Patent Publication Number: US-2005117962-A1

Title: Culinary brush

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention pertains to a culinary brush. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a culinary brush that dispenses and spreads sauces and other suitable items in culinary applications.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Brushes for culinary application (culinary brushes) are utilized in a variety of ways including, for example, spreading and/or applying sauces, fatty materials, egg yolks, etc., on foods or dishes principally to improve taste or aesthetic appeal.  
      Many different types of culinary brushes exist. Known examples include those disclosed in the following U.S. patents: D455,559; D456,615; D458,760 and D465,336. These known brushes and others are quite useful. However, such brushes often are not fully satisfactory. For example, such brushes often do not enable the user to uniformly apply sauces and other liquids or partial-liquid items on food.  
      In addition to culinary brushes, numerous sauce bags for use in the culinary arts exist. Various known bags include those disclosed in the following patents: DE-G-94 00 551; U.S. Pat. No. 3,029,464; U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,799; U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,187 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,651. The device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,308 consists of a bag equipped with a nozzle capable of being provided with a brush. However, sauce bags including the device in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,308 have not been very successful principally due to difficulty in their use.  
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to perfect the state of the technique of applying and spreading sauces and the like. In particular, it is an object to provide a brush for use in the culinary arts that can spread sauces and other items to foods in a simple, easy, uniform and efficient manner.  
      These objects are achieved by providing a culinary brush in accordance with the present invention that includes a handle with a flexible reservoir that is in communication with the brush or bristle portion. Compared with known prior culinary brushes, the present invention advantageously allows controlled diffusion of a sauce or equivalent from the reservoir and thus makes it possible to improve uniformity of its application. The present invention also advantageously is easy to handle. The handle can be held and squeezed in a manner that easily controls the amount of sauce or other item to be applied to a food or dish.  
      Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The following detailed description, given by way of example and not intended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will best be appreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and parts, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a schematic illustration of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the handle including a reservoir of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention,  
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view showing the handle of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the brush nozzle portion of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the brush nozzle portion of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the culinary brush in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the culinary brush in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 9  is an illustration of the culinary brush in accordance with still yet a further embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      The culinary brush of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS. 1-6  of the drawings, includes two principal components: a reservoir handle  100  (or simply “handle”  100 ) and a brush nozzle  200  (or “nozzle”  200 ). The brush nozzle  200  is detachably mounted on reservoir handle  100  and thus is used as a “plug” for the latter. Parts  100  and  200  are advantageously made from the same food-compatible material. In particular preferred embodiments, both parts are silicone, rubber, natural elastomer, or synthetic material.  
      In accordance with the present invention, handle  100  and nozzle  200  are made from the same material and thus advantageously avoids, or at least minimizes, risk of differential thermal expansion which in turn could result in leakage at positions at which the two parts interconnect, as further discussed below.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings, reservoir handle  100  has an elongated shape, and may have a length of between 5 and 20 cm, preferably between 9 and 16 cm. In a particularly preferred version, the length is between 12 and 15 cm. The handle preferably has a larger transverse dimension of between 3 and 6 cm. In a particularly preferred version, the larger transverse dimension is between 4 and 5 cm. The handle&#39;s internal reservoir has a volume of between 10 and 80 cubic cm, and preferable between 20 and 50 cubic cm. A reservoir handle  100  having the above dimensions may be held with one hand, generally between the thumb and the other fingers. Its handling proves to be incomparably easier than that of the reservoirs of known sauce bags.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , reservoir handle  100  has an opening  110  that is shaped to allow elastic deformation when it is subjected to compressive force, by returning spontaneously to its configuration in expansion after application of this force. An internal volume  120  (also called reservoir or chamber  120 ) of the handle presents a surface with a continuous curvature. Thus, the entire volume is directly accessible from opening  110 . By providing the entire volume of reservoir  120  directly accessible, that is, without an undercut pocket or any inaccessible spaces, makes the reservoir completely accessible for washing. Hence, the internal volume can be completely sanitized during washing, thus providing good hygiene.  
      The reservoir handle  100  has the general shape of an elongated spindle truncated by plane (i.e., surface)  102  (shown in  FIG. 2 ), transverse to its axis, at the level of opening  110 . The internal volume  120  of reservoir handle  100  is defined overall by a surface with slight concavity directed towards the interior of chamber  120 . Reservoir  120  extends from the circular-shaped (also called ring-shaped) opening  110  to its closed end  122  shown in  FIG. 3 . The cross-sectional area of reservoir  120  progressively expands from its closed-end  122  towards its open end at opening  110 . Preferably, reservoir handle  100  along with reservoir  120  is symmetrical along its longitudinal section plane. The reservoir handle preferably is not symmetrical along its orthogonal longitudinal plane. Reservoir handle  100  is not completely symmetrical along its center longitudinal axis  115  ( FIG. 3 ).  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , lower surface  124  of reservoir  120  presents a deflection on the order of 2 to 4 mm, preferably 3 mm, along a length of approximately 95 mm, and upper surface  126  has a deflection of between 8 and 12 mm, preferably 10 mm, along a length of roughly 95 mm.  
      As best shown in  FIG. 1 , reservoir handle  100  preferably includes an external rib  130  that extends longitudinally across handle  100  along its top surface, along the the above-mentioned plane of symmetry, from opening  110  to the handle&#39;s back end  112  ( FIG. 3 ). Back end  112  preferably includes an aperture (or orifice)  132  shaped as a clevis type eyelet. It is noted that the surfaces defining internal chamber  120  presents an upper concavity in the plane of symmetry that coincides with rib  130 .  
      The handle&#39;s opening  110  includes an inner channel  114  with a cylindrical surface of revolution about axis  115  which coincides approximately with the longitudinal axis of handle  100 . Channel  114  includes three circular grooves  116 ,  117  and  118 , each centered on axis  115  and distributed equally along the channel as shown in  FIG. 3 . The channels preferably have the shape of a semi-toroid. Preferably, the cross section of each groove  116 ,  117 ,  118  is semicircular. Grooves  116 ,  117 ,  118  within channel  114  of the handle&#39;s opening  110  form the means for retaining nozzle  200 , as further discussed below.  
      Referring now to brush nozzle  200  shown in  FIGS. 4-6  of the drawings, nozzle  200  is designed to be coupled to handle  100  during use. Nozzle  200  includes a mass portion  210  having a cylindrical shaft  220  centered on a central axis  221 . Shaft  220  includes exterior annular ridges  226 ,  227  and  228 . Ridges  226 ,  227  and  228  are sized and positioned to be complementary to grooves  116 ,  117  and  118  so that, upon coupling nozzle  200  to handle  100 , ridges  226 ,  227 ,  228  are respectively disposed within grooves  116 ,  117 ,  118 . In such position, handle  100  and nozzle  200  are securely coupled to one another and, further, the shapes and sizes of the grooves and ridges are such so that the interconnection between the components is sufficiently tight to prevent any leakage of liquid within reservoir  120  via the grooves.  
      It is appreciated that while three grooves and three ridges are shown in the exemplary version of the culinary brush in accordance with the present invention, a different number of grooves and ridges may be provided. Moreover, the particular cross-sectional shape of ridges  226 ,  227 ,  228  and corresponding cross-sectional shape of grooves  116 ,  117 ,  118  may be different than that described above. By way of non-limiting example, shaft  220  may have a 17 mm diameter (complementing channel  114 ) and ridges  226 ,  227 ,  228  may have a 2.5 mm radius of curvature (complementing grooves  116 ,  117  and  118 ). Shaft  220  may have a 15 mm length, with ridges  226 ,  227 ,  228  being distributed equally along the shaft. Thus, the space between each adjacent pair of ridges corresponds to a cylindrical surface with a 2.5 mm width.  
      Mass portion  210  includes a truncated-type part  230  that extends from shaft  220 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Truncated part  230  has a tapered external surface that includes a projection  232  (in the shape of a ring surface transverse to axis  221 ) at the portion that meets shaft  220 . Upon coupling handle  100  and nozzle  200 , projection  232  is designed to rest against the outer surface of the handle&#39;s opening  110 . Projection  232  may have an external diameter of 20 mm.  
      Mass portion  210  includes a rectilinear central channel  240 , disposed along axis  221 , that extends through both shaft  220  and truncated part  230 . Channel  240  preferably has a constant cross section and a diameter of 2 mm.  
      Nozzle  200  includes plural bristles  250  (also called hairs herein) that extend from truncated part  230 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Central channel  240  is disposed in the center of nozzle  200  and ends at an opening within the area of the nozzle in which bristles  250  extend. Bristles  250  surround the opening. Preferably, three concentric rings of bristles  250  are provided which surround the opening of channel  240 . By way of non-limiting example, a first ring of bristles  250  consists of 8 hairs, an intermediate ring consists of 14, and an outer-most ring consists of 20. Also, by way of non-limiting example, each bristle has a length of between 15 and 40 mm, preferably 25 mm with an average diameter of 1.5 mm. Further, truncated part  230  has a length of 15 mm.  
      Referring next to  FIG. 6 , which shows an exemplary top plan view of nozzle  200  of the present invention, it is seen that the bristles are not strictly concentric around axis  221 , but rather the bristles are distributed preferably in a somewhat oval arrangement, with the long axis of such arrangement coinciding with the plane of symmetry shown in  FIG. 3 .  
      In accordance with the present invention, the culinary brush of the present invention includes two components: handle  100  and nozzle  200 , which have been described as previously discussed. During use of the culinary brush of the present invention, handle  100  and nozzle  200  are coupled together, with the particular structural design of opening  110  of the brush (with grooves  116 ,  117 ,  118 ) and part  210  of the nozzle (with ridges  226 ,  227 ,  228 ) keeping the two components secured to one another without allowing leakage of liquid between the two components. Rather, liquid or liquid containing relatively small solids (food solids) is intended to be dispensed from reservoir  120  through channel  240  within nozzle  200 , and out through the opening within the end of nozzle  200 . Then, bristles  250  extending from the end of nozzle  200  can be utilized to evenly spread the dispensed substance on a food product or other item. The shape, size, number and dimension of the hairs (bristles) provide enhanced and superior spreading of the dispensed substance.  
      In accordance with the present invention, reservoir  120  within handle  100  may be filled with sauce or other appropriate item by pouring such item through opening  110  while handle  100  and nozzle  200  are disconnected. Further, and in accordance with the present invention, reservoir  120  may be filled by aspiration while handle  100  and nozzle  200  are connected, that is, by drawing liquid (or part liquid/part small solids) through the opening of channel  240  into reservoir  120 . As is appreciated, this is accomplished by squeezing handle  100 , placing the end of the brush (containing bristles  250 ) within a bowl or other object containing a sauce or other suitable liquid or semi-liquid product, and then releasing the handle to cause the liquid to be drawn through the opening of channel  240  and then into reservoir  120 . It is appreciated that since bristles  250  are made of appropriate material, such as silicone, the end of the brush (containing the bristles) can be placed into a bowl containing a sauce (or other appropriate item) with the bristles bending to allow the opening of channel  240  to be placed sufficiently close to the bottom of the bowl thus allowing liquid to be drawn into the brush&#39;s reservoir even for the case when the bowl contains a relatively small amount of liquid.  
      As mentioned above, the culinary brush (including bristles  250 ) may be produced from silicone, rubber, natural elastomer or synthetic material suitable for use with food products. Such materials are particularly advantageous in terms of proper health and hygiene. In the arrangement described above, the brush of the present invention may be easily cleaned by any appropriate means, such as by hand washing or use of an automatic dishwasher.  
      Moreover, the use of the materials mentioned above advantageously provides a strong seal between the handle and nozzle components, when interconnected. The use of additional sealing components is not required. The particular material or materials of the components further enables efficient coupling and disconnection of the components due to the relative compressibility of the materials.  
      Having described a culinary brush in accordance with the present invention having particular features as discussed above and disclosed in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the particular design described, and embodies brushes having variations not fully described herein. For example, the handle&#39;s opening  110  may include ridges with corresponding grooves being provided within the nozzle&#39;s shaft  220 . As another example, bristles  250  may be made from a material different from nozzle  200 , such as a thermo resistant material (e.g., Polyamide (e.g., nylon™), Kevlar™, Nomex™, etc.).  
      Moreover, another method of interconnection between the handle and the nozzle may be employed, such as a screw type connection or other known connection in which the components are secured in a way that prevents leakage while allowing the components to be easily disconnected from one another.  
      As yet another example, it is possible that nozzle  200  be made from a completely different type of material as mentioned above, such as a thermoplastic material or even metal. In such case, bristles  250  may be made from suitable materials different from nozzle  200  (elastomer, silicone, etc.). As yet a further example, handle  100  may include multiple parts, one part made from a material different from silicone and elastomer, for example, a thermoplastic material or metal.  
      As yet an additional example, the nozzle is provided with more than one channel. That is, multiple channels may be provided. Still yet, the nozzle may be equipped with one or more hollow bristles in which one or more channels within the nozzle are aligned with the channels within the hollow bristle(s).  FIG. 7  shows a top plan view of the culinary brush containing a hollow bristle  255  extending from a channel  260 . Thus, liquid within the reservoir is dispensed through channel  260  then through hollow bristle  255 . Furthermore, bristles  250  (with or without one or more hollow bristles) may be arranged according to a geometry different from that previously described, for example in rows, such as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
      As still yet a further example, the nozzle and handle are integral to one another and thus are not detachable. In such case, the handle includes a closable opening. In one example of this particular variation, an opening is placed near eyelet  132 , which may be closed using a detachable plug. An exemplary culinary brush with such a design is shown in  FIG. 9  of the drawings. As shown, culinary brush  300  is a single integral components and a plug  310  allows access to the interior reservoir. In a perhaps preferred version of this variation, the plug closes an opening disposed at end  122  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) so that, when the plug is removed, the entire reservoir is accessible for cleaning. In such case, the opening into the reservoir is at the opposite end as that provided for in the first embodiment discussed with respect to  FIGS. 1-6  of the drawings. Therefore, it is provided that the plug may be disposed at any appropriate position to enable access to the brush&#39;s reservoir.  
      Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including the embodiments described herein, the alternatives mentioned above, and all equivalents thereto.