Receptacles – Drain pan or drip pan – With article drying support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-25
2001-08-21
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Drain pan or drip pan
With article drying support
C220S023860
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276555
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of specialized containers in general, and in particular to a container that will both store and drain moisturizer from washed salad components.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,605,433; 3,710,589; 4,351,164; 4,520,633, and 5,345,784, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse storage containers having a separate fluid compartment.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical container that will provide storage, as well as a segregated drainage compartment for freshly washed salad components such as leafy vegetables, celery, tomatoes and the like.
As most people are aware, it is always advisable to wash pesticides and dirt from the surface of salad mixings for obvious health reasons. However, the washing process also deposits a significant amount of moisture on the salad ingredients which will invariably dilute the salad dressing unless the salad ingredients are properly drained or subjected to other drying processes such as spinning, or patting dry with paper towels.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved type of storage container for salad ingredients that will allow the freshly washed ingredients to be simultaneously drained and air dried in a chilled environment to keep the ingredients fresh and crisp up until the time that they are mixed in a salad, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the salad storage and drainage device that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a lower base unit, an upper lid unit, and a reversible intermediate drainage unit that is releasably connected to both the upper lid unit and the lower base unit to produce a variety of drainage configurations of the device.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the drainage unit includes a drainage member having sidewalls that can sealingly engage the interior surfaces of both the base unit and the lid unit, and an apertured floor panel that will support the freshly washed salad ingredients above the base unit so that water droplets can collect within a liquid reservoir formed within the base unit.
In addition, the lid unit has a much larger volume capacity that the base unit and is further designed to form an extension of the storage chamber created by the lid unit and the drainage member when the apertured floor panel is disposed on the lower end of the drainage member.
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Henderson & Sturm LLP
Moy Joseph M.
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