Flavoring device

Abstract

A method of controlling the operation of a flavoring device ( 200; 400; 1000 ) associated with a cooking chamber ( 315; 515 ) of a cooking oven ( 100; 100 ′) for treating food stored therein is proposed. The flavoring device ( 200; 400; 1000 ) comprises at least one casing ( 205; 1003; 1006 ), at least one air path ( 600; 700; 1061; 1064 ) traversing said casing ( 205; 1003; 1006 ) and fluidly connecting at least one air inlet opening ( 210; 1012 b; 1036 ) of said casing ( 205; 1003; 1006 ) to at least one air outlet opening ( 270 b, 270 c; 1030 b; 1045 b ) of said casing ( 205; 1003; 1006 ). The method comprises: a) providing one between a flavoring substance ( 610; 1063 ) and a smoking substance ( 710; 1066 ) in said at least one air path ( 600; 700; 1061; 1064 ); b) selecting ( 920 ) one between a flavoring process and a smoking process, and c) controlling ( 930 - 950, 960 - 970 ) a heating in said casing ( 205; 1003; 1006 ) according to the selected one between said flavoring process and said smoking process.

1 . A flavoring device adapted to be associated with a cooking chamber of a cooking oven for treating food contained in said cooking chamber, the flavoring device comprising:
 an actuating arrangement comprising a heating element and a temperature sensor;   a flavoring casing comprising a flavoring air path traversing said flavoring casing and fluidly connecting at least one air inlet opening of said casing to at least one air outlet opening of said flavoring casing, and a flavoring substance rack arranged at least partially in said flavoring air path downstream from said heating element and adapted to contain at least one flavoring substance; and   a smoking casing comprising a smoking air path traversing said smoking casing and fluidly connecting at least one air inlet opening of said casing to at least one air outlet opening of said smoking casing, and a smoking substance rack arranged at least partially in said smoking air path and adapted to contain at least one smoking substance, and wherein the flavoring casing and the smoking casing are associable with the actuating arrangement for receiving said heating element, the flavoring device being adapted to be controlled by:
 a) providing one of a flavoring substance in said flavoring air path and a smoking substance in said smoking air path; 
 b) selecting one of a flavoring process and a smoking process, and 
 c) controlling a heating in said flavoring casing or said smoking casing according to the selected one of said flavoring process and said smoking process. 
   
     
     
         2 . The flavoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuating arrangement comprises:
 a main body for enclosing electric and/or electronic components configured to selectively energize the heating element and to receive signals from the temperature sensor indicative of a temperature proximate the temperature sensor, wherein both the heating element and the temperature sensor extend from the main body; and   a support element extending from the main body, the support element having an upper surface configured to selectively engage the flavoring casing and the smoking casing,   wherein the heating element extends into the selected one of the flavoring casing and the smoking casing when the support element engages the selected one of the flavoring casing and the smoking casing.   
     
     
         3 . The flavoring device according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature sensor extends into the flavoring casing when the support element engages the flavoring casing. 
     
     
         4 . The flavoring device according to  claim 2 , wherein the actuating arrangement comprises a user interface for allowing a user to select between the flavoring process and the smoking process. 
     
     
         5 . The flavoring device according to  claim 2 , wherein the electric and/or electronic components are configured to control the heating in said flavoring casing or said smoking casing according to the selected one between said flavoring process and said smoking process. 
     
     
         6 . The flavoring device according to  claim 2 , wherein the support element includes a locking element for selectively securing the actuating arrangement to the flavoring casing or the smoking casing. 
     
     
         7 . The flavoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the flavoring casing comprises:
 a case having a plurality of side walls wherein said at least one air inlet is formed in one of said plurality of side walls;   an air inlet duct attached to said casing and fluidly communicating with said at least one air inlet;   a first aperture formed in one of said plurality of side walls for receiving said heating element of said actuating arrangement when said actuating arrangement is associated with said flavoring casing;   a second aperture formed in one of said plurality of side walls for receiving said temperature sensor when said actuating arrangement is associated with said flavoring casing; and   a lid attached to said case wherein said at least one air outlet is formed in said lid.   
     
     
         8 . The flavoring device according to  claim 7 , wherein said lid is hinged to one of said plurality of side walls of said case. 
     
     
         9 . The flavoring device according to  claim 1 , wherein the smoking casing comprises:
 a case having a plurality of side walls wherein said at least one air inlet is formed in one of said plurality of side walls;   a first aperture formed in one of said plurality of side walls for receiving said heating element of said actuating arrangement when said actuating arrangement is associated with said smoking casing; and   a lid attached to said case wherein said at least one air outlet is formed in said lid.   
     
     
         10 . The flavoring device according to  claim 9 , wherein said lid is hinged to one of said plurality of side walls of said case. 
     
     
         11 . A removable flavoring device for treating food in a cooking chamber of a cooking oven, the removable flavoring device comprising:
 an actuating arrangement comprising a heating element and a temperature sensor, the actuating arrangement being selectively engageable with each of the following:
 a flavoring casing defining a flavoring air path therein for fluidly connecting an air inlet opening of said flavoring casing to an air outlet opening of said flavoring casing, and a flavoring substance rack arranged at least partially in said flavoring air path and adapted to contain a flavoring substance, and 
 a smoking casing defining a smoking air path therein for fluidly connecting an air inlet opening of said smoking casing to an air outlet opening of said smoking casing, and a smoking substance rack arranged at least partially in said smoking air path and adapted to contain a smoking substance; 
   wherein said heating element of said actuating arrangement is disposed in said flavoring casing or in said smoking casing when said actuating arrangement is attached to said flavoring casing or said smoking casing, respectively; and   wherein said removable flavoring device is positioned within the cooking chamber of the cooking oven so that when said actuating arrangement is engaged with either said flavoring casing or said smoking casing, air present in said cooking chamber flows through the flavoring air path or the smoking air path from the air inlet opening to the air outlet opening of the respective flavoring casing or smoking casing, whichever is engaged with the actuating arrangement.   
     
     
         12 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 11 , wherein the actuating arrangement comprises:
 a main body for enclosing electric and/or electronic components configured to selectively energize the heating element and to receive signals from the temperature sensor indicative of a temperature proximate the temperature sensor, wherein both the heating element and the temperature sensor extend from the main body; and   a support element extending from the main body, the support element having an upper surface configured to selectively engage the flavoring casing and the smoking casing,   wherein the heating element extends into a selected one of the flavoring casing and the smoking casing when the support element is engaged with either said flavoring casing or said smoking casing.   
     
     
         13 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 12 , wherein the temperature sensor extends into the flavoring casing when the support element engages the flavoring casing. 
     
     
         14 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 12 , wherein the actuating arrangement comprises a user interface for allowing a user to select between a flavoring process and a smoking process. 
     
     
         15 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 12 , wherein the electric and/or electronic components is configured to control said heating element of said actuating arrangement according to a selected one of a flavoring process and a smoking process, so that the flavoring substance placed in the flavoring air path or the smoking substance placed in the smoking air path is heated according to the selected one of a flavoring process and a smoking process. 
     
     
         16 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 12 , wherein the support element includes a locking element for selectively securing the actuating arrangement to the flavoring casing and the smoking casing. 
     
     
         17 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 11 , wherein the flavoring casing comprises:
 a case having a plurality of side walls wherein said air inlet is formed in one of said plurality of side walls;   an air inlet duct attached to said casing and fluidly communicating with said air inlet;   a first aperture formed in one of said plurality of side walls for receiving said heating element of said actuating arrangement when said actuating arrangement engages said flavoring casing;   a second aperture formed in one of said plurality of side walls for receiving said temperature sensor when said actuating arrangement engages said flavoring casing; and   a lid attached to said case wherein said air outlet is formed in said lid.   
     
     
         18 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 17 , wherein said lid is hinged to one of said plurality of side walls of said case. 
     
     
         19 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 11 , wherein the smoking casing comprises:
 a case having a plurality of side walls wherein said air inlet is formed in one of said plurality of side walls;   a first aperture formed in one of said plurality of side walls for receiving said heating element of said actuating arrangement when said actuating arrangement engages said flavoring casing; and   a lid attached to said case wherein said air outlet is formed in said lid.   
     
     
         20 . The removable flavoring device according to  claim 19 , wherein said lid is hinged to one of said plurality of side walls of said case.