GB2236667A - Food preparation worktop module - Google Patents

Abstract

A food preparation module intended to be mounted in, or to form part of a kitchen worktop assembly, comprises a one- piece plastics moulding (11) which defines first and second tray-like recesses which are separated along one edge of the first recess by a common wall (15), and a removable chopping board (13) which fits in the first recess so that the upper surface of the board is slightly flush with or slightly above the upper surface of the common wall (15) so that material on the board can be readily swept off the board and over the common wall (15) towards the second recess (14). <IMAGE>

Description

FOOD PREPARATION WORKTOP MODULE This invention relate to a food preparation worktop module intended for mounting in, or to form part of a kitchen worktop assembly.

As is well known, kitchen worktops are usually mounted over ranges of kitchen cupboards and / or drawers, and are made of laminate having a rigid core e.g. of chipboard or compressed fibreboard, and faced with plastics sheet. The upper face of a worktop is usually made of a durable and heat resistant plastics sheet.

It is alsp known to provide a one piece kitchen sink and drainer module which can be mounted in position over a cupboard, and which effectively forms an extension of any existing worktop extending up to the sink module. The module has a peripheral mounting lip which is lowered onto a support frame provided around the upper edge of the cupboard, and this lip either forms a planar continuation of any adjacent worktop running up to the sink, or may stand slightly proud of the worktop. At one time, the sink and drainer modules were made of stainless steel, but there are now available suitable plastics materials, such as Asterite (registered trade mark), which can be readily moulded into one piece sink (or double sink) and drainer modules which are durable, easily cleaned and provide an attractive appearance.

The present invention is concerned with a food preparation worktop module which can be mounted in, or form part of a kitchen worktop, in somewhat similar manner to the mounting of a sink / drainer module.

It is of course common practise of housewives to utilise or designate a specific region of a kitchen worktop (usually adjacent or near to a kitchen sink) as a food preparation area, and using a separate chopping board placed on the worktop in order to cut up or chop food, such as meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. Upon completion of the food preparation, unwanted material, such as peel or strips of fat or gristle, is then gathered up manually and disposed of. Inevitably, during food preparation, material falls off the chopping board and onto the underlying worktop surface, and any liquids generated also tend to migrate onto the worktop and stain it, and it is therefore a time consuming and tedious task to clean up the food preparation area after removal of the chopping board.

The invention therefore seeks to provide a separate module which will be designated exclusively to food preparation, and which can be mounted alongside an existing worktop, but which enables the unwanted residue material and any liquid generated to be generally contained within the module, and the module further being provided with means to facilitate easy collection of both the prepared material, and also the unwanted material, and to permit easy cleaning to remove any liquid staining of the module.

According to the invention there is provided a food preparation worktop module intended for mounting in, or to form part of a kitchen worktop assembly, said module comprising: a one piece plastics moulding which defines first and second tray-like recesses which are separated along one edge of the first recess by a common wall; and, a removable chopping board fitting in said first recess so that the upper surface of the board is substantially flush with or slightly above the upper surface of said common wall so that material on the board can be readily swept off the board and over the common wall towards the second recess.

Thus, in use of the module, food can be prepared on the chopping board, and then (in either order) that food required for consumption can be swept towards the second recess for collection, followed by the unwanted residue for separate collection.

Preferably, a removable plastics tray fits in said second recess, and is shaped so as readily to receive the material from the chopping board. The tray may be shaped so as, if desired, to function as a serving dish.

In a preferred embodiment, the one piece moulding has a third tray-like recess, separated along a further edge of the first recess by a further common wall, and into which a removable plastics tray is fitted. Then, one of the trays can be used to collect the prepared food, and the other can be used to collect the unwanted residue for disposal.

The chopping board may be made of any suitable material, (including plastics, a plastics clad slab or metal), but preferably it is formed from a wooden block of traditional material. The chopping board substantially fills the first recess, so as to minimise the risk of any material falling into the recess, but preferably at least part of the base of the recess is ribbed, in the manner of a drainer, to support the board, but to permit ready wiping clean after the board has been removed. A further unribbed area of the base of the first recess may include a draining hole to be connected to a suitable discharge point via a drainage pipe, to enable the first recess to be washed down if required.

Preferably, the entire module has a raised peripheral lip, which stands slightly proud of the general plane of the plastics moulding, so as to contain any material handled on the chopping board and any liquid generated.

One preferred material from which the moulding may be made is Asterite (registered trade mark) which is made by ICI.

To give strength and rigidity to the module, a rigid base support e.g. of compressed fibre board, may be secured to the underside of the plastics moulding.

One embodiment of food preparation worktop module according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a food preparation worktop module which is intended to be mounted in, or form part of a kitchen worktop assembly; Figure 2 is a section taken on X-X in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section taken on Y-Y in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan view of one of a pair of detachable plastics trays which can be removably fitted in respective recesses provided in the module shown in Figures 1 to 3; and, Figure 5 is a plan view of a removable chopping board which can be fitted in a further one of the recesses provided in the module.

A food preparation worktop module according to the invention is designated generally by reference 10, and is intended to be mounted in, or to form part of a kitchen worktop assembly, somewhat similar to the manner by which one piece plastics sink I drainer units are mounted in position.

The module 10 comprises a one piece plastics moulding 11 which defines a first tray-like recess 12 in which a removable chopping board 13 can be fitted. The chopping board 13 is omitted from Figures 1 and 3, to enable the base details of the recess 12 to be shown, but it is shown mounted in position in Figure 2.

A second tray-like recess 14 is also defined by the one piece moulding 11, and recess 14 is separated along one edge of the first recess 12 by a common wall 15. It should be noted from Figure 2 that the chopping board 13 fits in the recess 12 in such a way that the upper surface 16 of the board 13 is substantially flush with, or slightly above the upper surface 17 of wall 15, so that any material on the board 13 can be readily swept off the board and over the common wall 15 towards the second recess 14.

Thus, in use of the module, food can be prepared on the chopping board 13, and then the food required for consumption can be swept towards the second recess 14 over the wall 15 for collection. Also, any unwanted residue can be swept over the wall 15 towards the second recess 14, for separate collection and disposal, and of course the order in which these take place is immaterial.

A removable plastics tray 18 fits in the second recess 14, and is shaped so as readily to receive the material transferred from the chopping board 13. The tray 18 has a recessed portion 19 into which material can be collected, and the tray 18 may be shaped so as to function as a serving dish, if required.

The one piece moulding 11 is formed with a third tray like recess 20 which is separated along a further edge of the first recess 12 by a further common wall 21, and a further removable plastics tray (18) can be fitted in the third recess 20. The common wall 21 also will be flush with, or slightly below the upper surface 16 of chopping board 13 to enable material to be transferred from the surface of the board 13 towards the third recess 20.

The shape of the chopping board 13 is shown in Figure 5, and it will substantially fill the first recess 12, with the exception of a small cut-out portion at one corner, to facilitate manual removal of the board 13 from the first recess 12 for cleaning purposes. The chopping board 13 is preferably made of traditional wooden material from which chopping boards are made.

As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, the base of the recess 12 has a ribbed portion provided with parallel extending ribs 22, and these serve to support the underside of the chopping board 13, but also facilitate wiping clean of the recess 12 after the board 13 has been removed. A further unribbed area 23 of the base may be provided with a drainage outlet 24, to be connected by a waste pipe, if required, to enable the first recess 12, and any adjoining surfaces, to be washed down if required.

The preferred material from which the one piece moulding 11 is made is Asterite (registered trade mark) made by ICI.

To give strength and rigidity to the module 10, a rigid base support 25 made of, for example, compressed fibreboard may be secured to the underside of the plastics moulding 11.

In order to contain the material being handled, and any liquids generated, preferably the outer periphery of the module 11 is formed with an upstanding lip 26.

Claims (10)

1. A food preparation worktop module intended for mounting in, or to form part of a kitchen worktop assembly, said module comprising: a one piece plastics moulding which defines first and second tray-like recesses which are separated along one edge of the first recess by a common wall; and, a removable chopping board fitting in said first recess so that the upper surface of the board is substantially flush with or slightly above the upper surface of said common wall so that material on the board can be readily swept off the board and over the common wall towards the second recess.

2. A worktop module according to Claim 1, in which a removable plastics tray fits in said second recess, and is shaped so as readily to receive the material from the chopping board.

3. A worktop module according to Claim 2, in which the tray is shaped so as to function as a serving dish.

4. A worktop module according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the one piece moulding has a third tray-like recess, separated along a further edge of the first recess by a further common wall, and into which a removable plastics tray is fitted.

5. A worktop module according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the chopping board is formed from a wooden block.

6. A worktop module according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the chopping board substantially fills the first recess, so as to minimise the risk of any material falling into the recess, and at least part of the base of the recess is ribbed, in the manner of a drainer, to support the board, but to permit ready wiping clean after the board has been removed.

7. A worktop module according to Claim 6, in which a further unribbed area of the base of the first recess includes a draining hole to be connected to a suitable discharge point via a drainage pipe, to enable the first recess to be washed down if required.

8. A worktop module according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the entire module has a raised peripheral lip, which stands slightly proud of the general plane of the plastics moulding, so as to contain any material handled on the chopping board and any liquid generated.

9. A worktop module according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which a rigid base support is secured to the underside of the plastics moulding.

10. A worktop module according to Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawing.