Electric heating – Heating devices – Combined with container – enclosure – or support for material...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-08
2001-08-14
Pelham, Joseph (Department: 3742)
Electric heating
Heating devices
Combined with container, enclosure, or support for material...
C219S432000, C219S435000, C219S518000, C099S340000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06274847
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooking apparatus and specifically to a multi-purpose cooking apparatus which is capable of performing various types of cooking operations, including slow cooking and roasting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Roasters and slow cookers are two types of cooking devices well known in the art. Roasters typically include a covered chamber lined by a metal pan for receiving the food to be cooked. The temperature controls permit a wide range of cooking temperatures that may be set to accommodate a particular recipe. Roasters typically permit temperatures as high as 500° F. which is similar to that found in a typical kitchen oven. Roasters operate similar to a standard electric oven wherein the food is placed therein and cooked for a relatively short period of time, i.e., half an hour to two or three hours. Roasters include one or more heating elements that are capable of producing the high temperature required for roasting. Roasters typically include metal pan which hold the food. The metal pan fairly quickly and evenly distributes the heat thereby preventing the formation of localized hot spots.
Another type of cooking device well known in the art is a slow cooker. An example of such a device is marketed by the Assignee of this application under the trademark Crockpot®. Slow cookers typically include a stoneware or ceramic vessel for holding the food. The stoneware is typically removably insertable in a housing that contains heating elements for supplying heat to the stoneware and food. Slow cookers typically have a selector switch having a “high”, “low” and “off” setting for varying the heat setting thereby affecting the cooking time.
The maximum power generated by slow cookers is significantly less then that for roasters since slow cookers rely on a slow even rate of cooking. Cooking time in slow cookers range from four to several hours. The low temperature cooking permits users of the device to start a meal cooking in the morning and have it ready and properly cooked in time for dinner. Due to the slow cooking nature of the device, the contents of the stoneware need not be constantly monitored in order to prevent burning such as with a roaster. In addition, the relatively low power and even distribution of heat of the slow cooker prevents any particular hot spot on the stoneware, which could lead to thermal stresses and cracking. The stoneware acts as an insulator which is beneficial for slow cooking but is susceptible to cracking if the heat output is too high and the temperature rises too quickly.
Roasters and slow cookers provide two very different ways to prepare food. The roaster with its high temperature range permits cooking meals within a relatively short time while the slow cooker allows simmering type cooking over several hours. Accordingly, it is desirable to have both a roaster and slow cooker in order to accommodate a wide variety of cooking situations. However, both of these units are relatively large counter top appliances and therefore either take up a large amount of kitchen counter top space or storage space in the kitchen. This particular problem is especially acute in small kitchens where the counter top space and storage is at a premium.
However, roasters of the prior art are unsuitable for safely slow cooking food in stoneware due to the high power output of such devices and the temperature sensitivity of stoneware. The control circuit of roasters typically includes a thermostat which turns on a heating element until a desired temperature level is reached and then the element is shut off. The cycling on and off of the heating element is used to control the temperature. Therefore, even on relatively low temperature settings a cooking vessel is subjected to a full power high heat condition that could damage stoneware. Accordingly, roasters almost exclusively include metallic inserts that are able to quickly distribute the heat and permit uniform cooking of the contents. In contrast, stoneware, which is essentially an insulator, does not dissipate heat well and is subject to cracking when exposed to fast temperature rises and high heat levels.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a multipurpose cooking apparatus that selectively provides the cooking characteristics of both a roaster and a slow cooker.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus which is capable of functioning as a roaster and a slow cooker.
It is a further advantage that the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus having a heating device which can be selectively controlled to deliver the appropriate heat depending on the cooking function which is desired.
It is yet a further advantage of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus having a switch that is actuatable by a food holding component of the cooking device such that when it is inserted therein, the proper heating profile is developed.
These and other advantages of the present invention may be obtained by providing a cooking apparatus including a housing having an interior which contains a heating device. A sensor is provided that is operatively connected to the heating device. The sensor having an actuated position, wherein the sensor affects a heat output generated by the heating device. A first and second cooking insert for containing the food to be cooked are each separately positionable within the housing interior. The first cooking insert actuating the sensor when positioned in the housing interior, and the second cooking insert not actuating the sensor when positioned in said interior.
The present invention may also provide a cooking apparatus including a housing having a base and a wall extending upwardly therefrom forming a housing interior. A heating device is positioned in the housing interior. A first and second cooking insert for holding food to be cooked is provided and each of the first and second cooking inserts is separately positionable within the housing interior. A sensor is operatively connected to the heating device. The sensor is able to detect the presence of one of the first and second inserts when positioned within the housing. The sensor affects the heat output of the heating device upon the detection of the one of the first and second inserts.
As more specifically described by way of the preferred embodiment herein, the inserts made of differing configurations with one of the first and second inserts actuating the sensor and the other insert not actuating the sensor. To achieve this, the housing side wall ends in an upper rim and the first insert has an outwardly extending first flange supported by the upper rim when the first insert is positioned within the housing interior. The first insert has a first body portion extending below the first flange that actuates the sensor when the first flange rests upon the rim. The second insert has a second flange extending outwardly therefrom. The second flange is supported by the housing upper rim when the second insert is positioned within the housing interior. The second insert does not actuate the sensor when positioned within the insert. The sensor includes a switch that is actuatable by one of the first and second inserts. The heating device includes a plurality of heating elements and the switch is operatively connected to one of the plurality of heating elements for interrupting power transmission thereto.
In addition, the first insert may include a stoneware pot and the second insert may include a metallic pan. The sensor detects the presence of the first insert within the housing and limits the maximum power output of the heating device such that the cooking apparatus functions as a slow cooker.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3134007 (1964-05-01), Niblo
patent: 4164644 (1979-08-01), Remsnyder et al.
patent: 4307287 (1981-12-01), Weiss
patent: 5809870 (1998-09-01), Baillieul
patent: 133906 (1985-03-01), None
patent: 3430878 (1986-03-01), None
patent: 2651666 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 2222025 (1990-02-01), None
patent: 9605761 (1996-02-01)
Barrow Mary
Hlava Lorens G.
Hoffmann & Baron , LLP
Marino Francis E.
Pelham Joseph
The Holmes Group, Inc.
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