The present invention relates to a countertop cooker with an integrated ventilation mechanism.

An air inlet is arranged at the center of the top panel of a preferably countertop type cooker with an integrated ventilation mechanism. During the normal use, a detachably attached filter, especially an oil filter is provided on said inlet. When the filter is removed from said inlet for cleaning or other reasons, the fan and the fan casing which protects the fan which are arranged under the filter can be subject to liquid spillage through said inlet and this may give rise to various safety problems. Moreover, bad odors are generated in time if the fan casing cannot be cleaned.

During normal use wherein the oil filter is in place and is not detached, liquid which is spilled during normal use may reach the fan and cause problems. The reason behind this is that the filter has a certain liquid capacity for retaining small amounts of spillage. In extraordinary situations when an excessive amount of liquid is spilled, spilled liquid may reach from sides of the filter to the fan casing and the fan therebelow. Moreover, when the filter is not removed in a perfect horizontal manner, the liquid retained by the filter may spill onto the fan casing and the fan.

In the state of the International Patent Application No. W02020212261, a countertop cooker with integrated exhaust hood is disclosed, comprising a separation plate which separates the filter and the fan.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a countertop cooker with an integrated ventilation mechanism, wherein a spilled liquid is prevented from reaching the fan and the fan casing.

The cooker realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a protective member which is arranged between the air inlet opening and the suction opening which are under the cooking unit, under the filter, which is disposed on the ventilation mechanism, and above the air inlet opening, and which stays on the ventilation mechanism even when the filtering unit is removed, thus preventing the liquid which spills or leaks from the suction opening or the filter from reaching the fan and discharging the same. Thus, the ventilation mechanism is prevented from being directly open to liquid spillage from outside even when the filter is removed. Furthermore, liquids are prevented from reaching the ventilation mechanism in case the filtering unit retains excessive amounts of liquid and the retained liquid is discharged by means of the protective member of the present invention.

The protective member has a rectangular base which extends along the filtering unit and walls which surround the base. Furthermore, the protective member has a discharge hole on the base thereof which opens to the discharge channel.

The base of the protective member is inclined towards the discharge hole. Thus, the liquid waste which is spilled or leaked directly from the filtering unit or the suction opening are enabled to be collected and discharged by means of the protective member.

On the protective member, the part which is adjacent to the shorter edge of the base is inclined towards the center of the protective member and the part which is adjacent to the longer edge thereof is inclined towards the discharge hole. Thus, the liquid which reaches the protective member is removed by being directed more quickly towards the discharge hole.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the width of the protective member is greater than that of the suction opening on the top panel. Thus, the liquid which is spilled when the filtering unit is removed or when the amount of liquid accumulated on the filtering unit is high is retained and discharged by the protective member before reaching the ventilation mechanism so as to be.

Furthermore, the protective member has a length which is equal to or greater than that of the filtering unit. Thus, when an excessive amount of liquid is retained by the filter, the liquid which may leak from the filter is enabled to be retained and discharged by means of the protective member. The cooker comprises an actuator arranged on the protective member and a switch which is actuated by the actuator. Thus, the cooker is enabled to operate when the protective member is in place. In an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator is a magnet and the switch is a sensor which is actuated by the magnetic field created by the magnet. Consequently, the cooker is operated when the protective member is seated in its place properly and prevented from being operated when the protective member is not in its place or when it is not seated into its place properly.

A cooker realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the cross-sectional view of a cooker.

Figure 2 - is the top perspective view of a protective member.

Figure 3 - is the bottom perspective view of the protective member.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Cooker

2. Top panel

3. Cooking unit

4. Ventilation mechanism

5. Fan

6. Fan casing

7. Filtering unit

8. Filter

9. Air inlet opening

10. Suction opening

11. Protective Member

12. Base

13. Wall 14. Discharge hole

15. Protrusion

16. Housing

17. Actuator

The cooker (1) of the present invention comprises a cooking unit (3); a top panel (2) arranged on the cooking unit (3); at least one air inlet opening (9) arranged under the cooking unit (3); a ventilation mechanism (4) having at least one fan (5) and at least one fan casing (6); at least one suction opening (10) arranged on the top panel (2); a detachably attached filtering unit (7) arranged between the air inlet opening (9) and the suction opening (10), having at least one filter (8) arranged on the ventilation mechanism (4); and a protective member (11) which is arranged under the filtering unit (7) and above the air inlet opening (9) and which stays on top of the ventilation mechanism (4) when the filtering unit (7) is attached or removed, enabling the liquid spilled thereon to be discharged. Thus, the ventilation mechanism (4) is prevented from being directly open to liquids spilled from outside even when the filter (8) is removed. Moreover, liquids are prevented from reaching the ventilation mechanism (4) even in case the filtering unit (7) retains excessive amounts of liquid and the retained liquid is discharged (Figure 1).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the protective member (11) has a quadrilateral base (12) which extends along the filtering unit (7), and walls (13) which surround the base (12). Furthermore, a discharge hole (14) is arranged on the base (12). The discharge hole (14) opens into a discharge receptacle or a discharge channel arranged under the protective member (11).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the base (12) of the protective member (11) is inclined towards the discharge hole (14). Thus, the liquid waste which is spilled directly from the filtering unit (7) or the suction opening (10) are enabled to be easily collected and discharged with the protective member (11).

On the protective member (11), the part which is adjacent to the shorter wall (13) of the base (12) is inclined towards the center of the protective member (11) and the part which is adjacent to the longer wall (13) thereof is inclined towards the discharge hole (14). Thus, the liquid which reaches the protective member (11) is removed by being directed quickly towards the discharge hole (14) (Figure 2).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the width of the protective member (11) is greater than that of the suction opening (10) on the top panel (2). Thus, the liquid which is spilled when the filtering unit (7) is removed is retained and discharged by the protective member (11) before reaching the ventilation mechanism (4).

Furthermore, the protective member (11) has a length which is equal to or greater than that of the filtering unit (7). Thus, when an excessive amount of liquid is retained by the filter (8), the liquid which may leak from the filter (8) is enabled to be retained and discharged by means of the protective member (11).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the discharge hole (14) is disposed on the part of the base (12) which is close to the shorter wall (13).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooker (1) comprises an actuator (17) arranged on the protective member (11) and a switch which is actuated by the actuator (17). Thus, the cooker (1) is enabled to operate when the protective member (11) is in place. In an embodiment of the present invention, the actuator (17) is a magnet and the switch is a sensor which is actuated by the magnetic field created by the magnet. In this embodiment of the present invention, the magnet is arranged under the lower wall (13) opposite the lower wall (13) on which the discharge hole (14) is provided, and the sensor is on the corresponding region of the body of the cooker (1). Thus, the cooker (1) is operated when the protective member (11) is seated in its place properly and the cooker (1) is prevented from being operated when the protective member (11) is not in its place or when it is not seated into its place properly by the user.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooker (1) comprises a protrusion (15) on the lower surface of the base (12) and a housing (16) on the fan casing (6), and the protrusion (15) is fitted into the housing (16) when the protective member (11) is seated in place, and the protective member (11) is enabled to be centered and thus fixed in the cooker (1) (Figure 3). In an embodiment of the present invention, the top panel (2) is glass.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooking unit (3) is of induction type.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the cooker (1) is a countertop cooker.