Air Fryer

• US 20080206420A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TurboChef Technologies Incorporated (Middleby Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TurboChef Technologies Incorporated (Middleby Corporation)
• Inventors: McFadden, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/523
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 1/245 with a plurality of air nozzles to obtain an impingement effect on the food
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/12 Processes other than deep-frying or float-frying using cooking oil in direct contact with the food
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/15 using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/17 in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0641 with forced air circulation, e.g. air fryers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/003 with forced air circulation

Abstract

An accelerated cooking air fryer is disclosed comprising a cavity, controller, thermal heating source, blower assembly, gas directing means and a vent assembly. Hot gas is circulated by the blower motor assembly into the air fryer cavity where the hot air is directed in a manner wherein a conflicting, colliding turbulent gas flow is directed at a food product providing for the accelerated cooking of the food product.

Claims

1. An air fryer for cooking a food product, comprising:

a housing defining a cooking chamber;

a conduit means for circulating gas to and from the cooking chamber;

a flow means for causing circulation or the gas;

a means for heating the gas;

a first gas directing means disposed above the food product, the first gas directing means being operably associated with the conduit means; and

a second gas directing means disposed above the food product, the second gas directing means also being operably associated with the conduit means;

wherein the first and second gas directing means are configured to cause the gas from the first gas directing means to collide with the gas from the second gas directing means upon the surface of the food product;

a first lower gas directing means disposed below the food product;

the first lower gas directing means being operably associated with the conduit means; and

a second lower gas directing means disposed below the food product, the second lower gas directing means also being operably associated with the conduit means;

wherein the first and second lower gas directing means are configured to cause the gas from the first lower gas directing means to collide with the gas from the second lower gas directing means upon the bottom surface of the food product.

2. The air fryer according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one food basket disposed within the cooking chamber for holding the food product.

3. The air fryer according to claim 2, further comprising:

a right side food basket; and

a left side food basket.

4. The air fryer according to claim 2, wherein the at least one of the food basket is rotatable so as to allow the food product to be dumped out of the food basket.

5. The air fryer according to claim 2, further comprising:

at least one food product agitator operably associated with the at least one food basket for agitating the food product while the food product is held in the at least one food basket.

6. The air fryer according to claim 5, wherein the at least one food product agitator comprises:

a rotating paddle assembly.

7. The air fryer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a means for dispensing at least one food additive to the food product while the food product is in the cooking chamber.

8. The air fryer according to claim 7, wherein the food additive is from the group consisting of:

an oil; and

an oil mixture.

9. The air fryer according to claim 7, wherein the food additive is from the group consisting of:

a liquid; and

a dry seasoning.

10. The air fryer according to claim 7, wherein the food additive imparts to the food product a taste, a texture, and a feel of fried food.

11. The air fryer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a top opening disposed on the top of the housing, the top opening being configured to allow the food product to be placed into the cooking chamber from above.

12. The air fryer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bottom opening disposed on the bottom of the housing, the bottom opening being configured to allow the food product to be emptied out of the cooking chamber.

13. The air fryer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a food storage unit operably associated with the cooking chamber for holding the food product prior to the food product being introduced into the cooking chamber.

14. The air fryer according to claim 13, wherein the food storage unit comprises:

all insulated chamber for maintaining the food product at a selected temperature.

15. The air fryer according to claim 13, wherein the food storage unit comprises:

a microwave transparent portion in communication with the cooking chamber, whereby microwave energy may be passed from the cooking chamber into the food storage with to selectively heat the food product in the food storage unit.

16. The air fryer according to claim 15, wherein the food product in the cooking chamber is cooked at least partially by microwave energy, while the food product in the food storage unit is thawed by the same microwave energy.

17. The air fryer according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control system adapted to receive signals representing cooking instructions from a radio frequency identification system associated with a packaging associated with the food product.

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

providing an air fryer having a housing defining a cooking chamber, a conduit means for circulating gas to and from the cooking chamber, a flow means for causing circulation of the gas, a means for heating the gas, a first gas directing means disposed above the food product, the first gas directing means being operably associated with the conduit means, and a second gas directing means disposed above the food product, the second gas directing means also being operably associated with the conduit means;

placing a food product in the cooking chamber;

cooking the food product by causing the gas from the first gas directing means to collide with the gas from the second gas directing means upon the surface of the food product;

dispensing an oil on the food product to impart a taste, a texture, and a feel of fried food onto the food product; and

removing the cooked food product from the air fryer.