WO2007009880A1

WO2007009880A1 - Device and method for controlling the cooking of foods

Info

Publication number: WO2007009880A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/063900
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joan Ceravalls Pujol
Original assignee: Earcrob, S.L.
Priority date: 2005-07-21
Filing date: 2006-07-05
Publication date: 2007-01-25

Abstract

The invention includes at least two temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) that are inserted into the food (5). It also includes means for determining the thickness of the food (5) and means for situating said measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) in the interior of said food (5) that permit the distance between said measuring devices (2a, 2c, 2c) to be varied in accordance with the thickness of the food (5).

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE COOKING OF FOODS

This invention relates to a device and to a method for controlling the cooking of foods .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known in the art are devices for controlling the cooking of foods, with the objective of facilitating and standardising the preparation of foods without the need to have specialised personnel available.

These devices consist in elements fitted with cannulae or rods provided with temperature detectors that are inserted into the food to be controlled. The element is usually connected to means for processing the information received from the detectors, in such a way that the cooking of the food is controlled in accordance with specific parameters .

United States patent number US 6753027 discloses a method of controlling a cooking process and a sensor for implementing that method. By means of said method at least two temperature values are obtained by means of a sensor designed to be stuck at least partially into the food to be cooked. Said temperature values are obtained at several points in random positions inside the food at different depths, with the separation distances between the detection points being fixed and known, and at least at one other point on the exterior of the food that determines the temperature of the surroundings . On the basis of these values, the temperature of the core of the food is calculated in combination with the temperature taken outside the food in order to control the cooking thereof.

The method described presents the disadvantage that the temperature detector is stuck into the food in a different way each time it is used, so that the points at which the temperature is measured are different at each utilisation. Although the distances separating the various detection points are known, the relative position thereof in the interior of the food cannot be known. This makes it impossible to locate the detection points at the precise zones most useful for controlling the temperature of the food.

Thus, if the size of the foods to be controlled is different, the temperature-taking points are located in a substantially different way in relation to the thickness of each food, which means that the data obtained are not useful .

This disadvantage is all the more obvious with foods that are semi-submerged in liquids or that receive heat from only one of their sides.

Therefore, the method described does not permit the application of uniform cooking parameters that give the same result for all the foods on which they are used, since the temperature values taken for one food pertain to zones different from those controlled in another food.

European patent EP 1473554 describes a utensil and a method for controlling a cooking device. This utensil consists in a temperature measuring device with two temperature detectors. One of said detectors is at one end of the utensil in contact with the bottom of a cooking recipient, while the other device is located at a certain distance from said end.

This utensil permits the temperature of the cooking recipient and of the food undergoing cooking to be controlled. The utensil described nevertheless presents the disadvantage of only allowing specific fixed points of the food to be controlled. If the size of the different foods varies, or the placement of the utensil is different, the utensil detectors are situated at different points or even outside of the food, which means that their utilisation is limited to controlling the cooking of liquids or regular foods of constant thickness.

Moreover, the temperature detector in contact with the bottom of the recipient may be of little use, since the heat supplied to the food is transmitted differently depending upon the characteristics of the food to be controlled and the heat source.

In the case of griddles, which can be of different shapes (flat, channelled) and supply the heat by means of different sources (embers, infrared, air) the information provided by such a contact detector is of no relevance. This is due to the amount of heat absorbed by the food being different from the amount of heat absorbed by the detector. The heat acts differently on the food according to the characteristics of the source and of the food itself.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages presented by the devices known in the art, by providing a device for controlling the cooking of foods, which includes at least two temperature- measuring devices that are inserted into the food, characterised in that it includes means for determining the thickness of the food and means for situating said temperature-measuring devices in the interior of said food that permit the distance between said temperature- measuring devices to be varied in accordance with the thickness of the food.

The present invention permits the distance between the temperature-measuring probes of the device to be varied in accordance with the thickness of the food to be controlled, in such a way that the probes can be located at the points in the food most suitable for carrying out control of the cooking, adapting to its shape, size or thickness.

Preferably, the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices in the interior of the food permit the placement of one of the temperature-measuring devices at a preset distance from a reference surface located beside the food, and placement of the remaining temperature-measuring devices at a distance D = (G x f) from said reference surface, where G is the thickness of the food and f is a value between 0 and 1 for each one of the remaining temperature-measuring devices .

One of the probes is situated at a preset distance from an exterior reference surface, such as a cooking surface on which the food is resting. This probe will normally be the most important one, since it can be used to determine the thickness of the food, and will serve as a reference for situating the other probes at the desired distance from it. Thanks to the device of the invention permitting the distance between the probe which is located at a fixed distance from the reference surface and of one of the remaining probes to be varied, each probe can be placed at the most useful positions throughout the thickness of the food in order to control the temperature thereof.

Preferably, the preset distance is between 0.5 and 30 mm, and more preferably between 1 and 10 mm.

This range of distances permits the reference probe to be situated in the zone of the interior of the food closest to the cooking surface, thereby permitting monitoring of the heat absorbed by the food and immediate knowledge of whether the food is burning, since this is the zone that receives most heat. At the same time, the probe is separated from said cooking surface, thereby avoiding the distortions that would arise if the probe were in direct contact with said surface.

For practical purposes, it is much more useful to know the temperature in the interior zone of the food closest to the heat source than that of the value of the temperature applied, since the heat may be transmitted very differently depending on the characteristics of the food.

Advantageously, the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices in the interior of said food comprise cannulae that are inserted into the food, and in which are situated the temperature-measuring devices.

Also advantageously, the cannula that includes the temperature-measuring device situated at a preset distance from the reference surface has one end that is left resting on the reference surface after passing through the food, said device being separated by said preset distance from the end of the cannula.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ends of the cannulae are point-shaped. These cannulae allow the probes to be inserted easily into the food. One of the cannulae will be left resting on the reference surface, which will normally be the cooking surface on which the food is placed, after having traversed it. The probe of said cannula will therefore be the one that is situated closest to the cooking surface and allows the temperature to be controlled in the zone of the food that receives the heat. The ends of the point-shaped cannulae make it easier to insert them into the food. In the case of the cannula that is left resting on the cooking surface, the point shape also prevents the transmission of heat towards the probe being greater than desired.

It will be preferable for the cannulae to be aligned, so that they will be able to collect the temperatures throughout the thickness of the food in a more reliable way.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the means for determining the thickness of the food include a stop that is movable in relation to the cannulae and rests on the surface of the food opposite to the reference surface, with the thickness of the food being determined by the distance between said stop and the end of the cannula that includes the temperature-measuring device situated at a preset distance from the reference surface.

Said stop permits the thickness of the food to be determined, by resting on it, so that the distance between said stop and the surface on which the food rests is equivalent to the thickness of the food. The probes of the device will be positioned between the free end of the cannula that traverses the food and is left resting on the surface and the stop in the most suitable position, independently of the thickness of each food.

According to the present invention, the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices in the interior of said food include a transmission mechanism associated with said stop and the cannulae.

Optionally, the mechanism can include at least one bearing, a gear mechanism, a plurality of pulleys, or a lever articulated onto a base and a plurality of parallel bars associated with said lever.

These mechanisms allow control over the relationship between the movement of each cannula and of the stop, so that the distances of separation between each cannula are always proportional. The probes are thus always situated in the same relative position within the food independently of the thickness thereof.

Depending on the position it is wished to obtain for each probe inside the food, the demultiplication ratio of the mechanism can be varied. According to another embodiment of the invention, the means for determining the thickness of the food comprise an electronic measuring appliance.

Alternatively, the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices in the interior of said food include positioning means for each temperature- measuring device depending on the thickness detected by the electronic measuring appliance.

By means of this embodiment, the device of the invention will be able to detect the thickness of the food automatically, for example by means of an ultrasound appliance. In accordance with said thickness, each probe can be situated in the interior of the food by means of an electronic positioning device that regulates the position of each probe automatically and independently.

Advantageously, the device of this invention includes a device for measuring the temperature of a cooking surface of the food.

This device allows the temperature of a heat source for the food to be controlled directly, such that more data are obtained about the cooking of the food, and the heat source can be regulated in order to improve the preparation of that food.

Preferably, the device of the invention includes means for processing the data received from the temperature-measuring devices and/or the means for determining the thickness of the food.

Advantageously, the means for processing the data received from the temperature-measuring devices include some indicators that are activated when certain temperatures are reached.

Also advantageously, the means for processing the data received from the temperature-measuring devices include means for controlling a food cooking device in accordance with the data from the temperature-measuring devices and with preset cooking parameters .

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the data received from the temperature- measuring devices include means for providing food cooking instructions in accordance with the temperature-measuring devices .

Thanks to said means for processing the data collected from the probes, the device of the invention permits the cooking of the food to be controlled precisely and even on a large scale.

The simpler designs of the device of the invention can consist in indicators associated with the probes that activate when the cooking has reached the desired stage. In the more fully evolved designs, said means can consist in a fixed or portable computer, an electronic agenda adapted to the device, etc. Programs adapted to each type of food or to each particular taste can be created. Thanks to this configuration, the cooking of the foods can be carried out entirely autonomously, as the device will regulate the amount of heat supplied to each food and even the time it is switched off.

Preferably, the reference surface is a cooking surface on which the food rests . The reference surface can be any fixed exterior point in relation to which one of the probes can be situated inside the food.

The device of the invention is especially useful for all kinds of foods cooked on a griddle or grill, which are normally the most difficult foods to control.

This invention also provides a method for controlling the cooking of foods, which can be carried out by means of the device described above, and that includes inserting at least two temperature-measuring devices into the food, characterised in that it also includes: determining the thickness of the food; placing one of the temperature-measuring devices inserted into the food at a preset distance from a reference surface located beside the food; situating the remaining temperature-measuring devices at a distance D = (G x f) from reference surface, where G is the thickness of the food and f is a value ranging between

0 and 1 for each of the other temperature- measuring devices .

Preferably, the preset distance ranges between

0.5 and 30 mm, and more preferably between 1 and 10 mm.

Advantageously, each one of the temperature- measuring devices is situated substantially at the middle point of the thickness of the food. Also advantageously, one of the temperature- measuring devices is situated close to the surface of the food opposite to that of the reference surface.

Preferably, the method of the invention includes measurement of the temperature of a cooking surface of the food by means of a temperature-measuring device.

Advantageously, the method of the invention includes processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices .

Alternatively, the method includes processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices and of the value of the thickness of the food.

According to one embodiment of the method of the invention, the processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices includes the use of indicators that activate when certain temperatures are reached .

Preferably, the processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices includes the control of a cooking device of the food in accordance with the data from the temperature-measuring devices and with preset cooking parameters .

Advantageously, the processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices includes food cooking instructions in accordance with the data from the temperature-measuring devices and with preset cooking parameters .

Preferably, the reference surface is a cooking surface on which the food rests .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to facilitate the description of all that has been outlined above, some drawings are attached that show, schematically and solely by way of non- restrictive example, a practical case of embodiment of the invention, in which: figures 1 to 4 are schematic views of an embodiment of the device of the present invention, showing the operation thereof; figures 5 to 8 are views of the device of figures 1 to 4, showing its utilisation in foods of different thickness; figures 9 and 10 are views of another embodiment of the device of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the schematic embodiment shown in figures 1 to 4, the device 1 of the invention consists in a plurality of temperature-measuring devices or probes 2a, 2b, 2c that form part of as many parallel cannulae 3a,

3b, 3c. These probes 2a, 2b, 2c are connected to means for processing the data received therefrom, as described below.

The cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c are for inserting by sticking into the interior of a piece of food for the purpose of controlling the cooking thereof. The minimum number of probes 2a, 2b, 2c for the device to operate is two, though the number can vary according to requirements, and in the embodiment shown the device 1 includes 3 probes. The cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c can be moved longitudinally in relation to a stop 4, whose function will also be explained below.

The cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c are associated with the stop 4 by means of a transmission mechanism (not shown) that allows the distance between the stop 4 and the probes 2a, 2b, 2c of each cannula 3a, 3b, 3c to be varied proportionally. This mechanism, which can be any mechanism that allows the ratio between the movement of each of the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c to be varied, such as gearwheels or pulleys, permitting the movement of each one of the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c to be proportional to that of the others .

A device 1 (figures 2 and 3) can therefore be provided that permits the free end of the cannula 3a to be extended to a desired distance A from the stop 4, leaving the free end of the intermediate cannula 3b situated at half the distance A reached by the first cannula 3a, and leaving the end of the third cannula 3c in its initial position. The probes 2a, 2b, 2c are also situated in the desired position.

Another example of embodiment of the mechanism of the device 1 could also permit the positioning of the probes 2a, 2b, 2c shown in figure 4. For this purpose it is only necessary to vary the transmission ratio between the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c and the stop 4 in order to achieve the desired relative positioning of each probe 2a, 2b, 2c.

As can be observed, the probes 2a, 2b, 2c, are always situated in the same relative position, independently of how extended the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c are. Figures 5 to 8 show the use of the device 1 for controlling the cooking of foods of the present invention. The device 1 is situated over a food 5 (figure 5) , which in this case is resting on a cooking surface 6 such as a griddle or a frying pan. As can be observed, the stop 4 is left resting on the upper surface of the food 5, following which the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c that are inserted into the food are extended until the free end of the cannula 3a that extends furthest is left resting on the cooking surface 6. The thickness of the food 5 is thus determined by the distance between the stop 4 and the end of the cannula 3a that rests on the cooking surface 6.

In this case, the transmission mechanism of the device 1 is set up so that the free end of the intermediate cannula 3b is situated at half the distance reached by the first cannula 3a, and so that the end of the third cannula 3c is situated in its initial position, as described in the embodiment of figures 2 and 3. When the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c move, the device 1 leaves the probes 2a, 2b, 2c situated in the same relative position for any thickness of the food 5, as can be observed in the case of the food 5 of figures 5 and 6 and the food 5 of figures 7 and 8.

The probe 2a is thus always situated only a short distance from the cooking surface 6, the probe 2b is always situated substantially at a middle point of the thickness of the food 5, and the probe 2c is always situated at a point close to the upper surface of the food 5.

In any case, as mentioned earlier, the transmission mechanism of the device 1 can be set up so that each probe is situated at the most useful position inside the food.

The positioning of the probes 2a, 2b, 2c in the food 5 can also be carried out by extending the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c before sticking them into the food 5. The cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c are then inserted into the food 5 until the cannula 3a is left resting against the cooking surface 6. Once this has been done, the stop 4 is moved downwards while keeping the cannula 3a in contact with the surface 6, until the stop 4 is left resting on the surface of the food 5, and the rest of the cannulae 3b, 3c are left situated as described earlier.

Once the probes 2a, 2b, 2c have been placed in their definitive positions (figures 6 and 8) , the cooking of the food 5 then begins to be controlled. The probe 2a situated in cannula 3a is separated from the cooking surface 6 at a preset distance which will preferably be between 0.5 and 30 mm, and more preferably between 1 and 10 mm. The value of this separation distance will vary depending on the thickness of the food 5, and prevents the probe 2a, which is the one closest to the cooking surface, from receiving the heat from the cooking surface 6 directly, which could distort the information received.

It is preferable for the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c to end in a point, and particularly so for cannula 3a, since the transmission of heat from the cooking surface 6 to the probe 2a is reduced substantially. The point shape also facilitates insertion of the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c into the food 5. The probe 2a is situated in the zone of the food

5 closest to the source of heat, so that the progress of the cooking of the food in the zone that could burn first is known at all times.

The rest of the probes 2b, 2c are arranged in the embodiment shown at the middle point of the thickness of the food 5 and beside the upper surface of the food 5, respectively. The cooking of the food 5 is thereby controlled at three points throughout its thickness.

The probe 2a closest to the cooking surface 6, which is the most important one, allows the amount of heat absorbed and the temperature the food 5 reaches in the zone closest to the heat source to be known. Thanks to this, the appearance of the outer finish of the food can be controlled. It is likewise possible to foresee if the amount of heat the food is correct, thus allowing the heat source to be controlled before the food burns .

The probe 2b permits the temperature in the nucleus of the food to be known, so that it is possible to monitor the point the cooking of the food has reached at a particular moment, and in combination with probe 2a, how the heat is transmitted inside the food.

Finally, the probe 2c provides important information about the transmission of heat to the zone furthest removed from the cooking surface, which is especially useful in foods that must be turned or that are cooked in an oven or submerged in a liquid.

Although in the described embodiment the device 1 of the invention comprises three probes 2a, 2b, 2c, the device 1 could function with a minimum of two probes . One of the probes 2a is always situated at a short distance from the reference surface 6, beside the zone of the food 5 that receives the heat, and permits the heat received by the food 5 to be controlled. The other probes may be located in the most suitable position inside the food 5 depending on its characteristics (thickness, type of product, homogeneity of the product, etc.) for the cooking to be controlled in each zone of the food 5.

This also allows the device 1 of the invention to be used to achieve different degrees of cooking for each zone of the food 5, such as in the case of a piece of meat that is to be well done on the outside and left rarer on the inside.

The need to provide several probes is also conditioned by the fact that it is possible for the food not to present a constant thermal conductivity coefficient, thereby rendering it necessary to control the temperature of the food at specific points thereof in order to be able to achieve precise cooking in each of the zones of the food 5. Combining the information on the temperatures reached in each zone of the food 5 with the time elapsed shows the amount of heat the food absorbs, the heat it transmits, and how it transmits it, so that the cooking characteristics of the food and their evolution at any given time can be known precisely.

In the case of the cooking of a food with several thicknesses needing to be controlled, several devices can be used for each of said thicknesses.

In order to improve the cooking of the food, the device 1 of the invention can also include a probe for controlling the temperature supplied by the heat source of the device for cooking of the food. Thanks to this probe, the amount of heat supplied can be regulated in function of the temperature achieved in the zones of the food in which the other probes are situated and the time elapsed. In this manner, the device 1 permits a totally automatic control of the cooking of the food. Moreover, the temperature of a cooking surface can be known before placing the food, in order to adjust it to the optimum level.

This probe may form part of the device of the invention, or be integrated into the food cooking device or into the cooking surface themselves, for example into a frying pan or griddle. Although in the embodiment shown the cannulae 3a, 3b, 3c are arranged alongside each other in order to show the operation of the device 1 of the invention more clearly, the probes 2a, 2b, 2c will preferably be aligned in relation to a single longitudinal axis in order to improve control of the cooking and the positioning of the cannulae inside the food 5.

Figures 9 and 10 show a possible embodiment of the device 1 of the invention, in which one embodiment of the transmission mechanism used for positioning the probes can be discerned.

The device 1 includes a hollow guide 7 through the interior of which a carriage 8 moves longitudinally by means of some ball bearings 9 arranged between the internal walls of the guide 7 and said carriage 8. In other embodiments, racks and pinions could be used, for example, instead of bearings 9.

Thanks to the set-up described, the speed of movement of the bearings 9 in relation to the guide 7 is half the speed of movement of the carriage 8. This is possible thanks to the fact that the distance from the carriage 8 to the support point of the ball bearings 9 in the guide 7 is double the distance from the centre of the balls of the bearing 9 to said support point.

Thus, by associating a cannula 2a with the carriage 8, and another cannula 2b with the bearing 9, the cannula 2b associated with the bearing 9 will always travel half the distance as travelled by the cannula 2a associated with the carriage 8.

The probe 2b of the cannula 2b will therefore always be situated at half the distance from the stop 4 of the device 1 as the probe 2b of the cannula 2b.

In this embodiment the cannulae 2a, 2b have also been represented out of alignment in order to show the functioning of the device more clearly, although they would preferably be aligned. As can be observed, by means of this embodiment great compactness of the device 1 is achieved and a small size.

Other mechanisms for carrying out the positioning of the probes could consists in gearwheels, pulleys, articulated levers or any other demultiplication mechanism known in the state of the art.

The device of the invention could also include non-mechanical means for determining the thickness of the food and for positioning the probes inside it. These means could consist in an electronic appliance that calculates the thickness of the food, for example by means of an ultrasound device, and that positions each probe automatically in the interior of the food depending on the thickness detected. As explained earlier, the probes of the device 1 are connected to means for processing the data received therefrom. These processing means can also process data on the thickness of the food.

With the inclusion of a probe or electronic appliance that measures the temperature of the surface or of the cooking area of the food, the heat supplied to food can also be controlled in function of its state.

In their simplest form, these means can consist in indicators that activate a signal when the desired temperature has been reached at each point to be controlled. For example, the indicators could consist in LED diodes that light up when a thermostat calibrated for a predetermined temperature is activated. This temperature may vary depending on the degree of cooking needed by the food or the preferences of the user.

Lights or indicators could also be used to show the progress of the cooking, or a buzzer that signals when the cooking of the food has finished in function of the temperature and the time. An indicator could likewise be included to show when the food should be turned in the case of foods being cooked on a griddle or the like.

Another type of more evolved devices for processing the data from the probes may consist in a computer or portable electronic device capable of processing cooking programmes designed for each type of food. In this case, the control possibilities are very- numerous, since the number of variables to be controlled (temperature of the probes, thickness, time, degree of cooking, etc.) can be increased considerably. Information could even be transmitted by cable, wirelessly or by means of any other system to an external unit that processes the information obtained in order to determine when the product can go into the heat, when it must come out, when it must be turned, or any other operation the food might require during its preparation.

For example, cooking programs could be provided that are adapted for each type of food or for preparing foods with certain degrees of cooking. Such programs could be used to control the cooking time and the food cooking device, and could even provide the user with instructions for preparing the food in the desired way (seasoning, food turning, and so forth) .

As can be deduced from the above explanations, the device of the invention permits the cooking of foods to be controlled precisely independently of their thickness, size or shape, and can be applied for household or industrial use.

In industry or in the preparation foods in large amounts, the utilisation of the device of the invention is particularly advantageous, since it permits uniformisation and standardisation of cooking of all the pieces, independently of variations in their shape or thickness and in a totally automatic way.

In the present description, the thickness of the food shall be taken to mean the dimension of the food in a specific direction. This dimension will normally coincide with the separation distance between a cooking surface and the upper surface of the food supported thereupon in accordance with a direction substantially perpendicular to said cooking surface.

Said distance may nevertheless also coincide with any section through a food that is cooked in an oven, or that is cooked in water or in a liquid medium.

Similarly, although the reference surface will normally be a fixed cooking surface 6 on which the food 5 is supported, the reference surface could also consist, for example, in a spatula that is placed temporarily underneath the food when the cooking surface is a grill or like element. Said surface could also consist in any other element exterior to the food that serves for positioning one of the probes inside the food, such that the probe in question serves as a reference for positioning the other probes . Furthermore, in the present description the predetermined separation distance between the reference surface and one of the probes will also be taken to be the separation distance between both elements in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the reference surface.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Device (1) for controlling the cooking of foods (5) , which includes at least two temperature- measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) that are inserted into the food (5) , characterised in that it includes means for determining the thickness of the food (5) and means for situating said temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) in the interior of said food (5) that permit the distance between said temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2c, 2c) to be varied in accordance with the thickness of the food (5) .

2. Device (1), according to claim 1, characterised in that the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) in the interior of said food (5) permit the placement of one of the temperature-measuring devices (2a) at a preset distance from a reference surface (6) located beside the food (5) , and placement of the remaining temperature-measuring devices (2b, 2c) at a distance D = (G x f) from said reference surface (6) , where G is the thickness of the food (5) and f is a value between 0 and 1 for each one of the remaining temperature-measuring devices (2b, 2c) .

3. Device (1), according to claim 2, characterised in that the preset distance is preferably between 0.5 and 30 mm, and more preferably between 1 and 10 mm.

4. Device (1), according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) in the interior of said food (5) comprise cannulae (3a, 3b, 3c) that are inserted into the food (5) , and in which are situated the temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) .

5. Device (1), according to claim 4, characterised in that the cannula (3a) that includes the temperature-measuring device (2a) situated at a preset distance from reference surface (6) has one end that is left resting on the reference surface (6) after passing through the food (5) , said device (2a) being separated by said preset distance from the end of the cannula (3a) .

6. Device (1), according to claims 4 or 5, characterised in that the ends of the cannulae (3a, 3b, 3c) are point-shaped.

7. Device (1), according to claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the means for determining the thickness of the food (5) include a stop (4) that is movable in relation to the cannulae (3a, 3b, 3c) and rests on the surface of the food (5) opposite to the reference surface (6) , with the thickness of the food (5) being determined by the distance between said stop (4) and the end of the cannula (3a) that includes the temperature- measuring device (2a) situated at a preset distance from the reference surface (6) .

8. Device (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) in the interior of said food include a transmission mechanism associated with said stop (4) and the cannulae (3a, 3b, 3c) .

9. Device (1), according to claim 8, characterised in that the mechanism includes at least one bearing.

10. Device (1) , according to claim 8, characterised in that the mechanism includes a gearwheel.

11. Device (1) , according to claim 8, characterised in that the mechanism includes a plurality of pulleys .

12. Device (1) , according to claim 8, characterised in that the mechanism includes a lever articulated onto a base and a plurality of parallel bars associated with said lever.

13. Device, according to claim 1, characterised in that the means for determining the thickness of the food include an electronic measuring appliance.

14. Device, according to claim 13, characterised in that the means for situating said temperature-measuring devices in the interior of said food include positioning means for each temperature-measuring device depending on the thickness detected by the electronic measuring appliance .

15. Device (1), according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes a device for measuring the temperature of a cooking surface of the food.

16. Device (1), according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it includes means for processing the data received from the temperature- measuring devices and/or the means for determining the thickness of the food.

17. Device (1), according to claim 16, characterised in that the means for processing the data received include indicators that are activated when certain temperatures are reached.

18. Device (1), according to claims 16 or 17, characterised in that the means for processing the data received include means for controlling a food cooking device in accordance with the data from the temperature- measuring devices and with preset cooking parameters .

19. Device (1), according to any of claims 16 a 18, characterised in that the means for processing the data received include means for providing food cooking instructions in accordance with the data from the temperature-measuring devices.

20. Device (1), according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the reference surface (6) is a cooking surface on which the food rests.

21. Method for controlling the cooking of foods (5) by means of the device described in any of claims 1 to 20, which comprises inserting at least two temperature- measuring devices (2a, 2b, 2c) into the food (5) , characterised in that it also includes:

determining the thickness of the food (5) ; placing one of the temperature-measuring devices (2a) inserted into the food (5) at a preset distance from a reference surface (6) located beside the food (5) ; situating the remaining temperature-measuring devices (2b, 2c) at a distance D = (G x f) from said reference surface (6) , where G is the thickness of the food and f is a value between 0 and 1 for each of the other temperature-measuring devices (2b, 2c) .

22. Method according to claim 21, characterised in that the preset distance is preferably between 0.5 and

30 mm, and more preferably between 1 and 10 mm.

23. Method according to claims 21 or 22, characterised in that one of the temperature-measuring devices (2b, 2c) is situated substantially at the middle point of the thickness of the food (5) .

24. Method according to any of claims 21 to 23, characterised in that one of the temperature-measuring devices (2b, 2c) is situated close to the surface of the food (5) opposite to the reference surface (6) .

25. Method according to any of claims 21 to 24, characterised in that it includes measuring the temperature of a cooking surface (6) of the food (5) by means of a temperature-measuring device.

26. Method according to any of claims 21 to 25, characterised in that includes processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices.

27. Method according to any of claims 21 to 25, characterised in that includes processing of the data received from the temperature-measuring devices and of the value of the thickness of the food.

28. Method according to claims 26 or 27, characterised in that the processing of the data received includes the use of indicators that are activated when specific temperatures are reached.

29. Method according to any of claims 26 to 28, characterised in that the processing of the data received includes controlling a food cooking device in accordance with the data from the temperature-measuring devices and with preset cooking parameters .

30. Method according to any of claims 26 to 29, characterised in that the processing of the data received includes food cooking instructions in accordance with the data from the temperature-measuring devices and with preset cooking parameters .

31. Method according to any of claims 21 to 30, characterised in that the reference surface (6) is a cooking surface on which the food (5) rests.