EP2102559B1

EP2102559B1 - Built-in cooking appliance

Info

Publication number: EP2102559B1
Application number: EP07834055.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Soo Cheol Yi; Jung Ho Bae
Original assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Current assignee: LG Electronics Inc
Priority date: 2007-01-09
Filing date: 2007-11-15
Publication date: 2017-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-15
Also published as: RU2411415C1; AU2007342771A1; US20100313870A1; EP2102559A4; EP2102559A1; AU2007342771B2; WO2008084913A1; MX2009007365A

Description

Technical Field

This document relates to a built-in cooking appliance and, more particularly, to a built-in cooking appliance having a top plate on which food is cooked.

Background Art

A built-in cooking appliance is a kitchen appliance installed in a cabinet. That is, the built-in cooking appliance is installed in a furniture such as a cabinet that is installed in the kitchen so that a user can conveniently use the same. The built-in cooking appliance makes the interior of the kitchen beautiful.
In recent years, a built-in cooking appliance having a top plate, which can cook the food using heat transmitted to the food through the top plate, has been developed. Such a built-in cooking appliance having the top plate is called a hot plate, a hob, a range, or a cook-top. Regardless of the name, a concept of the present disclosure may be applied to any cooking appliances having the top plate. In the following description, a terminology "cooking appliance" means a cooker having the top plate.
In order to operate components under a thermally-stable state, a related art cooking appliance is designed such that air flows in and out of the cooking appliance. To realize this, the top plate is mounted protruding above the top surface of the cabinet by a predetermined height. In this case, it is difficult to clean a portion around the top plate and an outer appearance is deteriorated.
In the related art cooking appliance, water may flow into a main body of the cooking appliance through an air passage hole formed on the top plate or a portion around the top plate. The water flowing into the main body of the cooking appliance may cause a short circuit or malfunction of the cooking appliance. This problem must be most considered in designing the cooking appliance as the cooking appliance is used in the kitchen where the water is frequently used.
In addition, the temperature of heat inevitably generated in the main body is considerably high. If the heat is not appropriately controlled, the heat damages the components of the cooking appliance. Since the built-in cooking appliance is installed in the cabinet, a method of emitting the heat must be considered.
JP-H02-234384 describes improving cooling efficiency for a top plate induction heated cooker by providing a gap between a side wall flange and an assembly bed. US 2006/0144388 and US 2,806,464 also disclose cooker top plate mounting arrangements. JP-H01-095483 describes providing an external forced exhaust system by providing a detachable plate to cover the bottom of an exhaust passage.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a built-in cooking appliance as set out in the appended claims. Examples provide a built-in cooking appliance capable of improving the reliability by allowing air to flow through a top plate for an efficient cooling operation and preventing water from flowing into the cooking appliance.
Examples also provide a built-in cooking appliance capable of improving the appearance and convenience in installing the cooking appliance by disposing a top plate and a cabinet at the same height.

Technical Solution

In one example, a built-in cooking appliance includes a top plate, a main body under the top plate, the main body receiving at least a heater, a fan inducing an air flow in the main body, a cabinet including a receiving portion on which the top plate is mounted, and a top frame covering an airflow opening between at least one edge of the top plate and the cabinet, wherein the main body includes at least one edge adjacent to the airflow opening and supported by the cabinet.
In another example, a built-in cooking appliance includes a top plate, a main body under the top plate, a cabinet receiving the main body, at least one portion of the main body being disposed on the cabinet, a top frame between an edge of the top plate and the cabinet, and an opening in the top frame, the opening for discharging a fluid in the main body to an external side, wherein the opening is located higher than a top surface of the cabinet to allow the fluid to flow out of the main body.
In further another example a built-in cooking appliance includes a top plate, a main body under the top plate, the main body receiving at least a heater, a cabinet including a receiving portion on which the top plate is mounted, and a top frame covering an opening between the top plate and the cabinet, wherein the main body is configured to introduce air in the receiving portion for directly discharging the air into the top frame, not via the receiving portion.

Advantageous Effects

According to the examples, cooling efficiency of the cooking appliance can be improved and reliability of the cooking appliance can be improved by preventing a short circuit. In addition, the appearance, safety in using the cooking appliance, and convenience in installing the cooking appliance can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance according to an example before the cooking appliance is installed.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance according to an example after the cooking appliance is installed.
Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view illustrating the built-in cooking appliance.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion A of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance according to a first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a cabinet-supporting portion of the built-in cooking appliance.
Fig. 8 is a partly broken perspective view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance according to a second example.
Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line II-II' of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance including a second opening formed in a top surface of a top frame.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example built-in cooking appliance, before the built-in cooking appliance is installed, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the built-in cooking appliance, after the built-in cooking appliance is installed.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the built-in cooking appliance includes a cabinet 1, a receiving portion 2 defining a space recessed from a top surface of the cabinet 1 to receive at least a portion of the built-in cooking appliance, a seat portion 3 formed in a portion around the receiving portion 2, a main body 4, a top plate 5 disposed on the main body 4, a top frame 6 covering an opening between the top plate 5 and the cabinet 1.
The main body 4 contains various devices such as a heater and an electronic device, which are used to perform operation of the built-in cooking appliance.
The aforementioned configuration and operation of the example will now be described in detail.
A top surface of the main body 4 is bonded to a bottom surface of the top plate 5.
An edge of the top plate 5 seats on the seat portion 3. Adhesive may be provided between the edge of the top plate 5 and the seat portion 3 to securely fix the top plate 5 on the seat portion 3. Alternatively, the edge of the top plate 5 simply seats on the seat portion 3 without using any coupling member. In this case, a support may be provided to fixedly support at least one surface of the top plate 5. Alternatively, a sealing member may be provided between the edge of the top plate 5 and the seat portion 3 to prevent external water from being introduced into the built-in cooking appliance.
Further, a rear edge of the top plate 5 may be spaced a predetermined distance from the cabinet 1 to provide the opening for an airflow. As a result, hot air can be discharged out of the main body 4 through the opening defined between the rear edge of the top plate 5 and the cabinet 1. In addition, the top frame 6 is further provided to cover the opening to flow between the top plate 5 and the cabinet 1. The top frame 6 hides the opening and prevents foreign objects from being introduced through the opening.
In addition, the bottom surface of the top plate 5 and the top surface of the cabinet are located at the same height. Thus, the top plate 5 is easily supported by the cabinet 1, and it is convenient to clean the top plate 5 and a portion around the top plate 5.
Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view illustrating the built-in cooking appliance. The configuration of the built-in cooking appliance will now be described in more detail.
Referring to Fig. 3, since the bottom surface of the top plate 5 is located on the same horizontal plan with a top surface of the seat portion 3, the cleaning can be easily performed and the overall volume can be reduced. In addition, since the rear edge of the top plate 5 is spaced apart from the cabinet 1 to provide the opening, the hot air is discharged out of the main body 4 through the opening.
The internal structure of the main body 4 will now be described.
First, a fan 53 is received in the main body 4 to introduce external air into the main body 4 through an air inlet 55. The introduced air cools a variety of heat-generating elements such as a heater 54 to operate the components of the built-in cooking appliance under a thermally- stable state. The air used for cooling the components is discharged to a rear portion of the main body 4.
The air introduced into the rear portion of the main body 4 is guided upward by a rear wall (45 illustrated in FIG. 4) of the main body 4 to be discharged to an external side.
Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I' of Fig. 2.
Referring to Fig. 4, the air is introduced by the fan 53 and heated in the main body 4. The hot air is discharged to the external side. At this point, it is important not to direct the hot air to the receiving portion 2. If the hot air is directed to the receiving portion 2, the discharged air may be introduced again into the main body 4 through the air inlet 55. Then, the air is overheated in the main body 4. In this case, the components in the main body may operate under a thermally unstable state.
In order to prevent the above problem, a rear wall 45 of the main body 4 further extends over a rear end of the top plate 5. In other words, although bottom surfaces adjacent to a front end and both side ends of the top plate 5 are bonded to the main body 4, the rear end of the top plate 5 is not bonded to the main body 4. As a result, an inner space of the main body 4 is communicated with the external side through the opening adjacent to the rear end of the top plate 5.
As such, the hot air guided from the inner space of the main body 4 is directly discharged to the external side. In detail, the hot air in the main body 4 is guided upward along the rear wall 45 to be discharged through an air hole 56. Thereafter, the discharged air is guided rearward by the top frame 6 to be discharged to the external side through a rear opening 60 disposed in a rear portion of the top frame 6.
Meanwhile, the external water easily flows into a space under the air hole 56 in the main body 4. That is, since the external water easily flows into a space contacting a rear wall 45 through the rear opening 60 of the top frame 6, a waterproof structure is further required. In detail, a cabinet-supporting portion 73 disposed at an end of the rear wall 45 includes a bottom surface fixed to the cabinet 1 and is bent upward to have a second wall 72 to prevent the inflow of the external water. Furthermore, since the rear opening 60 disposed in the rear portion of the top frame 6 is located at a predetermined height, a portion under the rear opening 60 serves as a first wall 71.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion A of Fig. 4.
Referring to Fig. 5, the hot air guided upward by an inner surface of the rear wall 45 is also guided rearward by the top frame 6 to be discharged into the external side through the rear opening 60. This direct discharge prevents the hot air in the main body 4 from being reintroduced into the receiving portion 2. Thus, the main body 4 is thermally stable. In addition, a high speed fan is not required to increase a flow velocity of the hot air in the cooking appliance.
In addition, since the bottom surfaces adjacent to the front end and the both side ends of the top plate 5 are bonded to the main body 4 and then sealed, the external water is difficult to flow into the built-in cooking appliance. However, the external water directly flows into the built-in cooking appliance through the air hole (56 illustrated in Fig. 4) and the rear opening 60.
To address this limitation, the rear opening 60 is located at the predetermined height from the cabinet 1 to form the first wall 71. In other words, while the external water is prevented from flowing into the built-in cooking appliance by the first wall 71, the hot air is freely discharged to the external side through the rear opening 60. Furthermore, even when the external water flows over the first wall, the second wall 72 bent upward from the cabinet-supporting portion 73 completely prevents the water from flowing into the main body 4. A width WI between the first and second wall 71 and 72 further prevents the inflow of the external water. Thus, a flow velocity of the water flowing over the first wall 71 is reduced because of the width WI such that the water is stopped before the second wall 72.
As described above, while the hot air in the built-in cooking appliance is freely discharged to the external side, the external water is prevented from flowing into the cooking appliance. In addition, since the main body itself supports the cabinet, users just put the cooking appliance onto the cabinet to install it.

A first embodiment is the same as the above first example except for the configuration of a cabinet-supporting portion 73. Thus, descriptions similar to those in the first example are omitted.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the cabinet-supporting portion 73 of the built-in cooking appliance.
Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, a rear wall of a main body 4 includes a plate-supporting portion 74 extending forward as well as the cabinet-supporting portion 73 extending rearward. The plate-supporting portion 74 is formed by cutting a portion of the cabinet-supporting portion 73 and then bending it forward.
As such, the plate- supporting portion 74 completely supports a rear portion of the top plate 5, thereby improving safety in using the cooking appliance.
In the embodiment, although the plate-supporting portion 74 may be in an air flow, the plate-supporting portion 74 does not prevent the air flow because a width of the plate-supporting portion 74 is considerably less than that of the cabinet-supporting portion 73. In addition, in the case where the top plate 5 is located at a higher position than a desired position because of the thickness of the plate-supporting portion 74, the top plate 5 can be located at the desired position by bending the plate-supporting portion 74 to be at a position for compensating for the higher position. Meanwhile, the small thickness of the plate-supporting portion 74 can be neglected.
In addition, since the discharged air is guided rearward by the top frame 6, the discharged air is difficult to be reintroduced into a receiving portion (refer to 2 of Fig. 4).
As described above, the rear portion of the top plate is stably supported, and the air flows stably.
While the first example and first embodiment provide the opening between the top plate and the cabinet, an opening is disposed at any side if only the opening does not discharge the hot air to a user.

Descriptions similar to those in the first example are omitted except for different characterized parts.
Fig. 8 is a partly broken perspective view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance according to a second example, and Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line II-II' of Fig. 8.
Referring to Figs.8 and 9, a top surface of a top plate 200 and a top surface of a cabinet 100 are substantially flush, thereby improving the appearance of the built-in cooking appliance.
As such, the top surfaces of the top plate 200 and the cabinet 100 are substantially flush, and an opening adjacent to the top plate 200 is covered with a top frame 210. Thus, users do not recognize the difference between the top plate 200 and the cabinet 100, thereby improving the appearance of the built-in cooking appliance.
A rear end of the built-in cooking appliance according to the example will now be described.
A first and second openings 410 and 420 are formed by disposing the built-in cooking appliance according to the example in a receiving portion 120 of the cabinet 100. The first opening 410 is used to discharge a fluid in a main body 300 upward. The second opening 420 is disposed over the first opening 410 to discharge the fluid from the first opening 410 into an external side.
When the built-in cooking appliance is installed, the first opening 410 is disposed between the top plate 200 and a side wall of the main body 300, and the second opening 420 is disposed in the top frame 210. The second opening 420 has a vertical shape in a rear surface of the top frame 210. The first opening 410 is actually disposed in the main body 300.
The top frame 210 is disposed over the first opening 410. A portion of the top frame 210 is disposed on the top plate 200, and another portion of the top frame 210 is disposed on the cabinet 100. Hot air flowing over the main body 300 through the first opening 410 is discharged through the second opening 420. Since the second opening 420 is disposed over the first opening 410, the hot air through the first opening 410 flows naturally. In addition, the second opening 420 may be located higher than the top surface of the cabinet 100, thereby preventing water flowing along the top surface of the cabinet 100 from flowing into the built-in cooking appliance, i.e, the main body 300 through the second opening 420.
Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a built-in cooking appliance including a second opening 420 disposed in a top surface of a top frame 210.
For example, the second opening 420 may be disposed in a front surface of the top frame 210. Preferably, the second frame 420 is disposed in a rear surface of the top frame 210, thereby hiding the second opening 420 from a user in front of the built-in cooking appliance and preventing hot air from being discharged to the user.
The relationship between the built-in cooking appliance and a fluid adjacent thereto will now be described.
The built-in cooking appliance is disposed adjacent to a wet area such as a sink. It is preferable that the main body 300 in the wet area is waterproof. To this end, a predetermined sealing is interposed between a bottom surface of the top plate 200 and a portion of the receiving portion 120 corresponding to the bottom surface.
Therefore, a space between a rear end of the receiving portion 120 and a rear end of the top frame 210 on the cabinet 100 is an only space through which water may flow. However, the water is fundamentally prevented from flowing through the second opening 420 because the second opening 420 is higher than the top surface of the cabinet 100. Since the second example has a single wall unlike the first example and first embodiment, material costs are also decreased. In addition, since the hot air is guided by the main body 300 to be discharged to the external side, the hot air is discharged without a counterflow, thereby improving cooling efficiency.
Hereinafter, a process of discharging hot air out of the built-in cooking appliance will now be described.
As described above, the rear wall of the main body 300 further extends over a rear portion of the top plate 200. Thus, the hot air discharged by a fan 320 in the main body 300 is directly guided to the first opening 410 without flowing between the main body 300 and the receiving portion 120. Then, the hot air out of the first opening 410 is discharged to the external side through the second opening 420.
Hereinafter, modifications of the example will now be described.
For example, the top frame 210 may be disposed at one of a front edge and both side edges of the top plate 200. Furthermore, top frames such as the top frame 210 may be disposed on the edges, respectively.

Industrial Applicability

The built-in cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can efficiently discharge warm air and prevents an inflow of external water. In addition, convenience in cleaning the built-in cooking appliance can be improved, and operation reliability of the built-in cooking appliance can also be improved by the thermally-stable state in the cooking appliance.

Claims

A built-in cooking appliance comprising:
a top plate (5);

a main body (4) under the top plate, the main body (4) receiving at least a heater (54);

a fan (54) inducing an air flow in the main body (4);

a cabinet (1) including a receiving portion (2) on which the top plate (5) is mounted; and

a top frame (6) covering an airflow opening between at least one edge of the top plate (5) and the cabinet (1),

wherein the main body (4) includes at least one edge adjacent to the airflow opening and supported by the cabinet (1),
characterised in that:
an edge of the top plate (5) is seated on a seat portion (3) of the cabinet (1), and

a rear wall of the main body (4) includes a plate-supporting portion (74) extending forward and supporting the top plate, and a cabinet-supporting portion (73) extending rearward and supported by the cabinet,

the plate-supporting portion (74) being formed by cutting a portion of the cabinet-supporting portion (73) and then bending it forward to support a rear portion of the top plate (5).
The built-in cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the edge of the top plate (5) for defining the airflow opening is a rear portion of the top plate (5).
The built-in cooking appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the airflow opening is defined between the main body (4) and the top plate (5).
The built-in cooking appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the edge of the main body (4) supported by the cabinet (1) is supported by a top surface of the cabinet (1).
The built-in cooking appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the top frame (6) comprises a portion contacting the cabinet and forming an opening (60) for discharging air rearward, wherein the opening (60) is disposed above a waterproof wall.
The built-in cooking appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the cabinet-supporting portion (73) includes an end portion (72) bent upward to form a wall preventing an inflow of external water.
The built-in cooking appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein air in the main body (4) is directly guided into the top frame (6), not via the receiving portion (2).
The built-in cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of plate-supporting portions (74) and a plurality of cabinet-supporting portions (73) are alternately disposed.
The built-in cooking appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the main body (4) comprises at least one portion contacting a side surface of the cabinet (1).