“SMOKING AND COOKING APPARATUS”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments described here concern a smoking and cooking apparatus usable, preferably, but not exclusively, in professional kitchens, such as for example the kitchen of a restaurant, a hotel, a fast food restaurant, a catering company, or, more generally, it can be used in any activity where meals or dishes served to customers of the restaurant are prepared and/or eaten, and in street food areas where food is cooked, served and eaten outdoors.

The apparatus, in particular, is suitable to smoke but also to cook food to prepare any type of dish on any occasion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The traditional smoking technique is known, performed in so-called smokehouses, with which different types of food are subjected to longer or shorter periods of exposure to smoke, through the combustion of shavings, flakes or pieces of wood of various essences with the aim of improving the organoleptic characteristics of the food.

One disadvantage of this traditional smoking technique is that it is performed manually, without being able to control the combustion process in an optimal manner and for large quantities of food, inside specially prepared indoor spaces used exclusively for the process of smoking. This entails a reduction in the usable surface actually available for the activities of a public business, and also management and maintenance costs/times that are not negligible.

A much more recent alternative smoking technique is to use the so-called liquid smoke or chemical products, analogous and similar, to give the food a smoky flavor.

Liquid smoke can be applied to the food to be smoked by immersion, showering, spraying, or injection.

One disadvantage of this second smoking technique is that the chemical products give the food to be smoked exclusively an aroma of smoke, but without changing the organoleptic properties of the food in a stable and persistent manner.

Another disadvantage is that liquid smoke is itself a corrosive substance, which contains chemical substances that are potentially dangerous to health, if not properly controlled and managed both during the production of the liquid smoke and also during the smoking of the food.

In order to try to at least partly solve the problems of these smoking techniques, gas or electrically powered smoking apparatuses are known. These known apparatuses, in order to smoke the food, use various wood essences as fuel and have such sizes that they can only be installed inside professional kitchens.

One disadvantage of gas apparatuses is that the result of the smoking process is rather bland since the wood tends to catch fire easily, reducing the time of exposure to smoke of the food to be smoked.

Another disadvantage of gas apparatuses is that it becomes necessary to manually regulate the gas supply so that the smoking of the wood is triggered and stabilized, and then the food is inserted inside the smoking compartment.

Yet another disadvantage of gas apparatuses is that they require a connection to a gas distribution network, so they are difficult to move from one space to another.

In the same way, one disadvantage of electrically powered apparatuses is that they require a connection to an electrical distribution network, so that in the event of a black-out the smoking process is interrupted.

Furthermore, a disadvantage common to all apparatuses powered by gas or electricity is that the wood, in the form of shavings, flakes or pieces, must be introduced into the smoking compartment, that is, into the compartment in which the food to be smoked is positioned, so the combustion products can come into contact with the food to be smoked, contaminating it and preventing an optimal smoking from being achieved.

Another disadvantage is that known apparatuses are intended exclusively for the sole operation of smoking food in a limited temperature range, which must be controlled manually.

It is also a disadvantage of known apparatuses that the temperature and distribution of the smoke inside the smoking compartment are not kept homogeneous and do not allow a uniform result to be obtained.

Finally, another disadvantage of known apparatuses installed in indoor spaces is that they require a fixed connection to a flue in order to discharge the fumes produced into the atmosphere, once again preventing the possibility of moving the apparatus from one space to another.

There is therefore a need to perfect a smoking and cooking apparatus which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

A first purpose of the present invention is to provide a versatile smoking and cooking apparatus, which can be used both inside a room used as a kitchen and also outdoors, without needing a fixed connection to a flue, and therefore easily transportable from one space to another.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a smoking and cooking apparatus which can integrate together the functions of smoking at different temperatures and of cooking food, such as for example by means of an oven, grill or with steam.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a smoking and cooking apparatus in which the combustion products of the fuel used, both for cooking and for smoking, do not contaminate the food to be smoked and/or cooked, due to the depositing of non-combusted products.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a smoking and cooking apparatus which does not require a connection to a gas or electric distribution network.

It is also a purpose of the present invention to provide a smoking and cooking apparatus able to automatically and continuously regulate and control the temperature inside the smoking/cooking compartment, guaranteeing a uniform and stable distribution of heat and smoke inside the compartment itself, optimizing the smoking/cooking of the food.

Finally, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a smoking and cooking apparatus which uses an ecologically sustainable fuel and able to optimize and reduce the times needed for smoking/cooking the food, compared to known apparatuses.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the present invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, this document describes a biomass- fueled smoking and cooking apparatus, hereafter referred to as apparatus, which comprises a compartment in which the food to be smoked/cooked is placed, which is delimited by respective walls, and a combustion chamber in which the biomass is positioned during use.

The combustion chamber is positioned outside the compartment and is separated from the latter so that the food contained in the compartment does not come into contact with the products of the combustion and/or with noncombusted products.

The apparatus also comprises at least one hollow space associated with at least one of the walls of the compartment and put in fluidic communication with the compartment through calibrated apertures provided on the at least one wall.

The apparatus also comprises a conveyor device configured to convey a flow of smoky/heated air coming from the combustion chamber into the at least one hollow space. The hollow space is configured to distribute the flow of air coming from the combustion chamber uniformly inside the compartment, so as to obtain a homogeneous smoking/cooking of the food.

The apparatus also comprises a control and command unit configured to automatically control and regulate the flow of smoky/heated air and the temperature inside the compartment as a function of the type of food and of the type of smoking/cooking to be obtained.

According to some embodiments, at least two hollow spaces are provided, associated with the reciprocally facing lateral walls, so that the flow of air is introduced into the compartment from opposite sides, in order to obtain a uniform smoking/cooking.

According to some embodiments, on the wall that delimits the hollow space there is provided a plurality of apertures disposed on several levels and having sizes calibrated in such a way as to distribute the flow of air inside the compartment in a uniform and stable manner, guaranteeing a homogeneous temperature inside the compartment. The apparatus also comprises an emission duct configured to put the compartment in fluidic communication directly with the external environment, in the absence of a connection with a flue.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus can comprise a diversion valve configured to selectively put the outlet of the combustion chamber in fluidic communication with the emission duct. This diversion valve is configured to be driven automatically by the control and command unit in order to obtain a constant temperature inside the compartment.

According to other embodiments, the apparatus can comprise a smoke generating device and/or a steam generating device, respectively for smoking and cooking food, which are biomass-fueled and configured to be in fluidic communication with the hollow spaces of the compartment through the conveyor device.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the apparatus comprises at least one pair of guides inside the compartment.

The guides are attached onto the lateral walls and are configured to removably mount at least one support element for food, so as to create a plurality of sections inside the compartment, each of which is in fluidic communication with one or more of the apertures made on the lateral walls.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus comprises at least one temperature sensor electrically connected to the control and command unit and configured to detect the core temperature of the food placed inside the compartment, so as to automatically control and adjust the temperature inside the compartment itself.

According to a preferential embodiment, the apparatus comprises a power supply unit consisting, for example, of at least one battery configured to power the control and command unit at very low voltage.

In accordance, again, with a preferred variant, the apparatus comprises a mobile device configured to interface with the control and command unit in order to remotely control and command one or more apparatuses.

In this way, a smoking and cooking apparatus is obtained which overcomes the limits of the state of the art and eliminates the defects present therein.

In particular, a versatile apparatus is obtained for indoor and outdoor use to smoke and cook all food in an optimal way while preserving its organoleptic characteristics, in a reliable and eco-sustainable way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a perspective view, according to a first angle, of a smoking and cooking apparatus, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a perspective view, according to a second angle, of the apparatus of fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a perspective view, according to a third angle, of the apparatus of fig. 1 with the access door to the compartment open;

- fig. 4 is a rear view in partial section of the apparatus of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 5 is a cross-section view along plane V-V of fig. 4;

- fig. 6 is a cross-section view along plane VI- VI of fig. 5.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can be conveniently combined or incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

We will now refer in detail to the possible embodiments of the invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings, by way of a non-limiting illustration. The phraseology and terminology used here is also for the purposes of providing non-limiting examples.

The attached drawings are used to describe embodiments of a biomass-fueled apparatus for smoking and cooking food, hereafter referred to as apparatus and indicated with the reference number 10.

By biomass, here and in the remainder of the description, we generally mean the biodegradable fraction of any organic material whatsoever used to generate heat and/or smoke. In particular, but not exclusively, the apparatus described in this document is preferably fueled by fuel in an incoherent form, such as wood chips, shavings, pellets or suchlike.

Furthermore, the apparatus 10 can be configured to bum any essence whatsoever such as, for example, alder, cedar, maple, oak, pine or suchlike, in order to generate sufficient heat to cook food, or food products, or to generate fumes suitable to smoke food or food products, that is, to modify their organoleptic characteristics.

With reference to the attached drawings, an apparatus 10 comprises a compartment 17 in which the food to be subjected to smoking and/or cooking is placed, during use.

The apparatus 10 also comprises at least one combustion chamber 15 in which, during use, a biomass to be subjected to combustion is placed.

A tank 11, an auger unit 12, a brazier 13, a first ignition element 14 can be associated with the combustion chamber 15 also in a known way.

Furthermore, a ventilation device 16 can be associated with the combustion chamber 15, put in fluidic communication with the external environment, the brazier 13 and the combustion chamber 15, and configured to feed the quantity of comburent air required for the combustion reaction of the biomass.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a control and command unit 18 configured to manage the biomass combustion process and a flow F of smoky/heated air and/or vapors.

The tank 11 is configured to contain a determinate quantity of biomass.

According to some embodiments, the biomass can be loaded into the tank 11 by means of a loading drawer I la, for example of the tip-up type and conformed as a funnel.

The auger unit 12 is configured to transfer the biomass contained in the tank 11 into the brazier 13, possibly according to predefined quantities.

The first ignition element 14 is configured to trigger the combustion of the biomass contained in the brazier 13.

According to some embodiments, the brazier 13 is of the removable type, in order to be able to carry out cleaning and maintenance operations.

For this purpose, the combustion chamber 15 can be equipped with a door 15a that can be opened to access its interior and to remove and reposition the brazier 13. According to one aspect of the invention, the combustion chamber 15 is positioned outside the compartment 17, that is, the biomass combustion occurs in a separate position from the one in which the food is located, preventing the risk of contamination thereof caused by combustion residues.

The combustion chamber 15 is put in fluidic communication with the compartment 17 by means of a first introduction duct 19.

The compartment 17 is therefore separated from the combustion chamber 15 in such a way that the food contained therein does not come into contact with the products of the combustion and/or with non-combusted products.

In particular, this compartment 17 is delimited by a plurality of walls 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, which include a rear wall 20, two lateral walls 21, a front wall 22, which is defined by an access door to the compartment 17, an upper wall 23 and a lower wall 24.

The compartment 17 comprises at least one wall 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 associated and bordering with at least one hollow space 27, 28, which is provided with through apertures 31 that put the inside of the compartment 17 in communication with the at least one hollow space 27, 28.

The at least one hollow space 27, 28 is put in fluidic communication with the combustion chamber 15 through the first introduction duct 19.

The apparatus 10 also comprises a conveyor device 25 configured to convey the hot air and/or smoke from the combustion chamber 15 toward the at least one hollow space 27, 28.

According to some embodiments, the conveyor device 25 is disposed above the upper wall 23.

In accordance with possible embodiments, the ventilation device 16 and the conveyor device 25 can comprise a fan, for example axial, coupled, in correspondence with its axis, to a rotary transducer (not shown), configured to interface with the control and command unit 18.

The control and command unit 18 can in particular regulate and command the functioning of the ventilation device 16 and of the conveyor device 25 as a function of the type of food present on each occasion in the compartment 17 and the type of smoking/cooking to be achieved.

According to some embodiments, each hollow space 27, 28 can have the shape of a parallelepiped, delimited externally by the lateral wall of the apparatus 10 and internally, toward the compartment 17, by a wall 20, 21 22, 23, 24 of the latter.

According to some embodiments, each hollow space 27, 28 can have an extension substantially corresponding to the extension of the wall 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 with which it is associated.

The lateral walls 21 and the rear wall 20 can be substantially continuous with respect to each other, defining a compartment 17 with an at least partly rounded shape, or they can be connected to each other in correspondence with respective edges.

According to some embodiments, two hollow spaces 27, 28 are provided, each one respectively associated with a lateral wall 21, in such a way that the hot air and/or fumes is/are introduced into the compartment 17 from opposite sides, so as to obtain a more even smoking and/or cooking.

According to some embodiments, each lateral wall 21 is equipped with a plurality of apertures 31 disposed in rows or groups on several levels and having sizes calibrated in such a way as to distribute the flow F of smoky/heated air and/or vapors inside compartment 17 in a uniform and stable manner, guaranteeing a homogeneous temperature inside the entire compartment 17.

The apertures 31 can be circular, semicircular, elliptical, square, rectangular or combinations thereof or suchlike.

According to some embodiments, the apertures 31 have a section area that increases from the side from which the flow F is introduced toward an opposite side. In this specific case, since the conveyor device 25 is configured to introduce the flow F into the hollow space 27, 28 from the top downward, the apertures 31 have a section area that increases from the top downward.

According to some embodiments, the number of apertures 31 can also vary in the direction of the flow F.

In the example case, the number of apertures 31 increases from the top downward.

According to some embodiments, it can also be provided that at least some of the apertures 31 have an adjustable section, for example by means of shutter devices or suchlike, driven by respective actuators. According to some embodiments, each lateral wall 21 is configured to be removable and interchangeable, so as to allow access to the respective hollow combustion residues entrained by the flow F.

According to one variant, the apparatus 10 can comprise, outside the compartment 17, a smoke generating device 29 configured to emit a flow of smoke to smoke the food, in addition or as an alternative to the flow of smoky air generated by the combustion of the biomass.

According to another variant, the apparatus 10 can comprise, outside the compartment 17, a steam generating device (not shown) configured to emit a flow of steam to cook the food, in addition or as an alternative to the flow of heated air generated by the combustion of the biomass.

Both the smoke generating device 29 and also the steam generating device can be biomass-fueled, preferably by means of wooden cartridges, and are fluidically connected to at least one hollow space 27, 28 by means of the first introduction duct 19, or another duct. In this way, the apparatus 10 becomes suitable to smoke and/or cook food at very low, low and medium/high temperatures.

For example, by only turning on the smoke generating devices 29 it is possible to achieve a smoking at very low temperatures, for example in a range of temperatures comprised between 35°C and 60°C.

By igniting the biomass in the combustion chamber 15, it is possible to obtain low smoking and/or cooking temperatures, for example comprised between 60°C and 110°C, or medium/high temperatures, for example comprised between 110°C and 200°C.

The ignition of the biomass that fuels the smoke generating device 29 and the steam generating device can occur, respectively, by means of a second 30 and a third (not shown) ignition element.

According to some embodiments, the first 14, second 30 and third ignition elements can be selected from a group comprising a metal cartridge glow plug, a ceramic glow plug or other similar or comparable components.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 comprises at least one panel 29a of the openable/closable type configured to access and fuel, by means of a biomass, the smoke generating device 29 and the steam generating device. According to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 comprises at least one guide 32 inside the compartment 17, attached onto at least one lateral wall 21 and/or onto a rear wall 20.

According to a preferential embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises at least one pair of guides 32.

The guides 32 are disposed on at least one level in such a way that each one reciprocally faces the corresponding other, and they are attached onto the lateral walls 21 of the compartment 17.

According to some embodiments, the guides 32 are configured to removably mount at least one support element 33 for food, so as to create a plurality of sections 17a inside the compartment 17.

Each section 17a is in fluidic communication with one or more of the apertures 31 made on the lateral walls 21.

According to a preferential embodiment, the food support element 33 can be a tray equipped with apertures on its lower surface or a grill, which is in any case configured to allow condensation and cooking liquids to percolate and deposit on the lower wall 24 of the compartment 17.

Preferably, a plurality of guides 32 is provided, reciprocally facing on the lateral walls 21, and at least one row, or a group of apertures 31, is provided between respective adjacent guides 32.

According to some embodiments, the lower wall 24 is configured in such a way as to prevent the stagnation of the condensation, cooking liquids and liquids for washing/cleaning the compartment 17 collected therein. Furthermore, the bottom of the lower wall 24 is connected to a tap 24a configured to discharge the condensation and the liquids as above.

The access door that defines the front wall 22 can be opened/closed by an operator to directly access the inside of the compartment 17, thus being able to position/remove the at least one food support element 33, respectively, at the beginning and at the end of the smoking/cooking process.

The compartment 17 comprises a hole 34 in correspondence with the rear wall 20 and in the immediate vicinity of the lower wall 24.

The hole 34 is configured to connect to an emission duct 35 in order to put the compartment 17 in fluidic communication directly with the external environment, obtaining the evacuation of the smoking/cooking fumes and vapors.

In this way, the apparatus 10 can be used in indoor and outdoor spaces in the spaces, it will be sufficient to position the apparatus 10 within the range of action of an extractor hood.

According to a preferential embodiment, the first introduction duct 19 is selectively in fluidic communication with the emission duct 35 through a bypass duct 36, by means of the interposition of a diversion valve 37.

The diversion valve 37 is configured to be driven automatically by the control and command unit 18 in order to obtain a constant temperature inside the compartment 17.

According to a preferential embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises at least one temperature sensor 38 inside the compartment 17.

The at least one temperature sensor 38 is electrically connected to the control and command unit 18 and is configured to detect the core temperature of the food placed on the support elements 33, so as to automatically control and regulate the temperature inside the compartment 17.

The temperature sensor 38 can be configured as a probe suitable to be inserted inside a foodstuff.

Ultimately, the control and command unit 18 is configured to control and regulate the flow F of smoky/heated air and/or vapors and the temperature inside the compartment 17 in a completely automatic way, on the basis of predetermined smoking/cooking parameters, by means of suitable sensors that control the combustion of the biomass, the temperature of the flow F, the temperature of the food, the flow rate of the comburent air and the flow rate of the air introduced into the compartment 17.

According to possible embodiments, the regulation of the flow F introduced into the compartment 17 through the apertures 31 can occur through the continuous adaptation of the gap of the apertures 31, for example, by means of electromechanical actuators commanded by the control and command unit 18 on the basis of the signals received from the sensors as above.

The control and command unit 18 is configured to electrically connect to a power supply unit 39 or directly to a common electrical socket of the electrical distribution network by means of a dedicated power supply device.

According to a preferential embodiment, the power supply unit 39 is configured to achieve a power supply of the control and command unit 18 at very low voltage. In particular, the power supply unit 39 consists of at least one battery.

The at least one battery can be single-use or rechargeable.

In particular, the rechargeable battery can be of the power bank type, preferably of the sealed gel power bank type. The latter solution has the advantage of preventing the contamination of the food disposed inside the apparatus 10.

Furthermore, in this way, the apparatus 10 is made independent from the electrical distribution network, since it can function even in the event of a blackout. In addition, a battery has the advantages of being portable, universal and having small sizes, therefore it can be easily integrated into the apparatus 10.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus 10 comprises a mobile device 40 configured to interface with the control and command unit 18, so that the former can interact and communicate remotely with the latter.

According to some variants, the mobile device 40 can be configured as a mobile phone, for example a smartphone, or as a tablet, laptop or any equivalent device on which a suitable software application is installed.

The mobile device 40 can be configured to remotely control and command one or more apparatuses 10.

According to some embodiments, the control and command unit 18 can be connected to, or possibly integrated into, any existing company computer system.

In this way, the management of the apparatus 10 can be carried out directly through the company computer system.

In accordance with other embodiments, the apparatus 10 comprises, alternatively or in addition, a user interface 40a (for example, of the touch screen monitor type) configured to communicate with the control and command unit 18 in order to manage the functioning of the apparatus 10.

According to a preferential embodiment, the apparatus 10 comprises, underneath the lower wall 24, a plurality of displacement members 41, for example wheels, configured to allow to easily move and transport the apparatus 10 from one space to another.

According to some embodiments, at least all the elements facing the inside of the compartment 17, such as the rear wall 20, the lateral walls 21, the front wall 22, the upper wall 23, the lower wall 24, the guides 32 and the support elements 33 can be made of metal material for food use such as, for example, AISI 304 stainless steel.

Ultimately, a biomass-fueled apparatus 10 for smoking and cooking food is obtained that can be used in a versatile manner preferably in professional contexts, both in indoors spaces as well as outdoors. It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the smoking and cooking apparatus as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading: they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.