EP2662634A1 - Domestic appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The household appliance (1) has a treatment chamber (3), a movable device (4) and a liquid conveying device (6). The conveying device is drivable connected to the movable device. A pumping device (16) is equipped in the conveying device, and is designed as bellow pump (26), diaphragm pump or piston pump. The movable device is designed as a locking door (5) in the treatment chamber. A clockwork device is operatively connected with the locking door. An independent claim is included for a method for operating household appliance.

Description

The present invention relates to a household appliance with a conveyor for liquids and a method for operating such a household appliance.

Many types of household appliances require a conveyor for liquids and especially for water for their respective operating tasks. Refrigerating machines for the production of ice and ice cubes also require a supply of water. On the other hand, other devices accumulate liquids during operation, which must be removed from time to time, such as condensation water from a room humidifier or an air conditioning system.

Some cooking appliances require a supply of water and therefore often have a conveyor. For example, in cooking appliances with a Dampfgarfunktion water is needed for steam generation. In another cooking process, water is needed to adjust the humidity in the cooking process. For this purpose, in this usually referred to as Klimagaren process called steam generated and introduced during the cooking process in the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance. For example, climate agar is especially in long-lasting cooking processes of large roast pieces of advantage, since the meat does not dry out by the temporary steaming. Also, when baking bread and rolls Klimagaren is often advantageous because steaming at the beginning of the cooking process prevents tearing of the dough surface. Furthermore, the emergence of yeast dough can be advantageously supported by means of air conditioning.

There are therefore many home appliances conveyors that liquids and in particular water supply or can dissipate. In the prior art, for example, electrically powered pumps of various types have become known. Such pumps come z. B. in washing machines as a dirty water pump often and usually work very reliable and robust. In other household appliances, such. As cooking appliances, pumps are used with an electronic control, which are designed for smaller flow rates to meter precisely tuned volumes of water can. A disadvantage of these pumps is that they are often very expensive and often include very expensive components. In addition, in a cooking appliance, the sensitive electronic control usually has to be laboriously protected from heat, which is also usually very expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a household appliance and in particular a cooking appliance, which has a low-cost and inexpensive conveyor for liquids.

This object is achieved by a domestic appliance with the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating such a household appliance with the features of claim 10. Preferred features are the subject of the dependent claims. Further advantages and features will become apparent from the general description of the invention and the description of the embodiments.

The domestic appliance according to the invention is in particular a cooking appliance and has at least one treatment room and at least one mobile appliance device and at least one conveyor for liquids. At least one of the at least one conveying device is drivably coupled to at least one of the at least one movable device device.

The household appliance according to the invention has many advantages. A significant advantage is that the conveyor is coupled to a mobile device of the household appliance and can be driven by this movable device. In this case, at least one movement of an already existing device or at least one movement, which takes place anyway when using the household appliance, can be used to drive the conveyor. Thus, for example, the opening and / or closing of a door closing the treatment room can drive the conveyor and thus be used to convey liquids and in particular water.

Such a conveyor is inexpensive and robust, as can be dispensed with expensive and sensitive drive components for the conveyor. Also, no electronic components need to be elaborately protected from heat. Furthermore, the conveyor does not require its own drive means such as an electric motor, whereby further costs in the production and maintenance can be saved.

The conveyor is preferably designed with at least one pumping device for pumping liquids. Particularly preferably, the pumping device is designed as a bellows pump and / or as a diaphragm pump, wherein a bellows or a membrane is at least partially deformable by a movement of a movable device of the household appliance. Also possible is a piston pump, comprising the components piston and cylinder, in which at least one of these components is at least partially movable relative to the other by a movement of a movable device of the household appliance. The conveyor may also at least one bellows pump and / or diaphragm pump and / or Include piston pump. It is preferably provided that the pumping device is designed to be self-priming.

It can also be provided at least one power transmission device which transmits a movement of a movable device at least partially on the conveyor. For example, parts of the pump device and in particular the bellows and / or the membrane and / or the piston can be operatively connected by the power transmission device with a movable device of the household appliance. The power transmission device comprises in particular at least one linkage or is designed as a linkage. It can also be connected to each other several linkage, for example via joints or the like. Also possible is at least one cable pull and / or another suitable for power transmission device such as a gear with gears and / or at least one drive belt. It is also possible that the pumping device or parts of the pumping device are connected directly to a movable device.

Preferably, the conveyor is drivably coupled to at least one mobile device movable by muscle power. Such a configuration enables a particularly energy-saving operation of the conveyor. The conveyor is designed in particular purely mechanically. It is also possible that the conveyor is motorless. The saving of an engine lowers the manufacturing costs as well as the assembly costs and the operating costs. However, the conveyor can also be drivably coupled with at least one movable device, which is not driven by muscle power, but by at least one motor and in particular electric motor and / or at least one other drive unit. This is particularly advantageous and cost-saving, since an existing drive unit for the operation of the conveyor can be used.

It is also possible at least one muscle force input device, which is in operative connection with the conveyor and through which the conveyor is driven. It is possible that the muscular force input device is operable with one hand. The muscular force input device can also be designed to be operable with both hands and / or with at least one foot and / or another body part. The muscle force input device may be designed as a lever, rotary element, crank, pedal and / or the like.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the movable device device is designed as a door which at least partially closes the treatment space. In this case, the conveyor by a movement and in particular an opening and / or closing of the door can be driven. The movement of the door can be generated by muscle power. But it is also possible a motorized door, which at least partially by an engine can be opened and closed. The door may be operatively connected to the conveyor directly or through a power transmission device.

It can also be formed as a pull-out device for Gargutträger at least one movable device device. In this case, the conveyor is at least partially drivably coupled to the movement during insertion and / or when pulling out the pull-out device. It is also possible that the conveyor is drivably coupled to at least one other movable device of the household appliance.

In a further preferred embodiment, at least one force storage device is provided, which is designed to operate the conveyor. The force storage device is in particular a mechanical force storage device and can be embodied as a spring accumulator and / or pressure accumulator and / or gas spring accumulator. For example, at least one compression spring can be compressed and / or at least one tension spring can be tensioned in order to charge the energy storage device. It is also possible at least a gas spring. The force storage device can also be designed as a gravity accumulator. In this case, at least one weight can be raised and / or lowered to charge the force storage device. The force storage device can also be operatively connected to the conveyor via at least one power transmission device.

It is particularly preferred that the force storage device is operatively connected to a door which at least partially closes the treatment space. The force storage device is designed to be chargeable by at least one movement and in particular an opening and / or closing of the door. It can be provided at least one power transmission device, via which the door is operatively connected to the energy storage. The force storage device can also be designed to be rechargeable by at least one other movable device, such as, for example, the pull-out device for food carriers. It is also possible that the force storage device can be charged by at least one muscle force input device.

Preferably, at least one release device is provided, which is in operative connection with the force storage device and the conveyor. By actuating the triggering device, the force storage device can be triggered and the delivery device can be operated. The triggering device is preferably designed to be manually operable and may comprise at least one push button, lever, rotary member and / or switch or the like, or be designed as such a device. But it is also possible that the triggering device is electrically and / or electronically executed and, for example, has an electrical switch and / or a magnetic switch.

Such embodiments with an energy storage device and a triggering device are very advantageous because the triggering of the charged force storage device is possible at any time. Thus, the movement of the movable device device need not be used directly for driving the conveyor, but can be used with a time delay for driving the conveyor.

In all embodiments, at least one power transmission device can be provided, which is suitable and designed for power transmission between the devices operatively connected to each other. For example, the power transmission device between the conveyor and the movable device or the muscular force input device and / or between the power storage device and the devices operatively connected thereto, such as the conveyor, the movable device and / or the triggering device may be provided.

The inventive method is suitable for operating a household appliance and in particular a cooking appliance with at least one treatment room and at least one movable device device. In this case, at least one conveyor for liquids is provided, wherein the conveyor is driven by at least one movement of the device device.

Such a procedure offers many advantages. A significant advantage is that the conveyor is driven by at least one movement of the device device. As a result, a movement which takes place on the household appliance anyway, be used as a drive for the conveyor. A separate drive for the conveyor, such as an electric motor, can thus be saved. Such a method is thus inexpensive and energy-efficient.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the conveyor sucks in liquids by a movement of the door and passes the liquids through a further movement to a container. The suction of the liquids is done in particular by opening or closing the door. The forwarding of the liquids to a container is in particular coupled to a closing or opening of the door. It is also possible that the conveyor is driven by a different movement of the door, such as a swinging back and forth and / or a partial opening and / or closing the door. Since the movement of the door is usually a frequent occurrence when using a household appliance, it is particularly advantageous to drive the conveyor with such a movement.

In a further likewise preferred embodiment, a force storage device is charged by a movement of the door and in particular an opening of the door. The Force storage device can drive the conveyor after charging by operating a triggering device. Such a method with an energy storage device and a triggering device is very advantageous because the conveyor can be operated at any time. The use of the conveyor does not have to coincide with the movement of the door. This is particularly useful, for example, in a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber and a door closing the cooking chamber. Especially during a cooking process, opening the door to operate the conveyor can be very unfavorable and energy consuming if the opening operation is not necessary.

Further advantages and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the description of an embodiment, which will now be explained with reference to the accompanying figures.

Figur 1

ein als Gargerät ausgeführtes, erfindungsgemäßes Haushaltsgerät in einer schematischen Seitenansicht;

Figur 2

ein weiteres Gargerät in einer schematischen Seitenansicht; und

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung einer Pumpeinrichtung.

In the figures show:

FIG. 1

a running as a cooking appliance, inventive household appliance in a schematic side view;

FIG. 2

another cooking appliance in a schematic side view; and

FIG. 3

a schematic representation of a pumping device.

In FIG. 1 an inventive household appliance 1 is shown, which is designed here as a cooking appliance 2. The cooking appliance 2 has a movable device 4 designed as a door 5 and a treatment chamber 3 designed as a cooking chamber 31. The cooking chamber 31 is surrounded by a cooking chamber 32 and can be closed by the door 5. In the cooking chamber 31, a heating source 19 is attached, which is designed here as Umluftheizquelle and is provided for cooking food. Further heating sources 19, such as a top heat radiator and a bottom heat radiator and a microwave heating source and the like may be provided. The cooking appliance 2 can be operated by a user via an operating device 33 and has an electronic unit 34 for controlling various cooking functions and other appliance tasks.

The cooking device 2 is also suitable for a Klimagarverfahren. For this purpose, the cooking appliance 2 has a heating source 19 and a container 9 for water. By the heating source 19, the water can be heated and thus water vapor generated. The steam is introduced via a line 11 and a supply device 14 in the cooking chamber 31. Such a supply of water vapor is particularly advantageous during long cooking processes, for example in the case of large pieces of meat, since dehydration is prevented. When baking bread arises by the addition of steam a particularly tasty crust. The timing and duration of the steam supply are set by a user via the operating device 33 and controlled by an electronic unit 34 or the like. It is possible and preferred that the cooking appliance 2 has further components set up for the air conditioning unit, which are not shown here.

The conveyor 6 of in FIG. 1 shown cooking appliance 2 is intended to promote the necessary for the climate agar water in the container 9. The conveyor 6 is driven by a movement of the door 5. The conveyor 6 has for this purpose a suction device 18 and a pump device 16, which is designed here as a bellows pump 26 and is connected via a line 11 to the container 9. Preferably, the pumping device 16 is designed as a self-priming pumping device. Furthermore, the pumping device 16 is connected via a line 11 to the suction device 18. The suction device 18 is located on the outside of the cooking appliance 2, so that the suction device 18 can be immersed in a vessel 15 with water. The vessel 15 is held by a user and may, for example, be a jug, bowl or jug.

To fill the container 9 with water, the vessel 15 is held under the suction device 18 so that the suction device 18 is immersed in the water. With a free hand, the door 5 is opened a corresponding piece wide. This creates enough space for a bellows 46 of the bellows pump to expand. It is possible that, for example, a spring or the like is provided which presses the bellows apart. Due to the expansion of the bellows 46 creates a negative pressure, which sucks the water from the vessel 15. In order to prevent water and / or air from being sucked out of the line 11 leading to the container 9, a first check valve 12 is provided. The first check valve 12 is located here between the bellows pump 26 and the line 11 to the container 9 and allows only one flow direction in the direction of the bellows pump 26 to the container 9. The bellows pump 26 is at least partially filled with water from the vessel 15 after this process.

The water-filled bellows pump 26 must be compressed to deliver the water from the bellows pump 26 into the container 9. For this purpose, the door 5 is closed again. In order to transmit the movement of the door 5 to the bellows pump 26, a power transmission device 10 is provided. The power transmission device 10 is designed here as a rod element and attached to the bellows pump 26. When closing the door 5, the power transmission device 10 presses the bellows 46 together, so that the water from the bellows pump 26 is conveyed through the line 11 into the container 9. A second check valve 13 prevents a promotion in the direction of the vessel 15th

The conveying process can be repeated as often as desired by the door 5 being opened and closed accordingly. It is possible that a device is provided which prevents overfilling of the container 9. For example, a warning sound can be issued when the container 9 has reached a certain level. It is also possible that at a certain level, the check valves 12, 13 are opened. For this purpose, the check valves 12, 13 may for example be designed as electromagnetically switchable valves, which are controlled by the electronic unit 34 or other suitable means. It is also possible that is displayed to the user via a display or the like, as often the delivery process must be performed in order to have a sufficient volume of water in the container 9. The volume of water required can vary depending on the cooking process and stored, for example, in a cooking program.

In FIG. 2 a cooking appliance 2 is shown with a conveyor 6, wherein the conveyor 6 here has a designed as a piston pump 36 pumping device 16. The conveyor 6 also includes an energy storage device 7, which is designed here as a spring accumulator 17 and a triggering device 8, which can trigger the activation of the piston pump 36 by the stored energy of the spring accumulator 17. Preferably, the pumping device 16 is designed as a self-priming pumping device. The suction device 18 is designed to be foldable here and is in a rest position behind the door 5. To keep the suction device 18 in a vessel 15 with water, the door 5 must first be opened here and the suction device 18 is unfolded. The advantage of such a configuration is that the suction device 18 is hidden behind the door 5 when not in use and thus does not represent a disturbing obstacle when using the cooking appliance 2. In addition, a protruding from the front of the cooking appliance 2 suction 18 can be perceived as visually disturbing.

The unfolded suction device 18 is held with the door open 5 in the vessel 15 with water. To promote water with the piston pump 36, the triggering device 8 must be operated. The actuation of the triggering device 8 triggers the spring accumulator 17, which was previously tensioned by the opening and / or closing of the door 5. For this purpose, the triggering device 8, for example, have a switch which is coupled via a linkage to a fishing hook. The catch hook holds the spring accumulator 17 in a charged position. Other embodiments of the triggering device 8 are also possible, which are suitable for retaining the spring accumulator 17.

The spring accumulator 17, when triggered, moves a piston 56 relative to a cylinder of the piston pump 36. The movement of the piston 56 of the piston pump 36 results in a negative pressure through which the water is conveyed from the vessel 15 into the piston pump 36. A first check valve 12 ensures suction through the line 11 leading to the suction device 18. Preferably, the piston pump 36 now contains enough water for a cooking process. The vessel 15 can now be turned off and the suction device 18 collapsed. The cooking chamber 31 can be charged with the desired food.

Subsequently, the door 5 is closed again, wherein the movement of the door 5 is transmitted by a power transmission device 10 to the piston 56 of the piston pump 36. Characterized the piston 56 is inserted into the Zyklinder the piston pump 36 and the water in the piston pump 36 is conveyed from the piston pump 36 through the conduit 11 into the container 9. A second check valve 13 ensures the correct flow direction in the direction of the container 9. The insertion of the piston 56 also pushes the spring accumulator 17 back, whereby the spring accumulator 17 is recharged. The cooking appliance 2 is now ready for a cooking process with air conditioning. If a larger volume of water is needed than can be absorbed by a conveying process, the conveying process can be repeated as often as desired.

The FIG. 3 shows a designed as a piston pump 36 pumping device 16 with a piston 56 and two check valves 12, 13 and two lines 11. Each check valve 12, 13 is designed so that a liquid can flow through the respective check valve 12, 13 in one direction only. The check valves 12, 13 have opposite directions of flow. At a pressure which is opposite to the direction of flow of the check valve 12, 13, closes the corresponding check valve 12, 13. This ensures that the piston pump 36 sucks in a backward movement of the piston 56 only through one of the two lines 11 a liquid. The line 11 for sucking is here the upper line 11 and marked with an arrow in the direction of the piston pump 36. It is also ensured that during a forward movement of the piston 56 fluid 11 is conveyed only through the lower line 11 of the two lines. Such a piston pump 36 can be easily coupled to various movable devices of household appliances 1 drivable.

The household appliance 1 according to the invention and the method for operating such a household appliance 1 have been described in the embodiments shown here with reference to a cooking appliance 2. The conveying device 6 presented here can also be used in other embodiments and developments in any other household appliances 1 for the promotion of liquids use. The household appliance could also be designed as a washing machine or dishwasher.

The present invention provides a household appliance 1 with a cost-effective and robust conveyor 6 and a simple and inexpensive method for operating such a household appliance 1 available. The conveyor 6 is drivably coupled to a movable device of the household appliance 1, whereby the cost of a own drive the conveyor 6 can be saved. For example, a movement often performed on a household appliance 1, such as opening and closing a door 5, may be used to operate the conveyor 6.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

household appliance

2

Cooking appliance

3

treatment room

4

movable device device

5

door

6

Conveyor

7

Power storage device

8th

triggering device

9

container

10

Power transmission device

11

management

12

first check valve

13

second check valve

14

feeder

15

vessel

16

pumping device

17

spring

18

suction

19

heating source

26

bellows pump

31

oven

32

Garraummuffel

33

operating device

34

electronics box

36

piston pump

46

bellows

56

piston

Claims (13)

Domestic appliance (1), in particular cooking appliance (2), with at least one treatment space (3) and at least one movable device device (4) and with at least one conveying device (6) for liquids, characterized in that the conveying device (6) with the movable device device (4) is drivably coupled. Domestic appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying device (6) comprises at least one pumping device (16). Domestic appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the pumping means (16) is designed as a bellows pump (26) and / or as a diaphragm pump and / or as a piston pump (36) or comprises such. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the pumping means (16) is designed to be self-priming. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying device (6) is drivably coupled to at least one device (4) which is movable by muscle power. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one movable device device (4) as a treatment chamber (3) at least partially closing door (5) is formed. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one movable device means (4) is formed as a holding device for products to be cooked. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one force storage device (7) is provided, which is designed for operating the conveyor (6). Domestic appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the energy storage device (7) with the door (5) is operatively connected and by at least one movement of the door (5) is provided chargeable. Domestic appliance (1) according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that the force storage device (7) with a triggering device eighth (8) and the conveying device (6) is in operative connection, so that by pressing the triggering device (8), the conveyor (6) is operable. Method for operating a household appliance (1) and in particular a cooking appliance (2) having at least one treatment space (3) and at least one movable appliance device (4) and at least one conveying device (6) for liquids, characterized in that the conveying device (6) is driven by at least one movement of the device device (4). Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the conveyor (6) sucks in liquids by a movement of the door (5) and in particular an opening or closing of the door (5) and by a further movement of the door (5) and in particular a closing or opening the door (5) passes the fluids to a container (9). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by a movement of the door (5) and in particular an opening of the door (5) an energy storage device (7) is charged, which drives the conveyor (6) after actuation of a triggering device (8) ,

Images