VAPOR DETECTING DEVICE FOR A COOKING APPLIANCE AND UNIT CONSISTING OF A COOKING APPLIANCE AND A VAPOR DETECTING DEVICE

Abstract

In one aspect of a vapor detecting device for a cooking appliance and a unit containing a cooking appliance and a vapor detecting device, the exhaust air that flows in through a first opening and/or through a second opening into the vapor collecting device flows through the following stations arranged within the vapor collecting device, one after the other, namely: a coolable body, as a station of the condensation device, so as to clean the exhaust air of aerosols and water droplets and to condense out at least part of the steam and preferably partially cool it; a grease separator filter as the first station of the treatment device; a sponge filter as the second station of the treatment device; a plasma as the third station of the treatment device, for sterilization, ionization and/or dissociation; and an activated charcoal filter as the fourth station of the treatment device.

Claims

1. A vapor collecting device (10) for a cooking appliance, having at least a first opening (12) that can be connected with at least one cooking space of a cooking appliance by way of a ventilation system of the appliance, to allow exhaust air from the cooking appliance to flow into the vapor collecting device (10), having at least a second opening (14) into which ambient air and, if the door of the cooking space is at least partially open, exhaust air can flow in from the cooking appliance, having a condensation device (16) for at least partial removal of aerosols, water droplets and steam from the exhaust air, and having a treatment device (18) for at least partial removal of undesirable substances and/or odors from exhaust air, and having at least a third opening (20) from which the treated exhaust air can flow out of the vapor collecting device (10), characterized in that wherein the exhaust air that flows in through the first opening (12) and/or through the second opening (14) into the vapor collecting device (10) flows through the following stations arranged within the vapor collecting device (10), one after the other, namely a coolable body (22), as a station of the condensation device (16), so as to clean the exhaust air of aerosols and water droplets and to condense out at least part of the steam and preferably partially cool it, a grease separator filter (24) as the first station of the treatment device (18), a sponge filter (26) as the second station of the treatment device (18), a plasma (28) as the third station of the treatment device (18), for sterilization, ionization and/or dissociation, and an activated charcoal filter (30) as the fourth station of the treatment device (18).

2. A vapor collecting device for a cooktop, having at least one opening into which ambient air and exhaust air can flow from the cooktop into the vapor collecting device that is arranged at a distance from the cooktop, having a condensation device for at least partial removal of aerosols, water droplets and steam from the exhaust air, and having a treatment device for at least partial removal of undesirable substances and/or odors from exhaust air, and having at least one other opening from which the treated exhaust air can flow out of the vapor collecting device, wherein the exhaust air that flows into the vapor collecting device through the one opening flows through the following stations arranged within the vapor collecting device, one after the other, namely a coolable body, as a station of the condensation device, so as to clean the exhaust air of aerosols and water droplets and to condense out at least part of the steam and preferably partially cool it, a grease separator filter as the first station of the treatment device, a sponge filter as the second station of the treatment device, a plasma as the third station of the treatment device, for sterilization, ionization and/or dissociation, and an activated charcoal filter as the fourth station of the treatment device.

3. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein a blower device (32), preferably a radial fan, is provided between condensation device (16) and treatment device (18).

4. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blower device (32) is arranged in such a manner that it deflects the exhaust air stream upward, preferably upward by 90°.

5. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust air stream divides into two partial exhaust air streams behind the blower device (32), wherein each partial exhaust air stream flows through a treatment device (18).

6. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the coolable body (22) is a pipe package that comprises multiple pipes (34) that are spaced apart from one another and arranged above and behind one another.

7. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the coolable body (22) is arranged directly behind the second opening (14) in the flow path of the exhaust air that flows in through the second opening (14) or through the one opening.

8. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the grease separator filter (24), the sponge filter (26) and/or the activated charcoal filter (28) of the treatment device (18) are each configured in plate form, in the form of a removable insert or slide-in module (36).

9. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein a preferably plate-shaped grease separator filter (38) is arranged ahead of or in the second opening (14) or the one opening, which filter is arranged ahead of the coolable body (22) in the flow path of the exhaust air that flows in through the second opening (14).

10. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein a baffle plate (39) is arranged ahead of the second opening or the one opening, which plate is arranged in the flow path of the exhaust air that flows in through the second opening (14), ahead of the grease separator filter (38) that is arranged in the second opening (14).

11. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the third opening (20) is provided with a HEPA filter (40), preferably a plate-shaped one, which is arranged after the treatment device (18) in the flow path of the exhaust air, or that the other opening is provided with an electrostatic filter, preferably a plate-shaped one, which is arranged after the treatment device in the flow path of the exhaust air.

12. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the condensation apparatus (16) has a bottom (42) that is provided with a pipe-like drain (44), so as to conduct condensate away out of the vapor collecting device (10).

13. The vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the blower device (32) is arranged in a pass-through (46) of a basin (48) arranged under the treatment device (16), wherein the basin (48) has a pipe-like drain (52) in its bottom (50), so as to conduct condensate into the pipe-like drain (44) of the bottom (42) of the condensation apparatus (16) and carry it away out of the vapor collecting device (10).

14. A unit having, on the one hand, a cooking appliance having a cooking space, at least one device for applying hot air, steam and or microwaves to food to be cooked, arranged in the cooking space, and at least one device for cleaning at least the cooking space, and, on the other hand, the vapor collecting device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first opening (12) of the vapor collecting device (10) is connected with a ventilation system of the cooking appliance that stands in an active connection with the cooking space.

Description

[0048] FIG. 1 a schematic exploded representation of a vapor collecting device according to the invention,

[0049] FIG. 2 a schematic exploded representation of the third station of the treatment device, with two partial plasma stations, as well as a blower device arranged below the treatment device,

[0050] FIG. 3 a schematic exploded representation of the condensation device,

[0051] FIG. 4 a schematic exploded representation of the third openings with HEPA filter in a lid of the vapor collecting device,

[0052] FIG. 5 a schematic exploded representation of the fourth station of the treatment device, which station has an activated charcoal filter, in the form of a slide-in module, and

[0053] FIG. 6 a schematic exploded representation of the second station of the treatment device, which station has a sponge filter, in the form of a slide-in module.

[0054] In the drawing, the characteristics that are essential for understanding the invention are shown and explained. In this regard, when the same reference numbers are used in the figures, they always refer to the same parts, as well.

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a schematic exploded representation of a vapor collecting device 10 according to the invention, for a cooking appliance, not shown here, comprising at least a first opening 12, which can be connected with at least one cooking space of the cooking appliance, by way of a ventilation system of the appliance, for in-flow of exhaust air from the cooking appliance into the vapor collecting device, and at least a second opening 14, into which ambient air and, when the door of the cooking space is at least partly open, exhaust air from the cooking appliance can flow. The vapor collecting device 10 has a condensation device 16 for at least partial removal of aerosols, water droplets, and steam from the exhaust air, and a treatment device 18 for at least partial removal of undesirable substances and/or odors from the exhaust air. Furthermore the vapor collecting device comprises at least a third opening 20, from which the treated exhaust air can flow out of the vapor collecting device 10.

[0056] According to the invention, it is provided that the exhaust air that flows in through the first opening 12, which can be recognized well in FIG. 3, and through the second opening 14, into the vapor collecting device 10, flows through the following stations arranged within the vapor collecting device 10, one after the other, namely through a coolable body 22 as a station of the condensation device 16, so as to clean the exhaust air of aerosols and water droplets and to condense out at least part of the steam and preferably partially cool it, a grease separator filter 24 as the first station of the treatment device 18, a sponge filter 26 as the second station of the treatment device 18, a plasma 28 as the third station of the treatment device 18, for sterilization, ionization and/or dissociation, and an activated charcoal filter 30 as the fourth station of the treatment device 18.

[0057] Furthermore a blower device 32, in the present case a radial fan, is provided between condensation device 16 and treatment device 18. The blower device 32 can be recognized well in FIG. 2.

[0058] The blower device 32 is arranged in such a manner that it deflects the exhaust air stream upward.

[0059] In the present case, the exhaust air stream divides into two partial exhaust air streams behind the blower device 32, wherein each partial exhaust air stream flows through a treatment device 18. In the present case, the partial streams are separated from one another by a space 54, in which two transformers 56 for generating a volume plasma per partial exhaust air stream, in each instance, are situated. According to the invention, each partial exhaust air stream flows through the treatment device 18. For this purpose, the individual stations 24, 26, and 30—as shown in FIG. 1—are provided per partial stream, in other words they are present twice. In order to generate the plasma that is provided per partial stream, lattices 58 are provided, through which the exhaust air can flow and which pass transversely through a flow channel, and which are composed of electrodes to which voltage can be applied, each having an electrically conductive core and an insulator mantle that sheathes the core, as well as of power electronics connected with the electrode lattice 58, comprising the aforementioned transformers 56, for building up differences in potential between electrodes that are most closely adjacent to one another, by means of corresponding application of voltage to the same, wherein the electrodes are configured in rod shape, each pass through the flow channel, and are arranged parallel to as well as equidistant from one another. Preferably the electrode lattices have 5-10, preferably 8 kilovolts applied to them.

[0060] The coolable body 22—as shown in FIG. 3—is a pipe package that comprises multiple pipes 34 that are spaced apart from one another and arranged above and behind one another. In the present case, 6×6, in other words 24 pipes are provided, wherein the individual rows are arranged alternately offset from one another.

[0061] As can be seen well in FIG. 1, the coolable body 22 is arranged directly behind the second opening 14, in the flow path of the exhaust air that flows in through the second opening 14.

[0062] The grease separator filter 24, the sponge filter 26 and/or the activated charcoal filter 28 of the treatment device 18 are each configured in plate form, in the form of a removable insert or slide-in module, per partial stream in the present case. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the slide-in modules 36 that form the activated charcoal filter 28 and the sponge filter 26 are shown in detail.

[0063] As can be seen well in FIG. 1, a preferably plate-shaped grease separator filter 38 is arranged ahead of or in the second opening 14, which filter is arranged in the flow path of the exhaust air that flows in through the second opening 14, in front of the coolable body 22. As can also be seen in FIG. 1, a baffle plate 39 is arranged in front of the second opening 14, which plate is arranged in the flow path of the exhaust air that streams in through the second opening 14, ahead of the grease separator filter 38 that is arranged in the second opening 14.

[0064] The third opening 20, which can be recognized well in FIG. 4, has a plate-shaped HEPA filter 40, which is arranged in the flow path of the exhaust air after the treatment device 18.

[0065] The condensation device 16 has a bottom 42 that is provided with a pipe-like drain 44, so as to conduct away condensate and any undesirable particles that might have been removed, for example grease particles, out of the vapor collecting device 10.

[0066] The blower device 32 is arranged in a pass-through 46 of a basin 48 arranged under the treatment device 16, wherein the basin 48 has a pipe-like drain 52 in its bottom 50, so as to conduct away condensate and, if applicable, other undesirable particles that have been removed, for example grease particles, into the pipe-like drain 44 of the bottom 42 of the condensation apparatus 16 and carry it/them away out of the vapor collecting device 10.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0067] (is part of the Specification) [0068] 10 vapor collecting device [0069] 12 first opening [0070] 14 second opening [0071] 16 condensation device [0072] 18 treatment device [0073] 20 opening [0074] 22 coolable body [0075] 24 grease separator filter [0076] 26 sponge filter [0077] 28 plasma [0078] 30 activated charcoal filter [0079] 32 blower device [0080] 34 pipe [0081] 36 slide-in module [0082] 38 grease separator filter [0083] 39 baffle plate [0084] 40 HEPA filter [0085] 42 bottom [0086] 44 pipe-like drain [0087] 46 pass-through [0088] 48 basin [0089] 50 bottom [0090] 52 pipe-like drain [0091] 54 space [0092] 56 transformer [0093] 58 electrode lattice