Automated stirring and mixing apparatus for cooking

Abstract

The present application discloses an automated cooking apparatus that includes a holder configured to hold a container of food or food ingredients, one or more first kinematic pairs, each comprising a first mating part and a second mating part, wherein the first mating part is connected to the holder; a transport mechanisms that can move the second mating parts of the one or more kinematic pairs; and a driver or controller configured to drive or control the transport mechanism to produce a movement of properly fast speed so that a center point on the internal surface of the container is displaced by properly small distance. The first kinematic pairs and the transport mechanisms in combination can move the holder and the cooking pan to produce fast enough acceleration in the container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present application relates to automated kitchen equipment, and specifically to automated method and equipment for stirring, mixing, and distributing food ingredients during cooking.[0002]Considerable amount of research and experiments have been conducted on the automation of stirring and mixing of food ingredients during cooking. The existing solutions include the following three main approaches: the first approach utilizes spatula or pedals of different shapes to stir, mix and turn food ingredients; the second approach simulates human's stirring actions during cooking; and the third approach uses cooking pans in the shapes of rolling cylinders to turn and mix food ingredients.[0003]The first approach involves complex operations and complicated mechanisms, and thus has low reliability. Specifically, the stirring wok mechanism disclosed in Chinese Application No. 200710032699.9 teaches throwing food ingredients in the air for mixing, using a spat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]The present application discloses a cooking apparatus capable of automated stirring and mixing of food ingredients, which overcomes the drawbacks in the conventional cooking devices. The disclosed automated cooking apparatus is more effective in stirring and mixing feed ingredients, and is energy efficient. The stirring mechanisms and operations of the disclo...

Problems solved by technology

The first approach involves complex operations and complicated mechanisms, and thus has low reliability.

Such an approach is easily affected by air movement and sometimes throws food ingredients outside of the wok.

In addition to the structural complexity, the stirring operations involve large movements, which use too much energy.

The second approach includes simpler operations and practical mechanisms, but is ineffective in mixing and stirring food ingredients.

This approach cannot achieve uniform stirring and mixing obtained by a human.

One major reason for such poor result is that the movements of t...

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