Cookware item having an output unit and method for operating the cookware item

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11839334-B2
Application number	US-202118005354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2021
Priority date	Jul 29, 2020
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

A cookware item includes: a cooking container for receiving food to be cooked and/or a lid for closing the cooking container; at least one handle for handling the cookware item, a handle body of the handle being force-transmittingly connected to the cooking container and/or to the lid of the cookware item by a handle connection part of the handle; an insulating part of the cookware item being disposed between the handle connection part and/or the lid to reduce a transfer of heat to the handle body; and an output unit at least partially integrated into the handle body and for visually outputting information to a user of the cookware item, the output unit having at least one light source, the light source being controllable by a controller of the cookware item and configured to be supplied with electrical power by a power source of the cookware item.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cookware item, comprising:
a cooking container configured to receive food to be cooked and/or a lid configured to close the cooking container;
at least one handle configured to handle the cookware item,
a handle body of the handle being force-transmittingly connected to the cooking container and/or to the lid of the cookware item by a handle connection part of the handle;
an insulating part of the cookware item being disposed between the handle connection part and/or the lid to reduce a transfer of heat to the handle body; and
an output unit at least partially integrated into the handle body and configured to visually output information to a user of the cookware item,
the output unit having at least one light source,
the light source being controllable by a controller of the cookware item and configured to be supplied with electrical power by a power source of the cookware item,
wherein
the insulating part comprises an optical waveguide having at least one light in-coupling point configured to couple light emitted by the light source into the insulating part and at least one light out-coupling point configured to couple the light out of the insulating part,
the light in-coupling point being disposed on the handle body and the light out-coupling point being disposed on an externally visible surface of the insulating part.

2. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein the insulating part is translucent.

3. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein the insulating part comprises a seal.

4. The cookware item of claim 3 , wherein the seal comprises a silicone seal.

5. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein the insulating part extends over at least 50% of a height of the handle body.

6. The cookware item of claim 5 , wherein the insulating part extends over at least 50% of a height of the cooking container.

7. The cookware item of claim 5 , wherein the insulating part extends over at least 90% of the height of the handle body.

8. The cookware item of claim 7 , wherein the insulating part extends over at least 110% of a height of the handle connection part.

9. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein the insulating part is disposed between the cooking container and the handle connection part and/or between the lid and the handle connection part such that the externally visible surface of the insulating part, including the light out-coupling point, is disposed along an entire circumference of the handle connection part.

10. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein a top side of the handle body is covered by a cover of the handle.

11. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein a section of the insulating part, including a portion of the externally visible surface of the insulating part, including the light out-coupling point, extends, starting at the handle connection part, farther toward the handle body.

12. The cookware item of claim 11 , wherein the section of the insulating part is disposed on the top side of the handle body.

13. The cookware item of claim 12 , wherein the section of the insulating part is covered by the cover of the handle, the cover being translucent in correspondence with the section.

14. The cookware item of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source is controlled by the controller as a function of an operating state of the cookware item and/or of a cooktop on which the cookware item is placed, and/or as a function of an association and/or non-association of the cookware item with a cooking zone of the cooktop, and/or as a function of a temperature condition of the cookware item, and/or as a function of a fault condition of the cookware item and/or of the cooktop.

15. A method for operating the cookware item of claim 1 , comprising:
controlling the at least one light source by the controller as a function of an operating state of the cookware item and/or of a cooktop on which the cookware item is placed, and/or as a function of an association and/or non-association of the cookware item with a cooking zone of the cooktop, and/or as a function of a temperature condition of the cookware item, and/or as a function of a fault condition of the cookware item and/or of the cooktop.

Assignees

• Miele & Cie

Inventors

• Mueller Christoph
• Hoelscher Britta

Classifications

• A47J45/068 Primary

  Handles having indicating means, e.g. for temperature (A47J45/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J37/10

  Frying pans, e.g. frying pans with integrated lids or basting devices · CPC title

• A47J45/061

  Saucepan, frying-pan handles (A47J45/07 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J45/08

  Heat-insulating handles · CPC title

• F21V33/0036

  Table-ware or table equipment, e.g. dishes, cutlery or trays · CPC title