AU2011254433B2

AU2011254433B2 - Electrical appliance provided for producing culinary preparations in separate portions

Info

Publication number: AU2011254433B2
Application number: AU2011254433A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jean-Paul Astegno; Patrick Charles; Gerard Lacourpaille
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2010-05-18
Filing date: 2011-05-18
Publication date: 2015-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 2031-05-18
Also published as: CN102970874B; ES2718301T3; FR2960141B1; CA2799604C; RU2012153833A; EP2571373A1; EP2571373B1; JP5864549B2; JP2013526937A; FR2960141A1; WO2011144870A1; AU2011254433A1; CA2799604A1; RU2559539C2; CN102970874A

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical appliance for producing culinary preparations in separate portions, which comprises a heating base (1), a main lid (3), and at least one container (4) for holding the food preparation. According to the invention, the appliance also includes a carrier (2) inserted between the heating base (1) and the main lid (3), the carrier (2) including an opening (22) in which each container (4) is suspended such that the bottom (41) of each container (4) is separated from the heating base (1), the carrier (2) surrounding the container(s)(4) around most of the height of the container(s)(4).

Description

1 Electrical appliance designed for culinary preparations in separate servings The present invention relates to the technical field of electrical appliances designed for culinary preparation in separate servings, particularly in individual servings, such as yogurts or desserts in particular. The making of preparations based on milk and ferments, such as yogurt, or based on milk and rennet, such asfromage blanc or the curd cheese also calledfaisselle, usually requires a relatively long transformation (fermentation), which can reach several hours. The temperatures usually attained by the food for accomplishing these preparations are approximately 36 to 40'C for makingfromage blanc or curd cheese and approximately 40 to 50*C for making yogurt. The making of sweet and/or salty desserts such as cream dessert, caramel custards, but also souffles, flans, clafoutis or chocolate fondants requires less time to cook (usually up to about one hour), but a higher temperature. The temperatures usually attained by food for making these preparations are for example approximately 85 to 95*C for making caramel custard. Known from document FR 2 311 522 is an electrical cooking appliance for desserts with automatic shut-off. This appliance comprises a cooking enclosure designed to accommodate several cups containing the food to be cooked. A thermal inertia heating device makes it possible to attain a cooking temperature and to maintain said cooking temperature before beginning the cooling phase. The proposed construction, however, has the disadvantage of being relatively tricky to adjust so as to obtain the desired temperature profiles. Further, the containers are resting on the heating base, which results in areas of uneven heating. It is the object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages. One advantageous embodiment proposes an electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate servings, wherein the transformation of the preparations is more consistent within one and the same container. Another advantageous embodiment proposes an electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate servings, wherein the transformation of the preparations is more consistent from one container to another.

la There is disclosed herein an electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate servings, comprising a heating base, a main lid, and at least one container for containing the food preparation, wherein the appliance also includes a support inserted between the heating base and the main lid, the support including an opening for suspending each container so that the bottom of each container is remote from the heating base, the support surrounding the container(s) over most of the height of the container(s), wherein the heating base includes a metal plate associated with heating means, wherein the metal plate includes a cavity sized so as to accommodate a calibrated quantity of liquid, wherein the metal plate extends below the bottom of the container(s), and wherein the electrical appliance includes control means providing for operation of the heating means in a first mode limiting the temperature of the metal plate to below 100 0 C and in a second mode allowing a temperature of the metal plate greater than 100 0 C. By avoiding direct contact between the containers and the heating base, the appliance provides optimal heating of the culinary preparation and thus improves its organoleptic properties. The support surrounding the container(s) over most of the height of the container(s) makes it possible to promote homogeneous heating inside the container(s) by avoiding preferential heating of one side of the container(s) by the heating base. The support surrounding the container(s) over most of the height of the container(s) also makes it possible to promote uniform heating from one container to another by avoiding WVU L4I1/1445A Z PCT/FR2011/051127 partial lateral heating emanating from one wall of the heating base, and makes it possible in particular to contemplate the use of one or more containers surrounded by other containers. In addition, the support thus proposed carrying one or more containers can be rested on a flat surface. 5 According to one advantageous embodiment, the bottom of each container projects below the support. This arrangement makes it possible to facilitate grasping the container(s) by separating the container(s) from the opening(s) in the support when the support is rested on a flat surface. 10 According to one advantageous embodiment, the support includes an outer rim resting on the periphery of the heating base. Advantageously then, the outer rim is made of plastic. 15 According to an advantageous embodiment, the support includes a tray bearing the opening(s) for each container. Advantageously then, the tray is removable. 20 Advantageously too, the upper portion of the support includes an upper rim for resting the main lid. Advantageously too, the outer surface of the support includes handles for grasping. 25 Advantageously too, each container includes a shoulder near an upper rim, the shoulder resting on the rim of the associated opening of the support. Advantageously too, the heating base includes a metal plate associated with heating means. 30 According to one embodiment, the heating means are positioned in the central portion of the metal plate. Advantageously then, the metal plate includes a cavity sized to accommodate a calibrated 35 quantity of liquid. Advantageously too, the heating means consist of a shielded heating element fixed underneath the metal plate at the cavity. 40 Advantageously too, the metal plate is made of aluminum. Advantageously too, the electrical appliance includes control means providing for operation of the heating means in a first mode limiting the temperature of the metal plate to below I 00*C and in a second mode allowing a metal plate temperature higher than I 00*C. 45 Advantageously too, the electrical appliance includes control means providing for operation of the heating element at a minimum of two prescribed temperatures comprised between 350 and 900, WU 2011/144870 3 PCT/FR2011/051127 According to one advantageous embodiment, the metal plate is accommodated in a base. Advantageously then, a gasket is mounted on the periphery of the metal plate in order to thermally isolate the metal plate from the base. 5 Advantageously then, to avoid direct heating of the support, the support rests on the heating base on the periphery of the gasket. Advantageously too, to facilitate the attainment of uniform heating underneath the containers, 10 the metal plate extends below the bottom of the containers. Advantageously too, to facilitate the attainment of uniform heating under the containers, the heating base includes surface heating means placed underneath the containers. 15 Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description that follows with reference to the appended drawings, which are provided only as examples and without limitation: - Figure I is a front view of an electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in 20 separate servings according to the invention, - Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the appliance illustrated in Figure 1, - Figure 3 is a cross-section view of the appliance illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, 25 - Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the heating base of the appliance illustrated in Figures I through 3, - Figure 5 is a cross-section view of the heating base illustrated in Figure 4. 30 One embodiment of an electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate servings is illustrated in Figures I through 5. Figure 1 shows an electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate servings, 35 comprising a heating base 1, a support 2 for at least one container 4 designed to accommodate the culinary preparation, and a main lid 3. According to the invention, it is possible to prepare different types of milk-based desserts and preparations in the containers. As illustrated in Figure 1, the support 2 is inserted between the heating base 1 and the main 40 lid 3. Thus, the support 2 exhibits a lower rim 23 resting on the periphery of the heating base 1 and the upper portion of the support 2 includes an upper rim 24 for resting the main lid 3. The outer surface of the support 2 includes handles 25 for grasping. As shown by Figure 2, the support 2 includes an outer rim 20 resting on the periphery of the 45 heating base 1. The outer rim 20 constitutes the sidewall of the support 2. The grasping handles 25 extend from the outer rim 20. The outer rim 20 is preferably made of material with low heat conduction, plastic for example.

WU 2011/144870 4 PCT/FR2011/051127 The support 2 also includes a tray 21 approximately parallel to the heating base 1. The tray 21 occupies the interior space of the outer rim 20. According to the invention, the tray 21 is equipped with openings 22. These openings 22 make it possible to position the containers 4 within the electrical appliance for making culinary preparations. According to the 5 embodiment variant shown, the tray 21 includes twelve openings 22. Without departing from the scope of the invention, it is possible to practice a different number of openings and in particular to make only a single opening for a single container, the support 2 then surrounding said container over most of the height of said container. Thus the support 2 includes at least one opening 22 for suspending each container 4 so that the bottom 41 of 10 each container 4 is remote from the heating base 1. The tray 21 bears the opening(s) 22 for each container 4. As the section view of Figure 3 shows more precisely, the support 2 makes it possible to suspend the containers 4 above the heating base 1. Thus, according to one of the features of 15 the invention, the containers 4 do not rest on the heating base 1. On the contrary, the bottom 41 of the containers 4 is separated by a height h from the heating base 1. As an example, the height h is comprised between 2 and 15 mm, and preferably between 3 and 10 mm. As can be seen in Figure 3, the support 2 surrounds the containers 4 over most of the height of the containers 4. Particularly, the support 2 extends along the major portion of the sidewall of the 20 containers 4 extending below the openings 22, and stops slightly above the bottom 41 of the containers 4. Thus, the bottom 41 of each container 4 extends below the support 2. Each container 4 includes a shoulder 42 in the vicinity of an upper rim 43. Thus, when the container 4 is placed in the support 2, the shoulder 42 comes to bear on the rim 26 of the 25 associated opening 22 of the support 2. The container 4 is then locked in translation and does not reach the heating base 1. The dimensions of the lower portion of each container 4 are therefore smaller than the dimensions of the opening 22. Moreover, the contact area between the shoulder 42 and the rim 26 of the opening 22 creates a seal area allowing the upper portion of the container 4 to be isolated from the heat or possible steam emissions emanating 30 from the heating base 1. Thus the support 2 includes at least one opening 22 for suspending each container 4 so that the bottom 41 of each container 4 is remote from the heating base 1. According to the embodiment variant shown, the containers 4 can be equipped with lids 5. These lids 5 are used only to preserve the culinary preparations after cooking or fermentation 35 in the appliance according to the invention. Likewise, the containers 4 can include a perforated inner receptacle 6 for the preparation of fromage blanc orfaisselle. The height of the tray 21 on the outer rim 20 of the support 2 and the height of the outer rim 20 make it possible in particular to easily handle all the containers 4 thanks to the grasping 40 handles 25. In the embodiment variant illustrated in the figures, the support 2 is made in a single piece. According to an embodiment variant not shown, the height of the outer rim 20 is determined so that even when the support 2 is not resting on the heating base 1, it is possible to rest the 45 support 2 and its containers 4 on a flat surface, without the bottom 41 of the containers 4 resting on that surface. As described previously, the main lid 3 rests on the upper rim 24 of the support 2. To provide a certain fluid-tightness in the closure between the main lid 3 and the support 2, the periphery WO 2011/144870 5 PCT/FR2011/051127 of the main lid 3 includes a shoulder 30 which rests against the upper rim 24 of the support 2. The main lid 3 also includes a grasping handle 31. The heating base I will now be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The heating base 5 1 of the appliance according to the invention includes a metal plate 10 associated with heating means 12. The metal plate is accommodated in the base 16. The base 16 also includes a control panel 15 and the associated electronics for controlling the heating means 12. In order to thermally isolate the metal plate 10 from the base 16, a gasket 13 is mounted on the periphery of the metal plate 10. Further, a spacer 14 is used for assembling the metal plate 10 10 to the base 16. During assembly, the gasket 13 is force-fitted to the rim of the metal plate 10. Then, the spacer 14 is clipped to the base 16. Finally, the metal plate 10 equipped with the gasket 13 is inserted into the base 16. The spacer 14 also constitutes the bearing surface of the lower rim 23 of the support 2. The spacer 14 being thermally isolated from the metal plate 10 by the gasket 13, the support 2 does not suffer exposure to an excessive temperature. As 15 can be clearly seen in Figure 3, the support 2 rests on the heating base I at the periphery of the gasket 13. The metal plate 10 is for example made of aluminum to ensure an even temperature distribution over the entire surface of the metal plate 10, and preferably of cast aluminum 20 allowing good radiation to be obtained for heating the containers 4. As can be clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3, the metal plate 10 extends below the bottom 41 of the containers 4. The heating means 12 are positioned in the central portion of the metal plate 10. The metal plate 10 can include a cavity I I sized to accommodate a calibrated quantity of liquid, substantially in the center of the metal plate 10 for example. The dimensions of the cavity 1 1 are 25 determined so as to accommodate a calibrated quantity of liquid such as water. By way of example, the volume of the cavity I I makes it possible to accommodate a quantity of water comprised between 100 and 200 ml. The metal plate 10 exhibits a raised rim allowing the condensates formed to be contained below the support 2. If desired, the bottom of the metal plate 10 can exhibit a slope from the raised rim toward the cavity 11. The heating means 12 30 consist for example of a shielded heating element, fixed underneath the metal plate 10, at the cavity I I for example, as can be seen in Figure 4. The heating base I thus includes surface heating means placed below the containers 4, allowing the accomplishment of uniform heating below the containers 4. 35 The use of the support 2 according to the invention makes it possible to avoid direct contact between the containers 4 and the metal heating plate 10, which makes it possible to obtain a uniform temperature rise and hold in the containers 4. Indeed, the volume defined by the metal plate 10, the tray 21 and the outer rim 20 of the support forms a substantially uniform 40 heating volume e for the outer surface of the containers 4. This heating mode makes it possible to improve the quality of the culinary preparations made in the appliance according to the invention. In order to improve thermal insulation of the heating space e, the support 2 is made of a material with low thermal conductivity, plastic for example. 45 The appliance according to the invention can operate in at least two modes: a first so-called dry heat mode, and a second so-called wet heat mode. The first, so-called dry heat mode is particularly suited to the preparation of yogurt by fermentation with ferments, or offromage blanc or offaisselle by fermentation with rennet.

WU 2tJ11/144670 b PCT/FR2011/051127 In this first mode, the temperature in the heating space e is regulated to about 450 for yogurts, or 38'C for fromage blanc or faisselle. To that end and in a manner known per se, a thermostatic regulating device (not shown) regulates the electrical power supply to the heating means 12 to maintain this temperature in the heating space e. This thermostatic 5 regulating device comprises for example a NTC type sensor mounted against the metal plate 10, with a prescribed temperature for electrical power supply to the heating means 12 being approximately 60*C for making yogurt. The second, so-called wet heat mode, enables cooking of desserts. This second mode requires 10 a higher temperature. The humid environment allows a rapid rise to and holding of this temperature. To implement this second mode, the cavity I I is filled with the calibrated quantity of water, for example 150 ml, and the regulated temperature is increased to over 100'C to allow the evaporation of water contained in the cavity. If desired, the power of the heating means 12 can also be modulated by alternating heating periods and shut-off periods. 15 The control panel 15 makes it possible to select from among different programs implementing one or the other of the two modes. Making yogurt orfromage blanc can be the subject of two distinct programs using the first mode. Thus, the electrical appliance includes control means providing for operation of the heating means 12 in a first mode limiting the 20 temperature of the metal plate 10 below 100 C, and in a second mode allowing a temperature of the metal plate 10 greater than 100*C. Without departing from the scope of the invention, the control panel 15 and the associated electronics can allow operation at other prescribed temperatures comprised for example between 350 and 90*, with our without adding liquid in the cavity 11. 25 Thus, as described previously, the placement of the support 2 according to the invention improves the organoleptic qualities of the culinary preparations by providing optimal heating of the containers 4 throughout the cooking or fermentation. What is more, the support 2 facilitates the handling of the containers 4 before and after the cooking or the fermentation. 30 According to one embodiment not shown, the tray is removable from the outer rim. Thus, several trays comprising different opening sizes and shapes could be mounted, for instance by clipping, onto the outer rim. 35 By way of a variant, the heating base I could include surface heating means other than the metal plate 10 and the heating element 12, for example a self-adhesive heater fixed below an upper plate of the heating base 1, or even a heating element silkscreen printed on the bottom of an upper plate of the heating base 1. 40 The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described, but rather encompasses numerous modifications within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate servings, comprising a heating base, a main lid and at least one container for containing the food preparation, wherein the appliance also includes a support inserted between the heating base and the main lid, the support including an opening for suspending each container so that the bottom of each container is remote from the heating base, the support surrounding the container(s) over most of the height of the container(s), wherein the heating base includes a metal plate associated with heating means, wherein the metal plate includes a cavity sized so as to accommodate a calibrated quantity of liquid, wherein the metal plate extends below the bottom of the container(s), and wherein the electrical appliance includes control means providing for operation of the heating means in a first mode limiting the temperature of the metal plate to below 100 0 C and in a second mode allowing a temperature of the metal plate greater than 100'C.

2. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to Claim 1, wherein the bottom of each container projects below the support.

3. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the support includes an outer rim resting on the periphery of the heating base.

4. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to Claim 3, wherein the outer rim is made of plastic.

5. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the support includes a tray bearing the opening(s) for each container.

6. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to Claim 5, wherein the tray is removable.

7. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims I to 6, wherein the upper portion of the support includes an upper rim for resting the main lid. 8

8. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the outer surface of the support includes handles for grasping.

9. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein each container includes a shoulder near an upper edge, the shoulder bearing on the rim of the associated opening in the support.

10. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the heating means are positioned in the central portion of the metal plate.

11. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims I to 10, wherein the heating means consist of a shielded heating fixed below the metal plate at the cavity.

12. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein the metal plate is made of aluminum.

13. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims I to 12, wherein the metal plate is accommodated in a base of the heating base.

14. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to Claim 14, wherein a gasket is mounted on the periphery of the metal plate in order to thermally isolate the metal plate from the base.

15. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to Claim 14, wherein the support rests on the heating base at the periphery of the gasket.

16. The electrical appliance for making culinary preparations in separate portions according to any one of Claims I to 15, wherein the heating base includes surface heating means placed below the containers. SEB S.A. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON