Steam pan manipulation device
First Claim
1. A steam pan manipulation device for being detachably secured at a corner of a rectangular steam pan and to a flange thereof, whereby the steam pan may be safely removed from the top of a steam table with reduced danger of scalding the person lifting the steam pan when steam is emitted from around the periphery of the steam pan as it is vertically lifted from the steam table and whereby the steam pan may be safely carried with reduced danger of spilling hot liquid on the person carrying the pan through sloshing or inadvertent disengagement of the device from the pan, the device comprisinga flat, generally triangular-shaped base having a first side, a second side, and a third side oriented at a ninety degree angle to the second side, generally conforming in shape to a corner of a rectangular steam pan having a flange around its upper perimeter;
- a gripping means associated with the second side and the third side of the base, orienting the intersection point of the second side and third side of the base with the corner of the steam pan, detachably attaching the base to the flange of the steam pan, and resisting disengagement of the base from the steam pan when a force directed vertically or inwardly towards the interior of the pan is applied but allowing disengagement of the base from the pan when a force directed outwardly from the interior of the pan is applied in the absence of vertical force, whereby the base is held in close contact with and in the same plane as the flange of the pan; and
a handle directed inwardly towards the interior of the steam pan and disposed upwardly away from the plane of the top of the steam pan, whereby the steam pan may be removed from a steam table, supported, and carried from a point of suspension above the steam pan.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steam pan manipulation device (16) is provided for handling stainless steel pans (10), commonly known as steam pans or hotel pans, of varying sizes as found in commercial restaurant, catering, and hotel applications for use in steam tables. Use of the device (16) permits the worker to safely carry a tray full of liquid without sloshing, since the center of gravity of the liquid is lower than the point of carrying. Furthermore, the steam pan manipulation device (16) features apertures of an appropriate size, so that the device may be also used as a strainer for separating liquid from the content of the tray while retaining solid content in the tray.
44 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A steam pan manipulation device for being detachably secured at a corner of a rectangular steam pan and to a flange thereof, whereby the steam pan may be safely removed from the top of a steam table with reduced danger of scalding the person lifting the steam pan when steam is emitted from around the periphery of the steam pan as it is vertically lifted from the steam table and whereby the steam pan may be safely carried with reduced danger of spilling hot liquid on the person carrying the pan through sloshing or inadvertent disengagement of the device from the pan, the device comprising
a flat, generally triangular-shaped base having a first side, a second side, and a third side oriented at a ninety degree angle to the second side, generally conforming in shape to a corner of a rectangular steam pan having a flange around its upper perimeter; -
a gripping means associated with the second side and the third side of the base, orienting the intersection point of the second side and third side of the base with the corner of the steam pan, detachably attaching the base to the flange of the steam pan, and resisting disengagement of the base from the steam pan when a force directed vertically or inwardly towards the interior of the pan is applied but allowing disengagement of the base from the pan when a force directed outwardly from the interior of the pan is applied in the absence of vertical force, whereby the base is held in close contact with and in the same plane as the flange of the pan; and a handle directed inwardly towards the interior of the steam pan and disposed upwardly away from the plane of the top of the steam pan, whereby the steam pan may be removed from a steam table, supported, and carried from a point of suspension above the steam pan. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A pair of steam pan manipulation devices for detachable attachment to opposing corners of a rectangular steam pan having a flange around the top edge of the steam pan, in order to facilitate manipulation of the steam pan, characterized by each device comprising
a flat, generally triangular-shaped base having a first side, a second side, and a third side oriented at a ninety degree angle to the second side, generally conforming in shape to a corner of a rectangular steam pan having a flange around its upper perimeter; -
a gripping means associated with the second side and the third side of the base, orienting the intersection point of the second side and third side of the base with the corner of the steam pan, detachably attaching the base to the flange of the steam pan, and resisting disengagement of the base from the steam pan when a force directed vertically or inwardly towards the interior of the pan is applied but allowing disengagement of the base from the pan when a force directed outwardly from the interior of the pan is applied in the absence of vertical force, whereby the base is held in close contact with and in the same plane as the flange of the pan; and a handle directed inwardly towards the interior of the steam pan and disposed upwardly away from the plane of the top of the steam pan, whereby the steam pan may be removed from a steam table, supported, and carried from a point of suspension above the steam pan, whereby each device is attached to opposing corners of the steam pan with the handles extending inwardly of and above the pan to facilitate manipulation of the steam pan. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manipulating and maneuvering a rectangular steam pan having a flange around its top opening, comprising the steps of
engaging a first steam pan manipulation device at a first corner of the steam pan, said device comprising a flat, generally triangular-shaped base having two edges which conform in shape to the first corner of the steam pan; -
a gripping means associated with the conforming edges of the base, each edge having a downwardly and inwardly curved lip for detachable insertion under the flange of the steam pan and resisting disengagement from the steam pan when a force directed vertically or inwardly towards the interior of the pan is applied and holding the base in close contact with and in the same plane as the flange of the pan; and a handle directed inwardly towards the interior of the steam pan and disposed upwardly away from the plane of the top of the steam pan; engaging a second steam pan manipulation device at a second corner of the steam pan diagonally opposing the first corner, the second device being of substantially the same structure as the first device; applying inwardly directed force to the handles of the first and second devices, whereby the gripping means of each device securely engages the flange of the steam pan; and applying vertically directed force to the handles of the first and second devices, whereby the steam pan may be lifted and carried from two suspension points above the plane of the top opening of the steam pan and slightly interior to the top opening of the steam pan.
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Specification