EP3901521A1 - Cooking device for heating food - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooking device for heating food comprises a cooking chamber (2) for receiving the food to be heated, with a cooking chamber opening (3) for loading and unloading the cooking chamber (2) with food, a cooking chamber door (4) which can be moved between an open position, in which the cooking chamber opening (3) is released and a closed position in which the cooking chamber opening (3) is closed, and a locking device (5), with a locking engagement (6), and one relative to the cooking chamber door (4) and to the cooking chamber (2) movably mounted locking bolt (7), which can be moved between a release position in which the cooking chamber door (4) can be moved from the locked position into the open position, and a locking position in which the locking bolt (7) engages in the bolt engagement (6) engages and blocks a movement of the cooking chamber door (4) from the closed position into the open position, the locking device (5) being designed such that a movement component a displacement movement of the locking bolt (7) is oriented parallel to an opening direction (9) of the bolt engagement (6) relative to the locking bolt (7) when moving the cooking chamber door (4) from the locked position.

Description

The present patent application takes priority over the German patent application DE 10 2020 205 167.4 claim, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to a cooking device for heating food to be cooked. The invention also relates to a method for operating a cooking appliance for heating food to be cooked.

Cooking devices for heating food with a locking device for locking the movement of a cooking chamber door from a closed position into an open position are known from prior public use. The disadvantage is that such locking devices are on the one hand space-intensive and on the other hand have components which protrude from the cooking chamber door or the cooking chamber and thus impair the user when using the cooking appliance.

Such cooking devices are also known from US 2007/0296224 A1 , the DE 10 2009 059 313 A1 , the U.S. 6,079,756 A , the WO 2006/066646 A1 and the US 2008/0271727 A1 .

One object of the invention is to create an improved cooking appliance which, in particular, makes the available installation space largely usable for the cooking process and which avoids impairment of the user when using the cooking appliance.

This object is achieved by a cooking device for heating food with the features of claim 1. According to the invention it was recognized that the cooking device with the cooking chamber and the cooking chamber door for reversibly closing the cooking chamber opening can have a locking device with a bolt engagement and a locking bolt, wherein the locking device can be designed such that a movement component of a displacement movement of the locking bolt is oriented parallel to the direction of movement of the bolt engagement relative to the locking bolt when moving the cooking chamber door out of the closed position, in order to enable a particularly compact design and arrangement of the locking device on the cooking appliance, in particular on the cooking chamber, to maximize the usable cooking space in the available space and to avoid impairment of the user by the locking device to avoid. Here, the cooking chamber door is preferably arranged in the closed position. The shifting movement of the locking bolt takes place between the release position and the blocking position. The direction of movement of the bolt engagement relative to the locking bolt when the cooking chamber door is displaced from the locked position is referred to as the opening direction. Because the displacement movement of the locking bolt has a movement component oriented parallel to the opening direction, the displacement of the locking bolt takes place at least partially in the opening direction. The opening direction is preferably parallel to a surface normal of a front side of the cooking appliance, in particular a front side of the cooking chamber door. The movement space swept over by the locking bolt when shifting between the release position and the blocking position can thus have a main direction of extent which is at least partially oriented along the opening direction. As a result, the locking device can be arranged in a particularly compact manner on the cooking chamber. Furthermore, the locking device ensures that the locking bolt in the release position behind a front face, in particular a cover, can be withdrawn. The resulting distance between the locking bolt, in particular a bolt contact section, and the bolt engagement, in particular an engagement contact section, can be bridged by the movement component, which is oriented parallel to the opening direction, when the locking bolt is moved from the locking position to the release position. In particular in and / or transversely to the opening direction, protruding components of the locking device can thus be avoided. The appearance, in particular the front of the cooking appliance, is therefore particularly appealing. An impairment of the user when handling the food due to disturbing projections can be excluded.

The fact that the locking device is designed in such a way that the locking bolt penetrates a bolt outlet opening in the blocking position and is withdrawn further behind the bolt outlet opening in the release position compared to the blocking position is particularly preferred, but not essential for the invention. The term behind the bolt outlet opening denotes that side of the bolt outlet opening which is opposite the bolt engagement, in particular which is within a housing, behind a panel and / or behind a cover, in which the bolt outlet opening is formed. In the release position, the locking bolt can protrude forward from the bolt outlet opening, be arranged flush with the bolt outlet opening or be arranged completely behind the bolt outlet opening. The release position and / or the blocking position are preferably end positions of the displacement movement of the locking bolt. Preferably one, in particular each, position of the locking bolt in which the movement of the cooking chamber door from the locked position into a fully open open position is blocked, referred to as the locked position. Because the locking bolt is retracted further behind the bolt outlet opening in the release position compared to the locking position, parts protruding forward can be avoided, which could negatively affect the appearance of the cooking device and / or impair the user when handling the food to be cooked. Because the locking bolt penetrates the bolt outlet opening in the locking position, in particular penetrates further than in the release position, correspondingly protruding parts can also be avoided on the part of the bolt engagement, in particular on the part of the cooking chamber door.

The fact that the locking device is designed in such a way that the locking bolt is displaced purely translationally or translationally and rotationally when it is withdrawn through the bolt outlet opening into the release position is particularly preferred, but not essential for the invention. A purely translational movement can be a linear movement. A purely rotational movement can be a pivoting movement or a rotary movement, in particular about a fixed axis of rotation. Because the locking bolt is shifted purely translationally or translationally and rotationally when it is withdrawn through the bolt outlet opening into the release position, the bolt outlet opening can be made particularly small in relation to the dimensions of the locking bolt. The penetration of dirt and / or steam through the bolt outlet opening, in particular into a housing of the cooking appliance, can be reliably prevented as a result. The cleaning effort can thus be reduced and the formation of nuclei can be avoided.

The locking bolt is preferably through when it is moved between the release position and the blocking position, in particular when it is withdrawn the bolt outlet opening into the release position, pivoted by an angle of a maximum of 90 °, in particular a maximum of 60 °, in particular a maximum of 30 °, in particular a maximum of 15 °, and / or at least 10 °, in particular at least 25 °, in particular around an axis parallel and / or transversely to the longitudinal axis of the locking bolt and / or to the opening direction.

According to one aspect of the invention, the locking bolt is pulled back through the bolt outlet opening over a length between the release position and the blocking position, in particular when retracting through the bolt exit opening into the release position, which is in the range from 5 mm to 50 mm, in particular from 10 mm to 30 mm , lies. This advantageously means that the locking bolt can reliably and robustly come into connection with the bolt engagement.

According to a further aspect of the invention, a sealing means for sealing a gap between the locking bolt and the bolt outlet opening is arranged between the locking bolt and the bolt outlet opening, in particular an edge structure of the bolt outlet opening, the cover or the housing. The penetration of dirt or steam through the bolt outlet opening can thus be prevented. In particular, the sealing means can be designed to wipe off dirt and / or moisture from the locking bolt when it is withdrawn into the release position.

In the closed position, the cooking chamber door closes the cooking chamber opening. When the locking bolt is arranged in the release position, a movement of the cooking chamber door out of the locked position, in particular into the open position, is released. With an arrangement of the locking bolt in the locked position, movement of the cooking chamber door can be blocked, in particular prevented.

According to one aspect of the invention, a ratio between an adjustment path oriented parallel to the opening direction and an adjustment path of the locking bolt oriented perpendicular to the opening direction between the blocking position and the release position is at least 0.5, in particular 0.8, in particular at least 1, in particular at least 2, in particular at least 4, in particular at least 10 and / or a maximum of 20, in particular a maximum of 10, in particular a maximum of 4, in particular a maximum of 2, in particular a maximum of 1 Formed release position and the locked position.

The locking device can be designed so that the locking bolt, when shifting between the release position and the locking position, has a travel of at least 2 mm, in particular at least 4 mm, in particular at least 10 mm, in particular at least 15 mm, in particular at least 20 mm, measured parallel to the opening direction. having. An adjustment path of the locking bolt perpendicular to the opening direction is preferably in a range from 2 mm to 20 mm, in particular from 3 mm to 15 mm, in particular from 4 mm to 10 mm. What is advantageously achieved in this way is that the locking device can be designed in a space-saving manner, and unwanted opening of the cooking chamber door can be prevented reliably and in a robust manner.

According to one aspect of the invention, the locking engagement is attached to the cooking chamber door. The opening direction is determined by the Movement of the locking engagement relative to the cooking chamber when moving the cooking chamber door from the closed position, in particular into the open position. Alternatively, the locking engagement can be attached to the cooking chamber. The opening direction is then determined by the direction of displacement of the locking bolt when the cooking chamber door is displaced from the closed position, in particular into the open position.

The cooking chamber door can preferably be pivoted relative to the cooking chamber. The locking device, in particular the locking engagement, is preferably arranged on a side of the cooking chamber door opposite the pivot axis. The locking forces acting on the locking device are therefore particularly low. The locking device, in particular the bolt engagement, can also be arranged on the side of the cooking chamber door. The locking device is preferably arranged completely outside the cooking chamber, in particular laterally, above and / or below the cooking chamber.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking bolt, in particular the bolt contact section, is arranged in the release position along the opening direction at a distance from the bolt engagement, in particular when the cooking chamber door is arranged in the locked position. What is advantageously achieved in this way is that the locking bolt can engage in the locking engagement in the locked position and can move out of a field of vision and / or action of the user in the release position.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the bolt outlet opening and the smallest convex envelope of a sectional area of the locking bolt with the bolt outlet opening is a maximum of 2: 1. This ratio is preferably in the range from 1:10 to 2: 1, in particular from 1: 2 to 1.5: 1, in particular from 1: 1 to 1.25: 1, in particular from 1: 1 to 1.1: 1. This relationship can be present in the release position, in particular in every position of the locking bolt in which it penetrates the bolt outlet opening, in particular in every position of the locking bolt. A gap, in particular a tolerance gap, between the locking bolt and the bolt outlet opening can thus be dimensioned particularly small. The gap is preferably a maximum of 2 mm, in particular a maximum of 1 mm, in particular at every point around the bolt outlet opening. The shape of the bolt outlet opening and that of the locking bolt, in particular its cross-sectional shape, in particular in the area of the bolt outlet opening, can for this purpose be adapted to one another, in particular be identical to one another. For example, the bolt outlet opening and the locking bolt can be rectangular in cross section, preferably with an identical aspect ratio.

According to a further aspect of the invention, in the release position of the bolt outlet opening, the locking bolt protrudes forwards, in particular on the side of the bolt engagement, by a maximum of 10 mm. The part of the locking bolt protruding in the release position of the bolt outlet opening can partially or completely seal off the bolt outlet opening. The small protrusion prevents the user from being impaired when handling food. To seal the bolt outlet opening, the locking bolt can have a widened portion for flush contact with the edge structure of the bolt outlet opening. The widening can be T-shaped and / or mushroom-shaped in the longitudinal section.

In the release position, the locking bolt can be arranged perpendicular to the opening direction at a distance from the bolt engagement. This advantageously ensures that the locking bolt is in secure engagement can get with the latch engagement. Furthermore, the locking bar can be withdrawn behind a cover extending perpendicular to the opening direction.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking bolt is arranged flush with the bolt outlet opening in the release position or is completely withdrawn behind the bolt outlet opening. In the locked position, the locking bolt can penetrate the bolt outlet opening. The bolt outlet opening is preferably part of a cover and / or a panel and / or a housing of the cooking appliance. The bolt outlet opening can be arranged on a front side of the cooking appliance. Preferably, a front side of the locking bolt, which is arranged on the side of the bolt engagement, is arranged in the release position flush with the bolt outlet opening. This makes the cooking appliance particularly easy to clean and visually appealing.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking device can be designed for, in particular partially, rotationally displacing the locking bolt about an axis of rotation which is arranged on the side of the bolt outlet opening opposite the bolt engagement. The axis of rotation can be a fixed or movable axis of rotation. The axis of rotation can be defined by a joint axis and / or determined by the kinematics of the displacement movement, in particular without being in a joint. By arranging the axis of rotation behind the bolt outlet opening, it is advantageously achieved that the movement path of the locking bolt in front of the bolt outlet opening can be greater than in the area of the bolt outlet opening. As a result, the bolt outlet opening can have a particularly small dimension compared to the dimension of the locking bolt.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking bolt and the bolt engagement act together in the locking position as a dead center locking or as an over dead center locking. Dead-center locking means that a reaction force between the locking bolt and the bolt engagement does not include any force component in the direction of the release position when the cooking chamber door is attempted to open. Correspondingly, the over-center locking is to be understood as meaning that the reaction force between the locking bolt and the bolt engagement acts on the locking bolt in the direction of the locking position. In particular, the locking device can be designed in such a way that a force exerted on the cooking chamber door in the opening direction causes a reaction force on the locking bolt which is at least partially oriented in the direction of the locking position or is oriented exclusively parallel to the opening direction. This advantageously ensures that a movement of the cooking chamber door from the locked position into the locked position is reliably prevented. The locking effect is thus achieved particularly reliably.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking bolt interacts with the bolt engagement in the locked position without play. The locking bolt, in particular the bolt contact section, contacts the bolt engagement, in particular the engagement contact section. In particular, there is a play-free arrangement of the locking bolt on the bolt engagement in the locked position, in particular without the cooking chamber door first having to be moved in the direction of the open position.

The locking device can be designed to move the cooking chamber door at least in sections between the open stables and the closed position. Preferably the locking device is designed to move the cooking chamber door from a transfer position, which is formed between the open position and the closed position, in particular in an automated manner, into the closed position. For this purpose, the locking bolt can first be brought into engagement with the bolt engagement. A motor acting on the locking bolt or the bolt engagement can bring about the displacement of the cooking chamber door from the transfer position into the locking position. The closing process can thus take place particularly smoothly and reliably.

Alternatively, a locking gap between the locking bolt, in particular the bolt contact section, and the bolt engagement, in particular the engagement contact section, can amount to a maximum of 2 mm, in particular a maximum of 1 mm, in particular a maximum of 0.5 mm.

The locking bolt can be dampened and / or resiliently mounted to gently delay the movement of the cooking chamber door.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking device has a motor for displacing the locking bolt between the locking position and the release position, in particular from the release position into the locking position and / or from the locking position into the release position. The motor can be designed as a rotary motor or as a linear motor. What is advantageously achieved in this way is that the locking device, in particular the locking bolt, can be displaced automatically between the release position and the blocking position.

The cooking appliance can have a control device. The control device is available for the automated displacement of the locking bolt between the Release position and the blocking position, preferably in signal connection with the locking device, in particular the motor.

According to another aspect of the invention, the motor is a wax motor. The wax motor is designed to effect a heat-induced adjusting movement. To provide the heat, the wax motor can have an electrical heating element and / or be connected to the cooking chamber in a heat transferring manner. Preferably, only the electrical heating element is provided for heating the wax motor. The electrical heating element can be in signal connection with the control device. Alternatively or additionally, the wax motor can be operated by means of heat which is transferred from the cooking chamber to the wax motor. For this purpose, for example, a heat conducting element can be provided between the cooking chamber and the wax motor. By heating the wax motor by means of the heat transferred from the cooking chamber, the locking bar can be actuated automatically as a function of the temperature of the cooking chamber. In particular, it can thus be ensured that the locking bolt remains reliably arranged in the locked position even in the event of a power failure or a control error, as long as the temperature of the cooking chamber is above a certain limit temperature. The cooking appliance can thus be operated particularly safely.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the motor, in particular the wax motor, causes, in an activated state, a force on the locking bolt in the direction of the locking position and / or the release position. The locking device is preferably designed in such a way that the motor acts on the locking bolt exclusively in the direction of the locking position. For example, a one-sided form-fitting, in particular locking connection, or a Butt joint, exist. This advantageously means that the connection between the motor and the locking bolt can be designed to be particularly cost-effective.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the motor is mounted displaceably, in particular against its actuating direction, in particular between a working position in which the motor can actuate the locking bolt and an emergency unlocking position in which the motor cannot act on the locking bolt. The sliding mounting of the motor enables an emergency release of the locking bolt.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the motor is mounted displaceably against the spring force of a pretensioning spring. The motor is preferably biased into the working position, in particular in the adjusting direction, by means of the biasing spring. The locking device can have a tool engagement, in particular for a screwdriver, in order to manually move the motor from the working position into the emergency unlocking position.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the motor and the locking bolt cooperate in such a way that the motor can exert a force on the locking bolt in the direction of the locking position, but not in the direction of the release position. In particular, the emergency release function is made possible in a particularly simple manner in terms of construction. Because the motor does not interact with the locking bolt in the direction of the release position, the motor can be shifted into the emergency unlocking position without acting on the locking bolt. The emergency release function is therefore particularly robust against damage to the locking mechanism.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking device has a return spring for displacing the locking bolt from the locking position into the release position. The locking device is preferably designed in such a way that the return spring is tensioned when the locking bolt is displaced into the blocking position. The energy stored in the return spring can thus be used to move the locking bolt into the release position. The locking device is therefore particularly robust in operation and can be produced economically.

The return spring and / or the preload spring can be designed as a tension spring and / or as a compression spring and / or as a leaf spring and / or as a torsion spring. The preload spring is preferably designed as a compression spring and the return spring is designed as a tension spring.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking device has a link guide for the guided displacement of the locking bolt. The link guide ensures particularly precise guidance of the locking bolt. The link guide can have one or two end stops to limit the displacement movement of the locking bolt. The link guide can be formed by a base body. The motor can be attached to the base body. The link guide can be produced particularly economically.

An actuating lever for transmitting the actuating forces from the motor and / or the restoring spring to the locking bolt preferably acts between the motor and / or the return spring and the locking bolt. The link guide is preferably designed to guide the locking bolt.

As an alternative to the link guide, the locking device can have a coupling gear, in particular a joint gear, in particular a four-bar gear. As a result, the locking bolt can be displaced between the locking position and the release position with particularly low friction.

The locking device can also have a cam drive for displacing the locking bolt between the release position and the blocking position. A rotary motor is preferably provided to drive the cam drive in rotation. The cam drive is preferably designed to move the locking bolt translationally, in particular purely translationally, in particular purely linearly, and / or rotationally between the release position and the locking position.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the link guide is designed to be self-locking in the closed position. This is understood to mean that a force on the locking bolt, in particular on the bolt contact section, cannot cause any displacement of the locking bolt in the direction of the release position. In particular, the link guide has a self-locking effect in the locking position of the locking bolt with regard to a force exerted on the bolt contact section in the direction of the release position.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the locking device comprises at least one button for detecting the position of the locking bolt, in particular the arrangement of the locking bolt in the release position and / or the locking position. The at least one button is preferably in signal connection with the control device.

Another object of the invention is to create an improved method for operating a device for heating food to be cooked.

This object is achieved by a method comprising the steps of providing a cooking chamber for receiving the food to be heated with a cooking chamber opening for loading and unloading the cooking chamber with the food, a cooking chamber door for reversibly closing the cooking chamber opening, and a locking device with a bolt engagement, and a locking bolt movably mounted relative to the cooking chamber door and to the cooking chamber, and shifting the locking bolt from a release position in which the cooking chamber door can be moved from the locked position to the open position into a locking position in which the locking bolt engages the bolt engagement and a movement of the Locks the cooking chamber door from the closed position to the open position, a movement component of the displacement movement of the locking bolt being oriented parallel to an opening direction of the locking engagement relative to the locking bolt when the cooking chamber door is displaced from the locking position in the open position. The method is preferably developed with at least one of the features that is described above in connection with the cooking appliance. The advantages of the method correspond in particular to the advantages of the cooking appliance described above.

The method for operating the cooking appliance particularly preferably, but not necessarily, includes the step of the locking bolt in the locked position penetrating a bolt outlet opening through which the locking bolt is retracted purely translationally or translationally and rotationally when it is moved into the release position. As a result, the locking bolt can be particularly free of play, that is to say with a particularly small spacing to an edge structure of the bolt outlet opening through which the bolt outlet opening can be guided.

The locking bolt is preferably shifted from the release position to the closed position when a limit temperature is exceeded in the cooking space, in particular in a pyrolysis process, and / or when a certain function program of the cooking device is started and / or ended, in particular a cleaning program, in particular before a chemical cleaning of the Cooking space.

The arrangement of the locking bolt, in particular in the locked position, is preferably detected, in particular by means of a limit switch, in particular a pushbutton. The heating of the cooking chamber above the limit temperature and / or the start of the cleaning process takes place preferably only when the locking bar is in the locked position. Furthermore, the arrangement of the cooking chamber door in the closed position can be detected, in particular via a limit switch. The cooking chamber is heated and / or the cleaning process is started preferably only when the cooking chamber door is also arranged in the closed position.

By using the wax motor to move the locking bolt between the release position and the blocking position, the locking device can be manufactured particularly inexpensively and is particularly quiet in operation.

The opening direction is preferably oriented horizontally. The locking bolt is preferably shifted in the horizontal direction and / or in the vertical direction. The link guide is preferably designed in such a way that that the locking bolt is first displaced in the horizontal direction and then in the vertical direction. The locking bolt is preferably retracted behind a bolt outlet opening, in particular behind a cover, when it is moved from the blocking position into the release position. Impairment of the user by the locking bolt is thus reliably prevented.

The locking bolt is preferably moved in a single plane of movement, in particular non-linearly or linearly. The locking bar is thus shifted in a simple and robust manner.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Gargeräts zum Erhitzen von Gargut in Form eines Dampfgarofens, aufweisend eine Verriegelungseinrichtung zum reversiblen Versperren der Bewegung einer Garraumtür aus einer Verschlussstellung in eine Offenstellung,

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Verriegelungseinrichtung in Fig. 1 von rechts oben, wobei ein Schließriegel der Verriegelungseinrichtung in einer Freigabeposition angeordnet ist, in der die Garkammertür aus der Verschlussstellung in die Offenstellung verlagerbar ist,

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht der Verriegelungseinrichtung in Fig. 1 von rechts, wobei der Schließriegel in einer Sperrposition angeordnet ist, in der eine Bewegung der Garkammertür aus der Verschlussstellung in die Offenstellung versperrt ist,

Fig. 4

eine Vorderansicht der Verriegelungseinrichtung in Fig. 1, in der Sperrposition,

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Verriegelungseinrichtung in Fig. 1 von links oben, in der Sperrposition,

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht der Verriegelungseinrichtung in Fig. 1 von links, in der Sperrposition, und

Fig. 7

eine Seitenansicht von rechts einer Verriegelungseinrichtung gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel, wobei der Schließriegel in der Sperrposition angeordnet ist, in welcher die Bewegung der Garkammertür aus der Verschlussstellung in die Offenstellung versperrt ist und, wobei das Betätigen eines Tasters zum Detektieren einer Schaltstellung der Verriegelungseinrichtung mittels eines linear verschiebbar gelagerten Schaltschlittens erfolgt.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment on the basis of the figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a cooking device for heating food in the form of a steam oven, having a locking device for reversibly blocking the movement of a cooking chamber door from a closed position into an open position,

Fig. 2

a perspective view of the locking device in Fig. 1 from the top right, wherein a locking bolt of the locking device is arranged in a release position in which the cooking chamber door can be moved from the locked position into the open position,

Fig. 3

a side view of the locking device in FIG Fig. 1 from the right, with the locking bolt arranged in a locked position in which a movement of the cooking chamber door from the closed position to the open position is blocked,

Fig. 4

a front view of the locking device in FIG Fig. 1 , in the locked position,

Fig. 5

a perspective view of the locking device in Fig. 1 from the top left, in the locked position,

Fig. 6

a side view of the locking device in FIG Fig. 1 from the left, in the locked position, and

Fig. 7

a side view from the right of a locking device according to a further embodiment, wherein the locking bolt is arranged in the locked position, in which the movement of the cooking chamber door is blocked from the locked position to the open position and, wherein the actuation of a button to detect a switching position of the locking device by means of a linear slidably mounted switching carriage takes place.

Based on FIGS. 1 to 6 a cooking device 1 for heating food to be cooked is described. The cooking appliance 1 comprises a cooking chamber 2 for receiving the food to be heated, with a cooking chamber opening 3 for loading and unloading the cooking chamber 2 with the food. A cooking chamber door 4 of the cooking appliance 1 is mounted so as to be pivotable with respect to the cooking chamber 2. The cooking chamber door 4 is between an open position, in which the cooking chamber opening 3 is released for loading and unloading food, and a closed position, in which the cooking chamber opening 3 is closed, displaceable.

The cooking appliance 1 has a locking device 5 with a bolt engagement 6 and a locking bolt 7. The latch engagement 6 is firmly attached to the cooking chamber door 4. The locking bolt 7 is movably attached to the cooking chamber 2.

The locking bolt 7 can be displaced between a release position and a blocking position. In the release position, the locking bolt 7 is out of engagement with the locking engagement 6 and the cooking chamber door 4 can be displaced from the locked position into the open position. In the locked position, the locking bolt 7 engages in the bolt engagement 6 and movement of the cooking chamber door 4 is blocked. In particular, a movement of the cooking chamber door 4 out of the closed position is blocked, that is to say prevented, when the locking bolt 7 engages in the bolt engagement 6. In particular, a movement of the cooking chamber door 4 from the closed position into the open position is blocked. In particular, the bolt engagement 6 and the locking bolt 7 act together as a reversibly releasable, form-fitting connection.

In principle, it is also possible to predefine further defined positions of the cooking chamber door 4 by means of the locking bolt 7. In particular, it is possible to hold the cooking chamber door 4 in one or more predetermined open positions by means of the locking bolt 7. It can also be provided that the cooking chamber door 4 can be moved into one or more defined open positions by means of the locking bolt 7.

The locking engagement 6 is arranged in the upper area of the cooking chamber door 4. The cooking chamber door 4 is about a horizontal pivot axis 8 relative to the Cooking chamber 2 pivotable. An opening direction 9 of the locking engagement 6 is determined by the direction of displacement of the locking engagement 6 when the cooking chamber door 4 is moved out of the closed position, in particular in the direction of the open position. The opening direction 9 is oriented essentially horizontally, in particular parallel to a surface normal of the cooking chamber door 4.

The locking device 5 is arranged laterally next to the cooking chamber 2. In particular, the locking device 5 is arranged completely above the cooking chamber 2 in the release position.

In the Fig. 2 the locking device 5 arranged in the release position is shown in further detail. The locking bolt 7 is arranged at a distance from the bolt engagement 6 along the opening direction 9. A bolt contact portion 10 of the locking bolt 7 is spaced from an engagement contact portion 11 of the bolt engagement 6 parallel to the opening direction 9 by a distance B of 15 mm and in the vertical direction by a distance H of 20 mm.

The locking bar 7 is connected to the cooking chamber 2 via a link guide 12 of the locking device 5. The link guide 12 is designed in such a way that the bolt contact section 10 is displaced downwards by the distance B in the opening direction 9 and by the distance H in the vertical direction when the locking bolt 7 is displaced from the release position into the blocking position. In the release position, the locking bolt 7 is arranged along the opening direction 9 at a distance from the bolt engagement 6. A movement component of the displacement movement of the locking bolt 7 during displacement between the release position and the blocking position is oriented parallel to the opening direction 9.

The locking device 5 has a motor 13 for displacing the locking bolt 7 between the locking position and the release position, in particular from the release position into the locking position. The motor 13 is designed as a linear motor, in particular as a wax motor. The motor 13 is slidably attached to a base structure 14 of the locking device 5. A motor mount 15 connected to the base structure 14 ensures that the motor 13 is mounted on the base structure 14, which is displaceable along an actuating direction 16 of the motor 13. The motor 13 comprises a base body 17 and an actuator 18 which is displaceable relative to the base body 17 along the actuating direction 16 In a deactivated state of the motor 13, the actuator 18 is arranged in a reset position. In the activated state of the motor 13, the actuator 18 is arranged in a delivery position that is displaced in the actuating direction 16 with respect to the reset position.

The locking device 5 comprises a prestressing spring 19. The prestressing spring 19 prestresses the motor 13 in the actuating direction 16. In order to manually move the locking bolt 7 into the release position, the motor 13 is mounted displaceably in the motor receptacle 15 against the actuating direction 16 and the spring force of the pretensioning spring 19. This guarantees an emergency release function.

The motor 13 acts on the locking bolt 7 exclusively in the direction of the locking position. To move the locking bolt 7 from the locking position to the release position, the locking device 5 comprises a return spring 20. The motor 13 and the return spring 20 act on the locking bolt 7 via an adjusting lever 21. The adjusting lever 21 is rotatably mounted about an adjusting axis 22. The motor 13, the return spring 20 and the Adjusting levers 21 are designed in such a way that the return spring 20 is tensioned when the motor 13 is displaced into the delivery position.

An electrical button 23 is arranged on the basic structure 14. The button 23 detects a switching position of the actuating lever 21.

The adjusting lever 21 acts on the locking bolt 7 via an adjusting bolt 24. The adjusting bolt 24 is guided in the link guide 12.

Based on Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 the locking device 5 is described in further detail. The adjusting bolt 24 penetrates the basic structure 14 in the area of an adjusting opening 25. The adjusting bolt 24 engages in an adjusting slot 26 of the locking bolt 7. To guide the locking bolt, a bearing pin 27 engages in a bearing slot 28 of the locking bolt 7. The bearing pin 27 is formed in one piece with the base body 17. A guide pin 29 is attached to a front area of the lock bolt 7. The guide pin 29 engages in a guide slot 30 which is formed in the basic structure 14.

The adjusting slot 26 and the bearing slot 28 are straight. The adjusting opening 25 is designed as a circular arc-shaped slot, in particular arranged concentrically to the adjusting axis. The guide slot 30 is curved, in particular curved at an angle, in particular curved at an angle of approximately 90 °.

To fasten the locking device 5 to a housing 31 of the cooking appliance 1, two shaft-shaped connecting elements 32 are attached to the base structure 14. The connecting elements 32 are formed in one piece with the basic structure 14.

The housing 31 has a bolt outlet opening 33. In the release position, the locking bolt 7 is completely withdrawn behind the bolt outlet opening 33 in the direction of the cooking chamber 2. In the locked position, the locking bolt penetrates the bolt outlet opening 33.

The bolt contact portion 10 contacts the engagement contact portion 11 in the locking position. In the locked position, the locking bolt 7 interacts with the bolt engagement 6 without play.

The mode of operation of the cooking appliance 1 with the locking device 5 is as follows:
The locking device 5, in particular the locking bolt 7, is in the release position and the cooking chamber door 4 is in the locked position. The bias spring 19 and the return spring 20 are relieved. The adjusting lever 21 does not contact the button 23.

In order to heat the food to be cooked, it is brought into the cooking chamber 2. For this purpose, the cooking chamber door 4 is pivoted about the pivot axis 8 from the closed position into the open position. The locking engagement 6 is initially moved in the opening direction 9 and then downward in the shape of a circular arc. The cooking chamber door is in the open position and the food can be brought into the cooking chamber 2.

The cooking chamber door 4 is moved back into the locked position. The cooking space surrounded by the cooking chamber door 4 is heated up and the food is heated. In addition, water, especially steam, is introduced into the cooking space. The food is heated by the heated air and the steam. After the cooking process has ended, the food can be removed from the cooking chamber 2 again.

The cooking chamber 2 is increasingly soiled by sprayed and / or overflowing components of the heated food. A cleaning process is therefore carried out at regular intervals. For this purpose, a chemical cleaning composition is introduced into the cooking chamber 2. The cooking chamber door 4 is moved back into the locked position. The cooking space is heated up and water is poured into the cooking space. To protect the user from burns from hot air, hot steam or from a hazard from the chemical cleaning composition due to accidental opening of the cooking chamber door 4 during the cleaning process, the locking bolt 7 is shifted to the locked position at the beginning of the cleaning process.

The cooking appliance 1 has a control device, not shown, which is in signal connection with the locking device 5. To move the locking bolt 7 from the release position into the blocking position, the motor 13 is activated. The wax in the motor is heated, expands and drives the actuator 18 out of the reset position along the actuating direction 16 into the delivery position.

The adjusting lever 21 is pivoted about the adjusting axis 22, in particular in the direction of a front side of the cooking appliance 1, and the return spring 20 is tensioned. The locking bolt 7 is driven in the direction of the locking position via the adjusting bolt 24. The locking bolt 7 is guided through the link guide 12, in particular in the bearing slot 28 and the guide slot 30. First of all, the locking bolt 7, in particular the bolt contact section 10, is positioned along a first leg 34 of the guide slot 30 shifted substantially in the horizontal direction. A second leg 35 of the guide slot 30 is oriented vertically. The subsequent displacement of the locking bolt 7 is essentially a pivoting movement about the bearing pin 27. The bolt contact section 10 is thereby shifted downward essentially in the vertical direction.

The bolt contact section 10 engages behind the engagement contact section 11 of the bolt engagement 6. The locking bolt 7 is in the locked position, in which a movement of the cooking chamber door 4 from the locked position into the open position is locked.

In the locked position, the link guide 12 acts on the locking bolt 7 in a self-locking manner. Any force acting on the bolt contact section 10 cannot cause any displacement of the locking bolt 7 from the locking position into the release position. A corresponding force is transmitted to the base structure 14 via the guide pin 29 and / or the adjusting bolt 24 without the locking bolt 7 being moved as a result.

In the locked position, the locking bolt 7 and the bolt engagement 6 act together as a dead point lock. For this purpose, a contact surface between the locking bolt 7 and the locking engagement 6 is oriented such that a reaction force which acts between the locking bolt 7 and the locking engagement 6 when an attempt is made to open the cooking chamber door is oriented parallel to the opening direction 9. The design of the locking bolt 7 and the bolt engagement 6 in such a way that they work together as a dead point lock prevents a force from being exerted on the locking bolt 7 when the cooking chamber door 4 is attempted, which force is at least partially oriented in the direction of the release position.

In the locked position, the button 23 is actuated by the adjusting lever 21. The control device, which is in signal connection with the button 23, detects that the locking bolt 7 is arranged in the locked position. Only after this signal has been provided by the button 23 does the control device activate a heating unit for carrying out the cleaning process and for heating the cooking space.

After the cleaning process has ended, the cleaning composition is pumped out, a heating unit for heating the cooking space is deactivated and the cooking chamber 2 cools down. The control device monitors the temperature in the cooking space. After the temperature in the cooking chamber falls below a predetermined limit temperature, in particular a temperature of 60 ° C., the control device provides a signal for moving the locking bolt 7 into the release position. The motor 13 is deactivated. The wax it contains cools and contracts. The actuator 18 is moved into the reset position. The return spring 20 exerts a force on the actuating lever 21 counter to the actuating direction 16.

The locking bolt 7 is displaced back into the release position by means of the adjusting lever 21 via the adjusting bolt 24. The locking bolt 7 is out of engagement with the bolt engagement 6. The movement of the cooking chamber door 4 from the locked position into the open position is enabled. The adjusting lever 21 no longer makes contact with the button 23. On the basis of the corresponding signal of the button 23, the control device recognizes the arrangement of the locking bolt 7 in the release position. A renewed heating of the cooking chamber 2 is prevented.

Because the motor 13 is attached to the base structure 14 such that it can be displaced along the adjusting direction 16, manual emergency unlocking can be carried out in a simple manner. For this purpose, the motor 13 is manually displaced in the motor mount 15 against the force of the pretensioning spring 19 exerted on the motor 13. As a result, the actuator 18 is displaced counter to the actuating direction 16. The adjusting lever 21 is pivoted by the return spring 20 against the adjusting direction 16. The adjusting lever 21 pulls the locking bolt 7 back into the release position. The locking bolt 7 is out of engagement with the bolt engagement 6. The emergency unlocking has taken place and the cooking chamber door 4 can be moved from the locked position into the open position.

Based on Fig. 7 a further embodiment of a locking device 5 is disclosed. In contrast to the embodiment described above, the locking device 5 has a switching slide 36. The switching slide 36 is attached to the basic structure 14 so as to be linearly displaceable. Via a pin 37 of the adjusting lever 21, which engages in an eyelet 38 of the switching slide 36, the switching slide 36 can be displaced linearly by rotating the adjusting lever 21. The switching slide 36 has a switching cam 39 for actuating the button 23 as a function of the switching position of the adjusting lever 21. The switching carriage 36 actuates the button 23 in the closed position of the locking bolt 7. In the release position, the button 23 is not actuated.

The functioning of the locking device 5 corresponds to the functioning of the embodiment described above. The switching slide 36 enables the pushbutton 23 to be actuated in a particularly precise manner and the locking device 5 can be operated with particularly little wear and friction.

The locking device 5 is designed to be particularly compact. In particular, the locking device 5 can be arranged in the cooking appliance 1, in particular on the cooking chamber 2, in a particularly space-saving manner. Because the displacement movement of the locking bolt 7 has a movement component which is oriented parallel to the opening direction 9, the locking bolt 7 can be largely or completely withdrawn through the bolt outlet opening 33 in the release position. The space requirement of the locking device 5 perpendicular to the opening direction 9, in particular in the horizontal direction, is therefore particularly small. The locking bolt 7 arranged in the release position can be withdrawn under the bolt outlet opening 33 in a particularly inconspicuous and therefore appealing manner for the user.

Claims (15)

Cooking device (1) for heating food to be cooked, having 1.1. a cooking chamber (2) for receiving the food to be heated, with a cooking chamber opening (3) for loading and unloading the cooking chamber (2) with food, 1.2. a cooking chamber door (4) which can be displaced between an open position in which the cooking chamber opening (3) is released and a closed position in which the cooking chamber opening (3) is closed, and 1.3. a locking device (5) for reversibly locking the cooking chamber door (4) in the closed position, with 1.3.1. a locking engagement (6), and 1.3.2. a locking bolt (7) movably mounted relative to the cooking chamber door (4) and to the cooking chamber (2), which can be displaced between a release position in which the cooking chamber door (4) can be displaced from the closed position into the open position, and a locking position in which the locking bolt (7) engages in the bolt engagement (6) and blocks a movement of the cooking chamber door (4) from the locked position to the open position, 1.4. wherein the locking device (5) is designed such that a movement component of a displacement movement of the locking bolt (7) is oriented parallel to the direction (9) of a movement of the bolt engagement (6) relative to the locking bolt (7) when the cooking chamber door (4) is displaced the locking position, 1.5. wherein the locking device (5) is designed in such a way that the locking bolt (7) penetrates a bolt outlet opening (33) in the locking position and opposite the locking position in the release position Locked position is further withdrawn behind the bolt outlet opening (33), and 1.6. wherein the locking device (5) is designed in such a way that the locking bolt (7) is displaced purely translationally or is translationally and rotationally displaced when retracting through the bolt outlet opening (33) into the release position. Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking bolt (7) is arranged in the release position along the opening direction (9) at a distance from the locking engagement (6) when the cooking chamber door (4) is arranged in the closed position. Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the locked position the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the bolt outlet opening (33) and an area enclosed by the smallest convex envelope of a cut surface of the locking bolt (7) with the bolt outlet opening (33) is a maximum of 2: 1. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the release position the locking bolt (7) protrudes from the bolt outlet opening (33) on the side of the bolt engagement (6) by a maximum of 10 mm. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking bolt (7) in the release position is arranged flush with the bolt outlet opening (33) or is completely withdrawn behind the bolt outlet opening (33). Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device (5) is designed for the rotational displacement of the locking bolt (7) about an axis of rotation which is arranged on the side of the bolt outlet opening (33) opposite the bolt engagement (6) . Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device (5) has a motor (13) for displacing the locking bolt (7) between the blocking position and the release position. Cooking appliance (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the motor (13) is a linear motor. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of Claims 7 to 8, characterized in that the motor (13) is mounted displaceably against its adjusting direction (16). Cooking appliance (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the motor (13) is mounted displaceably against the spring force of a pretensioning spring (19). Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the motor (13) cooperates with the locking bolt (7) in such a way that the motor (13) can exert a force in the direction of the locking position on the locking bolt (7), but not in the direction of the release position. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a return spring (20) acting on the locking bolt (7) for moving the locking bolt (7) from the locking position into the release position. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking device (5) has a link guide (12) for the guided displacement of the locking bolt (7). Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the link guide (12) in the locking position of the locking bolt (7) with regard to a bolt contact section (10) of the locking bolt (7) which interacts with the bolt engagement (6) in the direction of the Release position has a self-locking effect. Method for operating a cooking appliance (1) for heating food to be cooked, comprising the steps: 15.1. Provision of a cooking chamber (2) for receiving the food to be heated with a cooking chamber opening (3) for loading and unloading the cooking chamber (2) with the food, a cooking chamber door (4) for reversibly closing the cooking chamber opening (3), and a locking device (5) ) with a locking engagement (6), and a locking bolt (7) mounted movably relative to the cooking chamber door (4) and to the cooking chamber (2), and 15.2. Moving the locking bolt (7) from a release position in which the cooking chamber door (4) can be moved from the locked position into the open position, into a locking position in which the locking bolt (7) engages in the bolt engagement (6) and a Blocks movement of the cooking chamber door (4) from the closed position into the open position, a movement component of the displacement movement of the locking bolt (7) being oriented parallel to an opening direction (9) of the bolt engagement (6) relative to the locking bolt (7) when the cooking chamber door is displaced ( 4) from the closed position to the open position 15.3. wherein the locking bolt (7) penetrates a bolt outlet opening (33) in the locked position, through which the locking bolt (7) is retracted purely translationally or translationally and rotationally when it is moved into the release position.

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