Patent Publication Number: US-2004049961-A1

Title: Recipe card holder

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/389,417, filed Jun. 17, 2002. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to a recipe card holding device, and more particularly, to a recipe card holding device configured for attachment to a food mixer used in the preparation of food.  
       [0004] 2. Description of Related Art  
       [0005] Recipes, which are a set of instructions for making a food item by combining various amounts of selected ingredients together in a particular manner, are frequently recorded on recipe cards. Recipe cards are often hand-printed on 3″×5″ or 4″×6″ index cards. It is also a common practice for sellers of ingredients to print recipes on packaging, which can be cut out by consumers to form recipe cards. Recipe cards are also frequently published and sold as sets.  
       [0006] Recipe cards, which are typically stored in recipe card boxes, are usually placed onto the food preparation surface during use. The recipe cards are thus exposed to spills, which can cause staining or damage to the card and in some cases a loss of the recipe printed thereon. Recipe cards placed on food preparation surfaces can also become covered or hidden by ingredients or cookware used during food preparation, making it difficult for the food preparer to quickly locate the recipe card.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] The present invention provides a recipe card holding device comprising a first end and a second end. The first end comprises means for attaching the device to a food mixer, and the second end comprises means for holding a recipe card.  
       [0008] In a first embodiment of the invention, the means for attaching the device to a food mixer comprises a mounting portion configured to contact a portion of the housing of the food mixer adjacent to the power take off. An orifice is provided in the mounting portion through which the accessory mounting screw of the food mixer is passed to attach the recipe card holding device to the food mixer. In a second embodiment of the invention, the mounting portion is configured to contact a portion of the housing of the food mixer at an end of the food mixer opposite the power take off. A third embodiment provides a substantially planar mounting portion that is also configured to contact a portion of the housing of the food mixer at an end of the mixer opposite the power take off. The means for holding a recipe card preferably comprise three generally parallel fingers that extend away from an arm that extends between the first end and the second end. A recipe card is then inserted between the fingers in an alternating manner.  
       [0009] The recipe card holding device according to the invention holds a recipe card in full view of the food preparer and out of danger from being damaged due to spills. The recipe card holding device can be attached and detached from the food mixer quickly and easily without the need for special tools, and can be stored in a drawer when not in use.  
       [0010] The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the present invention may be employed.  
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of a recipe card holding device according to the invention.  
     [0012]FIG. 2 is a front view of the recipe card holding device shown in FIG. 1.  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is a front view of a second embodiment of a recipe card holding device.  
     [0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a recipe card holding device according to the invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 5 is a back view of a portion of the recipe card holding device shown in FIG. 4 mounted onto a mixer.  
     [0016]FIG. 6 is a back perspective view of a portion of the recipe card holding device shown in FIG. 4 mounted onto a mixer.  
     [0017]FIG. 7 is a is a side view of the recipe card holding device shown in FIG. 4 mounted onto a mixer. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0018] With reference to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a recipe card holding device  10  according to the invention is illustrated. The recipe card holding device  10  comprises a first end  20  and a second end  30 . The first end  20  preferably comprises a mounting portion  40  having a first side  50  and a second side  60 . The first side  50  of the mounting portion  40  is configured to contact the housing of a food mixer (not shown). The mounting portion  40  is provided with an opening  70  through which an accessory mounting screw (not shown) can be passed. The accessory mounting screw threads into a threaded aperture in the food mixer and makes contact with the second side  60  of the mounting portion  40  to secure the recipe card holding device  10  to the food mixer.  
     [0019] The first end  20  of the recipe card holding device  10  is connected to the second end  30  by an arm  80 . The second end  30  preferably terminates in a top finger  90 , a middle finger  100 , and a bottom finger  110 , each of which extends generally parallel to each other in the same general plane. The front surface  120  of fingers  90 ,  110  can optionally be provided with a high friction material, such as rubber. Top and bottom slots  130 ,  131  extend between the fingers  90 ,  100 ,  110 .  
     [0020] With reference to FIG. 2, the first embodiment of a recipe card holding device  10  according to the invention is shown mounted to a KITCHENAID® food mixer  140 . To attach the recipe card holding device  10  to the food mixer  140 , a user first unscrews and removes an accessory mounting screw  150  from the food mixer  140 . The first side  50  (not shown in FIG. 2) of the mounting portion  40  is then positioned in contact with the housing  160  of the food mixer adjacent to the power take off  170 . The opening  70  (not shown in FIG. 2) is aligned such that the accessory mounting screw  150  passes through the opening  70  and threads back into an aperture in the food mixer  140 . The head of the accessory mounting screw  150  contacts the second side  60  of the mounting portion  40  to secure the recipe card holding device  10  to the food mixer  140 . In this embodiment, the mounting portion preferably has a smaller radius than the radius of the outside surface of the power take off housing. Thus, the mounting portion provides a spring force against the accessory mounting screw  150 , which is not configured to bottom out against the power take off housing. The spring force prevents the recipe card holding device from wobbling during operation of the food mixer.  
     [0021] In the first embodiment of the invention, a user threads a recipe card  180  behind the top finger  90 , through the top slot  130  (not shown in FIG. 2), in front of the middle finger  100  (not shown in FIG. 2), through the bottom slot  131 , and behind the bottom finger  110 . The friction provided by the fingers  90 ,  100 ,  110  and the stiffness of the recipe card  180  cooperate to hold the recipe card  180  in place. The recipe card  180  is thus easily viewed during preparation of a food item.  
     [0022] It will be appreciated that the recipe card holding device can be configured to function with a variety of different food mixers simply by varying the means of mounting the device to the food mixer. A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 3. In the second embodiment, a mounting portion  240  that is generally C-shaped is disposed at the first end  220  of the device  210 . A top finger  290 , a middle finger  300  and a bottom finger  310  are positioned at the second end  230  of the device  210 , and a top slot  330  and a bottom slot  331  are disposed between the fingers. The mounting portion  240  adjacent the arm  280  includes a first side  250  that is shaped to contact the housing of a food mixer other than at the power take off. The mounting portion  240  is provided with an opening  270  sized to allow the threaded portion of a wing screw  340  to pass through. The wing screw  340  threads into an aperture in the housing of the food mixer to secure the recipe card holding device to the food mixer.  
     [0023] The means of holding the recipe card is also not per se critical. In the second embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the user would thread a recipe card  180  (not shown) in front of the top finger  290 , through the top slot  330 , behind the middle finger  300 , through the bottom slot  331 , and in front of the bottom finger  310 . In this embodiment, only one finger  300  covers a portion of the recipe card. Other means of holding a recipe card can be used. For example, the holding means could comprise of a spring clip or a stand having a lower edge against which a recipe card can rest. Virtually any means by which the second end of the device secures a recipe card in view of a user can be used.  
     [0024]FIG. 4 illustrates a third embodiment of the recipe card holding device  410 . In this embodiment, the mounting portion  440  is configured to attach the device  410  to the rear of the food mixer, opposite the power take off housing. In the first embodiment, where the mounting portion  40  engages the power take off housing  170  of the food mixer  140 , it is preferred that the food mixer is of the type where the housing tilts back to disengage the mixer bowl. In the third embodiment where the mounting portion  440  is configured to secure the device to the rear of the food mixer, as illustrated in FIGS.  5 - 7 , it is preferred that the mixer is of the type where the mixer bowl may be lifted up to the beaters.  
     [0025] In the third embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 4, the mounting portion  440  is generally planar and comprises an opening  470 . The mounting portion  440  has a first side  450  that contacts the housing of the food mixer. When the device  410  is mounted to the food mixer, as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and  7 , an accessory mounting screw  540  with a head that is preferably larger than the opening  470  is inserted through the opening  470  and into a threaded portion of the housing of the food mixer  140  so that the head of the accessory mounting screw  540  contacts the second side  460  of the mounting portion  440  and attaches the device  410  to the food mixer  140 .  
     [0026] The third embodiment comprises a top finger  490 , a middle finger  500  and a bottom finger  510 . A top slot  530  is disposed between the top finger  490  and the middle finger  500 . A bottom slot  531  is disposed between the middle finger  500  and the bottom finger  510 . A side view of the device  410  mounted to a food mixer  140  is illustrated in FIG. 7. The top finger  490 , the middle finger  500 , and the bottom finger  510  are generally in the same plane and are oriented parallel to one another. However, as shown in the side view in FIG. 7, and in FIG. 4, the top finger  490  and the bottom finger  510  are in a plane that is slightly farther away from the plane defined by the first side  450  of the mounting portion  440  as compared to the middle finger  500 . In this embodiment, a recipe card may be inserted in front of the top finger  490 , through the top slot  530 , behind the middle finger  500 , through the bottom slot  531 , and in front of the bottom finger  510 . Only the middle finger  500  covers the recipe card in this third embodiment, similar to the second embodiment.  
     [0027] The means of mounting the device to the food mixer is not per se critical, and a variety of means can be employed. For example, the mounting portion can slide into a receiving slot provided in the housing of a food mixer. Alternatively, a magnet can be provided at the first end for magnetically attaching the recipe card holding device to the food mixer. Virtually any means by which the first end of the device is secured to the food mixer can be used.  
     [0028] In the presently most preferred embodiment of the invention, the recipe card holding device is formed of metal and is shaped by stamping or other metal working means. Alternatively, the recipe card holding device is formed of a polymer, such as polycarbonate, which is both transparent and strong. The surface of the recipe card holding device can be provided with high friction materials such as rubber, or can be textured (e.g., by sandblasting) to provide higher friction.  
     [0029] Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.