EP4332440A1 - Cooking device with a gutter - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking appliance (1) with a collecting trough (30), the base (32) of the collecting trough (30) being divided into at least a first base section (33) and at least one second base section (34), the vertical distance between the first floor section (33) and the front edge (31) and/or the cooking space ceiling (8) is smaller than the vertical distance between the second floor section (34) and the front edge (31) and/or the cooking space ceiling (8).

Description

The invention relates to a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber, in particular an oven, for example an oven, microwave oven, steam oven or a combination oven.

Such a cooking appliance has a device housing with a front wall and a housing base. The cooking space is limited at least by a cooking space ceiling and a cooking space floor and the loading opening. The loading opening is arranged in the front wall of the housing and is intended to introduce food into the cooking chamber or remove it from the cooking chamber through the loading opening.

The cooking chamber door is movably arranged on the cooking appliance and closes the loading opening in at least one closed position, thereby preventing access to the cooking chamber, and releases the loading opening in at least one open position, thereby allowing access to the cooking chamber.

The collecting trough is arranged outside the cooking chamber on the front wall of the housing in the area of the cooking chamber floor, the collecting trough having at least one edge and a floor, the floor and the at least one edge being vertically spaced from one another in the use position of the cooking appliance and between the floor and the at least one front edge at least one front wall and at least one rear wall is formed between the bottom and the at least one rear edge. This makes it possible for the collecting trough to provide a cavity volume that is open at the top when the cooking appliance is in the position of use, so that the collecting trough can absorb a liquid.

In the position of use, the cooking appliance is positioned and oriented in such a way that the cooking appliance can be used appropriately. In particular, the cooking chamber floor is closer to the center of a planet's gravity field than the cooking chamber ceiling. Relative terms such as “top” and “bottom” always refer to the operating position of the cooking appliance, with “top” being further away from the center of the gravitational field than “bottom”. Terms like “horizontal” and “vertical” also always refer to the position in which the cooking appliance is used. Terms such as “front” and “back” refer to the operator’s position when handling the cooking appliance. The “front” is closer to the operator and the “back” is closer to the cooking chamber or to a rear wall of the cooking appliance.

Void volume can also be referred to as a gutter, bowl, vessel or container. The design purpose is to be able to absorb a finite amount of liquid in the cavity volume.

In the case of cooking appliances with liquid-based cooking chamber cleaning or in cooking appliances with a steam cooking process, when the cooking chamber door is opened, the liquid deposited on the inside of the cooking chamber door can run off and get into the collecting channel. During a cooking chamber cleaning, a cleaning liquid is distributed within the cooking chamber, which consists of a mixture of heated water and cleaner. This mixture has a reduced surface tension, which means that the seals between the cooking chamber opening and the cooking chamber door may exhibit a slight leak.

The invention therefore faces the problem of providing a cooking appliance with an improved collecting channel.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by a cooking appliance with the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous refinements and further developments of the invention result from the following dependent claims.

According to the invention it is provided that the bottom of the collecting channel is divided into at least a first floor section and at least one second floor section, the vertical distance between the first floor section and the front edge and / or the cooking space ceiling being smaller than the vertical distance between the second floor section and the front edge and/or the cooking chamber ceiling. This ensures that the volume of the collecting channel is increased.

The at least one second bottom section provides a depression which increases the collecting volume compared to a channel without a depression.

One aspect is that at the same time the receptacles for fasteners provided in the area of the first floor section below the first floor section lie in approximately the same horizontal plane as the center of mass of a collecting channel filled with liquid.

Furthermore, a particularly stable connection between the collecting channel and the device housing can be achieved in this way. At the same time, it is possible for load-related deformations in the collecting channel to be avoided.

One aspect is that the cooking chamber door is arranged above the collecting trough in the closed position, and the cooking chamber door covers the collecting trough in at least one closed position, thereby preventing access to the collecting trough for the user. Through this This prevents the user from coming into contact with any heated liquids during a steam cooking process, especially during cleaning of the cooking chamber.

One aspect, however, is that the collecting trough is released in at least one open position of the cooking chamber door, which allows access to the collecting trough for the user. This makes it possible for the user to clean the collecting trough, in particular wiping out the liquid from the collecting trough.

The cooking appliance is preferably equipped with a cleaning device for automated cleaning of the cooking chamber with a liquid. Such a cleaning device preferably comprises a distribution device, which is arranged, for example, on the cooking space ceiling of the cooking space. In a cleaning operation, the distribution device distributes a cleaning liquid in the cooking space.

Furthermore, it is possible for the steam cooking device to have a pump for conveying the cleaning liquid, in particular to the distribution device, and/or to have a tank for storing water. In particular, the cooking chamber can have a drain which is connected to the pump. This makes it possible for the cleaning liquid to be circulated via the drain, pump and distribution device.

Alternatively or in addition to the cleaning device, the cooking appliance can have a steam cooking device. In particular, steam ovens or combination ovens with a steam cooking function have, for example, a steam cooking device.

A steam cooking device can have a steam generator, which is arranged outside the cooking space but inside the device housing; the steam generator is fluidly connected to the cooking space via a line. The steam cooking device is set up and designed to introduce steam into the cooking space and/or to generate steam in the cooking space in a steam cooking operation.

One aspect is that the rear wall of the collecting trough has a greater vertical extent than the front wall of the collecting trough. This makes it possible to design devices for attaching the collecting channel to the rear wall. The collecting channel is held fixed to the front wall of the housing during at least one steam cooking operation and/or during at least one cleaning operation.

For example, at least one receptacle for fasteners can be provided in the rear wall, whereby the collecting channel can be fastened to the device housing using the fastener.

Alternatively or additionally, at least one hook for fastening the collecting trough to the device housing can be provided on the rear wall of the collecting trough, in particular on the back of the rear wall. Preferably, this at least one hook engages in at least one corresponding hook receptacle during assembly of the collecting channel, the hook receptacle being formed in the front wall of the housing.

One aspect is that several hooks are formed on the rear wall of the collecting channel and several corresponding hook receptacles are formed in the front wall of the housing.

One aspect is that during assembly, the collecting channel is first fastened to the front wall of the housing using the hooks and then fixed to the front wall of the housing using the fastening means, in particular screws or rivets or clips, which penetrate the receptacles in the rear wall.

One aspect is that, in the case of a collecting channel mounted on the cooking appliance, a rear side of the rear wall faces the front wall of the housing and a sealing body is positioned between the back of the rear wall and the front wall of the housing. This prevents liquid from running between the front wall of the housing and the collecting channel.

One aspect is that the sealing body is received in a groove-shaped recess which is formed on the back of the rear wall.

One aspect is that the sealing body is received on the back, in particular in the recess, in a form-fitting and/or cohesive manner.

One aspect is that the edge is designed all around, in particular with a uniform vertical distance from the cooking space ceiling. The front wall and the rear wall preferably have the same vertical extent, also called height.

One aspect is that below the bottom of the collecting channel, the rear wall extends further vertically downwards than the front wall. In this way, improved support of the collecting channel on the front wall of the housing can be achieved.

One aspect is that the edge has different distances from the cooking surface all around. In particular, it is provided that the rear wall ends at the top with a rear edge facing the loading opening. This rear edge has a central section and at least one side section. The vertical distance of the at least one side section to the cooking space ceiling is smaller than the vertical distance of the middle section to the cooking space ceiling. This ensures that liquid which runs down the front wall of the housing and onto the side section of the the rear edge is directed towards the middle section of the edge. This improves the absorption of liquid through the collecting channel.

One aspect is that the collecting trough extends over the entire width of the loading opening, in particular the rear wall of the collecting trough has an extent which is equal to or greater than the parallel extent of the loading opening. The width of the rear wall of the collecting channel is preferably 1 to 3 centimeters larger than the width of the loading opening.

One aspect is that the front wall of the collecting trough has a width which is equal to or smaller than the parallel extent of the loading opening. This improves the movement space of the cooking chamber door. Alternatively, the front wall of the collecting channel can also be wider than the loading opening.

One aspect is that the width of the rear wall of the collecting channel is equal to or greater than the width of the front wall of the collecting channel. This prevents liquid from running past the collecting trough on the side of the collecting trough and thus improves the introduction of liquid into the cavity of the collecting trough.

One aspect is that the width of the bottom of the gutter is smaller than the width of the front edge and/or the rear edge. This results in a cross-sectional shape of the collecting channel, which tapers towards the bottom. This enables easier cleaning of the collecting channel.

One aspect is that the vertical distance to the cooking chamber ceiling is the smallest at at least one distal end of the rear edge. This means that liquid can be directed to the center of the drip channel. Preferably, the vertical distance to the cooking space ceiling increases, starting from the at least one distal end of the rear edge, towards the middle section, in particular within the at least one side section. This ramp-like shape directs the liquid, following gravity, to the center of the collecting channel. The ramp-like shape can also be called wings or ears or fins. The course of the rear edge, i.e. the change in the distance to the cooking space ceiling, can be proportional or non-linear, in particular disproportionate or disproportionate.

Fig, 1

Eine schematische Ansicht eines Gargeräts in einer perspektivischen Darstellung mit einer Auffangrinne;

Fig. 2 bis 6:

Die Auffangrinne in verschiedenen Ansichten.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows

Fig, 1

A schematic view of a cooking appliance in a perspective view with a collecting channel;

Fig. 2 to 6:

The collecting channel in different views.

Fig. 1 shows a cooking appliance 1 in a perspective, schematic view from the front. Here you can see the cooking chamber 2 with the front loading opening 3. The cooking appliance 1 comprises a housing 5 with at least one housing base 7 and a housing front wall 6, which accommodates or encloses the cooking chamber 2 and the other functional components for carrying out cooking processes.

To close the loading opening 3, a cooking chamber door 4 is pivotably arranged on the front edge of the cooking chamber 2 or on the front wall 6 of the housing. The cooking space 2 comprises at least a cooking space ceiling 8 and a cooking space floor 9 and the said loading opening 3. The cooking appliance 1 is preferably designed as a steamer and has a steam cooking device 20 with a steam generator as the heat source. The cooking appliance 1 can also be designed as an oven with a radiant heater or as a microwave oven or as a combination thereof. There is a gap between the front housing wall 6 surrounding the cooking chamber opening 3 and the inside of the door 4, which is closed by means of a circumferential seal when the cooking chamber door 4 is closed. This seal is not shown any further.

When the cooking chamber door 4 is open, it is in a downwardly pivoted position, as in Fig. 1 shown. The cooking chamber door 4 is mounted on the front wall 6 of the housing below the loading opening 3 by means of a horizontal pivot axis. Here it can be seen that the gap between the edge of the door and the lower edge of the loading opening 3 is present when the cooking chamber door 4 is open. A collecting channel 30 is installed in this gap in order to collect condensate dripping from the inside of the door 4. Condensation formation on the inside of the cooking chamber door 4 occurs, for example, when the food to be cooked releases steam when heated or steam from the steam source condenses on the inside of the cooking chamber door 4.

The collecting channel 30 extends on the front housing wall 8 along the lower opening edge of the loading opening 3.

Overall, all direction and position information refers to the correct installation or installation position of the cooking appliance.

Fig. 2 shows the collecting channel 30 as an individual part. The channel 30 can be described as a narrow channel that is open at the top. Narrow means that the longitudinal extent of the collecting channel is at least 10 times the transverse extent.

The collecting channel 30 comprises a front wall 35 and a rear wall 36, which are connected by transverse walls and a bottom 32 and thereby form a closed shell for receiving liquid. The rear wall 36 of the collecting channel 30 is included higher than the front wall 35, preferably it is higher by a factor of 1.5 to 2.5, particularly preferably by a factor of 2, than the front wall 35.

The floor 32 is formed with at least one depression, so that at least a first floor section 33 is arranged higher than the second floor section 34, which forms the depression.

In the example shown, the first floor section 33 is located on the two outer regions of the collecting channel 30 and in a limited section in the central region of the collecting channel 30. The second floor section 34 is located between the left, first floor section and the middle, first floor section 33, which is deeper and thereby forms the deepening of the collecting channel in this area. Between the right, first floor section and the middle, first floor section 33 there is the second floor section 34, which is lower and thereby forms the recess of the collecting channel in this area.

The depressions increase the collection volume compared to a channel without depressions. The front edge 31 of the collecting channel 30 is formed from the upper edge of the front wall 35. The rear edge 39 of the collecting channel 30 is formed from the upper edge of the rear wall 36.

The rear wall 36 rests on the front wall 6 of the device housing 5, with the rear edge 39 being located below the underside of the cooking space opening 3. The front wall 35 of the collecting channel 30 is located below the lower edge of the closed cooking chamber door 4.

In the areas below the first base sections 33, a part of the rear wall 36 extends, which is provided there with an opening that serves as a receptacle 37, 38 for connecting elements for fastening to the front wall 6 of the housing.

Fig. 3 shows the collecting channel 30 from the front. Here the front wall 35 and the part of the rear wall 36 that projects beyond the front wall 36 can be seen. Furthermore, the outer recordings 37 and the middle recording 38 can be seen as openings. The rear wall 36 is designed in such a way that the rear edge 39 of the side sections 42 is curved slightly upwards, so that the middle section 41 is lower.

Fig. 4 shows the collecting channel 30 in a side sectional view. Here it can be seen that the first bottom section 33 is arranged higher than the second bottom section 34. It can also be seen that a sealing body 44 is attached to the rear wall 36 on the outside.

The sealing body 44 extends almost completely over the entire length of the collecting channel 30. The sealing body 44 is made of an elastic material, in particular as a band seal.

The sealing body 44 is attached in the upper area, i.e. close to the rear edge 39 of the rear wall 36, and prevents liquid flowing off the front wall of the housing 6 from penetrating through a gap between the rear wall 36 and the front wall of the housing 6 and reaching the outside, outside the cooking appliance 1.

Fig. 5 shows the collecting channel 30 in a perspective view from the back with the details mentioned above.

Fig. 6 shows the collecting channel 30 in a top view from the back with the corresponding details.

Reference symbols

1

cooking device

2

cooking space

3

loading opening

4

cooking compartment door

5

Device housing

6

Housing front wall

7

Case back

8th

cooking space ceiling

9

cooking chamber floor

10

Cleaning device

11

Distribution facility

20

Steam cooking device

21

Steam generator

30

collecting channel

31

front edge

32

Floor

33

first floor section

34

second floor section

35

front wall

36

Back wall

37

Recording

38

Recording

39

rear edge

40

back

41

Middle section

42

Page section

43

distal end

44

Seal body

45

recess

46

Hook

Claims (11)

Cooking appliance (1) with a cooking chamber (2), a loading opening (3), a cooking chamber door (4), an appliance housing (5) and a collecting channel (30), wherein the device housing (5) has at least one front wall (6) and a housing base (7), wherein the cooking space (2) is delimited at least by a cooking space ceiling (8) and a cooking space floor (9) and the loading opening (3), wherein the loading opening (3) is arranged in the front wall of the housing (6) and is intended to introduce food into the cooking chamber (2) or remove it from the cooking chamber (2) through the loading opening (3), wherein the cooking chamber door (4) is movably arranged on the cooking appliance (1) and closes the loading opening (3) in at least one closed position, thereby preventing access to the cooking chamber, and in at least one open position releases the loading opening (3), thereby allowing access to the cooking space is possible, wherein the collecting channel (30) is arranged outside the cooking chamber (2) on the front wall of the housing (6) in the area of the cooking chamber floor (9), wherein the collecting channel (30) has at least one edge (31, 39) and a bottom (32), the bottom (32) and the at least one edge (31, 39) being spaced apart from one another and between the bottom (32) and the at least one front edge (31) has at least one front wall (35) and at least one rear wall (36) is formed between the bottom (32) and the at least one rear edge (39), wherein the collecting trough (30) forms an upwardly open cavity volume in the use position of the cooking appliance (1), the collecting trough (30) being set up and designed to receive a liquid, characterized in that the bottom (32) of the collecting channel (30) is divided into at least a first bottom section (33) and at least one second bottom section (34), the vertical distance between the first bottom section (33) and the front edge (31) and/or the cooking space ceiling (8) is smaller than the vertical distance between the second floor section (34) and the front edge (31) and/or the cooking space ceiling (8). Cooking appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein
the cooking appliance (1) has a cleaning device (10) and/or a steam cooking device (20). Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
the cleaning device (10) comprises a distribution device (11) which is arranged on the cooking space ceiling (8) of the cooking space (2) and wherein the distribution device (11) is designed and set up to supply a cleaning fluid to the cooking space (2) in a cleaning operation distribute. Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
the steam cooking device (20) comprises a steam generator (21), which is preferably arranged outside the cooking space (2) but inside the device housing (5), the steam generator (21) being fluidly connected to the cooking space (2) via a line and the Steam cooking device (20) is set up and designed to introduce steam into the cooking space (2) and/or to generate steam in the cooking space (2) in a steam cooking operation. Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
the rear wall (36) of the collecting trough (30) has a greater vertical extent than the front wall (35) of the collecting trough (30), at least one receptacle (37, 38) for fasteners being provided in the rear wall (36), the collecting trough (30) is held by the fastening means on the front wall (6) of the housing during at least one steam cooking operation and/or during at least one cleaning operation. Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the collecting channel (30) extends over the entire width of the loading opening (3), in particular the rear wall (36) has an extent which is greater than the parallel extent of the loading opening (3). Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
the rear wall (36) has a rear edge (39) facing the loading opening (3) with a central section (41) and at least one side section (42), the vertical distance of the at least one side section (42) from the cooking space ceiling (8) is less than the vertical distance of the middle section (41) to the cooking space ceiling (8). Cooking appliance according to the preceding claim, wherein
at at least one distal end (43) of the rear edge (39) the vertical distance to the cooking space ceiling (8) is the smallest and starting from the at least one distal end (43) of the rear edge (39) towards the middle section (41) towards, in particular within the at least one side section (42), the vertical distance to the cooking space ceiling (8) increases. Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
in the case of a collecting channel (30) mounted on the cooking appliance (1), a rear side (40) of the rear wall (36) faces the front wall of the housing (6) and a sealing body ( 44) is positioned, in particular the sealing body (44) is arranged in a recess (45). Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
Hooks (46) are provided on the back (40) of the rear wall (36), which engage in corresponding hook receptacles during assembly of the collecting channel (30), the hook receptacles being formed in the front wall (6) of the housing. Cooking appliance according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
the cooking chamber door (4) is arranged in the closed position above the collecting trough (30), and wherein the cooking chamber door (4) covers the collecting trough (30) in at least one closed position, thereby preventing access to the collecting trough (30), and in at least one open position the collecting trough (30) releases, which allows access to the collecting trough (30).

Images