Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
ROASTING AND GLAZING APPARATUS, ROASTING AND GLAZING METHOD, AND
METHOD FOR CLEANING A ROASTING AND GLAZING APPARATUS
[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a roasting and
glazing apparatus and, more
particularly, to a machine/device that roasts and/or glazes nuts and other
food items that has various novel
and advantageous features directed to both safety and performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] Roasted and/or glazed nuts can be made in a variety of manners
and using a variety of
types of equipment. Available equipment, however, is either cumbersome to use
or unsafe in various
respects, or both. For instance, it may be difficult and/or unsafe to empty
the finished product from a very
large, typically heavy cooking bowl into a tray or other bowl for subsequent
handling. In particular, a
heavy bowl may require two people to safely lift and then be turned to empty
its contents. In some
machines, the bowl can be lifted by raising a handle, but the bowl can quickly
drop if the user
accidentally lets go of the handle.
[0004] As another example, the addition of water during a nut glazing
step often results in the
creation of a large burst of steam that may burn the operator if appropriate
precautions are not taken. In
some instances, the operator must be reasonably skilled to avoid being burned.
[0005] In addition, it always is desirable to minimize waste or scrap.
In nut roasting/glazing,
scrap are pieces of sugar that have binded together to form a ball, sometimes
called a sugar ball. Sugar
balls are very hard and could break a tooth if bitten. As a result, sugar
balls within a batch of
roasted/glazed nuts should be discarded, which increases time and expense.
Sugar balls vary in size, but
generally have a size (width) of between 2.0 mm (about 0.079 inches) and 2.5
cm (about 0.98 inches), but
sometimes are even bigger.
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[0006] Still further, to clean the cooking bowl, water typically is
added to the bowl and
then heated to melt and dissolve all of the remaining sugar. Then, the now-
heated water, along with
the dissolved sugar, is poured out. While effective to clean the bowl,
removing the water with the
dissolved sugar (called herein, for convenience, "sugar water") may be
cumbersome.
[0007] Additionally, in the glazing and/or cleaning processes of
certain machines, a
relatively substantial amount of sugar water is converted into steam that
escapes into the air, which
disadvantageously causes surrounding surfaces to be coated with sugar.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a
roasting and glazing apparatus that produces high quality roasted/glazed nuts.
[0009] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
roasting and glazing
apparatus that is easy and safe to operate. In particular, it is an object to
provide a machine that is
simple enough to use to allow a non-highly skilled person to properly and
safely operate it.
[0010] It is yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a roasting and glazing
apparatus that enables the operator to easily and safely empty the unit's
roaster bowl upon completing
a batch of roasted/glazed nuts.
[0011] It is yet an additional object of the present invention to
provide a roasting and
glazing apparatus that is designed to minimize the accidental falling of a
raised roaster bowl.
[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
roasting and glazing
apparatus that is designed to prevent the operator or another individual from
being scalded by any
steam that is created during either the cooking or cleaning processes.
[0013] It is yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a roasting and glazing
apparatus that produces roasted and glazed nuts with minimal waste or scrap.
[0014] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
a roasting and glazing
apparatus that produces nuts that are well coated and glazed.
[0015] It is still yet a further object of the present invention to
provide a roasting and
glazing apparatus that is easy to clean.
[0016] It is still yet another object of the present invention to
provide a roasting and
glazing apparatus that minimizes or otherwise reduces the dispersion of sugar-
laden steam during
glazing and cleaning, thus preventing potential damage to machine components,
shelves and items
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located in the vicinity of the machine, and significantly minimizing cleanup
of surfaces and items in
the surrounding area that otherwise would be laden with sugar.
[0017] To achieve one or more of the foregoing and other objects,
the present invention,
in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention, is a roasting and
glazing
apparatus/assembly comprising a roaster housing, a roaster bowl at least
partially contained within the
roaster housing, an agitator rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl and
including blades adapted to
mix a mixture of nuts (or another food item) and sugar (or other appropriate
coating), along with
optional spices or other flavorings/ingredients, during a cooking/roasting
operation of the roaster
assembly, a heater controlled to heat the roaster bowl during the
cooking/roasting operation, and a
cover removably mounted on the roaster bowl, sized to at least partially cover
the roaster bowl, and
including a reservoir for water disposed within the top surface of the cover,
the reservoir including at
least one metering hole adapted to cause water added to the reservoir to flow
into the roaster bowl at a
predetermined rate of flow during a glazing operation of the machine.
[0018] As an aspect of the invention, the cover includes a rolled
edge that extends
partially, but not fully, around the bottom of the cover. The roaster bowl
includes a channel that
extends at least partially around a top surface of the roaster bowl and is
sized to receive the rolled
edge of the cover when mounted on the roaster bowl. A vent extends between the
roaster bowl and
the cover to a location of the cover that does not include the rolled edge.
[0019] As a feature of this aspect, the vent extends between the
roaster bowl and the
cover for a distance that corresponds to at least 15% of the perimeter of the
bottom of the side surface
of the cover.
[0020] As another aspect of the invention, the predetermined rate of
flow corresponds to
a flow of 3 ounces of water over a period of at least 10 seconds. In a
variation, the predetermined rate
of flow corresponds to a flow of 3 ounces of water over a period of between 30
and 35 seconds. Other
amounts of water and flow rates may be utilized.
[0021] As a further aspect of the invention, the reservoir within
the top surface of the
cover includes at least first and second metering holes, the first metering
hole disposed at a first end
of the reservoir and the second metering hole disposed at a second end of the
reservoir.
[0022] As a feature of this aspect, the first and second metering
holes are disposed on
opposite ends of the reservoir, and the reservoir includes a third metering
hole disposed substantially
half-way between the first and second metering holes within the reservoir.
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10023) As an additional aspect of the invention, the reservoir is
disposed in the cover at a
location that is diametrically opposed to the location of the vent.
[0024] As a feature of this aspect, a handle is coupled to and
extends upwards from a
center of the cover, and the handle is disposed substantially mid-way between
the reservoir and the
vent.
[0025] As yet another aspect of the invention, the roaster bowl
includes a pouring lip that
extends partially around the upper perimeter of the roaster bowl. As a
particular example, the pouring
lip extends about 20% of the bowl's perimeter.
[00261 As a feature of this aspect, the vent is disposed immediately
above the pouring lip
of the roaster bowl.
[0027] As another feature of this aspect, the apparatus/assembly
further comprises a
cantilever arm that is coupled to the roaster bowl and is adapted/designed to
raise the roaster bowl to a
position sufficiently high to cause the roasted/glazed nuts (or other roasted
and/or glazed food item)
within the roaster bowl to pour over the pouring lip and out of the roaster
bowl.
[0028] In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, a
method of roasting
and glazing nuts (or other food item) comprises placing water (or other
liquid) and a mixture of nuts
(or other food item), sugar (or other appropriate coating) and possibly other
ingredients, such as
spices, in a roaster bowl, mixing the water (or other liquid) and the mixture
in the roaster bowl,
heating the roaster bowl to roast and sugar coat the nuts, covering the
roaster bowl with a cover after
the nuts are roasted and sugar coated, adding water to a reservoir disposed
within the cover while it is
covering the roaster bowl, flowing the water added to the reservoir through a
metering hole (or holes)
in the reservoir into the roaster bowl, glazing the nuts due to the water
flowing into the roaster bowl
from the reservoir, and removing the cover from the roaster bowl after the
nuts are glazed.
[0029] As an aspect of the method embodiments, the method comprises
converting into
steam, within the roaster bowl, at least some of the water flowing from the
reservoir, and venting at
least some of the steam through a steam vent extending between the roaster
bowl and the cover.
[0030] As a feature of this aspect, the flowing step is carried out
at a rate corresponding
to a flow of 3 ounces of water over a period of at least 10 seconds. In a
variation, the flowing step is
carried out at a rate corresponding to a flow of 3 ounces of water over a
period of between 30 and 35
seconds. Other amounts of water and flow rates may be utilized. The flowing
step produces very
well coated glazed nuts as a result of the period of time during which the
water flows from the
reservoir into the roaster bowl.
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[0031] As a feature of this feature, water is converted into steam
at a rate corresponding
to the rate of flow of the water from the reservoir into the roaster bowl.
[0032] As another aspect of the method embodiments, the venting step
entails venting at
least some of the steam through a steam vent disposed at a location of the
cover diametrically opposed
to a location at which the reservoir is disposed within the cover.
[0033] As a feature of this aspect, the method further comprises
holding by a hand of an
operator a top handle located at a center of the cover while the adding water
step is carried out, the top
handle being disposed sufficiently far from the steam vent to avoid scalding
of the hand by the steam
vented through the steam vent.
[0034] As a further aspect of the method embodiments, the method
further comprises
raising the roaster bowl sufficient to cause the glazed nuts within the
roaster bowl to pour over a
pouring lip of the roaster bowl.
[0035] As yet another aspect, the heating step includes melting the
sugar in the roaster
bowl and adhering the melted sugar to the nuts.
[0036] In accordance with certain additional embodiments, the
present invention is a
roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a housing, and a bowl assembly
rotatably coupled to the
housing via a lever arm shaft. The bowl assembly includes a bowl support and a
roaster bowl fixed to
the bowl support. The apparatus further comprises an agitator rotatably
mounted within the roaster
bowl, a heater adapted to selectively heat the roaster bowl, and a cantilever
arm disposed external to
the housing and coupled to the lever arm shaft (see, e.g., FIG. 1, which shows
housing 110 and
cantilever arm 120, FIG. 17, which shows bowl assembly 180, bowl support 182,
and roaster bowl
200, and FIG. 6B, which shows lever arm shaft 124 -- these figures further
discussed below). The
cantilever arm is adapted, when moved, to move the roaster bowl between a
fully lowered position
and a fully raised position. The apparatus further comprises first and second
pistons (see, e.g., FIG.
19, which shows first piston 140 and second piston 150). The first piston is
coupled to the bowl
support and configured to provide, when engaged, a counterforce to the weight
of the bowl assembly.
The first piston is configured to be engaged at least during a raising of the
roaster bowl. The second
piston is coupled to at least the housing and is configured to provide a
counterforce during a lowering
of the roaster bowl from a partially lowered position to the fully lowered
position, wherein the
partially lowered position is disposed between the fully lowered position and
the fully raised position.
The second piston is configured to not be engaged during a lowering of the
roaster bowl from the
fully raised position to the partially lowered position.
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[0037] As an aspect of the invention, the first piston and the
second piston are configured
so that a downward force on the cantilever arm necessary to cause the roaster
bowl to be lowered to
the partially lowered position is less than the downward force on the
cantilever arm necessary to
cause the roaster bowl to be lowered beyond the partially lowered position.
[0038] As another aspect of the invention, the fully lowered
position of the roaster bowl
corresponds to a position at which the roaster bowl is disposed mostly within
the housing, and the
fully raised position of the roaster bowl corresponds to a position at which
the roaster bowl is at an
angle between 70 and 1200 relative to a top surface of the housing.
[0039] As a feature of this aspect, the partially lowered position
of the roaster bowl
corresponds to a position at which the roaster bowl is at an angle of either
25 , 30 or 35 (or other
desired position) relative to the top surface of the housing (see, e.g., FIG.
15).
[0040] As a further aspect of the invention, the bowl assembly and
lever arm shaft are
configured to dispose the entire roaster bowl above the top surface of the
housing when the roaster
bowl is positioned at the partially lowered position.
[0041] As yet another aspect of the invention, a rotating lever is
coupled between the
second piston and the bowl support (see, e.g., at least FIGS. 17-20, which
show rotating lever 160).
The rotating lever is configured to rotate relative to the bowl support during
movement of the roaster
bowl between the fully raised position and the partially lowered position. The
rotating lever is
configured to not rotate, relative to the bowl support, during movement of the
roaster bowl between
the partially lowered position and the fully lowered position. When the
rotating lever is rotating, the
second piston is not engaged. When the rotating lever is not rotating (while
the roaster bowl is being
moved), the second piston is engaged. For illustrative purposes, see FIGS. 23A-
23E, which show the
various positions of the roaster bowl.
[0042] As a feature of this aspect, a pin extends from the bowl
support and is configured
to prevent rotation of the rotating lever during movement of the roaster bowl
between the partially
lowered position and the fully lowered position.
[0043] As a feature of this feature, the rotating lever includes a
hooked end that engages
the pin when the roaster bowl is lowered to the partially lowered position
(see, e.g., FIG. 23C).
[0044] As yet a further aspect of the invention, the first piston is
rotatably coupled to the
housing.
[0045] As yet an additional aspect of the invention, the housing is
partially open at its
bottom and includes a crossbar that extends across the open bottom. The first
piston is rotatably
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coupled to the crossbar (see, e.g., FIG. 19, which shows first piston 140
rotatably coupled to crossbar
170).
[0046] As a further aspect of the invention, the cantilever arm is
configured to be lifted to
raise the roaster bowl to the fully raised position corresponding to an angle
of between 70 and 120
relative to the top surface of the housing.
[0047] As yet another aspect of the invention, the cantilever arm is
configured to be lifted
to raise the roaster bowl to the fully raised position corresponding to an
angle of between 95 and
110 relative to the top surface of the housing.
[0048] In accordance with certain other method embodiments of the
invention, a method
of producing roasted and glazed nuts comprises providing an apparatus that
includes a housing and a
bowl assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the bowl assembly
includes a bowl support
and a roaster bowl fixed to the bowl support. The method further comprises
placing water and a
mixture of nuts (or another food item) and sugar (or other appropriate
coating) in the roaster bowl,
mixing the water and the mixture, heating the roaster bowl during mixing to
produce roasted and
sugar coated nuts, adding water to the roaster bowl with the roasted and sugar
coated nuts to produce
roasted and glazed nuts, lifting a cantilever arm coupled to the housing to
raise the roaster bowl from
a fully lowered position to a raised position, in which a first piston coupled
to the bowl support is
engaged during such raising to provide a counterforce to a weight of the bowl
assembly, removing the
roasted and glazed nuts from the roaster bowl when in the raised position,
lowering the cantilever arm
to lower the roaster bowl from the raised position to a partially lowered
position, and lowering the
cantilever arm to lower the roaster bowl from the partially lowered position
to the fully lowered
position, in which a second piston coupled to the housing is engaged during
the lowering of the
roaster bowl from the partially lowered position to the fully lowered position
and providing a
counterforce when engaged, and in which the second piston is not engaged
during a lowering of the
roaster bowl from the raised position to the partially lowered position.
[0049] As an aspect of the method embodiments, lowering the
cantilever arm to lower the
roaster bowl from the raised position to the partially lowered position
requires a downward force on
the cantilever arm that is less than a downward force on the cantilever arm to
lower the roaster bowl
from the partially lowered position to the fully lowered position.
[0050] As a further aspect of the method embodiments, the fully
lowered position of the
roaster bowl corresponds to a position at which the roaster bowl is disposed
mostly within the
housing, and the raised position of the roaster bowl corresponds to a position
of the roaster bowl at
which the roaster bowl is at an angle between 70 and 120 relative to a top
surface of the housing.
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[0051] As a feature, the partially lowered position of the roaster
bowl corresponds to a
position at which the roaster bowl is at an angle of either 25 , 30 or 35
(or other desired position)
relative to the top surface of the housing.
[0052] As yet another aspect, the entire roaster bowl is disposed
above the top surface of
the housing when the roaster bowl is at the partially lowered position.
[0053] As yet a further aspect, lowering the cantilever arm, to
lower the roaster bowl
from the raised position to the partially lowered position, entails the
rotation of a rotating lever that is
coupled between the second piston and the bowl support (see, e.g., FIGS. 23A-
23C). The rotation of
the rotating lever causes the second piston to not be engaged during such
lowering.
[0054] As a feature, lowering the cantilever arm to lower the
roaster bowl from the
partially lowered position to the fully lowered position entails the rotating
lever not rotating, relative
to the bowl support, thereby causing the second piston to be engaged during
such lowering (see, e.g.,
FIGS. 23C-23E). FIG. 23C (which shows the roaster bowl at the "partially
lowered position") shows
the transition point where the second piston is not engaged for positions of
the bowl above the
partially lowered position (discussed in the preceding paragraph), and where
the second piston is
engaged for positions below the partially lowered position.
[0055] The present invention, in accordance with yet other
embodiments, is a nut roasting
and glazing apparatus comprising a housing, and a bowl assembly coupled to the
housing via a
rotatable lever arm shaft. The bowl assembly includes a bowl support and a
roaster bowl fixed to the
bowl support. The apparatus further comprises an agitator rotatably mounted
within the roaster bowl,
a heater to heat the roaster bowl, and a cantilever arm disposed external to
the housing and coupled to
the lever arm shaft (see, e.g., FIG. 1, which shows housing 110 and cantilever
arm 120, FIG. 17,
which shows bowl assembly 180, bowl support 182, and roaster bowl 200, and
FIG. 6B, which shows
lever arm shaft 124). The cantilever arm is adapted, when moved, to move the
roaster bowl between a
fully lowered position and a fully raised position. The apparatus further
comprises a piston coupled to
at least the housing and configured to provide a counterforce during the
lowering of the roaster bowl
from a partially lowered position to the fully lowered position (see, e.g.,
piston 150 shown in FIGS.
23A-23E). The partially lowered position is disposed between the fully lowered
position and the fully
raised position. The piston is configured to not provide a counterforce during
the lowering of the
roaster bowl from the fully raised position to the partially lowered position.
Referring to illustrative
FIGS. 23A-23E, FIGS. 23A and 23B show piston 150 not engaged, and FIGS. 23D
and 23E show
piston 150 engaged, where the position shown in FIG. 23C is the point of
transition where piston 150
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is engaged for lowered positions of the roaster bowl (FIGS. 23D, 23E) and
where piston 150 is not
engaged for higher positions of the roaster bowl (FIGS. 23A, 23B).
[0056] The present invention, in accordance with yet further method
embodiments,
comprises providing an apparatus having a housing and a bowl assembly
rotatably coupled to the
housing (the bowl assembly including a bowl support and a roaster bowl fixed
to the bowl support),
placing water and a mixture of nuts and sugar in the roaster bowl, mixing the
water and the mixture in
the roaster bowl, heating the roaster bowl during mixing to produce roasted
and sugar coated nuts,
adding water to the roaster bowl with the roasted and sugar coated nuts to
produce roasted and glazed
nuts, lifting a cantilever arm coupled to the housing to raise the roaster
bowl from a fully lowered
position to a raised position, removing the roasted and glazed nuts from the
roaster bowl when in the
raised position, lowering the cantilever arm to lower the roaster bowl from
the raised position to a
partially lowered position, lowering the cantilever arm to lower the roaster
bowl from the partially
lowered position to the fully lowered position, and engaging a piston to
provide a counterforce to the
lowering of the roaster bowl during the lowering of the roaster bowl from the
partially lowered
position to the fully lowered position. Said piston is not engaged and does
not provide the
counterforce during the lowering of the roaster bowl from the raised position
to the partially lowered
position.
[0057] The present invention, in accordance with yet other certain
embodiments of the
invention, is a method of cleaning a roaster bowl, comprising the steps of
providing a roaster bowl
having an outwardly extending pouring lip and that includes sugar (or other
coating) adhered thereto,
adding water to the roaster bowl, and placing a cover on top of the roaster
bowl (see, e.g., FIGS. 1 and
6A, discussed further below, which show cover 300 mounted on roaster bowl 200
that includes
pouring lip 220). The cover when mounted on the roaster bowl forms a steam
vent between the cover
and roaster bowl, and the steam vent is disposed adjacent to the roaster
bowl's pouring lip (see, e.g.,
steam vent 330 in FIG. 6A, which is disposed adjacent to pouring lip 220). The
method further
comprises (with the cover mounted on the roaster bowl) heating the roaster
bowl until the water
within the bowl is boiling, maintaining the boiling of the water to produce
steam, and then dissolving
the sugar adhered to the roaster bowl by means of the produced steam (that
condenses on the roaster
bowl's inner surface and dissolves the sugar). The method further comprises
venting some of the
produced steam through the steam vent that, in turn, makes contact with the
pouring lip, and then
dissolves the sugar adhered to the pouring lip via the contacting steam.
[0058] As an aspect of the invention, the water is boiled to produce
a sufficient amount of
steam sufficient to fill the interior of the roaster bowl, and in which the
first dissolving step dissolves
the sugar that is adhered to the underside of the cover.
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[0059] As another aspect of the invention, the second dissolving
step (i.e., dissolving the
sugar adhered to the pouring lip) includes the steps of condensing steam on
the pouring lip, dissolving
the sugar on (at least a portion of) the pouring lip in the condensed steam,
and dripping the condensed
steam with the dissolved sugar into the roaster bowl (due to the pitched
pouring lip).
[0060] As a further aspect of the invention, the pouring lip
includes an outer edge, the
outer edge being located at a distal terminus of a length of the pouring lip
(i.e., the edge of the pouring
lip 220 furthest away from the cover 300, such as shown in FIG. 6A), and the
second dissolving step
dissolves sugar adhered to the entire pouring lip including the upper surface
of the outer edge.
[0061] As a feature of this aspect, the length of the pouring lip is
between 0.75 inches and
1 inch.
[0062] As yet another aspect of the invention, the pouring lip is
located external to the
vent.
[0063] As yet a further aspect of the invention, the roaster bowl is
part of a roasting and
glazing apparatus that further includes a housing and a heater, in which the
roaster bowl is disposed at
least partially within the housing, and the heater also is disposed within the
housing and serves to
carry out the heating step.
[0064] As a feature of this aspect, the cleaning method further
comprises the steps of
removing the cover from the roaster bowl, attaching a pour tray to the side of
the housing where the
pouring lip of the roaster bowl is disposed (see, e.g., pour tray 400 shown in
FIG. 9), placing a pan
underneath the pour tray (see, e.g., pan 600 shown in FIG. 9), and raising the
roaster bowl to allow the
water within it (that includes dissolved sugar) to pour onto the pour tray via
the pouring lip. The
poured water then, in turn, flows from the pour tray into the pan.
[0065] As a further feature, the pour tray has a curved edge (e.g.,
edge 430 shown in FIG.
3) that is wider than the width of the pouring lip (e.g., pouring lip 220
shown in FIG. 3). The pour
tray is attached to the housing adjacent to the pouring lip (see, e.g., FIGS.
9 and 22 --- FIG. 22
showing the attachment of the underside of pour tray 400 to the housing of the
roasting and glazing
apparatus) so that water spillage onto the housing is prevented during the
pouring step.
[0066] As yet another feature, the pour tray has two side edges and
a sidewall (e.g.,
sidewall 440 in FIG. 1) sufficiently high to also prevent spillage of water
onto the housing during the
pouring step. The sidewall extends upward from the two side edges and the
curved edge of the pour
tray. The pour tray also has a slope that extends downward from the curved
edge (see, e.g., FIG. 2,
which shows the downward slope of a portion of the pour tray 400). The slope
assists in the flow of
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the water with sugar dissolved therein into the pan during the flowing step
(see, e.g., FIG. 9, which
shows the use of pour tray 400 during pouring of the water with sugar
dissolved therein from the
roaster bowl).
[0067] In accordance with certain further apparatus embodiments of
the invention, a
roasting and glazing apparatus comprises a roaster housing, a roaster bowl, a
removable cover and a
heater. The roaster bowl is disposed within the roaster housing and includes
an outwardly extending
pouring lip. The roaster bowl further includes a rotatably mounted and
removable agitator (see, e.g.,
FIG. 4A, which shows agitator 230 mounted within roaster bowl 200). The cover
is mounted on the
roaster bowl and, when mounted, a vent is formed between the roaster bowl and
cover, extending
around a portion of a perimeter of the roaster bowl (see, e.g., vent 330 in
FIGS. 6A and 7). The vent
is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of the pouring lip of the roaster
bowl. The heater is disposed
within the roaster housing and is able to selectively heat the roaster bowl.
The roasting and glazing
apparatus further includes a removable pour tray that is coupled to the side
of the roaster where the
pouring lip of the roaster bowl is disposed (see, e.g., pour tray 400 shown in
FIG. 9, where pour tray
400 is mountable on and removable from the roaster housing via mounting pins
190 ... see, e.g.,
FIGS. 15, 16).
[0068] As an aspect of the apparatus embodiment, sugar (or other
coating) is adhered to
the roaster bowl (as a result, e.g., of the below-described roasting/glazing
processes). Water is
disposed within the roaster bowl (e.g., an operator pours a sufficient amount
of water into the roaster
bowl at the beginning of the cleaning process). The heater is adapted to heat
the roaster bowl in order
to cause some of the water within the roaster bowl to boil and to form steam
that, in turn, causes the
sugar that is adhered to the roaster bowl to dissolve.
[0069] As another aspect of the apparatus embodiment, sugar is
adhered to the pouring
lip of the roaster bowl, and water is disposed within the roaster bowl, and
wherein the vent (formed
between the roaster bowl and the cover) and the roaster bowl's pouring lip are
suitably positioned and
sized so as to cause/allow steam that is exiting the roaster bowl during a
cleaning operation (further
discussed below) to condense on the pouring lip, to dissolve (via the
condensed steam) the sugar that
is adhered to the pouring lip, and then to cause the dissolved sugar within
the condensed steam to drip
into the roaster bowl (due to the pitched pouring lip), thus cleaning the
upper surface of the roaster
bowl's pouring lip.
[0070] As a further aspect of the apparatus embodiment, the roasting
and glazing
apparatus further comprises a pan that is disposed underneath the end of the
pour tray (with the pour
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tray coupled to the roaster), thus capturing the poured water (with sugar
therein) after the cleaning
process.
[0071] As a feature of this aspect, the pouring lip includes an
outer edge with a curvature,
and the pour tray's proximal end (the end near the roaster bowl) includes a
curved edge that has a
curvature that substantially corresponds to the curvature of the outer edge of
the pouring lip (see, e.g.,
FIGS. 1 and 9, which shows thc curvature of the pouring lip and the curvature
of the end of the pour
tray that is adjacent to the roaster bowl).
[0072] As a further feature, the width of the curved edge of the
pour tray is wider than the
width of the outer edge of the pouring lip.
[0073] As yet another feature, the pour tray's distal end (i.e., the
end furthest from the
roaster bowl) is narrower than the pour tray's proximal end (i.e., the end
closest to the roaster bowl),
and the pour tray includes an upwardly extending sidewall that is sufficient
in height to prevent
spillage onto the roaster housing during a pouring operation during which
water is poured from the
roaster bowl onto the pour tray.
[0074] As yet an additional feature, the proximal end of the pour
tray includes a slope,
relative to the top of the housing, descending downward toward the distal end
of the pour tray (see,
e.g., FIGS. 2 and (IA).
[0075] As a further aspect of the apparatus embodiment, the pour
tray includes an upper
surface that is at least partially disposed above the top surface of the
roaster housing (see, e.g., FIG.
2), and the pour tray further includes a support member that extends downward
from its upper surface
(see, e.g., FIG. 15). The pour tray's downwardly extending support member
extends adjacent to a
side surface of the roaster housing and is removably coupled to that side
surface (see, e.g., FIG. 22
shows the downwardly extending support member 450 coupled to the side of
roaster housing 110).
[0076] As an aspect of this feature, the side surface of the roaster
housing includes a pair
of mounting pins, and the pour tray's downwardly extending support member
includes a pair of
engagement apertures that receive the mounting pins when the pour tray is
coupled to the roaster
housing (see, e.g., FIG. 22, which shows the mounting pins 190 disposed within
the engagement
openings 452).
[0077] As yet a further aspect of the apparatus embodiment, the
cover includes a rolled
edge that extends partially, and not fully, around the bottom of the cover's
side surface (see, e.g., FIG.
11, which shows the cover's rolled edge 320). The roaster bowl includes a
channel that extends at
least partially around the roaster bowl's top surface (see, e.g., FIG. 4A,
which shows a channel 210
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within roaster bowl 200). The channel is sized to receive the rolled edge of
the cover when mounted
on the roaster bowl. The vent extends between the roaster bowl and the cover
that corresponds to a
location of the cover that does not include the rolled edge.
[0078] As an aspect of this feature, the vent extends between the
roaster bowl and the
cover for a distance that corresponds to at least 15% of the perimeter of the
bottom of the side surface
of the cover (e.g., see FIGS. 7 and 10).
[0079] The present invention, in accordance with certain additional
embodiments of the
invention, is a roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a roaster housing
and a roaster bowl
disposed within the roaster housing in which the roaster bowl is able to
receive a mixture of nuts and
sugar. The apparatus further comprises an agitator rotatably mounted within
the roaster bowl. The
agitator includes at least two blades designed to mix the mixture of nuts and
sugar during a roasting or
glazing operation (see, e.g., FIGS. 4A and 4B, which show agitator 230 along
with roaster bowl 200).
The agitator also includes a central hub and each of the blades extends from
the central hub and
includes a respective substantially vertical component and a respective
horizontal component (see,
e.g., FIGS. 4A and 25C, which show central hub 232 with blades 240, 250, and
each blade has a
vertical component 242, 252 and a horizontal component 244, 254). The
horizontal component of
each blade has front and rear edges (see, e.g., FIG. 25A, which shows front
edge 244a and rear edge
244b of one blade, and front edge 254a and rear edge 254b of the other blade).
Each horizontal
component also has a bottom surface that is disposed adjacent to the floor of
the roaster bowl, and the
bottom surface extends upward from the front edge to the rear edge at a relief
angle of at least 5
relative to the roaster bowl floor (see, e.g., FIG. 26, which shows the 5
relief angle). The apparatus
also includes a heater that is controlled to selectively heat the roaster bowl
during the roasting or
glazing operation.
[0080] As an aspect of the present invention, the two blades extend
from opposite sides
of the central hub, and the two blades are identical.
[0081] As another aspect of the present invention, the vertical
component of each of the
blades extends downward from the central hub and the horizontal component
extends outward from
the vertical component to provide blades that are substantially L-shaped (see,
e.g., FIG. 25C, which
shows the blades having an L-shaped structure).
[0082] As a feature of this aspect, the horizontal component of each
blade extends
outwardly from the vertical component at roughly a 90 angle (see, e.g., FIG.
25C).
[0083] As a further aspect of the present invention, the central hub
of the agitator
(element 232 shown in FIGS. 25A, 25B and 25C) has a diameter that is roughly
four times as large as
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the width of each of the blades (see FIG. 25B). The width of each blade is the
distance from the
blade's front edge (244a and 254a in FIG. 25A) to the blade's rear edge (244b
and 254b in FIG. 25A).
[0084] As yet another aspect, the horizontal component of each blade
includes a top
surface that extends from its front edge to its rear edge at an angle,
relative to the floor of the roaster
bowl, that is substantially different from the relief angle of the bottom
surface relative to the floor of
the roaster bowl (see, e.g., the two angles shown in FIGS. 25E and 26).
[0085] As a feature of this aspect, for each blade, the top surface
extends from its front
edge to its rear edge at roughly a 30 angle relative to the floor of the
roaster bowl, and the relief
angle of the bottom surface is roughly 5 (see FIGS. 25E and 26).
[0086] As a further feature, the front edge of each blade is
substantially thinner than its
rear edge (see, e.g., FIG. 26, which shows front edge 244a substantially
thinner than rear edge 244b).
[0087] As yet a further aspect of the present invention, the roaster
bowl includes an
upwardly extending center column (see, e.g., center column 202 shown in FIG.
4A). The apparatus
further comprises a motor assembly disposed beneath the roaster bowl and a
drive shaft (driven by the
motor assembly) that extends upward through the roaster bowl's center column.
The central hub of
the agitator is coupled to the uppermost end of the drive shaft at a position
that is above the center
column (see, e.g., FIG. 4B, which shows the top of the drive shaft 116, which
is above center column
202).
[0088] As a feature of this aspect, the vertical component of each
blade extends parallel
to the roaster bowl's center column (see, e.g., FIG. 4A, which shows each
blade's vertical component
242 and 252 parallel to center column 202).
[0089] As an additional aspect of the present invention, the
apparatus further comprises a
mixture of nuts and sugar disposed in the roaster bowl, in which the distance
between the bottom of
the front edge of the horizontal component of each blade and the roaster bowl
floor is substantially
smaller than the size of a substantial amount of the nuts in the roaster bowl
so that most of the nuts
pass over the blades during mixing by the blades during the roasting or
glazing operation (see, e.g.,
Figs. 27A ¨ 27C).
[0090] As a feature of this aspect, the relief angle of the bottom
surface of the horizontal
component of each of the blades, relative to the floor of the roaster bowl, is
sufficiently large to
prevent seizing of the rotating blades when items within the mixture pass
under the blades during the
roasting or glazing operation.
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[0091] As yet a further aspect of the present invention, the
apparatus further comprises
dried sugar mixture disposed in the roaster bowl and in which a portion of the
dried sugar mixture is
disposed between the bottom surface of the horizontal component of each of the
blades and the floor
of the roaster bowl. That portion of the dried sugar mixture has a tensile
strength that is sufficiently
low, due to the relief angle of the bottom surface of each horizontal
component, to enable the agitator
to be removed from the roaster bowl without the need to heat the dried sugar
mixture within the
roaster bowl.
[0092] The present invention, in accordance with yet certain
additional embodiments of
the invention, includes a method of steam cleaning a roaster bowl, such as one
used in a roasting and
glazing apparatus, in which an electronic technique is employed for
determining, during the cleaning
process, the boiling point of water at the current altitude of the roaster
bowl. The method comprises
the steps of providing a roaster bowl having sugar (or other coating) adhered
to an internal surface
thereof, adding water into the roaster bowl, and then placing a cover on a top
of the roaster bowl (see,
e.g., FIGS. 1 and 6A, discussed further below, which show cover 300 mounted on
roaster bowl 200).
The cover when mounted on the roaster bowl forms a steam vent between the
cover and roaster bowl,
and the steam vent is disposed adjacent to the roaster bowl's pouring lip
(see, e.g., steam vent 330 in
FIG. 6A, which is disposed adjacent to pouring lip 220), The method further
comprises (with the
cover mounted on the roaster bowl) heating the roaster bowl, and performing
various electronic steps,
as follows. The electronic steps include: (a) determining, using a temperature
sensor (temperature
sensor 196 is shown in FIG. 6B) that senses the temperature of the roaster
bowl and a processor,
whether the water within the roaster bowl has reached a boiling point at the
current altitude of the
roaster bowl; and (b) counting the amount of time of boiling upon
electronically determining that the
water within the roaster bowl has reached the boiling point (at the altitude
of the current location of
the roaster bowl). During this time, the internal surface of the roaster bowl
and the cover are steam
cleaned. The method further includes terminating the heating of the roaster
bowl when the counted
amount of time of boiling reaches a predetermined amount of time elapse, and
then pouring out the
water, with the sugar dissolved therein, from the roaster bowl after heating
is terminated.
[0093] As an aspect of the invention, the water within the roaster
bowl is particularly
determined to have reached the boiling point at the altitude of the current
location of the roaster bowl
by: (a) monitoring (using the temperature sensor) the temperature of the
roaster bowl; (b) ascertaining
(using the processor and the temperature sensor) a variation of the monitored
temperature over a
second predetermined period of time; and (c) determining (by the processor)
that the temperature of
the water within the roaster bowl has reached the boiling point (at the
particular altitude of the current
location of the roaster bowl) if the ascertained variation of the monitored
temperature of the roaster
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bowl is less than a predetermined temperature variation threshold over the
second predetermined
period of time.
[0094] As a feature of this aspect, the above-mentioned period of
time is 30 seconds and
the above-mentioned predetermined temperature variation threshold is 5 F.
[0095] As a further aspect of the invention, the method comprises
terminating heating of
the roaster bowl if the temperature of the roaster bowl exceeds a
predetermined shut-off temperature
(e.g., using over-temperature thermostat 198 shown in FIG. 6B).
[0096] As a feature of this aspect, an over-temperature error signal
is provided to a user
of the roaster bowl if the temperature of the roaster bowl exceeds a
predetermined shut-off
temperature. The predetermined shut-off temperature may be 250 F.
[0097] As yet another aspect of the invention, at least some steam
produced by the
boiling of the water during steam cleaning is vented through the steam vent.
[0098] As yet a further aspect of the invention, the predetermined
amount of time elapse
is 90 seconds so that steam cleaning of the internal surface of the roaster
bowl and the cover is carried
out for a period of time sufficient to break down substantially all of the
sugar adhered to the internal
surface of the roaster bowl.
[0099] As yet an additional aspect of the invention, the roaster
bowl has an outwardly
extending pouring lip (e.g., see pouring lip 220 in FIGS. 1, 4a, 6A and
various other figures). The
roaster bowl and the pouring lip have sugar adhered thereto. In this
particular aspect, the cover is
placed on top of the roaster bowl at an orientation so that the steam vent is
disposed adjacent to at
least a portion of the pouring lip of the roaster bowl (e.g., see FIG. 6A,
which shows steam vent
adjacent to pouring lip 220), The method includes venting, through the steam
vent, steam produced
during boiling of the water, condensing some of the vented steam on the
pouring lip, dissolving sugar
adhered to the pouring lip in the condensed steam, and dripping the condensed
steam with the
dissolved sugar into the roaster bowl.
[00100] In accordance with certain other apparatus embodiments of the
invention, a
roasting and glazing apparatus is configured to operate a steam cleaning
function at any altitude of a
current location of the roasting and glazing apparatus. The roasting and
glazing apparatus comprises
a roaster housing, and a roaster bowl disposed within the roaster housing, in
which the roaster bowl
has an outwardly and upwardly extending pouring lip. The roaster bowl includes
a removable agitator
rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl (see, e.g., FIG. 4A, which shows
agitator 230 mounted
within roaster bowl 200). A cover is removably mounted on the top of the
roaster bowl, and the cover
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and the roaster bowl form a vent that extends between the cover and the
roaster bowl. A heater is
disposed within the roaster housing and adapted to controllably continuously
heat the roaster bowl
(see, e.g., heater 186 in FIGS. 6A and 6B). A temperature sensor is provided
for sensing the
temperature of the roaster bowl (see, e.g., temperature sensor 196 shown in
FIG. 6B). The apparatus
also includes a processor that is configured to: (a) determine whether the
water within the roaster
bowl has reached the boiling point at the particular altitude of the current
location of the roaster bowl
using the sensed temperature of the roaster bowl as provided by the
temperature sensor, in which the
boiling point is a function of the altitude of the current location of the
roasting and glazing apparatus;
(b) count an amount of time of boiling upon determining that the water within
the roaster bowl has
reached the boiling point at the altitude of the current location of the
roaster bowl; and (c) control the
heater to terminate heating of the roaster bowl when the counted amount of
time of boiling reaches a
predetermined amount of time elapse.
[00101] As an aspect of this apparatus embodiment, the processor is configured
to
particularly determine whether the water within the roaster bowl has reached a
boiling point at an
altitude of a current location of the roaster bowl by: (a) monitoring, using
the output of the
temperature sensor, the temperature of the roaster bowl; (b) ascertaining a
variation of the monitored
temperature over a second predetermined period of time; and (c) determining
that the temperature of
the water within the roaster bowl has reached die boiling point at the
altitude of the current location of
the roaster bowl if the ascertained variation of the monitored temperature of
the roaster bowl is less
than a predetermined temperature variation threshold over said second
predetermined period of time.
[00102] As a feature of this aspect, the second predetermined period of time
is 30 seconds,
and the predetermined temperature variation threshold is 5 F.
[00103] As another aspect of the invention, the processor is further
configured to terminate
heating of the roaster bowl if the temperature of the roaster bowl exceeds a
predetermined shut-off
temperature. The predetermined shut-off temperature may be 250 F.
[00104] As a feature of this aspect, the apparatus comprises a
display panel (see, e.g.,
display panel 500 shown in FIG. 5). and the processor is configured to supply
an over-temperature
error signal to the display panel if the temperature of the roaster bowl
exceeds the predetermined shut-
off temperature, the display panel displaying to a user a message
corresponding to the supplied over-
temperature error signal.
[00105] As a further aspect of the apparatus embodiment, the
predetermined amount of
time elapse is 90 seconds.
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[00106] As yet another aspect of the invention, the roaster bowl has an
outwardly
extending pouring lip (e.g., pouring lip 220 shown in FIG. 3 and other
figures), and the roaster bowl
and the pouring lip have sugar adhered thereto. The cover, when disposed on
the roaster bowl, is at
an orientation so that the vent is disposed adjacent to at least a portion of
the pouring lip of the roaster
bowl (e.g., see FIG. 6A), and the roaster bowl including the pouring lip, the
cover and the vent are
configured, during operation of the roasting and glazing apparatus, to: (a)
vent, through the vent,
steam produced during boiling of the water during the count by the processor
of the amount of time of
boiling; (b) condense some of the vented steam on the pouring lip; (c)
dissolve sugar adhered to the
pouring lip in the condensed steam; and (d) drip the condensed steam with the
dissolved sugar into the
roaster bowl.
[00107] These and other embodiments, aspects and features of the present
invention are
described in the following detailed description.
[00108] In addition, various other objects, advantages and features of the
present invention
will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the
following detailed
description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[001091 The following detailed description, given by way of example and not
intended to
limit the present invention solely thereto, will best be appreciated in
conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements
and parts, in which:
[00110] FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are schematic illustrations of perspective,
front and top views,
respectively, of the roasting and glazing apparatus/assembly of the present
invention;
[00111] FIG. 4A is a schematic illustration of the roaster bowl with
the agitator in
accordance with the present invention;
[00112] FIG. 4B is a schematic illustration of an exploded view of the roaster
bowl and the
agitator of the present invention;
[00113] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the front panel of the
roasting and glazing
apparatus/assembly of the present invention;
[00114] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic illustrations of cross-sectional views
of the
roasting and glazing apparatus/assembly of the present invention;
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[00115] FIG. 6C is an enlarged view particularly showing the top of the drive
shaft
extending upwards through the roaster bowl's center column;
[00116] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of an operator adding
water to the cover's water
reservoir during the glazing process in accordance with the present invention;
[00117] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration that shows the roaster
bowl at its highest position
while emptying a batch of roasted/glazed nuts in accordance with the present
invention;
[00118] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration that shows water being
emptied from the roaster
bowl after a cleaning process in accordance with the present invention;
[00119] FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the inventive cover of
the roasting and
glazing apparatus/assembly of the present invention;
[00120] FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration showing the cover of FIG.
10 placed on the
roaster bowl of the roasting and glazing apparatus/assembly of the present
invention;
[00121] FIGS, 12 and 13 are enlarged, perspective top and bottom
views, respectively, of
the nut roaster cover, particularly showing the cover's water reservoir of the
present invention;
[00122] FIG. 14 is another schematic illustration of the nut roaster
cover of the present
invention;
[00123] FIGS. 15 and 16 are schematic illustrations showing the
roaster bowl in a partially
raised position and the fully raised position, respectively, in accordance
with the present invention;
[00124] FIGS. 17-22 are schematic illustrations showing various
components within the
roaster housing and used to illustrate the non-linear dampening system of the
present invention;
[00125] FIGS. 23A-23E are schematic illustrations that show the roaster bowl
at different
raised/lowered positions and further used to describe the operation of the non-
linear dampening
system of the present invention;
[00126] FIG. 24A is a schematic illustration of a perspective, bottom
view of the pour tray
of the present invention;
[00127] FIG. 24B is a schematic illustration of a mounting peg used
to mount the pour
tray on the roaster housing in accordance with the present invention;
[00128] FIGS. 25A ¨ 25G are schematic illustrations showing various views of
the roaster
bowl agitator of the present invention;
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[00129] FIG. 26 is a schematic illustration of a cross-sectional view
of the roaster bowl
and the installed agitator of the present invention;
[00130] FIGS. 27A ¨ C are schematic illustrations used to discuss the
operation of a blade
of the agitator during a mixing operation of the present invention;
[00131] FIG. 28 schematically illustrates the mixing of nuts within a
mixture in the roaster
bowl in accordance with the present invention; and
[00132] FIG. 29 is a schematic illustration showing a shield disposed
on the drive shaft of
the roasting and glazing apparatus/assembly in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[00133] The roasting and glazing apparatus/assembly of the present invention
is able to
roast and/or glaze nuts to produce roasted and sugar glazed nuts, and the
description herein is
provided for illustrative purposes in connection with the cooking (i.e.,
roasting and/or glazing) of
nuts. However, the roasting and glazing apparatus/assembly of the present
invention may be utilized
to roast and/or glaze other food items, and it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited for
use with nuts. For instance, the invention may be utilized to process a
variety of other types of edible
items including oats, beans (e.g., coffee beans), seeds (e.g., squash,
pumpkin, etc.), dried fruit (e.g.,
dried apricots, raisins, etc.), granola, a mixture of granola and fruit,
vegetables (e.g., peas, etc.), and
the like. The invention may further be employed to roast coffee beans and the
like to produce
products that may be used to produce liquid beverages, such as coffee,
including flavored-coffee, and
the like.
[00134] Moreover, as described below, the invention is discussed in
the context of roasting
nuts (called, for convenience, the roasting process or step), followed by the
glazing of the roasted nuts
(called, for convenience, the glazing process or step) to produce
roasted/glazed nuts. However, the
invention further entails roasting alone or glazing alone, which may be
appropriate for the processing
of other food items, such as one or more of those food items identified above.
Accordingly, the
invention is not limited to cooking that must include both roasting and
glazing.
[00135] Therefore, and in view of the foregoing, use of various generic
terms/phrases
herein, including "roaster," "nut roaster," "nut roaster assembly," "roasting
and glazing apparatus,"
"roasting and glazing assembly," "machine" and the like, are interchangeably
used herein for
convenience, and shall be understood to include devices that roast, that
glaze, and that both roast and
glaze nuts and other edible items, unless clearly stated otherwise. Similarly,
use of the term "roaster
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bowl" (and other like terms) shall not provide limiting effect of such
component. Names of
components are provided to aid the reader in understanding what is being
referenced. In addition, the
term "glazed nuts" as used herein refers to sugar glazed nuts. Sugar may
include other suitable
coatings with which the apparatus of the present invention may be used.
Moreover, the term
"roasting" as used herein shall include heating, including chy heating or wet
heating. The term
"roasted nuts" as used herein includes nuts that are heated in the manner
disclosed herein.
[00136] Still further, the figures are presented to aid in the
understanding of the invention,
but are not intended to limit the invention solely to precisely what is shown.
For example, the
illustrations show a particular appearance of the illustrative roasting and
glazing apparatus/assembly
(e.g., such as the rectangular shape and relative size of the roaster's
housing), but it is not intended for
the invention to solely have such appearance. Moreover, explanations about
related functions or
constructions known in the art are omitted for the sake of clarity in
understanding the concept of the
invention, and to avoid obscuring the invention with unnecessary detail.
[00137] As will be appreciated from the description herein, the inventive
roasting and
glazing apparatus/assembly includes or otherwise embodies multiple features,
aspects and benefits.
For convenience, these features, aspects and benefits are divided into the
following groups of
discussion: (A) Cover with Liquid Dispersing Design; (B) Bowl Movement:
Cantilever with Pistons;
(C) Steam Cleaning and Detachable Pour Tray; (D) Agitator and Bowl; (E) Smart
Cleaning Cycle; (F)
Front Panel Display; and (G) Additional Features. These section headings and
all other headings used
herein are provided for convenience and are not intended to limit the
invention in any manner.
[00138] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereof
are
schematic illustrations that show perspective, front and top views,
respectively, of roasting and
glazing apparatus/assembly 100 (for convenience, "roaster assembly 100" or
"nut roaster assembly
100") in accordance with the present invention. As illustrated, nut roaster
assembly 100 includes
various primary components, including a housing 110, a roaster bowl 200 (only
partially shown in
FIGS. 1-3), a cover 300, a pour tray 400, a front panel display 500, and a
cantilever arm 120. These
components, associated components, and other components of nut roaster
assembly 100 are described
in detail below.
[00139] In providing a detailed description of the nut roaster
assembly of the present
invention, a basic discussion of the nut roaster's operation is set forth
first, followed by a detailed
discussion of the structures and functions of the above-mentioned groups.
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[00140] Operation of Inventive Nut Roaster
[00141] During normal operation of the inventive nut roaster, an operator
carries out
various steps as described below. As would be appreciated by those of ordinary
skill in the art, some
of the steps may be modified, or removed altogether, as deemed appropriate by
the operator.
[00142] (1) First, the operator turns a Main Power On/Off switch 510 on.
Switch 510 is
disposed on the inventive nut roaster's front panel 500 shown in FIGS. 1 and
2, and best represented
in FIG. 5.
[00143] (2) The operator adds 8 oz. of water, or any suitable amount
of water as discussed
below, and a certain amount of a nut mix to the roaster bowl 200. For example,
the nut mix is 2 to 2
1/4 lbs. of nuts, sugar and flavoring. Roaster bowl 200 with an installed
agitator 230 is shown with
cover 300 removed in FIG. 4A. FIG. 4B shows an exploded view of roaster bowl
200 and agitator
230. The particular structures of roaster bowl 200 and agitator 230 are
discussed further below. The
nut mix may be a pre-packaged commercial nut mix, or any other suitable
mixture of nuts and other
ingredients prepared for the purpose of roasting and glazing nuts.
[00144] If increased cooking time is desired, additional water may be added.
The quantity
of water may be up to 20 oz., or any suitable variation thereof. If decreased
cooking time is desired,
less water is added, usually with a minimum of 4 oz. of water.
[00145] (3) The operator then depresses the Start button 560 disposed on front
panel 500
shown in FIG. 5 to turn on the nut roaster's motor and heater. FIGS. 6A and 6B
are front and side
cross-sectional views, respectively, of nut roaster assembly 100. As shown in
these figures, a motor
assembly 112, including a motor therein, and heater 186 are located below
roaster bowl 200.
[00146] (4) Activation of the motor causes the agitator disposed within the
roaster bowl to
rotate.
[00147] (5) While the agitator rotates and the roaster bowl is
heated, nut roaster assembly
100 cooks the mix and roasts the nuts over a period of time. During this time,
the following events
occur. The water within the roaster bowl increases in temperature, which
causes the sugar to turn into
a brown syrup, becoming thicker and gradually adhering to the nuts. As the
heater continues to heat
the mixture and the agitator continues to mix the roaster bowl's contents, the
water eventually boils
off, which results in the sugar syrup eventually drying and turning into a
white powder that adheres to
the nuts. As the roaster bowl temperature continues to increase, the white
powder sugar coating on
the nuts turns into a dark brown liquid coating. The temperature at this point
is in the vicinity of
345 F. When the roaster bowl reaches a temperature of approximately 355 F, the
dark brown liquid
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coating on the nuts starts to turn into a whitish/brown powdery shell. The
roaster bowl is further
heated until it reaches a temperature of approximately 360 F (or in the
vicinity of this temperature), at
which time the heater turns off and a "Time Remaining" display begins a count
down to zero from
120 seconds. During this 120 second countdown, residual heat within the
roaster bowl continues to
dry the whitish/brown powdery shell on the nuts.
[00148] During the entire process, the temperature of the roaster bowl is
shown on the
"Actual Temperature" display 530 on front panel 500 shown in FIG. 5. Front
panel 500 also includes
the "Time Remaining" display 540, which shows the above-mentioned countdown.
[00149] (6) After the 120 second countdown, a buzzer within the nut roaster
sounds, which
prompts the operator to press the "Mute Buzzer" button (FIG. 5: button 550).
The operator then
places cover 300 over roaster bowl 200, and adds 3 oz. of water into a water
reservoir 310 within
cover 300 to create the glaze (i.e., to produce a shiny coat on the nuts).
FIG. 7 schematically
illustrates the operator adding water into water reservoir 310. The structure
of cover 300 including
water reservoir 310 are discussed in the sections that follow with reference
to FIGS. 10-14.
[00150] The water added to the water reservoir slowly enters the roaster bowl
through
small openings (called "metering holes" herein) at the bottom of the
reservoir. The water that enters
the roaster bowl is turned into steam, which escapes through the cover's steam
vent 330. The
escaping steam is schematically shown as arrows 360 in FIG. 7 (also see FIG.
11, which better shows
steam vent 330). This process/step of adding water into water reservoir 310
(which ultimately causes
steam to escape through steam vent 330) is referred to herein, for
convenience, as the glazing step.
[00151] (7) After the steam clears, which takes about 50 to 60
seconds after the water is
fully dispensed within the roaster bowl, the operator presses the "Stop"
button 570 on the front panel
500 (FIG. 5), which causes the agitator within the roaster bowl to stop
turning and the heater to turn
off. The operator then removes cover 300.
[00152] (8) The operator lifts cantilever arm 120 to tilt roaster
bowl 200 to its highest
position. which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 8. In this position, most
if not all of the
roasted/glazed nuts 700 are emptied into a cooling pan 600.
[00153] (9) The operator may use tongs or other appropriate tool to
assist in removing all
of the roasted/glazed nuts from roaster bowl 200. Preferably, the operator
separates and spreads the
nuts evenly in cooling pan 600. The nuts should be allowed to cool (e.g., for
at least 20 minutes) to
allow the nuts' sugar coating to fully harden/dry before the roasted/glazed
nuts are packaged within
individual-sized paper cones, cups or other containers, or packaged within a
larger container or bag.
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[00154] The present invention also entails a novel cleaning process,
which is described
below. During production of the roasted/glazed nuts, sugar from the mix may
coat the inside of
roaster bowl 200 and/or the agitator within the roaster bowl. If too much
sugar builds up, the nut
roaster assembly should be cleaned. Generally, the nut roaster assembly should
be cleaned after a
certain number of batches of roasted/glazed nuts are made (e.g., 10 batches)
in order to minimize the
amount of sugar build-up within the roaster bowl. If too much sugar remains
within the roaster bowl
during the herein-described cooking process, a burnt aroma or taste to the
roasted/glazed nuts may
result.
[00155] Finally, upon completion of all production, such as at the end of a
day and/or after
cleaning the nut roaster assembly, the operator turns Main Power On/Off switch
510 off to turn off
the nut roaster.
[00156] As mentioned above, front panel 500 includes Main Power On/Off switch
510.
Front panel 500 also includes other components, including a System Status
display 520 and service
technician control buttons. Front panel 500 also includes a "Clean" button 580
(FIG. 5) that initiates
a cleaning cycle/process in accordance with the present invention.
[00157] Nut Roaster Cleaning Process
[00158] There are three versions of the cleaning cycle/process of the
present invention. In
accordance with a first version, the clean cycle is programmed to extend for a
predetermined amount
of time. In a second version, the length of the clean cycle is manually
selected by the operator. In a
third version, a so-called Smart Cleaning cycle is performed. The first and
second versions of the
cleaning cycle are described as follows. The third version. that is, the Smart
Cleaning cycle, is
discussed in section (E) below.
[00159] To clean the nut roaster assembly, in accordance with the
first version of cleaning
cycle, the following steps are performed.
[00160] (1) The operator pours 48 oz. of water into roaster bowl 200,
places cover 300
over the roaster bowl, and presses Clean button 580 on the front panel 500 to
initiate the clean cycle.
The clean cycle is pre-programmed to last for 5 minutes, during which nut
roaster assembly 100 heats
roaster bowl 200 until the water begins to boil.
[00161] (2) The water continues to boil for the remainder of the
clean cycle. As the water
is boiling, steam is created that dissolves sugar that is stuck-on (i.e.,
adhered to) roaster bowl 200,
agitator 230, and the underside of cover 300. This step, called herein for
convenience the steam-
cleaning step/phase, is discussed in greater detail within the sections that
follow.
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[00162] Optionally, the clean cycle can be pre-programmed to last longer or
shorter than 5
minutes (e.g., 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes), if desired.
Operator monitoring is not
required during the 5-minute clean cycle (or other amount of time, if
programmed) since the nut
roaster's heater automatically turns off when the clean cycle is complete.
[00163] Rather than being pre-programmed, the amount of time of the clean
cycle can be
manually selected by the operator (i.e., the second version). hi such version,
the operator designates
the number of minutes of the clean cycle. In the third version, the Smart
Cleaning cycle is employed,
which is discussed in section (E) below.
[00164] (3) Upon completion of the clean cycle (of any of the clean cycle
versions), the
operator removes cover 300, installs pour tray 400 onto the roaster housing
110 (details of the pour
tray further discussed below), provides a suitable pan, tray, bucket or other
suitable device (e.g., pan
600) under the edge of pour tray 400, and slowly lifts cantilever arm 120 to
raise roaster bowl 200,
such as shown in FIG. 9. As roaster bowl 200 is raised, the water within the
roaster bowl pours onto
pour tray 400 that directs the water into pan 600. The operator lifts
cantilever ann 120 gradually to its
highest position to cause all of the water to vacate from roaster bowl 200.
[00165] (4) The operator then, preferably using a heat safe glove, removes the
very hot
agitator from within roaster bowl 200, and proceeds to clean any remaining
residue from the agitator,
cover 300, and pour tray 400 in a sink.
[00166] (5) The operator cleans off any remaining residue in roaster bowl 200
using damp
paper towels or a clean sponge, or any other suitable cleaning tools.
[00167] (6) The operator may further clean the outside of the nut roaster
assembly 100
using a wet rag or small utility brush, or any other suitable cleaning tools.
[00168] After nut roaster assembly 100 is run through a cleaning cycle,
further batches of
roasted nuts may be made. If no further batches are needed, the operator turns
off nut roaster
assembly 100 by switching Main Power On/Off switch 510 to the Off position.
[00169] Structures/Functions of Inventive Roasting and Glazing Apparatus
[00170] Having described the basic operation of the nut roaster assembly 100
of the
present invention, including a discussion of the cleaning process, a detailed
discussion of each of the
above-identified groups of features, aspects and benefits are set out as
follows.
[00171] (M Cover with Liuuid Dispersing Desien
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[001721 Cover 300 of nut roaster assembly 100 is structured to be placed over
roaster bowl
200, such as shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 7.
[00173] FIG. 10 schematically shows cover 300 without the other components of
the nut
roaster assembly. As shown, cover 300 includes water reservoir 310 recessed
within the cover's top
surface 302. Cover 300 also includes a top handle 340 extending from the
cover's top surface 302, a
side handle 350 coupled to the handle's side surface 304, and a rolled edge
320 that extends partially
around the bottom of side surface 304. Side handle 350 can be used to hang the
cover for storage on a
peg or hanger extending from a wall, cabinet or other object.
[00174] FIG. 11 shows cover 300 disposed on roaster bowl 200 (with only the
top portion
of the roaster bowl shown). As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11, the cover's
side surface 304 flares
outwardly from its upper edge to its lower edge.
[00175] The Cover's Water Reservoir
[00176] The cover's water reservoir 310, shown best in the top view of FIG. 3
and the
enlarged view of FIG. 12, includes metering holes 312 within the reservoir's
bottom surface. As
discussed above, water is added to the reservoir during the glazing step of
the cooking process.
Metering holes 312 allow the water to flow into roaster bowl 200 during this
step.
[00177] Metering holes 312 disperse the water within the roaster
bowl at a set interval of
time. That is, metering holes 312 are precisely sized to disperse the water
into the roaster bowl in a
gradual and controlled manner. For example, metering holes 312 may disperse
the water over a
period of 10 to 15 seconds (i.e., a flow rate of 3 ounces over 10 to 15
seconds, or the proportional
equivalent flow rate for a different amount of water). The flow rate may be
greater or slower (e.g., a
flow rate of 3 ounces over more than 15 seconds, a flow rate of 3 ounces over
at least 30 seconds,
etc.). In a preferred version, the flow rate disperses 3 ounces of water over
a period of between 30
and 35 seconds. Water is dispersed within the nut roaster over multiple
revolutions of the agitator
while it is turning, thus allowing the water to be dispersed over the nuts
more evenly which, in turn,
results in better coated glazed nuts.
[00178] Moreover, by producing steam over such relatively long period of time,
less steam
is instantaneously produced at any given instant of time as compared to the
amount of steam instantly
produced by the addition of 3 oz. of water from a measuring cup directly into
the roaster bowl (i.e.,
without the use of the herein-described inventive cover). Cover 300, with
water reservoir 310,
therefore prevents or otherwise minimizes the risk of scalding the operator by
any steam that is
produced after water is added to the water reservoir. That is, after the
cooking cycle, the roaster bowl
is typically at a temperature of over 360 F. When water, which may be cold
water, is added to the
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roaster bowl at this temperature, a burst of steam is produced. However, due
to the
structure/components of cover 300, the size of each burst of steam that is
produced at any given
instant is minimized.
[00179] In addition, as further discussed below, steam that is produced is
directed away
from the operator so that scalding of an operator's hand or arm is avoided.
[00180] The metering holes 312 within water reservoir 310 may have the same
shape and
size, or have different shapes and sizes. Moreover, the location of each
metering hole 312 within the
reservoir may be different than that shown in the figures. For instance, in
FIG. 12, three metering
holes are provided: two of the holes disposed on opposite ends of the
reservoir, with the third in the
center (near a side edge). The metering holes 312 are also shown in the
enlarged, bottom view of
FIG. 13, which illustrates a portion of the underside of cover 300. However,
the metering holes may
be located elsewhere within the water reservoir. Moreover, while three
metering holes are shown in
the various figures, the water reservoir may have a different number of
metering holes, such as one,
two, four or more.
[00181] FIGS. 3 and 12 (and other figures) schematically illustrate
the location and shape
of water reservoir 310. The location and shape of the water reservoir provide
additional benefits
discussed below. Water reservoir 310 is sufficiently deep, such as shown in
FIGS. 6A and 7, to
accommodate all of the water (e.g., 3 oz. of water) that is needed to glaze
the nuts. However, the
shape, size and depth of water reservoir 310 may be different than that
described herein and shown in
the drawings, as would be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
[00182] Water reservoir 310 may be a separate component that is disposed
within an
aperture of the cover and secured thereto by any suitable means (e.g., welded,
bolted, etc.). In the
version shown in the drawings, water reservoir is a separate component and
includes a raised edge
314 that is disposed above the cover's top surface 302 (see FIGS. 10 and 11).
In a variation, water
reservoir 310 is integral with cover 300 (i.e., made from the same piece of
material).
[00183] The Cover's Rolled Edge and the Steam Vent
[00184] As illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 14, the cover's side
surface 304 includes a
rolled edge 320 that extends partially, but not fully, around the cover's
bottom perimeter. As shown,
a non-rolled edge 322 of the bottom of side surface 304 represents that
portion of the cover that does
not include rolled edge 320. That is, rolled edge 320 extends roughly 80%
around the cover's
perimeter, with non-rolled edge 322 representing the remaining 20%. It is
noted that the rolled edge
may have a different length, such as extending 70%, 75%, or 85% around the
cover's perimeter, or
another appropriate length.
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[00185] Rolled edge 320 is shown thicker than the cover's side
surface 304, and generally
is rounded, but the rolled edge may have a different shape, thickness and size
than that shown in the
figures. The term "rolled edge" is used herein for convenience to represent an
edge shape that is
different from the shape of the non-rolled edge. Hence, rolled edge 320 may
have a shape that does
not appear to be "rolled."
[00186] Rolled edge 320 serves to form a seal between cover 300 and roaster
bowl 200
when the cover is placed on top of the roaster bowl. As perhaps best shown in
FIG. 4A, roaster bowl
200 includes a groove or channel 210 (also called herein "bowl channel") that
extends partially
around the perimeter of the top of the roaster bowl and is shaped to receive
the cover's rolled edge
320 when the cover is placed on top of the roaster bowl. Bowl channel 210 does
not extend fully
around the roaster bowl and thus is "keyed" so that cover 300 is correctly
positioned (i.e., correctly
placed and angularly aligned) when the entire rolled edge 320 of the cover is
within the bowl channel.
[00187] To further facilitate proper alignment of cover 300 on roaster bowl
200 by the
operator, the cover and roaster bowl include alignment markings 224, 324, as
shown in HG. 3.
Roaster bowl 200 includes alignment mark 224, which is in the shaped of a
diamond. Cover 300
includes, on its rolled edge 320, alignment mark 324, which is in the shaped
of an arrow (or triangle).
Accordingly, the operator places cover 300 on bowl 200 at the orientation at
which the two
alignments marks are adjacent to one another.
[00188] The rolled edge may be a component separate from cover 300, that is,
not be an
integral part of cover 300. For instance, the rolled edge may be a gasket or
other suitable sealing
device. Such component may be glued or otherwise permanently fixed to the
bottom of cover 300, or
may be separable from cover 300. In yet another variation, a sealing
component, such as a gasket,
may be fixed to the top of roaster bowl 200, thereby providing a seal between
roaster bowl 200 and
cover 300 when mounted thereon.
[00189] Roaster bowl 200 includes a pouring lip 220 as shown in FIG. 4A (also
shown in
other figures including FIGS. 1 and II). Pouring lip 220 extends around the
perimeter of roaster bowl
200 where bowl channel 210 does not extend, although the pouring lip and bowl
channel overlap
slightly at their respective ends, as illustrated in FIG. 4A.
[001901 As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 11. when cover 300 is placed
on roaster bowl 200,
with the cover's rolled edge 320 properly disposed within the bowl channel,
non-rolled edge 322 of
the cover is positioned immediately above the bowl's pouring lip 220. Then,
without a rolled edge
320 extending from the cover's side surface 304 in the vicinity, immediately
above the bowl's pouring
lip 220, an opening 330 is formed at such location. Opening 330 is referred to
herein as steam vent
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330 since it serves as a vent for steam created during the herein-described
glazing step. As illustrated
in FIG. 7, steam (represented by arrows 360) escapes from within the roaster
bowl 200 through steam
vent 330.
[00191] Still referring to FIG. 7, when cover 300 is placed on roaster bowl
200 as shown
in the figure, water reservoir 310 and steam vent 330 arc disposed on
diametrically opposite sides of
the cover. Accordingly, when steam is produced during the herein-described
glazing step (i.e., when
water is added to water reservoir 310), the steam is gradually produced as a
result of the measured
dispensing of water via water reservoir 310 and such gradually produced steam
escapes from within
the roaster bowl only through (or at least mostly only through) steam vent
330. Hence, steam escapes
at a position of the cover that is disposed on the opposite side of the water
reservoir, thus preventing
scalding of the operator's hand and ann while filling the water reservoir.
[00192] As mentioned above and shown in the various figures, cover 300
includes a top
handle 340. Top handle 340 is made of heat-resistant plastic (or other
suitable heat-resistant material)
and is used to lift cover 300 from roaster bowl 200. Top handle 340 may be
held by the operator
during the glazing process, if desired. For instance, the operator, while
holding a measuring cup filled
with water in one hand, pours water into water reservoir 310 while holding the
cover's top handle
with the other hand (e.g., for balance or other reason). Since the cover's top
handle 340 is disposed in
the center of the cover, there is sufficient distance between both the top
handle and the water
reservoir, and the top handle and the steam vent, to allow the operator to
safely hold the top handle
during the glazing step.
[00193] Moreover, the relatively narrow, curved shape of water reservoir 310,
which is
disposed near the outer periphery of cover 300, prevents a hand holding the
top handle 340 from
getting burned by any steam that may come up through the metering holes 312
within water reservoir
310. Water reservoir 310, however, is sufficiently wide to allow an operator
to easily pour water into
the water reservoir using a standard measuring cup.
[00194] As
discussed herein, and schematically shown in FIG. 7, steam vent 330, which is
relatively long, is in the vicinity of the bowl's pouring lip 220, which
advantageously causes all or
nearly all of the steam that is produced during the nut glazing and cleaning
processes to escape roaster
bowl 200 at a location that is on a single side of the nut roaster. Thus, the
steam is not directed out
from the front or the immediate back of the nut roaster assembly, thereby
minimizing the impact of
the steam on the operator standing in front, and a wall, cabinet or other
object that may be disposed
behind the nut roaster assembly. As for impacting objects on the side of the
nut roaster assembly
where steam escapes during use (called herein, for convenience, the
"evacuation side") (e.g., the right
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side shown in FIG. 7), that side is utilized to dispense the nuts from the
bowl after being
roasted/glazed, and also is the side from which the cleaning water is
dispensed after the cleaning
process, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Therefore, a company or other user of the
inventive nut roaster
assembly generally would not place equipment, food, or other items near the
evacuation side of the
nut roaster assembly.
[00195] Moreover, by restricting the location of escaping steam (that
very likely includes
dissolved sugar), objects, shelves, and other items located behind, in front
of, or at the non-evacuation
side of the nut roaster assembly are not coated over time by a layer of sugar
and thus minimizes the
cleanup of these areas. The above-described metering of water into the roaster
bowl via the water
reservoir minimizes the size of the bursts of steam that are created, further
reducing the amount of
sugar that escapes and therefore minimizes the cleanup of surrounding areas.
[00196] (B) Bowl Movement: Cantilever with Pistons System
[00197] Nut roaster assembly 100 includes cantilever arm 120, shown in FIG. 1
and
various other figures, along with other structure to be discussed herein
(called "Cantilever with
Pistons System" herein, for convenience) to enable the operator to lift and
lower roaster bowl 200
safely and with certain advantages and benefits discussed herein.
[00198] Cantilever arm 120 is coupled to nut roaster housing 110 via
a sleeve bearing
122 shown in FIGS. 3 and 6B. Cantilever arm 120 optionally may include a grip
(e.g., a rubber hand
gip) on its open end. Cantilever arm 120 turns a lever arm shaft 124, shown in
FIG. 6B. Lever arm
shaft 124 is coupled to a bowl assembly 180 and serves to raise and lower
roaster bowl 200. Bowl
assembly 180 is shown in FIG. 17, which is discussed further below.
[00199] As discussed herein, roaster bowl 200 is raised and lowered
after both the cooking
and cleaning processes. The cross-sectional views of FIGS. 6A and 6B show
roaster bowl 200 in the
fully lowered position where it is disposed mostly within the nut roaster
housing 110. FIG. 15 shows
roaster bowl 200 disposed at roughly a 30 position, and FIG. 16 shows roaster
bowl 200 disposed at
a roughly 1050 position (i.e., the fully raised position). FIG. 8 also shows
roaster bowl 200 at the
fully raised position at the completion of the glazing process. The roaster
bowl's fully raised position
may be any position at which the contents of roaster bowl 200 may easily be
distributed onto a pan or
tray, and includes angles between the range of 70 and 120 (or even higher if
desired) relative to the
top surface of housing 110, although a range of 95 to 110 is preferred.
[00200] Nut roaster assembly 100 employs a unique non-linear dampening system
that
enables the operator to easily lift roaster bowl 200 from its fully lowered
position to its fully raised
position and, conversely, to easily lower roaster bowl 200 from its fully
raised position to its fully
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lowered position. Also, during such lifting and lowering, the non-linear
dampening system prevents
roaster bowl 200 from quickly falling (from any position) in the event the
operator lets go of
cantilever arm 120.
[00201] The inventive non-linear dampening system provides additional
protection to
prevent injury within a "falling zone." The falling zone is the region that
includes housing opening
130 as well as the area immediately above opening 130 shown in FIG. 15. In
particular, the falling
zone includes any area that can be hit by roaster bowl 200 as it is lowered
from the 300 position to the
fully lowered position.
[00202] FIGS. 17-22 and 23A-23E collectively illustrate the non-linear
dampening system.
As shown in these various figures to be explained in detail below, two gas-
dampened pistons 140, 150
and a rotating lever 160 are employed to assist and control the raising and
lowering of roaster bowl
200.
[00203] Piston 140 is a relatively large piston (and thus referred to
herein as large piston
140) and is fully shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, and partially shown in FIGS. 17,
18 and 22. As best
shown in FIGS. 17 and 19, large piston 140 is connected at one end to a bowl
support 182 to which
the bottom of roaster bowl 200 is fixed. As best shown in FIG. 19, large
piston 140 is connected at its
other end to a cross member 170 that extends across and near the center of the
bottom of housing 110.
FIG. 22 shows cross member 170, with large piston 140 coupled to the cross
member.
[00204] Piston 150 is a relatively small piston (and thus referred to
herein as small piston
150). Small piston 150 is fully shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 (and FIGS. 23A-23E
discussed further
below), and partially shown in FIGS. 17, 18, 19 and 22. As shown in these
figures, small piston 150
is connected at one end to a mid-section of rotating lever 160. Small piston
150 is connected at its
other end to a bracket 126, which is fixed to housing 110 (at connection point
152), as shown in
FIGS. 17 and 19-22.
[00205] Rotating lever 160 also is connected at one end to bowl
support 182 (at connection
point 154), as shown in FIGS. 18, 20 and 21. Rotating lever 160 includes, at
its other side, a hooked
end 162 that includes an opening 164 (hooked opening 164). As further
discussed below and
explained with reference to FIGS. 23A-23E, lever 160 engages (at its hooked
end 162) a pin 184 (e.g.,
peg) that extends from bowl support 182 when roaster bowl 200 is lowered from
the 30 position to
the fully lowered position. Small piston 150 is engaged during this time.
[00206] Each of the above-mentioned connections of large piston 140,
small piston 150,
and rotating lever 160 are pivot-type connections, and any appropriate
technique or device to facilitate
the pivot connection may be employed.
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[00207] In the illustrative assembly, large piston 140 is a gas spring with a
140mm stroke,
70 pounds nominal. Small piston 150 is a gas spring with a 90mm stroke, 15
pounds nominal. Thus,
the large piston provides a substantially greater counter force than the small
piston. Such pistons/gas
springs are well known in the art and thus further technical description
herein is omitted. It should be
noted that the pistons provided are merely exemplary, and other pistons with
other strokes and
characteristics may be employed. Moreover, pistons 140 and 150 may be of types
different than gas
springs.
[00208] Pistons 140 and 150 produce a counterforce to the weight of bowl
assembly 180,
which includes roaster bowl 200 and the components fixed thereto. For
instance, roaster bowl 200
may weigh in the vicinity of 6 to 7 lbs. and the other components of the bowl
assembly may weigh in
excess of 10 lbs. Moreover, the weight of roaster bowl 200 includes its
contents, such as nuts and/or
water. Accordingly, the counterforce of the pistons thus provides the operator
of nut roaster assembly
100 controlled ascent and descent of bowl assembly 180.
[00209] As explained herein, roaster bowl 200 is lifted after the
cooking process to its
fully raised position in order to allow the roasted/glazed nuts to be easily
removed, as illustrated in
FIG. 8. Similarly, after the cleaning process, roaster bowl 200 is gradually
lifted to cause the hot sugar
water within the roaster bowl to be poured onto pouring tray 400 and then into
a pan 600, as
illustrated in FIG. 9. As the sugar water leaves the bowl, the operator
continues to raise cantilever
arm 120 until roaster bowl 200 is at the fully raised position. During this
lifting operation, large
piston 140 aids the operator in the lifting of roaster bowl 200.
[00210] When roaster bowl 200 is at the fully raised position (or at
any lower position, if
desired), the operator lowers the roaster bowl by lowering cantilever arm 120.
While lowering, large
piston 140 is engaged and serves to counteract the downward force of the
roaster bowl being lowered
(including the gravitational force). By counteracting the downward force,
roaster bowl 200 is
gradually lowered.
[00211] Small piston 150 is engaged only during a portion of the
lowering of roaster bowl
200. Specifically, small piston 150 is not engaged until roaster bowl 200 is
lowered to the 30
position and remains engaged until roaster bowl 200 is completely lowered. The
operation of small
piston 150 is explained below with reference to FIGS. 23A ¨ 23E. As will be
appreciated from the
description herein, the operation of small piston 150 as herein described
completely prevents (or at
least significantly minimizes) injury within the above-identified "falling
zone."
[00212] FIGS. 23A-23E show roaster bowl 200 at various positions. FIG. 23A
shows
roaster bowl 200 at the fully raised position. FIG. 23B shows roaster bowl 200
at a slightly lowered
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position (i.e., at roughly a 65 position). FIG. 23C shows roaster bowl 200 at
the 300 position. FIG.
23D shows roaster bowl 200 at a 15 position. FIG. 23E shows roaster bowl 200
at the fully lowered
position.
[00213] FIGS. 23A-23E also simply illustrate housing 110, bowl
support 182, pin 184,
small piston 150 and rotating lever 160 so that the respective positions of
each of these components
are illustrated. Large piston 140 and other components of the nut roaster
assembly are not provided in
FIGS. 23A-23E so as to not obscure these figures.
[00214] As indicated above, FIG. 23A shows roaster bowl 200 at the fully
raised position.
As roaster bowl 200 is lowered from this position, rotating lever 160 freely
rotates upwards (counter-
clockwise) thus preventing small piston 150 from being engaged (i.e., from
being compressed). This
is shown in FIG. 23B. Roaster bowl 200 is further lowered until it reaches the
30 position shown in
FIG. 23C. As illustrated in FIG. 23C, small piston 150 is uncompressed.
Accordingly, during the
roaster bowl's entire movement between the fully raised position (FIG. 23A)
and the 30 position
(FIG. 23C), small piston 150 is not engaged.
[00215] However, at the 30 position shown in FIG. 23C, rotating lever 160 has
rotated
upwards to the point where the rotating lever's hooked end is in contact with
pin 184 that extends
from bowl support 182. Rotating lever 160 therefore is prevented from further
upward rotation.
[00216] Accordingly, continued lowering of roaster bowl 200 beyond the 30
position
causes small piston 150 to be engaged. The operator therefore must exert
sufficient downward force
on cantilever arm 120 to overcome the counteracting force of small piston 150.
[00217] As the operator exerts the required downward force, the
counteracting force of
small piston 150 causes roaster bowl 200 to be lowered at a very gradual rate.
Such gradual rate is
sufficiently slow to allow the operator and other individuals plenty of time
to move body parts and
other items that may be located within the above-mentioned falling zone.
[00218] FIG. 23D shows roaster bowl 200 at thc 15 position, and at such
position, small
piston 150 is shown partly compressed while rotating lever 160 continues to
abut pin 184 of bowl
support 182. As roaster bowl 200 is further lowered by the operator to the
fully lowered position
shown in FIG. 23E, small piston 150 continues to be engaged, thus continuing
to cause the very
gradual (and thus very safe) lowering of roaster bowl 200.
[00219] Accordingly, by employing the herein-described Cantilever with Pistons
System,
roaster bowl 200 cannot accidentally (or even intentionally) move between the
various positions too
quickly so as to pose a threat of physical injury.
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[00220] In addition, the use of small piston 150 with rotating lever 160 as
herein described
provides enhanced safety when the roaster bowl is relatively close to the top
surface of the nut roaster
assembly's housing (i.e., between the 30 and fully lowered positions).
Accordingly, an object, a
person's finger or anything else located within the falling zone may easily be
removed to prevent
injury or damage during the final lowering of the roaster bowl into its fully
lowered position.
[00221] The particular height of roaster bowl 200 at which the small piston is
engaged
may be different than that explained above. For example, the structure of the
components may be
modified to cause the small piston to be engaged after the roaster bowl is
lowered to a 35 position, or
a 250 position, or other desired position.
1002221 (C) Steam Cleanin2 and Detachable Pour Tray
[00223] Nut roaster assembly 100 of the present invention includes pour tray
400, shown
in various figures, including FIGS. 1-3, 6A, 9, 15, 16 and 24A. Pour tray 400
is removably attachable
to the nut roaster's housing 110 in a manner to be described, and is utilized
during the herein-
described nut roaster cleaning process and, in particular, is utilized to
evacuate the water from roaster
bowl 200 after the herein-described steam cleaning phase of the cleaning
process is complete.
[00224] As discussed above, to clean the various components including roaster
bowl 200,
agitator 230, and cover 300, the operator adds water to roaster bowl 200,
places cover 300 over the
roaster bowl, and depresses Clean button 580 on the front panel 500 to
initiate the clean cycle.
During the clean cycle, roaster bowl 200 is heated until the water begins to
boil. As the water is
boiling, steam is created that dissolves the stack-on sugar. As mentioned
above, this process is called,
for convenience, the steam-cleaning phase.
[00225] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 11, pouring lip 220 of roaster bowl 200
extends partially
outward and upward from the bowl's perimeter 222. As steam is created, the
steam fills the space
between roaster bowl 200 and cover 300, and ultimately is forced to exit
through steam vent 330.
During this steam cleaning phase, that is, as steam is continuously being
created from the boiling
water, the entire underside of cover 300 and most of the internal surface of
roaster bowl 200 are
cleaned such that all (or at least most) of the sugar that is adhered to any
of these surfaces is dissolved
within the steam, hot water vapor and boiling water. Some of the steam and hot
water vapor exit the
chamber via steam vent 330. For convenience, the term steam herein refers to
both steam and hot
water vapor.
[00226] In accordance with the present invention, the steam exiting the
chamber via steam
vent 330 cleans the bowl's pouring lip 220. In particular, as the steam exits,
some of the exiting
steam contacts the top surface of pouring lip 220, which condenses on the
pouring lip, dissolves sugar
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that is adhered to the pouring lip, and drips back (along with the dissolved
sugar) into roaster bowl
200.
[00227] Pouring lip 220 has a particular shape and length. This
entails a pouring lip that
does not extend too far from the perimeter of roaster bowl 200, otherwise the
steam exiting via steam
vent 330 during steam-cleaning does not sufficiently remove sugar that may be
adhered to the outer
edge of pouring lip 220 (i.e., that portion of pouring lip 220 furthest from
the roaster bowl). That is,
steam exiting the roaster bowl through the steam vent is able to clean only a
finite length of the
pouring lip. A particularly suitable length of the pouring lip is 0.75 inches,
upwards of 1 inch (and all
lengths smaller), although quality of cleaning is reduced at much longer
lengths. For example, a
pouring lip with a length as long as 3 inches is not properly cleaned at the
areas furthest from the
roaster bowl.
[00228] Hence, by limiting the extension of the roaster bowl's
pouring lip as particularly
shown in the figures, the entire pouring lip is able to be sufficiently
cleaned during the herein-
described steam cleaning phase.
[00229] At the conclusion of the clean cycle, the operator removes cover 300
and then
proceeds to pour out the hot water (with the sugar dissolved therein - also
called "sugar water"
herein, for convenience) within roaster bowl 200 using pour tray 400. As
further discussed below and
as generally shown in FIG. 9, pour tray 400 is first connected to nut roaster
housing 110, a suitable
bucket, pan or tray (e.g., pan 600) is placed under pour tray 400, and the
operator lifts cantilever arm
120 to raise roaster bowl 200 to a height sufficient to allow the sugar water
within roaster bowl 200 to
flow onto pour tray 400, which directs the sugar water into the bucket, pan or
tray.
[00230] Thereafter, the various components, including the roaster
bowl, agitator, cover,
pour tray and other accessible components, are cleaned to remove all remaining
residue.
[00231] Detachable Pour Tray
[00232] Referring again to FIGS. 1-3, pour tray 400 is shown to have
a proximal end 410
and a distal end 420. The pour tray's proximal end 410 includes a curved edge
430 with a curvature
that generally follows the curvature of the outer edge of pouring lip 220, as
best shown in FIG. 3.
Curved edge 430 is longer than pouring lip 220 to prevent spillage of the
sugar water as it is being
poured onto pour tray 400 from pouring lip 220. The pour tray's distal end 420
is narrower than the
pour tray's proximal end 410 to further facilitate pouring of the sugar water
into the separate bucket
or pan. Pour tray 400 further includes a sidcwall 440 extending upward from
the two side edges and
the curved edge to also prevent or, at least, minimize spillage during
pouring, as illustrated in FIG. 9.
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[00233] As shown in FIG. 2, the top surface of the pour tray's proximal end
410 is sloped
at its edge that flows into a flat portion that rests on the top surface of
nut roaster housing 110, when
mounted thereon. The pour tray's distal end 420 is sloped downward to further
facilitate pouring of
the sugar water into the adjacent bucket or pan. This also is shown in FIGS.
9, 15 and 16.
[00234] FIGS. 15 and 16 show the relative size of pour tray 400 and the
positions of its
components when roaster bowl 200 is at the partially raised position (FIG. 15)
and at the fully raised
position (FIG. 16). As illustrated, pour tray 400 catches water poured over
the roaster bowl's pouring
lip when the roaster bowl is at any raised position, thus minimizing spillage
during the pouring
operation. Of course, the operator needs to raise roaster bowl 200 carefully
and in a measured manner
to ensure that there is no spillage of the water during any pouring operation
that may be carried out.
[00235] Pour tray 400 further includes structure to enable it to be mounted on
the nut
roaster's housing. FIG. 24A shows a perspective, bottom view of pour tray 400.
As shown, pour tray
includes a support member 450 that extends downward from the pour tray's lower
surface. Support
member 450 includes two elongated engagement apertures 452. To facilitate
mounting, the nut
roaster's housing 110 includes a pair of mounting pins 190 that extend from
the upper, side surface of
the nut roaster's housing 110, as best shown in the perspective, bottom view
of FIG. 22. As shown in
FIG. 24B, each mounting pin 190 is cylindrical in shape and includes a rounded
terminus 192.
[00236] To mount pour tray 400 on the nut roaster's housing 110, pour tray 400
is
positioned above and adjacent to the top, side edge of the nut roaster's
housing 110 so that the pour
trav's two engagement apertures 452 are immediately above the two mounting
pins 190 extending
from the housing, and then the pour tray is lowered until the mounting pegs
are within the pour tray's
engagement apertures, as shown in FIG. 22.
[00237] The pour tray rests on the top surface of the nut roaster's
housing 110, as best seen
in FIG. 2. Mounting pins 190 disposed within the pour tray's engagement
apertures 452 keep the
pour tray in place during use (see FIG. 22). After completion of pouring of
the sugar water from
roaster bowl 200 into a bucket or pan, the pour tray is lifted up to be
removed, and is then easily
cleaned in a sink.
[00238] Mounting pins 190 on the nut roaster housing may have a structure
different than
that shown and described herein. Moreover, the mechanism to secure the pour
tray to the nut roaster
housing may be different. Other techniques/structure known in the art to
temporarily attach the pour
tray to the nut roaster housing may be employed,
[00239] From the description herein, it is illustrated that the
inventive nut roaster includes
elements and features that maximize the effectiveness of the cleaning
operation, while preventing or
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otherwise minimizing the need to separately clean the bowl's integral pouring
lip, and preventing or
otherwise minimizing the flow of steam (containing dissolved sugar) towards
the front or back of the
nut roaster assembly. Still further, the bowl's pouring lip, in combination
with the detachable pour
tray, prevents or otherwise minimizes spillage of the very hot (or boiling)
water onto the floor, onto
the counter on which the roaster sits, onto the top surface of the nut roaster
or other component or
piece of machinery.
[00240] (D) Agitator and Bowl
[00241] Nut roaster assembly 100 of the present invention includes
the inventive agitator
230 within the roaster bowl that mixes the nuts, sugar and other ingredients
during the herein-
described nut roasting process. The inventive agitator 230 has various
structural features that provide
certain benefits and advantages not provided by agitators used in currently
available nut roasters.
[00242] In particular, agitator 230, shown installed within roaster
bowl 200 in FIG. 4A,
beneficially avoids or minimizes seizing, prevents or minimizes formation of
thick coatings of hard
sugar build-up on and under the agitator's blades, prevents incremental build-
up of sugar on and
under the agitator over multiple cooked batches, beneficially provides for
even interspersing of the
mixture throughout the roaster bowl, minimizes mere pushing of the bowl
contents around the roaster
bowl thus increasing consistency in nut coating, minimizes production of
scrap, and prevents
adherence of the agitator to the bowl after the roaster bowl has cooled (after
the cooking process is
complete), among other features, benefits and advantages.
[00243] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, agitator 230 is installed over a center
column 202
extending upwards from the bottom of roaster bowl 200. When properly
installed, agitator 230 is
connected to the top of drive shaft 116, which extends through the bowl's
center column 202, as
further discussed below.
[00244] FIGS. 25A-25G are various views of agitator 230. FIG. 25A is a
perspective
view. FIG. 25B is a top view. FIG. 25C is a front view. FIG. 25D is a side
view. FIG. 25E shows an
enlarged portion of the side view of FIG. 25D. FIG. 25F is a bottom view. FIG.
25G is another
perspective view. Moreover, FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of roaster bowl
200 with installed
agitator 230.
[00245] As shown in FIGS. 25A, 25B, 25C, 25F and 25G, agitator 230
includes a central
hub 232 and two blades 240, 250. The two blades extend from opposite sides of
central hub 232 and
arc identical in all respects. As particularly shown in FIG. 25C, blades 240,
250 are L-shaped and
include a somewhat vertical (i.e,, slightly slanted) component (242, 252) (for
convenience, called
"vertical component") extending downward from central hub 232 and then bend
(slightly more than
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900) into an outwardly extending horizontal component (244, 254). As best
shown in FIG. 25B,
blades 240, 250 are relatively narrow in width as compared to the size of
central hub 232. In
particular, central hub 232 has a diameter that is roughly four times longer
than the width of the
blades.
[00246] When agitator 230 is installed within roaster bowl 200, as shown in
FIG. 4A, each
blade's vertical component is adjacent and parallel to center column 202 that
extends upward from the
bottom of roaster bowl 200, and each blade's horizontal component is disposed
immediately above
and parallel to the floor of roaster bowl 200.
[00247] As shown in FIG. 25A, the horizontal component of blade 240
includes a front
edge 244a and a rear edge 244b. Likewise, the horizontal component of blade
250 includes a front
edge 254a and a rear edge 254b.
[00248] The horizontal component of each blade 240, 250 has angled top and
bottom
surfaces. As best shown in FIG. 26, each blade's top surface (of the
horizontal component) extends
upward from the blade's front edge to the blade's rear edge at an angle of 30
relative to the floor of
roaster bowl 200. FIG. 25A also shows each blade with an angled top surface.
[00249] Moreover, each blade's bottom surface extends upward from the front
edge to the
rear edge at a relief angle of 50 relative to the floor of roaster bowl 200,
which is shown in FIGS. 25E
and 26. Accordingly, each blade's front edge (244a, 254a) is relatively thin
as compared to the
thickness of each blade's rear edge (244b, 254b).
[00250] Agitator 230 also includes a notch 234 with the shape shown
in FIGS. 4A, 4B,
25A, 25F and 25G to enable the agitator to be secured to the top of drive
shaft 116. As shown in FIG.
4B, drive shaft 116 includes a pair of outwardly extending pins 204. To secure
agitator 230 to drive
shaft 116, agitator 230 is placed immediately above the bowl's center column
202, and agitator 230 is
rotated to align the outer openings of the agitator's notch 234 with the
positions of pins 204. Agitator
230 is pushed downward and onto drive shaft 116 to cause pins 204 to move up
and into notch 234.
Then, to secure the agitator within the roaster bowl, agitator 230 is turned
clockwise to move pins 204
into the closed ends of notch 234.
[00251] Referring to FIGS. 4A, 4B, 6A and 6B, agitator 230 is connected to the
top of
drive shaft 116, which extends through the roaster bowl's center column 202.
FIG. 6C is an enlarged
view that particularly shows the top of drive shaft 116, the agitator's
central hub 232 and the top of
the roaster bowl's center column 202. FIGS. 6B and 6C show only a small
portion of thc agitator's
two blades 240, 250 (reference numbers 240, 250 are omitted in FIG. 6B for
purposes of ease of
readability).
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[00252] As also shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, drive shaft 116 is coupled at its
bottom end to
gearbox 114, which is driven by motor assembly 112 during operation of nut
roaster assembly 100.
Accordingly, when the motor of nut roaster assembly 100 is powered, the
agitator's blades 240, 250
rotate. During such rotation, the agitator's blades 240, 250 mix the contents
in roaster bowl 200.
[00253] During the herein-described operation of nut roaster assembly 100, and
particularly during the roasting and glazing processes, blades 240, 250 rotate
around roaster bowl 200
and during such rotation lift the ingredients (e.g., nuts and sugar) as each
blade passes through the
mixture. By employing blades that have a short width and that have a top
surface angle of 30 , the
mixture moves fluidly over the blades. Moreover, the blade structure lifts and
rotates components of
the mixture (i.e., the nuts) during blade rotation, as further discussed
below.
[00254] FIGS. 27A-27C illustrate the movement of an individual nut 702 within
a mixture
in roaster bowl 200 as blade 240 rotates. Front edge 244a of blade 240
approaches nut 702, as shown
in FIG. 27A. As blade 240 continues to rotate, the blade's front edge 244a
contacts nut 702 and
forces the nut to tumble up the blade's top surface, where the orientation of
nut 702 has changed due
to such tumbling, as illustrated in FIG. 27B. As blade 240 continues to
rotate, nut 702 tumbles past
the blade's rear edge 244b, further changing the nut's orientation, as
illustrated in FIG. 27C. In
addition to changing its orientation, the height of nut 702 within the mixture
(relative to the floor of
roaster bowl 200) also has changed by being forced upwards as each blade
passes under the nut,
which promotes enhanced mixing of the mixture and greater consistent coating
of each nut's entire
surface.
[00255] FIG. 28 schematically illustrates nuts within the mixture tumbling
over the
agitator's blade during rotation.
[00256] As discussed herein, the lower surface of each blade is
relatively close to the floor
of roaster bowl 200 and extends upward from the front edge to the rear edge at
an angle of 50, as
shown in FIG. 26. More particularly, the distance between the bottom of the
front edge of each blade
and the floor of roaster bowl 200 is substantially smaller than the size of
most nuts and nut pieces and,
therefore, the nuts and nut pieces within the mixture are forced up the
blade's top surface, rather than
moving underneath the blade.
[002571 In addition, the sugar, the melting sugar and other
ingredients within the mixture
similarly pass over each blade, rather than under the blade, during the
mixing/roasting/glazing
processes. However, a relatively small amount of mixture, including possibly
tiny nut fragments,
sugar crystals, and other tiny components of the mixture, will flow under each
of the blades during
rotation. The 50 upward angle of the bottom surface of each blade minimizes
the chance of such
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components interfering with continued blade rotation. That is, each blade is
closest to the floor of the
nut roaster only at the blade's front edge 244a, as shown in FIGS. 26 and 27A-
C. Thus, mixture
components sufficiently small to pass under the bottom surface of the blade,
at the blade's front edge
244a, will continue to pass under the remainder of the blade's bottom surface
(as the blade rotates)
due to the continuously increasing distance between the blade's bottom surface
and the floor of the
roaster bowl as a result of the upward incline of the blade's bottom surface.
[00258] In addition to providing the herein-described features and benefits
during the
mixing/roasting/glazing processes of nut roaster assembly 100 of the present
invention, the blades of
agitator 230 also have a structure that prevents or at least minimizes the
likelihood that the agitator
seizes (i.e., gets stuck to the roaster bowl) after usage. That is, if the
ingredients, which includes sugar
(i.e., "sugar mixture-), remaining in the roaster bowl sufficiently cool, the
5 angle of the bottom
surface of each of the blades reduces the tensile strength of the sugar
mixture, thus allowing the
agitator to be removed from the roaster bowl without having to add more water
and reheat the mixture
that remains within the roaster bowl. The angle of the bottom surface
similarly prevents seizing of
the agitator during mixing operations.
[00259] Extensive testing of the inventive nut roaster using the herein-
described agitator
blade, which included thirty consecutive production cycles without running any
cleaning cycles,
resulted in no instances of seizing.
[00260] Accordingly, agitator 230 provides various features, benefits and
advantages over
currently existing agitators, which include at least the following. Agitator
230 minimizes the thickness
of the coating of hard sugar build-up that may form on the agitator's blades.
Agitator 230
prevents/minimizes build-up of sugar from the underside of the blades, which
in turn prevents blade
seizure during operation. Agitator 230 provides enhanced mixing of the nut
mixture during the
mixing/roasting/glazing processes, and minimizes waste in the form of scrap.
Agitator 230
prevents/minimizes the likelihood of seizing after cooking, that is, after the
roaster bowl has cooled.
[00261] Moreover, the agitator blades may have angles different than that
described above.
In particular, while a top surface angle of 30 provides a high quality
product, other angles may be
employed. For instance, a top surface angle in the range of 20 and 50 can be
employed. Similarly,
the relief angle of the lower surface of each blade may be greater than 5
(e.g., 7 , 9 ).
[00262] (E) Smart Cleaning Cycle
[00263] Steam-cleaning during the herein-described clean cycle
entails boiling water
within roaster bowl 200 with cover 300 on the roaster bowl in order to clean
the roaster bowl
including its pouring lip, the agitator, and the cover. The nut roaster
assembly of the present
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invention may employ a smart cleaning cycle within this process to ensure that
the water within the
roaster bowl is indeed boiling, preferably for at least 90 seconds, if not
more, regardless of where the
nut roaster assembly is being used.
[002641 More particularly, the smart cleaning cycle is pre-programmed to
ensure that
water used in the cleaning process is maintained at its boiling point for at
least 90 seconds at all
altitudes where nut roaster assembly 100 may be used, regardless of the fact
that water boils at
different temperatures at different altitudes.
[00265] Nut roaster assembly 100 includes a processor pre-programmed to use
logic to
first determine whether the actual water within the roaster bowl has reached
the boiling point
(wherein such boiling point is a function of the altitude at which nut roaster
assembly 100 currently is
located). To achieve this, the temperature of the exterior of the roaster bowl
is monitored using
temperature sensor 196 (shown in FIG. 6B) during the entire time the nut
roaster assembly's heater is
on. Temperature sensor 196 may be a thermocouple or other appropriate device.
By sensing the
temperature of the roaster bowl, the temperature of the roaster bowl and its
liquid content (i.e., water)
is monitored. As the temperature of the water increases (due to the heater
being on), the sensed
temperature of the roaster bowl likewise will increase. The temperature of the
water will continue to
gradually increase, as it is being heated, until the water begins to boil, at
which point the temperature
of the liquid water will not meaningfully increase. Water at the top that
reaches or exceeds the
boiling point converts to steam.
[002661 The processor tracks the sensed temperature of the roaster bowl (and
indirectly its
liquid water content), and continuously determines/ascertains whether the
sensed temperature has not
increased or decreased by more than 5 F for a period of at least 30 seconds.
30 seconds is utilized to
ensure that the boiling point is reached. The processor continues these
processing steps until it has
ascertained that the sensed temperature of the roaster bowl has remained
constant (i.e., not increased
or decreased by more than 5 F) for a period of 30 seconds, at which point, the
processor deems that
the water within the roaster bowl is indeed boiling. It is appreciated that
the exact temperature of the
water is not required or utilized to ascertain that the water is boiling.
Rather, as described herein,
boiling is ascertained when the temperature change of the roaster bowl remains
below a certain
threshold (5 F in the illustrative embodiment described herein) over a
predetermined period of time
(30 seconds).
[00267] The processor then controls the nut roaster assembly to continue to
heat the nut
roaster and to begin a countdown timer of at least 90 seconds. As the timer
counts down from 90
seconds to zero, the water within the roaster bowl continues to boil, thus
providing the herein-
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described steam-cleaning for at least 90 seconds (and most likely longer as a
result of some boiling
occurring during a portion of the 30 second period discussed above). When the
countdown timer
reaches zero, the heater is automatically turned off, the water remaining in
the roaster bowl shortly
stops boiling and steam-cleaning is complete.
[00268] As illustrated from the foregoing discussion, the smart cleaning cycle
of the
present invention enables the inventive nut roaster assembly to be properly
steam cleaned for at least
90 seconds regardless of the altitude at which the nut roaster assembly is
located. By providing steam
cleaning for at least 90 seconds, all or nearly all of the sugar adhered to
the roaster bowl, agitator and
cover is broken down, thus making cleaning of these components easy.
[00269] As part of the herein-described smart cleaning cycle, nut roaster
assembly 100
preferably includes protection against excessive temperatures due to prolonged
heating of a roaster
bowl that is empty or otherwise contains no water. For instance, if during the
smart cleaning cycle an
empty roaster bowl is continuously heated, it may rise to a temperature that
would lead to unit failure
or an unsafe thermal point of the roaster bowl, and/or be a result of improper
operation of the nut
roaster assembly (e.g., initiating the smart cleaning cycle without first
adding water).
[00270] Accordingly, if the nut roaster assembly's processor, as it
tracks the sensed
temperature of the roaster bowl in the herein-described smart cleaning cycle,
ascertains that the
sensed temperature exceeds 250 F, the processor shuts off the heater and
provides an over-
temperature error on front panel 500. Since water boils at temperatures well
below 250 F at any
altitude (i.e., water boils at 212 F at sea level, and at lower temperatures
at all altitudes above sea
level), selecting 250 F as the shut-off temperature will not impact proper
operation of the smart
cleaning cycle while the nut roaster assembly of the present invention is
operated at any location.
[00271] Nut roaster assembly 100 of the present invention may also include an
over-
temperature thermostat 198, which is shown in FIG. 6B, disposed beneath
roaster bowl 200. Over-
temperature thermostat 198 is designed to switch heater 186 off when it senses
a temperature above
250 F. Preferably, over-temperature thermostat 198 provides an open in the
connection of the power
supplied to heater 186 when it senses a temperature above 250 F. It is
appreciated that other
temperatures may be selected so long as the normal operation of the nut
roaster assembly is not
impacted. In addition to a thermostat, other suitable temperature sensing
devices may be employed.
[00272] As shown in FIG. 6B, temperature sensor 196 and over-temperature
thermostat
198 are disposed relatively close to one another beneath roaster bowl 200.
Preferably, temperature
sensor 196 and over-temperature thermostat 198 are located beneath roaster
bowl 200 at positions that
arc not directly impacted by the heat emanating from heater 186 so that the
devices properly sense the
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temperature of the bottom of roaster bowl 200. However, the positions of
temperature sensor 196 and
over-temperature thermostat 198 may be different than that shown, as would be
appropriate for the
position and type of heater that is used to heat the roaster bowl.
[00273] (F) Front Panel Display
[00274] Front panel 500 is shown in FIG. 5.
[00275] The above-discussed processor is coupled via appropriate electronic
circuitry to
the various inputs and displays of front panel 500. In addition, the nut
roaster assembly of the present
invention includes memory and other electrical components, including a power
cord, to facilitate the
operation of the assembly as described herein. For instance, the nut roaster
assembly may include a
circuit board that includes a suitable processor, memory, and other electronic
devices, along with
appropriate input and output for connection to front panel 500. Since the
structure, design and
programming of such devices are well within the knowledge and ability of those
of ordinary skill in
the art, given the description herein, further details about the processor and
other electronics are not
provided.
[00276] As shown in FIG. 5, front panel 500 includes Main Power On/Off switch
510 for
turning the nut roaster assembly on and off. Front panel 500 also includes a
System Status display
520 that has three indicator lights (or lamps): (a) a Heat On lamp 522; (b) a
Motor On lamp 524; (c)
and an Error lamp 526. These lamps respectively identify to the operator as to
whether the heat is on
or off, whether the motor is on or off, and whether there is an error. An
error is indicated if
temperature sensor 196 is broken or an over-temperature thermostat 198, shown
in FIG. 6B, has
detected a temperature above 250 F or is broken. If Heat On lamp 522 is on,
the operator should
assume that the roaster bowl is hot and therefore not be touched without
gloves or without taking
other precautionary measure.
[00277] The START button 560 on front panel 500 initiates the cooking cycle,
that is,
initiates the mixing/roasting step (i.e., turns on the nut roaster's motor and
heater) as discussed herein.
The Stop button 570 may be depressed to discontinue the cooking cycle early,
discontinue the
cleaning cycle early, or discontinue motor and heater operation if and when
otherwise desired.
[00278] The Actual Temperature display 530 on front panel 500 shows the
temperature
measured by sensor 196 that is mounted to the underside of the roaster bowl,
and generally enables
the operator to determine that cooking and cleaning is progressing correctly.
Time Remaining display
540 on front panel 500 informs the operator as to when he/she needs to return
to the nut roaster in
order to complete the nut roasting/glazing process. A buzzer that is disposed
internal to the roaster's
housing alerts the operator of when to add water in order to glaze the
finished nut batch. The buzzer
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continues to sound until the operator returns to the machine and depresses the
Mute Buzzer button
550. If desired, the operator can change the volume of the buzzer by
depressing a Buzzer Volume
button 552. The buzzer volume cycles, with each depression of Buzzer Volume
button 552, through
low, middle and high volumes.
[00279] Front panel 500 also includes service technician controls to allow for
adjustment
of both the temperature set point and the batch timer functions. In
particular, front panel 500 includes
a set of service technician control buttons and displays 590 that enable a
service technician to adjust
the temperature at which the heater automatically shuts off as well as the
number of seconds to wait
until the buzzer sounds to initiate glazing.
[00280] Front panel 500 further includes the above-mentioned "Clean" button
580 to
initiate the cleaning cycle of the present invention.
[00281] While front panel 500 in FIG. 5 shows switches and displays in
particular
locations, the locations of such switches and displays may be different than
that shown.
[00282] (G) Additional Features
[00283] Shield / Protection against Sludge
[00284] The roasting and glazing apparatus of the present invention employs an
upwardly
extending drive shaft 116 to rotate agitator 230 within roaster bowl 200, as
previously described. As
shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, drive shaft 116 extends upward from gearbox 114.
[00285] Nut roaster assembly 100 employs several components to prevent, or at
least
minimize, sugar-based residue typically called sludge and other materials
used/created during the
herein-described processes from entering gearbox 114. For convenience, the
term sludge herein
refers also to other materials used/created that may enter the gearbox. In
particular, the present
invention prevents or minimizes sludge from traveling from inside roaster bowl
200 onto and down
drive shaft 116, and into gearbox 114, thus preventing potential damage to the
gearbox and other
components within the nut roaster housing 110.
[00286] As shown in FIGS. 4B and 6C, a bushing 188a is disposed around drive
shaft 116
at the top of the roaster bowl's center column 202. Bushing 188a prevents or
at least minimizes the
amount of sludge that slides down drive shall 116. Bushing 188a also properly
aligns drive shaft 116
within center column 202. Bushing 188a may be a PTFE bushing or other suitable
component.
Bushing 188a includes a portion 188a1 on its top surface (see FIG. 6C) that
prevents bushing 188a
from falling downward on drive shaft 116. To prevent bushing 188a from lifting
upward, the inner
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surface of the roaster bowl's center column 202 where it contacts bushing 188a
is rough so that
bushing 188a and center column 202 remain frictionally engaged to one another.
[00287] Drive shaft 116 also includes a main shaft bearing 188b disposed
beneath bushing
188a, as shown in FIG. 6C. Main shaft bearing 188b aligns drive shaft 116 and
provides unrestricted
rotation of drive shaft 116 within the roaster bowl's center column 202. Main
shaft bearing 188b is
held in place by its frictional engagement with the inner surface of center
column 202. Main shaft
bearing 188b also is maintained in position around drive shaft 116 by shelf
202a, which extends
inwardly from center column 202 and is located immediately beneath main shaft
bearing 188b.
[00288] For purposes of illustration, bushing 188a (along with portion 188a1)
and main
shaft bearing 188b shown in FIG. 6C are identified in FIG. 6A as reference
element 188.
[00289] Nut roaster assembly 100 further includes an umbrella-shaped shield
118 disposed
on drive shaft 116 immediately above gearbox 114, as shown in FIG. 29 and also
shown in FIGS. 6A
and 6B. Shield 118 includes a round top surface that slopes downward from its
center in all directions
so that materials flowing or falling onto it are directed outward. Shield 118
may be plastic or other
appropriate material. Shield 118 installed on drive shaft 116 may employ an 0-
ring or other
appropriate component to seal shield 118 to drive shaft 116.
[00290] At all times, that is, during operation of nut roaster assembly 100
and when nut
roaster assembly 100 is not in use, shield 118 prevents sludge and other
materials that happen to flow
down drive shaft 116 from entering gearbox 114. Instead, shield 118 redirects
the sludge and other
materials outwardly and away from gearbox 114. Accordingly, shield 118
prevents sludge and other
potentially harmful components from entering gearbox 114.
[00291] Dampening Cone
[00292] Nut roastcr assembly 100 includes a vibration dampening mechanism that
dampens the vibration of roaster bowl 200 during operation.
[00293] FIGS. 6A, 6B, 17, 20 and 21 show a rubber dampening cone 172 mounted
on the
underside of bowl assembly 180 (immediately beneath gearbox 114 as shown in
FIG. 6A). When nut
roaster assembly 100 is operating (during the mixing/roasting/glazing
processes or cleaning process),
roaster bowl 200 is at the fully lowered position. In such position, and as
shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and
21, dampening cone 172 is resting on cross member 170 of housing 110. Hence,
dampening cone 172
prevents roaster bowl 200 from moving below the herein-described fully lowered
position.
Dampening cone 172 also reduces vibration and noise that may otherwise be
generated when the
motor is operating.
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[00294] Adjustable Feet
[00295] Nut roaster assembly 100 preferably includes adjustable feet 194, as
shown in
FIG. 1. By employing adjustable feet 194, the height of each of the corners of
nut roaster assembly
100 may be modified as needed. The height may be modified to ensure that nut
roaster assembly 100
rests squarely on all of its feet, which beneficially reduces vibration/noise.
Countertops on which the
unit rests may not be completely flat, or the unit may be resting on multiple,
uneven surfaces, thus
requiring height adjustment of one or more of the adjustable feet.
[00296] In addition, by having raised, adjustable feet, the surface of the
table/counter on
which nut roaster assembly 100 rests may be cleaned without having to lift or
otherwise move the
unit, which is somewhat heavy.
[00297] From the foregoing discussion, it is seen that the invention
entails an easy to use
and safe machine that can be operated by non-highly skilled persons to produce
high quality roasted
and glazed nuts and other food items. It is noted that the details of various
components are not set
forth herein, since such components, their control and operation are well
within the knowledge of
those of ordinary skill in the art For instance, the present invention employs
a heater, a motor, and
other electro-mechanical components to carry out certain functions and
operations. Heaters, motors,
etc. are well known and thus a variety of such devices may be employed. In
connection with the type
of heater that may be used within the present invention, an electrically
powered heater may be
employed, thus allowing the inventive roasting and glazing apparatus to be
located at any location in
which electrical power is available (e.g., within any retail store, home,
factory, etc.) However, a gas
heater may be utilized, if desired.
[00298] Moreover, the roasting and glazing apparatus of the present invention
is
sufficiently small to be used on a table top surface and is easily moved from
one location to another,
such as from one room to another room within a retail facility, from one
retail facility to another, from
an inside location to an outside location (and vice versa), etc. Hence, so
long as a suitable power
source is available, the inventive roasting and glazing apparatus is not
confined to a single location
and, thus, is portable. Accordingly, the inventive roasting and glazing
apparatus is designed for use in
a retail environment.
[00299] In addition, the invention includes various aspects and
features, including: (A)
Cover with Liquid Dispersing Design: (B) Bowl Movement: Cantilever with
Pistons; (C) Steam
Cleaning and Detachable Pour Tray; (D) Agitator and Bowl; (E) Smart Cleaning
Cycle; (F) Front
Panel Display; and (G) Additional Features, all as described herein. All of
these aspects and features
may be embodied within a single device, but the invention includes employing
some, but not all, of
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these aspects and features within an apparatus. For instance, the present
invention includes an
assembly (and process carried out by that assembly) that incorporates only
groups (A) and (B)
mentioned above (i.e., Cover with Liquid Dispersing Design, and Bowl Movement:
Cantilever with
Pistons). As another example, the present invention includes an assembly (and
process carried out by
that assembly) that incorporates only groups (C) and (E) (e.g., Steam Cleaning
and Detachable Pour
Tray, and Smart Cleaning Cycle). Other combinations of groups also are part of
the present
invention.
[00300] Moreover, the present invention includes a device (and corresponding
process)
that incorporates only one of these groups (or a portion of a group), such as
only group (A) (i.e.,
Cover with Liquid Dispersing Design). Accordingly, the invention includes a
machine that employs
the cover for use with other equipment that may not perform roasting. As
another example, the
invention entails a machine that employs only group (D) (i.e., Agitator and
Bowl), in which the
particular structure of the agitator described herein is used within a machine
that does not necessarily
include or otherwise carry out other functions described herein. As a further
example, the invention
includes only group (B) (Bowl Movement: Cantilever with Pistons) in which a
machine that employs
the inventive lifting/lowering features, as described herein, does not employ
the agitator described
herein and/or other components/functions not related to the lifting/lowering
of a bowl. These
examples are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit
the invention solely to
those examples identified herein.
[00301] Having described the invention in detail, the following is a
list and brief
description of some of the features and benefits of the inventive roasting and
glazing apparatus
described herein.
[00302] (1) Double gas pistons: Enables easier raising of roaster
bowl.
[00303j (2) Double gas pistons provided for improved safety during lowering: A
first
piston prevents the roaster bowl from dropping from fully raised (emptying)
position. When lowering
past the 30 position, a second piston provides resistance, thus requiring the
operator to exert
sufficient downward force on the cantilever arm to secure the roaster bowl all
the way into the nut
roaster housing. Hence, a high level of safety is provided.
[00304] (3) Clean mode added for convenience: No need to monitor the machine
while in
the clean mode.
[00305] (4) Combination of bowl with pouring lip and cover: These components,
when
combined, improve the user's ability to clean the roaster bowl, pouring lip,
agitator and cover.
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[00306] (5) Roaster bowl contains a pouring lip: After cleaning the
roaster bowl, water is
fully directed onto the detachable pour tray.
[00307] (6) Detachable pour tray: Directs hot water and prevents spillage onto
counter or
underneath nut roaster assembly. Restricts back flow of water into nut roaster
housing.
[00308] (7) Digital temperature readout: Useful to the operator as
well as service personnel
to verify proper temperature of roaster bowl during various stages of cooking
and cleaning.
[00309] (8) Uniquely designed roaster cover: Cover contains a liquid
reservoir with
metering holes that regulate liquid flow into hot roaster bowl and is used
when adding water for the
glazing step. This prevents the rush of sugar-laden steam that can burn the
operator. By minimizing
the rush of sugar-laden steam and by controlling its direction, the coating of
sugar on surrounding
surfaces, including walls and ceilings, is minimized.
1003101 (9) Uniquely designed roaster cover: Holes in the water reservoir are
far enough
away from the cover handle to minimize injury due to escaping steam.
[00311] (10) Steam vent on the side of the roaster cover: Steam vent
faces the pouring lip
to direct steam away from operator during both the glazing and cleaning
processes. The steam also
loosens sugar build up on the bowl's pouring lip for easier cleaning.
[00312] (11) Smart Cleaning Cycle: Nut roaster assembly ascertains
whether water within
the roaster bowl is boiling, regardless of the actual boiling point (which
depends on altitude) so that
the cleaning cycle can be automated regardless of the altitude at which the
nut roaster assembly is
used.
[00313] (12) Uniquely designed agitator: Reduces scrap; prevents
seizing; promotes even
coating of nuts.
[00314] (13) Agitator is easily removable: Adds to the ease of
cleaning.
[00315] (14) Gearbox shield: Use of shield on drive shaft prevents sludge from
entering
and damaging gearbox.
[00316] (15) Rubber dampening cone inside nut roaster housing: During
roasting, glazing
and cleaning, the rubber cone fixed at the bottom of the roaster bowl assembly
minimizes vibration.
[00317] (16) Nut roaster sits on raised adjustable feet: Allows for
proper alignment of unit
and easier cleaning under the nut roaster.
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[00318] It is appreciated that while the present invention has been described
with reference
to specific schematics, diagrams, and descriptions, various changes may be
made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
[00319] For example, certain configurations of various components of the
inventive nut
roasting and glazing apparatus have been described herein and illustrated in
the figures, but the
configuration may be modified as would be appreciated by those of ordinary
skill in the art. For
example, the configuration of the apparatus may be reversed so that, for
illustrative purposes, the
steam vent is disposed on the left side of the unit (and, similarly, all other
components are reversed in
configuration). As another example, the precise shape of various components is
not critical to the
invention herein, including the shape of the sides of the pour tray (e.g., the
sides may be curved or
have another shape), the shape and configuration of the front display panel,
the shape of the cantilever
arm, etc.
[00320] As another example, the present invention has been described in
connection with a
roaster bowl and other components having specific sizes. But the sizes may be
modified, as would be
appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. For instance, various
amounts of water are identified
for addition to the roaster bowl during the cooking and cleaning processes.
These amounts are the
preferred amounts for a particular roaster bowl size. But other amounts may be
employed. Moreover,
the roaster bowl may be larger or smaller than that shown and described herein
and, thus, the water
amounts may be modified to accommodate a different size roaster bowl.
[00321] Still further, other variations may be made as would be appreciated to
those of
ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that other
expedients/variations may be
employed but that stay within the meaning, scope and spirit of the invention.
[00322] Having described the present invention including various features and
variations
thereof, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including
the embodiments described
herein, the alternatives mentioned above, and all equivalents thereto.
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