Cooking utensil provided with a device for engaging and disengaging kitchen utensils placed in a cooking utensil container

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking appliance (1) for preparing food, comprising a body (2) provided with a cooking chamber (6) and a food receiving container (9) removably placed in the cooking chamber. The container comprises a bottom (17) having an opening (18) arranged to allow a drive nut (16) to pass through, the drive nut being used to drive a removable kitchen utensil (20) arranged in the receiving container in rotation. The body comprises an electric device (15) arranged to drive the drive nut in rotation. The appliance (1) comprises means (24) for moving the drive nut (16) between a disengaged position, in which the drive nut is retracted from the opening (18) and the kitchen utensil (20) when the kitchen utensil (20) is arranged in the container, and an engaged position, in which the drive nut (16) is engaged with the kitchen utensil (20) when the kitchen utensil (20) is arranged in the container (9).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a cooking utensil comprising a removable container and a kitchen utensil. The kitchen utensil is placed in the container and driven to rotate by a rotary drive system, in particular for stirring food to be cooked placed in the container.

[0002] The present invention relates particularly to hot air cooking appliances, such as hot air fryers, which cook food by circulating hot air through a cooking chamber of the appliance, in which a container is removably placed. However, the present invention is also contemplated for implementation in other cooking appliances having similar features, namely, kitchen appliances in which a removable container is placed in the cooking chamber and driven to rotate.

[0003] The main object of the present invention is to optimize the design of a drive system for kitchen appliances on a cooking appliance. Background Art

[0004] Cooking appliances of the hot air fryer type are well known to those skilled in the art. These appliances allow for a significant reduction in, or even complete elimination of, the amount of fat in food during cooking, achieved by circulating hot air through a cooking chamber containing the food to be cooked. This allows for the consumption of more nutritious foods, whether of plant or animal origin, such as chips, vegetables, meat, or fish.

[0005] This type of cooking appliance typically includes a main body and a removable container for holding the food to be cooked. The food can be placed directly in the container or in a basket placed within the container. Once the food is placed in the container, with or without the basket, the main body of the cooking appliance can be closed to form a cooking chamber containing the container (with or without the basket) and the food. A heating device and an air circulation device then pulse hot air into the cooking chamber, which circulates the hot air to ensure the food is cooked.

[0006] The air circulation device comprises a fan for circulating air in a circuit inside the cooking appliance body so as to deliver this air to the cooking chamber via the heating device, where the heated air circulates in the container before leaving the cooking chamber and performing a new circulation cycle in the cooking appliance body.

[0007] Such cooking appliances also include kitchen utensils, such as a stirring blade type, which is located in a container and is used to stir food during cooking. The stirring blade is driven to rotate by a rotary drive system.

[0008] For example, Chinese utility model CN208973522U is known, which describes a cooking appliance with similar features to those described above. According to this Chinese utility model CN208973522U, a container includes a drive nut that is rotatably mounted on and passes through the bottom of the container, and the drive nut is connected to a gear that is arranged below the bottom of the container and rotates along the same rotation axis as the drive nut. A stirring blade is arranged in the container and is connected to the drive nut. The main body of the appliance includes a motor that drives a toothed pinion to rotate, and the toothed pinion is arranged at the bottom of the cooking chamber. When the container is placed in the cooking chamber, the gear engages with the toothed pinion, and the rotation of the motor can be used to drive the stirring blade to rotate in the drive container. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to design a system for driving a kitchen appliance in rotation which is completely different from the system implemented in the aforementioned Chinese utility model CN208973522U.

[0010] To this end, the present invention relates to a cooking appliance for carrying out pre-cooking preparations, comprising a main body provided with a cooking chamber and a food receiving container having an internal volume and being removably placed in the cooking chamber. The receiving container comprises a bottom having a central opening arranged to allow passage of a drive nut for driving a removable kitchen utensil arranged in a defined position in the receiving container. Furthermore, the main body comprises an electric device configured to drive the drive nut in rotation. Notably, according to the present invention, the cooking appliance comprises a device for moving the drive nut between a disengaged position, in which the drive nut is retracted from the central opening of the receiving container and away from the kitchen utensil when the kitchen utensil is arranged in its defined position in the receiving container, and an engaged position, in which the drive nut is engaged with the kitchen utensil when the kitchen utensil is arranged in its defined position in the receiving container.

[0011] Thus, according to the present invention, the entire drive system is implemented in the main body, with the drive nut located in the bottom of the cooking chamber, beneath the container, and engaging, upon actuation, in a central opening in the bottom of the container to engage with a kitchen utensil placed in the container and drive it in rotation. By integrating the drive system entirely into the main body, the container of the appliance according to the present invention has a simpler and lighter design.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the device, the drive nut moving device is configured to move both the drive nut and the electric device simultaneously. This simplifies the transmission between the electric device and the drive nut, which can be directly coupled to each other. Alternatively, a configuration is conceivable in which the moving device is configured to move only the drive nut, with the electric device remaining in a fixed position within the body.

[0013] According to this embodiment of the device, preferably, the moving device includes a first ring crown and a second ring crown, and the electric device and the drive nut are mounted on the first ring crown and the second ring crown. The first ring crown is rotatably mounted to the main body along the rotation axis between a first position and a second position. In addition, the first ring crown includes at least one first spiral bevel. In addition, the second ring crown is mounted on the main body in a sliding connection along the direction of the rotation axis between a first position corresponding to the disengagement position of the drive nut and a second position corresponding to the engagement position of the drive nut. The second ring crown includes at least one second spiral bevel, which is supported on the at least one first spiral bevel. The rotation of the first ring crown between its first position and second position causes the first and second spiral bevels to slide past each other and drive the second ring crown to translate between its first position and second position. Various alternatives can be envisaged, for example, an electric cylinder that translates the electric device and the drive nut along the rotation axis.

[0014] According to this preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the displacement means comprises an actuator for rotating the first ring crown in either direction about the axis of rotation. Preferably, the actuator is a lever connected to the first ring crown. Alternatively, the actuator may be a motor for rotating the first ring crown in either direction about the axis of rotation.

[0015] According to the invention, the appliance comprises a kitchen appliance comprising a mixing blade arranged to be driven by the drive nut when the moving device is in its engaged position.Other kitchen appliances are conceivable, such as a blender or a knife.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the appliance, the receiving container is translatably movable relative to the cooking chamber between a closed position, in which the interior volume of the receiving container is inaccessible, and an open position, in which the interior volume of the receiving container is accessible. When the drive nut is in the disengaged position, the receiving container can be moved from its open position to its closed position, and vice versa, from its closed position to its open position. Thus, the container can only be removed from or positioned in the cooking chamber when the drive nut is in the disengaged position.

[0017] According to this embodiment, the appliance includes a removable basket configured to be placed in and removed from the receiving container. In addition, the basket includes a central opening that is coaxially disposed with the central opening of the receiving container when the basket is placed in the receiving container.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the appliance, the appliance is a hot air cooking appliance comprising a heating block having a heating device for heating air disposed relative to the interior volume of a cooking chamber and a circulation device for moving the heated air within the cooking chamber. However, the present invention can also be implemented in other types of cooking appliances having a kitchen appliance placed in a removable container and driven to rotate within the container.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the appliance, the body comprises at least one transparent or translucent wall, allowing visualization of all or part of the interior volume of the receiving container. Preferably, according to this embodiment, the body integrates a light source for illuminating the cooking chamber. However, alternatives are always possible, such as a body comprising opaque walls, that is, completely obstructing visualization of the interior volume of the receiving container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description based on the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a hot air cooking appliance with the drive nut in an engaged position;

[0022] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of the apparatus with the drive nut in a disengaged position;

[0023] Figure 3 In more detail, Figure 1 and Figure 2 a device for moving a drive nut implemented on the apparatus;

[0024] Figure 4 Shown Figure 3 The first ring crown of the mobile device;

[0025] Figure 5 Shown Figure 3 The second ring crown of the mobile device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In the following description, the term "appliance" is used to denote a cooking appliance according to the present invention.

[0027] The terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "lateral", "vertical", and "horizontal" as may be used in this specification will be used with reference to the normal position of the appliance when placed in a working configuration, facing a user and resting on a kitchen countertop.

[0028] In the following description, like features on the cooking appliance are identified by like reference numerals.

[0029] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 Appliance 1 is a hot air cooking appliance, also known as a hot air fryer. It includes a main body 2 and a drawer 3 that is removable from the main body 2. The main body 2 includes a heating block 4 on its upper portion 2a and a base 5 on its lower portion 2b. A cooking chamber 6 is defined within the base 5. The drawer 3 includes a front panel 7, an operating handle 8, and a container 9. When the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5 of the main body 2, the container 9 is housed in the cooking chamber 6, which is enclosed and inaccessible by the front panel 7. Pulling the drawer 3 forward from the main body 2 allows the container 9 to disengage from the cooking chamber 6, thereby opening it and allowing food to be placed in or removed from it. Closing the cooking chamber 6 is achieved by reversing the movement: the container 9 is introduced into the cooking chamber until the drawer's front panel 7 abuts the front face 5a of the base 5. The heating block 4 allows hot air to circulate downward toward the cooking chamber 6. When the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5, the hot air circulates within the cooking chamber 6 and the container 9. The heating block 4 includes an air inlet 10, a resistive heating device 11 positioned above the cooking chamber 6 and allowing heated circulating air to circulate, and a fan-type circulation device 12 that allows air to circulate, first passing through the heating device 11 and then being propelled into the cooking chamber 6. The appliance 1 also includes a control circuit (not shown) that, when the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5, controls the heating device 11 and the circulation device 12 according to a cooking program selected on a selection keypad (not shown) disposed on the main body 2. Such features are conventionally present in hot air cooking appliances of the hot air fryer type; those skilled in the art will be able to refer to them in implementing the appliance 1 according to the present invention.

[0030] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The base 5 of the body 2 includes a compartment 13 arranged below the bottom 14 of the cooking chamber 6. This compartment 13 is particularly suitable for accommodating an electric device 15, such as an electric motor, which is coupled to a drive nut 16 arranged along a first vertical rotation axis Z1. The electric device 15 is used to drive the drive nut 16 in rotation along this first rotation axis Z1. The electric device 15 is controlled by the control circuit of the appliance 1.

[0031] Reference Figures 1 to 3The container 9 includes a bottom 17 with a central opening 18. When the container 9 is placed in the closed cooking chamber 6, the axis of the central opening 18 is a first rotation axis Z1. The container 9 includes a rolling bearing 19 on its bottom 17, at the first central opening 18. When the container 9 is placed in the closed cooking chamber 6, the rolling bearing 19 extends upward within the container 9 along the first rotation axis Z1. When the container 9 is placed in the closed cooking chamber 6, the rolling bearing 19 allows for the pivotal connection of a kitchen utensil 20 along the first rotation axis Z1. The kitchen utensil 20 is removably mounted in the container 9 by being inserted onto the rolling bearing 19. While the appliance 1 described herein is a stirring blade, other alternatives to the appliance are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. The kitchen utensil 20 comprises a hub 21 having grooves or serrations and which is located inside the rolling bearing 19 when said kitchen utensil 20 is placed in the container 9 and engaged on said rolling bearing 19. The hub 21 is accessible through the underside of the bottom 17 of the container 9 via the first central opening 18.

[0032] The kitchenware 20 can be placed directly in the container 9. However, if Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the basket 22 can be removably placed in the container 9. The bottom 45 of the basket 22 also includes a second central opening 23, which corresponds to the first central opening 18 of the container 9 and allows the rolling bearing 19 to pass through it when the basket 22 is placed in the container 9. Thus, the kitchen utensils 20 can be engaged on the rolling bearing 19, which passes into the basket 22 placed in the container 9, in which case the hub 21 is also housed in the rolling bearing 19 and can be accessed through the underside of the bottom 17 of the container 9 through the first central opening 18.

[0033] Reference Figures 1 to 5 , the appliance 1 comprises a mobile device 24 housed in the compartment 13 of the base 5, below the electric device 15. The mobile device 24 comprises a first ring crown 25 in its lower part and a second ring crown 26 in its upper part.

[0034] The first ring crown 25 is rotatably mounted along a second rotation axis Z2 parallel to the first rotation axis Z1. Figure 1 and Figure 2In the illustrated device 1, the two axes of rotation Z1 and Z2 are distinct, but they may coincide in other alternatives of the device 1, depending on the design of the electric device 15 driving the drive nut 16 in rotation. The rotational actuation of the first crown 25 along the second axis of rotation Z2 is achieved by a lever 27, which can be manually operated from the outside of the device 1, for example by making the end 27a of the lever 27 accessible from the front face 5a of the base 5. Alternatively, a complementary actuator can be provided in the compartment 13 of the base 5, such as a magnetic relay or a small hydraulic cylinder (not shown), which would act on the lever 27 to rotate the first crown 25 along the second axis of rotation Z2. A second electric motor (not shown) could also be incorporated in the compartment 13 instead of the lever 27 to directly rotate the first crown 25 along the second axis of rotation Z2.

[0035] The second crown ring 26 is mounted so as to be translatable in the direction of the second rotation axis Z2. To this end, the second crown ring 26 includes two wings 28, 29 arranged symmetrically relative to the second rotation axis Z2. Each of the wings 28, 29 has a circular hole 30, 31, which is arranged in the direction of the second rotation axis Z2 and also in the direction of the first rotation axis Z1. These circular holes 30, 31 open on the wings 28, 29. In addition, the compartment 13 of the base 5 includes a guide member 32 arranged below the bottom 14 of the cooking chamber 6. The guide member 32 includes two circular studs 33, 34, which extend downward below the bottom 14 of the cooking chamber 6 and are parallel to the first and second rotation axes Z1, Z2. These circular studs 33, 34 engage in the two circular holes 30, 31, respectively, thereby ensuring that the second crown ring 26 is guided in translation in the direction of the second rotation axis Z2. The guide member 32 also includes a hole 35 that communicates with a circular opening 36 in the bottom 14 of the cooking chamber 6. The hole 35 and the circular opening 36 have the second rotation axis Z2 as their axes. The diameter of the circular opening 36 corresponds to the diameter of the hole 35. Furthermore, the second ring crown 26 includes a body 37 having a cylindrical upper portion 38, which has the second rotation axis Z2 as its axis. The cylindrical upper portion 38 is slidably mounted in the hole 35 to guide its translation along the second rotation axis Z2.

[0036] The cylindrical upper portion 38 of the body 37 of the second ring crown 26 passes through the hole 35 in the guide 32 and through the circular opening 36 in the bottom 14 of the cooking chamber 6. This cylindrical upper portion 38 includes a housing 39 that houses the electric device 15. A drive nut 16 is coupled to this drive nut 16, which extends upward along the first rotation axis Z1. Thus, the drive nut 16 passes through the circular opening 36 in the bottom 14 of the cooking chamber 6 and is located in the lower portion 6a of the cooking chamber 6.

[0037] Special reference Figures 3 to 5The first ring crown 25 includes a first spiral slope 40, and the second ring crown 26 includes a second spiral slope 41. The second spiral slope 41 is complementary to the first spiral slope 40 and abuts against and faces the first spiral slope 40. Figure 4 In the embodiment, the first ring crown 25 includes five first spiral bevels 40 and the same number of second spiral bevels 41. The number of the first spiral bevels 40 and the second spiral bevels 41 may be different from five, and at least equal to one.

[0038] When the first ring crown 25 rotates counterclockwise around the second rotation axis Z2, Figure 3 As shown by the arrow f1 in FIG. 1 , the first helical ramp 40 presses on and slides on the second helical ramp 41, thereby allowing the second ring crown 26 to translate upward along the second rotation axis Z2 and concomitantly move the electric device 15 and the drive nut 16. As a result, the drive nut 16 translates upward along the first rotation axis Z1 to an engaged position, in which the drive nut 16 enters the container 9 and the rolling bearing 19 through the first central opening 18 in the bottom 17 of the container 9 and engages with the hub 21 of the kitchen appliance 20, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 In this engaged position, the container 9 and the drawer 3 remain locked to the base 5 because the drive nut 16 is engaged with the hub 21 of the kitchen appliance 20, thereby holding the cooking chamber 6 in the closed position.

[0039] On the contrary, when the first ring crown 25 rotates clockwise around the second rotation axis Z2, Figure 3 As indicated by the arrow f2 in FIG. 1 , the first helical ramp 40 is retracted by sliding relative to the second helical ramp 41, which allows the second ring crown 26 to translate downward along the second rotation axis Z2 under the action of gravity and concomitantly moves the electric device 15 and the drive nut 16. As a result, the drive nut 16 translates downward along the first rotation axis Z1 to a disengaged position in which it is extracted from the rolling bearing 19 and the container 9 and is thus disengaged from the hub 21 of the kitchen appliance 20 and positioned below the container 9 in the lower part 6a of the cooking chamber 6, as shown. Figure 2 In this disengaged position, the container 9 can be withdrawn from the cooking chamber 6 by pulling the drawer 3 towards the front of the appliance 1 to release it from the base 5. Conversely, the container 9 can be freely placed back into the cooking chamber 6 as long as the drive nut 16 remains in its disengaged position.

[0040] Alternatives to the movement means 24 can be provided on the appliance 1 while remaining within the scope of the invention. For example, the first ring crown 25 can be replaced by one or two electric cylinders which move the second ring crown 26 directly in the direction of the second axis of rotation Z2.

[0041] Other features are also conceivable within the framework of the present invention. According to a preferred embodiment of the appliance 1, at least the wall 43 of the heating block 4 is transparent or translucent, so as to allow visualization of all or part of the internal volume 42 of the container 9. For the same purpose, the contour wall 44 of the base 5 and the front panel 7 of the drawer 3 can also be transparent or translucent. In addition, the body 2 includes a light source (not shown), which can be placed in the base 5 or the heating block 4, which is used to illuminate the cooking chamber 6, which allows for better visualization of the internal volume 42 of the container 9. Of course, other alternatives to the appliance 1 can be conceived in which the body 2 is completely opaque, so that the container 9 in the cooking chamber 6 cannot be visualized.

Claims

1. A cooking appliance (1) for preparing food, comprising a body (2) provided with a cooking chamber (6) and a food receiving container (9) having an internal volume (42) and removably placed in the cooking chamber, the receiving container comprising a bottom (17) having a first central opening (18) arranged to allow a drive nut (16) to pass through, the drive nut being used to drive a removable kitchen utensil (20) arranged at a determined position in the receiving container in rotation, the body (2) further comprising an electric device (15) arranged to drive the drive nut (16) in rotation, characterized in that The cooking appliance (1) comprises a moving device (24) for moving the drive nut (16) between a disengaged position, in which the drive nut is retracted from the first central opening (18) of the receiving container (9) and from the kitchen utensil (20) when the kitchen utensil is arranged in its determined position in the receiving container (9), and an engaged position, in which the drive nut (16) is engaged with the kitchen utensil (20) when the kitchen utensil is arranged in its determined position in the receiving container (9).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein The moving device (24) of the drive nut (16) is configured to move the drive nut and the electric device (15) simultaneously.

3. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein The moving device (24) includes a first ring crown (25) and a second ring crown (26), the electric device (15) and the drive nut (16) are mounted on the first ring crown and the second ring crown, the first ring crown is rotatably mounted on the main body along the rotation axis (Z2) between a first position and a second position, the first ring crown (25) also includes at least one first spiral bevel (40), and the second ring crown (26) is mounted on the main body (2) in a sliding connection along the direction of the rotation axis (Z2) between a first position corresponding to a disengaged position of the drive nut (16) and a second position corresponding to an engaged position of the drive nut, the second ring crown (26) includes at least one second spiral bevel (41), which is supported on the at least one first spiral bevel (40), the rotation of the first ring crown (25) between its first position and second position causes the first and second spiral bevels (40, 41) to slide on each other and drive the second ring crown (26) to translate between its first position and its second position.

4. The device (1) according to claim 3, wherein The movement means (24) comprise an actuator which allows the first crown (25) to rotate in either direction around the rotation axis (Z2).

5. The device (1) according to claim 4, wherein The actuator is a lever (27) connected to the first crown (25).

6. The appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, comprising a kitchen utensil (20) comprising a stirring blade, the stirring blade being arranged to be driven by the drive nut (16) when the moving device (24) is in its engaged position.

7. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein The receiving container (9) is translatable relative to the cooking chamber (6) between a closed position in which the interior volume (42) of the receiving container (9) is inaccessible and an open position in which the interior volume of the receiving container is accessible, the receiving container being movable from its open position to its closed position and vice versa, i.e., from its closed position to its open position, when the drive nut (16) is in its disengaged position.

8. The appliance (1) according to claim 7, comprising a removable basket (22), the basket being configured to be placed in and removed from the receiving container (9), the basket comprising a second central opening (23), the second central opening (23) being coaxially arranged with the first central opening (18) of the receiving container when the basket is placed in the receiving container.

9. The appliance (1) according to claim 1, being a hot air cooking appliance, comprising a heating block (4) having heating means (11) for heating air arranged opposite the inner volume of the cooking chamber (6) and circulation means (12) for moving the heated air within the cooking chamber.

10. The device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein The body (2) comprises at least one transparent or translucent wall (43) which enables visualization of all or part of the inner volume (42) of the receiving container (9).

11. The device (1) according to claim 10, wherein The main body (2) includes a light source for illuminating the cooking chamber (6).

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