AU2011278149B2

AU2011278149B2 - Cooking appliance having two areas

Info

Publication number: AU2011278149B2
Application number: AU2011278149A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jean-Claude Bizard; Celine Sobole
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2010-07-13
Filing date: 2011-07-08
Publication date: 2015-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 2031-07-08
Also published as: CN102334908A; WO2012007681A2; CN102334908B; AU2011278149A1; FR2962636A1; WO2012007681A3; CA2805606C; EP2592983B1; EP2592983A2; CA2805606A1; FR2962636B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking appliance, in particular to a dry-cooking fryer, including a cooking chamber (1), a heating means (2) designed to generate a heating flow (20) in the cooking chamber (1), a receiving means (3) for receiving the foods in the cooking chamber (1), and a stirring means (4) arranged within the receiving means (3). According to the invention, a cooking holder (10) that is separate from the stirring means (4) is arranged in the cooking chamber (1) and forms a cooking surface (11) that is directly exposed to the heating flow (20), said cooking holder (10) defining, together with the receiving means (3), a first cooking area (12) that is at least partially protected from the heating flow (20), and a second cooking area (13) that is more exposed to the heating flow (20) than the first cooking area (12).

Description

1 COOKING APPLIANCE HAVING TWO AREAS The present invention relates to the technical field of cooking appliances and uses a heating flow oriented such that it substantially strikes at least a portion of the foods. Document W02006/000699 discloses an appliance of the aforementioned kind. This appliance, however, makes provision of only one cooking area. This appliance can be used to cook fries, but it is not suited for correctly cooking fragile foods such as frozen fried calamari rings, and it is not suited at all for cooking hamburgers, large pieces of meat, or fish. It is an object of the invention to improve upon the prior art at least to an extent or to provide an alternative thereto. A preferred embodiment aims to increase the number of recipes that can be prepared in an appliance of the aforementioned kind. Another preferred embodiment aims to enable the cooking of a complete dish consisting of two different kinds of foods requiring distinct ways of cooking. These objectives are achieved with a cooking appliance, in particular a dry cooking fryer comprising a cooking chamber, a heating means designed for generating a heating flow in the cooking chamber, a receiving means provided for receiving foods in the cooking chamber, a stirring means positioned inside the receiving means, wherein a cooking holder separate from the stirring means is arranged in the cooking chamber and forms a cooking surface directly exposed to the heating flow, said cooking holder delimiting, together with the receiving means, a first cooking area partially protected from the heating flow and a second cooking area more exposed to the heating flow than the first cooking area. This arrangement makes it possible to obtain two cooking environments in one heating flow cooking appliance, which includes a stirring means. Dishes consisting of foods requiring different cooking times and/or cooking temperatures can thus be prepared more easily, while at the same time allowing some of the foods to be stirred.

2 According to a preferred advantageous embodiment, the cooking chamber is defined by a housing accommodating the receiving means, the stirring means, and the cooking holder. As an alternative, the cooking chamber could be partially defined by the receiving means in particular. According to preferred embodiment, the cooking holder is detachable in relation to the receiving means. This arrangement makes it possible to start cooking a first food in one of the cooking areas and to install the cooking holder for cooking the second food in the other cooking area. This arrangement likewise simplifies putting foods in and taking them out of the receiving means, while at the same time allowing a larger cooking surface on the cooking holder. This arrangement also simplifies the cleaning of the cooking holder. Preferably then, the heating means is designed to generate a heating flow reaching the receiving means in the absence of the cooking holder in the cooking chamber. This arrangement allows the effects of the heating flow and of the stirring means to be combined in a first phase. Preferably too, the heating means is designed to generate a heating flow reaching the receiving means with the cooking holder present in the cooking chamber. This arrangement allows the effects of the heating flow and of the stirring means to be combined while the cooking holder is in use. According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking holder rests on the stirring means. As an alternative, the cooking holder could rest on the receiving means in particular. According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking holder is rotationally driven. This arrangement in particular makes it possible to cook foods on one side and not requiring stirring, such as steaks.

3 According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking holder has at least one concave portion. This arrangement in particular makes it possible to keep the cooking juices from spilling in the receiving means. According to a preferred embodiment, the receiving means forms a vat. This arrangement in particular allows foods to be cooked in liquids. According to a preferred embodiment, the receiving means and the stirring means are designed to be given a movement of relative rotation. This arrangement makes it possible to improve the mixing of the foods. According to a preferred embodiment, the stirring means is rotationally driven. This arrangement makes it possible to minimize the driving forces. According to a preferred embodiment, the heating flow comprises a hot air flow. As an alternative, the heating flow could comprise an infrared radiation source. According to a first preferred embodiment, the cooking surface is positioned between the heating flow and the receiving means. Thus the first cooking area can be arranged between the receiving means and the cooking holder, the second cooking area being arranged above the cooking surface of the cooking holder. According to a second preferred embodiment, the heating means generates a toroidal hot air flow and the cooking holder is arranged at least partially inside the toroidal hot air flow. Thus the first cooking area protected at least partially from the heating flow is arranged above the cooking holder and the second cooking area more exposed to the heating flow is arranged below the cooking holder. Preferably, there is at least one central opening in the cooking holder to provide for the passage of the toroidal hot air flow. As an alternative, the central opening could be placed in a central holder of the cooking holder.

4 Preferably, the cooking holder forms an annular passage together with the receiving means. As an alternative, several lateral passages could be formed between the cooking holder and the receiving means, or even around the cooking holder. The invention will be more clearly understood by studying two examples of preferred embodiments, which are not limiting in any way and are illustrated in the appended figures, wherein: Figure 1 is a cutaway view from above of a first example embodiment, Figure 2 is a schematic cutaway view from above of a second example of embodiment. The cooking appliance illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a cooking chamber 1, a heating means 2 designed for generating a heating flow in the cooking chamber 1, a receiving means 3 provided for receiving the foods in the cooking chamber 1, a stirring means 4 disposed inside the receiving means 3. In order to allow a greater variety of cooking methods, the cooking appliance of the invention further comprises a cooking holder 10 arranged within the cooking chamber 1. The cooking holder 10 is separate from the stirring means 4. More particularly, the cooking chamber 1 is defined by a housing 5 accommodating the receiving means 3, the stirring means 4, and the cooking holder 10. The housing 5 comprises a lid 7 mounted on a base 6. The base 6 and the lid 7 delimit the cooking chamber 1. The lid 7 includes a transparent or translucent portion 70 arranged above the receiving means 3. The receiving means 3 has a top opening 8. The housing 5 defines a compartment 9 in which the receiving means 3 is arranged. The receiving means 3 is immobile in relation to the housing 5. Advantageously, the receiving means 3 is mounted in a detachable manner in relation to the housing 5.

5 The heating means 2 is accommodated in the housing 5. The heating means 2 includes a fan 21 generating an aeraulic flow and a heating element 23 arranged in the aeraulic flow generated by the fan 21. The fan 21 is driven by a fan motor 26. The heating means 2 generates a heating flow 20 entering into 5 the receiving means 3 via the top opening 8. The heating flow 20 is oriented such that it substantially strikes at least a portion of the foods directly. The fan 21 is provided for aspirating the air present in the compartment 9 via an air intake 22 and for blowing the air on the heating element 23 arranged in a pipe 24 opening into the compartment 9. The heating flow 20 thus comprises 10 a hot air flow. A portion 25 of the pipe 24 is formed in the lid 7. The heating means 2 is designed for generating a heating flow 20 reaching the receiving means 3 in the absence of the cooking holder 10 in the cooking chamber 1. The receiving means 3 is formed by a vat 30 consisting of a bottom 31 and a 15 side wall 32. As can be readily discerned in Figure 1, the bottom 31 is slanted downwards towards the side wall 32. The vat 30 has a central opening 33 provided for the passage of a drive axle 34 rotationally driven by a motor 35. A funnel 36 is mounted on the central opening 33. The stirring means 4 forms a means for automatically coating the foods with a 20 film of fatty material for the mixing of said foods with said fatty material. The cooking appliance illustrated in Figure 1 thus constitutes a dry cooking fryer. The receiving means 3 and the stirring means 4 are designed to be given a movement of relative rotation. The stirring means 4 includes a hub 40 provided for capping the funnel 36 and an arm 41 arising from said hub 40. The stirring 25 means 4 is rotationally driven by the drive axle 34. The stirring means 4 comprises a means for lifting foods 42 6 which is formed by a receding surface 43 that slopes in relation to the axis of the hub 40. The receding surface 43 diminishes in width from a front bottom portion 44 towards a back top portion 45. The stirring means 4 is mounted on the drive axle 34. The stirring means 4 has a hooking member 46 provided for 5 engaging with a retaining member 37 formed in the funnel 36. The vat 30 is advantageously made of a metal material, preferably a coated metal material or stainless steel. The receiving means 3 includes a holder 38 fastened to the vat 30. The receiving means 3 includes a handle 39. The handle 39 is, for example, mounted in an articulated manner on the holder 38. 10 A lateral obstacle 50 is positioned inside the receiving means 3. More particularly, the lateral obstacle 50 arises from the holder 38. The lateral obstacle 50 extends on at least part of the height of the side wall 32 of the vat 30. The cooking holder 10 arranged in the cooking chamber 1 forms a cooking 15 surface 11 directly exposed to the heating flow 20. The cooking holder 10 delimits a first cooking area 12 at least partially protected from the heating flow 20 and a second cooking area 13 more exposed to the heating flow 20 than the first cooking area 12. More particularly, the cooking holder 10 is detachable in relation to the 20 receiving means 3. The cooking holder 10 rests on the stirring means 4. Thus the cooking holder 10 is rotationally driven. The cooking holder 10 has at least one concave portion 14 provided for receiving foods and containing the cooking juices. As can be discerned in Figure 1, the cooking surface 11 is positioned 25 between the heating flow 20 and the receiving means 3. The first cooking area 12 at least partially protected from the heating flow 20 corresponds to the receiving means 3, and the second cooking area 13 more exposed to the heating flow 20 than the first cooking area 12 corresponds to the cooking surface 11. 30 7 As is readily discernible in Figure 1, the stirring means 4 is thus arranged in the first cooking area 12. The cooking holder 10 forms an annular passage 15 together with the receiving means 3. The cooking holder 10 includes a support member 16 5 resting on the hub 40. The support member 16 forms a central opening 17. The cooking holder 10 extends above the stirring means 4. The cooking holder 10 has an annular bottom 18 surrounded by a side wall 19. The cooking holder 10 includes a gripping member 55 with a curved top edge 56. A detachable handle described in document WO 2004010832 can, for example, be used for 10 grasping the gripping member 55. The appliance according to the invention works and is used in the following manner. The user can prepare a complete dish such as steak and fries by putting fresh potatoes cut into sticks in the receiving means 3 after having removed the 15 cooking holder 10 using, for example, a detachable handle as mentioned previously. The user then operates the appliance without the cooking holder 10. The heating means 2 associated with the stirring means 4 allows the cooking of fries. When the cooking of the fries is almost finished, the user opens the lid 7 and then puts the cooking holder 10 with one or several steaks 20 in the cooking chamber 1. The user closes the cooking chamber 1 and turns the appliance back on. The fries put in the first cooking area 12 under the cooking holder 10 finish cooking and/or are kept hot during the cooking of the steak or steaks put in the second cooking area 13 on the cooking holder 10. The rotation of the cooking holder 10 driven by the hub 40 allows the steak or 25 steaks to pass under the outlet of the pipe 24. Rapid cooking is achievable under the effect of the hot air directly striking the food placed on the cooking surface 11 and under the effect of the raising of the temperature of the cooking surface 11 directly struck by the hot air next to the food. The cooking appliance shown in Figure 2 comprises a cooking 30 8 chamber 1', a heating means 2' designed to generate a heating flow in the cooking chamber 1', a receiving means 3' provided for receiving foods in the cooking chamber 1', a stirring means 4' positioned inside the receiving means 3'. The receiving means 3' is identical to the receiving means 3 and the stirring 5 means 4' is identical to the stirring means 4. The receiving means 3' and the stirring means 4' are designed to be given a movement of relative rotation. The cooking appliance illustrated in Figure 2 differs from the cooking appliance illustrated in Figure 1 in that the heating means 2' generates a toroidal hot air flow. The heating means 2' is supported by a lid 7' mounted on a base 6' of a 10 housing 5' forming the cooking chamber 1'. The heating means 2' includes a fan 21' generating an aeraulic flow and a heating element 23' arranged in the aeraulic flow generated by the fan 21'. The heating means 2' generates a heating flow 20' entering the receiving means 3' via the top opening 8' of the receiving means 3'. The heating flow 20' is oriented such that it substantially 15 strikes at least a portion of the foods directly. The heating flow 20' comprises a toroidal hot air flow 20a blown by the fan 21' as well as a radiant flow 20b emanating from the heating element 23'. The heating element 23' is arranged in the cooking chamber 1'. The fan 21' is driven by a fan motor 26'. The cooking holder 10' is separate from the heating means 4'. The cooking 20 holder 10' is arranged at least partially inside the toroidal hot air flow 20a. The cooking holder 10' arranged in the cooking chamber 1' forms a cooking surface 11' directly exposed to the radiant flow 20b emanating from the heating element 23'. The essence of the heating flow 20' comes from the hot air flow 20a. Thus the first cooking area 12' protected at least partially from the 25 heating flow 20' corresponds to the cooking surface 11' and the second cooking area 13', more exposed to the heating flow 20' than the first cooking area 12', corresponds to the receiving means 3'. As is readily discernible in Figure 2, the stirring means 4' is thus arranged in 9 the second cooking zone 13'. The cooking holder 10' has at least one central opening 17' to provide for the passage of the toroidal hot air flow 20a. The cooking holder 10' rests on the receiving means 3'. To this end, the cooking holder 10' has several arms 16' 5 supported by the receiving means 3'. The cooking holder 10' has an annular concave portion 14'. Optionally, the cooking holder 10' can have several concave portions. The cooking holder 10' includes a gripping member 55' having a curved top edge 56'. The heating means 2' is designed to generate a heating flow 20' reaching the 10 top side of the receiving means 3' with and without the cooking holder 10' present in the cooking chamber 1'. The cooking appliance illustrated in Figure 2 can be used in particular for simultaneously cooking with stirring in the receiving means 3' and cooking without stirring on the cooking holder 10'. 15 Alternatively, the cooking holder 10 in particular could include a cut-out or slots or a smaller diameter partially allowing the passage of the hot air flow outside the cooking holder 10, directly exposing the first cooking area to the heating flow 20. Alternatively, the first cooking area 12 of the cooking chamber 3 could be 20 delimited in an air-tight or almost air-tight manner by the cooking holder 10. Alternatively, the cooking holder 10, 10' does not necessarily have an annular shape. In particular the cooking holder 10, 10' can form a quarter section or have a bean-like shape. Alternatively, the cooking holder 10 could rest on the receiving means 3. 25 Alternatively, the cooking holder 10' could rest on the stirring means 4'.

10 Alternatively, the radiant flow 20b emanating from the heating element 23' could be reflected onto the cooking surface 11' by a reflector. Alternatively, other kinds of heating means 2 are conceivable, in particular a radiant heating means generating a radiant heating flow entering into the 5 receiving means 3 via the top opening 8. Alternatively, the stirring means 4; 4' is not necessarily rotationally driven in the receiving means 3; 3'. In particular, as an option the receiving means 3; 3' can be mounted in a rotationally driven manner in a housing, if desired. Alternatively, the receiving means 3, 3' is not necessarily formed by a vat. 10 Preference is given to the receiving means 3, 3' having a bottom and a side wall. In particular the receiving means 3, 3' can be formed by a frying basket. Alternatively, the cooking holder 10; 10' is not necessarily mounted in a detachable manner in relation to the receiving means 3, 3'. The present invention is not limited in any way to the example of embodiment 15 described or to its alternatives, but encompasses numerous modifications within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. Cooking appliance, in particular a dry cooking fryer comprising a cooking chamber, a heating means designed for generating a heating flow in the cooking chamber, a receiving means provided for receiving foods in the cooking chamber, a stirring means positioned inside the receiving means, wherein a cooking holder separate from the stirring means is arranged in the cooking chamber and forms a cooking surface directly exposed to the heating flow, said cooking holder delimiting, together with the receiving means, a first cooking area protected partially from the heating flow and a second cooking area more exposed to the heating flow than the first cooking area.

2. Cooking appliance as in claim 1, wherein the cooking chamber is defined by a housing accommodating the receiving means, the stirring means, and the cooking holder.

3. Cooking appliance as in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cooking holder is detachable in relation to the receiving means.

4. Cooking appliance as in claim 3, wherein the heating means is designed to generate a heating flow reaching the receiving means in the absence of the cooking holder in the cooking chamber.

5. Cooking appliance as in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the heating means is designed to generate a heating flow reaching the receiving means with the cooking holder present in the cooking chamber.

6. Cooking appliance as in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cooking holder rests on the stirring means.

7. Cooking appliance as in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cooking holder is rotationally driven.

8. Cooking appliance as in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cooking holder has at least one concave portion. 12

9. Cooking appliance as in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the receiving means forms a vat.

10. Cooking appliance as in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the receiving means and the stirring means are designed to be given a movement of relative rotation.

11. Cooking apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the stirring means is rotationally driven.

12. Cooking apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the heating flow comprises a hot air flow.

13. Cooking apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cooking surface is positioned between the heating flow and the receiving means.

14. Cooking apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the heating means includes a fan generating an aeraulic flow and a heating element arranged in the aeraulic flow generated by the fan, the heating means generating a toroidal hot air flow blown by the fan, and further wherein the cooking holder is arranged at least partially within the toroidal hot air flow.

15. Cooking apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the cooking holder has at least one central opening provided for the passage of the toroidal hot air flow.

16. Cooking apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the cooking holder forms an annular passage together with the receiving means.

17. Cooking apparatus as in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the stirring means is arranged in the first cooking area or in the second cooking area.

18. Cooking apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. SEB S.A. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON