HK1168013A - Improved perforated lid for containers for cooking food - Google Patents

Description

Improved perforated lid for containers for cooking food products

The present invention relates to an improved perforated lid for containers used for cooking food products.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a lid of the above type which is specifically developed and realised to be able to restore the nutritional characteristics of food products containing saturated vapours produced by cooking.

It is known that the cooking of food in the household today provides for cooking of food using gas, which cooking is not always uniform. In particular, if the food is cooked at too high a temperature, most of the organoleptic properties are lost or lost.

To solve this problem, there have been covers for many years provided with holes for discharging saturated steam. This operating principle is dedicated to cooking food at low temperatures, where the heat is distributed evenly in the pan by natural convection motion. The above allows the recovery of the gaseous phase converted into liquid phase, thus avoiding food products exceeding 100 ℃, and preventing the loss of vitamins, proteins and oil components, thus reducing the energy requirements (wood, town gas, biogas, electricity).

However, in such systems, steam from cooking with the lid is vented from the cook vessel under pressure, thus dispersing the nutritional characteristics of the food into the environment. In other words, the lid determines a high degree of loss of food properties.

In recent years, this type of cover has been improved by providing a hood above and at a distance from the hole for discharging the saturated steam, which hood is intended to collect and condense the steam while not obstructing the passage of gases.

More recently, this type of lid has been further improved considerably by virtue of european patent No. EP-B-1753330 filed on 19.4.2005 and granted on 21.5.2008 in the name of the same applicant, which discloses a lid that simultaneously allows the containment of heat dispersion, promotes the discharge of regular and accelerated steam from the cooking vessel through an outlet path having a suitable shape and housing, and conveys and controls the production of steam by condensing it into the cooking pot. In particular, according to european patent No. EP-B-1753330, an improved lid for covering a container for cooking food is disclosed, comprising means for cooling steam located above and outside said lid and support means for said steam cooling means, the lid having an extension in the thickness direction to enable the formation of a plurality of cylindrical or shaped channels through the lid, said channels forming an outward passage for steam from the container for cooking said food, creating an acceleration of the steam, said accelerated steam coming into contact with the lower surface of said steam cooling means through said channels, condensing and flowing again in liquid phase through said plurality of channels into said cooking container.

Such lids allow particularly good results to be obtained in frying situations. In fact, traditional frying in closed fryers may reach temperatures even higher than 200 ℃, thus producing toxic products while frying, whereas due to the improved lid according to european patent EP-B-1753330 frying can be carried out at temperatures of 97 ℃, which is well below 180 ℃ for the oil forming acrylic acid, a recognized carcinogen, and also below 140 ℃ for the oil reaching its smoke point producing the first toxic substance. In addition, the circulation of the condensed steam allows the cook vessel with the lid placed on top of it to be transferred into a vented and steam cooled oven with the attendant advantages. Furthermore, since the degradation temperature is not reached at the time of cooking, the oil retains its organoleptic properties and can be used for a number of further subsequent cookings, up to five times and more.

However, it has been found that even if such an improved lid allows good results to be obtained, it has the problem that the hood for steam collection and condensation progressively overheats, with the result that the amount of steam condensed and returned to the cooking vessel is reduced with respect to the amount required to obtain the desired cooking characteristics.

In view of the above, it is clear that there is a need to have a lid that allows cooking of food without compromising the quality of the food and allowing cooking at a temperature that is not too high, thus also forming a thermal insulation with respect to the surrounding environment, allowing increasing the amount of condensed steam that returns into the cooking vessel, while keeping the amount of steam and gas that leaves the vessel constant.

In this case, the cover is included in the solution proposed according to the invention.

The object of the present invention is therefore to achieve an improved perforated lid for cooking food products which allows to overcome the limitations of the solutions according to the prior art and to achieve the aforementioned technical effects.

It is a further object of the present invention that the perforated cover can be realized at a significantly reduced cost, both in terms of production costs and running costs.

Not the last object of the present invention is to realise a well-covered lid which is particularly simple, safe and reliable and which can be used in suitably modified containers for frying food.

A first particular object of the invention is therefore an improved perforated lid for containers for cooking food products, comprising perforations for the passage of upward steam and gas and downward condensed steam and means for cooling and condensing the steam passing through said perforations, and means for supporting said means for cooling steam, wherein said means for cooling steam comprise, in order from the container for cooking food products upwards, a perforated lower plate, at least one perforated intermediate plate and an imperforate upper plate, and said means for supporting said steam cooling means comprise a lower spacer positioned between said lower plate and said intermediate plate and an upper spacer positioned between said intermediate plate and said upper plate.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the perforated cover comprises a plurality of intermediate plates connected by a corresponding number of intermediate spacers.

Preferably, according to the invention, the upper surface of the lower plate and the upper surface of the at least one intermediate plate have upwardly facing concavity, and the lower surface of the upper plate and the lower surface of the at least one intermediate plate have downwardly facing concavity.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the lower surface of the upper plate and the lower surface of the at least one intermediate plate may be corrugated or, as an alternative, laminar.

Still according to the invention, said means for supporting said cooling means are adjustable and may comprise screws.

Finally, still according to the invention, said perforated cover may comprise a handle arranged on the upper end of said means for supporting said cooling means.

A further second specific object of the invention is to use the previously defined fryer with a perforated lid, comprising a casing made of a heat insulating material, inside which the pan and the extractable cartridge are placed, as well as said lid and the electric cooking hob, wherein said electric cooking hob is separable from the remaining components of the fryer.

Preferably, according to the invention, the fryer may comprise one or more gas-tight members of the lid on the pan.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example and not by way of limitation, according to preferred embodiments with particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view of an improved perforated lid for a container for cooking food products according to the invention,

figure 2 shows a side view of the perforated cover of figure 1,

figure 3 shows a top plan view of the lower plate of the perforated cover of figure 1,

figure 4 shows a top plan view of the intermediate plate of the apertured cover of figure 1,

FIG. 5 shows a top plan view of the upper plate of the perforated cover of FIG. 1, an

Figure 6 shows an exploded view of a fryer comprising an improved perforated lid of the present invention.

In accordance with the drawings, an improved perforated lid for a container for cooking food in accordance with the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a lower plate 11, the lower plate 11 constituting a member located on the top of the cooking container, and above the upper plate 11, an intermediate plate 12, an upper plate 13 and a handle 14 are sequentially placed.

The lower plate 11 according to this embodiment is provided with a curved shape so as to have a lower surface protruding downward, i.e., toward the inside of the cook vessel. An aperture 15 is formed near the center of the lower plate 11, the shape of the profile of the aperture 15 forming a passage for the steam and gas exiting the cook vessel to pass through and for the condensed steam to return to the cook vessel. Said holes 15 have a suitable diameter, and in this embodiment their position on the lower plate 11 reproduces a perimeter whose centre corresponds to the centre of the lower plate 11.

An intermediate plate 12 is mounted above the lower plate 11 by a spacer 16 made of a heat insulating material. Saturated steam generated in the cook vessel passes through the holes 15 of the lower plate 11 and is subjected to acceleration toward the outside of the vessel. The saturated steam leaving the holes 15 then encounters the lower surface of the intermediate plate 12, undergoes partial condensation due to the lower temperature by contact with this lower surface and falls back down due to gravity, passing through the same holes 15 and returning into the cook vessel.

The lower surface of the intermediate plate 12 has a suitably concave shape so that condensate originating from said steam accumulates on this lower surface and falls back in a larger amount onto the upper surface of the lower plate 11. The upwardly facing concave shape of the lower plate 11 provided according to the preferred embodiment of the perforated cover of the present invention facilitates the collection of condensate and the flow of liquid material back into the cook vessel through the holes 15.

The lower surface of the intermediate plate 12 may also be corrugated to increase the surface encountered by the saturated steam, increasing the condensation effect of the intermediate plate 12.

Furthermore, the intermediate plate 12 is provided with a hole 17 formed close to the centre, the profile shape of the hole 17 defining a passage for the passage of steam and gas from the lower plate 11 and for the falling of condensed steam back onto the lower plate 11.

On top of the intermediate plate 12 is arranged an upper plate 13, between which an upper spacer 18 made of a heat insulating material is interposed, on top of the upper plate 13 is provided a handle 14.

The lower surface of the upper plate 13 has a concavity facing downwards to favour the accumulation of condensate originating from the steam in contact with the upper plate 13, the temperature of the upper plate 13 being in turn lower than that of the intermediate plate 12. Thus, a greater amount of condensate accumulates and falls back onto the upper surface of the intermediate plate 12. In addition, the upper surface of the intermediate plate 12 has an upwardly facing concavity to facilitate the collection of condensate and the flow of liquid material down through the apertures 17.

The lower surface of the upper plate 13 may also be corrugated to increase the surface encountered by the saturated steam, increasing the condensation effect of the upper plate 13.

The diameter of the intermediate plate 12 is smaller than the diameter of the lower plate 11 and the diameter of the upper plate 13 is smaller than the diameter of the intermediate plate 12, allowing the intermediate plate 12 and the upper plate 13 to deflect the steam exiting through the holes 15 and 17 of the lower plate 11 and the intermediate plate 12, respectively, without blocking the flow thereof.

Lower and upper spacers 16 and 18 are connected to the lower and intermediate plates 11 and 12 and to the intermediate and upper plates 12 and 13, respectively, by screws passing through holes positioned in the centers of the plates 11, 12 and 13 and through the spacers 16 and 18.

Based on the above description, it can be understood that the essential feature of the improved perforated lid of the invention is to form the lid of a container for cooking food, said lid consisting of three plates superposed and connected by insulating spacers, the lower plate 11 and the intermediate plate 12 being provided with holes 15, 17 for the passage of steam and gas and condensate downwards coming respectively from the cooking container and the lower plate 11, upwards and downwards, the intermediate plate 12 and the upper plate 13 being provided with a lower surface having a concavity facing downwards for the condensation and accumulation of the steam in contact with said surface.

An advantage of the present invention is that a second condensing plate is provided above the first condensing plate, which is cooler than the first condensing plate and establishes a liquid-vapor equilibrium on its lower surface, allowing condensation and subsequent recovery of a larger amount of vapor.

In order to control the amount of condensate and adjust it according to the specific cooking needs of different food products, the screws connecting the different plates 11, 12 and 13 and the spacers 16 and 18 together can be adjusted to vary the relative distance of the plates. This precaution can be used in situations where certain food products require cooking for different periods of time with higher or lower recovery of cooking liquid, or where the amount of condensation is controlled based on higher or lower steam production.

It is therefore a further advantage of the present invention to control the height of the cooling device and thus the cooking of the food product.

A second important feature to ensure optimal cooking in the particular case of frying is to ensure that the lid 10 is sealed and operates to adhere preferentially to the upper rim of the cook vessel.

With particular reference to fig. 6, a fryer 20 using a perforated lid 10 of the present invention comprises: a casing 21 made of heat insulating material, a pan 22 and an extractable cartridge 23 being provided in the casing 21. The housing 21 is provided with a handle 24 and is movably positioned above an electric cooking hob 25, the electric cooking hob 25 being provided with a control button plate 26, the button plate 26 being used in particular for opening and setting the cooking time and temperature.

The fryer thus consists of three separate components, namely an electric cooking hob 25, a pan 22 and a lid 10.

The pan 22 with the housing 21, the handle 24 and the extractable cartridge 23 can be separated from the electric cooking hob 25, which allows to wash the pan 22 without risking to damage the electric components of the electric cooking hob 25. Further, if necessary, the pot 22 may use a heating source other than the electric kitchen range 25, such as a gas stove or the like. In addition, the electric cabinet 25 may be used for other cook vessels, such as standard pots.

A second important aspect, also used to ensure optimal cooking in the particular case of frying, is to control the sealing of the lid 10 and make it operate preferably glued to the upper rim of the cook vessel. For this purpose, the fryer 20 using the perforated lid 10 of the invention may be provided with a hermetic closure obtained by forming hooks on the casing 21 for closing the lid 10 on the fryer 20.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it must be understood that modifications and/or alterations can be made by those skilled in the art without for this reason departing from the scope of protection defined by the enclosed claims.

Claims (11)

1. An improved perforated lid (10) for containers for cooking food products, comprising holes (15) for the passage of upward steam and gas and downward condensed steam and means for cooling and condensing the steam passing through said holes, and means for supporting said means for cooling the steam, characterized in that said means for cooling the steam comprise, in ascending order starting from said container for cooked food, a perforated lower plate (11), at least one perforated intermediate plate (12) and an imperforate upper plate (13), and the means for supporting the means for cooling steam are constituted by a lower spacer (16) positioned between the lower plate (11) and the intermediate plate (12) and by an upper spacer (18) positioned between the intermediate plate (12) and the upper plate (13).

2. A perforated cover (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that said perforated cover (10) comprises a plurality of intermediate plates (12), said plurality of intermediate plates (12) being connected by a corresponding number of intermediate spacers.

3. Perforated lid (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the upper surface of said lower plate (11) and the upper surface of said at least one intermediate plate (12) have an upwardly facing concavity.

4. Perforated lid (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower surface of said upper plate (13) and the lower surface of said at least one intermediate plate (12) have a concavity facing downwards.

5. Perforated lid (10) according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the lower surface of said upper plate (13) and the lower surface of said at least one intermediate plate (12) are undulated.

6. Perforated lid (10) according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the lower surface of said upper plate (13) and the lower surface of said at least one intermediate plate (12) are laminar.

7. Perforated lid (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for supporting said cooling means are adjustable.

8. Perforated lid (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for supporting said cooling means comprise screws.

9. A perforated cover (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a handle (14) on the upper end of said means for supporting said cooling means.

10. Fryer (20) using a perforated cover (10) according to claims 1-9, characterised in that it comprises a casing (21) made of a heat insulating material, inside which casing (21) a pan (22) and an extractable cartridge (23) are arranged, the cover (10) and an electric cooking hob (25), characterised in that the electric cooking hob (25) is separable from the remaining components of the fryer.

11. Fryer (20) according to claim 10, characterised in that it comprises one or more airtight members for the cover (10) on the pan (20).