Food preparation equipment with inner lid

Abstract

The food preparation utensil comprises a housing (10), a work bowl (13) defining a workspace (100) designed to receive food to be cooked, a main lid (20) that can be moved between an open position and a closed position to open and close said workspace (100), respectively, and at least one inner lid (210) designed to be reversibly attached to said main lid (20), said inner lid (210) comprising at least one handling interface that allows a user to grip or hold said inner lid (210), wherein said handling interface of said inner lid (210) attached to said main lid (20) is at least partially disposed outside said workspace (100) when said main lid (20) is in a closed position. (Representative diagram) Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to food preparation equipment (e.g., appliances or food processors used to prepare food, in other words, appliances or food processors used to enable mixing, cutting, grating, blending, kneading, etc., and / or with or without pressure, and / or with or without steam, and / or boiling). [Background technology]

[0002] Food preparation appliances in the prior art generally include a housing having a work bowl contained within or on the housing to define a work space, and a main lid that can typically be moved between an open position and a closed position to at least partially open or close the work space. Thus, in the closed position, the lid brings the food preparation appliance into a working configuration that allows a particular recipe to be made or a work operation to be performed. Additional accessories, such as inner lids that can be attached to or coupled with the main lid of the food preparation appliance, that provide additional cooking options, can be included. However, the configuration operation can be cumbersome and complicated, especially when the user needs to remove the inner lid for recipe purposes and the lid is hot. If such an inner lid is attached or removed while still hot and / or soiled with cooking residues or deposits, usability and / or ergonomics may be reduced. In particular, if the appliance is used to heat and / or cook food and a subsequent operation or recipe requires the inner lid to be replaced, the user must handle the hot inner lid, exposing them to potential burns. Otherwise, the user would have to wait for the lid to cool before being able to perform the operation without injury, all of which would have a negative impact on the user experience and / or ergonomics, and / or user safety. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] One of the objectives of the present disclosure may be to address the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art, and in particular, to first provide a versatile food preparation appliance that can be easily, safely, and quickly configured. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] To this end, one aspect of the present disclosure is -housing, a work bowl defining a work space designed to receive the food to be cooked; a main lid that can be moved between an open position and a closed position to respectively open and close the workspace; at least one inner lid designed to be reversibly attached to the main lid and comprising at least one handling interface allowing a user to grip or hold the inner lid; and wherein a handling interface of an inner lid attached to the main lid is at least partially positioned outside the workspace when the main lid is in a closed position, and / or a handling interface of an inner lid attached to the main lid is at least partially positioned outside the general shell of the housing.

[0005] According to the above embodiment, the inner lid handling interface is located outside the working space, i.e., in the ambient atmosphere around the working bowl, or even around the food preparation utensil. As a result, during cooking or heating, the handling interface is not directly exposed to the heat in the bowl, so that the temperature of the handling interface remains close to the temperature of the room in which the food preparation utensil is located. Thus, even if the main lid is opened immediately after a cooking or heating cycle, it is possible to handle the inner lid without risk of burns to the user, since the handling interface is clean and free of cooking splashes.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the handling interface may comprise at least one handle, preferably two handles.

[0007] According to one embodiment, the handling interface (and / or one handle) of the inner lid attached to the main lid has a gripping portion that is positioned at least 2 cm, preferably at least 3 cm, outside the workspace when the main lid is in the closed position, and / or the handling interface (and / or one handle) of the inner lid attached to the main lid has a gripping portion that is positioned at least 2 cm, preferably at least 3 cm, outside the general shell of the housing.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may comprise means for locking the inner lid to the main lid. The inner lid is thus held in place on the main lid by the means for locking the inner lid to the main lid.

[0009] According to one embodiment the inner lid locking means can be arranged on the handling interface, the ergonomics being enhanced with the inner lid locking means being close to or even at the same height as the handling interface.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the inner lid locking means may be located outside the workspace and / or outside the general shell of the housing.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the inner lid locking means comprises: - two locking devices arranged on either side of one of the inner lid and the main lid; - two counterforms facing each other of the locking devices of the inner and main lids respectively. Each locking device may comprise a latch or hook movable between a release position (where the inner lid can be freely removed from the main lid) and an engagement position with the counterform (where the inner lid cannot be freely removed from the main lid). Recoil means may be provided to return the latch or hook to the engagement position. A sliding or tilting movement of the latch or hook between the release and engagement positions may be considered.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the main lid may comprise a lid frame, and the two counter forms on opposite sides of each locking device may be formed by rims on the lid frame. Such rims or ridges also serve to stiffen the part.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may comprise a device for locking the main lid to the housing and / or the working bowl. Such a device for locking the main lid to the housing and / or the working bowl allows for fixing the closed position even when the working space is pressurized for pressure cooking with, for example, steam.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the inner lid comprises at least one radial bracket supporting at least one handling interface and the main lid locking device can be moved between: a main lid unlocked position in which the main lid can be freely moved between its open position and its closed position; a main lid locking position, in which the main lid can be locked in its closed position; And the main lid locking device may comprise at least one through opening provided to allow passage of said at least one radial bracket, said through opening forming a handling interface outside the working space that is compatible with a main lid lock of a working bowl or housing to ensure closure of the working space.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the main lid locking device may comprise a rotatable locking ring with locking teeth arranged to mate with the housing and / or work bowl when the locking device is in the locked position, and at least one through opening may be provided between two of the locking teeth.

[0016] According to one embodiment, in one direction of movement between the main lid locked position and the main lid unlocked position, the through opening can have a passage size equal to or greater than the size of the at least one radial bracket added to the range of movement of the main lid locking device between the main lid unlocked position and the main lid locked position.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the main lid locking device can be designed to move between a main lid unlocked position and a main lid locked position following a rotation about the axial direction of the work bowl, with a rotation of about 40° or 20° being considered.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the inner lid may comprise sealing means designed to allow pressure cooking in the working space closed by the main lid attached to the inner lid. The lip seal may for example be provided in a polymeric and / or synthetic material.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the sealing means can be disposed between the working bowl attached to the main lid in the closed position and the inner lid, which simplifies the construction by sealing directly between the working bowl and the inner lid, rather than between the working bowl and the main lid.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the inner lid may be equipped with pressure control means designed to open a pressure relief valve if the pressure in the workspace is equal to or greater than the working pressure. Typically, a workspace pressure control valve and a safety valve may be provided to prevent overpressurization in the workspace.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the main lid may comprise a lid heating means designed to heat food received in the working space when the inner lid is removed from the main lid. Such heating means makes it possible to provide the user with additional options for cooking and / or heating food. Modular use is enhanced.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may be provided with a safety device designed to prevent operation of the lid heating means when the inner lid is attached to the main lid and / or when the main lid is in an open position. Such a safety device may be designed to interrupt the power circuit to the heating means to prevent any inadvertent operation, particularly when the inner lid is in place and / or the main lid is not correctly attached. However, the heating means may be provided in the inner lid.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the main lid in a closed position may be arranged to at least partially close the workspace.

[0024] Another object of the present disclosure may be to provide a versatile food preparation appliance having working configurations that allow for creating a wide variety of recipes and / or performing working operations.

[0025] To this end, another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a food cooking appliance comprising a housing, a work bowl defining a work space designed to receive food to be cooked, a main lid movable between open and closed positions to at least partially open and close the work space, and a control unit designed to execute a plurality of predefined food cooking programs, wherein the food cooking appliance has a plurality of working configurations, at least one working configuration being defined by a reversible coupling of the main lid to an inner lid selected between a first inner lid equipped with sealing means and / or pressure control means, e.g. to enable the execution of a pressure cooking program, and a second inner lid equipped with ventilation and / or heating means, e.g. to enable the execution of a food cooking program by forced convection heating, each working configuration may be characterized as being at least one predefined food cooking program of said plurality of predefined food cooking programs.

[0026] According to the above embodiments, the food cooking appliance can be reversibly fitted with an inner lid (i.e. a secondary or accessory lid) to put it into a specific working configuration, thus providing a variety of different or specific uses. Thus, a first leak-proof inner lid can be provided for pressure cooking. A second inner lid can be provided with heating and / or ventilation means, providing a convection cooking cycle using hot air circulation (cooking fried foods without frying them, i.e. using little or no oil).

[0027] In other words, one aspect of the present disclosure is -housing, a work bowl defining a work space designed to receive the food to be cooked; The food preparation apparatus may include a main lid that can be moved between an open position and a closed position to at least partially open and close a workspace, the food preparation apparatus comprising at least two inner lids, each of which is designed to be reversibly coupled to one of the housing and the main lid; which, in cooperation with the main lid in the closed position, provides a predetermined closure of the workspace to enable the execution of a predetermined food preparation program.

[0028] In other words, one aspect of the present disclosure is -housing, a work bowl defining a work space designed to receive the food to be cooked; a main lid that can be moved between an open position and a closed position to at least partially open and close the workspace; - a control unit designed to execute a plurality of predetermined food cooking programs; The present invention relates to a food preparation apparatus comprising: a food preparation apparatus including: a food preparation apparatus having at least two inner lids each designed to be reversibly coupled to one of the housing and the main lid so as to enable execution of a predetermined food preparation program from among a plurality of predetermined food preparation programs.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the at least one working configuration is defined by a reversible coupling of one of the housing and the main lid to a third inner lid equipped with a feed chute, so as to enable the execution of a food cooking program, for example by mechanical processing of the food to be prepared.

[0030] This feed chute (through the main lid) makes it possible to provide the user with working tools (cutting tools, mixers, choppers, etc.) that can be used safely. Of course, other inner lids can also be considered for other uses. In any case, the food preparation equipment is easy to use, since the reversible coupling also makes it possible to limit the complexity with inner lids dedicated to one type of food preparation.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the first inner lid comprises: -Safety valves, and / or -A sealing gasket designed to fit around the rim of the work bowl, and / or - Opening and closing safety features, and / or - A pressure control valve may be provided. The structural elements required for pressure cooking may be combined in the first inner lid, simplifying the structure of the rest of the food cooking appliance.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the second inner lid can comprise at least a heating means, such as a heating coil, and / or a fan, and / or at least one air inlet and / or steam outlet, and / or an observation window, and / or a secondary mechanical drive connection interface for connecting the fan to a drive unit on the food preparation appliance, and / or a secondary electrical connection interface for connecting the heating means to a power supply on the food preparation appliance. Structural elements required for convection or hot air cooking in the work bowl (e.g. for cooking French fries without frying) can be combined in the second inner lid, simplifying the structure of the rest of the food preparation appliance. It is also possible that the drive unit is integrated in the second lid, which comprises a second secondary electrical connection interface for connecting the drive unit.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the third inner lid can at least comprise a secondary mechanical drive connection interface for connecting a movable working tool with a drive unit on the food preparation appliance and / or a through hole for a movable working tool. Since the structural elements required for mechanical food processing (chopper, knife, press or cutting disk attached to the work bowl) are combined in the third inner lid (together with the feed chute), the structure of the remaining food preparation appliance can be simplified. It is also possible that the drive unit is integrated in the third lid, which comprises a second secondary electrical connection interface for connecting the drive unit.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the secondary mechanical drive connection interface may include a pinion, preferably conical, or a drive sprocket or U-fork, or a magnetic coupling.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the main lid may at least comprise a top drive motor, preferably with a top drive shaft, and / or a top electrical connection interface, and / or a free window, and / or at least one air inlet and / or one air / steam vent, and / or a sensor, such as a temperature sensor, a thermal safety device, and / or an articulation system on the housing, such as a hinge, and / or a device for locking the main lid on the housing and / or on the working bowl. Furthermore, the main lid may be removable. According to these embodiments, the main lid is designed to accommodate any type of inner lid, whereby the basic structure of the food preparation appliance is ready for any type of food preparation.

[0036] Alternatively, the top drive motor can be housed in the second inner lid.

[0037] In either case, the main lid may include a mechanical interface for coupling to the inner lid and / or may include at least one actuator (e.g., a motor) for cooperating with a structure (e.g., a fan) on the inner lid.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the main lid locking device comprises: a main lid unlocked position in which the main lid is free to move between its open and closed positions; a main lid locking position, in which the main lid is locked in its closed position; A lug or hook-on interface may typically be provided on the housing and may include a sliding latch on the main lid that can engage and disengage with the lug or hook-on interface.

[0039] According to one embodiment, a pressure control valve on the first inner lid can be designed to mate with an air / steam vent on the main lid.

[0040] According to one embodiment, at least one air inlet and / or steam vent on the second inner lid can be designed to engage with an air inlet and / or air / steam vent on the main lid, and / or an observation window on the second inner lid can be designed to engage with or be opposite a free window on the main lid, and / or a secondary mechanical drive connection interface on the second inner lid can be designed to engage with or be opposite an upper drive motor on the main lid, and / or a secondary electrical connection interface on the second inner lid can be designed to engage with or be opposite an upper electrical connection interface on the main lid.

[0041] According to one embodiment, the feed chute on the third inner lid can be designed to engage or oppose a free window on the main lid (to pass through the main lid), and / or the secondary mechanical drive connection interface on the third inner lid can be designed to engage or oppose a top drive motor on the main lid, and / or the through hole on the third inner lid can be designed to engage or oppose a top drive motor on the main lid.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may include an inner lid locking means on one of the housing and the main lid.

[0043] In another example, the main lid locking device may comprise at least one cover arranged to at least partially cover the inner lid locking means when the main lid locking device is in the main lid locked position, thus preventing operation of the inner lid locking means when the main lid is in the closed and locked position.

[0044] According to one embodiment the food preparation appliance may comprise heating and / or cooking means.

[0045] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may include at least one movable work tool and / or a lower motor for rotating the movable work tool. Typically, the lower motor may be accommodated in the housing and a through hole may be provided in the work bowl for a drive member, drive shaft, or part of the work tool.

[0046] According to one embodiment the food preparation appliance may comprise steam generating means, preferably pressurized steam generating means. Water storage and heating means may be provided.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may be equipped with at least one human machine interface designed to enable the selection of a food preparation program.

[0048] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may be equipped with detection and / or verification means designed to detect or verify the inner lid and / or the type of inner lid.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may be configured with detection and / or qualification means designed to detect or qualify an inner lid and / or type of inner lid, and the control unit is designed to provide a suitable control interface for configuring the appliance depending on the detected and / or qualified inner lid, e.g. a recipe program filtered from a recipe library.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may be equipped with control means designed to execute a food preparation program.

[0051] According to one embodiment, the inner lid can be designed to reversibly mate with the main lid.

[0052] Another object of the present disclosure may be to provide a versatile food preparation appliance that can be easily, safely, and quickly configured.

[0053] To this end, another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for producing a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising: -housing, a work bowl defining a work space designed to receive the food to be cooked; a main lid which can be moved between an open position and a closed position to at least partially open and close the workspace, respectively; at least one inner lid designed to be reversibly attached to the main lid, - means for locking the inner lid to the main lid; and wherein the means for locking the inner lid to the main lid is arranged outside the working space.

[0054] According to the above embodiment, the food preparation appliance comprises at least one removable inner lid, which allows at least one configuration for a specific recipe or food preparation. The inner lid can be reversibly coupled to the main lid, and the means for locking the inner lid to the main lid are located outside the working space, thereby making the food preparation appliance easier to use. This means that cooking and / or preparation steps can be performed quickly using different lids, and there is no risk of the user burning himself when removing the inner lid, which may still be hot or dirty, when handling areas of the inner lid that may have been splashed.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the inner lid locking means is arranged on the outside of the main lid.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the work bowl comprises a side wall arranged between the work space and the inner lid locking means.

[0057] According to one embodiment the inner lid locking means is separated from the working space by at least one partition on the working bowl and / or at least one partition on the housing and / or at least one partition on the main lid.

[0058] According to one embodiment, the inner lid locking means comprises: at least one locking device having a movable latch disposed on one of the inner lid and the main lid, the movable latch being movable between a locked position in which the inner lid can be locked to the main lid and an unlocked position in which the inner lid can be freely attached or detached to the main lid; and at least one counterform disposed on the other of the inner lid and the main lid, the counterform engaging with the movable latch in the locked position to lock the inner lid to the main lid.

[0059] According to one embodiment, the latch device may include a control trigger designed to be actuated by a user and connected to the movable latch, making the locking mechanism easier to use.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the locking device may comprise a frame formed on said one of the inner lid and the main lid.

[0061] According to one embodiment, the control trigger can be slidably mounted within the frame. Installation is simple and intuitive to use. The trigger can be easily pulled and slid.

[0062] According to one embodiment, the inner lid locking means comprises a handling interface designed to allow a user to hold the inner lid.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the handling interface consists of a portion of the control trigger and a portion of the frame sandwiched together.

[0064] According to one embodiment, the movable latch may be pivotally attached to said one of the inner lid and the main lid. Easy to assemble.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the latch device may comprise at least one resilient member, such as a spring, designed to urge the movable latch into the locked position. The return to the locked position is automatic, making the locking means easy to use.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the movable latch and / or the counterform may include at least one ramp or lead-in chamfer to facilitate automatic movement of the movable latch to the unlocked position upon attachment of the inner lid to the main lid, such that automatic attachment of the inner lid causes the movable latch to move to the unlocked position, facilitating use of the locking means.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the locking device may be lug-like or handle-like on said one of the inner lid and the main lid, which allows for easy handling.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the food preparation device comprises: - two locking devices arranged on either side of said one of said inner lids and said main lid; - Two counter forms may be provided, each facing the opposite side of each locking device of the other of the inner lid and the main lid.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the main lid may be equipped with a device for locking the main lid to the housing and / or the work bowl.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the main lid locking device comprises: a main lid unlocked position in which the main lid can move freely between its open position and its closed position; a main lid locking position, in which the main lid can be locked in its closed position; and the main lid locking device may comprise at least one cover arranged to at least partially cover the inner lid locking means when the main lid locking device is in the main lid locked position, thus preventing operation of the inner lid locking means when the main lid is in the closed and locked position.

[0071] According to one variant, the main lid locking device can move either rotationally or translationally.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the food preparation appliance may comprise an inner lid guide means designed to guide the inner lid into a mounting position on the main lid.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the inner lid guide means can be designed to guide the counterform towards the movable latch. A flared groove can be provided to gradually guide the counterform. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0074] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure, given as non-limiting examples and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a general isometric view of a first variant of the food preparation device, consisting of a housing and a main lid. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view from below of the main cover of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 is a detail from FIG. 2 showing the means for locking the inner lid to the main lid. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 1 showing a main lid in a closed position on the housing enclosing a work space defined by a work bowl on the housing. [Diagram 5] 2 is a bottom view of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 1 with a work bowl without a housing, showing a device for locking the main lid to the housing and / or work bowl in an unlocked position; [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a view of FIG. 5 showing a device for locking the main lid to the housing and / or work bowl in a locked position. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second variation of the food preparation device, consisting of a housing, an open main lid, and three inner lids that can mate with the main lid. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective top view of the food preparation device of FIG. 7 with the main lid closed. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a perspective top view of the main lid of the food preparation device of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the main lid of the food preparation device of FIG. [Figure 11] 8 is a bottom perspective view of a first inner cover of the food preparation device of FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 8 is a perspective top view of a second inner cover of the food preparation device of FIG. 7. [Figure 13] 8 is a bottom perspective view of a second inner cover of the food preparation device of FIG. 7. [Figure 14] FIG. 8 is a perspective top view of a third inner cover of the food preparation device of FIG. 7. [Figure 15] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a device for locking an inner lid to a main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 8 is another view of the device for locking the inner lid to the main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. [Figure 17] 8 shows a first variant of a drive unit that can be housed in the main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. [Figure 18] 8 shows a second variant of a drive unit that can be housed in the main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. [Figure 19] 8 shows a third variant of a drive unit that can be housed in the main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0075] 1 is a schematic isometric view of a food preparation appliance comprising a housing 10 and a main lid 20 covering the housing 10. The food preparation appliance comprises a work bowl 13 (shown in FIG. 4) contained in the housing 10 for preparing and cooking food.

[0076] For example, the cooking appliance may be a pressure cooker, a rice cooker, or a cooking appliance capable of combining several cooking modes. The food cooking appliance may comprise heating means in the housing 10 and / or in the main lid 20 for heating and / or cooking the food received in the working bowl 13, a pressure cooking program may be provided, a hot air and / or convection cooking program may be provided directly in the working bowl 13, a cooking program may be provided by heating the walls of the working bowl 13. Optionally, working means (knives, rotating choppers, mixing or kneading paddles, etc.) may be provided in the working bowl 13.

[0077] The housing 10 includes, among other things, a base 13, a human-machine interface 12 for controlling the food preparation appliance, and a side wall 11 to which a housing handle cover 111 is attached. The main lid 20 itself comprises a top wall 221 to which a lid handle cover 224 is attached. As can be seen in Figure 1, the main lid 20 comprises a ventilation grid at its top as an air intake and / or to exhaust hot air and / or cooking steam. Other openings may be provided in the main lid 20.

[0078] To enable the various cooking modes described above, the main lid 20 may be equipped with a removable inner lid. In particular, several removable inner lids may be provided, each designed to couple to the main lid 20 to provide a particular cooking mode or a particular configuration. As shown in FIG. 2, the main lid 20 includes, in particular, a lid called a frame 220 and an inner lid 210 that can be removed with respect to the lid frame 220. However, one or more particular cooking modes can also be enabled by the main lid 20 without the inner lid 210.

[0079] The lid frame 220 comprises in particular a top wall 221 provided with a lid handle cover 224 , a lid heating means 223 , a toothed locking ring 222 and a catch or counterform 225 .

[0080] In this example, an inner lid 210 is provided to configure the food cooking appliance to provide a pressure cooking program. The inner lid 210 includes, among other things, a main wall 217, a pressure control means 214, a sealing means (gasket 213), and a handling interface formed, in this case, by a handle 221 connected to the main wall 217 by a radial bracket 216. The handle 211 has a trigger 212.

[0081] 3, the trigger 212 is formed in a single piece with a latch 215 and is housed in the handle 211 with a sliding connection, and a spring 218 urges the latch 215 towards the inside of the food preparation appliance. The latch 215 is meant to be opposite a counterform 225 on the lid frame 220, facilitating the locking or unlocking of the inner lid 210 on the main lid 20 (via the lid frame 220) by sliding the trigger 212 within the handle 211.

[0082] 2 and 3 show the inner lid 210 separated from the lid frame 210, while FIG. 4 shows the inner lid 210 installed and locked to the lid frame 210.

[0083] Indeed, Figure 4 shows the main lid 20 attached to the housing 10. The cross-sectional view of Figure 4 shows the work bowl 13, housed for example in an outer bowl forming the side wall 11, fixed in or on the housing 10 and covered by the main wall 217, defining the work space 100. Alternatively or additionally, a double-walled work bowl can be provided.

[0084] In FIG. 4, it can be seen that the main lid 20 also comprises ventilation means 226, typically comprising a motor for rotating a fan with blades or with fan vanes or louvers, and arranged above the lid heating means 223. In this FIG. 4, the inner lid 210 is coupled and locked to the main lid 20. In fact, the latch 215 engages the counterform 225. As a result, the inner lid 210 is attached to the main lid 20 (through the lid frame 220). Thus, in the configuration shown, the gasket 213 can fit around the upper rim of the work bowl 13 to ensure a good seal and provide a pressure cooking mode.

[0085] It should be noted that the working bowl 13 includes a bowl handle 131 located below the handle 211, all of which are housed between the lid handle cover 224 and the housing handle cover 111. In particular, it should be noted that in the working configuration shown in FIG. 4, the bowl handle 131 stops due to the trigger 212, such that it is not possible to unlock the inner lid 210 on the main lid 20. User safety is improved.

[0086] It should also be noted that in Fig. 4 the handle 211 is provided outside the workspace 100 and / or even outside the generally cylindrical shell of the sidewall 11 of the housing 10. Similarly, it should be noted in Fig. 4 that the inner lid locking means (trigger 212, latch 215, counterform 225) are provided outside the workspace 100 and / or outside at least a portion of the generally cylindrical shell of the sidewall 11 of the housing 10.

[0087] As a result, the handling interface on the main lid 20, particularly the inner lid 210 (handle 211), remains cool and / or is not affected by cooking steam, as the handle 211 and / or trigger 212 are located away from the heated and / or cooking steam-filled workspace 100. Handling the inner lid 210 is safe and there is less risk of burns for a user who can easily replace the inner lid 210 immediately after opening the main lid 20, for example, to switch from one configuration of the food preparation appliance to another during food preparation.

[0088] Furthermore, in this pressure cooking mode the lid heating means 223 and ventilation means 226 are disabled to prevent inadvertent heating, and means can be provided to detect the presence and / or type of inner lid 210 (which could use a switch, optical sensor, etc.) to prevent or enable operation of the lid heating means 223 and / or ventilation means 226, particularly depending on the presence and / or type of inner lid 210.

[0089] 5 and 6 show views from below of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 1 with the work bowl 13 without the housing 10 and show a device for locking the main lid 20 to the housing 10 and / or work bowl 13.

[0090] As mentioned above and shown in Figures 2 and 3, the main lid 20, in particular the lid frame 220, comprises a toothed locking ring 222 designed to be pivotally connected to the lid frame 220. At the side of the housing 10, the outer bowl forming the side wall 11 has a toothed or serrated upper edge, and when the main lid 20 is in the closed position, the toothed locking ring 222 can then be pivoted so that its own teeth engage with the teeth 132 on the outer bowl, so that the main lid 20 is then locked onto the outer bowl and thereby onto the housing 10 and onto the working bowl 13.

[0091] The teeth of the toothed locking ring 222 and / or the teeth of the teeth 132 on the work bowl 13 may have an incline or slope along the relative direction of movement between the parts to facilitate their relative engagement at the start of the locking operation and / or to bring the main lid 20 into a final locked position that ensures compression of the gasket 213.

[0092] More specifically, in FIG. 5, the locking devices on the main lid 20 on the housing 10 (particularly on the outer bowl) and / or on the work bowl 13 are in the main lid unlocked position, where the main lid 20 is free to move between its open and closed positions. Indeed, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the cross-hatched teeth on the toothed locking ring 222 have disengaged from the teeth 132 on the outer bowl. Also, note that the lower teeth of the toothed locking ring 222 are separated from the radial bracket 216 on the inner lid 210 by a gap J. If the toothed locking ring 222 is designed to abut against the radial bracket 216 on the inner lid 210, the gap J may be zero.

[0093] In FIG. 6, the locking device on the main lid 20 on the housing 10 and / or on the work bowl 13 is in the main lid locked position, where the main lid 20 is locked in its closed position. Indeed, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the toothed locking ring 222 has been rotated in a counterclockwise direction (relative to the configuration of FIG. 5) through range C, so that the cross-hatched teeth of the toothed locking ring 222 engage with the teeth 132 of the outer bowl. Also, note that the upper teeth of the toothed locking ring 222 are separated from the radial bracket 216 on the inner lid 210 by a gap J. If the toothed locking ring 222 is designed to abut against the radial bracket 216 on the inner lid 210, the gap J may be zero.

[0094] It should therefore be noted that the toothed locking ring 222 includes a gap between at least two of its teeth to allow the radial bracket 16 to pass through. In other words, it should be noted that the space between the two teeth on the locking ring 222 allows the locking ring 222 to rotate from stop to stop, with the radial bracket 216 connecting the handle 211 to the main wall 217 of the inner lid 210.

[0095] It should be noted that, although the housing 10 is provided with locking teeth, in this example on the outer bowl forming the side wall 11, these locking teeth could also be provided directly on the work bowl 13 or on another part attached to the housing 10.

[0096] It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements, which are apparent to those skilled in the art, may be made to the different embodiments of the disclosure set forth in this description without departing from the scope of the disclosure of the first variant described above with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0097] In particular, it should be noted that the trigger and lock can be provided in several parts and / or attached according to other kinematics (pivot, hinge, etc.).

[0098] Other heating means and / or heating techniques may also be considered. Any type of articulation or attachment of the main lid on the housing may be used (hinged, pivoted, levered, deformable parallelogram, etc.). Other means of locking the main lid to the housing may also be considered, such as a main lid locking device having a clamp arranged on the lid 20 that can be moved rotationally or translationally, in particular one that does not impede the passage of a handling interface on the at least one inner lid 210.

[0099] In the example shown, an inner lid is provided to configure the food cooking appliance to provide a pressure cooking program. Other types of inner lids can be provided to provide other applications. The inner lid can be designed to direct a flow of hot air to a specific part of the working bowl, the inner lid can be designed with a chute to allow food to be added during cooking, etc. In this case, the members of the main lid 20 can be designed to leave a passage for such a chute. In particular, such a chute can be offset with respect to the heating means, and / or the ventilation means, and / or the main lid locking means. In other words, the heating means, and / or the ventilation means, and / or the main lid locking means can be designed and / or positioned in the main lid 20 to leave a passage for a through chute.

[0100] Furthermore, the main lid may be moved between open and closed positions to respectively open and close the workspace, but is not necessarily connected to the housing 10 and may be detachable from the housing 10. In this case, a first electrical connector may be provided on the main lid and arranged to interact with a second electrical connector on the housing to power and control electrical elements on the main lid, such as heating and / or ventilation means.

[0101] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a second variant of the food preparation device, consisting of:

[0102] a housing 1100, which can be called an outer bowl, equipped with a human-machine interface 1110 (here a screen, but control buttons can also be considered), a work bowl 11200 defining a work space in which food can be prepared and in which work tools can optionally be placed, the work bowl 1120 being removable and / or lockable in known manner relative to the housing 1100; a main lid 1130, here open, which can occupy a hinge fixed to the housing 1100 as in FIG. 7 or a closed position as in FIG. 8; - Includes three inner lids, a first 1140 (connected to the main lid 1130), a second inner lid 1150, and a third inner lid 1160, each of which can be reversibly connected to the main lid.

[0103] According to a variant, the main lid may not be hinged to the housing 1100 but may be detachable.

[0104] Typically, the food preparation appliance may also comprise, within the housing 1100, heating means, one or more drive motors, a control unit, drive means provided for connecting the drive motors on the housing 1100 to a movable work tool housed in the work bowl 1120, etc. It is also noted in Fig. 7 that the work bowl 1120 includes a handle 1121 for easy handling by a user and that the main lid 1130 includes a device 1131 for locking the main lid 1130 to the work bowl 1120, as will be described with reference to Fig. 8.

[0105] As described below, the first inner lid 1140 allows the food cooking appliance to be in a first configuration for pressure cooking, the second inner lid 1150 allows the food cooking appliance to be in a second configuration for forced convection or hot air cooking, and the third inner lid 1160 allows the food cooking appliance to be in a third configuration, allowing food to be introduced into the bowl via a chute when the main lid is in the closed position and for mechanically processing the food with a movable work tool housed in the work bowl 1120. In fact, the first inner lid 1140, second inner lid 1150, and third inner lid 1160 can be interchanged to put the food cooking appliance into a specific configuration for a particular recipe or cooking.

[0106] Figure 8 is a perspective top view of the food preparation appliance of Figure 7 with the main lid 1130 closed over the work bowl 1120. A trim 1139 partially covers the main lid 1130, and Figure 8 shows a free window 1132 along with a locking device 1131 on the main lid 1130 over the work bowl 1120 that can translationally slide or move to lock / unlock the main lid 1130 on the housing 1100 and / or on the work bowl 1120.

[0107] Figure 9 is a perspective top view of the main lid 1130 of the food preparation appliance of Figure 7 without the trim 1139 shown in Figure 8. In particular, the main lid 1130 includes a free window 1132, which is a rectangular or bean-shaped through hole, and an air / steam vent 1133.

[0108] Figure 10 is a bottom perspective view of the main lid 1130 of the food preparation appliance of Figure 7. The underside of the main lid 1130 is equipped with two temperature sensors 1135, a drive shaft 1136 for the MS upper motor (shown in Figures 17-19) housed in the main lid 1130, a thermal safety device 1137, and an upper electrical connection interface 1138. Figure 10 also shows a free window 1132 and an air / steam vent 1133.

[0109] Figure 11 is a perspective view from below of the first inner lid 1140 of the food preparation appliance of Figure 7. Similar to the second inner lid 1150 and the third inner lid 1160, the first inner lid 1140 comprises two inner lid locking devices 1170 on the main lid 1130, which are described in detail in Figures 15 and 16. The general principle of the two inner lid locking devices 1170 on the main lid 1130 is to allow easy reversible coupling, in this case by a self-return mechanism that engages with anchors on the main lid 1130.

[0110] Each of the inner lid locking devices 1170 is positioned outside the workspace to allow a user to lock or unlock the inner lids 1140, 1150, 1160 without touching the surface of the inner lid on the opposite side of the workspace when the main lid is locked to the housing 1100 and / or work bowl 1120.

[0111] In addition, the first inner lid 1140 is designed to mate with the main lid 1130 to enable pressure cooking. To this end, the first inner lid 1140 comprises a pressure control valve 1141, an opening and closing safety mechanism comprising an aroma finger type pressure measuring rod system 1142, a safety valve 1143, and a sealing gasket 1144 arranged to fit around the edge of the working bowl 1120. Thus, when the first inner lid 1140 is mated to the main lid 1130, the assembly covers the working bowl 1120 and provides a hermetic closure, thus forming a pressurizable working space.

[0112] FIG 12 is a perspective top view of the second inner lid 1150 of the food preparation appliance of FIG 7. FIG 13 is a perspective view from below of the second inner lid 1150 of the food preparation appliance of FIG 7. The second inner lid 1150 is designed to mate with the main lid 1130 for convection or hot air cooking of food placed in the work bowl 1120. For this purpose, the second inner lid 1150 is heating means, such as a heating coil 1156; - fan 1157 (shown in Figs. 17-19), - a steam vent 1151, which can function as an air inlet / vent (cold air inlet, hot air vent) in "air fryer" type convection cooking mode, and which is understood to be able to be provided with two separate or combined openings as shown here, - a viewing window 1153 for viewing the inside of the work bowl 1120 to monitor cooking; A secondary mechanical drive connection interface 1154 for connecting the fan 1157 to a drive unit on the cooking appliance; and / or - a secondary electrical connection interface 1152 for connecting the heating coil 1156 to a power unit on the cooking appliance. Note in particular that the secondary mechanical drive connection interface 1154 and the secondary electrical connection interface 1152 are located on opposite sides of the drive shaft 1136 and the upper electrical connection interface 1138, respectively.

[0113] Thus, when the second inner lid 1150 is coupled to the main lid 1130, the assembly covers the working bowl 1120 and generates a current of hot air that can be blown or jetted towards food placed in the working bowl 1120. In addition, the working bowl 1120 can be fitted with a stirring tool, for example for oil-free frying. In such a case, the working bowl 1120 can be provided with a through opening and the working bowl 1120 and / or the working tool can be provided with sealing means to enable pressure cooking. Alternatively, a magnetic couple can be provided to drive the stirring tool without the need for a through opening in the cooking bowl 1120.

[0114] FIG. 14 is a perspective top view of the third inner lid 1160 of the food preparation device of FIG. 7. The third inner lid 1160 is designed to be combined with the main lid 1130 to allow mechanical processing of food placed in the work bowl 1120, including also movable work tools such as knives, choppers, presses or cutting disks. To this end, to ensure safe use, the third inner lid 1160 includes a feed chute 161, designed in particular to pass through a free window 1152 of the main lid 1130, which allows the introduction of food into the work bowl 1120 while preventing the user from reaching the movable work tools. Thus, when the third inner lid 1160 is combined with the main lid 1130, the assembly covers the work bowl 1120 and allows food to be safely processed in the work bowl 1120. As a variant, the work tool can be driven by a drive unit arranged in the main lid 1130, in particular by the same drive unit that drives the fan of the second lid 1150 or the third lid 1160. The mobile work tool can also be driven from below the work bowl 1120 through the bottom [base].

[0115] 15 and 16 show detailed views of a device 1170 for locking an inner lid to a main lid 1130 of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. The device 1170 for locking an inner lid to a main lid 1130 comprises, inter alia: a locking device with a movable latch 1173 and a control trigger 1172; - a resilient member, in this case a compression spring 1175, which urges the movable latch 1173 into the locked position as shown in Figs. 15 and 16; a frame 1171 housing a movable latch 1173, a control trigger 1172 and a compression spring 1175; a cap 174 that can be attached to the frame 1171 to cover the locking members, i.e. the movable latch 1173, the control trigger 1172 and the compression spring 1175; Equipped with.

[0116] A counterform 1134 projects on the main lid 1130 for engagement with a movable latch 1173. The movable latch 1173 is pivotally mounted on the frame 1171 and can move between a locked position, shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, in which the first, second, or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 can be locked to the main lid 1130, and an unlocked position in which the first, second, or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 can be freely attached or detached to the main lid 1130.

[0117] A control trigger 1172 is slidably mounted between the frame 1171 and the cap 174 and is attached to a movable latch 1173 such that the control trigger 1172 can be moved from a locked position to an unlocked position. Thus, a user can easily unlock the system and separate the first, second or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 from the main lid 1130.

[0118] A compression spring 1175 attached between the frame 1171 and the movable latch 1173 pushes the latter from the unlocked position to the locked position. The system then automatically returns to the locked position by default. The movable latch 1173 and the counterform 1134 are provided with lead-in surfaces, allowing the movable latch 1173 to move automatically from the locked position to the unlocked position when the first, second or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 is coupled to the main lid 1130. Thus, installation is easy, the user simply presses the first, second or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 onto the main lid 1130. Finally, it is noted that the frame 1171 forms an upwardly open receiving groove for receiving and guiding the counterform 1134 when attaching the first, second or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 to the main lid 1130.

[0119] In summary, the food preparation appliance can be reversibly attached to one of the first, second, or third inner lids 1140, 1150, 1160 to provide the appropriate structure for performing a particular step in a recipe or for processing the food in the work bowl 1120. Configuration is easy, and the user simply presses one of the first, second, or third inner lids 1140, 1150, 1160 onto the main lid 1130 to clip, lock, or secure it. To remove the first, second, or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160, the user simply pulls the control trigger 1172.

[0120] To perform these locking and unlocking operations, the user does not need to touch the surface of the inner lid on the opposite side of the workspace when the main lid 1130 is locked to the housing 1100 and / or work bowl 1120.

[0121] Thus, if a user needs to remove an inner lid for recipe purposes and the lid is hot (which may be the case for the first inner lid 1140 or the second inner lid 1150), the user does not risk burning his / her fingers and does not have to wait for one inner lid to cool before being able to replace it with another inner lid. With regard to the third inner lid 1150, the user does not get his / her fingers dirty with splashes that may cover all or part of the surface of the third inner lid 1160 on the opposite side of the work space when the main lid 1130 is locked to the housing 1100 and / or work bowl 1120.

[0122] It should be noted that the device 1131 for locking the main lid 1130 to the housing 1100 and / or the work bowl 1120 can slide to lock / unlock the main lid 1130 on the housing 1100 and / or the work bowl 1120. The locking device 1170 can be placed in a position where it is covered or hidden by the locking device 1131 on the main lid 1130 of the work bowl 1120 when locking the main lid 1130 to the work bowl 1120. For example, a sliding clamp on the locking device 1131 on the main lid 1130 on the housing 1100 and / or on the work bowl 1120 can form a cover over the inner lid locking device 1170 on the main lid 1130. As a result, when the instrument is in operation (the main lid 1130 is locked to the housing 1100 and / or the work bowl 1120), it is not possible to access or handle the inner lid locking device 1170 on the main lid 1130. Safety and ergonomics are improved.

[0123] 17 to 19 show variants of the connection between the main lid 1130 and in particular the second inner lid 1150. Indeed, the latter can be equipped with a fan 1157, and an MS upper motor can be provided or housed in the main lid 1130 to drive the fan 1157.

[0124] For this purpose, FIG. 17 is a first variant of a drive unit that can be accommodated in the main lid 1130 of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. In this first variant, a bevel gear coupling APC is provided. A male bevel gear (now mounted on the second inner lid 1150) is opposite a female bevel gear for transmitting the rotation torque of the MS upper motor to the fan 1157 mounted on the bearing P. Of course, the male and female bevel gears can be interchanged. An R spring can be provided to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and ensure tooth engagement, and a CEN centering system can also be provided between the main lid 1130 and the second inner lid 1150. The CEN centering system typically includes an index and a receiving indent (in this case, two cylindrical shapes), but can also provide guide surfaces or any other shapes.

[0125] FIG. 18 shows a second variant of the drive unit that can be accommodated in the main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. In this second variant, an AM magnetic coupling is provided between the main lid 1130 and the second inner lid 1150. The advantage of this solution is that it is possible to provide a leak-proof system that is less susceptible to misalignment between the main lid 1130 and the second inner lid 1150. More specifically, the fan 1157 mounted on the bearing P of the second inner lid 1150 comprises a first magnet opposite a second magnet mounted on the drive shaft MS of the upper motor mounted on the main lid 1130.

[0126] FIG. 19 is a third variant of a drive unit that can be housed in the main lid of the food preparation appliance of FIG. 7. In this third variant, very similar to the first variant of FIG. 17, the coupling to the fork AF is provided between the main lid 1130 mounted on a bearing P of the second inner lid 1150 and the fan 1157. More specifically, the fork attached to the MS upper motor is engaged with the fan tee 1157. Of course, the fork and the tee can be interchanged. A CEN centering system is also provided to ensure correct alignment between the fork attached to the MS upper motor and the fan tee 1157.

[0127] It will be understood that various modifications and / or improvements apparent to those skilled in the art may be made to the different embodiments of the disclosure set forth in this description without departing from the scope of the disclosure of the second variant described above with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

[0128] In particular, it is noted that the first, second or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160, which is attached to the main lid 1130, may be reversibly attached to the working bowl 1120 or the housing 1100, the working bowl 1120 may be removably or permanently attached to the housing 1100, and / or an outer bowl may be provided, attached to or form part of the housing 1100, and the first, second or third inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 may consist of structural elements other than those described. In particular, a fan (rotated by a fan motor, fitted with blades or equipped with ventilation vanes or louvers) or heating means may be provided in the first inner lid 1140, the means 1170 for locking the inner lid to the main lid 1130 are formed in particular by a movable latch 1173 engaging with the counterform 1134, although other locking principles can also be provided (flexible bracket, quarter-turn interface, bayonet, etc.); - the protruding counterform 1134 can be a hole or a recessed shape instead, - Because each inner lid 1140, 1150, 1160 carries a specific dedicated component, the main lid 1130 can have a simple structure that easily accommodates each of the inner lids. [Industrial Applicability]

[0129] Food preparation equipment and its manufacture according to the present disclosure are suitable for industrial applications.

Claims

1. A food preparation utensil comprising: - housing (10), a work bowl (13) defining a work space (100) designed to receive the food to be cooked; - a main lid (20) that can be moved between an open position and a closed position to open and close, respectively, said workspace (100); - at least one inner lid (210) designed to be reversibly attached to said main lid (20) and comprising at least one handling interface allowing a user to grip or hold said inner lid (210); and wherein the handling interface of the inner lid (210) attached to the main lid (20) is disposed at least partially outside the workspace (100) when the main lid (20) is in a closed position.

2. The food preparation appliance of claim 1 , wherein the handling interface comprises at least one handle, preferably two handles.

3. The food preparation device of claim 1 or 2, including means for locking the inner lid (210) to the main lid (20).

4. The food preparation appliance of claim 3, wherein the inner lid locking means (210) is disposed on a handling interface.

5. The inner lid locking means (210) is - two locking devices (215) arranged on either side of one of said inner lid (210) and said main lid (20); - two counterforms facing each of the locking devices (215) of the other of the inner lid (210) and the main lid (20); The food preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising:

6. 6. The food preparation appliance of claim 5, wherein the main lid (20) comprises a lid frame (220), and the two counterforms (225) on opposite sides of each locking device (215) are formed by rims on the lid frame (220).

7. The food preparation utensil according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a device for locking the main lid (20) to the housing and / or the working bowl (13).

8. The inner lid (210) comprises at least one radial bracket supporting at least one handling interface, allowing the main lid (20) locking device to be moved between: a main lid (20) unlocked position, in which said main lid (20) can be freely moved between its open position and its closed position; a main cover (20) locking position, in which said main cover (20) can be locked in its closed position; 8. The food preparation appliance of claim 7, and wherein the main lid (20) locking device comprises at least one through opening provided to allow the at least one radial bracket (216) to pass therethrough.

9. 9. The food preparation utensil of claim 8, wherein the main lid (20) locking device comprises a rotatable locking ring with locking teeth arranged to mate with the housing (10) and / or the work bowl (13) when the locking device is in the locked position, and at least one through opening is provided between two locking teeth.

10. 10. The food preparation appliance of claim 8 or 9, wherein in one direction of movement between the main lid (20) unlocked position and the main lid (20) locked position, the through opening has a passage size equal to or greater than the size of the at least one radial bracket added to the range of movement of the main lid (20) locking device between the main lid (20) unlocked position and the main lid (20) locked position.

11. The food preparation apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the main lid locking device (20) is designed to move between the main lid (20) unlocked position and the main lid (20) locked position following a rotation of the work bowl (13) about an axial direction.

12. The food cooking utensil according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the inner lid (210) is provided with sealing means designed to enable pressure cooking in the working space (100) closed by the main lid (20) attached to the inner lid (210).

13. The food preparation device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner lid (210) comprises pressure control means designed to open a pressure relief valve when the pressure in the working space (100) is greater than an operating pressure.

14. The food preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the main lid (20) comprises a lid heating means (223) designed to heat food received in the working space (100) when the inner lid (210) is removed from the main lid (20).

15. 15. The food preparation apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a safety device designed to prevent operation of the lid heating means (223) when the inner lid (210) is attached to the main lid (20) and / or when the main lid (20) is in the open position.

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