Abstract: A countertop cooking device for automating the preparation of food that requires heating, stirring, and the addition of liquid is proposed. The cooking device comprises a body containing a heated cooking pot, one or more separately heated reservoirs, and a means for transferring liquid to the cooking pot from the reservoir(s). The cooking device also comprises a means for stirring the contents of the cooking pot and scraping the inner surfaces of the cooking pot. A means is provided to control the temperatures of the cooking pot and reservoir(s), the sequence and duration of steps, and the stirring of the cooking pot. The sequence and duration of events may be controlled by a predetermined schedule, or based upon information from sensors in the device. The usefulness of the proposed cooking device is demonstrated in this application by describing its use in the preparation of risotto. This device may optionally be used in the preparation of other dishes such as rice and bulgur pilaf, or polenta.

Abstract: A multi-compartment plate system including upper and lower plates each having an outer perimeter surrounding first and second compartments, the compartments disposed on an obverse side of the plates, each plate defining a respective recess extending about the periphery of its second compartment, and each plate having a raised rim extending about the periphery of its first compartment, the rim being contoured to nest within the recess of the second compartment of the other plate, such that when the upper plate is inverted and rotated with respect to the lower plate, the first and second compartments of the upper plate engage the opposing second and first compartments of the lower plate, respectively, to form a nested covered plate defining two separate, covered containers.

Abstract: A tool for manipulating a fiber optic connector includes a handle portion having a first major axis and first and second ends. An intermediate support arm having a second major axis extends from the first end of the handle portion. First and second jaws extend from the intermediate support arm. Each jaw extends generally perpendicular to the second major axis of its respective intermediate support arm and generally orthogonal to the first major axis. Each jaw includes a gripping portion having a generally concave shape configured to complementarily receive a portion of the fiber optic connector. Movement of the handle portion moves the jaws between an open position in which the jaws are spaced apart for loosely receiving a fiber optic connector, and a closed position in which the jaws securely grip the fiber optic connector.