A top suction type range hood with hidden air inlet channel

Abstract

A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel includes a smoke collection hood and a fan housing on top of it. The bottom of the smoke collection hood has a recessed smoke collection area, and an air inlet within this area connects to a smoke extraction module housed within the fan housing. When the smoke extraction module is operating, it draws in cooking fumes from the smoke collection area through the air inlet. The smoke collection hood is angled, higher at the front and lower at the back. A condenser plate is suspended below the smoke collection hood, positioned in front of the smoke collection area, with the entire smoke collection area located behind it. The condenser plate and the lower surface of the smoke collection hood are spaced vertically, forming an outer ring air intake channel between them. The beneficial effect of this invention is that the spaced vertical distribution of the condenser plate and the lower surface of the smoke collection hood cleverly creates an outer ring air intake channel. This design prevents users from directly seeing the internal structure of the smoke collection hood from an external viewpoint.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of range hood technology, specifically a top-mounted range hood with a hidden air intake channel. Background Technology

[0002] As an indispensable appliance in modern kitchens, range hoods primarily function to extract cooking fumes, maintaining a clean and healthy kitchen environment. Currently, there are many types of range hoods on the market, among which top-mounted range hoods are widely popular due to their central installation position, effectively covering the area above the stove, and relatively flexible design.

[0003] However, existing top-mounted range hoods generally have the following problems and shortcomings: 1. Exposed smoke inlet affects the overall aesthetics of the kitchen: Traditional top-mounted range hoods, regardless of their smoke collection hood design, typically have their core smoke intake directly exposed at the bottom or front of the hood. This design makes the smoke inlet, including its internal grille, filter, or turbine inlet, completely visible to the user. Although manufacturers continuously strive for innovation in appearance design, the exposed smoke inlet often becomes a visual focal point, making it difficult to integrate with the minimalist, integrated, or concealed aesthetic style pursued in modern kitchens. This not only disrupts the overall harmony of the kitchen but may also give users a bulky and unrefined visual impression of the range hood, clashing with the current trend of "concealed" and "integrated" home appliances.

[0004] 2. Existing top-mounted range hoods typically perform simple oil-fume separation through filters after drawing in cooking fumes. However, for cooking fumes that are high-temperature and contain a large amount of water vapor and oil molecules, traditional filters often struggle to achieve efficient oil-fume separation and condensation. This results in some fumes directly entering the duct and fan, accelerating oil accumulation and corrosion on the fan blades, affecting extraction efficiency and fan lifespan, and making cleaning and maintenance difficult. More seriously, insufficiently condensed oil droplets may accumulate in the duct and even leak, causing secondary pollution in the kitchen and making cleaning tedious. While some range hoods have simple condensation plates, their structure and placement are often insufficient to adequately cool the fumes, resulting in unsatisfactory condensation effects.

[0005] 3. Most existing top-mounted range hoods use a single air intake channel, directly drawing in cooking fumes through the smoke inlet below the fume hood. This design may lead to problems such as fumes escaping from the edges and incomplete fume capture when dealing with large areas of cooking with high intensity. Especially when the fumes are widely dispersed or encounter airflow interference in the kitchen, a single air intake cannot create an effective all-around negative pressure zone, causing some fumes to spread untreated to other areas of the kitchen. Furthermore, the exposed smoke inlet structure limits the design freedom in balancing aesthetics and performance. Therefore, further improvements are necessary. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a top-mounted range hood with a more compact structure, a more aesthetically pleasing appearance, improved oil fume separation and condensation effect and air intake efficiency, and convenient cleaning.

[0007] The purpose of this utility model is achieved through the following method: a top-mounted range hood with a hidden air intake channel, comprising a smoke collection hood and a fan cabinet located on top of it. The bottom of the smoke collection hood is recessed to form a smoke collection area, and an air inlet is provided in the smoke collection area to communicate with a smoke extraction module located in the fan cabinet. When the smoke extraction module is working, it draws in cooking fumes from the smoke collection area through the air inlet. The smoke collection hood is inclined with a front higher than a rear lower shape. A condenser plate is suspended below the smoke collection hood. The condenser plate is located in front of the smoke collection area, and the entire smoke collection area is located behind the condenser plate. The condenser plate and the lower end face of the smoke collection hood are spaced vertically, forming an outer ring air intake channel between the condenser plate and the smoke collection hood. A support plate is fitted behind the condenser plate. The support plate has several oil leakage holes and auxiliary air inlets. An air-avoidance zone is provided on the condenser plate at the positions corresponding to the oil leakage holes and auxiliary air inlets. An oil collection trough is installed below the oil leak hole and auxiliary air inlet, and a hidden air intake is formed by hollowing out the oil collection trough and the condenser plate.

[0008] Furthermore: the auxiliary air inlet is elongated in shape, and several auxiliary air inlets are distributed horizontally at intervals.

[0009] Furthermore, the auxiliary air inlet extends backward with a rear flange, which is higher than the inner surface of the support plate.

[0010] Furthermore, a connecting plate is provided on the top of the tray, and the connecting plate is fixed to the smoke collection hood.

[0011] Furthermore: the tray and the connecting plate together form a groove-shaped structure with an opening at the front end, and the rear end of the condenser plate is detachably installed between the tray and the connecting plate.

[0012] Furthermore: the bottom of the tray is provided with connecting grooves on both sides, the oil collection trough is installed with a top plate, and the oil collection trough is installed with the top plate by snapping it into the connecting groove.

[0013] Furthermore, the top plate is positioned above the upper surface of the oil collection tank, and after the oil collection tank is installed, the space required for the hidden air intake is formed between the oil collection tank and the condenser plate.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: 1. Simple structure, low production cost, and improved market competitiveness.

[0015] 2. By strategically positioning the condenser plate and the lower surface of the smoke hood at alternating intervals, an outer ring air intake is cleverly formed. This design prevents users from directly seeing the internal structure of the smoke hood from the outside. This visual concealment effect makes the range hood appear cleaner, more integrated, and with smooth lines, greatly enhancing the overall aesthetics of the product.

[0016] 3. This utility model not only sets up the air inlet in the traditional smoke collection area as the main smoke extraction channel, but also forms a hidden air intake channel by hollowing out the space between the oil collection tank and the condenser plate. This design enables the area behind the condenser plate to also have a highly efficient smoke extraction function. This means that the range hood can simultaneously draw in oil fumes from the smoke collection area and the area behind the condenser plate through the hidden air intake channel, achieving multi-channel and multi-area oil fume capture.

[0017] 4. The condenser plate is suspended below the fume hood and positioned in front of the fume collection area. The cooking fumes first come into contact with the condenser plate. Under the cooling effect of the condenser plate, the oil droplets and water vapor in the fumes can be initially condensed and adhere to the surface of the condenser plate, effectively improving the oil fume separation efficiency, reducing the chance of oil fumes directly entering the blower and fan, thereby protecting the fan, extending its service life, and significantly reducing the risk of oil accumulation and leakage in the air duct, making cleaning and maintenance more convenient. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 , 2 Figures 1 and 3 show the overall assembly and usage effect of this utility model.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of this utility model.

[0020] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the structure of this utility model.

[0021] Figure 6 This is an assembly drawing of the condenser plate and oil collection tank in this utility model.

[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Smoke hood; 10. Concealed air intake; 11. Rear flange; 12. Connecting plate; 13. Support plate; 14. Oil drain hole; 15. Connecting groove; 16. Top plate; 17. Clearance area; 2. Air handling unit; 3. Smoke collection area; 4. Air inlet; 5. Smoke extraction module; 6. Condensate plate; 7. Outer ring air intake; 8. Auxiliary air inlet; 9. Oil collection groove. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. A top-mounted range hood with a hidden air intake channel includes a smoke collection hood 1 and a fan cabinet 2 located on top of it. The bottom of the smoke collection hood 1 is recessed to form a smoke collection area 3. An air inlet 4 is provided in the smoke collection area 3, which is connected to a smoke extraction module 5 located in the fan cabinet 2. When the smoke extraction module 5 is working, it draws in cooking fumes from the smoke collection area 3 through the air inlet 4. The smoke collection hood 1 is inclined with the front higher than the back. A condenser plate 6 is suspended below the smoke collection hood 1. The condenser plate 6 is located in front of the smoke collection area 3, and the smoke collection area 3 is located behind the condenser plate 6. The condenser plate 6 and the lower end face of the smoke collection hood 1 are spaced vertically, forming an outer ring air intake channel 7 between the condenser plate 6 and the smoke collection hood 1. The condenser plate 6 is fitted with a support plate 13 behind it. The support plate 13 has several oil leakage holes 14 and auxiliary air inlets 8. The condenser plate 6 has an air-avoidance zone 17 corresponding to the positions of the oil leakage holes 14 and auxiliary air inlets 8. An oil collection trough 9 is installed below the oil leakage hole 14 and the auxiliary air inlet 8. A hidden air intake duct 10 is formed by hollowing out the oil collection trough 9 and the condenser plate 6.

[0024] In this embodiment: When the smoke extraction module 5 is working, it generates a strong negative pressure at the air inlet 4 within the smoke collection area 3. Part of the cooking fumes rise along the inner wall of the smoke collection hood 1 and are drawn into the outer ring air intake duct 7 formed between the condenser plate 6 and the lower end face of the smoke collection hood 1, eventually converging into the air inlet 4. Another portion of the fumes, during their ascent, first come into contact with the condenser plate 6 suspended below the smoke collection hood 1, where they undergo initial condensation under the cooling effect of the condenser plate 6, with oil droplets adhering to its surface. Because the smoke collection hood 1 is tilted at the front and lower at the back, the condenser plate 6 can also be tilted accordingly, allowing the condensed oil droplets to flow naturally down the surface of the condenser plate 6 to the lower oil drain hole 14.

[0025] The condenser plate 6 is positioned in front of the smoke collection area 3, and the smoke collection area 3 is entirely located behind the condenser plate 6. This allows the smoke collection area 3 to primarily receive fumes that pass behind the condenser plate 6 or enter directly from behind. An auxiliary air inlet 8 is provided on the support plate 13 behind the condenser plate 6, offering an additional air intake channel for the fumes behind the condenser plate 6. Simultaneously, the oil drain hole 14 on the support plate 13 and the corresponding clearance area 17 on the condenser plate 6 ensure that oil droplets on the condenser plate 6 can smoothly pass through the support plate 13 into the oil collection trough 9 below, without obstructing the air intake of the auxiliary air inlet 8.

[0026] More importantly, the hidden air intake duct 10 formed by the hollow structure between the oil collection tank 9 and the condenser plate 6 allows the oil fumes behind the condenser plate 6 and above the oil collection tank 9 to be effectively drawn in, realizing multi-level and multi-channel oil fume capture.

[0027] Compared with traditional technology, the outer ring air intake duct 7 formed between the condenser plate 6 and the lower end face of the smoke hood 1 has a clever concealing effect. Users cannot directly see the internal structure of the range hood from the outside, making the range hood look cleaner and more integrated. This realizes the design concept of "hidden air intake channel", which greatly improves the overall aesthetics of the product and conforms to the minimalist aesthetics of modern kitchens.

[0028] Meanwhile, the front-mounted suspension installation of the condenser plate 6 makes it the first barrier before the oil fumes enter the smoke collection area 3, effectively promoting the initial cooling of high-temperature oil fumes and the condensation of oil droplets, improving the oil fume separation efficiency, and reducing the amount of oil entering the air duct and fan.

[0029] In addition, through the synergistic effect of the outer ring air intake duct 7, the air inlet 4 in the smoke collection area 3, the hidden air intake duct 10, and the auxiliary air inlet 8, the three-dimensional and multi-area capture of oil fumes is achieved. This enables more comprehensive capture of oil fumes spreading from different directions and areas, significantly improving the overall capture efficiency of the range hood and effectively preventing the escape of oil fumes.

[0030] In one embodiment, the auxiliary air inlet 8 is elongated, and several auxiliary air inlets 8 are distributed laterally at intervals. The elongated design of the auxiliary air inlets 8 increases the length of each individual inlet, allowing for wider lateral coverage. Simultaneously, the lateral spacing of several elongated auxiliary air inlets 8 further expands the air intake area behind the condenser plate 6, resulting in a more uniform negative pressure distribution in this area and more effectively drawing in fumes diffusing from behind or to the sides of the stove.

[0031] In one embodiment, the auxiliary air inlet 8 extends rearward with a rear flange 11, which is positioned higher than the inner surface of the tray 13. When oil droplets condensed on the surface of the condensation plate 6 flow down its surface, or when the range hood is operating and airflow and fumes may cause oil droplets to flow on the surface of the tray 13, this rear flange 11 can effectively prevent oil droplets or grease from splashing out or flowing back into the cooking area through the auxiliary air inlet 8. At the same time, it also guides the oil droplets to flow more concentratedly towards the oil drain hole 14, keeping the kitchen environment clean.

[0032] In one embodiment, a connecting plate 12 is provided on the top of the tray, and the connecting plate 12 is fixed to the fume hood 1. This ensures that the condenser, air intake, and oil collection components can be securely installed under the fume hood to prevent vibration or accidental detachment during operation.

[0033] In one embodiment, the support plate and the connecting plate 12 together form a groove-like structure with an open front end. The rear end of the condenser plate 6 is detachably installed between the support plate 13 and the connecting plate 12. This groove-like structure acts like a slide rail or slot, allowing the rear end of the condenser plate 6 to be easily inserted or removed in a detachable manner. This enables quick and easy disassembly of the condenser plate 6. Users can remove the condenser plate 6 from the range hood for cleaning without tools or complicated operations, effectively solving the pain point of difficult cleaning inside the range hood and greatly improving the user experience.

[0034] In one embodiment: the bottom sides of the tray 13 are provided with connecting grooves 15, and a top plate 16 is installed in the oil collecting tank 9. The oil collecting tank 9 is installed by the top plate 16 snapping into the connecting groove 15. During installation, the top plate 16 of the oil collecting tank 9 can be precisely snapped into the connecting groove 15, realizing a quick and stable connection between the oil collecting tank 9 and the tray 13.

[0035] In one embodiment: the top plate 16 is positioned above the upper end surface of the oil collection tank 9, and after the oil collection tank 9 is installed, the space required for the hidden air intake duct 10 is formed between the oil collection tank 9 and the condenser plate 6.

[0036] In this embodiment: after the oil collection tank 9 is installed below the support plate 13 via the top plate 16, the specific height of the top plate 16 ensures that there is always a stable gap between the oil collection tank 9 and the condenser plate 6 above it. This gap is the actual space for the hidden air intake duct 10. It avoids the situation where the oil collection tank 9 might push upward against the condenser plate 6 and block the air intake duct after it is installed in place.

[0037] The precise structural design ensures that the space of the hidden air intake 10 is always unobstructed, avoiding blockage of the air intake due to component installation errors or improper design, thereby ensuring that the hidden air intake 10 can continuously and effectively perform its auxiliary air intake function.

[0038] In summary, this utility model provides a top-mounted range hood with a hidden air intake channel. Its core working principle lies in the use of a multi-layered, multi-channel oil fume capture system combined with efficient oil fume condensation and separation, achieving excellent performance while also taking into account the product's aesthetics and ease of cleaning.

[0039] When the user turns on the range hood, the smoke extraction module 5 inside the fan housing 2 activates, generating a powerful negative pressure suction through the air inlet 4 in the smoke collection area 3. The cooking fumes are captured along multiple paths: A portion of the rising fumes will be drawn into the outer ring air intake duct 7 formed between the condenser plate 6 and the lower end face of the fume hood 1 along the edge of the fume hood 1, and will eventually flow into the fume collection area 3 and the main air inlet 4. This design cleverly conceals the various internal structures of the range hood, making the overall appearance of the range hood simpler and cleaner from the outside, achieving the visual effect of "hidden air intake channel" and greatly enhancing the overall aesthetics of the product.

[0040] Another portion of the rising fumes first comes into contact with the condenser plate 6 suspended below the fume hood 1. The relatively low surface temperature of the condenser plate 6 causes the oil molecules and water vapor in the high-temperature fumes to be rapidly cooled and condensed into droplets, adhering to the surface of the condenser plate 6, thus achieving initial oil-fume separation. Because the fume hood 1 is tilted at the front and lower at the back, the condenser plate 6 can also be tilted accordingly, ensuring that the condensed oil droplets can flow naturally along the surface of the condenser plate 6.

[0041] Meanwhile, a support plate 13 is fitted behind the condenser plate 6, and the support plate 13 has several elongated and laterally spaced auxiliary air inlets 8. These auxiliary air inlets 8 provide additional and efficient air intake channels for the oil fumes in the area behind the condenser plate 6, enhancing the ability to capture oil fumes behind, especially laterally diffused oil fumes.

[0042] A hidden air intake duct 10 is cleverly formed through a perforated structure between the oil collection tank 9 and the condenser plate 6. This air intake duct allows oil fumes behind the condenser plate 6 and above the oil collection tank 9 to be effectively drawn in, further expanding the range and efficiency of oil fume capture, achieving multi-channel, multi-area three-dimensional oil fume capture, and effectively preventing oil fume escape. The top plate 16 is positioned higher than the upper surface of the oil collection tank 9, ensuring that the space of the hidden air intake duct 10 remains unobstructed after the oil collection tank 9 is installed.

[0043] Furthermore, the oil droplets condensing on the condenser plate 6 flow smoothly into the oil collection tank 9 installed below through the oil drain holes 14 on the condenser plate 6 and the corresponding clearance area 17 on the condenser plate 6. To prevent oil droplets from splashing back or being carried out by the airflow, a rear flange 11 higher than the inner surface of the support plate 13 is specially designed behind the auxiliary air inlet 8 to form a physical barrier, ensuring that oil droplets flow into the oil collection tank 9 along a predetermined path, keeping the exterior of the range hood and the kitchen environment clean.

[0044] Meanwhile, the lower components of the range hood, including the condenser plate, support plate, and oil collection tray, are securely fixed to the smoke hood 1 via the connecting plate 12. For ease of cleaning, the rear end of the condenser plate 6 is detachable, and the front opening groove structure formed by the support plate 13 and the connecting plate 12 allows for easy removal and cleaning. Similarly, the oil collection tray 9 is snapped into the connecting groove 15 at the bottom of the support plate 13 via its top plate 16, enabling quick, tool-free disassembly and assembly, greatly simplifying daily maintenance and cleaning processes and enhancing the user experience.

[0045] In summary, through these innovative structural designs and their synergistic operation, this utility model not only achieves efficient oil fume capture, excellent oil fume condensation and separation, and simple cleaning and maintenance in terms of function, but also achieves an aesthetic breakthrough in appearance with a "hidden air intake channel," providing a more beautiful, efficient, and user-friendly top-mounted range hood solution for modern kitchens. Therefore, it can be widely promoted and used.

[0046] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this utility model. Those skilled in the art should understand that this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this utility model. Various changes and modifications can be made to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claimed utility model.

Claims

1. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel, comprising a smoke collection hood (1) and a fan housing (2) disposed on its top, wherein a smoke collection area (3) is recessed at the bottom of the smoke collection hood (1), and an air inlet (4) is provided in the smoke collection area (3) and communicates with a smoke extraction module (5) disposed in the fan housing (2), wherein when the smoke extraction module (5) is working, it draws in cooking fumes from the smoke collection area (3) through the air inlet (4), characterized in that: The smoke hood (1) is inclined with the front higher than the back. A condenser plate (6) is suspended below the smoke hood (1). The condenser plate (6) is located in front of the smoke collection area (3), and the smoke collection area (3) is located behind the condenser plate (6). The condenser plate (6) and the lower end face of the smoke hood (1) are distributed vertically at intervals, forming an outer ring air intake channel (7) between the condenser plate (6) and the smoke hood (1). The condenser plate (6) is fitted with a support plate (13) behind it. The support plate (13) has several oil leakage holes (14) and an auxiliary air inlet (8). The condenser plate (6) has an air-proof area (17) corresponding to the oil leakage holes (14) and the auxiliary air inlet (8). An oil collection trough (9) is installed below the oil leakage hole (14) and the auxiliary air inlet (8), and a hidden air intake channel (10) is formed by hollowing out between the oil collection trough (9) and the condenser plate (6).

2. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The auxiliary air inlet (8) is arranged in a long waist shape, and several auxiliary air inlets (8) are distributed horizontally at intervals.

3. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The auxiliary air inlet (8) has a rear flange (11) extending in the rear direction, and the rear flange (11) is set higher than the inner surface of the support plate (13).

4. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top of the tray is provided with a connecting plate (12), which is fixed to the smoke hood (1).

5. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The tray and the connecting plate (12) together form a groove-shaped structure with an open front end, and the rear end of the condenser plate (6) is detachably installed between the tray (13) and the connecting plate (12).

6. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom sides of the tray (13) are provided with connecting grooves (15), and the oil collection tank (9) is equipped with a top plate (16). The oil collection tank (9) is installed in the connecting groove (15) by the top plate (16).

7. A top-mounted range hood with a concealed air intake channel according to claim 6, characterized in that: The top plate (16) is set above the upper end of the oil collection tank (9). After the oil collection tank (9) is installed, the space required for the hidden air intake (10) is formed between the oil collection tank (9) and the condenser plate (6).

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