US4373511A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cooking vessel
Assignee: RAMITO Corp
•
Filing: 1980-05-27
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Granted: 1983-02-15
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Expires: 2000-05-27
Abstract
Abstract A cooking vessel for oven cooking comprises an outer vessel, an inner vessel and a lid all preferably of ceramic material. The inner vessel is supported on supports above a well of the outer vessel containing water and is so shaped and located with respect to the outer vessel as to form an annular gap therebetween communicating through passages with the well. The sidewall of the inner vessel is inclined inwardly at its upper end and forms with a downwardly depending circumferential ridge of the lid a continuation of the gap with a spatial increase beneath the ridge. In operation and when the cooking vessel is heated in an oven, water vapor from the water circulates in paths immediately beneath the lid and through the gap and further water vapor from food within the inner vessel moves in paths beneath said paths without undue mixing of the water vapor and the further water vapor.
Inventors
- 👤 Derek A. Miles
- 👤 Julie M. T. Miles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:17
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47J; A47J36/00; A47J36/02; A47J36/04; A47J27/00; A47J27/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S220/00; Y10S220/912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
251 words
A cooking vessel for oven cooking comprising an outer vessel to contain a quantity of water, an inner vessel to contain foods, and a lid to close said outer vessel, wherein said outer vessel is formed with a well at its lower end, support means are provided in said outer vessel for supporting said inner vessel above said well with the outer face of a sidewall of said inner vessel spaced inwardly from the inner face of a sidewall of said outer vessel to provide an annular gap and with passages communicating said well with said annular gap; said inner vessel and said outer vessel and said lid are relatively so shaped and located one within another as to form therebetween a space of which space said annular gap forms a part; said inner vessel and said lid are relatively so shaped and disposed as to form a further space therebetween above food contained in said inner vessel; and wherein, when said cooking vessel is heated in an oven, a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of water vapor from said water contained in said outer vessel occurs in said space and a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of further water vapor from said food contained in said inner vessel occurs in said further space, with relatively little mixing of said water vapor and said further water vapor and without undue loss of said water vapor from said cooking vessel, after initial heating of said outer vessel and lid in the oven.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
251 words
A cooking vessel for oven cooking comprising an outer vessel to contain a quantity of water, an inner vessel to contain foods, and a lid to close said outer vessel, wherein said outer vessel is formed with a well at its lower end, support means are provided in said outer vessel for supporting said inner vessel above said well with the outer face of a sidewall of said inner vessel spaced inwardly from the inner face of a sidewall of said outer vessel to provide an annular gap and with passages communicating said well with said annular gap; said inner vessel and said outer vessel and said lid are relatively so shaped and located one within another as to form therebetween a space of which space said annular gap forms a part; said inner vessel and said lid are relatively so shaped and disposed as to form a further space therebetween above food contained in said inner vessel; and wherein, when said cooking vessel is heated in an oven, a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of water vapor from said water contained in said outer vessel occurs in said space and a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of further water vapor from said food contained in said inner vessel occurs in said further space, with relatively little mixing of said water vapor and said further water vapor and without undue loss of said water vapor from said cooking vessel, after initial heating of said outer vessel and lid in the oven.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support means comprise circumferentially spaced shaped projections integral with said outer vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support means comprise a removable annular member with perforations therein and said well of said outer vessel and a lower portion of said inner vessel are shaped to provide desired location of said annular member in said well and of said inner vessel on said annular member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lid is slightly domed, has a flange to rest on an upper edge of said sidewall of said outer vessel and a downwardly depending ridge to engage within said outer vessel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
118 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 4, wherein said sidewall of said inner vessel is inclined inwardly at its upper end, which said upper end is at substantially the same level as said upper edge of said sidewall of said outer vessel, the outer face of said inwardly inclined portion of said sidewall of said inner vessel is spaced from the inner face of said ridge of said lid to provide a further annular gap of substantially the same width as said annular gap, and said ridge of said lid has a cross section such that at the junction of said annular gap and said further annular gap there is a spatial increase immediately below said ridge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior of said inner vessel is subdivided into separate compartments.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein separate compartments are formed in said inner vessel by one or more additional vessels placed within said inner vessel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, further including a basket suspended within said inner vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer vessel, said inner vessel and said lid are formed of a ceramic material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
225 words
A cooking vessel for oven cooking comprising, in assembled relationship, an outer vessel to contain a quantity of water in a well at the lower end thereof, an inner vessel to contain food, said inner vessel being supported above said well and having an inwardly inclined peripheral lip at its upper end, and a lid to close said outer vessel, said inner vessel and lid being relatively shaped and disposed to form a space therebetween above food contained in said inner vessel, and said inner vessel and outer vessel being relatively shaped to form between respective outer and inner, substantially parallel side faces thereof a narrow annular gap open at its lower end to said well and at its upper end to said space through an annular passage exteriorly adjacent said inclined lip of said inner vessel, such that upon heating of said vessel in an oven, a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of water vapor from water contained in said well occurs in said narrow annular gap and a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of further water vapor from food contained in said inner vessel occurs in said space, with relatively little mixing of said water vapor and further water vapor and without undue loss of water vapor from said cooking vessel, after initial heating of said outer vessel and lid in the oven.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
225 words
A cooking vessel for oven cooking comprising, in assembled relationship, an outer vessel to contain a quantity of water in a well at the lower end thereof, an inner vessel to contain food, said inner vessel being supported above said well and having an inwardly inclined peripheral lip at its upper end, and a lid to close said outer vessel, said inner vessel and lid being relatively shaped and disposed to form a space therebetween above food contained in said inner vessel, and said inner vessel and outer vessel being relatively shaped to form between respective outer and inner, substantially parallel side faces thereof a narrow annular gap open at its lower end to said well and at its upper end to said space through an annular passage exteriorly adjacent said inclined lip of said inner vessel, such that upon heating of said vessel in an oven, a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of water vapor from water contained in said well occurs in said narrow annular gap and a controlled release, circulation and re-condensation of further water vapor from food contained in said inner vessel occurs in said space, with relatively little mixing of said water vapor and further water vapor and without undue loss of water vapor from said cooking vessel, after initial heating of said outer vessel and lid in the oven.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 10, wherein said annular passage at its lower end open to said annular gap has a width substantially greater than said annular gap and at its upper end open to said space has a width substantially the same as said annular gap.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 11, wherein the upper edge of said inclined lip is at substantially the same level as the upper edge of said outer vessel, and said lid is slightly domed, has a flange resting on the upper edge of said outer vessel and has a downwardly depending ridge to engage within said outer vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inner face of said outer vessel adjacent its upper edge is spaced from the outer face of said inclined lip and defines therewith immediately below said ridge said lower end of said annular passage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inner face of said ridge is spaced from the outer face of said inclined lip and defines therewith said upper end of said annular passage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A cooking vessel as claimed in claim 10, wherein support means are provided in the bottom of said outer vessel to support said inner vessel above said well and with passages communicating said well with the lower end of said annular gap.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-02-14 | 1986-08-16 | 1987-02-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-02-14 | 1990-08-16 | 1991-02-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-02-14 | 1994-08-16 | 1995-02-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |