METHOD FOR OPERATING A COOKING DEVICE WITH AN AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING FUNCTION, AND COOKING DEVICE

Abstract

In a method for operating a cooking appliance, a preparation program of the cooking appliance is carried out when preparing an item to be cooked in a cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, while a door of the cooking appliance closes the cooking chamber. The door is automatically opened by a door opening device of the cooking appliance when an end time of the preparation program is reached, and the door is maintained in an open state for a time period determined before opening and/or a time period permanently defined before opening.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for operating a cooking appliance, said method comprising: carrying out a preparation program of the cooking appliance when preparing an item to be cooked in a cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, while a door of the cooking appliance closes the cooking chamber; automatically opening the door by a door opening device of the cooking appliance when an end time of the preparation program is reached; and maintaining the door in an open state for a time period determined before opening and/or a time period permanently defined before opening.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the time period permanently defined before opening of the door is permanently defined by a user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the time period permanently defined before opening of the door is predefined as a function of the item to be cooked, which is prepared during preparation.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising automatically identifying the item to be cooked by a detector of the cooking appliance.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising imparting an information relating to the item to be cooked by a user to the cooking appliance before opening of the door.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising: storing reference values for time periods for specific items to be cooked in the cooking appliance; and selecting a stored one of the reference values as a function of the item to be prepared for cooking.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising: determining a thermal mass by a heating response of the cooking appliance and the item to be cooked during preparation of the item to be cooked; and determining the time period for opening of the door as a function of the thermal mass.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining the time period as a function of a temperature in the cooking chamber.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the time period is determined as a function of a temperature in the cooking chamber at the end time.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising closing the door at the end of the permanently defined time period.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising: closing the door at the end of the permanently defined time period; subsequently capturing the temperature in the cooking chamber and/or of the item to be cooked; and activating a heating unit of the cooking appliance when the captured temperature is below a reference temperature.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising activating a warming mode of the cooking appliance for keeping the item to be cooked warm in the cooking chamber after closing of the door.

28. The method of claim 16, further comprising: capturing with a capture unit information about a vicinity of the cooking appliance in front of the door before opening of the door; and controlling opening of the door as a function of the captured information.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising specifically predefining by a control unit a time for opening the door and/or an opening angle of the door as a function of a presence of an object in the vicinity in front of the door.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the opening angle of the door is permanently defined for the opened state of the door and/or the opening angle of the door is determined immediately before opening and/or the opening angle of the door is changed at least once as a function of a change criterion when the door is in the opened state.

31. A cooking appliance, comprising: a housing including a cooking chamber for preparing an item to be cooked in accordance with a preparation program; a door arranged on the housing for movement between an open state to provide access to the cooking chamber and a closing state the cooking chamber to carry out the preparation program; and a door opening device configured to automatically open the door when an end time of the preparation program is reached and to maintain the door in the open state for a time period determined before opening and/or a time period permanently defined before opening.

32. The cooking appliance of claim 31, further comprising a detector configured to automatically identify the item to be cooked.

33. The cooking appliance of claim 31, further comprising a heating unit which activates a warming mode to keep the item to be cooked warm in the cooking chamber when a temperature in the cooking chamber and/or of the item to be cooked is below a reference temperature.

34. The cooking appliance of claim 31, further comprising: a capture unit configured to capture information about a vicinity of the cooking appliance in front of the door; and a control unit communicating with the capture unit to control opening of the door as a function of the captured information.

35. A cooking appliance, comprising: a housing including a cooking chamber for preparing an item to be cooked in accordance with a preparation program; and a door arranged on the housing for movement between an open state to provide access to the cooking chamber and a closing state the cooking chamber to carry out the preparation program, wherein the cooking appliance is configured to carry out a method set forth in claim 16.

Description

[0048] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings, in which:

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive cooking appliance with a door of the cooking appliance in a closed state;

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a diagram according to FIG. 1 but with the door opened automatically; and

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a diagram according to FIG. 1, in which the door is automatically closed again a time after the state in FIG. 2.

[0052] Identical elements or those of identical function are shown with the same reference characters in the figures.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a cooking appliance 1. The cooking appliance 1 can be an oven for example. The cooking appliance 1 can also be a steam cooking appliance or a microwave cooking appliance. A cooking appliance 1 can also be provided, which combines the functions of an oven, a microwave cooking appliance and a steam cooking appliance.

[0054] The cooking appliance 1 has a housing 2. A cooking chamber 3 is configured in the housing 2. It is delimited by walls of a muffle (not shown). The cooking appliance 1 also has a door 4. The door 4 is shown in the closed state in FIG. 1. The front face of the cooking chamber 3 can be closed by the door 4. In the exemplary embodiment the door 4 can be pivoted about an axis. This is a horizontal axis A in particular here. In one exemplary embodiment the door 4 has a viewing window 5 and a handle 6.

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment the cooking appliance 1 has a front panel 7. The front panel 7 is configured in particular as separate from the door 4. In the exemplary embodiment it is arranged above the door 4 in the heightwise direction (y-direction). It is in a fixed position on the housing 2. Provision can be made for the cooking appliance 1 to have an operating and/or display unit 8. This can preferably be configured on the operating panel 7. The cooking appliance 1 can also preferably have at least one capture unit 9. This can be configured on the operating panel 7. The capture unit 9 can be at least one camera. The camera can be sensitive in the spectral range visible to the human eye and/or in the infrared range. Multiple capture units 9 can preferably also be provided.

[0056] The cooking appliance 1 also has a door opening device 10. Said door opening device 10 can have a motor for example. The door opening device 10 can be used to open the door 4 automatically. Said door 4 can also be closed again automatically by the door opening device 10. The cooking appliance 1 preferably also has a control unit 11. In the exemplary embodiment shown the control unit 11 is arranged in the cooking appliance 1 itself. In an alternative embodiment, also shown in FIG. 1, a control unit 11′ can be provided externally in relation to the cooking appliance 1. This can also be a cloud for example. Said control unit 11′ can also be a physical device, for example a communication terminal.

[0057] If said control unit 11′ is arranged externally in relation to the cooking appliance 1, the result is a system 12 comprising said control unit 11′ and the cooking appliance 1.

[0058] The cooking appliance 1 or system 12 is also configured to carry out a method, which is set out in the following.

[0059] During operation of the cooking appliance 1 or system 12 preparation of the item to be cooked is carried out in the cooking chamber 3 of the cooking appliance 1. Preparation involves the carrying out of a preparation program, which can be carried out by the cooking appliance 1. When an end time of the preparation program is reached, the door 4 is then immediately opened automatically. During the preparation program the door 4 is closed. The automatic opening of the door 4 is brought about here by the door opening device 10. Provision is made for the door 4 to remain open for a time period permanently defined before opening. Provision can also be made for the door 4 to remain open for a time period determined during the opening of the door and then permanently defined. With the method therefore there is no further monitoring after the opening of the door to allow the time period to be changed accordingly. In particular there is no provision for a temperature of the cooking chamber 3 to be captured when the door 4 is in the opened state and for the time period for which the door 4 remains open to only be determined as a function of said temperature.

[0060] Provision can also be made for the time period permanently defined before the opening of the door 4 to be permanently defined by a user. Provision can also be made for the time period permanently defined before the opening of the door 4 to be predefined as a function of the item to be cooked that is being prepared during preparation.

[0061] Additionally or alternatively provision can also be made generally speaking for the time period permanently defined before the opening of the door 4 to be predefined as a function of the type of preparation program which is or has been selected or has already started to prepare the item to be cooked.

[0062] Provision can be made for the item to be cooked to be identified automatically by a detector 13 of the cooking appliance 1, in particular in the cooking chamber 3, in particular if the item to be cooked has already been introduced into the cooking chamber 3.

[0063] Provision can also be made for the information relating to the item to be cooked to be imparted by a user to the cooking appliance 1. This takes place in particular before the automatic opening of the door 4 and therefore before the end time of the preparation program has been reached. Such an input can take place here for example by means of a voice signal. The operating and/or display unit 8 is therefore also configured to receive voice signals and/or to output voice signals. Provision can however also be made for said information to be input manually by actuating input elements, which can be part of the operating and/or display unit 8.

[0064] Provision can also be made for reference values for time periods for specific items to be cooked to be stored in the cooking appliance 1, in particular in the control unit 11 or 11′. Said associated stored reference value is assigned and selected as a function of the item to be prepared for cooking.

[0065] Provision can also be made for the thermal mass to be determined during preparation of the item to be cooked based on the heating response of the cooking appliance 1 and the item to be cooked and for said time period for the opening of the door 4 to be determined and permanently defined as a function thereof.

[0066] If, starting from the diagram in FIG. 1, the end time of the preparation program has now been reached, the door 4 is opened automatically according to the diagram in FIG. 2. Provision can be made here for a fixed extent of opening or opening angle to be set. This can be a few degrees relative to the vertical position according to FIG. 1.

[0067] Starting from the diagram in FIG. 2 provision is made for automatic closing of the door 4 at this end of this predefined opening time period. FIG. 3 shows the door 4 back in the closed state again.

[0068] Provision can be made for this permanently defined time period to be determined as a function of the temperature in the cooking chamber 3, for the temperature to be determined immediately before the end time of the preparation program is reached and/or to be determined when the end time of the preparation program is reached.

[0069] Provision can be made for the temperature in the cooking chamber 3 and/or of the item to be cooked in the cooking chamber 3 to be captured after the door 4 has closed again, as shown in FIG. 3. A heating unit 14 of the cooking appliance 1 is activated as a function of a comparison between said actual temperature and a reference temperature. After the door 4 has closed a warming mode of the cooking appliance 1 in particular is activated to keep the item to be cooked warm in the cooking chamber 3. In one advantageous embodiment provision is made for a vicinity of the cooking appliance 1 immediately in front of the door 4 to be captured using a capture unit, for example the capture unit 9, before the opening of the door 4 when the end time of the preparation program is reached. The opening of the door 4 is controlled as a function of the captured information. This can mean that such opening can be carried out without restriction. However if there are objects present in said vicinity, the opening of the door 4 can be prevented or delayed. Additionally or alternatively provision can also be made for the opening angle or extent of opening to be adjusted. In particular this should avoid damage to such an object.

[0070] The same observation scenario can also be carried out if the door 4 is to be closed again starting from the situation in FIG. 2. The region between the door 4 and cooking chamber 3 can be correspondingly captured for example. The capture unit 9 for example can also be provided for this purpose. The capture unit 9 can for example also be configured as a fisheye camera here and elsewhere.

[0071] It is also possible generally speaking for the opening angle of the door 4 to be permanently defined and/or to be determined before the opening of the door 4 and/or to be changed at least once as a function of a change criterion when the door 4 is in the opened state. Such a change criterion can be for example an object in the vicinity of the door 4, which could impede the movement and/or position of the door 4 and/or could itself be damaged by the door 4. A change criterion can also be for example the temperature and/or the quantity and/or the humidity of the medium that escapes from the cooking chamber 3 when the door 4 is opened.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0072] 1 Cooking appliance [0073] 2 Housing [0074] 3 Cooking chamber [0075] 4 Door [0076] 5 Viewing window [0077] 6 Handle [0078] 7 Front panel [0079] 8 Operating and display unit [0080] 9 Capture unit [0081] 10 Door opening device [0082] 11, 11′ Control unit [0083] 12 System [0084] 13 Detector [0085] 14 Heating unit [0086] y Heightwise direction [0087] A Horizontal axis