Fryer device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food fryer. The food frying apparatus generally comprises two sections: a frying section and an oil removal section. The frying section houses and/or heats oil for frying the food, and the oil removal section is operable to reduce the oil content of the food. The fryer device may also comprise a drawer configured to be slidably removable from the fryer device. Various aspects of the fryer device are configured to be automatically controlled.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A cooking device, comprising:
 a food basket;   a cooking section configured to maintain a food cooking liquid;   a liquid removal section situated above the cooking section;   a translational motor configured to move the food basket between the cooking section and the liquid removal section;   a rotational motor configured to spin the food basket; and   a slidable drawer configured to move between a closed position and an open position.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the slidable drawer moves between the closed position and the open position substantially horizontally. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the translational motor moves the food basket between the cooking section and the liquid removal section substantially vertically. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein a first heating element is disposed within the cooking section, and wherein a second heating element is disposed within the liquid removal section. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , further comprising a drawer motor configured to move the slidable drawer between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the rotational motor further comprises a spinning gear configured to interface with a basket gear on the food basket. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking device of  claim 6 , wherein the spinning gear comprises a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the food basket. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a slider disposed within a slider track in communication with the food basket;   a slider arm rotatably attached to the slider, such that movement of the slider arm moves the basket.   
     
     
         9 . The cooking device of  claim 8 , wherein the translational motor is rotatably attached to the slider arm. 
     
     
         10 . The cooking device of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one guide shaft configured to slidably interface with the food basket and facilitate the vertical motion of the food basket between the cooking section and the spinning section. 
     
     
         11 . A cooking device, comprising:
 a food containment mechanism for holding a food;   a cooking section configured to maintain a cooking liquid for cooking the food;   a rotational motor which operates to spin the food containment mechanism in a liquid removal section situated generally above the cooking section to at least partially remove the cooking liquid from the food;   a translational motor configured to move the food containment mechanism substantially vertically between the cooking section and the liquid removal section; and   a slidable drawer configured to move between a closed position and an open position substantially horizontally.   
     
     
         12 . The cooking device of  claim 10 , wherein the food containment mechanism is a food basket. 
     
     
         13 . The cooking device of  claim 11 , wherein the food basket is disposed within a basket well. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking device of  claim 10 , wherein the food containment mechanism is a basket well comprising a mesh to maintain food therein. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking device of  claim 10 , wherein a first heating element is disposed within the cooking section, and wherein a second heating element is disposed within the liquid removal section. 
     
     
         16 . The cooking device of  claim 10 , further comprising a drawer motor configured to facilitate moving the slidable drawer between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         17 . The cooking device of  claim 10 , further comprising a spinning gear configured to interface with a food containment mechanism gear on the food containment mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The cooking device of  claim 16 , wherein the spinning gear comprises a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of the food containment mechanism, and wherein the spinning gear interfaces with the food containment mechanism gear at a circumference of the food containment mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The cooking device of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one guide shaft configured to slidably interface with the food containment mechanism and facilitate the vertical motion of the food containment mechanism between the cooking section and the spinning section.