The present invention relates generally to the preparation, mixing and cooking of foods and more particularly to the containers used during the preparation, mixing and cooking of foods.
Various types of containers are commonly used to prepare, mix and cook foods. The containers are often constructed out of a conductive material, such as metal. Accordingly, by subjecting the container to heat (e.g., using a stove), the ingredients retained within the container are similarly subjected to heat. It is in this manner that most types of foods are traditionally heated.
Containers used to prepare, mix and cook foods often come in a wide variety of different shapes and styles. Examples of different types of containers used in the cooking industry include, inter alia, pots, pans and bowls.
Most containers which are used for preparing, mixing and/or cooking food products are shaped to include a substantially flat, substantially circular bottom surface and a single, continuous sidewall which is integrally formed and extends orthogonally away from the outer periphery of the circular bottom surface. Together, the bottom surface and sidewall define a generally cylindrical cavity which is sized and shaped to retain the particular food products.
The particular design of the above-described containers inherently presents a notable drawback to the user. Specifically, the free end of the upwardly extending sidewall is typically formed in the shape of a ring. Accordingly, when the container is manipulated (e.g., tilted or pivoted) to pour out the materials contained therein, the materials exit the container as wide stream which is very difficult to control. As a result, these types of containers often make a considerable mess when used for pouring.
In response to the above-described shortcoming, some presently available containers that are used to prepare, mix and cook food products are shaped to include a small spout at a location along the free end of its sidewall. Accordingly, when such a container is used to pour out a product retained therein, the spout serves as a funnel for the exiting product, thereby providing the user with greater control and accuracy during the pouring process, which is highly desirable.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,418 to S. Busbey there is shown a cooking pot with a pour spout. The pot is additionally provided with a lid containing a depending annular flange which fits within the pot against the inside surface of the pot. The flange contains a solid portion which extends for a distance sufficient to cover the spout opening in the pot and also includes one or more areas having various size slots or holes formed therein. In this manner, the lid can be turned on the pot for selectively closing off the drainage spout or disposing one set of slots or holes across the spout to act as a sieve for draining liquid from the pot.
Although containers provided with an integrated spout are well-known and widely used in commerce, it has been found that these types of containers suffer from a couple notable shortcomings.
As a first shortcoming, containers provided with an integrated spout fail to provide the owners of the more conventional containers (i.e., the containers which do not include an integrated spout) with a retrograde means for modifying their existing containers to allow for greater control during pouring operations. As a result, the owners of containers which do not integrally include a spout are required to replace all of their existing containers, which can be considerably expensive.
As a second shortcoming, containers which are provided with an integrated spout require a more complex manufacturing process. As a result, containers which include an integrated spout are often considerably more expensive than containers which do not include an integrated spout.
As a third shortcoming, containers which are provided with an integrated spout will not be air-tight when a cover or lide is seated on top of the container.