Removable cookware handle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10772469-B2
Application number	US-201816110941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2018
Priority date	Aug 24, 2017
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A removable cookware handle is disclosed for connection to a piece of cookware. The removable cookware handle can attach to an attachment member that is secured to the cookware piece. To facilitate locking and unlocking of the attachment member to the removable cookware handle, a plurality of button mechanism are present on the housing of the removable cookware handle. A first button mechanism of the plurality of button mechanisms is slidable in a longitudinal direction while the second button mechanism is depressible in a lateral direction. When unlocking the removable cookware handle from the attachment member, a user may depress the second button and manipulate the first button backward to allow the attachment member to be released from a locking cavity within the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A removable cookware handle comprising:
a housing having an interior and first and second longitudinal ends, the housing interior having a mounting chamber adapted and configured to receive an attachment member at the first longitudinal end when the attachment member is inserted into the interior of the housing;
a first button mechanism disposed on a top side of the housing, the first button mechanism being adapted and configured to move in a forward direction toward the first longitudinal end of the housing and a backward direction toward the second longitudinal end of the housing;
a second button mechanism arranged on and contained within the first button mechanism, the second button mechanism being movable between an expanded position in which the second button mechanism extends away from a surface of the first button mechanism and a depressed position in which the second button mechanism is moved through the surface of the first button mechanism;
a spacer movable within the interior of the housing and operatively connected to the first button mechanism; and
wherein when the second button mechanism is moved to the depressed position and the first button mechanism is moved in the backward direction, the spacer moves in the backward direction to unsecure the attachment member.

2. The removable cookware handle of claim 1 , wherein the first button mechanism has a first button extension attached to a bottom side of the first button mechanism, the first button extension operatively connected to the spacer within the interior of the housing.

3. The removable cookware handle of claim 1 , wherein a spring is located behind the spacer within the interior of the housing and the spring biases the spacer in the forward direction towards the first longitudinal end of the housing.

4. The removable cookware handle of claim 1 , wherein the mounting chamber has a plurality of protrusions configured to retain the spacer within the interior of the housing.

5. The removable cookware handle of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an extension bore and the first button mechanism has a first button extension attached to a bottom side of the first button mechanism, the first button extension extends through the extension bore with the first button mechanism operatively connected to the spacer, the extension bore has a length longer than a length of the first button extension and a width of the extension bore is dimensioned for a close slip fit with the first button extension.

6. The removable cookware handle of claim 5 , wherein the housing includes a second extension bore.

7. The removable cookware handle of claim 6 , wherein the second extension bore extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing and in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the housing.

8. The removable cookware handle of claim 7 , wherein the second button mechanism has a second button extension disposed in the second extension bore, the second button extension being adapted and configured to travel in the second extension bore in the longitudinal and transverse directions relative to the housing.

9. The removable cookware handle of claim 1 , wherein the second button mechanism abuts a second spring within the first button mechanism, the second spring adapted and configured to bias the second button mechanism to the expanded position.

10. A system for assembling cookware, the system comprising:
a cookware piece having a cooking surface and an exterior facing surface;
an attachment member fastened to a portion of the exterior facing surface; and
a removable cookware handle adapted and configured for removable attachment with the attachment member, the removable cookware handle comprising:
a housing, the housing having opposite first and second longitudinal ends, the housing having a hollow interior, the hollow interior having a mounting chamber, the mounting chamber being adapted and configured to receive the attachment member at the housing first longitudinal end when the attachment member is inserted into the interior of the housing;
a first button mechanism disposed on a top side of the housing, the first button mechanism being adapted and configured to move in a forward direction toward the first longitudinal end of the housing and a backward direction toward the second longitudinal end of the housing;
a second button mechanism arranged on and contained within the first button mechanism, the second button mechanism being movable between an expanded position in which the second button mechanism extends away from a surface of the first button mechanism and a depressed position in which the second button mechanism is moved through the surface of the first button mechanism;
a spacer movable within the interior of the housing and operatively connected to the first button mechanism; and
wherein when the second button mechanism is moved to the depressed position and the first button mechanism is moved in the backward direction, the spacer moves in the backward direction to unsecure the attachment member.

11. The system for assembling cookware of claim 10 , wherein the attachment member has a tapered end with an upward lip adapted and configured for attaching to a locking cavity within the housing of the removable cookware handle.

12. The system for assembling cookware of claim 10 , wherein the first button mechanism has a first button extension attached to a bottom side of the first button mechanism and the first button extension is operatively connected to the spacer within the interior of the housing.

13. The system for assembling cookware of claim 10 , further comprising a spring located adjacent to the spacer within the interior of the housing, the spring being adapted and configured to bias the spacer toward the first longitudinal end of the housing in the interior of the housing.

14. The system for assembling cookware of claim 10 , wherein the mounting chamber has a plurality of protrusions adapted and configured to retain the spacer in the interior of the housing.

15. The system for assembling cookware of claim 10 , wherein the housing includes an extension bore and the first button mechanism has a first button extension attached to a bottom side of the first button mechanism, the first button extension extends through the extension bore with the first button mechanism operatively connected to the spacer, the extension bore has a length longer than a length of the first button extension and a width of the extension bore is dimensioned for a close slip fit with the first button extension.

16. The system for assembling cookware of claim 15 , wherein the housing includes a second extension bore.

17. The system for assembling cookware of claim 16 , wherein the second extension bore extends in the longitudinal direction of the housing and in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the housing.

18. The system for assembling cookware of claim 17 , wherein the second button mechanism has a second button extension disposed in the second extension bore, the second button extension being adapted and configured to travel in the second extension bore in the longitudinal and transverse directions relative to the housing.

19. The system for assembling cookware of claim 10 , wherein the second button mechanism abuts a second spring within the first button mechanism, the second spring adapted and configured to bias the second button mechanism to the expanded position.

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Bucklew William A
• Mastroianni Michael R

Classifications

• A47J37/108

  Accessories, e.g. inserts, plates to hold food down during frying · CPC title

• A47J45/071 Primary

  Saucepan, frying-pan handles · CPC title