Baby food maker

A method for preparing food comprising:

• providing
• a base,
• a drive shaft,
• an electric motor supported by the base and operatively associated with the drive shaft,
• a container assembly comprising;
• a container having a bottom and a side wall,
• a steam inlet passage, and
• a blade assembly disposed within the container;
• the container assembly positionable in an upright orientation relative to the base
• such that drive shaft projects into the container and connects to the blade assembly;
• placing a steam generating chamber in the base to bring a steam exit port thereof into fluid communication with the steam inlet passage;
• the steam generating chamber comprising a water supply tank with a heater disposed there-within for generating steam within the steam generating chamber;
• the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port being removable together from the base, and the steam generating chamber having electrical contacts extending externally therefrom for electrical disconnection of the heater from the base when the steam generating chamber is removed therefrom;
• disposing the food in the container;
• coupling a lid to a top end portion of the side wall;
• causing the steam generating chamber to produce steam, wherein the steam enters the container in the upright orientation through the steam inlet passage and steams the food;
• actuating the electric motor to cause rotation of the drive shaft and the blade assembly, thereby blending the food;
• and wherein the container is removable from the base individually of the steam generating chamber;
• wherein the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port are configured within a singular assembly that is removable as the singular assembly from the base:
• wherein the water supply tank comprises a removable cap and the singular assembly is configured to be taken from the base and supplied with water when the cap is removed:
• and wherein the steam exit port comprises a normally closed valve disposed adjacent the top of the steam generating chamber and adjacent the steam inlet passage which is opened by the container when the container is positioned in the upright orientation.

A method for preparing food, comprising:

• providing
• a base;
• a drive shaft;
• and
• an electric motor supported by the base and operatively associated with the drive shaft;
• placing a container assembly onto the base, the container assembly comprising;
• a container having a bottom and a side wall,
• a steam inlet passage, and
• a blade assembly disposed within the container, wherein
• the container assembly is positioned in an upright orientation relative to the base such that the drive shaft projects into container and connects to the blade assembly;
• placing a steam generating chamber in the base to bring a steam exit port thereof into fluid communication with the steam inlet passage;
• the steam generating chamber comprising a water supply tank with a heater disposed there-within for generating steam within the steam generating chamber;
• the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port being removable together from the base, and the steam generating chamber having electrical contacts extending externally therefrom for electrical disconnection of the heater from the base when the steam generating chamber is removed therefrom;
• disposing the food in the container;
• coupling a lid to a top end portion of the side wall;
• causing the steam generating chamber to produce steam, wherein the steam enters the container in the upright orientation through the steam inlet passage and steams the food;
• actuating the motor to cause rotation of the drive shaft and the blade assembly, thereby blending the food;
• and wherein the container is removable from the base individually of the steam generating chamber;
• wherein the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port are configured within a singular assembly that is removable as the singular assembly from the base:
• wherein the water supply tank comprises a removable cap and the singular assembly is configured to be taken from the base and supplied with water when the cap is removed:
• and
• wherein the steam exit port comprises a normally closed valve disposed adjacent the top of the steam generating chamber and adjacent the steam inlet passage which is opened by the container when the container is positioned in the upright orientation.

A method for preparing food, comprising:

• providing
• a base;
• a drive shaft;
• and
• an electric motor supported by the base and operatively associated with the drive shaft;
• placing a container assembly in an upright orientation onto the base, the container assembly comprising;
• a container having a bottom and a side wall;
• and
• a steam inlet passage;
• wherein
• the container assembly is positioned relative to the base such that drive shaft projects into the container;
• connecting the blade assembly to the drive shaft;
• placing a steam generating chamber in the base to bring a steam exit port thereof into fluid communication with the steam inlet passage;
• the steam generating chamber comprising a water supply tank with a heater disposed there-within for generating steam within the steam generating chamber;
• the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port being removable together from the base, and the steam chamber having electrical contacts extending externally therefrom for electrical disconnection of the heater from the base when the steam chamber is removed therefrom;
• disposing the food in the container;
• coupling a lid to a top end portion of the side wall;
• causing the steam generating chamber to produce steam, wherein the steam enters the container in the upright orientation through the steam inlet passage and steams the food;
• actuating the motor to cause rotation of the drive shaft and the blade assembly, thereby blending the food;
• and wherein the container is removable from the base independently of the steam generating chamber;
• wherein the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port are configured within a singular assembly that is removable as the singular assembly from the base:
• wherein the water supply tank comprises a removable cap and the singular assembly is configured to be taken from the base and supplied with water when the cap is removed:
• and wherein the steam exit port comprises a normally closed valve disposed adjacent the top of the steam generating chamber and adjacent the steam inlet passage which is opened by the container when the container is positioned in the upright orientation.

A method for sterilizing articles, comprising:

• providing
• a base;
• a drive shaft;
• and
• an electric motor supported by the base and operatively associated with the drive shaft;
• placing a container assembly onto the base, the container assembly comprising;
• a container having a bottom and a side wall;
• and
• a steam inlet passage;
• wherein
• the container assembly is placed in an upright orientation in relationship to the base such that drive shaft projects into the container;
• placing a diverter plate into the container assembly proximate the bottom;
• placing a steam generating chamber in the base to bring a steam exit port thereof into fluid communication with the steam inlet passage;
• the steam chamber comprising a water supply tank with a heater disposed there-within for generating steam within the steam generating chamber;
• the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port being removable together from the base, and the steam chamber having electrical contacts extending externally therefrom for electrical disconnection of the heater from the base when the steam chamber is removed therefrom;
• introducing one or more articles to be sterilized on top of a horizontal plate of the diverter plate;
• coupling a lid to a top end portion of the side wall;
• causing the steam generating chamber to produce steam, wherein the steam enters the container in the upright orientation through the steam inlet passage and sterilizes the one or more articles;
• and wherein the container is removable from the base individually of the steam generating chamber;
• wherein the water supply tank, heater and steam exit port are configured within a singular assembly that is removable as the singular assembly from the base:
• wherein the water supply tank comprises a removable cap and the singular assembly is configured to be taken from the base and supplied with water when the cap is removed:
• and wherein the steam exit port comprises a normally closed valve disposed adjacent the top of the steam generating chamber and adjacent the steam inlet passage which is opened by the container when the container is positioned in the upright orientation.