Foods and beverages: apparatus – Cooking – Automatic control
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-24
2002-11-05
Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Cooking
Automatic control
C099S416000, C099S417000, C099S448000, C099S476000, C099S483000, C126S020000, C126S369000, C219S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06474222
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the general technical field of domestic electrical appliances designed for steam cooking.
In general terms, steam cookers have a cooking enclosure associated with a water reservoir, the water in the reservoir being heated to produce steam serving to cook the foodstuffs contained in the cooking enclosure. Electric steam cooking appliances have an electric heating means, or element for producing steam from the water in the reservoir.
When the water has reached its boiling point, steam is produced in large quantities. An electric steam cooking appliance having high heating capacity has the advantage of reaching boiling point quickly, and producing steam in large quantities. However, some of the steam may then not be used for heating the foodstuffs. The result is a more or less significant output of steam outside the appliance, as well as a loss of energy.
The patent document GB 2 198 631 discloses the use of a steam detector for reducing the heating power, so as to avoid production of excessive steam. One drawback of the appliance described in this document lies in the fact that the steam reaches the steam detector without having passed through the cooking enclosure. Thus the reduction in the heating power does not take account of the foodstuffs present in the cooking enclosure. Another drawback of the appliance described in this document lies in the fact that the heating element is disposed in the main water reservoir. As a result, the rate of increase of the temperature of the water contained in the reservoir remains limited even with a high heating power, and the production of steam takes a long time to occur.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a domestic electrical appliance for steam cooking which reconciles effective cooking with a limitation of the discharge of steam outside the appliance.
The present invention also provides a domestic electrical appliance for steam cooking of the aforementioned type, which is economical to make.
The present invention further provides a domestic electrical appliance for steam cooking of the aforementioned type which is easy to use.
A domestic electrical appliance for steam cooking according to the invention comprises: a steam production device that includes a water reservoir and heating means for heating water in the reservoir; a cooking enclosure associated with the steam production device to be supplied with steam by the steam production device, the cooking enclosure having at least one exhaust to the outside; a steam detector; control means operatively associated with the steam detector for reducing the rate of heat generation by the heating means; and a descending conduit that communicates between the cooking enclosure and the steam detector for directing a flow of steam from the cooking enclosure to the steam detector.
Tests have shown that, during cooking, an offset in time exists between the appearance of a high flow of vapor, or steam, in the appliance and the exit of a significant steam output from the appliance. This is because, at the start of cooking, the foodstuffs begin by absorbing the steam to a major extent, and their temperature increases. As long as the foodstuffs are absorbing a major part of the steam produced, the excess quantities of steam leave the cooking enclosure without difficulty through the exhaust or exhausts. When the surface temperature of the foodstuffs approaches the temperature of the steam, the ability of the foodstuffs to absorb the heat from the steam decreases, and the quantity of steam escaping from the cooking enclosure tends to increase.
However, when the excess quantities of steam increase, the exhaust or exhausts limit the discharge rate. The steam must then descend through the conduit in order to reach the detection zone of the detector for controlling the reduction in power of the heating element. Because of this, the steam which has reached the cooking enclosure does not immediately reach the detector. The cooking can therefore continue at full power for a longer period, which improves the effectiveness of the appliance.
In a second step, the steam flow generated at reduced power supplies the energy necessary for continuing the cooking, without excessive losses.
Compared with an appliance that continuously supplies a reduced heating power, the duration of cooking is reduced in an appliance according to the invention. The ejection of steam to the outside is greater only in the transition phase serving to trigger the steam detector. The more rapid rise in temperature of the foodstuffs necessarily contributes to a better preservation of the vitamins.
Compared with an appliance continuously supplying the maximum power, the cooking duration remains identical in an appliance according to the invention, but the ejection of steam is less substantial in the second part of the cooking process when the foodstuffs have risen in temperature. Because of the lower rate of consumption of water in the second part of the cooking process, the possible cooking time of the appliance with a given initial supply of water is increased.
Advantageously, the steam production device has a main reservoir supplying the water reservoir associated with the heating means, this arrangement making it possible to obtain steam more rapidly and to more easily modulate the steam output between full power of the heating element and reduced power.
According to an advantageous provision notably facilitating the cleaning of the cooking enclosure, the steam production device is arranged in a heating base, and the cooking enclosure is removable with respect to the heating base.
Then, advantageously, the steam detector is disposed in the heating base. This arrangement facilitates the transmission of the information supplied by the steam detector in order to reduce the power of the heating means. This arrangement also facilitates the cleaning of the cooking enclosure.
Advantageously, the descending conduit is provided at least partly in a side wall of the cooking enclosure. This arrangement makes it possible to collect the steam in the top part of the cooking enclosure, after it has passed through the foodstuffs. As long as the foodstuffs absorb sufficient steam and the exhausts permit the discharge of the remaining steam, full power can be preserved. The result is a higher cooking speed.
Then, advantageously, the cooking enclosure has at least two removable cooking receptacles each containing a part of the descending conduit. This arrangement makes it possible to use one or more cooking receptacles.
Advantageously, the descending conduit is provided at least partly in the heating base. This arrangement simplifies the design of the cooking enclosure, the steam detector then being able to be arranged in the heating base.
Advantageously, to make it possible to discharge the condensates, the detector is disposed in a chamber connected to an outlet flowing towards the outside of the appliance.
Advantageously, the descending conduit is connected to the cooking enclosure by an inlet arranged lower than the exhaust or exhausts. This arrangement assists the discharge of the steam through the exhausts and makes it possible to delay the progress of the steam in the descending conduit.
Advantageously, the descending conduit is connected to the cooking enclosure by an inlet whose cross-section is greater than the sum of the cross-sections of the exhaust or exhausts. When the flow of steam becomes too great to flow completely through the exhaust or exhausts, this arrangement assists the progression of the steam in the descending conduit.
Advantageously, the descending conduit is connected to the cooking enclosure by an inlet arranged close to at least one of the exhausts. This arrangement reduces the range of flow of steam necessary for triggering the detector.
Then, advantageously, at least one of the exhausts is arranged at a distance from the inlet. It has been observed that this configuration makes it possible to reduce the steam flow threshold necessary for t
Browdy and Neimark PLLC
SEB S.A.
Simone Timothy F.
LandOfFree
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