VAPOUR EXTRACTION DEVICE AND ACCOMMODATING DEVICE FOR AT LEAST ONE FOOD PREPARATION UNIT INCORPORATING SUCH A VAPOUR EXTRACTION DEVICE

Abstract

In order to provide a vapour extraction device comprising at least one air curtain producing device and at least one vapour suction device incorporating at least one vapour suction opening, it is proposed that, by means of the air curtain producing device, there can be produced an air curtain which is so oriented that at least a part of the air stream forming the air curtain impinges on at least one vapour suction opening.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation application of PCT/EP2009/052584 filed Mar. 5, 2009, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to a vapour extraction device which comprises at least one air curtain producing device and at least one vapour suction device having at least one vapour suction opening.

BACKGROUND

Such vapour extraction devices are known from the state of the art and, for example, are in the form of fume extractor hoods comprising outlet air jets for producing at the edge of the fume extractor hood an air curtain which flows away from the fume extractor hood.

The area of the suction surface of such fume extractor hoods must be larger than that of the food preparation units located below the fume extractor hood from which the cooking vapours are ascending so that the vapours cannot bypass the fume extractor hood and enter the environment unfiltered.

Furthermore, it is known to suck cooking vapours away through suction slots located at the sides of the food preparation units. However, if such food preparation units are being used with tall pots, pans or woks, then the suction power is frequently insufficient to completely capture the upwardly rising cooking vapours, without at least a portion thereof entering the ambient air unfiltered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to produce a vapour extraction device of the type specified hereinabove which will enable the vapours to be sucked away to the greatest possible extent.

In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved in the case of a vapour extraction device incorporating the features of the preamble of Claim 1 in that, by means of the air curtain producing device, there can be produced an air curtain, which is oriented in such a way that at least a part of the air stream forming the air curtain impinges on at least one vapour suction opening.

Due to the fact that if just a part of the air stream forming the air curtain impinges on a vapour suction opening and is thus sucked-in by the vapour suction device, then this ensures that the vapours bounded laterally and guided by the air curtain will also impinge on a vapour suction opening and be sucked-in rather than entering the surrounding air unfiltered.

Thus, in contrast to the known vapour extraction devices incorporating air curtain producing devices which produce air curtains that are directed past the vapour suction device, one can obtain a significant increase in the proportion of vapour that will be sucked-in by the vapour suction device by using the vapour extraction device in accordance with the invention.

Preferably, substantially all of the vapour is forced into the vapour suction openings of the vapour suction device by the air curtain.

Due to the air curtain that is produced in accordance with the invention, the accumulation of dirt around the food preparation units is significantly reduced. Provision is preferably made for at least half of the air stream forming the air curtain to be sucked through at least one vapour suction opening.

It is particularly expedient, if substantially all of the air stream forming the air curtain is arranged to be sucked through at least one vapour suction opening.

In order to effectively cleanse the sucked-in vapour of the fat contained therein, it is expedient for the vapour extraction device to comprise at least one fat filter through which passes at least a part of the vapour being sucked-in through the at least one vapour suction opening.

In order to increase the efficiency of the vapour suction device, provision may be made for the vapour extraction device to comprise at least one bypass channel through which the vapour being sucked-in through at least one vapour suction opening is removed without passing through a fat filter.

Due to the use of such a bypass channel, the effect can be achieved that the effective suction surface area of the vapour extraction device is enlarged without there being too large an increase in the flow resistance that has to be overcome for sucking off the vapour.

In order to also free the air stream arriving through the bypass channel from fat and spray particles, it is expedient if the bypass channel has a labyrinthine flow path for separating-out particles contained in the sucked-in vapour.

Provision is preferably made at least for the air stream forming the air curtain not to be sucked through the bypass channel in its entirety, but for at least a part of the air stream forming the air curtain to pass through at least one fat filter. The effect achieved thereby is that at least the greater part of the vapour that is to be sucked-in will pass through and be filtered by at least one fat filter.

For the purposes of producing an air curtain, the air curtain producing device can comprise at least one air outlet nozzle.

Furthermore, it has proved to be expedient for the air curtain producing device to comprise at least one deflecting element by means of which the air stream emerging from the air outlet opening is diverted.

Such a deflecting element can, in particular, be in the form of a spray protection element which simultaneously fulfils the function of intercepting cooking splashes coming from the food preparation units.

Furthermore, the deflecting element can shield the air curtain with respect to the surroundings so that drafts or other currents from the environment cannot affect the efficiency of the air curtain and thus the efficiency of the suction process.

Furthermore, due to the deflecting element, the effect is achieved that the air curtain will not swirl about on the food preparation units immediately after it has emerged from an air outlet nozzle, but rather, will only start to perform its function above the deflecting element and form a substantially vortex-free air stream directed towards the vapour suction device.

In order to produce a uniform air curtain at the air outlet nozzle and ensure that air can flow out such that it is distributed uniformly over the entire length of the air outlet nozzle, it is expedient for the vapour extraction device to comprise at least one straightening element arranged upstream of the air outlet nozzle for the purposes of distributing the air stream flowing towards the air outlet nozzle uniformly over the nozzle cross sectional area of the air outlet nozzle.

Preferably for example, such a straightening element can be in the form of a perforated plate which is substantially in alignment with the horizontal and through which passes the air stream flowing towards the air outlet nozzle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the vapour extraction device to comprise at least one blower for sucking away the vapours, wherein the blower is connected on the delivery side thereof to the air curtain producing device. In this way, one and the same blower can be used not only for sucking away the vapours but also for producing the air curtain, whereby the construction of the vapour extraction device in accordance with the invention is simplified.

The vapour extraction device in accordance with the invention is suitable in particular for use in an accommodating device for at least one food preparation unit which comprises at least one vapour extraction device in accordance with the invention.

Such an accommodating device preferably comprises at least one supporting surface upon which at least one food preparation unit can be placed.

Under the supporting surface, there is a storage space into which at least one mobile equipment, and in particular a moveable cooking device can be rolled.

In particular, the supporting surface can be in the form of a storage shelf which is fixed to the accommodating device in releasable manner and is removable from the accommodating device in order to enlarge the storage space so as to permit mobile equipment to be moved in.

Further features and advantages of the invention form the subject matter of the following description and the pictorial illustration of an exemplary embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of an accommodating device for a plurality of food preparation units;

FIG. 2 a schematic perspective illustration of the accommodating device corresponding to FIG. 1, wherein removable components of the accommodating device have been removed for cleaning in a dishwasher;

FIG. 3 a schematic front view of the accommodating device depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein food preparation units are located in an accommodating recess of the accommodating device;

FIG. 4 a schematic rear view of the accommodating device;

FIG. 5 a schematic side view of the accommodating device from the right;

FIG. 6 a schematic vertical cross section through the accommodating device along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 an enlarged illustration of the region I depicted in FIG. 6 which contains a schematic vertical cross section through a vapour extraction bridge of the accommodating device;

FIG. 8 a schematic vertical cross section through the vapour extraction bridge corresponding to FIG. 7 wherein fat filters and fleece filters have been removed from the vapour extraction bridge;

FIG. 9 a schematic perspective illustration of the vapour extraction bridge of the accommodating device wherein the cover has been lifted off and the filter segments removed;

FIG. 10 a schematic perspective illustration of the vapour extraction bridge corresponding to FIG. 9 including a suspended filter segment without fat and fleece filters;

FIG. 11 a schematic perspective illustration of the vapour extraction bridge corresponding to FIG. 10 including three suspended filter segments, wherein a fat filter and a fleece filter are inserted into one of the filter segments;

FIG. 12 a schematic perspective illustration of the vapour extraction bridge corresponding to FIG. 11 including three suspended filter segments, wherein fat and fleece filters are inserted into each of the filter segments;

FIG. 13 a schematic perspective illustration of a fat filter comprising a mounting plate for a fleece filter cartridge and a fleece filter cartridge which has been removed from the mounting plate;

FIG. 14 a schematic perspective illustration of the fat filter corresponding to FIG. 13 comprising a mounting for the fleece filter cartridge and a fleece filter cartridge that has been partially inserted into the mounting;

FIG. 15 a schematic perspective illustration of the fat filter corresponding to FIG. 14 comprising a mounting for the fleece filter cartridge and a fleece filter cartridge fully inserted into the mounting;

FIG. 16 a schematic longitudinal section through a fat filter comprising a mounting for a fleece filter cartridge and through the fleece filter cartridge inserted into the mounting, wherein the fat filter and the fleece filter cartridge are accommodated in a filter segment of the vapour extraction bridge;

FIG. 17 a schematic vertical cross section through a lateral exhaust air box of the accommodating device;

FIG. 18 a more detailed schematic vertical cross section through a lateral exhaust air box of the accommodating device, along the line 18-18 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 19 an enlarged illustration of the region II depicted in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 a schematic horizontal longitudinal section through the accommodating device at the level of perforated plates in the air curtain producing devices of the accommodating device, in the left-hand half of the accommodating device, along the line 20-20 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 21 a detail of a vertical longitudinal section through the accommodating device in the region of a lateral air curtain producing device of the accommodating device, along the line 21-21 in FIG. 20.

Similar or functionally equivalent elements are designated by the same reference symbols in each of the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A food preparing device which bears the general reference 100 and is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 21 comprises a device 102 for accommodating a plurality of food preparation units 104 that is illustrated as a whole in FIG. 1 for example, wherein the units are insertible into an accommodating recess 106 of the accommodating device 102 and are put to use for preparing meals when they are in the inserted state in the accommodating recess 106 (see FIG. 3).

The food preparation units 104 can comprise hot plates, grilling devices or the like for example.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 6 in particular, the accommodating device 102 comprises two substantially parallelepipedal exhaust air boxes 108 which are connected together by means of a rear wall 110 which faces the customer when the food preparing device 100 is in use.

The exhaust air boxes 108 are each provided on the mutually facing inner surfaces 112 thereof with a support rail 114 on which a storage shelf 116 can be laid, wherein said shelf is held between the exhaust air boxes 108 by the support rails 114 and is retained on the support rails 114 in releasable manner and it also forms a lower boundary for the accommodating recess 106.

The accommodating recess 106 is bounded to the left and to the right by the inner surfaces 112 of the exhaust air boxes 108 and to the rear by the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102. The accommodating recess 106 is open upwardly and to the front.

The upper surface of the storage shelf 116 serves as a supporting surface 118 on which the ancillary food units can be placed when they are inserted into the accommodating recess 106.

Electrical leads for the ancillary food units 104 accommodated in the accommodating recess 106 can be attached to sockets 122 which are provided with lift-up covers 120 and are arranged in installation recesses 125 formed in the upper region of the front ends 123 of the exhaust air boxes 108.

The sockets 122 are connected by a (not illustrated) electrical line system to a (not illustrated) mains terminal of the accommodating device 102 which is connectable to the public electricity network by a (not illustrated) mains cable.

The region of the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102 bounding the accommodating recess 106 to the rear is formed by a plurality of removable screens 124, two for example, which are held on the rear wall 110 by means of magnets 126 arranged in the interior of the rear wall 110 (see FIG. 19).

The screens 124 are removable from the rear wall 110 in order to be cleaned—in a dishwasher for example—by overcoming the retention force of the magnets 126.

The lower surface 128 of the storage shelf 116 and the lower regions of the inner surfaces 112 of the exhaust air boxes 108 as well as the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102 delimit a forwardly open storage space 130 of the accommodating device 102 into which (not illustrated) mobile equipment, moveable cooking equipment for example, can be moved.

For the purposes of supplying electrical power to one or more items of mobile equipment that have been moved into the storage space 130, there serve two sockets 132 with lift-up covers 134 which are arranged in the lower region of the rear wall 110 and are likewise connectable to the public electricity network by the mains cable of the accommodating device 102.

A fuse box 136 integrated into the rear wall 110 is arranged below the plug sockets 132.

The exhaust air boxes 108 are provided on their respective lower surfaces with two castors 138 which are each pivotal about a vertical pivotal axis.

The accommodating device 102 is displaceable over the floor by means of the castors 138.

If it is not necessary for the accommodating device 102 to be displaceable then the castors 138 can be replaced by fixed feet or height adjustable feet.

The height level of the supporting surface 118 and thus the working height of the ancillary food units 104 accommodated in the accommodating recess 106 can be changed by means of height adjustable feet.

Furthermore, the storage shelf 116 is removable from the accommodating device 102 so that the storage space 130 for the mobile equipment can then occupy the entire space enclosed by the two exhaust air boxes 108 and the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102 after the removal of the storage shelf 116. In this way, particularly high mobile equipment can be rolled into the accommodating device 102.

Furthermore, lateral spray protectors 140 and a rear spray protector 142 are arranged along the upper edges of the inner surfaces 112 of the exhaust air boxes 108 and the rear wall 110 so as to intercept liquids and solids, and in particular cooking splatters, that are being sprayed out from the area around the ancillary food units 104 and thus protect customers especially those standing behind the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102.

As can be seen from FIG. 21, the lateral spray protection surfaces 140 are inclined to the horizontal at an angle of approximately 70° to approximately 85° for example, namely, in such a manner that the upper edges of the lateral spray protectors 140 are closer to the vertical transverse centre plane 143 of the accommodating device 102 than the lower edges thereof (see FIG. 3).

Furthermore, the upper edge of the lateral spray protectors 140 rises up from the front to the rear as can be seen from FIG. 1 for example.

As can be seen from FIG. 19, the rear spray protector 142 is inclined to the horizontal at an angle β of approximately 50° to approximately 70° for example, namely, in such a manner that the upper edge of the rear spray protector 142 is closer to the front of the accommodating device 102 than its lower wheel.

At the rear edges of both lateral spray protectors 140, there is a respective guide channel into which the rear spray protector 142 can be inserted so that the rear spray protector 142 is held laterally on the lateral spray protectors 140.

All of the spray protectors 140 and 142 are removable from the accommodating device 102 so that they can be cleaned, for example, in a dishwasher.

In order to extract the vapours (fumes containing fat and odorous substances in particular) which are ascending from the ancillary food units 104 when the latter are in operation, the accommodating device 102 is provided with a vapour extraction device which bears the general reference 144 and comprises a vapour suction device in the form of a vapour extraction bridge 146 which extends above the accommodating recess 106 and over the accommodating recess 106 in the longitudinal direction 154 thereof, and which is carried by two lateral supports 148 that project upwardly from the upper surface 150 of a respective exhaust air box 108.

As can best be seen from FIGS. 2 and 9, the vapour extraction bridge 146 comprise two end faces in the form of approximately triangular support frames 152, the upper corner areas of which are connected together by means of two support tubes 156 of rectangular cross section which extend in the longitudinal direction 154 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

Each of the support frames 152 has a central through opening 158 which corresponds to a respective through opening 160 in the inner surface 162 of one of the lateral supports 148 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 so that air being sucked in by means of the vapour extraction bridge 146 can pass through the through openings 158 and 160 into the interior of each support 148 which forms an extraction channel 162.

As can best be seen from FIGS. 10 to 12, a plurality of filter segments 164, three for example, can be suspended on the support tubes 156 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

As can best be seen from FIG. 8, each of the filter segments 164 is of angular construction and comprises a front leg 166 and a rear leg 168 which together include an angle γ of approximately 110° to approximately 130° for example.

At the free ends thereof, each of the legs 166, 168 comprises a mounting section 170 having an approximately S-shaped cross section which grips one of the support tubes 156 so that the filter segment 164 is held on the support tubes 156.

A fat filter 172, of which one is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 13 to 16, is insertible into each of the legs 166, 168 of a filter segment 164.

Each of the fat filters 172, which also has a flame retarding function (FS 1), consists of two mutually connected sheet metal pans 174a and 174b into which lamellae 176a and 176b of U-shaped cross section have been worked, these extending transversely relative to the longitudinal direction 154 of the accommodating device 102 (see FIG. 16). Slot-like suction openings 178, through which the air be sucked-in can reach the interior 180 of the fat filter 172, are formed between the lamellae 176a of the outer sheet metal pan 174a of each fat filter 172. Slot-like outlet openings 182, through which the sucked-in air can exit from the interior 180 of the fat filter 172 and enter a fleece filter cartridge 184 following the fat filter 172, are formed between the lamellae 176b of the inner sheet metal pan 174b of each fat filter 172.

The lamellae 176b and thus the outlet openings 182 are arranged such that, in the longitudinal direction 154, they are displaced with respect to the lamellae 176a and thus with respect to the suction openings 178 by half the width of a lamella and half the width of a suction opening so that a labyrinthine flow path in which the direction of the sucked-in air is altered twice before it leaves the fat filter 172 again, is formed between the sheet metal pans 174a and 174b of each fat filter 172.

In consequence, the sucked-in air forms strong eddies between the lamellae 176a, 176b in the interior 180 of the fat filter 172, whereby the heavy fat particles contained in the sucked-in air are pitched onto the surfaces of the lamellae 176a, 176b on the inner surface of the fat filter 172 and then, due to the inclination of the fat filter 172 with respect to the horizontal, run off downwardly into a fat collecting channel 186 arranged at the lowest point of the filter segment 164 (see FIG. 7).

Thus, the fat filters 172 are constructed in such a way that the heavy fat particles contained in the sucked-in air are separated out from the sucked-in air due to the repeated change of direction of the air in the interior of the fat filter 172 and then run off the fat filter 172 into the fat collecting channel 186 of the filter segment 164 so that the fat filter 176 is self-cleaning.

Furthermore and as can best be seen from FIGS. 13 to 15, each fat filter 172 is provided on the inner surface thereof facing the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 in the operational state of the fat filter 172 with a mounting frame 190 into which a fleece filter cartridge 184 containing a (not illustrated) fleece filter material can be inserted.

FIG. 13 shows the fleece filter cartridge 184 outside the mounting frame 190 of the fat filter 172.

FIG. 14 shows the fleece filter cartridge 184 partially inserted into the mounting frame 190 of the fat filter 172.

FIG. 15 shows the fleece filter cartridge 184 fully inserted into the mounting frame 190 of the fat filter 172. When in this fully inserted state, the fat filter 172 together with the fleece filter cartridge 184 contained therein can be inserted into one of the legs of one of the filter segments 164 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

As is evident from FIG. 16 in which the direction of flow of the sucked-in air is illustrated schematically in certain places by the arrows 192, the sucked-in air reaches the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 from the fat filter 172 through the adjacent fleece filter cartridge 184.

In order to increase the suction efficiency of the vapour extraction bridge 146, the latter comprises not only the fat filters 172 with their suction openings 178 at the front and at the rear edges thereof but also a bypass channel 194 through which additional sucked-in air from the boundary regions of the vapour extraction bridge 146 can directly enter the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 without passing through the fat filters 172 and the fleece filter cartridges 184.

As can be seen from FIG. 8 in particular, each of the bypass channels 194 has a labyrinthine flow path 196 in which the direction of flow of the sucked-in air is altered a number of times, three times for example, until it reaches the interior 188 from the respective suction opening 198.

Due to the changes of direction of the sucked-in air in the labyrinthine flow path 196, fat particles and dirt particles are separated-out from the air being sucked-in and, in consequence, they do not enter the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

The suction opening 198 of each bypass channel 194 is aligned substantially with the horizontal and is bounded on the one hand by a substantially vertical side wall 200 and on the other hand by a likewise substantially vertical side wall 202 of an extraction bridge covering means bearing the general reference 204, wherein the covering means comprises a horizontal cover wall 206 which connects the two vertical side walls 202 together, bounds the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 in the upward direction and rests on the upper surfaces of the support frames 152 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 in the installed state of the accommodating device 102.

Flow guide plates 208, which are directed downwardly at an angle of approximately 50° to approximately 70° to the horizontal for example and away from the vertical longitudinal centre plane 210 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 and which each form a component of the labyrinthine flow path 196 of a respective bypass channel 194, are arranged on the lower surface of the cover wall 206 of the extraction bridge covering means 204.

The direction of flow of the sucked-in air through the bypass channels 194 is schematically illustrated by the arrows 212 in FIG. 8.

The ratios of the cross sections of the suction openings 198 of the bypass channels 194 to the suction openings 178 of the fat filters 172 are selected such that an optimal suction action prevails between the air stream through the fat filters 172 and the air stream through the bypass channels 194.

If the cross section of the suction openings 198 is actually too large, then too little vapour will be drawn through the fat filters 172. If, however, the cross section of the suction openings 198 is too small, then the effectiveness of the bypass channels 194 is lost.

For example, provision may be made for the overall cross sectional area of the suction opening 198 of the bypass channels 194 to amount to approximately 5% to approximately 20% of the overall cross sectional area of the suction openings 178 of the fat filters 172 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

The streams of air being sucked through the fat filters 172 and the bypass channels 194 mix together in the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 and are then sub-divided evenly into two extraction streams of which each passes through one of the two lateral extraction channels 162.

Each of these extraction streams enters a suction-side blower antechamber 212 provided in an exhaust air box 108 through a (not illustrated) through opening in the upper surface 150 of the exhaust air box 108 (see FIGS. 17 and 18).

In the blower antechamber 212, there is arranged a blower 214, in the form of a radial fan for example, which sucks in air from the blower antechamber 212 through a (not illustrated) suction opening arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of the fan for example, and discharges it into a diversion channel 216 on the delivery side thereof.

The two blowers 214 of the exhaust air boxes 108 are arranged at substantially the same height as the food preparation units 104 and are located laterally beside the accommodating recess 106 of the accommodating device 102.

The power of the blowers 214 is adjustable by means of a rotary switch 217 on the front of one of the exhaust air boxes 108 (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

The air, which is being discharged by each of the blowers 214 and the flow path of which through the respective exhaust air box 108 is schematically illustrated by the arrows 218 in FIG. 17, passes from the diversion channel 216, which is bounded to the front of the exhaust air box 108 by a deflector plate 220 that is inclined to the horizontal, into a filter chamber 222 which is arranged below the diversion channel 217 and below the blower antechamber 212 and in which there are arranged a plurality of filter elements 224 for filtering odours from the air stream.

The filter elements 224 may, for example, take the form of substantially cylindrical filter cartridges 226, the central axes of which are aligned with the vertical and through which there is a partial air stream in parallel with the central axes thereof.

Cylindrical filter cartridges 226 have a particularly compact construction and possess a larger filter-effective surface area compared with parallelepipedal filter cartridges.

In order to increase the efficiency and life span of the filtering media containing the filter elements 224, (not illustrated) filtering stockings consisting of fleece material can be inverted over them.

As can be seen from FIG. 17, each of the filter elements 224 covers an outlet opening 228 in the base 230 of the respective exhaust air box 108 through which the air filtered in the filter elements 224 exits from the accommodating device 102 in the form of exhaust air.

The filter elements 224 can be filled with any sort of filtering medium which is suitable for filtering odours.

The usual filter materials for this purpose are activated charcoal or potassium permanganate for example.

As an alternative or in addition to the filter elements 224, other suitable devices could also be arranged in the filter chamber 222 for filtering out odours, for example, devices which thermally decompose odorous substances (with or without a catalyst), devices for the ionisation or excitation of the exhaust air components with subsequent oxidation of the odorous substances by formation of ozone (by means of UV irradiation and/or the effect of a plasma) and/or devices for absorbing the odorous substances by means of other solids.

Furthermore, as can be seen from FIG. 17, the filter chamber 222 is connected in fluidic manner to a pressurised chamber 232 so that part of the air stream being discharged by the blower 214 on the delivery side thereof enters the pressurised chamber 232.

The pressurised chamber 232, which is arranged at the back of the respective exhaust air box 108, is connected by a straightening element 234 to a nozzle antechamber 236.

The straightening element 234 serves to ensure that the flow of air from the pressurised chamber 232 will be as laminar as possible when flowing into the nozzle antechamber 236 and that the flow of air entering the nozzle antechamber 236 will be distributed as uniformly as possible over the entire cross sectional area of the nozzle antechamber 236.

The straightening element 234 can be in the form of a perforated plate 238 which is substantially in alignment with the horizontal, as is illustrated in FIG. 20 for example.

As can be inferred from FIG. 20 furthermore, the pressurised chamber 232 extends from the respectively associated exhaust air box 108 into the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102, and the nozzle antechamber 236 together with the straightening element 234 extends over substantially the entire length of the rear wall 110 between the exhaust air boxes 108.

Furthermore, each of the pressurised chambers 232 also extends along the inner surface of the respectively associated exhaust air box 108 perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction 154, and also extending in the same direction is a lateral nozzle antechamber 236′ which is separated from the pressurised chamber 232′ by a straightening element 234′ in the form of a perforated plate 238′.

The lateral nozzle antechambers 236′ extend over substantially the same distance in the transverse direction 240 of the accommodating device 102 as the lateral spray protectors 140.

As can best be seen from FIG. 19, a front boundary wall 242 and a rear boundary wall 244 of the rear nozzle antechamber 236 are inclined to one another so that the cross section of the nozzle antechamber 236 tapers in the upward direction.

Here, the front boundary wall 242 of the nozzle antechamber 236 is formed by the removable screens 124 on the rear wall 110 of the accommodating device 102.

At the upper end thereof, the nozzle antechamber 236 opens into a slit-like outlet nozzle 246, the longitudinal axis 248 of which is inclined to the vertical at an angle of approximately 70° to approximately 85° for example, and preferably at an angle of approximately 80°.

The air being blown out of the outlet nozzle 246 impinges on the rear spray protector 142 arranged above the outlet nozzle 246 so that the expelled air is diverted by the spray protector 142 and forms an air curtain which extends from the rear spray protector 142 up to the vapour extraction bridge 146 where it impinges on the suction openings 178 of the fat filter 172 (see FIG. 18).

In FIG. 18, the direction of flow of the directional air curtain produced by means of the outlet nozzle 246 is indicated by the arrow 250.

The direction of flow 250 is preferably oriented in such a way that it includes a small acute angle of at most approximately 10° for example with the normal to the rear side of the lower surface of the fat filter 172 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

It is particularly expedient, if the median direction of flow 250 of the air curtain is directed in such a manner that it is oriented substantially perpendicularly relative to the lower surface of the fat filters 172 in the rear half of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

The cooking vapours produced in the food preparation units 104 are forced almost in their entirety into the vapour extraction bridge 146 and from there they are sucked away by the upwardly rising air curtain or film of air produced by means of the outlet nozzle 246.

Accumulation of dirt around the food preparation units 104 is reduced by the air curtain.

The spray protector 142 prevents external disturbances especially those caused by drafts. The spray protector 142 shields the air curtain from the exterior so that drafts or other air streams cannot affect the efficiency of the air curtain and thus the extraction process effected by the vapour extraction bridge 146.

As can be seen from FIG. 21, the upper section of the lateral nozzle antechambers 236′ is also in the form of a slit-like outlet nozzle 246′ having a substantially vertical longitudinal axis 248′ through which a directional air stream is produced, the air stream rebounding from one of the lateral spray protectors 140 and being deflected thereby in such a way as to produce a lateral air curtain with a median direction of flow 250′ which is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of approximately 70° to approximately 85° for example, preferably at an angle of approximately 80°.

These lateral air curtains are likewise directed in such a way that they impinge on the suction openings 178 of the fat filters 172 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

The lateral air curtains which are produced by means of the lateral outlet nozzles 246′ help to prevent cooking vapours produced in the food preparation units 104 from leaking out from the sides of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

Due to the combination of the lateral air curtain with the rear air curtain which is produced by means of the rear outlet nozzle 246, the effect is achieved that substantially all of the cooking vapours reach the vapour extraction bridge 146 where they are sucked-in through the suction openings 178 and possibly 198 without entering the surroundings.

The accommodating device 102 is thus provided with a rear air curtain producing device 252 for producing a rear air curtain, wherein the curtain producing device comprises the rear straightening element 234, the rear nozzle antechamber 236, the rear outlet nozzle 246 and the rear spray protector 142.

Furthermore, the accommodating device 102 is provided with two lateral air curtain producing devices 252′ which each comprise a lateral straightening element 234′, a lateral nozzle antechamber 236′, a lateral outlet nozzle 246′ and a lateral spray protector 140.

The spray protectors 140, 142 can be connected to the cladding of the accommodating device 102 in order to keep down the effort involved in cleaning and handling.

Fat, dirt and the like can run down the spray protectors 140, 142 and collect in a collecting channel 254 which can be arranged at the base of the pressurised chamber 232 as is illustrated in FIG. 19

As can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer side walls 256 of the exhaust air boxes 108 and the outer side walls 258 of the lateral supports 148 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 can be removed in order to provide access to the interior of the exhaust air boxes 108 and the interior of the extraction channels 162 for cleaning and maintenance purposes.

In particular, the blower 214, which is held on a support plate 260, can be removed from the interior of the exhaust air box 108 for cleaning purposes together with the support plate 260 which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction 154 on a guide means 262.

Furthermore, the side walls 256 and 258 can be cleaned by hand or in a dishwasher.

The filter segments 164 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 can also be easily removed and cleaned—in a dishwasher for example.

In like manner, the fat filters 172 and the fleece filter cartridges 184 can also be taken out of the filter segments 164 and cleaned—in a dishwasher for example.

In particular, synthetic fibre matter consisting of irregular layers of randomly oriented fibres of different thickness which are compacted to form a fleece can be used as the filter material in the fleece filter cartridges 184.

The processing of fine fibres to form a high density filtering medium ensures a uniformly high degree of separation.

Due to the deflection of the air curtain produced by the outlet nozzles 246, 246′ by means of the spray protectors 140, 142 which are disposed at a different angular position compared with the outlet nozzles 246, 246′, the effect is achieved that the air curtains will not swirl about on the food preparation units 104 immediately after they emerge, but rather, will only start to perform their function above the spray protectors 140, 142.

Without the spray protectors 140, 142, eddy currents which could impair the function of the air curtains would otherwise be formed.

Furthermore, it is possible to alter the orientation and the position of the generated air curtains by changing the inclination of the spray protectors 140, 142.

In this way, the generated air curtains can be adapted to the geometry of other types of vapour extraction bridges 146 or to a change in the spacing between the vapour extraction bridges 146 on the one hand and the outlet nozzles 246, 246′ on the other.

The flow path of the air through the accommodating device 102 described above is as follows:

The cooking vapours produced by the food preparation units 104 are sucked together with the air forming the air curtains through the suction openings 178 of the fat filters 172 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 or through the suction openings 198 of the bypass channels 194 of the vapour extraction bridge 146 into the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

From the interior 188 of the vapour extraction bridge 146, two extraction streams respectively enter an associated blower antechamber 212 in one of the exhaust air boxes 108 through an extraction channel 162 in one of the lateral supports 148 of the vapour extraction bridge 146.

Each of these exhaust air streams then leaves the respective blower antechamber 212 through the blower 214 and enters the diversion channel 216 and from there, the filter chamber 222, whereby the greater proportion of the air discharged by the blower 214 passes through the filter elements 222, is thereby freed of odorous substances and emerges through the outlet openings 228 in the base 230 of the exhaust air box 108 in the form of cleansed exhaust air.

A significantly smaller proportion of the air discharged by the blower 214 (at most 10% for example) emerges from the filter chamber 222 and enters the pressurised chamber 232 and from there, it enters the nozzle antechambers 236, 236′ through the straightening elements 234, 234′.

This portion of the air is blown out through the outlet nozzles 246, 246′ and diverted by the spray protectors 140, 142 in order to produce the air curtains which are directed towards the vapour extraction bridge 146 and force the cooking vapours produced by the food preparation units 104 into the vapour extraction-bridge 146.

Part of the air passing through the accommodating device 102 is thus fed along a closed path in order to produce the previously described air curtains.

Due to the arrangement of the blowers 214 and the odour reducing units in the form of the filter elements 224 in the lateral exhaust air boxes 108, a space is created below the storage shelf 116 of the accommodating device 102 in order to accommodate under the food preparation units 104 more devices that are needed for the preparation of food or the storage of meals or food-preparing accessories such as devices for keeping food warm, cooling it, and simmering and/or roasting it in particular.

Claims

1. A vapour extraction device, comprising at least one air curtain producing device and at least one vapour suction device incorporating at least one vapour suction opening, wherein by means of the air curtain producing device, there can be produced an air curtain which is oriented in such a way that at least a part of the air stream forming the air curtain impinges on at least one vapour suction opening.

2. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least half of the air stream forming the air curtain is arranged to be sucked through at least one vapour suction opening.

3. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 2, wherein substantially all of the air stream forming the air curtain is arranged to be sucked through at least one vapour suction opening.

4. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vapour extraction device comprises at least one fat filter through which passes at least a part of the vapour sucked-in through the at least one vapour suction opening.

5. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the vapour extraction device comprises at least one bypass channel through which the vapour being sucked-in through at least one vapour suction opening is removed without passing through a fat filter.

6. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 5, wherein the bypass channel has a labyrinthine flow path for separating-out particles contained in the sucked-in vapour.

7. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 4, wherein at least a part of the air stream forming the air curtain passes through at least one fat filter.

8. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the air curtain producing device comprises at least one air outlet nozzle.

9. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the air curtain producing device comprises at least one deflecting element by means of which the air stream emerging from the air outlet opening is diverted.

10. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 8, wherein the vapour extraction device comprises at least one straightening element arranged upstream of the air outlet opening for the purposes of distributing the air stream flowing towards the air outlet nozzle uniformly over the nozzle cross sectional area of the air outlet nozzle.

11. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the straightening element comprises a perforated plate.

12. A vapour extraction device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vapour extraction device comprises at least one blower for sucking away the vapours, wherein the blower is connected on the delivery side thereof to the air curtain producing device.

13. An accommodating device for at least one food preparation unit, comprising at least one vapour extraction device, said vapour extraction device comprising at least one air curtain producing device and at least one vapour suction device incorporating at least one vapour suction opening, wherein by means of the air curtain producing device, there can be produced an air curtain which is oriented in such a way that at least a part of the air stream forming the air curtain impinges on at least one vapour suction opening.

14. An accommodating device in accordance with claim 13, comprising at least one supporting surface for the placement of at least one food preparation unit.

15. An accommodating device in accordance with claim 14, wherein there is provided below the supporting surface a storage space, into which at least one mobile apparatus is moveable.