WO2023242885A1

WO2023242885A1 - Apparatus for cooking foodstuffs and corresponding method

Info

Publication number: WO2023242885A1
Application number: PCT/IT2023/050145
Authority: WO
Inventors: Renzo Mazzon; Massimo STEINER
Original assignee: De' Longhi Appliances S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
Priority date: 2022-06-14
Filing date: 2023-06-14
Publication date: 2023-12-21
Also published as: CN117257133A

Abstract

An autonomous cooking apparatus (10) comprises a support body (11), in the upper portion of which there are disposed both an upper heating device (14) and also a ventilation device (15), and a drawer -type container (12) that can be laterally inserted into and extracted from a housing compartment (13) of said support body (11). The invention also concerns a method for cooking foodstuffs by means of such cooking apparatus (10).

Description

“APPARATUS FOR COOKING FOODSTUFFS AND CORRESPONDING METHOD”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns an autonomous apparatus for cooking foodstuffs by means of hot air, comprising a support body and a container to contain the foodstuffs to be cooked which can be inserted into and removed from the support body like a drawer, and a cooking method. The cooking apparatus and method according to the invention allow to cook a plurality of foodstuffs of different types, suitably adapting the amount of heat transferred to them and at the same time to dispose effectively of any excess heat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Autonomous cooking apparatuses, also known as air fryers, which cook foodstuffs by means of a flow of heated air, are generally divided into two categories, that is, those provided with a support body and a lid that can be opened and closed with respect to the support body in order to insert and/or remove a foodstuffs container from above, and those provided with a support body from which the foodstuffs container can be inserted and removed like a drawer, in a lateral direction.

Generally speaking, cooking apparatuses with lid are very bulky and require a large free space in height to allow the rotation of the lid, which is generally hinged to the support body, therefore they cannot be positioned and used under kitchen cabinets since it is necessary to provide a suitable area of use.

Cooking apparatuses with a drawer are therefore generally preferred in terms of overall bulk, since it is sufficient to have free space only in the lateral opening direction of the drawer-type container.

These cooking apparatuses with a drawer comprise, disposed above the foodstuff container, a heating device, normally in the form of a resistance, and a ventilation device configured to suck air from the outside and convey it toward the heating device and the foodstuffs, in such a way that it comes into contact with the foodstuffs when it is suitably heated.

In drawer-type cooking apparatuses, the foodstuffs remain substantially stationary during cooking and the heated air that is circulated by the ventilation device cannot contact the foodstuffs uniformly, so some areas may cook more than others, and it is not possible to achieve a homogeneous result.

One disadvantage of traditional drawer-type cooking apparatuses is also that they are not very versatile, and they allow to perform substantially only one type of cooking method, since only the temperature or speed of the heated air flow can be modified.

Another disadvantage of known drawer-type cooking apparatuses is that the external walls in them can also reach temperatures such as to be potentially dangerous for a user who could therefore burn him/herself by touching them. Document EP3912531A1 refers to an air cooking apparatus comprising a support body, in the upper part of which a heating device and a ventilation device are arranged, and a container for the foodstuffs to be cooked of the drawer type which can be inserted into the support body. An additional heating element is fixed on the outer surface of the bottom wall of the drawer container. This solution is complex and requires making an electrical connection between the container and an electrical circuit provided in the support body.

Document CN111990898 A describes a cooking apparatus provided with a steam cooking mode.

US2022/0142402 describes a known cooking method and apparatus comprising two heating compartments, each suitable for housing a respective container for cooking foodstuffs according to a different cooking method, respectively by means of hot air or steam. The apparatus comprises a heating device associated with each heating compartment.

Document US2021/204371A1 describes a cooking apparatus comprising a support body provided with a first heating device arranged at an upper portion thereof and a second heating device associated with a side wall.

There is therefore a need to perfect a cooking apparatus which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In order to do this, it is necessary to solve the technical problem of providing a drawer-type cooking apparatus which allows on the one hand to be able to implement different cooking methods and processes, allowing to expand the range of foodstuffs that can be cooked, and at the same time to limit the overall bulk of the cooking apparatus itself. One purpose of the present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus which is efficient and versatile in its use.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus which is safe for a user. Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus which allows to improve the circulation of the air flows compared to traditional cooking apparatuses, so as to obtain a homogeneous cooking of the foodstuffs.

Another purpose of the invention is also to provide a cooking apparatus which is able to ensure adequate ventilation of the internal parts and walls of the containing body.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a cooking apparatus which can be used substantially on any work surface without risk of damage.

Another purpose of the present invention is to perfect a cooking method suitable to cook foodstuffs of a different type, supplying on each occasion a correct quantity of heat and thermal energy.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes and to resolve the above technical problem in a new and original way, also achieving considerable advantages compared to the state of the prior art, an autonomous cooking apparatus according to the present invention suitable to cook foodstuffs by means of a heated flow of air comprises a support body, a drawer-type container that can be laterally inserted into and extracted from a housing compartment of the support body, an upper heating device and a ventilation device which are disposed inside the support body in an upper portion of the housing compartment.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the cooking apparatus comprises a lower heating device disposed inside the support body in a lower portion of the housing compartment. The lower heating device is stably disposed inside the housing compartment, that is, it remains therein regardless of the presence or absence of a container inserted in the support body.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, between the housing compartment and the support body there is a hollow space in which a flow of air can flow and pass.

During use, the container is disposed between the upper heating device and the lower heating device and therefore the foodstuffs to be cooked can on each occasion receive heat from one or the other, or from both heating devices. The lower heating device can advantageously be commanded independently of the upper heating device, whereby it is possible to activate one, the other or both as a function of requirements and of the cooking mode to be performed.

This achieves at least the advantage of being able to carry out different types of cooking with a same cooking apparatus, while still maintaining compact bulks comparable with those of traditional cooking apparatuses with a drawer.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the support body comprises one or more lower apertures made on a lower wall, through which an ascending flow of air, generated by the effect of the temperature gradient, can enter.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the support body also comprises one or more lateral apertures made on an external lateral wall, through which the ascending flow of air can exit.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the housing compartment is delimited by respective internal lateral walls, which are disposed substantially parallel to respective external walls of the support body and between the internal and external lateral walls, and they delimit between them a free space that defines the hollow space mentioned above.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the container comprises, in correspondence of one side facing, during use, outwards, a box-like portion comprising an internal compartment communicating with said hollow space, wherein the internal and external sides of said box-like portion cooperate, during use, with a respective internal and external lateral wall and are preferably disposed in continuity therewith, delimiting the housing compartment and the support body, respectively. According to some embodiments, the container has a bottom wall that has a thickness greater than the thickness of the lateral walls. In this way, on the one hand, it is guaranteed that most of the heat generated by the heating device is transmitted to the foodstuffs, and on the other hand, a correct disposal of excess heat is guaranteed, thus preventing overheating of the cooking apparatus which could cause it to malfunction.

Some embodiments described here also concern a method for cooking foodstuffs by means of such a cooking apparatus, wherein the method provides to:

- activate a ventilation device to generate a first flow of air that is made to circulate inside the housing compartment toward the foodstuffs to be cooked disposed in the container;

- activate at least one of either an upper heating device or a lower heating device to transfer a desired quantity of heat to the foodstuffs to be cooked and/or to the first flow of air; - generate a second flow of air ascending by natural convection, which flows outside the housing compartment in order to remove and dispose toward the outside of the support body any excess heat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

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

- fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of a part of a cooking apparatus according to the invention in a mirrored view with respect to fig. 1 ; - fig. 3 is a section view of a cooking apparatus according to the present invention in accordance with a variant.

We must clarify that in the present description the phraseology and terminology used, as well as the figures in the attached drawings also as described, have the sole function of better illustrating and explaining the present invention, their function being to provide a non-limiting example of the invention itself, since the scope of protection is defined by the claims.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications. DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

With reference to fig. 1, an autonomous cooking apparatus 10 according to the present invention comprises a support body 11 , a drawer-type container 12 that can be laterally inserted into and extracted from a housing compartment 13 inside the support body 11, an upper heating device 14 and a ventilation device 15 which are disposed inside the support body 11 in an upper portion of the housing compartment 13. The ventilation device 15 can be, for example, a fan wheel provided with a plurality of blades.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the cooking apparatus 10 comprises a lower heating device 16 disposed inside the support body 11 in a lower portion of the housing compartment 13. The lower heating device 16 can be commanded independently of the upper heating device 14 so that it is possible to activate one, the other or both as a function of requirements and of the cooking mode to be performed.

The lower heating device 16 is in particular connected in a stable manner to the support body 11. According to some embodiments, the upper 14 and/or lower 16 heating device can be made in the form of electric resistances, connected to respective electric power supply devices, not shown, which can be selectively commanded to switch the electric resistances on and off, so as to regulate their temperature and consequently the temperature inside the housing compartment 13 and the container 12.

According to some embodiments, the support body 11 is delimited by respective upper 17, lower 18 and lateral 19 external walls, wherein at least one lateral external wall 19 is provided with a passage aperture 20 suitable to allow the insertion and extraction of the container 12 into/from the support body 11. The housing compartment 13 is in turn delimited by a lower internal wall 21 and by lateral internal walls 22, which extend substantially parallel to the lower 18 and lateral 19 external walls.

The container 12 is delimited by a bottom wall 23 and by containing walls 24. Preferably, a plan shape of the container 12 is coherent with the plan shape of the housing compartment 13, although at least partly different shapes can also be provided. By way of example, the plan can be square, rectangular or suchlike, possibly with rounded edges. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the bottom wall 23 has a greater thickness than the thickness of the containing walls 24. According to some embodiments, the containing walls 24 have a first thickness SI, while the bottom wall 23 has a second thickness S2 equal to about 1.2-1.5 times the first thickness S 1. By the way of example, the first thickness S 1 can be comprised between 1 mm and 2mm, preferably between 1.2mm and 1.8mm, while the second thickness S2 can be comprised between 1.2mm and 3mm, preferably between 1.4mm and 2.7mm. In this way, the thermal capacity of the bottom wall 23 is high and it is greater than that of the containing walls 24, so that it is able to receive a large part of the heat emitted by the lower heating device 16 and transfer it to the foodstuffs by conduction.

In fact, the heating of the container 12 by the lower heating device 16 occurs partly by radiance and partly due to a convective motion of the air which is triggered when a temperature gradient is formed in the support body 11 , as will be better described below.

The container 12 is associated with a grip handle 25 disposed, during use, external to the housing compartment 13, which can be gripped by a user to extract and insert the container 12 from/into the support body 11.

In correspondence with the side on which the grip handle 25 is installed, the container 12 can also comprise a box-like portion 26, the internal 27 and external 28 sides of which cooperate, during use, with the internal 22 and external 19 lateral walls and are preferably disposed in continuity therewith in order to delimit the housing compartment 13 and the support body 11 , respectively.

The box-like portion 26 is advantageously hollow and is provided with an internal compartment 48 which, during use, is placed in fluid communication with the hollow space 40, allowing the passage of the air flow F2 also through it.

In this way, the air flow F2 advantageously transits the entire circumference of the container 12. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the lower heating device 16 is disposed at a certain constant distance DI with respect to a lower surface 29 of the container 12 so as to guarantee an effective operation of the lower heating device (fig- 2). According to some embodiments, the distance DI can be comprised between 0.8mm and 4mm, preferably between 1mm and 3mm.

According to some embodiments, the lower internal wall 21 has a recessed seating 31 in which the lower heating device 16 is housed.

The conformation of the recessed seating 31 can be such as to guarantee the correct distance DI between the lower heating device 16 and the container 12.

According to possible variants, in addition or alternatively, on the lower internal wall 21 of the housing compartment 13 there can be provided a protruding rib 30 on which, during use, the container 12 is positioned resting.

A dividing wall 32 can also be provided inside the support body 11 which delimits an upper zone, in which a drive member 33 is installed, from a lower zone, in which the at least one ventilation device 15 is disposed and which can have a support function for the drive member 33 and the ventilation device 15.

The drive member 33 and the ventilation device 15 are connected by means of a drive shaft 34 passing through a hole 35 made in the dividing wall 32. According to possible solutions, an upper internal wall 36 can also be provided, which extends substantially parallel to the dividing wall 32, thus defining an interspace 37 in which a second ventilation device 38 can be disposed, which can be configured to cool the drive member 33.

The upper internal wall 27 can have a bell shape, or suchlike, so as to convey a first hot flow of air Fl toward the foodstuffs to be cooked.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, at least between the respective lower 18, 21 and lateral 19, 22 walls of the housing compartment 13 and of the support body 11 there is provided a free space that defines a hollow space 40 in which a flow of air F2 can pass, as will be better described below. The hollow space 40 extends from a space below the housing compartment 13 to a space around the housing compartment 13 itself.

According to embodiments, the hollow space 40 is separated from the upper portion of the support body 11 in which the upper heating device 14 and the ventilation device 15 are arranged, so that the first Fl and the second F2 air flow do not come in contact with each other.

The first air flow Fl actually flows from top to bottom, while the second air flow F2 flows from bottom to top. The sizes of the hollow space 40 can vary between the part defined by the lower walls 18, 21 and the part defined by the lateral walls 19, 22.

The hollow space 40 at the lower walls 18, 21 has a greater width than that at the side walls 19, 22, preferably between 1.8 and 2.5 times.

The upper external wall 17 is provided with upper apertures 41 through which the air can enter into, or possibly also exit from, the support body 11.

The upper apertures 41 put the external environment in communication with the ventilation device 15. These upper apertures 41 can be advantageously disposed equally distanced around a central axis X.

First 42 and second 43 through holes can also be provided, made on at least one external lateral wall 19 and, if present, on the dividing wall 32, respectively.

Preferably, the first holes 42 are made on the external lateral wall 19 opposite to that in which the passage aperture 20 is made, in proximity to an upper portion, so as to put the housing compartment 13 in communication with the external environment. The second holes 43 can be disposed in a zone adjacent to the same external lateral wall 19 that is provided with the first through holes 42, in such a way as to put the interspace 37 in communication with the upper apertures 41.

The lower external wall 18 can be provided with lower apertures 44, through which a flow of air can enter in the hollow space 40 by natural convection, without needing to provide forced ventilation devices associated with the lower heating device 16.

The lower apertures 44, or at least part of them, can be preferably disposed within an area of the lower external wall 18 which is aligned with the area occupied by the lower heating device 16. In particular, the lower apertures 44 can be disposed in correspondence with a peripheral portion of the lower heating device 16.

The support body 11 is supported at the bottom by support elements 45 configured to keep the lower external wall 18 at a desired height H with respect to a rest plane P in order to allow the passage of air toward the lower apertures 44.

The height H can be, for example, comprised between 5mm and 20mm, preferably between 10mm and 15 mm.

According to some embodiments, also the lateral external wall 19 can comprise lateral apertures 46 which put the hollow space 40 in communication with the external environment, through which at least part of the ascending flow of air can escape, allowing to dispose of the excess heat.

The lateral apertures 46 are advantageously disposed at a height corresponding to an intermediate section of the container 12. According to some embodiments, the lateral apertures 46 have a greater width than the lower apertures 44.

In particular, the lateral apertures 46 can have an area equal to approximately 1.2 - 1.7 times the area of the lower apertures 44.

By the way of example, the lower apertures 44 have an area comprised between 100 - 180 mm², while the lateral apertures 46 have an area comprised between 150

- 250 mm².

When the cooking apparatus 10 is in operation and at least one of the two heating devices 14 or 16 is active, a temperature gradient is created inside the support body 11 which determines the generation of a convective motion and of an ascending flow of air F2 which allows to remove the excess heat from the inside toward the outside of the support body 11.

In particular, the flow of air F2 enters through the lower apertures 44, passes through the hollow space 40, that is, in the free space between the lower 18, 21 and lateral 19, 22 walls, and exits through the lateral apertures 46. The flow of air F2 entering from the lower apertures 44 affects the lower internal wall 21, heating up in contact with it, in particular in the event the lower heating device 16 is switched on, resulting in an increase in the flow of air at entry.

Advantageously, at least one through slit 47 can also be provided, made in a lower side 49 of the box-like portion 26, which puts the internal compartment 48 in communication with the hollow space 40.

Other slits, not shown, can also be provided, made on the lateral walls of the box-like portion 26 and communicating with a substantially annular portion of the hollow space 40 which develops around the housing compartment 13, and/or made in the upper or lower walls.

According to possible embodiments, for example described with reference to figs. 2 and 3, it can be provided that one or more of either the lower apertures 44 and/or the lateral apertures 46, or both, are associated with shutter members 50 configured to modify their aperture area.

According to possible embodiments, described with reference to fig. 2 and which can be combined with the other embodiments, the shutter members 50 can comprise a gate 51 which is mobile with respect to a respective lower aperture 44.

The gate 51 can be constrained to slide inside a guide 52 between at least a position in which it leaves the passage area completely open and a position in which it at least partly covers it, so as to choke the flow of air F2.

The gate 51 can be associated with a grip portion 53 configured to allow manual movement by a user, or also be connected to automated mechanisms provided with their own actuator devices, for example able to be electronically commanded by means of a control unit 60 of the machine.

According to other embodiments, described with reference to fig. 3, the shutter members 50 can comprise a ventilation grid 54 that has a plurality of fins 55 which are rotatable between a position that is substantially parallel to the lower external wall 19 in which they close a respective lateral aperture 46, and a position that is inclined with respect to the lower external wall 19, even as far as to be orthogonal to it, in order to allow the passage of the flow of air F2.

The fins 55 can be driven manually or by means of specific actuators electronically controlled in relation to the cooking process to be carried out.

According to other embodiments, described with reference to fig. 3, in the lower external wall 18 there can be provided, in addition to the lower apertures 44, lower through slits 56 through which an additional flow of air F3 can pass, for example due to a dragging effect of the ascending flow of air F2 generated by convective motion.

This additional flow of air F3 can also help to dispose of any excess heat. According to embodiments, these lower through slits 56 can be disposed externally to the lower apertures 44 with respect to a central axis of the support body 11, for example, outside the area occupied by the lower heating device 16.

According to other embodiments, the cooking apparatus 10 comprises a detection device 57 configured to detect the presence or absence of the container 12 inserted into the housing compartment 13.

According to some embodiments, the detection device 57 can be a proximity sensor, for example suitable to interact with a material of the container 12, preferably disposed in correspondence with an internal lateral wall 22 of the housing compartment 13, associated with a surface thereof that is facing toward the external lateral wall 19.

In this way, the detection device 57 is located inside the hollow space 40 and is therefore advantageously hit by the ascending flow of air F2 so that any malfunctions due to too high a temperature can be prevented.

The detection device 57 can be connected to the control unit 60 of the cooking apparatus 10.

The control unit 60 can in particular be configured to regulate the operation at least of the upper 14 and lower 16 heating devices and of the ventilation device 15 as a function of the type of foodstuffs to be cooked, for example supplied as input datum by means of a user interface 61 connected to it. Although in fig. 1 the control unit 60 is schematically shown separate from the support body 11 , it is clear that it can be integrated therein.

Some embodiments described here also concern a method for cooking foodstuffs by means of such a cooking apparatus 10, wherein the method provides to activate the ventilation device 15 in order to generate a first flow of air Fl which is made to circulate inside the housing compartment 13 toward the foodstuffs to be cooked disposed in the container 12.

The method also provides to activate at least one of either the upper heating device 14 or the lower heating device 16 in order to transfer a desired quantity of heat to the foodstuffs to be cooked and/or to the first flow of air F2.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the cooking method also provides that inside the support body 11 there is generated a second ascending flow of air F2 by natural convection, which flows outside the housing compartment 13 in which the container 12 is disposed and helps to remove and dispose toward the outside of the support body 11 any excess heat.

According to some embodiments, the cooking method according to the present invention provides to receive, for example through the interface 61, an indication of a type of foodstuffs to be cooked, for example vegetables, pizza, savory pies, potatoes, meat, or other, and to activate one, the other, or both the heating devices 14, 16 as a function of the type of foodstuffs indicated.

According to other embodiments, before activating the heating devices 14, 16 and/or the ventilation device 15, the cooking method provides to detect the presence of the container 12 and/or its correct positioning in the housing compartment 13, and possibly generate an alarm message or signal to indicate a failed detection.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the cooking apparatus 10 and method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and 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, a person of skill in the art will be able to create other equivalent forms of cooking apparatus 10 and method, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate their reading and they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection defined by the same claims.

Claims

1. Cooking apparatus (10) comprising a support body (11), in the upper portion of which there are disposed both an upper heating device (14) and also a ventilation device (15), and a drawer-type container (12) that can be laterally inserted into and extracted from a housing compartment (13), characterized in that it comprises a lower heating device (16) disposed inside said support body (11) in a lower portion of said housing compartment (13), which can be commanded independently of said upper heating device (14) and wherein between said housing compartment (13) and said support body (11) there is a hollow space (40) and said support body (11) comprises one or more lower apertures (44) made on a lower external wall (18), through which, during use, an ascending flow of air (F2) can enter in said hollow space (40) due to convective motion caused by a temperature gradient.

2. Cooking apparatus (10) as in any claim 1, characterized in that said support body (11) comprises one or more lateral apertures (46) made on an external lateral wall (19), through which said flow of air (F2) can exit.

3. Cooking apparatus (10) as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said housing compartment (13) is delimited by respective lower (21) and lateral (22) internal walls, which are disposed substantially parallel to respective lower (18) and lateral (19) external walls of said support body (11), and said hollow space (40) is defined by said internal (21, 22) and external (18, 19) walls and puts said lower aperture/s (44) and said lateral aperture/s (46) in communication with each other.

4. Cooking apparatus (10) as in either claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said lateral apertures (46) have an area comprised between 1.2 and 1.8 times the area of the lower apertures (44).

5. Cooking apparatus (10) as in one or the other of the previous claims from 2 to

4, characterized in that at least one of either said lower apertures (44) and/or said lateral apertures (46) are associated with shutter members (50) which can be driven in order to modify their aperture area.

6. Cooking apparatus (10) as in one or the other of the previous claims from 2 to 5, characterized in that said lateral apertures (46) are disposed at a height corresponding to an intermediate section of said container (12) when inserted in said support body (11).

7. Cooking apparatus (10) as in one or the other of the previous claims, characterized in that at least part of said lower apertures (44) are disposed within an area of a lower external wall (18) of said support body (11) which is aligned with the area occupied by said lower heating device (16).

8. Cooking apparatus (10) as in claim 3, characterized in that said container (12) comprises, in correspondence with one side facing, during use, outwards, a boxlike portion (26) comprising an internal compartment (48) communicating with said hollow space (40), wherein, the internal (27) and external (28) sides of said box-like portion (26) cooperate, during use, with a respective internal (22) and external (19) lateral wall and are preferably disposed in continuity therewith, delimiting said housing compartment (13) and said support body (11) respectively.

9. Cooking apparatus (10) as in one or the other of the previous claims, characterized in that said container (12) has a bottom wall (23) having a second thickness (S2) which is greater than a first thickness (SI) of the containing walls (24).

10. Cooking apparatus (10) as in claim 9, characterized in that said second thickness (S2) is equal to 1.2-1.5 times said first thickness (SI).

11. Cooking apparatus (10) as in one or the other of the previous claims, characterized in that on a lower internal wall (21) of said housing compartment (13) there is provided at least one of either a recessed seating (31) and/or a protruding rib (30) which is configured to position said lower heating device (16) at a substantially constant distance (DI) with respect to a lower surface (29) of said container (12).

12. Cooking apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that, during use, said lower heating device (16) and said container (12) are disposed at a distance (DI) between 0.8mm and 4mm.

13. Cooking apparatus (10) as in one or the other of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a detection device (57) configured to detect the presence or absence of said container (12) inserted into said housing compartment (13).

14. Method for cooking foodstuffs by means of a cooking apparatus (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, comprising:

- activating the ventilation device (15) to generate a first flow of air (Fl) which is made to circulate inside the housing compartment (13) toward the foodstuffs to be cooked disposed in said container (12);

- activating at least one of either the upper heating device (14) or the lower heating device (16) to transfer a desired quantity of heat to said foodstuffs to be cooked and/or to said first flow of air (Fl); - generating a second flow of air (F2) ascending by natural convection, making it flow in a hollow space (40) outside said housing compartment (13), in order to remove and dispose toward the outside of said support body (11) any excess heat.

15. Cooking method as in claim 14, characterized in that it provides to receive an indication relating to a type of foodstuffs to be cooked and to activate one, the other, or both of said heating devices (14, 16) as a function of the indication received.