GB2462172A - Household cooking appliance with light to illuminate different rack levels - Google Patents

Abstract

A domestic cooking appliance. (1, Figure 1) such as an oven, includes a muffle (3, Figure 1) forming a cooking compartment (2, Figure 1) with supports 4a on side walls 3L of muffle (3, Figure 1) to receive a number of cooking elements (e.g. shelves), dividing compartment (2, Figure 1) into two or more rack levels, and a light 10 associated with at least one side wall 3L that extends vertically to illuminate multiple rack levels. Light 10 may include a translucent/transparent cover 11, a lamp holder 12 with reflecting material and knurls 15 to diffuse light, and a gasket (18, Figure 3) to hermitically seal lamp holder 12. Cover 11 may include teeth (16, Figure 3) that snap fit to slots (17, Figure 3) of holder 12. Muffle (3, Figure 1) may be contained by a cabinet 5 that includes a protrusion 6 positioned at each light 10 to allow an insulating material 7 to be placed between light 10 and cabinet 5.

Description

HOUSEHOLD COOKING APPLIANCE, IN PARTICULAR AN OVEN The present invention relates to a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Household cooking appliances, in particular ovens, are usually provided with a cooking compartment for cooking foodstuffs, said cooking compartment being obtained in an oven muffle.

The cooking compartment opens outwards and can be closed by means of a door, which typically comprises a perimetric frame supporting at least one thermal glass pane; also, the door can be pivoted relative to the oven muffle by means of hinges that support it and guide it in its motion for opening and closing the cooking compartment.

Known cooking appliances are fitted with a lighting device to illuminate the cooking compartment and any foods being cooked. The lighting device usually consists of a lamp arranged on one of the muffle walls, in particular on a top wall of said muffle.

However, it has been observed that such a solution does not achieve a homogeneous and sufficient illumination of the whole cooking compartment, and in particular of the regions thereof which are farthest from the lamp.

Besides, this problem is even more felt when the cooking compartment is subdivided into a plurality of rack levels. In fact, as known, muffles of cooking appliances are commonly made in a manner such that they comprise side waIls equipped with supporting means, such as wire guides or protrusions, adapted to receive the side portions of baking pans, grills or dripping pans; said supporting means are arranged at different heights in the cooking compartment to allow for multi-level cooking.

United States Patent No. US 7,252,402 relates to a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven, comprising a system for illuminating the cooking compartment of said appliance, as well as a door which can be pivoted relative to the oven muffle and which is fined with inner and outer glass panes. Said lighting system comprises: a light source arranged above said door for directing a light beam into a space obtained between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane of the door; a plurality of reflecting elements arranged at different levels within said space obtained between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane of the door, said reflecting elements being adapted to reflect the light beam emitted by the light source at different levels of the cooking compartment of the household oven.

The above-described system illuminates the whole cooking compartment, even when the latter is subdivided into a plurality of rack levels, because said elements are arranged at different heights within the space obtained between the inner glass pane and the outer glass pane of the door.

It has however been observed that even the above-described system has some drawbacks, since it can only ensure illumination of the cooking compartment when the pivoting door is closed against the oven muffle and said cooking compartment.

It is therefore desirable to provide an improved household cooking appliance which addresses the above described problems and/or which more generally offers improvements or an alternative to existing arrangements.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by providing a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven or a cooker (the term "cooker" referring herein to a household cooking appliance comprising at least one oven and at least one cooktop), comprising a lighting device which can ensure an improved, homogeneous and preferably more optimal illumination of the whole cooking compartment of said household cooking appliance.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven or a cooker, comprising a lighting device which provides adequate illumination of the different rack levels into which the cooking compartment of the appliance is subdivided, in particular independently of the open or closed condition of the pivoting door with respect to the oven muffle.

According to the present invention, and in order to achieve these objects, there is therefore provided a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven or a cooker, incorporating the features set out in the appended claims, which are intended as an integral

part of the present description.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and from the annexed drawings, which are supplied by way of non-limiting example, wherein: Fig. I is a perspective view of a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven or a cooker, comprising a lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, said lighting device being installed inside the oven shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the components of the lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 schematically designates as a whole a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven or a cooker, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Said cooking appliance I comprises at least one cooking compartment 2 for cooking foodstuffs, said cooking compartment 2 being obtained in a muffle 3 of the cooking appliance 1 and being delimited by a bottom wall 31, a back wall 3F, a top waIl 3S and side walls 3L of said muffle 3.

For the purpose of providing a clearer view of the cooking compartment 2, Fig. 1 does not show a door of the cooking appliance 1, which is preferably pivoting relative to the muffle 3 by means of hinges supporting it and guiding it in its motion for opening and closing the cooking compartment 2.

Said side walls 3L comprise supporting means 4 arranged at different heights of the side walls 3L and adapted to receive the side portions of a plurality of cooking elements (such as baking pans, grills or dripping pans, not shown in the drawings), so as to subdivide the cooking compartment 2 into a plurality of rack levels (by inserting said cooking elements, such as baking pans, grills or dripping pans) and allow for multi-level cooking.

In accordance with the present invention, said cooking appliance I comprises a lighting device 10 associated with at least one side wall 3L of the muffle 3, said lighting device 10 extending vertically on said at least one side wall 3L so as to illuminate different levels of the cooking compartment 2.

With particular reference to Figs. 2 and 3, it can be seen that said lighting device comprises: a cover 11 made of transparent or translucent material (preferably glass) and having an elongated, substantially rectangular, shape; a lamp holder 12 having a substantially rectangular parallelepipedon shape (preferably made of metallic material, e.g. aluminium); and a light source 13 associated with a first face 12a of said lamp holder 12.

Said light source 13 is preferably a halogen lamp, in particular a 20W halogen lamp, and is fitted with a reflector 14 arranged in a manner such that the light generated by the light source 13 converges into a light beam.

The lamp holder 12 also comprises a rear face 12b and side faces 12c made of a reflecting material.

In particular, the rear face I 2b features a plurality of knurls 15 on the surface thereof facing said cover 11, said knurls 15 being adapted to diffuse the light generated by is the light source 13 in all directions.

This provision provides a reflection of the light generated by the light source 13 which ensures a homogenous and optimal lighting of the whole cooking compartment 2, in particular even when the latter is subdivided into a plurality of rack levels (up to four or five) for multi-level cooking.

The cover 11 and the lamp holder 12 comprise mutual engaging means 16, 17 which allow said cover 11 to be coupled to the lamp holder 12. In particular, said mutual engaging means comprise a plurality of small teeth 17 obtained on said cover 11 which engage, preferably through a snap action, into a plurality of slots 16 provided on said lamp holder 12.

Said lighting device 10 may additionally comprise a gasket 18 adapted to be positioned between the cover 11 and the lamp holder 12 so as to hermetically seal the cavity enclosing the light source 13. In particular, using such a gasket 18 is especially advantageous if the cooking appliance 1 is a pyrolitic one, since the temperature in a pyrolitic oven is brought up to 5 00°C in order to carbonize and eliminate all food residues typically depositing onto the walls of the cooking compartment 2.

As shown in particular in Figs. 1 and 2, said supporting means 4 comprise a plurality of wire guides 4a adapted to receive said cooking elements, in particular the side -5 portions thereof. It is however clear that the supporting means 4 may also be provided in different forms; for example, supporting means 4 are currently known in the art which comprise a plurality of profiles or dimples (not shown in the drawings) obtained on the side walls 3L of the muffle 3.

In accordance with the present invention, the cooking appliance I comprises a variable number of said lighting devices 10, said variable number being preferably comprised between one and four.

In particular, when the supporting means 4 comprise a plurality of wire guides 4a, the cooking appliance I may comprise four lighting devices 10, i.e.: a first lighting device 10 arranged on a front portion of each of said side walls 3L; and a second lighting device 10 arranged on a rear portion of each of said side walls 3L.

With such a configuration, in fact, it is possible to use suitable elements for securing the wire guides 4a to a central portion of each of said side walls 3L.

It should be noted that the term "front portion" refers to that area of the side wall 3L which is closest to the door (not shown in the drawings) of the cooking appliance 1, whereas the term "rear portion" refers to that area of the side wall 3L which is closest to the back wall 3F, and the "central portion" is the intermediate area of the side wall 3L.

When the supporting means 4 comprises a plurality of profiles or dimples on the side walls 3L of the muffle 3, the cooking appliance 1 preferably comprises one lighting device 10 arranged on a central portion of each of said side walls 3L. As a matter of fact, for the cooking elements to be supported appropriately it is preferable that said profiles or dimples be obtained on a front portion and a rear portion of each of said side walls 3L. As a consequence, said central portion of the side walls 3L remains available for housing the lighting device 10.

Furthermore, as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the cooking appliance 1 according to the present invention comprises a cabinet 5 adapted to contain the muffle 3, said cabinet 5 featuring a protrusion 6 in the position of each lighting device 10. Said protrusion 6 allows an insulating material 7 to be placed also between the lighting device 10 and said cabinet 5 in order to reduce the thermal dispersion from the cooking compartment 2 and limit the temperature of the outer surface of the cabinet 5.

The advantages of a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven, according to the present invention are apparent from the above description.

In particular, said advantages are due to the fact that the cooking appliance according to the present invention has been conceived in a manner such as to overcome the previously described drawbacks of prior-art cooking appliances and to be particularly effective and economical.

Mother advantage offered by the cooking appliance according to the present invention is that it is equipped with a lighting device conceived for providing a homogeneous and optimal lighting of the whole cooking compartment of said household cooking appliance.

A fUrther advantage of the cooking appliance according to the present invention is that it comprises a lighting device which allows to properly illuminate the various rack levels into which the cooking compartment of the appliance is subdivided, in particular independently of the open or closed condition of the pivoting door with respect to the oven is muffle.

Moreover, the lamp holder 12 comprising a rear face 12b and side faces 12c made of a reflecting material, with said rear face 1 2b comprising a plurality of knurls 15 on the surface thereof facing said cover 11, provides a homogeneous and optimal illumination of the whole cooking compartment 2 even when the latter is subdivided into a plurality of rack levels. In fact, said knurls 15 allow the light emitted by the light source 13 to be reflected in a particular effective manner and to be directed towards the cooking compartment 2 in all directions.

The cooking appliance described herein by way of example may be subject to many possible variations without departing from the novelty spirit of the inventive idea; it is also clear that in the practical implementation of the invention the illustrated details may have different shapes or be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

It can therefore be easily understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-described cooking appliance, in particular an oven or a cooker, but may be subject to many modifications, improvements or replacements of equivalent parts and elements without departing from the inventive idea, as clearly specified in the following claims.

Claims (13)

1. CLAIMS1. Household cooking appliance (1), in particular an oven or a cooker, comprising: at least one cooking compartment (2) for cooking foodstuffs, said cooking compartment (2) comprising a muffle (3) of the cooking appliance (1) and being delimited by a bottom wall (31), a back wall (3F), a top wall (3S) and side walls (3L) of said muffle (3); and supporting means (4) located at different heights of the side walls (3L) and adapted to receive the side portions of a plurality of cooking elements, so as to subdivide the cooking compartment (2) into a plurality of rack levels, thus allowing for multi-level cooking, characterized in that said cooking appliance (1) comprises a lighting device (10) associated with at least one side wall (3L) of the muffle (3), said lighting device (10) extending vertically on said at least one side wall (3L) so as to illuminate different levels of the cooking compartment (2).
2. 2. A cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said lighting device (10) comprises: a cover (11) made of transparent or translucent material and having an elongated, substantially rectangular, shape; a lamp holder (12) having a substantially rectangular parallelepipedon shape; and a light source (13) associated with a first face (12a) of said lamp holder (12).
3. 3. A cooking appliance (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said lamp holder (12) comprises a rear face (12b) and side faces (12c) made of a reflecting material.
4. 4. A cooking appliance (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said rear face (12b) features a plurality of knurls (15) on the surface thereof facing said cover (11), said plurality of knurls (15) being adapted to diffuse the light generated by the light source (13) in all directions. 8 1
5. 5. A cooking appliance (1) according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that said cover (1) and said lamp holder (12) comprise mutual engaging means (16, 17) which allow said cover (11) to be coupled to the lamp holder (12), said mutual engaging means comprising a plurality of small teeth (16) obtained on said cover (11) which engage, preferably through a snap action, into a plurality of slots (17) provided on said lamp holder (12).
6. 6. A cooking appliance (1) according to any of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said lighting device (10) further comprises a gasket (18) adapted to be positioned between the cover (11) and the lamp holder (12) so as to hermetically seal the cavity enclosing the light source (13).
7. 7. A cooking appliance (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said supporting means (4) comprises a plurality of wire guides (4 a).
8. 8. A cooking appliance (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said supporting means (4) comprises a plurality of profiles or dimples obtained on the side walls (3L) of the muffle (3).
9. 9. A cooking appliance (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized by comprising a variable number of said lighting devices (10), said variable number being preferably comprised between one and four.
10. 10. A cooking appliance (I) according to any preceding claim, characterized by comprising four lighting devices (10), in particular: a first lighting device (10) arranged on a front portion of each of said side waIls (3L); a second lighting device (10) arranged on a rear portion of each of said side walls (3L).
11. 11. A cooking appliance (I) according to any preceding claim, characterized by comfrising a lighting device (10) arranged on a central portion of each of said side walls (3L).
12. 12. A cooking appliance (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized by comprising a cabinet (5) adapted to contain the muffle (3), said cabinet (5) featuring a protrusion (6) in the position of each lighting device (10) which allows an insulating material (7) to be placed between the lighting device (10) and said cabinet (5).
13. 13. A cooking appliance (1) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and/or as shown in any one or more of figures 1 to 3.