Apparatus and method for cooking dehydrated powdered food
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:
- a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;
b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;
c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;
d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;
e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container; and
f) a controller programmed to;
1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;
2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;
3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and
4) control the temperature of the container during cooking.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for cooking in heated water any dehydrated powdered food, including West African yams, garri and rice known collectively as fufu flour, beef, poultry, seafood, carrots, fruit, and any combination thereof, forming a product having varying degrees of thickness and hence varying cooking requirements, requiring correspondingly varying schedules for heating, dispensing, rehydrating and cooling. The apparatus is controlled by a microprocessor, either manually programmed or preprogrammed, for cooking various dehydrated powdered products according to a schedule particular to each at a push of a button. The apparatus has a heater for rapid heating, a dispenser which holds and dispenses the product into a cooking container, and a fan for rapid cooling if required by a cooking schedule. The apparatus benefits from a novel rehydration process that rapidly mixes water with the product to facilitate cooking such food almost instantly.
97 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:
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a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;
b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;
c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;
d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;
e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container; and
f) a controller programmed to;
1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;
2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;
3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and
4) control the temperature of the container during cooking. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:
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a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;
b) means for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;
c) means for dispensing the product into said container;
d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;
e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container; and
f) a controller programmed to;
1) control said means for heating the water such that the water is heated to a specified temperature;
2) control said means for dispensing the product such that the product is dispensed into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;
3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and
3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and
4) control the temperature of the container during cooking. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A process of rehydrating a dehydrated powder comprising the steps of:
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a) providing water and the powder in the proportion of about one part of the powder to at least about two parts of the water, expressed in kg.;
b) heating the water in a container to a temperature of about 90°
C. to 100°
C.;
b) dispensing the powder into the container;
c) mixing the water and the powder in a blending and folding action for several first cycles, each first cycle including mixing in a clockwise rotation about a vertical axis through the container for several rotations and then counter-clockwise rotation for another several rotations while the product is being dispensed; and
c) mixing for several second cycles, each second cycle including mixing in a clockwise rotation about a vertical axis through the container for several rotations, counter-clockwise rotation for another several rotations and no rotation for a period of time.
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Specification