GB2340387A

GB2340387A - Cookware lid holder

Info

Publication number: GB2340387A
Application number: GB9817914A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hung Lam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-17
Filing date: 1998-08-17
Publication date: 2000-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 2018-08-17
Also published as: GB9817914D0; GB2340387B

Abstract

A holder for a pan lid comprises a folding wire frame 12,13 having an upper support bar 12A which accepts and supports the handle of a pan lid which is either a knob 42 fitting recess 14B or a U-shaped handle (52, Fig 5) fitting over protuberances 14A. One frame part includes hooks 15 on which the edge of the lid may be rested. The holder is for use on a flat surface as shown but may include a wall mount (20, Figs 7,8) to which the holder is detachably mounted by channel-shaped clips.

Description

PATENTS ACT 1977 2340387 LID HQLDFR The present invention relates to a lid

holder for holding a lid of an item of cookware such as a wok, pot or saucepan.

During cooking or dining, the lid of cookware is hot and frequently needs to be removed and replaced. People usually put a removed lid flat on a table, either facing up or down, which takes up much room on the table. With the lid facing downwards, liquid, such as soup or sauce, will stain the table and steam will condense on the table. With the lid placed up-side-down, it may rock on the table and is not convenient for people to pick up again particularly when it is hot.

51NMARY OF THE IDIVENTTON According to the invention, there is provided a lid holder comprising a holding means for holding a handle of a lid; a main body portion supporting said holding means; and a supporting base for supporting said main body portion and said holding means on a horizontal surface such that said holding means is disposed above said main body portion and said main body portion is disposed above said supporting means, the holding means comprising a portion shaped to engage a handle of a lid with the lid leaning against the main body portion in an inclined position.

It is preferred that the body portion is in the form of a frame.

In a preferred construction. the body portion is collapsible for storage.

More preferably, the body portion is formed by inter-connected body members which are movable close together for storage.

Further more preferably, the body members are hinged together for folding between open and closed positions.

In a first preferred embodiment, the holding portion is in the form of an upwardly facing recess for engaging partially around the handle of the lid.

In a second preferred embodiment, the holding portion is in the form of an upward protrusion for being engaged around by the handle of the lid.

It is preferred that the holding portion is in the form of an upwardly facing recess and an upward protrusion provided in a side-by-side manner.

More preferably, the holding portion is in the form of one said recess and two said protrusions which are provided on opposite sides of the recess.

Advantageously, the body portion has two lower hooks for engaging a rim of the lid with the lid leaning against the body.

In a preferred embodiment, the lid holder includes a separate support which is adapted to be located on the wall or structure and comprises a releasable connector for connecting to and supporting the body portion of the lid holder.

More preferably, the support is in the form of a frame.

It is preferred that the connector and the body portion of the lid holder are adapted to be connected together by engaging one, at least partially, into the-other.

More preferably, the connector is in the form of a pair of opposed channels adapted to receive and thus engage a part of the body portion of the lid holder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a lid holder in accordance with the invention, for use on a table; Figure 2 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1, showing the lid holder holding a lid having a handle in the form of a knob; Figure 3 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1, showing the lid holder holding a lid having a U-shaped lid handle; Figure 4 is an enlarged front view of a part of the lid holder engaging the knob of Figure 2; Figure 5 is an enlarged front view of a part of the lid holder engaging the U-shaped lid handle of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1, showing the lid holder holding the lid in a different manner; Figure 7 is a side view of the lid holder of Figure 1, in combination with a wall mounting, for use on the wall; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the lid holder and the wall mount of Figure 7.

nETATTEn DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring firstly to Figures 1, 7 and 8 of the drawings, there is shown a lid holder 10 embodying the invention for holding a cookware lid in an inclined position, which lid holder 10 has a body 11 formed by a pair of inter-connected planar members 12 and 13. In this embodiment, the intersection line between the planes 12 and 13 is horizontal. With varying design styles, the planes of 12 and 13 can be arranged to form a intersection line upright to the horizontal surface instead. The first body member 12 is either formed by a metal wire bent or made of plastic moulded into a generally trapezoidal frame having a relatively shorter top limb 12A which has a central portion 14 in the general shape of a letter "M". With varying design styles, the said trapezoidal frame can be replaced by any pattern or design of mechanical structure and possibly be three-dimensionally out of the plane of 12. The top limb 12A is to arrest the U-shaped lid handle.

Without the limb 12A, the upper portion of 13B alone can also arrest the U-shaped lid handle. In other words, the limb 12A running along 13D is one of the design styles, which can also be extended and oriented in many directions instead of as illustrated shown horizontally sidewards. The Mshaped portion 14 has a pair of bent-up protrusions 14A and a bent-down depression or recess 14B between the protrusions 14A. In this embodiment, the body member 12 includes two upright side limbs 12B and a relatively longer horizontal bottom limb 12C which forms one edge of the supporting base.

The second body member 13 is either formed by a metal wire bent or made of plastic moulded into a trapezoidal frame to support the M-shaped portion 14 also. Similarly, with varying design styles, the said trapezoidal frame can be replaced by any pattern or design of mechanical structure and possibly be three- dimensionally out of the plane of 13. In this embodiment, the body member 13 has two upright side limbs 13B and a relatively longer horizontal bottom limb 13C which also forms one edge of the supporting base. The side limbs 13B are provided with respective lower hooks 15 facing outwards.

The supporting body members are hingedly connected at the intersection of the members. In this embodiment, the uppermost ends of the side limbs 13B of the second body member 13 are hingedly connected to respective opposite upper corners of the f irst body member 12, such that the two body members 12 and 13 are foldable close together for storage in a space-saving manner. The hinge connection is lockable fixed, for example through a snapping action or friction or by means of a strut or chain, to have the two body members 12 and 13 extending apart (open) at an acute angle of, say, 60' downwards for use standing symmetrically on a horizontal surface such as a table.

In this particular embodiment, the lid holder 10 includes a separate wall mount 20 for use on the wall or structure such as a utility rack. The wall mount 20 has a body 21 which is either formed by a metal wire bent or made of plastic moulded into a trapezoidal frame without a relatively longer horizontal bottom limb. The body 21 has a relatively shorter top limb 21A and two upright side limbs 21B and includes a pair of opposed channel-shaped connectors 22. The connectors 22 are provided at respective opposite upper corners of the body 21, extending longitudinally upwards from the respective side limbs 21B beyond the top limb 21A, for connecting the lid holder body 11. The lowermost ends of the side limbs 21B are bent and fixed to the wall by respective pairs of screws 30, with the result that the body 21 is inclined at an acute angle of about 30' upwards and away from the wall.

For use on the wall, the lid holder 10 is supported in the same previous stand-alone position by the wall mount 20, with the lowermost ends of the side limbs 12B of the holder body member 12 received by or engaged into/with the respective connectors 22 of the mount body 21. The side limbs 12B and 21B on each side are joined together by the respective connector 22 in an end-to-end manner. Thus, the lid holder 10 is located on and spaced away from the wall by the wall mount 20.

Reference is now made to Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, showing a saucepan lid 40 having a body 41 and a handle in the form of a knob 42 having a neck 43. The lid holder 10 is to hold the lid 40 by the knob 42, with the neck 43 being engaged partially around and hence retained by the recess 14B of the holder M-shaped portion 14. The lid 40 is thus held in an inverted position inclined at about 60' upwards, leaning against the holder body member 12, whether the holder 10 is used on a table or the wall by transforming the holder from as in Figure 1 to Figure 7.

Reference is then made to Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings, showing a wok lid 50 having a body 51 and a U-shaped handle 52. The lid holder 10 is to hold the lid 50 by the handle 52, with the handle 52 engaging around, and hence retained by 12A or upper portion of 13B and by both or either one of the protrusions 14A of the holder M-shaped portion 14. The lid 50 is thus held in an inverted position inclined at about 60' upwards, leaning against the body member 12, whether the holder 10 is used on a table or the wall by transforming the holder from as in Figure 1 to Figure 7.

Referring finally to Figure 6 of the drawings, the saucepan lid 40 may alternatively be held in a normal facing-down position inclined at about 600 upwards, leaning against the other side of the holder 10, by having the rim of the lid 40 being engaged and hence retained by the hooks 15.

The lid 40 or 50 held by the lid holder 10 in position, as described above, is spaced away from the table or wall and hence will not stain it with soup or sauce and/or condense water on it. Also, the lid 40 or 50 can conveniently be picked up again by the knob 42 or handle 52 which is easily accessible.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS

1. A lid holder, comprising a holding means for holding a handle of a lid; a main body portion supporting said holding means; and a supporting base for supporting said main body portion and said holding means on a horizontal surface such that said holding means is disposed above said main body portion and said main body portion is disposed above said supporting means, the holding means comprising a portion shaped to engage a handle of a lid with the lid leaning against the main body portion in an inclined position.

2. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the body portion comprises body members in the form of a frame.

3. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the body members are collapsible for storage.

4. A lid holder as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the body members are inter-connected and movable close together for storage.

5. A lid holder as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the body members are hinged together for folding between open and closed positions.

6. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holding portion is in the form of an upwardly facing recess for engaging the handle of the lid.

7. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holding portion includes an upward protrusion for engaging the handle of the lid.

8. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the holding portion includes an upwardly facing recess and an upward protrusion provided in a sideby-side manner.

9. A lid holder as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the holding portion includes one said recess and two said protrusions which are provided on opposite sides of the recess.

10. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the body portion has two lower hooks for engaging a rim of the lid with the lid leaning against the body.

11. A lid holder constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1, including a separate support which is adapted to be located on the wall or structure and comprises a releasable connector for connecting to and supporting the body portion of the lid holder.

12. A lid holder as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the support is in the form of a frame.

13. A lid holder as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the connector and the body portion of the lid holder are adapted to be connected together by engaging one, at least partially, into the other.

14. A lid holder as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the connector is in the form of a pair of opposed channels adapted to receive and engage a part of the body portion of the lid holder.

15. A lid holder constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.

14 have been filed as f0110ms Amendments tO the claims 1. A self-supporting lid holder comprising fust and second body members hingedly connected together at an intersection thereof for movement between an open in-use position and a closed storage position, said members in said open position defining a vertex at said intersection and forming a self-supporting base at ends opposite to said vertex for supporting said holder on a horizontal surface, and said members in said closed position being disposed in close proximity with one another; lid holding means being provided on one of said body members at said vertex and comprising an, in-use, upwardly facing recess for engaging the handle of a lid when the body members are in said open position on a horizontal surface.

2. A lid holder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body members are each in the form of a frame.

3. A lid holder as claimed in either one of claims 1 or 2 wherein said lid holding means further comprises an, in-use, upwardly extending protrusion for engaging the handle of a lid.

4. A lid holder as claimed in claim 3 wherein said lid engaging recess and said lid engaging protrusion are located side by side.

5. A lid holder as claimed in either one of claims 3 or 4 wherein two said protrusions are provided, one on each side of said recess.

6. A lid holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a pair of hooks for engaging a rim of a lid with the lid leaning against a body portion of the holder.

7. A lid holder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a separate support adapted to be located on a wall or like structure and comprising a releasable connector for connecting to and supporting a body portion of the lid holder.

8. A lid holder as claimed in claim 7 wherein said separate support is in the form of a frame.

9. A lid holder as claimed in either one of claims 7 or 8 wherein said connector and a said body portion of the lid holder are adapted to be connected together by engaging one at least partially into the other.

10. A fid holder as claimed in any one of claims 7-9 where said connector is in the form of a pair of opposed channels adapted to receive and engage a part of said body portion of the lid holder.