Automatic stirring system
AssigneeNottingham-Spirk Design Associates, Inc.
InventorsCraig M. Saunders, Sarah N. Antonetti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to an automatic stirring system that is selectively mounted to a cooking vessel. The cooking vessel includes a handle, an opening for receiving food items, and a lid. The automatic stirring system includes a housing mounted to the handle, a ring gear rotatably mounted to the cooking vessel, a drive assembly for rotating the ring gear, and at least one stirring vane attached to the ring gear. In various other embodiments, the automatic stirring system includes at least one forward swept stirring vane, at least one aperture in the stirring vane, a variable speed control unit, and a component orientation that provides substantially unimpeded access to the opening of the cooking vessel.
Claims23
An automatic stirring system for being selectively mounted to an associated cooking vessel, the cooking vessel having an opening for receiving food items, the automatic stirring system comprising:
- at least one forward swept stirring vane disposed within the associated cooking vessel, the at least one forward swept stirring vane including a leading surface, the leading surface having a generally concave profile extending in a radial direction from an axis of rotation of the at least one forward swept stirring vane;
- a drive assembly operatively connected to the at least one forward swept stirring vane for rotating the at least one forward swept stirring vane relative to the associated cooking vessel, the drive assembly being secured to the associated cooking;
- and
- wherein the drive assembly and an upper portion of the at least one forward swept stirring vane are disposed about the periphery of the opening of the associated cooking vessel so as to define a substantially unimpeded central upper opening for providing central access to the associated cooking vessel during operation of the automatic stirring system.
An automatic stirring system for being selectively mounted to an associated cooking vessel, the cooking vessel having an opening for receiving food items, the automatic stirring system comprising:
- a ring member rotatably mounted to the associated cooking vessel;
- a drive assembly operatively coupled to the ring member for rotating the ring member relative to the associated cooking vessel, the drive assembly being secured to the associated cooking vessel;
- and
- at least one stirring vane attached to the ring member, the at least one stirring vane disposed within the associated cooking vessel;
- wherein the ring member, the drive assembly, and an upper portion of the at least one stirring vane are disposed about the periphery of the opening of the associated cooking vessel so as to define a substantially unimpeded central upper opening for providing central access to the associated cooking vessel during operation of the automatic stirring system.
An automatic stirring vessel for receiving and cooking an associated food item, the automatic stirring vessel comprising:
- a container for receiving and cooking the associated food item, the container having a bottom and a side wall;
- at least one handle secured to the container;
- a ring member rotatably mounted about a periphery of the container;
- a drive assembly including a motor and a reduction unit disposed internally to the at least one handle and an output of drive assembly coupled to the ring member for rotating the ring member relative to the container;
- and
- at least one forward swept stirring vane secured to the ring member, the at least one forward swept stirring vane including a leading surface, the leading surface having a generally concave profile extending in a radial direction from an axis of rotation of the at least one forward swept stirring vane, the vane being disposed within the container for stirring the associated food item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.