Ultrasonic cooking apparatus

Claim 2

In an improved cooking apparatus the combination comprising: a cooking vessel containing cooking liquid therein; heat source means operably connected to said cooking vessel for supplying heat to the cooking medium contained therein; an ultrasonic energy source comprising an ultrasonic power supply, ultrasonic transducer means, acoustical horn means and electrical connection means for connecting the input of said transducer means to the output of said power supply; said acoustical horn means being operably connected to the output of said transducer and directly inserted into and acoustically connected into the cooking liquid in said cooking vessel; an upright stand having a radial arm adjustably connected thereto, said radial arm having a first end adjustably attached to said stand and a second end having clamping means attached thereto for engaging said transducer and adjustably holding the same in proximity to said cooking vessel; whereby ultrasonic energy is coupled from said transducer into said cooking liquid.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein; said acoustical horn means are shaped so as to be tuned to the resonant frequency of said cooking vessel.

Claim 4

In an improved cooking apparatus, the combination comprising: a cooking vessel containing cooking liquid therein; heat source means operably connected to said cooking vessel for supplying heat to the cooking medium contained therein; an ultrasonic energy source comprising an ultrasonic power supply, ultrasonic transducer means, acoustical horn means and electrical connection means for connecting the input of said transducer means to the output of said power supply; said acoustical horn means being operably connected to the output of said transducer and directly inserted into and acoustically connected into the cooking liquid in said cooking vessel; said cooking vessel is formed of heat-conducting material and said heat source means comprises electrical heating coils attached to the walls of said cooking vessel; said cooking vessel has sidewalls and a bottom forming one contiguous member with the sidewalls being greater than one-eighth of an inch thick and having said electrical heating coils fixedly attached thereto and said bottom being less than 0.08 of an inch thick; said transducer means comprising a plurality of transducers removably attached to an equal number of acoustical horns which are in turn attached to the bottom of said cooking vessel in a predetermined array; whereby ultrasonic energy is transmitted from each of the transducers to the acoustical horns and thence through the bottom of said cooking vessel into the cooking liquid.

Claim 5

In an improved cooking apparatus, the combination comprising: a cooking vessel containing cooking liquid therein; heat source means operably connected to said cooking vessel for supplying heat to the cooking medium contained therein; an ultrasonic energy source comprising an ultrasonic power supply, ultrasonic transducer means, acoustical horn means and electrical connection means for connecting the input of said transducer means to the output of said power supply; said acoustical horn means being operably connected to the output of said transducer and directly inserted into and acoustically connected into the cooking liquid in said cooking vessel; said cooking vessel is formed of heat-conducting material and said heat source means comprises electrical heating coils attached to the walls of said cooking vessel; said cooking vessel has sidewalls and a bottom forming one contiguous member with the sidewalls being greater than one-eighth of an inch thick and having said electrical heating coils fixedly attached thereto and said bottom being less than 0.08 of an inch thick; said transducer means comprising a plurality of transducers removably attached to an equal number of acoustical horns which are in turn attached to the bottom of said cooking vessel in a predetermined array; whereby ultrasonic energy is transmitted from each of the transducers to the acoustical horns and thence through the bottom of said cooking vessel into the cooking liquid.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein; said electrical heating coils are fixedly attached to said cooking vessel to form a unitary structure therewith.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein; said plurality of acoustical horns comprise aluminum blocks of the same configuration as said transducers.