An apparatus for heating and/or cooking food is described. The apparatus includes an appliance housing with at least one accommodating device. The accommodating device has one or more accommodating compartments accessible by way of at least one opening in the appliance housing, and an accommodating container for the food which communicates with the respective accommodating compartment and can be inserted into and removed from the accommodating compartment. The apparatus also includes a heating device associated with the accommodating device and having one or more heating elements. The accommodating container has a closure portion for sealingly closing the respective accommodating compartment and an outwardly substantially closed cooking chamber for the food to be heated.

A cooking appliance is provided. The lid comprises a pressure-limiting valve, a lever, and a button assembly comprising a steam-discharging button and a button seat, the steam-discharging button being fastened to the button seat and being vertically movable for actuating the lever to activate the pressure-limiting valve for steam discharging. The button assembly comprises a guiding rod, the steam-discharging button comprises a heart-shaped groove. A downward movement of the steam-discharging button causes a first end of the guiding rod to slide within the heart-shaped groove. When the steam-discharging button is released, the first end of the guiding rod slides to a position for lockingly engaging with the heart-shaped groove, to keep the steam-discharging button at a steam-discharging position. Pressing the steam-discharging button once will lock the steam-discharging button for continuous steam discharging without the need to keep holding the button, thereby simplifying the discharging operation over prior art.

A cooking appliance is provided. The lid comprises a pressure-limiting valve, a lever, and a button assembly comprising a steam-discharging button and a button seat, the steam-discharging button being fastened to the button seat and being vertically movable for actuating the lever to activate the pressure-limiting valve for steam discharging. The button assembly comprises a guiding rod, the steam-discharging button comprises a heart-shaped groove. A downward movement of the steam-discharging button causes a first end of the guiding rod to slide within the heart-shaped groove. When the steam-discharging button is released, the first end of the guiding rod slides to a position for lockingly engaging with the heart-shaped groove, to keep the steam-discharging button at a steam-discharging position. Pressing the steam-discharging button once will lock the steam-discharging button for continuous steam discharging without the need to keep holding the button, thereby simplifying the discharging operation over prior art.

The invention provides a food preparation vessel (100) comprising a main inlet (10) for introduction of a food material into the food preparation vessel (100), wherein the food preparation vessel (100) comprises a gas flow generator outlet (21) and a gas flow receiver inlet (22), wherein the gas flow generator outlet (21) is configured to provide a gas flow (25) in the direction of the gas flow receiver inlet (22) and having a component parallel to the main inlet (10) when the gas flow generator outlet (21) is functionally coupled with a gas flow generator in operation.

A cooking utensil is disclosed with an arcuate groove channel formed in the cooking surface of the utensil. The device includes the cooking surface including the arcuate groove channel. The arcuate groove channel includes one of a spiral-shape and a series of concentric circles upon the cooking surface.

Overhead support structure is provided for mounting above a surface. The overhead support structure supports at least one projector for projecting an image onto a surface above which the overhead support structure is mounted, in use. At least sensor is provided to sense such a surface. The at least one image projector is arranged to project an image onto a region selected according to an output of the at least one sensor. The at least one sensor may be arranged to sense the location of an object on such a surface and the at least one projector is configurable to project an image onto a region selected according to a sensed location of one or more objects on such a surface. The selected region may be changed according to a change in the sensed location of one or more objects on such a surface.

Overhead support structure is provided for mounting above a surface. The overhead support structure supports at least one projector for projecting an image onto a surface above which the overhead support structure is mounted, in use. At least sensor is provided to sense such a surface. The at least one image projector is arranged to project an image onto a region selected according to an output of the at least one sensor. The at least one sensor may be arranged to sense the location of an object on such a surface and the at least one projector is configurable to project an image onto a region selected according to a sensed location of one or more objects on such a surface. The selected region may be changed according to a change in the sensed location of one or more objects on such a surface.

The present invention relates to a cooking device, including a housing, a base, an inner, a lid and a heating module. The housing is arranged on the base and is provided with a storage chamber, the inner pot is arranged inside the storage chamber, and the lid is arranged on the housing matching with the opening of the storage chamber. The cooking device further includes a control module and an exhaust module, the control module consists of a processor and an input panel connected with the processor; the heating module includes a bottom heating unit inside the storage chamber, the bottom heating unit is connected with the processor; and the exhaust module includes an air-filled element, an air-extraction element, an inlet passage and an exhaust passage, the air-filled element and the air-extraction element are respectively connected with the processor.

The present invention relates to a cooking device, including a housing, a base, an inner, a lid and a heating module. The housing is arranged on the base and is provided with a storage chamber, the inner pot is arranged inside the storage chamber, and the lid is arranged on the housing matching with the opening of the storage chamber. The cooking device further includes a control module and an exhaust module, the control module consists of a processor and an input panel connected with the processor; the heating module includes a bottom heating unit inside the storage chamber, the bottom heating unit is connected with the processor; and the exhaust module includes an air-filled element, an air-extraction element, an inlet passage and an exhaust passage, the air-filled element and the air-extraction element are respectively connected with the processor.

Contact grill designs with features that reduce the production of smoke and that otherwise diffuse smoke to reduce the visibility of the smoke as such smoke made up of a combination of steam and burned grease is generated during the cooking of a food product such as a meat product. Contact grills make use of passive air flow in one or both of upper and lower grill housings to reduce production of smoke and to better diffuse smoke to reduce smoke visibility exiting a cooking chamber of the contact grill.