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US 9,271,596 B2Granted
Egg cooking apparatus
OwnerJames Seddoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Egg cooking apparatus comprises a cradle (13, 14) for the egg including resistance means (22), and control circuitry for heating the resistance means. The cradle comprises flexible sheet means wrappable round the egg, mounted in a pair of half-shell units (10, 11) mounted for opening and closing around the egg. The half-shell units are of a silicone elastomer with crimped resistance wire incorporated therein, and each backed by a set of resilient fingers. The control circuitry includes temperature sensing means adjacent to the resistance means, and means (15) for setting the desired temperature and cooking time.
Claims15
A cooking apparatus for cooking an egg, the apparatus comprising:
- a cradle formed of silicone elastomeric material providing a cavity defined by a pair of expandably stretchable depressions having an inside surface adapted to expand and conform to differently sized eggs;
- heating elements integrally incorporated with the elastomeric material, wherein each of the heating elements are crimped to form a zig-zag pattern along the length of the heating element so that the zig-zag pattern stretches along the length of the heating element as the depressions stretch and expand;
- and
- a pair of gripping elements disposed on a backside surface of the cradle opposite the depressions and including fingers that wrap around a portion of the cradle corresponding to the depression;
- wherein the depressions and integrally incorporated heating elements are configured to stretch and expand to a stretched configuration to conform to the egg as the depressions enclose the egg when the cradle is closed whereby the depressions mold around the egg such that substantially an entire surface of the depressions are in direct physical contact with a shell of the egg and such that thermal contact by conduction occurs on substantially the entire surface area of the shell when the heating elements are ON, wherein the gripping elements are resilient and assist in molding of the depressions around the egg.
2 more elements
A cooking apparatus for cooking a food item, the apparatus comprising:
- a cradle formed of elastomeric material providing a cavity defined by a pair of expandably stretchable depressions having an inside surface adapted to expand and conform to differently sized food items;
- and
- heating elements integrally incorporated with the elastomeric material, wherein each of the heating elements are crimped to form a zig-zag pattern along the length of the heating element so that the zig-zag pattern stretches along the length of the heating element as the depressions stretch and expand,
- wherein the depressions and integrally incorporated heating elements are configured to stretch and expand to a stretched configuration so as to conform to the food item as the depressions are closed over the food item whereby the depressions maintain direct physical contact with the food item, the depressions and incorporated heating elements in said stretched configuration being configured to provide heating with thermal contact by conduction directly to the food item, upon turning the heating elements ON, and
- wherein the elastomeric depressions and incorporated heating elements are configured to stretchingly expand and be molded to the food item as the cradle is closed whereby thermal contact by conduction all of the way to the food item from the heating elements, which are thereby stretchingly molded around the food item, is ensured, a backside surface of the cradle opposite each of the depressions being backed by a gripping element comprising a set of fingers, the gripping elements assisting in the stretching and molding of the depressions.
2 more elements
A cooking apparatus for cooking a food item, the apparatus comprising:
- a cradle formed of elastomeric material providing a cavity defined by a pair of expandably stretchable depressions having an inside surface adapted to expand and conform to differently sized food items;
- and
- the cradle including stretchable heating elements integrally incorporated with the elastomeric material, wherein each heating element has a concertina form along a length of each heating element, the concertina form being configured for stretchingly expanding in concertina fashion as an associated said depression with which the heating element is incorporated is stretched over the food item,
- wherein the depressions and integrally incorporated heating elements are configured to stretch and expand to a stretched configuration so as to conform to the food item as the depressions are closed over the food item whereby the depressions maintain direct physical contact with the food item, the depressions and incorporated heating elements in said stretched configuration being configured to provide heating with thermal contact by conduction directly to the food item, upon turning the heating elements ON,
- wherein the elastomeric depressions and incorporated heating elements are configured to stretchingly expand and be molded to the food item as the cradle is closed whereby thermal contact by conduction all of the way to the food item from the heating elements, which are thereby stretchingly molded around the food item, is ensured, a backside surface of the cradle opposite each of the depressions being backed by a gripping element comprising a set of fingers, the gripping elements assisting in the stretching and molding of the depressions.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.