초록 ▼

The preferred embodiment comprises an improved pan (20) (FIG. 1) that can also be used as a steaming utensil on top of an ordinary pot; the pan comprises a receptacle (30) that has a flat bottom (32) and a side wall (34) whose top edge has a chord-truncated circular shape and a flange (42). The area

The preferred embodiment comprises an improved pan (20) (FIG. 1) that can also be used as a steaming utensil on top of an ordinary pot; the pan comprises a receptacle (30) that has a flat bottom (32) and a side wall (34) whose top edge has a chord-truncated circular shape and a flange (42). The area defined by the chord-truncated circular shape is made as large as desired without voiding access to the pot below and without increasing the predetermined radius of the receptacle. The above preferred embodiment can also have a multiplicity of holes (33) in the bottom (FIG. 9). The preferred embodiment is not restricted to an outer pot of given radius; it can be used on top of a variety of pots with radii within a determined range. The combination of the pan and the pot below behaves effectively as a double-compartment vessel. If the lid of the pot below is placed on top of the flange, the steam is substantially diverted toward the receptacle. Thus, the non-perforated preferred embodiment supersedes conventional pans and steamers by giving substantially identical performance thereover while additionally having: (a) a unique, eye-catching design, (b) the functionality of a double-boiler (careful heating of sauces or steaming of vegetables in the receptacle while boiling another substance in the pot below), and (c) an optimal capacity without voiding access to the pot below. In spite of its novel form, all the above multi-functionality is embedded within the familiar shape of a pan. The simple, yet unique, design of the invention, together with its universality of use, has important implications for the marketing of cookware sets whose pan of smallest capacity has been substituted by the pan of the present invention.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A cooking utensil comprising:(a) a receptacle, said receptacle having a volume capacity, said receptacle comprising a bottom wall, and a side wall joined to said bottom wall, said side wall having a top edge, said top edge having a predetermined shape, said predetermined shape bein

[ We claim:] [1.] A cooking utensil comprising:(a) a receptacle, said receptacle having a volume capacity, said receptacle comprising a bottom wall, and a side wall joined to said bottom wall, said side wall having a top edge, said top edge having a predetermined shape, said predetermined shape being substantially a chord-truncated circular shape, said predetermined shape having a predetermined first radius, said predetermined shape having a predetermined first area, said predetermined first area being larger than a semi-circular area having the first radius, so that when said cooking utensil can be inserted on top of an ordinary pot, said receptacle and said ordinary pot define passageway means for attaining access to said ordinary pot, and(b) support means for supporting said receptacle in stable mechanical equilibrium on top of said ordinary pot, said support means being connected to said side wall,whereby, when a human uses said cooking utensil on top of said ordinary pot, said cooking utensil and said ordinary pot define a multi-compartment cooking vessel that is able to carry out the following two processes simultaneously, boiling of either water, or of water and a first edible substance or food in the ordinary pot, said boiling producing a steam or water vapor phase, and heating of a second edible substance in the utensil using said steam, said multi-compartment cooking vessel having all the benefits of steam cooking and boil cooking plus a plurality of advantages (I) concomitant to the passageway means, said plurality of advantages attained without said human lifting said cooking utensil from said ordinary pot, and comprising (I.1) said human being able to effectively stir said food in said ordinary pot, (I.2) said human being able to control the risk of having water spill from said ordinary pot by adjusting the power source, (I.3) said human being able to add other edible substances to said ordinary pot during the boiling, andwhereby said human gets an additional advantage (II) of a volume capacity not restricted unnecessarily, for said predetermined area is larger than the semi-circular area, yet the passageway means provides access to the ordinary pot, with advantages (I) concomitant thereto.