Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02488319 2004-11-23
Attorney Docket No. P3 50.124.101
PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION
LADLE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
5 The subject matter of this patent application is related to the subject
matter of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/446,479, filed February
10,
2003, U.S. Design Patent Application No. 29/199,098, filed February 10, 2004,
and L.S. Utility Patent Application No. 10/775,753, filed February 10, 2004,
all
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pizza is one of the most popular food items in the United States. Pizzas
come in many different shapes and sizes, with virtually unlimited variation in
the
types of toppings, meats, vegetables, cheese, doughs/crusts and other
ingredients
15 used. Pizza makers select and assemble these ingredients to create a taste,
aroma, texture and consistency in accordance with the desires of their
selected
audience. Commercial pizza makers with national and international presence,
especially pizza restaurants, typically select, develop and promote a number
of
different pizzas, varying at least in the number and type of toppings.
So that one or more consumers can enjoy different styles or types of
pizzas in one sitting, it is often desired to provide pizzas made-to-order in
one
way on one portion of the pizza, and in another way on another portion of the
pizza. A customer or group customers in a pizza restaurant, for example, might
order one topping on one-half of the pizza and another topping on another half
of
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
the pizza. Potential difficulties arise, however, in that different topping
types
may not be distributed or maintained exactly as desired. For example, one
topping type intended for one portion of the pizza may spill over to the other
portion of the pizza when the pizza is made, or toppings may slide off their
5 intended portion of the pizza when the pizza is cut. Additionally, pizza may
not
be cut exactly at the division line between the differently prepared portions.
It
can also be operationally difficult to combine certain pizza variations into a
single pizza.
10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention are described with respect to the figures,
in which like reference numbers denote like elements and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a ladle according to an embodiment of
the invention.
15 Figure 2 is a side view of a ladle according to an embodiment of the
invention. Another side view is an identical mirror image of Figure 2 and is
omitted.
Figure 3 is a front view of a ladle according to an embodiment of the
invention.
20 Figure 4 is a back view of a ladle according to an embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 5 is a top view of a ladle according to an embodiment of the
invention.
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
Figure 6 is a bottom view of a ladle according to an embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a saucing process, according to an
embodiment of the invention.
5 Figure 8 is a perspective view showing nested ladle portions, according
to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figures 1-6 illustrate ladle 10 according to an embodiment of the
10 invention. Ladle 10 includes handle 15. Handle 15 includes end portion 20,
intermediate portion 25, extension portion 30, first downwardly depending
portion 35, and second downwardly depending portion 40. Edge 45 extends
along one or more of portions 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 and provides structural
rigidity to handle 15. Taper or bevel 47 joins edge 45 to one or more of the
15 remainder of the handle portions. Aperture 48 allows ladle 10 to be
suspended
from a peg, hook, hanger or other hanging device. Edge 45 defines a ramped or
angled portion 49 at the outer end thereof, such that portion 20 is thinner in
a
vertical dimension (as viewed in e.g. Figure 1) at the aperture end thereof
than at
the end thereof adjoining portion 25. At the same time, portion 20 generally
20 widens toward the aperture end thereof in a dimension generally
perpendicular to
the generally vertical dimension, e.g. to provide a gripping surface of
increased
surface area.
Handle 15 defines different angles between portions 20, 25, 30, 35 and
40. The angles between, and relative lengths and dimensions of, the portions
of
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
handle 1 S illustrated in Figure 2 are to be considered as to-scale, according
to
one embodiment, and as forming a portion of this description. The lengths and
angles of the handle portions optionally are selected such that, in use, ladle
10
extends downwardly from the hand of a user into a pan or other container or
utensil with sufficient reach and depth. Portion 35 is tapered outwardly with
respect to portion 30 for intersection with portion 40, i..e. portion 35 is
wider at
the edge of portion 40 than it is at the edge of portion 30. Portion 40 is
tapered
outwardly with respect to portion 35 for intersection with bowl S0, i.e.
portion
40 is wider at the edge of bowl 50 than at the edge of portion 3S.
Bowl SO is generally square-shaped, according to the illustrated
embodiment, and includes four upstanding sidewalk SS, four generally rounded
corners 60, and bottom 65. Bowl 50 is intended to deposit and then spread
pizza
sauce evenly to four corners of generally square-shaped pizza dough portions,
or
other generally square-shaped food items. According to embodiments of the
1S invention, then, the shape of bowl SO generally corresponds to the shape of
the
food item to which ladle 10 is to apply and/or spread a liquid or fluid
material
such as pizza sauce.
Ladle 10, including the relative dimensions of and angular relationships
between the portions of handle 1 S described above, is adapted to spread sauce
toward, to, and/or into the comers of e.g. a generally square piece of pizza
dough
or other food item with corners, without twisting and turning the pan, and
without twisting and turning ladle 10. Ladle 10 also is adapted for carrying
pizza sauce or other material to the pizza dough or other food item and for
depositing the sauce or material thereon. Ladle 10 is simply moved toward the
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
four corners of a generally square or generally rectangular pizza dough or
other
food item, for example, to spread the pizza sauce or other material evenly
over
the entire pizza dough or other food item, and/or into the corners thereof,
without
applying the material undesirably to an edge of the food item, e.g. to and
onto
the outer crust of pizza dough.
Embodiments of the invention thus broadly relate to a utensil that is
adapted to (1) carry or otherwise transport fluid material to a food item,
such as
pizza sauce to pizza dough, (2) deposit the material on the food item, and (3)
spread the material on the food item generally without having to twist and
turn
the utensil, the food item, or a container in which the food item is
supported. By
way of contrast, if a typical rounded-bowl ladle were used, it would be more
difficult for a user to use the rounded edge of the bowl to evenly and
accurately
spread pizza sauce into a corner of pizza dough, without turning the ladle on
edge or otherwise manipulating ladle or the food item in an awkward or
undesirable manner, for example by twisting, turning and/or rotation.
Other bowl shapes and other food-item shapes are contemplated. For
example, for generally triangle-shaped pizza dough portions or other generally
triangle-shaped food items, a ladle with a generally triangle-shaped bowl is
advantageous for reaching into comers of the generally triangle-shaped food
20 item, again without undesirable twisting, turning, and/or rotation.
According to
one embodiment, a base of the triangle-shaped bowl is generally centered on
handle portion 40, and an apex of the bowl is disposed generally opposite the
base.
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
In the illustrated square-shaped embodiment and in other-shape
embodiments, edges) 55 of bowl 50 are generally parallel to or otherwise
generally correspond to edges of the food item, and corners 60 of ladle 10 to
corners of the food item. Accordingly, the edge of a portion of sauce or other
5 material, once spread with ladle 15, will also be generally parallel to or
otherwise generally correspond to corners 60 of ladle 10. Additionally, bowl
50
is of such dimensions that an amount of sauce or other material to be
deposited
on the food item is the same as or corresponds to the volume of bowl 50, or
some even multiple of the volume of bowl S0. For example, one "scoop" or two
10 "scoops" of pizza sauce effectively carried by bowl 50 of ladle 10 is just
enough
to evenly and adequately cover the pizza dough on which the sauce is being
deposited and spread.
According to one embodiment, the sauce to be deposited and spread is
relatively thick, e.g. mud-like, and is shaken and/or scraped and/or gently
thrown
15 or flung from ladle 10 onto the pizza dough or other food item. The bottom
of
bowl 50 of ladle 10 then is used to spread the sauce evenly over the pizza
dough
and into the corners thereof. Thus, ladle 10 is adapted more for spreading
operations than for pouring operations, according to certain specific
embodiments of the invention, although pouring also is contemplated.
20 With reference to Figure 7, a method according to embodiments of the
invention includes placing ingredients on multiple dough portions 160, 165,
supported by one or more pans 115, to form multiple pizzas, for example four
pizzas. Such ingredients optionally include pizza sauce 175. Sauce 175
optionally is applied by ladle or spreader 180. Spreader 180 has bowl portion
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
185 generally corresponding to the shape of dough portions 160, 165 and/or to
the shape of pan 115 or portions of pan 115. According to the illustrated
example, bowl portion 185 is generally square-shaped, corresponding to
generally square-shaped support portions 190, 195 of pan 115 and/or dough
5 portions 160, 165. Each corner of bowl portion 185 is pushed or moved to a
corresponding corner of each dough portion 160, 165, to spread sauce across
generally the entire bottom of dough portions 160, 165, including into the
corners thereof, without having to turn or lift spreader 180.
The ingredients placed on multiple dough portions 160, 165 also
optionally include bottom cheese, meats, vegetables/fruits, top cheese, or any
other food items or toppings suitable for placement on pizza products. Meats
adapted for use optionally include pepperoni, sausage, ham, and/or bacon, to
name several examples, and vegetables/fruits optionally include green peppers,
mushrooms, black olives, and/or tomatoes, to name several examples. The
15 placing of ingredients according to a method embodiment of the invention
includes placing different types and/or combinations of ingredients on
multiple
dough portions 160, 165 such that multiple pizzas of different kinds are
created.
Embodiments of the invention extend to pizzas created by methods using ladle
10.
20 Figure 8 illustrates portions of two ladles 10, 10' in a nested
configuration. Bowls 50, 50' and the various portions of handles I 5, I S'
described earlier herein, for example portions 35, 35' and 40, 40', are
adapted to
fit together, nest or otherwise correspond from top to bottom, as illustrated,
for
more compact storage, for example.
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Attorney Docket No. P350.124.101
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a wide variety of
dimensions, relative angles, and other shape features are contemplated for
ladle
or spreader 10. For example, angles between portions 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 of
handle 15 and between portion 40 and bowl 50 are, respectively, as taken along
a
5 lower outside edge of ladle 10 as viewed in Figure 2, which should be
considered a to-scale drawing of one embodiment of the invention. Angles with
a range of about 5 degrees to 15 degrees also are contemplated, and optionally
are chosen in connection with the type of pan or other container into which
ladle
10 is to be extended or lowered to perform saucing operations. Various
materials are also contemplated for construction of ladle 10, for example
injection-molded plastic, metal, polymer or other material known to those of
ordinary skill in the art upon reading this disclosure. Devices and methods
disclosed herein are, or are contemplated for use with, devices and methods
disclosed in the U.S. patent applications incorporated by reference earlier in
this
application.
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