Cooking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking device, in particular a steam cooking drawer (1), comprising a cooking chamber (12) which is designed to receive at least one cooking utensil (18) through an access opening (13), preferably from above; a closure element (14), preferably a lid (14), which is designed to close and open the access opening (13) of the cooking chamber (12) preferably by being pivoted by means of a pivoting element (15), preferably a hinge (15); and at least one cooking utensil (18) for receiving a cooking product. The cooking device which is preferably designed as a steam cooking drawer (1) is characterized in that the cooking utensil (18) has an at least substantially closed base (18a), preferably a completely closed base, wherein the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) has at least one first steam guide element (18e, 18f) on the lower face facing away from the cooking product, said steam guide element being designed to guide steam rising below the cooking utensil (18) laterally to the edge of the base (18a).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Cooking appliance

[0003] The invention relates to a cooking appliance and a cooking utensil for use in such a cooking appliance.

[0004] For the preparation of food, which can also be referred to as food to be treated or food to be cooked, various kitchen appliances are known, which can also be referred to as cooking appliances. These include hobs, on which the food can be cooked in a cooking utensil such as a saucepan, with or without a lid, in a pan, and the like, by boiling, frying, and the like.

[0005] Cooking appliances are also known which have a fixed, i.e., stationary, cooking chamber formed with the cooking appliance, in which the food to be cooked can be placed in or on a cooking utensil and cooked with the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance closed. Such a cooking appliance can be, for example, an oven, a steamer, a microwave, a combination appliance comprising an oven with a steamer and / or with a microwave, and the like. Such cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber usually have a vertical height of approximately 45 cm, at least in Germany, although ovens with a height of approximately 60 cm are also common.

[0006] A cooking appliance of this type is known from DE 10 2017 111 075 A1. Other similar cooking appliances are disclosed in EP 0 768 055 A1 and CN 105 042 549 B.

[0007] Such cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber have in common that they have an outer housing which essentially encloses the cooking appliance on the outside and protects its individual components and elements, as well as making them easier to handle. Within the cooking appliance, an interior space is formed which represents the cooking chamber and is essentially enclosed by an inner housing, also referred to as a cooking chamber muffle or muffle. Between the inner housing and the outer housing, a housing space is formed as an intermediate space, in which functional elements of the cooking appliance, such as a control system or control unit, an electrical power supply and other components which serve the intended use of the cooking appliance can be arranged. In terms of depth from the front, i.e. viewed from the user's perspective, the outer housing ora panel in the form of a furniture material or in the form of a control panel and the like together with the inner housing closes off the housing space so that the housing space is not accessible to the user.

[0008] The interior of the cooking appliance has a through-opening at the front in depth as an access opening, through which the interior of the cooking appliance is accessible to the user in order to insert cooking utensils into the interior of the cooking appliance as its cooking chamber and to arrange them there, as well as to remove cooking utensils from the interior of the cooking appliance after the food has been cooked. The access opening can be opened by the user by means of a closure element, for example in the form of a door that can be pivoted to the side, a flap that can be pivoted downwards, or the like, in order to access the interior of the cooking appliance, as described above, or to close the interior of the cooking appliance and carry out the cooking operation or process. Such a closure element can be closed or have a viewing window to allow the user a view into the closed interior of the cooking appliance.

[0009] A cooking utensil with a base having a web structure is known from the document CN 103 096 765 B. Cooking utensils are also shown in the documents DE 621 265 C and US 4 676 151 A.

[0010] Such cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber are usually designed as built-in appliances or as built-in kitchen appliances in order to be arranged with their outer casing in a space-saving manner and at a height that is easily accessible for the user in the vertical direction in kitchen furniture, such as in built-in kitchen cupboards, and to be arranged with their locking element, if necessary additionally with their panel, see above, towards the front of the user, flush with the surfaces of the other cooking appliances, drawers, doors and the like of the kitchen furniture, which can improve the visual impression for the user.

[0011] Other built-in kitchen appliances are also known, such as warming drawers, vacuum-sealing drawers, and the like. These are installed in the kitchen as described above and, in particular, combined with the previously described cooking appliances as built-in appliances, arranged horizontally one above the other and / or vertically next to each other. Warming drawers are used, for example, to keep cooked food warm without further cooking and to preheat dishes. Vacuum-sealing drawers allow food to be vacuum-sealed in an airtight container.

[0012] A warming drawer for cooking food is shown in the documents EP 3 508 792 A1 and JP 2017 053 534 A. Such drawers as kitchen appliances are fundamentally constructed in a similar way to the previously described cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber, whereby drawers are significantly flatter, i.e. smaller in the vertical direction, and thus have to be pulled forwards out of the kitchen unit by the user in order to allow access to their interior in the vertical direction from above. For this purpose, the movable part of the drawer, which can also be referred to as a pull-out, has a pull-out base which serves, for example, to hold the cooking utensils in the vertical direction from above and can be designed to be movable in depth relative to the inner housing of the drawer, for example via rails arranged laterally in the transverse direction.The pull-out shelf usually has a vertically aligned panel at the front, which closes the interior of the drawer or its access opening when closed.

[0013] Such drawers, also called built-in drawers, usually have a vertical height of approximately 15 cm, at least in Germany. Drawers are usually arranged vertically below a cooking appliance with a fixed cooking space, such as an oven, a steamer, or the like, or in combination with another drawer, one above the other in the vertical direction, but can also be installed individually and independently in a piece of kitchen furniture. Since the installation spaces for built-in kitchen appliances in kitchen furniture, which can also be referred to as niches, usually have a vertical height of approximately 60 cm, at least in Germany, a drawer with a height of approximately 15 cm and a cooking appliance with a fixed cooking space with a height of approximately 45 cm can be used in a modular combination as built-in appliances.

[0014] Another built-in appliance in the form of a drawer is disclosed in the document DE 102021 105 049 A1.

[0015] It is also known to design cooking appliances with a steam cooking function as built-in drawers, which can be referred to as steam cooking drawers. Such steam cooking drawers usually accommodate at least one cooking container with food to be cooked in their cooking chamber, which is arranged on the pull-out floor. The cooking container can usually be removed, usually upwards from the open built-in drawer. Accordingly, the access opening to the cooking chamber in steam cooking drawers is horizontal and usually rectangular and can usually be opened and closed with a pivoting lid. The pivoting lid is usually arranged on the rear edge of the steam cooking drawer, which faces away from the panel, and can be pivoted upwards. The cooking methods that can be carried out in steam cookers include vacuum cooking, which is also known as sous-vide cooking.In this low-temperature cooking method, the food to be cooked, such as meat, fish or vegetables, is enclosed airtight in a plastic bag, the interior of the plastic bag is then vacuum-sealed and finally the food, enclosed airtight and in the plastic bag, is cooked at a comparatively low temperature of less than 100°C in a water bath in a container or, when using a steamer or a cooking appliance with a steam cooking function, in the steam of the cooking chamber.

[0016] For example, if a sous vide cooking process is carried out using steam in such a cooking appliance, the cooking process typically takes place at temperatures between 45°C and 90°C in a cooking chamber with a height of typically 250 mm. The condensate tray, made of 0.8 mm stainless steel, for example, is inserted into the first shelf level (counting from the bottom), and a rack for storing the food is inserted into the second shelf level above it. The steam / air mixture in the cooking chamber is evenly mixed with the hot air fan.

[0017] Such a sous vide steam cooking process can be carried out by introducing steam into the cooking chamber through the steam inlets at the beginning of the cooking process. The steam that condenses on the food or on the vacuum-sealed plastic bag containing the food typically drips down and remains in the unperforated fermentation container on the first, lower shelf level. The steam that condenses on the cooking chamber walls collects on the cooking chamber floor. To prevent the amount of condensate from continuously increasing on the cooking chamber floor, a floor heater can be used for evaporation. The floor heater can be located centrally on the cooking chamber floor.

[0018] In this way, steam at a temperature of approximately 100°C rises from the floor heating element during the cooking process and is directed towards the cooking chamber walls by the condensate tray on the first, lower shelf level. Through natural convection, the steam rises along the cooking chamber walls, while slightly cooler steam sinks from the cooking chamber ceiling in temperature layers. Horizontal isotherms are formed, similar to a stratified storage tank. The food is surrounded by a steam-air mixture at a uniform temperature and is therefore cooked evenly. The temperature of the steam-air mixture can be measured by a temperature sensor at food level, and a control unit can regulate the output of the floor heating element or steam generator accordingly.

[0019] However, this type of sous vide cooking using steam cannot be transferred to a steam drawer, as the cooking chamber of a steam drawer, with its typical usable height of 80 mm, lacks the ability to create even temperature stratification. In this case, steam rises up the sides of the condensate tray and is immediately pushed toward the food by the significantly lower ceiling.

[0020] In addition, the condensate in the condensate tray tends to collect in the center of the condensate tray. There, it is evaporated by the rising steam from the floor heating element through the sheet metal condensate tray. This creates a column of steam directly above the evaporated condensate, which cooks the food in the vacuum-sealed plastic bag unevenly.

[0021] EP 2 749 190 A1 describes a method for assembling a sous-vide cooker in a housing. The method comprises providing a chamber with a lower inner surface, including a circulator containing a heating unit, and arranging one or more temperature sensors outside the chamber, inserting a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, and attaching a control panel. The PID controller is programmed with a temperature correction algorithm for converting the temperatures measured by the one or more temperature sensors into the actual water temperature in the chamber based on a predetermined formula. The heating unit heats the chamber and the PID controller controls the heating unit using the one or more temperature sensors and the difference between a preset temperature and the actual water temperature.

[0022] EP 2 926 700 A1 describes a sous vide circulating cooker temperature control device that includes a motor module that can be replaced by users if the motor fails. The temperature control device of the circulating cooker comprises an outer part, an upper part, a middle part, and a lower part. The upper part contains a programmable controller that stores one or more codes representing user-selectable cooking temperatures and times. The controller can be programmed to receive additional codes. The controller includes a speaker and a voice assistance algorithm configured to alert the user to events.

[0023] US 2019 / 208946 A1 describes a portable sous vide cooking device that does not require a motor to move water or its own container. The portable sous vide cooking device can be used with a separate pot or other container for water. The sous vide cooking device does not require water circulation to function. Unlike immersion circulators, only the heating element and the mechanism for powering the heating element are immersed in water. The described sous vide cooking device does not require an electric motor, impeller pump, water inlet, or water outlet. Furthermore, unlike immersion circulators, the sous vide cooking device circulates water passively through convection currents and does not need to actively stir the water bath, which creates noise and more evaporation and steam.

[0024] The invention therefore addresses the problem of expanding the functionality of a steam drawer as a steam cooker with significantly reduced space requirements, or rather, improving its functions. In particular, sous-vide cooking using steam drawers should be improved. In particular, the aim is to achieve the most even horizontal temperature distribution possible at the level of the food in the steam drawer's cooking chamber. In any case, this should be achieved in a way that is as simple, space-saving, user-friendly, and / or cost-effective as possible. At the very least, an alternative to conventional steam drawers should be created.

[0025] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a cooking appliance, in particular with a steam cooking function, and by a cooking utensil having the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are set forth in the following dependent claims.

[0026] Thus, the invention relates to a cooking appliance, in particular a steam cooking appliance, preferably a steam cooking drawer, with a cooking chamber which is designed to receive at least one cooking utensil through an access opening, preferably from above, with a closure element, preferably a lid, which is designed to close and release the access opening of the cooking chamber, preferably by pivoting by means of a pivoting element, preferably a hinge, and with at least one cooking utensil for receiving food to be cooked.

[0027] The cooking appliance is characterized in that the cooking utensil has an at least substantially, preferably completely, closed base, wherein the base of the cooking utensil has at least one first steam conducting element on its underside facing away from the food to be cooked, which is designed to direct steam rising from beneath the cooking utensil laterally to the edge of the base. The cooking utensil can be used in particular for vacuum cooking or sous-vide cooking by means of the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, and can therefore also be referred to as vacuum cooking utensil or sous-vide cooking utensil. Without a cooking utensil, the interior of the cooking appliance can also be referred to as the cooking chamber. If the cooking utensil is arranged in the interior of the steam cooking drawer, the interior of the cooking utensil can be referred to as the cooking chamber of the cooking utensil or as the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, since the steaming process of the food takes place there.Such a steam guide element extends vertically from the underside of the floor, relative to the intended use. This ensures good conduction.

[0028] One aspect is that individual steam guide elements are aligned in the transverse direction Y or in the longitudinal direction X.

[0029] Several steam guide elements can also be provided.

[0030] One aspect is that individual or all steam guide elements are aligned parallel to each other.

[0031] A preferred alternative provides that at least one steam guide element is aligned in the transverse direction Y and at least one other steam guide element is aligned in the longitudinal direction X.

[0032] The invention is based on the finding that, as described above, the use of a cooking utensil in a cooking appliance, in particular in a steam cooking drawer, can influence the spread or flow of the steam within the interior of the cooking appliance or the steam cooking drawer, which can lead to an uneven cooking effect of the steam when using any cooking utensil.

[0033] According to the invention, at least the steam rising from beneath the cooking utensil is directed or guided laterally to the edge of the base, so that the rising steam can reach the cooking chamber located above the cooking utensil, if possible from the side or, if possible, from several different or, in particular, from several, preferably diametrically opposed sides. This can be achieved for at least two sides, but also for more than two sides, in particular for four sides or for two pairs of mutually, preferably diametrically opposed sides. This can increase the uniformity with which the rising steam can reach the cooking chamber.

[0034] According to one aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, has at least one temperature sensor, which is arranged on a wall, preferably on the rear wall, preferably in the horizontal center and / or in the vertical direction above the center, and is oriented towards the cooking chamber, wherein the underside of the base of the cooking utensil has at least the first steam conducting element, which runs transversely to the temperature sensor. In this case, the steam conducting elements can prevent the rising steam from flowing towards the temperature sensor and thereby falsifying the temperature measurement. According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, has at least one floor heating element, which is arranged at the lowest point of the cooking chamber, preferably in the horizontal center, and is designed to evaporate condensate collecting there.This can allow the condensate that collects there to be re-evaporated and thus reused in the steaming process. This can reduce the amount of water required for the steaming process.

[0035] According to a further aspect of the invention, the underside of the base of the cooking utensil has at least one pair of first steam guide elements running at least substantially parallel to one another. The cooking utensil is arranged in the cooking chamber to guide steam rising from the floor heating element between the first steam guide elements laterally to the edge of the base, preferably transversely to the temperature sensor. The bilateral arrangement of the steam guide elements can improve steam guidance, thereby better keeping the rising steam away from a temperature sensor (if present) and, in any case, more precisely distributing it above the cooking utensil or in the cooking chamber.

[0036] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, has a pair of floor heating elements arranged at the lowest point of the cooking chamber, preferably centrally horizontally, and designed to evaporate condensate collecting there. The two floor heating elements are spaced apart horizontally, preferably transversely, and the underside of the base of the cooking utensil has at least one second steam guide element, which runs, preferably centrally horizontally and / or in a straight line, between the two floor heating elements. This allows two streams of rising steam to be generated, separated from one another, and each directed in a targeted manner.

[0037] According to a further aspect of the invention, the lateral edges of the base of the cooking utensil, toward which the first steam conducting element, preferably the second conducting element, directs rising steam, enclose the cooking chamber with walls. In other words, the cooking utensil is at least partially, preferably completely, trough-shaped, so that the interior of the cooking utensil forms the cooking chamber, which is formed from below by the base of the cooking utensil and laterally by the walls or a wall projecting upwards from the edge of the base. This can make it possible to guide the rising steam further upwards and thus parallel to the outside of the cooking chamber, so that the rising steam can only reach the cooking chamber from the side at the edge of the wall. This can promote the formation of uniform temperature layers in the cooking chamber.According to a further aspect of the invention, an upper edge of at least one wall, preferably a plurality of walls, particularly preferably all walls, has a distance of 1 mm to 20 mm, preferably 5 mm to 10 mm, in the vertical direction from the top of the cooking chamber, preferably from the underside of the lid. This can prevent rising steam from entering the cooking chamber too early due to the wall projecting high enough. Furthermore, the comparatively narrow gap between the wall and the lid can promote the formation of a defined and uniform temperature stratification in the cooking chamber.

[0038] According to a further aspect of the invention, the wall of the cooking utensil facing the temperature sensor has a through-opening through which the temperature sensor can directly detect the temperature within the cooking chamber. The cooking utensil preferably has two diametrically and symmetrically opposed through-openings. This can facilitate the detection of the temperature in the cooking chamber, also called the cooking chamber temperature. The increased accuracy of the detected cooking chamber temperature can have a positive effect on the user's execution of the cooking process and, in particular, on an automated or self-contained execution of the cooking process, especially on a controlled cooking process.

[0039] Providing two mirror-symmetrically arranged through openings can enable the user to insert the cooking utensils in both orientations into the interior of the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, and thus does not have to worry about the orientation of the cooking utensils when inserting them.

[0040] According to a further aspect of the invention, the upper side of the base of the cooking utensil facing the food has at least one drainage surface, preferably a pair of diametrically opposed drainage surfaces, designed to channel condensate. This allows the condensate to at least be collected within the cooking chamber.

[0041] According to a further aspect of the invention, the drainage surface, preferably each of the drainage surfaces, merges into at least one drainage opening designed to allow condensate to escape beneath the cooking utensil. This allows the condensate collected in the cooking chamber to be drained outside or beneath the cooking chamber, where it can be collected if necessary or evaporated again by at least one floor heating element, as described above.

[0042] One aspect is that the drainage opening is formed in the drainage surface and / or in the wall of the cooking utensil. According to a further aspect of the invention, the upper side of the base of the cooking utensil, facing the food to be cooked, has at least one spacer element designed to accommodate the food, preferably in a vacuum cooking vessel, at a distance from the upper side of the base. This allows the steam to reach the food as a cooking item even from its underside, which can facilitate the steaming process.

[0043] According to a further aspect of the invention, the spacer element, preferably a plurality of spacer elements, has a height of at least 10 mm, preferably at least 14 mm, relative to the top of the base of the cooking utensil. This can promote or ensure that the steam can sufficiently reach the food from below, thereby facilitating the steaming process.

[0044] According to a further aspect of the invention, the upper side of the base of the cooking utensil facing the food to be cooked comprises a plurality of spacer elements, which are spaced apart horizontally by at least half the height, preferably three-quarters to six-quarters of the height, particularly preferably more than twice the height, and / or whose upper end has a horizontal width that is at most equal to the distance, preferably less than one-third of the distance, between two immediately adjacent spacer elements. These can be particularly suitable implementation options.

[0045] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking utensil is made at least substantially, preferably entirely, of plastic. This reduces heat conduction from underneath the cooking utensil to the cooking chamber, which can promote the most even heating of the cooking chamber possible.

[0046] The invention also relates to a cooking utensil for use in a cooking appliance, in particular a steam cooking drawer, as described above. This makes it possible to provide a cooking utensil for implementing and utilizing the corresponding aspects, properties, and advantages of the cooking appliance, in particular the steam cooking drawer, as described above.

[0047] In other words, a temperature sensor can be mounted on the rear wall of the cooking chamber. A sous vide accessory according to the invention is used. The cooking chamber can have two floor heating elements spaced slightly apart.

[0048] Steam guide elements can be installed beneath the base of the sous vide accessory to direct the steam from the floor heating element to the left and right. These guide elements prevent the steam from flowing backward from the floor heating element toward the temperature sensor, which could distort the temperature measurement. Steam guide elements can be installed upwards on the left and right sides of the sous vide accessory. The upper edge of the guide elements can be positioned at a distance of 1 mm to 20 mm from the underside of the cooking chamber lid, but preferably 5 mm to 10 mm. These guide elements prevent the hot steam from the floor heating element from flowing toward the food at the level of the food. They promote the formation of even temperature stratification in the cooking chamber.

[0049] Thus, the sous vide accessories can have flow-guiding geometries on the bottom, which allow food to be cooked evenly without an air movement device. The food is influenced only by (free) convection.

[0050] At the rear of the sous vide accessory, an upwardly extending wall can be omitted, at least in some sections. This prevents large temperature differences between the temperature sensor on the rear cooking chamber wall and the food. There is, so to speak, "line of sight" between the temperature sensor and the food.

[0051] The front panel of the accessory can also be omitted. This has the advantage that the sous vide accessory is symmetrical and can be used in any orientation without compromising functionality.

[0052] The base heating element beneath the sous vide accessory can generate steam at two spaced-apart positions. These two positions can be located on the left and right sides of the cooking chamber. The steam from the left evaporator can be directed to the left by a steam guide element on the sous vide accessory. For the right evaporator, the steam can also be directed to the right. This allows hot steam to reach the food from two sides. The temperature differences from left to right are smaller than if the steam were directed from one side to the food.

[0053] To ensure that the steam is directed from the evaporator points to the left and right, a flow barrier can be installed at the bottom of the sous vide accessory from front to back. This eliminates the need to control the two evaporator points differently.

[0054] The condensate that collects in the sous vide accessories can be directed from the center of the sous vide accessory to the front or rear edge via inclined surfaces. This prevents the hot steam underneath the accessory from evaporating the condensate inside, preventing the previously familiar steam column.

[0055] The accessories may have openings through which condensate can drain and be evaporated again by the floor heating element. This extends cooking times with a given fresh water supply. The proportion of openings or through holes in sous vide accessories may be less than 3% of the floor area. The holes in the floor can be designed in such a way that steam cannot penetrate the floor to the food.

[0056] The top of the base of the sous vide accessory can have spacers to hold the food from above and space it from the top of the base. The height of these spacers, such as spikes, spikes, or "mountains," relative to the base or valleys of the sous vide cookware can be greater than 10mm, and especially greater than 14mm. It's quite possible that up to 20mm, 30mm, or even 45mm can be selected for optimal steam rinsing.

[0057] The distance between the “mountains” can be at least half the height, preferably three-quarters to six-quarters of the height, particularly preferably more than twice the height.

[0058] The width of the “hilltop” may be equal to the distance, in particular less than one third of the distance, between immediately adjacent spacing elements or “hills”.

[0059] Sous vide accessories can be made of plastic. This minimizes heat conduction from bottom to top through the sous vide accessories.

[0060] By designing the cooking appliance as a drawer and in particular by using the cooking utensils according to the invention, the invention can enable the full range of functions of a steamer in a steamer drawer as a steamer with significantly reduced space requirements.

[0061] Several embodiments of the invention are shown purely schematically in the drawings and are described in more detail below.

[0062] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a piece of kitchen furniture with a cooking appliance according to the invention as a steam cooking drawer according to a first embodiment in the inserted state;

[0063] Figure 2 shows the representation of Figure 1 with the steam drawer pulled out;

[0064] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cooking utensil according to the invention, viewed diagonally from above at the front;

[0065] Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the cooking utensil of Figure 3;

[0066] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cooking utensil of Figure 3 from diagonally below at the front;

[0067] Figure 6 is a perspective enlarged view of the steam cooking drawer of Figure 2 without cooking utensils; Figure 7 is a perspective enlarged view of a steam cooking drawer according to the invention according to a second embodiment without cooking utensils; and

[0068] Figure 8 shows the representation of Figure 6 or Figure 7 with the cooking utensils of Figures 3 to 5 inserted.

[0069] The above figures are viewed in Cartesian coordinates. There is a longitudinal direction X, which can also be referred to as depth X or length X. Perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X extends a transverse direction Y, which can also be referred to as width Y. Perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y extends a vertical direction Z, which can also be referred to as height Z and corresponds to the direction of gravity. The longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y together form the horizontal X, Y, which can also be referred to as the horizontal plane X, Y.

[0070] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a piece of kitchen furniture 2 with a cooking appliance according to the invention as a steam cooking drawer 1 according to a first embodiment in the inserted state. Figure 2 shows the representation of Figure 1 in the extended state of the steam cooking drawer 1.

[0071] The kitchen furniture 2, which can also be referred to as a kitchen unit 2, has a furniture front 20 or a plurality of furniture panels 20, with which the kitchen furniture 1 is closed off towards a user in the longitudinal direction X. The furniture front 20 is formed by a plurality of doors, flaps and the like (not designated), possibly also drawers (not shown), which are arranged pivotably, foldably or pullably on a frame 21, rack 21 or body 21 of the kitchen furniture 2.

[0072] A steam cooking drawer 1 according to the invention is arranged approximately centrally along the vertical direction Z between two furniture fronts 20. The steam cooking drawer 1 has an outer housing 10, which can also be referred to as the outer housing 10 and which essentially closes off or encloses the steam cooking drawer 1 to the outside. The outer housing 10 closes along the longitudinal direction X towards the front, i.e. towards the user, with a panel 10a which, when the steam cooking drawer 1 is pushed in, is flush with the furniture fronts 20 of the kitchen furniture 2, see Figure 1. A pair of telescopic rails (not shown) are arranged laterally in the transverse direction Y on the outer housing 10, so that the steam cooking drawer 1 can be pulled out and pushed in relative to the frame 20 of the kitchen furniture 2 in the longitudinal direction X. An inner housing 11, which can also be referred to as the inner housing 11, is arranged within the outer housing 10.The inner housing 11 terminates in the longitudinal direction X to the rear and forward up to the panel 10a, in the vertical direction Z downwards, and in the transverse direction Y on both sides with the outer housing 10, so that a space (not shown) is formed between the outer housing 10 and the inner housing 11, which can also be referred to as the housing space. This space represents the interior of the steam cooking drawer 1.

[0073] The inner housing 11 also essentially encloses an interior space 12 in which a cooking or steaming process can be carried out. For this purpose, a steam generator (not shown) is arranged in the housing space or in the space between the steaming drawer 1, which can evaporate water and convey the steam into the interior space 12. The water can be provided by means of a removable water tank 19 (see Figures 6 to 8). Accordingly, the interior space 12 can also be referred to as the cooking chamber 12.

[0074] The interior space 12 is accessible to the user from above in the vertical direction Z through an access opening 13. The access opening 13 can be closed and opened by means of a closure element 14 in the form of a lid 14. For this purpose, the lid 14 is connected to the outer housing 10 of the steam cooking drawer 1 by means of at least one pivoting element 15 in the form of a hinge 15 or a lid hinge 15 so that it can be pivoted upwards in the vertical direction Z, so that the lid 14 can be pivoted away from the user or upwards towards the furniture panel 20 located above it in order to be able to access the cooking chamber 12 when the steam cooking drawer 1 is pulled out, see Figure 2. If the lid 14 is pivoted down into the horizontal X, Y, the cooking chamber 12 is closed and the steam cooking drawer 1 can be pushed into the kitchen furniture 2, see Figure 1. An underside 14a or inner side 14a of the lid 14 faces the cooking chamber 12.

[0075] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a cooking utensil 18 according to the invention, viewed diagonally from above at the front. Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the cooking utensil 18 of Figure 3. Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the cooking utensil 18 of Figure 3, viewed diagonally from below at the front.

[0076] The cooking utensil 18 according to the invention can also be referred to as sous-vide utensil 18, sous-vide accessory 18, fermentation container 18 or cooking tray 18. The cooking utensil 18 is made in one piece from plastic. The cooking utensil 18 has a base 18a which extends essentially horizontally. The upper side (not designated) of the base 18a of the cooking utensil 18 is designed to taper diagonally towards two drainage openings 18c in that the upper side of the base 18a is inclined downwards towards the center in the transverse direction Y and an apex (not designated) is formed centrally in the longitudinal direction X from the upper side of the base 18a, from which a triangular peak the upper side of the base 18a slopes backwards and forwards in both directions, see e.g. Figures 3 and 4. One of the two drainage openings 18c is provided at each of the two lowest points. Accordingly, condensate water can be collected on the upper side of the base 18a and drained away by means of the drainage surfaces 18b or.Inclined surface 18b to the two drain openings 18c, see e.g. Figure 5, in order to exit there below the cooking utensil 18.

[0077] From the top side of the base 18a, spacer elements 18d in the form of thorns 18d, spikes 18d or mountains 18d protrude upwards parallel to one another in the vertical direction Z, see e.g. Figures 3 and 4, so that a food item to be cooked (not shown) can be placed directly or within a vacuum cooking vessel (not shown) or within a sous-vide vessel such as within a corresponding plastic bag on the tips (not designated) of the spacer elements 18d and can be reached by the steam from below during the cooking process.

[0078] On the underside (not labeled), the base 18a has a pair of first steam guide elements 18e, which protrude vertically downwards from the underside of the base 18a as elongated projections or edges and are aligned in the transverse direction Y, see e.g. Figure 5. As a result, the central region of the underside of the base 18a in the longitudinal direction X forms a channel that is open laterally in the transverse direction Y in order to guide steam, which rises below the base 18a of the cooking utensil 18 in the central region in the longitudinal direction X, to both sides in the transverse direction Y. The first steam guide elements 18e can therefore also be referred to as transverse steam guide elements 18e.

[0079] Furthermore, a second steam guide element 18f is arranged on the underside of the base 18a, which also projects vertically downwards from the underside of the base 18a as a projection or edge, see e.g. Figure 5. The second steam guide element 18f extends in the longitudinal direction X between the two drain openings 18c and is arranged centrally in the transverse direction Y, so that the second steam guide element 18f can also be referred to as a longitudinal steam guide element 18f.

[0080] From the edge (not designated) of the base 18a of the cooking vessel 18, four walls 18g, 18h extend equally upward in the vertical direction Z and terminate there with a common upper edge 18j, which is horizontally flat. The upper edge 18j of the cooking vessel 18 is at a comparatively short distance from the underside 14a of the lid 14, so that steam rising laterally past the walls 18g, 18h can flow into the cooking chamber 12 from above and as evenly as possible through this comparatively small gap. The walls 18g, 18h can be designated or differentiated in the transverse direction Y as side walls 18g or also as lateral steam guide elements 18g, and in the longitudinal direction X between front / rear walls 18h.

[0081] The front wall 18h and the rear wall 18h, which are mirror-symmetrical, each have a through opening 18i in the form of an approximately square window, which connects the interior (not designated) of the cooking utensil 18 as cooking chamber 12 with the surroundings of the cooking utensil 18.

[0082] Figure 6 shows an enlarged perspective view of the steam cooking drawer 1 of Figure 2 without cooking utensils 18. Figure 8 shows the view of Figure 6 or Figure 7 with the cooking utensils 18 of Figures 3 to 5 inserted. On the rear side (not labeled) of the interior 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1, a temperature sensor 16 is arranged centrally in the transverse direction Y and above the center in the vertical direction Z and is aligned into the interior 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1 in order to detect the temperature of a steam cooking process there. The two through-openings 18i of the front / rear walls 18h of the cooking utensil 18 are arranged correspondingly opposite the temperature sensor 16, so that the temperature sensor 16 can directly detect the temperature in the cooking chamber 12 within the cooking utensil 18 through the respective through-opening 18i.

[0083] At the lowest point of the interior 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1, a floor heating element 17 is arranged, which can also be referred to as an evaporator point 17. Condensation water collecting at the bottom (not designated) of the interior 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1 can be re-evaporated by means of the floor heating element 17 and thus fed back into the steam cooking process. The condensation water evaporated by the floor heating element 17, or its rising water vapor, can be directed laterally in the transverse direction Y by the pair of first steam guide elements 18e, and thus prevented from rising directly in front of the temperature sensor 16, which could falsify the sensory temperature detection.

[0084] Figure 7 shows a perspective enlarged view of a steam cooking drawer 1 according to the invention according to a second embodiment without cooking utensils 18. In this case, the floor heating element 17 or the evaporator point 17 is designed as a pair of floor heating elements 17 or evaporator points 17, which are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction Y. Accordingly, the rising steam can be divided in the transverse direction by the second steam guide element 18f and directed to only one side of the cooking utensil 18 per floor heating element 17 or evaporator point 17. List of reference symbols (part of the description)

[0085] X longitudinal direction; depth; length

[0086] Y transverse direction; width

[0087] Z vertical direction; height

[0088] X, Y Horizontal; horizontal plane

[0089] 1 steamer drawer

[0090] 10 outer casing; outer casing

[0091] 10a aperture

[0092] 11 inner casing; inner casing

[0093] 12 Interior; cooking chamber

[0094] 13 Access opening

[0095] 14 Closure element; lid

[0096] 14a Underside or inside of the lid 14

[0097] 15 Swivel element; hinge; lid hinge

[0098] 16 temperature sensors

[0099] 17 floor radiators; evaporator points

[0100] 18 Cooking utensils; sous vide cookware; sous vide accessories; fermentation containers; cooking trays

[0101] 18a Floor

[0102] 18b Drainage surfaces; inclined surface

[0103] 18c Drainage openings

[0104] 18d spacers; spikes; spikes; mountains

[0105] 18e first steam guide elements; transverse steam guide elements

[0106] 18f second steam guide element; longitudinal steam guide element

[0107] 18g walls; side walls; side steam guide elements

[0108] 18h walls; front / rear walls

[0109] 18i Passage opening of the front / rear walls 18h

[0110] 18j Top edge of the side walls 18g and / or the front / rear walls 18h

[0111] 19 Water tank

[0112] 2 kitchen units; kitchenette

[0113] 20 Furniture front; furniture panel

[0114] 21 frame; chassis; body

Claims

Patent claims 1. Cooking appliance, in particular a steam cooking drawer (1), with a cooking chamber (12) which is designed to receive at least one cooking utensil (18) through an access opening (13), preferably from above, with a closure element (14), preferably a lid (14), which is designed to close and open the access opening (13) of the cooking chamber (12), preferably by pivoting by means of a pivoting element (15), preferably a hinge (15), and with at least one cooking utensil (18) for receiving food to be cooked, with at least one floor heating element (17) which is arranged at the lowest point of the cooking chamber (12), preferably centrally in the horizontal (X, Y) and is designed to evaporate condensate collecting there, characterized in that the cooking utensil (18) has an at least substantially, preferably completely, closed bottom (18a),wherein the bottom (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) has at least one first steam guide element (18e, 18f) on its underside facing away from the food to be cooked, which extends vertically from the underside of the bottom (18a) in the orientation of use of the cooking utensil (18) and is designed to guide steam rising from the floor heating element (17) below the cooking utensil (18) laterally to the edge of the bottom (18a).

2. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to the preceding claim with at least one temperature sensor (16) which is arranged on a wall, preferably on the rear wall, preferably centrally in the horizontal direction (X, Y) and / or above the center in the vertical direction (Z), and is directed towards the cooking chamber (12) in order to detect the temperature in the cooking utensil (18), wherein the underside of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) has at least the first steam conducting element (18e) which runs transversely to the temperature sensor (16).

3. Appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to the preceding claim, wherein the underside of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) has at least one pair of first steam guide elements (18e) running at least substantially parallel to one another, wherein the cooking utensil (18) is arranged in the cooking chamber (12) in order to guide steam rising from the base heating element (17) between the first steam guide elements (18e) laterally to the edge of the base (18a), preferably transversely to the temperature sensor (16).

4. Cooking appliance, in particular a steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims, with a pair of floor heating elements (17) which are arranged at the lowest point of the cooking chamber (12), preferably centrally in the horizontal direction (X, Y), and are designed to evaporate condensate collecting there, wherein the two floor heating elements (17) are spaced apart from one another in the horizontal direction (X, Y), preferably in the transverse direction (Y), and wherein the underside of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) has at least one second steam conducting element (18f) which runs, preferably centrally and / or rectilinearly in the horizontal direction (X, Y), between the two floor heating elements (17).

5. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lateral edges of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18), towards which the first steam guide element (18e), preferably and the second guide element (18f), guides rising steam, enclose the cooking chamber (12) with walls (18g, 18h).

6. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to the preceding claim, wherein an upper edge (18j) of at least one wall (18g, 18h), preferably several walls (18g, 18h), particularly preferably all walls (18g, 18h), in the vertical direction (Z) to the top of the cooking chamber (12), preferably to the underside (14a) of the lid (14), has a distance of 1 mm to 20 mm, preferably 5 mm to 10 mm.

7. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (18g, 18h) of the cooking utensil (18) which faces the temperature sensor (16) has a through-opening (18i) through which the temperature sensor (16) can directly detect the temperature inside the cooking chamber (12) when the cooking utensil (18) is arranged in the cooking chamber (12).

8. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to the preceding claim, wherein the cooking utensil (18) preferably has two diametrically and symmetrically opposite through openings (18i).

9. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper side of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) facing the food to be cooked has at least one drainage surface (18b), preferably a pair of diametrically opposed drainage surfaces (18b), which is designed to guide condensate water in the cooking utensil (18), in particular to guide it to at least one wall (18g, 18h) of the cooking utensil (18).

10. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to the preceding claim, wherein the drainage surface (18b), preferably the drainage surfaces (18b) in each case, merges into at least one drainage opening (18c) which is designed to allow condensate water to escape below the cooking utensil (18).

11. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper side of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) facing the cooking chamber (12) has at least one spacer element (18d) which is designed to receive the food to be cooked, preferably in a vacuum cooking vessel, at a distance from the upper side of the base (18a).

12. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to the preceding claim, wherein the spacer element (18d), preferably a plurality of spacer elements (18d), has a height of at least 10 mm, preferably of at least 14 mm, relative to the upper side of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18).

13. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the upper side of the base (18a) of the cooking utensil (18) facing the cooking chamber (12) has a plurality of spacer elements (18d) which are spaced apart from one another in the horizontal (X, Y) by at least half the height, preferably three-quarters to six-quarters of the height, particularly preferably more than twice the height, and / or whose upper end in the horizontal (X, Y) has a width which is at most equal to the distance, preferably less than one-third of the distance, between two immediately adjacent spacer elements (18d).

14. Cooking appliance, in particular steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooking utensil (18) consists at least substantially, preferably entirely, of plastic.

15. Cooking utensils (18) for use in a cooking appliance, in particular a steam cooking appliance, preferably a steam cooking drawer (1), according to one of the preceding claims.

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