CN117545959A

CN117545959A - Steam generating device, oven and method for operating an oven

Info

Publication number: CN117545959A
Application number: CN202180099669.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马蒂亚斯·波德戈尔谢克; 马蒂亚斯·Es; 罗克·格罗贝尔尼克; 萨莫·舒利戈伊; 洛夫罗·勃拉尼克; 安德烈·博尔钦纳; 克拉夫迪亚·亚内日切; 什佩拉·帕拉舒
Original assignee: Hisense Guangdong Kitchen and Bath System Co Ltd; Guloni Co ltd
Current assignee: Hisense Guangdong Kitchen and Bath System Co Ltd; Guloni Co ltd
Priority date: 2021-06-21
Filing date: 2021-06-21
Publication date: 2024-02-09
Also published as: WO2022268290A1; EP4327026A1

Abstract

A steam generating device (1) for an oven (10), comprising: -an evaporation unit (2) configured such that it is attachable to a support (3) of a Heating Section (HS) of the oven (10), wherein the evaporation unit (2) has a bowl-shaped section (BS) for receiving water; and a water supply device (4) having a water tank (5), a pipe arrangement (6) having a drain (9), a water flow generator (7) for generating a water flow from the water tank (5) through the pipe arrangement (6), and a gasket arrangement (8), wherein the gasket arrangement (8) is configured such that it is mounted to the Heating Chamber (HC) and seals the interior of the Heating Chamber (HC) from the exterior of the Heating Chamber (HC), and such that the drain (9) can be inserted into the gasket arrangement (8) such that the drain (9) penetrates into the Heating Chamber (HC); wherein the evaporation unit (2) is attachable such that the bowl-shaped section (BS) is positioned below the drain (9) for collecting the water and such that the bowl-shaped section (BS) is heated by the Heating Section (HS) for evaporating the water.

Description

Steam generating device, oven and method for operating an oven

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a steam generating device, an oven and a method for operating an oven.

Background

When the oven is operated, a certain amount of water may be evaporated and distributed and spread to the heating chamber in order to improve cooking by using hot air with a certain amount of evaporated air, which may affect the cooking properties.

In a conventional oven, a steam function may be applied so that a vessel or container may be placed in the bottom of the heating chamber or somewhere close to the fan, with separate heating means for the water in the container or vessel in order to evaporate the water into steam during cooking. These containers are typically not removable by the end user and may have a complex plumbing arrangement for supplying water to the containers.

Document EP3 372,900a1 describes a water container and a supply channel for generating steam.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to improve the way in which the steam generating function is performed, and to provide a system with components that can be easily installed in an oven, with an improved and simplified way of producing evaporated water for cooking in an oven.

This object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

The present invention relates to a steam generating device according to claim 1, an oven according to claim 11, and a method for operating an oven according to claim 15.

Preferred embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, the steam generating apparatus for an oven includes: an evaporation unit configured to enable attachment to a support of a heating section in a heating cavity of the oven, wherein the evaporation unit has a bowl section for receiving water; and a water supply device having a water tank, a pipe arrangement having a drain, a water flow generator for generating a water flow from the water tank through the pipe arrangement, and a gasket arrangement, wherein the gasket arrangement is configured such that it is mounted to the heating chamber and seals the interior of the heating chamber from the exterior of the heating chamber, and such that the drain can be inserted into the gasket arrangement such that the drain penetrates into the heating chamber; wherein the evaporation unit is attachable such that the bowl section is positioned below the drain for collecting the water and such that the bowl section is heated by the heating portion for evaporating the water.

The term "steam" may also be replaced by "evaporated water" and vice versa. The heating chamber describes any interior space of the oven within which air may be heated or radiation may be provided for cooking. The bowl section comprises a cavity which can be oriented horizontally and in which water for evaporation can be received, in particular water can be heated by radiation and/or hot air from the heating section until the water is partly or completely evaporated. The bowl-shaped section may also have a rim surrounding the cavity, wherein a mounting area for attaching the evaporation unit to the support may be arranged at the rim, in particular at the cavity, the rim and the mounting area as well as further components of the evaporation unit may be made as one integral part or several connected parts. The water may be distilled water, and by using distilled water, the amount of scale in the bowl section may be reduced after the water has evaporated.

The water supply may be mounted within a housing of the oven, wherein the housing may have a heating chamber having an inner region and an outer region of the heating chamber, wherein in addition, the outer portion of the heating chamber remains within the housing of the oven. The water tank is accessible from outside the oven. The water tank may contain a predetermined amount of water. The tank may also be refilled during operation of the oven. The water tank may be connected to a plumbing arrangement.

The gasket means may be sealing means which enable a pipe with a drain to be arranged into the interior of the heating chamber, wherein the pipe and/or the space between the drain and the housing of the heating chamber may be sealed and the drain may be mechanically fixed at the penetration position by the gasket means such that the drain is placed at a constant position within the heating chamber, wherein there may be only a small and tolerable spatial deviation such that water may fall into a bowl section due to gravity.

The steam generating device may be used in a multi-function oven, such as an oven for providing steam and/or pyrolysis functions, in a stand alone cooker or stand alone (bench) oven.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the evaporation unit has a first end and a second end along a longitudinal extension of the evaporation unit, wherein the bowl section is located at least partly between the first end and the second end along the longitudinal extension, and wherein the first end has a first mounting section and the second end has a second mounting to attach the evaporation unit to the support, and wherein the evaporation unit has a holding portion at the first end or at the second end to allow the user to hold the evaporation unit when attaching and/or detaching the holding portion to/from the support.

The longitudinal extension of the evaporation unit may be at least partially parallel to the coils of the heating section. The first mounting section and/or the second mounting section may have a portion that may be clamped to a support or any other holding means, such as a hook or u-shaped section of a specific end of the evaporation unit, into which a rod or a post of the support may be pushed or pulled. The holding portion may be a plate or area of the evaporation unit itself, which is bent perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension, so that the user can hold the holding portion with his finger and push the evaporation unit onto or pull the evaporation unit downwards from the attachment position at the support.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the first mounting section comprises a first clamping section configured such that the support is at least partially surrounded by the first clamping section and held at a constant position or in a predetermined zone within the first clamping section when the first mounting section is attached to the support.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the second mounting section comprises a second clamping section configured such that the support is at least partially surrounded by the second clamping section and held at a constant position or in a predetermined zone within the second clamping section when the second mounting section is attached to the support.

By means of the clamping segments, the evaporation unit can be easily attached to and/or detached from the support and the possibility of falling off (falling off) from the installation position during transport of the oven can be reduced.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the first end may have a flat first base section extending along the longitudinal extension and from which the first clamping section is raised such that the support may be attached between the flat first base section and the first clamping section, and the second end has a flat second base section extending along the longitudinal extension and from which the second clamping section is raised such that the support may be attached between the flat second base section and the second clamping section.

The flat first and second bases may provide a pairing such that the support (rod or wire) may be clamped between the first or second base and the respective clamping section. The clamping sections may be bent out of the respective flat base areas from the upper or lower side of the evaporation unit.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the first clamping section and the second clamping section have open areas, which open areas are each directed towards the attachment direction of the evaporation unit, wherein the evaporation unit is attachable to the support by clamping the support into the first clamping section via the open areas and/or into the second clamping section via the open areas.

The support may have a rod or wire, or any other component that may have a circular or even circular cross-section. The circular cross section may be pushed or pulled into the first clamping section and/or the second clamping section. The first clamping section may have an interior space within the clamping section such that the circular section of the support may be partially surrounded when clamped. In other words, the first clamping section may have a height at the opening region that is smaller than the diameter of the support, such that the support may remain within the clamping region until the clamp is not released. Alternatively, the first clamp may provide a (sliding) zone within the clamping zone with a longitudinal extension greater than the diameter of the support, such that the support may be placed at a different (fixed) position within the zone, but not be able to leave the clamping zone until the clamp is not released, again because the first clamp has a height at the opening zone smaller than the diameter of the support. It is possible that the first clamping zone holds the support at a constant position and at the same time the second clamping zone may have a zone for the support to slide within the second clamping zone, whereby it may be achieved that the evaporation unit is held fixedly in place by the first clamping zone and that the support may be placed at different places within the sliding zone of the second clamping zone, which makes it possible for the evaporation unit to be attached to different ovens, which may have different spaces between the support for the first mounting section and the support for the second mounting section. The content specified for the first clamping section may also or alternatively be valid for the second clamping section. The open area may represent a free space between the gripping section and the corresponding flat base into which the support may be pushed or pulled when the gripping section is bent slightly upwards at the open area. The same may occur when the gripping section is detached from the support and the support is pulled out or pushed out of the gripping section. When the user holds the holding part of the evaporation unit and pulls or pushes the whole unit, a pulling or pushing force can be provided by him, which force can cause the other part to bend the gripping section upwards to slide the support into or out through the open area.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the bowl section extends along the longitudinal extension at the same height as the first end and the second end or at a predetermined height difference below a line between the first end and the second end, and wherein the bowl section extends at least partly to a lateral side area extending laterally parallel to the line between the first end and the second end, wherein the lateral side area is capable of extending at least partly below the heating section when the first end and/or the second end is attached to the support.

When the bowl-shaped section extends at a lower level than the mounting section, then the evaporation unit may be attached to a support with little or no height variation relative to the plane of the coil of the heating section. Thus, such an evaporation unit may have bowl-like sections that extend below the coil and in the side areas and may then extend below the coil for better heating to evaporate the water.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the evaporation unit comprises a stainless steel material.

The evaporation unit may also comprise other suitable materials, for example made by die casting, which can be heated and withstand high temperatures above 500 ℃ and be corrosion resistant.

The stainless steel material, such as a stainless steel sheet material, may be sufficiently bendable so that the clamping section may bend upward to pull or push the support through the open area, but sufficiently stable and resilient so that the likelihood of being pulled or pushed out without the force of a user is greatly reduced, and sufficiently stable to meet the resistivity and stability for evaporation purposes, installation purposes, cleaning purposes, and long life even if exposed to high temperatures.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the water flow generator comprises a pump and/or a valve and/or an actuator device.

The water flow generator may be operated and/or triggered by the oven or by a control unit of the steam generating device itself.

According to a further embodiment of the steam generating device, the gasket arrangement comprises an inner rim inside which the drain penetrates from the outside of the heating chamber to the inside thereof, and a spacer attachable between the inner rim and the heating chamber.

The rim may block lateral contact between the drain and the housing and isolate the spacer from the temperature of the interior of the heating cavity.

The rim (at the opening in the housing of the heating chamber) may be upwardly curved (from inside to outside) as a drawn part and have a circular shape (when seen in top view) or any other shape, for example, the opening in the housing may be rectangular and not have an upwardly curved rim, but have a flat rim of the opening in the housing chamber.

For the upwardly curved version, the T-shaped drain may directly contact the material and provide a seal there to seal the interior of the heating chamber from the exterior. The T-shaped drain may also provide sealing contact with the edge of the opening if there is no upwardly curved rim. The rim or material of the rim of the opening may be prevented (by selecting the material of the T-shaped drain) from peeling or being removed or broken by the T-shaped drain or the risk is thus reduced.

According to the invention, an oven for cooking comprises: a heating chamber; a support having a wire or rod; a heating section located within the heating cavity, wherein the heating section has at least one coil extending in a top region of the heating cavity, and the support extends at least partially along and/or between the coils of the heating section; and a steam generating device according to the invention, wherein the evaporation unit is attached to the support at a predetermined distance from the coil and below the drain.

By using the oven and steam generating device of the present invention, a simple and inexpensive steam cooking function can be provided for a low-cost oven for which they can be easily cleaned and which now advantageously provides better cooking performance. By using an evaporation unit inside the oven, steam can be added in the heating section during the baking cycle or during cooking, which represents an inexpensive and fast solution for providing steam. By means of the steam generating device, it is thus also possible to provide steam to ovens and cooking devices that do not initially need to be built as steam ovens or combination steam ovens. By supporting the baking function by means of the addition of steam, it is possible to increase the tendency of this simple cooking mode and improve the cooking result for most food types, such as baking bread, barbecue, cooking vegetables, etc. The oven referred to in the present invention can be easily viable and can improve the quality of food preparation with minimal investment, cost, and can function over the life cycle of agricultural products without significant quality problems. The cost can be reduced and the cooking result improved and the amount of scale in the heating chamber can be reduced or even prevented and no additional heater for the steam function is required. The evaporation unit can be cleaned outside the oven, which increases the cleaning possibilities.

The heating section may have one coil or several coils, for example one for conventional heating of air and another for grilling or infrared heating. The oven may be a multi-functional or pyrolysis oven. The oven may have a fan by which the evaporated water may be distributed into the heating chamber.

The function for providing steam may be activated only when the corresponding oven heating section is activated, which may be activated and controlled by the control unit, for example by running different programs (temperature, water supply, steam quantity). The heating section may in principle perform its main function while heating the water for evaporation, which main function is to heat the heating of the heating chamber or to provide heat or radiation to the food, in addition to the water in the evaporation unit.

When the evaporation unit is attached to the support, it may be hidden within the heating chamber such that it is not visible or hardly visible at the first moment when the user sees the oven from the outside, and with the evaporation unit the scale is also hardly visible or invisible from the outside. In the case of a heating section having two coils with curved and partially straight sections, an evaporation unit may be placed between the two heater coils (straight sections), which may result in improved water evaporation and still provide good cooking performance by the steam and by the coils. Part of the steam generating means is a specially shaped stainless steel tube as part of the pipe arrangement with a (quick) gasket arrangement for securing the pipe arrangement in the housing cavity, which gasket arrangement can be easily mounted to the oven cavity ceiling and can provide a good seal during use. As a further advantage, it may be mentioned that an upgrade of an existing oven may be provided by using a steam generating device to use the steam generating device also for a thermal oven. Due to the bowl shape and due to the possibility of disassembling the evaporation unit, cleaning of the evaporation unit can be simplified, but also the evaporation unit does not significantly affect the cooking result if it is left on the support without using it (when the steaming function is turned off). If it is desired to improve the cooking result, the evaporation unit may also be removed when the steam function is not used.

The bowl-shaped section may have a bottom as an evaporation surface that is formed as a flat plane with a higher edge, which may prevent water leakage to the lateral sides or at least reduce the likelihood of leakage. In principle, the evaporation unit can also be mounted beside the heating coil, at other heating elements. Thus, when in operation, the heating section may be used for other oven functions, or the heating section may be dedicated to heating the evaporation surface. After or during the evaporation surface is heated (and while the heating section is still active), the water flow may start, and water (pulse volume or droplet) may fall to the evaporation surface of the bowl section only while the heating section is active or before or after it. The water pulses or droplets may stop, or have a predetermined delay between droplets, pulses, or between a predetermined number of pulses or droplets (which may be applied immediately, and may be followed by a brake of the duration of the delay). The length of the delay (duration) may depend on the evaporation surface location and the oven function (heating temperature, cooking process or other parameters). Alternatively, the size or amount of water droplets is not dependent on the set oven temperature or the oven performance adjustment.

By using a water flow generator and a pipe arrangement, water can be provided in the heating chamber and thus can be directly supplied to the bowl section, wherein water droplets can be supplied to the stainless steel pipe of the pipe arrangement via the silicone tube of the pipe arrangement, wherein the latter can have an inner diameter of e.g. 4mm and be mounted to the oven chamber ceiling. The stainless steel tube may be secured to the oven cavity ceiling by standard spring washers that may be used as washer means, such as from Araymond or other companies.

The tubes, evaporation units and supports may comprise materials that withstand conventional use of ovens and may be suitable for food contact. For example, the tube may also be made by die casting.

When the gasket is pressed during installation on the stainless steel tube, the flange on the gasket can be bent and locked into a groove made on the stainless steel tube for this purpose in order to lock the stainless steel tube in a predetermined position in the gasket arrangement. To prevent steam leakage or ensure sealing, ceramic spacers or seals may additionally be installed between the perimeter of the oven cavity and the gasket.

With respect to the stainless steel tube (provided for example by turning or casting), the shape of the stainless steel tube may correspond to a cylindrical shape, for example further having a diameter of 12mm on one side, the stainless steel tube is positioned in an integrally drawn slit on the oven cavity ceiling and additionally provides a seal when pushed at the surface of the slit, and may be formed as a drain. The ends of the stainless steel tube may be serrated to make it easier to locate the ceramic spacer or seal during installation. The other side of the stainless steel tube may have spruce-like details to facilitate easier insertion of the silicone tubing therein. The tube is elongate, for example having an overall length of 55mm, and is thus also suitable for use in pyrolysis ovens in which higher oven temperatures may be generated.

The bowl section may be placed to the right or left of the upper heater (heating section) of the oven, or several evaporation units may be placed in the heating chamber at different locations of the heating section. The evaporation unit may form a vessel, which may be made of stainless steel sheet metal, for example 0.5mm thick, or have another thickness. When placed, the bowl section may extend, for example, directly along the contour of the external heating coil of the upper heater or at another location. The depth of the bowl section may be, for example, 4mm or 0.5mm to 6mm relative to the upper side of the rim which may surround the bowl section. The bowl section may have a length of 7500mm ³ Is a volume of water. The depth is determined by several tests to achieve a suitable ratio between the amount of water in the bowl section and a suitable distance from the heating element to achieve the fastest possible evaporation of water.

Thus, the evaporation unit does not completely cover the entire area of the heating section, but is for example less than 10%. The evaporation unit has no holes for generating steam and thus the possibility of scale accumulation is small.

Advantageously, the steam generating device may be used in a multifunctional oven, for example a multifunctional oven with a version of a glass or metal control panel, in particular in order to easily strengthen the oven into a steam oven.

The position of the bowl section below the coil can be identified as representing the most desirable embodiment, as in this position the bowl section can be easily removed from the support. From the point of view of water evaporation, the most advantageous embodiment may be to position the bowl-shaped section above the coil, as there the evaporation unit may also be heated from the oven ceiling.

In addition, other embodiments are possible, particularly the apparatus and method of using the apparatus may be used in existing built-in ovens (e.g., glass or metal control panel versions) with some ease of construction, or on pyrolysis ovens (glass or metal control panel versions). The evaporating tube forming the drain may also be made by die casting. Moreover, other details with the same function (drawing cuts on the oven cavity ceiling can be made of additional parts, the evaporation unit can be made of other materials and by using other techniques such as die casting) are possible. Additional (or several) evaporation units may also be used on opposite sides. Instead of ceramic spacers or seals, other types of sealing elements are also possible, which may depend on the oven type. The remaining water in the water tank may remain in the water tank after cooking (baking or similar), or may be pumped to the heating chamber or bowl section, e.g. to the bottom thereof, so that the water tank and the pipe arrangement may then be emptied, e.g. to reduce scale in the pipe arrangement and the water tank.

According to a further embodiment of the oven, the oven comprises a control unit configured to switch on a steam generating function, wherein the water flow generator is activated and generates a water flow from the water tank through the pipe arrangement and to provide a predetermined amount of water to the bowl section or to deactivate the steam generating function.

The water flow may be provided such that only a small number (a predetermined amount) of water droplets are applied to the bowl segment or the predetermined volume of water at a time during one water flow cycle (pulse or continuous cycle). Due to the pulse flow, no elements like detectors or the like for measuring the flow are needed, which may reduce the cost of the whole steam generating device. However, for an upgraded appliance, a flow detector may be used.

Steam generation may be performed by using one or both of a fan and an upper coil, and water is provided, or by using one upper coil and one lower coil in an oven, together with a drain and a fan.

According to a further embodiment of the oven, the support has a mounting section located at the predetermined distance beside the at least one coil in the plane direction of the coil and/or above and/or below the plane along which the coil extends in the heating chamber, wherein the bowl-shaped section of the evaporation unit extends at least partly to a lateral side area extending laterally parallel to a line between a first end and a second end of the evaporation unit, wherein the lateral side area extends at least partly above or below the coil when the first end and/or the second end is attached to the mounting section.

The predetermined distance may be chosen such that the material of the evaporation unit and the heating of the water in the bowl section is optimally (maximally) heated. For example, the mounting section and the longitudinal extension may then be placed in the middle between two adjacent coils of the heating section, at least where they extend parallel to each other with respect to their planar extension. The mounting section of the support may be a bend in an upward or downward direction relative to the plane of the extension of the coil, or a specific straight line zone at a predetermined place at or between or beside the coil. The mounting section may be marked as identifiable by a user where to place the mounting section of the evaporation unit, or by its curved shape. The lateral direction may be perpendicular to the longitudinal extension and parallel to the (straight) planar direction of the coil. The lateral side regions may extend below and be heated by the coil, or also extend above the coil and be heated by the coil and the top of the housing of the heating chamber. For the latter example, the evaporation unit should be attached at the support such that the evaporation unit extends above the plane of the coil(s). Thus, the clamping area may be placed on the underside of the evaporation unit, wherein the clamping area may be placed on the upper side when the evaporation unit should be placed below the plane of the coil.

According to a further embodiment of the oven, the mounting section has a v-or u-shape extending below or above the plane along which the coil extends, wherein the first and/or second end of the evaporation unit is attachable to the v-shape such that the first and/or second end can be held laterally at a constant position within a predetermined tolerance and at a predetermined distance beside the at least one coil in the plane direction of the coil.

The support may be made of stainless steel, glass, or any other material that may resist, for example, typical temperatures and corrosion within an oven. The support may be made by any known technique (e.g. as a heater holder made of die cast or a heater holder made of sheet metal).

The v-shape may also be formed such that there are inclined lateral sides and a horizontal straight line zone between them, in other words a u-shape with inclined lateral side zones, wherein the lateral side zones may overcome the difference in height between the upper side of the heating section and the (coil of the) heating section. The side regions may provide lateral stops for the mounting section of the evaporation unit. Other forms of support at the mounting section, as well as different materials at the mounting section and outside thereof, are also possible.

According to the invention, a method for operating an oven according to the invention comprises the following steps: attaching the evaporation unit to the support by a user; heating the heating cavity by operating the heating section; activating a steam generating function, wherein the water flow generator is activated and generates a water flow from the water tank through the pipe arrangement and provides a predetermined amount of water to the bowl section, and the water evaporates at least partially from the bowl section into the interior of the heating cavity and generates a predetermined amount of evaporated water within the heating cavity before and/or during cooking, wherein the evaporated water is spread through the heating cavity by a fan of the oven.

The predetermined amount of water to be delivered and subsequently the predetermined amount of evaporated water may depend on the temperature used, the food to be cooked and the size of the oven and may be adjusted by a predetermined cooking program and implemented by the control unit.

The term "cooking" may also mean or be replaced by "baking", "heating", and other kinds of making of food by heat or radiation with or without steam (evaporating water). The oven may also be designed as a built-in oven for kitchen solutions.

According to a further embodiment of the method, after cooking, the heating chamber is cooled to a cleaning temperature, and then the evaporation unit is detached from the support and removed from the heating chamber.

It is also possible that the evaporation unit is permanently held in the oven when attached to the support, and that the evaporation unit may be fixed to the support.

The cleaning temperature may be room temperature or any other temperature that does not harm the user when the heating chamber is opened and the holding portion and the evaporation unit are held (contacted).

According to a further embodiment of the method, the steam generating function is stopped before or during or after cooking and the water flow to the bowl section is stopped.

According to a further embodiment of the method, the evaporation unit is attached to the support such that a rod of the support is pushed or pulled through a first open area of a first clamping section of a first end of the evaporation unit and thereby clamped into the first clamping section, and/or another rod of the support is pushed or pulled through a second open area of a second clamping section of a second end of the evaporation unit and thereby clamped into the second clamping section, wherein the evaporation unit is held by a user through a holding part at the first end or at the second end and is pushed or pulled in an attachment direction of the evaporation unit, and/or the evaporation unit is pushed or pulled through a reverse direction of the attachment direction and thereby detached from the support by releasing the first clamping section and/or the second clamping section from the support via the first open area and via the second open area.

The method may also be characterized by the features and advantages of the steam generating device and vice versa. The same applies to the oven and method, as well as to the oven and steam generating device.

Drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments as depicted in the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate comparative embodiments and embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the intended advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale relative to each other. Like reference numerals designate corresponding similar parts.

Fig. 1 illustrates a water supply device for a steam generating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows in side view a drain and gasket arrangement of a water supply arrangement at an oven according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 shows an oven with an evaporation unit according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows an evaporation unit of a steam generating apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows an evaporation unit of a steam generating device attached to a support according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 shows a flow chart of a method for operating an oven according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. In general, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

The water supply device 4 has a water tank 5, a pipe arrangement 6 having a drain 9 which can penetrate into the heating chamber, a water flow generator 7 for generating a water flow from the water tank 5 through the pipe arrangement 6, and a gasket arrangement 8, wherein the gasket arrangement 8 is configured such that it is mounted to the heating chamber HC and seals the interior of the heating chamber HC from the outside. The tubing arrangement 6 may have a plurality of tubing (6-1, 6-2) and a holder BT for holding the tubing. The water tank 5 may be a pump for providing pulses or water droplets. The pump may be connected to the control unit CU of the oven 10. The conduit may comprise silicon, rubber, steel and/or any other material, advantageously made of a flexible material.

In fig. 2, side views of the outside and inside of the heating chamber HC are shown as cross sections when viewed from the direction D as shown in fig. 1. The bead arrangement 8 is attached to an opening in the housing HC-H of the heating chamber HC on top of the housing or from the lateral sides. The bead arrangement 8 arranged in the opening may comprise, for example, an inner edge 8a which is itself circular in shape, or is placed around and on the inner edge 8a, which inner edge is formed by a part of the housing HC-H. The inner edge 8a is bent upward (as a pulled-out opening) and the drain 9 is placed therein and penetrates from the outside to the inside of the heating chamber HC. Furthermore, the bead arrangement 8 comprises a spacer 8b, for example a ceramic disc, which has a cut-out in its central region, through which a drain 9 penetrates, and which drain can be attached between the inner edge 8a and the heating chamber housing HC-H. On top (and/or generally from the outside) a cap 8d is placed over the opening as part of the bead arrangement 8, which also seals the outside from the inside.

The drain 9 may represent an end of a third conduit 6-3 which may extend largely normal to the chamber housing HC-H and directly into the interior of the heating chamber HC and may be made of stainless steel. The third pipe may have an inner diameter of, for example, 4mm and is surrounded by a covering material on its surface in the radial direction and has an outer diameter of, for example, 6.2mm and is mounted to the oven cavity housing (e.g., top plate). Stainless steel tube 6-3 may be secured to the oven cavity ceiling by a gasket 8 (e.g., from Araymond or other company) that is a standard spring gasket. When the gasket is pressed during installation on the stainless steel tube (6-3), the flange of the cap 8d of the gasket 8 can be bent and locked into a groove 6-3b made for this purpose on the radial cover of the stainless steel tube in order to lock the stainless steel tube in a predetermined position in the gasket arrangement 8. Inside the inner end and the heating chamber, the drain 9 may have an opening for water (which is placed above the evaporation unit and formed in a T-shaped geometry, possibly in a rounded polished shape (and/or a shape without sharp edges or corners to prevent enamel breakage or at least reduce the risk therefore)) and contact the curved portion 8a in order to provide a physical contact to completely seal the opening from the inside of the heating chamber HC. The T-shaped portion may for example have a diameter of 12 mm. The total length between the inner and outer ends of the third conduit 6-3 may be for example 55.5mm, which also improves its use for high temperature and/or multi-function ovens. In other words, if the duct is sufficiently long (e.g. 55 mm) that the risk of melting the second duct 6-2 is greatly reduced, the cooling effect of the third duct 6-3 from the heating chamber to the outer end can be improved. The ratio between the diameter (outer diameter) of the third pipe 6-3 and its length may be, for example, 3 to 12 times the outer diameter. The thickness of the third conduit may be, for example, 1.25mm, or the ratio between the outer diameter and the thickness may be between 2 and 6 times the thickness. At the opposite (outer) end, the third tube 6-3 may be a curved or silicone tube (e.g., where the second tube 6-2 has an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the third tube, the second tube may have an outer diameter of 10mm, for example), may be attached thereto, and the third tube 6-3 at the end may have a serrated region 6-3a on its surface, or the second tube may be serrated on its inner surface, so that it is easier to locate and hold the second tube on the third tube at the end.

The spacer 8b may not only provide a distance between the housing of the chamber and the cap 8d of the gasket 8, but also at least partially provide a sealing function between the cap and the interior of the heating chamber HC. The spacer 8b may comprise a ceramic material, a metal foam, a ceramic foam, and/or any type of temperature resistant material. When a pipe with a drain 9 is inserted into an opening in the heating chamber (e.g. at the inner edge), the drain 9 may contact the inner edge 8a and seal the interior from the exterior over its lateral extent. The spacer may be slightly deformed and the contact area between the cap and the housing of the cavity may engage the spacer material. The cap may keep the force stable, which is required to keep the drain close to the inner edge for sealing. The serrated detail in the tube 6-3 helps to achieve locking and compression assembly in the Z-axis.

Fig. 2 also shows, in part, the interior of the heating chamber HC, wherein a heating section HS is mounted within the heating chamber HC, wherein the heating section HS may have a first coil HS-C1 and a second coil HS-C2 extending in a top region of the heating chamber HC. The second coil HS-C2 may extend laterally within the area defined by the first coil HS-C1, and the support 3 may extend between the first coil HS-C1 and the second coil HS-C2. The support 3 may have a mounting section 3-MS which is located a predetermined distance l beside the second (and/or first) coil HS-C2 in the plane direction of the coils and which may be bent below the plane of the coils or at least one of the coils or below the top side thereof in the zone between the coils.

The evaporation unit 2 may be attached to the mounting section 3-MS. Thus, the first end 2a and/or the second end 2b of the evaporation unit 2 may be attached to the mounting section 3-MS, wherein in fig. 2 it can be seen that the mounting section (m 1, m 2) of the evaporation unit 2 may be located at this end at one lateral side at a distance l from the second coil HS-C2 and at the other lateral side at a distance l from the first coil HS-C1, which may lead to a similar and optimized heating effect of these ends and this part of the evaporation unit from both coils. The evaporation unit 2 may have a bowl-shaped section BS extending below and partly between the ends, and the bowl-shaped section BS may extend to a lateral side area LS, which may then be placed below the first coil HS-C1 in order to achieve a better heating result from the first coil HS-C1. The bowl section BS may be located below the drain 9 to receive water from the water flow.

For example, the first coil HS-C1 may have a power of 1300W as a tubular heater and the second coil HS-C2 may have a power of 1000W as a tubular or infrared heater, and/or the power of these coils may vary between +20% and-10%. Both may work together at the same time or work separately. The predetermined distance l may be, for example, 3.8mm, or 0.2 to 1.5 times the thickness (diameter) of the coil, which is, for example, 6.25mm. The distance between the coil and the top of the heating chamber HC may be, for example, 10.7mm.

Within the heating chamber of oven 10, support 3 may have wires or rods, heating section HS may be disposed within the heating chamber, wherein heating section HS may have a first coil HS-C1 and a second coil HS-C2 extending in a top region of the heating chamber, and support 3 extends across and between coils HS-C1 and HS-C2. Fig. 3 shows the evaporation unit, coil and top plate of the oven laterally from the bottom side. The evaporation unit 2 is attached to a support 3 (a mounting section 3-MS to the support) which may be arranged such that when the evaporation unit 2 is attached to the support, the longitudinal extension L of the evaporation unit 2 may extend parallel to a portion of the first coil HS-C1 and a portion of the second coil HS-C2, and both the first end 2a and the second end 2b of the evaporation unit 2 may be located at the same distance from these coils, respectively. The evaporation unit 2 may have a holding portion HP at the first end 2a, by which an end user can grasp the evaporation unit to pull or push the evaporation unit (when attaching or detaching the evaporation unit) before or after it heats up. The first coil HS-C1 may at least partially laterally surround the second coil HS-C2, and the two coils may extend in the same plane or in planes of different heights from each other. A water supply device 4 with a water tank 5, a pipe arrangement 6 and a water flow generator 7 may be arranged above the heating chamber. It can also be seen from fig. 3 that the lateral side area LS of the bowl-shaped section BS extends below the straight line of the first disk HS-C1. The total length of the evaporation unit over the extension L may be, for example, 151mm.

The lateral side area LS may extend below the first coil HS-C1, such that the maximum coverage in the lateral extension may be e.g. 8.6mm or alternatively 2mm to 12mm. For example, the width of the bowl-shaped segment BS on the lateral extension (perpendicular to the longitudinal extension L) may be 38mm, or between 4 and 15 times the thickness of the coil.

For example, the distance of the coil between its straight portions (between which the evaporation unit 2 can be mounted) may be 2 to 8 times the thickness of the coil, or 40.9mm. The lateral extension of one or both coils depends on the type of oven and may be 372.5mm, for example.

The evaporation unit 2 has a bowl-shaped section BS for receiving water and has a first end 2a and a second end 2b along a longitudinal extension L of the evaporation unit 2, wherein the bowl-shaped section BS is located at least partially between the first end 2a and the second end 2b along the longitudinal extension L, and wherein the first end 2a has a first mounting section m1 and the second end 2b has a second mounting section m2 for attaching the evaporation unit 2 to a support of the heating section, and wherein the evaporation unit 2 has a holder HP (e.g. at the first end 2 a) for use by a user when attaching and/or detaching the holder to/from the support. The holding portion HP may extend perpendicularly to the mounting section m 1. The first mounting section m1 may include a first clamping section c1, and the second mounting section m2 may include a second clamping section c2. The first end 2a may have a flat first base section BS1 extending along the longitudinal extension L and from which the first clamping section c1 is raised so that the support may be attached between the flat first base section BS1 and the first clamping section c1, and the second end 2b may have a flat second base section BS2 extending along the longitudinal extension L and from which the second clamping section c2 is raised so that the support may be attached between the flat second base section BS2 and the second clamping section c2. The second clamping section may have an inner length (zone) of, for example, 12mm to 19 mm. For example, the open region OR may have a height of 2mm to 3 mm.

The first and second ends may also have (parallel) guide sections GS protruding from the surface of the first mounting section m1 and from the surface of the second mounting section m2, for example at the respective flat bases BS1 and/or BS2, and may also extend downwards from the flat bases to the bowl-shaped sections above the curved structure if the evaporation unit has such curved (knee-shaped) sections between these ends and the bowl-shaped sections for overcoming the height difference d. For example, the bend may have an angle of 135 °. By means of these guide sections GS (placed parallel to each other, for example, at a distance of 10mm to 14 mm), the wire of the support can be guided into the clamping section c1/c2, and since the guide sections can be formed as circular protrusions extending longitudinally along the longitudinal extension L and protruding into the L above the knee (if present), the wire of the support can be guided into the clamp more easily. The guide section GS may additionally improve the mechanical strength of the evaporation unit (more rigid bending, since GS may increase the cross section). This helps to prevent the evaporation unit from bending during heating or thus at least reduces the risk. Furthermore, for such a circular protrusion-guide section GS that may also be present in the bending-knee section, and if the protrusion is made after the bending section, the bending section (bending angle) may be more stable and the overall size may be more accurate.

The thickness of the material of the evaporation unit 2 may be, for example, 0.5mm. The lateral width of the mounting sections ml and m2 may be, for example, 18mm, as well as a possible lateral width of the second u-shaped clamping section c 2.

The evaporation unit 2 from fig. 4 is shown in a lateral side view and is attached to a support wire 3 within the heating chamber HC. In this case, the support 3 has 2 parallel wires of circular cross-sectional shape, which wires can be attached to the coil of the heating section. The two wires are clamped in the attachment direction AD (in the case of fig. 5 towards the front opening of the heating chamber HC) into the respective clamping segments c1 and c2, wherein the clamping segments c1 and c2 have their open areas OR directed in the same direction towards the front opening, and the user has to pull the wires of the support into the open areas OR of the clamps c1 and c 2. These can then be pulled into the clamping section between the clamping section and the flat base sections BS1 and BS 2. The attachment direction AD may be parallel to the longitudinal extension L. In particular, the evaporation unit is pulled directly, then the wires of the support are pulled indirectly into the clamp, but in practice they do not move. These lines can be truly stable at constant positions.

In the embodiment of fig. 5, the evaporation unit 2 can thus be attached to the support 3 such that a wire of the support 3 is pulled through the first open area OR1 of the first clamping section c1 and thereby clamped into the first clamping section c1, and another wire of the support 3 can be pulled through the second open area OR2 of the second clamping section c2 and thereby clamped into the second clamping section c2, wherein the evaporation unit 2 is held at the holding portion HP and pulled in the attachment direction AD.

When the first mounting section m1 is attached to the support, the support 3 may be partially surrounded by the first clamping section c1 and held at a constant position within the first clamping section c 1.

The second clamping section c2 may have a longitudinal extension of the inner region of the clamp c 2. When the second mounting section m2 is attached to the support 3, the support 3 may be partly surrounded by the second clamping section c2 and held in this predetermined area within the second clamping section c2, such that depending on the type of oven and the distance between parallel lines of supports, the first clamp c1 may hold the front wire 3 in a predetermined and constant (with respect to all kinds of supports and ovens) position with respect to the rest of the evaporation unit, and the rear wire of the support may be placed in different places within the second clamp c2 (with respect to all kinds of supports), with the difference that there is a larger dimensional tolerance (depending on the technical process of heater production) for the particular oven, for the oven and/or kind of support at the distance between these wires. Thus, the evaporation unit can be applied to different types of ovens.

The front line of the support may be enclosed in a radial cross section and within a predetermined angular range. The rear wire of the support may be contacted by the second clamp and the second base section only at limited places/locations from its top and bottom sides to hold the rear wire within a predetermined area in the second clamp section at a specific place/location of the rear wire. The contact location/position may be located at a different position for different ovens and support structures, but still within a predetermined area of the second clamping section. The clamping zones c1 and c2 can hold the evaporation unit without the pulling or pushing force of the end user and then be fixed to the support or at least increase the likelihood of holding the evaporation unit fixed.

The method for operating the oven comprises the steps of: attaching S1 the evaporation unit to the support by a user; heating the heating cavity by operating the heating section S2; activating S3 a steam generating function, wherein the water flow generator is activated and generates a water flow from the water tank through the pipe arrangement and provides a predetermined amount of water to the bowl section, and the water evaporates at least partly from the bowl section into the interior of the heating cavity and generates a predetermined amount of evaporated water inside the heating cavity before and/or during cooking, wherein the evaporated water is spread through the heating cavity by a fan of the oven.

In the foregoing detailed description, various features are grouped together in one or more examples for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents.

Claims

1. A steam generating device (1) for an oven (10), comprising:

-an evaporation unit (2) configured to enable attachment to a support (3) of a Heating Section (HS) in a Heating Chamber (HC) of the oven (10), wherein the evaporation unit (2) has a bowl-shaped section (BS) for receiving water; and

-a water supply device (4) having a water tank (5), a pipe arrangement (6) with a drain (9), a water flow generator (7) for generating a water flow from the water tank (5) through the pipe arrangement (6), and a gasket arrangement (8), wherein the gasket arrangement (8) is configured such that it is mounted to the Heating Chamber (HC) and seals the interior of the Heating Chamber (HC) from the exterior of the Heating Chamber (HC), and such that the drain (9) can be inserted into the gasket arrangement (8) such that the drain (9) penetrates into the Heating Chamber (HC); wherein the evaporation unit (2) is attachable such that the bowl-shaped section (BS) is positioned below the drain (9) for collecting the water and such that the bowl-shaped section (BS) is heated by the Heating Section (HS) for evaporating the water.

2. The steam generating device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the evaporation unit (2) has a first end (2 a) and a second end (2 b) along a longitudinal extension (L) of the evaporation unit (2), wherein the bowl-shaped section (BS) is located at least partially between the first end (2 a) and the second end (2 b) along the longitudinal extension (L), and wherein the first end (2 a) has a first mounting section (m 1) and the second end (2 b) has a second mounting section (m 2) to attach the evaporation unit (2) to the support (3), and wherein the evaporation unit (2) has a Holding Portion (HP) at the first end (2 a) or at the second end (2 b) to allow the user to hold the evaporation unit (2) when attaching and/or detaching the holding portion to/from the support (3).

3. The steam generating device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the first mounting section (m 1) comprises a first clamping section (c 1) configured such that the support (3) is at least partially surrounded by the first clamping section (c 1) and held in a constant position or in a predetermined area within the first clamping section (c 1) when the first mounting section (m 1) is attached to the support (3).

4. A steam generating device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the second mounting section (m 2) comprises a second clamping section (c 2) configured such that the support (3) can be at least partially surrounded by the second clamping section (c 2) and held in a constant position or in a predetermined area within the second clamping section (c 2) when the second mounting section (m 2) is attached to the support (3).

5. The steam generating device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the first end (2 a) has a flat first base section (BS 1) which extends along the longitudinal extension (L) and from which flat first base section (BS 1) the first clamping section (c 1) is lifted such that the support can be attached between the flat first base section (BS 1) and the first clamping section (c 1) and the second end (2 b) has a flat second base section (BS 2) which extends along the longitudinal extension (L) and from which flat second base section (BS 2) the second clamping section (c 2) is lifted such that the support (3) can be attached between the flat second base section (BS 2) and the second clamping section (c 2).

6. The steam generating device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the first clamping section (c 1) and the second clamping section (c 2) have open areas (OR), each of which is directed towards an Attachment Direction (AD) of the evaporation unit (2), wherein the evaporation unit (2) is attachable to the support (3) by clamping the support into the first clamping section (c 1) via the open areas (OR) and/OR into the second clamping section (c 2) via the open areas (OR).

7. The steam generating device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 2 to 6, wherein the bowl-shaped section (BS) extends along the longitudinal extension (L) at the same height as the first end (2 a) and the second end (2 b) or at a predetermined height difference (d) below a connection between the first end (2 a) and the second end (2 b), and wherein the bowl-shaped section (BS) extends at least partly to a lateral side area (LS) extending laterally parallel to the connection between the first end (2 a) and the second end (2 b), wherein the lateral side area (LS) is at least partly extendable below the Heating Section (HS) when the first end (2 a) and/or the second end (2 b) is attached to the support (3).

8. The steam generating device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the evaporation unit (2) comprises a stainless steel material.

9. The steam generating device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the water flow generator (7) comprises a pump and/or a valve and/or an actuator device.

10. The steam generating device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the gasket arrangement (8) comprises an inner rim (8 a) inside which the drain (9) penetrates from the outside to the inside of the Heating Chamber (HC), and a spacer (8 b) attachable between the inner rim (8 a) and the Heating Chamber (HC).

11. An oven (10) for cooking, comprising:

a Heating Chamber (HC);

-a support (3) having a wire or rod;

-a Heating Section (HS) located inside the Heating Chamber (HC), wherein the Heating Section (HS) has at least one coil (HS-C) extending in a top region of the Heating Chamber (HC), and the support (3) extends at least partially along and/or between the coils (HS-C) of the Heating Section (HS); and

The steam generating device (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 10, wherein the evaporation unit (2) is attached to the support (3) at a predetermined distance (l) from the coil (HS-C) and below the drain (9).

12. Oven (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that the oven (10) comprises a Control Unit (CU) configured to switch on a steam generating function, wherein the water flow generator (7) is activated and generates a water flow from the water tank (5) through the pipe arrangement (6) and to provide a predetermined amount of water to the Bowl Section (BS) or to deactivate the steam generating function.

13. Oven (10) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the support (3) has a mounting section (3-MS) which is located at the predetermined distance (i) beside the at least one coil (HS-C) in the plane direction of the coil (HS-C) and/or above and/or below the plane along which the coil (HS-C) extends in the Heating Chamber (HC), wherein the bowl-shaped section (BS) of the evaporation unit (2) extends at least partly to a lateral side area (LS) which extends laterally parallel to the line between the first end (2 a) and the second end (2 b) of the evaporation unit (2), wherein the lateral side area (LS) extends at least partly above or below the coil (HS-C) when the first end (2 a) and/or the second end (2 b) is attached to the mounting section (3-MS).

14. Oven (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the mounting section (3-MS) has a v-shape extending below the plane along which the coils (HS-C) extend, wherein a first end (2 a) and/or a second end (2 b) of the evaporation unit (2) is attachable to the v-shape such that the first end (2 a) and/or the second end (2 b) can be held laterally in a constant position within a predetermined tolerance and at a predetermined distance (l) beside the at least one coil (HS-C) in the plane direction of the coils (HS-C).

15. A method for operating an oven (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 11 to 14, comprising the steps of:

-attaching (S1) the evaporation unit (2) to the support (3) by a user;

-heating (S2) the Heating Chamber (HC) by operating the Heating Section (HS);

-activating (S3) a steam generating function, wherein the water flow generator (7) is activated and generates a water flow from the water tank (5) through the pipe arrangement (6) and provides a predetermined amount of water to the Bowl Section (BS), and the water evaporates at least partly from the Bowl Section (BS) into the interior of the Heating Chamber (HC) and generates a predetermined amount of evaporated water in the Heating Chamber (HC) before and/or during cooking, wherein the evaporated water is spread through the heating chamber by a fan of the oven (10).

16. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that after cooking the Heating Chamber (HC) is cooled to a cleaning temperature and then the evaporation unit (2) is detached from the support (3) and removed from the Heating Chamber (HC).

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the steam generating function is stopped before or during or after cooking and the water flow to the bowl section is stopped.

18. The method according to any of the preceding claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the evaporation unit (2) is attached to the support (3) such that a rod of the support (3) is pushed OR pulled through a first open area (OR) of a first clamping section (c 1) of the first end (2 a) of the evaporation unit (2) and thereby clamped into the first clamping section (c 1), and/OR that another rod of the support (3) is pushed OR pulled through a second open area (OR) of a second clamping section (c 2) of a second end (2 b) of the evaporation unit (2) and thereby clamped into the second clamping section (c 2), wherein the evaporation unit (2) is held by a user through a Holding Part (HP) at the first end (2 a) OR at the second end (2 b) and is pushed OR pulled in an Attachment Direction (AD) of the evaporation unit (2) and/OR the evaporation unit (2) is pushed OR pulled through a second open area (OR) of the support (3) and thereby clamped into the second clamping section (c 2) from the first end (2 a) and thereby via the second open area (OR) of the support (2).