Air fryer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9980605-B2
Application number	US-201414895981-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2014
Priority date	Jun 4, 2013
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

The present invention relates to food preparation. In order to provide an apparatus for preparing food with hot air with an improved flow characteristic, an apparatus ( 10 ) for preparing food is provided, comprising a food preparation chamber ( 12 ), an air movement device ( 14 ), a heating device ( 16 ), and air guiding means ( 18 ). The food preparation chamber is provided by a container structure ( 22 ) at least partly enclosing a receiving volume ( 24 ) for receiving food to be prepared by a through-streaming of hot air; wherein the container structure comprises sidewalls ( 26 ) and a bottom wall ( 28 ), wherein the bottom wall and/or one of the side walls is air-permeable providing an air entry opening ( 30 ) for entering of hot air into the receiving volume, and wherein the container structure comprises an air discharge opening ( 32 ). The heating device is configured to heat air of an air flow provided by the air movement device. The air guiding means provide an air duct arrangement ( 34 ) from the discharge opening via the heating device and the air movement device to the air entry opening. The air movement device is a fan ( 36 ) with an air inlet ( 38 ) and an air outlet ( 40 ), and the fan is provided sidewards of the food preparation chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for preparing food, comprising:
a food preparation chamber;
an air movement device;
a heating device; and
air guiding means;
wherein the food preparation chamber includes a container structure that at least partly encloses a receiving volume for receiving food to be prepared;
wherein the container structure comprises sidewalls and a bottom wall,
wherein the bottom wall and/or one of the side walls of the container structure is air-permeable for providing an air entry opening for an entering of hot air into the receiving volume, and wherein the container structure further comprises an air discharge opening in a top of the container structure,
wherein the heating device is configured to heat air of an air flow provided by the air movement device,
wherein the air guiding means include an air duct arrangement configured to guide air (i) from the discharge opening of the container structure via the heating device and the air movement device and (ii) to the air entry opening of the container structure,
wherein the air movement device comprises a fan with an air inlet and an air outlet, wherein the fan is provided sidewards of the food preparation chamber, and
wherein the heating device is arranged out-of-sight of the receiving volume, and wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the food is prepared primarily by a through-streaming of hot air provided by the air movement device and the heating device,
wherein an air distributing duct is provided below the air entry opening of the bottom wall,
wherein an air guide is provided as an elevation arranged on a lower surface of the air distributing duct below the air entry opening, and
wherein the air guide is arranged in a skewed manner in relation to a perpendicular direction of an out-blowing direction of the air outlet such that below the air entry opening an evenly distributed air flow is provided.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air movement device comprises a fan that includes an air suction side and an air blowout side,
wherein, during operation of the fan, air is blown out at the air blowout side with a mean blowing direction, and
wherein the mean blowing direction includes a tilted angle to both a horizontal and a vertical of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the fan is a centrifugal fan inside a fan housing with an axial air inlet and a radial air outlet,
wherein the centrifugal fan comprises a fan blade configured to rotate in a plane of rotation, and
wherein the plane of rotation includes a tilted angle to both a horizontal and a vertical of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the tilted angle comprises an angle to the horizontal in a range of approximately 10° to 80°.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing structure with a height, and wherein:
a first line is defined by an axis of rotation of the air movement device,
a second line is arranged perpendicular to the first line in a plane of rotation of the air movement device, and
a third line is perpendicular to the bottom wall of the container structure and through a centre of the bottom wall,
wherein the first line, the second line and the third line are arranged in one plane and form a triangle, and
wherein an inner circle of the triangle is arranged inside the housing structure,
wherein the axis of rotation and the plane of rotation of the air movement device are configured such that the first and the second line have an intersection point that is arranged in a middle region of the height of the housing structure, and
wherein the inner circle has a maximum diameter within the housing structure.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a desk-appliance apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a shielding element for shielding the food from heat radiation of the heating device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heating device is arranged sidewards of the food preparation chamber.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the air duct arrangement comprises a number of guiding portions, in which an air flow direction is changed,
wherein a first guiding portion is provided downstream following the air movement device, and a second guiding portion is provided upstream in front of the air movement device, and
wherein the first guiding portion provides a lower degree of change of direction of the airflow than the second guiding portion.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
sensor means, in relation with the air movement device, for detecting air temperature of an airstream supplied by the air movement device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
(i) a removable pan structure provided at least partly below the food preparation chamber, and an air-guiding duct between the removable pan structure and the bottom wall is-provided by the removable pan structure for guiding heated air stream from the air outlet to the air entry opening, and
(ii) a collecting device with a collection volume provided below the food preparation chamber for collecting residual material.

12. An apparatus for preparing food, comprising:
a food preparation chamber;
an air movement device;
a heating device; and
air guiding means,
wherein the food preparation chamber is provided by a container structure at least partly enclosing a receiving volume for receiving food to be prepared, wherein the container structure comprises sidewalls and a bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall and/or one of the side walls is air-permeable providing an air entry opening for entering of hot air into the receiving volume, and wherein the container structure comprises an air discharge opening,
wherein the heating device is configured to heat air of an air flow provided by the air movement device,
wherein the air guiding means provide an air duct arrangement from the discharge opening via the heating device and the air movement device to the air entry opening,
wherein the air movement device is a fan with an air inlet and an air outlet, and wherein the fan is provided sidewards of the food preparation chamber, and
wherein the heating device is arranged out-of-sight of the receiving volume, and wherein, during operation of the apparatus, the food is prepared primarily by a through-streaming of hot air provided by the air movement device and the heating device,
wherein at least one of (i) a removable pan structure provided at least partly below the food preparation chamber, and an air-guiding duct between the removable pan structure and the bottom wall provided by the removable pan structure for guiding heated air stream from the air outlet to the air entry opening; and (ii) a collecting device with a collection volume provided below the food preparation chamber for collecting residual material, and
wherein an air-guiding element is provided that directs a horizontal air-flow below the container structure in an upwards direction towards the air entry opening; and
wherein the collecting device is arranged besides the air-guiding element on a side facing away from the horizontal air-flow.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein an air distributing duct is provided below the air entry opening of the bottom wall,
wherein an air guide is provided as an elevation arranged on a lower surface of the air distributing duct below the air entry opening, and
wherein the air guide is arranged in a skewed manner in relation to a perpendicular direction of an out-blowing di

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• De Haas Rogier Enrico
• Pastoors Marc Alexander
• Van Wifferen Reindert Jannes
• Shrivastava Adarsh
• Zainitzer Christian
• Wurmitzer Rudolf

Classifications

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A21B1/26

  by hot air · CPC title

• A23L5/17

  in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure · CPC title

• A47J37/0641 Primary

  with forced air circulation, e.g. air fryers · CPC title

• A47J39/003

  with forced air circulation · CPC title