WO2020115120A1

WO2020115120A1 - Electrical household appliance for cooking and heating food products

Info

Publication number: WO2020115120A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/083649
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christophe BIETRIX; Loïc LAGRANGE
Original assignee: Martinez, Philippe
Priority date: 2018-12-04
Filing date: 2019-12-04
Publication date: 2020-06-11
Also published as: FR3089101B1; FR3089101A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical household appliance for cooking and heating food products, at least partially forming an enclosure for receiving said food products, with which said products are directly in contact, said appliance comprising a source (21) for emitting infrared radiation, which is intended to be connected to a power supply source, said infrared radiation emission source thus forming an integral part of said enclosure.

Description

Title of the invention: Household appliance for cooking and heating food products

The invention relates to the technical field of household appliances for cooking and heating food products.

Many cooking methods are known for food products, using temperatures of the order of 100 ° C for pressure cookers up to 250 ° C in an oven.

When the food is heated to high temperatures, between 100 and 250 ° C, the nutrients present in the food products are degraded, or even completely destroyed. This is particularly the case for vitamins and minerals.

Pressure cookers allow food to be cooked at a temperature of the order of

100 ° C, even around 95 ° C, which limits the breakdown of nutrients.

However, pressure cookers have the disadvantage of indiscriminately mixing the flavors of food.

Furthermore, their cost can be high and they are generally bulky.

The invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by providing a household appliance allowing cooking and heating of food products at low temperatures, below 99 ° C, while preserving the quality of food, while being reduced cost and limited footprint.

Thus, the invention relates to an appliance for cooking and

heating of food products, at least partially forming an enclosure for receiving said food products with which the latter are directly in contact, said apparatus comprising a source of emission of infrared radiation, intended to be connected to a source of electrical power, the said source of emission of infrared radiation thus forming an integral part of said enclosure.

The use of the device according to the invention makes it economical to cook or

heating of food products because on the one hand, the emission of infrared radiation requires little energy and on the other hand, it is carried out here as close as possible to food products. This allows food to be cooked or heated directly, without loss of energy. In addition, the use of infrared radiation makes it possible to cook or heat food without requiring preheating and without heating the air present in the enclosure.

In addition, unlike a pressure cooker, it is not necessary to provide a

significant amount of water in the enclosure where the food is placed, which helps to preserve the flavor of the food during cooking or heating. In other advantageous modes of implementation, use is made of one or the other of the following provisions:

- said source of infrared radiation emission is a heating film emitting radiation which generates heat in a temperature range between 0 and 120 ° C;

- G device comprises insulating elements for protection against the heat emitted by said source;

- The device comprises a handle, preferably removable;

- The device comprises means for regulating the power supply;

- the regulating means are provided in said handle;

- The device is in the form of a cover adapted to fit on a container to close it at least partially and form said enclosure for said food products, comprising a lower part intended to be directed towards the inside the enclosure and including said source of emission of infrared radiation and an upper part, intended to be directed towards the outside of said enclosure and comprising said insulating elements;

- The device may have on its peripheral edge a seal to ensure

the seal between the cover and the rest of the enclosure;

- the regulating means are provided in said cover;

- The device is in the form of a container forming said enclosure of

receiving said food products, said container comprising an outer wall and an inner wall, the latter being intended to be in contact with said food products, said source of emission of infrared radiation being placed between the two walls;

- Said source is capable of emitting infrared radiation in the range of 780 to 25,000 nanometers.

The invention will be better understood and other aims, advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples.

The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which:

[Fig.l]

is a top view of an exemplary cover according to the invention.

[Fig.2]

is a sectional view of another embodiment of a cover according to the invention.

[Fig.3]

is a sectional view of a container according to the invention.

The elements common to the different figures will be designated by the same numbers. ferences.

Referring to Figure 1, the appliance according to the invention is a

cover 1 which conventionally has the shape of a disc.

This cover is intended to be placed on a container, for example a pan or a dish made of a material resistant to heat.

In this embodiment, the cover has a central handle 10.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a cover according to the invention in which the cover 2 comprises a handle 20 which extends along a diameter of the cover and which is fixed to the latter by fixing means (not shown) of the screw type.

The handle can also be molded directly with the cover.

When the cover 1 or 2 is in place on a container 5, it allows to close it at least partially to form an enclosure for food products. This closure is preferably complete to form a sealed enclosure.

As shown more precisely in Figure 2, the cover 2 has a lower part intended to be turned towards the inside of this enclosure 50 and a lower part 22 intended to be turned towards the outside of this enclosure and so be on the same side as the handle 20.

The lower part 21 of the cover comprises a source of emission of

infrared radiation. It can in particular be constituted by a heating film.

This can in particular be in the form of a conductive track mé

metal sheet placed flat between two electrically insulating films, made of a synthetic or composite material.

This conductive track can in particular be made of aluminum and the two polyester films.

The thickness of such a film is conventionally on the order of a few hundred

microns.

The source of emission of infrared radiation may be a heating cable.

Thus, the lower part 21 of the cover gives off heat. This is why the upper part 22 is preferably made of a thermally insulating material so as to protect the user.

Furthermore, to protect the lower part 21 of the cover from risks of deterioration when the cover is used, a protective layer 23 is also preferably provided. This layer can be made with food paint or even ceramic, enamel or silicone. It can also result from heat treatment.

In this example, the heating film constitutes a source of emission of infrared radiation, with a wavelength between 780 and 25,000 nanometers and, preferably, infrared medium wave (IRB) or long wave (IRC) radiation, that is to say between 1,400 and 25,000 nanometers, and in particular of the order of 5,000 nanometers.

Indeed, far infrared radiation corresponds to a wavelength which penetrates less into food than wavelengths located in the near infrared and which is therefore less destructive for nutrients and, in particular, for vitamins.

Infrared has the advantage of having a shorter wavelength than that of microwaves and therefore allows healthier and less destructive cooking than cooking with a microwave.

The cover 1,2 may also include, on its lower peripheral edge, a seal 24 to perfect the seal between the cover and the container on which it is placed. This seal can in particular be made of silicone. It can also be an O-ring.

Figure 1 also illustrates the means of connection to a source

power supply to which the heating film must be connected to emit infrared radiation.

These connection means 14 are, in this example, located on the handle 10. They allow the cover 1 to be electrically connected to an electrical power source by means of connection means 3 comprising a first part 30 designed to cooperate with the connection means 14 and connected by a wire 31 to connection means 32 to the power supply source.

These connection means could also be placed on the su

12 of the cover.

FIG. 1 also illustrates regulation means 15.

The regulation makes it possible to choose the temperature which will be able to cook or heat the

food. The regulator's role is to regulate the electrical source supplying the heating film.

The control of the cooking temperature can be done using a rotary button such as a potentiometer, push buttons, by means of a touch button or by wireless connection such as a Bluetooth or WiFi connection.

Of course, the invention is not limited to this embodiment and these regulation means could be provided between the first part 30 of the connection means 3 and the connection means 32.

Furthermore, the handle 10 is preferably designed to be removable. One can thus provide means on the cover and the handle cooperating with each other to ensure, easily and quickly for a user, the fixing of the handle on the cover as well as its removal from the cover. Under these conditions, the cover 1 can be washed without special precautions, the electrical and electronic parts being thus protected from any contact with water.

One can also provide for placing the control unit 15 on the upper face 12 of the cover.

In the embodiment of the cover illustrated in FIG. 2, the connection and regulation means can be provided on the handle 20.

The cover according to the invention can be made of any material resistant to heat and for example glass, steel, a plastic or composite material of the food type.

Its dimensions and shape can be adapted to the container with which it is intended to be used.

Thanks to the emission of infrared radiation, the cover according to the invention

will ensure the cooking of all types of food at low temperature, that is to say a temperature less than or equal to 99 ° C, outside and inside the food.

It can also be used to reheat or thaw ali products

mental.

Thus, these cooking, reheating and thawing functions are carried out with a device having an extremely small footprint and which can in particular be stored in a drawer.

It can also be used interchangeably inside or outside a

building, the electrical power source then consisting for example of a battery or a solar panel.

Reference is now made to Figure 3 which illustrates an appliance according to the invention which is in the form of a container, for example a pan.

This container 4 comprises an outer part 42 defining the outer surface of the container and an inner part 43 defining the inner surface of the container.

Thus, in this example, each of the parts 42, 43 have a bottom 420, 430, for example in the form of a disc and a wall 421, 431 for example cylindrical. These two walls define the wall 44 of the container.

Between these two parts 42 and 43 is placed a source 41 of infrared radiation emission.

This source 41 can in particular be in the form of a heating film, as described above for the covers illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

This heating film may be disposed between the two funds 420, 430 as well

that possibly between the two walls 421, 431, as illustrated in the figure

3.

Furthermore, the inner part 43 being intended to be in contact with products food, it will be made of a suitable material, such as glass, steel or a plastic or composite material of the food type.

The container 4 also includes a handle 40 which is conventionally fixed to the wall 44 of the container.

It also includes regulating means 45 which are here placed on the wall 44 of the container.

Of course, the invention is not limited to this embodiment and the regulation means could be provided in the handle itself. This has in particular an advantage when the handle 40 is designed to be removable, the regulating means then being removed from the container with the handle.

Insofar as the handle is also connected to a cord 6 allowing its connection to a power source, all the electrical or electronic elements are thus removed from the container with the handle, which makes it possible to carry out the wash container 4 without any special precautions.

When the container illustrated in Figure 3 is used with a cover according to

the invention, it is also possible to envisage electrically supplying the container with the lid and conversely the lid with the container.

Again, the container according to the invention ensures cooking of any type

food at low temperature, i.e. below 99 ° C. It also makes it possible to reheat or defrost food, at a temperature up to 120 ° C.

It also has a size similar to that of a saucepan or a dish and it is therefore easy to store it.

It will now be explained in more detail how the cooking of a

food product.

This product is first placed in a container, before it is at least partially closed by a cover according to the invention or it is directly placed in a container according to the invention. In this case, the container is advantageously closed by a cover, whether it is a conventional cover or a cover according to the invention.

The infrared radiation source present in the cover and / or in the

container is electrically powered.

First, the emitted infrared radiation cooks the food.

In a second step, the water vapor released by the food and / or the water previously placed in the container will be a second cooking source for the food product. Indeed, this water vapor will propagate in the enclosure defined by the container and possibly the cover.

In addition, by a thermal convection effect, the energy supplied to food products by infrared radiation and water vapor will heat the air and the latter will also participate in cooking food products at the desired temperature.

The household appliance according to the invention can be used for cooking all types of food, such as meat, fish, vegetables or even pasta.

The cooking temperature can be chosen as desired depending on the type of food:

For fish between 45 and 60 ° C;

For meats between 60 and 98 ° C;

For fruits between 70 to 80 ° C;

For vegetables between 93 and 96 ° C.

The wavelength of the infrared radiation will be determined by the temperature of the heating film and therefore the energy to be supplied to it.

[0089] Thus, the temperature of the heating film which determines the cooking temperature is adjusted by controlling the supply current, the resistance or directly the temperature of the heating element.

Insofar as cooking requires a reduced intake of water, or even no intake, the foods retain their flavor and their nutrients. No mixture of flavors therefore occurs during cooking.

This results from the fact that infrared radiation does not burst the cells

constituting food, which preserves the vitamins, trace elements and mineral salts present in food before cooking.

In general, the device according to the invention consumes little energy, thanks to the fact that the food is as close as possible to the infrared radiation, the only obstacle that can exist between the food and the radiation being a layer of air. The emission of infrared radiation consuming little energy in itself, the device according to the invention consumes about 10 times less electricity than a traditional oven.

It is also of very low manufacturing cost compared to a traditional oven or a microwave oven.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments more particularly described.

On the contrary, it embraces all of its variants and in particular those where the container has other shapes than that of a pan and where means are provided for discharging the water vapor and the pressure, particularly in the case where the appliance makes part, in use, of a sealed enclosure.

Claims

[Claim 1] Household appliance for cooking and heating food products, at least partially forming an enclosure for receiving said food products with which said products are directly in contact, said appliance comprising a source (21,41) of emission of infrared radiation, intended to be connected to a source of electrical power, said source of emission of

infrared radiation thus forming an integral part of said enclosure.

[Claim 2] Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said infrared radiation emission source is a heating film emitting a

radiation generating heat in a temperature range between 0 and 120 ° C and preferably between 0 and 99 ° C.

[Claim 3] Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, comprising elements

insulators (22,42) for protection against the heat emitted by said source.

[Claim 4] Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a handle (10, 20,40), preferably removable.

[Claim 5] Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising means (15,45) for regulating the power supply.

[Claim 6] Apparatus according to claim 5, in that it depends on claim 4, wherein the regulating means are provided in said handle.

[Claim 7] Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in the form of a cover (1,2) capable of fitting on a container to close it at least partially and form said enclosure for said food products. including a lower part (21) intended to be directed towards the interior of the enclosure and including said source of emission of infrared radiation and an upper part (22), intended to be directed towards the outside of said enclosure .

[Claim 8] Apparatus according to claim 7, comprising on its peripheral edge a seal to seal between the cover and the rest of the enclosure.

[Claim 9] Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in the form of a container (4) capable of receiving said food products, said container comprising an outer wall (42) and an inner wall (43), the latter being intended to be in contact with said food products, said source of emission of infrared radiation (41) being placed between the two walls. [Claim 10] Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said source is capable of emitting infrared radiation in the range between 780 and 25,000 nanometers.