Heat storage cooker

Abstract

A heat storage cooker comprising a least one oven cavity formed by walls of cast iron, and at least one electric radiant heating element which is in thermal contact with at least one wall such that in use the electric radiant heating element transfers heat energy to the wall which subsequently radiates at least part of that heat energy in to the oven cavity. Two or more ovens may be provided, each one with its own radiant heating element.

1 . A heat storage cooker comprising at least one oven cavity formed by walls of cast iron, and at least one electric radiant heating element which is in thermal contact with at least one wall such that in use the electric radiant heating element transfers heat energy to the wall which subsequently radiates at least part of that heat energy into the oven cavity. 
     
     
         2 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1  in which the at least one oven cavity includes a radiant hot plate which comprises a cast iron body forming a part of the at least one wall and an electrical resistive heating element embedded in the cast iron body. 
     
     
         3 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 2  in which the radiant hot plate comprises a generally flat plate of ceramic or glass ceramic covering a coil of the electrical resistive heating element. 
     
     
         4 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1  in which the electric radiant heating element is located inside the oven cavity in thermal contact with an inner face of a respective wall. 
     
     
         5 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 2  in which the electrical resistive heating element is located in a recess in a respective wall of the oven cavity so that the surface of the hot plate is substantially flush with the surrounding surface of the wall. 
     
     
         6 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1  in which two or more walls are formed as part of a single casting which is in thermal contact with the electric radiant heating element. 
     
     
         7 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1  in which a controller is provided which controls the heating of the heating elements. 
     
     
         8 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 7  in which two oven cavities are present, each cavity having at least one electric radiant heating element which is in thermal contact with at least one wall to form an integral part of the wall such that in use the electric radiant heating element transfers heat energy to the wall which subsequently radiates at least part of that heat energy into the oven cavity, and the controller includes a setting which in use causes the heating elements to maintain a first one of the ovens at a first set temperature when the cooker is switched on a second one of the ovens at a second set temperature when the cooker is switched on, the second set temperature being lower than the first. 
     
     
         9 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 7  in which the controller is operable to implement the setting at a single command from a user, the temperatures being stored in a memory associated with the controller. 
     
     
         10 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 8  in which a third oven cavity is provided which has at least one electric radiant heating element which is in thermal contact with at least one wall to form an integral part of the wall such that in use the electric radiant heating element transfers heat energy to the wall which subsequently radiates at least part of that heat energy into the oven cavity, and the controller setting in use maintains the third oven at a third set temperature when the oven is switched on, the third temperature being different from the first and second temperatures. 
     
     
         11 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 10  in which the three preset temperatures are approximately 240° C., 180° C., and 120° C. 
     
     
         12 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 7  in which the controller receives input signals from a thermocouple associated with the at least one heating element associated with the cavity, the thermocouple providing an output indicative of the temperature of the at least one heating element, and also from a thermocouple that measures the overall temperature inside an oven cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The heat storage cooker according to any preceding  claim 1  which is absent any form of central heat source and absent the ducts that would otherwise be needed to take the heat from a central heat source to the oven cavity. 
     
     
         14 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1  which is floor standing and has a width of at least 120 cm. 
     
     
         19 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1  which includes a hob including a hot plate. 
     
     
         20 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 1 , comprising at least two oven cavities, each one formed from a plurality of walls of cast iron and each one being provided with a respective heat source which is adapted to heat the walls of the respective oven cavity which in turn heat the interior of the oven cavity by radiating heat. 
     
     
         21 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 20  in which each of the at least two oven cavities is heated independently of the other. 
     
     
         22 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 20  in which each of the at least two oven cavities functions independently as a heat storage device wherein the thermal mass of the walls of the respective oven cavity is sufficient that it retains heat for an extended period of time to continue to heat the respective oven cavity. 
     
     
         23 . The heat storage cooker according to  claim 20  in which the heat source of each of the at least two oven cavities comprises a hot plate or other electrical heating element in thermal contact with at least one wall of the respective oven cavity.