초록 ▼

A device and method for infusing a heated fluid into an item being cooked. The device includes infusers adapted to penetrate into the item being cooked, a fluid reservoir for containing and heating a separate fluid that will be infused into the item being cooked, and a conduit connecting the infuser

A device and method for infusing a heated fluid into an item being cooked. The device includes infusers adapted to penetrate into the item being cooked, a fluid reservoir for containing and heating a separate fluid that will be infused into the item being cooked, and a conduit connecting the infuser and the fluid reservoir. The infusers are contained in a cooking unit.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A device for infusing heated flavoring vapor into an item being cooked, comprising: a cooking unit having a heating source configured to deliver cooking heat other than steam heat within an enclosed cooking area of the cooking unit to cook the item being cooked within the enc

What is claimed is: 1. A device for infusing heated flavoring vapor into an item being cooked, comprising: a cooking unit having a heating source configured to deliver cooking heat other than steam heat within an enclosed cooking area of the cooking unit to cook the item being cooked within the enclosed cooking area; two or more flavor infusers configured to dispense heated flavoring vapor into an interior of the item being cooked; a heated fluid reservoir configured as a static fluid container and vaporizing chamber to contain a quantity of liquid fluid and one or more flavoring ingredients within or separate from the fluid, and to heat the liquid fluid and the flavoring ingredient(s) within the reservoir to a temperature that produces the heated flavoring vapor; the fluid reservoir having a flavoring vapor outlet for evacuating the heated flavoring vapor, and being substantially closed against the introduction and recirculation of streaming fluid, thereby allowing the liquid fluid that is statically contained in the fluid reservoir to deplete from the reservoir as it is heated and vaporized without being replenished from a streaming fluid source or a return pathway from the cooking area; a conduit connecting the infusers and the vapor outlet of the fluid reservoir to allow the heated flavoring vapor generated by heating the liquid fluid and flavoring ingredient(s) in the fluid reservoir to flow to the infusers solely in an outflow direction from the fluid reservoir to the infusers; the device being operatively configured to isolate the liquid fluid in the fluid reservoir from the heated flavoring vapor that flows from the infusers so as to deliver substantially only the heated flavoring vapor from the infusers into the item being cooked by the heating source; and the device being further configured so that the heating source delivers the cooking heat to the exterior of the item to be cooked in the cooking area independently of the infusers while the infusers separately infuse the heated flavoring vapor into the interior of the item being cooked. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir further comprises a reservoir heating source. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the reservoir heating source is independent of the heating source used to cook the item being cooked. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein each infuser comprises a shaft with at least one aperture therein through which the fluid is expelled. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein each infuser comprises a sharp tip adapted to penetrate into the interior of an item being cooked. 6. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one aperture in each infuser comprises a recessed hole. 7. The device of claim 4, further comprising mesh overlying the at least one aperture in the infusers. 8. The device of claim 4, wherein the apertures in the infusers can be closed. 9. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of apertures are provided in the infusers and the apertures have at least two different sizes. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of more than two infusers are provided. 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the infusers are of varied height. 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the infusers are made of a heat conducting material. 13. The device of claim 1, further including a grilling grid. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the infusers are integrated into the grilling grid. 15. The device of claim 1, wherein the conduit is flexible. 16. The device of claim 1, wherein the conduit is rigid. 17. The device of claim 1, wherein each infuser is downwardly moveable from a first position to a second position, and further comprises a spring loaded valve that is adapted to open when the infuser is pushed down from the first position to the second position, by an item to be cooked that is placed on the infuser. 18. The device of claim 1, wherein the conduit has connections to permit additional lines to be added or subtracted. 19. The device of claim 1, wherein the conduit is connected in series to multiple infusers. 20. The device of claim 19, further providing at least one shutoff valve for at least one infuser. 21. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is connected in series to multiple infusers. 22. The device of claim 1, wherein multiple reservoirs are connected in series to multiple infusers. 23. The device of claim 1, wherein multiple reservoirs are connected in parallel to multiple infusers. 24. The device of claim 1, further comprising a pressure relief valve. 25. The device of claim 1, further comprising a one-way check valve. 26. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a floor that is not flat. 27. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is incorporated into the cooking unit. 28. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir shares a heating element with cooking unit. 29. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir has an independent heating element. 30. The device of claim 29, wherein the heating element has an independent control unit. 31. The device of claim 1, wherein a single, elongate infuser with multiple apertures is connected to the conduit, and wherein the conduit is flexible. 32. The device of claim 1, wherein a single, elongate infuser with multiple apertures is connected to the conduit by a quick disconnect connector. 33. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of elongate infusers with multiple apertures are connected by flexible lines to the conduit, and wherein the conduit is flexible. 34. The device of claim 33, wherein the plurality of elongate infusers with multiple apertures are connected by flexible lines to the conduit by a quick disconnect connector. 35. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a plurality of chambers for holding different fluids and/or solids. 36. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises an upper chamber located above a lower chamber, with the upper and lower chamber being separated by a non-solid dividing wall to permit fluid to pass therethrough, and wherein the upper chamber is connected to the conduit. 37. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a cooking surface for supporting the item being cooked, and wherein the infusers extend through the cooking surface and are adjustably mounted to vary the amount of extension of the infusers through the cooking surface. 38. The device of claim 37, wherein the fluid reservoir is located outside of the cooking unit. 39. The device of claim 37, wherein the fluid reservoir is located inside of the cooking unit. 40. The device of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir includes a removable fluid tray. 41. A device for delivering moisture, flavor and heat as heated vapor to the interior potion of an item being cooked, comprising: a flavor infuser; at least two separate heated flavor reservoirs connected in one of parallel and series with each other, the at least two flavor reservoirs each being configured to contain a quantity of liquid fluid during heating and vaporization thereof within the reservoirs; a conduit that connects the flavor infuser to the at least two flavor reservoirs to allow heated vapor generated by heating liquid fluids in the at least two flavor reservoirs to flow to the infuser; and the device being operatively configured to isolate the liquid fluids in the at least two flavor reservoirs from the heated vapor that flows from the infuser so as to deliver substantially only heated vapor from the infuser into the item being cooked. 42. The device of claim 41, wherein at least one of the fluid reservoirs includes a removable fluid tray. 43. A device for infusing with heated flavoring vapor an item being cooked, comprising: an enclosed cooking unit; an infuser located within the cooking unit; a heated fluid reservoir outside of the cooking unit configured to contain a quantity of liquid flavoring fluid during heating and vaporization thereof within the reservoir; the fluid reservoir having a flavoring vapor outlet for evacuating the heated flavoring vapor, and being substantially closed against the introduction and recirculation of streaming fluid, thereby allowing the liquid fluid that is contained in the fluid reservoir to deplete from the reservoir as it is heated and vaporized without being replenished from a streaming fluid source or a return pathway from the cooking unit; and a conduit connecting the infuser and the vapor outlet of the fluid reservoir to allow heated vapor generated by heating fluid in the fluid reservoir to flow solely in an outflow direction from the fluid reservoir vapor outlet to the infuser; and the device being operatively configured to isolate liquid fluid in the fluid reservoir from heated vapor that flows from the infuser so as to deliver substantially only heated vapor from the infuser into the item being cooked. 44. The device of claim 43, wherein a plurality of infusers are provided, each having a plurality of apertures through which the heated vapor will pass into the item being cooked. 45. The device of claim 43, wherein the fluid reservoir includes a removable fluid tray. 46. A device for infusing heated vapor into an item being cooked by a cooking unit, comprising: two or more infusers configured to dispense heated vapor into an interior of the item being cooked without cooking an exterior of the item being cooked; a heated fluid reservoir configured to contain a quantity of liquid fluid during heating and vaporization thereof within the reservoir; the fluid reservoir having a flavoring vapor outlet for evacuating the heated flavoring vapor, and being substantially closed against the introduction and recirculation of streaming fluid, thereby allowing the liquid fluid that is contained in the fluid reservoir to deplete from the reservoir as it is heated and vaporized without being replenished from a streaming fluid source or a return pathway from the item being cooked; a conduit connecting the infusers and the vapor outlet of the fluid reservoir to allow heated vapor generated by heating the liquid fluid in the fluid reservoir to flow to the infusers solely in an outflow direction from the fluid reservoir vapor outlet to the infusers; and the device being operatively configured to isolate liquid fluid in the fluid reservoir from the heated vapor that flows from the infusers so as to deliver substantially only heated vapor 47. The device of claim 46, wherein the fluid reservoir includes a removable fluid tray.