Cooking appliance for heating food

Abstract

Cooking appliance (1) for heating food, comprising 1.1. a cooking chamber (2) for receiving the food to be heated, with 1.1.1. a cooking chamber wall (5) that defines the outer boundary of a cooking space (6) and has a front opening (7), and 1.1.2. a cooking chamber door (8) for reversibly closing the opening (7), 1.2. a receiving means (3) arranged on the cooking chamber wall (5) for receiving a food carrier, and 1.3. a lighting device (4a, 4b) for illuminating the cooking chamber (2) with a light emitting element (26) for emitting light into the cooking chamber (2), wherein 1.4. the light emitting element (26) is arranged on the receiving means (3) for receiving the food carrier, or is integrated into the receiving means (3) for receiving the food carrier, 1.5. the receiving means (3) has a side surface (22) whose surface normal (23) is inclined downwards at an angle (α) of at least 15° to a horizontal plane, and on which the light emitting element (26) is arranged, 1.6. the lighting device (4a, 4b) has a light source (24) for generating the light, which is arranged outside the cooking chamber (2), and a light guide (25) penetrating the cooking chamber wall (5) for guiding the light from the light source (24) to the light emitting element (26), 1.7. the light guide (25) is designed in the form of a curved rod, and 1.8. a light guide direction of an initial section (28) of the light guide (25) adjoining the light source (24) is inclined by a maximum of 30° to the vertical direction.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooking appliance for heating food.

[0002] From EP 3 153 780 A1, a cooking appliance for heating food is known, comprising a cooking chamber and a lighting device for illuminating the cooking chamber. A light-emitting part of the lighting device is arranged in the cooking chamber. A disadvantage is that additional structures are required to protect and house the light-emitting part.

[0003] DE 10 2006 061 739 A1 discloses optical fibers that are illuminated by a separate light source located outside the cooking chamber and attached to the supports of the cooking trays. DE 10 2010 039 450 A1 discloses optical fibers made of glass or glass-ceramic that simultaneously serve as supports for cooking trays. DE 10 2010 041 515 A1 discloses support modules that house individual lighting devices and additionally have recesses for guiding cooking trays. DE 10 2016 209 137 A1 discloses several support ribs consisting of an optical fiber encased in a sheath and illuminated by a light source outside the cooking chamber. DE 10 2012 223 465 A1, DE 10 2016 107 617 A1, DE 10 2012 102 857 A1 and EP 2 119 968 A1 also describe cooking appliances with lighting devices.

[0004] It is therefore an object of the invention to create an improved cooking appliance for heating food, which is particularly economical to manufacture and ensures a particularly pleasant illumination of the cooking chamber for the user.

[0005] This problem is solved by a cooking appliance with the features of claim 1. According to the invention, it has been found that a cooking appliance for heating food, comprising a cooking chamber and a receiving means for holding a food carrier, can include a lighting device with a light-emitting element arranged on the receiving means, in order to create a cooking appliance that is robust in operation, economical to manufacture, and provides particularly pleasant illumination of the cooking chamber for the user. Because the light-emitting element is arranged on the receiving means, it can be mounted particularly robustly and protected from damage, especially from collisions with the food or the food carrier, particularly without the need for additional protective structures. In particular, the light-emitting element can be arranged directly in the cooking chamber.A partial or complete, translucent cover to protect the light-emitting element is therefore unnecessary. A reduction in energy efficiency due to such a cover can thus be avoided. The holding device is preferably positioned within the cooking chamber where particularly uniform heat transfer to the food can be achieved. It has been observed that a light-emitting element positioned there also ensures particularly uniform illumination of the cooking chamber. Furthermore, the arrangement of the light-emitting element on the holding device ensures that the holding device and / or the food carrier attached to it provides glare protection, shielding the user from direct exposure to the light-emitting element.The cooking appliance is therefore particularly robust in operation, economical to manufacture, and especially pleasant and appealing to the user.

[0006] The cooking appliance is preferably an oven, in particular a steam oven. The cooking chamber is also referred to as a muffle. The food support is preferably a baking tray or a baking rack.

[0007] Preferably, the cooking appliance is designed as a built-in appliance, particularly for installation in a kitchen cabinet. For this purpose, the cooking appliance may have a mounting housing. The cooking appliance may also be designed as a freestanding appliance, particularly with an outer housing.

[0008] Preferably, the cooking appliance is part of a mounting unit with a cooktop and / or a range hood for extracting cooking fumes, particularly from an area above the cooktop downwards. A fan for extracting the cooking fumes is preferably arranged below the cooktop.

[0009] The cooking chamber wall preferably comprises a bottom wall, a rear wall, a top wall, and / or at least one, and in particular two, side walls. Preferably, the receiving means is arranged on one, and in particular on both, side walls of the cooking chamber wall. Preferably, at least two receiving means, in particular arranged in pairs at the same vertical height, are arranged on the side walls to receive the food carrier. The receiving means can also be arranged on the rear wall.

[0010] The receiving device can be attached to the cooking chamber wall. Preferably, the receiving device is designed to support the food carrier. The receiving device can be formed integrally with the cooking chamber wall, in particular as a single piece.

[0011] The light emitting element can be designed as a light source. The light source preferably comprises an incandescent bulb and / or a halogen lamp and / or a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0012] According to the invention, the light-emitting element is attached to or integrated into the receiving means. For example, the light-emitting element can penetrate the receiving means. The light-emitting element is preferably arranged at least partially, and in particular completely, within a smallest convex envelope of the receiving means. For example, the light-emitting element can be arranged in a recess, in particular a pocket-shaped one, of the receiving means.

[0013] According to the invention, the receiving element, in particular the form-fitting body, and in particular the support rail, has a side surface whose surface normal is inclined downwards at an angle of at least 15°, in particular at least 20°, in particular at least 30°, and in particular at least 45°, to a horizontal plane. The light-emitting element is arranged on the side surface. The surface normal is preferably oriented substantially parallel to the main emission direction. This advantageously ensures that the light-emitting element is particularly well protected against contamination and damage. Furthermore, it guarantees particularly uniform illumination of the cooking chamber, oriented substantially in the user's line of sight.

[0014] Preferably, the cooking appliance has at least one, and in particular at least two, additional lighting devices. Each lighting device may have at least one, and in particular at least two, additional light-emitting elements.

[0015] According to the invention, the lighting device has a light source for generating the light, which is arranged outside the cooking chamber. The light-emitting element is preferably in light-conducting communication with the light source. The light-emitting element can include a diffuser and / or a prism, in particular a Fresnel lens, and in particular may consist of the following.

[0016] According to the invention, the lighting device comprises a light guide penetrating the cooking chamber wall to direct the light from the light source to the light emitting element. The cooking chamber wall can have a light-guiding opening through which the light guide penetrates the cooking chamber wall. The light guide can be attached directly to the light source and / or to the light emitting element. This makes the light transmission particularly efficient.

[0017] According to another aspect of the invention, the light guide, particularly in the edge area of ​​the light guide opening, is connected to the oven wall via a rubber-elastic means, in particular a sealing element.

[0018] The optical fiber is preferably a translucent body. The optical fiber is rod-shaped. It can be made of glass and / or a plastic, in particular polycarbonate and / or polymethyl methacrylate. Preferably, the plastic is resistant to temperatures of at least 150°C, in particular at least 200°C, and in particular at least 250°C.

[0019] The light-emitting element is preferably arranged at a distance of at least 20 mm, in particular at least 50 mm, in particular at least 100 mm, and in particular at least 200 mm, from the light source. This advantageously reduces heat transfer between the light-emitting element and the light source. In particular, a light source designed as an LED is thus not damaged by excessive heat input from the cooking chamber.

[0020] According to a further aspect of the invention, the light source is arranged entirely above, below, and / or behind the cooking chamber. The cooking appliance can thus be designed to be particularly compact in the horizontal direction, especially in the width direction. The light-emitting element is preferably arranged at least 50 mm, and more specifically at least 100 mm, below a top surface and / or above a bottom surface of the cooking chamber. The light guide enables space-saving and efficient transmission of light from the light source to the emitting element. For a compact design of the cooking appliance and particularly uniform illumination of the cooking chamber, the emitting element can be positioned largely independently of the light source.

[0021] Preferably, the light guide is attached to the cooking chamber, particularly to an outer surface of the cooking chamber, in a linearly displaceable manner. This reliably prevents mechanical stresses between the light guide and the cooking chamber caused by thermal expansion of the cooking chamber during operation.

[0022] According to the invention, the light guide is designed in the form of a curved, in particular a bent, rod. This allows for a particularly space-saving arrangement of the lighting device. Furthermore, the position of the emitting element and / or the main emission direction can be determined independently of the position of the light source, and thus with particular flexibility, according to the desired illumination of the cooking chamber.

[0023] Along the direction of light transmission, the integral of all angular changes of the rod-shaped light guide is preferably a maximum of 120°, particularly a maximum of 90°, particularly a maximum of 75°, particularly a maximum of 60°, particularly a maximum of 45°, and particularly a maximum of 30°. The light transmission is therefore particularly efficient.

[0024] According to the invention, the light guide direction of an initial section of the light guide adjoining the light source is inclined by a maximum of 30°, in particular by a maximum of 20°, in particular by a maximum of 10°, and in particular parallel to the vertical direction. Advantageously, this allows the light source to be arranged above or below the cooking chamber, with the light emitting element being located at the level of the cooking chamber, and the light guide can be made particularly short, thereby enabling efficient light transmission.

[0025] Alternatively, the light source can be arranged behind the cooking chamber, with the light emitting element positioned on one of the side walls or on the rear wall of the cooking chamber. This also allows for a particularly compact design of the cooking appliance in the width direction. Preferably, the angle between the light guide direction of the initial section of the light guide and a horizontal plane is a maximum of 30°, and particularly a maximum of 10°.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, the light-emitting element is connected to the oven wall via a rubber-elastic means, in particular a sealing element. Advantageously, this ensures decoupling of the light-emitting element from the oven chamber, which expands with increasing temperatures.

[0027] According to a further aspect of the invention, the radiating element is arranged in a front half of the cooking chamber. This allows the cooking chamber to be illuminated particularly evenly without dazzling the user.

[0028] According to a further aspect of the invention, a main emission direction of the light emitting element is inclined downwards relative to a horizontal plane and / or backwards relative to a plane of the opening of the cooking chamber wall, in particular at an angle of at least 10°, in particular at least 20°, in particular at least 30°, in particular at least 45°, in particular at least 60°. The main emission direction can be oriented parallel to the vertical direction or enclose an angle of at least 10°, in particular at least 20°, in particular at least 30°, in particular at least 45°, to the vertical direction. This ensures that the cooking chamber, and in particular the food being cooked, is illuminated particularly uniformly, in particular approximately in the direction of the user's gaze.

[0029] By positioning the light emitting element on the mounting bracket, it can be integrated into the cooking appliance in a particularly space-saving manner. It is also very easy to access for cleaning. The structurally robust mounting of the light emitting element made possible by this arrangement prevents vibration or wobbling of the light, especially when the cooking appliance is operating in convection mode.

[0030] According to a further aspect of the invention, the receiving element has a form-fitting body designed to allow the food carrier to rest on it and be received. The light-emitting element is preferably arranged on the form-fitting body. Preferably, the form-fitting body is a component of the cooking chamber wall, in particular the side wall. The form-fitting body can be formed from the cooking chamber wall, particularly by a deep-drawing process. This advantageously results in the cooking chamber and the receiving element being particularly economical to manufacture and robust in operation.

[0031] According to a further aspect of the invention, the form-fitting body is designed in the form of a support rail. The light-emitting element can be arranged on the support rail. The rail is preferably a rail for inserting a baking tray. The receiving element can have a guide rail, in particular oriented parallel to the support rail. Preferably, a receiving groove, in particular for receiving a baking tray, is formed between the support rail and the guide rail. The cooking appliance can have two support rails arranged in pairs on opposite side walls. Preferably, the light-emitting element is at least partially, and in particular completely, recessed in the form-fitting body, in particular the support rail.

[0032] According to a further aspect of the invention, the light-emitting element is a component of the optical fiber. The light-emitting element can be formed integrally with the optical fiber. For example, the light-emitting element can be designed as a diffuser, in particular as a diffuse layer of the optical fiber. The diffuse layer can be produced, for example, by sandblasting the optical fiber. The surface roughness of the light-emitting element is preferably at least 1 µm, in particular 5 µm, and in particular at least 10 µm. The light-emitting element can also be designed in the form of a prism, in particular in the form of a Fresnel lens.

[0033] The light-emitting element is preferably arranged at one end of the light guide opposite the light source. Preferably, the main extent of the light-emitting element is a maximum of 50%, more preferably a maximum of 30%, and more preferably a maximum of 10%, of the main extent of the light guide.

[0034] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking device comprises a guide for positioning the light guide relative to the cooking chamber, particularly outside the cooking chamber. The guide can be arranged entirely outside the cooking chamber. The guide is preferably designed to allow relative movement between the light guide and the cooking chamber. For this purpose, the guide can be made of a rubber-elastic material. The guide can be reversibly attached to the cooking chamber, particularly to an outer wall of the cooking chamber, and / or to the mounting housing. For example, the guide can be a component of a locking mechanism for the mounting housing.

[0035] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking device can have an insulating guide to prevent contact between the thermal insulation of the cooking chamber and the light guide. The insulating guide is preferably designed to reliably ensure a secure separation of the insulation from the light guide. For example, the insulating guide can be in the form of rib-shaped wall elements arranged between the insulation and the light guide, or as a channel that surrounds the light guide at least partially, and in particular completely, along the direction of light transmission. The insulating guide can be attached to the closure device.

[0036] The locking device may have a carrying handle. Preferably, the locking device has locking mechanisms for reversible connection to the cooking appliance, in particular the mounting housing. Additionally, the locking device may be attached to the mounting housing via a screw connection.

[0037] According to a further aspect of the invention, the guide element has a rib-shaped contact element for low-loss contact with the optical fiber. The rib-shaped contact element preferably has a main plane of extension that is oriented perpendicular to the direction of light transmission. This reduces efficiency losses in light transmission and heat transfer between the contact element and the optical fiber.

[0038] The guiding element is particularly preferably designed in such a way that there is only a line contact and / or a point contact with the light guide.

[0039] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking device comprises a mounting housing surrounding the cooking chamber, with an inspection opening. Preferably, the light guide and / or the light source are accessible via the inspection opening, and in particular, are replaceable. A closing means can be provided for reversibly closing the inspection opening. This makes maintenance of the cooking device particularly easy.

[0040] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance has a heat sink arranged at the light source for heat dissipation from the light source to the environment, in particular the ambient air. This extends the service life, especially of the light source, which is designed as an LED. Preferably, the light source and / or the heat sink are arranged at least partially, and in particular completely, below or above and / or behind the cooking chamber.

[0041] According to a further aspect of the invention, the light-emitting element has an aspect ratio of at most 2:1, in particular at most 1.2:1, in particular 1:1, in a cross-section perpendicular to the main emission direction. The light-emitting element is preferably round, in particular oval, in particular circular in cross-section. The light-emitting element can be designed to produce a substantially point-like emission of light. Such a light-emitting element is particularly easy to clean and ensures particularly uniform illumination of the cooking chamber.

[0042] According to one aspect of the invention, the light guide is rod-shaped, and the light-emitting element is arranged at one end of the light guide opposite the light source. The light-emitting element can comprise or be formed by a surface of the light guide, particularly a flat one, which is oriented obliquely to the direction of light transmission. Preferably, this surface forms an angle with the direction of light transmission in a range of 10° to 80°, particularly 30° to 60°. For example, this angle is 45°. The light-emitting element can thus be formed particularly simply as a chamfer of the light guide. The orientation of the surface obliquely to the direction of light transmission allows for flexible determination of the main emission direction. In particular, the light emission can be concentrated towards a rear area of ​​the cooking chamber. This reliably prevents glare for the user.

[0043] According to a further aspect of the invention, the light emitting element is designed, at least in sections, as a spherical segment. The spherically segmented light emitting element is mechanically particularly robust, easy to clean due to its small surface area, and ensures particularly uniform illumination of the cooking chamber.

[0044] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance, in particular the lighting device, has at least two light-emitting elements spaced apart from one another in the vertical and / or horizontal direction, particularly in the depth direction. Preferably, the cooking appliance comprises at least two vertically spaced mounting elements, on each of which one of the light-emitting elements is arranged. The light-emitting elements may overlap each other in the vertical direction. Preferably, the light-emitting elements are arranged relative to each other in an orthogonal projection onto the horizontal plane. This advantageously allows the light source and / or the light guide to be arranged side by side in the horizontal direction. In particular, the light sources can be arranged at the same vertical height. This enables a particularly space-saving arrangement of the lighting device.

[0045] According to one aspect of the invention, each of the emitting elements is connected to exactly one or more light sources via a light guide. Preferably, one light source is provided for each light emitting element. Alternatively, a single light source can be connected to at least two of the light emitting elements via the light guide. This arrangement is particularly space-efficient.

[0046] The cooking appliance may have additional light-emitting elements arranged at a distance from the receiving element. For example, such a light-emitting element may be arranged on the cooking chamber wall, in particular on the ceiling wall and / or on at least one side wall and / or on the rear wall and / or on the bottom wall.

[0047] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of several exemplary embodiments with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1. A perspective view of a cooking appliance for heating food in the form of a steam oven. Fig. 2 a perspective view of a cooking chamber of the cooking appliance in Fig. 1 with a receiving means arranged on a cooking chamber wall of the cooking chamber for receiving a food carrier and a lighting device with a light emitting element which is arranged on the receiving means, Fig. 3 a sectional view of the cooking chamber along section line III-III in Fig. 2, wherein the light emitting element is a component of a light guide which penetrates the cooking chamber wall in the area of ​​the receiving means, Fig. 4 a detailed representation of the light emitting element arranged on the recording device in Fig. 2, Fig. 5 a sectional view of the cooking appliance along the section line VV in Fig. 3 through the cooking chamber wall, the receiving device, the light guide and the light emitting element, Fig. 6 a perspective view of a mounting housing surrounding the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance in Fig. 1 with an inspection opening sealed by a sealing device, Fig. 7 a perspective view of the closure device in Fig. 6 with a guide device, Fig. 8 a side wall of the cooking chamber of a cooking appliance according to a further embodiment with light emitting elements designed as light sources, which are arranged on the receiving means, and Fig. 9 a section view along the section line IX-IX in Fig. 8 through the cooking chamber wall, the receiving means and the light emitting elements.

[0048] Based on the Fig. 1 to Fig. Figure 7 shows a first embodiment of a cooking appliance 1 for heating food. The cooking appliance 1 is designed as a steam oven and comprises a cooking chamber 2 for holding the food to be heated, a receiving means 3 for holding a food carrier, and a lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c for illuminating the cooking chamber 2. The food carrier can be designed as a baking tray or a baking rack. The cooking chamber 2 comprises a cooking chamber wall 5, which externally defines a cooking space 6 and has an opening 7 at the front. Furthermore, the cooking chamber 2 has a cooking chamber door 8 for reversibly closing the opening 7.

[0049] The cooking chamber wall 5 comprises a rear wall 9, a bottom wall 10, a ceiling wall 11, and two side walls 12a, 12b. Three receiving elements 3 are arranged on each of the side walls 12a, 12b. The receiving elements 3 are integrally formed with the respective side wall 12a, 12b. In particular, the receiving elements 3 are formed by the respective side wall 12a, 12b. The receiving elements 3 are designed in the form of deep-drawn pockets that project into the cooking chamber 6.

[0050] The receiving means 3 each have a positive locking element 13 designed to receive the food carrier resting upon it. The positive locking element 13 is designed in the form of a support rail 14. Furthermore, the receiving means 3 includes a guide rail 15 oriented parallel to the support rail 14. The support rail 14 and the guide rail 15 together form a receiving groove 16, the longitudinal direction of which lies in a horizontal plane and in which the food carrier can be safely guided through the opening 7 into the cooking chamber 2.

[0051] A locking element 17 is arranged at one end of the receiving element 3, in particular the support rail 14, facing the opening 7. The locking element 17 projects vertically upwards beyond the support rail 14, in particular a sliding surface of the support rail 14. Specifically, the locking element 17 forms a stop that prevents the food carrier from being removed from the cooking chamber 2 solely by moving it horizontally. To remove the food carrier, it must first be lifted over the locking element 17.

[0052] The respective receiving element 3 comprises a guide surface 18 for laterally, and in particular horizontally, guiding the cooking carrier. The guide surface 18 projects vertically upwards beyond the receiving groove 16 and in the direction of the opening 7. The guide surface 18 is flat and flush with the receiving groove 16. The guide surface 18 is horizontally spaced from a base surface 19a, 19b of the respective side wall 12a, 12b.

[0053] A guide surface distance tF between the respective base surface 19a, 19b and the respective guide surface 18 is 5 mm.

[0054] A centering element 20 is formed between the respective base surfaces 19a, 19b and the guide surface 18. The centering element 20 is formed as a tangent-continuous transition of the side wall 12a, 12b between the base surfaces 19a, 19b and the guide surface 18.

[0055] A fluid opening 21 is provided on the bottom wall 10 for the exchange of air, in particular steam-containing air, and liquids between the cooking chamber 6 and a fluid treatment device not shown.

[0056] The receiving device 3, in particular the support rail 14, has a side surface 22. A surface normal 23 of the side surface 22 is inclined downwards at an angle α of 25° to a horizontal plane.

[0057] The lighting devices 4a, 4b, 4c each comprise a light source 24, a light guide 25, and a light emitting element 26. Each light emitting element has a principal emission direction 26a. The principal emission direction 26a corresponds to the central longitudinal axis of the emitted light cone. The principal emission direction 26a is oriented parallel to the surface normal 23.

[0058] The cooking appliance 1 has three lighting devices 4a, 4b, and 4c. Each light source 24 is a light-emitting diode (LED). The light guide 25 is a glass rod. The light-emitting element 26 is a component of the light guide 25. In particular, the light-emitting element 26 is designed as a diffuser, specifically as a diffuse surface of the light guide 25. The diffuse surface of the light guide 25 is produced by sandblasting.

[0059] A heat sink 27 is attached to the light source 24 to increase the heat dissipation from the light source 24 to the environment.

[0060] The light emitting elements 26 of two of the lighting devices 4a, 4b, 4c are attached to the receiving means 3. These lighting devices 4a, 4b are described in more detail below. The light guides 25 have a round cross-section, in particular a circular one. An initial section 28 of the light guide 25 adjoining the light source 24 is vertically oriented.

[0061] The optical fibers 25 are each formed in the form of a curved rod. The cumulative change β of the optical fiber direction along the optical fiber direction of each optical fiber 25 is 65°. At one end of the optical fiber 25 opposite the light source 24, the optical fiber direction is oriented parallel to the surface normal 23.

[0062] In the vertical direction, the light emitting elements 26 of the two lighting devices 4a, 4b are arranged at a distance from each other. Each light emitting element 26 is provided with a single light source 24. Each of the light sources 24 is connected to one of the light emitting elements 26 via a light guide 25.

[0063] A vertically oriented section of the light guide 25 is positioned at a distance tW from the cooking chamber wall 5. This largely prevents heat from being transferred to the light guide 25 via the cooking chamber wall 5.

[0064] The respective light-emitting element 26 is designed in the shape of a spherical segment. In a cross-section perpendicular to the direction of light transmission, the respective light-emitting element 26 has an aspect ratio of at most 2, in particular of 1. In this cross-section, the light-emitting element 26 is circular.

[0065] The respective light emitting element 26 is arranged on the receiving element 3 of the left side wall 12a. In particular, the light emitting elements 26 are arranged on the respective side surface 22 of the guide rail 15 of the vertically central and upper receiving elements 3.

[0066] The light emitting elements 26 are arranged offset from each other in a horizontal direction. In particular, the light guides 25 overlap each other in an orthogonal projection onto a plane parallel to the rear wall 9.

[0067] The light emission elements 26 extend beyond the side surfaces 22 in the direction of the cooking chamber 6.

[0068] The light guides 25 penetrate the cooking chamber wall 5, in particular the side surface 22, in the area of ​​the respective light emitting element 26. A rubber-elastic sealing element 29 is arranged between the cooking chamber wall 5 and the light guide 25. The sealing element 29 seals a gap between the light guide 25 and the cooking chamber wall 5, thus sealing the cooking chamber 6 from the environment. The sealing element 29 is received in a recess 30 of the form-fitting body 13, in particular the side surface 22. The sealing element 29 does not protrude beyond the side surface 22. In particular, the sealing element 29 is arranged flush with the side surface 22.

[0069] The sealing element 29 is positively connected to the light guide 25. In particular, a tongue-and-groove connection 31 is formed between the light guide 25 and the sealing element 29.

[0070] Based on the Fig. 6 and Fig. Figure 7 describes in more detail the arrangement of the cooking chamber 2 and the lighting devices 4a, 4b, 4c on a mounting housing 32 of the cooking appliance 1. The cooking chamber 2 and the lighting devices 4a, 4b, 4c are attached to the mounting housing 32. The mounting housing 32 is designed for installation in an outer housing 33 of the cooking appliance 1 or in a kitchen cabinet (not shown). The mounting housing 32 has an inspection opening 34. The inspection opening 34 is reversibly closed by a closing means 35. The lighting devices 4a, 4b are accessible via the inspection opening 34. In particular, the light guides 25 and the light sources 24 are replaceable via the inspection opening 34.

[0071] The closure element 35 includes a carrying handle 36. The closure element 35 has a guide element 37 for positioning the respective light guide 25 relative to the cooking chamber 2. The guide elements 37 comprise rib-shaped contact elements 38. A main extension plane of the contact elements 38 is oriented perpendicular to the direction of light transmission. The contact elements 38 thus ensure reduced light loss when contacting the light guide 25. In particular, a line contact or a point contact exists between the guide element 37 and the respective light guide 25.

[0072] The locking device 35 has locking elements 39 for connecting to the mounting housing 32. Screw connections are provided between the mounting housing 32 and the locking devices 35 for additional securing of the fastening.

[0073] The operation of the cooking appliance 1 and the lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c is as follows: Initially, the cooking appliance 1 is switched off and the food carrier is positioned outside the cooking chamber 6. The cooking chamber door 8 closes the opening 7.

[0074] The cooking chamber door 8 is opened and the food carrier is inserted into the cooking chamber 6. The food carrier is then centered horizontally by the centering element 20 of the vertically central receiving element. Guided by the guide surfaces 18, the food carrier moves into the guide rails 15. Once fully inserted into the cooking chamber 6, the food carrier rests on the support rail 14 from above.

[0075] The cooking tray is loaded with food. The cooking chamber door 8 is closed and the cooking appliance 1 is switched on.

[0076] The lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c is activated. In particular, the light sources 24 are switched on and the generated light is guided from the light sources 24 to the light emitting elements 26 via the light guides 25.

[0077] The light is emitted into the cooking chamber 6 via the light-emitting elements 26. The diffuse surface and the spherical segment shape of the light-emitting elements 26 ensure uniform illumination of the cooking chamber 6. The food carrier shields the light-emitting element 26, at least partially, from the user's line of sight. Furthermore, the arrangement of the light-emitting element 26 on the side surface 22, with its surface normal 23 inclined downwards to the horizontal plane, results in the light being emitted in a preferred direction away from the user. The arrangement of the light-emitting elements 26 thus acts as glare protection.

[0078] The arrangement of the light source 24 in an area above the cooking chamber 6 ensures a particularly compact design of the cooking appliance 1 in the horizontal direction and the extensive use of the available installation space as the cooking chamber 6. The spacing between the light sources 24 and the light emitting elements 26 largely reduces the heat transfer from the cooking chamber 6 to the light sources 24. Premature wear, and in particular failure, of the light source 24, which is primarily designed as an LED, can thus be prevented. The lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c is therefore particularly robust in operation.

[0079] The spaced arrangement of the light guides 25 to the respective side wall 12a, 12b also reduces the heat conduction between the cooking chamber 6 and the respective light source 24.

[0080] The guide element 37 and the sealing element 29 ensure secure and vibration-free attachment of the optical fibers 25 to the cooking chamber 2. Different thermal expansions of the cooking chamber wall 5 and the optical fibers 25 are compensated for by the rubber-elastic sealing element 29. The guide element 37, designed as a linear guide, also provides corresponding decoupling to protect against stresses caused by differing thermal expansions.

[0081] Once the cooking process is complete, the food is removed from cooking chamber 2. The food carrier is lifted vertically over the safety catch 17 and removed from cooking chamber 2 along the receiving groove 16. The cooking chamber door 8 is closed and the cooking appliance 1 is switched off.

[0082] To replace the light guides 25 or the light source 24, the sealing element 35 can be removed from the mounting housing 32. The light guides 25 and the light source 24 are thus accessible from the outside. After replacing the light guides 25 or the light source 24, the inspection opening 34 is closed again by the sealing element 35.

[0083] Based on the Fig. 8 and Fig. Figure 9 describes a further embodiment of the cooking appliance 1, in particular the lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c. In contrast to the embodiment described above, the light-emitting elements 26 overlap each other in a vertical direction. In particular, the light-emitting elements 26 are designed as light sources 24, especially as light bulbs. A light guide 25 is not provided. Otherwise, the cooking appliance 1 and its operation correspond to the cooking appliance 1 according to the embodiment and its operation described above.

[0084] The arrangement of the light emitting elements 26 on the mounting medium 3 enables particularly uniform illumination of the cooking chamber 6, while avoiding excessive light emission towards the user. The user is not dazzled by the lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c and can thus monitor the cooking process without interference. The arrangement of the light guide 25 between the light source 24 and the light emitting element 26, and in particular the fastening of the light guide 25 by means of the sealing element 29 and the guide 37, makes the cooking appliance 1, and especially the lighting device 4a, 4b, 4c, particularly efficient and robust in operation. The arrangement of the respective light emitting element 26 on the mounting medium 3 ensures a particularly robust structural attachment. Additional structures for protecting the light emitting element 26 can be avoided.The light emitting element 26, arranged accordingly, is easily accessible and therefore particularly easy to clean.

Claims

[1] Cooking appliance (1) for heating food, comprising 1.

1. a cooking chamber (2) for receiving the food to be heated, with 1.1.

1. a cooking chamber wall (5) that defines the outer boundary of a cooking space (6) and has a front opening (7), and 1.1.

2. a cooking chamber door (8) for reversibly closing the opening (7), 1.

2. a receiving means (3) arranged on the cooking chamber wall (5) for receiving a food carrier, and 1.

3. a lighting device (4a, 4b) for illuminating the cooking chamber (2) with a light emitting element (26) for emitting light into the cooking chamber (2), wherein 1.

4. the light emitting element (26) is arranged on the receiving means (3) for receiving the food carrier, or is integrated into the receiving means (3) for receiving the food carrier, 1.

5. the receiving means (3) has a side surface (22) whose surface normal (23) is inclined downwards at an angle (α) of at least 15° to a horizontal plane, and on which the light emitting element (26) is arranged, 1.

6. the lighting device (4a, 4b) has a light source (24) for generating the light, which is arranged outside the cooking chamber (2), and a light guide (25) penetrating the cooking chamber wall (5) for guiding the light from the light source (24) to the light emitting element (26), 1.

7. the light guide (25) is designed in the form of a curved rod, and 1.

8. a light guide direction of an initial section (28) of the light guide (25) adjoining the light source (24) is inclined by a maximum of 30° to the vertical direction. [2] Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the receiving means (3) has a form-fitting body (13) which is designed in such a way that the cooking carrier can be received resting on it and on which the light emitting element (26) is arranged. [3] Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the form-locking body (13) is designed in the form of a support rail (14), wherein the light-emitting element (26) is arranged in the form-locking body (13). [4] Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the light emitting element (26) is a component of the light guide (25). [5] Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 4, characterized by a guide (37) for positioning the light guide (25) relative to the cooking chamber (2). [6] Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 5, characterized by , that the guiding means (37) has a web-shaped contact element (38) for loss-reduced contacting of the light guide (25). [7] Cooking appliance (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized bya mounting housing (32) surrounding the cooking chamber with an inspection opening (34) through which the light guide (25) and / or the light source (24) can be replaced, and a closing means (35) for reversibly closing the inspection opening (34). [8] Cooking appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a heat sink (27) arranged on a light source (24) of the lighting device (4a, 4b) for heat removal from the light source (24) to the environment. [9] Cooking appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the light emitting element (26) has an aspect ratio of at most 2:1 in a cross-section perpendicular to a main emission direction. [10] Cooking appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the light emitting element (26) is at least partially designed in a spherical segment shape. [11] Cooking appliance (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized byat least two light emitting elements arranged vertically apart from each other (26).

Images