Multi-cook and food processing prep product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12016498-B2
Application number	US-202117166443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2021
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A cooking and processing appliance includes a container having a lid and a stirring mechanism for rotating at least one processing attachment of a plurality of processing attachments, a housing having a receptacle for receiving the container and having a motor in communication with the stirring mechanism, a heating structure disposed within the housing and a wall of the container, a heating activation system included within the housing and the container, wherein the heating structure defines a heating-active state when the container is received within the receptacle, a mixing activation system, wherein the motor defines a mixing active state when the container is received within the receptacle and the lid is in a closed position and a control in communication with the heating structure and the stirring mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking and processing appliance comprising:
a container having a lid and a stirring mechanism;
a housing having a receptacle for receiving the container and having a motor in communication with the stirring mechanism;
a heating structure disposed within the housing and a wall of the container;
a heating activation system included within the housing and the container, wherein the heating activation system selectively operates the heating structure disposed within the housing and the wall of the container;
a mixing activation system included within the housing and the container, wherein the mixing activation system defines a mixing-active state of the motor when the container is received within the receptacle and the lid is in a closed position; and
a control in communication with the heating structure and the stirring mechanism, wherein the lid includes a removable seal having a folding portion that exerts an upward bias against the lid and away from the closed position to modify an operational setting of the motor and the stirring mechanism.

2. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the stirring mechanism selectively rotates at least one processing attachment of a plurality of processing attachments.

3. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the mixing activation system includes a plurality of interlocks, wherein at least one of the plurality of interlocks is in communication with the heating structure, and wherein another of the plurality of interlocks is in communication with the mixing activation system, and wherein the plurality of interlocks is in communication with the lid.

4. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 3 , wherein the lid is operable between a plurality of rotational positions, and wherein operation of the lid between the plurality of rotational positions engages the plurality of interlocks to at least partially control the operation of at least one of the heating structure and the mixing activation system, wherein at least one of the interlocks is operated between states when the folding portion of the removable seal biases the lid away from an open position.

5. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of rotational positions of the lid includes the closed position, the open position and a partially open position, wherein when the lid is in the closed position, the heating structure and the mixing activation system are each activated, wherein when the lid is in the partially open position, the heating structure is activated and the mixing activation system is engaged for low-speed operation of the stirring mechanism, and wherein when the lid is in the open position, the mixing activation system is deactivated.

6. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 5 , wherein the folding portion of the removable seal biases the lid away from the closed position to the partially open position.

7. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 2 , further comprising:
a food processing insert disposable within an interior volume of the container;
a pusher slidably disposed within a chute defined within the lid, wherein the plurality of processing attachments includes a slicing attachment engaged with the stirring mechanism, the slicing attachment including a blade disposed between a platform of the food processing insert and a bottom of the chute.

8. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the stirring mechanism of the container is at least partially disposed within a base of the container.

9. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 1 , wherein the heating structure includes a conductive heating element disposed at least partially within the wall of the container.

10. A cooking and processing appliance comprising:
a housing having a receptacle, the receptacle including a stirring mechanism and an electrical contact;
a container configured to be received by the receptacle, wherein the container includes a shaft and at least one electrical terminal, wherein when the container is disposed in the receptacle, the shaft and the at least one electrical terminal are in communication with the stirring mechanism and the electrical contact, respectively;
an operable lid that is selectively coupled to the container and the housing;
a heating structure disposed within the container and in communication with the at least one electrical terminal and in communication with the electrical contact when the container is disposed in the receptacle; and
an interlock system in communication with at least the stirring mechanism, wherein the operable lid includes a removable seal having a folding portion that exerts an upward bias against the operable lid and away from a closed position of the operable lid, wherein the upward bias of the folding portion of the removable seal rotates the operable lid away from the closed position such that the operable lid operates the interlock system to modify the stirring mechanism.

11. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 10 , wherein a lid latch of the operable lid selectively secures the operable lid in the closed position and against the upward bias of the removable seal, and wherein when the lid latch is disengaged, the upward bias of the folding portion of the removable seal rotates the operable lid away from the closed position.

12. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 10 , wherein the interlock system operates to activate, deactivate and modify the stirring mechanism and the electrical contact, and wherein the interlock system is at least partially controlled by the operable lid that is coupled to a rim of the container.

13. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 12 , further comprising:
at least one processing attachment selectively disposed on the shaft, wherein the at least one processing attachment includes a plurality of processing attachments, wherein each of the plurality of processing attachments are alternatively and selectively attached to the shaft for selective rotation within an interior volume of the container.

14. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 13 , further comprising:
a blade storage case having a plurality of attachment receptacles, wherein each of the plurality of attachment receptacles receives a corresponding processing attachment of the plurality of processing attachments, and wherein the blade storage case includes a perforated bottom wall and also includes a lower lip that is selectively received within and supported by the rim of the container.

15. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 14 , wherein the blade storage case includes an intermediate steamer tray and a vented lid that are matingly received by a perforated insert to define a plurality of steaming zones disposed above and supported by the rim of the container.

16. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the processing attachments includes a stir assist post that, when disposed on the shaft, engages a stir-assist interlock disposed on an underside of the operable lid when the operable lid is in the closed position, wherein the stir-assist interlock modifies a potential speed of the stirring mechanism when the operable lid is removed from an open position and the stir assist post is removed from engagement with the stir-assist interlock.

17. The cooking and processing appliance of claim 10 , wherein the interlock system includes a plurality of interlock tabs that are operated between a plurality of inward and outward positions when the operable lid is rotat

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Benoit Kaitlyn M
• Conti Michael P
• Loebig Jeffrey
• Liang Wan

Classifications

• A47J27/09

  Safety devices · CPC title

• A47J2027/043

  for cooking food in steam · CPC title

• A47J27/04

  for cooking food in steam; Devices for extracting fruit juice by means of steam {; Vacuum cooking vessels (steam-heated vessels for hotels, restaurants or canteens A47J27/16)} · CPC title

• A47J44/02 Primary

  with provisions for drive either from top or from bottom, e.g. for separately-driven bowl · CPC title