Slow cooker

Abstract

A slow cooker for heating of food stuffs includes a housing having a base and a side wall extending therefrom to define a heating cavity within the housing. A heating element is disposed within the housing to heat the heating cavity. A container has a generally hollow interior and a container rim defining an opening for accessing the interior. The interior is capable of retaining the food stuffs therein. The container is shaped and sized to fit within the heating cavity of the housing for heating thereof by the heating element. A lid is sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container rim. The lid includes a handle on a top surface thereof. A utensil is included for manipulating the food stuffs. The utensil is removably engageable with the handle of the lid.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A slow cooker for heating of food stuffs, the slow cooker comprising:
 a housing having a base and a side wall extending therefrom to define a heating cavity within the housing, the housing further having a housing rim at a first, free edge of the side wall defining an opening to the heating cavity;   a heating element disposed within the housing sufficiently proximate the heating cavity to heat the heating cavity;   a container having a generally hollow interior and a container rim defining an opening for accessing the interior thereof, the interior being capable of retaining the food stuffs therein, the container being shaped and sized to fit within the heating cavity of the housing for heating thereof by the heating element;   a lid sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container rim, the lid having an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface facing the generally hollow interior of the container when the lid is placed on the container, the lid including a handle on the exterior surface thereof; and   a utensil for manipulating the food stuffs, the utensil being removably engageable with the handle of the lid.   
     
     
         2 . The slow cooker of  claim 1 , wherein the handle has a slot therein sized to accept at least a portion of the utensil. 
     
     
         3 . The slow cooker of  claim 2 , wherein the slot includes generally parallel side walls and at least one protrusion extending inwardly from each side wall to at least assist in retaining the utensil within the slot. 
     
     
         4 . The slow cooker of  claim 3 , wherein the protrusions engage the utensil with a snap fit. 
     
     
         5 . The slow cooker of  claim 1 , wherein the utensil is a spoon. 
     
     
         6 . The slow cooker of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a gasket around an outer edge thereof for sealing engagement with the container rim. 
     
     
         7 . The slow cooker of  claim 6 , wherein the slow cooker includes at least one clip for selectively retaining the lid in sealing engagement with the container rim to inhibit leakage of the food stuffs from the interior of the container. 
     
     
         8 . The slow cooker of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one clip is attached to the side wall of the housing and is releasably engageable with the lid, such that, in an engaged position, the at least one clip retains the lid in sealing engagement with the container rim and, in a released position, the lid can be removed from the container to allow access to the interior of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The slow cooker of  claim 8 , wherein the side wall of the housing includes two clips in diametrically opposed relation. 
     
     
         10 . The slow cooker of  claim 1 , wherein the lid includes a lid rest that selectively engages a housing handle to support the lid when the lid is removed from the container rim. 
     
     
         11 . The slow cooker of  claim 10 , wherein the lid rest is disposed on an inner surface of the lid. 
     
     
         12 . The slow cooker of  claim 11 , wherein the lid rest includes at least one projection extending outwardly from the inner surface of the lid, the projection being at least slightly offset from a center of the lid to allow the lid to pivot slightly when the lid rest is engaged with the housing handle so that a portion of the lid rests against the side wall of the housing and balances the lid on the housing handle. 
     
     
         13 . A slow cooker for heating of food stuffs, the slow cooker comprising:
 a housing defining a heating cavity therein, the housing further having a housing rim at a first, free edge of a side wall thereof defining an opening to the heating cavity;   a heating element disposed within the housing;   a container having a generally hollow interior and a container rim defining an opening for accessing the interior thereof;   a lid sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container rim, the lid having an exterior surface and an opposing interior surface facing the generally hollow interior of the container when the lid is placed on the container, the lid including a handle on the exterior surface thereof; and   a utensil for manipulating the food stuffs, the utensil being removably engageable with the handle of the lid.   
     
     
         14 . A slow cooker for heating of food stuffs, the slow cooker comprising:
 a housing having a base and a side wall extending therefrom to define a heating cavity within the housing, the housing further having a housing rim at a first, free edge of the side wall defining an opening to the heating cavity;   a heating element disposed within the housing sufficiently proximate the heating cavity to heat the heating cavity;   a container having a generally hollow interior and a container rim defining an opening for accessing the interior thereof, the interior being capable of retaining the food stuffs therein, the container being shaped and sized to fit within the heating cavity of the housing for heating thereof by the heating element;   a lid sized and shaped to at least partially cover the opening of the container when placed on the container rim, the lid including a handle on a top surface thereof and a lid rest that selectively engages a housing handle to support the lid when the lid is removed from the container rim; and   a utensil for manipulating the food stuffs, the utensil being removably engageable with the handle of the lid.   
     
     
         15 . The slow cooker of  claim 14 , wherein the lid rest is disposed on an inner surface of the lid. 
     
     
         16 . The slow cooker of  claim 15 , wherein the lid rest includes at least one projection extending outwardly from the inner surface of the lid, the projection being at least slightly offset from a center of the lid to allow the lid to pivot slightly when the lid rest is engaged with the housing handle so that a portion of the lid rests against the side wall of the housing and balances the lid on the housing handle.