Patent Application
20240337539
This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE102023108548.4, entitled “Methods for Handling Foods” and filed on Apr. 4, 2023, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a method for handling foods using a thermometer for the core temperature measurement. Furthermore, the invention discloses a corresponding assembly for handling foods, preferably configured to carry out the method.
In kitchens, in particular professional kitchens, a plurality of thermometers are often provided for measuring the core temperature of the foods. In this case, thermometers can be used which are not connected to the relevant cooking appliance by a cable, but send the core temperature to the cooking appliance wirelessly. In order to differentiate a plurality of thermometers from one another, they are marked with letters or numbers, for example. When the thermometer is used, it is inserted into the food and the food together with the inserted thermometer is inserted into the cooking appliance. Here, the user has to select on the cooking appliance what thermometer they have used so that the cooking appliance displays or monitors the core temperature from this exact thermometer. This process is associated with corresponding complexity and is prone to errors, since the wrong thermometer can be selected by the operator, for example.
The object of the present invention is to specify a method for handling foods that can be carried out in a user-friendly and safe manner.
This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims relate to preferred developments of the invention.
The object is thus achieved by means of a method for handling foods that comprises at least the following steps.
A plurality of thermometers are first provided. The individual thermometer is in particular an object that can be inserted into a food. For this purpose, the individual thermometer for example comprises a handle, from which a rod extends to a tip. The thermometer comprises at least one core temperature sensor and one external temperature sensor. The two sensors are arranged within the relevant thermometer such that, when the thermometer is inserted into a food, the at least one core temperature sensor is further inside the food than the external temperature sensor. As explained in the following, the external temperature sensor is supposed to reach and measure the temperature of a “receiving space” for the food as rapidly as possible. Therefore, it is in particular provided that the external temperature sensor is arranged such that it is located outside the food in the inserted state of the thermometer, for which purpose this sensor is preferably arranged in the handle of the thermometer. However, the external temperature sensor can also be arranged slightly inside the food and, in this case, detects the temperature of the receiving space relatively rapidly.
Each thermometer preferably comprises a specific identifier. This identifier is stored in an electronic unit of the thermometer.
Furthermore, at least one food in which one of the thermometers is inserted is provided. This one thermometer is referred to in the following as the “inserted thermometer”. As described, the core temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer is arranged to be further inside the food than the external temperature sensor. In particular, the external temperature sensor is located outside the food.
An external temperature is also continuously measured using the external temperature sensor of the plurality of thermometers. As described later, the core temperature is preferably also continuously measured using the core temperature sensor. Furthermore, the external temperature, preferably also the core temperature, together with the identifier of the relevant thermometer is continuously wirelessly transmitted to a control unit.
The term “continuously” in conjunction with measuring the temperatures and the wireless transmission describes that this process is not performed once, but multiple times. In particular, it is provided that the thermometers measure and wirelessly transmit the temperatures at regular intervals (for example milliseconds or seconds). Having said that, the term “continuously” does not exclude this measurement and/or transmission by individual thermometers or all the thermometers also being able to be interrupted. For example, the thermometers can be located in a charging station, and they do not measure or transmit here, since it is already known that the thermometer that is currently charging is not in use. It is also possible, for example, that the thermometers pass into an idle state and do not measure and/or transmit in this state. The thermometers preferably comprise an internal memory, in which the measured temperature values can be stored, for example. This internal memory is in particular used when the wireless link to a receiving module is interrupted. The wireless transmission of the data can be continued once a link to the receiving module can be re-established.
Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the thermometer only begins to transmit when it ascertains a difference between its core temperature and its external temperature. Specifically, it should be assumed in most applications that, when the thermometer is inserted into the food, a difference between the measured core temperature and the measured external temperature ensues relatively rapidly and this makes it possible to ascertain that the thermometer is being used. This behavior can increase the battery life of the thermometers.
As described, the measured temperatures together with the identifier are “wirelessly” transmitted to a control unit. Near-field communication, such as Bluetooth, is in particular provided for this wireless transmission.
The control unit can comprise one module or a plurality of modules positioned at different locations. As described in greater detail as part of the assembly according to the invention, the control unit in particular comprises at least one receiving module; the thermometers send temperatures to this receiving module.
As part of the method according to the invention, the food is also “transferred” together with the inserted thermometer from a first receiving space into a second receiving space. The “receiving space” can be a “room” in a building, for example a kitchen or a stockroom, a cold store or a walk-in freezer. Furthermore, the receiving space can be formed by an appliance; appliances of this type are referred to as food-receiving appliances in the present case. A food-receiving appliance of this kind is, for example, a cooking appliance, in particular a combi-steamer, a warming appliance, a blast chiller, a blast freezer, a refrigerator or a freezer. It is provided here that the food-receiving appliance forms a receiving space, into which a food can be transferred.
In the following, the terms “first receiving space” and “second receiving space” are used. In this case, the first receiving space is always the receiving space in which the food having the inserted thermometer is first located and the second receiving space is the receiving space into which the food having the inserted thermometer is transferred. If, for example, a chicken having the inserted thermometer is inserted into a cooking appliance, this is a transfer from the first receiving space, the “kitchen”, into the second receiving space, which can also be referred to as the “cooking chamber” of the cooking appliance.
The first receiving space has a first receiving space temperature. The second receiving space has a second receiving space temperature. These two receiving space temperatures differ from one another. If, therefore, the food having the inserted thermometer is transferred from the first receiving space to the second receiving space, the external temperature, which is measured using the external temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer, also changes relatively rapidly. This knowledge is utilized in the following to ascertain which of the plurality of thermometers is inserted in the food or which of the plurality of thermometers is being used.
Therefore, in the method according to the invention, the following step is carried out, referred to as “thermometer assignment”: assigning which of the plurality of thermometers, as the “inserted thermometer”, has been transferred together with the food. This assignment is made by means of the control unit and is based on the measured external temperature of the plurality of thermometers.
For the thermometer assignment, the control unit evaluates, in particular continuously, whether one of the external temperatures of the plurality of thermometers is changing. If, for example, the external temperature of a thermometer increases from room temperature (e.g. 21° C.) to above 80° C., and the external temperature of all the other thermometers remains substantially the same, the control unit can conclude that this one thermometer is now being used and is thus located in a food which has just been transferred into a cooking appliance.
A similar situation can arise under the following consideration: assuming that all the thermometers used in a kitchen are inserted in foods and are located in the receiving space of a cooking appliance. In this case, the thermometers each transmit external temperatures that are substantially above 80° C., for example, to the control unit. Once one of the foods having the inserted thermometer has been removed from the cooking appliance, the external temperature of the associated thermometer decreases, while the external temperature of all the other thermometers remains substantially the same. The control unit can thus ascertain which thermometer has been transferred together with the food; in this case, the cooking appliance forms the first receiving space and the kitchen constitutes the second receiving space.
In a preferred configuration, it is provided that not only is a thermometer assignment carried out, but also a receiving space assignment. In principle, this receiving space assignment can be carried out at the same time as the thermometer assignment, or after the thermometer assignment. In principle, two different variants are provided for the receiving space assignment, which, however, can also both be carried out in order to use one variant to improve or validate the result of the other variant:
Once it has been assigned which thermometer is the “inserted thermometer”, the change in the external temperature can be examined more closely by means of the control unit. If, for example, the external temperature increases to over 80° C., the control unit can assume that the food together with the inserted thermometer has been transferred into a cooking appliance. If there are a plurality of cooking appliances in the kitchen environment, the controller can for example also take into account which of the cooking appliances is active or which receiving space temperature is prevailing in which of the cooking appliances. On the other hand, the control unit can also ascertain that the external temperature of the inserted thermometer has dropped below 0° C., for example, meaning that the control unit can readily conclude that the thermometer together with the food has been transferred into the freezer.
It goes without saying that the first receiving space assignment can also be carried out at the same time as the thermometer assignment. If, for example, it is stored in the control unit that the receiving space of a first cooking appliance has been heated to 80° C. and the receiving space of a second cooking appliance has been heated to 200° C., when transferring the food together with the inserted thermometer into one of the two receiving spaces, it can be immediately detected that this exact thermometer is the “inserted thermometer” and it can be simultaneously detected into which of the two receiving spaces this food is transferred, namely by it being ascertained whether the external temperature increases to approximately 80° C. or to approximately 200° C.
In the following example, it is explained how the first receiving space assignment can be combined with the second receiving space assignment. It is assumed that there are two cooking appliances in the kitchen environment, which have each been heated to the same temperature. Furthermore, there is a refrigerator. The actuation of the relevant door can be ascertained on all three appliances. If a food is then relatively rapidly transferred out of the refrigerator into one of the cooking appliances, this transfer from the refrigerator into one of the cooking appliances can be readily ascertained on the basis of the external temperature change in the inserted thermometer. Since the control unit ascertains that the door of only one of the two cooking appliances has been opened, it can be concluded with certainty into which cooking appliance the food having the inserted thermometer has been transferred. If the control unit were to only reference the external temperature, it could not readily determine into which cooking appliance this food has been transferred. If, on the other hand, the control unit were to only detect the actuation of the doors on the two cooking appliances and the refrigerator, the control unit could not readily determine, without taking in account the measured external temperature, whether the food has been transferred into the cooking appliance or the refrigerator. This example is supposed to demonstrate that, on the basis of the very different appliances that can be used in a kitchen environment, the first receiving space assignment or the second receiving space assignment or, however, a combination of both receiving space assignments can be applied.
It is preferably provided that, as part of the method, more than two receiving spaces for the assignment of the inserted thermometer are available for selection. If there is just one food-receiving appliance (for example a cooking appliance) in a kitchen, the assignment of the receiving spaces is relatively simple, since there can only be one transfer, from the kitchen into the food-receiving appliance and back again. In particular if more than two receiving spaces are provided, for example two food-receiving appliances and the kitchen, the described receiving space assignment can be particularly advantageously applied. Particularly preferably, the method takes into account that at least three, particularly preferably at least four, receiving spaces for the assignment of the inserted thermometer are available for selection.
For the thermometer assignment and/or for the first receiving space assignment, it is preferably provided that the measured external temperature is compared with at least one external temperature reference value by means of the control unit. Additionally, or alternatively, it is possible for a rate of change of the measured external temperature of the relevant thermometer to be determined by means of the control unit and for this rate of change to be compared with at least one rate of change reference value.
At its simplest, there is just one reference value in each case, i.e. for example an external temperature reference value or a rate of change reference value. If the value exceeds or falls below this reference value, it can be concluded that this exact thermometer is the “inserted thermometer”. Preferably, however, a plurality of these reference values are used in the control unit; in this case, a plurality of external temperature reference values and/or a plurality of rate of change reference values can be applied. As a result, a significantly more accurate first receiving space assignment is possible in particular. Therefore, it is preferably provided that the at least one external temperature reference value and/or the at least one rate of change reference value are each assigned to a certain receiving space.
The relevant reference value, whether it is the external temperature reference value or the rate of change reference value, can be stored as a fixed value in the control unit in principle. If the relevant reference value is assigned to a refrigerator, a freezer, a blast chiller, a blast freezer, etc., for example, it may be sufficient for a fixed value to be stored for a receiving space of this kind, since the temperature of a receiving space of this kind generally changes only negligibly. For example, a freezer can always be set to −18° C.
Furthermore, however, it is also provided that the relevant reference value is adjusted by the control unit on the basis of the associated receiving space temperature. This receiving space temperature can be measured or determined in another way. For example, the receiving temperature of a cooking chamber can be measured and transmitted to the control unit. However, it may be sufficient for the set temperature (target temperature) of the receiving space to be transmitted to the control unit defined here. In both cases, the control unit can accordingly adjust the reference value on the basis of this information. If, for example, a cooking appliance is pre-heated to 80° C., the control unit can set the associated reference value to 70° C., for example. If an external temperature of at least 70° C. is determined at one of the thermometers, the control unit can conclude that this thermometer has been transferred into the associated receiving space together with a food.
If not only the measured external temperature but also the rate of change of the measured external temperature are taken into account, a very accurate and in particular rapid assignment can be carried out in certain situations. If, for example, a cooking appliance is pre-heated to 80° C. and another cooking appliance is pre-heated to 200° C., after a certain amount of time since the thermometer together with the food was transferred it can be established, on the basis of the external temperature, in which of the two cooking appliances the food together with the thermometer is located. In order to accelerate this process, however, the rate of change of the external temperature can be observed. If the food is transferred into the cooler cooking appliance (80° C.), the measured external temperature at the thermometer increases more slowly than if the food is transferred into the hotter cooking appliance (200° C.). As a result, even before the final external temperature on the thermometer is reached, it can be ascertained into which of the two cooking appliances the food has been transferred.
It is also preferably taken into account that the thermometer assignment and/or the receiving space assignment (first receiving space assignment and/or second receiving space assignment) is/are only started when at least one of the following start conditions is satisfied. As a result, unnecessary computing time in the control unit can be saved and incorrect assignments can be avoided:
Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the thermometer assignment is displayed to a user. In this case, the user preferably has the option of confirming and/or modifying the thermometer assignment. For this purpose, it is in particular provided that the relevant thermometer also comprises a visible, individual marking (for example a number, letter or color code) in addition to the above-described identifier, which is electronically transmitted. It can thus be displayed to the user that a certain thermometer has been assigned, for example the “red” thermometer. The user can then preferably confirm and/or modify this.
In a similar way, it is preferably provided that the receiving space assignment is also displayed to a user, and can preferably be confirmed and/or modified by the user.
As already described, it is preferably provided that the core temperature is continuously measured by means of the core temperature sensor of the inserted thermometer and the core temperature together with the identifier is continuously wirelessly transmitted to the control unit.
This in particular allows for the following configurations of the method:
It is preferably provided that the timing of the thermometer assignment and/or the receiving space assignment (first receiving space assignment and/or second receiving space assignment), in particular also the measured temperatures, is logged in the control unit for monitoring the quality of the food. By monitoring quality in this way and logging the measured values and assignments, the cold chain for the food having the inserted thermometer can be monitored. In this case, it is preferably provided that this logging is carried out across a plurality of transfers, in particular across at least two or at least three transfers. For example, this logging is carried out while the food having the inserted thermometer is located in a cold store, is transferred from this cold store to the kitchen, and is transferred from the kitchen to the cooking appliance. This logging can assist in adhering to HACCP guidelines and EN food safety standards.
The invention further relates to an assembly for handling foods. This assembly is preferably configured to carry out the method that has been described above. It is in particular provided that the above-described configurations of the method and the associated dependent claims for the method constitute advantageous configurations of the assembly according to the invention.
The assembly according to the invention comprises a plurality of thermometers. As described, each thermometer comprises an identifier specific to the thermometer, at least one core temperature sensor and one external temperature sensor.
In addition to the thermometers, the assembly comprises the control unit. As already described, the control unit is configured to carry out the assignment of which thermometer has been transferred as the “inserted thermometer” together with a food. This assignment is carried out on the basis of the measured external temperature of the thermometers and when the food is transferred together with the inserted thermometer from a first receiving space into a second receiving space. As already described, these two receiving spaces differ in their receiving space temperatures.
Reference is made to the method already described in particular for the assignment of the thermometer and for the assignment of the receiving space. The control unit of the defined assembly is preferably configured to carry out these assignments, as described as part of the method.
The control unit can comprise at least one receiving module. The thermometers and the receiving module are configured for wireless data transmission. In this case, at least unidirectional data transmission takes place, namely from the thermometers to the receiving module. Near-field communication, for example Bluetooth, is in particular provided for the data transmission between the thermometers and the receiving module. The control unit preferably comprises a plurality of receiving modules, which can be arranged in different positions.
At least one of the receiving modules is preferably located in a food-receiving appliance. In this case, the receiving module can be completely or partially arranged inside the food-receiving appliance or on the outside of the food-receiving appliance.
Furthermore, the control unit can comprise a computing module. The computing module is configured to carry out the described assignments. The computing module can be split up in space. For instance, one part of the computing module can be located in the kitchen environment, in particular in one of the food-receiving appliances, and another part of the computing module can be located in a server or a cloud. In this case, the different parts of the computing module are interconnected over a corresponding network, in particular the internet. However, it is also possible for the entire computing module to be arranged locally, in particular integrated in one of the food-receiving appliances.
It is in particular provided that the plurality of receiving modules, preferably all the receiving modules, are interconnected directly and/or over a network such that the thermometers can transmit to any receiving module, in particular the closest receiving module. For instance, a receiving module can in particular receive the data from the thermometer at any point, for example in any food-receiving appliance, in the form of a “range extender” or “repeater”, and can forward them to the computing module directly and/or over a network. In this case, this computing module can be located in another food-receiving appliance or at any point.
The repeater function facilitates the following, for example: if the thermometer is located in a refrigerator that is not connected to the network, for example, the thermometer can still feed its data into the network via another appliance in the vicinity, e.g. via a steamer comprising a receiving module.
The “repeater function” in particular provides the option of displaying real-time monitoring (live). For example, any number of appliances can be incorporated in the kitchen environment and thus the processes or the temperatures sent by the thermometers can be seamlessly monitored. If there is a deviation from a required process sequence or temperature (e.g. products stored for too long, incorrect core temperature, door of the cold store is open and the temperature is increasing, etc.), a warning can be displayed on the appliances. A separate monitor can be incorporated in the kitchen which is installed for monitoring and displaying the process sequences. Alternatively, a notification message can be output to a mobile terminal device, such as a head chef's mobile phone.
The control unit can also comprise at least one human-machine interface, also referred to as an HMI. This HMI can be integrated in the food-receiving appliance, for example. For example, a cooking appliance comprises an HMI (e.g. touch display) anyway, which can also be used for the control unit and thus for the described method.
Furthermore, however, a portable terminal device, such as a smartphone or a tablet, or another operating unit, can also form this human-machine interface of the control unit. For example, the portable terminal device can be connected to the computing module over any network (internet and/or WLAN).
Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the control unit comprises at least one food-receiving appliance. The control unit preferably comprises a plurality of food-receiving appliances. Each of these food-receiving appliances forms a receiving space, as has already been defined as part of the method according to the invention. The individual food-receiving appliance is preferably configured as: a cooking appliance, a warming appliance, a blast chiller, a blast freezer, a refrigerator, a freezer, a cold store, a stockroom or a walk-in freezer.
It is preferably provided that the control unit comprises at least two receiving modules, with one of the receiving modules being arranged to receive inside one of the food-receiving appliances and the other receiving module being arranged to receive outside this food-receiving appliance. In this case, it is in particular taken into account that the door on the food-receiving appliance can relatively severely impair the receiving between the receiving module and the thermometer. Therefore, depending on the configuration of the food-receiving appliances, at least one receiving module should be located both in the receiving space and outside the receiving space.
The invention further relates to a food-receiving appliance, preferably the above-described food-receiving appliance. In particular, the food-receiving appliance is configured to heat or cool foods. The food-receiving appliance is, for example, a cooking appliance, in particular a combi-steamer, a warming appliance, a blast chiller, a blast freezer, a refrigerator or a freezer. The food-receiving appliance comprises an integrated receptacle for inserting at least one thermometer, wherein the receptacle is configured to charge a power storage unit of the at least one thermometer. The receptacle is preferably configured for inserting a plurality of thermometers, in particular at least two or at least three thermometers.
The receptacle is preferably configured for inserting wirelessly transmitting thermometers having core temperature sensors.
The receptacle is preferably configured for wireless charging of the at least one thermometer. Alternatively, the receptacle can also comprise electrically conducting contacts, by means of which it is possible to transmit power to the at least one thermometer.
The food-receiving appliance preferably comprises a power supply assembly comprising at least one power supply. The power supply assembly supplies power to at least one device of the food-receiving appliance, which is used to heat or cool the food. The receptacle is also preferably connected to the power supply assembly in order to be supplied with the required power for charging the thermometer(s).
The food-receiving appliance preferably comprises a cover, in particular configured as a pivotable flap, wherein the receptacle is arranged on the inside of the cover. The cover preferably covers a space in the housing of the food-receiving appliance.
Further details, advantages and features of the present invention will become clear from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings, in which:
In the following, an assembly 1 for carrying out the method according to the invention is described in detail on the basis of
The thermometer 10 comprises at least one core temperature sensor 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown, a plurality of these core temperature sensors 14 can also be provided.
The thermometer 10 also comprises an external temperature sensor 15, in particular in the region of the handle 11.
An electronic unit 16, which is preferably connected to a battery (not shown), is located inside the thermometer 10. The electronic unit 16 is connected to a sending unit 17. The electronic unit 16 and the sending unit 17 are configured to wirelessly send the measured temperatures from the core temperature sensors 14 and the external temperature sensor 15. The thermometer 10 can comprise an internal memory, in which the measured temperature values can be stored, for example. This internal memory is in particular used when the wireless link to the receiving module 31 is interrupted. The wireless transmission of the data can be continued once a link to the receiving module 31 can be re-established.
A specific identifier, for example a number, is stored in the electronics unit 16 of the relevant thermometer 10. The sending unit 17 sends the measured temperatures together with this identifier.
The control unit 30 also comprises a computing module 32. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the computing module 32 is located in one of the food-receiving appliances 35. However, the schematic view in
The control unit 30 comprises a plurality of food-receiving appliances 35, for example a cooking appliance as shown in
Furthermore, the control unit 30 can comprise receiving space temperature sensors 37, which measure the temperature in the relevant receiving space 50.
As schematically shown, the control unit 30 can comprises a human-machine interface 33 (HMI). For example, a touch display that is provided in the food-receiving appliance 35 anyway can be used as an HMI 33 of this kind, as shown in
As explained in the general part of the description, the foods 100 having the inserted thermometer 10 can be transferred between these receiving spaces 50. For the description of this transfer and the assignments, reference is made to the general part of the description, which is explicitly also part of this exemplary embodiment. In the following, a thermometer assignment and a receiving space assignment are described purely by way of example on the basis of
For the thermometer 10.1,
A similar process is shown in
The 60° C. external temperature reference value can be assigned to the warming chamber 50.2 (see
It goes without saying that, as explained in the general part of the description, the reference values can be adjusted to the temperatures of the receiving spaces 50. Furthermore, it goes without saying that, instead of the curves for the external temperature as shown in
The food-receiving appliance 35 preferably comprises a power supply assembly (not shown) comprising at least one power supply. The power supply assembly supplies power to at least one device of the food-receiving appliance 35, which is used to heat or cool the food 100. The receptacle 60 is connected to the power supply assembly by means of a schematically shown cable connection 61 in order to be supplied with the required power for charging the thermometers 10.
In addition to the above written description of the invention, in order to provide supplementary disclosure reference is hereby explicitly made to the drawings of the invention in the figures.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102023108548.4 | Apr 2023 | DE | national |
