ES1272019U - AUTOMATICALLY COOKING SYSTEM (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

System for automatically cooking a meal in a container (4) on a cooking surface (1) comprising: an interface (7) for receiving an instruction from the user to prepare a meal; a control unit (5) configured to connect to a sensor (3) to measure the temperature in a zone of the cooking surface (1), where the cooking surface (1) comprises a heating element (6) and an actuator (2) to modify the heat output supplied by the heating element (6) to the container (4); characterized by that: the control unit (5) is configured to: establish a plurality of cooking phases according to the user instruction received, where each phase is assigned a target temperature inside the container (4), calculate an estimated temperature inside the container (4) from electrical parameters obtained from the actuator (2) and/or the heating element (6), establish a sequence of control instructions to control the actuator (2) associated with the heating element (6) during a time interval, depending on the target temperature and the estimated temperature. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

AUTOMATIC COOKING SYSTEM

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to techniques applicable to kitchen equipment. Specifically, to the implementation of an assisted cooking function that allows the user to cook different foods in an automatic way. It is applicable in household or industrial cooking appliances and, more specifically, to cooking hobs.

State of the art

There are different household appliances on the market, which can be classified within those commonly identified as PAE (Small Electrical Appliance), intended for preparing food in an automatic or semi-automatic mode.

These PAEs include so-called rice cookers, rice cookers or steamers that consist of an insulating exterior that contains a heating element, into which a removable interior bowl fits, which is sometimes non-stick or Teflon-coated and often has graduated markings. in cups of rice. While cheaper or older models use simple electronics, mechanics, and thermal sensors, high-end rice cookers include microcontrollers to control the cooking process. Some of the more advanced models use induction, others can also keep the rice warm for a certain time.

The bowl of the rice cooker is usually removable, and under it is a heating element and a thermostat, which are the main components of the cooker. The bowl is usually made of a material with high thermal conductivity. A spring pushes the thermostat against the bottom of the bowl to achieve good thermal contact and ensure an accurate temperature measurement. During cooking the rice and water mixture is heated to full power. If the temperature exceeds 100 ° C the water will have evaporated since this value is not reached during boiling. At the end of cooking, part of the water has been absorbed by the rice and the rest evaporated. If it continues to heat at that point, the temperature exceeds the boiling point. The thermostat is then activated, switching the pot to "keep warm" mode, which keeps the rice at around 65 ° C. Some simple rice cookers simply turn off at this time.

These devices on the market imply the need to have a specific appliance dedicated to this function, in addition to other appliances commonly used for cooking food.

The cooking hobs on the market, either built-in or superimposed, allow the user to prepare food, requiring the direct intervention of the user in the cooking process. There are cooking hobs equipped with devices to control the temperature of the food during cooking, either indirectly or inside the food itself.

There are also cooking hobs that, by using the devices mentioned above, allow the execution of assisted cooking functions so that the user chooses the cooking function and, after placing the food in the container, it is cooked under certain conditions. delivered power and temperature. The user must control the desired degree of cooking and, once he has decided that the cooking is suitable for his wishes, end the execution of said function by interacting with the appliance.

Although these systems make the cooking process easier for the user, through functions that help control the cooking temperature, they require user vigilance. The user must remain attentive during the cooking time since his intervention is necessary to control and finish the cooking process.

Brief description of the invention

It would therefore be desirable in view of the problems identified in the state of the art, to have a system that solves these drawbacks.

The present invention proposes a solution for the preparation of different foods that allows, once the ingredients have been placed in the cooking container, the food is cooked unattended until its completion. The present invention does not require user intervention during the cooking process, only to activate it.

The present invention presents a system for automatically cooking a meal in a container on a cooking surface according to the independent claim. Whereas, various advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

Likewise, the invention proposes a cooking surface in which the aforementioned system is integrated.

Brief description of the figures

To complement the description and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, the present specification is attached, as an integral part thereof, to figures

FIG. 1 schematically shows the main components of an embodiment of the cooking system in which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 shows an example of arrangement of said main components of an embodiment of the cooking system to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the algorithm for estimating temperature in cooking containers, on which the cooking system object of the present invention is based.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a graph with the evolution of the temperature in the pan and the power delivered during the cooking process.

Numerical references

1: Cooking surface.

2: Actuator.

3: Sensor.

4: Container.

5: Control unit.

6: Heating element.

7: Interface.

8: Communications unit.

10: System.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention is further illustrated by this detailed description which is not intended to be limiting of its scope.

The following example explains with references to the previous figures a cooking system that allows the complete cooking of certain dishes without requiring user intervention. It is enough for the user to place the cooking container with the necessary ingredients and activate the desired cooking function. You can select various types of food that you want to cook unattended.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show embodiments of a system 10 according to the present invention that is integrated into a cooking surface 1, generally also called a hob or hob. On this cooking surface 1, in the heating elements 6 there is arranged at least one cooking container 4 into which different ingredients or foods are introduced to prepare a meal by cooking them. The outer part of the cooking surface 1 can be of different types, for example metallic, glass, ceramic or other types of materials. The cooking surface contains one or more heating elements 6 arranged above or below it or integrated in it.

The proposed system 10 is coupled to the aforementioned cooking surface 1 and has a control unit 5 that acts on the heating element 6 through an actuator 2 both present on the cooking surface 1. The control unit 5 It can be arranged on or under the cooking surface 1. The system 10 incorporates an interface 7 with the user, which may or may not be integrated in the control unit 5 or be remote, in order to receive information (eg preparation instruction of a meal) and to provide information (eg current phase of preparation, sensor temperature, estimated food temperature, energy consumption, etc.).

Under the cooking surface 1 there is also the actuator 2 that provides energy to the heating elements 6. The energy can be provided by generating an electromagnetic field (induction), gas combustion or devices equipped with electrical resistances. Depending on the type of energy provided, the actuator 2 can include different components. For example, a power converter (inverter) for an induction hob, a valve (mechanical or electrical) to regulate the gas with which combustion occurs, an electromechanical or electronic switching system for the electrical one.

The system 10 also contains one or more sensors 3 generally placed under the cooking surface 1 where they measure the temperature. The sensors 3 can also be integrated into the heating elements 6 of the cooking surface itself 1. The sensors 3 are coupled with the actuator 2 and / or with the control unit 5 and / or the interface 7 by cables or wirelessly, form that transmit information of the temperature measured in the environment where they are located.

The control unit 5, generally composed of electronic circuits that include a microprocessor and a memory among other components. The control unit 5 uses an algorithm for estimating the temperature inside the container 4 from the temperature measured in the vicinity of the sensor 3. It can also use parameters of the actuator 2 and / or the heating element 6 in the estimation. . Ultimately, the control unit 5 makes it possible to infer the temperature to which the food is cooked in the container 4 and how long it takes to reach a target temperature. To cook a food, several cooking phases are followed, each one with specific characteristics regarding the time duration and the target temperature of the food.

In some embodiments, alternatively or additionally, interface 7 and / or control unit 5 may be remote. This possibility is shown schematically in FIG. 1. Several items may not be located next to the cooking surface 1. For example, the interface 7 can be integrated as an app for a mobile phone, tablet, PC, etc. This remote embodiment of the interface 7 can also coexist with another local one such as a display with selector switch in the proximity of the cooking surface 1. Likewise, the control unit 5 may be partially or totally integrated in a remote server, to which it is connected. accessed wirelessly through a communications unit 8 integrated in the cooking surface 1 in order to receive the control instructions and control the actuator 2, according to the phases of a recipe chosen on the interface 7. The control unit 5 performs a calculation of the estimated temperature inside the container 4. Temperature estimate that is obtained from the measurement of the sensor 3 and the electrical parameters of the actuator 2 itself and / or of the heating element 6 (together with user information regarding the type of cooking to be prepared).

FIG. 3 illustrates the operation of the control unit 5 and its association with various elements of the system 10 and the cooktop 1. The control unit 5 implements an algorithm that uses the measurement of temperatures under the cooktop with the sensor 3, as well as in the measurement of electrical parameters in the heating elements 6 and / or in the actuator 2 of the cooking surface 1. From these parameters, for example impedance, inductance, resistance, etc. the control unit 5 estimates the temperature inside the container 4. From this estimate, the duration of each phase and the power delivered at all times of each phase to the container are managed.

Based on this estimate and through the use of different phases in cooking, the control unit 5 orders the necessary power delivery from the actuator 2 to the heating element 6, so that the container 4 is heated to obtain the desired result. .

In the same way, this control unit 5 is capable of sending information to the user regarding the cooking phase through the interface 7.

Based on this cooking system, a cooking method is defined that allows the completion of the cooking phases of certain foods, until their completion, without requiring user intervention.

Advantageously, the system is capable of monitoring the evolution of the temperature during the cooking process - even in the case of not having an internal sensor inside the container 4 - and identifying certain unique behaviors that allow the definition (for example, duration) of the different phases of cooking a dish as well as the power management to be applied in each of them.

The constant monitoring and analysis of the evolution of thermal and electrical parameters makes it possible to identify physical phenomena directly related to the different cooking phases of certain preparations.

For example, a sudden temperature gradient after a boiling phase makes it possible to identify that the liquid has completely evaporated. In the same way, the calculation of the derivative of the temperature can be used to identify periods with almost zero temperature variations, corresponding to the boiling phase.

Due to the inertia that these phenomena can present, and the delay in their identification by a solely thermal measurement system, the estimation is complemented with the measurement of electrical parameters of the heating element 6 with the container 4 and the actuator 2.

These electrical parameters, such as inductance, resistance, etc., vary according to some kind of relationship with the temperature of the mentioned elements. Its measurement and incorporation into the algorithm of the control unit 5 improves the joint estimation of the temperature of the contents of the container 4, especially in the initial transitory states of each cooking phase.

Depending on the cooking chosen in interface 7, the system is able to identify, define and manage different cooking phases, applying the appropriate power curves to the container so that the product is cooked properly and identifying the time at which the process ends. informing the user of it.

FIG. 4 is offered as an example of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment. The example of rice cooking is described using the automatic cooking system integrated in a cooking surface 1.

The cooking phases of this preparation comprise a 1st initial heating phase, followed by a 2nd maintenance phase where the water is boiling. After a period of time in which it is assumed that the boiling water of the preparation is close to being consumed because the temperature of the sensor increases rapidly, the 3rd cooking phase is finished, which is rest and maintenance of heat of the preparation.

The developed system is capable of identifying and carrying out these phases. The system performs a heating phase until the water boils. Once reached, the calorific power delivered to the container is managed in a suitable way to maintain said boiling for a sufficient time for the adequate cooking of the food.

The system is capable of identifying the appropriate moment for the end of the boiling phase and, once this has been identified, it will automatically go to a rest phase, informing the user of the end of the process. This phase is maintained depending on the user's response once the cooking has finished, and it can go on to a phase of keeping the preparation warm in the event that the user decides not to remove the product from the device.

This cooking technique, and its management by the system, can be extrapolated and expandable to other types of food preparations.

Claims (9)

1. System for automatically cooking a meal in a container (4) on a cooking surface (1) comprising: an interface (7) for receiving an instruction from the user to prepare a meal; a control unit (5) configured to connect to a sensor (3) to measure the temperature in a zone of the cooking surface (1), where the cooking surface (1) comprises a heating element (6) and an actuator (2) to modify the heat output supplied by the heating element (6) to the container (4); characterized by that: the control unit (5) is configured to: establish a plurality of cooking phases according to the user instruction received, where each phase is assigned a target temperature inside the container (4), calculate an estimated temperature inside the container (4) from electrical parameters obtained from the actuator (2) and / or the heating element (6), establish a sequence of control instructions to control the actuator (2) associated with the heating element (6) during a time interval, depending on the target temperature and the estimated temperature. 2. Automatic cooking system according to claim 1, wherein the interface (7) shows the cooking phase in progress. 3. Automatic cooking system according to claim 1 or 2, where the interface (7) warns when cooking is finished. 4. Automatic cooking system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a communication unit (8) for wirelessly communicating with the control unit (5) and with the interface (7). 5. Automatic cooking system according to claim 4, wherein the interface (7) is remote. 6. Automatic cooking system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the control unit (5) is remote. 7. Automatic cooking system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising the sensor (3) for measuring the temperature. 8. System for automatic cooking according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (5) establishes a correspondence between the target temperature inside the container (4) and the temperature measured by the sensor (3). 9. Cooking surface (1) comprising: a heating element (6) for heating a container (4); an actuator (2) to modify the heat output supplied to the heating element (6); a sensor (3) for measuring the temperature in an area of the cooking surface (1); the automatic cooking system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, 8.