Cooking appliance with cooling of an electronic component

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cooking appliance (2), in particular an oven, comprising a cooking chamber (4) for receiving food to be cooked, a door (6) for closing the cooking chamber (4), an electronic component (8, 10) installed in the door (6), and a heat pipe (12) installed in the door (6) for the purpose of cooling the electronic component (8, 10).

Description

[0001] 202401349

[0002] 1 / 13

[0003] Cooking appliance with cooling of an electronic component

[0004] Description

[0005] Technical field

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance, in particular an oven, comprising a cooking chamber for receiving food to be cooked, a door for closing the cooking chamber, and an electronic component arranged in the door.

[0007] A cooking appliance is already known from publication WO 2021 / 239 119 A1 in which an electronic component, namely a camera module, is arranged in a door of the cooking appliance to fulfill certain functions for the customer. The electronic component is often arranged between two panes of glass, i.e., in an intermediate pane area of ​​the door, in order to position the electronic component invisibly to the customer and to fulfill its function, namely, in the case of a camera module, to ensure a good view into the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance.

[0008] Operating the cooking appliance generates heat, which can damage particularly heat-sensitive electronic components. Therefore, cooling of the electronic component or improved heat dissipation may be necessary. Known solutions for cooling electronic components located in the door include free convection in the space between the glass panes, forced convection through ventilation of the cooking appliance, or an additional fan in the door for active cooling of localized (additional) heat sources. Heat dissipation can also be improved by using large heat sinks that act as buffers or for heat distribution. Another known solution involves shielding the electronic component (or other elements or door sections) from a heat source inside the cooking appliance using radiation-shielding sheets, such as coated glass panes or silver coatings.

[0009] Another known solution is to place the electronic component in a cooler edge area of ​​the door or to mount it on an exterior surface. However, this can lead to a functional limitation of the electronic component, particularly in the case of a camera module, as it restricts the customer's view. 202401349

[0010] 2 / 13

[0011] Depending on the door's design, the type of cooling system, and the placement of the electronic component, the flow of cooling air may be interrupted when the door is opened, or a brief power outage may cause the cooling system to fail, resulting in a temporary loss of cooling for the electronic component and potential damage. This problem becomes particularly critical when the electronic component requiring cooling contains inexpensive and heat-sensitive components, such as plastic lenses in the case of a camera module.

[0012] The purpose of this disclosure is therefore to avoid or at least reduce the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, it aims to provide a cooking appliance that ensures robust and reliable cooling of a heat-sensitive electronic component located in the door of the cooking appliance. Specifically, the electronic component should be adequately protected from overheating even when the door of the cooking appliance is opened and during brief power outages.

[0013] The problem addressed in the present disclosure is solved by a cooking appliance having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0014] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance. Specifically, the cooking appliance is an oven. The cooking appliance comprises a cooking chamber for holding food, a door for closing the cooking chamber, and an electronic component located in the door. Furthermore, the cooking appliance specifically includes a heating element for heating the cooking chamber.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, the cooking appliance has a heat pipe arranged in the door for cooling the electronic component. A heat pipe is understood to be a heat tube or heat conduction tube that can transfer heat via an evaporation and condensation cycle, wherein heat is supplied to one end of the heat pipe (in the region of an evaporator) and is released to an external heat sink at the other end of the heat pipe (in the region of a condenser). In this process, an evaporated working fluid (driven by the temperature or pressure gradient) flows from the evaporator along an adiabatic zone to the condenser, and a condensed working fluid (preferably by means of capillary action) flows from the condenser along the adiabatic zone to the evaporator. 202401349

[0016] 3 / 13

[0017] Using a heat pipe to cool the electronic component located in the door has the advantage that cooling can be ensured without electricity and even when the oven door is (briefly) opened. Furthermore, the heat pipe offers flexible placement options, which is crucial given the limited space inside the oven door.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component can be a camera module. Alternatively, the electronic component can be a light element or an active semiconductor. The camera module, in particular, comprises a camera sensor oriented towards the cooking chamber and processing electronics. Especially when the electronic component to be cooled is designed as a camera module, its placement in a specific area of ​​the cooking appliance or the door of the cooking appliance is essential for its function. Therefore, the cooling element / cooling system, designed as a heat pipe according to the disclosure, makes it possible to use camera modules with cost-effective but heat-sensitive components. According to a preferred embodiment, the camera module can have a mounting plate for receiving the camera sensor and the processing electronics.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component, in particular the mounting plate of the camera module, can have a receiving element for the heat pipe. The heat pipe can, in particular, be inserted or plugged into the receiving element. This has the advantage that reliable and reproducible positioning of the heat pipe relative to the camera module can be ensured. The receiving element is preferably designed to be complementary to or contour-identical with the heat pipe. For example, the receiving element can have a circular segment-shaped cross-section, at least in sections, in order to be able to precisely accommodate a heat pipe with a round or substantially circular cross-section.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component, in particular the mounting plate of the camera module, can have two or more, preferably parallel, receiving elements, or the receiving element can serve to receive two or more heat pipes or heat pipe sections, preferably in parallel. This allows two or more heat pipes or heat pipe sections to be easily guided past each other in the area of ​​the electronic component or the mounting plate in order to implement or improve the function of the heat pipe. 202401349

[0021] 4 / 13

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the heat pipe can be inserted or pressed into the receiving element, or screwed onto the receiving element. This means that the heat pipe can be attached to the electronic component, the mounting plate, or the receiving element in a fixed, but preferably detachable, manner. This has the advantage that the heat pipe can be positioned precisely relative to the electronic component or the mounting plate.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, a thermal paste or thermally conductive adhesive can be arranged between the receiving element and the heat pipe. This improves heat transfer between the receiving element and the heat pipe and, in the case of the thermally conductive adhesive, simultaneously creates a strong bond between the receiving element and the heat pipe.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment, the heat pipe can extend over the entire width or length of the electronic component or the carrier plate. This has the advantage that heat can be dissipated over a surface area of ​​the electronic component or the carrier plate.

[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the receiving element can be arranged essentially centrally on the carrier plate and / or between a camera sensor mount and a processing electronics mount. This ensures efficient heat transfer.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment, the receiving element can be arranged such that the heat pipe it contains separates the camera sensor and the processing electronics horizontally or vertically. This further improves the cooling of the camera module.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking device can have a heat shield for the heat pipe, which at least partially, and preferably completely, shields the heat pipe from the cooking chamber. This ensures that particularly effective heat dissipation from the electronic component can occur via the heat pipe.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking device can have a heat sink which is connected to the heat pipe (at an end furthest from the electronic components or with heat dissipation). 202401349

[0029] 5 / 13

[0030] According to the preferred embodiment, the heat sink can be formed by a heat sink carrier board. Preferably, the heat sink carrier board can be connected only / exclusively to the heat pipe, i.e., not to any other electronic component, etc. In particular, the heat sink carrier board can be attached to an (outwardly facing) front panel of the door and / or thermally coupled to the front panel, especially by means of double-sided adhesive tape, liquid adhesive, UV adhesive, or hot melt. This further improves heat dissipation.

[0031] According to the preferred embodiment, the heat sink can be formed by a heat sink arranged in the door airflow. Preferably, the heat sink can have vertical cooling fins. This further improves heat dissipation.

[0032] According to the preferred embodiment, the heat sink can be formed by a door support element made of heat-conducting material, such as a metal, and / or by a door handle, preferably made of a metal, for example aluminum, or by a mounting point of the door handle.

[0033] According to a preferred embodiment, the heat sink can be located in an upper corner of the door (when the cooking appliance is installed). Alternatively, the heat sink can be located in a lower part of the door. In another preferred embodiment, the heat sink can be located inside the door or outside the front glass. This further improves heat dissipation.

[0034] According to a preferred embodiment, the heat pipe can have a heat-dissipating end located away from the electronic component and a heat-absorbing end located near the electronic component. Preferably, the heat pipe can extend substantially horizontally between the heat-dissipating end and the heat-absorbing end. In particular, the heat pipe can extend substantially straight or without bends between the heat-dissipating end and the heat-absorbing end. This improves the installation and function of the heat pipe.

[0035] According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component can be arranged essentially centrally in the width direction of the door. This allows certain functions of the electronic component to be implemented particularly well. 202401349

[0036] 6 / 13

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component can be arranged vertically in the upper third or quarter of the door (when the cooking appliance is installed). This allows certain functions of the electronic component to be implemented particularly well.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the door has an outward-facing front pane and an inner pane facing the cooking chamber. According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component can be arranged between the front pane and the inner pane of the door. Preferably, the electronic component can be arranged closer to the front pane than to the inner pane.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the door has an intermediate pane located between the front pane and the inner pane. According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic component can be arranged between the intermediate pane and the front pane. This has the advantage that the electronic component is additionally shielded from the cooking chamber.

[0040] In other words, the purpose of this disclosure is to cool electronic components or entire sections of an oven door to such an extent that they function reliably under all operating conditions. This allows the electronic components to be integrated as closely as possible between the glass panes, performing specific functions invisibly to the customer. Known solutions for cooling such elements in an oven door include free convection in the space between the glass panes, forced convection through the appliance's ventilation system, or through additional fans in the door that actively cool localized (additional) heat sources. Further solutions to the temperature problem involve relocating the elements to cooler areas of the door or mounting them on the exterior of the door.Furthermore, heat dissipation can be improved by using large heat sinks (as buffers and for distribution), or electronic components or other elements or door areas can be protected from the heat source inside the oven by radiation-shielding sheets (or specially coated glass such as silver coating). In the present disclosure, a camera is positioned in the door to monitor the cooking chamber during the cooking process, whereby the electronic component can be any electronics requiring cooling, such as sensors, lighting, etc. Alternatively, particularly hot areas of the door could be protected from overheating to achieve a balanced heat distribution and avoid hotspots. In the case of a camera, the camera is to be positioned centrally in the door to provide the customer with the most natural and therefore familiar view of the food being cooked via a screen or a smartphone app.

[0041] The system offers 7 / 13 views. Furthermore, the camera should be integrated as much as possible and thus not visible to the customer, although this area of ​​the door is exposed to particularly high temperatures. Accordingly, positioning near the windshield, i.e., as far to the outside as possible, is advantageous. Alternative positions would be on the outer walls of the housing, in the switch compartment, and in the air intake duct. The advantage of placing the camera in the door is that there is generally free space for additional components. However, due to the door's construction and the interruption of cooling flow when the door is opened or during a power outage, the camera's lens and / or processing electronics can be damaged, especially if inexpensive camera systems consisting of plastic lenses and so-called T70 components are used.Accordingly, a reliable cooling system must be found that is also robust enough to protect the camera from overheating during short power outages and unforeseen situations. According to the disclosure, one or more heat pipes are used to dissipate heat from the components of the camera module. In particular, mounting elements for one or more heat pipes are provided on a mounting plate of the camera module. These mounting elements are as close as possible to the contour of the heat pipe, enabling a large surface area and thus high heat transfer. The heat pipe(s) are pressed, screwed, and / or embedded in these mounting elements using thermal paste or thermally conductive adhesive. Preferably, the heat pipe extends over a large area of ​​the thermally stressed regions of the mounting plate to optimally absorb the heat from these areas.Furthermore, the heat pipe itself can be protected from additional heat input by being routed beneath a radiation-shielding sheet or a top cover to the cooler areas of the door. The side serving as the heat sink for the heat pipe can also be a carrier plate that simply holds the heat pipes. This carrier plate is thermally attached and bonded to the windshield using double-sided adhesive tape, liquid adhesive, UV adhesive, or hot melt adhesive. Alternatively or additionally, a heat sink can be located in the airflow of the door, along with door support elements made of thermally conductive material and / or the mounting point(s) of the door handle. In the case of the door handle, the advantage is that the external handle block, which is often made of aluminum, can be used as an external heat sink.Furthermore, the heat pipe could be routed to lower and even cooler areas of the door, even outside the windshield, since, similar to cables or pipes, the heat pipe allows for a high degree of freedom in its routing and can even be routed in different directions with multiple heat pipes to ensure good heat distribution. Preferably, the heat pipe can also be routed as straight as possible, i.e., without bending, squeezing, or other manipulations along the preferably horizontal axis, so that the heat sinks are located in the upper corner 202401349.

[0042] 8 / 13 of the door are arranged parallel to the camera module. Overall, this results in the advantages of high heat transfer due to the small cross-section, robust cooling without additional fans or other active components (Peltier elements, etc.).), trouble-free operation in the event of power failure, contamination, moisture and cleaning, no need for protection against contact, simple and inconspicuous integration due to small installation space requirements and a high degree of freedom for the design, no need for (major) changes to the existing door construction, optimal cooling design, which makes the use of cost-effective (heat-sensitive) electronics possible, a cost-effective solution due to the lack of need for expensive fans, quiet operation due to the absence of airflow from active fans and no need for additional circuitry for fan control and monitoring.

[0043] Brief description of the characters

[0044] Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a cooking appliance according to the present disclosure,

[0045] Fig. 2 is a representation of a door of the cooking appliance,

[0046] Figures 3 and 4 show a section of the door in which an electronic component and a heat pipe for cooling the electronic component are arranged.

[0047] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a carrier board of an electronic component designed as a camera module, and

[0048] Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the door of the cooking appliance.

[0049] Description of a preferred embodiment

[0050] A preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is described below on the basis of the associated figures.

[0051] Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of a cooking appliance 2 according to the present disclosure. The cooking appliance 2 is, in particular, an oven. 202401349

[0052] 9 / 13

[0053] The cooking appliance 2 has a cooking chamber 4 for holding food and a door 6 for closing the cooking chamber 4. The cooking chamber 4 can be heated by a heating device (not explicitly shown).

[0054] The cooking appliance 2 has an electronic component 8 arranged in the door 6. In particular, the electronic component 8 is designed as a camera module 10. The camera module 10 is oriented towards the cooking chamber 4 and serves to optically detect the cooking chamber. Preferably, the camera module 10 is arranged vertically in an upper third or quarter of the cooking appliance 2.

[0055] Fig. 2 shows a representation of the door 6 in which the camera module 10 is arranged. Preferably, the camera module 10 is arranged substantially centrally in the width direction.

[0056] According to the present disclosure, the cooking appliance 2 has a heat pipe 12 arranged in the door 6 for cooling the electronic component 8 or the camera module 10. The heat pipe 12 has a heat-absorbing end 14, which is connected to the electronic component 8 or the camera module 10, and a heat-dissipating end 16, which is connected to a heat sink 18. Preferably, the heat pipe 12 can extend substantially horizontally between the heat-absorbing end 18 and the heat-dissipating end 16.

[0057] In the illustrated embodiment, the heat sink 18 is formed by a heat sink 20. The heat sink 20 preferably has vertically oriented cooling fins 22 (see Fig. 3). The heat sink 20 is preferably arranged in an airflow of the door 6. Alternatively, the heat sink 18 can be formed by a heat sink support plate and / or by a thermally conductive, in particular metallic, door support element and / or by a door handle, although this is not shown.

[0058] Preferably, the cooking appliance 2 can have a heat shield 24, in particular in the form of a radiation plate, for the heat pipe. The heat shield 24 shields the heat pipe 12 at least partially, preferably completely, from the cooking chamber 4. This means that the heat pipe 12 (viewed from the cooking chamber 4) is arranged behind the heat shield 24 (see Figs. 3 and 4).

[0059] As described above, the electronic component 8 is preferably designed as a camera module 10. The camera module 10 has a 202401349 oriented towards the cooking chamber 4.

[0060] 10 / 13

[0061] The camera module 10 comprises a camera sensor 26 (or a lens) and processing electronics 28. It also includes a mounting plate 30 for the camera sensor 26 and the processing electronics 28 (see Fig. 5). Furthermore, the camera module 10 may have a cap 32 (see Fig. 6).

[0062] Preferably, the carrier plate 30 has a receiving element 34 for the heat pipe 12. The heat pipe 12 can, in particular, be inserted or plugged into the receiving element 34. The receiving element 34 is preferably complementary to or contour-identical to the heat pipe 12. For example, the receiving element 34 can have a circular segment-shaped cross-section, at least in sections. Preferably, the heat pipe 12 or the receiving element 34 can extend over the entire width or length of the carrier plate 30.

[0063] Preferably the carrier plate 30 can have two, preferably parallel, receiving elements 34 into which two heat pipes 12 or two sections of the heat pipe 12 can be arranged parallel to each other.

[0064] Preferably, a thermal paste (not explicitly shown) or a thermal adhesive (not explicitly shown) can be arranged between the receiving element 34 and the heat pipe 12.

[0065] Preferably, the receiving element 34 can be arranged substantially centrally on the carrier plate 30. In particular, the receiving element 34 can be arranged between a camera sensor receptacle 36 and a processing electronics receptacle 38. In particular, the receiving element 34 can be arranged such that the heat pipe contained therein separates the camera sensor 26 and the processing electronics 28 horizontally (not shown) or vertically from each other.

[0066] The door 6 has an outward-facing front window 40 and an inner window 42 facing the cooking chamber. Preferably, the electronic component 8 or the camera module 10 can be arranged between the front window 40 and the inner window 42. Preferably, the electronic component 8 or the camera module 10 can be arranged closer to the front window 40 than to the inner window 42. Furthermore, the door 6 can have an intermediate window 44 located between the front window 40 and the inner window 42. Preferably, the electronic component 8 or the camera module 10 can be arranged between the intermediate window 44 and the front window 40.

Claims

202401349 11 / 13 Claims 1. Cooking appliance (2), in particular oven, with a cooking chamber (4) for receiving food to be cooked, a door (6) for closing the cooking chamber (4), and an electronic component (8, 10) arranged in the door (6), characterized by a heat pipe (12) arranged in the door (6) for cooling the electronic component (8, 10).

2. Cooking appliance (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic component (8, 10) is a camera module (10), has a camera sensor (26) oriented towards the cooking chamber (4), processing electronics (28) and a carrier plate (30) for receiving the camera sensor (26) and the processing electronics (28).

3. Cooking device (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that the carrier plate (30) has a receiving element (34) for the heat pipe (12) which is preferably contour-matched to the heat pipe (12).

4. Cooking device (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that the receiving element (34) is arranged substantially centrally on the carrier plate (30) and / or between a camera sensor receptacle (36) and a processing electronics receptacle (38).

5. Cooking device (2) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the receiving element (34) is arranged such that the heat pipe (12) received therein separates the camera sensor (26) and the processing electronics (28) horizontally or vertically from each other.

6. Cooking appliance (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by a heat shield 24) for the heat pipe (12), which shields the heat pipe (12) at least partially from the cooking chamber (4).

7. Cooking appliance (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by a heat sink (18) which is connected to the heat pipe (12), wherein the heat sink (18) is formed by a heat sink support board, a cooling element (20) arranged in the door airflow, a door support element and / or a door handle. 202401349 12 / 13 8. Cooking appliance (2) according to claim 7, characterized in that the heat sink (18) is arranged in an upper corner area of ​​the door (6).

9. Cooking device (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the heat pipe (12) extends substantially horizontally between a heat-receiving end (14) and a heat-dissipating end (16) of the heat pipe (12).

10. Cooking appliance (2) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the electronic component (8, 10) is arranged between a front glass (40) of the door (6) and an inner glass (42) of the door (6), wherein the electronic component (8, 10) is arranged closer to the front glass (40) than to the inner glass (42).

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