Cooking appliance

Abstract

Cooking appliance (1), with a cooking chamber (11) for receiving food to be cooked, wherein the cooking chamber (11) is bounded by a cooking chamber shell (12), wherein at least one support element (2) is arranged on an inner side (13) of the cooking chamber shell (12), which is designed to hold a cooking vessel containing the food to be cooked, wherein the support part (2) has a pin (22) which is held by an elastic receiving sleeve (3) in a through-opening (15) of the cooking chamber shell (12), wherein the receiving sleeve (3) is closed at the end, characterized by that the receiving sleeve (3) includes projections (40) on the inner circumferential surface (35), wherein the projections (40) are web-shaped, within the receiving sleeve (3, 35), - wherein the projections (40) are inclined or twisted in relation to the insertion direction of the pin (22), and / or - wherein the inner surface of the cooking chamber (13) has at least a sloping surface (16) around the passage opening (15), wherein the contact surface of the receiving sleeve (3) is adapted at least a portion to the sloping surface (16) of the inner surface of the cooking chamber (13) and the receiving sleeve (3) is made of an elastomer material which is electrically conductive.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber for receiving food to be cooked, wherein the cooking chamber is essentially delimited by a cooking chamber casing, wherein at least one supporting part is arranged on an inner side of the cooking chamber casing, which supporting part is designed to hold a cooking utensil with the food to be cooked, wherein the supporting part has a pin which is held by an elastic receiving sleeve, also referred to as a receiving plug, in a through-opening of the cooking chamber casing.

[0002] Various cooking appliances are known, for example, from US Pat. No. 6,729,705 B2, in which grids, trays, or the like can be accommodated in the cooking chamber. These include, in addition to ovens, steam cookers, microwaves, or combinations of these types of appliances.

[0003] These grates, trays, and the like are typically held on the two inner sides of the cooking chamber by a support member or support grid. The support grids form horizontal, straight rails into which, for example, a grate can be inserted by the user from the front when the cooking chamber is open. The German patent document DE 10 2016 103 155 A1 shows a support grid and its mount on a cooking chamber wall. Several pairs of rails are arranged vertically spaced from one another to allow for different height positions of the grate. The support grids are typically made of a single piece of metal.

[0004] From the publication DE 10 2014 109 729 B3, a cooking appliance is known in which the supporting parts are each attached to the respective lateral inner surface of the cooking chamber by means of support grid holders. These support grid holders are made of stainless steel in order to be exposed to the temperature of the cooking chamber and, if a steam cooking function is present, also to the humidity in the cooking chamber during the cooking process. In this case, the pin can be very stiff to move within the holder sleeve due to the adhesion properties between the smooth metal surface of the pin and the tightly fitting inner circumference of the elastomer sleeve. Furthermore, pulling out the pin is almost impossible because the elastomer sleeve encloses the pin in an airtight manner, so that when the pin is pulled out, a negative pressure is created within the sleeve that is difficult to overcome.

[0005] The document US 9 644 885 B1 discloses that elastic webs can be arranged within the receiving sleeve, which improve the holding function.

[0006] In addition, a cooking appliance of this type is also known from the subsequently published document DE 10 2017 111 608 A1.

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a cooking appliance with a support element that can be installed more easily than previously known, while ensuring the tightness of the cooking chamber. Furthermore, the support element or the cooking appliance should be easier and / or better to clean than previously known.

[0008] According to the invention, this object is achieved, among other things, by a cooking appliance having the features of independent patent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the following dependent claims.

[0009] With regard to the cooking appliance already mentioned, the term “cooking” refers to the method of preparing or preserving food and includes, for example, steaming, stewing, microwave cooking, baking, grilling and roasting in the oven, which are all cooking methods that can be carried out in a closed cooking chamber. The food to be cooked can be arranged in or on a cooking utensil, and the cooking utensil can be held in the cooking chamber, for example, on a rack. The rack, in turn, can be held in the cooking chamber by the support part. A baking tray, for example, can be held directly by the support grid as a cooking utensil. The terms support part and support grid are largely used synonymously.

[0010] The cooking appliance is characterized by the fact that the support part has a pin, which is held in a through-hole in the cooking chamber shell by an elastic receiving plug. The through-hole is arranged through the cooking chamber shell, so that the receiving plug can connect the cooking chamber with the environment outside the cooking chamber shell. The pin of the support grille is inserted into this receiving plug from the side of the cooking chamber and, due to the elastic properties of the receiving plug, can be held by it at least force-fittingly. This is why the receiving plug is also referred to as a receiving sleeve.

[0011] The receiving sleeve is closed at the end and has projections on the inner circumferential surface. This ensures that the cooking chamber is tightly closed, both when the pin is inserted and when it is removed, for example when the target part has been removed from the cooking chamber. In steam cookers, this provides the cleaning mode, which is carried out when the support part is removed. Furthermore, it ensures that the pin can be pushed in or pulled out of the receiving sleeve smoothly. The outer circumferential surface of the pin cannot become stuck to the inner circumferential surface of the receiving sleeve because the projections provide partial air passages to the cooking chamber. This is achieved in particular when the pin is moved within the sleeve; when it remains in the intended end position, a tight fit with the inner shell surface can be achieved due to the resilience of the elastic material.

[0012] In this way, a simple, tool-free connection can be created between the supporting part, via its pin and the receiving plug, and the cooking chamber casing, ensuring a secure fit. Installation is also quick and easy, for example, by inserting the receiving bushing into the through-hole from the cooking chamber side and pulling it into the through-hole from the outside of the cooking chamber into its installation position. Due to the smooth operation achieved, this can be done quickly and easily by hand, eliminating the need for tools for assembly.

[0013] In a practical design, the projections are web-shaped and extend axially within the receiving sleeve. "Axially extending" means in the insertion or withdrawal direction of the pin. The apex of the webs rests against the pin, while the immediately adjacent areas do not rest against it or only rest with very light pressure. When the pin moves within the bushing, gaps form in the transition area between the web and the inner sleeve shell, allowing air to exchange with the rear or inner area of ​​the receiving sleeve. This prevents the pin from becoming stuck in the receiving sleeve, allowing it to move freely within it.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the projections are trapezoidal, triangular, curved, spherical, or parabolic in cross-section, i.e., transverse to the insertion direction of the pin. This provides a very small contact area with the outer surface of the pin and achieves a secure and durable connection to the inner surface. This design prevents detachment due to material fatigue.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the web-shaped projections are designed or mounted at an angle or a rotation relative to the insertion direction of the pin. The slightly rotated or coiled arrangement creates a thread effect, which causes a flexing movement in the web or the adjacent casing areas when the pin is moved within the receiving sleeve. This, in turn, makes inserting or removing the pin smoother than with straight webs.

[0016] In an overall advantageous embodiment, the projections have a height in the range of 0.5 mm to 2 mm. The pin diameter is preferably 4 to 6 mm, with the sleeve diameter being dimensioned accordingly to accommodate the pin.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment, the web-shaped projections are evenly distributed over the inner circumference of the receiving sleeve. This results in at least almost evenly distributed loading or deformation of the elastic receiving sleeve. Preferably, the receiving sleeve comprises three webs on its inner circumference, each of which is arranged at an angle of 120 degrees to its adjacent web. This results in an overall arrangement similar to that of a rifle barrel with rifling.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, the receiving sleeve is made of an elastomer material, preferably a silicone rubber, with the projections being molded from an elastomer material, preferably the same material as the receiving sleeve. In this way, the elastic properties of the receiving plug can be realized. Both natural rubber and silicone rubber can be used as elastomer materials. In both cases, versions of these materials are available that can safely withstand the temperatures that can occur during the cooking processes of the kitchen appliance.

[0019] One aspect of the invention is that the receiving sleeve is made of an elastomer material that is electrically conductive. Electrical conductivity is particularly preferred for cooking appliances with a microwave generator because it allows for the achievement of what is known as wave-tightness. Wave-tightness means that the signal generated by the microwave transmitter does not escape from the cooking chamber or is at least attenuated to such an extent that it does not affect radio-based data traffic and communication in the external environment.

[0020] The projections are preferably raised in the radial direction relative to the inner circumference, also called the lateral surface. This creates channels between the projections through which air can flow out of or into the pin receptacle when a pin is moved in the pin receptacle by the user, for example when the pin is inserted into or removed from the pin receptacle. Alternatively, the channels can also be designed as depressions in the lateral surface, which are designed to fall back radially relative to the inner circumference. Such depressions are preferably designed in the axial direction over the entire axial extent of the pin receptacle.

[0021] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the receiving plug has, at its end facing the cooking chamber, a contact surface facing the inside of the cooking chamber, which is adapted, at least in sections, to the shape of the inside of the cooking chamber around the through-opening. This allows the receiving plug to be as close and / or flat as possible to the inside of the cooking chamber, so that a gap between the receiving plug and the cooking chamber casing can be avoided. Such a gap could be more difficult to clean, so that by avoiding a gap, cleaning the kitchen appliance is easier for the user and a better cleaning result can be achieved.

[0022] According to the invention, the interior of the cooking chamber around the through opening has, at least in sections, an inclined surface, preferably a funnel-shaped inclined surface, wherein the contact surface of the receiving plug is designed to be adapted, at least in sections, to the inclined surface of the interior of the cooking chamber. The inclined surface of the interior of the cooking chamber can create a recess into which the receiving plug can fit with its corresponding surface as seamlessly as possible, so that not only can a gap be avoided between the cooking chamber shell and the receiving plug, as described above, but the receiving plug can be received as completely as possible, if not entirely, in the recess of the cooking chamber shell. This can preferably create a surface-flush finish between the receiving plug and the surface of the interior of the cooking chamber, which can be more visually appealing for the user.On the other hand, this can create a surface on the inside of the cooking chamber that is as smooth as possible, which can be cleaned easily and without leaving any residue.

[0023] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the receiving plug has, at least in sections, a circumferential groove that encompasses the cooking chamber casing on both sides. This allows for a secure and easy-to-implement hold of the receiving plug in the through-opening of the cooking chamber casing. The edges of the groove can preferably be designed such that the receiving plug can be pulled into the through-opening by a user from the side of the cooking chamber, and the material of the receiving plug elastically deforms to allow this movement.At the same time, the region of the receiving plug facing the cooking chamber can preferably be designed in such a way, preferably by its radial extension, that pulling of the receiving plug through the through-opening beyond the groove can be reliably prevented, so that the receiving plug can be positioned as intended reliably, quickly and without tools by a user pulling it with his fingers.

[0024] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the support part is designed as a support grid and has at least one spacer which is arranged at a distance from the pin, preferably vertically downwards, and supports the support grid relative to the inside of the cooking chamber shell. In this way, mobility of the mounted support grid, such as tipping or wobbling, can be prevented by supporting the support grid laterally relative to the inside of the cooking chamber at at least two points, namely once by the pin held in the receiving plug and once by the spacer. At the same time, the use of a spacer makes it possible to dispense with a second receiving plug and a corresponding through-opening in the cooking chamber shell, which can reduce manufacturing costs.

[0025] The spacer can be formed as a single piece, forming part of the support grid body, or it can be connected to the support grid body as a separate component. A spacer can also be used as a separate, loose component, held between the support grid and the interior of the cooking chamber by the pin held in the receiving sleeve.

[0026] Placing the spacer offset downwards relative to the pin can be advantageous because, in this application, a load from a food support or similar device will occur in such a way that the pin acts as a pivot point around which the support grid below will be pushed toward the inside of the cooking chamber and pulled away from the inside of the cooking chamber above. The spacer can effectively counteract this pressure exerted by the support grid below the pin toward the inside of the cooking chamber if the spacer is positioned below the pin.

[0027] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the support grid has at least one pair of spacers, each of which is arranged at a distance from the pin, preferably in height, wherein the pin is arranged between the two spacers and wherein both spacers support the support grid relative to the inside of the cooking chamber. In this way, mobility of the support grid around the pin as a pivot point in two directions, preferably both below and above the pin, can be counteracted, as previously described. Furthermore, a tolerance compensation of the length of the pin can also be achieved via a pair of spacers, because the extent to which the pin can be inserted into the pin receptacle of the receiving sleeve can be determined or limited by the contact of both spacers with the inside of the cooking chamber.

[0028] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. Fig. 1 a perspective view of a housing of a kitchen appliance from the front; Fig. 2 a section of the representation of the Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the housing of the kitchen appliance from the side; Fig. 4 a section of the representation of the Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a sectional view of the housing of the kitchen appliance from the front; Fig. 6 a section of the representation of the Fig. 5; Fig. 7a a sectional view of the housing of the kitchen appliance in the unassembled state; Fig. 7b the representation of the Fig. 7a in assembled state; Fig. 8 a detailed view of the receiving sleeve at the insertion opening in the unassembled state; and Fig. 9 shows the receiving sleeve in an embodiment in the assembled state.

[0029] The above figures are viewed in Cartesian coordinates. There is a longitudinal direction X, which can also be referred to as depth X. Perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X extends a transverse direction Y, which can also be referred to as width Y. Perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y extends a vertical direction Z, which can also be referred to as height Z.

[0030] A kitchen appliance 1 is considered which has a housing 10, which can also be referred to as a body 10. The housing 10 has a cooking chamber 11 in which food can be accommodated for cooking. The cooking chamber 11 is essentially formed by a cooking chamber casing 12, which encloses the cooking chamber 11 on the sides, back, top and bottom. The cooking chamber casing 12 has an inner cooking chamber side 13 and an outer cooking chamber side 14. At the front, the cooking chamber 11 is open with respect to the cooking chamber casing 12 and can be opened and closed by a user via a door or flap (not shown), cf. e.g. Fig. 1.

[0031] In the cooking chamber 11, two support grids 2 are arranged opposite each other in width Y, which together serve to hold, for example, a grid (not shown), on which the food to be cooked can be placed in a cooking utensil. A baking tray (not shown), for example, can also be held by the support grid 2. For this purpose, each support grid 2 has several parallel receptacles 21 in the form of rails 21 extending horizontally in depth X, which are formed by a part of the support grid body 20 of the support grid 2, see, for example, Fig. 1, Fig. 3 and Fig. 5.

[0032] In order to fasten the two support grids 2 to the left and right inner side 13 of the cooking chamber, the support grid 2 has a pin 22, which is firmly connected at one end to the support grid body 20. The opposite end of the pin 22 points in a straight line towards the respective inner side 13 of the cooking chamber in the assembled state and is elastically received by a receiving sleeve 3 and is thereby held essentially force-fittingly on the housing 10, see e.g. Fig. 1, Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 and the corresponding sections A, B and C of the Fig. 2, Fig. 4 and Fig. 6. The support grille 2 is supported by a spacer 23 above and below the pin 22 against the respective cooking chamber interior 13, see e.g. Fig. 5, Fig. 7a and Fig. 7b.

[0033] As schematically shown in the Fig. 7a to 9, the receiving sleeve 3 has an elastic plug body 30, which consists of a silicone material, such as preferably a silicone rubber. Within the plug body 30, a pin receptacle 31 is formed as a recess, which serves to receive the pin 22 of the support grid 2. The pin receptacle 31 faces away from the pin 22, ie in the area of ​​the bottom of the pin receptacle 31 (right in the illustration of the Fig. 8 and Fig. 9). The end of the plug body 30 facing the pin 22 can be funnel-shaped in one embodiment and has a corresponding contact surface facing away from the cooking chamber 11, which corresponds in shape to an inclined surface 16 of a through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12, cf. e.g. Fig. 7a and Fig. 7b. Behind the contact surface, the plug body 30 has a groove 33, which serves to hold it in the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12, cf. e.g. Fig. 5, Fig. 6.

[0034] To assemble the support grid 2, the receiving sleeve 3 is first inserted from the inside 13 of the cooking chamber into the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12, so that the receiving sleeve 3 protrudes with its radially smaller end area from the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12. The receiving sleeve 3 can then be grasped and pulled by a user with the fingers from the outside 14 of the cooking chamber until the contact surface of the receiving sleeve 3 from the inside 13 of the cooking chamber rests against the inclined surface 16 of the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12, thereby blocking further movement in the width Y. In this position, the groove 33 has absorbed the edge of the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12 through elastic deformation, so that the receiving sleeve 3 is securely held in the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12, see e.g. Fig. 2, Fig. 4, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7b.

[0035] To facilitate assembly, the plug body 30 has a section designed as a grip area at an end facing away from the pin 22 or the cooking chamber 11. During assembly, the plug body 30 can be securely moved into its mounting position by pulling on the grip area. In particular, applying the pulling force to the end facing away from the pin 22 or the cooking chamber 11 facilitates the alignment of the groove 33 and the edge of the through-opening 15 in the cooking chamber casing 12.

[0036] Now the support grid 2 can be mounted by inserting it from the inside of the cooking chamber 13 with the pin 22 into the pin receptacle 31 of the receiving sleeve 3, see e.g. Fig. 7a to 9. Since the pin 22 is radially slightly larger than the inner diameter of the pin receptacle 31, which is formed by the circular area delimiting the apex areas, the elastic sleeve body 30 is radially widened by the insertion of the pin 22, see e.g. Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. This has the effect that the pin 22 can be held in the pin receptacle 31 by the radially inwardly acting spring force of the elastic material of the sleeve body 30. This force-fitting hold is supported by the fact that in the area of ​​the groove 33, the elastic material of the sleeve body 30 abuts radially outward against the edge of the through-opening 15 of the cooking chamber casing 12 and cannot escape, which can further strengthen the force-fitting effect in this area. Furthermore, adhesion of the two components is avoided by only the apex areas 41 of the webs 40 abutting the casing surface 24 of the pin 22 ( Fig. 9).

[0037] In the execution according to Fig. 8, the pin receptacle 31 has three axially extending webs 40, which are shaped in cross-section in the form of a circular segment or parabolic and thus have a roughly triangular shape. This shape provides a wide connection area 43 of the web to the receiving sleeve 3 or to the material of the sleeve shell 35. In the embodiment according to Fig. 9, the pin receptacle 31 comprises six webs 40. In both designs, the webs 40 are evenly distributed over the inner circumference of the sleeve shell 35 of the receiving sleeve 3. To facilitate the insertion of the pin 22 into the pin receptacle 31, the webs 40 are provided with a bevel on the entry side. In another design, the webs 40 can also be provided with an increasing height, so that the press fit increases the further the pin 22 is inserted into the pin receptacle 31. List of reference symbols (part of the description) A first excerpt B second section C third section X longitudinal direction; depth Y transverse direction; width Z vertical direction; height 1 kitchen appliance 10 Housing; Body 11 Cooking chamber 12 Cooking chamber casing 13 Inside of the cooking chamber 14 Cooking chamber exterior 15 passage opening 16 Inclined surface 2 supporting grids 20 supporting grid bodies 21 shots; rails 22 cones 23 spacers 24 Surface of the pin 3 mounting sleeve 30 plug bodies 31 tenon holder 33 grooves 35 inner surface, inner circumference 40 projection; bridge 41 Crown area 43 Connection area

Claims

[1] Cooking appliance (1), with a cooking chamber (11) for receiving food to be cooked, wherein the cooking chamber (11) is delimited by a cooking chamber casing (12), wherein at least one support part (2) is arranged on an inner side (13) of the cooking chamber casing (12), which support part is designed to hold a cooking utensil with the food to be cooked, wherein the support part (2) has a pin (22) which is held by an elastic receiving sleeve (3) in a through opening (15) of the cooking chamber casing (12), wherein the receiving sleeve (3) is closed at the end, characterized by , that the receiving sleeve (3) comprises projections (40) on the inner peripheral surface (35), wherein the projections (40) are web-shaped, within the receiving sleeve (3, 35), - wherein the projections (40) are designed or mounted so as to be inclined or rotated relative to the insertion direction of the pin (22), and / or - wherein the inside of the cooking chamber (13) has, at least in sections, an inclined surface (16) around the through-opening (15), wherein the contact surface of the receiving sleeve (3) is designed to be adapted, at least in sections, to the inclined surface (16) of the inside of the cooking chamber (13), and the receiving sleeve (3) consists of an elastomer material which is electrically conductive. [2] Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that in a receiving sleeve (3) with web-shaped projections (40) which are designed or mounted to run obliquely or rotated relative to the insertion direction of the pin (22), the inside of the cooking chamber (13) has, at least in sections, an inclined surface (16) around the through-opening (15), wherein the contact surface of the receiving sleeve (3) is designed to be adapted, at least in sections, to the inclined surface (16) of the inside of the cooking chamber (13). [3] Cooking appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized by that the receiving sleeve (3) consists of an elastomer material which is electrically conductive. [4] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the projections (40) are trapezoidal, triangular, polygonal, circular or parabolic in section, i.e. transverse to the insertion direction of the pin (22). [5] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the projections (40) have a height in the range 0.5 mm to 2 mm. [6] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the web-shaped projections (40) are evenly distributed over the inner circumference (35) of the receiving sleeve (3). [7] Cooking appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the receiving sleeve (3) has a smaller diameter at a distal end facing away from the cooking chamber (11) than the through opening (15) of the cooking chamber casing (12). [8] Cooking appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the dimension of the smaller diameter at the distal end is less than half the diameter of the through-opening (15) of the cooking chamber casing (12), and / or the handle portion has an extension of at least 20 millimeters. [9] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the receiving sleeve (3) consists of an elastomer material, wherein the projections (40) are formed from an elastomer material. [10] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the receiving sleeve (3) has a gripping area at one end facing away from the cooking chamber (11). [11] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the receiving sleeve (3) has, at its end facing the cooking chamber (11), a contact surface facing the inside (13) of the cooking chamber, which contact surface is designed to be adapted, at least in sections, to the shape of the inside (13) of the cooking chamber around the through opening (15). [12] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the receiving sleeve (3) has at least in sections a circumferential groove (33) which surrounds the cooking chamber casing (12) on both sides. [13] Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the supporting part is designed as a supporting grid (2) and has at least one spacer (23) which is arranged at a distance from the pin (22) and supports the supporting grid (2) relative to the cooking chamber interior (13) of the cooking chamber casing (12). [14] Cooking appliance (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized bythat the support grid (2) has at least one pair of spacers (23), which are each arranged at a distance from the pin (22), wherein the pin (22) is arranged between the two spacers (23), and wherein both spacers (23) support the support grid (2) relative to the cooking chamber interior (13) of the cooking chamber casing (12).

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