Abstract:
A cooking appliance composed of: a housing; a vessel provided to be placed in the housing and arranged to receive a cooking bath; an emptying device provided in the vessel for permitting the cooking bath to be drained from the vessel; an emptying receptacle for receiving the cooking bath from the vessel; a first valve associated with the emptying device; a maneuvering button associated with the emptying device; and a control mechanism mounted on the emptying receptacle and interposed between the maneuvering button and the first valve for moving the first valve between open and closed positions and response to movements of the maneuvering button, wherein the emptying receptacle is removable from the housing.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the general technical field of cooking appliances having a vessel, or tank, provided to receive a cooking bath. The present invention concerns more particularly appliances of the type mentioned above having a device for emptying the cooking bath contained in the vessel. 
     The present invention concerns particularly, but not exclusively, fryers. In effect, a cooking bath is not limited to a bath of oil or of melted fat, but can equally consist of any edible material that is sufficiently fluid to flow through an emptying device, and particularly a water-based liquid. 
     The patent documents U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,695, CH 325786 and FR 2665068 disclose fryers having an emptying conduit. However, none of them provides for a receptacle for collecting cooking liquid. The patent document FR 2773976 describes a fryer having an emptying conduit and a receptacle supported by a drawer mounted in the housing of the appliance. The utilization of such appliances requires careful attention on the part of the user with regard to the emptying of cooking liquid out of the housing. 
     The U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,164 describes a fryer of the industrial type having a vessel and an emptying receptacle housed in a frame. The vessel has an emptying conduit closed by a gate, or valve. The emptying receptacle is mounted in a removable manner on the inner face of a door of the frame. The transposition of such a form of construction into a household appliance appears to present safety issues. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to increase the security of cooking appliances having a vessel provided with an emptying device. 
     Another object of the invention is to improve the convenience of use of cooking appliances having a vessel provided with an emptying device. 
     An additional object of the invention is to provide an appliance of the type described above having a simple structure. 
     Yet another object of the invention is to provide an appliance of the above-described type having a compact structure. 
     These objects are achieved with a cooking appliance comprising: (a) a housing; (b) a vessel provided to be placed in the housing and arranged to receive a cooking bath; (c) an emptying device provided in the vessel for permitting the cooking bath to be drained from the vessel; (d) an emptying receptacle for receiving the cooking bath from the vessel via the emptying device; (e) a first valve associated with the emptying device; (f) a maneuvering button associated with the emptying device; and (g) a control mechanism mounted on the emptying receptacle and interposed between the maneuvering button and the first valve for moving the first valve between open and closed positions in response to movements of the maneuvering button; (h) wherein the emptying receptacle is removable from the housing. 
     The cooking appliance according to the present invention assures that, in the absence of the emptying receptacle, there is no risk that the user can proceed to empty the appliance. In addition, by the fact that the control mechanism is mounted on the emptying receptacle, the vessel can be removable with respect to the housing, and can thus be placed in a washing machine. The emptying receptacle can be disposed in the housing or can form a base on which the housing rests. 
     Advantageously, the maneuvering button is mounted on the emptying receptacle. This arrangement permits a structural simplification. Alternatively, the maneuvering button can, for example, be mounted on the housing. 
     Advantageously, the housing has a lateral opening into which the emptying receptacle can be at least partially inserted. This arrangement permits handling of the emptying receptacle to be facilitated. Alternatively, the housing can for example be made of two parts, an upper part at least partially surrounding the vessel, and a lower part supporting the emptying receptacle, the upper part being able to be withdrawn to permit access to the emptying receptacle. 
     Advantageously then, the maneuvering button is mounted on an outside lateral face of the emptying receptacle. This arrangement permits a structural simplification. Alternatively, the maneuvering button can, for example, be accessible through a hatch, or door, provided on a face of the housing. 
     According to one embodiment, the control mechanism has a cam provided to cooperate with the valve. Such a form of construction is simple and reliable. 
     Advantageously, the cam is carried by a movable control piece mounted on an inlet conduit communicating with the emptying receptacle, the movable control piece having a funnel provided to supply a filling opening of the inlet conduit when the cam opens the valve. Such a form of construction permits the number of parts to be limited. 
     Advantageously then, the movable control piece is driven in rotation by the maneuvering button. Such a form of construction is particularly simple and reliable. 
     Also advantageously, the cam is arranged above the funnel. This arrangement permits a particularly compact control mechanism to be created. 
     Also advantageously, the control mechanism has a bolt, or latch, provided to cooperate with a striking plate belonging to the valve when the valve is brought to its open position. This arrangement permits the emptying receptacle to be bolted, or latched, in order to prevent withdrawal of the receptacle from the housing during an emptying operation. 
     According to one advantageous form of construction, the bolt is formed by a lateral face of the cam, which permits the structure to be further simplified. 
     According to a further advantageous form of construction, the striking plate is formed by a longitudinal slot provided at the lower end of a conduit in which is housed a movable blocking piece of the valve, which is displaced by the cam. This arrangement also permits the structure to be simplified. 
     Also advantageously, the appliance is provided with a movable safety piece that has a first cam provided to be driven by the control mechanism when the maneuvering button is operated to open the valve, a second cam provided to be driven by the control mechanism when the maneuvering button is then moved to close the valve, and a blocking abutment provided to block the control mechanism in order to prevent opening of the valve. This arrangement prevents the occurrence of a renewed emptying of the vessel if the emptying receptacle has first been withdrawn at least partially from the housing, and then put back in place, after a first emptying, or in other words if the emptying receptacle has not been manipulated in such a manner as to indicate that it has been emptied. 
     Advantageously then, the movable safety piece is pushed back by the emptying receptacle, through the intermediary of a flexible blade, when the receptacle is replaced in the housing, the flexible blade being moved aside when the movable safety piece reaches a stopping abutment. This arrangement assures, in a simple manner, the proper positioning of the safety piece during installation, or reinstallation of the receptacle into the housing. 
     According to an advantageous form of construction, the emptying device has a thermostatic valve. This permits the safety of the appliance to be further improved and also allows the use of less durable, and thus less costly, materials for the emptying receptacle and/or the control mechanism. 
     According to another advantageous form of construction, a filter is arranged upstream of the emptying device. This arrangement prevents residues present in the cooking bath from adversely affecting the operation of the emptying device. This arrangement also permits the quality of the cooking bath to be improved when successive batches of food are fried with the same bath. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention, in a position provided for emptying the contents of the vessel, or tank, with the exterior housing being shown in broken lines. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the appliance of FIG. 1, in a position after emptying of the vessel, showing the safety device provided to prevent successive emptyings without at least partial withdrawal of the emptying receptacle. 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational, cross-sectional detail view of the appliance of FIG. 1, in a position after emptying of the vessel. 
     FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing the appliance in the position provided for emptying the contents of the vessel. 
     FIG. 5 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing the emptying receptacle as it is being put back in place in the housing. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective, detail view of the emptying receptacle after it has been put back in place in the housing and before a new emptying operation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The appliance shown in FIGS. 1-6 is a fryer having a housing  1  provided with an upper opening for receiving a vessel, or tank,  2  that is intended to hold a cooking liquid. The upper opening can be closed by a lid (not shown). Housing  1  also has a lateral opening for introduction and removal of an emptying receptacle  3 . 
     As shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, vessel  2  is provided with an emptying device  10 . Vessel  2  is advantageously removable from housing  1  and is provided with means, such as feet  8 , which enable vessel  2  to be placed on a working surface. If desired, electric heating means  9  can be fixed under vessel  2 . Alternatively, the electric heating means can be arranged in housing  1  or even within vessel  2 . 
     Emptying device  10  comprises an evacuation conduit  15  that extends from the bottom of vessel  2 . A filter  14  can be placed above the inlet end of conduit  15  in order to protect the conduit. A spring-loaded valve  20  is installed to close the bottom of conduit  15  and a thermostatic valve  16  is provided in conduit  15  between filter  14  and valve  20 . 
     Conduit  15  is constituted by a body  11  that is preferably made of a plastic that is sufficiently resistant to the elevated temperatures that can arise in a cooking bath, preferably a plastic that is able to resist temperatures as high as 250° C., one such plastic material being sold under the trade name Amodel. Body  11  is installed to be removable from vessel  2 . A seal, or joint,  19  is interposed between vessel  2  and body  11 . Joint  19  is advantageously secured to body  11  in order to avoid being lost during removal of the emptying device and to assure that the joint will not be forgotten when the emptying device is reinstalled. 
     Filter  14  is mounted to be removable from vessel  2  and body  11 . According to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing, filter  14  is secured to a ring  13  constructed to form a bayonet attachment with body  11 . Ring  13  is housed in a removable manner in a recess in the bottom of vessel  2 . Ring  13  is prevented from rotation with respect to vessel  2 . The upper part of body  11  is engaged in an opening formed in the bottom of vessel  2 , and is provided with ramps  11   a  that cooperate with ramps  13   a  of ring  13  to form the bayonet assembly. 
     Thermostatic valve  16  includes a bimetallic disk  17 , preferably of the snap-action type, fixed to the lower face of a perforated plate  18  that extends across the upper end of body  11 . Plate  18  is, for example, crimped to the interior of body  11 . 
     Disk  17  is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in the position in which valve  16  is opened, this corresponding to the low temperature position. When disk  17  is in the high temperature position, it closes conduit  15  by coming to bear against an internal annular shoulder  12  of body  11 . The transition temperature between the high temperature position and the low temperature position during cooling of disk  17  is, for example, of the order of 90° C. in the case of a fryer. 
     The spring-loaded valve  20  includes a movable blocking piece  21  equipped with a peripheral toroidal seal, or joint,  22 . Piece  21  is mounted on a spring  23  that bears against the lower face of disk  17 . The rest position of spring  23  corresponds to that shown in FIG. 3 in which valve  20  is closed. 
     Emptying receptacle  3  has a volume sufficient to receive the cooking bath contained in vessel  2 . Emptying receptacle  3  has a recovery trough  30  closed by a lid  31 , and has an outer lateral wall  32 . If desired, wall  32  can be made at least partially of a transparent or translucent material to permit the user to observe the filling of emptying receptacle  3 . 
     Receptacle  3  also has an emptying control mechanism  40  which can advantageously be mounted on recovery trough  30 . Control mechanism  40  includes a movable control piece  42  mounted around an inlet conduit  41  that opens into a lateral wall  33  of trough  30 . Movable control piece  42  is composed of a funnel  43  and a cam  44  provided to actuate spring-loaded valve  20 . Movable control piece  42  is connected to a maneuvering button  45  mounted on the outer lateral wall  32  of emptying receptacle  3 . 
     Maneuvering button  45  is mounted to be rotated in order to drive piece  42  in rotation. The lateral wall of conduit  41  has a filling opening  46  surrounded by a toroidal seal, or joint,  47  that provides a secure seal between conduit  41  and movable control piece  42 . Maneuvering button  45  is movable, for example in rotation, between a utilization position corresponding to the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and an emptying position corresponding to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. In the emptying position, shown most clearly in FIG. 4, funnel  43  is disposed above filling opening  46 , and cam  44  pushes valve  20  upwardly, against the force of spring  23 . 
     The appliance further includes a safety device  25  constructed to prevent withdrawal of emptying receptacle  3  when valve  20  is opened. For this purpose, the lower end of conduit  15  has a longitudinal slot  26 , and cam  44 , arranged as a part of funnel  43 , comes to be inserted into slot  26  during rotation of movable control piece  42  toward the emptying position, as shown in FIG.  4 . Control mechanism  40  thus includes bolt  27  provided to cooperate with a striking plate  28 , forming a part of valve  20 , when valve  20  is in its opened position. In the illustrated embodiment, bolt  27  is formed by a lateral face of cam  44  and striking plate  28  is formed by walls bounding slot  26 . 
     The appliance according to the invention includes a further safety device  50  that acts to prevent two consecutive emptyings without at least partial withdrawal of receptacle  3  from housing  1 . 
     For this purpose, device  50  includes a movable safety piece  51  disposed between housing  1  and emptying receptacle  3 . In the illustrated embodiment, piece  51  is mounted on the bottom wall of housing  1 . Piece  51  is guided by guide abutments  52  for movement in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the plane of FIGS. 3 and 4. This longitudinal movement of piece  51  is limited by stops  53  located ahead of and behind, respectively, piece  51 . As shown in FIG. 5, a flexible blade  54  is mounted on piece  51  to come to abut against the bottom of emptying receptacle  3  during introduction of receptacle  3  into housing  1 , and to then bear against receptacle  3  when receptacle  3  has been fully introduced into housing  1  and piece  51  is blocked by one of the abutments  53 . 
     FIG. 6 shows emptying receptacle  3  after having been fully introduced into housing  1 . Piece  51  includes a first cam  55  provided to cooperate with a foot  48  extending downwardly from movable control piece  42  when maneuvering button  45  has been brought to its emptying position after receptacle  3  has been fully introduced into housing  1 . Piece  51  also includes a second cam  56  provided to cooperate with foot  48  when maneuvering button  45  is moved into its utilization position after an emptying operation. Piece  51  includes a blocking abutment  57  provided to prevent rotation of movable control piece  42  when maneuvering button  45  is urged toward the emptying position after a new utilization without prior withdrawal of emptying receptacle  3 . 
     The appliance is used in the following matter. 
     When the user fully introduces emptying receptacle  3  into housing  1 , cam  44  cannot reach movable blocking piece  21  of valve  20 , which is protected by the lower end of conduit  15 . Emptying receptacle  3  comes in contact with flexible blade  54 , as shown in FIG. 5, and pushes movable safety piece  51  toward a position that is remote from the lateral opening of housing  1 . When piece  51  comes to abut against the associated stop  53  (the right-hand stop in FIGS.  5  and  6 ), flexible blade  54  is depressed and comes to rub against the bottom of emptying receptacle  3 . Flexible blade  54  permits piece  51  to be maintained in place with respect to receptacle  3 . 
     When emptying receptacle  3  has been fully installed in housing  1 , as shown in FIG. 6, the user can rotate maneuvering button  45  toward the emptying position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. During rotation of control piece  42 , foot  48  engages cam  55  to displace safety piece  51  toward an intermediate position, i.e., toward the left in FIG.  6 . At the end of the rotation travel of piece  42 , cam  44  lifts blocking piece  21  of valve  20 , as shown in FIG.  4 . Then, liquid contained in vessel  2  can flow through funnel  43  and filling opening  46  of conduit  41  and into receptacle  3  if thermostatic valve  16  is opened. Cam  44 , blocked by slot  26 , prevents withdrawal of emptying receptacle  3 . 
     In order to withdraw emptying receptacle  3  from housing  1 , the user returns maneuvering button  45  to the utilization position, shown in FIG.  3 . During the accompanying rotation of control piece  42 , foot  48  pushes cam  56  so as to displace safety piece  51  into the forward position shown in FIG.  2 . Cam  44  then moves clear of emptying device  10  and valve  20  recloses. Foot  48  moves clear of safety piece  51  and the user can then withdraw emptying receptacle  3  from housing  1 . 
     Due to the functioning of safety piece  51 , a new emptying is prevented if emptying receptacle  3  has not been withdrawn from housing  1  and then put back in place. In effect, during rotation of control piece  42 , foot  48  is blocked by abutment  57  and cam  44  cannot reach valve  20 . In order to allow a new emptying, it is necessary to withdraw receptacle  3  at least until it has moved away from flexible blade  54 , as shown in FIG. 5, in order to push piece  51  back with the aid of flexible blade  54  during reintroduction of receptacle  3 . A slight withdrawal of receptacle  3  will not guarantee that a reintroduction of receptacle  3  will result in a pushing back of piece  51  with the aide of flexible blade  54 . 
     Safety device  50  prevents a second emptying from being performed if receptacle  3  has not been withdrawn at least partially by a certain amount from housing  1  and then put back in place, through the intermediary of displacements of piece  51  during maneuvering of control device  40  from the utilization position toward the emptying position and back, as well as during withdrawal and then reintroduction of emptying receptacle  3 . 
     The capacity of emptying receptacle  3  can thus be limited to the capacity of vessel  2 , without risking an overflow of receptacle  3  as a result of two consecutive emptyings of vessel  2 . 
     According to one alternative, emptying control mechanism  40  need not be secured to recovery trough  30 , and can for example be mounted on lid  31  of emptying receptacle  3 . 
     According to another alternative, control piece  42  is not necessarily mounted between maneuvering button  45  and emptying receptacle  3 . 
     According to another alternative, maneuvering button  45  can be mounted on a lateral face of the emptying receptacle housed within the housing when the receptacle is installed in the housing. The maneuvering button can then be accessible through a hatch, or door, provided in the lateral wall of the housing. 
     According to another alternative, maneuvering button  45  can be mounted on housing  1  of the appliance, for example opposite the lateral window of the housing provided for insertion of the emptying receptacle. The connection between the maneuvering button and the control mechanism then takes place upon insertion of the emptying receptacle into the housing. 
     According to yet another alternative, flexible blade  54  can be mounted on one of the outside faces of the emptying receptacle or even on another internal face of the housing. 
     According to still another alternative, emptying receptacle  3  can form a base receiving, in a removable manner, the housing surrounding the vessel. 
     This application relates to subject matter disclosed in French Application Number FR 01 13395, filed on Oct. 17, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without undue experimentation and without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. The means, materials, and steps for carrying out various disclosed functions may take a variety of alternative forms without departing from the invention. 
     Thus the expressions “means to . . . ” and “means for . . . ”, or any method step language, as may be found in the specification above and/or in the claims below, followed by a functional statement, are intended to define and cover whatever structural, physical, chemical or electrical element or structure, or whatever method step, which may now or in the future exist which carries out the recited function, whether or not precisely equivalent to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed in the specification above, i.e., other means or steps for carrying out the same functions can be used; and it is intended that such expressions be given their broadest interpretation.