Method and apparatus for food dehydration

Abstract

Embodiments herein include devices adaptable to dehydrate articles, including foods. Embodiments are shown which can be compacted for reduced storage, and/or shipping requirements and/or for other purposes. Embodiments include simple, inexpensive means for controlling dehydrating conditions, including airflow. Various article holding devices, including devices to hold foods being dehydrated, are also shown. Such devices include vertical, diagonal, and horizontal panels to secure articles. Embodiments shown have variations which include the use of non-motorized convection airflow, as well as devices which incorporate motor driven air movement means. Embodiments are shown which may be used for preparing articles, including foods, for dehydration, including slicing such articles.

1 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a generally flat, perforated, horizontal tray, configured to receive warm air from the input;   a generally vertical side wall circumnavigating and supporting the perforated horizontal tray;   the perforated horizontal tray configured to be removable from the circumnavigating generally vertical side wall;   the generally vertical side wall being articulable to transition between an open position circumnavigating and supporting the perforated horizontal tray and a closed position removed from the generally flat perforated horizontal tray wherein the generally vertical side wall has a smaller total length-plus-width-plus-depth relative to the open position.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of generally flat, perforated, horizontal trays, each being circumnavigated by a generally vertical side wall, and each tray and vertical side wall combination forming an individual shelf assembly, and wherein each individual shelf assembly is configured to stack above another individual shelf assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , further including a lid configured to couple to, and to span across, an upper opening of the generally vertical side wall when the generally vertical side wall is in its open position, and the lid having an adjustable air egress portal which is covered to restrict water passage there through. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further including a lid configured to couple to and span across the upper rim of the generally vertical side wall when the generally vertical side wall is in its open position, and the lid having an adjustable air egress portal including openings which prevent objects larger than 0.1 inch diameter from entering the air egress opening. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further including a countdown timer configured to impede input of warm air at the end of a user designated interval. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the perforated horizontal tray includes an open slot configured to hold within it, articles to be dehydrated. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  further comprising pliant, resilient fingers projecting into the open slot, the fingers being configured to hold, within the open slot, articles to be dehydrated. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further including an empty frame having an open central portion, the empty frame being configured to be circumnavigated and supported by the generally vertical side wall and removable from being circumnavigated by the generally vertical side wall. 
     
     
         9 . A device to dehydrate articles, including, but not limited to, comestible articles, and said device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a first, generally flat, perforated, panel having a plurality of spikes projecting from a first facial surface, wherein the spikes are configured to impale articles to be dehydrated for support;   a mount configured to the first generally flat perforated panel vertically, while in communication with warm air from the input; and   a mount configured to secure the first generally flat perforated panel horizontally while it is in communication with warm air from the input.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , further including the first generally flat perforated panel having a second facial surface opposed to the first facial surface, the second facial surface being generally flat without projecting spikes, and the second facial surface, when horizontal and facing upward, configured to hold articles to be dehydrated while the generally flat panel is in communication with warm air from the input. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a second generally flat perforated panel which is substantially identical to the first generally flat perforated panel, and when the first and second generally flat perforated panels are placed face-to-face, with the first facial surface of the first generally flat perforated panel, oppositely facing the first facial surface of the second generally flat perforated panel, the distal ends of the spikes are extensive from the first facial surface of the first generally flat perforated panel are disposed within the perforations in the second facial surface. 
     
     
         12 . A device comprising:
 a rod, having a first end and a second end, and configured at the first end to penetrate articles to be dehydrated, and configured along its length to support articles to be dehydrated which have been penetrated by the first end of the rod;   a first mounting member, configured to removeably couple to the rod at the first end of the rod;   a second mounting member, configured to removeably couple to the rod at the second end of the rod;   an input configured to receive warm air;   the rod being disposed horizontally to support along its length, articles to be dehydrated, and when simultaneously in communication with warm air from the input, when simultaneously coupled to the first mounting member at the first end of the rod and the second mounting member at a second end of the rod.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  further including the first mounting member, and the second mounting member being each coupled to opposing sides of an annular generally vertical side wall, and the generally vertical side wall being articulated and configured to go from an open position, when the rod is coupled to the first and second mounting members to a more compact closed position when the rod is not couple to the first and second mounting members. 
     
     
         14 . A device comprising:
 a warm air input disposed within an outer enclosure having generally vertical annular side walls open to allow top to bottom controlled passage of warm air there through;   an open topped, pan shaped, vessel removeably coupled to a lower portion of the vertical annular side walls, and configured to receive items passing top to bottom through the outer enclosure;   the pan shaped vessel configured to rest on a supporting surface and to simultaneously engage and position the generally vertical annular side walls;   a support disposed above the outer enclosure and configured to secure items to be dehydrated.   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14  further including a generally flat, horizontal sheet, disposed within the outer enclosure, and the sheet having a plurality of openings which horizontally unevenly restrict air passage, top to bottom, through the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         16 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   an annular, generally vertical, side wall;   a first, generally planar, perforated, inclined, support sheet;   a second, generally flat, perforated, inclined, support sheet;   the first and the second support sheets being removably disposed within the annular, generally vertical side wall, and being in communication with warm air from the input, and being configured to underprop items to be dehydrated;   the first and the second support sheets disposed at equal levels with one another; and   the first and the second support sheets overlapping one another in plan view.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , further including the first support sheet having a first face and an opposing second face, the first face having a plurality of outward projecting spikes configured to support articles to be dehydrated. 
     
     
         18 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   an underpropping, in communication with warm air from the input, configured to support articles to be dehydrated; and   the underpropping having an open position where articles to be dehydrated are supported; and   the underpropping having a compacted closed position, where articles to be dehydrated are not supported, and where the size of the underpropping is reduced;   the input disposed within an outer enclosure; and   the outer enclosure including a void configured to hold the underpropping, when in the compacted closed position.   
     
     
         19 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a plurality of vertical rods, interconnected horizontally by spanning members, the spanning members being disposed at the bases of the vertical rods, and the vertical rods, in combination with the spanning members, forming a horizontal matrix of vertical rods;   the horizontal rod matrix being in communication with warm air from the input; and   the horizontal rod matrix configured to support articles to be dehydrated in the spaces between the vertical rods.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , further including the horizontal rod matrix having a first position where it is underpropping articles to be dehydrated, and a second compacted position, where it is not underpropping articles to be dehydrated, and where it is reduced in size. 
     
     
         21 . A device to dehydrate articles, including, but not limited to comestibles, and said device comprising: an input configured to receive warm air;
 a generally flat perforated sheet, articulated by a plurality of parallel linear hinges;   the generally flat perforated sheet having a first position, where it is in communication with warm air from the input, and where the generally flat perforated sheet is generally undistorted, horizontal and flat, and is configured to support articles to be dehydrated; and   the generally flat perforated sheet having a second contorted position, where it is disposed zigzag, up and down, along the parallel linear hinges, thus forming a generally horizontal structure, with parallel, V-shaped, peaks and valleys, formed along the parallel linear hinges; and   in the second position, the generally flat perforated sheet being in communication with warm air from the input, and being configured to hold articles to be dehydrated.   
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , further including the generally flat perforated sheet having a third position, where it is generally flat and undistorted, and is in communication with warm air from the input, and has a first facial surface, and an opposing second facial surface, and one of the facial surfaces has spikes projecting from it, and the spikes being configured to support articles being dehydrated. 
     
     
         23 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a generally horizontal sheet, perforated by a linear slot, the linear slot having a first side and a parallel second side; and   the first side having a generally orthogonal projecting spike which is disposed within the linear slot, and does not contact the second side; and   the projecting spike being configured to impale and support articles to be dehydrated; and   the generally horizontal sheet being in communication with warm air from the input.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , further including a second linear slot. 
     
     
         25 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a support to underprop articles being dehydrated, and the support to underprop articles being dehydrated being in communication with warm air from the input; and   the source of warm air being disposed within an outer enclosure, and warm air from the input including an exposed tubular heating element; and   a perforated sheet, disposed within the outer enclosure, below the support to underprop articles being dehydrated; and   the perforated sheet being disposed above the exposed tubular heating element; and   the perforated sheet having no perforations directly above the exposed tubular heating element.   
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25  further including the perforated sheet being penetrated by a plurality of openings which horizontally unevenly restrict air passage, top to bottom, through the outer enclosure. 
     
     
         27 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a perforated, generally horizontal sheet in communication with warm air from the input, and configured to support articles to be dehydrated; and   a generally vertical sheet in communication with warm air from the input, and the vertical sheet configured to support articles to be dehydrated.   
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27  further including the vertical sheet having a first facial surface, and an opposing second facial surface, and having spikes projecting from the first facial surface, the spikes being configured to impale and secure articles being dehydrated. 
     
     
         29 . A device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a generally rectangular, annular, vertical, sidewall in communication with warm air from the input;   an open topped rectangular pan with blunted corners, configured to be framed by the generally rectangular, annular, vertical, sidewall, and forming air passage gaps between the corners of the generally rectangular, annular, vertical sidewall, and the blunted corners of the open topped rectangular pan.   
     
     
         30 . A device comprising:
 a knife, including a handle, and a sharpened, straight, blade projecting forward from, mounted to, and in line with, a first end of the handle;   a track traversing the first end of the handle;   a dull blade projecting forward from, and mounted to the track, and the dull blade configured to be manually adjustable between: a disposition parallel to and to the right of, the blade; and a disposition parallel to and to the left of, the blade.   
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein the dull blade is configured to be manually adjustable with one hand between its disposition parallel to, and to the right of, the sharpened, straight, blade; and its disposition parallel to, and to the left of, the sharpened, straight, blade. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 30 , further including a bent fork with a slab handle, and prongs projecting out from one side of the slab handle, the prongs being bent orthogonal to the slab handle, and the prongs being configured to impale articles being cut by the knife. 
     
     
         33 . A device comprising:
 a first pivoting arm, including a pivot point with a generally vertical pivot axis disposed at a first end of the first arm; a generally horizontal intermediate gripping portion, and a plurality of upward directed fingers disposed at a second end of the first arm;   a second pivoting arm, including a pivot point with a generally vertical pivot axis disposed at a first end of the second arm; a generally horizontal intermediate gripping portion, and a plurality of upward directed fingers disposed at a second end of the second arm;   the first pivoting arm being essentially a mirror image of the second pivoting arm, and each pivoting arm being connected to the other through their respective vertical pivot axes;   the plurality of upward directed fingers of the first arm mounting a first spike projecting toward the second arm, and the first spike being mounted intermediate on one of the plurality of upward directed fingers of the first pivoting arm;   the first spike being configured to impale articles to be sliced;   the plurality of upward directed fingers of the second arm mounting a second spike projecting toward the first arm, and the second spike being mounted intermediate on one of the plurality of upward directed fingers of the second pivoting arm; and   the second spike being configured to impale articles to be sliced.   
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 33 , further including the plurality of upward directed fingers of the first pivoting arm, when disposed face to face with the plurality of upward directed fingers of the second pivoting arm, forming essentially a fully enclosed cavity. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 33 , further including the plurality of upward directed fingers of the first pivoting arm, when disposed face to face with the plurality of upward directed fingers of the second pivoting arm, forming essentially a cavity which is open at an end which is opposed to the first pivot point. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 33 , further including the plurality of upward directed fingers of the first pivoting arm, when disposed face to face with the plurality of upward directed fingers of the second pivoting arm, forming essentially a cavity which is open at its top. 
     
     
         37 . A device comprising:
 a support structure, including a handle, and the support structure mounting a plurality of parallel linear cutting blades, which are disposed in front of, and generally in line with the handle;   each blade of the plurality of parallel linear cutting blades, being configured to cut articles to be sliced;   each parallel linear cutting blade in the plurality of parallel linear cutting blades, being spaced a first distance from a parallel linear cutting blade adjacent to it,   a fork, including a slab handle mounting, on one side, a plurality of prongs, each prong being disposed the first distance away from an adjacent prong;   each prong of the plurality of prongs being configured to impale articles to be sliced.   
     
     
         38 . A device to dehydrate articles, including, but not limited to comestibles, and said device comprising:
 an input configured to receive warm air;   a support, underpinning articles to be dehydrated;   the support being in communication with warm air from the input;   the input having an air inlet, including a static opening, which is variably blocked by a manually adjusted dynamic cover.   
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 38 , further including the manually adjusted dynamic cover being configured to rotate in order to variably block the static opening.