Cooking device having stirrer movable about two mutually perpendicular axes

• US 5,412,171 A
• Filed: 11/15/1990
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lancet SA A FED REP of Panama
• Original Assignee: Lancet SA
• Inventors: Yahav, Shimon, Daar, Yair
• Primary Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US07/614,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 219/10.493, 219/10.77, 219/10.67, 219/10.75, 99/348, 99/451, 99/DIG. 14, 366/221, 366/287, 366/288, 366/332, 366/333
• US Class Current: 219/621
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/004 with integral electrical heating means drinking cups with integral heating means A47J36/2466
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/14 Cooking-vessels for use in hotels, restaurants, or canteens
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/044 with tools driven from the top side
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1142 of the corkscrew type
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/2311 the orientation of the rotating shaft being adjustable in the interior of the receptacle, e.g. by tilting the stirrer shaft during the mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/42 with pendulum stirrers, i.e. with stirrers suspended so as to oscillate about fixed points or axes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/443 performing a superposed additional movement other than oscillation, vibration or shaking
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/4121 at the top and at the bottom of the receptacle, e.g. for performing a conical orbital movement about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 7/00 Stoves, ranges or flue-gas ducts, with additional provisions for convection heating stoves with open fires characterised by use of heat exchange means F24B1/188
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/062 for cooking plates or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1236 adapted to induce current in a coil to supply power to a device and electrical heating devices powered in this way
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A domestic cooking system including a base defining one or more cooking locations, electromagnetic induction apparatus for heating a food at the cooking location and apparatus for automatic stirring of the food at the cooking location.

Claims

1. A domestic cooking system comprising:

electromagnetic induction apparatus; and

a utensil having a curved cooking surface having a generally circular cross sectional configuration and also comprising stirring apparatus including;

at least one stirrer arranged about a stirrer rotation axis and defining an attachment end and a termination end; and

means for causing said termination end to move in composite dual axis rotational motion along said curved cooking surface and including;

means for rotating said at least one stirrer about said stirrer rotation axis; and

means for reciprocatingly rotating said at least one stirrer about a reciprocal motion axis perpendicular to said stirrer rotation axis.

2. The domestic cooking system according to claim 1 and wherein said stirrer has a generally screw-type configuration.

3. The domestic cooking system according to claim 1 and wherein said stirring apparatus comprises stirring drive apparatus and a stirrer, said stirring drive apparatus including quick coupling apparatus for automatically coupling the stirrer drive apparatus to said stirrer.

4. The domestic cooking system according to claim 1 and also comprising a utensil contacting member mounted onto the termination end of said stirrer and being selectably orientatable with respect thereto so as to correspond to the configuration of the utensil surface in engagement therewith.

5. The domestic cooking system according to claim 1 and wherein said utensil is formed of a metal having a high electrical resistance and defining a curved cooking surface and also comprising a heat transfer member, formed of a metal having a low electrical resistance, said heat transfer member defining a curved top surface engaging the underside of the curved cooking surface and a generally flat bottom surface.

6. A domestic cooking system comprising:

a base defining at least one cooking location and comprising electromagnetic induction apparatus including;

an induction coil disposed generally in at least one plane and operative to generate electromagnetic flux;

at least one magnetic field conductor disposed in a plane extending generally non-parallel to said at least one plane so as to direct electromagnetic flux generated by the induction coil to said at least one cooking location; and

a utensil having a curved cooking surface having a generally circular cross sectional configuration and also comprising stirring apparatus including;

at least one stirrer arranged about a stirrer rotation axis and defining an attachment end and a termination end;

means for rotating said at least one stirrer about said stirrer rotation axis; and

means for reciprocatingly rotating said at least one stirrer about a reciprocal motion axis perpendicular to said stirrer rotation axis such that said termination end moves along said curved cooking surface.

7. The domestic cooking system according to claim 6 and wherein said stirring apparatus comprises stirring drive apparatus and a stirrer, said stirring drive apparatus including quick coupling apparatus for automatically coupling the stirrer drive apparatus to said stirrer.

8. The domestic cooking system according to claim 6 and also comprising a utensil contacting member mounted onto the termination end of said stirrer and being selectably orientatable with respect thereto so as to correspond to the configuration of the utensil surface in engagement therewith.

9. The domestic cooking system according to claim 6 and wherein said utensil is formed of a metal having a high electrical resistance and defining a curved cooking surface and also comprising a heat transfer member, formed of a metal having a low electrical resistance, said heat transfer member defining a curved top surface engaging the underside of the curved cooking surface and a generally flat bottom surface.

10. For use with a utensil having a curved cooking surface having a generally circular cross sectional configuration, cooking apparatus including apparatus for heating the utensil and stirring apparatus comprising:

at least one stirrer arranged about a stirrer rotation axis and defining an attachment end and a termination end; and

means for causing said termination end to move in composite dual axis rotational motion along said curved cooking surface and including;

means for rotating said at least one stirrer about said stirrer rotation axis; and

means for reciprocatingly rotating said at least one stirrer about a reciprocal motion axis perpendicular to said stirrer rotation axis.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said stirrer has a generally screw-type configuration.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said stirring apparatus comprises stirring drive apparatus and a stirrer, said stirring drive apparatus including quick coupling apparatus for automatically coupling the stirrer drive apparatus to said stirrer.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 and wherein said stirring drive apparatus comprises means for providing first and second rotary drive outputs.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10 and also comprising a utensil contacting member mounted onto the termination end of said stirrer and being selectably orientatable with respect thereto so as to correspond to the configuration of the utensil surface in engagement therewith.

15. Apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein said cooking utensil is formed of a metal and defines a curved cooking surface and also comprising a heat transfer member formed of a metal, said heat transfer member defining a curved top surface engaging the underside of the curved Cooking surface and a generally flat bottom surface.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 and wherein said cooking utensil is formed of a metal having a high electrical resistance and said heat transfer member is formed of a metal having a low electrical resistance.