Composite metal cooking hotplate

Abstract

 A composite metal cooking hotplate using gas and having a surface (12) for receiving the foodstuffs (14); said surface (12) forming part of a simple plate (11), the lower surface (20) of which forms the top closure of a trough (16) forming a cavity (18) the bottom (22) of which receives the heat; the trough (16) contains a thermal fluid (21) capable of evaporating and subsequently condensing in contact with the lower surface (20).

Description

Background of the Invention

[0001] The invention relates to a composite metal cooking hot-plate using the heat provided by the combustion of a gas and having an upper free surface for receiving the foodstuffs to be cooked.

[0002] Conventional cooking hotplates are obviously widely known. Such conventional plates are solid, are heated on the underside thereof and on the topside thereof they support the foodstuffs to be cooked and which receive the heat propagated through the hotplate itself.

[0003] Nevertheless, these hotplates suffer from several drawbacks, among which there may be cited the relatively low uniformity of heat transmission, the rather unsatisfactory speed of cooking and the fact that portions of the cooked food are frequently burnt.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[0004] It is an objective of the invention to overcome the above drawbacks and this aim is achieved with a composite metal plate of the type described at the beginning, which is characterized in that it comprises a simple plate, the lower surface of which forms the top closure of a trough forming a cavity defining a bottom receiving the heat, said trough containing a thermal fluid capable of evaporating and subsequently condensing in contact with said lower surface.

Brief Description of the Drawing

[0005] Further advantages and features of the invention will be appreciated from the following description in which there is related without any limiting nature a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0006] The figure is a schematic cross section view on a vertical plane of the hotplate of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0007] A hob 2 (shown in particularly schematic form) contains a plurality of burners 4 through which a gaseous fluid flows to the outside and produces flames 6. It is contemplated that the hob 2 will be provided with supports 8 for supporting the composite hotplate 10 of the invention.

[0008] The composite hotplate 10 comprises a simple plate 11 on the upper surface 12 of which the foodstuffs 14 to be cooked are placed. It further comprises a trough 16 forming a cavity 18 which is hermetically sealed by the lower surface 20 of the simple plate 11.

[0009] The cavity 18 contains a thermal fluid 21 resting on the bottom 22 defined by the cavity 18 itself. The bottom 22 receives the heat generated by the flames 6 and this heat is transferred to the thermal fluid 21. Thus, the thermal fluid boils and evaporates, rising within the cavity and condensing on contacting the lower surface 20 of the simple plate 11. Said thermal fluid is preferably of the type found on the marketplace under the name of Dowtherm-A.

[0010] The above condensation obviously involves a corresponding transfer of heat to the simple plate 11, whereby the upper surface 12 is heated to the temperature required for appropriate cooking of the foodstuffs 14.

[0011] The above described hotplate provides clear advantages over the prior art. It should particularly be noted that it maintains a greater uniformity of temperature on the upper cooking surface 12. This is due to various factors: firstly, the thermal fluid diffuses itself more evenly than the flame assembly 6; furthermore, the transmission of heat by condensation takes place at a constant temperature and finally there is the tendency of the vapour to move towards the cooler areas. Irrespective of the above, faster cooking has been observed at equal temperature of the simple plate 11.

[0012] The composite hotplate 10 is dimensioned for the temperature of the thermal fluid vapour not to exceed 300°C, thereby minimizing the risk of the foodstuffs being burnt by excess heat on the upper cooking surface 12. To this end, several regulating means are contemplated, such as a temperature probe (not shown) limiting the gasflow, to the extent of cutting it off, when a particular temperature is exceeded and reopening the gasflow when the temperature drops below a certain level.

[0013] The only purpose of the reference symbols inserted after the technical features mentioned in the claims is to facilitate the intelligibility of the latter and not to restrict the scope thereof in any way.

Claims

1. A composite metal cooking hotplate using the heat provided by the combustion of a gas and having an upper free surface (12) for receiving the foodstuffs (14) to be cooked, characterized in that it comprises a simple plate (11), the lower surface (20) of which forms the top closure of a trough (16) forming a cavity (18) defining a bottom (22) receiving the heat, said trough (16) containing a thermal fluid (21) capable of evaporating and subsequently condensing in contact with said lower surface (20).

2. The composite metal cooking hotplate of claim 1, characterized in that it is sized in such a way that the temperature of the vapour resulting from the evaporation does not exceed 300°C.

3. The composite metal cooking hotplate of claim 2, characterized in that said sizing is achieved by a temperature probe regulating the gas flow so that said flow may take place in a preset temperature range.

Drawing