HANDLE ELEMENT FOR RELEASABLE FASTENING TO A COOKING VESSEL

Abstract

A handle element for releasable fastening to a cooking vessel, including a carrying body, on which a claw provided by a single-armed lever is arranged, wherein: a clamping-surface pair with a first clamping surface on the carrying body and with a second clamping surface on the claw is provided. The claw can be pivoted between an open position, in which the two clamping surfaces are spaced apart from one another, and a closed position, in which the two clamping surfaces are in close proximity to one another. A closing lever is provided on the carrying body. The closing lever is connected to the claw via a tension rod and includes a control cam, which, as a result of the closing lever being displaced from a not-in-use position into an in-use position, causes the claw to be displaced from its open position into its closed position.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A handle element for releasable attachment to a cooking vessel, comprising: a support body: a claw provided by a single-arm lever and arranged on the support body; a clamping face pair having a first clamping face on the support body and a second clamping face on the claw, wherein the claw is pivotable between an open position, in which the two clamping faces are spaced apart from each other, and a closed position, in which the two clamping faces are closer together; and, a closing lever arranged on the support body, the closing lever being connected to the claw by a rod and comprising a cam which, as a result of a displacement of the closing lever from a non-usage position into a usage position, displaces the claw from the open position into the closed position.

18. A handle element for releasable attachment to a cooking vessel, comprising: a support body: a claw provided by a single-arm lever and arranged on the support body; a clamping face pair having a first clamping face on the support body and a second clamping face on the claw, wherein the claw is pivotable between an open position, in which the two clamping faces are spaced apart from each other, and a closed position, in which the two clamping faces are closer together; and a closing mechanism which when actuated displaces the claw from the open position into the closed position, wherein the claw is metal.

19. A handle element for releasable attachment to a cooking vessel, comprising: a support body: a claw provided by a single-arm lever and arranged on the support body; a clamping face pair having a first clamping face on the support body and a second clamping face on the claw, wherein the claw is pivotable between an open position, in which the two clamping faces are spaced apart from each other, and a closed position, in which the two clamping faces are closer together; a closing mechanism which when actuated displaces the claw from the open position into the closed position; and, a spring element arranged to bias the two clamping faces into the open position.

20. A handle element for releasable attachment to a cooking vessel: a support body: a claw provided by a single-arm lever and arranged on the support body; a clamping face pair having a first clamping face on the support body and a second clamping face on the claw, wherein the claw is pivotable between an open position, in which the two clamping faces are spaced apart from each other, and a closed position, in which the two clamping faces are closer together; a closing mechanism comprising a closing lever that is actuateable to displace the claw from the open position into the closed position; and, an opening lever associated with the closing lever so as to initiate an opening movement of the closing lever.

21. The handle element according to claim 17, further comprising a spring element that biases the two clamping faces into the open position.

22. The handle element according to claim 19, wherein the spring element is arranged on or associated with a rod that connects the claw to the closing mechanism.

23. The handle element according to claim 22, wherein the spring element is a helical spring.

24. The handle element, in particular according to claim 17, wherein the support body and/or the closing lever is plastic.

25. The handle element, in particular according to claim 20, wherein the support body and/or the opening lever is plastic.

26. The handle element according to claim 17, wherein the rod is mounted in a rotary bearing so as to be pivotable relative to the closing lever.

27. The handle element according to claim 26, wherein the rotary bearing is a metal rotary bearing.

28. The handle element according to claim 26, wherein the rotary bearing is retained axially in relation to the support body so as to provide a radial clearance.

29. The handle element according to claim 17, wherein the cam is plastic, wherein a metal counter-cam face is provided as an abutment for the cam.

30. The handle element according to claim 17, wherein the claw has an extension with an abutment face matched to a curvature of a wall of the cooking vessel.

31. The handle element according to claim 17, wherein the support body comprises a cutout in which the closing lever is received flush when in the usage position.

32. The handle element according to claim 17, wherein the rod abuts on the claw at a distance of more than two-thirds of a distance between a pivot axis of the claw and the second clamping face.

33. The handle element according to claim 20, wherein the opening lever is pivotably mounted on the closing lever.

34. The handle element according to claim 17, wherein the closing lever is arranged in an overhanging manner on the support body.

Description

[0055] Further advantages of the invention can be found in the dependent claims that are not cited and in the exemplary embodiments of the invention presented in the figures, as follows:

In the figures:

[0056] FIG. 1 shows in a partial sectional schematic outline sketch, a first exemplary embodiment of the handle element according to the invention, in longitudinal section,

[0057] FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 with the claw in the closed position,

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a handle element according to the invention with a claw in the closed position and clamped to an edge region of a saucepan,

[0059] FIG. 3a shows in a partial sectional schematic view, a cross-section through an extension of the claw and the pan edge, approximately in accordance with section line IIIA-IIIA in FIG. 3,

[0060] FIG. 4 shows in a partial sectional schematic view, approximately in accordance with view arrow IV in FIG. 3, a part of the handle element and a region of the pan in plan view,

[0061] FIG. 5 shows in a partial sectional schematic view, approximately along section line V-V in FIG. 4, a longitudinal section through the handle element and the edge region of the pan, with the claw in the closed position,

[0062] FIG. 6 shows the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5 with the claw in the open position,

[0063] FIG. 7 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a handle element according to the invention in a representation comparable to FIG. 5, wherein an opening aid in the form of an opening lever is additionally provided,

[0064] FIG. 8 shows the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 with the closing lever in an intermediate position,

[0065] FIG. 9 shows the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8 with the claw in the open position,

[0066] FIG. 10 shows in a schematic partial sectional representation, the handle element in the contact region between a control face of the control cam and a counter-control face, i.e., an abutment face of the support body,

[0067] FIG. 11 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a handle element according to the invention in a representation approximately in accordance with section line XI-XI in FIG. 7 in a schematic partial sectional outline sketch,

[0068] FIG. 12 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a handle element according to the invention, approximately in a representation in accordance with view arrow XII in FIG. 7, wherein the opening lever is of a different design as compared with the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 7,

[0069] FIG. 13 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a handle element according to the invention in a representation approximately in accordance with section line XI-XIII in FIG. 7, and

[0070] FIG. 14 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the handle element according to the invention in a simplified perspective view.

[0071] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described by way of example in the following description of the figures, making reference also to the drawings. For the sake of clarity, including where different exemplary embodiments are concerned, the same or comparable parts or elements or regions are identified by the same reference characters, in some cases with the addition of lower case letters.

[0072] Within the scope of the invention, features that are described, presented or disclosed only in relation to one exemplary embodiment can also be provided in any other exemplary embodiment of the invention. Exemplary embodiments that are modified in such a way, even if they are not shown in the drawings, are encompassed by the invention.

[0073] All disclosed features are essential to the invention in their own right. The disclosed content of the associated priority documents (copy of the previous application) and of the cited publications and of the described prior art devices is hereby included in its entirety in the disclosure of the application, including for the purpose of incorporating individual or multiple features of the subject matter disclosed therein in one or more claims of the present application. Such modified exemplary embodiments, even if they are not shown in the drawings, are also encompassed by the invention.

[0074] A first exemplary embodiment of the handle element denoted in its entirety in the drawings by reference character 10 will now be described by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2:

[0075] FIG. 1 shows the handle element with a clamping face pair 17 in the open position 20 and FIG. 2 shows the handle element 10 of FIG. 1 with the clamping face pair in the closed position 21.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 2, the handle element 10 grips an edge 12 of a cooking vessel 11 by its clamping faces 18 and 19.

[0077] The cooking vessel 11 is illustrated schematically in its entirely in FIG. 3: it can be seen that a wall 43 extends conically, for example, away from a base of the cooking vessel. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11 is arranged substantially horizontally.

[0078] The invention also encompasses handle elements not shown in the figures, in which the wall region of the cooking vessel 11, to which the handle element 10 can attach, has a different geometric extent and in particular is not horizontally formed.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 3, the free edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11 is provided with a flange 37. An cutout 38 can be arranged on the claw 14 to receive the flange. However, the invention also encompasses handle elements that allow the handle element 10 to be affixed to a smooth, i.e., with no flange 37, edge region 12 of the cooking vessel 11.

[0080] The construction and operating principle of an exemplary embodiment of the handle element 10 will now be described in accordance with the outline sketches of FIGS. 1 and 2:

[0081] According to FIGS. 1 through 3, the handle element 10 is designed as a handle stem or as an elongated handle element 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it comprises a support body 13, which can consist of plastic, for example, and provides the actual stem. A claw 14 is arranged on the support body 13 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 16. While the support body 13 can consist of plastic, the claw 14 advantageously consists of metal.

[0082] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3, the claw 14 is designed as a single-arm lever 15. The invention also encompasses variants in which the claw 14 is formed by a two-arm or multi-arm lever (not shown).

[0083] The handle element 10 provides a clamping face pair 17 having a first clamping face 18 and a second clamping face 19. The first clamping face 18 is arranged on the support body 13 and the second clamping face 19 is arranged on the claw 14.

[0084] The claw 14 is displaceable between an open position 20 as shown in FIG. 1 and a closed position 21 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0085] In the open position 20, the claw 14 can release the edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11, and in the closed position 22, as shown in FIG. 2, the clamping face pair 17 can engage with the edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11 and affix the handle element 10 securely to the cooking vessel 11 in this way.

[0086] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle element 10 has a closing lever 22.

[0087] This is shown in its non-usage position in FIG. 1 and in its usage position in FIG. 2. The closing lever 22 can likewise consist of plastic.

[0088] It comprises a control cam 25 with a cam face 26.

[0089] A tie-rod 24 is mounted in a rotary bearing 34 in the cam 25. The center of the rotary bearing 34 provides the geometric pivot axis 23. This pivot axis 23 is, firstly, the pivot axis 23 about which the tie-rod 24 is pivotable through a small angular range relative to the control cam 25. At the same time, the pivot axis 23 is the pivot axis about which the closing lever 22 can perform an opening and/or closing movement between its non-usage position 27 as shown in FIG. 1 and the usage position 28 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0090] The closing lever 22 along with its cam 25 and the tie-rod 24 together provide a closing mechanism 29. In other exemplary embodiments, the closing mechanism 29 can also include an opening lever 31, which is described in detail further on.

[0091] The tie-rod 24 passes through an opening 48 in the claw 14 and is retained on the claw 14 by an expansion portion 49. Moreover, the tie-rod 48 passes through a hole 50 in the support body 13.

[0092] As can be seen from the different angular positions of the tie-rod 24 in FIGS. 1 and 2 relative to the support body 13, the hole 50 is sufficiently large to allow a slight pivoting movement of the tie-rod 24 therein.

[0093] The cam 25 has a cam control face or cam face 26, which is formed eccentrically. In particular, the cam face 26 is designed in such a way that, when the closing lever 22 is in different relative positions, the rotary axis 23 has different distances A.sub.1, A.sub.2 from the abutment face 44 on the support body 13, along which abutment face the control cam 25 rolls.

[0094] Thus, FIG. 1 clarifies the non-usage position 27 of the closing fever 22, in which the rotary axis 23 is a distance A.sub.1 from the abutment 44, and FIG. 2 clarifies the usage position 28 of the closing lever 22, in which the rotary axis 23 is a distance A.sub.2, which is greater than the distance A.sub.1, from the abutment face 44.

[0095] As a result of a pivoting movement of the closing lever 22 from the position shown in FIG. 1 into a position shown in FIG. 2, the pivot axis 23 is thus lifted in relation to the fixed abutment face 44 and pulls the claw 14 with it via the tie-rod 24. This pulling movement corresponds to a closing movement of the claw 14 and hence to a moving together of the clamping faces 18, 19.

[0096] A displacement of the closing lever 22 from the non-usage position 27 as shown in FIG. 1 into its usage position 28 as shown in FIG. 2 is thus accompanied by a movement of the claw 14 from its open position 22 as shown in FIG. 1 into its closed position 21 as shown in FIG. 2.

[0097] According to the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle element 10 has a spring element 30. The spring element 30 can be designed as a helical spring 33 for example. In particular, it can be designed to bias the clamping faces 18 and 19 of the clamping face pair 17 into a spaced-apart position.

[0098] A tolerance compensation for different wall thicknesses W of the edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11 is thus possible.

[0099] If, for example, the wall thickness W of the edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11 is somewhat smaller than shown in FIG. 2, the spring element 30 can provide an adequate contact pressure and thus ensure that the handle element 10 is securely and durably affixed to the cooking vessel 11.

[0100] It is noted that FIG. 2 should be understood only schematically in this regard:

[0101] In fact, in order for the spring force of the spring 30 to enable an appropriate contact pressure to be achieved, the geometric arrangement of the clamping face pair 17 would have to be somewhat different from that shown: even with smaller wall thicknesses W of the edge 12 of the cooking vessel 11 than shown in FIG. 2, the spring force can cause the clamping faces 18, 19 to move together in a clamping manner.

[0102] The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 shows a handle element 10 that is slightly different from that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2:

[0103] Here it can be seen that the closing lever 22 is fully received inside the contour of the support body 13 and is not visible in FIG. 3.

[0104] Moreover, FIG. 3 makes it clear that the claw 14 can have an extension 45, which approximates to the geometry of the wall 43 of the cooking vessel 11. In particular, the extension 45 of the claw 14 can have a abutment face 36 which, as shown in FIG. 3a, approximates to the curvature of the wall 43 of the cooking vessel 11. An improved positioning and retention of the handle element 10 on the cooking vessel 11 can be achieved in this way.

[0105] It is clear from the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 4 through 6 that an cutout 39 can be arranged on the support body 13, which serves to receive the closing lever 22 when in the closed position or usage position 28, in particular such a way that it fits flush in the cutout.

[0106] This usage position 28 of the closing lever 22 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0107] By contrast, FIG. 6 shows the non-usage position 27 of the closing lever 22.

[0108] As shown in FIG. 5, the cutout 39 is in particular large enough that an operator can use a recessed finger grip to grasp the free end 51 of the lever 22, i.e., the end that is furthest away from the pivot axis 23 or from the rotary bearing 34, and to transfer the closing lever 22 from the usage position 28 as shown in FIG. 5 into the non-usage position 27 as shown in FIG. 6.

[0109] In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, a spring element 30 is provided that is different from that shown in FIG. 2:

[0110] It is designed as a helical spring 33 and surrounds the tie-rod 24.

[0111] When the claw 14 is displaced from the open position as shown in FIG. 6 into the closed position as shown in FIG. 5, the spring element 30, 33 is tensioned. The aim is thus to bias the clamping face pair 7 into a spaced-apart position.

[0112] It can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the control cam 25 also serves to receive a rotary bearing 34. With the aid of the rotary bearing 34, the tie-rod 24 is arranged so as to be pivotable relative to the cam 25.

[0113] At the same time, the rotary bearing 34 serves to mount the closing lever 22 in such a way that it is pivotable relative to the support body 13.

[0114] To this end, as is clear from the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 11 and 12, a pair of retaining pins 41, 41b can be provided, which are integrally connected to the rotary bearing 34. These engage in corresponding slots 40a, 40b in a wall region of the support body 13 and are retained there axially. However, the axial retention of the rotary bearing 34 on the support body 13 permits a radial clearance of the pins 41, 41b with respect to the support body 13. The invention encompasses that the rotary bearing 34 can experience a certain lift relative to the abutment face 44 following a displacement movement of the closing lever 22. In other words, the retaining pins 41, 41b can slide in a vertical direction in relation to FIG. 5 in the slotted cutouts 40a, 40b. The closing lever 22 is thus mounted in an overhanging manner on the support body 13.

[0115] The cam 25 has a cam face 26, which rolls along the abutment face 44. To prevent losses due to abrasion here, it is provided that, as shown in FIG. 10, the abutment face 44 is provided by a metal insert element 47.

[0116] FIG. 10 makes it clear that the cam face 26 and the abutment face 44 provide a pair of rolling faces or a pair of sliding faces. FIG. 10 also shows an cutout 46 in the cam 25, which permits the tie-rod 24 to pass through it.

[0117] An opening aid in the form of an opening lever 31 for the closing lever 22 when in the closed position will now be described in accordance with FIGS. 7 through 9:

[0118] The opening lever 1 is mounted on the closing lever 22 so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis 32. The opening lever 31 comprises an actuating lug 42, which can be easily grasped by an operator.

[0119] Let us assume that the handle element 10 in its closed state is attached to the cooking vessel 11. The actuating lug 42 can now easily be grasped by an operator and pivoted clockwise in relation to FIG. 7 about its pivot axis 32.

[0120] In this process, the closing lever 22 is lifted slightly and transferred to a position as shown in FIG. 8. As the opening movement of the opening lever 31 continues and/or with the additional actuation of the closing lever 22 from the intermediate position as shown in FIG. 2 into its open position as shown in FIG. 9, the claw 14 can be transferred into its open state as shown in FIG. 9.

[0121] The opening lever 31 thus facilitates an opening, i.e., the performance of an opening movement, of the closing lever 22, from the closed position as shown in FIG. 7 to the open position as shown in FIG. 9.

[0122] In this case, the recessed grip shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 within the support body 13 can also be dispensed with in exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0123] It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 7 through 9 in a first variant, the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12 in a second variant, and finally the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 14 in a third variant, show schematic views of different actuating extensions 42 of the opening lever 31.