Combination cooker with sous vide functionality

• US 10,111,552 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anova Applied Electronics, Inc. (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Anova Applied Electronics, Inc. (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Wu, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thien S
• Application Number:
  US14/727,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20150342392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 99330, 99331, 99342, 99343, 99483, 219429, 219441, 219627
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 7/005 in combination with mixing or kneading devices
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/13 using water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/10 Cooking-vessels with water-bath arrangements for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/165 Stirring devices operatively connected to cooking vessels when being removably inserted inside mixing, whipping, or beating devices A47J43/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/1257 electrically heated A47J37/1209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/1266 Control devices, e.g. to control temperature, level or quality of the frying liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/044 with tools driven from the top side
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/082 for machines with tools driven from the upper side A47J43/087, A47J43/09 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5012 adapted to be mounted during use on a standard, base or support
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/085 on ranges
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/68 Heating arrangements specially adapted for cooking plates or analogous hot-plates
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1209 induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them

Abstract

A multifunction cooking range with sous-vides functionality. Cooking ranges are found in every home and in every restaurant; with the addition of a high precision temperature controller attached to the heating elements, a fluidic temperature control device, the range can also be configured to enable sous-vide cooking. By using a pot filled with fluid located on a burner, the user would immerse a fluidic temperature control device in the pot while using the burner with a heating element that is modulated by the controller and temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A combination cooking range comprising:

one or more burners communicatively coupled to a fluidic temperature control device and configured to support a container;

the fluidic temperature control device including, a heater controller, a temperature sensor, a fluid agitation device, and a heating element, wherein the fluidic temperature control device is releasably attached to the container,

wherein the temperature sensor is configured to control the heater controller to independently modulate a heat output of the one or more burners, and to independently modulate heat output of the heating element;

and the temperature sensor is further configured to actuate the fluid agitation device.

2. The combination cooking range of claim 1, further comprising a display device and an input device coupled to the heater controller.

3. The combination cooking range of claim 2, wherein the display device is configured to render a display of the temperature fluidic temperature control device or render a display of the heat output of the one or more burners.

4. The combination cooking range of claim 1 wherein the one or more burners includes at least one of the electric element, inductive element or gas element.

5. The combination cooking range of claim 1, wherein the fluid agitation device includes at least one of a motorized stirrer, a pump, an air blower or an immersion stirrer.

6. The combination cooking range of claim 1, wherein the fluid temperature control device is configured for partial or full submersion into a fluid of the container.

7. The combination cooking range of claim 1, wherein the fluidic temperature control device includes a wireless radio transmitter/receiver in communication with a computing device.

8. The combination range of claim 1, wherein the fluidic temperature control device includes a clamp enabling attachment and removal from the container.

9. The combination cooking range of claim 1, wherein the combination cooking range is standalone or is embedded into a counter.

10. The combination cooking range of claim 1, further comprising:

the heater controller controlling the one or more burners to increase heat output in response to the temperature sensor'"'"'s detection of a predefined temperature.

11. The combination cooking range of claim 1, further comprising:

the heater controller controlling the one or more burners to decrease heat output in response to the temperature sensor detecting a predefined temperature.

12. The combination cooking range of claim 1, further comprising:

the fluid agitation device configured to increase actuation speed in response to the temperature sensor detecting a predefined temperature.

13. The combination cooking range of claim 1, further comprising:

the fluid agitation device configured to decrease actuation speed in response to the temperature sensor detecting a predefined temperature.

14. A fluidic temperature control device which is releasably attachable to a container, the fluidic temperature control device comprising:

a heater controller;

a temperature sensor coupled to the heater controller,

a fluid agitation device coupled to the heater controller and a first heating element,

wherein the temperature sensor is configured to control the heater controller to modulate heat output of the first heating element;

the temperature sensor is further configured to actuate the fluid agitation device; and

the heater controller is configurable to control the heater controller to modulate heat output of a second heating element, the second heating element external to the fluidic temperature control device.