Abstract:
A guide apparatus for a baking oven. The guide apparatus includes a baking support including a projecting edge on opposite sides of the baking support. Further included is a side wall of the oven and a plurality of horizontal bars mounted on the side wall. The horizontal bars form at least one baking level and support the projecting edges of the baking support. Also included is at least one holding means provided on the baking support, which holding means engages beneath one of the plurality of horizontal bars and forms a tilt protection mechanism.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a national stage of International Application PCT/EP2009/061994, filed Sep. 16, 2009, and claims benefit of and priority to German Patent Application No. 20 2008 014 266.0, filed Oct. 27, 2008, the content of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a guide apparatus, particularly a guide apparatus for use in a baking oven. A baking support is supported on its opposite sides by a projecting section configured to be placed on a horizontal bar of a lateral grate or on a side wall of the baking oven. The apparatus includes a plurality of horizontal bars located at vertical distances on the respective side grate or on the respective side wall to form a plurality of baking levels. 
         [0003]    A support floor of a kitchen appliance is known from DE 20 2004 005475, which support floor is fixed on opposite sides to a running rail of a pull-out guide. The pull-out guide is held on a side grate and is secured there against tilting in the extended position. The guidance of the support floor via the pull-out guide and the mounting on the side grates is comparatively complex and requires numerous components. Moreover, the metallic components have a high thermal storage capacity, so that the operation of a baking oven with a respective support floor requires a relatively high energy input. 
         [0004]    A guide rail with a quick-mounting apparatus is known from DE 20 2006 002251, which guide rail can be mounted on a side grate. The side grate has a plurality of horizontal bars, with the bars each being arranged in pairs. Each pair of horizontal bars forms a baking level. The upper rail provides protection from tilting when a baking support is slid with one edge between the two horizontal rails. It is disadvantageous in this construction that the two horizontal bars mean a high input of material because several baking levels are provided in the side grate. The energy input during the heating of the baking oven is relatively high due to the high input of material. 
         [0005]    The present disclosure provides for a guide apparatus which is arranged in a simple way and has a low need for energy. 
         [0006]    The present disclosure thus relates to a guide apparatus for a baking oven. The guide apparatus includes a baking support including a projecting edge on opposite sides of the baking support. Further included is a side wall of the oven and a plurality of horizontal bars mounted on the side wall. The horizontal bars form at least one baking level and support the projecting edges of the baking support. Also included is at least one holding means provided on the baking support, which holding means engages beneath one of the plurality of horizontal bars and forms a tilt protection mechanism. 
         [0007]    In accordance with the present disclosure, the guide apparatus includes a baking support which is supported on the horizontal bars of a side grate or a side wall. The apparatus includes at least one holding means which engages beneath the horizontal bar on which the baking support is supported, in order to form a tilt protection mechanism. As a result, the side grate can be provided with a considerably lower number of horizontal bars because the horizontal bar on which the baking support rests simultaneously forms the support and the tilt protection mechanism. As a result of the engagement beneath the horizontal bar, downward tilting is prevented when withdrawing the baking support. The baking-supports tend to tilt downwardly as a result of gravity but the horizontal bar has been engaged underneath and forms a stop for the holding means. By reducing the number of bars on the opposite sides of the side grate, the input of material is reduced, so that the energy requirements of a respective guide apparatus in a baking oven will be reduced. Moreover, pull-out guides can be mounted more easily on the side grate due to the larger distance of the horizontal bars. Further savings in energy and material can be achieved by omitting the vertical bars of the side grate and fixing the horizontal bars in the side wall in a positive, non-positive or firmly bonded way. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the horizontal bar is engaged in a U-like manner by the at least one holding means. The holding means can be arranged in the form of a strip or only as a projection. The horizontal bar can be accommodated with play in the holding means in order to enable smooth insertion of the baking support with the holding means on the horizontal bar. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment according to the present disclosure, each horizontal bar is arranged in a side grate as a baking level, which means that a specific number of baking levels is provided depending on the vertical height of the baking oven, for which one horizontal bar each is provided on opposite sides. This reduces the input of material for the side grate to a minimum. For an effective arrangement of the baking levels, the horizontal bars can be arranged in a side grate in the vertical direction in regular intervals. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment according to the present disclosure, the baking support has a laterally protruding edge which rests directly or indirectly on a horizontal bar. The baking support can be arranged as a baking tray. Other baking supports such as, for example, base grids, grill grates, troughs, and slide elements can be used as baking supports. 
         [0011]    The at least one holding means can detachably be mounted on the baking support for the purpose of simple mounting. The holding means can be inserted on the lateral edge of the baking support in order to fix the holding means in a clamping or latching manner on the baking support. The holding means is arranged, in an embodiment according to the present disclosure, as a bent sheet which has been placed on the edge of the baking support. 
         [0012]    In a further embodiment according to the present disclosure, the at least one holding means is arranged in a rear section of the baking support in the pull-out direction. Tilting of the baking support needs to be prevented especially when withdrawing the baking support from the oven, since there will be a tilting motion as a result of gravity. Locating the holding means in the rear section may be necessary, and tilting can be reduced to this area. It is also possible to provide the holding means with a longer configuration, for example, more than half or 70% of the length of the lateral edge of the baking support, so that better guidance of the baking support on the horizontal bar is ensured. 
         [0013]    In a further embodiment according to the present disclosure, the at least one holding means is arranged as a bracket or projection which is fixed to a side wall of the baking support. The holding means can be fixed to a side wall of the baking support in a positive, non-positive or firmly bonded manner. 
         [0014]    For simple production, the at least one holding means can be made of a bent wire. The wire can be led through an opening on the baking support for fixing. The holding means can thus be retrofitted in a very simple way. 
         [0015]    Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a baking oven with a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 2A ,  2 B show two views of a first embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0018]      FIGS. 3A to 3D  show views of a second embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B show views of a third embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 5A and 5D  show views of a fourth embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 6A to 6D  show views of a fifth embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 7A to 7C  show views of a sixth embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 8A to 8C  show views of a seventh embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show views of an eighth embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  show views of a ninth embodiment of a guide apparatus, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  shows a view of a single-bar side grate with a pull-out guide, in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  shows a side view of a baking oven with a guide apparatus, in accordance with another embodiment, of the present disclosure. 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  shows a front view with bars fixed in the side wall of the embodiment of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  shows the front view with bars fixed in the side wall and a pull-out guide in the embodiment of  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    A baking oven  1  comprises a heatable interior space  2  which comprises a side grate  4 , of a guide apparatus, according to the present disclosure, on opposite side walls  3 . The side grate  4  is fixed via fastening means (not shown) to the side wall  3  and comprises a plurality of horizontal bars  5  which are fixed at opposite ends to vertical bars. Each horizontal bar  5  forms a baking level and is used for supporting a baking support  6  which is arranged or configured, for example, as a baking tray and which baking support  6  comprises a laterally protruding edge  7 . 
         [0031]    As is shown in an embodiment of the present disclosure in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the laterally protruding edge  7  of the baking support  6  is provided with a holding means  10  in the form of a strip-like bent sheet in a rear region adjacent to a rear wall of the baking oven  1 . The holding means or sheet  10  is arranged in a virtually S-shaped manner in its cross section. The holding means  10  comprises a first U-shaped receiver which is delimited by an upper limb  11  and a middle limb  12 . The protruding edge  7  of the baking support  6  is arranged in this receiver. The middle limb  12  is arranged as a middle transitional region and also forms part of the upper limb of a further U-shaped receiver which comprises a floor  13  and a bottom limb  14 . This receiver is opened towards the side grate  4  and encompasses a horizontal bar  5  with a certain play. 
         [0032]    The holding means  10  can thus be placed on the edge  7  of the baking support  6  and can be fixed there in a clamping or latching manner. The baking support  6  can then be slid onto a bottom horizontal bar  5 , with the bottom limb  14  of the holding means  10  engaging beneath the bar  5 . In order to ensure that the baking support  6  is movable in the pull-out direction, the bar  5  comprises a bent end section  8  at the end side which is fixed to a pillar of the side grate  4 , so that the clearance between the side grates  4  is larger than the width of the baking support  6 . The holding means  10  is passed by a bead  83 . The bead  83  forms a lateral guide, on the one hand, and a stop in the pull-out direction of the baking support  6 , on the other hand. 
         [0033]    Although the holding means  10  is arranged in a strip-like manner in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , it extends over a short length in the rear region of the baking support  6 . An embodiment of  FIGS. 3A to 3D , according to the present disclosure, shows a baking support  6  in which a strip-like holding means  20  extends virtually over the entire length of a side edge of the baking support  6 . The holding means  20  is arranged in an S-shaped manner, as in the preceding embodiment, and comprises an upper limb  21  and a middle limb  22  which can be fixed in a clamping or latching manner to the edge  7 . A receiver is formed by the middle limb  22 , the floor  23  and the bottom limb  24  in the bottom region of the holding means  20  in which a horizontal bar  5  can be inserted. A good guidance in the horizontal bar  5  is achieved by the arrangement of the strip-like holding means  20  virtually over the entire length of the side of the baking support  6 . Tilt protection is ensured over a long period of time when withdrawing the baking support  6  from the baking oven  1  until the horizontal bar  5  has been removed from the holding means  20  or vice versa. 
         [0034]    In an embodiment, according to the present disclosure, as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a holding means  30 , which is provided in the form of a bracket and is formed from a bent wire, is provided on a side wall of the baking support  6  in a rear area. The holding means  30  comprises two mutually spaced end sections  31  which are fixed to the side wall of the baking support  6  in a positive, non-positive or firmly bonded manner. A receiver is formed between the holding means  30  and a protruding edge  7  of the baking support  6  in which a horizontal bar  5  is inserted with a certain play. In this case too, the holding means  30  forms a tilt protection mechanism when withdrawing the baking support  6  from the baking oven  1 . 
         [0035]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show a further embodiment, according to the present disclosure, in which a bracket is fixed to the baking support  6  as a holding means  40 . Other than in the embodiment of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the bracket is not only arranged in the rear region of the baking support  6 , but extends virtually over the entire length of the side edge of the baking support  6 . This ensures an even guidance during insertion of the baking support  6  into the side grate  4  in the horizontal bar  5  and during the withdrawal of the same. The holding means  40  is fixed via two end sections  41  to a side wall of the baking support  6 . 
         [0036]      FIGS. 6A to 6D  show an embodiment of a guide apparatus, according to the present disclosure, in which a holding means  50  is fixed to a baking support  6 . The holding means  50  is formed by a bent wire which forms a U-shaped receiver in its cross section for a horizontal bar  5 . A bottom bracket is provided for this purpose which comprises a bent section  51  at the end side which is arranged at a distance from a horizontal limb  52 , thus forming a receiver for a bar  5 . The limb  52  is connected via a bent portion  53  with a support section  54 , with the edge  7  of the baking support  6  being inserted between the support section  54  and the limb  52 . 
         [0037]    Two spaced openings  56  are cut out at the protruding edge  7  of the baking support  6  in order to fix the holding means  50  in which opening  56  a downwardly protruding end section  55  is inserted. The end section  55  is arranged integrally with the holding section  54 , so that when the end sections  55  are inserted into the openings  56  the holding means  50  is fixed to the baking support  6  in an interlocking manner. A section  57 , between the section  51  and the limb  52 , rests on a side wall of the baking support  6  for stabilization purposes. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 7A to 7C  show an embodiment, according to the present disclosure, of a baking support  6  in which a thin-walled bent metal sheet is fixed as a holding means  60  to a protruding edge  7 . The holding means  60  is arranged in a U-shaped way and is inserted with an upper limb  62  into a bent section of the edge  7 . The holding means  60  comprises a bottom limb  61 , so that a horizontal bar  5  can be inserted between the limbs  61  and  62 . The holding means  60  only extends over a rear end region of the side edge of the baking support  6 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 8A and 8C  show an embodiment, according to the present disclosure, of a holding means  70  which is modified in comparison with the embodiment of  FIGS. 7A to 7C . Holding means  70  is arranged in a U-shaped manner in its cross section and comprises an upper limb  72  and a bottom limb  71 . The upper limb  72  is inserted in the protruding edge  7  of the baking support  6  and the bottom limb  71  encompasses a horizontal bar  5  of the side grate  4  in the inserted state. The holding means  70  extends virtually over the entire length of one side of the baking support  6 . 
         [0040]      FIGS. 9A and 9B  show a further embodiment, according to the present disclosure, of a baking support  6  with a holding means  80 . The holding means  80  is arranged as an elbow which is firmly bonded by a plate-like surface  81  on a side wall of the baking support  6 . A protruding limb  82  is further arranged on the holding means  80  which engages beneath the bar  5  during the insertion of the baking support  6  on a horizontal bar  5  and thus forms a tilt protection mechanism. The holding means or elbow  80  is only arranged in a rear region of the baking support  6 . A bead  83  is formed on the protruding edge  7  for the purpose of better guidance of the baking support  6 , which bead  83  engages beneath the horizontal bar  5  in the horizontal direction. That means it is arranged on the horizontal bar  5  on the side opposite of the side wall on which the baking support  6  rests. The bead  83  also provides a limit stop in the pull-out direction in addition to lateral guidance. For this purpose, the bead  83  impinges on the bent end section  8  of the horizontal bar  5  after pulling out the baking support  6 . In order to overcome the limit stop, the baking support  6  needs to be lifted slightly so that the bead  83  comes out of engagement. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a further embodiment, in accordance with the present disclosure, of a baking support  6  in which a holding means  90  is provided in the form of an elbow. The elbow extends virtually over the entire length of a side wall of the baking support  6  and comprises a first limb  91  which is firmly bonded to the side wall. A second limb  92  of the elbow protrudes beneath the horizontal bar  5  and thus forms a tilt protection mechanism. In this case too, the baking support  6  comprises a protruding bead  83  on edge  7  which engages beneath the horizontal bar  5  in the horizontal direction. 
         [0042]    In accordance with the present disclosure,  FIG. 11  shows a side grate  4  with a horizontal bar  5 , to which a pull-out guide  93  is fixed with the fixing means  94 . As a result, the baking support  6  can alternatively and conveniently be moved out of the interior space  2  of the baking oven  1  by the pull-out guide  93 . Pull-out guides, which can also be provided by the end customer as a retrofit, can be fixed very easily to the horizontal bar  5  with the fixing means  94  as a result of the side grate  4  with the horizontal bar  5 . 
         [0043]    In accordance with the present disclosure,  FIGS. 12 to 14  show the fixing of the horizontal bar  5  directly in the side wall  3  of the interior space  2  of a baking oven  1 . The horizontal bars  5  can be fixed to the side wall  3  of the baking oven  1  in a positive, non-positive or firmly bonded manner. It is also advantageous to have only one horizontal bar  5  in order to utilize baking supports  6  with tilt protection mechanism, as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 12 and 13  or pull-out guides  93 , as shown, for example, in  FIG. 14 . The interior space  2  of the baking oven  1  can thus be cleaned very easily. It is advantageous and within the scope of the present disclosure to have embodiments of the horizontal bars  5  which can reversibly be fixed in a latching manner in the side wall  3 . 
         [0044]    Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.