Method and Appliance for Heating and/or Cooking Foods with Steam

Abstract

Provided is a method for cooking and/or heating foods that include the step of supplying steam to a steam expansion chamber ( 3 ) including a deformable and/or mobile containment wall ( 4 ) partially delimiting an enclosure ( 2 ) receiving foods to be heated and/or cooked. Also provided is an appliance for cooking and/or heating foods, including a steam generating device ( 1 ) and an enclosure ( 2 ) for receiving the foods to be heated and/or cooked. The appliance includes a steam expansion chamber ( 3 ) supplied with steam by the steam generating device ( 1 ), and the steam expansion chamber ( 3 ) includes a deformable and/or mobile containment wall ( 4 ) partially delimiting the enclosure ( 2 ).

1 . Method of cooking and/or heating food, including the step of supplying steam to a steam expansion chamber comprising a deformable and/or mobile containment wall partially delimiting an enclosure receiving food to be heated and/or cooked. 
     
     
         2 . Method of cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 1 , comprising the step of supplying steam to the enclosure before performing at least one heating and/or cooking phase without supplying steam to the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . Method of cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 1 , comprising the step of using an enclosure comprising at least one inlet opening supplied with steam, to inject steam into the enclosure through the one or more inlet opening(s) in a first phase, and of using the supply of steam to the steam expansion chamber to block the one or more inlet opening(s) with the containment wall in a second phase. 
     
     
         4 . Method of cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 1 , including the step of using an enclosure comprising at least one outlet opening and supplying the enclosure with steam to push out air present inside the enclosure through the one or more outlet opening(s). 
     
     
         5 . Method of cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 4 , including the step of using the supply of steam to the steam expansion chamber to block the one or more outlet opening(s) with the containment wall. 
     
     
         6 . Method of cooking and/or heating food using steam as described in  claim 1 , including the step of regulating the pressure inside the steam expansion chamber. 
     
     
         7 . Method of cooking and/or heating food using steam as described in  claim 6 , including the step of limiting the pressure inside the steam expansion chamber to a value of less than or equal to 10 millibars. 
     
     
         8 . Method of cooking and/or heating food using steam as described in  claim 1 , including a step consisting of injecting air into the steam expansion chamber, to deform and/or move the containment wall toward an interior of the enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . Method of cooking and/or heating food using steam as described in  claim 1 , including a step consisting of sucking out at least a portion of the air inside the enclosure, in order to deform and/or move the containment wall toward an interior of the enclosure. 
     
     
         10 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food, comprising a steam generating device and an enclosure for receiving food to be heated and/or cooked, comprising a steam expansion chamber supplied with steam by the steam generating device, and wherein the steam expansion chamber comprises a deformable and/or mobile containment wall partially delimiting the enclosure. 
     
     
         11 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , wherein the containment wall is at least partially made of an elastically deformable, flexible material. 
     
     
         12 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  11 , wherein the containment wall has a resting position that is at least partially concave with respect to the enclosure. 
     
     
         13 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , wherein the enclosure is partially delimited by a removable container. 
     
     
         14 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 13 , wherein the container holds a removable slotted rack and has a juice collection area arranged beneath a slotted part of the slotted rack. 
     
     
         15 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , wherein the enclosure comprises at least one inlet opening leading from the steam generating device for injecting steam into the enclosure. 
     
     
         16 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 13 , wherein one or more inlet opening(s) are arranged in the container. 
     
     
         17 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 16 , wherein the containment wall moved by the steam present inside the steam expansion chamber may occupy at least one position blocking the one or more inlet opening(s). 
     
     
         18 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , wherein the enclosure comprises one or more outlet openings leading to an exterior of the appliance. 
     
     
         19 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 18 , wherein the one or more outlet opening(s) are arranged in an airtight ring that is part of one portion of the enclosure that is mobile with respect to the container. 
     
     
         20 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 18 , wherein the containment wall moved by the steam present inside the steam expansion chamber may occupy at least one position blocking the one or more outlet opening(s). 
     
     
         21 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , further comprising a pump arranged to inject air into the steam expansion chamber, so as to deform and/or move the containment wall toward an interior of the enclosure. 
     
     
         22 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , further comprising a pump arranged to suck out at least a portion of the air present inside the enclosure, so as to deform and/or move the containment wall toward an interior of the enclosure. 
     
     
         23 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as described in  claim 10 , further comprising a control means to operate the production of steam by the steam generating device according to a pressure inside the steam expansion chamber. 
     
     
         24 . Appliance for cooking and/or heating food as including control means to operate the production of steam by a steam generating device according to a pressure inside a steam expansion chamber and for starting the method of cooking and/or heating food using steam as described in  claim 1 .