Cooking appliance

Abstract

Cooking appliance comprising: - a cooking space arranged to receive food to be cooked, - a cooking device (30) comprising a cooking ventilation device (30C) arranged to generate a cooking air flow and a heating device arranged to heat the cooking air flow to allow cooking by convection of the food to be cooked received in the cooking space, - a lid (11) movable and / or removable between an open position allowing access to the cooking space and a closed position prohibiting access to the cooking space, characterized in that said lid (11) comprises two superposed walls (12) arranged to form a passage for a cooling air flow between the two superposed walls (12).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to a cooking preparation appliance, and more particularly to a household hot air cooking appliance designed for cooking and / or heating food. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, cooking appliances that use hot airflow and / or thermal radiation emitted by heating elements made of carbon fiber to cook and / or heat food are known, such as the cooking appliance proposed in patent US2010059035A1. In particular, the carbon fiber element has the advantage of rapidly emitting intense thermal radiation. On the other hand, the heating power of such a system may scorch the food. However, limiting the heating power of such a system to protect the food necessarily means extending the cooking time.

[0003] Furthermore, in existing cooking appliances with a lid (with a heating element at the center of the lid) that utilize hot airflow, one or more vents are typically provided to expel cooking steam from the lid or shell. On the other hand, this system has the disadvantage of limiting the cooking modes that the appliance can perform. In particular, steam cooking modes and / or operating modes for dough fermentation are not necessarily compatible with the presence and / or area of ​​the aforementioned vents provided for cooking modes involving radiation and hot air convection.

[0004] Finally, document CN204445527U discloses a cooking appliance that includes at least one transparent lid portion, allowing the user to observe the cooking process of the food, wherein a heating element made of carbon fiber is arranged below the lid, rapidly emitting intense heat radiation. On the other hand, since the heating elements are located near the lid, they also heat the walls of the lid: this system may pose a risk of burns to users who come into contact with the lid walls during cooking.

[0005] In addition, the heat radiation from the carbon fiber heating element, through its power, can also scorch the food placed in the cooking container.

[0006] Furthermore, the appliances described in these documents are limited in their modes of operation. Utility Model Content

[0007] One objective of this application is to completely or partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and in particular, to propose a hot air cooking appliance that allows for high-speed cooking while limiting the risk of food overheating.

[0008] Therefore, the first aspect of this application may relate to a cooking utensil that includes at least: - The cooking space is designed to accommodate food awaiting cooking. - A cooking apparatus, comprising a cooking ventilation device and a heating device, the cooking ventilation device being arranged to generate a cooking airflow, and the heating device being arranged to heat the cooking airflow to allow food to be cooked in the cooking space to be cooked by convection. The heating device is characterized by comprising at least one heating element made of carbon fiber, and the cooking appliance includes a stirring device arranged to stir the food to be cooked contained in the cooking space. According to the above embodiment, using at least one heating element made of carbon fiber in the heating device of the cooking appliance allows for faster cooking. Indeed, at the same heat power, for example 1500W, a heating element made of at least one carbon fiber emits heat radiation faster than a heating device comprising only conventional heating elements (e.g., sheathed resistors or halogen heating elements), allowing for shorter food cooking times. Furthermore, using a stirring device in an appliance equipped with such a particularly high-power heating system allows for stirring of the food in the cooking space, thereby altering the surface of the food exposed to the heat radiation from the carbon fiber heating element and the hot cooking airflow. Therefore, the food cooks faster and more evenly because the stirred or agitated food is not scorched on the surface.

[0009] In addition, cooking utensils may have one or more of the following features, either individually or in combination.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the heating element made of carbon fiber can be arranged at least partially facing the cooking space to allow for radiative cooking of the food to be cooked within the cooking space. Therefore, food located below the heating element is cooked under the influence of heat emitted by thermal radiation, in addition to heat transferred through air convection within the cooking space. This appliance can provide improved cooking, such as a fuller Maillard reaction and / or more satisfactory / uniform browning of the food, as well as faster cooking than a single heat transfer mode.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the heating element made of carbon fiber may include and / or be protected by a transparent quartz protective wall (shell, bulb, or tube) that is transparent to the thermal radiation emitted by the carbon fiber during its heating.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the stirring device may include stirring blades comprising a central hub, and a heating element made of carbon fiber is arranged facing the peripheral region of the central hub. According to the above embodiment, the peripheral region of the central hub may be adjacent to the central hub. Since the peripheral region of the central hub may be occupied by food, the food faces the heating element made of carbon fiber to be directly exposed to the heat radiation emitted by the heating element, thereby maximizing cooking efficiency.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the stirring blade may include a heat shield disposed on at least a portion of the stirring blade. In other words, the heat shield may be disposed on the portion of the stirring blade facing the heating element and / or the portion closest to the heating element, and / or on the upper part of the stirring blade. In fact, a portion of the stirring blade may not be in contact with the food to be cooked or may have discontinuous contact, and may be subject to particularly strong heat radiation from the heating element made of carbon fiber. Therefore, the heat shield can maintain the integrity of the stirring blade.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a control unit configured to control: - Operation of the heating device - Operation of the cooking ventilation system - Operation of the stirring device. The control unit is designed to control the operation of the cooking ventilation device and / or the stirring device once the carbon fiber heating element of the heating device is activated, or at least after a time threshold for the food to be exposed to radiation emitted by the heating device to cause browning. The control unit can automate the operation of the cooking appliance at least partially. Typically, the stirring device and cooking ventilation device are activated once the carbon fiber heating element is activated to avoid any risk of overheating the food. However, during specific cooking modes that cause browning, it is possible to stop the stirring device and / or cooking ventilation device while activating the carbon fiber heating element to brown the food. It is also possible to activate the stirring device and / or cooking ventilation device only after the time threshold for browning exposure, so as to allow them to be turned over.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance includes a protective wall disposed between a heating element and a cooking space, the protective wall having an opening between the heating element, made of carbon fiber, and the cooking space. The protective wall protects the carbon fiber element and other parts of the heating element from splashes and / or impacts generated during the cooking and stirring of the food to be cooked. The openings in the wall allow heat radiation to be transferred or filtered from the heating element to the food to be cooked, thus not impairing cooking by heat radiation. The wall can be a mesh or a fence. Metal components, such as stainless steel, are considered.

[0016] According to one embodiment, a heating element made of carbon fiber may include electrical connection terminals and carbon fibers connected to the electrical connection terminals so that current flows through the carbon fibers to generate thermal radiation. Therefore, heat can be emitted by radiation and / or heat flow can be generated by radiation. Typically, a heating element made of carbon fiber may include braided carbon fibers or carbon fibers formed into possibly twisted wires or cables.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the heating device may consist of a heating element made of at least one carbon fiber. According to this embodiment, the at least one carbon fiber heating element may be the sole heat source for the cooking appliance.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the heating device may include multiple heating elements made of carbon fiber.

[0019] According to one embodiment, in addition to at least one heating element made of carbon fiber, the heating device may also include a sheathed resistor and / or a halogen heating element.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the heating device may be arranged wholly or partially between the cooking ventilation device and the cooking space, or wholly or partially at the same level as the cooking ventilation device, so as to effectively heat the air in the cooking space by means of the heating device and diffuse the air by means of the cooking ventilation device to ensure good convection.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the cooking space may include a work container arranged to hold food, which is removable relative to the cooking space to facilitate cleaning of the work container.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a lid, preferably a movable and / or removable lid, in which a heating element and a cooking ventilation element are embedded, and arranged to enclose the cooking space.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the heating element may be arranged at least partially in the central portion of the lid, which includes a transparent outer portion, thus allowing the user to observe the food during cooking.

[0024] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the heating device can be directly facing the food arrangement in the working container, particularly through holes in the protective wall.

[0025] According to one embodiment, cooking ventilation devices and / or cooking appliances can be arranged to generate cooking airflow according to a recirculation mode. Cooking ventilation devices and / or cooking appliances can be configured to draw air from the cooking space and / or appliance interior and discharge it back into the cooking space and / or appliance interior.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the stirring device may include an obstacle positioned to contact at least a portion of the food disposed in the working container and arranged to facilitate the tumbling of the food by the stirring blades, more specifically forcing the food to tumble.

[0027] According to one implementation, the obstacle can be formed by fingers or protrusions fixed relative to the cooking space. Protrusions formed directly in the working container can also be considered.

[0028] Another objective of this application could be to provide a hot air cooking appliance that allows for the possibility of performing multiple cooking modes.

[0029] Therefore, a second aspect of this application may relate to a cooking utensil comprising: - Casing, - The cooking space, located inside the shell and arranged to accommodate the food to be cooked. - A cooking apparatus, comprising a cooking ventilation device and a heating device, the cooking ventilation device being arranged to generate a cooking airflow, and the heating device being arranged to heat the cooking airflow to allow food to be cooked in the cooking space to be cooked by convection. - A stirring device, arranged to stir the food to be cooked in the cooking space. - A lid that is removable and / or movable between an open position that allows access to the cooking space and a closed position that prohibits access to the cooking area. The feature is that the lid and / or the cooking appliance includes means for venting the cooking space, such as at least one vent relative to the lid, the vent being arranged to variably adjust the gas exchange area between the cooking space and the external environment of the cooking appliance. Adjustment of the gas exchange area, i.e., adjustment of the rate of cooking steam exhaust, allows for greater control over the cooking of the food and allows for greater diversity of cooking modes. The fact that the vent is relative to the lid allows for easier user operation. For example, the vent can be directly mounted on the wall of the lid, or it can be formed by a lid stop provided on the housing and / or the lid to prevent the lid from reaching its closed position. The opening thus formed between the lid and the housing constitutes a vent for steam escape. In particular, by allowing the vent to adjust the gas exchange area, the same appliance can provide multiple cooking modes, such as a steam cooking mode, a mode for cooking food by radiation and convection, or a cooking mode for fermenting dough. The vent can be adjustable, arranged to adjust the surface communicating with the outside in an adjustable manner, and / or adjust the output or exhaust rate of cooking steam.

[0030] Cooking utensils may also have one or more of the following features, either individually or in combination.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include at least one closure arranged to adjustably seal off a gas exchange area. The closure may be a louver or hood, a diaphragm, or a movable partition. Typically, the closure is a movable component that can completely close the vent, leave it completely open, or partially close it.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include at least one detector arranged to detect the position of the closure.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a control unit arranged to control: - Operation of the heating device - Operation of the cooking ventilation system - Operation of the stirring device. The control unit is used for: - Control the operation of the cooking ventilation device and / or stirring device and / or heating device according to the position of the closure, and / or - Send information to the user about the location of the closure (the location occupied by the closure) or the location to be applied to the closure.

[0034] The control unit can automate the operation of the cooking appliance at least partially, based on the user-selected cooking mode. The position of the closure can be manually adjusted. If the position of the closure does not correspond to the selected cooking mode, the control unit can prevent the cooking appliance from starting and / or typically invite the user to move the closure to the appropriate position via a human-machine interface.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a motorized device arranged to move a closure, wherein a control unit is configured to control the motorized device to ensure that the closure is automatically positioned by the control unit.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the control unit can be configured to operate the cooking appliance according to a first cooking mode and at least one second cooking mode, and to control the movement of the closure in a first position or at least a second position based on the operation according to the first cooking mode or the second cooking mode. Therefore, the movement of the closure in or relative to the vent can be automatic according to the envisioned cooking mode, which reduces the number of operations required from the user and simplifies the use of the cooking appliance.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the control unit can be configured to execute a first cooking mode and at least one second cooking mode based on a first position of the closure and at least one second position of the closure, respectively. The control unit can control the initiation of cooking based on information about the closure position sent by sensors, thereby ensuring the cooking required by the selected cooking mode.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a human-machine interface for selecting a first cooking mode or at least one second cooking mode. The human-machine interface may be a medium such as a screen, control buttons, or a touchscreen that allows the user to communicate with the cooking appliance.

[0039] According to one implementation, the closure can be arranged to slide relative to the vent, either by translation or rotation.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include at least one intermediate stop arranged to define at least one intermediate position of a closure within a vent. The cooking appliance may include at least one first stop for defining a fully open gas exchange area and at least one second stop for defining a fully closed gas exchange area. The intermediate stop may be one or more notches defining a vent closure of, for example, 20%, 30%, 40%, 60%, 70%, or 80%.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the cover may include two stacked walls, and the vent may include or be formed by a frame that forms a spacer between the two stacked walls. The frame may provide additional support to maintain the spacing between the two stacked walls (thus forming a double wall).

[0042] According to one embodiment, two stacked walls can form an insulation element, with one wall facing the cooking space and the other wall located outside the cooking space. An closure can be mounted on one of the stacked walls (typically the wall enclosing the cooking space), and the appliance can include the operating interface of the closure mounted on the other wall of the stacked walls (typically an external wall directly accessible to the user).

[0043] According to one implementation, the vent may pass through only one of the two stacked walls.

[0044] According to an alternative implementation, the vent can pass through two stacked walls.

[0045] According to one implementation plan, the maximum exchange area of ​​the vent can be 2 cm². 2 Up to 15 cm 2 Between, preferably 6cm 2 Up to 12 cm 2 between.

[0046] According to one embodiment, the cooking space may include a work container arranged to hold food, which is removable relative to the cooking space to facilitate cleaning of the work container.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the ratio calculated by dividing the bottom area of ​​the working container by the gas exchange area can be between 30 and 270, preferably between 40 and 80, and most preferably between 50 and 70. In other words, the gas exchange area can account for 0.35% to 3% of the bottom area of ​​the working container.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include multiple vents distributed on the lid. Preferably, the vents can be substantially evenly distributed; for example, two vents may be arranged at 180° ± 15° on the lid, or three vents may be arranged at 120° ± 15°, or four vents may be arranged at 90° ± 15°, to ensure that cooking steam exits evenly from the cooking space, thereby ensuring uniform cooking of food, and a robust structure, where the vents and their frame can form spacers when the lid has double walls.

[0049] Another objective of this application is to provide a cooking appliance having a cooking space, a heating device for the cooking space, and a closed lid for the cooking space, wherein the temperature of the outer surface during cooking will not pose a risk of burn to the user.

[0050] Therefore, a third aspect of this application relates to a cooking utensil that may include: - The cooking space is designed to accommodate food awaiting cooking. - A cooking apparatus, comprising a cooking ventilation device and a heating device, the cooking ventilation device being arranged to generate a cooking airflow, and the heating device being arranged to heat the cooking airflow to allow food to be cooked in the cooking space to be cooked by convection. - A movable and / or removable lid that can be switched between an open position that allows access to the cooking space and a closed position that prohibits access to the cooking space. The lid is characterized by comprising two stacked walls arranged to form a channel for a cooling airflow between them, wherein at least one of the stacked walls is removable relative to the other, and preferably, the one of the stacked walls directly facing the cooking space is removable relative to the other. The two stacked walls can define a double wall. Therefore, the cooling airflow can cool both stacked walls, and a heat insulation element can also be formed between the inner walls of the two stacked walls facing the cooking space and the outer walls of the two stacked walls located outside the cooking space, allowing the user access to the outer walls once the lid is closed. The cooling airflow can also form a cooling device for the two stacked walls. Therefore, if a user comes into contact with the outer wall of the lid during cooking, he will not be at risk of burns.

[0051] At least one of the stacked walls is removable relative to the other to facilitate cleaning of the cover, and more specifically, the surfaces of the stacked walls facing each other: the inner surface of the outer wall and the outer surface of the inner wall, which are usually difficult or inaccessible.

[0052] In addition, cooking utensils may have one or more of the following features, either individually or in combination.

[0053] According to one embodiment, the outer wall and the inner wall can preferably be separated by a distance of 3 mm to 10 mm.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a cooling ventilation device arranged to generate a cooling airflow between two stacked walls, wherein the passage for the cooling airflow may include: - Air inlet, arranged to draw cooling air from outside the cooking appliance. - Air outlet, arranged to exhaust cooling air to the outside of the cooking appliance.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a drive motor arranged to drive both a cooling ventilation device and a cooking ventilation device.

[0056] According to one implementation, in addition to the stacked walls or at least the outer wall of the cover, a cooling airflow can be considered to cool the drive motor. The overall architecture of the appliance remains simple.

[0057] According to one embodiment, the cooling airflow can be forcibly driven from the cooling ventilation device toward two stacked walls to systematically pass through (and / or around) the drive motor and cool the drive motor before exiting through the space between the two stacked walls. In other words, the cooling airflow can start from the air inlet, pass through or around the drive motor, then through the space between the two stacked walls until it reaches the air outlet.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a control unit arranged to control: - Operation of the heating device - Operation of the cooking ventilation system - Operation of cooling and ventilation devices.

[0059] The control unit is designed to control the operation of the cooking ventilation device and / or the stirring device once the heating device (which may include a heating element made of carbon fiber) is activated, or at least after the food exposure time threshold. The control unit can make the operation of the cooking appliance at least partially automatic. Typically, once the heating device (which may include a heating element made of carbon fiber) is activated, the stirring device and cooking ventilation device are activated to avoid any risk of overheating of the food and / or the lid. However, during specific cooking modes used to brown the food, the stirring device and / or cooking ventilation device can be set to stop while the heating device is activated to brown the food. It is also possible to consider activating the stirring device and / or cooking ventilation device only after the food has been exposed to the browning threshold time in order to flip them and / or cool the lid, which might otherwise exceed the threshold temperature, posing a risk of burns to the user. Multiple cooling ventilation speeds on the motor can also be considered as needed; it is known that higher ventilation speeds result in more intense cooling of the lid.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the drive motor can be arranged to be reversibly connected to the cooking ventilation device, for example, allowing cooking to be performed primarily by thermal radiation on one hand (with the cooking ventilation device disconnected from the drive motor), and on the other hand by radiation and convection (with the cooking ventilation device connected to the drive motor). In other words, the drive motor can be arranged to drive at least one motor output shaft, which is arranged to be connected to or disconnected from a shaft connected to the cooking ventilation device. This ensures that the operation of the cooling ventilation device is independent of the operation of the cooking ventilation device.

[0061] According to one embodiment, each of the two stacked walls may include at least one transparent portion to allow visualization of the cooking space, with the transparent portion of each wall facing the transparent portion of the other wall. For example, the inner wall may be made of glass, and / or the outer wall may be made of polycarbonate or any other transparent material. Therefore, the user does not need to open the lid to estimate the cooking status of the food, which further reduces the risk of potential burns.

[0062] According to one implementation scheme, two stacked walls can be arranged around the perimeter of the cover.

[0063] According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the cooking device may be embedded in the lid and / or may be arranged in the central portion of the lid.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the cooking space may include a work container arranged to hold food and removable relative to the cooking space to facilitate cleaning of the work container.

[0065] According to one implementation, cooking appliances may include: - The shell that houses the cooking space. - A hinged arm, which is pivotally mounted on the housing and supports the cover.

[0066] According to one implementation, the cooling airflow can be arranged as a stacked wall of the cooling cover.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the lid may include at least one vent, preferably arranged to variably adjust the gas exchange area between the cooking space and the external environment of the cooking appliance, so as to allow different cooking methods (e.g., steam cooking, radiant and convection cooking, or cooking modes for dough fermentation).

[0068] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include a frame that forms a spacer between two stacked walls in order to secure the gap between the two stacked walls in a robust manner.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the cooking appliance may include multiple vents distributed on the lid and preferably substantially evenly distributed to ensure uniform exhaust of cooking steam from the cooking space, thereby ensuring uniform cooking of food, as well as a robust structure, wherein the vents and their frames can form spacers when the lid has double walls. Attached Figure Description

[0070] Other features and advantages of this application will become apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment given as a non-limiting example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A general cross-sectional view of a cooking appliance according to this application is shown, which in particular includes a lid and a housing; Figure 2 A bottom view of a cooking appliance lid including an adjustable vent is shown; Figure 3 A three-dimensional diagram of a cooking appliance, in which the closure completely shuts off the vents; Figure 4 A three-dimensional view of a cooking appliance, in which the closure is fully open and the vent is open; Figure 5 Show Figure 1 A three-dimensional sectional view of the lid of a cooking utensil. Detailed Implementation

[0071] Figure 1 A general cross-sectional view of a cooking appliance including a housing 10 closed by a lid 11 movable between an open position allowing access to the cooking space and a closed position preventing access to the cooking space is shown. The housing 10 defines the cooking space closed by the lid 11 and includes a work container 20 detachably mounted relative to the housing 10 and removable from the housing 10 by a handle 22 for retrieving cooked food and for cleaning operations. The handle 22 may be hinged relative to the work container 20.

[0072] A stirring device for mixing or agitating food to be cooked is placed in a working container 20 and includes a working tool 21 inserted into a perforated dome of the working container 20. The working tool 21 consists of stirring blades 21B integrally mounted on a hub 21A. The working tool 21 is assembled to form a pivotal connection with the working container 20, the pivotal connection having an axis orthogonal to the bottom surface of the working container 20. It is conceivable that the working tool 21 can be replaced by a plug that closes the perforated dome of the working container 20 to allow for cooking modes without a stirring device (for steam cooking or for fermenting dough).

[0073] Regarding the working tool 21, the curved shape of the stirring blades 21B ensures precise tumbling of all food to be cooked during cooking. A protective screen 21C is arranged on the upper part of the working tool 21, which does not come into contact with the food to be cooked and is generally exposed to the heat flow to protect it from heat transfer during cooking.

[0074] The cooking apparatus 30 includes a heating device arranged above the working container 20. The heating device includes at least one heating element 30B made of carbon fiber and at least one transparent quartz protective wall 30A (shell, bulb, or tube). The heating element 30B is connected to an electrical connection terminal, and the transparent quartz protective wall 30A is adjusted around the body of the carbon fiber heating element 30B to protect it without restricting the heat radiation propagation of the carbon fiber heating element 30B during heating.

[0075] The heating element is positioned above the outer periphery of the hub 21A, which is configured to receive the food to be cooked during cooking. The cooking device 30 also includes a cooking ventilation device 30C. The cooking device 30 is protected by a perforated wall 31, which provides protection while allowing heat radiation emitted by the heating element 30B, made of carbon fiber, to be effectively transferred to the food to be cooked.

[0076] exist Figure 1 In a non-exhaustive example, the cooking ventilation device 30C is mounted on the same shaft as the cooling ventilation device 40 and is hermetically separated from the cooling ventilation device 40 by a partition wall of the cover 11. In this example, the partition wall has a concave shape toward the working container 20 so that condensation that will form on the wall can be discharged by gravity.

[0077] The shaft, which houses the cooking ventilation device 30C and the cooling ventilation device 40, is driven to rotate by an electric drive motor 50. The cooking device 30, the cooling ventilation device 40, and the drive motor 50 are mounted in the central portion of the cover 11.

[0078] The outer portion of the lid 11 is formed by two stacked walls 12 forming a double wall. The inner wall 12B faces the working container 20 and is separated from the outer wall 12A by a distance H. When the lid 11 closes the cooking space of the housing 10, the user may come into contact with the outer wall.

[0079] Both the inner wall 12B and the outer wall 12A are transparent, allowing the user to see the food being cooked through the lid 11 during cooking without having to open the lid 11.

[0080] The cooling ventilation device 40 is arranged to generate a cooling airflow circulating between the outer wall 12A and the inner wall 12B. Figure 1 and Figure 5 The dimension difference H shown.

[0081] At least one vent 41 is disposed on the cover 11. It defines the gas exchange area between the exterior of the cooking appliance and the cooking space, which may contain cooking steam. The vent 41 may be disposed in or through the inner wall 12B, and simultaneously disposed in or through the outer wall 12A (e.g., Figure 1 As shown), the frame forming the vent 41 can help maintain the distance H between the outer wall 12A and the inner wall 12B, or the vent can be provided only in or through the inner wall 12B to allow cooking steam to escape to the outside or escape together with the cooling airflow circulating between the outer wall 12A and the inner wall 12B.

[0082] Figure 2 The inner surface of the inner wall of the cover 11 is shown, the inner surface of which is without Figure 1 In the case of the perforated wall 31, the food to be cooked is exposed during cooking. A quartz transparent protective wall (shell, bulb, or tube) 30A is attached to the lid 11 by clips, and the blades of the cooking ventilation device 30C are arranged between the carbon fiber heating element 30B and the wall of the lid 11. It can be noted that the vent 41 thus opens directly into the cooking space and is in the form of multiple slits. However, a single connecting opening instead of multiple slits could be considered.

[0083] Figure 3 The cooking appliance is shown with the lid 11 closed to the housing 10 and the closure 42 fully closing the vent 41, meaning that the closure 42 thus completely seals the gas exchange area between the cooking space (and any cooking steam that may be present) and the external ambient air. Note the presence of a manipulator lug 42A that allows the user to manipulate and move the closure 42.

[0084] Preferably, the closure 42 can be a louver, a cover, a diaphragm, or a movable partition. The closure 42 can occupy a central position in the vent 41 so as to block only a portion of the vent 41, for example, by sliding or translating within it. The central position of the closure 42 can be defined by a slot or hard point to which it is to pass, and defines many different values ​​for the gas exchange area. The position of the closure 42 can be manually adjusted by a user via an operating interface, for example, by the user pulling or pushing a lug 42A into the vent 41. However, other operating interfaces (lever, button, tongue, etc.) are contemplated, and even automatic displacement via actuators or dedicated motors is possible.

[0085] Figure 4 The cooking appliance is shown with the lid 11 closed and the vent 41 fully open by the closure 42.

[0086] Depending on the selected cooking mode, the position of the closure 42 must be adjusted to regulate the cooking steam to be discharged from the cooking space and / or the working container 20, thereby adjusting the cooking of the food to be cooked. The cooking mode is selected by the user on a human-machine interface (not shown, but a screen, control buttons, touch screen, etc.) connected to the control unit of the cooking appliance.

[0087] The control unit typically includes a storage device containing control parameters to be implemented for each cooking program and / or recipe selectable by the user. Therefore, the control unit defines and controls the operating procedures of the stirring device, cooling vent 40, and cooking device 30 according to the indicated cooking mode. The control unit may require prerequisites, and these prerequisites must be checked to allow the operating procedures of different actuators to begin, such as the position of the operating handle 22 or the working container 20 or the lid 11, particularly the position of the closure 42 in the vent 41. For this purpose, a detection sensor for detecting the position of the closure 42 can be considered.

[0088] Specifically, if the cooking appliance does not have a sensor for detecting the position of the closure 42, it may be considered to send a message to the user before receiving confirmation from the user and starting the cooking program to indicate the position to be applied to the closure 42.

[0089] If the cooking appliance is equipped with one or more sensors for detecting the position of the closure 42, the detected position of the closure 42 can be checked before starting the cooking program (if the position is correct) or before prompting the user to apply the closure 42 to the correct position, depending on the initial configuration and the selected cooking program.

[0090] Finally, if the cooking appliance is equipped with one or more sensors for detecting the position of the closure 42 and a motor for moving the closure 42, then the detected position of the closure 42 can be checked according to the initial configuration and the selected cooking program, and the closure can be moved as necessary to apply it in the appropriate position. In summary, the vent 41 can be closed by the closure 42 to define multiple gas exchange areas. Therefore, the same appliance can provide multiple cooking modes: - Vent 41 is completely closed: There is no gas exchange with the outside, therefore the temperature and humidity conditions in the cooking space are particularly stable, which is conducive to dough fermentation. - Partially open vent 41: Allows for moderate gas exchange with the outside, enabling the escape of steam generated by radiation and convection cooking (oil-free cooking of fries). - Vent 41 is fully open: maximizes gas exchange with the outside to allow for proper steam exhaust when cooking in steam mode.

[0091] During cooking, the working tool 21 can be rotated by the shaft of a secondary motor located below the working container 20. The food to be cooked is moved by the stirring blades 21B and returns when it comes into contact with an obstacle (usually integrated into the working container 20) that is fixed relative to the working container 20 by the stirring device provided for this purpose.

[0092] The cooking apparatus 30 can cook the food by preferably generating two different heat transfer modes. When heated, the heating element, particularly a carbon fiber heating element 30B, emits heat radiation through a quartz transparent protective wall (shell, bulb, or tube) 30A and a perforated wall 31 onto the food. This heating by heat radiation allows browning of the food surface. The operation of the stirring device allows for continuous or intermittent stirring and / or turning of the food, so that the heat radiation does not continuously heat the same part of the food to be cooked, thus avoiding overheating and scorching.

[0093] The carbon fiber heating element 30B can also heat the air in the working container 20 surrounding the heating device, and because the cooking ventilation device 30C circulates this hot air to the food to be cooked, the carbon fiber heating element 30B also heats the food to be cooked by thermal convection. Thermal convection is rapid because air from the cooking space circulates primarily within the working container 20 in a closed-loop air circulation from the cooking device 30 to the food to be cooked and from the food to the cooking device 30.

[0094] However, depending on the location of the closure 42, the steam generated during cooking can be discharged from the working container 20 through the vent 41 during cooking.

[0095] The applicant has recognized that faster and more efficient cooking can be achieved when the carbon fiber heating element 30B is used in combination with a stirring device and a cooking ventilation device 30C.

[0096] In particular, in cooking using both thermal radiation and thermal convection, such as cooking French fries, the total cooking time is reduced compared to cooking appliances using sheathed resistors and / or halogen heating devices. In fact, if cooking criteria are taken, for example, the loss of moisture over time and the degree of Maillard reaction (in other words, browning), the cooking appliance of this application (with a heating element 30B made of carbon fiber, a stirring device, and a cooking ventilation device 30C) achieves a better degree of Maillard reaction. Furthermore, under the stirring action of the food being cooked, the food is not subjected to localized burning; instead, it exhibits uniform browning that is more pronounced than in prior art appliances.

[0097] Figure 5A cross-sectional view shows the lid 11 and its hinged arm, and illustrates the cooling airflow generated by the cooling ventilation device 40. The cooking ventilation device 30C is controlled by a drive motor 50 that requires cooling. For this purpose, as... Figure 5 As indicated by the arrows, the cooling ventilation device 40 is arranged to generate a cooling airflow that is isolated from and / or separated from the closed-loop air circulation of the cooking space. This cooling airflow proceeds sequentially as follows: - From the outside through the air inlet 14 located in the rear side wall of the cover 11, - Via electronic card 13 - By passing near or even through drive motor 50 - It passes between the outer wall 12A and the inner wall 12B, and finally exits through the outlet formed by the peripheral space between the outer wall 12A and the inner wall 12B. The cooling airflow circulating between the outer wall 12A and the inner wall 12B is colder than the cooking steam in the working container 20, and therefore also helps to cool the outer wall 12A of the lid 11.

[0098] Therefore, even though the heating element 30B made of carbon fiber emits strong heat radiation, the outer wall of the lid 11 remains cool enough to avoid any risk of burns to the user, and the use of a single drive motor 50 for the cooking ventilation 30C and the cooling ventilation 40 allows for a simple, lightweight and economical structure.

[0099] Industrial applications The cooking appliance and its manufacture according to this application are suitable for industrial applications.

[0100] It should be understood that various modifications and / or improvements that are obvious to those skilled in the art can be made to the different embodiments of this application described herein without departing from the scope of this application. In particular, it can be noted that: - Multiple vents 41 can be provided. - It is possible to provide a vent 41 and its adjustable closure 42 for appliances that do not have a heating element 30B made of carbon fiber. - It is possible to consider using the cooling ventilation device 40 in cooking appliances that do not have a heating element 30B made of carbon fiber. - The general structure of the housing 10, and especially the hinge of the cover 11, are different.

Claims

1. A cooking utensil comprising: - The cooking space is designed to accommodate food awaiting cooking. - A cooking apparatus (30) including a cooking ventilation device (30C) and a heating device, the cooking ventilation device being arranged to generate a cooking airflow and the heating device being arranged to heat the cooking airflow to allow food to be cooked in the cooking space to be cooked by convection. - A lid (11) that is movable and / or removable between an open position that allows access to the cooking space and a closed position that prohibits access to the cooking space. The cover (11) is characterized in that it comprises two stacked walls (12) arranged to form a channel for cooling airflow between the two stacked walls (12). At least one of the stacked walls (12) is removable relative to the other wall.

2. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the stacked walls (12) directly facing the cooking space is removable relative to the other wall.

3. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, characterized in that, Includes a cooling ventilation device (40) arranged to generate a cooling airflow between the two stacked walls (12).

4. The cooking utensil according to claim 3, characterized in that, Includes a drive motor (50) arranged to drive both the cooling ventilation device (40) and the cooking ventilation device (30C).

5. The cooking utensil according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cooling airflow is used to cool the drive motor (50).

6. The cooking utensil according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The cooling airflow is forced to flow from the cooling ventilation device (40) toward the two stacked walls (12).

7. The cooking utensil according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, Includes a control unit, the control unit being arranged to control: - Operation of the heating device - Operation of the cooking ventilation device (30C), - Operation of the cooling ventilation device (40).

8. The cooking utensil according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The drive motor (50) is arranged to be reversibly connected to the cooking ventilation device (30C).

9. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Each of the two stacked walls (12) includes at least one transparent portion to allow visualization of the cooking space.

10. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The two stacked walls (12) are arranged around the body of the cover (11).

11. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, At least a portion of the cooking device (30) is mounted on the lid (11) and / or arranged in the central portion of the lid (11).

12. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The cooking space includes a work container (20) arranged to hold the food and removable relative to the cooking space.

13. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, It includes: - A housing (10) that accommodates the cooking space. - A hinged arm, which is pivotally mounted on the housing (10) and supports the cover (11).

14. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The cooling airflow is arranged to cool the stacked walls (12) of the cover (11).

15. The cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The cover (11) includes at least one vent (40).

16. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, characterized in that, The vents are arranged to allow for variable adjustment of the gas exchange area between the cooking space and the external environment of the cooking appliance.

17. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, characterized in that, Includes a frame that forms a spacer between the two stacked walls (12).

18. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, characterized in that, It includes multiple vents (40), wherein the vents (40) are distributed on the cover (11).

19. The cooking utensil according to claim 18, characterized in that, The ventilation openings (40) therein are basically evenly distributed.

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