Cooking utensil

Abstract

A cooking appliance comprising a housing defining an interior cooking space and an opening to the interior cooking space, a cooking vessel (10) arranged to be introduced into the interior cooking space through the opening of the housing and comprising at least one wall having a transparent window (12), the invention relates to a cooking vessel (10) comprising a housing (10) having an opening (12), a transparent window (12) arranged to face the opening of the housing, a closing wall (20) arranged to close the opening of the housing when the cooking vessel (10) is in the interior cooking space, and comprising at least one transparent window (21) arranged to face the transparent window (12), characterized in that the transparent window (12) is arranged to face the opening of the housing, the closing wall (20) being arranged to close the opening of the housing when the cooking vessel (10) is in the interior cooking space. The closing wall (20) is designed to be detachable relative to the cooking vessel (10), and the transparent window (21) is permanently mounted on the closing wall (20).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a cooking appliance with a cooking vessel to be introduced into a cooking space and arranged to allow visualization of food being cooked in the cooking vessel. Background Art

[0002] Cooking utensils arranged to allow visualization of the food are known in the prior art, such as documents CN114515112 or WO202211809. On the other hand, these removable systems can lead to a reduction in the useful life of the transparent surface and of the elements ensuring the seal between the transparent surface and the interior of the vessel. In fact, removing and mounting the transparent surfaces from their supports necessarily subjects them to conventional mechanical stresses (friction, torsion, bending, impacts, etc.), which expose them to greater risks of breakage and / or more rapid destruction. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to address the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and, in particular, firstly, to provide a cooking utensil arranged to allow visualization of the food while ensuring a prolonged service life and maintaining the initial quality of the utensil over time.

[0004] To this end, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a cooking appliance, which at least comprises:

[0005] a housing which in particular defines an outer wall of the cooking device, an inner cooking space and an opening to the inner cooking space,

[0006] a cooking vessel designed to receive food to be cooked and arranged to be introduced into the inner cooking space through the opening of the housing, and comprising

[0007] - at least one wall having a transparent window arranged facing the opening of the housing,

[0008] a closing wall arranged to close the opening of the housing when the cooking vessel is in the inner cooking space and comprising at least one transparent viewing window arranged facing the transparent window,

[0009] - a cooking device designed to cook food received in a cooking vessel,

[0010] Characterized in that the enclosed wall is designed to be removable relative to the cooking vessel and the transparent window is permanently mounted on the enclosed wall. The transparent window and / or the transparent window can be made of glass, polycarbonate, transparent synthetic material (such as polymer), transparent mineral material (glass, borosilicate glass, crystal, quartz, etc.). The transparent window is permanently (in other words, fixedly and non-removably) mounted on the enclosed wall, which allows to increase the service life of the sealing device (such as one or more seals) existing between the transparent window and the enclosed wall and / or the interior of the cooking vessel. Since such seals are fragile assembly parts, they are susceptible to stress and / or damage during the continuous assembly and disassembly of the removable transparent window, not to mention that the forces applied to the parts (twisting, bending, impact, falling, etc.) will cause breakage. The transparent window is permanently fastened relative to the enclosed wall, which allows to protect the transparent window from scratches and / or impacts and / or cracks. These assembly methods also help to make the cooking appliance simple and practical to use. Therefore, permanent installation means that the window is fixed and non-removable. Therefore, without special tools, the user cannot remove the window, and the purpose is to prevent the user from removing the window.

[0011] The cooking appliance may also have one or more of the following features, alone or in combination.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the closing wall forms a front panel of the cooking appliance, which is detachable from the cooking vessel.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance comprises coupling means arranged to allow a reversible coupling between the enclosing wall and the cooking vessel. In other words, the enclosing wall and the cooking vessel can be separated, thereby facilitating their cleaning, in particular in relation to cooking vessels which receive the food to be cooked during the cooking process and therefore have greasy substances even in inaccessible vessel recesses. The shape of the separate cooking vessel is more compact than when it is fastened to the enclosing wall, is more convenient for separate installation in a dishwasher and occupies less space. The enclosing wall can be mounted on the housing even when it is not fastened to the vessel, which ensures that the cooking appliance is compact and can be adapted to the needs of the user. It is also possible to use less durable and / or less expensive specific materials for the transparent window, since it is not necessary to ensure (for the enclosing wall and / or the transparent window) resistance to washing and high washing temperatures.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance is not activated if the vessel is not in the housing. In particular, the cooking appliance comprises a control unit and a detection device arranged to verify the presence of the cooking vessel independently of the presence of the enclosing wall, thereby inhibiting activation and / or operation of the cooking appliance if it is detected that the cooking vessel is not present or is incorrectly installed.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the coupling device comprises:

[0016] at least one positioning indicator provided on one of the cooking vessel and the enclosure wall, and a positioning recess provided on the other of the cooking vessel and the enclosure wall, the positioning indicator and the positioning recess being arranged to be reversibly coupled together,

[0017] - at least one attachment indicator provided on one of the cooking vessel and the closing wall, and a movable attachment counter-mold provided on the other of the cooking vessel and the closing wall, the attachment indicator and the movable attachment counter-mold being arranged to be reversibly attached together.

[0018] The separation of the guiding / positioning and fastening functions ensures that the coupling mechanism remains securely in place. The positioning indicator also makes it easier and more intuitive for the user to couple the front panel to the vessel.

[0019] According to one embodiment, when the cooking vessel is coupled to the enclosure wall, at least one of the at least one positioning indicator and the at least one attachment indicator is arranged to contact the transparent window (e.g., at least one edge of the transparent window) and the transparent viewing window (e.g., at least one edge of the transparent viewing window) simultaneously. In this way, the same component (positioning indicator or attachment indicator) contacts the transparent window and the transparent viewing window to ensure direct relative positioning, thereby providing precise alignment between these parts that are detachable from each other.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the coupling device comprises a frame for supporting:

[0021] - said at least one positioning indicator, preferably two positioning indicators,

[0022] - said at least one attachment indicator.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the frame supports the transparent window on the cooking vessel. The frame is separate from the main body of the cooking vessel. Therefore, the frame directly positions the transparent window, and the relative position between the transparent window and the transparent viewing window is improved and / or more precise.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance comprises a locking device arranged:

[0025] a locked state, in which the closing wall is locked to the cooking vessel,

[0026] - an unlocked state, in which the closing wall can be freely removed from the cooking vessel. The locked state ensures that the front panel is held to the vessel. The closing wall can be easily coupled to the cooking vessel to manipulate the cooking vessel and released, for example, to place the cooking vessel in a dishwasher or a refrigerator and to close the opening of the housing only with the closing wall.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the locking device comprises a locking control interface arranged outside the outer wall.Thereby, the control interface can be quickly accessed.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the locking control interface comprises a trigger actuated by a user, and the locking device comprises an elastic reset device arranged to reset the trigger to a locked position, a movable latch arranged to reversibly lock the enclosure wall to the cooking vessel, and a transmission mechanism arranged between the trigger and the movable latch. The elastic reset device ensures that the vessel is stably held on the enclosure wall and acts as a safety device to keep the locking device in a locked state relative to the vessel by default and prevent an unlocked state from occurring accidentally or inappropriately.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the locking means are arranged to lock the attachment indicator with the movable attachment counter-mold.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the movable attachment counter-mold forms a movable latch or a movable deadbolt.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the attachment indicator comprises or forms a receiving mould and / or a locking head and / or a female mould, which is arranged to receive a movable attachment counter-mould formed by the latch or the locking tongue.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the movable attachment counter-moulds the movable latch.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance comprises a gripping device for gripping the cooking vessel, which is arranged outside the outer wall when the cooking vessel is located in the inner cooking space. The gripping device must allow handling of the cooking vessel, especially during or after cooking, and be easily accessible.

[0034] According to one embodiment, gripping means for gripping the cooking vessel are embedded in the enclosure wall. Thus, when the cooking vessel and the enclosure wall are coupled and locked together by the locking means, the gripping means allow the cooking vessel to be held by the enclosure wall in a safe and secure manner, in particular at the end of cooking when the vessel and its contents may pose a risk of scalding.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the gripping means is formed by a handle attached to the closing wall, which handle is an ergonomic and intuitive means for moving the cooking vessel.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the locking control interface is embedded in the gripping device for holding the cooking vessel, making the operation of the locking device faster and more ergonomic. It is conceivable that the locking control interface (trigger) is arranged on the end of the gripping device (handle), so that when placing and removing the cooking vessel, the user can actuate the trigger with the thumb in a fast and intuitive manner.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the closing wall is designed to form an insulating space between the transparent window and the transparent viewing window. In other words, the closing wall is designed to form an air gap between the transparent window and the transparent viewing window. Since the air present between the two transparent surfaces is especially insulating, this embodiment allows temperatures to be maintained on the outer wall of the housing, especially on the closing wall, which do not lead to a risk of scalding.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance comprises a sealing vessel cover. The vessel cover is arranged to fit on the cooking vessel so as to store food therein in a refrigerator.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the cooking vessel has a generally rectangular shape. Furthermore, the simple shape of the vessel allows it to be easily adapted to a shelf, in particular a parallelepiped container. The cooking vessel is arranged to inhibit cooking from being started when the cover of the vessel is on the vessel and the vessel is in the housing. A physical barrier may also be provided to inhibit the cooking vessel from being installed while it is still covered by its cover. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention given by way of purely non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0041] Figure 1 An isometric view showing a cooking vessel coupled to a closed wall of a cooking appliance;

[0042] Figure 2 an isometric view showing the cooking vessel separated from the enclosing wall of the cooking appliance;

[0043] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the assembly between the closing wall and the cooking vessel, wherein the locking device is in a locked state;

[0044] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the present invention, wherein the locking device is in an unlocked state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Figure 1 A subassembly 1 of a cooking appliance is shown, formed by a cooking vessel 10 coupled to a closing wall 20 and arranged for introducing food into or removing food from a cooking space provided in the cooking appliance.

[0046] The cooking vessel 10 is designed to receive food to be cooked and to be introduced into an internal cooking space of a housing (not shown) of the cooking appliance through an opening provided in the housing of the cooking appliance.

[0047] The enclosing wall 20 comprises gripping means 23, here in the form of a handle, for manipulating the subassembly 1, in particular the cooking vessel 10, which contains the food to be cooked and where the wall temperature may be high enough to cause a hazard during or shortly after cooking. Thus, the handle shown provides a thermally insulated manipulating interface.

[0048] The enclosure wall 20 further comprises a locking control interface, here in the form of a trigger 22, which, when actuated by a user, is arranged to unlock and separate the enclosure wall 20 from the cooking vessel 10. The trigger 22 is arranged in sliding connection relative to the gripping means 23 and the rest of the enclosure wall 20.

[0049] Finally, the closing wall 20 comprises a transparent viewing window 21 allowing the food in the cooking vessel 10 to be visually inspected from outside the housing during the cooking process.

[0050] Figure 2 Shown after disassembly Figure 1 The cooking vessel 10 is separated from the enclosing wall 20 in a subassembly. In order to be able to visually inspect the interior of the cooking vessel 10 from the outside during cooking, the vessel 10 comprises a transparent window 12, which is arranged to face or be positioned facing a transparent viewing window 21 of the enclosing wall 20.

[0051] Two positioning indicators 11B and one attachment indicator 11A are arranged on the frame of the transparent window 12 , forming a coupling device 11 allowing the working vessel 10 to be reversibly coupled to the closing wall 20 .

[0052] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the gripping device 23 is provided to show the assembly / locking mechanism for assembling / locking the closing wall 20 to the cooking vessel 10 to form the locking device 220. The locking device comprises:

[0053] - a trigger 22 comprising a shaft 22A,

[0054] - elastic return means, such as a spring 222, arranged in the gripping means 23, between the trigger 22 and the wall of the gripping means 23,

[0055] - a movable latch 221 having an inclined oval hole for receiving the shaft 22A,

[0056] - a stop 24 which houses the circular counter-mold of the movable latch 24,

[0057] An attachment indicator 11A of the cooking vessel 10 , comprising an orifice forming a locking head which receives a hook 221A of a movable latch 221 .

[0058] An elastic reset device, such as a spring 222, holds the trigger 22 in place. Figure 3The locking device 220 is shown in the locked position, so that, without any control action on the trigger 22, the locking device 220 is in the locked state by default. The movable latch 221 integral with the closing wall 20 is locked in the attachment indicator 11A of the cooking vessel 10 by means of an attachment counter-mold or hook 221A received in a locking head or orifice provided in the attachment indicator 11A.

[0059] The movable latch 221 is arranged to be slidably connected to a shaft 22A integral with the trigger 22: the shaft 22A is movable in an oblong hole 221B of the movable latch 221, extending along an elongation direction inclined relative to the displacement direction imposed by the movement of the trigger 22. In addition, the latch 221 comprises a rounded counter-molding supported on the stop 24.

[0060] Therefore, if Figure 4 As shown, when the trigger 22 is actuated, Figure 4 When the right side of the pull is pulled, it compresses the spring 222. Its linear translation drives the shaft 22A in the same direction, so that the latch 221 against the stopper 24 tilts, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 The complementary rounded shapes of the stopper 24 and the movable latch 221 facilitate the latch to pivot about the stopper 24; the oval hole 221B and the shaft 22A have a relative sliding movement; the hook 221A is no longer engaged with the attachment indicator 11A, and the cooking vessel 10 can be separated from the closing wall 20.

[0061] Industrial Applications

[0062] The cooking appliance according to the invention and its manufacture are easy to apply industrially.

[0063] It will be appreciated that various modifications and / or improvements apparent to the skilled person may be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in this specification without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, it may be noted that the trigger 22 may be actuated by other movements than translation caused by traction by the user. Compression, tilting or pivoting may be provided. The position of the trigger 22 may be varied, for example by being placed below the handle or on the side so that it can be easily manipulated by other fingers besides the user's thumb when grasping the handle.

Claims

1. A cooking utensil, comprising at least: - a housing defining an outer wall of the cooking device, an inner cooking space and an opening to the inner cooking space, a cooking vessel (10) designed to receive food to be cooked and arranged to be introduced into the inner cooking space through the opening of the housing and comprising - at least one wall having a transparent window (12) arranged facing the opening of the housing, a closing wall (20) arranged to close the opening of the housing when the cooking vessel (10) is in the inner cooking space and comprising at least one transparent viewing window (21) arranged facing the transparent window (12), - a cooking device designed to cook food received in said cooking vessel (10), The invention is characterized in that the enclosing wall (20) is designed to be detachable relative to the cooking vessel (10), and the transparent window (21) is permanently mounted on the enclosing wall (20).

2. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein: The closing wall (20) forms a front panel of the cooking appliance and is detachable from the cooking vessel (10).

3. Cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 2, comprising coupling means (11) arranged to allow a reversible coupling between the closing wall (20) and the cooking vessel (10).

4. The cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein: The connecting device (11) comprises: - at least one positioning indicator (11B) provided on one of the cooking vessel (10) and the enclosure wall (20) and a positioning groove provided on the other of the cooking vessel (10) and the enclosure wall (20), the positioning indicator and the positioning groove being arranged to be reversibly coupled together, - at least one attachment indicator (11A) provided on one of the cooking vessel (10) and the enclosure wall (20) and a movable attachment counter-mold provided on the other of the cooking vessel (10) and the enclosure wall (20), the attachment indicator and the movable attachment counter-mold being arranged to be reversibly attached together.

5. The cooking appliance according to claim 4, wherein: The coupling device (11) comprises a frame supporting: - said at least one positioning indicator (11B), preferably two positioning indicators (11B), - said at least one attachment indicator (11A).

6. The cooking appliance according to claim 5, wherein: The frame supports the transparent window (12) on the cooking vessel (10).

7. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a locking device (220), the locking device being arranged in: a locked state, in which the closing wall (20) is locked to the cooking vessel (10), An unlocked state, in which the closing wall (20) can be freely removed from the cooking vessel (10).

8. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein: The locking device (220) comprises a locking control interface arranged outside the outer wall.

9. The cooking appliance according to claim 8, wherein: The locking control interface comprises a trigger (22) actuated by a user, wherein the locking device (220) comprises an elastic reset device arranged to reset the trigger (22) to a locked position, a movable latch (221) arranged to reversibly lock the closing wall (20) to the cooking vessel (10), and a transmission mechanism arranged between the trigger (22) and the movable latch (221).

10. A cooking appliance according to any one of claims 7 to 9 as appended to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein: The locking device (220) is arranged to lock the attachment indicator (11A) with the movable attachment counter-mold.

11. A cooking appliance according to claim 10 as appended to claim 9, wherein: The movable attachment counter-mold forms the movable latch (221).

12. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising gripping means (23) for gripping the cooking vessel (10), which are arranged outside the outer wall when the cooking vessel (10) is in the inner cooking space.

13. The cooking appliance according to claim 12, wherein: The gripping device (23) for gripping the cooking vessel (10) is embedded in the closing wall (20).

14. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 12 or 13, wherein: The gripping means (23) is formed by a handle (23) attached to the closing wall (20).

15. A cooking appliance according to any one of claims 12 to 14 as appended to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein: The locking control interface is embedded in the gripping device (23) used for gripping the cooking vessel (10).

16. The cooking appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein: The closed wall (20) is arranged to form a heat-insulating space between the transparent window (12) and the transparent viewing window (21).

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