A multipurpose food carrier for ovens enabling steam cooking

Abstract

The invention relates to a multipurpose food carrier (1) enabling steam cooking, which provides the user with both steam cooking and cooking on a flat base (10) applications together in traditional ovens that do not have a steam cooking function, thanks to the perforated (21) configuration obtained by the use of the flat-based (10) and movable apparatus (20) contained therein.

Description

[0001] A MULTIPURPOSE FOOD CARRIER FOR OVENS ENABLING STEAM COOKING

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a multipurpose food carrier for ovens enabling steam cooking.

[0004] More specifically, the invention relates to a multipurpose food carrier enabling cooking, which provides a user with both steam cooking and cooking on a flat base applications together in traditional ovens that do not have a steam cooking function, thanks to the perforated configuration obtained by the use of the flat-based and movable apparatus contained therein.

[0005] State of the Art

[0006] Steam cooking is a method in which foods are cooked with the aid of hot steam. In this method, when water reaches a certain temperature, it evaporates and contacts the foods directly to perform the cooking process. Steam cooking is known for preserving the natural flavors, colors, and nutritional values of foods. Furthermore, it offers a healthy cooking alternative by using less oil compared to methods such as frying or roasting. With the effect of steam, foods cook gently, the inside remains soft without the outside drying out. This method, which is particularly preferred for vegetables, fish, chicken, and pastries, facilitates the even cooking of meals as it provides a homogeneous heat distribution.

[0007] Steam ovens are devices that provide cooking using steam technology. Ovens offer multifunctionality, harboring steam and traditional oven functions together. For the steam oven to provide features, a water tank, an evaporation unit, and a circulation unit are required. While these units offer a steam cooking function, they impose an additional cost on the product and consequently on the user. There is no special application for steam cooking in traditional ovens. Our invention sets forth a steam cooking application for traditional ovens with a multipurpose food carrier.

[0008] Oven food carriers are among the basic kitchen tools used for cooking food. They are generally produced from metal materials resistant to high temperatures and are offered to users with different size, shape, and coating options. These food carriers, used to ensure efficient cooking in ovens, support the homogeneous cooking of food by distributing heat evenly. Fan systems and multiple cooking levels in modern ovens allow trays to achieve balanced cooking results even in different positions. Features such as non-stick coating and heat-resistant handles, in particular, increase the ease of use of the trays and provide safety when removing the tray from the oven during cooking. Traditional food carriers are found in flat-based and perforated configurations. Flat-based oven trays offer a large surface area to ensure food cooks evenly. In such trays, since the surface is flat, heat is distributed evenly, and the homogeneous cooking of food is supported. Oven trays with a perforated or hollow infrastructure are preferred especially for foods such as bread, pizza, and some pastries. These perforated structures increase air circulation, allowing heat to reach the bottom of the food more directly. Thus, the bottom part of the food gains a crispier consistency, while excess moisture is easily expelled. In steam ovens, perforated base applications allow steam to penetrate all surfaces of the food evenly.

[0009] US2001004056A1 and ES2284331 B1 disclose a food carrier providing air circulation. The steam cooking feature with the aid of a food carrier present in the invention is not found in the documents.

[0010] Considering the mentioned drawbacks, the need for a multipurpose food carrier solution that provides both cooking on a flat base and steam cooking applications together in traditional ovens has become apparent.

[0011] Object and Brief Description of the Invention

[0012] An object of this invention is to set forth a multipurpose food carrier which provides the user with both steam cooking and cooking on a flat base applications together in traditional ovens that do not have a steam cooking function, thanks to the perforated configuration obtained by the use of the flat-based and movable apparatus contained therein.

[0013] A multipurpose food carrier enabling steam cooking, placed on a rack in the cooking chamber for ovens, to enable the user to perform steam cooking by adding a certain amount of water to the base of the food carrier and evaporating water along an evaporation zone upon heating of the oven, comprising:

[0014] ■ at least one food carrier having at least one slot positioned at a certain height with the base on at least one of the side walls of the food carrier, and

[0015] ■ at least one movable apparatus on which products to be cooked are placed and which has a plurality of holes allowing the passage of steam emerging during steam cooking, which is attachable to the food carrier by passing through the slot, and which ensures the formation of an evaporation zone between itself and the base.

[0016] Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 A top, angled, perspective view of the multipurpose food carrier subject to the invention is provided.

[0017] Figure 2 A top view of the multipurpose food carrier subject to the invention is provided.

[0018] Reference Numerals

[0019] I Food carrier

[0020] 10 Base

[0021] I I Side wall

[0022] 12 Support

[0023] 13 Slot

[0024] 20 Movable apparatus

[0025] 21 Hole

[0026] 22 Handle

[0027] X Horizontal axis

[0028] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0029] The present invention relates to a multipurpose food carrier (1) enabling steam cooking, which provides the user with both steam cooking and cooking on a flat base (10) applications together in traditional ovens that do not have a steam cooking function, thanks to the perforated (21) configuration obtained by the use of the flat-based (10) and movable apparatus (20) contained therein.

[0030] The food carrier (1) consists of at least one base (10), at least four side walls (11), and at least one movable apparatus (20). The side walls (11) possess at least one support (12) and at least one slot (13). The movable apparatus (20) contains a plurality of holes (21) and at least one handle (22).

[0031] The base (10) is a floor on which products to be cooked are placeable, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is configured as a rectangular plate. The food carrier (1) possesses four side walls (11) formed by bending the edges of the base (10) outwards at a certain angle relative to the horizontal axis (X), preventing the products / foods to be cooked from spilling from the base (10). The side walls (11) comprise at least one support (12) configured as a protrusion having a certain length and width, positioned on their surfaces facing the center / inside of the food carrier (1) such that it is at a certain height with the base (10) (relative to the base (10)). The support (12) ensures that the movable apparatus (20) remains suspended on the base (10) when the movable apparatus (20) is attached to the food carrier (1). At least one of the side walls (11) possesses a slot (13) formed by emptying a part thereof close to the base (10), preferably in a rectangular shape. The slot (13) has a configuration through which the movable apparatus (20) is capable of passing. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the slot (13) is located on one of the side walls (11), and one support (12) is located on each of the other three side walls (11).

[0032] The movable apparatus (20), which converts the food carrier (1) from the flat-based (10) configuration to the steam cooking configuration, is preferably configured as a rectangular plate. In another embodiment of the invention where the base (10) is used as a square, the movable apparatus (20) is also formed as a square plate. The movable apparatus (20) possesses a plurality of holes (21), preferably in circular form, configured as voids or, in other words, gaps, allowing air circulation between the lower and upper parts. In another embodiment of the invention, the holes (21) have rectangular, square, or other geometric shapes, or a grid or grate type configuration. The movable apparatus (20) preferably comprises at least one handle (22) formed as a continuation of the movable apparatus (20) to enable the user to insert and remove the movable apparatus (20) into and from the slot (13); wherein, at the part of the movable apparatus (20) opposite to the slot (13), from a bending point, one portion is formed as a bend outward from the horizontal axis (X), another portion parallel to the horizontal axis, and a third portion as a bend towards the horizontal axis.

[0033] In the case where the multipurpose food carrier (1) subject to the invention is used without the movable apparatus (20); the products / foods to be cooked are placed on the base (10), and the food carrier (1) is placed in the oven. When the oven is operated, a traditional flat-based (10) food carrier (1) application is set forth thanks to the flat configuration of the base (10).

[0034] When the user wishes to use the steam cooking configuration of the food carrier (1), all they need to do is attach the movable apparatus (20) to the food carrier (1) via the slot (13) after filling the base (10) with a certain amount of water. After placing the movable apparatus (20) into the slot (13), when the user applies a pushing force from the handle (22) towards the center of the food carrier (1 ) relative to the horizontal axis (X), the movable apparatus (20) slides and remains suspended on the supports (12) and sits such that it is at a certain height on the base (10). Thanks to this structure, a food carrier (1) containing a certain amount of water between the base (10) and the movable apparatus (20) is obtained. When the user places the products to be cooked on the movable apparatus (20) and operates the oven, the water evaporates in the gap forming the evaporation zone between the movable apparatus (20) and the base (10), passes through the holes (21) and penetrates the products to be cooked, and thus, a steam cooking application is provided even in a traditional oven without a steam cooking function.

[0035] The multipurpose food carrier (1) subject to the invention offers a wide range of cooking advantages by combining both steam cooking with its perforated (21) configuration and flat base (10) features. The configuration of the food carrier (1) capable of steam cooking by means of the movable apparatus (20) sets forth a low-cost steam oven application for traditional ovens that do not have a steam cooking function.

[0036] The orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "upper" and "lower" in this description is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the figures and is solely for the clarity of the technical solution and ease of description. It does not imply or indicate that the specified device or element requires a specific orientation, is constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A multipurpose food carrier (1) enabling steam cooking, placed on a rack in the cooking chamber for ovens, characterized in that, to enable the user to perform steam cooking by adding a certain amount of water to the base (10) of the food carrier (1) and evaporating water along an evaporation zone upon heating of the oven, it comprises:■ at least one food carrier (1 ) having at least one slot (13) positioned at a certain height with the base (10) on at least one of the side walls (11) of the food carrier (1), and■ at least one movable apparatus (20) on which products to be cooked are placed and which has a plurality of holes (21) allowing the passage of steam emerging during steam cooking, which is attachable to the food carrier (1) by passing through the slot (13), and which ensures the formation of an evaporation zone between itself and the base (10).

2. The multipurpose food carrier (1) for ovens according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least one support (12) configured as a protrusion on at least one of the side walls (11) and which ensures that the movable apparatus (20) remains suspended when attached to the food carrier (1).

3. The multipurpose food carrier (1) for ovens according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least one handle (22) positioned on the movable apparatus (20), which allows the user to insert and remove the movable apparatus (20) into and from the slot (13).

4. The multipurpose food carrier (1) for ovens according to Claim 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one handle (22) to enable the user to insert and remove the movable apparatus (20) into and from the slot (13); formed as a continuation of the movable apparatus (20), on the side of the movable apparatus (20) opposite the slot (13), from a bending point as one portion outward from the horizontal axis (X), another portion parallel to the horizontal axis, and a third portion as a bend towards the horizontal axis.

5. The multipurpose food carrier (1) for ovens according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least one base (10) configured as a rectangular plate to carry the products to be cooked and the water to be evaporated.

6. The multipurpose food carrier (1) for ovens according to Claim 5, characterized in that it comprises at least four side walls (11) structured as bends from the edges of the base (10)configured as a rectangular plate, in an outward direction relative to the horizontal axis (X), which prevent the products / foods to be cooked from spilling from the base (10) and which contain the slot (13) for the movable apparatus (20) to enter and exit.

7. The multipurpose food carrier (1) for ovens according to Claim 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one support (12) positioned on at least one of the side walls (11), on their surfaces facing the center of the food carrier (1), at a certain height with the base (10), and configured as a protrusion having a certain length and width towards the center of the food carrier (1), which ensures that the movable apparatus (20) remains suspended on the base (10) by sitting thereon.

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