Patent Description:
In a cooking oven food is prepared within an oven cavity. The food is inserted into and removed from the oven cavity through a front opening. Said front opening is closable by an oven door. The oven door includes a glass window cooled down by a cooling system. Said cooling system sucks air from the interior of the oven door. The cooling system is formed by cooling ducts surrounding the oven cavity. A cooling fan on the top of the oven cavity circulates air within the cooling ducts.

During the cooking process steam and vapour in the interior of the oven cavity may condensate at the glass window of the oven door. In order to avoid the condensation of steam and vapour at the glass window of the oven door, a system for removing steam and vapour from the oven cavity is provided. The oven cavity has an aperture connected to the cooling system. Steam and vapour are sucked through said aperture by the cooling fan. The aperture is connected to the cooling system via a guiding channel. The guiding channel and the aperture form a passage for the steam and vapour sucked by the cooling fan. In order to avoid leakages, a sealing element is required between the guiding channel and the aperture.

Usually, the cooling channel is preassembled in a subsidiary station, while the oven cavity and the cooling channel are fixed to the housing in the main production line. This requires the sealing element at the correct position of the guiding channel and the aperture.

<CIT> discloses an oven having a cooking chamber and a flow passage guide communicating between the cooking chamber and an inside of a cooling fan unit. The flow passage guide is connected with an opening of the cooking chamber by means of a first and a second structure formed complementary to each other. <CIT> discloses an oven cavity with an exhaust air channel which are connected via a collar structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cooking oven, which allows an improved sealing between the oven cavity and the cooling channel by low complexity.

The object is achieved by the cooking oven according to claim <NUM>.

An alternative solution is provided in claim <NUM>.

According to the present invention a cooking oven with an oven cavity and a cooling channel is provided, wherein:.

The complementary first structure and second structure provide a mechanical sealing between the cavity opening and the guiding channel. This mechanical sealing might be provided for example by fitting surfaces, a tongue and groove joint or another form fit of the first structure with the second structure. Any further sealing elements are not required for avoiding leakage.

Thus steam and vapours from a cooking process in the oven cavity may be guided through the cavity opening and the guiding channel to the cooling channel, in particular cooling main channel, and further to an outside of the cooking oven, in particular through an opening at the oven door for closing a front opening of the oven cavity or at the backside of the oven opposite to the oven door. In particular the cooling channel might be a preassembled cooling channel, which may further be provided with a cooling fan arranged above and in fluid connection with the cooling channel.

In an embodiment first and second structure enclose a second cavity, formed above the oven cavity, wherein the cavity opening connects the cavity with the second cavity and the at least one guiding channel connects the second cavity with the main cooling channel. A filtration element or catalyst element may be placed into the second cavity.

The cavity opening is preferably formed in the top wall of the oven cavity. There might be one or several cavity openings surrounded by the first structure. The first structure might be formed into the cavity wall as single piece. In an alternative embodiment the first structure might be provided as shaped part connected or connectable to the oven cavity.

Preferably, the cooling channel is arranged above the oven cavity. In particular the cooling channel is provided with walls, in particular with a bottom wall being separated from a top wall of the oven cavity. In the spacing in between a bottom wall of the cooling channel and the top wall the oven cavity a further part of a cooling system might be located for example a duct for sucking cold air from an outside to be inserted into the cooling channel.

The second structure might be provided as single piece with one of the cooling channel walls, in particular with a bottom wall of the cooling channel. In an alternative embodiment the second structure might be provided as shaped part connected or connectable to the cooling channel. There might be one or several guiding channels surrounded by the second structure.

Further, the oven cavity may be fixed at a housing of the cooking oven.

In a similar way, the cooling channel may be fixed at the housing of the cooking oven.

For example, the oven cavity is fixed at side walls of the cooking oven by screws.

Similarly, the cooling channel may be fixed at the side walls of the cooking oven by screws.

In particular, the first structure is formed rotation-symmetrically in view of the cavity opening. The cavity opening might be arranged in the centre of the first structure or off axis.

In a similar way, the second structure is formed rotation-symmetrically in view of the guiding channel. The guiding channel might be arranged in the centre of the first structure or off axis.

For example, the first structure is embossed around the cavity opening.

Similarly, the second structure may be embossed around the guiding channel.

Moreover, the oven cavity and the cooling channel are indirectly connected to each other.

Preferably, the oven cavity is made of carbon steel. Further, the oven cavity may be made of stainless steel.

Preferably, the cooling channel is made of carbon steel. Further, the cooling channel may be made of stainless steel.

Preferably, the oven is provided with a cooling fan. The cooling fan is located such that it enhances circulation through the cooling channel, in particular steam and vapour are sucked by the cooling fan from the oven cavity trough the cavity opening and the guiding channel. The cooling fan may be driven by a motor located above a top wall of the cooling channel, wherein the cooling fan blades may be arranged inside the cooling channel or in a chamber in fluid connection with the cooling channel. Furthermore, the cooling fan may suck cold air from an outside through a connected cooling system, in particular through the duct, to mix cold air with steam and vapour sucked from the oven cavity and promote exhaustion of the mixture to an outside. The cooling fan may be located in axis with the cavity opening and/or guiding channel and/or the first and second structure. In particular, an axis of the cooling fan might be in line with the cavity opening and the guiding channel and/or with the centers of the first and second structure. Alternatively, the cooling fan might be located in a distance D from a center of the second structure. In particular, the cooling fan might be located in a distance D from the second structure towards an opening of the cooling channel to an outside.

The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic partial exploded sectional side view of a cooking oven <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The cooking oven <NUM> comprises an oven cavity <NUM> and a cooling channel <NUM>. A front opening of the oven cavity <NUM> is closable by an oven door <NUM>. The cooling channel <NUM> is arranged above the oven cavity <NUM>. The cooling channel <NUM> comprises a main cooling channel <NUM> and a guiding channel <NUM>. A cavity opening <NUM> is formed in a top wall of the oven cavity <NUM>. The guiding channel <NUM> is formed in a bottom wall of the cooling channel <NUM>. When the cooling channel <NUM> is put onto the oven cavity <NUM>, then the cavity opening <NUM> and the guiding channel <NUM> are connected indirectly to each other.

A first structure <NUM> is formed around the cavity opening <NUM>. A second structure <NUM> is formed around the guiding channel <NUM>. The first structure <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> are formed complementary to each other. The first structure <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> provide a mechanical sealing between the cavity opening <NUM> and the guiding channel <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a more detailed schematic partial exploded sectional side view of the cooking oven <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The guiding channel <NUM> of the cooling channel <NUM> is arranged above the cavity opening <NUM> of the oven cavity <NUM>. The first structure <NUM> around the cavity opening <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> around the guiding channel <NUM> are formed complementary to each other. In the shown embodiment a protrusion <NUM> of the second structure <NUM> is inserted into a groove <NUM> of the first structure <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic perspective view of the guiding channel <NUM> formed in the bottom wall 14a of the cooling channel <NUM> for the cooking oven <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The second structure <NUM> is formed around the guiding channel <NUM>. Said second structure <NUM> is formed complementary to the first structure <NUM> formed around the cavity opening <NUM>. The second structure <NUM> is formed rotation-symmetrically in view of the guiding channel <NUM>.

Preferably, the cooling channel <NUM> is made of carbon steel. Further, the cooling channel <NUM> may be made of stainless steel.

<FIG> shows an alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, there are two guiding channels <NUM>. The guiding channels are arranged non-central to the second structure <NUM>. In particular the two guiding channels <NUM> may be arranged on an inclined surface of the second structure <NUM> on the same side. Another number of guiding channels is possible.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic perspective view of the cavity opening <NUM> in the top wall 12a of an oven cavity <NUM> for the cooking oven <NUM> according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The first structure <NUM> is formed around the cavity opening <NUM>. Said first structure <NUM> is formed complementary to the second structure <NUM> formed around the guiding channel <NUM>. The first structure <NUM> is formed rotation-symmetrically in view of the cavity opening <NUM>.

Preferably, the oven cavity <NUM> is made of carbon steel. Further, the oven cavity <NUM> may be made of stainless steel.

<FIG> shows an alternative embodiment. In this embodiment, there are two cavity openings <NUM>. The cavity openings <NUM> are arranged non-central to the first structure <NUM>. In particular the two cavity openings <NUM> may be arranged on an inclined surface of the first structure <NUM> on the same side. Another number of cavity openings is possible.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic partial side view of the cooking oven <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The cooking oven <NUM> comprises the oven cavity <NUM> and the cooling channel <NUM>, wherein the cooling channel <NUM> is arranged above the oven cavity <NUM>. The first structure <NUM> around the cavity opening <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> around the guiding channel <NUM> are engaged with each other. Thus a second cavity <NUM> is formed by the first structure <NUM> and the second structure <NUM>. The engagement between the first structure <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> provide the mechanical sealing between the cavity opening <NUM> and the guiding channel <NUM>. Any further sealing elements are not required. In the depicted embodiment the first structure <NUM> is formed by embossment into the cavity wall 12a and the second structure <NUM> is formed by embossment into a bottom wall 14a of the cooling channel <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates a further embodiment. According to this embodiment the first structure <NUM> is a shape part 22a which is attached to the top wall 12a of the cavity <NUM> instead of the embossment into the top wall 12a as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment with a first structure <NUM> formed from a shape part 22a, and a second structure <NUM> formed from a shape part 24a and attached to the cooling channel <NUM> replacing the embossments into the top wall 12a and the bottom wall 14a shown in <FIG>. In a further non depicted embodiment only the second structure may be formed from a shape part 24a.

The embodiments shown in <FIG> may be combined with first structure <NUM> and cavity opening(s) <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>,b and with the second structure <NUM> and guiding channel(s) <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>,b.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment with a cooling fan <NUM> arranged with the cooling channel <NUM>. The cooling fan <NUM> is driven by a motor located above a top wall 14b of the cooling channel <NUM>, wherein the blades of the cooling fan <NUM> are depicted inside the cooling channel <NUM>. Supporting structures of the cooling fan <NUM> and optional air guiding elements arranged at or around the blades of the cooling fan <NUM> are not shown.

<FIG> depicts an on axis configuration of the cooling fan <NUM>, wherein the axis of the cooling fan <NUM> is located in axis with a center of the first structure <NUM> and a center of the second structure <NUM>. The cooling fan <NUM> sucks steam and vapour though the cavity opening <NUM>, the second cavity <NUM>, which may be provided with a filtration element, and the guiding channel <NUM> into a main channel of the cooling channel <NUM>. The cooling fan <NUM> may optionally suck cold air from an outside though a duct <NUM> to be mixt with the steam and vapour inside the cooling channel <NUM> to be exhausted to an outside. Duct <NUM> may be located above the top wall 12a of the oven cavity <NUM> and below a bottom wall 14a of the cooling channel. According to the invention, the first structure or the second structure <NUM>, <NUM> is formed either by embossment or by shaped parts 22a, 24a as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates an alternative arrangement of the cooling fan <NUM>. First and second structure <NUM>, <NUM> as well as the cavity opening <NUM> and the guiding channel <NUM> are arranged in line. The cooling fan <NUM> is placed at some distance D towards the back of the oven <NUM>. Even though in the illustrated embodiment, the distance D is chosen such that the fan blades overlap the second structure partially but not the guiding channel, the distance D can be also chosen such that fan blades and the first and second structure do not overlap. The first structure and the second structure <NUM>, <NUM> might be formed f. by embossment or by shaped parts 22a, 24a as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> shows an alternative embodiment to <FIG> wherein the cooling fan <NUM> is placed at some distance D towards the front of the oven <NUM>. In this embodiment the opening of the cooling channel is placed above or in the oven door <NUM>. Even though <FIG> depicts an off-axis arrangement of the cooling fan <NUM>, the fan could alternatively be placed on axis as shown in <FIG> with the cooling channel opening directed at the oven door <NUM>.

The embodiments shown in <FIG> may be combined with first structure <NUM> and cavity opening(s) <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>,b and with the second structure <NUM> and guiding channel(s) <NUM> as depicted in <FIG>as well.

<FIG> illustrates a schematic partial perspective view of the cooking oven <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The cooking oven <NUM> comprises two side walls <NUM>. The oven cavity <NUM> having a front opening <NUM> is attached at said side walls <NUM> by screws. Moreover, the cooling channel <NUM> is attached at the side walls <NUM> by screws. The side walls <NUM> may be mounted on or supported by a supporting structure <NUM> arranged under the oven cavity <NUM>.

At the assembling of the cooking oven <NUM>, the oven cavity <NUM> is fixed to the housing of said cooking oven <NUM>. Then, the cooling channel <NUM> is laid on the oven cavity <NUM>, wherein the first structure <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> come into contact. The complementary surfaces of the first structure <NUM> and the second structure <NUM> align the correct position of the cooling channel <NUM> relative to the oven cavity <NUM>. At last, the cooling channel <NUM> is fixed by screws to the housing of the cooking oven <NUM>.

The cooling channel <NUM> and the oven cavity <NUM> are indirectly connected to each other.

Claim 1:
A cooking oven (<NUM>) with an oven cavity (<NUM>) and a cooling channel (<NUM>), wherein:
- the oven cavity (<NUM>) includes at least one cavity opening (<NUM>),
- the cooling channel (<NUM>) includes at least one guiding channel (<NUM>),
- the cavity opening (<NUM>) is connected to the guiding channel (<NUM>),
- the cavity opening (<NUM>) is surrounded by a first structure (<NUM>),
- the guiding channel (<NUM>) is surrounded by a second structure (<NUM>), and
- the first structure (<NUM>) and the second structure (<NUM>) are formed complementary to each other,
wherein complementary first structure (<NUM>) and second structure provide (<NUM>) a mechanical sealing between the cavity opening (<NUM>) and the guiding channel (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the first structure (<NUM>) is embossed around the cavity opening (<NUM>) into the top wall (12a) of the cavity (<NUM>) or that the first structure (<NUM>) is formed as shape part (22a) attached to the top wall (12a) of the cavity (<NUM>).