GB2314407A

GB2314407A - Vacuum-walled cooking vessel

Info

Publication number: GB2314407A
Application number: GB9612830A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cary Hsiao
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-05-09
Filing date: 1996-06-19
Publication date: 1997-12-24
Also published as: DE29608630U1; NL1003573C1; GB9612830D0; FR2748383A3

Abstract

A vacuum-walled stew vessel including a cover 37, a bottom surface 34, an outer wall 32, an inner wall 31 and a vacuum space 33 therebetween is able to be put on a stove and heated up directly without worrying about wall deformation. To further enhance the heat retaining effect of the vessel, the cover of the vessel maybe manufactured to have an outer layer 371, an inner layer 372 and a vacuum space 373 therebetween.

Description

VACUUM-WALLED COOKING VESSEL The present invention generally relates to a vessel, and more particularly to a vessel using vacuum effect to diminish heat dissipation from a peripheral side wall and achieve a saving in energy.

This invention has a particular application to a vessel which can be heated directly on a stove and having energy saving effect by using vacuum effects.

A variety of vessels which use all kinds of energy saving effects have been provided. Each of them has its unique characters and features. Despite the apparent differences between those vessels, the main purpose of all of them is to contain food and by using external heat source to heat up the food therein.

Yet, most housekeepers face a same problem of using inefficient use of energy while heating the food. A reason for tremendous energy being necessary to heat up the food is because of heat dissipation from a peripheral side wall and from a top of the vessel. Normally, a vessel made of a sheet of metal is not able to preserve heat well, and thus is not able to heat up food with only little energy. Therefore, a large amount of energy is lost from both peripheral side wall and from a cover of the vessel during the heating process.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and particular to Fig. 1, a vessel 10 made of a single sheet of metal is shown. The vessel 10 is most commonly used in all kitchens. Yet this kind of vessel 10 easily loses energy during the heating process, because energy is easily conducted to the surrounding environment especially when the material from which the vessel 10 is made is a heat conductive metal.

Referring to Fig. 2, a vacuum stew pot 20 is shown. The pot 20 contains two layers, a first layer 21 and a second layer 22.

The first layer 21 has an inner wall 211 and an outer wall 212 and a vacuum 213 defined therebetween. The second layer 22 is made of a single sheet of metal. The principle involved is to use the character of vacuum to isolate heat from dissipation and thus food inside the pot 20 is able to retain heat efficiently, after the second layer 22 is heated up directly on a stove (not shown).

This design indeed saves a lot of energy during the heating process, but it still has shortcomings. Because whenever the vacuum 213 defined within the inner wall 211 and the outer wall 212 is heated, the first layer 21 will deform and finally become unusable. Therefore, a user has to move the second layer 22 around after the second layer 22 is heated up on a stove for a period, then move again the second layer 22 into the first layer 21 to continue the heating process.

Nowadays, people are trying to find an efficient way to preserve energy sources, and suggest reducing use of all kinds of resources. Naturally, the energy used to heat up food is one of the energy which is to be noted.

The present invention uses a vacuum effect within a periphery side wall and/or in the cover of a vessel to diminish heat loss during heating process. Therefore, the present invention provides an improved vessel to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

The main objective of the invention is to provide a vessel which can save a large amount of energy using the heat insulating characteristic of vacuum.

In accordance with the present invention, another objective is to provide a vessel which not only saves a large amount of energy, but also reduces costs in cooking accordingly.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The present invention will now be better understood with the reference of the accompanying drawings wherein; Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a prior food vessel made of a single sheet of metal.

Fig. 2 is another sectional view of a prior vacuum stew vessel; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a vacuum-walled stew vessel in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 4 is yet another sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to the accompany drawings of Fig. 3, where a vacuum-walled stew vessel 30 is shown. The vessel 30 consists of an inner wall 31, an outer wall 32 connected and sealed with the inner wall 31 at an upper and a lower ends (not numbered), a vacuum 33 defined therebetween, a bottom wall 34 connected and sealed with the inner wall 31 and the outer wall 32 and a cover 35 for covering an opening 36 defined by the upper ends of the inner wall 31 and the outer wall 32. The vessel 30 with a unique design of the invention can thus be heated up directly on a stove without worrying about wall deformation. The principle of the invention is because while the vessel 30 is heated up on a stove, the vacuum defined between the inner wall 31 and the outer wall 32 will prevent heat from dissipation and preserve heat within the vessel 30 to shorten the time period necessary for cooking.

Referring to Fig. 4 of another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The cover 35 shown in Fig. 3 is made of only a thin, single layer. To increase the heat preserving effect, the cover 36, in Fig. 4, can also be manufactured to have two layers, a first layer 361, a second layer 362 and a vacuum 363 defined therebetween.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and efficiently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A vacuum-walled vessel comprising: an outer wall; an inner wall connected and sealed with said outer at an upper end and a lower end; a vacuum defined between said inner wall and said outer wall; an opening defined at said upper ends of said inner wall and said outer wall; a bottom wall connected and sealed with said inner wall and said outer wall at said lower ends; a cover for covering said opening.

2. The vessel as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover further comprises a first layer, a second layer and a vacuum defined therebetween.