Cooking device drawer, preferably steam cooking drawer

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking device drawer (1), preferably a steam cooking drawer (1), comprising an inner housing (11) which at least partly forms a cooking chamber (12), wherein the cooking chamber (12) is designed to receive at least one cooking utensil (17) from above in the vertical direction (Z) through an access opening (13). The cooking device drawer (1) is characterized by at least one actuation unit (18), preferably multiple actuation units (18) which are designed to at least partly raise a cooking utensil (17) received in the cooking chamber (12) in the vertical direction (Z) so as to be aligned in the horizontal (X, Y) or diagonally to the horizontal (X, Y) relative to the inner housing (11).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Cooking appliance drawer, preferably steamer drawer

[0003] The invention relates to a cooking appliance drawer, preferably a steam cooking drawer.

[0004] For the preparation of food, which can also be referred to as food to be treated or food to be cooked, various kitchen appliances are known, which can also be referred to as cooking appliances. These include hobs, on which the food can be cooked in a cooking utensil such as a saucepan, with or without a lid, in a pan, and the like, by boiling, frying, and the like.

[0005] Cooking appliances are also known which have a fixed, i.e., stationary, cooking chamber formed with the cooking appliance, in which the food to be cooked can be placed in or on a cooking utensil and cooked with the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance closed. Such a cooking appliance can be, for example, an oven, a steamer, a microwave, a combination appliance comprising an oven with a steamer and / or with a microwave, and the like. Such cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber usually have a vertical height of approximately 45 cm, at least in Germany, although ovens with a height of approximately 60 cm are also common.

[0006] Such cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber have in common that they have an outer housing which essentially encloses the cooking appliance on the outside and protects its individual components and elements, as well as making them easier to handle. Within the cooking appliance, an interior space is formed which represents the cooking chamber and is essentially enclosed by an inner housing, also referred to as a cooking chamber muffle or muffle. Between the inner housing and the outer housing, a housing space is formed as an intermediate space, in which functional elements of the cooking appliance, such as a control system or control unit, an electrical power supply and other components which serve the intended use of the cooking appliance can be arranged. In terms of depth from the front, i.e. viewed from the user's perspective, the outer housing ora panel in the form of a furniture material or in the form of a control panel and the like, together with the inner housing, closes off the housing space so that the housing space is not accessible to the user. The interior of the cooking appliance has a through-opening in the depth towards the front as an access opening, through which the interior of the cooking appliance is accessible to the user in order to insert cooking utensils into the interior of the cooking appliance as its cooking space and to arrange them there, as well as to remove cooking utensils from the interior of the cooking appliance after the food has been cooked. The access opening can be opened by the user by means of a closure element, for example in the form of a door that can be pivoted to the side, a flap that can be pivoted downwards, and the like, in order to access the interior of the cooking appliance, as described above, or to close the interior of the cooking appliance and carry out the cooking operation or process.Such a closure element can be closed or have a viewing window to allow the user to see into the closed interior of the cooking appliance.

[0007] Such cooking appliances with a fixed cooking chamber are usually designed as built-in appliances or as built-in kitchen appliances in order to be arranged with their outer casing in a space-saving manner and at a height that is easily accessible for the user in the vertical direction in kitchen furniture, such as in built-in kitchen cupboards, and to be arranged with their locking element, if necessary additionally with their panel, see above, towards the front of the user, flush with the surfaces of the other cooking appliances, drawers, doors and the like of the kitchen furniture, which can improve the visual impression for the user.

[0008] Other built-in kitchen appliances are also known, such as warming drawers, vacuum-sealing drawers, and the like. These are installed in the kitchen as described above and, in particular, combined with the previously described cooking appliances as built-in appliances, arranged horizontally one above the other and / or vertically next to each other. Warming drawers are used, for example, to keep cooked food warm without further cooking and to preheat dishes. Vacuum-sealing drawers allow food to be vacuum-sealed in an airtight container.

[0009] Drawers as kitchen appliances are fundamentally constructed in a similar way to the previously described cooking appliances with a fixed cooking space, whereby drawers are significantly flatter, i.e. smaller in the vertical direction, and thus have to be pulled forwards out of the kitchen unit by the user in order to allow access to their interior in the vertical direction from above. For this purpose, the movable part of the drawer, which can also be referred to as a pull-out, has a pull-out shelf which serves to hold, for example, the cooking utensils in the vertical direction from above and which can be movable in depth relative to the inner casing of the drawer, for example via rails arranged laterally in the transverse direction. The pull-out shelf usually has a vertically aligned panel in the depth towards the front, which defines the interior of the drawer orwhose access opening closes when closed.

[0010] Such drawers, also called built-in drawers, usually have a vertical height of approximately 15 cm, at least in Germany. Drawers are usually arranged vertically below a cooking appliance with a fixed cooking space, such as an oven, a steamer, or the like, or in combination with another drawer, one above the other in the vertical direction, but can also be installed individually and independently in a piece of kitchen furniture. Since the installation spaces for built-in kitchen appliances in kitchen furniture, which can also be referred to as niches, usually have a vertical height of approximately 60 cm, at least in Germany, a drawer with a height of approximately 15 cm and a cooking appliance with a fixed cooking space with a height of approximately 45 cm can be used in a modular combination as built-in appliances.

[0011] It is also known to design cooking appliances with a steam cooking function as built-in drawers, which can be referred to as steam cooking drawers. Such steam cooking drawers usually accommodate at least one cooking container with food to be cooked in their cooking chamber, which is arranged on the pull-out floor. The cooking container can usually be removed, usually upwards from the open built-in drawer. Accordingly, the access opening to the cooking chamber in steam cooking drawers is horizontal and usually rectangular and can usually be opened and closed with a pivoting lid. The pivoting lid is usually arranged on the rear edge of the steam cooking drawer, which faces away from the panel, and can be pivoted upwards.

[0012] Drawers with a steam cooking function are disclosed in the documents DE 102020 105691 A1 and DE 102021 204 743 A1.

[0013] The document WO 2007 061 323 A1 shows how to generally design a cooking appliance as a drawer.

[0014] With steam cooking drawers and other cooking appliance drawers, it is common practice not to place the food to be cooked directly into the interior but to use a cooking utensil, a fermentation container or a cooking tray. The food is placed in or on the cooking utensil and then the cooking utensil and food are placed, pushed or hung into the interior of the steam cooking drawer or cooking appliance drawer, depending on the model of the cooking appliance. This can make preparation easier for the user, as the cooking utensil can be filled with food outside of the steam cooking drawer or cooking appliance drawer and only then placed into the interior. Conversely, the cooking utensil with the food can be removed from the interior of the steam cooking drawer or cooking appliance drawer and then the finished food can be taken out of or from the cooking utensil. This can also make cleaning easier for the user, as the separate cooking utensil is easier and, if necessary, can be cleaned with a cleaner.can be cleaned using a dishwasher. In any case, the cooking chamber can be formed by the interior of the cooking utensil if the cooking utensil is arranged in the interior of the steam cooking drawer or the cooking appliance drawer for the purpose of carrying out the cooking process.

[0015] With regard to such cooking utensils, it is known that they can be removed from the interior of a steamer, oven, microwave, combination appliance, or the like from the side or front. The cooking utensils can rest on a rack or on a ledge in the cooking chamber wall. Accordingly, the user of such appliances can slide or pull the cooking utensils out, for example, using a potholder or a tea towel to protect against burns, and then grasp one edge more easily to remove them.

[0016] A disadvantage of steamer drawers or cooking appliance drawers is that the cooking utensils are usually removed from the top. Furthermore, due to the limited space, which must be utilized as fully as possible to create the cooking space due to the low height, the cooking utensils in steamer drawers or cooking appliance drawers cannot be moved horizontally sideways or backwards and forwards to allow for a grasp. This can make it difficult for the user to remove the cooking utensil, especially if it is hot, using potholders or the like.

[0017] Cooking utensils with so-called drop handles are generally known; these are bow-shaped and arranged on the side of the cooking utensil. The upper, elongated, horizontally aligned part of the bow of the drop handle can be grasped by the user with the fingers and pulled up until a laterally accessible rectangular grip recess forms between the three-sided bow and the top of the rim of the cooking utensil and the movement of the bow is positively blocked against the underside of the rim of the cooking utensil. The user can then grip the bow of the drop handle from the side in order to lift the cooking utensil safely. However, this is only practical when inserting the cooking utensil when the bows of the drop handles are cold and can be grasped directly with the fingers or hands.If the drop handle brackets are hot, a pot holder or similar item is required to avoid burns, but this may make it difficult or even impossible for the user to grasp and pull up the flat, upper, elongated, horizontally aligned parts of the drop handle bracket.

[0018] The invention therefore addresses the problem of creating a way to make cooking utensils in a cooking appliance drawer, and in particular in a steam cooking drawer, easier for the user to remove and, in particular, easier to grasp from above, than previously known. This should be achieved particularly for hot cooking utensils. In any case, this should be as simple, space-saving, user-friendly, and / or cost-effective as possible. At the very least, an alternative to known possibilities should be created.

[0019] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a cooking appliance drawer having the features of the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are set forth in the following subclaims.

[0020] Thus, the invention relates to a cooking appliance drawer, preferably a steam cooking drawer, with an inner housing which partially forms a cooking chamber, wherein the cooking chamber is designed to receive at least one cooking utensil through an access opening from above in the vertical direction.

[0021] The cooking appliance drawer is characterized by at least one actuating unit, preferably a plurality of actuating units, which is designed and configured to lift a cooking utensil accommodated in the cooking chamber at least in sections aligned horizontally relative to the inner housing or obliquely to the horizontal in the vertical direction.

[0022] In other words, by means of the actuating unit, a cooking utensil arranged in the interior or cooking chamber of the inner housing can be pushed or moved upwards from below in a vertical direction to make it easier for the user to grip the cooking utensil. In particular, this can make it easier or even possible for the user to grip behind an edge of the cooking utensil, in particular with a pot holder or the like to protect their fingers from burns, and thus be able to grip and lift the cooking utensil as safely as possible. This can increase the comfort of using the cooking appliance drawer, and in particular a steam cooking drawer. In particular, this can protect the user from burns.

[0023] The picked up cooking utensil can be lifted vertically relative to the inner housing either horizontally or at an angle to the horizontal, depending on the design and arrangement of the actuating unit or multiple actuating units. For example, the cooking utensil can be lifted horizontally, i.e. without tilting the cooking utensil relative to the horizontal, using an actuating unit that is arranged as directly as possible below the center of gravity of the picked up cooking utensil, or using multiple actuating units arranged evenly around the center of gravity of the picked up cooking utensil. This can prevent the cooking utensil from moving within the cooking utensil, which could, for example, result in multiple items of cooking being mixed up within the cooking utensil.

[0024] Alternatively, a deliberate inclination or slant of the picked-up cooking utensil can be achieved when being lifted by arranging at least one actuating unit and, if necessary, several actuating units offset relative to the center of gravity of the picked-up cooking utensil. For example, in the case of a steamer drawer, this can result in condensation adhering to the underside of the cooking utensil accumulating due to the slanted position of the cooking utensil, allowing it to drain off more easily. This can reduce the amount of condensation adhering to the steamer drawer when the cooking utensil is removed from the interior or cooking chamber, and thus allowing it to drip off or run off outside the steamer drawer.

[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, the inner housing has, at least in sections, an edge which is designed to receive an edge of the cooking utensil onto itself, at least in sections, from above in the vertical direction, wherein at least one actuating unit, preferably a plurality of actuating units, is designed and configured to raise an edge of a cooking utensil received in the cooking chamber, at least in sections, aligned horizontally relative to the edge of the inner housing or obliquely to the horizontal in the vertical direction. Implementing the properties and advantages described above at the edge of the cooking chamber can minimize the installation space required for this purpose in the vertical direction, which can be particularly relevant for cooking appliance drawers in order to be able to utilize the height of the cooking appliance drawer as fully as possible to carry out the cooking process.

[0026] According to a further aspect of the invention, the actuating unit has at least one plunger, which is designed and configured to be moved in the vertical direction by an actuating element of the actuating unit, wherein the actuating unit is designed and configured to lift the cooking utensil relative to the inner housing by means of the plunger. This can represent a particularly simple and functional way of implementing such a vertical movement.

[0027] According to a further aspect of the invention, the actuating element is a push-to-open mechanism. In other words, the vertical movement of the plunger can be actuated by the user using a mechanism similar to that used in handleless drawers and furniture doors. The cooking utensil is inserted into the interior or cooking chamber by pushing in the actuating element, thereby tensioning or locking it. To remove the cooking utensil, the user can press on the cooking utensil again to raise it again using the mechanism. This can represent a particularly simple and driveless implementation option, requiring no electrical power or corresponding cabling.

[0028] According to a further aspect of the invention, the actuating element is a drive, preferably a linear drive or a heatable expansion body. This can represent an alternative implementation possibility. This can be advantageous in that the user only needs to actuate the drive indirectly, for example by pressing a button or the like, for example in the area of ​​a panel of the cooking appliance drawer, in order to activate the drive and thereby move the plunger up or down. This can also make it possible for the user not to have to actuate the drive at all, as the plunger can move up and down automatically, for example in response to another action such as pulling out or pushing in the cooking appliance drawer or opening and closing a closure element or lid of the cooking appliance drawer, as will be described in more detail below.This can relieve the user of this burden and further increase the convenience of using the cooking appliance drawer.

[0029] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance drawer further comprises a closure element, preferably a lid, which is designed to close and open the access opening of the cooking chamber, preferably by pivoting by means of a pivoting element, preferably a hinge. The cooking appliance drawer is designed and configured to detect a release of the access opening of the cooking chamber by the closure element and, in response to the detected release, to move the plunger upwards in the vertical direction by means of the drive, preferably otherwise to move the plunger downwards in the vertical direction by means of the drive. This can enable the concrete implementation of the previously described function.

[0030] Detection of release or closure can be achieved, for example, by sensory means, such as by a pressure sensor being released or loaded, or by a capacitive sensor detecting or not detecting a counterpart. This can also be achieved by the closing or breaking of an electrical contact. Likewise, it can also be detected based on control information, such as the automatic opening or closing of a locking element by means of a corresponding drive. In either case, this can cause the plunger to retract and extend automatically.

[0031] According to a further aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance drawer is designed to distinguish between the presence and absence of cooking utensils in the cooking chamber, preferably on the edge of the inner housing, by means of a sensor and / or based on a parameter of the drive, in particular a drive load. The cooking appliance drawer is designed and configured, in response to the detected release, to move the plunger upwards in the vertical direction by means of the drive only if the presence of cooking utensils is detected at the same time, and preferably otherwise to move the plunger downwards in the vertical direction by means of the drive. This makes it possible to avoid movement of the plunger in the event that no cooking utensils are present in the cooking chamber or in the interior.

[0032] According to a further aspect of the invention, the plunger of the actuating element is sealed fluid-tight against the cooking utensil by means of a seal. This can protect the space between the plunger and the cooking utensil from moisture and / or contamination.

[0033] According to a further aspect of the invention, the seal seals a through-opening of the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing, around the plunger of the actuating element, and the plunger of the actuating element is movable vertically through the seal. This can represent a comparatively simple sealing option, although it does result in the plunger protruding upward in sections and potentially coming into contact with moisture and / or dirt, which must then be kept away from the gap by the seal.

[0034] According to a further aspect of the invention, the seal encloses a through-opening of the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing, opposite the cooking utensil, and the plunger of the actuating element is movable vertically beneath the seal. This can ensure that the plunger and thus also the intermediate space are always protected from moisture and / or contamination. However, this can also increase the cost of implementing a seal accordingly.

[0035] According to a further aspect of the invention, the seal is folded or elastic to allow movement of the plunger of the actuating element in the vertical direction. These may represent possible concrete implementations.

[0036] According to a further aspect of the invention, a sealing edge of the seal encloses an edge of the through-opening of the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing, on both sides in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner. This can be achieved by means of a double-walled or U-shaped design of the sealing edge of the seal, which can accommodate the edge of the through-opening of the inner housing between them and enclose it on both sides. This can enable simple assembly while simultaneously achieving the desired tightness. This can also simplify the replacement of a damaged seal.

[0037] According to a further aspect of the invention, the through-opening of the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing, is surrounded at least partially, preferably completely, by a preferably annular elevation of the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing. This allows liquid such as condensation to be kept away from the through-opening of the inner housing or its edge, which can relieve the seal.

[0038] According to a further aspect of the invention, the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing, is designed to slope downwards toward the cooking chamber, at least in sections around the through-opening of the inner housing, preferably an edge of the inner housing. This can additionally or alternatively keep liquid, such as condensation, away from the through-opening of the inner housing or its edge, which can relieve the seal.

[0039] Several embodiments of the invention are shown purely schematically in the drawings and are described in more detail below.

[0040] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a piece of kitchen furniture with a cooking appliance drawer according to the invention in the form of a steam cooking drawer according to a first embodiment in the inserted state;

[0041] Figure 2 shows the representation of Figure 1 with the steam drawer pulled out;

[0042] Figure 3 is a perspective detailed view of the extended steam drawer of Figure 2, viewed diagonally from above at the front;

[0043] Figure 4 is a simplified plan view of an extended steam drawer of Figures 2 and 3;

[0044] Figure 5 is a simplified plan view of an extended steam cooking drawer according to a second embodiment;

[0045] Figure 6 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a steam cooking drawer according to a first or second embodiment in a raised state of the cooking utensil;

[0046] Figure 7 shows the illustration of Figure 6 in a lowered state of the cooking utensil; Figure 8 shows a detailed view of the actuating unit of Figure 7; Figure 9 shows a detailed view of an actuating unit according to a third embodiment; and

[0047] Figure 10 is a detailed view of an actuating unit according to a fourth embodiment.

[0048] The above figures are viewed in Cartesian coordinates. There is a longitudinal direction X, which can also be referred to as depth X or length X. Perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X extends a transverse direction Y, which can also be referred to as width Y. Perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y extends a vertical direction Z, which can also be referred to as height Z and corresponds to the direction of gravity. The longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y together form the horizontal X, Y, which can also be referred to as the horizontal plane X, Y.

[0049] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a piece of kitchen furniture 2 with a cooking appliance drawer 1 according to the invention in the form of a steam cooking drawer 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment in the inserted state. Figure 2 shows the representation of Figure 1 in the extended state of the steam cooking drawer 1. Figure 3 shows a perspective detailed view of the extended steam cooking drawer 1 of Figure 2, obliquely from above at the front.

[0050] The kitchen furniture 2, which can also be referred to as a kitchen unit 2, has a furniture front 20 or a plurality of furniture panels 20, with which the kitchen furniture 1 is closed off towards a user in the longitudinal direction X. The furniture front 20 is formed by a plurality of doors, flaps and the like (not designated), possibly also drawers (not shown), which are arranged pivotably, foldably or pullably on a frame 21, rack 21 or body 21 of the kitchen furniture 2.

[0051] A steam cooking drawer 1 according to the invention is arranged approximately centrally along the vertical direction Z between two furniture fronts 20. The steam cooking drawer 1 has an outer housing 10, which can also be referred to as the outer housing 10 and which essentially closes off or encloses the steam cooking drawer 1 to the outside. The outer housing 10 closes along the longitudinal direction X towards the front, i.e. towards the user, with a panel 10a which, when the steam cooking drawer 1 is pushed in, is flush with the furniture fronts 20 of the kitchen furniture 2, see Figure 1. A pair of telescopic rails (not shown) are arranged laterally in the transverse direction Y on the outer housing 10, so that the steam cooking drawer 1 can be pulled out and pushed in relative to the frame 20 of the kitchen furniture 2 in the longitudinal direction X. An inner housing 11, which can also be referred to as the inner housing 11, is arranged within the outer housing 10.The inner housing 11 terminates in the longitudinal direction X to the rear and forward up to the panel 10a, in the vertical direction Z downwards, and in the transverse direction Y on both sides with the outer housing 10, so that a space (not shown) is formed between the outer housing 10 and the inner housing 11, which can also be referred to as the housing space. This space represents the interior of the steam cooking drawer 1.

[0052] The inner housing 11 also essentially encloses an interior space 12 in which a cooking process or a steaming process can be carried out. For this purpose, a steam generator (not shown) is arranged in the housing space or in the space between the steam cooking drawer 1, which can evaporate water and convey the steam into the interior space 12. The water can be made available by means of a removable water tank 16, see Figure 3. Accordingly, the interior space 12 can also be referred to as a cooking chamber 12. If the interior space 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1 accommodates several cooking utensils 17, such as two equally sized cooking utensils 17 next to one another in the transverse direction Y, see Figure 3, the cooking chamber 12 is formed by the interior spaces (not shown) of the cooking utensils 17. The cooking utensils 17 can also be referred to as fermentation containers 17 or cooking trays 17.

[0053] The interior space 12 is accessible to the user from above in the vertical direction Z through an access opening 13. The access opening 13 can be closed and opened by means of a closure element 14 in the form of a lid 14. For this purpose, the lid 14 is connected to the outer housing 10 of the steam cooking drawer 1 by means of at least one pivoting element 15 in the form of a hinge 15 or a lid hinge 15 so that it can be pivoted upwards in the vertical direction Z, so that the lid 14 can be pivoted away from the user or upwards towards the furniture panel 20 located above it in order to be able to access the cooking chamber 12 when the steam cooking drawer 1 is pulled out, see Figures 2 and 3. If the lid 14 is pivoted down into the horizontal X, Y, the cooking chamber 12 is closed and the steam cooking drawer 1 can be pushed into the kitchen furniture 2, see Figure 1. An underside 14a or inner side 14a of the lid 14 faces the cooking chamber 12.

[0054] Figure 4 shows a simplified plan view of an extended steam cooking drawer 1 of Figures 2 and 3. Figure 5 shows a simplified plan view of an extended steam cooking drawer 1 according to a second embodiment.

[0055] According to the invention, several actuating units 18 are provided on the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 of the steam cooking drawer 1, each of which lifts a cooking utensil 17, which is accommodated in the interior 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1, upwards in the vertical direction Z by pressing on the edge from below. This will be described in more detail below with regard to various possible concrete implementations. In any case, an actuating unit 18 can also be referred to as a removal unit 18 or a lifting unit 18.

[0056] In the steam cooking drawer 1 of Figure 4, an actuating unit 18 is provided centrally under the front edge 17b of the right-hand cooking utensil 17, i.e. the edge facing the panel 10a, in order to lift the front edge of the right-hand cooking utensil 17. In the left-hand cooking utensil 17 of the steam cooking drawer 1 of Figure 4, a pair of actuating units 18 are provided for the same purpose, spaced from one another in the transverse direction Y. In any case, the user can thereby grasp the cooking utensil 17 at the front edge (not designated) and can thus be lifted or removed from the interior 12 of the steam cooking drawer 1 relatively easily, even with pot holders or the like. In addition, the cooking utensil 17 can be tilted backwards at an angle relative to the horizontal X, Y, so that on the outside orCondensed steam from the steaming process can collect on the underside of the base of the cooking utensil 17 and drain to the rear to remain within the interior space 12 of the steaming drawer 1.

[0057] In the steam cooking drawer 1 shown in Figure 5, two pairs of actuating units 18 are arranged opposite each other in the longitudinal direction X on the left. On the right, three actuating units 18 form an isosceles triangle. In either case, the cooking vessel 17 can be raised in the vertical direction Z while aligned horizontally X and Y to prevent the food inside the cooking vessel 17 from tipping over and mixing it.

[0058] Figure 6 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a steam cooking drawer 1 according to a first or second embodiment in a raised state of the cooking utensil 17. Figure 7 shows the illustration of Figure 6 in a lowered state of the cooking utensil 17.

[0059] In addition to the aforementioned edge 11b, which runs horizontally X, Y, the inner housing 11 has a wall 11a perpendicular thereto, which surrounds the interior 12. The aforementioned edge 17b of the cooking vessel 17 runs parallel to and above the edge 11b of the inner housing 11. This also applies to a wall 17a of the cooking vessel 17.

[0060] In the area of ​​the edge 11b of the inner housing 11, as previously described with reference to Figures 4 and 5, at least one actuating unit 18 is arranged such that the edge 17b of the cooking utensil 17 rests on the actuating unit 18 from above when the cooking utensil 17 is inserted into the interior 12. The actuating unit 18 has a plunger 18a, which can be moved up and down in a direction of movement A in the vertical direction Z. This movement is generated by an actuating element 18d, which can be a push-to-open mechanism 18d or a drive 18d, such as a linear drive 18d or a heatable expansion body 18d.

[0061] Accordingly, the plunger 18a can be retracted into the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 so that the cooking utensil 17 can rest with its edge 17b directly on the edge 11b of the inner housing 11, see Figure 7. Or the plunger 18a can be extended upwards out of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 by the actuating element 18d in the vertical direction Z in order to raise the cooking utensil 17 relative to the inner housing 11, see Figure 6.

[0062] In order to keep liquids and dirt away from the actuating unit 18 and from the intermediate space (not designated) in which the actuating unit 18 is arranged, a seal 18b can be provided.

[0063] Figure 8 shows a detailed view of the actuating unit of Figure 7, so that its seal 18b, which is fold-shaped and completely encloses the tappet 18a at the top, can be shown larger. The seal 18b is

[0064] Sealing edge 18c is arranged in a form-fitting and force-fitting manner on an edge (not designated) of the through-opening (not designated) of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 through which the plunger 18a can be moved. Furthermore, the through-opening of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 is surrounded by an annular protrusion 11c of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 to keep liquids away from the through-opening.

[0065] Figure 9 shows a detailed view of an actuating unit 18 according to a third embodiment. In this case, instead of the annular elevation 11c of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11, a slope of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11 is provided to allow liquids to drain more easily toward the cooking chamber 12 and thus keep them away from the through-opening of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11.

[0066] Figure 10 shows a detailed view of an actuating unit 18 according to a fourth embodiment. In this case, the upper part of the plunger 18a protrudes upward from the edge 11b of the inner housing 11, and the seal 18b is arranged annularly around the plunger 18a at the edge of the through-opening of the edge 11b of the inner housing 11. List of reference symbols (part of the description)

[0067] A Direction of movement of the plunger

[0068] X longitudinal direction; depth; length

[0069] Y transverse direction; width

[0070] Z vertical direction; height

[0071] X, Y Horizontal; horizontal plane

[0072] 1 cooking appliance drawer; steam cooking drawer

[0073] 10 outer casing; outer casing

[0074] 10a aperture

[0075] 11 inner casing; inner casing

[0076] 11a Wall of the inner housing 11

[0077] 11b Edge of the inner housing 11

[0078] 11c (annular) elevation of the edge 11b of the inner casing 11

[0079] 12 Interior; cooking chamber

[0080] 13 Access opening

[0081] 14 Closure element; lid

[0082] 14a Underside or inside of the lid 14

[0083] 15 Swivel element; hinge; lid hinge

[0084] 16 Water tank

[0085] 17 cooking dishes; fermentation tanks; cooking bowl

[0086] 17a Wall of the cooking utensil 17

[0087] 17b Edge of the cooking utensil 17

[0088] 18 Operating unit; removal unit; lifting unit

[0089] 18a Tappet

[0090] 18b Seal

[0091] 18c sealing edge

[0092] 18d Actuator; push-to-open mechanism; drive; linear drive; heated

[0093] Expansion body

[0094] 2 kitchen units; kitchenette

[0095] 20 Furniture front; furniture panel

[0096] 21 frame; chassis; body

Claims

Patent claims 1. Cooking appliance drawer (1), preferably a steam cooking drawer (1), with an inner housing (11) which partially forms a cooking chamber (12), wherein the cooking chamber (12) is designed to receive at least one cooking utensil (17) through an access opening (13) from above in the vertical direction (Z), and with at least one actuating unit (18), preferably a plurality of actuating units (18), which is designed and configured to lift a cooking utensil (17) received in the cooking chamber (12) at least partially aligned with the inner housing (11) in the horizontal direction (X, Y) or obliquely to the horizontal (X, Y) in the vertical direction (Z), characterized in that the actuating unit (18) has at least one plunger (18a) which is designed and configured to be moved in the vertical direction (Z) by an actuating element (18d) of the actuating unit (18), wherein the actuating unit (18) is designed and configured,to lift the cooking utensil (17) relative to the inner housing (11) by means of the pusher (18a).

2. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the inner housing (11) has at least in sections an edge (11b) which is designed to receive an edge (17b) of the cooking utensil (17) at least in sections from above in the vertical direction (Z), wherein at least one actuating unit (18), preferably a plurality of actuating units (18), is designed and configured to lift an edge (17b) of a cooking utensil (17) received in the cooking chamber (12) at least in sections aligned with the edge (11b) of the inner housing (11) in the horizontal direction (X, Y) or obliquely to the horizontal (X, Y) in the vertical direction (Z).

3. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the actuating element (18d) comprises a drive designed as a push-to-open mechanism (18d) and / or wherein the actuating element (18d) comprises a drive (18d), which is preferably a linear drive (18d) or a heatable expansion body (18d).

4. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to the preceding claim, further comprising a closure element (14), preferably a lid (14), which is designed to close and open the access opening (13) of the cooking chamber (12), preferably by pivoting by means of a pivoting element (15), preferably a hinge (15), wherein the cooking appliance drawer (1) is designed and configured to detect a release of the access opening (13) of the cooking chamber (12) by the closure element (14) and, in response to the detected release, to move the plunger (18a) upwards in the vertical direction (Z) by means of the drive (18d), preferably otherwise to move the plunger (18a) downwards in the vertical direction (Z) by means of the drive (18d).

5. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the cooking appliance drawer (1) is designed to distinguish between the presence and absence of a cooking utensil (17) in the cooking chamber (12), preferably on the edge (11b) of the inner housing (11), by means of a sensor and / or based on a parameter of the drive (18d), in particular a drive load, wherein the cooking appliance drawer (1) is designed and configured, in response to the detected release, to move the plunger (18a) upwards in the vertical direction (Z) by means of the drive (18d) only if the presence of a cooking utensil (17) is detected at the same time, preferably otherwise to move the plunger (18a) downwards in the vertical direction (Z) by means of the drive (18d).

6. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plunger (18a) of the actuating element (18d) is sealed fluid-tight against the cooking utensil (17) by means of a seal (18b).

7. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the seal (18b) seals a through-opening of the inner housing (11), preferably an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11), around the plunger (18a) of the actuating element (18d) and the plunger (18a) of the Actuating element (18d) is movable through the seal (18b) in the vertical direction (Z) or wherein the seal (18b) encloses a through-opening of the inner housing (11), preferably of an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11), opposite the cooking utensil (17) and the plunger (18a) of the actuating element (18d) is movable below the seal (18b) in the vertical direction (Z).

8. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the seal (18b) is folded or elastic to allow the movement of the plunger (18a) of the actuating element (18d) in the vertical direction (Z).

9. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a sealing edge (18c) of the seal (18b) encloses an edge of the through-opening of the inner housing (11), preferably an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11), on both sides in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner.

10. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the through-opening of the inner housing (11), preferably of an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11), is surrounded at least in sections, preferably completely, by a preferably annular elevation (11c) of the inner housing (11), preferably of an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11).

11. Cooking appliance drawer (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner housing (11), preferably an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11), is formed sloping towards the cooking chamber (12) at least in sections around the through-opening of the inner housing (11), preferably an edge (11b) of the inner housing (11).

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