EP2031306B1 - Cooking method and cooking device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for cooking a food in a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber, at least one heating device, a computing device, a storage device and at least one sensing device, depending on a cooking grade of a food and / or a cooking time, in particular determined by the core temperature , the browning, the pH and / or the cooking value from measured values of the sensing device, taking into account values stored at least temporarily in the memory device, are passed via the computing device; and a cooking appliance with programming for performing such a process.

It would be advantageous for many automatic cooking methods to determine and have available a parameter which allows a statement about the cooking progress.

From the DE 42 31 365 A1 a method for baking, frying or cooking is known, in which the cooking space temperature is controlled to a temperature setpoint, wherein in a plurality of successive time intervals in each case a value of the current cooking space temperature or a linearly dependent on this current temperature value is determined, and these values added become. When the sum of the values reaches a sum desired value dependent on the product of the temperature desired value, a linear dependent value, a predetermined heat exposure time and the reciprocal length of a time interval, a signal for completing the frying, baking or cooking operation is generated. Thus, temperature fluctuations in the oven, as they can occur, for example, by loading or other disturbing influences, take into account during a cooking process. A disadvantage of this prior art is that not the actual temperature of the food to Determination of the cooking is used, but the cooking space temperature is assumed to be only one of the cooking temperature corresponding size. This can lead to a misjudgment with respect to the cooking end time, especially for large diameter food items.

The EP 0 419 304 A2 discloses a method for cooking food, in which the pH or the core temperature of a food to be used to determine a Pasteurisierungswerts (P value). The cooking appliance is intended to guide the cooking process in such a way that at the end of the cooking process the desired P-value, ie the desired degree of germiness in the food, is exactly reached. After a subsequent cooling of the temperature of the food to a value just above 0 ° C so long storable food can be produced. The P value is only very indirectly linked to the food's diet.

Also from the DE 199 45 021 A1 It is known to perform a cooking process as a function of a pH value or depending on the hygiene of a food. Furthermore, there is described that the cooking process can also be performed depending on the core temperature of a food.

The DE 196 09 116 A1 discloses a cooking method in a cooking chamber, which is terminated when an actual core temperature in a food reaches a target core temperature. If an end time of the cooking process is set, the cooking chamber temperature, the circulating flow in the oven and the humidity in the cooking chamber are set or changed so that the target end temperature is reached the target core temperature.

The US 4,281,022 discloses a cooking method for cooking thin meat in a microwave in which a degree of cooking of the meat is determined by the humidity and the temperature in the oven. For this purpose, a time tx, which is necessary for achieving a thermal equilibrium, is calculated from the temperature and the humidity in the cooking chamber and the cooking time that has elapsed. This time tx is used to interrupt the cooking process as soon as a desired cooking level is reached. The relationship between the time tx and the degree of cooking for thin meat is in the US 4,281,022 described. The disadvantage of this is that with the process only a special food can be cooked and that the food must be cooked through from start to finish until the desired cooking level is reached. Interruption and completion at a later date is not possible with the method.

wobei

• UF = Umrechnungsfaktor,
• BT = Bezugstemperatur =100°C,
• T(t) = Kemtemperaturverlauf,
• St = Zeitpunkt, bei dem eine Starttemperatur überschritten wurde, abhängig vom Lebensmittel
  und
• t' = Ist-Zeit

A disadvantage of the cited prior art is that hygiene or P-value and the core temperature of the food are only partially suitable to determine the actual Gare a food. Thus, for example, it is well known that potatoes, even if they have reached a core temperature of nearly 100 ° C in boiling water, have not yet reached the consistency desired for consumption. In fact, it is necessary that this temperature must be kept in the core of the potato pieces for about 3 to 5 minutes to make the potato ready for consumption. The chemical reactions in which the constituents of the food are implemented require not only the temperature but also a certain period of time at which the ingredients of the food can be converted. Such a behavior can be described as the P value with the C value (cooking value). Such a cooking value is known in the field of ecotrophology and can be calculated as follows: $${\mathit{C}}_{\mathit{BT}}^{\mathit{UF}}=\underset{\mathit{St}}{\overset{\mathit{t\; \text{'}}}{\int }}{\mathit{UF}}^{\frac{\left[T\left(t\right)-\mathit{BT}\right]}{10}}\mathit{dt}.$$

in which

• UF = conversion factor,
• BT = reference temperature = 100 ° C,
• T (t) = core temperature profile,
• St = time at which a starting temperature was exceeded, depending on the food
  and
• t '= actual time

A method in which such an integral in the determination of the bacterial load of a food, so a P value is determined in a cooking appliance, is from the EP 1 317 643 B1 However, there again only the determination of a pasteurization value is disclosed.

From the WO 2004/062372 A2 a method for cooking in a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance is known with a controller having access to the time-dependent and not time-dependent measured data that correlate with the state of the food or the cooking appliance. The current course of the cooking process is to be cooked on the basis of measured data Z _{I of} the Garguts I determined until a predetermined time T _M before the end of the cooking time T _E. In this case, the data Z _I (T _E ) at the end of the cooking process T _E can be predicted. The cooking parameters are the core temperature, the browning, crust formation and also the hygiene of the food.

As part of a further development, it would be desirable to interrupt the cooking process on reaching a value set by the customer for the cooking progress (for example, a C value) and conclude at a later date in the context of a new cooking process. For a chef in the canteen or catering business, this would offer the advantage that, at a time when there is no time pressure in the kitchen, it is almost possible to finish a meal and finally be able to reach the missing goods within a very short time without the food being cooked over.

From the WO 01/58214 A1 A method is known for providing a predetermined final preparation of pre-cooked food portions. A temperature and a time characteristic for a final preparation process are read out via a machine-readable code attached to the packaging and a final preparation device is adjusted accordingly. The requirement profile in this case depends on the preprogramming parameters observed during precooking. The final preparation parameters to be used can be determined empirically by means of preliminary experiments depending on the preparation state. The disadvantage of this is that the customer, so the chef in a commercial kitchen or in a catering operation, does not have the ability to determine themselves to what extent the food in the first step should be pre-cooked. Furthermore, the method does not allow to react to a change in the cooking cycle during the pre-cooking so that the final preparation succeeds in any case.

The JP 63 128 969 discloses a cooking appliance on which an adjustment, a start, an interruption and an end of a cooking process can be entered. With the help of a program, a heating time at the beginning of a cooking process and a heating time for the case of reheating can be determined. The disadvantage here is that no percentage input can be entered by a customer. Also, no C-value can be used to determine the food of a food because no core temperature probe is provided to determine an internal cooking parameter in the food. Also, it is not intended here to cook the food ready for consumption at a later time based on an already achieved degree of cooking with the aid of a separate cooking process.

From the WO 98/48679 A2 a generic method for guiding a cooking process in a cooking appliance is known in which based on the derivation of a cooking parameter after the time the end of a cooking process is calculated in advance to at a defined time before the end of the cooking process with a final part of the cooking program the food to convert into a final state. The disadvantage here again that the cooking process can not be interrupted and so no final cooking process, in which the final cooking of the food takes place, is provided, which can be moved to any later date. Also, an input regarding the degree of cooking is not provided as a customer request.

The object of the present invention is therefore to develop the generic method and cooking device such that it overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the input of a desired intermediate cooking level of a food should be an interruption of a cooking process on reaching this intermediate cooking degree and an automatically calculated, staggered continuation of the cooking process in which the missing Gare is achieved at a later date, are enabled.

This object is achieved by at least two temporally separate steps, comprising a Vorgar step, which is interrupted upon reaching a certain intermediate value of the cooking level and / or the cooking time, in particular a certain time remaining to reach the cooking time, and a Fertiggar step , in particular in the form of a finishing step, which is called at a later time to finish the cooking of the food, taking into account the intermediate value.

It can be provided that the cooking level is calculated by a time sum or a temporal integral of at least one measured value, in particular determined by a Kerntemperatunensor and / or at least one gas sensor for determining the chemical state of the food based on the atmosphere in the oven.

It can also be provided that the intermediate value is determined as a function of the duration of a further cooking step, wherein preferably the further cooking step corresponds to the finished cooking step.

According to the invention, it is preferred that the intermediate value and / or a final value of the degree of cooking and / or the duration of the cooking, in particular the duration of the finished cooking step, via an operating and / or Display device changed and / or can be selected, preferably at the beginning of the process, in particular the selection of the food, a cooking program and / or at least one parameter of the food and / or the cooking program and / or an at least partially predetermined Fertiggar step.

It can again be provided that the parameter of the food characterizes the size, the caliber, the weight, the temperature, the initial state and / or the quality of the food before cooking, and / or the parameter of the cooking program the humidity, air circulation and / or characterizes the temperature in the cooking chamber and / or the target value of the browning of the food, and / or the parameter of the finished cooking step, the moisture, the air circulation and / or the temperature in the cooking chamber characterized.

Furthermore, it can be provided according to the invention that the intermediate value and / or the final value in dependence on the selected food, the selected cooking program and / or the selected finished cooking step and / or the determines at least one selected parameter and / or displayed on the operating and / or display device.

With the invention it is proposed that the determined and / or displayed intermediate and / or final value, preferably via the operating and / or display device, changed and / or, preferably stored in the memory device, in particular after a change.

Particularly preferred embodiments of the invention are characterized in that the intermediate value is determined, selected, displayed and / or stored in the form of a percentage relative to the final value.

Inventive methods can be distinguished by the fact that, particularly when the intermediate value in the pre-cooking step is reached, at least the intermediate value is stored in the storage device and in the finished cooking step the cooking of the food is taken into account taking into account at least the intermediate value retrieved from the storage device and the sensing device recorded measured values is terminated.

A method according to the invention can furthermore be characterized by storing measured values, the intermediate value, the final value, the food to be cooked, the cooking program and / or the parameter, preferably together with one, in particular selectable via the operating and / or display device and / or changeable, identifier in the memory device.

It can be provided that the identifier, in particular together with the degree of cooking of the food, preferably during the entire process, displayed, changed and / or can be stored.

The invention also proposes that the finished cooking step can be selected, changed and / or stored via the identifier, in particular by means of the operating and / or display device.

Furthermore, it can be provided according to the invention that the finished cooking step can be started via the operating and / or display device.

Furthermore, it is proposed with the invention that at least one cooling and / or storage step is carried out between the pre-cooking step and the finished cooking step.

According to the invention, it is also preferred that, when determining the intermediate value, when guiding the pre-cooking step, in particular when determining the end of the pre-cooking step, and / or when carrying out the finished cooking step, in particular when determining the end of the finished cooking step, a progression of cooking after completion of the pre-cooking step and / or after removal of the food from the cooking chamber after completion of the pre-cooking step, possibly taking into account the cooling and / or storage step, is taken into account in the form of a correction term.

It can be provided that the correction term depends on the chronological course of the measured values of the sensing device, at least during the pre-cooking step, in particular a cooking product size detected during the pre-cooking step, preferably determined by the cooking product caliber, the cooking product size and / or the product weight, and / or the time of removal of the food from the cooking chamber after completion of the Vorgar step and / or the time of introduction of the food into the cooking chamber for the Fertiggar step calculated is, wherein the food size and / or the Gargutkaliber is determined in particular on the first and / or second derivative of the core temperature after the time or, are.

It can be provided that the correction term is used to correct the duration of the finished cooking step, wherein said duration is displayed before and / or after the correction, in particular via the operating and / or display device.

The invention also proposes that a customer input via the operating and / or display device to the intermediate value be checked for plausibility, taking into account the selected cooking product, the selected cooking program and / or the at least one selected parameter and / or taking into account measured values acquired via the sensing device becomes.

It can be provided that in the case of a detected lack of plausibility an indication, in particular via the operating and / or display device, issued and / or automatically a calculated intermediate value is displayed as a suggestion, the proposal can be changed and / or stored.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that during the pre-cooking step, a time course of at least one determining the climate in the oven size, such as humidity, temperature and / or air circulation in the oven, is determined for the Fertiggar step, preferably with this course, the food within a predetermined, in particular via the operating and / or display device entered, duration of the finished cooking step with the predetermined, in particular the entered via the operating and / or display device, the final value of the Garegrads of the food and / or with the specified, in particular entered via the operating and / or display device, Gardauer reached.

With the invention it is also proposed that a target time, in particular target time, is input, in which the finished cooking step is to be completed.

It can be provided that several, especially in different Vorgar steps vorgegarte food with the Fertiggar step to the respective desired final values of the cooking level and / or the cooking time are cooked so that the final values of all food reaches substantially to the target time become.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the target time together with the food, in particular using the identifier and / or the intermediate value, preferably for all pre-cooked food, entered and / or stored.

It can be provided that a loading time at which the food to be cooked is loaded into the cooking chamber, preferably for each pre-cooked food, is calculated such that the final value of the degree of cooking is achieved at the target time, preferably at the loading time a request for loading the food, in particular under display of the associated identifier, is displayed on the control and / or display device.

It is advantageous if, in the calculation of each loading time, the caliber of the respective food and / or the number of other, to be loaded into the cooking food, is or will be considered.

According to the invention, it may be provided that the sequence of pre-cooking steps and / or the start times of each pre-cooking step and / or each loading time are automatically calculated.

It can be provided that during the first pre-cooking step, the duration and / or the at least one climate-determining size of the finished cooking step is or will be determined.

It can also be provided that the foodstuffs of the further pre-cooking steps are pre-cooked up to the respective intermediate values, from which the finished cooking step at its specific duration or at the specific target time, preferably taking into account the determined climate size, cook the food to its final value.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that a warning, in particular on the operating and / or display device, is output when the entered target time can not be achieved and / or a combination of different pre-cooked food in the Fertiggar step no satisfactory Results may provide, in particular, the pre-cooked food needs different climate sizes.

It can be provided that with the warning alternative possible target times, Fertiggar steps and / or Vorgaz steps are displayed, preferably a selection of alternatives via the operating and / or display device is made possible.

It may be more advantageous that during at least one Vorgar step at least one subsequent loading time and / or removal time, at least one item to be cooked from the oven over the expected duration of the Vorgar step and / or over the time course of the climate in the cooking chamber determining size is determined, wherein preferably at each loading time and / or removal time a request for loading or removal of the food, in particular displaying the associated identifier, is displayed on the operating and / or display device ,

According to the invention, a cooking device with a cooking chamber, a computing device, a storage device, at least one sensing device and at least one heating device and a programming for carrying out a method according to the invention is also provided.

In this case, an operating and / or display device, preferably comprising buttons, a knob and / or a touch screen can be provided.

The invention is therefore based on the surprising finding that the substantially continuous calculation of a cooking level during a cooking process, such as a core temperature or a C value based on an internal cooking parameter, such as the core temperature or the pH, allows a defined Percentage of a pre-cooking and / or a remaining time to reach a final cooking state in a later cooking process to calculate. Upon reaching the specific percentage or the specific time remaining, which may be pre-set by a user or are already preset, it is possible to interrupt the cooking process and store the thus pre-cooked food for later final preparation under hygienic conditions cooled. At a later date, then the missing percentage of the cooking level, eg C-value, with the help of a separate finishing step in a short time, namely on the remaining time can be achieved. So it can be ensured that a meal can be completed at peak times in the kitchen operation within a short time, without it comes to a under or over-cooking of the food. In this case, a memory device may be provided which determines the percentage of the degree of cooking and / or the remaining time together with other information, such as user entered desired end values, the type of food or a user entered Labeling is saved. Thus it can be ensured that a user can quickly and easily call up and start the suitable final cooking process for the completion of the food.

This results in a whole series of advantages for a user, in particular in large and commercial kitchens as well as in the canteen and catering sector. By having e.g. the percentage of a cooking end state to be reached (C-value or core temperature) can be entered, it is possible for a cook to incorporate his experience in the treatment of food. He can also incorporate his personal preferences and decide for himself that e.g. a vegetable is cooked up to a degree of cooking 95%, while meat is pre-cooked up to a cooking level of 80%, and so the vegetables and the meat in the final cooking of 5% and 20% of the final value of the cooking degree in his opinion exactly right Consistency receives. It is also possible that a user himself determines how much time he has for the final cooking of the pre-cooked food in such a cooking appliance. This way, the timing of a kitchen operation can be coordinated much more precisely than before. When so-called finishing or regeneration of food, a user is also able to decide in the tightrope walk between the shortest possible reheating time and the best possible cooking result, in which food he wants to draw which limit.

Figur 1

ein erfindungsgemäßes Gargerät; und

Figur 2

den Ablauf eines Teils eines efindungsgenläßen Verfahrens.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings. It shows

FIG. 1

an inventive cooking appliance; and

FIG. 2

the course of a part of a treatment process.

FIG. 1 shows an inventive cooking appliance 1 with a cooking chamber 5, in which a food to be cooked 10 can be placed on a food support 15. For heating the cooking chamber 5, a heater 20 is arranged around a fan 25 around. Furthermore, a steam generator 30 is provided for feeding steam into the cooking chamber 5.

A user can select a cooking program 50a by means of a display device 50 via an operating device 35 which comprises one or more buttons 40 and a rotary knob 45. Subsequently, the user can use the operating device 35 to set different targets, such as e.g. Enter the tanning and core temperature for the selected cooking program or change the default settings. Then, an option appears on the display 50 for performing a cooking method according to the invention, e.g. in the form of a "cooking with finishing" or "cooking for finishing" field which can be selected by depressing the field on the touch screen display 50. If this option is selected by the user via the operating device 35 or the display device 50 embodied as a touch screen, the selected cooking program with the desired parameters is converted into an efrind-like cooking program, ie an interruptible cooking program. For this purpose, the user must have an intermediate value for the degree of cooking, e.g. in the form of a C-value or a core temperature or a finishing time via the operating device 35 e.g. Enter 45 using the rotary knob. The selected values 50b are displayed on the display device 50.

As soon as a food item 10 has been introduced into the cooking chamber 5, an identifier 50c appears on the display device 50, which can be changed by the user via the operating device 35. During the start of the pre-cooking step, the state of the item to be cooked 10 is monitored by means of a core temperature sensor 55 which has been inserted into the food 10 and / or by means of a gas sensor 60. With the aid of a computing device 65, the cooking appliance 1 controls the climate in the cooking chamber 5 via the heater 20, the fan 25 and the steam generator 30. For this purpose, the oven temperature is monitored by means of a cooking chamber temperature sensor 70 and the humidity using a humidity sensor 75.

From the course of the measured data of the core temperature sensor 55 and / or the gas sensor 60, the computing device 65 calculates the current cooking level of the food to be cooked 10 during the pre-cooking step. From the temporal development of the cooking degree, it is possible to deduce the time of the anticipated end of the cooking program. The remaining cooking time and / or the current cooking level 50b resulting from the anticipated end and the current cooking time can be displayed on the display device 50 during the pre-cooking step, for example at the point at which the intermediate value and the final cooking level were previously entered by the user, the entered values were displayed on the display device 50. Upon reaching the cooking level entered by the user, or if the calculated cooking time remaining is at the user-entered finishing time matches, the end of the Vorgar-Schntts is reached. The user is prompted to remove the food 10 from the cooking chamber 5 by means of the display device 50 at this time. In addition, it is conceivable that an audible signal alerts the user to the end of the pre-cooking step.

As soon as the door (not shown) to the cooking chamber 5 is opened, the computing device 65 stores in a storage device 80 the current cooking level of the food 10 together with the user-input or preset identifier 50c. The user is also given the opportunity at this time to change the identifier 50c via the operating device 35. The identifier 50c represents a type of batch designation that clearly identifies the information about the state of the item to be cooked 10, e.g. achieved cooking level, or C-value reached core temperature, selected cooking program, type of food and size of the food at the end of the pre-cooking step to the respective Gargutcharge serve. At a later time, the cooking batch can be identified by the identifier 50c, so that the state of the item to be cooked 10 is read from the storage device 80 at the end of the pre-cooking step.

Subsequently, the user can continue to use the cooking appliance 1 as usual and also start cooking programs 50a according to the invention. During this time, other intermediate values 50b for cooking levels can be stored together with other identifiers 50c in the cooking appliance 1.

Usually, the respective pre-cooked items 10 after removal from the cooking chamber 5 in an external, not shown cooling device, such as a shock cooler spent, then to store them then cooled to a finishing step. A finishing step is a Fertiggar step, ie a program step in which a pre-cooked food 10 is cooked ready for consumption. It may happen that due to the heat stored in the food 10 is still a Nachgaren the food 10 in the shock cooler. From the development over time of the measured values of the core temperature sensor 55 and / or of the gas sensor 60, it is possible to deduce the size, ie the diameter and the heat-conducting properties of the cooking product 10. The larger the food to be cooked 10, the more it will nachgaren after removal from the oven 5. This information can be used to calculate a correction term, which is automatically added to the stored cooking level or deducted from the remaining time. This correction term thus also influences the time of the end of the pre-cooking step, if the user has a finishing time was entered. When entering an intermediate value for the degree of cooking by the user, post-cooking via the correction term can also be taken into account during the subsequent finishing step. Without further ado it is also possible to use the correction term already for shortening the pre-cooking step when entering an intermediate value for the degree of cooking.

The correction term can be calculated like the C value itself. At the time of removal of the item to be cooked 10 from the cooking appliance 1 after the pre-cooking step, the size of the food, the type of food and the temperature inside the food are known. From this point on, the food to be cooked 10 is cooled and therefore the heat from the interior of the food 10 to flow outward. For the core temperature results in a decay curve, which depends on the size of the food 10 and its thermal conductivity. For the thermal conductivity of the item to be cooked 10, a value dependent on the type of the item to be cooked 10 can be assumed. The decay function T (t) determined in this way is integrated by means of equation (1) and thus the correction term is determined.

In addition, heat is still stored in the areas of the food to be cooked 10, which lie between the core and the surface, especially for large items. This temperature gradient in the interior of the food 10 is dependent on its size, thermal conductivity and the time spent by the food 10 in the hot or hot cooking space 5. The core temperature will increase due to the energy stored in this area until the cooling from the outside passes through, and this leads to a decay of the core temperature. This part of the core temperature profile T (t) can also be taken into account with equation (1) and thus incorporated into the correction term.

However, both corrective terras can also be estimated by simple numerical values, which were previously obtained in laboratory experiments for defined types of food, sizes of the food and temperature characteristics inside the food. These numerical values are stored in the storage device 80 of the cooking appliance 1.

At a later point in time, the user removes a food item 10, which has been pre-cooked with a pre-cooking step, from the cooling device in order to convert it, with the aid of the cooking device 1, into the final state, in which the food item 10 is ready for consumption. For this purpose, the user can first select via the operating device 35 from a list with stored identifiers 50 c the correct finishing step for his food 10. Does the user have the operating device 35 selects a specific identifier 50c, the computer 65 loads from the Speicherereinirichtung 80 belonging thereto, already achieved and corrected with the correction term Garegrad together with the appropriate for the food 10 cooking program and the customer already entered during Vorgar step desire parameters , With the help of the read parameters and the stored cooking level, the sequence of the finishing step can then be controlled so that the still missing part of the cooking level is added to the food to be cooked 10. If a finishing time has been preset by the user, it is possible at the end of the pre-cooking step to cook the food to be cooked within the predetermined time to the desired final value of the cooking level, due to the cooking program interrupted at the right time.

In the case of a finishing time input by a user, the time taken for heating the cooking product 10 to the inside at the finishing step must be taken into consideration. Is the input of the finishing time selected by the user so short that due to the determined by the computing device 65 by means of the sensors 55, 60, 70, 75 size of the food to 10 sufficient time for reheating the food to be cooked 10 in the finishing step possible is, it is conceivable to inform the user via the display device 50 to this problem and to propose a minimum finishing time for just this food 10. This is ideally done towards the end or at the end of the pre-cooking step.

FIG. 2 shows the typical sequence of the selection of a cooking program 50a with desired parameters and a Vorgar step according to the invention. First, a cooking program 50a is selected by a user (step 100). Subsequently, various desired parameters and the final value of the cooking level can be entered (step 110). These include in particular the core temperature, the tanning or very general inputs, such as bloody, medium and by. In the next step 120, the user may enter a finishing time or an intermediate value of the cooking level 50b. An input to the climate, eg temperature, humidity and / or air velocity in the cooking chamber 5 during the finishing step, which influences the progress of the finishing step, may also be possible. As a precaution, pre-set parameters are already displayed which can be changed by the user. In the following step 130, the cooking program 50a is started.

In the subsequent step 140, the cooking chamber 5 is preheated to a suitable temperature and, if appropriate, the steam generator 30 is put into an operational state. The preheating can also be started after the selection of the cooking program 50a and parallel to the inputs of the user. If the preheating of the cooking chamber 5 and the steam generator 30 is completed, followed in the next step 150 is a request for loading the cooking chamber 5. Once the cooking chamber 5 is loaded with food 10, which is determined by the opening and closing of the cooking chamber door, for example via a contact switch can be, has taken place, the actual Vorgar step 160. During loading must, if necessary, the core temperature probe 55 are inserted into the food 10. During pre-cooking step 170, readings are taken by the sensors 55, 60. The sensors 70, 75 also provide measured values which are stored in the memory device 80 of the computer 65 together with the time points of the measurements. From the sensor data, the current cooking level of the food item 10 is determined or calculated in the next step 180 during the Vorgar-Schritis and / or calculated the remaining time to reach the final value of the cooking level in the finishing step. At the same time calculates the computing device 65 of the cooking device 1 from the measured values of the sensors 55, 60, 70, 75, the size of the product to be cooked 10. The size of the food 10 has an influence on the correction term, with the Nachgaren of the item to be cooked 10 after removal is taken into account from the cooking chamber 5, and on the time that is necessary to heat the food to be cooked 10 in the subsequent finishing step to the necessary consumption temperature. These parameters thus influence the course of the finishing step and thus also mathematically the remaining time and / or the intermediate value of the cooking level to be achieved. In a next step 190, the currently calculated remaining time is compared with the user-entered finishing time, or the intermediate value entered by the user is compared with the current cooking level. If the remaining time calculated in this way is smaller than the finishing time entered by the user or if the intermediate value of the cooking level has not yet been reached, the pre-cooking step is continued, ie further measured values recorded by the sensors 55, 60, 70, 75, ie Step 170 returned.

This cycle is repeated until the remaining time has reached the finishing time entered by the user or the intermediate cooking level entered by the user has been reached. If so, the end of the pre-cooking step is reached and the user is prompted to remove the item 10 (step 200). Ideally, until the oven door is opened, the cooking level is further calculated to account for a delay in removal by the user. The user can then save the parameters saved in this way (customer entries, current cooking level, size of the food to be cooked, used cooking program 50a, etc.) together with an identifier 50c that can be modified by the user are stored in the memory device 80.

At a later date (not in FIG. 2 shown), these parameters can be called again with the help of the identifier 50c and so a suitable finishing step for the pre-cooked food 10 are calculated and performed.

If the preset parameters for a pre-cooking step have been confirmed in accordance with a standard finishing step without change, the items to be cooked are all cooked in such a way that they all have the same parameters, i. Finishing time, temperature, humidity and air flow, to be cooked during the standard finishing step. Then all pre-cooked foods can be prepared ready for consumption at the same time with one and the same finishing program.

It can be more than just a standard finishing step selectable. It can be selected on the control device 35 different standard finishing slides, which are displayed on the display device 50 and whose parameters are stored in the memory device 80. For example, pre-cooking steps might be possible for standard "short", "medium" or "long" finishing steps, which are a measure of the finishing time, or "damp", "medium" or "dry" Measures for the climate during the finishing step are, or "small", "medium" or "large", which are a measure of the size of the food to be treated. Also combinations of these are possible.

If such a pre-cooking step is selected with a standard finishing step, the pre-cooking step will proceed according to the resulting requirements. All such pre-cooked food can then be cooked with a standard finishing step. The selection of a standard finishing program then corresponds to an identifier 50c of the pre-cooked food 10, wherein a whole number of pre-cooked items are characterized by such an identifier 50c. Specific information about a specific food item can not be used when starting the corresponding standard finishing step. However, the information obtained from the selected standard finishing step, ie the pre-cooking step, can still be used for the standard finishing step or the finished cooking step. Thus, the intermediate values for the degree of cooking, ie the C values according to equation (1) for all food cooked with the same pre-cooking step for the same standard finishing step, are dependent on the size and type of the respective item to be cooked so high that in the standard finishing step, all items specified by this identifier 50c reach the previously selected targets at the end of the standard finishing step.

Likewise, it is possible for a user to pretend that a whole series of food items pre-cooked in pre-cooking steps should be finished cooking at a certain time. For this purpose, he can call various types of food or stored identifiers 50c via the operating device 35 in the cooking appliance 1 and select a single finishing step, with which all the food can be cooked to a time set by him finished. This can be achieved that a whole menu is cooked at the same time desired by the user at the same time. In order to make this possible, it is calculated in the computing device 65 how much time is required for the cooking processes loaded from the storage device 80. The cooking process that will last the longest will be displayed first. About the display device 50, the user of such a finishing step is prompted to load the first food that takes the longest time in the cooking appliance. The duration of the finished cooking step calculated during the pre-cooking step makes it possible to select the time so that the first food to be cooked is ready at the time desired by the user.

The cooking appliance 1 can already preheat or prepare the cooking chamber 5 by means of the heater 20 and the steam generator 30 so that the cooking appliance 1 is at the time of loading request in the appropriate climatic state for the first food. As soon as the time difference between the current time and the time specified by the user corresponds to the time duration that has been exceeded by the user. B. on the identifier 50c selected food 10 during the finished cooking step required, the user is asked to load the cooking chamber 5 with the second food. This is continued for the rest of the food until all food is cooked with the combined Fertiggar-step vezaehrfertig. At the time set by the user then all the food he has selected are finished at the same time.

The detection routines running during the pre-cooking step may, of course, be used to set the duration of the finished cooking step and / or to calculate the intermediate value to be reached in the pre-cooking step. In particular, Vasterkennungen and caliber detections are useful in which the total mass of the cooking product located in the cooking or the size or the average diameter of the food to be determined. For such recognitions usually the time courses of the signals of However, it is also possible, with the help of optical sensors or ultrasonic sensors, to reduce the size of the food to be cooked and the number of food items to be cooked. As already explained, such information may be useful for determining the duration of the finished cooking step and the intermediate value to be reached in the pre-cooking step. In this case, the temporal behavior in the form of the first and second sections of the signal after the time can be used.

During the pre-cooking step, it is also possible to determine a climate suitable for the finished cooking step with which a product to be cooked in the finished cooking section is to be treated. The climate is determined by the temperature, humidity and airiness in the oven. The ideal climate during the finished cooking step depends largely on the food to be cooked 10 and is thus largely determined by the customer input, which were ideally stored together with the identifier 50c. In a combination Fertiggar-step in which several food items are to be cooked at the same time, it may be that a particular climate is particularly suitable for a mixture of different food items.

In order to enable such a combined Fertiggar-step, it may also be possible with the method and cooking device according to the invention, already in the pre-cooking step to enter a combination of different food and associated cooking process, which at a user-specified time in a combination Fertiggar- Step to be transferred to the end state desired by the user at the same time. The cooking device can then calculate the ideal mix climate for the combined finish cooking step and tell the user at what time which pre-cooking steps must be performed. It is expedient to first perform such Vorgar steps whose duration is difficult to estimate, since they depend significantly on the size of the food. So it would be z. B. expedient to start first a cooking program for a roast, because the duration of the relevant cooking program is the most uncertain. In addition, especially for large calibers of the large roast, the finished cooking step for such a roast will take longer than the finished cooking steps of the garnish and vegetables. Thus, after the end of the roughing step for the large roast, it can already be estimated at which time the cooking appliance is needed again in order to start the combination finish cooking step at the time when the final cooking is reached at the time given by the user is possible.

Should it become apparent when calculating the remaining time of a pre-cooking step that all selected pre-cooking steps can not be completed in time to allow the combination finish-cooking step to start in a timely manner, this may be communicated to the user via display device 50. The user can then either delete certain selected cooking processes, move the desired time at which the combination finish cooking step is to be completed to a later time, or select a combination pre-cooking step with which two different food items can be placed in a single pre-cooking stage. Step until the intermediate value is finished cooking. For this purpose, the ideal times are selected at which the different items to be cooked are introduced into the cooking chamber 5 and removed again during the combination pre-cooking step. In addition to the expected duration of the cooking steps of the various food items, especially the ideal climate for the food to be cooked is decisive. Of course, certain combinations are impossible to realize in a single cooking step. Again, this must be taken into account when assembling combination pre-cooking steps and combination finishing steps.

If such an impossible combination is entered by the user, he will be informed via the display device 50 of the possible risks when performing such a method or the desired cooking process will not be started with a corresponding hint. Conveniently, the user may also be presented with an alternative proposal, with which a possible cooking method for the cooking processes selected by the user is proposed. It comes z. B. a separation of a combination Fertiggar-step into two or more different Fertiggar steps or combination Fertiggar steps into consideration, in which the various food eg. B. in the suitable climate for them (eg., Dry and humid) finished cooking.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description and in the claims may be essential both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Cooking appliance

5

oven

10

be cooked

15

food support

20

heater

25

fan

30

steam generator

35

operating device

40

Keys

45

knob

50

display

50a

cooking program

50b

Selected or current value of the cooking level

50c

ID

55

Core probe

60

gas sensor

65

computing device

70

Garraumtemperatursensor

75

humidity sensor

80

memory device

100-200

Precooking steps

Claims (33)

1. A method for cooking an item to be cooked in a cooking appliance comprising a cooking chamber, at least one heating device, a processing unit, a memory device, and at least one sensing device, which method is carried out by the processing unit and depending on a degree of cooking of an item to be cooked and/or a cooking time, which in particular is/are determined by the core temperature, the browning, the pH value, and/or the cooking value, using measured values recorded by the sensing device and taking into account values which are stored at least temporarily in the memory device,
   characterized by
   at least two temporally separated steps, comprising
   a pre-cooking step which is interrupted when a predefined intermediate value of the degree of cooking and/or the cooking time, in particular a predefined residual time of the cooking time, is reached, and
   a final cooking step, in particular in the form of a finishing step, which is initiated at a later time in order to complete cooking of the item to be cooked taking into account the intermediate value.
2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that
   the degree of cooking is computed using a time summation or a time integral of at least one measured value which in particular is determined by means of a core temperature sensor and/or at least one gas sensor for determining the chemical state of the item to be cooked based on the atmosphere in the cooking chamber.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that
   the intermediate value is determined depending on the duration of a further cooking step, wherein said further cooking step preferably corresponds to the final cooking step.
4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the intermediate value and/or a final value of the degree of cooking and/or the cooking time, in particular the duration of the final cooking step, can be changed and/or selected by an operating and/or display device, preferably at the beginning of the method, in particular by selecting the item to be cooked, a cooking program, and/or at least one parameter relating to the item to be cooked, and/or to the cooking program, and/or to a final cooking step which is predefined at least in part.
5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that
   the parameter relating to the item to be cooked characterizes the size, the calibre, the weight, the temperature, the initial state, and/or the quality of the item to be cooked before cooking, and/or the parameter relating to the cooking program characterizes the humidity, the air circulation, and/or the temperature in the cooking chamber, and/or the target value of browning of the item to be cooked, and/or the parameter relating to the final cooking step characterizes the humidity, the air circulation, and/or the temperature in the cooking chamber.
6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the processing unit determines the intermediate value and/or the final value, depending on the item to be cooked which has been selected, the cooking program which has been selected, and/or the final cooking step which has been selected, and/or the at least one parameter which has been selected, and/or displays said value(s) on the operating and/or display device.
7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that
   the intermediate and/or final value which is determined and/or displayed can be changed, preferably by means of the operating and/or display device, and/or stored, preferably in the memory device, in particular after a change has been made.
8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the intermediate value is determined, selected, displayed, and/or stored as a percentage relative to the final value.
9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   in particular when the intermediate value is reached in the pre-cooking step, at least the intermediate value is stored in the memory device, and cooking of the item to be cooked is completed in the final cooking step, taking into account at least the intermediate value which is retrieved from the memory device and measured values which have been recorded by the sensing device.
10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by storing measured values, the intermediate value, the final value, the item to be cooked, the cooking program, and/or the parameter in the memory device, preferably along with an identifier which can be selected and/or changed, in particular via the operating and/or display device.
11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that
    the identifier can be displayed, changed, and/or stored, preferably throughout the complete method, in particular along with the degree of cooking of the item to be cooked.
12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that
    the final cooking step can be selected, changed, and/or stored using the identifier, in particular via the operating and/or display device.
13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
    the final cooking step can be started via the operating and/or display device.
14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one cooling step and/or storage step is carried out between the pre-cooking step and the final cooking step.
15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
    a continuation of the cooking, once the pre-cooking step has been completed and/or the item to be cooked has been removed from the cooking chamber once the pre-cooking step has been completed, is taken into account in the form of a correction term, preferably taking into account the cooling and/or storage step, if applicable, when the intermediate value is determined, when the pre-cooking step is carried out, in particular when the end of the pre-cooking step is determined, and/or when the final cooking step is carried out, in particular when the end of the final cooking step is determined.
16. A method according to claim 15, characterized in that
    the correction term is computed depending on the chronological development of the measured values which are recorded by the sensing device at least during the pre-cooking step, in particular of a parameter relating to the item to be cooked which is preferably constituted by the calibre of the item to be cooked, the size of the item to be cooked, and/or the weight of the item to be cooked, and/or the time of removal of the item to be cooked from the cooking chamber once the pre-cooking step has been completed, and/or the time of introduction of the item to be cooked into the cooking chamber for the final cooking step, wherein the size of the item to be cooked and/or the calibre of the item to be cooked in particular is/are determined using the first and/or second derivative of the core temperature with respect to time.
17. A method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that
    the correction term is used to correct the duration of the final cooking step, wherein said duration is displayed before and/or after said correction, in particular via the operating and/or display device.
18. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
    a client's entry relating to the intermediate value via the operating and/or display device is checked for plausibility taking into account the item to be cooked which has been selected, the cooking program which has been selected, and/or the at least one parameter which has been selected, and/or taking into account measured values which have been recorded by means of the sensing device.
19. A method according to claim 18, characterized in that
    in case a lack of plausibility is detected, a message is output, in particular via the operating and/or display device, and/or a computed intermediate value is automatically displayed as a suggestion, wherein said suggestion can be changed and/or stored.
20. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
    during the pre-cooking step, a chronological development of at least one characteristic determining the climate in the cooking chamber, such as the humidity, temperature, and/or air circulation in the cooking chamber, is determined for the final cooking step, wherein preferably with this development, the item to be cooked reaches during a predefined duration, which in particular is entered by means of the operating and/or display device, of the final cooking step with the predefined final value of the degree of cooking, which in particular is entered by means of the operating and/or display device, and/or with the predefined cooking time, which in particular is entered by means of the operating and/or display device.
21. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
    a target time, in particular a target time of day, is entered at which the final cooking step is to be completed.
22. A method according to claim 21, characterized in that
    several items to be cooked, in particular items which have been pre-cooked in different pre-cooking steps, are cooked in the final cooking step, until the final values of the degree of cooking and/or the cooking time which is/are desired in each case are reached, in such a manner that the final values of all items to be cooked are reached substantially at the target time.
23. A method according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that
    the target time is entered and/or stored along with the item to be cooked, in particular using the identifier and/or the intermediate value, preferably for all pre-cooked items to be cooked.
24. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that
    a loading time at which the item to be cooked is loaded into the cooking chamber is computed, preferably for each pre-cooked item to be cooked, in such a manner that the final value of the degree of cooking is reached at the target time, wherein a request for loading the item to be cooked is displayed on the operating and/or display device, preferably at the loading time, in particular while the associated identifier is displayed.
25. A method according to claim 24, characterized in that
    the calibre of the specific item to be cooked and/or the number of further items to be cooked which are to be loaded into the cooking chamber is/are taken into account when calculating each loading time.
26. A method according to any one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that
    the sequence of the pre-cooking steps, and/or the starting times of each pre-cooking step, and/or each loading time is/are computed automatically.
27. A method according to claim 26, characterized in that
    the duration and/or the at least one characteristic determining the climate of the final cooking step is/are determined during the first pre-cooking step.
28. A method according to claim 27, characterized in that
    the items to be cooked of the further pre-cooking steps are pre-cooked until the respective intermediate values are reached from which the items to be cooked are then cooked in the final cooking step, during a defined duration or until a defined target time, until their respective final values are reached, preferably taking into account the climate characteristic which has been determined.
29. A method according to any one of claims 21 to 28, characterized in that a warning is output, in particular on the operating and/or display device, if the target time which has been entered cannot be reached and/or a combination of several pre-cooked items to be cooked in the final cooking step cannot yield satisfactory results, in particular if the pre-cooked items to be cooked require different climate characteristics.
30. A method according to claim 29, characterized in that
    alternative possible target times, final cooking steps, and/or pre-cooking steps are displayed along with the warning, wherein preferably a selection of an alternative by means of the operating and/or display device is allowed.
31. A method according to claim 30, characterized in that
    during at least one pre-cooking step, at least one subsequent loading time and/or removal time of at least one item to be cooked from the cooking chamber is determined using the expected duration of the pre-cooking step and/or using the chronological development of the characteristic determining the climate in the cooking chamber, wherein preferably a request for loading or removal, respectively, of the item to be cooked is displayed on the operating and/or display device at each loading time and/or removal time, in particular while the associated identifier is displayed.
32. A cooking appliance (1) comprising a cooking chamber (5), a processing unit (65), a memory device (80), at least one sensing device (55, 60, 70, 75), at least one heating device (20, 25, 30) and a programming so as to carry out a method according to any one of the preceding claims.
33. A cooking appliance according to claim 32, characterized by
    an operating and/or display device (35, 40, 45, 50), preferably comprising buttons (40), a rotary knob (45), and/or a touch screen (50).

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