1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to kitchens and/or to household utensils, primarily a set of tongs for removal of items from devices such as toasters and the like.
2. Description of Related Art
Many tongs have been created but none have been created to aid in proper toaster safety. The Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates that on average, 15 people are electrocuted annually in the U.S. due to faulty or misused home electrical appliances, including toasters.
Generally, if a toasted item gets stuck in the toaster, the safe option to remove it is to unplug the toaster, open the crumb door on the bottom, and use something dull and nonmetallic such as a wooden spoon handle to push the toast out from the bottom. This is a time consuming way and is utilized by very few people.
A more common action is the insertion of a metal knife or fork into a toaster either when the toaster is plugged in, or perhaps unplugged. This action is not recommended, because there is a risk of electrocution if the toaster is plugged in Although there is generally no immediate risk of electrocution if the toaster is unplugged, there is the possibility of damaging the toaster and creating a future hazard. Generally, a toaster's heating coils are insulated from the metal chassis by an insulating material such as, for example, mica. Mica is a mineral known to have excellent thermal and electrically-insulating properties, thereby making it well suited to this type of use. However, mica is thin and brittle, and if a sharp knife or fork were to pierce the mica and allow the coil to contact the chassis, this could cause a short, leading to a blown fuse or an electrically hot metal frame that could shock or electrocute someone. Insertion of other objects, such as a knife, fork or screwdriver could also damage internal components, such as the wiring or heating elements, internal safety switches that affect the heating elements, etc., thereby creating potential electrical and fire hazards. Thus, there is a need for a safer and more convenient way for an individual to remove a toasted item from a toaster.
Existing tongs are not useful for extricating a slice of toast from a toaster. In some cases the tips of the tongs are rather thick or have ridges or other barriers impeding insertion into a toaster on either side of the toast. In other cases the tongs are made of metal and present an extreme hazard of shock or electrocution. In still other cases, the tongs are made of a heat malleable material that will deform when used in the hot environment of a toaster.
In the prior art example of FIG. 10, when the tips of tongs 4 are inserted on either side of the slice of toast T the tongs are at a diverging angle that prevents insertion to an adequate depth. Accordingly, tongs 4 can only grip the upper edge of the slice of toast T, and will tend to tear that slice apart since often the slice is stuck at a deep location that is inaccessible to those tongs. In the prior art example of FIG. 11, when the tips of tongs 6 are inserted on either side of the slice of toast T, the tongs are at a converging angle that prevents insertion to an adequate depth. Once again, tongs 6 can only grip the upper edge of the slice of toast T, and will tend to tear that slice apart.
See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,137,880; 3,934,915; 3,957,298; 4,728,139; 4,728,139; 4,802,704; 5,791,053; 5,901,993; 5,934,721; 5,979,960, 6,129,398; 6,375,237; 6,494,517; 7,216,910; 7,287,791; and 8,038,187; as well as US Design Patents D459954; D539615; D586629, and D606814.