Patent Publication Number: US-2023142557-A1

Title: Device and kit for cooking with frame and insert

Description:
FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates generally to cookware and kits of cooking devices, and particularly to devices and kits for baking and grilling with detachable inserts. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various cookware have been used for centuries. For example, stone or metal cooking plates have been used for baking foodstuff, such as pizza and bread. Frying pans and skillets have been used to fry or grill foodstuff. 
     SUMMARY 
     It has been realized that a cookware with a frame and an insert can be conveniently used to provide both a griddle and a grill. 
     Accordingly, in an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a device for cooking foodstuff. The device comprises a frame having an opening; and an insert removably coupled to the frame at the opening. The frame and insert when coupled to each other form a cooking plate comprising a top cooking surface for supporting foodstuff thereon and a bottom heat-receiving surface for receiving heat from a heat source. The insert comprises a first side having a generally flat surface and a second side having a corrugated surface comprising a pattern of ridges. The insert is couplable to the frame with the first or second side facing up so that the first or second side that is facing up forms a part of the top cooking surface. 
     In different embodiments of the device, one or more of the following features may be provided or included. The device may be configured and sized to be placed on and to receive heat from an oven, stove, or barbecue grill. The opening of the frame and the insert may have generally circular profiles. The frame may comprise at least one handle. The frame may have a generally circular outer perimeter, and may have an outer diameter of from 15 cm to 75 cm. The frame may have a generally annular ring shape. The opening of the frame may be generally circular and have a diameter of from 10 cm to 50 cm. The frame may have a thickness of from 1 cm to 5 cm. The insert may be configured and sized so that the insert is placeable on a flat top surface of a frying pan or skillet to provide a cooking surface on the frying pan or skillet. The opening of the frame may comprise a stepped inner edge for supporting the insert. The stepped inner edge may be configured and sized so that a top surface of the insert is flush with a top surface of the frame when the insert is coupled to the frame and supported at the stepped inner edge. At least 50% of the total surface area of the second side of the insert may be corrugated. The insert or the frame, or both, may comprise cast iron or cast aluminum. The insert may comprise a plate having a thickness of from 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm. The plate may be a circular plate having a diameter of from 10 cm to 50 cm. The frame may have a generally rectangular outer perimeter. 
     In another aspect, a set of cookware may be provided, which includes a frame as described herein and a plurality of inserts each as described herein. The inserts differ from one another in at least one of dimension, shape, and composition. For example, the inserts may be circular and differ from one another in diameter. The set of cookware may further comprise a frying pan or skillet. The frying pan or skillet may have a size that is suitable for use with at least one of the inserts. 
     Other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the figures, which illustrate, by way of example only, embodiments of the present disclosure: 
         FIG.  1    is a top perspective view of a device for cooking, which include an insert and a frame, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a top plan view of the device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    is a top perspective sectional view of the device of  FIG.  1   , taken along the line C-C shown in  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a bottom perspective view of the device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a top exploded perspective view of the device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  6    is a top exploded perspective sectional view of the device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a bottom perspective view of the insert in the device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  8    is a bottom view of the insert of  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  9    is cross-sectional view of the insert of  FIG.  7   , taken along the line A-A in  FIG.  8   ; 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective sectional view of the insert of  FIG.  7   ; 
         FIG.  11    is a top perspective view of the frame in the device of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  12    is a bottom perspective view of the frame of  FIG.  11   ; 
         FIG.  12 A  is a perspective view of an alternative frame, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  13    is an exploded view of a combination of the insert of  FIG.  1    and a skillet; and 
         FIG.  14    is a perspective view of the combination of  FIG.  13   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to cookware, particularly cookware for baking and grilling. 
     In some embodiments, the cookware includes an insert and a frame, which can be coupled to form a griddle or grill for baking or grilling. The insert can also be conveniently combined with other cookware such as a skillet or frying pan to provide a new cooking device. 
     Conveniently, the same insert is configured to provide either a griddle or a grill by simply flip the insert around. 
     As an illustrative example, a first embodiment of a device  10  for cooking food stuff is shown in  FIGS.  1  to  11   . 
     Device  10  is a cookware or bakeware, and can be used for cooking, such as baking, grilling, roasting, broiling, or the like. Device  10  may be considered as a baking and grilling plate assembly. As depicted in  FIG.  1   , an embodiment of device  10  may include two components. The first component is an insert  20 , which as depicted may be a circular insert plate. The second component is a frame  30 , which can function as a carrying plate for conveniently carrying and handling the insert  20 . 
     As better illustrated in  FIGS.  3 ,  4  and  7 - 10   , the depicted insert  20  has a generally circular profile or disc shape. A first side  22  of the insert  20  is generally flat. A second side  24  of the insert  20  has a corrugated central surface portion with a pattern of ridges  25 , and has an annular edge portion, which is generally flat. The corrugated central portion with the ridges  25  may cover at least 50% of the total surface area of the second side of the insert  20 . 
     In some embodiments, insert  20  may have a circular disk shaped body having a diameter of from 10 to 50 cm and a thickness of from 0.5 to 2.5 cm. 
     The insert may be made of cast iron, cast aluminum, a composite cooking material, or any other suitable material for cookware used to bake or grill foodstuff. Other suitable materials may include stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, clad, non-stick materials or coating materials such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), or ceramic materials. 
     As better illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 6  and  11 - 12   , the frame  30  may also have a generally circular profile or annular ring shape. Frame  30  has a central opening  32  configured and sized for receiving and supporting the insert  20  therein so that the insert can be coupled to the frame during use. The opening  32  may have a stepped inner edge sized to support the insert  20 . Frame  30  has a top side  34  and a bottom side  35  and an outer edge  36 . 
     As depicted in  FIGS.  1 - 3   , frame  30  may have a generally annular ring shaped body with a thickness that is thicker than the thickness of the insert  20 . In some embodiments, the annular ring shaped body of frame  30  may have an outer diameter from 15 to 75 cm and a thickness from 1 to 5 cm. 
     Frame  30  may optionally have one or more handles, such as handles  31  as illustrated in  FIGS.  1 - 6  and  11 - 12   . Each handle  31  may have a generally ear-shape and have a grip portion for convenient gripping and handling by a human hand. As depicted in the figures, an embodiment of frame  30  may have two handles  31  on opposite sides of the frame body and each handle  31  may have a finger/thumb notch or opening  42  for convenient gripping and handling using both hands of a user. The frame  30  may be used for carrying the insert  20 , such as from a table or countertop to an oven or a grill device, and vice versa. As such, the frame  30  may be configured and sized for easy handling and convenient transportation. 
     The frame  30  may be made of cast iron, cast aluminum, a composite material, or any other suitable material for cookware used to bake or grill foodstuff. Other suitable materials may include stainless steel, carbon steel, copper, or ceramic materials. 
     During use, insert  20  may be inserted into the opening  32  of frame  30  to form a cookware having a top surface for cooking foodstuff thereon and a bottom surface for receiving heat from a heat source, such as oven, stove, grill, burner, or the like. The insert  20  may be coupled to frame  30  with the first, flat side  22  facing up or the second, corrugated side  24  facing up. 
     In some embodiments, the insert  20  and frame  30  may be structured and sized such that when the insert  20  is received at the opening  32  with the first (flat) side  22  facing up, the first side  22  and the top surface of the annular ring body of frame  30  are generally flush, thus forming a generally level, flat cooking surface. 
     In some embodiments, the opening  32  of frame  30  may have a stepped inner edge  38  for supporting the insert  20  on the step  40  of the inner edge  38  and stopping the insert  20  from falling through the opening  32 . The inner diameter of the step  40  is smaller than the inner diameter of the opening  32  above the step  40 , such as by about 1 to 30 mm. Thus, the step  40  provides a flat supporting surface, which has a generally annular ring shape, for supporting the edge portion  26  of the insert  20  thereon. The step  40  can be continuous, as depicted in the figures, in some embodiments. The step  40  may have a thickness of about 0.5 cm. 
     In other embodiments, multiple separate step sections or tabs (not shown) may be provided around the inner edge  38  of the frame body to provide supporting tabs for supporting the insert  20  thereon. In some embodiments, multiple steps may be provided at the inner edge  38  of the frame body to support different inserts having different outer diameters. For example, a first step may be used to support insert  20 , and a second step (not shown) may be provided to support another insert having a smaller outer diameter. 
     The flat first side  22  of insert  20  may be used to provide a baking surface or griddle. 
     As better illustrated in  FIG.  7   , the ridges  25  on the corrugated second side  24  of insert  20  may be spaced evenly and uniformly across the second side  24 , or a portion thereof. The ridges  25  may be configured to provide a grill top. Thus, insert  20  conveniently provides a reversible grill/griddle device. The ridges  25  may have different lengths, widths, heights, spacing, and patterns in different embodiments. The ridges  25  may be provided on only a portion of the second side  24 , such as in an area of from about 50% to about 99% of the second side  24  of insert  20 . As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, when the corrugated surface of insert  20  is used as the cooktop, the benefits of a grilling device can be achieved, which may include providing slower cooking, or searing a cooked item such as meat, seafood, or a vegetable. The corrugated cooktop can also be used to steam foodstuff by allowing moisture to build up in the open spaces between the ridges  25 . The ridges  25  may also serve as a rack for roasting or grilling, and allowing melt fat or other liquid from the cooked foodstuff to drain along the valleys between the ridges  25 , without further contact with the foodstuff being cooked. 
     When the insert  20  is made of cast iron or cast aluminum, which has a relatively high thermal conductivity, the cooking temperatures across the cooking surface may be relatively uniform. Further, when the frame  30  is also made of the same material as the insert  20 , due to the thermal contact at the edge portion  26  of insert  20  and the step  40  of the frame  30 , the top surfaces of the insert  20  and frame  30  can provide an integrated and relatively uniform cooking surface. 
     In some embodiments, the main bodies of the insert  20  and frame  30  may be made of the same material, or made of different materials that have the same or similar coefficients of thermal expansion. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  5   , a recess, finger notch  33 , may be provided at the inner edge  38  of the opening  32 , for convenient assembly and removal of insert  20  from the opening  32  of frame  30 . 
     In some embodiments, as illustrated in  FIG.  12   , the bottom surface  35  of the frame  30  may have a number of recesses, or compartments, formed between the outer perimeter wall  36 , an inner circular wall  37  adjacent to the inner opening  32 , and radially extending walls  39 , which forms ribs for separating the different compartments. 
     The different recesses or compartments may be used to store or cook different food items when frame  30  is turned upside down with the bottom surface  35  of frame  30  facing up. 
     As can be understood, the insert  20  and frame  30  may have different sizes and shapes in different embodiments. 
     For example,  FIG.  12 A  illustrates an alternative embodiment of the frame, frame  20 ′, which has a generally rectangular or square outer profile with rounded corners and gripping openings  31 ′ instead of protruding handles. Frame  20 ′ is otherwise similar to frame  20 . Frame  20 ′ may have a length of from 20 cm to 50 cm and a width of from 20 cm to 50 cm millimeters. 
     The outer profile or perimeter of the frame in different embodiments may also have other generally polygonal shapes such as regular polygons, or equiangular quadrilateral polygons, but with or without rounded or curved corners. 
     Conveniently, the insert  20  may also be used in combination with another cookware or cooking utensil such as a frying pan, skillet, pot, or the like. For example, the insert  20  may be placed on the top cooking surface of a frying pan  50 , with the corrugated second side  24  facing up as illustrated in  FIGS.  13  and  14   . The combined skillet  50  and insert  20  provide a grilling device. 
     As now can be appreciated, in some embodiments, a set of cookware may be provided, which includes one or more frame  30  and a number of insert  20  having different sizes, shapes or compositions. For example, the inserts may have different outer diameters, or different ridge patterns on the corrugated side, or are made of different materials. 
     In some embodiments, the set of cookware may also include one or more other cookware such as one or more skillets, frying pans, or pots. 
     It is understood that the above descriptions and illustrations are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Other embodiments as well as many applications besides the examples provided will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. The disclosures of all articles and references, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated by reference for all purposes. The omission in the following claims of any aspect of subject matter that is disclosed herein is not a disclaimer of such subject matter, nor should it be regarded that the inventor did not consider such subject matter to be part of the disclosed inventive subject matter. 
     It should also be understood that modifications and variations to the specific embodiments described above are possible. 
     CONCLUDING REMARKS 
     It is to be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the subject matter disclosed herein. 
     In addition, any specific numerical value listed herein includes a margin of error of +/−10%. 
     In the present disclosure, terms such as “horizontal” and “flat” do not necessarily require the relevant structure be perfectly horizontal or flat. Instead, these terms are intended to encompass structure that is generally and sufficiently horizontal or flat, for example, so as to function essentially the same as structure that is perfectly horizontal or flat. 
     It will be understood that any range of values herein is intended to specifically include any intermediate value or sub-range within the given range, and all such intermediate values and sub-ranges are individually and specifically disclosed. 
     It will also be understood that the word “a” or “an” is intended to mean “one or more” or “at least one”, and any singular form is intended to include plurals herein. 
     It will be further understood that the term “comprise”, including any variation thereof, is intended to be open-ended and means “include, but not limited to,” unless otherwise specifically indicated to the contrary. 
     When a list of items is given herein with an “or” before the last item, any one of the listed items or any suitable combination of two or more of the listed items may be selected and used. 
     Of course, the above described embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative only and in no way limiting. The described embodiments are susceptible to many modifications of form, arrangement of parts, details and order of operation. The invention, rather, is intended to encompass all such modification within its scope, as defined by the claims.