GB2521999A

GB2521999A - An automatic cooking device

Info

Publication number: GB2521999A
Application number: GB1318562.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chinua Odi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-10-19
Filing date: 2013-10-19
Publication date: 2015-07-15
Also published as: GB201318562D0

Abstract

An automatic cooking device comprises a main housing 10 having an ingredients storage means 24 which has one or more containers 26 and a controllable dispensing means 32 located in the base of each container. These dispense ingredients downwards from the container into a mixing unit 34 provided below the ingredients storage means. The device may chop, blend, or mix using blades 38 or a grater. The mixing chamber has a controllable outlet 40 in its base 42 to dispense processed or mixed ingredients downwards from the mixing chamber into a cooking pot 46. A heater means 48 cooks the ingredients in the cooking pot, one or more trays 76 and/or containers for holding food are located in the oven area. A control means is configured to control the operation of the device in response to recipe data. The device may be fitted with a automated cleaning means having multiple nozzles 110 and may have a computer processor (not shown) controlling all the functions of the process.

Description

An automatic cooking device

Field of the Invention

S The present invention relates to automatic cooking devices, in particular devices for preparing food automatically from a recipe using ingredients stored in the device.

Background

There is a need for labour and time-saving automatic cooking means to prepare recipes under programmable and/or remote control. Automatic cooking devices exist in the prior art for stir-fried food. A need exists for an automatic cooking device that can cook in other ways, for example baking, roasting and boiling and which may prepare food following a programmed recipe.

Prior Art

Accordingly a number of patent applications have been filed in an attempt to resolve the problem or similar, including the following: W0201 070287 discloses a cooking apparatus that comprises a plurality of walls defining a cooking chamber defined by a cylindrical enclosure including a body section, a base and a removable lid. Heating means are provided for heating ingredients contained within the cooking chamber. A plurality of ingredient storage containers are connected to the cooking chamber and arranged to in use selectively dispense ingredients held therein into the cooking chamber: Each ingredient storage container comprises a separate corresponding closure member selectively movable between an open position in which the ingredient storage container is open to the cooking chamber and a closed position in which the ingredient storage container is sealed from the cooking chamber. A stirting blade is provided for mixing the ingredients contained within the cooking vessel.

TW201016177 discloses a device and method for instantly cooking a meal. The user selects the required meal and cooking method first, and then the supply unit of the automatic cooking device supplies a container filled with main food material, subsequently after non-staple food material, ingredients and seasoning are supplied into the container, the container will be distributed to a cooking unit, the cooking unit will cook the food in the container according to order form, after cooking, the meal will be sent out so as to be packaged or directly taken by the user. By such arrangements, the objective of fresh, convenient, and satisfying requirements of different consumption patterns can be achieved.

EPI 685781 discloses: the present invention relates to an intelligent cooking method, comprising: (1) providing and/or inputting data about cooking-material andlor about a cooking process itself; (2) loading a corresponding cooking program according to the data provided and/or input in step (1); (3) executing the cooking program loaded in step (2); (4) opening a package containing the cooking-material and feeding the cooking-material into a pan and/or a container of the cooking machine according'fo the instruction obtained after executing of said cooking program; and (5) controlling automatically the heating intensity by adjusting the heating power or the combustion intensity of said cooking machine according to the data set by said cooking program and/or according to the data measured for the initial state and/or according to the data of cooking duration measured in real-time.

These devices are typical of a number of patent applications that dispense ingredients downwards from a multi-compartment ingredients store into a wok. They are programmable and adapted to operate automatically but do not provide means to process and mix ingredient separately and are only suitable for stir fried food.

In contrast the present invention provides a device for automatic preparation of dishes using a number of ingredients which may be processed and mixed before the cooking stage, and a cooking means that provides a range of cooking options greater

than in prior art devices.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a device for automatic cooking comprising: A housing having a top, bottom and sidewall, An ingredients storage means provided within the housing comprising one or more containers each having a sidewall and a base, and an actuatable dispensing means provided in the base of each container adapted to dispense ingredients downwards from the container when actuated.

A mixing unit provided within the housing below the ingredients storage means to receive the ingredients, comprising a mixing chamber, a processor within the mixing chamber, and an actuatable dispensing means provided in the base of the mixing chamber adapted to dispense mixed ingredients downwards from the mixing chamber when actuated, A cooking means provided within the housing and configured to receive mixed ingredients from the mixer, comprising a cooking pot and a heater means to cook the ingredients in the cooking pot, and A control means configured to control the said actuatable dispensing means, mixing unit and cooking means.

The processor processes ingredients within the chamber about and/or along a downwards axis.

In this way a user may load ingredients appropriate for a chosen recipe into the ingredient containers. The device may then automatically dispense ingredients from the ingredient containers to the mixer, chop, mix or blend them in the processor, mixing unit or mixer, and then dispense them into a cooking pot and cook them in the cooking means. The device operates under the control of the control means, which may be programmed by a user for a specific recipe.

A housing may be a substantially rectangular housing having a base, a top, and four walls, and may have a door in the front wall to access the ingredients storage means and the cooking pot.

The ingredients storage means may comprise one or more containers, and may comprise a plurality of separate containers or a number of containers formed as separate subcompartments of a larger container.

The actuatable dispensing means is a dispensing means adapted to be actuated from a closed configuration to retain ingredients within the container and an open position such that ingredients are allowed to fall through it, and to be controllable by a control means. The dispensing means may be configured to be opened to a controllable degree, for example partially open, so as to control the amount of an ingredient that is dispensed or a rate at which it is dispensed.

The containers and dispensing means may be adapted to contain and dispense dry ingredients, such as solids, pre-chopped solids, granules or powders, or liquids, for example water or oil-based liquids. In the case of a liquid container the actuatable dispensing means may comprise a valve.

An actuatable dispensing means may comprise in some embodiments an openable aperture in the base of a container, for example in the form of an iris or shutter openable by an actuator under control of the control means. In some embodiments the dispensing means may comprise an aperture in the base of each container, closed by a moveable shutter having an aperture within it and configured to align the aperture with an aperture in a chosen container to allow the contents of the container to fall through it. Such a shutter may for example be movable in one or two orthogonal directions horizontally or may be moved in a rotary motion about a vertical axis. The actuatable dispensing means may be actuated by a motor or solenoid provided as part of the dispensing means, or in some embodiments mechanically via mechanical linkages by a motor provided within the housing. For example in some embodiments push-rod operated by cams may actuate a dispensing means to open the aperture.

In some embodiments the mixing unit is movable to receive ingredients from the ingredients storage means. In some embodiments the mixer or mixing unit is adapted to be movable in one or two orthogonal directions horizontally within the housing under the ingredient storage means. In some embodiments the mixing unit may be moved in a rotary motion about a vertical axis within the housing under the ingredient storage means. In this way the mixing unit may be positioned undemeath the base of a container forming part of the ingredient storage means such that when the actuatable dispensing means is operated ingredients may fall from the container into the mixer.

In some embodiments the ingredients storage means is movable to dispense ingredients into the mixing means. For example in some embodiments the ingredients storage means may be movable one or two orthogonal directions horizontally within the housing above the mixer. In some embodiments the ingredient storage means may be moved in a rotary motion about a vertical axis within the housing above the mixer. In this way a container of the ingredient storage means may be positioned above the mixer such that when the actuatable dispensing means is operated ingredients may fall from the container into the mixer.

In some embodiments the mixer comprises an open-topped mixing chamber having a shape tapering from the top to the base, a rotatable processor mounted on a shaft and extending downwards into the mixing chamber, motor means to rotate the blade.

A tapering shape is one in which the cross-sectional area of the base is less than that of the top, such that mixed ingredients tend to fall down within the chamber. In this way the mixer is adapted such that mixed ingredients empty efficiently when the dispensing means is actuated. In some embodiments the mixer is adapted to chop or comminute the ingredients. In some embodiments the mixer is adapted to mix the ingredients without a cutting action. In some embodiments the mixer is provided with a configurable processor comprising one or more of a cuffing blade, a chopping blade, a mixing blade, a pummel, a grater, and a scraping blade adapted to scrape one or more surfaces of the mixing chamber. In some embodiments the mixing blade may be selected under control of the control means. In some embodiments two or more processing blades are provided on a common rotatable shaft, the blades being configured to engage with a movable component movable axially along the shaft to extend the blade from the shaft, the movable component being actuated under control by the control means. In this way the control means may select a blade for operation within the mixing unit to perform the chosen function on the ingredients.

An actuatable dispensing means provided in the base of the mixing chamber is adapted to dispense mixed ingredients downwards from the mixing chamber when actuated, In some embodiments the cooking means is provided at a level within the housing lower than the mixing unit and is configured to receive ingredients from the mixing unit under gravity.

In some embodiments the cooking means comprises a heated cooking region, one or more trays, one or more cooking pots provided on the one or more trays, and tray actuator means configured to move the trays from a first position in which a cooking pot may receive ingredients from the mixer unit and a second position in which a cooking pot is within the cooking region.

In some embodiments the cooking pots are movable by the tray actuator means between a first position to receive ingredients from the mixer, a second position within the heated region and a third position for collection by a user.

In some embodiments the cooking means comprises two or more heated cooking regions. For example, the heated cooking regions may comprise one or more of: a grill region; a radiant heat oven region; a microwave cooking region having a microwave source; a fan oven region; a heated griddle surface; a steam oven; an open pan for cooking ingredients placed on a heated surface; a frying pan; a wok. In this way the tray actuator may move a tray and a cooking pot on the tray into and out from one or more of a selection of different cooking regions to carry out different cooking operations within the device.

According to the embodiment a cooking pot may comprise a baking tin, a baking tray, a roasting tin, a pan, a frying pan, a wok, a ramekin, a bowl, dish or plate. The cooking pot may comprise a single compartment or a number of compartments. The device may be adapted to cook different ingredients in different compartments of the cooking pot.

The device may be adapted to carry out some or all of the following cooking operations; baking, toasting, frying, roasting, boiling, stir-frying, steaming, microwave cooking, grilling.

In some embodiments the control means comprises one or more power supply switches to control the power supply to one or more actuators configured to control or move the components of the device, such as actuatable dispensing means, movable mixer unit, a movable ingredient storage means, a processor comprising a rotatable shaft and blade within the mixer unit, a tray actuator and heating means and optionally interlocks to control opening of doors in the housing by a user. In some embodiments one or more such switches are manually-operated switches. A control means may comprise a computer controlled electronic system that interprets instructions in the form of data and provides an output to control one or more said actuators. The control means may comprise a computer, a data storage means readable by the computer and a user interface. The control means may comprise communication means to communicate data to or from a display or a further electronic system or data storage means, for example an RE communication means such as mobile telephony. Bluetooth (RTM) or wireless LAN. The control means may be configured to receive data entered by a user by means of a user interface, received from a remote electronic system or data source via a data communication network, read from a data storage means associated provided by a user, for example a portable memory device, a barcode, an RFIO device, or a controller such as a remote control device, a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet or computer and to control operation of the device acting on such data. The control means may be configured to output data to a display provided on the device, a printer, a remote electronic system, computer or data storage means, such as a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet computer or television display.

Wireless or wired connectivity further enables the user to update the device with new recipes, software or firmware. Such may combine with software or internet applications or systems to provide a rotating series or structure of recipes for updates, such as world recipes or different cuisine sets. According to another aspect of the present invention therefore there is provided a software interface for provision of recipes, cuisines and suggestions for use of the device.

Connectivity may additionally allow signals such as warning signals to be sent to further electronic apparatus, for example wherein a smartphone may be alerted to the end of a cooking cycle, for example a complete cycle, a mixing cycle or ingredient hopper cycle, to enable the user to take steps to replace ingredients or parts, clean, empty or otherwise maintain the device. The device itself may additionally or alternatively include waming signals, for example at the touchscreen.

The device further comprises a power supply to power the actuatable dispensing means, movable mixer unit, a movable ingredient storage means, a processor, a rotatable shaft within the mixer unit, a tray actuator, heating means and control means.

In some embodiments the device further comprises cleaning means adapted to clean at least a region within the housing. In some embodiments the cleaning means comprises one or more liquid dispensing nozzles mounted within the housing and configured to direct cleaning fluid over the inner surfaces of the housing and one or more of the components of the device described herein. Such cleaning fluid may comprise hot or cold water and detergent.

In some embodiments the device comprises display means associated with an ingredients container, controlled by the control means. In some embodiments the display means comprises an electronic display means configured to display an ingredient name. The control means may comprise means to read recipe data from a data source and to display ingredients needed for that recipe associated with one or more containers. In this way the device may indicate to a user what ingredients are to be loaded into the containers.

In one embodiment the present invention provides a device for automatic cooking comprising: A housing having a top, bottom and sidewall, A plurality of ingredient hoppers provided adjacent to the top of the housing, each having an open top and a controllable aperture at its base, A mixing unit provided below the hoppers and comprising a mixing chamber having an opening at its top and a controllable aperture at its base and a mixer, the mixer comprising a processor unit and a motor adapted to agitate or rotate the processor unit, the mixer unit being mounted on a mixer unit actuator, A mixer unit actuator adapted to move the mixer unit in at least a horizontal direction, One or more trays provided below the mixing unit, the trays being movable by a tray actuator, the tray actuator having at least a movement in the horizontal direction, One or more cooking pots adapted to interfit with a tray such that the pots may be supported and moved by the tray actuator, One or more cooking means configured to receive a cooking pot from a tray, A door in the housing openable to remove a cooking pot from the device, And a control means configured to control the said controllable apertures, mixer, mixer unit actuator, tray actuator and cooking means.

According to a second aspect the invention provides a method of automatic cooking using a device as described herein comprising the following steps: Filling one or more ingredients containers with ingredients, Controlling the device to select a recipe Initiating the device to start the cooking process Removing a cooking pot from the device after the cooking process has ended.

Brief Description of Figures

Figure 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a front isometric view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a left side cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a front internal view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 5 shows a rear internal view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 6 shows a left side internal view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 7 shows a front exploded isometric view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 8 shows a cross-section through a mixing unit forming part of the embodiment.

Detailed Description of Figures

Referring to figures 1 to 7, an embodiment of the present invention comprises: A housing 10 having a top 12, bottom 14 and sidewall comprising a front wall 16, a rear wall 18, a left wall 20 and a right wall 22, An ingredients storage means 24 provided within the housing comprising one or more containers 26 each having a sidewall 28 and a base 30, and an actuatable dispensing means 32 provided in the base of each container adapted to dispense ingredients downwards from the container when actuated, A mixing unit 34 provided within the housing below the ingredients storage means to receive the ingredients, comprising a mixing chamber 36, a processor comprising a rotatable mixer blade 38 within the mixing chamber, and an actuatable dispensing means 40 provided in the base 42 of the mixing chamber adapted to dispense mixed ingredients downwards from the mixing chamber when actuated, A cooking means 44 provided within the housing and configured to receive mixed ingredients from the mixer, comprising a cooking pot 46 and a heater means 48 to cook the ingredients in the cooking pot, and A control means configured to control the said actuatable dispensing means, mixer and cooking means.

In this embodiment the ingredient storage means 24 comprises a plurality of containers in the form of tapering ingredient hoppers 26 provided adjacent to the top of the housing, each having an open top 50 and an actuatable dispensing means in the form of a controllable aperture 32 at its base 30, the ingredient hoppers being accessible via an openable lid 52 provided on the top surface of the housing. In some embodiments said hoppers may be borne on a rotatable carousel around and over a trapdoor aperture.

In this embodiment the rnixing unit comprises a mixing chamber 36 having an 1 0 opening 54 at its top, in an extended tubular portion 56 extending from the top of the container, and a controllable aperture 40 at its base and a mixer 58, the mixer comprising a mixer blade unit 60 and a motor 62 adapted to rotate the mixer blade unit, the mixing unit being mounted on a mixing unit actuator 64. The extended tubular portion and the otherwise closed top of the mixing chamber allow ingredients 1 5 to be mixed within the chamber without escaping through the opening 54. Optionally the opening 54 is closable by a controllable aperture so as to prevent contents of the mixing chamber from escaping.

In this embodiment the device comprises a mixer unit actuator 64 adapted to move the mixing unit in a horizontal plane in front to back and left to right directions, comprising: one or more front to back rails 66 and a front to back linear slide 68 configured to move on the front to back rails; a mixer support assembly 70 comprising one or more left to right rails 72, and a linear slide 74 configured to move on the left to right rails, the mixing unit 36 being supported from the slide 74, a front to back mixing unit drive means configured to drive movement of the slide 68 on the rails 66, and a left to right mixing unit drive means configured to drive movement of the slide 74 on the one or more rails 72.

In this embodiment the mixing unit drive means may comprise a motor and a belt drive (not shown) as known in the art of linear actuators. In some embodiments a mixing unit drive means comprises a linear actuation means provided as part of the slides 66 and/or 74. In some embodiments a mixing unit drive means comprises a screw thread in the front to back and/or left to right direction, the mixing unit being positioned by rotation of the screw thread by a motor.

In this embodiment the device comprises one or more trays 76 provided below the mixing unit 36, the trays being movable by a tray actuator 18, the tray actuator having a movement in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, such that the trays may be moved up and down and slid horizontally into the cooking means 80 to 86.

One or more cooking pots 46 adapted to interi9t with a tray such that the pots may be supported and moved by the tray actuator, One or more cooking means 80, 82, 84, 86 configured to receive a cooking pot from a tray, A door 88. 90. 92 in the housing openable to remove a cooking pot from the device.

And a control means configured to control the said controllable apertures, mixer, mixer unit actuator, tray actuator and cooking means.

The housing 10 is substantially rectangular, having a base, a top, and four walls, and may have a door in the front wall to access the ingredients storage means and the cooking pot. In this embodiment the cooking means comprises a grill oven 80, a fan oven having two compartments 82, 84, and a steam oven 86. Each comprises an oven housing 94 closed by a door at its outer end having an insulated inner space 96 and an electric heating element. The steam oven comprises a water bath 98. In this way the tray actuator may move a tray and a cooking pot on the tray into and out from one or more of the ovens to carry out different cooking operations within the device. Once cooking has been completed the user may remove the cooking pot from the oven through the doors 88, 90, 92.

Referring to figure 8 in this embodiment the mixer blade unit 60 comprises two or more mixing blades 100 which may be selected under control of the control means.

Two or more mixing blades 100 (shown extended for use) and 102 (shown folded away out of use) are provided on a common rotatable shaft 104, the blades being configured to engage with a movable component 106 movable axially along the shaft to extend the blade from the shaft, the movable component being actuated under control of the control means. In this way the control means may select a blade for operation within the mixing unit to perform the chosen function on the ingredients.

In this embodiment the device further comprises cleaning means adapted to clean at least a region within the housing comprising cleaning liquid dispensing tubes 108 having nozzles 110 mounted at each corner within the housing and configured to direct cleaning fluid over the inner surfaces of the housing and one or more of the components of the device described herein. Such cleaning fluid may comprise hot or cold water and detergent. The device further comprises washing means configured to wash the inside of the mixing chamber and the mixer blade unit, comprising cleaning fluid delivery means adapted to spray into the chamber, and a drain tube 114 configured to receive cleaning fluid from the chamber through the actuatable dispensing means 40.

The device further comprises a fluid drain connection 116 to receive cleaning fluid from within the housing and cooling fans 118.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as set out in the accompanying claims.

Claims

Claims 1. An automatic cooking device comprising: A housing having a top, bottom and sidewall, An ingredients storage means provided within the housing comprising one or more containers each having a sidewall and a base, and an actuatable dispensing means provided in the base of each container adapted to dispense ingredients downwards from the container when actuated, A mixing unit provided within the housing below the ingredients storage means to receive the ingredients, comprising a mixing chamber, a processor within the mixing chamber, and an actuatable dispensing means provided in the base of the mixing chamber adapted to dispense mixed ingredients downwards from the mixing chamber when actuated.A cooking means provided within the housing and configured to receive 1 5 mixed ingredients from the mixer, comprising a cooking pot and a heater means to cook the ingredients in the cooking pot, and A control means configured to control the said actuatable dispensing means, mixer and cooking means.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the actuatable dispensing means is a dispensing means adapted to be actuated from a closed configuration to retain ingredients within the container or chamber and an open position such that ingredients are allowed to fall through it, and to be controllable by a control means.
3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the dispensing means may be configured to be opened to a controllable degree to control the amount of an ingredient that is dispensed or a rate at which it is dispensed.
4. A device according to any preceding claim wherein a container is a liquid container and the actuatable dispensing comprises a valve.
5. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the actuatable dispensing means comprises a controllable aperture in the base of a container or chamber.
6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the mixing unit is movable to receive ingredients from the ingredients storage means.
7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the mixing unit is adapted to be movable in one or two orthogonal directions horizontally within the housing under the ingredient storage means.
8. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the mixing unit comprises an open-topped mixing chamber having a shape tapering from the top to the base, a rotatable blade mounted on a shaft and extending downwards into the mixing chamber and motor means to rotate the blade.
9. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the mixing unitr is provided with a configurable mixer blade comprising one or more of a cutting blade, a chopping blade, a mixing blade, and a scraping blade adapted to scrape one or more surfaces of the mixing chamber, the mixing blade being selectable by the control means.
10. A device according to claim 9 wherein two or more mixing blades are provided on a common rotatable shaft, the blades being configured to engage with a movable component movable axially along the shaft to extend the blade from the shaft, the movable component being actuated under control by the control means.
11. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the cooking means is provided at a level within the housing lower than the mixing unit and a component of the cooking means is configured to receive ingredients from the mixing unit under gravity.
12. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the cooking means comprises a heated cooking region, one or more frays, one or more cooking pots provided on the one or more trays, and tray actuator means configured to move the trays from a first position in which a cooking pot may receive ingredients from the mixer unit and a second position in which a cooking pot is within the cooking region.
13. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the cooking means comprises two or more heated cooking regions.
14. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the control means comprises a computer controlled electronic system that interprets recipe instructions in the form of data and provides an output to control one or more components of the device.
15. A device according to claim 14 wherein the control means is configured to control or move the components of the device, such as actuatable dispensing means, a movable mixing unit, a movable ingredient storage means, a mixer blade, a rotatable shaft within the mixing unit, a tray actuator and heating means and interlocks to control opening of doors opening to or through a wall of the housing by a user.
16. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the control means comprIses comprise communicatIon means to communicate data to or from a display or a further electronic system or data storage means by an RF communication means such as mobile telephony, Bluetooth (RTM) or wireless LAN.
17. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the device further comprises cleaning means adapted to clean at least a region within the housing.
18. A device according to claim 17 wherein the cleaning means comprises one or more liquid dispensing nozzles mounted within the housing and configured to direct cleaning fluid over the inner surfaces of the housing and one or more of the components of the device described herein.
19. A device according to any preceding claim comprising display means associated with an ingredients container controlled by the control means configured to display an ingredient name.
20. A method of automatic cooking using a device as described herein comprising the following steps: Filling one or more ingredients containers with ingredients, Controlling the device to select a recipe Initiating the device to start the cooking process Removing a cooking pot from the device after the cooking process has ended.