EP2268101B1 - Crucible base, cooking device and method for operating such a cooking device - Google Patents

Abstract

The crucible base (1) has a rectangular upper side for cooking of foods and a rectangular lower base at which multiple individually adjustable heating elements lie laminarly. The arrangement of the heating element of the crucible base is divided into six equal rectangular heating zones (10-15). Each heating zone is formed by a rectangular heating element or two triangular heating elements. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a cooking appliance with a control- and regulating unit; and (2) a method for operating a cooking appliance.

Description

The present invention relates to a crucible bottom with a substantially rectangular top for cooking food and a substantially rectangular bottom surface, against which several individually adjustable heating elements, flat, a cooking appliance with such a crucible bottom and a method for operating a cooking appliance with such crucible bottom.

From the DE 197 05 677 A1 a cooking vessel is known which is made of a metal body with a very thin bottom. In a receptacle projecting downwardly from the vessel shell, a ceramic plate has shrunk so that it is under compressive stress and the bottom of the vessel under tension. The ceramic plate allows a flat bottom surface with good heat transfer properties.

In the DE 44 15 409 A1 is described an electrically heated cooking appliance, which has a pot, the wall of which comprises a two-layer composite material having an inner layer of stainless steel and an outer heat conducting layer, which is connected to a tubular heater.

A generic crucible bottom of a cooking appliance is from the WO 2005/032214 A2 known. The cooking appliance described there has a plurality of individual, flat heating elements, which are attached to the bottom of the crucible. The heating elements each comprise, for the direct or indirect electrical heating of at least one item to be cooked, a carrier layer, a heating element layer which adjoins the same at least in sections, and at least one electrical contact or conductor element with resilient locking element. In order to achieve a high flexibility, with the WO 2005/032214 A2 proposed to use a very large number of heating elements, whereby they must be made very small, which is expensive to manufacture.

The object of the present invention is thus to further develop the generic crucible bottom in such a way that it overcomes problems of the prior art. In particular, it is intended to reduce the production costs for a cooking appliance while at the same time combining the advantages that result from the use of a plurality of heating elements and the advantages that the use of a layer of good thermal conductivity can offer.

This object is achieved in that the arrangement of the heating elements divides the crucible bottom into six equal rectangular heating zones.

It can be provided that each heating zone is formed by a rectangular heating element or two triangular heating elements.

It can also be provided that the length of the crucible bottom is in a range of 500 to 550 mm, preferably 530 or 546 mm, and the width of the crucible bottom in a range of 300 to 350 mm, preferably 325 or 334.5 mm wherein the rectangular heating zones are preferably 176 or 180 mm long and 162 or 165 mm wide.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that each heating element is assigned its own sandwich floor structure, comprising a highly thermally conductive, in particular metallic, layer.

The invention further proposes a cooking device with such a crucible bottom, in which a control or regulating device, with which the heating elements are individually controllable or controllable, is provided as a function of a cooking program and / or a user setting.

In this case, at least one temperature-sensing device may be provided on or in the crucible bottom, preferably for detecting the heating by each of the heating elements. It can also be provided that the temperature sensing device comprises at least one thermocouple, wherein a first thermal contact of the thermocouple thermally to the top is coupled to the crucible bottom, a second thermal contact is thermally coupled to the underside of the crucible bottom side facing the heating elements, in particular between the heating elements and the sandwich floor structures arranged.

The invention also proposes a method for operating such a cooking appliance in which it is provided that the heating elements are individually controlled in such a way that the temperature and / or the energy input which the individual heating elements deliver to the crucible bottom provide temperature and temperature / or energy input zones on the bottom of the crucible is or will be set.

The surprising finding on which the invention is based is therefore to match the size and geometry of planar heating elements to the surface of a crucible bottom, so that with a crucible size of 1/1 Gastronorm (325mm x 530mm) exactly six equal sized rectangular heating zones, for example, each by Attaching a rectangular Dünnschichtheizplatte be provided. The division of the heating surfaces in six equal parts of 1/1 Gastronorm is particularly suitable because the size 1/6 Gastronorm one hand, ideal for the size of a steak and on the other hand no too small heating zones or heating elements must be provided, which are individually controlled so that there is an optimization between cost in production and installation of the heating elements on the one hand and flexibility while cooking on the other hand. The size of 1/6 Gastronorm is sufficient for most applications, while even smaller heating elements in production and assembly on the bottom of the crucible are very expensive and bring no significant additional benefits.

It is particularly advantageous if the six equal heating zones are each operated with two triangular heating elements and can thus be subdivided into triangular sections. The triangular sections make it possible to adapt the geometry of the heated area to a wide variety of food items. For example, it may be useful not to heat the corners of the crucible bottom, in each case in the region of a triangular portion, in order to temporarily store already pre-fried foods without being over-cooked. This also makes it possible to prevent overheating of food in the corners of the crucible. This makes it possible, for example, to simulate a wok through the crucible bottom according to the invention.

Figur 1

die Draufsicht auf einen Tiegelboden eines erfindungsgemäßen Gargeräts, der in sechs gleichgroße Heizzonen unterteilt ist;

Figur 2

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, bei dem fünf verschiedene Temperaturzonen eingestellt sind;

Figur 3

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, bei dem vier verschiedene Energieeintragszonen eingestellt sind;

Figur 4

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, bei dem drei verschiedene Temperaturzonen eingestellt sind;

Figur 5

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, bei dem zwei verschiedene Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen eingestellt sind;

Figur 6

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, bei dem drei verschiedene Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen eingestellt sind;

Figur 7

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, bei dem zwei von sechs Heizzonen durch jeweils zwei dreieckige Heizelemente gebildet werden und bei dem sieben verschiedene Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen einge- stellt sind;

Figur 8

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 1, mit einer gleichmäßigen Temperatur- oder Energieeintragsverteilung;

Figur 9

eine Draufsicht auf einen Tiegelboden nach Figur 1 oder 7, der in zwei Tempe- ratur- oder Energieeintragszonen unterteilt ist;

Figur 10

eine Draufsicht auf einen alternativen Tiegelboden eines erfindungsgemäßen Gargeräts, der in zwei Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen aufgeteilt ist;

Figur 11

eine Draufsicht auf den Tiegelboden nach Figur 7, der in drei Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen aufgeteilt ist;

Figur 12

eine Draufsicht auf einen Tiegelboden nach Figur 7, der in zwei Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen aufgeteilt ist; und

Figur 13

eine Draufsicht auf einen weiteren alternativen Tiegelboden eines erfindungs- gemäßen Gargeräts, der in drei Temperatur- oder Energieeintragszonen aufge- teilt ist.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, are explained in the embodiments of the invention with reference to 13 schematic drawings in detail. Showing:

FIG. 1

the top view of a crucible bottom of a cooking appliance according to the invention, which is divided into six equal heating zones;

FIG. 2

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 in which five different temperature zones are set;

FIG. 3

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 in which four different energy input zones are set;

FIG. 4

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 in which three different temperature zones are set;

FIG. 5

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 in which two different temperature or energy input zones are set;

FIG. 6

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 in which three different temperature or energy input zones are set;

FIG. 7

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 in which two out of six heating zones are each formed by two triangular heating elements and in which seven different temperature or energy input zones are set;

FIG. 8

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 1 , with a uniform temperature or energy input distribution;

FIG. 9

a top view of a crucible bottom after FIG. 1 or 7 which is divided into two temperature or energy input zones;

FIG. 10

a plan view of an alternative crucible bottom of a cooking appliance according to the invention, which is divided into two temperature or energy input zones;

FIG. 11

a top view of the crucible bottom after FIG. 7 which is divided into three temperature or energy input zones;

FIG. 12

a top view of a crucible bottom after FIG. 7 which is divided into two temperature or energy input zones; and

FIG. 13

a plan view of another alternative crucible bottom of a cooking appliance according to the invention, which is divided into three temperature or energy input zones.

FIG. 1 shows a crucible bottom 1 of a cooking appliance according to the invention, which is divided into six different heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. On the underside of the crucible bottom 1, flat heating elements (not shown) are mounted for this purpose, which heat the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 separately and, as in the WO 2005/032214 A2 described, can be executed. Each heating zone 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 is or are associated with a rectangular heating element or two triangular heating elements. In the case of two triangular heating elements per heating zone 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, these are preferably arranged so that at least each corner of the crucible bottom 1 is assigned one of the triangular heating elements, so that the diagonal, which separates the two triangular heating elements and dividing the heating zones, does not intersect the corners of the crucible bottom 1.

The crucible bottom 1 preferably has an area of 1/1 Gastronorm (325 mm x 530 mm). The size of the six heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 then corresponds to one sixth of the area of 1/1 Gastronorm. Each of the rectangular or triangular heating elements can be a separate prestressed sandwich floor in the sense of WO 2005/032214 A2 be associated with the heat from the heating element on the entire surface of the respective rectangular heating zone 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, or on the triangular halves (not shown) is transferable. Such a sandwich floor structure is to be regarded as part of the crucible bottom 1. It is therefore separate from the heating elements, even if the heating elements can abut the sandwich floor structures of the crucible bottom 1. The various heating elements are associated with the sandwich floor structures. A good thermal conductivity layer of the sandwich floor structure, which is adapted in geometry to the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, causes the heat from a flat heating element, which is less than 1/6 Gastronorm or half thereof is distributed over the entire surface of the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or half thereof. If a crucible bottom 1 with a larger area, for example. 2/1 Gastronorm (650 mm x 530 mm), a subdivision in 12 heating zones of 1/6 Gastronorm or in 6 heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 of 1/3 Gastronorm is appropriate.

The heating elements of the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 are connected to a controller (not shown) of the cooking appliance. They are suitable for being individually addressed, d. H. to heat independently of each other and thus give energy in the form of heat, ie heat energy, to the crucible bottom 1. The controller is thus able, depending on a user input or on the settings of an automatic cooking program or an automatic cooking process, to generate a specific temperature profile or a desired profile of a heat input or energy input on the crucible bottom 1 inside a crucible.

By suitable control of the heating elements different areas on the crucible bottom 1 can be generated. Adjacent heating elements, which are operated with the same power or which are regulated to the same temperature, then give areas of the same temperature or the same energy input. Equivalent to an energy input is in particular the power with which the various heating elements are operated. Under an energy input according to the present invention but also the entry of heat energy in the interior of the crucible through the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 to understand, for example, the heating elements in dependence on the temperature difference between the top and the bottom of the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 can be controlled. A test setup this can be z. Example, be realized in that a first thermal contact of a thermocouple (not shown) is attached to the crucible bottom inside, and a second thermocontact connected between the heating element of the bottom of the crucible bottom 1 and the heating element, in particular the bottom of the sandwich floor structure of the heating element arranged is.

FIG. 2 shows the crucible bottom 1 of FIG. 1 with a division of the basically six possible heating zones into five different temperature zones 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 FIG. 2 shown different temperature zones 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 of the crucible bottom 1 result from the fact that the different heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 associated heating elements are controlled by the electronic control to different temperatures, in such a way the heating elements of the heating zones 10 and 13 are regulated to the same temperature, while the heating elements of the heating zones 11, 12, 14 and 15 are regulated to other, different temperatures.

An analogous picture would also result for the regulation of different energy inputs.

A distribution of different energy inputs in the interior of the crucible on the crucible bottom 1 is in FIG. 3 shown. The crucible bottom 1 is in this case operated in such a way that different powers are transmitted to the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 via the heating elements of the different heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. As a result, they form different energy input zones 30, 31, 32, 33 on the crucible bottom 1.

For example, it is possible to introduce a power of 90 watts into the energy input zone 30 via a rectangular heating element of the heating zone 10 by operating the heating element of the heating zone 10 with 100 watts at a manufacturer-known energy loss of 5%. Four triangular heating elements of the heating zones 11 and 12 can be operated so that at the energy input zone 31, a power of 400 watts is delivered, so each of the triangular heating elements of the heating zones 11 and 12 is operated at a power of 105.3 watts to the To compensate for five percent energy loss, so 100 watts of heat from each of the four triangular heating elements is delivered to the heating zones 11 and 12. This means that for each of the heating zones 11 and 12, a power of 200 watts is transmitted. The power density in relation to the area would then be twice as high in the energy input zone 31 compared to that of the energy input zone 30. Two triangular heating elements of the heating zone 13 can be operated so that together they deliver only 50 watts of power to the crucible bottom 1, so that the energy input into the energy input zone 32 is only 50 watts. Finally, two rectangular heating elements of the heating zones 14 and 15 can be operated so that they deliver a power of 150 watts to the crucible bottom 1, whereby a common energy input zone 33 is formed, which has an energy input of 300 watts, ie 150 watts per 1/6 Gastronorm surface.

FIG. 4 shows the division of the crucible bottom 1, which is divided into six different heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, in three different temperature zones 40, 41, 42. To form temperature zones at the location of energy entry zones, it is necessary that Temperature at the top of the crucible bottom 1 to measure. This is done, for example, by thermocouples that are in good thermal contact with the crucible bottom top, measure their temperature. As an alternative, it is also possible to use radiation temperature sensors which measure the infrared radiation emitted by the upper sides of the crucible bottom 1 and thus determine their temperature. If the temperature of the top of the crucible bottom 1 is measured, with a control that can control the power applied to the heating elements the various heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 controls, the temperature of the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 are controlled. Thus, a multiplicity of different temperature distributions can be generated on the surface of the crucible bottom 1.

Exemplary is in FIG. 4 a temperature distribution of the various heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 is shown, in which the heating zones 11, 12, 14, 15 are regulated to a uniform temperature, while the temperatures of the heating zones 10 and 13 regulated to different respectively different temperatures become. Thus, the temperature zone 40 is formed at the heating zone 10, the temperature zone 41 at the heating zones 11, 12, 14 and 15, and the temperature zone 42 at the heating zone 13.

Another embodiment, the diversity of the possibilities of heating zones arrangement after FIG. 1 shows is in FIG. 5 shown. There is the bottom of the crucible FIG. 1 divided into two different temperature or energy input zones 50 and 51. For this purpose, only the heating zones 10 and 13, on the one hand, and the heating zones 11, 12, 14 and 15, on the other hand, have to be regulated to the same temperature or operated in each case with the same power.

A division of the crucible bottom 1 into three different temperature zones or three different energy input zones 60, 61, 62 is shown in FIG FIG. 6 shown. In this case, the heating zones 10 and 13 must be operated similarly to form the temperature or energy input zone 60, the heating zones 11 and 12 are operated together to form the temperature or energy input zone 61, and the heating zones 14 and 15 operate in a similar manner to form the temperature or energy input zone 62.

If the various heating zones 10 to 15 of the crucible bottom 1 are operated not with rectangular but with triangular heating elements, it is possible to produce a finer subdivision and above all a different geometry of the temperature zones or energy input zones on the crucible bottom 1. Such an arrangement is in FIG. 7 shown. The crucible bottom 1 is divided there into seven different temperature or energy input zones 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76. This can be achieved, for example, in that the two triangular heating elements of the heating zone 10 are operated at the same power or regulated to the same temperature. The same applies to the two triangular heating elements of the heating zone 12 and to the triangular heating elements of the heating zones 14 and 15, while the two triangular heating elements of the heating zones 11 and 13 each differ Temperatures are regulated or operated with different powers.

Of course, an inventive cooking appliance with the crucible bottom 1 can also be operated so that only a single temperature or energy input zone 80 is formed, the entire crucible bottom 1 is thus operated at a temperature or at an energy input, as in FIG. 8 shown. For this purpose, the different heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 must be operated only similar. In the entire area of the crucible bottom 1 then prevails only a temperature and an energy input, so heat input.

FIG. 9 shows the operation of the cooking appliance according to the invention with a division of the crucible bottom 1 in six heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 after FIG. 1 in which, however, only two different temperature or energy input zones 90, 91 are produced on the crucible bottom 1. For this purpose, the heating zones 10, 11 and 12 are operated at a temperature or power setting and the heating zones 13, 14 and 15 at a different temperature or power setting.

FIG. 10 shows two temperature or energy input zones 100, 101 of a crucible bottom 1 'of an alternative cooking appliance according to the invention, wherein six different heating zones on two columns, and not on two lines according to FIG. 1 , are divided. By this division of the heating zones, a different division of the crucible bottom 1 'into different temperature or energy input zones is possible. The two temperature or energy input zones 100, 101 are thus formed by three respectively adjacent heating zones (not shown). These three heating zones can be operated in such a way that the two temperature or energy input zones 100, 101 are formed on the crucible bottom 1 '.

FIG. 11 again shows the bottom of the pot 1 FIG. 1 , which is now divided into three different, equal temperature or energy input zones 110, 111, 112. Such an arrangement of the temperature or energy input zones 110, 111, 112 can be followed by a crucible bottom 1 FIG. 1 in that the heating elements of the heating zones 10 and 13 for the temperature or energy input zone 110, the heating elements of the heating zones 11 and 14 for the temperature or energy input zone 111 and the heating elements of the heating zones 12 and 15 for the temperature or energy input zone 112 are operated in the same way.

Another possible arrangement of temperature or energy input zones 120, 121 of the crucible bottom 1 with its heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 is in FIG FIG. 12 shown. Herein, the heating zones 10, 11 and 13 are operated similarly to produce a temperature or energy input zone 120, and the heating zones 12, 14 and 15 are operated similarly to produce a different temperature or energy input zone 121.

FIG. 13 shows three different temperature or energy input zones 130, 131, 132 of a crucible bottom 1 "of a further alternative cooking appliance according to the invention, in which six different heating zones are each operated with two triangular heating elements (not shown). Energy input zones 130, 131, 132, as in FIG. 13 shown, generate. In contrast to the heating elements of the heating zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 of FIG. 1 cuts in the case of the embodiment FIG. 13 the diagonal of two triangular heating elements a crucible bottom corner.

The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description, figures and claims may be essential both individually and in any combination for practicing the invention in its various embodiments.

There are numerous alternative divisions of a crucible bottom of a cooking appliance according to the invention due to the division into, for example, six or twelve heating zones conceivable, so that a high flexibility is created, which allows a portioned cooking high quality.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 1 ', 1 "

crucible bottom

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

heating zones

20, 21, 22, 23, 24

temperature zones

30, 31, 32, 33

Energy input zones

40,41,42

temperature zones

50, 51

Temperature or energy input zones

60, 61, 62

Temperature or energy input zones

70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76

Temperature or energy input zones

80

Temperature or energy input zone

90, 91

Temperature or. Energy input zones

100, 101

Temperature or energy input zones

110, 111, 112

Temperature or energy input zones

120, 121

Temperature or energy input zones

130, 131, 132

Temperature or energy input zones

Claims (8)

1. A pan base (1) having a substantially rectangular top side for cooking products to be cooked and a substantially rectangular bottom side to which several heating elements that can be individually adjusted are in flat bearing contact, characterized in that the arrangement of the heating elements divides the pan base (1) into six rectangular heating zones (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) of equal size.
2. A pan base according to claim 1, characterized in that
   each heating zone (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) is formed by one rectangular heating element or two triangular heating elements.
3. A pan base according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that
   the length of the pan base (1) is in a range from 500 to 550 mm, preferably about 530 or 546 mm, and the width of the pan base (1) is in a range from 300 to 350 mm, preferably about 325 or 334.5 mm, wherein
   the rectangular heating zones are preferably 176 or 180 mm long and 162 or 165 mm wide.
4. A pan base according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a dedicated sandwich bottom structure comprising a highly heat-conductive, in particular metallic, layer is assigned to each heating element.
5. A cooking device comprising a pan base according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by
   a control or regulating device by means of which the heating elements can be controlled or regulated individually in accordance with a cooking program and/or a user setting.
6. A cooking device according to claim 5, characterized by
   at least one temperature sensing device on or in the pan base (1), preferably to detect the degree of heating by each of the heating elements.
7. A cooking device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the temperature sensing device comprises at least one thermal element, wherein a first thermal contact of the thermal element is thermally coupled to the top side of the pan base (1) and a second thermal contact is thermally coupled to the side of the heating elements facing the bottom side of the pan base (1), in particular arranged between the heating elements and the sandwich bottom structures.
8. A method for operating a cooking device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that
   the heating elements are controlled individually in such a manner that the temperature and/or the power input by the individual heating elements into the pan base is/are adjusted to provide temperature and/or power input zones on the pan base.

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