steamer

Abstract

To provide a versatile steamer that can be used as a general cooking implement. [Solution] A steamer 1 made of a flexible material, comprising a cylindrical steamer body 2 with a bottom and an opening 20 on the top surface, a plurality of steam holes 3 formed on the bottom surface 21 of the steamer body 2, and a lid 4 that covers the opening 20, the steamer body 2 having an annular flange 23 that protrudes outward on the bottom surface 21 side, and the flange 23 is placed on the edge of the opening of the cooking utensil N.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steamer made of flexible material. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Steamers for cooking food by steam are known in the art (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The steamer described in Patent Document 1 comprises a pot body that contains water, and a container body for storing ingredients to be steamed, which is detachably supported on the upper opening of the pot body and has an inlet hole in the bottom wall for introducing steam generated inside the pot body. This steamer is designed so that the container body is stably supported on the upper opening of the pot body by inserting the lower end of the container body into the pot body and placing a hook formed by protruding outward from the lower end of the peripheral wall of the container body on a support step formed by bending the upper end of the pot body outward. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-23255 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the steamer of Patent Document 1 requires that the container for storing ingredients to be steamed be placed on a specially shaped pot with a curved upper end, and the container cannot be placed on other common pots, etc., resulting in low versatility.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a versatile steamer that can be applied to general cooking utensils. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The steamer according to the present invention, which solves the above problems, has the following features: A steamer made of a flexible material, A cylindrical steamer body with a bottom and an opening on the top surface; A plurality of steam holes formed on the bottom surface of the steamer body; a lid for covering the opening; Equipped with The steamer body has an annular flange protruding outward on the bottom side, The flange is adapted to rest on the edge of the opening of the cooking utensil.

[0008] The steamer of this configuration has a cylindrical steamer body with a bottom and an opening on the top surface, and the steamer body has an annular flange that protrudes outward on the bottom surface, so it can be placed on the opening edges of various cooking utensils with different diameters. Therefore, it is possible to provide a steamer with excellent versatility that can be used with general cooking utensils.

[0009] In the steamer according to the present invention, The opening is preferably configured to have an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the bottom surface.

[0010] According to the steamer of this configuration, the inner diameter of the opening of the steamer body is larger than the inner diameter of the bottom surface, so that food can be easily put in and taken out through the opening.

[0011] In the steamer according to the present invention, The steamer body is preferably configured to be foldable in the height direction.

[0012] According to the steamer of this configuration, the steamer body is configured to be foldable in the height direction, so the steamer itself is compact and has excellent storage properties.

[0013] In the steamer according to the present invention, The steamer body has a first body portion that defines the opening, a second body portion that defines the bottom surface, and a connecting portion that connects the first body portion and the second body portion, When the steamer body is folded, it is preferable that the first body portion accommodates the second body portion therein.

[0014] With this steamer, when the steamer body is folded, the first body accommodates the second body inside, so the gap between the first body and the second body does not open upward when folded, preventing dust from accumulating in the gap or water droplets from building up. Also, because the connecting portion connecting the first body and the second body is not exposed to the outside, the steamer has a neat appearance when stored. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing how to use a steamer according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the steamer of this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an end view of the steamer shown in FIG. 2 at position AA, where (a) shows the unfolded state of the steamer body, and (b) shows the folded state of the steamer body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the steamer of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in each drawing, the components of the steamer are not necessarily accurately reproduced in terms of their actual shape, size, positional relationship, thickness of each layer, scale, etc., and have been appropriately exaggerated or simplified for ease of explanation. Furthermore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the configurations shown in the following embodiments and drawings.

[0017] [Overall structure] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing how a steamer 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is used. The steamer 1 is used to cook food using steam. When cooking food using the steamer 1, a cooking utensil N containing an appropriate amount of water is first placed on a heating device C (e.g., an induction cooker, stove, etc.), and the steamer 1 containing the food is then placed on the edge of the opening of the cooking utensil, as shown in FIG. 1. Next, when the cooking utensil N is heated by the heating device C, the water in the cooking utensil N boils, and the steam generated is introduced into the steamer 1 through the steam hole 3 (see FIG. 2), which will be described later, thereby steaming the food. While FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical, bottomed pot, the cooking utensil N is not limited to this, and may be a frying pan, saucepan, deep pot, shallow pot, hammered pot, simmering pot, milk pan, etc. The "opening edge" refers to the upper edge that forms the opening on the top surface of the cooking utensil.

[0018] The steamer 1 is made of a flexible material. In this specification, a flexible material refers to a material that has sufficient deformation properties to allow a person to roll or bend it by hand. By forming the steamer 1 from a flexible material, it becomes lightweight and soft, and is easy to remove and clean after cooking, resulting in a steamer 1 that is highly convenient for users. Examples of flexible materials include, but are not limited to, thermoplastic or thermosetting resins such as polystyrene resins, polyolefin resins, polyurethane resins, polyester resins, polyamide resins, polyvinyl acetate resins, and fluororesins; elastomers such as silicone rubber, fluororubber, and urethane rubber; and composites of the above materials. Using silicone rubber as the flexible material for the steamer 1 makes it possible to provide a steamer 1 that has excellent heat resistance and can withstand repeated cooking.

[0019] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the steamer 1 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the steamer 1 includes a steamer body 2, a steam vent 3, and a lid 4. Each component of the steamer 1 will be described in detail below.

[0020] <Steamer body> As shown in Figure 2, the steamer body 2 has a disk-shaped bottom surface 21 and a trunk portion 22 that is connected integrally and upright from the periphery of the bottom surface 21. The steamer body 2 is a cylindrical container with a bottom, and has an opening 20 at one end in the height direction (the upper end side in Figure 2), through which food can be placed into the steamer body 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the opening 20 of the steamer body 2 is larger than the inner diameter of the bottom surface 21. This makes it easy to put food in and take food out through the opening 20.

[0021] The steamer body 2 has an annular flange 23 that protrudes outward from the bottom surface 21. The flange 23 is placed on the edge of the opening of the cookware N. There are no restrictions on the width of the flange 23 in the radial direction of the steamer body 2, but it is preferable to make it 1.5 cm or more. This allows the steamer 1 to be placed on cookware N with various opening diameters. For example, if the width of the flange 23 is 1.5 cm, the steamer 1 can be placed on the cookware N as long as the difference between the inner diameter of the bottom surface 21 of the steamer body 2 and the opening diameter of the cookware N is within 3 cm.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the thickness of the flange 23 is greater than the thickness of the bottom surface 21. This ensures strength even if a load is applied to the flange 23 when the steamer body 2 is placed on the cooking utensil N. As an example, the thickness of the bottom surface 21 can be 2 cm, and the thickness of the flange 23 can be 6 cm.

[0023] As described above, the steamer 1 has a cylindrical steamer body 2 with a bottom and an opening 20 on the top surface, and the steamer body 2 has an annular flange 23 that protrudes outward on the bottom surface, so it can be placed on the opening edges of various cooking utensils with different diameters. This makes it possible to provide a highly versatile steamer that can be used with general cooking utensils.

[0024] Figure 3 is an AA end view of the steamer body 2 shown in Figure 2, where (a) shows the unfolded state of the steamer body 2 and (b) shows the folded state of the steamer body 2. As shown in Figure 3, the steamer body 2 is preferably configured to be foldable in the height direction.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3(a), the body 22 has a first body 22a, a second body 22b, and a connecting portion 22c. The first body 22a defines the opening 20 and is formed in a cylindrical shape. The diameter of the first body 22a can be larger than the diameter of the second body 22b. The inner circumferential surface of the first body 22a is formed so that the inner diameter of the first body 22a is constant in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the outer circumferential surface of the first body 22a is formed so that the lower side is inclined inward. In other words, the first body 22a is formed so that the thickness of the lower end is thinner. This shape makes it easier to bend the connecting portion 22c toward the inside of the first body 22a. The upper end of the first body 22a is formed with a bent portion 24 on which the lid 4 is placed.

[0026] The second body portion 22b defines the bottom surface 21 and is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer peripheral surface of the second body portion 22b is formed so that the outer diameter of the second body portion 22b is constant in the vertical direction. On the other hand, the inner peripheral surface of the second body portion 22b is formed so that the upper side is inclined outward. In other words, the second body portion 22b is formed so that the thickness of the upper end portion is thin. This shape makes it easier to fold the connecting portion 22c outward from the second body portion 22b.

[0027] The connecting portion 22c connects the first body portion 22a and the second body portion 22b. Because the diameter of the first body portion 22a is larger than the diameter of the second body portion 22b, the connecting portion 22c is formed into a tapered cylindrical shape such that the diameter of the lower side (the second body portion 22b side) is smaller. The outer peripheral surface of the connecting portion 22c is formed so that the upper side is inclined inward. This makes it easier to bend the connecting portion 22c toward the inside of the first body portion 22a. The inner peripheral surface of the connecting portion 22c is formed so that the lower side is inclined outward. This makes it easier to bend the connecting portion 22c toward the outside of the second body portion 22b.

[0028] By configuring the body portion 22 as described above, the connecting portion 22c can be bent inward of the first body portion 22a, and the connecting portion 22c can be bent outward of the second body portion 22b, so that the first body portion 22a can be folded to accommodate the second body portion 22b.

[0029] In this way, the steamer 1 is configured so that the steamer body 2 can be folded in the height direction, making the steamer 1 itself compact and easy to store.

[0030] Furthermore, when the steamer body 2 of the steamer 1 is folded, the first body 22a houses the second body 22b inside, so the gap between the first body 22a and the second body 22b does not open upward when folded, preventing dust and water droplets from accumulating in the gap. Also, the connecting portion 22c connecting the first body 22a and the second body 22b is not exposed to the outside, so the steamer has a neat appearance when stored.

[0031] Furthermore, if the first body 22a were configured to be housed inside the second body 22b, as opposed to this embodiment, when steaming with the steamer body 2 folded, there is a risk of overflow adhering to the outer surface of the first body 22a and the valley portion where the connecting part 22c is folded. The steamer body 2 configured in this way can prevent such dirt from adhering.

[0032] Furthermore, in order to make it easier to put ingredients in and take them out of the opening 20, the steamer body 2 has a difference in diameter between the first body 22a that defines the opening 20 and the second body 22b that defines the bottom surface 21. By taking advantage of this difference in diameter, the first body 22a is configured to house the second body 22b inside, so when the steamer body 2 is folded in the height direction, it is possible to prevent the steamer body 2 from spreading out horizontally, making the steamer 1 easier to store.

[0033] <Steam vent> Multiple steam holes 3 are formed on the bottom surface 21 of the steamer body 2. The steam holes 3 introduce steam from water in the cooking utensil N that has been heated and boiled by the heating device C into the steamer body 2. The steam holes 3 are formed in multiple concentric circles at predetermined intervals around the center of the bottom surface 21. The diameter of the steam holes 3 is not limited, but can be, for example, 3 mm.

[0034] Furthermore, by providing the steamer body 2 with the flange 23, the steam holes 3 can also be formed in an area near the outer edge of the bottom surface 21. This allows food placed on the bottom surface 21 to be steamed evenly. It also prevents the steaming liquid from accumulating near the outer edge of the bottom surface 21. If the steamer 1 did not have the flange 23 and the bottom surface 21 were placed directly on the edge of the opening of the cookware N, there was a risk that the steaming liquid would fall out of the steamer 1 through the steam holes 3 near the outer edge of the bottom surface 21, but providing the flange 23 prevents this problem from occurring.

[0035] <Lid> The lid 4 is formed in an inverted bowl shape that bulges upward and covers the opening 20 of the steamer body 2. A flange is formed on the periphery of the lid 4, and by placing this flange on the bent portion 24 of the steamer body 2, the opening 20 of the steamer body 2 can be covered.

[0036] <Another embodiment> In the above embodiment, the steamer 1 is placed on the cooking utensil N, but the steamer 1 can also be used in a microwave oven. In this case, the steamer main body 2 can be placed on the turntable of the microwave oven. [Industrial Applicability]

[0037] The steamer of this invention can be used by placing it on a cooking utensil such as a pot. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 steamer 2 Steamer body 3 steam vents 4 Lid 20 Opening 21 Bottom 22 Torso 23 flange C Heating equipment N Cookware

Claims

1. A steamer made of a flexible material, A cylindrical steamer body with a bottom and an opening on the top surface; A plurality of steam holes formed on the bottom surface of the steamer body; a lid for covering the opening; Equipped with The steamer body has an annular flange protruding outward on the bottom side, The flange is a steamer that is placed on the edge of the opening of a cooking utensil.

2. The steamer according to claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the opening is configured to be larger than the inner diameter of the bottom surface.

3. The steamer according to claim 1 , wherein the steamer body is configured to be foldable in the height direction.

4. The steamer body has a first body portion that defines the opening, a second body portion that defines the bottom surface, and a connecting portion that connects the first body portion and the second body portion, The steamer according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first body accommodates the second body inside when the steamer body is folded.

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