CA1262930A

CA1262930A - Cooking vessel

Info

Publication number: CA1262930A
Application number: CA000515544A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Horst Schultz
Original assignee: Alfa Institut fuer Hauswirtschaftliche Produkt und Verfahrens Entwicklung
Current assignee: AMC International Alfa Metalcraft Corp AG
Priority date: 1985-08-09
Filing date: 1986-08-08
Publication date: 1989-11-14
Also published as: NZ217142A; PT83162A; IL79600A0; ZA865967B; DD251496A5; CN1007874B; IE862144L; CN86105476A; GR862092B; ES2001635A6; AR241068A2; YU139686A; EP0271488A1; DE3528610A1; DE3671157D1; DE3528610C2; TR24241A; FI880522A; YU46661B; SG69691G

Abstract

ABSTRACT/
/
The present invention relates to a cooking vessel having a container portion and a cover that can be set upon this. Within the interior space of the cover there is an electric heater, and for the remainder the cover is so configured that it can be used as a hot plate./

Description

3~

A COOKING VESSEL

The present invention relates to a cooking vessel having a pot-, bowl- or pan-like container that is used to hold food that is to be prepared and a cover that can be placed on this, the cover closing the opening of the container, and having at least one handle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new type and versatile heating method for a cooking vessel of this kind.
In essence, this object is achieved by the present invention in that an electric heat source such as, for example, a lamp or a grilling element is installed in the interior space of the cover and with the interior of the cover beirlg covered on its side which when in place faces the interior of the container, with a plate which is transparent to radiation emitted by the heat source, characterized by the cover being provided with a peripheral edge pro~ecting beyond the outside of the plate, being a glass ceramic plate, which edge fits into a peripheral groove in the wall of the container, when the cover is in place, by the peripheral edge groove being located radially outside of the wall of the container, and; by the internal diameter of the recessed space defined by the circular peripheral edge of the cover being slightly larger than the external diameter of the container in its bottom region. The food that is contained in the container portion of the cooking vessel can thus be heated from above by means of this heater that is installed in the cover when the cover is installed on the pot, and can thus be cooked. The solution 33~

- 2 - 27754-1 according to the present invention entails the advantage that the cover, when reversed, can also be used as a hot plate, on which the container or any other container can be set in order to heat the food contained therein from below and thus cook it. This means that the cover oE the cooking vessel according to the present invention can be used in a variety of ways.
Glass-ceramic plates are already known as the cooking areas on electric ranges. If the cover according to the present invention is to be used as such, the heat resistant glass-ceramic plate protects the heater that is arranged behind it against the ingress of rising vapour and rising steam. In the event that the cover is used as a hot plate, the glass-ceramic plate fulfills its familiar function as a surface for the container used to hold the food that is to be prepared.
~ hen the device is used as a hot plate, the edge serves as a resting surface, the cover edge fitting into a peripheral edge groove in the container wall ensures that the cover rests concentrically on the edge of the container so as t~;ensure a good sealing effect. When the cover is used as a hot plate, the cover edge, which is now uppermost, serves to secure the position of the container that is set upon it which means that this can be slid sideways far less easily and by accident.
The fact that the peripheral edge groove of the container lies preferably radially outside the walls of the container results in that the opening of the container is completely unobstructed. Since the unobstructed diameter of the area that is defined by the circular cover edge is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the container as measured at ~6~

- 3 - 27754-1 its base, it is assumed that the container fits exactly into the area on the glass-ceramic plate that is defined by the cover edge if the cover is used as a hot plate. The housing can be so matched to the cover that the housing with its edge that defines the opening can be beaded around the lower flange edge of the cover and thus form the peripheral cover bead that is additionally stiffened thereby.
Preferably, the cover is provided with two diametrically opposed foot-like projections with flat standing surfaces. This means that despite the fact that the cover is heated, this can be used as a hot plate without causing any damage to the working surface on which it is set, in particular if the projections are of a material that conducts heat very poorly, such as plastic.
According to a further proposal made according ~o the present invention the foot-like projections can also form a part of a handle for the cover~ which can then be made, for example, in one piece out o~ material that conducts heat very poorly, such as plastic. Preferably, the standin~ surfaces formed by these pro~ections are located at a distance from the surEace of the cover, so that the heated upper surface of the cover is k~ept at a distance from the working surface on which the cover is set when used as a hot plate.
According to a further confiyuration of the concept of the present invention there is a control device incorporated in the cover handles, this being used to control the temperature of the heater.

93~

- 4 - 27754-1 This control device has, for example, an adjuster wheel, the position of which can be read from above as well as from below. This ensures that the user can read the setting that is used very simply from above, regardless of whether the cover is being used as such or as a hot plate.
For a simple installation of the cover according to the present invention, it is foreseen that the heater is clamped between the base of a housing that is accommodated in the interior space of the cover and the glass~ceramic plate which is set into the opening which is opposite the base of the container and there held in position by means of a spring. This means that the outer edge of the glass-ceramic plate must be secured to the housing adjacent to its openings, for example, by means of cement. The intermediate space between the housing and the wall of the cover can serve to accommodate thermal insulation material.
In an alternate embodiment of the invention it can also be arranged that the glass-ceramic plate of the cover used as such, which is to say with the glass-ceramic plate facing downwards, is ~' curved downwards on its outer edge and can be set with a Elat face surface on a flat area of the container edge that is curved d~Rwards from the container wall. This provides for a particularly good sealing of the lnner space of the cover against the ingress of moistureO ~lere, too, it is preferably arranged ~ (~
that the unobstructed diameter of the turned down outer edge of the glass-ceramic plate is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the container as measured at its base, so that the container can be set in the area that is defined by the turned down edge area of the glass-ceramic plate when the cover is used as a hot plate./
In a further configuration of the invention the glass-ceramic plate has a centre area that forms a flat resting surface as well as an area that surrounds this and which is angled downwards and to the outside, the outer edge oE which is accom~odated in an edge groove in the container edge. In place of this downward~angled arrangement, the glass-ceramic plate can be suitably curve~. In such a configuration the glass-ceramic plate thus over~ the inner space of~ the container to some extent. In this case, the container tapers inwards towards its base, preferably such that its base area once again matches the flat resting surface of the glass-ceramic plate and can be centred precisely above the heater of the cover when this is used as a hot plate./
Further objectives, features, advantages and application possibilities of the present invention result from the subsequent 9~

description of exemplary versions that are described in greater detail below on the basis of the drawings. In this connection, all the features that are described and/or shown in the drawings form the object of the present invention either in and oE
themselves or in any expedient combination regardless of whether they are so combined in the claims. These drawings are as follows:/
Figure 1: a cooking vessel according to the present invention,/
this being shown schematically in vertical cross/
section in the area of the cover;/
Figure 2: a view of the cover from below, as indicated by the/
direction A in figure 1;/
Figure 3: a further embodiment of the cover according to the/
presen-t invention, in its edge area, this being/
shown in enlarged detail relative to figure 1;/
Figure 4: a schematic vertical cross section of another/
version oE the cooking vessel according to the/
present invention./
The cooking vessel that is shown in figure 1 consists of a pot-, bowl- or pan-]ike container l ~hat is used to hold the food that is to be prepared and a cover 2 that is set upon this and which closes the opening of the container 1. In the case that is shown herein, the cover 2 is provided with two handles 3 that are of thermally insulating material, namely plastic. Within -the internal space 4 that curves above the wall of the cover there is an electric heater 5 that can consist, for example, of a radiant 3~

heat unit or other heat source, and which radiates sufficient energy by thermal radiation onto the material that is to be cooked that is contained within the container 1. A grill element can also form a component part of the electrical source oE heat

5, Using the cover 2 that is set on the container 1 in the manner shown in figure 1, the food that is contained in the container 1 can be heated, cooked and/or grilled from above. The interior space 4 of the cover 2 is covered over by means of a glass-ceramic plate 6 or any other sort o:E plate that permits the passage of the thermal radiation :Erom the heater 5 such that the heater 5 is protected against the ingress of moisture from the container 1 during the cooking process or when being cleanedO In the case that is shown, the glass-ceramic plate 6 is held in the opening 14 of a housing 13 that is accommodated in the interior space 4 of the cover 2. To this end, the housing 2 has in the area of its lower opening 14 a peripheral step 28, on which the edge area of the glass-ceramic plate 6 rests. The peripheral surface of the glass-ceramic plate 6 is sealed and cemented to the edge section of the housing 13 that is curved down still further and which adjoins the step 28. The edge area of the housing 13 that is turned down further and which defines the opening 14 of the cover 2 is beaded around the edge 22 of the cover 2 that projects downwards beyond the outer surface 16 of the glass-ceramic plate 6 so as to form the cover edge 17. The cover edge 17 is of such a diameter that it fits into an edge channel 18 of the container flange 19 that is curved towards the 2~3~

outside. The unobstructed diameter of the opening 1~ that is defined by the cover edge 17 is somewhat greater than the outside diameter of the container 1 as measured at its base, so that if the cover 2 is reversed the container 1 can be set upon the outer surface 16 of the glass-ceramic plate 6, so that the cover 2 can then function as a hot plate, in which case the food contained in the container 1 will be heated from below./
The handles 3 are secured diametrically opposed to each other on the outer surface of the cover wall. In addition to the actual handle portion these incorporate foot~like projections 7, the standing surfaces 8 of which lie at a distance above the upper side 9 of the cover 2. If the cover 2 is reversed and set upon a working surface, in order that it can be used as a hot plate, the foot-like projections 7 keep the heated upper surface ~ of the cover 2 at the necessary distance Erom the working surface. Within one handle 3 there is a device 10 to control the temperature of the heater 5. The control device 10 is ope~ated by hand by means of an adjuster wheel 11, that protrudes from the upper side and from the under side of the handle 3 and is provided with a cooking indicator, such that the cooking stage or the cooking temperature can be read off it both from above, when the cover 2 is used as such, and from below, when ths cover 2 is used as a hot plate./
The heater 5 is held, so as to provide for simple and reliable installation, between the base 12 of the housing 13 and the glass-ceramic plate 6 that is set in the opening 1~ that is ~26~3~

g opposite the base 12 of the housing 13 by means of a leaf spring 15./
Whereas as is shown in figure 1 the cover 2 lies with its cover edge 17 that is formed of the edge 22 and the beaded housing edge 21 in an edge groove 18 of the container edge 19 that lies radially outside the container wall 20, in the version that is shown in figure 3 the container edge 19 of the container wall 20 is curved outwards from the container wall 20 so as to form a flat contact area. The outer edge 23 of the glass-ceramic plate 6, is in this case, bent essentially vertically downwards and forms a flat face surface 23 with which the cover 2 can rest on the flat surface of the container edge 19. Here, too, the housing 13 forms a step 28, on which the glass-ceramic plate 6 rests~ In the same way, the lower housing edge 21 is bent down around the lower edge 22 of the cover 2 to form a cover edge 17.
The gap between the outer edge 23 of the glass-ceramic plate 6, which is bent downwards, and which is to be sealed with cement, and the area of the housing edge 21 that is proximate to this is correspondingly longer than in the version that is shown in figure 1, so as to provide a more reliable sealing effect./
Figure 4 shows a further embodiment of the present invention, that differs, essentially, from the preceding embodiments in that the glass-ceramic plate 6 has a central area 26 with a flat surface 25 for when the cover 2 is used as a hot plate, this being surrounded by an area 27 that is inclined obliquely downwards and outwards. This means that the 3~

glass-ceramic plate 6 overla~s the interior space o~ the container 1 and lies with its outer edge in the correspondingly oblique edge groove 18 of the container edge l9 that is curved towards the outside. In this case, the housing edge 21 and thus the cover edge 17 run practically over the whole outer contact surface of the oblique area 27 of the glass-ceramic plate 6 and can be placed there so as to Eorm a seal. As in the embodiment according to figure 3 the sealing gap between the glass~ceramic plate 6 and the housing 13 or the edge 22 of the cover 2 lies outside the area exposed to the steam during the cooking process. In the embodiment shown in figure 4 the container wall 20 extends downwards conically towards the base 29 of the container, so that the outer diameter of the container 1 at the base is slightly smaller than the diameter of the surEace 25 formed by the g:Lass-ceramic plate 6 on its outer surface 16, so that the container 1 can be placed directly on the surEace 25 when the cover 2 is used as a hot plate./

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A cooking vessel comprising a pot-like, bowl-like, or pan-like container intended for containing food to be prepared, and a cover for covering the opening of said container and being provided with at least one handle, an electric heat source such as, a lamp or a grilling element, being installed in the interior space of said cover, and with said interior of said cover being covered on its side which when in place faces the interior of the container, with a plate which is transparent to radiation emitted by the heat source, characterized by the cover being provided with a peripheral edge projecting beyond the outside of said plate, being a glass ceramic plate, which edge fits into a peripheral groove in the wall of the container, when said cover is in place, by said peripheral edge groove being located radially outside of the wall of the container, and; by the internal diameter of the recessed space defined by the circular peripheral edge of the cover being slightly larger than the external diameter of the container in its bottom region.

2. Cooking vessel according to Claim 1, characterized by the cover being provided with two foot-like projections with a flat supporting surface and being arranged diametrically opposite each other, with each projection being part of a handle of the cover.

3. Cooking vessel according to Claim 2, characterized by the supporting surfaces of the projections being located outside and at a certain distance from the top side of the cover.

4. Cooking vessel according to Claim 1, characterized by a control device for controlling the temperature of the heat source being installed in one of the handles of the cover.

5. Cooking vessel according to Claim 4, characterized by the control device being provided with a setting wheel, with its setting being legible from the top as well as from the bottom.

6. Cooking vessel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the heat source being clamped by a spring between the bottom of a housing contained in the interior space of the cover and the glass-ceramic plate being securely set in the opening in that side of the housing that is opposite its bottom.

7. Cooking vessel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 characterized by the edge of the housing that defines its opening being folded around the lower bottom edge of the cover, thus forming the peripheral edge of the cover.

8. Cooking vessel according to Claim 1, characterized by the outer edge of the glass-ceramic plate being bent downward and sitting by its flat face on a flat area of the container edge that is bent outward from the container wall.

9. Cooking vessel according to Claim 8, characterized in that the unobstructed inner diameter of the recessed area defined by the down-bent outer blad of the glass-ceramic plate is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the container measured at its base.

10. Cooking vessel according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized by the glass-ceramic plate having a central area forming a flat supporting surface and an area surrounding the latter and being bent downward relative to the latter, and being capable of being placed with its outer edge into a groove provided in the container edge.

11. Cooking vessel according to Claim 2, characterized by a control device for controlling the temperature of the heat source being installed in one of the handles of the cover.

12. Cooking vessel according to Claim 3, characterized by a control device for controlling the temperature of the heat source being installed in one of the handles of the cover.

13. Cooking vessel according to Claim 11 or Claim 12, characterized by the control device being provided with a setting wheel, with its setting being legible from the top as well as from the bottom.

14. Cooking vessel according to claim 2, characterized by the outer edge of the glass-ceramic plate being bent downward and sitting by its flat face on a flat area of the container edge that is bent outward from the container wall.

15. Cooking vessel according to Claim 3, characterized by the outer edge of the glass-ceramic plate being bent downward and sitting by its flat face on a flat area of the container edge that is bent outward from the container wall.

16. Cooking vessel according to Claim 4, characterized by the outer edge of the glass-ceramic plate being bent downward and sitting by its flat face on a flat area of the container edge that is bent outward from the container wall.

17. Cooking vessel according to Claim 14, 15 or 16, characterized in that the unobstructed inner diameter of the recessed area defined by the down-bent outer blad of the glass-ceramic plate is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the container measured at its base.