US20230375191A1

US20230375191A1 - Cooking appliance comprising a specifically arranged cooking chamber insert having specific heating functions

Info

Publication number: US20230375191A1
Application number: US18/034,440
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander Dinkel; Katrin Horn; Stefan Schürf; Ragnar Somdalen; Edith Wrehde; Wolfgang Hörner; Robert Padel; Markus Roll
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2020-11-20
Filing date: 2021-11-17
Publication date: 2023-11-23
Also published as: EP4248142A1; US20230408101A1; WO2022106461A1; WO2022106459A1; EP4248139A1; US20230366559A1; EP4248138A1; DE102021212765A1; CN116457612A; EP4248140A1; DE102021212758A1; DE102021212763A1; US20230366560A1; WO2022106471A3; DE102021212762A1; EP4248135A1; DE102021212760A1; CN116472427A; WO2022106473A1; US20230408107A1

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes a housing having a cooking compartment including a cooking compartment divider slide-in level, and a plate-shaped cooking compartment divider designed for positioning in the cooking compartment on the cooking compartment divider slide-in level to divide the cooking compartment into an upper cooking compartment region and a lower cooking compartment region. A hot-air system supplies hot air into the cooking compartment. A wall delimits the cooking compartment and includes ventilation openings, through which the hot air of the hot-air system is supplied into the cooking compartment. The ventilation openings, viewed in a height direction of the cooking appliance, are arranged only above the cooking-chamber divider slide-in level.

Description

One aspect of the invention relates to a cooking appliance having a cooking compartment divider.
A baking oven is known from DE 102 010 030 471 A1. The baking oven has a separate cooking compartment divider element, which is provided with at least one large-area heating element. The cooking compartment divider element represents an assembly unit that can be inserted in the cooking compartment of the baking oven at a specific slide-in level. This allows the cooking compartment to be selectively subdivided into individually heatable, adjacent cooking compartment regions. However, this assembly unit has only one integrated heating element. The usability is thus limited. Furthermore, a heatable slide-in cooking compartment divider and a cooking appliance are known from EP 2 431 667 A1. An upper side of the slide-in cooking compartment divider is designed as a receptacle for food to be cooked and is shaped in the form of a trough in this respect. A surface heater is integrated in the plate-shaped slide-in cooking compartment divider. In addition, a temperature sensor can also be provided. This heatable slide-in cooking compartment divider is also limited in terms of its usability.
An electric baking and roasting oven is known from DE 42 17 545 A1. The oven has a plate, which can be inserted into the cooking compartment and has a heating element that emits heat downward. The plate has insulation with a recess which is formed on the underside and in which the heating element is arranged.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cooking appliance in which the use of cooking compartment sub-regions of a cooking compartment is improved.
This object is achieved by a cooking appliance in accordance with the independent claims.
One aspect of the invention relates to a cooking appliance having a housing. A cooking compartment of the cooking appliance is formed in the housing. Furthermore, the cooking appliance has a plate-shaped cooking compartment divider. The plate-shaped cooking compartment divider is in itself a separate component of the cooking appliance. It is formed separately from the housing. The cooking compartment divider has a plate-shaped base unit. The cooking compartment divider also has at least one heating element. The heating element is arranged on this base unit. In particular, it is arranged in a fixed manner thereon. The cooking compartment divider having the base unit and the at least one heating element is a portable component. It is removable from the cooking compartment in a non-destructive manner and can be reinserted. The cooking compartment also has at least one slide-in level. This is a cooking compartment divider slide-in level on which the cooking compartment divider can be positioned in the cooking compartment as intended. The cooking compartment divider and its positioning on this defined predetermined cooking compartment divider slide-in level enable the cooking compartment to be divided into an upper cooking compartment region and a lower cooking compartment region, viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance. The cooking compartment divider thus separates the cooking compartment into two separate cooking compartment regions. These are completely separated from one another by the cooking compartment divider, in particular in terms of volume. The base unit of the cooking compartment divider forms in particular a coherent and uninterrupted unit. In this respect, the cooking compartment divider then forms a base wall for the upper cooking compartment region and simultaneously forms a ceiling wall for the lower cooking compartment region. The cooking appliance also has a hot air system. This can be used to supply hot air into the cooking compartment as intended. A wall of the cooking appliance that delimits the cooking compartment has ventilation openings through which the hot air of the hot air system can be supplied directly into the cooking compartment. All ventilation openings that are provided in the wall as intended so as to supply the hot air of the hot air system into the cooking compartment are arranged only above the cooking compartment divider slide-in level, viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance.
Such a cooking appliance having a specifically positioned cooking compartment divider, in particular with respect to the ventilation openings of the hot air system, renders it possible to improve the operation of the cooking appliance. It is thus possible, in particular, that, when the cooking compartment divider is in the inserted state, the hot air system can be used as desired and defined only for the upper cooking compartment region. This can improve preparation results in the upper cooking compartment region, in particular in hot air mode. In particular, such a separation also ensures that the individual cooking compartment regions are not mutually affected by an overlapping hot air system. Particularly advantageously, such a separation with the cooking compartment divider and the specific positioning of the ventilation openings with respect thereto also ensures that, for example, a hot air operation in the upper cooking compartment region is possible independently of operation with another type of heating in the lower cooking compartment region. Furthermore, it is also possible in a very advantageous manner for the hot air system to be operated in the upper cooking compartment region while the lower cooking compartment region is not used at all or is not to be heated undesirably.
In addition, the fact that these ventilation openings are arranged in the height direction in the upper cooking compartment region also improves accessibility for the particular cooking compartment region in which a hot air operation is also possible when the cooking compartment divider is in the inserted state. The design of the cooking appliance can thus also enable more individual and more needs-based use, in particular of different heating modes, in the individual cooking compartment regions. This increases the variety and variability for the preparation of food to be cooked, in particular also the simultaneous preparation of different foods to be cooked in the two cooking compartment regions, when the cooking compartment divider is in the inserted state.
In particular, the cooking appliance has only one hot air system. In particular, this also means that when the cooking compartment divider is inserted, fundamentally the lower cooking compartment sub-region cannot be operated with its own, different hot air system or that a hot air system is not available in the cooking appliance for the lower cooking compartment region.
In one exemplary embodiment, when the cooking compartment divider is inserted in the cooking compartment slide-in level, the hot air system is only effective in the upper cooking compartment region when said hot air system is activated. The advantages mentioned in this regard have already been explained above.
In one exemplary embodiment, a heating element of the cooking compartment divider is a top-heat heating element for the lower cooking compartment region when the cooking compartment divider is arranged in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level. A high level of functionality of this cooking compartment divider is thus achieved. The lower cooking compartment region in particular can then be heated from above in a very specific manner. In one exemplary embodiment, this heating element, which is provided as a top-heat heating element, can be arranged on the cooking compartment divider in a manner exposed toward the bottom. A particularly effective heat input into the lower cooking compartment region is then possible.
In one exemplary embodiment, a heating element of the cooking compartment divider is a bottom-heat heating element for the upper cooking compartment region when the cooking compartment divider is arranged in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level. This increases the multifunctionality of the cooking compartment divider. Thus, in addition to the hot air system in the upper cooking compartment region, a bottom-heat heating element can also be provided. This is a temporarily positionable and reversibly removable heating element since it is arranged directly on the cooking compartment divider. If the cooking compartment divider is removed, this bottom-heat heating element is also removed from the cooking compartment. Thus, this exemplary embodiment renders it possible to fit heating elements that can be reversibly inserted and removed as required. This provides a particularly wide range of configuration possibilities of the individual cooking compartment regions with regard to the respective heating possibility.
In one exemplary embodiment, it is also possible for the cooking compartment divider to have only the top-heat heating element. This is thus arranged on an underside of the cooking compartment divider, in particular the base unit. In another exemplary embodiment, a cooking compartment divider can have only the bottom-heat heating element. Such a bottom-heat heating element can be arranged on the upper side of the base unit in such a manner that said heating element is exposed toward the top. It is also possible for such a bottom-heat heating element of the cooking compartment divider to be arranged so as to be covered toward the top, in particular in the base unit. It is then also possible for further components to be applied directly to the upper side of the base unit, if necessary.
In another exemplary embodiment of the cooking compartment divider, both a top-heat heating element and a bottom-heat heating element can be provided.
In one exemplary embodiment, the upper cooking compartment region is formed with a different height to the height of the lower cooking compartment region. As a result, the cooking compartment is divided defined and desired asymmetrically, viewed in the height direction, by the position of the cooking compartment divider in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level. Thus, especially with regard to the hot air system, which is to be effective in the upper cooking compartment region and in particular is to have an effect there only when the cooking compartment divider is inserted, it can be made possible to use the cooking appliance in a manner greatly suited to requirements. This is particularly advantageous if the upper cooking compartment region is higher than the lower cooking compartment region. Accessibility on the one hand and loading with higher components and/or goods to be stored on the other hand are thus improved in this upper cooking compartment region.
In one exemplary embodiment, the height of the upper cooking compartment region is greater than the height of the lower cooking compartment region by at least 10 percent, in particular between 10 percent and 30 percent. Advantageously, this then also makes it possible to have such a height of the upper cooking compartment region which the entire hot air system of the cooking appliance can use. On the other hand, this hot air system can then also be used to heat the entire cooking compartment when the cooking compartment divider is in the removed state. Consequently, the one and the same hot air system of the cooking appliance can be fully utilized both with the inserted cooking compartment divider and without the inserted cooking compartment divider.
In one exemplary embodiment, the upper cooking compartment region has at least one slide-in level, in particular a slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked, and said slide-in level is intended for a carrier for food to be cooked which is different from the cooking compartment divider. This allows a cooking compartment divider to be positioned in the upper cooking compartment region at a distance from an upper side of the cooking compartment divider. This is particularly advantageous in that no undesirable mutual interference occurs between the cooking compartment divider on the one hand and the carrier for food to be cooked on the other hand. Furthermore, such a distance also makes it easier to handle these individual components, particularly if they are arranged in the cooking compartment at the same time. Removal and insertion can then be easily performed in each case independently of the other component. Partial removal of one of the two components can then also be carried out very easily completely independently of the other component. Furthermore, such a distance is also particularly advantageous for the transfer of heat to the carrier for food to be cooked and, in particular, then also to the food to be cooked that is placed on the carrier for food to be cooked. This improves preparation results.
It is particularly advantageous if a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the cooking compartment divider in the state inserted into the cooking compartment divider slide-in level and an upper side of the carrier for food to be cooked in the state inserted into the slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked, is between 10 mm and 30 mm. Preferably, this distance is between 19 mm and 24 mm. The above-mentioned advantages are achieved to a particular degree in particular by these specific distance values. Last but not least, this also makes the effect of the hot air system on the food to be cooked that is placed on the carrier for the food to be cooked particularly advantageous. The reason for this is in particular that it is provided that particularly with this positioning, but not only there, at least half of the ventilation openings of the hot air system that are arranged in the wall, viewed in the height direction, in particular at least 70 percent of the ventilation openings that are arranged in the wall, viewed in the height direction, which is associated with the hot air system are arranged above the upper side of the carrier for food to be cooked. This allows the hot air of the hot air system, which is introduced directly into the upper cooking compartment region through the ventilation openings, to flow from above in a particularly extensive manner onto the carrier for food to be cooked. A particularly advantageous preparation result is thus made possible. If the upper cooking compartment region has only one slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked, this value applies to it. If the upper cooking compartment region has multiple slide-in levels for a carrier for food to be cooked, this specified value applies in particular to the slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked that is closest to the cooking compartment divider, viewed in the height direction.
In one exemplary embodiment, the upper cooking compartment region has a heating element that is arranged in a fixed manner. This is a top-heat heating element and/or a grill heating element. This then also makes it possible to set the top heat function and/or the grill function in the upper cooking compartment region. In particular, this top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element is arranged in a fixed manner on a ceiling wall that delimits the volume space of the cooking compartment. Such a wall can be, for example, a ceiling wall of a muffle of the cooking appliance.
A muffle directly delimits the cooking compartment with its side walls, its base wall and its ceiling wall. In one exemplary embodiment, a volume space is formed between a rear wall of the muffle and the particular wall that delimits the rear of the cooking compartment. This volume space is also referred to as a hot air box. A fan and a heating element which are components of the hot air system can also be arranged in this volume space. The particular wall in which the ventilation openings of the hot air system are formed can also be referred to as an impact wall. It is arranged in front of the rear wall of the muffle and at a distance from the rear wall of the muffle, viewed in the depth direction of the cooking appliance.
This configuration with the fixed top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element that is arranged in a fixed manner in the upper cooking compartment region can expand the variability of the upper cooking compartment region. A wide variety of heating modes are then possible in the upper cooking region alone when the cooking compartment divider is in the inserted state. The upper cooking compartment region can thus be used for a wide range of heating options. This can also be done independently of the lower cooking compartment region.
In one exemplary embodiment, a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the carrier for food to be cooked in the state inserted into the slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked and an underside of the top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element and/or an underside of an upper top boundary wall of a loading opening of the cooking compartment in the upper cooking compartment region is between 160 mm and 210 mm. In particular, this distance is between 166 mm and 189 mm. Also in this exemplary embodiment, the specific distance values contribute positively to the advantages that are already mentioned above. Also as a result, handling and accessibility to the components in the upper cooking compartment region, in particular in the cooking compartment divider and the food to be cooked that is arranged thereon, is made possible easily and without hindrance. In addition, the heat effect of the hot air system on the one hand and/or of the top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element in the upper cooking compartment region on the other hand is enabled in a particularly advantageous manner. Last but not least, this distance can also enable the insertion of larger components for receiving food to be cooked. For example, these can be taller baking tins for cakes or the like. For example, it is then also possible to accommodate a Bundt baking tin without any problems. Other correspondingly high items for receiving food to be cooked can then also be easily and simply accommodated. For example, also roasting tins.
In one exemplary embodiment, the lower cooking compartment region has a heating element that is arranged in a fixed manner. This heating element can be a bottom-heat heating element for the lower cooking compartment region. This is then also arranged externally to the cooking compartment divider and also remains in the cooking compartment if the cooking compartment divider is removed. This bottom-heat heating element can also be used as such if the cooking compartment divider is removed. Then this bottom-heat heating element works for the entire cooking compartment from below. The same also applies to the advantageous exemplary embodiment that is mentioned above, in which a fixedly arranged top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element is arranged in the upper cooking compartment region at the top.
In one exemplary embodiment, when the cooking compartment divider is in the state inserted into the cooking compartment, the upper cooking compartment region has a height that is between 18 cm and 23 cm, in particular between 19 cm and 20 cm, especially 19.5 cm. In particular, the height can also be between 20 cm and 23 cm, in particular between 21 cm and 22 cm. In particular, this height is dimensioned between the upper side of the cooking compartment divider and the top-heat heating element and/or the lower edge of the upper boundary flange that delimits the loading opening.
In one exemplary embodiment, when the cooking compartment divider is in the state inserted into the cooking compartment, the lower cooking compartment region has a height that is between 12 cm and 15 cm, in particular between 12 cm and 14 cm, in particular 13 cm. In particular, this height is dimensioned between the underside of the cooking compartment divider and the base wall of the muffle and/or an upper edge of a lower boundary flange that delimits the loading opening.
In one exemplary embodiment, these height dimensions of the cooking compartment regions are also other independent aspects of the cooking appliance and are thus possible even if the positions of the ventilation openings above the cooking compartment divider are not specified in an exemplary embodiment.
In one exemplary embodiment, the cooking compartment has at least two slide-in levels for a carrier for food to be cooked, said levels being arranged at different heights. When the cooking compartment divider is in the state removed from the cooking compartment, the hot air system can supply hot air simultaneously to both slide-in levels for a carrier for food to be cooked. This means that the cooking appliance can be operated as a conventional cooking appliance when the cooking compartment divider is in the removed state. In this operating state, hot air from the hot air system can then also be supplied to multiple different slide-in levels for a carrier for food to be cooked and, accordingly, food to be cooked can be prepared simultaneously on the different slide-in levels for a carrier for food to be cooked.
A carrier for food to be cooked can be, for example, a baking tray or a grid or a drip tray or the like. In the context, a carrier for food to be cooked is not a cooking compartment divider. A carrier for food to be cooked does not have its own heating element.
In one exemplary embodiment, the cooking compartment is divided by the inserted cooking compartment divider in such a way that different heating modes can be performed simultaneously in the two cooking compartment regions. In particular, this is made possible in such a way that the heating modes do not or essentially do not have any effect on one another in the cooking compartment regions when they are performed simultaneously in the respective cooking compartment regions. In particular, the cooking compartment divider advantageously separates the two cooking compartment regions in this respect.
In one exemplary embodiment, a heating element of the cooking compartment divider, in particular the heating element, if only one is provided, has electrical connection contacts. These are in particular cantilevered from an edge region of the cooking compartment divider in the horizontal direction. In particular, these electrical connection contacts are arranged in such a way that they automatically make contact with electrical mating connection contacts of the cooking appliance when the cooking compartment divider is moved into the inserted end position in the cooking compartment and thus in the inserted end position in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level. These mating connection contacts are arranged in particular in a fixed manner in the rear region of the cooking appliance.
This allows the cooking compartment divider, in particular the heating element of the cooking compartment divider, to be supplied with electrical energy.
In one exemplary embodiment, the cooking compartment divider has support feet. In one exemplary embodiment, these extend further down in the height direction than the at least one heating element of the cooking compartment divider. As a result, the cooking compartment divider can also be easily placed on a surface, for example a worktop of a kitchen unit. This can then also be done in such a way that the heating element is arranged without making contact with this surface. By avoiding direct contact of the heating element with this worktop, it is thus possible to avoid damage to the heating element on the one hand and to the worktop on the other hand.
Furthermore, these support feet also enable the cooking compartment divider to be placed on a surface in a stable manner.
A further independent aspect of the invention relates to a cooking appliance having a housing in which a cooking compartment is formed. The cooking appliance further has a plate-shaped cooking compartment divider. The cooking compartment divider is in itself a separate component of the cooking appliance. It is separate from the housing. The cooking compartment divider has a base unit, which is in particular plate-shaped. Furthermore, the cooking compartment divider has at least one heating element. This is arranged in particular on the base unit. It is arranged there in a fixed manner. The cooking compartment has at least one slide-in level on which the cooking compartment divider can be positioned in the cooking compartment, so that the cooking compartment is divided into an upper cooking compartment region and, viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance, into a lower cooking compartment region that is located below it. The positioning of the cooking compartment divider in the cooking compartment is such that the upper cooking compartment region is higher than the lower cooking compartment region, viewed in the height direction. In this aspect, it is essential that the upper cooking compartment region has at least one slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked, said carrier for food to be cooked being different from the cooking space divider, so that a carrier for food to be cooked of the cooking appliance can be positioned in the upper cooking compartment region at a distance from an upper side of the cooking compartment divider, wherein a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the cooking compartment divider in the state inserted into the cooking compartment divider slide-in level and an upper side of the carrier for food to be cooked in the state inserted into the slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked is between 10 mm and 30 mm, in particular between 19 mm and 24 mm. Additionally or in lieu thereof, in this aspect of the cooking appliance, it is provided that the upper cooking compartment region has a heating element that is arranged in a fixed manner as a top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element, wherein a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the carrier for food to be cooked in the state inserted into the slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked and an underside of the top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element in the upper cooking compartment region and/or an underside of an upper boundary wall of a loading opening of the cooking compartment is between 160 mm and 210 mm, in particular between 166 mm and 189 mm. This makes it particularly easy to load and handle components in the respective cooking compartment regions when the cooking compartment divider is arranged in the cooking compartment. In particular, these respective individual distances of a carrier for food to be cooked from other components in the upper cooking compartment region are also particularly advantageous in that larger receptacles for a carrier for food to be cooked can be inserted in the upper cooking compartment region without impacting against other components, in particular heating elements. In addition, a very advantageous heating with the different heating modes, in particular hot air and/or top heat and/or grill and/or bottom heat, is possible in a cooking compartment region that is upper in this respect. Even in such an upper cooking compartment region, which is thus smaller in comparison to the entire cooking compartment, it is possible due to these very detailed distances in the height direction that the entire hot air system of the cooking appliance can also only be used for this upper cooking compartment region and/or also the top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element can only be used for the upper cooking compartment region. Nevertheless, undesirable overheating or poorer preparation results are avoided in the upper cooking compartment region.
Advantageous exemplary embodiments of the first independent aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantageous exemplary embodiments of the above-mentioned further independent aspect of the invention relating to the cooking appliance.
The heating element can have a tubular heating element and/or a radiant heating element and/or an induction heating element. Thus, a wide variety and diversity of energy sources can be provided as heating elements for the cooking compartment insert or the cooking compartment divider. The energy that is generated by the heating element can thus be thermal energy in the context. However, it can also be electromagnetic energy, as is the case with induction heating. The heating element can be connected to an electrical energy source for this energy generation, so that the generation of the energy of the heating element is started by the electrical energy.
Such an electrical energy source can be part of the cooking compartment insert. However, this electrical energy source can also be arranged externally to the cooking compartment insert. In particular, the cooking compartment divider then has electrical contacts or connection contacts. These can be contacted with electrical mating contacts so that the electrical energy is transferred from the electrical energy source to the heating element of the cooking compartment divider via this contact interface. If the cooking compartment divider has its own electrical energy source, this can be a battery or a re-chargeable battery, for example.
If the cooking compartment divider does not have such an own electrical power source, it can be connected to the mains power supply, for example.
In one exemplary embodiment, the base unit has at least one material area on the side of the heating element opposite the receiving region, said material area being designed as a thermal insulation area. As a result, the cooking compartment divider is designed so as to allow energy to be transferred in a very directional manner via the energy transfer unit. Thus, a corresponding energy transfer is not provided in all directions of the cooking compartment divider. This thermal insulation area also allows the cooking compartment divider to be installed in the cooking compartment in a more flexible and more variable manner. On the one hand, in the context components in the cooking compartment that face the thermal insulation area and, in particular, also neighboring or directly adjacent components can then be protected from undesirable energy transfer. In particular, undesired heating of these components is thus prevented. On the other hand, a directed energy transfer is carried out via the receiving region and the energy transfer unit arranged therein.
In one exemplary embodiment, this thermal insulation area has aerogel as the thermal insulating material. On the one hand, this is very light, and on the other hand it is particularly advantageous with regard to the thermal insulation effect. The thermal insulation area can also have a vacuum unit.
In addition to the above-mentioned exemplary embodiment in which aerogel is provided as the material area for the thermal insulation area, a vacuum unit can also be formed as the thermal insulation area in the base unit. Likewise, however, a combination between an aerogel and a vacuum unit can also be provided. In this way, a lightweight and particularly well insulating embodiment is also realized. In particular, such a generally provided weight-minimized design of the cooking compartment divider is advantageous if the cooking compartment divider is not arranged on the bottom of a wall that delimits the cooking compartment, but is quasi suspended in this respect.
In particular, the cooking compartment divider, viewed in the width direction of the cooking appliance, essentially has a width that corresponds to the clear width between two vertical side walls that delimit the cooking compartment. This also makes it particularly easy to hold the cooking compartment divider on these opposing vertical side walls. In particular, viewed in the depth direction of the cooking appliance, the cooking compartment divider has a depth that essentially corresponds to the clear width between the wall and a front loading opening of the cooking compartment.
In one exemplary embodiment, the invention also makes it possible to provide the cooking compartment divider as a retrofit system for a cooking appliance. This also makes it possible for a cooking appliance to be provided in an individual basic configuration. Depending on whether a user then wants to expand the functionality, this at least one cooking compartment divider or even multiple cooking compartment dividers can be retrofitted as retrofit components. In particular, it is also possible in the context that only the basic configuration is provided for the cooking compartment divider. For the individual configuration of an arrangement, a user can then additionally retrofit one or more energy transfer units, as desired or required, so that they can configure an arrangement with the cooking compartment divider and at least one energy transfer unit individually for the user.
Thus, one aspect of the invention also relates to a retrofit system for a cooking appliance. The retrofit system has a cooking compartment divider according to the above-mentioned aspect or an advantageous embodiment thereof. The retrofit system can also have an arrangement according to the above-mentioned aspect or an advantageous exemplary embodiment thereof.
The specifications “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “horizontal”, “vertical”, “depth direction”, “width direction”, “height direction”, etc. indicate the positions and orientations of the cooking compartment divider or the appliance when used and arranged as intended.
Further features of the invention are apparent in the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or as standalone, without leaving the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments are also to be regarded as included and disclosed by the invention which are not explicitly shown and explained in the figures, but which arise from the explained embodiments and can be generated by separate combinations of features. Also embodiments and combinations of features are to be regarded as disclosed which thus do not have all the features of an originally formulated independent claim.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooking compartment divider.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters.
In FIG. 1 , an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance 1 is shown in a front view. The cooking appliance 1 may be a baking oven or a microwave cooking appliance or a steam cooking appliance. Two or more of these functionalities may also be present in one cooking appliance 1. The cooking appliance 1 has a housing 2. A cooking compartment 3 is formed in the housing 2. In one exemplary embodiment, the cooking compartment 3 is delimited by walls 4, 5, 6 and 7 of a muffle 8.
Furthermore, the muffle 8 also has a rear wall 9. Viewed in the depth direction of the cooking appliance 1, which is oriented perpendicular to the plane of the figure, a further wall 10 is arranged in the cooking compartment 3. The wall 10 is separate from the rear wall 9. The wall 10 directly delimits the rear of the cooking compartment 3. The wall 10 can also be referred to as a baffle wall. A free space 11 is formed between this wall 10 and the rear wall 9. Thus, a hot air box is realized. In this respect, the cooking appliance 1 also has a hot air system 12. This has a fan, which is not shown, and a heating element, which are arranged in this free space 11. With the hot air system 12, hot air can be generated in activated operation and can be supplied from the free space 11 through multiple ventilation openings 13 in the wall 10 directly into the cooking compartment 3.
Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 also has a heating element 14. This is here a top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element of the cooking appliance 1. This heating element 14 is arranged in the upper region of the cooking compartment 3. In particular, it is exposed toward the bottom and is arranged directly adjacent to the ceiling wall 7. The heating element 14 is arranged in a fixed manner in the cooking compartment 3. Therefore, it cannot be removed from it in a non-destructive manner.
Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 has a further heating element 15. This is arranged, viewed in the height direction (y-direction), in the lower region of the housing 2, in particular here directly below the base wall 6 in particular directly below the wall 6. This heating element 15 is a bottom-heat heating element of the cooking appliance 1 for the cooking compartment 3.
In the exemplary embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 has multiple separate slide-in levels, viewed in the height direction. In the context, multiple slide-in levels 16, 17, 18, 19 a and 19 b for a carrier for food to be cooked are formed. The number of slide-in levels 16 to 19 b for a carrier for food to be cooked is to be understood as merely exemplary. These slide-in levels 16 to 19 b for a carrier for food to be cooked, which are intended to allow a carrier for food to be cooked of the cooking appliance 1 to be inserted at a specific height position and held therein, can be formed directly on the inner sides of the lateral walls 4 and 5. In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , a separate carrier unit 20 of the cooking appliance 1 can be provided, said carrier unit being held on the wall 4. The carrier unit 20 can be, for example, a support frame. This support frame can be constructed from bars. Accordingly, on the opposite side, a further support frame can be accordingly configured and positioned as a carrier unit 21. At least one carrier 22 for food to be cooked can then be arranged on these carrier units 20 and 21 in the aforementioned slide-in levels 16 to 19 b for a carrier for food to be cooked. A carrier 22 for food to be cooked can be, for example, a grid or a baking tray or a drip tray or the like.
Furthermore, the cooking appliance 1 also has a portable cooking compartment divider 23. The cooking compartment divider 23 is in particular plate-shaped here. It is a separate and distinct component from a carrier 22 for food to be cooked. In the width direction (x-direction) of the cooking appliance 1, in one exemplary embodiment, the cooking compartment divider 23 extends essentially over the entire clear width between the lateral vertical walls 4 and 5. In the depth direction, this cooking compartment divider 23 extends essentially over the entire depth between the wall 10 and, in particular, a front boundary flange 24 of the muffle 8 and/or a loading opening of the cooking compartment 3. Furthermore, the plate-shaped cooking compartment divider 23 is designed to be uninterrupted in its surface dimensions. It can be positioned in the cooking compartment 3 in a defined predetermined slide-in level, which represents a cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25. In particular, only one such cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25 is formed. As a result, the entire cooking compartment 3 is divided into an upper cooking compartment region 3 a and a lower cooking compartment region 3 b that is separated therefrom. The cooking compartment divider 23 then forms a base wall of the upper cooking compartment region 3 a and simultaneously a ceiling wall of the lower cooking compartment region 3 b.
The cooking compartment divider 23 is shown in perspective in FIG. 2 in one exemplary embodiment. The cooking compartment divider 23 is square. It has a base unit 26. The base unit 26 is plate-shaped. Furthermore, the cooking compartment divider 23 has at least one heating element 27. This is arranged here directly on the base unit 26. It is arranged on an underside 26 a of the base unit 26. In the exemplary embodiment, the heating element 27 is arranged so as to be exposed toward the bottom. In this respect, the heating element 27 is fixedly connected and thus motion-coupled to the base unit 26. In one exemplary embodiment, this heating element 27 has end-side electrical connection contacts 28 and 29. These are arranged in a cantilevered manner toward the side. They are oriented horizontally. As the cooking compartment divider 23 is inserted into the cooking compartment 3, these electrical connection contacts 28 and 29 are automatically arranged in a fixed manner with the rear region of the housing 2 and are contacted with electrical mating connection contacts of the cooking appliance 1. As a result, electrical energy can be supplied to the cooking compartment divider 23, in particular the heating element 27, when the cooking compartment divider 23 is arranged in the inserted end position in the cooking compartment 3 on its cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25.
In one exemplary embodiment, the base unit 26 can be thermally insulating. As a result, the upper cooking compartment region 3 a is thermally insulated from the lower cooking compartment region 3 b. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , the heating element 27 serves as a top-heat heating element for the lower cooking compartment region 3 b. As is apparent, the cooking compartment divider 23 and thus also the cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25 are spaced from the lower wall 6 as well as from the upper wall 7. As a result, each of the two cooking compartment regions 3 a and 3 b has a specific height so that it is dimensioned in each case alone and independently of the other cooking compartment region 3 a and 3 b as well as simultaneously in each case for loading with components and/or food to be cooked. Therefore, simultaneous use of the cooking compartment regions 3 a and 3 b for the preparation of food to be cooked can also be provided.
Furthermore, as can also be seen in FIG. 2 , the cooking compartment divider 23 has support feet 30 and 31 in one exemplary embodiment. Further support feet can also be provided in the rear region, in particular in rear corner regions, of the base unit 26. Viewed in the height direction of the cooking compartment divider 23, these support feet 30 and 31 extend further downward than the heating element 27. In particular, structures can also be provided in the rear region which allow the heating element 27 to end further upward with respect to the height position than this structure 32. These structures 32 can be support feet. However, it can also be a continuous wall web viewed in the width direction. The support feet 30 and 31 and the structure 32 allow the cooking compartment divider 23 to be placed on a surface, for example a worktop, in a stable manner and in particular also without tilting. In particular, this can then be done in such a way that the heating element 27 can be set up without making contact with this top surface.
As is apparent in FIG. 1 , in one exemplary embodiment the upper cooking compartment region 3 a is higher than the lower cooking compartment region 3 b, viewed in the height direction. This results in a quasi-asymmetrical division of the cooking compartment 3 by the defined predetermined cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25. In particular, the cooking appliance 1 has only one such fixedly predetermined cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25.
Furthermore, as is apparent, the ventilation openings 13 in the wall 10 are all arranged above the cooking compartment divider 23. This also means that when the cooking compartment divider 23 is arranged with its inserted end position in the cooking compartment 3, hot air from the activated hot air system 12 can only flow into the upper cooking compartment region 3 a through the ventilation openings 13. The hot air system 12 is then provided only for the upper cooking compartment region 3 a.
In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a distance d1 measured in the height direction, as shown in FIG. 1 , is between 10 mm and 30 mm, in particular between 19 mm and 24 mm. This distance d1 is measured in the height direction between an upper side 3 a of the cooking compartment divider 23 when it is arranged in its end position in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25 and in particular an upper side 22 a of the carrier 22 for food to be cooked when this carrier 22 for food to be cooked is arranged in the inserted end state. In particular, this relates to the slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked when only one such slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked is provided in the upper cooking compartment portion 3 a. In one exemplary embodiment, if multiple slide-in levels 16, 17 and 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked are present in the upper cooking compartment region 3 a, this distance d1 is thus to be understood for the particular slide-in level 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked which is closest in the height direction to the upper side 23 a of the cooking compartment divider 23. In particular, therefore, if the carrier 22 for food to be cooked is inserted into the lowest slide-in level 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked when the upper cooking compartment region 3 a has multiple slide-in levels 16 to 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked, this distance d1 applies between the upper sides 22 a and 23 a.
In one exemplary embodiment, it is further provided that a distance d2 that is measured in the height direction is between 160 mm and 210 mm, in particular between 166 mm and 189 mm. This is in particular the distance between the upper side 22 a of the carrier 22 for food to be cooked and the heating element 14 and/or a lower marginal edge 24 a of a boundary wall which delimits the loading opening of the cooking compartment 3 toward the top. This boundary wall can be an upper front flange area, in particular a component of the muffle. In particular, in exemplary embodiments in which multiple slide-in levels 16 to 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked are possible in the upper cooking compartment region 3 a, this relates to the particular situation in which the carrier 22 for food to be cooked is arranged in the upper cooking compartment region 3 a in the height direction in the lowest slide-in level 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked.
As can also be seen in an exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 , with such a positioning of the carrier 22 for food to be cooked, in particular with the distances d1 and/or d2, at least half of the ventilation openings 13, viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance 1, are above the carrier 22 for food to be cooked, in particular at least 70 percent of these ventilation openings 13 are above the carrier 22 for food to be cooked, in particular above the upper side 22 a. Furthermore, as can also be seen, no ventilation opening 13 is arranged below the cooking compartment divider 23, viewed in the height direction, when the latter is positioned on the cooking compartment divider slide-in level 25. In the lower cooking compartment region 3 b, therefore, this hot air system 12 does not have any effect when the cooking compartment divider 23 is inserted.
Once the cooking compartment divider 23 has been removed from the cooking compartment 3, the cooking appliance 1 with its various heating modes, in particular the hot air system 12 and/or the heating element 14 and/or the heating element 15, can then be used for the entire cooking compartment 3. In particular, carriers 22 for food to be cooked can then be positioned simultaneously on the various slide-in levels 16, 17, 18, 19 a and 19 b for a carrier for food to be cooked simultaneously. In particular, the distance d2 is also the minimum distance between the upper side 22 a and the lower boundary edge 24 a of the circumferential boundary flange 24, which delimits the loading opening of the cooking compartment 3 at the front. This also makes it easy to insert and remove receptacles for food to be cooked, such as relatively tall baking tins, from the upper cooking compartment region 3 a or into the upper cooking compartment region 3 a, in particular if the carrier 22 for food to be cooked is arranged on the lowest slide-in level 18 for a carrier for food to be cooked.
Due to the different heating elements of the cooking appliance 1, the cooking compartment regions 3 a and 3 b can also be used individually or different heating modes can also be carried out simultaneously in the individual cooking compartment regions 3 a and 3 b. For example, it is thus possible that, when the cooking compartment divider 23 is in the inserted state, the heating mode hot air and/or top heat and/or grill is activated in the upper cooking compartment region 3 a. In addition to or in lieu of this, the heating element 27 of the cooking compartment divider 23 can be activated in the lower cooking compartment region 3 b and thus a top-heat heating element can be activated. In addition or in lieu of this, the bottom-heat heating element 15 can be activated. Also, roasting tins, for example, as receptacles for food to be cooked can be placed in the upper cooking compartment region 3 a in a simple and user-friendly manner. This is particularly the case if, due to the defined specifications with regard to the height of the cooking compartment regions 3 a and 3 b and the position of the cooking compartment divider 23 and/or in the upper cooking compartment region 3 a a lowest positioning of a carrier 22 for food to be cooked, the overall height of the cooking compartment 3 corresponds to a standard height.
This height d3, in particular between the upper boundary edge 24 a and the opposite lower boundary edge of the delimiting flange 24 can be, for example, between 30 and 35, in particular between 31 cm and 33 cm. It is precisely the aforementioned dimensioning and positioning that creates a situation in which the cooking compartment divider 23 can remain in the cooking compartment 3 for a wide variety of applications. Frequent removal and reinsertion can therefore be avoided.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

- 1 Cooking appliance
- 2 Housing
- 3 Cooking compartment
- 3 a Upper cooking compartment region
- 3 b Lower cooking compartment region
- 4 Wall
- 5 Wall
- 6 Wall
- 7 Wall
- 8 Muffle
- 9 Rear wall
- 10 Wall
- 11 Free space
- 12 Hot air system
- 13 Ventilation opening
- 14 Heating element
- 15 Heating element
- 16 Slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked
- 17 Slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked
- 18 Slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked
- 18 a Slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked
- 19 Slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked
- 19 a Slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked
- 20 Carrier unit
- 21 Support frame
- 22 Carrier for food to be cooked
- 22 a Top
- 23 Cooking compartment divider
- 23 Upper side
- 24 Delimiting flange
- 24 a Lower boundary edge
- 25 Cooking compartment divider slide-in level
- 26 Base unit
- 26 a Underside
- 27 Heating element
- 28 Connection contact
- 29 Connection contact
- 30 Support foot
- 31 Support foot
- 32 Structure
- d1 Distance
- d2 Distance
- x Width direction
- y Height direction
- z Depth direction

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A cooking appliance, comprising:

a housing having a cooking compartment including a cooking compartment divider slide-in level;

a plate-shaped cooking compartment divider designed for positioning in the cooking compartment on the cooking compartment divider slide-in level to divide the cooking compartment into an upper cooking compartment region and a lower cooking compartment region;

a hot-air system designed to supply hot air into the cooking compartment; and

a wall designed to delimit the cooking compartment and including ventilation openings, through which the hot air of the hot-air system is supplied into the cooking compartment, said ventilation openings, viewed in a height direction of the cooking appliance, being arranged only above the cooking-chamber divider slide-in level.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the hot air system is only effective in the upper cooking compartment region when the cooking compartment divider is inserted in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level and the hot air system is activated.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking compartment divider includes a base unit and a heating element arranged on the base unit and embodied as a top-heat heating element for the lower cooking compartment region when the cooking compartment divider is arranged in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking compartment divider includes a heating element embodied as a bottom-heat heating element and provided for the upper cooking compartment region when the cooking compartment divider is arranged in the cooking compartment divider slide-in level.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the upper cooking compartment region is arranged at a height which is higher than a height of the lower cooking compartment region.

21. The cooking appliance of claim 20, wherein the height of the upper cooking compartment region is at least 10% greater than the height of the lower cooking compartment region.

22. The cooking appliance of claim 20, wherein the height of the upper cooking compartment region is between 10% and 30% greater than the height of the lower cooking compartment region.

23. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the upper cooking compartment region has at least one slide-in level for a carrier for food to be cooked, which carrier is different from the cooking compartment divider and positioned in the upper cooking compartment region at a distance from an upper side of the cooking compartment divider.

24. The cooking appliance of claim 23, wherein a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the cooking compartment divider, when inserted into the cooking compartment divider slide-in level, and an upper side of the carrier when inserted into the slide-in level, is between 10 mm and 30 mm.

25. The cooking appliance of claim 23, wherein a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the cooking compartment divider, when inserted into the cooking compartment divider slide-in level, and an upper side of the carrier when inserted into the slide-in level, is between 19 mm and 24 mm.

26. The cooking appliance of claim 16, further comprising a heating element arranged in a fixed manner in the upper cooking compartment region and embodied as a top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element.

27. The cooking appliance of claim 24, further comprising a heating element arranged in a fixed manner in the upper cooking compartment region and embodied as a top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element. wherein a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the carrier, when inserted into the slide-in level of the upper cooking compartment region, and the top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element in the upper cooking compartment region and/or an upper edge of a boundary flange, which delimits a loading opening of the cooking compartment, is between 160 mm and 210 mm.

28. The cooking appliance of claim 24, further comprising a heating element arranged in a fixed manner in the upper cooking compartment region and embodied as a top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element. wherein a distance, viewed in the height direction, between the upper side of the carrier, when inserted into the slide-in level of the upper cooking compartment region, and the top-heat heating element and/or grill heating element in the upper cooking compartment region and/or an upper edge of a boundary flange, which delimits a loading opening of the cooking compartment, is between 166 mm and 189 mm.

29. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the lower cooking compartment region includes a heating element arranged in a fixed manner as a bottom-heat heating element.

30. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking compartment includes at least two slide-in levels for support of carriers for food to be cooked, respectively. said at least two slide-in levels positioned at different heights, said hot air system simultaneously supplying hot air to the at least two slide-in levels when the cooking compartment divider is removed from the cooking compartment.

31. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking compartment is divided by the cooking compartment divider in such a way that in one of the upper and lower cooking compartment regions a first heating mode is being able to be carried out and in the other one of the upper and lower cooking compartment regions simultaneously a second heating mode is being able to be carried out and is different from the first heating mode, wherein the first and second heating modes in the upper and lower cooking compartment regions do not or substantially do not have any effect on one another.

32. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking compartment divider includes a heating element having electrical connection contacts which automatically make contact with electrical mating connection contacts of the cooking appliance when the cooking compartment divider is inserted into an end position in the cooking compartment.

33. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking compartment divider includes a heating element, said cooking compartment divider including support feet which extend further downward in the height direction than the heating element of the cooking compartment divider.