# US 11,998,134 B2 · Fully submergible sous vide device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,134 B2 - Document ID: US11998134B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/082,699 - Filed: 2020-10-28 - Published: 2021-02-11 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-29 - Assignees: Midea Group Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Midea Group Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Daniel J. Trice; Robert Digman; Paul R. Staun - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998134B2 ## CPC - A47J 27/10: Cooking-vessels with water-bath arrangements for domestic use - A47J 36/32: Time-controlled igniting mechanisms or alarm devices - A47J 36/321: {the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device} - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES ## Abstract A sous vide device and method of using the same may include a body that is fully submergible in a container of water and may wirelessly communicate with an external device, e.g., to control an external heating element during sous vide cooking. Further, a sous vide device may include a rechargeable battery capable of being wirelessly recharged from a charging dock. In addition, a sous vide device may include a moisture sensor for use in changing the activation state of a heating element and/or a turbidity sensor for use in changing the activation state of a water circulator of the sous vide device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sous vide device, comprising: a fully submergible body shaped and configured for full submersion in a container of water during sous vide cooking, the body including a battery, water circulator, moisture sensor, and temperature sensor, wherein the body includes an external surface and first and second internal cavities, the external surface including one or more ports defined therein, wherein the first internal cavity is sealed and houses the battery and the second internal cavity is in fluid communication with the one or more ports, wherein the temperature sensor is exposed to the second internal cavity to sense a temperature of water within the second internal cavity, and wherein the water circulator is exposed to the second internal cavity to circulate water through the one or more ports; and a controller disposed within the first internal cavity of the body, the controller coupled to the moisture sensor, the temperature sensor and the water circulator and powered by the battery, and the controller including a wireless communication circuit; wherein the controller is configured to actuate the water circulator to circulate water when the body is submerged in the container of water and to wirelessly communicate with an external device using the wireless communication circuit; and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the moisture sensor has sensed moisture and to automatically initiate pairing with the external device to establish a wireless connection with the external device and thereby enable wireless data communication with the external device using the wireless communication circuit in response to the determination that moisture has been sensed with the moisture sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sous vide device of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises a turbidity sensor, and wherein the controller is coupled to the turbidity sensor to disable the water circulator in response to detecting immersion in a non-clear liquid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the body is puck-shaped, and wherein the body includes one or more protective external surfaces formed of silicone to protect a sink when the body is dumped from the container of water after cooking. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the water circulator comprises a pump or a rotating blade. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless charging circuit disposed in the body such that the battery is wirelessly rechargeable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with the external device using the wireless communication circuit to communicate a water temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to the external device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with and pair with a mobile computing device, a personal computing device, a server or a cloud service. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to wirelessly communicate with and pair with a burner controller to regulate an energy output of a burner that heats the container of water, and wherein the burner and burner controller are disposed in a range, a stovetop, an oven, a grill or a countertop cooking device, and wherein the burner is a gas burner, an electric burner, a microwave element, or an induction burner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control activation of the water circulator based in part on moisture sensed by the moisture sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the body includes one or more feet configured to support the device on a bottom surface of the container while allowing for water to circulate between the body and the bottom surface. ### Claim 11 An apparatus, comprising: a sous vide device, the sous vide device comprising: a fully submergible body shaped and configured for full submersion in a container of water during sous vide cooking, the body including a rechargeable battery, water circulator, moisture sensor, and temperature sensor, wherein the body includes an external surface and first and second internal cavities, the external surface including one or more ports defined therein, wherein the first internal cavity is sealed and houses the battery and the second internal cavity is in fluid communication with the one or more ports, wherein the temperature sensor is exposed to the second internal cavity to sense a temperature of water within the second internal cavity, and wherein the water circulator is exposed to the second internal cavity to circulate water through the one or more ports; and a controller disposed within the first internal cavity of the body, the controller coupled to the moisture sensor, the temperature sensor and the water circulator and powered by the battery, and the controller including a wireless communication circuit; wherein the controller is configured to actuate the water circulator to circulate water when the body is submerged in the container of water and to wirelessly communicate with an external device using the wireless communication circuit; and wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the moisture sensor has sensed moisture and to automatically initiate pairing with the external device to establish a wireless connection with the external device and thereby enable wireless data communication with the external device using the wireless communication circuit in response to the determination that moisture has been sensed with the moisture sensor; and a charging dock including a wireless charging circuit configured to wirelessly charge the rechargeable battery when the sous vide device is proximate the charging dock. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a cooking appliance, wherein the cooking appliance comprises a stovetop or a range, and wherein the charging dock is disposed on a cooking surface of the cooking appliance. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a cooking appliance, wherein the cooking appliance comprises a stovetop or a range, and wherein the charging dock is disposed on a backsplash of the cooking appliance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a countertop cooking device, wherein the charging dock is disposed on the countertop cooking device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a grill, wherein the charging dock is disposed on the grill. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the sous vide device is puck-shaped and wherein the charging dock includes a disc-shaped recess sized and configured to support the sous vide device during charging. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a burner, wherein the charging dock is disposed on the burner. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the charging dock includes a stand-alone housing sized and configured to support the sous vide device while charging. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the burner includes an inductive heating element configured to wirelessly charge the rechargeable battery and/or power the controller of the sous vide device concurrently with heating a container of water within which the sous vide device is submerged. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a vacuum sealer, wherein the charging dock is disposed on a surface of the vacuum sealer.