Microwaveable units and methods thereof

Abstract

A microwaveable cooking pot or jug unit 100, comprising a body 102, with an internal space 120, defined by a surrounding wall 118, and base 112, having a raised central part 114, and a through opening

Claims

1. A microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) comprising:- a body (102, 902, 1002) having- a base portion (112, 202, 304, 412) having a raised central part (114) and a first opening (116) in a centre of the raised central part;- a wall portion (118, 302) extending upwardly from a periphery of the base portion to define an internal space (120) of the body; and- a second opening (122, 312) at an upper end of the wall portion, wherein the upper end of the wall portion is opposite to the base portion;- a rotational coupling element (104, 606, 904, 1004) having an elongate portion (124, 910) designed to pass through the first opening, and a flange portion (126) at a first end of the elongate portion, wherein the elongate portion has a plurality of slots (128a-b) in proximity of a second end of the elongate portion;- an adaptor element (106, 200, 408, 906, 1006) having- a plurality of first projecting tabs (130a-b) corresponding to the plurality of slots, and- a plurality of second projecting tabs (132a-c, 208a-c, 210a-c) corresponding to a rotational mechanism of a microwave (400, 614) said rotational mechanism being provided on a floor (402, 610) of a cavity (404, 612) of the microwave;- a stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) comprising a central portion (134, 502a-d, 704, 916) and a plurality of arms (136a b, 504a-h, 918a-b) extending from the central portion; and- a securing element (110, 410, 604, 700) designed to secure the stirring element with the rotational coupling element,wherein the microwaveable unit further comprises an anti-rotation base element fixed on the floor of the cavity of the microwave.

2. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of claim 1, wherein when the securing element (110, 410, 604, 700) is implemented as a threaded screw, an inner surface of the elongate portion (124, 910) has receptacles in proximity to the first end of the elongate portion for receiving threads of the threaded screw, and the central portion (134, 502a-d, 704, 916) of the stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) is hollow to allow the threaded screw to pass therethrough.

3. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of claim 1, wherein when the securing element (110, 410, 604, 700) is implemented as a clip, the securing element comprises a plurality of protruding prongs that extends and is arranged in such a manner that when in use, the plurality of protruding prongs securely attach with the flange portion (126) of the rotational coupling element (104, 606, 904, 1004).

4. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of claim 1, wherein when the securing element (110, 410, 604, 700) is implemented as a snug-fit securing element, the securing element is pushed into the elongate portion (124, 910) of the rotational coupling element (104, 606, 904, 1004), and the central portion (134, 502a-d, 704, 916) of the stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) is hollow to allow the snug-fit securing element to pass therethrough.

5. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first opening (116) of the base portion (112, 202, 304, 412) is at a predefined height from the raised central part (114) of the base portion, the microwaveable unit further comprises a sealing element (146, 928) to provide a fluidic tight seal between the flange portion (126) and the raised central part of the base portion, wherein the sealing element matches the predefined height of the first opening (116).

6. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, wherein a side of the base portion (112, 202, 304, 412) is towards the floor (402, 610) of the cavity (404,612) of the microwave (400, 614), which in use, said side of the base portion rests on the floor of the microwave, wherein the body (102, 902, 1002) further comprises an anti-slipping element (206, 1010) on that side of the base portion.

7. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a lid (138, 306, 920, 1012) that matches a boundary of the second opening (122, 312) of the body (102, 902, 1002), the lid having at least a hole (140, 922).

8. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one handle (142, 308, 314a-b, 924, 1014) that extends from the wall portion (118, 302) of the body (102, 902, 1002).

9. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a spout (144, 310, 926, 1016) that extends from a portion of the second opening (122, 312) at the upper end of the wall portion (118, 302).

10. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) is implemented as one of: the plurality of arms (136a-b, 504a-c) extending upward from the central portion, the plurality of arms (136a-b, 504d-f, 1022a-d) extending downward from the central portion, an impeller-like arrangement with respect to the central portion (134, 502a-d, 704, 916).

11. The microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the number of the plurality of arms (136a-b, 504a-b) of the stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) lies in a range of 1 arm to 8 arms.

12. The microwaveable unit of any of the preceding claims, wherein the stirring element is removably attachable from within the internal space of the body.

13. The microwaveable unit of any of the preceding claims, wherein the adaptor element is configured to fit different microwave couplers.

14. The microwaveable unit of any of the preceding claims, wherein the microwaveable unit comprises two adaptor elements of different sizes to fit with different microwave couplers.

15. A method comprising:- assembling a microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) according to any of the preceding claims; and- providing rotational signal to the microwaveable unit when in use, wherein at least a rotational coupling element (104, 606, 904, 1004), an adaptor element (106, 200, 408, 906, 1006), and a stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) of the microwaveable unit rotate, while a body (102, 902, 1002) of the microwaveable unit remains stationary and rests on a floor (402, 610) of a cavity (404, 612) of a microwave (400, 614).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of assembling the microwaveable unit (100, 204, 300, 600, 702, 900, 1000) comprises:- arranging the rotational coupling element (104, 606, 904, 1004) with respect to the body (102, 902, 1002) such that a flange portion (126) of the rotational coupling element rests on a first side of a first opening (116) of the body and an elongate portion (124, 910) of the rotational coupling element passes through the first opening of the base portion (112, 202, 304, 412) such that a second end of the elongate portion lies on a second side of the first opening, the first side lying in the internal space (120) of the body;- securely arranging the stirring element (108, 406, 500a-d, 602, 706, 908, 1008) between the flange portion and the securing element (110, 410, 604, 700); and- arranging the adaptor element (106, 200, 408, 906, 1006) such that a plurality of first projecting tabs (130a-b) of the adaptor element are coupled to a plurality of slots (128a-b) in proximity of the second end of the elongate portion, androtationally coupling a plurality of second projecting tabs (132a-c, 208a-c, 210a-c) of the adaptor element to a rotational mechanism of the microwave (400, 614).s

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