STEAM TREATMENT APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A STEAM TREATMENT

Abstract

A steam treatment appliance includes a steam generation facility, a water tank for providing liquid for the steam generation facility, a first pump for pumping liquid out of the water tank and to the steam generation facility, an accommodating container, a second pump for pumping liquid out of the steam generation facility and to the accommodating container, and a third pump for pumping liquid out of the accommodating container and into the water tank.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A steam treatment appliance, comprising: a steam generation facility; a water tank for providing liquid for the steam generation facility; a first pump for pumping liquid out of the water tank and to the steam generation facility; an accommodating container; a second pump for pumping liquid out of the steam generation facility and to the accommodating container; and a third pump for pumping liquid out of the accommodating container and into the water tank.

14. The steam treatment appliance of claim 13, further comprising: a shared first connecting piece fluidically connected to the water tank, with an input of the first pump and an output of the third pump being connected to the first connecting piece; a shared second connecting piece fluidically connected to the steam generation facility, with an output of the first pump and an input of the second pump being connected to the second connecting piece; and a shared third connecting piece fluidically connected to a port for the accommodating container, with an output of the second pump and an input of the third pump being connected to the third connecting piece.

15. The steam treatment appliance of claim 14, wherein the first, second and third pumps are arranged in parallel adjacent to one another, and wherein the first, second and third connecting pieces are straight-line connecting pieces and arranged in an X-shape in relation to one another.

16. The steam treatment appliance of claim 14, wherein the first, second and third connecting pieces are connected to one another mechanically.

17. The steam treatment appliance of claim 13, further comprising a shared water collection dish, wherein the first, second and third pumps and/or the first, second and third connecting pieces are arranged in the water collection dish.

18. The steam treatment appliance of claim 17, wherein the water collection dish includes a drain that leads into the water tank.

19. The steam treatment appliance of claim 17, wherein the water collection dish is produced in one piece with the water tank.

20. The steam treatment appliance of claim 14, wherein the steam treatment appliance is operable in a steam treatment operating mode in which the second pump and the third pump are deactivated, and a cleaning operating mode in which the first, second and third pumps are activated.

21. A method for operating a steam treatment appliance which includes a steam generation facility, a water tank for providing liquid for the steam generation facility, a first pump for pumping liquid out of the water tank and to the steam generation facility, an accommodating container, a second pump for pumping liquid out of the steam generation facility and to the accommodating container, and a third pump for pumping liquid out of the accommodating container and into the water tank, said method comprising: a) activating in a cleaning operating mode the third pump to pump cleaning liquid out of the accommodating container and into the water tank; b) activating in the cleaning operating mode the first pump to pump the cleaning liquid out of the water tank and into the steam generation facility; and c) activating in the cleaning operating mode the second pump to pump the cleaning liquid out of the steam generation facility and into the accommodating container.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the steps a) to c) are run through in succession.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising inserting exposure pauses between the steps a) to c).

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising running the steps a) to c) multiple times.

Description

[0052] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention and the manner in which these are achieved will become clearer and more readily understandable in connection with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment, which will be described in further detail making reference to the drawings.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of a liquid system of a steam treatment appliance with three pumps;

[0054] FIG. 2 shows an oblique view of a steam treatment appliance corresponding to FIG. 1 in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment without housing and without door;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows an oblique view of an enlarged portion of the steam treatment appliance in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment in the region of the three pumps;

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a front view of an outline of a fluidic interconnection of the three pumps; and

[0057] FIG. 5 shows an oblique view of an enlarged portion of a steam treatment appliance with three pumps in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment in the region of the three pumps.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of a liquid system of a steam treatment appliance 1. The steam treatment appliance 1 may, for example, be an oven with steam treatment function, a microwave appliance with steam treatment function or an oven with microwave and steam treatment function. It has a steam treatment compartment in the form of a cooking compartment 2, which can be closed off by means of a door 24 (see FIG. 5), and a steam generation facility. Here, the steam generation facility is embodied as an evaporator 3 arranged outside the cooking compartment 2. By means of the evaporator 3, it is possible for liquid contained therein to be heated, in particular also brought to boiling. During a steam cooking operation, the water vapor that occurs is conducted out of the evaporator 3 and into the cooking compartment 2, in order to steam-cook food that is located there.

[0059] The steam treatment appliance 1 furthermore has a water tank 4, which is installed in a fixed manner here, by means of which the evaporator 3 can be supplied with liquid. The water tank 4 can be filled with fresh water by means of a fixed water connection 5, e.g. by corresponding opening and closing of a locking valve 6.

[0060] The water tank 4 is fluidically connected to a suction side or input of a first self-locking pump 8 via a first connecting piece 7. The pressure side or output of the first pump 8 is fluidically connected to the evaporator 3 via a second connecting piece 9. The second connecting piece 9 is further connected to an input of a second self-locking pump 10. The output of the first pump 8 and the input of the second pump 10 are therefore fluidically connected to one another directly via the second connecting piece 9.

[0061] The output of the second pump 10 is connected to a port 12, e.g. a connection nozzle, via a third connecting piece 11. It is possible to connect a liquid line 13, such as a hose or the like, to the port 12 in order to fluidically connect the port to a container 14 provided on the part of the user, such as a bucket, a decanter or the like. To this end, the liquid line 13 may be suspended in the container 14 in a simple manner, for example. The third connecting piece 11 is furthermore connected to a suction-side input of a third self-locking pump 15, which is fluidically connected at its output to the first connecting piece 7 and moreover to the water tank 4. Accordingly, the output of the second pump 10 and the input of the third pump 15 are also fluidically connected to one another directly via the second connecting piece 9, and the output of the third pump 15 and the input of the first pump 8 are fluidically connected to one another directly via the third connecting piece 7.

[0062] During a steam cooking operation, the second pump 10 and the third pump 15 are deactivated and therefore connected in a blocking manner from a fluidic perspective. During operation of the first pump 8, water is therefore practically only pumped out of the water tank 4 and into the evaporator 3, in order to supply it with water.

[0063] A cleaning operation may be performed as follows, for example:

[0064] First, a user connects the port 12 to the liquid line 13 and plugs the liquid line 13 into the container 14 that is at least partially filled with cleaning liquid. The pumps 8, 10 and 15 are deactivated in this case.

[0065] Subsequently, the third pump 15 is activated, in order to draw the cleaning liquid out of the container 14 and to conduct it through the third connecting piece 7 into the water tank 4 that may already be partially filled with water. The third pump 15 is then deactivated. As an alternative or in addition, it is possible for water to be introduced into the water tank 4 from the fixed water connection 5. If the cleaning liquid in the container 14 is already sufficiently diluted, then no additional water has to be added.

[0066] The cleaning liquid can now optionally be left in the water tank 4 for a certain period of time (“exposure pause”).

[0067] In the next step, the first pump 8 is activated, in order to pump the cleaning liquid out of the water tank 4, through the first connecting piece 9 and into the evaporator 3. The first pump 8 is then deactivated.

[0068] The cleaning liquid can now optionally be left in the evaporator 3 for a certain further period of time (“exposure pause”). Optionally, the evaporator 3 can heat the cleaning liquid for an increased cleaning effect, but only to a temperature below a boiling temperature (e.g. to 40° C. or 50° C.), in order to prevent cleaning liquid vapor from entering the cooking compartment 2.

[0069] In a next step, the second pump 10 is activated, in order to pump the cleaning liquid out of the evaporator 3, through the second connecting piece 11 and through the port 12 back into the container 14. The second pump 10 is then deactivated.

[0070] This procedure can now be repeated multiple times in particular without adding (further) water.

[0071] When the cleaning procedure is terminated, this can be followed by a similar rinse cycle. The water used for this purpose can originate from the container 14 refilled with clear water or from the fixed water connection 5.

[0072] Alternatively, it is also possible for two or all three pumps 8, 10, 15 to be operated simultaneously, e.g. in order to enable an uninterrupted circuit of the cleaning liquid and/or the clear water.

[0073] FIG. 2 shows an oblique view of the steam treatment appliance 1 in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment without housing and without door. The evaporator 3, the water tank 4, the pumps 8, 10, 15 and the connecting pieces 7, 9, 11 are arranged above the cooking compartment 2. The fixed water connection 5 can be connected to an AquaStop valve 6, which is able to conduct fresh water into the water tank 4 via a connection line 16 which is hose-like, at least in sections. The first connecting piece 9 is fluidically connected to the evaporator 3 via a further connection line 17. The second connecting piece 11 is fluidically connected to the port 12 via another further connection line 18. Here, the port 12 can be accessed on an inner side of the cooking compartment 2 by a user.

[0074] FIG. 3 shows an oblique view of an enlarged portion of the steam treatment appliance 1 in the region of the three pumps 8, 10, 15 and the connecting pieces 7, 9, 11.

[0075] The pumps 8, 10 and 15 and the connecting pieces 7, 9, 11 are arranged and fastened in a water collection dish 19, specifically arranged and oriented in parallel adjacent to one another. The pumps 8, 10 and 15 are in particular of the same kind and have an input nozzle 20 as input and, above it, an output nozzle 21 as output, as shown by way of example on the basis of the third pump 15.

[0076] The connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11 are embodied as straight-line, tube-shaped connecting pieces, from which two connection nozzles 22 branch off from the side in the same direction toward the pumps 8, 10 and 15 in each case. On the end face side, the connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11 are connected to the water tank 4, the evaporator and to the port 12, respectively.

[0077] The two connecting pieces 9 and 11 are arranged in parallel with one another, while the connecting piece 7 stands obliquely thereto, so that the connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11 are arranged in an X-shape in relation to one another. In particular, it is possible for two or three of the connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11 to be connected to one another mechanically, which facilitates the ease of handling thereof e.g. during assembly and results in a particularly reliable arrangement.

[0078] FIG. 4 shows, in a front view of the connection-guiding end faces of the pumps 8, 10 and 15, an outline of their fluidic interconnection with the connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11.

[0079] Returning to FIG. 3 again, the water collection dish 19 is used to collect and drain free liquid, such as condensed water, leakage liquid, etc., that is generated at the pumps 8, 10 and 15 and the connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11. In one variant, to this end the water collection dish 19 opens at a through-hole 23 in the water tank 4, so that the free liquid can drain into the water tank 4. In another variant, the water collection dish 19 is provided (i.e. shaped and arranged) so as to conduct the liquid that it collects into a drain (not shown). In the latter case, it is likewise possible for the through-hole 23 to be present, specifically in order for liquid that overflows from the water tank 4 into the water collection dish 19 to be conducted into the drain. Thus, the water tank 4 is prevented from overflowing beyond its upper edges.

[0080] Here, the water dish 19 and the water tank 4 are embodied as a structural part produced in one piece, for example a plastic injection molded part.

[0081] FIG. 4 shows an oblique view of an enlarged portion of one variant of the steam treatment appliance 1 in the region of the three pumps 8, 10, 15. In this variant, the pumps 8, 10, 15 and the connecting pieces 7, 9 and 11 are not arranged in the water dish 19, but rather directly on the upper side of the cooking compartment 2. Additionally, a door 24 which closes off the cooking compartment 2 on the front side is now drawn.

[0082] The present invention is of course not restricted to the exemplary embodiment shown.

[0083] In general, “a”, “an”, etc. can be understood as singular or plural, in particular in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more”, etc., provided this is not explicitly excluded, e.g. by the expression “precisely one”, etc.

[0084] A numerical value can also include the given value as well as a typical tolerance range, provided this is not explicitly excluded.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0085] 1 Steam treatment appliance [0086] 2 Cooking compartment [0087] 3 Evaporator [0088] 4 Water tank [0089] 5 Fixed water connection [0090] 6 Locking valve [0091] 7 First connecting piece [0092] 8 First pump [0093] 9 Second connecting piece [0094] 10 Second pump [0095] 11 Third connecting piece [0096] 12 Port [0097] 13 Liquid line [0098] 14 Container [0099] 15 Third pump [0100] 16 Connection line [0101] 17 Connection line [0102] 18 Connection line [0103] 19 Water collection dish [0104] 20 Input nozzle [0105] 21 Output nozzle [0106] 22 Connection nozzle [0107] 23 Through-hole [0108] 24 Door