U.S. patent application number 16/323510 was filed with the patent office on 2019-06-06 for autonomous apparatus for cooking food, and corresponding method.
This patent application is currently assigned to DE' LONGHI APPLIANCES S.R.L. CON UNICO SOCIO. The applicant listed for this patent is DE' LONGHI APPLIANCES S.R.L. CON UNICO SOCIO. Invention is credited to Giuseppe De' Longhi, Gianpaolo Trevisan.
Application Number | 20190167038 16/323510 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57906849 |
Filed Date | 2019-06-06 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190167038 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
De' Longhi; Giuseppe ; et
al. |
June 6, 2019 |
AUTONOMOUS APPARATUS FOR COOKING FOOD, AND CORRESPONDING METHOD
Abstract
Autonomous apparatus for cooking food comprising a support body
(12), an openable lid (14), an internal container (16) which can be
extracted/inserted with respect to said support body (12) and open
at the top, at least one heating device (18) and at least one
element (20) to generate a flow of air toward the inside of said
container.
Inventors: |
De' Longhi; Giuseppe;
(Treviso, IT) ; Trevisan; Gianpaolo; (San Martino
Buon Albergo, IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DE' LONGHI APPLIANCES S.R.L. CON UNICO SOCIO |
Treviso |
|
IT |
|
|
Assignee: |
DE' LONGHI APPLIANCES S.R.L. CON
UNICO SOCIO
Treviso
IT
|
Family ID: |
57906849 |
Appl. No.: |
16/323510 |
Filed: |
August 2, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
August 2, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2017/069556 |
371 Date: |
February 5, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/0842 20130101;
A47J 37/0641 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47J 37/06 20060101
A47J037/06; A47J 37/08 20060101 A47J037/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 5, 2016 |
IT |
102016000082900 |
Claims
1. Autonomous apparatus for cooking food comprising a support body
(12), an openable lid (14), an internal container (16) which can be
extracted/inserted with respect to said support body (12) and open
at the top, at least one heating device (18) and at least one
element (20) to generate a flow of air toward the inside of said
container (16), said at least one air flow generator element (20)
being connected to a return exit (28) cooperating, when said lid
(14) is in the closed position on said container (16), with a
peripheral edge (24a) of said container (16) to remove said flow of
air from said container (16) and to channel it toward said at least
one heating device (18) by means of an annular pipe (30),
characterized in that said annular pipe (30) has two ends
symmetrically connected to said at least one air flow generator
element (20).
2. Autonomous apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that said
annular pipe (30) has a plurality of fissures (32) disposed along
it and in correspondence with an upper edge (13) of said support
body (12).
3. Autonomous apparatus as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that
it comprises a sending aperture (34) with a substantially hollow
toroidal shape cooperating with a peripheral edge (24a) of the
container (16).
4. Autonomous apparatus as in claim 3, characterized in that said
sending aperture (34) has a circumferential slit (36) configured to
allow said flow of air to exit from the cavity of said sending
aperture (34) and to position itself with said lid (14) at least
partly closed in said container (16).
5. Autonomous apparatus as in claim 3 or 4, characterized in that
said sending aperture (34) develops on a lower circumference with
respect to said circumferential edge (24a) to determine the
discharge of said flow of air from said container (16) toward said
return exit (28).
6. Autonomous apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized
in that said container (16) is rotatable around an axis of rotation
by means of a drive member (46).
7. Autonomous apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized
in that it comprises a mixing device (48) provided with at least
one mixing blade rotating with respect to said container (16).
8. Method to return a flow of air inside an autonomous apparatus
(10) for cooking food comprising a support body (12), an openable
lid (14), an internal container (16) which can be
extracted/inserted with respect to said support body (12) and open
at the top, at least one heating device (18) and at least one
element (20) to generate a flow of air toward the inside of said
container (16), characterized in that it provides to: heat a flow
of air by means of said at least one heating device (18); remove
said flow of used air from said container (16) through a return
exit (28) cooperating, when said lid (14) is in the closed position
on said container (16), with a peripheral edge (24a) of said
container (16); channel said flow of air toward said at least one
heating device (18) by means of an annular pipe (30) in order to
define a closed circuit travel of said flow of air, wherein said
the annular pipe (30) has two ends, symmetrically connected to said
at least one air flow generator element (20).
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns an autonomous apparatus for
cooking food, comprising a support body, a lid and a container for
the food that can be removed/inserted with respect to the support
body.
[0002] The autonomous apparatus also comprises at least one heating
device and at least one element able to generate a flow of air to
the food.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the domestic environment, autonomous apparatuses for
cooking food are known, comprising a support body and an internal
container, selectively extractable and open at the top.
[0004] The apparatus is also provided with a lid, possibly part of
or associable with the support body, which can be closed on the
internal container to create a cooking compartment having a
controlled atmosphere suitable for the cooking to be carried
out.
[0005] Furthermore, at least one heat energy producing device is
normally present, disposed at the bottom and/or top of the internal
container, which usually cooperates with one or more elements
suitable to generate a flow of heated air to the container, so as
to provide the desired contribution of heat energy to the food.
[0006] For the purposes of obtaining a proper and homogenous
cooking of the food, it is important that the flow of hot air takes
a certain path; from a sending aperture, the flow of air must be
distributed uniformly inside the container and between the food and
then be removed through a return exit.
[0007] However, it often happens that, due to the conformation of
the return exit and/or due to the position where it is installed,
the flow of air is not taken to follow a path that passes correctly
and uniformly through the food, and hence the heat inside the
cooking compartment is not distributed homogeneously.
[0008] Furthermore, the return of the flow of air to the heating
device in certain cases is difficult, because it is hampered by
barriers and/or screens present along the path, which cause losses
in the flow rate, despite the presence of elements to generate the
flow of air.
[0009] Document US 2008/0163764 describes an autonomous apparatus
for cooking food comprising a support body, a lid hinged to the
support body and selectively openable, an internal container that
can be removed from/inserted into the support body and is open at
the top to accommodate the food, a heating element and an element
to generate a flow of air toward the inside of the container. The
autonomous apparatus is configured to channel the flow of air from
the container to the heating device by means of a pipe made between
an internal wall of the support body, conformed to accommodate the
container, and the wall of the container. The document also
describes a deflector screen to channel the air from the container
toward the heating device. The screen is disposed between the wall
of the container and the internal wall of the support body, or is
defined by the external wall of the container. Consequently there
are no annular pipes that are physically connected to the generator
element, to direct the flow of air toward the heating device in an
orderly and compartmentalized manner.
[0010] Document EP 3 009 054 describes an autonomous cooking
apparatus that, like the one described in document US 2008/0163764,
includes an exit aperture, lateral and upper with respect to the
container, of the flow of air entering a cooking chamber. The flow
of air exits from the cooking chamber though an air channel defined
between the lower support body and the internal wall of the support
body.
[0011] One purpose of the present invention is to obtain an
autonomous apparatus for cooking food that allows to distribute the
heat homogeneously inside the cooking compartment so as to make the
heat contribution uniform to all the foods contained in the
compartment itself.
[0012] Another purpose of the present invention is to obtain an
autonomous apparatus for cooking food that optimizes the heat
exchange, determining energy savings and allowing the optimum
cooking of the food.
[0013] 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
[0014] The present invention is set forth and characterized in the
independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other
characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive
idea.
[0015] In accordance with the above purposes, the present invention
concerns an autonomous apparatus for cooking food comprising a
support body, a lid, an internal container open at the top and
which can be extracted/inserted with respect to said support body,
at least one heating device and at least one element to generate a
flow of air toward the inside of said container.
[0016] The air flow generator element is connected to a return exit
cooperating, when the lid is in the closed position on the
container, with a peripheral edge of the container to remove the
flow of air from the container and to channel it toward the heating
device by means of an annular pipe.
[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, the
annular pipe has two ends, symmetrically connected to the at least
one air flow generator element.
[0018] The annular pipe that picks up the air is therefore disposed
around and outside the mouth of the food container, so that the air
taken is distributed uniformly around the upper edge of the
container.
[0019] In particular, the flow of air exiting from the container is
sucked from the return exit, determining a closed circuit to
recirculate the flow of air.
[0020] The present invention also concerns a method to return a
flow of heat conditioned air inside an autonomous apparatus for
cooking food, which uses the return aperture made on an upper edge
of the support body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and other characteristics 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:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an autonomous apparatus for
cooking food;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a section view of the autonomous apparatus in FIG.
1;
[0024] FIG. 3 is another section view of the autonomous apparatus
in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a detail of a section view of the autonomous
apparatus in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 5 is section view of the autonomous apparatus in one
embodiment.
[0027] 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 conveniently be incorporated into other
embodiments without further clarifications.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Embodiments described here in FIGS. 1-5 refer to an
autonomous apparatus 10 for cooking foods, able to perform various
cooking modes, such as stewing, brazing, boiling, roasting, frying,
simple heating, sauteing, browning, slow cooking, or quick cooking
in general.
[0029] The autonomous apparatus 10 comprises a support body 12,
with which is associated an openable lid 14, an
extractable/insertable internal container 16, open at the top and
defining a cooking compartment 26 for food, at least one heating
device 18 and at least one air flow generator element 20.
[0030] The support body 12 has an external wall 12a and an internal
wall 12b, adjacent during use to the container 16. Between the
external wall 12a and the internal wall 12b there is an interspace
15 which can function as a technical compartment.
[0031] The support body 12 has an upper edge 13 which cooperates at
least partly with a lower edge of the lid 14 when the latter is
closed to cover the container 16.
[0032] The presence of the lid 14 is functional to create a
controlled environment and conditions necessary for cooking the
food.
[0033] The lid 14 can be made of the same material as the support
body 12, or of a different material.
[0034] Advantageously, at least the lid 14 can be made of at least
partly transparent material, to allow the user to view and thus
control the cooking.
[0035] For example, the lid 14 can be made of a polymer or glass
material.
[0036] The container 16 is defined by a base wall 22, which in this
non-restrictive case is substantially circular, and by a lateral
wall 24 connected to the base wall 22 and having a peripheral edge
24a.
[0037] The container 16 is configured to allow the association of
one or more grips to allow to handle the container 16.
[0038] The base wall 22 can have a surface made with a plurality of
configurations, for example conical, or hump-backed, more or less
accentuated.
[0039] In a preferred embodiment, to which reference will be made
hereafter, the base wall 22 has a substantially flat
configuration.
[0040] The container 16 is open at the top to introduce food inside
it and to allow the circulation of the flow of air from the heating
device 18 to the food.
[0041] According to one aspect of the present invention, the
generator element 20 is connected to a return exit 28 which, when
the lid is in the closed position on the container, cooperates with
the peripheral edge 24a of the container 16.
[0042] The return exit 28 is configured to extract the flow of air
immediately exiting from the container 16 and to channel it to the
heating device 18 by means of an annular pipe 30.
[0043] According to one aspect of the present invention, the
annular pipe 30 has ends that are symmetrically connected to the
generator element 20.
[0044] In this way, advantageously, the air flow is conveyed and
divided symmetrically along the annular pipe 30 to converge toward
the generator element 20.
[0045] According to one embodiment, shown by way of example in
FIGS. 2 and 3, the annular pipe 30 is installed between the support
body 12 and the container 16.
[0046] For example, the annular pipe 30 is installed in the
interspace 15.
[0047] Advantageously, the annular pipe 30 encloses a space and
channels the flow of air in a univocal manner, determining its
closed circuit path.
[0048] In this particular embodiment, the annular pipe 30 has a
plurality of slits 32 disposed along the development of the annular
pipe 30 and disposed in correspondence with the upper edge 13 of
the support body 12.
[0049] The annular pipe 30 develops for the entire circumference of
the cooking apparatus 10 and has at least one end connected to the
generator element 20.
[0050] The lid 14 advantageously has a hollow internal surface in
correspondence with the plurality of slits 32.
[0051] According to one formulation of the present invention, the
generator element 20 cooperates with a sending aperture 34 to send
the flow of air, provided on the lid 14.
[0052] According to one embodiment of the present invention, which
is shown by way of example in FIGS. 1-3 and 5, the sending aperture
34 can have a substantially hollow toroidal shape which cooperates,
when the lid 14 is closed on the container 16, with the peripheral
edge 24a of the container 16.
[0053] The sending aperture 34 can have a circumferential slit 36
that allows the flow of air circulating in the toroidal cavity to
escape from it, to be directed, when the lid 14 is at least partly
closed, to the container 16.
[0054] In the case where there is the sending aperture 34 with a
toroidal or substantially circular development, it develops on a
circumference with a smaller diameter than the peripheral edge 24a
of the container 16, to allow to discharge the flow of air from the
container 16 to the return exit 28.
[0055] In this way, the sending aperture 34 does not abut against
the circumferential edge 24a, thus creating a gap that allows to
discharge the flow of air from the container 16 to the sending exit
28.
[0056] According to another embodiment, the sending aperture 34 can
have a limited development and in proximity to the heating device
18.
[0057] The autonomous apparatus 10 comprises a recirculation pipe
44 which determines the connection between the generator element 20
and the heating device 18, in practice connecting the return exit
28 to the sending aperture 34.
[0058] According to embodiments described here, the recirculating
pipe 44 can be configured to determine the continuation of the
annular pipe 30 (FIG. 4).
[0059] The generator element 20 can be installed at any point
whatsoever inside the interspace 15 provided that it allows to
recirculate the flow of air.
[0060] The generator element 20 can be, for example, an axial,
centrifugal or mixed axial/centrifugal fan, made to rotate by a
drive member 46.
[0061] According to one embodiment, shown by way of example in FIG.
5, the autonomous apparatus 10 can comprise an additional auxiliary
heating device 47, or alternative to the heating device 18, for
example installed in proximity to the base wall 22.
[0062] According to embodiments described here, the container 16
can be rotated around an axis of rotation, preferably in relation
to the center of the base wall 22, by means of an additional drive
member 46.
[0063] According to other embodiments described here, the
autonomous apparatus 10 can comprise a mixing device 48 which is
provided with at least one mixing blade, rotating with respect to
the container 16 (FIG. 5).
[0064] It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may
be made to the autonomous apparatus 10 and corresponding method as
described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of
the present invention.
[0065] 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 shall certainly be able to achieve many other
equivalent forms of autonomous apparatus 10 and corresponding
method, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and
hence all coming within the field of protection defined
thereby.
* * * * *