Device for regulating the cooking process in a cooking vessel

Claim 1

In an apparatus of the type comprising a control circuit means and a timer means for regulating the cooking process in a cooking vessel heated by a heating element, wherein a desired cooking time is preset with said timer means, the improvement comprising: a signal transmitter means (TF) transmitting signals corresponding to the temperature in said cooking vessel to a signal receiver means (TE), said signal receiver means (TE) transmitting control signals proportional to said temperature in said cooking vessel to a control circuit means (ST), to a differential circuit means (DS), and to said timer means (GT), said control circuit means (ST) controlling said heating element (HE) during a heating phase extending from the time said heating element is activated until said desired cooking temperature (T G ) is reached, and during said cooking process, said timer means (GT) starting to measure said preset cooking time only after a desired cooking temperature (T G ) has been reached, said differential circuit means (DS) detecting differences between successive control signals over time and deriving a correction signal therefrom proportional to the slope of a temperature-time curve derived during said heating phase and transmitting said correction signal to said timer means (GT), said timer means (GT) adjusting said preset time (t G ) to an adjusted preset time by subtracting a time interval proportional to said correction signal from said preset time (t G ) and signalling said control circuit means (ST) after said adjusted preset time has elapsed and prior to elapse of said preset cooking time (t G ), said time interval increasing as said slope of said temperature-time curve in said heating phase decreases, and said control circuit means (ST) turning off said heating element upon receipt of said signal from said timer means (GT).