EP2784395B1

EP2784395B1 - Oven cavity for a cooking oven

Info

Publication number: EP2784395B1
Application number: EP13160863.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Böckler; Erhard Käser; Daniel Krämer
Original assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Current assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Priority date: 2013-03-25
Filing date: 2013-03-25
Publication date: 2019-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 2033-03-25
Also published as: EP2784395A1

Description

The present invention relates to oven cavity for a cooking oven according to the preamble of claim 1.
EP 0 786 630 A1 discloses an illumination arrangement for the muffle space of a baking oven with a transparent lamp cover and a lamp housing that is inserted within the opening of a muffle wall and with a sealing element for sealing the illumination arrangement from the muffle space. The sealing element is a mounting part of lamp housing and pressed against the muffle wall as well as against the lamp cover.
Oven cavities are usually produced from metal sheets, wherein the single parts of the cavity are manufactured in a die cutting process or a similar process. Tolerances of the cavity walls resulting from manufacturing process, thus, may be not sufficient to form a proper connection between the cavity wall and a unit such as a lamp. Consequently, it is possible that gaps between the cavity wall and the lamp occur as a source of problems causing condensation and energy loss.
DE 103 14 572 A1 discloses a cooking oven with an oven cavity and an air circulation blower. A blower channel with a fan impeller is arranged besides the oven cavity. An air guide plate separates the blower channel from the oven cavity. A duct penetrates said blower channel and extends from the cavity wall to the air guide plate in order to provide space for accessories. The duct includes a flange aligned to the cavity wall. An open end of the duct is connected to a collar enclosing an opening in the air guide plate. The open end of the duct and the collar form a labyrinth seal.
DE 10 2008 011 935 A1 discloses a cooking oven with an oven cavity and a blower channel in the tops side of said cooking oven. An air guide plate separates the blower channel from the oven cavity. A duct penetrates said blower channel and extends from a cavity wall to the air guide plate. The duct is provided for receiving a plug-in socket. A sealing element is arranged between the lower end of the duct and the air guide plate. The sealing element encloses an opening and a collar of the air guide plate. The collar is directed upwards and encloses in turn said opening.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an oven cavity that overcomes the above described problems and to provide an oven cavity with good condensation and energy saving properties.
According to the present invention the second edge section and said sealing section extend at least partially in parallel and distanced from each other and said first edge section and a main body of said functional unit extend at least partially in parallel and distanced from each other and in an angle relative to said second edge section and said sealing section.
The main idea of the present invention is to provide a connection between the cavity wall and a functional unit that compensates tolerances, in particular with regard to planarity, in the region of the opening to which the functional unit is to be mounted. A protruding sealing section is therefore provided that is in contact with the cavity wall in a certain distance from the opening. Thus, the inaccuracies, the major values of which are immediately adjacent to the opening, are compensated advantageously. The first edge section projects towards the main body of the functional part. The first edge section diminishes the distance between the cavity wall and the functional part in that region and, thus, contributes advantageously to the tightness of the connection.
A functional unit shall be understood as every functional component to be mounted within the oven cavity and whose connection to the cavity wall might create defects in tightness.
A labyrinth sealing shall be understood as a sealing arrangement providing no or few contact between the members of the gap to be sealed, but providing the sealing effect by extending the length of the gap to be sealed, in particular by forming a meandering gap. A labyrinth sealing and a contact sealing can, of course, be provided in combination and can contribute both to a tight sealing. In the case that the contact between protruding sealing section and first edge section comprises e.g. gaps or other geometrical irregularities and is, therefore, not completely tight, the labyrinth seal seals the connection between functional component and oven cavity wall.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said functional unit comprises at least one main body which is distanced from the second edge section by means of the sealing section.
Thus, the sealing section is in contact (in other words: in touch) with the cavity wall that surrounds the functional unit in a region that has a smaller tolerance than the region that is immediately adjacent to the opening.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, said second edge section projects towards the interior of the oven cavity.
Thus, the first edge section projects towards the interior space of the oven cavity and also towards the main body of the functional part. The first edge section diminishes the distance between the cavity wall and the functional part in that region and, thus, contributes advantageously to the tightness of the connection.
According to the invention said second edge section and said sealing section extend at least partially in parallel and distanced from each other and in that said first edge section and a main body of said functional unit extend at least partially in parallel and distanced from each other and in an angle relative to said second edge section and said sealing section, in particular by forming a labyrinth-like flow path in the region of the second edge section additionally to the sealing contact between sealing component and first edge section.
Thus, the sealing effect of the connection between functional unit and cavity wall is further improved.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, said sealing component is a heating element flange, in particular made of a metallic material, for attaching a heating element to the cavity wall.
For the connection of a heating element to the cavity wall, the connection is particularly advantageous, because the heat transfer from the heating element via the heating element flange to the cavity wall is reduced in comparison to a heating flange resting in plane contact on the cavity wall.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, said heating element flange has a substantially flat main body, wherein said sealing section is formed integrally to said main body.
Thus, the heating element flange can be produced, e.g. from a metal part. Furthermore, the heating element flange and the sealing section can be formed in a single manufacturing step. In an alternative advantageous embodiment of the invention, said functional unit is a lamp unit for being mounted to the cavity wall.
In that way, it is possible to use the inventive solution advantageously for the mounting of a lamp unit to the cavity wall.
According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, said lamp unit comprises at least one lamp cover, in particular made of a transparent material, and a lamp housing with at least one housing wall, wherein said lamp cover is fixedly connected to said housing wall.
Thus, a lamp unit is enabled to be mounted in said opening of the cavity wall. In particular, when the lamp cover is fixed to the housing wall of the lamp unit, the lamp unit can be mounted or installed as a whole.
A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is provided in that said housing wall comprises at least one holding portion and at least one attaching portion, wherein said attaching portion is arranged angular, in particular in a right angle, relative to said holding portion, in particular wherein said lamp cover is fixedly connected to said attaching portion, preferably such, that the lamp cover extends substantially perpendicular to said housing wall.
In such embodiment it is possible to insert the lamp unit as a whole with a movement that is perpendicular to the cavity wall or the opening into the opening. The lamp cover and/or the attaching portion can, thus, cover the opening completely. Lamp cover and attaching portion can contribute beneficially to the sealing effect.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention said housing wall comprises at least one of said sealing sections.
In the case that the housing wall comprises a sealing section, it is possible, that a sealing is formed between the lamp housing and the interior of the cavity. It can be advantageously prevented that vapour or steam or a hot air flow can enter the interior space of the lamp housing which prevents damage of the electronic parts inside of the lamp housing. It is further advantageously prevented that vapour or steam or a hot air flow can leave the cavity and reach the exterior of the cavity.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the lamp cover comprises at least one of said sealing sections, in particular such, that said sealing section is formed integrally to said lamp cover.
Also here it can be advantageously prevented that vapour or steam or an hot air flow reach the exterior of the cavity or the inner side of the lamp unit. Further, the connection between lamp cover and surface of the cavity wall is easy to clean in such an embodiment. Thus, the durability of the sealing connection can be increased.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said second edge section is at least partially in substantially sealing contact with said functional unit, in particular with a main body of said functional unit.
In particular, when the tolerances to be compensated do not exceed a certain value, such an embodiment is advantageous. Also an only partial sealing contact can additionally contribute to the sealing effect. Thus, in such an embodiment, two consecutive sealing connections are provided, increasing the sealing effect further.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention said second edge section is distanced from said functional unit, in particular distanced from a main body of said functional unit.
In such an embodiment, only one sealing connection is established. Such an embodiment can be used, when the tolerances to be compensated exceed a certain value.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention said sealing section is arranged around a complete peripheral circumference of said functional unit.
In such an embodiment, the complete circumference of the opening can be sealed by means of the sealing section. No additional sealing means are necessary.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention said cavity wall is made of, in particular enamelled, sheet metal and in that said second edge section is a bent part of the sheet metal.
Particularly advantageous is, to provide such a sealing arrangement for an enamelled cavity, because damages on the enamel generated in the mounting process of the functional unit can be reduced.
The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which

FIG 1: illustrates a front view of a section of a cavity wall with a heating element flange and a heating element fastened thereto;
FIG 2: illustrates a sectional side view of the cavity wall with heating element flange and heating element according to FIG 1;
FIG 3: illustrates a detailed sectional side view of the cavity wall with heating element flange and heating element according to FIG 2;
FIG 4: illustrates a sectional side view of a cavity wall with a lamp mounted to said cavity wall;
FIG 5: illustrates a detailed sectional side view of the cavity wall with the lamp according to FIG 4;
FIG 6: illustrates a sectional side view of the cavity wall with a lamp mounted to said cavity wall according to a further embodiment of the invention;
FIG 7: illustrates a detailed sectional side view of the cavity wall with the lamp according to FIG 6;

FIG 1 illustrates a cavity wall 1 with a heating element flange 2 and a heating element 3 fastened to the cavity wall 1 by means of the heating element flange 2. The heating element can be a standard heating element made of a wire or a rod which is guided through the heating element flange 2. The heating element flange 2 can be fastened to the cavity wall 1 (not shown) by means of screws or by means of nuts and springs for enabling the heating element 3 to be demounted by a drop down movement from inside of the oven cavity.
As becoming apparent from FIG 2, the cavity wall 1 has an opening 4, through which the heating element 3 is guided. On the exterior side E of the cavity wall 1, the heating element 3 is electrically connected to a power source for operating the heating element 3. On the interior side (I) of the cavity wall 1, the heating element 3 extends in the interior space of the oven cavity and, thus, the interior space of the oven cavity can be heated by operating the heating element. The heating element flange 2 is arranged such, that it covers or closes the opening 4 in a sealing or air tight manner.
FIG 3 illustrates a detailed sectional side view of the cavity wall with heating element flange and heating element shown in FIG 2. The cavity wall 1 comprises an opening 4 which might be a cut out or the like. The cavity wall 1 comprises a first edge section 5 and a second edge section 6 arranged adjacent to first edge section 5 which surround the opening 4 at least partially. The second edge section 6 can be formed by bending or flanging of material of the cavity wall 1 which surrounds the opening 4. In particular, the second edge section 6 can be a peripheral flange which extends circumferentially around the opening 4.
The heating element flange 2 can be made of a substantially flat sheet, e.g. of a metal material, having openings or cutouts for guiding through the heating element 3. The heating element flange 2 comprises a main body 7 from which a peripheral section is bent of or from which a peripheral section extends in an angle relative to the main body 7. The peripheral section is formed as a sealing section 8 of the heating element flange 2. The sealing section 8 forms a contact with the first edge section 5 of the cavity wall 1. The second edge section 6 of the cavity wall 1 extends distanced from the sealing section 8 an in parallel to it. Due to tolerances in the manufacturing process, in particular in the manufacturing process of the metal parts, it might occur that the contact between sealing section 8 and first edge section 5 might comprise gaps. Such gaps may be generated when the sealing section 8 is not ideally straight or has other geometrical irregularities.
In the case that the connection between sealing section 8 and first edge section 5 is not completely tight and an air flow or vapour or steam from the interior space of the cavity can flow through a gap between sealing section 8 and first edge section 5, it is deflected at least twice by the second edge section 6 of the cavity wall 1 and sealing section 8 and main body 7 of the heating element flange 2. Thus, a labyrinth sealing between the interior I and the exterior E is created.
In the shown embodiment, the second end section 6 is not in contact with the heating element flange 2. It is also possible to form a connection wherein the sealing section 8 of the heating element flange 2 is in contact with the first edge section 5 and wherein the second edge section 6 is in contact with the main body 7. Also in this contact, gaps may be generated which can be compensated by the labyrinth seal.
Further, it is possible to arrange the second end section 6 such that it is not in contact with the heating element flange 2, but as close as possible to the heating element flange 2. With other words, the second end section 6 can be arranged with a minimal gap between itself and the heating element flange 2.
FIG 4 and FIG 5 illustrate a sectional side view of a cavity wall 10 with a lamp mounted to said cavity wall 10. The lamp is mounted or installed into an opening 40 arranged in the cavity wall 10. The lamp comprises a lamp cover 9 arranged on the interior of the cavity. The lamp cover 9 can be at least partially made of a material that allows light to pass through, e.g. a glass or plastics material.
The lamp has, further, a lamp housing with one or more housing walls 15, inside of the lamp housing a lamp or another illuminating means can be arranged. The light from the illuminating means is intended to pass through the lamp cover 9 to illuminate the interior space of the oven cavity. The lamp cover 9 and the lamp housing are mounted or installed into the opening 40 as a lamp unit.
The cavity wall 10 is formed like the cavity wall 1 as shown in FIG 1 to 3, i.e. the cavity wall 10 comprises an opening 40, wherein the cavity wall 10 comprises a first edge section 50 and a second edge section 60 arranged adjacent to the first edge section 50 and both surrounding the opening 40. The second edge section 60 is arranged angularly relative to the first edge section 50, e.g. in a right angle.
The housing wall 15 of the lamp housing comprises an enclosure portion 19 and an attaching portion 16. The enclosure portion 19 forms a part of a housing for the illuminating means and/or electronic components arranged within the lamp housing. The attaching portion 16 is arranged angularly relative to the enclosure portion 19, e.g. also in a right angle. Further, the attaching portion 16 can be formed integrally to the enclosure portion 19. Furthermore, the attaching portion 16 is provided for being attached, e.g. glued or welded, to the lamp cover 9, in particular to a second surface 14 of the lamp cover.
The lamp cover 9 has a first surface 13 which is directed towards the interior I of the oven cavity and a second surface 14 which is directed towards the exterior E in a mounted state of the lamp. Furthermore, the lamp cover 9 has a substantially flat main body 11 and at least one sealing section 12. The sealing section 12 is integrally formed to the main body 11, but might also be formed by an additional part.
In a state in which the lamp is mounted to the cavity wall 10, the attaching portion 16 is contact to the second edge portion 60, wherein the sealing section 12 encompasses the second edge section 60 and is in contact with the first edge section 50. The sealing section 12 can be formed nose-like and can be provided as a circumferential portion of the lamp cover 9, completely surrounding the main body 11.
Thus, two sealing contacts between the lamp and the cavity wall 10 are formed, providing an at least partially air-tight sealing between the lamp and the cavity wall 10. On each of the sealing contacts gaps or leakages can occur due to irregularities of geometries. The labyrinth seal thus improves the tightening effect in spite of the gaps or leakages Tolerances can be compensated in such that an embodiment comprises resilient properties of the material of the lamp cover 9 or comprises a resilient arrangement of the lamp cover 9 on the housing wall 15 of the lamp housing.
FIG 6 and FIG 7 illustrate a sectional side view of the cavity wall 100 with a lamp mounted to said cavity wall 100 according to a further embodiment of the invention. The lamp comprises a lamp cover 900 and a lamp housing with one or more housing walls 150. The housing wall 150 has a holding portion 190 and an attaching portion 160, wherein the attaching portion 160 is arranged in a right angle relative to the holding portion 190. A sealing section 170 adjoins to the attaching portion 160 in a right angle, such that the holding portion 190, attaching portion 160 and sealing section 170 form a U-shape.
The cavity wall 100 has a first edge section 500 and a second edge section 600, wherein the second edge section 600 is arranged in a right angle relative to the first edge section 500.
The lamp cover 900 has a substantially flat main body 110 as well as a first surface 130 which is directed towards the interior I of the oven cavity and a second surface 140 which is directed towards the exterior E in a mounted state of the lamp.
The second surface 140 of the lamp cover 900 is arranged in plane contact with attaching portion 160 of the housing wall 150. The lamp cover 900 is fixed to the attaching portion 160 in a suitable manner. In mounted state of the lamp within the opening 400, the sealing section 170 encompasses the second edge portion 600 of the housing wall 100 and is in contact with the first edge portion 500. The second edge portion 600 is arranged in between the sealing section 170 and the holding portion 190 and, thus, forms a barrier for an air flow which passes through a possible gap between sealing section 170 and first edge portion 500. Thus, a labyrinth sealing is formed.
It shall be noted, that in each of the inventive embodiments the contact between the protruding sealing section 8, 12, 170 and the first edge section 5, 50, 500 can be a completely tight contact or the protruding sealing section 8, 12, 170 can be completely distanced from the first edge section 5, 50, 500 or the protruding sealing section 8, 12, 170 and the first edge section 5, 50, 500 can be in contact with each other having a gap or gaps that can be provided in this contact due to geometrical irregularities.

List of reference numerals

1, 10, 100: cavity wall
2: heating element flange
3: heating element
4, 40, 400: opening
5, 50, 500: first edge section
6, 60, 600: second edge section
7: main body
8: sealing section
9, 900: lamp cover
11, 110: main body
12: sealing section
13, 130: first surface
14, 140: second surface
15, 150: housing wall
16, 160: attaching portion
170: sealing section
19, 190: holding portion

I: interior
E: exterior

Claims

Oven cavity for a cooking oven comprising at least one cavity wall (1, 10, 100) and at least one functional unit with at least one sealing component (2, 9, 150) which is mounted or mountable into an opening (4, 40, 400) of said cavity wall (1, 10, 100), wherein said cavity wall (1, 10, 100) comprises at least one first edge section (5, 50, 500) and at least one second edge section (6, 60, 600), the second edge section being arranged around said opening (4, 40, 400) and distancing said first edge section (5, 50, 500) from said opening (4, 40, 400) and said second edge section (6, 60, 600) protruding at an angle, in particular at substantially a right angle, relative to the first edge section (5, 50, 500), thereby forming a protruding flange around the opening, and wherein said sealing component forms at least one protruding sealing section (8, 12, 170) which is in substantially sealing contact with said first edge section (5, 50, 500) and/or which forms a labyrinth seal with said first edge section and second edge section, characterized in that
said second edge section (6, 60, 600) and said sealing section (8, 12, 170) extend at least partially in parallel and distanced from each other and in that said first edge section (5, 50, 500) and a main body (7, 11, 110) of said functional unit extend at least partially in parallel and distanced from each other and in an angle relative to said second edge section (6, 60, 600) and said sealing section (8, 12, 170) by forming a labyrinth-like flow path in the region of the second edge section additionally to the sealing contact between the sealing component (2, 9, 150) and the first edge section (5, 50, 500), wherein the contact between the sealing section (8, 12, 170) and the first edge section (5, 50, 500) may comprise gaps.
Oven cavity according to claim 1, characterized in that said functional unit comprises at least one main body (7, 11, 110) which is distanced from the second edge section (6, 60, 600) by means of the sealing section (8, 12, 170).
Oven cavity according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second edge section (6, 60, 600) projects towards the interior (I) of the oven cavity.
Oven cavity according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sealing component is a heating element flange (2), in particular made of a metallic material, for attaching a heating element (3) to the cavity wall (1).
Oven cavity according to claim 4, characterized in that said heating element flange (2) has a substantially flat main body (7), wherein said sealing section (8) is formed integrally to said main body (7).
Oven cavity according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said functional unit is a lamp unit for being mounted to the cavity wall (10, 100).
Oven cavity according to claim 6, characterized in that said lamp unit comprises at least one lamp cover (9, 900), in particular made of a transparent material, and a lamp housing with at least one housing wall (15, 150), wherein said lamp cover (9, 900) is fixedly connected to said housing wall (15, 150).
Oven cavity according to claim 7, characterized in that said housing wall (15, 150) comprises at least one holding portion (19, 190) and at least one attaching portion (16, 160), wherein said attaching portion (16, 160) is arranged angular, in particular in a right angle, relative to said holding portion (19, 190), in particular wherein said lamp cover (9, 900) is fixedly connected to said attaching portion (16, 160), preferably such, that the lamp cover (9, 900) extends substantially perpendicular to said housing wall (15, 150).
Oven cavity according to one of the claims 7 or 8, characterized in that said housing wall (15, 150) comprises at least one of said sealing sections (170).
Oven cavity according to one of the claims 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the lamp cover (9, 900) comprises at least one of said sealing sections (12), in particular such, that said sealing section (12) is formed integrally to said lamp cover (9, 900).
Oven cavity according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said second edge section (6, 60, 600) is at least partially in substantially sealing contact with said functional unit, in particular with a main body (7, 11, 110) of said functional unit.
Oven cavity according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said second edge section (6, 60, 600) is distanced from said functional unit, in particular distanced from a main body (7, 11, 110) of said functional unit.
Oven cavity according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sealing section (8, 12, 170) is arranged around a complete peripheral circumference of said functional unit.
Oven cavity according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cavity wall (1, 10, 100) is made of, in particular enamelled, sheet metal and in that said second edge section (6, 60, 600) is a bent part of the sheet metal.