Handheld Food Cooler CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

I claim the priority of Provisional Application Serial Number 61593318 filed on February 1 , 2012 by Alfred DeGeunaro entitled Handheld Food Cooler. (US ^■ · EFS 1 1970147) FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for cooling handheld food, such as pizza, which can be used in conjunction with a resting surface such as a table, countertop, serving tray, or ground etc. The invention is accomplished by securely elevating a platform like member constructed so as to absorb beat and also allow as much air as practicable to circulate under the bottom of the food to cool it,

BACKGROUND OF THE I VENTION Handheld food conies in a variety of forms, and is often served hot. This type of food is served all over the world, and one of the most popular forms in the United States and Europe is commonly referred to as "pizza". One of the most common problems with pizza (and other hot handheld food) Is that the user often burns the top of their mouth when beginning to eat. their food because it has not been cooled enough. In the past the solution to this problem has always been to either: (1 ) blow on the food (which only forces very warm air on it and Is also bad. manners in the presence of others); or (2) wait or try to wait until the food cools down. However, waiting results in the annoyance associated w th being hungry and often yields to the impatience of the user, and the burning of their mouth when hey start to eat too soon.

SUMMARY OF THE IN VENTION

As a solution to the burning of the mouth, by hot handheld food, I have invented a simple and cost-effective means of cooling the food down. In order to accomplish the object of the invention, the device I have invented is characterized by a means to elevate a serving or portion of the handheld food on a piatform member in such a manner as to al low as much air as possible to circulate around the food, particularly as much as practicable, its underside. Also the means of stabilizing the food in an elevated position can be made from a bar or strip of a material which will absorb heat faster than a plastic plate or a paper plate on. a wooden table. The device is designed to rest -firmly on a surface used for eating such as a table, eountertop, snack tray, serving tray, or even the ground etc. The device can also include a simple handle.

Unlike conventional food rack type structures, (which take up table space) the invention is designed in accordance with the shape of an individual portion of handheld food (though the platform member is somewha smaller so the food can rest on it) and therefore its advantages include: ( I ) helping the handheld food cool faster; (2.) saving table due to its size and the fact that it is (a) designed to stack within themselves and (b) has an overhang construction to slide under plates and serving trays or allow tableware to be kept underneath it; (3) is decorative and ornate for restaurants and home serving. Others advantages to the invention include (1) the device allows restaurant servers to get personal with the customers (especially children) during the serving process by presenting a new unique conversation piece and expressing a concern that they don't, bur their mouth; (2) the device is very simple and easy to manufacture at a low cost because it can be made from merely bending a metal bar or strip (companies called "wire formers" specialize in the process and can make even small quantities at a low cost). However the device could be made from other firm materials such as plastic. The device could also be made with a punch press, cutting out of a sheet of metal (for example) the shape of the platform member, leg and base and then, bending it to form the device. The device stores easily for general storage due to stacking them inside each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a slightly elevated, side view of the device (here desi ned to be eaten with pizza) and shows Platform Member 1 and Base Member 2. It also shows Leg 4 hich is the means to elevate the Platform Member 1. Leg 4 also includes Handle 5, Base

Bar 3 is at the bottom of the triangular shape Platform Member 1 .

FIG. 2 is a slightl ele vated side view of a modified form of the device. It contains

more support in the interior of the Platform Member 1 by bending Base Bar 3 into the interior area of the triangle,

FIG.3 is a view looking directly down at Platform Member 1 showing the Base Bar 3 bending into the interior of the triangular area.

FIG. 4 is a view looking directly down at a variation of Platform Member I which is a different approach to provide added support. It adds Elongated Bar 7 to Base Bar 3 and bends Elongated Bar 7 into the interior of the triangle's area.

FIG. 5 is a modified device in which Platform Member 1 is not fiat but has a Recessed area to accommodate curved food such as corn, etc. or in a smaller version egg rolls, etc.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE, DRA WINGS

FIG. 1 shows the invention in its simplest form. The invention encompasses all fabrications and rele vant sizes and shapes, A pizza is being used for the purposes of illustration but the invention applies to all hand held foods (including curved food such as corn and egg rolls), in FIX] .1 the Handheld Food Cooler has been made from bending a metal bar (a strip of metal, could also be used),The metal bar used is stainless steel (preferably passivated or electro polished for better use with food) though aluminum is also a preferred metal. This type of metal bar or strip will absorb heat faster than a lastic plate or a paper plate on a wooden table. The Platform Member 1 is stabilized in a position high enough to allow air to (low under the elevated food and cool it. The result is two horizontal triangular shapes with a leg elevating the Platform Member 1 .

The base need not. be a triangle as any shape (or any type of base for that matter) that support the device is satisfactory. Though the device can be made to support Platform

Member 1 at any eleva tion, a height of approximately 3 inches would probably seem most advantageous. The Platform Member 1 is of a thickness and strengt so it can securely elevate and hold a slice of pizza, Like most pizza slices Platform Member I is approximately an isosceles triangle with two approximately eq ual line segments. The Platform Member I is of a. size and shape so that it will be located within in the general vicinity of the edges of the handheld food when the food is placed upon it. Also visible is Leg 4 which is the means to elevate the Platform Member 1 and which has been bent to include a Handle 5, Pizza (and other handheld food) is also served in rectangular shapes as well as circular shapes and the invention easily accommodates these shapes by modifying Platform Member 1. .Base Member 2 could also be modiiled along with Platform Member 1. The device can be turned on its side with the Handle 5 fiat on a table or other surface, etc. and therefore the device can. be stacked inside other Handheld Food Coolers for convenient storage on the eating table or a restaurant storage shelf.

FIG. 2 shows the Handheld Food Cooler in it's the preferred embodiment. This is the dra wi ng the applicant suggests for the first page of the Patent, It is a slight variation of the Handheld Food Cooler shown in FlG.l except that more support can be provided to the interior of the Platform Member 1. This was accomplished by bending Base Bar 3 (the base side of the triangular shape) inward into the area, of the triangle and retaining it in the horizontal plane of the triangular shape of Platform Member 1. The crust of a pizza is usually quite strong and does not need the support along the base line of the triangular shape, so bending the base line bar inward does not undermine the su port for the crust of the pizza. Also Base Bar 3 is still remaining at least partially within the area of the base line of the triangular shape and the food can still acquire support from it. Another very important advantage to bending Base Side 3 inward is that the pizza slice can be slid forward and backward to create something of a "one-size-fits-al!" because sometime pizzas are cut irregularly and different sizes result (a very small size can be turned caltycomer). This is also good for restaurants who wish to purchase fewer devices for its various size pizzas (small, medium, large, etc.). FIG. 3 Is a view looking directly down at Platform Member 1 , This view clearly illustrates the manner in which the Base Side 3 has been bent into the area of the triangle of Platform Member 1 and retained in the horizontal plane of the triangular shape of Platform Member 1. Note that it is preferable that Base Side 3 should actually touch or be so close to the opposite side of the triangle that the bar or strip comprising the device can't slide through the opening. This is to prevent the devices from becoming entangled when handled, stored, dish washed etc.

FIG. 4 shows a modified Platform Member 1 and is more similar to that Platform Member 1 shown in FIG. 1 with Base Side 3 retaining its normal position along the base line of the triangular shape. However in this modified version the metal bar or strip comprising Base Side 3 continues on and into the interior of the triangle's area (remaining horizontal to the plane of the triangle). This is referred to as Elongated Bar 7. Elongated Bar 7 may be particularly helpful for softer handheld foods. Again this concept is applicable to circular and rectangular shape food. FIG. 1 and FIG 2. utilize a one legged construction Leg Member 4 which creates an overhang. The advantage of the "overhang aspect" of the device is that the Support Base 2 can be slid under the serving tray containing the rest of the pizza or the user's own dish to save table space. Also, the user, sitting at a table or countertop, etc. has more room in their eating area, because they can utilize the area underneath the device. The overhang also allows for stacking the devices inside each other. One leg also decreases the chance the device will be knocked over. The Handle 5 enables the server to more easily present the device to the user without touching the Platform Member 1 's surface which will be coming in contact with, the food, and also allows the server to carry several at a time by inserting their fingers through the openings.

FIG 5 illustrates a variation of the device. Platform Member 1 is no flat but has a recessed area to accommodate curved, food such as corn etc. It also has the one legged construction (Leg 4 with Handle 5) to create an overhang. An even smaller version of this configuration of the device would accommodate egg rolls, etc. Similarly, the Platform Member 1 may also include cooperating raised areas to more securely hold the food.