DE102023201292A1 - Cleaning device for cleaning surfaces of functional units in the cooking chamber of a cooking appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning device (2; 43) for cleaning surfaces (4) of functional units (6), in particular cylindrical or dome-shaped cooking chamber lighting (12) and/or camera optics (46), in the cooking chamber (14) of a cooking appliance (68), in particular an oven, with a holding device (8; 44) for reversibly positioning and fixing the cleaning device (2; 43) in the cooking chamber (14) and a cup- or bag-shaped reservoir (16; 48) with an opening (18; 50) for receiving and dispensing a cleaning agent. An inner contour (20) of the reservoir (16; 48) is designed such that it can be slipped over a section of a functional unit (6) that protrudes freely into the cooking chamber (14) and the holding device (8; 44) fixes the reservoir (16; 48) to the functional unit (6) and/or a surface of the cooking chamber, in particular to a wall section (24). The invention further relates to a method for cleaning surfaces (4) of functional units (6) using the cleaning device according to the invention.

Description

Technical area

The present disclosure relates to a cleaning device, as an individual part or as a set, and a method for cleaning surfaces of functional units, in particular cylindrical or dome-shaped cooking chamber lighting and/or camera optics in the cooking chamber of a cooking appliance, in particular an oven.

In cooking chambers of cooking appliances, especially ovens, conventional applications such as grilling and roasting with open accessories such as casserole dishes cause contamination of the cooking chamber wall surfaces and other fittings arranged in the cooking chamber due to, for example, liquid evaporation. In particular, optical active surfaces such as the coupling surfaces of the lighting and objective lenses of functional units are significantly impaired in their function by sooting (i.e. dissolution of salts in liquid and their subsequent re-crystallization on surfaces), smoke and splashes.

Sooted light output surfaces lead to reduced light output and a distortion of the light color. Sooted objective lenses lead to defects on the projection surface of the optical system. In order for the light output surfaces and objective lenses of the functional units in the cooking chamber of ovens in particular to function properly, they must be regularly cleaned of soot.

For cleaning the surfaces described, a pyrolytic or chemical self-cleaning function is usually available on cooking appliances. If the self-cleaning function is not available or is not effective on the surfaces described, the only option is manual cleaning using standard household cleaning agents and cleaning tools such as oven sprays, oven cleaning gels, detergents, cleaning sponges, brushes, scouring pads, etc.

However, manual cleaning of surfaces of functional units is usually ergonomically inadequate in terms of visibility and accessibility in the cooking appliance and the amount of force required. Furthermore, manual cleaning is also inadequate in terms of the exposure time of the cleaning agents, which only takes place during the manual cleaning, which is usually brief. The time required in particular represents a significant challenge, as standard household cleaning agents typically require several hours of exposure time to dissolve the dirt. However, the shape and position of the surfaces to be cleaned cause the typically low-viscosity cleaning agents to run off significantly prematurely.

In addition, manual cleaning also carries the risk of incorrect cleaning application, i.e. specifically, that a user either uses the wrong cleaning tool when cleaning the functional surfaces or simply applies too much force and scratches the functional surfaces by pressing the cleaning tool, such as a scouring pad, too hard or, in the worst case, even breaking off the protruding functional unit.

Various devices are already known from the state of the art for cleaning the surfaces of the cooking chamber and the cooking chamber as a whole. DE 28 42 771 C2 discloses in this context a cooking chamber with spray nozzles that are directed into the cooking chamber in such a way that the walls can be sprayed with them, whereby the spray nozzles are designed in such a way that their supply line is designed as a distribution line that can be alternately connected to a supply line for a liquid cleaning agent and rinsing water by means of valves. Similar cleaning solutions with spray nozzles and/or circulation devices are known from EP 0 892 220 A1 , DE 198 38 864 C2 and the EN 10 2008 025 294 A1 known.

Furthermore, a cleaning insert for removable arrangement in a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance, which has a receiving means for reversibly fixedly receiving a cleaning unit with a cleaning composition and a support body connected to the receiving means for positioning the receiving means relative to the cooking chamber, is known from EN 10 2020 204 707 A1 known.

All of the above-mentioned prior art items always have the disadvantage that cleaning of functional units, in particular functional units that are relatively difficult for a user to access and are arranged overhead in the rear area of a cooking chamber that can be opened on one side, cannot be carried out in a locally limited manner and locally intensified. Rather, the previously common pyrolytic cleaning or chemical cleaning with nozzles generally aims to clean the entire cooking chamber.

However, this has a number of disadvantages. For example, large-scale cleaning as described above is often not possible in areas that are particularly heavily soiled. Surfaces or surfaces with specific cleaning requirements (soot deposits) are not intensive enough or are simply too unspecific due to the requirements for the surface to be treated and are therefore unsuitable. In addition, the large-scale cleaning processes described above are relatively energy and resource intensive, since the entire cooking chamber must be cleaned and heated or sprayed in the process to clean relatively small functional units.

The object of the present invention is therefore to eliminate or at least reduce the disadvantages of the prior art. Specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can be specifically positioned and attached to a functional unit to be cleaned in the cooking chamber of a cooking appliance and can achieve an intensive cleaning effect that is locally limited to the surface of the functional unit and lasts for the duration of the attachment of the cleaning device.

This object is achieved by a cleaning device according to claim 1 and by a method according to claim 10. Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of subclaims and are described in more detail below.

Specifically, the problem is solved by a cleaning device for cleaning surfaces of functional units, in particular cylinder- or dome-shaped cooking chamber lighting and/or camera optics, in the cooking chamber of a cooking appliance, in particular an oven, with a holding device for reversibly positioning and fixing the cleaning device in the cooking chamber and a cup- or bag-shaped reservoir with an opening for receiving and dispensing a cleaning agent, for example. An inner contour of the reservoir is designed in such a way that it can be slipped over a section of a functional unit that protrudes or projects freely into the cooking chamber and encloses it. The holding device fixes the reservoir to the functional unit and/or a surface of the cooking chamber, in particular to a wall section.

The geometric adaptation of the cleaning device, especially to the cantilevered contours of functional units, but also to their periphery, such as beveled interior cooking chamber walls, enables a locally limited, intensive cleaning effect on the surface of the functional unit that lasts for as long as the cleaning device is attached. This in turn allows chemical loosening or dissolving of soot on the surfaces of the functional unit by long-term wetting of the surfaces to be cleaned with, preferably standard household cleaning agents, at room temperature. This makes it possible to carry out environmentally friendly, energy-saving cleaning of, in particular, optical surfaces under acceptable ergonomic conditions.

In addition, the cleaning device according to the invention, which is individually adapted to the contour of the functional unit to be cleaned, is particularly suitable for cleaning surfaces which, due to their shape or surrounding interfering contours, cannot be processed with standard household cleaning tools such as scrapers or stainless steel spirals.

In a first aspect, the cleaning device described above can also be part of a set of cleaning devices consisting of a plurality of cleaning devices, wherein the respective cleaning devices are individually adapted to corresponding projecting surfaces of functional units to be cleaned in the cooking chamber as well as to the associated positions and surrounding interference contours within the cooking chamber.

A set of the cleaning devices described above makes it possible to clean a large number of different, usually difficult to access and clean, as well as sensitive functional units of a cooking chamber in a targeted and gentle manner, depending on individual requirements.

In a further aspect, an annular sealing element, in particular a sealing lip, can be arranged along the inner circumference on a portion of the inner contour of the reservoir.

The sealing element offers the advantage that it prevents cleaning agent located in the reservoir of the cleaning device from escaping when the cleaning device is placed over the surface of the functional unit. In this position, the sealing element presses from the inner circumference of the reservoir over its entire circumference onto the surface of the functional unit, so that the surface of the functional unit, the sealing element and the inner wall of the reservoir together form a fluid barrier that prevents fluid from escaping to the outside or over the edge of the reservoir of the cleaning device when the cleaning device is placed over the surface.

The design of the sealing element as a sealing lip has the advantage that when removing the cleaning device from the functional unit, in particular a functional unit with cylindrical contour, the sealing lip also functions as a "wiper lip" and wipes off liquid and detached dirt residues from the surface when the cleaning device is removed, so that on the one hand a certain amount of cleaning already takes place on the surface of the functional unit and on the other hand the residues are retained in the reservoir of the cleaning device and do not remain in the cooking chamber or are distributed within it.

In a further aspect, the sealing lip can have an undersize compared to an outer circumference of the functional unit and, in a position slipped over the functional unit, enclose the outer circumference of the functional unit and form a fluid-tight and force-fitting connection.

Depending on the nature of the undersize and the sealing element material used, preferably plastic, particularly preferably an elastomer-based plastic, the sealing element can establish a force-fitting connection with the surface of the functional unit, which either contributes significantly to the fixation of the cleaning device to the functional unit, or even generates a force-fitting holding force that would be able to hold the cleaning device to the functional unit exclusively via the sealing element.

Furthermore, it is expedient if the cleaning device has a partition wall which acts as a holding device which is spaced vertically from an edge of the opening of the reservoir and runs parallel to the bottom of the reservoir, wherein the partition wall has a partition wall opening which is undersized compared to an outer circumference of the functional unit and whose central axis is aligned with the central axis of the reservoir opening and wherein the partition wall is connected at one end to a section of the edge of the reservoir opening via an arcuate clasp.

It is particularly advantageous in this case if a fluid collecting tray is formed between the partition wall and the reservoir, which is located in the inner circumference of the arched clip and whose fluid collecting tray opening is aligned perpendicular to the central axis of the reservoir.

The partition offers several advantages when using the cleaning device. A key advantage of the partition is that the holding device in the form of the partition and the reservoir can be spatially spaced apart from each other, so that a gap is created between the partition opening and the reservoir opening, which can serve as a drainage space in the event that fluid displaced from the reservoir inner contour emerges over the edge of the reservoir opening. In addition, the spatial spacing of the partition and the reservoir enables the formation of the arched bracket and the formation of the collecting tray in it.

By arranging the collecting tray below the partition and reservoir opening in the direction of gravity, fluid that has overflowed from the reservoir inner contour can drain over the arched clip and collect in the collecting tray so that the fluid does not spread throughout the cooking chamber.

In the event of a sudden pushing of the reservoir onto the contour of the functional unit, in which fluid is suddenly pushed out of the reservoir's inner contour and splashed, the fluid can be caught by the partition wall opposite the reservoir and drained into the collecting tray so that the fluid cannot spread onto the cooking chamber wall and/or the cooking chamber floor.

Another advantage of the partition as a holding device is that the partition is provided with a comparatively much narrower undersize than the sealing element, so that the fixing of the cleaning device to the surface of the functional unit takes place exclusively or almost exclusively via the partition. This offers the advantage that the sealing element can be provided with a comparatively small undersize, which is particularly necessary for a smooth, i.e. low-jerk, pulling of the reservoir onto or off the geometry to be cleaned.

A relatively narrow undersize could otherwise lead to a so-called "stick-slip effect", in which a holding force initially builds up between the friction partners, in this case the sealing element and the surface of the functional unit, which blocks further sliding or pulling and which is then suddenly and uncontrollably overcome, causing an unwanted distribution of the cleaning agent in the cooking chamber.

Furthermore, the partition and the arched clip to the reservoir of the cleaning device enable a spring-loaded or elastic positioning of the partition and reservoir relative to each other. When attaching the holding device, the partition can first be pushed open with the partition opening relatively tightly against the surface of the functional unit, while the reservoir can be pushed open by spreading the arched, spring-elastic The clip is initially kept away from the functional surface, and only then can it be pulled over the surface of the functional unit in a controlled manner after the partition has been fixed as a holder. This feature also serves to make the cleaning device user-friendly and to prevent any cleaning fluid from being distributed uncontrollably in the cooking chamber.

In a further preferred aspect, the reservoir can have on its inner contour a bead running along the inner circumference for determining the fill level.

This allows the user to determine by simple visual inspection when the reservoir fill level required for cleaning has been reached.

In a further preferred embodiment of the cleaning device, a compressible cleaning agent insert for receiving, retaining and dispensing a cleaning agent can be arranged in the reservoir, which releases fluid under compression.

The compressibility of the cleaning agent insert is particularly advantageous when handling the cleaning fluid, since the cleaning fluid preferably only comes into contact with the surface of the functional unit to be cleaned and the cleaning agent insert when it is compressed. Furthermore, the compressibility of the cleaning agent insert ensures that the cleaning agent insert adapts to the contour of the surface of the functional unit when the cleaning device is placed over the functional unit.

The cleaning agent insert can, for example, have a sponge-like structure that releases liquid when compressed and absorbs liquid when expanded from the compressed state.

The cleaning agent insert can advantageously be loaded or soaked with cleaning agent in the reservoir or can be loaded or soaked with cleaning agent before being inserted into the reservoir.

In a further aspect, the cleaning agent insert can also be designed as a replaceable consumable that can be stored in a disposable plastic packaging similar to a dishwasher tablet and can be removed from this when in use and inserted into the reservoir of the cleaning device.

In yet another aspect, the cleaning agent insert can have various geometric contours such as a cylinder or cone shape or a contour complementary to the geometry to be cleaned.

The different geometric shapes of the cleaning agent insert influence the cleaning agent carrying capacity of the cleaning agent insert as well as the contact pressure of the cleaning agent insert on the surface of the functional unit when the reservoir of the cleaning device is placed over the surface of the functional unit.

In a further aspect, at least one magnet, which acts as a holding device for the force-fitting connection of the cleaning device to a metallic surface in the cooking chamber, can be installed in a thickened edge section of the reservoir opening, which runs parallel to the reservoir bottom.

However, a plurality of magnets can also be installed in the thickened edge section of the reservoir opening, which are arranged on a circular path around the reservoir opening at a uniform distance from one another in the circumferential direction. A particularly preferred embodiment has three magnets, each of which is offset by 120° from one another on the circular path around the reservoir opening.

In yet another aspect, the at least one magnet can be embedded in the thickened edge portion so that the magnet surface is at least flush with a surface of the edge portion facing the connecting metallic surface.

The cleaning device is preferably made of plastic, in particular silicone. The cleaning device can also have inert surface coatings such as Teflon or other fluorine-containing plastics. By making it out of plastic, it is possible to install the magnets provided in the thickened edge section as inserts in one production step by means of plastic overmolding or assembly injection molding or by subsequently inserting them into shaped pockets in the component to be manufactured, i.e. the cleaning device.

• - Befüllen des Reservoirs mit einer Reinigungsflüssigkeit oder Einsetzen des mit Reinigungsmittel beladenen Reinigungsmittel-Einsatzes in das Reservoir;
• - Anbringen des Reservoirs an einem vorstehenden Abschnitt einer Funktionseinheit, indem das Reservoir über den vorstehenden Abschnitt der Funktionseinheit übergestülpt wird und den vorstehenden Abschnitt, vorzugsweise fluiddicht, einkapselt;
• - vollständiges und permanentes Benetzen der im Reservoir Innenraum eingekapselten Funktionsoberfläche mit Reinigungsmittel.

The object of the present invention is further achieved by a method for cleaning surfaces of functional units, preferably cylindrical or dome-shaped cooking chamber lighting and/or camera optics, in the cooking chamber of a cooking appliance with a cleaning device device according to one of the preceding aspects with the steps:

• - Filling the reservoir with a cleaning fluid or inserting the cleaning agent insert loaded with cleaning agent into the reservoir;
• - Attaching the reservoir to a protruding portion of a functional unit by placing the reservoir over the protruding portion of the functional unit and encapsulating the protruding portion, preferably in a fluid-tight manner;
• - Complete and permanent wetting of the functional surface encapsulated in the reservoir interior with cleaning agent.

• Prinzip 1 kommt für zylindrischen Lichtleiterglasstäbe der Garraumbeleuchtung zur Anwendung. Ein mehrfach verwendbares Silikonteil weist hierzu ein Reservoir für das Reinigungsmittel auf. Für die dosierte Befüllung des Reservoirs mit Reinigungsmittel ist eine Füllstandssicke berücksichtigt. Das Silikonteil ist mit einer Trennwand zu angrenzenden Wandflächen versehen. Die Trennwand ist mit einem zum Lichtleiter kongruenten, jedoch untermassigen Durchbruch versehen und wird manuell durch elastisches Aufweiten reibschlüssig auf den in den Garraum auskragenden Lichtleiter aufgezogen. Das mit Reinigungsmittel befüllte Reservoir wird manuell durch elastisches Aufweiten reibschlüssig auf den auskragenden Lichtleiter aufgezogen.

In other words, the present invention can also be described as follows. Basically, the present invention has two embodiments or principles of a cleaning device:

• Principle 1 is used for cylindrical light guide glass rods for cooking chamber lighting. A reusable silicone part has a reservoir for the cleaning agent. A fill level bead is provided for the dosed filling of the reservoir with cleaning agent. The silicone part is provided with a partition wall to adjacent wall surfaces. The partition wall is provided with an opening that is congruent with the light guide but undersized and is manually pulled onto the light guide projecting into the cooking chamber by elastic expansion and frictionally locked. The reservoir filled with cleaning agent is manually pulled onto the projecting light guide by elastic expansion and frictionally locked.

The volume of the cleaning agent completely fills the space between the light guide and the reservoir, so that the entire surface of the enclosed light guide is wetted with cleaning agent. The liquid-tight partition wall prevents accidental wetting of surrounding surfaces in the event of an overdose of the cleaner and acts as a wiper lip for the cleaner when the silicone part is dismantled. A collecting tray is formed on the silicone part to catch any overdosed cleaner or any cleaner that accidentally leaks out. After several hours of exposure, the silicone part can be manually removed from the light guide. The dissolved soot can now be manually rubbed off with a cloth.

Principle 2 is used for cleaning surfaces without surrounding structures for the form-fitting or friction-locking holding of reservoirs. Principle 2 is also suitable for the long-term wetting of surfaces without surrounding structures to seal a volume of liquid against the surface. A support part made of plastic or silicone that is shaped to fit the contours of the area to be cleaned is provided with at least one magnet attached to the support part. The magnetic forces to the next ferromagnetic wall surface enable the support part to be manually positioned and held in a force-locking manner, even against its own weight, below the cooking chamber ceiling, on adjacent overhanging surfaces, or on the cooking chamber side walls.

The support part is formed with a pocket in the area of the surface to be cleaned, in which an insert for receiving and retaining cleaning agent is embedded and attached. The insert, which is initially filled with cleaning agent, is pressed against the surface to be cleaned when the cleaning device is manually placed on it and is elastically compressed so that the surface remains wetted with cleaning agent for the duration of the exposure time. Depending on the shape of the surface to be cleaned and the surrounding surfaces, the support part can also be designed with a sealing lip to seal the volume of the pocket. After the support part has been manually removed, the dissolved soot can be rubbed off manually with a cloth.

Short description of the characters

• 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a cleaning device;
• 2 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of the cleaning device;
• 3 is a sectional view of the cleaning device of the first embodiment in the assembled state on a functional unit;
• 4 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the cleaning device;
• 5 is a rear perspective view of the second embodiment of the cleaning device;
• 6 is a sectional view of the cleaning device of the second embodiment in the mounted state on a functional unit;
• 7 is a perspective view of a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance with a highlighted area, shown in more detail in 8 , of contaminated functional units;
• 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the 7 highlighted area of dirty functional units; and
• 9 is a perspective view of the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, with the two embodiments of the cleaning device mounted on the functional units of the cooking appliance.

Description of the embodiments

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the accompanying figures.

The 1 , 2 , 3 show a first embodiment of a cleaning device 2 according to the invention for cleaning surfaces 4 of functional units 6 in a perspective front view ( 1 ), in a perspective rear view ( 2 ) and in a sectional view ( 3 ), the cleaning device 2 in the sectional view of 3 is fixed to the functional unit 6.

As can be seen from the individual views of the 1 , 2 , 3 As can be seen, the cleaning device 2 has a holding device 8 for reversibly positioning and fixing the cleaning device 2 to a functional unit 6, in the form of a cylindrical cooking chamber lighting 12 of a cooking chamber 14 (shown in the 7 , 8 and 9 ). Furthermore, the cleaning device 2 has a cup-shaped reservoir 16 with an opening 18 for receiving and dispensing a cleaning agent (not shown).

As in 3 As shown, when using the cleaning device 2, an inner contour 20 of the reservoir 16 is slipped over a section 22 of the functional unit 6 that freely projects into the cooking chamber 14, in the present figure for example a cylindrical glass rod, and the holding device 8 fixes the reservoir 16 over the circumference of the surface 4 on the functional unit 6, so that the cleaning device 2 is arranged on a wall section 24 of the cooking chamber 14.

Furthermore, 3 It can be seen that the cleaning device 2 has an annular sealing element 26 in the form of a sealing lip 26, which is intended to close the reservoir 16 to the outside when the cleaning device 2 is fixed to the surface 4 of the functional unit 6. This is made possible by an undersize of the sealing lip 26 compared to the outer circumference of the cylindrical cooking chamber lighting 12. The undersized sealing lip 26 also functions as a type of scraper lip, by means of which, when the cleaning device 2 is pulled off the surface 4 of the functional unit 6, liquid residues are scraped off the surface 4 and returned to the reservoir 16.

As is particularly evident in the 2 and 3 As can be seen, the holding device 8 is designed as a partition 28 which is spaced vertically from an edge 30 of the reservoir opening 18 and runs parallel to the bottom 32 of the reservoir 16. In order to hold the partition 28 on the surface 4 of the functional unit 6 or the cylindrical cooking chamber lighting 12, the partition 28 has a partition opening 34 which is undersized compared to the outer circumference of the cylindrical cooking chamber lighting 12 and whose central axis is aligned with the central axis of the reservoir opening 18, and wherein the partition 28 is connected at one end to a section of the edge of the reservoir opening 30 via an arcuate clasp 36.

In the sectional view of the 3 , it is further shown that a collecting tray 38 is formed in the inner apex section of the arch of the clip 36 and its collecting tray opening 40 is aligned perpendicular to the central axis of the reservoir 16. The collecting tray 38 is positioned such that when the cleaning device 2 is installed, it is arranged below in the direction of gravity, starting from the partition wall opening 34 and reservoir opening 18, and fluid that has overflowed from the reservoir inner contour 20 can run off over the arched clip 36 and collect in the collecting tray 38, so that the fluid does not spread in the cooking chamber 14.

In other words, the partition wall 28 attached to the wall section 24 of the cooking chamber 14 functions as a splash guard wall, so to speak, and the collecting tray 38 connected to it functions as an oval-shaped collecting basin (similar to a wash basin) or as an oval-shaped collecting basket for the cleaning agent running down the splash guard wall.

In addition to the features already mentioned, the cleaning device 2, as shown in 3 shown, also has a bead 42 in the inner circumference of the reservoir inner contour 20 for determining the fill level.

Furthermore, in the 4 , 5 , 6 a second embodiment of the cleaning device 43 according to the invention for cleaning surfaces 4 of functional units 6 from a perspective oblique frontal view 4 , from a perspective oblique rear view 5 , as well as in a sectional view 6 , wherein the cleaning device 43 in the sectional view 6 is fixed to the functional unit 6.

Similar to the first embodiment, the second embodiment has a holding device 44, particularly well in individual view 5 as can be seen, for reversibly positioning and fixing the cleaning device 2 to the functional unit 6, in the form of a dome-like cooking chamber camera optics 46. Furthermore, the cleaning device 43 of the second embodiment has a pocket-shaped reservoir 48 with an opening 50 for receiving and dispensing a cleaning agent (not shown).

In the pocket-shaped reservoir 48 of the cleaning device 43 of the second embodiment, as shown in 4 As shown, a compressible cleaning agent insert 52 is arranged for receiving, retaining and releasing a cleaning agent which releases fluid under compression. The cleaning agent insert 52 is preferably made of a sponge-like/porous and highly absorbent material.

Furthermore, the cleaning device 43 of the second embodiment has a thickened edge section 54, into which, as 5 shown, a total of three magnets 56 are installed or embedded, each at an equal distance from one another and from the pocket-shaped reservoir opening 50.

As in 4 As shown, the magnets 56 are installed in the thickened edge section 54 in such a way that a surface of the edge section 58, which faces a connecting metallic or ferromagnetic surface 60 in the cooking chamber 14, is flush.

As already mentioned above, in 6 shown how the cleaning device 43 of the second embodiment is attached to the cooking chamber camera optics 46. The connection between the cleaning device 43 and the cooking chamber camera optics 46 takes place mainly via the magnets 56, which act as a holding device 44 and form a magnetic-positive connection between the surface of the edge section 58 and the ferromagnetic surface of the cooking chamber 60. When the cleaning device 43 and the cooking chamber camera optics 46 are connected, the cleaning agent insert 52 inserted in the pocket-shaped reservoir 48, which protrudes at least partially from the reservoir opening 50 when the cleaning device 43 is not connected, is compressed and pressed against the surface 4 of the cooking chamber camera optics 46. As a result, the cleaning agent that is so to speak charged or stored in the cleaning agent insert 52 is pressed out of the cleaning agent insert 52 and wets the surface 4 of the cooking chamber camera optics 46.

In order that the cleaning agent released from the cleaning agent insert 52 during compression does not emerge from the reservoir opening 50 in the connection state between the cleaning device 43 and the cooking chamber camera optics 46, the cleaning device 43 has, as shown in 6 , also has an annular sealing element 62 which is located on the inside of the reservoir opening 50.

In order not only to fix the cleaning device 43, but also to arrange it with a preferred positioning on the ferromagnetic cooking chamber surface 60 and to secure it against twisting, the surface of the edge section 58, from the top view, ie looking perpendicularly at the cleaning agent insert 52, is triangular in shape and has a fixing band 64. The fixing band 64 is intended to 8 shown, which is shaped complementarily to the fixing band 64, to enclose the cooking chamber functional surface 66 on the surface and edge side. Due to the triangular basic shape of the surface of the edge section 58 and its associated fixing band 64, the cleaning device 43 is arranged in the connected state in the cooking chamber 14 in a rotationally secure manner.

In 7 the cooking chamber 14 of a cooking appliance 68 is shown with a cylindrical cooking chamber lighting 12 and a cooking chamber camera optics 46. As can be seen from the enlarged view in 8 of the cooking chamber section in which the cooking chamber lighting 12 and the cooking chamber camera optics 46 are arranged, the two functional units 6 are covered by dirt particles 70, which is why they must be cleaned in order to be in a perfect, functional condition again.

Accordingly, in 9 shown how a cleaning device 2 of the first embodiment is attached to the cooking chamber lighting 12 and a cleaning device 43 of the second embodiment is attached to the cooking chamber camera optics 46 for cleaning purposes. The cleaning devices 2, 43 were attached using the method according to the invention.

This means that firstly the cup-shaped reservoir 16 of the cleaning device 2 was filled with cleaning agent and then placed over the protruding section 22 of the cooking chamber lighting 12 so that it was encapsulated in a fluid-tight manner and the surface 4 of the protruding section 22 was completely and permanently wetted with the cleaning agent located in the reservoir 16.

The procedure described above was applied analogously to the cooking chamber camera optics 46 in conjunction with the cleaning device 43 of the second embodiment, with the difference that a cleaning agent insert 52 was inserted into the pocket-shaped reservoir 48, which, under compression, wets the surface 4 of the cooking chamber camera optics 46 with cleaning agent.

List of reference symbols

2

Cleaning device of a first embodiment

4

Surface of a functional unit

6

Functional unit

8

Holding device

12

Cooking chamber lighting

14

Cooking chamber

16

cup-shaped reservoir

18

Reservoir opening

20

Inner contour of the reservoir

22

freely protruding section of the functional unit

24

Wall section of the cooking chamber

26

Sealing element

28

partition

30

Edge of the reservoir opening

32

Bottom of the reservoir

34

Partition opening

36

arched clasp

38

Catch tray

40

Catch tray opening

42

Bead

43

Cleaning device of a second embodiment

44

Holding device of a second embodiment

46

Cooking chamber camera optics

48

pocket-shaped reservoir

50

Reservoir opening of a second embodiment

52

Cleaning agent use

54

thickened edge section

56

magnet

58

Surface of the thickened edge section

60

ferromagnetic surface in the cooking chamber

62

annular sealing element of a second embodiment

64

Fixation band

66

Cooking chamber function surface

68

Cooking appliance

70

Dirt particles

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 2842771 C2 [0007]
• EP 0892220 A1 [0007]
• DE 19838864 C2 [0007]
• DE 102008025294 A1 [0007]
• DE 102020204707 A1 [0008]

Claims (10)

Cleaning device (2; 43) for cleaning surfaces (4) of functional units (6), in particular cylindrical or dome-shaped cooking chamber lighting (12) and/or camera optics (46), in the cooking chamber (14) of a cooking appliance (68), in particular an oven, with: a holding device (8; 44) for reversibly positioning and fixing the cleaning device (2; 43) in the cooking chamber (14); and a cup- or bag-shaped reservoir (16; 48) with an opening (18; 50) for receiving and dispensing a cleaning agent; characterized in that an inner contour (20) of the reservoir (16; 48) can be slipped over a portion of a functional unit (6) that freely projects into the cooking chamber (14) so as to enclose the latter, and the holding device (8; 44) fixes the reservoir (16; 48) to the functional unit (6) and/or a surface of the cooking chamber (14), in particular to a wall portion (24). Cleaning device (2; 43) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that an annular sealing element (26; 62), in particular a sealing lip, is arranged along the inner circumference on a portion of the inner contour of the reservoir (16; 48). Cleaning device (2; 43) according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the sealing element (26; 62) has an undersize compared to an outer circumference of the functional unit (6) and, in a position slipped over the functional unit (6), encloses the outer circumference of the functional unit (6) and forms a fluid-tight and force-fitting connection. Cleaning device (2) according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized by a partition (28) which functions as a holding device (8) which is spaced vertically from an edge (30) of the opening (18) of the reservoir (16) and runs parallel to the bottom (32) of the reservoir (16), wherein the partition (28) has a partition opening (34) which is undersized compared to an outer circumference of the functional unit (6) and whose central axis is aligned with the central axis of the reservoir opening (18), and wherein the partition (28) is connected at one end to a section of the edge (30) of the reservoir opening (18) via an arcuate clip (36). Cleaning device (2) according to Claim 4 , characterized by a fluid collecting tray (38) which is formed in the inner circumference of the arcuate clip (36) and whose fluid collecting tray opening (40) is aligned perpendicular to the central axis of the reservoir (16). Cleaning device (2) according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , characterized in that the reservoir (16) has on its inner contour (20) a bead (42) running along the inner circumference for determining the fill level. Cleaning device (43) according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that a compressible cleaning agent insert (52) for receiving, retaining and dispensing a cleaning agent is arranged in the reservoir (50), which releases fluid under compression. Cleaning device (43) according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 or 7 , characterized in that in a thickened edge section (54) of the reservoir opening (50), which runs parallel to the reservoir bottom, at least one magnet (56) which functions as a holding device (44) is installed for the non-positive connection of the cleaning device (43) to a metallic surface (60). Cleaning device (43) according to Claim 8 , characterized in that the at least one magnet (56) is embedded in the thickened edge portion (54) so that the magnet surface is at least flush with a surface of the edge portion (58) which faces the connecting metallic surface (60). Method for cleaning surfaces (4) of functional units (6), preferably cylindrical or dome-shaped cooking chamber lighting (12) and/or camera optics (46), in the cooking chamber (14) of a cooking appliance (68) with a cleaning device (2; 43) according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 with the steps: - filling the reservoir (16; 48) with a cleaning liquid or inserting the cleaning agent insert (52) loaded with cleaning agent into the reservoir (48); - attaching the reservoir (16; 48) to a protruding section of a functional unit (6) by slipping the reservoir (16; 48) over the protruding section of the functional unit (6) and encapsulating the protruding section, preferably in a fluid-tight manner; - completely and permanently wetting the functional surface (4) encapsulated in the reservoir (16; 48) interior with cleaning agent.

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