Glass package and framework for an oven door of a cooking oven The present invention relates to a glass package for an oven door of a cooking oven. Further, the present invention relates to a framework for an oven door of a cooking oven. Moreover, the present invention relates to an oven door for a cooking oven. Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for as- sembling an oven door for a cooking oven.

The oven cavity of a cooking oven is usually closable by an oven door pivotally mounted at a chassis or front frame of said cook ^¬ ing oven. A conventional oven door includes an outer or a front panel having an outer or front surface, respectively. A central opening is arranged in an outer transparent panel. In addition to the outer transparent pane, the door can be provided with ad ^¬ ditional inner glass panes, gaskets, glass holders, silicon parts, door hinges, brackets for a door handle fixation and in- sulation panes. Thus, the door of the cooking oven includes usu ^¬ ally a number of different components which have to be assembled together into a mechanical structure of the oven door.

The complexity of the oven door is very high and it takes a time to assembly such an oven door in assembly line, and an automatic door assembly is not possible as well. Furthermore, the oven door and its components should be cleaned by the user from time to time. However, it is difficult for the user to disassembly the oven door, clean each component and afterward to assembly all of these components together again and at the correct posi ^¬ tions. Furthermore, if the mechanical structure of the oven door is realized by a number of different components, then the assem ^¬ bling and disassembling of the glass panes is very difficult, so that additional tools and/or components are reguired. Additionally, the inner glass pane is always fixed with the mechanical structure of the oven door by means of a cover element overlapping with said inner glass pane or by means of two additional holding elements overlapping with the inner glass pane and connecting said inner glass pane to the mechanical structure of the oven door. Thus, all these cover elements and holding elements are visible from outside, are difficult to clean and could be damaged due to higher temperature coming out from the oven cavity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a glass package and a corresponding framework for an oven door, which overcomes one or more of the drawbacks mentioned above. The object of the present invention is achieved by the glass package according to claim 1.

The present invention provides a glass package for an oven door of a cooking oven, wherein

- the glass package includes an inner glass pane and at least one further glass pane,

- the inner glass pane is provided for an arrangement towards to an oven cavity in an assembled and a closed state of the oven door, while the at least one further glass pane is pro- vided for an arrangement opposite to the oven cavity in the assembled and closed state of the said door,

- the glass package includes connecting means for a permanent connection between the inner glass pane and the at least one further glass pane,

- the inner glass pane and the at least one further glass pane are arranged plane-parallel to each other,

- an intermediate space is formed between two adjacent glass panes, at least one slot and/or channel enclose or encloses at least partially the circumferential sides of the glass package along a circumferential direction,

the width and height of the inner glass pane are bigger than the width and height, respectively, of the at least one further glass pane and of any further component of the glass package, and

the widths and heights of the glass panes relate to the large-area sides of said glass panes.

The core of the present invention is that the biggest width and/or height of the glass package are/is defined by the inner glass pane on the one hand and the permanent connection between the glass panes of the glass package on the other hand. Thus, the at least one slot and/or channel are/is arranged in the circumferential environment of the at least one further glass pane, since the inner glass pane is the widest and/or highest component of the glass pane. When the glass package is inserted in a receiving part, then an outer portion of the outer side of the inner glass pane is aligned at said receiving part, while the slot, the channel and/or an edge of the further glass pane interacts with fastening means of the receiving part.

In particular, the at least one slot and/or channel are/is arranged at two or more opposite circumferential sides of the glass package.

For example, the connecting means include at least one elongated gasket enclosing at least partially an inner intermediate space between two adjacent glass panes, wherein the at least one slot encloses an outer circumferential side of said gasket and extends along the circumferential direction of the glass package.

In this case, the gasket may include at least one gluing strip or is formed as a gluing strip. According to another example, the connecting means include at least one spacer enclosing at least partially the inner intermediate space between two adjacent glass panes, wherein the at least one slot encloses an outer circumferential side of said spacer and extends along the circumferential direction of the glass package.

Preferably, the at least one spacer is glued at the glass panes. For example, the spacer may be fastened at the glass panes by a gluing strip.

Additionally, the spacer may include at least one channel extending at least partially along an outer circumferential side of said spacer along a circumferential direction of the glass package. In this case the channel extends the cross-section of the slot.

According to a further embodiment, the connecting means include at least one frame enclosing at least partially the at least one further glass pane, wherein the at least one channel is formed at an outer circumferential side of said frame and extends along the circumferential direction of the glass package. In particular, the spacer or the frame is made of at least one plastic material and/or at least one metal material. For example, the spacer or the frame is formed as an extrusion profile, a moulded profile or metal formed profile. The present invention relates further to a framework for an oven door of a cooking oven, wherein

- the framework includes a front panel and a door frame,

- the door frame is permanently attached at an inner side of the front panel, wherein said inner side is provided for an arrangement towards to an oven cavity in an assembled and a closed state of the oven door,

- the door frame encloses at least partially an inner portion of the framework,

- the door frame is provided for receiving a glass package in ^¬ cluding an inner glass pane and at least one further glass pane,

- the door frame includes fastening means at its inner circum ^¬ ferential sides,

- the fastening means are provided for interacting with one or more of the at least one further glass pane, and

- the inner glass pane of the glass package is provided to be aligned at an inner side of the door frame, wherein said in ^¬ ner side of the door frame is provided for an arrangement towards to an oven cavity in the assembled and closed state of the oven door .

The framework is adapted for receiving a glass package. In particular, the door frame of said framework is provided for re- ceiving the glass package mentioned above.

Preferably, the fastening means include at least one lug ele ^¬ ment, wherein said lug element and an edge of one of the at least one further glass pane are provided to form a snap-in mechanism, and/or wherein said lug element and the at least one slot and/or channel of the glass package are provided to form a snap-in mechanism.

Alternatively or additionally, the fastening means include at least one frame channel, wherein said frame channel is provided to enclose circumferentially one of the at least one further glass pane .

Moreover, the present invention relates to an oven door for a cooking oven, wherein the oven door comprises a glass package and a framework mentioned above, wherein a door frame of the framework is provided for receiving the glass package

In particular, the width and height of the inner glass pane are at least as big as the width and height, respectively, of the door frame of the framework.

Additionally, the present invention relates to a method for as ^¬ sembling an oven door for a cooking oven mentioned above, said method comprises the following steps:

- providing at least two glass panes,

- providing connecting means for the glass panes,

- permanent assembling of the at least two glass panes to a glass package by the connecting means, so that the at least two glass panes are arranged plane-parallel to each other and the width and height of an inner glass pane is bigger than the width and height, respectively, of the at least one further glass pane, wherein said inner glass pane is provid ^¬ ed for an arrangement towards to an oven cavity in an assem- bled and a closed state of the oven door, while the at least one further glass pane is provided for an arrangement oppo ^¬ site to the oven cavity in the assembled and closed state of the said door,

- providing a framework including a front panel and a door frame attached permanently at an inner side of said front panel, wherein said inner side is provided for an arrange ^¬ ment towards to the oven cavity in the assembled and closed state of the oven door,

- inserting the glass package into the door frame of the

framework,

- connecting the glass package with the framework, wherein one or more of the at least one further glass pane interacts with fastening means arranged at an inner circumferential side of the door frame, so that the inner glass pane is aligned at an inner side of said door frame, and wherein said inner side of the door frame is provided for an ar ^¬ rangement towards to the oven cavity in the assembled and closed state of the oven door. The inventive method allows an easy assembling of the oven door. The glass package and the framework are removably connected to each other, so that the user can easily remove the glass package from the framework. Novel and inventive features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims .

The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawing, in which

FIG 1 illustrates a schematic sectional top view of a glass package for an oven door according to a first embodiment of the present invention, illustrates a schematic sectional top view of the glass package for the oven door according to a second embodi ^¬ ment of the present invention, illustrates a schematic sectional top view of the glass package for the oven door according to a third embodiment of the present invention,

FIG 4 illustrates a schematic partial sectional top view of the oven door according to a preferred embodiment of the pre- sent invention, wherein said oven door is in a state before being assembled,

FIG 5 illustrates a schematic partial sectional top view of the oven door, an oven cavity and a front frame according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the oven door is in an assembled and a closed state,

FIG 6 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the oven door according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and

FIG 7 illustrates a schematic partial sectional top view of the oven door, the oven cavity and the front frame according to a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the glass package is in a mounted state at said oven door .

FIG 1 illustrates a schematic sectional top view of a glass package 10 for an oven door according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The glass package 10 includes three glass panes 12, 14 and 16 arranged plane-parallel to each other. In general, the glass package 10 includes at least two glass panes. The glass package 10 includes an inner glass pane 12, an intermediate glass pane 14 and an outer glass pane 16. In an assembled state of the glass package 10 at the oven door and in a closed state of said oven door, the inner glass pane 12 is arranged closer to an oven cavity than the intermediate glass pane 14 and again the intermediate glass pane 14 is arranged closer to the oven cavity than the outer glass pane 16. The inner glass pane 12 is marginally bigger than the intermediate glass pane 14. In turn, the intermediate glass pane 14 is marginally bigger than the outer glass pane 16.

In this example, the thicknesses of the outer glass pane 12, the intermediate glass pane 14 and the inner glass pane 16 are substantially egual . Further, the distance between the inner glass pane 12 and the intermediate glass pane 14 is bigger than the distance between the intermediate glass pane 14 and the outer glass pane 16 in the embodiment of FIG 1. In this example, the distance between the outer glass pane 12 and the intermediate glass pane 14 is substantially the same as the thicknesses of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16.

The adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16 are fixed together by gaskets 18. The inner glass pane 12 and intermediate glass pane 14 are fixed together by at least one gasket 18. In a similar way, the intermediate glass pane 14 and the outer glass pane 16 are fixed together by at least one further gasket 18. The gaskets 18 extend along an outer portion of the intermediate space between the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. The gaskets 18 enclose an inner intermediate space between the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. Further, the gaskets 18 are spaced apart from the edges of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16. The distances between the gaskets 18 and the adjacent edges of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16 are about the same as the distances between the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. For example, the gasket 18 may be a glue silicone strip.

For example, the inner intermediate space enclosed by at least one gasket 18 is hermetic closed, so that no air flow occurs in said inner intermediate space. Alternatively, the inner intermediate space may be formed as an open space. The hermetic closed inner intermediate space between two adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16, in particular between the inner glass pane 12 and intermediate glass pane 14, is advantageous in view of energy consumption. In contrast, the open inner intermediate space between the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16, in particular between the intermediate glass pane 14 and outer glass pane 16, allows a lower temperature at a front side of the oven door. Further, the hermetic closed inner intermediate space may be vacuum-sealed or filled with inert gas . The glass package 10 is circumferentially enclosed by two slots 19. The slots 19 are formed in an outer intermediate space be ^¬ tween two adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. Since the gaskets 18 are spaced apart from the edges of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16, the slots 19 are formed by the outer portions of two oppo ^¬ site surfaces of the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16 and by the outer circumferential sides of the gaskets 18. The side walls of each slot 19 are formed by the outer portions of two opposite surfaces of the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. The bottom wall of each slot 19 is formed by the outer circumferential side of the gasket 18. In other words, the intermediate space between two adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16 is separat ^¬ ed into the inner and outer intermediate space by the at least one gasket 18, wherein the at least one gasket 18 encloses at least partially the inner intermediate space, while the outer intermediate space forms the slot 19.

FIG 2 illustrates a schematic sectional top view of the glass package 10 for an oven door according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The glass package 10 of the second embod ^¬ iment includes also the inner glass pane 12, the intermediate glass pane 14 and the outer glass pane 16. The inner glass pane 12, the intermediate glass pane 14 and the outer glass pane 16 of the second embodiment have the same geometric relationships as those of the first embodiment. The distances between the glass panes 12, 14 and 16 of the first and second embodiments are substantially the same.

Instead of the gaskets 18 of the first embodiment, the glass package 10 according to the second embodiment includes spacers

20 between the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. The spacers

20 allow also a hermetic closed inner intermediate space as well as an open inner intermediate space between two of the adjacent panes 12, 14 and 16. The hermetic closed inner intermediate space may be vacuum-sealed or filled with inert gas. Further, the spacers 20 are spaced apart from the edges of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16. The distance between the spacers 20 and the adjacent edges of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16 are about the same as the distances between the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. The spacers 20 may be glued onto the glass panes 12, 14 and 16.

The glass package 10 of the second embodiment is also circumfer- entially enclosed by two slots 19 formed in the outer intermedi- ate space between two adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16. Since the spacers 20 are spaced apart from the edges of the glass panes 12, 14 and 16, the slots 19 are formed by the outer portions of two opposite surfaces of the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16 and by the outer circumferential sides of the spacers 20. The side walls of each slot 19 are formed by the outer portions of two opposite surfaces of the adjacent glass panes 12, 14 and 16, while the bottom wall of each slot 19 is formed by the outer circumferential side of the spacer 20. Additionally, the spacer 20 may include a channel at its outer circumferential side, so that the cross-section of the slot 19 is extended by the cross-section of said channel.

An inner side distance 22 is defined between an outer circumferential edge of the inner glass pane 12 and the spacer 20 between said inner glass pane 12 and the intermediate glass pane 14. In a similar way, an intermediate side distance 24 is defined between an outer circumferential edge of the intermediate glass pane 14 and the spacer 20 between the inner glass pane 12 and the intermediate glass pane 14. Further, an outer side distance 26 is defined between an outer circumferential edge of the outer glass pane 16 and the spacer 20 between said outer glass pane 16 and the intermediate glass pane 14. Said side distances 22, 24 and 26 correspond with the depths of one of the side walls of the slots 19. Preferably, the inner side distance 22, the inter- mediate side distance 24 and the outer side distance 26 are be ^¬ tween 2 mm and 20 mm.

FIG 3 illustrates a schematic sectional top view of the glass package 10 for an oven door according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The glass package 10 of the third embodi ^¬ ment includes also the inner glass pane 12, the intermediate glass pane 14 and the outer glass pane 16. The inner glass pane 12, the intermediate glass pane 14 and the outer glass pane 16 of the third embodiment have the same geometric relationships as those of the first and second embodiments. The distances between the glass panes 12, 14 and 16 of the first, second and third em ^¬ bodiments are substantially the same. Instead of the gaskets 18 and spacers 20 of the first and second embodiments, respectively, the glass package 10 according to the third embodiment includes a frame 28 aligned at an outer side of the inner glass pane 12 and enclosing the intermediate glass pane 14 and outer glass pane 16. The outer side of the inner glass pane 12 is defined as the side opposite to the oven cavity in the mounted state. The frame 28 may be formed as a single- piece part or may include several frame parts . The circumferen ^¬ tial side or sides of the further glass panes 14 and 16 may be overmoulded by the frame 28. Alternatively, the frame 28 may be disassembled from the glass panes 12, 14 and 16.

The frame 28 allows also a hermetic closed inner intermediate space as well as an open inner intermediate space between adja ^¬ cent panes 12, 14 and 16. Moreover, the hermetic closed inner intermediate space may be vacuum-sealed or filled with inert gas .

The glass package 10 of the third embodiment is circumferential- ly enclosed by two channels 30. The channels 30 are formed in an outer circumferential side of the frame 28. The channels 30 en- close at least partially the frame 28 along its circumferential sides .

FIG 4 illustrates a schematic partial sectional top view of an oven door according to a preferred embodiment of the present in ^¬ vention, wherein said oven door is in a state before being assembled. The oven door comprises a framework 32 and the glass package 10. In this example, the oven door comprises the glass package 10 according to the second embodiment. Further, the oven door is also suitable for the glass packages 10 according to the first and third embodiments.

The framework 32 includes a front panel 34, a door frame 36, a door handle 40, fasting elements 42 for said door handle 40 and at least one front cover 44. The door frame 36 is permanently attached at an inner side of the front panel 34. The inner side of the front panel 34 is defined as the side towards to the oven cavity in the mounted and closed states of the oven door. The door handle 40 is attached at an outer side of the front panel 34 by the fasting elements 42. The outer side of the front panel 34 is defined as the side opposite to the oven cavity in the mounted and closed states of the oven door. In this example, the door handle 40 is attached at the outer side of the front panel 34 by two fasting elements 42, wherein said fasting elements 42 are arranged at the end portion of the elongated door handle 40. The front cover 44 is also attached at the outer side of the front panel 34 and covers partially the outer side of said front panel 34. The door frame 36 is provided for receiving the glass package 10, so that the door frame 36 encloses at least partially said glass package 10. The glass package 10 is partially inserted in ^¬ to the door frame 36 by a movement perpendicular to the plane of the glass package 10 and the front panel 34 of the framework 32. The direction of movement of the glass package 10 relative to the framework 32 is represented by an arrow 50.

The door frame 36 includes one or more lug elements 38 arranged at an inner circumferential side of said door frame 36. The lug element 38 interacts with an inner edge of the intermediate pane 14. The inner edge of the intermediate pane 14 is defined as the edge towards to the oven cavity in the mounted and closed states of the oven door. The lug element 38 and the inner edge of the intermediate pane 14 form a snap-in mechanism. In this example, the door frame 36 is similar as an L-shaped or a G-shaped pro ^¬ file part.

The width and height of the inner glass pane 12 are at least as big as the width and height, respectively, of the door frame 36 of the framework 32. Thus, the inner glass pane 12 covers com ^¬ pletely the door frame 36 of the framework 32.

FIG 5 illustrates a schematic partial sectional top view of the oven door according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the oven door is in an assembled and a closed state .

In the assembled state of the oven door, the glass package 10 is received by the door frame 36 of the framework 34. The lug ele ^¬ ment 38 interacts with the inner edge of the intermediate pane 14. The lug element 38 is aligned at an inner side of the inter ^¬ mediate pane 14. The inner side of the intermediate pane 14 is defined as the side towards to the oven cavity in the mounted and closed states of the oven door. Further, an inner side of the door frame 36 is aligned at an outer side of the inner glass pane 12. The inner side of the door frame 36 is defined as the side towards to the oven cavity in the mounted and closed states of the oven door. The outer side of the inner glass pane 12 is defined as the side opposite to the oven cavity in the mounted and closed states of the oven door. Thus, a part of the door frame 36 is stably received by the slot 19 between the inner glass pane 12 and intermediate glass pane 14, wherein said part of the door frame 36 includes the lug element 38.

In FIG 5 the oven door is in an assembled and a closed state. The oven door is arranged at a cooking oven including the oven cavity 46 and a front frame 48. The front frame 48 of the cook ^¬ ing oven encloses the oven cavity 46. A door gasket 52 is pro- vided for filling a gap between the oven cavity 46 and the front frame 48. Further, the door gasket 52 is provided for filling a gap between the oven door at the one side and the oven cavity 46 and the front frame 48 on the other side. FIG 6 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the oven door according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The oven door is assembled, i.e. the glass package 10 is re ^¬ ceived by the door frame 36 of the framework 34. The door frame 36 is attached at an inner side of the front panel 34. The door handle 40 is attached at the outer side of the front panel 34 by the two fasting elements 42. In this example, the fasting ele ^¬ ments 42 are arranged at the end portions of the elongated door handle 40. The at least one front cover 44 is also attached at the outer side of the front panel 34 and covers partially the outer side of said front panel 34. In this example, two front covers 44 are attached at the outer side of the front panel 34, wherein each front cover 44 covers a lateral portion of the out ^¬ er side of the front panel 34.

The width and height of the inner glass pane 12 are at least as big as the width and height, respectively, of the door frame 36 of the framework 32, so that the inner glass pane 12 covers com ^¬ pletely the door frame 36 of the framework 32. FIG 7 illustrates a schematic partial sectional top view of the oven door according to a further embodiment of the present invention, wherein the oven door is in an assembled and a closed state. The further embodiment in FIG 7 is similar to the pre- ferred embodiment in FIG 5.

While the door frame 36 in FIG 5 is similar as an L-shaped or a G-shaped profile part, the door frame 36 in FIG 7 is formed as at least one solid part. Said door frame 36 is permanently at- tached at an inner side of the front panel 34. Instead of the lug element 38, the door frame 36 includes a frame channel 54. The frame channel 54 receives the outer circumferential portion of the intermediate glass pane 14. The oven door may be assembled by moving the glass package 10 plane-parallel to the front panel 34 of the framework 32, wherein the glass package 10 is moved along the longitudinal axes of the frame channel 54 and of the corresponding edge of the glass pane 14.

The width and height of the inner glass pane 12 are at least as big as the width and height, respectively, of the door frame 36 of the framework 32. Thus, also the inner glass pane 12 of the further embodiment covers completely the door frame 36 of the framework 32. The present invention provides the glass package 10 and the framework 32 for the oven door, which allows simple manufacturing of the oven door by low costs. The glass package 10 can be at first preassembled and then inserted into the framework of the oven door. The structure of the glass package 10 allows an automatic preassembling of said glass package 10. Further, the structures of the glass package 10 and the framework 32 allow automatic assembling of the oven door by inserting the glass package 10 into the framework 32. Moreover, the present invention allows an easy disassembling of the oven door. The present invention allows different kinds of glass packages 10. Said kinds of glass packages 10 may include different numbers of glass panes 12, 14 and 16. For example, two, three or four glass panes are possible. Further, glass packages 10 with different intermediate spaces are also possible. Moreover, different positions of the spacers 20 related to the oven cavity 46 are possible. Therefore, the gaskets 18, the spacers 20 and/or the gluing strip may be arranged in the area of the glass package 10. Additionally, the present invention avoids visible holding elements for the glass package 10. At last, the inventive oven door is easy to clean.

Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims .

List of reference numerals

10 glass package

12 inner glass pane

14 intermediate glass pane

16 outer glass pane

18 gasket

19 slot

20 spacer

22 inner side distance

24 intermediate side distance

26 outer side distance

28 frame

30 channel

32 framework

34 front panel

36 door frame

38 lug element

40 door handle

42 fastening element

44 front cover

46 oven cavity

48 front frame

50 assembling direction

52 oven gasket

54 frame channel