阅读说明：本技术 食物制备器具 (Food preparation appliance ) 是由 E·爱力珀尔 于 2018-06-21 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于加热食物的设备包括通过铰接的手柄彼此联接的基座和盖子。两个具有柔性表面的流体填充的热流体容器被安装在盖子和基座中,以形成用于将食品保持在低温烹饪容器f中的腔室。可以用高温烹饪板替代热流体容器,以使食品烧灼或褐变。在低温烹饪期间,器具使用者受到保护而避免暴露于保留在容器中的热的热流体。(An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to each other by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled hot fluid containers with flexible surfaces are mounted in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding food in the low temperature cooking container f. A high temperature cooking plate may be used in place of the hot fluid container to burn or brown the food product. During low temperature cooking, the appliance user is protected from exposure to the hot, hot fluid retained in the container.)

1. An apparatus for heating food, comprising:

a hot fluid container comprising:

a heat transfer plate; and

a flexible panel attached to the heat transfer plate, wherein a fluid chamber is formed between the flexible panel and the heat transfer plate;

a base configured for removable attachment to a first one of the hot fluid containers; and

a cover movably coupled to the base, the cover configured to movably attach to a second one of the hot fluid containers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container form a cryogenic cooking container having a sealed chamber for cooking food when the lid is closed against the base.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein separation of the lid from the base separates the first hot fluid container from the second hot fluid container.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first high temperature cooking plate and a second high temperature cooking plate, wherein the first high temperature cooking plate is configured for removable attachment to the base after removal of the first hot fluid container and the second high temperature cooking plate is configured for removable attachment to the lid after removal of the second hot fluid container.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first high temperature cooking plate and the second high temperature cooking plate comprises an integrally formed heating element configured for high temperature cooking.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the base further comprises a heating element positioned to heat the first high temperature cooking plate.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the lid further comprises a heating element positioned to heat the second high temperature cooking plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container further comprises a container heating element formed as an integral part of the flexible panel.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first thermal fluid container and the second thermal fluid container further comprises a container heating element positioned within the fluid chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second hot fluid containers further comprises a container heating element attached to a surface of the flexible panel.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller electrically connected to the vessel heating elements in the first and second thermal fluid vessels.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a temperature sensor electrically connected to the controller, the temperature sensor positioned to measure a temperature on the high temperature cooking plate.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a second temperature sensor electrically connected to the controller, the second temperature sensor positioned on one of the hot fluid containers to measure a temperature within the fluid chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

A motor electrically connected to the controller; and

an agitator configured to be rotated by the motor, the agitator being rotatably coupled to the heat transfer plate in at least one of the hot fluid containers, and the agitator being positioned to agitate fluid in the fluid chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to detect the presence of a high temperature cooking plate and the hot fluid container and to control the base heating element, the lid heating element, and the container heating element in response to the detected results.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

A first latch coupled to the base, the first latch positioned to retain the first hot fluid container; and

a second latch coupled to the lid, the second latch positioned to retain the second hot fluid container.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a food chamber for receiving food to be heated is formed between the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container when the lid is lowered onto the base.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a water-tight seal is formed between the first thermal fluid container and the second thermal fluid container by a gasket surrounding a food contacting surface on each thermal fluid container.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the gaskets on the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container are configured to allow air to escape from the food chamber when the lid is lowered onto the base.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the food chamber, wherein the flexible panel on the first hot fluid container is pulled toward the flexible panel on the second hot fluid container by operation of the vacuum pump.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to devices for household appliances for preparing food by heating and/or cooling the food.

Background

Low temperature precision cooking is the practice of cooking food in a high thermal conductivity environment at a precisely controlled temperature for an extended period of time. Vacuum cooking (Sous vide) is an example of low temperature precision cooking, where low temperature cooking may refer to cooking at a temperature below the boiling point of water. The vacuum cooking process places the food product to be cooked in a water-tight and possibly air-tight container, which is sealed and submerged in a water bath maintained at a constant selected temperature, preferably controlled to within 0.1 degrees celsius of the selected cooking temperature. Vacuum retort cooking can better retain food flavor and nutritional value compared to high temperature cooking methods.

It can be difficult to control the water bath to remain constant over a relatively narrow temperature range. Furthermore, there may be a safety risk for personnel working near the hot water bath who may inadvertently come into contact with the hot water. After the food product reaches the desired cooking temperature and is cooked sufficiently to be safe for consumption, it may still be preferable to brown the food product to enhance flavor and surface texture and improve the visual appeal of the food product.

Disclosure of Invention

An apparatus for heating food products includes a low temperature cooking vessel formed of two hot fluid vessels. An example of a hot fluid container comprises a heat transfer plate and a flexible panel attached to the heat transfer plate, wherein a water-tight fluid chamber is formed between the flexible panel and the heat transfer plate.

The apparatus further includes a base configured to removably attach a first hot fluid container and a lid; a lid is movably coupled to the base, the lid configured to movably attach a second hot fluid container. When the first and second hot fluid containers are pressed together by closing the lid against the base, a sealed chamber for cooking food is formed in the cryogenic cooking container. The base is separated from the cover to separate the first hot fluid container from the second hot fluid container, thereby opening the cryogenic cooking container.

The apparatus may further include a first high temperature cooking plate configured for removable attachment to the base after removal of the first hot fluid container and a second high temperature cooking plate configured for removable attachment to the lid after removal of the second hot fluid container. At least one of the first high temperature cooking plate and the second high temperature cooking plate includes an integrally formed heating element configured for high temperature cooking. The base may optionally include a heating element positioned to heat the first high temperature cooking plate. The lid may optionally include a heating element positioned to heat the second high temperature cooking plate.

The container heating element may optionally be formed as an integral part of the flexible panel in at least one of the first and second hot fluid containers. The container heating element may alternatively be positioned inside the fluid chamber or attached to a surface of the flexible panel.

The apparatus can also include a controller electrically connected to the vessel heating elements in the first and second hot fluid vessels. A temperature sensor may optionally be electrically connected to the controller, wherein the temperature sensor is positioned to measure a temperature on the high temperature cooking plate. A second temperature sensor may optionally be electrically connected to the controller, wherein the second temperature sensor may be positioned on the low temperature cooking vessel to measure the temperature within the fluid chamber.

The apparatus may optionally include a motor electrically connected to the controller and an agitator configured to be rotated by the motor, wherein the agitator is rotatably coupled to the heat transfer plate in at least one of the first and second thermal fluid containers, and the agitator is positioned to agitate the fluid in the fluid chamber.

The controller may be configured to detect the presence of a high temperature cooking plate and a hot fluid container in the base and lid, and to control the base heating element, the lid heating element, and the container heating element in response to the detected results.

When the lid is lowered onto the base, a food chamber for receiving food to be heated is formed between the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container. A water-tight seal is formed between the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container by a gasket surrounding the food contacting surface on each container. The gaskets on the first hot fluid container and the second hot fluid container may optionally be configured to allow air to escape from the food chamber when the lid is lowered onto the base.

The example apparatus may optionally include a vacuum pump in fluid communication with the food chamber, wherein the flexible panel on the first hot fluid container is pulled toward the flexible panel on the second hot fluid container by operation of the vacuum pump.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the top and side of an example of a food preparation appliance with the lid moved away from the base by operation of a hinged handle to show an example of a food contacting surface on a hot fluid container removably attached to the base, wherein a second hot fluid container is removably attached to the lid.

Fig. 2 illustrates the exemplary appliance of fig. 1, wherein the lid is pressed down on the base to form a low temperature cooking vessel by pressing a hot fluid container in the base against a hot fluid container in the lid to form a food chamber between the containers.

Fig. 3 is a front view of an example of the appliance shown in fig. 1-2.

Fig. 4 is a side view of an example of the appliance shown in fig. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the base and lid of the previous figures, with the lid lifted away from the base and the heating element in the base exposed by removal of the hot fluid container.

Fig. 6 is a view of the top surface of the lid facing the appliance, showing the location of the cross-sectional views in the other figures.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view a-a of the appliance closed as in fig. 4. The position and viewing direction for this cross-section is marked with the hatching a-a in fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an example of a food contact surface on a flexible panel attached to a rigid side wall of a heat transfer plate from a hot fluid container.

FIG. 9 is a view of a food contacting surface facing the example hot fluid container shown in FIG. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view toward the front side of the example hot fluid container shown in fig. 8-9.

Fig. 11 is a side view of the example thermal fluid container shown in fig. 8-10.

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of an example of a low temperature cooking vessel formed by an upper hot fluid vessel in contact with a lower hot fluid vessel.

Fig. 13 is a view toward the top side of the example cryogenic cooking vessel shown in fig. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view B-B of the upper and lower hot fluid containers separated by a void space corresponding to a food chamber for receiving food to be heated. The position and viewing direction for this cross-sectional view is marked in figure 13 with the section line B-B.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view C-C of the example appliance of the previous figures showing an example of two high temperature cooking plates replacing the two hot fluid containers of the previous figures.

Fig. 16 shows a view toward a food contacting surface formed with optional channels on an example high temperature cooking plate.

FIG. 17 is a side view of the example high temperature cooking plate shown in FIG. 16, illustrating an example of a latch mechanism for retaining the high temperature cooking plate and hot fluid container in the base.

Fig. 18 is a block diagram illustrating examples of electrical components and electrical connections in some embodiments of a cooking appliance.

Detailed Description

Cooking appliances provide for the cooking of food by exposing the food to pairs of opposing food contacting surfaces that are heated to a relatively low temperature by contact with a heat transfer fluid such as water or oil. The heat transfer fluid is held in a liquid-tight hot fluid container and is heated by a heating element that maintains the temperature of the fluid, food contact surface and hence the food product within a narrow range of selected cooking temperatures. The food to be cooked is held in a food chamber between two hot fluid containers pressed against each other to form a low temperature cooking vessel, one of which is removably held in the lid of the appliance and the other of which is located in the base. The hot fluid containers are sealed to each other when the lid is closed onto the base. When the food product has been cooked to a selected doneness, the food product can be removed from the low temperature cooking vessel formed by the two hot fluid containers by lifting the lid from the base to open the food chamber between the containers. The two hot fluid vessels forming the low temperature cooking vessel may be replaced by pairs of high temperature cooking plates that may be heated sufficiently to burn or brown the food.

Thus, low temperature cooking for retaining flavor and nutritional value and high temperature cooking for providing better texture and visual appearance of food products can be achieved by a single appliance. Furthermore, because the heat transfer fluid is contained within a sealed container, a user of the appliance is not exposed to the hot fluid when placing food into the container or removing cooked food from the container. Embodiments of the disclosed cooking appliance provide the advantages of vacuum cooking over conventional vacuum cooking devices without burning nearby people from hot dipping baths.

Fig. 1-5 show views of an example cooking appliance embodiment 100 configured for low temperature cooking. The lower housing 102, also referred to as base 102, is movably coupled to the upper housing or cover 101, such as by a handle 706, although other methods for coupling the cover and base are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The handle may be rotatably connected to the base and lid by a hinge 103. The lid and base are preferably coupled to one another in a manner that allows objects of different thicknesses to be placed between the lid and base, such as: food, high temperature cooking plates, and low temperature containers. By lowering the lid towards the base, a hot fluid container 702 mounted in the lid is pressed against another hot fluid container 704 in the base, as shown in the example of fig. 2. A gasket 110 on each of the upper and lower hot fluid containers seals the food product to be cooked into the space between the containers. The gasket is shaped to allow air to be expelled from the space between the containers when the lid is closed, thereby forming a liquid-tight seal around the food product during low temperature cooking. The upper heat transfer plate 104 forms part of an upper hot fluid vessel 702 in the lid. The lower heat transfer plate 105 forms part of a lower thermal fluid vessel 704 in the base. The heat transfer plates distribute thermal energy evenly and efficiently to the thermal fluid held in the fluid chambers in the thermal fluid container. The latch release 710 in the base and the other latch release 710 in the lid can be operated to remove the hot fluid container from the appliance for cleaning or installing the high temperature cooking plate.

Fig. 3-4 show example views of a closure appliance in which an upper hot fluid container 702 and a lower hot fluid container 704 are in contact with each other and sealed to each other by a pair of opposing gaskets 110 that surround a food chamber formed between the container hot fluid containers (702, 704). The electrical connection between the base and the cover may be made through a flexible multi-conductor cable 708.

The base and lid each house a heating element as shown in the example of figure 5. In the example of fig. 5, the heating elements (106, 107) are visible because the removable upper and lower thermal containers (702, 704) and upper and lower high temperature cooking plates 742 have been removed from the appliance 100. The heating elements 107 in the base and 106 in the lid can be controlled for high and low temperature cooking.

Section a-a in fig. 7 from the example apparatus 100 of fig. 6 shows an example of some internal details of the appliance embodiment 100. The appliance 100 is shown configured for low temperature cooking, wherein the upper hot fluid container 702 is removably retained in the lid 101 and the lower hot fluid container 704 is removably retained in the base 102. The upper and lower hot fluid containers are examples of two portions of a movable hot fluid filled flexible container 108. The components mounted in the base include a lower heating element 107 positioned to contact a lower heat transfer plate 105 or a high temperature cooking plate 742 in the hot fluid container (see fig. 15). The lower heating element 107 may alternatively be formed as an integral part of the high temperature cooking plate.

A liquid-tight electrical connector having a fixed portion 724 and a movable portion 722 provides an electrical connection from the electronic controller 112 (see fig. 18) in the base 102 to a thermal fluid temperature sensor 606 positioned to measure the temperature of the thermal fluid in the fluid chamber 109 of the thermal fluid container (702, 704). In some embodiments of the appliance 100, an optional electric motor 303 in the base is removably coupled to the agitator 302 in the fluid chamber 109 by a fluid-tight sealing and drive coupling 748. In other embodiments, the motor and agitator may be magnetically or inductively coupled to each other without a direct mechanical connection. In further embodiments, the motor and agitator may be omitted. The heating element 107 may be mounted in a base or may alternatively be provided as an integral part of the heat transfer plate 105. A hot fluid fill cap 716 is provided for filling the fluid chamber 109 of the hot fluid container on the base and removing hot fluid such as oil or water from the fluid chamber 109.

In the lid 101, another temperature sensor 604 may be positioned to read the temperature of the food being prepared. The electrical connection between the controller 112 and the sensor 604 may be made through another fluid-tight electrical connector (722, 724). The heating element 106 may be mounted in the cover or may alternatively be provided as an integral part of the heat transfer plate 104. A hot fluid fill cap 716 is provided for filling the fluid chamber 109 of the cryogenic cooking vessel in the lid and removing hot fluid such as oil or water from the fluid chamber 109.

In the example of fig. 7, the food product to be cooked is placed between the flexible panels 736 of the hot fluid container in the base and the corresponding flexible panels in the hot fluid container in the lid, the space between the flexible panels 736 corresponding to the food chamber 718 (see fig. 14). Liquid accumulated in the food chamber may be drawn through a conduit 730 coupled to the drip receiver 726 with the cover 728. The liquid may be drawn off by a vacuum pump 624 mounted in the base or alternatively in the lid, or an external vacuum pump draw may be connected to the drip receiver. The gasket 110 on each of the upper and lower hot fluid containers contact each other to form a liquid tight seal around the food chamber between the containers. The gasket is configured to allow air to escape from the food chamber when the lid is closed on the base, and to form a liquid-tight seal when the lid is closed. Food cooked in the food chamber 718 may be removed from the chamber by lifting the lid off the base, unsealing the gaskets 110 from each other, and exposing the food to view.

An example of a cryogenic cooking vessel 108 comprising two hot fluid vessels, an upper vessel 702 and a lower vessel 704 is shown in fig. 9-14. The rigid side walls 740 are attached to the heat transfer plates (104, 105) or alternatively formed as an integral part of the heat transfer plates (104, 105). The heat transfer plates and the side walls may be made of a metal having good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum, steel, stainless steel, etc. Flexible panel 736 is sealed to the sidewalls to form fluid chamber 109 inside the container. The flexible panel may be made of silicone rubber or other flexible, food-safe material capable of sustained exposure to hot fluids of heat, salt, oil, water, grease from food, and the like. The exposed surface of the flexible panel 736 provides a food contact surface 732 against which food product is placed during cooking. Passages 738 may optionally be formed in the food-contact surface 744 to allow liquid to drain from the food being cooked. The area 734 for placing food may be formed to be more flexible than other portions of the flexible panel to allow the area 734 to more easily follow the surface of the food item in the food chamber 718. Gasket 110 surrounds the outer edge of flexible panel 736.

Some details of the example low temperature cooking vessel 700 including the food chamber 718, the upper hot fluid container 702, and the lower hot fluid container 704 are shown in cross-section in fig. 14. The container wall 501A is joined to or formed as an integral part of heat transfer plates (104, 105), with fluid chamber 109 formed between flexible panel 736 and the heat transfer plates. The container heating element 720 may be formed as an integral part of the flexible panel, or may alternatively be positioned inside the fluid chamber 109. The space between the flexible panels 736 surrounded by the gasket 110 on each container forms a food chamber 718 for holding food items to be cooked. In embodiments with an optional vacuum pump, the flexible panels may be pulled toward each other by partially evacuating the food chamber 718 to make intimate contact with the food being pumped.

Fig. 15 illustrates an example of an appliance embodiment 100, the appliance embodiment 100 configured for high temperature cooking, such as cauterization or browning of food items. In the example of fig. 15, the low temperature cooking vessel 108 has been removed from the appliance 100 and replaced by an upper high temperature cooking plate 742 and a lower high temperature cooking plate 742. Opposing food contacting surfaces 744 on each plate 742 define the food cavity 718. When a food item is placed on the lower plate in the food chamber 718, the lid may be lowered to bring the upper plate into contact with the food item to allow both sides of the food item to be grilled, browned, or burned at the same time. As shown in the example of fig. 16, the high temperature cooking plate 742 may be formed with a channel 746 to allow liquid to drain from the food and to form a pattern of barbeque marks on the food. Some embodiments of the high temperature cooking plate 742 omit the channels 746 and instead have a flat top surface that serves as a bakeware.

Fig. 17 shows an example of latch arms positioned to capture and retain a high temperature cooking plate 742 or hot fluid container (702, 704) in the base. The second latch arm is positioned on an opposite side of the base. A similar arrangement of latch arms is provided in the cover. Each latch arm is activated by pressing against latch releases 710 on the base and the exterior of the cover. The latch arms capture ridges 712 formed along the outer walls of the heat transfer plates (104, 105) and along the outer edges of the high temperature cooking plate 742.

The upper and lower high temperature cooking plates 742 and the upper and lower hot fluid containers 702, 704 may alternatively be removably coupled to the lid and base by spring clips, clamps, capture bolts, and other means for removable mechanical connection.

An example of the electrical components and electrical connections in appliance embodiment 100 are shown in the block diagram of fig. 18. The electronic controller 112 includes a processor 632 implemented in hardware, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller, and a memory device 634 in data communication with the processor. Some of the memory 634 may be non-volatile memory that retains information when power is removed. The components that send electrical signals to the processor include a lid closed detector 600, a heat transfer plate type detector 602, a plate temperature sensor 604, and a thermal fluid temperature sensor 606. For detected heat transfer plate type 608, one or more status displays and/or indicators provide information to a user of the appliance regarding available cooking options, a temperature display 610, e.g., a desired set point temperature or a measured temperature of the food product being cooked, and a status indicator 612 for the cooking process, e.g., a cooking time setting, an error condition such as no heat transfer plate or no heat transfer liquid being detected in the fluid chamber, a remaining cooking time, a thermal surface indicator, etc.

Control inputs may be provided to allow a user of the appliance to select time and temperature parameters, such as a set point temperature 614 for cooking, a cooking duration 616 at the set point temperature, and a cauterization preference 618, i.e., a desired degree of cauterization. Other user-selectable parameters that may be sent to the processor 632 include the type of food being cooked 620, such as beef, chicken, vegetables, etc.; and a desired doneness 622 for the food product, such as triple-cooked, half-cooked, full-cooked, and the like.

In response to detecting lid closure 600, detecting the type of heat transfer plate present (e.g., a low temperature cooking vessel or a high temperature cooking plate), user input parameters, and system status and/or error conditions, controller 112 may direct operation of lid, base, vacuum pump 624, stirrer 626 and heating element 628 in the low temperature cooking vessel, and heating element 630 in the high temperature cooking plate.

Unless otherwise explicitly stated herein, ordinary terms have their corresponding ordinary meanings in the corresponding contexts of their representations and ordinary technical terms have their corresponding ordinary meanings.