Sink rack and system for supporting large frying pans horizontally within the confines of a kitchen sink

Abstract

A sink rack and system for supporting large frying pans within the confines of a kitchen sink, comprising at least 2 elongate platforms configured to span across the inside confines of a sink. The elongate platforms terminate at each end at a vertical extension and the top of each vertical extension terminates at a support that is configured to rest on the top perimeter of kitchen sinks. The elongate platforms are also configured with an upper surface on which to place large frying pans horizontally within the confines of a sink. The sink rack is formed of rigid rust proof material, and at least the elongate platforms are formed of rigid rust proof and heat resistant material. In a preferred aspect of the present invention the two sides of the sink rack provide a system for receiving large hot frying pans and a variety of other cookware, by placing the platforms horizontal and parallel to each at desired distances apart, or in various horizontal V patterns within a sink.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims priority to Canadian Patent Application No: 2,706,689 Filed Jun. 14, 2010, entitled SINK RACK AND SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING LARGE FRYING PANS HORIZONTALLY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF A KITCHEN SINKFIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention is directed toward kitchen sink racks and, more particularly, sink racks for supporting large cookware items such as large frying pans.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Large frying pans are widely used in kitchens, and often end up having food stuff baked on and even burnt onto the bottom and sides of the frying pan often making cleaning of the frying pan difficult, in situations like this it is often desirable to fill the frying pan with hot soapy water and let it sit soaking for a period of time to loosen any baked on or burnt on food stuff before attempting to scrub the frying pan clean, however larger frying pans on their own as commonly made cannot be placed horizontally inside of most kitchen si...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a sink rack and system that is safe and easy to use for supporting large frying pans in a horizontal position within the confines of kitchen sinks.

[0008]It is yet another object of this invention to provide a sink rack that will withstand the strain of large frying pans being filled to the top with hot soapy water and be scrubbed clean without having to worry about damaging the sink or having water spill on the counter top or floor.

[0009]It is a further object of this invention to provide a sink rack that can easily be moved to either side of a sink.

[0011]It is yet another object of this invention to provide a sink rack that allows the user to utilize the lower part of a sink for smaller dishes and at the same time utilize the upper part of the sink for larger cookware such as large frying pans.

[0014]The sink rack may be configured such that when it is placed on a kitchen sink the elongate platforms upper surfaces are horizontal and parallel to each other and at a depth inside the sink that is not greater than the vertical distance from the bottom of the frying pan to be placed on the platforms to the farthest point along the frying pans handle that would come in contact with the top perimeter of the kitchen sink when the frying pan is placed horizontally in the sink to the maximum depth that the frying pan could remain horizontal without removing or bending the handle.

[0019]The sink rack can withstand the strain of having heavy large frying pans and other heavy large cookware full of food stuff placed on the platforms for food stuff serving purposes and the strain of large frying pans and other large cookware being scrubbed clean while on the sink rack.

Problems solved by technology

Doing this can create some potential problems such as possibly spilling hot soapy water on the counter top, the stove top, the kitchen floor and even worse, on one's self because frying pans full of water can be difficult to handle in a controlled manner, thus creating unwanted clean ups and possibly causing the kitchen floor to become slippery and dangerous should hot soapy water be spilt on the floor.

Also, having to place frying pans full of soapy water on the kitchen counter or stove top uses up valuable space especially in smaller kitchens, plus it is unsightly to look at and it is just about impossible to fill a frying pan with water to the top of the rim if it has to be moved outside of the inside confines of the sink and back again.

Another problem that is faced in the kitchen is when the kitchen sink already has dishes in the bottom of it and someone finds themselves having to wash even a smaller frying pan or a pot for that matter the other dishes most likely have to be removed from the sink first or the frying or pot would have to be placed directly on top of the other dishes, possibly damaging or breaking the bottom dishes.

Also when transferring food stuff from a frying pan or pot to a serving dish it can get messy because of food stuffs dripping off of serving spoons or spatulas and onto the stove or countertop.

Also large frying pans can be heavy; especially ones made from cast iron, so scrubbing them clean in a sink can damaging the sink, and can be very stressful on a person's fingers, wrists, arms and back especially for people with disabilities.

While there are many different types and styles of sink racks available in the prior art, they have not been particularly successful in alleviating the foregoing problems, plus typical sink racks are large and cumbersome, taking up a lot of space in a sink or on a countertop.

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