A STEAM-ASSISTED OVEN WITH A WATER INLET PIPE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a steam-assisted oven comprising a water inlet pipe mounted to a water inlet provided to a water reservoir.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a steam-assisted oven, water reservoirs are located at the bottom or top of the ovens. In such ovens, water is emptied into the cooking chamber due to the effect of gravity. In built-in ovens with a water reservoir, water is poured into the reservoir located within the cooking chamber. Water spilled from the turbo fan protection plate evaporates from the water reservoir, penetrating the food being cooked in the cavity. However, users only use the steam feature of the ovens in certain cases. In situations other than these, the steam reservoir is not activated and water is not filled into the water reservoir. In such cases, the positive static pressure in the region where the water inlet is located within the fan protection plate blows the hot air back towards the water reservoir. Therefore, a solution is needed to reduce the pressure connected to the water reservoir.

EP2697569 relates to a steam cooking device, particularly a steam oven. The invention includes side walls defining a cooking area. At least one of the side walls has at least one overflow opening connected to an overflow line separated into an overflow channel and a steam exhaust pipe. At least one steam valve is located on the steam exhaust pipe and is configured to at least temporarily change a section of the steam exhaust pipe. Thus, the pressure is reduced with the elbow-shaped steam discharge pipe, allowing the steam to be released outside.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to develop a steam-assisted oven comprising a water inlet pipe mounted easily and safely to a water inlet in a water reservoir located at the bottom, and reducing the generated air pressure through the elbow-shaped form of the water inlet pipe. To achieve the mentioned objectives, the invention describes a steam-assisted oven that includes a water pipe located in a cavity surrounding a cooking chamber accessible through an opening and carrying the filled water; a water reservoir to which the water carried by the water pipe is conveyed and connected to a hole-shaped water inlet; and a fan that causes the water in the water reservoir to evaporate with the help of the hot air generated during cooking. The steam-assisted oven comprises an inclined elbow-shaped water inlet pipe connected to the water inlet by a connection plate buffered from a lower surface of a protective sheet in a manner parallel to the direction of the air pushed by the fan, preventing the air from being pushed back into the water inlet due to the pressure effect created during cooking. This prevents the air pushed by the fan from escaping back through the water inlet pipe with the elbow structure optimized parallel to the fan's air flow. Here, pressure reduction is provided in the water pipe within the oven without using any control valve (one-way flow providing element). In a flat cylindrical water inlet (steam outlet), while the static pressure applied by the fan is at 12 Pascal level, this pressure decreases to -2 Pascal level with the inclined elbow-shaped water inlet pipe positioned parallel to the airflow.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes one or more stud legs that are passed through predetermined notches and fastened with a nut, allowing the connection plate to be buffered to the protective sheet. This makes the installation of the connection plate, which is buffered to the protective sheet with nuts on the stud legs, easy and reliable.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes one or more circular notches provided on a lower wall of the connection plate, allowing the water reservoir to be connected in a buffered manner. This allows the water reservoir to be easily mounted without screws by buffering it to the notches.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the protective sheet covers the rear part of the cooking chamber between the cooking chamber and the cavity. This provides protection by covering the rear part and allows the water reservoir to be mounted in connection with the protective sheet.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fan is located on the protective sheet. This ensures the fan is also protected by the protective sheet.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a control panel connected to a free front wall at the top of the oven, where adjustments are made for the steam-assisted cooking in the cooking chamber to be on or off. This allows users to use the steam feature of the ovens only when they want to cook with steam. Here, steam cooking is done optionally, instead of having a continuous steam cooking feature.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a transport pipe that provides the flow of water to the water pipe by filling it from a filling opening connected to the water pipe. This ensures the flow of the filled water from the water pipe to the reservoir.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filling opening is provided on top of the control panel. This allows steam-assisted cooking to be done after filling the water through the opening on the control panel and ensuring the steam cooking feature is in the open state on the control panel. In this respect, an easy-to-use steam-assisted oven is obtained.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the water pipe consists of a single or multi-piece upper body extending to the transport pipe, a vertically aligned middle body in the cavity, and a lower body extending in connection with the water inlet. This ensures the flow of water from the water pipe to the water reservoir at the bottom of the oven due to gravity.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fan is a turbo fan operating at a predetermined rotation speed. This ensures the evaporation of the water in the water reservoir with the help of hot air generated during cooking at a predetermined pressure and volume due to the turbo feature of the fan.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the steam-assisted oven according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the connections inside the steam-assisted oven according to the invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged representation of the connections inside the steam-assisted oven according to the invention shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a representation of the support plate and connections in the steam-assisted oven according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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

Figure 1 schematically shows a steam-assisted oven according to the invention. In Figures 2 and 3, the connections inside the steam-assisted oven according to the invention are shown schematically. In Figure 4, the support plate and connections in the steam-assisted oven according to the invention are shown. The steam-assisted oven (10) includes a control panel (14) that allows adjustments for the open or closed state of steam-assisted cooking in a cooking chamber (22). The control panel (14) is connected to a free front wall (12) at the top of the oven (10). This provides a steam-assisted oven (10) that can optionally cook with steam. In one configuration of the invention, water is filled through a filling opening (16), which is provided on the control panel (14). A transport pipe (18) connected to the opening ensures the flow of filled water to the filling opening (16). Thus, the flow of water from the water pipe (26) to the transport pipe (18) is ensured. Additionally, an easy-to-use steam- assisted oven (10) is provided. The steam-assisted oven (10) has a cooking chamber (22) accessible through an opening (20) where the cooking process takes place. A water pipe (26) is also located in a cavity (24) surrounding the cooking chamber (22). The water pipe (26) is a cylindrical pipe in the literature that carries the filled water. Here, the water pipe (26) has a predetermined diameter and wall thickness. The water pipe (26) is connected to a water inlet (34). Thus, the water carried by the water pipe (26) flows into a hole-shaped water inlet (34) and accumulates in a water reservoir (36). Here, the water reservoir (36) is also referred to as an evaporation chamber due to its function as the chamber where evaporation occurs. The water pipe (34) inside the oven (10) can be single or multi-piece. Additionally, the water pipe (34) has an upper body (28) extending to the transport pipe (18), a middle body (30) extending vertically (y) in the cavity (24), and a lower body (32) extending and connected to the water inlet (34). Thus, the effect of gravity ensures the flow of water to the water reservoir (36) at the bottom of the oven (10). In one configuration of the invention, the steam-assisted oven includes a fan (38) to evaporate the water in the reservoir (36) with the help of hot air generated during cooking. Here, the fan (38) is a turbo fan operating at a predetermined rotation speed. Thus, the evaporation of water at a predetermined pressure and volume is provided by the turbo feature of the fan (38). In the oven (10), there is a protective sheet (42) located between the cooking chamber (22) and the cavity (24) and covering the rear part of the cooking chamber (22). The fan (38) is also connected to the protective sheet (42). Thus, the protective sheet (42) provides protection for the fan (38) by covering the rear part. A connection plate (44), cushioned and mounted on the lower surface (54) of the protective sheet (42), is located on the steam-assisted oven according to the invention. The steam- assisted oven includes an inclined elbow-shaped water inlet pipe (40) provided on the connection plate (44) and connected to the water inlet (34) when the plate is mounted. Here, the water inlet pipe (40) is mounted parallel to the direction of the air pressed by the fan (38) to prevent the air from being pushed back into the water inlet (34) due to the pressure effect during cooking. Thus, in the flat cylindrical structure of the water inlet (steam outlet) (34), when the static pressure applied by the fan (38) is at the level of 12 pascals, the inclined elbow-shaped water inlet pipe (34) positioned parallel to the air flow reduces this pressure to -2 pascal, preventing the air from being pushed back into the water pipe. For example, in the literature, hot air follows the water transmission pipe (26) and reaches the control panel (14). The purpose here is to prevent the steamy and hot air from damaging the electronic circuits in the control panel (14) and the user. In other words, the pressure reduction is achieved without using any control valve (one-way flow providing element) on the water pipe (26) inside the oven (10). In one configuration of the invention, one or more stud legs (46) are included, which are passed through predetermined notches for cushioning and mounting the connection plate (44) to the protective sheet (42) and secured with a nut (48). Thus, the assembly of the connection plate (44) is easy and reliable. In the invention, there are one or more circular-shaped notches (52) provided on the lower wall (50) of the connection plate (44). Thus, the water reservoir (36) can be easily mounted without screws by cushioning it to the notches (52). Additionally, the connection of the water reservoir (36) to the lower surface (54) of the protective sheet (42) is ensured in this way. In one configuration of the invention, there are two stud legs and two notches.

The following advantages are provided in the steam-assisted oven according to the invention:

• Thanks to the pipe (40) with an elbow structure optimized parallel to the air flow of the turbo fan (38), the escape of air pressed by the turbo fan (38) is prevented. With this system, there is no need to use any control valve (one-way flow providing element) on the water pipe (26).

• The water reservoir (36) is mounted to the protective sheet without screws, thanks to the notches on the connection plate.

• The assembly of the part (44) connected to the cooking cavity with two studs (46) and two nuts (48) is easy and reliable. REFERENCE NUMBERS