GB2451142A

GB2451142A - An integrated saucepan and pivotal colander

Info

Publication number: GB2451142A
Application number: GB0714310A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Van Rensburg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-17
Filing date: 2007-07-17
Publication date: 2009-01-21
Also published as: GB0714310D0

Abstract

An integrated saucepan 2 and colander 1 comprising attachment means for attaching the colander to the saucepan that allows the colander to pivot in relation to the saucepan thereby assisting in the straining/decanting of the contents of the saucepan and colander. The colander is attached to a rotating handle 3 that is incorporated into the handle of the saucepan; the handle allows the manual rotation of the colander. The colander may also rotate under gravity when the saucepan is tilted. Preferably the colander has stopping means (4, fig 4) on the flange of the colander that engage with the rim of the saucepan thereby limiting the rotation of the colander. The rotating handle may be locked in one position and may be detachably attached to the colander thereby allowing the colander and saucepan to be dismantled for storage and cleaning.

Description

Integrated Saucepan and Colander KEY: colander = strainer, sieve, perforated unit, mesh This Invention relates to a device for straining pasta, rice, vegetables, or any other contents, safely, quickly, ergonomically and as easy as possible.

When people cook/boil/fry pasta, rice or vegetables, a decanting process is preferably required as the final stage of cooking whereby the user tips or turns the saucepan whilst holding the saucepan and the lid simultaneously in order to get rid of the unwanted contents.

However, the use of a conventional colander and saucepan can lead to a number of difficulties and disadvantages such as: * It is a two part process whereby the user needs to use or hold two objects such as a colander and a saucepan or a lid and a saucepan in each hand to enable to decant the contents * The user can easily become unbalanced by tending towards a non ergonomic position/posture whilst decanting whereby one elbow may be the same height or higher than the shoulders I or the equilibrium and this would result in the spine being curved or bent over to one side which can lead to muscle strain or injury or scalding from the rising steam or from the saucepan due to the skin being exposed to these characteristics/factors.

* Extra strain is put on the user's joints and muscles when they hold the lid against the rim of the saucepan whilst decanting to enable the undesired contents to be released, such as water for example.

* The saucepan can become heavy to hold with one hand whilst simultaneously holding a lid or strainer with the other during decanting.

To overcome these problems and disadvantages the present invention proposes to integrate a saucepan and colander unit with attachment means, for attaching the colander to the saucepan and the saucepan to the colander, a rotating handle which can rotate about an axis, and connecting means such that the colander can rotate relative to the rotating handle.

The connecting means is provided by a crank insertion effect which the colander and the rotating handle attach by, although the connecting means may also be provided by other means such as a thread, or clip, or weld, or magnet, or pin and socket or any other means.

The connecting means may also be a part of the saucepan and rotating handle so that the rotating handle does not falllslide away when it is not occupied by the user's hand, although the connecting means may also be provided by other means such as a push and clip effect, a needle and guide rail, or a magnet or any other means.

A stopping means may be connected to the colander preferably by a flange that allows the rim of the colander to be flush and level with the rim of the saucepan' it also allows the colander to stop against the rim of the saucepan when it is turned or tilted for decanting, although this connecting means of the stopper may also be provided by other means such as, a stopper in a rail guide of the rotating handle and saucepan.

The saucepan, the rotating handle and the colander may be disassembled for versatility purposes such as washing purposes or storage purposes or quick cooking purposes that do not require a colander.

If the colander, saucepan and rotating handle are connected, then when the user holds the saucepan with one hand and the rotating handle with the other hand, the user is forced into an upright ergonomic posture and the elbows are in equilibrium whilst using the pan for the decanting process. Whilst the user decants the contents the elbows stay horizontal I or in equilibrium and the spine stays upright and straight, the face and hands are away from the rising steam and the hands are not connected to the lid or strainer/colander and the flesh is away from hot splashing and hot scalding surfaces, and the user has full control over the saucepan.

The rotation of the rotating handle and colander together simultaneously may be limited by means of a stopper to prevent under turning and over turning of the colander and rotating handle.

The integrated saucepan and colander will make sure that the decanting process is ergonomically safe and easy to use as possible The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the separate parts before they are connected together, a Colander I which has attached flanges 4 and crank 5 which is connected and inserted into rotating handle 3 that is connected by a push and clip effect 12 to saucepan 2, and pin 6 which stabilizes the colander 1 within the saucepan 2 during the decanting process.

Figure 2 shows the parts colander 1, saucepan 2 and rotating handle 3, as a unit/device 10 attached to each other. It shows how the internal structure is housed. The internal structure/housing may also be hollowed out for weight purposes. The colander shows how it sits flush with the saucepan rim by the flanges keeping the colander from under turning. It also shows how the pin keeps the colander on the same axis 9 as the rotating handle.

Figure 3 shows the outside view of the device/unit 10 with the parts, colander, saucepan and rotating handle connected together.

Figure 4 shows the tilting action 8 for the decanting process of the device/unit and the direction of rotation 7 of the rotating handle and colander. It also shows how the flanges 4 preventing the over rotation of the colander by colliding with the rim of the saucepan 2. The colander may also be placed on the other side of the axis of the rotating handle and connected accordingly, to allow for tilting and rotation in the opposite direction, this can be placed according to the users preference for decanting.

Figure 5 shows the 3D image from figure 4 of the tilting action and rotation of the rotating handle and colander. It shows a shaded area 11 which is the thermo protective non slip material that is moulded into and connected to the saucepan and rotating handle.

Claims

Claims 1. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device comprising attachment means for attaching the saucepan to the colander and the colander to the saucepan, a rotating handle which can rotate about an axis, and connecting means such that the colander can rotate relative to the rotating handle.
2. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to claim 1, in which the connecting means is provided by a crank insertion effect between the rotating handle and the colander, or a thread or a clip effect or a weld, or a magnet, or by any other means, or by no means.
3. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to clam I in which the connecting means is provided by a push and clip effect, or a needle and guide rail, or a magnet, or any other means, or by no means.
4. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to any of the proceeding claims in which a stopping means is provided by a flange effect on the colander, or a needle/pin and guide rail on the rotating handle and saucepan, so that the colander and rotating handle do not overturn or under turn.
5. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to claim 2 and claim 3, in which the device/unit may be disassembled for washing and storage purposes.
6. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to claim I in which a non slip thermo protective material is provided on by the saucepan and rotating handle.
7. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to claim 1, in which the help of gravity is provided for the rotation of the colander during the tilt of the saucepan whilst decanting.
8. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to claim I, in which it includes, brings together the two functions of the decanting process as one functional process of decanting/straining/rinsing.
9. An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to any of the preceding claims, in which the colander is stabilized on the same axis as the rotating handle by a pin insertion effect, although it may be stabilized by any other means, such as a crank insertion effect, a magnet, a needle/pin and guide rail, a push and clip effect, or by any other means, or by no means.

1O.An Integrated Saucepan and Colander unit/device according to any of the preceding claims, in which the colander can be placed on any side of the saucepan walls, internally and externally, or placed on the opposite side of the axis on which it is situated and connected as stated previously.