초록 ▼

A popcorn making machine includes a main unit comprising a fan pumping air into a chamber, enclosing a heater and a bowl. The bowl has sidewalls tapered downwardly with mini-nozzles attached thereto. Hot airflows are introduced from the chamber through the mini-nozzles into the bowl tangentially to

A popcorn making machine includes a main unit comprising a fan pumping air into a chamber, enclosing a heater and a bowl. The bowl has sidewalls tapered downwardly with mini-nozzles attached thereto. Hot airflows are introduced from the chamber through the mini-nozzles into the bowl tangentially to its inner surface, forming a main hot airflow circulation. A central nozzle is mounted at the bowl's bottom, including slots, introducing additional airflows, tangential to the nozzle's surface, from the chamber into the bowl, forming an additional hot airflow circulation surrounding the nozzle, co-directed with the main circulation. The main unit comprises a receptacle collecting popcorn coming from the bowl. The claimed machine optionally includes a coater unit for coating popcorn with oil, salt, etc., and a compact cabinet enclosing the main and coater units. The above design provides for a fast and essentially even heating of corn kernels for efficient popping thereof.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A popcorn making machine including a main unit, said main unit comprises: a fan;a heating chamber communicated with said fan;a heating bowl disposed within said heating chamber, said bowl including: sidewalls tapered downwardly,a bottom opening, anda plurality of predeterminedly configured mini-n

1. A popcorn making machine including a main unit, said main unit comprises: a fan;a heating chamber communicated with said fan;a heating bowl disposed within said heating chamber, said bowl including: sidewalls tapered downwardly,a bottom opening, anda plurality of predeterminedly configured mini-nozzles internally attached to said sidewalls;wherein each said mini-nozzle covers an orifice made in the sidewall so that hot airflows can be introduced from said heating chamber through said orifices and said mini-nozzles into the interior of said bowl toward directions, essentially tangential to the inner surface of said bowl, and collectively forming a main hot airflow circulation within said bowl;a heater means for heating air mounted within said heating chamber; anda central nozzle having: a convex shape with a bottom flat opening, peripherally coupled to said bottom opening of the bowl, anda plurality of equidistantly situated and predeterminedly configured slots, such that additional hot airflows can be introduced from said heating chamber through said slots into said bowl;wherein said additional hot airflows are directed such that collectively forming an additional hot airflow circulation surrounding said central nozzle, and said additional circulation is oriented essentially toward the direction of said main circulation. 2. The popcorn making machine according to claim 1, wherein said bowl is shaped as a truncated cone. 3. The popcorn making machine according to claim 1, wherein said mini-nozzles are shaped as portions of an ellipse or a paraboloid. 4. The popcorn making machine according to claim 1, wherein said central nozzle is shaped as a semi-sphere, and said slots are shaped as louvers, aligned in meridian directions, and having outstanding air-guiding ribs attached to one side of each slot at a predetermined angle. 5. The popcorn making machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a feeding means for supplying raw corn kernels into said bowl at a predetermined rate;a receptacle for collection of already popped corn kernels, said receptacle is mounted above said heating chamber, said receptacle including: a bottom inclined at a predetermined angle, anda grid, being one of the walls of said receptacle and separating said receptacle from said fan;and an intermediate pipe communicating said receptacle with said bowl. 6. The popcorn making machine according to claim 5, further including a coater unit, said coater unit comprises: a rotating mixing drum, shaped as a cylinder including sidewalls, having a plurality of predeterminedly sized openings, a first flat side, and a second flat side, the first flat side is connected to said receptacle, so that said drum is capable of receiving popped corn kernels from said receptacle,an auger mounted within said drum, and capable of moving the popped kernels toward the second flat side;a number of longitudinal guides mounted within said drum;an oil dispenser, longitudinally extended essentially throughout the interior of said drum, and capable of spreading oil through said longitudinal guides;an oil feeding device associated with the drum, and capable of controllably drawing oil into said oil dispenser;an oil tank associated with the drum, and capable of supplying oil to said oil feeding device;a salt dispenser, longitudinally extended essentially throughout the interior of said drum, and capable of spreading salt through said longitudinal guides;a salt feeding device associated with the drum, and capable of controllably drawing salt into said salt dispenser; anda salt container associated with the drum, and capable of supplying salt to said salt feeding device. 7. The popcorn making machine according to claim 6, wherein said predeterminedly sized openings are made as circular holes with a diameter of substantially 10 mm. 8. The popcorn making machine according to claim 6, further comprising a consumption container disposed at the second flat side of said drum and usable for receiving and holding the ready-to-eat popcorn. 9. The popcorn making machine according to claim 6, further comprising a tray capable of receiving un-popped and poorly popped corn kernels sifted through said predeterminedly sized openings, said tray is disposed under said drum. 10. The popcorn making machine according to claim 6, further including a compact cabinet, enclosing said main unit and said coater unit. 11. The popcorn making machine according to claim 1, further comprising a transparent window.