Patent Publication Number: US-RE48216-E

Title: Automatic cooker

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Reissue of application Ser. No. 14/797,022 filed on Jul. 10, 2015, patented, U.S. Pat. No. 9,693,654 issued 4 Jul. 2017. Application Ser. No. 14/797,022 claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/023,791 filed 11 Jul. 2014, the contents of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety for all purposes. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to commercial and consumer cooking devices, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to home cooking appliances. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. 
     The idea of cooking food in a rotating horizontal barrel or rotating the food in a stationary barrel, while not new, has not succeeded at the consumer level. So far, the increased kitchen productivity allowed by the method has not been realized. 
     In the USA and many other markets over the last half century dual incomes have become increasingly necessary to support a household. As a result the percent of meals cooked at home has fallen by half. More convenient options are overwhelmingly less healthy and are thought to be responsible for increasingly widespread lifestyle diseases such as type II diabetes. Studies have shown that meals prepared at home are almost universally healthier than meals prepared elsewhere. 
     Many health pundits publish books all recommending buying fresh whole foods and cooking them at home. But the task of planning, shopping for, prepping and competently cooking a meal at home is too overwhelming for today&#39;s stressed out, time constrained homemakers. Also, many avoid home cooking because they simply don&#39;t have the skills and/or an adequate pantry and kitchen. 
     The food industry has responded by offering more prepped-for-cooking items such as fresh chopped onions, stir fry packs, and skillet meals, both fresh and frozen. But the cooking task has seen no equivalent advance. 
     What is needed is a system and method to address the shortcomings of previous and existing designs by incorporating novel and unique features allowing the invention to perform well for a wide variety of popular dishes and meal solutions. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed is a system and method to address the shortcomings of previous and existing designs by incorporating novel and unique features allowing the invention to perform well for a wide variety of popular dishes and meal solutions. Implementations of the present systems and methods easily and accurately cook a wide variety of dishes and meal solutions with predictable, repeatable, error-free and flavor maximized results, often with no user input or involvement once the process is started. 
     The following summary of the invention is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of technical features related to the front loading partially tapered barrel cooker, the compact barrel cooker, the personal barrel cooker, and other automatic cookers, and is not intended to be a full description of the present invention. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the invention can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. The present invention is applicable to other devices other than the front loading partially tapered barrel cooker. 
     An object of the present invention is to address shortcomings of other methods of convenience cooking: microwave cooking (uneven heating, poor doneness regulation of many foods, excess water accumulation), crockpot cooking (long cooking times), rice cookers (no ability to blend flavors, ingredients), and programmed convection/microwave/infrared ovens (often very challenging to clean) and the like. 
     It is an object of this invention to fill a need of improving conveniences and efficiencies of an actual cooking task to the conveniences and efficiencies of the packaging and pre-preparation—an important link now needed to make cooking at home easy and stress free. 
     The method of cooking recognizes two facts. (1) If relatively small (bite size or less) ingredients are constantly being mixed to receive heat transferred not only from the hot cooking surfaces but also from particle to particle, the resulting temperature will be nearly uniform so that (2) a surface temperature as measured by a non-contact infrared sensor will fairly represent the temperature throughout the food—not just the surface. 
     Also, the energy needed to cook a piece of food through is related to its size (more precisely, the shortest distance to center). Therefore, ingredients with varying cooking rates can be adjusted to cook with the same amount of energy by varying the piece size. For example, bite size broccoli florets (fast cooking) can be combined with thin carrot “chips” (carrots are slow cooking) to both cook to equal doneness with the same amount of energy. This piece sizing is commonly done in combined ingredient stir fry packages and skillet meals available at many stores. 
     With proper piece sizing a large number of foods (soft vegetables and meats) become properly done when raised to a common temperature that is around 170° Fahrenheit. Another class of foods—primarily dense vegetables (root vegetables, some squashes, and the like) require higher temperatures and/or more extended hot time. A third category includes foods that hydrate (e.g., dried beans) which require extended hot times. 
     Nevertheless, these categories can often be combined. Some food packages offered at stores include some ingredients that are fully or partially cooked so that the combination can be cooked together. 
     Using constant mixing and an infrared sensor, embodiments of the invention are able to accommodate these categories by allowing the user to enter a temperature to which the food will be heated (“Heat up to” or “target temp” on the control panel), a time for which cooking temperatures will be maintained (“Hot time” or “maintain temp” on the control panel) and a temperature at which the food will be kept for serving (“Keep warm at” temperature on the control panel). The “hot time” begins when the sensor senses that the “Heat up to” target temperature has been reached, and heating is regulated to keep food at the “keep warm at” temperature when the “hot time” is completed. 
     The only other setting is an optionally variable rotational speed, which is preset to a standard speed (“normal”) and offers a slower speed for liquids, a slightly higher speed for small loads, and a higher speed for cooling—a setting at which any heating is disabled. The higher speed causes contents to be rotated higher and dropped further as compared to a slower speed, causing them to cool faster. This would be used when the user wants hot food brought down to a serving temperature with less waiting. The set speed remains constant throughout the warming, cooking and keep warm phases unless the user engages the “pause” button, changes the speed, and then re-engages “start”. 
     Optionally, there is a setting for when an ingredient bin can dispense its contents into the cooking barrel. 
     With this method a great many dish and meal solutions can be accurately cooked. The constant mixing of this method also serves to maximize flavors from herbs, spices, and cooking oils. Also, the ability to drain excess fluids and subsequently add flavorings insures flavors don&#39;t get washed away as they do in stovetop pans and microwaves. 
     Some embodiments of the present invention enclose a removable cook pot in a housing that pivots the entire mechanism except its base so that the front of the cook pot can be pointed up, down or somewhere in between. Tilt is controlled by the user using a hand grip with a lock release button. A fixed center spindle in the back of the housing is surrounded by a hexagonal (or other locking shape) sleeve rotating about the spindle on bearings, with rotation driven by a gear set connected to a variable speed electric motor mounted on the rear of the housing. The cook pot has a coordinating hexagonal inset which slides over the rotating sleeve to mount the cook pot in the cooking position and holds it there by secure fit and/or magnets. The tumbler blade has a hexagonal base that slides over the hexagonal inset within the pot to secure itself so that it rotates in fixed position relative to the pot. A lower extension of the housing contains the heating mechanism—a heating coil (or energy coil in the case of induction as a heat source) is contoured to the bottom of the pot to maximize efficiency. The bottom of the housing also contains other components needed by the heating system including electronics and cooling fan(s). At the front of the cook pot a donut shaped retainer ring can be attached or removed by tightening or loosening a clasp. The retainer ring prevents solid contents from falling out of the pot but leaves a small gap around its perimeter to allow fluids to pour out when the front of the pot is lowered. An optional use silicone gasket can be mounted around the perimeter of the retainer ring to seal the gap to retain fluids. A swing arm assembly is mounted to the side of the top of the housing to allow it to pivot to an open position needed for removal of the pot or to a closed position for operation. An accessory mount on the swing arm allows the mounting of accessories such as an automated ingredient bin which can add ingredients into the pot at selected points in the cooking procedure. The control panel is also mounted on the swing arm and can be activated only when in the arm is in the closed operating position. The infrared sensor is mounted under the control panel and looks through the window in the retainer ring. A positioner on the other side of the housing secures the far end of the swing arm and detects proper operating position. The pot is intended to be removed or installed only when empty and when it is safely cool. With the swing arm open the pot can be tilted up for loading with or without the retainer ring installed. After cooking the pot can again be tilted up (with the swing arm open) for removal of the retainer ring, then tilted down to empty its contents into a container positioned below. 
     An important characteristic of the structure and method of the illustrated embodiments is equalization of a temperature of ingredients so that the cooking status of the food can be determined by looking only at a surface of the food with an IR sensor. Temperature equalization is improved by a thoroughness of the mixing so hot spots and cool spots neutralize each other. The disclosed structure and method not only mixes top to bottom, but inside to outside on each rotation due, at least in part, to the cupped tumbler blade design. Industrial solutions do not work well for home cooking because cooking oils pool at a low spot creating more cooling of part of the cooking surface while the unwetted parts may overheat which could damage sensitive non-stick coatings. The cupped blade allows a level bottom with even fluid (cooking oil and the like) levels front to rear and even cooling of the heated area. Another characteristic of some preferred embodiments is that the food be “bite-sized” to make tumbling of the ingredients easy. For example, a solid ingredient piece size is desirably no larger than ⅛ the diameter being swept by the blade. Herein for purposes of the patent application, this size is referred to as bite size. Alternatively in some embodiments, the largest dimension should be no more than an inch for a device of this size. Smallness is also desirable to limit a difference between the internal and surface temperature of solids/food pieces. 
     Other important aspects of some embodiments may include: (a) one or more side exits for ingredients cooked in a barrel, especially a side (perimeter) exit in a handheld cook pot; (b) a funneled clamshell lid exit for ingredients in a compact embodiment; (c) a “drain gate” in an embodiment such as a handheld cook pot which allows the user to tilt the pot and drain fluids without emptying ingredients; (d) a front lid drain in an embodiment such as the compact embodiment which allows the user to tilt the pot and drain fluids without emptying ingredients; and e) a tumbler blade assembly that is preferably removeable and replaceable (allowing the cooking chamber to be more easily cleaned and allows a simpler manufacture of the cooking chamber that does not require mounting holes for the tumbler blade). 
     In some embodiments of the present invention, a removable cook pot does not rotate, with the tumbler blade rotating using a similar drive mechanism but with the motor tucked inside the housing and connected to the rotating mechanism by a series of gears. Openings in the cook pot itself allow ingredients to be added through the top, and the sensor to look in through the side. Tilt is limited to lowering the front no more than 10 degrees for draining fluids. For unloading, a funneled clamshell front lid opens to allow controlled exit of ingredients, including liquids. The lid is opened and closed by raising/lowering a cam with a handle on which the controls are located. Much less space is needed since the pot does not tilt up and ingredient exit is more downward. 
     In some embodiments, a non-rotating cook pot is exposed and not inside a housing. Ingredients are added from the top with the cover off, and are unloaded from a side perimeter exit, not out the front. The sensor looks through the cover. Opposite the exit a handle lets the user grasp the pot and perform all necessary tilting actions freehand after easily disengaging the drive mechanism. Such embodiments may be appropriate for smaller sizes where handling weight supported by a single hand is easy for any user. 
     In some alternative embodiments the hand operated tilt mechanism may be motorized and automated which would allow, for example, unassisted draining of fluids. Rotation may be variable and reversible rather than fixed. The ingredient bin may be equipped to handle multiple ingredients added at different times. To simplify the programming of the additional complex procedures, the operational sequence may be controlled through an app on a connected smart mobile device which can access the cloud to get cooking operation sequencing for recipes that match ingredients collected by the user or “ingredient packs” sold by food providers. The control can be interactive with the app determining when heating rates or other parameters are not as expected. The user can then be alerted or the cooking sequence can be altered based on cooking modeling knowledge in the cloud. This engaged ecosystem could also contain apps to help the user find and order food and recipes, provide operational feedback to the machine&#39;s designers, and charge commissions to food retailers and reimburse the recipe developer community for recipe completions reported by the app. 
     An automated cooker processing a plurality of bite-sized food pieces, including a cooking chamber defining a closed cooking volume having an interior wall surface exposed to the cooking volume, the interior wall surface having a circular arc portion; a heating structure configured to raise a temperature of the interior wall surface to a desired cooking temperature, the desired cooking temperature in a range of ambient up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (though other ranges are possible); a tumbler blade disposed within the cooking volume and including a leading edge complementary to the circular arc, the tumbler blade having a first portion configured to tumble the food pieces in a first direction within the cooking volume in response to a relative movement between the tumbler blade and the interior wall surface, wherein the tumbler blade includes a second portion configured to tumble the food pieces in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction within the cooking volume in response to the relative movement, the directions evenly heating exterior surfaces of the food pieces, responsive to the cooking temperature, up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (though other temperature ranges are possible); a drive mechanism coupled to the tumbler blade and the cooking chamber, the drive mechanism configured to produce the relative rotation between the tumbler blade and the interior wall surface; and a non-contact thermal probe, outside the cooking volume, configured to determine a surface temperature of the exterior surfaces through an aperture in the interior wall surface; and a controller, coupled to the non-contact thermal probe, the heating structure, and to the tumbler blade, to operate the heating structure and the relative rotation until the surface temperature represents an internal temperature of the food pieces. 
     A method for cooking a plurality of bite-sized food pieces, including a) adding the food pieces into a closeable cooking chamber, the cooking chamber defining a cooking volume having an interior wall surface exposed to the cooking volume, the interior wall surface having a circular arc portion; b) heating the interior wall to a desired cooking temperature, the desired cooking temperature in a range of ambient up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit; c) circulating the food pieces within the cooking chamber using a rotating tumbler blade, the circulating step c) tumbling the food pieces inside the cooking volume with a tumbling motion having two orthogonal degrees of freedom, the tumbling motion configured to evenly heat the food pieces responsive to the interior wall heated to the desired cooking temperature and responsive to the tumbling motion; d) monitoring a surface temperature of the food pieces during the circulating step c) using a thermal probe directed into the cooking volume; and e) inferring an interior temperature of the food pieces responsive to the surface temperature. 
     Any of the embodiments described herein may be used alone or together with one another in any combination. Inventions encompassed within this specification may also include embodiments that are only partially mentioned or alluded to or are not mentioned or alluded to at all in this brief summary or in the abstract. Although various embodiments of the invention may have been motivated by various deficiencies with the prior art, which may be discussed or alluded to in one or more places in the specification, the embodiments of the invention do not necessarily address any of these deficiencies. In other words, different embodiments of the invention may address different deficiencies that may be discussed in the specification. Some embodiments may only partially address some deficiencies or just one deficiency that may be discussed in the specification, and some embodiments may not address any of these deficiencies. 
     Other features, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon a review of the present disclosure, including the specification, drawings, and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures, in which like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally-similar elements throughout the separate views and which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, further illustrate the present invention and, together with the detailed description of the invention, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of the exterior of an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates various tilted positions of the device; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the drive mechanism parts inside the central part of the housing exploded; 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates the drive mechanism parts inside the central part of the housing in place; 
         FIG. 3, 3A, 3B  illustrate the design of the cook pot; 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates parts attached inside the pot for cooking; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the device with the swing arm open and retainer ring removed; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the drop bin ingredient dispenser; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an alternative accessory attachment; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the control panel of the device; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the legend for logic diagrams; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the initialization procedure for operation; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates the logic for the cooking cycle; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the logic for the keep-warm cycle; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates separately the non-pivoting base part of the device; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates separately the housing assembly; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a cutaway showing the position pot, heat shroud, and heating element; 
         FIGS. 15-26  refer to a “compact embodiment”; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a perspective view of the exterior of the compact embodiment in operating position; 
         FIG. 15A  illustrates a perspective view in unloading position; 
         FIG. 15B  illustrates a perspective view in draining position; 
         FIG. 16, 16A  illustrate the housing assembly with some features; 
         FIG. 16B, 16C  illustrate the housing with additional features; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates the support base and tilt mechanism; 
         FIG. 18  illustrates the device with user removable parts separately; 
         FIG. 19  illustrates the pot and its features; 
         FIG. 19A  illustrates the center of the pot when installed; 
         FIGS. 20, 20A and 20B  illustrate three views of the funnel ring and its features; 
         FIG. 21, 21A  illustrate the front lid and its features; 
         FIG. 21B  illustrates the front lid drain; 
         FIG. 21C  illustrates the top lid; 
         FIG. 22  illustrates the tumbler blade assembly and its features; 
         FIG. 23  illustrates the cam assembly; 
         FIG. 24  illustrates the control panel; 
         FIG. 25  illustrates the control logic; 
         FIG. 26  illustrates the sensor splash guard; 
         FIGS. 27-37A  illustrate a “personal embodiment”; 
         FIG. 27  illustrates perspective views of the exterior of the personal embodiment; 
         FIG. 28  illustrates user removable parts separately; 
         FIG. 29  illustrates the movement of the sensor arm; 
         FIG. 29A  illustrates separation from base; 
         FIG. 30  illustrates the base and its features; 
         FIG. 31  illustrates the pot and its features; 
         FIG. 32  illustrates additional orthographic views of the pot; 
         FIG. 33  illustrates part of the tumbler blade assembly; 
         FIG. 34  illustrates the position of the blade in the pot; 
         FIG. 35  illustrates the remainder of the tumbler bade assembly; 
         FIG. 35A  illustrates detail of the tumble blade assembly; 
         FIG. 35B  illustrates installation of the tumbler blade assembly; 
         FIG. 36  illustrates the clear top cover and its features; 
         FIG. 36A  illustrates fit of cover and tumbler blade assembly; 
         FIG. 36B  illustrates installation of the drain gate; 
         FIG. 37  illustrates the engagement of the drive mechanism; 
         FIG. 37A  illustrates an engagement of the drive mechanism; 
         FIG. 38 - FIG. 41  illustrate a first tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 38  illustrates a perspective view of the first tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 39  illustrates a front view of the first tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 40  illustrates a top view of the first tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 41  illustrates a side view of the first tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 42  illustrates a tumbling motion imparted to cooking pieces during heated tumbling by a tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 43 - FIG. 45  illustrate a second tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 43  illustrates a perspective view of the second tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 44  illustrates a side view of the second tumbler blade; and 
         FIG. 45  illustrates a top view of the second tumbler blade; 
         FIG. 46 - FIG. 48  illustrates a sequence of views of rotation of a second tumbler blade inside a cooking chamber; and 
         FIG. 49  illustrates a cooking method using an automated cooker. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method to address the shortcomings of previous and existing designs by incorporating novel and unique features allowing the invention to perform well for a wide variety of popular dishes and meal solutions. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. 
     Various modifications to the preferred embodiment and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein. 
     Definitions 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this general inventive concept belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
     As used herein, the term “or” is generally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated. 
     As used herein, the singular terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to an object can include multiple objects unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
     The use of the term “about” applies to all numeric values, whether or not explicitly indicated. This term generally refers to a range of numbers that one of ordinary skill in the art would consider as a reasonable amount of deviation to the recited numeric values (i.e., having the equivalent function or result). For example, this term can be construed as including a deviation of ±10 percent of the given numeric value provided such a deviation does not alter the end function or result of the value. Therefore, a value of about 1% can be construed to be a range from 0.9% to 1.1%. 
     As used herein, the term “set” refers to a collection of one or more objects. Thus, for example, a set of objects can include a single object or multiple objects. Objects of a set also can be referred to as members of the set. Objects of a set can be the same or different. In some instances, objects of a set can share one or more common properties. 
     As used herein, the term “adjacent” refers to being near or adjoining. Adjacent objects can be spaced apart from one another or can be in actual or direct contact with one another. In some instances, adjacent objects can be coupled to one another or can be formed integrally with one another. 
     As used herein, the terms “connect,” “connected,” and “connecting” refer to a direct attachment or link. Connected objects have no or no substantial intermediary object or set of objects, as the context indicates. 
     As used herein, the terms “couple,” “coupled,” and “coupling” refer to an operational connection or linking. Coupled objects can be directly connected to one another or can be indirectly connected to one another, such as via an intermediary set of objects. 
     As used herein, the terms “substantially” and “substantial” refer to a considerable degree or extent. When used in conjunction with an event or circumstance, the terms can refer to instances in which the event or circumstance occurs precisely as well as instances in which the event or circumstance occurs to a close approximation, such as accounting for typical tolerance levels or variability of the embodiments described herein. 
     As used herein, the terms “optional” and “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur and that the description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances in which it does not. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the exterior of the device and shows a base  105  on which the remainder of the device pivots on a horizontal axis at pivot point  135 . The housing assembly  1300  contains all parts that do not pivot or rotate about additional axes. The heat shroud  110  is the portion of the housing assembly  1300  that surrounds the pot&#39;s circumference and is lined on the inside by insulation and a thermally reflective surface. In the case where heating is supplied by induction, all housing assembly parts are made of magnetically insensitive materials. Support shafts  1305  are mounted through the apertures  1200  in the base  105 . Bearings are not likely needed because low friction coatings can be applied and because of the large diameter of apertures  1200  and support shafts  1305 . Inside the left side support arm  120  is a mechanism to lock rotation of the housing assembly  1300  except when the lock release button  130  is depressed. A number of well-known techniques to do this are known to those practiced in the art and are not described further here. The range of the rotation permitted by this mechanism is approximately that shown in  FIG. 1A . The back plate  1310  is made of high strength rigid material so the fixed spindle  200  retains position when the cantilevered weight of the pot  300  and parts  230 ,  235 ,  240 ,  320 ,  325 ,  330 ,  335  are attached to it as well the weight of any food load. An aperture  205  in back plate  1310  is positioned to allow the shaft from motor  140  to pass through to gear  220  which is attached fixed to the shaft of the motor  140 . The motor  140  is fastened to the backside of the back plate  1310 . Heating element  225  is contoured to pot  300  to make energy transfer to the pot  300  as efficient as possible. Heating element  225  is supported from underneath in a way appropriate for the method of heating employed. The housing extension  115  may be reshaped if needed in a way to accommodate electrical components required by the heating system, such as coils, fans and circuitry. Alternatively, both the housing extension  115  and heat shroud  110  could be modified to accommodate an open flame heat source. The heating element  225  is close to but does not touch the pot which is moving. 
       FIGS. 2 and 2A  illustrate how bearings  230  have their inner circumference fixed to stationary spindle  200  and their outer rotating circumferences fixed to the inside of sleeve  235  to which sleeve gear  240  is rigidly attached. Sleeve gear  240  engages motor gear  220  to rotate sleeve  235  and, when installed, pot  300  and any parts attached to it. A non-rotating accessory port  215  is a recession into which a non-rotating accessory such as squeegee  325  may be mounted. The accessory can be installed after pot  300  has been installed. Pot  300  has a coordinating center opening in its inset  315  through which the accessory may be mounted. Another example of such an accessory might be a large brush, shaped like a bottle brush, which would contact the inner circumference of the rotating pot  300  to help clean it. The accessory mount  315  can be extended through the rear of back plate  1310  to allow passage for electrical connections and cooling fluids for a sensor(s) to be mounted on an accessory. This would permit the use of a sealing lid in place of retainer ring  145  and allow additional cooking options. 
       FIGS. 3, 3A, 3B  illustrate pot  300  and its central inset  315  which is slid over the sleeve  235  in order to mount the pot for cooking. The pot is mounted with a force fit sufficient to prevent it from sliding off when its front is angled downward, yet still allowing easy removal of the pot  300  by pulling it forward off sleeve  235 . In the case of induction heating, the pot will be magnetically sensitive and can be held in place with magnets secured to the inner surface of back plate  1310 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the tapered portion  340  of the pot&#39;s circumference and the non-tapered portion  345 . The normal cooking attitude of the pot is illustrated with the bottom tapered portion of the pot positioned exactly horizontally. In this position the non-tapered portion  345  forms a barrier sufficient to retain a sufficient depth of cooking fluids  305  distributed evenly front to rear. This is critically important to cooking performance and maintaining hot surface cooling by those fluids over the entire heated area. Such cooling is essential to preserve any non-stick coatings applied to the pot. When the pot is tilted downward by angle  310  (about 6.5° in the illustration) or more the non-tapered portion  345  no longer presents a barrier so fluids will then drain from the pot  300 . The fluids can be captured, for example, in catch bowl  400  supported on catch bowl stand  410  which is customized to be removably secured in serving dish  405 . Angle  310  is also the amount the retainer ring  145  is tilted away from vertical, a benefit when dropping ingredients into the pot during operation as the tilt allows ingredients&#39; entry to be made less likely to get stuck by dropping them in at a steeper angle if not completely vertically. The heating element  225  does not extend forward of the tapered portion of the pot  300 . The untapered length of the circumference  345  receives little direct heat from the heating element  225 . This is because heating is not needed due on the untapped portion  345  due to the benefit described immediately below*. Lack of such forward heating also serves to keep the pot rim  301  cooler and therefore safer since it is not protected from being touched by the heat shroud  110 . *A final and important benefit of the tapered pot design is that the pot rotation causes ingredients dropped in at the front to be moved inward as they are lifted by the pot circumference and/or the tumbler blade assembly  320 . The pot may be made of any material traditionally used for pots and pans with magnetically sensitive material required for induction heating (usually carbon steel, cast iron or series  400  stainless). Because the pot is always rotating when heat is applied the need for heavy heat distributing layers is minimized. A thinner lighter pot will heat faster and absorb less energy, passing more heat to the contents and increasing performance and efficiency. 
       FIG. 3C  illustrates the attachments normally placed into the pot before cooking. Tumbler blade with hex mount assembly  320  uses a hexagonal base  321  which slides over and fits tightly onto hexagonal pot inset  315  resulting in a rigid position. The blade portion  323  uses a design which tumbles food particles effectively by using its wings to first scoop up the food from the front and rear of pot  300  as it rotates causing that food to pile on top of the food in the center so that it falls to the bottom as the blade rotates further. The food that was in the center ends up on the top of the pile and spreads out to the front and rear. In this way mixing occurs both top to bottom and inside to outside. The squeegee  325  is most likely to be used on pots not having a non-stick surface. It fits into accessory port  215  which is in non-rotating spindle  200 . When accessory port  215  is not used the orifice  326  can be sealed with a rubber stopper (not illustrated). Blades  323  are mounted via connector  322  and shaped so that they leave enough clearance between the blade  323  and the pot  300  inner circumference to pass over the squeegee  325  without contact. Additionally, this clearance helps some food and/or fluids to slide under the blades  323  to avoid any naked spot on the interior circumference of pot  300 . This reduces the likelihood of hot spots that may damage a non-stick coating. Retaining ring  145  has a groove in its outer circumference into which silicone O-ring  330  can be installed. This prevents the escape of fluids at cooking attitudes of pot  300 . Retaining ring  145  is installed by first sliding the two fixed clasps  350  over the lip  301  of pot  300  and then fitting adjustable clasp  335  under the rim and tightening it. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the device in the unloading position with the swing arm assembly  150  open, the retainer ring  145  detached and with all parts tilted downward on the base  105 . The swing arm assembly pivots around axis  160  and is fastened to swing arm support  227 . A number of well-known techniques to do this are known to those practiced in the art and are not described further here. Provision will be made for electrical connections needed to pass through the swing arm assembly  150  through the swing arm support  227  and to the housing extension  115  where additional electronics are located. The swing arm assembly includes the control panel  165 , accessory mounts  170 , sensor assembly  415  and any mounted accessories such as ingredient bin  155 . Electrical connections internal to the swing arm assembly  150  include those to accessory ports  170  and an internal detector that determines when the swing arm assembly  150  is fully closed with its far end fully inserted into receptacle  210 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the ingredient bin accessory  155  showing it in both pre dispense and post dispense configurations. Bin accessory  155  has hinge pin  505  located at its lower back edge which allows drop door  500  to pivot to release contents. Pie shaped extensions on the sides of bin accessory  155  prevent contents from spilling out to the sides. Door release pin  510  uses a solenoid to retract a pin allowing door  500  to drop open when given an electrical signal from the control panel  165 . The ingredient bin  155  is constructed so that it can hold fluids without leaking using appropriate materials including extra seals where necessary. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an alternate accessory installed in accessory ports  170 . Loading funnel  600  was installed after ingredient bin  155  supports  515  were lifted from the accessory ports and funnel  600  equivalent parts inserted therein. A range of optional accessories could be installed via accessory ports  170 . For example, a mini-blender with the ability to mix ingredients and instantly drop them into pot  300  could be useful for including sauces into the cooking procedure. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the control panel  165 . Pushing the “Control On” button  700  activates display readouts  730 , 735 ,  740 , 750 ,  755  causing them to display their default values. “Temperature now”  745  indicates the current sensor reading. The user can then change these values by pushing the appropriate “+” or “−” buttons  725  to change the “heat up to” temperature ( 730 ), “Stay Hot” time  735 , or “Keep warm” temperature. The “Set speed” button  715  and/or the “Add bin” button  720  can be pushed to rotate to the desired selections indicated by LED indicators  750 ,  755 . After making desired selections, if any, the user can push the start button and cooking commences. This configuration does not allow heating to occur without rotation. This helps protect pots with non-stick coating from damaging hot spots. The “Temperature now” reading does not reflect the actual sensor readings which typically occur every fraction of a second. Instead the readings are accumulated and passed through an algorithm with the goal of displaying the most accurate food temperature. For example, when the tumbler blade scoops up food to expose momentarily a naked area of the cooking surface a spuriously high temperature (that of the cooking surface, not the food) will be generated. The algorithm will remove the influence of these spurious readings and display a more accurate temperature and hold it on the display long enough for the user to be able to read it. This may cause a slight delay in the displayed readings. 
       FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11  illustrate how the embedded logic works. This logic accommodates a common situation that might otherwise cause problems. Suppose a user enters a “Heat up to” temperature of 225° F. Then suppose high water content and extended boiling off of water prevents that temperature from being achieved for a very long time resulting in overcooked food. The logic operates a concealed counter that recognizes that food at a temperature of 170° F. or more is rapidly cooking. It allows heating to continue no longer (in the illustration,  FIG. 10 ) than 30 minutes. Both the 170° F. and 30 minute values are arbitrary and the actual values would be determined after experimentation with a production prototype. 
       FIG. 12  illustrates the base  105  alone so the apertures  1200  may be illustrated. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates the housing assembly separately to better illustrate shafts  1305 . 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a cutaway showing the position pot, heat shroud, and heating element. 
       FIG. 15  and all figures through  FIG. 26  refer to a second major embodiment of the invention called the “compact” version. This version&#39;s cooking method is the same, but it has major physical feature differences. They include: 
     1. The pot does not rotate: only the blade rotates. The tumbling of the contents behaves nearly identically because the non-stick coating is so slippery. 
     2. The housing assembly and pot do not tilt up: tilt variation is limited to a 10 degree front down (accomplished by raising the rear of the housing) for draining and unloading. 
     3. Loading ingredients is accomplished through an opening in the top of the non-rotating pot rather than tilting the pot up and loading through the front. 
     4. The front lid is sealed by gaskets so a higher level of liquid contents can be loaded, rather than using a tapered design using a front lip to retain a small level of fluids, or requiring the user to install a perimeter gasket which would eliminate he ability to drain off unwanted liquids. Instead, the new lid, which does not rotate, has an openable drain at bottom center. 
     5. A unique funneled clamshell front lid allows controlled unloading of liquid loads. It operates by moving a handle attached to a cam on either side of the housing. The controls are mounted on the handle. 
     6. The IR sensor looks through an opening in the side of the pot rather than through the front. 
     These features are detailed in the figures and following description. 
       FIG. 15  shows the device in normal cooking position with the front lid  1501  secured by the cam handle assembly  1502  which includes the control panel  1503 . More detailed descriptions follow below. 
       FIG. 15A  shows the device with the front lid  1501  with its lower edge pivoted out 15 degrees relative to the top edge by action of the upward pivoted cam assembly  1502  about pivot point  1508  so any liquids will drop controllably into a receptacle below after which the front lid  1501  can be removed to unload any remainder. 
       FIG. 15B  shows the rear of the housing  1504  pivoted upward about pivot point and base mounting stubs  1509  to provide a front downward tilt so the lid drain  1505  (detailed below) can be used. Or the lid  1501  can be opened and removed in this position for easy unloading. A tilt lever  1506  is shown here in its rearward position which rotates cam lobe  1507  so that it raises the rear of the housing  1504 . 
       FIGS. 16 and 16A  show from two perspectives the naked housing assembly with internal support structures  1601  for components, a sensor mounting indentation  1602 , guide stop stubs  1603 , and cam assembly ( 1503 ) mounting holes and pivot points  1604 . Top lid  1605  fits through the opening in top of housing  1504  and rests on the mounted cooking vessel (detailed below). 
       FIGS. 16B and 16C  show from two perspectives drive mechanism components including the motor  1606 , transfer gear  1607 , main drive gear  1608 , support bearings  1609 , blade drive shaft  1610 , and heating element  1611 . Note pot alignment hole  1612 . 
       FIG. 17  shows the base tilt lever  1506 , here shown in its forward/normal attitude position as opposed to the position in  FIG. 15B , the cam lobe  1507  also in its normal attitude position, associated camshaft  1701 , housing tilt guide slots  1702 , carrying handles  1703 , and housing stub ( 1509 ) mounting holes  1704 . 
       FIG. 18  shows parts that will be assembled into the housing for use. These include the top lid  1605  (partially obscured). main cooking pot  1801 , tumbler blade assembly  1802 , funnel ring  1803 , front lid  1501 , and gasket rings  1805  (forward) and  1804  (rear) that insert into slots in the funnel ring  1803 . 
       FIG. 19  shows the pot  1801  and its features. This is a perspective illustration—the pot is not tapered. The funnel ring tab slot  1901  is an opening into which a tab on the funnel ring  1803  is inserted during assembly for operation. The top lid opening  1902  is at the top and the tab slot  1901  is at the bottom when the pot is mounted and in position for operation. The sensor looks through sensor window  1903  and alignment stud  1904  restricts the pot from being inserted into housing unless it is positioned to fit through alignment hole  1612 . Note tall pot lip  1905  and the wide gasket shelf  1906  that comprise the front circumference of the pot. Drive shaft sleeve  1907  allows pass through for the rotating tumbler blade assembly  1802  and the blade drive shaft  1610 . 
       FIG. 19A  shows the position of the blade drive shaft  1610  and drive shaft sleeve  1907  when the pot is installed for operation. 
       FIGS. 20, 20A, and 20B  show alternate views of the funnel ring  1803 . Funnel ring tab  2001  is used to mount the funnel ring  1803  to the pot  1801  by inserting it through the funnel ring tab slot  1901 . Then flex tabs  2002  are fastened over the tall pot lip  1905  to secure the funnel ring  1803  to the pot  1801 . Front lid attachment hinge  2003  will be used to restrain the top of front lid  1501  when it is attached to funnel ring  1803 . Gasket grooves  2004  and  2005  allow for insertion of ring gaskets which accomplish a seal between the pot  1801  and the funnel ring  1803  and the front lid  1501 . Drip lip  2006  directs fluid flow downward when liquids contents are released from pot  1801  as the bottom of front lid  1501  is pivoted outward from the front lid attachment hinge  2003 . Funnel wings  2007  contain liquid contents to the center during release from opening front lid  1501 . 
       FIGS. 21 and 21A  show the front lid features including the front lid hinge tab  2100  which engages the front lid attachment hinge  2003  to secure the top of the lid  1501  to the funnel ring  1803  which during use is secured to pot  1801 . The cam engagement stems  2101  are forced inward to tighten the lid  1501  when cam assembly  1503  is lowered to the panel down position ( FIG. 15 ). Conversely when the cam assembly  1503  is raised ( FIG. 15A ), the cam engagement stems are forced outward causing the lid  1501  to pivot about the front lid attachment hinge  2003  and open a gap between the bottom of the lid  1501  and the fuel ring  1803  allowing contents, if liquid, to flow downward contained by the funnel wings  2007  and the drip lip  2006 . At the full up position of cam assembly  1503  no longer constrains stems  2101  from further forward movement allowing the lid  1501  to be further pivoted outward around hinge  2003  until tab  2100  can be pulled free from hinge  2003  and the lid  1501  is detached for removal. 
       FIG. 21B  shows how drain  2102  opens by pivoting at the fulcrum  2104  between its handle  2105  and its body exposing drain hole  2107 . A small spout  2108  carries fluids out far enough that the fluids can fall clear of all other parts. 
       FIG. 21C  shows the top lid  1605  with its vent in open and closed positions. 
       FIG. 22  show the tumbler blade assembly  1802  from several angles: it is a complex shape. The curved blade  2200  is shaped so that as it rotates inside the pot, the center section gathers the central ingredients, then the outsides gather ingredients from the front and rear forcing them atop the central ingredients. With further rotation, the formerly outside ingredients tumble out of the cupped area of the blade first onto the central part of the heated surface. The formerly centered ingredients then fall on top of the pile of just fallen ingredients and fall down the sides of the pile to the outsides. In this way ingredients are mixed not only top to bottom but inside to outside and this results in superior temperature equalization and blending of flavors. The front blade mount  2201  fits through the center hole  2103  which hold its rotational axis in alignment. The rear blade mount  2202  has a trapezoidal inset  2203  so it can slide onto blade drive shaft  1610  by the user during assembly for use. 
       FIG. 23  shows the cam assembly  1503  with its pivot point being at the center of hole  2300 . Stem channel  2301  guides the front lid stems  2101  towards or away from the pivot point as the cam is rotated up or down. Since the top of lid  1501  is constrained by hinge  2003 , raising the panel on the cam assembly  1503  opens a gap at the bottom of lid  1501  and funnel ring  1803  which allows liquid contents to exit into a receptacle below. 
       FIG. 24  shows the control panel touch controls. These controls are activated when the cam assembly  1503  is rotated downward into operating position. At that point initial value for TARGET TEMP readout  2400  is set at 165 F and MAINTAIN TARGET readout  2401  time is set at 000 minutes. The TEMP NOW readout  2402  reads the actual sensor reading and all six selector buttons  2403 ,  2404 ,  2405 ,  2408 ,  2409 ,  2410  are set to off and their LED indicators are not lit. The user may then make value adjustments using adjusters  2406  and  2407 . Any of the six buttons may also be pushed. Pushing the two rightmost buttons for HEAT OFF  2405  and tumble off  2410  will toggle them on and off, but both may not be set to off simultaneously. If the user turns one off and the other is already off, the other will turn back on. When the user has finished any selections, he/she may push START button  2403  to begin an operating session. 
       FIG. 25  shows the control logic sequence once the START button  2403  has been pushed and operation has begun. Note that user adjustments are disabled. To make changes, the user must push THE PAUSE/CANCEL button  2408  once to re-enable the controls. Heat and/or tumbling action will stop. After changes, pushing START  2403  will reactivate operation. 
       FIG. 26  shows the sensor inset  1602  and the position of sensor  2601  and how the sensor splash guard  2600  is removed foe cleaning, if necessary. Splash guard  2600  is moved from in front of the sensor to the right where it can be pulled free and removed. 
       FIG. 27  through  FIG. 37A  refer to a third major embodiment of the invention called the “personal” version. This version&#39;s cooking method is the same, but it has major physical feature differences. They include: 
     1. The pot has an attached handle and sits freely on a base containing the heat source. 
     2. There is no mechanism to tilt the pot. 
     3. Ingredients exit the pot through the side perimeter, not the front. 
     4. The pot is not enclosed in a housing. 
       FIG. 27  shows two overviews of the complete device. The major parts are base assembly  2700 , pot  2701 , sensor arm  2702 , control panel  2703 , motor  2704 , tumbler blade caddy  2705 , clear cover  2706 , and sensor arm  2702  mounting pivot  2707 . 
       FIG. 28  shows the various parts taken apart as the user would do for cleaning. The base assembly  2700  does not detach from the sensor arm  2702 , motor  2704  and control panel  2703 . Drain gate  2800  removes from clear cover  2706 . Tumbler blade caddy  2705  removes from pot  2701 . 
       FIG. 29  illustrates how sensor arm  2702  rotates out about sensor arm mounting pivot  2707  to allow motor  2704  and sensor arm to clear both pot  2701  and clear cover  2706  so they can be removed by the user.  FIG. 29A  shows the pot  2701  and the parts attached to it during use moved free and clear from base  2700  and all parts attached to it. 
       FIG. 30  illustrates the base assembly  2700  and the attached, hinged sensor arm  2702  and their important parts. Sensor arm  2702  is hinged at hinge point  2707  and can travel a range from being upright to a 5 degree recline (shown). Heat source  3003  is located under where the pot  2701  sits and has a shape conforming to the pot  2701  bottom. A spring loaded contact thermostat  3004  is located at the center of the heat source  3003 . Pot cradle  3005  is contoured to match the underside of pot  2701 . Sensor  3001  is located near the top of arm  2702 . Cover retainer  3000  fits snugly over cover  2706  when in place and when swing arm  2702  is in upright closed position. This reminds the user not to try to remove the pot  2701  when the drive collar  3002  on motor  2704  is engaged. When arm  2702  is in reclining (open) position retainer  3000  will be clear of cover  2706  allowing the user to remove it along with pot  2701  upon which it sits. 
       FIG. 31  shows the features of pot  2701 . Tumbler blade caddy slots  3100  permit insertion of the tumbler blade caddy assembly  2705 . Exit spout  3102  allows the user to remove cooked ingredients by tilting the pot  2701  front downward holding the pot by gripping handle  3101 . 
       FIG. 32  shows orthographic views of the pot  2701 : l to r: front, bottom, side, back, top. 
       FIG. 33  shows some parts of the tumbler blade assembly  2705  including the tumbler blade  3300 , user blade position adjust knob  3301 , connecting arms  3302 , connecting shafts  3304 , and drive hub  3303  over which drive collar  3002  fits when sensor arm  2702  is closed (brought to upright position). 
     In the “personal” embodiment the control panel  2703  and the control logic are identical to that of the “compact” embodiment. That control panel and logic are shown in  FIGS. 24 &amp; 25 . 
       FIG. 34  shows only the blade  3300  in its position as seen through the outline of pot  2701 . As the blade rotates (counterclockwise from this view) note that its sides gather together the outlying ingredients so they will be forced on top of the central ingredients in the central cupped area of the blade. This will cause the ingredients from the outsides to fall first into a pile at the bottom center of the pot followed by the central ingredients which will fall down the sides of the pile to the outsides. This achieves a substantial degree of inside to outside mixing which results in superior temperature equalization. 
       FIG. 35  shows the caddy  3501 , also a part of tumbler blade caddy assembly  2705 . Handle  3500  provides the user with a way to grip the assembly for installation and removal into/from tumbler blade caddy slots  3100 . 
       FIG. 35A  shows groove  3502  which fits tightly into slots  3100  for a secure fit. 
       FIG. 35B  shows the direction of insertion of the complete tumbler blade assembly  2705  into pot  2701 . 
       FIG. 36  shows the cover  2706  which is made of a clear material. Sensor look through hole  3600  allows the sensor when in position to look through to and measure temperature of the contents. Indents  3602  are shaped to fit into the grooves  3502  at the top of caddy  3501  and serve to hold cover  2706  in place. Drain gate slots  3601  allow for the drain gate  2800  to be installed and secured after it slides down into place vertically. 
       FIG. 36A  shows detail of how cover  2706  fits into grooves  3502 . 
       FIG. 36B  shows drain gate  2800  installed in cover  2706 . Drain holes  3603  allow liquids to exit through the drain gate  2800 . 
       FIGS. 37 and 37A  show the coupling of the drive hub  3303  which is part of the tumbler blade assembly  2705 , with drive collar  3002  when sensor arm  2702  is closed (moved from its reclined to its upright position). 
     Embodiments of the invention may be appropriate for cooking a large selection of foods but may be best for cooking foods/ingredients of certain characteristics. First, to take advantage of the method food ingredients should be no larger than bite size—what one can put on one fork and eat gracefully. This assures that all particles will tumble freely so that heat transference will maximize temperature uniformity. There is a wide variety of fresh and frozen foods available pre-cut to bite size, and fresh whole foods can be and should be prepped similarly for use in this invention. If food particles are larger, and they should not be much larger, all food particles should be of uniform size to avoid the overcooking of the smaller pieces. 
     In most instances of cooking non-liquid foods the invention will perform best when cooking oil is used. Oil is a vehicle for both heat transfer and flavor. Oil plays an essential role in increasing the transfer of heat from the cooking surface to the food resulting in faster cooking and reducing the risk of damage from hot spots. 
     With the partially tapered embodiment, to load food into the machine, the user first grasps the grip handle  125 , presses the lock release button  130  and tilts the entire pivoting assembly back to the leftmost position illustrated in  FIG. 1A . Then the tumbler blade assembly  320  can be installed by placing it over the pot inset  315 . The squeegee  325  may then also be installed, if desired, into accessory port  215 . Food (including oil and flavorings) may then be placed into the pot  300  or the retainer ring  145  may be first installed if the inside circumference of the retainer ring  145  provides a sufficient opening for loading the food being cooked. The grip handle  125  and lock release button  130  are then re-engaged to bring the pot  300  to its normal cooking position where the bottom of the tapered section  340  is level front to back as illustrated in the center position of  FIG. 1A . If the user does not wish to use the ingredient bin  155  the user is now ready to start the cooking process by engaging the Control On button  700 , changing control panel settings, if any, and engaging the Start button  710 . Unless the food being cooked will need to have fluid drained during cooking the rest of the cooking process is automatic. The pot  300  continues to rotate, the temperature of the food is heated to the designated temperature, kept hot for the designated time, and allowed to cool to the designated keep warm temperature and maintained there for up to two hours or until served. To unload the food the user can push the Pause button  705  twice to turn off heat and rotation. Then the user tilts the mechanism back up to the original loading attitude to remove the retainer ring  145 . A container or dish can then be placed as illustrated in  FIG. 4  under the pot  300  and the mechanism is again tilted downward to the rightmost position shown in  FIG. 1A  for unloading. After unloading the pot  300  can be allowed to cool and be tilted up again to remove the installed parts. Once cooled the pot  300  may be grasped under the pot rim  301  and pulled from the assembly for cleaning. The pot  300  should not be installed or removed except when empty. 
     To cook liquid foods the procedure is the same except that the O-ring edge seal  330  is installed around the perimeter of retainer ring  145  before it is attached to the pot  300 . If the volume of liquid contents is so great that it would spill over the inner circumference of retainer ring  145  the pot  300  can be tilted further back to the position illustrated second from left in  FIG. 1A . 
     To drain fluids during cooking when the retainer ring  145  is not installed, the user should hit the Pause button  705  and tilt the pot down to the position illustrated second from right in  FIG. 1A . Then the pot  300  can be returned to cooking position and cooking will resume after the Start button  710  is pushed. 
     To use the ingredient bin  155  the user must install it by placing the ingredient bin supports  515  into swing arm accessory ports  170  after other food has been loaded and retainer ring  145  has been attached. The add bin selection  755  may be made by pushing the Add Bin button  720  until the desired selection&#39;s accompanying LED indicator is lit. This should be done after the Control On button  700  is pushed and before the Start button  710  is pushed. 
     With the compact embodiment, the user should assemble parts as shown in  FIG. 15 . First insert the pot  1801  into the housing. Align stud  1904  with alignment hole  1612  to allow the pot  1801  to be fully inserted. Make sure gaskets  1805  and  1804  have been installed into grooves  2004  and  2005  in the funnel ring  1803 . Then install funnel ring  1803  by inserting its tab  2001  through pot tab slot  1901 , then fitting the funnel ring  1803  against gasket shelf  1906  making sure flex tabs  2002  have snapped over pot rim  1905 . With the pot  1801  and funnel ring  1803  installed the tumbler blade assembly  1802  can be installed by fitting front blade mount  2201  through the center hole  2103  in front lid  1501  as it is installed by inserting lid tab  2100  into funnel ring hinge  2003 . Lowering the cam assembly  1502  will cause the front lid to rotate closed. If need be, guide front blade mount  2201  by lifting off top lid  1605  and reaching through the top opening of pot  1801  so that it fits through the front lid center hole  2103  as the cam assembly  1502  is lowered. Now ingredients may be added through the top opening in pot  1801 . Before adding liquid ingredients drain  2102  should be closed. 
     Default settings appear on control panel  1503 , activated by lowering cam assembly  1502 . If no changes are desired, pressing START button  2403  will begin the cooking process. The user may drain fluids from the pot  1801  by pressing PAUSE button  2408 , opening drain  2102 , and pushing back on tilt lever  1506 . To unload ingredients, slowly raise cam assembly  1502  so that no liquids spill beyond funnel ring wings  2007 . 
     Reverse the process to disassemble for cleaning. 
     With the personal embodiment, make sure tumbler blade assembly  2705  is inserted into pot  2701  as shown in  FIG. 35B . Place pot  2701  on base  2700  after first making sure that sensor arm  2702  is in its open position as shown in  FIG. 29  right. Ingredients may now be added into the pot  2701 . If the blade of the tumbler blade assembly  2705  is in the way, grasp blade position adjust knob  3301  and rotate the blade to the desired position. Then install cover  2706  by fitting indents  3602  snugly over the top outsides of caddy  3501 . Close sensor arm  2702  by pulling the top of it towards pot  2701 . If there is resistance preventing a full closing, grasp blade position adjustment knob  3301  and rotate it back and forth until drive hub  3303  engages drive collar  3002  and the mechanism closes fully. This will activate the control panel which works the same as in the compact embodiment. 
     To drain fluids, install drain gate  2800  into slots at the end of cover  2706 . Press PAUSE button  2408  and tilt sensor arm back to its reclining position. Then lift pot  2701  using handle  3101  and tilt the opposite end downward so liquids will flow out of drain holes  3603 . To unload ingredients, remove drain gate  2800  and again lower the end of pot  2701  opposite handle  3101  and allow ingredients to exit. 
       FIG. 38 - FIG. 41  illustrate a first tumbler blade  3800 , such as used may be used in one of the embodiments disclosed herein.  FIG. 38  illustrates a perspective view of first tumbler blade  3800 ,  FIG. 39  illustrates a front view of first tumbler blade  3800 ,  FIG. 40  illustrates a top view of first tumbler blade  3800 , and  FIG. 41  illustrates a side view of first tumbler blade  3800 . First tumbler blade  3800  includes a central first planar portion and a second portion having a pair of angled wings that gather ingredients during relative motion between blade  3800  and an interior wall surface of a cooking chamber. Relative motion results from one or both of the blade and interior wall surface moving. Blade  3800  includes a curved surface which fits against the inside surface of the pot&#39;s perimeter. The pivot point about which the blade rotates is the center of the circle formed by the blade arc (when viewed along the axis of rotation) that fits against the pot. Blade  3800  includes a “V” cutout that has an effect of lowering a tumble barrier height—it&#39;s particular shape is not relevant to the tumbling/mixing process. 
       FIG. 42  illustrates a tumbling motion  4200  imparted to cooking food pieces during heated tumbling by a tumbler blade, such as, for example first tumbler blade  3800  or second tumbler blade  4300 . Food pieces tumble in a direction of relative motion of the tumbler blade and in an orthogonal direction. 
       FIG. 43 - FIG. 45  illustrate a second tumbler blade  4300 , such as used may be used in one of the embodiments disclosed herein.  FIG. 43  illustrates a perspective view of second tumbler blade  4300 ,  FIG. 44  illustrates a side view of second tumbler blade  4300  and  FIG. 45  illustrates a top view of second tumbler blade  4300 . Second tumbler blade  4300  includes a central first portion and a second continuous curve portion that gather ingredients during relative motion between blade  4300  and an interior wall surface of a cooking chamber. Relative motion results from one or both of the blade and interior wall surface moving. Blade  4300  includes a curved surface which fits against the inside surface of the pot&#39;s perimeter. The pivot point about which the blade rotates is the center of the circle formed by the blade arc (when viewed along the axis of rotation) that fits against the pot.  FIG. 44  illustrates an “X” that may represent a pivot point in some implementations. Blade  4300  does not include a “V” cutout to lowering a tumble barrier height. 
       FIG. 46 - FIG. 48  illustrates a sequence of views of rotation of a second tumbler blade inside a cooking chamber  4600 ; each figure depicting a rotating tumbler blade (e.g., second tumbler blade  4300 ) at a different point of rotation. The tumbler blade rotates continuously and smoothly relative to the cooking volume and cooking surface, imparting the two degree tumbling motion to bite-sized food pieces during rotation. 
       FIG. 49  illustrates a cooking method  4900  using an automated cooker. Method  4900  may be implemented by a number of pieces of equipment, such as for example one or more of the embodiments described herein and/or illustrated in  FIG. 1 - FIG. 48 . Method  4900  includes a plurality of steps, such as step  4905 -step  4935 . Method  4900  begins with step  4905  and initializes the cooker. This initialization may include preparation of the device, establishing variables, among other initialization task. Step  4905  includes procedures and functions that are required to occur before cooking starts—as identified in Step  4910 -Step  4935 . 
     After initialization, method  4900  performs step  4910  in which bite-sized food pieces are added into a cooking volume. The cooking volume is defined by an interior wall that includes a portion that is able to be heated and which is preferably an arced portion supporting the food pieces (though other portions may be heated). The tumbler blade includes a curved surface complementary to this arc and allows the tumbler blade to move in a circle and include this arced portion, preferably heated, to scoop and tumble the food pieces as described herein. 
     After step  4910 , method  4900  includes step  4915  which heats the food pieces within the cooking volume. Step  4915  includes elevating a temperature of the arced interior wall portion. The heating of the food pieces by the interior wall may be direct or indirect including a direct contact with the wall surface or contact with a cooking liquid (e.g., an oil) that is in contact with the heated interior wall. 
     After step  4915 , method  4900  includes step  4920  to  40  tumble the food pieces while they are being heated. The tumbling occurs in response to relative motion between a tumbler blade and the interior wall (e.g., rotation of the blade with the wall fixed or rotation of the wall with the blade fixed, or a combination of both moving). Step  4920  occurs  45  while the food pieces are being heated. Step  4920  imparts the two-degree tumbling motion to the cooking food pieces as they are gathered from the heated arced portion of the interior wall. This tumbling motion helps to evenly cook the food pieces and remove any hot spots/cold spots on the  50  cooking portion. This even cooking of bite-sized food pieces helps to make the cooking process predictable and manageable by automated cooking. 
     After step  4920 , method  4900  includes step  4925  that monitors the surface temperature of the bite-sized food pieces that are being evenly cooked while tumbled, such as, for example, using an exterior non-contact thermal probe. The thermal probe accesses the food pieces inside the cooking volume through a port. After step  4925 , method  4900  includes step  4930  to test  60  for “doneness” by inferring an internal temperature from the exterior surface temperature. The configuration of the size of the food pieces, tumbling motion, and heating allows a controller to estimate when the food is cooked to the desired interior temperature based upon the exterior temperature.  65  The even tumbled heating of the bite-sized food pieces allows the use of the surface temperature to accurately estimate the interior temperature. When the test at step  4930  is FALSE (e.g., the internal temperature does not have the desired relationship to the bulk exterior temperature), method  4900  branches back to step  4915  to continue heating and tumbling as specified in step  4915 -step  4925 . At some point, the test at step  4930  will be TRUE and method  4900  will advance to step  4935  to terminate the cooking method. Step  4935  may include warming, powering down, post-cooking processing and other procedures before concluding method  4900 . 
     Fresh non-liquid foods fall into three categories for purposes of being cooked in the invention. Soft vegetables and meats (excluding some seafood) are one category. These can be properly cooked, even when mixed together, by raising them gradually to a temperature of around 170° F. No extended cooking time (“Stay Hot” time  735 ) is required unless the vegetables are desired to cooked to increased softness but any accompanying meats will likely be overcooked. A second category includes dense vegetables such as root vegetables and some squashes. To reach doneness these foods need to absorb more energy—either by being raised to a higher temperature or being maintained at lower cooking temperatures for an extended period. Finally, there are foods which slowly hydrate in a heated state such as dried beans. The invention can accommodate the cooking requirements of all these groups. The first group requires the food to be raised to a given temperature to reach doneness. After reaching that temperature the invention needs only to keep the food warm for serving. The default settings usually suffice for these cooking tasks. For the second group some “Stay hot” time will be required and can be set using the buttons  725  corresponding to display  735 . For foods in the third category the cooking time can be extended, if needed, beyond the normal 30 minute “Stay Hot” time limit  735  by setting the Keep Warm temperature  740  to a high enough setting to continue the cooking process. 
     The parameter range for values entered on the control panel  165  will vary for different embodiments of the invention and the purposes for which they are intended. For the home consumer using an induction based embodiment limited to 1200 to 1800 watts, for example, the maximum “heat to” temperature  730  may be around 225° F. and the maximum “keep warm” temperature  740  might be set at a simmering temperature of 185° F. Some cooking tasks such as browning or braising at higher temperatures may require a more robust embodiment. 
     The operation is the same for frozen foods as for fresh foods. They just take longer. Popular “skillet dinners” which combine a selection of frozen ingredients (example: 3 lb. 10 oz. “Grilled Seasoned White Chicken and Pasta with Broccoli Florets, Carrots and Corn in a Garlic Sauce” requiring only the addition of water) can be loaded and ready to eat using the default settings (with the O-ring  330  installed) in slightly more time than preparation in a skillet would require and less time than that needed for preparation using a microwave. In addition, all the extensive manual handling and timing tasks required by each of these methods would be eliminated. 
     An alternative embodiment of the system would employ the same pot but without the inset. Support, torque and traction to rotate the pot would be supplied by rollers located to the right and left front as well as the right and left rear. All rollers would be located above but not far from the heating element boundaries. Only the front or rear rollers would be driven because of the different front and rear rotation rates needed by the tapering pot. Special attention would be taken to assure traction, such as teeth on the rollers engaging teeth etched into the pot where the rollers make contact. The pot would be restrained from falling forward (when tilted down) by magnets but the attraction would be set so the pot would still be removable. Tumbler blades would be clipped over the inner circumference of the retaining ring. The squeegee option would not be possible. The swing arm assembly would remain the same. The advantage would be that the pot would have a flat bottom and could be used, possibly with magnetically attaching handles, on other cooktop surfaces. 
     In addition to the “roller based” design illustrated and described herein, there is another likely embodiment in which the pot would have the same shape but would not rotate, for example, implementations of the compact and personal embodiments may not rotate the pot. Instead, only the tumbler blades would rotate. This could be more energy efficient but may be rougher on the food particles, especially without a non-stick coating, possibly resulting in more food particle deformation/separation. 
     The system and methods above has been described in general terms as an aid to understanding details of preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. Some features and benefits of the present invention are realized in such modes and are not required in every case. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention. 
     Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. 
     Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear. 
     The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely by the appended claims.