Apparatus and method for cooking dehydrated powdered food

• US 7,619,188 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bendall Innovations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bendall Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Lars D., Oghafua, Gregson O., Walker, Darrel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US11/130,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20060263501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,645 Days
• Field of Search: 219/620, 219/600, 219/621, 219/622, 219/623, 219/624, 219/625, 219/626, 219/627, 993/25, 99324-339
• US Class Current: 219/620
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/13 using water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/004 with integral electrical heating means drinking cups with integral heating means A47J36/2466
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/046 with tools driven from the bottom side

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cooking in heated water any dehydrated powdered food, including West African yams, garri and rice known collectively as fufu flour, beef, poultry, seafood, carrots, fruit, and any combination thereof, forming a product having varying degrees of thickness and hence varying cooking requirements, requiring correspondingly varying schedules for heating, dispensing, rehydrating and cooling. The apparatus is controlled by a microprocessor, either manually programmed or preprogrammed, for cooking various dehydrated powdered products according to a schedule particular to each at a push of a button. The apparatus has a heater for rapid heating, a dispenser which holds and dispenses the product into a cooking container, and a fan for rapid cooling if required by a cooking schedule. The apparatus benefits from a novel rehydration process that rapidly mixes water with the product to facilitate cooking such food almost instantly.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:

a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;

b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;

c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;

d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;

e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container;

f) a controller programmed to;

1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;

2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;

3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and

4) control the temperature of the container during cooking;

g) said container comprising a lid having an aperture for receiving the product into said container;

h) said dispenser comprising a bin rotatably supported by said lid for rotation over said aperture; and

i) said bin having a closed position and an open position with respect to said aperture, said bin having a ramp structured and arranged for gravity-force dispensing of the product through said aperture into said container when said bin is in said open position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said container is maintained in heat transfer relation to said heater.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a fan controlled by said controller to cool the product to a desired temperature appropriate for human consumption.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a) said container has a circular bowl shape with a side wall and a floor; and

b) said paddle has at least one scraping edge portion for scraping the water and the product both vertically off said wall of said container and horizontally off said floor of said container simultaneously, said paddle further having at least one blade structured and arranged for folding and blending the water and the product.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said at least one blade is further structured and arranged at an angle to have an upward force when rotating in one direction of rotation and a downward force when rotating in an opposite direction of said one direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a) said paddle has a vertical central member;

b) first and second bottom blades attached opposite to each other to a bottom portion of said central member;

c) first and second upper blades attached opposite to each other to an upper portion of said central member;

d) said first and second bottom blades are angled with respect to a vertical plane at a first angle;

e) said first and second upper blades are angled with respect to the vertical plane at a second angle complementary to said first angle, such that said first and second bottom blades tend to be lifted up while said first and second upper blades tend to be forced down by the product when rotating in one direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

a) said first bottom blade extends horizontally from said central member;

b) said second bottom blade extends upwardly from said central member; and

c) said first and second upper blades extend downward from said central member.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, and further comprising:

a) a first connecting member joining said first lower blade and said first upper blade at their outer end portions; and

b) a second connecting member joining said second lower blade and said second upper blade at their outer end portions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein:

a) said container includes a bottom wall and a vertical wall;

b) said first connecting member includes a first scraping edge engaging a portion of said vertical wall; and

c) said second connecting member includes a second scraping edge engaging another portion of said vertical wall; and

d) said first lower blade includes a third scraping edge engaging a portion of said bottom wall.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

a) a water boiler controlled by said controller; and

b) said water boiler including an outlet to direct the heated water into said container.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising;

a) a motor controlled by said controller;

b) a first shaft extending through a bottom portion of said container, said first shaft having a cross-bar secured to an end portion of said first shaft disposed outside said container;

b) a second shaft operably connected to said motor, said second shaft including a fork removably engaged with said cross-bar; and

c) said paddle is removably secured to said first shaft.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said motor is reversible thereby to selectively rotate said paddle clockwise and counterclockwise.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a) said dispenser includes a bin and a sector gear disposed along an outside wall of said bin;

b) a driving gear operably engaged with said sector gear to rotate said dispenser to said open position; and

c) a motor operably connected to said driving gear, said motor is controlled by said controller to activate said motor thereby to rotate said dispenser to said open position.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heater is a microwave heater.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said heater is an induction heater.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising:

a) a housing;

b) an arm hingedly secured to said housing;

c) said sensor is carried at a free end of said arm; and

d) a spring urging said arm against said container to thereby make said sensor contact said container.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor is a thermocouple.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor is a thermistor.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to:

a) heat the water to a temperature of about 900C to 1000C for cooking yam fufu;

b) rotate said paddle for several first cycles, each first cycle including clockwise rotation for several rotations and then counter-clockwise rotation for another several rotations while the product is being dispensed; and

c) rotate said paddle for several second cycles, each second cycle including clockwise rotation for several rotations, counter-clockwise rotation for another several rotations and no rotation for a period of time.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, and further comprising:

a) a fan operably associated with said container; and

b) said controller is further configured to turn on said fan to reduce the temperature of said container to about 60°

C. to 80°

C.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to:

a) heat the water to a temperature of about 70°

C. to 100°

C. for cooking garri fufu;

b) rotate said paddle for several cycles, each cycle including clockwise rotation for several rotations and then counter-clockwise rotation for another several rotations while the product is being dispensed;

c) stop rotation of said paddle to allow the mixture to sit for a period of time; and

d) rotate said paddle for several more cycles for another period of time.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, and further comprising:

a) a fan operably associated with said container; and

b) said controller is further configured to operate said fan to reduce the temperature of said container to about 60°

C. to 80°

C.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is programmable by a user.

24. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:

a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;

b) means for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;

c) means for dispensing the product into said container;

d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;

e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container; and

f) a controller programmed to;

1) control said means for heating the water such that the water is heated to a specified temperature;

2) control said means for dispensing the product such that the product is dispensed into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;

3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and

4) control the temperature of the container during cooking.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, and further comprising means for cooling the product to a temperature appropriate for human consumption.

26. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:

a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;

b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;

c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;

d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;

e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container;

f) a controller programmed to;

1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;

2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;

3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and

4) control the temperature of the container during cooking;

g) said container has a circular bowl shape with a side wall and a floor; and

h) said paddle has at least one scraping edge portion for scraping the water and the product both vertically off said wall of said container and horizontally off said floor of said container simultaneously, said paddle further having at least one blade structured and arranged for folding and blending the water and the product.

27. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:

a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;

b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;

c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;

d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;

e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container;

f) a controller programmed to;

1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;

2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;

3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and

4) control the temperature of the container during cooking;

g) said paddle has a vertical central member;

h) first and second bottom blades attached opposite to each other to a bottom portion of said central member;

i) first and second upper blades attached opposite to each other to an upper portion of said central member;

j) said first and second bottom blades are angled with respect to a vertical plane at a first angle; and

k) said first and second upper blades are angled with respect to the vertical plane at a second angle complementary to said first angle, such that said first and second bottom blades tend to be lifted up while said first and second upper blades tend to be forced down by the product when rotating in one direction.

28. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:

a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;

b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;

c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;

d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;

e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container;

f) a controller programmed to;

1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;

2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;

3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and

4) control the temperature of the container during cooking;

g) a motor controlled by said controller;

h) a first shaft extending through a bottom portion of said container, said first shaft having a cross-bar secured to an end portion of said first shaft disposed outside said container;

i) a second shaft operably connected to said motor, said second shaft including a fork removably engaged with said cross-bar; and

j) said paddle is removably secured to said first shaft.

29. An apparatus for automatically cooking a dehydrated powdered product, comprising:

a) a cooking container for receiving a specified amount of water and a specified amount of the product;

b) a heater for heating said container, thereby to heat the water and cook the product;

c) a dispenser to dispense the product into said container;

d) a rotating paddle disposed within said container to mix the product with the water;

e) a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of said container;

f) a controller programmed to;

1) control said heater to heat the water to a specified temperature;

2) control said dispenser to dispense the product into said container after the water has reached the specified temperature;

3) control said paddle to mix the product with the water; and

4) control the temperature of the container during cooking;

g) a housing;

h) an arm hingedly secured to said housing;

i) said sensor is carried at a free end of said arm; and

j) a spring urging said arm against said container to thereby make said sensor contact said container.