EP4722602A1

EP4722602A1 - Smart water drawer and method

Info

Publication number: EP4722602A1
Application number: EP24203879.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lorenzo Gattei; Marco CARNEVALI
Original assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Current assignee: Electrolux Appliances AB
Priority date: 2024-10-01
Filing date: 2024-10-01
Publication date: 2026-04-08
Also published as: WO2026073687A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a steam system for an oven (1) comprising:
• a water tank (6), in an intended installation state within the oven (1), being arranged within the oven (1);
• a water drawer (5) for receiving water for the water tank (6), the water drawer (5), in the intended installation state, being arranged slidably between a closed position within the oven (1) and an open position partially outside relative to a front face of the oven (1), the water drawer (5) comprising light guiding and emission means (5a) arranged for a user to be seen at least during usage of the water drawer (5);
• a water level sensor (7) for detecting a water level within the water tank (6);
• a control unit (20) configured to generate a light source control signal in response to a water level signal received from the water level sensor (7); and
• a light source (9) being arranged in electrical communication with the control unit (20) and in optical communication with the light guiding and emission means (5a), the light source (9) being configured to illuminate light guiding and emission means (5a) in response to the light source control signal thereby generating optical notification of the water level in the water tank (6) for the user, at least when the water drawer (5) is arranged it the open position.

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a steam system for an oven, to an oven comprising such a steam system, and to a method, in particular of providing feedback in response to water poured into a water drawer of a steam system of an oven, and to an oven.

Background art

Water loading systems for steam ovens as known in the prior art are often of a so-called drawer type: when pushing a front panel of the drawer, which front panel is visible in a control panel of the oven, a biasing means moves out the drawer, thereby making a water filling opening of the water loading system accessible to a user who may then fill water into the drawer.
Water loading systems as known in the prior art typically comprise a floater, coupled with a level sensor, inside a water tank of the oven, wherein water is kept in the water tank. Based on information provided by such floaters, in steam ovens as known in the prior art a current water level is displayed to the user in a user interface of the control panel of the steam oven.
Whilst pouring water into the water drawer, it is, however, natural for the user to focus on the water drawer in order to avoid spilling. In steam ovens as known in the prior art, however, a water level indication about current water level in the water tank is typically not displayed in an immediate vicinity of the water drawer. The user must hence direct his gaze between the water drawer and the user interface of the control panel, potentially causing discomfort for the user and increasing chance for a potential spilling of water.

Summary of the invention

It is the object of the invention to provide a steam system for an oven which mitigates at least some of the disadvantages of steam systems for ovens as known in the prior art. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method of providing feedback in response to water poured into a water drawer of a steam system of an oven.
A solution of the invention is specified by the features of claim 1. According to a first aspect of the present invention, the invention relates to a steam system for an oven, comprising: 1) a water tank, in an intended installation state, being arranged within the oven; (2) a water drawer for receiving water for the water tank, the water drawer, in the intended installation state, being arranged within the oven and configured to slide between a closed position within the oven and an open position partially outside relative to a front face of the oven, the water drawer comprising light guiding and emission means arranged for a user to be seen at least during usage of the water drawer, and the water drawer being arranged in fluid connection with the water tank such that water poured into the water drawer is received within the water tank; 3) a water level sensor being configured to generate a water level signal in response to a water level detected within the tank; 4) a control unit being arranged in electrical communication with the water level sensor and configured to receive the water level signal and generate a light source control signal in response to the water level signal; 5) a light source being arranged in electrical communication with the control unit and in optical communication with the drawer wall, the light source being configured to illuminate the drawer wall in response to the light source control signal thereby generating optical notification of the water level in the water tank for a user, at least when the water drawer is arranged in the open position.
Advantageously, the user therefore receives information (notification) about an amount of water in the water tank - which is, in particular, remote from the user and hidden from the looks of the user within the oven - by looking at the water drawer, preferably, when the user fills water into the water drawer. I.e., information about an amount of water, especially about the filling level of the water tank, is directly provided and the user is not distracted by having to look at other parts of the oven to obtain such information.
Preferably, the light guiding and emission means comprise a drawer wall having a light emission portion being made of a material with light guiding characteristics.
According to an optional embodiment, the steam system comprises additional display means being configured to present, when the water drawer is in its closed position, optical notification to the user in dependence on the water level signal. Optionally, such display means may also resemble an own invention according to which at least a light emission portion does not need to be present in the drawer.
In a preferred embodiment, said drawer wall and its light emission portion is at least part of a bottom wall of the water drawer ("drawer bottom"). Thereby, the user may easily conceive the above-mentioned notification. Additionally or alternatively, the drawer wall and its light emission portion make up, also, for at least a part of sidewalls and/or a front wall of the water drawer. The sidewalls resemble, in particular, together with the bottom wall a U-shape of the water drawer in a cross-cut view. In the case of the drawer wall with the light guiding characteristics being at least a part of the sidewalls or the front wall, expediently, an upper and/or even another edge (which is preferably to be seen by the user) of that drawer wall may be used as the light emission portion.
In a further preferred embodiment, the steam system further comprises a frame through which the water drawer is moveable between said open position and said closed position. Especially, the frame resembles some kind of edging or bezel of an opening of the oven's front face through which the water drawer is accessible. The frame may resemble said additional display means and, therefore, is configured to be illuminated by said light source in response to the light source control signal. Especially, the frame is optically connected to the light source, directly or indirectly. By being illuminated by the light source, especially during an intended (or usual) operation of the steam system, the frame generates an optical notification of the water level in the water tank. That optical notification may optionally not only be issued when the water drawer is aligned within the open position but also (or even alternatively) when the water drawer is aligned within the closed position.
The illumination of the drawer wall as well as optionally of the frame is, within a simple embodiment, of a binary type. I.e., the drawer wall and/or the frame may be illuminated only when the filling level (i.e., the water level within the water tank) is too low. In that case, the illumination would stop when the filling level of the water tank is sufficient. Alternatively, the illumination may also be indicative of an increasing filling level, especially during pouring water into the water drawer. E.g., a frequency of a flashing illumination would increase during increasing filling level until a continuous illumination when a maximum (or at least sufficient) level has been reached. Also, the illumination may be color-coded such that, e.g., a red light would indicate an insufficient filling level, an orange (or yellow) light would indicate a partly filled water tank and a green light would indicate the sufficiently filled water tank (sufficient level).
In an expedient embodiment, the frame is visible, in the intended installation state, at least for parts, from outside the oven when the water drawer is aligned in the closed position. Preferably, as for the above-mentioned edging or bezel, only a frontal end surface of the frame is visible and resembles said edging or bezel.
In a preferred embodiment, the frame is - likewise to the drawer wall - at least partially made of a material with light guiding characteristics.
Optionally, the drawer wall and the frame are made from the same material with light guiding characteristics.
According to an expedient embodiment, the material with the light guiding characteristics is preferably transparent to the light from the light source. Especially, that material is a resin material, e.g., a thermoplastic resin such as a polymethylmethacrylate, a polycarbonate, a polystyrol or the like. When light is coupled into slabs, rods, plates or the like made from such materials, the light is reflected between surfaces that have a rather small angle relative to the direction of the light (most often the mantle surfaces) and is emitted at edges that are substantially transversal to the direction of the light. Further, such material optionally comprises extractor means, e.g., (glass) beads or the like, that serve for decoupling of the light out of a flat surface of the drawer wall or the frame. In that case, the drawer wall made of such material resembles over its whole area the light emission portion. The extractor means, however, may also serve for coupling the light into the drawer wall or the frame over said flat surface. Flat surface means in that case a surface generally perpendicular to the thickness of the frame or the drawer wall.
In a further embodiment, the water drawer comprises a frontal end face that is, in the intended installation state, visible from the outside of the oven. That frontal end face is at least partially transparent to the light from the light source. In that case, the frontal end face, especially the transparent part, is configured to resemble an icon (e.g. a pictorial symbol) that may be illuminated by the light source. Preferably, the frontal end face or at least the transparent part of it is optically connected to the light guiding and emission means, especially the drawer wall or a part of it, such that there is an optical connection to the light source. The drawer wall, in that case, serves as a light guide to the frontal end face. Alternatively, the frontal end face comprises a display (e.g., a LCD-Display, a LED screen or the like) electrically connected to the control unit for displaying the above mentioned notification. Thus, the at least partially transparent end face or its display resemble the additional display means mentioned above.
In an expedient embodiment, the steam system comprises a water drawer housing wherein the water drawer is accommodated slidable between the closed position and the open position. Further, the steam system comprises a drawer position sensor that is arranged within the water drawer housing and that is in electrical connection with the control unit. That drawer position sensor is configured to provide a drawer position signal to the control unit, the drawer position signal being indicative of a location of the water drawer. Furthermore, the control unit is configured to receive the drawer position signal and generate the light source control signal in response to the drawer position signal. That embodiment enables, among others, to indicate an opened or closed state of the water drawer to the user. In that case, preferably the above-mentioned frame and/or the at least partially transparent frontal end face is used, so that the indication may also be displayed when the water drawer is in or at least near its closed position.
The frame may be part of the above water drawer housing. E.g., the frame may be a frontal end part of the water drawer housing that makes up for the above-mentioned edging or bezel. Alternatively, the frame is a part separate from the water drawer housing and arranged within the water drawer housing, at least in parts between the water drawer housing and the water drawer.
In a preferred embodiment, the water drawer housing defines an interior, especially for accommodating the frame and the water drawer. That interior is expediently lined with light reflective material. That may enhance illumination of the frame by causing reflected light to additionally illuminate the frame, especially when the water drawer is aligned in the closed position. However, also in the opened state of the water drawer, the reflected light may further illuminate the drawer wall.
In a further embodiment of the steam system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the steam system further comprises guides arranged within the water drawer housing and configured to enable horizontal displacement of the water drawer with respect to the oven.
In a further embodiment of the steam system, the water drawer is arranged to sit, in the intended installation state within the oven, flush with the front face of the oven, especially with its frontal end face and when the water drawer is aligned in the closed position.
Alternatively, the water drawer - optionally the water drawer housing - is configured to sit in its closed position and in the intended installation state within the oven behind the front face of the oven. That is especially advantageous for use in an oven which comprises a flap cover or panel (resembling a part of the front face) that reversibly covers at least the water drawer during usual operation of the oven. Especially, such flap cover or panel carries a touch display or the like resembling a user interface.
In an expedient embodiment (additionally or alternatively to the above flush arrangement, preferably in combination with the arrangement behind the front face), the water drawer is arranged to be bias mounted with respect to the front face of the oven such that manual force applied to the water drawer causes the water drawer to horizontally displace with respect to the front face. That is also referred to as a "push-push" activation of the water drawer.
In a further embodiment of the steam system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the water tank is arranged at least partially planar to a (especially horizontal) plane defined by the water drawer, such that at least a portion of the water tank sits below the plane. In other words, the water tank is arranged preferably with a downward offset with regard to the water drawer. That makes is possible to reduce overall height of the oven in the region of the steam system such that a variety of different cooktops may be used with the oven.
In a further expedient embodiment, the light of the light source is within the visible spectrum range.
In a further embodiment of the steam system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the light source comprises at least one LED.
In a further embodiment, the optical notification by use of the drawer wall is expediently displayed within a line of sight of a user while pouring water into the water drawer (and especially, while looking to the water drawer).
In a further embodiment, the water level sensor comprises a floater. Alternatively or additionally, the water level sensor comprises one of an ultrasound sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a reed switch and a contact sensor.
In a further expedient embodiment, the steam system further comprises communication means arranged in electrical communication with the control unit and configured to transmit the water level signal to an external controller outside the oven (e.g., to a smartphone, a tablet or the like), and, optionally, to receive the light source control signal from outside the oven. The external controller may be configured to generate a notification to the user about the filling level. That notification may, e.g., be a notification about decreasing filling level, and thus, to refill the water tank.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the invention relates to an oven comprising a steam system according to the first aspect of the present invention. The oven, thus, comprises within respective embodiments all features mentioned above for the steam system and its respective embodiments as well as the respective advantages.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the invention relates to a method, in particular of providing feedback in response to water poured into a water drawer of a steam system of an oven, especially into the water drawer of the steam system described above. The method comprises the steps of: 1) arranging the water drawer within the oven and configuring the water drawer to slide between a closed position within the oven and an open position out of a front face of the oven, the water drawer comprising light guiding and emission means (5a) arranged for a user to be seen at least during usage of the water drawer; 2) arranging a water tank in connection with the water drawer such that water poured into the water drawer is received within the water tank; 3) arranging a water level sensor with the water tank, the water level sensors being configured to generate a signal in response to detected water level (also: "filling level") within the tank; 4) arranging a control unit in electrical communication with the water level sensor and configuring the control unit to receive the water level signal and generate a light source control signal in response to the water level signal; 5) arranging a light source in electrical communication with the control unit and in optical communication with the light guiding and emission means; 6) illuminating the light guiding and emission means by means of the light source in response to the light source control signal to generate optical notification of the water level in the water tank to a user, at least when the water drawer is arranged in the open position..
Thus, the method makes use of the steam system or the oven comprising the steam system described above. Therefore, the method according to the invention and respective embodiments of the method make use of respective features described above in connection with the steam system and its respective embodiments.
In a preferred embodiment of the method, the frame described above is used as the additional display means.
In an optional embodiment of the method according to the third aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises the steps of: 1) providing a water drawer housing defining an interior wherein the water drawer is accommodated and which is, preferably, lined with light reflective material; and 2) providing a drawer position sensor within the water drawer housing, in electrical connection with the control unit, and configuring the drawer position sensor to provide a drawer position signal to the control unit, the drawer position signal being indicative of a location of the water drawer; and 3) configuring the control unit to receive the drawer position signal and generate the light source control signal in response to the drawer position signal.
In a further embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of arranging guides within the water drawer housing to enable horizontal displacement of the water drawer with respect to the oven.
In a further embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: 1) arranging the water drawer to sit behind the front face of the oven; and/or 2) arranging the water drawer to be bias mounted with respect to the front face such that manual force applied to the water drawer causes the water drawer to horizontally displace with respect to the front face.
In a yet further embodiment, the method further comprises the step of arranging the water tank to be at least partially planar to a plane defined by the water drawer, such that at least a portion of the water tank sits below the plane.
In an expedient further embodiment of the method, the frame is being arranged visible from outside the oven when the water drawer is in a closed position.
In a further embodiment of the method, the drawer wall and its light emission portion and, optionally, the frame is made at least partially from the material with light guiding characteristics, especially from a material transparent to light from the light source and/or the light is emitted within the visible spectrum range.
In a further embodiment of the method, the light source is an LED.
In a further embodiment of the method, the frontal end face of the water drawer is arranged to face out from the oven and is configured at least partially transparent to the light of the light source to resemble the above-mentioned icon. Alternatively, the frontal end face of the water drawer is equipped with the display that is electrically connected to the control unit.
In a further embodiment, the method further comprises the step of displaying the visual feedback (i.e. the optical notification) within a line of sight of a user of the water drawer.
In a further embodiment of the method the water level signal is transmitted to the external controller outside the oven using the communication means that are arranged in electrical communication with the control unit.
The control unit (also referred to as "controller") is a microcontroller with an assigned data storage whereon a software program is installed. That software program causes during intended operation the control unit to perform the steps described above. Alternatively, the control unit may also be realized by circuitry means, e.g., an ASIC.
Other advantageous embodiments and combinations of features come out from the detailed description below and the entirety of the claims.

Brief description of the drawing

The drawing used to explain the embodiments shows:

Fig. 1: a schematic and illustrative embodiment of a steam system in an oven.

Exemplary embodiment

Fig. 1 shows a schematic and illustrative embodiment of a steam system in an oven 1. The oven 1 comprises a front face resembled by a control panel 2 and an oven door 3. A service compartment is arranged behind the control panel, in which service compartment a water drawer assembly 4 is arranged which comprises a water drawer 5 which can move through the control panel 2 in an open state as shown in Fig. 1. In a closed state of the water drawer (not shown in Fig. 1), the water drawer 5 is arranged to sit flush with the control panel 2 of the oven 1. Alternatively, the water drawer 5 may also sit behind a front cover, especially the control panel 2, that - in that case - may be opened for access to the water drawer 5. The steam system further comprises a water tank 6 that is also arranged in the service compartment. The steam system also comprises a water level sensor 7, which in the present embodiment comprises a floater 7a arranged within the water tank 6.
The water drawer 5 is accommodated within a water drawer housing 8 of the steam system. In the water drawer housing 8 a light source 9, embodied as a light-emitting diode (LED), is arranged. Light emitted by the light source 9 is coupled into a light guiding and emission means, which is resembled by a drawer wall 5a of the water drawer 5. Said drawer wall 5a is at least partially made of an optically transparent material - with respect to wavelengths of light emitted by the light source 9, wherein both single-color as well as multi-color light sources 9 are possible. The drawer wall 5a has a light emission portion at which the light of the light source 9 may leave the drawer wall 5a. The transparent material of the drawer wall 5a, especially the light emission portion, is positioned such that the light of the light source 9 may be transmitted and emitted to a user who looks into the water drawer 5 in its open position (s. Fig. 1). The light emission portion is, e.g., an upper edge 5b of the drawer wall 5a resembling a side wall.
The light emission portion may also be the whole area of the drawer wall 5a, especially for the drawer wall 5a being a drawer bottom wall. In that case, the transparent material may be filled with beads that cause relaxion of the light of the light source 9 to leave the drawer wall 5a over its flat surface. Additionally or alternatively, the drawer wall 5a may have grooves on the surface through which the light should be emitted.
The water tank 6 is equipped with the above-mentioned water level sensor 7, e.g. embodied as the floater 7a or, alternatively, a reed switch, or also based on other knowns technologies for water level measurements. A water level signal provided by the water level sensor 7 is carried to a control unit 20 that in turn causes the light source 9 to output, based on the water level signal, a specific illumination pattern. The water tank 6 is connected to a steam generation system of the oven 1 (not shown in Fig. 1). The water level sensor 7 may provide a water level signal to the control unit 20 when different thresholds are passed, or the water level sensor 7 may be configured to provide water level signals to the control unit 20 constantly. In Fig. 1, the water tank 6 is shown as a separate component with respect to the water drawer housing 8. Water drawer housing 8 and water tank 6 may, however, also be formed as a single integral component.
In the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1, the water drawer 5 is configured to move through an optically transparent frame 10 so that even in case the water drawer 5 is in the closed position light emitted by the light source 9 may be visible to the user looking at the oven 1 with the steam system. This way, the user may be informed about a current water level in the water tank 6 even in case the water drawer 5 is in the closed position. Optionally, a frontal end face of the water drawer 5 facing out from the oven may also comprise an optically transparent surface 11 so that information about a water level in the water tank 6 may also be communicated via the light source 9, the transparent material of the drawer wall 5a and optically transparent surface 11 to the user. The frontal face may also comprise a display or a separate light source, and on the frontal end face an icon or a pictorial symbol indicating the current water level in the water tank 6 to the user. The display or separate light source on the frontal end face may be connected using a dedicated cable (not shown in Fig. 1) to the control unit 20.
In case the frontal end face comprises a display or separate light source, for example, the light source 9 may be configured to emit illumination patterns only when the water drawer 5 is in the open position, while in case of the water drawer 5 is in the closed position only the display or separate light source of the frontal end face may be configured to provide visual feedback on a current water level in the water tank 6 to the user. Light emitted by the light source 9 may also be carried (e.g., by the reflective material within the housing 8 to the optically transparent frame 10. The user may also be visually informed about an insufficient amount of water in the water tank 6 in case the water drawer 5 is closed, or the user may be visually informed once steam generation is ongoing, for example.
Within the water drawer housing 8 guides 12 are arranged which are configured to guide the water drawer 5 along a horizontal direction. Biasing means (not shown in Fig. 1) may provide a push-push type functionality to the water drawer 5. A drawer position sensor 13 arranged in the water drawer housing 8 may be configured to detect if the water drawer 5 is in open or closed position and subsequently send a respective signal indicative of a current location of the water drawer 5 to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 may then adapt illumination patterns that are to be emitted by the light source 9 depending on such location information of the water drawer 5 provided by the drawer position sensor 13.
Through the optically transparent frame 10 and/or the transparent surface 11 of the water drawer 5, information on the current water level in the water tank 6 may be transmitted to the user, the information for example encoded through different illumination patterns if the water tank 6 is empty, or if the water tank 6 is filled at a medium level, or if the water tank 6 is filled at a maximum level.
A possible type of encoding may be frequency encoding (frequency may, for example, be proportional to a current filling degree of the water tank 6), wherein frequency of a blinking illumination pattern may increase with increasing amount of water in the water tank 6 and reach steady illumination when the water tank 6 is fully filled. Alternative encodings are also feasible, for example using color patterns. In case the water level sensor 7 is configured to operate with only two thresholds, for example, the light source 9 may be configured to emit illumination patterns as follows: in case the current water level in the water tank 6 is at or below a first threshold, the emitted illumination pattern may be blinking/pulsing, and if the water level in the water tank 6 is at maximum, steady light may be emitted.
Thus, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiment is therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

A steam system for an oven (1) comprising:
• a water tank (6), in an intended installation state within the oven (1), being arranged within the oven (1);

• a water drawer (5) for receiving water for the water tank (6), the water drawer (5), in the intended installation state, being arranged slidably between a closed position within the oven (1) and an open position partially outside relative to a front face of the oven (1), the water drawer (5) comprising light guiding and emission means (5a) arranged for a user to be seen at least during usage of the water drawer (5);

• a water level sensor (7) for detecting a water level within the water tank (6);

• a control unit (20) configured to generate a light source control signal in response to a water level signal received from the water level sensor (7); and

• a light source (9) being arranged in electrical communication with the control unit (20) and in optical communication with the light guiding and emission means (5a), the light source (9) being configured to illuminate light guiding and emission means (5a) in response to the light source control signal thereby generating optical notification of the water level in the water tank (6) for the user, at least when the water drawer (5) is arranged it the open position.
The steam system according to claim 1 wherein:
the light guiding and emission means comprise a drawer wall (5a) having a light emission portion being made of a material with light guiding characteristics.
The steam system according to claim 2, wherein:
the drawer wall (5a) and its light emission portion being at least part of a drawer bottom.
The steam system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein:
the drawer wall (5a) and its light emission portion being at least part of a drawer side wall and/or a drawer front wall.
The steam system according to claim 4, wherein:
the light emission portion being an upper edge of said side wall or of the drawer front wall, respectively.
5he steam system according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: the material with light guiding characteristics of the drawer wall (5a) is a material transparent to light from the light source, optionally comprising extractor means for decoupling the light from or coupling the light into a flat surface of the drawer wall (5a).
The steam system according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: a frontal end face (11) of the water drawer (5) being at least partially transparent to light from the light source or comprising a display electrically connected to the control unit, the at least partially transparent frontal end face (11) or the display being additional display means for displaying information about the water level during usual operation of the oven.
The steam system according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising:
• a water drawer housing (8) wherein the water drawer (5) is accommodated slidable between the closed position and the open position; and

• a drawer position sensor (13) being arranged within the water drawer housing (8), in electrical connection with the control unit and configured to provide a drawer position signal to the control unit, the drawer position signal being indicative of a location of the water drawer (5), wherein the control unit is configured to receive the drawer position signal and generate the light source control signal in response to the drawer position signal.
The steam system according to claim 8, wherein:
the water drawer housing (8) defining an interior lined with light reflective material.
The steam system according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein:
• in the intended installation state the water drawer (5) is arranged to sit behind a front face of the oven (1); and/or

• the water drawer is arranged to be bias mounted with respect to the front face such that manual force applied to the water drawer causes the water drawer to horizontally displace with respect to the front face.
The steam system according to one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising:
a frame (10) through which the water drawer (5) is moveable between said open position and said closed position, said frame (10) preferably resembling some kind of edging or bezel of an opening of the oven's (1) front face through which the water drawer (5) is accessible, said frame (10) resembling additional display means and for this being configured to be illuminated by said light source (9) in response to the light source control signal, especially said frame (10) being illuminated, during intended operation of the steam system, by the light source (9) to generate an optical notification of the water level in the water tank (6).
The steam system according to claim 1, wherein:
the water tank (6) is arranged at least partially planar to a plane defined by the water drawer (5), such that at least a portion of the water tank (6) sits below the plane.
The steam system according to claim 1, further comprising:
communication means arranged in electrical communication with the control unit and configured to transmit the water level signal to an external controller outside the oven (1) and, optionally, to receive the light source control signal from the external controller.
An oven (1) comprising the steam system of claim 1.
A method, in particular, of providing feedback in response to water poured into a water drawer (5) of a steam system of an oven (1), the method comprising the steps of:
• arranging the water drawer (5) within the oven (1) and configuring the water drawer (5) to slide between a closed position within the oven (1) and an open position outside relative to a front face of the oven (1), the water drawer (5) comprising light guiding and emission means (5a) arranged for a user to be seen at least during usage of the water drawer (5);

• arranging a water tank (6) in connection with the water drawer (5) such that water poured into the water drawer (5) is received within the water tank (6),

• arranging a water level sensor (7) with the water tank (6) for detecting a water level within the water tank (6));

• arranging a control unit (20) in electrical communication with the water level sensor (7) and configuring the control unit (20) to generate a light source control signal in response to a water level signal received from the water level sensor (7);

• arranging a light source (9) in electrical communication with the control unit (20) and in optical communication with the light guiding and emission means (5a), and

• illuminating the drawer wall (5a) by means of the light source (9) in response to the light source control signal to generate optical notification of the water level in the water tank (6) to a user, at least when the water drawer (5) is arranged in the open position.