Spatter shielding and vapor venting device for frying pan

• US 5,724,885 A
• Filed: 01/29/1997
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Cheng Uy
• Original Assignee: William Cheng Uy
• Inventors: Uy, William Cheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US08/791,761
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 99/341, 99/347, 99/422, 99/423, 99/645, 126/299 C, 126/373, 126/381, 126/383, 366/347, 220/731, 220/366.1, 220/369, 220/370, 220/661-663, 220/676, 220/912
• US Class Current: 99/341
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/064 non-integrated lids or covers specially adapted for frying-pans

Abstract

An improved spatter shielding and vapor venting device for a frying pan comprising a transparent lid to enable visual observation of cooking, a peripheral venting gap to release generated fumes and vapors, a vertical hollow cylindrical wall to rapidly return condensed oil to frying pan, a handle to hold the device steady, a peripheral horizontal flange and size expansion adapter to facilitate placement on rims of frying pans of varying sizes, a vertical cylindrical flange to restrict lateral motion and to shield the contact area between the horizontal flange and frying pan rim, a vertical window opening for the introduction, removal, stirring and turning over of food, a hands-free opening and automatic closing window cover means to effectively shield the window opening even while performing said cooking operations, a loop-and-pin hinged system to facilitate stuck-proof withdrawal of inserted instrument through said window opening.

Claims

1. The product of a spatter shielding and vapor venting device for mounting on a frying pan and covering the entire open area of said frying pan, said device comprising:

(a) a vertical hollow cylindrical wall having an open top with a top rim, a vertical bottom flange and a peripheral horizontal flange attached to said wall near the bottom flange, an opening in the wall spaced above the horizontal flange and forming a window through said wall, a window cover having an outer periphery the same shape as and substantially the same size as the opening to completely cover the opening, and a transparent lid covering the open top of said wall,

(b) said wall further having a handle attached to and extending radially outwardly from said wall, said handle being spaced from said opening,

(c) said window cover is selected from the group consisting of a swinging cover with a hinged top edge, a curtain comprising a plurality of resilient vertically extending strips, and an open-ended fabric sleeve,

(d) said lid further having an outer perimeter, a bottom side, a cylindrical flange extending from said bottom side and spaced inwardly from the perimeter, and a means to space the bottom of said lid and outside surface of said cylindrical flange from the top rim and inside wall of said hollow cylindrical wall to form a peripheral venting gap, wherein the means of spacing is selected from the group consisting of at least three radial ridges extending from said flange to the outer perimeter and at least three bumps on the top rim of said hollow cylindrical wall,

(e) the improvement in which said peripheral horizontal flange being attached to the bottom rim of said hollow cylindrical wall and extending radially inwardly from said wall to the top rim of said vertical bottom flange,

(f) whereby the improved shielding and venting device is placed onto the frying pan with the vertical bottom and peripheral horizontal flanges engaging the uppermost portion of the inner wall and the top wall of the pan respectively, the window cover allowing the insertion of a cooking instrument into the device to allow access to the pan interior without removal of the device from the pan and the peripheral venting gap allowing the pan to be vented without removal of the lid.

2. The shielding and venting device according to claim 1, wherein said window cover further has a door handle.

3. The shielding and venting device according to claim 1, wherein the width of said peripheral horizontal flange is extended to fit larger size frying pan with a size expansion adapter.

4. The product of a spatter shielding and vapor venting device for mounting on a frying pan and covering the entire open area of said frying pan, said device comprising:

(a) a vertical hollow cylindrical wall having an open top with a top rim, a vertical bottom flange and a peripheral horizontal flange attached to said wall near the bottom flange, an opening in the wall spaced above the horizontal flange and forming a window through said wall, a window cover having an outer periphery the same shape as and substantially the same size as the opening to completely cover the opening, and a transparent lid covering the open top of said wall,

(b) said wall further having a handle attached to and extending radially outwardly from said wall, said handle being spaced from said opening, a horizontal plate attached to and extending radially inwardly from said wall and being located directly above said opening,

(c) said window cover further having a hinged means top edge allowing said cover to swing open and close said opening,

(d) said lid further having an outer perimeter, a bottom side, a cylindrical flange extending from said bottom side and spaced inwardly from the perimeter, and a means to space the bottom of said lid and outside surface of said cylindrical flange from said top rim and inside wall of said hollow cylindrical wall to form a peripheral venting gap, wherein the means of spacing is selected from the group consisting of at least three radial ridges extending from said flange to the outer perimeter and at least three bumps on the top rim of said hollow cylindrical wall,

(e) the improvement in which said hinged means comprises of loop attached to said window cover and hanging on pin allowing said window cover rotational and vertical motions, wherein said pin is attached to surfaces selected from the group consisting of said horizontal plate above said opening and inside of said wall facing the ends of said pins.

(f) whereby the improved shielding and venting device is placed onto the frying pan with the vertical bottom and peripheral horizontal flanges engaging the uppermost portion of the inner wall and the top wall of the pan respectively, the window cover allowing the insertion of a cooking instrument into the device to allow access to the pan interior without removal of the device from the pan, the unique hinged means allowing the inserted cooking instrument to be withdrawn without getting wedged and stuck and the peripheral venting gap allowing the pan to be vented without removal of the lid.

5. The improved shielding and venting device according to claim 4, wherein at least two hinged systems are used with a common pin for all the loops.

6. The improved shielding and venting device according to claim 4, wherein the loop is selected from the group of closed and opened loops.

7. The improved shielding and venting device according to claim 4, wherein the loop is selected from the group of elongated and circular loops.

8. The improved shielding and venting device according to claim 4, wherein the loop is an integral part of said window cover.