VACUUM DRAWER FOR VACUUMING FOOD

Abstract

A vacuum drawer for vacuuming food comprises a vacuum chamber (20) which can be closed in an airtight manner by a cover (21) which can be actuated and an installation unit (40) to which a vacuum pump can be connected. To be able to generate an external vacuum, the vacuum drawer comprises a connector part (41) which is releasably connectable to the installation unit (40) (FIG. 2).

Claims

1. A vacuum drawer for vacuuming food having a vacuum chamber (20) which can be closed in an airtight manner by a cover (21) which can be actuated and having an installation unit (40) to which a vacuum pump can be connected, comprising a connector part (41) which is releasably connectable to the installation unit (40).

2. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector part (41) is connectable or connected, preferably releasably, to a suction hose.

3. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector part (41) has one or more magnets (62).

4. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the installation unit (40) has a support part (44) which is preferably ferromagnetic.

5. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the installation unit (40) has a sensor (61).

6. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 5, wherein the sensor (61) is arranged at the support part (44).

7. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connector part (41) has a water barrier (47).

8. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1, wherein the installation unit (40) has a superfine filter (51) against foreign bodies.

9. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 7, wherein the water barrier (47) is configured as a membrane.

10. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 9, wherein the membrane is clamped.

11. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 9, wherein the membrane is supported by a support structure (63).

12. A connector part for the vacuum pump of a vacuum drawer for vacuuming food having a vacuum chamber (20) which can be closed in an airtight manner by a cover (21) which can be actuated, wherein the connector part (41) is releasably connectable to an installation unit (40) for the vacuum pump.

13. A piece of furniture, in particular a kitchen drawer, having a built-in vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 1.

14. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 2, wherein the connector part (41) has one or more magnets (62).

15. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 14, wherein the installation unit (40) has a support part (44) which is preferably ferromagnetic.

16. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 3, wherein the installation unit (40) has a support part (44) which is preferably ferromagnetic.

17. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 2, wherein the installation unit (40) has a support part (44) which is preferably ferromagnetic.

18. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 17, wherein the installation unit (40) has a sensor (61).

19. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 16, wherein the installation unit (40) has a sensor (61).

20. A vacuum drawer in accordance with claim 15, wherein the installation unit (40) has a sensor (61).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further advantages and properties of the invention will be explained in more detail in the following with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. There are shown:

[0027] FIGS. 1a-1d the vacuum drawer in accordance with the invention from four different perspectives;

[0028] FIG. 2 the vacuum chamber of the vacuum drawer with an installation unit and a connector part in a perspective exploded representation;

[0029] FIG. 3 the vacuum chamber with the installation unit and the connector part in a lateral exploded representation in section;

[0030] FIG. 4 a detail from FIG. 4 in an enlarged representation;

[0031] FIG. 5 the installation unit and the connector part in the installed stage;

[0032] FIG. 6 the connector part in an enlarged sectional representation; and

[0033] FIG. 7 the connector part shown in FIG. 6 in a perspective exploded representation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The four FIGS. 1a-1d show the vacuum drawer in accordance with the invention from four different perspectives. FIG. 1a shows a perspective representation from the top right; FIG. 1b corresponds to a side view; FIG. 1c to a plan view; and FIG. 1d to a frontal view. The drawer is suitable for use in a piece of kitchen furniture since it is characterized by an installation height of approximately 140 mm and accordingly corresponds to the standard dimension of fitted kitchens.

[0035] The vacuum drawer comprises a drawer extension 10 which is longitudinally displaceably guided over lateral guide rails in a drawer carcass 12. In the embodiment shown, the front cover 11 is handle-less and the drawer extension is designed as a push-pull device for opening and closing. A vacuum chamber 20 is supported within the drawer extension and is fluidically coupled to a vacuum pump of the vacuum drawer to pump the air out of the closed vacuum chamber 20. The vacuum chamber 20 can be closed in an airtight manner via the cover 21 pivotably mounted to the chamber 20. The cover 21 itself can be produced from glass for design reasons.

[0036] A sealing bar 22, which extends in the chamber interior in the extension direction of the drawer, serves for the sealing of an inserted bag. A bag filled with food is placed into the chamber 20 for vacuuming and the cover 21 is closed in an airtight manner. The bag can be sealed by means of the sealing bar 22 after the evacuation of the chamber 20 by means of the vacuum pump, not shown. For this purpose, the bag opening to be sealed is placed onto the sealing bar 22 which presses it against a contact point after the vacuuming and seals it by the effect of heat. The bar 22 can be pressed either to a counter-pressing bar 23 fastened to the cover 21 or against an alternative pressing surface.

[0037] The vacuum pump is seated behind the chamber 20 at the rear part of the drawer extension 10. The vacuum pump is fluidically coupled to the vacuum chamber 20 and pumps the air out of the chamber 20 to generate the vacuum. Due to the base-side installation of the vacuum pump at the drawer extension 11, the pump is moved along with the chamber 20 on the moving out of the drawer extension 11. The vacuum pump is configured as an oil-lubricated rotary vane vacuum pump.

[0038] The vacuum drawer comprises an installation unit 40 to which a vacuum pump can be connected, as is in particular shown in FIG. 2. The valve 30 can be connected to a power source by electrical contacts 31. The valve 30 furthermore comprises an intake port 42 whose opening faces the vacuum chamber 20. A vacuum pump (not shown in the drawing) can be connected to the valve 30.

[0039] The installation unit 40 comprises a filter part 43, a fastening part 43, a support part 44 and the valve 30. A connector part 41 is releasably connectable to the installation unit 40. The connector part 41 comprises a base part 45, a cover part 46 and a water barrier 47 which is clamped between the base part 45 and the cover part 46. The cover part 46 has an intake port 48 at its side facing the vacuum chamber 20. The water barrier 47 is configured as a membrane. It is clamped in by the O ring 49. A suction hose is connectable or connected, preferably releasably, (not shown in the drawing) to the intake port 48.

[0040] The filter part 42 comprises a housing 50 in which a fine screen 51 is fastened. The fine screen 51 is pressed onto a projection of the housing 50 by a pressing ring 52. It comprises a metal braiding. The metal braiding preferably has a mesh size <0.20 mm, further preferably a mesh size <0.10 mm, particularly preferably a mesh size <0.08 mm. The housing 50 of the filter part 42 is sealed with respect to the base part 45 of the connector part 41 in the installed state by a sealing ring 53. The fine screen 51 prevents a penetration of foreign bodies into the valve 30 of the vacuum pump.

[0041] The fastening part 43 comprises a fastening section 54 and a contact section 55. It is sealed by a sealing ring 56 with respect to the housing 50 of the filter part 42. The sealing ring 56 is located at the outer periphery of the contact section 55. It contacts the inner periphery of the housing 50 in the installed state.

[0042] The installation unit 40 is fastened to a substantially vertical side wall 57 of the vacuum chamber 20. For this purpose, the side wall 57 has an opening 58 whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the fastening section 54 of the fastening part 43. The diameter of the contact section 55 of the fastening part 43 is larger than the opening 58. In the installed state, the contact section 55 contacts the surroundings of the opening 58. The fastening section 54 passes through the opening 58 to the outside. It can be screwed to the intake port 32 of the valve 30 there.

[0043] The support part 44 comprises a metal sheet 59 composed of a ferromagnetic material. The metal sheet 59 is substantially planar. It has a central opening 60 whose diameter is larger than the fastening section 54 of the fastening part 43 and is also larger than the end of the intake port 32 of the valve 30 facing the fastening part 43.

[0044] The support part 44 furthermore comprises a sensor 61 which is configured as a reed sensor. The sensor 61 is located at the side of the side wall 57 remote from the fastening part 43. It indicates the installed state of the connector part 41.

[0045] Magnets 62 are arranged in the base part 45 of the connector part 41. Three magnets 62 are present in the embodiment. They are distributed evenly over the periphery of the base part 45. The magnets 62 are located in recesses on the side of the base part 45 facing the side wall 57. One of the magnets 62 is located in the region of the sensor 61. The magnets 62 have the effect by their cooperation with the metal sheet 59 of the support part 44 that, on the one hand, the connector part 41 is held fast at the side wall 57 of the vacuum chamber 20 in the installed state and that, on the other hand, the sensor 61 indicates the installed state of the connector part 41 at the side wall 57.

[0046] The water barrier 47 configured as a membrane is supported by a support structure 63. The support structure 63 is provided in the base part 45 of the connector part 41. It comprises a plurality of fins 64 which are evenly distributed over the periphery of the base part 45. The fins 64 each extend inwardly from the inner side of the outer periphery of the base part 45. They extend over approximately a third of the diameter of the base part 45. Their areal extent extends in the direction of flow, that is in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connector part 41. The cover part 46 has corresponding counter-fins 65. The membrane which forms the water barrier 47 is clamped between the fins 64 and the counter-fins 65 and is secured against deformation.

[0047] In operation, the installation unit 40 is first fastened to the vertical side wall 57 of the vacuum chamber 20. The filter part 42 is then visible for the viewer seen from the vacuum chamber 20. In this state, a vacuum for vacuuming food can be generated in the vacuum drawer. The cover 21 is closed for this purpose. The vacuum pump is subsequently switched on, which can take place automatically by the closing of the cover.

[0048] If an external vacuum is to be generated, the connector part 41 can be connected with an open cover 21 to the installation unit 40, that is to the filter part 42. The sensor 61 by which it can be displayed that there is a need for an external vacuum is actuated by the magnets 62. The control of the vacuum drawer is changed from the function internal vacuum to the function external vacuum. The software of the control can in particular recognize via the sensor 61 that an external vacuum is desired.

[0049] At the same time, the connector part 41 is fixed to the filter part 42 and thus also to the side wall 57 by its magnets 62 and their cooperation with the ferromagnetic support part 44. An external vacuum is generated at the intake port 48 of the connector part 41 by the vacuum pump. The connector part 41 is additionally held at the filter part 42 and thus also at the side wall 57 by this vacuum. The external vacuum can also be generated at a location further away (now shown in the drawing) by a suction hose which is connected, preferably releasably, to the intake port 48.

[0050] The vacuum pump can be switched off by the actuation of a switch (stop switch). The vacuum pump can furthermore switch itself off after reaching a certain vacuum value. When the vacuum pump has been switched off and if an external vacuum is no longer applied, the connector part 41 can be released from the filter part 42 and from the side wall 57 in a simple manner. It only has to be pulled off against the force of the magnets 62. The actuation of the sensor 61 can thereby also be canceled, whereby the control can again be changed to the function internal vacuum.

[0051] During vacuuming, the air flows through the intake port 48, the inner region of the cover part 46, the water barrier 47, the inner region of the base part 45, the fine screen 51, the inner region of the housing 50, and the central opening 66 of the fastening part 43 into the intake port 32 of the valve 30.