Food Movement and Control within a Container for Food Preparation

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling the movement of a food product in a container is described. The apparatus can be cleanable, portable, and fully automated. It can include a main container for holding the food product and one or more other containers for holding a substance, such as liquid. The main container can be moved between the one or more other containers so that the food product is immersed in the substance (e.g., liquid) in the one or more other containers. Any of the containers can be heated to heat the food product. This movement of the main container can be used run fully automated cycles (e.g., sprouting, rinsing, soaking, cooking, cleaning, etc.) that do not require user interaction.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A portable apparatus for automatically soaking and cooking dry beans comprising:
 a main container for receiving dry beans and liquid to allow the dry beans to soak in the liquid for a period of time;   a dump liquid container for receiving liquid dumped from the main container following soaking of the dry beans;   a valve for controlling the receiving of liquid dumped to the second container from main container;   a fresh liquid container associated with the main container for holding fresh liquid and delivering fresh liquid to the main container with the dry beans following soaking of the dry beans;   a heater associated with the main container for heating the food product with the fresh liquid to cook the dry beans in the fresh liquid for a period of time;   a computer-readable storage medium in the portable apparatus storing instructions for executing a recipe for automatically soaking and cooking the dry beans by the portable apparatus, the instructions comprising
 instructions for delivery of the liquid from the main container to the dump container following the period of time for soaking the dry beans according to the recipe, 
 instructions for delivery of the fresh liquid from the fresh liquid container to the main container, and 
 instructions for heating of the main container for the period of time for cooking the dry beans in the fresh liquid according to the recipe; and 
   a computer processor for executing the stored instructions to operate the portable apparatus according to the recipe.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the recipe specifies a temperature for heating the main container, and wherein the computer processor is further configured for applying instructions to instruct the heater to heat to the specified temperature. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the recipe further species timing for cooking and soaking of the dry beans. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the recipe comprises recipe codes for cooking different types of dry beans. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a soaking program and a cooking program for automated soaking and cooking of the dry beans without user intervention. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein components of the apparatus that come into contact with the dry beans are removable for cleaning in a dishwasher. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first liquid container, second liquid container, and the main container each have a volume of less than ten liters. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a spice hatch in the portable apparatus that is configured to automatically deliver spices into the main container, the first liquid container, or the second liquid container during operation of the portable apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores programs to run fully automated cycles for sprouting the dry beans. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores programs to run fully automated cycles for rinsing the dry beans. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores programs to run fully automated cycles for cleaning the portable apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores instructions for indicating to a user when cooking of the dry beans is complete. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a display on the portable apparatus for receiving one or more user setting for soaking or cooking the dry beans. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the display is further configured to allow a user to set a desired eating time at which the cooking of the dry beans will be complete.