초록 ▼

A self-contained refrigerator-oven for refrigerating and cooking food in the same enclosed chamber, has both heating elements and cooling elements located in the same appliance. The heating elements may be conventional heating elements and/or a convection unit and a microwave unit. Additonally, the

A self-contained refrigerator-oven for refrigerating and cooking food in the same enclosed chamber, has both heating elements and cooling elements located in the same appliance. The heating elements may be conventional heating elements and/or a convection unit and a microwave unit. Additonally, the apparatus has cooling controls, heating controls, and temperature controls which are activated by a microprocessor, programmable for up to two weeks in advance, so that the cooling elements and the heating elements are subsequently activated to treat the food at particular temperatures for particular specific periods of time. The sequence of heating and cooling may be performed in any desired order. The apparatus includes a battery backup to maintain the time, microprocessor and logic circuits during a power outage and utilizes a frozen food, probe-receiving sheath to facilitate cooking from a frozen state. The apparatus also may have a module containing burners or griddles mounted onto it so that the apparatus can function as a self-contained kitchen unit.

대표청구항 ▼

A self-contained, combination refrigerator-cooking oven for selectively cooling and cooking food in the same enclosed chamber, comprising: a rigid cabinet of essentially rectangular shape and including top, bottom and vertical side walls, with an open front for the placing of food in the enclosed ch

A self-contained, combination refrigerator-cooking oven for selectively cooling and cooking food in the same enclosed chamber, comprising: a rigid cabinet of essentially rectangular shape and including top, bottom and vertical side walls, with an open front for the placing of food in the enclosed chamber; a door mounted on the open front of the cabinet and movable between open and closed positions; thermal insulating means mounted on inner wall surfaces of the cabinet; a plurality of cooling coils mounted adjacent the thermal insulating means and at least one of the cabinet walls; a heat-resistant liner having an open front and mounted inside the insulating means to define, with said door, when said door is in its closed position, the enclosed chamber in which the food is placed; heating means located adjacent a portion of the heat-resistant liner and at least one of the cabinet wall for heating the enclosed chamber, said heating means including a microwave heater in heating communication with the interior of said enclosed chamber so as to be capable of cooking the food placed in said chamber; a refrigerating unit mounted in the cabinet and connected to said cooling coils; temperature control means for monitoring and controlling the temperature of said enclosed chamber; timing control means for selectively activating said refrigerating unit and said heating means in a preselected timed sequence and for preselected periods to provide, selectively, cooling and cooking of the food; cooling control means responsive to said temperature control means for controlling said refrigerating unit when said refrigerating unit is activated; heating control means responsive to said temperature control means for controlling said heating means when said heating means is activated; and a control panel module mounted in said cabinet and forming respective parts of said temperature, timing, cooling and heating control means, said control panel module including selector switch means for preselecting the sequence in which said refrigerating unit and said heating means subsequently are to operate, and the time and temperature at which said refrigerating unit and said heating means, respectively, are to operate in each operating cycle thereof, so that said cooling control means and said heating control means control said refrigerating unit and said heating means, respectively, to provide, selectively, freezing, cooling of the food without freezing, defrosting, cooking, recooling and warming of the food in any desired sequence.