Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD 
     The subject matter of the present application is in the field of batter-dipping pans of the type used in restaurant kitchens. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Commercial kitchens such as those in restaurants often employ large “flat bottom” fryers for frying foods like battered fish. Flat bottom fryers usually have an angled frying surface, shallower near the front edge and deepening gradually toward the rear of the fryer, with a raised front edge to help contain the oil as it expands during heating. A batter-dipping pan is commonly kept near the fryer, holding for example several quarts or more of batter in which food is dipped before frying. A common type of batter-dipping pan comprises a fairly deep rectangular stainless steel pan with an out-turned flange or lip extending around the upper end of the pan, well known to those skilled in the art. 
     It is important to keep the batter-dipping pan close to the fryer in order to minimize drips and spills as the battered food is removed from the pan and transferred to the fryer. However, because the fryer contains a significant amount of hot oil, it is also important to keep the dipping pan stable and in a location where the person dipping the food in the batter is protected from splash and heat. 
     One prior device is a batter-dipping pan holder supported on the front edge of the fryer in cantilever fashion. The prior holder comprised a rectangular frame with a rectangular opening sized to receive the body of the batter dipping pan, the lip of the batter dip pan resting on the outer frame or edge of the holder. While this prior holder was an improvement over earlier arrangements, it suffers some drawbacks, including difficulty in removing the pan for refills and cleaning; a tendency to allow too much heat to be transferred from the oil in the fryer to the holder and pan; and, because the holder juts out in front of the fryer, interference with the cook&#39;s ability to easily access utensils stored at the sides of the fryer. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     I have invented an improved batter-dipping pan holder for mounting at the front of a commercial fryer of the type used in restaurant kitchens. The inventive holder solves the problems of the prior known pan holder, with the following improvements. 
     The holder comprises a rectangular horizontal frame with an opening configured to receive and hold a batter-dipping pan; a rear hook edge spaced from a rear edge of the frame, and extending downwardly to hook over the raised front edge of a fryer; and generally triangular side brace panels extending downwardly from the sides of the frame to support the weight of the frame and pan against the front of the fryer. 
     The first improvement comprises frame sides wider than the width of the pan&#39;s upper side flanges, with finger holes or depressions formed in the upper side surfaces. An inner portion of each finger hole extends into an inner pan-supporting portion of the respective upper side surface covered by the pan&#39;s flange, and an outer portion of each finger hole remains exposed on an outer free portion of the respective upper side surface. The finger holes allow a pan to be lifted easily and evenly out of the frame, especially important when the pan is full. 
     The second improvement comprises a utensil holder formed in the triangular side brace of the pan holder, comprising an upwardly bent or curved hook extending outwardly from the side brace. In the preferred form the utensil hook is formed from an outwardly-bent tab partially cut from the side brace, leaving an opening in the side brace underneath the utensil hook, which in the case of a metal pan holder helps keep the utensil hook and any utensils therein cool. 
     The third improvement comprises a perforated rear hook edge, with holes or slots that reduce heat transfer and promote draining of oil. In the preferred form, the rear hook edge has a discontinuous bottom edge, for example formed by slots or perforations that leave the solid portions of the bottom edge spaced from each other with air between them. 
     All portions of the inventive pan holder can be formed from a flat metal blank, making it economical and efficient to produce. 
     These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a known type of commercial fryer, and a batter dipping pan holder according to the invention secured to the fryer&#39;s front edge and holding a batter dipping pan. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but shows a batter-dipping pan exploded from the holder. 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but further shows the holder in exploded assembly view relative to the fryer. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective enlarged view of the holder of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a flat metal blank from which the holder of  FIG. 1  is formed. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are top plan views of flat metal blanks from which a holder similar to that of  FIG. 1  can be formed, with the modification of a perforated rear hook edge shown in two alternate forms. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of a detail of the pan holder of  FIG. 7  where it engages the front edge of the fryer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a restaurant or commercial fryer  10  of known type is illustrated schematically. Fryer  10  is a generally shallow fryer used to fry items such as battered fish filets in hot oil. Fryer  10  has a front face  11 , a cooking surface  12 , some or all of which is typically flat, a rear edge  14 , sides  16 , and a raised front edge  18 . Cooking surface  12  is often angled or tapered downwardly from front edge  18  to rear edge  14 , so that the oil is deeper toward the rear of the fryer and shallower toward the front of the fryer. This allows the cook to adjust the cooking depth for different pieces of food. 
     In some fryers the raised front edge  18  might comprise an oil-redirecting channel at the front edge of cooking surface  12  as shown in  FIG. 1A , rather than a raised wall as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and it should be understood that the invention is applicable to both types, since the front of the fryer would still have a raised front edge  18  raised relative to the bottom of any such channel. The thickness of the front edge  18  of the fryer may vary. 
     A pan holder according to the present invention is generally shown at  20 , configured to hold a batter-dipping pan  120  of known type against the front edge of fryer  10 . Batter-dipping pan  120  is typically formed of stainless steel or similar food-safe metal, has a peripheral lip or flange  121  extending around its upper end, and may hold a quantity of batter on the order of several quarts or more. 
     Pan holder  20  in the illustrated example is formed from a similar food-safe metal such as stainless steel. As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the pan holder  20  includes an opening  23  sized to receive the body of pan  120  therethrough, and a pan-holding frame  22  forming a generally flat horizontal support for the upper flange  121  on pan  120 . Frame  22  includes a rear edge  24 , sides  26 , and a front edge  28  with an optional downturned lip  29 . Frame  22  and opening  23  are illustrated as rectangular in the example, corresponding to the shape of typical batter-dipping pans such as  120 , but it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations in the shape of the pan and holder are possible. 
     Pan holder  20  further includes a rear fryer hook edge  30 , comprising a downturned flange of metal spaced from the innermost end  24   a  of rear edge  24  of frame  22  and generally at right angles to the horizontal plane of frame  22 . Fryer hook edge  30  generally has a height equal to or less than the front raised edge  18  of the fryer  10  with which it is used, for example on the order of two inches. The spacing of rear hook edge  30  from the rear edge  24  and/or the side bracing panels described below may vary according to the thickness of the front edge  18  of the fryer. 
     Pan holder  20  further includes side brace panels  40 , in the illustrated example having a generally triangular shape, with longer bases  42  tapering toward a point or shorter front edge  44  to provide clearance for a cook&#39;s legs when standing near the fryer. The rear edges of side braces  40  are spaced from the fryer hook edge  30  a distance corresponding approximately to the distance between the raised front edge  18  and the front face  11  of fryer  10 , in order to brace frame  22  as closely as possible to actual horizontal when attached to the fryer. Due to the differences in the dimensions of different fryers, in particular the thickness of front edge  18 , there may be some variation from horizontal in the attached position of the frame  22 , provided that batter does not spill over the sides of the pan  120  in holder  20 . 
     The upper horizontal sides  26  of frame  22  are provided with finger holes  50 , in the illustrated example openings or depressions cut or stamped from the metal of the frame. Whether finger holes  50  are formed as depressions or actual holes through the upper surface of sides  26  will depend on preference and on the thickness of the metal. Sides  26  have a width greater than the width of the corresponding side portions  121   a  of flange  121  on pan  120 , such that each side includes an inner pan-holding portion  26   a  shown to the inside of the dotted line P marking the edge of pan flange  121 , and an outer free portion  26   b  shown to the outside of dotted line P. Finger holes accordingly  50  have inner ends  52  that extend into the inner pan-holding portions  26   a  of frame sides  22 , and outer ends  54  that extend into the outer free portions  26   b  of frame sides  22 . Inner ends  52  of the finger holes may be extended to interrupt the inner side of the frame side  22 , although it is preferred that the holes leave a significant width of uninterrupted metal on either side so that the strength of the sides  22  is not compromised. 
     When pan  120  is held in frame  22 , as best shown in  FIG. 1 , the outer ends  54  of finger holes  50  are exposed so that a finger or utensil can be inserted under the flange  121  of the pan. This allows a cook to easily and evenly lift pan  120  from holder  20 , even with gloved or mitted fingers, without having to tilt the pan and possibly spill batter. 
     It will be understood that while two finger holes  50  are illustrated in the example, one hole on each side of the frame, the number and size of finger holes  50  can vary. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , side braces  40  are equipped with utensil holding tabs or hooks  60 , in the illustrated example formed by bending three-sided tabs cut from the sheet metal of the side braces and remaining attached at their base ends  60   b . Hooks  60  are generally upwardly-bent, -angled, or -curved members sized to receive and hold utensils commonly used for frying. The preferred, illustrated construction leaves a large opening  61  in the brace metal directly underneath each hook  60 , and only a relatively small area of connection between the body of hook  60  and side brace  40 , helping the hooks  60  and any utensils therein to stay cool. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in the preferred form pan holder  20  is stamped, cut, and/or formed from a flat blank of metal  100  shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring next to  FIGS. 6-8 , pan holder  20  is shown with modified fryer hook edges  130  ( FIG. 6 ) and  230  ( FIG. 7 ) at the rear of the pan holder  20 . Fryer hook edge  130  in  FIG. 6  has a continuous lower edge  32 , while the body of the hook edge includes a plurality of perforations or holes  34  that do not interrupt lower edge  32 . Fryer hook edge  230  in  FIG. 7  is provided with a discontinuous lower edge  32  interrupted by alternating openings  38  between tabs or portions of metal  36 . In the illustrated example, interruptions  38  are formed by generally rectangular open-ended slots removed from the metal of hook edge  230 . The size, spacing, and shape of the interruptions may vary, however, and may include rounded, triangular, and other shapes of varying contour and depth such as waves or scallops, which can all be considered “slots” or removed portions of the metal in between solid portions of metal at the lower edge  32 . Holes  34  and interruptions  38  reduce the surface area of hook edges  130 ,  230  exposed to expanding hot oil at the front edge of the fryer, as shown for example in  FIG. 8 , and help keep the metal pan holder  20  cooler. For example, the metal surface area of the hook edge  130 ,  230  should preferably be significantly reduced by the slots/discontinuous edge/perforations  34 ,  38 , for example on the order of 25% or more. Also, the slots and/or perforations should extend over a majority of the height of the hook edge  130 ,  230  from its lowermost edge toward the junction with rear holder edge  24 , without weakening the junction. Further, lower edge interruptions  38  help drain oil from hook edge  230  as the hot oil in the fryer cools and contracts, or when the pan holder  20  is lifted from the fryer. 
     Description of Operation 
     In operation, pan holder  20  is used by attaching it to the front edge  18  of fryer  10 , by securing hook edge  30  over the raised front edge  18  on the fryer, and lowering the rear edges  42  of side braces  40  into contact with the front face  11  of the fryer. Batter-dipping pan  120  can then be placed in frame  22  for convenient access to the batter when frying food. Utensils used for frying can be handily stored on utensil hooks  60  on the sides of holder  20 . When it is desired to replace or refill batter-dipping pan  120 , it is easily removed from holder  20  without tilting by inserting fingers into the outer exposed portions of finger holes  50  in the sides  26  of frame  22 , and evenly lifting the pan from the frame. 
     It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention should accordingly be construed by what the above disclosure teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and by any claims that the above disclosure supports in this application or in any other application claiming priority to this application.

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