Cooking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking device (100), comprising a hob unit (102) with at least one cooking area (104) and at least one opening (106), at least one extraction device (108) for extracting exhaust air, in particular cooking vapors, which is arranged below the hob unit (102) and is designed to extract exhaust air from above the hob unit (102) through the opening (106) or at least one of the openings downwards, and is surrounded by an exhaust air guide housing (110) which is connected to the hob unit (102) below the latter, and at least one liquid collecting container (112) which is arranged on or adjacent to the hob unit (102).can be arranged and detachably fastened in a base (110a) of the exhaust air guide housing (110) in the direction of gravity below the opening (106) or at least one of the openings and is designed to collect and retain liquid that has passed through the opening (106) or openings associated with the respective liquid collection container (112). According to the invention, the at least one liquid collection container (112) is provided with at least one handle element (120; 120').

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooking device comprising a hob unit with at least one cooking zone and at least one opening in an upper cover plate of the hob unit, at least one extraction device for extracting exhaust air, in particular cooking vapors, which is arranged below the hob unit and is designed to extract exhaust air from above the hob unit downwards through the opening or at least one of the openings, and is surrounded by an exhaust air duct housing which is connected to the hob unit below the latter, and at least one liquid collecting container which can be arranged and detachably fastened on or in a base of the exhaust air duct housing in the direction of gravity below the opening or at least one of the openings and is designed to collect and retain liquid which has passed through the opening or openings assigned to the respective liquid collecting container.

[0002] Cooking appliances equipped with such a so-called downdraft extractor device are generally known in the prior art. Compared to cooking appliances with an extractor hood, they have the advantage that the space above the cooktop unit is not occupied by an extractor hood, but can be used for other purposes, for example, for arranging kitchen utensils required for cooking, in particular wooden spoons, ladles, and the like, or for arranging spices and the like. On the other hand, they also have the disadvantage that boiling water, sauces, or the like, or even water vapor contained in the cooking fumes, can enter the downdraft extractor through the at least one opening. This is where the at least one liquid collection container comes into play.This is positioned below the opening(s) in the direction of gravity to collect any dripping or condensing liquid. This naturally means that the liquid collection container must be regularly removed from the base of the exhaust air duct housing for emptying and cleaning. This last-described process has proven to be extremely cumbersome in practice. It is not uncommon for the liquid collection container to slip out of the hands of the person removing it, at least temporarily, and the liquid collected in it is often spilled.

[0003] It is the object of the present invention to remedy this situation.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by a cooking device of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the at least one liquid collecting container is provided with at least one handle element.

[0005] Before detaching the liquid collection container from the exhaust air duct housing, conventional liquid collection containers can only be grasped at the essentially full-surface wall sections of the exhaust air duct housing. The full-surface nature of the wall sections essentially allows only a force-fitting action on the liquid collection container, even if there is a transition from the side walls to the bottom wall. Such a transition does not have the properties of a gripping element within the meaning of the present invention, since a gripping element according to the invention enables a positive engagement with the liquid collection container.Considering that slight wetting of the outside of the liquid collection container by fat or oil contained in cooking fumes cannot be avoided in practice, it is easy to see that the frictional connection will ultimately always lead to problems due to the reduced friction caused by the lubricating film. These problems are eliminated by the positive locking enabled by the at least one gripping element provided according to the invention. This positive locking outweighs the low friction resulting from the unavoidable lubricating film and thus still allows a secure grip of the liquid collection container.

[0006] A particularly secure gripping of the at least one gripping element is possible in particular if the at least one gripping element is arranged in such a way that it can be gripped even before the fastening of the liquid collecting container to the exhaust air duct housing is released.

[0007] In order to be able to provide the at least one handle element on the liquid collecting container in a simple manner, it is advantageous if the liquid collecting container is made at least partially of plastic, preferably as an injection-molded part.

[0008] According to the invention, the grip element or at least one of the grip elements can be designed as a grip recess that extends into the volume of the liquid collection container and is arranged in a wall section of the liquid collection container, preferably its base. This configuration makes it possible to form the at least one grip element integrally with the liquid collection container, so that no separate elements need to be provided for its provision, and no additional work step is required for its assembly.

[0009] This also avoids the need to provide holes in the wall section through which liquid collected in the liquid container could accidentally escape.

[0010] Additionally or alternatively, however, it is also conceivable that the handle element or at least one of the handle elements is designed as a separate handle unit which is mounted on a wall section of the liquid collecting container.

[0011] The separate handle unit can be designed as a rigid unit or, alternatively, as a multi-part unit with a base part mounted on the wall section of the liquid collection container and a handle part pivotally attached to the base part between a pivoted-out position and a pivoted-back position. In the pivoted-back position, the handle part can be pressed against the base part to save space, while in the pivoted-out position, it allows for a secure grip on the liquid collection container.

[0012] The base part can advantageously be glued to the wall portion of the liquid collection container, for example. This prevents holes through which liquid collected in the container could accidentally leak.

[0013] In a further development of the invention, it is proposed that the liquid collecting container is pivotably mounted on the exhaust air guide housing.

[0014] At least one hinge projection can be arranged at one end of the liquid collection container, which is designed to be inserted into an associated hinge recess or hinge opening of the exhaust air duct housing to establish the pivotable attachment to the exhaust air duct housing, or to be withdrawn from this recess or hinge opening to release the pivotable attachment. Furthermore, at least one projection with an opening can be provided at an opposite end of the liquid collection container, wherein the opening is designed to accommodate a releasable fastening element associated with it. The releasable fastening element can be a locking element, a screw bolt, or the like.

[0015] When the liquid collecting container is pivotally attached to the exhaust housing, it is advantageous if at least one handle element is provided adjacent to at least one end of the liquid collecting container. If the detachable attachment at the opposite end of the liquid collecting container is released, the liquid collecting container can be securely grasped at one end before the at least one hinge projection is pulled out of the associated hinge recess or hinge cutout.

[0016] It should also be noted that the exhaust device can comprise at least one blower. The axis of rotation of the at least one blower can extend both substantially vertically and substantially horizontally.

[0017] It should also be added that at least one grease filter arrangement and / or at least one odor filter arrangement can be provided in the flow direction between the at least one opening in the upper cover plate of the cooktop unit and the at least one liquid collecting container. Such grease filter arrangements and / or odor filter arrangements are known per se. Therefore, their structure and function will not be explained in more detail here. In the context of the present invention, however, it is important that the at least one grease filter arrangement and / or the at least one odor filter arrangement can be arranged above the at least one liquid collecting container in the direction of gravity, so that any water vapor from the cooking vapors that has condensed into water in them can drip into the at least one liquid collecting container.

[0018] The invention will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows: Figure 1 shows a roughly schematic side view to explain the basic structure of a cooking device according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective bottom view of a first embodiment of a liquid collecting container provided with a handle element according to the invention; and Figure 3 shows a perspective bottom view similar Figure 2 a second embodiment of a liquid collecting container provided with a handle element according to the invention.

[0019] An inventive, in Figure 1The cooking device, generally designated 100, comprises a hob unit 102 with at least one cooking zone 104 and at least one opening 106 provided in an upper cover plate 102a of the hob unit 102. An extraction device 108 for extracting exhaust air, in particular cooking vapors, is arranged below the hob unit 102, which is designed to extract exhaust air from above the hob unit 102 through the opening 106 downwards, which in Figure 1indicated by a sequence of arrows. The extraction device 108, formed, for example, by a fan, is surrounded by an exhaust air duct housing 110, which adjoins the cooktop unit 102 below the latter. Finally, a liquid collection container 112 is detachably attached to a bottom wall 110a of the exhaust air duct housing 110, specifically below the opening 106 in the direction of gravity. This liquid collection container 112 serves to collect and retain liquid that has passed through the opening 106.

[0020] The liquid collection container 112 comprises a bottom wall 112a and a circumferential side wall 112b projecting upwards therefrom, which together form a liquid collection chamber 112c. How the liquid collection container 112 is detachably connected to the exhaust air guide housing 110 is shown in Figure 1 not shown for the sake of clarity.

[0021] In Figure 1Also schematically shown is a grease filter and / or odor filter assembly 114, which is arranged in the opening 106 directly above the liquid collection container 112 in order to filter out any grease and odor-forming substances contained in the exhaust air. Any water that has boiled over on the cooktop unit 102 and any water vapor that has condensed in the filter assembly 114 can drain off at the lower end of the filter assembly 114 and thus drip into the liquid collection container 112. In order to prevent contamination of the area surrounding the liquid collection container 112, splash deflection elements 116 are provided, which extend from the bottom wall 110a of the exhaust air duct housing 110 and are firmly connected thereto for operational purposes.

[0022] Finally, in Figure 1 The control and power electronics of the cooking device 100 are schematically indicated at 118.

[0023] In Figure 2A first embodiment of the liquid collecting container 112 as it can be used in the cooking device 100 is shown in a perspective bottom view.

[0024] The liquid collection container 112 of the Figure 2is designed for pivotable attachment to the exhaust air duct housing 110. For this purpose, it comprises two hinge projections 112e on one longitudinal side 112d, which can be inserted into hinge recesses (not shown) of the exhaust air duct housing 110 to establish the pivotable attachment to the exhaust air duct housing 110 or can be pulled out of these recesses to release the pivotable attachment. Furthermore, two projections 112g, each with an opening 112h, are provided on the opposite longitudinal side 112f of the liquid collection container 112. The openings 112h each serve to pass through a detachable (not shown) fastening element, for example a locking element, a screw bolt, or the like.

[0025] Not only in this pivotable attachment of the liquid collecting container 112 to the exhaust air guide housing 110, but also in general, it is advantageous if at least one handle element 120 is provided adjacent to at least one longitudinal side 112d of the liquid collecting container 112, which handle element 120 can be pivoted in the direction shown in Figure 2 illustrated embodiment is designed as a recessed grip. Once the releasable fastening on the opposite longitudinal side 112f of the liquid collecting container 112 has been released, the liquid collecting container 112 can be securely gripped in a form-fitting manner on one longitudinal side 112d by means of this recessed grip 120 before the at least one hinge projection 112e is pulled out of the associated hinge recess.

[0026] The grip recess 112 is advantageously formed in one piece with the liquid collecting container 112, for example, molded as an injection-molded part during its manufacture.

[0027] The design of the Figure 3 differs from the design of the Figure 2 merely by the design of the handle element. In particular, the handle element 120' of the embodiment of the Figure 3 designed as a handle attachment. This handle attachment 120' can be a rigid element formed separately from the liquid collection container 112, which can be glued to the liquid collection container 112, for example.

[0028] It should also be added that further gripping elements can be provided at other points on the liquid collecting container 112, as shown in Figure 2 at 122 is indicated by a dashed line.

Claims

1. Cooking device (100), comprising • a hob unit (102) with at least one cooking area (104) and at least one opening (106) in an upper cover plate (102a) of the hob unit (102), • at least one extraction device (108) for extracting exhaust air, in particular cooking fumes, which is arranged below the hob unit (102) and is designed to extract exhaust air from above the hob unit (102) through the opening (106) or at least one of the openings downwards, and is surrounded by an exhaust air guide housing (110) which is connected to the hob unit (102) below the latter, and • at least one liquid collecting container (112) which is connected to orcan be arranged and detachably fastened in a base (110a) of the exhaust air guide housing (110) in the direction of gravity below the opening (106) or at least one of the openings and is designed to collect and retain liquid that has passed through the opening (106) or openings associated with the respective liquid collecting container (112). characterized in that the at least one liquid collecting container (112) is provided with at least one handle element (120; 120`).

2. Cooking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one gripping element (120; 120') is arranged such that it can be grasped even before the attachment of the liquid collecting container (112) to the exhaust air guide housing (110) is released.

3. Cooking device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the liquid collecting container (112) is at least partially made of plastic, preferably as an injection-molded part.

4. Cooking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grip element (120) or at least one of the grip elements is designed as a grip recess (120) projecting into the volume of the liquid collecting container (112), which is arranged in a wall section of the liquid collecting container (112), preferably its bottom.

5. Cooking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handle element (120`) or at least one of the handle elements is designed as a separate handle unit (120`) which is mounted on a wall section of the liquid collecting container (112).

6. Cooking device according to claim 5, characterized in thatthe handle unit (120') or at least one of the handle units is either i) designed as a rigid unit or ii) is designed in several parts with a base part mounted on the wall section of the liquid collecting container and a handle part pivotably attached to the base part between a pivoted-out position and a pivoted-back position.

7. Cooking device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid collection container (112) is pivotally mounted on the exhaust air guide housing (110).

8. Cooking device according to claim 7, characterized in that ​at one end (112d) of the liquid collection container (112) at least one hinge projection (112e) is arranged, which is designed to be inserted into a hinge recess or hinge recess of the exhaust air guide housing (110) assigned to it in order to establish the pivotable attachment to the exhaust air guide housing (110) or to be pulled out again from this to release the pivotable attachment.

9. Cooking device according to claim 8, ​ at least one projection (112g) with an opening (112h) is provided at an opposite end (112f) of the liquid collecting container (112), wherein the opening is designed to pass through a releasable fastening element associated therewith.

10. Cooking device according to one of claims 7 to 9, ​ at least one handle element (120; 120`) is provided adjacent to at least one end (112d) of the liquid collecting container (112).

11. Cooking device according to one of the preceding claims, ​ the extraction device (108) comprises at least one fan.

12. Cooking device according to one of the preceding claims, ​ at least one grease and / or odor filter arrangement (114) is provided in the flow direction between the at least one opening (106) in the upper cover plate (102a) of the hob unit (102) and the at least one liquid collecting container (112).

13. Cooking device according to claim 12, ​ the at least one grease and / or odor filter arrangement (114) is arranged in the direction of gravity above the at least one liquid collecting container (112).

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