FOOD TREATMENT DEVICE

Abstract

A food treatment appliance includes a muffle having a muffle interior. Arranged outside the muffle is a light-generating facility for radiating light into the muffle interior through an opening in the muffle. A light-distributing element is arranged in the muffle interior and configured to distribute light radiating in through the opening The light-generating facility and the light-distributing element are arranged such as to define a gap there between. The food treatment appliance can be applied to cooking devices having an oven functionality and/or microwave functionality.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A food treatment appliance, comprising: a muffle having a muffle interior; a light-generating facility arranged outside the muffle for radiating light into the muffle interior through an opening in the muffle; and a light-distributing element arranged in the muffle interior and configured to distribute light radiating in through the opening, wherein the light-generating facility and the light-distributing element are arranged such as to define a gap there between.

17. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, wherein the light-generating facility includes a light-guiding facility for guiding the light generated by it to the opening, the light-guiding facility ending in front of the opening and the light-distributing element being accommodated in its entirety in the muffle interior.

18. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, wherein the light-generating facility includes a light-guiding facility for guiding the light generated by it to the opening, the gap being located in its entirety within the muffle interior or in its entirety outside the muffle interior.

19. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, wherein the light-generating facility ends in front of the opening, and further comprising a reflector configured to laterally enclose a region between the light-generating facility and the opening.

20. The food treatment appliance of claim 19, wherein the light-generating facility includes a light-guiding facility for guiding the light generated by it to the opening, said region extending between the light-guiding facility of the light-generating facility and the opening.

21. The food treatment appliance of claim 19, wherein the reflector is connected in a fixed manner to the muffle and has an insertion aperture for the light-generating facility.

22. The food treatment appliance of claim 19, wherein the light-generating facility includes a light-guiding facility for guiding the light generated by it to the opening, said reflector being connected in a fixed manner to the muffle and has an insertion aperture for the light-guiding facility of the light-generating facility.

23. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, further comprising a cover element configured to cover the opening.

24. The food treatment appliance of claim 23, wherein the cover element includes a light-permeable panel or is embodied as a light-permeable panel.

25. The food treatment appliance of claim 23, wherein the cover element is a metal, light-permeable cover element, which is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the muffle.

26. The food treatment appliance of claim 25, wherein the metal, light-permeable cover element is an expanded sheet, a metal mesh or a metal web.

27. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, wherein the muffle has a side wall formed with an outward facing depression, in which the opening is located, said light-generating facility being arranged such as to have a main emission direction which is parallel to the side wall of the muffle.

28. The food treatment appliance of claim 27, wherein the side wall is vertically aligned, said depression having an elongated configuration and being aligned vertically or horizontally in the side wall, said light-distributing element being arranged in the depression.

29. The food treatment appliance of claim 27, wherein the light-distributing element is an optical transmitted light element that shields the depression from a remainder of the muffle interior, said light-distributing element having a face facing away from the muffle interior and having a lighting surface capable of being lit by the light radiated in.

30. The food treatment appliance of claim 29, wherein the lighting structure of the light-distributing element has a stepped surface structure.

31. The food treatment appliance of claim 29, wherein the lighting surface extends at an angle of inclination to a vertical over an entire length of the light-distributing element, so that the light from the opening strikes the face of the light-distributing element in a sweeping manner.

32. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, wherein the light-distributing element has an elongated lighting surface that is curved over a longitudinal extension of the light-distributing element.

33. The food treatment appliance of claim 16, wherein the light-distributing element has an elongated lighting surface that is curved over a transverse extension of the light-distributing element.

Description

[0045] The characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention as described above and the manner in which these are achieved will become clearer and easier to understand in conjunction with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment, which is explained in more detail in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a detail of a side view of a muffle of a cooking appliance according to a first exemplary embodiment together with a light-generating facility of the cooking appliance;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a shows a detail of the components from FIG. 1 viewed from above at an angle to a lateral region of the muffle;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a side view of the muffle of the cooking appliance according to the first exemplary embodiment shown as semi-transparent together with a light-distributing element accommodated in the muffle and the light-generating facility;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a detail viewed at an angle from above of a lateral region of the muffle of a cooking appliance according to a second exemplary embodiment together with a light-generating facility of this cooking appliance;

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a cover element for the cooking appliance according to the first exemplary embodiment viewed at an angle from above;

[0051] FIG. 6 shows a detail viewed at an angle from above of a lateral region of the muffle of the cooking appliance according to the first exemplary embodiment with the cover element from FIG. 5 in place;

[0052] FIG. 7 shows a detail viewed at an angle from above of the lateral region of the muffle of the cooking appliance according to the first exemplary embodiment with a different cover element fitted thereon;

[0053] FIG. 8 shows a detail viewed at an angle from above of a lateral region of the muffle of the cooking appliance according to the second exemplary embodiment shown as semi-transparent with a reflector element accommodated therein;

[0054] FIG. 9 shows the reflector element from FIG. 8 viewed at an angle from above;

[0055] FIG. 10 shows a lateral region of the cooking appliance according to the second exemplary embodiment viewed at an angle from above, said cooking appliance also having a reflector arranged outside the muffle;

[0056] FIG. 11 shows a sectional view from the side of a region of the cooking appliance according to the second exemplary embodiment with the reflector from FIG. 10;

[0057] FIG. 12 shows a sectional view from the side of an upper detail of the light-distributing element from FIG. 3;

[0058] FIG. 13 shows an outline of a sectional view from the side of the light-generating facility and the light-distributing element;

[0059] FIG. 14 shows a lower detail of the light-distributing element from FIG. 3 viewed at an angle from the rear;

[0060] FIG. 15 shows a top view of the light-distributing element; and

[0061] FIG. 16 shows a detail viewed from the side of a muffle of the cooking appliance according to the third exemplary embodiment shown as semi-transparent together with a light-distributing element accommodated in the muffle and a light-generating facility of said cooking appliance.

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a side view of different components of a food treatment appliance in the form of a cooking appliance 1, specifically a muffle 2 and a light-generating facility 3. It shows a left-hand side wall 4 and details of a rear wall 5, a top 6 and a base 7 of the metal muffle 2. These walls 4 to 7 of the muffle 2 together delimit a muffle interior M together with right-hand side wall (not shown). The cooking appliance 1 can have an oven functionality, for example in that it has one or more electric heating units (e.g. a top-heating unit, a bottom-heating unit, a hot-air heating unit, etc. (not shown)). Additionally or alternatively the cooking appliance 1 can have a microwave functionality and/or a steam-generating functionality.

[0063] The left-hand side wall 4 has a bulge or depression 8 that extends longitudinally in a vertical direction and faces outward. The depression 8 is approximately box-shaped with a top surface 9 extending vertically and an adjoining peripheral side surface 10. The side surface 10 is at an angle to the vertical.

[0064] The light-generating facility 3 is arranged above the depression 8 and has one or more light sources in the form of LEDs (not shown), which are accommodated in a light source unit 11 here so that they cannot be seen. The light generated by the LEDs of the light source unit 11 is coupled in at the front of a light-guiding facility in the form of a short bar-shaped light guide 12 made of glass. The light is guided in the light guide 12 and emitted again at an opposing end surface that serves as the light outlet surface 13. An electrical connector 14 and a fastening flap 15 of the light-generating facility 3 are also shown here. The light-generating facility 3 is not fastened directly to the muffle 2.

[0065] The light guide 12 ends in front of the side surface 10, in which there is an opening 16 opposite the light outlet surface 13. The light outlet surface 13 is thus at a distance from the opening 16 and not in mechanical contact therewith. The light guide 12 can radiate light through the opening 16 into the muffle interior M, principally or even solely into the associated depression 8. To this end the light guide 12 is aligned vertically so that the main emission direction of the light coupled out or emitted by the light outlet surface 13 is also aligned vertically downward.

[0066] FIG. 2 shows the components from FIG. 1 in a view at an angle from above of a left-hand region of the muffle 2. The opening 16 is located in an upper segment 17 of the side surface 10 and is configured here as a large hole incorporated in the upper segment 17. The opening 16 can be covered by a silicone or glass panel 23, in order to prevent the escape of heat and/or vapor and/or steam for example. The large, undivided opening 16 has the advantage that light can pass through practically without loss.

[0067] FIG. 3 shows a similar illustration of the cooking appliance 1 to the one in FIG. 1, the muffle 2 now being shown as semi-transparent at least in the region of the depression 8. Located in the depression 8 and therefore also in the muffle interior M is a light-distributing element 18 made of transparent glass for distributing light L, which can be radiated in through the opening 16, into the remainder of the muffle interior M. A gap S is therefore present between the light-generating facility 3 and the light-distributing element 18, the opening 16 being located therein.

[0068] The light-distributing element 18 is configured in the manner of an elongated plate and closes an aperture in the depression 8 off from the remainder of the muffle interior M. It can therefore also serve as a cover glass. It is arranged to stand upright, it being possible for a rear face 19 of the light-distributing element 18 to be radiated with the light L radiated in from the opening 16 (lighting surface). The light L is deflected by the light-distributing element 18 into the remainder of the muffle interior M (essentially downward at an angle, as shown by the associated dotted arrows). The light-distributing element 18 is therefore an optical transmitted light element. It has a surface structure 21 to deflect the light L at the associating lighting surface 20.

[0069] The lighting surface 20 extends with only a slight angle of inclination to the vertical over practically the entire length of the light-distributing element 18, so that the light L from the opening 16 strikes the rear face 19 in a sweeping manner and lights it over practically its entire height. The light-distributing element 18 therefore also emits the light L over its entire length or height at its front face 22. Because the light-distributing element 18 is so long or high that it extends over almost the entire height (i.e. over at least 60%, in particular over at least 75% of the height) of the muffle interior M, a number of insertion levels of the cooking appliance 1 can be lit at the same time, even if a number of inserts are in place.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows a view at an angle from above of a lateral region of a muffle 32 of a cooking appliance 31 together with the light-generating facility 3. The cooking appliance 31 differs from the cooking appliance 1 in that there is an opening 33 in the form of a number of (in this instance eight) comparatively small holes 34 on the upper face or in the upper segment 35 of the side surface 36. This opening 33 has the advantage that microwave radiation cannot escape from the muffle 32. There is therefore no need to fit an additional microwave seal. The holes can have a diameter between one and five millimeters for example.

[0071] FIG. 5 shows a microwave-proof cover element 41 in the form of a bent perforated sheet with a number of regularly arranged holes 42. The cover element 41 can be placed on the opening 16 of the muffle 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 (from the inside or outside) in order to achieve a particularly high level of modularity. Such a cover element 41 can thus cover the opening 16 as required, then serving as a microwave shield. The cover element 41 has the same advantages as the opening 33 of the cooking appliance 31 and allows the same muffle 2 to be used for cooking appliances 1 with and without microwave function.

[0072] The cover element 41 is made of metal and is connected to the depression 8 in an electrically conducting manner. To this end the cover element 41 has four longitudinal holes 43 and 44, which can be used to screw it to the depression 8, as shown in FIG. 6. The cover element 41 can be configured as a metal film, the thickness of which is smaller than a wall thickness of the muffle 2, thereby allowing greater freedom of configuration in respect of the density of the holes 42.

[0073] The cover element 41 has flaps 45 bent in the direction of the depression 8 at the edges, in order to achieve elastically resilient and therefore particularly secure positioning on the depression 8.

[0074] The cover element 41 can also be implemented in the form of a simplerfor example straightperforated sheet 46 (as shown during positioning from the inside in FIG. 7) or in the form of expanded sheet. A microwave-proof cover element 41 can also be configured as a metal mesh or metal web.

[0075] With the muffle 32 shown as semi-transparent FIG. 8 shows a reflector element accommodated in the depression 8 in the form of a reflector sheet 47. FIG. 9 shows the reflector sheet 47 viewed at an angle from the front. The light-distributing element 18 can be held, for example clamped, in two flap-type upper and lower end regions 48a and 48b. A recess 49 is incorporated in the upper end region 48a to allow the light L to reach the light-distributing element 18. This allows the light L to reach an intermediate space between the light-distributing element 18 and the reflector sheet 47. The reflector sheet 47 allows light radiated onto the inner face of the top surface 9 of the depression to be deflected onto the light-distributing element 18, increasing the light output. The reflector sheet 47 can also have a strip-type reflection region 50 between the end regions 48a and 48b, configured to reflect in a specular or diffuse manner on the muffle side. On the wall side the reflector sheet 47 has a number of bolts 51 (see also Fig. and FIG. 6), which can be guided out through corresponding holes 51a (see also FIG. 7) in the muffle 32 and screwed into place there. This allows the reflector sheet 47 to rest securely on and cover the inner face of the top surface 9.

[0076] The reflector sheet 47 can be used in the muffle 2 in a similar manner. In particular the bolts 51 can also then be used to fasten the cover element 41 (see also FIG. 6).

[0077] In an alternative development the sheet is not a reflector sheet 47 but just has a mounting function without an essential reflection function (mounting sheet).

[0078] FIG. 10 shows the components of the cooking appliance 31 shown in FIG. 4 in a view similar to the one in FIG. 4. A funnel-shaped reflector attachment 52 is now also positioned on the muffle 32 and the reflector attachment 52 here is arranged above the opening 33. To this end the reflector attachment 52 is screwed to the top surface 9 of the depression, for example to the bolts 51, by means of a flap-type fastening region 53. The reflector attachment 52 narrows upward from the opening 33 in the direction of the light guide 12, forms an insertion aperture for the light guide 12 at its narrowest point 54 and then widens again, as shown in FIG. 11. The reflector attachment 52 therefore encloses the sides of a spatial region between the light outlet surface 13 of the light guide 12 and the opening 12.

[0079] The reflector attachment 52 allows light L, which exits at an angle from the light guide 12 and does not pass directly through the holes 34 into the muffle interior M but is reflected off the enclosing material of the depression 8, to be reflected back onto the opening 33, so that the light output increases. The reflector attachment 52 also serves as an incorporation aid when assembling the light guide 12 and ensures that no insulating material passes between the light guide 12 and the holes 34. This structure is affected by tolerances to a much lesser degree than a long light guide which is fastened to a fan and at the same time is concealed in the muffle 32 (which expands when the temperature increases).

[0080] Afor example transparentcover for example in the form of a steam seal (not shown) can be arranged between the reflector attachment 52 and the muffle 32, being made of silicone or glass for example.

[0081] The reflector attachment 52 can also be used with the cooking appliance 1.

[0082] FIG. 12 shows a sectional view from the side of an upper detail of the light-distributing element 18. Its rear face 19 has a stepped surface structure 21, while the front face 22 facing the muffle interior M outside the depression 8 is smooth. The front face 22 can be configured as anti-reflective in order to configure the coupling out of light particularly effectively. To this end the front face 22 can be roughened or have an anti-reflection coating. The rear face 19 can also be configured as anti-reflective to couple light in more effectively. The front face 22 can also be provided with a rough surface in order to act as a homogenizing diffuser.

[0083] The light L coupled out by the light guide 12 generates a light spot in the region of the surface structure 21. The light spot corresponds to a projection of the incident light beam onto the light-distributing element 18 and the lighting surface 20 also has the surface structure 21. The surface structure 21 has a stepped shape or zig-zag shape in cross section, causing the light L that is incident vertically from above to be emitted in a downward direction at an angle (as shown by the dotted arrow) from the front face 22 into the muffle interior M. This increases the efficiency of the manner in which food present in the muffle interior M is lit.

[0084] In order for the light L to be deflected downward at the front, an angle of an angled sub-region 55 of the stepped surface structure 20 is advantageously 45 or more to a main radiation direction of the light S (in this instance corresponding to the vertical), as outlined in FIG. 13.

[0085] FIG. 14 shows a lower detail from the light-distributing element 18 looking toward its rear face 19. Although the surface structure 21 extends over practically the entire height of the rear face 19, it does not need to cover its entire width as well. Instead it only has to be as wide as the light spot so that there can be smooth surface regions 56 in addition to the surface structure 21 (where the lighting surface is also located) on the rear face 19. This simplifies production of the light-distributing element 18.

[0086] The light-distributing element 18 can couple the light out homogeneously over its height at the front. To achieve particularly homogeneous lighting, the lighting surface 20 or the surface structure 21 can have a parabolic basic shape or profile along its length (in this instance in the vertical direction). The individual steps are then arranged one behind the other along a parabolic path.

[0087] In order to distribute the light L even more effectivelyin particular even more homogeneouslythe structure can also be bent in the transverse direction, as shown in the top view in FIG. 15.

[0088] If individual spatial regions of the muffle interior M are to be lit particularly in a specific manner, for example only spatial regions next to and/or above baking sheetsthis can be achieved for example by way of suddenly increasing steps or a zig-zag structure, in which in particular the depth of adjacent steps changes significantly.

[0089] FIG. 16 shows a diagram of a cooking appliance 57 similar to the one in FIG. 3 with a light-distributing element 58 accommodated in its muffle 2. The cooking appliance 57 differs from the cooking appliance 1 in the shape and arrangement of the light-distributing element 58 compared with the light-distributing element 18. In the case of the light-distributing element 58 the light L is coupled into an upper edge or narrow face (not by way of the rear face) and coupled out after passing through the light-distributing element 58, over the surface of an optionally also unstructured front face 59 and also distributed over the height. The upper edge of the light-distributing element 58, which serves as a coupling in surface for the light L, is advantageously perpendicular to the incident light L here. A rear face 60 of the light-distributing element 58 can be curved, for example parabolic, in the longitudinal direction (in other words along the vertical direction here), the curvature advantageously being initially flat (in other words deviating little from the vertical) and then becoming steeper (in other words deviating more from the vertical). This allows the light-distributing element 58 to become increasingly narrow in the light radiation direction.

[0090] A for example surface-type structure can also be provided on the front face 59 and/or on the rear face 60.

[0091] The above cooking appliances 1, 21 and 57 can be configured correspondingly in particular on their right-hand side walls.

[0092] The present invention is of course not restricted to the illustrated exemplary embodiment.

[0093] The light-generating facility can also radiate its light from below or from the side into the depression and be arranged correspondingly below or to the side of the depression.

[0094] A number of light-generating and light-distributing structures can also be present on a side wall, for example a number of light-generating facilities 3, depressions 8 and light-distributing elements 18 or 58, etc.

[0095] Generally one can refer to a single one or a number, in particular in the sense of at least one, one or more, etc., unless this is specifically excluded, for example by the expression just one, etc.

[0096] Also a number can cover both the number specified as well as a standard tolerance range, unless this is specifically excluded.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0097] 1 Cooking appliance [0098] 2 Muffle [0099] 3 Light-generating facility [0100] 4 Right-hand side wall of muffle [0101] 5 Rear wall of muffle [0102] 6 Top of muffle [0103] 7 Base of muffle [0104] 8 Depression [0105] 9 Top surface of depression [0106] 10 Side surface of depression [0107] 11 Light source unit [0108] 12 Light guide [0109] 13 Light outlet surface [0110] 14 Electrical connector [0111] 15 Fastening flap [0112] 16 Opening [0113] 17 Upper segment of side surface [0114] 18 Light-distributing element [0115] 19 Rear face of light-distributing element [0116] 20 Lighting surface [0117] 21 Surface structure [0118] 22 Front face of light-distributing element [0119] 23 Glass panel [0120] 31 Cooking appliance [0121] 32 Muffle [0122] 33 Opening [0123] 34 Hole [0124] 35 Upper segment [0125] 36 Side surface [0126] 41 Cover element [0127] 42 Hole [0128] 43 Longitudinal hole [0129] 44 Longitudinal hole [0130] 45 Flap [0131] 46 Perforated sheet [0132] 47 Reflector sheet [0133] 48a Upper end region of reflector sheet [0134] 48b Lower end region of reflector sheet [0135] 49 Recess [0136] 50 Reflection region [0137] 51 Bolt [0138] 51a Hole for bolt [0139] 52 Reflector attachment [0140] 53 Fastening region [0141] 54 Narrowest point of reflector attachment [0142] 55 Angled sub-region of stepped surface structure [0143] 56 Smooth surface region [0144] 57 Cooking appliance [0145] 58 Light-distributing element [0146] 59 Front face of light-distributing element [0147] 60 Rear face of light-distributing element