WO1995015708A1

WO1995015708A1 - Cooking arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO1995015708A1
Application number: PCT/AU1994/000766
Authority: WO
Inventors: Allan Meyer
Original assignee: Creative Products Pty Limited Acn 061 735 046
Priority date: 1993-12-10
Filing date: 1994-12-12
Publication date: 1995-06-15
Also published as: AUPM292393A0

Abstract

A cooking arrangement includes a drive head (2) having at least one fixed elongate electrical heating means (35) extending outwardly therefrom; an elongate cooking container (8) is provided being closed at one end and open at the other end; a releasable cap (22) is provided for engagement with said open end; the container being so engageable with the drive head, such that the heating means extends into said container, and such that the container is able to rotate about and relative to said heating means.

Description

COOKING ARRANGEMENT

BACKGROUND TO THE PRESENT INVENTION

This invention relates to a cooking arrangement having particular application to the cooking of foodstuffs involving the use of oil and fats, such as for example chips, chicken, fish, meat, corn and the like. These are, however by way of example only.

Many arrangements are known for cooking such foodstuffs, and in many cases fats and/or oils are used in the cooking of such foodstuffs. For example, foodstuffs which are deep- fried, (for example chicken, fish, chips and the like), are often placed in vats of oil and the resulting foodstuffs often contain as much as between 20 to 30 per cent oil, which is of course particularly disadvantageous from a health point of view. Further, cooking of such foodstuffs in oil vats or pots of oil can be expensive from the point of view of the amount (s) of oil and the electricity used. Further, such cooking can often be messy. It is also recognised that the cooking of such foodstuffs in fat can also be dangerous given the presence of hot (sometimes boiling) oil and fat; especially this is the case where children are concerned.

The present invention therefore sets out to provide a straightforward and efficient cooking arrangement which goes at least some way towards overcoming or at least minimising the above problems, and which also provides a straightforward and efficient cooking arrangement.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

It should of course be appreciated that the present invention, while described with reference to the cooking of certain foodstuffs, has equal application to the cooking of all foodstuffs. SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a cooking arrangement including a drive head; at least one fixed elongate electrical heating means extending outwardly therefrom; and further including an elongate cooking container closed at one end thereof and being open at the other end thereof; a releaseably engageable cap being provided for engagement with said open end; said container being so engageable with said drive head, such that said heating means extends into said container and such that said container is able to rotate about and relative to, said heating means.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a cooking arrangement including a housing having an elongate base with a drive head at one end thereof; said elongate base being provided with an elongate, substantially curvilinear, locating recess, so as to allow for axial location of an elongate, substantially cylindrical container; said container being closed at one end and open at the other end; releaseably engageable cap means being provided and engaged with said open end of said container; said drive head including a drive skirt which is adapted to extend about sides of, so as to engage with and impart a rotational moment to, said container; motor means being provided within said drive head, such as to impart a rotational moment to said drive skirt; a fixed locating plate being provided within said drive head and being formed so as to engage with said cap, so as to fixedly hold said cap within said drive head; elongate heating means extending outwardly from said drive head and extending through a hole or opening in said cap, to extend into said container; means being provided to supply power to said heating means and said motor means; the arrangement being such that on actuation of power to said motor means, and said heating means, the heating means is caused to be heated, and the drive skirt is caused to rotate, said rotation being imparted to said container, which rotates about and relative to said cap and said heating means, so that matter such as food within said container will be heated and/or cooked. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein."

Figure 1 : is a perspective view of a cooking arrangement according to one form of the present invention;

Figure 2: is a side view of a cooking arrangement according to one form of the present invention; Figure 3: is a further side view of a cooking arrangement according to one aspect of the present invention, and Figure 4: is a sectional view of a handle arrangement for a container according to one form of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, but it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements may be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

In the preferred forms of the present invention, the cooking arrangement includes a body portion 1 formed of an appropriate material such as plastics polypropylene or some other material. This is however by way of example only. The body portion 1 includes an elongate base, having a drive head 2, at one end thereof. The base is preferably formed with a recessed housing portion 4, having substantially curvilinear sides 4a, the housing portion 4 being adapted to locate a container 8 which is located by being advanced therein (for example, axially), so that one end 10 of the container 8 (as will be described hereinafter), can be engaged with the drive head 2.

The container 8 is preferably substantially elongate and cylindrical, and is closed at one end 9, while being open at the other end 10, a cap 22 being provided for releasable engagement with the open end 10. The container 8 is preferably constructed of a plaster or glass material and is preferably substantially transparent. This is however by way of example only, and if desired, other appropriate materials can be used.

The recessed housing portion 4 of the body portion is elongate and preferably has curvilinear sides 4a, so that when a rotational moment is applied to the container 8 it will be able to rotate within the curvilinear sides 4a of the recessed housing portion 4.

Suitable control means such as "on/ofF¹ switches, heat controls and controls depending on the varying forms of food, are provided on a console panel 14 of the body portion 1 at one side thereof. These controls are linked to the drive head 2.

The drive head 2 locates an appropriate motor 15 such as for example an electrical motor, together with a drive shaft 16 and gearing 17, suitable connection means such as an electrical cord 18 extending from the drive head 2 and the motor 15 to allow for the connection of the motor to a source of electrical power. In an alternative form of the invention battery means 19 can be provided within the drive head 2 and connected directly such as at 20 to the motor 15.

In a preferred form of the invention, the elongate container 8 is provided with a cap 22 to engage within the open end 10 thereof, the cap 22 having appropriate clips and fastening means associated therewith, so that it can seal or be engaged within the open end of the container, but so that, at the same time, it is rotatably and releaseably mounted within the open end 10 of the container 8, so that, on a rotational moment being applied to the container 8, and on the cap 22 being fixedly held in position relative to the drive head 2 (as will be described hereinafter), the container 8 will be able to rotate about and relative to the cap 22, while the cap 22 still remains in position closing the open end 10 of the container 8.

The cap 22 is preferably provided with one or more holes or recesses 23 extending therethrough, and through which extends the elongate heating means 35 in the form of an elongate heating element, which extends from the drive head 2. The drive head 2 rotatably locates and mounts a drive skirt 25, having a substantially planar medial portion 26 with outwardly and downwardly extending side skirt portions 27, which are profiled such as to define a skirt which is adapted to frictionally engage over and about sides of the end 10 of the container 8. The drive skirt 25 is rotatably mounted about an axle or shaft 28 within the drive head and is connected to a source of power in the form of an electrical motor 15, and by means of gearing 17 and a drive shaft 16. On power being supplied to the motor 15, the motor 15 will cause the drive skirt 25 to rotate about the shaft 28, so that when the container 8 is frictionally engaged within the drive skirt 25 and sides 27 of the drive skirt 25 frictionally engage therewith, the rotational moment applied to the drive skirt 25 will be imparted to the container 8, so that the container 8 will rotate with the drive skirt 25. Preferably this will be a rotation about the substantially longitudinal axis of the container 8.

As referred to hereinbefore, the cap 22 engages within the open end 10 of a container 8 in such a matter as to be substantially sealed (such as to prevent the ingress or egress of matter), but so as to allow for the rotation of the container 8 thereabout.

In engaging the container 8 within the drive head 2, the container 8 with the cap 22 engaged within the open end 10 thereof is advanced axially within the recessed housing portion 4, so as to locate the container within the substantially curvilinear sides 4a thereof, the end 10 of the container being advanced into the drive head 2 so that the sides 27 of the drive skirt 25 engage thereabout.

The drive head 2 further includes a locating plate 30 which is fixedly mounted within the drive head 2, adjacent the end of the shaft 28, and which is profiled so as to engage with the cap 22 of the container 8 and more preferably a profiled handle or grip 22a thereof. Preferably, the locating plate 30 is profiled so that the handle or grip 22a of the cap 22 of the container 8 is able to fit or locate therewithin, to prevent rotational movement of the cap 22. This means that when the container 8 is axially advanced within the drive head 2, and the sides of the drive skirt 27 are engaged thereabout, the cap 22 of the container 8 will engage with the locating plate 30, it being preferred that the handle or grip 22a of the cap

22 be located within a substantially correspondingly profiled recess 30a in the locating plate 30, so that when a rotational moment is applied to the drive skirt 25 by the motor 15 being actuated (and that rotational moment in turn being imparted to the container 8), the container 8 will be caused to rotate with the drive skirt 25 and within the recessed housing portion 4 about and relative to the cap 22 of the container 8, which will be fixedly held in position, given its engagement with the locating plate 30.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, one side of the locating plate 30 also mounts and locates an elongate heating means 35, in the form of an elongate heating element which extends outwardly therefrom, and which is adapted to extend through hole or bore means

23 in the cap 22 of the container 8, so that as the cap 22 and container 8 are axially advanced to be located within the recessed housing portion 4 and relative to the drive head 2, the heating means 35 will pass through the hole or bore 23 in the cap 22 and into the container 8 so as to be positioned within the container 8 spaced apart from an upper surface thereof, but preferably being adjacent to that upper surface. It should be appreciated that the heating means 35 can include one or more heating bars or elements and it is preferably elongate and substantially elongated and curved in formation. Further, a plurality of heating means can be provided if desired.

As will be appreciated therefore, once the container 8 and cap 22 are engaged with the drive head 2, (as described hereinbefore), with the heating means 35 extending through the hole or bore 23 in the cap 22, a rotational moment applied to the drive skirt 25 and imparted to the container 8, will cause the container 8 to rotate within the recessed housing portion 4, about and relative to the cap 22, and about and relative to the heating means 35 extending through the hole or bore 23 in the cap 22, from its fixed engagement with the locating means 30. This means that the container 8 will rotate about the heating means 35 which will be held in a position adjacent to an upper portion or side of the container 8.

Suitable power connection means 36 extended from the heating means 35 to the motor 15 or power supply (in the form of a power supply cord 18 and/or battery 19), to supply power to the heating means 35, so that preferably on the motor 15 being actuated to cause rotation of the container 8, power will be imparted to the heating means 35, so that it will be heated. Appropriate thermostat and temperature control means are provided to control the temperature of the heating means. Further, control means may be provided to prevent the heating means from being actuated without the rotation of the container thereabouts.

In one preferred form of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawings (and with particular reference to Fig 4 of the drawings), the container 8 is provided with a handle or grip member 46. In this form of the invention a substantially circular collar 41 is provided which is provided with an internal annular bearing surface material 42 or bearings or rollers, adapted to engage with and bear against an outer annular surface of the container 8. If desired, and as shown by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, the outer annular surface of the container may be formed or provided with an annular groove, recess or pathway 45 substantially intermediate the ends thereof, to house or locate the bearing means or bearing surface 42 of the collar 41. The collar 41 mounts an appropriate handle or grip portion 46. In the preferred form of the invention, the location of such a collar 41 and handle 46 will enable the container 8 to be gripped and carried from place to place while still allowing for the container 8 to rotate within the collar 41, once the container 8 is located into position within the recessed housing portion 4 and the end 10 thereof engaged within the drive head 2. The engagement of the collar 41 with the outer annular surface of the container 8 can be by way of a bearing surface material 42 or by way of rollers and the like. It is however advantageous that such engagement allows for frictional engagement between the inner annular surface of the collar 41 and the outer annular surface of the container 8 or groove 45, so that there will not be free and unrestricted movement therebetween; (which will make for difficult handling). The engagement will however preferably allow for rotation of the container 8 within the collar 41, when a rotational moment is applied thereto through the drive skirt. In such a form of the invention, an annular groove 50 can be provdied in the curvilinear sides 4a, so as to locate and house an adjacent part of the collar 41. In use, the cooking arrangement is used to cook foodstuffs in a straightforward manner using a minimum amount of oil or fat. It has been found that the present invention is able to be used in this manner, by substantially reducing the amount of oil or fat used.

Thus, by way of example, and in order to cook foodstuffs within the container 8, the container 8 is removed from the recessed housing portion 4 and drive head 2, and the cap 22 disengaged from the container 8. Foodstuffs are then placed within the container 8. For example, if it is desired to cook chicken or chips, these can be lightly brushed with a small amount of oil or can be placed into a plastic bag with an amount of oil and shaken or moved around, so that the foodstuffs have some coating of oil applied thereto. The foodstuffs are then placed into the container 8 and the cap 22 applied to the open end 10 of the container 8. The container 8 and cap 22 are then axially advanced through the recessed housing portion 4, so that the end 10 of the container 8 and cap 22 are engaged with the drive head 2 (as described hereinbefore), with the elongate body portion of the container 8 being located within the curvilinear sides 4a of the base portion 1. Power is then applied to the arrangement, by being applied from a power supply 18 or battery 19, to the motor 15 which will impart a rotational moment to the drive skirt 25 which will in turn impart a rotational moment to the container 8. The power will also be applied to the heating means 35 passing through the hole or bore 23 in the cap 22, and into the container 8. As described herein before, the cap 22 and in particular the handle or grip 22a thereof will be engaged with or relative to the locating plate 30 and recess 30a, to restrain rotation thereof, so that the container 8 with foodstuffs therein, will rotate about the cap 22 and heating means 35 with heat being applied to foodstuffs within the container 8. As described hereinbefore, appropriate switching and timing means on the console panel 14 may be actuated as necessary so as to determine and control the heat and time for the cooking process.

The substantially off-set location of the heating means 35 at or adjacent an upper portion of the container 8, means that the heating means 35 is unlikely to come into contact with the foodstuffs and will be spaced therefrom, and that while certain foodstuffs may rotate up the sides of the interior of the container 8, due to the circular nature of the container 8, and its rotational movement, in most cases they will fall or move down again, without coming into contact with the heating means 35. The invention therefore provides an arrangement whereby the heating means 35 are present in the container 8, and the food is at least partially moved or rotated in the container 8 (such as to allow for a full and efficient cooking process), the arrangement avoiding or substantially minimising any contact between foodstuffs, oil and the heating means 35.

It has also been found that the cooking operation according to the present invention substantially minimises the amount of oil or fat required as compared with the substantial amounts required up until this time and as referred to hereinbefore. Further, oil and/or fat need not always be used in association with the present invention.

This invention has been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cooking arrangement including a drive head; at least one fixed elongate electrical heating means extending outwardly therefrom; and further including an elongate cooking container closed at one end thereof and being open at the other end thereof; a releasably engageable cap being provided for engagement with said open end; said container being so engageable with said drive head, such that said heating means extends into said container and such that said container is able to rotate about and relative to, said heating means.

2. A cooking arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, including a motor adapted to impart a rotational moment to a drive skirt within said drive head, and which drive skirt is adapted to engage with and about sides of said container, such that rotation of said drive skirt will cause rotation of said container relative to said cap and said heating means.

3. A cooking arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said cap is provided with at least one hole or opening, to enable said heating means to extend therethrough and into said container.

4. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said drive head includes a locating plate fixedly mounted within said drive head, and formed so as to fixedly locate, relative thereto, said cap.

5. A cooking arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locating plate is profiled so as to positively locate a handle or grip portion of said cap, so as to inhibit or restrain rotational movement thereof.

6. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cap is so engaged within the open end of the container, such as to allow rotation of said container about said cap, while said cap is held in a fixed and non-rotating position, but still within the open end of the container.

7. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including a housing having a substantially elongate base formed with an elongate locating recess adapted to house and locate said container; the drive head being provided at one end of said base.

8. A cooking arrangement as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the container is substantially cylindrical, and the elongate locating recess in the base is formed with substantially curvilinear sides, such that location of said container within said substantially curvilinear locating recess, allows for rotation of the container therewithin.

9. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 2 to 8, wherein means are provided to supply power to the motor and heating means.

10. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including control means for operation of said cooking arrangement.

11. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating means extends into said container such as to be adjacent to, but spaced apart from, an inner upper surface of said container.

12. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the claims 4 to 11, wherein the heating means is connected to and extends into the container from, the locating plate; said heating means being connected to a source of power.

13. A cooking arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container is provided with handle means mounted to a substantially circular collar extending about the container and having bearing means on an inner surface thereof; said bearing means being in frictional engagement with an outer annular surface of said container, such that said container is able to rotate within and relative to, said collar.

14. A cooking arrangement as claimed in claim 13, wherein an annular recess extends about the container to house and locate said bearing means and/or collar.

15. A cooking arrangement including a housing having an elongate base with a drive head at one end thereof; said elongate base being provided with an elongate, substantially curvilinear, locating recess, so as to allow for location of an elongate container; said container being closed at one end and open at the other end; releaseably engageable cap means being provided and engaged with said open end of said container; said drive head including a drive skirt which is adapted to extend about the sides of, so as to engage with and impart a rotational moment to, said container; motor means being provided within said drive head, such as to impart a rotational moment to said drive skirt; a fixed locating plate being provided within said drive head and being formed so as to engage with the said cap, so as to fixedly hold said cap within said drive head; elongate heating means extending outwardly from said drive head and extending through a hole or opening in said cap, to extend into said container; means being provided to supply power to said heating means and said motor means; the arrangement being such that on location of said container within and relative to, said drive head, and on actuation of power to said motor means, and said heating means, the heating means is caused to be heated, and the drive skirt is caused to rotate, which rotation is imparted to said container, such as to cause it to be rotated about and relative to, said cap and said heating means, so that matter such as food within said container, will be heated and/or cooked.