POD-BASED GRAIN POPPING APPARATUS AND METHODS OF POPPING GRAINS
First Claim
1. A grain popping system comprising:
- a housing defining a chamber, wherein the chamber is at least partially enclosed to define an interior space, and wherein the chamber comprises a top and a bottom;
a heating element positioned in the interior space of the chamber;
a grain pod comprising at least one cell, wherein the cell is defined by cell walls having a top edge and a bottom edge, the cell having a first width between the top edge of the cell walls and a second width between the bottom edge of the cell walls, each cell containing flavoring, a cooking medium, and one or more grains, wherein the grain pod comprises a top cover and a bottom cover, wherein the cell walls extend between the top cover of the grain pod and the bottom cover of the grain pod, and wherein the top cover of the grain pod is attached to the top edge of the cell walls;
a pod dock configured to receive the grain pod, wherein the pod dock is positioned inside the interior space of the chamber adjacent to the heating element, and wherein the pod dock is positioned closer to the bottom of the upper chamber than the heating element;
wherein the bottom cover of the grain pod faces the bottom of the chamber when the grain pod is positioned in the pod dock;
wherein heating the grain pod heats the cooking medium and the one or more grains in the cell, thereby causing the one or more grains to exit the grain pod by piercing the bottom cover of the grain pod.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A grain-popping machine and associated pod-based popping method is disclosed. The grain-popping is configured to receive a pod. Each pod includes a plurality of cells, with each cell preferably containing a single grain kernel or seed, flavoring, and a cooking medium such as oil or shortening. In a preferred embodiment, the pod is loaded into the grain-popping machine through a slot so that it is held in position below a heating element. The heating element is activated to begin a popping sequence. When each grain kernel or seed in the pod reaches popping temperature, it absorbs the flavoring in its cell and ejects through the bottom of the pod, which is weakened to ease ejection, into a bowl positioned in a receiving area of the grain-popping machine. The pod is then removed and disposed of.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A grain popping system comprising:
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a housing defining a chamber, wherein the chamber is at least partially enclosed to define an interior space, and wherein the chamber comprises a top and a bottom; a heating element positioned in the interior space of the chamber; a grain pod comprising at least one cell, wherein the cell is defined by cell walls having a top edge and a bottom edge, the cell having a first width between the top edge of the cell walls and a second width between the bottom edge of the cell walls, each cell containing flavoring, a cooking medium, and one or more grains, wherein the grain pod comprises a top cover and a bottom cover, wherein the cell walls extend between the top cover of the grain pod and the bottom cover of the grain pod, and wherein the top cover of the grain pod is attached to the top edge of the cell walls; a pod dock configured to receive the grain pod, wherein the pod dock is positioned inside the interior space of the chamber adjacent to the heating element, and wherein the pod dock is positioned closer to the bottom of the upper chamber than the heating element; wherein the bottom cover of the grain pod faces the bottom of the chamber when the grain pod is positioned in the pod dock; wherein heating the grain pod heats the cooking medium and the one or more grains in the cell, thereby causing the one or more grains to exit the grain pod by piercing the bottom cover of the grain pod. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of popping grains, the method comprising:
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providing a grain pod, the grain pod comprising at least one cell defined by cell walls having a top edge and a bottom edge, the cell having a first width between the top edge of the cell walls and a second width between the bottom edge of the cell walls, each cell containing flavoring, a cooking medium, and one or more grains, wherein the grain pod comprises a top cover and a bottom cover, wherein the cell walls extend between the top cover and the bottom cover, and wherein the top cover of the grain pod is attached to the top edge of the cell walls and the bottom cover of the grain pod is attached to the bottom edge of the cell wall; providing a grain popping machine, said grain popping machine comprising; a housing defining a chamber, wherein the chamber is at least partially enclosed to define an interior space, and wherein the chamber comprises a top and a bottom; a heating element positioned in the interior space of the chamber; a pod dock configured to receive the grain pod, wherein the pod dock is positioned inside the interior space of the chamber adjacent to the heating element, and wherein the pod dock is positioned closer to the bottom of the upper chamber than the heating element; inserting the grain pod into the pod dock such that the bottom cover of the grain pod faces the bottom of the chamber when the grain pod is positioned in the pod dock; activating the heating element to heat to the cooking medium and grains in the cell, thereby causing the grains to exit the grain pod by piercing the bottom cover of the grain pod. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification