Abstract:
A method an appliance for making a waffle with a syrup holder or logo with a ring of three-dimensional flower-shaped flowers is described. The three-dimensional flower-shaped waffles have contoured surfaces that define, among other features, the petals of the flower. The underside of the waffle includes pyramidal wells that are shaped to allow for even cooking of the waffle.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM AND RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims benefit of Provisional Application 60/536,869, entitled, W AFFLE WITH  S YRUP  H OLDER  A ND/OR  L OGO AND  B AKING  A SSEMBLY , filed Jan. 15, 2004, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e). This application is related to the application entitled, “F LOWER - SHAPED  W AFFLES AND  C OOKING  A SSEMBLY ,” by Albritton et al., and which is concurrently filed herewith and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention generally relates to food preparation technology. More particularly, the invention is directed to making waffles with syrup holders or logos and other engravings.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]     The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of a cooking assembly  100  for making waffles with syrup holders or logos, according to certain embodiments of the invention;  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1  except that  FIG. 2  is a line drawing of the cooking assembly  200 ;  
         [0006]      FIG. 3  is a bottom isometric view of a cooked waffle;  
         [0007]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3  except that  FIG. 4  is a line drawing (bottom isometric view) of the cooked waffle;  
         [0008]      FIG. 5A  is a top isometric view of a cooked waffle that can accommodate a syrup holder;  
         [0009]      FIG. 5B  is similar to  FIG. 5A  except that  FIG. 5B  shows a syrup holder resting on the cooked waffle;  
         [0010]      FIG. 6A  is a top isometric view of a cooked waffle with a logo; and  
         [0011]      FIG. 6B  is a bottom isometric view of a cooked waffle of  FIG. 6A .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of a cooking assembly  100  for making waffles that can accommodate syrup holders or logos, according to certain embodiments of the invention.  FIG. 1  shows cooking assembly  100  in an open position. Cooking assembly  100  includes an upper plate  102  and a lower plate  104 . Upper plate  102  is receivable on lower plate  104  or vice versa when cooking assembly  100  is in a closed position.  
         [0013]     Upper plate  102  includes a cavity  106 . Cavity  106  includes, within it, a plurality of protuberances, such as protuberances  106   a ,  106   g  and  106   h . Protuberances such as protuberances  106   a  are approximately pyramidal in shape with a flat surface at the top. Protuberances such as protuberances  106   g  are partial pyramidal shapes that are truncated in order to fit within the perimeter of cavity  106 . Further, the protuberances in the cavity  106  are surrounded by grooves such as grooves  106   i . Protuberances  106   h  are beam-shaped and are tapered towards the top to form a narrow ridge at the top. The protuberances  106   a ,  106   g  and  106   h  are arranged such that a circular space  108   a  remains in the middle of cavity  106 .  
         [0014]     Further, cavity  106  includes a top ledge  106   c  along the perimeter of cavity  106 . Cavity  106  includes a sloped inner wall  106   e . Sloped inner wall  106   e  is sloped at an angle such that an imaginary line  106   f  running from top ledge  106   c  to a bottom edge  106   d  makes a small angle with an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane of upper plate  102 . The small angle is such that when a waffle is cooked in cavity  106 , the cooked waffle can be easily detached from cavity  106  in order to preserve the general structural integrity of the cooked waffle.  
         [0015]     Cooking assembly  100  further includes a lower plate  104 . Lower plate  104  includes a cavity  105 . Cavity  105 , includes, within it: 1) contoured surfaces  105   a , 2) a central cup-like mold  108   b.    
         [0016]     Contoured surfaces  105   a  form a ring around central cup-like mold  108   b . Contoured surfaces  105   a  are for molding a ring of three-dimensional flower shapes in the waffle that is to be cooked in cooking assembly  100 .  
         [0017]     Central cup-like mold  108   b  is receivable on circular space  108   a  of upper plate  102  when cooking assembly  100  is in a closed position. Central cup-like mold  108   b  has a sloped wall  108   e . Sloped wall  108   e  is sloped at an angle such that an imaginary line  106   f  running from a top edge  108   c  to a bottom edge  108   d  makes a small angle with an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane of lower plate  104 . The small angle is such that when a waffle is cooked in cavity  105 , the cooked waffle can be easily detached from cavity  105  in order to preserve the general structural integrity of the cooked waffle.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  also shows a bottom isometric view of a cooked waffle  110  with a bottom surface  110   a  and a top surface  110   b . The cooked waffle is described in greater detail herein with reference to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1  except that  FIG. 2  is a line drawing of the cooking assembly  200 .  FIG. 2  shows cooking assembly  200  in an open position. Cooking assembly  200  includes an upper plate  202  and a lower plate  204 . Upper plate  202  is receivable on lower plate  204  or vice versa when cooking assembly  200  is in a closed position.  
         [0020]     Upper plate  202  includes a cavity  206 . Cavity  206  includes, within it, a plurality of protuberances, such as protuberances  206   a ,  206   g  and  206   h . Protuberances such as protuberances  206   a  are approximately pyramidal in shape with a flat surface at the top. Protuberances such as protuberances  206   g  are partial pyramidal shapes that are truncated in order to fit within the perimeter of cavity  206 . Further, the protuberances in the cavity  206  are surrounded by grooves such as grooves  206   i . Protuberances  206   h  are beam-shaped and are tapered towards the top to form a narrow ridge at the top. The protuberances  206   a ,  206   g  and  206   h  are arranged such that a circular space  208   a  remains in the middle of cavity  206 .  
         [0021]     Further, cavity  206  includes a top ledge  206   c  along the perimeter of cavity  206 . Cavity  206  includes a sloped inner wall  206   e . Sloped inner wall  206   e  is sloped at an angle such that an imaginary line  206   f  running from top ledge  206   c  to a bottom edge  206   d  makes a small angle with an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane of upper plate  202 . The small angle is such that when a waffle is cooked in cavity  206 , the cooked waffle can be easily detached from cavity  206  in order to preserve the general structural integrity of the cooked waffle.  
         [0022]     Cooking assembly  200  further includes a lower plate  204 . Lower plate  204  includes a cavity  205 . Cavity  205 , includes, within it: 1) contoured surfaces  205   a , 2) a central cup-like mold  208   b.    
         [0023]     Contoured surfaces  205   a  form a ring around central cup-like mold  208   b . Contoured surfaces  205   a  are for molding a ring of three-dimensional flower shapes in the waffle that is to be cooked in cooking assembly  200 .  
         [0024]     Central cup-like mold  208   b  is receivable on circular space  208   a  of upper plate  202  when cooking assembly  200  is in a closed position. Central cup-like mold  208   b  has a sloped wall  208   e . Sloped wall  208   e  is sloped at an angle such that an imaginary line  206   f  running from a top edge  208   c  to a bottom edge  208   d  makes a small angle with an imaginary plane that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane of lower plate  204 . The small angle is such that when a waffle is cooked in cavity  205 , the cooked waffle can be easily detached from cavity  205  in order to preserve the general structural integrity of the cooked waffle.  FIG. 2  also shows a bottom isometric view of a cooked waffle  210  with a bottom surface  210   a  and a top surface  210   b.    
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a bottom isometric view of a cooked waffle  310 . Cooked waffle  310  has a bottom surface  310   a  and a top surface  310   b . Bottom isometric view  300  shows that waffle  310  includes a plurality of pyramid-shaped (pyramidal) wells, such as pyramid-shaped wells  310   c . Pyramid-shaped wells  310   c  are separated by ridges, such as ridges  310   g . The base of pyramid-shaped wells  310   c  have a smaller area that the area of the top opening of the well. Cooked waffle  310  further includes partial pyramidal wells  310   d . Waffle  310  also includes grooves  310   e . Grooves  310   e  radiate from a central circular surface  310   h . Bottom surface  310   a  of waffle  310  is created due, in part, to the various protuberances and ridges of the upper plate of the cooking assembly as described herein with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . Cooked waffle  310  also includes a sloped wall  310   f.    
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3  except that  FIG. 4  is a line drawing (bottom isometric view) of cooked waffle  410 . In  FIG. 4 , cooked waffle  410  has a bottom surface  410   a  and a top surface  410   b . Bottom isometric view  400  shows that waffle  410  includes a plurality of pyramid-shaped (pyramidal) wells, such as pyramid- shaped wells  410   c . Pyramid-shaped wells  410   c  are separated by ridges, such as ridges  410   g . The base of pyramid-shaped wells  410   c  have a smaller area that the area of the top opening of the well. Cooked waffle  410  further includes partial pyramidal wells  410   d . Waffle  410  also includes grooves  410   e . Grooves  410   e  radiate from a central circular surface  410   h . Bottom surface  410   a  of waffle  410  is created due, in part, to the various protuberances and ridges of the upper plate of the cooking assembly as described herein with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . Cooked waffle  410  also includes a sloped wall  410   f.    
         [0027]      FIG. 5A  is a top isometric view  500  of a cooked waffle that can accommodate a syrup holder. Top isometric view  500  shows cooked waffle  510  with a top surface  510   b  and a bottom surface  510   a . Top surface  510   b  of cooked waffle  510  includes contoured surfaces  505   a  that form a ring of flowers in bas relief around central cup  508 . Central cup  508  can accommodate a syrup holder, such as syrup cup  515  shown in  FIG. 5A . The embodiment is not restricted to syrup holders. Central cup  508  can accommodate fruit cups, ice-cream cups, or cups filled with other food stuff. According to certain embodiments, syrup or other waffle-fillings can be poured directly into central cup  508 . Top surface  510   b  of waffle  510  is created due, in part, to contoured surfaces  105   a  and central cup-like mold  108   b  of the lower plate of the cooking assembly as described herein with reference to  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 5B  is similar to  FIG. 5A  except that  FIG. 5B  shows a syrup holder resting on the cooked waffle.  
         [0029]      FIG. 6A  is a top isometric view of a cooked waffle with a logo. Top isometric view  620  shows cooked waffle  610  with a top surface  610   b  and a bottom surface  610   a . Top surface  610   b  of cooked waffle  610  includes contoured surfaces  605   a  that form a ring of flowers in bas relief around central circular disk  609   a . Central circular disk  609   a  includes engraving  609   b . Engraving  609   b  can be any logo, word, name or message. In certain embodiments, central circular disk  609   a  can include any logo, word, name or message in bas relief instead of an engraving.  
         [0030]     Top surface  610   b  of waffle  610 , as shown in  FIG. 6A , can created due, in part, to contoured surfaces  105   a  and central cup-like mold  108   b  of the lower plate of the cooking assembly as described herein with reference to  FIG. 1 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 6B  is a bottom isometric view of a cooked waffle  610  of  FIG. 6A . Cooked waffle  610  has a bottom surface  610   a  and a top surface  610   b . Bottom isometric view  650  shows that waffle  610  includes a plurality of pyramid-shaped (pyramidal) wells, such as pyramid-shaped wells  610   c . Pyramid-shaped wells  610   c  are separated by ridges, such as ridges  610   g . The base of pyramid-shaped wells  610   c  have a smaller area that the area of the top opening of the well. Cooked waffle  610  further includes partial pyramidal wells  610   d . Waffle  610  also includes grooves  610   e . Grooves  610   e  intersect at a central region  610   k . Cooked waffle  610  also includes a sloped wall  610   f.    
         [0032]     In view of the waffles  610  as shown in  FIG. 6A and 6B , the central cup-like mold  108   b  of the cooking assembly of  FIG. 1  can be detachable, according to certain embodiments. Thus, according to certain embodiments, central cup-like mold  108   b  of the cooking assembly of  FIG. 1  can be detached and replaced with other central molds, such as molds to engrave words, logos, names or messages onto the waffle. Further, molds for creating words, names or messages in bas relief on the waffle can be used. Such molds can be screwed onto to lower the lower plate of the cooking assembly. In certain embodiments, the central molds are fixed to the lower plate of the cooking assembly.  
         [0033]     To make waffle with a syrup holder or logo, the cavity of the lower plate of the cooking assembly is filled with a suitable waffle batter. The cooking assembly is then closed by overlying and aligning the upper plate over the lower plate. The cooking assembly includes suitable heating and cooking mechanisms for cooking the waffles. According to certain embodiments, the cooking assembly automatically shuts off its cooking mechanism when the waffles are completely cooked.