EP1607686A1

EP1607686A1 - Kitchen hood filter with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood

Info

Publication number: EP1607686A1
Application number: EP05011396A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Pelagagge
Original assignee: SIFIM Srl
Current assignee: SIFIM Srl
Priority date: 2004-06-16
Filing date: 2005-05-25
Publication date: 2005-12-21
Also published as: ITMI20041214A1

Abstract

A filter for kitchen hood with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood, comprising a filter (1) that can be accommodated at an intake opening (2) provided in a wall of a hood, the filter having, on one edge, detachable engagement means (12) that can be actuated by a handle (13), and further comprising, on the opposite edge of the filter, at least one insert (20), which can be inserted in a seat (19) formed at the opening and can be extracted from the seat exclusively with a combined movement that can be performed intentionally.

Description

The present invention relates to a kitchen hood filter with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood.
As is known, kitchen hoods provided with filter supporting frames and particularly with metallic filters are generally fitted with a filter that has an outer frame inside which a filtration mat is provided.
A handle that can have different shapes is usually provided in order to couple and uncouple the filter with respect to the hood.
Connection is performed by providing appropriate channels in the filter supporting frame of the hood, achieving a solution that is functional but very onerous; moreover, removal of the filter becomes difficult.
Other known solutions provide on the framework of the filter two lateral pins, which are inserted in appropriately provided slots formed in the filter supporting frame, and retracting inserts, which are arranged on the opposite side with respect to the lateral pins and are actuated by the handle.
This solution suffers the severe drawback that it does not allow to use a plurality of filters arranged side-by-side and therefore the hood can be provided with a single filter, since the laterally-arranged pins have to be inserted in slots formed in the filter supporting frame of the hood.
A current solution provides protruding wings on the framework of the filter at the opposite side with respect to the side provided with the retracting pins actuated by the handle.
This solution suffers the drawback that it can cause the filter to fall during disassembly; when disengagement is performed by actuating the handle, the filter in fact tends to move forward and accordingly the cropped wings provided on the opposite side with respect to the handle tend to leave their seat, allowing the filter to fall onto the cooking surface, with the severe risk of breaking the cooking surface made of Pyroceram or of damaging the steel surface; moreover, if boiling food is present on the cooking surface, the user runs the risk of getting burned.
The aim of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks described above by providing a filter for kitchen hood with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood that allows to arrange a plurality of filters side-by-side in a single hood and to have the assurance that the filter cannot disengage freely from the hood even if the handle is actuated with retraction of the filter retention pins.
Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a filter for kitchen hood in which it is possible to disengage the filter, for example for cleaning, in an extremely quickly and safely manner without having to resort to tools of any kind.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a filter for kitchen hood that thanks to its particular constructive characteristics is capable of giving the hood the greatest assurances of reliability and safety in use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a filter for kitchen hood that can be easily obtained starting from commonly commercially available elements and materials and is also competitive from a merely economical standpoint.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a filter for kitchen hood with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematically cutout perspective view of the filter arranged at an intake opening provided on a hood;
Figure 2 is a view of the filter in a connection position;
Figure 3 is a view of the step of disengagement with removal of the filter;
Figure 4 is a view of the filter retained by the hood;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the detail of the insert that provides the safety engagement;
Figure 6 is a schematic view of the arrangement of the safety insert in the condition for normal use of the filter on the hood;
Figure 7 is a view of the arrangement of the insert in safety conditions in order to prevent the filter from falling.
With reference to the figures, the filter for kitchen hood with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood comprises a filter, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, which can be accommodated at an opening 2 that is formed in a wall, generally designated by the reference numeral 3, which constitutes for example the lower wall of a hood of a per se known type, which as such is not described in detail.
The filter 1 has, in a per se known manner, a framework or frame 10, inside which the filtering material, generally designated by the reference numeral 11 and of a per se known type, is provided.
The frame 10 has, at one edge, insertion pins 12 of a known type, which can be actuated by means of a handle 13, which can be accessed on the lower face of the filter 1, so as to cause the retraction of the pins 12, which in normal locking conditions enter corresponding slots formed in the border 2a that delimits the opening 2.
The filter 1 has, on the opposite side with respect to the side provided with the pins 12, at least one insert, generally designated by the reference numeral 20, which is inserted in a seat that is constituted by a slot 19 provided proximate to the opening 2 and preferably on the border 2a.
The insert is designed to be insertable in the seat or slot 19 and to be extractable from the seat only by means of a combined movement that must be performed intentionally.
The insert, which can be provided for example simply by blanking from the frame 10 of the filter, is provided with a coupling body 21, which ends with a hook-shaped portion 22 that is directed downwardly and forms a hollow 23 that traces a semicircular portion; moreover, the insert 20 can be a separate element, which is fixed to the frame 10.
Above the engagement portion 22, the coupling body 21 is provided with a tapering portion 24, which facilitates the step of intentional extraction of the safety insert 20 from the slot 19.
With the described arrangement, if the pins 12 are disengaged accidentally, the filter 1 is unable to escape, since the hook-shaped portion 22 prevents the possibility of advancement of the frame and further prevents the frame from falling onto the cooking surface.
To extract the filter, after actuating the handle 13 it is necessary to lift the edge of the frame 10 that is provided with the insert 20 and perform an appropriate rotation, which allows to extract the filter for maintenance or for whatever action is deemed necessary.
This operation is very simple but requires an intentional activity, and therefore the insert constitutes a safety element for preventing the fall of the filter.
To prevent falling, it is sufficient to use a single safety insert, which could be associated with the normal blanked portions provided on the frame, but it is also optionally possible to provide a plurality of safety inserts for preventing falls.
The insert can be used in filters provided with a frame made of metal plate or the like and can also be provided in filters formed by a perforated grille instead of the normal containment frame.
From what has been described above, it is therefore evident that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects and in particular the fact is stressed that a filter for a kitchen hood is provided in which it is possible to provide inserts arranged on the opposite edge with respect to the edge provided with the retractable engagement pins, so that it is possible to arrange a plurality of frames side by side; moreover, it is possible to perform removal in an extremely simple manner, but with the assurance that even if the filter actuation handle should slip accidentally, the filter cannot fall onto the cooking surface, since it remains engaged in the seat provided in the hood.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims.
All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.
The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2004A001214 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A filter for kitchen hood with safety means for retaining the filter on the hood, comprising a filter (1) that can be accommodated at an intake opening (2) provided in the wall of a hood, said filter (1) having, on one edge, detachable engagement means (12) that can be actuated by a handle (13), characterized in that it comprises, on an opposite edge of said filter, at least one insert (20), which can be inserted in a seat (19) formed at said opening (2) and can be extracted from said seat exclusively with a combined movement that can be performed intentionally.
The filter for kitchen hood according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one insert (20) is provided with a coupling body (21) that ends with a hook-shaped portion (22) that is directed downwardly.
The filter for kitchen hood according to claim 2, characterized in that said hook-shaped portion (22) forms a hollow (23) that traces a substantially semicircular portion.
The filter for kitchen hood according to claim 2, characterized in that said coupling body (21), in the portion above said hook-shaped portion (22), is provided with a tapered portion (24) in order to facilitate the intentional extraction of said at least one insert (20) from said seat (19).
The filter for kitchen hood according to claim 1, characterized in that said seat (19) is constituted by a slot formed in a border (2a) that surrounds said intake opening (2).
The filter for kitchen hood according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one insert (20) can be extracted from said seat (19) by way of a rotary motion combined with lifting in order to disengage said hook-shaped portion (22).
The filter for kitchen hood according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of filters (1) arranged side-by-side can be inserted in said intake opening (2).