Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to one another by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled thermal fluid vessels with flexible surfaces are installed in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding a food item in a low temperature cooking container f. The thermal fluid vessels may be replaced with high temperature cooking plates to sear or brown the food items. A user of the appliance is protected from exposure to hot thermal fluid retained in the vessels during low temperature cooking.

Abstract: A sole plate cover covers all exposed surfaces of a steam iron's sole plate to contain fluids leaking from the iron and prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces. The flexible cover includes a plate formed with a plurality of vent holes, a side wall extending outward from the plate all the way around the perimeter of the sole plate, a vent plug extending out from the plate to block a steam vent on the sole plate, and flanges configured to hold the cover to the front and rear ends of the sole plate. A sole plate cover may include a flexible strap for holding closed a water tank cover on the iron. An optional pressure relief valve on the strap blocks a vent hole on the water tank to prevent leakage, opening in the event of an over-pressure condition in the tank.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum-sealing a lid onto a jar includes a cap skirt joined to a cap. The cap and cap skirt are formed with internal threads for engaging corresponding external threads on the jar. A lid for the jar placed against the lid press will be drawn against the rim of the jar after air is pumped out of the jar through the cap. An airtight seal is established between the lid and the rim of the jar when air at normal atmospheric pressure enters the vacuum port, the pressure difference between the outside and inside of the jar forcing the lid onto the jar rim and sealing the jar. A prying plate positioned on the top of the cap permits removal of the lid without deforming the lid beyond its elastic limit, enabling lids to be removed and re-sealed against the jar.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to one another by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled thermal fluid vessels with flexible surfaces are installed in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding a food item in a low temperature cooking container f. The thermal fluid vessels may be replaced with high temperature cooking plates to sear or brown the food items. A user of the appliance is protected from exposure to hot thermal fluid retained in the vessels during low temperature cooking.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to one another by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled thermal fluid vessels with flexible surfaces are installed in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding a food item in a low temperature cooking container f. The thermal fluid vessels may be replaced with high temperature cooking plates to sear or brown the food items. A user of the appliance is protected from exposure to hot thermal fluid retained in the vessels during low temperature cooking.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a dual-chamber container with an inner container for holding a food item to be cooked and an outer container for maintaining contact between a temperature-controlled heat transfer liquid and the inner container while the food is being cooked. The dual-chamber container includes an inlet fluid port and outflow fluid port which may be coupled directly to corresponding fluid port connectors on a temperature control unit, or an intervening fluid coupling assembly may convey heat transfer liquid between the control unit and the dual-chamber container. Some control units are adapted to simultaneously control cooking temperature for more than one dual-chamber container. Some dual-chamber containers have a flexible inner container that is separable from an outer container which may be a rigid container or a flexible container.

Abstract: A sole plate cover covers all exposed surfaces of a steam iron's sole plate to contain fluids leaking from the iron and prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces. The flexible cover includes a plate formed with a plurality of vent holes, a side wall extending outward from the plate all the way around the perimeter of the sole plate, a vent plug extending out from the plate to block a steam vent on the sole plate, and flanges configured to hold the cover to the front and rear ends of the sole plate. A sole plate cover may include a flexible strap for holding closed a water tank cover on the iron. An optional pressure relief valve on the strap blocks a vent hole on the water tank to prevent leakage, opening in the event of an over-pressure condition in the tank.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating food includes a base and a lid coupled to one another by a hinged handle. Two fluid-filled thermal fluid vessels with flexible surfaces are installed in the lid and base to form a chamber for holding a food item in a low temperature cooking container f. The thermal fluid vessels may be replaced with high temperature cooking plates to sear or brown the food items. A user of the appliance is protected from exposure to hot thermal fluid retained in the vessels during low temperature cooking.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum-sealing a lid onto a jar includes a cap skirt joined to a cap. The cap and cap skirt are formed with internal threads for engaging corresponding external threads on the jar. A lid for the jar placed against the lid press will be drawn against the rim of the jar after air is pumped out of the jar through the cap. An airtight seal is established between the lid and the rim of the jar when air at normal atmospheric pressure enters the vacuum port, the pressure difference between the outside and inside of the jar forcing the lid onto the jar rim and sealing the jar. A prying plate positioned on the top of the cap permits removal of the lid without deforming the lid beyond its elastic limit, enabling lids to be removed and re-sealed against the jar.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a dual-chamber container with an inner container for holding a food item to be cooked and an outer container for maintaining contact between a temperature-controlled heat transfer liquid and the inner container while the food is being cooked. The dual-chamber container includes an inlet fluid port and outflow fluid port which may be coupled directly to corresponding fluid port connectors on a temperature control unit, or an intervening fluid coupling assembly may convey heat transfer liquid between the control unit and the dual-chamber container. Some control units are adapted to simultaneously control cooking temperature for more than one dual-chamber container. Some dual-chamber containers have a flexible inner container that is separable from an outer container which may be a rigid container or a flexible container.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a dual-chamber container with an inner container for holding a food item to be cooked and an outer container for maintaining contact between a temperature-controlled heat transfer liquid and the inner container while the food is being cooked. The dual-chamber container includes an inlet fluid port and outflow fluid port which may be coupled directly to corresponding fluid port connectors on a temperature control unit, or an intervening fluid coupling assembly may convey heat transfer liquid between the control unit and the dual-chamber container. Some control units are adapted to simultaneously control cooking temperature for more than one dual-chamber container. Some dual-chamber containers have a flexible inner container that is separable from an outer container which may be a rigid container or a flexible container.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a dual-chamber container with an inner container for holding a food item to be cooked and an outer container for maintaining contact between a temperature-controlled heat transfer liquid and the inner container while the food is being cooked. The dual-chamber container includes an inlet fluid port and outflow fluid port which may be coupled directly to corresponding fluid port connectors on a temperature control unit, or an intervening fluid coupling assembly may convey heat transfer liquid between the control unit and the dual-chamber container. Some control units are adapted to simultaneously control cooking temperature for more than one dual-chamber container. Some dual-chamber containers have a flexible inner container that is separable from an outer container which may be a rigid container or a flexible container.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a dual-chamber container with an inner container for holding a food item to be cooked and an outer container for maintaining contact between a temperature-controlled heat transfer liquid and the inner container while the food is being cooked. The dual-chamber container includes an inlet fluid port and outflow fluid port which may be coupled directly to corresponding fluid port connectors on a temperature control unit, or an intervening fluid coupling assembly may convey heat transfer liquid between the control unit and the dual-chamber container. Some control units are adapted to simultaneously control cooking temperature for more than one dual-chamber container. Some dual-chamber containers have a flexible inner container that is separable from an outer container which may be a rigid container or a flexible container.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus is provided comprising a liquid heating unit. The cooking apparatus further includes a top cover and a bottom cover disposed below the top cover, wherein one or both of the top cover and the bottom cover include one or more fluid passages for flowing heating fluid from the liquid heating unit. The cooking apparatus includes a vacuum member that is in fluid communication with a food tray disposed between the top cover and bottom cover. The cooking apparatus further includes a control system configured to direct the removal of one or more gases (e.g., air) from the food tray and circulate heating fluid through the fluid passages for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A food preparation apparatus includes a thermal fluid reservoir formed with an internal cavity for holding a thermal transfer fluid. A fluid transfer unit circulates the thermal transfer fluid through the reservoir and through a thermal transfer unit. The thermal fluid reservoir may be formed into a food receptacle with a thermal contact surface for the reservoir coincident with a food contact surface in the receptacle. Alternatively, a food receptacle may be formed separately from the reservoir and may either attach to the thermal contact surface or may be easily removable. Embodiments may selectively heat or cool food in the food receptacle by transferring thermal energy between the thermal transfer fluid and the thermal contact surface. A setpoint temperature is accurately maintained everywhere on the thermal transfer surface to avoid hot spots or cold spots in the food receptacle.

Abstract: An example of a cooking apparatus includes a food vessel with a receptacle for holding food, a stored identity for selecting operating parameters related to the food vessel, for example safe operating limits, a program module adapted to transmit the stored identity, and a base unit adapted to detect the stored identity and control a thermal element according to parameters assigned to the stored identity. The program module may transmit the stored identity to the base unit by mechanical contact or by wired or wireless communication. Another embodiment of the invention comprises a food vessel with an outer housing and an inner receptacle separated from the outer housing by an air gap. A program module with a stored identity may be removably connected to the food vessel in the gap between the inner receptacle and outer housing.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a dual-chamber container with an inner container for holding a food item to be cooked and an outer container for maintaining contact between a temperature-controlled heat transfer liquid and the inner container while the food is being cooked. The dual-chamber container includes an inlet fluid port and outflow fluid port which may be coupled directly to corresponding fluid port connectors on a temperature control unit, or an intervening fluid coupling assembly may convey heat transfer liquid between the control unit and the dual-chamber container. Some control units are adapted to simultaneously control cooking temperature for more than one dual-chamber container. Some dual-chamber containers have a flexible inner container that is separable from an outer container which may be a rigid container or a flexible container.

Abstract: Kilns for processing ceramics and methods for using such kilns are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a kiln includes an inner body configured to hold one or more ceramic workpieces for processing. The kiln can also include an outer body at least partially surrounding the inner body and spaced apart from the inner body to define an airflow passageway therebetween. The airflow passageway includes an inlet proximate to an upper portion of the outer body and an outlet proximate to a lower portion of the outer body. The kiln can further include an air mover positioned to move air through the airflow passageway from the inlet toward the outlet. In several embodiments, the kiln can additionally include a lid assembly pivotably coupled to the outer body and configured to sealably close against at least the inner body.

Abstract: A labeling system comprises a wall enclosing a space and a container for holding retractable label, the container laterally disposed in relation to the space. The retractable label is configured to extend out of and retract into the container. In some embodiments, the wan at least partially defines a container cap. In other embodiments, the wall at least partially defines another container for holding material, such as e.g., material of medicinal utility.

Abstract: A labeling system comprises a wall enclosing a space and a container for holding a retractable label, the container laterally disposed in relation to the space. The retractable label is configured to extend out of and retract into the container. In some embodiments, the wall at least partially defines a container cap. In other embodiments, the wall at least partially defines another container for holding material, such as, e.g., material of medicinal utility.