Electric heating – Microwave heating – Cookware
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-30
2001-05-29
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Microwave heating
Cookware
C219S730000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239417
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to utensils for serving frozen confections, and more particularly, to ice cream scoops which can be heated in a microwave oven.
It is often awkward and requires considerable effort to scoop cold and hard ice cream from its container utilizing conventional ice cream scoops. However, it is known the scooping process can be facilitated by heating the ice cream scoop so that the heated portion of the ice cream scoop will act to melt the hard ice cream it contacts, thereby making it easier for a person to scoop the ice cream. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,520 discloses an ice cream scoop that contains an interior fluid passage having an outlet for heated fluid transfer. A disadvantage with this device is that it is not a practical method for consumer use. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,992,604, 4,553,921 and 5,000,672 each disclose electrically heated ice cream scoops with heating elements disposed inside the scoop or bowl portion. The disadvantage with these devices is that they may pose electrical hazards when powered by 110VAC in addition to the inconvenience of having to fumble with a power cord. Furthermore, the initial warm up will often be slow since an internal resistance heating element must first be heated, then that element heat passed through an insulating layer to the scoop surface. If batteries are used with electric scoop devices, the warm-up time would be even longer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,832 discloses an ice cream scoop that may be heated with the hot air generated by a butane lighter. A disadvantage with that device is that it is awkward and inconvenient, it requires an open flame and furthermore, the lighter can tend to easily overheat the scoop.
Accordingly, there is a need for an ice cream scoop which facilitates convenient, rapid and safe heating of the bowl-shaped scoop portion of the utensil. There is also a need for providing a method for constructing such an ice cream scoop inexpensively and efficiently.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a serving utensil, which in a preferred embodiment is in the form of an ice cream scoop that can be heated in a conventional or home microwave oven to facilitate scooping a frozen confection from a container. The serving utensil includes a bowl portion formed from a substantially rigid material which absorbs microwave energy and converts the microwave energy to heat, and a handle portion, attached to the bowl portion, and formed from a material which does not appreciably absorb microwave energy.
In a preferred embodiment, the handle portion has a recess on its upper side, adjacent to the bowl portion, adapted to receive a user's thumb; and the handle portion also has a laterally extending groove on its underside, longitudinally aligned with the recess to receive a user's index finger. It is important that these ergonomic elements are positioned in the non-microwave absorbing handle portion so that the user does not have to touch the heated portion of the scoop when scooping ice cream.
In use, the utensil is placed within a microwave oven and subjected to microwave energy for a predetermined period of time. Because only the bowl portion includes microwave absorbing material, only the bowl portion will become heated. Once the heating process is finished, the utensil can be removed from the oven by its relatively cool handle portion and used to serve ice cream easily and efficiently because the heated portion softens the ice cream it contacts, thus facilitating the scooping action with enhanced lubrication and reduced force.
Preferably, the underside of the handle portion also includes a plurality of nubs, spaced from the bowl portion, the thumb recess and the index finger groove, which enhance the grip of the handle portion. The underside of the handle segment preferably also includes a second transverse extending groove, adjacent to the index finger groove and opposite the bowl portion., which is adapted to receive at least the user's middle finger. A finger grip separates the two grooves and is shaped to be gripped by the index finger during scooping, thereby reducing the effort required to grip the scoop effectively and increasing the amount of leverage which may be applied by the user.
The handle portion also preferably includes a substantially longitudinally-extending bore extending into the forward end of the handle portion, and the bowl portion includes a plug received within and bonded to the longitudinally-extending bore of the handle portion, thereby improving the durability of the attachment between the handle portion and the bowl portion. The plug extending from handle portion preferably includes a plurality of radially extending ribs which increase the surface area of the plug, thereby facilitating a better bond between the bowl portion and the handle portion and also improving heat dissipation from the bowl portion into the handle portion. The plug preferably is cruciform in cross-section and is mechanically bonded to the handle portion within the bore by injection molding the handle portion over the plug of the bowl portion. The plug of the bowl portion may also be bonded to the handle portion, within the bore of the handle portion, using an adhesive.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for constructing a serving utensil for serving frozen confections comprises the steps of: (a) providing a bowl segment of a substantially rigid material which absorbs microwave energy and converts the microwave energy to heat, where the bowl portion includes a plug extending outwardly from a radial side of the bowl portion; and (b) injection molding a non-microwave absorbing, thermoplastic handle over the plug of the bowl portion. Preferably, the bowl portion is molded from a microwave absorbing, acetal polymer material. Furthermore, the step of molding the bowl portion may also include a step of introducing a filler material into the microwave-absorbing, acetal polymer material so as to slow the heating rate and to increase the melting point of the microwave-absorbing bowl portion.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for constructing a serving utensil for serving frozen confections that comprises the steps of: (a) providing a bowl portion of a substantially rigid material which absorbs microwave energy and converts it to heat, where the bowl portion includes a plug extending outwardly from a radial side thereof; (b) providing a handle portion of a substantially rigid, non-microwave absorbing material, which substantially restricts the absorption of microwave energy, where the handle portion includes a substantially axially extending bore extending into a longitudinal end thereof; and (c) bonding the plug of the bowl portion within the bore of the handle portion. This bonding step can be performed by injection molding the handle portion over the plug extending from the bowl portion or can occur by including the step of applying an adhesive material between the plug and the bowl portion and the bore of the handle portion.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a serving utensil for dispensing frozen confections that allows quick, efficient and safe heating of the bowl portion of the utensil, while providing an ergonomic handle which remains substantially cool to the touch; a microwave heated serving utensil that is rugged in construction; a microwave heated serving utensil that is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct; and a microwave heated ice cream scoop, where the handle is constructed to provide optimum gripping and leverage for a user. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 184076 (1958-12-01), Wheaton
patent: D. 186853 (1959-12-01), Reichow
patent: D. 242976 (1977-01-01), Mason
patent: D. 293966 (1988-02-01), Baungratz
patent: D. 294101 (1988-02-01), Steinko
patent: D. 305852 (1990-02-01), Clement et al.
patent: D. 312749 (1990-12-01
Rheinish Robert S.
Rimback Peter
Vidmar James F.
Wang Yading
Hanover Catalog Holdings, Inc.
Thompson Hine & Flory LLP
Van Quang
Walberg Teresa
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