GB2468348A

GB2468348A - A safety cooking pan

Info

Publication number: GB2468348A
Application number: GB0903828A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Holborow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-03-06
Filing date: 2009-03-06
Publication date: 2010-09-08
Also published as: GB0903828D0

Abstract

A safety cooking pan figure 1 transmits the temperature change when heat is applied to the pan through a thermocouple 7 to a central processing unit 3 which after a preset time activates an audible and visual alarm 5. A transmitter 4 also activates a remote receiver unit (figure 2) and is only deactivated when the heat source is removed or a motion sensor 2 detects movement caused by a person in attendance within a preset time.

Description

A safety cooking pan This invention relates to a device for early indication of potential hazardous conditions caused by the overheating of food stuffs in cooking pans.

All cooking pans utilise a heat source to enable the processing of food, which means that there is always the potential for that heat source to become hazardous if left unattended for too long. People often become distracted while cooking and only become aware of the potential hazard when a smoke detector alerts them. At best this can mean spoilt food and at worst it can mean a fire leading to damage, injury or a fatality. This invention intends to alert the person using the cooking pan that they have failed to tend to the pan within a preset time. This devise is able to give both an audible and visual warning both locally and remotely to alert of the impending danger.

This invention is best described with the use of the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 shows the cooking pan with associated parts including transmitter, Figure 2 shows the receiving unit with associated parts.

In Figure 1 we see the cooking pan's body and IP rated handle number 1, the latter, which contains the motion sensor number 2, central processing unit number 3, transmitter number 4, audible and visual indicator number 5, battery pack number 6 and thermocouple number 7.

The central processing unit number 3 will manage all input and output information.

In figure 2 we see the receiver unit casing 1, the audio/visual indicator 2, receiving unit 3, battery 4 and mains adaptor back up 5.

The cooking pan is placed on the electric or gas hob as normal for any frying or boiling procedure and the heat source is applied. When the thermocouple 7 situated across the base of the pan reaches the predetermined temperature this information is transmitted to the CPU 3 which processes the input temperature change and activates the audio and visual alarm 5 and the transmitter 4 which in turn activates the remote receiver or receivers figure 2 in which ever room that happens to be.

The audio, visual alarm on figure 1 and figure 2 will continue until either the heat source is removed or moving the pan about activates the motion sensor 2, which interrupts the alarm for a preset time.

The alarm 5 will continue to be armed while heat is continuing to be applied to the pan but will only activate again if the pan is not moved within the preset time. If the pan is left unattended again the CPU 3 will actuate the audio, visual indicator 5 and transmitter 4 which in turn actuates the remote receiver figure 2. This cycle will continue until the heat source is removed.

The batteries in the IP rated handle of the pan figure 1 part I are replaceable using a screwdriver and the IP rating protects the batteries during a dishwasher cycle. The batteries in the remote receiver figure 2 part 4 are also replaceable but also utilise a mains adaptor 5.

Claims

Claims I. A cooking pan comprising a built in safety circuit and hardware such that an audio, visual alarm is transmitted locally and remotely in the event of non attendance for a preset time during cooking.
2. A cooking pan according to claim 1, in which a thermocouple built into the pan base relays a temperature change to the Central Processing Unit (CPU) contained within the pans handle on applying a heat source.
3. A cooking pan according to claim 1 in which the CPU processes the input from the thermocouple and actuates an audio, visual alarm unit and transmitter.
4. A cooking pan according to claim 1 in which the transmitter actuates a remote receiving unit.
5. A cooking pan in which a motion sensor deactivates the audible, visual alarm and transmitter for a preset time.
6. A cooking pan in which the CPU reactivates the audible, visual alarm and transmitter if no motion is detected within the preset time.
7. A cooking pan in which the CPU returns the unit to idle when the heat source is removed.
8. A cooking pan in which the hardware is contained within the IP rated handle to enable dishwasher cleaning.
9. A cooking pan in which the batteries are replaceable.
10. A cooking pan in which the remote receiver unit incorporates both battery and mains adaptor power.