Cutlery – Spoons – Perforated
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-19
2003-04-22
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3724)
Cutlery
Spoons
Perforated
C030S326000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06550146
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the general field of cooking utensils and is particularly concerned with a sieving ladle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There exists a plurality of situations wherein it is desirable to separate solids or coarse particles from liquids or finer particles. Examples of such situations are commonly found in the cooking field. Typical examples of this include separating fat from a liquid, separating two different components of a liquid of different specific gravities, or separating a liquid from solid objects floating thereon. It is also often desirable to separate similar materials contained within a ladle, a spoon or the like.
The basic process of separating materials is typically by pouring the overlying material off which is often impractical or by scooping and/or skimming it off. For this purpose, spoons, cups and ladles have been proposed. Such maneuvers all depend on careful manipulations and usually require manual dexterity.
The traditional kitchen ladle is a deep-bowled long handled spoon for serving liquid, solid mixtures such as soups, gravy, stews or fruit punch. The ladle ensures that the liquid and solids portions of the mixture are served together. The conventional ladle is incapable of serving the liquid only or the solids only from the liquid-solid mixtures. Solids can be removed from a liquid-solid mixture by using a perforated strainer or spoon. The strainer is, however, incapable of serving the liquid only from the liquid-solid mixture. For example, with respect to fruit punches, most people would prefer not to have solids in their drinks. In other situations, for example, it may be necessary to serve only broth from soup or only solids such as eggs from an egg bath.
Separating devices have been proposed in the prior art but they suffer from major drawbacks including lack of ergonometric features and considerable complexity. Also, and most importantly, they are particularly not well adapted for allowing liquid-solid separations in and out of the ladle. In other words, while some prior art devices may allow separation of solids from liquids when the mixtures contained within the ladle bowl they are unsuited for allowing liquid-solid separation for mixtures located outside the ladle and that must be filtered within the latter.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved sieving ladle.
Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed sieving ladle can be used both as a regular ladle for serving liquid-solid mixtures and as a sieving implement allowing sieving of liquid-solid mixtures either into or out of the ladle bowl. The proposed sieving ladle thus allows an intended user not only to separate the liquid-solid mixture as it is being poured out of the ladle bowl with the solids remaining thereunto but also allows an intended user to separate a liquid-solid mixture located outside of the ladle bowl leaving the solids outside of the bowl and allowing the liquids to flow thereunto. The sieving ladle can thus be used both as a strainer and as a skimmer.
The sieving ladle is specifically configured so that when it is used in its strainer mode it ensures that the solids being filtered remain within the bowl even when the ladle is tilted considerably so as to allow easy flow of the liquid therefrom through the sieving portion of the ladle. Conversely, the proposed sieving ladle is configured so as to reduce the risks of having solid particles enter the bowl when the ladle is used in its skimmer mode. The specific configuration of the bowl, allows the ladle to be positioned in an angled relationship relative to the surface of the mixture being sieved with minimal bulging of the bowl into the mixture and thus reduced risks of unwanted mixture spillage into the bowl.
The proposed sieving ladle is provided with a set of ergonomic features adapted to facilitate handling thereof. Furthermore, its handle section is provided with a built-in hooking section for facilitating hooking of the sieving ladle both to the peripheral edge of cooking containers and to storage hooks when not in use.
The sieving ladle is optionally provided with integral relative sharp edges for allowing the implement to be used for other functions such as scraping or light cutting.
The sieving ladle is specifically configured so as to be manufacturable using conventional forms of manufacturing so as to provide a ladle which will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a sieving ladle for allowing separation of solids or coarse material from liquids or fine particles, the sieving ladle comprising a generally concave-shaped bowl, the bowl defining a bowl wall, the bowl wall having a bowl wall peripheral edge, the bowl wall peripheral edge defining an open main surface extending therebetween; a handle extending from the concave-shaped bowl; a sieving wall, the sieving wall defining a sieving wall proximal edge, a sieving wall distal edge, a sieving wall proximal segment and a sieving wall distal segment, the sieving wall proximal segment extending generally tangentially from a connecting section of the wall peripheral edge, the sieving wall having sieving apertures extending therethrough.
Preferably, the sieving wall is curved inwardly so that the sieving wall distal segment overlies the open main surface. Conveniently, the connecting section has a generally curved configuration so that the sieving wall proximal segment has a generally rounded configuration curved about two distinct curving axis.
Preferably, the sieving wall has the general configuration of a rounded symmetrical section of a sphere. Conveniently, the sieving wall distal edge lies in a first intersecting geometrical plane, the first intersecting geometrical plane being in an angled relationship relative to the open main surface.
Preferably, the bowl wall peripheral edge has a generally circular configuration. Conveniently, the bowl wall peripheral edge has a generally oval configuration. Preferably, the bowl wall defines a main bowl wall section and an auxiliary bowl wall section, the main bowl wall section having a generally dome-shaped configuration, the auxiliary bowl wall section having a generally flat configuration.
Conveniently, intersection between the main bowl wall section and the auxiliary bowl wall section, defines a relatively sharp intersection edge. Preferably, the main bowl wall section has a generally hemi-spherical configuration. Conveniently, the auxiliary bowl wall section is positioned generally proximal the connecting section.
Preferably, the auxiliary bowl wall section extends in a second intersecting geometrical plane, the second intersecting geometrical plane being in a generally parallel relationship with the first intersecting geometrical plane. Conveniently, the first and second intersecting geometrical planes both form a plane angle having a value substantially in the range of 45 degrees with the open main surface.
Preferably, the bowl peripheral edge defines a pouring spout, the pouring spout being positioned in a generally diametrically opposed relationship relative to the handle. Conveniently, the sieving wall proximal edge extends from a positioned adjacent the handle to a position adjacent the pouring spout. Preferably, the sieving wall proximal edge merges integrally with the connecting section.
Conveniently, the handle defines a proximal handle spacing segment extending from the bowl, a handle grasping segment extending integrally and distally from the handle spacing segment and a handle hooking segment extending integrally from a distal end of the handle grasping segment, the handle spacing segment extending generally tangentially from the bowl wall, the handle grasping segment extending generally in a coaxial relationship with the handle spacing segment and the handle hooking segment extending in a generally parallel relationship with the open main surface.
In accordance with the present invention, the
Choi Stephen
Shoap Allan N.
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