Food liquid strainer for cooking

#The invention is generally related to devices that are used for straining liquid from solid food. Specifically, there is a food strainer that fits a multiple of pot and pan sizes and securely couples to those various size devices. More particularly, there is a food strainer that provides for reduced exposure for the user to harmful steam during the act of straining food. Additionally, there is a food strainer that provides for a more balanced handling of the heavy pot or pan during the act of straining.

#Ever since pots and pans have been used to cook food, food preparers have needed to remove liquid from the solid food before emptying the food contents from the container. This simple act of straining food, has a number of hazards that have caused many injuries. For example, when food is boiled, hot steam raises from the pot. If no strainer is used when the water is poured out of the pot, the users arms are typically positioned on either side of the pot to hold the handles, thus the users arms and hands are exposed to the dangerous steam. If a typical strainer is used, as is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,534, it is placed over the pot while the user holds the strainer handle and the pan handle, which can be quite a trick to do, and thus increasing the risk of dropping the pot from the complexity of holding all the handles. Thus, there is a need for a strainer that provides for reduced exposure for the user to harmful steam during the act of straining food.

#Additionally, there is the problem of balancing this pan when a user tips it over to pour the liquid contents out to separate it from solid food contents. For example, if there is a typical pan, there is a single long handle, such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,220,534 and 2,520,382. Filling that pan full of hot grease and heavy meat, and the act of tipping that pan over with only the thin handle requires a great deal of strength in the hands and arms. If a user lacks the required strength, there is a risk of dropping the pan and its dangerously hot grease and food onto themselves. Add the difficulty of holding a strainer to that act and it is understandable that every year, literally tens of thousands of cooks are injured due to dropped pans. Thus, there is a need for a strainer that provides for a more balanced handling of the heavy pot or pan during the act of straining.

#The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention, but are for explanation and understanding only.

#FIG. 1 illustrates a side view according to the present invention.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a front sectional view taken from the sectional line shown in FIG. 1.

#By way of background information, it is assumed that one skilled in the art of food preparation and in the use of cooking tools and appliances will be familiar with the process undertaken when straining liquid from solid food, which are both located in a pot or pan. Specifically, and by way of illustration only, solid food, like noodles, are placed in a pot of boiling water to soften the noodles. Once the noodles reach the proper texture, the pot is removed from the heating appliance and the boiling water is poured out of the pot while maintaining the noodles within the pot. Obviously, the pot needs to be tipped so that the top of the pot is angled toward a sink sufficient to allow the liquid to poured from the pot while maintaining the noodles within the pot. Typical prior art methods incorporate placing the pot opening next to the sink edge and leaning the pot top against the sink and tipping or raising the bottom of the pot sufficiently to pour the water out. One of the main reasons for employing this method is that the pot often too heavy to handle in this position and the sink is used to support some of the weight during the straining operation. Another reason is that the sink edge or wall is used to prevent the noodles form spilling out of the pot. A skilled artisan knows the problems with this method.

#Another method well understood by skilled artisans incorporates the use of various prior art strainers that are placed over the pot opening and pouring the water out through screens or holes while maintaining the noodles within the pot. Again, the various problems existing with these devices have been discussed above.

#Referring generally to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is illustrated a side, a sectional front and a top view according to the present invention. The dashed lines are representations of a pot or pan 19 that has a cavity 17 and a lip 21. In the cavity 17 there is a liquid 11 and solid food 13. There is also illustrated a strainer 10 that has many unique features. There is a base section 12 that has at least one and preferably several couplings 14 positioned around a front edge 26 of the strainer 10. The illustration clearly shows that the base 12 is flat and has several distinct features to be discussed below. The base has the purpose of retaining solid food 13 while allowing the liquid 11 to be poured through holes 20 and from the pot 19 during the straining operation.