EXTRACTOR HOOD

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an extractor hood for extracting cooking fumes above a hob, comprising a housing and at least one height-adjustable suspension, which comprises support cables which can be fastened to a ceiling and from which the housing hangs, and at least one adjustment motor which drives at least one winding and unwinding device of the extractor hood for the support cables.

[0002] Such an extractor hood has been marketed by the applicant for some time under the name "Skyline." It frequently happens that end customers misuse the top of the extractor hood's housing as a shelf or as a surface for decorations. Changing the height of the housing using the winding and unwinding mechanism occasionally results in damage to the decorations, the items placed thereon, and the extractor hood itself, for example, if the items positioned on the housing are pushed toward the ceiling or place a significant additional load on the adjustment motor and the winding and unwinding mechanism.

[0003] EP 2 317 232 A1 describes an extractor hood of the aforementioned type, wherein the adjustment motor is mounted on a motor mount of the extractor hood, and the extractor hood has a torque detection device. A disadvantage of the torque detection device described here is that the adjustment motor is only switched off if the housing becomes blocked during lifting.

[0004] DE 10 2005 055 181 A1 describes a drive mechanism for a vertically extendable extraction system, which has two switches for switching off the drive motor, wherein at least one switch is actuated by a force acting on the extraction system from the outside via an actuating element, wherein the actuating element is part of the motor bearing.

[0005] DE 20 2019 102 800 U1 discloses an extractor hood with a height adjustment device and a safety device for stopping a movement of the extractor hood depending on the angular velocity of a shaft.

[0006] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved extractor hood which offers effective protection against incorrect operation and damage.

[0007] This problem is solved by an extractor hood having the features of claim 1.

[0008] Due to the fact that the adjustment motor is mounted on a motor mount of the extractor hood, wherein the motor mount has a torque detection device, wherein the torque detection device detects a torque generated by the adjustment motor and is connected to a control device of the adjustment motor, wherein the control device is configured to stop the adjustment motor if the detected torque lies outside a predetermined target range, an adjustment of the mount can be effectively prevented if objects are placed on the top of the housing, and an overload of the adjustment motor and the winding and unwinding device can be avoided.

[0009] The height-adjustable suspension for changing the vertical distance of the extractor hood from the hob preferably comprises a ceiling suspension with which the extractor hood can be mounted on a room ceiling in a height-adjustable manner. The housing below the ceiling mount, which is attached to the ceiling, can be arranged freely suspended above the hob in a room using the support cables of the height-adjustable suspension. The preferably electric adjustment motor drives the winding and unwinding device of the height adjustment device for the support cables. Thus, the vertical distance of the extractor hood from the hob is changed by winding and unwinding the support cables using the winding and unwinding device.The adjustment motor of the extractor hood is advantageously movably mounted in the motor mount of the extractor hood, with the torque generated by the rotation of the adjustment motor being detected by the torque detection device and transmitted to the control system of the extractor hood. The control system only permits a change in the vertical distance of the extractor hood by winding and unwinding the support cables as long as the torque detected by the torque detection device lies within the specified target range. The extractor hood thus offers particularly effective protection against incorrect operation and damage. Objects placed on top of the extractor hood increase the torque detected by the torque detection device when the housing is lifted, so that the torque is no longer within the specified target range and exceeds an upper limit of the target range.In addition, the target range can also ensure that the extractor hood housing does not rest on the hob or objects on it when the vertical distance of the housing from the hob is changed. This is because placing the housing on the hob also causes the torque generated by the adjustment motor to exceed the specified target range. In this case, the torque generated by the adjustment motor would fall below a lower limit of the target range.

[0010] The housing of the extractor hood preferably has at least one air intake opening and at least one air outlet for the air flow. Furthermore, a fan for generating the air flow is advantageously arranged in the housing. A separation element for separating one or more components of the cooking vapors, in particular fat and / or oil, from the air flow is advantageously also provided in the housing in the air flow between the air intake opening and the fan. The air flow is guided in the housing from the air intake opening via the at least one separation element to the fan and blown out of the housing by the fan via the air outlet.

[0011] According to the invention, the adjustment motor is mounted so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis via the motor mount, wherein the torque detection device comprises a load cell, via which the adjustment motor is rotationally supported, such that the load cell detects a torque acting with respect to the rotational axis. With this type of mounting of the adjustment motor, the torque generated by the adjustment motor can be very easily detected using the load cell. With the drive of the winding and unwinding device, the adjustment motor is displaced about the rotational axis in the motor mount, wherein the adjustment motor is supported on the load cell of the extractor hood. The torque is converted into a force acting on the load cell. By supporting the adjustment motor on the load cell, further rotation of the adjustment motor in the motor mount about the rotational axis is prevented, so that the torque is available to drive the winding and unwinding device.

[0012] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims. It should be noted that the features listed individually in the claims can also be combined with one another in any technologically expedient manner, thus revealing further embodiments of the invention.

[0013] Particularly preferred is an embodiment in which the adjusting motor drives the winding and unwinding device via a gear mechanism, wherein the gear mechanism is rotatably mounted together with the adjusting motor via the motor mount. The joint displacement of the gear mechanism and the adjusting motor in the movable motor mount allows for a particularly simple construction, since the gear mechanism and the adjusting motor maintain the same position relative to each other during rotation about the rotation axis.

[0014] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention relates to the fact that the rotational axis of the motor mount runs parallel to the output axis of the gearbox. This allows the gearbox to be shifted particularly easily around the rotational axis using the torque generated by the variable-speed motor. The parallel alignment of the rotational axis to the output axis of the gearbox allows for a particularly simple design of the motor mount and gearbox.

[0015] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the axis of rotation runs parallel, in particular coaxial, to the drive axis of the adjusting motor or to a drive shaft of the winding and unwinding device. With such an orientation of the axis of rotation, the adjusting motor can be displaced particularly easily by the self-generated torque. The parallel, in particular coaxial, alignment of the axis of rotation to the drive axis of the adjusting motor offers a particularly simple possibility of displacing the adjusting motor in the motor mount. The parallel, in particular coaxial, alignment of the axis of rotation to a drive shaft of the winding and unwinding device also provides a possibility of displacing the adjusting motor in the motor mount by the self-generated torque.

[0016] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the winding and unwinding device has at least two cable drums for the support cables, connected to one another via the drive shaft. Connecting several cable drums via a common drive shaft enables the simultaneous, synchronous winding and unwinding of several support cables for adjusting the height of the extractor hood housing.

[0017] A particularly advantageous embodiment provides for the adjustment motor with the motor mount to be rotatably mounted in the housing and supported rotationally on the housing. By arranging the adjustment motor in the extractor hood housing, a particularly simple attachment of the support cables to the ceiling can be achieved. However, it is also conceivable to arrange the adjustment motor with the motor mount in a ceiling suspension that is attached to the ceiling. With this height-adjustable suspension, the adjustment motor would be positioned rotatably on the ceiling and would not be displaced with the extractor hood housing, allowing the housing to be made lighter, thus allowing the use of thinner support cables.

[0018] An advantageous embodiment provides that the specified target range is determined by the weight of the suspended housing and the extractor hood components integrated therein, plus or minus a maximum acceleration and deceleration force occurring during height adjustment. Using these values, a lower limit and an upper limit of a particularly suitable target range for the torque generated by the adjustment motor can be defined, so that correct operation of the extractor hood is not restricted, but incorrect operation and damage are easily avoided.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the specified target range can be changed via software. By changing the target range via software, the extractor hood can be easily adapted to the conditions of the room in which the extractor hood is operated. Furthermore, the software can take into account the accumulation of cooking fume components in a separation element, which influences the detected torque. The weight of the housing can also change when components of the extractor hood are replaced, so adjusting the target range via software is advisable.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the predefined target range can be automatically changed using artificial intelligence. By changing the target range using artificial intelligence, the extractor hood can be automatically adapted to the conditions of the room in which the extractor hood is operated. The artificial intelligence of the control device can be trained during initial commissioning of the extractor hood and the height-adjustable suspension by repeatedly raising and lowering the extractor hood housing. It can then continue to automatically learn the target range for the detected torque. This allows the control device to continually adapt to the respective extractor hood and thus automatically determine the correct trigger values ​​at the limits of the target range.This automatic adjustment of the target range limits is advantageous because not every actuator and every extractor hood are exactly the same. The load cell's measurement of the torque acting on the rotational axis is subject to fluctuations due to component tolerances regarding weight, the current consumption of the actuators, and the dimensions of the housing. Artificial intelligence can take these influences into account when automatically determining the target range.

[0021] In addition, the software, particularly using artificial intelligence, can take into account the accumulation of cooking fume components in a cooker hood's separation element, which (due to its weight) influences the measured torque. The weight of the housing can also change when components of the cooker hood are replaced, so intelligent adjustment of the target range via software is useful.

[0022] A particularly advantageous embodiment is one in which the winding and unwinding device has a fall protection device that intervenes in the event of a failure of the adjustment motor and stops the unwinding of the support cables. The fall protection device protects the housing from falling if the adjustment motor is overloaded, as the unwinding of the support cables is blocked.

[0023] Further features, details, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings, which show an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Corresponding objects or elements are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures. They show: Figure 1: Extractor hood above a hob according to the invention, Figure 2: Extractor hood on the ceiling, Figure 3: Ceiling suspension and housing, Figure 4: Housing interior, Figure 5: Winding and unwinding device in the housing, Figure 6: Individual view of the winding and unwinding device, Figure 7: Adjustment motor and gear, Figure 8: Sectional view through adjustment motor and gear, Figure 9: Motor suspension, and Figure 10: Fall protection.

[0024] In the Figure 1Denoted by the reference numeral 1, an extractor hood according to the invention for extracting cooking fumes 19 is shown. The extractor hood 1 is suspended here above a cooking surface 2. The housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 is suspended from a height-adjustable suspension 4, which has support cables 5 that can be attached to a ceiling 20. The vertical distance of the housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 relative to the cooking surface 2 can be changed via the height-adjustable suspension 4. For this purpose, the height-adjustable suspension 4 comprises an adjusting motor 6 ( Fig. 4 ), which has a winding and unwinding device 7 ( Fig. 4 ) of the extractor hood 1 for the supporting cables 5.

[0025] By winding up the support cables 5 in the winding and unwinding device 7, the distance to the ceiling 20 can be reduced and the distance to the hob 2 can be increased. As shown in Figure 2As can be seen, the housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 can thus be relocated directly below the ceiling 20. The unwinding of the support cables 5 from the winding and unwinding device 7, on the other hand, causes the distance between the housing 3 and the ceiling 20 to increase and the vertical distance between the housing 3 and the hob 2 to decrease. The housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 can thus be attached to a ceiling 20 in a height-adjustable manner, wherein the housing 3 can be arranged freely suspended above the hob 2 on support cables 5 below the suspension 4 fastened to the ceiling 20.

[0026] The Figure 3 shows the suspension 4 and the housing 3 hanging below it on the support cables 5 in a perspective view. The housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 has, in addition to at least one air intake opening 21 ( Fig. 1 ) on the underside also two air outlets 22 for the air flow 23 ( Fig. 1), which are preferably arranged on the top of the housing 2. This allows the casing of the housing 3 to be designed with a closed side, which is visually appealing and simplifies cleaning of the extractor hood 1.

[0027] In Figure 4 the cover of the housing 3 is removed to provide a view into the interior of the housing 3. In this illustration it can be seen that a fan 24 is used to generate the air flow 23 ( Fig. 1 ) is arranged centrally in the housing 3. In the air flow between the air intake opening 21 ( Fig. 1 ) and the fan 24, a separating element 25 is provided for separating one or more components of the cooking fumes, in particular fat and / or oil, from the air stream. The air stream is guided into the housing 3 by the air intake opening 21 ( Fig. 1 ) via the one separating element 25 to the fan 24 and from the fan 24 through two exhaust air filters 26 opposite the fan 24 via the air outlets 22 ( Fig. 3 ) is blown out of the housing 3. The Figure 4 also shows the adjustment motor 6, which drives the winding and unwinding device 7 of the extractor hood 1 for the support cables 5.

[0028] Out of Figure 51 shows a further view of the winding and unwinding device 7 in the housing 3. Here, it can be seen that the adjustment motor 6 is mounted on a motor mount 8 of the extractor hood 1. The motor mount 8 has a torque detection device 9 for detecting a torque generated by the adjustment motor 6. The torque detection device 9 is connected to a control device of the adjustment motor 6, which is designed to stop the adjustment motor 6 if the detected torque lies outside a predetermined target range. This effectively prevents adjustment of the mount 4 when objects are placed on top of the housing 3. In addition, overloading of the adjustment motor 6 and the winding and unwinding device 7 can be avoided. Furthermore, placing the housing 3 on the hob 2 ( Fig. 1) or on objects placed thereon (e.g., cooking utensils) can be effectively prevented. The winding and unwinding device 7 has a total of four cable drums 17 for the supporting cables 5, which are interconnected by the drive shaft 16, with two cable drums 17 being combined into a pair. Four supporting cables 5, whose ends are firmly attached to the ceiling 20, can be wound and unwound via the four cable drums 17.

[0029] The Figure 6 shows a single view of the winding and unwinding device 7. Here it can be seen that the adjusting motor 6 is arranged between the paired cable drums 17 on the drive shaft 16 of the winding and unwinding device 7.

[0030] In Figure 7A view of the adjustment motor 6 is shown. In the embodiment shown here, the adjustment motor 6 is rotatably mounted in the housing 3 with the motor mount 8 and is supported rotationally on the housing 3. For this purpose, the adjustment motor 6 is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis 10 in the housing 3 via the motor mount 8. The torque detection device 9 comprises a load cell 11, which measures a torque 12 ( Fig. 8) of the adjustment motor 6 is detected. For this purpose, the adjustment motor 6 is supported on the load cell 11 fastened in the housing 3 during rotation about the axis of rotation 10. The adjustment motor 6 drives the winding and unwinding device 7 via a gear 13 which, together with the adjustment motor 6, is mounted in the housing 3 via the motor mount 8 so that it can rotate about the axis of rotation 10. The load cell 11 makes it possible to detect both positive and negative changes in the load. If a force acts from above on the hanging housing 3 of the extractor hood 1, an increased torque is generated at the adjustment motor 6, which is detected by the load cell 11. The torque results in a counterforce which the adjustment motor 6 transfers to the motor mount 8. This counterforce can then be used to measure the load from above or downwards onto the hanging housing 3.By means of the load cell 11, this load is converted into an electrical signal and the control system converts it into commands which then actuate the adjustment motor 6. During a normal change in the height of the housing 3, a force resulting from the torque generated by the adjustment motor 6 acts on the load cell 11. If the housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 is blocked during an upward movement, the torque increases and the force on the load cell 11 becomes greater. If, on the other hand, the housing 3 of the extractor hood 1 is blocked during a downward movement, the torque decreases and the force on the load cell 11 becomes smaller. The specified target range is determined by the weight of the suspended housing 3 and the components of the extractor hood 1 integrated therein plus or minusminus a maximum acceleration and deceleration force occurring during height adjustment and can advantageously be changed via software and / or artificial intelligence.

[0031] In the embodiment shown here, the rotational axis 10 runs parallel to the output axis 14 of the gear 13, as can be seen from the sectional view according to Figure 8 At the same time, the rotation axis 10 runs coaxially with the drive shaft 16 of the winding and unwinding device 7.

[0032] The Figure 9 shows a detailed view of the motor mount 8, which supports the adjusting motor 6 in the housing 3 so that it can rotate around the rotation axis 10.

[0033] In Figure 10A pair of cable drums 17 is shown removed from the drive shaft 16 of the winding and unwinding device 7. This allows a view of the fall protection device 18, which engages in the event of failure of the adjustment motor 6 and stops the unwinding of the support cables 5 from the cable drums 17. Should the gear 13 or adjustment motor 6 fail, a locking pin 27 of the fall protection device 18 engages a toothed crescent 28 of the fall protection device 18 attached to the drive shaft 16 and prevents the housing 3 from further lowering along the support cables 5. List of reference symbols

[0034] 1 Extractor hood 2 Hob 3 Housing 4 Suspension 5 Support cables 6 Adjustment motor 7 Winding and unwinding device 8 Motor suspension 9 Torque measuring device 10 Rotation axis 11 Load cell 12 Torque 13 Gearbox 14 Output shaft (gearbox) 15 Drive shaft (motor) 16 Drive shaft (winding and unwinding device) 17 Cable drum 18 Fall protection 19 Cooking fumes 20 Ceiling 21 Air intake opening 22 Air outlets 23 Air flow 24 Fan 25 Separation element 26 Exhaust air filter 27 Locking bolt 28 Toothed crescent

Claims

1. Extractor hood (1) for extracting cooking fumes above a hob (2), having - a housing (3), and - at least one height-adjustable suspension mount (4), which can be attached to a ceiling by means of suspension cables (5) and on which the housing (3) is suspended, and at least one adjustment motor (6) that drives at least one winding and unwinding device (7) of the extractor hood (1) for the suspension cables (5), wherein the adjustment motor (6) is mounted on a motor suspension mount (8) of the extractor hood (1), characterised in that the motor suspension mount (8) has a torque detection device (9), wherein the torque detection device (9) detects a torque generated by the adjustment motor (6) and is connected to a control device of the adjustment motor (6), wherein the control device is configured to stop the adjustment motor (6) if the detected torque is outside of a predetermined target range, wherein the adjustment motor (6) is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation (10) via the motor suspension mount (8), wherein the torque detection device (9) comprises a load cell (11), via which the adjustment motor (6) is rotationally supported, such that the load cell (11) detects a torque (12) acting with respect to the axis of rotation.

2. Extractor hood (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjustment motor (6) drives the winding and unwinding device (7) via a gearbox (13), wherein the gearbox (13) is rotatably mounted together with the adjustment motor (6) via the motor suspension mount (8).

3. Extractor hood (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that the axis of rotation (10) of the motor suspension mount (8) runs parallel to the output axis (14) of the gearbox (13).

4. Extractor hood (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the axis of rotation (10) runs parallel, in particular coaxially, to the drive axis (15) of the adjustment motor (6) or to a drive shaft (16) of the winding and unwinding device (7).

5. Extractor hood according to claim 4, characterised in that the winding and unwinding device (7) has at least two cable drums (17) for the suspension cables (5), which are connected to one another via the drive shaft (16).

6. Extractor hood (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the adjustment motor (6) with the motor suspension mount (8) is rotatably arranged in the housing (3) and is rotationally supported on the housing (3).

7. Extractor hood (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the predetermined target range is given by the weight force of the suspended housing (3) and the components of the extractor hood (1) integrated therein plus or minus a maximum acceleration and deceleration force occurring during the height adjustment.

8. Extractor hood (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the predetermined target range can be amended using software.

9. Extractor hood (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the predetermined target range can be amended automatically using artificial intelligence.

10. Extractor hood (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the winding and unwinding device (7) has a fall protection device (18) that engages in the event of failure of the adjustment motor (6) and stops the unwinding of the suspension cables (5).