US20250314385A1

US20250314385A1 - Household appliance for cooking food and related operating method

Info

Publication number: US20250314385A1
Application number: US18/865,041
Authority: US
Inventors: Fabrizio Crisà
Original assignee: Elica SpA
Current assignee: Elica SpA
Priority date: 2022-05-17
Filing date: 2023-04-21
Publication date: 2025-10-09
Also published as: WO2023223121A1; CN119234111A; CA3256877A1; IT202200010253A1; EP4526601A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a household appliance for cooking food comprising a frame defining a cooking compartment that can be controlled in temperature and has an access opening; a door connected hingedly to the frame and switchable between a cooking position in which it is positioned to close the opening of the cooking compartment, an access position in which it leaves the opening of the cooking compartment free so as to allow the introduction and extraction of food from the cooking compartment, and a ajar position, intermediate between the cooking position and the access position, in which the door is at least partially spaced apart from the opening of the cooking compartment; opening members configured to act on the door to switch it between the cooking position and the ajar position. A feature of the household appliance is that it comprises an suction unit placed in fluid communication with the cooking compartment and configured to extract at least part of a volume of air present in said cooking compartment when the door is in the ajar position or access position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a household appliance for cooking food which can be usefully employed in the field of kitchen equipment, according to the preamble of claim 1.
It is also an object of the present disclosure a method of operating the above-mentioned household appliance for cooking food, in accordance with the preamble to claim 11.

STATE OF THE ART

During the cooking of baked food it is necessary to perform several operations of opening and closing the cooking compartment of the oven to be able to introduce or extract the food to be cooked.
Such closing and opening operations are performed with the oven at temperature, i.e. while the cooking compartment is at temperatures that are potentially harmful and irritating for the skin and eyes of the user. Typically, the temperatures used for baking food in an oven are between 150° C. and 250° C.
During the opening operation, the user is disposed in front of the oven, and is the act of bending down to lower the door, positioning the face just above the opening of the oven cooking compartment.
Consequently, due to the spontaneous upward movement of the hot fluids, the user's face will be exposed to the flow of hot air escaping from the cooking compartment.
Disadvantageously, in addition to causing a significant feeling of discomfort, this could irritate the face and eyes of the user.
In addition, if the latter wears glasses, the flow of hot air escaping out of the cooking compartment could damage the lenses or even the frame.
The above disadvantages are amplified if the oven is used in steam cooking mode.
In fact, in this case, the flow of hot air leaving the cooking compartment is saturated with water vapor and, therefore, has a greater heat exchange capacity. In thermodynamics, in fact, it is known that an air flow saturated with water vapor allows convective heat exchanges to be obtained which are significantly higher than those that would be obtained by an equivalent flow of dry air that is at the same temperature.
In light of the above, the manufacturers feel the need to reduce the health risks and discomfort associated with opening the cooking compartment of an oven, especially when used in steam mode.
Steam ovens are known in the state of the art comprising door locking mechanisms adapted to allow the opening of the cooking compartment only when the concentration of water vapor is lower than a certain value, and/or the temperature of the cooking compartment is lower than a limit temperature. One example of such an oven type is disclosed in FR2776478A1.
However, disadvantageously, although on the one hand such ovens are capable of improving the safety of use, on the other hand they are particularly inconvenient to use. In fact, the user must also wait tens of seconds before being able to access the cooking compartment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,028A discloses an oven for cooking food having a cooking compartment selectively closable using a door and a system for extraction of the cooking steam. In detail, the latter comprises extraction members that are fluid-dynamically connected, with a first opening arranged at the mouth of the oven and a second opening arranged on one of the walls defining the cooking compartment. During use, when the user opens the door of the cooking compartment, the extraction members increase their operating speed to prevent the hot air present in the cooking compartment from hitting the user.
Document US2006/237425A discloses an oven having an extraction system configured, when the oven door is opened, to extract the hot air present in the cooking compartment through an opening made on the walls of the cooking compartment at the access mouth.
It should be noted that in the ovens disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,032,028A and US2006/237425A, in order for the volume of hot air contained in the cooking compartment to be sucked in, the user is required to move close to the oven and, acting on the door handle, open the cooking compartment. Therefore, if the suction effect of the extraction members is not sufficient to capture the entire flow of hot air escaping the cooking compartment-for example, due to the transient to bring the extraction members to full speed-it is evident that this will hit the user who is in located the vicinity of the oven for the purpose of opening the door.

OBJECT OF THE DISCLOSURE

In this context, the technical task underlying the present disclosure is to propose a household appliance 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 food that is both safe and practical to use.
In detail, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a household appliance for cooking food having a convenience of use, in terms of availability of access to the cooking compartment, comparable to that of common ovens, and which at the same time is able to avoid the aforementioned risks to the health of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a household appliance for cooking food comprising a frame defining a cooking compartment adapted to accommodate one or more food to be cooked.
In detail, the cooking compartment can be controlled in temperature and has an access opening configured to allow the introduction and extraction of the food.
The household appliance further comprises a door hingedly connected to the frame and switchable between a cooking position, an access position, and a ajar position intermediate between the cooking position and the access position. In detail, in the cooking position the door is positioned to close the opening of the cooking compartment, in the access position the door leaves the opening free so as to allow the introduction and extraction of the food from the cooking compartment, while in the ajar position the door is at least partially spaced apart from the opening of the cooking compartment. The door has a hinging portion rotatably connected to the frame and a pushing portion opposite the hinging portion.
The household appliance also comprises opening members configured to act on the door to switch it between the cooking position and the ajar position, and a suction unit configured to extract at least part of a volume of air present in the cooking compartment when the door is in the ajar position or access position. In detail, the opening members are configured to abut the pushing portion of the door and exert an opening force on the latter, i.e. a force adapted to switch the door from the cooking position to the ajar position.
The object of the present disclosure is also a method of operating a household appliance of the type disclosed above. This method comprises the steps of: bringing the cooking compartment to a defined use temperature with the door in the cooking position; simultaneously actuating the opening members and the suction unit; keeping the suction unit operated as long as the door is in the ajar position; and deactivating the suction unit when the door is brought into the access position or into the closing position.
It should be noted that the simultaneous actuation of the opening members and of the suction unit allows the removal of at least part of the volume of air, and therefore of the heat, present in the cooking compartment which tends to escape while the door moves from the cooking position to the ajar position. Therefore, when the door is in the ajar position, the user, without running the risk of being hit by a hot air current, can immediately access the cooking compartment by bringing the door into the ajar position, as is usual with common ovens.
It is therefore evident that the synergistic effect of the opening members and the suction unit allows the convenience of use of the household appliance to be increased without compromising its safety of use.

LIST OF FIGURES

Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the description of an exemplary, but not exclusive, and therefore non-limiting preferred embodiment of a household appliance, as illustrated in the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a household appliance for cooking food according to the present disclosure, the household appliance is shown with the door in an access configuration;

FIG. 2 a shows a perspective sectional view of the household appliance of FIG. 1 to show some internal components, the household appliance is shown with the door in an access configuration;

FIG. 2 b shows a magnification of FIG. 2 a to better show some technical details;

FIG. 3 a shows a sectional view of the household appliance of FIG. 1 with the door in a cooking configuration;

FIG. 3 b shows a magnification of FIG. 3 a to better show some technical details;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 with the door in a cooking configuration, the arrows indicate the fluid-dynamic path of the air flows when the door is in a cooking configuration;

FIG. 5 a shows a sectional view from the side of the household appliance of FIG. 1 with the door in the ajar position, the arrows indicate the fluid-dynamic path of the air flows when the door is in the ajar position;

FIG. 5 b shows a magnification of Figure Sa to better show some technical details;

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view from the side of the household appliance of FIG. 1 with the door in the access configuration, the arrows indicate the fluid-dynamic path of the air flows when the door is in the access configuration

FIG. 7 shows a sectional view from the front of the household appliance of FIG. 1 , the arrows indicating the fluid-dynamic path of the air flows suctioned from the hob;

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the method of using the household appliance of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Even if not explicitly highlighted, the individual features disclosed with reference to the specific embodiments shall be understood as accessory to and/or interchangeable with other features disclosed with reference to other embodiments.
With reference to the accompanying Figures, the present disclosure relates to a household appliance 1 for cooking food in a thermally controlled environment. Typically, this type of method of cooking food in an oven is referred to as baking.
With reference to FIG. 1 , the household appliance 1 comprises a frame 2 defining a cooking compartment 3 that can be controlled in temperature and adapted to accommodate food to be cooked.
In the context of the present disclosure, a temperature-controllable cooking compartment 3 members a cavity, of a certain volume, peripherally delimited by the frame 2 of the household appliance 1 and configured to be brought to temperatures suitable for cooking food by members of special heating members that, as these are known to the person skilled in the art, will not be further described.
As shown in FIG. 7 , the cooking compartment 3 is delimited above, below, and at least partly laterally by respective walls of the frame 2. According to a preferred embodiment, the cooking compartment 2 is parallelepipedal in shape.
The household appliance 1 comprises an oven and the cooking compartment 3 realizes the cooking chamber of said oven.
Therefore, the cooking compartment 3 may include all those components typical of the cooking chambers of ovens such as, for example, the ventilation system of the chamber or the support grills which can be adjusted to different levels.
Preferably, moreover, the cooking compartment 3 can be adapted to carry out the steam cooking of foodstuffs.
To this end, for example, the lower wall of the frame 2 delimiting the cooking compartment 3 may have a concave region adapted to be filled with water.
Alternatively, the water vapor can be produced in a boiler and then placed in the cooking compartment.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cooking compartment 3 has an opening 30 configured to allow the introduction and extraction of food from the cooking compartment 3 itself.
In other words, the opening 30 is specially sized to allow the easy movement of containers for cooking food, such as for example ramekins, cake tins, and trays, to and from the cooking compartment 3.
Preferably, with reference to FIG. 1 , the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3 is delimited by a perimeter contour C defined by the frame 2. Preferably, said perimeter contour has an upper edge C1 and an opposite lower edge C2. Further preferably, the opening 30 has a polygonal geometry, in particular quadrangular.
The household appliance 1 further comprises a door 4 hingedly connected to the frame 2 configured to selectively close the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3.
In the embodiments of the attached figures, the door 4 is rotatably attached to the frame by members of special hinging members; however, in alternative embodiments, the door 4 can be connected in translation to the frame by members of sliding guides or the like.
Preferably, with reference to the embodiments of the attached figures, the door 4 has a hinging portion 4 a rotatably connected to the frame 2 by members of hinging members, and a pushing portion 4 b opposite to the hinging portion 4 a.
It should be noted that the hinging members bind the door 4 to the frame 2 along an axis of rotation A-A, the door 4 rotating around said axis of rotation A-A assumes different angles with respect to the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3.
Preferably, the hinging portion 4 a of the door 4 is bound to the frame 2 at the lower edge C2 of the perimeter contour C of the opening 30, and the pushing portion 4 b of the door 4 can be connected to the upper edge C1 of the perimeter contour C of the opening 30.
With particular reference to FIG. 4 , the household appliance 1 has a cooling duct 31 at least partially surrounding the cooking compartment 3 and configured to cause therein a flow of cooling air adapted to prevent overheating of the regions of the frame 2 next to the cooking compartment 3.
Preferably, the cooling duct 31 extends at least partly in the vicinity of the upper wall of the cooking compartment 3.
Still with reference to FIG. 4 , the door 4 comprises a cooling gap 40 adapted to cause a flow of cooling air inside.
According to one aspect, the cooling gap 40 is obtained between an inner wall 41 of the door 4, that can be connected to the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3, and an outer wall 42 opposite the inner wall 41.
Said cooling gap 40 is delimited on opposite sides by an inlet opening 40 a and an outlet opening 40 b, respectively configured to allow the introduction and the discharge of the cooling air flow of the door 4.
The door 4 is switchable between a cooking position (FIGS. 3 a, 3 b and 4), an access position (FIG. 6 ), and a ajar position (FIGS. 5 a and 5 b ) intermediate between the cooking position and the access position.
In the cooking position shown in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b and 4, the door 4 is positioned to close the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3. In other words, in the cooking position the door prevents access to the cooking compartment 3 by completely obstructing the opening 30.
It should be noted that, when the door 4 is in the cooking position, the cooking compartment 3 is an environment confined between the frame 2 and the door 4 containing a predetermined volume of air.
In the cooking position, the door 4 abuts against the perimeter edge C of the opening 30. In order to avoid thermal dissipations, a gasket is interposed between the perimeter edge C and the door 4.
Preferably, in the cooking position, the door 4 is oriented substantially parallel to the opening 30, i.e. the angle between the door 4 and the opening 30 is almost zero.
Referring to FIG. 4 , it can be seen that in the cooking position, the cooling gap 40 is in fluid communication with the cooling duct 31. In particular, the cooling duct 31 is associated with the outlet opening 40 b of the cooling gap 40, so as to generate in the latter the air flow for cooling the door 4.
In the access position shown in FIG. 5 , the door 4 leaves the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3 free so as to allow the introduction and extraction of the food from the cooking compartment 3.
Therefore, when the door 4 is in the access position, the cooking compartment 3 is an environment partially confined by the frame 2 and in fluid communication with the environment external to the household appliance 1 through the opening 30.
In the embodiment according to which the door 4 is hinged to the frame 2, when the door 4 is in the access position an angle of approximately 90° is created with the opening 30 of the cooking compartment.
It should be noted that the angle formed between the door 2 and the opening 30 must be such as to allow the easy introduction and extraction of the containers for cooking food; therefore, it cannot be less than 85°.
In the ajar position shown in FIG. 4 , the door 4 is at least partially spaced apart from the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3.
Preferably, the door 4 is spaced at least in part away from the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3 forming a gap. This gap puts the cooking compartment 3 into fluid communication with the environment outside the household appliance.
It should be noted that the gap is not wide enough to allow the introduction or extraction of the food from the cooking compartment.
Preferably, if the door is hinged to the frame 2, in the ajar position the door 4 forms an angle comprised between 5° and 15° with the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3.
Even more preferably, in the ajar position, the angle between the door 4 and the opening is 8°.
In other words, in the ajar position the door 4 partially closes the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3, so as to leave a vent or gap through which a flow of air can flow.
It should be noted that to switch the door 4 from the cooking position to the access position, and vice versa, the door 4 passes through the intermediate ajar position.
It should be noted that in the ajar position and in the access position, the cooling gap 40 of the door 4 is fluid-dynamically disconnected from the cooling duct 31.
In particular, in such ajar and access positions, the cooling duct 31 is placed in fluid communication with the cooking compartment 3 in accordance with what is shown in FIGS. 5 a and 6, i.e. through an extraction slit 7, as described in more detail below.
With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4 , the household appliance 1 comprises opening members 5 configured to act on the door 4 to switch it between the cooking position and the ajar position.
Preferably, said opening members 5 are integrated into the frame 2, however, in an entirely equivalent manner, in alternative embodiments of the present disclosure, the opening members 5 could be arranged in the door 2.
It is evident that in this alternative embodiment, the opening members 5 must exert a force on the frame 2 whose reaction (in accordance with the third principle of dynamics) will move the door 4 between the cooking position and the ajar position.
According to a preferred aspect, also with reference to FIG. 2 b , the opening members 5 are integrated into the frame 2 at the upper edge C1 of the perimeter contour C of the opening 30.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 a and 2 b , the opening members 5 are arranged at a lateral portion of the upper edge C1; however, in alternative embodiments they could be arranged at the middle of the upper edge C1.
In alternative embodiments, more than one opening members 5 are arranged at the upper edge C1, for example at its peripheral portions.
In the embodiments shown in the attached figures, the opening members 5 are configured to make the door 4 rotate around the aforementioned axis of rotation A-A, so as to switch it from the cooking position to the ajar position. Preferably, the opening members are configured to make the door perform a rotation comprised between 5° and 15°, preferably equal to 8°.
According to one aspect, in accordance with what is shown in FIG. 5 a , the opening members 5 are configured to act on the aforementioned pushing portion 4 b of the door 4.
In detail, the opening members 5 are configured to abut against the pushing portion 4 b of the door 4 and exert a force adapted to switch the door 4 from the cooking position to the ajar position.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 a and 5 a , said pushing portion 4 b is disposed in a side region of the door 4.
With reference to FIG. 5 b , the opening members 5 comprise a push rod 50 configured to exert a pushing action on the door 4 to switch it from the cooking position to the ajar position.
In detail, the push rod 50 has an end 50 a configured to abut the pushing portion 4 b of the door 4 and exert on the latter a force adapted to switch the door 4 from the cooking position to the ajar position.
The opening members 5 comprise motorization members 51 configured to move the push rod 50 between an extracted position and a retracted position.
With reference to FIG. 3 b , the opening members 5 comprise a limit switch 52 adapted to abut against an end 5 b of the push rod 50 when the door 4 is in the cooking position. This limit switch comprises a sensor element adapted to detect contact with the end 5 b of the push rod 50 and thus detect the position of the door 4.
With reference now to FIG. 5 b , in the extracted configuration the push rod 50 at least partially projects from the frame 2 with respect to the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3.
In the extracted configuration, at least one portion of the push rod 50 is arranged externally to the frame 2.
In the extracted configuration the push rod 50 projects from the frame 2 at the upper edge C1 of the perimeter contour of the opening 30.
Referring to FIG. 3 b , in the retracted configuration the push rod 50 is arranged internally to the frame 2.
The motorization members 51 are preferably of the electromechanical type, i.e. they comprise an electric motor, kinematically connected with the push rod 50.
It should be noted that the kinematic connection between the electric motor and the push rod 50 is configured to switch the latter between the extracted position and the retracted position.
By way of example, such a kinematic connection could be of the worm screw type.
The household appliance comprises an electronic control unit 12 (not visible in the figures) which supervises the operation of the various devices forming part of the household appliance itself.
According to one aspect, the electronic control unit 12 comprises a user interface 11 that is configured to generate the various electrical signals upon command and control of the devices present in the household appliance 1.
In particular, the interface 11 is configured to send a signal to actuate the opening members 5 so as to switch the door 4 between the cooking position and the ajar position.
According to one embodiment, the electronic control unit 12 is in signal communication with the opening members 5, i.e. through the interface 11 the user is able to send an actuation signal of the motorization members 51 so as to switch the door between the cooking position and the ajar position.
Preferably, the motorization members 51 are configured to move the push rod 50 along a direction transverse to the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3. It should be noted that a direction transverse to the opening 30 members a direction incident to a reference plane in which the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3 lies.
Even more preferably, the motorization members 51 are configured to move the push rod 50 along a direction orthogonal to the opening 30 of the cooking compartment 3.
In alternative embodiments, the motorization members 51 could be exclusively of the mechanical type, for example, they could comprise a kinematic system with levers and springs.
It should be noted that the door 4 is manually operated to switch from the opening position to the cooking position, passing through the ajar position.
With reference to FIG. 2 a , the household appliance 1 comprises a suction unit 6 comprising at least one impeller driven in rotation by an electric motor.
Said suction unit is fluid-dynamically connected with the cooling duct 31 of the cooking compartment 3 to generate the cooling flow in the cooling gap 40 of the door 4 when the latter is in the closing position, and is configured to extract a volume of air present in the cooking compartment 3 when the door 4 is in the ajar position or access position.
In accordance with one aspect, the suction unit 6 is arranged externally to the cooking compartment 3 and internally to the frame 2 of the household appliance 1.
In other words, the impeller of the suction unit 6, when actuated by the respective electric motor, is configured to generate an extraction flow adapted to remove at least part of the volume of air present in the cooking compartment 3 when the door 4 is in the ajar position or access position (FIGS. 5 a , 6) and is configured to generate the cooling flow in the cooling gap 40 of the door 4 when the latter is in the cooking position (FIG. 4 ).
It should be noted that when the door 4 is in the ajar position or access position (FIGS. 5 a , 6), the fluid-dynamic connection between the cooling duct 31 of the cooking compartment and the gap 40 of the door 4 is interrupted as there is no longer continuity. In this situation (i.e. ajar position), the suction unit 6 extracts the air present in the cooking compartment 3 that tends to escape through the gap that is created between the door 4 and the perimeter edge C of the opening 30.
It should be noted that the electronic control unit 12 of the household appliance 1 is also in signal communication with the suction unit 6 so as to supervise its operation in the manner disclosed below.
According to one aspect, the operating intensity of the suction unit 6 is controllable by the electronic control unit 12 to generate the suction flow having a certain volumetric flow rate (m³/h).
In detail, the suction unit 6 is switchable between a first operating configuration in which the extraction flow has a first flow rate value P1, and a second operating configuration in which the extraction flow has a second flow rate value P2 different from the first P1.
Still preferably, the first flow rate value P1 is at least 150 m³/h, while the second flow rate value P2 is between 200 m³/h and 400 m³/h.
Preferably, the suction unit 6 is sized so as to have a maximum volumetric flow rate equal to 1300 m³/h.
It should be noted that, when the cooking compartment 3 is at the temperatures usually used to cook the food and the door 4 is in the ajar position or access position, the suction unit 6 allows removal of at least part of the volume of air, and therefore of the heat, present in the cooking compartment.
The household appliance 1 that is the object of the present disclosure therefore makes it possible to avoid the aforementioned risks to the health of the user.
With reference to FIG. 4 , preferably, the frame 2 comprises at least one extraction slit 7 in fluid communication with the cooking compartment 3 when the door 4 is in the ajar position or access position.
The suction unit 6 is in fluid communication with this extraction slit 7 when the door 4 is in the ajar position or access position.
It follows that, when the door is in the ajar position or access position, the suction unit 6 is in fluid communication with the cooking compartment 3 through the extraction slit 7 to extract through the latter at least part of the volume of air present in the cooking compartment 3 that tends to escape through the gap that is created between the door 4 and the perimeter edge C of the opening 30 b.
In particular, when the door is in the ajar position or access position, the suction unit 6 is in fluid communication with the cooking compartment 3 by members of a first extraction duct 10 a. Said first extraction duct 10 a extends between the suction unit 6 and the extraction slit 7.
In a preferred embodiment, at least one portion of the extraction duct 10 a is realized by the same cooling duct 31.
The extraction slit 7 is preferably arranged on the frame 2 so as to result at the upper edge C1 of the perimeter contour C of the opening 30.
Even more preferably, the extraction slit 7 faces the gap that is created between the opening 30 and the door 4, when the latter is in the ajar position.
Further preferably, the extraction slit 7 extends parallel to the upper edge C1 of the perimeter contour C of the opening 30.
Advantageously, in this way, the extraction flow affects the entire width extension of the opening 30.
It should be noted that the extraction slit 7 can be associated with a grease filter (not visible in the appended figures) able to filter the air from the cooking compartment 3.
Said grease filter may be located upstream or, preferably, downstream of the extraction slit 7.
With further reference to FIG. 4 , when the door 4 is in the cooking position, the extraction slit 7 is in fluid communication with the cooling gap 40 of the door 4. In this way, when the door 4 is in the cooking position, the suction unit 6 is configured to generate the cooling flow in the cooling gap 40 of the door 4.
It should also be noted that the suction unit 6 can be operated by the electronic control unit 12 of the household appliance 1 to operate at the second flow rate value P2 even before the opening members 5 switch the door between the cooking position and the ajar position so as to limit the flow of hot air to which the user is exposed.
In particular, according to one embodiment, a predetermined delay interval is encoded in the firmware of the electronic control unit 12 from the moment in which the user uses the interface 11 to command the opening members 5 to switch the position of the door from cooking to ajar position.
It is during this predetermined delay interval that the electronic control unit 12 acts to change the intensity of actuation of the suction unit 6.
The predetermined delay interval is variable between a few seconds and a few tens of seconds.
With reference to FIG. 1 , preferably, the household appliance 1 comprises a hob 8 arranged above the cooking compartment 3.
It should be noted that in the context of the present disclosure the term hob 8 members a device having a plurality of cooking regions arranged to support pots containing food to be heated.
In detail, the hob 8 is of the induction, electric or hybrid type (i.e. induction or electric and gas) comprising one or more extraction openings 80 for the cooking fumes coming from the pots arranged on the hob.
According to one aspect, the electronic control unit 12 of the household appliance 1 controls and manages the plurality of cooking regions of the hob 8.
With reference to FIGS. 2 a and 7, preferably, the household appliance 1 comprises a downdraft hood 9 which, in turn, uses the suction unit 6 and the first extraction duct 10 a disclosed above to extract the cooking fumes downwards through the extraction opening 80.
With reference to FIG. 7 , the downdraft hood 9 further comprises a second extraction duct 10 b configured to fluid-dynamically connect the suction unit 6 with the extraction opening 80 of the hob 8.
The second extraction duct 10 b extends from the suction unit 6 to the extraction opening 80 of the hob 8.
The electronic control unit 12 of the household appliance 1 is also in signal communication with the downdraft hood 9 to control and manage its functions, such as extraction speeds.
The object of the present disclosure is also a method of using the household appliance 1 disclosed above.
In detail, with reference to FIG. 6 , said method comprises a first step 1000 of bringing the cooking compartment 3 to a predetermined use temperature Tu with the door 4 in the cooking position while the suction unit 6 is in a first operating configuration.
The use temperature Tu is set by the user through the interface 11 of the electronic control unit 12 in accordance with what is usually done with common kitchen ovens.
In the first operating configuration, preferably, the suction unit 6 is deactivated or configured to generate the first extraction flow having the first volumetric flow rate value P1 as disclosed above.
Preferably, when the suction unit 6 is in the first operating configuration it is configured to generate the cooling flow in the cooling gap 40 of the door 4 so as to cool it and render it non-hazardous if it is touched by the user.
The method comprises a second step 1001 of actuating the opening members 5 to switch the door 4 from the cooking position to the ajar position.
This second step 1001 is subject to the user's will, that is, it occurs when the user wants to access the cooking compartment to introduce new food to be cooked or to check the progress of the cooking of the dish already in the cooking phase.
At the same time as actuating the opening members 5, the method comprises the step 1002 of bringing the suction unit 6 into a second operating configuration, different from the first, to extract at least part of the air present in the cooking compartment 3.
In the second operating configuration, preferably, the suction unit is configured to generate an extraction flow having the above-disclosed second volumetric flow rate value P2, which is higher than the first volumetric flow rate P1.
It should be noted that by doing so, the suction unit 6 extracts from the cooking compartment 3 the portion of hot air at the temperature Tu that at the opening action of the door would have hit the user, potentially causing them the discomfort and harm described above.
From the above it emerges that, advantageously, the household appliance 1 allows the user to open the cooking compartment as soon as the door is in the ajar position, without incurring the risk of being hit by a hot air current as is the case with common ovens.
According to what is shown in blocks 1003 and 1004 of FIG. 6 , the suction unit 6 is maintained in the second operating configuration as long as the door 4 is in the ajar position, and subsequently brought back into the first operating configuration when the door 4 is in the access or closing position.
It should also be noted that between the actuation of the opening members 5 and the actual authorization to switch the door 4 between the cooking configuration and the ajar position, the predetermined interval of time may elapse during which the electronic control unit 12 of the household appliance 1 can control said suction unit 6 at an intensity of operation greater than that with which it is operating at that moment.
In other words, following the actuation of the opening members 5, an opening time interval is provided in which the door remains in the cooking position and the suction unit 6 works with a higher volumetric flow rate value than the initial one.
It is therefore evident that the synergistic effect of the opening members and the suction unit allows the convenience of use of the household appliance to be increased without compromising its safety.
Preferably, the step of actuating the opening members 5 shown in block 1001 comprises the steps of: actuating the motorization members 51 of the opening members 5 to switch the push rod 50 from the retracted position to the extracted position; maintaining the push rod 50 in the extracted position as long as the door 4 is in the ajar position; actuating the motorization members 51 of the opening members 5 to switch the push rod 50 from the extracted position to the retracted position when the door 4 is brought into the access position.
In order to identify the position of the door it is possible to use special sensors such as, for example, position sensors for the angle of the door, or contact sensors.
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 the disclosure, as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Household appliance for cooking food, comprising:

a frame defining a temperature-controllable cooking compartment adapted to receive food to be cooked, said cooking compartment having an opening configured to allow the introduction and extraction of the food into/from the cooking compartment;

a door hingedly connected to the frame and switchable between a cooking position in which it is positioned to close the opening of the cooking compartment, an access position in which it leaves the opening of the cooking compartment free so as to allow the introduction and extraction of said food into/from the cooking compartment, and a ajar position, intermediate between the cooking position and the access position, in which the door is at least partially spaced apart from the opening of the cooking compartment, the door having a hinging portion rotatably connected to the frame, and a pushing portion opposite the hinging portion;

opening members configured to act on the door to switch the door between the cooking position and the ajar position;

a suction unit placed in fluid communication with the cooking compartment and configured to extract at least part of a volume of air present in said cooking compartment when the door is in the ajar position or access position

wherein the opening members are configured to abut on the pushing portion of the door and exert a force adapted to switch the door from the cooking position to the ajar position.

2. Household appliance according to claim 1, wherein opening members are integrated in the frame.

3. Household appliance according to claim 2, wherein:

the opening of the cooking compartment has a perimeter contour having an upper edge;

the opening members are integrated into the frame at the upper edge of the perimeter contour.

4. Household appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the door is rotatably connected to the frame around an axis of rotation at the hinging portion, the door rotating around the axis of rotation assumes different angles with respect to the opening of the cooking compartment;

the opening members are configured to rotate the door around the axis of rotation to switch it from the cooking position to the ajar position.

5. Household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the opening members are configured to make the door perform a rotation comprised between 5° and 15°.

6. Household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the opening members comprise a push rod configured to exert a pushing action on the door to switch it from the cooking position to the ajar position.

7. Household appliance according to claim 6, wherein the opening members comprise motorization members configured to move the push rod between an extracted position in which it at least partially projects from the frame with respect to the opening of the cooking compartment, and a retracted configuration in which it is arranged internally to the frame.

8. Household appliance according to claim 7, wherein the motorization members are configured to move the push rod along a direction transverse to the opening of the cooking compartment.

9. Household appliance according to claim 1, comprising an electronic control unit in signal communication with the opening members, said electronic control unit having a user interface configured to send an actuation signal of the opening members so as to switch the door between the cooking position and the ajar position.

10. Household appliance according to claim 1, wherein:

the frame comprises an extraction slit in fluid communication with the cooking compartment when the door is in the ajar position or access position;

the suction unit is in fluid communication with the extraction slit to extract through said extraction slit at least part of the volume of air present in the cooking compartment when the door is in the ajar position or access position.

11. Household appliance according to claim 10, wherein:

the door comprises a cooling gap;

the extraction slit is in fluid communication with said cooling gap when the door is in the cooking position;

the suction unit is configured to generate a cooling flow in the cooling gap when the door is in the cooking position.

12. Household appliance according to claim 10, wherein:

the extraction slit is arranged at said upper edge of the perimeter contour of the opening.

13. Household appliance according to claim 12, wherein the extraction slit extends parallel to said upper edge of the perimeter contour of the opening.

14. Household appliance according to claim 1, comprising:

a hob arranged above the cooking compartment and having an extraction opening for cooking fumes;

a downdraft hood comprising the suction unit, said downdraft hood having a first extraction duct configured to fluid-dynamically connect the suction unit with the cooking compartment, and a second extraction duct configured to fluid-dynamically connect the suction unit with the extraction opening of the hob.

15. Method of operating a household appliance, wherein:

said household appliance for cooking food comprises:

a suction unit placed in fluid communication with the cooking compartment and configured to extract at least part of a volume of air present in said cooking compartment when the door is in the ajar position or access position wherein the opening members are configured to abut on the pushing portion of the door and exert a force adapted to switch the door from the cooking position to the ajar position

said method comprising the steps of:

bringing the cooking compartment to a predetermined operating temperature with the door in the cooking position while the suction unit is in a first operating configuration;

actuating the opening members to switch the door from the cooking position to the ajar position;

at the same time as the actuation of the opening members, bringing the suction unit into a second operating configuration, different from the first operating configuration, to extract at least part of the air present in the cooking compartment;

maintaining the suction unit in the second operating configuration as long as the door is in the ajar position;

returning the suction unit to the first operating configuration when the door is in the access position or in the closing position.

16. Method according to claim 15, wherein:

in the first operating configuration the suction unit is deactivated or configured to generate an extraction flow having a first volumetric flow rate value P1;

in the second operating configuration, the suction unit is configured to generate an extraction flow having a second volumetric flow rate value P2 greater than the first volumetric flow rate value.

17. Method according to claim 15, wherein the step of actuating the opening members comprises the sub-steps of:

actuating the motorization members of the opening members to switch the push rod from the retracted position to the extracted position;

maintaining the push rod in the extracted position as long as the door is in the ajar position;

actuating the motorization members of the opening members to switch the push rod from the extracted position to the retracted position when the door is brought into the access position.