A spice dispensing device is provided for an automatic meal preparation apparatus. The device uses a replaceable cartridge containing a volume of spice for dispensing in predetermined volumetric doses. A dispensing mechanism is built in to the cartridge for isolating the predetermined volumetric dose and moving it toward an opening in the bottom of the cartridge. The cartridge is sized and shaped to be placed into the automatic meal preparation apparatus in a rack for containing a plurality of such cartridges. The cartridge is alignable with a position in the rack in which the spice dose can be dispensed directly into a cooking vessel of the apparatus.
A47J 47/01 - Kitchen containers, stands or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclassCutting-boards, e.g. for bread with dispensing devices
A47G 19/34 - Food containers with dispensing devices for bread, rolls, sugar, or the likeFood containers with movable covers dispensing a certain quantity of powdered or granulated foodstuffs, e.g. sugar
G01F 11/46 - Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it with stationary measuring chambers having constant volume during measurement with supply or discharge valves of the rotary or oscillatory type for fluent solid material
G01F 11/00 - Apparatus requiring external operation adapted at each repeated and identical operation to measure and separate a predetermined volume of fluid or fluent solid material from a supply or container, without regard to weight, and to deliver it
An automatic meal preparation apparatus is provided which has a top section with compartments for raw food and at least one spice/sauce cartridge; a middle section with a cooking vessel; and a bottom section with a heating element. The sections are stacked in series within a housing. The compartments of the top section are disposed above the cooking vessel. The cooking vessel is in communication with the heating element. A controller receives a selection of a recipe from a user, and executes instructions of the recipe to selectively heat the heating element at certain times, and selectively dispense at least a portion of the raw food and a pre-determined measure of spice/sauce. The apparatus stirs and cooks the food and the spice/sauce in the vessel for a specified duration, in accordance with the recipe.
A47J 43/07 - Parts or details, e.g. mixing tools, whipping tools
A47J 43/046 - Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven with tools driven from the bottom side
A47J 44/00 - Multi-purpose machines for preparing food
A47J 36/32 - Time-controlled igniting mechanisms or alarm devices
A47J 43/044 - Machines for domestic use not covered elsewhere, e.g. for grinding, mixing, stirring, kneading, emulsifying, whipping or beating foodstuffs, e.g. power-driven with tools driven from the top side
patents