GB2458020A

GB2458020A - Portable vapour extraction device when used in a kitchen

Info

Publication number: GB2458020A
Application number: GB0903697A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Max Maier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-06
Filing date: 2009-03-04
Publication date: 2009-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-04
Also published as: FR2942653A1; CH698629B1; NL1036616A1; DE202008003186U1; PL118055U1; GB0903697D0; AT11166U1; ITRM20090035U1; CH698629A2; GB2458020B; NL1036616C2

Abstract

A portable vapour extraction device 10 when used in a kitchen comprises a parallelepipedal (box) housing 12 having a suction opening 14, an exhaust opening 16, a suction blower 18, at least one grease filter 20 and at least one odour filter 22 located between the openings 14, 16. A suction duct 24 protrudes from and detachable with the housing 12 in the vicinity of the suction opening 14, and the vapour extraction device 10 is mounted in a supporting frame (40, fig 5) in the manner of a drawer. The extraction device 10 may be used in a meal preparation system (60, fig 9) so that a thermal device such as a hot plate (70) may be inserted into longitudinal slots (42) of the supporting frame (40) above the extraction device 10. The extraction device (10', fig 7) may be inserted in a table top carrier (50) that rests on four feet (52).

Description

I

VAPOUR EXTRACTOR DEVICE FOR KITCHENS

This invention relates to a vapour extractor device of the type constructed as a portable device for kitchens comprising a box-like housing which has a suction opening and an exhaust opening as well as a suction blower and filter means comprising at least one grease filter and at least one odour filter ac-commodated in the housing between the respective openings and a suction duct protruding from and detachably connected to the housing in the vicinity of the suction opening.

A vapour extractor device of this type is known from WO 2006/092303 Al. The known vapour extractor device is constructed as a portable tabletop device having on an upper side a depository surface for a thermal device for preparing meals. The known vapour extractor device is designated as a "port-able" tabletop device because it can be handled by a cook or a housewife who, for example, can remove it from a cabinet, place it onto the table and stow it away back into the cabinet after use without any effort. In its capacity as a portable tabletop device, the known vapour extractor device is therefore suitable for flexible use at any kind of workplace, whether in the restaurant business or in a private kitchen. Nowadays kitchens are frequently equipped with system carriers (DE 197 57 004 C2, in particular FIG. 4 and FIG. 7) and supporting frames (WO 2006/092302 Al) for catering containers and/or accessories, in particular dimensioned to GN (Gastro-Norm) standard, with which the known vapour extractor device is not compatible although the housing and the deposi-tory surface provided thereon may be dimensioned to GN standard.

The known supporting frame has an upper opening for receiving GN standard catering containers and/or accessories and a lower opening with an assembly for supporting it when used as a removable top on a thermal device.

In this combination it is however not compatible with a vapour extractor device of the aforementioned known type.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the application possibili-ties of a vapour extractor device of the type initially referred to, in particular with regard to its use with a system carrier or supporting frame of the aforemen-tioned type. It is a further object of the invention to provide a meal preparation system using such a vapour extractor device.

Similar to the known vapour extractor device, the kitchen vapour extrac-tor device of the present invention has a right parallelepipedal housing which includes a suction opening and an exhaust opening as well as a suction blower and a filter device comprising at least one grease filter and at least one odour filter accommodated in the housing between the two openings. In addition, an upwardly protruding suction duct is detachably connected to the housing in the area of the suction opening. Furthermore, however, the housing has its two longitudinal sides equipped or configured in such a way that the vapour extrac-tor device of the present invention is insertable in a supporting frame, system carrier or the like in the manner of a horizontal drawer. Accordingly, the vapour extractor device is constructed as a portable slide-in module which enables ef- fortless handling by the housewife or cook who can work with an available effi- cient vapour extraction for the preparation of meals also in cases where sup-porting frames, system carriers or the like are available with which the known portable tabletop vapour extractor device is not compatible.

Finally, the present invention accomplishes its object with a meal prepa- ration system using a vapour extractor device of the present invention by pro-viding for the vapour extractor device to be inserted into the bottom part of a supporting frame, by arranging for the supporting frame to take support upon the upper two longitudinal edges of a system carrier, and by providing for inser- tion of a thermal device, such as a hot plate or the like, into longitudinal ac-commodating slots of the supporting frame above the vapour extractor device.

This meal preparation system of the present invention lends itself to being read- ily assembled by the housewife or cook from a vapour extractor device, a sup-porting frame, a system carrier and a thermal device for meal preparation and to being disassembled and stowed away after use without any difficulty. Yet it af-fords the advantage of enabling vapours developing during meal preparation to be extracted effectively also in cases where no fixedly installed vapour extractor device is available or usable.

If in one configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present inven-tion the housing includes laterally projecting carrying webs arranged adjacent to its two upper longitudinal edges, the known vapour extractor device, which is constructed as a portable tabletop device, can be retrofitted to a portable slide-in module in simple manner. To accomplish this, it is mainly necessary for the housing to be equipped with the laterally projecting carrying webs. In addition, attention must be paid to ensure that the grease filter remains readily accessi-ble.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention the suction duct is routed through a lid connected to it in a fixed or releasable relationship, which lid is adapted to cover the suction opening, not only the airborne vapours developing during meal preparation can be drawn into the housing through the suction duct, but also the lid with the suction duct is readily removable from the housing for cleaning purposes, whereby the above-mentioned ease of access to the grease filter is also guaranteed.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention the suction opening is provided in the plane of the upper side of the housing, it is possible for the lid with the suction duct to be conveniently ar-ranged at the rear end of the vapour extractor device, that is, at the end facing away from the operator, so that space remains available above the housing for receiving a thermal device or the like.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention a filter chamber for receiving the grease filter is arranged directly downstream from the suction opening in the housing, the area in the interior of the vapour extractor device which may be contaminated by airborne grease is kept desirably small.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention a blower chamber is arranged directly downstream from the filter chamber, which blower chamber has an outlet opening to which the outlet end of the blower is connected, the turbulent air flow caused by the aspirated air remains limited to the blower chamber.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention an exhaust chamber provided with the exhaust opening is connected to the blower chamber's outlet opening directly downstream from the blower chamber, a large space remains available in which the major part of the air flow is allowed to calm down before exiting from the housing.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention the exhaust opening is provided in at least one side of the housing bounding the exhaust chamber, the largest housing side may be selected for this purpose, enabling an exhaust opening of maximum size to be accom-plished. The larger the exhaust opening, the lower is the velocity of the air flow exiting through the exhaust opening, which is desirable.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention the odour filter is arranged in the exhaust chamber, it is ensured that the odour filter is traversed by a calmed down air stream which stays in the odour filter for the maximum possible length of time.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention the odour filter covers the exhaust opening, its maintenance is a sim-ple matter. Conventionally, it comprises a foam matting coated with activated carbon which can be simply replaced when required.

If in another configuration of the vapour extractor device of the present invention the outside dimensions of the housing conform to GN standard di-mensions at least in terms of width, the vapour extractor device can be readily inserted in supporting frames, system carriers or the like which conform to GN standard dimensions.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, FIG. I is a longitudinal sectional view of a vapour extractor device illus-trating a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a front view of the vapour extractor device of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a lid with a suction duct for the vapour extractor device of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a front view of the lid with the suction duct of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vapour extractor device of FIG. 1 as inserted into the bottom part of a supporting frame; FIG. 6 is a front view of the vapour extractor device with the supporting frame of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vapour extractor device of the present invention illustrating a second embodiment thereof, as inserted into a system carrier; FIG. 8 is a front view of the vapour extractor device with the system car-rier of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of a meal preparation system using the second embodiment of the vapour extractor device of the present invention, a supporting frame as in FIG. 5 and a system carrier as in FIG. 7; and FIG. 10 is a front view of the meal preparation system of FIG. 9.

FIGS. I and 2 show in a longitudinal sectional view and, respectively, in a front view a first embodiment of a vapour extractor device of the present in-vention which is generally designated as 10. The vapour extractor device 10 has a right parallelepipedal housing 12 which in the sectional representation of FIG. 1 includes a suction opening 14 and an exhaust opening 16. The housing 12 contains filter means comprising a grease filter 20 and an odour filter 22 which are accommodated in the housing 12 between the two openings 14, 16 as illustrated. The odour filter 22 is only shown in FIGS. I and 2 in the interest of simplicity. Releasably connected to the housing 12 by means of a lid 25 in the area of the suction opening 14 is an upwardly protruding suction duct 24.

The suction duct 24 extends through the lid 25 to which it is firmly connected.

The lid 25 with the suction duct 24 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 as a detail in a longitudinal sectional view and, respectively, a front view. Two tabs 27 project- ing outwardly from the lid at right angles in the representation of FIG. 4 are in-tended to prevent the suction duct 24 from being able to aspirate marginal air, that is, air from the two areas to the side of the suction duct 24. The housing 12 has on its undersurface a downwardly open base 28 including the exhaust opening 16 through which exhaust air is allowed to exit after having passed through the odour filter 22. When the housing 12 is placed on a depository sur-face (not shown), as in FIGS. 1 and 2 and 5 and 6, for example, it rests on four feet (not shown) which extend farther downwardly than the base 28, so that suf-ficient space is available between the housing 12 and the surface on which it is placed to enable air exhausted from the housing 12 to be discharged to the out-side unhindered. At its upper end the suction duct 24 has an air inlet opening 34 which extends across the full width between the tabs 27.

The suction opening 14 is formed in the plane of the upper side of the housing 12 at its rear end, that is, at the end facing away from the operator.

Directly downstream from the suction opening 14 the housing 12 accommo-dates a filter chamber 13 in which the grease filter 20 rests on an inclined wall.

This inclined wall includes an air passage through which the aspirated air reaches a blower chamber 17 which is arranged directly downstream from the filter chamber 13 and receives in its interior a suction blower 18. The outlet end of the blower 18 is connected to an outlet opening 19 of the blower chamber 17.

Directly downstream from the blower chamber 17 its outlet opening 19 is ad-joined by an exhaust chamber 21 which is provided with the exhaust opening 16. The exhaust opening 16 is formed in a side 41 of the housing 12 bounding the exhaust chamber 21 in downward direction. To replace the odour filter 22 arranged underneath the exhaust chamber 21 and above the exhaust opening 16, the base 28 can be swung away from the housing 12.

The two longitudinal sides of the housing 12 are constructed in such a way that the vapour extractor device 10 is slidable like a horizontal drawer into a supporting frame, system carrier or the like described in more detail further be- low. For this purpose, in the embodiment herein shown, the housing 12 in-cludes two laterally projecting carrying bars 23 provided at its two longitudinal sides adjacent to its two upper longitudinal edges. It will be appreciated that in lieu of this arrangement the housing 12 could also have on each of its two longi- tudinal sides one portion of a telescoping rail adapted to slide into the other por-tion of the telescoping rail secured to the supporting frame, system carrier or the like. In either case it is essential for the outside dimensions of the housing 12 to conform to GN standard at least in terms of its width if the relevant dimensions of the supporting frame, system carrier or the like equally conform to GN stan-dard. The width of the housing 12 is measured across the carrying webs 23 or telescoping rails (not shown) on the housing's longitudinal sides.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show in a longitudinal sectional view and, respectively, in a front view the vapour extractor device 10 of FIGS. I and 2 which is, however, inserted into the bottom part of a supporting frame 40. In this arrangement, the construction of the vapour extractor device 10 is identical to the construction de-scribed with reference to FIGS. 1-4, so that it will not be described again to avoid duplicate description. The vapour extractor device 10 is inserted into the supporting frame 40 until abutment with a stop so that the suction duct 24 rests with its rear side against a rear wall of the supporting frame 40. The supporting frame 40 has longitudinal accommodating slots 42 adapted to slidably receive a thermal device 70 such as a hot plate or the like (only shown in FIGS. 9 and 10). Seated onto the supporting frame 40 is an acrylic glass frame having its front open, i.e., the side facing the operator, in order to ensure that vapours de- veloping during meal preparation are drawn into the suction duct 24 as com-pletely as possible.

The supporting frame 40 may be constructed substantially similar to the supporting frame known from WO 2006/092302 Al initially referred to. The known supporting frame 40 is configured for being placed onto a thermal device or for enabling a thermal device to be inserted into the bottom part of the sup-porting frame. An upper opening of the supporting frame 40 which on the known supporting frame serves to receive GN standard catering containers, i.e., catering containers conforming to European Standard EN 631, and/or GN stan-dard accessories, would be able to accommodate GN catering containers (not shown) also in the present case. In lieu of this, it is however possible for a GN standard catering container to be inserted into the longitudinal accommodating slots 42 of the supporting frame 40 (like a GN standard catering container 44 according to FIGS. 9 and 10), or GN standard or catering containers suitable for utilization in connection with the preparation of meals could be placed onto the thermal device 70.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show in a longitudinal sectional view and, respectively, in a front view a second embodiment of a vapour extractor device 10' of the pre-sent invention, which is inserted in a tabletop system carrier 50 of the type known from FIG. 7 of DE 197 57 004 C2 initially referred to. The system carrier rests on four feet 52. The vapour extractor device 10' is of lower height than the vapour extractor device 10, as a result of which more space is available in the system carrier 50 in downward direction to allow unhindered discharge of air exhausted from the vapour extractor device 10'. The system carrier 50 has at its front a lid 54 adapted to be swung open downwardly. The preparation of meals using the vapour extractor device 10' would be possible with the ar-rangement shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Only a thermal device such as a wok or the like (not shown) would have to be placed onto the vapour extractor device 10' in front of the suction duct 24.

Conveniently, however, use is made of a meal preparation system 60 employing a vapour extractor device 10' (or a vapour extractor device 10) in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in a longitudinal sectional view and, re- spectively, in a front view. In the meal preparation system 60 the vapour extrac-tor device 10' is inserted into the bottom part of a supporting frame 40 (as the vapour extractor device 10 of FIGS. 5 and 6). The supporting frame 40 bears against the upper two longitudinal edges of a tabletop system carrier 50 whose lid 54 is not shown in this illustration. Above the vapour extractor device 10' a thermal device 70, in this case a hot plate, is inserted into the longitudinal ac-commodating slots 42 of the supporting frame 40. In lieu of this, it would also be possible for the vapour extractor device 10' to be inserted into the lowermost pair of accommodating slots 42. In this case, the thermal device 70 would have to be inserted at a correspondingly higher level.

Braces 35 on either side of the air inlet opening 34 of the suction duct 24 prevent a GN standard catering container 44 placed upon the topmost carrier pair of the accommodating slots 42 from being pushed forward in longitudinal direction by such an amount as to cover and thereby obstruct the air inlet open-ing 34. As becomes apparent from FIG. 10, the tabs 27 which are to prevent the aspiration of marginal air in actual fact also prevent air from being drawn in from underneath the thermal device 70. Otherwise this would be detrimental to the suction effect because optimally only airborne vapours should be extracted from above the meal container 44, that is, from the cooking surface itself.

While the foregoing describes the use of the vapour extractor device 10 or 10' with reference to its use in combination with a tabletop system carrier 50, its use is equally well possible with a built-in system carrier as known, for ex-ample, from FIG. 4 of DE 197 57 004 C2 initially referred to.

Claims

IDClaims A vapour extractor device constructed as a portable device for kitchens comprising a box-like housing which has a suction opening and an ex- haust opening as well as a suction blower and filter device means com- prising at least one grease filter and at least one odour filter accommo-dated in the housing between the respective openings, and a suction duct protruding from and detachably connected to the housing in the vi-cinity of the suction opening, the housing having two longitudinal sides equipped or configured in such a way that the vapour extractor device is insertable in a supporting frame, system carrier or the like in the manner of a horizontal drawer.
2. A vapour extractor device according to claim 1 wherein the housing has upper longitudinal edges and includes laterally projecting carrying webs arranged adjacent to said edges.
3. A vapour extractor device according to claim I or 2 wherein the suction duct is routed through a lid which is connected to it in a fixed or releas-able relationship, said lid being adapted to cover the suction opening.
4. A vapour extractor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the suction opening is provided in the plane of the upper side of the housing.
5. A vapour extractor device according to claim 4 wherein a filter chamber for receiving the grease filter is arranged directly downstream from the suction opening in the housing.
6. A vapour extractor device according to claim 5 wherein a blower cham-ber is arranged directly downstream from the filter chamber, said blower chamber having an outlet opening to which the outlet end of the blower is connected.
7. A vapour extractor device according to claim 6 wherein an exhaust chamber provided with the exhaust opening is connected to the blower chamber's outlet opening directly downstream from the blower chamber.
8. A vapour extractor device according to claim 7 wherein the exhaust opening is provided in at least one side of the housing bounding the ex-haust chamber.
9. A vapour extractor device according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the odour filter is arranged in the exhaust chamber.
10. A vapour extractor device according to claim 9 wherein the odour filter covers the exhaust opening.
11. A vapour extractor device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the outside dimensions of the housing conform to GN (Gastro-Norm) standard dimensions at least in terms of width.
12. A meal preparation system using a vapour extractor device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vapour extrac-tor device is inserted into the bottom part of a supporting frame which is supported upon upper longitudinal edges of a system carrier, and in that a thermal device, such as a hot plate or the like, is inserted into longitudi- nal accommodating slots of the supporting frame above the vapour ex-tractor device.