Method and system for storing, processing and cooking food

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016338545-A1
Application number	US-201514718176-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 21, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for storing and cooking food comprises or consists of a computer having a control module, data storage, an input and an Internet connection. The system also includes a refrigeration unit having a freezer, a refrigeration station, a heating unit including a microwave oven as well as a convection oven, a grill, a 3D food printer and a transfer mechanism for transporting food from a storage facility to a microwave oven and/or a convection oven. In addition, a control mechanism delivers preselected frozen food from the freezer to the microwave oven and a transfer mechanism delivers defrosted food to the convection oven. The system further includes a clock and a timer, a liquid sprayer for basting the food and an alarm to indicate that the food is ready by a third transfer mechanism for moving the food to a warming oven.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for storing, processing and cooking food, said system comprising:
a computer including a control module, data storage for storing a plurality of recipes including cooking instructions, an input module and Internet connectivity; a refrigeration unit including a freezer for storing a plurality of meal kits, a 3D food printer for preparing layers of defrosted food products, a cooking unit including a microwave oven, a convection oven, a deep fryer, a boiling station and control means for defrosting frozen foods and cooking defrosted foods; means including said control module for delivery a preselected frozen food kit from said freezer to said microwave oven and defrosting said frozen food kit in said microwave oven; and second means including said control unit for transporting said defrosted meal kit from said microwave oven to said convection oven and cooking the foods in said meal kit according to a recipe from said data storage; a timer and alarm and third transport means for response to said control unit to indicate that the cooking of the first portion of a meal is completed and that it is time to transfer that portion of the meal to a warming oven.

2 . The system for storing, processing and cooking food according to claim 1 , in which said convection oven includes a supply of liquid and means for spraying the liquid onto a meal during cooking of the meal.

3 . The system for storing, processing and cooking food according to claim 2 , in which said control unit includes a visual display for indicating the meal ingredients identification and the number of such meals in storage.

4 . The system for storing, processing and cooking food according to claim 3 , which includes means for automatically ordering additional food kits when inventory of food kits is reduced to a preselected number.

5 . The system for storing, processing and cooking food according to claim 4 , which includes a garnishing unit.

6 . The system for storing, processing and cooking food according to claim 5 , that includes a water supply and a temperature controlled storage unit for cooked meals.

7 . A system for storing, processing and cooking food, said system consisting of:
a computer including a control module, data storage for storing a plurality of recipes including cooking instructions, an input module and Internet connectivity; a refrigeration unit including a freezer for storing a plurality of frozen food, a 3D food printer for preparing layers of defrosted food products, a cooling subsystem, a cooking unit including a microwave oven, a convection oven, a deep fryer, a grill, a boiling station and control means for defrosting frozen foods and cooking defrosted frozen foods, a timer, an alarm for indicating when the cooking is done; means including said control module, a conveyer, a robot arm for conveying a frozen food to said microwave oven and defrosting said frozen food and conveying said food from said microwave oven into said convection oven and cooking said defrosted food according to a selected recipe; a timer and alarm and further transfer means for in response to said control unit to indicate that the cooking of said food is done and a third mechanism for transferring said cooked food to a warming oven.

8 . The system for storing, processing and cooking frozen food according to claim 7 , in which said convection oven further consists of a supply of liquid and sprays disposed in said oven for spraying said liquid on said food during cooking thereof which further includes a garnishing unit for garnishing the food and which includes means for automatically ordering additional food when the inventor of food is reduced to a preselected level and means for entering recipes and cooking directions in data storage for additional foods.

9 . A method for storing, processing and cooking food, said method comprising the following steps:
providing a computer including a control module, data storage for storing a plurality of recipes and cooking instructions, an input module and Internet connectivity; providing a refrigeration unit including a freezer for storing a plurality of frozen food, a 3D food printer for preparing layers of defrosted food products, a cooking unit including a microwave oven, a convection oven, a deep fryer, a grill, a boiling station and control means for defrosting frozen food and cooking defrosted foods; and a first transfer mechanism for transporting frozen food from said freezer to and into said microwave oven, defrosting said frozen food in said microwave oven, second mechanism for transferring said defrosted food into said convection oven, cooking said defrosted food in said convection oven and third mechanism for transferring said cooked food to a warming oven.

10 . A method for storing, processing and cooking food, said method consisting of:
providing a computer including a control module, data storage for storing a plurality of recipes and cooking instructions, an input module and Internet connectivity; providing a refrigeration unit including a freezer for storing a plurality of frozen food, a 3D food printer for preparing layers of defrosted food products, a cooking unit including a microwave oven, a convection oven, a deep fryer, a grill, a boiling station and control means for defrosting frozen food and cooking defrosted foods; and a first transfer mechanism for transporting frozen food from said freezer to and into said microwave oven, defrosting said frozen food in said microwave oven, second mechanism for transferring said defrosted food into said convection oven, cooking said defrosted food in said convection oven and third mechanism for transferring said cooked food to a warming oven.

Assignees

• Univ Umm Al Qura

Inventors

• Shah Noman Ahmed
• Shah Imran Ahmed
• Shah Kamran Ahmed

Classifications

• A23P2020/253

  Coating food items by printing onto them; Printing layers of food products · CPC title

• A47J36/321

  the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device · CPC title

• A47J44/00 Primary

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

• A47J31/52

  Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus {; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus} · CPC title