Abstract:
A cookware set for frying includes annular trough that seats on the rim of a cookware vessel in which foodstuffs are fried in oil or fats. The vessel and trough are covered by a lid having a lower rim that descends into the annular trough, which during cooking contains water for condensing oil vapor escapes there from through either a plurality of holes or a scalloped or serrated edge at the bottom thereof where the lower rim is immersed within and rests on the bottom of the annular trough.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application of the same title that was filed on Dec. 26, 2012, having application Ser. No. 61/746,061, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a cookware article, and in particular to a vessel and method of deep frying that reduces the release of oil odors. 
         [0003]    Deep frying of food produces odor compounds from the oil or the food, depending on the particulars of the compositions of the foodstuff and frying fats/oils and the frying temperature. As such, the home use of deep frying is less popular unless conducted under a very strong exhaust hood. 
         [0004]    Others have attempted to solve this problem in-home frying by providing specialized machines in which the headspace over the cooking oil is substantially sealed and exhaust vented through activated carbon filters. However, such equipment requires the periodic replacement of the filters, which a consumer can easily forget to do, and also takes up countertop space, which in many cases is undesirable. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an article of cookware capable of trapping the odors from frying with cooking oil without such specialized dedicated equipment, that would be more personal and allow for the use of the same cooking vessels and other modes when the capture of cooking oil paper is not required, as well as being simple to use on a stove top. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0006]    In the present invention, the first object is achieved by providing a cookware set for frying, the set comprising a cookware vessel having; a substantially horizontal bottom, sidewalls extending upward from and connectedly encircling said bottom to form a fluid retaining interior region, the sidewall having an upper termination at a first rim, an annular trough connected to and surrounding the rim, the annular trough having a bottom disposed below the first rim and extending outward and upward to a second rim, a lid having a top surface and a surrounding downward descending wall connected to the top surface, the wall terminating at a lower rim, wherein the lower rim of the lid has a sufficient diameter to descend substantially to the bottom of the said annular trough, a plurality of holes in a first portion of the wall that is below the level of the first and second rim. 
         [0007]    A second aspect of the invention is characterized by a cookware set for frying, the set comprising a cookware vessel having a substantially horizontal bottom, sidewalls extending upward from and connectedly encircling said bottom to form a fluid retaining interior region, the sidewall having an upper termination at a first rim, an annular trough having a bottom and upward extending sidewalls, including inner side wall that extends upward to form rim, and an outer sidewall that upward to from an outer second rim, in which the first and 2nd rim are laterally separated to provide in annulus capable of retaining fluid there between, in which the inner rim of the annular trough includes means for sealing engagement with the first rim of said cookware vessel, a lid having a top surface and a surrounding downward descending wall connected to the top surface, the wall terminating at a lower rim, wherein the lower rim of the lid has a sufficient diameter to descend substantially to the bottom of the said annular trough, a means for the escape of gas as bubbles within water contained within the trough in a first portion of the wall that is below the level of the first and second rim. 
         [0008]    Another aspect of the invention is characterized by the cookware set for frying wherein said lid has a pair of handle disposed on opposing sides of the downward descending wall above the lower rim. 
         [0009]    Another aspect of the invention is characterized by the cookware set for frying wherein said an annular trough has a pair of handle disposed on opposing sides of the outer sidewall. 
         [0010]    Another aspect of the invention is characterized by the cookware set for frying wherein said an annular trough has a pair of handle disposed on opposing sides of the outer sidewall. 
         [0011]    Another aspect of the invention is characterized by the cookware set for frying wherein the handle of the lid engage the handle of the trough to dispose the lower rim of the lid above the bottom of the trough. 
         [0012]    The above and other objects, effects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the lid and cookware vessel in one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the lid and cookware vessel in which the lid is raised above the vessel, whereas  FIG. 2B  is an exterior elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2A  with the lid resting on the cookware vessel. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional elevation view of the lid and cookware vessel in another embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective exploded view of the components of another embodiment of the cookware vessel for frying, whereas  FIG. 4B  is a cross-sectional elevation thereof. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  is an enlarged cross sectional elevation of an embodiment of the lid and trough details from  FIG. 4 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  is an enlarged cross-sectional elevation of the lid and vessel rim details in an alternative deployment of the cookware vessel and lid without the trough. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5C  is a partial perspective view of an embodiment of the lid in FIGS.  4  and  5 A-B. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5D  is a partial perspective view of another embodiment of the lid. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional elevation of another embodiment of the lid and cookware vessel with the lid and trough resting on the cookware vessel. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6B  is an exterior elevation view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6A  with the trough is raised above the vessel along with the lid disposed on the trough. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7A-C  illustrate another embodiment of the trough of  FIG. 6 , in which  FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional elevation,  FIG. 7B  is a side exterior elevation and  FIG. 7C  is a top plan view of another embodiment of the trough. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8A  is a top plan view of the lid as disposed on the trough in a preferred embodiment corresponding to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , whereas  FIG. 8B-8E  illustrate alternative embodiment for the vapor sealed connection of the trough to the rim when the trough is separable from the vessel for removal of the lid and the trough together. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 8 , wherein like reference numerals refer to like components in the various views, there is illustrated therein a new and improved cookware set for frying, generally denominated  1000  herein. 
         [0026]    In accordance with the present invention, cookware set for frying comprises at least 2 components, a vessel  100  and a lid  200 . The vessel  100  has a bottom  110  and connected surrounding sidewalls  110  that extend generally upward to terminate at rim  130  to provide a volume for containing fluid. The vessel  100  has an annular trough  140  which extends outward laterally from the annulus of attachment to rim  130 . The annular trough  140  has a bottom  142  disposed between sidewalls that extend upward there from to terminate at an inner annular edge  141  and an outer annular edge  143  and is thus contains fluid  20 , usually water, within annular volume therein. The inner annular edge  141  is optionally separated from rim  130  by a generally laterally extending flange  133 . However, the flange  133  can tilt upward or downward as it extends away from rim  130 , thus placing the inner annular edge  141  either above or below the height of rim  130 . 
         [0027]    The lid  200  has at least an outer portion that extends beyond the confines of cookware vessel rim  130  and is adapted to seal the top of vessel  100  at the bottom or lower rim  230  of its generally downward descending wall  220 . The lower rim  230  has a sufficient diameter to seat within the annular trough  140 , between the inner annular edge  141  and the outer annular edge  143  so that it is preferably disposed proximal to the bottom  142  of the annular trough  140 . Further, preferably at or just above rim  230  are a plurality of holes or apertures  225 , and optionally a scalloped edge  230   a  ( FIG. 5D ). The holes  225  however are formed in a region sufficiently below inner annular edge  141  and an outer annular edge  143  so that water  20  in the trough  140  will be above these holes or apertures  225  to serve as a filtering medium for escaping vapor. Hence, when vessel  100  is filled with oil  30  and any foodstuffs to be cooked therein, the heating of oil  30  during cooking increases the vapor pressure within headspace  40  (above oil  30  and below lid  200 ) beyond atmospheric pressure, which then depresses the level of fluid  20  on the inboard side of the trough that is closer to inner edge  141 . It should be appreciated that the vapor in headspace  40  is likely to be mostly moist air with mixed with oil vapor, as well as any volatile oil decomposition products. The change in fluid depth caused by this pressure differential is indicated as ΔP in  FIG. 1 . Once the pressure differential increases to the point at the fluid level is depressed to holes  225 , this oil saturated vapor would escape by passing through these holes  225 , via arrow  10 , exiting as small bubbles  11  through water  20  on the outward side of trough  140  between lid wall  220  and outer annular edge  143 . The water  20  in trough  140  rapidly cools the small bubbles  10 , which condenses the oil vapor products therein and thus trapping them as liquid within trough  140 . Hence, the water  20  in trough  140  prevents the escape of odor causing volatile compounds to atmosphere outside the cooking vessel  100  and cookware set  1000 . 
         [0028]    Lid  200  can be removed from the trough  140  and cookware vessel  100  by lid handle  250  ( FIG. 2 ), which is preferably attached to the center of lid  200 . Likewise, vessel  100  can also be grasped by one or more side handles  150  that are connected to outer wall  120 . 
         [0029]    The annular trough  140  can be an integral part of the vessel  100 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , or a separable component  140  ( FIG. 3-8 ) when provisioned as an additional component of a kit or cookware set  1000 . In either case, the trough  140  has an inner annular upper rim  141  that is coupled to the rim  130  of vessel  100 , and an outward annular rim  143 , with the bottom  142  of trough  140  disposed there between. When trough  140  is a separable component it is preferable that the weight of the lid  200  and water filled trough  140  is sufficient to also provide a sealed attachment of at least a portion annular trough to the rim  130  of the cookware vessel  100 . This can be achieved by several means including providing an outward flat annular flange  134  that is connected to rim  130 , with trough  140  having a corresponding inner annular flange  144  intended for sealed engagement thereto by overlap, such as shown in  FIG. 2 . This sealing surface at this overlap can include an optional elastic coating or cover, such as a silicone rubber layer  137  which is operationally attached to one of the annular trough or the cookware vessel at the rim  130  or flange  134 . It should be appreciated that other complementary shapes and surface finishes can be used to provide a vapor seal between separable trough  140  and the rim  130  of cookware vessel  100 . For example, trough  140  can be constructed from somewhat elastic silicone rubber and being at least conformable readily to form a seal to both rim  130  and trough  140 .  FIG. 8B-8E  illustrates alternative examples of the sealable connection between vessel rim  130  and the annular trough  140 . 
         [0030]    As shown an alternative embodiment of the invention in  FIG. 5A-D , the lid  200  can also be configured to sealing edge the rim  130  of the vessel  100  even when annular trough  140  is removed. This is achieved by lid  200  having a substantially horizontal covering region  210  connected to the lower descending wall  220  region by an upward arching annular portion  205  that extends outward before descending downward as wall  220 . When the lower rim  230  of wall  220  is disposed to be supported by the bottom of trough  140  to horizontal covering portion  210  of lid  200  extends above the rim  130  a vessel  100 . However, as shown in  FIG. 5B , when trough  140  is removed, the first part  202  of arching annular portion  205  can seat within rim  130  of vessel  100  forming a removable sealed there with. 
         [0031]    It should be appreciated from  FIGS. 5C and 5D  that the lower descending wall  220  of lid  200  can include either a plurality of holes  225  which forced oil saturated vapor to exit there from into the surrounding water  20  in trough  140  as small bubbles, as shown in  FIG. 5C , or via the serrated or scalloped edge  230 , as shown in  FIG. 5D . 
         [0032]      FIG. 6-8  illustrate more preferred embodiments of the invention in which the lid  200  has a plurality of side handles  245  on opposing sides that facilitate removal of the lid and the trough together as a unit after cooking is complete. By removing the lid and trough together as a unit there is no possibility that water from the trough would be retained on the edge of the lid and drip into the hot oil in the vessel. 
         [0033]    The handles  245  of the lid  200  can be supported by the handles  145  of the trough  140  to limit the depth at which the skirt  220  of the lid  200  enter the trough  140 , controlling its relative displacement from the bottom  142  thereof. 
         [0034]    In  FIG. 6A , the trough seals with the rim  130  the vessel  100  by an annular U shaped gasket  146  that cover the upper  144   a  and lower  144   b  surface of the inner annular flange  144 . 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 7A  the inner annular flange  144  of the trough  140  has an inner descending skirt  147  for entry below the vessel rim  130  to facilitate centering the trough in the vessel. 
         [0036]    In the alternative embodiment of  FIGS. 8B and 8D , the rim  130  has an inner bevel or frusto-conical shape to receive the similarly angled descending skirt  147  to form a seal with the trough  140 . 
         [0037]    In the alternative embodiment of  FIG. 8E , an inverted U-shaped gasket  149  is disposed over rim  130  to seal with flange  144  of trough  140 . 
         [0038]    In the alternative embodiment of the trough  140  illustrated in  FIG. 8A-C , it can be raised and lowered from the vessel rim  130  by side handles  145  while retaining the position of the lid  200 . 
         [0039]    It should be appreciated by reference to the various embodiments illustrated and described herein that vessel  100  can be shallow or deep, relative to the diameter, independent of the attachment of trough  140  or the separate provision as a kit or accessory with lid  200 . Lid  200  preferably is clear being formed of glass, with a metallic skirt  220  having holes  225 . 
         [0040]    While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.