FILTER DEVICE FOR A VAPOUR EXTRACTION DEVICE, AND VAPOUR EXTRACTION DEVICE WITH A FILTER DEVICE

Abstract

A filter device for a vapor extraction device includes a grease filter, and a collecting container for collecting liquid. The collecting container includes an opening configured to receive at least part of an edge of the grease filter. The collecting container has an interior defined by a width which is greater than a thickness of the grease filter in a region in which the grease filter is located in the interior of the collecting container.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A filter device for a vapor extraction device, said filter device comprising: a grease filter; and a collecting container for collecting liquid, said collecting container including an opening configured to receive at least part of an edge of the grease filter, said collecting container having an interior defined by a width which is greater than a thickness of the grease filter in a region in which the grease filter is located in the interior of the collecting container.

14. The filter device of claim 13, wherein the grease filter has a V-shaped configuration which defines a tip, said collecting container enclosing the grease filter at the tip of the V-shape.

15. The filter device of claim 13, wherein the grease filter is designed to fold.

16. The filter device of claim 13, wherein the grease filter comprises at least two filter elements, which are connected pivotably to the collecting container.

17. The filter device of claim 13, wherein the grease filter is connected to the collecting container in a non-releasable manner.

18. The filter device of claim 13, further comprising a deflector element, configured to partially cover the opening of the collecting container.

19. The filter device of claim 18, wherein the deflector element is a web, which points from an upper edge of the collecting container into the opening of the collecting container.

20. The filter device of claim 19, wherein the collecting container is an open rail having an arm, said web being provided at a free end of the arm of the rail.

21. The filter device of claim 19, wherein the deflector element is displaced away from the collecting container at an open end of the collecting container and moved inwards on a side edge of the opening of the collecting container.

22. The filter device of claim 18, wherein the deflector element is an L-profile defining free ends, said deflector element being arranged such that the free ends of the profile face the opening of the collecting container.

23. A vapor extraction device, comprising: a suction opening to allow sucking of air downwards away from a space above a cooktop; and a filter device for cleaning the air, said filter device comprising a grease filter and a collecting container for collecting liquid, said collecting container including an opening configured to receive at least part of an edge of the grease filter, said collecting container having an interior defined by a width which is greater than a thickness of the grease filter in a region in which the grease filter is located in the interior of the collecting container.

24. The vapor extraction device of claim 23, wherein the filter device is arranged below the suction opening.

25. The vapor extraction device of claim 23, wherein the grease filter has a V-shaped configuration which defines a tip, said collecting container enclosing the grease filter at the tip of the V-shape.

26. The vapor extraction device of claim 23, wherein the grease filter is designed to fold.

27. The vapor extraction device of claim 23, wherein the grease filter comprises at least two filter elements, which are connected pivotably to the collecting container.

28. The vapor extraction device of claim 23, wherein the grease filter is connected to the collecting container in a non-releasable manner

29. The vapor extraction device of claim 23, wherein the filter device includes a deflector element configured to partially cover the opening of the collecting container.

30. The vapor extraction device of claim 29, wherein the deflector element is a web, which points from an upper edge of the collecting container into the opening of the collecting container.

31. The vapor extraction device of claim 30, wherein the collecting container is an open rail having an arm, said web being provided at a free end of the arm of the rail.

32. The vapor extraction device of claim 30, wherein the deflector element is displaced away from the collecting container at an open end of the collecting container and moved inwards on a side edge of the opening of the collecting container.

33. The vapor extraction device of claim 29, wherein the deflector element is an L-profile defining free ends, said deflector element being arranged such that the free ends of the profile face the opening of the collecting container.

Description

[0021] The present invention is described in more detail again in the following with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a cooktop with a vapor extraction device;

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of an inventive filter device;

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the sectional view from FIG. 2 with dimensioning;

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment of the inventive filter device; and

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of a third embodiment of the inventive filter device.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a cooktop 10 with a vapor extraction device 11, of which only the suction opening 111 is visible in FIG. 1.

[0028] The cooktop 10 comprises a cover plate 100 and cooking modules 101 arranged below the cover plate 100. Two cooking modules 101 are provided in the illustrated embodiment. A recess 1000 is incorporated in the cover plate 100, forming an air inlet opening 111. In the embodiment shown the recess 1000 is incorporated in the center of the width of the cover plate 100 and extends in the depthwise direction. In the illustrated embodiment the recess 1000 has an extended rectangular shape. The length of the recess 1000, in other words its dimension in the depthwise direction, corresponds to the length of the cooking modules 101. The cooking modules 101 are arranged to the left and right of the recess 1000. An operating unit 103 is arranged in the front region of the cooktop 10. In the embodiment shown the operating unit 103 is arranged in front of the recess 1000 in the cover plate 100 and can comprise for example touch operating elements, buttons or knobs. A display (not shown) can also be contained in the operating unit 103. Depending on their configuration the individual elements of the operating unit 103 can be arranged on, within and/or below the cover plate 100. At least the operating electronics (not shown) of the operating unit 103 are arranged below the cover plate 100. A fan (not shown) of the vapor extraction device 11 is arranged below the cooktop, by way of which air is sucked in through the recess 1000, which provides the suction opening 111.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of the inventive filter device 2, which can also be referred to as a filter unit. In this diagram the suction opening 111 of the vapor extraction device is formed by the recess 1000 in the cover plate 100 of the cooktop 10 or between the cooking modules 101. The filter device 2 comprises a grease filter 20 and a collecting container 21. In the present embodiment the grease filter 20 comprises two filter elements 200, which are arranged at an angle to one another and form a V-shape. The lower faces of the filter elements 200 are held in the collecting container 21. In the embodiment shown the collecting container 21 is a rail that is open at the top. The suction opening 111 has a width D1 and the collecting container 21 has a width C. The width C is smaller than or equal to the width Dl. The filter elements 200 can be moved, in particular be pivoted, relative to the collecting container 21. This allows the grease filter 20 to be collapsed by collapsing the filter elements 200, as shown by the double arrow in FIG. 2. The grease filter 20 can be removed upwards through the suction opening 111 in the collapsed state.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows the embodiment of the filter device 2 from FIG. 2 with dimensioning. In particular the collecting container 21 has a width C and a height B. The distance to the outside of the filter elements 20 in the region of the opening 210 of the collecting container 21 is shown as A. The difference between the width C and twice the distance A is the thickness of the grease filter in the interior of the collecting container 21 in the region of the opening 210. The width of the interior is therefore twice the distance A greater than the thickness of the grease filter 20. The thickness D of the grease filter 20 is determined here by the material thickness of the two filter elements 200 and the distance between these in the opening 210 of the collecting container 21. As shown in FIG. 3, liquid can drip off the grease filter 20 and be collected in the collecting container 21 in the region of the grease filter 20 and in particular of the filter elements 200 held in the interior of the collecting container 21.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the filter device 2. The embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 only in that the filter elements 200 of the grease filter 20 are fastened to the bottom of the collecting container 21 by way of hinges 23. This allows the thickness D2 of the grease filter 20 at its upper end to be reduced to at least the width D1 of the suction opening 111 during removal. The further configuration of the second embodiment corresponds to that of the first embodiment and is therefore not described again.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the filter device 2. The embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 only in that deflector elements 22 are provided on the filter device 2. In particular deflector elements 22 in the form of two webs are provided on the upper edge of the rail-type collecting container 21, extending inwards into the opening 210 of the collecting container 21 from the free ends of the arms of the rail. The length of the webs is only long enough for there still to be a gap between the outsides of the filter elements 200 and the ends of the webs. This gap ensures that liquids can enter from the outside of the respective filter element 200. In the third embodiment a further deflector element 22 is also arranged between the filter elements 200, being referred to as the upper deflector element in the following. The upper deflector element 22 is an L-profile, arranged such that the free ends of the profile face the opening 210 of the collecting container 21, in other words point downwards. The upper deflector element 22 can be fastened to the longitudinal ends of the collecting container 21, for example by way of fastening elements projecting upwards. In particular a front wall (not shown) of the collecting container, with a greater height than the side walls of the collecting container 21, can serve as a fastening element. The length of the arms of the L-profile is dimensioned such that the free ends are at a distance from the facing faces of the filter elements 200. This allows liquid to run down the facing faces of the filter elements into the collecting container 21.

[0033] The bottom of the collecting container 21 can be configured differently from the illustrated embodiments so that liquid flows from the sides to the center. The bottom can be angled for example towards the center for this purpose.

[0034] The present invention creates a filter device, in which liquids, in particular grease, can be stored particularly reliably. With the inventive filter device in the case of a V-shaped grease filter the grease can be stored not only in the center, in other words at the apex of the V-shaped grease filter, but also outside the V-shape or in the case of a U-shaped grease filter outside the U-shape. The distance A between the outside of the grease filter and the edge of the opening of the collecting container is greater than a normal grease drip, being for example in the region between 5 mm and 5 cm. The quantity of grease that can be stored in the collecting container can be expressed by the formula C×B×length of the filter, where C is the width, C is the height of the collecting container. The collecting container can also be designed such that grease can pass from the side to the center. The bottom of the collecting container can be angled towards the center for this purpose. According to one embodiment the V-shaped filter can be collapsed so that it can be removed upwards from a housing and in particular by way of a suction opening of a vapor extraction device. The present invention improves grease depositing rates and also allows smaller grease particles to be trapped reliably.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0035] 10 Cooktop [0036] 100 Cover plate [0037] 1000 Recess [0038] 101 Cooking module [0039] 103 Operating unit [0040] 11 Vapor extraction device [0041] 111 Suction opening for vapor extraction device [0042] 2 Filter device [0043] 20 Grease filter [0044] 200 Filter element [0045] 21 Collecting container [0046] 210 Opening [0047] 22 Deflector element [0048] 23 Hinge [0049] R Calmed zone