DEVICE FOR HEATING AND/OR COOKING FOOD

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. An apparatus for heating or cooking food, the apparatus comprising: an appliance housing with at least one accommodating device, wherein the accommodating device comprises one or more accommodating compartments which are 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; and a heating device associated with the accommodating device and comprising one or more heating elements, wherein 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.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one accommodating device comprises a first accommodating device adapted for heating/cooking meat products and a second accommodating device adapted for heating/cooking frozen products.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first accommodating device comprises two accommodating compartments with insertion cassettes which are configured to be inserted into and removed from the accommodating compartments and having respective accommodating means for a plurality of meat products and/or the second accommodating device has an accommodating compartment with a drum configured to be inserted into and removed from the accommodating compartment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one discharge air passage coupled in fluid-conducting relationship to an accommodating device and having a fan for discharge of preparation vapors produced during cooking and a plasma chamber for cleaning discharge air from the cooking chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a device associated with the discharge air passage for controlling discharge air to be discharged at least from the accommodating compartment.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the device for controlling the discharge air has at least one actuable discharge air flap by means of which at least one outlet opening connected to the discharge air passage on the accommodating compartment is opened and closed.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an air turbulence means arranged within the discharge air passage and connected upstream of the plasma chamber for mixing the discharge air, and at least one fan provided in a wall of the appliance housing for introducing ambient air into the appliance housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a filter arranged within the discharge air passage downstream of the plasma chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an electronic control unit for controlling the device for controlling the discharge air, the fan in the discharge air passage, and cooking temperature and/or cooking times in the one or more accommodating compartments.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the accommodating containers are separated from the respective heating devices by means of screening plates, and wherein the screening plates have a hole arrangement of a hole size matched to the heating power of the heating devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the heating device of the first accommodating device is arranged outside the accommodating compartment delimited by the screening plates.

12. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first accommodating device for the meat products has a substantially V-shaped upper cover region which is adapted to generate a circulatory flow for gases during cooking in the interior of the first accommodating device.

13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the accommodating container of the first accommodating device comprises a discharge element for discharge of liquids out of the one or more accommodating compartments.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a liquid catch container arranged below the first accommodating device and communicating with the discharge element on the accommodating container, wherein the liquid catch container is insulated from the accommodating compartment arranged thereover.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the heating device of the second accommodating device is arranged within a cylindrical accommodating compartment and is separated by the screening plate extending region-wise and parallel to a wall of the accommodating compartment.

16. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the drum defines a cylindrical accommodating chamber delimited by a drum wall which has a hole arrangement.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drum is reversibly coupled to a holder mounted rotatably in the chamber, the holder being rotationally coupled to a drive device.

18. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and/or the second accommodating device is enclosed by an insulating portion formed from an insulating material.

19. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a plasma chamber arranged within the appliance housing for cleaning discharge air from the cooking chamber.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a discharge air passage provided within the appliance housing or adjacent to the appliance housing, and which extends at least partially in the vertical direction, and which is configured to be brought into fluid-conducting communication with the accommodating device.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one catch element beneath the accommodating device for catching liquids produced during cooking.

Description

[0032] The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by means of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying Figures in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention for heating and/or cooking foodstuffs,

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the apparatus according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1,

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the individual components of the apparatus according to the invention without the appliance housing,

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a side view of the apparatus according to the invention in a first sectional plane,

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the components arranged within the discharge air passage according to the invention,

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the apparatus according to the invention in a second sectional plane,

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the accommodating containers for the meat products, which are removed from the first accommodating device, and

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a front view of the apparatus according to the invention in section.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 1 for heating and/or cooking foodstuffs which has a first accommodating device 2, in particular for meat products, and a second accommodating device 4 for frozen products like for example French fries or croquettes. The apparatus according to the invention is in the form of a combi-appliance, with which preferably simultaneous preparation of different foodstuffs is possible. The apparatus 1 includes an appliance housing 6, within which the first and second accommodating devices 2, 4 are integrated.

[0042] The accommodating device 2, also referred to as and in the form of a grill device 2, is arranged above the second accommodating device 4 in the present embodiment. The first accommodating device 2 or grill device is arranged in the upper cuboidal portion 8 of the appliance housing 6. The grill device 2 has two accommodating compartments 10, 10′ accessible by way of openings 12, 12′ (FIG. 7) in the appliance housing 6. The accommodating device for the meat products is adapted to receive two accommodating containers 14, 14′ (FIG. 6). The accommodating containers 14, 14′ with their accommodating means for the sausages 16 shown in the present embodiment are inserted into the accommodating compartments 10, 10′. For handling the accommodating containers 14, 14′ there is provided a respective handle 18 which projects at the front of the appliance housing at 20.

[0043] Arranged beneath the first accommodating device 2 in the form of the grill device, in the lower cylindrical portion 22, is the second accommodating device 4, also referred to as and in the form of a cooking device for frozen products like French fries or croquettes. The second accommodating device 4 or cooking device includes a cylindrical drum 24 (FIG. 4) which is mounted rotatably in a correspondingly designed accommodating compartment 25, of which the cover 26 can be seen in FIG. 1. Arranged on the cover 26 there is also a handle 28 with which the drum 24 can be connected to or disengaged from a holder 29 (FIG. 4) in the accommodating compartment 25 of the apparatus 1, as described hereinafter, for removal of the drum 24 and for insertion thereof respectively, so that the drum 24 can be removed from the second accommodating device 4 or inserted into same again.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a front view of the apparatus 1 according to the invention, on which a digital display and operating device 30 is arranged. By means of the display device 30, operation of the individual accommodating devices is implemented or by way of the display suitable settings of the accommodating devices 2, 4 or any alarm signals are displayed or reproduced. A core aspect of the present invention is sealing closure of the accommodating compartments 10, 10′, 25 which receive the respective accommodating containers 14, 14′, 24 so that each accommodating compartment 10, 10′, 25 is in the form of an outwardly closed-off cooking chamber for the foodstuff to be heated. In particular the accommodating container 14, 14′ of the first accommodating device 2 and the accommodating container 24 of the second accommodating device 4 have closure or sealing elements (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) like for example the sealing lip arranged at the cover 26 of the drum 24.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the apparatus 1 without the appliance housing and thus the individual components thereof arranged in its interior. Accordingly, besides the accommodating devices 2, 4 for preparation of the foodstuffs, it is possible to see the aspect which is further an essential aspect of the invention. Arranged within the appliance housing 6 is a discharge air passage 32 which can be fluid-conductingly coupled to the accommodating compartments of the accommodating devices 2, 4 and by way of which the preparation vapors which occur during the cooking or grilling process in the form of waste or discharge air are to be discharged from the accommodating compartments 10, 10′, 25 into the environment. In order to promote discharge of the discharge air, arranged at the upper end of the discharge air passage 32 is a fan 34, by means of which the air is sucked out of the accommodating compartments 10, 10′, 25 for the accommodating containers 14, 14′, 24. Associated with the discharge air passage 32 is a device 36 for controlling the air to be discharged from the accommodating compartments 10, 10′, 25. By means of the discharge air control device 36, at least during operation of the grill device 2 and the cooking device 4, the fluid-conducting communication with the discharge air passage 32 is interrupted so that no heat can issue from the cooking chambers during the cooking or grilling process.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the discharge air control device 36 has a controllable discharge air flap 38, by means of which an outlet opening 40, 40′ (FIG. 6) connected to the discharge air passage at a respective accommodating compartment 10, 10′, 25 is opened or closed. In addition, associated with the accommodating compartments 10, 10′ of the first accommodating device 2 and the accommodating compartment 25 of the second accommodating device 4 is a respective feed air flap 42, 44 which is also actuated by way of the discharge air control device 36. The feed air flaps 42, 44 are adapted to open or close a corresponding inlet opening 46, 46′ at the respective accommodating devices 2, 4 so that, when the inlet opening is opened, fresh air can flow into the respective accommodating compartment 10, 10′, 25.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through the apparatus 1 according to the invention and is intended to clearly show in particular the structure in the region of the accommodating devices 2, 4 and the discharge air passage 32. Arranged in the discharge air passage 32 directly downstream of the discharge air flap 38 arranged in the passage 32 is a fat filter 48, with which pre-filtering of the air sucked out of the accommodating compartments 10, 10′, 25 is effected. Connected immediately downstream of the fat filter 48 is an air turbulence means 50 which mixes the discharged air so that a uniform temperature level is produced over the entire cross-section of the discharge air passage 32. Arranged above the air turbulence means 50 is a plasma chamber 52 for cleaning the discharge air. Ionization of the discharge air passed through the plasma chamber is effected therein whereby the fat and odor molecules entrained with the discharge air are broken down. Connected downstream of the plasma chamber 52 in the flow direction of the discharge air is a filter device 54, in particular an activated carbon filter, with which residual unwanted constituents which have remained in the discharge air are filtered out.

[0048] As can also be seen from FIG. 5 in combination with FIG. 3 the air turbulence means 50 is further adapted for adding ambient air from the interior of the housing 6 whereby the temperature within the discharge air passage 32 can be so adapted that it can be reduced below a maximum temperature which is predetermined for operation of the plasma chamber 52. In an embodiment of the invention the air turbulence means 50 is connected in fluid-conducting relationship to a radially oriented bypass passage 55, 55′. A connection to the interior of the housing 6 is afforded by way of the bypass passages 55, 55′. In order to be able to adapt the ratio of the addition to ambient air, arranged rearwardly on the housing 6 are two fans 56, 56′ (FIG. 3), by means of which the feed of air into the appliance housing and thus the pressure conditions in the appliance housing can be adapted. As can further be seen from FIG. 3 there is an electronic control unit for controlling at least the discharge air control device 36 and the fans 34, 56, 56′ on the appliance housing 6 and further for controlling the cooking and grilling temperatures and/or cooking and grilling times at the respective accommodating devices 2, 4. The control unit 58 is coupled in signal-conducting relationship to the operating and display device 30 on the appliance housing front 20.

[0049] FIGS. 6 through 8 show the more detailed configuration of the accommodating device 2 in the form of the grill device and the second accommodating device 4 in the form of the cooking device. The first accommodating device 2 is a grill device for meat products, wherein the accommodating containers 14, 14′ in the illustrated embodiment have receiving means for sausages 15. In an embodiment which is not shown here the accommodating container can also be adapted to receive pieces of meat like for example cutlets. The grilling times are then to be adapted according to the meat product to be prepared. As can be seen from FIGS. 6 through 8 the sausages 16 are disposed vertically within the accommodating container 14, 14′. For closing the openings 12, 12′ of the accommodating compartments 10, 10′ at the first accommodating device 2 there is a double-wall closure portion 60 made from an inner plate 62 and an outer plate 62′ which seal with different regions of the openings. In addition provided at the outer plate 62′ is a peripherally extending sealing element 64 in the form of a silicone seal. The accommodating containers 14, 14′ are accommodated by way of guide grooves 66 in the wall of the accommodating compartment 10, 10′, the wall of the accommodating compartment being formed from screening plates 68, 68′. The wall formed from the screening plates 68, 68′, 70, 70′ of the accommodating compartments, being shown as an exploded view in FIG. 7, is usually fixedly integrated within the appliance housing 6.

[0050] As FIG. 7 shows the screening plates 68 through 70′ have a hole arrangement 72, 72′ in predetermined surface regions. The hole arrangement in the screening plates 68 through 70′ serves in particular to distribute uniformly within the accommodating compartments 10, 10′, the heat which is generated within the accommodating compartments and which is generated by a plurality of heating elements 74, 74′ of a heating device 76 of the first accommodating device 2. The hole arrangement 72, 72′ provides an equilibrium between the radiant heat delivered by the heating elements 74, 74′ and the convection heat within the accommodating device 2.

[0051] Moreover in an embodiment of the invention the first accommodating device 2 has an upper V-shaped cover region 78. The wall surfaces forming the cover region extend in particular at an angle in the region of about 120° C. to about 160° C. relative to each other. By way thereof a free circulatory flow is formed within the accommodating device 2. In the illustrated embodiment the heating elements 74 are respectively arranged laterally relative to the accommodating compartments and at least one heating element 74′ extends beneath the accommodating compartments 10, 10′ of the first accommodating device. Arranged beneath the first accommodating device is a liquid catch container 80 used as a collecting container for the liquid which is produced during grilling of the meat products. To catch the liquid produced upon grilling each accommodating container 14, 14′ has a discharge element 82 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the accommodating container and which is in the form of an inclined discharge channel. Each accommodating container 14, 14′ has such a discharge element 82 which is in the form of the inclined discharge channel and communicates with the liquid catch container by way of a discharge passage 84. The catch container 80 is also shielded by way of an insulating element relative to the accommodating device 2 which is above it to prevent heating of the liquid which is caught within the catch container 80.

[0052] The second accommodating device 4 has a cylindrical accommodating compartment 25, within which is accommodated the accommodating container 24 in the form of the cylindrical drum. It will be apparent in the FIG. 6 embodiment that the accommodating container 24 can be reversibly coupled by way of the holder 29 to a drive device 86, which generates a rotary movement of the accommodating container 24 about its longitudinal axis. The drive device 86 includes at least one drive motor 88 and a transmission 90. A heating device 92 having at least one heating element 94 is arranged within the accommodating compartment 25. The heating element 94 extends over the entire length of the accommodating compartment and over approximately half the periphery of the accommodating compartment, with the heating element being laid in a spiral. Arranged between the heating element and the accommodating container is a screening plate 96 which has two lateral surface regions with hole arrangements 98. The central surface region 100 is closed and in particular is in the form of a crumb tray for catching pieces of product which come out of the accommodating container 24. The accommodating container 24 in the form of the cylindrical drum has a peripheral surface completely provided with hole arrangements 102. In addition a part of the end wall 104 of the accommodating container 24 is perforated with holes 106. As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 6 and 8 the first and second accommodating devices 2, 4 are enclosed by an insulation. The insulation is formed in particular by pre-fabricated insulating portions 108, 110, 112 comprising workable insulating material. The insulating portions almost completely fill the accommodating devices 2, 4 as far as the region of the openings of the respective accommodating devices 2, 4.

[0053] Similar or identical components are denoted by the same references.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0054] 1 apparatus [0055] 2, 4 accommodating device [0056] 6 appliance housing [0057] 8 portion [0058] 10, 10′ accommodating compartment [0059] 12, 12′ opening [0060] 14, 14′ accommodating container [0061] 16 sausage [0062] 18 handle [0063] 20 appliance housing front [0064] 22 portion [0065] 24 cylindrical drum/accommodating container [0066] 25 accommodating compartment [0067] 26 cover [0068] 28 handle [0069] 29 holder [0070] 30 operating and display device [0071] 32 discharge air passage [0072] 34 fan [0073] 36 control device for discharge air [0074] 38 discharge air flap [0075] 40, 40′ outlet opening [0076] 42, 44 feed air flap [0077] 46, 46′ inlet opening [0078] 48 fat filter [0079] 50 air turbulence means [0080] 52 plasma chamber [0081] 54 filter device [0082] 55, 55′ bypass passage [0083] 56, 56′ fan [0084] 58 control unit [0085] 60 closure portion [0086] 62, 62′ inner plate and outer plate [0087] 64 sealing element [0088] 66 guide groove [0089] 68, 68′ screening plate [0090] 70, 70′ screening plate [0091] 72, 72′ hole [0092] 74, 74′ heating element [0093] 76 heating device [0094] 78 cover region [0095] 80 catch container [0096] 82 discharge element [0097] 84 discharge passage [0098] 86 drive device [0099] 88 drive motor [0100] 90 transmission [0101] 92 heating device [0102] 94 heating element [0103] 96 screening plate [0104] 98 hole [0105] 100 crumb tray [0106] 102 hole [0107] 104 end wall [0108] 106 hole [0109] 108, 110 insulating portion [0110] 112 insulating portion