COOKING APPLIANCE COMPRISING A HOT AIR SYSTEM AND A SPECIFICALLY SHAPED COOKING CHAMBER DIVIDER IN THE AREA OF A FRONT WALL OF THE HOT AIR SYSTEM

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes a muffle to define a cooking chamber in which a hot air system is arranged to form a receiving space the hot air system between a muffle rear wall and a front wall of the hot air system. Hot air flows from the receiving space into the cooking chamber through air passage openings in the front wall. A cooking chamber divider separates the cooking chamber into first and second cooking chamber regions in an end position in which the cooking chamber divider overlaps with the front wall, when viewed in a depth direction of the cooking appliance and/or in a height direction of the cooking appliance. The cooking chamber divider has a front-wall-facing side with an edge region adjacent to the front wall and formed with an uneven flow conducting structure to deflect hot air through the air passage openings into the first cooking chamber region.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A cooking appliance, comprising: a housing; a muffle arranged in the housing and having walls to define a cooking chamber; a hot air system having a front wall which is arranged in the cooking chamber such as to form a receiving space for components of the hot air system between a rear one of the walls of the muffle and the front wall of the hot air system, said front wall having air passage openings through which hot air is conductable from the receiving space into the cooking chamber; and a plate-like cooking chamber divider removable from the cooking chamber and configured to separate the cooking chamber into a first cooking chamber region and into a second cooking chamber region when assuming an end position in which the cooking chamber divider overlaps with the front wall of the hot air system, when viewed in a depth direction of the cooking appliance and/or in a height direction of the cooking appliance, said cooking chamber divider having in facing relation to the front wall a side which has an edge region adjacent to the front wall and formed with an uneven flow conducting structure to deflect hot air, entering the cooking chamber through the air passage openings and flowing against the cooking chamber divider, into the first cooking chamber region for supply with hot air.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the flow conducting structure at least in one region of the edge region is formed in the side of the cooking chamber divider such as to form an enlarged air inflow space between the front wall of the hot air system and the side of the cooking chamber divider.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the depression is a groove.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein, when viewed in the depth direction, the depression is configured so as to overlap with the front wall of the hot air system.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein, when viewed in the height direction, the depression is configured so as to overlap with the front wall of the hot air system.

21. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein the depression is formed around a lower edge region of the front wall of the hot air system.

22. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein, when viewed in the depth direction, the depression has a rear depression upper edge which is arranged offset to a front relative to a rear end of the cooking chamber divider.

23. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein, when viewed in the depth direction, the depression has a front depression upper edge which is located higher, when viewed in the height direction, than a rear depression upper edge of the depression, when viewed in the depth direction.

24. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein, when viewed in the depth direction, the depression has a front depression region which is formed as a flow ramp as far as a front depression upper edge of the depression.

25. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the front wall of the hot air system is formed in a trough-shaped manner with a front plate and a front wall shroud which is arranged over a periphery on an edge of the front plate.

26. The cooking appliance of claim 25, wherein the cooking chamber divider is arranged in the end position in the depth direction so as to overlap by at least 50% with the front wall shroud.

27. The cooking appliance of claim 25, wherein the cooking chamber divider is arranged in the end position in the depth direction so as to overlap by at least 80% with the front wall shroud.

28. The cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein, when viewed in the depth direction, the depression has a rear depression upper edge which is at a first spacing, when viewed in the height direction, from the front wall shroud, and a front depression upper edge which, when viewed in the depth direction, is at a second spacing, when viewed in the depth direction, from the front plate, wherein the first spacing is smaller than the second spacing.

29. The cooking appliance of claim 25, wherein the front wall shroud includes at least one of the air passage openings.

30. The cooking appliance of claim 29, wherein the at least one of the air passage openings is formed in a side-facing portion of the front wall shroud.

31. The cooking appliance of claim 29, wherein the depression and the at least one of the air passage openings are arranged so as to overlap with one another at least in one region in the front wall shroud, in the depth direction.

32. The cooking appliance of claim 29, wherein the at least one of the air passage opening in the front wall shroud has an inclined wall which protrudes from the front wall shroud obliquely to a rear into the receiving space such that for the hot air in the receiving space an oblique direction of flow to a hole axis of the at least one of the air passage openings is predetermined by the inclined wall, such that the hot air flows obliquely into the depression when passing through the at least one of the air passage openings while facing the cooking chamber and facing away from the rear wall of the muffle.

33. The cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the cooking chamber divider encompasses an entire width of the cooking chamber between two vertical side walls of the muffle and/or an entire depth as far as a front loading opening of the cooking chamber and is formed as an uninterrupted plate, so that a partition plate is formed.

Description

[0028] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail hereinafter with reference to schematic drawings. In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic vertical sectional view through an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a sub-region of the cooking appliance according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2; and

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a front wall of a hot air system of the cooking appliance.

[0033] Elements which are the same or functionally the same are provided with the same reference characters in the figures.

[0034] In FIG. 1 an exemplary embodiment of a cooking appliance 1 is shown in a schematic, vertical sectional view. The cooking appliance 1 can be an oven, for example. The cooking appliance can be a microware cooking appliance or a steam cooking appliance. A cooking appliance 1 which is an oven with a combined microwave function and/or steam cooking function can also be provided.

[0035] The cooking appliance 1 has a housing 2. This housing can also be denoted as the external housing. The cooking appliance 1 also has a muffle 3. The muffle 3 is a component which is separate from the housing 2. The muffle 3 is received in the housing 2. The muffle 3 defines a cooking chamber 4 of the cooking appliance 1 by means of walls. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the muffle 3 has a top wall 5, a bottom wall 6, a rear wall 7 and opposing side walls 8 and 9 (FIG. 2). The cooking chamber 4 is defined by these walls 5 to 9. Thermally insulating material can be introduced at least in some regions into an intermediate space between the muffle 3 and the housing 2. The cooking appliance 1 also has a door 10. The cooking chamber 4 can be closed off on the front face by the door 10. In particular, a front loading opening 11 of the cooking chamber 4 can be closed off thereby.

[0036] The cooking appliance 1 also has a hot air system 12. The hot air system 12 is provided as intended to generate hot air which is introduced into the cooking chamber 4. In the exemplary embodiment provided here, the hot air system 12 is arranged in the upper region of the cooking chamber region 4. The hot air system 12 has a front wall 13. This front wall is a separate component from the muffle 3, in particular from the rear wall 7. The front wall 13 is arranged in the depth direction (z-direction) of the cooking appliance 1 in front of the rear wall 7 in the cooking chamber 4. A receiving space 14 is defined by the rear wall 7 and the front wall 13. A heating element 15 of the hot air system 13 and a fan 16 of the hot air system 13 can be arranged in this receiving space 14, for example. The heat generated by the heating element 15 or the air heated thereby in the receiving space 14 is introduced by the fan 16 into the cooking chamber 4 through air passage openings 17 in the front wall 13.

[0037] In one exemplary embodiment, this front wall 13 has a front plate 18. Moreover, a front wall shroud 19 is formed adjoining this front plate 18 over the periphery on the edge side. As a result, in this exemplary embodiment the front wall 13 has a trough shape. As a result, the receiving space 14 is also closed or substantially closed by this front wall shroud 19 at the spacing between the front plate 18 and the rear wall 7 measured in the depth direction.

[0038] In one exemplary embodiment, it can be provided that at least one further air passage opening 20 is configured on a lower portion of the front wall shroud 19, when viewed in the height direction (y-direction).

[0039] Moreover, the cooking appliance 1 has a cooking chamber divider 21. The cooking chamber divider 21 is considered as a separate component. The cooking chamber divider 21 here is a plate-shaped partition plate. The cooking chamber divider 21 is preferably configured entirely without interruption. The cooking chamber divider can be introduced into the cooking chamber 4 at a specific and defined insertion level, when viewed in the height direction. The cooking chamber divider 21 is provided as intended to separate the entire common interconnected cooking chamber 4 into an upper cooking chamber region 4a and into a lower cooking chamber region 4b. These cooking chamber regions 4a and 4b are thus in each case sub-regions of the entire cooking chamber 4. These cooking chamber regions are dimensioned such that food to be cooked can be introduced into each of the cooking chamber regions 4a and 4b for the preparation of the food as intended. The cooking chamber divider 21 is dimensioned in the width direction (x-direction) as shown in FIG. 2, in particular substantially over the entire clear width between the vertical side walls 8 and 9. The cooking chamber divider 21 is dimensioned in the depth direction, in particular substantially over the entire depth, in particular between the rear wall 7 and the loading opening 11. As can be identified, in the exemplary embodiment the hot air system 13 is positioned in the upper region such that, when the cooking chamber divider 21 is removed, the hot air system can be used for the entire cooking chamber 4. When the cooking chamber divider 21 is introduced, and the cooking chamber divider is then arranged in particular in its inserted end position in the cooking chamber 4, the hot air system 12 is provided only for the upper cooking chamber region 4a.

[0040] As can be identified in FIG. 4, in its end position the cooking chamber divider 21 is arranged immediately adjacent to the front wall 12.

[0041] In its end position, the cooking chamber divider 21 is arranged so as to overlap with the front wall 12, in particular the front wall shroud 19, when viewed in the depth direction of the cooking appliance 1. In one exemplary embodiment, in its end position the cooking chamber divider 21 is arranged so as to overlap with this front wall 12, in particular the front plate 18, when viewed in the height direction of the cooking appliance 1. On the side 22 of the cooking chamber divider 21 facing the front wall 12 in an edge region 23 of the cooking chamber divider 21 adjacent to the front wall 12, an uneven flow conducting structure 24 is formed. The flow conducting structure is configured, in particular, so as to be integrated in the cooking chamber divider 21, in particular is produced integrally therewith.

[0042] In particular, the uneven flow conducting structure 24 is formed with a defining wall without corners in cross section. In the width direction, the flow conducting structure 24, in particular, is configured over the length in which the air passage openings 20 are arranged. The flow conducting structure 24 and the air passage openings 20 are thus arranged so as to overlap in the width direction. At the opposing ends of the cooking chamber divider 21 in the width direction, the flow conducting structure 24, in particular a depression 25, can be closed toward the sides.

[0043] This uneven flow conducting structure 24 is provided as intended to deflect the incoming hot air through air passage openings, in this case in particular the air passage opening 20, into the cooking chamber 4, in this case the cooking chamber region 4a, and to deflect the hot air flowing against the cooking chamber divider 21 into the cooking chamber 3, in this case in particular into the cooking chamber region 4a assigned to the hot air system 13.

[0044] As can be already identified in FIG. 1, the flow conducting structure 24 in the edge region 23 is formed at least in some regions, in particular, as a groove-like depression 25 in this side 22 facing the front wall 12. An enlarged air inflow space 26 is formed between the front wall 12, in particular the front wall shroud 19 facing the cooking chamber divider 21, and this edge region 23.

[0045] In one exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the depth direction, this depression 25 is arranged so as to overlap with the front wall 12, in particular the front wall shroud 19. In one exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the height direction, this depression 25 is arranged so as to overlap with the front wall 12, in particular the front plate 18. As can also be identified in FIG. 1, in one exemplary embodiment this depression 25 is formed around a lower edge region 27 of the front wall 12. In particular, the depression 25 is configured to run around a lower corner region which is formed between this lower portion of the front wall shroud 19 and the front plate 18.

[0046] In one exemplary embodiment, a rear end 28 of the cooking chamber divider 21 is arranged so as to bear against the rear wall 7 or to be minimally spaced apart therefrom. Moreover, in one exemplary embodiment, it is provided that a rear depression upper edge 29 (FIG. 3), when viewed in the depth direction, is configured to be offset to the front relative to this rear end 28 of the cooking chamber divider 21, when viewed in the depth direction.

[0047] Moreover, the front depression upper edge 30 of the depression 25, when viewed in the depth direction, is arranged higher, when viewed in the height direction, than a rear depression upper edge 29 of the depression 25 when viewed in the depth direction.

[0048] Moreover, it can also be identified that a front depression region 31 of the depression 25, when viewed in the depth direction, is formed in particular as a continuously upwardly oriented flow ramp as far as the front depression upper edge 30 of the depression 25.

[0049] As can be identified in FIG. 1 and in the enlarged view of the partial detail of the interface between the front wall 12 and the edge region 23 in FIG. 3, in the end position in the depth direction the cooking chamber divider 21 is arranged so as to overlap by at least 50%, in particular by at least 80%, with the front wall shroud 19.

[0050] A rear depression upper edge 29 of the depression 25, when viewed in the depth direction, is at a first spacing a1 from the front wall shroud 20, when viewed in the height direction. A front depression upper edge 30 of the depression 25, when viewed in the depth direction, is at a second spacing a2 from the front plate 18, when viewed in the depth direction. In particular, the first spacing a1 is smaller than the second spacing a2. This spacing a1 is preferably minimally dimensioned such that hot air L (FIG. 3) which flows out from the receiving space 14 downwardly through the at least one air passage opening 20, is not able or substantially not able to be forced to the rear toward the rear end 28 and past the rear end 28 downwardly into the further cooking chamber region 4b in an undesired manner.

[0051] As can also be identified in FIG. 3, this rear depression upper edge 29, when viewed in the depth direction, is positioned offset toward the front relative to this rear end 28. As a result, a sub-region of the cooking chamber divider 21 which in the end position of the cooking chamber divider 21 is arranged immediately adjacent to the front wall shroud 19, is provided at this rear end 28. In one exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the depth direction, this rear depression upper edge 29 is arranged so as to overlap with the clear width of the air passage opening 20. In particular, it can be provided that this rear depression upper edge 29 is arranged to be at the same or substantially the same depth position at which a rear end or a rear defining wall of the air passage opening 20 is arranged. Thus, when viewed in the depth direction, the air passage opening 20 is arranged so as to overlap entirely or substantially entirely with the depression 25. This depression 25 extends in the depth direction between the two aforementioned depression upper edges 29 and 30.

[0052] As can also be identified in FIG. 3, the depression 25 widens to the front in its spacing from the front wall 12, when viewed in the depth direction. A particularly advantageous flow behavior of the hot air L is made possible specifically around the lower edge region 27 or the corner region of this preferably trough-shaped front wall 12. In one exemplary embodiment, when viewed in the width direction, the depression 25 is defined on the opposing end sides of the cooking chamber divider 21. Thus a depression 25 which is closed on the edge side is formed here in the width direction. A lateral defining wall 32 can be identified in FIG. 3 by way of example here.

[0053] In FIG. 3 in one exemplary embodiment it can also be identified that an inclined wall 33 is present. This inclined wall extends into the receiving space 14 and terminates directly at the hole region of the air passage opening 20. This inclined wall 33 is oriented such that hot air 1 in the receiving space 14 escapes from the receiving space 14 in a direction of flow which is positioned obliquely relative to the vertical hole axis of the air passage opening 20. A direction of flow of the hot air L is predetermined by this inclined wall 33 which is inclined to the rear and upwardly, therefore, so that this hot air L enters obliquely downwardly and to the front into the depression 25 and thus enters obliquely to the front and downwardly into the cooking chamber region 4a. The hot air L is also prevented thereby in an improved manner from being able to flow rearwardly toward the rear end 28. Moreover, by this direction of flow and in combination with the defining wall of the depression 25, which is shaped in a concave manner, the hot air is forwarded in a very uniform manner in the depression 25 toward the depression region 31 which serves as a flow ramp. Particularly advantageously, the further conductance of the hot air 1 into the remaining cooking chamber region 4a is also made possible via this flow ramp.

[0054] As can also be identified in FIG. 3, the defining wall of the depression 25 is shaped in a U-shaped manner. The defining wall extends in cross section between the rear depression upper edge 29 and the front depression upper edge 30. In the region of the defining wall overlapping with the air passage opening 20 the depression 25 is curved in a concave manner downwardly away from the air passage opening 20. As a result, an advantageous inflow of air L into the depression 25 can take place. When viewed in the positive depth direction toward the front, in one exemplary embodiment the defining wall of the depression 25 only rises upwardly again in a curved concave manner downstream of the front plate 18.

[0055] In FIG. 2 the cooking appliance 1 is shown in a front view. The width of the cooking chamber divider 21 can be identified herein.

[0056] In FIG. 4 the exemplary embodiment of the front plate 12 is shown in a perspective view, as is preferably present in the cooking appliance 1. The trough shape can be correspondingly identified here. A plurality of air passage openings 20 on the front wall shroud 19 are also shown here.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0057] 1 Cooking appliance [0058] 2 Housing [0059] 3 Muffle [0060] 4 Cooking chamber [0061] 4a, b Cooking chamber region [0062] 5 Top wall [0063] 6 Bottom wall [0064] 7 Rear wall [0065] 8 Side wall [0066] 9 Side wall [0067] 10 Door [0068] 11 Loading opening [0069] 12 Hot air system [0070] 13 Front wall [0071] 14 Receiving space [0072] 15 Heating element [0073] 16 Fan [0074] 17 Air passage opening [0075] 18 Front plate [0076] 19 Front wall shroud [0077] 20 Air passage opening [0078] 21 Cooking chamber divider [0079] 22 Side [0080] 23 Edge region [0081] 24 Flow conducting structure [0082] 25 Depression [0083] 26 Air inflow space [0084] 27 Edge region [0085] 28 End [0086] 29 Depression upper edge [0087] 30 Depression upper edge [0088] 31 Depression region [0089] 32 Defining wall [0090] 33 Inclined wall [0091] a1 Spacing [0092] a2 Spacing