Cooking apparatus

Abstract

A kitchen appliance in the form of a multi-purpose frying pan includes a base, a cover with a hot air system, an inner pot, a stirrer and a stirrer drive device. The inner pot can be removed from the base. A pot cavity is formed between the lid cover and the inner pot and the stirrer is located in the pot cavity, and the stirrer drive device is installed in the pan. Covered and on the outside of the hot air system, the stirrer drive device drives the stirrer to rotate. The stirrer drive device is disposed on the lid to prevent water or oil from polluting the motor during the cleaning of the cookware. The stirrer drive device is arranged on the outside of the hot air system to effectively prevent the drive device from blocking the transmission of hot air from the hot air system to the inner pot.

1 . A cooking apparatus comprising:
 (a) a base comprising a heating plate and an inner pot located over the heating plate; and   (b) a lid closable over the inner pot to form a cooking chamber, wherein the lid comprises a hot air system configured to direct hot air into the cooking chamber and a stirrer drive device configured to be attached to a stirrer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hot air system comprises a hot air system motor, the stirrer drive device comprises a drive motor, and the hot air system motor and the drive motor are laterally offset from each other within the lid. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the lid comprises a cover portion and a handle portion positioned above the cover portion, the stirrer drive device and the hot air system span the cover and handle portions, and the hot air system motor and the drive motor are both located in the handle portion. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the stirrer drive device further comprises a drive gear rotatable by the drive motor, and wherein the apparatus further comprises the stirrer, the stirrer comprising:
 (a) a gear assembly detachably coupled to an underside of the lid; and   (b) a stirring paddle coupled to the gear assembly such that rotation of the gear assembly by the drive motor causes the stirring paddle to rotate.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the gear assembly comprises a ring gear mated with the drive gear and a gear bracket spanning an interior of the ring gear. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the gear bracket is positioned under the hot air system and comprises a cylindrical side that comprises ventilation holes for venting the hot air to the cooking chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the ring gear comprises teeth that mate with the drive gear and that face away from an axis of rotation of the gear assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the stirrer further comprises:
 (a) a positioning rod extending through a center of the gear assembly and into the lid; and   (b) a stop block at one end of the positioning rod that retains the gear assembly to the underside of the lid.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the positioning rod and the lid are threaded to permit screwing and unscrewing of the positioning rod into and out of the lid. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the hot air system comprises a propeller for propelling the hot air, and wherein an axis of rotation of the propeller is coaxial with an axis of rotation of the gear assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a gear assembly protrusion extends from an underside of the gear assembly, a paddle protrusion extends from a top side of the stirring paddle, and the protrusions are positioned such that rotation of the gear assembly causes the gear assembly protrusion to interfere with the paddle protrusion and rotate the stirring paddle. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the inner pot comprises a groove shaped to receive a bottom edge of the stirring paddle, and the bottom edge of the stirring paddle sits in the groove during stirring. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a bottom of the stirring paddle slides against the inner pot during stirring, one of the stirring paddle and inner pot comprises one of a protrusion and a groove and the other of the stirring paddle and inner pot comprises the other of the protrusion and groove, and the protrusion fits into the groove during stirring. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises an outer pot in which the inner pot sits, and the heating plate is between the inner and outer pots. 
     
     
         15 . A cooking apparatus comprising:
 (a) a base comprising an inner pot;   (b) a lid closable over the inner pot to form a cooking chamber, wherein the lid comprises a hot air system configured to direct hot air into the cooking chamber and a stirrer drive device; and   (c) a stirrer attached to the stirrer drive device, the stirrer comprising:
 (i) a gear assembly detachably coupled to an underside of the lid; and 
 (ii) a stirring paddle coupled to the gear assembly such that rotation of the gear assembly causes the stirring paddle to rotate. 
   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the hot air system comprises a hot air system motor, the stirrer drive device comprises a drive motor, and the hot air system motor and the drive motor are laterally offset from each other within the lid. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the lid comprises a cover portion and a handle portion positioned above the cover portion, the stirrer drive device and the hot air system span the cover and handle portions, and the hot air system motor and the drive motor are both located in the handle portion. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the stirrer drive device further comprises a drive gear rotatable by the drive motor, wherein the gear assembly comprises a ring gear mated with the drive gear. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the gear assembly further comprises a gear bracket spanning an interior of the ring gear. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the gear bracket is positioned under the hot air system and comprises a cylindrical side that comprises ventilation holes for venting the hot air to the cooking chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the ring gear comprises teeth that mate with the drive gear and that face away from an axis of rotation of the gear assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the stirrer further comprises:
 (a) a positioning rod extending through a center of the gear assembly and into the lid; and   (b) a stop block at one end of the positioning rod that retains the gear assembly to the underside of the lid.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the positioning rod and the lid are threaded to permit screwing and unscrewing of the positioning rod into and out of the lid. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the hot air system comprises a propeller for propelling the hot air, and wherein an axis of rotation of the propeller is coaxial with an axis of rotation of the gear assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a gear assembly protrusion extends from an underside of the gear assembly, a paddle protrusion extends from a top side of the stirring paddle, and the protrusions are positioned such that rotation of the gear assembly causes the gear assembly protrusion to interfere with the paddle protrusion and rotate the stirring paddle. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the inner pot comprises a groove shaped to receive a bottom edge of the stirring paddle, and the bottom edge of the stirring paddle sits in the groove during stirring. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a bottom of the stirring paddle slides against the inner pot during stirring, one of the stirring paddle and inner pot comprises one of a protrusion and a groove and the other of the stirring paddle and inner pot comprises the other of the protrusion and groove, and the protrusion fits into the groove during stirring. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the base comprises a heating plate positioned under the inner pot. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the base further comprises an outer pot in which the inner pot sits, and the heating plate is between the inner and outer pots. 
     
     
         30 . A multi-functional frying pan comprising a base, a lid with a hot air system, an inner pot, and a stirrer, wherein the inner pot is fixed or placed in the base, a pan cavity is formed between the lid and the inner pot, and the stirrer is positioned in the pan cavity, characterized in that a stirrer drive device is mounted on the lid, outside of the hot air system, and the drive device drives the stirrer to rotate,
 wherein the base comprises a housing and an outer pot, the outer pot is removable and affixed to the housing, and the inner pot is removable and affixed or loosely placed in the outer pot, and   further comprising a heating plate affixed in the outer pot, and wherein a pot body of the inner pot is placed on top of the heating plate.   
     
     
         31 . The multi-function frying pan of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the stirrer comprises a large gear assembly, a stirring paddle, and a positioning rod;   the large gear assembly comprises a ring gear and a gear bracket;   the ring gear is integrally or detachably mounted to the gear bracket;   the stirring paddle is detached from the gear bracket;   the positioning rod is mounted on the lid through the center of the gear bracket;   the gear bracket is capable of rotating around the positioning rod;   the gear bracket comprises ventilation holes;   the stirrer drive device comprises a drive gear; and   the driving gear drives the ring gear to rotate.   
     
     
         32 . The multi-function frying pan of  claim 31 , wherein:
 the stirrer comprises a gear assembly, a stirring paddle, and a positioning rod;   the gear assembly comprises a ring gear and a gear bracket;   the ring gear and the gear bracket are integrally or detachably mounted together;   the stirring paddle and the gear bracket are two independent structures;   the stirring paddle is placed on the inner pot;   when the lid is closed, the gear bracket is capable of driving the stirring paddle to rotate and stir;   a rotating shaft of the stirring paddle is coaxial with a rotating shaft of the ring gear;   the positioning rod comprises a shaft and a stop block;   the shaft of the positioning rod is fixed to the lid through a center of the gear bracket;   the stop block positions and restricts the gear bracket between the stop block and the lid;   the gear bracket rotates around the shaft of the positioning rod;   the gear bracket comprises ventilation holes;   the stirrer drive device comprises a drive gear which drives the ring gear to rotate.   
     
     
         33 . The multi-functional frying pan of  claim 32 , wherein the inner pot has a groove at a position corresponding to the rotation of the stirring paddle, the stirring paddle has a protrusion at the position of the rotation, and the groove and the protrusion fit into each other. 
     
     
         34 . The multi-functional frying pan of  claim 32 , wherein the inner pot has a protrusion at a position corresponding to the rotation of the stirring paddle, the stirring paddle has a groove at the position of the rotation, and the groove and the protrusion fit into each other. 
     
     
         35 . The multi-function frying pan of  claim 33 , wherein the protrusion is cylindrical, conical, or a truncated conical shape; and the groove is cylindrical, conical, or a truncated conical shape.