CA3007534A1 - Cooking pot with boil-over protection - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooking apparatus comprises a cooking pot and a cover removably positionable on a top of an upstanding wall of the pot. According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes an overflow collection basin located externally of the cooking pot and which peripherally encompasses the upstanding pot wall to form an overflow receptacle for collecting overflow fluid that exits the interior of the pot, and a plurality of overflow holes defined in the upstanding pot wall to communicate an interior of the pot and the overflow receptacle such that the fluid can pass between the overflow receptacle and the pot interior. According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a foam breaking member comprising a projection arranged to define a surface encompassing a periphery of the upstanding pot wall that is suitable for rupturing bubbles emanating from the pot interior.

Description

COOKING POT WITH BOIL-OVER PROTECTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a cooking pot with boil-over protection, and more particularly to a cooking apparatus including such a cooking pot that comprises at least one of an external overflow collection basin surrounding an upstanding wall of the cooking pot and a foam breaking member supported on the cooking pot at a spaced height above a rim of the cooking pot for rupturing bubbles emanating from the cooking pot.
BACKGROUND
A conventional cooking pot, even when used with a cover having an escape valve for releasing steam from within a closed interior of the cooking pot, is conducive to foaming when water is boiled in the pot. The foam tends to lift and pass underneath the cover and subsequently spill onto a cooktop of a stove during boiling.
The pot contents that boil-over and spill onto the cooktop, when dried thereon, are difficult to clean from the cooktop, particularly so when the cooktop is of a smooth glass type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a cooking apparatus comprising:
a cooking pot including a bottom wall and an upstanding wall supported on the bottom wall to define an interior of the cooking pot;
a pot rim defined at a top of the upstanding wall that delimits a top opening communicated with the interior of the cooking pot;
a cover removably positionable on the top of the upstanding wall;
at least one handle connected to the cooking pot;

2 an overflow collection basin comprising a base wall supported on the upstanding wall of the cooking pot externally of the cooking pot and at a spaced location below the pot rim, the base wall of the overflow collection basin being oriented transversely to the upstanding wall and extending around a periphery of the upstanding wall, and a peripheral wall upstanding from the base wall of the overflow collection basin at an outwardly spaced location from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot and extending around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that an overflow receptacle is formed externally of the cooking pot for collecting overflow fluid which exits the interior of the cooking pot;
a plurality of overflow holes defined in the upstanding wall of the cooking pot at angularly spaced locations from one another relative to an upstanding axis of the cooking pot that is encompassed by the upstanding wall of the cooking pot for communicating the interior of the cooking pot with the overflow receptacle;
an upper surface of the base wall of the overflow collection basin being shaped to permit the fluid to flow towards the upstanding wall of the cooking pot; and bottoms of the overflow holes being contiguous with the upper surface of the base wall of the overflow collection basin such that the fluid received in the overflow receptacle is enabled to return to the interior of the cooking pot via the overflow holes.
In this arrangement, the overflow collection basin remains functional even when the cover is used to close the top opening of the cooking pot as the overflow holes are located below the pot rim. Also, the volume of the interior of the cooking pot is substantially uncompromised or unchanged by location of the overflow holes in the upstanding wall of the cooking pot to communicate with the external overflow collection.
Additionally, the overflow holes enable any fluid which has overflown the cooking pot to return to same so that, overall, fluid is not substantially lost due to boil-over.

3 Preferably, tops of the overflow holes are spaced below the pot rim. Thus the overflow holes are located wholly spaced below the pot rim proximal which the cover is received.
Preferably, the overflow holes are elliptical in shape.
In one such arrangement, the overflow holes are circular shaped.
In one arrangement, the upper surface of the base wall is generally horizontally oriented.
In one arrangement, the cooking apparatus further includes a foam breaking member, which comprises a projection arranged to define a surface encompassing the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot that is suitable for rupturing bubbles emanating from the interior of the cooking pot. The projection is supported at an external generally radially outward location of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot and protrudes in an inward direction towards the upstanding wall of the cooking pot. A free terminus of the projection is located at a spaced height above the pot rim.
Preferably, the terminus of the projection is spaced generally radially outwardly from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that an opening delimited by the projection above the top opening of the cooking pot is sized larger than the top opening of the cooking pot.
In one arrangement, the projection comprises a flange defining a lower surface facing generally towards the top opening of the cooking pot.
In one arrangement, the flange extends around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot.
In one arrangement, the foam breaking member is removably attachable to the overflow collection basin.

4 In one such arrangement, the foam breaking member includes an upright support base depending from the projection in transverse orientation thereto to a bottom edge of the support base spaced below the terminus of the projection, the support base forming an annulus which is receivable in the overflow receptacle.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a cooking apparatus comprising:
a cooking pot including a bottom wall and an upstanding wall supported on the bottom wall;
a pot rim defined at a top of the upstanding wall that delimits atop opening of the cooking pot;
a cover removably positionable on the top of the upstanding wall;
at least one handle connected to the cooking pot;
a foam breaking member comprising a projection arranged to define a surface encompassing a periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot that is suitable for rupturing bubbles emanating from the interior of the cooking pot;
the projection being supported on the upstanding wall of the cooking pot at an external generally radially outward location of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot;
the projection protruding in an inward direction towards the upstanding wall of the cooking pot; and a free terminus of the projection being located at a spaced height above the pot rim.
In this arrangement, the foam-breaking projection is operably located in a manner not substantially obstructing use of the cover on the cooking pot so that the cover can be maneuvered through an opening delimited by the projection above the

5 top opening of the cooking pot.
Preferably, the terminus of the projection is spaced generally radially outwardly from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that an opening delimited by the projection above the top opening of the cooking pot is sized larger than the top opening of the cooking pot.
In one arrangement, the projection comprises a flange defining a lower surface facing generally towards the top opening of the cooking pot.
In one such arrangement, the flange extends around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot.
In one arrangement, the projection is operably connected to the upstanding wall of the cooking pot at a spaced location below the pot rim.
In one arrangement, the foam breaking member is removably attachable to the cooking pot.
In one such arrangement, the foam breaking member includes an upright support base depending from the projection in transverse orientation thereto to a bottom edge of the support base spaced below the terminus of the projection. The support base forms an annulus which is carried on a supporting wall that is carried on the upstanding wall externally of the cooking pot and extending around the periphery of the upstanding wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded view of an arrangement of cooking apparatus according to the present invention comprising a cooking pot with overflow collection basin, a cover, and a foam breaking member;

6 Figure 2 is a top plan view of the arrangement of cooking apparatus of Figure 1 with the foam breaking member and the cover omitted; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the arrangement of cooking apparatus of Figure 1 showing the foam breaking member installed in the overflow .. collection basin and the cover removed.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The accompanying figures illustrate a cooking apparatus indicated at 10, which generally includes a cooking pot 12, a cover 13, an overflow collection basin 15, and a foam breaking member 17. The overflow collection basin 15 and the foam breaking member 17 provide boil-over protection for the apparatus 10, as will be further described and better appreciated shortly.
The cooking pot 12 comprises a bottom pot wall 20 and an upstanding .. peripheral pot wall 21 supported on the bottom wall 20 to define an interior 24 of the cooking pot where foodstuffs (not shown) can be received for cooking, for example by being boiled in water received in the interior 24 of the pot. An upper pot rim 26 is defined at a top of the upstanding wall 21, which delimits a top opening 28 of the pot that is communicated with the pot interior 24. Additionally, there is provided at least one handle 29, for example two handles 29 on opposite sides of the upstanding pot wall 21, each of which is connected to the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot at a spaced location from the overflow collection basin 15.
The cover 13 includes a handle portion 31 and a lid portion 32, and is removably positionable on the top of the upstanding pot wall 21, for example by placing on the pot rim 26 across the top opening 28, to close the pot interior 24 during cooking.

7 The overflow collection basin 15 is provided proximal to the pot rim 26, located closer to the pot rim than to the bottom pot wall 20, and comprises a base basin wall 35 which is supported on the upstanding pot wall 21 externally of the cooking pot 12 and at a spaced location below the pot rim 26. The base basin wall 35 is oriented transversely to the upstanding wall 21 and extends around a periphery of the upstanding wall 21. The collection basin 15 further includes a peripheral basin wall 38 upstanding, that is standing upright, from the base basin wall 35 at an outwardly spaced location from the upstanding pot wall 21 and extending around the periphery of the upstanding pot wall 21 such that an overflow receptacle 40 is formed externally of the cooking pot 12 for collecting overflow fluid (not shown) which exits the interior 24 of the cooking pot 12 during cooking. The overflow receptacle 40 is the space collectively formed and delimited by the base and peripheral basin walls 35, 38 and an upper portion 42 of the upstanding pot wall 21 disposed above the base basin wall 35. The external location of the collection basin 15 leaves a volume of the pot interior 24 unchanged while still providing a structure for collecting the overflow fluid so that the fluid which inadvertently exits the pot interior 24 does not reach a cooktop of a stove (not shown) on which the cooking pot 12 is placed during cooking. Where the respective pot handle 29 is disposed at a location where it does not pass through the overflow receptacle 40, the base and peripheral basin walls 35, 38 extends around the full periphery of the upstanding pot wall 21.
This overflow fluid may inadvertently exit the cooking pot interior 24 over the pot rim 26 or through a plurality of overflow holes 44 which are defined in the upper portion 42 of the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot at angularly spaced locations from one another relative to an upstanding axis A of the cooking pot 12 that is encompassed by the upstanding pot wall 21 (as more clearly shown in Figure 2).
The

8 overflow holes 44 communicate the interior 24 of the cooking pot with the overflow receptacle 40. The overflow holes 44 are formed through a full thickness of the upstanding wall 21 and also are sized sufficiently small so as to enable a suitable release of the overflow fluid therethrough to the overflow receptacle 40 on the outside of the cooking pot 12 to minimize the likelihood of the fluid boiling over the pot rim 26 during a boil-over event occurring during the cooking process. Thus, despite presence of the overflow holes 44 below the pot rim 26, the fluid inside the cooking pot 12 is substantially retained therein. This is further enhanced by tops 44A of the overflow holes 44 being spaced below the pot rim 26s0 that the overflow holes are wholly spaced below the pot rim 26, and by providing holes 44 which are elliptical in shape.
In the illustrated arrangement, the overflow holes 44 are circular shaped so as to be generally elliptical in shape.
Bottoms 44B of the overflow holes 44 are contiguous an upper surface 47 of the base wall 35 of the overflow collection basin 15, which surface is shaped to permit the overflow fluid to flow towards the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot, such that the fluid received in the overflow receptacle 40 is enabled to return to the interior 24 of the cooking pot via the overflow holes 44. In other words, the overflow hole bottoms 44B are flush with the upper base wall surface 47 so that flow of the overflow fluid back into the pot interior 24 is substantially unimpeded, for example by any raised areas intermediate the overflow receptacle and the pot interior 24. In the illustrated arrangement, the upper surface 47 of the base basin wall 35 is generally horizontally oriented which is sufficient to enable the overflow fluid to return through the overflow holes 44 to the pot interior 24, whether by gravity and/or fluid mechanics or suction due to a pressure gradient between the pot interior 24 and an exterior of the cooking pot 12.
The foam braking member 17 comprises a projection 50 which is

9 arranged to define a surface encompassing the periphery of the upstanding pot wall 21 that is suitable for rupturing bubbles emanating from the interior 24 of the cooking pot 12. That is, the projection 50 is a single element or a plurality of elements which alone or collectively form a surface surrounding the periphery of the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot 12. The projection 50 is configured to provide at least a lower breaking surface 53 which is oriented transversely to the upstanding axis A of the cooking pot 12 against which bubbles emanating from the pot interior 24 collide and consequently burst. The projection 50 may also be configured to provide a pointed breaking tip or edge 55 upon which contact with a bubble can act to break a surface tension of the bubble and thus cause it to burst. The projection 50 is supported on the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot 12 at an external generally radially outward location of the upstanding pot wall 21. Thus the projection 50 is operably located in a manner forming an access opening 57 delimited by the projection 50 above the top opening 28 of the cooking pot which does not substantially obstruct or impede use of the cover 13 on the cooking pot 12 so that the cover 13 can be maneuvered through the access opening 57 for placing upon or removing from the cooking pot 12 while the projection 50 is suitably positioned for stopping emanating foam. In the illustrated arrangement, a free terminus of the projection which is defined by the breaking edge 55 is spaced generally radially outwardly from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that the access opening 57 is sized larger than the top opening 28 of the cooking pot to ensure unobstructed passage of the cover 13 therethrough, which cover 13 is sized correspondingly to the top of the upstanding pot wall 21 (i.e., the pot rim 26 in the illustrated arrangement). The projection 50 protrudes in an inward direction towards the upstanding pot wall 21, and the free terminus of the projection defined by the breaking edge 55 is located at a spaced height above the pot rim 26. In the illustrated

10 arrangement, the whole of the lower breaking surface 53 is spaced above the pot rim 26. This may provide a vertical distance over which emanating bubbles can accelerate so that they collide with the breaking surface 53 with sufficient force to burst.
In the illustrated arrangement, the projection 50 comprises a flange defining the lower breaking surface 53 facing generally towards the top opening 28 of the cooking pot 12. The flange extends around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot. That is, the flange is a single continuous element which extends uninterruptedly around the periphery of the upstanding pot wall 21.
As more clearly shown in Figure 1, the foam breaking member 17 is removably attachable to the cooking pot, and more specifically, so attached to the overflow collection basin 15 such that the projection 50 is operably connected to the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot at a spaced location below the pot rim 26. This operable connection is facilitated by an upright support base 60 of the foam breaking member 17, which depends from the projection 50 in transverse orientation thereto to a bottom edge 61 of the support base 60 spaced below the terminus 55 of the projection. The support base 60 forms an annulus which is receivable in the overflow receptacle, and more specifically, carried on a supporting wall that is carried on the upstanding wall 21 externally of the cooking pot 12 and that extends around the periphery of the upstanding pot wall 21. This supporting wall is formed by the base basin wall 35 on which the bottom edge 61 rests when the foam breaking member is installed in the overflow collection basin 35. The support base 60 forms a peripherally enclosed space within its annulus to contain emanating foam therewithin.
The cooking apparatus 10 may be sold as a kit including the cooking pot 12 with the affixed overflow collection basin 15, the cover 13 and the foam breaking member 17. Alternatively, the foam breaking member 17 may be sold separately of the

11 remaining components of the cooking apparatus 10.
In use, a foodstuff (not shown) is disposed in the interior 24 of the cooking pot 12, and typically water is added into same. The cooking pot 12 containing its contents is located upon a cooking element of a stove cooktop (not shown), which is activated so as to heat the pot 12 for cooking the contents therein.
Typically, the cover 13 is disposed on the top of the cooking pot 12 so that the foodstuff in the pot 12 can cook more quickly, and to retain the liquid therein. When the pot contents begin to boil, the cover 13 may be left in the closed position upon the pot rim 26, as any rising liquid and foam may escape through the overflow holes 44 and into the overflow receptacle 40 provided by the collection basin 15. When the contents are boiling, the heat of the stove element may be reduced, and consequently any foam within the closed cooking pot may fall and subside. Any fluid which has overflown, that is, escaped to the overflow receptacle 40, may re-enter the pot interior 24 through the overflow holes 44.
Thus bidirectional flow is enabled between the pot interior 24 and the overflow receptacle 40 via the overflow holes 44.
If the cover 13 is removed, i.e., not residing on the pot rim 26, at the time of boiling, or should the foam otherwise rise above the pot rim 26, the foam breaking member 17 and particularly the projection 50 may disrupt further emanation of the foam above the free terminus 53 thereof. Even with the foam breaking member 17 installed in its working position as shown in Figure 3, the cover 13 may be suitably installed on the cooking pot 12 or removed therefrom.
It will be appreciated that in other arrangement which are not shown, the foam breaking member 17 and particularly the projection 50 thereof may be affixed to the upstanding wall 21 of the cooking pot 12 or to the peripheral wall 38 of the overflow collection basin, which in such an embodiment may extend above the pot rim 26 to a

12 suitable height for operation of the projection 50 in disrupting further emanation of the foam.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the specification as a whole.

Claims (18)

CLAIMS:

1. A cooking apparatus comprising:
a cooking pot including a bottom wall and an upstanding wall supported on the bottom wall to define an interior of the cooking pot;
a pot rim defined at a top of the upstanding wall that delimits a top opening communicated with the interior of the cooking pot;
a cover removably positionable on the top of the upstanding wall;
at least one handle connected to the cooking pot;
an overflow collection basin comprising a base wall supported on the upstanding wall of the cooking pot externally of the cooking pot and at a spaced location below the pot rim, the base wall of the overflow collection basin being oriented transversely to the upstanding wall and extending around a periphery of the upstanding wall, and a peripheral wall upstanding from the base wall of the overflow collection basin at an outwardly spaced location from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot and extending around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that an overflow receptacle is formed externally of the cooking pot for collecting overflow fluid which exits the interior of the cooking pot;
a plurality of overflow holes defined in the upstanding wall of the cooking pot at angularly spaced locations from one another relative to an upstanding axis of the cooking pot that is encompassed by the upstanding wall of the cooking pot for communicating the interior of the cooking pot with the overflow receptacle;
an upper surface of the base wall of the overflow collection basin being shaped to permit the fluid to flow towards the upstanding wall of the cooking pot; and bottoms of the overflow holes being contiguous with the upper surface of the base wall of the overflow collection basin such that the fluid received in the overflow receptacle is enabled to return to the interior of the cooking pot via the overflow holes.

2. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 wherein tops of the overflow holes are spaced below the pot rim.

3. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 or 2 wherein the overflow holes are elliptical in shape.

4. The cooking apparatus of claim 3 wherein the overflow holes are circular shaped.

5. The cooking apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the upper surface of the base wall is generally horizontally oriented.

6. The cooking apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5 further including a foam breaking member which comprises a projection arranged to define a surface encompassing the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot that is suitable for rupturing bubbles emanating from the interior of the cooking pot, the projection being supported at an external generally radially outward location of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot and protruding in an inward direction towards the upstanding wall of the cooking pot, and a free terminus of the projection being located at a spaced height above the pot rim.

7. The cooking apparatus of claim 6 wherein the terminus of the projection is spaced generally radially outwardly from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that an opening delimited by the projection above the top opening of the cooking pot is sized larger than the top opening of the cooking pot.

8. The cooking apparatus of claim 6 or 7 wherein the projection comprises a flange the projection comprises a flange defining a lower surface facing generally towards the top opening of the cooking pot.

9. The cooking apparatus of claim 8 wherein the flange extends around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot.

10. The cooking apparatus of any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the foam breaking member is removably attachable to the overflow collection basin.

11. The cooking apparatus of claim 10 wherein the foam breaking member includes an upright support base depending from the projection in transverse orientation thereto to a bottom edge of the support base spaced below the terminus of the projection, the support base forming an annulus which is receivable in the overflow receptacle.

12. A cooking apparatus comprising:
a cooking pot including a bottom wall and an upstanding wall supported on the bottom wall;
a pot rim defined at a top of the upstanding wall that delimits a top opening of the cooking pot;
a cover removably positionable on the top of the upstanding wall;
at least one handle connected to the cooking pot;
a foam breaking member comprising a projection arranged to define a surface encompassing a periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot that is suitable for rupturing bubbles emanating from the interior of the cooking pot;
the projection being supported on the upstanding wall of the cooking pot at an external generally radially outward location of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot;
the projection protruding in an inward direction towards the upstanding wall of the cooking pot; and a free terminus of the projection being located at a spaced height above the pot rim.

13. The cooking apparatus of claim 12 wherein the terminus of the projection is spaced generally radially outwardly from the upstanding wall of the cooking pot such that an opening delimited by the projection above the top opening of the cooking pot is sized larger than the top opening of the cooking pot.

14. The cooking apparatus of claim 12 or 13 wherein the projection comprises a flange defining a lower surface facing generally towards the top opening of the cooking pot.

15. The cooking apparatus of claim 14 wherein the flange extends around the periphery of the upstanding wall of the cooking pot.

16. The cooking apparatus of any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein the projection is operably connected to the upstanding wall of the cooking pot at a spaced location below the pot rim.

17. The cooking apparatus of any one of claims 12 to 16 wherein the foam breaking member is removably attachable to the cooking pot.

18. The cooking apparatus of claim 17 wherein the foam breaking member includes an upright support base depending from the projection in transverse orientation thereto to a bottom edge of the support base spaced below the terminus of the projection, the support base forming an annulus which is carried on a supporting wall that is carried on the upstanding wall externally of the cooking pot and extending around the periphery of the upstanding wall.