COOKING APPLIANCE COMPRISING A COOKING CHAMBER INSERT FOR ASYMMETRICALLY DIVIDING A COOKING CHAMBER AS WELL AS SPECIFIC VERTICAL DISTANCES FROM A COOKING FOOD SUPPORT

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes a housing and a plate-shaped cooking chamber divider which divides a cooking chamber into upper and lower cooking chamber regions. A cooking food support can be inserted into a cooking food support slide-in level in the upper cooking chamber region at a distance from an upper face of the cooking chamber divider, such that the distance between the upper face of the inserted cooking chamber divider and an upper face of the inserted cooking food support is between 10 mm and 30 mm, and/or the upper cooking chamber region has a fixedly arranged heating element, with a distance between the upper face of the inserted cooking food support and the heating element in the upper cooking chamber region and/or an upper rim of a boundary flange which defines a loading opening of the cooking chamber is between 160 mm and 210 mm.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A cooking appliance, comprising: a housing having a cooking chamber with a cooking chamber divider slide-in level; a plate-shaped cooking chamber divider designed for positioning on the cooking chamber divider slide-in level to divide the cooking chamber into an upper cooking chamber region and into a lower cooking chamber region, with the upper cooking region positioned at a height which is higher than a height of the lower cooking region, said upper cooking chamber region having a cooking food support slide-in level; and a cooking food support different from the cooking chamber divider and configured for insertion into the cooking food support slide-in level in the upper cooking chamber region, wherein, when viewed in a height direction of the cooking appliance, a distance between an upper face of the cooking chamber divider, when inserted into the cooking chamber divider slide-in level, and an upper face of the cooking food support when inserted into the cooking food support slide-in level is between 10 mm and 30 mm, and/or wherein the cooking appliance further comprises a heating element fixedly arranged in the upper cooking chamber region and embodied as a top-heat and/or grill heating body, with a distance, when viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance, between the upper face of the cooking food support, when inserted into the cooking food support slide-in level, and the heating element in the upper cooking chamber region and/or an upper rim of a boundary flange which defines a loading opening of the cooking chamber is between 160 mm and 210 mm.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the distance between the upper face of the cooking chamber divider and the upper face of the cooking food support is between 19 mm and 24 mm.

14. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the distance between the upper face of the cooking food support and the heating element in the upper cooking chamber region and/or the upper rim of the boundary flange is between 166 mm and 189 mm.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 12, further comprising: a hot air system configured to conduct hot air into the cooking chamber; and a wall defining the cooking chamber and having ventilation openings through which the hot air of the hot air system is conducted into the cooking chamber, with the ventilation openings arranged only above the cooking chamber divider slide-in level, when viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the hot air system acts only in the upper cooking chamber region when it is activated and when the cooking chamber divider is inserted into the cooking chamber divider slide-in level.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the cooking chamber has at least two of said cooking food support slide-in level arranged at different heights and supplied with hot air at a same time by the hot air system, when the cooking chamber divider is removed from the cooking chamber.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the cooking chamber divider includes a base unit and a heating element arranged on the base unit and embodied as a top-heat heating body for the lower cooking chamber region when the cooking chamber divider is arranged in the cooking chamber divider slide-in level.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the cooking chamber divider includes a heating element embodied as a bottom-heat heating body for the upper cooking chamber region when the cooking chamber divider is arranged in the cooking chamber divider slide-in level.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the height of the upper cooking chamber region is greater by at least 10% than the height of the lower cooking chamber region.

21. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the height of the upper cooking chamber region is greater by between 10% and 30% than the height of the lower cooking chamber region.

22. The cooking appliance of claim 12, further comprising a heating element fixedly arranged in the lower cooking chamber region and embodied as a bottom-heat heating body.

23. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the cooking chamber is divided by the cooking chamber divider such that in one of the upper and lower cooking chamber regions a first type of heating is implementable and at a same time in the other one of the upper and lower cooking chamber regions a second type of heating is implementable and is different from the first type of heating, wherein the first and second types of heating in the upper and lower cooking chamber regions do not influence, or substantially do not influence, one another.

24. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the cooking chamber divider includes a heating element having electrical terminal contacts which automatically come into contact with electrical mating terminal contacts when the cooking chamber divider is inserted into an end position in the cooking chamber.

25. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the cooking chamber divider includes a heating element, said cooking chamber divider including support feet which in the height direction of the cooking appliance extend further downwardly than the heating element of the cooking chamber divider.

Description

[0048] Exemplary embodiments of they invention are explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to schematic drawings. In the drawings:

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a perspective front view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention; and

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooking chamber divider.

[0051] Elements which are the same or functionally the same are provided with the same reference signs in the figures.

[0052] In FIG. 1 an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance 1 is shown in a front view. The cooking appliance 1 can be an oven or a microwave appliance or a steam cooking appliance. Two or more of these functionalities can also be present in one cooking appliance 1. The cooking appliance 1 has a housing 2. A cooking chamber 3 is formed in the housing 2. In one exemplary embodiment, the cooking chamber 3 is defined by walls 4, 5, 6 and 7 of a muffle 8.

[0053] Moreover, the muffle 8 also has a rear wall 9. When viewed in the depth direction of the cooking appliance 1, which is oriented perpendicular to the plane of the figures, a further wall 10 is arranged in the cooking chamber 3. The wall 10 is separate from the rear wall 9. The wall 10 defines the cooking chamber 3 directly on the rear face. The wall 10 can also be denoted as the baffle wall. A free space 11 is formed between this wall 10 and the rear wall 9. A hot air box is produced thereby. The cooking appliance 1 also has a hot air system 12 relative thereto. This hot air system has a fan, not shown, and a heating element which are arranged in this free space 11. Hot air can be generated by the hot air system 12 in the activated mode and conducted out of the free space 11 directly into the cooking chamber 3 through a plurality of ventilation openings 13 in the wall 10.

[0054] Moreover, in the exemplary embodiment the cooking appliance 1 also has a heating element 14. This heating element is a top-heat and/or grill heating body of the cooking appliance 1 in this case. This heating element 14 is arranged in the upper region of the cooking chamber 3. In particular, the heating element is arranged so as to be exposed downwardly and directly adjacent to the top wall 7. The heating element 14 is fixedly arranged in the cooking chamber 3. Thus, in particular, the heating element cannot be releasably and non-destructively removed therefrom.

[0055] Moreover, in one exemplary embodiment the cooking appliance 1 has a further heating element 15. This heating element, when viewed in the height direction (y-direction), is arranged in the lower region of the housing 2, in particular directly below the bottom wall 6, in particular directly below the wall 6. This heating element 15 is a bottom-heat heating body of the cooking appliance 1 for the cooking chamber 3.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the height direction, the cooking appliance 1 has a plurality of separate slide-in levels. In this context, a plurality of cooking food support slide-in levels 16, 17, 18, 19a and 19b are formed. The number of cooking food support slide-in levels 16 to 19b is to be understood merely by way of example. These cooking food support slide-in levels 16 to 19b, which are intended such that a cooking food support of the cooking appliance 1 can be inserted and held thereon at a specific vertical position, can be directly configured on the inner faces of the lateral walls 4 and 5. In a further exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, a separate support unit 20 of the cooking appliance 1 which is held on the wall 4 can be provided. The support unit 20 can be, for example, a carrier frame. This carrier frame can be constructed from bars. Accordingly, a further carrier frame can be correspondingly designed as a support unit 21 and positioned on the opposing side. Thus at least one cooking food support 22 can be arranged on these support units 20 and 21 at the aforementioned cooking food support slide-in levels 16 to 19b. A cooking food support 22 can be, for example, a rack or a baking sheet or a drip pan or the like.

[0057] Moreover, the cooking appliance 1 also has a portable cooking chamber divider 23. The cooking chamber divider 23 in this case is, in particular, plate-shaped. The cooking chamber divider is a separate and different component from a cooking food support 22. In one exemplary embodiment, the cooking chamber divider 23 extends in the width direction (x-direction) of the cooking appliance 1 substantially over the entire clear width between the lateral vertical walls 4 and 5. In the depth direction, this cooking chamber divider 23 extends substantially over the entire depth between the wall 10 and, in particular, a front boundary flange 24 of the muffle 8 and/or a loading opening of the cooking chamber 3. The plate-shaped cooking chamber divider 23 is also configured without interruption in its surface dimensions. The cooking chamber divider can be positioned in the cooking chamber 3 at a defined predetermined slide-in level which represents a cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25. In particular, only one such cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25 is formed. As a result, the entire cooking chamber 3 can be divided into an upper cooking chamber region 3a and into a separate lower cooking chamber region 3b. The cooking chamber divider 23 thus represents a bottom wall of the upper cooking chamber region 3a and at the same time a top wall of the lower cooking chamber region 3b.

[0058] The cooking chamber divider 23 is shown in perspective in one exemplary embodiment in FIG. 2. The cooking chamber divider 23 is configured to be rectangular. The cooking chamber divider has a base unit 26. The base unit 26 is plate-shaped. Moreover, the cooking chamber divider 23 has at least one heating element 27. This heating element is arranged directly on the base unit 26. The heating element is arranged on a lower face 26a of the base unit 26. In the exemplary embodiment, the heating element 27 is arranged so as to be exposed downwardly. In this regard the heating element 27 is fixedly connected and thus coupled in terms of movement to the base unit 26. In one exemplary embodiment, this heating element 27 has electrical terminal contacts 28 and 29 on the end side. These electrical terminal contacts are arranged so as to be exposed at the side. The electrical terminal contacts are horizontally oriented. When the cooking chamber divider 23 is inserted into the cooking chamber 3, these electrical terminal contacts 28 and 29 are automatically fixedly arranged with the rear region of the housing 2 and brought into contact with electrical mating terminal contacts of the cooking appliance 1. As a result, electrical energy can be conducted to the cooking chamber divider 23, in particular the heating element 27, when the cooking chamber divider 23 is arranged in the inserted end position in the cooking chamber 3 at its cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25.

[0059] In one exemplary embodiment, the base unit 26 can be configured to be thermally insulating. As a result, the upper cooking chamber region 3a is thermally insulated from the lower cooking chamber region 3b. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the heating element 27 serves as a top-heat heating body for the lower cooking chamber region 3b. As can be identified, the cooking chamber divider 23 and thus also the cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25 are spaced apart from the lower wall 6 and also the upper wall 7. As a result, each of the two cooking chamber regions 3a and 3b has a specific height, so that in each case it is dimensioned separately and independently of the other cooking chamber region 3a and 3b and at the same time in each case for loading with components and/or cooking food. Thus a simultaneous use of the cooking chamber regions 3a and 3b can also be provided for the preparation of cooking foods.

[0060] As can also be identified in FIG. 2, in one exemplary embodiment the cooking chamber divider 23 has support feet 30 and 31. Further support feet can also be provided in the rear region, in particular in the rear corner regions of the base unit 26. When viewed in the height direction of the cooking chamber divider 23, these support feet 30 and 31 extend further downwardly than the heating element 27. In particular, in the rear region, structures can be provided which terminate the heating element 27 further upwardly than these structures 32 relative to the vertical position. These structures 32 can be support feet. However, when viewed in the width direction it can also be a continuous wall rib. Due to the support feet 30 and 31 and the structure 32, the cooking chamber divider 23 can be positioned in a stable and, in particular tilt-free manner, on a surface, for example a countertop. In particular, this can be implemented such that the heating element 27 can be positioned without contact with this surface.

[0061] As can be identified in FIG. 1 in one exemplary embodiment, the upper cooking chamber region 3a is higher than the lower cooking chamber region 3b, when viewed in the height direction. As a result, an approximately asymmetrical division of the cooking chamber 3 is provided by the defined predetermined cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25. In particular, the cooking appliance 1 has only one such fixedly predetermined cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25.

[0062] As can also be identified, the ventilation openings 13 are all arranged in the wall 10 above the cooking chamber divider 23. This also means that when the cooking chamber divider 23 is arranged at its inserted end position in the cooking chamber 3, hot air from the activated hot air system 12 can flow only into the upper cooking chamber region 3a through the ventilation openings 13. The hot air system 12 is then only provided for the upper cooking chamber region 3a.

[0063] In one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a distance d1, measured in the height direction, as illustrated in FIG. 1 is between 10 mm and 30 mm, in particular between 19 mm and 24 mm. This distance d1 is dimensioned in the height direction between an upper face 3a of the cooking chamber divider 23 when it is arranged in its end position in the cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25 and, in particular, an upper face 22a of the cooking food support 22 when this cooking food support 22 is arranged in the inserted end state. In particular, this relates to the cooking food support slide-in level when only one such cooking food support slide-in level is present in the upper cooking chamber region 3a. In one exemplary embodiment, if a plurality of cooking food support slide-in levels 16, 17 and 18 are present in the upper cooking chamber region 3a, this distance d1 is to be understood to relate to the cooking food support slide-in level 18 which in the height direction lies closest to the upper face 23a of the cooking chamber divider 23. In particular, with a plurality of cooking food support slide-in levels 16 to 18 in the upper cooking chamber region 3a, this distance d1 applies between the upper faces 22a and 23a when the cooking food support 22 is inserted in the lowest cooking food support slide-in level 18.

[0064] In one exemplary embodiment, it is also provided that a distance d2 measured in the height direction is between 160 mm and 210 mm, in particular between 166 mm and 189 mm. This is the distance, in particular, between the upper face 22a of the cooking food support 22 and the heating element 14 and/or a lower rim 24a of a defining wall which upwardly defines the loading opening of the cooking chamber 3. This defining wall can be an upper front flange region, in particular a constituent part of the muffle. In particular, in exemplary embodiments in which a plurality of cooking food support slide-in levels 16 to 18 are possible in the upper cooking chamber region 3a, this relates to the situation in which the cooking food support 22 is arranged in the lowest cooking food support slide-in level 18 in the height direction in the upper cooking chamber region 3a.

[0065] As can also be identified in an exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, with such a positioning of the cooking food support 22, in particular with the distances d1 and/or d2, at least half of the ventilation openings 13, when viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance 1, are above the cooking food support 22, in particular at least 70 percent of these ventilation openings 13 are above the cooking food support 22, in particular above the upper face 22a. As can also be identified, when viewed in the height direction, no ventilation opening 13 is arranged below the cooking chamber divider 23 when this cooking chamber divider is positioned at the cooking chamber divider slide-in level 25. Thus this hot air system 12 does not act in the lower cooking chamber region 3b when the cooking chamber divider 23 is inserted.

[0066] If the cooking chamber divider 23 is removed from the cooking chamber 3, the cooking appliance 1 can then be used for the entire cooking chamber 3 using the different types of heating thereof, in particular the hot air system 12 and/or the heating element 14 and/or the heating element 15. In particular, at the same time cooking food supports 22 can thus be positioned at the different cooking food support slide-in levels 16, 17, 18, 19a, and 19b. In particular, the distance d2 is also the minimum distance between the upper face 22a and the lower rim 24a of the peripheral boundary flange 24 which defines the loading opening of the cooking chamber 3 on the front face. Thus a simple introduction and removal of cooking food receptacles, such as relatively tall baking tins, from the upper cooking chamber region 3a or into the upper cooking chamber region 3a is also made possible, in particular when the cooking food support 22 is arranged on the lowest cooking food support slide-in level 18.

[0067] Due to the various heating elements of the cooking appliance 1, the cooking chamber regions 3a and 3b can also be individually used or different types of heating can be implemented at the same time in the individual cooking chamber regions 3a and 3b. Thus it is possible, for example, that in the inserted state of the cooking chamber divider 23 the type of heating, namely hot air and/or top-heat and/or a grill, is activated in the upper cooking chamber region 3a. Additionally or alternatively, to this end the heating element 27 of the cooking chamber divider 23 can be activated and thus a top-heat heating body activated in the lower cooking chamber region 3b. Additionally or alternatively, the bottom-heat heating body can be activated. For example, roasting dishes can also be introduced as cooking food receptacles into the upper cooking chamber region 3a in a simple and user-friendly manner. This is possible, in particular, when due to the defined specifications regarding the height of the cooking chamber regions 3a and 3b and the position of the cooking chamber divider 23 and/or a lowest positioning of a cooking food support 22 in the upper cooking chamber region 3a, the entire height of the cooking chamber 3 corresponds to a standard height.

[0068] This height d3, in particular between the upper rim 24a and the opposing lower rim of the boundary flange 24 can be, for example, between 30 and 35, in particular between 31 cm and 33 cm. In particular, a situation is provided by the aforementioned dimensions and positions in which the cooking chamber divider 23 can remain in the cooking chamber 3 for many different applications. A frequent removal and reinsertion can thus be avoided.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0069] 1 Cooking appliance [0070] 2 Housing [0071] 3 Cooking chamber [0072] 3a Upper cooking chamber region [0073] 3b Lower cooking chamber region [0074] 4 Wall [0075] 5 Wall [0076] 6 Wall [0077] 7 Wall [0078] 8 Muffle [0079] 9 Rear wall [0080] 10 Wall [0081] 11 Free space [0082] 12 Hot air system [0083] 13 Ventilation opening [0084] 14 Heating element [0085] 15 Heating element [0086] 16 Cooking food support slide-in level [0087] 17 Cooking food support slide-in level [0088] 18 Cooking food support slide-in level [0089] 18a Cooking food support slide-in level [0090] 19 Cooking food support slide-in level [0091] 19a Cooking food support slide-in level [0092] 20 Support unit [0093] 21 Carrier frame [0094] 22 Cooking food support [0095] 22a Upper face [0096] 23 Cooking chamber divider [0097] 23 Upper face [0098] 24 Boundary flange [0099] 24a Lower rim [0100] 25 Cooking chamber divider slide-in level [0101] 26 Base unit [0102] 26a Lower face [0103] 27 Heating element [0104] 28 Terminal contact [0105] 29 Terminal contact [0106] Support foot [0107] 31 Support foot [0108] 32 Structure [0109] d1 Distance [0110] d2 Distance [0111] d3 Distance [0112] x Width direction [0113] y Height direction [0114] z Depth direction