LIQUID MOVEMENT AND CONTROL WITHIN A CONTAINER FOR FOOD PREPARATION

• US 20110117259A1
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Antonia L. Sequeira, Parth Sethia, Robert P. Otillar
• Original Assignee: LeguPro AB
• Inventors: Otillar, Robert P., Storek, David, Sequeira, Antonia L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,320,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/509
• 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: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/00 Parts, details or accessories of cooking-vessels A47J27/00 - A47J33/00 take precedence insofar as these parts, details or accessories are restricted to a particular kind of cooking-vessel provided for in a single one of these groups
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/14 Pouring-spouts, e.g. as parts separate from vessel

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling the movement of liquids into and out of a container is described. The apparatus includes a main container for holding the food product, a liquid inlet for providing liquid into the main container with the food product, and a liquid outlet for removing liquid from the main container without removing the food product. The apparatus can include a valve attached to the liquid inlet and a valve attached to the liquid outlet for automated regulation of inflow and outflow of the liquid from the main container. The apparatus also includes a heater associated with the main container for automated heating of the main container including the food/liquid, and a controller for automatically regulating the inflow/outflow of the liquid from the main container. The apparatus can be designed as a cleanable, portable, fully automated appliance for sprouting, rinsing, soaking, cooking, etc. food products.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for preparing and cooking a food product, the apparatus comprising:

a main container for holding the food product;

a liquid inlet opening into the main container for controllably providing liquid into the main container with the food product;

an inlet valve connected to the liquid inlet for automated regulation of inflow of the liquid into the main container;

a liquid outlet opening from the main container for controllably removing liquid from the main container without removing the food product;

an outlet valve connected to the liquid outlet for automated regulation of outflow of the liquid from the main container;

a heater associated with the main container for automated heating of the food product and the liquid in the main container; and

a controller in communication with the main container for automatically regulating the inflow of liquid into the main container, the outflow of the liquid from the main container, and the heating of the food product and the liquid by the heater.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions executable by a computer processor, the computer instructions comprising a recipe that specifies a timing for delivering and removing liquid to the main container, and specified one or more levels of the liquid in the main container during food preparation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outlet cover positioned over the liquid outlet for allowing liquid to drain out of the main container without allowing the food product to pass through the liquid outlet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an inlet container attached to the inlet valve of the main container for containing the liquid provided to the main container through the inlet valve, and an outlet container attached to the outlet valve of the main container for receiving and containing the liquid drained from the main container through the outlet valve.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outer container and a lid surrounding the main container for providing thermal insulation to the main container, wherein one of the lid or the outer container includes a gas outlet for releasing gases formed in the main container.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein substantially all of the parts of the apparatus in solid or liquid contact with the food are detachable from the apparatus for removal and cleaning in a household dishwasher.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors arranged on the apparatus to measure a plurality of parameters inside the main container, wherein the parameters comprise a type of food and an eatability or cooking status of the food product in the main container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more seasonings containers attached to the main container for providing seasonings to the food product inside the main container, wherein the one or more seasonings containers comprise an openable hatch having an opening that leads to the main container for releasing the seasonings inside the seasonings container and into the main container.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more seasonings containers attached to the main container for providing seasonings to the food product inside the main container, wherein the seasonings container is designed to hold a seasonings package containing the seasonings, and the apparatus further comprises a code-reading sensor proximal to the seasonings container for sensing contents of a seasoning container or for reading a code associated with the seasonings package inside the seasoning container.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more seasonings containers attached to the main container for providing seasonings to the food product inside the main container, wherein the controller is further configured for controlling an opening or closing of the one or more seasonings containers according to a recipe to provide one or more seasonings to the food product.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more seasonings containers attached to the main container configured to contain a seasonings package, and further comprising a sensor associated with the seasonings container for reading a code on the seasonings package and for automatically communicating information read from the code to the controller, the code containing data about usage of one or more seasonings in the seasonings package, wherein the controller adjusts one or more parameters of the apparatus based on the information from the sensor read from the code on the seasonings package, the controller configured to open or close the inlet valve or the outlet valve for liquid delivery to or removal from the main container, the controller further configured deliver one or more seasonings from the main container according to a recipe.

12. A method for preparing a food product in a portable apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving the food product into the main container of the portable apparatus having an inlet valve and an outlet valve that are both closed;

receiving one or more settings input by a user;

opening the inlet valve connected to a liquid inlet in the main container for controllably providing a controlled amount of liquid into the main container with the food product while keeping the outlet valve closed;

responsive to the controlled amount of liquid being present in the main container, closing the inlet valve to stop inflow of the liquid into the main container;

applying heat to the food product and liquid in the main container for preparing the food product; and

opening the outlet valve connected to a liquid outlet in the main container for controllably removing liquid from the main container without removing the food product.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving one or more settings further comprises receiving setting for at least two cycles selected from a group consisting of:

food product sprouting cycle, food product rinsing cycle, food product soaking cycle, food product cooking cycle, and apparatus self-cleaning cycle, and further comprising automatically starting a new cycle selected from the group of cycles responsive to completion of a cycle.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising allowing the food product to cook for a specified time period according to a recipe specific to the particular food product to be cooked.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving one or more settings further comprising receiving settings for a soaking cycle and a cooking cycle for the food product, the soaking cycle further comprising the steps of:

opening the inlet valve for providing liquid into the main container with the food product while keeping the outlet valve closed;

closing the inlet valve to stop inflow of the liquid into the main container;

allowing the food product to soak in the liquid for a specified time period;

responsive to an end of the specified time period being reached, opening the outlet valve for removing liquid from the main container without removing the food product; and

starting the cooking cycle responsive to an end of the soaking cycle.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the method is a sprouting method, and wherein the controlled amount of liquid is an amount of liquid sufficient to partially cover the food product for sprouting, and wherein applying heat further comprises applying heat needed to sprout the food product.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising opening one or more seasonings containers associated with the apparatus to release one or more seasonings into the main container for seasoning the food product.

18. The method of claim 17, further wherein one of the seasonings containers contains flatulence-reducing additives released into the main container during a soaking cycle.

19. A portable apparatus for preparing and cooking food products, the apparatus comprising:

a first main container for holding a first food product;

a second main container for holding a second food product;

a first liquid inlet opening into the first main container for providing liquid into the first main container with the first food product;

a second liquid inlet opening into the second main container for providing liquid into the second main container with the second food product;

a first inlet valve connected to the first liquid inlet for automated regulation of inflow of the liquid into the first main container;

a second inlet valve connected to the second liquid inlet for automated regulation of inflow of the liquid into the second main container;

a first liquid outlet attached to the first main container for removing liquid from the first main container without removing the first food product;

a first outlet valve attached to the first liquid outlet for automated regulation of outflow of the liquid from the first main container;

a heater associated with the first and second main containers for automated heating of the first and second food products and the liquid; and

a controller in communication with the first and second main containers for regulating the inflow of liquid into the first and second main containers, the outflow of the liquid from the first and second main containers, and the heating of the first and second food products and the liquid by the heater.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first container has a first seasonings container and the second container has a second seasonings container, and the first seasonings container and second seasonings container are independently controllable to independently release seasonings into the first container and the second container.