Labor saving bowl and dish gripper

Abstract

The utility model discloses a labor-saving bowl and dish gripper, which has a handle part and a clamping jaw assembly that is opened and closed by traction, the clamping jaw assembly is composed of a middle beam, a pair of C-shaped three-link rods and a pair of special-shaped bottom U-shaped curved rods, the middle section of the C-shaped three-link rod is connected to the handle part, the two short rods of the three-link rod are connected to the handle part and can rotate freely in the axial direction relative to the handle part, the two free ends of the first curved rod are connected to the two short rods of one C-shaped three-link rod in a chain manner, and the two free ends of the second curved rod are connected to the two short rods of another C-shaped three-link rod in a chain manner; the straight arm sections of the pair of curved rods are connected to the loops arranged at the two ends of the middle beam in a cross manner at the positions close to the short rods and close to the lengths of the short rods, forming an X-shaped linkage structure that is smaller at the upper part and larger at the lower part, the length ratio of the upper part to the lower part is greater than three times, and the clamping jaw sections of the pair of curved rods that are curved towards each other on the bottom side of the main body are driven to move close to each other to clamp and move away from each other to release by the handle part moving away from the middle beam and moving close to the middle beam. The gripper is labor-saving and can firmly clamp a bowl and dish.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a household appliance for preventing scalding when gripping bowls and plates, and more particularly to a lightweight, self-locking gripper that prevents slippage. Background Technology

[0002] As we all know, the kitchen is the heart of a family's cooking. Most families prepare at least two meals a day in the kitchen. The variety of cooking methods is vast, and some dishes require steaming or boiling to retain as much of the ingredients' nutrients as possible and achieve a better texture. However, removing bowls and plates full of food from a hot steamer poses a risk of burns. To address this, a common dish gripper exists, with a design structure as follows... Figure 1 As shown, the gripper has a handle 1a, a pair of irregularly shaped U-shaped curved rods 2a, and an operating grip ring 3a integrally welded to the curved rods. The free end of the curved rod 2a is bent and fixed within the handle 1a. When the handle is fitted into the operator's palm and the thumb and other four fingers grip the operating grip ring, the opening and closing of the curved rods can be controlled by the expansion and contraction of the palm, thus enabling the picking up and placing of bowls and plates.

[0003] Although common bowls and plates come in a variety of shapes, they are generally uniformly shaped with a flat bottom and an opening that gradually widens from bottom to top. Regardless of whether the opening is round, square, or other shapes, the sidewalls are all smooth and curved (slightly concave on the inside and slightly convex on the outside). In particular, the bottom of bowls and plates is usually not flat; its outer ring is convex downwards, or it can be described as having a recessed center, with only the part that contacts the tabletop being flat.

[0004] However, traditional grippers with this design have revealed several drawbacks in practical use. For example, the clamping strength of a pair of bowls and plates relies mainly on the grip strength of the palm, which is very difficult when the bowls, plates, and food inside are heavy, and can easily result in them slipping and falling. Secondly, freshly steamed food still poses a risk of being scalded by steam, and can also be dropped due to hand stress. Thirdly, the clamping section at the bottom of the curved rod of previous grippers was usually designed with a straight-line extension and a wavy curve, making it difficult to feed downwards into the narrow gaps between some round steamers and bowls and plates, thus failing to achieve a gripping operation and demonstrating a lack of practicality. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a labor-saving dish gripper to improve the ease of use and reliability of the dish gripper.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a labor-saving bowl and plate gripper, comprising a handle and a gripper assembly that opens and closes under traction. The gripper assembly consists of a central beam, a pair of C-shaped three-fold rods, and a pair of U-shaped curved rods with irregular bottoms. The middle section of the C-shaped three-fold rod passes through the handle, and the short rods on both sides of the three-fold rod pass through the handle and rotate freely relative to the handle. The two free ends of the first curved rod are chained to the two short rods on both sides of one C-shaped three-fold rod, and the two free ends of the second curved rod are chained to the two short rods on both sides of another C-shaped three-fold rod. Near the length of the short rods at each free end, the straight arm sections of the pair of curved rods cross and pass through the collars at both ends of the central beam, forming an X-shaped linkage structure with a smaller upper part and a larger lower part. The length ratio of the upper and lower parts is greater than three times. The clamping sections of the bottom main body of the pair of curved rods, which bend towards each other, are driven by the handle to move away from the central beam and clamp together, and move closer to the central beam and separate and release.

[0007] Furthermore, the pair of curved rods are formed by bending multiple sections of thickened steel bars, and the rigidity and strength of the curved rods are sufficient to maintain the original alignment and inherent shape when the gripper is clamping a fully loaded bowl.

[0008] Furthermore, a baffle to prevent steam burns is provided below the handle, and a limiting ring is formed at each end of the baffle. Two short rods on either side are inserted into the limiting ring on the corresponding side, and the inner diameter of the limiting ring is sufficient to remain above the chain connection point when the clamp section is closed. At the maximum opening distance of the clamp section, there is a space for the limiting ring and the handle to grip the handle.

[0009] Furthermore, the bottom clamping sections of a pair of cranks are designed to initially bend in the direction of convergence and have a wavy, straight-line extension.

[0010] Furthermore, the bottom clamping sections of a pair of cranks are designed to initially bend in the direction of convergence and have a wavy, arc-shaped extension.

[0011] Furthermore, each clamping segment is bent and extended toward the opposite clamping segment, and each clamping segment is provided with three upward-hooked support parts, with rubber sleeve particles for increasing damping at the top of all support parts; when the clamping segment is gripping the bowl or plate, the recessed area in the center of the bottom of the bowl or plate covers at least one support part on each side.

[0012] Furthermore, the handle consists of an outer tube and one end cap on each side. The middle section of each C-shaped three-fold rod is connected to the handle and both ends are bent into short rods in the same direction. Each end cap is sleeved from the two short rods on the same side to the middle section near the bend based on its own central hole and is integrally welded to the outer tube for sealing.

[0013] Furthermore, the outer sleeve is a stainless steel round tube or an outer plastic-coated round tube that conforms to the curvature of the human hand gripping.

[0014] Compared with traditional bowl and plate grippers, the optimized design of this utility model has the following advantages:

[0015] 1. The X-shaped linkage structure, formed by the connection of the short rod, the curved rod, and the central beam, multiplies the clamping force. During operation, the handle is brought close to the central beam to open the clamping section of the curved rod. Pulling the handle away from the central beam allows the clamping section to close and clamp. The support part lifts the bottom of the bowl and plate to sink to the bottom position, or the limiting ring is used to lock the closing range of the clamping section, thereby achieving clamping to prevent the bowl and plate from falling off. This greatly reduces the operator's gripping force and expands the range of people who can use the tool.

[0016] 2. By optimizing the shape of the bottom clamping section of the crank bar, it is suitable for selecting the appropriate gripper model for operation under different working conditions, thus improving the versatility and practicality of the tool. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a traditional bowl and plate gripper.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the labor-saving bowl and plate gripper of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 3 Based on Figure 2 The diagram shows a detailed structural representation of a localized evolution of a preferred embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another preferred embodiment of the labor-saving bowl and plate gripper of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so as to make the technical solution of the present invention easier to understand and master, and thus to make a clearer definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] In view of the inconvenience of using traditional similar instruments, this utility model proposes an innovative labor-saving bowl and plate gripper in order to improve ease of operation and reliability.

[0023] like Figure 2 The diagram shown is a structural schematic of a preferred embodiment of this labor-saving bowl and plate gripper. As can be seen from the diagram, unlike traditional gripper products which have only a single section design from the handle downwards, this improved bowl and plate gripper has a handle 1 and a gripper assembly that opens and closes under traction. Specifically, the gripper assembly consists of a central beam 21 and a pair of C-shaped three-fold rods (see...). Figure 4It consists of two C-shaped three-fold rods (22a and 22b) and a pair of U-shaped curved rods (23a and 23b). The middle section 221 of the C-shaped three-fold rod is connected to the handle 1, and the short rods on both sides of the three-fold rod extend out of the handle and can rotate freely relative to the handle axis; that is, the pair of short rods on each side can open and close synchronously and with the same amplitude. The two free ends 231a of the first curved rod 23a are chained to the two short rods on both sides of one C-shaped three-fold rod 22b, and the two free ends 231b of the second curved rod 23b are chained to the two short rods on both sides of another C-shaped three-fold rod 22a; that is, the two free ends of any curved rod and its connected short rods can move at any angle. Simultaneously, as a breakthrough in single-section structure, near the short rod length at each free end, the straight arm sections 232a and 232b of the first and second curved rods intersect in the collars 211 at both ends of the central beam 21, forming an X-shaped linkage structure with a smaller upper part and a larger lower part. That is, the opening and closing of the free ends of the curved rods synchronously drives the opening and closing of the bottom clamping sections of the curved rods. In other words, the clamping sections 233a and 233b, which are bent towards each other on the bottom sides of the two curved rods, are driven by the handle 1 to move away from the central beam 21 and clamp together, and to move closer to the central beam 21 and separate and release. As shown in the figure, taking the first curved rod 23a as an example, the length ratio of the upper and lower parts of its straight wall section, roughly divided by the collars of 232a, is more than three times. Therefore, the overall shape of the clamping assembly creates a lever structure that amplifies the clamping force, which can reliably improve the clamping force output for dishes under daily full load conditions.

[0024] As another core element of the optimized design, a baffle 4 to prevent steam burns is provided below the handle 1, with a limiting ring (made of relatively hard plastic) formed at each end of the baffle. A pair of short rods on the left side of the handle are inserted into the left limiting ring 41, and a pair of short rods on the right side of the handle are inserted into the right limiting ring 42. Because the curved rod has a clamping section, the free ends of the curved rod on either side are minimized when the bottom is closed. Therefore, the inner diameter of any limiting ring is sufficient to remain above the chain connection point when the clamping section is closed, preventing it from falling downwards; at the same time, there is sufficient space for the limiting ring and the handle to grip the handle when the clamping section is at its maximum opening distance. On the other hand, the baffle is designed as a three-section folding wing that is hinged together. The two limiting rings are integrally formed from both ends of the middle bottom plate, while the wing plates on both sides can open and close relative to the middle bottom plate, and can be folded up to save storage space when not in use.

[0025] As described in the above preferred embodiment, unlike traditional bowl and plate grippers that rely on the gripping force of fingers to clamp bowls and plates, this invention primarily relies on the upward lifting of the handle to retract the diamond-shaped structure on the upper side of the central beam. As shown in part A of the figure, dotted line i lengthens, causing dotted line j to contract inwards, meaning the bottom clamping section grips the edge of the bowl or plate for reliable gripping. When it is necessary to release the bowl or plate from the table, as shown in part B of the figure, dotted line i shortens, causing dotted line j to expand outwards. This means that only the external force of the lifting handle needs to be released, allowing the diamond-shaped structure to widen appropriately. Therefore, the operation is significantly more convenient and labor-saving. Furthermore, considering the actual situation where the curved rod and straight arm sections divided by the central beam are shorter at the top and longer at the bottom, combined with the lever principle, it can be understood that the contraction force of the diamond-shaped structure is amplified, making the clamping force of the bottom clamping section tighter. To prevent the bowl or plate from slipping off the clamping section due to insufficient clamping force, the added baffle function is fully realized. In use, the baffle can be unfolded to block the high-temperature steam rising from the bowls and plates, preventing burns to the user. When gripping the bowls and plates, as the clamping section expands, the two limiting rings move upwards along the short rod towards the handle. Once the initial gripping is complete—with the clamping section against the side or bottom of the bowl and the straight section against the four corners of the rim—the limiting rings will fall downwards, positioning themselves at a specific angle on the short rod. If the gripping force is insufficient to hold and move the bowls and plates and their contents, the user can simply apply slight pressure to the baffle with their fingers to prevent the limiting rings from retracting, thus maintaining the stability of the diamond-shaped structure on the upper side of the central beam. This allows the gripped bowls and plates to be moved smoothly.

[0026] Looking at the more detailed features, each of the two curved rods is formed by bending multiple sections of thickened steel bars, and the rigidity and strength of the curved rods are sufficient to maintain the original straightness and inherent shape when the gripper is clamping a fully loaded bowl and plate, that is, there will be no bending deformation or deformation that will cause the bowl and plate to fall off.

[0027] and Figure 2 In the preferred embodiment shown, the bottom clamping sections 233a and 233b of the pair of curved rods are designed to initially bend towards the closing direction and have a wavy, straight-line extension. That is, although this part is mostly a continuous arc-shaped bend, the main body extends linearly, making it suitable for gripping bowls and plates with straight edges or for multi-point contact gripping of round bowls and plates. Furthermore, given sufficient opening and closing space, its usage is similar to that of a traditional bowl and plate gripper.

[0028] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is a detailed structural schematic of a partial evolution of the preferred embodiment; designs similar to those in the preferred embodiment are omitted. As a key difference, the bottom clamping sections 233e and 233f of the peg are designed to initially bend towards the point of convergence, with the main body exhibiting a wavy, arc-shaped extension. This is relevant when food is being steamed in a rice cooker and its rack.Figure 2 The bowl and plate gripper shown often cannot feed downwards to successfully grab the steaming tray (because the opening width is greater than the diameter of the bracket). However, this type of wavy, arc-shaped gripper can better adapt to the roundness of the inner pot of the rice cooker, achieving a convenient gripping operation.

[0029] More specifically, the aforementioned handle 1 consists of an outer sleeve 11 and two end caps on either side. The middle section of each C-shaped three-fold rod is inserted into the handle, and both ends are bent into short rods in the same direction outside the end cap. The end cap is a circular piece matching the radial dimension of the outer sleeve and has a central hole. The inner diameter of the central hole is approximately 2 to 3 times the outer diameter of the middle section of the C-shaped three-fold rod. In actual assembly, the two linear straight rods are first inserted into the outer sleeve and tangentially joined together. Then, the left end cap 12, based on its own central hole, is fitted onto the linear straight rod and engages with the left side of the outer sleeve. The right end cap 13, based on its own central hole, is fitted onto the linear straight rod and engages with the right side of the outer sleeve. The connection methods of these three components include, but are not limited to, welding and threaded connection. The bending of the linear straight rod into the middle section and short rods can occur after the end caps are joined or before the end caps are fitted, which is an objective limitation of the processing technology.

[0030] The outer tube can be an unwrapped, smooth stainless steel round tube, or it can be an outer tube with a plastic-coated round tube that conforms to the curvature of the human hand.

[0031] Except for the preferred embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown in the structural diagram of another preferred embodiment, an optimized design for the third curved rod 23c and the fourth curved rod 23d is presented. Each clamping segment is bent and extended towards the opposite clamping segment, and each clamping segment has three upwardly hooked support portions distributed on each side. The top of all support portions is fitted with damping rubber sleeve particles 24. As shown in the diagram, the clamping segment 233c of the third curved rod extends beyond the clamping segment 233d of the fourth curved rod by a greater bending radius. In addition to the original straight, wavy extension of the main body, three upwardly hooked support portions 2331c, 2332c, and 2333c are formed on the left, middle, and right sides. Similarly, the clamping segment of the fourth curved rod also has three upwardly hooked support portions 2331d, 2332d, and 2333d on the left, middle, and right sides. Thus, when the clamping section is gripping the bowl or plate, the recessed area in the center of the bottom of a regular bowl covers at least the two central support parts 2332c and 2332d, while the recessed area in the center of the bottom of a regular plate covers all support parts. During the gripping operation, in addition to the reliable clamping force provided by the gripper assembly itself, these support parts and rubber sleeve particles, through their interaction with the annular protrusions in the recessed area, effectively prevent further displacement and slippage between the clamping section and the bowl or plate, maintaining the stability of the rhomboid structure. This allows the gripped bowl or plate to be smoothly clamped and moved.

[0032] In summary, the above description and detailed implementation of the labor-saving bowl and plate gripper demonstrate that, compared with traditional grippers of the same type, this solution possesses substantial features and advancements, and its technical effects are as follows.

[0033] Firstly, the X-shaped linkage structure, formed by the connection of the short rod, the curved rod, and the central beam, multiplies the clamping force. During operation, by bringing the handle close to the central beam, the clamping section of the curved rod opens. By pulling the handle away from the central beam, the clamping section closes and clamps. The support part lifts the bottom of the bowl and plate to a lower position, or the limiting ring locks the closing range of the clamping section, thereby achieving clamping to prevent the bowl and plate from falling off. This significantly reduces the operator's gripping force and expands the range of people who can use the tool.

[0034] Furthermore, by optimizing the shape of the bottom clamping section of the crank bar, it is suitable for selecting the appropriate gripper model for operation under different working conditions, thereby improving the versatility and practicality of the tool.

[0035] In addition to the above embodiments, the present invention may have other implementation methods. All technical solutions formed by equivalent substitution or equivalent transformation fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A labor-saving bowl and plate gripper, comprising a handle and a gripper assembly that opens and closes under traction, characterized in that: The gripper assembly consists of a central beam, a pair of C-shaped three-fold rods, and a pair of U-shaped curved rods with irregular bottoms. The middle section of the C-shaped three-fold rod passes through the handle, and the short rods on both sides of the three-fold rod pass through the handle and rotate freely axially relative to the handle. The two free ends of the first curved rod are chained to the two short rods on both sides of one C-shaped three-fold rod, and the two free ends of the second curved rod are chained to the two short rods on both sides of another C-shaped three-fold rod. Near the length of the short rods at each free end, the straight arm sections of the pair of curved rods cross and pass through the collars at both ends of the central beam, forming an X-shaped linkage structure with the upper part being smaller and the lower part being larger. The length ratio of the upper and lower parts is greater than three times. The clamping sections of the bottom main body of the pair of curved rods, which are bent towards each other, are driven by the handle to move away from the central beam and clamp together, and move closer to the central beam and separate and release.

2. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: A pair of curved rods are formed by bending multiple sections of thickened steel bars, and the rigidity and strength of the curved rods are sufficient to maintain the original straightness and inherent shape when the gripper is clamping a fully loaded bowl.

3. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handle is provided with a baffle to prevent steam burns, and a limiting ring is formed at each end of the baffle. Two short rods on either side are inserted into the limiting ring on the corresponding side. The inner diameter of the limiting ring is sufficient to remain above the chain connection point when the clamp section is closed. At the maximum opening distance of the clamp section, there is a space for the limiting ring and the handle to grip the handle.

4. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom clamping sections of a pair of cranks are designed to initially bend in the direction of convergence and the main body extends in a straight line in a wavy curve.

5. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bottom clamping sections of a pair of cranks are designed to initially bend in the direction of convergence and the main body is curved in an arc-like wave shape.

6. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clamping section on one side is bent and extended toward the clamping section on the other side, and each clamping section on one side is provided with three upward hook-shaped support parts. The top of all the support parts is fitted with rubber sleeve particles to increase damping. When the clamping section is holding the bowl or plate, the recessed area in the center of the bottom of the bowl or plate covers at least one support part on each side.

7. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The handle consists of an outer tube and one end cap on each side. The middle section of each C-shaped three-fold rod is inserted into the handle and both ends are bent into short rods in the same direction. Each end cap is based on its own central hole and is sleeved from the two short rods on the same side to the middle section near the bend and welded to the outer tube for sealing.

8. The labor-saving bowl and plate gripper according to claim 7, characterized in that: The outer sleeve is a stainless steel round tube or an externally fitted plastic-coated round tube that conforms to the curvature of the human hand.

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