GB2299014A - Insulated vessel for cooking foodstuff - Google Patents

Abstract

A high temperature adiabatic cooking device, comprises a detachable, thermally insulated outer covering (4) and an inner pot (1) enclosed within the detachable insulated outer covering. The detachable, thermally insulated outer covering features a base (8), an outer lid (7) and an enclosing wall, (4a, 4b) filled with thermally insulating materials. The enclosing wall can be of a single tubular wall or comprised of any plural number of arc-shaped wall units. High temperature adiabatic cooking is achieved by sitting the heated inner pot with semi-cooked food stuff inside on the base, covering with the enclosing wall and capping with the outer lid.

Description

HIGH TEMPERATURE ADIABATIC COOKING DEVICE WITH A DETACHABLE, THERMALLY INSULATED OUTER COVERING The present invention relates to a high temperature adiabatic cooking device comprised of an inner pot and a detachable, thermally insulated outer covering for housing the inner pot. The detachable, thermally insulated outer covering is attached during high teuperature adiabatic cooking, and is detached for removal of the inner pot for user's convenience.

The high temperature adiabatic cooking device of prior art comprises an inner pot and a single thermally insulated outer pot for housing the inner pot. During cooking operation, the inner pot with foodstuff and water within is heated and boiled, lifted above the height of the outer pot, placed in the outer pot, and then capped with an thermally insulated outer lid for high temperature adiabatic cooking. When the cooking :is done it is again necessary to lift the inner pot above the height of the outer pot to bring out the inner pot. The following problems have been experienced in large capacity (e.g. the inner pot capacity in excess of about 6 liter) high temperature adiabatic cooking devices of the prior art: 1. A larger capacity cooking device requires a larger volume and hence an increased height of the inner pot and thc outer pot.The increased height causes difficulty when transporting the inner pot in and out of the outer pot and is susceptible to collisions between the inner pot and the outer pot resulting in accidental spills of foodstuff contained within the inner pot.

2. Larger capacity inner pots, by virtue of their size, contain more foodstuff, and thus are heavier. The weight of the -fully loaded inner pot for a 6-liter capacity high temperature cooking device of the prior art (e.g. ESCA Cooker from Taiwan and THERMOS Shuttle Chef from Japan) exceeds 7Kg 915.41b). This excess weight results in difficulty in handling of the heavier inner pot, and is susceptible to collision between the inner pot and the outer pot causing accidental spills of foodstuff contained in the I inner pot.

These disadvantages may overcome by the high teuperature adiabatic cooking device of the present invention.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a high temperature adiabatic cooking device via application of a detachable, thermally insulated outer covering for housing the inner pot. As a result the inner pot need not be lifted very high when transporting it in and out of the detachable, thermally insulated outer covering.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a high temperature adiabatic cooking device which results in ease of handling and eliminates the risk of collision between the inner pot and the detachable, thermally insulated outer covering thus avoiding accidental spills of foodstuff contained in the inner pot.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a high temperature adiabatic cooking device which is suitable for large capacity use.

The invention, as exemplified by preferred embodiments is described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of components of the first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is an illustration of the inner pot of the first esbodinent of the present invention being heated on a range; and Figure 3 illustrates the process of transporting the inner pot to and from the adiabatic base of the first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 illustrates the attachment and detachment of the detachable, thermally insulated outer covering of the first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 5 illustrates the assembled first embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6 illustrates the second embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, 1 denotes the inner pot, which can be manufactured from thermally conductive material like aluminum or stainless steel; 2 denotes the inner lid; 3 denotes the inner lid handle with concave area 3a and an X-shaped flat handle 3b in the center; 4 denotes a detachable, thermally insulated outer covering for housing the inner pot 1. The detachable, thermally insulated outer covering 4 comprises an outer lid 7, two arc-shaped enclosing walls 4c and 4d, and a base 8. The arc-shaped enclosing walls 4c and 4d are constructed by outer shell 4a and inner shell 4b and having the heat insulating polyurethane foam (not shown) filled in between. The upper and lower edges of the inner shell 4b forn concave and convex edges 5 and 6 respectively.The outer and inner shells 4a and 4b are made of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene rigid resin and stainless steel respectively. The rigid resin material, such as polyacrylic resin or polystyrene resin can also be used. As for the heat insulating material, it can be constructed of glass fiber or polyacrylic resin. The base 8 conprises outer shell 8a, inner shell 8b and heat insulating polyurethane foam (not shown) filled between 8a and 8b. The inner side of 8b provides a flange 9 for sitting convex edge 6 of arc-shaped enclosing walls 4c and 4d.

The flange 9 also provides support to the inner pot 1 and occupies space, preventing the bottom of the inner pot 1 to contact the inner side of base 8 directly in order to avoid heat loss. The outer lid 7 is also constructed by lower shell 7a and upper shell 7b with heat insulating polyurethane foam (not shown) filled in between. A knob 12 is provided at center of upper shell 7b.

Two sets of complementary velco straps lOa and lOb are provided at each side of the arc-shaped enclosing walls 4c and 4.i in order to fasten them together when enclosing the inner pot 1.

As shown in Figure 2, the foodstuff to be cooked is placed in inner pot 1 and is heated on range 14 until boiling. After boiling for a short period of time (e.g. 0.5-15 minutes) as determined by the foodstuff to be cooked, the inner pot is transported and placed on the base 8 as shown in Figure 3.

During transportation of the inner pot 1 it is only necessary to raise the inner pot 1 slightly higher than the base 8 and since the inner pot 1 sits on the flange 9 of the base 8, it does not vake surface contact with the base 8. Referring to Figure 4, one arc-shaped enclosing wall 4c (or 4d) is attached on the base 8 and the other, 4d (or 4c) is attached subsequently. These two arc-shaped enclosing walls 4c and 4d are then fastened with velco straps 10a and lOb. A gap is provided between the inner shell 4b and the outer surface of inner pot 1 for better heat insulation.

The outer lid 7 is then capped on top of attached 4c and 4d.

Figure 5 illustrates the assembled high temperature adiabatic cooking device with a detachable, thermally insulated outer covering of the present invention undergoing high temperaturc adiabatic cooking. The high temperature adiabatic cooking device with a detachable, thermally insulated outer covering is disassembled in the reverse order as described above when cooking is completed (30-240 minutes for example).

In addition to the above description, Figure 6 shows the second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment of the present invention the adiabatic enclosing wall 4' is made in tubular form to cover pot cooker 1' from the top after it has been placed on the adiabatic base 8'.

A feature of the present invention is its detachable, thermally insulated outer covering which requires the raising of the inner pot only a minimal height while handling, thus reducing the chance of collision between the inner pot and the detachable thermally insulated outer covering and hence avoiding foodstuff spills. It is evident that the present invention assures a lligher safety factor compared to those of the prior a r t Furthermore, the detachable, thermally insulated outer covering, coupled with a minor height inner pot transporting feature makes the present invention suitable for large capacity commercial cooking applications. It is also evident that the simplified construction of the device, as well as the ease of handling and storage provides great advantages in practical use.

As we all know from the facts regarding the limited energy resources of our world, energy conservation is a serious mater.

The energy consumed by conventional commercial cooking devices is an amount that can not be disregarded. The present invention is aimed for large capacity commercial units and therefore will make a significant contribution in energy savings in some commercial cooking areas, with an estimated energy saving in the range of 50-70Z. The advantage of the present invention in this regard should not be overlooked.

Although only two embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated, the present invention is not limited to the features of these embodiments but includes all variations and modifications such as the fasten clamp, alternative adiabatic covering shapes, etc. within the scope of the claims.

Claims (8)

1. A high temperature adiabatic cooking device comprising an inner pot and an outer housing for enclosing the inner pot, the outer housing including a thermally insulating outer lid, a thermally insulating side wall for surrounding the inner pot and to be capped with the outer lid, and a thermally insulating base on which the inner pot can be rested and which is arranged to locate the side wall, whereby the base, side wall and outer lid form a substantially air tight enclosure and the outer lid and side wall can be removed while the inner pot is resting on the base.

2. A cooking device according to claim 1, wherein a flange is provided in the base to support the inner pot so that the bottom surface of the inner pot does not make direct contact with upper surface of the base.

3. A cooking device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein one or more of the outer lid, side wall and base is formed of inner and outer shells with a heat insulating filling between the shells.

4. A cooking device according to claim 3, wherein the heat insulating filling is polyurethane foam, polyacrylic resin and/or glass fibre.

5. A cooking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side wall is formed of a plurality of arcuate sections.

6. A cooking device according to claims 1 to 4, wherein the side wall is made in an integral tubular form.

7. A cooking device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper and lower edges of the inner shell are formed with concave and/or convex edges for matching with complementary edges of the base and outer lid.

8. A cooking device, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.