PRESSURIZED STEAM COOKER DEVICE

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a pressurized steam cooker device (100) with separate compartments for water and food, designed to optimize the steam cooking process by maintaining precise control over pressure, temperature, and time, thereby improving cooking efficiency and safety. The device (100) includes an inner vessel (116) in which a plurality of porous racked food containers (112) can be placed, a separate water compartment (118) having a cap (120) to fill water, a steam vent (122) and a timer control unit (104). The water compartment (118) allows steam to be generated and delivered to the plurality of porous racked food containers (112) through the fenestrations on the lateral wall of inner vessel (116) efficiently. The steam vent (122) ensures that the internal pressure remains within safe and optimal ranges for cooking, while the built-in timer (104) automates the cooking process by allowing users to set the cooking duration.

Specification

Description:TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of cooking devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a pressurized steam cooker device with separate compartments for water and food, designed to optimize the steam cooking process by maintaining precise control over pressure, temperature, and time, thereby improving cooking efficiency and safety.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Traditional steam cookers often have a combined compartment for water and food, which may lead to uneven cooking due to steam and moisture buildup around the food. Additionally, many such devices do not offer precise control over the pressure or cooking time, which can result in overcooking or undercooking. The present invention seeks to overcome these limitations by providing a cooking apparatus with separate compartments for water and food, ensuring better steam distribution and more controlled cooking conditions.
[0003] Cooking food with the use of high-pressure steam and water or a water-based liquid, inside a sealed vessel limits boiling and creates higher temperatures, which is not possible at lower pressures which allow food to be cooked much faster than at normal pressure. This has been ubiquitously used in every household due to the following advantages - it can reduce cooking times by up to 70%, retain nutrients, energy-efficient, use less water than traditional cooking methods, making them a more environmentally friendly option. Pressure cookers can be used to cook a wide range of foods, including soups, stews, meats, grains, and even desserts. In addition, this steam energy can also help in killing any micro-organisms that are able to survive at the boiling point. Despite all these advantages, while cooking food items that can generate too much, froth and sputter, potentially blocking the steam vent and creating an unsafe condition thus forcing the manufacturers to add additional safety mechanisms and warrants user not to keep items more than 50 % of capacity. While cooking multiple items by keeping them in many containers, it takes longer time for cooking because the food is not in direct contact with the steam. Some nonmetal containers cannot be directly kept in contact with the base as they can damage due to high temperatures.
[0004] The present technologies of pressure cookers have many safety features like safety valves, gasket, heat resistant cool handles and pressure regulator (vent weight) that help to maintain the desired pressure inside the vessel during cooking. Despite all the above there are high chances of steam vents getting blocked due to sputter and froths. This forces the user to keep items only till 50% of capacity while cooking certain items. Also makes it unsuitable for cooking items like noodles, pasta, cranberries, cereals and oatmeal that can expand too much. As in the current designs, foods are kept soaked in water, there is high chances of them getting overcooked or mashed. As most cookers will not release the pressure completely even after removing vent weight, there are chances of spillage splashing of contents while opening the lid on to the user. The current designs use stalked vessels while cooking multiple items. This significantly prolongs cooking time as these vessels do not have fenestrations and steam cannot directly encounter food items. Some models use non-metallic containers which are poor conductors of heat for cooking which can further prolong cooking time. Even when single items are kept directly inside the vessel they need to be soaked in water. This water layer can hinder direct contact of food with steam. Also, when food is placed directly inside the vessel there are chances of charring/burning of food close to the base due to overheating.
[0005] To address these limitations, the present invention provides a pressurized steam cooker device with separate compartments for water and food that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.

OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0006] It is a primary object of the present disclosure to provide a pressurized steam cooker device with separate compartments for water and food.
[0007] It is another object of the present disclosure to develop a pressurized steam cooker device that is designed to optimize the steam cooking process by maintaining precise control over pressure, temperature, and time, thereby improving cooking efficiency and safety.
[0008] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a pressurized steam cooker device with simple modifications in design where in water and food items are complexly separated and food is getting exposed only to high pressure steam.
[0009] It is yet another object of the present disclosure to provide a pressurized steam cooker device that eliminates risk of froth and splutter resulting in blocking of steam vent.

SUMMARY
[0010] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of cooking devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a pressurized steam cooker device with separate compartments for water and food, designed to optimize the steam cooking process by maintaining precise control over pressure, temperature, and time, thereby improving cooking efficiency and safety.
[0011] The primary aspect of the present invention is to design a pressurized steam cooker device. The device includes an inner vessel in which a plurality of porous racked food containers (112) can be placed; a separate water compartment having a cap to fill water; a steam vent and a timer control unit. The steam vent includes an inbuilt vent weight that builds pressure. The pressurized steam cooker of the present disclosure is designed to enhance the steam cooking process by incorporating several innovative features. The cooker includes a distinct compartment for water that is separate from the compartment holding food, allowing steam to be generated and delivered to the food chamber efficiently. The steam vent ensures that the internal pressure remains within safe and optimal ranges for cooking, while a built-in timer automates the cooking process by allowing users to set the cooking duration.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary sectional view and aerial view of the inner and outer vessel of the pressurized steam cooker device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit, and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0015] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail to avoid obscuring the embodiments.
[0016] Also, it is noted that individual embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when its operations are completed but could have additional steps not included in a figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination can correspond to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.
[0017] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of cooking devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a pressurized steam cooker device with separate compartments for water and food, designed to optimize the steam cooking process by maintaining precise control over pressure, temperature, and time, thereby improving cooking efficiency and safety.
[0018] The pressurized steam cooker device is designed by adopting simple redesigning thus making it suitable even for cooking items like noodles, pasta, cranberries, cereals and oatmeal can expand too much.
[0019] The pressurized steam cooker device is designed by adopting simple modifications in design where in water and food items are completely separated and food is getting exposed only to high pressure steam. Also in this design, compartment at the base is filled with water, vessel kept inside will not come in direct contact with flame and the related damage can be prevented. The one more advantage is that instead of closed vessels stalked inside in conventional designs, here specially designed containers which have fenestrations all around are used. This ensures direct contact between food and steam from all directions thus significantly reducing cooking time. As water is not mixed with food like in conventional designs, here the risk of froth and splutter resulting in blocking of steam vent is eliminated. This disclosure is also equipped with simple timer based alert whistle which will also prevent unwanted waste of energy, time and overcooking brining uniformity. When the whistle blows, it completely releases the pressurized steam from the vessel and thus eliminates possible food spillage while opening the lid in the conventional models due to some residual pressure.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary sectional view and aerial view of the inner and outer vessel of the pressurized steam cooker device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0021] With reference to FIG. 1, the device includes an inner vessel (116) in which a plurality of porous racked food containers (112) can be placed, a separate water compartment (118) having a cap (120) to fill water, a steam vent (122) and a timer control unit (104). The plurality of porous racked food containers (112) is configured to hold food items to be cooked. The separate water compartment (118) is configured to generate steam independently of the plurality of porous racked food containers (112). A steam delivery channel is connected with the water compartment (118) to the plurality of porous racked food containers (112) through the fenestrations on the lateral wall of inner vessel (116), allowing the transfer of steam generated in the water compartment to the plurality of porous racked food containers (112). The steam vent (122) controls and maintains the internal pressure of the inner vessel (116) and a plurality of porous racked food containers (112) within a predetermined range. The timer control unit (104) with a crank is configured to set and monitor the cooking duration, automatically releasing the steam upon completion of the preset time. The food items can be kept in the inner vessel (116) or on to the porous containers (112) to be cooked directly without the need for them to be immersed in water, thereby eliminating the chance of frothing and sputtering.
[0022] In an embodiment, the cooker device (100) includes a sealing lid (108B) and a set of handles (108A) operably connected to the porous racked food containers (112), forming an airtight seal when closed to maintain pressure within the cooker device (100). The cooker device (100) includes a safety release valve (106) configured to automatically release excess steam if the internal pressure exceeds a predefined threshold and to prevents the lid (108B) from being opened while the internal pressure in the inner vessel (116) and food containers (112) is above atmospheric pressure. Water is placed in the separate water compartment (118) in a gap between the inner vessel (116) and an outer vessel (114), thereby preventing overheating of a base (110) of the cooker device (100).
[0023] In an embodiment, the plurality of porous racked food containers (112) configured for cooking multiple food items, comprising fenestrations in all sides to ensure effective contact between food and steam. A pressurized steam (124) is completely released from the steam vent (122) through a whistle (102), when the timer control unit (104) reaches zero.
[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, a pressure cooker is basically a pot with a tight-fitting lid and some safety valves. When a user locks the lid onto the cooker, it is basically sealing the pot shut and creating a closed pressure system. It works on the principle of the Ideal Gas Law and the equation PV=nRT (P = pressure, V= volume and T = temperature, n= the number of moles and R = is the gas constant). As except for pressure and temperature all other things remain constant in a real setting, we can derive this equation as P=T. Generally, for most chemical reactions, for every 10 deg C increase, the rate of reaction is doubled, which allows you to reduce the cooking time in half. By raising the pressure by ~15 psi, you can braise your food at ~250 deg F (121 deg C) which is responsible for a significantly decreased time required for cooking in a pressure cooker.
[0025] In an embodiment, the water is placed in a separate compartment (118) in a gap between inner vessel (116) and outer vessel (114) which prevents overheating of base (110) and related effects on food and vessels kept inside. Whenever we need to use this cooker, we need to fill the lower compartment with water by removing the cap at the upper end of the column protruding from the lower compartment (118) into the center of the inner vessel (116) till water starts oozing out from the fenestrations at the lower end of this column. Once the cap (120) is fastened, we can start boing the water by keeping it on a burner/induction heater. Inside the inner vessel (116) we can either keep water-soaked grains (after decanting water) directly when only one item is getting cooked, or we can stack them is a specially designed racks (112) which have fenestrations in all sides to ensure effective contact between food and steam. No need to keep the grains immersed in water while cooking, which eliminates the chance of frothing and sputtering that have the potential to block steam vents. Once the lid is closed, we can keep the vent weight regulator assembly on the steam vent (122) at the center of the lid. Once pressure is built, the whistle starts blowing (when timer is at zero) that indicates the user to set the timer by cranking the knob on the timer (104). When the time indicator reaches zero, the pressurized steam is completely released from the steam vent (122) through the whistle (102). This mechanism not only alerts the user but also minimizes the hazards of spillage while opening the lid at high pressure. This timer (104) thus also saves time, brings uniformity in cooking time, prevents wastage of energy making it an efficient and environmentally friendly system. This also eliminates the need for special spillage proof lid design offered in current models of cooker.
[0026] In an implementation of an embodiment, the user adds water to the water compartment and places food into the food compartment. The sealing lid is closed, creating an airtight seal over the food compartment. Then the user needs to place the steam vent regulator assembly (122) and keep the cooker on burner/induction heater. The timer control unit begins counting down once the cooking process is initiated. Steam is channelled through the steam delivery channel into the food compartment, where it surrounds and cooks the food. The steam vent maintains the internal pressure of the food compartment by regulating the release of steam through the steam vent. If the pressure exceeds the safe range, the safety release valve automatically releases excess steam. Once the timer control unit reaches the end of the set cooking time, the vessel is designed to release the steam completely through the whistle alerting the user to switch off the burner and steam generation stops. The sealing lid remains locked until the internal pressure has returned to a safe level, at which point the locking mechanism releases, allowing the user to open the cooker.
[0027] In an embodiment, the disclosure eliminates possible blockage of steam vent by food particles due to sputtering and frothing. The spillage or sputtering of food/water/froth while opening lid after cooking is eliminated. The device has a whistle system linked to a simple timer with a crank option to maintain uniform cooking time thus preventing unwanted wastage of time and energy. The cooker device does not use any sophisticated electronic mechanism and uses a simple whistle to create noise when steam passes through it. Once the required cooking time is complete and timer comes back to zero, pressurized steam comes through the whistle alerting the user at the same time. This completely depressurizes the vessel preventing risk of splash while opening lid of cooker. There is no risk of damage to any vessel kept inside on the base as there is a water compartment between the base and flame thus preventing overheating of base. There will be uniform and effective distribution of steam through the food items as there is no water mixed with food or water layer above the food.
[0028] In an embodiment, the device significantly decreases the cooking time even when multiple vessels are kept inside as these vessels have fenestrations from all sides so that steam can reach effectively. The device will not prolong cooking time even when a non-metallic container with poor heat conduction is used as these vessels have fenestration from all sides for better reach of steam and there is no water layer with food items. The device uses significantly less water as water is not added to the items to be cooked. The device uses a simple pressure-based alarm system which does not require any current/batteries or maintenance. The device can be used for timed cooking thus significantly saving energy, time, bringing uniformity and decreasing carbon footprint to the environment. The device is versatile, can reduce cooking times, retain nutrients, energy-efficient, use less water than traditional cooking methods, making it a more environmentally friendly option. The device has fenestrations all around and steam reaches the food not only from below but also from sides and from center column. The food can never get charred/burned and get stuck to bottom of vessel due to high flame and heat as there is a layer of water between the inner surface of the base and flame. There is no need to remove the pressure regulator (vent weight) before opening the lid after cooking. The device also can be adopted in the currently available electric cooking systems for more efficiency.
[0029] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are comprised to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

, Claims:1. A pressurized steam cooker device (100) comprising:
an inner vessel (116) on its lateral surface has multiple fenestrations;
a set of porous racked food containers (112) configured to hold food items to be cooked;
a separate water compartment (118) comprising a cap (120) to fill water, configured to generate steam independently of the plurality of porous racked food containers (112);
a steam delivery channel connecting the water compartment (118) to the plurality of porous racked food containers (112) through the fenestrations on lateral wall of inner vessel (116), allowing the transfer of steam generated in the water compartment to the plurality of porous racked food containers (112);
a steam vent (122) controls and maintains the internal pressure inside the inner vessel (116) and of the plurality of porous racked food containers (112) placed inside the inner vessel (116) within a predetermined range; and
a timer control unit (104) with a crank configured to set and monitor the cooking duration, automatically releasing the steam completely upon completion of the preset time,
wherein the food items can be kept in the inner vessel (116) or on to the porous containers (112) to be cooked directly without the need for them to be immersed in water, thereby eliminating the chance of frothing and sputtering.
2. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooker device (100) comprises a sealing lid (108B) and a set of handles (108A) operably connected to the porous racked food containers (112), forming an airtight seal when closed to maintain pressure within the cooker device (100).
3. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooker device (100) comprises a safety release valve (106) configured to automatically release excess steam if the internal pressure exceeds a predefined threshold and to prevents the lid (108B) from being opened while the internal pressure in the inner vessel (116) and food containers (112) is above atmospheric pressure.
4. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein water is placed in the separate water compartment (118) in a gap between the inner vessel (116) and an outer vessel (114), thereby preventing overheating of a base (110) of the cooker device (100).
5. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of porous racked food containers (112) configured for cooking multiple food items, comprising fenestrations in all sides to ensure effective contact between food and steam.
6. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein pressurized steam (124) is completely released from the steam vent (122) through a whistle (102), when the timer control unit (104) reaches zero.
7. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inside portion of the inner vessel (116) accommodates the set of fenestrated food containers (112).
8. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a set of fenestrations are provided both on the inner vessel (116) and the racked food containers (112) independently.

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