Appliance and method for cooking a pre-cooked food item

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking appliance, comprising: - a housing (10); - means for acquiring a thickness of a food item to be cooked; - a first type of cooking plate; - cooking means configured to implement at least one specific cooking program on the basis of a thickness to be cooked; - at least one second type of cooking plate, characterised in that: - said at least one second type of cooking plate comprises at least one recessed impression; - and in that, in order to cook a food item with the second type of cooking plate, the cooking means are configured to implement the same specific cooking program on the basis of the thickness of the second food item to be cooked, corrected by the predetermined impression depth.

Description

Apparatus and method for cooking precooked food Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to cooking appliances and in particular, the invention relates to appliances intended to cook or grill food such as meat, with modulation of the cooking to achieve predetermined and codified cooking levels according to the tastes of the users. Typically, we can mention the case of meats which can be cooked according to cooking levels "rare", "medium", "well done" ... State of the art

[0002] It is known in the prior art to provide cooking appliances which can cook a first food according to a predetermined cooking program and which take into account the thickness of the food to adjust the cooking program, as shown in document EP2861110B1 for example. On the other hand, such an appliance cannot receive a second precooked food without having to modify the cooking program provided for first raw foods, because otherwise, cooking such a second precooked food would lead to overcooking.

[0003] An aim of the present invention is to address the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above and in particular, first of all, to propose a cooking appliance capable of cooking both raw first foods and precooked second foods to a predetermined cooking level (rare, medium, well done, etc.).

[0004] For this purpose, a first aspect of the invention relates to a cooking appliance, comprising: - a housing designed to receive at least one cooking plate, - means for acquiring a thickness of a food to be cooked, - a first type of cooking plate to be installed in the housing and designed to receive a first food to be cooked having a first initial cooking state, - cooking means, configured to implement at least one cooking program specific to the cooking of the first food and designed to determine a cooking time and / or power necessary to reach at least one cooking level of the first food among a plurality of predetermined cooking levels, as a function of a thickness of the first food, - at least one second type of cooking plate to be installed in the housing and designed to receive a second food to be cooked having a second initial cooking state greater than the first initial cooking state of the first food,characterized:- in that said at least one second type of cooking plate comprises at least one hollow imprint intended to receive the second food, said hollow imprint having a predetermined imprint depth,- and in that, to cook the second food with the second type of cooking plate, the cooking means are configured to implement the same cooking program specific to the cooking of the first food with the first type of cooking plate, the cooking time and / or power necessary to reach at least one cooking level of the second food among the plurality of predetermined cooking levels being determined as a function of the thickness of the second food to be cooked corrected by the predetermined imprint depth.,

[0005] The cooking appliance according to the above implementation comprises two types of cooking plate. A first type of cooking plate is intended to cook first foods with a first initial cooking state (e.g. raw foods) and a second type of cooking plate is intended to cook second foods with a second initial cooking state (e.g. precooked foods). In any case, the second initial cooking state is superior to the first initial cooking state, i.e. the second food to be cooked is more cooked or more precooked than the first food. It may be noted that the first food and the second food are distinguished only by their initial cooking state: it may be the same type of food that is more or less cooked, such as raw sausages and cooked sausages.The cooking means of the appliance implement a cooking program that takes into account the thickness of the food to be cooked, and the use of the first type of cooking plate with the first food (for example raw) and the second type of cooking plate with the second food (precooked) makes it possible to cook the first food or the second food at the same cooking level with the same cooking program. Indeed, the impression made in the second type of cooking plate makes it possible to reduce the thickness taken into account by the appliance compared to the actual thickness of the second food, and this corrected thickness will automatically lead to reducing the cooking of the second food. Thus, the appliance can receive and cook precooked food with the same means and cooking programs as for raw food. It is sufficient to replace the first type of cooking plate with the second type of cooking plate.The user can then always be offered to cook the second food item to a predetermined cooking level (rare, medium, well done, etc.), as is offered for the first food item, using the same cooking methods and programs.

[0006] According to one implementation, the intaglio impression may have a shape substantially complementary to a shape of the second food.

[0007] According to one implementation, the means for acquiring a thickness of a food to be cooked may be means for measuring a thickness of a food to be cooked. For example, the means described in document EP2861110B1 may be used.

[0008] According to one implementation, the housing may comprise a base and a hinged cover each arranged to receive a cooking plate, and wherein the first type of cooking plate may comprise a set of two first cooking plates, and the second type of cooking plate may comprise a set of two second cooking plates.

[0009] According to one implementation, the set of two second cooking plates may comprise a second upper cooking plate with indentations and a second lower cooking plate without indentations, or vice versa. Such an implementation makes it possible to avoid an accumulation of cooking juices on the lower plate. It may be noted that the lower plate is intended to be mounted on the base of the appliance, and the upper plate on the cover.

[0010] According to one implementation, the cooking appliance may comprise a human-machine interface arranged to allow a user to select a predetermined cooking level from among the plurality of predetermined cooking levels. A screen, a touch screen, buttons, etc. may be provided.

[0011] According to one implementation, the cooking appliance may comprise means for detecting the type of plate received, and the human-machine interface may be configured to adjust or limit the plurality of predetermined cooking levels to be chosen by the user, depending on the type of plate received by the appliance. In particular, if it is detected that the second type of cooking plate is mounted and that it is intended to receive a second precooked food beyond, for example, a “blue” cooking level, then this cooking level is not proposed to the user.

[0012] According to one implementation, the cooking means may comprise:- heating means, such as an electrical resistor,- storage means, arranged to store said at least one cooking program intended to define at least one heating time and / or a heating power to reach a predetermined cooking level depending on a type of food to be cooked and its thickness,- control means, connected to the heating means and to the storage means, and arranged to control the cooking of a food to be cooked received in the cooking appliance.

[0013] According to one implementation, the predetermined indentation depth may be provided to compensate for at least 30% of a thickness of the second food to be cooked, and preferably at least 50% of a thickness of the second food to be cooked, and preferably at least 60% of a thickness of the second food to be cooked. Such indentation depths make it possible to lead to a thickness taken into account by the appliance that is significantly reduced compared to the actual thickness of the second food, to force the appliance to reduce the cooking accordingly, due to the initial precooked cooking state.

[0014] Depending on an implementation, the intaglio impression may include texturing, and / or reliefs, and / or ribs.

[0015] A second aspect of the invention relates to a method for cooking a second food to be cooked having a second initial cooking state greater than a first initial cooking state of a first food, the method being implemented by a cooking appliance according to the first aspect of the invention, and the cooking method comprising the steps of: - installing in the appliance the second type of cooking plate comprising at least one hollow impression having a predetermined impression depth, - selecting a cooking program adapted to the cooking of the first food having the first cooking state, - preheating the cooking appliance, - placing in the hollow impression the second food to be cooked, - acquiring a thickness of the second food to be cooked corrected by the predetermined impression depth, - providing the cooking means with the thickness of the second food to be cooked corrected by the predetermined impression depth,- implement the cooking program adapted to the cooking of the first food item presenting the first initial cooking state, to cook the second food item,- remove the second food item from the cooking appliance when the second food item has reached a cooking level desired by the user., Description of figures

[0016] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which:

[0017] The depicts a perspective view of a cooking appliance for cooking and grilling food, and comprising a housing with a cover and a base, each arranged to receive a cooking plate;

[0018] The figure represents a section of the device, in which the cover and the base each receive a first type of cooking plate;

[0019] The represents the section of the, in which the cover and the base each receive a second type of cooking plate;

[0020] Larepresents a detail VI of the, to show a hollow impression provided in a plate of the second type of cooking plate.

[0021] Detailed description of embodiment(s)

[0022] First, a structural description of the cooking appliance shown in the figures will be made, and second, a description of the operation of the cooking appliance will be provided.

[0023] Structural description

[0024] The depicts a cooking appliance comprising a housing 10 with a base 11, a lid 12 and feet 13. The cooking appliance also comprises a hinge 15, so that the lid 12 is hinged relative to the base 11. The lid 12 comprises a handle 14 to allow a user to open and close the lid 12. A screen 51 is provided on the handle 14 to form a human-machine interface. As will be explained in more detail below, the cooking appliance comprises cooking means, which notably comprise control means 31 and storage means 32.

[0025] The represents a section of the apparatus of the, in which the cover 12 and the base 11 each receive a first type of cooking plate 41 forming a set of two first cooking plates with a first lower cooking plate 411 and a first upper cooking plate 412. It can be noted that the first lower cooking plate 411 and the first upper cooking plate 412 are both flat or plane and receive a first food to be cooked, for example raw sausages 100.

[0026] Lamontre also shows that the cooking appliance comprises means for acquiring a thickness of a food to be cooked formed by means 20 for measuring a thickness of a food to be cooked, typically composed of a basic rule 21 embedded on the cover 12 and a cursor 22 embedded on the base 11. However, the assembly can be reversed (basic rule 21 embedded on the base 11 and cursor 22 embedded on the cover 12). Devices such as those written in document EP2861110B1 can also be provided. It can be noted that on the, the thickness to be cooked is E1, which corresponds substantially to the diameter of the raw sausages 100.

[0027] The cooking means mentioned above also include heating means provided in the form of an electrical resistor 33 housed in the base 11 and in the cover 12. It is of course possible to provide several electrical resistors or other means for generating cooking heat.

[0028] La represents the section of the, in which the cover 12 and the base 11 each receive a second type of cooking plate 42 forming a set of second cooking plates with a second lower cooking plate 421 and a second upper cooking plate 422. It can be noted that the second lower cooking plate 421 is flat or plane and that the second upper cooking plate 422 comprises four hollow indentations 43 which receive a second food to be cooked, for example precooked sausages 200, as illustrated in the.

[0029] The shows a detail of the at the level of the second upper cooking plate 422. The hollow imprint 43 formed in the second upper cooking plate 422 has a predetermined imprint depth P, so that the spacing between the second upper cooking plate 422 and the second lower cooking plate 421 is reduced compared to the case shown in the. It can be noted that in the, the thickness to be cooked measured by the measuring means 20 is E2, which corresponds substantially to the diameter of the precooked sausages 200 corrected by the predetermined imprint depth P.

[0030] Description of operation

[0031] The cooking appliance here forms a grilling appliance, for example for cooking meats, and comprises a human-machine interface (screen 51) to allow a user to choose the type of food to be cooked (a type of meat such as for example “rib of beef”, “pork sausages”, “merguez” etc.), and a cooking level from a plurality of predetermined cooking levels (such as “rare”, “medium”, “well-done”, “juicy sausage”, “well-done sausage” etc.).

[0032] The control means 31 are provided for controlling the heating and cooking of the food, in particular controlling the power supply to the electrical resistance 33. For this purpose, the control means 31 are connected to the storage means 32 which store at least one cooking program which, depending on the user's choices regarding the selected cooking level, makes it possible to define a heating profile to be applied to the food to be cooked. Typically, the storage means can store several cooking programs, each specific to a type of food (such as for example "rib of beef", "pork sausages", "merguez" etc.). Typically, each cooking program can include specific heating profiles to achieve the predetermined cooking levels.

[0033] Each cooking program is defined to cook a type of food from a first initial cooking state, typically a raw food. From this first initial cooking state, each cooking program includes or defines a heating profile to cook the food to at least one predetermined cooking level, which the user can select. The heating profile may include heating time instructions, heating power instructions, temperature instructions to be followed if the appliance is equipped with temperature sensors, etc.

[0034] When the user wants to cook a first raw food, then the cooking appliance must be put in the configuration of: the user installs the first type of cooking plate in the cooking appliance, he selects the type of food to be cooked and the desired cooking level. He can then start the cooking appliance to typically preheat it and then place the first food to be cooked (here raw sausages 100) between the first lower cooking plate 411 and the first upper cooking plate 412.

[0035] The measuring means 20 for the thickness to be cooked measure a thickness to be cooked E1 and send this information to the control means 31 which then implement the cooking program specific to the first food to be cooked, to cook the first food to the predetermined cooking level selected, according to the thickness to be cooked E1 measured.

[0036] When the user wants to cook a second precooked food (i.e. of the same type as the first food, but with an initial cooking state higher than that of the first food), then the cooking appliance must be put in the configuration of: the user installs the second type of cooking plate in the cooking appliance, he selects the type of food to be cooked and the desired cooking level. He can then start the cooking appliance to typically preheat it and then place the second food to be cooked (here precooked sausages 200) between the second lower cooking plate 421 and the second upper cooking plate 422.

[0037] As explained above, the second type of cooking plate (in particular the second upper cooking plate 422) comprises at least one hollow indentation 43, so that the second food (the precooked sausages 200) is received in the hollow indentation 43 and as shown in the, the cooking thickness E2 is less than the cooking thickness E1 of the.

[0038] The measuring means 20 of the thickness to be cooked therefore measure a thickness to be cooked E2 (i.e. the thickness of the second food corrected or compensated for the predetermined imprint depth P) and send this information to the control means 31 which can then implement the cooking program specific to the first food to be cooked, to cook the second food to the predetermined cooking level selected, as a function of the measured thickness to be cooked E2.

[0039] It is understood that thanks to the thickness compensation provided by the hollow imprint in the set of second cooking plates, the cooking program dedicated to the first food with the first initial cooking state (here raw sausages 100) will also be able to be implemented to cook to the same final cooking level the second food with the second initial cooking state (higher than the first initial cooking state, here precooked sausages 200). Indeed, the measured thickness to be cooked E2 is compensated by the predetermined imprint depth P, and as the cooking program corrects or adjusts the cooking times and / or power according to this thickness to be cooked, then the second food to be cooked will undergo a shorter cooking cycle and / or with less heating than the first food received by the first set of cooking plates.

[0040] We can therefore plan to keep a single cooking program per type of food and offer sets of cooking plates which are specific depending on the initial cooking states for this type of food.

[0041] A cooking appliance according to the present invention, and its manufacture, are capable of industrial application.

[0042] It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements obvious to those skilled in the art may be made to the various embodiments of the invention described in the present description without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0043] In particular, it may be noted that the set of first baking trays comprises two flat or plane plates, but it is of course possible to provide raised structures for example to mark the meat. The set of second baking trays may just as well comprise the same raised structures, but at least one of the plates will comprise a hollow imprint to correct or compensate (artificially reduce) a measurement of thickness to be cooked compared to the set of first baking trays.

[0044] It may be noted that the set of second cooking plates comprises a single plate with a hollow impression (here the second upper cooking plate 422, but possibly the second lower cooking plate 421), but hollow impressions may be provided on the two cooking plates of the set of two second cooking plates. In addition, a cooking juice evacuation device may be provided on the lower plate (both on the first lower cooking plate 411 and on the second lower cooking plate 421).

[0045] Alternatively and in any event, it may be noted that providing a flat lower plate makes it possible to limit the accumulation of cooking juices in hollows (both on the first lower cooking plate 411 and on the second lower cooking plate 421). Even if the first lower cooking plate 411 and the second lower cooking plate 421 are flat or planar, it may be provided to have different structures for purposes, for example, of recognition by the appliance or to ensure that the first upper cooking plate 412 or the second upper cooking plate 422 are properly mounted at the same time as the first lower cooking plate 411 and the second lower cooking plate 421 respectively.Alternatively, it is possible to change only the first upper cooking plate 412 or the second upper cooking plate 422, only one lower plate being provided and common to both types of cooking plates.

[0046] The device shown comprises a base 11 and an articulated cover 12, but any type of articulation or kinematics can generally be provided.

Claims

Cooking appliance, comprising:- a housing (10) designed to receive at least one cooking plate,- means for acquiring a thickness of a food to be cooked,- a first type of cooking plate (41) to be installed in the housing (10) and designed to receive a first food to be cooked having a first initial cooking state,- cooking means, configured to implement at least one cooking program specific to the cooking of the first food and designed to determine a cooking time and / or power necessary to reach at least one cooking level of the first food among a plurality of predetermined cooking levels, as a function of a thickness of the first food,- at least one second type of cooking plate (42) to be installed in the housing (10) and designed to receive a second food to be cooked having a second initial cooking state greater than the first initial cooking state of the first food,characterized:- in that said at least one second type of cooking plate (42) comprises at least one hollow imprint (43) intended to receive the second food, said hollow imprint (43) having a predetermined imprint depth (P),- and in that, to cook the second food with the second type of cooking plate (42), the cooking means are configured to implement the same cooking program specific to the cooking of the first food with the first type of cooking plate (41), the cooking time and / or power necessary to reach at least one cooking level of the second food among the plurality of predetermined cooking levels being determined as a function of the thickness of the second food to be cooked corrected by the predetermined imprint depth (P)., Cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the hollow impression (43) has a shape substantially complementary to a shape of the second food. Cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for acquiring a thickness of a food to be cooked are means (20) for measuring a thickness of a food to be cooked. Cooking appliance according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the housing (10) comprises a base (11) and a hinged cover (12) each arranged to receive a cooking plate, and in which the first type of cooking plate (41) comprises a set of two first cooking plates (411, 412), and in which the second type of cooking plate (42) comprises a set of two second cooking plates (421, 422). Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the set of two second cooking plates (421, 422) comprises a second upper cooking plate (422) with indentations and a second lower cooking plate (421) without indentations, or vice versa. Cooking appliance according to one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a human-machine interface arranged to allow a user to choose a predetermined cooking level from among the plurality of predetermined cooking levels. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises means for detecting the type of plate received, and wherein the human-machine interface is configured to adjust or limit the plurality of predetermined cooking levels to be chosen by the user, depending on the type of plate received by the apparatus. Cooking appliance according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the cooking means comprise:- heating means, such as an electrical resistor (33),- storage means (32), arranged to store said at least one cooking program intended to define at least one heating time and / or a heating power to arrive at a predetermined cooking level as a function of a type of food to be cooked and its thickness,- control means (31), connected to the heating means and to the storage means, and arranged to control the cooking of a food to be cooked received in the cooking appliance. Cooking appliance according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the predetermined imprint depth (P) is provided to compensate at least 30% of a thickness of the second food to be cooked, and preferably at least 50% of a thickness of the second food to be cooked, and preferably at least 60% of a thickness of the second food to be cooked. Cooking appliance according to one of claims 1 to 9, in which the hollow impression (43) comprises texturing, and / or reliefs, and / or ribs. A method of cooking a second food to be cooked having a second initial cooking state greater than a first initial cooking state of a first food, the method being implemented by a cooking appliance according to one of claims 1 to 10, and the cooking method comprising the steps of:- installing in the appliance the second type of cooking plate (42) comprising at least one hollow imprint (43) having a predetermined imprint depth (P),- selecting a cooking program adapted to the cooking of the first food having the first cooking state,- preheating the cooking appliance,- placing in the hollow imprint (43) the second food to be cooked,- acquiring a thickness of the second food to be cooked corrected by the predetermined imprint depth (P),- providing the cooking means with the thickness of the second food to be cooked corrected by the predetermined imprint depth (P),- implement the cooking program adapted to the cooking of the first food item presenting the first initial cooking state, to cook the second food item,- remove the second food item from the cooking appliance when the second food item has reached a cooking level desired by the user.,

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