Multi clad cookware

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for shaping a cooking utensil comprising a first layer cooking surface, where the first layer may be formed from a flat sheet of stainless steel; a second layer beneath the first layer, where the second layer may be formed from a flat sheet of aluminum and thermally bonded with the first layer; and a third layer that may be formed from a sheet of stainless steel and thermally bonded with the second layer. The third layer includes a plurality of perforations into which some of the second layer extends, the third layer directly contacting a heat source and allowing direct contact between the heat source and the second layer.

1 . A method of forming a cooking utensil, comprising: 
 (a) providing a first layer, the first layer comprising stainless steel;    (b) providing a second layer, the second layer comprising aluminum;    (c) providing a third layer, the third layer comprising a plurality of perforations;    (d) forming a composite structure including the three layers by rolling the first, second and third layers together, wherein the forming of the composite structure causes the second layer to extend into the perforations in the third layer; and    (e) shaping the cooking utensil with the composite structure.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (d) comprises: 
 (i) thermally forming the composite structure.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third layer comprises stainless steel.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 (f) plating a fourth layer on the third layer, the fourth layer comprising copper.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein (f) comprises: 
 (i) using an anode/cathode process to plate the fourth layer on the third layer.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the third layer comprises copper.  
   
   
       7 . A method of forming a cooking utensil, comprising: 
 forming a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer into a composite structure, wherein each of the first, second and third layers are coextensive and the third layer has a plurality of perforations, wherein the forming causes a portion of the second layer to extrude out the plurality of perforations; and    shaping the composite structure into a cooking utensil.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second layer is aluminum.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the forming is a thermal forming.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first layer comprises stainless steel, the second layer comprises aluminum, and the third layer comprises stainless steel.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , the method further comprising: 
 plating a fourth layer on the third layer, the fourth layer being a different color than the third layer.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plating is done with an anode/cathode plating process.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the third layer is copper.