Abstract:
A pasta machine includes a housing with a removable container for holding a liquid such as water, and the housing includes a heater for heating the liquid to a boiling state. An enclosed colander having a cover and holding a food product such as pasta is disposed on the container and includes arms to allow it to rotate through the boiling water. The housing of the pasta machine includes a suitable control mechanism that controls rotation of the colander through the boiling water to cook the food product within the colander. The number of rotations and intervals between rotation are a function of the type and amount of pasta within the colander.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/314,685, filed Aug. 24, 2001. The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/314,685 is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to kitchen appliances and, more particularly, to an easy to use, quick and efficient pasta machine. The present invention relates also to such a machine for use as a deep fryer, steamer or crock-pot. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Traditionally, cooking pasta involves boiling of water in a large pot, adding the pasta to the boiling water, and then removing the pasta once cooked. Once removed from the boiling water, the now-cooked pasta quickly becomes cold. Various ways of keeping the pasta hot includes keeping the pasta in the hot water until served or placing the hot pasta in a sealed dish or container. 
     Although cooking pasta in the aforementioned manner, as well as the results thereof, is acceptable to many individuals, both the process of cooking pasta and the manner of keeping cooked pasta hot are ripe for improvement. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pasta machine that cooks pasta in a convenient and easy manner. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a pasta machine that keeps cooked pasta hot also in a convenient and easy manner. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine that cooks and keeps hot other types of food. 
     Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a pasta machine is provided with a housing having a container for holding a liquid such as water, and the housing includes a heater for heating the liquid preferably to a boiling state. The pasta machine includes an enclosed colander for holding a food product such as pasta, and the colander includes a cover to allow placement of the food product within it. The colander is disposed on the container and is able to rotate through the boiling liquid. The housing of the pasta machine includes a suitable control mechanism that controls rotation of the colander through the boiling liquid to cook the food product within the colander. 
     As an aspect of the present invention, the pasta machine includes a lid that can be placed on top of the housing to fully contain the colander, and the lid includes an opening to allow steam to escape. 
     As another aspect of the present invention, the colander includes a flat bottom surface, two side surfaces and a curved top surface, and the curved top surface has a plurality of apertures to allow the water to drain. The colander also has two arms that extend from its side surfaces at the center of the flat bottom surface along a single axis, so that the colander is able rotate about that axis. Thus, the colander is nearly fully submerged within the water during part of its rotation. 
     As a further aspect of the present invention, the container within the housing is removable. 
     As an additional aspect of the present invention, the control device within the housing controls rotation of the colander in accordance with the type of food product within the colander. 
     As a feature of this aspect, a user identifies to the pasta machine the type and amount of food product within the colander, and the pasta machine controls rotation of the colander in accordance with the provided information. 
     As another feature of the present invention, the colander is moved back to its initial, raised position after the food product is cooked. 
     As yet another aspect of the present invention, the colander is rotated through the water by rotating first in one direction, and then in the opposite direction, where the colander essentially is rocked back and forth. 
     As yet a further aspect of the present invention, the pasta machine re-heats the food product within the colander if the food product is not removed from the colander within a predetermined amount of time after the food product is cooked. 
     As a feature of this aspect, the food product is re-heated by rotating the colander to submerge the food product in heated water once every pre-set number of minutes. 
     As another feature, the pre-set number of minutes is a function of the type and quantity of the food product in the colander. 
     In accordance with a method of cooking a food product of the present invention, an enclosed colander is filled with a predetermined amount of food product, the colander is placed on a container holding a liquid, the liquid is heated to a boiling state, and the colander is rotated a predetermined number of times through the boiling liquid until the food product within the colander is cooked. 
     Various features and aspects of this method correspond to features and aspects of the pasta machine summarized above. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The following detailed description, given by way of example and not intended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will best be appreciated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and parts, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the pasta machine of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the pasta machine shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view of an open colander containing pasta; 
     FIG. 4 schematically illustrates placement on the colander within the pasta machine&#39;s water container; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates placement of the cover on the pasta machine; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the pasta machine&#39;s LDC panel and display; 
     FIGS. 7-11 illustrate the operation of the pasta machine of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 illustrates pasta within the colander cooked by the pasta machine of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 13 is a flowchart of the display of the LCD display during the various operations of the pasta machine of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The pasta machine of the present invention cooks pasta quickly, efficiently, safely and with little human assistance. In general, the pasta machine simply requires the user to place pasta within the machine, to turn the machine on, and then return back to the machine some period of time later (e.g., 20 minutes) to produce perfectly cooked pasta. In one embodiment, as herein described, the machine is designed specifically for cooking pasta, but it is possible for such a device to be used as a deep fryer, steamer or crock-pot. Moreover, while the first embodiment described below is concerned with cooking pasta, other types of foods can be cooked by the machine of the present invention, including potatoes, vegetables, beans, crab fish, etc. 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the pasta machine  10  of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded view thereof. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, pasta machine  10  (also called pasta cooker) includes a housing  12 , a water container  14 , a colander  16 , and a clear lid  18 . Housing  12  includes a control panel  20 , an LCD screen  22 , and an electrical plug  24 . Plug  24  provides electrical power to the pasta machine when plugged into an appropriate electrical receptacle. The operation of control panel  20  and LCD screen  22  is discussed further below. 
     Housing  12  further includes a body  30  in which various electrical and heating elements (not shown) are disposed. These electrical and heating components carry out the below-described heating of the present invention. The pasta machine&#39;s body  30  is shaped to provide a well  32  into which water container  14  is placed during operation. The body  30  of the pasta machine&#39;s housing includes an arm recess  34  and a handle recess  36  disposed at one end, as shown, and also includes a second arm recess and a second handle recess disposed at the other end of body  30  (not shown in FIGS.  1  and  2 ). Each set of arm and handle recesses  34 ,  36  are shaped to accommodate respective handles  50  that extend from the sides of colander  16 . 
     Water container  14  is used to hold a preset amount (e.g., 5 quarts) of water and is shaped to fit into well  32  of housing  12 , as mentioned above, and includes an edge  40  which supports water container  14  when placed into well  32 . Water container  14  further includes a pair of openings  42 , one on each end, to accommodate the arm portions  52  of each handle  50  extending from the ends of colander  16 . 
     Colander  16  includes a container portion  54  and, as described below, is used to hold the pasta during cooking. Colander  16  also includes a cover  56  hinged to container portion  54  (or simply, container  54 ) via a set of hinges  58  (shown in FIG.  3 ), and a latch  60  designed to keep cover  56  in the closed position during operation (discussed below). Latch  60  is any appropriate device that may be manually unlocked to allow colander  16  to be opened. Like a typical colander, the colander&#39;s container portion  54  includes many apertures (i.e., holes)  62  to allow water to enter into and exit from the inner enclosure of colander  16 . Similarly, the colander&#39;s cover  56  includes many apertures  64  to also allow water to enter into and exit from the colander&#39;s enclosure. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the container portion  54  of colander  16  includes a flat bottom surface  66  and, in the preferred embodiment, surface  66  does not include any apertures. Rather, colander  16  includes holes along its entire curved top surface  68 , encompassing the entire cover  56  and the curved portions of the top surface of the colander&#39;s container portion  54 , as best shown in FIGS. 4,  5 ,  7  and  8 . As will be discussed, apertures  62  and  64  on colander  16  allow the boiling water to cook the pasta contained within the closed colander. 
     During operation, colander  16  is disposed above water container  14  and is supported on the two arm recesses  34  of housing  12 . One of the handle arm portions  52  of colander  16  includes a fixed gear wheel  70  that comes into contact with an opposing drive wheel (not shown) disposed within arm recess  34  of housing  12 . During operation, the drive wheel disposed within housing  12  is controlled to rotate gear wheel  70  thus rotating colander  16  about an axis extending through the colander&#39;s two arm portions  52 . 
     Pasta machine  10  finally includes a clear lid  18  shaped to fully encompass colander  16  when resting on top of edge  40  of water container  14 , and serves to prevent splashing of water during operation of the pasta machine. Lid  18  includes a wide opening  72  to enable steam to escape during operation. Although not shown, lid  18  optionally may include a heat resistant handle to allow removal of the lid without any risk of touching a potentially hot surface of lid  18  during use. Moreover, handles  50  of colander  16  similarly are heat resistant to allow lifting of colander  16  from the remaining components of the pasta machine after use, as further discussed below. 
     The operation of the pasta machine of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3-12 of the drawings. To utilize the pasta machine, the user first removes water container  14 , colander  16  and lid  18  from the pasta machine housing  12 . Water container  14  is filled with a predetermined amount of water (e.g., 5 quarts) and, in the preferred embodiment, the top water level is identified within the water container to assist the user. Water container  14 , now filled with water, is placed within well  32  of the pasta machine housing  12 . Alternatively, water container  14  can be filled with water while disposed within housing  12 . One (1) tablespoon of water preferably is added to the water. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, cover  56  of colander  16  is opened and a predetermined amount of pasta (e.g., 1 pound) is placed within colander  16 . Cover  56  is closed and colander  16  is placed in the upright position within water container  14  (which is filled with water and disposed within housing  12 ), as shown in FIG.  4 . As shown, in the upright position, the flat surface  66  (see FIG. 8) is disposed on the bottom immediately above the water. The user then places lid  18  on the assembled components to fully cover colander  16 , as shown in FIG.  5 . 
     Upon adding water to water container  14 , filling colander  16  with pasta and assembling the components as discussed above, the pasta machine of the present invention now is ready to begin operating. Accordingly, the user turns on the pasta machine&#39;s power by depressing the power button on control panel  20 , such as shown on the exemplary control panel  20  shown in FIG.  6 . Next, the user selects the type of pasta (e.g., spaghetti, lasagna, linguini, etc.) using the appropriate buttons on control panel  20 , and optionally may also select one of the cooking preferences available, such as regular or al dente in the case of cooking pasta. Alternatively, the user may set the time of operation of cooking. The operation of programming a cooking appliance and the associated electronics and firmware necessary to carry such operation are well known in the art and thus further description thereof is not provided except where necessary for an understanding of the present invention. Thus, the pasta machine of the present invention may include other types of control interface, including mechanical knobs or other devices, than those shown and described herein. An exemplary operation of the cooking machine of the present invention by a user is further described below with reference to FIG. 13 of the drawings. 
     Upon completion of programming the pasta machine of the present invention, the amount of time remaining until the pasta is fully cooked preferably is displayed on LCD display screen  22 . After programming the pasta machine, the heating elements within housing  12  begin heating the water within water container  14 . A thermostat (not shown) within housing  12  determines when the water within water container  14  is boiling, at which point, a motor within housing  12  begins rotating colander  16  via gear wheel  70  attached to the colander (see FIG.  2 ). Colander  16  is rotated slowly about the previously mentioned axis extending along arm portions  52  in the direction A shown in FIG. 7 so that the pasta within colander  16  begins to submerge into the boiling water. Colander  16  continues to rotate, as shown in FIG. 8, in the same direction (direction “B” in FIG. 8) until colander  16  is completely upside-down, where all of the pasta within the colander is submerged in the water. 
     Once fully submerged, the pasta machine causes colander  16  to rotate back and forth, first rotating in the same direction, “C” in FIG. 9, to the position shown in FIG. 9, then rotating in the opposite direction, “D” in FIG. 10, to the position shown in FIG.  10 . This cycle then repeats itself. During this process, steam within the enclosed unit vents through opening  72  in lid  18 . As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, colander  16  “rocks” back and forth so that the pasta within the colander is rotated in and out of the water in repeated cycles until the required (predetermined) amount of cooking time has elapsed. Upon completion of cooking, colander  16  is controlled to rotate back in direction E shown in FIG. 11 back to its initial starting position, thus rotating the pasta completely out of the water, that is, the pasta is fully drained of water. At this time, LCD display screen  22  alerts the user that the pasta is fully cooked. Optionally, the pasta machine may provide an appropriate audible indication that cooking is complete. The user then removes lid  18  from the unit, lifts colander  16  via handles  50  to remove it from the pasta machine&#39;s housing and opens the colander&#39;s cover  56  to reveal fully cooked pasta, as shown in FIG.  12 . Then, the now-cooked pasta is removed from colander  16  and served. The user turns off the pasta machine by depression of the power button on control panel  20 . 
     If the user, however, does not remove colander  16  and likewise does not turn off the pasta machine, the pasta machine carries out a warming function in accordance with the present invention. Upon completion of cooking and rotating all of the pasta out of the water (see FIG.  11 ), as discussed above, the heating element within housing  12  is automatically set to a low setting to keep the water relatively hot. To keep the pasta within colander  16  warm, colander  16  is controlled to rotate the pasta into the water every several minutes (e.g., 5 minutes), and since the water is maintained at a relatively hot temperature, the pasta within the colander is maintained hot for an indefinite amount of time. Moreover, since the pasta is rotated through the hot water only one time every several minutes, the pasta does not cook further during this time. Moreover, based on user programming, and particularly identifying the type of pasta to be cooked, the warming process of the present invention optionally may be further enhanced by pre-setting (not by the user, but during design and construction of the pasta machine) how often the pasta is rotated through the water, and, if necessary, the amount of time the pasta is fully contained within the hot water, depending on the type of pasta. For example, due to characteristics of certain types of pasta, such pasta may be cycled through the hot water every 2 minutes, whereas other types of pasta may be cycled through the hot water only every 7 minutes, and so on. 
     Upon completion of cooking and removal of the cooked pasta, the pasta machine should be unplugged and the water within container  14  should be removed. 
     FIG. 13 shows an exemplary flow chart of programming and operation of the pasta machine of the present invention. Upon supplying power to the pasta machine, display  22  provides a suitable greeting in block  100 , and then, in block  102 , requests the user to indicate whether he/she want to program the pasta machine by identifying the type of pasta to be cooked, or to simply indicate the amount of cooking time. If the user indicates by pasta type, then the pasta machine requests the user to identify whether the pasta is long pasta or pasta shapes in block  104 . In block  106 , the particular type of pasta is selected by the user, in block the user identifies the amount of pasta to be cooked, and in block  110  the user identifies whether the pasta is to be cooked al dente or regular. Thereafter, operation of the pasta machine begins in block  112  and in block  114  the pasta machine identifies the amount of time remaining until the pasta is complete, and the current, particular cycle of operation such as whether the water is being boiled or whether the pasta is being cooked (which, as previously discussed, occurs after the water has boiled). Upon completion of cooking, the pasta machine informs the user that the pasta is ready in block  116 . 
     Returning to block  102 , if the user desires to simply enter the amount of cooking time—in block  120 —then the user enters that amount in block  122 . Block  124  is the same as block  114 , whereby the remaining amount of time is displayed along with the current cycle of operation of the pasta machine. The user is informed of completion of cooking in block  126 . 
     In the above-described embodiments, the present invention has been described as a pasta machine for cooking pasta. Of course, the design may be modified if necessary to cook other types of foods. For example, the machine can be designed to be a deep fryer, a steamer or crock-pot and used to cook different types of foods including potatoes, vegetables, beans, crab fish, and so on. Accordingly, container  14  as described above is a water container. But, in various alternative embodiments of the present invention, the container may be used to contain other liquids such as oil in various different applications of the present invention. For example, as a deep fryer, the container is filled with oil which is heated by the heating element(s) within housing  12 . Accordingly, the amounts of time particular foods within colander  16  are submerged within the heated oil may be pre-programmed, as well as amounts of time and time(s) between cycles of the warming process, all dependent upon the type of food being cooked/warmed. 
     Still further, the pasta machine of the present invention may be modified to be a steamer, where various dimensions of the components of the present invention are established so that food within the colander does not submerge within the boiling water, but is instead disposed immediately above the boiling water. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the colander is comprised of two or more compartments disposed side-by-side, where each compartment is separately controlled to rotate through the hot water. In such embodiment, different types of food/pasta may be cooked simultaneously by appropriately programming the pasta machine (i.e., identifying the respective types and amounts of pasta within the different compartments of the colander). In one example, the colander is divided into a left compartment and a right compartment, where two different types of pasta may be cooked within the different compartments. Of course, the two compartments of the colander may operate as a single compartment if the same type of pasta is being cooked in both compartments. In such case, both compartments are controlled to cycle through the hot water at the same time. If, however, different types of pasta are provided in the two compartments, then each compartment is separately controlled to cycle through the water. Also, warming is separately controlled for compartments containing different types of pasta. 
     In a further embodiment, both the colander and the container (e.g., water container  14 ) may each comprise multiple compartments, where different types of liquids may be provided in the different compartments of the container. For example, a left container compartment is filled with water, and a right container compartment is filled with oil, and thus the food within the left compartment of the colander is cooked in the boiling water and the food within the right compartment of the colander is deep fried. Of course, more than two compartments may be provided, and different types of cooking may be accommodated by a single device. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described in conjunction with various embodiments thereof, it will be readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the specific shapes of the various elements may be modified to be different than that shown in the drawings. While preferred, the colander may include a non-curved top surface and/or a curved bottom surface, the water container may be rounded, and so on. 
     Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including the embodiments described herein, the alternatives mentioned above, and all equivalents thereto.