Patent Abstract:
A method for heating a liquid or food. The method includes the steps of (1) obtaining a tool including an interconnected combination of a clip, a handle, and a hook; (2) inserting a vessel capable of holding a liquid within the clip; (3) placing a liquid within the vessel; and (4) heating the liquid.

Full Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method for heating a liquid or food. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many people participate in outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, and camping. But as most people do not participate in these activities in their backyards, the equipment and provisions needed to participate must be transported to the place where the activity will commence. The amount of equipment can depend on the number of people participating, the length of time anticipated to participate, or the place of the activity. 
     Ice fishing is an activity that can pose challenges of space to the participant. Ice fishing is most often done on lakes and rivers in icehouses. The icehouses are typically modestly sized and capable of holding only limited equipment and provisions. As a typical ice fisher stays on the ice for long stretches of time, food, beverages, and heaters are often needed, as well as, the fishing equipment. Transporting and storing all of the equipment and provisions can be quite difficult and challenging to an ice fisher with limited time and a modest icehouse. The ice fisher must often be selective about the equipment and provisions utilized in the activity. Having to leave desired equipment or provisions at home could greatly reduce the enjoyment of the activity to the ice fisher. 
     To increase enjoyment of the activity, a need exists for equipment and provisions that take up less space in transport and storage. One solution is to use dual-purpose equipment. If one compact item by itself or coupled with another needed item can serve more than one purpose, then less equipment and provisions are needed and less space is needed. One piece of single use equipment used by an ice fisher is a slotted spoon type devise. An ice fisher needs to keep the ice hole open during fishing. Most ice fishers use the slotted spoon type device to strain and remove the slushy ice mixture from the hole. This process takes time and requires the ice fisher to find a space within or near the icehouse to deposit the removed slushy ice mixture. The slotted spoon device has no other use to the ice fisher other than removing the slushy mixture from the hole. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a dual use tool that can be used to quickly and efficiently keep an ice hole open. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is directed to a method of heating a liquid or food. 
     The first embodiment of the invention involves obtaining a tool. The tool includes at least an interconnected combination of at least a clip, a handle, and a hook. The clip includes at least a longitudinally extending central section, a first connection member extending in a first transverse direction from the central section, and a second connection member longitudinally spaced from the first connection member and extending in the first transverse direction from the central section. The handle extends longitudinally relative to the clip in a first longitudinal direction. The hook extends in a second transverse direction and a second longitudinal direction relative to the clip and is longitudinally positioned intermediate the first and second connection members. A vessel, capable of holding a liquid, is inserted within the clip. A liquid is placed within the vessel. The liquid is then heated. 
     The second embodiment of the invention involves obtaining a tool. The tool includes at least an interconnected combination of at least a clip, a handle, and a hook. The clip includes at least a longitudinally extending central section, a first connection member extending in a first transverse direction from the central section, and a second connection member longitudinally spaced from the first connection member and extending in the first transverse direction from the central section. The handle extends longitudinally relative to the clip in a first longitudinal direction. The hook extends in a second transverse direction and a second longitudinal direction relative to the clip and is longitudinally positioned intermediate the first and second connection members. An open metal food container is inserted within the clip wherein the metal food container contains a food. The food is then heated. 
     A third embodiment of the invention involves obtaining a tool. The tool includes at least an interconnected combination of at least a container, a handle, and a hook. The container includes at least an edge extending in a first transverse direction, a solid member extending in a first transverse direction and longitudinally spaced from the edge, and a side member having a proximal end fixedly attached to the edge and a distal end fixedly attached to the solid member. The handle extends longitudinally relative to the container in a first longitudinal direction. The hook extends in a second transverse direction and a second longitudinal direction relative to the container and is longitudinally positioned intermediate the edge and the solid member. Liquid is placed within the container. The liquid is then heated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention with a vessel inserted within the clip. 
     FIG. 3 a side view of one embodiment of the invention with a container containing food inserted within the clip. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention in FIG. 2 positioned proximate a source of heat and suspended from a structural element via the hook. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the invention in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of one embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Including a Best Mode 
     Nomenclature 
       10  Tool 
       20  Clip 
       21  Longitudinally Extending Central Section 
       22  First Connection Member 
       23  Second Connection Member 
       24  Leaf Spring 
       30  Handle 
       40  Hook 
       110  Tool 
       130  Handle 
       140  Hook 
       150  Container 
       151  Edge 
       152  Solid Member 
       153  Side Member 
       153   a  Proximal End of Side Member 
       153   b  Distal End of Side Member 
       200  Liquid 
       300  Source of Heat 
       400  Open metal food container 
       500  Food 
       600  Vessel 
     Definitions 
     As utilized herein, including the claims, a “source of heat” includes, but is not limited to, fire, gas heater, oil heater, propane heater, kerosene heater, barbecue grill, gas stove, propane stove, and charcoal grill. 
     Composition 
     The tool  10  and  110  is capable of holding a liquid  200  or food  500  to be heated. The tool  10  and  110  may be manufactured from a variety of materials, such as metal, plastic, or a combination of metal and plastic, capable of withstanding temperatures to which the tool  10  and  110  would be exposed. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-2, and  5 - 8 , a first aspect of the tool  10  includes at least an interconnected combination of at least a clip  20 , a handle  30 , and a hook  40 . The clip  20  includes at least a longitudinally extending central section  21 , a first connection member  22  extending in a first transverse direction (not numbered) from the central section  21 , and a second connection member  23  longitudinally spaced from the first connection member  22  and extending in the first transverse direction (not numbered) from the central section  21 . The handle  30  extends longitudinally relative to the clip  20  in a first longitudinal direction (not numbered). The hook  40  extends in a second transverse direction (not numbered) and a second longitudinal direction (not numbered) relative to the clip  20  and longitudinally positioned intermediate the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23 . The clip  20 , handle  30 , and hook  40  can be interconnected in a variety of ways, such as welding, fastening, or forming from a single mass of material. The preferred way to interconnect the clip  20 , handle  30 , and hook  40  would be a combination of welding and forming from a single mass of material as shown in FIG.  1 . In FIG. 1 the handle  30  and hook  40  are formed from a single mass of material and then welded to the clip  20 . 
     In the manufacture of the tool  10  as shown in FIGS. 1-2, and  5 - 8  the longitudinal space (not numbered) between the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23  should be sufficient to allow insertion of the desired vessel  600 . In the preferred embodiment the longitudinal space (not numbered) between the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23  should approximate the height of a standard aluminum soda can (not shown). 
     As shown in FIGS. 5-8, the clip  20 , handle  30 , and hook  40  may be manufactured and interconnected in a variety of ways. For example, in FIG. 6 the hook  40  is attached to the handle  30  and the handle  30  attached to the clip  20 . In FIG. 7 the handle  30  is attached to the clip  20  and the hook  40  attached to the clip  20 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1-2 and  7 , the clip  20  may also include a leaf spring  24  intermediate the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23 . The leaf spring  24  facilitates easier insertion of a vessel  600  or open food metal container  400  into the clip  20  by temporarily increasing the longitudinal space between the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23  when a force is applied to the leaf spring  24 . 
     A moveable first connection member  22  or second connection member  23  may also be used to provide easier insertion of a vessel  600  or open food container  400  into the clip  20 . As shown in FIG. 3, the first connection member  22  may be connected to the clip  20  by way of a movable fastener (not numbered) such that the longitudinal space between the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23  may be varied to accommodate vessels  600  or open metal food containers  400  of varying sizes into the clip  20 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when a vessel  600  or open metal food container  400  is inserted into the clip  20  the first connection member  22  engages the top edge (not numbered) of the vessel  600  or open metal food container  400  and the second connection member  23  engages the bottom edge (not numbered) of the vessel  600  or open metal food container  400 . 
     As shown in FIG. 9, a second aspect of the tool  110  includes at least an interconnected combination of at least a container  150 , a handle  130 , and a hook  140 . The container  150  includes at least an edge  151 , a side member  153 , and a solid member  152 . The edge  151  extends in a first transverse direction (not numbered). As shown in Figure 10, the solid member  152  extends in a first transverse direction (not numbered) and is longitudinally spaced from the edge  151 . The side member  153  has a proximal end  153   a  fixedly attached to the edge  151  and a distal end  153   b  fixedly attached to the solid member  152 . 
     In both aspects of the tool  10  and  110 , the handle  30  and  130  provides a means for the user (not shown) to carry and move the tool  10  and  110 . The length (not numbered) of the handle  30  and  130  may vary but should be at least a length (not numbered) that will arrange and configure a portion of the handle  30  and  130  away from the source of heat  300 , such that the tool  10  and  110  may be safely carried and moved by the user (not shown). 
     Method Process 
     The tool  10  and  110  is used to hold a liquid  200  or food  500  while heating the liquid  200  or food  500 . In the first embodiment a vessel  600  capable of holding a liquid  200  is inserted into the clip  20  of the tool  10 . To insert the vessel  600  the user (not shown) engages the top edge (not numbered) of the vessel  600  with the first connection member  22 . The bottom edge (not numbered) of the vessel  600  engages the second connection member  23 . Engagement of both ends (not numbered) of the vessel  600  should maintain the vessel  600  within the clip  20 . 
     A liquid  200  may then be placed within the vessel  600 . The type of liquid  200  placed in the vessel  600  depends on the use of the liquid  200 . The liquid  200  may then be heated. The liquid  200  may be heated by positioning the liquid  200  containing vessel  600  within the clip  20  proximate a source of heat  300 . This may be done by manually holding the handle  30  such that the vessel  600  is proximate the source of heat  300  or by suspending the tool  10  from a structural element (not numbered) via the hook  40 . In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the liquid  200  may be heated by suspending the tool  10  from a propane heater (not numbered). 
     The heated liquid  200  may then be poured into an ice-fishing hole (not shown) in order to keep the hole (not shown) open. The heated liquid  200  may also be used to prepare food  500  or heated beverages (not numbered). 
     In a second embodiment an open metal food container  400  containing a food  500  is inserted into the clip  20  of the tool  10 . To insert the metal food container  400  the user (not shown) engages the top edge (not numbered) of the metal food container  400  with the first connection member  22 . The bottom edge (not numbered) of the metal food container  400  engages the second connection member  23 . Engagement of both ends (not numbered) of the vessel  600  should maintain the vessel  600  within the clip  20 . 
     The food  500  may then be heated. The food  500  may be heated by positioning the food  500  containing metal food container  400  within the clip  20  proximate a source of heat  300 . This may be done by manually holding the handle  30  such that the metal food container  400  is proximate the source of heat  300  or by suspending the tool  10  from a structural element (not numbered) via the hook  40 . In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the food  500  may be heated by suspending the tool  10  from a propane heater (not numbered). The tool  10 , as shown in FIG. 3, allows the insertion of metal food containers  400  of varying size to be inserted in the clip  20  by allowing the longitudinal space (not numbered) between the first connection member  22  and the second connection member  23  to be varied. 
     In a third embodiment of the invention a liquid  200  may be placed within the container  150  of the tool  110 . The type of liquid  200  placed in the container  150  depends on the use of the liquid  200 . The liquid  200  may then be heated. The liquid  200  may be heated by positioning the liquid  200  containing container  150  proximate a source of heat  300 . This may be done by manually holding the handle  130  such that the container  150  is proximate the source of heat  300  or by suspending the tool  110  from a structural element (not numbered) via the hook  140 . 
     The heated liquid  200  may then be poured into an ice-fishing hole (not shown) in order to keep the hole (not shown) open. The heated liquid  200  may also be used to prepare food  500  or heated beverages (not numbered).

Technology Classification (CPC): 5