US-12618232-B2 - Cooking apparatuses

Abstract

A cooking apparatus includes a housing defining an internal chamber. The internal chamber includes a cooking portion. The apparatus includes a single cooking container configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking portion of the internal chamber. The single cooking container defines a cooking volume. The apparatus includes at least two heating elements positioned within the cooking portion of the internal chamber.

Inventors

• Jorge B. Garcia

Assignees

• Sensio Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240315

Priority Date

20210225

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing defining an internal chamber, wherein the internal chamber comprises a cooking portion; a single cooking container configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking portion of the internal chamber, wherein the single cooking container comprises a front wall, a back wall, and a bottom surface, wherein the single cooking container defines a cooking volume between the front wall, the back wall, the bottom surface and an upper wall of the internal chamber; at least two heating elements positioned within the internal chamber; a dividing structure on the upper wall extending downward into the cooking portion of the internal chamber below the at least two heating elements, the dividing structure separating the at least two heating elements; and a divider configured to be removably received in the single cooking container to divide the cooking volume into two separate cooking sections, wherein at least one of a side edge or a bottom edge of the divider contain a portion made from a heat-resistant elastic compressible material, wherein the front wall and the back wall comprises an engagement structure, wherein the engagement structure is configured to hold the divider in place when it is in the single cooking container, the engagement structure comprises front wall protrusions and back wall protrusions that extend along the front wall and the back wall respectively and have distal ends that terminate at a distance from both the bottom surface and the upper wall of the internal chamber, the front wall protrusions are configured and adapted to engage and support both sides of the divider, and the back wall protrusions are configured and adapted to engage and support the both sides of the divider, and wherein when the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider is configured and adapted to mate with the dividing structure, the engagement structure, and the heat-resistant elastic compressible material of the at least one of the side edge or the bottom edge of the divider is compressed to form a thermal and odor seal between the two separate cooking sections.
2. 2 . The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the divider is a solid barrier, the divider including an insulating material.
3. 3 . The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the divider comprises the heat-resistant elastic compressible material on at least the bottom edge and the side edge of the divider.
4. 4 . The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the internal chamber comprises a lower wall, the upper wall and the lower wall defining the cooking portion of the internal chamber therebetween, wherein the dividing structure of the upper wall comprises a dividing flange extending downward into the cooking portion of the internal chamber, wherein, when the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider is configured and adapted to mate with the dividing flange.
5. 5 . The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first fan positioned between a top wall of the internal chamber and a first one of the at least two heating elements, and a second fan positioned between the top wall of the internal chamber and a second one of the at least two heating elements.
6. 6 . The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure comprises spaced apart protrusions for engaging the divider.
7. 7 . A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing defining an internal chamber, wherein the internal chamber comprises a cooking portion; a single cooking container configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking portion of the internal chamber, wherein the single cooking container comprises a front wall, a back wall, and a bottom surface, wherein the single cooking container defines a cooking volume between the front wall, the back wall, the bottom surface and an upper wall of the internal chamber; at least two heating elements positioned within the internal chamber; a dividing structure on the upper wall extending downward into the cooking portion of the internal chamber below the at least two heating elements, the dividing structure separating the at least two heating elements; and a divider configured and adapted to be removably received in the single cooking container to divide the cooking volume into two separate cooking sections, wherein at least one of a side edge or a bottom edge of the divider are made from a heat-resistant elastic compressible material, wherein at least one of the front wall or the back wall comprises an engagement structure, wherein the engagement structure is configured to hold the divider in place when it is in the single cooking container, the engagement structure comprises at least one of front wall protrusions or back wall protrusions that extend along at least one of the front wall or the back wall respectively and have distal ends that terminate at a distance from both the bottom surface and the upper wall of the internal chamber, the front wall protrusions and the back wall protrusions are configured and adapted to engage and support both sides of the divider, and wherein when the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider is configured and adapted to mate with the dividing structure, the engagement structure, and the heat-resistant elastic compressible material of the at least one of the side edge or the bottom edge of the divider is compressed to form a thermal and odor seal between the two separate cooking sections.
8. 8 . The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the divider is a solid barrier, the divider including an insulating material.
9. 9 . The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the divider comprises the heat-resistant elastic compressible material on at least the bottom edge and the side edge of the divider.
10. 10 . The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the internal chamber comprises a lower wall, the upper wall and the lower wall defining the cooking portion of the internal chamber therebetween, when the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider is configured and adapted to engage with the dividing structure of the upper wall.
11. 11 . The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a first fan positioned between a top wall of the internal chamber and a first one of the at least two heating elements, and a second fan positioned between the top wall of the internal chamber and a second one of the at least two heating elements.
12. 12 . The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the engagement structure comprises spaced apart protrusions on at least one of the front wall or the back wall for engaging the divider.
13. 13 . The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the dividing structure of the upper wall comprises a flat surface for engaging with the divider.
14. 14 . A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing defining an internal chamber, wherein the internal chamber comprises a cooking portion; a single cooking container configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking portion of the internal chamber, wherein the single cooking container comprises a front wall, a back wall, and a bottom surface, wherein the single cooking container defines a cooking volume between the front wall, the back wall, the bottom surface and an upper wall of the internal chamber; at least two heating elements positioned within the internal chamber; and a divider configured and adapted to be removably received in the single cooking container to divide the cooking volume into two separate cooking sections, wherein at least one of a side edge or a bottom edge of the divider are made from a heat-resistant elastic compressible material, wherein at least one of the front wall or the back wall comprises an engagement structure, wherein the engagement structure is configured to hold the divider in place when it is in the single cooking container, the engagement structure comprises front wall protrusions and back wall protrusions that extend along the front wall and the back wall respectively and have distal ends that terminate at a distance from both the bottom surface and the upper wall of the internal chamber, the front wall protrusions are configured and adapted to engage and support both sides of the divider, and the back wall protrusions are configured and adapted to engage and support the both sides of the divider, and wherein when the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider is configured and adapted to mate with the upper wall and the heat-resistant elastic compressible material of the at least one of the side edge or the bottom edges of the divider is compressed to form a thermal and odor seal between the two separate cooking sections.
15. 15 . The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the divider is a solid barrier, the divider including an insulating material.
16. 16 . The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the divider comprises the heat-resistant elastic compressible material on at least the bottom edge and the side edge of the divider.
17. 17 . The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the internal chamber comprises a lower wall, the upper wall and the lower wall defining the cooking portion of the internal chamber therebetween, when the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider is configured and adapted to engage with a dividing structure of the upper wall.
18. 18 . The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a first fan positioned between a top wall of the internal chamber and a first one of the at least two heating elements, and a second fan positioned between the top wall of the internal chamber and a second one of the at least two heating elements.
19. 19 . The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the engagement structure comprises spaced apart protrusions on at least one of the front wall or the back wall for engaging the divider.
20. 20 . The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the upper wall comprises a dividing structure having a flat surface for engaging with the divider.

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to cooking apparatuses, and more particularly to air fryer cooking apparatuses. Description of Related Art An air fryer is a cooking apparatus that cooks foods by circulating hot air around the food within a basket positioned within a cooking chamber. In general, there is a fan operatively connected to a motor to circulate air around a heating element and also to circulate the hot air around the food, cooking the food and producing a crispy layer. The air fryer is able to fry foods using much less oil than a traditional fryer. In some cases, it may be desirable to cook more than one type of food at one time. In this case, some air fryer cooking apparatuses allow a user to cook two separate food items simultaneously, even if they have different cooking times and temperatures. One example of this type of air fryer apparatus is shown in Chinese Publication No. CN110693345 published Jan. 17, 2020. Generally, these air fryer apparatuses use two separate baskets to cook the two separate food items. Under this configuration, the largest cooking volume is limited to the size of one of the baskets. The conventional techniques have been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is an ever present need for improved systems and methods for air fryer cooking apparatuses. This disclosure provides a solution for this need. SUMMARY A cooking apparatus includes a housing defining an internal chamber. The internal chamber includes a cooking portion. The apparatus includes a single cooking container configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking portion of the internal chamber. The single cooking container defines a cooking volume. The apparatus includes at least two heating elements positioned within the cooking portion of the internal chamber. In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus includes divider configured and adapted to be removably received in the single cooking container to divide the cooking volume into two separate cooking sections. The divider can be a solid barrier. The divider can include an insulating material. The internal chamber can include upper and lower walls that define the cooking portion of the internal chamber therebetween. The upper wall can include a dividing flange extending downward into the cooking portion of the internal chamber. When the divider is positioned within the single cooking container and when the single cooking container is positioned within the housing, the divider can be configured and adapted to mate with the dividing flange. The cooking apparatus can include a first fan positioned between a top wall of the internal chamber and a first one of the heating elements, and a second fan positioned between the top wall of the internal chamber and a second one of the heating elements. The cooking apparatus can include a first motor operatively connected to the first fan and a second motor operatively connected to the second fan. Each motor can be configured to be independently controllable. The internal chamber can have a top wall and a lower wall. The single cooking container can include a bottom surface more proximate to the lower wall of the internal chamber than the top wall of the internal chamber. The two heating elements can be positioned side-by-side between the upper wall of the internal chamber and the bottom surface of the single cooking container. The single cooking container can include a bottom surface defining a raised central rib. The raised central rib can be defined between two well portions of the bottom surface. The cooking apparatus can include a first removable cooking tray and a second removable cooking tray. When in a cooking position, the first removable cooking tray can rest over a first of the two well portions and the second removable cooking tray can rest over a second of the two well portions. When in the cooking position, the first removable cooking tray and the second removable cooking tray can be positioned at a vertical position substantially even with a top surface of the raised central rib. In accordance with another aspect, a cooking apparatus includes a housing defining an internal chamber. The internal chamber includes a cooking portion. The apparatus includes a cooking container configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking portion of the internal chamber. The cooking container defines a cooking volume. The apparatus includes a solid divider configured and adapted to be removably received in the cooking container to divide the cooking volume into two separate cooking sections. In some embodiments, the divider includes an insulating material. The internal chamber can include upper and lower walls that define the cooking portion of the internal chamber therebetween. The upper wall can include a dividing flange extending downward into the cooking portion of the internal chamber. When the divider is positioned within the cooking container and whe