Dispensing basket

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117706-B2
Application number	US-201916255100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 23, 2018
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A dispensing basket includes a pair of opposed side walls and a back wall that extends between the opposed side walls. A pair of front walls extend from the side walls in a direction towards each other and angled away from the back wall. The pair of front walls form a funnel with an opening between the pair of front walls. A floor extends between lower ends of the side walls, the back wall, and the front walls.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dispensing basket for receiving fried food items and dispensing the fried food items into a container, the dispensing basket comprising:
a pair of opposed side walls;
a back wall that extends between the opposed side walls;
a pair of front walls that extend from the side walls in a direction towards each other and angled away from the back wall, wherein the pair of front walls form a funnel with an opening between ends of the respective front walls;
a floor extending between lower ends of the side walls, back wall, and front walls;
a handle configured to be gripped by a user to impart a rotative movement about a lengthwise axis of the dispensing basket to dispense fried food items through the opening in the funnel;
a top wire that extends about the perimeter of the dispensing basket and defines an upward opening of the dispensing basket and the side walls, back wall, and front walls extend from the top wire;
a front wire that extends in a vertical direction from the top wire and in a horizontal direction below the floor interior of the front walls;
a center wire that extends in the vertical direction from the top wire and in a horizontal direction below the floor; and
a back wire connected to the center wire and extending rearward of the center wire to form a loop.

2. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , wherein the back wall is sloped towards the interior of the dispensing basket for a least a portion of the back wall between the top wire and the floor and the loop is positioned below the back wall and interior the dispensing basket from the top wire.

3. The dispensing basket of claim 2 , further comprising a handle wire secured at either end to vertical portions of the center wire, wherein the handle wire is positioned parallel to the back wire and a portion of the top wire connected to the back wall, wherein the handle wire and the portion of the top wire connected to the back wall form the handle.

4. The dispensing basket of claim 3 , further comprising at least two vertical supports spaced apart from one another and each secured to the top wire, the handle wire, and the back wire.

5. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , wherein horizontal portions of the front wire and the back wire define a footprint perimeter and an area of the footprint perimeter is greater than an area of the floor.

6. The dispensing basket of claim 5 , wherein the area of the footprint perimeter is less than an area of the perimeter defined by the top wire.

7. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , further comprising a collection tray configured to receive at least a portion of the floor of the within the collection tray.

8. The dispensing basket of claim 7 , wherein the collection tray comprises a lip and at least one clip is secured to at least one side wall, wherein the at least one clip resiliently engages the lip to releasably secure the at least one side wall to the collection tray.

9. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , wherein the back wall is sloped towards the interior of the dispensing basket for a least a portion of the back wall between the top wire and the floor.

10. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , wherein the side walls are sloped towards the interior of the dispensing basket for at least a portion of the side walls between the top wire and the floor.

11. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the top wire extends across the opening between ends of the front walls at a position above the floor, the portion of the top wire forming a ridge across the opening.

12. The dispensing basket of claim 1 , wherein the side walls are sloped towards the interior of the dispensing basket for at least a portion of the side walls between the top wire and the floor, wherein the front wire and the center wire maintain the outer perimeter of the dispensing basket along the side walls as the side walls slope towards the interior of the dispensing basket.

13. A dispensing basket for receiving fried food items and dispensing the fried food items into a container, the dispensing basket comprising:
a top wire that extends about the perimeter of the dispensing basket and defines an upward opening of the dispensing basket;
a pair of opposed side walls connected to the top wire and are sloped towards the interior of the dispensing basket for at least a portion of the side walls;
a back wall that extends between the opposed side walls and is connected to the top wire and slopes towards the interior of the dispensing basket for a least a portion of the back wall;
a pair of front walls that extend from the side walls in a direction towards each other and angled away from the back wall, wherein the pair of front walls form a funnel with an opening between respective ends of the front walls;
a floor extending between lower ends of the side walls, back wall, and front walls;
a ridge formed of a portion of the top wire that extends across the opening between ends of the front walls at a position above the floor;
a front wire that extends vertically from the top wire and horizontally below the floor interior of the front walls;
a center wire that extends vertically from the top wire and horizontally below the floor;
a back wire connected to the center wire and extending rearward of the center wire to form a loop; and
a handle wire secured at either end to vertical portions of the center wire, wherein the handle wire is positioned parallel to the back wire and a portion of the top wire connected to the back wall, wherein the handle wire and the portion of the top wire connected to the back wall form a handle configured to be gripped by a user to impart a rotative movement about a lengthwise axis of the dispensing basket to dispense fried food items through the opening in the funnel.

Assignees

• Prince Castle LLC
• Marmon Foodservice Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Maslana Eugene S
• Schackmuth Glenn
• Smetana Brian

Classifications

• A47J37/1295 Primary

  Frying baskets or other food holders · CPC title

• B65D7/20 Primary

  made of wire · CPC title

• B65D25/2811

  Vertical, e.g. U-shaped · CPC title