Cooking appliance

Abstract

A cooking appliance apparatus includes at least one fan unit having at least one fan wheel which is mounted for rotation about a rotation axis. A heating element is provided to heat the fan wheel in at least one operating state, with the heating element being configured as an induction heating element.

Claims

1. A cooking appliance apparatus, comprising: a fan unit including a fan wheel mounted for rotation about a rotation axis, the fan wheel having a side region and a rear face, the fan wheel generating at least one air flow when rotated about the rotation axis; and a heating element configured to heat the fan wheel in an operating state, the heating element forming a holding region for holding the fan wheel and enclosing a partial region of the fan wheel when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, said heating element being configured as an induction heating element to heat the fan wheel along both the side region and the rear face.

2. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating element has an electrical conductor, which is configured substantially rigid.

3. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conductor is at least partially wound at least essentially concentrically about the rotation axis.

4. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conductor has windings arranged in at least two different planes, wherein a first plane of the two different planes is disposed above the rear face and a second plane of the two different planes is disposed along the side region.

5. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a muffle rear wall, wherein the different planes are aligned at least essentially parallel to the muffle rear wall.

6. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conductor has a stepped configuration when viewed in a cross-sectional plane, which includes the rotation axis.

7. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cooking appliance rear wall, said heating element configured to heat the cooking appliance rear wall in the operating state.

8. The cooking appliance apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heating element and the fan wheel are arranged behind the cooking appliance rear wall when viewed from a front face.

9. A cooking appliance, comprising a cooking appliance apparatus, said cooking appliance apparatus comprising a fan unit including a fan wheel mounted for rotation about a rotation axis, the fan wheel having a side region and a rear face, the fan wheel generating at least one airflow when rotated about the rotation axis, and a heating element configured to heat the fan wheel in an operating state, the heating element forming a holding region for holding the fan wheel and enclosing a partial region of the fan wheel when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, said heating element being configured as an induction heating element to heat the fan wheel along both the side region and the rear face.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 9, wherein the heating element has an electrical conductor, which is configured substantially rigid.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein the conductor is at least partially wound at least essentially concentrically about the rotation axis.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein the conductor has windings arranged in at least two different planes, wherein a first plane of the two different planes is disposed above the rear face and a second plane of the two different planes is disposed along the side region.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 12, wherein the cooking appliance apparatus includes a muffle rear wall, wherein the different planes are aligned at least essentially parallel to the muffle rear wall.

14. The cooking appliance of claim 10, wherein the conductor has a stepped configuration when viewed in a cross-sectional plane, which includes the rotation axis.

15. The cooking appliance of claim 9, wherein the cooking appliance apparatus includes a cooking appliance rear wall, said heating element configured to heat the cooking appliance rear wall in the operating state.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the heating element and the fan wheel are arranged behind the cooking appliance rear wall when viewed from a front face.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a cooking appliance with a cooking appliance apparatus,

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a fan unit, a heating element, a cooking appliance rear wall and a muffle rear wall of the cooking appliance apparatus,

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a fan unit, a heating element, a cooking appliance rear wall and a muffle rear wall of an alternative cooking appliance apparatus, and

(4) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a fan unit, a heating element and a cooking appliance rear wall of an alternative cooking appliance apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows a cooking appliance 38a with a cooking appliance apparatus 10a. The cooking appliance could be configured as a grill appliance and/or a microwave appliance for example. In the present exemplary embodiment the cooking appliance 38a is configured as an oven.

(6) The cooking appliance apparatus 10a has a muffle 44a. The muffle 44a partially delimits a cooking appliance interior 46a. The muffle 44a essentially delimits the cooking appliance interior 46a together with a cooking appliance door 48a. The cooking appliance apparatus 10a comprises the cooking appliance door 48a.

(7) The muffle 44a has a muffle base, a muffle top, two muffle side walls and a muffle rear wall 34a. The muffle base, the muffle top, the muffle side walls and the muffle rear wall 34a, together with the cooking appliance door 48a, essentially define the cooking appliance interior 46a.

(8) The cooking appliance apparatus 10a has a fan unit 12a (see FIG. 2). The fan unit 12a has a fan wheel 16a, which can be rotated about a rotation axis 14a. The fan unit 12a generates an air flow by means of the fan wheel 16a in an operating state.

(9) When viewed from a front face the fan unit 12a is arranged in a rear region of the cooking appliance interior 46a. The fan unit 12a is arranged in proximity to the muffle rear wall 34a.

(10) The fan unit 12a has a fan shaft 50a. The fan shaft 50a couples the fan wheel 16a to the muffle rear wall 34a. The fan shaft 50a supports the fan wheel 16a in such a manner that it can be rotated relative to the muffle rear wall 34a. The rotation axis 14a runs essentially centrally through the fan shaft 50a. The fan shaft 50a essentially defines the rotation axis 14a.

(11) The cooking appliance apparatus 10a has an operator interface 40a for inputting and/or selecting operating parameters, for example a heating power and/or a heating power density and/or a heating zone. The operator interface 40a is provided to output a value of an operating parameter to an operator.

(12) The cooking appliance apparatus 10a has a control unit 42a. The control unit 42a is provided to perform actions and/or change settings as a function of operating parameters input by means of the operator interface 40a. In a heating operating state the control unit 42a regulates an energy supply to at least one heating element 18a (see FIG. 2).

(13) The cooking appliance apparatus 10a has a heating element 18a. For example the cooking appliance apparatus could have at least one further heating element and in particular at least two, advantageously at least three, particularly advantageously at least five and preferably a number of, further heating elements, in particular in addition to the heating element. Only one of the further heating elements is described below. The further heating element could be provided for example to generate top heat and/or bottom heat and could be arranged in particular in proximity to a muffle top and/or a muffle base.

(14) In the operating state the heating element 18a is provided to heat the fan wheel 16a. In the operating state the heating element 18a heats the fan wheel 16a. The heating element 18a is arranged in proximity to the fan wheel 16a.

(15) In a method for operating the cooking appliance apparatus 10a the fan wheel 16a is heated inductively in the operating state. In the operating state the heating element 18a heats the fan wheel 16a inductively. The heating element 18a is configured as an induction heating element.

(16) The heating element 18a has an electrical conductor 20a (see FIG. 2). The conductor 20a is configured as essentially rigid. The conductor 20a is wound into a coil. In the present exemplary embodiment the conductor 20a is partially wound essentially concentrically about the rotation axis 14a.

(17) Windings of the conductor 20a are arranged in different planes 24a, 26a, 28a, 30a, 32a. In the present exemplary embodiment windings of the conductor 20a are arranged in five different planes 24a, 26a, 28a, 30a, 32a. The planes 24a, 26a, 28a, 30a, 32a, in which windings of the conductor 20a are arranged, are aligned essentially perpendicular to the rotation axis 14a. The planes 24a, 26a, 28a, 30a, 32a, in which windings of the conductor 20a are arranged, are arranged essentially parallel to the muffle rear wall 34a.

(18) When viewed in a cross-sectional plane, which includes the rotation axis 14a, the conductor 20a has a stepped configuration. The conductor 20a has a stepped configuration from the rotation axis 14a in the cross-sectional plane. In the cross-sectional plane the conductor 20a is arranged essentially with mirror symmetry in relation to the rotation axis 14a. The stepped configuration of the conductor 20a allows it to form a holding region for holding the fan wheel 16a.

(19) The heating element 18a heats the fan wheel 16a from a side region of the fan wheel 16a over essentially the entire circumference of the fan wheel 16a in the operating state. In the operating state the heating element 18a heats the fan wheel 16a from a rear face of the fan wheel 16a. In the operating state the heating element 18a also heats a cooking appliance rear wall 36a. In the operating state the heating element 18a is also provided to heat the cooking appliance rear wall 36a.

(20) The cooking appliance apparatus 10a comprises the cooking appliance rear wall 36a. The cooking appliance rear wall 36a is arranged within the cooking appliance interior 46a. The cooking appliance rear wall 36 partially delimits a cooking chamber. The cooking appliance rear wall 36a, together with the muffle top, the muffle base, the muffle side walls and the cooking appliance door 48a, essentially delimits the cooking chamber. The cooking appliance rear wall 36a is arranged in front of the muffle rear wall 34a when viewed from a front face.

(21) The heating element 18a and the fan wheel 16a are arranged behind the cooking appliance rear wall 36a when viewed from a front face. The heating element 18a and the fan wheel 16a are arranged between the cooking appliance rear wall 36a and the muffle rear wall 34a when viewed from a front face. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan wheel 16a is configured as an axial fan.

(22) FIGS. 3 and 4 show two further exemplary embodiments of the invention. The descriptions which follow are limited essentially to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, it being possible to refer to the description of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 for components, features and functions that remain the same. To distinguish between the exemplary embodiments, the letter a in the reference characters of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 has been replaced by the letters b and c in the reference characters of the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 3 and 4. It is possible in principle also to refer to the drawings and/or description of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 and 2 for components of identical designation, in particular for components with identical reference characters.

(23) FIG. 3 shows a fan unit 12b, a heating element 18b, a cooking appliance rear wall 36b and a muffle rear wall 34b of an alternative cooking appliance apparatus 10b. The fan unit 12b has a fan wheel 16b, which can be rotated about a rotation axis 14b. In the present exemplary embodiment the fan wheel 16b is configured as a radial fan.

(24) FIG. 4 shows a fan unit 12c, a heating element 18c and a cooking appliance rear wall 36c of an alternative cooking appliance apparatus 10c. The fan unit 12c has a fan wheel 16c, which can be rotated about a rotation axis 14c. The heating element 18c is provided to heat the fan wheel 16c in an operating state.

(25) The heating element 18c has an electrical conductor 20c (see FIG. 2). The conductor 20c is configured as essentially rigid. The conductor 20c is wound into a coil. In the present exemplary embodiment the conductor 20c essentially partially encloses partial regions 22c of the fan wheel 16c when viewed along a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 14c.