Patent Description:
The existing low-temperature cooking machines usually employ two products or have two separate products at the same time: a thermostat water bath (the temperature is usually set between <NUM> and <NUM>) and a vacuum plastic package machine. The vacuum low-temperature cooking method is to pack the food densely by vacuum pumping or using a preservative film first, and then put the food into a stirring thermostat water bath and cook the food at about <NUM> low temperature; in addition, the cooking temperature and duration may be different for different foods. The method can preserve the original taste of the food, the fragrance of the spices and the primary color of the food to the greatest extent; besides, the cooking method is healthier, and is favored by more and more consumers.

A low-temperature cooking machine according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is known from <CIT> B. The apparatus comprises a dual-chamber container that includes an inner bag enclosed within an outer bag. The inner bag may include a zip lock for sealing the bag. A fluid inlet port is in fluid communication with a chamber inside the outer bag but not with the chamber inside the inner bag. A fluid outlet port is also in fluid communication with the chamber inside the outer bag and not with the chamber inside the inner bag. A vacuum port penetrates the outer bag and is in fluid communication with the inner bag. The vacuum port is not in fluid communication with the space surrounding the inner bag within the outer bag. The inner bag can be opened to access the chamber inside the inner bag, for example to place or retrieve a food item. A heating element electrically connected to an electrical connector may optionally be included in the dual camber food container. The temperature of the liquid circulating through the outer bag is controlled by control unit. The heat transfer liquid may include water. In another embodiment (Fig. <NUM> and <NUM>), a container with a pocket for holding a removable food container is provided. The exterior container may optionally be fabricated from a flexible heat insulating material as for example silicone rubber. The exterior container optionally includes a liquid outflow port and a fluid inlet port for establishing fluid communication with a space for holding heat transfer liquid between the pocket and the exterior walls of the container. The pocket may optionally be fabricated from a flexible material that conforms to the outside surfaces of the food container under the influence of pressure exerted by the heat transfer liquid.

<CIT> relates to a cooking appliance and method for controlling pressure, temperature and flavoring of food items during a cooking process. The sous-vide appliance includes a lid and a base member. A food item is placed in a plastic bag and set on resilient heating pad. A deformable membrane of the lid is inflated, flattening the plastic bag and the food item, and evacuating the air from inside the bag. The heat-sealing bar is activated to seal the bag at its opening in an airless, vacuum-like condition. The bag is then sealed by heat-sealing bars. The flexible membrane comes into contact with the heating pad of the base member, when the lid is closed over the base member. The lid is movably retained to the base member by a hinge. The lid contains a mini air compressor and an electronically-controlled precision mini air pressure regulator for controlling the degree of inflation of the membrane and the pressure to be applied to the food item being cooked. The inflatable membrane is made of concentric ridges extending from the outside surface of the flexible skin-like material. The flexible membrane is made of a washable, heat-resistant, food-grade silicon or latex material for example. It is also said the base member may have a similar inflatable bladder mounted therein facing the membrane.

The object of the present invention is to provide a low-temperature cooking machine that can be operated more simply and has a higher level of product integration.

To attain the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a low-temperature cooking machine according to claim <NUM>.

The low-temperature cooking machine comprises a food cooking cavity for receiving the food, and the flexible heating unit at least partially surrounds the food cooking cavity.

The flexible heating unit is a liquid heating bag connected with a water heater.

The low-temperature cooking machine comprises an upper cover pivotally mounted on the base, the upper flexible heating unit is arranged in an upper cover cavity of the upper cover, and the upper cover cavity is divided by the upper flexible heating unit into an upper medium storage area and an upper food cooking cavity; the base cavity is divided by the lower flexible heating unit into a lower food cooking cavity and a lower medium storage area;
wherein the lower food cooking cavity, the lower flexible heating unit and the lower medium storage area are sequentially arranged in a separate manner from top to bottom in the base cavity; the upper medium storage area, the upper flexible heating unit and the upper food cooking cavity are sequentially arranged in a separate manner from top to bottom in the upper cover cavity.

In some embodiments, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a base and an upper cover pivotally mounted on the base, wherein the flexible heating unit is arranged in a base cavity of the base, and the food cooking cavity is formed in the base cavity;
wherein the food can be put into the food cooking cavity when the upper cover is pivotally opened, and the upper cover encloses the food cooking cavity when the upper cover is pivotally closed.

In some embodiments, the flexible heating unit is arranged on the inner side of the upper cover. In some embodiments, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a flexible medium storage unit connected with a medium pipe, wherein the pump is a pressure booster pump for pumping a pressurized medium toward the flexible medium storage unit through the medium pipe, and the flexible heating unit is pushed by the boosted pressure of the flexible medium storage unit to closely contact with and heat the food.

In some embodiments, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a base, wherein the flexible heating unit, the flexible medium storage unit and the food cooking cavity for receiving the food are arranged in a base cavity of the base, the flexible heating unit at least partially surrounds the food cooking cavity, and the flexible medium storage unit is able to at least partially contact with the flexible heating unit.

In some embodiments, the flexible medium storage unit is a medium storage bag.

In some embodiments, the base cavity is divided by the flexible heating unit into the food cooking cavity and a medium storage area serving as the flexible medium storage unit.

In some embodiments, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises an upper cover pivotally mounted on the base, wherein the medium storage area, the flexible heating unit and the food cooking cavity are transversely and sequentially arranged in a separate manner in the base cavity, and the upper cover covers the base to enclose the medium storage area.

In some embodiments, the medium pipe is an air intake passage, and the pump is an air pump that blows air to the flexible medium storage unit through the air intake passage.

In some embodiments, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises an air pump controller for monitoring the air content in the food cooking cavity.

In some embodiments, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a heating controller for monitoring the heating temperature of the flexible heating unit.

In some embodiments, the flexible heating unit comprises a thermostatically controlled heating unit.

In some embodiments, the cooking temperature of the low-temperature cooking machine is <NUM>~<NUM>.

The low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention is a novel cooking apparatus, in which, under the action of the pump, the flexible heating unit that serves as a heater can be deformed and directly contact with the food, thereby directly heats and cook the food; under the joint action of the pump and the flexible heating unit, the food can be placed in a vacuum food cooking cavity and heated directly by the flexible heating unit. Thus, the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention is a novel integrated apparatus and can replace an existing low-temperature cooking apparatus having a thermostat water bath and a vacuum plastic package machine.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be further detailed in the embodiments hereunder.

The accompanying drawings are provided here to facilitate further understanding on the present invention and constitute a part of this document. They are used in conjunction with the following embodiments to explain the present invention but shall not be comprehended as constituting any limitation to the present invention. In the figures:.

Hereunder some embodiments of the present invention will be detailed with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described herein are only provided to describe and explain the present invention rather than constitute any limitation to the present invention.

In the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the words that denote directions or orientations, such as "above", "below", "top", and "bottom", etc., are usually used to describe the relative position relations among the components with respect to the direction shown in the accompanying drawings or the vertical, plumb, or gravity direction.

To solve the problem that the existing low-temperature cooking machines require two products cooperating with each other (a thermostat water bath and a vacuum plastic package machine) and involve several operating procedures such as vacuum plastic packaging and water injection, etc. to realize food cooking, the present invention provides a novel low-temperature cooking machine, as shown in <FIG>. A similar low-temperature cooking machine not belonging to the present invention is shown in <FIG>. The low-temperature cooking machine comprises a flexible heating unit <NUM> (usually including a liquid heating bag <NUM> and a water heater <NUM>, or see <FIG>) and a pump <NUM> for providing pressure or suction to cause the flexible heating unit <NUM> to deform and contact with and heat food <NUM>.

Apparently, the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention is a novel cooking apparatus, in which, under the action of the pump <NUM>, the flexible heating unit <NUM> that serves as a heater can be deformed and directly contact with food <NUM>, so as to directly heat and cook the food <NUM>.

In the low-temperature cooking machine provided by the present invention, as shown in <FIG> and also in the low-temperature cooking machine shown in <FIG>, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a food cooking cavity <NUM> for receiving the food <NUM>, wherein the flexible heating unit <NUM> at least partially surrounds the food cooking cavity <NUM>; wherein the food cooking cavity <NUM> is a closed chamber, the pump <NUM> is an air pump for vacuuming the food cooking cavity <NUM>, and the flexible heating unit <NUM> is in close contact with and heats the food <NUM> under vacuum suction. Therefore, this technical scheme mainly employs air suction from the food cooking cavity <NUM>; specifically, the user may directly put the food <NUM> into the food cooking cavity <NUM>, and the pump <NUM> pumps air out of the food cooking cavity <NUM>, so that the flexible heating unit <NUM> is deformed under the suction and thereby closely contact with the food <NUM>, thus the food <NUM> is in a vacuum-tight cooking environment and the flexible heating unit <NUM> that serves as a heater heats and cooks the food <NUM>. By vacuuming the food cooking cavity <NUM> with the pump <NUM>, a vacuumed cooking state can be established between the food <NUM> and the flexible heating unit <NUM> that serves as a heater, so as to replace a vacuum plastic package machine and avoid the use of a vacuum preservative bag. Besides, the flexible heating unit <NUM> may be a heating unit that requires replacing and replenishing a flexible heating material in time or may be a reusable heating unit. In the case that the flexible heating unit <NUM> is a reusable heating unit, both the operation step of adding water (for water bath) in time and the operation step of bagging and vacuuming in the existing low-temperature cooking machines can be omitted, thus the operation steps of cooking can be simplified. Apparently, with this technical scheme, the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention is a novel apparatus and can replace the existing low-temperature cooking apparatus having a thermostat water bath and a vacuum plastic package machine.

To enable the flexible heating unit <NUM> to contact with and heat the food <NUM>, the flexible heating unit <NUM> may partially contact with the food <NUM> or surround the food <NUM>, so as to heat the food. In this technical scheme, optionally the flexible heating unit <NUM> is arranged around the food cooking cavity <NUM> (see <FIG>), or the flexible heating unit <NUM> is at least arranged at two sides of the food <NUM> (see <FIG>), or the flexible heating unit <NUM> may be arranged at one side of the food <NUM>.

In view that water has high fluidity and can be heated quickly, the flexible heating unit <NUM> is a liquid heating bag <NUM> connected with a water heater <NUM>, the liquid heating bag <NUM> may be a flexible bag filled with water, and the water heater <NUM> is connected with the flexible bag or arranged in the flexible bag. Of course, alternatively the flexible heating unit <NUM> may be made of a flexible material connected to other heating devices; for example, the flexible heating unit <NUM> may include a deformable flexible material such as silicone.

Specifically, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a base <NUM> and an upper cover <NUM> pivotally mounted on the base <NUM>, wherein the flexible heating unit <NUM> is arranged in a base cavity of the base <NUM>, and the food cooking cavity <NUM> is formed in the base cavity; wherein the food <NUM> may be put into the food cooking cavity <NUM> when the upper cover <NUM> is pivotally opened, and the upper cover <NUM> encloses the food cooking cavity <NUM> when the upper cover <NUM> is pivotally closed. That is to say, when the upper cover <NUM> is pivotally opened around a pivot shaft (see the pivot shaft <NUM> in <FIG>), the closed food cooking cavity <NUM> is opened at the same time, thereby the food <NUM> can be placed into the food cooking cavity <NUM>; after the upper cover <NUM> is pivotally closed on the base <NUM>, the food cooking cavity <NUM> becomes an enclosed chamber, so that the food <NUM> in the food cooking cavity <NUM> can be vacuum-pumped with the pump <NUM> that serves as a suction pump.

Although it is a common practice to place the food cooking cavity <NUM> in the base cavity of the base <NUM>, in the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention, the flexible heating unit <NUM> may also be arranged on the inner side of the upper cover <NUM>, the food cooking cavity <NUM> may be arranged in the base cavity or in the upper cover cavity, or may be arranged in the base cavity and the upper cover cavity; in addition, the food cooking cavity <NUM> may be surrounded by the flexible heating unit <NUM> in the upper cover <NUM> and the base <NUM>, thereby the food <NUM> can be fully wrapped by the flexible heating unit <NUM> that serves as a heater, so as to achieve a better cooking effect of the food <NUM>.

In the embodiment of low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention as shown in <FIG> and also in the low-temperature cooking machine not belonging to the present invention as shown in <FIG>, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a flexible medium storage unit <NUM> connected with a medium pipe, wherein the pump body <NUM> is a pressure booster pump for pumping a pressurized medium toward the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> through the medium pipe, and the flexible heating unit <NUM> is pushed by the boosted pressure of the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> to closely contact with and heat the food <NUM>. It can be seen that the force for deforming the flexible heating unit <NUM> of the low-temperature cooking machine in this technical scheme mainly comes from the pressurization on the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> carried out by the pump <NUM> that serves as a pressure booster pump, and the flexible heating unit <NUM> is squeezed by the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> and thereby is deformed, so that the flexible heating unit <NUM> closely attaches to the food <NUM> to be heated, and a vacuum-attached cooking effect is achieved between the flexible heating unit <NUM> and the food <NUM>. Likewise, it can be seen in this technical scheme, the low-temperature cooking machine is a novel apparatus and can replace an existing low-temperature cooking apparatus having a thermostat water bath and a vacuum plastic package machine.

As shown in <FIG>, to enable the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> to squeeze and deform the flexible heating unit <NUM>, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a base <NUM>, wherein the flexible heating unit <NUM>, the flexible medium storage unit <NUM>, and the food cooking cavity <NUM> for receiving the food <NUM> are arranged in a base cavity of the base <NUM>, the flexible heating unit <NUM> at least partially surrounds the food cooking cavity <NUM>, and the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> can at least partially contact with the flexible heating unit <NUM>, so that the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> can drive the flexible heating unit <NUM> to move and deform. Likewise, the flexible heating unit <NUM> is a liquid heating bag <NUM> connected with a water heater <NUM>. The flexible medium storage unit <NUM> may comprise a medium storage bag; usually, the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> may exist in the form of a self-sealing bag, thereby it is unnecessary to consider the problem of self-sealing of the bag in the process of pressurization on the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> carried out by the pump <NUM>; in addition, the flexible bag of the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> may be made of various materials. The medium storage bag may be an air storage bag, which is to say, the medium may be gas, such as air; the flexible heating unit <NUM> is squeezed by external pressurization of the medium storage bag to deform so as to expel the air between the food cooking cavity <NUM> and the food <NUM>.

According to the common practice, the food cooking cavity <NUM> is mainly arranged in the base cavity. To that end, the base cavity is divided by the flexible heating unit <NUM> into a food cooking cavity <NUM> and a medium storage area that serves as the flexible medium storage unit <NUM>. That is to say, the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> exists in the form of a partitioned chamber, as shown in <FIG>, and the base cavity is partitioned.

In the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention, in order to cook the food <NUM> more uniformly and effectively, in the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the flexible heating unit <NUM> comprises an upper flexible heating unit <NUM> and a lower flexible heating unit <NUM>, and the low-temperature cooking machine comprises a upper cover <NUM> pivotally mounted on the base <NUM>, the upper flexible heating unit <NUM> is arranged in an upper cover cavity of the upper cover <NUM>, and the upper cover cavity is divided by the upper flexible heating unit <NUM> into an upper medium storage area <NUM> and an upper food cooking cavity <NUM>; the base cavity is divided by the lower flexible heating unit <NUM> into a lower food cooking cavity <NUM> and a lower medium storage area <NUM>; wherein the lower food cooking cavity <NUM>, the lower flexible heating unit <NUM> and the lower medium storage area <NUM> are sequentially arranged in a separate manner from top to bottom in the base cavity; the upper medium storage area <NUM>, the upper flexible heating unit <NUM> and the upper food cooking cavity <NUM> are sequentially arranged in a separate manner from top to bottom in the upper cover cavity. Therefore, the food <NUM> can be placed in the food cooking cavity <NUM> composed of the upper food cooking cavity <NUM> and the lower food cooking cavity <NUM>, and the food cooking cavity <NUM> is a chamber enclosed by the upper flexible heating unit <NUM> and the lower flexible heating unit <NUM>, which are separate parts. The upper medium storage area <NUM> and the lower medium storage area <NUM> may be separate parts or may be formed integrally and communicate with each other. The medium storage area of the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> can be sealed; when the medium storage area is pressurized, the medium storage area can drive the flexible heating unit <NUM> to deform, so that the air in the food cooking cavity <NUM> is squeezed and expelled, thus a uniform vacuum and heated cooking environment for the food <NUM> is ensured.

In another embodiment shown in <FIG> not belonging to the present invention, the low-temperature cooking machine comprises an upper cover <NUM> pivotally mounted on the base <NUM>, wherein the medium storage area, the flexible heating unit <NUM> and the food cooking cavity <NUM> are transversely and sequentially arranged in a separate manner in the base cavity, and the upper cover <NUM> covers the base <NUM> to enclose the medium storage area.

Of course, since this technical scheme employs an approach of passive exhausting by pressurizing the food cooking cavity <NUM>, alternatively the food cooking cavity <NUM> may be an unsealed chamber. In the entire passive exhausting process, the food cooking cavity <NUM> is squeezed and exhausted, and finally a vacuum cooking environment can be established for the food <NUM>.

In order to make it easier and cheaper to pressurize the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> with the pump <NUM> that serves as a pressure booster pump, the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> may be provided with an air intake passage as the medium pipe, and the pump <NUM> is an air pump that blows air to the flexible medium storage unit <NUM> through the air intake passage.

Furthermore, the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention comprises an air pump controller <NUM> for monitoring the air content in the food cooking cavity <NUM>, so as to achieve a better vacuum cooking effect of the food <NUM> by detecting the air content in the food cooking cavity <NUM> timely.

In addition, the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention may further comprise a heating controller <NUM> for monitoring the heating temperature of the flexible heating unit <NUM>. Thus, the heating temperature of the food <NUM> to be cooked is monitored in real time by detecting the heating temperature of the flexible heating unit <NUM>, thereby a better control effect can be achieved, and the customer satisfaction can be improved.

Furthermore, the flexible heating unit <NUM> comprises a thermostatically controlled heating unit. A low-temperature cooking method employing thermostatically controlled heating can preserve the original flavor of the food, the fragrance of the spices and the primary color of the food to the greatest extent, thereby the user's experience and satisfaction can be improved.

Usually, in the low-temperature cooking machine in the present invention, the cooking temperature of the low-temperature cooking machine may be selected to be <NUM>~<NUM>, such as <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, etc., and the cooking duration and temperature may be different for different foods and may be adjusted appropriately with the thermostatically controlled heating unit of the low-temperature cooking machine.

Moreover, in order to ensure the hygienic condition of the food <NUM> in the food cooking cavity <NUM>, the interior of the food cooking cavity <NUM> may be washed or cleaned in advance before each time of cooking. In addition, other sterilizing devices, such as UV sterilizer, etc., may be arranged in the food cooking cavity <NUM>.

It should be noted that the specific technical features described in above embodiments may be combined in any appropriate form, provided that there is no conflict. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the possible combinations are not described specifically in the present invention.

Claim 1:
A low-temperature cooking machine, comprising a flexible heating unit (<NUM>) and a pump (<NUM>) for providing pressure or suction to cause the flexible heating unit (<NUM>) to deform and contact with and heat a food (<NUM>), and comprising a food cooking cavity (<NUM>) for receiving the food (<NUM>), wherein the flexible heating unit (<NUM>) at least partially surrounds the food cooking cavity (<NUM>), and wherein the flexible heating unit (<NUM>) is a liquid heating bag (<NUM>) connected with a water heater (<NUM>), characterized in that the flexible heating unit (<NUM>) comprises a lower flexible heating unit (<NUM>) and an upper flexible heating unit (<NUM>), the low-temperature cooking machine comprises an upper cover (<NUM>) pivotally mounted on the base (<NUM>), the upper flexible heating unit (<NUM>) is arranged in an upper cover cavity of the upper cover (<NUM>), and the upper cover cavity is divided by the upper flexible heating unit (<NUM>) into an upper medium storage area (<NUM>) and an upper food cooking cavity (<NUM>); the base cavity is divided by the lower flexible heating unit (<NUM>) into a lower food cooking cavity (<NUM>) and a lower medium storage area (<NUM>);
wherein the lower food cooking cavity (<NUM>), the lower flexible heating unit (<NUM>) and the lower medium storage area (<NUM>) are sequentially arranged in a separate manner from top to bottom in the base cavity; the upper medium storage area (<NUM>), the upper flexible heating unit (<NUM>) and the upper food cooking cavity (<NUM>) are sequentially arranged in a separate manner from top to bottom in the upper cover cavity.