Abstract:
Cooking appliance comprising at least two removable panels. The invention relates to a cooking appliance ( 1 ) comprising a cooking pit defining a cooking enclosure ( 27 ) having an upper opening ( 5 ), the cooking appliance ( 1 ) also comprising a cooking grille ( 9 ) and/or plate ( 3 ) positioned facing the opening ( 5 ), and at least one burner ( 29 ) having at least one heating part arranged in the cooking enclosure ( 27 ). The cooking enclosure ( 27 ) comprises an inner side wall comprising at least two removable panels ( 65 ) for securing to a support provided in the appliance. A first removable panel ( 65 ) and an adjacent second removable panel ( 65 ) comprise a covering area ( 89, 91 ).

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a cooking apparatus comprising a grill and/or cooking plate under which a cooking well extends comprising at least two removable panels. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is known to have a cooking apparatus having a cooking well above which is disposed a grill and/or cooking plate for a foodstuff. 
         [0003]    The heat required for cooking is generated inside the cooking well by a heat source such as a burner. The heat is directed towards the top of the cooking well and heats the food disposed on the grill and/or the cooking plate. 
         [0004]    It is known to use such a cooking apparatus for cooking food producing a greasy liquid residue while cooking meat. The liquid residue flows inside the cooking well through the cooking grill or through openings provided for this purpose in the cooking plate. 
         [0005]    According to the state of the technique, the cooking well has an inner enclosure provided with means for guiding liquid residue towards a collecting area inside the well. As for the collecting area, it is provided with emptying means for discharging the residue from the well. 
         [0006]    These guiding means are satisfying in that the liquid residue from the food do not enter inside the cooking apparatus and may be discharged from the well after cooking. 
         [0007]    However, part of the liquid residue sticks to the enclosure along the guiding means, thereby creating dirt when the liquid residue dries. One should proceed with a cleaning of the guiding means of the enclosure. This cleaning may prove to be problematic as the guiding means are not necessarily easily accessible. The enclosure may also be dismantled. In this case the dismantling and handling of the elements constituting the enclosure may prove to be fastidious. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present invention aims to resolve all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks. 
         [0009]    To this end, the present invention relates to a cooking apparatus comprising a cooking well defining a cooking enclosure having an upper opening, a grill and/or cooking plate positioned facing the opening, at least a burner having at least a heating part disposed in the cooking enclosure. 
         [0010]    The cooking enclosure comprises an inner lateral wall including at least two removable panels intended to be secured to a support comprised within the apparatus in which a first removable panel and a second adjacent removable panel having an overlapping area. 
         [0011]    According to an aspect of the invention, the first removable panel comprises an edge superimposed to an edge of the second panel in the overlapping area. 
         [0012]    According to an aspect of the invention, the first and second edges extend in a substantially parallel manner in the overlapping area. 
         [0013]    According to an aspect of the invention, the overlapping area extends along a sloping line common to the first and second removable panels. 
         [0014]    According to an aspect of the invention, the common sloping line is continuous. 
         [0015]    According to a first variant, the common sloping line is comprised in a plane transversal to the first removable panel and second removable panel, this plane able to be vertical or oblique with respect to the vertical. 
         [0016]    According to a second variant, the common sloping line may extend outside the transversal plane, for example by having a curved profile or a profile comprising several segments. 
         [0017]    According to an aspect of the invention, each panel extends facing the cooking enclosure and has a slope oriented towards the inside of the cooking well. 
         [0018]    According to an aspect of the invention, the first removable panel is form-fitted with the second removable panel on the first overlapping area. 
         [0019]    According to an aspect of the invention, the first panel has a border in the overlapping area, the border being a profile along the common sloping line, the profile having a convex shape with respect to the inside of the cooking well and a concave shape with respect to the outside of the cooking well. 
         [0020]    According to an aspect of the invention, the cooking enclosure comprises a third removable panel transversal to the first removable panel, the first and third panels having an overlapping area extending transversally to the slope of the first panel facing a flap arranged on the first or on the third panel. 
         [0021]    According to an aspect of the invention, at least a panel has a notch arranging a space of the enclosure for placing a burner. 
         [0022]    According to an aspect of the invention, the notch is located at the base of the panel slope having the notch. 
         [0023]    According to an aspect of the invention, an inner portion achieving a horizontal contour of the cooking well is constituted by a plurality of panels, each panel having with the adjacent panel an overlapping area. 
         [0024]    According to an aspect of the invention, the support of the cooking enclosure comprises a frame surrounding the upper opening, the removable panels comprising means for removeably securing to the frame. 
         [0025]    According to an aspect of the invention, the support comprises a set of profiles extending from the frame around the cooking well, openings of the support being arranged between the profiles. 
         [0026]    According to an aspect of the invention, the cooking enclosure comprises at least a removable tank constituting an area for collecting residue from the cooking. 
         [0027]    According to an aspect of the invention, the panels form means for protecting the inside the apparatus and for guiding the cooking residue towards the tank. 
         [0028]    According to an aspect of the invention, the tank comprises a removable plate delimiting a lower part of the cooking well. 
         [0029]    Preferably, the plate has a peripheral rim extending towards the top of the cooking well. 
         [0030]    According to an aspect of the invention, the tank extends along at least a horizontal direction towards the outside of the well beyond the base of the slope of the adjoining panel. 
         [0031]    According to an aspect of the invention, the tank is arranged at a distance from the panels. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]    Anyway, the invention will be better understood by means of the following description in reference to the accompanying schematic drawing representing, by way of non-limiting example, an embodiment of this cooking apparatus. 
           [0033]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an upper part of a cooking apparatus comprising a cooking plate. 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the upper part of the cooking apparatus without the cooking plate. 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a cooking well of the cooking apparatus. 
           [0036]      FIG. 4  is a detailed view of an overlapping area of two removable panels. 
           [0037]      FIG. 5  is another detailed view of an overlapping area of two removable panels. 
           [0038]      FIGS. 6 to 8  are exploded views of the cooking well of the cooking apparatus. 
           [0039]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the cooking well. 
           [0040]      FIG. 10  is a detail of a side view of the cooking well. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0041]    As illustrated on  FIG. 1 , a cooking apparatus  1  comprises a cooking plate  3  substantially horizontal disposed facing a first portion of an opening  5  of a cooking well  7 . The cooking plate  3  is rectangular and substantially planar. 
         [0042]    The cooking apparatus  1  comprises a cooking grill  9  adjoining the cooking plate  3  and disposed facing a second portion of the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . The cooking grill  9  is also substantially planar. 
         [0043]    The set constituted of the cooking plate  3  and the cooking grill  9  corresponds to the opening  5 . 
         [0044]    The cooking grill  9  comprises a first rectangular element  11  provided with a circular opening and a second circular element  13  disposed in the circular opening. The cooking plate  3  and the cooking grill  9  are provided with openings  15  in fluidic communication with the cooking well  7  and the outside. 
         [0045]    The cooking apparatus  1  comprises an upper grill  17  arranged facing and at a distance from the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . The cooking apparatus  1  also comprises a cap  19  pivoting around an axis of rotation  21 . On  FIG. 1 , the pivoting cap  19  is in lifted position and supports the upper grill  17 . In lowered position, the pivoting cap  19  is located facing the opening  5  of the cooking well  7  and covers the cooking plate  3  and the cooking grill  9 . 
         [0046]    The cooking apparatus  1  comprises a first lateral left working plane  23  and a second lateral right working plane  25 , the lateral left working plane  23  adjoining the cooking grill  9  and the lateral right working plane  25  adjoining the cooking plate  3 . 
         [0047]    The lateral right working plane  25 , the lateral left working plane  23 , the cooking grill  9  and the cooking plate  3  are located in a same horizontal plane. 
         [0048]    As illustrated on  FIG. 2 , the opening  5  of the cooking well  7  corresponds to the place of the set constituted of the cooking plate  3  and the cooking grill  9 . The inside of the cooking well  7  is delimited by a cooking enclosure  27 . 
         [0049]    Four gas burners  29  are disposed inside the cooking well  7 . The burners  29  extend along a direction transversal to the main direction  31  of the opening  5  of the cooking well  7  with respect to the horizontal. The burners  29  are regularly distributed inside the cooking well  7 . 
         [0050]    A transversal wall  33  for diffusing heat is disposed vertically to each burner  29  between the burner  29  and the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0051]    On  FIG. 2 , only the transversal diffusing walls  33  of the two left burners  29  are represented. Each transversal wall has two slopes  34  in the direction of the lower part of the cooking well  7 . The transversal diffusing walls  33  of the two right burners  29  are not represented in order to keep the burners  29  and fixing points  35  of the transversal walls  33  visible on the cooking enclosure  27 . 
         [0052]    Four regulating buttons  37  are disposed on the external wall of the cooking apparatus  1  in the extension of the burners  29  of the opposite side to the pivoting cap  19  with respect to the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . The adjusting buttons  37  are arranged for regulating the gas supply to the burners  29 . 
         [0053]    A red light  39  is disposed on the outer wall of the cooking apparatus  1  in the alignment of the adjusting buttons  37  on the right side. The red light  39  is arranged to come on when at least one burner  29  is supplied with gas. 
         [0054]    As illustrated on  FIG. 3 , the cooking well  7  is delimited in the low and lateral part by the cooking enclosure and in the high part by the opening  5 . As is also illustrated in the exploded views of the  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the cooking enclosure  7  comprises a support  41 . 
         [0055]    The support  41  comprises a frame  43  surrounding the opening  5  of the cooking well  7  and two profiles  45  extending from the frame  43  along the main direction  31  of the opening  5  with respect to the horizontal, around the lateral and lower part of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0056]    The profiles  45  have substantially vertical parts  47  along the lateral part of the cooking well  7  and two horizontal parts  49  along the lower part of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0057]    The two horizontal parts  49  of the profiles  45  each comprise a guiding  51  for a tank comprising a first  53  and a second  55  tray. Each guiding  51  comprises a horizontal supporting surface  57  of the trays  53 ,  55 . The guidings  51  are arranged so that the trays  53 ,  55  slide along the main direction  31  of the opening  5  with respect to the 
         [0058]    The trays  53 ,  55  are of rectangular shape and have a rim  59  oriented towards the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . The trays  53 ,  55  may slide along the guidings  51  and be detached from the support  41  as illustrated on  FIG. 8 . 
         [0059]    A first lateral opening  61  of the cooking apparatus  1  located under the lateral right working plane  25  and a second lateral opening  63  of the cooking apparatus  1  located under the lateral left working plane  23  allow a user of the cooking apparatus  1  to remove the trays  53 ,  55  manually. 
         [0060]    As illustrated on  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7 , the trays  53 , may be slid along the guidings  51  to an inserted position. In inserted position, the trays  53 ,  55  are centered horizontally with respect to the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . In inserted position, the trays  53 ,  55  constitute a lower inner portion of the cooking enclosure  27 . 
         [0061]    As illustrated on  FIG. 3 , the lateral inner part of the cooking enclosure  27  is constituted of removable panels  65 . The removable panels  65  comprise securing means removable from the frame. As illustrated on  FIG. 3 , the securing means comprise hooks  67 . 
         [0062]    The left  69  and right  71  panels are in contact with the substantially vertical parts  47  of the profiles  45  of the support  41 . The front  73 ,  75  and rear  77 ,  79  panels, are in contact with the horizontal parts  49  of the profiles  45 . 
         [0063]      FIG. 3  has the panels  65  in inserted position. In inserted position the panels  65  are stationary. However, the panels  65  may be removed from the support  41 . In order to do this, the panels  65  must be pivoted around the frame  43  in such a manner as to bring the low parts of the panels  65  towards the top. Then, the hooks  67  must be removed from the frame  43  by a horizontal translation in the direction of the outside of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0064]    The left  69  and right  71  panels or lateral panels  69 ,  71  have an extension direction transversal to the main extension direction  31  of the opening  5 . The left  69  and right  71  panels are substantially vertical and have a slight slope in the direction of the inside of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0065]    According to the horizontal, the left  69  and right  71  panels have a first advance  81  towards the inside of the cooking well  7  with respect to the adjoining rim  59  of the adjoining tray  53 ,  55  and with respect to the substantially vertical parts  47  adjoining the support. 
         [0066]    Each front  73 ,  75  and rear  77 ,  79  panel has a slope in the direction of the inside of the cooking well  7 . Along the horizontal, the base of the slope  83  of each front  73 ,  75  and rear  77 ,  79  panel has a second advance  85  towards the inside of the cooking well  7  with respect to the adjoining rim  59  of the adjoining the tray  53 ,  55  and with respect to the adjoining horizontal parts  49  of the support  41 . 
         [0067]    Each front  73 ,  75  and rear  77 ,  79  panel also has two notches  87  for the passage of the burners  29 . The notches  87  are arranged at the bases of the slopes  83  of the front  73 ,  75  and rear  77 ,  79  panels and extend upwards. It is to be noted that the notches  87  are aligned vertically with the transversal walls  33 . 
         [0068]    Each panel  65  has with the adjacent panel  65  an overlapping area  89 ,  91  with respect to the inside of the cooking well  7 . Each panel  65  comprises an edge which is superimposed to an adjacent panel  65  edge in the overlapping area. Each overlapping area  89 ,  91  extends along a sloping line common to said panel  65  and to said adjacent panel  65 . 
         [0069]    Each front  73 ,  75  or rear  77 ,  79  panel has with the adjacent front  73 ,  75  or rear  77 ,  79  panel a first overlapping area  89 . 
         [0070]    As illustrated on  FIG. 4 , the rear left panel  77  and the rear right panel  79  have a first overlapping area  89 . 
         [0071]    The rear left panel  77  has a border  93  in the first overlapping area  89 , the border  93  comprising a profile  95  along the common sloping line  97  with the rear right panel  79 , the profile  95  having a convex shape with respect to the inside of the cooking well and a concave shape with respect to the outside of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0072]    As illustrated on  FIG. 3  and according to the presented embodiment, the common sloping line  97  is continuous and is comprised in a plane transversal to the rear left panel  77  and to the rear right panel  79 , said transversal plane being vertical. 
         [0073]    According to a non-represented variant, this transversal plane may be oblique with respect to the vertical. 
         [0074]    According to another non represented variant, the common sloping line  97  can extend outside the transversal plane, for example by having a curved profile or a profile comprising several segments. 
         [0075]    As illustrated on  FIG. 4  and according to the presented embodiment, the border  93  of the rear left panel  77  is located behind the rear right panel  79  with respect to the inside of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0076]    The rear right panel  79  has a shape that is complementary to the rear left panel  77  in the first overlapping area  91 . Thus, the rear right panel  79  also has a border  99  comprising a profile  101  along the common sloping line  97  with the rear left panel  77 . The profile  101  of the rear right panel  79  also has a convex shape with respect to the inside of the cooking well  7  and a concave shape with respect to the outside of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0077]    The first overlapping area  89  of the front left  73  and front right  75  panels is not described as it is similar to the arrangement of the rear left  77  and rear right  79  panels. 
         [0078]    Each front  73 ,  75  or rear  77 ,  79  panel has with the adjacent lateral panel  69 ,  71  a second overlapping area  91 . 
         [0079]    As illustrated on  FIG. 5 , the rear left panel  77  has a transversal flap  103  with respect to the main direction  31  of the opening  5  of the cooking well  7 . The transversal flap  103  is located in the rear part of the left panel  69  with respect to the inside of the cooking well  7 . This overlap of the transversal flap  103  and the left panel  69  with respect to the inside of the well constitutes the second overlapping area  91 . 
         [0080]    The second overlapping areas  91  of the lateral panels  69 ,  71  with the front panels  73 ,  75  and the rear right panel  79  are not described as they are identical. 
         [0081]    Thus, the panels  65  constitute an inner portion achieving a horizontal contour of the cooking well  7 . 
         [0082]    As illustrated on  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the trays  53 ,  55  are distant from the panels  65  in order to allow the trays  53 ,  55  to slide along the guidings  51 . 
         [0083]    Hereinabove, the cooking apparatus  1  has been described. Here below, the operating thereof is explained in a using example for the cooking of a foodstuff on the cooking plate  3  or on the cooking grill  9 . 
         [0084]    Turning on the burners  29  generates heat released by combustion. The heat diffuses towards the top of the cooking well  7  by convection. The transversal walls  33  located above the burners distribute the heat currents so that the whole surface of the cooking grill  9  and the cooking plate  3  are uniformly heated. 
         [0085]    A food, such as for example a piece of meat is disposed on the cooking grill  9  or the cooking plate  3 . As a reaction to the heating caused by combustion, liquid residue is discharged by the meat. 
         [0086]    The liquid residue drips onto the cooking grill  9  and the cooking plate  3  in order to penetrate in the cooking well  7  through the openings  15  of the cooking plate  3  and the cooking grill  9 . 
         [0087]    In a first case, the liquid residue may fall onto one of the panels  65 . In this case the slope of the panels  65  guides the liquid residue towards one of the trays  53 ,  55 . The first  81  or second  85  advances of the panels  65  hence prevent the liquid residue from entering into the outside of the cooking well. The liquid residue arrives onto one of the trays  53 ,  55 . The rims  59  of the tray  53 ,  55  allow the liquid residue to remain on the trays  53 ,  55 . 
         [0088]    In a second case, the liquid residue may drop onto the transversal walls  33 . In this case the liquid residue is guided by the slopes  34  of the transversal walls  33  and falls onto one of the trays  53 ,  55 . The transversal walls  33  protect on the one hand the burners  29  and on the other hand the notches  87  from the dropping of the liquid residue. 
         [0089]    In a last case in point, the liquid residue drops directly into one of the trays  53 ,  55  from an opening  15  of the cooking grill  9  or the cooking plate  3 . In this case the panels  65  protect against the splashing of liquid residue. Thus, the liquid residue does not seep into the outside of the cooking well  7  in the cooking apparatus  1 . 
         [0090]    Following the cooking of the foodstuff, the trays  53 ,  55  may be taken out of the cooking apparatus  1  in order to empty the liquid residue and to be cleaned. Likewise, the panels  65  may be removed from the cooking enclosure  27  for cleaning without having to dismantle other parts of the cooking apparatus  1 . 
         [0091]    According to the presented embodiment, the panels  65  and the trays  53 ,  55  are dimensioned to be able to be washed in a dishwasher. 
         [0092]    As it is known per se, the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this cooking apparatus described hereinabove by way of example, but it encompasses on the other hand all variants.