U.S. patent number RE31,833 [Application Number 06/544,025] was granted by the patent office on 1985-02-19 for food cooking apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Arthur D. Little, Inc.. Invention is credited to Herbert H. Loeffler, Samuel W. Tishler.
United States Patent |
RE31,833 |
Loeffler , et al. |
February 19, 1985 |
Food cooking apparatus
Abstract
An automatic cooking apparatus wherein a rotating wide-mouthed
vessel closed with a lid is supported in a stationary,
handle-equipped basket frame by the frame and the lid which engages
driving means. Heating means are provided along a portion of the
vessel circumference and are controlled to maintain food contained
within the vessel at a predetermined temperature for a preset time.
Means are provided to sense the temperature of the cooking food and
to generate a signal to which both temperature controlling and
timing means are responsive. In one embodiment of the apparatus
microprocessing control means are used to achieve a desired cooking
protocol.
Inventors: |
Loeffler; Herbert H.
(Arlington, MA), Tishler; Samuel W. (Bolton, MA) |
Assignee: |
Arthur D. Little, Inc.
(Cambridge, MA)
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Family
ID: |
26822199 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/544,025 |
Filed: |
October 21, 1983 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
124091 |
Feb 25, 1980 |
04304177 |
Dec 8, 1981 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
99/332; 219/433;
366/220; 99/340; 99/342; 99/348; 99/427; 99/447 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J
37/047 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47J
37/04 (20060101); A47J 027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;99/333,341,395,401,409,427,331,332,342,348,447 ;366/219,220
;364/477 ;219/433 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Bill Bell and Deene Ogden, `Single-chip Microprocessor Rules the
Roast,` Electronics, Dec. 9, 1976, pp. 105-110..
|
Primary Examiner: Coe; Philip R.
Assistant Examiner: Dahlberg; Arthur D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Seidel, Gonda & Goldhammer
Claims
We claim:
1. An automatic food cooker comprising
(a) an open-mouthed, rotatable cooking vessel, the bottom of which
has a centrally positioned internally directed indentation;
(b) driving means to rotate said vessel;
(c) vessel lid means arranged to be directly engageable with said
driving means to rotate said vessel;
(d) housing means having a drive housing end in which said driving
means is located, being configured to envelope a portion of the
circumference of said vessel when engaged for rotation, and having
a heat reflective surface facing said vessel;
(e) vessel heating means mounted in said housing means;
(f) basket frame means surrounding said vessel and having a
longitudinally extending handle, means to engage said basket frame
means with said housing means to lock said vessel into engagement
with said drive means, and a centrally positioned bottom projection
engageable with the wall of said vessel indentation, whereby the
engagement of said basket frame projection and said vessel
indentation in conjunction with the engagement of said lid means
with said drive means provides support for said vessel during
rotation;
(g) temperature sensing means including a temperature probe
extending from said drive housing through said lid means to sense
the temperature of food within said vessel and to develop a signal
indicative of said temperature; and
(h) programable temperature/elapsed time control means responsive
to said temperature to control said heater means.
2. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said vessel is
formed of heat resistive glass and has internal longitudinal lands
in its wall.
3. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means to engage
said basket frame means with said housing means comprises
oppositely disposed locking keyways cut in said housing means and
oppositely disposed key pins affixed to said basket frame means to
engage said locking keyways.
4. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means to engage
said basket frame means with said housing means comprises a latch
member pivotally mounted in said handle for engaging a notch in
said housing.
5. A cooker in accordance with claim 4 wherein said latch member is
also arranged to hold said vessel in said basket frame when said
basket frame is removed from said housing.
6. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 including vessel holding
means associated with the top of said handle and arranged to be
engaged with the rim of said vessel thereby to hold said vessel in
said basket frame means when said vessel is oriented for pouring
therefrom.
7. A cooker in accordance with claim 6 wherein said vessel holding
means comprises retractable clip means.
8. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said driving means
comprises
(1) a drive flange configured to engage said lid means, rotatable
around said temperature probe and having sealing means for
preventing the introduction of cooking vapor into said drive
housing, said drive flange having means to engage said lid
means;
(2) motor means; and
(3) gear means to drivingly engage said drive flange and said motor
means.
9. A cooker in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means to engage
said lid means comprises oppositely disposed engaging pins
extending axially from said drive flange and arranged to engage
oppositely disposed radially extending pins in said lid means.
10. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lid means
comprises
(1) a central core section having a central axial opening through
which said temperature probe extends to define an annular
passage;
(2) radial passages through said core section providing fluid
communication between the interior of said vessel by way of said
annular passage and the atmosphere; and
(3) peripheral sealing means for frictionally engaging the internal
wall of said vessel.
11. A cooker in accordance with claim 10 wherein said central core
section has radially extending engaging pins arranged to engage
pins axially extending from said driving means.
12. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing means
includes supporting means to position said vessel at a small angle
with respect to the horizontal.
13. A cooker in accordance with claim 12 wherein said supporting
means are adjustable to attain a predetermined angle.
14. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing means
includes end plate means and said housing envelopes up to about
180.degree. of the circumference of said vessel.
15. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing means
comprises
(1) a central housing member formed of an outer arcuate wall
providing said heat reflective surface with upper and lower
extension walls joined to said arcuate wall;
(2) inner arcuate end bands defining with said central housing
member oppositely disposed sections of an annular spacing; and
(3) heating means support plates located within said annular
spacing sections.
16. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said programable
temperature/elapsed time control means comprises
(1) timer means; and
(2) relay means responsive to said temperature signal and arranged
to actuate said timer means when said temperature sensing means
detects the attainment of a predetermined temperature, whereby said
elapsed time is measured from said attainment of said
temperature.
17. A cooker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said programable
temperature/elapsed time control means comprises
(1) microprocessor means incorporating A/D converter means and an
internal clock;
(2) power controller means connected to said temperature sensing
means through said A/D converter means and arranged to actuate and
control said driving means and said heating means;
(3) means to control said internal clock; and
(4) means to program said microprocessor to perform through said
power controller means a predetermined temperature/elapsed time
cooking protocol.
18. A cooker in accordance with claim 17 wherein said means to
program said microprocessor comprises a magnetic stripe or bar code
reader to read a magnetic stripe or bar code affixed to a card
substrate, a hand or voice operable panel, or a combination of said
reader and said panel.
19. A cooker in accordance with claim 18 wherein said
microprocessor incorporates a plurality of read-only memories, at
least some of which contain stored therein accessible programs for
different cooking protocols.
20. An automatic food cooker comprising a rotatable, open-mouthed
cooking vessel, means to support said vessel for rotation, lid
means to close said vessel, housing means, heater means external of
said vessel and mounted in said housing means to apply thermal
energy to food contained within said vessel, driving means to
rotate said vessel, means to sense the temperature of said food and
to develop a temperature signal indicative of said temperature, and
programable temperature/elapsed time control means responsive to
said signal to control said heater means, characterized in that
said lid means is directly engageable with said driving means to
rotate said vessel; the bottom of said vessel has a centrally
positioned internally directed indentation; and said means to
support said vessel for rotation comprises
(a) basket frame means surrounding said vessel and having a
longitudinally extending handle, means to engage and lock said
basket frame means into said housing means and thus to lock said
vessel into engagement with said drive means, and a centrally
positioned bottom projection engageable with the wall of said
vessel indentation; and
(b) said lid means when engaged with said drive means.
21. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said means to
engage and lock said basket frame means into said housing means
comprises oppositely disposed locking keyways cut in said housing
means and oppositely disposed key pins affixed to said basket frame
means to engage said locking keyways.
22. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said means to
engage and lock said basket frame means with said housing means
comprises a latch member pivotally mounted in said handle for
engaging a notch in said housing.
23. A cooker in accordance with claim 22 wherein said latch member
is also arranged to hold said vessel in said basket frame when said
basket frame is removed from said housing.
24. A cooker in accordance with claim 22 including vessel holding
means associated with the top of said handle and arranged to be
engaged with the rim of said vessel thereby to hold said vessel in
said basket frame means when said vessel is oriented for pouring
therefrom.
25. A cooker in accordance with claim 24 wherein said vessel
holding means comprises retractable clip means.
26. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 further characterized in
that said driving means comprises
(1) a drive flange configured to engage said lid means, rotatable
around said temperature probe and having sealing means for
preventing the introduction of cooking vapor into said drive
housing, said drive flange having means to engage said lid
means;
(2) motor means; and
(3) gear means to drivingly engage said drive flange and said motor
means.
27. A cooker in accordance with claim 26 wherein said driving means
is directly engagable with said lid means through oppositely
disposed engaging pins extending axially from said drive flange and
arranged to engage oppositely disposed radially extending pins in
said lid means.
28. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said lid means is
further characterized as comprising
(1) a central core section having a central axial opening through
which said temperature probe extends to define an annular
passage;
(2) radial passages through said core section providing fluid
communication between the interior of said vessel and the
atmosphere; and
(3) peripheral sealing means for frictionally engaging the internal
wall of said vessel.
29. A cooker in accordance with claim 28 wherein said central core
section has radially extending engaging pins arranged to engage
pins axially extending from said driving means.
30. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said housing means
are further characterized as including supporting means to position
said vessel at a small angle with respect to the horizontal.
31. A cooker in accordance with claim 30 wherein said supporting
means are adjustable to attain a predetermined angle.
32. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said housing means
are further characterized as including end plate means and said
housing envelopes up to about 180.degree. of the circumference of
said vessel.
33. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said housing means
are further characterized as comprising
(1) a central housing member formed of an outer arcuate wall
providing a heat reflective surface directed toward said vessel
with upper and lower extension walls joined to said arcuate
wall;
(2) inner arcuate end bands defining with said central housing
member oppositely disposed sections of an annular spacing; and
(3) heating means support plates located within said annular
spacing sections.
34. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said programable
temperature/elapsed time control means are further characterized as
comprising
(1) timer means; and
(2) relay means responsive to said temperature signal and arranged
to activate said timer means when said temperature sensing means
detects the attainment of a predetermined temperature, whereby said
elapsed time is measured from said attainment of said
temperature.
35. A cooker in accordance with claim 20 wherein said programable
temperature/elapsed time control means are further characterized as
comprising
(1) microprocessor means incorporating A/D converter means and an
internal clock;
(2) power controller means connected to said temperature sensing
means through said A/D converter means and arranged to actuate and
control said driving means and said heater means;
(3) means to control said internal clock; and
(4) means to program said microprocessor to perform through said
power controller means a predetermined temperature/elapsed time
cooking protocol.
36. A cooker in accordance with claim 35 wherein said means to
program said microprocessor comprises a magnetic stripe or bar code
reader to read a magnetic stripe or bar code affixed to a card
substrate, a hand or voice operable panel, or a combination of said
reader and said panel.
37. A cooker in accordance with claim 36 wherein said
microprocessor incorporates a plurality of read only memories at
least some of which contain stored therein accessible programs for
different cooking protocols. .Iadd.
38. In a cooker of the type having an open-mouthed, rotatable
cooking vessel, drive means for rotating said vessel about its
longitudinal axis, lid means for closing the open mouth of the
vessel and containing an air vent, heating means adjacent and
exterior to said vessel for applying heat to said vessel and its
contents, and temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature
of the gases in the vessel and generating a temperature signal
indicative of said temperature, a control apparatus comprising:
(a) a microprocessor means having an internal clock for measuring
elapsed time,
(b) power controller means responsive to said temperature sensing
means and arranged to actuate and control said heating means,
(c) switch means responsive to said temperature sensing means to
control said internal clock, and
(d) means to program said microprocessor means to perform through
said power controller means a predetermined temperature/elapsed
time cooking protocol, said means to program said microprocessor
further comprising a magnetic stripe or bar code reader to read a
magnetic stripe or bar code affixed to a card substrate, a hand or
voice operable panel, or a combination of said reader and said
panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
39. In a cooker of the type having an open-mouthed, rotatable
cooking vessel, drive means for rotating said vessel about its
longitudinal axis, lid means for closing the open mouth of the
vessel and containing an air vent, heating means adjacent and
exterior to said vessel for applying heat to said vessel and its
contents, and temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature
of the gases in the vessel and generating a temperature signal
indicative of said temperature, a control apparatus comprising:
(a) microprocessor means having an internal clock for measuring
elapsed time and having a plurality of read-only memories, at least
some of which contain stored therein accessible programs for
different protocols,
(b) power controller means responsive to said temperature sensing
means and arranged to actuate and control said heating means,
(c) switch means responsive to said temperature sensing means to
control said internal clock, and
(d) means to program said microprocessor means to perform through
said power controller means a predetermined temperature/elapsed
time cooking protocol, said means to program said microprocessor
further comprising a magnetic stripe or bar code reader to read a
magnetic stripe or bar code affixed to a card substrate, a hand or
voice operable panel, or a combination of said reader and said
panel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
40. An automatic food cooker comprising:
(a) an open-mouthed, rotatable cooking vessel of transparent heat
resistive material and having internal longitudinal lands in its
wall,
(b) driving means to rotate said vessel,
(c) vessel lid means having an air vent,
(d) housing means having a drive housing in which said driving
means is located, being configured to envelop a portion of the
circumference of said vessel when engaged for rotation, and having
a heat reflective surface facing said vessel, said housing means
including adjustable supporting means to position said vessel at a
predetermined acute angle with respect to the horizontal,
(e) vessel heating means mounted in said housing means,
(f) means to lock said vessel into engagement with said drive
means,
(g) temperature sensing means including a temperature probe
supported by said lid means to sense the temperature of gases
within said vessel and to develop a signal indicative of said
temperature,
(h) microprocessor means having an internal clock,
(i) power control means responsive to said temperature sensing
means and arranged to actuate and control said heating means,
(j) means to control said internal clock and
(k) voice operable panel means to program said microprocessor means
to perform through said power controller means a predetermined
temperature/elapsed time cooking protocol. .Iaddend. .Iadd.
41. An automatic food cooker comprising:
(a) an open-mouthed, rotatable cooking vessel of transparent heat
resistive material and having internal longitudinal lands in its
wall,
(b) driving means to rotate said vessel,
(c) vessel lid means having an air vent,
(d) housing means having a drive housing in which said driving
means is located, being configured to envelop a portion of the
circumference of said vessel when engaged for rotation, and having
a heat reflective surface facing said vessel, said housing means
including adjustable supporting means to position said vessel at a
predetermined acute angle with respect to the horizontal,
(e) vessel heating means mounted in said housing means,
(f) means to lock said vessel into engagement with said drive
means,
(g) temperature sensing means including a temperature probe
supported by said lid means to sense the temperature of gases
within said vessel and to develop a signal indicative of said
temperature,
(h) microprocessor means having an internal clock,
(i) power control means responsive to said temperature sensing
means and arranged to actuate and control said heating means,
(j) means to control said internal clock and
(k) means to program said microprocessor means to perform through
said power controller means a predetermined temperature/elapsed
time cooking protocol, further comprising a combination of a
magnetic stripe or bar code reader to read a magnetic stripe or bar
code affixed to a card substrate and a hand-operated panel.
.Iaddend. .Iadd.
42. An automatic food cooker comprising:
(a) an open-mouthed, rotatable cooking vessel of transparent heat
resistive material and having internal longitudinal lands in its
wall,
(b) driving means to rotate said vessel,
(c) vessel lid means having an air vent,
(d) housing means having a drive housing in which said driving
means is located, being configured to envelop a portion of the
circumference of said vessel when engaged for rotation, and having
a heat reflective surface facing said vessel, said housing means
including adjustable supporting means to position said vessel at a
predetermined acute angle with respect to the horizontal,
(e) vessel heating means mounted in said housing means,
(f) means to lock said vessel into engagement with said drive
means,
(g) temperature sensing means including a temperature probe
supported by said lid means to sense the temperature of gases
within said vessel and to develop a signal indicative of said
temperature,
(h) microprocessor means having an internal clock,
(i) power control means responsive to said temperature sensing
means and arranged to actuate and control said heating means,
(j) means to control said internal clock and
(k) means to program said microprocessor means to perform through
said power controller means a predetermined temperature/elapsed
time cooking protocol, further comprising a combination of a
magnetic stripe or bar code reader to read a magnetic stripe or bar
code affixed to a card substrate and a voice-operated panel.
.Iaddend.
Description
This invention relates to food cooking apparatus and more
particularly to apparatus of the type wherein the food to be cooked
is placed within a rotating vessel that is exposed to an external
heat source to produce a predetermined temperature within the
vessel for a preset time.
The ability to precisely control the temperature of foods being
cooked as well as the time of cooking them has long been recognized
as the ultimate goal in preparing foods simply, economically and
consistently well. Since foods being cooked represent a mass (i.e.,
a liquid of varying viscosity, a solid, or a mixture of these) of
generally poor heat transfer qualities, it is also necessary for
the successful preparation of foods to be able to achieve uniform
heating throughout the mass, normally by stirring. Finally, in some
cooking protocols it may be necessary or desirable to achieve a
predetermined temperature cycling, e.g., slow or rapid heating
followed by a period of uniform temperature and terminated by slow
or rapid cooling. Such protocols are difficult if not impossible to
achieve for the average cook, who finds it hard enough to keep food
from sticking and perhaps burning.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,048,473 and 4,120,981 there are disclosed a
cooking machine and a cooking method designed to cook a wide
variety of foods rapidly, simply, efficiently, tastefully and
largely automatically. The apparatus and method disclosed in U.S.
Pat. Nos. 4,048,473 and 4,120,981 attain a uniform desired
temperature throughout the food mass, eliminate stirring, and make
possible the preparation of such diverse dishes as beef stroganoff,
asparagus with hollandaise sauce, french fried potatoes, egg dishes
and souffles to be cooked as one-step operations. The cooking
machine of this prior art comprises a rotatable, inclined cooking
vessel having a removable cap with a central, vapor discharging
opening near which or through which a temperature probe is located.
The vessel is rotated past a heating element by an electric motor.
A timing mechanism initiated by signals from the temperature probe
turns off the electric motor and heating element after a preset
time.
Two apparatus embodiments are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No.
4,048,473. In the first of these, shown in FIGS. 1-5 of the patent,
the cooking vessel is placed within an essentially closed
cylindrical housing having a small window for viewing the vessel
contents during cooking. The vessel is supported within the housing
on bearings at its capped end and by the drive motor shaft keyed to
its bottom end. Thus, although the vessel has an adequate support
during rotation, it is difficult (if not impossible) to visually
inspect the food during cooking, it is very difficult to remove the
hot vessel from the housing when cooking is complete and it is
necessary to hold the vessel, normally with both hands, in moving
it and discharging its contents.
The second apparatus embodiment of U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,473, shown
in FIGS. 6-8 of that patent, provides a heat reflective housing
supporting heating coils and enveloping up to about 120.degree. of
the circumference of the cooking vessel. The vessel is supported on
two idler wheels and two motor driven gears driving a central gear
affixed to the cap of the vessel. The vessel may have a dovetail
ring affixed to its external surface to which a handle may be
attached when the vessel is not rotating. Thus, although this
second embodiment makes it possible to use a glass cooking vessel
that permits full visual inspection of the food contained within,
this advantage is achieved at the expense of an adequate, stable
support system; for the two idler wheels and the two gears provide
no assurance that the hot vessel and its contents would remain
safely positioned and not be subject to dislodgment by bumping or
jarring. A ring is disclosed for attaching a handle, but this
involves the necessity to keep at hand a loose part as well as the
need to perform another step in the use of the cooking
apparatus.
Therefore, although the cooker embodiments of U.S. Pat. No.
4,048,473, provide the means for efficiently cooking all manner of
dishes, the apparatus does not possess a preferred combination of
features: visual inspection of the food while cooking, a stable,
sturdy and accident-proof support system for the cooking vessel,
and a permanent continuously cool handle means for ease of engaging
and disengaging the cooking vessel and driving means for moving the
cooking vessel from place to place.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an
improved general purpose cooker capable of cooking a wide range of
foods easily, reliably and automatically by rotating the food in a
vessel while heating its contents and controlling the heat input to
control the temperature of the food during cooking. It is another
object to provide a cooker of the character described which may
incorporate a transparent cooking vessel (formed, for example, of
glass) permitting visual inspection of the cooking process and
which has a reliable, automatically alignable locking support means
for the vessel. It is yet another object to provide such a locking
support means which incorporates a nonrotating basket frame having
handle means to permit the cooking vessel to be put into and taken
from the cooker and to be moved around without touching the surface
of the vessel. An additional object is to provide means associated
with the handle to retain the vessel in the basket frame means
while pouring from the vessel.
Another primary object of the invention is to provide a cooker of
the character described which comprises a single compact unit,
which protectively seals off the driving means and all electronic
circuitry from cooking vapors and which is easily washed. Yet
another object is to provide an automatic cooker which permits the
ready exchange of cooking vessels so that different courses or
different parts of a single course can be cooked successively.
Still another primary object of this invention is to provide an
automatic cooker having accurate control of cooking times and
temperatures and being capable of carrying out a preset cooking
protocol. An additional object is to provide such an automatic
cooker incorporating microprocessor means activated and controlled
by an appropriate signal generating means such that once the
ingredients of a recipe are charged into the cooking vessel a
single actuation of the apparatus will suffice to perform the
protocol.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in
part be apparent hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,
combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be
exemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the
scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the
invention, reference should be had to the following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the cooker
of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the cooker of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the motor-drive end of the apparatus of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a transverse cross section of the cooker of FIG. 1 taken
through plane 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a modification of the motor-drive end of FIG. 4
illustrating the incorporation of means to adjust the angle of the
cooker to the horizontal;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are longitudinal and transverse cross sections of the
cooking vessel;
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross section of the lid of the cooking
vessel;
FIG. 9 is a partial end view of the lid of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a partial end view of a modification of the lid of FIG.
9 showing an alternate configuration for the means for engaging the
lid and driving means;
FIGS. 11 and 12 are side and top elevational views, respectively,
of the basket frame used in supporting the cooking vessel;
FIG. 13 is a partial longitudinal cross section of the basket frame
handle having retractable clip means for holding the vessel in the
basket frame while pouring from the cooking;
FIGS. 14 and 15 are cross sectional and top elevational views of a
modification of the basket frame handle arranged to serve as the
means to engage the basket frame with the housing as well as means
to hold vessel in the basket frame while pouring therefrom;
FIG. 16 is a traverse cross section of the cooker of FIG. 1 taken
through plane 16--16 of FIG. 1 with the cooking vessel removed to
show the driving means;
FIGS. 17 and 18 are cross sections through the driving housing,
essentially at right angles to each other, showing the driving
means and sensing and control means;
FIG. 19 is a circuit diagram for the temperature sensing and
controlling means and the vessel driving means;
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the cooker
of this invention;
FIG. 21 is a transverse cross section through plane 21--21 of FIG.
20;
FIG. 22 shows a recipe card for use with a microprocessor control
of the cooker of FIG. 20; and
FIG. 23 is a block circuit diagram, incorporating a microprocessor,
for automatically controlling a cooking protocol using the
apparatus of FIG. 20.
According to one aspect of this invention there is provided an
automatic food cooker comprising an open-mouthed, rotatable cooking
vessel, the bottom of which has a centrally positioned
internally-directed indentation; driving means to rotate the
vessel; vessel lid means arranged to be directly engageable with
the driving means to rotate the vessel; housing means having a
drive housing end in which the driving means is located, being
configured to envelope a portion of the circumference of the vessel
when engaged for rotation, and having a heat reflective surface
facing the vessel; vessel heating means mounted in the housing
means; basket frame means surrounding the vessel and having a
longitudinally extending handle; means to engage the basket frame
means with the housing means to lock the vessel into engagement
with the drive means, and a centrally positioned bottom projection
engageable with the wall of the vessel indentation, whereby the
engagement of the basket frame projection and the vessel
indentation in conjunction with the engagement of the lid means
with the drive means provides support for the vessel during
rotation; temperature sensing means including a temperature probe
extending from the drive housing through the lid means to sense the
temperature of food within the vessel and to develop a signal
indicative of the temperature; and programable temperature/elapsed
time control means responsive to the temperature signal to control
the heater means.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided an
automatic food cooker which incorporates microprocessing control
means programmable and/or programed to carry out a predetermined
cooking protocol for preparing a wide range of foods.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are side and top elevational views, respectively, of
one embodiment of the automatic cooker of this invention. Since the
various components of this cooker embodiment are shown in FIGS.
3-19, in which the same reference numerals are used to identify the
same components and their parts, reference should also be had to
those figures. The cooker of FIGS. 1 and 2 is formed of a housing
means 10, a wide-mouth cooking vessel 11, a cooking vessel basket
frame 12, and heating means 13 positioned along the internal wall
of the side of housing means 10.
Housing means 10 comprises a motor drive housing 15 terminating in
an end wall 16 which may, as shown in FIG. 3, have a cooker support
extension 17 of a height to maintain the cooker at a small (up to
about 15.degree.) angle with a horizontal surface 18 on which it
rests. Opposite the motor drive housing is an end wall 19 and the
two end walls 16 and 19 are joined by a central housing member 20
which is configured to envelope up to about 180.degree. of the
circumference of vessel 11 when placed in the housing. As will be
seen in the transverse cross sectional view of FIG. 4, central
housing member 20 is formed of an outer arcuate section 21 with an
upper extension wall 22 and lower extension wall 23. The internal
surface 24 of arcuate section 21 is heat reflective. At the two
ends of central housing member 20 are arcuate bands 25 and 26
defining a section of an essentially annular spacing 27 with
central housing walls 21, 22 and 23. A slotted support plate 28 is
positioned within this spacing to provide means to support heating
elements 29. These heating elements are preferably of a type which
rapidly develops radiant heat. Quartz tubes containing Nichrome
wire are exemplary of such elements. An identical arrangement is
provided at the drive housing end of the housing as will be seen in
FIG. 16. Thus heat is supplied directly and by reflection to the
contents within vessel 11 over something less than 90.degree. of
the circumference of the vessel as it is rotated.
The upper and lower extension walls 22 and 23 of the central
housing member have locking keyways 30 and 31 cut through them to
lock in the basket frame 12 holding cooking vessel 11 as described
in detail below. These keyways 30 and 31 are oppositely disposed at
the lower end of the walls which are cut away to permit key pins on
the basket frame to be inserted into the keyways.
It may be desirable to be able to adjust the angle at which the
cooker is positioned with respect to the horizontal. One way of
accomplishing this is to provide the motor drive housing end with
an adjustable foot means 35 shown in FIG. 5. This comprises a foot
36 having two or more notches 37 for engagement with pawl 38
pivotally mounted on housing 15. The foot 36 is arranged (through
any well known design not shown) to slide up and down in a groove
39 in the housing wall. It is also, of course, within the scope of
this invention to equip bottom end wall 19, instead of the motor
drive housing end, with an adjustable foot means.
Cooking vessel 11, shown in cross sections in FIGS. 6 and 7, is of
a wide-mouth type and is preferably formed of a transparent
material such as a heat resistive glass. Preferably, vessel 11 has
a rather pronounced flange 44 and two, oppositely disposed,
longitudinally (or helically) oriented, internal lands 45 which
provide means to tumble and stir the food and prevent it from
sticking. On the bottom of vessel 11 is an internally directed,
axially aligned indentation 46 arranged for engagement with a
similarly configured projection on the basket frame 12.
The cooking vessel 11 is driven through a lid 50, shown in cross
section in FIG. 8, which makes a friction fit through a sealing
ring 51 with the flanged end of the vessel. Lid 50 is designed to
engage a driving flange (FIGS. 17 and 18) and to provide cooking
vapor escape passage means. To this end, the lid 50 shown in FIGS.
8 and 9 is formed as a dish-shaped member 52 having a central core
member 53. Central core member 53 has an axially aligned passage 54
having a necked cross sectional configuration, the upper section 55
of which makes contact with the driving flange and the lower
section 56 of which allows for the passage of a temperature sensing
probe with ample annular clearance to define a cooking vapor
passage. Two oppositely disposed radial vapor discharge passages 57
are cut through the central core to provide communication between
the atmosphere and central passage 54 and hence the interior of
vessel 11. Affixed to the upper portion of central core 53 are
oppositely positioned radially directed driving pins 58 to engage
axially directed driving pins on the flange drive (FIG. 17).
FIG. 10 illustrates a modification of the drive engaging means
which may be used. In this modification, the central core 59,
rather than being circular, is square (of of any other appropriate
noncircular configuration), and the drive flange provides an
engaging well of the same configuration to achieve driving
engagement.
The cooking vessel is held and supported outside the cooker and
supported when placed in the cooker by a basket frame 12, as shown
in side and top elevational views in FIGS. 11 and 12. The basket
frame is formed of upper and lower rings 65 and 66 joined by three
equally-spaced, vertical members 67, 68 and 69, two of which are
metal rods 67 and 68 and the other of which is a metal strip 69 to
which a handle 70 is bolted. Extending radially inward from metal
strip 69 is a metal base strip 71 and from rods 67 and 68 are metal
base rods 72 and 73. The base strip and rods provide a support for
affixing an axially aligned projection 74 (formed for example of a
molded plastic) which supportingly engages indentation 46 of the
cooking vessel. Extending radially outward from lower ring 66 are
two oppositely disposed engaging pins 75 to serve as the keys for
locking basket frame 12, and hence cooking vessel 11, into the
housing. As will be detailed below in the description of FIGS. 14
and 15, engaging pins 75 represent but one means for engaging and
locking the basket frame into the housing.
The basket frame remains stationary throughout the cooking cycle
and handle 70 remains at room temperature allowing the hot cooking
vessel to be removed from the cooker in the basket frame. Inasmuch
as it may be desirable to pour hot food from the vessel, it may be
desirable to equip handle 70 with a means to hold vessel 11 in
frame 12 when the assembly is tipped at an angle. Retractable clip
76 shown in FIG. 13 is exemplary of such a means. By sliding clip
76 inwardly over flange 4 of the vessel, the vessel is held within
basket frame 12 allowing it to be tipped. Clip 76 is retracted to
the dotted line position, by sliding in a suitably designed groove
(not shown) when the vessel and basket frame are placed in the
cooker.
The basket frame 12 may be engaged with and locked into the housing
by means other than engaging pins 75 and locking keyways 30 and 31.
An alternative engaging means, illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15,
comprises a latch member 77 pivotally mounted through pin 78 in a
slot 79 cut in the upper end of handle 70. Latch member 77 is urged
inwardly toward vessel 11 by a torsion spring 80. When basket frame
12 is placed within the housing, latch member 77 is pulled back so
that it engages a suitably configured notch 81 cut in end wall 16.
This may also require some slight modification of motor drive
housing. This engagement of latch member 77 and notch 81 locks the
basket frame, and hence vessel 11, into the housing. Upon removal
of basket frame 12 from the housing, latch member 77 is urged
inwardly (as shown in the dotted lines) to extend over flange 44 of
vessel 11 to hold the vessel in the basket frame when it is tipped
to pour from it.
FIGS. 16-18 illustrate the driving means, temperature sensing means
and control means of the cooker; and FIG. 19 shows the circuit
diagram for their electrical connections. As noted above, motor
drive housing terminates in an end wall 16. To end wall 16 is
affixed housing member 85 which defines therewith an enclosed
volume 86 which is isolated from the atmosphere and from any
cooking vapors which may escape from vessel 11. Housing member 85
has the end configuration shown in FIG. 3.
As pointed out previously, vessel 11 is rotated through lid 50
which makes a friction seal through sealing ring 51 with the vessel
wall. To accomplish this rotation there is provided a drive flange
90 mounted in end plate 16 through a bearing 91. Drive flange 90
has a frustoconical section 92 sized to fit upper section 55 of lid
50 (FIG. 8); a driving flange 93 having oppositely disposed driving
pins 94, the axis of which are normal to those of driving pins 58
of the lid; and a cylindrical section 95. A vessel driving gear 96,
affixed to cylindrical section 95, engages driving gear 97 mounted
on shaft 98 of driving motor 99. Power to drive motor 99 is
supplied through electrical conduit 100.
The vessel drive arrangement described makes it possible to locate
the temperature sensing probe 110 coaxially with vessel 11, to
permit cooking vapors to escape from the vessel through radial
passages 57, and to seal housing volume 86 from the vapors through
a sealing ring 111 located in the cylindrical section 95 of the
flange drive means. Probe 110 extends into volume 86 and is held in
its central position by a probe support 112 bolted to end plate 16;
and the probe is connected to a bimetallic or other suitable type
of thermostat 113 equipped with a rotatable shaft 114 terminating
in an external knob 115 for setting it at a predetermined cooking
temperature. A timer 120, having a shaft 121 terminating in an
external knob 122, has a timer motor 123 which is electrically
connected to a power source 100 (FIG. 19) through a relay 124.
In operation, temperature knob 115 and timer knob 122 are set for
the desired cooking temperature and time. Once the timer is set,
main power switch 125 is automatically turned on and remains on
until the prescribed cooking time is elapsed at which time the
motor timer reopens it. Switch 127 which is a temperature switch
making up an integral part of thermostat 113 is normally closed
whereby the closing of switch 125 causes current to flow to the
heater 29 and the relay coil is connected across switch 127. When
switch 127 opens by virtue of the fact that the thermostat 113 has
come up to the desired temperature, the relay coil is energized and
switch 127 is flipped so that the coil of the relay is then
connected across the line and the relay is latched so that
thermostat switch 127 can open and close as is required to maintain
the desired temperature. With the flipping over of switch 126, the
timer motor 123 is started, i.e., timing begins when the desired
temperature is first attained. Switch 126 remains in the down
position for the remainder of the cooking cycle until the timer
opens switch 125, thus setting the relay switch 126 back to its
original position. It will be appreciated that the circuit of FIG.
19 is but one of many different circuits which can be used, that
illustrated being exemplary of one using all commercially available
components.
FIGS. 20-23 illustrate another embodiment of the cooker of this
invention. FIGS. 20 and 21 are perspective and cross sectional
views of this cooker embodiment and FIG. 22 illustrates an encoded
recipe card suitable for input to a reader such as a magnetic
stripe or bar code reader device for use in conjunction with a
microprocessor which effects the performance of a predetermined
cooking protocol by the cooker. FIG. 23 is a clock circuit diagram
showing the incorporation of a microprocessor for this purpose.
In the apparatus embodiment of FIGS. 20 and 21, the vessel 11 and
basket frame 12, with handle 70 and lid 50, are essentially the
same as previously described and illustrated in FIGS. 6-12.
Likewise, as shown in FIG. 21, the central housing section 20 has
associated with it an outer arcuate section 21 as well as upper
extension wall 22 and lower extension wall 23 as shown in cross
section in FIG. 4. Finally, the same heater arrangement and the
same interlocking key and keyway means, or other suitable engaging
and interlocing means, e.g., latching member of FIGS. 14 and 15,
are incorporated in the embodiment of FIG. 20 as shown in FIGS. 1
and 4.
The housing comprises an open-ended cylindrical member 130 closed
at the drive end 131 and cutaway through about 180.degree. or less
along the remainder of its length. The basket frame containing the
cooking vessel may be slipped through the open end, making it
possible to provide a housing which surrounds a greater part of the
vessel circumference than in the cse of the embodiment of FIGS. 1
and 2. Cylindrical member 130 is affixed to or integral with a
vertical support member 132 which may or may not provide for the
housing, and hence for vessel 11, to be maintained at a small
adjustable angle with the horizontal. Vertical support member 132
is, in turn, mounted on a base 133 which contains the control for
the operation of the apparatus.
As illustrated in the block circuit diagram of FIG. 23, the
embodiment of FIG. 20 is arranged to be fully automatic, if
desired, having a time/temperature digital readout panel 140, a
touch, key or voice energy panel 141 and an automatic data entry
means such as a magnetic stripe or bar code reader 142 for reading
a magnetic stripe or bar code 143 on a card 144, e.g., a card
having the recipe 145 imprinted thereon (FIG. 22). The heart of the
control means of this embodiment is a suitable microprocessor 146.
Exemplary of such a microprocessor is one sold by Intel.RTM. under
the trade designation 8022 and identified as a single component,
8-bit, microcomputer with one-chip A/D converter having 2K of ROM
and a clock generated with single resistor, inductor or
crystal.
The controlling means has three primary functions: to measure
elapsed time at a given temperature; to sense and control cooking
temperature; and to alter the temperature according to a
predetermined cooking protocol. This last named function is most
often used to maintain cooked food at a lower than cooking
temperature (e.g., 140.degree. F. or 60.degree. C.) until ready for
serving.
As will be seen in FIG. 23, the vessel drive motor 99 and the
heating element 29 are connected to the microprocessor 146 through
a power controller 147, such as triac. A temperature transducer
such as thermistor 148, connected to temperature sensing probe 110,
is in turn connected to the power controller 147 through the A/D
converter in microprocessor 146. A crystal 149 is used to control
the microprocessor's internal clock and a power supply 150 provides
the necessary electrical energy.
Using circuitry exemplified by that diagrammed in FIG. 23, it is
possible to operate the cooker of FIG. 20 in one of several ways.
For example, by passing the magnetic stripe 143 on recipe card 144
(or on any other suitable support) through magnetic stripe reader
142 the microprocessor is properly programmed to carry out a
desired cooking protocol comprising a predetermined cycle of
temperature/elapsed time segments. Alternatively, the protocol may
be entered by hand using, for example, the panel 141. The digital
readout panel 140 makes it possible to visually monitor the
functioning of the control system. Finally, a microprocessor such
as the Intel.RTM. 8022 has on it 2K of ROM, thus making it possible
to preprogram into the memories the temperature/elapsed time
cooking protocols for a large number of recipes so that it is only
necessary for the operator to enter manually the code number for a
desired food or dish into the touch panel 141.
From the above detailed description of the apparatus of this
invention it will be apparent that there is provided an automatic
cooker which makes possible the preparation of a wide range of
foods in a fail-safe manner. The resulting foods have been found by
an expert taste panel to be equal to or superior to the same foods
cooked in the more traditional manner. Thus even gourmet cooking is
possible in an automatic manner, making it possible for a hostess
to leave the preparation of a single dish or entire meal to the
cooker of this invention.
It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those
made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently
attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above
constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it
is intended that all matter contained in the above description or
shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as
illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *