Button actuated pressure release and locking device for pressure cookers
AssigneeInnovation IP Holding Co.
InventorsBlaise M. Wooderson, Frederick A. Rose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pressure cooker handle assembly that relieves pressure in the cooker and unlocks the lid by pushing a single button twice. The button includes a tab that directly activates a pressure relief valve to release the pressure and a leg that depresses a stopbar to unlock the lid. Pressing of the button a first time releases the pressure in the cooker, but does not unlock the lid. A latch system prevents the cooker from again building pressure once the button is pressed. When the button is pressed a second time the leg depresses the stopbar to unlock the lid from the cooker.
Claims5
A handle assembly for a pressure cooker having a pressure release valve, said handle assembly comprising:
- a lower handle having a stopbar moveably secured in a slot in said lower handle, said stopbar being biased upward by a spring,
- an upper handle having:
- a button moveably secured, and spring biased upward, in an opening formed in said upper handle;
- said button having a downward extending tab and a downward extending leg;
- said leg having a latch arm extending from a side thereof;
- a slot formed in a lower surface of said upper handle in alignment with said downward extending leg;
- and
- a lockguide moveably secured in an internal cavity of said upper handle, said lockguide having a latch dog extending from a side thereof;
- whereby
- when said upper handle is positioned immediately above said lower handle, said downward extending tab of said button is aligned immediately above an activating plunger of the pressure release valve, an end of said downward extending leg is aligned immediately above said stopbar, said latch arm is aligned immediately above said latch dog, said slot in said upper handle is aligned immediately above said stopbar, and said stopbar is biased upward into said slot in said upper handle;
- when said button is pressed downward a first time, said downward extending tab presses said plunger of said pressure release valve, releasing pressure in said pressure cooker, and said latch arm moves past said latch dog preventing said button from returning upward;
- and
- when said button is pressed downward a second time, said end of said downward extending leg of said button pushes the stopbar down into said slot in said lower handle so said upper handle can be moved out of alignment with said lower handle and said lid can be removed from said pot.
A handle assembly for a pressure cooker having a pot and a lid rotatably securable to the pot, said handle assembly comprising:
- an upper handle attached to the lid;
- a lower handle attached to the pot, said lower handle having an upper portion defining a groove with a curved side;
- a button moveably connected to said upper handle, said button having a leg with a latch arm extending therefrom;
- said button moveable from a first position to a second position;
- a lockguide connected to said upper handle, said lockguide having a lockguide body, said lockguide body having a latch dog and a downward extending guidepost with a lower end, said lower end receivable in said groove of said lower handle when the lid is placed on the pot;
- as the lid is rotated on the pot, said guidepost slides along said curved side of said groove and moves said lockguide into a position wherein said latch dog is vertically aligned below said latch arm;
- and
- as said button is moved from said first position to said second position, said latch arm of said leg of said button slides against and around said latch dog of said lockguide body, said latch dog blocking said latch arm, and thus preventing said button from returning to said first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.