Patent Description:
Steam cooking apparatus, such as steam ovens, have been increasingly popular because of their ability to retain moisture and flavor in foods compared to conventional ovens and microwave ovens. It is much easier to avoid problems such as overcooking, drying, and shrinkage of food using steam cooking. Moreover, nutrients such as vitamins and minerals are less prone to degradation when foods are cooked with steam, compared to many other cooking methods. However, currently available steam ovens, like normal convection ovens, are typically big and expensive. Moreover, typical configurations of steam ovens make them difficult to clean. The document <CIT> discloses a cooking apparatus.

There are a number of disadvantages associated with the currently available cooking apparatuses that are capable of convection heating and/or steam cooking. For example, as mentioned above, currently available steam ovens typically have a large size and are expensive to manufacture. In addition, current available cooking ovens have configurations that make them difficult to be cleaned thoroughly.

To better address one or more of the concerns mentioned earlier, in a first aspect, there is provided a cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatus comprises a housing; a cooking compartment arranged at the housing, the cooking compartment being configured to form a first enclosed space in which food item can be received; a heating unit arranged inside a second enclosed space in the housing, wherein the cooking compartment comprises an air inlet through which air can enter from a side of the cooking compartment, and an air outlet through which air can exit from an opposite side of the cooking compartment, and wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are connected to the second enclosed space such that air heated by the heating unit can circulate between the second enclosed space and the cooking compartment.

In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus according may further comprise a fan configured to generate an air flow at the second enclosed space so as to facilitate the air flow circulation between the second enclosed space and the cooking compartment.

In some embodiments, the cooking compartment may comprise: a receptacle having a top opening; and a covering element configured to be coupled to the receptacle to cover the top opening of the receptacle so as to form the first enclosed space. In these embodiments, the air inlet and the air outlet may be arranged at opposite sides of the receptacle.

In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus may further comprise a cooking compartment sealing unit arranged at the receptacle and/or the covering element. In these embodiments, the cooking compartment sealing unit may be configured form a seal between the receptacle and the covering element when the covering element is coupled to the receptacle.

In some embodiments, when the covering element is coupled to the receptacle, a first gap and a second gap may be formed between the covering element and the receptacle. In these embodiments, when the cooking compartment is located at the housing, the first gap may form the air inlet and the second gap may form the air outlet.

In some embodiments, the covering element may have a dome shape. In some embodiments, the covering element may be at least partially transparent.

According to the invention, the cooking apparatus further comprises a water reservoir configured to store water, the water reservoir being connected to the heating unit such that water can be delivered from the water reservoir to the heating unit for steam generation. In these embodiments, the cooking apparatus may further comprise a water pump configured to pump water from the water reservoir to the heating unit.

In some embodiments, the cooking compartment may be removable from the housing, and the second enclosed space may be formed when the cooking compartment is located at the housing.

In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus may further comprise a housing sealing unit configured to form a seal between the cooking compartment and the housing when the cooking compartment is located in the housing.

In some embodiments, the cooking compartment may further comprise one or more handles.

In some embodiments, the heating unit may comprise a heating plate.

In some embodiments, the heating unit may comprise a tubular heater, and in these embodiments, the cooking apparatus may further comprise an upper plate arranged in the second enclosed space above the tubular heater, and a lower plate arranged in the second enclosed space between the tubular heater and a bottom of the housing.

According to the aspects and embodiments described above, the limitations of existing techniques are addressed. In particular, the above-described aspects and embodiments provide a cooking apparatus that is compact and cheap to manufacture. There is thus provided an improved cooking apparatus. These and other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

For a better understanding of the embodiments, and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

As noted above, there is provided a cooking apparatus which addresses the existing problems.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a cooking apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment. The cooking apparatus <NUM> includes at least a convection heating function and a steam cooking function. Therefore, in some embodiments, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may be a combined convection and steam oven. The cooking apparatus <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM>, a cooking compartment <NUM>, a heating unit <NUM>, and a fan <NUM>. The cooking compartment <NUM> is arranged at the housing <NUM>, and it is configured to form a first enclosed space in which food item can be received. The heating unit <NUM> is arranged inside a second enclosed space in the housing <NUM>.

In addition, the cooking compartment <NUM> comprises an air inlet through which air can enter from a side of the cooking compartment <NUM>, and an air outlet through which air can exit from an opposite side of the cooking compartment <NUM>. The air inlet and the air outlet are connected to the second enclosed space where the heating unit <NUM> is located. In this way, the air heated by the heating unit <NUM> can circulate between the second enclosed space and the cooking compartment <NUM>. Moreover, the fan <NUM> is configured to generate an air flow at the second enclosed space so as to facilitate the air flow circulation between the second enclosed space and the cooking compartment <NUM>.

The cooking compartment <NUM> may be removable from the housing <NUM> in some embodiments. In this case, the second enclosed space may be formed when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>. A housing sealing unit may be provided to form a seal between the cooking compartment <NUM> and the housing <NUM> when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>. In addition, in some embodiments, the cooking compartment <NUM> may further comprise one or more handles. The one or more handles allow easy removal of the cooking compartment <NUM> from the housing <NUM>.

The cooking compartment <NUM> may comprise a receptacle (e.g. a food tray) having a top opening and a covering element (e.g. a lid) configured to be coupled to the receptacle to cover the top opening of the receptacle so as to form the first enclosed space. In these embodiments, the air inlet and the air outlet may be arranged at opposite sides of the receptacle. The covering element may have a dome shape so as to allow accommodation of larger-sized food items in the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, the covering element may be at least partially transparent to allow a user to easily view a cooking process of the food items received in the cooking compartment <NUM>.

In some embodiments, when the covering element is coupled to the receptacle, a first gap and a second gap may be formed between the covering element and the receptacle. In these embodiments, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, the first gap may form the air inlet and the second gap may form the air outlet.

Furthermore, a cooking compartment sealing unit may be provided to form a seal between the receptacle and the covering element when the covering element is coupled to the receptacle. The cooking compartment sealing unit may be arranged at the receptacle and/or the covering element to achieve the sealing effect.

Although not shown in the drawing, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may further comprise a water reservoir configured to store water. In these embodiments, the water reservoir may be connected to the heating unit <NUM> such that water can be delivered from the water reservoir to the heating unit <NUM> for steam generation. The generated steam can then also be circulated between the second enclosed space and the cooking compartment (e.g. along the air flow generated by the fan <NUM>). Moreover, although not shown in the drawing, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may further comprise a water pump configured to pump water from the water reservoir to the heating unit <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the heating unit <NUM> may comprise a heating plate. The shape of a flat heating plate maximizes a surface area for convection heating. Also, as mentioned above, in some embodiments the cooking apparatus <NUM> may include components for steam generation. In these embodiments, the shape of the flat heating plate would also maximize a surface area for steam generation.

In alternative embodiments, the heating unit <NUM> may comprise a tubular heater. In these embodiments, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may further comprise an upper plate arranged in the second enclosed space above the tubular heater, and a lower plate arranged in the second enclosed space between the tubular heater and a bottom of the housing <NUM>. The upper and lower plates provide heat insulation between the tubular heater and the rest of the cooking apparatus, especially the cooking compartment <NUM> and the bottom of the housing <NUM>.

Although not shown in the drawing, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may further comprise at least one user interface. A user interface may be for use in providing a user of the cooking apparatus <NUM> with information relating to the cooking apparatus <NUM> (e.g. an on/off status of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, a cooking temperature setting of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, an operation mode of the cooking apparatus <NUM>). Alternatively or in addition, a user interface may be configured to receive a user input. For example, a user interface may allow a user of the cooking apparatus <NUM> to manually enter instructions, data, or information. In these embodiments, a control unit may be provided and configured to acquire the user input from one or more user interfaces.

A user interface may be any user interface that enables the rendering (or output or display) of information to a user of the cooking apparatus <NUM>. Alternatively or in addition, a user interface may be any user interface that enables a user of the cooking apparatus <NUM> to provide a user input, interact with and/or control the cooking apparatus <NUM>. For example, the user interface may comprise one or more switches, one or more buttons, a keypad, a keyboard, a touch screen or an application (for example, on a tablet or smartphone), a display screen, a graphical user interface (GUI) or other visual rendering component, one or more speakers, one or more microphones or any other audio component, one or more lights, a component for providing tactile feedback, or any other user interface, or combination of user interfaces.

Although not shown in the drawing, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may further comprise a control unit. The control unit may be configured to control the fan <NUM> to generate the air flow at the second enclosed space. More specifically, the control unit may be configured to control a speed of the fan <NUM>. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit may be configured to control power supply to the heating unit <NUM>. This control may be based on a measured temperature in the cooking compartment <NUM> (e.g. via a control loop). Alternatively or additionally, in embodiments where a water reservoir is provided at the cooking apparatus <NUM>, the control unit may be configured to control the water delivery between the water reservoir and the heating unit <NUM>. The control unit can comprise one or more processors, processing units, multi-core processor or modules that are configured or programmed to control the cooking apparatus <NUM> in the manner described herein. In particular implementations, the control unit can comprise a plurality of software and/or hardware modules (e.g. image analysis software) for performing such control.

The control unit can be implemented in numerous ways, with software and/or hardware, to perform the various functions described below. The control unit may comprise one or more microprocessors or digital signal processor (DSPs) that may be programmed using software or computer program code to perform the required functions and/or to control components of the control unit to effect the required functions. The control unit may be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware to perform some functions (e.g. amplifiers, pre-amplifiers, analog-to-digital convertors (ADCs) and/or digital-to-analog convertors (DACs)) and a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors, controllers, DSPs and associated circuitry) to perform other functions. Examples of components that may be employed in various embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, conventional microprocessors, DSPs, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

It will be appreciated that <FIG> only shows the components required to illustrate an aspect of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, and in a practical implementation, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may comprise alternative or additional components to those shown. For example, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may comprise a battery or other power supply for powering the cooking apparatus <NUM> or means for connecting the cooking apparatus <NUM> to a mains power supply.

<FIG> is an exploded view diagram of a cooking apparatus <NUM> according to another embodiment, and <FIG> is a cross-sectional view diagram of the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, the cooking apparatus <NUM> in the present embodiment comprises a housing <NUM>, a cooking compartment <NUM>, a heating unit <NUM>, and a fan <NUM>.

Although the cooking compartment <NUM> is arranged at the housing <NUM>, it is also removable from the housing <NUM> in the present embodiment such that the inner surfaces of the housing <NUM> as well as the heating unit <NUM> (which is located inside the housing <NUM>) can be cleaned without significant obstruction. Also, since the cooking compartment <NUM> is removable in this embodiment, it can be used for serving food directly at the table. The cooking compartment <NUM> comprises a receptacle <NUM> and a covering element <NUM>. The receptacle <NUM> has a top opening through which food items can be received and removed, and the covering element <NUM> is configured to be coupled to the receptacle <NUM> to cover the top opening of the receptacle <NUM>. A protrusion <NUM> is arranged at the top side of the covering element <NUM> so as to allow a user to lift the covering element <NUM> up easily to remove it away from the receptacle <NUM>. This way, the user can introduce and/or remove food item(s) to and from the receptacle <NUM> easily by removing the covering element <NUM>.

In addition, the cooking compartment <NUM> comprises an air inlet <NUM> and an air outlet <NUM> which are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM> such that an air flow path within the cooking apparatus <NUM> can be established in a straightforward manner, as will be described in more detail below. The cooking compartment <NUM> further comprises two handles <NUM> arranged at opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM> so as to facilitate removal of the cooking compartment <NUM> from the housing <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the covering element <NUM> in the present embodiment comprises raised circumferential edge which at least engages with the two handles <NUM> when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>. This particular configuration of the covering element <NUM> enables heated air and/or generated steam to be more specifically directed towards the food item(s) received therein so as to speed up the cooking process as well as to achieve an even heat distribution within the cooking compartment <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, an actuation unit <NUM> and a display unit <NUM> are provided at a top surface of the housing <NUM>. The actuation unit <NUM> may be configured such that upon actuation of the actuation unit <NUM>, the cooking apparatus <NUM> can be switched on/off. Alternatively, the actuation unit <NUM> may be implemented as a dial for controlling a temperature level associated with the heating unit <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> may be configured to display information relevant to the operation of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, such as an on/off status of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, a cooking temperature setting of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, an operation mode of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, etc. In some embodiments, the actuation unit <NUM> and the display unit <NUM> may be regarded as part of a user interface of the cooking apparatus <NUM>.

In the cross-sectional view of the cooking apparatus <NUM> as provided in <FIG>, it is shown that when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, a first enclosed space 2A is formed at the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, a second enclosed space 2B is formed within the housing <NUM>. Specifically, it is shown in <FIG> that the second enclosed space 2B is partly formed by the housing <NUM> and partly formed by an outer wall of the receptacle <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, the heating unit <NUM> comprises a heating plate located inside the second enclosed space 2B and directly beneath the cooking compartment <NUM> when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>.

As mentioned above with reference to <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> comprises an air inlet <NUM> and an air outlet <NUM> which are respectively arranged an opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM>. It is further illustrated in <FIG> that the air inlet <NUM> is arranged at the receptacle <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> (and in this case, at least the receptacle <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, air can enter from the second enclosed space 2B through the air inlet <NUM> and into the receptacle <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 2A). Furthermore, the air outlet <NUM> is arranged at the receptacle <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> (and in this case, at least the receptacle <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, air can exit from the receptacle <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 2A) at a side opposite from where air enters, i.e. through the air outlet <NUM> which is opposite to the air inlet <NUM>, and into the second enclosed space 2B. As a result, when the receptacle <NUM> (with or without the covering element <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM> can be regarded as being connected to the second enclosed space 2B. Accordingly, air heated by the heating unit <NUM> in the second enclosed space 2B can be circulated between the second enclosed space 2B and the cooking compartment <NUM>. The air flow circulation (denoted by the arrows in <FIG>) can be facilitated by an air flow generated by the fan <NUM>, which is located adjacent to the second enclosed space 2B.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the cooking apparatus <NUM> in this embodiment further comprises a water reservoir <NUM> which is connected to the heating unit such that water stored in the water reservoir <NUM> can be delivered to the heating unit <NUM> for steam generation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the generated steam can also be carried in the air flow circulation from the second enclosed space 2B to the cooking compartment <NUM> via the air flow generated by the fan <NUM>. Once the generated steam enters the cooking compartment <NUM> through the air inlet <NUM>, it can be used for steam cooking the food item(s) received in the receptacle <NUM>.

It will be appreciated that <FIG> and <FIG> only show the components required to illustrate an aspect of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, and in a practical implementation, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may comprise alternative or additional components to those shown.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view diagram of a cooking apparatus <NUM> according to another embodiment. The cooking apparatus <NUM> in the present embodiment is similar to the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> in that it also comprises a housing <NUM>, a cooking compartment <NUM>, a heating unit <NUM>, a fan <NUM>, and a water reservoir <NUM>.

Similar to the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> in the present embodiment is also removable from the housing <NUM> so that the inner surfaces of the housing <NUM> as well as the heating unit <NUM> (which is located inside the housing <NUM>) can be cleaned without significant obstruction. Also, the cooking compartment <NUM> comprises a receptacle <NUM> and a covering element <NUM>. The receptacle <NUM> has a top opening through which food items can be received, and the covering element <NUM> is configured to be coupled to the receptacle <NUM> to cover the top opening of the receptacle <NUM>. A protrusion <NUM> is arranged at the top side of the covering element <NUM> so as to allow a user to lift the covering element <NUM> up easily to remove it away from the receptacle <NUM>. This way, the user can introduce and/or remove food item(s) to and from the receptacle <NUM> simply by removing the covering element <NUM>.

When the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, a first enclosed space 3A is formed at the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, a second enclosed space 3B is formed within the housing <NUM>. Specifically, the second enclosed space 3B is partly formed by the housing <NUM> and partly formed by an outer wall of the receptacle <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, the heating unit <NUM> comprises a heating plate located inside the second enclosed space 3B and directly beneath the cooking compartment <NUM> when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>.

Furthermore, the covering element <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM> in this embodiment is comprises a raised circumferential edge which engages with a part of the housing <NUM> when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>. Therefore, when the receptacle <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM> and when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, a first gap and a second gap are formed between the covering element <NUM> and the receptacle <NUM>. The first gap in this case serves as an air inlet <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM> and the second gap serves as an air outlet <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM> are arranged on opposite sides of the cooking compartment <NUM> such that an air flow path within the cooking apparatus <NUM> can be established in a straightforward manner. In more detail, the air inlet <NUM> is arranged at the cooking compartment <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, air can enter from the second enclosed space 3B through the air inlet <NUM> and into the cooking compartment <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 3A). Furthermore, the air outlet <NUM> is arranged at the cooking compartment <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, air can exit from the cooking compartment <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 3A) at a side opposite from where air enters, i.e. through the air outlet <NUM> which is opposite to the air inlet <NUM>, and into the second enclosed space 3B. As a result, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM> can be regarded as being connected to the second enclosed space 3B. Accordingly, air heated by the heating unit <NUM> in the second enclosed space 3B can be circulated between the second enclosed space 3B and the cooking compartment <NUM>. The air flow circulation (denoted by the arrows in <FIG>) can be facilitated by an air flow generated by the fan <NUM>, which is located adjacent to the second enclosed space 3B.

In this embodiment, the water reservoir <NUM> is connected to the heating unit <NUM> such that water stored in the water reservoir <NUM> can be delivered to the heating unit <NUM> for steam generation. Therefore, in this embodiment, the generated steam can also be carried in the air flow circulation from the second enclosed space 3B to the cooking compartment <NUM> via the air flow generated by the fan <NUM>. Once the generated steam enters the cooking compartment <NUM> through the air inlet <NUM>, it can be used for steam cooking the food item(s) received in the receptacle <NUM>.

It will be appreciated that <FIG> only shows the components required to illustrate an aspect of the cooking apparatus <NUM>, and in a practical implementation, the cooking apparatus <NUM> may comprise alternative or additional components to those shown.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view diagram of a cooking apparatus <NUM> according to another embodiment. The cooking apparatus <NUM> in the present embodiment is similar to the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> in that it also comprises a housing <NUM>, a cooking compartment <NUM>, a heating unit <NUM>, a fan <NUM>, and a water reservoir <NUM>. Furthermore, similar to the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> of the cooking apparatus <NUM> in this embodiment also comprises a receptacle <NUM> and a covering element <NUM>, both components being removable from the housing <NUM>. The functionalities of the protrusion <NUM> provided at the covering element <NUM>, the heating unit <NUM>, the fan <NUM>, and the water reservoir <NUM> are the same as those described with reference to <FIG>, and therefore description of these components will be omitted for brevity.

When the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, a first enclosed space 4A is formed at the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, a second enclosed space 4B is formed within the housing <NUM>. Specifically, the second enclosed space 4B is partly formed by the housing <NUM> and partly formed by an outer wall of the receptacle <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, the heating unit <NUM> comprises a heating plate located inside the second enclosed space 4B and directly beneath the cooking compartment <NUM> when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>.

The difference between the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and the cooking apparatus <NUM> of the <FIG> is that while the covering element <NUM> of <FIG> comprises a raised circumferential edge which engages with a part of the housing <NUM> when it is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, the covering element <NUM> of this embodiment has a generally flat shape and is configured such that at least a part of its circumferential edge engages with a part of the housing <NUM> when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>. In this arrangement, when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM> (by way of engaging with a part of the housing <NUM>), a first gap and a second gap are formed on opposite sides between the covering element <NUM> and the receptacle <NUM>. The first gap in this case serves as an air inlet <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM> and the second gap serves as an air outlet <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>. Similar to the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG>, since the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM> are arranged on opposite sides of the cooking compartment <NUM>, an air flow path can be established within the cooking apparatus <NUM> in a straightforward manner.

In more detail, the air inlet <NUM> is arranged at the cooking compartment <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, air can enter from the second enclosed space 4B through the air inlet <NUM> and into the cooking compartment <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 4A). Furthermore, the air outlet <NUM> is arranged at the cooking compartment <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, air can exit from the cooking compartment <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 4A) at a side opposite from where air enters, i.e. through the air outlet <NUM> which is opposite to the air inlet <NUM>, and into the second enclosed space 4B. As a result, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet4 can be regarded as being connected to the second enclosed space 4B. Accordingly, air heated by the heating unit <NUM> in the second enclosed space 4B can be circulated between the second enclosed space 4B and the cooking compartment <NUM>. The air flow circulation (denoted by the arrows in <FIG>) can be facilitated by an air flow generated by the fan <NUM>, which is located adjacent to the second enclosed space 4B.

Comparing the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG> and the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG> provides a larger first enclosed space 4A for accommodating food item(s). Nevertheless, in comparison with the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG> is configured such that heated air and/or generated steam is more specifically directed towards the food item(s) received therein by way of the shape of the covering element <NUM> so as to speed up the cooking process.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view diagram of a cooking apparatus <NUM> according to another embodiment. The cooking apparatus <NUM> in the present embodiment is similar to the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> in that it also comprises a housing <NUM>, a cooking compartment <NUM>, a heating unit <NUM>, a fan <NUM>, and a water reservoir <NUM>. Furthermore, similar to the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> of the cooking apparatus <NUM> in this embodiment also comprises a receptacle <NUM> and a covering element <NUM>, both components being removable from the housing <NUM>. The functionalities of the protrusion <NUM> provided at the covering element <NUM>, the fan <NUM>, and the water reservoir <NUM> are the same as those described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, and therefore description of these components will be omitted for brevity.

Similar to the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> in this embodiment comprises an air inlet <NUM> and an air outlet <NUM> which are respectively arranged an opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM> such that an air flow path within the cooking apparatus <NUM> can be established in a straightforward manner.

The cooking compartment <NUM> further comprises two handles <NUM> arranged at opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM> so as to facilitate removal of the cooking compartment <NUM> from the housing <NUM>. Moreover, the covering element <NUM> in the present embodiment comprises raised circumferential edge which at least engages with the two handles <NUM> when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>. This particular configuration of the covering element <NUM> enables heated air and/or generated steam to be more specifically directed towards the food item(s) received therein so as to speed up the cooking process.

When the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, a first enclosed space 5A is formed at the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, a second enclosed space 5B is formed within the housing <NUM>. Specifically, it is shown in <FIG> that the second enclosed space 5B is partly formed by the housing <NUM> and partly formed by an outer wall of the receptacle <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the air inlet <NUM> is arranged at the receptacle <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> (and in this case, at least the receptacle <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, air can enter from the second enclosed space 5B through the air inlet <NUM> and into the receptacle <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 5A). Furthermore, the air outlet <NUM> is arranged at the receptacle <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> (and in this case, at least the receptacle <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, air can exit from the receptacle <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 5A) at a side opposite from where air enters, i.e. through the air outlet <NUM> which is opposite to the air inlet <NUM>, and into the second enclosed space 5B. As a result, when the receptacle <NUM> (with or without the covering element <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM> can be regarded as being connected to the second enclosed space 5B.

The difference between the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> is that while the heating unit <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> comprises a heating plate, the heating unit <NUM> of this embodiment comprises a tubular heater. The air heated by the tubular heater of the heating unit <NUM> in the second enclosed space 5B can be circulated between the second enclosed space 5B and the cooking compartment <NUM> via the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM>. The air flow circulation (denoted by the arrows in <FIG>) can be further facilitated by an air flow generated by the fan <NUM>, which is located adjacent to the second enclosed space 5B.

Furthermore, another difference between the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> is that the cooking apparatus <NUM> in this embodiment further comprises an upper plate <NUM> arranged in the second enclosed space 5B above the tubular heater of the heating unit <NUM>, and a lower plate <NUM> arranged in the second enclosed space between the tubular heater of the heating unit <NUM> and a bottom of the housing <NUM>. The upper plate <NUM> provides heat insulation between the heating unit <NUM> and the cooking compartment <NUM>, while the lower plate <NUM> provides heat insulation between the heating unit <NUM> and the bottom of the housing <NUM>. For this purpose, the upper plate <NUM> and the lower plate <NUM> may be made of heat insulating material(s). In addition, the upper plate <NUM> also provides a barrier between the cooking compartment <NUM> and the second enclosed space 5B so as to prevent objects (e.g. food items) from falling into the second enclosed space, especially when the cooking compartment <NUM> is not located at the housing <NUM> or is being removed from the housing <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view diagram of a cooking apparatus according to another embodiment. The cooking apparatus <NUM> in the present embodiment is similar to the cooking apparatuses <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG> in that it also comprises a housing <NUM>, a cooking compartment <NUM>, a heating unit <NUM>, a fan <NUM>, and a water reservoir <NUM>. Furthermore, similar to the cooking compartment <NUM> of <FIG> and <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> of the cooking apparatus <NUM> in this embodiment also comprises a receptacle <NUM> and a covering element <NUM>, both components being removable from the housing <NUM>. The functionalities of the protrusion <NUM> provided at the covering element <NUM>, the heating unit <NUM>, the fan <NUM>, and the water reservoir <NUM> are the same as those described with reference to <FIG>, and therefore description of these components will be omitted for brevity.

Similar to the cooking compartment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the cooking compartment <NUM> in this embodiment comprises an air inlet <NUM> and an air outlet <NUM> which are respectively arranged an opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM> such that an air flow path within the cooking apparatus <NUM> can be established in a straightforward manner. The cooking compartment <NUM> further comprises two handles <NUM> arranged at opposite sides of the receptacle <NUM> so as to facilitate removal of the cooking compartment <NUM> from the housing <NUM>.

When the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, a first enclosed space 6A is formed at the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>, a second enclosed space 6B is formed within the housing <NUM>. Specifically, it is shown in <FIG> that the second enclosed space 6B is partly formed by the housing <NUM> and partly formed by an outer wall of the receptacle <NUM> of the cooking compartment <NUM>. Also, the heating unit <NUM> comprises a heating plate located inside the second enclosed space 6B and directly beneath the cooking compartment <NUM> when the cooking compartment <NUM> is located at the housing <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the air inlet <NUM> is arranged at the receptacle <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> (and in this case, at least the receptacle <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, air can enter from the second enclosed space 6B through the air inlet <NUM> and into the receptacle <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 6A). Furthermore, the air outlet <NUM> is arranged at the receptacle <NUM> such that when the cooking compartment <NUM> (and in this case, at least the receptacle <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, air can exit from the receptacle <NUM> (and therefore the first enclosed space 6A) at a side opposite from where air enters, i.e. through the air outlet <NUM> which is opposite to the air inlet <NUM>, and into the second enclosed space 6B. As a result, when the receptacle <NUM> (with or without the covering element <NUM>) is located at the housing <NUM>, the air inlet <NUM> and the air outlet <NUM> can be regarded as being connected to the second enclosed space 6B.

The difference between the cooking apparatus <NUM> of <FIG> and the cooking apparatus <NUM> of the <FIG> and <FIG> is that while the covering element <NUM> of <FIG> comprises a raised circumferential edge which at least engages with the two handles <NUM> when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>, the covering element <NUM> of this embodiment has a generally dome shape and is configured such that at least a part of its circumferential edge engages with the handles <NUM> of the receptacle <NUM> when the covering element <NUM> is coupled to the receptacle <NUM>. This particular configuration of the cooking compartment <NUM> allows its capacity to be maximized for accommodating more food items.

There is thus provided an improved cooking apparatus which overcomes the existing problems.

Claim 1:
A cooking apparatus (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) comprising:
a housing (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>);
a cooking compartment (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) arranged at the housing, the cooking compartment being configured to form a first enclosed space in which food item can be received;
a heating unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) arranged inside a second enclosed space in the housing,
wherein the cooking compartment comprises an air inlet (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) through which air can enter from a side of the cooking compartment, and an air outlet (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) through which air can exit from an opposite side of the cooking compartment,
wherein the air inlet (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and the air outlet (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) are disposed on opposite sides of the cooking compartment, and
wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are connected to the second enclosed space such that air heated by the heating unit can circulate between the second enclosed space and the cooking compartment;
characterized in that, the cooking apparatus further comprises a water reservoir (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) configured to store water, the water reservoir being connected to the heating unit (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) such that water can be delivered from the water reservoir to the heating unit for steam generation;
wherein the cooking apparatus includes a convection heating function and a steam cooking function.