TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cooking device with a muffle defining a cooking space, concerning a heating element holder provided on a muffle wall within the cooking device.

BACKGROUND ART

In cooking devices, particularly in built-in ovens, there are cooking spaces called chambers. Resistors that provide cooking are located in the upper regions of these cooking spaces. These resistors, suspended on the upper side, are mounted with a set of connecting elements. The use of numerous connecting elements increases the cost and extends the assembly time. Additionally, when these connections are not tight and tense enough, vibrations caused by rotating elements inside the oven (turbofan, ventilation fan) result in noise from the resistors. In such cases, disturbing noises occur from the oven.

DE10232000B4 relates to securing the heating element within the cooking device. The oven or grille has an opening at the front and has a flat horizontal roof and a flat vertical rear wall. The heater element passes through an aperture with a bearing arrangement in the rear wall. A bracket is attached to the front portion of the heater with clips. The fastening arrangement has a spring clip attached to the oven roof and with a projection at the end to release a hook engaging a horizontal part of the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to fix the heating element in the cooking chamber without using an additional connection element.

In order to achieve above objective, the invention relates to a cooking device comprising a muffle defining a cooking chamber, a heating element for generating upper heat on an upper wall of the muffle, and a flexible holding element for securing the heating element on the upper wall of the muffle. The holding element comprises a tab for engaging with the upper wall. The fixation of the holding element and the heating element is provided by the tab flexing and self-fixing. This enables a quick assembly of the heating element without using any additional connection elements. Furthermore, it is possible to manufacture the holding element as a single piece through the casting process, which results in increased production speed.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a tab support positioned on the upper wall of the muffle corresponding to the tab. The tab locks itself within the tab support, preventing it from coming out. This enables the assembly of the holding element on the upper wall of the muffle, and potential issues caused by the holding element coming out are avoided.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tab extends angularly from the holding element. By doing so, the fixation surface of the tab on the tab support is increased, reinforcing the fixation of the holding element on the upper wall. Thus, a compact structure is obtained.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a support rod is carrying the heater element. The positioning of the heating element on the upper wall is facilitated thanks to the support rod.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding element comprising a body extending through an opening located on the upper wall. The body of the holding element provides an interlocking structure by passing through the opening on the upper wall. This ensures that the holding element remains in a fixed position on the upper wall when the tab is placed in the tab support.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding element comprises a hook portion provided on the body. The hook part surrounds the support rod holding the heating element, providing fixation of the heating element on the upper wall. This enables the assembly of the heating element on the upper wall without using any additional parts..

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a flexible top part located on the upper portion of the body of the holding element, which includes a first ear and a second ear. The apex extends over the opening on the upper wall. Thus, the holding element is prevented from falling down from the upper wall due to the weight.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the top part extends to form a flexing angle when a tension force is applied, causing the first and second ears to flex towards the upper part of the upper wall. The top part extends over the opening on the upper wall, preventing the holding element from falling downward due to its weight. In this way, when a tensile force is applied, the holding piece can flex upward, allowing the tensile force to be carried by the holding element. Furthermore, the flexing of the ears upward prevents the problem of high noise generation inside the cooking chamber.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding element is made of a metal material. This enhances the durability of the holding element and ensures a robust structure after assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the top wall of the cooking device according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the holding element within the cooking device according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a front view of the holding element within the cooking device according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a side view of the hook part of the holding element within the cooking device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, the invention is explained without any limitation and with references to examples only to better understand the subject matter.

Figure 1 shows the top wall of the cooking device according to the invention. The cooking device includes a muffle (10) defining a cooking chamber. A heating element (30) is located on an upper wall (12) of the muffle (10). In the preferred embodiment, a resistor is used as the heating element (30). The heating element (30) is carried by a support rod (32). The support rod (32) is cylindrical in shape and extends transversely. The support rod (32) is fixed to the upper wall (12) of the muffle (10) by a holding element (20). In the preferred embodiment, the holding element (20) is in the form of a bracket. In an alternative embodiment, the holding element (20) secures the heating element (30) using a locking mechanism.

Figure 2 shows the holding element of the invention in perspective. The holding element (20) includes a horizontally extending top part (22). At least one bending portion (23) extends from the lower wall of the top part (22), aligned with its central axis. In the preferred embodiment, two bending portions (23) extend opposite each other. The holding element (20) has a body (26) extending in the opposite direction from the surface of the bending portion (23) facing the top part (22). An angularly extending tab (24) is located over a slot (25) on the body (26). The tab (24) extends from a near end (243) through the slot (25) to a far end (241 ). A hook part (28) opens downward on the holding element (20).

Figure 3 shows the hook part (28) of the holding element (20). The hook part (28) has a chamber radius length (D) width. The hook part (28) surrounds the support rod (32) from a chamber part (281). The chamber radius length (D) is designed to be equal to or greater than the diameter value of the support rod (32). The support rod (32) passes through the hook part (28) from a mouth part (283) of the hook part (28). The length of the mouth part (L) is adjusted to the length that the support rod (32) can pass through. The chamber radius length (D) is designed to be larger than the length of the mouth part (L).

In Figure 4, the holding element (20), which is the subject of the invention, is shown from the front. The body (26) of the holding element (20) is placed on the upper wall (12) through an opening (14) on the upper wall (12) from the bending portion (23). In the preferred embodiment, the opening (14) is rectangular and in the form of a wedge. After the body (26) of the holding element (20) passes through the opening (14), the tab (24) extends angularly and is placed in a tab support (16) located on the upper wall (12), and the holding element (20) is fixed to the upper wall (12). The top part (22) located on the holding element (20) comprises a first ear (221 ) and a second ear (223). The first and second ears (221 , 223) extend angularly upwards from the upper wall (12) by making a flexing angle (a) between them and the upper wall (12). The flexing angle (a) is chosen as an acute angle in the preferred embodiment. In an alternative embodiment, it can also be an orthogonal.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 Muffle 28 Hook part

12 Upper Wall 281 Chamber

14 Opening 283 Opening

16 Tab support 30 Heating element

20 Holding Element 32 Support rod

22 Top Part a Inclination angle

23 Bending portion D Chamber Diameter Length

24 Tab L Opening Length

241 Distal end

243 Proximal end

25 Socket

26 Body