US 11,470,867 B2Granted

Pod-based grain popping apparatus and methods of popping grains

AssigneeOpopop, Inc.

InventorsBradley Roulier, Jonas Tempel, Gary Ashurst, Robert Clark, Tejinder Grewal

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Abstract

A grain-popping machine and associated pod-based popping method is disclosed. The grain-popping is configured to receive a pod. Each pod includes a plurality of cells, with each cell preferably containing a single grain kernel or seed, flavoring, and a cooking medium such as oil or shortening. In a preferred embodiment, the pod is loaded into the grain-popping machine through a slot so that it is held in position adjacent to a heating element. The heating element is activated to begin a popping sequence. When each grain kernel or seed in the pod reaches popping temperature, it absorbs the flavoring in its cell and ejects through the bottom of the pod, which can be weakened to ease ejection, into a bowl positioned in a receiving area of the grain-popping machine. The pod is then removed and disposed of.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A grain popping system comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing is at least partially enclosed to define an interior space, and wherein the housing comprises a top and a bottom;
a heating chamber positioned in the interior space, the heating chamber having a top and a bottom, and wherein the bottom of the heating chamber is positioned toward the bottom of the housing and the top of the heating chamber is positioned toward the top of the housing;
a grain pod comprising a cell having an open end and a closed end, the cell containing one or more grains, wherein the grain pod has a bottom cover that seals the open end of the cell when attached to the grain pod;
wherein a hole is formed through the bottom of the heating chamber, and wherein the hole is adapted to receive the cell therethrough,
wherein the bottom cover of the grain pod faces the bottom of the housing when the cell is positioned in the bottom of the heating chamber,
wherein heating the grain pod heats the one or more grains in the cell, thereby causing the one or more grains to exit the grain pod by piercing the bottom cover of the grain pod.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/548,693Filed 22 Aug 2019 · continuation in part
Priority: 23 Apr 2018
Published: US 2019/0320692 A112 Dec 2019
Granted: 18 Oct 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

A23L 7/178
Preparation of puffed cereals from wholegrain or grain pieces without preparation of meal or dough: by pressure release with or without heating
B65B 25/22
Packaging other articles presenting special problems: packaging articles of food, e.g. fish fillets, intended to be cooked in the package
A23L 7/183
Preparation of puffed cereals from wholegrain or grain pieces without preparation of meal or dough: by heating without using a pressure release device
A23L 7/187
By heating without using a pressure release device: discontinuously-working apparatus

Family

Application15/960,383Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Apr 2018
Application16/174,248Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 29 Oct 2018
US 2019/0375575 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Dec 2019
US 10,674,754 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 11,419,356 B2Related patent
US 2019/0320692 A1Published application
US 2019/0320693 A1Published application
US 11,470,867 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.