Hood system combined with food waste disposal device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hood system combined with a food waste disposal device and, more specifically, to a hood system combined with a food waste disposal device, which adds a food waste disposal function to the hood system and shares an exhaust function of the hood system to remove odors generated in a food disposal process and minimize unused separate space for the food waste disposal device, thereby improving life convenience and economic efficiency. To this end, the present invention comprises: a side suction-type hood installed in a kitchen to exhaust smoke and odors generated during cooking, and having a suction port formed on an inner side surface thereof; a food waste processor provided inside the side suction-type hood to be elevated; and a processor elevating unit for operating the food waste processor to be elevated up and down.

Description

Food waste disposal and hood system

[0001] The present invention relates to a hood system that is also a food waste disposer, and more specifically, to a hood system that is also a food waste disposer, which adds a food waste disposer function to a kitchen hood system and shares the exhaust function of the hood system to eliminate odors generated during the food waste disposal process and minimizes waste of separate space for a food waste disposer, thereby improving convenience and economy of living.

[0002] Recently, in an environment where many housing types are residential facilities such as apartments and where the method of crushing food waste and pouring it into the sewer is not legally permitted, food waste is disposed of by placing the food waste in a separate volume-based bag and placing the bag in a food waste disposal bin at a designated location, or placing the food waste in a container and placing it in a separate collection bin for a professional waste disposal company to collect.

[0003] And in some high-end apartment complexes, food waste disposal pipes are provided inside the house to dispose of food waste under negative pressure, but this method is only applied to a very small number of houses.

[0004] The method of using the aforementioned volume-based garbage bags or disposing of food waste directly in a collection bin is very cumbersome and unpleasant, so the use of food waste disposers in homes is increasing.

[0005] Food waste disposal methods can be divided into dry grinding and microbial grinding.

[0006] A dry crushing type food waste disposer dries or heat-dries food waste and crushes the dried food waste using a rotating blade to significantly reduce the amount of food waste so that it can be discharged as general waste, while a microbial type food waste disposer exposes food waste to microorganisms such as bacteria so that the microorganisms can decompose the food waste, thereby significantly reducing the volume of the food waste so that it can be discharged.

[0007] Although there are differences in the methods of both dry crushing food waste disposers and microbial food waste disposers, they can reduce the volume of food waste by drying or using microorganisms, thereby reducing the volume of food waste that generates leachate and odor, making it easier to discharge.

[0008] However, both the household dry grinding type food waste disposer and the microbial type food waste disposer can be installed anywhere as long as they are connected to the power supply, and no separate exhaust pipes are provided.

[0009] Therefore, household dry grinding or microbial food waste disposers generate a certain amount of odor during operation, and if the food waste disposer is installed indoors, the odor can spread throughout the room.

[0010] Therefore, there is a great need for a new home appliance system that can solve the problem of odor while providing convenience in food waste disposal.

[0011] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problem, and the purpose of the present invention is to provide a food waste disposal hood system that does not require a separate space and facilitates the exhaust of odors by installing a food waste disposal container inside the hood so that it can be raised and lowered.

[0012] And, by using a side exhaust type hood, the purpose is to provide a food waste disposer and hood system that can increase the exhaust efficiency of the odor of food waste and the smoke and odor generated during cooking by directly connecting the elevated food waste disposer to the exhaust housing formed at the rear of the hood without affecting the exhaust path of smoke and odor generated during cooking.

[0013] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention can provide a food waste disposal and hood system, characterized by including a hood housing installed in a kitchen to surround an upper space of a cooking appliance to exhaust smoke and odor generated during cooking, a side housing forming both sides of the hood housing and having suction ports respectively, and an exhaust fan disposed inside the hood housing; a food waste disposal device provided on a lower surface of the hood housing; and a disposal device lifting unit that operates the food waste disposal device to be raised and lowered on the lower surface of the housing of the side suction hood.

[0014] In this case, the hood housing of the side suction type hood may further include an exhaust housing provided to form a separate space at the rear of the upper space of the cooking appliance, and may include an exhaust fan installed inside the exhaust housing to suck smoke or odor from the side suction port and the food waste disposer and exhaust it to the outside.

[0015] In addition, the food waste disposer combined hood system may include a disposer exhaust connection pipe connected from the rear of the food waste disposer to the exhaust housing side, and an external exhaust pipe for exhausting smoke and odors sucked in from the side intake port and the disposer exhaust connection pipe together.

[0016] In addition, the food waste disposer may further include a processor housing that is fixedly installed on the lower surface of the hood housing and has an opening formed at the lower surface; a container that is elevated through the opening inside the processor housing, can be removed when lowered, and can receive food waste; and a base that is provided with a size and shape corresponding to the opening at the lower surface of the processor housing and supports the container so that it can be elevated, and can seal the lower surface of the processor housing when the container is elevated inside the processor housing.

[0017] Here, a rotating blade for crushing or stirring food waste is provided inside the container, and at least one of a heater for heating the container and a driving unit for rotating and driving the blade of the container may be provided on the base.

[0018] In addition, the processor lifting unit may be provided with lifting rails extending up and down along a path along which the base is lifted on both sides of the base, and an lifting guide for guiding the lifting of the lifting rail may be provided at a position corresponding to the lifting rail on the inside of the processor housing, and an lifting drive unit for lifting and lowering the base may be provided at the rear of the base.

[0019] In this case, the lifting drive unit may include an lifting rack extending upward from the rear of the base, an lifting pinion provided at the rear of the lifting rack and moving the lifting rack up and down by rotation, and a driving motor provided at one side of the lifting pinion and providing power to rotate the lifting pinion.

[0020] In addition, the side suction hood may include a control unit that controls the exhaust fan, the food waste disposer, and the lifting unit, and a control panel for inputting a control signal of the control unit may be provided at the front of the side housing.

[0021] Additionally, the control unit can operate the exhaust fan together with the operation of the food waste disposer.

[0022] Here, the control unit can drive the exhaust plate with different outputs in the exhaust mode and the food waste disposal device driving mode during food cooking.

[0023] A hood system combined with a food waste disposer according to one embodiment of the present invention has the effect of increasing space utilization by installing the food waste disposer so that it can be raised and lowered inside the hood installed in an existing cooking space, thereby eliminating the need for a separate space.

[0024] In addition, according to the hood system combined with a food waste disposer according to one embodiment of the present invention, the hood and the food waste disposer can be made into a single system, thereby reducing costs.

[0025] In addition, by using a side exhaust hood, the smoke and odor generated during cooking are not affected by the exhaust path, and the odor from the food waste disposer is directly exhausted to the exhaust housing provided at the rear, thereby increasing exhaust efficiency.

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an overall perspective view of a food waste disposal hood system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a food waste disposal hood system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a food waste disposal hood system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 is an operational state diagram illustrating an exhaust path in a food waste disposal hood system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are operation state diagrams showing the lifting and lowering operation of a food waste disposal hood system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosure is thorough and complete, and to sufficiently convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

[0032] The present invention is characterized in that a food waste disposer can be installed in a lifting structure using a side-suction hood among hoods installed in a kitchen, and in particular, the exhaust path is not affected during cooking by the side-suction hood on both sides of the upper space of the cooking appliance, and the food waste disposer is installed in a lifting manner using the internal space of the hood, thereby increasing space utilization and enabling the odor of the food waste disposer to be directly exhausted to the hood.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food waste disposal combined hood system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a food waste disposal combined hood system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of a food waste disposal combined hood system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the present invention is largely configured to be installed in a kitchen, and includes a side suction hood (100) having a suction port on the side, a food waste disposer (200) that is installed so as to be able to be raised and lowered inside the side suction hood (100), and a disposer lifting unit (300) that raises and lowers the food waste disposer (200) in the upper space of the cooking appliance.

[0035] Here, the side suction hood (100) may be configured to include a hood housing (101) that surrounds the upper space of the cooking appliance, a side suction port (110) formed in a side housing (102) mounted in both directions of the hood housing (101), and an exhaust housing (120) that is provided to be partitioned into a separate space at the rear of the upper space of the cooking appliance.

[0036] The above-mentioned side intake port (110) is formed in the side housing (102) that covers both sides of the hood housing (101), forms a path through which air sucked in from the upper space of the cooking appliance moves, and is connected to the exhaust housing (120). Therefore, the side housing may be configured in a hollow shape so as to form an internal path.

[0037] And, inside the exhaust housing (120), an exhaust fan (130) is provided to exhaust smoke and odor generated during cooking from the side intake (110) or odor generated during the operation of the food waste disposer described later.

[0038] In addition, a food waste disposer (200) is provided on the lower surface of the hood housing (101). At the rear of the food waste disposer (200), a disposal exhaust connection pipe (140) is provided that is connected to the exhaust housing (120) and can directly exhaust the foul odor generated during food waste disposal toward the exhaust housing (120).

[0039] An external exhaust pipe (150) is installed on the upper part of the exhaust housing (120) to exhaust cooking smoke and odor sucked in from the side intake (110) and odor exhausted from the food waste disposer (200) housing together, and a pipe (not shown) communicating with the outside can be connected.

[0040] The above food waste disposer (200) may include a disposer housing (210) fixedly installed on the lower surface of the hood housing (101), a container (220) that can be elevated relative to the disposer housing and in which the received food waste is processed, and a base (250) that supports the lower portion of the container and elevates the container.

[0041] Here, various methods such as the microbial decomposition method or the heating, drying, and grinding method of the food waste treatment device (200) can be applied.

[0042] Accordingly, a rotary blade (not shown) for crushing or stirring food waste for processing may be provided inside the container (220). In addition, a heater (not shown) for heating the container (220) and a driving unit (not shown) for rotating and driving the blade of the container (220) may be provided on the base. Of course, only one heater and one driving unit may be provided on the base (250).

[0043] The capacity of the above-mentioned receiver (220) is preferably configured in the range of about 0.5 liters to 3 liters, but may be configured in various sizes taking into account the size of the hood system, etc.

[0044] The treatment unit (300) for driving the receiver (220) of the food waste disposer (200) to move upward may be configured to include a lifting rail (320) provided in an upward path from both sides of the base (250) and a lifting guide (330) coupled with the lifting rail (320) inside the treatment unit housing (210) to guide the path along which the base (250) moves upward. The lifting rail (320) and the lifting guide (330) may be provided to guide the movement of the base (250) when the base (250) is driven upward with respect to the treatment unit housing (210).

[0045] Of course, the positions of the above-mentioned lifting rail (320) and the above-mentioned lifting guide (330) can be changed, and can be replaced with various configurations as long as the structure can guide the lifting movement of the base in the up and down direction.

[0046] And, the rear of the above-mentioned processor lifting unit (300) may be configured to include a lifting driving unit (340) that lifts and drives the processor lifting unit (300).

[0047] The above-mentioned lifting drive unit (340) may be configured to include a lifting rack (341) provided along the lifting path of the base (250) at the rear of the base (250), and an lifting pinion (342) at the rear of the lifting rack (341) that can drive the lifting rack (341) up and down by rotating while engaging with the lifting rack (341).

[0048] And, it may be configured to include a driving motor (343) that is connected to the lifting pinion (342) on one side of the lifting pinion (342) and drives the lifting pinion (342). The lifting pinion (342) and the driving motor (343) may be installed in the processor housing (210), for example, in the rear of the processor housing (210).

[0049] Due to this, the food waste disposer (200) is installed with a structure that can be raised and lowered so that the container can be lowered when installing or removing the container even if the user is short, thereby improving convenience, and when disposing of food or when not in use, the container can be raised upwards so that space utilization can be improved, and the exhaust means of the side suction hood (100) can be shared without a separate exhaust means so that the exhaust is minimized when disposing of food waste.

[0050] FIG. 4 is an operational state diagram illustrating an exhaust path in a food waste disposal hood system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Referring to Fig. 4, when the exhaust fan (130) is operated, smoke and odor generated when cooking food in the cooking appliance under the hood system are sucked in through the side intake port (110) and moved toward the exhaust housing (120).

[0052] And, the food waste disposer (200) moves the odor generated during food waste disposal by being sucked toward the exhaust housing (120) through the exhaust connection pipe (140) connected from the rear of the disposer housing (210) to the exhaust housing (120).

[0053] Accordingly, smoke and odor generated during cooking and foul odor generated during food disposal are collected within the exhaust housing (120) and discharged to the outside through an external exhaust pipe (150) connected to the upper portion of the exhaust housing (120).

[0054] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are operation state diagrams illustrating the lifting operation of a food waste disposal hood system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] The food waste disposer / hood system according to the present invention includes a control unit that controls the exhaust fan (130), the food waste disposer (200), and the lifting unit (300), and a control panel (160) for inputting a control signal from the control unit may be provided in front of the side housing (102). The control panel may be provided with a button-type or touch-type button, and a mode selection button for various operation modes may be provided.

[0056] For example, the control panel (160) may be provided with a mode selection button or switch for selecting various operation modes, such as a cooking mode for exhaust when cooking food, a food waste disposal mode, etc.

[0057] In cooking mode, the exhaust fan operates at high power to exhaust sufficient air in a short period of time, but in food waste disposal mode, the exhaust fan can be configured to operate at low power for a long period of time or intermittently.

[0058] In addition, in the food waste disposal mode, the exhaust pressure of the exhaust fan is configured to exhaust only the odor generated from the food waste disposal device (200), thereby minimizing power waste and noise, and a shutter unit (not shown) may be further provided to selectively block the side intake port (110) or the side flow path inside the housing to prevent the backflow of odor.

[0059] The shutter unit may be a sliding or rotating shutter, which opens in the food cooking mode and operates to block the side intake or duct only in the standalone food waste disposal mode. Of course, if the cooking mode is activated while the food waste disposal mode is in progress, the shutter unit may also operate to open and increase the output of the exhaust fan.

[0060] Additionally, the system can be configured to operate the exhaust fan for a certain period of time after the food waste disposal mode ends to exhaust any remaining odors, etc.

[0061] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, when the control panel (160) is operated to process food waste, the receiver (220) of the food waste disposer (200) is lowered to the lower part of the disposer housing (210) while being placed on the base (250) by the operation of the lifting drive unit (340).

[0062] At this time, the lifting drive unit (340) rotates the lifting pinion (342) by driving the driving motor (343) and moves the lifting rack (341) in the downward direction, and the base (250) is lowered with the lifting rails (320) on both sides supported by the lifting guide (330).

[0063] When descending, the receiver (220) descends while being seated on the upper part of the base (250) of the food waste disposer (200), and when the descent is completed, the receiver (220) is separated from the base (250), the food waste is received, and then it is seated on the base (250) again.

[0064] Afterwards, when the control panel (160) is operated in an upward direction, the base (250) is raised and retracted into the processor housing (210).

[0065] At this time, the lifting drive unit (340) is driven in the opposite direction to when the driving motor (343) lowers the base (250) and rotates the lifting pinion (342) in the upward direction, and the lifting rack (341) is raised upward by the lifting pinion (342).

[0066] And the above-mentioned lifting rail (320) is lifted to an accurate position by the lifting guide (330), and the receiver (220) is accommodated inside the processor housing (210), sealed, and fixed.

[0067] The above control unit can cause the exhaust fan (130) to operate together with the operation of the food waste disposer (200) even when the operation mode is a non-cooking operation mode.

[0068] In addition, the control unit can control the exhaust plate to operate with different outputs in the exhaust mode and the food waste disposal device operation mode during food cooking.

[0069] Normally, the food cooking time is not long, and the exhaust fan (130) must be operated at high output to exhaust the smoke and odor generated during short cooking times to the outside. However, since the food waste disposal time usually takes several hours, the exhaust fan (130) for food waste disposal only can be controlled to operate for a long time or intermittently in low output or low noise mode.

[0070] The present invention, which is accomplished as described above, applies a side suction hood to a kitchen for processing food waste at home, and installs a food waste disposer in a movable manner in the central space of the side suction hood, thereby enabling processing of food waste inside the side suction hood, and odors generated during processing can be exhausted through the side suction hood.

[0071] While this specification has described preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims below. Therefore, any modified implementation that fundamentally includes the elements of the claims should be considered within the technical scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A side suction hood that is installed in a kitchen to exhaust smoke and odor generated during cooking, and includes a hood housing arranged to surround the upper space of a cooking appliance, side housings that form both sides of the hood housing and each have an intake port, and an exhaust fan arranged inside the hood housing; A food waste disposer provided on the lower surface of the hood housing; and A food waste disposal hood system comprising a disposal unit for moving the food waste disposal unit up and down on the lower surface of the housing of the side suction hood.

2. In paragraph 1, A food waste disposal combined hood system characterized in that the hood housing of the side suction type hood further includes an exhaust housing provided to form a separate space at the rear of the upper space of the cooking appliance, and includes an exhaust fan installed inside the exhaust housing and for sucking smoke or odor from the side suction port and the food waste disposal unit and exhausting it to the outside.

3. In paragraph 2, The food waste disposal combined hood system is characterized in that it includes a disposal exhaust connection pipe connected from the rear of the food waste disposal unit to the exhaust housing side and an external exhaust pipe for exhausting smoke and odors sucked in from the side intake port and the disposal exhaust connection pipe together.

4. In paragraph 1, The above food waste disposer A processor housing fixedly installed on the lower surface of the hood housing and having an opening formed at the bottom; A container that is raised and lowered through the opening inside the above-mentioned processor housing, and can be removed when lowered, and can receive food waste; A food waste disposal hood system further comprising a base having a size and shape corresponding to an opening at the bottom of the disposal housing, which supports the receiver so that it can be raised and lowered, and can seal the lower part of the disposal housing when the receiver is raised into the disposal housing.

5. In paragraph 4, A rotating blade for crushing or stirring food waste is provided inside the above-mentioned container, A food waste disposal hood system characterized in that at least one of a heater for heating the receiver and a driving unit for rotating a blade of the receiver is provided on the base.

6. In paragraph 4, A food waste disposal hood system characterized in that the above treatment unit is provided with an elevation rail extending up and down along a path along which the base is elevated on both sides of the base, an elevation guide for guiding the elevation of the elevation rail is provided at a position corresponding to the elevation rail on the inside of the treatment unit housing, and an elevation drive unit for driving the base to be elevated is provided at the rear of the base.

7. In paragraph 6, A food waste disposal hood system, characterized in that the above-mentioned lifting drive unit includes an lifting rack extending upward from the rear of the base, an lifting pinion provided at the rear of the lifting rack and rotating to move the lifting rack up and down, and a driving motor provided at one side of the lifting pinion and providing power to rotate the lifting pinion.

8. In paragraph 2, It includes a control unit that controls the exhaust fan of the side suction hood, the food waste disposer, and the lifting unit, A food waste disposal hood system characterized in that a control panel for controlling the control unit is provided in front of the side housing.

9. In paragraph 8, A food waste disposal hood system characterized in that the control unit operates the exhaust fan together with the operation of the food waste disposal machine.

10. In paragraph 8, A food waste disposal hood system characterized in that the control unit drives the exhaust plate with different outputs in the exhaust mode and the food waste disposal operating mode during food cooking.

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