Abstract: Electric household appliance for processing foodstuffs, comprising a housing (2) enclosing a motor and having a base (4) on which is removably mounted a bowl (6) whose bottom is traversed by a shaft of the motor, various rotatable tools (17,25-27,49-51) mounted alternatively removably in the bowl to be coupled with said shaft, and a device (35) for storage of the tools when none of them is used. According to the invention, the storage device (35) comprises a tool holder piece (37) which is removably mounted in the bowl (6).

Abstract: An electric cooking oven comprising a cooking vessel (1), a microwave energy source and a waveguide (2') substantially parallelepiped in shape delimited transversally by two substantially rectangular surfaces (20', 21') located in two parallel planes separated by a predefined distance (d), the output of guided waves occurring in at least two zones (230, 231) located in an outlet plane (23') perpendicular to the two surfaces and delimited by two parallel edges (b'.sub.1, b'.sub.4) connecting the two surfaces. The length (1) of the edges is greater than the distance (d) separating the two surfaces (20', 21') so as to optimize the number of excited transversal electric and/or transversal magnetic modes inside the cooking vessel in excitation planes parallel to the outlet plane.

Abstract: An electric toaster comprises an infrared detector (6) directed toward a heating device for the toaster, and a control device for the supply of electricity to the heating elements which is subordinated to a device (10) for measuring the radiation received by the detector, and which comprises a device (12) for processing the signal emitted by the detector. A comparator (13) compares a signal (S) leaving the processing device (12) with a signal (N) emitted by an adjustment device (14) of the degree of toasting. The measuring device (10) comprises, between the processing device (12) and the comparator device (13), a device (16) for diverting the signal (S) whose control is directed by a timer (18) of short duration which re-establishes at the end of that short duration the passage of the signal (S) toward the comparator (13).

Abstract: The invention discloses a device for condensing steams from the vessel of a cooking apparatus, comprising a receptacle (31) containing a refrigerant (33) and in which is placed a conduit (35) comprising a steam feed inlet connected to the vessel, and an outlet for draining the condensed water. The receptacle is shaped as a sealed unitary plastic case (40) surrounding the conduit while leaving clear its inlet and outlet, the case comprising a filler neck (42) for the refrigerant which is hermetically closed by a sealing element (44).

Abstract: A toaster comprises a housing (1) enclosing a toasting chamber (2) in which is movably mounted a bread carrier (4) between an ejection position and a toasting position in which it is retained by an electromagnetic actuating device (5) comprising a control winding (6) with a hollow support (7) which is secured to a plate (20) carrying electrical connection members (22), and which surrounds a magnetic core (8), as well as a movable armature (9) adapted to retain the bread carrier (4) in its toasting position. The magnetic core (8) is mechanically mounted independently of the support (7) of the winding (6) and of the plate (20), and is secured to a member (24) on the housing (1).

Abstract: A method for powering an electronically switched variable reluctance motor (100) from a single-phase AC voltage source (17) is disclosed. Each phase of the motor is sequentially subjected to a magnetizing sequence, a demagnetizing sequence and an energy transfer to a storage capacitor (C) common to all the phases. Feedback sequences (R) in which the energy stored in the storage capacitor (C) is returned to the rectifier stage (15) are performed by controlling a chopping switch (TH) connected in series to the storage capacitor (C). The method includes a step of monitoring the energy returned to the rectifier stage (15) in order to correct instability in the rectified power supply current (Ia) relative to a reference current wave, and modulating the cyclical chopping ratio around a substantially constant mean value. The method is useful for powering household appliances.

Abstract: A method for powering an electronically switched variable reluctance polyphase electric motor from a rectified voltage source, including for each phase, magnetizing sequences during which the rectified voltage is applied to each phase and demagnetizing sequences during which the inverse of the rectified voltage is applied to each phase. The method further includes sensing disturbances in the current from the rectified voltage source and in response thereto, free-wheel sequences during which the magnetic energy currently stored in at least one of the phase is substantially maintained therein.

Abstract: An electric oven includes a microwave energy source (2), a waveguide (3) with an output section that terminates in a cooking enclosure defined by a base wall (4), a top wall (5), a sole wall (6) and two side walls (7, 8), and a rotary device (R) inside the cooking enclosure, for receiving food products to be cooked, and rotated by control elements (23) external to the cooking enclosure. The rotary device (R) has two or more rotary plates (9, 10), an upper (9) and a lower (10) plate, removably mounted in the cooking enclosure, one above the other and spaced from each other by a distance d, and the output section of the waveguide (3) is adapted to allow a suitable distribution of the waves on the two plates (9, 10).

Abstract: The invention concerns a cooking appliance comprising an external housing (3) in which are incorporated a vessel (12), device (14) for electrically heating the vessel, and a box (23) housing a removable device (25) for condensing vapors urged to be connected on operating device (27) communicating with the vessel. The appliance comprises sensing device (65) for sensing the presence of the condensing device (25) in the box (23) and actuated by the condensing device (25) when it is present in the box (23), and a switch (68) whose control capable of closing the power circuit supplying the heating device is dependent on the actuating of the sensing device (65).

Abstract: An electrical cooking apparatus comprises an open housing (3), a cover (12) closing the housing during the cooking phase, and a base (10). A cooking vat (5) is disposed in the housing (3) above the base (10) and is heated by an electric heater. A device (15) for condensing the cooking vapors communicates with the vat (5) through a conduit (18) permitting the flow of cooking vapors. The condensation device (15) is retractably mounted in the base (10) of the housing (3) and is horizontally slidably mounted in slideways (61) disposed in a recess (22) provided in the base (10) of the housing. This recess (22) opens in the front face (25) of the base (10) of the housing. The condensation device (15) is thus removable from the base.

Abstract: A method for controlling the power of a load (1) powered from a source of AC voltage U having a period T using a phase control system, wherein, for a predetermined set power, a sequence of an integer p of elements, where p is greater than 1, is periodically delivered to the load (1), each element, numbered i, of the sequence being characterized by an integer n.sub.i with a half-period T/2 during which the AC voltage U is switched according to a series of different phase angles .alpha..sub.i from .alpha..sub.1 to .alpha..sub.n corresponding to respective durations t.sub.i from t.sub.l to t.sub.n during which the load (1) is cut: off from the power supply. The phase angles .alpha..sub.i of element i and .alpha..sub.i+1 of element i+1 have similar repetitive values so that the mean current is zero over a complete cycle.

Abstract: An iron with a lower housing includes a heating base and a sole plate under the base, an evaporation chamber and a steam distribution chamber in communication with steam outlets in the sole plate. The evaporation chamber includes at least one steam channel having an outlet in the lower surface of the base and arranged in such a way that the steam flows through the evaporation chamber along a path which promotes evaporation of the water before it reaches said channel, and the distribution chamber is provided in the lower surface of the base and communicates with the outlet of the steam channel.