METHOD FOR HANDLING FOODS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for handling foods, comprising the following steps: providing a plurality of thermometers, each comprising an identifier that is specific to the thermometer, wherein the relevant thermometer comprises at least one core temperature sensor and one external temperature sensor, providing at least one food in which one of the thermometers is inserted, referred to in the following as the inserted thermometer, wherein the core temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer is arranged to be further inside the food than the external temperature sensor, continuously measuring an external temperature using the external temperature sensor of the plurality of thermometers, continuously wirelessly transmitting the external temperature together with the identifier of the relevant thermometer to a control unit, transferring the food together with the inserted thermometer from a first receiving space having a first receiving space temperature into a second receiving space having a second receiving space temperature, wherein the two receiving space temperatures differ from one another, thermometer assignment: assigning, by means of the control unit, which of the plurality of thermometers has been transferred as the inserted thermometer together with the food on the basis of the measured external temperature of the plurality of thermometers.

Claims

1. A method for handling foods, comprising: providing a plurality of thermometers, each comprising an identifier that is specific to the thermometer, wherein a relevant thermometer comprises at least one core temperature sensor and one external temperature sensor; providing at least one food in which one of the thermometers is inserted, referred to in the following as the inserted thermometer, wherein the core temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer is arranged to be further inside the food than the external temperature sensor; continuously measuring an external temperature using the external temperature sensor of the plurality of thermometers; continuously wirelessly transmitting the external temperature together with the identifier of the relevant thermometer to a control unit; transferring the food together with the inserted thermometer from a first receiving space having a first receiving space temperature into a second receiving space having a second receiving space temperature, wherein the two receiving space temperatures differ from one another; and assigning a thermometer assignment, by means of the control unit, which of the plurality of thermometers has been transferred as the inserted thermometer together with the food based on the measured external temperature of the plurality of thermometers.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising at least one of: assigning a first receiving space assignment, by means of the control unit, into which receiving space the inserted thermometer has been transferred together with the food based on the measured external temperature of the inserted thermometer, and/or assigning a second receiving space assignment, by means of the control unit, into which receiving space the inserted thermometer has been transferred together with the food by: ascertaining an actuation of a door of the second receiving space, and/or detecting the food and/or the inserted thermometer by means of a camera in a transition region between the first receiving space and the second receiving space, and/or detecting a signal strength of a wireless transmission of the external temperature together with the identifier of the inserted thermometer to the control unit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein more than two receiving spaces for the assignment of the inserted thermometer are available for selection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the thermometer assignment and/or the first receiving space assignment are based on: the measured external temperature of the thermometers in comparison with at least one external temperature reference value, and/or a rate of change of the measured external temperature of the thermometers in comparison with at least one rate of change reference value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one external temperature reference value is stored in the control unit as a fixed value, or is adjusted by the control unit based on at least one of the receiving space temperatures; and/or wherein the at least one rate of change reference value is stored in the control unit as a fixed value or wherein the at least one rate of change reference value is adjusted by the control unit based on at least one of the receiving space temperatures.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the thermometer assignment and/or the receiving space assignment is/are started when at least one of the following start conditions is satisfied: ascertaining an actuation of a door of one of the receiving spaces, detecting the food and/or the inserted thermometer by means of a camera in the transition region between the first receiving space and the second receiving space, ascertaining a temperature difference between the core temperature measured by the core temperature sensor and the external temperature at one of the thermometers, and a user input, in particular into a food-receiving appliance which forms the second receiving space.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein: the thermometer assignment is displayed to a user, and can preferably be confirmed and/or modified by the user, the receiving space assignment is displayed to a user, and can preferably be confirmed and/or modified by the user.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein a core temperature is continuously measured using the core temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer and the core temperature together with the identifier is continuously wirelessly transmitted to the control unit.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein: the core temperature and the associated receiving space are displayed, and/or and/or the core temperature is displayed on a display of a food-receiving appliance which forms the second receiving space, the temperature of the first receiving space and/or the second receiving space is controlled based on the core temperature, and/or a dwell time of the food in the second receiving space is determined, and preferably displayed, based on the core temperature, and/or a warning is output based on the core temperature if the food is transferred at a core temperature that is too low.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the timing of the thermometer assignment and/or the receiving space assignment, in particular also the measured temperatures, is logged by means of the control unit for monitoring a quality of the food.

11. An assembly for handling foods, preferably configured to carry out the method according to claim 2, the assembly comprising: a plurality of thermometers, each comprising an identifier that is specific to the thermometer, wherein a relevant thermometer comprises at least one core temperature sensor and one external temperature sensor, wherein: the thermometers are configured to be inserted into a food such that the core temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer can be arranged to be further inside the food than the external temperature sensor, the thermometers are configured to continuously measure an external temperature using the external temperature sensor, and the thermometers are configured to continuously wirelessly transmit the external temperature together with the identifier of the relevant thermometer to a control unit; and a control unit configured to assign which thermometer has been transferred as the inserted thermometer together with a food on the basis of the measured external temperature of the thermometers when transferring the food together with the inserted thermometer from a first receiving space having a first receiving space temperature into a second receiving space having a second receiving space temperature, wherein the two receiving space temperatures differ from one another.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the control unit comprises: at least one receiving module, wherein the thermometers and the receiving module are configured for wireless data transmission, and/or at least one computing module, which is configured to carry out the assignment(s), and/or at least one human-machine interface, referred to as an HMI in the following, and/or at least one food-receiving appliance which forms one of the receiving spaces, preferably configured as a cooking appliance, a warming appliance, a blast chiller, a blast freezer, a refrigerator, a freezer, a cold store, a stockroom, or a walk-in freezer.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the receiving module is integrated in the food-receiving appliance, and/or wherein the receiving module is connected to a network, preferably wherein a plurality of, in particular all of, the receiving modules are interconnected directly and/or via the network such that the thermometers can transmit to any receiving module.

14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the computing module is integrated in the food-receiving appliance, and/or wherein the computing module is connected to a network.

15. The assembly of claim 12, comprising at least two receiving modules, one arranged for receiving inside the food-receiving appliance and one arranged for receiving outside the food-receiving appliance.

16. A food-receiving appliance, in particular configured to heat or cool foods, comprising an integrated receptacle for inserting at least one thermometer, wherein the receptacle is configured to charge a power storage unit of the at least one thermometer.

17. The food-receiving appliance of claim 16, comprising a cover, in particular a cover configured as a pivotable flap, wherein the receptacle is arranged on an inside of the cover.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] Further details, advantages and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0071] FIG. 1 is a first view of the assembly according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention in accordance with an exemplary embodiment,

[0072] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a thermometer of the assembly according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention in accordance with the exemplary embodiment,

[0073] FIG. 3 is another schematic view of the assembly according to the invention for carrying out the method according to the invention in accordance with the exemplary embodiment,

[0074] FIGS. 4 and 5 show two schematic examples for carrying out the assignment as part of the method according to the invention in accordance with the exemplary embodiment, and

[0075] FIG. 6 shows a receptacle for charging thermometers of a food-receiving appliance according to the invention in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0076] In the following, an assembly 1 for carrying out the method according to the invention is described in detail on the basis of FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0077] FIGS. 1 to 3 show that the assembly 1 comprises a plurality of thermometers 10. Each thermometer 10, as shown in particular in FIG. 2, comprises a handle 11, from which a rod 12, in particular made of metal, extends. The rod 12 ends in a tip 13. With this tip 13 at the front, the thermometer 10 is inserted into a corresponding food 100.

[0078] The thermometer 10 comprises at least one core temperature sensor 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a plurality of these core temperature sensors 14 can also be provided.

[0079] The thermometer 10 also comprises an external temperature sensor 15, in particular in the region of the handle 11.

[0080] An electronic unit 16, which is preferably connected to a battery (not shown), is located inside the thermometer 10. The electronic unit 16 is connected to a sending unit 17. The electronic unit 16 and the sending unit 17 are configured to wirelessly send the measured temperatures from the core temperature sensors 14 and the external temperature sensor 15. The thermometer 10 can comprise an internal memory, in which the measured temperature values can be stored, for example. This internal memory is in particular used when the wireless link to the receiving module 31 is interrupted. The wireless transmission of the data can be continued once a link to the receiving module 31 can be re-established.

[0081] FIGS. 1 and 3 in particular also show that the assembly 1 comprises a control unit 30. This control unit 30 can comprise a plurality of receiving modules 31. The receiving modules 31 receive the data sent by the sending unit 17 of the thermometers 10.

[0082] A specific identifier, for example a number, is stored in the electronics unit 16 of the relevant thermometer 10. The sending unit 17 sends the measured temperatures together with this identifier.

[0083] The control unit 30 also comprises a computing module 32. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the computing module 32 is located in one of the food-receiving appliances 35. However, the schematic view in FIGS. 1 and 3 also shows a link to a server 34. The server 34 can also be referred to as the cloud. The link to the server 34 is made over a network, for example the internet. This makes it possible to completely or partially relocate the computing module 32 to this server 34 (cloud).

[0084] The control unit 30 comprises a plurality of food-receiving appliances 35, for example a cooking appliance as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 or a warming appliance as shown in FIG. 3. Other examples of food-receiving appliances 35 are explained in the general part of the description.

[0085] FIG. 1 purely schematically shows that the food-receiving appliance 35 can comprise a door switch 36. A door switch 36 of this kind can detect whether the door of the relevant food-receiving appliance 35 has been actuated.

[0086] Furthermore, the control unit 30 can comprise receiving space temperature sensors 37, which measure the temperature in the relevant receiving space 50.

[0087] FIGS. 1 and 3 show different examples of receiving spaces 50: For example, the lower half in FIG. 3 shows a cold store 50.1 as a receiving space. In the upper half of FIG. 3, a kitchen 50.2 is purely schematically shown as the receiving space. A first food-receiving appliance 35 in the form of a cooking appliance is located in this kitchen 50.2. This cooking appliance forms a cooking chamber 50.3 as the receiving space. Another food-receiving appliance 35 in the form of a warming appliance is located to the right beside the cooking appliance. This warming appliance forms a warming chamber 50.4, which likewise constitutes a receiving space.

[0088] As schematically shown, the control unit 30 can comprises a human-machine interface 33 (HMI). For example, a touch display that is provided in the food-receiving appliance 35 anyway can be used as an HMI 33 of this kind, as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows, purely by way of example, that a portable terminal device, for example a tablet or a smartphone, can also be used as the HMI 33. Here, FIG. 3 shows that the HMI 33 can be connected to the server 34 and thus to the computing module 32 over a wireless network. It is also schematically shown that a receiving module 31 can also be integrated in this HMI 33.

[0089] As explained in the general part of the description, the foods 100 having the inserted thermometer 10 can be transferred between these receiving spaces 50. For the description of this transfer and the assignments, reference is made to the general part of the description, which is explicitly also part of this exemplary embodiment. In the following, a thermometer assignment and a receiving space assignment are described purely by way of example on the basis of FIGS. 4 and 5:

[0090] FIG. 4 shows, purely schematically and in a highly simplified manner, the curve of the external temperature of three thermometers 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 over time. Furthermore, two external temperature reference values 38 are plotted in FIG. 4.

[0091] For the thermometer 10.1, FIG. 4 shows that it undergoes a change in the measured external temperature of approx. 20? C. to over 80? C. In this case, the external temperature of the thermometer 10.1 exceeds the upper external temperature reference value 38. By ascertaining this change in the external temperature of the thermometer 10.1, the control unit 30 can ascertain that this same thermometer is used as the inserted thermometer together with a food. Tests have demonstrated that an increase in the external temperature in a range of 0.5K-2K per second takes place, meaning that a rapid and thus user-friendly assignment is possible.

[0092] FIG. 4 purely schematically shows the ascertained switch states S1 and S2 of the door switch 36. Accordingly, on the basis of S1 and S2 it can be ascertained that the door of the pre-heated cooking appliance is first opened and then closed again. This information can be used for the assignment or for verification of an assignment.

[0093] A similar process is shown in FIG. 4 purely by way of example for the thermometer 10.3. Here, the use of the thermometer 10.3 as the inserted thermometer takes place in conjunction with the transfer of the food 100 from the kitchen 50.2 to a freezer, for example.

[0094] FIG. 4 purely schematically shows the ascertained switch states S3 and S4 of the door switch 36. Accordingly, on the basis of S3 and S4 it can be ascertained that the door of the freezer is first opened and then closed again. This information can be used for the assignment or for verification of an assignment.

[0095] FIG. 4 thus shows that a thermometer assignment can be made by simply using external temperature reference values 38.

[0096] FIG. 5 shows that a receiving space assignment can be made on the basis of the measured external temperature at the same time as or separately from the thermometer assignment. In FIG. 5, three external temperature reference values 38 are plotted, for example at 10? C., 60? C. and 100? C. In the example shown, the external temperature of the thermometer 10.1, which is shown purely schematically and in a highly simplified manner, increases above the 60? C. external temperature reference value, but remains below the 100? C. external temperature reference value.

[0097] The 60? C. external temperature reference value can be assigned to the warming chamber 50.2 (see FIG. 3), for example, while the 100? C. external temperature reference value can be assigned to the cooking chamber 50.3 (see FIG. 3). When observing the change in the measured external temperature of the thermometer 10.1, as shown in FIG. 5, it can be concluded by means of the control unit that this thermometer, namely 10.1, is used, and that this thermometer has been transferred into the warming chamber 50.4.

[0098] It goes without saying that, as explained in the general part of the description, the reference values can be adjusted to the temperatures of the receiving spaces 50. Furthermore, it goes without saying that, instead of the curves for the external temperature as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, rates of change in the measured external temperatures can also be consulted. For example, the increase in the relevant measured external temperature would indicate a rate of change of this kind which is to be compared with corresponding rate of change reference values, as explained in the general part of the description.

[0099] FIG. 6 shows that the food-receiving appliance 35, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, can comprise an integrated receptacle 60 for inserting at least one of the thermometers 10. In this case, the receptacle 60 is configured to charge a power storage unit of the at least one thermometer 10. As shown, the receptacle 60 is configured for inserting and simultaneously charging a plurality of thermometers 10.

[0100] The food-receiving appliance 35 preferably comprises a power supply assembly (not shown) comprising at least one power supply. The power supply assembly supplies power to at least one device of the food-receiving appliance 35, which is used to heat or cool the food 100. The receptacle 60 is connected to the power supply assembly by means of a schematically shown cable connection 61 in order to be supplied with the required power for charging the thermometers 10.

[0101] FIG. 6 shows that the food-receiving appliance 35 comprises a cover 62, configured as a pivotable flap having a pivot axis 63, wherein the receptacle 60 is arranged on the inside of the cover 62. The cover 62 can close a chamber in the housing of the food-receiving appliance 35.

[0102] In addition to the above written description of the invention, in order to provide supplementary disclosure reference is hereby explicitly made to the drawings of the invention in the figures.