Cooking apparatus

• US 20070012198A1
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Glier
• Original Assignee: Daniel Glier
• Inventors: Glier, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,726,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/403
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/004 with integral electrical heating means drinking cups with integral heating means A47J36/2466
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/2483 with electrical heating means

Abstract

A cooking apparatus comprises a trough, a well, and a pot. The trough is configured to hold a first cooking medium. The trough has insulated floors, insulated walls, and a steam pipe as a heating element to directly heat the first cooking medium. The well is joined to a cover plate. The cover plate is configured to fit over the trough with a seal, such that at least a portion of the well extends into the trough for submersion into the first cooking medium. The pot is inserted in the well. A second cooking medium may be introduced in the well adjacent to the pot. A food product such as goetta may be introduced to the pot for cooking. Heat may be transferred from the heating element, to the first cooking medium, to the well, to the second cooking medium, to the pot, and then to the goetta.

Claims

1. A device for cooking food products comprising:

(a) a trough comprising an insulated outer wall;

(b) a top member sealed to upper edges of the outer wall and comprising a well extending into the trough;

(c) a heating element contained within the trough;

(d) a stock pot configured to fit inside the well; and

(e) thermal oil contained between the inner wall of the trough and the well.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the trough further comprises an insulation board.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the trough further comprises a plurality of sides, each side comprising a first wall and a second wall.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the trough further comprises an insulation board positioned between each first wall and second wall.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the trough further comprises a lip configured to engage the top member.

6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a gasket positioned between the lip and the top member.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the gasket comprises a buna material.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the heating element comprises a steam pipe.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cooking medium positioned between the stock pot and the well.

10. A cooking device, comprising:

(a) a trough, wherein the trough comprises;

(i) a plurality of sidewalls,

(ii) a floor joining at least a first portion of the plurality of sidewalls,

(iii) a lip, wherein the lip and at least a second portion of the plurality of sidewalls define a top opening of the trough,

(iv) a heating element positioned adjacent the floor, and

(v) a cooking medium in thermal communication with the heating element, wherein the cooking medium has a boiling point that is higher than the boiling point of water;

(b) a cover plate, wherein the cover plate is configured to fit on the lip of the trough, wherein the cover plate is configured to cover the top opening of the trough; and

(c) a well extending downwardly from the cover plate, wherein at least a portion of the well is in thermal communication with the cooking medium.

11. The cooking device of claim 10, wherein the trough has a plurality of sides, wherein each of the sides has a pair of sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls.

12. The cooking device of claim 11, wherein the trough further comprises insulation positioned between each of the pairs of sidewalls.

13. The cooking device of claim 10, wherein the heating element comprises a steam pipe.

14. The cooking device of claim 10, wherein the cooking medium comprises a thermal oil.

15. The cooking device of claim 10, further comprising a seal positioned between the cover plate and the lip.

16. The cooking device of claim 10, wherein the well is integral with the cover plate.

17. The cooking device of claim 10, wherein the well comprises a sidewall, wherein the cooking medium is positioned between the sidewall of the well and the at least a first portion of the plurality of sidewalls of the trough.

18. The cooking device of claim 10, further comprising a pot inserted in the well.

19. A method of cooking a food product, the method comprising:

(a) providing a cooking device, wherein the cooking device comprises;

(i) a trough containing a heating element,

(ii) a cover plate sealed to the trough, and

(ii) a well extending through the cover plate into the trough;

(b) introducing a cooking medium into the trough, wherein the cooking medium is configured to transfer heat from the heating element to the well;

(c) heating the cooking medium with the heating element;

(d) introducing a food product into the well to heat the food product.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the cooking medium comprises oil.