Multifunction programmable foodstuff preparation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10206539-B2
Application number	US-201414180852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2014
Priority date	Feb 14, 2014
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for preparing food. In some embodiments, a food preparation device may include a container that includes a cavity that may define an internal volume of the container. The food preparation device may also include a first plate coupled to a first end of the container. The first plate may include at least one hole configured to receive the at least one food ingredient. Also included may be a second plate coupled to a second end of the container and a mixing device coupled to the first plate. The mixing device may be configured to mix at least a portion of the internal volume of the container. The food preparation device may also include a heat transfer device coupled to the container. The heat transfer device may be configured to exchange thermal energy with the internal volume of the container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for preparing food, the device comprising:
a container including a cavity configured to store at least one food ingredient, wherein the cavity defines an internal volume of the container, the container being a cylindrical container;
a first plate coupled to a first end of the container, wherein the first plate includes at least one hole configured to receive the at least one food ingredient;
a second plate coupled to a second end of the container;
a mixing device coupled to the first plate, wherein the mixing device is configured to mix the at least one food ingredient in the internal volume of the container, the mixing device comprising a mixing blade configured to move between the first plate and the second plate, and along a length of the container while mixing the at least one food ingredient;
a heat transfer device coupled to a side of the container, wherein the heat transfer device is configured to exchange thermal energy with the internal volume of the container via the side of the container, and wherein the heat transfer device comprises a plurality of Peltier devices having a first side coupled to an external surface of the side of the container; and
a support member coupled to each of the plurality of Peltier devices, the support member comprising tubing through each of a plurality of heat sinks coupled to a second side of the plurality of Peltier devices, the tubing being configured to route a liquid by the second side of the plurality of Peltier devices.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the second side comprises a cooling side of the plurality of Peltier devices.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the mixing device comprises:
a threaded shaft positioned in the cavity of the container; and
a plunger disc operable to be coupled to the threaded shaft,
wherein the mixing blade is operable to be coupled to the threaded shaft.

4. The device of claim 3 further comprising a positioning actuator configured to couple and decouple each of the mixing blade and the plunger disc with the threaded shaft.

5. The device of claim 1 further comprising a food storage device including a plurality of food containers, wherein at least one of the plurality of food containers is configured to be coupled with the at least one hole of the first plate.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a communications interface configured to be communicatively coupled with a data processing system, the data processing system configured to control one or more food preparation operations associated with the at least one food ingredient.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a display device configured to display information describing one or more food preparation operations associated with the at least one food ingredient; and
a keypad configured to receive at least one input from a user.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:
a telemetry device configured to identify and transmit positional data associated with one or more components of the mixing device; and
a plurality of temperature sensors configured to identify and transmit thermal data associated with the heat transfer device and the internal volume of the container.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein at least one magnet is included in the mixing blade of the mixing device, and wherein the telemetry device includes a plurality of coils of wire, wherein each coil of wire of the plurality of coils of wire is configured to transmit a signal in response to detecting a magnetic field generated by the at least one magnet.

10. The device of claim 1 farther comprising a cleaning device configured to clean the internal volume of the container, wherein the cleaning device comprises:
a plurality of containers configured to inject soap and water into the internal volume of the container; and
an evacuation device configured to empty the internal volume of the container.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the evacuation device comprises a vacuum pump.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the container, the first plate, the second plate, the mixing device, and the heat transfer device are included in an external container, wherein the external container is configured to be portable and hand-held.

13. A method for preparing food, the method comprising:
receiving a recipe selection, wherein the recipe selection identifies at least one food ingredient and a plurality of food preparation operations associated with the at least one food ingredient;
receiving the identified at least one food ingredient in a container including a cavity configured to store a plurality of food ingredients, wherein the cavity defines an internal volume of the container, wherein the container is a cylindrical container having a first end coupled to a first plate, and a second end coupled to a second plate, and wherein the at least one food ingredient is received via at least one hole in the first plate;
thermally regulating, using a plurality of Peltier devices having a first side coupled to a side of the container, and a support member comprising tubing through each of a plurality of heat sinks coupled to a second side of the plurality of Peltier devices, the tubing routing a liquid by the second side of the plurality of Peltier devices, the at least one food ingredient based on the plurality of food preparation operations identified based on the received recipe selection, the thermally regulating comprising exchanging thermal energy with the internal volume of the container; and
mixing, using a mixing device comprising a mixing blade, the at least one food ingredient based on the plurality of food preparation operations identified based on the received recipe selection, the mixing comprising moving the mixing device between the first plate and the second plate, and along a length of the container.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the thermally regulating comprises automatically controlling a temperature of the internal volume of the container via the plurality of Peltier devices.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mixing comprises:
automatically engaging a mixing blade positioned within the internal volume of the container; and
automatically rotating the mixing blade to mix the at least one food ingredient included in the internal volume of the container.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:
injecting soap into the internal volume of the container;
injecting water into the internal volume of the container; and
evacuating the internal volume of the container.

17. A system for preparing food, the system comprising:
a container including a cavity configured to store at least one food ingredient, wherein the cavity defines an internal volume of the container, the container being a cylindrical container;
a first plate coupled to a first end of the container, wherein the first plate includes at least one hole configured to receive the at least one food ingredient;
a second plate coupled to a second end of the container;
a mixing device coupled to the first plate, wherein the mixing device is configured to mix at least a portion of the internal volume of the container;
a heat transfer device coupled to a side of the container, wherein the heat transfer device is configured to exchange thermal energy with the internal volume of the container via the side of the container, and wherein the heat transfer device comprises a plurality of Peltier devices having a first side coupled to an external surface of the side of the container;
a support member coupled to each of the plurality of P

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Freas Ii George Wilson

Classifications

• B65D81/32

  for packaging two or more different materials which must be maintained separate prior to use in admixture · CPC title

• B65D2581/3401

  Cooking or heating method specially adapted to the contents of the package · CPC title

• B65D81/3484

  Packages having self-contained heating means, e.g. heating generated by the reaction of two chemicals (warming devices A47J36/24) · CPC title

• A47J44/00 Primary

  Multi-purpose machines for preparing food {with several driving units} · CPC title

• A47J43/04 Primary

  Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven · CPC title