Air fryer with vibrating or rotating pot and induction cooking unit for robotic and automated food preparation systems

Abstract

The present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus to operate in an automated/robotic environment containing 3 major sub-units: air fryer hood, a rotating or a vibrating pot and an induction heating subunit. The air fryer hood of the air fryer subunit streams high velocity, heated air, circulating it in the cooking pot which is rotated, generating a stirring motion of the food ingredients contained in the said pot. The induction unit which is positioned under the rotating pot base may be used to heat the pot for frying and browning of the food products. The apparatus can be used as a stand alone or incorporated in robotic or automated food preparation systems. The apparatus provides controlled cooking regimes for various recipes and food product requirements and each of the sub-units of the apparatus is independently controlled.

1 . An air fryer for robotic and automated food preparation systems comprising:
 a vibrating or rotating cookware subunit;   an induction heating subunit positioned under the said rotating pot base; and   an air fryer hood sub-unit positioned over the said rotating pot;   wherein,   the said air fryer hood sub-unit comprises of a heating element, a fan driven by a fan motor positioned in the hood of the said air fryer;   wherein,   the said induction heating unit is equipped with integrated temperature sensor and a communication port;   wherein,   the rotating cookware subunit comprises of a timing belt, a series of pulleys, at least one friction wheels and at least one spring loaded idler wheels; and   wherein,   each of the said subunits of the apparatus is independently controlled.   
     
     
         2 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the said fan motor is equipped with an adjustable speed control for regulating the air flow regime. 
     
     
         3 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the said communication port enables the controller to activate it for adjusting the performance parameters including power level or temperature level. 
     
     
         4 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the said temperature sensor, enables real-time adjustments in the sub unit's performance parameters by transmitting the rotating pot's actual temperature during the cooking process. 
     
     
         5 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein a range of depths of cookware may be used for induction cooking. 
     
     
         6 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the cookware is removable and replaceable depending upon the recipe requirements. 
     
     
         7 . The air fryer of  claim 6 , wherein the removal and replacement of cookware is enabled by providing the cooking pot with a steel ring for gripping by electromagnets. 
     
     
         8 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the said air fryer hood subunit is pivoted and can be rotated. 
     
     
         9 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the power of said induction heating sub-unit ranges from 1000 W to 2000 W. 
     
     
         10 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein a combination of cooking modes with different operational requirements can be selected. 
     
     
         11 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the recipe preparation is controlled realtime through the controller which receives real time feedback from each of the apparatus sub-units. 
     
     
         12 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the cooking vessel is made of any of the materials of aluminum, steel, copper, plastic. 
     
     
         13 . The air fryer of  claim 1 , wherein the method of manufacturing the cooking vessel may be any one of aluminum casting, sand casting, iron casting, aluminum rolling, stamping, machining or extrusion. 
     
     
         14 . A method of rotating the cookware based on the recipe requirements involving the following steps:
 a. receiving inputs by the processor, regarding the type of cookware, the ingredients and the recipe to be cooked;   b. receiving commands from the processor by the controller regarding the rotational speed and direction to be maintained, based on the recipe and the cookware;   c. transferring power to the friction wheels by the electric motor via a timing belt through a series of pulleys;   d. generating the tangential friction forces by the spring-loaded idler wheels,   e. transferring the tangential forces generated by the frictional wheels and the spring loaded idler wheels to the mounted cookware; and   f. rotating the cookware.   
     
     
         15 . A method of rotating the cookware of  claim 24 , wherein the electric motor is equipped with adjustable speed control, the velocity of which is recipe dependent. 
     
     
         16 . The method of vibrating the cookware during the cooking process involves the following steps:
 a. receiving commands from the system PC by the controller;   b. invoking the vibration generating mechanism by the controller;   c. receiving feedback from the vibration generating mechanism about the recipe requirements by the controller;   d. setting the vibration movement parameters depending on the recipe requirements by the controller; and   e. invoking the mechanical gripping mechanism for cookware adjustments based on the recipe.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vibration of the cooking pot is generated by the vibrating mechanism of vibration motion and vibration forces initiated by an incorporated eccentric element, electromagnetic actuator or electrical linear motor or solenoid valve in the pneumatic drive or pneumatic element, AC or DC electrical motor or electrical rotational drive. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein equipping the said vibrating mechanism with a mechanical gripping clamp or a mechanical gripping mechanism, electromagnet, permanent magnet or pneumatic suction element enables removing, repositioning or replacing a cooking vessel within the vibrating process. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cooking vessel at the contact point of mechanical gripping is insulated to temperatures ranging between 100° F. to 600°. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the insulated material includes any one of silicone, viton, ceramics and cork. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vibration motion parameters is at least one of vibration motion amplitude and vibration motion frequency. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vibration motion frequency is altered as a function of system parameters. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vibration motion amplitude is altered as a function of system parameters. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the system parameters includes at least one of system size, cooking vessel or cooking pot size and geometry, cooking vessel or cooking pot weight, amount and weight of the food ingredients, cooking duration and temperature, recipe and cooking regime. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein adjusting the vibration motion amplitude and frequency of the vibrating mechanism is done in any of the following stages:
 a) Presetting before or during the cooking cycle;   b) turning on and off during the cooking cycle; or   c) altering during the cooking cycle.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cooking modes determines the vibration motion amplitude and frequency of a recipe. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vibration frequencies ranges from 1 Hz or 10 Hz to 1000 Hz. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vibration amplitudes ranges from 0.1 mm to 20 mm.