Food cooking device and cooking utensil adapted to facilitate the heating of food

• US 8,592,728 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2006
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hans-Goran Åhlander
• Original Assignee: Hans-Goran Åhlander
• Inventors: hlander, Hans-Gran
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US12/083,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,602 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/429
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 2202/00 Devices having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/022 with enlarged bottom
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/32 Time-controlled igniting mechanisms or alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/08 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/27 with sensing element responsive to radiation

Abstract

A food-cooking device including at least one heating member arranged to heat food placed inside a cooking utensil. At least one sensor arrangement is arranged to sense the temperature of the cooking utensil. The food-cooking device is adapted to control the heating member based on the temperature sensed by the sensor arrangement. A cooking utensil is adapted to facilitate the heating of food with a food-cooking device. The cooking utensil includes a body designed with a hollow adapted to contain the food.

Claims

1. A food-cooking device, comprising:

at least one heating member arranged to heat food placed inside a cooking utensil, wherein the at least one heating member is arranged adjacent a bottom of the cooking utensil;

an element arranged at the bottom of the cooking utensil in heat transferring contact with the food, such that the element assumes a temperature close to the temperature of the food;

a heat insulating member arranged at the bottom of the cooking utensil between a body of the cooking utensil and the element, the heat insulating member comprising at least one of ceramic or heat resistant plastic, wherein the heat insulating member is arranged to attach the element to the body; and

at least one sensor arrangement arranged to sense a temperature of the cooking utensil, where in the at least one sensor is arranged to sense a temperature of the element, wherein the food cooking device is adapted to control the heating member based on the current, sensed temperature of the element.

2. The food-cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement is arranged to sense the temperature by sensing a heat radiation emitted from the element.

3. The food-cooking device according to claim 2, wherein the sensor arrangement is arranged to sense the temperature of the element by sensing an intensity of the thermal radiation within at least one wavelength interval.

4. The food-cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor arrangement is adapted to sense the temperature of the element arranged in connection with a bottom of the cooking utensil.

10. The food-cooking device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an entering member arranged to receive an instruction on a desired temperature, wherein the food-cooking device is designed to heat the food to, and to keep the food at, the desired temperature.

11. The food-cooking device according to claim 10, wherein the food-cooking device is designed to control the heating member based on the rate of change of the temperature of the element.

12. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulating member comprises a porous ceramic.

13. The food-cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulating member surrounds the element.

14. The food-cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the heat insulating member comprises a porous ceramic.

5. The food-cooking device according to claiml, further comprising:

at least one placement surface adapted for placement of the cooking utensil onto the placement surface, wherein the heating member is designed to transfer energy to the cooking utensil through at least a first surface section of the placement surface.

6. The food-cooking device according to claim 5, wherein the heating member and the placement surface are designed to avoid transferring energy to the cooking utensil through at least a second surface section which is designed so that the element is positioned in connection with the second surface section when the cooking utensil is placed onto the placement surface.

7. The food-cooking device according to claim 6, wherein the second surface section comprises a portion adapted to allow passage of the heat radiation from the element of the cooking utensil to the sensor arrangement.

8. The food-cooking device according to claim 6, further comprising:

a heat-insulating material arranged in connection with the second surface section.

9. The food-cooking device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a heat insulation arranged along a periphery of the placement surface.

15. A cooking utensil adapted to facilitate heating of a food with a food-cooking device, the cooking utensil comprising:

a body comprising an inner hollow adapted to contain the food;

an element arranged at the bottom of the cooking utensil to be in heat transferring contact with the food inside the inner hollow so that the element assumes a temperature close to the temperature of the food; and

a heat insulating member arranged at the bottom of the cooking utensil between the body of the cooking utensil and the element, the heat insulating member comprising at least one of ceramic or heat resistant plastic, wherein the heat insulating member is arranged to attach the element to the body.

16. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, wherein the element comprises a surface arranged to emit thermal radiation based on the temperature of the element in a direction towards a sensor arrangement of the cooking device.

17. The cooking utensil according to claim 16, wherein the surface of the element has a coefficient of thermal radiation which is larger than or equal to 0.5.

18. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, wherein the heat insulating member comprises a metal having a low thermal conductivity.

19. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, wherein the cooking utensil is designed to be placed on a placement surface of the cooking device with a bottom, and wherein the element is arranged in connection with the bottom.

20. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, further comprising:

a heat insulating casing arranged around at least the main part of the outside of the body.

21. The cooking utensil according to claim 15, wherein the heat insulating member surrounds the element.