GB2443478A

GB2443478A - Spaghetti cooking aid

Info

Publication number: GB2443478A
Application number: GB0621646A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Richard Hewitt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-31
Filing date: 2006-10-31
Publication date: 2008-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2026-10-31
Also published as: GB0621646D0; GB2443478B

Abstract

A spaghetti cooking aid enabling the process of immersing the spaghetti in boiling to water to be achieved relatively safely and without damaging the spaghetti or affecting its cooking. An arm 1, or the lid of a pan 5, includes a ring 2 and means for engaging a rim 4 of the pan 5. In use, a number of strands 6 of spaghetti are dropped through the ring 2 into some boiling water 7 in the pan 5. The means for engaging the rim 4 of the pan 5 may consist of a series of guides 3. The ring 2 is preferably supported at least 70 mm above the base of the pan 5.

Description

1 2443478 Spaghetti Cooking Aid The invention relates to a spaghetti

cooking aid.

ft is well known that spaghetti is awkward to submerge in boiling water, due to its length and brittle nature.

Generally, to cook spaghetti, the stiff strands are manually feed into a pan of boiling water until the length of all the strands arc immersed. If the full length of thc spaghetti strands is to be maintained, it is necessary to soften the strands so that they may be coiled into a pan whose dimensions are less than the length of the spaghetti.

is This operation can be difficult and even dangerous for some people, especially those whose hands are sensitive to heat or steam. Using oven gloves to protect the hands is not a satisfactory form of protection, as gloves make it difficult to hold the spaghetti gently.

The present invention seek to safely assist the process of feeding strands of spaghetti into a pan of boiling water.

According to the present invention there is provided a spaghetti cooking aid comprising a ring through which a number of strands of spaghetti may be fed, and means for supporting the ring over a pan of boiling water.

The ring is preferably positioned substantially centrally above the pan so that the strands of spaghetti slowly slide into the pan under the force of gravity as the immersed sections of the strands soften. Therefore, preferably, the ring is positioned 70 mm or more above the base of the pan or at a height so that the angle between the strands of the spag-hetti and the base of the pan is no less than 300 and preferably greater than 450W The ring may be formed as a tube, the ratio of the length of which relative to the width is preferably 1:1. The ring is preferably circular, but may be square or of any other shape that enables the strands of spaghetti to be fed into the pan.

It is useful to include the ring in a pan lid, as a single opening, preferably centraUy positioned in the lid. The ring in the pan lid may be used also to contain a removable knob.

The knob may be replaced in the ring when the strands of spaghetti have been completely fed into the water, to retain the steam and to reduce heat loss.

The device may be constructed from metal such as aluminium alloy or stainless steel, or it may be moulded from a plastics material such as Nylon, acetyl or polypropylene.

The means for supporting the ring may be a tripod, the feet of which lie inside or outside the pan. Alternatively, the ring may be supported from the rim of the pan or from Is the handle of the pan by an arm that rests on, or is clipped onto, the rim or handle. The arm may include a number of guides arranged to accommodate different sizes of pan. The arm, lid, or other means for supporting the ring may include a number of different sized rings to accommodate different amounts of spaghetti.

The invention thus provides a device for feeding spaghetti strands into a pan of water automatically, under the force of gravity. It enables the process of immersing the spaghetti in boiling water to be achieved relatively safely and without damaging the spaghetti or affecting its cooking.

Various spaghetti cooking aids embodying the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. I shows a plan view of a spaghetti feeding device; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1 in its operating position on a pan; Fig. 3 shows a tripod form of the spaghetti feeding device; Fig. 4 shows a pan and lid with a removable knob; and Figs. 5 to 7 are sections through three modified forms of lid.

Figs. 1 and 2 show an ann 1 containing an aperture or ring 2 and a series of guides 3 for engaging the rim 4 of a pan 5, arranged so that in use a number of strands 6 of spaghetti can be dropped through the ring 2 into some boiling water 7 in the pan 5. The immersed ends of the spaghetti strands soften in the boiling water and the weight of the spaghetti above the water causes it to slowly slide into the pan under the force of gravity. The spaghetti should be fanned out evenly for the best operational results. The softened io spaghetti swirls at the side wall of the pan 5 and draws the remaining spaghetti into the pan.

The feeding of the spaghetti into the pan 5 is assisted by minimizing the frictional forces between the strands 6 and the ring 2. This may be achieved by providing a chamfer 8 on the ring 2 and/or by coating it with a non-stick coating.

II has been found that by using a centraily positioned ring 2 and a well-fanned bunch of strands, the softened spaghetti forms an even circular scroll in the base of the pan 5 which helps to prevent sticking.

The series of guides 3 in the form of curved ridges are dimensioned to engage with the rim of different standard sizes of saucepans. Some of the guides 3 may be formed on one side of the arm whilst others at different radial spacing may be on the other side.

The size of the ring should be suflicient to permit the spaghetti to fall freely into the pan 5. The ring 2 may be a right circular cylinder or tube the diameter of which is equal to its height. By using a cylindrical ring 2 the angle of feed of the strands of spaghetti into the pan Smay be controlled irrespective of the sze of pan. However, it is simpler to form the ring 2 as a preferably circular hole in the ann 1 so that the strands 6 of spaghetti are angled into the boiling water at an angle sufficient to permit gravitational forces to feed the strands into the water. From experiments it has been found that the angle should preferably be at least 300 and preferably greater than 450 The ann I is mouldeci from Nylon or other plastics material such as polypropylene or acetyl which is approved for contact with foodstuffs.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment consisting of a ring 8 supported by three legs 9 at a height of approximately 70 mm or more. In use, this device is placed in or over a pan (not shown). Water is boiled in the pan and strands of spaghetti are dropped into the pan through the ring 8. The ends of the strands immersed in the boiling water soften as previously described and the force of gravity feeds the strands into the pan.

The tripod may be dimensioned so that it is in the pan or straddles it, or so that the legs 9 engage with the rim of the pan (in which case the legs will be shortened).

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment consisting of a lid 10 for the pan 5. The lid 10 has a removable knob 11 which, when removed, reveals a hole 12 acting as the ring 2 or ring 8 in the former embodünents. When the strands of spaghetti have been fully fed into the pan 5 through the hole 12, the knob may be replaced to reduce the heat and steam losses.

The hole 12 may be provided with a tube (not shown) of circular cross section with a length substantially equal to the diameter of the tube. The tube limits the angle at which the strands are fed into the pan, to case the gravity feed.

The hole may be provided with one or more auxiliary annular rings which can be removably fitted into it to allow its effective diameter to be adjusted. Alternatively, in the Fig. 4 design, the lid of the pan may be provided with one or more off-centre rings which may be of different sizes to suit different amounts of spaghetti. Each of the rings in the lid may be closed by a knob in the form of a removable plug.

The lid 10 may be provided with a handle 13, as shown. A counter-handle 14 may be provided opposite the handle 13, preferably of the type attached to the lid at both ends as shown. The handle 13 has a hole 15 to allow it to.be hung on a hook is desired.

If the lid is made of metal, the ring 12 may have its edge coated with a low-friction material such as Teflon or fitted with a low-friction gasket.

Fig. 5 is a section through a modified form of lid 12. The outer region of this lid is formed as a series of concentric annuluses 16, so that the lid will fit a variety of pans of different diameters. This lid has a cone 17 similar to the cone 11 integral with the rest of the lid, and a counter-cone 18 joining the top of the cone 17 with the innermost of the annuluses 16. I0

Fig. 6 shows a modification of the Fig. 5 design, in which the annuluses 19 have a sawtooth section rather than a step section. This allows the ring 10 to be lower when used with a small pan, so that the spaghetti lies at a similar angle for different sized pans. The Fig. 5 design also has a smooth integral shield or cover 20, to prevent stray bits of food or other material becoming trapped on the upper side of the annuluses 19.

If the Figs. 5 and 6 designs incorporate a handle, the use of a counter-handle as well is preferred, to help balance the lids when used on small pans.

With the Figs. 5 and 6 designs, a plug (not shown) may be provided for closing the hole 12 once the spaghetti has all fed through the hole or if the lid is used for cooking some other foodstuff.

Fig. 7 shows a further modification of the Figs. 5 and 6 designs, in which thcrc is a simple ring rather than a cone. This has the advantage of minimizing contract between the spaghetti and the lid, so minimizing the chance of the spaghetti sticking rather than sliding down through the ring as it cooks. Obviously the annuluses may have either a stepped or a sawtooth configurat jon, and the lid can have a shield or cover or at, as desired.

The principle of this invention may be adapted for incorporation in other kitchen utensils which can suppoii the strands of spaghetti as they are fed into the boiling water.

It will be appreciated that the ring may be supported over the boiling water by a cantilever arm which is adapted to engage the rim of the pan or the handle of the pan.

Claims

Claims 1 A spaghetti cooking aid comprising a ring through which a

number of strands of spaghetti may be fed, and means for supporting the ring over boiling water.

2 A spaghetti cooking aid according to claim 1 wherein the ring is positioned substan-tially centrally above the pan so that the strands of spaghetti slowly slide into the pan under io the force of gravity as the immersed sections of the strands soften.

3 A spaghetti cooking aid according to claim 2 wherein the ring is positioned 70 mm or more above the base of the pan or at a height so that the angle between the strands of the spaghetti and the base of the pan is no less than 30 and preferably greater than 45 .

4 A spaghetti cooking aid according to either previous claim wherein the ring is formed as a tube, the ratio of the length of which relative to the width is preferably 1:1.

A spaghetti cooking aid according to any previous claim wherein the ring is circular.

6 A spaghetti cooking aid according toy previous claim wherein the ring is in a pan Lid, as a single opening.

7 A spaghetti cooking aid according to claim 6 wherein the ring in the pan lid is used also to contain a removable knob.

8 A spaghetti cooking aid according to any previous claim wherein the means for supporting the ring is a tripod.

9 A spaghetti cooking aid according to any previous claim wherein the ring is a supported by an arm that rests on, or is clipped onto, the rim or handle.

S

A spaghetti cooking aid according to claim 9 which includes a number of guides arranged to accommodate different sizes of pan.

s II A spaghetti cooking aid according to any of claims 8 to tO wherein the arm, lid, or other means for supporting the ring includes a number of different sized rings to accom-modate different amounts of spaghetti.

12 A spaghetti cooking aid substantially as herein described and illustrated. I0

13 Any feature of novelty herein described and illustrated.