Granted Patent B2

US 7,784,638 · App. 11/050,532 · Granted Aug 31, 2010

Abstract

Claims (22)

1. A glass dish suitable for use in cooking applications, the glass dish comprising:

a substantially homogenous glass body defining at least one side wall, an upper extent and a bottom surface;

a channel formed in the bottom surface of the glass body, the channel having an open end and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a bottom wall, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall, the channel having a predetermined depth D o , and the open end of the channel having a predetermined width W o , the channel conforming to the relationship W o /D o =3 to 13; and

a silicone support comprising a protruding extent and an interior extent, the interior extent of the silicone support being disposed within the channel, at least a portion of the interior extent of the silicone support directly contacting at least a portion of the inner surface and being directly adhered to at least a portion of the bottom wall, the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the inner surface of the channel by direct chemical adhesion of the silicone support to the inner surface of the channel without a separate bonding agent, and wherein the protruding extent of the silicone support protrudes beyond the open end of the channel.

2. The dish of claim 1 wherein the body is formed from one of either borosilicate glass or soda lime glass.

3. The dish of claim 1 wherein the predetermined width W o of the open end of the channel is substantially constant.

4. The dish of claim 1 wherein the channel contours to the shape of the bottom surface.

5. The dish of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inner and outer sidewalls of the inner surface of the channel is generally planar.

6. The dish of claim 5 wherein the bottom wall is substantially planar, and the generally planar portion of at least one of the inner and outer sidewalls forms an angle between 85 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to the bottom wall.

7. The dish of claim 1 wherein a cross-sectional profile of the inner surface of the channel is generally non-arcuate.

8. A glass dish suitable for use in cooking applications, the glass dish comprising:

a substantially homogenous glass body defining at least one side wall, an upper extent and a bottom surface having a predetermined thickness T o ;

a channel formed in the bottom surface of the body, the channel having an open end and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a substantially planar bottom wall, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall, the channel having a predetermined depth D o in the range of 0.040 to 0.080 inches and the open end of the channel having a predetermined width W o in the range of 0.25 to 0.50 inches, the channel conforming to the relationships W o /D o =3 to 13 and D o /T o =0.2 to 0.6; and

a silicone support comprising a protruding extent and an interior extent, the interior extent of the silicone support disposed within the channel, at least a portion of the interior extent of the silicone support directly contacting at least a portion of the inner surface and being directly adhered thereto by chemical adhesion of the silicone support to at least a portion of the bottom wall, the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the inner surface of the channel formed in the glass body without a separate bonding agent, wherein the protruding extent of the silicone support extends to a height H o of at least 0.010 inches beyond the open end of the channel, the silicone support having a melting point greater than 350° F.

9. The dish of claim 8 wherein the width W o of the channel is approximately 0.4 inches.

10. The dish of claim 9 wherein the depth D o of the channel is in the range of 0.045 to 0.05 inches.

11. The dish of claim 8 wherein the channel conforms to the relationship W o /D o =8 to 10.

12. A microwavable glass dish suitable for use in microwave cooking applications, the glass dish comprising:

a substantially homogenous glass body defining at least one side wall, an upper extent and a bottom surface, the glass body having a first thermal insulative value;

a channel formed in at least a portion of the bottom surface of the glass body, the channel having an open end and an inner surface, the inner surface comprising a bottom wall, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall; and

a silicone support comprising a protruding extent and an interior extent, the interior extent of the silicone support disposed within the channel, at least a portion of the interior extent of the silicone support directly contacting at least a portion of the inner surface and being directly adhered to the inner surface of the channel by direct chemical adhesion of the silicone support to at least a portion of the bottom wall, the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the inner surface of the channel without a separate bonding agent, wherein the protruding extent of the silicone support protrudes beyond the open end of the channel, wherein the silicone support has a melting point greater than 350° F., and wherein the silicone support has a second thermal insulative value, the second thermal insulative value being greater than the first thermal insulative value.

13. The dish of claim 12 wherein the protruding extent of the silicone support protrudes to a height H o of at least 0.01 inches beyond the open end of the channel, the channel has a width W o in the range of 0.25 to 0.50 inches, the channel has a depth D o in the range of 0.045 to 0.050 inches, and the body has a thickness T o , the dish conforming to the relationship D o /T o =0.2 to 0.6.

Assignments (20)