WO2008144837A1

WO2008144837A1 - Cooking aid

Info

Publication number: WO2008144837A1
Application number: PCT/AU2008/000775
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bob Fairclough
Original assignee: Bob Fairclough
Priority date: 2007-06-01
Filing date: 2008-05-30
Publication date: 2008-12-04
Also published as: GB2462791A; AU2008255566A1; GB0922489D0

Abstract

A cooking aid in accordance with embodiments of the present invention is a device which stabilises food to inhibit spontaneous movement during cooking. The device comprises a food engaging member attached to a body. The food engaging member is adapted to be removably engaged with the food item. The body is adapted to engage with an article in/on which the food item is being cooked so that the food item is stabilised by the body to inhibit spontaneous movement of the food during cooking. The device may be adapted to be moved manually with the food item during cooking to adjust the position of the food item relative to a cooking heat source and stabilise the food item in the new position. Alternatively the food engaging member may be adapted to be engaged and disengaged with the food item during cooking to enable the food item to be moved manually in relation to the heat source.

Description

COOKING AID

Field of the invention:

The field of the present invention is cooking utensils. One example of an application for embodiments of the present invention is for stabilising food items to prevent movement during cooking.

Background of the invention:

For some forms of cooking, such as grilling and frying, the heat source for cooking the food is supplied from one direction only so food items cook unevenly unless they are moved relative to the heat source during cooking.

Generally the food items are turned manually during cooking so that the entire surface of the food item has some direct exposure to the cooking heat. For food times that are generally flat, for example steaks, patties or pancakes, these food items are cooked on one side and then turned over to cook the other side with the middle cooking through due to the radiant heat.

Food items which tend to be round and thick tend to be more difficult to cook evenly. Examples of such foods are sausages, meatballs, some vegetables, and rolled food items such as fillets or slices of meat wrapped around vegetables and herbs. These types of food items need to be turned a number of times to cover different areas of the outer surface so that substantially the entire outer surface has exposure to the cooking heat in order to cook evenly on the outside and all the way through. Obtaining even cooking and orienting the food items in the desired manner can be made difficult by irregularly shaped food items or curling of the food items during cooking.

Summary of the invention:

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for stabilising a food item during cooking, the device comprising: a food engaging member adapted to be removably engaged with the food item; and a body attached to the food engaging member adapted to engage with an article on which the food items are being supported while being cooked such that the food items are stabilised against spontaneous rotational movement during cooking while the food item is in engagement with the food engaging member and the body in engagement with the article.

In an embodiment the food engaging member adapted to be engaged and disengaged with the food item during cooking to enable the food item to be moved manually in relation to a heat source or cooking surface during cooking.

One manner of engaging the food engaging member with the food item is by piercing the food item. An example of a food engaging member adapted to pierce the food item is a substantially V shaped prong. Alternatively the food engaging member may comprise one or more needle like prongs . The food engaging member can be adapted to pierce downwardly through one end of the food item to engage the food item. Alternatively the food engaging member could pierce upwardly or horizontally.

In an embodiment the food engaging member comprises two or more needle like prongs with one prong elongate relative to the other prongs such that the elongate prong is adapted to extend longitudinally into the food item. In an embodiment the body has a flat base adapted to rest on part of the surface on which the food item is placed for cooking . In an alternative embodiment the device as a plurality of flat base portions arranged such that the food item can be placed in a number of positions gual to the number of base portions and in each position one base portion serves as a base which rests against a part of the surface on which the food item is placed for cooking such that the food item is supported against spontaneous rotational movement, with a different portion of the food item proximate a cooking heat source in each position.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a support frame mountable proximate a cooking heat source and having at least one body engaging structure adapted to engage with the body of a device as described above, such that the food item is stabilised against rotational movement when the device is in engagement with the support frame. In an embodiment the support frame has a plurality of body engaging structures. In this embodiment the frame may be used to simultaneously support a plurality of devices with engaged food items.

Alternatively the body can be adapted to engage with part of a cooking plate, grill, pan or such like cooking article such that the food item is stabilised against rotational movement when the device is in engagement with both the food item by the engaging member and the part of the cooking article.

The device can be provided with a handle for use to manually move the food item in relation to a heat source or cooking surface during cooking. Preferably the handle protrudes such that the handle extends away from the heat source or cooking surface. For example the handle may protrude upwards away from a cooking surface such as a frypan or be adapted to extend outwards away from an edge of a cooking surface such as a plate or grill. The handle can be provided with a heat insulated portion to enable the device to minimise the risk of burning a person's fingers if the device is handled by a person's bare fingers during cooking.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for stabilising two or more food items during cooking, the device comprising: two or more food engaging members adapted to be engaged and disengaged with the food items during cooking to enable the food items to be moved manually in relation to a heat source or cooking surface during cooking; and a body attached to the food engaging members and adapted to engage with an article on which the food items are being supported while being cooked such that the food items are stabilised against spontaneous rotational movement during cooking while in engagement with the food engaging members.

Brief description of the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a cooking aid in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows an example the cooking aid of Figure 1 in engagement with a sausage.

Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d show alternative embodiments of cooking aids in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 shows a cooking aid in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for use with more than one food item. Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of a cooking aid for use with more than one food item.

Figure 6 shows a further alternative embodiment of a cooking aid for use with more than one food item.

Figure 7 shows an embodiment of a support frame for use with one or more cooking aids as shown in figure 3d.

Detailed description:

A cooking aid in accordance with embodiments of the present invention is a device which stabilises food to inhibit spontaneous movement during cooking. An embodiment of the device is shown in figure 1. The device 100 comprises a food engaging member 110 attached to a body 120. The food engaging member is adapted to be engaged with the food item so that the food item is stabilised by the body to inhibit spontaneous movement of the food during cooking. The food engaging member of this embodiment can be disengaged to enable the food item to be move manually in relation to the heat source, to change the area of the food item directly exposed to the cooking heat. The food item can be disengaged form the device 100 to manually turn the food item to a desired orientation to the heat source and the device 100 then be applied to engage the food item to stabilise it in the new position. In alternative embodiments the device may be configured such that it is unnecessary to disengage the device from the food item in order to manually move the food item in relation to the heat source.

An example of spontaneous movement of the food during cooking is gravity causing an awkwardly shaped or balanced food item to roll. For example sausages tend to curl during cooking and on some cooking surfaces it is difficult to balance the sausage on the curved part to cook the centre part of the sausage. Further, food often changes shape during cooking, for example shrinkage or curling, which makes spontaneous movement of the food items more likely to occur as cooking progresses, as the changing shape can change the centre of balance of the food item. The device 100 can be used to stabilise a food item to inhibit this spontaneous movement.

In the embodiment of the device 100, as shown in figure 1, the body 120 includes a base 140, wall 150 and top 130, the food engaging member 110 is in the form of a narrow V shaped prong which depends from the top 130. Although the food engaging member 110 is shown as a V shaped prong alternative embodiments are envisaged. These include embodiments where the food is engaged by piercing, such as by one or more needle like prongs or spikes, or where the food is engaged by pressure, such as by an arched member where friction between the food and the engaging member prevents spontaneous movement of the food. A V shaped prong is advantageous as it will engage the food items such as sausages without causing the food to tear.

Figure 2 shows an example of the device 100 engaged with a sausage. The prong 110 pierces angularly downwards into one end of the sausage 200 and the base 140 of the body 120 rests on the same surface as the sausage, for example this could be the base of a frying pan, plate, or tray for placing under a griller. The width of the base 140 prevents the sausage engaged on the prong from rolling. The device is engaged with the sausage simply by placing the prong 110 above the end of the sausage and pushing down so the prong 110 pierces the sausage and the base 140 rests on the surface. The sausage can be held manually in the desired position, say using tongs, while the device is applied. A handle 160 can optionally be provided to assist in handling the device, in particular for engaging and disengaging the device with the food item. The handle 160 can also be provided with a heat insulated portion 170 to minimise the risk of burns if the device is handled with bare fingers. The handle is optional as the device may equally be handled using cooking implements such as tongs or by hand if an insulating glove is worn. For some alternative embodiments of the device a handle is not necessary. Alternatively the body may be made of a heat insulating material such as silicon so the body may be handled directly with bare fingers. A handle can provide the additional benefit of enabling handling of the device while keeping fingers away from radiant cooking heat and possible oil splatter from the cooking food.

Figure 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d show examples of some alternative embodiments of cooking aids. The device 300 shown in figure 3a has a cube shaped body 320 from which a food engaging member in the form of a V shaped prong 310 extends and optional handle 360. If the handle is not provided or provided extending from the opposite face of the cube than the food engaging member, then the device 300 could be turned along with the food to sit on a different side so four areas of the food can be cooked without having to disengage the food from the device 300.

The device 301 shown in figure 3b is another alternative embodiment where the body 321 has an in verted U shape formed by a top 331 and two sides 351, with two base parts 341 extending outwardly from each side. The engaging member 311 is provided by a V shaped prong extending downwardly from the top 331.

The device 302 shown in figure 3c has a body 322 with a base 342 and side 352 shaped similarly to the base 140 and side 150 of the device 100 of the preferred embodiment. However, the top 312 is curved to serve as the engaging member, which engages with the food item by touching. In this embodiment the underside of the top 312 can be provided with ridges or a rough surface to cause friction between it and the food item to inhibit movement of the food item against the top/engaging member 312 and assist in stabilising the food item. Alternatively the curved engaging member 312 can grip the food item.

The device 304 shown in figure 3d has a planar hexagonal shaped body 324 from which a food engaging member in the form of two needle like prongs 314 and 315 extending perpendicularly from the planar hexagonal body 324. In this embodiment one prong 314 is centred with the body such that the body 324 and central prong 314 are aligned to share a common rotational axis for the food item, and the other prong 315 is axially offset such that the offset prong 315 inhibits rotational movement of the food about the central prong 314.

This embodiment is adapted to enable the device to be turned along with the food to sit on a different side so different areas of the food can be cooked without having to disengage the food from the device 304. The planar hexagonal body 324 has six side edges 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338 each of which is a base portion which can act as a base to stabilise the food item against spontaneous rotational movement when the base portion is resting on the supporting surface. Thus, the food item can be turned manually along with the device such that a different side edge acts as the base for stabilisation and a different portion of the food item is placed proximate the heat source for each edge, enabling the food item to be moved manually for relatively even cooking without requiring the food item to be disengaged from the food engaging member.

In the illustrated embodiment, one prong 314, which extends from the centre of the body 324, is elongate relative to the other prong 315 such that the elongate prong 314 can extend longitudinally into or through the food item when it is engaged. The elongate prong can have the advantage of limiting curling of the food item during cooking. Alternatively the elongate prong may be used as a skewer and have a plurality of food items threaded thereon, for example as a kebab skewer. The elongate prong may also have the further advantage of minimising accidental disengagement of the food item from the device while the food item and device are manually moved during cooking.

In an alternative embodiment both prongs may be of a similar and generally shorter length. In alternative embodiment, both prongs may be of a similar shorter length and both may be offset from the rotational axis of the body and food item, it should also be appreciated that ore than two needle like prongs may be used. In another embodiment a single prong may be used where the prong has a shape or angle of orientation adapted to inhibit rotational movement of the food item, for example a V shaped prong or a needle like prong angled relative to the plane of the body, rather than extending perpendicularly, such that the axis of rotation of the food item about the prong is not aligned with or parallel to the axis of rotation of the food item during cooking and the conflict between these two axes inhibit rotation of the food item about the prong.

In this embodiment an optional handle 364 is provided which extends from the opposite side of the body from the food engaging member. The handle can be used to turn the device and engaged food item during cooking.

The number of base portions provided on the device 304 can be varied depending on the embodiment. For example an embodiment of the device for cooking sausages which have a relatively small diameter may have as few as three or four base portions, as the sausage can cook through evenly when as few as three or four orientations of the sausage relative to the heat source are used during cooking. However, a food item having a larger diameter, such as thick sausages, rolled food items or small roasts, may require six or more orientations relative to the heat source during cooking to cook evenly, an embodiment designed for such food items may have a body with ten or twelve base portions to enable the appropriate number of orientations to be achieved. The body of such an embodiment can be sized relative to the diameter of the food items it is intended to be used for. For example, the body can be sized such that the narrowest diameter of the body is approximately equal to the diameter of the intended food item, to ensure that the base portions will contact the support surface to stabilise the food item during cooking. It should be appreciated that the feasible number of base portions will increase for larger device bodies as the length of each base portion, and hence stabilising force which can be applied by the base portion, will increase with an increase in size of the body.

Alternative embodiments include variations on the type, shape, and orientation of engaging members, and body shapes . For example the engaging member could be a prong which extends upwardly from a planar body, which sits flat on the same surface as the food item. Alternatively the body could be shaped to specifically engage with an article in/on which the food is being cooked for example the body could hook over the side of a frying pan, or grip on to one bar of a barbecue grill or the edge of a barbecue plate.

Alternative embodiments are also envisaged for the food engaging member, any arrangement that will stabilise the food item against rotation will provide the function of the food engaging member. Some embodiments are V shaped prongs as shown in the drawings however needle like prongs are also effective. In some embodiments, for example similar to the embodiment of Figure 3a where the engaging member 310 extends horizontally form the body 320, two or more needle shaped prongs would be necessary to ensure the food item would not rotate about the engaging member, for example, two needle like prongs of identical length or three aligned needle like prongs with the centre prong longer than the two outsides. However in embodiments similar to those in Figure 1 and Figure 3b where the prongs extend directly or angularly downwards a single needle like prong can be sufficient.

Embodiments of the invention adapted to engage more than one food item at the same time are also envisaged, two alternative embodiments of such devices are shown in Figures 4 and 5. For an embodiment adapted to stabilise multiple food items it is desirable to be able to engage and disengage the food items from the device individually without disturbing other food items being cooked.

In the embodiment shown in figure 4 the device 400 has a substantially rectangular box shaped body 520 with arches 510 formed through from one side to the other to provide the food engaging members . One end of a food item, such as a sausage, can be inserted into each arch such that the food items are stabilised similarly to the embodiment shown in Figure 3c.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5 the device 500 has a planar body 520 that rests on the same surface as the food items and prongs 510 extend upwardly from the body 520. Food items can be placed onto the prongs such that they are pierced by the prongs and stabilised. This embodiment has the advantage of there being no limitation on the size of the food item being stabilised. For example this embodiment can be used where one food item such as a sausage is engaged with each prong 510. However, it can also be useful for larger food items, such as large sausages or rolled food items where each food item may engage more than one prong 510.

A further alternative embodiment for engaging with multiple food items is shown in figure 6. In this embodiment the device 600 has a tubular body 620 with a rectangular cross section. Extending outwardly from one side of the body 620 are groups of needle shaped prongs 610 for engaging with the food items. For example one end of a sausage can be pushed onto one group of prongs 61 with the sausage extending away from the body 620, enabling another sausage to be engages on the next set of prongs 610 so several sausages can be supported by the device 600. To turn the sausages they are disengaged from the prongs 610, manually rotated and engaged with the prongs in the rotated position.

In the embodiment shown, groups of three needle shaped prongs 610 are used however two or more than three prongs could also be used. The advantage of using 3 needle shaped prongs is this arrangement provides good stability when a sausage is engaged with minimal damage such as tearing caused to the sausage during engagement and disengagement with the prongs. A handle 630 can be provided to assist in positioning the device and for steadying the device as food items are engaged with the prongs .

Alternative embodiments for engaging with multiple food items are also envisaged. For example the body could have be an elongate member having a U shaped or other cross section with engaging members extending outwardly from one or two opposing long sides. These engaging members could be V shaped prongs or sets of two or more prongs. Alternative body shapes adapted to cooperate with the shape of the cooking vessel or surface are also envisaged. For example the device could be provided with an elongate body shaped to fit over or clip on to one ore more bars of a barbecue grill plate, with the engaging members provided as prongs or spikes which extend upwardly. Alternatively engaging members may be provided directly on a bar of a barbeque grill or edge of a barbecue plate. In another alternative the body is adapted to engage with the side of a frying pan or other vessel and provided with multiple engaging members that project in toward the centre of the vessel.

A support frame may be provided for use with one or more cooking aid devices . An example of a support frame 700adapted for use with a device as illustrated in figure 3d is illustrated in figure 7. The support frame illustrated has back wall 710 and two side walls 712 and 714 which support the back wall 710 perpendicular to a support surface. Two body engaging structures 750, 752 are provided in the back wall 710 each adapted for engaging with a hexagonal body of a device as illustrated in figure 3d. The engaging structure 750 comprises at least two support members 720 and 722 adapted to cooperate with the two sides 335 and 337 of the hexagonalIy shaped body 324 adjacent the side 336 acting as the base when the device is placed in the support frame 700. Additional support members 724 and 726 can also be provided to act as a guide for placement of the device in the frame and to inhibit any sideways movement of the device relative to the frame, for example if the frame is bumped or slid sideways during cooking. The cooperation of the support members 720 722 with the sides of the device 335 337 adjacent the base 336 acts to inhibit rotation of the device and the food item thereon. A slot 730 can be provided to accommodate a device handle 364, the slot can also act to inhibit accidental sideways movement of the device relative to the frame. Where the device 304 does not have a handle the slot 730 may be omitted.

An embodiment of the support structure 750 as illustrated in figure 7 can also be adapted for use with a device having an octagonal body. In this embodiment the two additional support members 724 and 726 can also cooperate with two sides of the body perpendicular to the base.

This embodiment can have an advantage of enable the device to be used with food items of a variety of sizes or of irregular proportions, for example chicken Kiev where the food item may have a substantially oval rather than round cross section typical with sausages. For example, where a food item is of a greater diameter than that of the device body, the size of the food item may prevent the base resting on the surface and the two sides adjacent the base may not fully cooperate with the support member 720 and 722. In this instance the additional support members 724 and 726 engage with the two sides of the body which are perpendicular to the base to stabilise the food item against rotational movement.

It should be appreciated that the frame may take a variety of forms, any form adapted to be mounted proximate the cooking heat source and including at least one body support structure is contemplated. For example, the support frame may be provided as a solid block with one or more body support structures formed as "cut outs" in a shape adapted to cooperate with the device body to inhibit rotational movement. A frame adapted to engage with the upper parts of the device body is also envisaged, for example where a frame is placed over the top of a cooking aid device and engage with a top edge of the body to inhibit rotational movement, rather than the body rest on the frame cradled by the body support structure. In an alternative embodiment the height adjuster may be provided for the frame to enable the frame and devices to be used with different sized food items. For example the height adjuster may be an additional frame which can be placed under the support frame to raise the frame relative to the support surface. Alternatively the height adjusters may be elements which clip on to the frame to raise the height of the frame. Optionally the elements may be adapted to also clip on to each other enable the height to be varied, based on the number of elements stacked on top of each other, to a height suitable for the food item.

The side walls 712 714 of the frame 700 may be hinged to enable the frame to fold substantially flat for storage. A support frame may be adapted for use with only one cooking aid device or a plurality of devices. Although the support frame illustrated has two sides which extend perpendicularly to the back wall, any suitable support structure can be used.

In an embodiment of a support frame adapted for use with devices having an elongate prong, such as illustrated in figure 3d, the support frame can have four sides, with body engaging structures provided in one side and prong engaging structures provided in the opposite side for supporting or holding in position the tip of a prong extending through a food item. In an embodiment of such a frame the two remaining sides may be hinged to enable the frame to be folded for storage.

The cooking aid can be constructed from any suitable material or combination of materials. One preferable material is stainless steel which is highly suitable for culinary applications. However other materials may also be used, for example an embodiment as shown in figure 4 may be made from flexible silicon such as is used in silicon bakeware, this has excellent heat resistant properties and the advantage that a silicon body, as opposed to a metal body will not scratch the surface of a frying pan. Using silicon can also enable the device to be provided in a variety of colours. Alternatively different materials could be used to form the body and the food engaging member, for example a silicon body can have a stainless steel engaging member attached. Such a combination could be advantageous for an embodiment where flexibility is desirable, such as a device for engaging multiple food items adapted to hook over the side of a frying pan, a flexible silicon body will enable the device to bend to fit different sized frying pans.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A device for stabilising a food item during cooking, the device comprising: a food engaging member adapted to be removably- engaged with the food item; and a body attached to the food engaging member adapted to engage with an article on which the food items are being supported while being cooked such that the food items are stabilised against spontaneous rotational movement during cooking while the food item is in engagement with the food engaging member and the body in engagement with the article.

2. A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food engaging member is adapted to engage with the food item by piercing the food item.

3. A device, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the food engaging member is a substantially V shaped prong.

4. A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food engaging member comprises two or more needle like prongs.

5. A device, as claimed in claim 4, wherein one prong is elongate relative to the other prongs such that the elongate prong is adapted to extend longitudinally into the food item.

6. A device, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the elongate prong is adapted for use as a skewer wherein the prong extends through one or more food items threaded thereon.

7. A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food engaging member is adapted to be engaged and disengaged with the food item during cooking to enable the food item to be moved manually.

8. A device, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the food engaging member is adapted to pierce downwardly through one end of the food item to engage the food item.

9. A device, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body has at least one flat base portion adapted to rest on part of the surface on which the food item is placed for cooking.

10. A device, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the body has a plurality of flat base portions arranged such that the food items can be placed in a number of positions equal to the number of base portions and in each position one base portion rests on a part of the surface on which the food item is placed for cooking such that the food item is supported against spontaneous rotational movement with a different portion of the food item proximate a cooking heat source in each position.

11. A device, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the body is adapted to engage with part of a cooking plate, grill, pan or such like cooking article such that the food item is stabilised against rotational movement when the device is in engagement with both the food engaging member and the part of the cooking article.

12. A device for stabilising two or more food items during cooking, the device comprising: two or more food engaging members adapted to be engaged and disengaged with the food items during cooking to enable the food items to be moved manually in relation to a heat source or cooking surface during cooking; and a body attached to the food engaging members and adapted to engage with an article on which the food items are being supported while being cooked such that the food items are stabilised against spontaneous rotational movement during cooking while in engagement with the food engaging members .

13. A device, as claimed in claim 12, wherein each food engaging member is adapted to engage with the food item by piercing the food item.

14. A device, as claimed in claim 13, wherein the food engaging member is a substantially V shaped prong.

15. A device, as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the food engaging member is adapted to pierce upwardly through one end of the food item to engage the food item.

16. A device, as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the body has a flat base adapted to rest on part of the surface on which the food items are placed for cooking.

17. A device, as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the body is adapted to engage with part of a cooking plate, grill, pan or such like cooking implement such that when the device is in engagement with the part of the cooking implement the food items in engagement with the food engagement members are stabilised against rotational movement.

18. A device, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a handle for use to manually move the food item in relation to a heat source or cooking surface during cooking.

19. A device, as claimed in claim 18, wherein the handle protrudes upwards such that the handle is adapted to extend away from the heat source or cooking surface.

20. A device, as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the handle is provided with a heat insulated portion to enable the device to minimise the risk of burning a person's fingers if the device is handled by a person's bare fingers during cooking.

21. A device, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A support frame mountable proximate a cooking heat source and having at least one body engaging structure adapted to engage with the body of a device as claimed in claim 10, the such that the food item is stabilised against rotational movement when the device is in engagement with the support frame.

23. A support frame, as claimed in claim 22, wherein the support frame has a plurality of body engaging structures.