GB2186964A - Combined vapour extractor and cupboard unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A combined vapour extractor and top kitchen cupboard unit incorporates an extractor which is divided into two parts, namely a lower part (1), in which merely a fat filter is housed, and an upper part (2) with the remaining functional components, such as fan, additional filters, and so forth. The lower part (1) and upper part (2) are connected with each other by a shaft (3) guided at or forming the rear wall of the unit. The lower part (1) can have a withdrawable portion 6 which on withdrawal exposes the inlet duct and causes actuation of the blower. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combined vapour extractor and cupboard unit The present invention relates to a combined vapour extractor and top cupboard unit.

Smoke extractor hoods are commonly used above cooking units and the like and in manycasesfully integrated into the construction of a built-in kitchen.

Conventional extractor hoods with fat and other filters, blowers and so forth take up space which, in the case of a top cupboard, is no longer available for storage.

In the case of displaceable extractor hoods which can be mounted below top cupboards, a part ofthe top cupboard indeed remains usable. However, because the smoke extractor hood must be arranged underthe cupboard and the air removal in most cases must take place upwardly, the space ofthetop cupboard is disproportionally restricted in its useful area due to thefactthatan airpipeofadiameterwhich isquite appreciable by comparison to the size of the cupboard must pass through the cupboard.Moreover, the feeding of an air pipe through a cupboard is distinctly untidy arrangement and also the hood substructure, with the height necessaryforthe hood cuts down the useful cupboard space in its lower region, which is in factthe most accessible to the user. Known slidesubstructure extractor hoods are in most cases so heavy that they can be pulled out over the area ofthe cooker beneath them only with difficulty. A rigid arrangement, extending over the entire cooker, of the hood does, however, restrict access to the cupboard.

Work at the cooker is also made more difficult by a hood that is pulled out or constantly projects and thus is in the way of a person using the cooker. Forthis reason, a need exists for extractor hoods that can be easily pushed back. The withdrawable part should have an easy motion to enable rapid pushing-back and pulling forward for brief activities at the cooker, for exampleforstirring.

There is thus a need for an extractorwhich reduces the useful space of a top cupboard to only a small degree, does not disrupt the unity of a built-in kitchen in terms of aesthetics or construction, and which is of simple construction but nevertheless efficient in the extraction of vapour.

According to the present invention there is provided a combined vapour extractor and top cupboard unit comprising filter means arranged in a lowermost portion ofthe unit, blower means arranged in an uppermost portion ofthe unit ata spacing from the filter means, and duct means defining a flow passage from said lowermost to said uppermost portion and arranged to extend at a rear side of the unit.

The extractor is thus divided into a lower part and an upper part, which are interconnected by the duct means at the rear side of the unit, preferably extending overthe entire width of the unit and only slightly reducing the depth of a cupboard storage space in the unit. In that case, the duct means can have a cross-sectional width of about 30 millimetres for, for example, a cupboard width of 600 millimetres and a depth of 300 millimetres, whereby the storage volume if reduced by only about 10% in depth.In the interest of a large flow passage cross-section in the duct means, the duct means can extend overthe entire width of the unit, in which case it can either itselfform the rear wall ofthe unit or at least be arranged directly thereat.

The lower part, which isto be arranged belowthe storage space, can be constructed as a sliding part and contain exclusivelyafatfilterand mountingforthe filter. As a result, the lower part can be constructed with lowheightand lowweight,which allows particularly easy movement in ball or roller rails and demands relatively little space in the lower region of the unit. In that case, a frame ofthis lower part can serve directly as the bottom ofthe cupboard, which means that the corresponding side walls ofthe cupboard can be fastened directly to the extractor lower part.The slightly reduced remaining interior volume ofthe cupboard can in usual manner befitted compartments, mountings and so forth.

The unit can be suspended directly atthe extractor upper part. The upper partcan carryallthe elements which are needed for air circulation, furtherfiltering and so forth.

Since the space above top cupboards is generally not usable, exhaust air connections, suction connections and so forth can be mounted in this location. In that case these generally untidy formations can be covered buy a cover. An air exit should then be provided in the cover.

Preferably, the extractor lower part or the sliding component of this lower part is so constructed that the flow passage is blocked in the pushed-in state. This avoids an undesired air return currentthroughthe extractor in the unused state. It may be advantageous to provide a limit switch which precludes operation of the blower unless the sliding part ofthe extractor has been pulled at least so farthattheflow passage isfree.

Apartfrom the fat filter, an electrical switch forthe stepped power control ofthe blower motor can be provided at the extractor lower part. The necessary electrical connecting cable,which may lead from the lower partto the upper part, can be placed in or on and fastened to the duct means.

Embodiments ofthe present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. lisa schematic partially sectional side eleva tion of a combined vapourextractorand top cupboard unit embodying the invention and shown mounted above a cooker; Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe unit of Fig. 1,with a cupboard door removed.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the unit, and cooker, showing a withdrawn sliding component ofthe lower part of the unit; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of components ofjustthe extractor part ofthe unit.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown an extractor and kitchen top cupboard unit, parts corres ponding in the figures being provided with like reference symbols so that explanations concerning Fig. 1 can be related to the remaining figures and vice versa.

The lower part of the extractor is designated by 1 and the associated upper part by 2. The two parts are connected together in terms of flow by a connecting channel 3. the width ofthe channel 3 corresponds substantiallyto the width of the cupboard 7, which is designated by 7. The channel is fixed by way of mountings 5 to a kitchen wall.

One or morefatfilters 6in this case a plurality of such filters-are housed in the lower part 1. The lower part has a sliding carrier4which, together with the fat filters disposedthereon, can be pulled out over the entire width of a cooker 35 shown below the unit.

Since only the fat filters and mounting plates for the filters are housed in the lower part or in the carrier 4, this carrier is very light and can be moved back and forth very easily on ball or roller rails, which can be of a known kind and which are indicated only by dashed lines.

The cupboard is bounded laterally by side walls 8, which can, for example, be fastened directly to the extractor lower part 1 and and upper part 2. In that case, the cupboard mounting takes place directly at the upper part2. In Fig. 2, cupboard doors 9 and cupboard shelves 10 have been omitted.

Aconventional lightstrip 11 can be provided underneath the lower part 1, in which case it may be desirable to extend the lightstrip overthe entire length of a cupboard group in which the cupboard 7 with integrated extractor is arranged. This results in a particularly uniform appearance.

Provided on the upper side ofthe upper part 2 is an exhaust air connection 12, which is covered by a cover 13 with appropriate air exit openings 14. In order to provide a satisfactory connection of a circulating air channel to the cover 13, this should be set back appropriately.

The length ofthe carrier4inthe lower part is so determined thatthe channel 3 is closed in the pushed-in state ofthe carrier. Thus, an undesired air return current th rough the extractor is avoided in the unused state. A limit switch (not shown) can be provided to preclude electrical operation ofthe extractor orthe ventilatorthereof unless the carrier 4 has been pulled forward at least so fa r that the channel 3 is free. Morever, apartfrom thefilters, an electircal switch forthe stepped motor power is provided in the lower part 1.

A blower 16 is arranged in the upper part 2. It inducts the vapour rising up from the cooker 35 and conveys it into a pressure space 17 of extractor. From there, the exhaust air or circulating air can leave the extractor directly byway of an exhaustchamber23 and exhaust stub 24.

A slide 18, which controls the flow cross-section of exhaust or circulating air ducts, can be provided for regulation ofthethroughput. The slide 18 is actuated byway of slide rods 21 and 22 in orderto ailow actuation from below.

Also provided in the upper part 2 is an activated carbon filter 27, through which circulating air can be guided according to the setting of the slide 18. The vapour cleaned of odiferous substances collect in an equalising space 28 above the filter 27 and are fed to a circulating air exit 29. In that case, it may be of advantageto provide a metal guide plate which prevents vertically upward outflow ofthe vapour, since the ceiling above would otherwise be discol oured in the course oftime. Theflowcan instead be deflected forwardly bytheguide plate.

Various modifications ofthe described embodiment are, of course, possible, in particulary in the air guidance, the induction, the mounting of filter discs and so forth.

The unit hereinbefore described has the advantage that the usable volume ofthetop (hanging) cupboard is reduced only relatively slightly in the region most readily accessible, i.e. the lower region, while good air guidance over a wide flow cross-section is achieved.

In addition, cleaning or exchange of filters is possible in a relatively simple manner and avarietyofflow settings (summer-winter settings) can be realised.

Claims (13)

1. Acombinedvapourextractorandtop cupboard unit comprising filter means arranged in a lowermost portion ofthe unit, blower means arranged in an uppermost portion ofthe unit at a spacing from the filter means, and duct means defining a flow passage from said lowermostto said uppermost portion and arranged to extend at a rearside of the unit.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, the duct means extending overa wall of the unit atthe rearside.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1,the duct means defining a wall ofthe unit atthe rear side.

4. A unit as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding claims, comprising furtherfilter means arranged in said uppermost portion.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 4,thefurtherfilter means comprising an activated carbon filter.

6. A unit as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding claims, the filter means in said lowermost portion being mounted on a carrier which iswithdrawable from a unit at a front side thereof opposite to the rear side.

7. A unit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the carrier is provided with closure means to close the flow passage in the fully inserted state ofthe carrierandto open the flow passage when the carrier is withdrawn.

8. Aunitas claimed in either claim 6 or claim 7, comprising limit switch means to permit operation of the blower means only when the carrier is withdrawn to open the flow passage.

9. A unit as claimed in anyone ofthe preceding claims, the duct means being arranged in the region of said uppermost portion to extend towards a front side ofthe unit opposite to the rear side and being provided with upwardlyfacing outlet means.

10. Aunitasclaimed in anyoneofthe preceding claims, comprising air circuiation guide means arranged in said uppermost portion and comprising an air guide channel and an air exit.

11. A unit as claimed in claim 7 comprising a detachable cover plate arranged at a front side of the uppermost portion.

12. A unit as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims, comprising adjusting means for adjusting air flow in said uppermost portion.

13. Aunitsubstantiallyashereinbeforedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.