AU2018101152A4 - An apparatus for cooking - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus 100 for cooking includes an upwardly open cooking vessel 122 for receiving food to be cooked and a cooking surface 124 on which food can be cooked, wherein juices from food being cooked on the cooking surface can flow 5 into the cooking vessel. The apparatus 100 further includes a support 140 for supporting the cooking vessel 122 and cooking surface 124 above an open flame.

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR COOKING

FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooking. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable outdoor cooking apparatus.

BACKGROUND

For outdoor cooking, for example in an outdoor camping environment, a user typically brings a cooking pan or a cooking pot for cooking food over a camp fire.

The cooking pan and pot can each however only provide a limited cooking functionality to the user. In particular, a cooking pan would only be suitable for frying foods, but not for stewing or baking foods. Similarly, a cooking pot would only be suitable for stewing foods but not for frying foods.

As a result, the user will need to carry multiple cooking apparatuses with them if they wish to enjoy different cooking-styles (e.g. grilling, frying, stewing, etc.) outdoors.

It is not admitted that any of the information in this patent specification is common general knowledge, or that the person skilled in the art could be reasonably expected to ascertain or understand it, regard it as relevant or combine it in any way before the priority date.

SUMMARY

The present invention seeks to provide a cooking apparatus or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for cooking including: an upwardly open cooking vessel for receiving food to be cooked; a cooking surface on which food can be cooked, wherein juices from food being cooked on the cooking surface can flow into the cooking vessel; and a support for supporting the cooking vessel and cooking surface above an open flame.

In an embodiment, the cooking vessel may be used as one or more of an oven, deep-fryer, and stew-pot. Preferably, the cooking vessel provides an oven functionality for cooking food in the cooking vessel. The cooking vessel may additionally or alternatively provide at least one of a deep-fryer functionality and stew-pot functionality for cooking food in the cooking vessel.

In an embodiment, the cooking surface may be used as one or more of a grill and hot plate. Preferably, the cooking surface includes a grill surface for grilling food. The grill surface may be integral with the cooking surface. Alternatively, the grill surface may be removable from the cooking surface. The cooking surface may additionally or alternatively provide a hot plate functionality for cooking food.

In an embodiment, the cooking surface surrounds the cooking vessel. In an alternative embodiment, the cooking vessel surrounds the cooking surface. In yet a further alternative embodiment, the cooking vessel is provided at one side of a body, and the cooking surface is provided at an opposite side of the body.

In an embodiment, the cooking surface is inclined towards an opening of the cooking vessel such that juices from food cooking on the cooking surface can flow into the cooking vessel. The cooking surface preferably has a tilt (or slant) towards the cooking vessel. Preferably, the cooking surface is inclined by at least 2° towards the cooking vessel. As used herein, ‘juices’ include oils and/or fats.

In an embodiment, the apparatus further includes a guard for preventing juices from food cooking on the cooking surface from escaping the apparatus. The guard preferably surrounds a periphery of the apparatus. In some embodiments, the guard surrounds a periphery of the cooking surface.

In an embodiment, the cooking surface and the cooking vessel are part of a body. The body may be a solid body. The support preferably operatively engages the body and is removable from the body. The support may include a plurality of legs that operatively engage the body. The support preferably includes three legs. Preferably, the body includes one or more sleeves for operatively engaging the legs.

In an embodiment, the support supports the body at least about 0.2 m above a support surface. That is, the support positions the body at least about 0.2 m above ground.

In an embodiment, at least one of the cooking vessel and the cooking surface is pre-seasoned. At least one of the cooking vessel and the cooking surface may be pre-seasoned with an oil. The oil may include one or more of vegetable oil, flax seed oil, olive oil, and coconut oil for example.

In an embodiment, the apparatus further includes a lid for covering at least the cooking vessel. The lid may be for covering the cooking vessel and the cooking surface.

In an embodiment, the cooking vessel and/or the cooking surface are made from a material with a high heat retention. The material from which the cooking vessel and cooking surface are made preferably has a high heat distribution. For example, the cooking vessel and/or cooking surface are made from cast iron. Alternatively, the material includes aluminum, steel, Teflon, or other alloys.

In an embodiment, the cooking vessel has a capacity of greater than about 2.00 x 10'3 m3. Preferably, the cooking vessel has a capacity of between about 3.00 x 10'3 m3and about 3.50 x 10'3 m3. Even more preferably, the cooking vessel has a capacity of about 3.20 x 10-3 m3. The cooking vessel preferably has a diameter of between about 0.20 and about 0.30 m, and a height of between about 0.40 m and about 1.00 m. Preferably, the cooking vessel has a diameter of about 0.26 m and a height of about 0.06 m.

In an embodiment, the cooking surface has a surface area of greater than about 0.10 m2. Preferably, the cooking surface has a surface area of between about 0.11 m2and 0.18 m2. Even more preferably, the cooking surface has a surface area of about 0.15 m2. The cooking surface preferably has a width of between about 0.10 m and about 0.30 m. Preferably, cooking surface has a width of about 0.12 m.

In an aspect, the present invention provides a method of using an apparatus for cooking having an upwardly open cooking vessel and a cooking surface, wherein juices from food cooking on the cooking surface can flow into the cooking vessel, the method including: supporting, using a support, the apparatus for cooking above a heat source; placing food in the cooking vessel to be cooked using a first cooking functionality; and placing food on the cooking surface to be cooked using a second cooking functionality, different from the first cooking functionality.

In an embodiment, the method includes using the cooking vessel as one or more of an oven, deep-fryer, and stew-pot. Preferably, the first cooking functionality includes an oven functionality for cooking food in the cooking vessel. The first cooking functionality may additionally or alternatively include a deep-fryer functionality and stew-pot functionality for cooking food in the cooking vessel.

In an embodiment, the method includes using the coking surface as one or more of a grill and hot plate. Preferably, the second cooking functionality includes a grilling functionality. The second cooking functionality may additionally or alternatively include a hot plate functionality for cooking food.

In an embodiment, the apparatus is the apparatus for cooking of the previous aspect or any of its embodiments.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making an apparatus for cooking, the method including: providing a cooking vessel and a cooking surface such that juice from food cooking on the cooking surface can flow into the cooking vessel.

In an embodiment, the method further includes: pre-seasoning at least one of the cooking vessel and the cooking surface; and heating the pre-seasoned cooking vessel and cooking surface for a period of time in an oven.

In an embodiment, the pre-seasoned cooking vessel and cooking surface are heated in the oven for at least about 20 hours. Preferably, the pre-seasoned cooking vessel and cooking surface are heated for about 48 hours.

In an embodiment, the cooking vessel and/or the cooking surface is pre-seasoned with an oil. The oil may include vegetable oil for example. Additionally or alternatively, the oil may include flax seed oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.

In an embodiment, the apparatus is the apparatus for cooking of the previous aspect or any of its embodiments.

As used herein, the term ‘and/or’ means ‘and’, ‘or’, or both.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the apparatus will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figures 2A to 2D are different views of the cooker of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figures 3A to 3C are different views of a lid for a cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a cooker according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cooker according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following examples are intended to illustrate to enable reproduction and comparison. They are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way.

Referring to Figure 1 and Figures 2A to 2D, an apparatus for cooking, or a cooker, 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a body 120 and a support 140 connected to the body 120. The cooker 100 is suitable for outdoor use such as camping for example. When a user wants to cook food outdoors, the user sets up the cooker 100, by using the legs 140 to stand the body 120 above a heat source for cooking food on the body 120. The heat source is preferably an open flame (such as a campfire or gas flame for example). To provide efficient/suitable cooking capability, the body 120 is made from a material with a high heat retention and high heat distribution. For example, the body is made from cast iron. It will be readily appreciated that the body 120 may be made from aluminum, steel, Teflon, or other alloys for example.

The body 120 has a substantially circular profile. The body 120 includes an upwardly facing cooking vessel 122 and a cooking surface 124. The cooking vessel 122 is centrally located in the body 120. The cooking vessel 122 is a recessed area in the body 120. The cooking surface 124 is separate from the cooking vessel 122. The cooking surface 124 surrounds the cooking vessel 122. The cooking surface 124 is a solid surface having a grill surface. The grill surface is integral to the cooking surface 124.

The cooking vessel 122 has a capacity of about 3.20 x 10'3 m3, with a diameter of about 0.26 m and a height of about 0.06 m. In other embodiments, the cooking vessel may have a capacity of greater than about 2.00 x 10'3 m3, preferably about 3.00 x 10-3 m3and about 3.50 x 10'3 m3.

The cooking surface 124 has a surface area of about 0.15 m2 with a width (measured radially from the cooking vessel 122) of about 0.12 m. In other embodiments, the cooking surface may have a surface area of greater than about 0.10 m2, preferably between about 0.11 m2 and 0.18 m2.

In other embodiments, the grill surface may be removable from the cooking surface. In yet further embodiments, the grill surface covers only a portion of the cooking surface. For example, the grill surface may only be provided on half of the cooking surface. In other embodiments of the cooker, the cooking vessel surrounds the cooking surface. In yet further embodiments, the cooking vessel occupies a first area of the body, while the cooking surface occupies a second area of the body the opposite to the first area.

The cooking vessel 122 can be used as an oven, deep-fryer, or as a stew-pot.

In order to use the first cooking vessel 122 as an oven, the user can put food to be baked or cooked into the cooking vessel 122, and cover the first cooking vessel 122 with a lid (e.g. the lid described with reference to Figures 3A to 3C). Charcoal pieces may be placed on the lid in order to provide an all-round heating to the food in the cooking vessel 122.

In order to user the cooking vessel 122 as a deep fryer, the user can fill the cooking vessel 122 with oil and place the food to be fried into the cooking vessel 122.

In order to use the cooking vessel as a stew-pot, the user can place the cooking ingredients into the cooking vessel for stewing.

The cooking surface 124 can be used as a grill or hotplate. The cooking surface 124 has a thickness of between about 3mm and about 10mm, preferably about 5mm. The cooking surface 124 has grills in the form of crass-hatched lines around the cooking surface 124. The cross-hatched lines provide an appearance of cross-hatched grill marks on the food that is cooked on the cooking surface. Each of the grill lines may have a thickness of up to about 10 mm, preferably up to about 5 mm, even more preferably up to about 3 mm.

In order to use the cooking surface 124 as a grill or hotplate, the user places food on the cooking surface 124. Heating up the cooking surface 124 results in grilling or heating of the food on the cooking surface 124.

The cooker 100 allows for juices (e.g. oils and fats) from food cooking on the cooking surface 124 to flow into the cooking vessel 122. Referring to Figures 2C and 2D, the cooking surface 124 has an inclination towards the cooking vessel 122 that assists in guiding juices from food cooking on the cooking surface 124 towards the cooking vessel 122. Specifically, the cooking surface 124 has a tilt or slant towards an opening of cooking vessel 122 The inclination of the cooking surface 124 relative to the cooking vessel 122 may be up to about 10°, preferably up to about 5°, even more preferably about 2°. Thereby, the flavor in the juices from the food cooking on the cooking surface 124 is captured by the cooking vessel 122. Food cooking in the cooking vessel 122 will be flavored by those captured juices.

The body 120 includes a guard 126 for preventing juices from food cooking on the cooking surface 124 from escaping the body 120. The guard 126 in particular prevents juices from food cooking on the cooking surface from dripping onto the ground or onto the heat source above which the body 120 is located. The guard 126 is a lip or flange that surrounds a periphery of the cooking surface 124. The guard 124 is shown to surround a periphery of the body 120.

The support 140 includes legs for standing the body 120 above a heat source. The legs are spaced, preferably evenly, around the body 120. The cooker 100 includes three legs. According to other embodiments, the cooker may include two legs or more than three legs. When the user wishes to store the cooker 100 away, the support 140 can be removed from the body 120. The legs of the support 140 have a length of between about 300 mm and about 350 mm.

Referring to Figures 2C and 2D, an underside of the body 120 is provided with a leg-receiving means 128 for operatively engaging the legs of the support 140 and for facilitating removal of the support 140 from the body 120. The leg-receiving means 128 are sleeves for removably receiving the legs 140. Once positioned in the leg-receiving means 128, the legs of the support 140 can be secured to the sleeve using a fastener 160 such as a wing-nut and screw for example. Other suitable fastening means may be used. In other embodiments of the cookers, the legs may be telescopic or foldable.

At least one or both of the cooking vessel 122 and the cooking surface 124 are pre-seasoned. The cooking vessel 122 and/or the cooking surface 124 may be pre-seasoned with an oil, which may include vegetable oil for example. Other oils include flax seed oil, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. Pre-seasoning the cooking vessel and surface provides the food being cooked using the cooker 100 with some flavor. The pre-seasoning also prevents the food from sticking to the cooker 100. The cooker may be pre-seasoned by applying the pre-seasoning on at least one of the cooking vessel and the cooking surface; and heating the pre-seasoned cooking vessel and cooking surface for about 48 hours in an oven.

Referring to Figures 3A to 3C, a lid 200 is provided for covering cooker of the present invention, including the cooker described with reference to Figures 1 and 2A to 2D. The lid 200 is for covering the cooking vessel only. In other embodiments, the lid may cover the cooking vessel and the cooking surface. The lid has a lip 220 that fits into the cooking vessel and a skirt 260 that rests on a mouth of the cooking vessel. The lip 220 of the lid 200 assists in securing the lid in place on the cooker to provide a substantially enclosed space between the lid 200 and the cooking vessel. This enclosed space allows the cooking vessel to provide its oven cooking functionality. The lid 200 further includes a handle 240 that can be grasped by the user’s hand. The lid, apart from the handle, is preferably made from the same material as the cooker.

Figure 4 shows a cooker 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Unless otherwise described, features of the cooker 300 are similar to the features of the cooker 100 of Figure 1.

Similar to the cooker of Figure 1, the cooker 300 includes a body 320 having a cooking vessel 322 and a cooking surface 324. The cooking functionality provided by the cooking vessel 322 is different from the cooking functionality provided by the cooking surface 324. The body 320 also has a guard 326 for preventing juices from food cooking on the cooking surface 324 from escaping the cooker. In this embodiment, the cooker has a support 340 in the form of legs that are connected to each other via an intermediary frame 342. In this embodiment, the legs of the support 340 can be set up with the intermediary member 342 holding the legs 340 in place, and the body 320 can be removably positioned on top of the support 340. Leg-receiving means and fastening means may be provided for this embodiment to secure the body 320 to the support 340.

Figure 5 shows a body 420 for a cooker according to another embodiment of the present invention. Unless otherwise described, the features of the body 420 of the cooker are similar to the features of the cooker 100 of Figure 1 or the cooker 300 of Figure 4.

Similar to the body of the cookers of previous embodiments, the body 420 has a cooking vessel 422 and a cooking surface 424. The cooking functionality provided by the cooking vessel 422 is different from the cooking functionality provided by the cooking surface 424. The body 420 also has a guard 426 for preventing oils and fats from food cooking on the cooking surface 424 from escaping the cooker. Unlike the previous embodiments, the cooking surface 424 has grills in the form of radial lines spaced around the cooking surface 424.

While the above description refers to embodiments of a cooker, it will be appreciated that other embodiments can be adopted by way of different combinations of features. Such embodiments fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims (20)

1. An apparatus for cooking including: an upwardly open cooking vessel for receiving food to be cooked; a cooking surface on which food can be cooked, wherein juices from food being cooked on the cooking surface can flow into the cooking vessel; and a support for supporting the cooking vessel and cooking surface above an open flame.

2. The apparatus for cooking of claim 1, wherein the cooking vessel provides an oven functionality for cooking food in the cooking vessel.

3. The apparatus for cooking of claim 1 or 2, wherein the cooking vessel provides at least one of a deep-fryer functionality and stew-pot functionality for cooking food in the cooking vessel.

4. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cooking surface includes a grill surface for grilling food.

5. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cooking surface provides a hotplate functionality for cooking food.

6. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cooking surface surrounds the cooking vessel.

7. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cooking surface is inclined towards an opening of the cooking vessel such that juices from food cooking on the cooking surface can flow into the cooking vessel.

8. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 9, further including a guard for preventing juices from food cooking on the cooking surface from escaping the apparatus.

9. The apparatus for cooking of claim 8, wherein the guard surrounds a periphery of the apparatus for cooking.

10. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cooking surface and the cooking vessel are part of a solid body and the support operatively engages the body and is removable from the body.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the support supports the body at least 0.2 m above a support surface.

12. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein at least one of the cooking vessel and the cooking surface is pre-seasoned.

13. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein at least one of the cooking vessel and the cooking surface is pre-seasoned with an oil, which may include one or more of vegetable oil, flax seed oil, olive oil, and coconut oil.

14. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 13, further including a lid for covering at least the cooking vessel.

15. The apparatus for cooking of claim 14, wherein the lid is for covering the cooking vessel and the cooking surface.

16. The apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the cooking vessel and the cooking surface are made are made from a material with a high heat retention and high heat distribution, such as cast iron, aluminum, steel, Teflon, or other alloys.

17. The apparatus of cooking of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the cooking vessel has a capacity of greater than about 2.00 x 10"3 m3, preferably between about 3.00 x 10'3 m3and 3.50 x 10-3 m3, even more preferably about 3.20 x 10-3 m3.

18. The apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the cooking surface has a surface area of greater than about 0.10 m2, preferably between about 0.11 m2and 0.18 m2, even more preferably about 0.15 m2.

19. A method of using an apparatus for cooking having an upwardly open cooking vessel and a cooking surface, wherein juices from food cooking on the frying surface can flow towards the cooking vessel, the method including: supporting, using a support, the apparatus above an open flame; placing food in the cooking vessel to be cooked using a first cooking functionality; and placing food on the cooking surface to be cooked using a second cooking functionality, different from the first cooking functionality.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the apparatus is the apparatus for cooking of any one of claims 1 to 18.