Patent Description:
In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for cooking food which integrates an oven, a hob and a hood of the type commercially known as a recessed or downdraft hood.

In the state of the art there are known apparatuses for cooking food comprising an oven, a hob and a hood for sucking cooking fumes.

In particular, some of such apparatuses have downdraft hoods integrated in the hob or alternatively in the top of a kitchen cabinet where the apparatus for cooking food is housed.

Such a downdraft hood is configured to generate a descending current greater than the ascending speed of the fumes due to cooking so that such fumes are sucked towards an opening provided in the hob itself with motion having a downwards direction.

For example, document <CIT> shows an apparatus for cooking food comprising an oven and a hob arranged vertically above the oven.

Such a hob has a central opening arranged between a plurality of cooking zones and is in fluid communication with a suction unit, positioned below the hob. In use, the suction unit is configured to generate a negative pressure which results in a suction effect of the cooking fumes through the central slot.

Said apparatus for cooking food comprises a filter unit arranged in the slot and vertically removable from the hob to carry out filter cleaning and replacing operations.

Disadvantageously, such a filter unit extends vertically between the hob and the oven thus reducing the useful volume of the cooking chamber of the oven itself.

In other words, the filter unit extending vertically between the hob and the oven prevents making oven cooking chambers which extend vertically up to near the hob. This limits the usability of the oven by the user.

Furthermore, the inlet opening of the fumes, being arranged in a central portion of the hob, reduces the useful surface area thereof usable for cooking food. This reduction of the useful surface cooking area is all the more disadvantageous if the hob is of the "free induction" type, i.e., if the entire surface of the hob can be used for cooking food. Another apparatus for cooking food comprising an oven and a hob arranged above the oven is described in <CIT>.

In this context, an object underlying the present invention is to provide an apparatus for cooking food capable of maximising the useful volume and surface area for cooking food.

In accordance with the present invention, the technical task indicated and the specified objects are achieved by an apparatus for cooking food in accordance with one or more of the claims below.

Thanks to the present invention, it is possible to provide an apparatus for cooking food having an oven cavity which, with the same installation conditions, allows to maximise the useful volume of the oven's cooking chamber. In particular, this is all the more advantageous if the apparatus of the present invention is installed in a modular cabinet of a kitchen having standard dimensions. In fact, in this configuration, thanks to the present invention it is possible to dedicate only a part of the available space of the cabinet to the apparatus for cooking food in accordance with the present invention while preserving the other parts both in terms of intended use and functionality.

Furthermore, thanks to the present invention it is possible to obtain an apparatus for cooking food having a greater useful surface area for positioning the containers containing the food to be heated.

Furthermore, thanks to the present invention, the maintenance operations of the filters are easier.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of an exemplary, but not exclusive, and therefore nonlimiting preferred embodiment of an apparatus for cooking food, as illustrated in the appended figures, in which:.

Even if not explicitly highlighted, the individual features described with reference to the specific embodiments shall be understood as accessory to and/or interchangeable with other features described with reference to other embodiments.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for cooking food, indicated by <NUM> in the accompanying figures.

In particular, the cooking apparatus <NUM> object of the present invention is configured to be recessed inside a special compartment <NUM> of a kitchen cabinet <NUM> having standard dimensions.

For example, in an embodiment, the compartment can have a height of <NUM>, a width of <NUM>, and a depth which varies as a function of the specific applications.

Preferably, the kitchen cabinet envisages that its compartments are occupied by drawers <NUM>, for example <NUM> tall, arranged on opposite sides of the compartment <NUM>, and a lower drawer <NUM> arranged vertically below the compartment <NUM>.

In other words, the kitchen cabinet <NUM> includes the apparatus for cooking food <NUM> which occupies a compartment of the cabinet <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, such an apparatus <NUM> for cooking food comprises an oven <NUM> having a cavity <NUM> and a door <NUM> associated to a front surface 3A of the cavity.

The cavity <NUM> is configured to accommodate one or more foods to bake therein.

In an embodiment of the present invention, and in particular if the apparatus <NUM> for cooking food is integrated in the kitchen cabinet <NUM>, it is understood that the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM> has a width equal to <NUM>, a height equal to <NUM> and a depth equal to <NUM>.

The door <NUM> is configured to selectively provide access inside the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM> so as to allow the food to be cooked to be loaded and the cooked food to be unloaded.

In detail, such a door <NUM> is constrained in rotation to the apparatus <NUM> so as to be able to switch it between a first configuration of use, for example of cooking, in which the door <NUM> closes the cavity <NUM> frontally, and a second configuration of use, for example of loading/unloading food, in which the cavity <NUM> is frontally accessible.

The food loading/unloading configuration will also be indicated hereinafter as a maintenance configuration, as it allows the ordinary maintenance operations to be carried out on some components of the apparatus <NUM>. More details on this will be provided later in the description.

The above-mentioned cooking and loading/unloading (or maintenance) configurations are shown in <FIG>, respectively.

The apparatus <NUM> of the present invention further comprises a hob <NUM> having a predetermined width "L", length "l" and height "H.

Such a hob <NUM> defines an upper surface 1A, which limits the apparatus <NUM> above, and a lower surface 1B, opposite the upper surface 1A.

In particular, when the apparatus <NUM> is installed in the special compartment <NUM> of the standard-sized kitchen cabinet <NUM>, the upper surface 1A represents the visible or in-view side for the user while the lower surface 1B represents the surface hidden from the user's view, for example because it is recessed.

Preferably, when the apparatus <NUM> is installed the surface 1A is arranged seamlessly (i.e., continuously, uninterruptedly) with an outer surface 102A of a top <NUM> of the kitchen cabinet <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and in <FIG>.

The hob <NUM> comprises at least one heating element <NUM> at which a container containing the food to be heated is available.

Preferably, the hob <NUM> comprises a plurality of heating elements <NUM> suitably distributed on the upper surface 1A and, in particular, capable of transmitting energy to the bottom of the containers in which the food to be heated is kept.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one heating element <NUM> is embodied in a resistive, or gas or, preferably, inductive heating element.

Furthermore, the plurality of heating elements can be distributed on the upper surface 1A by means of a plurality of micro-inductors homogeneously distributed throughout the entire hob <NUM>.

Typically, the upper surface 1A is embodied in a sheet of glass or material having similar properties.

The apparatus <NUM> of the present invention further comprises at least one inlet opening <NUM> on the upper surface 1A of the hob <NUM>.

In detail, the inlet opening <NUM> extends between the upper surface 1A and the lower surface 1B through the entire height "H" of the hob <NUM>. The inlet opening <NUM> thus takes the form of a through hole in the hob <NUM>.

Preferably, the inlet opening <NUM> is rectangular in shape and one of its two dimensions is much larger with respect to the other. Preferably its smaller dimension is between <NUM> - <NUM>.

Preferably, as shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises two or more inlet openings <NUM> each of which is arranged near a respective perimeter edge P of the hob <NUM>.

In greater detail, the perimeter edge P comprises two side edges PL, which extend along the length "l" of the hob <NUM>, a front edge PA extending along the width "L" of the hob <NUM> at the oven door <NUM>, and a rear edge PP extending along the width "L" of the hob <NUM> opposite the front edge.

It should be specified that the inlet openings can extend along the length "l" of the hob at both side edges, and along the width "L" only at the rear edge.

The apparatus <NUM> further comprises an outlet opening <NUM> in fluid communication with the at least one inlet opening <NUM>.

Such an outlet opening <NUM> represents the ejection point of the sucked fumes.

As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a downdraft-type hood <NUM>.

Preferably, the downdraft-type hood <NUM> can be operated in suction or filtering mode. In greater detail, in suction mode the hood <NUM> is configured to eject the cooking fumes in an environment outside the room in which the hood <NUM> is arranged, preferably an open environment, while in filtering mode the hood <NUM> ejects the cooking fumes inside the room in which the hood <NUM> is arranged.

Such a downdraft hood <NUM> has one or more suction units <NUM> each of which is configured to suck the cooking fumes through the at least one inlet opening <NUM> and to eject them through a respective outlet opening <NUM>.

The suction unit <NUM> is configured to generate a negative pressure (less than atmospheric) responsible for the suction effect of the cooking fumes through the at least one inlet opening <NUM>.

Preferably, the suction unit <NUM> comprises a conveyor 11a adapted to channel the cooking fumes.

Preferably, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> object of the present invention comprises a suction chamber <NUM> inside which the suction unit is arranged. Even more preferably, said suction chamber <NUM> contains the conveyor 11a entirely therein.

Even more preferably, said suction chamber <NUM> comprises a bottom 16a shaped to collect fluids such as water/grease flowing from the inlet opening <NUM>. For example, the bottom can comprise a liquid collection basin (not shown) which can be removed from the suction chamber <NUM>, or it can have a drainage tap (not shown) accessible by a user and arranged at a liquid collection cavity so as to allow the liquid accumulated therein to be emptied.

It should be specified that to fulfil the function of collecting the fluids, the bottom must prevent them from flowing out of the outlet opening <NUM> or from the openings if there are two suction units <NUM>. To this end, a rib of predetermined height projecting from the bottom of the suction chamber <NUM> is included, which extends between the rear and front edge of the chamber itself along a direction perpendicular to both edges.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a duct system <NUM> comprising a first path of cooking fumes 12a. The sucked cooking fumes flowing along the first path of cooking fumes 12a flow between the at least one inlet opening <NUM> and the outlet opening <NUM>.

In other words, the first path of cooking fumes 12a fluid-dynamically connects the inlet opening <NUM> and the outlet opening <NUM>.

According to an aspect the duct system <NUM> is made of metallic material to better resist the heat emanating from the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM> during its operation. However, other suitable materials can be used instead of metallic.

If the present invention comprises two inlet openings extending at the side edges PL of the hob <NUM>, the duct system <NUM> comprises a path of the cooking fumes for each inlet opening <NUM>. That is, the duct system <NUM> comprises a first and a second path of cooking fumes 12a, 12b each of which is associated to a respective inlet opening but with the same outlet opening.

In this case in which the present invention comprises two inlet openings <NUM>, the first and second paths of cooking fumes 12a, 12b are in fluid communication with the suction chamber upstream of the suction unit <NUM>.

If the present invention comprises one or two further inlet openings <NUM> at the rear edge PP of the hob <NUM>, in addition to the two inlet openings <NUM> extending at the side edges PL, said duct system <NUM> comprises a third and a fourth path of cooking fumes 12c, 12d respectively in fluid communication with the first and second path 12a, 12b. Such third and fourth paths of cooking fumes 12c, 12d are configured to conduct the sucked cooking fumes through the further inlet openings <NUM> to the outlet opening, through the first and second path of cooking fumes 12a, 12b.

As shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a filter <NUM> for filtering the sucked cooking fumes.

Such a filter <NUM> is arranged in the first path of cooking fumes 12a of the duct system <NUM>, in particular upstream of the suction unit <NUM>.

Therefore, in use, the cooking fumes, once sucked through the at least one inlet opening <NUM> by the suction effect generated by the suction unit <NUM>, then proceed along the first path of cooking fumes 12a passing through the filter <NUM> to thus reach the suction unit <NUM> and then the outlet opening <NUM>.

It should be specified that if there are two inlet openings extending at the side edges PL, the second path of cooking fumes 12b comprises a respective filter <NUM> adapted to filter the cooking fumes flowing between the respective inlet openings <NUM> and the outlet opening <NUM>. Therefore, in this case part of the cooking fumes will flow along the first path 12a and part along the second path 12b to then reach the suction unit <NUM> and then the outlet opening <NUM>.

What is said for the first path of cooking fumes 12a below will be equally valid for the second path of cooking fumes 12b in the case in which the invention comprises two inlet openings <NUM> extending at the side edges PL.

If the third and fourth paths of cooking fumes 12c, 12d are present, they are connected to the first and second paths of cooking fumes 12a, 12b upstream of the respective filters <NUM>, respectively.

As shown in the sectional view of the first path of <FIG>, the duct <NUM> in which the filter is arranged is shaped to create a shape coupling with such a filter.

Preferably, the filter comprises a grease filter 13a configured to filter the greases present in the cooking fumes.

Still more preferably, the grease filter and is arranged transversely to a main extension direction Y-Y of the first path of cooking fumes 12a so as to maximise the surface of the grease filter 13a exposed to the cooking fumes flow.

It should be specified that the grease filter is arranged in the duct so as to occupy the entire section, so that the entire flow is filtered.

For example, the grease filter 12a is made of a metal grille (or other material having similar features) retained by a metal or plastic profile arranged peripherally to the grille.

Still more preferably, the filter <NUM> comprises an odour filter 13b configured to filter the molecules responsible for the odours of the cooking fumes, eliminating them.

In detail, as shown in <FIG>, said odour filter 13b is arranged downstream of the grease filter 13a, i.e., the flow of cooking fumes passes first through the grease filter 13a and then through the odour filter 13b.

It should be specified that the odour filter 13b as well as the grease filter 13a is arranged in the duct so as to occupy the entire section thereof, so that the entire flow is filtered.

According to an aspect, the odour filter 13b comprises a set of filters housed in respective cavities of a filter holder element <NUM> extending along a main extension direction A-A.

For example, the odour filter 13b is an activated carbon filter.

In an embodiment the grease filter 13a and the odour filter 13b are constrained together so as to be removable/insertable as a single filter.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the grease filter 13a is separate and distinct from the odour filter 13b, i.e., each grease and odour filter is removable/insertable independently of the other, i.e., they are individually movable.

As certainly known to those skilled in the art, the suction hood filters of cooking fumes require ordinary maintenance operations which typically involve the cleaning/replacement of filters.

It is therefore evident that the user needs to be able to access the filter <NUM> in order to carry out such routine maintenance operations.

In greater detail, as shown in <FIG>, the apparatus <NUM> comprises an extraction/insertion opening <NUM> configured to allow the extraction and insertion of the filter <NUM> inside the first path of cooking fumes 12a.

In particular, the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> is sized to allow the extraction and insertion of the filter <NUM> inside the first path of cooking fumes 12a.

Such an extraction/insertion opening <NUM> is arranged on the front surface 3A of the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM>, and the filter <NUM> is removable/insertable along a direction perpendicular to said front surface 3A.

It should be noted that such filter extraction/insertion operations <NUM> can only be carried out when the door <NUM> allows access to the oven cavity, i.e., when it is in the maintenance configuration. In fact, as shown in <FIG>, when the door <NUM> is in the cooking configuration, the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> is inaccessible, as it is covered by the door itself.

Preferably, this extraction/insertion opening <NUM> is arranged laterally with respect to a perimeter contour F which surrounds an access mouth to the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM> on the front surface 3A.

Even more preferably, said extraction/insertion opening <NUM> is rectangular in shape and extends along a vertical direction at the filter <NUM>, so as to allow the user to move the filter to and from the duct of the first path of fumes 12a.

The extraction/insertion opening <NUM> can extend along the vertical direction Y-Y at both the grease filter 13a and the odour filter 13b, so as to allow the user to grasp and move them both or individually to and from the duct <NUM> in which they are housed.

In this case the opening <NUM> defines a surface, for example equal to 65x190mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> extends along the vertical direction Y-Y only at the odour filter 13b so as to extract only the odour filter.

In this case the opening <NUM> defines a surface, for example equal to 65x50mm.

It should be noted that if the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> extends along the vertical direction Y-Y only at the odour filter 13b, then it is possible for the grease filter 13a to be extracted from the inlet opening <NUM> along a direction perpendicular to the hob, i.e., substantially parallel to the vertical direction Y-Y.

Preferably, the apparatus <NUM> object of the present invention comprises closing means <NUM> associated to the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> to tightly close it.

In other words, in use, the closing means <NUM> are shaped to hermetically plug the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> so as to prevent the creation of an air flow through the extraction/insertion opening <NUM>, at least when the door <NUM> of the oven <NUM> is in the cooking configuration.

It should be noted that the closing means <NUM> have a surface which must be at least equal to or greater than that of the extraction/insertion opening <NUM>.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, the closing means <NUM> are associated to the door <NUM> of the oven <NUM>.

In detail, the oven door <NUM> comprises a surface adapted to close the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> when the door <NUM> closes the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM>, i.e., when the apparatus is in the cooking mode.

In other words, in the first embodiment, the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> is closed by switching the oven door <NUM> from the food loading/unloading configuration to the cooking configuration.

It should be specified that if both the first and second path for sucking fumes 12a, 12b are present, there will be two extraction/insertion openings <NUM> which will be closed simultaneously when the door <NUM> closes the cavity <NUM> of the oven <NUM>.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, the closing means <NUM> are associated to the front surface 3A by pressure or hinging.

In other words, in the second embodiment, the closing means <NUM> are a sort of 'cap' which snaps into the front surface 3A to close the extraction/insertion opening <NUM>.

In this embodiment, the closing means <NUM> can be hinged to the front surface 3A, so that by rotating with respect to the front surface they are arranged at the extraction/insertion opening <NUM> to close it.

In a third embodiment of the present invention, the closing means <NUM> are associated to a head end <NUM> of the filter <NUM> which, abutting against the extraction/insertion opening <NUM>, when the filter is housed in the duct <NUM>, is able to completely close it.

It should be specified that, in this scenario, both the odour filter 13b and the grease filter 13a comprise a relative closing surface arranged at a head end adapted to close the extraction/insertion opening <NUM>, when the filter <NUM> is housed in the duct <NUM>.

In a preferred embodiment, as shown in <FIG>, the closing means <NUM> comprise a closing surface 131a arranged at the head end <NUM> of the odour filter 13b only.

Such a head end <NUM> is oriented transversely, preferably orthogonally, to the main extension direction A-A of the filter holder <NUM>.

In such a preferred embodiment, the relative closing surface 131a arranged at a head end <NUM> of the odour filter 13b is adapted to close the extraction/insertion opening <NUM>, when the filter 13b is housed in the duct <NUM>.

In other words, in the aforementioned preferred embodiment, the closing means <NUM> are associated only with the head end <NUM> of the odour filter 13b while the grease filter 13a lacks them.

Therefore, again in the aforementioned preferred embodiment, the odour filter 13b, by means of the relative closing surface 131a arranged at a head end <NUM>, plugs the opening <NUM> and is removable/insertable through such an opening <NUM> while the grease filter <NUM> is removable/insertable from the respective inlet opening <NUM> (in the case of two or more inlet openings).

Claim 1:
An apparatus (<NUM>) for cooking food comprising:
- an oven (<NUM>) having a cavity (<NUM>) and a door (<NUM>) associated to a front surface (3A) of the cavity (<NUM>) and said door (<NUM>) being configured to selectively provide access to the inside of the cavity (<NUM>) of the oven (<NUM>);
- a hob (<NUM>) comprising at least a heating element (<NUM>), the hob (<NUM>) defining an upper surface (1A) of the cooking apparatus (<NUM>);
- at least an inlet opening (<NUM>) provided in said upper surface (1A) of the hob (<NUM>);
- at least an outlet opening (<NUM>);
- a downdraft hood (<NUM>) having at least a suction unit (<NUM>) configured to suck cooking fumes through said at least an inlet opening (<NUM>) and to eject them through said outlet opening (<NUM>);
- a duct system (<NUM>) comprising a first path of cooking fumes (12a) such that the sucked fumes flow between the inlet opening (<NUM>) and the outlet opening (<NUM>);
- a filter (<NUM>) for filtering the sucked cooking fumes, said filter (<NUM>) being arranged in said first path of cooking fumes (12a), said filter (<NUM>) being arranged upstream of said suction unit (<NUM>);
characterised in that it comprises an extraction/insertion opening (<NUM>) provided in said front surface (3A) of the cavity (<NUM>) of said oven (<NUM>), said extraction/insertion opening (<NUM>) being sized so as to extract/insert said filter (<NUM>), said extraction/insertion opening (<NUM>) being accessible when said door (<NUM>) allows access to the inside of the cavity (<NUM>) of the oven (<NUM>).