Handles for cooking utensils

Abstract

To provide a handle for cooking utensils that has a simple structure and can be attached to and detached from the cooking utensil body with minimal force. [Solution] The device comprises a handle body 2, an operating lever 3 for attaching and detaching the handle body 2 to the cooking utensil body, a front link 4a and a rear link 4b that connect the handle body 2 and the operating lever 3 and are rotatable back and forth around the connection point of the handle body 2, a gripping member 5 fixed to the front link 4a that grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the gripping surface 14 of the handle body 2 when the opening / closing operating lever 3 is closed, a biasing means 6 that biases the operating lever 3 in the opening direction, and a locking mechanism 7 that holds the operating lever 3 in the closed position. When the gripping member 5 grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the gripping surface 20, the connection point of the operating lever 3 on the front link 4a, the connection point of the operating lever 3 on the rear link 4b, and the connection point of the handle body 2 are located substantially in a straight line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle for a cooking appliance that can be detachably attached to a cooking appliance body, and more particularly to a handle for a cooking appliance that has a simple structure and can perform the attachment and detachment operation to the cooking appliance body with a small force.

Background Art

[0002] As a handle for this type of cooking appliance, for example, there is one disclosed in Patent Document 1. As shown in FIG. 15, this handle 50 for a cooking appliance includes an upper member 51, a lower member 52, a stainless steel movable base 54 that is sandwiched between the upper member 51 and the lower member 52 so as to be able to advance and retreat and is biased toward the front end side by a movable spring 58, an operation lever 53 having a knock pin 53a for performing a locking operation and its release operation, and a pair of left and right operation buttons 56. The bent tip 54a of the stainless steel movable base 54 and the tip 52a of the lower member 52 grip the cooking appliance body.

[0003] A long hole 54b into which the knock pin 53a of the operation lever 53 fits is formed in the width direction at the middle part of the stainless steel movable base 54. An arch-shaped hole 51a into which the knock pin 53a 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 54b formed in the stainless steel movable base 54.

[0004] The knock pin 53a of the operation lever 53 penetrates through the arch-shaped hole 51a formed in the upper member 51 and is fitted into the long hole 54b formed in the stainless steel movable base 54, and can move freely in the arch-shaped hole 51a. By rotating the operation lever 53, the stainless steel movable base 54 can be advanced and retreated in the front-rear direction.

[0005] When the operating lever 53 is rotated to the inner end position of the arch-shaped hole 51a in the upper member 51, the knock pin 53a moves to the inner end position of the elongated hole 54b, and the knock pin 53a is positioned on the extension of the axis of the movable spring 58, so that the knock pin 53a prevents the forward movement of the stainless steel movable base 54, and the cooking utensil handle 50 is locked in place.

[0006] A cross-shaped stopper 55, which protrudes in a wedge shape with inclined surfaces on both the left and right sides, is fitted into a cross groove 52b provided in the middle of the lower member 52. A spring 57 is provided between the stopper 55 and the bottom surface of the cross groove 52b, and this spring 57 biases the stopper 55 upward.

[0007] At the rear of the stainless steel movable base 54, a first operating hole 54c and a second operating hole 54d, which are locked by a stopper 55, are arranged side by side in the front-to-back direction. In addition, operating buttons 56 are attached to button mounting holes formed on both sides of the middle portion of the upper member 51 and lower member 52, which are joined together.

[0008] The operating buttons 56 on both the left and right sides are provided with protrusions 56a on their inner surfaces that slide against the inclined surfaces on both the left and right sides of the stopper 55, respectively. By pressing the operating buttons 56, the stopper 55 is pushed down against the biasing force of the spring 57.

[0009] When attaching the cookware handle 50 to the cookware body, with the cookware body inserted between the bent tip 54a of the stainless steel movable base 54 and the tip 52a of the lower member 52, the operating lever 53 is turned counterclockwise all the way to move the stainless steel movable base 54 backward, and the cookware body is gripped by the tip 54a of the stainless steel movable base 54 and the tip of the lower member 52. At this time, the knock pin 53a is located at the inner end of the elongated hole 54b of the stainless steel movable base 54, and the knock pin 53a and the axis of the movable spring 58 coincide, so the knock pin 53a prevents the forward movement of the stainless steel movable base 54, and the stopper 55 is locked into the first operating hole 54c, thus doubly restricting the forward movement of the stainless steel movable base 54.

[0010] To remove the handle 50 for the cooking utensil from the cooking utensil body, first, as shown in Figures 16(a) to (c), the operating lever 53 is rotated to a certain angle in the direction of the arrow, thereby shifting the knock pin 53a off-axis from the axis of the movable spring 58. This releases the restriction on the forward movement of the stainless steel movable base 54, allowing the stainless steel movable base 54 to move forward by a certain distance.

[0011] Next, as shown in Figures 17(a) to (c), by simultaneously pressing the pair of left and right operation buttons 56, the stopper 55 is pushed down against the biasing force of the spring 57, releasing the lock of the stopper 55 against the first operating hole 54c. The stainless steel movable base 54 moves forward due to the biasing force of the movable spring 58, and the operation lever 53 rotates to a 90-degree position. Consequently, the second operating hole 54d of the stainless steel movable base 54 moves to the position of the stopper 55, releasing the lock. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3169455 Gazette [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0013] The aforementioned cooking utensil handle 50 has a complex structure, and by rotating the operating lever 53, the knock pin 53a moves to the inner end position of the elongated hole 54b of the stainless steel movable base 54, while simultaneously advancing the stainless steel movable base 54. Therefore, a certain amount of force is required to attach and detach the cooking utensil handle 50, resulting in a problem of poor usability.

[0014] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a handle for cooking utensils that has a simple structure and can be attached to and detached from the cooking utensil body with little force. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] To solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 comprises a handle body, an operating lever for attaching and detaching the handle body to a cooking utensil body, a front link and a rear link constituting a lever mechanism that are rotatable forward and backward around the connection point of the handle body and connect the operating lever to the handle body so as to be openable and closable, a gripping member fixed to the front link that grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body when the operating lever is closed, a biasing means for biasing the operating lever in the opening direction, and a locking mechanism for holding the operating lever in the closed position, wherein when the operating lever is open, the front link and the rear link rotate to the rear so that the gripping member moves away from the front end surface of the handle body, and when the gripping member grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body, the connection point of the operating lever on the front link and the connection point of the operating lever on the rear link The present invention provides a handle for a cooking utensil, characterized in that the point and the connection point of the handle body are located substantially in a straight line, the locking mechanism comprises a locking member provided on the handle body and a locked member provided on the operating lever, which engage with each other when the operating lever is closed to hold the operating lever in that state, and an operating member provided on the handle body that operates the locking member and can be switched between an unlocked state and a locked state, the operating member being provided on the handle body such that in the unlocked state it is possible to retract the locking member from the engagement position with the locked member, and in the locked state it is not possible to retract the locking member from the engagement position with the locked member, and regardless of whether the operating member is in the unlocked or locked state when the operating lever is closed the locking member and the locked member engage with each other so that the operating lever is held in the closed state.Furthermore, the phrase "the connection point of the operating lever in the front link, the connection point of the operating lever in the rear link, and the connection point of the handle body are located substantially on a straight line" means that the angle α formed by the line connecting the connection point of the operating lever in the front link and the connection point of the operating lever in the rear link with respect to the line connecting the connection point of the operating lever in the front link and the connection point of the handle body in the rear link is within the range of -5 degrees to 5 degrees. In particular, considering the gripping force when gripping the cooking utensil body and the operability of the operating lever, it is preferable that the angle α is within the range of -2.5 degrees to 2.5 degrees, and it is even more preferable that the angle α is 0 degrees, that is, the connection point of the operating lever in the front link, the connection point of the operating lever in the rear link, and the connection point of the handle body are located on a straight line.

[0016] The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the handle for a cooking utensil according to the invention according to claim 1, the locking mechanism is provided with a biasing means that biases the operating member in the opposite direction to the retraction operation direction of the locking member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] As described above, the cooking utensil handle according to claim 1 has a front link and a rear link that constitute both lever mechanisms, which connect the handle body and the operating lever to each other. As the operating lever is opened and closed, the front link and the rear link rotate in the front-rear direction around the connection point of the handle body, causing the gripping member fixed to the front link to move closer to or away from the front end surface of the handle body, that is, to grip or release the cooking utensil body. Therefore, the structure is simple and lightweight, and it can be attached to and detached from the cooking utensil body with little force.

[0018] Furthermore, since it is equipped with a locking mechanism that holds the operating lever in the closed position, when the operating lever is closed, the operating lever is held in the closed position when the gripping member holds the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body. Moreover, this state can be made into a double-lock state that cannot be released, so accidents such as the cooking utensil body falling due to unintended impacts can be reliably prevented.

[0019] In particular, the locking mechanism that holds the operating lever in the closed position includes a locking member provided on the handle body and a locked member provided on the operating lever, which engage with each other when the operating lever is closed to hold the operating lever in that position, and an operating member provided on the handle body that can switch between an unlocked state and a locked state to operate the locking member. The operating member is provided on the handle body such that in the unlocked state, it is possible to retract the locking member from the engagement position with the locked member, and in the locked state, it is not possible to retract the locking member from the engagement position with the locked member. Regardless of whether the operating member is in the unlocked or locked state, the operating lever When the lever is closed, the locking member and the locked member engage with each other, holding the operating lever in the closed position. To achieve a double-locked state, one can first close the operating lever to engage the locking member and the locked member, thereby holding the operating lever in the closed position. Then, the operating member can be switched from the unlocked state to the locked state to make the engagement between the locking member and the locked member irrevocably irrevocable. Alternatively, the operating member can be switched from the unlocked state to the locked state, and then the operating lever can be closed to engage the locking member and the locked member, holding the operating lever in the closed position while simultaneously making the engagement irrevocably irrevocable. Thus, to achieve a double-locked state, both the "operation to close the operating lever" and the "operation to switch the operating member to the locked state" must be performed, and the order in which these operations are performed does not matter, making it user-friendly.

[0020] Furthermore, to release the double-locked state of the operating lever held in the closed position, the operating member can be switched to the unlocked state. In this state, by retracting the operating member to move the locking member away from the engagement position with the locked member, the engagement between the locking member and the locked member is released, and at the same time, the operating lever opens due to the biasing force of the biasing means that biases the operating lever in the opening direction, and the gripping member separates from the front end surface of the handle body.

[0021] In addition, the handle for a cooking utensil according to the invention of claim 2 has a locking mechanism provided with biasing means for biasing the operating member in a direction opposite to the retracting operation direction of the locking member. Therefore, unless the operating member is consciously retracted, the locking member will not retract from the engaged position with the locked member, and even when the operating member is switched to the unlocked state, the operating lever will not immediately open.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a handle for a cooking utensil according to this invention. [Figure 2] (a) is a side view showing the state where the handle for the cooking utensil is attached to the cooking utensil body, and (b) is a side view showing the state where the handle for the cooking utensil is removed from the cooking utensil body. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view showing the handle for the cooking utensil described above. [Figure 4] (a) is a plan view showing the state where the operating lever of the handle for the cooking utensil described above is opened, (b) is a side view showing the handle for the cooking utensil described above, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X of (a). [Figure 5] (a) is a plan view showing the state where the operating lever is pushed down and closed in the handle for the cooking utensil in the state shown in FIG. 4, (b) is a side view showing the handle for the cooking utensil described above, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X of (a). [Figure 6] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the conditions for ensuring sufficient gripping force when gripping the cooking utensil body. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line Y-Y of FIG. 5(a). [Figure 8] (a) is a plan view showing the operating member constituting the handle for the cooking utensil described above, and (b) to (e) are side views of the operating member described above viewed from different directions. [Figure 9](a) is a plan view showing the retaining member that makes up the handle for the cooking utensil shown above, (b) is a side view of the retaining member shown from the right, (c) is a side view of the retaining member shown from the left, (d) is a bottom view showing the retaining member shown above, (e) is a front view showing the retaining member shown above, (f) is a rear view showing the retaining member shown above, (g) is a cross-sectional view along line XX of (a), (h) is a cross-sectional view along line YY of (a), (i) is a cross-sectional view along line VV of (a), and (j) is a cross-sectional view along line WW of (a). [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing the intermediate state when closing the operating lever of the handle for the same cooking utensil. [Figure 11] (a) is a plan view showing the double-locked state of the handle for the cooking utensil shown above, and (b) is a cross-sectional view along line XX of (a). [Figure 12] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state after the operating member of the cooking utensil handle has been rotated to switch it to the unlocked state, and then the operating member has been pressed down. [Figure 13] (a) is a side view showing the state in which the operating member of the cooking utensil handle with the operating lever open has been rotated to switch to the locked state, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the same cooking utensil handle. [Figure 14] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the intermediate state when closing the operating lever of a cooking utensil handle. [Figure 15] This is an exploded perspective view showing the overall structure of a conventional cookware handle. [Figure 16] (a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the state of each component when the operating lever is turned slightly from the locked position of the handle for the cooking appliance shown above. [Figure 17] (a) to (c) are explanatory diagrams illustrating the state of each part when the grip of the cooking utensil is released by the handle of the cooking utensil as described above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] The embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, this cookware handle 1 can be detachably attached to various cookware bodies and comprises a handle body 2 made of a resin molded product, an operating lever 3 made of a resin molded product which is connected to the handle body 2 in an openable and closable manner for attaching and detaching the handle body 2 to the cookware body, a front link 4a and a rear link 4b which connect the handle body 2 and the operating lever 3 and are rotatable back and forth about the connection point of the handle body 2, a gripping member 5 fixed to the front link 4a which grips the cookware body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body 2 when the operating lever 3 is closed, a biasing means 6 which biases the operating lever 3 in the opening direction, and a locking mechanism 7 which holds the operating lever 3 in the closed position. In Figures 2(a) and (b), the reference numeral CU indicates the cookware body.

[0024] The handle body 2 has a front end that grips the cooking utensil body with the gripping member 5 and a rear end that forms the gripping part, and a lever fitting part 11 into which the closed operating lever 3 fits; a link housing recess 12 with an open top surface in front of the lever fitting part 11 that houses the front link 4a and the rear link 4b and supports them so as to be rotatable by shafts S, S; a member housing recess 13 with an open top surface formed on the rear side of the link housing recess 12 that houses the locking member 29 and the operating member 32 that constitute the locking mechanism 7 described later; and a member housing recess 13 with an open top surface that houses the locking member 29 and the operating member 32. The handle body 2 is equipped with a holding member 14 that holds the locking member 29 so that it can swing, and the operating member 32 so that it can move vertically and rotate within a predetermined angular range, a gripping surface 20 which is formed of a wear-resistant silicone covering material that covers the inclined front end surface and grips the cookware body between itself and the gripping member 5, and an end cap 21 which is fitted to the rear end, and a stainless steel decorative cover 22 is attached to the front of the handle body 2 so as to cover both sides and the bottom surface, and a hanging hole 23 is formed at the rear end of the handle body 2 to which the end cap 21 is fitted.

[0025] The operating lever 3 has a top plate 24 and approximately inverted triangular side plates 25 that hang down from both side edges of the top plate 24. A front link 4a is rotatably supported at the front end of each side plate 25, and a rear link 4b is rotatably supported at the lower end of each side plate 25, by shafts S, S.

[0026] In the central part of the width direction of the rear half of the operating lever 3, a cylindrical locking member housing section 26 is provided on the lower surface of the upper plate 24, which houses a locking member 30 and a coil spring 31 that biases the locking member 30 to the rear, forming a locking mechanism 7 described later. The front end of the locking member housing section 26 is closed by a screw plug, and the upper half of the rear end is closed by an end wall, with only the lower half open.

[0027] The front link 4a and rear link 4b, which connect the handle body 2 and the operating lever 3, constitute a double lever mechanism. As shown in Figure 5, when the operating lever 3 is closed (as shown in Figure 2(a), when the gripping member 5 grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body 2), the connection point of the opening / closing operating lever 3 on the front link 4a and the connection point of the opening / closing operating lever 3 on the rear link 4b and the connection point of the handle body 2 are set to be approximately in a straight line. This ensures sufficient gripping force when the gripping member 5 grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body 2.

[0028] The statement that "the connection point of the operating lever 3 on the front link 4a and the connection point of the operating lever 3 on the rear link 4b and the connection point of the handle body 2 are located approximately on a straight line" means, as shown in Figure 6, that the angle α formed by the straight line L2 connecting the connection point A of the operating lever 3 on the front link 4a and the connection point B of the operating lever 3 on the rear link 4b, with respect to the straight line L1 connecting the connection point A of the operating lever 3 on the front link 4a and the connection point C of the handle body 2 on the rear link 4b, is within the range of -5 to 5 degrees. A negative value for angle α means that the connection point B is located below the straight line L1, and a positive value for angle α means that the connection point B is located above the straight line L1. The reason for setting angle α within the range of -5 to 5 degrees is that if angle α is less than -5 degrees, it becomes difficult to open the operating lever 3 and difficult to release the grip on the cooking utensil body, and if angle α is greater than 5 degrees, the gripping force when gripping the cooking utensil body decreases. Therefore, considering the gripping force when the cooking utensil body is held and the operability of the operating lever 3, it is preferable that the angle α is within the range of -2.5 degrees to 2.5 degrees, and ideally, the angle α is 0 degrees, that is, the connection points A, B, and C are located on a straight line.

[0029] The gripping member 5 is composed of a metal main body 27 screwed to the front link 4a and a covering material 28 that covers the main body 27. Multiple laterally extending protrusions are formed on the rear surface of the covering material 28 that comes into contact with the cooking utensil body to prevent the cooking utensil body from slipping.

[0030] The biasing means 6 consists of a torsion spring (torsion coil spring) attached to the shaft S connecting the front link 4a to the handle body 2, which biases the front link 4a in a direction that tilts it backward. As the front link 4a is biased in a direction that tilts it backward, the operating lever 3 is always biased in the open direction.

[0031] The locking mechanism 7 comprises a locking member 29 that is pivotably held by a member housing recess 13 and a holding member 14 of the handle body 2, and a locked member 30 housed in a locked member housing portion 26 of the operating lever 3, which engage with each other when the operating lever 3 is closed to hold the operating lever 3 in a closed position; a coil spring 31 that biases the locked member 30 housed in the locked member housing portion 26 toward the rear; an operating member 32 that operates the locking member 29, which is held by the holding member 14 fitted into the member housing recess 13 so as to be movable in the vertical direction and rotatable within a predetermined angular range; and a coil spring 41 that biases the operating member 32 housed in the member housing recess 13 toward the upward direction via the holding member 14. The operating member 32 can be switched between an unlocked state in which it can be pressed and a locked state in which it cannot be pressed by rotating it, and in the unlocked state, pressing it can move the locking member 29 away from the engagement position with the locked member 30.

[0032] The locking member 29 has a pivot shaft 29a whose ends are rotatably supported by a member housing recess 13 and a holding member 14, a locking claw 29b that rises from the center of the pivot shaft 29a and whose upper end is bent forward in a key shape, an operated piece 29c that rises diagonally upward toward the rear from the center of the pivot shaft 29a and is pushed down by an operating member 32, and an overhanging piece 29d that extends forward from the center of the pivot shaft 29a and abuts against the bottom surface of the member housing recess 13, thereby restricting the locking claw 29b from rotating forward of the engagement position with the locked member 30, and is configured to pivot back and forth within the member housing recess 13.

[0033] The locking member 30 has a main body portion 30a with a circular cross-section that slides back and forth within the cylindrical locking member housing portion 26, a protrusion 30b that protrudes forward from the front end surface of the main body portion 30a and is fitted onto the rear end of the coil spring 31, and a locking portion 30c that extends rearward from the lower half of the rear end of the main body portion 30a. The locking portion 30c is formed so that its upper surface can engage with the locking claw 29b, and is also formed in a curved shape that bulges outward from the lower end of the base portion connected to the main body portion 30a toward the front edge (rear end edge).

[0034] The locking member 30, housed within the locking member housing 26 and biased to the rear by the coil spring 31, has its upper rear end portion of the main body portion 30a abutting against the closed upper rear end portion of the locking member housing 26. As a result, the locking portion 30c protrudes to the rear from the open lower rear end portion of the locking member housing 26, and this protruding locking portion 30c can be pushed into the locking member housing 26 against the biasing force of the coil spring 31.

[0035] As shown in Figure 8, the operating member 32 comprises a circular top plate 33, an operating projection 34 for rotational operation that extends radially from the center of the top plate 33 to the periphery and is connected to the upper surface of the top plate 33, a cylindrical body 35 with a smaller diameter than the top plate 33 and connected to the lower surface of the top plate 33, a notch 36 formed on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 35 at a position 90 degrees clockwise from the position where the operating projection 34 is formed, and an upper overhang 3 extending from the upper circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 35 to just before the periphery of the top plate 33. The cylindrical body 35 comprises a lower protruding piece 38 that extends from the lower circumferential surface of the notch 36, a pin 39 that penetrates the cylindrical body 35 radially in the central part between the upper protruding piece 37 and the notch 36, and a recess 40 (see Figure 7) formed on the lower surface of the cylindrical body 35 into which the upper end of the coil spring 41 fits. One end of the pin 39 protrudes from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 35 to near the tip of the upper protruding piece 37, and the other end protrudes from the circumferential surface on the opposite side of the cylindrical body 35 to the outside of the outer circumference of the top plate 33.

[0036] As shown in Figure 9, the holding member 14 comprises a top plate 15 having a hole 15a into which the top plate 33 of the operating member 32 is loosely fitted, and a hanging wall 16 hanging down from the lower surface of the top plate 15. The hanging wall 16 consists of an annular upper wall 17 connected to the lower surface of the top plate 15 and having a hole 17a of the same diameter as the hole 15a at a position corresponding to the hole 15a of the top plate 15, a middle wall 18 connected to the lower surface of the upper wall 17 and having an open front end into which the cylindrical body 35 of the operating member 32 is fitted, and a lower wall 19 connected to the lower surface of the middle wall 18 and having open front and rear ends.

[0037] The middle wall 18 has a pair of left and right overhangs that protrude inward from the hole 17a of the upper wall 17, into which the cylindrical body 35 of the operating member 32 is rotatably fitted. The left overhang consists of a rear high-level portion 18a at the same height as the lower surface of the upper wall 17 and a front low-level portion 18b that is one step lower than the rear high-level portion 18a. The right overhang consists of a front high-level portion 18c at the same height as the lower surface of the upper wall 17 and a rear low-level portion 18d that is one step lower than the front high-level portion 18c.

[0038] Furthermore, a horizontal groove 18e is formed on the right side of the middle wall 18, where the protruding end of the other end of the pin 39 fits into the lower surface of the upper wall 17 and the upper surface of the lower rear portion 18d, allowing the operating member 32 to rotate within a 90-degree angle range. In addition, vertical grooves 18f are formed at the rear ends of the pair of left and right overhangs, where the protruding end of the other end of the pin 39 fits into the vertical groove 18f, allowing the operating member 32 to move up and down.

[0039] The lower wall 19 is divided into a right portion and a left portion, which extend from a position corresponding to the open end of the vertical groove 18f of the middle wall 18 to its front end. The distance between the rear ends of the two portions is set to be the same as the width of the vertical groove 18f of the middle wall 18, and the distance between the front ends of the two portions is set to be the same as the distance between the front ends of the middle wall 18.

[0040] Furthermore, a recess 19a capable of accommodating the lower protruding piece 38 of the operating member 32 is formed on the inner surface of the left portion of the lower wall 19, and stepped portions 19b are formed on the left and right front ends of the lower wall 19, respectively, which engage with stepped portions 13a formed on both the left and right sides of the front end of the member-accommodating recess 13 when the holding member 14 is fitted into the member-accommodating recess 13, thereby rotatably supporting the pivot axis 29a of the locking member 29.

[0041] Therefore, the operating member 32, which is attached to the retaining member 14 such that the top plate 33 and cylindrical body 35 of the operating member 32 fit into the hole 15a and middle wall 18 of the top plate 15 of the retaining member 14, respectively, and the operating projection 34 faces the left-side unlocked position, has the other end of the pin 39 fitted into the vertical groove 18f, allowing it to move up and down, as shown in Figures 4(a) to (c) and 5(a) to (c). As a result, the operating member 32 is pushed upward by the coil spring 41.

[0042] In this state, with the operating member 32 pushed up, the pin 39 of the operating member 32 and the lateral groove 18e of the holding member 14 are at the same height. As a result, the other end of the pin 39 of the operating member 32 fits into the lateral groove 18e from the vertical groove 18f, allowing it to move from the rear end to the front end. Furthermore, the lower protruding piece 38 of the operating member 32 is housed in the recess 19a, allowing the operating member 32 to rotate within a 90-degree angle range between the operating projection 34 facing the rear locked position (locked state) and the left unlocked position (unlocked state).

[0043] In the unlocked state, the other end of the pin 39 of the operating member 32 faces backward and is fitted into the vertical groove 18f so as to be movable in the vertical direction. As a result, the operating member 32 is pushed upward by the biasing force of the coil spring 41, but it is also possible to push the operating member 32 down against the biasing force of the coil spring 41.

[0044] Furthermore, in the unlocked state, the notch 36 formed in the cylindrical body 35 of the operating member 32 faces forward, and one end of the pin 39 and the lower protruding piece 38 are positioned between the left and right front ends of the central wall 18 (front open portion), so that the tip of the operated piece 29c of the locking member 29 fits between one end of the pin 39 and the lower protruding piece 38.

[0045] In the unlocked state, as described above, the operating member 32 is pushed upward by the biasing force of the coil spring 41. In this state, the locking claw 29b of the locking member 29 has its key-shaped upper end protruding from the front end opening of the middle wall 18 to the engagement position with the locked member 30 on the front side (see Figures 4 and 5). However, by pushing the operating member 32 downward against the biasing force of the coil spring 41, the tip of the operated piece 25c is pushed downward, and consequently the locking member 29 tilts to the rear, causing the key-shaped upper end of the locking claw 29b to retract from the engagement position with the locked member 30 (locked portion 30c) (see Figure 12).

[0046] On the other hand, in the locked state, as shown in Figures 11 and 13, the other end of the pin 39 of the operating member 32 faces to the right and is fitted into the front end of the lateral groove 18e, so the operating member 32 cannot be pushed down, and the notch 36 of the operating member 32 faces to the left, so the operated piece 29c of the locking member 29 cannot be operated by one end of the pin 39 and the lower protruding piece 38, and the locking member 29 (locking claw 29b) cannot be moved away from the engagement position with the locked member 30 (locked portion 30c).

[0047] To attach the cookware handle 1, configured as described above, to the cookware body, as shown in Figures 4(a) to (c), insert the cookware body between the gripping surface 20 of the handle body 2 and the gripping member 5 of the cookware handle 1, with the operating lever 3 in the open state, separated from the handle body 2, and the operating member 32 in the unlocked state. Then, as shown in Figures 5(a) to (c), push down the rear end of the operating lever 3 to close it, causing the rearward-tilted front link 4a to stand upright and the upright rear link 4b to tilt forward, so that the gripping member 5 grips the cookware body between itself and the gripping surface 14 of the handle body 2 (see Figure 2(a)). At this time, the connection point (A) of the operating lever 3 on the front link 4a and the connection point (B) of the operating lever 3 and the connection point (C) of the handle body 2 on the rear link 4b are located in a substantially straight line, so sufficient gripping force is ensured.

[0048] Furthermore, when closing the operating lever 3, as shown in Figure 10, the curved tip of the locking portion 30c of the locking member 30, which is biased to the rear and protruding from the rear end of the locking member housing portion 26, comes into contact with the forward-bent tip of the locking claw 29b of the locking member 29. The locking portion 30c is pushed forward by the locking claw 29b, passes over the bent tip of the locking claw 29b, and is then pushed backward, so that the locking portion 30c is locked by the locking claw 29b (see Figure 5(c)). This maintains the gripping state of the cooking utensil body and fixes the cooking utensil handle 1 to the cooking utensil body.

[0049] Next, the operating member 32 is rotated to switch it to the locked state (see Figures 11(a) and (b)). When the operating member 32 is switched to the locked state in this way, as described above, the locking member 29 (locking claw 29b) cannot be moved away from the engagement position with the locked member 30 (locked part 30c), that is, the operating lever 3 cannot be opened, resulting in a double-lock state, which reliably prevents accidents such as the cooking appliance falling due to unintended impacts.

[0050] To remove the handle 1 for the cooking utensil from the cooking utensil body, as shown in Figure 5, rotate the operating member 32 to switch it to the unlocked state, and then push down the operating member 32. As shown in Figure 12, the locking member 29 tilts backward, and the locking claw 29b moves away from the engagement position with the locked portion 30c of the locked member 30. This releases the engagement of the locking member 29 with the locked member 30, and the biasing force of the biasing means (torsion spring) 6 opens the operating lever 3. The upright front link 4a tilts backward and the forward-tilted rear link 4b rises, causing the gripping member 5 to separate from the gripping surface 20 of the handle body 2. This releases the gripping of the cooking utensil body by the gripping member 5, and as shown in Figure 2(b), the handle 1 for the cooking utensil can be removed from the cooking utensil body.

[0051] Furthermore, when attaching the handle 1 for the cooking utensil to the cooking utensil body, as shown in Figures 13(a) and (b), if the operating lever 3 is in the open position, separated from the handle body 2, and the operating member 32 is accidentally rotated to switch to the locked position, and in this state the cooking utensil body is inserted between the gripping surface 20 of the handle body 2 and the gripping member 5 and the operating lever 3 is closed, the curvature of the locking portion 30c of the locking member 30, which is biased to the rear, will occur, similar to when the operating lever 3 is closed with the operating member 32 in the unlocked position. The tip of the handle 1 for cooking utensils comes into contact with the forward-bent tip of the locking claw 29b of the locking member 29 (see Figure 14), and as the locking portion 30c is pushed forward by the locking claw 29b, it passes over the bent tip of the locking claw 29b and is then pushed backward, locking the locking portion 30c with the locking claw 29b, not only holding the operating lever 3 in the closed position, but also creating a double-lock state in which the locking claw 29b cannot be retracted from its engagement position with the locking portion 30c (see Figures 11(a) and (b)). In other words, when closing the operating lever 3 to attach the handle 1 for cooking utensils to the cooking utensil body, the locking portion 30c is locked by the locking claw 29b and the operating lever 3 is held in the closed position, regardless of whether the operating member 32 is in the unlocked or locked state.

[0052] As described above, the handle 1 for cooking utensils is connected to the handle body 2 and the operating lever 3 by a front link 4a and a rear link 4b that constitute a double lever mechanism. As the operating lever 3 is opened and closed, the front link 4a and the rear link 4b rotate in the front-rear direction around the connection point of the handle body 2, causing the gripping member 5 fixed to the front link 4a to move closer to or away from the gripping surface 20 of the handle body 2, that is, to grip or release the cooking utensil body. As a result, the structure is simple and lightweight, and it can be attached to and detached from the cooking utensil body with little force.

[0053] Furthermore, since the handle 1 for the cooking utensil is equipped with a locking mechanism 7 that holds the operating lever 3 in the closed position, when the operating lever 3 is closed, the operating lever 3 is held in the closed position when the gripping member 5 holds the cooking utensil body between itself and the gripping surface 20 of the handle body 2. Moreover, this can be made into a double-lock state that cannot be released, so accidents such as the cooking utensil body falling due to unintended impacts can be reliably prevented.

[0054] In particular, to achieve a double-lock state, one may first close the operating lever 3 to engage the locking member 29 and the locked member 30 with each other, thereby holding the operating lever 3 in the closed position. Then, the operating member 32 may be switched from the unlocked state to the locked state to make the engagement between the locking member 29 and the locked member 30 irrevocable. Alternatively, the operating member 32 may be switched from the unlocked state to the locked state, and then the operating lever 3 may be closed to engage the locking member 29 and the locked member 30 with each other, thereby holding the operating lever 3 in the closed position and simultaneously making the engagement irrevocable. Thus, to achieve a double-lock state, one only needs to perform both the "operation of closing the operating lever 3" and the "operation of switching the operating member 32 to the locked state," and it does not matter which operation is performed first, making it user-friendly.

[0055] Furthermore, since the locking mechanism 7 of this cooking utensil handle 1 is equipped with a coil spring 41 that biases the operating member 32 in the opposite direction (upward) to the retraction operation direction of the locking member 29, unless the operating member 32 is consciously retracted (pressed), the locking member 29 will not retract from the engagement position with the locked member 30, and even when the operating member 32 is switched to the unlocked state, the operating lever 3 will not open immediately. [Industrial applicability]

[0056] 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 pans. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1. Handle for cooking utensils 2 Handle body 3. Operating lever 4a Front link 4b Rear link 5. Gripping member 6. Biasing mechanism (torsion spring) 7. Locking mechanism 11 Lever fitting part 12 Link housing recess 13 Member housing recess 13a Stepped section 14 Retaining member 15 Top plate 15a hole 16 hanging wall 17 Upper wall 17a hole 18 Middle wall 18a Rear side elevated section 18b Anterior lower part 18c Front side high part 18d Rear lower section 18e Yokomizo 18f vertical groove 19 Lower wall 19a Recess 19b Stepped section 20 Gripping surface 21 End caps 22 Makeup cover 23 Hanging holes 24 Top plate 25 Side plate 26 Locking member housing section 27 Main body 28 Covering material 29 Locking member 29a Pivot axis 29b Locking claw 29c Operated piece 29d overhang piece 30 Locked member 30a Main body 30b protrusion 30c Locked part 31 Coil spring 32 Operating member 33 Top plate 34 Operation protrusion 35 Cylinder 36 Notch 37 Upper overhang piece 38 Lower overhang piece 39 pins 40 recess 41. Coil spring (biasing means) S-axis CU Cooking Utensil Body

Claims

1. The handle body and An operating lever for attaching and detaching the handle body to the cooking utensil body, A front link and a rear link constitute a lever mechanism that connects the aforementioned operating lever to the handle body so as to be openable and closable, and each link is rotatable forward and backward around the connection point of the handle body. A gripping member fixed to the front link, which grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body when the operating lever is closed, A biasing means for biasing the aforementioned operating lever in the opening direction, A locking mechanism that holds the aforementioned operating lever in the closed position, Equipped with, When the operating lever is open, the front link and the rear link rotate to the rear, causing the gripping member to move away from the front end surface of the handle body. When the gripping member grips the cooking utensil body between itself and the front end surface of the handle body, the connection point of the operating lever on the front link and the connection point of the operating lever on the rear link and the connection point of the handle body are located substantially in a straight line. The locking mechanism is A locking member provided on the handle body and a locked member provided on the operating lever engage with each other when the operating lever is closed to hold the operating lever in that position, It has an operating member for operating the locking member, which is provided on the handle body so as to be switchable between an unlocked state and a locked state, The operating member is provided on the handle body such that, in the unlocked state, it is possible to retract the locking member from the engagement position with the locked member, and in the locked state, it is not possible to retract the locking member from the engagement position with the locked member. A handle for a cooking utensil, characterized in that, regardless of whether the operating member is in an unlocked or locked state, when the operating lever is closed, the locking member and the locked member engage with each other, and the operating lever is held in the closed state.

2. The locking mechanism is The cooking utensil handle according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing means for biasing the operating member in the opposite direction to the retraction operation direction of the locking member.

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