FUME EXTRACTOR DEVICE FOR A HOB, AND COMBINED APPLIANCE

Abstract

A fume extractor device for a hob includes an air intake opening via which air is sucked downward, and a fan which includes a fan housing, a fan wheel received in the fan housing, and a motor received in the fan housing and operably connected to the fan wheel The fan housing has an upper face which includes an air inlet opening. Means for removing impurities in the fume extractor device are provided only in a flow direction downstream of the air inlet opening of the fan housing.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A fume extractor device for a hob, said fume extractor comprising: an air intake opening via which air is sucked downward; a fan including a fan housing, a fan wheel received in the fan housing, and a motor received in the fan housing and operably connected to the fan wheel, said fan housing having an upper face which includes an air inlet opening; and means for removing impurities in the fume extractor device provided only in a flow direction downstream of the air inlet opening of the fan housing.

12. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein the means for removing impurities are only provided in the flow direction downstream of the fan wheel.

13. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein the fan housing has a radial housing wall configured to represent the means for removing impurities.

14. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein at least one part of the fan housing and the fan wheel are fastened detachably.

15. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein the motor is fastened detachably.

16. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein at least one part of the fan housing and the fan wheel form a preassembled unit.

17. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein the motor is constructed to be dishwasher-proof.

18. The fume extractor device of claim 11, further comprising an air guiding channel, which extends between the air intake opening and the air inlet opening of the fan housing.

19. The fume extractor device of claim 11, wherein the fan wheel has a diameter of 160 mm and capable of being operated with a speed of 1000 rpm.

20. A combined appliance, comprising: a hob; and a fume extractor device interacting with the hob, said said fume extractor comprising an air intake opening via which air is sucked downward, a fan including a fan housing, a fan wheel received in the fan housing, and a motor received in the fan housing and operably connected to the fan wheel, said fan housing having an upper face which includes an air inlet opening, and means for removing impurities in the fume extractor device provided only in a flow direction downstream of the air inlet opening of the fan housing.

21. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein the means for removing impurities are only provided in the flow direction downstream of the fan wheel.

22. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein the fan housing has a radial housing wall configured to represent the means for removing impurities.

23. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein at least one part of the fan housing and the fan wheel are fastened detachably.

24. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein the motor is fastened detachably.

25. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein at least one part of the fan housing and the fan wheel form a preassembled unit.

26. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein the motor is constructed to be dishwasher-proof.

27. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein the fume extractor device includes an air guiding channel, which extends between the air intake opening and the air inlet opening of the fan housing.

28. The combined appliance of claim 20, wherein the fan wheel has a diameter of 160 mm and capable of being operated with a speed of 1000 rpm. as claimed in one of claims 20 to 19.

Description

[0030] The invention is described again below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] FIG. 1: shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the inventive combined appliance;

[0032] FIG. 2: shows a schematic, perspective partial sectional view of an embodiment of the inventive combined appliance,

[0033] FIG. 2a: shows a schematic top view onto a fan housing of the fume extractor device of the combined appliance; and

[0034] FIG. 3: shows a schematic, perspective sectional view of the embodiment of the combined appliance of FIG. 2 in the region of the air inlet opening.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the inventive combined appliance 1 in a block diagram. Only half of the combined appliance 1 is shown in FIG. 1. The combined appliance 1 consists of a hob 4 and a fume extractor device 2. In the embodiment shown the fume extractor device 2 comprises a fan 3 and an air guiding channel 21. The fume extractor device 2 has an air intake opening 20, which, in the embodiment shown, is formed by the upper edge of the air guiding channel 21.

[0036] In the embodiment shown the hob 4 consists of a cover plate 40 and heating modules 41, of which only one is visible in FIG. 1. In the embodiment shown, a heating module 41 is arranged below the cover plate 40. The heating module 41 can be an induction heating module. It is however also within the scope of the invention that the heating module 41 is an electric module or gas module. In the latter case, the heating module 41 can project through an opening (not shown) through the cover plate 40 of the hob 4. In the embodiment shown, a cutout 42 is introduced in the center of the cover plate 40. The cutout 42 can be a rectangular or round cutout. In the embodiment shown, an air guiding channel 21 of the fume extractor device 2 is introduced into the cutout 42. This air guiding channel 21 has a height which corresponds to the distance between the upper face of the cover plate 40 and the lower face of the heating module 41.

[0037] The fan 3 of the fume extractor device 2 is arranged below the hob 4. The fan 3 has a fan housing 30, a fan wheel 31 and a motor 32. The motor 32 and the fan wheel 31 are received in the fan housing 30. The fan housing 30 preferably represents a spiral housing. An air inlet opening 303 is provided in the upper face of the fan housing 30. The air inlet opening 303 is introduced in the center of the upper face of the fan housing 30. With a spiral housing, the air inlet opening 303 is provided in the center of the surface of the receiving space 300 (see FIG. 2) in which the fan wheel 31 is received. The fan 3 is arranged in the fume extractor device 2 so that the air inlet opening 303 lies below the air intake opening 20 and preferably in a vertical projection of the air intake opening 20 onto the air inlet opening 303 lies in the air intake opening 20.

[0038] The motor 32 of the fan 3 is arranged below the air inlet opening 303. It is therefore below the air intake opening 20 of the fume extractor device 2. The motor is connected to the fan wheel 31 by way of fastening means 33, for instance by way of a shaft. On its outer radial periphery the fan wheel 31 has blades 310, which extend in the vertical direction. The connection between the blades 310, which can be held on a blade ring (not shown), and the motor 32 or the fastening means 33 can be realized by way of bars or a disk (not shown). The motor 32 can be connected to the upper face of the fan housing 30 or the lower face of the heating modules 41 additionally by way of fastening means 22.

[0039] The fan housing 30 has at least one base 301 and a radial housing wall 302, which can also be referred to as a side wall or an outer wall. In addition, the fan housing 30 can have an air outlet channel 307 (see FIG. 2), on the end of which an air outlet opening 305 is provided. The fan housing 30 preferably has a cover 306, which upwardly covers at least the receiving space 300. The cover 306 rests on the lower face of the heating module 41 and can be connected hereto.

[0040] The fan wheel 31 has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the fan housing 30 and in particular of the receiving space 300 of the fan housing 30. The blades 310 of the fan wheel 31 are therefore distanced from the radial housing wall 302.

[0041] No further elements, in particular no filter elements, are present between the air inlet opening 20 and the fan wheel 31 except for the air guiding channel 21 and a protective mesh 204 which is possibly provided on the air inlet opening 303. The fume extractor device 2 of the combined appliance 1 can therefore also be referred to as a filterless fume extractor device 2. This does not however rule out that an odor filter (not shown) is provided on the air outlet opening 305 or downstream hereof in the flow direction.

[0042] During operation of the fume extractor device 2, the fan wheel 31 is driven by the motor 32. This produces suction, by way of which air is sucked into the fume extractor device 2 by way of the air intake opening 20. In this process the air passes the air guiding channel 21 and reaches the fan housing 30 by way of the air inlet opening 303. There the air is directed radially outward by rotating the fan wheel 31 and the blades 310 provided thereon. The air is routed radially outward by the distances between the blades 310 and is accelerated against the radial housing wall 302. Impurities in the air which is sucked in from above the hob 4, in particular fat or water, are therefore spun against the radial housing wall 302. Impurities which are deposited on the blades 310 of the fan wheel 31 are spun against the radial housing wall 302 by the rotation of the fan wheel 31. These impurities generally represent liquid impurities, such as fat or other liquids. These liquid impurities therefore run downward on the radial housing wall 302 and collect on the base 301. With low-viscosity impurities, the impurities can also collect on the radial housing wall 302 and adhere thereto.

[0043] In accordance with the invention, in order to clean the fume extractor device 2, at least one part of the fan housing 30, in particular the base 301 and the radial housing wall 302, can be detached together with the fan wheel 31. Alternatively, the motor 32 can also be detached in addition to the at least one part of the fan housing 30 and the fan wheel 31. Also with this embodiment, the part of the fan housing 30, the fan wheel 31 and the motor 32 are configured such that they can be detached together.

[0044] In the first case in which only one part of the fan housing 30 and the fan wheel 31 is to be removed from the fume extractor device 2, the part of the fan housing 30 which can be detached preferably represents the part which comprises the base 301 and the radial housing wall 302. It is however also possible that the entire fan housing 30, in other words the base 301, the radial housing wall 302 and the cover 306 of the fan housing 30, can be detached. In this case, the air inlet opening 303 is preferably dimensioned so that the motor 32 can be guided into the interior of the fan housing 30 through the air inlet opening 303. In the case in which at least one part of the fan housing 30 and the fan wheel 31 can be detached, the fan wheel 31 can be mounted rotatably in a guide on the base 301 of the fan housing 30, for instance. The detachable connection to the fume extractor device 2 can take place by means of the fastening means 33, by way of which the fan wheel 31 and the fan housing 30 are fastened to the motor 32. In addition, the fan housing 30 or the part of the fan housing 30 which can be detached can be fastened to the lower face of the heating modules 41 of the hob 4 by way of fastening means 22.

[0045] In the case in which in addition to at least one part of the fan housing 30 and the fan wheel 31 the motor 32 can also be detached from the fume extractor device 2, the fan housing 30 can have a cover 306, and this can form a unit with the base 301 and the radial housing wall 302. With this embodiment, the entire fan housing 30, the fan wheel 31 received therein and the motor 32 is then detached from the fume extractor device 2. With this embodiment, the detachable unit can be detachably fastened to the lower face of the hob 4 by way of fastening means 22.

[0046] The user of the combined appliance 1 can therefore downwardly detach and clean at least one part of the fume extractor device 2. The air guiding channel 21 is preferably removable from the top of the cutout 42 of the hob 4. In the introduced state, the air guiding channel 21 rests on the upper face of the fan housing 30. In addition, the air guiding channel 21 can have an outwardly facing flange (not shown) on its upper edge. When the air guiding channel 21 is in the introduced state, this flange can rest on the edge of the cutout 42 of the hob 4.

[0047] In FIG. 2, an embodiment of the inventive combined appliance 1 is shown in a perspective partial sectional view. The embodiment according to FIG. 2 corresponds substantially to the embodiment according to FIG. 1. In the sectional view according to FIG. 2, only one part of the fan wheel 31, in particular the blades 310, is visible. The bars or disk, by way of which the blades 310 are connected to the motor 32, and the motor 32 are not shown in FIG. 2.

[0048] In the embodiment shown the fan housing 30 has a receiving space 300. This receiving space 300, in which the fan wheel 31 is received, has a spiral-shaped cross-section. On one side, in FIG. 2 the left side, the receiving space 300 is widened and passes into an air outlet channel 307, the end of which represents the air outlet opening 305 of the fan housing 30. FIG. 2a shows a schematic top view onto such a fan housing 30.

[0049] In the embodiment according to FIG. 2 the fan housing 30 has a cover 306. A vertical wall, which can be used as a fastening means 22 to fasten the fan housing 30 to the hob 4, is shown schematically on the upper face of the cover 306. The cutout 42 in the hob 4 represents a rectangular cutout in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, which extends in the depth direction of the hob 4 in the center of the hob 4. In this embodiment the connection between the hob 4 and the fan housing 30 lies on the lower face of the cover plate 40 of the hob 4 on the cutout 42. An air guiding channel 21 is introduced into the cutout 42, moreover, as also in the embodiment according to FIG. 1. The air guiding channel 21 is shown in a raised state in FIG. 2 for improved visibility. In the introduced state, the lower face of the air guiding channel 21 lies on the cover 306 of the fan housing 30.

[0050] The air inlet opening 303 of the fan housing 30 is introduced in the cover 306 and thus in the upper face of the fan housing 30. In the embodiment shown, a protective mesh 304, which is used as an engagement protection, is provided in the air inlet opening 303. The air inlet opening 303 is aligned with the air intake opening 20, which is formed by the upper edge of the air guiding channel 21.

[0051] In FIG. 3, the fan 3 is shown more precisely in the region of the air inlet opening 303. As is clear from this figure, with the embodiment shown, the diameter of the fan wheel 31 is greater than the diameter of the air inlet opening 303. The axis of rotation of the fan wheel 31 lies in the vertical and is arranged in the center of the air inlet opening 303. The motor 32 is present in the axis of rotation of the fan wheel 31, by way of which the fan wheel 31 is driven. The blades 310 of the fan wheel, which lie on the outer periphery of the fan wheel 31 in the vertical direction and thus parallel to the axis of rotation of the fan wheel 31, extend from the outer periphery of the fan wheel 31 in a curved manner radially inward. The extension of the blades 310 in the radial direction is measured so that the inner ends of the blades 301 rest on the outer periphery of the air inlet opening 303.

[0052] The present invention therefore relates to a combination between a hob, which can be an electric, induction or gas hob, and an integrated fume extractor device, which can also be referred to as a worktop extractor. With the present invention the device is designed to be compact. Nevertheless, many functions, such as in particular the fan, a fat separation and possibly an odor filter are integrated in the combined appliance in a small area. The width and depth of the combined appliance is generally provided by the furniture industry. The height of the combined appliance is critical because this engages into the space of the kitchen cabinet, in which drawers are provided, for instance.

[0053] Known combined appliances with a fume extractor device, which is integrated with a hob and which has expanded metal filters for filtering out fat, for instance, in most cases have a height of around 20 cm. Conversely, with the present invention, a fume extractor device and a combined appliance are produced, which allows reliable filtering out of liquid impurities with a small installation space and in particular low height.

[0054] The knowledge underlying the invention is that this object can be achieved by the fume extractor device representing a filterless device.

[0055] Instead of using a standard fat filter, with the invention an at least partially detachable centrifugal separation device is used. In particular, the fan, which can also be referred to as a ventilator, is used at least partially as a separation device. The fan comprises three main parts. In particular, the fan preferably comprises an electric motor, which drives the fan wheel, a fan wheel, by means of the rotation of which air is sucked into the fume extractor device, and a fan housing, which can represent a spiral housing and which guides the air.

[0056] The principle which is used according to the invention is the principle of a centrifugal separator. In this regard the fumes and vapors, which can also be referred to as fat/water vapors, are sucked into the fan and flung onto the fan housing by means of the centrifugal forces and the impurities collect there.

[0057] In accordance with the invention, the fan can be detached at least partially from below and cleaned in the dishwasher. According to the invention, two interfaces are possible:

a. In one embodiment, the motor, the fan wheel and the fan housing are a unit which can be detached and is compatible with dishwashers. In this regard the motor is designed to be dishwasher-proof.
b. In a further embodiment, the fan wheel and the fan housing are a unit. The motor cannot be detached. The fan wheel is preferably detachably coupled to the motor. With this embodiment, the motor does not need to be tight.

[0058] Provision can be made in the flow direction upstream of the motor for an upwardly detachable air guiding channel, which can also be referred to as a flue, which can also be cleaned and is introduced into a cutout in the hob.

[0059] An odor filter is preferably provided so that this is arranged with respect to the fan wheel so that impurities, which are accelerated by the fan wheel, do not reach the odor filter directly. In particular, the odor filter can be provided on an air outlet opening of the fan housing or on the end of an air channel, which connects to the air outlet opening of the fan housing.

[0060] The present invention has a series of advantages. In particular, all parts can preferably be cleaned. With the invention, saturation does not occur, such as occurs with conventional fat filters. The fume extractor device is suited in particular to thin liquid impurities, such as for instance with Asiatic cooking. The combined appliance can be produced with a minimal height of 12 cm or 16 cm, for instance, and can thus be easily integrated into a kitchen cabinet, such as, for instance, a kitchen floor unit.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0061] 1 combined appliance [0062] 2 fume extractor device [0063] 20 air intake opening [0064] 21 air guiding channel [0065] 22 fastening means [0066] 3 fan [0067] 30 fan housing [0068] 300 receiving space [0069] 301 base [0070] 302 radial housing wall [0071] 303 air inlet opening [0072] 304 protective mesh [0073] 305 air outlet opening [0074] 306 cover [0075] 307 air outlet channel [0076] 31 fan wheel [0077] 310 blade [0078] 32 motor [0079] 33 fastening means [0080] 4 hob [0081] 40 cover plate [0082] 41 heating module [0083] 42 cutout