EP3465015B1 - Household appliance for preparing food in an outer part displaying optical information - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance for preparing food. The household appliance includes a housing and a first outer part arranged on the housing. An operating device for setting the operating conditions of the household appliance is designed on this first outer part. In addition, the household appliance includes a second outer part, which is separate from the first outer part and is designed like a beam and is arranged on the front of the household appliance.

Such household appliances are known from the prior art. In this context, there are household appliances for preparing food, in which this second outer part is a handle that is arranged on a door that is designed to close a cooking chamber of the household appliance. In addition, household appliances for preparing food are also known in which so-called pilaster strips or front covers are arranged next to such a door in the horizontal direction, which can also be beam-like second outer parts. In the configurations mentioned, the first outer part is in particular a control panel, which is also arranged on the front.

In addition, from the DE 10 2012 224 034 A1 a household appliance for preparing food in the form of an oven is known, in which a light guide element is arranged on the inside below a control panel in the area of an oven muffle and is covered by the door when the door is closed, which illuminates the food support when the door is open and the food support is pulled out done from above. This light-guiding element is arranged separately from two lateral pilaster strips and laterally spaced therefrom.

In addition, from the DE 10 2005 047 915 A1 It is known that in a gap between a front panel of a household appliance and an adjacent front panel of a cabinet component, light can be radiated forward from behind the front panels.

the EP 2 336 644 A1 discloses a household appliance with a door, the door having at least two glass panels between which a sealing element is introduced. A light source is arranged with the sealing member between the two glass plates. The sealing element is at least partially transparent, so that light rays from the light source can shine through the sealing element.

the DE 10 2010 003 103 A1 discloses a household appliance having a door and a handle formed on the outside of the door, the handle having a handle bar the inside of which faces the outside of the door and the inside of which is spaced apart from the outside of the door. The household appliance has at least one light source in the handle, the light from which can be emitted via the inside of the handle bar.

the DE 10 2008 041 519 A1 discloses a door handle for a door of a household appliance, with a handle bar and at least one holding element, in which the door handle can be fastened to the door. A partial element of the handlebar has a display unit and/or an operating device and at least the partial element of the handlebar is designed to be movable relative to the holding element.

the JP 2012 215 327 A discloses a grill with an extendable door, wherein a light bar, by means of which information can be displayed, is arranged vertically on the door.

the WO 2015/155020 A1 a lighting module for a household appliance. The lighting module has at least one light source, at least one sensor unit and at least one connection unit. The connection unit is connected to the at least one light source and the at least one sensor unit and is used to connect the lighting module to at least one control unit of the household appliance.

In the case of the known designs, the optical transmission of information to a user is only possible to a limited extent when the appliance is positioned at the front in front of it. Either light information can only be presented when the door is open to remove the concealed state of an interior light guide element, or they can only be guided out through a very narrow slit by light generated behind the slit.

As a result, perceptibility is restricted and thus operating conditions can only be indicated to a limited extent via these optical information displays, for example, since they can then no longer be perceived, or can no longer be perceived with sufficient certainty, even from a distance.

The object of the present invention is to create a household appliance for preparing food, in which an optical display of information via an external part of the household appliance that is different from the display unit or a display of an operating device is improved.

This object is achieved by a domestic appliance which has the features according to claim 1.

A household appliance according to the invention for preparing food has a housing. A first external part of the household appliance is arranged on this housing. An operating device of the household appliance is arranged on this first outer part, the operating device being designed for setting operating conditions of the household appliance. The household appliance also includes a second outer part, which is designed separately from the first outer part. The second outer part is designed like a beam and is arranged on the front of the household appliance. The outer parts thus represent the components closing off the household appliance on the outside, which are then also arranged on the visible side.

Provision is made in particular for the second outer part to be permeable at least in regions for light in the spectral range visible to humans and to be backlit for optical information display. It is therefore possible with the configuration that the light, which is generated in the household appliance by at least one light source, can at least partially be radiated through the second outer part itself and then, when the household appliance is viewed from the front, the light is emitted, as it were, from the second outer part itself. It is thus achieved when viewing the household appliance from the front that within a surface area of an outside of the Outdoor part, which is facing an observer when viewing the household appliance from the front, light radiates forward and is thus recognizable by a user within this surface area of the outside of the outdoor part.

It is envisaged that a second exterior part is a side pilaster strip. In this embodiment, the second outer part is thus, as it were, a front cover for other areas of the housing. This configuration and positional exposure makes it possible to design the optical information display to a particular extent. In this configuration, the outside of this second outer part is then also relatively large, so that the optical information display can be circumferential over as large a surface area as possible. As a result, light can also be generated relatively extensively and/or with a corresponding intensity and over a correspondingly large surface area.

Provision is made for the second outer part to be arranged as a vertical bar and to be arranged laterally adjacent to a door for closing a cooking chamber of the household appliance. The door of the household appliance is arranged on the housing in particular in a pivotable manner. It is precisely such an arrangement of the bar oriented in the height direction that enables a wide variety of optical information displays in the form of light patterns, which can then also be perceived easily and comprehensively.

With such a configuration, a second outer part that is otherwise designed to be functional for the outer closure is also used as an optical information display element. Due to this exposed position of the second outer part, a very extensive and precise emission of light can also take place and thus a desired optical information display can also be reliably displayed. In this context, this optical information display can also be recognized at a greater distance from the household appliance, as can occur with the usual installation in rooms of the household appliance, for example if you are at the other end of the room and still have a clear view of the household appliance. This improved optical display of information alone can then be reliably and clearly perceived by a user even at a greater distance, so that corresponding operating conditions of the household appliance can also be displayed optically via this second external part.

Especially when the operating device also includes a display unit, in particular a display, a wide variety of information can also be presented and displayed there. However, since such displays are usually limited in terms of size and can therefore no longer be perceived by a user or only to a limited extent at a certain greater distance, for example at a distance greater than 1m, in particular greater than 2m, an optical symbolic information display is via a second external part very advantageous.

In particular, the visual display of information is limited to a color representation of operating conditions and/or specific light patterns that are emitted. Therefore, in particular, no letters and/or numbers should be displayed as visual information displays.

In particular, this second outer part is at least predominantly visible in any position from other components of the household appliance, so that a visual information display can always take place reliably here and this can then also be perceived accordingly.

In particular, the second outer part extends at least over the height of a front panel of the door, so that the corresponding size of an outer side of the outer part is also formed here and thus a comprehensive optical information display can also take place. Due to the relevant orientation and physical proximity to the door, optical information displays relating to heating devices and/or fans of the household appliance can be displayed in a particularly advantageous manner. For example, a visual information display of a hot air mode, a circulating air mode or, for example, a bottom heat mode and/or top heat mode can be simply displayed. Due to the proximity to this front panel of the Door is also intuitively suggested to the observer that operating states of an adjacent component are displayed, which means that a corresponding setting of an operating parameter, in particular the temperature and/or air circulation in the cooking chamber, can be recognized.

In particular, it is provided that a second outer part is a handle of a door of the household appliance, which is arranged to close a cooking chamber of the household appliance. Especially when the handle is designed with an elongated and straight handle bar at the front, a beam-like shape can also be represented here, which in turn can be used to display a visual information display in a very exposed position over the largest possible area, namely a front outer side of this handle bar . In addition to the handle bar, the handle can also have handle brackets, by means of which the handle is then arranged on the front panel.

It can also be provided that the household appliance has a plurality of second outer parts and, for example, a second outer part is a lateral pilaster strip and a further second outer part is a handle, in particular a handle bar. In particular, two separate pilaster strips can also be provided, which are arranged adjacent to it on opposite sides of the door and extend in the vertical direction. These pilaster strips are attached in particular to other components that are assigned to the housing. These pilaster strips therefore also represent the front housing panels.

In a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the second outer part has a front element which is made of a material that is translucent in the spectral range that is visible to the human eye. The transmission of light, which is generated in the household appliance by at least one light source and is intended to pass through this second outer part, is then possible to a large extent. In particular, it is provided that a perforated light pattern generating element separate from the front element is arranged on an inside of the front element facing the interior of the housing. This is a very advantageous embodiment in that the optical information display can be designed very individually and not only can the light be emitted over the entire surface, but in this context a more discreet light emission is made possible. An undesirably bright one Radiation from an optical information display and any resulting blinding of an observer is thereby prevented. In addition, such a perforated light pattern generation element can be used to represent a more discrete optical information display without impairing the perceptibility for a user, even at a greater distance. In particular, it is provided that the material of the light pattern generating element is impermeable to light in the spectral range visible to humans and thus the light emitted by at least one light source only passes through the perforations in the light pattern generating element and from there through the second outer part. This enables the light pattern to be generated with particularly sharp contours. In addition, such a configuration of a light pattern generation element can also be used to the effect that a certain opaqueness to the components that are arranged behind the light pattern generation element occurs.

The perforation of the light pattern generating element is advantageously designed in such a way that even at a relatively small distance threshold value, for example greater than 0.5 m, when the second outer part is viewed from the front and the light source is switched off, the perforation is no longer or essentially no longer due to the resolving power of the human eye can be recognized. As a result, in the situation in which there is no backlighting, the second outer part appears as a homogeneous, even surface towards the front. The optical appearance of this second outer part in the non-backlit state is therefore also very uniform and uniform, which also results in a calmer appearance.

It can be provided that the light pattern generating element is a separate metal plate. This can be designed, for example, as a perforated grid. A corresponding stability of the light pattern generating element is thereby given. A positionally stable arrangement can then also be generated during assembly.

Provision can also be made for the light pattern generating element to be in the form of a coating which is applied to the inside of the front element which faces the interior of the household appliance. This results in a permanently fixed connection between the front element and the light pattern generating element given and both assembly tolerances and position tolerances during the life of the household appliance are avoided.

In addition, a coating is also designed to be very thin and flat, so that the installation space in the depth direction of the household appliance is minimized.

It can be provided that the front element is made of glass. In particular, an embodiment made of real glass is provided here.

In a further alternative configuration it can be provided that the second outer part has a front element which is made of a material which is impermeable to light in the spectral range visible to the human eye, the second outer part itself then having a perforation, in particular a micro-perforation. Even then, light can be radiated through the second outer part by at least one light source that is arranged behind the second outer part.

In an advantageous embodiment, it is provided in this embodiment of the second outer part that it is made of metal, in particular made of high-grade steel.

In particular, it is provided that a light guide is arranged as a separate component on the side facing away from the front element. This is very advantageous in that the number of light sources can be reduced and the light emitted by the light sources can be guided with the light guide over a larger area or to specific points of the second outer part. This enables the light emitted by a minimum number of light sources to be radiated through the second outer part in as diverse a manner as possible. The light guide is preferably designed with such dimensions that correspond to that area of the second outer part over which light is to be radiated through the second outer part.

In particular, it is provided that the first outer part is a control panel. The first outer part can also be a front panel of a door that is arranged to close off a cooking chamber of the household appliance.

An operating condition of the household appliance, which can be displayed via the second external part as a visual information display, can be a basic on function or off function, for example. However, it can also be a duration of a preparation program and/or a remaining duration of a preparation program that is currently running. A visual information display can also be warning information. Likewise, for example, a shelf for a food carrier can be displayed. This is particularly advantageous when the second outer part is designed as a lateral pilaster strip and this pilaster strip extends at least over the height over which a side wall of a muffle which delimits the cooking chamber also extends. Insertion levels are defined in particular by the fact that support webs are arranged on the insides of the vertical side walls of this muffle, so that pairs of opposite support webs each define an insertion level at a specific height level.

The optical display of information can be made possible by an individual light color assigned to information to be displayed and/or light intensity assigned to the information to be displayed and/or a light effect representation assigned to the information to be displayed, such as flashing or dimming.

The indications “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “back”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “height direction” etc. are the intended use and intended arrangement of the device and positions and orientations given to an observer then standing in front of the device and looking in the direction of the device.

Further features of the invention result from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations, without going beyond the scope of the invention leaving. The invention should therefore also be considered to include and disclose embodiments that are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but by means of separate figures Combinations of features emerge from the explanations explained and can be generated. Versions and combinations of features are also to be regarded as disclosed which therefore do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim. Furthermore, embodiments and combinations of features, in particular through the embodiments presented above, are to be regarded as disclosed which go beyond or deviate from the combinations of features presented in the back references of the claims.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Frontansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Haushaltsgeräts;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Frontansicht eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Haushaltsgeräts; und

Fig. 3

eine Horizontalschnittdarstellung durch einen Teilbereich des Haushaltsgeräts gemäß Fig. 2 im Bereich eines zweiten Außenteils.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with the aid of schematic drawings. Show it:

1

a schematic front view of an embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention;

2

a schematic front view of a further embodiment of a household appliance according to the invention; and

3

according to a horizontal sectional view through a portion of the household appliance 2 in the area of a second outdoor part.

Elements that are the same or have the same function are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

In 1 shows a simplified representation of a household appliance 1, which is designed for preparing food. The household appliance 1 is a cooking appliance and in particular an oven. The household appliance 1 comprises a housing 2. The housing 2 comprises a first outer part 3, which in the exemplary embodiment is a front-side first outer part and thus closes off the housing 2 on the outside and on the front. In the embodiment shown, the first outer part 3 is a control panel. An operating device 4 is formed on this first outer part 3 and has a display unit 5 and at least one operating element 6 . The design of the operating device 4 is only to be understood as an example and is not exhaustive.

A cooking chamber 7 is formed in the housing 2 and is delimited by the walls of a muffle 8 .

The front of the cooking chamber 7 can be closed by a door 9, which is 1 shown in closed condition. The door 9 comprises an outside front panel 10 on which a further outer part 11 is arranged. The second outer part 11 is a handle here, which has a handle bar 12 .

In addition, the household appliance 1 comprises a further second outer part 13 which is designed like a beam and is arranged on the front of the household appliance 1 . This further, second outer part 13 represents a lateral pilaster strip which extends in a straight line and represents a cover part or a housing panel visible on the front side.

In addition, another second outer part 14 is provided, which is a corresponding lateral pilaster strip. The two pilaster strips in the form of the other second outer parts 13 and 14 are arranged directly adjacent to the separate door 9 in the width direction of the household appliance 1 and extend in the vertical direction of the household appliance 1. For example, they extend at least over the height of the front panel measured in the vertical direction 10, in the exemplary embodiment they extend over the entire height of the household appliance 1.

The separate second outer parts 11, 13 and 14 mentioned by way of example are at least partially permeable to light in the spectral range visible to humans. This means that light from at least one light source, which is radiated from behind onto the respective second outer parts 11, 13 and 14, passes through the second outer parts 11, 13 and 14. The second outer parts 11, 13 and 14 can thus be backlit.

In the embodiment in 1 It is provided that the second outer parts 13 and 14 have front elements 15 and 16, which are made of metal, in particular stainless steel, and have a perforation 17 and 18, respectively, which is in particular a micro-perforation. In this configuration, the front elements 15 and 16 are therefore made of a material which is impermeable to light in the spectral range visible to humans. The light can nevertheless use the holes of the particular Microperforations 17 and 18 pass through the front elements 15 and 16 from behind, so that the corresponding emission of a light pattern then takes place through the front elements 15 and 16 . A corresponding optical display of information in the form of the light pattern is then made possible.

The light source can be a single light source, but multiple light sources can also be formed. In particular, a light source can be a light-emitting diode.

Provision is advantageously made for at least one light guide to be arranged between the front element 15 and the light source, viewed in the depth direction (perpendicular to the plane of the figure) of the household appliance 1, with which the light guided by the at least one light source reaches the front element 15. In particular, the light guide is also designed in the manner of a bar or strip and extends parallel to the front element 15, with the light guide preferably being arranged directly on the inside of the front element 15. The inside of the front element 15 is the one that faces backwards and thus faces away from the observer in the depth direction (oriented perpendicularly to the plane of the figure) of the household appliance 1 when the household appliance 1 is viewed from the front.

In 2 is in a view corresponding to 1 the household appliance 1 shown. In the embodiment according to 2 is in contrast to 1 an embodiment of at least one second outer part 11, 13, 14 is different. In particular, it is provided here that the front elements 15 and 16 are not made of metal but of glass, in particular genuine glass.

In 3 is a horizontal sectional view along the section line III-III in 2 shown.

The housing 2 is shown there with a housing side wall 19 on the left-hand side. In the embodiment shown, the housing side wall 19 is covered at the front by the second outer part 13 . The front element 15 in its beam-like configuration forms the front end. In the already mentioned inner side 15a, which faces away from an outer side 15b of the front element 15, there is a Light pattern generating element 20 arranged. The light pattern generation element 20 is a separate part here, which is therefore also a separate part from the front element 15 .

The light pattern generation element 20 is plate-like or strip-like and can in particular be a metal plate that is perforated. The light pattern generation element 20 is a perforated grid, for example. It is applied directly to the inside 15a.

As an alternative to this plate-like light pattern generating element 20, the light pattern generating element 20 can also be a coating which is applied directly to the inside 15a.

In addition, a light guide 21 is shown, which is then applied directly to this light pattern generating element 20 and is thus arranged on the side of the light pattern generating element 20 facing away from the front element 15 . In addition, a light source 22 is shown, which in turn is arranged following the light guide 21 to the rear.

As can be seen here, the side wall 19 has a holding part 23 which holds the second outer part 13 and, in its channel-like or trough-like configuration, accommodates the light pattern generating element 20, the light guide 21 and the light source 22. It can also be seen that the front element 15 bears against the channel edges of the element 23 at the front.

The side wall 19 in the embodiment in 1 educated. The local light source 22 and the light guide 21 are then also accommodated there in the trough-like or channel-like area of the element 23 . A separate light pattern generating element 20 is used in the embodiment in 1 not present, since the perforation 17 or 18 there is integrated into the front element 15 .

The front element 15 in 2 and 3 is permeable to light in the spectral range visible to humans.

In an advantageous embodiment, the perforation produces in particular a light pattern made up of a large number of points. In addition to or instead of this, however, lines can also be formed which are oriented horizontally or vertically and are also oriented parallel to one another, for example.

If the oven is also designed with a steam cooking function, for example, then the household appliance 1 also has a water tank in which the water to be evaporated is arranged. For example, a visual display of information can then be provided here to the effect that water is refilled in this water tank via a second outer part 11 and/or 13 and/or 14 by visual display of a light pattern.

It can generally be provided that an optical display of information takes place statically. However, it is also generally possible in an advantageous manner for optical information to be displayed dynamically. In this context, the light display can also wander and/or wobble, so that the effect of flames can also be displayed, for example.

In particular, it is also possible for insertion levels for a food support in the cooking chamber 7 to be displayed precisely by the second outer parts 13 and 14 at a specific vertical height and thus at an individual height. This can be done, for example, by corresponding, in particular horizontal, lines of light, which are then displayed at the intended height on at least one second outer part 13 or 14 .

Reference List

1

household appliance

2

Housing

3

outer part

4

operating device

5

display unit

6

control element

7

cooking chamber

8th

muffle

9

door

10

front panel

11

outer part

12

handle bar

13

outer part

14

outer part

15

front element

15a

inside

15b

outside

16

front element

17

micro perforation

18

micro perforation

19

housing side wall

20

light pattern generating element

21

light guide

22

light source

23

holding part

Claims (11)

1. Household appliance (1) for preparing food, having a housing (2), which has a first outer part (3, 10), on which is embodied a control apparatus (4) for setting operating conditions of the household appliance (1), and having at least one second outer part (11, 13, 14) which is separate from the first outer part (3, 10) and is embodied in a beam-like manner and is arranged on the front of the household appliance (1), wherein the second outer part (11, 13, 14) is embodied to be permeable at least in regions for light in the spectral range which is visible to humans and can be backlit for the visual display of information through the second outer part (11, 13, 14), characterised in that the second outer part (11, 13, 14) has a lateral pilaster strip and is arranged as a vertical beam and is arranged laterally adjoining a door (9) for closing a cooking compartment (7) of the household appliance (1).
2. Household appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the second outer part (13, 14) extends at least across the height of the door (9).
3. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a further second outer part (11) is a handle, in particular a handle rod (12), of a door (9) of the household appliance (1), which is arranged for closing a cooking compartment (7) of the household appliance (1).
4. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second outer part (11, 13, 14) has a front element (15, 16), which is embodied from a material which is permeable to light in the spectral range which is visible to humans, wherein a perforated light pattern generation element (20) is arranged on an inner side (15a) of the front element (15, 16) facing the interior of the housing (2).
5. Household appliance (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the light pattern generation element (20) is a metal plate as a perforated grid.
6. Household appliance (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that the light pattern generation element (20) is a coating.
7. Household appliance (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the front element (15, 16) is made from glass.
8. Household appliance (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the second outer part (11, 13, 14) has a front element (15, 16) which is embodied from a material which is not permeable to light in the spectral range which is visible to humans and has a microperforation (17, 18).
9. Household appliance (1) according to claim 8, characterised in that the front element (15, 16) is made from metal, in particular stainless steel.
10. Household appliance (1) according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that an optical fibre (21) is arranged on an inner side (15a) facing away from an outer side (15b) of the front element (15, 16)
11. Household appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims 4 to 10, characterised in that the first outer part (3, 10) is a control panel or a front plate of a door (4) for closing a cooking compartment (7) of the household appliance (1).

Images