A heating appliance includes a translucent cooktop and a burner in communication with the cooktop. The burner is operable between deactive and active states. The upper surface of the cooktop defines a cooldown state after the burner is moved from the active to the deactive state. A light module includes a light source and is in an illuminated state when the burner is in the active state and when the cooktop is in the cooldown state. A light guide extends from the light module and around a portion of the burner. The light guide is positioned such that the light source directs light through the light guide. The outer surface of the light guide includes a formed surface that directs light upward and through the cooktop, wherein the light guide is visible through the cooktop when the light module is in the illuminated state.

A heating appliance includes a translucent cooktop and a burner in communication with the cooktop. The burner is operable between deactive and active states. The upper surface of the cooktop defines a cooldown state after the burner is moved from the active to the deactive state. A light module includes a light source and is in an illuminated state when the burner is in the active state and when the cooktop is in the cooldown state. A light guide extends from the light module and around a portion of the burner. The light guide is positioned such that the light source directs light through the light guide. The outer surface of the light guide includes a formed surface that directs light upward and through the cooktop, wherein the light guide is visible through the cooktop when the light module is in the illuminated state.

A mobile kitchen cart assembly has a cart and two supporting stands respectively disposed at two sides of the cart. The cart includes a cart body, a cover plate, and multiple casters disposed at a bottom of the cart body. The cart body includes a carrier portion having an accommodating space and an operational portion located above the carrier portion and having an upper opening communicating with the accommodating space and a knife holder for holding knives. The cover plate covers the upper opening of the operational portion. The mobile kitchen cart assembly provides adequate operational space and a counter top at a suitable height by arrangement of the cart body with the cover plate and the two supporting stands.

A mobile kitchen cart assembly has a cart and two supporting stands respectively disposed at two sides of the cart. The cart includes a cart body, a cover plate, and multiple casters disposed at a bottom of the cart body. The cart body includes a carrier portion having an accommodating space and an operational portion located above the carrier portion and having an upper opening communicating with the accommodating space and a knife holder for holding knives. The cover plate covers the upper opening of the operational portion. The mobile kitchen cart assembly provides adequate operational space and a counter top at a suitable height by arrangement of the cart body with the cover plate and the two supporting stands.

A method for operating an automated food making apparatus having a motor, actuator arm, and an apparatus. The apparatus may be a paddle with flexible fins. The method rotates the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister, controls the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and locates a position of the actuator arm with position sensors. The same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters. The method may have a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached. The plurality of paddle rotation steps may be unidirectional or bidirectional paddle rotation. The paddle may be rotated according to one or more paddle rotation algorithms, an error recovery algorithm, or different algorithms based on the amounts of ingredients remaining in the canister. The paddle may be rocked until the target weight is achieved.

A method for operating an automated food making apparatus having a motor, actuator arm, and an apparatus. The apparatus may be a paddle with flexible fins. The method rotates the paddle with a pin-shaft mechanism to dispense an ingredient placed in a canister, controls the motor automatically based on weight sensor readings, and locates a position of the actuator arm with position sensors. The same motor dispenses ingredients from a plurality of canisters. The method may have a plurality of paddle rotation and weight measurement steps until a target weight is reached. The plurality of paddle rotation steps may be unidirectional or bidirectional paddle rotation. The paddle may be rotated according to one or more paddle rotation algorithms, an error recovery algorithm, or different algorithms based on the amounts of ingredients remaining in the canister. The paddle may be rocked until the target weight is achieved.

A discharging mechanism for automatic cooking device, an automatic cooking device and an automatic cooking method. In the automatic cooking device, a conveyer belt, a discharging mechanism, a cooking component and other operation units are arranged compactly to significantly reduce floor space. A feed toggle device in the discharging mechanism picks ingredient boxes on the conveyer belt and pushes the ingredient boxes to storage platforms. A feed grip device in the discharging mechanism picks an ingredient box on the storage platform and rotates to move the ingredient box over a cooking pot, thereby pouring the ingredient into the cooking pot. Further, the feed grip device rotates the empty ingredient box over a garbage bag hanging ring and enables the ingredient box to fall into a garbage bag. All units in this automatic cooking device are compactly arranged to save space and cover small area, particularly suitable for small kitchens.

A discharging mechanism for automatic cooking device, an automatic cooking device and an automatic cooking method. In the automatic cooking device, a conveyer belt, a discharging mechanism, a cooking component and other operation units are arranged compactly to significantly reduce floor space. A feed toggle device in the discharging mechanism picks ingredient boxes on the conveyer belt and pushes the ingredient boxes to storage platforms. A feed grip device in the discharging mechanism picks an ingredient box on the storage platform and rotates to move the ingredient box over a cooking pot, thereby pouring the ingredient into the cooking pot. Further, the feed grip device rotates the empty ingredient box over a garbage bag hanging ring and enables the ingredient box to fall into a garbage bag. All units in this automatic cooking device are compactly arranged to save space and cover small area, particularly suitable for small kitchens.

A cooking device, which includes: a frame; a base, connected to the frame; a pot assembly, including a pot, the pot being configured to be connected to the base; a first seasoning mechanism, disposed on the frame, the first seasoning mechanism being capable of conveying solid materials into the pot; and a second seasoning mechanism, disposed on the frame, the second seasoning mechanism being capable of conveying liquid materials into the pot. During a cooking process, the cooking device may respectively put the solid materials and the liquid materials into the pot by using the first seasoning mechanism and the second seasoning mechanism, so as to replace manual material feeding. Therefore, the problems in the related art of long cooking time during the using of an automatic cooking machine by a user and poor user experience are solved, thereby improving user experience.

A cooking tool is disclosed, which comprises a fastening portion detachably provided in a cooking vessel provided above or inside a kitchen appliance to cook food; a sensor sensing a temperature of food which is cooked in the cooking vessel; a transmitter transmitting temperature information sensed by the sensor to the kitchen appliance as an electric signal; and a controller controlling the transmitter to transmit the temperature information sensed by the sensor as an electric signal.