Cooking support device

Abstract

Cooking support device (10) made of a refractory material, characterized in that it comprises at least one wall (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) having a lattice structure composed of said refractory material delimiting pores (6), said pores (11, 12, 13, 14, 15) representing between 10% and 90% of the total volume of said wall. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Cooking support device FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The technical field of the present invention is that of devices for high-temperature cooking of a material. More particularly, the invention relates to a cooking support device made of a refractory material, as well as its method of obtaining. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Cooking devices made of a refractory material are able to withstand extremely high temperatures, typically in excess of 2000°C, without losing their shape, mechanical strength, or chemical integrity. Refractory materials are also resistant to thermal corrosion, meaning they can withstand interaction with hot fluids or gases without degrading.

[0003] These devices such as crucibles, gazettes, supports, dishes, pillars and plates, are widely used in the ceramic, glass and heat treatment industries for a material at high temperature, generally above 1000 °C. They are particularly useful in industries using technologies requiring the thermal removal of a binder, or debinding, such as metal injection molding (MIM) and ceramic injection molding (CIM). In addition, the firing devices serve as a firing support for a material that is to be heated or fired at high temperature.

[0004] However, these devices have major drawbacks. Their manufacturing process, generally by casting or pressing, requires a significant mass which unnecessarily consumes energy during their use in firing, representing up to 50%, or even more, of the mass to be heated in the furnace. In addition, their solid or monolithic walls hinder the free circulation of hot gases to, or from, the material, which is an obstacle for processes requiring thermal debinding or heat treatments under atmosphere. In addition, these devices, often heavy, cause significant temperature heterogeneities inside the firing furnace, which is restrictive in firing processes requiring high temperature precision.

[0005] There is therefore a need to have refractory cooking supports which limit the energy consumption necessary for cooking the material, promote the circulation of gases to or from the material and allow a homogeneous distribution of the temperature inside the furnace. Statement of the invention

[0006] The invention relates to a cooking support device made of a refractory material and comprising at least one wall having a lattice structure composed of said refractory material delimiting pores, said pores representing between 10% and 90% of the total volume of said wall.

[0007] The lattice structure makes it possible to reduce the total mass of the cooking support device compared to a cooking support device having the same volume, the same material, but having a monolithic structure. Thus, the energy required to cook a material is less. In addition, the lattice structure makes it possible on the one hand to reduce the mass of the cooking support device while retaining its thermal and mechanical resistance.

[0008] In addition, the pores allow free circulation of gases through the cooking support device, whether to or from the material disposed on or in the cooking support device. In addition, this allows better control of the cooking processes of a material such as heat treatments under circulating gas and debinding.

[0009] In addition, the reduced mass of the cooking support device makes it possible to reduce its thermal inertia and therefore to accelerate the cooking cycle of the material in the oven and to reduce the temperature differences in the oven.

[0010] For example, the pores represent 12%, 15%, 18%, 20%, 23%, 28%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 75%, 80%, 85% or 90% of the total volume of the wall.

[0011] Advantageously, the pores represent between 30% and 80% of the total volume of the wall.

[0012] Increasing the percentage of volume represented by pores amounts to increasing the porosity of the wall. The more the porosity increases, the more the mass of the wall decreases and the more the thermal inertia decreases.

[0013] The inventors discovered that a porosity of 80% made it possible to provide a wall with excellent thermal and mechanical resistance, while reducing the energy required for cooking a material by 40% compared to a monolithic wall.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the pores of the lattice structure have a diameter of between 0.3 mm and 30 mm.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the invention, the diameter of the pores of the lattice structure is heterogeneous.

[0016] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the diameter of the pores of the lattice structure decreases from a first surface of the wall to a second wall surface.

[0017] Advantageously, the diameter of the pores near the first surface is between 3 mm and 30 mm, and the diameter of the pores near the second surface is between 0.3 mm and 10 mm.

[0018] The pore diameter also makes it possible to determine the thermal properties of the wall such as the thermal conductivity of the wall as well as the gas flow properties through the wall. Thus, by having a variable pore diameter, it is possible to design a wall that has regions with distinct levels of thermal conductivity or fluid flow properties.

[0019] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, at least a portion of the pores of the lattice structure define through openings from a first surface of the wall to a second surface of the wall.

[0020] This embodiment further makes it possible to create a wall which has distinct fluid circulation properties depending on the specific region of the wall. For example, the wall according to the invention may comprise: - a region promoting the passage of fluids from the material, - a region promoting the passage of fluids towards the material, and - a region preventing the passage of fluids through the wall.

[0021] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the cooking support device comprises at least one sheet made of a refractory material and at least partially covering the at least one wall.

[0022] This embodiment also makes it possible to prevent the circulation of fluid through the wall. In addition, in the event that the material becomes liquid following its cooking in the oven, the sheet makes it possible to contain it on or in the cooking support device.

[0023] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the lattice structure is a gyroid lattice structure.

[0024] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the refractory material is chosen from the group consisting of alumina, silica, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, carbo-mullite, cordierite, cordierite-mullite, boron carbide, boron nitride, hafnium oxide, graphite, ceramic composites, silico-aluminous ceramics, steatite and aluminum titanate, silicon and aluminum oxynitride, alone or as a mixture.

[0025] According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the cooking support device is obtained by additive manufacturing.

[0026] The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a cooking support device in which the cooking support device is produced by additive manufacturing.

[0027] 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, allows the creation of lattice structures, or lattice structures, three-dimensional and with significant porosity. In addition, additive manufacturing allows the geometry of structures such as density, size and shape of pores to be adapted to achieve customized characteristics.

[0028] A very first advantage of the present invention lies in the low mass of the cooking support device, thus making it possible to save energy when cooking a material in an oven.

[0029] Another advantage of the present invention lies in the reduction of the cooking time of a material in a cooking oven.

[0030] Yet another advantage lies in the improvement of the circulation of fluids in the baking oven and through the baking support device.

[0031] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the reduction of temperature differences inside the oven.

[0032] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the adaptability of the cooking support device to multiple cooking processes.

[0033] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the possibility of customizing the cooking support device.

[0034] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the possibility of creating variable and tailor-made geometries of the cooking support device.

[0035] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the low thermal inertia of the cooking support device and therefore allows better control of the cooking parameters.

[0036] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the absence of tools to obtain the cooking support device.

[0037] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the mechanical strength of the cooking support device.

[0038] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the high resistance to fining of the cooking support device.

[0039] Yet another advantage of the present invention lies in the precise control of thermal conductivity, whether over the whole or over specific areas of the cooking support device.

[0040] Yet another advantage of the present invention is the durability of the cooking support device. Brief description of the drawings

[0041] Other characteristics, advantages and details of the invention will be better understood on reading the additional description which follows in relation to the drawings in which:

[0042] [Fig.l] represents a cooking support device according to a first embodiment lization of the invention,

[0043] [Fig.2] represents a cooking support device according to a second embodiment of the invention, and

[0044] [Fig.3] represents a cooking support device according to a third embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] In the context of the present invention, the term "refractory material" means a substance having high resistance to extremely high temperatures. That is to say, these materials are capable of maintaining their structure and physical properties even when subjected to temperatures above 1000°C, or even 2000°C. The refractory material according to the invention is also resistant to thermal and chemical corrosion, which means that it can interact with hot fluids without degrading.

[0046] For example, the refractory material according to the invention comprises alumina, silica, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, carbo-mullite, cordierite, cordierite-mullite, boron carbide, boron nitride, hafnium oxide, graphite, ceramic composites, silico-aluminous ceramics, steatite or aluminum titanate, silicon and aluminum oxynitride, alone or as a mixture.

[0047] For example, the refractory material according to the invention is a refractory metal or metal alloy.

[0048] In the context of the present invention, the term "lattice structure" means a lattice structure corresponding to an assembly of intersecting segments held together so as to form a rigid and porous assembly. A lattice structure according to the invention is for example made up of one or more elementary patterns which are repeated in three directions in space, thus forming a three-dimensional network.

[0049] In the context of the present invention, a "unit unit," or unit cell, represents the smallest repeating portion of a larger structure that retains the characteristics of the entire structure. In the context of a lattice structure, the unit unit is the basic pattern that is repeated at the macroscopic scale to form the entire structure. It may be a particular arrangement of nodes and links, a specific geometric pattern, or a combination of these elements.

[0050] For example, the elementary patterns of a lattice structure are as follows: - “grid” pattern comprising a repetition of crossed lines, - “line” pattern based on a simple and linear arrangement of lines, - “rectilinear” pattern in which the lines are straight and parallel, "honeycomb" pattern based on a hexagonal cell, "cubic" pattern based on a cube-shaped cell, “concentric” pattern comprising repeating layers that share a common center. "gyroid" pattern based on a minimal gyroid surface, characterized by continuous channels without intersections, “triangles” pattern based on a triangle-shaped cell, “trihexagonal” pattern based on a network of triangles and hexagons, "cubic subdivision" pattern based on a cell comprising a cube divided into smaller cubes. “octahedral” motif forming an octahedral-shaped cell, "quarter cubic" pattern in which each cube is divided into four parts, and “Zig Zag” pattern that follows a “Z” shaped path.

[0051] Furthermore, the elementary pattern may be any elementary pattern designed to provide the lattice structure and the at least one wall with the desired thermal, mechanical and gas flow properties through the wall.

[0052] In the context of the present invention, the term "pore" means the interstitial space located between the refractory material of the lattice structure. In addition, the pores of the lattice structure define an empty space, free of refractory material, in the lattice structure.

[0053] In the context of the present invention, the term "total volume of the wall" means the volume comprising the volume of the empty space defined by the pores as well as the volume occupied by the refractory material constituting the wall.

[0054] In the context of the present invention, the term "diameter of a pore" means the measurement of the diameter of the largest theoretical circle which can be inserted inside the pore, without intersections with the walls delimited by the refractory material.

[0055] In the context of the present invention, the term "monolithic structure" means a structure without pores. Furthermore, in a monolithic wall or structure, the total volume is represented by the volume occupied by the refractory material.

[0056] In the context of the present invention, the term "additive manufacturing", or 3D printing, means a manufacturing method for creating, from digital data, a three-dimensional object or structure by adding a material layer by layer. For example, the additive manufacturing according to the invention uses stereolithography, selective laser sintering, the deposition of molten wire or granules or even powder bonding or paste extrusion. In addition, additive manufacturing makes it possible to produce complex shapes that would be difficult, or even impossible, to obtain with traditional pressing or molding methods. In addition, additive manufacturing allows for reduced material requirements, as only the necessary amounts of material are added to create the structure.

[0057] In addition, additive manufacturing does not require molds to obtain the cooking support device. This reduces the costs and manufacturing time of the cooking support device. This also allows the design of the cooking support device to be customized.

[0058] As described above, the invention relates to a cooking support device made of a refractory material. The device comprises at least one wall having a lattice structure composed of the refractory material delimiting pores. The pores represent between 10% and 90% of the total volume of said wall.

[0059] [Fig.l] represents a cooking support device according to a first embodiment of the invention. In this first embodiment, the cooking support device 1 is represented by a cooking plate 1.

[0060] The cooking plate 1 is entirely made of a refractory material such as alumina, silica, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, carbo-mullite, cordierite, cordierite-mullite, boron carbide, boron nitride, hafnium oxide, graphite, ceramic composites, silicon and aluminum oxynitride, silico-aluminous ceramics, steatite and / or aluminum titanate.

[0061] The cooking plate 1 comprises a wall 2 having a heterogeneous lattice structure. The lattice structure is present over the entire wall 2 of the cooking plate 1. The lattice structure is composed of the refractory material delimiting pores 3. The lattice structure is a gyroid lattice structure. The gyroid pattern makes it possible to increase the porosity of the wall 2 of the cooking plate 1 while conferring good mechanical and thermal resistance to the cooking plate 1.

[0062] In this first embodiment, the pores 3 represent 60% of the total volume of the cooking plate 1. The refractory material represents 40% of the total volume of the cooking plate 1.

[0063] The diameter of the pores 3 is constant in the cooking plate 1 and is between 0.3 mm and 30 mm, preferably 3 mm. The diameter of the pores 3 is adaptable according to the desired properties of the cooking plate 1 such as the thermal conductivity, the gas circulation properties as well as the size of the particles of material resting on the cooking plate 1.

[0064] The wall 2 of the cooking plate 1 has a predetermined thickness and length depending on the desired properties of the cooking plate 1. Furthermore, the wall has a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a third surface, a fourth surface opposite the third surface, a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface.

[0065] According to a preferred embodiment of the cooking plate 1, the material to be cooked rests on the first surface of the wall 2 of the cooking plate 1, the second surface being in contact with the oven or an element of the oven.

[0066] At least a portion of the pores 3 of the cooking plate 1 define through openings from a first surface of the wall 2 to a second surface of the wall 2. This allows free circulation of gases through the cooking plate 1.

[0067] According to one embodiment of the invention, the cooking plate 1 is made in one piece. The cooking plate 1 is for example obtained by additive manufacturing.

[0068] Furthermore, the cooking plate 1 makes it possible to support the material to be cooked in a cooking oven (not shown in [Fig.l]). The material rests for example on the cooking plate 1. Thus, when cooking the material in the oven, the energy required for its cooking is reduced due to the particular design of the cooking plate 1. In addition, the lattice structure, due to the presence of pores 3, allows free circulation of gases through the cooking plate 1.

[0069] [Fig.2] represents a cooking support device according to a second mode of embodiment of the invention. In this second embodiment, the cooking support device 1 is represented by a crucible 10.

[0070] The crucible 10 is entirely made of a refractory material such as alumina, silica, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, carbo-mullite, cordierite, cordierite-mullite, boron carbide, boron nitride, hafnium oxide, graphite, ceramic composites, silicon and aluminum oxynitride, silico-aluminous ceramics, steatite and / or aluminum titanate.

[0071] The crucible 10 comprises a first wall 11, a second wall 12, a third wall 13, a fourth wall 14 and a fifth wall 15. The first wall 11 is intended on the one hand to receive the material to be fired and, on the other hand, to rest on the furnace or an element of the furnace (not shown in [Fig. 2]). The second wall 12, the third wall 13, the fourth wall 14 and the fifth wall 15 are each connected to the first wall 11, preferably at the sides of the first wall 11. The second wall 12, the third wall 13, the fourth wall 14 and the fifth wall 15 are oriented along an axis substantially perpendicular to the first wall 11. The second wall 12, the third wall 13, the fourth wall 14 and the fifth wall 15 are also connected to each other.

[0072] The side walls represented by walls 12 to 15 also make it possible to protect the material to be cooked from the radiation of the oven resistors.

[0073] In this second embodiment of the invention, all the walls 11 to 15 have a lattice structure. However, it is possible to provide a crucible 10 comprising a single wall 10 to 15 having a lattice structure, the rest of the walls 10 to 15 having a monolithic structure. Alternatively, the junctions between the walls 11 to 15 have a monolithic structure so as to increase the mechanical resistance of the crucible 10.

[0074] The lattice structure is composed of the refractory material delimiting pores 16. The lattice structure is a gyroid lattice structure. The gyroid pattern makes it possible to increase the porosity of the walls 11 to 15 of the crucible 10 while conferring good mechanical and thermal resistance to the crucible 10.

[0075] In this second embodiment, the pores 16 represent 80% of the total volume of the walls 11 to 15 and therefore of the crucible 10. The refractory material represents 20% of the total volume of the walls 11 to 15 and therefore of the crucible 10.

[0076] Alternatively, the pores 16 of each wall 11 to 15 of the crucible 10 represent a volume different from the total volume of each wall 11 to 15 so that the crucible 10 has different mechanical and thermal properties depending on the wall 11 to 15.

[0077] The diameter of the pores 16 is constant in the crucible 10 and is between 0.3 mm and 30 mm, preferably 4 mm. The diameter of the pores 16 is adaptable according to the desired properties of the crucible 10 such as the thermal conductivity, the gas circulation properties as well as the size of the particles of material resting on the crucible 10.

[0078] Alternatively, each wall 11 to 15 of the crucible has a different pore diameter 16 so that the crucible 10 has different mechanical and thermal properties depending on the wall 11 to 15.

[0079] Each wall 11 to 15 of the crucible 10 has a predetermined thickness and length depending on the desired properties of the crucible 10. Furthermore, each wall 11 to 15 has a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, a third surface, a fourth surface opposite the third surface, a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite the fifth surface.

[0080] According to a preferred embodiment of the crucible 10, the material to be fired rests on the first surface of the wall 11 of the crucible 10, the second surface of the wall 11 of the crucible 10 being in contact with the furnace or an element of the furnace.

[0081] At least a portion of the pores 16 of the crucible 10 define through openings from a first surface of the wall 11 to 15 to a second surface of the wall 10 to 15. This allows free circulation of gases through the crucible 10.

[0082] According to one embodiment of the invention, the crucible 10 is made in one piece. The crucible 10 is for example obtained by additive manufacturing.

[0083] Furthermore, the crucible 10 makes it possible to support a material to be fired in a firing oven (not shown in [Fig. 1]). The material is for example arranged in the crucible 10 and rests on the first wall 11. Thus, during firing of the material in the oven, the energy required for its cooking is reduced due to the particular design of the crucible 10. In addition, the lattice structure of the walls 11 to 15, due to the presence of the pores 16, allows free circulation of gases through the crucible 10.

[0084] [Fig. 3] represents a cooking support device according to a third embodiment of the invention. In this third embodiment, the cooking support device 1 is represented by the crucible 10 according to the second embodiment to which a sheet 17 is added.

[0085] The sheet 17 is made of a refractory material and at least partially covers a first surface of the walls 11 to 15. Furthermore, the sheet 17 is arranged inside the crucible 10 and is integral with the walls 11 to 15. The sheet 17 has a monolithic structure.

[0086] The sheet 17 makes it possible to obtain a solid wall surface 11 to 15 so as to allow the melting of the material to be fired, the firing of powdery materials, and to prevent the flow of the material through the pores 16 of the crucible 10. The sheet also makes it possible to protect the material to be fired from the radiation of the resistors and thus reduce the temperature differences. Preferably, the sheet 17 has a reduced thickness so as not to weigh down the crucible 10. For example, the sheet 17 has a thickness of between 0.3 mm and 10 mm, preferably 1 mm.

[0087] The sheet 17 can also be used in combination with the cooking plate 1 of the first embodiment of the invention.

[0088] In all embodiments of the invention, the diameter of the pores 3 and 16 of the lattice structure may be heterogeneous. The diameter of the pores 3 and 16 further makes it possible to determine the thermal properties of the walls 2 and 11 to 15 such as the thermal conductivity as well as the gas circulation properties through the walls 2 and 11 to 15. Thus, by having a variable pore diameter 3, 16, it is possible to design walls 2 and 11 to 15 which have regions with distinct levels of thermal conductivity or fluid circulation properties.

[0089] For example, the diameter of the pores 3, 16 of the lattice structure decreases from a first surface of the wall 2 and 11 to 15 towards a second surface of the wall 2 and 11 to 15. Thus, the diameter of the pores near the first surface of the wall 2 and 11 to 15 may be between 3 mm and 30 mm. The diameter of the pores 3, 16 near the second surface of the wall 2 and 11 to 15 may be between 0.3 mm and 10 mm.

[0090] In the same way, the pores 3 and 16 can have a different orientation in the walls 2 and 11 to 15 so as to allow, prohibit or deflect the radiation from the resistors.

[0091] The invention also relates to a method for obtaining a cooking support device 1, 10 according to the invention by additive manufacturing, or 3D printing.

[0092] Additive manufacturing makes it possible to generate porous lattice structures comprising pores. In addition, this makes it possible to reduce the mass of the cooking support device while allowing good circulation of gases through the cooking support device.

[0093] In addition, additive manufacturing requires only a single manufacturing system, which reduces costs and accelerates the manufacturing cycle of the cooking support device.

[0094] In addition, additive manufacturing makes it possible to generate a wide range of lattice structures, just like a monolithic structure and therefore to adapt the general geometry of the cooking support device 1, 10 to different uses. Thus, additive manufacturing allows precise control of the intrinsic characteristics of the generated cooking support device 1, 10 such as density, mass, gas circulation properties, thermal conductivity, fining, thermal resistance, mechanical strength and thermal inertia.

[0095] In addition, different additive manufacturing technologies can be used, including stereolithography (SLA), DLP (Digital Light Processing), FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication), FGF (Fused Granule Fabrication), extrusion, powder bonding and SLS (Selective Laser Sintering).

[0096] Furthermore, the additive manufacturing technology suitable for producing the cooking support device 1, 10 is chosen as a function of the refractory material used, the dimension of the cooking support device 1, 10, the lattice structure(s) of the cooking support device 1, 10, the geometry of the pores 3, 16, the lattice structure(s) and the quantity of refractory material necessary to obtain the cooking support device 1, 10.

[0097] A digital model of the cooking support device 1, 10 is first designed based on the desired properties of the cooking support device 1, 10. Furthermore, the digital model is customizable and adaptable to the end use of the cooking support device 1, 10.

[0098] The refractory material adapted to the thermal environment that the cooking support device 1, 10 will undergo is determined, such as, for example, the cooking time, the maximum cooking temperature and the temperature rise and fall cycles.

[0099] The refractory material may be in the form of filaments, granules or pastes. In addition, the refractory material consists of a mixture of refractory material powder and polymers. For example, the refractory material used for additive manufacturing comprises 50% by volume of refractory material powder.

[0100] For example, the refractory material used for additive manufacturing is represented by: - a ceramic powder, and / or - a plastic ceramic paste containing between 20% and 30% humidity, as well as organic additives.

[0101] Once the digital model and the refractory material have been determined, digital simulations are carried out in order to determine the optimal lattice structure of the at least one wall of the cooking support device 1, 10.

[0102] Thus, the digital model resulting from the previous steps integrates all the desired characteristics of the cooking support device 1, 10 capable of being produced by additive manufacturing. In addition, the digital model defines: - the maximum and minimum thicknesses of the wall(s) of the cooking support device 1, 10, - constraints linked to maximum overhangs, - the location, if applicable, of the printing media, - the density or porosity, between 10% and 90%, of the lattice structures present, - the dimension of the pores 3, 16 b of the lattice structure, and - the geometry of the lattice structures, and - the location, where appropriate, of monolithic structures, free of pores, in the cooking support device 1, 10. The monolithic structures also make it possible to increase the mechanical resistance to compression, friction and shocks of the cooking support device 1, 10.

[0103] The cooking support device 1, 10 is then generated by additive manufacturing using one or more additive manufacturing techniques as defined previously.

[0104] Once the firing support device 1, 10 is generated, it is optionally subjected to debinding and drying processes, or other preparation procedures preceding firing.

[0105] The debinding can be carried out thermally, where the cooking support device 1, 10 is exposed to a thermal cycle ranging from a few hours to a few days, reaching maximum temperatures between 300 and 1000°C.

[0106] Alternatively, the debinding can be carried out chemically or aqueously. In this case, the cooking support device 1, 10 is immersed in a solvent or in water, at room temperature or according to a thermal cycle extending over a few hours to a few days, reaching temperatures of 40 to 90 °C. This can be carried out under a normal atmosphere, under pressure or under vacuum.

[0107] Debinding can also be carried out in a gaseous atmosphere and under pressure.

[0108] Drying is specifically used for water-based pastes. It involves a cycle that can last from a few hours to a few days, with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 90°C.

[0109] Finally, the firing support device 1, 10 may be subjected to a firing process in a furnace, reaching temperatures of up to 2200°C, or even higher than 2200°C. This process, known as sintering, follows a specific pattern comprising temperature rise phases, stable temperature stages and temperature fall phases.

[0110] The sintering cycles can extend over a period of a few hours to several days. This duration is determined by factors such as the maximum sintering temperature, the type of refractory material used, the dimensions of the firing support device 1, 10, its design, the type of lattice structure, as well as the density or porosity of the lattice structures.

[0111] The atmosphere in which the sintering takes place is determined according to the type of refractory material used for the firing support device 1, 10. This may be a normal atmosphere, a vacuum environment, or a specific gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation of certain materials, such as carbides or nitrides.

[0112] In addition, the baking support device 1, 10 may undergo mechanical finishing operations, such as deburring, removal of printing supports and machining.

[0113] The firing support device 1, 10 according to the invention is particularly suitable for firing material at high temperature, above 1000°C. Furthermore, any material intended to be fired or undergo calcination can be supported by the firing support device 1, 10. For example, the material can be hydroxides of aluminum or other metals, pigmentary oxides, glasses, gold or other metals and ceramic powders.

[0114] The cooking support device 1, 10 can also be used to fix and support cooking oven elements such as resistors.

Claims

Claims

1. Cooking support device (1, 10) made of a refractory material, characterized in that it comprises at least one wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) having a lattice structure composed of said refractory material delimiting pores (3, 16), said pores (3, 16) representing between 10% and 90% of the total volume of said wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pores (3, 16) of the lattice structure have a diameter of between 0.3 mm and 30 mm.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the diameter of the pores (3, 16) of the lattice structure is heterogeneous.

4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diameter of the pores (3, 16) of the lattice structure decreases from a first surface of the wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) towards a second surface of the wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that: - the diameter of the pores (3, 16) near the first surface is between 3 mm and 30 mm, and - the diameter of the pores (3, 16) near the second surface is between 0.3 mm and 10 mm.

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a portion of the pores (3, 16) of the lattice structure defines through openings from a first surface of the wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) to a second surface of the wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one sheet (17) made of a refractory material and covering at least in part the at least one wall (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lattice structure is a gyroid lattice structure.

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refractory material is chosen from the group consisting of alumina, silica, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, mullite, carbo-mullite, cordierite, cordierite-mullite, boron carbide, boron nitride, hafnium oxide, graphite, ceramic composites, alumino-silicon ceramics, steatite and aluminum titanate, silicon and aluminum oxynitride, alone or in mixture.

10. Method of manufacturing a cooking support device (1, 10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is produced by additive manufacturing.

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