US4072762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Processes of cooking foods and apparatus therefor
Assignee: ELECTRO DISPERSION CORP A CORP OF NY
•
Filing: 1972-04-11
•
Granted: 1978-02-07
•
Expires: 1992-04-11
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for cooking food wherein the food to be treated is located in a chamber where it is subjected to heat, there also being present in the chamber steam that is either separately introduced or is generated by the food as it is being heated. This steam is forced into a layer surrounding the exposed surface of the food being treated by establishing in the chamber an electrostatic field of substantially constant polarity while the food is supported on a grounded hearth. This electrostatic field is created by applying a high voltage direct current potential to a grid located above the food being treated and preferably also disposing a ground above the grid and between the grid and the roof of the chamber in which the food is being treated.
Inventors
- 👤 Ignace Rhodes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 22:07
CPC Classifications
A; A21; A21B; A21B3/00; A21B3/04; A21B1/00; A21B1/02; A21B1/06; A21B1/10; A21D; A21D8/00; A21D8/06; A23; A23B; A23B2/00; A23B2/05; A23B2/60; A23L; A23L5/00; A23L5/10; A23L5/15; A47; A47J; A47J27/00; A47J27/14; A47J27/18; A47J37/00; A47J37/04; A47J37/044; F; F24; F24C; F24C7/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S99/00; Y10S99/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
In a process of cooking food, which process includes cooking the food in a chamber, supporting the food in the chamber on a grounded hearth while heating the food in a chamber from a high temperature source within the chamber external to the food and providing steam in the chamber: wherein the improvement comprises creating and maintaining a hot and highly humid atmosphere immediately surrounding the exposed surface of the food in the chamber at an early stage of cooking so as to speed up the cooking process while localizing the steam in the vicinity of said exposed surface of the food as it is being heated, creating and maintaining said aforesaid atmosphere and localizing the steam by suspending in the chamber above the hearth a grid of electrically conductive downwardly extending pins with lower pointed ends, said pins being electrically insulated from the hearth, and connecting a source of high potential DC to said grid sufficient to cause steam to move downwardly to the hearth and food thereon thereby establishing in the chamber, in conductive relationship to the atmosphere above the said surface of the food exposed in the chamber, at an early stage of cooking, a direct current high potential electrostatic field between the grid and the food articles on the grounded hearth.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
215 words
In a process of cooking food, which process includes cooking the food in a chamber, supporting the food in the chamber on a grounded hearth while heating the food in a chamber from a high temperature source within the chamber external to the food and providing steam in the chamber: wherein the improvement comprises creating and maintaining a hot and highly humid atmosphere immediately surrounding the exposed surface of the food in the chamber at an early stage of cooking so as to speed up the cooking process while localizing the steam in the vicinity of said exposed surface of the food as it is being heated, creating and maintaining said aforesaid atmosphere and localizing the steam by suspending in the chamber above the hearth a grid of electrically conductive downwardly extending pins with lower pointed ends, said pins being electrically insulated from the hearth, and connecting a source of high potential DC to said grid sufficient to cause steam to move downwardly to the hearth and food thereon thereby establishing in the chamber, in conductive relationship to the atmosphere above the said surface of the food exposed in the chamber, at an early stage of cooking, a direct current high potential electrostatic field between the grid and the food articles on the grounded hearth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, the further step of located a grounded conductor above the grid and below the roof of the chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as set forth in claim 1 including moving the food relative to the chamber and conductor as the food is cooked therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process as set forth in claim 1 which further includes the step of introducing the steam into the chamber above the food on the hearth at an early stage of cooking and wherein the electrostatic field moves the steam downwardly to surround the exposed surface of the food in the chamber at said early stage of cooking.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the steam is introduced into the chamber by vaporization of water from the food in the chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
241 words
A cooking apparatus including a cooking chamber, a hearth in said chamber, said hearth being composed of electrically conductive material, said chamber having a loading station adjacent a portion of the hearth for placement on said hearth portion of a food article just introduced into the oven, and means constituting a high temperature source of heat within the chamber and external to the food articles to supply heat to the chamber, wherein the improvement comprises means to maintain a hot and highly humid atmosphere immediately surrounding the exposed surface of the foot article in the chamber at an early stage of cooking so as to speed up cooking of the food articles by localizing steam in the chamber in the vicinity of the exposed surfaces of the food articles as the food articles are being heated in the chamber at an early stage of cooking, said last-named means comprising means to ground the hearth, a grid of electrically conductive downwardly extending pins with lower pointed ends, means to suspend said pins in the chamber above the hearth, means to electrically insulate said pins from the hearth, a source of high potential DC sufficient to cause steam to move downwardly to the hearth and food thereon, and means to connect said source to said grid and thus to create a high potential DC electrostatic field in the atmosphere of the chamber between the grid and the food articles on the grounded hearth.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
241 words
A cooking apparatus including a cooking chamber, a hearth in said chamber, said hearth being composed of electrically conductive material, said chamber having a loading station adjacent a portion of the hearth for placement on said hearth portion of a food article just introduced into the oven, and means constituting a high temperature source of heat within the chamber and external to the food articles to supply heat to the chamber, wherein the improvement comprises means to maintain a hot and highly humid atmosphere immediately surrounding the exposed surface of the foot article in the chamber at an early stage of cooking so as to speed up cooking of the food articles by localizing steam in the chamber in the vicinity of the exposed surfaces of the food articles as the food articles are being heated in the chamber at an early stage of cooking, said last-named means comprising means to ground the hearth, a grid of electrically conductive downwardly extending pins with lower pointed ends, means to suspend said pins in the chamber above the hearth, means to electrically insulate said pins from the hearth, a source of high potential DC sufficient to cause steam to move downwardly to the hearth and food thereon, and means to connect said source to said grid and thus to create a high potential DC electrostatic field in the atmosphere of the chamber between the grid and the food articles on the grounded hearth.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein a grounded electrically conductive member is disposed above the grid and below the roof of the chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein means is included to move the food articles relative to the source of high potential DC.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1414439A
Cited
US1959390A
Cited
US1965609A
Cited
US2097233A
Cited
US2502172A
Cited
US2585799A
Cited
US2565454A
Cited
US2773472A
Cited
GB749202A
Cited
US3119354A
Cited
US3203809A
Cited
US3210007A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-06 | 1981-08-08 | 1982-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-06 | 1985-08-08 | 1986-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-06 | 1989-08-08 | 1990-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |