# US 11,304,561 B2 · Cooking device and components thereof

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- Number: US 11,304,561 B2
- Document ID: US11304561B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/357,194
- Filed: 2019-03-18
- Published: 2019-08-01
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-09
- Assignees: SharkNinja Operating LLC
- Applicants: SharkNinja Operating LLC
- Inventors: Aaron Michael Gill; Ross Richardson; Naomi Kalia Williams Zabel; Da Deng; Mete Gursel; Andrew John Roy Tattersfield; Niall Christopher Denham; Roger Neil Jackson; Ronan Patrick Leahy; Evan James White; Thomas Guerin; Chris Martin; Nathaniel R. Lavins; Mackenzie Lee Swanhart; Samuel Andrew Ferguson; Scott James Stewart
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304561B2

## CPC

- A47J 37/0641: {with forced air circulation, e.g. air fryers}
- A23L 5/13: {using water or steam}
- A23L 5/17: {in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure}
- A47J 27/004: {with integral electrical heating means (drinking cups with integral heating means A47J36/2466)}
- A47J 27/04: for cooking food in steam; Devices for extracting fruit juice by means of steam {; Vacuum cooking vessels (steam-heated vessels for hotels, restaurants or canteens A47J27/16)}
- A47J 27/08: Pressure-cookers; Lids or locking devices specially adapted therefor
- A47J 27/0802: {Control mechanisms for pressure-cookers}
- A47J 27/0804: {Locking devices}
- A47J 27/086: with built-in heating means (adaptations of automatic switches for the heating means A47J27/62)
- A47J 37/0629: {with electric heating elements}
- A47J 39/003: {with forced air circulation}
- A47J 43/0772: {activated by the proper positioning of the cover}
- F24C 7/087: {of electric circuits regulating heat}
- A47J 36/12: Devices for holding lids in open position on the container
- A47J 37/0623: {Small-size cooking ovens, i.e. defining an at least partially closed cooking cavity (A47J37/0605 takes precedence)}
- A47J 37/1266: {Control devices, e.g. to control temperature, level or quality of the frying liquid}
- A47J 2027/008: {for cooking pasta under pressure}
- A47J 2027/043: {for cooking food in steam}
- H05B 1/0205: {using a fusible material}
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

Disclosed herein is a cooking system for cooking food, the system including a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive a food container. The housing has an upper portion defining an opening to the hollow chamber. A lid is attachable about the upper portion of the housing and is configured to extend across the opening to the hollow chamber. At least one heating element is associated with at least one of said housing and said lid. The cooking system is operable in a plurality of modes including a pressure cooking mode and a convective cooking mode. In the pressure cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a pressure cooker and in the convective cooking mode, the cooking system is operable as a convection cooker.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cooking system for cooking food, the system comprising:
a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive a food container, said housing having an upper portion defining an opening to said hollow chamber;
a lid attachable about said upper portion of said housing and configured to extend across said opening to said hollow chamber;
at least one heating element associated with at least one of said housing and said lid;
wherein said cooking system is operable in a plurality of modes including a pressure cooking mode and a convective cooking mode, wherein in said pressure cooking mode the cooking system is operable as a pressure cooker and in said convective cooking mode the cooking system is operable as a convection cooker; and
wherein in said pressure mode, the cooking system reaches a pressure of at least 40 kPa.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cooking system of claim 1, further including a food container that is receivable within said hollow chamber, said food container having a base and an open end, and wherein said lid is attachable to said upper portion of said housing and sealable about said open end of said food container when said food container is received within said hollow chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cooking system of claim 2, wherein said cooking system is operable in said pressure cooking mode when said lid is attached to said upper portion of said housing and seals said open end of said food container.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The cooking system of claim 2, further including a second lid that is adapted to abut said upper portion of said housing and cover said lid when said lid is attached to said upper portion of said housing and seals said open end of said food container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The cooking device of claim 2, wherein said food container includes a food support surface, and food is receivable in said food container in contact with said food support surface in both said pressure cooking mode and said convective cooking mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The cooking system of claim 2, wherein the cooking system is operable in either said pressure cooking mode and said convective cooking mode without having to remove said food container from the hollow chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The cooking system of claim 2, further comprising an insert for supporting a food item in said hollow chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The cooking system of claim 7, wherein said insert is positionable within said food container to form an annulus between an inner wall of said food container and an outer wall of said insert.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The cooking system of claim 7, wherein said insert further comprises a base and an open end, said base including a plurality of apertures that allow fluid to flow through said base.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cooking system of claim 9, further including a diffuser disposed beneath said base, said diffuser including at least one vane configured to impart rotation to fluid circulating through said plurality of apertures during said convective cooking mode.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The cooking system of claim 10, further including a fan and at least one heating element disposed at or above said opening to said hollow chamber, said fan being positioned to move heated air relatively downward through said annulus, relatively horizontally across a lower surface of said food container, and relatively upward through said diffuser and said plurality of apertures of said base when said insert is positioned in said food container and said food container is received within said hollow chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The cooking system of claim 11, wherein said fan is positioned to draw air relatively upward through said insert and through said at least one heating element in said convective cooking mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The cooking system of claim 10, wherein said diffuser is configured to create a vortex of air circulating through said insert.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The cooking system of claim 13, wherein said food container includes an upward facing lower surface that is curved upward in a direction of an upper opening of said food container, and said diffuser includes downward facing lower surface that is curved or sloped to conform to said upward facing lower surface of said food container.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

The cooking system of claim 2, wherein said housing is configured to surround said food container around an entirety of at least a portion thereof when said food container is received within said hollow chamber.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The cooking system of claim 1, wherein said upper portion of said housing is configured with a bayonet locking feature and said lid is configured with a compatible bayonet locking feature.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The cooking system of claim 1, further including a second lid moveably attached to said housing, said second lid moveable between a first position that covers said opening to said hollow chamber and a second position where said second lid does not cover said opening to said hollow chamber, wherein said second lid includes a heating element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The cooking system of claim 17, wherein said cooking system is operable in said convective cooking mode when said second lid is in said first position.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The cooking system of claim 17, wherein said cooking system is operable in either of said pressure cooking mode and said convective cooking mode when said second lid is in said first position.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The cooking system of claim 17, wherein said cooking system is operable in said pressure cooking mode when said second lid is in said first position.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The cooking system of claim 17, wherein said at least one heating element is a first heating element and a second heating element, said first heating element being disposed at or below a lower extent of said hollow chamber, and said second heating element being disposed at or above said opening to said hollow chamber.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The cooking system of claim 21, wherein said second heating element is disposed in said second lid.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The cooking system of claim 21, wherein said second heating element is disposed in said lid, and wherein a fan is also disposed in said lid at or above said opening to said hollow chamber.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The cooking system of claim 21, wherein said second lid is coupled to said housing when said cooking system is in said pressure cooking mode.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The cooking system of claim 1, further including a diffuser disposed in said hollow chamber, said diffuser including at least one vane configured to impart rotation to fluid circulating through said hollow chamber.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The cooking system of claim 1, wherein said lid abuts said housing about an entirety of said upper surface thereof when said lid is in said closed position.

### Claim 27

A cooking system for cooking food, the system comprising:
a housing defining a hollow chamber configured to receive a food container, said housing having an upper portion defining an opening to said hollow chamber;
a first lid and a second lid, said first lid and said second lid configured to cover said upper portion of said housing and said opening to said hollow chamber in a closed position;
at least one heating element associated with at least one of said housing and said first lid;
wherein said cooking system is operable in a plurality of modes including a pressure cooking mode and a convective cooking mode, wherein in said pressure cooking mode the cooking system is operable as a pressure cooker and in said convective cooking mode the cooking system is operable as a convection cooker, and
wherein said second lid is affixable to said housing in a locked arrangement during said pressure mode.