KITCHEN AND TABLE-WARE FOR STEAM COOKING

VAISSELLE DE TABLE ET DE CUISINE POUR LA CUISSON A LA VAPEUR

English Abstract

The utensil consists of wall elements (1), separate baskets (2) for insertion
therein and
associated serving plates (3), into which the baskets (2) can also be
inserted. The wall
elements (1) have a top handling edge (4), and their bottom edge has an
indentation (5) all
round the outside so that the wall elements (1) can be stacked together with
identical wall
elements (1). In the vicinity of the bottom edge there is a rim (7) on the
inside of the wall
elements (1). The associated baskets (2) have a perforated or slotted bottom
(10), are made
from chromium-nickel steel and have a perpendicular edge (8) with a horizontal
rim (9).
They can be inserted by means of this edge onto a rim (7) inside the wall
elements (1). They
have two folding handle attachments (11) for this purpose. In the separate
serving plates (3)
there is a recess (13) into which the baskets (2) made of chromium-nickel
steel can be
snugly inserted.

French Abstract

La vaisselle décrite comprend des parois (1) qui forment un récipient, des plateaux séparés (2) à insérer dans le récipient et des plateaux à servir (3) correspondants dans lesquels les plateaux séparés (2) peuvent être également insérés. Les parois (1) formant un récipient sont pourvues d'un bord supérieur de saisie (4) et leur bord inférieur est pourvu tout autour d'une gorge (5) qui permet d'empiler les parois (1) sur d'autres parois similaires (1). Une bordure saillante (7) est façonnée sur la face intérieure des parois (1) dans la zone de leur bord inférieur. Les plateaux correspondants (2) ont un fond perforé ou troué (8), sont faits en acier au nickel-chrome et présentent un bord vertical (8) avec une bordure saillante horizontale (9) qui s'appuie sur la bordure saillante (7) des parois (1) lorsque les plateaux sont insérés dans les parois. A cet effet, les plateaux sont pourvus de deux anses rabattables (11). Les plateaux séparés à servir (3) sont pourvus d'une dépression (13) dans laquelle les plateaux (2) en acier au nickel-chrome s'adaptent parfaitement.

Claims

6
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. A utensil for steam-cooking and serving, the utensil comprising:
a plurality of wall elements, a plurality of baskets for one insertion in and
assembly on
the wall elements, each of the baskets having one of a perforated and a
slotted bottom
and a plurality of handles on edges of the baskets, the wall elements being
stackable one
of on top of each other and in alternation with the baskets and a plurality of
serving plates
with a recess, wherein the baskets can be snugly inserted in the serving
plates.
2. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the baskets have two of the plurality of
handles
projecting outwardly and can be assembled snugly on a top edge of one of the
wall
elements so that a bottom edge of each of the wall elements fits snugly on one
of the
baskets so that the alternately stacked wall elements and the baskets form a
steam-tight
stack.
3. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the wall elements have a top handling edge
with a
bottom edge indentation all round an outside of the wall elements so that the
wall
elements can be stacked on top of each other, in a vicinity of the bottom edge
there is a
first rim on an inside of the wall elements, the baskets have a horizontal rim
insertable in
the wall elements in such a way that the horizontal rim rests on the first rim
of the wall
element, and the baskets have two folding handle attachments.
4. The utensil of claim 3, wherein the handles on the baskets are pivotably
disposed
opposite each other at two sets of points in a basket edge of one of the
baskets so that
when the one basket is inserted in one of the wall elements, the handles are
folded down
outwardly towards the basket edge and follow a contour of the one basket.
5. The utensil of claim 1, wherein the wall elements have a top handling edge
with a
bottom edge indentation all round an outside of the wall elements so that the
wall
elements can be stacked on top of each other, in a vicinity of the bottom edge
there is a
first rim on an inside of the wall elements, the baskets have a horizontal rim
insertable in
the wall elements in such a way that the horizontal rim rests on the first rim
of the wall

7
element, and the baskets have a plurality of inwardly directed handles on an
edge of each
of the baskets.
6. The utensil of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wall elements are made
from
a transparent, shock-resistant plastic and the baskets and the handles are
made from a
chromium-nickel steel.
7. The utensil of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the serving plates are
made from
a ceramic material and the baskets fit into the recess in the serving plates
so that a
horizontal rim of each of the baskets is flush with a top edge of the recess
in the serving
plates.
8. The utensil of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the serving plates are
made from
wood and the baskets fit into the recess in the serving plates so that a
horizontal rim of
each of the baskets is flush with a top edge of the recess in the serving
plates.
9. The utensil of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the serving plates are
made from
stone and the baskets fit into the recess in the serving plates so that a
horizontal rim of
each of the baskets is flush with a top edge of the recess in the serving
plates.
10. The utensil of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the serving plates are
made from
plastic and the baskets fit into the recess in the serving plates so that a
horizontal rim of
each of the baskets is flush with a top edge of the recess in the serving
plates.

Description

CA 02244943 2005-12-13
1
Kitchen and Table-Ware For Steam Cooking
This invention relafes to a utensil for steam-cooking and serving food. Gentle
steam-
cooking enhances the flavour of the food, preserves the vitamins and nutrients
in the food,
and reduces cooking times. But despite the fact that cooking in rising steam
is very easy and
beneficial, it is a technique that is usually only used by very well equipped
kitchen chefs.
There are, however, a number of prior art systems designed to allow the use of
this healthy
cooking method in private households, too. The systems in question are steam
cookers
comprising an electric evaporator and several chromium-nickel steel baskets
for assembly
on top of it. The flat bottom of each chromium-nickel steel basket is
perforated so that the
steam can rise up through the baskets. The baskets, which are round or oval in
a plan view,
have an approximately perpendicular side wall which is formed into a
horizontal, outwardly
directed edge at the top which serves as a means of grasping the basket. The
bottom edge
of the basket, i.e. where the side wall runs into the flat, perforated bottom,
has ~ an
indentation all round the outside so that several identical baskets can be
stacked on top of
each other. The evaporator unit itself comprises a die-cast aluminium liquid
reservoir which
is open at the top and an electric heating device. These elements of the
evaporator are
accommodated in a housing made from e.g. a thermoplastic. One or several
chromium-
nickel steel baskets is or are then placed on top of this housing, with the
topmost basket
being closed by a lid. The lid is advantageously made from glass or a
transparent, shock=
resistant plastic so that the food in the top basket is visible. To operate
the steam cooker,
the liquid reservoir, which can hold about 1 to 2 litres of water, is filled
and the electric
heating device is then turned on. The water then evaporates slowly and the
steam rises

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2
upwards through the perforated bottoms of the baskets containing the food to
be cooked. A
buzzer built into the evaporator emits an acoustic signal when the water boils
dry and the
electric heating device is switched off. As soon as the food is cooked, the
baskets are
removed from the evaporator and the food can then be served.
A prior art fish cooker also exists, with an additional insertable perforated
bottom on which
the fish is cooked. The fish cooker forms an elongated pan with a lid, and the
additional
bottom can be lifted in and out of the pan by means of two pivoting handling
attachments.
Before serving, the fish is lifted off the additional bottom and arranged on a
serving plate.
The problem of the systems described above is that before serving, the food
always has to
be lifted out of the hot baskets and arranged on a separate serving plate, or
on dinner plates.
This is a delicate process because the cooked food tends to disintegrate. It
also takes up
valuable time, during which the food inevitably grows cold.
The task, therefore, of this invention is to provide a utensil for steam-
cooking and serving,
which can be used both for cooking and for serving the cooked food immediately
afterwards, thereby eliminating the need to lift the food off the perforated
bottom of the
basket used in the steam cooker.
This task is solved by a utensil for steam-cooking and serving .
Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides a utensil for steam-cooking
and
serving, the utensil comprising a plurality of wall elements, a plurality of
baskets for one
insertion in and assembly on the wall elements, each of the baskets having one
of a
perforated and a slotted bottom and a plurality of handles on edges of the
baskets, the
wall elements being stackable one of on top of each other and in alternation
with the
baskets and a plurality of serving plates with a recess, wherein the baskets
can be snugly
inserted in the serving plates.

CA 02244943 2005-12-13
2a
The drawings show
Figure l: a partial section of the three different elements of the utensil for
steam-
cooking and serving;
Figure 2: a partial section of another variant of the three different elements
of the
utensil for steam-cooking and serving;

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Figure 3: a partial section viewed from the side of several transparent wall
elements
with inserted baskets, assembled on top of an evaporator in operation;
Figure 4: A basket being lifted out of a viall element;
Figure 5: A basket with inwardly directed handling edges;
Figure 6: A basket inserted in an associated serving plate.
Figure 1 shows the three basic elements of the utensil for steam-cooking and
serving
according to the invention, namely the wall elements l, the baskets 2 with
perforated or
slotted bottom 10 and an associated serving plate 3. The wall elements 1,
which are made
from transparent, shock-resistant plastic, have an outwardly directed rim at
the top which
forms a handling edge 4 for the purpose of grasping the wall element 1. The
bottom edge
portion of the wall elements 1 has an indentation all round the outside, which
is designed so
that the outer dimension of the bottom edge coincides with the inner dimension
of baskets
2, so that the wall elements 1 can be stacked up with the baskets 2 in-
between. The baskets
2 have a perpendicular edge 8, which is bent outwards horizontally at the top,
thereby
forming an outwardly projecting rim 9. Furthermore, baskets 2 have a
perforated or slotted
bottom 10. The outer dimension of baskets 2 coincides with the inner dimension
of wall
elements 1 in such a way that the rims 9 of the baskets 2 inserted in wall
elements 1 rest
snugly on top of the rims 4 of the wall elements 1. In this way a steam-tight
stack can be
built up from a number of alternately assembled wall elements 1 and baskets 2.
The baskets
2 are advantageously made from chromium-nickel steel, because this material
remains
neutral with respect to the food during cooking. In the version of the baskets
2 shown here,
handles 18 are disposed at two opposite points on the projecting basket rim 9.
Serving plates 3 are provided to receive the baskets 2 when not inside the
utensil, and for
serving. These serving plates 3 have a recess 13 in which the baskets 2 can be
snugly
inserted, with the rim 9 of baskets 2 lying flush with the top edge 14 of
recess 13 in serving
plates 3. Suitable materials for manufacturing the serving plates 3 are
ceramic, an
appropriate stone or plastic, or even wood.

CA 02244943 1998-07-30
4
Figure 2 shows an alternative variant for the three elements of the utensil
for steam-cooking
and serving according to the invention. Here, the wall elements 1 made from
transparent,
shock-resistant plastic are bent outwards along their top edge to form a
handling edge 4
which serves as a means of grasping the wall element 1. The bottom edge
portion of the
wall elements I has an indentation 5 all round the outside, which is designed
so that the
outer dimension of the bottom edge coincides with the inner dimension of wall
elements 1,
so that wall elements of the same size can be stacked up. If two or more such
wall elements
1 are stacked on top of each other, then the indentation 5 of the upper wall
element rests on
the inside edge 6 of the handling edge 4 of the wall element underneath. In
the vicinity of
the bottom edge of wall element 1 there is an inside rim 7, which serves as a
support for a
basket 2 that can be inserted in wall element 1. Instead of a continuous rim,
a rim in the
form of several supporting elements projecting from the wall element could
also be used.
Baskets 2 have a perpendicular edge 8, which is bent horizontally outwards at
the top,
thereby forming an outwardly projecting rim 9. Furthermore, baskets 2 have a
perforated or
slotted bottom 10. The outer dimensions of baskets 2 are matched to the inner
dimensions
of wall elements 1 so that the rims 9 of baskets 2 inserted in wall elements 1
rest snugly on
the rims 7 of wall elements 1. The baskets 2 are advantageously made from
chromium-
nickel steel, because this material remains neutral with respect to the food
during cooking.
In the version of baskets 2 shown in Figure 2, two handle attachments 11 are
pivotingly
disposed opposite each other at two sets of points 12 in the edge 8 of the
basket. Once the
basket 2 is inserted in a wall element 1, the handle attachments 11, which are
folded down
outwardly towards the edge of basket 2, run along the edge of basket 2. As
already
described in connection with Figure 1, an associated serving plate 3 is
provided to receive
basket 2 when not inside the cooking utensil, and for serving.
Figure 3 shows a partial section of the embodiment of Figure 2 of the cooking
utensil in
operation, seen from the side. In the example shown, the utensil consists of
three
transparent wall elements 1, each with an inserted basket 2. To cook different
food
simultaneously, the evaporator 15 is first filled with water, and the food 17
to be cooked is
placed on the separate baskets 2. The baskets 2 are then placed inside the
wall elements 1,
and the wall elements 1 are assembled over the evaporator 15 so that they form
a tower-like

CA 02244943 1998-07-30
stack as shown here, which prevents any rising steam from escaping. A lid 16
is placed on
top of the uppermost wall element and the cooking process can begin. At the
end of the
cooking time, the wall elements are lifted away from the evaporator 15 and the
individual
baskets are lifted out and inserted in associated serving plates. The food is
then ready to be
served.
Figure 4 shows how the basket 2 can be lifted out of a wall element 1. The
handle
attachments 11, which are folded down horizontally during cooking, are brought
up into the
vertical position to extract the basket. Using both hands, basket 2 with food
17 can now be
lifted vertically out of wall element 1. Basket 2 is then inserted directly
into the waiting
serving plate 3, which constitutes part of the utensil, and the handle
attachments are folded
down onto the edge of basket 2.
Figure 5 shows an alternative basket 2 for inserting into wall elements 1.
Here, the two
handles 11 are each formed by an inwardly directed rim in the top edge 8 of
basket 2. It is
also conceivable that, instead of the inwardly bent edge, sheet-metal strips
or sheet-metal
profiles could be fixed to basket 2 in this area to form handles 11. Another
way of designing
the handles 11 would be to mould on arch-shaped handles rigidly connected to
the top edge
of basket 2, although the arches serving as handles 11 could not be allowed to
project
outwards beyond basket 2 to ensure that basket 2 can easily be inserted into
wall elements
1.
Figure 6 shows a serving plate 3 in which a basket 2 containing food 17 is
inserted. After
cooking, the food 17 does not have to be lifted out of the basket and arranged
on a serving
plate, but can be positioned directly with the basket 2 inside the serving
plate 3 and served
immediately. Hence there is no longer any need for the troublesome lifting off
of cooked
food from the basket bottom for subsequent arrangement on another plate. Fish
in
particular, for example, is relatively tricky to move about because it tends
to break up
during the manoeuvre. With this new utensil, the raw food can be arranged
prior to cooking
in just the way it is to be served afterwards. This saves work on the one
hand, and, on the
other hand, the food can be served hot and time is no longer lost in arranging
the food
whilst it inevitably grows cold.

Representative Drawing