STEAM COOKING DEVICE

Abstract

A steam cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber, a water supply unit including a removable water tank having a filling opening, and an evaporator unit connectable to the water supply unit. The water tank includes in an installed position a front side facing a user, a rear side opposite the front side, and a closure element for closing the filling opening. The closure element is configured to form at least in part the front side or the rear side of the water tank. The evaporator unit is configured to evaporate water from the water supply unit to generate steam for supply into the cooking chamber.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A steam cooking appliance, comprising: a cooking chamber; a water supply unit including a removable water tank having a filling opening, said water tank including in an installed position a front side facing a user, a rear side opposite the front side, and a closure element for closing the filling opening, said closure element configured to form at least in part the front side or the rear side of the water tank; and an evaporator unit connectable to the water supply unit and configured to evaporate water from the water supply unit to generate steam for supply into the cooking chamber.

17. The steam cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the water tank includes a main body, said closure element being configured for fastening to the main body of the water tank via a bayonet or screw closure.

18. The steam cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the water tank includes a main body having an essentially elongated configuration.

19. The steam cooking appliance of claim 18, wherein the main body has a cylindrical configuration or a circular-cylindrical configuration.

20. The steam cooking appliance of claim 17, wherein at least one of the closure element and the main body has a connecting section, and further comprising a seal placed on the connecting section.

21. The steam cooking appliance of claim 20, wherein the seal is a rubber seal.

22. The steam cooking appliance of claim 21, wherein the rubber seal is an O-ring, and further comprising a spring configured to press the O-ring in a closed position of the closure element against a sealing edge of the main body.

23. The steam cooking appliance of claim 22, wherein the closure element includes a closure cover, and further comprising a seal support for arrangement of the O-ring, said spring being arranged between the closure cover of the closure element and the seal support.

24. The steam cooking appliance of claim 23, wherein the seal support is pot-shaped.

25. The steam cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the closure element includes a cover cap which at least in part forms the front side of the water tank.

26. The steam cooking appliance of claim 16, wherein the water tank includes a valve unit for coupling to the evaporator unit.

27. The steam cooking appliance of claim 16, further comprising a panel support, said water supply unit including a receiving unit for receiving the water tank, said receiving unit being attached to the panel support.

28. The steam cooking appliance of claim 27, wherein the receiving unit has an essentially elongated configuration.

29. The steam cooking appliance of claim 27, wherein the receiving unit has a cylindrical configuration or a circular-cylindrical configuration.

30. The steam cooking appliance of claim 27, wherein the receiving unit includes an adapter part with a first connection for fluidic coupling of the water tank in an operating position, and a second connection for coupling to the evaporator unit.

31. The steam cooking appliance of claim 30, wherein the first connection is coupled to the water tank by latching.

32. The steam cooking appliance of claim 30, wherein the adapter part includes a securing part to form the first connection and a connecting part to form the second connection.

33. The steam cooking appliance of claim 30, wherein the adapter part is mounted so as to be displaceable in a bearing section formed in the receiving unit essentially in an actuating direction of the water tank.

34. The steam cooking appliance of claim 33, wherein the adapter part includes a slotted guide, and further comprising a spring to apply a spring force essentially in the actuating direction, and a sliding block guided in a retaining clip for engagement in the slotted guide.

35. The steam cooking appliance of claim 16, further comprising a push-push unit configured for removing the water tank from the steam cooking appliance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, which are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, and which are merely for illustration purposes hereinafter, and thus are not intended to be limiting of the present invention. The drawing shows:

[0033] FIG. 1 a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating a household appliance in the form of a steam cooking appliance according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 a perspective view which diagrammatically illustrates a section of the steam cooking appliance of FIG. 1 without an upper housing part;

[0035] FIG. 3 a diagrammatic exploded view of individual components of the steam cooking appliance according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 4 a perspective view which diagrammatically illustrates some of the components illustrated in FIG. 3 in an assembled state;

[0037] FIG. 5 a diagrammatic exploded view of a closure element of a steam cooking appliance according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 6 a diagrammatic sectional view along the section plane Iv-Iv from FIG. 5, the closure element being mounted on a main body of the water tank.

[0039] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale and represent a somewhat simplified illustration of various preferred features which serve to illustrate the principles of the invention. The specific structural features of the present invention, as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, installation locations and shapes, are partially determined by the dedicated application and the working environment.

[0040] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference characters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0041] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a simplified diagrammatic illustration of a perspective view of a household appliance in the form of a steam cooking appliance according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The steam cooking appliance has a cooking chamber (not shown) located behind a door 6 into which food to be cooked can be introduced. During operation of the steam cooking appliance, food introduced into the cooking chamber is cooked by steam introduced into the cooking chamber. The steam is generated by an evaporator unit (not shown).

[0043] The steam cooking appliance has a control panel 4 which is mounted on a panel support 2 and is arranged above the door 6. In a right-hand region of the control panel 4, a water tank 20 can be introduced into a receiving unit 60 for coupling to the evaporator unit. The water tank 20 has a main body 22 which is closed at the front side VS by a closure element 30 in the state shown. The main body 22 has an elongated circular-cylindrical shape. An outlet opening 29 is formed on an end section of the main body 22 facing the steam cooking appliance. In the actuating direction BR, the water tank 20 can be inserted into and removed from the receiving unit 60 in a non-destructive and reversible manner in order to achieve an operating position. The liquid medium provided for evaporation in the form of water is stored in the water tank 20.

[0044] FIG. 2 is a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating a section of the steam cooker of FIG. 1 without an upper housing section of the steam cooker. A two-part receiving unit 60 of a water supply unit 10 is mounted on the rear side of the panel support 2 on a recess formed in the panel support 2. It can be clearly seen that a connection of the receiving unit 60 to the panel support 2 corresponds to a connection of a toggle pot 110, for which reason only one type of recess for the receiving unit 60 and the toggle pot 110 is provided in the panel support 2.

[0045] The receiving unit 60 is formed from an upper housing part 62 and a lower housing part 64. In the assembled state, in which the upper housing part 62 and the lower housing part 64 are fastened to one another, the receiving unit 60 has, on a rear end region with respect to the panel support 2, a bearing section (66 in FIG. 3) which is open in a direction facing away from the panel support 2. In the opening 67 of the bearing section 66, a connecting part 79 can be seen which forms part of an arrangement for coupling the water tank (not shown) to the evaporator unit (not shown). Fastened to the opening 67 is a securing spring 68, on which the connecting part 79 is supported via a compression spring (not shown). On a mounting section 102 attached to the housing outer wall of the receiving unit 60, a microswitch 100 is provided in the region of the bearing section 66 in order to detect an operating position of the water tank.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic exploded view of individual components of the water supply unit 10 of the steam cooking appliance according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In detail, the closure element 30, the main body 22 of the water tank 20, a valve unit 50 arranged in the outlet opening 29 of the main body 22, the receiving unit 60 formed from the upper housing part 62 and the lower housing part 64, and an adapter part 70 as well as further components for fastening and/or securing these components are shown. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the closure element 30 comprises a closure cover 32 and a cover cap 34 which is attached to the closure cover 32 on the front side. A rubber seal 42 can be inserted into the closure cover 32 so that the main body 22 can be tightly closed by the closure cover 32. In the example shown, the closure cover 32 can be fastened to the main body 22 by means of a bayonet closure.

[0047] A plurality of markings M, with which the quantity of water can be read off during the filling of the water tank 20, is located on the main body 22. At an end section opposite the closure element 30, an outlet opening 29, in which the valve unit 50 is arranged, is formed on the main body 22 of the water tank 20. The valve unit 50 is designed as an exhaust valve.

[0048] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the adapter part 70 is formed by a securing part 78, a connecting part 79 and an interjacent sealing part 77. At its section facing the water tank 20, the securing part 78 has, as a first connecting means, two latching elements in the form of latching lugs which can be brought into engagement with corresponding latching elements of the water tank 20 or of the main body 22. On the other section of the securing part 78, which faces the connecting part 79, there are likewise two connecting elements with the aid of which the securing part 78 can be fastened to the connecting part 79. For this purpose, corresponding connecting elements are provided on the connecting part 79 on a first section facing the securing part 78. A connection piece is formed as a second connection means for coupling to the evaporator unit on the second section of the connecting part 79 opposite the first section.

[0049] In the assembled state, a compression spring 76 supported on a securing spring 68 is provided in order to apply a spring force to the adapter part 70 in the direction of the water tank 20. A slotted guide in the form of a cardioid, in which a sliding block 82 can be brought into engagement, is formed on a section of the connecting part 79. The sliding block 82 is guided in a retaining clip 80.

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating some of the components illustrated in FIG. 3 in an assembled state. FIG. 4 clearly shows the adapter part 70 formed by the securing part 78 and the connecting part 79. Furthermore, it can be seen that a longitudinal slot 84, in which the sliding block 82 is guided, is formed on the retaining clip 80. FIG. 4 shows the operating state in which the water tank 20 is completely locked in its end position with the securing part 78 and thus the water stored in the tank can be supplied to the evaporator unit through the opened exhaust valve in a flow direction FR. Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 4 that a latching hook 78a formed on the securing part 78 engages with a latching projection formed on the main body 22 of the water tank 20 so that the water tank 20 is held stably in its operating position in combination with the spring force generated by the compression spring 76 on the water tank 20.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic exploded view of a closure element of a steam cooking appliance according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the closure element 30 is formed from a closure cover 32, a cover cap 34 attached to the front side of the closure cover 32, a seal support 48 with an O-ring 44 mounted thereon, and a spring 46 arranged between the seal support 48 and the closure cover 32. The O-ring 44 is attached to the seal support 48 on the circumferential side on an end section facing away from the closure cover 32. On the section facing the closure cover 32, the seal support 48 has a plurality of latching elements with which the seal support 48 is fastened to the closure cover 32, with the interjacent spring 46. The spring 46 is designed as a compression spring, so that it is supported on the one hand on the closure cover 32 and on the other hand applies a spring force to the seal support 48.

[0052] FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic sectional view along the section plane Iv-Iv from FIG. 5, wherein the closure element is mounted on a main body of the water tank. As can be seen from FIG. 6, in the state in which the closure element 30 is screwed to the main body 22 of the water tank 20, the O-ring seal 44 is pressed against the sealing edge 23 formed on the main body 22 by the spring force produced by the spring 46. The sealing edge 23 is formed circumferentially in the interior of the main body 22. The sealing edge 23 is formed on the circumferential side in the interior of the main body 22. Furthermore, it can be seen in FIG. 6 that on its end section facing the closure element 30, the main body 22 of the water tank 20 has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter outside the end section. The outer diameter of the closure element 30 essentially corresponds to the outer diameter of the main body 22 of the water tank 20. The inner diameter of the closure element 30 essentially corresponds to the outer diameter of the end section of the main body 22 facing the closure element 30.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0053] 2 Panel support [0054] 4 Panel [0055] 6 Door [0056] 10 Water supply unit [0057] 20 Water tank [0058] 22 Main body [0059] 23 Sealing edge [0060] 24 Front side [0061] 26 Rear side [0062] 28 Filling opening [0063] 29 Outlet opening [0064] 30 Closure element [0065] 32 Closure cover [0066] 34 Cover cap [0067] 40 Seal [0068] 42 Rubber seal [0069] 44 O-ring [0070] 46 Spring [0071] 48 Seal support [0072] 50 Valve unit [0073] 60 Receiving unit [0074] 62 Upper housing part [0075] 64 Lower housing part [0076] 66 Bearing section [0077] 67 Opening [0078] 68 Securing spring [0079] 70 Adapter part [0080] 75 Slotted guide [0081] 76 Compression spring [0082] 77 Sealing part [0083] 78 Securing part [0084] 78a Latching hook [0085] 79 Connecting part [0086] 80 Retaining clip [0087] 82 Sliding block [0088] 84 Longitudinal slot [0089] 90 Push-Pull unit [0090] 100 Microswitch [0091] 102 Mounting section [0092] 110 Toggle pot [0093] BR Actuating direction [0094] FR Flow direction [0095] M Marking [0096] VS Front side [0097] RS Rear side