A BUILT-IN AIR CLEANER OF SINK FOR RANGE
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an air cleaner for a range, and more particularly, to an air cleaner that is built into a kitchen counter (sink) in which a range or an oven is also built-in, thereby providing a fresh kitchen environment and improving the appearance of the kitchen.
BACKGROUND ART Generally, a gas range or an oven range is built into a counter installed in a home kitchen.
A ventilation fan (a range hood) is installed directly above the gas range or the oven range to exhaust odors, heat, or harmful gasses that are generated in the course of cooking, to the outside. However, although such a range hood is designed to exhaust the odors, heat, or harmful gasses that rise directly above the gas range or the oven range, it cannot discharge the odors, heat, or harmful gasses that are dispersed out of the exhaust range around the gas range or the oven range. Therefore, the odors, heat, or harmful gasses that are not exhausted outside but rise to the ceiling of the kitchen are spread to a living room, a bedroom, and the like where they remain, extremely deteriorating the interior environment.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a built-in air cleaner of sink for a range that substantially obviate one or more of the problems due to limitations
and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an air cleaner that can completely exhaust gasses, odors, and the like, which are generated in the course of preparing food using a gas range or an oven range, to the outside, thereby providing a delightful cooking environment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air cleaner that is built into a range-built-in kitchen counter so as not to deteriorate the appearance of the kitchen.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a built-in air cleaner of a kitchen counter for a range, the air cleaner comprising a ventilation case disposed to be movable in the kitchen counter by, guide rails formed on left and right sides of the ventilation case, fixing means for fixing the ventilation case on the kitchen counter, the fixing means comprising an insertion projection formed on a rear side of the ventilation case and an insertion groove formed on an inner surface of the sink, the insertion projection being inserted into the insertion groove, supporting rails formed on the sink to support the guide rails, a ventilator disposed in the ventilation case to generate ventilation force, a power switch provided on a side of the kitchen counter to turn on and off the ventilator, a ventilated air exhaust tube for guiding air generated by the ventilator in a direction, an air curtain forming tube arranged to define a space in which a range top is disposed, the air curtain forming tube forming an air curtain formed along an outer circumference of the range top and extended toward the range hood, a plurality of air injection holes formed on the air curtain forming tube to inject the air generated from the ventilator, and a ventilated air intake tube selectively coupled to the ventilated air exhaust tube in response to a linear motion of the ventilation case, the ventilated air intake tube
being extended from a portion of the air curtain forming tube.
Preferably, the range hood is provided at a bottom with a plurality of air intake holes corresponding to the air injection holes corresponding to the air injection holes such that the air injected from the air injection holes is directed induced into the air intake holes.
The built-in air cleaner may further comprise an anion generator provided on the ventilated air exhaust tube.
Preferably, the air curtain forming tube is divided by a partition.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a built-in air cleaner for a range-built-in kitchen counter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGs. 2a and 2b are schematic views illustrating an inner structure of a built- in air cleaner for a range-built-in kitchen counter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating a portion A depicted in FIG. 2a; FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a using state of a built-in air cleaner for
a range-built-in kitchen counter according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a side view of a ventilation case according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Generally, a kitchen counter is provided with a top opening in which a range (a gas range or a gas oven range) is installed. A range hood for exhausting gasses and odors, which are generated in the course of preparing food, to the outside is installed directly above the range.
In the present invention, a built-in air cleaner is provided on the counter. The built-in air cleaner is designed to draw an air curtain for completely guiding the gasses and odors to the range hood.
Referring first to FIGs. 1 and 2a, the inventive air cleaner comprises a ventilation case 20 disposed in the counter 10. The ventilation case 20 defines a predetermined space therein and moves linearly forward and rearward in the counter 10. A ventilator 30 for generating ventilation force using a predetermined electric energy is provided in the ventilation case 20. The ventilation case 20 is provided at its one side with an air intake opening 21. An L-shaped ventilation tube 22 for exhausting ventilated air is disposed in the ventilation tube 20 and extended out of the ventilation tube 20. The ventilators 30 is turned on and off by an electric switch 40 provided on a
sidewall of the counter 10.
Guide rails 23 for guiding the linear motion of the ventilation case 20 are provided on both side outer surfaces of the ventilation case 20. Supporting rails 11 for supporting the guide rails 23 are provided on the opposing inner surfaces of the counter 10.
Referring to FIG. 2a, the ventilation case 20 is provided at its rear surface with an insertion projection 24, and the counter 10 is provided at its inner surface with an insertion groove 12. The ventilation case 20 is fixedly coupled on the counter 10 by interlocking the insertion projection 24 and the insertion groove 12. Meanwhile, an air curtain forming tube 50 arranged to define a square- shaped space is provided on a top of the counter 10, and a top of the range 1 is disposed in the square-shaped space defined by the air curtain forming tube 50.
In addition, a plurality of air injection holes 51 are formed on the rectangular air curtain forming tube 50 (see FIG. 1). A portion of the bottom of the air curtain forming tube 50 is communicatively connected with a ventilated air inducing tube 52 that is communicatively selectively coupled to the ventilated air exhaust tube 22 in response to the linear motion of the ventilation case 20. The ventilated air exhaust tube 22 is provided at its one end proximal to the ventilating air inducing tube 52 with a rubber packing member 60 enhancing tight contact when it is coupled to the ventilated air inducing tube 52.
Meanwhile, the passage defined by the air curtain forming tube 50 is divided by a partition 53.
The partition 53 allows a flowing distance of the air to be reduced so that the air having a constant pressure is uniformly transmitted through all the passage defined by the air curtain forming tube 50, thereby forming a uniform square pillar-
shaped air curtain.
Formed on a bottom of the range hood 80 is a plurality of air intake holes 81 corresponding to the air injection holes 51 of the air curtain forming tube 50. The air injected from the air curtain injection holes 51 is induced into the air intake holes 81 , thereby preventing the air from dispersed by colliding with the bottom of the range hood 80, to thereby form a more reliable air curtain.
Preferably, an anion generator 70 is provided on the ventilated air exhaust tube 22 to neutralize and purify the polluted air, thereby refreshing the room air.
The anion generator 70 may be formed of charcoal or an electrolysis device generating the anions.
When a user turns on the power switch provided on a side of the counter to prepare a dish using the range, the ventilator generates a predetermined amount of ventilation force.
By the ventilation force, external air is introduced through the air intake opening formed on the ventilation case and is then exhausted through the ventilated air exhaust tube.
Since the ventilated air exhaust tube is connected to the ventilated air intake tube, the ventilated air is supplied to the air curtain forming tube through the ventilated air intake tube and is then injected upward through the air curtain injection holes formed on the air curtain forming tube.
At this point, since the air curtain forming tube is arranged to define a square-shaped space in which the range top is disposed such that the air curtain is formed along the outer circumference of the range top, the range is isolated by the air curtain. In addition, since the air curtain intake holes are formed on the range hood
to correspond to the air injection holes of the air curtain forming tube, the air injected from the air injection holes is directed to be drawn into the air curtain intake holes and is then exhausted out of the range hood, thereby preventing the gasses, odors, or smoke from being leaked out of the air curtain by colliding with the bottom of the range hood.
Therefore, the smoke or odors generated during cooking are prevented by the air curtain from being dispersed, and are guided to the range hood to be exhausted to the outside, thereby maintaining the fresh room air.
Furthermore, since the anion generator is provided, the smoke, odors, and polluted air can be neutralized, thereby further enhancing the fresh room air.
Meanwhile, since the ventilation case is designed to linearly move, it is very convenient to repair or replace the ventilator in the ventilation case. In addition, since the air cleaner is installed to be built into the counter, the appearance of the kitchen can be improved.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As described above, the air cleaner of the present invention is designed to
(a) effectively guide smoke and odors generated during the preparation of food and to exhaust the same to the outside without dispersing the same in a room, (b) maintain fresh room air by neutralizing the smoke and odors by emitting anions, and
(c) improve the appearance of a kitchen by being integrally installed in the counter.
While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the
present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.