Cooking appliance with an illuminating device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooking appliance with a lighting device, comprising a housing (1) surrounding a cooking chamber (2), the cooking chamber having an opening (3) for receiving an item to be heat-treated, which opening can be closed by a door (4), wherein a guide channel (7) for cooling air is arranged in the area above the cooking chamber (2), and a lighting device (8) with at least one light source (11). At the exit section of the guide channel (7) and in its upper wall (7a), at least one through-hole (7b) is formed, which is each configured to accommodate at least one lighting device (8).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking appliance comprising a housing in which a cooking chamber is provided, said cooking chamber being closable by a door movably arranged on the housing. The cooking appliance further comprises an illuminating device having at least one light source.

[0002] Cooking chambers of cooking appliances are typically illuminated, thereby allowing the user to monitor the cooking or baking process. However, the area outside the cooking chamber is usually not sufficiently illuminated, so that visibility when checking food undergoing thermal treatment-especially when a support or food tray is partially or fully pulled out-depends on ambient light. This drawback is addressed by illuminating the area in front of the cooking chamber using a lighting element integrated into the cooking appliance.

[0003] Document EP 3 703 501 A1 discloses a cooking appliance with a housing in which a cooking chamber is formed, the latter being closable by a door movably arranged on the housing. A lighting device is provided comprising a light source, and is arranged on the housing. Said lighting device has a first operating mode in which light rays are emitted with a first luminous flux toward the area of light exit from the housing into the closed door, and at least a second operating mode in which light rays are emitted with a second luminous flux, different from the first, toward the area in front of the cooking chamber that arises when the door is open. However, this known solution exhibits non-uniform illumination of the tray and an inability to illuminate only the desired area.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide sufficient and homogeneous illumination of trays at different heights or levels inside the cooking appliance, while minimizing reflection from surrounding surfaces.

[0005] The object as set is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1. Further details of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0006] The solution according to the invention provides a cooking appliance in which the illuminating device is arranged in a cool zone of the appliance, i.e., outside the cooking chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the illuminating device is located in the outlet section of a cooling air guide channel positioned above the cooking chamber. This arrangement ensures forced convection of cooling air around the illuminating device. Furthermore, it allows the illuminating device to be used across various platforms, independent of the type of control panel and design of the cooking appliance.

[0007] The invention will now be described in more detail by way of a non-limiting exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1shows a schematic longitudinal section of a cooking appliance with an illuminating device, Fig. 2shows an enlarged detail II from Fig. 1, Fig. 3shows the illuminating device in a three-dimensional view, and Fig. 4shows a cross-sectional view of the optical element of the illuminating device along plane IV.

[0008] The cooking appliance with an illuminating device according to the invention is described hereinafter in greater detail, and non-restrictively, as an embodiment of a household oven comprising a housing 1 enclosing a cooking chamber 2, the insertion opening 3 of which for the food item to be thermally treated can be closed by a door 4. Unless otherwise specified, the following directional terms are used consistently throughout the description: "bottom" refers to the side facing the surface on which the appliance is normally placed; "top" refers to the opposite side; "front" refers to the side comprising the opening 3 that can be closed by door 4; "rear" refers to the side opposite the front; "transverse" refers to a plane in or parallel to the front plane; and "longitudinal" refers to a plane in or parallel to the respective side wall plane connecting the front and rear sides.

[0009] The housing 1 comprises a front or control panel 5 in the area above the door 4. The cooking chamber 2 is provided with at least one pair of guides 6 arranged along its lateral walls in the same horizontal plane. At least one such pair of guides 6 is configured as pull-out guides. A cooling air guide channel 7 is arranged above the top wall of the cooking chamber 2, and the cooling air exits in the direction of arrow A through a slot beneath the front or control panel 5.

[0010] Furthermore, at least one through-opening 7b is provided in the top wall 7a of the guide channel 7, in the area of the outlet section, said opening extending along at least one continuous transverse section and being designed to accommodate at least one illuminating device 8. The illuminating device 8 comprises at least one optical element 9 which, by means of light refraction, disperses and / or directs light rays emitted from the light source 11 between the planes defined by the opening 3 of the cooking chamber 2 and the end of a support or tray for receiving the food item in the pulled-out position of the guides 6. The optical element 9 is surrounded both by the lateral surfaces of the through-opening 7b and the side walls of the housing 8a that holds the illuminating device 8, such that the light-emitting surface 9a of the optical element 9 is limited to the desired illumination area. At the same time, undesired illumination of the front panel 10 of the appliance is prevented.

[0011] The light-emitting surface 9a of the optical element 9, visible to the user, is at least approximately flush with the top wall 7a of the guide channel 7. This configuration enables unobstructed flow of cooling air and easy cleaning of the light-emitting surface 9a. The surface of the optical element 9 facing the light source or through which light from the light source 11 enters the optical element 9, and / or the light-emitting surface 9a, each at least partially comprises a specific surface treatment-such as polished, matte, textured, or similar -thus ensuring more homogenised and smoother light distribution through the optical element 9. The light source 11 is arranged within the housing 8a of the illuminating device 8, either inclined or parallel to the support or tray for the food item to be thermally treated.

[0012] Furthermore, the housing 8a of the illuminating device 8 accommodates an electrical or electronic circuit 12 that holds at least one light source 11 for illuminating the tray intended to receive the food item to be thermally treated. The optical axis of the light source 11 is preferably inclined or directed toward said tray.

[0013] At least the surface of the optical element 9 facing the light source or through which light from the light source 11 enters the optical element 9, and / or, optionally, the light-emitting surface 9a of the optical element 9, in at least one direction of extension, comprises at least two surface areas 13, 14, which-when viewed in cross section (Fig. 4)-are each formed as a continuous or piecewise continuous function. The optical element 9 may be designed as a single integral part with different optical properties, or it may be assembled in a known manner from multiple parts having different optical characteristics. For example, the optical element 9 may consist of areas 13, 14 that are joined by chemical and / or physical bonding.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the invention, it is provided that at least one of the aforementioned areas 13, 14 of the optical element 9, or at least one surface of at least one of the areas 13, 14, may be configured as a progressive lens (free-form lens), or as a microlens array, or as a hologram, or as diffractive optics, or as prismatic optics, or as a lens with integrated liquid crystals, or as any combination of the aforementioned.

Claims

1. Cooking appliance with an illumination device, comprising a housing enclosing a cooking chamber, the opening of which for inserting a food item to be thermally processed is closable by a door, wherein a guide channel for cooling air is arranged in a region above the cooking chamber, and an illumination device with at least one light source, characterised in that the illumination device (8), which is arranged in at least one through-hole (7b) formed in a region of the outlet section of the guide channel (7) and in the top wall (7a) thereof, comprises at least one optical element (9), wherein at least the surface of the optical element (9) through which light from the light source (11) enters the optical element (9) and / or, optionally, the exit surface (9a) of the optical element (9), in at least one direction of its extension in a planar view, is each designed with at least two regions (13, 14), each of which is configured as a continuous or piecewise continuous function.

2. Cooking appliance according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the aforementioned regions (13, 14) of the optical element (9) is designed, or at least one surface of at least one of the regions (13, 14) of the optical element (9) is designed, as either a progressive lens, a micro-lens array, a hologram, a diffractive optical element, a prismatic optical element, a lens with integrated liquid crystals, or any combination thereof.

3. Cooking appliance according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the optical element (9) is formed in one piece, as a single integral component with different optical properties.

4. Cooking appliance according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the optical element (9) is formed from a plurality of parts having different optical properties.

5. Cooking appliance according to claim 4, characterised in that the optical element (9) is composed of regions (13, 14) which are interconnected by means of a chemical and / or physical bond.

6. Cooking appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said at least one through-hole (7b) extends along at least one continuous transverse section of the upper wall (7a) of the guide channel (7).

7. Cooking appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the exit surface (9a) of the optical element (9) is at least approximately flush with the upper wall (7a) of the guide channel (7).

8. Cooking appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the surface of the optical element (9) through which light from the light source (11) enters the optical element (9) and / or the exit surface (9a) of the optical element (9) each at least partially comprises a surface treatment, such as polished, textured, or similar.

9. Cooking appliance according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the light source (11) in the housing (8a) of the lighting device (8) is arranged either inclined or parallel relative to the carrier or tray for receiving the item to be heat-treated.

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