IP Library Granted Patent US 11,529,012
Granted Patent B2
US 11,529,012 · App. 15/930,843 · Granted Dec 20, 2022

Electric pressure cooker

Inventors: YuDe Han (Zhejiang, CN); Jiwei Wang (Ottawa, CA); Yi Qin (Ottawa, CA)
Assignee: Instant Brands Inc.
A47J27/09A47J27/004
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,529,012
App. No.
15/930,843
Granted
Dec 20, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric pressure cooker comprises a body having outer pot and inner pot received therein and a lid covering the cooker body. The outer pot and the lid comprise matching teeth for lockingly engagement upon rotating the lid into closure. The cooker body comprises a pair of cooker handles extending outwardly from a sidewall thereof. The cooker handle comprises handgrip portion. The inner pot comprises inner pot body and a pair of inner pot handles connected thereto. The handgrip portion extends to align with or beyond the inner pot handle, so that a user holding the cooker handles will avoid gripping the inner pot handles. A vertical gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion allows hand access. When the user is reaching for the inner pot handle the fingers will contact the cooker handle, thereby avoiding mistakenly gripping the cooker handle.

Claims (40)

1. An electric pressure cooker comprising: a cooker body comprising an outer pot; an inner pot removably receivable within the outer pot; a lid assembly for covering the cooker body; and, wherein the outer pot comprises a plurality of cooker teeth, the lid assembly comprises a plurality of lid teeth corresponding with the cooker teeth, and the cooker teeth and the lid teeth are constructed and arranged to lockingly engage with each other upon a rotation of the lid assembly into a closed position relative to the cooker body; wherein the cooker body comprises a pair of cooker handles extending outwardly from a sidewall of the cooker body, the cooker handles comprise a handgrip portion for lifting or moving the cooker body, and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from opposing sides of the handgrip portion, the handgrip portion and the pair of sidewalls forming a receiving groove open at an outer radial end thereof; wherein the inner pot comprises an inner pot body and a pair of inner pot handles connected to the inner pot body, the inner pot handles being constructed and arranged to be received between the sidewalls within the receiving grooves; wherein the handgrip portion extends from the cooker body to at least substantially align with the inner pot handle or beyond the inner pot handle; and wherein the inner pot handle is spaced apart from the handgrip portion in a vertical direction so as to define a gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion for allowing fingers of a user to be received therein through the open outer radial end of the receiving groove, wherein the inner pot handle comprises a connecting member fastened to the inner pot body, and a heat insulation member coupled to the connecting member, the heat insulation member is assembled to or integrally formed with the connecting member; and the heat insulation member is disposed outside of the outer pot, wherein the connecting member comprises a first attachment portion for attaching to the inner pot body, a connecting portion substantially laterally or horizontally extending from the first attachment portion, and a second attachment portion extending from the connecting portion; the connecting portion comprises an upper portion disposed in proximity to the inner pot body and a lower portion disposed in proximity to the heat insulation member; the upper portion is constructed and arranged to provide clearance room for the outer pot or accommodate the structure thereof; and the lower portion is constructed and arranged to provide clearance room for the lid assembly or accommodate the structure thereof.

2. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein the vertical gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion has a width of about 10 mm to about 13 mm.

3. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein:

the handgrip portion comprises a slope portion for ease of handling by hand;

a gap between a distal end of the slope portion and the inner pot handle is about 11.5 mm to about 12.5 mm; and

a gap between a proximal end of the slope portion and the inner pot handle is about 10.5 mm to about 11.5 mm.

4. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein:

the handgrip portion is flat in shape; and

the gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion has a width of about 10 mm to about 13 mm.

5. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein:

the cooker body comprises a base, an outer shell mounted to the base, and a cover element covering at least a portion of the outer shell;

the outer pot is mounted to the base, the outer shell and the cover element; and

the cooker handles are disposed on the cover element.

6. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein the heat insulation member comprises:

an upwardly concaved recess portion disposed on a bottom wall of the heat insulation member;

the recess portion having such a tapering shape that a center portion of the recess portion has a larger depth relative to the bottom wall of the heat insulation member than a peripheral portion of the recess portion; and

wherein the tapering shape is formed to be substantially similar to a shape of a fingertip so as to allow easy access by hand.

7. An electric pressure cooker comprising:

a cooker body comprising an outer pot;

an inner pot removably receivable within the outer pot; and,

a lid assembly for covering the cooker body;

wherein the outer pot comprises a plurality of cooker teeth, the lid assembly comprises a plurality of lid teeth corresponding with the cooker teeth, and the cooker teeth and the lid teeth are constructed and arranged to lockingly engage with each other upon a rotation of the lid assembly into a closed position relative to the cooker body;

wherein the cooker body comprises a pair of cooker handles extending outwardly from a sidewall of the cooker body, the cooker handles comprise a handgrip portion for lifting or moving the cooker body, and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly from opposing sides of the handgrip portion, the handgrip portion and the pair of sidewalls forming a receiving groove open at an outer radial end thereof for allowing fingers of a user to be inserted through the open outer end;

wherein the inner pot comprises an inner pot body and a pair of inner pot handles connected to the inner pot body, the inner pot handles being constructed and arranged to be received between the sidewalls within the receiving grooves;

wherein the handgrip portion extends from the cooker body to at least substantially align with the inner pot handle or beyond the inner pot handle; and

wherein each of inner pot handles comprises a metal connecting member and a heat insulation member coupled to the metal connecting member, the metal connecting member comprising a first attachment portion, an upper connection, a lower connection and a second attachment portion connected in turn, the first attachment portion extending substantially vertically and being attached to a side wall of the inner pot body, the upper connection extending substantially horizontally from a lower end of the first attachment portion to provide clearance room for the outer pot, the lower connection being bended from the upper connection to provide clearance room for the lid assembly, the second attachment portion being disposed in a horizontal surface higher than the lower connection and being covered by the heat insulation member.

8. The electric pressure cooker of claim 7 , wherein the second attachment portion is integrally formed with the heat insulation member, and wherein the heat insulation member is disposed outside of the outer pot.

9. The electric pressure cooker of claim 8 , wherein the inner pot handle is spaced apart from the handgrip portion in a vertical direction so as to define a gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion for allowing fingers of the user to be received therein.

10. The electric pressure cooker of claim 9 , wherein the vertical gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion has a width of about 10 mm to about 13 mm.

11. The electric pressure cooker of claim 9 , wherein:

the handgrip portion comprises a slope portion for ease of handling by hand;

a gap between a distal end of the slope portion and the inner pot handle is about 11.5 mm to about 12.5 mm; and

a gap between a proximal end of the slope portion and the inner pot handle is about 10.5 mm to about 11.5 mm.

12. The electric pressure cooker of claim 9 , wherein the handgrip portion is flat in shape, and the gap between the inner pot handle and the handgrip portion has a width of about 10 mm to about 13 mm.

13. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein the outer pot comprises a cavity for receiving the inner pot therein, and a pair of recess portions in communication with the cavity and the outer radial ends of the receiving grooves; and, the inner pot handles are constructed and arranged to extend through the recess portions toward the outer radial ends of the receiving grooves.

14. The electric pressure cooker of claim 9 , wherein the outer pot comprises a cavity for receiving the inner pot therein, and a pair of recess portions in communication with the cavity and the outer radial ends of the receiving grooves; and, the inner pot handles are constructed and arranged to extend through the recess portions toward the outer radial ends of the receiving grooves.

15. The electric pressure cooker of claim 13 , wherein the inner pot handles are accessible by the user via the open outer radial ends of the receiving grooves when the lid assembly is in the closed position relative to the cooker body.

16. The electric pressure cooker of claim 14 , wherein the inner pot handles are accessible by the user via the open outer radial ends of the receiving grooves when the lid assembly is in the closed position relative to the cooker body.

17. The electric pressure cooker of claim 1 , wherein the heat insulation member comprises a downward projecting portion to block the fingers of a user from contacting the inner pot.

18. The electric pressure cooker of claim 7 , wherein the heat insulation member comprises a downward projecting portion to block the fingers of a user from contacting the inner pot.

Assignments (8)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: IB APPLIANCES US HOLDINGS, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069837/0553 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST
To: IB APPLIANCES INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; IB APPLIANCES US HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 069839/0542 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (REEL/FRAME 056723/0917) Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
To: INSTANT BRANDS INC.
Reel/Frame 066073/0421 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 19, 2023
From: IB APPLIANCES US HOLDINGS, LLC
To: MIDCAP FUNDING IV TRUST, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066073/0686 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYANCE TYPE FROM SECURITY INTEREST TO ASSIGNMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 065524 FRAME 0312. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 7, 2023
From: INSTANT BRANDS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS INC.; INSTANT BRANDS HOLDINGS INC.; INSTANT BRANDS (TEXAS) INC.; INSTANT BRANDS ACQUISITION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS INC.; INSTANT BRANDS LLC; URS-1 (CHARLEROI) LLC; EKCO GROUP, LLC; CORELLE BRANDS (GHC) LLC; URS-2 (CORNING) LLC; CORELLE BRANDS (LATIN AMERICA) LLC; EKCO HOUSEWARES, INC.; EKCO MANUFACTURING OF OHIO, INC.; CORELLE BRANDS (CANADA) INC.; INSTANT BRANDS (CANADA) HOLDING INC.; INSTANT BRANDS INC.
To: IB APPLIANCES US HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 065851/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2023
From: INSTANT BRANDS ACQUISITION HOLDINGS INC.; INSTANT BRANDS HOLDINGS INC.; INSTANT BRANDS (TEXAS) INC.; INSTANT BRANDS ACQUISITION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS INC.; INSTANT BRANDS LLC; URS-1 (CHARLEROI) LLC; EKCO GROUP, LLC; CORELLE BRANDS (GHC) LLC; URS-2 (CORNING) LLC; CORELLE BRANDS (LATIN AMERICA) LLC; EKCO HOUSEWARES, INC.; EKCO MANUFACTURING OF OHIO, INC.; CORELLE BRANDS (CANADA) INC.; INSTANT BRANDS (CANADA) HOLDING INC.; INSTANT BRANDS INC.
To: IB APPLIANCES US HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 065524/0312 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2021
From: INSTANT BRANDS INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 056723/0917 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2020
From: HAN, YUDE; WANG, JIWEI; QIN, YI
To: INSTANT BRANDS INC.
Reel/Frame 052745/0060 →