Field of the invention.

The present invention relates to an device for positioning food to be cooked, and to a food cooking implement for assisting in the cooking of food items such as sausages in direct contact with a heated cooking surface.

Background to the Invention

Nonplanar elongate food items such as sausages are usually cooked on a griddle or other mainly broad, usually flat cooking surface. Such food items are usually curled or curved and have a preference to lie along the plane of curvature. This makes it difficult to evenly cook a sausage on all of its non-planar sides as it is difficult to get good heat transfer between a flat cooking surface and the curved surface of the sausage.

Pans and cooking surface with ridges have been proposed. Such ribbed or ridged cooking surfaces provide elongate channels with semi-circular profiles and cross sections between ridges for supporting a sausage. These however require you to replace the cooking surface or griddle of your cooking device or to purchase an extra pan in which to cook your sausages.

Summary of the Invention

It is one object of the present invention to provide and an device for positioning food to be cooked, and in particular curled or curved sausages, in direct contact with a heated cooking surface.

It is an alternative object of the present invention to provide an device for positioning food to be cooked which at least provides the public with a useful alternative.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a food positioning device including: a planar base including a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal bars, a vertical portion perpendicular to the planar base, the vertical portion including a plurality of upstanding abutments, wherein the base and vertical portion define a channel between the substantially parallel longitudinal bars configured to, in use, receive a food product in direct contact with a heating surface.

Preferably, although not exclusively, each of the substantially parallel longitudinal bars include the vertical portion including fluctuating upstanding abutments having either a sinusoidal wave-shape, a square wave-shape, a triangular wave-shape, or a sawtooth wave-shape.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the vertical portion supports are formed by bending the parallel longitudinal bars.

Preferably, although not exclusively, wherein the pair of substantially parallel longitudinal bars are joined at at least one adjacent end by bending the longitudinal bar in a continuous U-shape.

Preferably, although not exclusively, food positioning device further includes a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel longitudinal bars, wherein the plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel longitudinal bars are formed by bending the longitudinal bar in continuously opposed U- shapes.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the vertical portion supports the lateral sides of the food item while in direct contact with the heating surface.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the substantially planar base is formed from heat resistant material.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the heat resistant material includes one of iron (wrought or cast), steel, carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, aluminum, aluminum magnesium alloy, copper, titanium, or any alloys thereof.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the heat resistant material is coated in a non-stick coating, preferably a fluoropolymer (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE)).

Preferably, although not exclusively, the substantially planar base is formed from extruded metal wire with either a cylindrical, square, or rectangular cross-section. Preferably, although not exclusively, the metal wire has a diameter of between 0.5mm to 50mm.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the food positioning device is formed from a single section of metal wire.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the food positioning device is provided with a handle, or a fixture adapted for a barbeque tong, or other food manipulation utensils.

Preferably, although not exclusively, the food positioning device is adapted specifically for cooking sausages in direct contact of a heated cooking surface of a barbecue, a grill, a griddle or a pan.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided: an device for positioning food to be cooked, the device for positioning food including receiver engagement features, and a handle having engager engagement features, the engager engagement features removably engageable with the receiver engagement features.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a sausage cooking accessory as herein described.

Further aspects of the invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading of the following description which provides at least one example of a practical application of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Examples of some aspects of the invention are illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective schematic illustration of an example of the invention,

Figure 2 is a top or plan schematic illustration of the example of the invention,

Figure 3 is an end schematic illustration of the example of the invention, Figure 4 is a perspective schematic illustration of a second example of the invention,

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a handle for one example of the invention,

Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of the handle engagement,

Figure 7 is a top, or plan, schematic illustration of a third example of the invention,

Figure 8 is an end schematic illustration of the third example,

Figure 9 is a side schematic illustration of the third example,

Figure 10 is a top, or plan, schematic illustration of a fourth example of the invention,

Figure 11 is a top, or plan, schematic illustration of a fifth example of the invention, and

Figure 12 is a top, or plan, schematic illustration of a sixth example of the invention.

Detailed description

In the drawings there is illustrated one example of a food positioning device 10 according to the present invention. The food positioning device 10 includes a planar base having a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal bars 12. The planer base is arranged to sit flat on and in direct contact with a heated cooking surface such as a griddle, a grill, a hot plate or a pan. In some examples there may be a single pair of parallel bars 12. In some examples there may be three or more parallel bars 12. In the one example including a single pair of bars 12 the bars 12 are joined at an adjacent end 14 by bending the bars in a continuous U-shape. In another example where there are three or more spaced apart parallel bars 12 the spaced apart substantially parallel bars 12 are formed by bending the bars in continuously opposed U-shapes. In some figures U-shaped joining portions 14 are labelled 14a, 14b for illustrative purpose of distinguishing between separate positions in side view of the device. Each of the parallel bars 12 of the planar base includes a vertical portion extending perpendicular to the plane of the base. The vertical portion includes an upstanding abutment 16. In some examples there are two upstanding abutments 16. In some examples there are a plurality of upstanding abutments 16. The upstanding abutment(s) 16 may be formed by bending the longitudinal bar 12 in a fluctuating upstanding sinusoidal wave-shape. In some examples the upstanding abutment 16 may be a square wave-shape. In some examples the upstanding abutment 16 may be a triangular waveshape. In some examples the upstanding abutment 16 may be a sawtooth wave-shape. In preferred examples of the invention the vertical portion is formed by bending the parallel longitudinal bars 12 in an upward wave-shape 16.

In preferred examples of the food positioning device 10 the substantially parallel bars 12 and U- shaped joining portions 14 define a channel 22 between respective ones of the substantially parallel longitudinal bars 12. Channels 22 are configured to, in use, receive a food product in direct contact with a heating surface. In some examples of the invention the channels 22 are configured to receive, in use, a sausage and in particular a sausage (not shown) that is curled or curved substantially or predominantly in one plane. In some examples of the invention the vertical portion including the upstanding abutment 16 provides support for a curved sausage when the curved sausage is placed within the food positioning device so that a predominant plane of the curvature of the sausage is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planer base including the plurality of bars 12. The vertical portions of upstanding abutment 16 support the lateral sides of the sausage while in direct contact with a heated cooking surface such that the sausage cannot roll to lie with its plane of curvature parallel with the plane of the planar base portion.

In preferred examples the bars 12 of the substantially planar base are formed from heat resistant material. In some examples the heat resistant material may include either wrought or cast iron. In some examples the heat resistant material may include steel. In some examples the heat resistant material may include carbon steel. In some examples the heat resistant material may include alloy steel. In some examples the heat resistant material may include stainless steel. In some examples the heat resistant material may include aluminium. In some examples the heat resistant material may include magnesium alloy. In some examples the heat resistant material may include copper. In some examples the heat resistant material may include titanium. In some examples the heat resistant material may include an alloy of any one of, or a combination of, the aforementioned materials. In some examples the heat resistant material may be coated with a non-stick coating. In some examples the non-stick coating may be a fluoropolymer (e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE)). In some examples the non-stick coating is adapted to not scratch a non-stick coating on a cooking surface, such as a frypan.

In some examples the food positioning device 10 may include a handle 18. In some examples the handle 18 is formed by bending a free end of one of the longitudinal bars 12 through an angle of substantially 90 degrees so that it extends upwardly substantially perpendicular to the planer base portion. In some examples the handle 18 extends upwardly parallel to the vertical portion or upstanding abutments 16. In some examples the handle is formed with a hook portion 20 at a distal, or free, end. In some examples the hook portion 20 may be adapted to be grasped by the hand of a person. In some examples the handle 18 or hook 20 may be formed to be gripped by the gloved hand of a person. In some examples the handle 18 or hook 20 may be adapted to be gripped by a cooking utensil such as tongs (not shown). In some examples the upstanding handle 18 may be of varying lengths such that it can be accommodated within a barbecue (BBQ.) grill with the BBQ lid closed. In some examples a food positioning device 100 includes a lateral handle extension 19 the vertical handle portion 18. The hook or loop 20/30 extends from the distal end of the lateral handle extension 19. The lateral handle extension 19 alights the hook or loop 20/30 substantially with a longitudinal centreline of the food positioning device 100.

In some examples of the food positioning device 10 the handle 18 is formed at one end with a handle loop 30 having an opening 31. In some examples the handle loop 30 and opening 31 are an elongate shape. In some examples there is a removable handle tool, illustrated in Figure 5, removably engageable with the handle loop 30. In some examples the removable handle tool includes a grippable portion 32 made of a heat resistant material. The grippable portion 32 is connected with an engagement portion extending from the grippable portion 32. The engagement portion includes a proximate portion 36/37, proximate the grippable portion, bent in a S-type shape, a generally linearly extending middle portion 33 and a distal portion 34/35. The distal portion has first section 34 orthogonal with the middle portion 33 and a second portion 35 parallel with the middle portion 33. The first section 34 of the distal portion and first bend 37 of proximate portion together form a waist engageable with the handle loop 30 for facilitating handling of the food positioning device. The handle tool is engageable with the loop 30 by engaging the proximate end 36/37 through the opening 31 and against a first end of the loop 30. The middle portion 33 is passed through the opening 31 to engage the distal end 34/35 against an opposite end of the loop 30. The food positioning device is movable on a grill or cooking surface to facilitate rolling or turning of food items. The handle tool is disengaged with the loop 30 in a reverse procedure to the engageable procedure above. In some examples the loop 30 facilitates engagement of the handle tool, and in some examples the loop 30 facilitates handling of the food positioning device directly or with a cooking utensil such as food tongs.

In some examples of the invention a device 200, 300, 400, may not include a handle portion.

Some examples may have a different number of food support locations. In one example the device 200, includes four food support locations. In one example the device 300, includes two food support locations. In one example the device 400, includes one food support locations.

In some examples the entire food positioning device including the longitudinal bars 12, U-shaped joining portions 14, the upstanding abutment(s) 16, the handle 18 and the handle hook 20, 30, 31 may all be formed by a single length of continuous wire. In some example the wire may be continuously extruded wire. In some examples the continuously extruded wire may have a cylindrical cross section. In some examples the continuously extruded wire may have a square cross section. In some examples the continuously extruded wire may have a rectangular cross section. In some examples the wire may have a cross section diameter of between 0.5 millimetres and 10 millimetres. In some examples the diameter may be between 1 millimetres and 5 millimetres. In some examples the diameter may be between 0.5 millimetres and 2.5 millimetres. In some examples the diameter may be between 0.5 millimetres and 5 millimetres. In some examples the wire may have a diameter in the range of 1 millimetres to 2 millimetres. In some examples the wire may have a diameter in the range of 2 millimetres to 3 millimetres. In some examples the wire may have a diameter in the range of 3 millimetres to 4 millimetres. In some examples the wire may have a diameter in the range of 4 millimetres to 5 millimetres. In some examples the wire may have a diameter and the range of 0.5 millimetres to 2.5 millimetres.

Examples of the invention have been described which are adapted to aid in the cooking of curved or curled sausages in direct contact with a flat cooking surface such as a griddle, grill, hot plate or pan. The food positioning device of the invention is arranged such that the sausage sits in direct contact with the heated cooking surface and is only supported by the food positioning device on lateral sides of the sausage. This is desired as it maintains the traditional BBQ-style cooking result.

In some examples the food positioning device only has upwardly extending abutment 16 so that longitudinal bars 12 have no troughs in which to support a sausage between the longitudinal bars. A sausage supported between longitudinal bars will accordingly not be prevented from rolling to lie with the plane of its curvature flat on the heated cooking surface. In some examples the bars of the planer base are adapted to be supported directly on the heated cooking surface and do not have any feet or downwardly extending perturbances in order to support the bars in a space arrangement with the cooking surface.

In some examples the food positioning device may be adapted to position a plurality of sausages each between respect of pairs of longitudinal bars 12 with upstanding abutments 16, and in use the food positioning device may be moved in a lateral direction on the cooking surface causing the plurality of sausages within individual channels 22 to roll or move on the heated cooking surface such that they are evenly heated around different parts of the periphery of the sausage. In some examples of the invention the handle 18 and or the handle hook 20 may be coated in an insulating material so that the handle and or hook may be grasped by an ungloved or bare hand of a user. A suitable insulating material is one that is heat-resistant and/or non-combustible. In some examples a suitable insulating material is one that also provides a soft grippable surface. In some examples a suitable insulating material is one that also provides a high grip (high friction) surface. In some examples a suitable insulating material is also a food grade material. In some examples the handle is coated in a high temperature, low-taint, non-toxic material, silicone (or polysiloxane) material. In some examples the handle coating is a silicone or polysiloxane able to withstand temperatures up to 260 °C (500 °F).

In some examples the entire food positioning device is coated in a non-scratch coating for use with a non-stick coated cooking surface. In various examples the entire food positioning device is coated in a non-scratch silicone or polysiloxane coating able to withstand temperatures.

One or more examples and alternatives of the invention have been described. It should be noted that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred examples and alternatives described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be included within the present invention. The invention may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the drawings and/or specification, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of said parts, elements or features. Where reference has been made to integers or components having known equivalents, those equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any country in the world.