METHOD FOR OPERATING A COMMERCIAL COOKING DEVICE AND SUCH A COOKING DEVICE

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods that optimize electrical component compartment cooling in a cooking device, such as a combi-steamer. The systems and methods according to the present disclosure provide supplemental air movement devices, such as fans, in the electrical component compartment and, optionally, in the mechanical compartment. These supplemental air movement devices allow reducing the energy consumption of cooking ovens such as combi-steamers by reducing the effort required by a main cooling fan to cool the electrical compartment. Reducing the effort required by the main cooling fan to cool the electrical compartment also reduces or avoids the cooling effect that over-use of the main cooling fan has on the cooking chamber. Also, temperature fluctuations in the electrical compartment are reduced which can also prolong the effective life of the electrical components, again reducing operating and repair costs for the cooking device.

Claims

1. A commercial cooking device comprising: a housing in which a cooking space is arranged; an air inlet opening to the outside of the cooking device; a main cooling fan, which is arranged in the housing next to the air inlet opening, a first space that is directly acted upon by the main cooling fan to provide a main air flow, and a second space connected to the first space that is not directly acted upon by the main fan, and in which components to be cooled are arranged, wherein a pivotable flap is disposed between the first space and the second space, wherein the flap is pivotable into a position in which it extends into the main air flow, wherein the pivotable flap directs at least a part of the main air flow into the second space.

2. A cooking device comprising: a housing, in which a cooking space is arranged; an air inlet opening in the housing to the outside of the cooking device; a main cooling fan that disposed in a fan housing next to the air inlet opening, a first space having at least one component that requires cooling, which is directly acted upon by the main cooling fan, and a second space having at least one additional component that requires cooling, which is not directly acted upon by the main cooling, wherein an auxiliary cooling fan that can be switched on is arranged in the second space and is disposed in a position spaced apart from the air inlet or is disposed in relation to another air inlet opening assigned to the auxiliary cooling fan.

3. The cooking device according to claim 2, wherein the second space is arranged below the cooking space in the housing and accommodates components to be cooled.

4. The cooking device according to claim 2, wherein the fan power of the auxiliary cooling fan is less than the fan power of the main cooling fan.

5. The cooking device according to claim 1, further comprising an additional fan for supplying cooling air to a mechanical space having a mechanical component.

6. The cooking device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one temperature probe, which is arranged in the housing.

7. The cooking device according to claim 2, further comprising an additional fan for supplying cooling air to a mechanical space having a mechanical component.

8. The cooking device according to claim 2, further comprising at least one temperature probe, which is arranged in the housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Further details, features, and advantages of the disclosure ensue from the following description of exemplary embodiments on the basis of the drawing. Shown therein are:

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematically highly simplified illustration of a first embodiment of a cooking advice according to the disclosure,

[0017] FIG. 2 shows an illustration, corresponding to FIG. 1, of a second embodiment,

[0018] FIG. 3 shows an illustration, corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2, of a third embodiment,

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a partially cut-away front view of the embodiment of the cooking device according to the disclosure in accordance with FIG. 3,

[0020] FIG. 5 shows an illustration, corresponding to FIG. 1, of another embodiment of the cooking device according to the disclosure, and

[0021] FIG. 6 shows a flow chart for explanation of an embodiment of the method according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a highly simplified schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a cooking device 100 according to the disclosure, which can be, in particular, a commercial cooking device. The cooking device 100 has a cover wall 105, a bottom wall 106, a back wall 107, and a front wall 108. The front wall 108 has a door, which is not illustrated in FIG. 1 and comprises a handle 109 for opening and closing a cooking space, which is also not shown in FIG. 1. The front wall 108 usually has a user interface 110, which comprises a number of functions that can be selected, such as, for example, a display device (display), which displays, for example, information about the cooking product, the cooking conditions (such as, for example, the temperature) in the cooking space, and remaining cooking times of a cooking program that is in operation. The cover wall 105, the bottom wall 106, the back wall 107, and the front wall 108 form a housing and surround a mechanical region or space 120 in which or at which various components having different functions as well as measurement components and display components, such as the aforementioned user interface 110 of the cooking device 100, are arranged. Arranged in the bottom wall 106 is an air inlet opening 111, next to which a main cooling fan 112 is provided, which, in the first embodiment of the cooking device 100 according to the disclosure illustrated in FIG. 1, is the sole cooling fan. Additionally, arranged in the bottom wall 106 is an air outlet opening 113. During operation, the main cooling fan 112 aspirates fresh air through the inlet 111 in order to generate an air flow that flows in the direction of the arrow 114. A separating wall 115 is provided in order to form a channel 116 in the mechanical region or space 120, so that the air flow 114 is conducted upwards in the direction of the cover wall 105 of the cooking device 100. The separating wall 115 therefore conducts the air flow 114 through nearly the entire mechanical region 120, so that the air flow 114 does not flow directly from the inlet 111 to the outlet 113 and exits from the latter, as is symbolized by the arrow 117.

[0023] Also arranged in the mechanical region 120 is a heating device, which, in the exemplary case illustrated, is a gas burner 121 with a hose 122, the end of which extends through the separating wall 115 into the channel 116 and is arranged here next to the in inlet 111 and the main cooling fan 112, as is inferred from FIG. 1. During operation, the gas burner 121 aspirates air via its hose 122, heats the air, and conducts the warmed or heated air over metal baffle plates or metal guide plates 123. The metal plates 123 form a flow path for the heated air of the gas burner 121 in order to heat water in the water reservoir 124, so as to deliver steam for the cooking space when running cooking programs that require steam for all or at least a portion of cooking cycles. After passing through the flow path formed by the plates 123, the air heated by the gas burner 121 exits from the cooking device 100 through an outlet 125 in the direction of the arrow 126. Therefore, during operation, the gas burner 121 generates a certain air flow through the inlet 111, through the channel 116, and into the mechanical region 120. The mechanical region 120 also has a cooking-space gas burner 130, which comprises a hose 131, one end of which projects through the separating wall 115 into the channel 116. However, this is only one possible embodiment of the cooking device 100. Namely, the end of the hose 122 could also be directed upwards toward the top edge of the separating wall 115. Alternatively, the end of the hose 122 could be arranged near a critical and sensitive component, which is then cooled by the aspirated air jet that is conducted into the cooking device 100 when the gas burner 121 is switched on. During operation, similarly to the gas burner 121, the cooking-space gas burner 130 can aspirate air via a hose 131 at a site in the channel 116 that is spaced apart from the inlet 111. Therefore, during operation, the cooking-space gas burner 130 can also generate a certain portion of the air flow through the channel 116 and into the mechanical region 120.

[0024] Also arranged in the mechanical region 120 is a motor 135, which can be operated both clockwise and counterclockwise, as is symbolized by the double arrow 136. Furthermore, the motor 135 can adopt a standstill mode for a certain interval of time, which depends on the selected cooking program or recipe. The motor 135 turns a fan wheel, which is not illustrated in FIG. 1 and is arranged in the cooking space and conducts the hot air that is generated by the gas burner 130 through the cooking space in order to cook the cooking product. The motor 135 is furnished with a plurality of motor cooling blades 137, which produce a certain cooling effect for the motor 135. Owing to the fact that the motor can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, the motor generates an air flow in its vicinity in the mechanical region 120 that flows either clockwise or counterclockwise, as is symbolized by the double arrow 138, with this movement of air depending on the direction of rotation of the motor 135. When the motor 135 rotates counterclockwise, an air flow is generated in a direction that hinders the air flow that is conveyed in the mechanical region 120 from the channel 116. When the motor 135 is not rotating and, accordingly, when there is no movement of air or circulation of heated air in the component region 120, regions with undesirably high temperatures are obtained. In the mechanical region 120, a channel or flue 140 is further provided, which is in fluid connection with the cooking space. The flue 140 has a valve 141, which can be opened and closed so as to enable heated air to flow out of the cooking space into the surroundings or to enable cooler air to be drawn into the cooking space.

[0025] As highlighted in FIG. 1, the cooking device 100 also has an additional space or region 150 for electrical components, which is bounded by the lower part of the separating wall 115 and a bottom wall 151 of the cooking space as well as by the bottom wall 106 of the cooking device 100. In this case, the space 150 is in fluid connection with the inlet opening 111 via, for example, the provision of an opening in the lower area of the separating wall 115, which is not illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0026] For the case that the electrical components arranged in the space 150 need to be cooled, the cooking device 100 according to the disclosure, in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1, is furnished with a flap 150 that can pivot around a pivot point 151, said flap, as shown in FIG. 1, being able to pivot in the air flow 114 generated by the main cooling fan 112 and can thereby divert a partial air flow 152 from the main air flow 114 and conduct it into the space 150, as is symbolized by the dashed arrow 152. The flap 150 can hereby be pivoted in accordance with the double arrow P around the pivot point 151, so that the opening in the wall 115 can be closed by means of the flap 150 if cooling of the electrical components in the space 150 is not needed.

[0027] In this way, an efficient cooling of the electrical components in the space 150 is made possible, wherein the movement of the valve 150 can be motor-driven, for example, and is dependent on whether the electrical components provided in the space 150 require a cooling because, for example, they are in operation. As a control variable for this, it is possible to employ a temperature value that can be determined, for example, in the channel 116 by means of a temperature probe 153.

[0028] Alternatively, it is also possible to provide separate temperature probes at other positions inside of the cooking device 100, such as, in particular, in the space 150 itself in which the electrical components are arranged.

[0029] Illustrated in FIG. 2 is a second embodiment of a cooking device 300 according to the disclosure, which can also be designed preferably as a commercial cooking device.

[0030] The components that are identical to those in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 are furnished with the same reference numbers, so that reference can be made in this regard to the preceding description of FIG. 1.

[0031] In comparison to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the cooking device 300 has an auxiliary cooling fan 310, which can have a lower fan power than the main cooling fan 112, but, if needed, can have the same or even a higher fan power.

[0032] The auxiliary cooing fan 310 is arranged and dimensioned in such a way that it can conduct an air flow 320 from the inlet 111, and, if need be, from the mechanical region 120, into the space 150 when it is in operation. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the air flow 320 is aspirated through the inlet 111 on the opposite-lying side of the separating wall 115 from the auxiliary cooling fan 310, whereas, as in FIG. 1, the main cooling fan 112 conducts an air flow 114 into the channel 116. The auxiliary cooling fan 310 is accordingly capable of improving the air flow through the area or space 150 when the main cooling fan 112 generates the air flow 114 during operation. The auxiliary cooling fan 310 makes possible a reduction in the energy consumption caused by the main cooling fan 112 through the following circumstances: (1) The auxiliary cooling fan can be dimensioned smaller and can be designed like the main cooling fan (112); (2) the main cooling fan 112 can remain switched off when the auxiliary cooling fan 310 is switched on; (3) the operating speed of the main cooling fan 112 can be modulated (in particular, reduced) and, in fact, this can be done dependent on the operation of the auxiliary cooling fan 310; and (4) the auxiliary cooling fan 310 is operated only when the components in the space 150 are actuated and therefore require an active cooling. To be highlighted as a further advantage is the circumstance that, through the reduction in the operation of the main cooling fan 112, it can be prevented that the main cooling fan 112 undesirably cools the cooking space of the cooking device.

[0033] Illustrated in FIG. 3 is another embodiment of a cooking device 400 according to the disclosure, which corresponds essentially to the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2. In accordance therewith, all components identical to those of the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 2 are furnished with the same reference numbers, so that reference can be made in this regard to the preceding description of FIG. 2 or of the cooking device 300 illustrated therein.

[0034] The cooking device 400 has, as an optional feature, an additional fan 410, which is arranged near the upper end of the separating wall 115. However, the fan 410 can be arranged in practically any position, preferably in the channel 116, with respect to the separating wall 115 or also in the mechanical region 120. Preferably, however, the fan 410 is arranged above the separating wall 115 in an intermediate region between the channel 116 and the mechanical region 120. The additional fan 410 is designed and arranged in such a way that it can aspirate an air flow 420 from the inlet 111 and, namely, to do so depending on whether or not the main cooling fan 112 is actuated. At the same time, the fan 410 can improve the air flow through the mechanical region or the mechanical space 120 when the main cooling fan 112 is actuated and the air flow 114 is generated. In addition, the fan 410 make is possible to operate the main cooling fan 112 at a slower speed, which will be explained in detail below on the basis of FIG. 6. Finally, it is to be noted that, as already stated above, the fan 410 represents an optional feature of the cooking device 400 for use, in particular, in high-standing cooking devices that rest on a floor, as illustrated for the cooking device 600 shown in FIG. 5.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a front view of the cooking device 400 in accordance with FIG. 3. In accordance with the illustration chosen in FIG. 4, the cooking device 400 has a left wall 510 and a right wall 520 (as viewed from the front). The cooking device 400 is additionally furnished with a door 530, which is preferably furnished with a glass pane, so that cooking products in the cooking space 535 can be viewed from the outside. Provided inside the cooking space 535 is a plate or wall 550, which divides the cooking space 535 into two areas “A” and “B.” A fan 540 is arranged in the area “B” next to the wall 550. The fan 540 moves heated air through the cooking space 535 and, as mentioned above, is rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise by the motor 135 or else remains at a standstill, so that the motor 135 likewise rotates the fan 540 clockwise or counterclockwise correspondingly. The wall 550 has open spaces in its outer peripheral region as well as a central opening so as to enable air to circulate in the cooking space 535, the direction of which is symbolized in FIG. 4 by the arrow 560. FIG. 4 highlights that, under certain circumstances, the main cooling fan 112 is ineffective for making possible an adequate cooling of the space 150. Therefore, it is advantageously provided in the above-described embodiment for the auxiliary cooling fan 310 to be arranged in the space 150 in such a way that it aspirates fresh air or cooling air through the inlet 111 and conveys it into the space 150, this being symbolized, in turn, by the arrow 320. This makes possible an effective and efficient cooling of electrical components, which are illustrated in FIG. 4 by the blocks 570 A and 570 B. The electrical components 570 A, 570 B in the space 150 can be, for example, cleaning pumps, which are arranged near to and below the cooking space 535. In this way, a hot region is created in the space 150. Because the air flow 114 generated by the main cooling fan 112 is not able to adequately cool the space 150 and the electrical components 570 A and 570 B arranged in it, without operating the main cooling fan 112 at an extremely high fan power, the auxiliary cooling fan 310 is provided. As already mentioned above, an excessively high cooling power of the main cooling fan 112 would have two negative effects: On the one hand, an unnecessarily high electrical load on the main cooling fan 112 would be created and, on the other hand, the cooking space 535 would be cooled undesirably.

[0036] Illustrated in FIG. 5 is another embodiment of a cooking device, which is identified by the reference number 600. All components identical to those in the preceding embodiments are identified with the same reference numbers, so that reference can be made to the preceding descriptions of the embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0037] The cooking device 600 illustrated in FIG. 5 is characterized by the provision of two heating devices, which, in the exemplary case, are designed as gas burners 130. Furthermore, the cooking device 600 has motors 135 and the components associated therewith. On account of the height of the cooking device 600 and the length of the separating wall 115 and of the channel 116, an auxiliary fan 410 is an especially preferred embodiment in the case this embodiment, as already mentioned above.

[0038] In the following, a possible embodiment of the method according to the disclosure is described on the basis of FIG. 6 and provides a cleaning pump, which is identified in FIG. 4 by the block 570 A and is given solely by way of example, as an electrical component in FIG. 6. Namely, it is also possible to provide additional electrical components in a cooking device, depending primarily on the intended kinds of operation of the particular cooking device.

[0039] In step 710, the method characterized in FIG. 6 in its totality by the reference number 700 initiates operation of the cooking device, such as devices 100, 300, 400, and 600. In step 720, the operating mode “Cooking mode” is selected. If, in step 720, the answer to the question is “No,” then the program or method 700 goes to step 730, which presents another decision block, in which the operating mode “Standby” is queried. It is obvious that said operating mode “Standby” comprises those situations, for example, in which the cooking device has not yet reached the corresponding operating temperature or else those situations in which the cooking devise is being heated up, but is not yet actively cooking a cooking product. If the answer in step 730 is “No,” the method 700 goes to step 740, which presents another decision block, in which the question with regard to “Cleaning mode” is posed. If the answer to this question is “No,” the method 700 returns to step 720. It is obvious that, in the case of startup of the cooking device, the answer to one of the questions in step 720, 730, or 740 must be “Yes.” However, the alternatives “No” were described solely to make it clear that, for these cases, the method 700 moves from one step to the next step and, for the case that all steps 720, 730, and 740 are answered with “No,” the method 700 returns to step 720.

[0040] For the purpose of the following description of the method 700, it is assumed that no specific temperature has been selected for the temperatures “T1, T2, T3, T4”, because the temperatures above all depend on the kind of device and its size as well as on the location where it is used. In addition, the temperature values can be varied by the user or else preset at the factory, wherein the selection of the cooking recipe can be an influencing factor or the temperature values can also depend on the particular installed components that are arranged in the space 150. Solely by way of example, it is stated that the mentioned temperature values can be, for example, T1=45° C., T2=50° C., T3=55° C., and T4=47° C.

[0041] If, in step 720, the answer is “Yes,” the method 700 proceeds further to step 750. In step 750, a decision block is reached once again, in which it is asked whether the temperature EC in the space 116, 120, or 150 for the electrical components is higher than the temperature limit T1. If the answer is “No,” the method 700 proceeds to step 760, in which the main cooling fan 112 is set to “Off” or else remains in this state. If the answer to the question in step 750 is “Yes,” then the method 700 goes to step 770. In step 770, another decision block is reached, in which the question is posed as to whether the heating device, in particular the gas burner 130 and/or the gas burner 121, is switched on. If the answer is “No,” the method 700 goes to step 780. According to step 780, the main cooling fan 112 remains in the switched-on state or else is switched to this state. At this point, the speed of the main cooling fan 112 is set as follows: (1) as a function of the actual temperature in the electrical space 116, 120, or 150 or via DIP or fuzzy control technology; (2) as a function of the operating mode and the set operating temperature of the cooking program/cycle of the cooking device; (3) as a function of the motor speed of the motor 135 (clockwise, counterclockwise, or standstill). This is the point in the method 700 at which the auxiliary cooling fan 310 and/or the additional fan 410 can be used. For example, depending on the actual temperature in the space 116, 120, or 150, it is possible to utilize either the auxiliary cooling fan 310 or the auxiliary fan 410 or both fans 310 and 410 in order to increase the flow of air in the space 150 for electrical components. As another example, it is possible to mention the situation in which the motor 135 rotates clockwise and the additional fan 410 is switched on and the speed of the main cooling fan 112 can be lowered (or vice versa); the air flow 138 that is generated by the motor 135 thus flows in the same direction of rotation as the air flow 114. On the other hand, if the motor 135 rotates counterclockwise, it is possible to utilize either the auxiliary fan 410 and the main cooling fan 112 or else both fans 410 and 112 in order to attain a higher speed, so as to ensure that the air flow 114 can overcome the counterflow of the air flow 138 that is generated by the motor 135.

[0042] If, in step 770, the answer is “Yes,” then the method 700 goes to step 790. In step 790, which presents another decision block and in which the question is posed as to whether the temperature EC in the electrical space 116, 120, or 150 is higher than T2, the method 700 goes to step 760 if the answer is “No” and the main cooling fan 112 is switched off or remains in the “Off” position. On the other hand, if the answer to the question as to the temperature in the space 116, 120, or 150 in regard to the temperature T2 is “Yes,” then the method 700 proceeds to step 780. For completeness, it is noted that the method 700 analyzes and determines preferably a temperature range—for example, the temperature range between T1 and T2—for the “On/Off” operating state of the burner 130. Above all, this is carried out here, since it primarily involves a safety feature. Namely, investigations carried out in the scope of the disclosure have revealed that the activation of the burner 130 supports the main cooling fan 112 and can even replace it. However, the temperature in the space 116, 120, or 150 can still lie above the temperature T2 and therefore the activation of the main cooling fan 112 is necessary or will be required. This is due to the fact that the gas burner 130 and/or the gas burner 121 work(s) in stages. First of all, the gas burner 130 is started in a minimal performance mode in order to achieve a clean ignition, after which the gas burner 130 is switched to a maximum performance mode. The gas burner 130 in the cooking space accordingly aspirates different quantities of air, depending on whether it is operated in the minimum mode or in the maximum mode, and therefore, correspondingly influences the cooling management.

[0043] In step 730, which is likewise a decision block, the question as to the standby mode is asked. If the answer to the question is “Yes,” then the program proceeds to step 800, which is likewise a decision block, in which the question is posed as to whether the temperature EC in the space 116, 120, or 150 is higher than the temperature T3. If the answer is “No,” the program 700 proceeds to step 760. If the answer to the question at the decision point in step 800 is “Yes,” then the program 700 proceeds to step 780. In step 740, a decision block is reached in which the question is posed as to whether the cooking device is found in cleaning mode. If the answer to this question is “Yes,” the program 700 proceeds to step 810, which is likewise a decision point or decision block and in which the question is posed as to whether the pump is switched on. If the answer to this question is “No,” then the program 700 proceeds to step 820. In step 820, the auxiliary cooling fan 310 in the space 150 is switched off or remains in the “Off” switching state. From 820, the program 700 proceeds to step 830. In step 830, in turn, a decision point or decision block is reached, and the question is posed as to whether the temperature EC in the space 116, 120, or 150 is higher than the temperature limit T4. If the answer to this question is “No,” the program 700 goes to step 760. However, when the program goes to step 830 and the answer to the question as to whether the temperature EC is higher than the temperature limit T4 is “Yes,” then the program 700 proceeds to step 780. If the answer in step 810 is “Yes,” that is, if the cleaning pump is switched on, the program 700 switches to step 840, and the fan 310 is switched on or remains in the “On” switching state. When advancing from step 840 to step 830, the question is posed as to whether the temperature EC in the space 116, 120, or 150 is higher than the temperature T4. For the case that the answer to this question is “No,” the program 700 proceeds to step 760, whereas, for the case that the answer is “Yes”, it proceeds to step 780, in which the main cooling fan is switched on or remains in the “On” switching state.

[0044] In addition to the preceding written disclosure of the disclosure, reference is made herewith explicitly to the illustration in FIGS. 1 to 6 for supplementing the disclosure.