Cooking appliance for receiving at least one cooking vessel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooking appliance ( 10 ) comprising at least one cooking surface ( 12, 14 ). The cooking surface includes a horizontal top side ( 12 ) and at least one basin ( 14 ) extending downwards from said top side ( 12 ). The basin ( 14 ) is provided for receiving at least one cooking vessel ( 22, 24, 26 ), so that the cooking vessel ( 22, 24, 26 ) is at least partially enclosed by the basin ( 16 ). The basin ( 14 ) includes a horizontal bottom ( 16 ) and a side wall ( 18 ) enclosing said bottom ( 16 ). The top side ( 12 ) of the cooking surface encloses an upper edge of the side wall ( 18 ) of the basin ( 14 ). At least one heating element is arranged below and/or inside the bottom ( 16 ) of the basin ( 14 ). At least one temperature sensor is arranged inside and/or below the basin ( 14 ), so that the temperature sensor is in a direct or indirect thermal contact with a corresponding cooking vessel ( 22, 24, 26 ).

1 . A cooking appliance comprising at least one cooking surface, wherein
 the cooking surface includes a horizontal top side and at least one basin extending downwards from said top side,   the at least one basin is provided for receiving at least one cooking vessel, so that the at least one cooking vessel can be at least partially enclosed by the at least one basin,   the at least one basin includes a horizontal bottom and a side wall enclosing said bottom,   the top side of the cooking surface encloses an upper edge of the side wall of the at least one basin,   at least one heating element is arranged below and/or inside the bottom of the at least one basin, and   at least one temperature sensor is arranged inside and/or below the at least one basin, so that   the at least one temperature sensor is in a direct or indirect thermal contact with a corresponding said cooking vessel when enclosed by the at least one basin.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is an electric heating element. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one basin is provided for receiving at least one standardized cooking vessel. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one basin is provided for receiving at least one combination of standardized cooking vessels, wherein the size of each standardized cooking vessel is an integer multiple of a base unit area. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 4 , wherein the size of one said heating element or of some adjacent said heat elements corresponds with the base unit area for the standardized cooking vessels, wherein each said standardized cooking vessel is separately heated by one or more said heating elements. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the at least one basin is flat. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooking surface is made of glass ceramics. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor corresponds with one or more adjacent said heating elements and/or at least one said temperature sensor corresponds with one said cooking vessel. 
     
     
         9 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the at least one basin is between 1 mm and 25 mm. 
     
     
         10 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooking appliance comprises at least one scale arranged in the at least one basin, wherein said at least one scale is provided for weighting the at least one cooking vessel. 
     
     
         11 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooking appliance comprises or corresponds with a user interfacearranged at the same level as the top side of the cooking surface. 
     
     
         12 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein those portions of the at least one basin provided for being in contact with one or more said cooking vessels are thermally insulated from the environment. 
     
     
         13 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein a cooking hob is arranged on the horizontal top side of the cooking surfacebeside the at least one basin. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooking appliance is installable in a work top, wherein the top side of the cooking surface is arranged or arrangeable at the same level as said work top. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooking appliance is a freestanding cooking device. 
     
     
         16 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is an induction heating element or a radiant heating element. 
     
     
         17 . A cooking appliance comprising:
 a cooking surface having a horizontal top side and a thermally insulated basin extending downward from said top side, said basin dimensioned to receive and accommodate therein a first standardized gastronorm cooking vessel whose size is approximately that of the basin, or alternatively a plurality of second standardized gastronorm cooking vessels that together can be arranged to approximate the size of the first standardized gastronorm cooking vessel, wherein a smallest of said second standardized gastronorm cooking vessels corresponds to a base unit area and all larger ones of all said gastronorm cooking vessels have sizes corresponding to integer multiples of said base unit area;   a plurality of individually actuable heating elements arranged below or on a bottom wall of said basin, each of said plurality of heating elements being arranged to independently deliver heat to at least a portion of one of said gastronorm cooking vessels, when received in said basin, that is located over the respective heating element and corresponds to said base unit area;   a temperature sensor arranged in a central portion of one of said heating elements so that it will be located below at least one of said gastronorm cooking vessels when received in said basin;   a cover sheet for closing the basin when not in use such when installed, said cover sheet forms a continuous area with the top side of said cooking surface;   a cooking hob arranged on the top side of said cooking surface beside said basin; and   a user interface arranged beside said basin and at the same level as the top side of said cooking surface.   
     
     
         18 . The cooking appliance of  claim 17 , said basin further comprising an inclined side wall. 
     
     
         19 . The cooking appliance of  claim 17 , each of said plurality of heating elements having a geometric structure adapted to said base unit area. 
     
     
         20 . The cooking appliance of  claim 17 , further comprising a scale so that food stuff in one or more cooking vessels received in said basin can be weighed while cooking, and a lifting system configured to place food stuff into one of said cooking vessels when received in said basin and/or to remove food stuff therefrom based on a timer.