Pancake cooking pan with flat cooking surface

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates generally to a cooking pan for cooking pancakes and eggs on a conventional stove burner and specifically, to a pancake or egg pan in which the pan can be rotated 180 degrees during the cooking process such that the resultant food product can be easily served from the pan. Different foods, such as pancakes and eggs, can be cooked simultaneously in an alternate embodiment.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

#FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of the present invention in the closed position.

#FIG. 2 shows an end elevational view in the direction of the handle ends in accordance with the present invention

#FIG. 3 shows a side elevational view of the present invention.

#Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, the present invention is shown generally at 10 as a cooking pan that includes a flat, thin, circular, disk shaped body 20 which is made of a heat conductive metal such as aluminum that includes a handle fastener 24 that is a metal fastener attached to flat body 20 by a plurality of rivets 24a, that also attach a thermally insulative material 22 such as a plastic handle to fastener 24. The handle 22 includes a hemispherically-shaped concave thumb recess 22c for convenience in grasping handle 22 so that the user can put a thumb against and in the concave recess 22c. A pair of hinges 18 is attached on one side to thin body 20. The hinges are joined together by an elongated rigid rod 32. The upper handle 22 includes an opening for aperture 22a for hanging on a hook when the pan is not in use. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 each show the pan 10 in the closed position and including a lower concave cooking container 12 that is circular and has a handle 14 attached thereto. As shown handles 22 and 14 are parallel and in contact in the closed position as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. The closed position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is the cooking position.

#FIG. 4 is a mirror image of the side elevational view shown in FIG. 3 from the opposite side.

#FIG. 5 shows a top plan view of the concave cooking container 12 which has a bottom somewhat flat circular area 12b in the center which abuts a stove burner during the cooking process to keep the entire pan level. Handle 14, which is a thermal insulating plastic is attached to container 12 by a metal fastener 16 that attaches handle 14 to container 12 by rivets 16a.