Handles for cooking utensils

Abstract

By improving upon conventional cookware handles, we provide cookware handles with superior durability. [Solution] A clamp plate 4 biased forward by a coil spring 5 is sandwiched between an upper member 2 and a lower member 3 so as to be able to move back and forth. An operating lever 6 for gripping and partially releasing the grip, and an operating button 7 for releasing the grip are provided. With the cooking utensil body inserted between the bent tip 4a of the clamp plate 4 and the tip 3a of the lower member 2, when the operating lever 6 is rotated counterclockwise so that its tip faces backward, the clamp plate 4 retracts and grips the cooking utensil body, and is held in that state. To remove it from the cooking utensil body, the grip cannot be released unless a two-step grip release operation is performed, which involves rotating the operating lever 6 clockwise by a predetermined angle and then pressing the operating button 7.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a handle for a cooking utensil that can be detachably attached to a cooking utensil body.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of handle for a cooking utensil, for example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIGS. 24 to 26, this handle 50 for a cooking utensil includes an upper member 51 and a lower member 52 that are screwed together at two positions in the front and rear, a clamp plate 53 that is sandwiched between the upper member 51 and the lower member 52 so as to be able to advance and retreat in the front-rear direction, a locking member 54 that is continuously provided at the rear end of the clamp plate 53 and has an elastically deformable elastic deformation piece 54a on the lower side, a coil spring 55 that biases the clamp plate 53 to which the locking member 54 is continuously provided toward the front end side, an operation lever 56 having a knock pin 56a for performing a gripping operation and a semi-gripping release operation, and an operation button 57 for performing a gripping release operation. The bent tip 53a of the clamp plate 53 and the tip 52a of the lower member 52 grip the cooking utensil body.

[0003] A long hole 53b into which the knock pin 56a of the operation lever 56 fits is formed in the middle of the clamp plate 53 in the width direction. An arch-shaped hole 51a into which the knock pin 56a fits is formed in the upper member 51. The arch-shaped hole 51a is an arc hole with an outer end facing forward and a central angle of 90 degrees, and overlaps with the long hole 53b formed in the clamp plate 53.

[0004] The knock pin 56a of the operation lever 56 passes through the arch-shaped hole 51a formed in the upper member 51 and is inserted into the long hole 53b formed in the clamp plate 53, and can move freely in the arch-shaped hole 51a. By rotating the operation lever 56, the clamp plate 53 can be advanced and retreated in the front-rear direction.

[0005] When the operating lever 56 is rotated to move the knock pin 56a to the inner end position of the arch-shaped hole 51a in the upper member 51, the clamp plate 53 retracts to the gripping position, and the knock pin 56a moves to the inner end position of the elongated hole 53b. As the knock pin 56a is positioned on the extension of the axis of the coil spring 56, the knock pin 56a prevents the clamp plate 53 from moving forward, and the clamp plate 53 is held in the gripping position.

[0006] The upper member 51 has a rib 51b that prevents the clamp plate 53 from moving forward when the elastic deformation piece 54a comes into contact with it. When the operating lever 56 is rotated to displace the knock pin 56a from the axis of the coil spring 56, the restriction on the forward movement of the clamp plate 53 is released. As a result, the clamp plate 53 moves forward due to the biasing force of the coil spring 55, and the locking member 54 is locked when the elastic deformation piece 54a comes into contact with the rib 51b, holding the clamp plate 53 in a semi-released gripping position.

[0007] The operation button 57 is mounted in a button mounting hole formed in the upper member 51 in a manner that prevents it from coming loose. When the operation button 57 is pressed down, the elastic deformation piece 54a is pushed downward by the operation button 57, and the contact state of the elastic deformation piece 54a with the rib 51b is released, so the clamp plate 53 moves forward to the gripping release position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 55.

[0008] When attaching the cookware handle 50 to the cookware body, the cookware body is inserted between the bent tip 53a of the clamp plate 53 and the tip 52a of the lower member 52. By rotating the operating lever 56 to move the clamp plate 53 backward, the cookware body is gripped by the tip 53a of the clamp plate 53 and the tip 52a of the lower member 52. At this time, the knock pin 56a is located at the inner end of the elongated hole 53b of the clamp plate 53, and the axis of the knock pin 56a coincides with the axis of the coil spring 55. Therefore, the knock pin 56a prevents the forward movement of the clamp plate 53, and the gripping state of the cookware body is maintained.

[0009] To remove the handle 50 for the cooking utensil from the cooking utensil body, first, the operating lever 56 is rotated to a certain angle, which displaces the knock pin 56a from the axis of the coil spring 55. This releases the restriction on the forward movement of the clamp plate 53, allowing the clamp plate 53 to move forward. The elastic deformation piece 54a of the locking member 54 then contacts the rib 51b of the upper member 51, holding the clamp plate 53 in a semi-released grip position.

[0010] Next, when the operation button 57 is pressed down, the elastic deformation piece 54a is pushed down by the operation button 57, and the contact state of the elastic deformation piece 54a with the rib 51b is released. As a result, the clamp plate 53 moves forward to the release position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 55, and the grip on the cooking utensil body is completely released. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3244559 Gazette [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] However, in the above-described cookware handle 50, the contact between the elastic deformation piece 54a and the rib 51b of the upper member 51 is released by pressing down the elastic deformation piece 54a with the operating button 57 and causing elastic deformation. Therefore, if the cookware body is gripped and released repeatedly, the elastic deformation piece 54a may suffer elastic fatigue and break, resulting in a problem of poor durability.

[0013] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide a highly durable handle for cooking utensils by improving upon conventional handles for cooking utensils. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 includes a handle body having an upper member and a lower member that are connected and fixed to each other, a clamp plate sandwiched between the upper member and the lower member of the handle body so as to be able to move back and forth in the front-rear direction, the front end of which is bent downward to form a gripping portion that grips the cooking utensil body together with the front end of the lower member, a first coil spring that biases the clamp plate toward the front end of the handle body, and a switching operation from a released gripping state to a gripping state and a switching operation from a gripping state to a semi-release gripping state, which is rotatably supported on the upper member. The clamp plate comprises an operating lever for performing an operation, an operating button supported on the upper member so as to be vertically movable for switching from a partially released grip state to a fully released grip state, and a second coil spring that biases the operating button upward. The operating lever has a knock pin that moves along an arc trajectory as it rotates, and the clamp plate has an elongated hole formed in the width direction into which the knock pin of the operating lever is fitted, and an operating hole having a front wide portion into which the operating button, when pushed up by the second coil spring, is fitted, and a rear narrow portion into which it cannot be fitted. The mounting lever is formed in the rearward direction, and by rotating the operating lever, the knock pin inserted into the elongated hole moves within the elongated hole, causing the clamp plate to move back and forth in the front-rear direction, when the knock pin is located at the inner end of the elongated hole, the clamp plate is retracted to the gripping position and the axis of the knock pin is perpendicular to the axis of the first coil spring, when the knock pin is located at the outer end of the elongated hole, the clamp plate is advanced to the release position, and the operating button is The objective is to provide a handle for a cooking utensil, characterized in that when the clamp plate is positioned at the boundary between the wider front portion of the operating hole and the narrow rear portion, the clamp plate is held in a semi-released gripping position by engaging with the operating button, the operating button has a narrow portion into which both side edges of the narrow rear portion of the operating hole can enter when pressed down against the biasing force of the second coil spring, and when both side edges of the narrow rear portion of the operating hole enter the narrow portion, the operating button is held in a pressed-down position.

[0015] Furthermore, the invention according to claim 2 is a handle for a cooking utensil according to the invention according to claim 1, wherein the operating button comprises a top-cylindrical button body with an open lower end, and a pair of opposing locking pieces hanging down from the lower edge of the button body, each having a locking claw at its lower end, the upper member comprises a button housing hole into which the operating button is fitted, a pair of opposing hanging pieces hanging down from the periphery of the lower end opening of the button housing hole, and a connecting piece connecting the lower ends of both hanging pieces, the operating button is fitted into the button housing hole with the pair of opposing locking pieces misaligned with the pair of opposing hanging pieces, the pair of opposing locking pieces protruding downward from the lower end opening of the button housing hole, and their respective locking claws connecting the upper member The second coil spring is attached to the upper member so as to be able to move up and down while being prevented from coming out of the button housing hole by being locked to both sides of the lower surface of the piece, and the upper end of the second coil spring is housed inside the button body of the operating button fitted into the button housing hole with the upper end in contact with the top of the button body and the lower end in contact with the connecting piece, and when the operating button is biased upward by the second coil spring, the locking claws of the opposing pair of locking pieces are locked to both sides of the lower surface of the connecting piece of the upper member, and the upper part of the button body protrudes upward from the upper member, and the narrow portion of the operating button is made up of a circumferential groove formed in the button body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As described above, the cooking utensil handle according to claim 1 has an operating button for switching from a partially released grip state to a fully released grip state, which is supported on the upper member so as to be vertically movable while biased upward by a second coil spring, and the clamp plate has an operating hole formed in the front-rear direction having a front wide portion into which the operating button, when pushed up by the second coil spring, is fitted and a rear narrow portion into which it cannot be fitted, and the operating button has a narrow portion into which both side edges of the rear narrow portion of the operating hole can enter when it is pushed down against the biasing force of the second coil spring, and the rear narrow portion of the front wide portion of the operating hole of the clamp plate The boundary portion is engaged with the operating button, which is pushed up by the biasing force of the second coil spring, thereby holding the clamp plate in a semi-released gripping position. By pressing down the operating button against the biasing force of the second coil spring, the narrow rear portion of the operating hole of the clamp plate enters the narrow portion of the operating button, thereby releasing the clamp plate's engagement with the operating button. This provides an improved durability compared to conventional cookware handles, where the elastic deformation piece is released from contact with the rib of the upper member by being pressed down and elastically deformed by the operating button.

[0017] Furthermore, in the cooking utensil handle according to claim 2, an operating button containing a second coil spring within a top-cylindrical button body is fitted into a button housing hole of the upper member, and the locking claws of the locking piece are locked to both lower edges of the connecting piece of the upper member. As a result, the operating button, which is biased upward by the second coil spring, is mounted on the upper member so that it can move up and down while being prevented from coming out of the button housing hole. This improves assembly workability during manufacturing and, consequently, improves production efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a handle for a cooking utensil according to this invention. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view showing the handle for the same cooking utensil. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing the gripping state of the handle for the cooking utensil mentioned above. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing the gripping state of the handle for the cooking appliance as described above. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-X line of FIG. 3. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the Y-Y line of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] It is a bottom view seen from below with the lower member removed from the handle for the cooking appliance in the gripping state as described above. [Figure 8] It is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the broken line in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a plan view showing the upper member constituting the handle for the cooking appliance as described above. [Figure 10] (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-X line of FIG. 9 showing the state where the operation button is not pressed, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-X line of FIG. 9 showing the state where the operation button is pressed. [Figure 11] It is a plan view showing the semi-released gripping state of the handle for the cooking appliance as described above. [Figure 12] It is a side view showing the semi-released gripping state of the handle for the cooking appliance as described above. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-X line of FIG. 11. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the Y-Y line of FIG. 11. [Figure 15] It is a bottom view seen from below with the lower member removed from the handle for the cooking appliance in the semi-released gripping state as described above. [Figure 16] It is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by the broken line in FIG. 15. [Figure 17] It is a plan view showing the released gripping state of the handle for the cooking appliance as described above. [Figure 18] It is a side view showing the released gripping state of the handle for the cooking appliance as described above. [Figure 19] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-X line of FIG. 17. [Figure 20] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the Y-Y line of FIG. 17. [Figure 21] It is a bottom view seen from below with the lower member removed from the handle for the cooking appliance in the released gripping state as described above. [Figure 22]This is a magnified view of the area enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 21. [Figure 23] (a) is a side view showing the state in which the cooking utensil body is inserted between the tip of the clamp plate and the tip of the lower member of the cooking utensil handle in the released grip state, and (b) is a side view showing the state in which the cooking utensil handle grips the cooking utensil body. [Figure 24] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a conventional handle for cooking utensils. [Figure 25] This is a cross-sectional view along line XX in Figure 24. [Figure 26] This is a perspective view from below of the upper component that makes up the handle for the cooking utensil shown above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] The embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cookware handle 1 according to this invention comprises an upper member 2 and a lower member 3 that are screwed to each other at two locations, front and rear; a metal clamp plate 4 sandwiched between the upper member 2 and the lower member 3 so as to be able to move back and forth in the front and rear direction; a coil spring 5 that biases the clamp plate 4 toward the front end; an operating lever 6 having a knock pin 6a for performing gripping and partial gripping operations; a hard plastic operating button 7 attached to the upper member 2 for performing a gripping release operation; a coil spring 8 that biases the operating button 7 upward; an end cap 9 fitted to the rear ends of the upper member 2 and the lower member 3 which are joined together; and a stainless steel decorative cover 10 attached to the lower member 3 so as to cover both sides and the bottom of the front part of the lower member 3. The cookware body is gripped by the bent tip 4a of the clamp plate 4 and the tip 3a of the lower member 3.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 7 (Figures 15 and 21), the clamp plate 4 has a front, middle, and rear section of different widths that are interconnected in the front-to-back direction. The front section has an elongated hole 4b extending in the front-to-back direction in the center of its width, and the middle section has an elongated hole 4c extending in the left-to-right direction, with its inner end located in the center of its width and its outer end located to the left when viewed from the top. The rear section has an operating hole 4d extending in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Figure 8 (Figure 16), which has a front wide section 4e into which the operating button 7 is fitted and a rear narrow section 4f into which the operating button 7 cannot be fitted.

[0021] As shown in Figure 9, the upper member 2 has an arc-shaped elongated hole 2a formed on its front part, with its inner end located in the center of the width direction of the upper member 2 and its outer end located on the left front side when viewed from the top side, with a central angle of 90 degrees. As shown in Figure 7 (Figures 15 and 21), the screw fastening portions on the front of the upper member 2 and lower member 3 are movably fitted into the elongated hole 4b of the clamp plate 4, and the knock pin 6a of the operating lever 6 is movably fitted into the elongated hole 4c and arc-shaped elongated hole 2a of the clamp plate 4.

[0022] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the clamp plate 4 is sandwiched between the upper member 2 and the lower member 3 with its elongated hole 4c overlapping the arc-shaped elongated hole 2a of the upper member 2, and the knock pin 6a of the operating lever 6 fitted into the overlapping portion. By rotating the operating lever 6, the clamp plate 4 moves back and forth in the front-rear direction.

[0023] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the upper member 2 has a button housing hole 2b into which the operation button 7 is fitted. A pair of opposing hanging pieces 2c are provided around the periphery of the lower end opening of the button housing hole 2b, hanging down from the front and rear, respectively, and the lower ends of both hanging pieces 2c are connected by a connecting piece 2d.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the operation button 7 comprises a top-cylindrical button body 7a with an open lower end, and a pair of opposing locking pieces 7b that hang down from the lower edge of the button body 7a, each having a locking claw 7c at its lower end. The pair of opposing locking pieces 7b are positioned offset from a pair of hanging pieces 2c that face each other in the front-rear direction of the upper member 2, so as shown in Figures 6 (14, 20) and 10, the pair of opposing locking pieces 7b protrude downward from the lower end opening of the button housing hole 2b, and their respective locking claws 7c are locked to both lower side edges of the connecting piece 2d of the upper member 2, thereby preventing them from coming loose and allowing them to move up and down while being attached to the upper member 2.

[0025] As shown in Figures 5 (Figures 13, 19), 6 (Figures 14, 20), and 10, the coil spring 8 is housed within the button body 7a of the operating button 7, which is fitted into the button housing hole 2b, with its upper end in contact with the top of the button body 7a and its lower end in contact with the connecting piece 2d of the upper member 2. When the operating button 7 is biased upward by the coil spring 8, as shown in Figures 5, 6, 13, and 14, the locking claws 7c of the opposing pair of locking pieces 7b are locked to both lower edges of the connecting piece 2d of the upper member 2, causing the upper part of the button body 7a to protrude upward from the upper member 2.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 20, the button body 7a has a circumferential groove 7d into which both side edges of the narrow rear portion 4f of the operating hole 4d of the clamp plate 4 can enter when the operating button 7 is pressed down against the biasing force of the coil spring 8. When both side edges of the narrow rear portion 4f of the operating hole 4d enter the circumferential groove 7d, the operating button 7 is held in a pressed-down position.

[0027] When attaching the cookware handle 1, configured as described above, to the cookware body, as shown in Figure 23(a), insert the cookware body CB between the bent tip 4a of the clamp plate 4 and the tip 3a of the lower member 3, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4, rotate the operating lever 6 counterclockwise so that its tip faces backward, thereby retracting the clamp plate 4. As shown in Figure 23(b), the cookware body CB is gripped by the tip 4a of the clamp plate 4 and the tip 3a of the lower member 3. At this time, as shown in Figure 7, the knock pin 6a is located at the inner end of the elongated hole 4c of the clamp plate 4, and the axis of the knock pin 6a coincides with the axis of the coil spring 5, so the knock pin 6a prevents the forward movement of the clamp plate 4, and the gripping state of the cookware body is maintained. In this state, as shown in Figure 8, the operating button 7 is located in the middle of the front wide portion 4e of the operating hole 4d of the clamp plate 4.

[0028] To remove the handle 1 for the cooking utensil from the cooking utensil body CB, the grip release operation is performed in two stages. First, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the operating lever 6 is rotated clockwise to a certain angle, causing the knock pin 6a to be displaced from the axis of the coil spring 5, as shown in Figure 15. This releases the restriction on the forward movement of the clamp plate 4, and the clamp plate 4 moves forward due to the biasing force of the coil spring 5. As shown in Figure 16, the operating button 7, which is fitted into the front wide portion 4e of the operating hole 4d of the clamp plate 4, comes into contact with the boundary portion with the rear narrow portion 4f, thereby locking the clamp plate 4 to the operating button 7 and holding it in the semi-released position.

[0029] In the second stage, as shown in Figures 18 to 20, when the operation button 7 is pressed down, as shown in Figures 20 to 22, the biasing force of the coil spring 5 causes both sides of the narrow rear portion 4f of the operating hole 4d in the clamp plate 4 to enter the circumferential groove 7d of the operation button 7, causing the clamp plate 4 to advance to the release position. Simultaneously, as shown in Figure 21, the knock pin 6a moves to the outer end position of the elongated hole 4c, and consequently, as shown in Figure 17, the operation lever 7 rotates 90 degrees clockwise, completely releasing the grip on the cooking utensil body. In this state, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, the operation button 7 is held in the pressed-down position.

[0030] This cookware handle 1 can be detached from the cookware body while the cookware is in use, so the handle 1 does not become hot during heating, ensuring safety. Furthermore, as described above, this cookware handle 1 will not detach from the cookware body unless a two-stage release operation is performed, and even if the operating lever 6 is rotated clockwise to a certain angle to partially release the grip, it will not detach from the cookware body unless the operating button 7 is pressed down, thus ensuring high safety.

[0031] Furthermore, the handle 1 for the cooking utensil has an operating button 7 that switches from a partially released grip state to a fully released grip state, which is supported on the upper member 2 so as to be vertically movable while being biased upward by a coil spring 8. The clamp plate 4 has an operating hole 4d formed in the front-rear direction, which has a front wide portion 4e into which the operating button 7, when pushed up by the coil spring 8, is fitted, and a rear narrow portion 4f into which it cannot be fitted. The operating button 7 is provided with a circumferential groove 7d into which both side edges of the rear narrow portion 4f of the operating hole 4d can enter when it is pushed down against the biasing force of the coil spring 8, and the rear narrow portion 4f of the front wide portion 4e of the operating hole 4d of the clamp plate 4 and The boundary portion of the clamp plate 4 is engaged with the operating button 7, which is pushed up by the biasing force of the coil spring 8, thereby holding the clamp plate 4 in a semi-released position. By pushing down the operating button 7 against the biasing force of the coil spring 8, the narrow rear portion 4f of the operating hole 4d of the clamp plate 4 enters the circumferential groove 7d of the operating button 7, thereby releasing the engagement of the clamp plate 4 with respect to the operating button 7. This provides the effect of improved durability compared to conventional cookware handles in which the contact of the elastic deformation piece with the rib of the upper member is released by pushing down the elastic deformation piece with the operating button and causing elastic deformation.

[0032] Furthermore, in this cooking utensil handle 1, an operating button 7, which houses a coil spring 8 inside a top-cylindrical button body 7a, is fitted into a button housing hole 2b of the upper member 2, and the locking claws 7c of the locking piece 7b are locked to both lower edges of the connecting piece 2d of the upper member 2. As a result, the operating button 7, which is biased upward by the coil spring 8, is attached to the upper member 2 so that it can move up and down while being prevented from coming out of the button housing hole 2b. This improves assembly workability during manufacturing and, consequently, improves production efficiency.

[0033] Furthermore, since the operating button 7 that contacts or slides against the metal clamp plate 4 of this cooking utensil handle 1 is made of hard plastic, the problem of rust that may occur due to wear and friction accumulated over time due to contact or sliding between metal parts, as would occur if a metal operating button were used, is avoided, thus ensuring safety while achieving further weight reduction. [Industrial applicability]

[0034] This invention can be used as a handle for cooking utensils that can be detachably attached to the body of cooking utensils such as pots and frying pans. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1. Handle for cooking utensils 2 Upper member 2a Arc-shaped elongated hole 2b Button housing hole 2c hanging piece 2d connecting piece 3 Lower member 3a Tip 4. Clamp Plate 4a Tip 4b long hole 4c long hole 4d working hole 4e Front wide section 4f Rear narrow part 5. Coil spring (first coil spring) 6. Operating lever 6a Knock pin 7 Operation buttons 7a Button Body 7b Locking piece 7c Locking claw 7d circumferential groove 8. Coil spring (second coil spring) 9 End caps 10 Makeup cover CB Cooking Utensil Body

Claims

1. A handle body having an upper member and a lower member that are mutually connected and fixed, A clamp plate is sandwiched between the upper member and the lower member of the handle body so as to be able to move back and forth in the front-rear direction, with its front end bent downward to form a gripping portion that, together with the front end of the lower member, grips the cookware body. A first coil spring biases the clamp plate toward the front end of the handle body, An operating lever, rotatably supported on the upper member, is used to switch between a gripped state and a gripped state, and to switch between a gripped state and a partially gripped state. An operation button, which is supported on the upper member so as to be vertically movable, is used to switch between a partially released grip state and a fully released grip state. A second coil spring that biases the aforementioned operating button upwards and Equipped with, The aforementioned operating lever has a knock pin that moves along an arc trajectory in conjunction with its rotational operation. The clamp plate has an elongated hole formed in the width direction into which the knock pin of the operating lever is inserted, and an operating hole formed in the front-rear direction having a wider front portion into which the operating button, when pushed up by the second coil spring, is inserted, and a narrower rear portion into which it cannot be inserted. By rotating the aforementioned operating lever, the knock pin inserted into the elongated hole moves within the elongated hole, causing the clamp plate to move back and forth in the front-rear direction. When the knock pin is positioned at the inner end of the elongated hole, the clamp plate is retracted to the gripping position and the axis of the knock pin is perpendicular to the axis of the first coil spring. When the knock pin is located at the outer end of the elongated hole, the clamp plate has advanced to the release position. When the operating button is located at the boundary between the front wide portion and the rear narrow portion of the operating hole of the clamp plate, the clamp plate is held in a semi-released gripping position by being locked to the operating button. A handle for a cooking utensil, characterized in that the operating button has a narrow portion into which both side edges of the rear narrow portion of the operating hole can enter when pressed down against the biasing force of the second coil spring, and when both side edges of the rear narrow portion of the operating hole enter the narrow portion, the operating button is held in a pressed-down state.

2. The aforementioned operating button comprises a top-cylindrical button body with an open lower end, and a pair of opposing locking pieces hanging down from the lower edge of the button body, each having a locking claw at its lower end. The upper member has a button housing hole into which the operation button is fitted, a pair of opposing hanging pieces that hang down from the periphery of the lower end opening of the button housing hole, and a connecting piece that connects the lower ends of both hanging pieces. The operation button is mounted on the upper member so as to be able to move up and down while being prevented from coming out of the button housing hole, by fitting the opposing pair of locking pieces into the button housing hole with the opposing pair of locking pieces misaligned with the opposing pair of hanging pieces, and by having the opposing pair of locking pieces protrude downward from the lower end opening of the button housing hole, with their respective locking claws engaging with the lower side edges of the connecting piece of the upper member. The second coil spring is housed within the button body of the operating button, which is fitted into the button housing hole, with its upper end in contact with the top of the button body and its lower end in contact with the connecting piece. When the operating button is biased upward by the second coil spring, the locking claws of the opposing pair of locking pieces are locked to both lower edges of the connecting piece of the upper member, and the upper part of the button body protrudes upward from the upper member. The handle for a cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the narrow portion of the operation button is a circumferential groove formed in the button body.

Images