Food steaming device

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• a base;
• a boiling water reservoir defined by the base;
• a heater, mounted in the base to heat the boiling water reservoir;
• a condensate trough, defined by the base and thermally insulated from the heater;
• and
• a food tray comprising an imperforate surface and a drainage surface, said food tray supported above the reservoir and trough such that said imperforate surface is aligned with the boiling water reservoir, said drainage surface is aligned with the condensate trough, and water flows from the imperforate surface to the drainage surface and into the condensate trough, said reservoir, trough and tray cooperating substantially to prevent the flow of water from the imperforate surface into the reservoir;
• wherein said reservoir defines an inner peripheral lip and wherein the food tray defines a lower flange, disposed in overlapping relationship to the inner peripheral lip, cooperating with said inner peripheral lip to create a labrynthian seal operative to impede water flow out of the boiling water reservoir.

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• a base;
• a boiling water reservoir defined by the base and adapted to contain a quantity of boiling water;
• means for heating water contained in the boiling water reservoir to form steam;
• a condensate trough defined by the base such that the base, the boiling water reservoir and the condensate trough are integrally molded in one piece and the condensate trough is thermally insulated from the heating means;
• a food tray comprising an imperforate surface adapted to support a food product, and a drainage surface adapted to drain fluid from the imperforate surface;
• means for supporting said food tray in a relationship to the boiling water reservoir and the condensate trough such that the imperforate surface is aligned with the boiling water reservoir, the drainage surface is aligned with the condensate trough, and condensed steam flows from the imperforate surface to the drainage surface and into the condensate trough, thereby substantially preventing the flow of condensate from the imperforate surface to the boiling water reservoir and limiting the rate of evaporation of condensate from the trough.

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• a base;
• a boiling water reservoir defined by and integral with the base and adapted to contain a volume of water;
• means for heating water contained in the boiling water reservoir;
• a condensate trough, defined by and integral with the base, disposed in peripheral relationship to the boiling water reservoir, and defining an outer peripheral lip;
• thermostat means, mounted in the base and coupled to the heating means, for arresting the operation of the heating means when all the water in the boiling water reservoir has evaporated therefrom;
• a food tray comprising an imperforate surface and an array of peripheral apertures, said imperforate surface disposed centrally to the array of peripheral apertures;
• means for supporting said food tray in a vertical relationship to the boiling water reservoir and the condensate trough, said food tray shaped and positioned such that the imperforate surface is vertically aligned with the boiling water reservoir, and the array of peripheral apertures is vertically aligned with the condensate trough;
• a cover, which defines a rim shaped to cooperate with the outer peripheral lip of the condensate trough to form a seal such that a steaming chamber is defined around the food tray;
• and
• means, included in the cover, for venting steam from the cover to maintain the steaming chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure;
• said boiling water reservoir, heating means, condensate trough, food tray, and supporting means cooperating to cause steam condensate formed over the imperforate surface to flow through the array of peripheral apertures and into the condensate trough, thereby isolating said condensate from the heating means.

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• a base;
• a boiling water reservoir defined by the base, said reservoir comprising an inner peripheral wall with which defines an inner peripheral lip and a plurality of protrusions;
• a heater, mounted in the base, disposed centrally within the reservoir;
• a heater well, disposed adjacent the heater;
• a condensate trough, defined by the base, disposed in annular relationship to the boiling water reservoir and thermally insulated from the heater, said trough defined by the inner peripheral wall, an outer peripheral wall, and an outer peripheral lip, said outer peripheral lip disposed adjacent to the outer peripheral wall such that the base, the boiling water reservoir, the condensate trough, the inner peripheral wall, the outer peripheral wall, the inner peripheral lip, the outer peripheral lip and the protrusions are integrally molded and formed in one piece;
• thermostat means, mounted in the base and coupled to the heater, for switching off the heater when the condensate trough attains a preselected temperature;
• a food tray comprising an imperforate central surface and an array of peripheral apertures, said food tray supported by the protrusions, such that said imperforate central surface is vertically aligned with the boiling water reservoir and said peripheral apertures are vertically aligned with the condensate trough and said food tray further comprising a central baffle vertically aligned with the heater well, said baffle operative to direct heated water in a vertical relationship to the heater well such that steam formation is accelerated between the heater well and the baffle;
• a cover which defines a rim shaped to cooperate with the outer peripheral lip of the condensate trough to form a seal;
• an upper chamber, defined by the cover;
• and
• means, included in the cover, for maintaining the upper chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure.

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• a base;
• a boiling water reservoir defined by the base, said reservoir comprising an inner peripheral wall with which defines an inner peripheral lip and a plurality of protrusions;
• a heater, mounted in the base, disposed centrally within the reservoir;
• a condensate trough, defined by the base, disposed in annular relationship to the boiling water reservoir and thermally insulated from the heater, said trough defined by the inner peripheral wall, an outer peripheral wall, and an outer peripheral lip, said outer peripheral lip disposed adjacent to the outer peripheral wall;
• a food tray comprising an imperforate central surface and an array of peripheral apertures, said food tray supported by the protrusions, such that said imperforate central surface is vertically aligned with the boiling water reservoir and said peripheral apertures are vertically aligned with the condensate trough;
• a cover which defines a rim shaped to cooperate with the outer peripheral lip of the condensate trough to form a seal;
• an upper chamber, defined by the cover;
• and
• means, included in the cover, for maintaining the upper chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure;
• wherein the food tray defines a lower flange disposed in overlapping relationship to the inner peripheral lip, said lower flange cooperating with said inner peripheral lip to create a labrynthian seal operative to impede water flow from the boiling water reservoir to the condensate trough.

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• means for defining a boiling water reservoir;
• a heater mounted adjacent a central portion of the reservoir to heat water contained in the reservoir;
• means for supporting food to be steamed above the reservoir, said supporting means defining an imperforate surface above the heater;
• and
• a baffle which extends downwardly from the supporting surface over the heater, said baffle shaped to define a partially enclosed region of the supporting surface in alignment with the heater;
• said baffle effective to impede the outward flow of water, heated by the heater and splashed by the heater againt the partially enclosed region, radially away from the partially enclosed region.

A steam cooking utensil comprising:

• means for defining a boiling water reservoir;
• a heater mounted adjacent a central portion of the reservoir to heat water contained in the reservoir;
• means for supporting food to be steamed above the reservoir, said supporting means defining an imperforate surface above the heater;
• and
• a baffle which extends downwardly from the supporting surface over the heater, said baffle shaped to define a partially enclosed region of the supporting surface in alignment with the heater;
• said baffle effective to impede the outward flow of water, heated by the heater and splashed by the heater against the partially enclosed region, radially away from the partially enclosed region;
• wherein the means for defining the reservoir further comprises means for defining a peripheral lip extending around the reservoir and wherein the supporting means further comprises a flange positioned adjacent the lip and shaped to form a labrynthian seal with the lip to impede the flow of water out of the reservoir.