HOT AIR COOKING APPLIANCE WITH A DEVICE FOR HEATING A VESSEL BY HEAT CONDITIONING

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to hot air cooking appliances of the hot air fryer type which allow food to be cooked by means of hot air circulation in a cooking chamber of this appliance.

[0002] The main objective of the invention is to extend the functions of such a cooking appliance so that it has several cooking modes allowing the cooking of diverse and varied recipes. State of the art

[0003] Cooking appliances such as air fryers are well known to those skilled in the art; for example, the appliance described in CN 207125648 U. Such a cooking appliance significantly reduces, or even eliminates, the amount of fat used in cooking food. This is achieved through the circulation of hot air within a cooking chamber containing the food. As a result, it is possible to consume healthier foods, whether of plant or animal origin, such as French fries, vegetables, meat, or fish.

[0004] Such a cooking appliance typically consists of a body and a removable bowl for receiving the food to be cooked. The food can be placed either directly into the bowl or in a basket, which is itself placed inside the bowl. Once the food is in the bowl, with or without the basket, the body of the cooking appliance can be closed to form a cooking chamber incorporating the bowl and the food. Hot air is then circulated within this cooking chamber by means of a heating element and an air circulation system; the circulation of hot air within the chamber ensures the food is cooked.

[0005] The air circulation system includes a fan which allows air to circulate in a loop inside the body of the cooking appliance so as to carry this air to the cooking chamber via the heating device, the heated air circulating in the tank before exiting the cooking chamber and carrying out a new circulation cycle in the body of the cooking appliance.

[0006] In addition, such an appliance sometimes includes an additional heating device to heat the food receiving tank by thermal conduction and a control circuit arranged to control the additional heating device once the tank is placed in the cooking chamber.

[0007] Furthermore, document CN204192406 is known to be a hot air appliance comprising a base and a drawer mounted removably on the base between an engaged position where the cooking chamber is closed and a disengaged position where the cooking chamber is open, the tank being secured to the drawer.

[0008] Although these hot air cooking appliances already allow for the cooking of diverse and varied culinary preparations, with healthy cooking of food, by means of this circulation of hot air in the cooking chamber, there remains a desire to extend the functions of these hot air cooking appliances in order to be able to carry out more varied culinary preparations that cannot be cooked using traditional hot air cooking appliances. Description of the invention

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a hot air cooking appliance for preparing food. The cooking appliance comprises a body with a cooking chamber, a food receiving container that can be placed inside and removed from the cooking chamber, a base, and a drawer removably mounted on the base between an engaged position (where the cooking chamber is closed) and an unengaged position (where the cooking chamber is open), the container being secured to the drawer. The appliance also includes a heating device for heating air and a circulation device for circulating the heated air within the food receiving container when it is placed inside the cooking chamber. Notably, the cooking appliance includes an additional heating device for heating the food receiving container by thermal conduction.

[0010] Thus, cooking methods can be expanded thanks to the hot air cooking appliance according to the invention. Indeed, the appliance can still perform traditional cooking methods using the air heating and heated air circulation devices. Furthermore, the appliance can cook liquids such as soups or stews placed in the cooking chamber, which are heated by thermal conduction using the additional heating device. The appliance can also perform steam cooking when a basket containing the food is placed in the cooking chamber and water is placed in the bottom of the chamber, below the basket; the water is heated by thermal conduction using the additional heating device, causing the water to boil and generating steam that cooks the food in the basket itself, which is placed in the cooking chamber.Steam cooking, followed by cooking using hot air circulating in the cooking chamber, could also be envisaged using the device according to the invention.

[0011] According to the invention, the cooking appliance includes a control circuit arranged to control the additional heating device, once the cooking vessel is placed in the cooking chamber and according to the cooking mode selected by the user. This control circuit also controls the air heating device and the heated air circulation device, once the cooking vessel is placed in the cooking chamber and according to the cooking mode selected by the user.

[0012] According to the invention, the additional heating device is arranged on the food receiving tank. Furthermore, the additional heating device comprises a first electrical and mechanical connection system arranged to connect to a second, complementary connection system located on the body of the cooking appliance when the tank is positioned within the cooking chamber. Positioning the additional heating device on the tank ensures improved thermal conduction and temperature control within the tank. According to the invention, the control circuit is arranged to control the additional heating device once the connection between the first and second connection systems has been established.

[0013] According to the invention, the first connection system comprises two conductive pins, and the second connection system comprises two conductive connectors, each having two flexible strips. Each conductive pin is inserted into a conductive connector by pinching between the two strips of said connector when the cooking vessel is positioned within the cooking chamber. Variations could be envisaged, for example, by reversing the pins and strips on the first and second connection systems.

[0014] Preferably, according to this embodiment of the cooking appliance, the additional heating element is positioned under the bottom of the tank, in contact with said bottom. This will allow the bottom of the tank to be adequately heated by thermal conduction. Variations could be considered, for example, by placing the additional heating element in contact with a lower rim of the tank.

[0015] Preferably, according to this embodiment of the cooking appliance, the additional heating device comprises a resistive electrical element having two ends, the first connection system being arranged at said ends.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the cooking appliance of the invention, the body comprises a motor controlled by the control circuit and a toothed pinion driven in rotation by the motor. Furthermore, the cooking vessel includes a base, a toothed wheel mounted for rotation beneath the base, and a drive shaft mounted for rotation above the base and driven in rotation by the toothed wheel. This drive shaft is adapted to receive a cooking accessory for its rotation. Moreover, the cooking appliance is configured so that the toothed wheel engages with the toothed pinion when the cooking vessel is positioned within the cooking chamber. Thus, the cooking appliance allows for the mixing or stirring of food contained in the vessel during cooking.

[0017] According to this embodiment of the cooking appliance, the additional heating element and the first connection system, as mentioned above, are arranged around the toothed wheel under the bottom of the cooking chamber. Preferably, the first connection system and the toothed wheel are in the same space as the motor and the pinion gear located on the body of the cooking appliance. This design has the advantage of reducing the overall size of the cooking appliance.

[0018] According to this embodiment of the cooking appliance, it includes a sealing element positioned between the drive shaft and the bottom of the tank. This allows liquid to be added to the tank without compromising its watertightness.

[0019] Preferably, this cooking appliance design includes a cooking accessory consisting of a stirring paddle. Other accessories could be considered, such as knives for chopping or mixing food in the bowl, or even a mixer.

[0020] Preferably, the cooking appliance includes a removable basket configured to be placed in and removed from the cooking chamber. An alternative embodiment of the cooking appliance could be envisaged, in which the body includes a lid allowing the cooking chamber to be placed within the cooking chamber, with or without the basket; closing the lid also closes the cooking chamber. Brief description of the figures

[0021] The features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is supported by figures, including: [ Fig. 1 ] There figure 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a hot air cooking appliance according to the invention; [ Fig. 2 ] There figure 2 illustrates a front view of the body of the hot air cooking appliance of the figure 1 , without the drawer of this device; [ Fig. 3 ] There figure 3 illustrates, from a first viewpoint, the drawer of the hot air cooking appliance of the figure 1 , said drawer incorporating the tank; [ Fig. 4 ] There figure 4 illustrates a second viewpoint of the drawer of the figure 3 , showing the presence of an accessory added to the tank; Fig. 5 ] There figure 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the drawer of figures 3 And 4 ; Fig. 6 ] There figure 6 illustrates the connection between a first electrical and mechanical connection system of an additional heating device arranged on the tank and a second complementary connection system arranged on the body of the hot air cooking appliance; Fig. 7 ] There figure 7 illustrates a conductive connector of the second complementary connection system shown on the figure 6 ; Detailed description of the invention

[0022] In the following description, the term apparatus is used to refer to the cooking apparatus according to the invention.

[0023] The terms "superior", "lower", "top", "bottom", "front", "rear", "lateral", "vertical", "horizontal", which may be used in this description, shall be used with regard to the normal position of the appliance placed in a functional configuration, facing the user and resting on a kitchen worktop.

[0024] Furthermore, the same references will be used in the rest of the description to define the same characteristics or their equivalents according to the different design variants of the device which is the subject of the invention, unless otherwise indicated in the text.

[0025] In view of the figures 1 à 3 The appliance 1 comprises a body 2 and a drawer 3. The drawer 3 is removable from the body 2. The body 2 comprises in its upper part 2a a heating block 4 and in its lower part 2b a base 5. Inside this base 5 is defined a cooking chamber 6. The drawer 3 comprises a front 7, a handling handle 8 and a bowl 9 for receiving the food to be cooked; When drawer 3 is placed on the base 5 of body 2, the tank 9 is housed in the cooking chamber 6, which is closed by the front panel 7. Drawer 3 is removed by pulling it forward from body 2, which frees the tank 9 from the cooking chamber 6. The heating block 4 circulates hot air downwards towards the cooking chamber 6 so that when drawer 3 is placed on the base 5 of body 2, this hot air circulates in the cooking chamber 6 and in the tank 9.The heating unit 4 comprises an air inlet 10, a resistive heating element 11 that heats the circulating air, and a fan-type circulation device 12 that circulates the air and propels it into the cooking chamber 6, after it has passed through the air heating element 11. The appliance 1 further comprises a control circuit (not shown) that controls the heating element 11 and the circulation device 12 when the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5 of the body 2, according to the cooking program selected on a control panel (not shown) located on the body 2. Such features are already commonly found in hot air cooking appliances such as air fryers; those skilled in the art may refer to them for the implementation of the appliance 1 according to the invention.

[0026] The apparatus 1 according to the invention advantageously allows the tank 9 to be heated by thermal conduction when it is placed in the cooking chamber 6. This extends the functions of this apparatus 1, for example, by cooking liquids contained in the tank 9, or even steaming by placing a basket (not shown) and a layer of water in this tank 9. The basket is removable and placed inside the tank 9 to hold the food to be cooked. The presence of such a removable basket is already known in traditional hot air cooking appliances. Various designs of the apparatus 1 are conceivable for implementing this heating of the tank 9 by thermal conduction: According to a design method of the device 1, illustrated in particular with regard to the figures 2, 3 And 5 à 7The tank 9 includes a base 13 beneath which is fixed an additional heating device 14 that heats the tank 9 by thermal conduction. The additional heating device 14 is fixed beneath the base 13 of the tank 9, for example, by crimping or welding; alternatively, mounting flanges (not shown) could be used. Preferably, the additional heating device 14 is in direct contact with the base 13 of the tank 9, according to this first design, but an alternative could be considered in which a slight gap is maintained between the additional heating device 14 and the base 13 of the tank 9, by means of suitable mounting flanges.

[0027] According to this design of the apparatus 1, the additional heating device 14 comprises a resistive electrical element 15 which has an open circular shape with two ends 15a, 15b which are curved downwards, as illustrated in particular by the figures 3 And 6. These two ends 15a, 15b each include a conductive pin 16, 17, the two conductive pins 16, 17 defining a first electrical and mechanical connection system 18. The cooking chamber 6 of the body 2 has a base 19 which includes two grooves 20, 21 arranged to correspond with the two ends 15a, 15b of the resistive electrical element 15, such that the two conductive pins 16, 17 engage respectively in these two grooves 20, 21 when the pan 9 is inserted into the cooking chamber 6, upon placement of the drawer 3 on the body 2. The rear ends 20a, 21a of the grooves 20, 21 each include a conductive connector 22, 23. These conductive connectors 22, 23 each include two flexible and conductive strips 24, 25, as illustrated in detail by the figure 7 When the drawer 3 is correctly positioned on the base 5 of the body 2, with its front panel 7 closing the cooking chamber 6, the two conductive pins 16 and 17 are respectively inserted into the conductive connectors 22 and 23 by being pinched between the two tabs 24 and 25. These two conductive connectors 22 and 23 together constitute a second connection system 26, complementary to the first electrical and mechanical connection system 18. This second connection system 26 is connected to the control circuit of the appliance 1; thus, the control circuit also allows the control of the additional heating device 14 when the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5, according to the cooking program selected by the user on the control panel.

[0028] In view of the figures 1 And 2For the aforementioned design method, the base 5 of the body 2 includes a compartment 33 arranged under the bottom 19 of the cooking chamber 6. This compartment 33 allows, in particular, for the housing of an electric motor enabling the rotational drive around a vertical axis X1 of a toothed pinion 35. The grooves 20, 21 on the bottom 19 of the cooking chamber 6 are also located in the thickness of this compartment 33, the electric motor and the toothed pinion 35 being positioned between these two grooves 20, 21. The electric motor is controlled by the control circuit according to the cooking program selected by the user. The bottom 19 of the cooking chamber 6 includes in its rear part 19a, between the two grooves 20, 21 and at the level of the two conductive connectors 22, 23, a housing 36 arranged in protrusion with respect to said bottom 19, the housing 36 receiving the toothed pinion 35.This housing 36 has a window 37 at the front, through which a front portion 35a of the toothed pinion 35 protrudes slightly, so that it communicates with the cooking chamber 6. Similarly to the above, in the second design shown in Figures 8 to 10, the housing 36 receiving the toothed pinion 35 is located in the rear portion 19a of the bottom 19 of the cooking chamber 6, with its front portion 35a protruding slightly from the window 37. In this second design, the resistive electrical element 27 is positioned around the housing 36 so that the front portion 35a of the toothed pinion 35 is accessible through the opening 30 left between the two ends 28a, 29a of the forks 28, 29 of said resistive electrical element 27.

[0029] In view of the figures 1 à 5 For the first design described above, the tank 9 includes, beneath the central part of its base 13, a housing 38 which includes, at the rear of its contour 39, a window 40. A toothed wheel 41 is mounted to rotate about an axis X2 perpendicular to the base 13 of the tank 9, this axis X2 being parallel to the vertical axis X1 when the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5 of the body 2. This toothed wheel 41 is housed in the housing 38 and has its rear part 41a which protrudes slightly from the window 40. When the drawer 3 is properly placed on the base 5, with the cooking chamber 6 closed, the rear part 41a of the toothed wheel 41 meshes with the front part 35a of the pinion 35; the actuation of the electric motor thus drives the toothed wheel 41 in rotation about its axis X2. The toothed wheel 41 is subjected to a drive shaft 42 which extends upwards along the axis X2 and passes through the bottom 13 of the tank 9.A sealing element 43 is arranged between the bottom 13 of the tank 9 and the drive shaft 42 to prevent liquid, placed in the tank 9, from passing through said bottom 13. This drive shaft 42 allows a kitchen accessory 44, which is removably attached to the tank 9, to be driven in rotation about axis X2. On the . figure 4 This accessory 44 is a stirring paddle, but other kitchen accessories could be considered, for example, a mixing or grinding attachment. The tank 9 includes, above its bottom 13, a guide bearing 45 arranged along axis X2, which receives the accessory 44 for its rotational guidance along axis X2. This accessory 42 is engaged with the drive shaft 42, which is housed inside the bearing 45. As illustrated by the figure 3 The resistive electrical element 15 is arranged around the casing 38 under the bottom 13 of the tank 9, substantially at the periphery of said bottom 13, the two conductive pins 16, 17 being arranged at the rear of the tank 9, in line with the window 40 of the casing 38. When the drawer 3 is placed on the base 5, the tank 9 being housed in the cooking chamber 6, the two conductive pins 16, 17 and the casing 38 which receives the toothed wheel 41 are in the same dimensions as the electric motor and the housing 36 which receives the toothed pinion 35.

[0030] This implementation on the tank 9, in particular with the housing 38 which receives the toothed wheel 41, with the drive shaft 42 which is attached to said toothed wheel 41 and which passes through the bottom 13 of the tank 9 and with the guide bearing 45 which receives in rotation the accessory 44 driven by said drive shaft 42, will preferably be identical to that described previously, on the second design mode of figures 8 to 10. As shown in figures 8 and 9, the passage 30 left between the two ends 28a, 29a of the forks 28, 29 of the resistive electrical element 27, is dimensioned to allow the introduction of the housing 38 of the tank 9 between said ends 28a, 29a, so as to mesh the toothed wheel 41 with the toothed pinion 35.

[0031] The preceding description supports the two design methods of figures 1 à 7and 8 to 10, is in no way limiting, as other variants of apparatus 1 may be envisaged within the scope of the invention. For example, the additional heating device 14 could be implemented differently, for instance on the lower contour 46 of the tank 9. A variant of the drive device for the accessory 44, which is removably attached to the tank 9, could also be provided, replacing the toothed pinion 35 and the toothed wheel 41. The invention could also be implemented on an apparatus 1 without a drawer 3, but with a lid (not illustrated) arranged on the upper part 2a of the body 2, the opening of the lid allowing the tank 9 to be positioned in the cooking chamber 6 and, conversely, removed from it.

Claims

1. A hot-air cooking appliance (1) for preparing food, comprising a body (2) equipped with a cooking chamber (6), a food receiving bowl (9) capable of being placed in and removed from the cooking chamber, the body (2) having a base (5), a heating device (11) that allows the heating of air and a circulating device (12) that allows the circulation of heated air in the food receiving bowl when it is placed in the cooking chamber, said appliance (1) comprising an additional heating device (14) allowing the heating of the food receiving bowl (9) by thermal conduction and a control circuit configured to manage the additional heating device once the bowl is placed in the cooking chamber, characterized in that the body comprises a drawer (3) removably mounted on the base between an engaged position where the cooking chamber (6) is closed and a disengaged position where the cooking chamber is open, the bowl (9) being secured to the drawer (3), the additional heating device (14) being arranged on the food receiving bowl (9), the additional heating device comprising a first electrical and mechanical connection system (18) configured to connect to a complementary second connection system (26) located on the body (2) when positioning the bowl (9) in the cooking chamber (6), said control circuit being configured to manage the additional heating device once the connection between the first and second connection systems is made, the first connection system (18) comprising two conductive pins (16, 17) and the second connection system (26) comprising two conductive connectors (22, 23) each having two flexible lamellae (24, 25), each conductive pin being inserted into a conductive connector by pinching between the two lamellae of said connector, when positioning the bowl (9) in the cooking chamber (6).

2. Appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the additional heating device (14) is positioned under a base (13) of the bowl (9), in contact with said base.

3. Appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the additional heating device (14) comprises a resistive electrical element (15) with two ends (15a, 15b), the first connection system (18) being arranged at said ends.

4. Appliance (1) according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, wherein the body (2) comprises a motor controlled by the control circuit and a toothed pinion (35) driven in rotation by the motor, and the bowl (9) comprises a base (13), a toothed wheel (41) mounted in rotation under the base and a drive shaft (42) mounted in rotation above the base and driven in rotation by the toothed wheel, said drive shaft being capable of receiving a kitchen accessory (44) for its rotation, said appliance (1) being configured such that the toothed wheel (41) engages with the toothed pinion (35) when positioning the bowl (9) in the cooking chamber (6).

5. Appliance (1) according to claim 4, wherein the additional heating device (14) and the first connection system (18) are arranged around the toothed wheel (41) under the base (13) of the bowl (9).

6. Appliance (1) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, further comprising a sealing element (43) disposed between the drive shaft (42) and the base (13) of the bowl (9).

7. Appliance (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, further comprising a kitchen accessory (44) consisting of a stirring blade.

8. Appliance (1) according toanyone of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a removable basket configured to be placed in the bowl (9) and removed therefrom.