Air fryer with ribs, divider detection and divider ejection

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a container defining a chamber in which food to be air-fried is disposed, and a partition removably disposed within the container. The partition may divide the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone. The floor of the container may include a rib that limits airflow below a food placement element extending above the rib between the first cooking zone and the second cooking zone. The pop-up button may be configured to pop up the divider from the fully engaged position. The sensor may be configured to sense the presence or absence of the partition in the container.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 405,255, filed on September 9, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates generally to cooking products and more particularly to an air fryer. Background Art

[0004] An air fryer is a cooking product that produces a crisp layer on food by circulating hot air. Some air fryers allow the number of cooking zones to be adjusted between a single zone and multiple zones within a single housing. Methods for optimizing the operation, cooking, and usability of such air fryers may be desirable. Summary of the invention

[0005] The specification describes an apparatus configured to air fry food, the apparatus comprising at least one of: a rib integral to a floor of a container, an ejection button configured to eject a divider from a fully coupled position within the container, or a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of a divider within the container. In some embodiments, an apparatus comprises: a housing; a chamber within the housing in which food to be air fried is disposed; a food placement element comprising a surface on which food is placed in the chamber; and a container in which the food placement element is disposed within the housing, wherein the container comprises a floor having ribs, and wherein the food placement element extends over the ribs.

[0006] In some other embodiments, an apparatus includes: a housing; a container defining a chamber in which food to be air fried is disposed; a divider removably disposed within the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone; and a sensor configured to sense the presence or absence of the divider within the chamber.

[0007] In some other embodiments, an apparatus includes: a housing; a container defining a chamber in which food to be air fried is disposed; a divider removably disposed within the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone; and an ejection button configured to eject the divider from a fully coupled position within the container.

[0008] Other embodiments are possible, and the features of each embodiment may be used alone or in combination. Accordingly, various embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 A perspective view of an air fryer is shown with the container in a closed position.

[0010] Figure 2 A perspective view of an air fryer is shown with the container in an open position.

[0011] Figure 3 A perspective view of the container and the food placement element are shown separately.

[0012] Figure 4 A perspective view of the food placement element is shown alone.

[0013] Figure 5 A perspective view of the container is shown alone.

[0014] Figure 6 A top view of the container is shown alone.

[0015] Figure 7 A cross-sectional side view of the container and food placement element is shown separately.

[0016] Figure 8 A perspective view of the container, food placement element and divider are shown separately.

[0017] Fig. 9 A cross-sectional side view of the container, food placement element and divider are shown separately.

[0018] Fig.10 A perspective view of an air fryer is shown having a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of a divider, and an eject button configured to eject the divider from a fully coupled position.

[0019] Fig.11 Shows Fig.10 A partial side view of an air fryer showing an exemplary structure of a sensor coupled to an actuator arm.

[0020] Fig.12 Shows Fig.10 A cross-sectional side view of an air fryer showing an exemplary structure of an eject button operatively coupled to a slide actuator and an eject tab.

[0021] Fig.13 Shows that there is Fig.12 An exemplary pop-up structure Fig.10 An overhead view of the air fryer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Various embodiments of products, appliances, devices, cooking products, cooking appliances, cooking devices, and related methods for air frying are described herein. For simplicity, such products, appliances, and devices are referred to as air fryers. As will be described in detail below, embodiments of air fryers described herein include: ribs on the floor of the inner container or basket below the tray or food placement element, the ribs restricting airflow below the tray; a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of a divider that divides the inner chamber into multiple cooking zones; and / or an eject button configured to eject the divider from a fully coupled position within the basket.

[0023] Figure 1 A perspective view of an air fryer 100 configured to air fry food is shown. The air fryer 100 includes a housing 102 in which food is cooked. In addition, the air fryer 100 may include a control panel 104 that is integrated with or a part of the housing 102 and is configured to receive user input that allows the user to control the operation of the air fryer 100. Example inputs include, but are not limited to, at least one of: a start input to start or begin cooking (e.g., air frying) with the air fryer 100; a temperature input to set and / or adjust a cooking temperature, a time input to set or adjust a cooking time; a zone input to set multiple cooking zones or areas (e.g., one (single) cooking zone or two (dual) cooking zones), a synchronized cooking input to simultaneously cook in multiple cooking zones according to the same cooking settings, or a synchronized completion input to simultaneously cook in multiple cooking zones according to different or separate cooking settings for the multiple cooking zones.

[0024] Moreover, for at least some embodiments, the air fryer 100 can be configured to operate in multiple cooking modes, one of which is an air fryer mode to air fry food. Other example cooking modes may include, but are not limited to, at least one of: baking, roasting, broiling, dehydrating, or reheating. Accordingly, the control panel 102 can be configured to receive input that allows a user to set a cooking mode for the air fryer 100. In this context, the term "air fryer" is used herein to refer to a cooking device or appliance that is configured to at least air fry food, and is not intended to limit the cooking type to only air frying.

[0025] Moreover, the control panel 104 may include a display that is configured to display any of a variety of information related to the operation of the air fryer 100, including, but not limited to, information indicating user input, such as the set cooking temperature, the set duration of the cooking process, the time remaining during the cooking process, the selected cooking mode, the number of cooking zones set by the zone input, or whether the user selected a simultaneous cooking input or a simultaneous completion input.

[0026] In addition, although Figure 1 Not shown, but within the housing 102, the air fryer 100 may include components that enable the air fryer 100 to cook food, such as a heating element and a fan. Figure 1 The structure of the air fryer 100 is such that at least some of these components are located below or beneath the control panel 104 and above the food when cooking is performed within the housing 102.

[0027] Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "above", "below", "top", "bottom", "below", and "above", "below", "upper", "lower", "upward", "downward", and other similar terms are used to describe the components of the air fryer 100 and the relative positioning of the components when the air fryer 100 is positioned in its intended position to operate on a base having a flat surface (such as a countertop or tabletop as a non-limiting example). The term "top" is used to refer to one or more components of the air fryer 100 that are farthest from the flat surface of the base, and the term "bottom" is used to refer to one or more components of the air fryer 100 that are closest to and / or contact the flat surface of the base when the air fryer 100 is in its intended position. Accordingly, terms such as "above", "upper" are used to refer to the positioning or arrangement of components closer to the "top" and farther away from the "bottom" (or farther away from the flat surface of the base), and terms such as "below", "below", and "lower" are used to refer to the positioning or arrangement of components closer to the "bottom" and farther away from the "top" (or closer to the flat surface of the base).

[0028] Also refer to Figure 2 , the air fryer 100 may include a basket or container 106 that defines a chamber 108 in which food to be cooked by the air fryer 100 is placed or disposed. The container 106 is movable relative to the housing 102 between an open position and a closed position. Figure 1 The container 106 is shown in a closed position, Figure 2 The container is shown in an open position. In the closed position ( Figure 1 ), the container 106 can be housed or disposed in the housing 102. The closed position is the position of the container 106 when the air fryer 100 is in operation (i.e., cooking is performed in the container 106). Figure 2 ), the container 106 is at least partially outside the housing 102. In addition, in the open position, the chamber 108 is accessible to a user so that the user can place food in or remove food from the chamber 108. For at least some embodiments, the container 106 is slidably engaged with the housing 102 to move between the open position and the closed position.

[0029] In addition, if Figure 1 and 2As shown, the container 106 can be connected to a portion 110 of the housing 102. The housing portion 110 can include or be attached to at least one handle 112 that a user can grasp to move the container 106 between an open position and a closed position, such as by sliding.

[0030] Reference Figure 3 The air fryer 100 may also include a food placement element (also referred to as a cooking tray or tray) 114 on which food is placed in the cavity 108 . Figure 3 The container 106 and the food placement element 114 are shown separately. Figure 3 As shown, the food placement element 114 is positioned or disposed in the container 106. In certain embodiments, the food placement element 114 is removably disposed within the container 106. In this way, the food placement element 114 can be removed and separated from the container 106.

[0031] Additionally, the food placement element 114 may have an intended or desired position within the container 106 . Figure 3 The food placement element 114 is shown in its intended position within the container 106. In its intended position, the surface 116 of the food placement element 114 faces in an upward direction, i.e., away from the planar surface of the base on which the food will be placed for operation, and on which the air fryer 100 is placed.

[0032] Figure 4 A separate food placement element 114 is shown. Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the food placement element 114 is a single structure. In other embodiments, the food placement element includes multiple structures that combine to form a substantially single flat surface within the container 106 on which food can be placed. Moreover, the size of the food placement element 114 can be determined so that only one food placement element 114 can be disposed in the container 106 at a time in its intended position. In various embodiments, the surface area of ​​the food placement element 114, such as the surface area defined by the outer perimeter of the food placement element 114, can be at least 90% of the opening area of ​​the chamber 108, such as the opening area defined by the upper lip or edge 117 of the container 106.

[0033] Figure 5 A perspective view of the container 106 is shown alone. Figure 6 A top view of the container 106 is shown in isolation. Figure 7 Separately shown along Figure 3 A cross-sectional side view of the container 106 and the food placement element 114 taken along line 7-7 in FIG. Figure 6 , 78, the container 106 can include an inner surface that at least partially defines the chamber 108. The inner surface can include a plurality of inner surface portions, including a bottom surface 118 and a plurality of side surfaces 120. The bottom plate 118 can be the lowest inner surface of the container 106. In addition, the bottom plate 118 can extend generally parallel to the food placement element 114. The side surfaces 120 can be oriented substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate 118.

[0034] In addition, for each of at least some embodiments, e.g. Figure 3 , 5 As shown in FIG. 6 , the bottom plate 118 can have a rectangular shape, and the side surfaces 120 can be positioned relative to each other to form a rectangular shape. For such an embodiment, the side surfaces 120 can include two pairs. For each pair, the side surfaces are opposite to each other across the bottom plate 118 and face each other. For example, Figure 6 As best shown in FIG. 1 , a first pair of side surfaces 120a, 120b are opposite and facing each other, and a second pair of side surfaces 120c, 120d are opposite and facing each other. Moreover, a surface of a given pair is adjacent to a side surface of another pair. For example, each of the side surfaces 120a, 120b of the first pair is adjacent to each of the side surfaces 120c, 120d of the second pair. For at least some of these embodiments, for example Figure 3 , 5 6, the inner surface may include a curved corner surface 122 connecting adjacent side surfaces 120. Additionally, the inner surface may include a curved transition surface 124 that transitions the inner surface between the bottom plate 118 and the side surfaces 120. In various embodiments, the curved transition surface 124 may be considered a portion of the side wall 120. Other embodiments may not include the curved corner surface 122, such that adjacent side surfaces directly meet, and / or may not include the curved transition surface 124, such that the bottom plate 118 and the side surface 120 directly meet. Additionally or alternatively, in various other embodiments, shapes other than rectangular shapes, such as circular, triangular, or polygonal having a number of side surfaces greater than four (e.g., pentagons, hexagons, octagons, etc.) may be possible.

[0035] In addition, if Figure 5 , 6 7, the inner surface may include a plurality of shoulders 126, for example, integrated with the curved transition surface 124, on which the food placement element 114 may rest or be disposed when the food placement element 114 is in its intended position in the container 106. The shoulders 126 may position the food placement element 114 above the bottom plate 118 such that there is a space or volume 128 between the bottom plate 118 and the food placement element 114. The space 128 may allow air to flow under the food placement element 114 for optimal cooking (e.g., air frying).

[0036] See also Figure 2-7 , and see further Figure 8 and 9 , the air fryer 100 may include a divider 130 that is detachably connected and / or engaged with the container 106 and the food placement element 114. By being detachably connected and / or engaged, the divider 130 may be connected, attached, contacted and / or engaged with the container 106 and the food placement element 114, and may be separated, removed, separated and / or separated from the container 106 and the food placement element 114. Figure 3 , 7 The air fryer 100 is shown without the divider 130 (eg, with the container 106 separated from the food placement element 114). Figure 2 , 8 9 illustrate the presence of a divider 130 in the air fryer 100 (eg, connected to the container 106 and the food placement element 114 ).

[0037] In addition, if Figure 2 , 8 9, when connected and / or engaged with the container 106 and the food placement element 114, the divider 130 is disposed in the container 106 (e.g., within the chamber 108). In addition, the divider 130 is generally a planar structure. When connected to the container 106 and the food placement element 114, the divider 130 is substantially perpendicular to the food placement element 114 (e.g., perpendicular to the surface 116 of the food placement element) and the bottom plate 118.

[0038] Additionally, for at least some embodiments, the divider 130 can be slidably engaged with an inner surface of the container 106. Figure 3 , 4 and 9, for at least some embodiments, the interior surface of the container 106, such as the side walls 120a, 120b, may include tracks or grooves 132 that guide the slidable engagement between the divider 130 and the side walls 120a, 120b as the divider 130 slides into and out of the container 106. The portion 134 of the interior surface defining the track 132 may also stabilize or secure the divider 130 in its vertical position when the divider 130 is fully engaged with the container 106 and the food placement element 114. Additionally, in some embodiments, such as Figure 3 , 4 9, the surface 116 of the food placement element 114 can include a recess 136 for receiving and / or engaging a base 138 of the divider 130. When the divider 130 is in the fully engaged position (i.e., fully engaged with the container 106 and the food placement element 114), the base 138 can be disposed within the recess 136 of the food placement element 114 and / or contact a portion of the surface 116 defining the recess 136.

[0039] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 7 , when the divider 130 is separated from the container 106 and the food placement element 114, the air fryer 100 has a single cooking zone or cooking area within the chamber 108. Figure 8 and 9 , when the divider 130 is connected to the container 106 and the food placement element 114 (e.g., in its fully engaged position), the divider 130 can divide or separate the chamber 108 and / or the single cooking zone into two cooking zones or areas, which can be referred to as dual cooking zones or areas. As described above, the air fryer 100 can be configured to operate in a single cooking zone mode and a dual cooking zone mode. In the single cooking zone mode, the air fryer 100 can cook food for a single cooking zone, that is, the purpose is that the divider 130 is not present in the container 106. In the dual cooking zone mode, the air fryer 100 can cook food for two cooking zones, that is, the purpose is that the divider 130 is present in the container 106. As previously described, the air fryer 100 can cook the two cooking zones according to the same or different cooking settings (e.g., duration and temperature).

[0040] Reference Figure 5 , 6, 7 and 9, the bottom plate 118 may include ribs 140. As previously described, the food placement element 114 may be placed on the shoulder 126 of the inner surface, so that there is a space 128 between the bottom plate 118 and the food placement element 114. The space 128 itself can be separated or divided into or otherwise include two spaces, including a first space 128a and a second space 128b. The first space 128a can be part of or directly below the first cooking zone, and the second space 128b can be part of or directly below the second cooking zone. The ribs 140 are used or operated to prevent, limit and / or limit the air flow and / or heat transfer across the two spaces 128a, 128b or between the two spaces 128a, 128b under the food placement element 114. This in turn further isolates the two cooking zones from each other, exceeding the isolation provided by the divider 130, further enhancing the ability of the air fryer 100 to simultaneously cook food in two independent cooking zones. That is, because the food placement element 114 extends across or across the two cooking zones, the food placement element 114, such as its groove 138, can block or prevent the base 138 of the divider 130 from reaching or contacting the bottom plate 118. In the absence of the ribs 140, air can flow between the two spaces 128a, 128b, and heat can be transferred unrestricted and, in turn, between the two cooking zones. With the ribs 140, air flow and heat transfer are prevented, thereby further isolating the two cooking zones from each other for enhanced dual-zone cooking. In some embodiments, the ribs 140 can provide an improvement (reduction) of about 5-10% in heat transfer compared to when the ribs 140 are not present and the bottom plate 118 is flat on that portion, although other percentage improvements in heat transfer are possible for other embodiments.

[0041] In addition, if Figure 7 and 9 As best shown in , the food placement element 114 extends over and / or across the ribs 140. Other air fryer configurations may use two food placement elements (or trays) that are physically separated from each other by a permanent wall extending from a base plate on which the divider is provided. Accordingly, the surface area of ​​each of the two trays used in such other configurations is much smaller than (e.g., less than 50%) the total area of ​​the opening of the air fryer's chamber. When operating without a divider, the wall is still present, thereby restricting airflow between the two cooking areas separated by the wall. This may not be optimal for air frying, which relies on air flow. Instead, Figure 1-9The illustrated air fryer 100 utilizes a food placement element 114 having a surface 116 that has a surface area that is substantially greater than 50% of the total cross-sectional area of ​​the chamber 108 (e.g., corresponding to and / or defined by the opening area of ​​the chamber 108), such as at least 90% of the total cross-sectional area. This in turn allows the air fryer 100 to optimally utilize the entire chamber 108 when operating in a single cooking zone (i.e., without the divider 130), without being obstructed or inhibited by a dividing wall. Thus, when operating in a single-zone cooking mode (i.e., without the divider 130 present), relatively large pieces of food (e.g., a whole chicken), such as a piece of food that is larger than one of the dual cooking zones and / or otherwise extends across both dual cooking zones, can be placed in the container 106 on a single flat surface without being obstructed by a dividing wall. Additionally or alternatively, in the single-zone cooking mode, air can optimally flow through the entire chamber 108 over the food placement element 114 without being obstructed by a dividing wall; this can provide enhanced air frying compared to when there are walls that restrict air flow. At the same time, as previously described, when operating in the dual cooking zone mode, the ribs 140 below the food placement element 140 can restrict air flow and heat transfer below the food placement element 114 to obtain optimal performance. Therefore, configuring the ribs 140 on the bottom plate 118, while utilizing the food placement element 114 extending over the ribs 140 and having a surface 116 extending substantially the entire cross-sectional area of ​​the cavity 108, can provide optimal operation for both the single zone cooking mode and the dual zone cooking mode.

[0042] refer to Figure 8 , the container 106 (e.g., via its rails 132) and / or the food placement element 114 (e.g., via its grooves 136) can geometrically define a dividing line that divides or is between two cooking zones. When the divider 130 is connected to the container 106, it can generally extend along the dividing line, such as Figure 8 Here, the dimensions of the container 106 and / or chamber 108 can be defined relative to the dividing line. In particular, the width W of the container 106 and / or chamber 108 can be a dimension extending parallel to the dividing line, and the length L of the container 106 and / or chamber 108 can be a dimension extending perpendicular to the dividing line. Each of the length L and width W dimensions can extend parallel to the bottom plate 118. In addition, the height H of the container 106 and / or chamber 108 can extend perpendicular to each of the length L and width W, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 shown.

[0043] Rib 140 may also have a width, a length, and a height. For at least some embodiments, for example Figure 5 and 6As shown, the rib 140 can extend in a length direction parallel to the width of the container 106 and / or chamber 108, and can extend in a width direction parallel to the length of the container 106 and / or chamber 108. Moreover, the height of the rib can extend parallel to the height of the container 106 and / or chamber 108. In some embodiments, the length of the rib 140 can be at least 50% of the width of the chamber 108. In specific embodiments of these embodiments, the length of the rib 140 is at least 75% of the width of the chamber 106. In yet another specific embodiment of these embodiments, the rib 140 can extend along its length from one side surface to a second, opposite side surface. For example, Figure 5 and 6 The rib 140 is shown extending lengthwise from a portion of the curved transition surface 124 of the transition floor 118 to the first pair of side surfaces 120a, 120b. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the width of the rib 140 can be less than 10% of the length of the cavity 108. In particular embodiments of these embodiments, the width of the rib 140 is less than 5% of the length of the cavity 108. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the height of the rib 140 is less than 25% of the height of the cavity 108. In particular embodiments of these embodiments, the height of the rib 140 is less than 15% of the height of the cavity 108. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the top of the rib 140 contacts the bottom surface 142 of the food placement element 114. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the minimum distance between the rib 140 and the bottom surface 142 of the food placement element 114 is less than the height of the rib 140.

[0044] In addition, if Fig. 9 As shown, when the divider 130 is connected to the container 106 and the food placement element 114, the food placement element 114 is positioned between the divider 130 and the rib 140. In addition, in at least some embodiments, when the divider 130 is connected to the container 106, the divider 130 and the rib 140 are generally aligned with each other along the length of the rib 140. That is, geometrically, the rib 140 generally extends along its length parallel to the divider line, and the divider 130 and the rib 140 extend in a geometric plane that is perpendicular to the bottom surface 118 and / or the surface 116 of the food placement element 114. In other embodiments, the rib 140 may be offset from the divider 130 so that they are located in or intersect different geometric planes that are perpendicular to the bottom surface 118. Similarly, in Figure 5 and 6In the embodiment of the present invention, the rib 140 is a single continuous elongated structure. In other embodiments, the rib 140 may include multiple discontinuous portions, including multiple rib portions separated from each other along the length of the container 106, and / or multiple rib portions separated from each other but aligned with each other along its length. The ribs can be configured as a single element or multiple elements below the food placement element 114 in various ways to limit airflow and / or heat transfer below the food placement element 114.

[0045] See also Fig.10 In some embodiments, the air fryer 100 may include a sensor 144 configured to sense the presence or absence of a divider 130 in the container 106. That is, when the divider 130 is connected to the container 106, the sensor 144 may detect the presence of the divider 130, and when the divider 130 is separated from the container 106, the sensor 144 may detect the absence of the divider. As described above, the air fryer 100 may be configured to operate in a single cooking zone mode and a dual cooking zone mode. In addition, when operating in the dual cooking zone mode, the air fryer 100 may be configured to cook in two cooking zones according to the same cooking settings or using different or independent cooking settings. The sensor 144 may facilitate the operation of the air fryer 100 in different cooking zone modes by detecting the presence or absence of the divider 130. That is, if the sensor 144 detects that the divider 130 is not present, the control panel 104, which may be operatively coupled to the sensor 144, may determine that the air fryer 100 is to be operated in a single cooking zone mode. Additionally, if the sensor 144 detects the presence of the divider 130, the control panel 104 may determine that the air fryer 100 is to be operated in a dual cooking zone mode. Determining which zone cooking mode the air fryer 100 is in may further facilitate further operation of the air fryer 100 and / or the options, settings, and / or selections that the control panel 102 displays or presents to the user. For example, the air fryer 102 may have a first set of cooking settings or options for user selection that are specific to a single cooking zone mode, and a second set of cooking settings or options for user selection that are specific to a dual cooking zone mode. The air fryer 100 may present the first set or the second set to the user through the control panel 104 based on the sensing performed by the sensor 144, without having to wait for or rely on the user to input to the control panel 104 which cooking zone mode the user wants the air fryer 100 to operate in.

[0046] In addition, the sensor 144 can be any suitable type capable of detecting the presence or absence of the divider 130, such as a switch, a force sensor, a contact sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, or a motion sensor, as non-limiting examples. Additionally or alternatively, the sensor 144 can be configured in any of a variety of ways to detect the presence or absence of the divider 130. For example, the sensor 144 can be mounted to an inner surface of the container 106, such as the side surface 120. As another example, the sensor 144 can be mounted within the housing 102, but outside the container 106. The container 106 may include a cutout or hole that provides access for the sensor 144 into the chamber 108 to detect the presence or absence of the divider 130.

[0047] refer to Fig.11 In some embodiments, a sensor 144, such as a sensor in the form of a switch, can be connected to an actuator arm 146 that extends into the chamber 108. The actuator arm 146 can extend a sufficient amount into the chamber 108 and be positioned relative to one of the tracks 132 to contact the divider 130 when the divider 130 is connected to the container 108. Accordingly, the actuator arm 146 can be moved between a first position and a second position. When the divider 130 is not connected to the container 106 or when the actuator arm is not in contact with the divider 130 in other ways, the actuator arm 146 is in the first position. In addition, when the divider 130 is connected to the container 106 and / or in contact with the divider 130, the actuator arm 146 is in the second position. The sensor 144 connected to the actuator arm 146 can detect whether the actuator arm 146 is in the first position or in the second position. Thus, when the actuator arm 146 is in the first position, the sensor 144 senses or detects that the divider 130 is connected to or engaged with the container 106, and thereby senses that the air fryer 100 is configured for the dual cooking zone mode. Additionally, when the actuator arm 146 is in the second position, the sensor 144 senses or detects that the divider 130 is separated or disengaged from the container 106, and thereby senses that the air fryer 100 is configured for the single cooking zone mode.

[0048] Return to view Fig.10In some embodiments, the air fryer 100 may include an eject or release button 148 configured to eject the divider 130 from its fully engaged or connected position within the container 106. As described above, when the bottom 138 of the divider 130 is in or engaged with the recess 136 of the food placement element 114, in contact with the food placement element 114, or otherwise in the lowest position within the container 106, the divider 130 may be fully engaged or connected to the container 106 and the food placement element 114. Additionally or alternatively, when the divider 130 is in its fully engaged position, the divider 130 may form an interference fit or friction fit with the container 106. For example, the divider 130 may include a bumper 150 made of silicone, rubber, or other similar material that engages the side surfaces 120a, 120b of the container 106. The bumper 150 may ideally form a seal with the side surfaces 120a, 120b to enhance isolation between cooking zones. In addition, the bumper 150 can prevent or reduce damage, scratches, or general wear and tear on the side surfaces 120a, 120b of the container 106 caused by the slidable engagement of the divider 130, and / or can help secure or stabilize the divider 130 in its vertical or upright position within the container 106. However, the interference fit created by the bumper 150 can make it difficult for a user to remove or separate the divider 130 from the container 106. The eject button 148 can eject or push the divider 130 out of its fully engaged position, which can have the effect of removing or at least reducing the interference fit between the divider 130 and the container 106, and / or can raise the upper edge 152 of the divider 130 above the upper edge 117 of the container. After the divider 130 is ejected from its fully engaged position, removal of the divider 130 from the container 106 is easier for the user.

[0049] See also Fig.12 and 13 In some embodiments, the eject button 148 can be a push button operatively coupled to the divider 130 via a mechanical connection. To eject the divider 130, the push button 148 is pushed in a push direction that moves or ejects the divider 130 from its fully engaged position. In addition, the push button 148 can be moved in an opposite reset direction so that the push button 148 can be pushed again by the user to eject the divider 130 from its fully engaged position. In at least some embodiments, the push button 148 is spring-loaded to facilitate operation of the push button 148 in its push and reset directions.

[0050] The mechanical connection forming the operational connection between the push button 148 and the divider 130 may include a sliding actuator 154 configured to move or slide corresponding to the push and reset directions of the push button 148. The sliding actuator 154 may include one or more ramped portions 156 connected to a movable ejection pin or tab 158 that protrudes or extends through the bottom plate 118 into the cavity 108 to contact the bottom surface 142 of the food placement element 114. The more the sliding actuator 154 moves in the push direction, the more the ramped portion 156 moves the pin 158 into the cavity 108, causing the pin 158 to push the food placement element 114, thereby causing the food placement element 114 to eject the divider 130 from its fully engaged position. In addition, the push button 148 moving in the reset direction may cause the sliding actuator 154 to move in the reset direction, thereby causing the ramped portion 156 to lower the pin 158 back to the initial position.

[0051] Any of the various embodiments of the air fryer 100 may include some, all, or less than all of the features described herein. For example, any of the various embodiments of the air fryer 100 described herein may include at least one of the following features, including any of various combinations: ribs 140, detection of the presence or absence of the divider 130 (e.g., by having a sensor 144), and / or ejection of the divider 130 from its fully engaged position (e.g., by having an ejection button 148 and a corresponding ejection assembly).

[0052] The subject matter of this specification may also relate to the following aspects in particular:

[0053] A first aspect includes an apparatus comprising: a housing; a chamber within the housing in which food to be air fried is disposed; a food placement element comprising a surface on which food is placed in the chamber; and a container in which the food placement element is disposed within the housing, wherein the container comprises a bottom plate having ribs, and wherein the food placement element extends over the ribs.

[0054] A second aspect includes the first aspect, and further includes, wherein the base plate has a width extending parallel to a dividing line between the first cooking zone and the second cooking zone, wherein the rib has a length of at least 50% of the width of the cavity.

[0055] A third aspect includes the second aspect, and further includes, wherein the length of the rib is at least 75% of the length of the chamber width.

[0056] A fourth aspect includes the third aspect, and further includes, wherein the rib extends longitudinally from a first side surface of the container to a second side surface of the container, the second side surface being opposite the first side surface.

[0057] A fifth aspect includes any one of the first to fourth aspects, and further includes, wherein the bottom plate has a length extending perpendicular to a dividing line between the first cooking zone and the second cooking zone, wherein the rib has a width less than 10% of the cavity length.

[0058] A sixth aspect includes the fifth aspect and further includes wherein a width of the rib is less than 5% of a length of the cavity.

[0059] A seventh aspect includes any one of the first to sixth aspects, and further includes, wherein a height of the rib is less than 25% of a height of the cavity.

[0060] An eighth aspect includes the seventh aspect, and further includes, wherein a height of the rib is less than 15% of a height of the chamber.

[0061] A ninth aspect includes any of the first to eighth aspects, and further includes, wherein the food placement element comprises the only food placement element of the device.

[0062] A tenth aspect includes any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein a surface area of ​​the food placement element is at least 90% of an open area of ​​the cavity.

[0063] The eleventh aspect includes any one of the first to tenth aspects, and further includes a divider configured to be removably connected to the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone when connected to the container, wherein the food placement element is positioned between the ribs and the divider.

[0064] A twelfth aspect includes the eleventh aspect, and further includes, wherein the chamber defines a single cooking zone when the divider is separated from the container.

[0065] A thirteenth aspect includes any of the eleventh or twelfth aspects, and further includes, wherein the surface of the food placement element includes a groove, wherein the base of the divider is positioned in the groove when the divider is fully connected to the container.

[0066] A fourteenth aspect includes any one of the eleventh to thirteenth aspects, and further includes a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of a partition in the chamber.

[0067] The fifteenth aspect includes the fourteenth aspect and also includes an actuator arm extending into the chamber and operably connected to the sensor, the actuator arm being movable between a first position and a second position, the actuator arm being in the first position when the partition is not in the chamber and being in the second position when the partition is in the chamber, and the sensor detecting presence or absence in response to whether the actuator arm is in the first position or in the second position.

[0068] A sixteenth aspect includes any one of the eleventh to fifteenth aspects, and further includes an eject button configured to eject the divider from the fully engaged position.

[0069] A seventeenth aspect includes the sixteenth aspect, and further includes, wherein the eject button comprises a push button.

[0070] An eighteenth aspect includes the seventeenth aspect and further includes a slide actuator operatively coupled to the eject button, the slide actuator configured to eject the divider from the fully engaged position.

[0071] The nineteenth aspect includes the eighteenth aspect and further includes, wherein the sliding actuator includes at least one ramp portion, the at least one ramp portion being configured to increase the amount by which one or more pop-up tabs bias the divider into the chamber to pop the divider out of the fully engaged position.

[0072] The twentieth aspect includes an apparatus comprising: a housing; a container defining a chamber in which food to be air fried is disposed; a divider removably disposed within the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone; and a sensor configured to sense the presence or absence of the divider within the chamber.

[0073] A twenty-first aspect includes an apparatus comprising: a housing; a container defining a chamber in which food to be air fried is disposed; a divider removably disposed within the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone; and an ejection button configured to eject the divider from a fully coupled position within the container.

[0074] The above description of various embodiments of the present invention has been given for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive, nor is it intended to limit the present invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. In light of the above teachings, many modifications and changes are possible. The embodiments discussed are selected and described in order to provide the best illustration of the principles of the present invention and its practical application, so that one of ordinary skill in the art can utilize the present invention in various embodiments and make various modifications to suit the specific purposes envisioned. All these modifications and changes are within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted according to the extent authorized fairly, legally and equitably.

Claims

1. A device comprising: case; a chamber within the housing, wherein food to be air fried is disposed in the chamber; a food placement element comprising a surface on which food is placed in the chamber; as well as a container, wherein the food placement element is arranged in the housing, wherein the container comprises a bottom plate having ribs, and Wherein, the food placement element extends on the rib.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The bottom plate has a width extending parallel to a dividing line between the first cooking zone and the second cooking zone, wherein the rib has a length of at least 50% of the width of the cavity.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein: The length of the rib is at least 75% of the length of the width of the chamber.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein: The ribs extend longitudinally from a first side surface of the container to a second side surface of the container, the second side surface being opposite the first side surface.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The bottom plate has a length extending perpendicular to a dividing line between the first cooking zone and the second cooking zone, wherein the rib has a width less than 10% of the length of the cavity.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein: The width of the rib is less than 5% of the length of the cavity.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The height of the rib is less than 25% of the height of the chamber.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein: The height of the rib is less than 15% of the height of the chamber.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The food placement element comprises the only food placement element of the device.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein: The surface area of ​​the food placement element is at least 90% of the area of ​​the opening of the cavity.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a divider configured to be removably coupled to the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone when coupled to the container, wherein the food placement element is positioned between the rib and the divider.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein When the divider is separated from the container, the chamber defines a single cooking zone.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein: The surface of the food placement element includes a groove, wherein a base of the divider is positioned in the groove when the divider is fully connected to the container.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of the partition in the chamber.

15. The device according to claim 14 further includes an actuator arm extending into the chamber and operably connected to the sensor, the actuator arm being movable between a first position and a second position, the actuator arm being in the first position when the partition is not in the chamber and being in the second position when the partition is in the chamber, and the sensor detecting the presence or absence in response to whether the actuator arm is in the first position or in the second position.

16. The device of claim 11, further comprising an eject button configured to eject the divider from a fully engaged position.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein: The eject button comprises a push button.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a slide actuator operatively coupled to the eject button, the slide actuator configured to eject the divider from the fully engaged position.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein: The slide actuator includes at least one ramp portion configured to increase the amount that one or more pop-up tabs bias the divider into the chamber to pop the divider out of the fully engaged position.

20. An apparatus comprising: case; a container defining a cavity in which the food to be air fried is disposed; a divider removably disposed within the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone; and A sensor is configured to sense the presence or absence of the partition within the chamber.

21. An apparatus comprising: case; a container defining a cavity in which the food to be air fried is disposed; a divider removably disposed within the container, the divider dividing the chamber into a first cooking zone and a second cooking zone; and An eject button is configured to eject the divider from a fully coupled position within the container.

Images