Cooking Appliance Comprising An Electrical Adapter

Abstract

A Cooking appliance, in particular an oven, including an electrical adapter, the electrical adapter including an electrical signal input for receiving at least one analog voltage input signal from a temperature sensor, particularly a meat thermometer, an electrical signal output for providing an analog voltage output signal to an appliance, particularly a kitchen stove, and an electrical signal converter for converting the input signal to the output signal, the signal converter electrically connected to both the signal input and the signal output and configured such that the output signal is inversely proportional to the input signal.

Claims

1. A Cooking appliance (12), comprising an electrical adapter (13), the electrical adapter (13) comprising a) an electrical signal input (2) for receiving at least one analog voltage input signal from a temperature sensor, b) an electrical signal output (4) for providing an analog voltage output signal to an appliance (12), and c) an electrical signal converter (3) for converting the input signal to the output signal, the signal converter (3) electrically connected to both the signal input (2) and the signal output (4) and configured such that the output signal is inversely proportional to the input signal.

2. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 1, the electrical adapter (13) further comprising a thermoelectric generator for generating electrical energy based on a thermoelectric effect.

3. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 1, the electrical adapter (13) further comprising an electric battery (1) for storing electrical energy or connected to the control board (17) draining power from the measuring circuit without any influence on the measured value.

4. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 3, wherein the electrical adapter (13) is configured such that the battery (1) releases the electrical energy or the system starts to drain energy from control board (17) when the signal output (4) is connected to the appliance (12).

5. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 1 wherein the electrical adapter (13) further comprises a resin shell to house the converter (3), wherein the signal input (2) and the signal output (4) pervade the resin shell.

6. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 5 wherein the resin shell is formed such as to mechanically connect to a socket of the temperature sensor when the signal input (2) is electrically connected to the temperature sensor.

7. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 1 wherein the electrical adapter (13) further comprises an operational amplifier for amplifying the input signal, wherein the signal converter (3) is electrically connected to the signal input (2) via the amplifier.

8. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 1 wherein the electrical adapter (13) further comprises -a signal processing circuit for filtering and/or elaborating the input signal, keeping it in an analog form or converting it into a digital form, wherein the signal converter (3) is electrically connected to the signal input (2) via the signal processing circuit.

9. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 1 wherein the converter (3) comprises a microcontroller for controlling the output signal in response to the input signal and/or an amplifier for amplifying the signal.

10. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 9 wherein the electrical adapter is configured such that the input signal ranges from about 1.2 mV to about 4 mV.

11. The cooking appliance (12) according to claim 10 wherein the electrical adapter is further configured such that the input signal increases by the related voltage value according with the Seebeck effect when the input signal indicates a temperature increase of 1 C.

12. A temperature probe (14) for a cooking appliance (12), comprising a) a temperature sensor for providing an analog voltage input signal proportional to an ambient temperature of the temperature probe (14) and b) an electrical adapter (13) comprising an electrical signal input (2) for receiving at least one analog voltage input signal from a temperature sensor, particularly a meat thermometer, an electrical signal output (4) for providing an analog voltage output signal to an appliance (12), particularly a kitchen stove, and an electrical signal converter (3) for converting the input signal to the output signal, the signal converter (3) electrically connected to both the signal input (2) and the signal output (4) and configured such that the output signal is inversely proportional to the input signal for adapting the temperature sensor to the appliance (12), the signal input (2) electrically connected to the temperature sensor.

13. The temperature probe (14) according to claim 12 wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple (16).

14. The temperature probe (14) according to claim 12 wherein the temperature sensor takes the form of a meat thermometer.

15. A method for electrically adapting a temperature sensor to a cooking appliance (12), comprising a) receiving an analog voltage input signal from the temperature sensor, b) converting the input signal to an analog voltage output signal inversely proportional to the input signal, and c) providing the output signal to the cooking appliance (12), wherein, the cooking appliance (12) is a cooking appliance according to claim 1.

16. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a meat thermometer.

17. The cooking appliance according to claim 2, wherein the thermoelectric effect is a Seebeck effect.

Description

[0078] The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which

[0079] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an electrical adapter showing a first inventive embodiment;

[0080] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic drawing of in a meat probe tool comprising an electrical adapter according to the first inventive embodiment;

[0081] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic drawing of a part of a kitchen appliance and a meat probe tool comprising an electrical adapter according to the first inventive embodiment;

[0082] FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an electrical adapter showing a second inventive embodiment; and

[0083] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an electrical adapter showing a third inventive embodiment.

[0084] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an electrical adapter 13 according to the present invention.

[0085] Such electrical adapter 13 according to the present invention comprises an electrical signal input 2 for receiving an analog voltage input signal from a temperature sensor, e.g. an input stage 2, also referred to herein as an analog input stage, allowing to read a thermocouple 16, particularly a meat thermometer. Of course, the system can have more than one sensor (e.g. thermocouple) connected so this stage has to be able to handle all of them. The complexity of this part can be trimmed depending on the signal convertor 3, also called herein the elaboration part, or in order to take over the task of analog reading, sending the digitized information to the elaboration part to split the complexity between these two devices, supervising the whole adapter. Its main tasks are: [0086] measure the analog value of the input signal (e.g. thermocouple) or get the digitized information from the input stage 2 [0087] Manage the power supply 1 switching off the system to save power [0088] Control the output stage 4 in order to generate the appropriate output value.

[0089] Such adapter 13 further comprises an electrical signal output 4 for providing an analog voltage output signal to an appliance 12. As described in the input stage 2, the complexity of this stage can be trimmed in order to remove it from the elaboration part 3 to allow using a resistor net or digital potentiometer or resistance capacitor circuit capable of generating the correct analog voltage according to the management implemented on the elaboration unit 3. Particularly a kitchen stove, and the elaboration unit or microcontroller 3 for converting the input signal to the output signal, in order to manage them, the signal converter 3 electrically connected to both the signal input 2 and the signal output 4, as depicted by the connecting lines in FIG. 1, and configured such that the output signal is inversely proportional to the input signal.

[0090] It will be immediately understood by a skilled person, that the system can advantageously be connected to more than one input.

[0091] The signal input or inputs 2, e.g. the signal input stage for a thermocouple 16, can be composed by a complex instrumentation amplifier or can be downgraded to a passive filter to reduce the noise according to the ADC of the microcontroller in the signal converter 3. Preferably, at least a simple operational amplifier is used due to amplify the signal from at least 10-fold to 100-fold, preferably 10-fold or 100-fold, in order to raise the signal noise ratio and in order to feed the signal converter 3, e.g. elaboration block with a better signal. Another option is to increase the complexity of this system, thus reducing the complexity of the signal converter, which will obtain the digitized information of the input analog value without any complex measurement.

[0092] The signal converter 3, preferably, comprises a microcontroller for controlling the output signal in response to the input signal. In other words, the signal converter 3 preferably is composed by a microcontroller identifying a lowest temperature measured by e.g. the thermocouples 16 and performs the conversion between the voltage value and the resistance value. It will be understood that such microcontroller preferably has an internal ADC capable to read the thermocouples 16 signals or a communication bus to exchange data with a smarter signal input stage 2.

[0093] It will also be understood, if a simple input stage is used, that focusing on the measurement in the microcontroller using a high performances ADC is possible, preferably using and/or managing a voltage of about 40 V/ C. fixing the range of between minimum about 1200 V, preferably for 30 C., to a maximum value of about 4000 V, preferably for 100 C. In order to fulfill this requirement the microcontroller preferably has to be equipped with a high performance ADC.

[0094] In connection therewith, it is to be understood that preferably an amplification of the signal in the input stage 2 will reduce the performance required by ADC. As an example, at least a simple amplifier as described herein used with the right circuit is preferred and allows the use of a less cost intensive microcontroller having, preferably a standard ADC. In accordance therewith, it will be understood that preferably said solution advantageously moves the costs from the microcontroller to the signal input stage 2.

[0095] The microcontroller preferably is configured such that the input signal ranges from 1.2 mV to 4 mV. More preferably, the microcontroller is further configured such that the input signal increases by the related voltage value according with the Seebeck effect when the input signal indicates a temperature increase of 1 C.

[0096] An inventive adapter 13 according to the present invention preferably further comprises a power supply 1, more preferably an electric battery 1, or a system able to drain current from the measuring circuit in the power board without any influence on the analog measurement, for storing electrical energy.

[0097] FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 represent a system overview block diagram for each of said possibilities.

[0098] More particularly, FIG. 4 shows an overview for power supply from the control board 17 and FIG. 5 shows an overview for power supply from a battery, here reflecting also the energy harvesting.

[0099] Particularly, a battery-less approach is preferred that supplies the electrical adapter 13.

[0100] An inventive adapter 13 preferably is configured such that the battery releases the electrical energy when the signal output is connected to the appliance. In other words, to reduce the power consumption, e.g. a battery cell preferably supplies the electrical adapter 13 only if the probe is plugged in the oven.

[0101] In connection therewith a microcontroller as described herein, preferably is a low power type microcontroller.

[0102] In an advantageous embodiment of the inventive adapter 13, the adapter 13 further comprises a pyro-electric element.

[0103] Any energy harvesting system may in general be applied in connection with the electrical adapter 13 according to the present invention which is able to supply the circuit without or in addition to a conventional energy source like a battery 1 or external power supply 1, e.g. a pyroelectric energy harvesting and/or a thermoelectric energy harvesting.

[0104] Using an independent power supply 1 it is, of course, possible to realize the circuit and/or electrical adapter 13 without any changes in the existing oven control system

[0105] A signal output stage 4 is, preferably composed by a digital potentiometer driven by e.g. a microcontroller according to the required resistance value.

[0106] It will be understood that an output signal as used herein, preferably defines such resistance value.

[0107] Such signal output stage 4 preferably comprises a serial bus allowing e.g. a microcontroller to control a chip, and more preferably, a variable resistor able to regulate a resistance from about 0 to about 50K ohm, more preferably with 1024 steps according to the value transmitted by such microcontroller. This preferably reflects a minimum resolution of 48 ohm while the NTC characteristic need a minimum increment of 135 ohm.

[0108] Another approach is to increase the complexity of this stage using a resistance/capacitor circuit manipulated by a pulse width modulated signal generated by the microcontroller 2, in order to create the correct voltage representing the voltage dropped on the equivalent NTC resistor.

[0109] This solution is the best choice if the power supply 1 drains power from the control board 17 measuring circuit.

[0110] By way of an example of such circuit and/or electrical adapter 13 a thermocouple 16 in a needle detects a temperature of e.g. 60 C. reflecting a voltage of 2400 uV, i.e. 2.4 mV. Accordingly, the input signal stage raises said value one hundred times to accordingly 240 mV, Moreover, the signal converter converts said input signal to an output signal, i.e. the corresponding resistance value for 60 C. being 12140 ohm. Sending said value to a digital potentiometer, the most similar value to 12140 ohm with a step of 48 ohm is e.g. 12109. The digital potentiometer thus regulates the output resistance to 12109.

[0111] Such electrical adaptor 13 according to the present invention is advantageously placed in a temperature probe 14 for a cooking appliance 12, preferably an oven. The electronic circuit of the electrical adapter 13 as described by the block diagram in FIG. 1 is advantageously placed in a probe plug 5 and/or a probe handle 6 of said temperature probe 14.

[0112] Such temperature probe 14 according to the present invention is schematically shown in FIG. 2 and comprises a temperature sensor for providing an analog voltage input signal proportional to an ambient temperature of the temperature probe and the electrical adapter 13 according to the first inventive embodiment for adapting the temperature sensor to the appliance 12, the signal input 2 electrically connected to the temperature sensor, wherein the cooking appliance 12, more preferably, is a cooking appliance according to the present invention.

[0113] The temperature sensor comprises some thermocouples 16, here located in the probe needle 7, the probe needle having the form of a meat thermometer and being equipped with a probe handle 6. Said handle 6 is connectable to an appliance 12 via a probe wire 15 and a probe plug 5 at the free end of the probe wire 15.

[0114] The handle of the probe 6 may comprise or form a housing comprising electronic elements of the adapter 13. Accordingly, such handle 6 may comprise a power supply 1, e.g. battery, or at least a part thereof, a signal input 2, e.g. an input stage for thermocouple, or at least a part thereof, a signal converter 3, e.g. a microcontroller 3, or at least a part thereof, and a signal output 4, variable resistor or at least a part thereof.

[0115] In connection therewith it will be immediately understood that also the plug 5 may form a housing and may further comprise parts of the electronic elements of the adapter 13.

[0116] Accordingly, all major elements may be advantageously comprised by the handle 6 and/or by the plug 5.

[0117] In connection therewith it is of particular advantage that the probe plug 5 comprises the power supply 1 and/or at least parts of a power supply circuit. Further parts of the power supply 1 and/or the power supply circuit may be comprised in the handle 6.

[0118] It is also of advantage that the plug located at the end of the wire 15 forms a connector to interface the probe with an appliance 12, such as an oven, e.g. as a power board connection.

[0119] Such temperature probe 14 may be connected to an appliance 12 according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 3.

[0120] Here, the appliance 12, particularly is an appliance, such as an oven, for low temperature cooking and/or for sous-vide cooking, the appliance 12 comprising a cavity 18 in which a rack 17 is placed. On said rack 17 a good, here food stuff vacuum packed in a vacuum bag 11 is placed, preferably in a defined position, in the cavity 18.

[0121] The temperature probe 14 is guided through the packaging of said food stuff 11. By inserting the needle 7 at a needle insertion point 10 into the vacuum bag 11, the needle being injected into the food stuff and/or being in direct contact to said food stuff. This allows to measure the temperature of said food stuff without opening the vacuum bag 11.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 3 the temperature probe 14 is to be connected with the appliance 12 by inserting the probe plug 5 into an appliance socket 9.

[0123] With the above setting the inventive method for electrically adapting a temperature sensor to a cooking appliance 12, preferably an oven, may be carried out comprising a step of receiving an analog voltage input signal from the temperature sensor, a step of converting the input signal to an analog voltage output signal inversely proportional to the input signal, and providing the output signal to the cooking appliance 12.

[0124] This particularly allows to control the temperature of a food stuff placed in said oven for cooking.

[0125] With the inventive cooking appliance according to the present invention and/or the inventive temperature probe according to the present invention a cooking method, preferably a low temperature cooking method, more preferably a sous-vide cooking method, may be advantageously carried out, the method comprising at least the following steps: placing a good, preferably a packed food stuff 11, more preferably a vacuum packed food stuff 11, in a cavity 18 of an appliance 12, the appliance being, preferably, for low temperature cooking, more preferably for sous-vide cooking. A temperature probe 14 is placed or arranged in the cavity 18 of the appliance, preferably by a step of inserting the temperature probe 14 into the food stuff. The method further comprises a heating step comprising heating up the cavity 18 until the cavity center has reached a defined temperature, e.g. by heating water to the defined temperature and ejecting the water from a water ejection means into the cavity 18; a maintaining step comprising maintaining said cavity 18 at said defined temperature of the cavity center, e.g. by heating water to the defined temperature and ejecting the water into the cavity 18, over a certain period of time while said defined temperature of the cavity center, preferably, is not allowed to vary more than +/1.5 C.; wherein at least during said heating step and said maintaining step the actual temperature of the cavity center is determined by a control unit of the appliance 12 by means of an algorithm that is based on the temperature values measured by the temperature probe 14 within the cavity 18 and wherein said actual temperature is used to operate a heating unit such, that said defined temperature of the cavity center is reached or maintained.

[0126] The features of the present invention disclosed in the specification, the claims, and/or the figures may both separately and in any combination thereof be material for realizing the invention in various forms thereof.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0127] 1 power supply [0128] 2 signal input [0129] 3 signal converter [0130] 4 signal output [0131] 5 Probe plug [0132] 6 probe handle [0133] 7 probe needle [0134] 8 connection [0135] 9 appliance socket [0136] 10 needle insertion point [0137] 11 vacuum bag [0138] 12 cooking appliance [0139] 13 electrical adapter [0140] 14 temperature probe [0141] 15 probe wire [0142] 16 thermocouples [0143] 17 control board [0144] 18 cavity