Combination appliance having a cooktop and steam extraction device

Abstract

A combination appliance includes a cooktop having an opening representing a suction opening of the combination appliance. Arranged below the cooktop is a steam extraction device for suctioning air from a space above the cooktop via the opening. The steam extraction device includes a single blower having an air inlet opening and arranged in the combination appliance such that the air inlet opening of the blower faces the cooktop.

Claims

1. A combination appliance, comprising: a cooktop having an opening representing a suction opening of the combination appliance; and a steam extraction device arranged below the cooktop for suctioning air from a space above the cooktop via the opening, said steam extraction device including a single blower having an air inlet opening and arranged in the combination appliance such that the air inlet opening of the blower upwardly faces and is parallel to the cooktop, wherein the blower discharges suctioned air through opposite parallel channels in relation to the cooktop.

2. The combination appliance of claim 1, wherein, in a plan view of the cooktop, the air inlet opening of the blower is located at least partially below the opening.

3. The combination appliance of claim 1, wherein, in a vertical projection of the opening on a plane of the air inlet opening, the air inlet opening of the blower is located outside a surface of the opening.

4. The combination appliance of claim 1, wherein the cooktop and the steam extraction device are connected together directly or indirectly.

5. The combination appliance of claim 1, further comprising a common appliance housing configured to connect the cooktop and the steam extraction device.

6. The combination appliance of claim 1, wherein the cooktop and the steam extraction device have a common electrical power connection.

7. The combination appliance of claim 5, wherein the blower of the steam extraction device is fastened to a base of the appliance housing.

8. The combination appliance of claim 1, wherein the opening is sized to extend in midsection of the cooktop.

9. The combination appliance of claim 1, wherein the opening has a round or quadrangular cross section.

10. The combination appliance of claim 1, further comprising a cover configured to cover at least part of the opening.

11. The combination appliance of claim 1, further comprising a filter unit arranged between the blower of the steam extraction device and the cooktop.

12. The combination appliance of claim 1, further comprising a collection area arranged between the blower of the steam extraction device and the cooktop for collecting a liquid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is described again in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1: shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the combination appliance according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2: shows a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment of the combination appliance;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of the combination appliance according to the invention; and

(5) FIG. 4: shows a schematic sectional view of a fourth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(6) In FIG. 1 a first embodiment of a combination appliance according to the invention is shown. The combination appliance 1 comprises a cooktop 10 and a steam extraction device 11. The cooktop 10 is arranged in the upper region of the combination appliance 1. In the embodiment shown the cooktop 10 consists of a cover plate 103 and heating elements (not visible) arranged below the cover plate 103. The region of the cover plate 103 in which a heating element is arranged below the cover plate 103, i.e. on which food to be cooked may be heated, is also described as the cooking zone 102 or cooking point.

(7) The combination appliance 1 comprises an appliance housing 14. In the embodiment shown, the cooktop 10 is positioned on the appliance housing 14. Additionally, in the first embodiment a cooktop housing 105 is provided, the heating elements 101 of the cooktop being received therein and said cooktop housing comprising a base 1050. The cooktop housing 105 may be introduced into the appliance housing 14 or applied thereon. A steam extraction device 11 is provided in the appliance housing 14. In FIG. 1 only the blower 110 of the steam extraction device 11 is visible. The blower 110 is fastened to the appliance base 140 of the appliance housing 14.

(8) As appears from FIG. 1, an opening 104 is incorporated in the middle of the surface of the cooktop 10 and, in particular, in the cover plate 103. In FIG. 1 it is schematically indicated that a further opening corresponding to the opening 104 is provided in the lower face of the cooktop 10, i.e. in the base 1050 of the cooktop housing 105.

(9) The blower 110, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, is arranged centrally below the opening 104. In particular, the air inlet opening 115 of the blower housing 113, in a vertical plan view of the opening 104, is located in the surface of the opening 104.

(10) As an alternative to the embodiment shown, in which the cooktop 10 and the steam extraction device 11 are received in an appliance housing 14, according to the invention it is also possible to design the combination appliance 1 without the appliance housing 14. In such an embodiment, for example, the upper face of the blower 110, i.e. the side in which the air inlet opening 115 is provided, may be fastened to the lower face of the cooktop housing 105 in the region which is located outside the air inlet opening 115.

(11) In FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the combination appliance according to the invention 1 is shown.

(12) The second embodiment of the combination appliance 1 also consists of a cooktop 10 and a steam extraction device 11. The combination appliance 1 is incorporated in a work surface 2. In the embodiment shown, in contrast to the first embodiment, the cooktop 10 is partially received in the appliance housing 14. In particular, in the second embodiment the heating elements 101 of the cooktop 10 are incorporated in the upper region of the appliance housing 14. In the lower region, as in the first embodiment, the blower 110 of the steam extraction device 11 is fastened to the appliance base 140 of the appliance housing 14. The combination appliance 1 is closed at the top by a cover plate 103 of the cooktop 10. A cooktop housing 105, in particular a base 1050, is not provided in the second embodiment.

(13) In an embodiment of the combination appliance 1 without an appliance housing 14, the blower may be fastened to the cover plate 103 or a frame (not shown) of the cooktop.

(14) An opening 104 is incorporated in the cover plate 103 of the cooktop 10, said opening also being located in the second embodiment in the middle of the surface of the cooktop 10. The blower 110 is arranged centrally on the appliance base 140 and thus is located centrally below the opening 104. An air inlet opening 115 is formed in the upper face of the blower 110, in particular of the blower housing 113. In the air inlet opening 115 a protective grille (not shown) may be provided. A filter unit 12 is arranged between the opening 104 and the air inlet opening 115. In the embodiment shown, the filter unit 12 comprises a filter holder 121 and a filter element 120 contained therein. In the embodiment shown, the filter holder 121 has a shape tapering conically toward the air inlet opening 115. With a round opening 104 in the cover plate 103, the filter holder 121 in this case may have a frustoconical shape, for example. The filter element 120 is arranged horizontally in the filter holder 121 in the embodiment shown. In the case of a frustoconical filter holder 121, therefore, the filter element 120 may have a round cross section.

(15) In the embodiment shown, the filter holder 121 covers the entire space between the opening 104 and the cover plate 103 and the air inlet opening 115 of the blower 110. The filter unit 12 is releasably provided on the combination appliance 1, i.e. it may be removed therefrom.

(16) Although in the second embodiment the filter unit 12 has been described as consisting of the filter holder 121 and the filter element 120, according to the invention it is also possible that the filter unit 12 only consists of the filter element 120 and the component shown in FIG. 2 as the filter holder 121 is fixedly connected to the cover plate 103 of the cooktop 10, and thus is not included with the releasable filter unit 12.

(17) The function of the combination appliance 1 according to the first and second embodiment is now described again.

(18) In the blower 110, the fan wheel 112 is driven by a motor 111. As a result, air is suctioned into the blower housing 113 via the upwardly facing air inlet opening 115 of the blower housing 113 which thus faces the cooktop 10. The air in this case is suctioned into the combination appliance 1 from above the cooktop 10 through the opening 104 which forms the suction opening of the combination appliance 1. By means of the filter holder 121 or a fixed component which is configured so as to correspond to the filter holder 121 and which extends from the opening 104 to the air inlet opening 115, the air is specifically conducted to the air inlet opening 115. In this case, the suctioned airflow L passes through the filter element 120. The air thus cleaned is blown out radially via an air outlet opening of the blower housing 113 having opposite parallel channels in relation to the cooktop and from there enters, either indirectly via an outlet duct (not shown) or directly to an air outlet (not shown) of the appliance housing 14. From there the air may be discharged into the surroundings or into the space in which the combination appliance 1 is operated.

(19) Since the opening 104 in the cooktop 10 represents the suction opening for the steam extraction device 11 of the combination appliance 1, no components protrude upwardly on the upper face of the combination appliance 1 and pots or pans which are used on the cooking zones 102 of the cooktop 10 may be freely moved.

(20) The opening 104 may be covered by a cover (not shown) at least for the period in which the steam extraction device 11 is not operated.

(21) In FIG. 3, a third embodiment of the combination appliance 1 according to the invention is shown. This embodiment corresponds substantially to the first embodiment of FIG. 1. However, in the third embodiment in contrast to the first embodiment the blower 110 of the steam extraction device 11 is arranged laterally offset to the opening 104 of the cooktop 10. The air inlet opening 115 of the blower housing 113, therefore, in a vertical projection of the opening 104 on the plane of the air inlet opening 115, is located outside the opening 104.

(22) Also in FIG. 4, in which a fourth embodiment of the combination appliance 1 is shown, the blower 110 is arranged laterally offset to the opening 104. In the embodiment shown, in contrast to the third embodiment, the cooktop 10 is partially received in the appliance housing 14. In particular, in the fourth embodiment the heating elements 101 of the cooktop 10 are incorporated in the upper region of the appliance housing 14. In the lower region, as in the third embodiment, the blower 110 of the steam extraction device 11 is fastened to the appliance base 140 of the appliance housing 14. At the top, the combination appliance 1 is closed by a cover plate 103 of the cooktop 10. A cooktop housing 105, in particular a base 1050, is not provided in the fourth embodiment.

(23) Also, in the fourth embodiment the opening 104 is centrally incorporated in the cover plate 103, i.e. in the middle of the surface of the cooktop 10. The blower 110 in the fourth embodiment is displaced sufficiently far to one side in the appliance housing 14 that, in particular, the air inlet opening 115 and in the embodiment shown also the blower housing 113 are not located below the opening 104.

(24) In the fourth embodiment, an air guidance duct 15 is provided between the opening 104 and the blower 110. In the upper region this air guidance duct serves as a filter holder 121. In the horizontal region which is located below the opening 104, the air guidance duct 15 additionally serves as a collection area 122 for liquids. The air guidance duct 15 terminates at the air inlet opening 115 of the blower housing 113.

(25) By means of the present invention, therefore, a combination appliance is provided in which air, for example, may be suctioned via an opening provided centrally in the cooktop. The air may then pass through a filter and may be suctioned from above into a blower housing. Subsequently, for example, the air may be blown out laterally by the blower and guided out of the combination appliance inside a duct. In this case, the blower may be installed directly below the opening. A protection against the entry of liquids may be provided, for example, by a cover. Alternatively, the blower may also be positioned to the side of the opening. The blower is then no longer visible to the user. In this embodiment a filter element may be designed to be larger/higher.