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US 8,931,401 B2Granted
Appliance for simultaneous cooking and stirring
AssigneeHang Shun Hing Company Limited
InventorMan Fai Cheung
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooking appliance includes a base upon which a pot is supported, with a stirrer configured as a lid, for closing an open top of the pot. A tool coupled to a motorized drive of the stirrer extends downwardly into the pot. A heating element is coupled to the base and resiliently biased outwardly from the base to engage the base of the pot. A latch mechanism is provided for releasably connecting the pot to the base. The motorized drive includes a planetary gear set mounted coaxially with a pot axis, and a tool coupling is connected to a planet gear of the planetary gear set to drive the stirring tool in an orbital motion.
Claims36
A cooking appliance comprising:
- a base member;
- a heating element mounted to the base member, wherein the heating element has an outer element surface;
- resilient means urging the heating element outwardly from the base member;
- a pot having a closed bottom and an open top, wherein
- the bottom has an outer face complementary to the outer element surface, and
- the base member and the bottom of the pot have complementary features for locating the pot on the base member;
- a stirrer housing comprising a closure portion for closing the top of the pot;
- a support surface on the base member for supporting the pot;
- a motorised drive in the stirrer housing;
- a housing electrical connector and a base electrical connector in the stirrer housing and base member. respectively, wherein the housing electrical connector and the base electrical connector are connected to supply power to the motorised drive;
- a coupling drivingly connected to the motorised drive, wherein the coupling is disposed in the closure portion;
- a tool for engaging the coupling and protruding into the pot, wherein, in an operating position, the resilient means is deflected and holds the outer element surface in contact with the outer face of the bottom of the pot;
- and
- a latch mechanism for releasably connecting the pot to the base member, in the operating position, wherein
- the pot further comprises a handle,
- the latch mechanism comprises
- a release operator actuable for releasing a latching member, wherein the release operator comprises a trigger, and
- an actuating rod operatively connected to the trigger,
- the actuating rod is received in and slides up and down within a channel in the pot,
- the release operator is mounted to the handle,
- the trigger is disposed adjacent a concave side of the handle,
- the actuating rod is received in and slides up and down within a channel in the pot, and
- an end of the actuating rod projects from the pot, through an aperture in the base member, to release the latching member.
20 more elements
A cooking appliance comprising:
- a base member;
- a heating element mounted to the base member, wherein
- the heating element has an outer element surface, and
- the base member comprises a power supply and a thermostat controlling the heating element;
- resilient means urging the heating element outwardly from the base member;
- a pot having a closed bottom and an open top, wherein
- the bottom has an outer face complementary to the outer element surface, and
- the base member and the bottom of the pot have complementary features for locating the pot on the base member;
- a stirrer housing comprising a closure portion for closing the top of the pot;
- a support surface on the base member for supporting the pot;
- a motorised drive in the stirrer housing;
- a housing electrical connector and a base electrical connector in the stirrer housing and base member. respectively, wherein
- the housing electrical connector and the base electrical connector are connected to supply power to the motorised drive, and
- the base member further comprises a stanchion, with the base electrical connector disposed at an upper end of the stanchion for engagement with the housing electrical connector when the closure portion closes the top of the pot;
- a coupling drivingly connected to the motorised drive, wherein the coupling is disposed in the closure portion;
- a tool for engaging the coupling and protruding into the pot, wherein, in an operating position, the resilient means is deflected and holds the outer element surface in contact with the outer face of the bottom of the pot;
- and
- a latch mechanism for releasably connecting the pot to the base member, in the operating position.
15 more elements
A cooking appliance comprising:
- a base member;
- a heating element mounted to the base member, wherein
- the heating element has an outer element surface, and
- the base member comprises a power supply and thermostat controlling the heating element;
- resilient means urging the heating element outwardly from the base member;
- a pot having a closed substantially circular bottom having an axis, and an open top, wherein
- the bottom has an outer face complementary to the outer element surface, and
- the base member and the bottom of the pot have complementary features for locating the pot on the base member;
- a stirrer housing comprising a closure portion for closing the top of the pot;
- a support surface on the base member for supporting the pot;
- a motorised drive in the stirrer housing;
- a housing electrical connector and a base electrical connector in the stirrer housing and the base member, respectively, wherein the housing electrical connector and the base electrical connector are connected to supply power to the motorised drive, wherein the base member comprises a stanchion, with the base electrical connector disposed at an upper end of the stanchion for engagement with the housing electrical connector when the closure portion is disposed on the top of the pot;
- a coupling drivingly connected to the motorised drive, wherein the coupling is disposed in the closure portion;
- and
- a tool for engaging the coupling and protruding into the pot, wherein
- the motorised drive comprises a planetary gear set mounted coaxially with the axis, and
- the coupling is connected to a planet gear of the planetary gear set to drive the tool with an orbital motion.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.