Food steamer

Abstract: A food steamer (10,110) having a base (12,112), a combined support and collector (16,116), and a cooking bowl (14,114). The base has a heater (24,130) and a reservoir (22) for holding water to be heated into steam. The cooking bowl is mounted on top of the base and has a bottom with holes (44,142). The combined support and collector has a frame (46,124) and a screen (48,126). The frame is mounted to the base between the heater and the cooking bowl. The frame has a centre aperture (56,128) with the screen located therein for supporting flavouring items thereon. The frame has raised walls (52,54) to form a condensed steam holding area for holding all condensed steam that has travelled into and then back out of the holes in the cooking bowl. The frame also has a side wall with inwardly recessed grooves (134) and holes (136) through the frame at the tops of the grooves. These form pressure release vents at the sides of the frame.

Description: The present invention relates to food steamers and, more particularly, to adding flavouring to food being steamed. US-A 5,275,094 discloses a food steamer according to the preamble of claim 1, specifically a food steamer having a base, a food cooker, and an insert between the two that collects all condensed steam that has travelled into and then back out of holes in a bottom of the cooking bowl. A similar food steamer is known from US-A-5 097 753 US-A-3,078,783 discloses a pressure cooker with a well that holds both water and food flavouring substance. The well is used to turn water into steam and food flavouring substance is burned in the well during cooking. US-A-4,762,056 discloses a container for storing and also cooking food and flavourings together. Other relevant patents include: US-A-1,245,711; US-A-1,245,712 US-A-2,967,023; US-A-3,088,393 US-A-3,117,510; US-A-4,509,412 US-A-5,176,067 US-A-5,191,831; US-A-5,363,748 In accordance with the present invention there is provided a food steamer comprising: a base having a heater and a first holding area for holding water to be heated into steam; a cooking bowl mounted on top of the base and having a bottom with holes therethrough, a collector mounted vertically on the base between the base and the bowl so as to lie above the heater and the first holding area, the collector having an aperture therethrough and having a substantially imperforate frame disposed about the aperture to form a second holding area, wherein the holes in the cooking bowl are located only above the second holding area; wherein the collector incorporates a combined support in the form of a frame being located in the aperture of the collector for supporting flavouring items therein. Preferred embodiments of the food steamer of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which: Figure 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a food steamer according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan top view of the combined support and collector used in the food steamer shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a food steamer according to the present invention; and Figure 4 is a partial top plan view of the collector used in the food steamer shown in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a partial cross-sectional view of a food steamer 10. The steamer 10 generally comprises a base 12, a cooking bowl 14, a combined support and collector 16, and a cover 18. The base 12 has a wall 20 that defines a first holding area or reservoir 22 for holding a liquid, such as water, to be heated into steam. A heating element or heater 24 is mounted in the reservoir 22. The heating element 24 is adapted to heat liquid in the reservoir 22 into steam. Thus, the reservoir 22 is also a boiling chamber. The heating element 24 is centrally mounted in the reservoir 22. In alternative embodiments any suitable type of heating element could be used. The base 12 also preferably comprises an ON/OFF switch (not shown) and an electrical cord (not shown) for connecting the heating element 24 to a power source. The wall 20 also includes support feet 26 (only one of which is shown) and a support pad 28. The cooking bowl 14 is removably supported on the top of the base 12. The bowl 14 includes an outer wall 30, a bottom 32, and extensions 34 on the top of the wall 30. The walls 30, 32 form a food holding area 36. The bottom 32 includes a centre closed area or imperforate section 38, a perforated section 40, and a mounting rim 42. The mounting rim 42 combines with the top of the base 12 to stably mount the bowl 14 stably on top of the base 12. However, any suitable means could be provided to connect the bowl removably with the base. The perforated section 40 has a general circular ring shape with the imperforate centre area 38 in the middle. The perforated section 40 has a wavy surface with holes 44 therethrough. The centre area 38 does not have holes. In alternative embodiments, other types of bowls could be used. The cover 18 is removably mounted to the top of the bowl 14. Referring also to Figure 2, the combined support and collector 16 generally comprises a frame 46 and a support screen 48. The frame 46 is a one-piece member having a general ring shape. The frame 46 has a bottom wall 50, an inner wall 52 and an outer wall 54. The inner wall 52 defines a centre aperture 56. The walls 50, 52, 54 are imperforate thereby to form a second holding area 58. The screen 48 is attached to the frame 46 at the bottom of the centre aperture 56. In an alternative embodiment, the screen could be formed integrally with the frame 46. The collector 16 is mounted inside the base 12 and is supported on the base 12 by a rim 60 and the pad 28 and feet 26. Because the heating element 24, aperture 56 and centre area 38 of the bottom of the bowl are all centrally located, they are vertically aligned with one another. Likewise, the wavy perforated section 40 of the bottom of the bowl is aligned over the second holding area 58. The principal difference between the present invention and the prior art food steamer disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,275,094, is in regard to the collector 16. In the present invention the collector provides two functions. First, similar to the ring-like member in U.S. Patent 5,275,094, the collector 16 is adapted to allow steam to pass through the centre aperture 56 from the reservoir 22 and into the bowl 14 through the holes 44. Condensed steam in the bowl 14 can exit through the holes 44 and be collected in the second holding area 58. This separate holding area for condensed steam and drippings from the cooking food reduces the build-up of any unwanted residue on the heating element 24 and reduces the need for cleaning of the boiling chamber or reservoir 22. The second function is the ability of the collector 16 to support items I on the screen 48 in the path of steam flow through the centre steam aperture 56. The items I can include herbs, spices, or any other suitable type of food flavouring item. With the increase in the trend of healthier eating there has been an increase in the use of steamers. Steaming food provides an easy way to cook vegetables without losing their nutritional value. To improve the taste, toppings or spices have been added after cooking. However, these toppings are not absorbed into the food. They are only mixed while being eaten. The present invention provides a space to put herbs and spices so that they will be incorporated into the steam as the food is being cooked. This space is located in the opening where steam flows from the boiling chamber 22 into the food area. By using the inner wall 52 to form the chamber to hold the items I, only the screen 48 needs to be added. None of the other components of the steamer 10 need to be redesigned. The screen 48 is able to hold the items I and also allow the steam to pass therethrough. The steamer 10 can be used with or without flavouring items and the steamer 10 does not need to be reconfigured when used with or without flavouring items. The advantage of putting the herbs and spices in the steamer while the food is cooking is that the foods can now absorb the flavours throughout as they cook. The addition of the herbs and spices allows the cook to experiment with new flavours to enhance the taste of fresh vegetables and other food. By separating the herbs and spices from the boiling water, cleaning of the boiling chamber 22 is reduced and the build up of any unwanted reside at the heater 24 is reduced. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, an alternative embodiment of a steamer according to the present invention will be described. The food steamer 110 has a base 112, a cooking bowl 114, a combined support and collector tray 116, a cover 118 and an inner food support bowl 119. The combined support and collector tray 116 has a general tray profile with two handles 120. The tray 116 has a circular sealing rim portion 122 that is sandwiched between the base 112 and the bowl 114. The tray 116 generally comprises the frame 124 and the screen 126. The frame 124 has a centre main aperture 128. The cross-sectional area of the main aperture 128 increases from the bottom of the main aperture to its top. The screen 126 is located at the top of the main aperture 128. The frame 124 surrounds a portion of the heater 130 at the bottom of the main aperture 128. Support ribs 132 are also provided on the bottom of the frame 124. Located at the exterior sides of the frame 124 are two inwardly recessed portions or grooves 134. The frame 124 also has holes 136 therethrough at the tops of the grooves 134. The holes 136 are located inward relative to the sealing rim portion 122 proximate the handles 120. As seen in Figure 3, the grooves 134 and holes 136 form pressure vents from the first water holding area 138 to the second holding area 140 of the tray 116. The holes 136 are located past the outer perimeter of the holes 142 in the bottom of the cooking bowl 114. This helps to ensure that drippings from the bowl 114 do not inadvertently pass into the holes 136. At times during the heating of water into steam at the heater 130, steam is produced faster than can be vented through the main aperture 128 in the tray 116. This may occur more often if the support screen 126 is crowded with a generous amount of flavouring items. However, the provision of the pressure vents at the grooves 134 and holes 136 allows excess pressure to vent therethrough. This vented steam is still used to cook food in the bowl 114, but merely has not been flavoured by the flavouring items. However, because of the central location of the heater 130, the relative position of the main aperture 128 at the heater 130, and the fact that the pressure vents are located at the outer sides of the tray 116, the majority of steam is still directed up through the flavouring items on the screen 126. Thus, this embodiment still provides good flavouring capabilities, but prevents excessive pressure build-up on the bottom side of the drip tray 116.

Claims: A food steamer (10) comprising: a base (12) having a heater (24) and a first holding area (22) for holding water to be heated into steam; a cooking bowl mounted on top of the base (12) and having a bottom (32) with holes (44) therethrough, a collector (16) mounted vertically on the base between said base (12) and said bowl (14) so as to lie above the heater (24) and the first holding area (22), the collector (16) having an aperture (56) therethrough and having a substantially imperforate frame (46) disposed about the aperture (56) to form a second holding area (58), wherein the holes (44) in the cooking bowl (14) are located only above the second holding area (58); characterised in that said collector (16) incorporates a combined support in the form of a screen (48) being located in the aperture (56) of the collector (16) for supporting flavouring items therein. A steamer as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the frame (46) of the combined support and collector (16) has a general ring shape being inperforate with the aperture (56) being formed centrally of such frame. A steamer as claimed in either of the preceding claims wherein the frame has a raised wall (52) around the centre aperture (56) and the screen (48) is located at the bottom of the raised wall such that the raised wall (52) and the screen (48) form a holding chamber. A steamer as in any one of the preceding claims in which the bottom (32) of the cooking bowl (14) has an imperforate area (38) located directly above the aperture (56) of the combined support and collector (16) such that condensed steam is prevented from falling onto flavouring items located on the screen (48). A steamer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means (58) for substantially preventing condensed steam from contacting the flavouring items located on the screen (48). A steamer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the combined support and collector (116) comprises an additional aperture (134) between the first holding area (138) to the second holding area (140) to form a steam vent therebetween. A steamer as claimed in Claim 6 in which the combined support and collector (16) has an inwardly recessed area (134) at a side thereof to form said steam vent (134). A steamer as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the combined support and collector (116) has two inwardly recessed areas (134) at opposite sides thereof. A steamer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the combined support and collector (116) is sandwiched between the base (112) and the container (114) along a sealing rim portion (122) of the combined support and collector (116) wherein such combined support and collector (116) includes a handle (120) that extends outward from the sealing rim portion (122). A steamer as claimed in Claim 9 when appended to Claim 7 wherein the handle (120) are proximate the pressure vent hole (136). A steamer as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which said screen (48) is formed integrally with said frame (46).

Inventors: DUBOIS CRAIG A, KASS ROBERT C, NOPANEN ESKO, DUBOIS, CRAIG A., KASS, ROBERT C., NOPANEN, ESKO
Applicants: BLACK & DECKER INC, BLACK & DECKER INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A47J27
IPC codes: A47J27