Cooking apparatus with cooking characteristic monitoring system

• US 7,703,389 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masterbuilt Manufacturing, LLC (Middleby Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Don Mclemore, John D. Mclemore
• Inventors: McLemore, Don, McLemore, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): FUQUA, SHAWNTINA T
• Application Number:
  US11/415,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20060254432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 99342- 44, 99410-415, 994/48, 99339- 40, 994/07, 374/155, 374/141, 374149- 50, 374/179, 374/208, 340/870.17, 340/870.04, 340/870.09, 340/870.01, 340/501, 340/588, 340584- 5
• US Class Current: 99/413
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/1209 electrically heated

Abstract

A cooking apparatus with an information exchange system that involves an assembly featuring a cooking apparatus such as a smoker or an electric turkey fryer and an information exchange system that provides for local and/or remote monitoring of cooking characteristic that preferably includes food item temperature probing that is displayed externally on the cooking appliance as in a local remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device that are preferably either in unidirectional of bi-directional.

Claims

1. A smoker apparatus, comprising:

a heater

a food item container that comprises a smoker chamber structure that, in use, receives a food item to be heated by said heater, and wherein said smoker chamber includes an internal smoker material reception device and a chamber wall, with said chamber wall having a smoker material access port provided therein with a removable access port cover member, and which access port is positioned relative to said smoker material reception device as to provide for a gravity feed of smoker material from the access port to said smoker material reception device, and wherein said heater is provided in said smoker chamber and is positioned as to heat smoking material placed in said smoker material reception device;

a cooking characteristic monitoring system which includes,

a local cooking characteristic information conveyance device which is visibly mounted externally on said food item container and which includes a control unit with a smoker chamber temperature setting adjustment device and an adjusted temperature display device; and

wherein said control unit is supported by said smoker chamber as to be positioned externally to a heated cavity heated by said heater within said smoker chamber structure;

a temperature probe assembly having a first food item probe, and

wherein said local cooking characteristic information conveyance device comprises a probe temperature goal setting adjustment device which provides for adjustments in a predetermined value for food item cooking completion and a probe temperature display device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for signaling when the probe temperature reaches said predetermined value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device which is remote to said food item container and is in remote data communication with said local cooking characteristic information conveyance device and which has a second probe temperature display device, and wherein said remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device includes a receiver that receives data corresponding to that of said local cooking characteristics information conveyance device as to food item probe temperature determined by said temperature probe assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said receiver includes means for receiving cooking fluid temperature data and a cooking fluid temperature data display unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for receiving cooking fluid temperature data receives internal air temperature of the food item container.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device includes a receiver for receiving probe temperature data and a transmitter for adjustment of a cooking characteristic setting.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said transmitter transmits a temperature adjustment command to effect an adjustment in a desired probed food item temperature setting of said probe assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said cooking characteristic monitoring system conveys a signal when an actual food item temperature level reaches the desired probed food item temperature setting.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said transmitter provides a temperature adjustment command which effects a cooking fluid temperature adjustment in the cooking apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said cooking fluid adjustment command issued by said transmitter effects an adjustment in said heater that alters air temperature in said smoker chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device communicates in wireless fashion with the local cooking characteristics information conveyance device.

15. A method of monitoring food item characteristics using the apparatus of claim 3 including inserting the food item in said food item container, inserting the food item probe in the food item;

displaying in real time fashion at both the local and remote cooking characteristic information conveyance devices a read out of probe temperature.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said food item is a whole turkey and the cooking apparatus is an electric turkey fryer.

12. A cooking apparatus, comprising:

a smoker chamber

a heater which heats said smoker chamber, and wherein said smoker chamber includes an internal smoker material reception device and a chamber wall, with said chamber wall having a smoker material access port provided therein with a removable access port cover member, and which access port is positioned relative to said smoker material reception device as to provide for a gravity feed of smoker material from the access port to said smoker material reception device, and wherein said heater is provided in said smoker chamber and is positioned as to heat smoking material placed in said smoker material reception device;

a local cooking characteristic information conveyance device supported by said smoker chamber and which includes a control unit with a smoker chamber temperature setting adjustment device and a set temperature display device, and wherein said control unit is supported by said smoker chamber as to be positioned externally to a heated cavity heated by said heater within said smoker chamber structure;

a remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device which is in data communication with said local cooking characteristic during operation and which comprises a cooking characteristic display, and wherein said remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device includes means for bidirectional information exchange as well as means for receiving cooking characteristic information from said local cooking characteristic information conveyance device and for transmitting cooking characteristic information to a local receiver supported by said smoker chamber; and

a food item temperature probe assembly wherein said remote cooking characteristic conveyance device receives food item probe temperature information derived from said probe assembly.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device further receives smoker chamber temperature information.

14. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an electric heater unit;

a control unit in communication with said heater unit;

a cooking pot which, in use, receives cooking fluid that is heated by said heater unit;

a cooking pot support shell for supporting said cooking pot and for supporting in position the control unit;

a cooking pot cover which is supported in flush fashion at an upper rim region of said cooking pot;

a food item support member for supporting the food item while positioned within said cooking pot;

a food item temperature probe assembly; and

a local cooking characteristic information conveyance device that receives food item temperature data from said probe assembly and displays received food item temperature data on a display supported by said control unit, and wherein said local cooking characteristic information conveyance device forms part of said control unit, and said control unit further includes a cooking fluid temperature adjustment device with cooking fluid temperature setting display, and wherein said food item temperature probe assembly comprises a food probe for insertion into a food item supported by said food item support member and received within the cooking pot, and wherein said food item temperature probe assembly further comprises a communication line extending between said probe and said control unit while said cooking pot cover is supported as to cover said cooking pot;

a remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device which includes a display that displays food item temperature data determined by said probe assembly, and

wherein said remote cooking characteristic information conveyance device includes a transmitter for adjusting a temperature setting associated with one or both of said heater unit and probe assembly.

17. A smoker apparatus, comprising:

a heater;

a food item container that comprises a smoker chamber structure that, in use, receives a food item to be heated by said heater, and wherein said smoker chamber includes an internal smoker material reception device and a chamber wall, with said chamber wall having a smoker material access port provided therein with a removable access port cover member, and which access port is positioned relative to said smoker material reception device as to provide for a gravity feed of smoker material from the access port to said smoker material reception device, and wherein said heater is provided in said smoker chamber and is positioned as to heat smoking material placed in said smoker material reception device;

a cooking characteristic monitoring system which includes,

a local cooking characteristic information conveyance device which is visibly mounted externally on said food item container and which includes a control unit with a smoker chamber temperature setting adjustment device and an adjusted temperature display device; and

wherein said control unit is supported by said smoker chamber as to be positioned externally to a heated cavity heated by said heater within said smoker chamber structure,

wherein said removable access port cover member includes a handle, and wherein said access port cover forms an exterior wall of a smoker material loading device which is adjustable relative to said smoker material access port.