COOKING APPLIANCE

Abstract

A cooking device, in particular a commercial cooking device, comprises a housing, a cooking chamber in the housing and a door for closing the cooking chamber, a heating device for heating the cooking chamber, a first load assembly, which is disposed for power supply in a first load circuit, a fan assembly with electric motor for generating air circulation in the cooking chamber, wherein the fan arrangement is disposed for power supply in a fan load circuit, and a power supply device, wherein the first load circuit is connected to a first load circuit terminal of the power supply device, and wherein the fan load circuit is connected to a fan load circuit terminal of the power supply device, wherein the power supply device comprises a first load circuit switch for switching the first load circuit and a fan load circuit switch for switching the fan load circuit.

Claims

1. A cooking device comprising: a housing; a cooking chamber in the housing and a door for closing the cooking chamber; a heating device for heating the cooking chamber; a first load assembly that is disposed in a first load circuit for power supply; a fan arrangement with an electric motor for generating circulating air in the cooking chamber, wherein the fan arrangement is disposed in a fan load circuit for power supply; and a power supply device, wherein the first load circuit is connected to a first load circuit terminal of the power supply device and wherein the fan load circuit is connected to a fan load circuit terminal of the power supply device, wherein the power supply device comprises a first load circuit switch for switching the first load circuit and a fan load circuit switch for switching the fan load circuit.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein: the first load circuit terminal and the fan load circuit terminal, preferably all output terminals of the power supply device, are adapted for DC load circuits, and/or the power supply device is adapted at input side for connecting to an AC grid, and/or the electric motor of the fan arrangement is a DC motor.

3. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the cooking device comprises a door switch arrangement that is adapted to detect a position of the door, wherein the door switch arrangement is connected to the fan circuit switch to switch the fan load circuit in dependency of the position of the door.

4. The cooking device according to claim 3, wherein the door switch arrangement comprises at least a first door switch and a second door switch, wherein both door switches are operable by opening and/or closing the door; and in particular wherein one of the door switches is arranged closer to a door hinge than the other door switch.

5. The cooking device according to claim 3, comprising a second load assembly that is disposed in a second load circuit for power supply, wherein the second load circuit is connected to a second load circuit terminal of the power supply device, and wherein the power supply device comprises a second load circuit switch for switching the second load circuit.

6. The cooking device according to claim 5, wherein the door switch arrangement is disposed between the second load circuit terminal and the second load assembly, wherein the door switch arrangement is adapted to switch off the second load assembly in dependency of the detected position of the door.

7. The cooking device according to claim 5, comprising a circulation switch for switching a circulation of a cleaning fluid passing through the cooking chamber, wherein the circulation switch is in the second load assembly.

8. The cooking device according to claim 5, wherein the heating device is switchable via at least one heating switch, wherein the at least one heating switch is in the second load assembly; and in particular wherein the at least one heating switch switches off the heating device, if the heating switch is in a power-off state.

9. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the heating device is formed as an electrical heating device, in particular as an electrical resistance heating device that is connectable via a main contactor that in particular is disposed outside the power supply device.

10. The cooking device according to claim 5, wherein the main contactor can be switched off via a safety circuit with safety temperature limiter; and in particular wherein the power supply device is connected to the safety circuit and is adapted to switch off the fan load circuit by means of the fan load circuit switch and/or the second load circuit by means of the second circuit switch, when the main contactor is switched off.

11. The cooking device according to claim 10, wherein the safety circuit is powered via the first load circuit.

12. The cooking device according to claim 5, comprising a device switch that is disposed to be actuated by a user, wherein the device switch: is connected to the first load circuit switch for switching the first load circuit switch, and/or is connected to the second load circuit switch for switching the second load circuit switch, and/or is connected to the fan load circuit switch for switching the fan load circuit switch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Further details, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the drawing. It shows in:

[0053] FIG. 1 a schematic front view of a cooking device of the invention according to an embodiment,

[0054] FIG. 2 a schematic side view of the cooking device of the invention according to the embodiment, and

[0055] FIG. 3 a schematic view of the power supply of the cooking device of the invention according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] In the following, an embodiment of a cooking device 1 is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. This is a commercial cooking device 1, adapted as a combi steamer, with which both steam cooking and hot air cooking are possible.

[0057] Before going into detail on the principles of the present invention, it should be emphasized that in the context of this application the term cooking device is understood to include both commercial cooking devices and household cooking devices and, in general, food processing devices, which can perform both cold and hot processing of food and can comprise, for example, hot air steamers, combi-steamers, automatic drink dispensers, drink mixers, microwave devices and other food processing devices.

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of the cooking device 1. FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the cooking device 1. Accordingly, the cooking device 1 comprises a housing 2. A cooking chamber 3 is formed in the housing 2. The cooking chamber 3 is closed via a door 4. The door 4 is attached via door hinges 5, so that the door can be opened and closed.

[0059] A human machine interface (HMI), hereinafter referred to as HMI 6, is disposed above the door 4. The HMI 6 comprises a display 7, in particular adapted as a touch display. Furthermore, the HMI 6 can comprise one or multiple indicator lamp(s) 8 to display operating states of the cooking device 1. Furthermore, it is possible that the HMI 6 comprises further buttons or switches that can be actuated by the user correspondingly to control the cooking device 1.

[0060] Furthermore, the HMI 6 can be adapted for voice control and accordingly can comprise a microphone. It is further provided that the HMI 6 comprises at least one camera, for example to detect, which food are inserted into the cooking device 1 and/or to monitor the cooking chamber 3, for example to detect a cooking condition of the food or to detect a need for cleaning in the cooking chamber 3.

[0061] Furthermore, the cooking device 1 comprises a heating device 9. The heating device 9 comprises multiple heating elements 10, which, when supplied with a corresponding current, heat the cooking chamber 3. The heating device 9 further comprises a main contactor 11 and multiple heating switches 12, which are disposed between the main contactor 11 and the heating elements 10. The heating switches 12 are shown in the schematic diagram in FIG. 3.

[0062] The cooking device 1 further comprises a fan arrangement 13. The fan arrangement 13 comprises an electric motor 14 for driving a fan wheel 16. Furthermore, the fan arrangement 13 can comprise motor electronics 15 (see FIG. 3).

[0063] According to FIG. 2, a power supply device 30 is disposed in the housing 2 of the cooking device 1 as explained in the general part of the description. Both the power supply device 30 and the main contactor 11 of the heating device 9 can be connected to an AC terminal 100 via a connection cable 17.

[0064] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the power supply of the cooking device 1. The power supply device 30 is shown with its power supply device housing 42. Within the power supply device housing 42, an AC/DC converter 34 is disposed, which is connected with the connection cable 17. Further, the power supply device 30 can comprise an EMC filter 31 and a power monitoring module 32. The power monitoring module 32 is connected to a power monitoring bus 33. The power monitoring bus 33 can provide data to another element of the cooking device 1, in particular to the HMI 6.

[0065] Furthermore, the schematic diagram in FIG. 3 shows that the power supply device comprises a first load circuit terminal 35, a second load circuit terminal 36 and a fan load circuit terminal 37. The terminals 35, 36, 37 can be adapted in or on the power supply device housing 42. Further, it is also possible that corresponding cables extend from the power supply device housing 42 and the cables form the terminals 35, 36, 37.

[0066] Preferably, each terminal 35, 36, 37 is protected via an own fuse 38 of the power supply device 30.

[0067] The power supply device 30, in particular in the power supply device housing 42, comprises a first load circuit switch 39, a second load circuit switch 40 and a fan load circuit switch 41. With the first load circuit switch 39, the first load circuit terminal 35 is switchable. With the second load circuit switch 40, the second load circuit terminal 36 is switchable. With the fan load circuit switch 41, the fan load circuit terminal 37 is switchable.

[0068] The switches 39, 40, 41 in the power supply device 30 are in particular semiconductor relay switches or electromagnetic relay switches. The switches 39, 40, 41 can also comprise corresponding switch logic, which enables the switches 39, 40, 41 to process one or more input signals and to switch in dependency on the one or more input signals.

[0069] FIG. 3 further illustrates that a first load circuit 50, a second load circuit 51 and a fan load circuit 52 are provided in the cooking device. The first load circuit 50 is connected to the first load circuit terminal 35. The second load circuit 51 is connected to the second load circuit terminal 36. The fan load circuit 52 is connected to the fan load circuit terminal 37.

[0070] In the upper portion of FIG. 3, a first load assembly 53 is shown. The HMI 6, and possibly other load elements 56, is disposed in the first load assembly 53 as explained in the general part of the description.

[0071] The first load assembly 53 is primarily supplied with power via the first load circuit 50. However, it can be necessary, for example due to legal requirements, to arrange only loads with a maximum permissible total power in a load circuit. Therefore, within the scope of the present invention, it is preferably provided to assign at least one load element 56 to a load sub-assembly 55. The load sub-assembly 55 is supplied with power via the second load circuit 51. In this way, it is possible to distribute the different loads, depending on their power, to the two load circuits 50, 51.

[0072] Furthermore, a second load assembly 54 is defined. In the second load assembly 54, in particular loads are disposed, which are to be switched off, when the door 4 is opened, as explained in detail in the general part of the description. Accordingly, the heating switches 12 are disposed in the second load assembly 54. Furthermore, a circulation switch 57 can also be disposed in the second load assembly 54, as explained in detail in the general part of the description.

[0073] Furthermore, the second load assembly 54 can also comprise other load elements 56.

[0074] FIG. 3 further illustrates the structure of a door switch arrangement 60. In the embodiment shown, the door switch arrangement 60 comprises a first door switch 61 and a second door switch 62. As the illustration in FIG. 1 shows, the second door switch 62 is disposed closer to the door hinges 5. Both door switches 61, 62 react to a pivoting of the door 4, as explained in the general part of the description.

[0075] The door switch arrangement 60 comprises a door switch logic unit 63, for example adapted as a simple logic operator. In the embodiment shown, the two door switches 61, 62 are configured to allow current flow in the activated state, i.e., when the door 4 is close enough to the respective door switch 61, 62 (in particular, when the door switch 61, 62 is pressed by the door). In particular relevant in the arrangement shown according to FIG. 1 is the door switch 62, which is disposed closer to the door hinge 5. Only when the door 4 is opened far enough, in particular further than a gap of 50 mm, the door switch arrangement 60 interrupts a power supply to the second load assembly 54 via the second load circuit 51.

[0076] The first door switch 61 is in particular relevant for being able to change the attachment side (hinge side) of the door 4. If the door attachment is changed from the right position shown (see FIG. 1) to the left position, so that the door hinges 5 are disposed at the left with respect to the illustration in FIG. 1, the first door switch 61 is relevant.

[0077] The dashed line between the second load assembly 54 and the first load assembly 53 illustrates that the information via the position of the door 4, in particular door open and door closed, is also transmittable to loads, in particular the HMI 6, of the first load assembly 53.

[0078] Furthermore, a dashed line in FIG. 3 shows a connection of the door switch arrangement 60 with the fan load circuit switch 41. According to the schematic figure, it is possible to switch the fan load circuit switch 41 in dependency of the position of the door, as explained in the general part of the description.

[0079] As already explained, the heating device 9 comprises the main contactor 11, the multiple heating switches 12 and the multiple heating elements 10. FIG. 3 shows schematically at the lower left the heating switches 12 between the main contactor 11 and the heating elements 10. In the schematic representation, the heating switches 12 are also shown at the upper right at the second load assembly 54, since the heating switches 12 are associated with the second load assembly 54.

[0080] FIG. 3 further illustrates a safety circuit 70 with one or more safety temperature limiter(s) 71. The safety circuit 70 is connected to the first load circuit 50. Via the safety circuit 70, a main contactor switch 72 can be switched in the main contactor 11 to disconnect the heating device from the AC terminal 100. In particular, the second load circuit switch 40 and/or the fan load circuit switch 41 are also connected to the safety circuit 70, so that the two switches 40, 41 can also be switched off, when the main contactor switch 72 is switched off.

[0081] FIGS. 1 and 3 further show a device switch 80, which is disposed at the front side of the cooking device 1 according to the illustration in FIG. 1. The device switch 80 is connected to the first load circuit switch 39, the second load circuit switch 40 and the fan load circuit switch 41 and can selectively switch the switches 39, 40, 41 as explained in the general part of the description.

[0082] It will be understood that the power supply device 30 shown can comprise other load circuits. Thus, in particular, the second load circuit 51 with the associated second load circuit switch 40 is representative of further load circuits and further load circuit switches.

[0083] In addition to the foregoing written description of the invention, explicit reference is hereby made to the graphic representation of the invention in all of the figures for the purpose of supplementary disclosure thereof