AU773215B2 - Container lid restrainer/drainer - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT The following statement is a full description, including the best method of performing it known to me: Patent Application number 65406/99 in the name of Doug N Trenham.

*•go o *00 o 0 Container lid restrainer/drainer.

The idea of the restrainer/drainer is to reduce the volume of fluid which can leave a container at any given time and reduce or eliminate entirely spillage caused by boiling.

The prime application of this device is food preparation in saucepans and pots.

Its main safety feature is that the lid will not be dislodged in the event that the container should be knocked off a stove thereby reducing burn type injuries which would normally be associated with such an event.

The design of the lid is such that, on an angled arm, it hangs suspended inside but below the rim of the container and level with the uppermost point where the containers vertical sides begin to widen. This is shown on the drawing marked Horizontal view. From the rim of the lid and proceeding towards its central point is a concave dip, at the bottom of which are a series of holes or slots as depicted in the drawing marked vertical view.

S•These holes or slots are to allow the return of fluid to the container should it boil.

A cam wheel mounted on the angled support arm for the lid where it enters the containers S* •handle can be rotated to raise the lid to speed up the fluid flow as desired.

.The lifting knob is off-set from the centre to counter- balance the lid.

Any tipping of the container will cause the angled arm to lock inside the slot.

The vertical face of the angled arm has a tapered outer edge commencing from the bottom of said arm to a point approximately one third of its height to seat the arm tightly into a slot in the handle when the cam is at its narrowest point. This prevents movement of the lid which may be caused by boiling contents in the container. An example would be uncut silver beet which would rise to the surface of liquid held inside the container thereby trapping air beneath it and the resultant pressure build up against the underside of the lid would otherwise force it open to spill the contents. The number and location of holes or slots and the slight gap between lid and container should ensure that no damaging pressure build-up can occur inside the container.

The handle has a slot located in a position to centre the lid inside the container. This slot having a taper rising to a height suitable to accommodate the taper on the angled arm to ensure that the lid sits correctly within that container as shown on the horizontal view.

Claims (5)

1. A container lid with a concave dip into which are cut holes or slots and suspended by an angled arm which is held in position by a vertical slot in the container handle with a cam operated manually variable setting.

2. A container lid as claimed in claim 1 has the lid held in position below the rim of the container thereby preventing boiling liquids forcing it upwards thus reducing boil-over.

3. A container lid as claimed in claim 1 has the vertical slot to accommodate the angled arm set in the handle at 90 degrees to the horizontal plane to cause any raising of the lid to be in parallel with the container sides.

4. Any tilting of the container with the lid of claim 1 will cause the angled arm to lock inside the slot and permit liquid to be drained from any solid content.

5. A restrainer/drainer and lid substantially as herein described with S: reference to the accompanying drawings. oooo- Dated this 9 h day of February, 2000. D a N ::Douglas Norman Trenham. o•