Stoves and furnaces – Stoves – Cooking
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-25
2004-08-10
Lu, Jiping (Department: 3749)
Stoves and furnaces
Stoves
Cooking
C126S369000, C219S401000, C134S022180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772751
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an apparatus and to a method for cleaning a cooking device or appliance, which device comprises a heater, a blower, a steam generator, a cooking chamber, a cooking chamber drain, a steam condenser and a cooking appliance drain, whereby the steam condenser is arranged between the cooking chamber drain and the cooking appliance drain.
DE 198 38 864, for example, discloses an apparatus for cleaning a cooking chamber, whereby at least one spray nozzle can be arranged in the cooking chamber and also moved around a pivot point therein in addition to a rotary motion so that it has up to three degrees of rotational freedom and so that an optimum spraying of the complete cooking chamber as well as rails or the like potentially arranged in the cooking chamber can occur. To this end, the spray nozzle is to be connected to a traditional water main such as a domestic water supply system upon interposition of a device for preventing a return flow. Additionally, connections can also be provided between the spray nozzle and one or more containers for cleaning agent, wetting agent and/or decalcification agent upon interposition of a respective valve. This apparatus, however, leads to a high consumption of water, cleaning agent, decalcification agent and/or wetting agent, which is disadvantageous because of the limited resources world-wide. The connection to a traditional water main is also disadvantageous since the pressure in such water mains can vary dependent on the installation location.
DE 199 61 835 discloses that considerable resources can be saved when, instead of storage container for cleaning agent, wetting agent, decalcification agent and/or the like, wash water that flows off is at least partly reemployed during the cleaning process. It is thereby especially preferred when highly loaded, dirty water is directly discharged, whereas dirty water that is less highly charged is returned to the cleaning circulation. The control of the cleaning circulation preferably ensues automatically via a specific sensor mechanism.
DE 199 50 649 discloses that a container is detachably secured to the cooking appliance, preferably to the floor of the cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, inside the cooking appliance or outside the cooking appliance or is integrated into the cooking appliance, so that water, wetting agent, cleaning agent, decalcification agent and/or the like is suppliable therefrom in a cleaning process.
DE 100 17 966 discloses a method for cleaning a cooking appliance interior wherein the spray jet of a spray nozzle is arranged against the conveying stream of a blower for the optimum distribution of a fluid during a cleaning process.
DE 197 30 610 C1 discloses a method for cleaning the interior of an oven for the heating of foods, whereby the floor of the oven interior is at least completely covered with a cleaning fluid, and whereby the cleaning fluid is circulated by a circulation device, so that the inside surfaces of the interior are flushed with this cleaning fluid. The oven is equipped with a heater, a blower and a floor drain, whereby cleaning concentrate or wetting agent can be supplied to the interior of the oven via separate containers. Additional water can be supplied into the interior of the oven via an external water connection upon utilization of the conduits for cleaning concentrate and wetting agent.
DE 32 15 812 C2 discloses a cooking appliance particularly provided for foods that has a steam generator into which fresh water is supplied. Via a water-filled U-pipe, the steam generator is in communication with a co-condenser into which the drain from the cooking chamber likewise discharges. A wall divides the co-condenser into a condensation chamber and a drain chamber, whereby the latter has a drain conduit with a drain trap. Over and above this, a further division of the condensation chamber is provided in order to separate the cooking chamber from the drain chamber. The condensation chamber has an additional fresh water admission with whose assistance the grease proceeding into the condensation chamber via the cooking chamber drain can be rinsed out of the co-condenser. Farther-reaching cleaning steps cannot be derived from said Letters Patent.
Despite the numerous efforts in the field of cleaning cooking appliances, there is still always the need to minimize the consumption of water and cleaning chemicals and to simultaneously allow a cleaning program to run with a constant quality independently of the mains water pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to develop the apparatus of the species as well as the method of the species so that the disadvantages of the Prior Art are overcome, particularly in the form of an optimization of the consumption of the water and the cleaning chemicals given a constant cleaning quality regardless of the installation location of a cooking appliance. A further object of the invention is to develop the apparatus of the species as well as the method of the species so that a cleaning quality is assured that is independent of the origin of the cleaning water employed and that always assures faultlessly clean results free of films and residues.
The object directed to the apparatus is inventively achieved in that a fluid obtained by condensing a steam from the steam generator and/or the cooking chamber and/or obtained from a fluid heated at least to a temperature for the precipitation of carbonates and/or obtained from a washing liquid reservoir for a washing liquid comprising water and/or cleaning agent such as at least one cleaner, one rinsing agent, one wetting agent and/or decalcification agent and/or waste products arising when cooking a product in the cooking chamber can be distributed in the cooking chamber for the cleaning of the chamber.
It can thereby be provided that the washing liquid reservoir comprises a quenching box wherein at least one quenching nozzle is arranged via which the washing liquid reservoir can be at least partially fed with a liquid.
A further embodiment is characterized in that the steam generated in the steam generator can be at least partially condensed in the cooking chamber, in the quenching box and/or in the steam condenser.
It is also to be taken into consideration in a preferred development that water that has been heated at least once in the steam generator at least to a temperature for the precipitation of carbonates, preferably boiled at least once, can be supplied to the washing liquid reservoir and/or the quenching box.
It can thereby be provided that water that is preferably heated, particularly heated to a temperature for the precipitation of carbonates, can be supplied from the steam generator to an intake region of the blower.
It is also inventively provided that the washing liquid can be supplied from the washing liquid reservoir to an intake region of the blower.
It can also be inventively provided that water from the steam generator that is preferably heated, and particularly heated to a temperature for the precipitation of carbonates and the washing liquid from the washing liquid reservoir can be supplied to different regions of the blower and preferably to opposite sides of the blower.
Embodiments of the invention are characterized in that an air baffle means for the at least region-by-region separation of the cooking chamber from a blower chamber for the blower. A first conduit for the washing liquid is attached to the air baffle means and is preferably rigidly attached.
The invention also proposes that the air baffle means is movable, and preferably is pivotable, and the first conduit is connectable to a second conduit for the washing liquid, whereby the second conduit is attached to a cooking chamber wall, and is preferably rigidly attached in regions.
It is provided in a further embodiment that the washing liquid and a swathing fluid are at least partly transported in a shared conduit system. The conduit system preferably comprises double lines and/or the first and/or the second line ca
Breunig Manfred
Brunner Hubert
Deuringer Martin
Herner Michael
Imgram Judith
Lu Jiping
Rational AG
Schiff & Hardin LLP
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