FORM FOR FOOD PROCEβSIN© The present invention relates to forms for food processing.

Nutrition, clothing and housing are the three critical factors of anybody's life, of which nutrition is the most important because one may live for a long time without clothing and housing, but one will not be able to do without food. The most important sources of food which plays a major role in human's nutrition are: various types of groceries including wheat, corn, barn, rice, etc., and legumes including lentil, pea, bean, etc., and different oil seeds including sunflower seeds, soybean, colza, etc., and eggs, which all play a critical role in human's nutrition together with proteins, vegetables and fruits.

Nutrition is the key first element in life; produce like rice, after wheat and corn, is the most important cereal in human's food in Asia. In the world, it is the second most important food after wheat. Apart from key role of nutrition in human's living and health, good, healthy and delicious food with a pleasant appearance is one of the major material enjoyments of life. All people of the world will definitely most enjoy good foods with a pleasing styled appearance.

When human civilization was forming twenty-four thousand years ago, the art of cooking was created, and ten thousand years ago, when stews were made, the real civilization reached its evolution; and as the man's civilization and knowledge grew, their knowledge of the variety of foodstuff and produce existing in the environment and various benefits of the edible materials was increased even more, so that nowadays, food industries play a major role among the most important industries in the nutrition and health of the people. Apart from the above, cooking has a root in the culture and ecology of every region, and nowadays there is such a great variety of foods in some regions that has contributed to the tourism industry, e.g. France and Italy.

Since rice, along with wheat, is counted as a major food of Asians and is growing in importance in Europe, Africa, Arab states in addition to the US, it usually appears on the food table in one of the meals every day. Therefore, the manner of cooking and

appearance and the way the cooked rice is decorated and/or styled is of much importance. The variety in ways of cooking the rice and decoration/styling of the cooked rice in the meal by saffron, raisin, barberry, pistachio, almond, truffles, mushrooms, etc., like Italian risotto, in order to add to the novelty and to the enjoyment and improve the taste in order to stimulate the appetite is of utmost importance as civilization evolves into a phase of more efficient, sustainable desire for finesse and touch. On the other hand, adding some base produce and other things together in order to decorate and/or style which makes its taste even more pleasing are among other things which "nouveau cuisine" skilled cooks do and thereby also serves the eye.

With common forms of food cooker, it is only possible to cook one dish at a time with the same recipe time base. In order to prepare different kind of dishes, several pans or forms of food cooker have to be used. E.g. when a family gathers together who comprises both vegetarians and persons who eat meat, different forms of food cooker have to be used for each dish and/or for these dishes which are not of the same recipe time base/schedule.

Also, eggs'are an important meal to the humans. They are considered a good source of protein and choline. Bird eggs are a common food and one of the most versatile ingredients used in cooking. They are important in many branches of the modern food industry and home cooking. The most commonly used bird eggs are those from the chicken.

The goal of the present invention is to provide a form of food cooker/mold or multi mold and/or multi molded pots and pans with which it is possible to cook more than one dish and/or more than one portion at a time or which form comprises at least two depressions where food to be processed can be put in and styled, except for single sponge, bread and cake multi mold which is of only one depression.

In line with this matter in order to add to the food taste and diversity of the appearance in addition to the equal or not equal or styled portions of the cooked rice

and/or other base produce, the applicant invented new molds, that is multi mold/multi molded multi purpose multi pattern molds in various sizes and shapes and materials suitable for making such molds for pots and pans and/or multi cookers, slow cookers, fryers, frying cookers, rice cookers, steam cookers, pressure cookers and others etc.

Examples are multi purpose, multi mold with multi patterns and several molds, for various slow cookers, rice cookers, pressure cookers, fryer, pancake cooker and grill and steam cookers and multi cookers with various forms and models for quick and slow cooking, for various foods, including, but not limited to, various stews, meats, rice, cakes, confectionary, bread and sponge cake, etc., with any heating source and means, including electrical, gas, normal heating, home, industrial ones, in all possible sizes, forms, shapes, including, but not limited to, triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, polygonal, heart-shaped, circular segment-shaped, crescent-shaped, circular, annular or elliptic shapes, funny shapes, etc. and other ones, made of all possible materials, such as, but not limited to, metals, unbreakable crystals, etc., even those not discovered yet that can serve this purpose, in both home and industrial forms, with multi mold or multi chambers doors, fit with number, shapes and sizes of mold, for the purpose that tastes and smells of various foods remain separated, as well as multi mold- or multi chamber screens with patterns, for various frying pots with all possible sizes, forms, shapes, including, but not limited to, circular and other ones, made of all possible materials, such as, but not limited to, metals, unbreakable crystals, etc., even those not discovered yet, in both home and industrial forms.

Samples of the designs and shapes of the applicant's interest are shown in the Figures. Among them are triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, polygonal, heart- shaped, circular segment-shaped, crescent-shaped, circular, annular or elliptic and other shapes; in different sizes such as for one, two, three, etc. persons, although ^' it may come in various sizes depending on the age of the consumer and/or multi cooker and pots ^' and pans in all different sizes and all different uses. Most of them contain as much as one person can have a complete meal of rice in their plate, from the bottom of the pan to the top with their own desirable decoration, so that they may both enjoy the appearance and use all the constituting parts of the meal. It is to be

noted that the molds have been designed in sizes to fit the electrical rice cookers and/or multi cookers available in the market and may easily ^• replace the molds existing in the market.

Cooking of eggs comprises a steam cooker and/or multi cooker and frying unit for eggs fried on one or sunny-side up, including soft, hard, in intermediate conditions, soft scrambled egg, intermediate scrambled egg, hard scrambled egg, as well as all other things which may be cooked as an egg in this mold-unit, multi purpose single and multi molded models with patterns, whether electrical or rice cooker or multi cooker or non-electrical, including, but not limited to, gas, ordinary home or industrial heating, and other ones,, in all possible sizes, forms shapes, including, but not limited to, circular, heart shaped, square shaped, multi side shaped, star shaped and in other shapes, made of any possible materials, including, but not limited to, metals, unbreakable crystals, etc., even those not discovered yet and those which may be used for these and/or others which can serve this purpose, in both home and industrial forms.

Also, different modern methods of making kitchenware may be used in making the molds, such as Teflon, etc.

Therefore, according to the above description, the major advantages of the invention compared to the molds available in the market are as follows:

1. Creation of diversity in food styling and portioning leading to a renaissance in home and industrial cooking;

2. Letting everybody enjoy an exclusive share of all the cooked meal, e.g. rice, eggs, stew, etc., from the pan bottom to the top;

3. The possibility to cook rice etc. in different shapes which are especially attractive to children (e.g. funny shapes) and contributes to better nourishment (because children generally eat by their parents' persistence);

4. Saving the amount of rice or other produce cooked and reducing the waste of cooked rice and other produce, as an appropriate amount of rice or other ingredients

desired by each person will be cooked for them.

5. Making it possible to cook same time schedule and heat based recipes relative to multi cooker model; to be cooked in one multi molded pot or pan.

The form for food processing of the present invention has at least two depressions or the form has at least one depression with an annular cross section, which depression(s) can hold food to be processed; and the upper edge of the form - in the position of use - is extended outward so that it can be inserted in a pot or pan or a cooking device or multi cooker.

This multi form provides a cooking utensil which can be used to prepare all kind of dishes. The food or produce is put into the depression, which can have various shapes, which are described below, water and/or oil is added as needed and the form is placed on a stove or open fire or in an electrical cooker or multi cooker or in a bain-marie. After the required cooking time, the form is removed and the content is placed on a plate or a person eats directly out of the form (cook and serve models and systems). The upper edge is constructed in such a way that it extends outward from the form and that the form can be placed in a receiving unit/heat spreader which can be commercially available or in another heat source and/or an ordinary pot or directly placed e.g. into a rice cooker or multi cooker. It is understood that the form does not need a receiving unit/heat spreader. The form can be constructed of any material which is suitable for cooking, e.g. enamel, aluminum, stainless steel and even high melting plastics like teflon, if the form is placed into a bain-marie, in addition to unbreakable glassware for sizzling serve and materials not yet discovered and which can serve the purpose of the multi molds.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least two depressions or the at least one depression with an annular cross section have a flat bottom and a cylindrical side wall. A flat bottom and a cylindrical side wall enable the cook to remove the dish easily when it is done.

In another preferred embodiment, the at least two depressions or the at least one depression with an annular cross section have a flat bottom and a conical side wall, wherein the angle between the bottom and the wall is > 90°. If the angle between the bottom and the wall is > 90°, e.g. 90-95°, depending on the size of the mold, the content of the form can be removed very easily without leaving residues.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least two depressions have a triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, polygonal, heart-shaped, circular segment-shaped, crescent- shaped, circular, annular or elliptic cross section, wherein the at least two depressions extend from a plane surface, or that in the at least one depression with an annular cross section the inner cylinder of the depression with an annular cross section and the side wall extend from the plane surface. The preferred shape enables the production of processed food in the desired form, e.g. gateaus or cakes in a circular shape, Bundt cakes or sponge cakes in an annular shape, muffins in a triangular shape etc. Also eggs can be cooked in various forms, depending on the way the consumer wants it, e.g. fried on one or sunny-side up, including soft, hard, in intermediate conditions, soft scrambled egg, intermediate scrambled egg, hard scrambled egg etc. The plane surface is of advantage for cleaning and for covering the form, i.e. a plane cover or receiving unit/heat spreader can be used. The plane surface is also of advantage for covering the whole multi mold. A plane lid can be placed on the plane surface which is advantageous for keeping the heat inside the mold.

In another preferred embodiment, in the at least one depression with an annular cross section the length of the inner cylinder of the annular depression is longer than the length of the side wall of the depression. Such a form can be removed by taking the inner cylinder of the form, thus handles are not necessary.

In another preferred embodiment, the form has at least two depressions, which depressions are of different size. This enables the cook to prepare different amounts or shapes/styles of the same or different dishes, e.g. one dish for an adult and one (the same or a different one) for a child.

In an additional embodiment of the invention, the form has through holes which permit the vapor to pass through the form. If the form is used in a vapor cooker, multi cooker, slow cooker, fryer, frying cooker, rice cooker, steam cooker, pressure cooker and others etc., these through holes permit the vapor to pass through the form. This helps reduce overpressure which otherwise could have formed under the form. Also, the steam passes through the form and thus the steam boils the food. Steam can be produced by any electrical or rice cooker or multi cooker or non-electrical, including, but not limited to, gas, ordinary home or industrial heating, and other ones. The number, form and location of through holes is not critical and can vary depending on the heating system, multi cooker and/or material in addition to the time schedule given for each recipe.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the form has a lid. A lid has an energy conserving function because heat is retained inside the form. One lid can cover the whole multi mold or one lid can cover one depression. Thus more than one lid can be present on one multi mold. Multiple lids can be used for different foods so that the taste and/or scent does not spread and is not added to other depressions.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a form as described above for cooking food or a variety of base produce, e.g. rice and eggs. This form is excellently suitable for cooking any kind of food, including, but not limited to, various types of groceries including wheat, corn, barn, rice, etc., and legumes including lentil, pea, bean, etc., and different oil seeds including sunflower seeds, soybean, colza, etc., other vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, etc. in the form of stews, meats, rice, cakes, confectionary, bread and sponge cake, etc.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1A, 1 B and 1 C show a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a receiving unit/heat spreader for multi mold multi purpose forms.

Fig. 2A ₁ 2B and 2C depict a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a receiving unit/heat spreader for multi mold multi purpose forms with a different surface/height ratio.

Fig. 3A, 3B and 3C illustrate a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a receiving unit/heat spreader for multi mold multi purpose forms with a different surface/height ratio.

Fig. 4A, 4B and 4C show a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with five annular depressions which can vary in size depending on the multi cooker used or owned.

Fig. 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D illustrate a front view, an isometric view, a section view and an exploded view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with five annular depressions in arrangement with a receiving unit/heat spreader, e.g. the receiving unit/heat spreader shown in Fig. 1-3.

Fig. 6A, 6B and 6C show a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with four depressions which are in form of a circular segment which can vary in size depending on the multi cooker used or owned.

Fig. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D depict a front view, an isometric view, a section view and an exploded view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with four depressions which are in form of a circular segment in arrangement with a receiving unit/heat spreader, e.g. the receiving unit/heat spreader shown in Fig. 1-3.

Fig. 8A, 8B and 8C show a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with four heart- shaped depressions which can vary in size depending on the multi cooker used or owned.

Fig. 9A, 9B, 9C and 9D illustrate a front view, an isometric view, a section view and an exploded view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with four heart-shaped depressions with a different surface/height ratio in arrangement with a receiving unit/heat spreader, e.g. the receiving unit/heat spreader shown in Fig. 1-3.

Fig. 1OA, 1OB and 1OC show a front view, an isometric view and a section view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with three crescent- shaped depressions which can vary in size depending on the multi cooker used or owned.

Fig. 11 A, 11 B, 11 C and 11 D illustrate a front view, an isometric view, a section view and an exploded view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with three crescent-shaped depressions with a different surface/height ratio in arrangement with a receiving unit/heat spreader, e.g. the receiving unit/heat spreader shown in Fig. 1-3.

Fig. 12A, 12B and 12C show a side view, a section view and an isometric view, respectively, of a multi mold multi purpose form of a food cooker with one depression which has an annular cross section which can vary in size depending on the multi cooker and/or pot and pan and/or type and brand of multi cooker, slow cooker, fryer, frying cooker, rice cooker, steam cooker, pressure cooker and others etc. used or owned.

The invention is described in more detail in the following example.

EXAMPLE

For preparing food, the person who cooks needs a form or pots and pans which are suitable for multi cookers where he puts his raw ingredients. In this specification,

"form", "mold" and "mould" are used synonymously. It is advantageous if the form is versatile and can be used with any kind of heat source. The heat source can be an

open fire place, a gas or electric stove, an induction stove, an oven, a bain-marie, an electric cooker or a multi cooker, e.g. an electric cooker, charcoal;- rice cooker or multi cooker or non-electrical, including, but not limited to, gas, ordinary home or industrial heating, etc.

The shape of the form is not crucial and can e.g. be triangular, rectangular, hexagonal, polygonal, heart-shaped 7 (Fig. 8 and 9), circular segment-shaped 6 (Fig. 6 and 7), crescent-shaped 8 (Fig. 10 and 11), circular (Fig. 1-3), annular 5 (Fig. 4, 5 and 12) or elliptic, but not limited thereto. It is also possible to choose a "funny shape" which is chosen to please children, e.g. the silhouette of popular comic characters, e.g. Spiderman, Superman, Walt Disney characters, monuments, or actors or singers, etc. The shape chosen also depends on the dish decided to cook and the relative design of the cooker and pots and pans. The desired shape of a cake may be different from the desired shape of a muffin or tart or rice or stew etc., thus a suitable form is used relative to the cooker type for preparing this kind of dish. The form can be put in a receiving unit/heat spreader, like the ones depicted in Fig. 1-3. Such a receiving unit/heat spreader acts as a heat spreader so that if one heating source is used in the cooker, the receiving unit/heat spreader spreads the heat evenly to all depressions of the form which has been inserted in the receiving unit/heat spreader which is unique for or fits to a multi cooker or pots and pans.

The person who cooks can choose the number of depressions located in the form according to the number of people attending the meal and can add variety and choice. If a family consists of four people the suitable form will have four depressions. If the family consists of two adults and two little children, two of the four depressions will have a smaller size to fit the less appetite of the children.

The material of the form is not crucial and can be chosen according to the type of heat source used, as long as the material is suitable for cooking, i.e. non-toxic. E.g., the material of the form can be enamel, aluminum, stainless steel, glass and mesh and even high melting plastics like Teflon. If the form is made of plastics and thus would melt if put on a hot stove, it can be placed into a bain-marie. Of course not

every material is suitable for all kind of heat sources. If the form is made out of metal, there are several possible ways to produce it. One example is that the metal is melted and cast into a form where it solidifies. Once solidified and modified to the desired shape of the mold relative to pots and pans and/or to cooking devices and/or appliances in the cast and then cleaned, the form can be used for cooking. If the raw material for the form is a sheet metal, the production is more complicated. If the depths of the depressions are rather small, e.g. a multi mold for egg fryer, the sheet metal can be formed by pressing or stamping. If the depressions are bigger, the pressing/stamping process would lead to cracks and/or failure of the sheet metal. Thus the depressions are formed individually by pressing/stamping one depression, and any number of depressions are combined to form the form on a tray which then is put in a receiving unit/heat spreader which is then be used for cooking. The combining process of single depressions can be done via adhesive bonding, welding, riveting, bolting together or melting together of the edges or any other process which is capable of combining single depressions to form a form.

The depression usually has a flat bottom 1. The angle between the bottom 1 and the side wall of the depression located in the form is not crucial but preferably > 90°. A preferred angle is 95°, that means the depression has a conical side wall 2. Such an angle facilitates the removal of the prepared food, so does a straight wall as well. The angle can be 90-95° and any angle inbetween, e.g. 90°, 91°, 92°, 93°, 94°, 95° or more. But the form can also have a round bottom. The form with the at least one depression can be placed into a receiving unit/heat spreader, e.g. the ones depicted in Fig. 1-3, which fits the relevant multi cooker, if desired.

The upper edge 3 of the form is - in the position of use - extended outward so that it can be inserted in a pan or a cooking device or receiving unit/heat spreader, e.g. the ones depicted in Fig. 1-3. The extension is so long that it fits on the wall of a cylindrical form which is bigger than the form which is used for food processing. Because of this the form is held in place regardless of the height of the receiving unit/heat spreader. Also, the food processing form can have shorter height than the form which it is put in; and because of the extension of the upper edge 3 the food

processing form is held at the upper level of the pan or receiving unit/heat spreader or cooking device and does not touch the base level of the pan oV receiving unit/heat spreader or cooking device, but can of course touch the base level. If the receiving unit/heat spreader does not touch the base level of the cooking device, it is possible the steam develops between the cooking device and the receiving unit/heat spreader; thus the heat is not transferred directly to the multi mold which might be of advantage when heat-sensitive food is boiled. But it is of course also possible that the receiving unit/heat spreader touches the base level of the cooking device.

If the form has more than one depression the form has a plane surface 4 from which, seen from above - in the position of use -, the depression(s) are formed downwards. Or if a depression with an annular cross section 5 is used the inner cylinder 5a of the annular depression 5 is of the same height as the side wall 20 of the annular depression 5. Such a plane surface 4 allows for an easier cleaning. But if desired the length of the inner cylinder 5a of the annular depression 5 can be longer than the side wall 20. With such an inner cylinder 5a the removal is easier by taking the inner cylinder instead of handles.

The form can also have through holes. Vapor can pass through these through holes. The number of through holes is not critical and can be in a range of 1-10, 1-20, 1-30, 1-50, 1-100 or more. The location of the through holes is also not critical. Through holes can be located at any place in the form, e.g. in the bottom or in the side walls. The size of the through holes is also not critical. However, they should be big enough to enable vapor to pass through but small enough to keep the ingredients inside the form, if the through holes are located in the bottom of the form. Steam can be produced by any electrical or rice cooker or multi cooker, slow cooker, fryer, frying cooker, rice cooker, steam cooker, pressure cooker and others etc. or non-electrical, including, but not limited to, gas, ordinary home or industrial heating, and other ones.

Additionally, the form can have a lid. A lid has an energy conserving function because heat is retained inside the form. One lid can cover the whole multi mold or one lid can cover one depression. Thus more than one lid can be present on one

multi mold. Multiple lids can be used for different foods so that the taste does not spread.

To prepare a meal, the raw ingredients are filled into the at least one depression. The raw ingredients might comprise rice, vegetables, corn, wheat, meat, etc. and oil, water, spices, etc. The ingredients are mixed as desired and based on recipes and placed on a heat source, occasionally stirred as needed and/or as recommended by recipe and removed when done. This enables the cook to prepare a different meal in each depression, if the form has at least two depressions, e.g. cook rice on one depression and meat in the other depression, and to style and portion the food.

Steam cooking and frying unit for eggs to be fried on one side, food made of eggs and tomatoes, etc., with three specialty models as follows: 1 - Special models for vapor cookers: These models have holes through which vapor penetrates after touching lower part and heats upper part of it which is covered by a glass lid, so food is cooked evenly. No oil is used in this way. 2 - Steam cooker frying models: These types have no holes for penetration of hot vapor for cooking upper side of the food. They have only special holes for surplus vapor to exit from the unit to eliminate risk of explosion and blow up caused by too much vapor. In such systems, a little oil or frying liquids are used for frying purposes and vapor will be the heating source of the model. 3 - Frying models: These models have no holes and are higher than the above model. They nearly and/or do touch the heat converter and the cooking takes place using direct heat of the converter. In this way, as it is understood from its name, frying oils are necessary for cooking foods. The above unit is manufactured in two different forms. 1 - two-purpose units including all above systems (vapor cooker and frying cooker) in home or industrial forms. 2 - Special single-purpose units including: 2-1 - Exclusively vapor cooker = in home and industrial forms. 2-2 - Exclusively frying cooker = in home and industrial forms.

When the meal is ready, the cook removes it from the depression, e.g. by removing it with a spatula or by inverting the form over a plate, and serves it at the table.