Abstract:
A cooking pot lid provides a continuously variable amount of venting (and stirring of ingredients, when desired) and includes a fixed lid component including a plurality of spaced-apart openings, a rotatable shaft disposed through a central aperture of the fixed lid component in a manner such that the rotatable shaft is free to rotate with respect to the fixed lid component; and a rotatable lid component that is attached to the rotatable shaft. The rotatable lid component includes a plurality of spaced-apart fins for alternately covering and exposing the plurality of spaced-apart openings in the fixed lid component to provide the continuously variable venting. Stirring blades may be attached to the rotatable shaft in a manner such that the stirring blades rotate with the shaft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/644,461, filed May 9, 2012 and herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an improved lid apparatus for cooking pots and, more particularly, to a lid apparatus including an automatic stirrer and vent control arrangement, where the stirrer and vent control may be used in combination or singly, and where the apparatus is capable of being adjusted to be used with pots of various sizes by adapting only one of the components (the fixed cover). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Often in cooking, especially in cases where dairy products are involved, one is faced with either the choice of leaving a pot open, or covering it with a lid. If you choose to leave the pot open, it takes longer for the pot to heat up and when it finally does, the liquid ingredients (water or milk, for example) tend to evaporate. This evaporation thus causes waste of some of the ingredients, not to mention loss of some of the aroma. Often, in this case, you need to add more of these liquid ingredients to compensate for the loss. 
     The other choice is to leave the lid on the pot to prevent evaporation of the liquid ingredients, which preserves the steam/heat and allows the food to cook faster. However, this choice also has major drawbacks. For example, if left unattended—even for a short period of time—the pot can heat too quickly and the contents can boil over (i.e., ebullition of the liquid ingredients)—creating a mess on the cooktop and the pan, and perhaps ruining the food in the pot itself or, at the very least, causing loss of some of the food. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The needs remaining in the prior art are addressed by the present invention, which relates to an improved lid apparatus for cooking pots and, more particularly, to a lid apparatus including an automatic stirrer and vent control arrangement, where the stirrer and vent control may be used in combination or singly, and where the apparatus is capable of being adjusted to be used with pots of various sizes by adapting only one of the components (the fixed cover). 
     In accordance with the present invention, a lid apparatus is proposed that includes a mechanized, rotatable vent assembly and a separate automatic stirrer assemblies, both assemblies controlled by the same motor mechanism and coupled to a common central shaft of the motor. The lid apparatus can be battery-operated or energized by an AC power source. A timer mechanism can be included in the apparatus to control the turning “on” and “off” of the motor. 
     The vent apparatus consists of a number of spaced-apart segments (fins) and the associated fixed cover portion of the lid apparatus includes a number of spaced-apart openings. The vent apparatus is positioned over the fixed cover portion and will rotate with respect to the fixed cover portion such that the vent fins will alternately cover and expose the cover openings (thus, allowing steam and heat to escape from the cooking pot in a controlled fashion). Attaching a stirring apparatus to the same central shaft as used to control the rotation of the vent apparatus allows for the contents to be continuously stirred, preventing burning, boil-over and the like. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a cooking pot lid is configured to provide a continuously variable amount of venting (and stirring of ingredients, when desired) and includes a fixed lid component including a plurality of spaced-apart openings, a rotatable shaft disposed through a central aperture of the fixed lid component in a manner such that the rotatable shaft is free to rotate with respect to the fixed lid component; and a rotatable vent component that is attached to the rotatable shaft. The rotatable vent component includes a plurality of spaced-apart fins for alternately covering and exposing the plurality of spaced-apart openings in the fixed lid component to provide the continuously variable venting. Stirring blades may be attached to the rotatable shaft in a manner such that the stirring blades rotate with the shaft. The rotatable vent component may be removably attached to the motor shaft (such as by using an engaging clip, for example) allowing for the stirring to continue while keeping the vent component in a stationary position. 
     Other and further aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings, where the same reference numerals represent the same parts in several views: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary lid apparatus formed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the exemplary lid apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the exemplary lid apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an alternative configuration of the view of  FIG. 3 , illustrating the movement of the vent apparatus with respect to the openings on the fixed cover portion; and 
         FIG. 5  is yet another configuration of the view of  FIG. 3 , illustrating further movement of the vent apparatus with respect to the openings on the fixed cover portion. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The lid apparatus of the present invention was conceived to prevent, or at least diminish, the possibility of facing cooking disasters associated with leaving a lid on a pot as the ingredients are beginning to cook. As will be discussed in detail below, the inventive lid apparatus comprises a unique two-part cover that allows for a portion of heat/steam to escape the pot, and which may be used in combination with an automatic stirrer that prevents settling and/or burning of the ingredients. The two-part cover allows just enough heat/steam to escape to prevent ebullition, and at the same time the automatic stirrer keeps the ingredients in motion to provide them from settling at the bottom of the pot and perhaps burning. 
     While it is obvious that the inventive apparatus provides these functional advantages, it is to be noted that the apparatus also creates utility cost savings since the food will cook faster, not to mention time savings by not having to worry about over-boiling pots and cleaning up the mess associated with boilovers. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary lid apparatus  10  formed in accordance with the present invention, with an exploded view shown in  FIG. 2 . Lid apparatus  10  includes three major assemblies: a cover assembly  20 , a motor assembly  30  and a stirring assembly  40 . Cover assembly  20  contains at least two components, a fixed cover  22  and a rotating vent apparatus  24 . As best shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 2 , fixed cover  22  includes a plurality of openings  26  and rotating vent apparatus  24  is formed of a like plurality of spaced-apart segments  28  (hereinafter referred to fins  28 ). As vent apparatus  24  rotates with respect to fixed cover  22  (shown by arrows in  FIG. 1 ), fins  28  will alternately cover and expose openings  26 , allowing for a portion of any heat/steam to escape as the cover rotates. In one embodiment, therefore, the number of fins and their dimensions are determined so that when aligned over openings  26 , the openings are fully concealed. The movement of vent apparatus  24  with respect to fixed cover  22  will be described in more in detail herein below in association with  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, cover assembly  20  further comprises an engaging clip  29  that is used in the manner described below to removably attach rotating vent apparatus  24  to motor assembly  30 . While the specific illustration as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  comprises an engaging clip, various other arrangements of removably coupling rotating vent apparatus  24  to motor assembly  30  may be used and are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Obviously, the rate of rotation of vent apparatus  24  will control the amount of steam that escapes, as will the size of openings  26  and fins  28 . It is to be understood that various combinations of dimensions may be used and all are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. As mentioned above, rotating vent apparatus  24  may be disengaged from motor assembly  30  and allow to remain “fixed” in place, as desired. For example, removing engaging clip  29  from the assembly will disengage vent apparatus  24  from motor assembly  30 . When not rotating, vent apparatus  24  may be positioned to either have a pot completely covered or have some portions of openings  26  exposed, as desired. The isometric view of  FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary relationship between fixed cover  22  and rotating vent apparatus  24 , with portions of openings  26  exposed as a function of the location of fins  28 . 
     Motor assembly  30 , as shown best in  FIG. 2 , comprises a motor unit  32 , a shaft  34  and, preferably, a timer  36 . It is to be understood that motor unit  32  can be battery-driven, or driven by an AC source, similar to other kitchen appliances. A single-speed or multi-speed motor may be used. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , motor assembly  30  is mounted over rotating vent apparatus  24 , with shaft  34  passing through fixed cover  22  so as to extend downward into an associated pot (the pot shown in phantom in the drawings). Engaging clip  29  is positioned to surround shaft  34  and then couple to rotating vent apparatus  24  so as to removably attach vent apparatus  24  to motor assembly  30 . When motor unit  32  is activated, shaft  34  will rotate. By including a timer, the operation of motor unit  32  can be controlled to be turned “on” for a predetermined period of time (minutes in this case, as controlled by a knob  38 ).  FIG. 3  is an isometric view of apparatus  10 , illustrating one exemplary embodiment of a timer  36  as formed as part of motor assembly  30 . Otherwise, if a timer is not included, the user can simply turn assembly  30  “on” and “off” as desired (as controlled by switch  31  shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     In accordance with the present invention, vent apparatus  24  is connected to shaft  34  (perhaps removably attached) and will, therefore, rotate around mixed cover  22  as shaft  34  rotates. The constant rotation of vent apparatus  24  will result in a continuous change in the coverage of openings  26  by fins  28 , thus allowing for heat and steam to escape through openings  26  during the periods of time that they are not covered by fins  28 . Obviously, the speed of rotation of vent apparatus  24  (as controlled by motor unit  32 ) will control the amount of steam and heat that is released. Indeed, it is possible in one embodiment of the present invention to use a multi-speed motor that will control both the rotation of vent apparatus  24  with respect to fixed cover  22  and the movement of the stirring apparatus as described below. 
     Stirring assembly  40  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as including a center sleeve  42  and blades  44 . Center sleeve  42  fits over and is attached to shaft  34  of motor assembly  30 . Therefore, when shaft  34  rotates, blades  44  of stirring assembly  40  will rotate and stir the ingredients in the pot. Blades  44  may be of any suitable number and geometry; indeed different blade configurations may be used for different situations, depending on the ingredients. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5 , when viewed with  FIG. 3 , illustrate the change in coverage of openings  26  as vent apparatus  24  rotates with respect to fixed cover  22 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a point in time where openings  26  are largely exposed, allowing for a large volume of steam and heat to escape the pot. In the arrangement as shown in  FIG. 4 , vent apparatus  24  as rotated (as shown by the arrow) such that fins  28  cover a majority of openings  26 , allowing for only a relatively small stream of steam and heat to escape. As vent apparatus  24  continues to rotate, the positioning as shown in  FIG. 5  will occur, where fins  28  completely cover openings  26 , trapping the steam and heat within the pot. As vent apparatus  24  continues to rotate, therefore, this continuous change between “open”, “partially open” and “closed” will continue, as controlled by the rate of rotation of shaft  34 . 
     It is to be understood that the lid apparatus of the present invention may be utilized with the rotating cover dis-engaged from the motor assembly, providing automatic stirring while allowing for a fixed amount of heat/steam to escape. In one exemplary arrangement of the present invention, a coupling arrangement for removably connecting the rotating vent apparatus from the draft shaft of the motor. It is also possible to remove the automatic stirrer portion and allow for the rotating cover to be used to control steam release from a pot. Moreover, the apparatus of the present invention is not exclusively designed to work on specific cookware by merely changing the size of the fixed cover for a given pot size. 
     Indeed, while the invention is described by reference to a specific preferred embodiment, it is clear that variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.