PAN SUPPORT, GAS HOB AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PAN SUPPORT

Abstract

A pan support for a gas cooker includes a support structure for a container for food to be cooked. The support structure of the pan support has a contact surface for the container and a channel for a flammable combustion gas and air mixture, which channel leads to gas outlet openings.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A pan support for a gas cooker, said pan support comprising a support structure for a container for food to be cooked, said support structure having a contact surface for the container and a channel for a flammable combustion gas and air mixture, which channel leads to gas outlet openings.

17. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the support structure is formed in one piece or made from a single piece of material.

18. The pan support of claim 16, further comprising a pipe section for mixing primary air and combustion gas to form the flammable combustion gas and air mixture, said support structure and said pipe section being made in one piece or made from a single piece of material.

19. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the support structure includes at least two fingers arranged radially about a central axis of the pan support.

20. The pan support of claim 16, wherein the support structure includes three, four, five or six fingers arranged radially about a central axis of the pan support.

21. The pan support of claim 19, wherein the at least two fingers have an L-shaped configuration.

22. The pan support of claim 19, wherein at least one of the at least two fingers is configured to include the gas outlet openings.

23. The pan support of claim 22, wherein the gas outlet openings are arranged adjacent to one another along a first extension direction of the at least one of the fingers.

24. The pan support of claim 22, wherein the gas outlet openings are open to one side of the at least one of the fingers.

25. The pan support of claim 16, wherein at least one of the gas outlet openings is configured to be open to a top.

26. The pan support of claim 25, wherein the support structure for the container includes at least two fingers arranged radially about a central axis of the pan support, said at least one of the gas outlet openings being formed between a contact surface of one of the at least two fingers and a contact surface of another one of the at least two fingers.

27. A gas hotplate, comprising a pan support, said pan support comprising a support structure for a container for food to be cooked, said support structure having a contact surface for the container and a channel for a flammable combustion gas and air mixture, which channel leads to gas outlet openings.

28. The gas hotplate of claim 27, further comprising: a cooktop plate having an opening; and a gas nozzle arranged below the cooktop plate for providing combustion gas, said pan support having a channel extending at least partially through the opening or being in fluid connection with the opening, said channel guiding a combustion gas and air mixture, comprising primary air and combustion gas, to the gas outlet openings.

29. The gas hotplate of claim 27, further comprising: a cooktop plate; and a pipe section for mixing primary air and combustion gas to form a flammable combustion gas and air mixture, said pipe section embodied in one piece or made from a single piece of material with the support structure of the pan support, said pipe section configured to pierce through the cooktop plate in a downward direction.

30. The gas hotplate of claim 27, further comprising a cooktop plate, said support structure of the pan support having two, three, four, five or six fingers, each of the fingers comprising a one of said contact surface and being supported on the cooktop plate.

31. A method, comprising producing a pan support by a 3D printing process.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the 3D printing process includes selective laser sintering.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the 3D printing process comprises: forming a pipe section with a channel therein; and forming fingers radially about the pipe section and with gas outlet openings in communication with the channel.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the gas outlet openings are formed in the at least one of the fingers so as to be open to one side.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the gas outlet openings is formed to be open to a top.

Description

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a household appliance;

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the household appliance according to FIG. 1;

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a pan support from FIG. 2;

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a section IV from FIG. 3;

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a section V from FIG. 3;

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a further section of the pan support according to FIG. 3; and

[0050] FIG. 7 shows a section IIV from FIG. 2.

[0051] In the figures, elements that are identical or have the same function are denoted by the same reference characters unless otherwise stated.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a household appliance 1. The household appliance 1 is in particular a household cooking appliance, a gas cooker or a household cooker. The household appliance 1 can be a built-in appliance or a freestanding appliance.

[0053] The household appliance 1 comprises two pan supports 2. The pan supports 2 are in each case configured to hold a container for food to be cooked (not shown in FIG. 1) above a flame (not shown in FIG. 1). In other words, the pan support 2 serves as a support structure for a container for food to be cooked. The pan supports 2 can also be combined in one element to provide a one-piece pan support, which can support two containers for food to be cooked. The number of pan supports 2 is freely selectable. For example, four pan supports 2 can be provided. The pan supports 2 are arranged on a common cooktop plate 3. For example, the pan supports 2 can be fastened to the cooktop plate 3. The pan support or supports 2 are usually supported on the cooktop plate 3. For example, the pan support or supports 2 rest on the cooktop plate 3. Moreover, in each case a pipe section 16 projects in sections through the cooktop plate 3 (indicated by dotted lines).

[0054] The cooktop plate 3 can be a steel sheet, a glass plate or a glass ceramic plate, for example. Each pan support 2 is assigned a control element 4 for a gas valve or gas control valve, with the aid of which a combustion gas flow supplied to the respective pan support 2 can optionally be connected, disconnected and in particular steplessly switched on. Alternatively, the gas control valves can also be configured to regulate the combustion gas flow supplied to the respective pan support 2 in steps. This means that the gas control valves can be embodied as stepped gas control valves or what are known as step valves.

[0055] Each pan support 2 is assigned to a gas hotplate 5. For example, the pan supports 2 could be connected to, in particular made from one piece of material with, a base frame section (not shown in FIG. 1), which rests on the cooktop plate 3 and surrounds the gas hotplates 5. The household appliance 1 comprises two gas hotplates 5. Furthermore, the household appliance 1 could also comprise additional hotplates operated by means of electrical energy, such as an induction cooktop (not shown in FIG. 1). The household appliance 1 comprises for example three or four gas hotplates 5 of this kind.

[0056] FIG. 2 shows the household appliance 1 from FIG. 1 in a schematic top view. The household appliance 1 comprises a front side 6, on which the control elements 4 are arranged and which generally faces toward a user who is standing in front of the household appliance 1.

[0057] Furthermore, a rear side 7 of the household appliance 1 is provided opposite the front side 6, which rear side usually faces away from the user who is standing in front of the household appliance 1. The household appliance 1 also comprises a left side 8 and a right side 9, which is arranged opposite the left side 8.

[0058] Viewed from above, the pan supports 2 have a cross shape with four fingers. As can be seen from FIG. 2, no additional burner cover and no additional burner top part are present. The pan supports 5 have channels and gas outlet openings, so that the flames are produced directly on the fingers during operation. In the following figures, possible exemplary embodiments for pan supports are explained.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a pan support 2, which can be used in the household appliance according to FIG. 2. The pan support 2 comprises a support structure 10 for a container for food to be cooked. The support structure 10 has four fingers 11, which are arranged radially about a central axis M of the pan support 2 at an angular distance of 90°. Here, two fingers 11 in each case lie mirror-symmetrically opposite one another. As shown in FIG. 2, viewed from the central axis M, one of the fingers 11 of the pan support 2 points toward the left side 8, one toward the right side 9, one toward the rear side 7 and one toward the front side 6 of the household appliance 1. Alternatively, the fingers 11 could also run diagonally to the sides 7, 8, 9, 10.

[0060] Each of the fingers 11 comprises a contact surface 12 for the container for food to be cooked and a support surface 13, which is provided to rest on the cooktop plate 3 and support the pan support 2 on the cooktop plate 3. Each of the fingers 11 extends from the support surface 13 initially in a vertical direction Z to form a column section 14, bends, and then extends in a radial direction R, which runs perpendicular to the vertical direction Z, to form a radial section 15 toward the central axis M. Here, the central axis M runs parallel to the vertical direction Z. As a result, the fingers 11 have an L shape. The radial section 15 is embodied as a T-shaped profile or T-shaped bar to enlarge the contact surface 12.

[0061] The pan support 15 further comprises a pipe section 16 for mixing primary air and combustion gas to form the flammable combustion gas and air mixture. The pipe section 16 is arranged centrally relative to the fingers 11 and extends in the vertical direction Z, so that the central axis M forms the longitudinal axis of the pipe section 16. The radial sections 15 are connected to the pipe section 16 on the outer peripheral surface 17 thereof. The support structure 10 and the pipe section 16 are embodied in particular in one piece or from a single piece of material.

[0062] The pipe section 16 is terminated in the vertical direction Z with a wall 18, which has a horizontal main extension plane E. The wall 18 extends parallel to the contact surfaces 12 and to the cooktop plate 3. Furthermore, the wall 18 is arranged below the contact surfaces 12. Moreover, the wall 18 comprises a plurality of gas outlet openings 19, which are open to the top. Viewed from above, the gas outlet openings 19 open to the top are arranged visibly between the four contact surfaces 12. The combustion gas and air mixture therefore exits directly upward.

[0063] Furthermore, at least one of the fingers 11 comprises the gas outlet openings 19. These are embodied on the radial section 15 and are arranged adjacent to one another along the radial direction R. The gas outlet openings 19 embodied on the radial section 15 are open to one side (in other words not to the top or to the bottom) of the radial section 15. As a result, the combustion gas and air mixture initially exits parallel to the contact surface 12. The gas outlet openings 19 embodied on the radial section 15 are accordingly arranged on lateral surfaces 20 of the radial section 15, which are embodied perpendicular to the contact surface 12. Furthermore, gas outlet openings 19 can be embodied on two opposite lateral surfaces 20 of a radial section 15.

[0064] FIG. 4 shows a section IV from FIG. 3, which cuts the pan support 2 into two equal-sized halves and runs longitudinally through two opposite fingers 11 and the pipe section 16. The pan support 2 has a channel 21 for the combustion gas and air mixture, which leads to the gas outlet openings 19. The channel 21 has a channel section 22 running from top to bottom, which is enclosed by the pipe section 16 and begins at a lower opening 24 of the pipe section 16, which is open to the bottom. The channel section 22 is column-shaped and has a round outer contour. The pipe section 16 can for example be designated, in conjunction with a nozzle for the combustion gas (not shown), as a venturi nozzle.

[0065] Furthermore, the channel section 22 is delimited to the top by the wall 18 and opens into channel branches 23, which are arranged within the radial sections 15. The gas outlet openings 19 create accesses from an environment U, which surrounds the pan support 2, and the channel section 22 and channel branches 23. This enables the combustion gas and air mixture to reach the environment U, in which it can burn. A respective channel branch 23 extends in the radial direction R and ends within the respective radial section 15.

[0066] The pan support 2 is produced for example by means of 3D printing, in particular selective laser sintering. Here, it is possible to produce the fingers 11 and/or the pipe section 16 and/or the wall 18 as a component made from a single piece of material, in particular with channel section 22 provided therein and/or channel branches 23 provided therein and/or gas outlet openings 19 provided therein. For example, the pan support 2 is produced from a metal or the pan support has a metal.

[0067] FIG. 5 shows a section V from FIG. 3, which runs horizontally through the radial section 15 of one of the fingers 11. Here, FIG. 5 shows the channel branch 23 as a cross-section. The channel branch 23 has a rectangular cross-section geometry and is formed as a cuboid volume. A height D1 of the finger 11 between the support surface 13 and the contact surface 12 is smaller than a distance D2 between the lower opening 24 of the pipe section 16 and the contact surface 12, wherein the difference between the distance D2 and the height D1 is in particular greater than a thickness D3 (see FIG. 7) of the cooktop plate 3.

[0068] FIG. 6 shows a further sectional view of the pan support 2 according to FIG. 3. This differs from FIG. 4 in that a supporting molding 25 is provided for a lower end 26 of the pipe section 16. The supporting molding 25 has a ring section 27 in the shape of a circular ring, into which the lower end 26 of the pipe section 16 can be inserted. Here, an inner diameter D4 of the ring section 27 corresponds substantially to an outer diameter D5 of the lower end 26 of the pipe section 16. The supporting molding 25 is positioned at an opening 29 (not shown in FIG. 6) of the cooktop plate 3 and is fastened thereto.

[0069] In addition, a gas nozzle 28 open to the top is provided below the ring section 27 and the pipe section 16. The gas nozzle 28 has a fluid connection with a gas supply line 29 and is configured to provide the combustion gas. To this end, the gas nozzle 28 is arranged below the opening 24 so that the combustion gas can rise directly into the pipe section 16. In addition, primary air is provided at the opening 24 so that a flammable combustion gas and air mixture can be formed. The channel section 22 can be designated for example as a corresponding mixing chamber.

[0070] Alternatively, the opening 24 could be open to one side instead of to the bottom so that the combustion gas and air mixture can flow from the side into the pipe section 16.

[0071] FIG. 7 shows a section IIV from FIG. 2, wherein the gas hotplate 5 is represented in a schematic cross-section view. The gas hotplate 5 comprises the cooktop plate 3, the pan support 2, the supporting molding 25 and the gas nozzle 28. In the cooktop plate 3, the opening 29, which is embodied as a through-opening, is provided for the ring section 27 of the supporting molding 25. The lower end 26 of the pipe section 16 is received by the ring section 27, so that part of the pipe section 16 projects downwardly from an underside 30 of the cooktop plate 3. Furthermore, the support surfaces 13 rest on a top side 31 of the cooktop plate 3.

[0072] The channel 21 of the pan support 2 thus extends at least partially through the opening 29. Alternatively, there may be no supporting molding 25 provided, so that the end 26 of the pipe section 16 is received directly by the opening 29 and is in contact with an inner side 32 of the same. As a further alternative, the pipe section 16 could have a fluid connection with the opening 29. For example, the pipe section 16 could project on the top side 31 of the cooktop plate 3, so that the opening 24 of the pipe section 16 is provided flush over the opening 29 of the cooktop plate 3.

[0073] As can be seen from FIG. 7, this produces the advantage that, when the pan support 2 is removed, the cooktop plate 3 has no protrusions (e.g. gas burner upper part or burner lid), enabling for example the cooktop plate 3 to be cleaned more easily.

[0074] Furthermore, positioning aids could be provided on the pan support 2 in order to facilitate an attachment of the pan support 2 onto the cooktop plate 3. Such a positioning aid can be embodied for example as a protrusion, in particular a pipe section, which engages into an indentation of the cooktop plate 3. This ensures that rotation is prevented.

[0075] Alternatively or additionally, the channel 21 could also be provided in the column sections 14, wherein the column sections 14 could extend through openings (not shown in FIG. 7) of the cooktop plate 3 or have a fluid connection therewith. The channel 21 could accordingly lead from the column sections 14 into the channel branches 23.

[0076] Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in numerous different ways. The pan supports can have different shapes, for example can describe arcs or have parallel fingers. It is also conceivable for a pan support to be assigned to several gas hotplates and to embody separate channels. A pan support can be joined together from several elements. An injection molding method, for example, can also be used for production.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS USED

[0077] 1 Household appliance [0078] 2 Pan support [0079] 3 Cooktop plate [0080] 4 Control element [0081] 5 Gas hotplate [0082] 6 Front side [0083] 7 Rear side [0084] 8 Side [0085] 9 Side [0086] 10 Support structure [0087] 11 Finger [0088] 12 Contact surface [0089] 13 Support surface [0090] 14 Column section [0091] 15 Radial section [0092] 16 Pipe section [0093] 17 Peripheral surface [0094] 18 Wall [0095] 19 Gas outlet openings [0096] 20 Lateral surface [0097] 21 Channel [0098] 22 Channel section [0099] 23 Channel branch [0100] 24 Opening [0101] 25 Supporting molding [0102] 26 End [0103] 27 Ring section [0104] 28 Gas nozzle [0105] 29 Opening [0106] 30 Underside [0107] 31 Top side [0108] 32 Inner side [0109] D1 Height [0110] D2 Distance [0111] D3 Thickness [0112] D4 Inner diameter [0113] D5 Outer diameter [0114] E Plane [0115] U Environment [0116] M Central axis [0117] R Radial direction [0118] Z Vertical direction