Patent Description:
As is well known, there are different types of extractor hoods for residential kitchens and the present invention relates to a specific type of hood commonly defined as "vertical". A hood of this type is described for example in <CIT>, in the name of the same Applicant.

The essential feature of a vertical hood is to ensure correct and efficient extraction performance, while maintaining a small footprint in the depth direction. Typically, in fact, the vertical hood is made up of a functional body containing a known extractor unit to which a panel or completely flat surface having an axis perpendicular to the wall with which the hood is associated is mechanically connected. This surface defines the front and perimetral air capture zones of the hood.

This surface is the area most exposed to interaction with the user, so much so that, normally, a user interface with the usual controls typical for the functions of an extractor hood, such as setting the speed of the motor of the extraction unit or turning the usual light sources associated with the hood on and off, is placed in a frontal position on the panel.

The panel is placed in front of one front face or side of the functional body or extractor body.

In general, in recent years extractor hoods have increasingly seen the incorporation of new functions to improve general comfort and performance during the food preparation process. One of the most well-known is that of providing a functional connection between the extractor hood and the hob (in the case of induction hobs) to automatically activate the extractor hood according to the number of active elements and the specific heating power used.

This solution has its limits however, because a "rigid", i.e. direct, wired or wireless connection, has to be established between the hood and the hob, which will be linked to a precise communication protocol.

In addition, the hood/hob assembly works on the assumption that when more electrical power is used on the hob there is more need to draw up unpleasant odours generated by the cooking process. This is not always true however, as there are cooking processes that take place even on low heating power but which still generate smells for which it would be necessary to use more extraction power. The known solution may not therefore be able to act effectively to draw fumes and/or vapours from the hob when these low-power cooking processes are carried out on it.

Moreover, the advent of new technologies related to the connectivity and usability of web-based multimedia content is increasingly leading to the incorporation of systems connected to the internet, cloud computing services, as well as generic multimedia content, into all household appliances. However, physical, mechanical and electrical/ electronic incorporation of the devices needed to ensure these services with the "conventional" functional part of the hood is not without difficulties and problems. One solution, in fact, as described in <CIT> in the name of the same Applicant, provides for the physical incorporation of several devices including monitors, interface systems and connectivity systems that constitute a complex architecture which is difficult to maintain as well as difficult to manage from the point of view of component obsolescence.

<CIT> discloses an extractor hood comprising an air quality detecting device.

<CIT> discloses a system and method for demand-based control of a cold water spray system of an exhaust ventilation system which incorporate conventional smoke density opacity sensors.

<CIT> discloses a fume extraction device that has a hood and an air conditioning device. The air conditioning device comprises a control unit and a determination unit for determining the flow condition of the extraction device, which determination unit has a detection unit in the form of a sensor which is arranged separately from the air conditioning device.

<CIT> discloses an autonomous ventilation system including a spillage sensor. The spillage sensor is coupled to a controller, detects changes in an environmental parameter in a spillage zone adjacent to the exhaust hood, and communicates information relating to detected changes in the environmental parameter to the controller. This document discloses a vertical domestic hood according to the preamble of appended claim <NUM>.

The object of the present invention is to provide a vertical hood that overcomes the above limitations present in the solutions in the known art.

In particular, the object of the invention is to provide a vertical hood that incorporates new features that improve performance and comfort during the process of food preparation and cooking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical hood equipped with a front panel and incorporating all the control, interface and use functions for every connectivity and external (internet) or internal multimedia service in the home environment while reducing or simplifying the architecture of the hood.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hood of the type indicated above whose suction unit can operate automatically according to the actual production conditions of the volatile organic substances from the hob that contribute to forming the odours related to the cooking process without the need to have rigid communication, based on a fixed protocol, between the hob and the hood.

Another object is to provide a hood of the type mentioned in which the automatic extraction function can be performed by the hood regardless of the type of hob, which also comprises the possibility of working in combination with not only induction or electric, but also gas hobs.

Another object is to provide a hood of the type mentioned that also makes it possible to monitor the quality of the air in the environment or kitchen in general, in order to monitor the presence of certain pollutants, measure temperature and humidity and consequently operate the hood in "air treatment" mode even when the process of food preparation is not in progress.

A further object is to provide an extractor hood of the type mentioned above that also enables the actual condition of typical cooking processes such as boiling water or frying or adding alcohol to be monitored, and also identifies undesirable cooking situations such as the burning of fatty substances, as well as the type of source of heat production used by the hob (if a gas or induction hob).

A further object of the invention is to provide a hood of the mentioned type that "communicates" with the hob so that it can automatically modulate the heating power of the individual heating elements of such hob in a closed loop to keep the entire food cooking process under control.

A further object of the invention is to provide an extractor hood that can also be controlled in voice mode.

These and other objects that will be clear to those skilled in the art are achieved through a vertical domestic extraction hood according to the independent claim.

For a better understanding of the present invention there are attached purely by way of nonlimiting example the following drawings, in which:.

With reference to the above figures, a vertical hood <NUM> according to the invention comprises a parallelepipedic extractor body <NUM> containing the usual and well-known functional components (such as the fan, one or more filters, etc.) designed to draw air from a hob <NUM> (shown by way of example), said air containing fumes and/or vapours generated by the preparation of food placed in corresponding containers (not shown) on the heating elements <NUM> of such hob <NUM>.

These heating elements may be of any type, such as gas, electric or induction.

On one side <NUM> (the upper in the figures), body <NUM> of the hood has an opening <NUM> to evacuate the air drawn in and filtered. This opening <NUM> can release air directly into the environment or kitchen where the hood is located or be connected to pipes and/or ducts that transfer this extracted and filtered air to an outlet outside the environment.

In addition, extractor body <NUM> has an opening for the entry of air drawn into the body itself on at least one other side, usually lower side <NUM>.

On front side <NUM> of extractor body <NUM> there is a panel <NUM> which, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, is of a multipurpose type: it has a touch screen <NUM> that occupies at least a portion (or even all) of a front side <NUM> of panel <NUM> (facing the user); this screen <NUM> at least serves as the interface with the user who commands and controls the operation of hood 1through this screen. This control may also be provided in voice mode through the usual electrical components associated with the panel. Through this screen the user may also take advantage of advanced services such as viewing media content, web services or the air monitoring function that will be described below.

Body <NUM> is connected to panel <NUM> in any known way (by electrical cable or data communication, wireless, Bluetooth, or the like), just as panel <NUM> is connected to the internet (for example, via wi-fi connection so as to benefit from all web and cloud services) in any known way.

Extractor body <NUM> and panel <NUM> are mechanically independent of each other, but are linked together while allowing rotary movement of the panel (arrow F in <FIG>) with an axis of rotation K perpendicular to a median axis M of such panel.

More specifically, panel <NUM> comprises a rear side <NUM> (opposite front side <NUM>), an upper side <NUM>, a lower side <NUM> (facing hob <NUM>), and opposite lateral sides <NUM> and <NUM>. Near upper side <NUM>, rear side <NUM> of panel <NUM> is associated with at least one hinge <NUM> (preferably at least two, see <FIG>), also fixed to front side <NUM> of extractor body <NUM>, each hinge permitting the rotation described above. Advantageously this may be assisted by a hydraulic piston (not shown) with the ends hinged to sides <NUM> and <NUM> respectively of body <NUM> and panel <NUM>. Other actuators of such rotation, also remotely controlled, motor-driven or manually activated, may of course be provided.

A spacer <NUM>, close to lower side <NUM> and associated with rear side <NUM> of panel <NUM>, ensures that extractor body <NUM> and said panel are correctly parallel to each other, while maintaining a gap or space <NUM> between them. A secondary extraction area towards extractor body <NUM> (containing the extraction unit) is thus defined by this gap along the entire perimeter of panel <NUM>.

From rear side <NUM> of panel <NUM> there projects a box element <NUM> delimiting a space for locating the usual electrical or electronic elements that allow multipurpose operation of panel <NUM>, all of hood <NUM> from the extraction point of view, as well as elements that enable panel <NUM> to be connected to the internet or to a possible home network to which other appliances or other household facilities are connected.

A cover element <NUM> is then placed between box element <NUM> and the hinges.

As may be seen in <FIG>, within a free flat face <NUM> of box element <NUM> (facing gap <NUM>) there are one or more air-capture grilles <NUM> at one of which, within element <NUM>, there is placed a sensor for monitoring airborne substances, of a type which is in itself known and not shown. The location is specifically chosen to make the sensor interact only with the air drawn in around the perimeter so that the sensor itself is not in contact with the direct extraction flow that normally passes through the filtering area located in the lower part of (extractor) body <NUM>. This location makes the sensor readings more reliable over time as it is not directly in contact with the fatty substances and oils in the extracted air which might cause the sensor itself to deteriorate.

Obviously, several monitoring sensors may be provided at the corresponding grilles.

Each sensor is connected to a control unit of the extractor hood (not shown).

Each sensor is able to monitor different categories of substances in the air such as: VOC (volatile organic compounds), CO, CO<NUM>, NOx, CH<NUM> and solid particles. It is also able to monitor environmental parameters such as temperature and relative humidity.

Such a sensor provides an overall air quality index that takes into account all the measurable parameters by assigning a specific weighting to the various pollutants and also averaging its value with respect to comfort parameters such as temperature and humidity.

Even when the hood is not in use for the specific object of extracting the vapours and smells generated by the cooking process, each sensor monitoring airborne substances is able to monitor the quality of the ambient air (that is, of the kitchen) and if placed in "auto" mode is able to activate automatically when particular pollutant thresholds that bring the overall index below ideal values are exceeded.

The (microprocessor) control unit associated with each sensor or, alternatively, each sensor (if equipped with its own microprocessor unit) is able to aggregate the various substances monitored into specific recognition "patterns" for the cooking process, such as the curve for boiling water or frying with oil, and also recognises appropriate cooking thresholds avoiding the typical burning of food or over-high frying temperatures. This high sensitivity ensures that the hood functions automatically according to the actual amount of "smells" that are being generated, consequently adjusting the correct extraction capacity, regardless of the type of hob that is being used, and not requiring a connection of any kind between hob and hood.

However, as an additional feature, when the hob and hood are connected the hood can automatically generate a feedback signal to a standard hob control unit on the basis of the recognised cooking patterns, to adjust the heating performance of each active heating element and prevent unsuitable cooking processes such as overheating when frying that generates undesirable substances or typical burning, as well as, for example, indicating that the boiling threshold has been reached.

Thanks to this invention, a vertical extractor hood for domestic use is provided, is improved with respect to known hoods and is capable of controlling the air drawn in and/or the air in the environment in which it is placed, which can also permit possible control of the residual filtering capacity level of the filter or filters of the hood itself, evaluated according to analysis of the air drawn in made after such a clean filter or filters has/have been inserted into extractor body <NUM> of the hood.

Also, as mentioned, thanks to the invention it is possible to monitor food preparation on the hob and also act to control the heating elements of the hob itself without the need for special physical connections between the hood and the hob. Control can be applied regardless of whether these components are electric or gas (burners); in the latter case it is possible to act on the usual solenoid valve located on the gas pipe supplying the burners to reduce the heating power (flame) delivered.

The invention comprises components (body <NUM> and panel <NUM>) that are interconnected, but mechanically independent of each other; in this way one or all of the parts of each of these components can be independently maintained and replaced, if necessary.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described. However, in a simplified embodiment panel <NUM> may not have a touch screen, but may still be equipped with one or more sensors for monitoring airborne substances. Also the connection with the hob is an option which an embodiment of the invention may lack.

Claim 1:
Vertical domestic hood (<NUM>) suitable for extracting air containing vapours and fumes coming from a hob (<NUM>) during food preparation, said hood including an extractor body (<NUM>) containing within it functional components for drawing in the above-mentioned air, said extractor body (<NUM>) having an opening (<NUM>) on an upper side (<NUM>) to discharge the air drawn in and filtered and on a lower side (<NUM>) a different opening for drawing in the air to be filtered, the hood (<NUM>) including sensor means monitoring airborne substances arranged so as not to be directly in contact with the air drawn in and able to detect at least one characteristic of the air of the environment where the hood is placed, wherein:
the extractor body (<NUM>) is parallelepipedic;
there is, at the front of a front side (<NUM>) of the extractor body (<NUM>), a panel (<NUM>) at a distance from said front side (<NUM>) so as to form with it a space (<NUM>) between said body (<NUM>) and said panel (<NUM>); and the sensor means for monitoring airborne substances monitor the air present in the space (<NUM>) between the panel (<NUM>) and the aforesaid extractor body (<NUM>), said sensor means being associated with said panel (<NUM>) in a position facing that space (<NUM>);
said sensor means being associated with a part (<NUM>) of the panel (<NUM>) present on a rear side (<NUM>) of the latter facing the extractor body(<NUM>);
characterised in that said sensor means are within said part (<NUM>) and located at a respective grille (<NUM>) provided on a free flat face (<NUM>) of said part (<NUM>) facing the extractor body (<NUM>).