Disposable cooking thermometer

Claim 2

A disposable cooking thermometer comprising: an elongated hollow housing having a closed tip end of reduced cross section and defining an internal longitudinal cavity with a small axial bore extending into the tip end of the housing from the cavity of said housing, a normally solid thermally plastic material disposed in said bore and softening at a predetermined temperature, an indicating rod slidably disposed in said housing and having a longitudinally extending portion slidably engaging said bore with a predetermined small clearance and contacting said material therein, said indicating rod normally extending from said housing and being formed of a resiliently flexible material at least at the housing end opposite the tip whereby the outer rod end may be bent at a right angle to the rod axis, catch means at the housing end opposite the housing tip and releasably retaining the outer rod portion in said bent condition, and resilient means within said housing urging said rod into said housing when said catch means is released from said outer Rod portion so that said rod moves into said housing as said material softens at elevated temperature.

Claim 3

The thermometer of claim 1 further defined by said rod extension having at least one groove extending longitudinally thereof along which said material is squeezed as said rod extension moves into said bore.

Claim 4

The thermometer of claim 1 further defined by a short portion of the rod having a greater flexibility than the remainder and located slightly inside the housing end opposite the tip when the rod extension engages the solid material in said cavity whereby said rod is readily bent at right angles at said short rod portion by slightly withdrawing the rod from the housing against the resistance of said resilient means in the housing, and release of the bent rod portion by said catch means results in drawing the rod back into the housing sufficiently to straighten the rod.

Claim 5

A disposable cooking thermometer comrpsing: a tubular housing tapering to a tip at a closed front end and open at the rear end, said housing defining a central housing chamber open at said rear end and a small axial bore of predetermined cross section extending into said tip from the housing chamber, a thermally plastic material that is normally solid and softens at a predetermined elevated temperature disposed in said bore and filling same to a predetermined depth, an indicator rod slidably disposed in said housing and having a forward axial extension dimensioned to slidably enter said bore with at least one groove extending longitudinally thereof, said rod having a length to extend from the rear of the housing a predetermined distance with the end of the extension engaging the solid material in said bore, means closing the rear of the housing about said rod and slidably engaging the rod, and a spring disposed about said rod in said housing and compressed between the means closing said housing and a protuberance on said rod for urging said rod into said housing whereby said rod moves into said housing as said material softens at elevated tmeperatures and the rod extension squeezes material along said groove as an indication of the tip temperature.

Claim 6

A disposable cooking thermometer comrpsing: a tubular housing tapering to a tip at a closed front end and open at the rear end, said housing defining a central housing chamber open at said rear end and a small axial bore of predetermined cross section extending into said tip from the housing chamber, a thermally plastic material that is normally solid and softens at a predetermined elevated temperature disposed in said bore and filling same to a predetermined depth, an indicator rod slidably disposed in said housing and having a forward axial extension dimensioned to slidably enter said bore with at least one groove extending longitudinally thereof, said rod having a length to extend from the rear of the housing a predetermined distance with the end of the extension engaging the solid material in said bore, means closing the rear of the housing about said rod and slidably engaging the rod, and a spring disposed about said rod in said housing and compressed between the means closing said housing and a protuberance on said rod for urging said rod into said housing whereby said rod moves into said housing as said material softens at elevated tmeperatures and the rod extension squeezes material along said groove as an indication of the tip temperature.

Claim 7

The thermometer of claim 4 further defined by said rod having a flexible portion spaced from the outer end thereof for disposition slightly within the housing with the rod extension touching the solid material in said bore, whereby the rod is bendable ninety degrees when the rod is slightly withdrawn from the housing against spring pressure, and means releasably retaining the rod end in bent condition normal to the housing axis for maintaining the rod in stored condition.