FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a trivet safety device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat-absorbing platform having a channel insert or keyed insert slot for receiving and securing to a stem and block of a safety cookware device.

BACKGROUND

A trivet or hot pad is a heat-absorbing, planar and rigid platform placed between a heated cookware (i.e., pot or pan) and a table or countertop, shielding and protecting the surface of the table or countertop from heat damage.

Currently, there are many types of trivet designs having various shapes, sizes, and configurations. For example, one trivet design includes three or more leg structures to support the main holding platform of the trivet above and away from making contact to the countertop. Other types of trivet designs include special holders for housing a lit flame and for warming or heating food in the pot or pan.

In practice, the main holding platforms for all trivets are made planar so that the pot or pan typically lays flat to the surface. Because these surfaces are generally planar, there is no support mechanism that can prevent the pot or pan from sliding or moving off the trivet's platform, causing potential harm or inconvenience to users. In addition, because of its flat and planar surface, certain novel pot and pan designs, such as a safety cookware described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,561,265B2, entitled Child Cookware Safety Device and hereby incorporated by reference, may not be adapted to fit on the conventional trivet devices. Therefore, there is a need for an improved trivet which may allow users to prevent slippage while still allowing it to have other built-in safety mechanisms that support other types of pots and pan configurations.

SUMMARY

One object of this invention is to provide a safety trivet device for receiving and supporting a safety cookware device having a stem and block components, the safety trivet device including a trivet member, and a channel insert connected to the trivet member, the channel insert may include two guide rail members separated by a fixed distance to form an insert slot for receiving the stem and block components of the safety cookware device, a stem channel and block locking components connected to the two guide rail members, and back support rails connected to the stem channel and block locking components. The safety trivet device of claim1, wherein the channel insert includes a plurality of posts disposed between the channel insert and the trivet.

In implementation, the stem channel and block locking components may include two stem guide rails and two planar block locks connected by a channel stop. In another implementation, the channel insert may include a plurality of posts disposed between the channel insert and the trivet. In yet another implementation, the stem channel and block locking components may include two stem guide rails and two planar block locks connected by a channel stop. In still yet another implementation, a cross-wise section of each stem guide rail member may be substantially perpendicular to a corresponding lengthwise section of each planar block lock, each stem guide rail member and planar block lock forming an L-shaped structure.

In addition, the safety trivet device may further include a pad member having a ring-like structure coupled to a bottom portion of the trivet, the pad member having non-scratching and non-slip properties, providing protection and grip between the safety trivet device and a table or countertop surface. Similarly, multiple pad members may be coupled to a bottom portion of the trivet, the multiple pad members each have non-scratching and non-slip properties, providing protection and grip between the safety trivet device and a table or countertop surface.

Moreover, the safety trivet device may also include a carrier tray having a base tray connected to a bottom portion of the safety trivet device, a left handle support member and a right handle support member connected at each end of the base tray via tray post members.

Other aspects of the safety trivet device may include a stem channel and block locking components having a stem locking mechanism attached to a portion of the channel insert. According to this aspect, the stem locking mechanism may also a swiveling gate held by a pin which is inserted into a slot formed into a sidewall portion of one of stem guide rails, and a swiveling gate lock which is disposed on a sidewall portion of the of other stem guide rails. In addition, the stem locking mechanism may also include an extension bar attached to the swiveling gate lock, allowing a user to lock and unlock the swiveling gate lock while the safety cookware device is secured to the safety trivet device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safety trivet device for receiving and supporting a safety cookware device having a stem and keyed block, the safety trivet device may have a trivet member having a keyed insert slot for providing an opening that is configured to match and mate with the keyed block of the safety cookware device, the keyed insert slot may be configured to catch and block a portion of the keyed block when the safety cookware device is rotated 45 degrees (an eighth of a turn) or more in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, preventing the safety cookware device from being removed off the safety trivet device, and a plurality of post members coupled to a bottom portion of the trivet.

In one embodiment the keyed insert slot may be formed and shaped within the trivet member by rods, bars, wires, or other elongated rigid materials. In another embodiment, the trivet member may include a solid platform in which the keyed insert slot is formed. In yet another embodiment, the keyed insert slot may be proximate to a center region of the keyed safety trivet device.

In other implementations, the keyed insert slot may include an egg-shaped keyed insert slot, a 6-stared keyed insert slot, an oval keyed insert slot, a rectangular keyed insert slot, or any keyed insert slot that is asymmetric in shape.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

