Food preparation container with handle for easy pouring and scraping of food preparations

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food preparation container (3) including a container body (8) with a main opening (11) for introducing food into the container body and removing the resulting food preparation from the container body (8). The food preparation container (3) includes at least one first handle (19, 20) designed to allow the container body (8) to be handled while maintaining the container body (8) in its normal position with the main opening (11) positioned at the top of the container body (8). The food preparation container (3) includes a second handle (22) including a body (32) having an underside with a cavity (53) extending deep into the body (32). The cavity (53) is designed to accommodate at least the distal phalanges of at least three middle fingers of a hand and allow the container body (8) to be suspended by the distal phalanges in an inclined position for pouring or scraping food preparations. The present invention also relates to a food preparation appliance including such a food preparation container (3).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food preparation container for holding food for cooking. The present invention also relates to a food preparation appliance including such a food preparation container.

[0002] The primary object of the present invention is to facilitate the handling of the food preparation container when it is in use, particularly when pouring or scraping food preparations made from food and contained in the food preparation container. [Background technology]

[0003] Food preparation appliances are well known to those skilled in the art. Such food preparation appliances may include a base that receives a food preparation container that holds food for cooking. The food preparation appliance may also include one or more implements, such as a stirrer or mixer, stirring paddle, chopping knife, whisk, kneader, or grinder. The implements are disposed within the food preparation container and coupled to a rotary drive assembly that is, in turn, coupled to a rotary drive system on the base. The base and food preparation container may be designed to cook hot foods, such as soups, purees, or stews, thereby allowing a heating device disposed on the base and / or food preparation container to heat the food preparation container to warm or cook the food contained therein at that time.

[0004] The food preparation container includes a container body having an upper edge that defines a main opening through which food is introduced into the container body. The container body may also include a spout located at its upper edge. The food preparation container generally includes one or two handles located at the upper periphery of the container body for handling the container body and holding the container body in a normal position, where the main opening remains at the top of the container, thus preventing the food or food preparation from spilling. When the food preparation is ready to be served, the cook may, for example, use a spoon or ladle to scoop and pour the food preparation into a serving dish or food preparation container, and the cook may occasionally tilt the container body to pour the food preparation into the serving dish or food preparation container. When the cook pours the last food preparation into a serving dish or cooking container, or when the food preparation is in a paste-like form and adheres to the inner wall of the container body, he or she usually uses a spatula to scrape the inner wall and pour out the remaining food preparation. Therefore, the cook holds the handle or one of the two handles with one hand and operates the spatula with the other hand. Under such circumstances, the cook's posture during this scraping step may be physically uncomfortable, and the handle may be difficult to grip, making it difficult to handle the food preparation container with one hand, especially if the food preparation container is heavy. As a result, the cook may touch the outer wall of the container body with his / her hand and be burned if the outer wall is hot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] China Utility Model No. 204158184 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] There is a known Chinese utility model published in patent document 1, which discloses a food preparation container including a container body including an upper edge with a main opening, the food preparation container includes two first flat handles arranged opposite each other around the container body, which allow the container body to be handled in a normal position with the main opening remaining at the top. Furthermore, the food preparation container includes a second handle consisting of a shank attached to the upper periphery of the container body with a downward incline, the shank is designed to be fully grasped and hold the container body in a position that facilitates pouring out the food preparation. Although this embodiment partially solves the aforementioned drawbacks, it is nevertheless still unsatisfactory, since the posture of the cook is not optimal in all cases, for example when scraping the container body with a spatula. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Description of the invention The present invention aims to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks. To this end, the invention relates to a food preparation container comprising a container body with an upper edge defining a main opening for the introduction of food into the container body and for the removal of food preparations made from the food from the container body. The food preparation container also comprises at least a first handle attached to the upper periphery of the container body, the handle being designed so that the container body can be handled while maintaining the container body in a normal position in which the main opening is located at the top of the container. This normal position makes it possible to move the food preparation container from one place to another without risk of spilling the food or food preparations placed in the container body through the main opening, the main opening being in this normal position in a more or less horizontal plane.

[0008] More specifically, the lower surface has a cavity that extends recessedly into the body and defines a recess having a peripheral wall.

[0009] The present invention therefore relates to a food preparation container comprising a container body with an upper edge defining a main opening for the introduction of food into the container body and the removal of a food preparation made from the food from the container body, the food preparation container comprising at least a first handle attached to an upper periphery of the container body, the first handle designed so that the container body can be handled while holding the container body in a normal position with the main opening located at the top of the container body, and the food preparation container comprising a second handle attached to an upper periphery of the container, the second handle comprising a body with a lower surface and having a cavity extending deep into the body and forming a recess with a peripheral wall, the cavity being designed to accommodate at least the distal phalanges, preferably the distal and middle phalanges, of at least three middle fingers of a hand therein and to enable the container body to be held suspended by the distal phalanges in an inclined position for pouring or scraping the food preparation.

[0010] In particular, according to the present invention, the food preparation container includes a second handle attached to the upper periphery of the container body. The second handle includes a body with an underside having a cavity extending deep into the body, the cavity being designed to accommodate at least the distal phalanges, preferably the distal and middle phalanges, of at least three middle fingers of a hand, and to allow the container body to be held suspended by the distal and potentially the middle phalanges in an inclined position for pouring or scraping food preparations. In other words, the cavity of the underside of the body is deep enough to form a space within the body for accommodating at least the distal phalanges, preferably the distal and middle phalanges, of at least three middle fingers of a hand, i.e., the index finger, the middle finger and the ring finger, the space being accessible from the underside of the body. "At least three middle fingers" means that the cavity can also accommodate the index, middle and ring fingers, as well as possibly the distal phalanges of the pinky finger and potentially the middle phalanges of the hand, because the cavity is either designed for this purpose or the overall width of the fingers of the hand allows for it.

[0011] Thus, the cook can grasp the second handle by inserting the distal phalanges, preferably also the middle phalanges, of the three middle and even little fingers of his hand into the cavity and placing his palm around the outer periphery of the body of this second handle, then the cook lifts the food preparation container by the distal phalanges located in the cavity, after which the suspended container body assumes a naturally inclined position in equilibrium, whereby the main opening is tilted downward on the side opposite the second handle and remains in equilibrium in an inclined plane located between horizontal and vertical. According to this design, the cook can lift the container with one hand and, in the inclined position, rotate the main opening of the container to face him or slightly to the side without having to exert force on the wrist of this hand, which allows the cook to see inside the container body and to use a spatula with the other hand to scrape around the inner wall and bottom of the container body. Furthermore, since the distal and potentially the middle phalanges of the three middle fingers and also the index finger of the hand are placed in the cavity and the remainder of the hand is away from the outer wall of the container body, the container body can be handled without the risk of touching its outer wall, which prevents the risk of burns when the outer wall is hot.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the food preparation container disclosed in the present invention, the food preparation container includes two first handles arranged opposite each other on the upper periphery of the container body. Thus, a cook can hold the container body with both hands while keeping its main opening in a normal position, which makes it easy to carry the food preparation container in a normal position when the container body is filled with food or food preparation, especially for a container body having a large volume, for example, a volume of 2 liters to 5 liters. Of course, the present invention can be used for food preparation containers that include a single first handle, such as a saucepan or a mixer bowl.

[0013] Preferably, in accordance with this aforementioned embodiment of the food preparation container, the second handle is disposed around the upper periphery of the container body at between sixty degrees (60°) and one hundred and twenty degrees (120°), preferably ninety degrees (90°), relative to the two first handles.

[0014] According to a first embodiment of the food preparation container, when the food preparation container includes two first handles, the two first handles are connected to each other by a semicircular peripheral piece that continues to the upper peripheral portion of the container, and the second handle is disposed on the peripheral piece.

[0015] According to a second embodiment of the food preparation container, regardless of whether the container includes one or more first handles, the second handle is separate from at least one of the first handles. Preferably, according to this embodiment of the food preparation container, the body of the second handle includes an upper piece and a lower piece that are attached to each other and to the upper periphery of the container by an assembly system, the lower piece including a cavity.

[0016] According to the food preparation container disclosed in the present invention, the portion of the upper periphery of the container disposed opposite the second handle does not have at least one first handle, which prevents the food preparation from spilling onto the first handle when a cook handles the container body by holding the container body by the second handle and pours or scrapes the food preparation. Preferably, the upper edge of the container body includes a spout disposed opposite the second handle to facilitate pouring the food preparation.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the food preparation container disclosed in the present invention, the cavity in the body of the second handle is designed to suspend the container body at an inclination comprised between sixty degrees (60°) and eighty degrees (80°) with respect to the vertical, preferably at an inclination of seventy degrees (70°) with respect to the vertical, which provides adequate visibility and access to the interior of the container body in the inclined position of the container body.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the food preparation container disclosed in the present invention, the food preparation container includes a closing lid, which can close the main opening of the container body. Furthermore, a locking system is arranged between the lid and the at least one first handle, which can move the lid between a locked position, in which the lid closes the main opening of the container body and remains locked in its closed position, and an unlocked position, in which the lid can be removed from the container body to access the main opening. This allows for a reliable closure of the food preparation container, for example, even during cooking of food contained in the container body or processing of the food contained in the container body with a rotary working tool. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the food preparation container includes a system for identifying the locked and unlocked positions of the lid, which is arranged between the lid and the second handle. This allows for visual confirmation that the container body is correctly closed by the lid.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the food preparation container disclosed by the present invention, the container body includes a bottom including a central opening suitable for receiving a rotary drive assembly suitable for rotating a rotary working tool, which may or may not be detachable from the rotary drive assembly, and the rotary working tool is disposed within the container body. The rotary working tool may be, for example, a stirrer or mixer, a stirring paddle, a chopping knife, a whisk, a kneader, or a grinder. Such a food preparation container may also be used in a food preparation appliance having a base for receiving the food preparation container.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the food preparation container disclosed in the present invention, the container body is designed with a metallic material, optionally coated, preferably made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy, for example, coated with PTFE. Furthermore, at least one of the first handle and the second handle is made of a thermal insulating material, preferably Bakelite®, PBT, or glass-filled PP. Such a food preparation container is designed to be heated by a heating device to cook food placed in the container body.

[0021] The food preparation container according to the invention may be designed to be placed in an oven or on a countertop to cook food contained in the container body to produce a food preparation. However, the food preparation container will preferably be used in a stand-alone food preparation appliance to produce hot or even cold food preparations. To this end, the invention also relates to a food preparation appliance comprising a food preparation container having either or both of the above-mentioned characteristics and a base designed to receive the food preparation container.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the food preparation appliance, the food preparation container includes a container body made of a thermally conductive material and including a central opening at the bottom. At least one first handle and a second handle of the food preparation container are made of a thermally insulating material. The food preparation appliance further includes at least one rotary working tool adapted to be placed in the container body by inserting the rotary working tool through the main opening of the container body, and a rotary drive assembly adapted to be fixedly attached to the central opening at the bottom of the container body for driving the rotary working tool placed in the container body. The food preparation appliance further includes a device for heating the bottom of the container body when the food preparation container is attached to the base, and a device for driving the rotary drive assembly attached to the bottom. The rotary working tool can be, for example, a stirrer or mixer, a stirring paddle, a chopping knife, a whisk, a kneader, or a grinder.

[0023] According to a first embodiment, the food preparation container may include a heating device that may be disposed at the bottom of the food preparation container below the bottom of the container body. According to a second embodiment, the base may include a heating device that heats the container body when the food preparation container is disposed on the base. The heating device may include an electric heating element, such as a resistive heating device or an inductive heating device.

[0024] The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an overview of a non-limiting embodiment of a food preparation appliance. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows an overview of a food preparation container intended for use with the food preparation appliance of FIG. 1, with the food preparation container in a normal position. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a partial view of the food preparation container of FIG. 2, showing the second handle in an exploded view. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 shows the upper piece of the body of the second handle according to a first viewing angle. [Diagram 5] 5 is a diagram illustrating the upper piece in FIG. 4 from a second viewing angle. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 shows a first viewing angle of the lower piece of the body of the second handle. [Figure 7] 7 is an explanatory view of the lower piece in FIG. 6 from a second viewing angle. [Figure 8] 3 shows a cross-section of the food preparation container of FIG. 2 balanced in an inclined position, thereby being held suspended by a second handle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Detailed Description of the Invention In the remainder of this description, the terms "upper," "lower," "top," "bottom," "front," "rear," "side," "vertical," and "horizontal" that may be used in this description will be used with reference to the typical location of the elements of the food preparation appliance arranged in a functional configuration facing a user on a table or counter.

[0027] 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a food preparation appliance 1, including a base 2, a food preparation container 3, a lid 4, and a rotary working tool 5. The front panel 2a of the base 2 includes a keyboard 6 that allows a user to select the type of food preparation to be performed, such as cooking sauce, soup, pastry, mousse dessert, whipped cream, or vegetable puree, steam cooking or immersion cooking, as well as turning on the rotary working tool 5, switching the food preparation container 3 to a keep warm mode, and turning on a timer. Of course, these various operating programs are not limited to the food preparation appliance 1 disclosed in the present invention. These various programs will be activated and controlled by a control circuit (not shown) built into the base 2.

[0028] 1 and 2, the food preparation container 3 comprises a bottom plate 7 arranged at the lower end of a container body 8, suitable for receiving food for making a food preparation. The container body 8 comprises a periphery 9 delimited by an upper edge 10 defining a main opening 11 through which food is introduced into the container body 8 and through which the resulting food preparation is poured. The bottom plate 7 fits into a housing 12 on the upper side 2b of the base 2, allowing the food preparation container 3 to be hung on the base 2. The container body 8 comprises a bottom 13 with a central opening 14, as shown in FIG. 8, which is accessible on the one hand from the main opening 11 of the container body 8 and on the other hand from the underside of the bottom plate 7, which comprises a central recess 16 opening towards the bottom 13. This central opening 14 allows a rotary drive assembly 17 to be attached to the bottom 13 of the container body 8, the rotary drive assembly 17 having a bayonet fastening system (not shown) for realizing the attachment and a gasket (not shown) for realizing a seal with the bottom 13 of the container body 8 in the plane of this central opening 14. This rotary drive assembly 17 is used to rotate the rotary working tool 5 along the Z axis, as shown in Fig. 1. The rotary drive assembly 17 is itself rotated along the Z axis by a motorized device (not shown) housed in the base 2, the motorized device including, for example, an electric motor, the drive shaft of which is coupled to the rotary drive assembly 17, for example by a spline-type coupling system, which is positioned when the base plate 7 of the food preparation container 3 is engaged with the housing 12 on the base 2.

[0029] The food preparation container 3 may be configured to hold hot food or to heat food in the container body 8. For this purpose, the container body 8 may be made of a metallic material, preferably stainless steel or an aluminum alloy, coated, for example, with PTFE, optionally with a coating. According to one embodiment, the food preparation container 3 includes a resistive heating element 18 arranged below the bottom 13 of the container body 8. In particular, the resistive heating element 18 may be arranged inside a bottom plate arranged below the bottom 13 or below a bottom plate arranged below the bottom 13. The bottom plate is preferably made of aluminum to ensure good heat conduction. The resistive heating element 18 is electrically controlled by a control circuit (not shown) arranged in the base 2 and a connection system, such as electrical pins, arranged in the bottom plate 7 and in mechanical contact with electrical strips arranged on the base 2, when the bottom plate 7 is fitted into the housing 12 on the base 2. The control circuit also manages, among other things, the control of the motorized device that rotates the rotary working tool 5, the control of the various food preparation programs, the control of the timer, etc. This use of the device for heating the container body in the food preparation appliance 1 is not limiting, and the user may for example assume that the resistance heating element 18 on the base 2 contacts the bottom 13 of the container body 8 or nearby it when the bottom plate 7 is fitted into the housing 12, the bottom plate 7 being designed for this purpose in this case. Alternatively, instead of the resistance heating element 18, an induction heating device could be envisaged, which could preferably be arranged in the base 2 for heating the bottom 13 of the container body 8 and / or the lower part of the container body 8. The food preparation container 3 could then be manufactured without providing a bottom plate below the container body 8.

[0030] 1 and 2, the food preparation container 3 includes two first handles 19, 20 attached oppositely to the upper part 21 of the periphery 9 of the container body 8, the two first handles 19, 20 extending radially relative to the preferably cylindrical periphery 9. The two first handles 19, 20 allow the food preparation container 3 to be handled with both hands while keeping the main opening 11 of the container body 8 in a normal, more or less horizontal position, preventing food or food preparations made from food from spilling out of the container body 8. The food preparation container 3 also includes a second handle 22, preferably arranged at 90° to the two first handles 19, 20, the second handle 22 arranged opposite a spout 23 arranged on the upper edge 10 of the container body 8. This second handle 22 appears only in FIG. 2, but will also be used in the food preparation container 3 of FIG. 1.

[0031] The lid 4 also includes two oppositely disposed, radially extending, third handles 24, 25 which are similar in shape to the first handles 19, 20 as shown in Figure 1. The first handles 19, 20 include a circularly extending notch 26 on their upper sides 19a, 20a, respectively, adjacent the upper portion 21 of the perimeter 9 of the container body 8, with only the notch 26 on the first handle 19 appearing in Figures 1 and 2. The third handles 24, 25 of the lid 4 include a tab 27 on their lower surfaces 24a, 25a, respectively, with only the tab 27 of the third handle 24 appearing in Figures 1 and 2. The lid 4 for closing the main opening 11 of the container 3 is fitted by positioning the lid 4 with the third handles 24, 25 offset relative to the first handles 19, 20 corresponding to the unlocked position, and then locking the tabs 27 on these third handles 24, 25 into the respective notches 26 on the first handles 19, 20 by rotating the lid 4 along the Z axis until the tabs 27 reach stops corresponding to the locked position of the lid 4 on the container body 8. Positioning the lid 4 in the locked position on the container body 8 makes it possible to activate a mechanical stop 28 extending downwards on the outside of the perimeter 9 of the container body 8, which activates a position sensor (not shown) located on the base 2 when the base plate 7 is engaged with the housing 12 of the base 2.

[0032] The food preparation container 3 also includes two downwardly extending locking tabs 29 below the first handles 19, 20, with only the locking tabs 29 on the side of the first handle 19 appearing in FIG. 2. These locking tabs 29 cooperate with complementary locking tabs (not shown) located on the base 2 to lock the food preparation container 3 when the bottom plate 7 is engaged with the housing 12. The locking tabs 29 are actuated by two respective triggers 30, 31 located below the first handles 19, 20 to enable their disengagement from the complementary locking tabs and unlock the bottom plate 7 from the housing 12 for removal of the food preparation container 3 from the base 2.

[0033] The features described above, except for those relating to the second handle 22, can already be found in the food preparation appliance sold by the applicant under the name COMPANION®. Therefore, a person skilled in the art may further refer to the preferred embodiment of the food preparation appliance 1 disclosed in the present invention, which incorporates the features relating to the second handle 22.

[0034] The following description particularly relates to the preferential implementation of the second handle 22 in the food preparation appliance 1 of FIG. 1. As previously described and shown in FIG. 2, the second handle 22 is arranged facing the spout 23 at a position of ninety degrees (90°) -rotation around the Z-axis- from the two first handles 19, 20. Variations of the food preparation appliance 1 could be considered by arranging the second handle 22 between sixty degrees (60°) and ninety degrees (90°) relative to one first handle 19, and conversely between one hundred and twenty degrees (120°) and ninety degrees (90°) relative to the other first handle 20. In other variations of the food preparation appliance 1 with a single first handle, the second handle 22 could also be between zero degrees (0°) and ninety degrees (90°) relative to the first handle and face the spout 23.

[0035] In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2-8, the second handle 22 consists of a body 32 formed by an upper part 33, a lower part 34 and a bridge piece 35. The bridge piece 35 is screwed onto the upper part 21 of the periphery 9 of the container body 8 by means of two fastening screws (not shown) which penetrate the periphery 9 and are fastened into two threaded holes 36, 37 of the bridge piece 35. The bridge piece 35 includes two support lugs 38, 39, each of which is provided with a through orifice 40, 41 through which two fastening screws 42, 43 pass. The upper part 33 includes on its underside 33a two screw holes 44, 45 through which the two fastening screws 42, 43 are screwed. The lower part 34 includes on its underside 34a two through holes 46, 47, including counterbores 48, 49 for receiving the heads 42a, 43a of the fastening screws 42, 43. The center distance is the same between the two through orifices 40, 41, between the two threaded holes 44, 45 and between the two through holes 46, 47. The bodies 42b, 43b of the fastening screws 42, 43 pass through the through holes 46, 47 and then through the through orifices 40, 41 and are screwed into the threaded holes 44, 45, and the bridge piece 35 thus ensures the fastening of the upper part 33 and the lower part 34, between which the bridge piece is sandwiched, with the upper part 21 of the peripheral part 9 of the container body 8. When the upper part 33 and the lower part 34 are assembled, the three studs 50 provided on the lower surface 33a of the upper part 33 fit into the three orifices 51 provided on the upper surface 34b of the lower part 34, thus ensuring a precise and stable assembly between the upper part 33 and the lower part 34 forming the body 32.

[0036] The upper part 33 includes an upper surface 33b with a stepped shape, as shown in particular in Figs. 2-5. Furthermore, the lower part 34 has a pronounced deformation 52 on the lower surface 34a of the lower part 34, as shown in Figs. 6-8, which extends towards the upper part 33 in order to provide a cavity 53 extending upwards deep into the body 32 of the second handle. As can be clearly seen in Fig. 6, this cavity 53 extends deep into the body 32 and forms a recess with a peripheral wall. This cavity 53 accommodates the distal phalanges of the three middle fingers of the hand (index finger, middle finger, ring finger), and preferably also the middle phalanges. It could also be envisaged that the distal phalanges and preferably also the middle phalanges of the little finger (ring finger) of the hand could also fit into this cavity 53. The stepped shape of the upper surface 33b of the top part 33 allows the palm and thumb to be properly positioned on the upper surface 33b when the distal and middle phalanges of the fingers (index, middle, ring and potentially little fingers) are positioned in the cavity 53 and the proximal phalanges of these fingers are positioned on the lower edge 54 of the body 32. In this way, the body 32 of the second handle 22 can be properly gripped and there is no risk of the hand coming into contact with the periphery 9 of the container body 8 and the cook's hand cannot be burned, since the second handle 22 is made of a thermally insulating material. This thermally insulating material can be selected from among Bakelite®, PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene) filled with glass fibers. The first handle 19, 20 of the food preparation container 3 and the third handle 24, 25 of the lid 4 are also made of this thermally insulating material.

[0037] With this design, a cook may lift the food preparation container 3 with one hand by placing his / her distal and middle phalanges in the cavity 53 as described above. Offsetting the second handle 22 with respect to the center of gravity of the food preparation container 3 and lifting the food preparation container 3 only by the distal and middle phalanges located in the cavity 53 allows the container body 8 to be naturally tilted forward by gravity (at the spout 23 side) until the container body 8 reaches an equilibrium tilted position as shown in FIG. 8. Preferably, in this tilted position, the tilt of the Z-axis of the food preparation container 3 with respect to the vertical axis Z1 will be configured between sixty degrees (60°) and eighty degrees (80°), preferably seventy degrees (70°). Of course, in the tilted equilibrium position, the shape of this cavity 53 extending deep into the body 32 of the second handle 22 and the position of the second handle 22 relative to the center of gravity of the food preparation container 3 can be changed to change the inclination of the axis Z of the food preparation container 3 relative to the vertical axis Z1.

[0038] Once the cooking process is complete, the cook may remove the food preparation container 3 from the base 2 by lifting the food preparation container 3 with both hands using the first handles 19, 20 and actuating the triggers 30, 31, thus maintaining the main opening 11 of the container body 8 in its normal, substantially vertical position while the food preparation container 3 is being moved. Although the cook would have previously unlocked and removed the lid 4 from the container body 8, the cook may also do so once the food preparation container 3 has been placed on a surface such as a table or countertop after the food preparation container 3 has been removed from the base 2. Depending on whether the viscosity of the food preparation is liquid or paste-like, the cook can then start pouring the food preparation by first tilting the container body 8 by the spout 23 while manipulating the two first handles 19, 20, or as described above, by lifting the container body 8 by the second handle 22 with one hand and tilting the container body 8 directly, which then assumes a naturally tilted position in equilibrium, which allows the cook to utilize the other hand to operate a spatula to scrape the inner wall 55 and the bottom 13 of the container body 8. Advantageously, the cook can position the main opening 11 of the container body 8 towards him while holding the container body 8 in a tilted position with one hand, which allows the cook to properly view the food preparation in the container body 8 while scraping, without having to exert force on his wrist to rotate the main opening 11 to a proper viewing position.

[0039] Other features are possible within the context of the present invention. For example, the top surface 33b of the top portion 33 of the body 32 may include two markings 56, 57, and the lid 4 may include a marking 58 that matches one of the two markings 56, 57 on the second handle 22 to indicate the locked and unlocked positions of the lid 4 relative to the food preparation container 3.

[0040] Variations are also possible within the scope of the invention. For example, it is envisaged that the two first handles 19, 20 and the second handle 22 are manufactured in one block. For example, the two first handles 19, 20 can be connected to each other by a semicircular peripheral piece (not shown) continuing to the upper part 21 of the peripheral part 9 of the container body 8, and the second handle 22 is placed on the peripheral piece, preferably in the middle part of the peripheral piece, in order to position the second handle 22 at ninety degrees (90°) relative to the two first handles 19, 20.

[0041] The body 32 of the second handle 22 could also be designed as a single piece (not shown) and on its underside a cavity 53 would be arranged to accommodate the distal phalanges of the index, middle and ring fingers of the hand, and preferably also the middle phalanges of the index, middle and ring fingers and also the little finger, so that when the food preparation container 3 is lifted, the food preparation container 3 is balanced at an inclination angle where the Z axis preferably forms an angle of seventy degrees (70°) with respect to the vertical axis Z1.

[0042] The position of the second handle 22 may also vary in relation to the previous description, i.e. in relation to the first two handles 19, 20, what is important is that this second handle 22 is not positioned opposite the first handle so as to prevent the food preparation from spilling onto the first handle while pouring or scraping the food preparation.

[0043] In the above description of the embodiment, the food preparation vessel 3 constitutes a component of the food preparation appliance 1. Of course, the present invention could be applied to other food preparation vessels, such as pressure cookers, pots, stewpots, which can be used separately from the base 2. The present invention could also be used with a food preparation vessel 3 used in the food preparation appliance 1 that includes a drive outlet located above or extending into the food preparation vessel 3, which would be designed to receive a rotary power tool 5.

Claims

1. A food preparation vessel (3), comprising a vessel body (8) with an upper edge (10) defining a main opening (11) for the introduction of food into the vessel body (8) and for the removal of a food preparation made from the food from the vessel body (8), the food preparation vessel (3) comprising at least one first handle (19, 20) attached to an upper peripheral portion (21) of the vessel body (8) and designed to allow the vessel body (8) to be handled while maintaining the vessel body (8) in a normal position with the main opening (11) located at the top of the vessel body (8), the food preparation vessel (3) comprising at least one first handle (19, 20) attached to an upper peripheral portion (21) of the vessel body (8) and designed to allow the vessel body (8) to be handled while maintaining the vessel body (8) in a normal position with the main opening (11) located at the top of the vessel body (8), a second handle (22) including a body (32) having a lower surface (34a), a portion of the upper peripheral portion (21) of the container body (8) positioned opposite the second handle (22) not having the at least one first handle (19, 20), the lower surface (34a) having a cavity (53) extending deep into the body (32) and forming a recess with a peripheral wall, the cavity (53) being designed to receive therein at least the distal phalanges of at least three middle fingers of a hand and to enable the container body (8) to be held in a suspended state by the distal phalanges in an inclined position for pouring or scraping the food preparation.

2. The food preparation container (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two first handles (19, 20) arranged opposite each other on the upper peripheral portion (21) of the container body (8).

3. 3. The food preparation container (3) of claim 2, characterized in that the second handle (22) is positioned around the upper periphery (21) of the container body (8) at an angle between sixty degrees (60°) and one hundred and twenty degrees (120°) relative to the two first handles (19, 20).

4. A food preparation container (3) as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the two first handles (19, 20) are connected to each other by a semicircular peripheral piece continuing to the upper peripheral portion (21) of the container body (8), and the second handle (22) is arranged on said peripheral piece.

5. A food preparation container (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the second handle (22) is separate from the at least one first handle (19, 20).

6. The food preparation container (3) of claim 5, characterized in that the main body (32) of the second handle (22) includes an upper part (33) and a lower part (34) fixed to each other and to the upper peripheral portion (21) of the container body (8) via a bridge piece (35), and the lower part (34) includes the cavity (53).

7. A food preparation container (3) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the upper edge (10) of the container body (8) includes a spout (23) positioned opposite the second handle (22).

8. 8. The food preparation container (3) of claim 1, wherein the cavity (53) of the body (32) of the second handle (22) is configured to lift the container body (8) at an incline between sixty degrees (60°) and eighty degrees (80°) from vertical.

9. 9. The food preparation vessel (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a closing lid (4) suitable for closing the main opening (11) of the vessel body (8), characterized in that a locking system is arranged between the lid (4) and the at least one first handle (19, 20) for bringing the lid (4) into a locked position in which the lid (4) closes the main opening (11) of the vessel body (8) and in which the lid (4) remains locked, and into an unlocked position in which the lid (4) can be removed from the vessel body (8) to access the main opening (11).

10. The food preparation container (3) according to claim 9, characterized in that a system for indicating the locked and unlocked positions of the lid (4) is provided between the lid (4) and the second handle (22).

11. A food preparation vessel (3) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the vessel body (8) comprises a bottom (13) including a central opening (14) capable of receiving a rotary drive assembly (17), the rotary drive assembly (17) itself being capable of rotating a rotary working tool (5) placed within the vessel body (8) and which may or may not be removable relative to the rotary drive assembly (17).

12. A food preparation container (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the container body (8) is made of a metallic material, optionally coated, and the at least one first handle (19, 20) and the second handle (22) are made of a thermally insulating material.

13. A food preparation appliance (1) comprising a food preparation vessel (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and a base (2) configured to receive said food preparation vessel (3).

14. A food preparation appliance (1) according to claim 13 in relation to claims 11 and 12, characterized in that the food preparation appliance (1) comprises at least one rotary working tool (5) suitable for being placed in the container body (8) by introduction through its main opening (11) and a rotary drive assembly (17) suitable for being fixedly attached to a central opening (14) of the bottom (13) of the container body (8) for driving the rotary working tool (5) placed in the container body (8), the food preparation appliance (1) comprising a device for heating the bottom (13) of the container body (8) when the food preparation container (3) is mounted on the base (2) and a device for rotating the rotary drive assembly (17) attached to the bottom (13).

Images