PRESSURE COOKER PROVIDED WITH AN ELECTRONIC INFORMATION DEVICE

• US 20120012010A1
• Filed: 01/14/2010
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SEB SA
• Original Assignee: SEB SA
• Inventors: Baraille, Eric Laurent, Murat, Pascal
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/325
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/0802 Control mechanisms for pressure-cookers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/09 Safety devices

Abstract

The invention relates to a household cooking utensil having firstly at least a first control member (9) mounted to move between a plurality of positions and designed to enable the user to act on operation of said utensil, and secondly an information device (60) connected to said first control member (9) for the purpose of emitting a signal that is characteristic of at least a first predetermined position of said first control member (9), said household cooking utensil being characterized in that said information device (60) and said first control member (9) are interconnected, for the purposes of emitting said signal, via at least one sensor (10, 11, 12) and via at least one activator (13) designed to excite said sensor (10, 11, 12) remotely when the first control member (9) occupies said first predetermined position. Utensils for cooking food.

Claims

1. A household cooking utensil (1) having firstly at least a first control member (9) mounted to move between a plurality of positions and designed to enable the user to act on operation of said utensil (1), and secondly an information device (60) connected to said first control member (9) for the purpose of emitting a signal (70) of audible and/or visible nature that is characteristic of at least a first predetermined position of said first control member (9), said information device (60) and said first control member (9) being interconnected, for the purposes of emitting said signal (70), via at least one sensor (10, 11, 12) and via at least one activator (13) designed to excite said sensor (10, 11, 12) remotely when the first control member (9) occupies said first predetermined position, so that the first control member (9) reaching its first predetermined position causes said information device (60) to emit said signal (70).

2. A utensil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said activator (13) is incorporated in the first control member (9).

3. A utensil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor (10, 11, 12) is incorporated in the information device (60).

4. A utensil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sensor (10, 11, 12) is a magneto-resistive sensor.

5. A utensil (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said sensor (10, 11, 12) is a sensor of the C-MOS type.

6. A utensil (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said activator (13) comprises a magnet.

7. A utensil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said information device (60) and said first control member (9) are interconnected via:

a plurality of sensors (10, 11, 12); and

a single activator (13) designed to excite selectively one or more of said sensors (10, 11, 12) as a function of the position of the first control member (9).

8. A utensil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is constituted by a pressure cooker comprising a vessel and a lid (3) designed to be locked on said vessel to form a cooking closure therewith.

9. A utensil (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the first control member (9) is designed to enable the user to act on the pressure level prevailing inside the cooking enclosure.

10. A utensil (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it has a second control member (6) designed to enable the user to act on the locking/unlocking of the lid (3) relative to the vessel, said second control member (6) being distinct from the first control member (9).

11. A utensil (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the first control member (9) is mounted to move between at least firstly an opening position enabling the pressure prevailing inside the cooking enclosure to be brought back to or maintained at a value compatible with safe unlocking of the lid (3), and secondly at least one cooking position allowing pressure to build up inside said cooking enclosure to a pressure level incompatible with safe unlocking of the lid (3).

12. A utensil (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the information device (60) is designed to emit an alarm signal so long as the first control member (9) is in the opening position.

13. A utensil (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the information device (60) comprises firstly detection means for detecting when a predetermined pressure value is reached inside the enclosure, and secondly a timer functionally linked to said detection means so as to trigger said timer as soon as it is detected that said predetermined pressure value has been reached.

14. A utensil (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the information device (60) further comprises a display screen (61) designed to display at least one sign corresponding to said signal (70) characteristic of the first predetermined position of said first control member (9).

15. A utensil (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said sensor (10, 11, 12) is a magneto-resistive sensor.

16. A utensil (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said activator (13) comprises a magnet.

17. A utensil (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the first control member (9) is mounted to move between at least firstly an opening position enabling the pressure prevailing inside the cooking enclosure to be brought back to or maintained at a value compatible with safe unlocking of the lid (3), and secondly at least one cooking position allowing pressure to build up inside said cooking enclosure to a pressure level incompatible with safe unlocking of the lid (3).

18. A utensil (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the information device (60) comprises firstly detection means for detecting when a predetermined pressure value is reached inside the enclosure, and secondly a timer functionally linked to said detection means so as to trigger said timer as soon as it is detected that said predetermined pressure value has been reached.

19. A utensil (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the information device (60) comprises firstly detection means for detecting when a predetermined pressure value is reached inside the enclosure, and secondly a timer functionally linked to said detection means so as to trigger said timer as soon as it is detected that said predetermined pressure value has been reached.

20. A utensil (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the information device (60) comprises firstly detection means for detecting when a predetermined pressure value is reached inside the enclosure, and secondly a timer functionally linked to said detection means so as to trigger said timer as soon as it is detected that said predetermined pressure value has been reached.