Stackable skillet with extendable side and adjustability features

• US 5,656,188 A
• Filed: 01/27/1995
• Issued: 08/12/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: West Bend Company LLC
• Original Assignee: West Bend Company LLC
• Inventors: Janowiak, Steven M., Valind, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US08/379,298
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 219/401, 219/429, 219/433, 219/436, 219/438, 219/454, 99/340, 99/450
• US Class Current: 219/438
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/13 Tier cooking-vessels

Abstract

The stackable skillet has an open ring which is removeably attached to the upper edge of the skillet to extend the skillet upwardly thereby creating a deeper cavity. Removable and pivotable support structures are attached to the open ring and support removable racks and a dish alternatively or in combination at various levels. The stackable skillet allows for layered cooking on up to four different levels at one time within the device.

Claims

1. A skillet of the type including a base having a bottom heated surface and at least one side surface which together define a cavity having an upper edge, the improvement wherein:

a rigid, one-piece open ring is removably attached to and supported by the upper edge to extend the skillet upwardly; and

at least one support structure is removably attached to and supported by the ring;

the ring has a bottom edge;

such structure supports a cooking surface with respect to such bottom edge and above the heated surface; and

the support structure is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis.

4. The skillet of claim 1 including a dish having a pair of handles and wherein the support structure includes two pairs of upwardly-extending fingers, the fingers of each pair being spaced apart by a dimension to laterally restrain a respective one of the handles, thereby supporting the dish with respect to the open ring.

5. The skillet of claim 1 wherein:

the support structure is supported by the ring and includes a support bar and a shoulder which are at differing elevations;

the skillet includes first and second racks, the first rack being supported by the support bar, the second rack being supported by the shoulder.

6. The skillet of claim 1 wherein the open ring has an inwardly-projecting lip around the bottom edge;

and

the support structure is attached to the lip, whereby such lip supports the cooking surface above such lip.

2. The skillet of claim 2 wherein the cooking surface includes at least one removable rack and the support structure protrudes upwardly through the rack.

3. The skillet of claim 2 wherein the support structure is supported substantially vertically by the ring and includes a support bar and a shoulder which are at differing elevations when the structure is vertical, the support structure thereby being configured to support at least one rack at either of such elevations.

7. The skillet of claim 2 wherein:

the support structure is pivotable between a horizontal position and a vertical position;

the support structure is vertical;

the rack is horizontal and has a plurality of openings therethrough;

the support structure includes at least one finger protruding upwardly through one of the openings, the support structure thereby retaining the rack.

8. The skillet of claim 7 including a pair of racks supported at different levels on the support structure.

9. A skillet including a base having a bottom surface and at least one side surface which together define a cavity having an upper edge, the improvement wherein:

an open ring is removably attached to the upper edge to extend the skillet upwardly;

at least one support structure is attached to the open ring; and

the support structure is removable from the ring and is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis.