Apparatus and related methods for preparing popcorn

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9826771-B2
Application number	US-201514598702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2015
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A heated air popcorn popper provides easy access and clean up through the use of a detachable popping pitcher. The detachable popping pitcher defines an interior popping volume in which heated air is used to cause unpopped kernels to pop and form popped popcorn. The detachable popping pitcher includes a pitcher handle allowing a user to grasp and manipulate the popping pitcher when selectively detaching and attaching the popping pitcher to the popcorn popper. The detachable popping pitcher is completely removable from a popper housing such that loading unpopped kernels into the popping pitcher is simplified and the user need not be concerned about access being awkward or limited. The detachable popping pitcher can be fully removed from the popper housing following popping such that any remaining unpopped or popped kernels can be emptied from the detachable popping pitcher and the detachable popping pitcher can be cleaned.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A popcorn popper, comprising:
a popper housing defining an interior portion having a mounting surface, the popper housing having a rear wall and wherein the rear wall and the mounting surface define a positioning recess; and
a detachable popping pitcher, the detachable popping pitcher defining an internal heating zone for receiving popcorn kernels, the detachable popping pitcher including a latch member for selectively coupling the detachable popping pitcher to the mounting surface during popping of the popcorn kernel, the detachable popping pitcher further including a positioning tab proximate a lower pitcher surface, wherein the detachable popping pitcher is selectively detached from the mounting surface and removed from the interior portion during loading of the popcorn kernels into the internal heating zone; and wherein the positioning tab is insertable into the positioning recess to guide attachment of the detachable popping pitcher to the mounting surface.

2. The popcorn popper of claim 1 , wherein the mounting surface is elevated above an interior floor surface of the interior portion.

3. The popcorn popper of claim 1 , wherein the mounting surface includes a latch receiver for engaging the latch member.

4. The popcorn popper of claim 3 , wherein the detachable popping pitcher includes a pitcher handle.

5. The popcorn popper of claim 4 , wherein the pitcher handle includes a latch release that is interconnected to the latch member, wherein biasing the latch release causes the latch member to disengage from the latch receiver.

6. The popcorn popper of claim 1 , wherein the detachable popping pitcher includes an upper opening, and wherein the detachable popping pitcher includes a kernel retention mechanism covering the upper opening.

7. The popcorn popper of claim 6 , wherein the kernel retention member includes one or more lid members hingedly covering the upper opening, and wherein the one or more lid members is rotatable between a covering disposition and an open disposition.

Assignees

• Nat Presto Industries Inc

Inventors

• Berge Michael R

Classifications

• A23L7/187 Primary

  Discontinuously-working apparatus · CPC title

• A23L7/183

  by heating without using a pressure release device · CPC title