US 11389026

Summary of U.S. Patent No. 11,389,026

A comprehensive review of U.S. Patent No. 11,389,026 reveals the following details:

Title: Cooking device and components thereof

Assignee: Sharkninja Operating LLC

Inventors: Christopher T. Martin, Thomas Guerin, Roger Neil Jackson, Joshua D. Anthony, Kerry Schwarz, Michaela Dubeau

Filing Date: March 31, 2021

Issue Date: July 19, 2022

Abstract: A cooking system includes a housing having at first internal compartment and a second internal compartment. At least one cooking container is receivable within one of the first internal compartment and the second internal compartment. At least one cooking volume is defined within an interior of the at least one cooking container. At least one heating element is disposed in said housing.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

U.S. Patent No. 11,389,026 contains three independent claims, which define the core inventions protected by the patent. A plain-language summary of each is provided below:

Independent Claim 1: This claim describes a cooking system with a housing that contains two separate internal compartments. Each compartment is designed to receive a removable cooking container. When these containers are inserted, they create a seamless outer surface with the main housing. The key features are that each compartment has its own heating element and its own fan, allowing for two different food items to be cooked independently and simultaneously in the two separate cooking volumes.

Independent Claim 11: This claim focuses on a cooking system with a housing that has two internal cooking compartments, each holding a removable cooking container. Together, the housing and containers form a continuous exterior surface. Each compartment has its own "heating assembly," which consists of a fan and a heating element, to cook food inside the respective container. A significant aspect of this invention is that these two heating assemblies can be operated independently, meaning they can be programmed to cook food in different modes at the same time. The claim also specifies that the two cooking containers are positioned next to each other on the same level (horizontally coplanar) and that each container has a perforated base.

Independent Claim 16: This claim outlines a cooking system with a housing that accommodates two independently removable cooking containers. Each container has a defined cooking space and is designed to fit into corresponding channels within the housing. This engagement creates two separate air ducts. When inserted, the containers form a continuous outer surface with the housing. The system includes two independent heating elements and two independent fans, each corresponding to one of the cooking containers. These fans are designed to circulate air through their respective cooking volumes.

A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for litigation involving U.S. Patent No. 11,389,026 did not yield any specific results at this time. It is possible that no such litigation has been filed or that records are not yet publicly available.