IT202200020730A1 - APPARATUS AND RELATED KIT FOR COOKING FOOD - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention entitled:

"APPARATUS AND RELATED KIT FOR COOKING FOOD"

SCOPE OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooking food by means of hot air having a support body and a container, such as a basket or drawer, which can be inserted and removed from the support body and inside which the food to be cooked is placed. In particular, the container according to the invention allows for the simple insertion, but above all the simple extraction of the food, especially after its cooking.

STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY

Self-contained cooking appliances such as compact ovens, electric pots or "multicookers", air fryers or "air fryers", cook food by means of a flow of heated air and commonly comprise a support body and a food container which, by means of a handle, can be inserted and removed from the support body along a lateral or vertical direction.

Generally, the container is made up of a single body, a bottom wall with a contact surface where the food is placed, and lateral containment walls with a height that allows the container to have a capacity for a certain quantity of food without it being able to spill out.

One of the drawbacks of current containers is that the height of the containment walls makes it difficult to remove all those foods that require unmolding, for example baked goods such as pizza, bread, cakes, pies, etc. Furthermore, in the case of baked goods, especially those that increase in volume during cooking, there is the risk that they adhere to the containment walls or the bottom, thus preventing "clean" extraction without damaging their shape. A further drawback of current containers is that the contact surface of the bottom wall does not have a shape that allows for optimal cooking of all foods. In fact, some foods may require a flat contact surface, others corrugated, others still with a mold.

A further drawback of current containers is related to their washing which is particularly difficult given that some areas, such as those near the back wall, are difficult to reach for optimal cleaning.

There is therefore a need to improve a food cooking apparatus that can overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

An aim of the present invention, which corresponds to the technical problem to be solved, is to provide a cooking apparatus comprising a container that allows for the simple and rapid extraction of any food, preserving its shape and consistency.

Another purpose of the present invention is to create a cooking apparatus that allows for optimal cooking of any type of food. Another purpose of the present invention is to create a cooking apparatus having a container that is structurally simple, convenient to use, and easily washable.

A further aim of the invention is to create a cooking apparatus that is versatile and whose configuration can be modified and adapted rapidly according to needs.

To overcome the drawbacks of the known art and to obtain these and further purposes and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and created the present invention.

EXHIBITION OF THE FINDING

The present invention is expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims set forth other characteristics of the present invention or variants of the main solution idea.

In accordance with the aforementioned purposes and to solve the aforementioned technical problem in a new and original way, also obtaining notable advantages with respect to the prior art, an autonomous apparatus for cooking food according to the present invention comprises a support body, a container extractable/insertable with respect to said support body, at least one heating device and a ventilation device arranged inside said support body.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, said container comprises a removable bottom wall.

By doing so, once cooking is finished and the container has been removed from the support body of the appliance, it is possible to release the bottom wall on which the food rests, making it easier to remove it without damaging or ruining it. The components of the container are also preserved because removing the food does not require the use of kitchen utensils such as knives, spatulas and similar that could damage the coating or structure of the container.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said container comprises an annular perimeter containment wall, selectively separable to allow removability of said bottom wall. Advantageously and simply, the removability of the bottom wall is allowed by acting on the containment wall. This also allows for initial detachment of the food in the event that it has stuck to the containment wall.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said retaining wall is formed entirely by a plurality of wall elements, in which a head wall element is slidingly cooperating with a tail wall element. This configuration of the retaining wall allows for its slight opening/closing while maintaining its shape, but allowing the rear wall to be released when necessary.

According to possible variants, it can also be foreseen that the end edges of the respective head and tail wall elements are in contact with each other in the closed condition and are spaced apart from each other in the open position.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said container is provided with coupling elements having a mutually conjugated shape, wherein said bottom wall has its own upper perimeter edge which forms a first coupling element and said containment wall has its own lower perimeter edge which forms a second coupling element. The coupling elements may determine a mechanical coupling of shape, snap or the like.

In a particularly advantageous solution, the coupling elements determine a liquid-tight coupling.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said container comprises actuation means formed by a fixed support and by a mechanism associated with both said support and said containment wall.

According to embodiments, the mechanism comprises fastening elements fixed respectively to said wall elements and a movement device associated with both said fastening elements and an actuator operable by a user.

The actuation means allow a user to very easily and effortlessly release the back wall from the retaining wall by acting on the actuator.

The actuator is preferably of the manual type and may be designed as a rotational element, a translational element, a trigger, or the like.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said fastening elements are mounted cantilevered through said support and are slidable, in mutual approach/distance, in respective slots obtained passing through said support. This allows to determine an "open" position and a corresponding "closed" position of the respective head and tail wall elements and therefore of the containment wall.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said movement device comprises an articulated parallelogram, formed by two first rods, provided with driving elements, and two second rods, said first and second rods being hinged both to each other and to said fixing elements, and a cam rotatably mounted on said support and provided with two shaped profiles in which said driving elements are engaged.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said movement device comprises a balancer pivoted to said support, and two connecting rods associated both with corresponding opposite end portions of said balancer and with a respective one of said fastening elements.

In accordance with an embodiment variant, said movement device comprises a pinion hinged to said support, and two racks, which are engaged with said pinion and fixed to a respective of said fixing elements.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said apparatus comprises a locking device operatively connected to said actuation means and/or to said actuator when said container is arranged inside said housing compartment.

This prevents the back wall from being automatically removed inadvertently.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said apparatus comprises a control unit and detection means, for example a sensor, operatively connected to said control unit and configured to detect a recognition element, for example a bar code, a QR code, an RFID code, or an electromechanical element (microswitch, reed switch, etc.) associated with said back wall and send the detected information to said control unit. For example, such information may concern the shape, material, thickness or conformation of the contact surface of the back wall.

Embodimental forms of the present invention refer to a kit for cooking food comprising an apparatus as defined above, and a plurality of additional bottom walls, each having a specific surface conformation suitable for different cooking methods or foods to be cooked.

Thanks to the removability of the bottom wall and the provision of a plurality of different bottom walls, selectively and alternatively connectable to the containment wall, it is possible to quickly and easily modify the characteristics of the container and therefore adapt the cooking apparatus from time to time to make it suitable for cooking a specific type of food.

Since it is sufficient to replace the bottom walls to modify the characteristics of the cooking apparatus without the need to provide a plurality of different containers, each equipped with a given type of bottom wall, it is also possible to reduce the overall size of the kit to a minimum.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, said control unit, on the basis of the detected information, is configured to suggest a cooking mode preferably executable in the container having the bottom wall detected by said detection means. This allows to "guide" even the less expert users and always guarantee optimal results in cooking food.

ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear clear from the following description of some embodiments, provided by way of example, not limitation, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- fig. 1 is a schematic side view in section of a food cooking apparatus according to the present invention;

- fig. 1 is an enlarged view of a detail of fig. 1;

- fig. 2 is a variant embodiment of the apparatus in fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a schematic sectional view of the actuation means; - figs. 4-5 are axonometric views of an embodiment of the container of figs. 1 and 2;

- figs. 6-7 are axonometric views of a further embodiment of the container of figs. 1 and 2;

- figs. 8-9 are axonometric views of a further embodiment of the container of figs. 1 and 2

- fig. 10 is a schematic view of a kit for cooking food according to the present invention.

It is specified that in this description the phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures of the attached drawings, even as described, have the sole function of illustrating and explaining the present invention better, having a non-limiting exemplifying function of the invention itself, the scope of protection being defined by the claims.

For ease of understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the figures. It should be understood that elements and features of one embodiment may be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further specification.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME FORMS OF EMBODIMENT OF THE

PRESENT FOUND

With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, an autonomous cooking apparatus 10 according to the present invention comprises a support body 11, which constitutes an external casing, having a housing compartment 12, an internal container 13 which can be removed/inserted with respect to the housing compartment 12, at least one heating device 14 and a ventilation device 15 arranged inside the support body 11.

Container 13 is open at the top and, depending on the type, can have a capacity of between 1 and 5 litres.

The cooking apparatus 10 is suitable for cooking a variety of different types of food. The foods discussed may be potatoes, vegetables, but not only, also rice, cereals in general, pasta, couscous, meat, fish, whether fresh or frozen.

As will be evident from the following description, the container 13 of the present invention is also particularly advantageous for cooking baked goods, for example, pizza, bread, cakes, pies, lasagna, etc.

which tend to adhere to the walls of the container 13, thus preventing their extraction, immediately after cooking, without damaging their shape, or are difficult to extract.

Furthermore, such apparatus 10 is capable of performing different cooking methods, for example stewing, braising, roasting, frying, simple heating, sautéing, browning, slow cooking, or rapid cooking in general or possibly even steam cooking if a certain quantity of water is appropriately introduced into the container 13 together with the food. The at least one heating device 14, also called upper heating device, is preferably arranged, together with the ventilation device 15, in an upper portion of the support body 11, i.e. placed, in use, above the container 13.

Preferably, the apparatus 10 also comprises a further heating device 16, also called a lower heating device, arranged in a lower portion of the support body 11, i.e. placed, in use, below the container 13.

Optionally, the apparatus may include additional ventilation devices, not illustrated.

The lower heating device 16 can be controlled independently of the upper heating device 14, so it is possible to activate one, the other or both depending on the needs and the cooking method to be carried out.

The upper heating device 14 and/or lower heating device 16 may be, for example, electrical resistors, connected to respective electrical power supply devices, not illustrated, which can be selectively controlled to turn them on and off so as to regulate their temperature and consequently the temperature inside the housing compartment 12 and the container 13.

The ventilation device 15 may be, for example, an impeller equipped with a plurality of blades driven by a motor.

According to the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the support body 11 can be opened laterally by means of the same container 13 which, substantially, completes the support body 11 externally, determining a closure of the housing compartment 12.

The support body Il has a lateral passage opening l 7 suitable for allowing access to the housing compartment 12 for the insertion and extraction of the container 13, which in this case is of the "drawer" type, along a horizontal direction X.

According to the embodiment of fig. 2, the support body 11 can be opened at the top by means of a cover 19.

In this case, the support body Il may comprise a base 18, in which the housing compartment 12 and the lower heating device 16 are present, and the cover 19 can be selectively associated with the base 18 to allow or prevent access from above to the housing compartment 12.

The base 18 and the cover 19 are separate components and the cover 19 can, for example, be hinged to the base 18. The container 13 can be removed/inserted with respect to the housing compartment 12 along a vertical direction Y.

According to the embodiment of Fig. 2, the upper heating device 14 and the ventilation device 15 can be housed inside the lid 19.

The container 13 comprises a bottom wall 21 and a perimeter containment wall 22 having an annular shape matching the shape of the bottom wall 21.

According to one aspect of the invention, the bottom wall 21 is removable with respect to the containment wall 22, that is, the bottom wall 21 can be selectively separated from the containment wall 22 to facilitate the extraction of the previously cooked food.

In other words, the back wall 21 and the containment wall 22 are two distinct components, selectively associable and separable from each other.

The container 13 has an assembled condition in which the bottom wall 21 and the containment wall 22 are temporarily integral, and a disassembled condition in which the bottom wall 21 can be removed from the containment wall 22.

The containment wall 22 is slightly splayable to allow removal of the bottom wall 21. In other words, the containment wall 22 can be slightly widened and correspondingly closed for disengagement and engagement of the bottom wall 21, respectively. Operationally, disengagement of the bottom wall 21 with respect to the containment wall 22 can occur when the container 13 is outside the housing compartment 12.

With reference to figs. 3-7, the retaining wall 22 can be formed entirely by a plurality of wall elements 23 firmly connected to each other (figs. 4-7), for example two or more.

The plurality of wall elements 23 comprises at least one head wall element 23a and at least one tail wall element 23b, which cooperate with each other at least to define the assembled condition.

According to embodiments, the head wall element 23a is slidably cooperating with the tail wall element 23b to allow a slight spreading of the containment wall 22 (fig.

3).

In the example of fig. 3, a flap of the tail wall element 23b is slidably inserted into a flap of the head wall element 23a.

According to a variant embodiment, said flaps can be slidably paired.

The container 13 is provided with coupling elements 24, 25 configured to cooperate with each other to maintain the container 13 in the assembled condition.

The coupling elements 24, 25 have a mutually conjugated shape and comprise a first coupling element 24 arranged on, or forming part of, the bottom wall 21 and a second coupling element 25 arranged on, or forming part of, the containment wall 22.

With reference to fig. 1 a, the bottom wall 21 has its own upper perimeter edge which forms the first coupling element 24 and the containment wall has its own lower perimeter edge which forms the second coupling element 25. The first coupling element 24 may be a rim or a projection 26 and the second coupling element 25 may be a groove 27 having a shape which is conjugated to the shape of the rim or projection 26. It is evident that further types of temporary interlocking couplings are however possible.

With reference to the construction variant of fig. 1 b, the back wall 21 also includes a perimeter drip tray 21 a, consisting of a lowered part and a raised edge which together define an area for the collection of a liquid, see also the following fig. 10 (f).

The coupling elements 24, 25 can determine a liquid-tight coupling. This is particularly advantageous in the case in which the food to be cooked has a predominantly liquid phase. The bottom wall 21 can have any perimeter shape (see fig. 10), but always presents said first coupling elements 24. The bottom wall 21, which in this case has a rectangular shape with rounded corners, can alternatively be configured with a generically quadrangular, circular, elliptical shape. Furthermore, the bottom wall 21 can be substantially flat, conical, camel-back shaped, or generally present discontinuities and depressions.

The retaining wall 22 has a perimeter shape that matches the shape of the back wall 21, but always features said second coupling elements 25.

The retaining wall 22, which in this case has a continuous internal surface, may optionally present discontinuities, for example protrusions or depressions.

The back wall 21 can be made of the same material, or a different material, than that of the containment wall 22.

The back wall 21 can be made with the same thickness, or with a different thickness, compared to that of the containment wall 22.

For example, the containment wall 22 can be made of steel to ensure good structural stability with small thicknesses, and the bottom wall 21 can be made of aluminum of the desired thickness so as to ensure good thermal conductivity and therefore effective cooking of food.

Optionally, the coupling elements 24, 25 can be made, or coated, with materials different from those of which the bottom wall 21 and the containment wall 22 are formed respectively.

For example, the coupling elements 24, 25 can be made or coated with a polymeric material that allows for an increase in the mutual adhesion between the walls 21, 22 and the hermetic effect of the coupling created between them.

The container 13 comprises actuation means 28 associated with the containment wall 22 to allow its opening/closing with consequent engagement/disengagement of the bottom wall 21, and an actuator 29 to allow the activation of the actuation means 28.

With reference to Figs. 1-7, the actuation means 28 comprise a fixed support 30 and a mechanism 31 associated with both the support 30 and the containment wall 22.

With particular reference to fig. 3, the mechanism 31 comprises first and second fastening elements 32, 33 respectively fixed to the head wall element 23a and to the tail wall element 23b, in respective positions symmetrical with respect to a central plane P. The central plane P is a vertical plane.

The fastening elements 32, 33 are mounted cantilevered through the support 30 and slide towards/away from each other in respective slots 41, 42 obtained through the support 30.

The slots 41, 42 act as guides for the fastening elements 32, 33 and have an extension, parallel to a movement axis Z, substantially horizontal and orthogonal to the central plane P, such as to define an opening limit switch and an opposing closing limit switch which correspond to the opening and closing of the containment wall 22. In the examples of figs. 5 and 6, the first and second fastening elements 32, 33 each comprise respectively two pins 32a, 33a spaced vertically and a connecting plate 32b, 33b which connects the respective pins 32a, 33a. The pins 32a, 33a are fixed to the containment wall 22 and pass through the slots 41, 42.

The mechanism 31 comprises a movement device 34 associated with both the fastening elements 32, 33 and the actuator 29.

According to the embodiment of figs. 4-5, the movement device 34 comprises a rocker arm 34a hinged, with respect to an intermediate portion thereof, to the support 30, and two connecting rods 34b, 34c associated respectively with the rocker arm 34a and with one of the fastening elements 32, 33. In particular, the connecting rods 34b, 34c are connected by respective rotary couplings both to corresponding opposite end portions of the rocker arm 34a and to a respective of the fastening elements 32, 33.

According to this embodiment, the actuator 29 can be associated with the rocker arm 34a to allow, through its rotation, the spreading of the head wall elements 23a and tail wall elements 23b and therefore the opening of the containment wall 22.

According to the embodiment of fig. 6-7, the movement device 34 comprises a pinion 34d hinged to the support 30 and two racks 34e, engaged with the pinion 34d, of which a first is fixed to the first fixing elements 32 and a second is fixed to the second fixing elements 33.

The actuator 29 can be associated with the pinion 34d to allow, through its rotation, the spreading of the containment wall 22.

The actuator 29 can also be associated with one of the two racks 34e and therefore be operated with a corresponding horizontal translation movement in the direction of the movement axis Z.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the movement device 34 is of the "pantograph" type with "cam" type motion transmission.

The movement device 34 comprises an articulated parallelogram formed by two first rods 47 and two second rods 48 hinged together at the first ends of the first and second rods 47 and 48.

The first rods 47 are further pivoted both among themselves and with the connecting plate 32b of the first fastening elements 33 at an intermediate point of the latter. The point where the pivoting occurs corresponds to an intermediate zone of the first rods 47 which is located between their respective ends.

Similarly, the second rods 48 are further pivoted both among themselves and with the connecting plate 33b of the second fastening elements 33 at an intermediate point of the latter. The point where the pivoting occurs is located at a second end of the second rods 47.

Each of the first rods 47 has a pivot section 47a and an actuation section 47b angled at approximately 90° with respect to the pivot section 47a and having an elbow that determines two parts inclined to each other at approximately 135°. The pivot sections 47a have the same length as the second rods 48.

The actuation sections 47b are provided with driving elements 43. The driving elements 43 are arranged at a second end of the first rods 47. In the example of figs. 8 and 9 the driving elements 43 are cylindrical pins.

The movement device 34 also comprises a cam 44, for example in the shape of a disc, rotatably mounted on the support 30 and provided with two shaped profiles 46 in which the driving elements 43 are engaged.

The two shaped profiles 46 form an arched path which, during the rotation of the cam, acts as a guide for the drag elements 43 which determine a consequent rotation of the first rods 47. The cam 44 is connected to the actuator 29 which can be rotated clockwise to determine the closing of the containment wall 22 (fig. 8) or anticlockwise to determine its opening (fig. 9).

The mechanism 34 of figs. 8 and 9 allows coupling with the first and second fastening elements 32, 33 on a median plane which is a particularly effective position to facilitate the dynamics of the opening/closing movement of the retaining wall 22.

According to embodiments, the actuator 29 is of the manual type and may be a rotational element (Fig. 4), a translational element (Fig. 6), a trigger (Figs. 1 and 2) or the like.

A front mask 35 can be fixed to the support 30 which, together with the support 30, defines a technical compartment where the operating means 28 are present.

The container 13 may also comprise a handle 36 fixed to the support 30, preferably in a central position suitable for facilitating the operation of extracting the container 13 from the support body 11.

This handle 36 can be fixed to the support 30 by means of screw fixing, or rivets, or snap-locking.

The actuator 29 can be positioned on the front mask 35 or it can be positioned on the handle 36.

With reference to Figs. 1-2, the apparatus 10 comprises a locking device 37 operatively connected to the actuation means 28 and/or to the actuator 29 when the container 13 is arranged inside the housing compartment 12 and configured to prevent the activation of the actuation means 28 and therefore the opening of the containment wall 22.

The apparatus 10 further comprises a control unit 38 configured to regulate the operation of at least the heating devices 14, 16 and the ventilation device 15 in accordance with a cooking mode set by a user. The control unit 38 may also be operationally connected to the locking device 37.

Optionally, the apparatus 10 may comprise detection means 39 and the container 13, in particular the bottom wall 21, may be provided with a recognition element 40, which may contain information relating to the shape of a contact surface of the bottom wall 21 (i.e. the one where the food is placed), the thickness, or the type of material, and is detectable, or readable, by said detection means 39.

The control unit 38 can also be operationally connected to the detection means 39 to suggest to the user the preferred cooking methods with that type of back wall 21, which can possibly be modified via a user interface based on the exact type of food and its quantity.

With reference to fig. 10, a food cooking kit 100 comprises the apparatus 10 described above, wherein the bottom wall 21 of the container 13 is replaceable/interchangeable, and at least one further bottom wall 121, 221, 321, 421, 521, 621 distinct from the bottom wall 21.

The kit 100 may preferably include a plurality of bottom walls 121-621 each having a specific surface conformation suitable for different cooking methods or different foods to be cooked.

For example, the bottom wall 121 of fig. 10(a) has a flat contact surface and may be suitable for cooking foods such as lasagne, cakes, pizzas, etc.

The bottom wall 221 of fig. 10 (b) has a torus-shaped cavity and can be suitable for baking a ring cake.

The back wall 321 of fig. 10 (c) has a lamellar shape and is suitable for use as a grill.

The back wall 421 of fig. 10 (d) has a plurality of seats suitable for cooking muffins.

The bottom wall 521 of fig. 10 (e) has a "honeycomb" structure and is suitable for cooking waffle-type wafers.

The bottom wall 621 of fig. 10 (f) has a flat contact surface with a perimeter drip tray, consisting of a recessed area for collecting a liquid, and can be suitable for cooking foods that have a liquid phase.

In the operating configuration illustrated in Fig. 10, when the detection means 39 detects the presence of one of the bottom walls 21-621, the control unit 38 can select the cooking mode and adjust the operation of the various components accordingly.

For example, the suggested cooking method using one of the bottom walls 21, 121, 221, 421, 521, 621 could be air frying, or cooking dishes such as pizza, savoury pies, lasagna, etc., and involves the simultaneous operation of the upper heating device 14 and the lower heating device 16, to reach a temperature ranging from 150 to 250 °C, and of the ventilation device 15 placed at the top which generates an air flow of average speed downstream of the blades of 2-4 m/s.

The suggested cooking method using the back wall 321 involves a first heating phase in which the upper 14 and lower 16 heating devices are both in operation and the ventilation device 15 generates an air flow with an average speed of approximately 2 m/s downstream of the blades. As soon as the temperature of 250?C is reached, a second heating phase is initiated in which only the lower heating device 16 functions in order to maintain a constant temperature until the end of cooking.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts can be made to the apparatus 10 and to the kit 100 for cooking food described up to now, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, an expert in the field may create other equivalent forms of apparatus and related kit for cooking food, having the characteristics expressed in the claims and therefore all falling within the scope of protection defined therein.

In the claims that follow, the references in brackets are for ease of reading only and should not be considered as limiting factors of the scope of protection defined by the claims themselves.

Claims (13)

l. Self-contained apparatus (10) for cooking food comprising a support body (11), at least one heating device (14) and a ventilation device (15) arranged inside said support body (11) and a container (13) which can be removed/inserted with respect to said support body (11), characterised in that said container (13) comprises a removable bottom wall (21). 2. Apparatus (10) as in claim 1, characterised in that said container (13) comprises an annular perimeter containment wall (22), selectively separable to allow removability of said bottom wall (21). 3. Apparatus (10) as in claim 2, characterised in that said containment wall (22) is formed by a plurality of wall elements (23), in which a head wall element (23a) is slidingly cooperating with a tail wall element (23b). 4. Apparatus (1 0) as in claim 2 or 3, characterised in that said container (13) is provided with coupling elements (24, 25) having a mutually conjugated shape, wherein said bottom wall (21) has its own upper perimeter edge which forms a first coupling element (24) and said containment wall (22) has its own lower perimeter edge which forms a second coupling element (25). 5. Apparatus (10) as in claim 3, characterised in that said container (13) comprises actuation means (28) formed by a fixed support (30) and a mechanism (31), associated both with said support (30) and with said containment wall (22), wherein said mechanism (31) comprises fixing elements (32, 33) fixed respectively to said head and tail wall elements (23a, 23b) and a movement device (34) associated both with said fixing elements (32, 33) and with an actuator (29). 6. Apparatus (10) as in claim 5, characterised in that said fastening elements (32, 33) are mounted cantilevered through said support (30) and slide, moving towards/away from each other, in respective slots (41, 42) obtained through said support (30). 7. Apparatus (1 0) as in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said movement device (34) comprises an articulated parallelogram, formed by two first rods ( 47), provided with driving elements ( 43), and two second rods ( 48) hinged together and with said fixing elements (32, 33), and a cam (44) rotatably mounted on said support (30) and provided with two shaped profiles ( 46) in which said driving elements ( 43) are engaged. 8. Apparatus (10) as in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said movement device (34) comprises a balance (34a) hinged to said support (30), and two connecting rods (34b, 34c) associated both with corresponding opposite end portions of said balance (34a) and with a respective one of said fixing elements (32, 33). 9. Apparatus (10) as in claim 5 or 6, characterised in that said movement device (34) comprises a pinion (34d) hinged to said support (30), and two racks (34e), engaged with said pinion (34d) and fixed to a respective of said fixing elements (32, 33). 10. Apparatus (10) as in any of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that it comprises a locking device (37) operatively connected to said actuation means (28) and/or to said actuator (29) when said container (13) is arranged inside said housing compartment (12). 11. Apparatus (1 0) as in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a control unit (38) and detection means (39) operatively connected to said control unit (38) and configured to detect a recognition element (40) associated with said back wall (21) and send the detected information to said control unit (38). 12. Kit (100) for cooking food comprising an apparatus (10) as in any of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that said kit (100) comprises at least one further bottom wall (121, 221, 321, 421, 521, 621) distinct from said bottom wall (21) and having a specific surface conformation suitable for different cooking methods or foods to be cooked, and that said bottom wall (21) is removable and selectively interchangeable with said at least one further bottom wall (121, 221, 321,421, 521, 621). 13. Kit (100) as in claim 12, characterised in that a control unit (38) of said apparatus (10), on the basis of the information detected by detection means (39) cooperating with recognition elements (40) associated with said bottom walls (21; 121-621), is configured to suggest a cooking method preferably executable in the container (13) having the bottom wall (21; 121-621) detected from time to time.