Cooking method for a household electrical cooking appliance

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cooking a plurality of culinary preparations in a household electrical cooking appliance comprising a cooking chamber arranged to receive a plurality of cooking vessels (10), each intended to receive one of the culinary preparations, the household electrical cooking appliance being arranged to assist a user in the production of each culinary preparation, characterised in that each cooking vessel (10) comprises an identifier and in that the method comprises a preparation step during which the household electrical cooking appliance assigns a culinary preparation to each determined cooking vessel, a step of simultaneously cooking the culinary preparations contained in the cooking vessels (10) for the same cooking time, and a step of determining at least one item of information (55) accessible to a user relating to at least one of the culinary preparations contained in each cooking vessel (10).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Cooking process for a household cooking appliance

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0004]

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of household cooking appliances, in particular pressure cooking appliances, and in particular cooking methods for such appliances.

[0005]

[0002] The invention thus proposes a cooking method for a household cooking appliance, a method of using at least one cooking container containing at least one culinary preparation obtained by means of the cooking method, as well as a mobile application carrying a computer program product for implementing the method of use.

[0006] STATE OF THE ART

[0007]

[0003] Consumers' cooking habits and methods have evolved over the past several years. Among these, the cooking method known as "batch cooking" in English, which is based on the principle of "cooking in batches" or preparing grouped meals, is increasingly popular and adopted by many people when preparing their meals at home.

[0008]

[0004] Batch cooking essentially consists of preparing at home, particularly on weekends, all the meals for the coming week in a single cooking session which generally lasts between two and three hours. This method therefore saves precious time on the preparation of daily meals and thus provides peace of mind throughout the week, but it also allows you to eat healthily, in a more varied way and possibly with seasonal products, while also being an economical and suitable solution for combating food waste. It is therefore different from cooking just before a meal and reusing leftovers from previous meals.

[0009]

[0005] Dishes and foods prepared during "batch cooking" are generally kept in the refrigerator in airtight containers, then possibly reheated or assembled before consumption during the week. A common implementation of "batch cooking" consists of planning the preparation in advance of two or three dishes for one or two people.

[0010]

[0006] However, many consumers who have tested or adopted the "batch cooking" method believe that it still requires significant effort, particularly in preparation, cooking and cleaning, so much so that it generally takes longer than the two or three hours advertised. As a result, a feeling of discouragement and fatigue frequently appears among consumers. Preparing complex recipes can indeed involve arduous, repetitive and difficult work, especially with a large volume of ingredients. The consumer may also have a lack of suitable kitchen utensils and tools as well as a lack of space. Simultaneous cooking can also be difficult to implement depending on the means available to the consumer.Furthermore, cleaning the various elements of preparation, cooking, storage and consumption can be a complicated and very time-consuming phase, thus increasing the lack of attractiveness of “batch cooking” and the lack of pleasure felt by consumers implementing this method.

[0011] STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0012]

[0007] There is thus a need to enable culinary preparations to be made in advance with reduced preparation and cooking times, much less than the two to three hours usually required when implementing a “batch cooking” type method.

[0013]

[0008] In particular, there is a need to produce, in the same reduced cooking time, the various culinary preparations intended to be consumed in the coming week.

[0014]

[0009] There is also a need to enable the use of cooking containers serving both for the preparation, cooking, storage, transport and tasting of the culinary preparations they contain, while allowing easy cleaning of these containers. In particular, there is a need to reduce the factors of complexity, additional cost and loss of time for consumers with the use of several containers to manage the preparation, cooking, storage, heating and transport of prepared dishes.

[0015]

[0010] There is also a need to carry out the cooking of different culinary preparations while avoiding any phenomenon of food splashes and / or transfer of cooking vapors between cooking containers used simultaneously during cooking.

[0011] There is also a need to facilitate the handling, in particular the insertion and / or removal, of cooking containers used in a cooking appliance or in an accessory of such an appliance.

[0016]

[0012] There is also a need for cooking containers that are sufficiently suitable for handling cooking, storage, reheating, for example in a microwave, and transporting dishes.

[0017]

[0013] There is also a need to provide information on the preparation of the culinary preparations envisaged using the cooking appliance.

[0014] The invention aims to at least partially overcome the needs mentioned above and the drawbacks relating to the embodiments of the prior art.

[0018]

[0015] The invention thus relates, according to one of its aspects, to a method of cooking, in particular pressure cooking, several culinary preparations in a household cooking appliance, in particular pressure cooking, comprising a cooking tank arranged to receive several cooking containers each provided to receive one of the culinary preparations, the household cooking appliance being arranged to assist a user, or consumer, in the production of each culinary preparation, characterized in that each cooking container comprises an identifier and in that the method comprises a preparation step during which the household cooking appliance assigns a culinary preparation to each determined cooking container, a step of simultaneous cooking of the culinary preparations contained in the cooking containers in the same cooking time,and a step of determining at least one piece of information accessible to a user relating to at least one of the culinary preparations contained in each cooking container.

[0019]

[0016] The invention also relates, according to another of its aspects, to a method of using at least one cooking container containing at least one culinary preparation obtained by means of a cooking method as defined previously, in which the method comprises a step of collection by a user of at least one item of information relating to at least one of the culinary preparations contained in each cooking container.

[0020]

[0017] Furthermore, the invention relates, according to another of its aspects, to a mobile application carrying a computer program product which comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the collection step of the method of use as defined above.

[0018] Thanks to the invention, it is possible to considerably reduce the preparation and cooking time of different culinary preparations when implementing a “batch cooking” method, for example to divide this time by a factor at least equal to 7, in comparison with previous solutions. The invention can allow simplification and increased efficiency at all stages of “batch cooking”. It can allow easy cooking of the different culinary preparations in the same cooking time.

[0021]

[0019] The invention can also allow the use of containers adapted for carrying out multiple cooking in the household cooking appliance, in particular pressure cooking, in particular by superimposing the different cooking containers, which are intended for any use such as preparation, cooking, airtight and refrigerated storage, airtight transport, tasting and cleaning.

[0022]

[0020] The cooking method, the method of use and / or the mobile application carrying a computer program product may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics taken in isolation or according to any possible technical combinations.

[0023]

[0021] The information may include information on the nature and the use-by date of at least one of the culinary preparations.

[0024]

[0022] In addition, the information may include information on the time required to reheat the at least one of the culinary preparations after storage and before consumption.

[0025]

[0023] In addition, the information may include a timestamp of the completion of at least one of the culinary preparations.

[0026]

[0024] The information may also include a consumption ordering of at least two culinary preparations, in particular defined in relation to a consumption history and / or according to nutritional values.

[0027]

[0025] Information relating to at least one of the culinary preparations may also be entered by the household cooking appliance on the cooking container containing at least one of the culinary preparations and / or in a database accessible to the user.

[0028]

[0026] In particular, the information can be written on the identifier in the form of a radio-identification tag, or RFID (for “radio frequency identification” in English), contained in each cooking container, in particular a near-field communication tag, or NFC (for “Near-Field Communication” in English).

[0029]

[0027] The step of collecting the at least one item of information of the method of use may comprise reading the at least one item of information written on the identifier of the at least one cooking container by means of a portable device, in particular a mobile telephone.

[0030]

[0028] A cooking accessory may be used for handling cooking containers in and out of the cooking tank of the household cooking appliance.

[0029] The cooking accessory may comprise a frame comprising a base portion and at least three uprights connected to the base portion, integral and fixed relative to the base portion.

[0030] The cooking containers are advantageously placed in a superposition in the cooking tank. The term "superposed" or "superposition" for cooking containers means that the cooking containers are in a vertical arrangement. They are thus opposite each other. They may or may not be in contact with each other.

[0031]

[0031] In addition, the cooking accessory may comprise at least one gripping handle, in particular connected in rotation to the frame, in particular in a removable or non-removable manner.

[0032]

[0032] At least one cooking vessel may comprise a container and a lid for closing the container. The container may be made of glass. The lid may be made of metal, in particular stainless steel. Alternatively, the container and / or the lid may be made of plastic.

[0033]

[0033] At least one cooking container may comprise a lid comprising a closure element having a position for locking the lid on the container and a position for unlocking the lid on the container.

[0034]

[0034] At least one cooking container may comprise a lid provided with at least one pressure relief member. The pressure relief member may make it possible to avoid overpressure and / or underpressure in the container comprising the container and the lid, during pressure cooking.

[0035]

[0035] Advantageously, the household cooking appliance is a pressure cooking appliance, that is to say that it includes a pressure cooking mode. The household cooking appliance may for example be an electric pressure cooking appliance, also called EPC (for "Electric Pressure Cooker" in English), or even non-electric, for example of the pressure cooker or pressure cooker type.

[0036]

[0036] The cooking tank of the household cooking appliance may comprise one or more gripping handles, in particular two gripping handles opposite one another, for example diametrically opposite, for handling the household cooking appliance.

[0037]

[0037] The cooking method, the method of use and / or the computer program product may comprise any of the characteristics set out in the description, taken in isolation or in any technically possible combination with other characteristics.

[0038] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0039]

[0038] Other advantages, aims and particular characteristics of the invention will emerge from the following non-limiting description of at least one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the appended schematic figures, in which: Figure 1 represents an example of a household cooking appliance for implementing the cooking method, and Figure 2 represents a cooking container and a portable device for implementing the cooking method and the method of use.

[0040]

[0039] Throughout these figures, identical references may designate identical or similar elements.

[0041]

[0040] Furthermore, the different parts represented in the figures are not necessarily on a uniform scale, in order to make the figures more readable.

[0042] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043]

[0041] Figure 1 shows, in a perspective view, an example of a pressure cooking household appliance 20 comprising a cooking tank 21 into which a plurality of cooking containers 10, in particular here three cooking containers 10, can be introduced for cooking.

[0044]

[0042] The cooking containers 10 may or may not be handled using a cooking accessory 1 comprising a frame 3 and a gripping handle 9, removable or not and advantageously mounted to rotate relative to the frame 3.

[0045]

[0043] Figure 2 shows one of the cooking containers 10 and a portable device of the mobile phone type 60.

[0046]

[0044] The cooking containers 10 each comprise a container 10a for receiving a culinary preparation and a lid 10b for closing the container 10a.

[0047]

[0045] In addition, two closing elements 14 are provided diametrically opposite each other for locking and unlocking the lid 10b on the container 10a. The closing elements 14 ensure a hermetic closure of the cooking container 10.

[0048]

[0046] The cover 10b also comprises two decompression members 32 located diametrically opposite on the cover 10b. These decompression members 32 make it possible to avoid any overpressure phenomenon inside the container 10b.

[0049]

[0047] Advantageously, a cooking method is implemented consisting of cooking under pressure several culinary preparations, in particular here three culinary preparations, in the pressure cooking household appliance 20 using the cooking containers 10 each containing a culinary preparation.

[0050]

[0048] The household cooking appliance 20 comprises a user interface 70 enabling the user or consumer to be assisted in carrying out each culinary preparation.

[0051]

[0049] To do this, each cooking container 10 has an identifier 55, for example here an RFID tag appearing on the cover 10b in a central position.

[0050] The cooking method then includes the preparation step during which the household cooking appliance 20 assigns a culinary preparation to each determined cooking container 10, for example according to its identifier 55.

[0052]

[0051] Then, the cooking method comprises the step of simultaneously cooking the culinary preparations contained in the three cooking containers 10 in the same cooking time, within the cooking tank 21.

[0053]

[0052] At the end of cooking, the cooking method comprises the step of determining at least one piece of information accessible to a user relating to the culinary preparation contained in each cooking container 10.

[0054]

[0053] This information may, for example, include information on the nature and the best before date of the culinary preparation. It may also include information on the time required to reheat the culinary preparation after storage and before consumption. The information may also include a time stamp for the preparation of the culinary preparation. The information may also include a consumption schedule for at least two culinary preparations, in particular defined in relation to a consumption history and / or according to nutritional values.

[0055]

[0054] This information can thus be written by the household cooking appliance 20 on the cooking container 10 containing the culinary preparation on the identifier 55 in the form of an RFID tag, in particular an NFC tag, and also in a database accessible to the user.

[0056]

[0055] The invention then makes it possible to implement a method of using a cooking container 10 containing the culinary preparation obtained after cooking in the household cooking appliance 20. This method comprises the step of collecting by the user the information relating to the culinary preparation contained in the cooking container 10.

[0057]

[0056] This collection step comprises, for example, reading the information(s) written on the identifier 55 of the cooking container 10 by means of the portable device 60 in the form of a mobile telephone. This may comprise an application arranged to allow the collection and identification of the information(s) and to inform the user thereof.

[0058]

[0057] Advantageously, the invention can allow the rapid and simplified implementation of a “batch cooking” method for the advance preparation of several meals. For example, at least three culinary preparations can be prepared and cooked in less than 30 minutes, in particular with a cooking time of less than 20 minutes, and the washing time can also be reduced by the use of the cooking containers at all stages.

[0059]

[0058] The consumer can thus prepare his meals for the week using the cooking containers 10, for example in less than 15 minutes, or even less than 10 minutes, cook them, for example in less than 20 minutes, after simultaneous introduction of the containers 10, using the cooking accessory 1, into the cooking tank 21 of the pressure cooking household appliance 20. Then, after cooking, the consumer can for example keep the cooking containers 10 in the refrigerator, then retrieve them and reheat them, for example in the microwave, and finally wash the cooking containers 10, for example in the dishwasher.

[0060]

[0059] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described. Various modifications can be made thereto by those skilled in the art.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Method for pressure cooking several culinary preparations in a pressure cooking household appliance (20) comprising a cooking tank (21) arranged to receive several cooking containers (10) each provided to receive one of the culinary preparations, the cooking household appliance (20) being arranged to assist a user in the preparation of each culinary preparation, characterized in that each cooking container (10) comprises an identifier (55) and in that the method comprises a preparation step during which the cooking household appliance (20) assigns a culinary preparation to each determined cooking container (10), a step of simultaneous cooking of the culinary preparations contained in the cooking containers (10) in the same cooking time,and a step of determining at least one piece of information accessible to a user relating to at least one of the culinary preparations contained in each cooking container (10)., 2. Cooking method according to claim 1, in which the information includes information on the nature and the use-by date of the at least one of the culinary preparations.

3. Cooking method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the information comprises information on the time required to reheat the at least one of the culinary preparations after storage and before consumption.

4. Cooking method according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the information includes a timestamp of the production of at least one of the culinary preparations.

5. Cooking method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the information comprises a consumption ordering of at least two culinary preparations, in particular defined in relation to a consumption history and / or according to nutritional values.

6. Cooking method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which information relating to at least one of the culinary preparations is entered by the household cooking appliance (20) on the cooking container (10) containing the at least one of the culinary preparations and / or in a database accessible to the user.

7. Cooking method according to claim 6, in which the information is written on the identifier (55) in the form of a radio-identification tag contained in each cooking container (10), in particular a near-field communication tag.

8. Method of using at least one cooking container (10) containing at least one culinary preparation obtained by means of a cooking method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the method comprises a step of collection by a user of at least one item of information relating to at least one of the culinary preparations contained in each cooking container (10).

9. Method of use according to claim 8, in which the step of collecting the at least one piece of information comprises reading the at least one piece of information written on the identifier (55) of the at least one cooking container (10) by means of a portable device (60), in particular a mobile telephone.

10. Mobile application carrying a computer program product which comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the collection step of the method of use according to claim 8 or 9.

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