WO2015143630A1

WO2015143630A1 - A cooking apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2015143630A1
Application number: PCT/CN2014/074062
Authority: WO
Inventors: Weizhong Li; Yewu Zhong
Original assignee: Top Electric Appliances Industrial Ltd
Priority date: 2014-03-25
Filing date: 2014-03-25
Publication date: 2015-10-01

Abstract

A cooker apparatus (10) comprises a cooking vessel (1) such as a pot or a container and a rotatable receptacle (3.1) mounted for rotation within the interior of the cooking vessel (1). The rotatable receptacle (3.1) has at least one contactless driven member (3.3) positioned within the interior of the cooking vessel (1) adjacent to, but not in contact with an inside of the cooking vessel (1). A contactless drive member (3.3) of a motor unit (4) is located on an exterior of the cooking vessel (1), but not in contact with an outside of the cooking vessel (1). The drive member (3.3) is positioned at an exterior location adjacent to a position of said driven member (3.3). A motor (4.1) of the motor unit (4) drives the driven member (3.3) which, in turn, contactlessly drives the driven member (3.3) to thereby rotate the receptacle (3.1) within the cooking vessel (1). The motor unit (4) is electrically and mechanically detachable from a base (7) of the cooker apparatus (10).

Description

A COOKING APPARATUS

Technical Field

The invention relates to a cooking apparatus and particularly, but not exclusively to a cooking apparatus provisioned with means for both a steam cooking mode and a baking/roasting mode.

Background Art

It is known to provide cooking apparatuses provisioned with means for both a steam cooking mode and a baking/roasting mode. However, these usually comprise self-contained units where the cooking pot or vessel is a fixed part of the unit and thus is difficult to clean after use.

Technical Problem

An object of the invention is to mitigate or obviate to some degree one or more problems associated with known cooking apparatuses.

The above object is met by the combination of features of the main claims; the sub-claims disclose further advantageous embodiments of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to mitigate or obviate to some degree one or more problems associated with known cooking apparatuses provisioned with means for both a steam cooking mode and a baking/roasting mode.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easily assembled cooking apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an easily cleaned cooking apparatus.

One skilled in the art will derive from the following description other objects of the invention. Therefore, the foregoing statements of object are not exhaustive and serve merely to illustrate some of the many objects of the present invention.

Technical Solution

In a first main aspect, the present invention provides a cooker apparatus comprising: a cooking vessel; a rotatable receptacle mounted for rotation within the interior of the cooking vessel, said rotatable receptacle having at least one contactless driven member positioned within the interior of the cooking vessel adjacent to, but not in contact with an inside of the cooking vessel; a contactless drive member located on an exterior of the cooking vessel, but not in contact with an outside of the cooking vessel, said drive member being positioned at an exterior location adjacent to a position of said driven member; and a motor for driving the drive member to thereby contactlessly drive the driven member and cause the rotatable receptacle to rotate within the cooking vessel.

The use of a contactless driving system is advantageous in that it enables the cooking vessel, container or pot to be easily removed from the cooker apparatus for cleaning.

In a second main aspect, the present invention provides a cooker apparatus comprising: a cooking vessel; a base for receiving the cooking vessel; a lid for closing the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel rests on the base; and at least one support extending upwardly from the base to hold the lid, wherein the lid is movably mounted on the at least one support such that it is movable from a first open position not covering a mouth of the cooking vessel to a second closed position covering the mouth of the cooking vessel.

The cooking vessel is a separate component of the cooker apparatus which, in use, can be assembled with the base and lid for cooking and which can be easily removed or disassembled from the base and lid for cleaning.

In a third main aspect, the present invention provides a kit of parts for a cooker apparatus comprising: a base for receiving a cooking vessel; a lid for closing the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel rests on the base; and at least one support extending upwardly from the base to hold the lid, wherein the lid is movably mounted on the at least one support such that it is movable from a first open position not covering a mouth of the cooking vessel to a second closed position covering the mouth of the cooking vessel.

The provision of a kit of parts for the cooker apparatus has a number of advantages including easily assembly of the cooker apparatus by a user of the cooker apparatus. It also enables the cooker apparatus components to be separately manufactured.

In a fourth main aspect, the present invention provides a cooking vessel for a cooker apparatus of the first or second main aspects of the invention, said cooking vessel being formed of a food grade material and having an inlet port formed in a base wall thereof, said inlet port being adapted to engage with a steam nozzle of the cooker apparatus.

The summary of the invention does not necessarily disclose all the features essential for defining the invention; the invention may reside in a sub-combination of the disclosed features.

Description of Drawings

The foregoing and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments which are provided by way of example only in connection with the accompanying figures, of which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a cooking apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional front view of the cooking apparatus of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the cooking apparatus of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the component parts of the cooker apparatus of Fig. 1 forming a kit of parts for the cooker apparatus;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a cooking apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a block circuit and logic diagram for the cooking apparatus of Fig. 1 or Fig. 5.

Mode for Invention

The following description is of preferred embodiments by way of example only and without limitation to the combination of features necessary for carrying the invention into effect.

Reference in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.

The present description illustrates the principles of the present invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope.

Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, shown is a first embodiment of a cooker apparatus 10 comprising a cooking vessel 1 such as a pot or container. The pot or container 1 may be formed of glass, metal, ceramic or any other suitable material for a cooking container including cooking grade plastics materials. However, particularly in the case of a metal-based container, it is preferred that the material of the container 1 is a non-magnetic material for reasons that will become apparent hereinafter. The container 1 is shown as an open mouthed container 1 of generally rectangular form in plan view, but it will be understood that open mouthed containers of any suitable shape could be used in a cooker apparatus in accordance with the invention.

The container 1 may form a first component in a kit of parts for a cooker apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention. However, in some embodiments of the kit of parts, the container 1 may not form a component of the kit, because the kit of parts may comprise a number of components forming a cooker apparatus 10 which is adapted to work with an already existing type of cooking container or pot.

The cooker apparatus 10 has a base 7 adapted to receive the container 1 in use. An upper support surface of the base 7 has a lip 7.1 conforming to a shape of a lower peripheral edge of the container 1, although this is not an essential feature of the invention. The lip 7.1 enables a user to accurately place the container 1 on the upper support surface of the base 7 in order to bring an inlet port 1.3 of the container 1 into registration with a steam nozzle 5.7 of the base 7.

The cooker apparatus 10 includes a lid 1.1 which, in use, closes the open mouth of the container 1. The lid 1.1 is mounted on at least one support 7.2 which extends upwardly from the base 7. The lid 1.1 is movably mounted on the support 7.2 such that the lid 1.1 can be moved from an open position where it does not close or enclose the mouth of the container 1 to a closed position where it does close or enclose the mouth of the container by, for example, resting on an upper peripheral edge of the container 1. The lid 1.1 is preferably arranged to form a snug fit on or over the upper peripheral edge of the container 1 to reduce the leakage of cooking smells and vapours. The lid 1.1 is preferably fixedly mounted to an upper arm-shaped part of the at least one support 7.2. The upper arm-shaped part of the at least one support 7.2 is pivotally connected to a lower part of the support 7.2 such that a pivot mounting point of said upper arm-shaped part to the lower part of the support 7.2 is preferably a small distance below the level of the lid 1.1 such that, when the lid 1.1 is pivoted upwardly away from the container 1, the lid 1.1 is spaced said short distance backwardly away from the mouth of the container 1. The arm-shaped part of the support 7.2 may have formed therein a user control panel 6.1 for the cooker apparatus 10 for receiving user inputs to control the cooking mode or modes of the cooker apparatus 10. The control panel 6.1 may comprise a touch panel. The control panel 6.1 becomes visible to a user when the lid 1.1 is lowered to close over the container 1. The control panel 6.1 is connected to a main control circuit board 6.2.

The base 7, at least one support 7.2 and the lid 1.1 form a single, assembled component of a kit of parts in accordance with the invention.

Associated with the base 7 are first and second contactless motor drive units 4 which are electrically and mechanically detachable from the base 7. Each motor drive unit 4 comprises a motor 4.1 for driving a drive member or wheel 4.3 and one or more magnets 4.2. The drive wheel 4.3 is preferably enclosed within a housing of the motor unit 4, but is positioned closely to a wall of the housing that, in use, is placed adjacent an exterior side of the container 1. The magnets 4.2 are preferably set into the drive wheel 4.3, although, in some embodiments, they may be surface mounted to the drive wheel 4.3. The one or more magnets 4.2 are preferably permanent magnets, although, in some embodiments, they may be replaced by one or more induction coils. Each motor unit 4 is electrically and mechanically detachable from the base through the electrical and mechanical interconnection of an electrical connector 4.4 of the motor drive unit 4 with a mating electrical connector 6.5 provided in the base 7. As such, the motor drive units 4 may also comprise components of a kit of parts for a cooker apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention.

The cooker apparatus 10 includes a food tumbling device 3 preferably comprising a rotatable receptacle 3.1 in which food may be placed for cooking. The receptacle 3.1 has a door 3.4 providing access to its interior. The receptacle 3.1 is preferably formed from a food grade metal such as stainless steel, although other food grade materials may be used. The surface of the receptacle 3.1 is preferably slotted to aid cooking. The receptacle 3.1 may have a generally cylindrical construction comprising a drum or the like, although this is not an essential feature of the invention and other shapes of receptacle might be utilized. For example, the receptacle may be triangular, square or polygonal in cross-section. The receptacle 3.1 is mounted for rotation within the interior of the container 1 and is preferably mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. The receptacle 3.1 has at least one contactless driven member or wheel 3.3 positioned within the interior of the container 1 adjacent to, but not in contact with an inside of the container 1. The driven wheel 3.3 includes one or more permanent magnets 3.2 set therein, although, in some embodiments, the magnets 3.2 be surface mounted to the driven wheel 3.3. Preferably, the receptacle 3.1 is provided with a driven wheel 3.3 at each end thereof, although it will be understood that, in some embodiment, only one driven wheel 3.3 and thus only one motor drive unit 4 is sufficient in the cooker apparatus 10 of the invention for causing the receptacle 3.1 to rotate.

The driven wheels 3.3 are mounted on respective ones of first and second stub axles 3.5 provided at opposing ends of the receptacle 3.1. When the receptacle 3.1 is supported in the container 1 in use, the motor units 4 are positioned to either side of the base 7 of the cooker apparatus 10 such that the drive wheels 4.3 thereof are located closely adjacent to an exterior wall of the container 1, but not in contact with an outside of the container and such that each drive wheel 4.3 is positioned at an exterior location adjacent to a position of a respective one of the driven wheels 3.3. Consequently, when the motors 4.1 of the motor drive units 4, which are controlled to turn in unison, are operated, they cause the drive wheels 4.3 to rotate. The magnetic interaction between the drive magnets 4.2 and the driven magnets 3.2 is such that it results in the driven wheels 3.3 being caused to rotate which causes the receptacle 3.1 to rotate.

Preferably, each of first and second driven wheels 3.3 are arranged on distal ends of respective ones of the first and second stub axles 3.5 which enables said driven wheels 3.3 to be located closely adjacent respective side walls of the container 1 without contacting said sides.

The receptacle 3.1 may form another component in a kit of parts for a cooker apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention.

To support the receptacle 3.1 within the interior of the container, there is provided a rack 1.2 which is preferably formed of food grade metal such as stainless steel although other food grade materials could be used. The rack 1.2 is adapted to fit within the container 1 and rest on a base wall of said container 1. The rack 1.2 is provided at each of its ends with a slotted support member 1.4 which, in use, engages a respective one of the first and second stub axles 3.5 of the receptacle 3.1. The slotted support members 1.4 rotatably support the stub axles 3.5. The rack 1.2 can be easily removed from the container 1 for cleaning.

The rack 1.2 may form another component in a kit of parts for a cooker apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention. The rack 1.2 may comprise a tray or the like.

It will be understood that other means for supporting the receptacle 3.1 rotatably within the container 1 may be provided within the scope of the invention. For example, the inside end walls of the container 1 may be formed with means for rotably engaging the stub axles 3.5.

The cooker apparatus 10 of the invention is intended to be used for more than one mode of cooking. As such, the cooker apparatus 10 is provided with a steam generating device 5 for enabling a steam cooking mode and an electric heating device 2 for enabling a baking mode and/or a roasting mode. Preferably, the steam generating device 5 is located within the base 7 and the electric heating device 2 is located within the lid 1.1.

The electric heating device 2 comprises an infrared heating tube 2.5 such as a quartz halogen lamp or a carbon fibre element, an electrode shield 2.6, air vents 2.1 for drawing in ambient air to be heated, a motor 2.2 for driving fan blades 2.3 to drive drawn in air over the heating tube 2.5, a metallic heat reflector 2.4 for reflecting heat back into the cooker container 1 and a protective mesh cover 2.7.

The steam generating device 5 comprises a water tank 5.1 which can be removed from the base 7 for refilling, a pump 5.2 for pumping water through a one-way valve 5.3 to a heat pipe 5.4 for generating steam, a steam conduit 5.6 for conveying steam to the steam nozzle 5.7, the steam conduit including a pressure regulator valve 5.5.

The steam nozzle 5.7 is located in a support wall of the base 7 and positioned such that, when a container is placed on the base 7 of the cooker apparatus 10, the steam nozzle is adapted to be received in an inlet port 1.3 of the container 1. The steam nozzle 5.7 preferably includes a sealing ring 8 which seals a junction between the steam nozzle 5.7 and the inlet port 1.3 when the cooking container 1 is placed on the base 7.

The cooker apparatus may also be provided with a temperature sensor 6.4 and a power fuse 6.3.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional side view of a cooking apparatus 10 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The cooking apparatus 10 of Fig. 5 is largely similar in construction to that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 save for some differences hereinafter described. As such, in the embodiment of Fig. 5, like numerals to those used in Figs. 1 to 4 are used to denote like parts.

The cooking apparatus 10 of Fig. 5 differs from that of Figs. 1 to 4 in that the steam nozzle 5.7 is provided in the lid 1.1. More particularly, the steam nozzle 5.7 is provided within a housing of the electric heating device 2. The steam nozzle 5.7 may be mounted in an aperture provided in the heat reflector 2.4, although it will be understood that the steam nozzle may be positioned in the lid 1.1 and, more particularly, in the electric heating device 2 at any position which enables steam to be delivered by the steam nozzle 5.7 into the cooking container 1. In this embodiment, the steam conduit 5.6 is arranged to extend from the heat pipe 5.4 through a channel in a body of the support 7.2 up to the steam nozzle 5.7 positioned in the lid 1.1. The channel in the body of the support 7.2 is preferably configured to pass through the pivotable joint between the upper and lower parts of the support 7.2 thereby hiding the steam conduit from view and, more importantly, preventing a user of the cooking apparatus 10 from coming into contact with the conduit 5.6.

An advantage of the second embodiment of cooking apparatus 10 of Fig. 5 is that there is no requirement to provide an aperture in the base of the container 1 for receiving the steam nozzle 5.7. Consequently, the container 1 is free of any aperture in its base and is usuable for purposes other than with the cooking apparatus 10 such as in the preparation of food. Furthermore, by placing the steam nozzle 5.7 in the lid 1.1, the cooking apparatus 10 of this embodiment can more readily be used with existing cooking containers, pots or the like.

The cooker apparatus may be controlled to operate first one mode of cooking followed by another mode as part of a single cooking process.

Referring to Fig. 6, shown is a block circuit and logic flow diagram for the cooking apparatus 10 of the invention. It can be seen from Fig.6 that the rotatable receptacle 3.1 is more normally operated in the baking and/or roasting mode, although the control circuit does not preclude the possibility of the rotatable receptacle 3.1 being operated in the steam cooking mode.

In general, the invention provides a cooker apparatus comprising a cooking vessel such as a pot or a container and a rotatable receptacle mounted for rotation within the interior of the cooking vessel. The rotatable receptacle has at least one contactless driven member positioned within the interior of the cooking vessel adjacent to, but not in contact with an inside of the cooking vessel. A contactless drive member of a motor unit is located on an exterior of the cooking vessel, but not in contact with an outside of the cooking vessel. The drive member is positioned at an exterior location adjacent to a position of said driven member. A motor of the motor unit drives the drive member which, in turn, contactlessly drives the driven member to thereby rotate the receptacle within the cooking vessel. The motor unit is electrically and mechanically detachable from a base of the cooker apparatus.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only exemplary embodiments have been shown and described and do not limit the scope of the invention in any manner. It can be appreciated that any of the features described herein may be used with any embodiment. The illustrative embodiments are not exclusive of each other or of other embodiments not recited herein. Accordingly, the invention also provides embodiments that comprise combinations of one or more of the illustrative embodiments described above. Modifications and variations of the invention as herein set forth can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.

Claims

A cooker apparatus comprising:

a cooking vessel;

a rotatable receptacle mounted for rotation within the interior of the cooking vessel, said rotatable receptacle having at least one contactless driven member positioned within the interior of the cooking vessel adjacent to, but not in contact with an inside of the cooking vessel;

a contactless drive member located on an exterior of the cooking vessel, but not in contact with an outside of the cooking vessel, said drive member being positioned at an exterior location adjacent to a position of said driven member; and

a motor for driving the drive member to thereby contactlessly drive the driven member and cause the rotatable receptacle to rotate within the cooking vessel.
The cooker apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contactless drive member and the motor form a unit which is mechanically and electrically detachable from a base of the cooker apparatus.
The cooker apparatus of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the at least one contactless driven member of the rotatable receptacle is mounted on a stub axle of the receptacle.
The cooker apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a contactless drive means of the cooker apparatus comprising said at least one contactless driven member and said contactless drive member comprises a magnetic drive means whereby at least one of the driven member and the drive member is provided with one or more permanent magnets.
The cooker apparatus of claim 4, wherein the driven member is provided with one or more first permanent magnets and the drive member is provided with one or more second permanent magnets or one or more induction coils.
The cooker apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle is mounted within the cooking vessel so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation and wherein the receptacle has first and second contactless driven members, each of said first and second driven members being arranged on distal ends of respective ones of first and second stub axles, the first stub axle being provided at one end of the receptacle and the second stub axle being provided at an opposing end of the receptacle such that each of the first and second driven members is positioned within the cooking vessel adjacent to, but not in contact with a respective side of the cooking vessel.
The cooker apparatus of claim 6, wherein the receptacle is rotatably supported within the cooking vessel by a rack.
The cooker apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rack rests on a base wall of the cooking vessel and is removable from the cooking vessel.
The cooker apparatus of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the receptacle is rotatably supported on the rack by its stub axles.
The cooker apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein it further comprises:

a base for receiving the cooking vessel;

a lid for closing the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel rests on the base; and

at least one support extending upwardly from the base to hold the lid, wherein the lid is movably mounted on the at least one support such that it is movable from a first open position not covering a mouth of the cooking vessel to a second closed position covering the mouth of the cooking vessel.
The cooker apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooker apparatus further comprises:

a steam generating device for enabling a steam cooking mode; and

an electric heating element for enabling a baking and/or roasting mode.
The cooker apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cooker apparatus further comprises:

a steam generating device located within the base for enabling a steam cooking mode; and

an electric heating element located within the lid for enabling a baking and/or roasting mode.
The cooker apparatus of claim 12, wherein the base has a steam nozzle which is adapted to be received in an inlet port of the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel is placed on the base.
The cooker apparatus of claim 13, wherein the steam nozzle includes a sealing ring which seals a junction between the steam nozzle and the inlet port when the cooking vessel is placed on the base.
A cooker apparatus comprising:

a cooking vessel;

a base for receiving the cooking vessel;

a lid for closing the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel rests on the base; and

at least one support extending upwardly from the base to hold the lid, wherein the lid is movably mounted on the at least one support such that it is movable from a first open position not covering a mouth of the cooking vessel to a second closed position covering the mouth of the cooking vessel.
The cooker apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cooker apparatus further comprises:

a steam generating device located within the base for enabling a steam cooking mode; and

an electric heating element located within the lid for enabling a baking and/or roasting mode.
The cooker apparatus of claim 16, wherein the base has a steam nozzle which is adapted to be received in an inlet port of the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel is placed on the base.
The cooker apparatus of claim 17, wherein the steam nozzle includes a sealing ring which seals a junction between the steam nozzle and the inlet port when the cooking vessel is placed on the base.
The cooker apparatus of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein it further comprises:

a rotatable receptacle mounted for rotation within the interior of the cooking vessel, said rotatable receptacle having at least one contactless driven member positioned within the interior of the cooking vessel adjacent to, but not in contact with an inside of the cooking vessel;

a contactless drive member located on an exterior of the cooking vessel, but not in contact with an outside of the cooking vessel, said drive member being positioned at an exterior location adjacent to a position of said driven member; and

a motor for driving the drive member to thereby contactlessly drive the driven member and cause the rotatable receptacle to rotate within the cooking vessel.
The cooker apparatus of claim 19, wherein the contactless drive member and the motor form a unit which is mechanically and electrically detachable from the cooker apparatus base.
A kit of parts for a cooker apparatus comprising:

a base for receiving a cooking vessel;

a lid for closing the cooking vessel when the cooking vessel rests on the base; and

at least one support extending upwardly from the base to hold the lid, wherein the lid is movably mounted on the at least one support such that it is movable from a first open position not covering a mouth of the cooking vessel to a second closed position covering the mouth of the cooking vessel.
The kit of parts for a cooker apparatus of claim 21, further comprising first and second motor units which are mechanically and electrically detachable from the base.
The kit of parts for a cooker apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a rotatable receptacle, wherein the first and second motor units comprise magnetic drive units which are adapted to locate on respective sides of the rotatable receptacle when it is supported on the base to contactlessly drive said receptacle through magnetic interaction with respective first and second permanent magnet members of said receptacle.
A cooking vessel for a cooker apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 20, said cooking vessel being formed of a food grade material and having an inlet port formed in a base wall thereof, said inlet port being adapted to engage with a steam nozzle of the cooker apparatus.