively, the portions adjacent to the first and second sides  12   a ,  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12  can simply touch in one point or be very close to each other without touching when the kitchen container  10  is in the bent, fastened position if the configuration of the fastening elements so allows. 
     The tab  15  has a shape and dimensions adequate to be freely inserted in said slit  14 , and the acute angle formed by the tab  15  with the second side  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12  is selected so that the tab  15  will engage the slit  14  and become retained by it as a result of the force exerted by the kitchen container  10  as it tries to elastically regain the open position. In the bent, fastened position, the tab  15  inserted in the slit  14  protrudes from an upper part of the kitchen container  10  and can be used as a handle to hold the container, especially when the base  11  and the perimetric wall  12  are hot. 
     In relation now to  FIG. 6 , the acute angle formed by the tab  15  with the second side  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12  is also selected so that, when the kitchen container  10  is in the bent, fastened position, the tab  15  can be released from the slit  14  in an easy and fast manner by simply pressing the second side  12   b  of the perimetric wall  12  in a disengagement direction opposite the direction of insertion of the tab  15  in the slit  14 . Alternatively, the tab  15  can be released from the slit  14  by directly pressing on tab  15  in the disengagement direction. This release operation is so simple that it can be carried out, for instance, with one single finger. 
       FIG. 7  shows a flexible kitchen container according to a variant of the previously described embodiment with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 6 , to which it is entirely analogous, except that the perimetric wall  12  is configured so that, in the open position and in a rest situation, the upper opening formed by the perimetric rim  13  defines an elliptical shape wherein the distance from the tab  15  to the slit  14  is significantly larger than the greatest distance between the opposite portions of the perimetric wall  12  situated therein. 
       FIG. 8  shows another embodiment variant of the kitchen container wherein the upper opening formed by the perimetric rim  13  of the perimetric wall  12  also defines, when it is in the open position and in a rest situation, an elliptical shape, although in this case the distance from the tab  15  to the slit  14  is significantly smaller than the greatest distance between the opposite portions of the perimetric wall  12  situated therein. 
     From the exemplary embodiment shown and described, modifications and variations will occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the enclosed claims.