Rapid cooking device

A device for rapidly cooking food comprising means for defining a cooking chamber, a powered impeller blade for creating an air stream, and means for heating said air stream, said blade being disposed in said chamber such that said air stream has a velocity of at least 1000 linear feet per minute and a temperature of at least about 180.degree. F. adjacent food in said cooking chamber, said means for defining comprising a lower member and an upper member, said lower member comprising an upwardly opening bowl-shaped member and said upper member comprising a downwardly opening bowl-shaped member, said upper member having a circumferential wall, a curved transition wall and an upper wall, said curved transition wall joining said circumferential wall and said upper wall, wherein said fan throws an air stream in an essentially unrestricted radially oriented arc outwardly adjacent said upper wall, said curved transition wall causing said air stream to then move downwardly in a spiral to said lower member thence inwardly to a zone adjacent an axial center of said lower member and then upwardly to said impeller blade where said air stream is again powered by said blade increasing said air stream velocity to achieve said velocity of at least 1000 linear feet per minute adjacent food in said cooking chamber, said device including means for releasably contacting said upper member and said lower member comprising a hinged clamp-like member for moving said upper member into contact with said lower member and permitting said upper member to be hingedly pivoted upwardly to provide access to said cooking chamber when said device is in an inoperative mode.

A device for rapidly cooking food pieces comprising means for defining a self contained cooking chamber, a powered fan blade to create an air stream inside said cooking chamber, and means for heating said air stream, said air stream having a velocity of at least 1000 linear feet per minute and a temperature of at least about 180.degree. F. where said air stream flows adjacent food pieces in said cooking chamber, said cooking chamber being defined by a lower member and an upper member, said lower member comprising an upwardly opening bowl-shaped member and said upper member comprising a downwardly opening bowl-shaped member, said upper member having a circumferential wall and an interconnected upper wall, said circumferential wall and said upper wall being interconnected by a curved transition wall, wherein said fan blade throws said air stream in a radially oriented arc outwardly to strike said curved transition wall which causes said air stream to then move downwardly in a spiral to said lower member thence inwardly to a zone adjacent an axial center of said lower member and then upwardly to said fan blade where said air stream is again powered by said blade increasing said air stream velocity to achieve a velocity of at least 1000 linear feet per minute in said cooking chamber;

• said air stream comprising a combination air stream including a first air stream flow path and a second air stream flow path, and wherein said fan blade includes means for drawing a portion of air out of said first air stream flow path to create said second air stream flow path, said means for drawing passing said second portion of air over said means for heating and returning said portion of air from said second air stream to said first air stream thereby recirculating said portion of air past said means for heating to heat said first air stream;
• and
• said device further including means for releasably contacting said upper member and said lower member, said means for releasably contacting comprising a hinged member for allowing said upper member to contact said lower member and permitting said upper member to be hingedly pivoted upwardly to provide access to said cooking chamber when said device is in an inoperative mode.

An oven comprising:

• a cooking chamber, said cooking chamber further comprising an upper member, said upper member further comprising an upper circumferential wall an upper arcuate wall and a top wall having a top opening through the center thereof, said upper arcuate wall joining said upper circumferential wall and said top wall such that said upper member is of an inverted dish shape, said cooking chamber further comprising a lower member, said lower member further comprising a lower circumferential wall, a lower arcuate wall, and a bottom wall, said lower arcuate wall joining said circumferential wall and said bottom wall such that said lower member is of a dish shape, and said cooking chamber comprising an interconnecting member, said interconnecting member further comprising an upper interconnecting portion and a lower interconnecting portion, said upper interconnecting member being attached relative to said upper member, said upper interconnecting member being joined relative to said lower interconnecting member, and said lower member being joined relative to said lower member;
• means for creating an air stream, said means being at least partially disposed below said opening in said top wall;
• a motor communicating with said means for creating, said motor being disposed inside said upper interconnecting member;
• and
• air intake means for drawing air into said upper interconnecting member, around said motor and out exhaust ports in said interconnecting member.

An oven comprising:

• means for heating air to a temperature of at least 180.degree. F.;
• means for creating an air stream in thermal communication with said means for heating;
• an upper member comprising a generally frustoconical wall, a first transition wall, and a first generally circumferential wall, wherein said frustoconical wall is joined to said first transition wall which is joined to said first circumferential wall, wherein said frustoconical wall guides said air stream in a uniform and radially outward pattern adjacent said frustoconical wall until said air stream converges on said first transition wall, wherein said first transition wall guides said air stream out of said radial outward pattern and into a first uniform cyclonic pattern, and wherein said first circumferential wall guides said air stream in said first uniform cyclonic pattern adjacent said first circumferential wall while said air stream spirals away from said frustoconical wall;
• and
• a lower member comprising a second generally circumferential wall, a second transition wall, and a generally planar wall, wherein said second circumferential wall is joined to said second transition wall which is joined to said planar wall, wherein said second circumferential wall is disposed adjacent said first circumferential wall such that said air stream continues flowing in said first uniform cyclonic pattern spiraling away from said frustoconical wall until said air stream converges on said second transition wall, wherein said second transition wall guides said air stream out of said first cyclonic pattern and into a uniform and radially inward pattern, and wherein said planar wall guides said air stream in said radially inward pattern until said air stream converges on itself and is forced into a second cyclonic pattern extending towards said frustoconical wall where said stream is then again guided radially outward.

A counter top oven comprising:

• an upper member and a lower member which together define a cooking chamber, said cooking chamber having a circular horizontal cross-section and an ovular vertical cross-section, said upper member having a central opening located therein;
• a rack disposed within said cooking chamber for supporting food to be cooked;
• a blower, said blower comprising a blower wheel located within said cooking chamber, said blower being adapted to move a heated air current in the cooking chamber at rapid velocity;
• and
• heating means for heating the air within said cooking chamber, said heating means being completely disposed above said blower wheel and comprising a plate with an opening therein and a heater mounted above said plate which heats the air current to a temperature in the range of 150 to 450 degrees F.