The present invention relates to apparatus for use in domestic or commercial cooking and more particularly to apparatus for utilising heat energy in a cooking process.

The cooking of food by typical domestic or commercial boiling methods normally involves bringing the contents of a pan or the like to the boil followed by a reduction in heat applied to the pan to allow the contents to simmer for an appropriate length of time. During the cooking process, a large volume of steam is lost to the atmosphere, resulting in the loss of a significant amount of useful heat energy.

Pan lids act to reduce the heat lost to the atmosphere. However, when the contents of the pan have been boiling for a certain period of time, the increase in pressure inside the pan causes the contents to boil over, thereby resulting in spillage onto the cooker surface and/or kitchen work surface. In some instances, this problem is addressed by incorporating a vent in the pan lid to allow steam to escape to the atmosphere. In order to avoid this situation occurring in lids without a vent, it is common practice either to remove the pan lid or to position it in a tilted manner on top of the pan so to provide a gap that allows the steam from the boiling contents to escape into the atmosphere, thereby preventing the contents from boiling over. However, these methods do not utilise the heat energy lost from the cooking process. Further, the pan lid can often slip from its resting position on the top of the pan to a position enclosing the pan, thereby resulting in a return to the initial situation where the contents can boil over. It is an object of the present invention to mitigate the aforementioned difficulties.

The invention provides a cover suitable for engaging a first chamber for cooking food, the cover comprising an aperture and a channel, wherein the aperture and channel are arranged such that when an object is placed over the aperture and at least a part of the channel, the channel allows for the evacuation of vapour from the chamber.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cover comprising a lower surface suitable for engaging a first chamber for cooking food, an upper surface suitable for contacting an object, an aperture between the upper and lower surfaces and a channel located in the upper surface, wherein the aperture and channel are arranged such that when an object is placed over the aperture and at least a part of the channel, the channel allows for the evacuation of vapour from the chamber. The cover of the present invention provides a means by which vapour generated in the chamber during the cooking process can be utilised to heat an object located on top of the cover. Beneficially, the utilisation of heat energy in heating the object located on the cover is more energy efficient and hence more cost effective than heating the object independently. The cover may be fixed to or removable from the first chamber. Preferably, the cover may simply be supported by the wall(s) of the first chamber. The object that can be located on the cover may comprise a second chamber for cooking food. The first and second chambers may independently comprise any pan, saucepan or other similar cooking utensil known in the art.

The vapour may be any vapour produced in a cooking process. Typically, the vapour will be steam. The vapour may be generated from the heating of liquid contents in the first chamber. The liquid contents can be heated by any conventional means known in the art.

The aperture may be located at any position within the cover. Preferably, the aperture will be located at the centre of the cover. The aperture in the cover allows vapour from the cooking process in the first chamber to heat an object placed over the aperture.

The aperture may comprise any shape. The aperture may be circular or non- circular. Preferably, the aperture is circular.

The size of the aperture is limited only in that it should have an area less than that of the cross-sectional area at an open end of the chamber. Typically, the aperture will have a diameter of from 50 to 150mm, more preferably around 100mm.

The cover may comprise a plurality of apertures located therein. The second and subsequent apertures may or may not be connected to the channel. The second and subsequent apertures may contain any of the features of the first aperture as described herein.

The channel provides a means for the evacuation of vapour generated in a first chamber on which the cover of the present invention is engaged when an object, such as a second chamber, is placed on a top surface of the cover. In such instances, the object covers the aperture and at least a section of the channel.

The aperture and the channel may be arranged such that the aperture provides an inlet to the channel, through which vapour may pass into the channel from the chamber. The channel may serve as a vent for vapour to escape from the first chamber into the atmosphere. Beneficially, this prevents the chance of an excessive pressure build-up in the first chamber during a cooking process.

The cover comprises an upper and lower surface. For illustrative purposes, the lower surface is defined as the surface intended to contact the first chamber and the upper surface is intended to receive the object. The channel may be located in an upper surface of the cover. The channel may therefore be formed in the upper surface of the cover.

The channel may outwardly extend from the aperture across the surface of the cover. The channel may extend any distance across the surface of the cover. Preferably, the channel extends to an outer edge of the cover.

The channel may extend in any direction away from the aperture. In some embodiments, the channel may be linear, for example, a linear groove within the upper surface of the cover.

Alternatively, the channel may be non-linear, for example, an annular groove within the upper surface of the cover. In such embodiments, the channel may comprise a spiral configuration. Where the channel comprises a spiral configuration, the aperture may be located at the centre of the spiral. Beneficially, a greater volume of vapour will be able to contact the surface of the object placed on the cover. Where the object is a second chamber for cooking food, this has the benefit of passing more heat energy to the contents of the second chamber, thereby providing an energy efficient means of heating the contents. Further, a spiral configuration may lead to a partial pressure build-up in the first chamber, thereby increasing the heat energy available for heating the second chamber located on the upper surface of the cover.

The channel may be configured to encourage vapour passing through the aperture to contact substantially all of the lower surface of an object placed over the aperture. Beneficially, this provides for a more even dispersion of vapour to the surface of the object. Preferably, the cover comprises at least one aperture located at the centre of the cover and the or at least one channel extends away from the aperture in a spiral configuration, wherein the aperture is at the centre of the spiral.

The depth of the channel should be less than the depth of the cover. In some embodiments, the depth of the channel may be from 20 to 50mm. Preferably, the depth of the channel is around 30mm. The width of the channel may be from 1 to 10mm and preferably 1 to 5mm.

The cover may comprise a plurality of channels. Each of the channels may be associated with the same or separate apertures. In some embodiments, the plurality of channels may outwardly extend from one aperture. Alternatively, the plurality of channels may each outwardly extend from a separate aperture. In some embodiments, the cover may comprise a plurality of apertures with one or more channels outwardly extending therefrom. Each of the plurality of channels may comprise any of the features of the channels as described herein. The cover may be made from any material suitable for conducting heat energy. In some embodiments, the cover is metallic. Preferably, the cover is made from stainless steel, copper or aluminium. Alternatively, the cover may be made from a synthetic material such as a food grade plastics material. The cover may have an area the same or greater than that of the cross-sectional area at the open end of the chamber to which it is engaged. Advantageously, where the area of the cover is greater than the cross-sectional area of the open end of the chamber, objects may be placed on top of the cover that have a surface area greater than the cross-sectional area of the open end of the chamber. The present invention allows for objects of a variety of sizes to be placed on the cover. This includes objects where the area of the surface that contacts the cover is the same, smaller or larger than the surface area of the cover.

Where the object located on the top of the cover comprises a second chamber for cooking food, the contents of the second chamber may be heated via convection heating provided by the steam being evacuated from the first chamber through the channels in the cover. Beneficially, the heating of the second chamber is more energy and cost efficient as it does not require additional input from a separate heat source.

The second chamber may contain a foodstuff or the like. The foodstuff may be liquid based, for example, milk, soups or sauces. Such foodstuffs can be prone to localised over heating when cooked or heated in a pan located directly on a heat source, such as a hob or the like. However, where the chamber is heated via vapour generated in the first chamber, the chance of localised overheating is minimised. Alternatively, the second chamber may contain water. The cover may additionally comprise a rim projecting away from its lower surface. The rim may be circular. The circumference of the rim may be such that when the cover is engaged with the first chamber, the rim sits within the walls of the chamber. Beneficially, this will prevent the cover sliding off when in use. Similarly, the cover may additionally or alternatively comprise a rim projecting away from its upper surface. The rim may be located around the edge of the cover, thereby preventing the object places on the upper surface from sliding off.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking apparatus comprising a first chamber for cooking food, a cover as described herein engaged with the first chamber and a second chamber for cooking food located on a surface of the cover.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit of parts, the kit comprising a first chamber for cooking food as described herein, a cover as described herein and a second chamber as described herein, such that when the kit of parts is assembled, the cover is engaged with the first chamber and the second chamber is located on an upper surface of the cover.

The features of the second and third aspects of the present invention may comprise any of the features of the first aspect of the present invention as desired or as appropriate. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a representation of a cover according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side -on and birds-eye representation of an alternative embodiment of a cover according to the first aspect of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a representation of an embodiment of a cooking apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a stainless steel cover 1 comprising an aperture 2 and a channel 3. The aperture 2 is located in the centre of the cover 1. The cover 1 and aperture 2 comprise outer edges 4 and 5 respectively.

In Figure 1, the channel 3 comprises a spiral configuration, spiralling outwardly around the edge 5 of the central aperture 2. The channel 3 has a depth less than the depth of the cover 1. Referring to Figure 2, the channel 3 extends outwardly from the edge 5 of the aperture 2 in a linear configuration to the outer edge 4 of the cover 1.

It would be clear to a person skilled in the art that the channel 3 may comprise any configuration across the surface of the cover 1.

Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a cooking apparatus 6 comprising a first chamber 7 for cooking food, a cover 1 and a second chamber 8 for cooking food. For illustrative purposes, the first chamber 7 and second chamber 8 are depicted as saucepans. The saucepan 7 contains liquid contents 9. The saucepan 7 is located on a heat source 10. In this example, the heat source is a cooker hob. However, it will be appreciated that the heat source may comprise any conventional heat source known in the art.

The cover 1 is engaged with the saucepan 7. The area of the cover 1 is greater than that of the cross-sectional area of the open end 1 1 of the saucepan 7. The cover 1 comprises a spiral channel 3 in its upper surface 12 extending outwardly from a central aperture 2.

The saucepan 8 is located on the upper surface 12 of the cover 1 , covering the central aperture 2 and at least a part of the channel 3. It will be appreciated that a variety of sizes of saucepan 8 may be located on the upper surface 12 of the cover 1. In some examples, the saucepan 8 could be of a size that extends to the outer edge 4 of the cover 1. The saucepan 8 comprises liquid contents 13.

In use, the user may place the cover 1 on the wall of the saucepan 7 as shown in Figure 3. The liquid contents 9 of the saucepan 7 may be heated to a temperature sufficient to generate vapour. The vapour generated in saucepan 7 will rise through aperture 2 in the cover 1. With saucepan 8 located on the upper surface 12 of cover 1 as show in Figure 3, the vapour cannot escape to the atmosphere through aperture 2. Instead, the vapour rises through aperture 2 and is forced to pass along channel 3 in the upper surface 12 of cover 1. The surface of the saucepan 8 is in direct contact with the vapour passing through channel 3 as it evacuates to the atmosphere. The vapour passing through channel 3 will transfer heat energy to the saucepan 8 and, consequently, its contents 13. The contents 13 of the saucepan 8 will thus heat up without being in contact with an external heat source. This represents a more energy and cost efficient means of heating the contents 13. It is of course to be understood that the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the foregoing examples which are described by way of example only.