Oven Rack Apparatus and Corresponding Method

Abstract

An oven rack apparatus for supporting a cooking utensil in an oven. The oven rack apparatus includes a support portion configured to support the cooking utensil thereon. A handle portion is disposed on a side of the support portion. The handle portion has an extremely low thermal conductivity.

1 . An oven rack apparatus for supporting a cooking utensil in an oven, the oven rack apparatus comprising:
 a support portion configured to support the cooking utensil thereon; and   a handle portion disposed on a side of the support portion, the handle portion having a thermal conductivity of about 0.03 W/(m*K) or less.   
   
   
       2 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 1 , where the handle portion is fabricated from a material having a thermal conductivity of about 0.01 W/(m*K) or less. 
   
   
       3 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion is fabricated from an aerogel material. 
   
   
       4 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the aerogel material has a thermal conductivity of about 0.01 W/(m*K) or less. 
   
   
       5 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion extends about an entire length of the side of the support portion. 
   
   
       6 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the handle portion comprises a sheet portion folded over to be disposed on a top and a bottom of the support portion. 
   
   
       7 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the handle portion comprises a plurality of clips that fasten the sheet portion to the support portion. 
   
   
       8 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the handle portion comprises an adhesive that fastens the sheet portion to the support portion. 
   
   
       9 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the handle portion comprises a sheet portion folder over on the support portion to be disposed on a top and a bottom of the support portion. 
   
   
       10 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the handle portion comprises a plurality of clips that fasten the sheet portion to the support portion. 
   
   
       11 . The oven rack apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the handle portion comprises an adhesive that fastens the sheet portion to the support portion. 
   
   
       12 . An oven rack apparatus for supporting a cooking utensil in an oven, the oven rack apparatus comprising:
 a support portion configured to support the cooking utensil thereon; and   means for pulling the support portion out of and for pushing the support portion into the oven, the means disposed on a side of the support portion and having a thermal conductivity of about 0.03 W/(m*K) or less.   
   
   
       13 . An oven rack apparatus for supporting a cooking utensil in an oven, the oven rack apparatus comprising:
 a support portion configured to support the cooking utensil thereon; and   a handle portion disposed on a side of the support portion, the handle portion having a thermal conductivity insufficient to cause a burn on a hand of a user of the oven rack apparatus when the handle portion is heated to a temperature in excess of 500 degrees Fahrenheit and is touched by the hand of the user.   
   
   
       14 . A method of fabricating an oven rack apparatus for supporting a cooking utensil in an oven, the method comprising:
 forming a support portion configured to support the cooking utensil thereon; and   disposing a handle portion, having a thermal conductivity of about 0.03 W/(m*K) or less, on a side of the support portion.   
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein disposing the handle portion comprises providing the handle portion having a thermal conductivity of about 0.01 W/(m*K) or less. 
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein disposing the handle portion comprises forming the handle portion from an aerogel material. 
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein disposing the handle portion comprises forming the handle portion from an aerogel material. 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein disposing the handle portion comprises folding a sheet portion over a top and a bottom of the support portion. 
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 clipping the sheet portion to the support portion to form the handle portion.   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 adhering the sheet portion to the support portion to form the handle portion.