Patent Application
20240240795
This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102023000000489 filed on Jan. 16, 2023. The entire disclosure of the aforementioned priority application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a ventilated oven for cooking food and a method for operating a ventilated oven for cooking food in air-fry mode. The technical field of reference of the present invention is therefore that of ventilated ovens (domestic and professional) for cooking food.
Ovens for cooking food are progressively evolving over the years through the integration of new cooking functions and modes. In recent years, the focus on healthy, low-fat cooking methods has led to the emergence of air fryers, which have a similar structure to traditional deep-fryers, but do not require the food to be immersed in hot oil. In these devices, the cooking is done by circulating hot air and using very little oil compared to the amount required for traditional “immersion” frying.
Air frying is healthier than oil frying, because it reduces calories by 70% to 80% and contains much less fat.
With a view to integrating as much as possible all types of cooking in ovens for cooking food, the need arose to implement a method for operating an oven in air-fry mode in order to obtain a type of cooking as close as possible to that achievable by an air fryer. This will allow the user to have several cooking functions integrated in one oven (e.g., air fry, grill, steam, microwave, etc.).
Currently, there are a few ovens incorporating an air-fry function. However, the cooking result is not always satisfactory and comparable to a “traditionally fried” food. In fact, air frying achieves a result comparable to that achievable by traditional frying when the food has a crispy coating and a soft interior.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a ventilated oven which can operate in air-fry mode to achieve a cooking result as comparable as possible to that achievable by traditional frying, but with a very limited use of fat.
In accordance with this object, the present invention relates to a ventilated oven comprising: a muffle, which extends along a longitudinal axis and defines a cooking chamber with an opening; the muffle comprising a back wall opposite the opening and orthogonal to the axis, a roof wall parallel to the axis, a floor wall parallel to the axis, and two side walls parallel to the axis; at least one first fan, which is coupled to the back wall; at least one grill resistance, which is housed in the cooking chamber and is coupled to the roof wall; at least one first bottom resistance, which is housed in the cooking chamber, is coupled to the back wall, and extends substantially around the first fan; at least one sole resistance, which is located outside the cooking chamber and is coupled externally to the floor wall; a control device, configured to regulate the operation of the oven by selective activation of the fan and/or the grill resistance, and/or the bottom resistance and/or the sole resistance; the control device being configured to operate the oven in the air fry mode; wherein the air fry mode comprises a preheating step, wherein the food is not housed in the cooking chamber, and a cooking step wherein the food is housed in the cooking chamber; wherein the control device is configured to activate the at least one first bottom resistance and the respective first fan during the cooking step.
Advantageously, ventilated cooking with the activation of the bottom resistance alone gives a very satisfactory result in terms of food cooking. Moreover, the external browning obtained through the oven according to the invention is crispy and tasty and requires the use of very little fat.
By using the air fry cooking mode of the ventilated oven according to the present invention it is possible to obtain very satisfactory results for foods, such as chicken nuggets, cordon bleu, etc., which require a crispy external browning and a complete and soft internal cooking
It is also a further object of the invention to provide a method for operating a ventilated oven in air-fry mode, which is capable of optimizing the cooking and achieving a result as close as possible to that achievable by traditional frying and which, at the same time, is convenient and easy to use.
In accordance with this object, the present invention relates to a method for operating a ventilated oven in air-fry mode as claimed in claim 13.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In
The muffle 2 in
The deflector 12 is provided with at least one ventilation grill 14. In the non-limiting example described and illustrated herein, the deflector 12 is provided with two ventilation grills 14. Preferably, the deflector 12 is coupled to the back wall 5 so as to also define perimeter openings, which are sized and configured to achieve the most even distribution of heat within the cooking chamber 3.
The oven 1 also comprises a grill resistance 16, which is housed in the cooking chamber 3 and coupled to the roof wall 7, a sole resistance 18, which is located outside the cooking chamber 3 and coupled externally to the floor wall 8, two bottom resistances 20, and two fans 21. Each bottom resistance 20 substantially extends around a respective fan 21.
The bottom resistances 20 and the respective fans 21 are housed in the ventilation space 13. In particular, the ventilation grills 14 are arranged next to the fans 21. Preferably, the fans 21 are arranged symmetrically relative to a median plane parallel to the side walls 9 and 10. Along the side walls 9, 10, the oven 1 is equipped with axial side guides 24 (not all visible in
With reference to
It is understood that the oven 1 may comprise several support grids 25 arranged on different levels to form support shelves within the cooking chamber 3.
The support grid 25 is removable. In other words, the support grid 25 may, if necessary, be removed from resting on the axial side guides 24 to be moved onto axial side guides 24 at a different level or to be removed from the cooking chamber 3.
The air-fry tray 26 is equipped with a baking pan 30 and a frame 31, which is coupled to a perimeter edge 32 of the baking tray 30 and is configured to provide stable support at least on the support grid 25. Preferably, the frame 31 is configured to provide stable support on the support grid 25 and also on a support surface (e.g., a planar surface such as a table).
The baking pan 30 is defined by a mesh stretched and shaped to define a planar bottom 33 and the perimeter edge 32. The perimeter edge 32 is transverse to the planar bottom 33. In this way, the baking pan 30 defines a cavity 35 for housing the food to be cooked.
The frame 31 comprises a perimeter element 36 and at least four support elements 37, each of which is configured to define a stable support at least on respective anchor points 39 of the support grid 25. As already disclosed, the at least four support elements 37 are also configured to define, respectively, a stable support on a planar surface. Preferably, the perimeter element 36 substantially follows the shape of the perimeter edge 32 of the baking pan 31 and has, on one side 41, a portion 40 shaped so as to define a handle for the user.
With reference to
The tray 26 is removable. In other words, the tray 26 can be housed in the cooking chamber 3 by resting on a support grid 25 (due to the stable support defined by the shoulders 44 of the support elements 37) or removed from the cooking chamber 3 and rested on a planar surface (due to the stable support defined by the feet 43 of the support elements 37).
The oven 1 is also provided with a control device (not shown for the sake of simplicity in the attached figures) configured to regulate the operation of the oven 1 by selective activation of the fans 21, and/or the grill resistance 16, and/or the bottom resistance 20, and/or the sole resistance 18. In particular, the control device is configured to operate in several modes, including the air-fry mode, which is the object of the present invention.
When operating in air-fry mode, the control device comprises a preheating step, in which the food is not housed in the cooking chamber 3, and a cooking step, in which the food is housed in the cooking chamber 3.
Before proceeding with the cooking step, the food is placed in the tray 26 for air-frying.
During the cooking step, the control device is configured to activate at least one bottom resistance 20 and the respective fan 21. Preferably, the control device activates both bottom resistances 20 and the respective fans 21.
During the preheating step, the control device is configured to activate the grill resistance 16, the sole resistance 18, and at least one fan 21. Preferably, the control device activates both fans 21 also during the preheating step. Due to the activation of the grill resistance 16, the sole resistance 18, and at least one fan 21, the preheating step is advantageously very fast. Instead, during the cooking step, at least one bottom resistance 20 and the respective fan 21 are activated.
The presence of at least one fan 21 and of the openings of the deflector 12 (i.e., the grills and any perimeter openings) allows optimum circulation and distribution of the heat in the cooking chamber 3. In this way, it is not necessary to activate additional resistances to achieve the desired cooking. Furthermore, the construction of the baking pan 30 with a stretched mesh allows even circulation of the heat within the cavity 35, too, where the food to be cooked is housed. Lastly, it is clear that modifications and variations may be made to the oven and method described herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102023000000489 | Jan 2023 | IT | national |
