Domed splatter screen with a fitted rim

Abstract

A domed splatter screen with a fitted rim. The domed splatter screen is placed over a pan used for frying a food item. The splatter screen includes a handle, a body, and a rim. The body is constructed of metal mesh and is dome shaped. The mesh catches and prevents oil droplets from splattering onto the stovetop. The dome shape allows the splatter screen to cover a pan with a food item that extends above the pan wall. The rim encircles the edge of the body and is fitted to securely attach to the pan wall. The handle is attached to the body to enable the splatter to screen to be placed over and removed from the pan.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 940,738 filed 30 May 2007, which application is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]1. Technical Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates generally to splatter screens used to limit liquids from splattering out of a pan or pot during cooking or frying.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]Splatter screens are useful to contain liquids or particulates within a desired functional area. In the food industry, splatter screens are commonly used to prevent oil or fat from splashing outside of a pot or pan during frying or cooking. As illustrated in FIG. 1 a conventional splatter screen 10 is generally a flat, circular metal mesh 12 with a circumferential rim 14 and a handle 16 attached to the rim 14. A conventional splatter screen 10 is balanced atop a pot or pan containing a food item that...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]In an exemplary embodiment, the splatter screen is designed to be placed atop a pan containing a food item being fried or cooked. As the item fries, the mesh body of the splatter screen prevents oil and grease droplets from splashing out of the pan. The mesh structure, however, allows air and steam to freely circulate in and out the pan. The rim of the splatter screen fits over or within the pan wall in a complimentary manner, such that the pan can be easily covered or uncovered, but the screen will not slide off when the pan is handled. The domed shape of the body allows the screen to accommodate large food items such as mounds of fries or a thick steak, while the rim remains in contact with the pan wall.

[0016]In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a screen implement for covering an article of cookware, the screen implement comprising a non-planar mesh surface for containing oil droplets within the cookware, a rim extending around the perimeter of the mesh surface, the rim cooperatively engaging the top of the cookware to secure the screen implement to the cookware and prevent lateral movement of the screen implement relative to the cookware, and a handle for placing the screen implement onto the cookware and removing the screen implement from the cookware. The rim can comprise a substantially horizontal surface and a substantially vertical surface, the horizontal surface engaging a top of the wall of the cookware and the vertical surface engaging a side of the wall of the cookware. The vertical surface of the rim can be adapted to be disposed outside the perimeter of the wall of the cookware. Alternatively, the vertical surface of the rim can be adapted to be disposed inside the perimeter of the wall of the cookware. The mesh surface allows water vapor to rise from the cookware and preventing an oil droplet from passing from the cook surface of the cookware into the area surrounding the cookware. The mesh surface can have a plurality of apertures, wherein the average width of the apertures is less than the average effective diameter of oil droplets produced from frying a food item.

Problems solved by technology

This is distinguishable from the conventional splatter screen, which simply presents a flat, planar screen of mesh across the top of a piece of cookware, such that if a food item or other element were placed in the cookware, but extends beyond the height of the cookware sidewalls, the conventional flat splatter screen would not be capable of securely fitting on the cookware.

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