The present disclosure relates to a household appliance for cooking dishes that finds useful application in the kitchen equipment sector.
Suction stovetops have long been known, that is, equipment for cooking food that combines a stovetop and a suction hood in a single household appliance.
This type of equipment has a suction opening made on the stovetop in the vicinity of the food cooking regions, and a suction unit fluid-dynamically connected to the suction opening to generate a suction flow through the latter.
The suction opening can have various geometries as well as arrangements on the stovetop. For example, suction stovetops with central suction openings of circular geometry but also peripheral and quadrangular geometry are known.
An example of such suction stovetops can be found in DE102013007722B4 wherein a suction duct extends between a first portion that geometrically traces the suction opening and a second portion associated with the suction unit.
Another example of such stovetops can be found in WO2019096701A1 in which the suction duct, similarly to what is shown in DE102013007722B4, extends along a predetermined path between a first portion surrounding the suction opening and a second portion associated with the suction unit.
It should be noted that in known stovetops the geometry and arrangement of the suction opening requires the use of specific suction ducts that fluid-dynamically connect it to the suction unit. This is confirmed by what is stated on page 14, lines 9-10 of WO2019096701A1 (“Der Verbindungskanal 34 weist eine Abmes-sung auf, die der Länge der Aussparung 20 entspricht”) which highlights a clear geometric/dimensional link between the dimension of the suction duct and the suction opening.
It is therefore evident that the design of a range of suction hoods having different geometries and arrangements of the suction opening is particularly time-consuming and costly.
It should also be noted that the variability of the geometry and arrangement of the suction opening, in addition to the design, also complicates the production of a range of suction stovetops with different arrangements and shapes of the suction opening. In fact, in this case, it is necessary to organize the supply of different components, as well as to instruct the personnel or program the production lines to carry out different assembly operations depending on the arrangement and geometry of the suction opening.
The critical issues highlighted above are emphasized if the suction stovetop has a plurality of suction openings, each of which may have different geometries and arrangements on the stovetop.
In this context, the technical task underlying the present disclosure is to propose a household appliance for cooking dishes which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.
In particular, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a household appliance for cooking dishes that facilitates the design and manufacture of a range of products with different arrangements and geometries of the suction opening for fumes on the stovetop.
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a household appliance capable of guaranteeing a high flexibility of arrangement and geometry in the design of the suction opening on the stovetop.
In accordance with the present disclosure, the technical task indicated and the specified objects are achieved by a household appliance for cooking dishes in accordance with one or more of the claims below.
In detail, the household appliance for cooking dishes extends along a height, width and depth direction forming a three-dimensional reference system.
This household appliance comprises a stovetop, which extends mainly along the width and depth direction, having at least one suction opening for cooking fumes.
The household appliance also comprises a downdraft hood having a box-like body that extends below the stovetop along the height direction. This box-like body defines an internal volume accessible by means of a connection opening that places it in fluid communication with the suction opening of the stovetop.
The downdraft hood further comprises a suction unit arranged in the box-like body and having a discharge duct protruding from the box-like body. In use, the suction unit is configured to generate a suction flow of the cooking fumes directly along a fluid-dynamic path extending from the suction opening of the stovetop to the discharge duct, passing through the connection opening.
A filter unit, configured to filter greases and/or odours present in the cooking fumes, is arranged along the fluid-dynamic path between the suction opening and the suction unit.
The household appliance further comprises a suction manifold interposed between the stovetop and the box-like body along the height direction. This manifold defines a suction chamber placed in fluid connection with the suction opening and with the connection opening.
Advantageously, the suction chamber extends, below the stovetop, mainly along the width and depth direction so that, regardless of the location of the suction opening on the stovetop, it is fluid-dynamically connected to the suction unit.
It is therefore evident that the household appliance according to the present disclosure allows, without varying the geometry of the manifold or of the downdraft hood, to freely position the suction opening on the stovetop, thereby achieving the aforementioned purpose of facilitating the design and realization of a range of household appliances with different arrangements and geometries of the suction opening for the cooking fumes.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the illustrative, and therefore non-limiting, description of preferred, yet not exclusive, embodiments of a household appliance for cooking dishes, as illustrated in the appended figures, in which:
The object of the present description is a household appliance for cooking dishes, indicated by 1 in the attached figures.
With reference to
In particular, with reference to
Still with reference to
The household appliance 1 comprises a stovetop 2, i.e. a kitchen appliance having one or more cooking regions adapted to receive containers containing dishes to be heated or cooked on a support.
It should be specified that, for the purposes of the present disclosure, the stovetop 2 can be of any type such as, for example, gas, electric, induction or hybrid.
Referring to
In particular, the stovetop 2 extends along the width direction X-X between the side portions 1c of the household appliance 1, and along the depth direction Y-Y between the front portion 1a and the rear portion 1b.
According to an aspect shown in
Furthermore, with reference to
Since the stovetop 2 extends mainly along the width X-X and depth Y-Y directions, it follows that its extension in the height Z-Z direction is less than that in the width and depth X-X, Y-Y directions.
The stovetop 2 extends along the height direction Z-Z for a first height value A1 lower than the first width value L1 and the depth value P1. The first height value A1 is preferably between 100 mm and 250 mm;
According to one aspect, the stovetop 2 comprises a plate 25 defining the support portion 2a. This plate 25 is, for example, made of glass-ceramic material.
With reference to
The stovetop 2 has at least one suction opening 20 for cooking fumes, i.e. an opening through which a suction flow adapted to capture the cooking fumes from the containers containing the dishes being cooked can be generated.
In the embodiment shown in
It should be specified that the suction opening 20 can have any geometry and arrangement on the stovetop 2. In the embodiment shown in the attached figures, the suction opening 20 is arranged in a central region of the stovetop 2 and has a quadrangular geometry, however, in alternative embodiments, the suction opening 20 could be located in other regions of the stovetop 2—such as, for example, in peripheral regions—and/or have non-quadrangular geometries.
It should also be specified that, in alternative embodiments from the one shown in the attached figures, the stovetop 2 can also have multiple suction openings 20 configured to be crossed by distinct suction flows of the cooking fumes which, downstream of these, can rejoin forming a single flow.
The household appliance 1 also comprises a downdraft hood 3, i.e. a suction apparatus configured to generate a suction flow directed from above downwards through the suction opening 20.
Referring to
The box-like body 30 defines an internal volume V accessible by means of a connection opening 31. The box-like body 30 is therefore hollow.
As shown in
Still with reference to
The suction unit 32, when operated, is configured to generate a depression in the box-like body 30 which results in a suction flow of the cooking fumes directed along a fluid-dynamic path P. As illustrated in
Preferably, the connection opening 31 is arranged in an upper region of the box-like body 30 so as to face the stovetop 2.
In the embodiment of
In the event that the downdraft hood 3 is installed in suction mode, the discharge duct 33 is connected to a flue arranged to carry the cooking fumes to an environment external to that of the kitchen in which the household appliance 1 is placed. Otherwise, if the downdraft hood 3 is installed in filter mode, the discharge duct 33 is configured to discharge the air flow sucked into an inner portion of the cabinet (
According to one aspect, the box-like body 30 is arranged in said rear portion 1b of the household appliance 1. Advantageously, as shown in
The household appliance 1 that is the object of the present description further comprises a filter unit 4 configured to filter greases and/or odours present in the cooking fumes.
With reference to
In the embodiment shown in
In alternative embodiments, the filter unit 4 can be arranged in the connection opening 31 or downstream of the latter.
It should be specified that, whatever the placement of the filter unit 4, the arrangement must be such as to guarantee that the entire suction flow is filtered so that the suction unit 32 processes the filtered suction flow. This allows the integrity and efficiency of the components of the suction unit 32 to be preserved over time.
Preferably, the filter unit 4 comprises a grease filter 40 arranged below the suction opening 20 of the stovetop 2 and at least one odour filter 41, 42 arranged laterally to the grease filter 40 along the width or depth direction X-X, Y-Y.
Although the grease filter is necessarily arranged upstream of the suction unit 32 to prevent the greases present in the cooking fumes from affecting its operation, the odour filter 41, 42 can be placed both upstream and downstream of the suction unit 32. For example, in alternative embodiments to those shown in the attached figures, the odour filter 41, 42 is arranged in the discharge duct 33 or downstream of the latter.
It should be specified that in the context of the present disclosure the terms “grease filter” and “odour filter” are understood to mean filter means respectively configured to filter the grease and molecules responsible for the odours of cooking fumes.
According to an aspect shown in
The grease filter 40 is, for example, made from one or more metal grids or any other material with similar characteristics.
The odour filter 41, 42 is arranged downstream of the grease filter 40; therefore, the suction flow, flowing along the fluid-dynamic path P, passes in succession through the grease filter 40 and then the odour filter 41. This arrangement of the filters allows the integrity of the odour filter 41 to be preserved over time as it is known to be particularly sensitive to moisture.
For example, the odour filter 41, 42 is an activated carbon filter.
According to one aspect shown in
In the embodiment shown in
It should be specified that the first and second paths F1, F2 converge in the internal volume V of the box-like body 30 where, once rejoined, they are processed by the suction unit 32 and discharged through the discharge duct 33.
Preferably, the household appliance 1 comprises a liquid collection tray arranged below the suction opening 20.
In the embodiment of
In particular, if the filter unit 4 comprises a pair of odour filters 41, 42, preferably, the liquid collection tray is interposed between the odour filters 41, 42 along the width direction X-X or the depth direction Y-Y.
The household appliance 1 that is the object of the present description further comprises a manifold 5 which, as shown in
The manifold 5 defines a suction chamber A placed in fluid connection with the suction opening 20 and the connection opening 31.
In particular, according to one aspect, the manifold 5 fluid-dynamically connects the suction opening 20 of the stovetop 2 to the connection opening 31 to convey the suction flow into the internal volume V of the box-like body 30. The suction chamber A is then interposed between the suction opening 20 and the connection opening 31 along the fluid-dynamic path P.
It should be specified that the actuation of the suction unit 32 generates a depression not only in the internal volume V of the box-like body 30, but also in the suction chamber A defined by the manifold 5.
As shown in
It should be specified that the suction chamber A and the stovetop 2 are vertically overlapping in the height direction Z-Z.
It should be noted that, the prevailing extension of the suction chamber A in the width and depth directions X-X, Y-Y, means that the suction opening 20 can be freely placed in different regions of the stovetop 2 without making any changes to the manifold 5 or to the other components of the downdraft hood 3. The suction opening 20 can in fact be placed in a central region of the stovetop 2 (see the attached figures) or, in embodiments not shown, moved along the width and depth directions X-X, Y-Y with respect to said central region, without modifications to the manifold 5 or the downdraft hood 3 being necessary.
It is therefore evident that the household appliance 1 according to the present disclosure, by standardizing the manifold 5 and the downdraft hood 3, facilitates the design and realization of a range of household appliances 1 for cooking dishes with different arrangements and geometries of the suction opening 20 for the cooking fumes.
According to one aspect shown in
Preferably, the second width value L2 is comprised between 3% and 100% of the first width value L1, and the second depth value P2 is comprised between 8% and 100% of the first depth value L1.
Even more preferably, the second width value L2 is equal to 1-20 times the extension of the suction opening 20 along the width direction X-X, and/or the second depth value P2 is equal to 1-20 times the extension of the suction opening 20 along the depth direction Y-Y.
According to one embodiment, the second width value L2 is equal to 2-20 times, the extension of the suction opening 20 along the width direction X-X, and/or the second depth value P2 is equal to 2-20 times the extension of the suction opening 20 along the depth direction Y-Y.
It is therefore evident that, unlike the suction duct of the suction cooktop described in DE102013007722B4, the manifold 5 does not geometrically trace (does not closely contour) the suction opening 20.
The suction chamber A and stovetop 2 extend overlapping vertically along the width direction X-X by a third width value L3 which, in the embodiment of
Preferably, the third width value L3 is greater than 50% of the first width value L1.
Even more preferably, the third width value L3 is greater than 60%, even 75%, of the first width value L1.
The suction chamber A and stovetop 2 also extend overlapping vertically in the depth direction Y-Y for a third depth value P3.
Preferably, the third depth value P3 is greater than 30% of the first depth value P1.
Even more preferably, the third depth value P3 is greater than 50%, even 75%, of the first depth value P1.
It should be specified that the expression “vertically overlapping” means that the suction chamber A and the stovetop 2 are arranged on top of each other in the height direction Z-Z.
In the embodiment shown in
In particular, according to an aspect shown in
Advantageously, the aforementioned box-like shape of the manifold 5, with its upper face 52 open, allows a reduction in the amount of raw materials used in the production process, which is beneficial to the environment and advantageous in terms of the production costs.
However, in alternative embodiments to that of
With reference to the embodiment of
In detail, the bottom 50 has a further connection opening 51 which can be associated with the connection opening 31 of the box-like body 30 for fluid connection of the suction chamber A and the internal volume V.
According to one aspect, the connection opening 31 and the further connection opening 51 have the same extension along the width and depth directions X-X, Y-Y so as to be perfectly superimposable. Advantageously, this allows the pressure drops between the suction chamber A and the internal volume V to be minimised and, consequently, the suction effect of the cooking fumes through the suction opening 20 to be maximised.
Preferably, the further connection opening 51 extends along the width direction X-X for the entire extension in the width direction X-X of the suction chamber A. It should be noted that this allows a good suction to be obtained regardless of the position of the suction opening 20 on the stovetop 2 along the width direction X-X (i.e. in the center, on the left portion, on the right portion). Therefore, advantageously, by doing so it is possible to realize a range of household appliances for cooking dishes characterized by different arrangements of the suction opening 20, but the same shape of the manifold 5 and of the downdraft hood 3, wherein each household appliance of the range has good and comparable suction capacities.
In the embodiment shown in
Preferably, the further connection opening 51 is arranged in the rear portion 1b of the household appliance 1.
Even more preferably, the box-like body 30 is arranged in the rear portion 1b of the household appliance and connected to the manifold 5 below the further connection opening 51 along the height direction Z-Z. That is, the box-like body 30 and the manifold 5, when connected, define a geometry that, when viewed from the side, has an L-shape.
As can be deduced from
According to one aspect shown in
In particular, preferably, the filter unit 4 is arranged in a central region of the manifold 5 along the length direction X-X and/or the width direction Y-Y. For example, in the design shown in
With reference to
Preferably, the stovetop 2 further comprises ventilation members (not shown in the figures) configured to remove the heat generated by the operation of the heating element 21 and the supply unit 22 in the seat 24. According to one embodiment, the ventilation members are configured to generate a direct cooling flow from the seat 24 towards the manifold 5 or an internal portion 104 of the kitchen cabinet 100 through special ventilation openings 23a obtained on the cover element 23 (
It should be specified that since the stovetop 2 is arranged above the manifold 5, the heating element 21, the supply unit 22 and the cover element 23 are also arranged above the manifold 5 along the height direction Z-Z.
Preferably, the manifold 5 is configured to slide the suction flow in the vicinity of the cover element 23 so as to remove part of the heat generated by the heating element 21 and the supply unit 22 in the seat 24. In this embodiment, the cover 23 is skimmed on opposite sides by air volumes at different temperatures and, therefore, acts as a convective thermal bridge between the seat 24 and the suction chamber A of the manifold 5. Advantageously, this allows the operating intensity, and therefore the energy consumption, of the ventilation members to be reduced.
It should be specified that the arrangement of the heating element 21, the supply unit and the cover element 23 above the manifold 5 and the fact that the latter is configured to slide the suction flow in the vicinity of the cover element 23 are independent of whether or not the filter unit 4 is arranged in the suction chamber A. That is to say that the arrangement of the heating element 21, the supply unit and the cover element 23 above the manifold 5 and the fact that the latter is configured to slide the suction flow in the vicinity of the cover element 23 is implementable in both a first embodiment of the household appliance 1 in which the filter unit 4 is arranged in the suction chamber A and in a second embodiment of the household appliance 1 in which the filter unit 4 is arranged anywhere else in the fluid-dynamic path P between the suction opening 20 and the suction unit 32.
Clearly, in order to satisfy contingent and specific needs, a person skilled in the art may make numerous modifications and variants to the configurations described above. Such modifications and variations are all also contained within the scope of protection of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102023000013401 | Jun 2023 | IT | national |