Abstract:
A method and apparatus for steaming and blending food products, also usable for sterilizing baby bottles as needed. The apparatus includes a base including a removable steam chamber and a motor driven drive shaft. A container assembly including a blade assembly can be mounted to the base for steaming the food and for blending the food. The apparatus may further include a steam diverter plate for sterilizing articles such as baby bottles.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to US Provisional Applications No. 62/360,998 filed on 12-JUL02916 and 62/480,402 filed on 1 Apr. 2017, the teachings of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to an apparatuses and methods for steaming and blending food products. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Various appliances have been designed for steaming and/or blending food products. Baby food is often made by steaming food products and then placing them in a blender. While two separate appliances, namely a steamer and a blender, can be employed for making pureed food such as baby food, some appliances have been designed that provide both such functions. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,076,452, 7,617,766 and 6,550,372 and US Publications Nos. 20130032038, 20140305321 and 20140252146 disclose food processing devices that allow the use of one appliance to steam food products and blend it. 
         [0004]    Appliances have also been designed for sterilizing baby bottles. Some sterilizers intended for this purpose have employed steam. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,544,529 and 5,213,776 disclose such sterilizing appliances. 
         [0005]    Since steam is generated within the appliance intended for steaming and/or blending food products it had become apparent that the same appliance could be used for heating or sterilizing baby bottles and other items babies would place in their mouths. U.S. Pat. No. 7,617,766 discloses an appliance designed to perform both functions. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for steaming and blending food products. An apparatus in accordance with the invention includes a base having a support for a container. A steam chamber is removably supported by the base and includes a steam exit port. A heater to heat water in the removable steam chamber. A drive shaft extends vertically upwards, rotatably supported by the base and an electric motor is provided for rotating the drive shaft. The apparatus further includes a container assembly including a container, and a lid removably coupled to the top end portion of the container. A steam inlet passage is provided in the container for allowing the entrance of steam generated within the steam chamber. A blade assembly is disposed within the container. The container assembly is mountable to the base. 
         [0007]    A method in accordance with the invention includes the steps of providing a base having a support for a container. A steam chamber is removably supported by the base and includes a steam exit port. A heater to heat water in the removable steam chamber. A drive shaft extends vertically upwards, rotatably supported by the base and an electric motor is provided for rotating the drive shaft. The apparatus further includes a container assembly including a container, and a lid removably coupled to the top end portion of the container. A steam inlet passage is provided in the container for allowing the entrance of steam generated within the steam chamber. A blade assembly is disposed within the container. The container assembly is mountable to the base. The method further includes placing the container on the base, introducing food into the container, causing the steam chamber to produce steam, the steam entering the container through the steam inlet passage and steaming the food, and actuating the motor to cause rotation of the drive shaft and coupled blade assembly, thereby blending the food. 
         [0008]    A food preparation assembly is further provided in accordance with the invention. The assembly includes an apparatus for steaming and blending food products. The apparatus in accordance with the invention includes a base having a support for a container. A steam chamber is removably supported by the base and includes a steam exit port. A heater to heat water in the removable steam chamber. A drive shaft extends vertically upwards, rotatably supported by the base and an electric motor is provided for rotating the drive shaft. The apparatus further includes a container assembly including a container comprising a base portion and a side wall portion, and a steam inlet passage is provided in the container for allowing the entrance of steam generated within the steam chamber, and a lid removably coupled to the top end portion of the container. A blade assembly is disposed within the container. The container assembly is mountable to the base. A steam diverter plate is selectively positioned in the container. The steam diverter plate comprises a horizontal plate portion proximate said container base portion, including apertures, and a cap portion covering the steam inlet passage whereby steam diverter plate diverts steam from steam inlet passage into the space formed between chamber base portion and the horizontal plate portion of diverter plate. A plurality of bottles and other articles to be sterilized may be placed on top of the horizontal plate portion so that they may be surrounded by steam emanating from apertures for heating and/or sterilizing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a simplified sectional view of the baby food maker according to the invention, configured to make baby food, showing all its components in place including food to be processed; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2 . is a simplified sectional view of the baby food maker according to the invention, configured to sterilize articles, showing all its components in place; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the gear motor of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  A is a cross sectional view of the steam chamber of the baby food steamer of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  B is a cross sectional view of the steam chamber of the baby food steamer along lines B-B of  FIG. 4A ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  C is a partial cross-sectional view of the steam chamber of the baby food steamer along lines C-C of  FIG. 4B ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of selected area D-D the steam chamber of the baby food steamer of  FIG. 4A ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged sectional view of the selected area A-A of  FIG. 1  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is an exploded isometric view of the baby food maker of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The detailed description which follows is directed to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not intended as limiting the invention to the specific structures disclosed. The invention should instead be construed in accordance with the claims that are appended. 
         [0019]    With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 2 , an apparatus  1  according to the invention is provided. The apparatus can be used for making baby food or other types of pureed foods. As discussed below, it can also be adapted for sterilizing or warming baby bottles or other items such as pacifiers. A base  10  is provided for supporting and securing removable container  20 , which, (securing the container to the base is achieved in a manner known in the art, such as a turning bayonet latch), and a gear-motor  40  for driving a blade assembly  30  or other blending device; and for providing means for a removable steam chamber  50  to be engaged and disengaged simultaneously with a steam conduit  60  and with electrical contact box  90 . 
         [0020]    Referring more specifically to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the unit base  10  comprises a bottom  11  and side wall  15 , with a top  14  secured to the top of the side wall with screws (not shown), a compartment  13  containing a safety switch  95 , and a set of controls (not shown). the enclosure  11  supports the steam chamber  50  which is removable by the operator through opening  16  in unit base  10 , for filling with water and for cleaning after use; unit base  10  also contains a gear motor assembly  40  terminating in drive shaft  43  extending upwards; unit base  10  also contains steam conduit  60  sealably connecting to steam outlet of steam chamber  50 , when steam chamber is in its engaged position. 
         [0021]    Compartment  13  contains a safety switch  95  controlling the operation of the gear motor, which is normally open and is only closed when both container  20  and lid  80  are in place and latched tightly to ensure the rotating blade assembly  30  cannot be accessed by operator. 
         [0022]    Referring specifically to  FIG. 2 , which is like  FIG. 1  in all but that the rotating blade assembly  30  is removed and a steam diverter  70  is placed in container  20  proximate its base portion  21 . The steam diverter  70  comprises a steam dome section  71  extending above the drive shaft  44  and the inner collar  23  of container  20  thereby diverting steam into the space confined between the base portion  21  of container  20 , and perforated plate portion  72  of steam diverter  70 ; note that the gap is determined by the size of the outer rim  73  of steam diverter  70 . Lid  80  with vent opening  81  is shown coupled to container  20 , to maintain the container  20  at elevated temperature and to limit the amount of steam allowed to escape during the sterilizing process. 
         [0023]    Referring specifically to  FIG. 3 , which is an isometric view of the gear motor assembly  40 , illustrating an electric motor  41 , which typically runs at high speed and low torque. This type of motor is chosen since it is compact and relatively low in cost. To use such a motor to drive the blade assembly of the baby food maker its speed must be reduced, and its torque increased by using a gear box  42 , containing but not shown many gears chosen to achieve the rpm and torque required of the output shaft  43 . Output shaft  43  is shown with a shaft extension  44  designed to transmit torque from the motor to the blade assembly  30 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A , B, C and D which illustrate several aspects of the steam chamber  50  consisting of a main body  51  made of high temperature plastic capable of withstanding the effects of steam and being free of contaminants (such a material is, for example, Tritan TX 2001 manufactured by Eastman Chemicals), and a bottom portion  58  secured to main body  51  by ultrasonic welding. The steam chamber includes an integrally molded handle  52  for pulling it out of base  10  of the baby food maker and a screwed-on cap  53  for filling the steam chamber with water. Steam chamber incorporates an immersion heater assembly  100  which is shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 4  B and C. and a steam outlet assembly  55 , shown in greater detail in  FIG. 4D . 
         [0025]    The heater assembly  100  comprises an elongated electric heating rod  110 , shaped as a W with its two ends  111  and  112  brazed to a metal plate  120  and its middle portion  113 , brazed to same metal plate  120 . As shown in  FIG. 4C  the plate  120  is secured to the side wall of the main body  51  and spans an opening  56  in the enclosure  51 . The plate  120  is secured by three screws that connect three threaded posts  115  integral to the plate  120  to three small flanges  58  integral to a short cylindrical member  57  molded from high temperature plastic. Cylindrical member  57  also serves to protect contact pins  114  and  115  from accidentally being bent while the steam chamber is outside the base  10 . The plate  120  is spaced apart from the wall of the container  51  through a silicone part  59  which serves to isolate the hot plate from the plastic wall and to seal against water leakage. The contact pins  114  and  115  are of a commonly used design and are crimped to the terminals of the heater  110  and are electrically insulated using silicone bushings (not shown). 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 4D  the steam outlet  55  includes a valve assembly  551 , comprising the valve seal  552  made of a flexible material such as silicone mounted on a valve stem  553 , and a valve body comprising an annular valve seat  554  with four forwardly extending radial ribs  555  for supporting and guiding the valve stem as it slides back and forth. The valve is designed to remain normally shut by the force exerted on the seal by spring  556 . When the steam chamber is pushed into the base  10  the stem is pushed back by a vertical rib  66  in the steam conduit  60  thereby maintaining the valve in an open position for delivering steam as it is generated in the steam chamber. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows in greater detail the steam conduits  60  used to conduct steam from the steam chamber to the bottom of the container for ensuring that all the food in the container is enveloped by steam. The steam conduit is a flexible molded part, preferably made from high temperature silicone. It comprises a vertical cylindrical portion  61  including a collar  63  extending sideward for receiving steam outlet  55  of steam chamber  50 , in a sealable state. The conduit  60  further comprises a bottom member  62 , which is firmly connected to the gear box  42  so that its bottom opening  94  is aligned with the gear box shaft  43 . A rotary seal  65  of a design known in the art is part of the bottom opening  64  and serves to engages the gear box shaft  43  to ensure that no steam escapes from the conduit down the shaft. A free-standing rib  66  rising from the bottom member  62  is positioned so it would push the steam  553  of the steam outlet back to overcome the force of the spring  556  thereby keeping the valve open for steam to flow into conduit and from there into the container  20 . Series of arrows show the flow of steam from the steam outlet  55  through the conduit  60  and through the blade assembly hub, and out into the container  20 , at a point near the base of the container, to ensure that it covers all food particles placed in the container. Blade assembly  30  comprises a shaft collar  33  designed to engage shaft extension  44  in a manner that allows it to slip in and out yet can transfer rotational torque from the gear motor shaft to the blades  31  and  32 . Shown are a series of interlocking axial ribs  34  as one possible option. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows the baby food maker with the steam chamber  50  removed from the base  10 , and its cap removed as operator would do to fill it with fresh water. Also shown is the blade assembly  30  after being removed from the drive shaft to allow the container  20  to be lifted off the base as would be the case when the operator wants to wash the container. The lid  80  is also shown separated from the container, as would be the case when the user wishes to place food in the container or remove the cooked food from it.