WO2020021304A1

WO2020021304A1 - A multi-purpose cooking set

Info

Publication number: WO2020021304A1
Application number: PCT/IB2018/055480
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seied Hassan TAYEFEH HOJATY
Original assignee: Tayefeh Hojaty Seied Hassan
Priority date: 2018-07-24
Filing date: 2018-07-24
Publication date: 2020-01-30
Also published as: GB2590247B; CA3091425A1; CN211022175U; GB2590247A; GB202100763D0; CA3091425C

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a multi-purpose cookware that may include a drum-shaped main chamber. The drum-shaped main chamber may include an upper opening at a top of the main chamber and a bottom opening at a bottom of the main chamber, where the bottom opening may be smaller than a bottom surface of the main chamber. The bottom opening may allow heat from a heat source to pass through, and a plurality of vents may be formed as a plurality of apertures in an upper peripheral portion of the main chamber below an upper edge of the main chamber. The multi-purpose cookware may further include an inner cooking vessel that may be configured to contain food and be detachably accommodated in the drum-shaped main chamber, and a lid that may be selectively placed over the upper opening.

Description

A MULTI-PURPOSE COOKING SET

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to cookwares, particularly to a cooking set capable of functioning as a cooking pot, a steamer, a grill, and a pan both indoors and outdoors.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Eating habits have changed over the past few decades as more people are reaching for convenience foods and microwave meals. Many people prefer using kitchen appliances that help them cook without spending much time in the kitchen. On the other hand, kitchens have become smaller in modem apartments and small kitchens often have insufficient space to accommodate microwave ovens, fryers, toasters, grills, steam cookers, slow cookers, rice cookers, etc.

[0003] Many attempts have been made to combine these appliances, examples may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,274,847 where a roaster is combined with a slow cooker, or in U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,302 where an interchangeably multi-purpose cooking apparatus is disclosed. However, most of these devices are electrical devices that utilize electrical elements to provide heat and they may be associated with a number of shortcomings. For example, electrical cooking devices fail to add a true flavor to food in comparison with traditional stove-cooking or charcoal- cooking methods. Furthermore, these types of devices may mostly be used indoors since they need electricity to function.

[0004] There is therefore a need in the art for a multi-purpose cookware that allows a user to carry out different cooking processes such as frying, boiling, steaming, roasting, baking, grilling, etc. both indoors and outdoors, while maintaining the quality and freshness of traditionally cooked meals and requiring less space than several kitchen appliances or cookware that must be used to carry out all the aforementioned cooking processes.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0005] This summary is intended to provide an overview of the subject matter of the present disclosure, and is not intended to identify essential elements or key elements of the subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed implementations. The proper scope of the present disclosure may be ascertained from the claims set forth below in view of the detailed description below and the drawings of exemplary embodiments.

[0006] According to one or more embodiments, a multi-purpose cookware is disclosed that may include a main chamber. The main chamber may include an upper opening at a top of the main chamber and a bottom opening at a bottom of the main chamber, where the bottom opening may be smaller than a bottom surface of the main chamber. The bottom opening may allow heat from a heat source to pass through, and a plurality of vents may be formed as a plurality of apertures in an upper peripheral portion of the main chamber below an upper edge of the main chamber. The multi-purpose cookware may further include an inner cooking set that may be configured to contain food and be detachably accommodated in the main chamber, and a lid that may be selectively placed over the upper opening.

[0007] According to an embodiment, the inner cooking set may be a cooking pot with an outer lip integrally connected to an upper edge of the cooking pot, the outer lip sized and shaped such that the outer lip may rest above the upper edge of the main chamber and provide a seal between the outer lip and the upper edge of the main chamber.

[0008] According to an embodiment, an outer surface of the cooking pot and an inner surface of the main chamber may define an enclosure that allows the heat from the heat source pass therethrough around the entire outer surface of the cooking pot. According to some embodiments, the heat may enter the enclosure from the bottom opening and exit the enclosure through the plurality of vents.

[0009] According to one or more embodiments, the multi-purpose cookware may further include a steam cooking basket including a perforated bottom portion, where the steam cooking basket may be sized and shaped to be accommodated in the cooking pot. The multi-purpose cookware may further include a support member configured to hold the steam cooking basket inside the cooking pot thereby creating a distance between a bottom surface of the perforated bottom portion of the steam cooking basket and a top surface of a bottom portion of the cooking pot.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the steam cooking basket may include a basket lip extending from a top periphery thereof, where the basket lip may be sized and shaped to fit snugly within the cooking pot. [0011] According to an embodiment, the plurality of apertures may further include corresponding plurality of flaps bent inwardly from upper edges thereof forming a ledge on an inner peripheral portion of the main chamber.

[0012] According to one or more embodiments, the inner cooking set may include a removable heat diffuser with a domelike central region that may be configured to substantially cover the bottom opening. The domelike central region may include at least one opening covered by at least one corresponding flap. The inner cooking set may further include a removable grill mesh that may be sized and shaped to fit snugly within the cooking pot resting on the ledge. According to another embodiment, the domelike central region may terminate at a periphery of the domelike central region with an extended ring.

[0013] According to an embodiment, the removable heat diffuser may be smaller than a bottom surface of the main chamber. According to an embodiment, the domelike central region may include a plurality of openings covered by a plurality of corresponding flaps.

[0014] According to one or more embodiments, the main chamber may sit on the heat source such that the bottom opening may be positioned above the heat source. The heat source may be one of a gas burner, an electric burner, and a bed of hot charcoal.

[0015] According to one or more embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to a cooking method that may include providing a main cooking chamber. The main cooking chamber may include an upper opening at a top of the main chamber, a bottom opening at a bottom of the main chamber, the bottom opening smaller than a bottom surface of the main chamber, the bottom opening positioned above the heat source allowing heat from the heat source therethrough, and a plurality of vents formed as a plurality of apertures in an upper peripheral portion of the main chamber below an upper edge of the main chamber. The cooking method may further include placing the main cooking chamber over a heat source such that the bottom opening encompassing the heat source, detachably accommodating an inner cooking set in the main cooking chamber, placing a portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set, and selectively placing a lid over the upper opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements. [0017] FIG. 1A illustrates an exploded view of a multipurpose cookware, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0018] FIG. IB illustrates a sectional view of multipurpose cookware, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0019] FIG. 2A illustrates an exploded view of a multipurpose cookware, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0020] FIG. 2B illustrates a sectional view of multipurpose cookware, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a multipurpose cookware, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of a multipurpose cookware, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of a cooking method, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0024] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings related to the exemplary embodiments. However, it should be apparent that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

[0025] The following detailed description is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the methods and devices disclosed in exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required to practice the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments are provided only as representative examples. Various modifications to the exemplary implementations will be plain to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations and applications without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the implementations shown, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0026] Methods and devices disclosed herein, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a multi-purpose cookware that allows for carrying out different cooking processes such as most stove-cooking or charcoal-cooking forms including, but not limited to grilling, steaming, frying, roasting, baking, etc. in one simple and easy to use structure both indoors and outdoors. The disclosed devices may include a main cooking chamber including a bottom opening that may sit on top of a burner of a stove or a hot bed of charcoal and thereby create a cooking chamber that may accommodate interchangeable inner cooking tools and vessels and distribute the heat received from the stove burner or hot charcoal through the bottom opening evenly and efficiently around the entire outer surfaces of the inner cooking tools and vessels while preventing heat loss. The efficient and even distribution of heat around the outer surface of the inner cooking tools and vessels may result in a thorough cooking of the food.

[0027] FIG. 1A illustrates an exploded view of a multipurpose cookware 100, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. IB illustrates a sectional view of multipurpose cookware 100, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring to FIGs. 1A and IB, multipurpose cookware 100 may include a main chamber 102 that may be a drum-shaped chamber, a hyperbolic chamber, or may have other possible shapes. Main chamber 102 may include an upper opening at a top of main chamber 102 and a bottom opening 108 at a bottom of main chamber 102. According to one or more embodiments, bottom opening 108 may be circular in shape and have a surface less than a bottom surface 110 of main chamber 102. In some embodiments, main chamber 102 may sit over a heat source 112 such as a burner 114 or a hot bed of charcoal (not explicitly shown in FIG. IB) and bottom opening 108 may allow heat from heat source 112 to enter an interior cavity of main chamber 102. In some exemplary embodiments, bottom opening 108 may be sized and shaped such that it may encompass a burner of a stove, such as burner 114.

[0028] Referring to FIGs. 1A and IB, according to one or more embodiments, main chamber 102 may further include a number of apertures 116 in an upper peripheral portion of main chamber 102 below an upper edge of main chamber 102. According to one or more embodiments, apertures 116 may function as vents that are utilized for controlling the temperature of the interior cavity of main chamber 102 when upper opening is selectively closed. Apertures 116 allow excess heat to exit the interior cavity of main chamber 102 thereby providing safety and control over the average temperature of the interior cavity of main chamber 102.

[0029] Referring to FIGs. 1A and IB, according to one or more embodiments, multipurpose cookware 100 may further include an inner cooking set 104 that may be configured to contain food. According to an embodiment, inner cooking set 104 may be detachably accommodated in main chamber 102. In an exemplary embodiment, inner cooking set 104 may include a cooking pot 118 that may be used for cooking different types of food such as rice, boiled vegetables, stews, etc. In an embodiment, cooking pot 118 may include an outer lip 120 which is integrally connected to an upper edge of cooking pot 118. In an exemplary embodiment, outer lip 120 may be sized and shaped such that outer lip 120 may rest above an upper edge of main chamber 102, which may provide a seal between outer lip 120 and upper edge of main chamber 102. In an exemplary embodiment, when cooking pot 118 is accommodated within main chamber 102 as was described above, heat may pass through inner cavity of main chamber 102 around cooking pot 118 covering substantially an entire outer surface of cooking pot 118 and excess heat may exit from apertures 116.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1A, According to one or more embodiments, cooking pot 118 may be formed by extending upper edge 122 of cooking pot 118 downwardly to form an annular wall with a predetermined height. Cooking pot 118 may have different predetermined heights for different cooking purposes. For example, smaller heights for baking and frying purposes and larger heights for cooking stews and boiling food.

[0031] Referring to FIGs. 1A and IB, according to one or more embodiments, multipurpose cookware 100 may further include a lid 106 that may be selectively placed over and cover the upper opening of cooking pot 118. According to one or more embodiments, lid 106 may have a domelike central region 124 that may terminate at a periphery of lid 106 with an edge 126 that may conform to edge 122 of cooking pot 118. According to an exemplary embodiment, lid 106 may include an outer lid lip 128 that may be connected to a recessed lid portion 130. The recessed lid portion 130 may be formed as a very short cylinder sized and shaped such that it may sit within an upper opening of cooking pot 118 while the outer lid lip 128 engages outer lip 120 of cooking pot 118.

[0032] FIG. 2A illustrates an exploded view of multipurpose cookware 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2B illustrates a sectional view of multipurpose cookware 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIGs. 2A and 2B, in an exemplary embodiment, inner cooking set 104 may further include a steam cooking basket 132 that may be sized and shaped to be accommodated in cooking pot 118. Steam cooking basket 132 may include a perforated bottom portion 134 to allow steam to pass through steam cooking basket 132. According to an exemplary embodiment, perforated bottom portion 134 may include at least one aperture allowing steam therethrough. According to another exemplary embodiment, perforated bottom portion 134 may include a plurality of apertures formed thereon. In an embodiment, steam cooking basket 132 may have a height smaller than the predetermined height of cooking pot 118. In an exemplary embodiment, steam cooking basket 132 may further include a basket lip 136 that may extend from a top periphery of steam cooking basket 132. Basket lip 136 may be sized and shaped such that there may be a distance between the periphery of basket lip 136 and inner surface of cooking pot 132 in order to allow steam to pass around steam cooking basket as well as through perforated bottom portion 134.

[0033] Referring to FIGs. 2A and 2B, according to an exemplary embodiment, the inner cooking set 104 may further include a support member 138 that may be configured to hold steam cooking basket 132 inside cooking pot 118 and create a distance between a bottom surface 140 of perforated bottom portion 134 of steam cooking basket 132 and an upper surface 142 of the bottom portion of cooking pot 118. The area created by support member 138 between bottom surface 140 of perforated bottom portion 134 of steam cooking basket 132 and upper surface 142 of the bottom portion of cooking pot 118 may be utilized as a water reservoir. The water in the water reservoir may be heated to generate the steam required for steam cooking food that may be contained inside steam cooking basket 132. Support member 138 may be configured to hold steam cooking basket 132 above the water in the water reservoir created in the bottom of cooking pot 118 such that bottom surface 140 of perforated bottom portion 134 of steam cooking basket 132 is held above an upper surface of the water.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 2A, in an exemplary embodiment, Support member 138 may be a rod 144 that is bent in three corners 146, 148, and 150, such that it may have a triangular shape from a top view. Corners 146-150 of support member 138 may be bent sharply downward to form three substantially vertical legs 152, 154, and 156.

[0035] Referring to FIGs. 2A and 2B, in an exemplary embodiment, perforated bottom portion 134 of steam cooking basket 132 may include a central aperture 158 that may allow a removable basket handle 160 to pass therethrough. Removable basket handle 160 may have a handle-shaped upper portion 162, an extended middle portion 164 and a lower engagement portion 166. Handle-shaped upper portion 162 may allow a user to lift steam cooking basket 132 out of cooking pot 118. Since lower engagement portion 166 is shaped and sized such that lower engagement portion 166 is larger than central aperture 158, once the user lifts steam cooking basket 132 by handle-shaped upper portion 162, lower engagement member 166 engages bottom surface 140 of perforated bottom portion 134 of steam cooking basket 132 and allows the user to remove steam cooking basket 132 out of cooking pot 118.

[0036] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of multipurpose cookware 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 3, according to an exemplary embodiment, inner cooking set 104 may include a removable heat diffuser 168 with a domelike central region 170 that may be configured to substantially cover bottom opening 108 and a removable grill mesh 172 that may be sized and shaped to fit snugly within main chamber 102.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 3, according to one or more embodiments, plurality of apertures 116 may further include corresponding plurality of flaps 174 that may be bent inwardly from upper edges of plurality of apertures 116. Plurality of flaps 174 may slope downward in order to guide the heat that is moving up into plurality of apertures 116. Plurality of flaps 174 may form a ledge 176 on an inner peripheral portion of main chamber 102. In an exempalry embodiment, plurality of flaps 174 may be formed in the manufacturing process of creating plurality of the appertures 116 that is the process of creating plurality of appertures 116 may involve bending plurality of flaps 174 inwardly. In an example, plurality of apertures 116 and their corresponding plurality of flaps 174 may be formed in a single stamping operation on main chamber 102.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, removable grill mesh 172 may rest on ledge 176 at a distance above removable heat diffuser 168. In an embodiment, domelike central region 170 of removable heat diffuser 168 may include at least one opening, such as opening 178 that may be covered by at least one corresponding flap, such as flap 180. In an embodiment, domelike central region 170 may terminate at a periphery of domelike central region 170 with an extended ring 182. Extended ring 182 may function as a grease ring that prevents the fat/grease and particles of food to drip or fall down out of main chamber 102 over the heat source. Removable heat diffuser 168 may be smaller than bottom surface 110 of main chamber 102 yet larger than the surface of bottom opening 108. In an exemplary embodiment, extended ring 182 may slope up to prevent grease to run down from the edges of extended ring 182 toward the bottom portion of main chamber 102.

[0039] In an embodiment, domelike central region 170 of removable heat diffuser 168 may include a plurality of openings such as for example opening 178 covered by a plurality of corresponding flaps, such as flap 180. Plurality of openings may be arranged in concentric circles around a center 184 of domelike central region 170. In an exemplary embodiment, openings closer to center 184 of domelike central region 170 are smaller than the openings closer to the periphery of domelike central region 170. The plurality of openings allow heat or flame from a heat source to pass into main chamber 102 and grill food that is placed over removable grill mesh 172. Since the grilling process may produce food residues that may fall down on the heat source via the plurality of openings on domelike central region 170 of removable heat diffuser 168, the plurality of flaps cover the plurality of the openings to prevent food residues to fall down on the heat source.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 3, according to an exemplary embodiment, inner cooking set 104 may further include a ring-shaped support 186 member with a number of vertical legs 188 equally spaced apart around the periphery of ring-shaped support 186. Ring-shaped support 186 may be configured to hold removable heat diffuser 168 above bottom opening 108 at a predetermined distance. In an example, ring-shaped support 186 may be a ring 190 that is attached to three vertical legs 188 equally spaced apart around the periphery of ring 190.

[0041] With further reference to FIG. 3, according to an exemplary embodiment, the lid 106 may be a grill cover with a domelike central region 192 large enough to accommodate larger pieces of food such as a full-size chicken therein. Domelike central region 192 may end at a periphery thereof to a bottom end that may have a circular edge 194 adapted to sit on a rim of main chamber 102.

[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of multipurpose cookware 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 4, according to an exemplary embodiment, inner cooking set 104 may include a circular pan 400 that may rest on ring-shaped support 186. According to one or more exemplary embodiments, circular pan 400 may include a middle surface 402, an upper ring 404 attached to an upper periphery of middle surface 402 creating an upper pan 408, and a lower ring 406 attached to a bottom periphery of middle surface 402 creating a lower pan 410. In an exemplary embodiment, a first side of middle surface 402 may include a plurality of ribs 412 for grilling purposes and a second side of middle surface 402 may be flat (not ribbed) for baking purposes. Circular pan 400 which is a double- sided pan as described above, may include a plurality of handles at either sides, such as handles 414 and 416 at upper side of circular pan 400. Handles 414 and 416 may have L-shaped configurations. A removable handle 418 may be utilized to engage handles 414 and 416 to allow a user remove circular pan 400.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 4 according to an exemplary embodiment, main chamber 102 may sit over a burner or a hot bed of charcoal, and then ring-shaped support 186 may be placed above bottom opening 108 and circular pan 400 may be placed over ring-shaped support 186 and 106 may cover the upper opening of main chamber 102. Food such as stakes, fish, chicken, etc. that need to be grilled may be placed over a ribbed side of circular pan 400 and heat received from bottom opening 108 may create a very hot cooking environment to thoroughly grill the food. In another exemplary embodiment, a flat side of circular pan may be placed upside over ring-shaped support 186 and bread may be cooked over the flat side of circular pan 400

[0044] FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of a cooking method 500, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Cooking method 500 may include a step 502 of providing a main cooking chamber including a bottom opening at a bottom of the main chamber, a step 504 of placing the main cooking chamber over a heat source such that the bottom opening encompassing the heat source, a step 506 of detachably accommodating an inner cooking set in the main cooking chamber, a step 508 of placing a portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set, and a step 510 of selectively placing a lid over an upper opening of the main cooking chamber.

[0045] Referring to FIGs. 1A and 5, in an exemplary embodiment, step 502 may involve providing a main cooking chamber similar to main chamber 102 with an upper opening at a top of main chamber 102 and bottom opening 108 at a bottom of main chamber 102. According to one or more embodiments, bottom opening 108 may be circular in shape and have a surface less than a bottom surface 110 of main chamber 102. Main chamber 102 may further include apertures 116 in the upper peripheral portion of main chamber 102 below the upper edge of main chamber 102.

[0046] Referring to FIGs. IB and 5, in an exemplary embodiment, step 504 of placing the main cooking chamber over the heat source may involve placing the main cooking chamber, such as main chamber 102 over a heat source such as heat source 112. Main chamber 102 may sit over heat source 112 that may be a stove burner such as burner 114 or a hot bed of charcoal (not explicitly shown in FIG. IB) and bottom opening 108 may allow heat from heat source 112 to enter the interior cavity of main chamber 102. In some exemplary embodiments, bottom opening 108 may be sized and shaped such that it may encompass a burner of a stove, such as burner 114.

[0047] Referring to FIGs. 1A, 2A, 3 and 5, according to one or more exemplary embodiments, step 506 of detachably accommodating the inner cooking set in the main cooking chamber may involve for example, detachably placing cooking pot 118 inside the main cooking chamber that may be similar to main chamber 102, such that extended lip 120 of cooking pot 118 may rest upon the upper edge of main chamber 102. In an example, detachably accommodating the inner cooking set in the main cooking chamber may further involve placing support member 138 on the bottom surface of cooking pot 118 and then placing steam cooking basket 132 over support member 138 in order to create an empty space at a bottom portion of cooking pot 118 where water may be poured therein. In another example, detachably accommodating the inner cooking set in the main cooking chamber may involve optionally placing ring-shaped support 186 over bottom opening 108, placing removable heat diffuser 168 over ring-shaped support 186 to create a distance between removable heat diffuser 168 and bottom opening 108, placing removable grill mesh 172 over ledge 176 above removable heat diffuser 168.

[0048] With further reference to FIGs. 1A, 2A, 3 and 5, according to one or more exemplary embodiments, step 508 of placing a portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set may involve for example placing a portion of uncooked food within cooking pot 118. As mentioned before, cooking pot 118 may be formed with different predetermined heights. Larger predetermined heights provide a deep cooking pot suitable for cooking rice, boiling vegetables, cooking stews, etc. Smaller predetermined heights provide a cooking pot similar to a frying pan or a baking pan that may be utilized for frying food, baking breads or cakes, cooking pizza, etc. In another example, placing a portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set may involve for example placing a portion of uncooked food within steam cooking basket 132. Water that may be poured inside a reservoir created at the bottom portion of cooking pot 118 thanks to support member 138 may be heated to produce steam. The produced steam then passes through steam cooking basket 132 via perforated bottom portion 134 and cook the portion of food placed therein. In yet another example, lacing a portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set may involve placing a piece of food over removable grill mesh 172, heat or flame passing through openings of heat diffuser 168 may grill the piece of food placed over removable grill mesh 172. The piece of food in this example may include stakes, chicken, fish, etc.

[0049] With further reference to FIGs. 1A, 2A, 3 and 5, according to one or more exemplary embodiments, step 410 of selectively placing a lid over an upper opening of the main cooking chamber may involve placing a lid such as lid 106 over the upper opening of main chamber 102. Apertures 116 may function as vents that are utilized for controlling the temperature of the interior cavity of main chamber 102 when upper opening is selectively closed. Apertures 116 allow heat to exit the interior cavity of main chamber 102 thereby providing safety and control over the average temperature of the interior cavity of main chamber 102. Heat may pass through inner cavity of main chamber 102 around inner cooking set 104 covering substantially an entire outer surface of inner cooking set 104 and excess heat may exit from apertures 116.

[0050] While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.

[0051] Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.

[0052] The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims that now follow. That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be as broad as is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language that is used in the claims when interpreted in light of this specification and the prosecution history that follows and to encompass all structural and functional equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirement of Sections 101, 102, or 103 of the Patent Act, nor should they be interpreted in such a way. Any unintended embracement of such subject matter is hereby disclaimed.

[0053] Except as stated immediately above, nothing that has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims.

[0054] It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms“comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by“a” or“an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.

[0055] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in various implementations. This is for purposes of streamlining the disclosure, and is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed implementations require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed implementation. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0056] While various implementations have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more implementations and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the implementations. Although many possible combinations of features are shown in the accompanying figures and discussed in this detailed description, many other combinations of the disclosed features are possible. Any feature of any implementation may be used in combination with or substituted for any other feature or element in any other implementation unless specifically restricted. Therefore, it will be understood that any of the features shown and/or discussed in the present disclosure may be implemented together in any suitable combination. Accordingly, the implementations are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A multi-purpose cookware, comprising:

a main chamber including:

an upper opening at a top of the main chamber;

a bottom opening at a bottom of the main chamber, the bottom opening smaller than a bottom surface of the main chamber, the bottom opening allowing heat from a heat source therethrough; and

a plurality of vents formed as a plurality of apertures in an upper peripheral portion of the main chamber below an upper edge of the main chamber;

an inner cooking set configured to contain food, the inner cooking set detachably accommodated in the main chamber; and

a lid selectively placed over the upper opening.

2. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 1, wherein the inner cooking set includes a cooking pot with an outer lip integrally connected to an upper edge of the cooking pot, the outer lip sized and shaped such that the outer lip resting above the upper edge of the main chamber providing a seal between the outer lip and the upper edge of the main chamber.

3. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 2, wherein an outer surface of the cooking pot and an inner surface of the main chamber define an enclosure allowing the heat from the heat source pass therethrough around the entire outer surface of the cooking pot.

4. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 3, wherein the heat entering the enclosure from the bottom opening and exiting the enclosure through the plurality of vents.

5. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 2, further comprising:

a steam cooking basket including a perforated bottom portion, the steam cooking basket sized and shaped to be accommodated in the cooking pot; and a support member configured to hold the steam cooking basket inside the cooking pot thereby creating a distance between a bottom surface of the perforated bottom portion of the steam cooking basket and a top surface of a bottom portion of the cooking pot.

6. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures further including corresponding plurality of flaps bent inwardly from upper edges thereof forming a ledge on an inner peripheral portion of the main chamber.

7. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 6, wherein the inner cooking set comprises:

a removable heat diffuser with a domelike central region configured to substantially cover the bottom opening, the domelike central region including at least one opening covered by at least one corresponding flap; and

a removable grill mesh sized and shaped to fit snugly within the main chamber resting on the ledge.

8. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 7, wherein the domelike central region terminating at a periphery of the domelike central region with an extended ring.

9. The multi-purpose cookware according to claim 7, wherein the domelike central region including a plurality of openings covered by a plurality of corresponding flaps.

10. The multipurpose cookware according to claim 1, wherein the inner cooking set comprising a circular pan including a middle surface, an upper ring attached to an upper periphery of the middle surface, a lower ring attached to a bottom periphery of the middle surface, a first side of the middle surface including a plurality of ribs.

11. The multipurpose cookware according to claim 1, wherein the main chamber sitting on the heat source such that the bottom opening positioned above the heat source.

12. The multipurpose cookware according to claim 13, wherein the heat source includes one of a gas burner, an electric burner, and a bed of hot charcoal.

13. A method of cooking, comprising:

providing a main cooking chamber, the main cooking chamber comprising:

an upper opening at a top of the main chamber;

a bottom opening at a bottom of the main chamber, the bottom opening smaller than a bottom surface of the main chamber, the bottom opening positioned above the heat source allowing heat from the heat source therethrough; and

placing the main cooking chamber over a heat source such that the bottom opening encompassing the heat source;

detachably accommodating an inner cooking set in the main cooking chamber;

placing a portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set; and

selectively placing a lid over the upper opening.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein an outer surface of the inner cooking set and an inner surface of the main chamber define an enclosure allowing the heat from the heat source pass therethrough around the entire outer surface of the inner cooking set thereby uniformly heating and cooking the portion of uncooked food within the inner cooking set.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the inner cooking set includes an outer lip integrally connected to an upper edge of the inner cooking set, wherein detachably accommodating the inner cooking set in the main chamber includes placing the inner cooking chamber within the main chamber such that the outer lip resting above the upper edge of the main chamber providing a seal between the outer lip and the upper edge of the main chamber.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein detachably accommodating the inner cooking set in the main chamber further includes accommodating a steam cooking basket within the inner cooking set by first placing a support member within the inner cooking set and then placing the steam cooking basket over the support member thereby creating a distance between a bottom surface of the perforated bottom portion of the steam cooking basket and a top surface of a bottom portion of the inner cooking set.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising introducing water into the inner cooking set, the support member configured to hold the steam cooking basket above an upper surface of water.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein detachably accommodating the inner cooking set in the main chamber includes:

placing a removable heat diffuser over the heat source, the removable heat diffuser including a domelike central region configured to substantially cover the bottom opening, the domelike central region including at least one opening covered by at least one corresponding flap; and

placing a removable grill mesh above the removable heat diffuser,

wherein the at east one opening covered by the at least one corresponding flap allows heat from the heat source through to heat the removable heat diffuser.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the domelike central region including a plurality of openings covered by a plurality of corresponding flaps, the plurality of openings allowing heat from the heat source through to heat the removable heat diffuser.