Suction device for a hob having a hob plate, and hob

Abstract

The invention relates to a suction device (102) for a hob (100) having a hob plate (105), which has an opening (110) for suctioning vapour, the suction device comprising a housing (115) for receiving the vapour and a drive (120) which has a drive shaft (122) arranged parallel to a long side of the housing (115). The suction device (102) further comprises a support hinge (125) for holding a closure element (130) and a mechanism which is shaped to cause, driven by the drive shaft (122), a movement of the support hinge (125) between a closed position and an open position, wherein the closed position makes it possible for the opening (110) to be closed by the closure element (130) and the open position makes it possible for the opening (110) to be unblocked by the closure element (130) when the closure element (130) is held by the support hinge (125).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Extraction device for a hob with a hob plate and hob

[0003] The invention relates to an extraction device for a hob with a hob plate and a hob

[0004] A motorized shutter element can be used for the intake opening of a downdraft extractor, which is used in combination with various types of cooktops, such as an induction cooktop, a teppanyaki, or a grill. The shutter element moves between two positions: an open position to draw vapors through the intake opening with a fan, and a closed position to completely seal the intake opening.

[0005] The approach presented here aims to create an improved extraction device for a hob with a hob plate and an improved hob.

[0006] According to the invention, this object is achieved by an extraction device for a hob with a hob plate and by a hob having the features of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are set forth in the following subclaims.

[0007] The advantage achievable with the invention consists in a space-optimized positioning of a drive for a closure element of the suction device.

[0008] An extraction device for a cooktop with a cooktop plate comprising an opening for extracting vapors has the following features: a housing for receiving the vapors, wherein the housing can be arranged on the cooktop plate enclosing the opening and has a long side and a short side; a drive with a drive shaft arranged parallel to the long side of the housing; a support hinge for holding a closure element; and a mechanism that is shaped to cause a movement of the support hinge between a closed position and an open position, driven by the drive shaft, wherein the closed position enables the opening to be closed by the closure element and the open position enables the opening to be opened by the closure element when the closure element is held by the support hinge. According to one embodiment, a cooktop can be designed as an induction cooktop.According to an alternative embodiment, the cooktop can also form a ceramic or gas stove. The cooktop plate can be shaped as a storage area for cookware, for example. The opening can be rectangular. The housing can be a rigid shell that can form a duct for directing the vapors. Using an optional blower or an optional fan, the vapors created on the cooktop can be sucked into the housing through the opening in the cooktop plate and thus removed. According to one embodiment, the housing can be formed from stainless steel or a zinc alloy or plastic. The housing can have two side walls arranged parallel to the long side and two side walls arranged parallel to the short side. The side walls can be aligned orthogonally to the cooktop plate when the housing is arranged on the cooktop plate.The drive can comprise an electric motor for driving the drive shaft. According to one embodiment, the drive shaft can comprise a crank or form a crank. The drive shaft can be designed to carry out the power transmission between the drive and an element to be driven. The support hinge can be designed to hold the closure element in a closed or open position and to transfer it from the closed to the open position and vice versa. For this purpose, the closure element can be attached or fastened to the support hinge. The closure element can be designed to close the opening of the cooktop plate. Thus, a size and shape of the closure element can correspond to a size and shape of the opening. The mechanism can comprise a plurality of machine elements. For example, the mechanism can comprise a crank rocker, which can also be referred to as a rocker.

[0009] The drive can be mounted on the long side of the housing, thus eliminating the need for large installation space on the short sides of the intake opening.

[0010] The mechanism can be designed to produce an inhomogeneous speed pattern for the movement of the support hinge at a homogeneous drive shaft speed. This makes it possible to create an inhomogeneous speed pattern with a homogeneous drive speed. This allows the closure element to be moved slowly as long as it is within the user's field of vision.

[0011] The mechanism can be shaped to prevent the movement from the open position to the closed position from being triggered in response to a force acting on the support hinge perpendicular to the cooktop. The advantage of this design is that it creates a high-quality locking impression and prevents the locking element from being manually forced downward. The support hinge can form a stop against the cooktop. This prevents the crank arm and thus the locking element from being moved beyond the closed position. This allows, for example, the locking element to be flush with the cooktop.

[0012] The mechanism can comprise at least one crank rocker. According to one embodiment, the crank rocker can reach a dead center at which a very high force absorption is realized and manual pressing of the closure flap downwards is prevented, since the direction of force and the pivot point of the rocker are vertically in line. By using a crank rocker to move the closure element, the drive can also be placed on the long side of the opening, which is opposite, for example, an extraction fan. This means that a large installation space is not required on the short sides of the intake opening. Such space-optimized placement enables the intake opening to be as long as possible and offers installation space for other applications, such as the use of rotary knobs and / or the routing of cables and other electronic components.

[0013] The crank arm can be located outside the housing. The crank arm system, and if applicable, the drive, is placed outside the intake area, thus protecting a large part of the system from grease and other substances generated during the cooking process.

[0014] The mechanism can comprise a drive crank, a coupling and the crank rocker, whereby the drive crank is rigidly coupled to the drive shaft. The coupling is rotatably coupled to the drive crank and rotatably coupled to the crank rocker. The crank rocker is rotatably coupled to the short side of the housing at a pivot point and is movably coupled. Optionally, the mechanism can comprise an additional crank rocker that is coupled accordingly. The use of only one drive in this case can lead to mechanically realized synchronization of two crank rockers and thus two flap drivers, also called flaps with a crank rocker. Alternatively or additionally, one rocker can be driven directly via a respective drive, so that preferably two drives are provided for two rockers. In this case, synchronization of the two drives is preferably ensured via a central control system, e.g. via software.In this sense, the suction device according to the invention can also comprise two drive shafts as a respective connection between the drive and the rocker.

[0015] The coupling can be designed to cause the crank rocker to rotate around the pivot point when the drive crank rotates. The use of a crank-rocker system has the advantage that a constant drive movement can generate an inhomogeneous speed pattern. For example, an initially slow opening of the locking element, which accelerates to a certain point and then decelerates again until it comes to a standstill during the final part of the movement, all without varying the drive speed.

[0016] The support hinge can be pivotally coupled to the short side of the housing. The crank arm can have a dome, and the support hinge can have a guide groove for guiding the dome. This allows the support hinge to pivot about a pivot point on the short side of the housing when the crank arm pivots.

[0017] The housing can have an arcuate opening on the short side, through which the dome passes. This allows for stable guidance of the crank arm.

[0018] The suction device may include the closure element held by the support hinge. For example, the closure element may be pre-assembled. According to one embodiment, the support hinge may be shaped to hold the closure element removably. This facilitates cleaning of both the closure element and the interior of the housing.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the approach presented here, a cooktop comprises a cooktop plate that includes an opening for extracting vapors, as well as a named extraction device. The housing of the extraction device is arranged on the cooktop plate, enclosing the opening. Thus, side walls of the housing can form a duct for conducting the vapors.

[0020] The housing can thus be located on the underside of the cooktop, invisible to the user. The cooktop can be made of glass ceramic, allowing the use of familiar materials.

[0021] In principle, a slip clutch can also be used for securing in the described embodiments. Furthermore, the device can be designed to be continuous, which optionally eliminates the need for reversing the drive's direction of rotation.

[0022] Although the described approach is described using a household appliance, the approach described here can be used accordingly in connection with a commercial or professional device, for example, a medical device, such as a cleaning or disinfection device, a small sterilizer, a large-capacity disinfector, or a container washing system. An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a hob.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a cooktop 100 with an exemplary embodiment of an extraction device 102. The cooktop 100 comprises a cooktop plate 105, which is designed to support cookware. The cooktop plate 105 has an opening 110. The opening 110 is designed to discharge the vapors generated on the cooktop 100 and thus on the cooktop plate 105. For example, the vapors are generated when water is brought to a boil in cookware placed on a cooking zone of the cooktop 100. The vapors can be extracted through the opening 110 using the extraction device 102. In Figure 1, the extraction device 102 is shown mounted on the cooktop plate 105.

[0025] According to one exemplary embodiment, the cooktop plate 105 is formed from a glass ceramic. A housing 115 of the extraction device 102 is arranged adjacent to an underside of the cooktop plate 105. The housing 115 encloses the opening 110 and forms a shaft for discharging the vapors. The opening 110 is, for example, rectangular in shape. According to one exemplary embodiment, the housing 115 accordingly has a long and a short side. Thus, the housing 115 has a rectangular cross-section. For example, the housing 115 has two opposing long side walls and two opposing short side walls as well as a base. Opposite the base, the housing 115 is open to allow the vapors to flow in through the opening 110.

[0026] Outside the housing 115, and parallel to the long side of the housing 115, a drive 120 of the suction device 102 is arranged. The drive 120 comprises a drive shaft 122, which, according to one embodiment, forms a drive crank 124 or is rigidly connected to the drive crank 124. According to one embodiment, the drive shaft 122 is aligned longitudinally with the long side of the housing 115. The drive shaft 122, driven by the drive 120, in turn drives a mechanism configured to move a support hinge 125 between a closed position and an open position.

[0027] The closed position means that the opening 110 is closed by a closure element 130, and the open position means that the opening 110 is exposed by the closure element 130 when the closure element 130 is held by the support hinge 125. Optionally, the closure element 130 is part of the extraction device 102. Figure 1 shows the closed position in which the closure element 130 closes the opening 110. For example, the closure element 130 is shaped as a plate that closes the opening 110 without a gap or almost without a gap when the support hinge 125 is in the closed position. For example, an upper side of the closure element 130 facing away from the housing 115 is flush with an upper side of the cooktop plate 105. Optionally, the cooktop plate 105 and the closure element 130 are formed from the same material.

[0028] When the support hinge 125 is moved into the closed position using the mechanism, the closure element 130 is moved out of the opening 110 and into the housing 115. This releases the opening 110.

[0029] The mechanism is optionally designed to cause an inhomogeneous speed pattern of the movement of the support hinge 125 and thus of the closure element 130 at a homogeneous drive speed of the drive shaft 122.

[0030] Optionally, the mechanism is configured to prevent the movement from the open position to the closed position from being triggered in response to a force acting perpendicular to the cooktop plate 105 on the support hinge 125. As a result, the locking element 130 is locked in the closed position and cannot, for example, be accidentally opened by a user leaning on the locking element 130.

[0031] The support hinge 125 optionally forms a stop against the cooktop plate 105. This prevents the support hinge 125 from being moved beyond the closed position by the mechanism. The support hinge 125 holds the locking element 130 in the closed position, which is illustrated in this figure, when the stop touches an underside of the cooktop plate 105 according to one embodiment.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the support hinge 125 is rotatably mounted on the short side of the housing 115. For example, one end of the support hinge 125 is rotatably attached to one of the short side walls of the housing 115. A pivot point of the support hinge 125 is located outside the opening 110, here adjacent to a side of the opening 110 facing the drive 120. The support hinge 125 is arranged within the housing 115.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the mechanism is formed by the drive crank 124, a coupling 135, and a crank rocker 140. The drive shaft 122 is rigidly coupled to the drive crank 124, with the coupling 135 being rotatably coupled to the drive crank 120. At the same time, the coupling 135 is rotatably coupled to the crank rocker 40. The crank rocker 140 is rotatably coupled to the short side of the housing 115 at a pivot point 145 and movably coupled to the support hinge 125.

[0034] The coupling 135 is, for example, rod-shaped and is connected at one end to the exemplary circular crank arm 140 and at the other end to the crank arm 140. According to one exemplary embodiment, the crank arm 140 is designed in the shape of a circular segment with a circular arc and two chords, with the pivot point 140 located at the imaginary center of the circle, i.e., opposite the circular arc. The coupling 135 is coupled to the crank arm 140 adjacent to one of the chords, approximately midway between the circular arc and the pivot point 140.

[0035] In the closed position shown, the pivot point 145 and a connection point between the coupling 135 and the crank rocker 140 lie on a vertical line. In embodiments not shown, these two points do not lie on a line.

[0036] Optionally, the drive 120 is connected via a further mechanism to another support hinge, which also holds the closure element 130. The two support hinges hold the closure element 130 at opposite ends. The mechanism and the further mechanism are accordingly arranged on the opposite short sides of the housing 115 and are designed accordingly. Accordingly, the further mechanism has another coupling and another crank rocker, with the further coupling being connected to another drive crank, which is also driven via the drive shaft 122.

[0037] By using a crank-and-swing system with drive 120 and two crank-and-swing arms 140 driven by this drive 120, the closure element 130, which is synchronous but inhomogeneously moved, is realized. The closure element 130 sits on a hinge that is fixed but movable in the device, here the support hinge 125, from which it can be removed for cleaning.

[0038] The drive 120, which mechanically drives two rocker arms 140 synchronously, can support the closure element 130 at multiple points. The use of only one drive 120 simplifies the system. The rocker arm system and, if applicable, the drive 120, are located outside the intake area, thus protecting a large part of the system from grease and other substances generated during the cooking process. The rocker arm 140 reaches its dead center when closed, thereby absorbing very high forces and preventing manual downward pressure on the closure flap, in this case the closure element 130, since the direction of force and the pivot point of the rocker arm 140 are vertically aligned. The coupling 135 is shaped to cause a rotational movement of the rocker arm 140 around the pivot point 145 when the drive crank 120 rotates.

[0039] The crank arm 140 is arranged outside the housing 115. In addition, the crank arm 140 has a dome 150. According to one embodiment, the dome 150 is arranged on a line with the pivot point 145 of the crank arm 140 and the point at which the coupling 135 is rotatably coupled to the crank arm 140. The dome 150 is used to transmit a movement of the crank arm 140 to the support hinge 125. For this purpose, the support hinge 125 has a guide groove 155, which can be straight or curved. The dome 150 engages in the guide groove 155 and slides within the guide groove 155 when the crank arm 140 moves. According to one embodiment, the guide groove 155 is designed as a straight groove in the support hinge 125.

[0040] In addition, the suction device 102 has a through-opening 160 on the short side of the housing 115. According to one embodiment, the through-opening 160 is shaped as an arc. The dome 150 extends through the through-opening 160 and thus through the short side wall of the housing 115. The through-opening 160 enables a pivoting movement of the crank arm 140. The crank arm is preferably designed such that, when open, it closes the through-opening to prevent infiltration of unwanted air and contaminants such as grease or liquids from escaping from the suction shaft.

[0041] The housing 115 has an outlet 170 for the vapor extracted through the opening 110. According to one embodiment, the outlet 170 is arranged on the long side of the housing 115 opposite the drive shaft 122.

[0042] The use of a crank-oscillating system has the advantage that an inhomogeneous speed pattern can be generated with a constant drive movement, e.g. an initially slow opening of the closure element 130, which accelerates up to a certain point and then decelerates again on the last part of the movement until it comes to a standstill, all without varying the drive speed.

[0043] The principle of the crank arm 140 can also be found in technology under the term "non-uniformly geared transmission". The drive 120 drives at least one crank arm 140. If the drive 120 is used to drive two crank arms synchronously, i.e. the crank arm 140 and another corresponding crank arm, the closure element 130 can be driven at several points. At the same time, the closure element 130 is also supported by several points of engagement in the closed state. This creates a high-quality closure impression for the customer and the closure element 130, also referred to as a flap, cannot be manually pushed down. Above all, the use of only the one drive 120 simplifies the system, since two drives can be replaced by additional devices such asLimit switches must be repeatedly checked for synchronization to prevent damage to the mechanism due to increasing asynchronicity. The solution described thus prevents jamming due to asynchronicity in the mechanism.

[0044] The system can alternatively or additionally be equipped with a slip clutch or similar device located in the power transmission between the drive and the drive shaft of the crank.

[0045] Security element can be added.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Extraction device (102) for a hob (100) with a hob plate (105) which comprises an opening (110) for extracting vapors, wherein the extraction device (102) has the following features: a housing (115) for receiving the vapors, wherein the housing (115) can be arranged on the hob plate (105) so as to enclose the opening (110) and has a long side and a short side; a closure element (130) for closing to completely close the opening (110); a drive (120) with a drive shaft (122) which is arranged parallel to the long side of the housing (115); a support hinge (125) for holding the at least one closure element (130);and a mechanism configured to cause movement of the support hinge (125) between a closed position and an open position, driven by the drive shaft (122), wherein the closed position enables the opening (110) to be closed by the closure element (130) and the open position enables the opening (110) to be opened by the closure element (130) when the closure element (130) is held by the support hinge (125); 2. Suction device (102) according to claim 1, wherein the drive (120) is arranged on the long side of the housing (115).

3. Suction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanism is designed to cause an inhomogeneous speed pattern of the movement of the support hinge (125) at a homogeneous drive speed of the drive shaft (122).

4. Suction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support hinge (125) is shaped such that the closure element (130) is held removably by the support hinge (125).

5. Suction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanism is designed to trigger the movement from the open position to the Closing position in response to a force acting perpendicular to the hob plate (105) on the support hinge (125).

6. Extraction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the support hinge (125) forms a stop against the hob plate (105).

7. Suction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mechanism comprises at least one crank rocker (140).

8. Suction device (102) according to the preceding claim, wherein the crank rocker (140) is arranged outside the housing (115).

9. Suction device (102) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the mechanism comprises a drive crank (124), a coupling (135) and the Crank rocker (140), wherein the drive crank (124) is rigidly coupled to the drive shaft (122), wherein the coupling (135) is rotatably coupled to the drive crank (124) and rotatably coupled to the crank rocker (140), and wherein the crank rocker (140) is rotatably coupled to the short side of the housing (115) at a pivot point (145) and is movably coupled to the support hinge (125).

10. Suction device (102) according to the preceding claim, wherein the coupling (135) is shaped to cause a rotational movement of the crank rocker (140) about the pivot point (145) upon a rotational movement of the drive crank (124).

11. Suction device (102) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the support hinge (125) is rotatably coupled to the short side of the housing (115).

12. Suction device (102) according to one of the three preceding claims, wherein the crank rocker (140) has a dome (150) and the support hinge (125) has a guide groove (155) for guiding the dome (150).

13. Suction device (102) according to the preceding claim, wherein the housing (115) has an arcuate through-opening (160) on the short side, wherein the dome (150) is passed through the through-opening (160).

14. Suction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, with the closure element (130) held by the support hinge (125).

15. Hob (100) having the following features: a hob plate (105) comprising an opening (110) for extracting vapors; and a suction device (102) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (115) of the suction device (102) is arranged on the hob plate (105) enclosing the opening (110).

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