Cooking appliance comprising a set of cleaning chemicals, and method for cleaning a cooking appliance comprising a set of cleaning chemicals

The cooking appliance adapts cleaning parameters using sensors to ensure optimal cleaning results and resource efficiency even with depleted cleaning agents, addressing inefficiencies in existing systems.

FR3150269A1Pending Publication Date: 2024-12-27RATIONAL AG
View PDF 0 Cites 1 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
FR2024006490
Authority / Receiving Office
FR · FR
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-06-26
Filing Date
2024-06-18
Publication Date
2024-12-27

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing cooking appliances face issues with insufficient cleaning agent reserves during cleaning programs, leading to poor cleaning results and inefficiencies in water and energy consumption, especially when the cleaning agent is depleted mid-program.

Method used

A cooking appliance equipped with sensors to monitor cleaning chemical levels and adapt cleaning parameters such as temperature, time, and steps dynamically based on available agent quantity, ensuring optimal cleaning despite shortages.

Benefits of technology

Ensures effective cleaning with reduced resource consumption by adapting the cleaning program to available resources, maintaining cleanliness and safety even with low or no cleaning agent, and allowing user-defined adjustments.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
    Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooking appliance (10) comprising a set of cleaning chemicals (26) for supplying cleaning products for a cleaning program, the set of cleaning chemicals (26) comprising at least one cleaning chemical reservoir (28). The cooking appliance (10) has a first sensor (42) which is connected to a control unit (24). The control unit (24) is arranged to start the cleaning program and adapt the cleaning program based on a signal from the first sensor (42) that indicates a sufficient quantity of cleaning product is available to prepare a cleaning solution. Fig. 1
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Title of the invention: Cooking appliance comprising a set of cleaning chemicals, and method of cleaning a cooking appliance comprising a set of cleaning chemicals

[0001] The invention relates to a cooking appliance comprising a cleaning chemical set for providing cleaning products for a cleaning program, as well as to a method of cleaning a cooking appliance comprising a cleaning chemical set.

[0002] The cooking appliance is in particular a so-called combi oven, i.e. a cooking appliance intended for professional areas of application such as catering, canteens or restaurants. The cooking appliance allows food to be cooked in a cooking space by means of hot air, hot steam in a cooking space atmosphere with an adjustable moisture content and temperature. A microwave generator may further be provided in the cooking appliance for generating microwave radiation, by means of which the cooking process can be assisted in the cooking appliance.

[0003] During the operation of a cooking appliance, a wide variety of dirt such as grease and other substances are deposited in its cooking space over time. These come, for example, from condensate dripping from the walls of the cooking space and / or from food and cooking product carriers located in the cooking space. The water used also causes limescale deposits.

[0004] This is why a cooking appliance must be cleaned reliably at regular intervals. For this, it is advantageous to have a suitable cleaning solution available at all times.

[0005] The state of the art therefore discloses cooking appliances which provide a sufficient supply of cleaning agent for a large number of cleaning operations. However, it may happen that at the time when the cleaning program has already been started, the supply of cleaning agent is empty. However, once the cleaning program has been started, it always runs according to a predefined process, in which, for example, the cleaning temperature, the quantities of cleaning chemical and the running time of the cleaning program are fixed. However, if the quantity of cleaning agent is insufficient, the cleaning result of the cooking appliance is poor.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a cooking appliance comprising a set of cleaning chemicals and a method for cleaning the appliance. cooking appliance including the set of cleaning chemicals, by means of which it is possible to achieve the best possible result of cleaning the cooking appliance from dirt, even with too small quantities of available cleaning chemicals.

[0007] According to the invention, the object is achieved by a cooking appliance comprising a cleaning chemical set for supplying cleaning products for a cleaning program, the cleaning chemical set comprising at least one cleaning chemical reservoir, the cooking appliance having a first sensor which is connected to a control unit, and the control unit being arranged to start the cleaning program and then to adapt the cleaning program so as to obtain good cleaning of the soiling of the cooking appliance by taking into account a signal from the first sensor representative of a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning product available to prepare a cleaning solution.

[0008] Cleaning chemical sets typically comprise a plurality of cleaning chemical tanks containing different cleaning agents, such as basic cleaning chemicals or alkaline and acidic cleaning chemicals, which are used, depending on their function and composition, for cleaning, descaling and / or rinsing. The cleaning agents are in the form of solid substances in the cleaning chemical tank and are at least partially dissolved in water to prepare a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution introduced into the cooking space is therefore an aqueous solution composed of one or more cleaning agents from one or more cleaning chemical tanks.

[0009] The first sensor can in principle be any sensor capable of determining whether a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning product is still available for the cleaning program.

[0010] The basic idea of ​​the invention is that a targeted adaptation of the cleaning program makes it possible to achieve the best possible cleaning result of the cooking appliance, even if it is only discovered after starting the cleaning program that the supply no longer contains sufficient cleaning agent to prepare a cleaning solution. Such a targeted adaptation of the cleaning program makes it possible to ensure a good cleaning result of the cooking appliance with regard to impurities or soiling, despite an insufficient or completely missing cleaning chemical, and thus to improve the safety of the cooking appliance. According to the invention, it is provided that the cooking appliance carries out the cleaning program to the end without it being necessary to stop or interrupt the cleaning program prematurely due to a lack of cleaning agent. The cooking appliance The cooking area is thus optimally cleaned of dirt, even if there is no longer enough cleaning agent. The aim is not to wash the remaining cleaning agent out of the cooking space, but to actually rid the cooking appliance of as much dirt as possible.

[0011] Another advantage is that the cleaning program can be adapted to the amount of cleaning agent available at that time, even if it is already in progress. This is particularly advantageous when it has not been checked before starting the cleaning program whether there is still sufficient cleaning agent available, or when a cleaning chemical tank has become so empty during the cleaning process that there is no longer sufficient cleaning agent available for the next cleaning step. In both cases, the cleaning program can be adapted by the control unit to the missing amount of cleaning agent, so that the cleaning program no longer carries out, for example, all of the originally planned cleaning steps. This results in a reduction in water and energy consumption and a reduction in the duration of the cleaning program.

[0012] The control unit is arranged to adapt at least one cleaning parameter of the cleaning program during the cleaning program. The control unit adapts in particular the cleaning temperature of the cleaning program, i.e. the temperature at which the cleaning program is to be carried out, the running time of the cleaning program, the quantity of the washing bath, the temperature of the washing bath and / or the circulation time of the washing bath.

[0013] The cleaning temperature adjusted by the control unit is increased depending on the cleaning program respectively selected, but in particular by a maximum of 20°C. The increase in the cleaning temperature ensures, in particular, that, despite the absence of cleaning agent, bacteria and microorganisms are successfully destroyed in the cooking space and that a good cleaning result is achieved.

[0014] The running time of the cleaning program can also be extended, in particular depending on the degree of soiling of the cooking appliance. If the cooking appliance has only a low degree of soiling, the running time of the cleaning program is increased only slightly or not at all, whereas the running time is greatly increased if the degree of soiling of the cooking space is very high. The maximum extension of the running time of the cleaning program is, however, in particular equal to four hours. Thus, a sufficient cleaning result is achieved in a predictable time.

[0015] A good cleaning result can also be achieved by increasing the amount of washing bath. Washing bath refers to the liquid used in the appliance. cooking to remove impurities. In addition to the cleaning solution, it may contain other components, including already dissolved impurities. The pH value of the wash bath corresponds to the pH value of the corresponding cleaning solution. A wash bath with a pH value below 7 can be used advantageously to remove limescale deposits, while a wash bath with a pH value above 7 can be used to remove residues from products to be cooked. The maximum increase in the volume of the wash bath corresponds to the volume of the cleaning chemical tank, so that the maximum quantity of wash bath in the absence of cleaning agent is equal to the initial quantity of wash bath plus the volume of the cleaning chemical tank.Increasing the amount of wash bath may be necessary, since the water used, normally used to bring the cleaning product from the cleaning chemical tank, is not available when the cleaning chemical tank is already empty.

[0016] It is further possible to change the temperature of the wash bath, in particular to increase the temperature of the wash bath, as this also increases the cleaning temperature and improves the overall cleaning efficiency.

[0017] The washing bath can furthermore be circulated for a longer time in the cooking appliance, i.e. the circulation time of the washing bath can be increased by the control unit, so that the prolonged action and circulation of the washing bath allows more dirt to be dissolved therein.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the control unit of the cooking appliance is arranged to skip a cleaning step of the cleaning program, in particular a descaling step, a rinsing step and / or a purging step. Depending on which cleaning agent is no longer present in a sufficiently large quantity, it is possible to skip one or more steps of a cleaning program. If, for example, a descaling chemical is no longer available in sufficient quantity, certain descaling steps of the descaling cleaning program can be completely omitted. If a rinsing chemical is missing, the rinsing step can be skipped. Depending on which cleaning agents were no longer available and, consequently, which cleaning program steps were skipped, certain purging steps can also be skipped at the end of the cleaning program.The purging steps are only necessary if the pH value of the cooking space is not equal to a pH value of 7. If the pH value of the cooking space is already neutral, because acidic or basic cleaning agents were no longer available in sufficient quantities to clean the cooking space, the individual purging steps can be omitted.

[0019] By omitting certain cleaning steps, such as the purging step, the cooking appliance has the advantage of adapting and, in most cases, reducing the water consumption for cleaning the cooking space in the absence of cleaning agent, compared to standard cleaning. By omitting certain cleaning steps, it is also possible to dispense with certain heating phases, such as heating the descaling liquid, which also reduces the energy consumption of the cleaning program. The cooking appliance also has the advantage of being able to adapt the running time of the cleaning program to the amount of cleaning agent available.

[0020] According to another embodiment, the cooking appliance has a second sensor, the control unit being arranged so as to adapt the cleaning program, in particular to adapt a cleaning parameter of the cleaning program and / or to skip a step of the cleaning program, taking into account the signal from the second sensor which is representative of the degree of soiling of the cooking appliance.

[0021] In principle, each of the above-mentioned cleaning parameters can be adapted and each of the cleaning steps can be skipped. It is also possible to adapt several cleaning parameters and to skip several cleaning steps.

[0022] The second sensor may also be any type of sensor capable of measuring the degree of soiling of the cooking space of the cooking appliance, the sensor must in particular be capable of measuring the degree of soiling and / or the fat content of the water.

[0023] The cooking appliance according to the invention can adapt either one or more cleaning parameters at the same time depending on the available quantity of the respective cleaning agent, the cooking appliance being furthermore able to skip one or more steps of the cleaning program. However, it is also possible that only one cleaning parameter is adapted and no cleaning step of the cleaning program is skipped, or that no cleaning parameter of the cleaning program is adapted and a step of the cleaning program is skipped instead. It is also possible that, if the quantity of cleaning agent is sufficient, the cleaning program is carried out as predefined.

[0024] The invention also relates to a method for cleaning a cooking appliance comprising at least one sensor and a set of cleaning chemicals comprising at least one cleaning chemical reservoir, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following five steps: in a first step, the cleaning program is started by a control unit. In a second step, a signal representative of a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning product available to prepare a cleaning solution is measured by a first sensor. In a third step, the signal measured by the first sensor is transmitted to a control unit of the cooking appliance. In a fourth step, the signal from the first sensor, which has been transmitted to the control unit of the cooking appliance, is compared with a set value. In a fifth step, the cleaning program is adapted by the control unit of the cooking appliance when the signal is below the set value, so that a good cleaning result of the soiling of the cooking appliance is achieved.

[0025] The measurement of the signal by means of the first sensor in the second step is carried out after the start of the cleaning program.

[0026] The setpoint value given in the fourth step corresponds to the quantity of cleaning agent that must be present in order to still be able to prepare sufficient cleaning solution from it for the corresponding cleaning step. As soon as the quantity of cleaning agent available is less than the minimum quantity of cleaning agent that must be available in order to be able to prepare a cleaning solution with the corresponding properties, the cleaning program is adapted by the control unit in the fifth step.

[0027] If the signal from the first sensor is lower than the set value, at least one cleaning parameter is adjusted, in particular the cleaning temperature of the cleaning program, the running time of the cleaning program, the quantity of water supplied, the temperature of the washing bath and / or the circulation time of the washing bath, and / or at least one cleaning step of the cleaning program is skipped, in particular the descaling step, the rinsing step and / or the purging step.

[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the cooking appliance has a second sensor which determines the degree of soiling of the cooking appliance and sends a signal to the control unit, the signal being taken into account when adapting the cleaning program. Thus, depending on the degree of soiling determined by the second sensor, either one or more cleaning parameters are adapted and / or one or more cleaning steps are skipped.

[0029] The method thus offers the advantages of being able to adapt the water consumption to the quantity of cleaning product available, of being able to reduce the energy consumption, and of being able to adapt the running time and the cleaning of the dirt to the given circumstances. The method also has the advantage of being able to obtain good cleaning of the cooking appliance despite the absence of cleaning product.

[0030] Another aspect of the invention provides that the control unit interrogates a value predefined by a user and adapts the cleaning program accordingly, in particular the cleaning temperature, the duration of the cleaning program, the quantity of water to be used, the quantity of the cleaning agent used for the cleaning program and / or a degree of drying of the cooking appliance once the cleaning program is completed.

[0031] This has the advantage that the cleaning program can be individually adapted by the user according to his needs and the available resources such as water, the amount of cleaning agent, energy and time. The adaptation of the cleaning program is independent of whether a sufficient amount of cleaning agent is available to prepare a cleaning solution. User inputs make it possible, for example, to reduce the duration of the cleaning program, to adapt the amount of water in the cleaning program and to reduce the amount of cleaning agent used for the cleaning program. The user can also adjust the degree of drying of the cooking appliance, so that the cooking appliance is, for example, dry after the cleaning program has ended.

[0032] Advantageously, the control unit also requests which cleaning step predefined by the user is to be skipped. Thus, the user can not only determine whether and which cleaning parameter is to be adapted, but it is also possible for the user to skip entire cleaning steps of the cleaning program. This offers the advantage that the cleaning program has, for example, a shorter running time, consumes less energy and / or requires less water or chemicals for cleaning the cooking appliance.

[0033] The user can individually define one or more cleaning parameters and at the same time indicate one or more cleaning steps to be skipped.

[0034] According to the invention, the cleaning program is adapted during the running time of the cleaning program. This offers the advantage that the cleaning program can be adapted to the current conditions during the cleaning program. If it is found during the cleaning program that an important resource, such as water, cleaning agent, energy or the duration of the cleaning program, needs to be adapted, this adaptation is also possible during the cleaning program. It is of course also possible to carry out several adaptations at different times in the cleaning program.

[0035] Other advantages and characteristics of the invention emerge from the following descriptions and the drawings to which reference is made and in which:

[0036] - [Fig.l] shows a schematic front view of a cooking appliance according to the invention;

[0037] - [Fig.2] shows a schematic side view of the cooking appliance of [Fig.l];

[0038] - [Fig.3] shows a schematic representation of the set of chemicals cleaning the cooking appliance of [Fig.l]; and

[0039] - [Fig.4] shows a schematic representation of the cleaning process according to the invention of the cooking apparatus of [Fig.l].

[0040] Figures 1 and 2 show a cooking appliance 10 made for preparing meals. The cooking appliance 10 is in particular a professional cooking appliance such as is used in canteens, restaurants and collective catering. The cooking appliance 10 can further be made to cook meals by microwave.

[0041] The cooking appliance 10 has a housing 12 in which a cooking space 14 is provided. In the cooking space 14, it is possible to cook food by means of a cooking space atmosphere, the temperature, humidity and circulation speed of which can be controlled. The food is located, for example, on cooking product supports (not shown) which are introduced into the cooking space 14. The cooking space 14 can be closed by a cooking space door 16 in order to maintain the cooking space atmosphere during the cooking process.

[0042] The door 16 of the cooking space has an opening means 18, which is in particular designed as a handle. The door 16 of the cooking space further has a window 20, so that a user can see into the cooking space 14.

[0043] The cooking appliance 10 has a user interface 22 which is implemented in the form of a touch screen. Thus, a user of the cooking appliance 10 can on the one hand control the latter via the user interface 22, and on the other hand, this same user interface 22 serves as a display of the status of the cooking appliance 10.

[0044] The user interface 22 is connected to a control unit 24 which controls different assemblies of the cooking appliance 10.

[0045] The cooking appliance 10 has a set of cleaning chemicals 26 which, in the embodiment shown, is arranged under the cooking space 14.

[0046] The cleaning chemical set 26 serves to provide a cleaning product (not shown) for a cleaning program of the cooking appliance 10, more precisely for a cleaning program of the cooking space 14.

[0047] The cleaning product is located in a cleaning chemical reservoir 28 which is removably mounted in the cleaning chemical assembly 26.

[0048] In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-3, the cleaning chemical set 26 includes four different cleaning chemical tanks 28. Each cleaning chemical tank 28 is filled with a cleaning product in solid form. Each cleaning chemical tank 28 may contain a different cleaning product. cleaning chemical tanks 28 are connected to a fresh water source by a water line 30.

[0049] A water valve 32 controls the supply of water to the cleaning chemical tanks 28. When the water valve 32 is open, water flows into the cleaning chemical tank 28 and dissolves a portion of the cleaning product therein.

[0050] The dissolved cleaning agent is fed from the cleaning chemical tank 28 to a storage tank 36 via a line 34. The cleaning agent is in particular pumped into this storage tank 36 by a pump. The storage tank 36 is connected to all the cleaning chemical tanks 28 of the cleaning chemical set 26.

[0051] Therefore, all the cleaning products contained in the different cleaning chemical tanks 28 mix in the storage tank 36 and form the cleaning solution which is then pumped into the cooking space 14 of the cooking appliance 10 via a second line 38. A valve 40 is mounted in the line 38 to control the amount of cleaning solution supplied into the cooking space 14.

[0052] Depending on the cleaning program being executed, a different cleaning solution is produced from different quantities of the different cleaning agents. The different cleaning solutions are distinguished, among other things, by their pH value, due to the different compositions of the cleaning agents with different pH values ​​and cleaning properties.

[0053] A first sensor 42 is located inside the storage tank 36. This first sensor 42 makes it possible to measure whether there is still a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning product available to be able to prepare the cleaning solution for the corresponding cleaning step. The first sensor 42 is connected to the control unit 24 for transmission of information.

[0054] Based on the signal from the first sensor 42, the control unit 24 may optionally adapt the cleaning program. In the event that the first sensor 42 measures a signal indicating that there is no longer a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning agent available in the cleaning chemical tank 28, the control unit may either adapt one or more cleaning parameters of the cleaning program and / or skip one or more cleaning steps of the cleaning program.

[0055] The cleaning temperature of the cleaning program can be adapted by controlling a heating device (not shown) which heats the cleaning agent by means of the control unit 24. Depending on the cleaning program to be executed, the control unit increases the cleaning temperature by variable manner, the maximum increase in cleaning temperature being 20°C.

[0056] The control unit 24 can also adapt the running time of the cleaning program, so that, for example, the cleaning time is extended when there is no longer enough cleaning agent to prepare a cleaning solution. The maximum extension of the running time is 4 hours.

[0057] The control unit 24 is further connected to the water valve 32 and the valve 40, so that it can control both valves and thus control the amount of water that arrives at the cleaning chemical tanks 28 and the amount of cleaning solution that is supplied to the cooking space 14. The control unit 24 can thus adapt the quantity of the washing bath. If, for example, a cleaning chemical tank 28 no longer contains sufficient cleaning agent, the control unit 24 controls the valve 40 in order to supply more washing bath in the form of pure water into the cooking space. The fresh water then replaces the missing volume of cleaning agent in the cleaning solution from the empty cleaning chemical tank 28.

[0058] The control unit 24 can also adapt the temperature of the washing bath by controlling a heating device (not shown), the interior of the cooking appliance 10 being freed from bacteria and other microorganisms thanks to higher temperatures of the washing bath.

[0059] The control unit 24 can furthermore also influence the circulation time of the washing bath, so that the hot or very hot washing bath circulates longer in the cooking space 14, in order to dissolve the soiling sufficiently, even with less cleaning agent or no cleaning agent at all.

[0060] The control unit 24 may further control that certain cleaning steps of the cleaning program are skipped. This is always useful when there is a shortage of cleaning agent and it is possible to save energy, time or water by skipping a cleaning step. For example, if there is not enough descaling chemical left in the cleaning chemical tank 28, one or more steps of the descaling process may be skipped. It is not necessarily necessary to skip all descaling steps. The control unit may also skip the rinsing step if there is not enough cleaning agent left to prepare a rinsing solution.

[0061] The control unit 24 may also skip one or more purge steps. These are generally necessary because the cleaning solutions have a pH value above or below pH 7. To neutralize the pH value in the cooking appliance again, one or more purge steps are necessary. However, if the cleaning chemical reservoir 28 does not contain sufficient cleaning agent to prepare a cleaning solution, it is not necessary to adjust the pH value in cooking space 14 to pH 7, as it is already at pH 7.

[0062] The cooking appliance may have a second sensor 44 inside the cooking space, which measures how dirty the cooking space 14 of the cooking appliance 10 is. Based on the signal transmitted to the control unit 24 by the second sensor 44, the control unit 24 can skip the cleaning program, in particular one or more cleaning parameters and / or one or more steps of the cleaning program. For adapting the cleaning program, the degree of soiling of the cooking space 14 is also taken into account, which allows a better cleaning result to be achieved.

[0063] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the control unit 24 is connected to the user interface 22. The user can enter, via this user interface 22, the way in which the cleaning program is to be adapted.

[0064] If a user indicates via the user interface 22, for example, that a cleaning parameter is to be adapted or that a cleaning step is to be skipped, this information is transmitted to the control unit 24, which adapts the cleaning program accordingly, for example by controlling the valves 32 and 40 or the heating device. The user can, for example, also set that the cooking space 14 of the cooking appliance 10 must be dry after the cleaning program has been completed. This is also achieved by targeted control of the heating device by the control unit 24.

[0065] The control unit 24 is able to adapt the cleaning program during the running time of the cleaning program. It is therefore possible to adapt or skip cleaning parameters or steps while the cleaning program is already running. The adaptation of the cleaning program can also be carried out several times during the cleaning program.

[0066] Thus, depending on the external conditions and the available resources such as energy, water, cleaning agent and the running time of the cleaning program, the cleaning program can be adapted either automatically by the method or manually by the user during the entire cleaning period. Thus, the cleaning program no longer follows a predefined rigid sequence.

[0067] [Fig.4] shows the process which allows the best possible cleaning result to be obtained, even when there is no longer enough cleaning product available to prepare a cleaning solution.

[0068] For this purpose, the cleaning program is started by the control unit 24 in a first step SL

[0069] In a second step S2, the first sensor 42 measures whether there is still a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning product available in the cleaning chemical tank 28 to prepare a cleaning solution.

[0070] This signal from the first sensor 42 is then transmitted in a third step S3 to the control unit 24 which compares the signal with a set value. The set value represents the minimum quantity of cleaning product that must be present in order to be able to prepare a cleaning solution.

[0071] Depending on the result of the comparison between the setpoint value and the measured value, the cleaning program is either adapted in step S6 or it can be executed without modification.

[0072] If the cooking appliance 10 has a second sensor 44, its signal is also taken into account for adapting the cleaning program, the signal indicating the degree of soiling of the cooking space 14.

[0073] Depending on this degree of soiling, it may be that certain cleaning parameters need to be further adapted, such as the amount of washing solution or the temperature of the cleaning program. In this case, in a fourth step S4, the signal from the second sensor 44 is taken into account by the control unit 24 when adapting the cleaning program in order to achieve an optimal cleaning result despite the absence of cleaning agent.

[0074] It may also occur that in a fifth step S5, a user indicates via the user interface 22, even independently of the amount of cleaning agent available, that a certain cleaning parameter and / or a certain cleaning step is to be skipped. This is always the case when the cleaning chemical tank is sufficiently filled, but the user indicates that one or more cleaning parameters and / or one or more cleaning steps are nevertheless to be skipped. If this is the case, the control unit 24 takes into account the value entered by the user in step S5 and adapts the cleaning program accordingly in step S6.

[0075] This method makes it possible to adapt the course of the cleaning program for cooking appliances equipped with cleaning chemical product assemblies 26. If the first sensor 42 measures that it is no longer possible to dose the cleaning product sufficiently, it is nevertheless possible to obtain a sufficient cleaning result by adapting the cleaning parameters.

[0076] It is of course also possible to adapt the cleaning program using the method, even if the cleaning agent is available in sufficient quantity. To this end, the degree of soiling of the cooking space 14 is determined by means of the second sensor 44, the control unit 24 taking into account the signal from the second sensor 44 when adapting the cleaning program. In particular, it is possible to adapt one or more cleaning parameters of the cleaning program and / or to skip one or more steps of the cleaning program. It is also possible to calculate, on the basis of the degree of soiling, the amount of cleaning agent required to achieve a good cleaning result. The cleaning program can thus be optimized solely on the basis of the degree of soiling of the cooking space 14, even if there is still sufficient cleaning agent available. The method can be carried out before the start of the cleaning program and / or during the running time of the cleaning program, so that a subsequent dosing of the cleaning agent is also possible.

Claims

Claims

1. A cooking appliance (10) comprising a cleaning chemical set (26) for providing cleaning agents for a cleaning program, the cleaning chemical set (26) comprising at least one cleaning chemical reservoir (28), the cooking appliance (10) having a first sensor (42) which is connected to a control unit (24), and the control unit (24) being arranged to start the cleaning program and to adapt the cleaning program so as to achieve good cleaning of soiling from the cooking appliance by taking into account a signal from the first sensor (42) representative of a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning agent available to prepare a cleaning solution.

2. Cooking appliance (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (24) is arranged to adapt at least one cleaning parameter of the cleaning program, in particular the cleaning temperature of the cleaning program, the running time of the cleaning program, the quantity of the washing bath, the temperature of the washing bath and / or the circulation time of the washing bath.

3. Cooking appliance (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control unit (24) of the cooking appliance (10) is arranged to skip a cleaning step of the cleaning program, in particular a descaling step, a rinsing step and / or a purging step.

4. Cooking appliance (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooking appliance (10) has a second sensor (44), the control unit (24) being arranged to adapt the cleaning program, in particular to adapt a cleaning parameter of the cleaning program and / or to skip a step of the cleaning program, taking into account a signal from the second sensor (44) representative of the degree of soiling of the cooking appliance (10).

5. Method of cleaning a cooking appliance (10) comprising at least one sensor (42) and a set of cleaning chemicals (26) comprising at least one product reservoir cleaning chemical (28), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following steps: a) starting a cleaning program, b) measuring, by means of a first sensor (42), a signal representative of a sufficiently large quantity of cleaning product available to prepare a cleaning solution, c) transmitting the measured signal from the first sensor (42) to a control unit (24) of the cooking appliance (10), d) comparing the signal with a set value, e) adapting the cleaning program by a control unit (24) of the cooking appliance (10) when the signal is lower than the set value, in order to obtain a good cleaning result for the dirt on the cooking appliance.

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that, when the signal is lower than the set value, at least one cleaning parameter is adapted, in particular the cleaning temperature of the cleaning program, the running time of the cleaning program, the quantity of water supplied, the temperature of the washing bath and / or the circulation time of the washing bath, and / or at least one cleaning step of the cleaning program is skipped, in particular the descaling step, the rinsing step and / or the purging step.

7. Method according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the cooking appliance (10) has a second sensor (44) which determines the degree of soiling of the cooking appliance (10) and sends a signal to the control unit (24), the signal being taken into account when adapting the cleaning program.

8. Method according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the control unit (24) queries a value predefined by a user and adapts the cleaning program, in particular the cleaning temperature, the duration of the cleaning program, the quantity of water, the quantity of cleaning agent used for the cleaning program and / or the degree of drying of the cooking appliance after the cleaning program has ended.

9. Method according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the control unit (24) requests which cleaning step predefined by the user is to be skipped.

10. Method according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the cleaning program is adapted during the running time of the cleaning program.

Citation Information

Cited By

  • Cleaning method, cleaning identification system and electronic equipment

    CN122441714A