Abstract:
An electromagnetic appliance for stovetop cookware comprising an electromagnetic plate-like appliance position able on a stove surface element having a switch for generating a magnetic field so that when paramagnetic cookware is placed on the electromagnetic plate-like appliance and the electromagnet is energized, the superjacent cooking ware will be magnetically prevented from accidental movement of the cookware without de-energizing the electromagnet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to cookware and, more specifically, to a stovetop cookware anchor comprising an electromagnetic plate-like appliance placed on a stove surface element having a switch for generating a magnetic field so that when metal cookware is placed on the electromagnetic plate-like appliance and the electromagnet is energized, the superjacent cooking ware will be magnetically prevented from accidental movement without de-energizing the electromagnet. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are other devices which provide for holding cookware. While these devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they where designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. 
     It is thus desirable to provide a device for holding cookware to a stove top element comprising a planar appliance having a selectively engageable electromagnet therein. 
     It is further desirable to provide means for anchoring in use cookware to a stove top element to prevent injury by positioning the electromagnetic anchoring device over the stove top element then positioning cookware over the anchoring device then energizing the anchoring device that will prevent movement of the anchored cookware until the electromagnetic anchoring device is de-energized. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide magnetic securing means holding metal cookware to a stovetop appliance cooking element. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide magnetic securing means between metal cookware and said cooking appliance that is user selectively engaged and disengaged by a switch. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide metal cookware with magnetic securing means to a stovetop appliance element comprising a plate-like housing incorporating an electromagnet having switch means for engaging and disengaging the electromagnet thereby providing a magnetic field between a stovetop element, such as an electric hot plate coil and the metallic cookware. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic appliance having a bottom surface and a top surface with a peripheral wall therebetween forming cavity for an electromagnet therein. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic appliance having a circuit incorporating an AC or DC electromagnet with a lead extending to a respective AC or DC power source providing a continuous energy source to generate a magnetic field. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a stovetop cookware anchor comprising an electromagnetic plate-like appliance positionable over a stove surface element having a switch for generating a magnetic field so that when metal cookware is placed on the electromagnetic plate-like appliance and the electromagnet is energized, the superjacent cooking ware will be magnetically prevented from accidental movement without de-energizing the electromagnet. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the Figures illustrate the electromagnetic appliance of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
       10  Electromagnetic Appliance of the present invention     12  stove appliance     14  element of  12       16  cookware     18  base of cookware     20  hot plate of  12       22  AC cord of  20       24  temperature switch of  20       26  power source of  20       28  housing of  10       30  top surface of  28       32  bottom surface of  28       34  wall of  28       36  handle grip of  28       38  electromagnet     40  switch of  38       42  AC cord     44  magnetic field of  38       46  on/off state visual indicator   

     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of an electromagnetic appliance for stovetop appliances. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the electromagnetic appliance of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustrative view of the electromagnetic appliance for stovetop appliances. 
         FIG. 4  is an illustrative view of the electromagnetic appliance for stovetop appliances. 
         FIG. 5  is an illustrative view of the electromagnetic appliance anchoring cookware to a hot plate burner element. 
         FIG. 6  is a cutaway view of the electromagnetic appliance in use. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention (and several variations of that embodiment). This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments, practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , shown is an illustrative view of an electromagnetic appliance for stovetop appliances. The present invention is a stove top  12  cookware anchor comprising an electromagnetic appliance  10  for magnetically holding metal cookware  16  to a stove surface element  14  to prevent movement of said cookware  16  during use. More specifically, the electromagnetic appliance  10  serves as an aid to prevent injury while using small tabletop hot plate cooking appliances  20 , including gas and electric appliances. The electromagnetic appliance  10 , having a switch  40  for engaging and disengaging the electromagnet  38 , is positioned on the appliance heating element  14 , where then the cookware  16  is placed on the electromagnetic plate  10  and the switch  40  actuated creating a magnetic field between the stove surface element  14  and the metal cookware  16 , which will prevent movement of the cookware. Turning the electromagnet  38  off via switch  40  allows removal of the metal cookware from the cooking appliance  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , shown is a perspective view of the electromagnetic appliance of the present invention. Shown is the electromagnetic appliance  10  for magnetically holding metal cookware to a stove surface element  14  to prevent movement of said cookware  16  during use. The electromagnetic appliance  10  comprises housing  28  having a top surface  30 , bottom surface  32  with peripheral wall  34  extending therebetween creating a compartment having electromagnet  38  within said compartment. Further providing handle  36  extending from sidewall  32  incorporating switch  40  for activating electromagnet  38  and indicator  46  serving as visual indicator for the electromagnetic appliance on/off state, having a switch  40  for engaging and disengaging the electromagnet  38 , is positioned on the appliance heating element  14 , where then the cookware  16  is placed on the electromagnetic plate  10  and the switch  40  actuated creating a magnetic field between the stove surface element  14  and the metal cookware  16 , which will prevent movement of the cookware. Turning the electromagnet  38  off via switch  40  allows removal of the metal cookware from the cooking appliance  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , shown is an illustrative view of the electromagnetic appliance for stovetop appliances. The present invention provides an electromagnetic appliance  10  having housing  28  comprising paramagnetic top surface  30 , paramagnetic bottom surface  32  with wall  34  encompassing a compartment having electromagnet  38  therein. Further provided is handle  36  having switch  40  and on/off visual indicator  46  with electrical lead  42  extending between an AC or DC power source and the electromagnet  38 . Illustrated is a hot plate  20  tabletop stove appliance  12  having AC cord  26 , power switch  22  and temperature selector control  24  with a top surface plug-in burner element  14 . Once the electromagnetic appliance is placed on a paramagnetic burner element  14  and energized through switch  40 , a magnetic field generated by electromagnet  38  holds the electromagnetic appliance to said burner element  14  until electromagnet  38  is powered off allowing removal of the electromagnetic appliance from the table top stove appliance  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , shown is an illustrative view of the electromagnetic appliance for stovetop appliances. As aforementioned, the electromagnetic appliance  10  has housing  28  comprising paramagnetic top surface  30 , paramagnetic bottom surface  32  with wall  34  encompassing a compartment having electromagnet  38  therein. Further provided is handle  36  having switch  40  and on/off visual indicator  46  with electrical lead  42  extending between an AC or DC power source and the electromagnet  38 . Illustrated is a hot plate  20  tabletop stove appliance  12  having AC cord  26 , power switch  22  and temperature selector control  24  with a top surface plug-in burner element  14 . Positioned on element  14  is the electromagnetic appliance  10  wherethen cookware  16  having paramagnetic base  18  is placed on the electromagnetic appliance  10  so that when switch  40  is activated a magnetic field, shown in  FIG. 6 , will hold the cookware to surface  30  until switch  40  is turned off. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , shown is an illustrative view of the electromagnetic appliance anchoring cookware to a hot plate burner element. Kitchen appliance stoves having burner elements or grates positioned over a heat source can be dangerous, not only to the general public use, but especially hazardous to young children and the elderly where injuries are higher than the general public. Many of these accidents occur through children grabbing stove top cookware handles spilling the cookware content on themselves and through cookware handles extending beyond the stove appliance where movement of the cookware can easily knock the cookware off the burner scalding or burning users. The present invention is designed to reduce the number of accidents, especially to small children and the elderly by providing an electromagnetic appliance that creates a magnetic field extending between a paramagnetic stove element and cookware placed on the electromagnetic appliance so that when the electromagnetic appliance is activated cookware will remain magnetically latch to kitchen appliance stove top elements. The electromagnetic appliance of the present invention provides an electromagnetic appliance  10  having housing  28  comprising paramagnetic top surface  30 , paramagnetic bottom surface  32  with wall  34  encompassing a compartment having electromagnet  38  therein. Further provided is handle  36  having switch  40  and on/off visual indicator  46  with electrical lead  42  extending between an AC or DC power source and the electromagnet  38 . Illustrated is a hot plate  20  tabletop stove appliance  12  having AC cord  26 , power switch  22  and temperature selector control  24  with a top surface plug-in burner element  14 . Once the electromagnetic appliance is placed on a paramagnetic burner element  14  and energized through switch  40 , a magnetic field generated by electromagnet  38  holds the electromagnetic appliance to said burner element  14  until electromagnet  38  is powered off allowing removal of the electromagnetic appliance from the table top stove appliance  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , shown is a cutaway view of the electromagnetic appliance in use. Illustrated is a stove appliance  12  having element  14  with electromagnetic appliance  10  placed on paramagnetic burner element  14  and cookware  16  having paramagnetic base  18  place on the electromagnetic appliance wherethen the electromagnet  38  is energized through switch  40 , a magnetic field generated by electromagnet  38  holds the electromagnetic appliance  10  to said burner element  14  until electromagnet  38  is powered off via switch  40  allowing removal of cookware  18  from the stove appliance  12 . 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.