Smart slow cooker

The invention disclosed herein is directed to a smart slow cooker, system, and related methods for heating food to at least 50 degrees centigrade within at most two hours, then adjusting the power to a lower setting for the remainder of the desired cooking time.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED-RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of electro-mechanical apparatuses, systems and methods, and, more particularly, to a smart slow cooker system and related method.

BACKGROUND

Slow cookers, also known as electric crock pots, have gained popularity in recent years spurred in part by a growing return to home-cooking that is hampered by busy lifestyles. Traditional slow cookers are well known in the art to provide the convenience of placing uncooked ingredients in the cooking vessel, setting the temperature and cook time, and forgetting it until you return home from work later in the day.

Recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations have added a requirement that food in a slow cooker must reach 50° C. within two hours of operation in order to prevent bacterial growth in the uncooked food. Some attempts in the art aimed at meeting this requirement include increasing the heating power of the slow cooker. Attempts such as this are ineffective solutions because, counter to the intent and object of using a slow cooker, this increase in power causes the food to overcook resulting in food that is tough, dry, and undesirable.

In light of this safety-related FDA regulation, there exists a need in the art for a slow cooker apparatus, system and related method that is adapted to meet the safety requirement to prevent bacteria growth, but also will not overcook or dry out the food. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a slow cooker system and related method that heats the food to the required safe temperature within the specified time, and then changes the power driving the heating element to a lower wattage which will not overcook the food.

SUMMARY

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is directed to a slow cooker system comprising a vessel component, a heating component, and a control component, where the system is adapted to heat the vessel component to the point where the food inside the vessel reaches at least 50° C. in at most two hours, then the system adjusts the power to a lower setting for the remainder of the desired cooking time. The power settings of the various components described herein can be controlled by mechanical or digital controls as may be known in the art.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise various types of control means including mechanical time controllers, mechanical temperature controllers, digital time controllers, or digital temperature controllers.

Additional embodiments of the present invention include related methods of using the disclosed systems.

DESCRIPTION

Before describing in detail embodiments that are in accordance with the present invention, it should be observed that some of the apparatus components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Thus, it will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, common and well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may not be depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments.

While the specification will conclude with claims defining the features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.

Referring to the figures in general, and toFIG. 1in particular, we describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention that is directed to a slow cooker100comprising a vessel component110, a heating component120, and a control component130connected to a power source145, where the slow cooker100is adapted to heat the vessel component110to the point where the food inside the vessel110reaches at least 50.degree. C. in at most two hours, then the control component130adjusts the power to a lower setting for the remainder of the desired cooking time. The power settings of the various components described herein can be controlled by mechanical or digital controls as may be known in the art.

In one embodiment, the system further comprises a mechanical timer component160and an additional, parallel heating circuit125, where the mechanical timer component160is configured to control the parallel heating circuit125.

A method related to this system embodiment comprises the following method steps, whereby the slow cooker system heats the food in accordance with FDA requirements then continues in normal operation: At the beginning of the cooking interval, the parallel heating circuit125turns on in addition to the main heating component120. At the same or similar time, the mechanical timer component160begins counting down a pre-set time interval. When the mechanical timer component160reaches the end of the pre-set time interval, the parallel heating circuit125is turned off and the main heating component120continues in normal operation as is known in the art.

In a second embodiment, the system further comprises a mechanical temperature sensor component180with a predetermined closed state and a predetermined open state, and an additional heating component125. The mechanical temperature sensor component180is configured to be in thermal contact with the vessel component110and is connected in parallel to the main heating component120.

A method related to this system embodiment comprises the following method steps, whereby the slow cooker system heats the food in accordance with FDA requirements then continues in normal operation: When the temperature sensor component180is in the closed state, power will run through the additional heating component125, thereby accelerating the heating of the vessel110and the food within it. When the temperature sensor180reaches the open state, power will not run through the additional heating component125and the slow cooker system continues in normal operation as is known in the art.

In a third embodiment, the system further comprises a digital time control component160. Using a digital controller as is known in the art, a timer160can be used to change cooking power after a predetermined amount of time. In this embodiment, the digital time control component160is configured to control power to the heating component120.

A method related to this system embodiment comprises the following method steps, whereby the slow cooker system heats the food in accordance with FDA requirements then continues in normal operation: The digital time controller160in combination with a secondary heating circuit125, utilizes a relay to activate the second heating circuit125during an initial time period and then turn off the secondary heating circuit125when the predetermined time interval is completed.

Another method related to this system embodiment comprises the following method steps, whereby the slow cooker system heats the food in accordance with FDA requirements then continues in normal operation: The digital time controller160utilizes a solid state relay, triac or other solid state device to control the average voltage delivered to the heating component120by pulsing the heating component120on and off at predetermined intervals. Based on the percent of time an average voltage can be achieved which controls the wattage level in order to meet the FDA food safety requirement, then return the slow cooker system to normal operation for the remainder of the cooking time.

In a fourth embodiment, the system further comprises a digital temperature controller component in conjunction with a temperature sensor component.

A method related to this system embodiment comprises the following method steps, whereby the slow cooker system heats the food in accordance with FDA requirements then continues in normal operation: the system is configured so that the digital temperature controller component monitors the temperature as read by the temperature sensor component and adjusts the power to the heating component in order to achieve the at least 50° C. within at most two hours requirement, then adjust the power the heating component in accordance with the desired cooking mode.

It is understood that the variations and options disclosed above with respect to the components of the apparatus embodiments, are also applicable as variations and options with respect to the components for the system embodiments.

In light of the foregoing description, it should be recognized that embodiments in accordance with the present invention can be realized in numerous configurations contemplated to be within the scope and spirit of the claims. Additionally, the description above is intended by way of example only and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way, except as set forth in the claims.