System for supplying liquid into a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance and cooking appliance

Abstract

System (8) for supplying liquid into a cooking chamber (6) of a cooking appliance (2) and / or for removing liquid from the cooking chamber (6) of the cooking appliance (2), comprising a pipe (14) and a holding device (16) for attaching the tube (14) to the cooking appliance (2), wherein the tube (14) is articulated to the holding device (16) by means of a joint (18) formed jointly on the tube (14) and the holding device (14), and wherein the pipe (14) can be transferred back and forth between a non-use position of the pipe (14) and a use position of the pipe (14) by means of the joint (18), wherein the non-use position is designed such that the tube (14) is at least partially recessed in the holding device (16) and the system (8) has a purely mechanical folding device (20), wherein the folding device (20) is designed and arranged such that the pipe (14) can be moved by means of the folding device (20) from its non-use position towards its use position to such an extent that the pipe (14) can be grasped manually and without aids, characterized in that the folding device (20) has an actuating button (22) for manual actuation, and the folding device (20) has an actuating lever (24) for mechanically actuating the tube (14) in dependence on the actuation of the actuating button (22).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system for supplying liquid into a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance and / or for removing liquid from the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance of the type mentioned in the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a cooking appliance of the type mentioned in the preamble of patent claim 9.

[0002] Such systems and cooking appliances are already known from the prior art in a variety of embodiments, for example from the documents DE 10 2016 108 248 A1 and DE 10 2007 040 310 A1 and EP 2 518 413 B1. The known systems for supplying liquid to a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance and / or for removing liquid from the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance comprise a pipe and a holding device for fastening the pipe to the cooking appliance, wherein the pipe is articulated to the holding device by means of a joint formed jointly on the pipe and the holding device, and wherein the pipe can be transferred back and forth between a non-use position of the pipe and a use position of the pipe by means of the joint.

[0003] The invention therefore addresses the problem of improving a system for supplying liquid into a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance and / or for removing liquid from the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, as well as a cooking appliance having such a system.

[0004] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a system having the features of patent claim 1, which is characterized in that the non-use position is designed such that the pipe is substantially, i.e. at least partially, recessed in the holding device, and the system has a purely mechanical folding device, wherein the folding device is designed and arranged such that the pipe can be transferred by means of the folding device from its non-use position toward its use position to such an extent that the pipe can be grasped manually and without aids. Furthermore, this problem is solved by a cooking appliance having the features of patent claim 9. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention arise from the following subclaims.

[0005] The advantage achievable with the invention lies in the fact that a system for supplying liquid to a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance and / or for removing liquid from the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, as well as a cooking appliance with such a system, are improved. Due to the inventive design of the system and the cooking appliance, the pipe can be positioned in a predetermined position, namely the non-use position and the use position, relative to the holding device and thus relative to the cooking appliance to which the pipe is detachably or permanently attached by means of the holding device, in a functionally reliable and space-saving manner. If the aforementioned position is the non-use position of the pipe, in which the pipe is essentially sunk into the holding device, the pipe can be held on the cooking appliance, for example a front frame of the cooking appliance, in a very space-saving manner.Accordingly, a gap required to accommodate the holding device in the cooking appliance, for example in the aforementioned front frame, can be very narrow, since the pipe does not have to be manually graspable in the non-use position for transferring it from its non-use position to its use position. This makes it possible, for example, to implement the invention in cooking appliances in which there is only sufficient installation space for a technical solution as described above. Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to implement a system for a cooking appliance with a pipe for supplying liquid to a cooking chamber of the cooking appliance and / or for draining liquid from the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance in a particularly simple manner in terms of design and production technology. The invention therefore makes it possible to manually transfer the pipe into one of the two aforementioned positions without requiring a large installation space for the holding device.Furthermore, the overall visual impression of the cooking appliance is improved, since the pipe can be arranged in a visually pleasing manner on the cooking appliance, for example on the front frame of the cooking appliance, for example in the above-mentioned non-use position of the pipe.

[0006] In principle, the system can be freely selected within wide, suitable limits in terms of type, functionality, dimensions, material, and layout. The same applies to the cooking appliance, which can be designed, for example, as an oven, a steamer, or a combination appliance with a variety of different heating methods. Furthermore, the cooking appliance can be designed as a household appliance or as a commercial cooking appliance, i.e., a cooking appliance for professional use.

[0007] An advantageous development of the system according to the invention provides that the folding device is arranged at least partially, preferably completely, on the holding device. In this way, the design and manufacture of the system according to the invention and thus of the cooking appliance according to the invention are further simplified. For example, it would be conceivable for the holding device, including the pipe held on the holding device, to be purchased from a supplier as an assembly and then functionally connected to the rest of the system and the rest of the cooking appliance. Furthermore, any disassembly of this assembly is thus very easy for a specialist or for an end customer of the cooking appliance equipped with it.

[0008] A further advantageous development of the system according to the invention provides that the folding device is designed as a pushing device. In this case, in response to a pushing movement of the user - i.e. a movement of the user away from the user - the tube is moved towards the user. The triggering movement of the user and the reactive movement of the tube are not identical, in particular not identical with regard to direction. Preferably, the movements are opposite. This significantly simplifies operation for a user of the system according to the invention and thus of the cooking appliance according to the invention, so that operating comfort is increased. This is because the user is accustomed to operating cooking appliances in this way and such operation is intuitive for the user.

[0009] An advantageous development of the aforementioned embodiment of the system according to the invention provides that the folding device has an actuating button for manual actuation and an actuating lever for mechanically actuating the tube in response to the actuation of the actuating button. In this way, both the manual operation of the folding device and the purely mechanical movement of the tube by means of the folding device can be implemented in a very simple and robust manner in terms of both design and manufacturing technology.

[0010] An advantageous development of the latter embodiment of the system according to the invention provides that the actuating lever is designed as an actuating rocker pivoted about a pivot axis. This allows the actuating lever, and thus the purely mechanical folding device, to be implemented in a very space-saving manner, thus further reducing the installation space required for the system according to the invention.

[0011] An advantageous development of the system according to the invention according to claim 4 or 5 provides that the actuating button can be automatically returned from an actuating position of the actuating button into a non-actuating position of the actuating button by means of a return spring of the folding device, preferably that the return spring is designed as a leaf spring, particularly preferably that the leaf spring is welded to the holding device on a rear side of the holding device.In this way, an automatic resetting of the actuating button of the folding device from its actuating position, in which the actuating button has been actuated by the user of the system according to the invention and thus of the cooking appliance according to the invention for the purpose of transferring the pipe from its non-use position to its use position, to its non-actuating position, in which the actuating button is not actuated by the user, is made possible in a very simple manner in terms of design and manufacturing technology. This applies particularly to the preferred and especially to the particularly preferred embodiment of this development. Leaf springs can be used in a particularly space-saving and thus installation-space-saving manner.

[0012] An advantageous development of the system according to the invention according to one of claims 4 to 6 provides that the actuating button, in a non-actuating position of the actuating button, is arranged substantially flush with a front side of the holding device and / or the cooking appliance facing a user of the cooking appliance. This significantly improves the overall visual impression of the system according to the invention and thus of the cooking appliance according to the invention in the non-actuating position of the actuating button.

[0013] An advantageous development of the system according to the invention according to one of claims 4 to 7 provides that a longitudinal axis of the tube in its non-use position has an angle of less than 3°, preferably of 2.4°, to the vertical, and / or in its use position has an angle of greater than 8°, preferably greater than or equal to 10°, to the vertical. In this way, the arrangement and orientation of the tube is optimized when it is sunk into the holding device in its non-use position and / or when it is unfolded from the holding device in its use position. This applies in particular to the respective preferred embodiment of this development.

[0014] As already explained above, the cooking appliance can be freely selected within wide, suitable limits.

[0015] A particularly advantageous development of the cooking appliance according to the invention provides that the system is arranged on a front frame of the cooking appliance surrounding a cooking chamber opening, preferably that the front frame is designed as a separate front frame that can be connected to a housing of the cooking appliance. This significantly increases the ease of use for the user of the system according to the invention. Furthermore, the preferred embodiment of this development has the further advantage that, due to its design as a separate front frame, the front frame can be freely designed and manufactured within wide, suitable limits. Accordingly, the front frame can be easily adapted to specific requirements of the respective individual case and connected to the rest of the cooking appliance according to the invention in a modular manner.

[0016] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows Fig. 1 an embodiment of the cooking appliance according to the invention with the system according to the invention in a front view, with a cooking chamber door in its open position, Fig. 2 the embodiment in a detailed view in the area of ​​the folding device, in a partial, sectioned side view, with the tube in its non-use position and the actuating button in its non-actuated position, Fig. 3 the embodiment in analog representation to Fig. 2, with the tube in its operating position and the actuating button in its actuating position and Fig. 4 the embodiment in analog representation to Fig. 2, with the tube in its operating position and the actuating button in its non-actuating position.

[0017] In the Fig. 1 to 4, an embodiment of the cooking appliance according to the invention with the system according to the invention is shown purely by way of example.

[0018] The cooking appliance 2 designed as a household cooking appliance has a cooking chamber 6 which can be closed by a cooking chamber door 4 and, for the purpose of carrying out a climate cooking function of the cooking appliance 2, a system 8 for supplying liquid into and / or removing liquid from the cooking chamber 6. The cooking chamber door 4 is in the Fig. 1 in an open position of the cooking chamber door 4, so that a view of a front frame 10 and the cooking chamber 6 is possible.

[0019] As from the Fig. 1, the system 8 is arranged on the front frame 10 of the cooking appliance 2 surrounding a cooking chamber opening of the cooking chamber 6, wherein the front frame 10 in the present embodiment is designed as a separate front frame connectable to a housing 12 of the cooking appliance 2.

[0020] The system 8 for supplying liquid into the cooking chamber 6 of the cooking appliance 2 and / or for removing liquid from the cooking chamber 6 of the cooking appliance 2 comprises a pipe 14 and a holding device 16 for fastening the pipe 14 to the cooking appliance 2, wherein the pipe 14 is connected in an articulated manner to the holding device 16 by means of a joint 18 formed jointly on the pipe 14 and the holding device 16, and wherein the pipe 14 is connected by means of the joint 18 between a Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shown non-use position of the tube 14 and one in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. The tube 14 is designed here as a substantially rigid tube made of stainless steel. However, it is also conceivable that the tube (14) is made of a different material. Furthermore, it is possible for the tube (14) to be designed as a more or less flexible tube, for example, in a hose-like configuration.

[0021] The aforementioned joint 18 is in the Fig. 1 to 4 are not shown in detail. In the Fig. 2 to 4, the joint 18 is shown only symbolically. In the present embodiment, the tube 14 is located on the plane of the image of Fig. 1 on the left side of the front frame 10 and thus of the cooking appliance 2. However, it is also conceivable that the tube (14) in other embodiments of the invention is on the side shown in the image plane of the Fig. 1 shown on the right side of the front frame 10 and thus of the cooking appliance 2. Of course, the pipe (14) can in principle be arranged not only on a front frame of the cooking appliance, if present, but alternatively also at another suitable and sensible location on the cooking appliance.

[0022] According to the invention, the non-use position of the pipe 14 is configured such that the pipe 14 is substantially recessed into the holding device 16, and the system 8 comprises a purely mechanical folding device 20. The folding device 20 is configured and arranged such that the pipe 14 can be moved by means of the folding device 20 from its non-use position toward its use position to such an extent that the pipe 14 can be grasped manually and without aids. In contrast, the pipe 14 cannot be grasped manually and without aids in its non-use position.

[0023] In the present embodiment, the folding device 20 is arranged at least partially, namely completely, on the holding device 16. As already indicated in the introduction to the description, the holding device 16, including the tube 14 held on the holding device 16, can be purchased as an assembly, for example, from a supplier and then functionally connected to the remaining system 8 and the remaining cooking appliance 2. Furthermore, any possible disassembly of this assembly is very simple for a specialist or for an end customer of the cooking appliance 2 equipped therewith. The holding device 16 is in the Fig. 1 to 4 not shown in detail.

[0024] The folding device 20 is designed here in the manner of a push-button device, wherein the folding device 20 has an actuating button 22 for manual actuation and an actuating lever 24 for mechanical actuation of the tube 14 in dependence on the actuation of the actuating button 22. See the Fig. 2 to 4 in a summary.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the actuating lever 24 is designed as an actuating rocker pivotally mounted about a rotation axis 26, wherein a free end of the actuating lever 24 designed as an actuating rocker, as can be seen from the Fig. 2 to 4, rests against the tube 14 in a force-transmitting manner, while another free end of the actuating lever 24, which is designed as an actuating rocker, as can be seen from the Fig. 2 to 4, when the actuating button 22 is actuated, it rests on the actuating button 22 in a force-transmitting manner.

[0026] Furthermore, the actuating button 22 is separated by a return spring 28 of the folding device 20 from a Fig. 3 shown actuation position of the actuation button 22 automatically into a Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. The return spring 28 is designed here as a leaf spring, wherein the return spring 28 designed as a leaf spring is welded to the holding device 16 on a rear side of the holding device 16. For example, the return spring 28 can be a leaf spring made of spring steel, which is welded, for example, by means of plastic welding in a manner known per se to those skilled in the art to the holding device 16 designed as a weldable plastic part. Of course, other suitable and expedient connection techniques are also conceivable. This also applies to all other detachable or non-detachable connections that are necessary to implement the invention. Other designs of the return spring are also conceivable. Purely by way of example, reference is made here to coil springs or disc springs.The material of the return spring can also be freely selected within wide, suitable limits. For example, return springs could be made, partially or entirely, of rubber or similar material.

[0027] As can be seen from the Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, the actuating button 22 is arranged in the non-actuated position of the actuating button 22 substantially flush with a front side 30 of the holding device 16 and / or of the cooking appliance 2 facing a user of the cooking appliance 2 (not shown). The front side 30 of the holding device 16 as well as of the cooking appliance 2 is in the respective image plane of the Fig. 2 to 4 shown on the left.

[0028] The tube 14 is arranged by means of the joint 18 on the holding device 16 such that a longitudinal axis of the tube 14 in its non-use position has an angle of less than 3°, namely 2.4°, to the vertical, and in its use position has an angle of greater than 8°, namely 10°, to the vertical. See the Fig. 2 to 4 in a summary.

[0029] The functionalities of the cooking appliance according to the invention and the system according to the invention according to the present embodiment are explained below with reference to Fig. 1 to 4 are explained in more detail.

[0030] Due to the above-mentioned embodiments, it is possible to make the holding device 16 narrower overall than is usual in the prior art, so that a cutout in the front frame 10 required for fastening the holding device 16 to the front frame 10 can also be narrower than usual. The aforementioned cutout is shown in the Fig. 1 to 4 are not shown. In the case of front frames produced by means of bends, for example the front frame 10, this has the advantage that the radius areas of these bends in the front frame 10 can be bent more evenly. The invention according to the present exemplary embodiment also makes it possible for the front frame 10 not to have to be rotated by 180° as usual during the manufacture of the cooking appliance 2 in order to be able to produce the aforementioned cutout. Instead, the cutout in the front frame 10 can be produced before the bending when the front frame 10 is cut. This eliminates the work step of turning the front frame by 180°. Accordingly, the manufacture of the cooking appliance according to the invention according to the present exemplary embodiment is considerably simpler, more time-saving, and thus more cost-effective than with the prior art.

[0031] The holding device 16 with the tube 14 arranged thereon and the folding device 20 arranged thereon can then be inserted into the aforementioned cutout of the front frame 10 and fastened to the front frame 10 in a manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0032] After completion of the cooking appliance 2, in particular after the aforementioned assembly of the system 8 on the front frame 10 of the cooking appliance 2, the user of the cooking appliance 2 (not shown) can operate the system 8 as follows: Initially, the tube 14 is in its non-use position and the actuating button 22 is in its non-actuated position. See the Fig. 2.

[0033] For the purpose of manually transferring the tube 14 from its non-use position to its use position, it is necessary for the user to be able to grasp the tube 14 manually and without any aids. However, this is not possible in the non-use position of the tube 14, in which the tube 14 is essentially recessed into the holding device 16.

[0034] The user activates the actuation button 22 by pressing the actuation button 22 with a finger in the image plane of the Fig. 2 from left to right until the actuation position of the actuation button 22 according to the Fig. 3. In this case, the actuating button 22 comes into force-transmitting contact with the actuating lever 24 of the folding device 20, which is designed as an actuating rocker, in such a way that the actuating button 22 moves the free end of the actuating lever 24, which is designed as an actuating rocker, associated with the actuating button 22 in the respective image plane of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, against the spring force of the return spring 28, also moves from left to right. In doing so, the return spring 28 is tensioned. At the same time, the free end of the actuating lever 24, which is designed as an actuating rocker and faces the tube 14, moves due to the joint 26 in the respective image plane of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 from right to left. This free end of the operating lever 24 comes into contact with the tube 14 in such a force-transmitting manner that the tube 14 is released by means of the joint 18 from its Fig. 2 shown non-use position in the Fig. 3 shown in the operating position. See the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 in a summary. As soon as the actuating button 22 is released, i.e. the user no longer presses the actuating button 22 in the aforementioned manner, the return spring 28 automatically transfers the actuating button 22 from its actuated position to its non-actuated position. At the same time, the return spring 28 automatically transfers the actuating lever 24, which is designed as an actuating rocker, back to the Fig. 2. This relaxes the return spring 28. See the Fig. 4

[0035] The tube 14 can now be grasped manually and without any aids by the user, so that the user can, for example, manually insert the tube 14 into a glass filled with water or the like. The glass containing the water is not shown. It is also conceivable that the user can position the tube 14 in the image plane of the Fig. 4 can move even further from right to left.

[0036] If the liquid supply into the cooking chamber 6 of the cooking appliance 2 and / or liquid removal from the cooking chamber 6 of the cooking appliance 2 by means of the system 8 as desired by the user has been completed, the user can remove the pipe 14 again from its Fig. 4 shown position of use in the Fig. 2 shown non-use position manually and without any tools. To do this, the user presses the tube 14 with a finger in the image plane of the Fig. 4 from left to right back into the holding device 16.

[0037] Due to the inventive design of the system 8 and the cooking appliance 2, the pipe 14 can be positioned in a functionally reliable and space-saving manner relative to the holding device 16 and thus relative to the cooking appliance 2, to which the pipe 14 is releasably or permanently attached by means of the holding device 16, in the predetermined position, namely the non-use position and the use position. If the aforementioned position is the non-use position of the pipe 14, in which the pipe 14 is essentially recessed in the holding device 16, the pipe 14 can be held very space-savingly on the cooking appliance 2, namely the front frame 10 of the cooking appliance 2.Accordingly, the gap required in the cooking appliance 2 for accommodating the holding device 16, namely the cutout arranged in the aforementioned front frame 10, can be very narrow, since the tube 14 does not need to be manually graspable in the non-use position for transferring it from its non-use position to its use position. Thus, for example, it is possible to implement the invention according to the present embodiment even in cooking appliances in which only a very limited installation space is available for a technical solution as described above.

[0038] Furthermore, by means of the invention according to the present exemplary embodiment, it is possible to implement the system 8 for the cooking appliance 2 with the pipe 14 for supplying liquid into the cooking chamber 6 of the cooking appliance 2 and / or for draining liquid from the cooking chamber 6 of the cooking appliance 2 in a particularly simple manner in terms of design and manufacturing technology. By means of the invention according to the present exemplary embodiment, it is therefore possible to transfer the pipe 14 manually and without aids into one of the two aforementioned positions, without requiring a large installation space for the holding device 16. Furthermore, the overall visual impression of the cooking appliance 2 is thereby improved, since the pipe 14, for example in the above-mentioned non-use position of the pipe 14, can be arranged in a visually pleasing manner on the cooking appliance 2, namely on the front frame 10 of the cooking appliance 2.

[0039] However, the invention is not limited to the present embodiment. See, for example, the relevant statements in the introduction to the description as well as the options suggested in the description of the specific embodiment. Thus, the invention can be advantageously used in a variety of applications and adapted to the requirements of each individual case.

Claims

[1] System (8) for supplying liquid into a cooking chamber (6) of a cooking appliance (2) and / or for draining liquid from the cooking chamber (6) of the cooking appliance (2), comprising a pipe (14) and a holding device (16) for attaching the tube (14) to the cooking appliance (2), wherein the tube (14) is articulatedly connected to the holding device (16) by means of a joint (18) formed jointly on the tube (14) and the holding device (14), and wherein the tube (14) can be moved back and forth between a non-use position of the tube (14) and a use position of the tube (14) by means of the joint (18), wherein the non-use state is designed in such a way that the tube (14) is at least partially recessed in the holding device (16) and the system (8) has a purely mechanical folding device (20), wherein the folding device (20) is designed and arranged such that the tube (14) can be moved from its non-use position towards its use position by means of the folding device (20) so far that the tube (14) can be grasped manually and without aids, characterized by , that the folding device (20) has an actuation button (22) for manual actuation, and the folding device (20) has an actuating lever (24) for the mechanical actuation of the tube (14) depending on the actuation of the actuating button (22). [2] System (8) according to claim 1, characterized by that the folding device (20) is at least partially arranged on the holding device (16). [3] System (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the actuating lever (24) is designed as an actuating rocker mounted pivotally about a pivot axis (26). [4] System (8) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the actuation button (22) can be automatically returned from an actuation position of the actuation button (22) to a non-actuation position of the actuation button (22) by means of a return spring (28) of the folding device (20). [5] System (8) according to the preceding claim, characterized by , that the return spring (28) is designed as a leaf spring. [6] System (8) according to the preceding claim, characterized by , that the leaf spring is welded to the holding device (16) on a rear side of the holding device (16). [7] System (8) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the actuation button (22) is arranged flush with a front (30) of the holding device (16) and / or the cooking appliance (2) facing a user of the cooking appliance (2) in a non-actuation position of the actuation button (22). [8] System (8) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that a longitudinal axis of the tube (14) in its non-use position has an angle of less than 3° to the vertical and / or in its use position has an angle of greater than 8° to the vertical. [9] Cooking appliance (2) with a cooking chamber (6) and a system (8) for supplying liquid into and / or removing liquid from the cooking chamber (6), characterized by that the system (8) is designed according to one of the preceding claims. [10] Cooking appliance (2) according to claim 9, characterized by , that the system (8) is arranged on a front frame (10) of the cooking appliance (2) surrounding a cooking chamber opening of the cooking chamber (6).

Images