IE912926A1

IE912926A1 - Cooking pot

Info

Publication number: IE912926A1
Application number: IE292691A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Amc Int Alfa Metalcraft Corp
Priority date: 1990-08-17
Filing date: 1991-08-16
Publication date: 1992-02-26
Also published as: MX9100693A; PT98698A; KR920702207A; DE4026166A1; ZA916448B; BR9105873A; FI921732A; CA2067497A1; AU8331391A; EP0496862A1; YU141591A; CN1059091A; JPH05501672A; WO1992003080A1; IL99188A0; FI921732A0

Description

The invention relates to a cooking pot, in particular to a pressure cooker, in essence comprising a pot-shaped container and a lid, exhibiting, e.g. a sealing ring, for the purpose of sealing, especially pressure-tight, the container, where the container has a peripheral pot rim that is bent down outwardly and that, when operating a control knob that can be moved on the lid in the closing direction, is grasped by peripheral claws that are bent inwardly towards the bottom and provided at locking segments that can be moved at the lid essentially parallel to the plane of the pot rim, whereas preferably an inner section of the locking segments is braced against one region of the lid, and said pot rim is released again by the peripheral claws when the control knob is moved in the opening direction.

Such a cooking pot designed as a pressure cooker is known from the EP-A-0 139 772, where in essence said pot comprises a bottom pot and a lid unit closing the bottom pot. The bottom pot has a smooth peripheral pot rim. The lid unit comprises a bottom lid and an upper lid. The latter is designed as a closing element, whose flanges can grasp the pot rim in the closing position. To this end the upper lid exhibits two half lids; each of the half lids can be rotated relative to the bottom lid and to the bottom pot around an axis of rotation, which is essentially parallel to the vertical geometric center axis of the pot; and the axes of rotation are opposite each other and lie eccentrically relative to the center axis of the pot and with respect to this center axis diametrically in a rotary part that can be rotated in the center of the bottom lid. To open and close the lid manually of such a pressure cooker it is necessary to exert pressure on the lid unit and simultaneously set the control knob into a rotary motion. This makes the operation relatively inconvenient.

Pressure cookers are usually equipped with socalled over pressure relief valves, which open when a specified pressure within the pot is reached and thus the risk of the cooking pot bursting or Ιή the lid unit jumping off of th· bottom pot is prevented. However, it is desirable to guarantee an even greater protection against bursting.

Starting from this point, the object of the present invention is to propose a cooking pot that eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art and allows said cooking pot to be opened and closed with greater ease. Furthermore, the possibility for greater protection against bursting should exist.

This problem with a cooking pot of the aforementioned kind is solved according to the invention in that the control knob can be moved axially on the lid; that, when the control knob is moved axially, e.g. when pressure is applied, in the closing direction, the locking segments with the peripheral claws are pulled radially towards the inside in the locking position; and that, when the control knob is moved axially in the opening direction, the locking segments with the peripheral claws are moved again radially in the outward direction into the unlocking position. Thus, it is guaranteed that to lock the lid on the container one need only to press by hand on the control knob. The resulting axial movement is converted according to the inventive idea into a radial locking movement of the locking segments. To unlock, the control knob is moved axially in the opposite direction.

A permanently reliable function of the locking mechanism can be actualized with a simple construction, for example, in that the control knob can be moved at a guide knob that is attached stationarily to the lid and arranged coaxially to the center axis of the lid.

The conversion of the axial movement of the control knob into the desired radial movement of the locking segments, in particular when locking the lid of the cooking pot, is achieved in a preferred embodiment of the invention in that the radially inner end of the locking segments exhibits an operating section that extends axially away from the lid and slopes in the radial direction inwardly in the direction of the guide knob and that projects into the axial path of motion of the control knob. When pressing on the control knob, its bottom rim automatically engages with the operating sections of the locking segments, whereupon the locking segments are pulled inwardly owing to the slope which the operating sections exhibit. When moving the control knob in the opposite direction, thus in the opening direction, the locking segments can move again radially towards the outside and release again the lid, which in the locking position of the locking segments is clamped between the rim of the pot and the locking segments.

It is possible to operate the locking mechanism with ease of motion, especialy when the operating sections and the control knob interact with facing, e.g. Inclined guide surfaces.

When the control knob is moved away from the lid, thus, in the opening direction, the locking segments are automatically guided by the control knob into their radially external unlocking position releasing the lid, when the operating sections of the locking segments exhibit on both sides sloped guide surfaces that interact with the correspondingly sloped guide surfaces of the control knob.

Said guide surfaces can be actualized in a simple manner especially when the operating sections project into a slot of the control knob.

The control knob is braced at the lid preferably with at least one pressure spring acting in the opening direction, so that when the control knob is released from its closing position, it is automatically guided again into its upper opening position and thus the locking segments are also automatically conveyed gain into their radially external unlocking position.

Furthermore, the control knob is conveyed preferably out of its opening position by axial pressure into a lockable and unlockable closing position on the lid.

To open the cooking pot, the control knob can be lifted out of the locking position, e.g. by pressing again on the control knob in the locking position, whereby said control knob is pressed •lightly beyond its stopping point in the direction of the lid. Such pressure mechanisms are well-known, e.g. in the field of ball point pens.

The reliability of the function of the cooking pot according to the invention in conjunction with ease of operation can be further improved in that the locking segments are guided slidingly and/or rollingly at the lid.

Thus, the lid can exhibit guide grooves for the locking segments, where the guide grooves can also be designed in such a manner that the locking segments can be moved radially at the lid, but cannot be completely detached from said lid. The lid and the locking segments form in this manner a structural unit that is simply more manipul able.

A high degree of safety of the cooking pot is guaranteed if in another embodiment of the inventive idea the peripheral claws of the locking segments are designed as circular segments and in this shape reach as far as possible under the rim of the pot in the locking position. Thus, a relatively great amount of deformation work must be performed before the locking segments can detach themselves from the rim of the pot.

For the purpose of a uniform and reliable fit of the lid, it is especially advantageous if at least three or more locking segments are distributed over the circumference of the lid, so that the lid is held at the rim of the pot virtually uniformly over its circumference in the closing position.

Optimal safety can be obtained if the peripheral claws complement one another essentially over the entire circumference of the lid.

The locking segments can consist, for example, of spring steel at least region-by-region.

Therefore, technically and functionally it is advantageous if the locking segments consist of a bracket member and the peripheral claw that are separate parts connected together by means of a jointed flange or spot connection, where preferably the bracket member consists of spring wire and the peripheral claw of a rigid U-shape.

To increase the safety of the cooking pot against bursting, the invention proposes that an anti-bursting element is arranged between at least one of the locking segments and the lid. Of course, such an additional anti-bursting safety can also be provided for other kinds of cooking pots, so that in case of a possible blocking of the safety valve that is generally provided, the lid can become slightly leaky between the rim of the pot and the rim of the lid, preferably over the entire circumference when in the closed state of the cooking pot the internal pressure of the pot is excessive. The release of the steam to reduce the pressure can be delayed in time by the dimension of the anti-bursting elements, so that the steam is not released too suddenly. The slight leakiness is achieved in that the lid can rise to a limited degree with its seal from the rim of the pot owing to the design and operating mode of the anti-bursting elements, but the locking elements with their peripheral claws remain functional.

This can occur in a simple manner, for example, in that with an excessive pressure load on the lid the anti-bursting element is deformed reversibly or irreversibly and allows a specified axial movement of the lid with its sealing ring relative to the rim of the pot.

The anti-bursting element can be formed preferably by a locking segment itself designed at least region-wise as a resilient element.

Preferably the anti-bursting element is designed as a deformable stamping of a locking segment, which is braced at the lid.

Yet in another simple embodiment of the invention the lid can also brace itself at one or more of the locking segments by means of at least one hollow body that is, for example, rol1er-shaped or a resilient element, e.g. a helical or leaf-shaped spring.

The roller—shaped hollow bodies that can be compressed under raised internal pressure of the container and are provided between locking segments and lid as anti-bursting elements serve simultaneously to reduce the frictional forces of the locking segments with respect to the lid when closing and opening the locking mechanism.

To give the cooking pot of the invention an attractive external appearance, the upper lid can jut over the lid and the locking segments in such a manner that the locking mechanism and the radially moveable locking segments are largely covered.

In this case it is especially expedient if the upper lid is connected to the control knob and thus can move together with the control knob axially with respect to the lid. In the opening position of the control knob, the upper lid is spaced relatively far apart from the lid and the locking segments, so that under flowing water a simple cleaning of the lid unit is possible. When closing, the upper lid drops over the segments and the lid, so that besides the shielding effect against the penetration of contaminants into the locking mechanism, the closing position of the lid is easy to recognize.

In another special embodiment of the invention the locking segment exhibits a curved intermediate section from which lateral extensions project sloping in the direction of the plane of the lid and to which the respective peripheral claw is attached. Like the operating section, the curved intermediate section and the extensions can be bent from spring steel wire. In this manner the locking segment forms in a simple manner an anti-bursting element.

Within the scope of the invention it is also possible that, instead of the guide surfaces of the control knob and the locking segments interacting, the axial motion of the control knob is converted into a rotary motion of a link disk, stating from which the locking segments are set into opening and closing motion via connecting legs.

For pressure cookers it is especially important that the sealing ring always has a reliable seat on the rim of the lid. This state can be actualized within the framework of the invention in an advantageous manner in that the sealing ring is held by toroidal and/or nub-shaped elements at the rim of the lid. The sealing ring can be pressed into a circumferential groove of the lid by means of a torus, which is provided optionally with a clamping ring. With such a ring it can also be clamped into suitably shaped holding members on the rim of the lid. With nubs distributed over the circumference of the lid, the sealing ring can be snapped into the lid. The nubs lie outside a sealing lip, with which the sealing ring abuts the inner surface of the lid.

To improve the sealing function, the sealing ring can also be inserted with an arch provided at a sealing lip into a peripheral bead of the rim of the pot.

Other goals, features, advantages and possible applications of the present invention follow from the following description of the embodiments with the aid of the drawings. All described and/or illustrated features form by themselves or in any logical combination the subject matter of the present invention, even independently of their summary in the claims or their reference.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, vertical view of a cooking pot exhibiting the invention in the unlocked state.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the cooking pot according to Figure 1 in the locked state.

Figure 3 is a half top view along line A of Figure 1 and a half top view along line B of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along line C-C of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view along line D-D of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view along line E-E of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional view along line F-F of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a vertical view in the region of the lid of another embodiment of the invention in the locked state.

Figure 9 ie a sectional view along line C-D of Figure Θ in the region of the combination comprising control knob and guide knob and serving as a handle.

Figure 10 is a sectional view along line E-F of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a view Y of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a vertical view in the region of the lid, partially cut away, of still another embodiment of the invention in the unlocked state.

Figure 13 is a top view of the lid of Figure 12 with locking segments, as seen from the direction XIII.

Figures 14a and 14b are fragmentary views of the lid of Figure 13, seen from direction XIV, and in particular in the normal state (Figure 14a) and in the anti-bursting state (Figure 14b).

Figures 15a and 15b are vertical views of the lid of Figures 14a and 14b along the line XVa-XVa or XVb-XVb.

Figure 16 is a top view of the locking element without peripheral claw for the lid according to Figures 12 to 15.

Figures 17a and 17b are inclined views and side views of another bracket member of a locking segment of the invention.

Figure 18 shows a bracket member according to Figures 17a and 17b with the two assigned peripheral claws.

Figure 19 is a schematic view of another possibility for operating the peripheral claws.

Figures 20 to 22 are partial views of the lid and the rim of the pot in order to illustrate various sealing rings according to the invention.

According to Figure 1, a lid 3, provided with a sealing ring 4, i* placed on a container 1 equipped with a pot rim 2 and designed as a pot. The pot rim 2 is designed as a pouring rim with an internal peripheral bead 33, an outwardly adjoining, essentially planar sealing surface 34 that is vertical to the center axis M, and a rim section 35 that is attached externally to said sealing surface and is bent towards the bottom slopingly, where the latter facilitates the centering of the lid 3, which exhibits a rim flange 42 that is bent first towards the bottom and then towards the outside and has an inclined face 36. At the same time the sealing ring 4 of the sealing lip 37 rests on the sealing surface 34 of the pot rim 2.

Several, preferably four locking segments 5 that are uniformly distributed over the circumference of the lid rest on lid 3 and are guide along said rim. The outer end of the locking segments 5 has a downwardly and inwardly bent peripheral claw 6, which is dimensioned in such a manner that in the locking position shown in Figure 2, said claw reaches under the pot rim 2 when lid 3 is clamped between the locking segments 5 and pot rim 2 and, thus, fastens the lid 3 by means of the sealing rings 4 so as to be pressure-tight at container 1. At the same time lid 3 with a region 28, located in the vicinity of its rim, is braced against an external section 27 of the locking segments 5.

A guide knob 16, where a control knob 14 can be moved axially, is fastened to lid 3. As soon as the control knob 14 has reached its bottom closing position with respect to the stationary guide knob 16 by pressing in the direction D from the top on the control knob 14, as shown in Figure 2. When the control knob 14 is transferred from its upper opening position into its bottom closing position, the locking segments 5 are pulled inwardly into the locking position owing to the interacting sloped guide surfaces 29, 30j in said locking position the inwardly bent sections of the locking claws 6 reach under the pot rim 2 so as to lock it while pressing the sealing lip 37 of lid 3 against the sealing surface 34. In the closing position the upper faces of the control knob 14 and the guide knob 16 align, making the closing position visible and the control knob 14 is stopped by means of a sliding bolt 19 with respect to the guide knob 16. The upper end of the sliding bolt 19 extended longitudinally in the axial direction has a bolt 20 which points outwardly in the radial direction and projects into a recess of an insert 23 permanently attached to the control knob 14, wherein the sliding bolt 19 with insert 23 and thus also with the control knob 14 can be moved. Insert 23 is provided to make it easier to assemble the control knob 14 and guide knob 16. At the bottom end of the sliding bolt 19 another bolt 21 projects inwardly in the radial direction into a groove guide 22 that is known, e.g., from ball point pens and defines both the opening position (Figure 1) and the closing position (Figure 2) of the control knob 14 and determines these two end positions. If the closing mechanism is to be released, pressing again in direction D on the control knob 14 suffices, and bolt 21 unlocks itself from the groove guide 22, so that the control knob 14 with its inner part 17 is pressed again into the opening position, counter to the direction of arrow D, by means of a pressure spring 1Θ braced at lid 3, whereby the locking segments 5 move again into their radially external opening position, counter to the direction of motion B, by means of the slot guide of the operating sections 7.

It is apparent from Figure 3 that in the top view the locking segments 5 exhibit radial legs, on whose radially external ends the peripheral claws have the shape of circular ring segments.

If, for example, four such lacking segments 5 are provided at angular intervals of 90°, of which only two are shown in Figure 3, the peripheral claws 6 virtually occupy the entire circumference of lid 3 and thus the pot rim 2, except for a slight gaps.

As especially apparent from Figures 1 and 2 and the view of Figure 6, anti-bursting elements 12 designed as roller-shaped hollow bodies 15 are located in the vicinity of the pot rim 2 between sections 27 of the locking segments 5 and the regions 28 of lid 3. The anti-bursting elements 12 are caught between a raised edge of lid 3 in whose inner groove the sealing ring 4 is clamped and a recess of the bottom side of the respective locking segment 5. Thus, the radial movement of the locking segments 5 relative to lid 3 occurs in part slidingly and in part rollingly, a state that facilitates the operation. The pressure under which the hollow bodies 15 bend can be readily determined by the wall thickness and length of the roller-shaped hollow bodies 5. If the excess pressure, which can deform or dent the hollow bodies 15, becomes unallowable in the cooking pot, lid 3 with the sealing ring 4 can be lifted slightly from the top from the flat sealing surface 34 relative to the locking segments 5, whereby a desired pressure release takes place and the cooking pot is prevented from bursting.

As apparent from Figure 7, the anti-bursting elements 12 can also be designed a stampings 24 of the locking segments 5, which in this case are made preferably of superrefined steel plate. Based on the wall thickness of the locking segments 5 in the region of the stampings 24 and their length, the pressure in turn can be determined, from which lid 3 with sealing ring 4 can move slightly axially relative to the locking segments 5 while deforming stampings 24, in order to relieve the pressure by means of the slight leakiness over the entire pot rim 2.

As apparent from Figures 1 and 2, the upper expanded knob region of the guide knob 16 has a depression 40, in which a pressure and/or temperature indicator can be provided. To this end, the guide knob 16 is also connected preferably thermoconductively to lid 3 by means of a guide and holding rod enveloped by a collar 3Θ of lid 3.

As also best seen from Figures 1 and 2, an upper lid 25 juts over lid 3 with the locking segments 5. The upper lid 25 is connected to the control knob 14 and, therefore, also moves with it axially. In the opening position shown in Figure 1, upper lid 25 is spaced relatively far from lid 3, so that the entire lid unit - also the moveable parts - can be easily cleaned and dried. In the closing position according to Figure 2, the upper lid 25 rests with its entire outer circumference in the edge region of the locking segments 5, whereas a downwardly bent edge flange 41 extending over the entire circumference encloses the unit comprising lid 3 and locking segments 5 over a part of their height.

As apparent from the sectional view of Figure 5, a conventional cooking valve (aroma valve) 10 and at least one conventional over pressure relief valve 11 can be mounted on lid 3. The cooking valve 10 can be operated by means of a push rod 26 guided axially in the control knob 14 in order to release the pressure, as desired, from inside the pot. A ring-shaped guard of both valves 10, 11 against soiling due to the product to be cooked is attached to the bottom end of the section of the guide and holding rod of the guide knob 16 that projects through lid 3.

The embodiment shown in Figure 8 differs from the embodiment explained above essentially due to a somewhat different shape of the control knob 14 interacting with the guide knob 16 and the operating sections 7 of the locking segments S and the bracing of the operating segments 5 at their outer end by means of resilient elements 41, which are designed as helical springs and which assume the function of the anti-bursting elements 12, which remain operational even after a maximum internal pressure has been exceeded in the pot. In this embodiment the upper lid 25 can be readily installed and replaced between two nuts 43 screwed on the outer circumference of the control knob 14.

As also apparent from Figure 8, the sliding of the locking segments 5 at lid 3 can be guaranteed by a high temperature resistant, disk-shaped element 44, whereby the frictional force that becomes effective between the locking segments 5 and lid 3 is so low that it can be readily overcome by the pressure springs 18 acting as return springs.

Figure 9 shows how the control knob 14 can be braced at lid 3 by means of several pressure springs 18. The control knob 14 is locked relative to the guide knob 16 both in the upper opening position (Figure 10) and in the bottom closing position (Figure 9) as in the first embodiment by means of a groove-pin mechanism 22, 42, as shown in Figure 11 and as is well-known from the field of ball point pens. This locking limits the path of the control knob 14 relative to the stationary guide knob 16 upward against the effect of the pressure springs 18 and holds the control knob 14 securely in its bottom closing position, as shown in Figure 9, until pressure is applied again on the control knob 14 from the top and the lock is released.

In the embodiment of the lid shown in Figures 12 to 16, the locking segments 5 comprise a bracket member 5' with operating section 7 and peripheral claw 6 as separate parts. They are connected together by means of a bead with a holding section 45, which is bent out of the external wall of the peripheral claw 6. The bracket member 5' consists of a spring wire, which is bent into a central U-shaped section, to whose two legs wing-shaped extensions 47 are attached outwardly in the circumferential direction (Figure 16). As especially apparent from Figure 14a, the extensions 47 are slightly bent from the horizontal plane, so that lid 3 with sealing ring 4 can rise from the pot rim 2 relative to the peripheral claws 6 when a predetermined excess pressure is exceeded within the pot) and a circumferential gap opens to reduce the pressure. Thus, the bracket member 5' acts as an anti-bursting element. The peripheral claw 6 consists of a rigid U profile, which normally guarantees a pressure-tight locking of lid 3 with respect to the pot rim 2 and holds lid 3 securely on pot rim 2 even if there is a need to safeguard against bursting, even though the pressure is reduced.

Figures 17a to IS show a bracket member 5' according to a different embodiment, which is also designed as a resilient anti-bursting element for lid 3 owing to its shape. The spring force vertical to the plane of the lid is generated by a curved intermediate section 4Θ to which the extensions 47, sloped relative to the plane of the lid, are attached, as shown the best in Figure 17b.

Figure 19 shows an embodiment, according to which the axial movement of the control knob is converted into a rotary movement of a link disk 49, in order to accomplish with connecting legs 50 the displacement of the peripheral claws 6 from the opening position into the locking position and vice versa.

Figures 20 to 22 show various embodiments of the sealing ring 4. According to Figure 20, the sealing ring 4 has a torus 51 with an outer circumferential surface that is essentially circularly cylindrical, in order to be accommodated by clamping in suitably shaped, curved straps 52 of the lid rim. Two sealing lips 37 project inwardly from the torus 51, in order, on the one hand, to be braced against the inner surface of lid 3 and, on the other hand, against the sealing surface 34. This is accomplished in such a manner that as the internal pressure of the pot rises the sealing force increases. The sealing ring 4, according to Figure 21, can be snapped into the lid rim by means of nubs 53 distributed over the circumference. The upper sealing lip 37 rests on the inner surface of lid 3. The bottom sealing lip 37 has an arch 54, with which it is inserted into bead 33 of the pot rim 2. The sealing ring 4, according to Figure 22, has an upper torus 55, which is pressed into a circumferential groove 57 of lid 3 by means of a clamping ring 56. In the region of the bottom sealing lip 37, this sealing ring 4 is designed in a manner analogous to that according to Figure 21.

List of reference numerals 1 container 2 pot rim 3 lid 4 sealing ring 5 locking segments 5' bracket member 6 peripheral claws 7 operating sections 8 guide grooves 9 ring 10 aroma valve 11 over pressure relief 12 anti-bursting element 13 slot 14 control knob 15 roller—shaped hollow 16 guide knob 17 inner part 18 pressure springs 19 sliding bolt 20 bolt 21 bolt 22 groove guide 23 insert 24 stamping 25 upper lid 26 push rod 27 section 28 region 29 guide surface 30 guide surface 31 guide surface 32 guide surface 33 bead 34 sealing surface 35 rim section 36 face 37 sealing lip collar ring groove depression resilient elements pin nuts element holding section section extensions intermediate section link disk connecting leg torus strap nubs arch torus clamping ring Ii center axis

Claims

1. Patent Claims

1. Cooking pot, in particular a pressure cooker, in essence comprising a pot-shaped container (1) and a lid (3), exhibiting, e.g., a sealing ring (4) for the purpose of closing the container (1) , where the container (1) has a peripheral pot rim (2) that is bent down outwardly and that, when operating a control knob (14) that can be moved on the lid (3) in the closing direction, is grasped by peripheral claws (6) that are bent inwardly towards the bottom and provided at locking segments (5) that can be moved at the lid (3) essentially parallel to the plane of the pot rim (2) ; and said pot rim is released again by the peripheral claws (6) when the control knob (14) is moved in the opening direction, wherein the control knob (14) can be moved axially on the lid (3), wherein, when the control knob (14) is moved axially in the closing direction, the locking segments (5) with the peripheral claws (6) are pulled radially towards the inside in the locking position; and wherein, when the control knob (14) is moved axially in the opening direction, the locking segments (5) with the peripheral claws (6) are moved again radially in the outward direction into the unlocking position.

2. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control knob (14) can be moved at a guide knob (16) that is attached stationarily to the lid (3) essentially coaxially to the center axis (M) of the lid.

3. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the radially inner end of the locking segments (5) exhibits an operating section (7) that extends axially away from the lid (1) and slopes in the radial direction inwardly in the direction of the guide knob (16) and that projects into the axial path of motion of the control knob (14).

4. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the operating sections (7) and the control knob (14) interact with opposing guide surfaces (29 to 32).

5. Cooking pot, a* claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the operating sections (7) exhibit on both sides sloped guide surfaces that interact with the correspondingly sloped guide surfaces (30, 32) of the control knob (14).

6. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operating sections (7) project into a slot (13) of the control knob (14).

7. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein the control knob (14) is braced at the lid (3) with at least one pressure spring (18) acting in the opening direction.

8. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 7, wherein the control knob (14) can be conveyed from its opening position by axial pressure into a lockable and unlockable closing position on the lid (3).

9. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the control knob (14) can be released from the closing position by applying pressure again in the axial direction and then can be conveyed back again into its opening position.

10. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein the locking segments (5) are guided slidingly and/or rollingly at the lid (3).

11. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the lid (3) exhibits guide grooves (8) for the locking segments (5) .

12. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 11, wherein the peripheral claws (6) of the locking segments (5) are designed as circular segments.

13. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 12, wherein at least three or more locking segments (5) are distributed over the circumference of the lid (3).

14. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 13, wherein the peripheral claws (6) complement one another essentially over the entire circumference of the lid (3).

15. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein the locking segments (5) consist of spring steel at least r eg i on -b y-r eg i on.

16. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 15, wherein the locking segments (5) consist of a bracket member (5') and the peripheral claw (6) that are separate parts connected together by means of a jointed flange or spot connection, where preferably the bracket member (5') consists of spring wire and the peripheral claw (6) of a U-shape.

17. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 16, wherein an anti-bursting element (12) is arranged between at least one of the locking segments (5) and the lid (3) and deforms, e.g., resiliently when the lid is stressed due to the excess internal pressure of the pot and allows a predetermined axial movement of the lid (3) with respect to the pot rim (2).

18. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 17, wherein the anti-bursting element (12) is formed as a stamping (24) of a locking segment (5).

19. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one locking segment (5) for forming an anti-bursting element is designed at least region-wise as a resilient element.

20. Cooking pot, a* claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 19, wherein the lid (3) is braced at one or more of the locking segments (5) by means of at least one hollow body (5) that is, for example, roller-shaped or a resilient element (41).

21. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 20, wherein an upper lid (3) juts over the lid (3) and the locking segments (5) .

22. Cooking pot, as claimed in claim 21, wherein the upper lid (25) is connected to the control knob (14) and thus can move axially with respect to the lid (3).

23. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 19 to 22, wherein the locking segment (5) exhibits a curved intermediate section (48) from which lateral extensions (47) project sloping in the direction of the plane of the lid.

24. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 23, wherein the axial motion of the control knob (14) is converted into a rotary motion of a link disk (40), in order to accomplish the opening and closing movement of the locking segments (5).

25. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 24, wherein the sealing ring (4) is held by toroidal and/or nub-shaped elements (51, 53; 55, 56) at the rim of the lid.

26. Cooking pot, as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 25, wherein the sealing ring (4) is inserted with an arch (54) provided at a sealing lip (37) into a peripheral bead (33) of the pot rim (2) .

27. A cooking pot as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.