Slow cooker
First Claim
1. A slow cooker for cooking a foodstuff over a period of time, the slow cooker comprising:
- a shell including a base, an external wrap extending upwardly from the base, a liner spaced from and positioned within the external wrap, and a heating cavity;
a heating element positioned between the external wrap and the liner to heat the heating cavity;
a container removably positionable within the heating cavity, the container including a food cavity for receiving the foodstuff;
a temperature probe removably insertable into the foodstuff; and
a controller mounted to the shell, the controller controlling operation of the slow cooker in a probe mode wherein the temperature probe is inserted into the foodstuff and transmits foodstuff temperatures to the controller for controlling the heating of the foodstuff, a program mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a temperature for a selected amount of time and subsequently at a lower temperature and a manual mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a selected temperature.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A cooking appliance for cooking a foodstuff over a period of time including a shell having a heating cavity and a heating element to heat the heating cavity. A container is removably positionable within the heating cavity and includes a food cavity for receiving the foodstuff. A temperature probe is removably insertable into the foodstuff and a controller is mounted to the shell. The controller controls operation of the cooking appliance in a probe mode wherein the temperature probe is inserted into the foodstuff and transmits foodstuff temperatures to the controller for controlling the heating of the foodstuff, a program mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a temperature for a selected amount of time and subsequently at a lower temperature and a manual mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a selected temperature.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A slow cooker for cooking a foodstuff over a period of time, the slow cooker comprising:
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a shell including a base, an external wrap extending upwardly from the base, a liner spaced from and positioned within the external wrap, and a heating cavity; a heating element positioned between the external wrap and the liner to heat the heating cavity; a container removably positionable within the heating cavity, the container including a food cavity for receiving the foodstuff; a temperature probe removably insertable into the foodstuff; and a controller mounted to the shell, the controller controlling operation of the slow cooker in a probe mode wherein the temperature probe is inserted into the foodstuff and transmits foodstuff temperatures to the controller for controlling the heating of the foodstuff, a program mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a temperature for a selected amount of time and subsequently at a lower temperature and a manual mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a selected temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12)
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10. A slow cooker for cooking a foodstuff to be consumed over a period of time, the slow cooker comprising:
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a shell including a base, an external wrap extending upwardly from the base, a liner spaced from and positioned within the external wrap, and a heating cavity; a heating element wrapped around a sidewall of the liner to heat the heating cavity; a container removably positionable within the heating cavity, the container including a mouth and a food cavity for receiving the foodstuff; a lid removably mountable to the mouth of the container; a temperature probe removably insertable directly into the foodstuff to be consumed, the temperature probe including a shaft, a body, a cord and a plug, the shaft extending from the body and including a tip at a distal end, the cord extending from the body and the plug mounted to a distal end of the cord; a probe outlet exposed on an exterior side surface of the shell slow cooker, the plug of the temperature probe being removably insertable into the probe outlet to establish communication between the controller and the temperature probe, wherein the cord extends from the plug on the exterior side surface of the shell through the mouth of the container to insert the tip of the temperature probe into the foodstuff; and a controller mounted to the shell, the controller controlling operation of the slow cooker in a probe mode wherein the temperature probe is inserted into the foodstuff and transmits foodstuff temperatures to the controller for controlling the heating of the foodstuff, a program mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a temperature for a selected amount of time and subsequently at a lower temperature and a manual mode wherein the controller actuates the heating element to heat the container at a selected temperature.
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13. A method of cooking a foodstuff to be consumed in a slow cooker over a period of time, the slow cooker including a shell having a base, an external wrap extending upwardly from the base, a liner spaced from and positioned within the external wrap, and a heating cavity, a heating element wrapped around a sidewall of the liner to heat the heating cavity, a container removably positionable within the heating cavity, a controller to control heating of the heating cavity, a display in communication with the controller;
- a lid and a temperature probe, the method including the steps of;
a) inserting a foodstuff into the container; b) positioning the container in the heating cavity; c) inserting at least a portion of the temperature probe directly into the foodstuff to be consumed; d) selecting a desired probe set temperature and storing the probe set temperature in the controller; e) actuating the controller to operate the slow cooker in a probe mode; f) automatically heating the heating cavity at a cooking temperature using the heating element; g) detecting an actual foodstuff temperature with the temperature probe; h) transmitting the actual foodstuff temperature to the controller; i) comparing the actual foodstuff temperature to the desired probe set temperature using the controller; j) automatically directing the heating element to heat the heating cavity at a warm temperature lower than the cooking temperature when the detected foodstuff temperature is equal to or greater than the desired probe set temperature; and k) automatically cutting power to the heating element after a maximum time elapses. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
- a lid and a temperature probe, the method including the steps of;
Specification