The present invention relates to a cooktop, i.e. a device comprising one or more heat sources for cooking food in special vessels, as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
Cooktops are widely used in food preparation, in both home and catering environments. Particularly in homes, cooktops may be sold and/or installed as part of standard equipment in kitchen furniture.
In particular, gas cooktops will be considered herein, i.e. cooktops in which food cooking heat is generated by combustion of flammable gas, particularly but without limitation methane.
Gas cooktops are known in the art.
A cooktop of this type comprises a main body having a substantially flat outer surface. In operation, the main body may be embedded in a in a kitchen cabinet, such that the outer surface will be the only part that is visible to a user.
The prior art cooktop comprises one or more seats formed in the main body. Each seat houses a burner, which projects out of the seat from the aforementioned outer surface. Typically, such cooktops comprise multiple burners, usually four, five or six burners.
Certain prior art cooktops integrate a hood for extracting the cooking fumes generated during food preparation. Here, the extraction hood fits in the main body and has a suction opening at the outer surface. In order to facilitate extraction of cooking fumes, the opening is usually formed in a central area of the cooktop, to minimize its distance from each of the burners.
The cooktop also comprises at least one grate, which normally rests on the outer surface. In particular, the grate lies over one or more burners, and has the purpose to support at least one food cooking vessel.
The cooktop as described above has the drawback of not being able to fully utilize the extraction hood, unlike electric cooktops. This is because the air stream generated by the hood interferes with the flame produced by the burner and an excessively strong stream would prevent full gas combustion, thereby affecting the overall thermal efficiency of the cooktop. Cooktops of the prior art are known from
Therefore, the technical purpose of the present invention defined in appended claim 1 is to provide a cooktop that can obviate the aforementioned prior art drawbacks.
In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a cooktop that can ensure optimal thermal efficiency of combustion, while affording effective fume extraction.
The aforementioned technical purpose and objects are substantially fulfilled by a cooktop that comprises the technical features as disclosed in one or more of the accompanying claims.
In particular, one embodiment, of a cooktop of the present invention comprises a main body. This main body has a substantially flat outer surface. The main body also has at least one seat.
The cooktop further comprises at least one burner. This burner is configured to produce a flame by combustion of a flammable gas. The burner fits in the seat and juts out of the outer surface. The burner has a center axis substantially perpendicular to the outer surface.
The cooktop further comprises a cooking fume extraction hood. This hood fits in the main body, and has a suction opening at the outer surface.
At least one grate is designed to rest on the outer surface at the burner, to thereby support at least one food cooking vessel. The grate defines at least one cooking zone whose center axis substantially coincides with the center axis of the burner when the grate is placed over the burner.
The grate comprises a wall that is configured to stand substantially perpendicular to the outer surface, between the burner and the opening of the extraction hood. The distance of the wall from the center axis of its respective cooking zone ranges from 90 to 150 mm, and is preferably 118 mm. The height of the wall ranges from 25 to 55 mm, and is preferably 38 mm.
The cooktop of the invention solves the aforementioned technical problem. In particular, the position of the wall causes air to be unable to directly flow from the burner at the opening of the hood and, as a result, gas combustion is also stabilized by operating the hood at full capacity.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will result more clearly from the illustrative, non-limiting description of a preferred, non-exclusive embodiment of a cooktop as shown in the annexed drawings, in which:
Referring to the annexed figures, numeral 1 generally designates a cooktop of the present invention.
The cooktop 1 comprises a main body 2, particularly designed to be embedded in a cabinet (not shown) having predetermined length "l" and width "L".
Preferably, the length "l" of the cooktop 1 is greater than its width "L", to form a rectangle.
The main body 2 has a substantially flat outer surface 2a which, when the cooktop 1 is installed in a cabinet or a kitchen countertop (not shown), is the only visible part of the main body 2.
Depending on the embodiments of the invention, the outer surface 2a may be made of stainless steel, glass, wood or other suitable materials.
The main body 2 also has at least one seat 3 for a burner 4 to fit therein.
This burner 4 is configured to produce a flame by combustion of a flammable gas, particularly but without limitation methane for residential use. The burner 4 projects out of its respective seat 3 from the outer surface 2a of the main body 2.
Preferably, the cooktop 1 comprises a plurality of burners 4, usually four to six burners.
Each burner 4 fits in a respective seat 3. Therefore, there are as many seats 3 as there are burners 4. Each burner 4 preferably has a circular plan shape, and has a center axis "A" that is substantially perpendicular to the outer surface 2a.
The cooktop 1 comprises a cooking fume extraction hood 5.
The hood 5 fits in the main body and has a suction opening 5a at the outer surface 2a of the main body 2.
The hood 5 is known per se and will not be further described hereafter.
Particularly referring to
In other words, the opening 5a of the hood 5 is barycentric with respect to the two pairs of burners 4.
It should be particularly noted that the opening 5a of the hood 5 is placed substantially at the geometric center of the cooktop 1.
At least one grate 6 is designed to rest on the outer surface 2a at least at one of the burners 4. This grate 6 has the purpose to support at least one food cooking vessel (not shown), e.g. a pot.
The grate 6 defines at least one cooking zone 7 whose center axis "A" substantially coincides with the center axis of its respective burner 4 when the grate 6 is placed on the burner 4.
It shall be noted that a single grate 6 may define multiple cooking zones 7, e.g.as shown in
Each cooking zone 7 defines a support surface, on which the vessel is placed during cooking.
The support surface has a height from the outer surface 2a of the main body 2, such height being defined in operation by the distance between a bottom of the vessel and the outer surface 2a.
More in detail, the grate 6 is preferably made of metal or cast iron. From the structural point of view, the grate 6 may comprise two or more crosspieces 6a in crosswise arrangement. Alternatively, the grate 6 may be formed with any shape among those already known to the skilled person.
It shall be noted that a single grate 6 may be defined by multiple physically separate elements which compose the grate 6 when they are placed together over the burners 4. Alternatively, the grate 6 may be formed of one piece.
In the embodiment as described and shown, the cooktop 1 comprises two grates 6, each associated with a respective pair of burners 4. In certain alternative embodiments, not shown, any number of grates 6 may be provided.
As claimed in the present invention, and in addition to the other elements, the grate 6 comprises a wall 8 particularly situated outside the cooking zones 7. This wall 8 has the purpose to modulate the air stream at the burners 4.
Particularly referring to
The distance of the wall 8 from the center axis "A" of its respective cooking zone 7 ranges from 90 to 150 mm, and is preferably 118 mm.
The wall 8 has a height ranging from 25 to 55 mm, particularly of 38 mm. More preferably, the wall 8 is substantially flat.
It shall be noted that the wall 8 is continuous, i.e. it has no holes or apertures.
In one aspect the wall extends throughout the width L of the cooktop 1.
Advantageously, this will hinder the air stream between the burners 4 and the opening 5a of the hood 5.
In the embodiment as described and shown, it will be also appreciated that the wall 8 is made of one piece with the other components of the grate 6 as described above.
Advantageously, this will allow the user to easily place the wall 8 in its proper position relative to the burners 4 and the opening 5a of the hood 5.
It shall be noted that, according to to the invention, the height of the wall 8 is smaller than the height of the support surface. In particular, the difference between the height of the support surface and the height of the wall 8 ranges from 3 to 7 mm, and is preferably 5 mm. Advantageously, this will form a gap between the vessel and the wall whose width is equal to this difference such that the flame will not be snuffed out close to the burner 4.
According to the invention, the wall 8 is configured to be placed at a distance from the center of the opening 5a of the hood 5 that ranges from 180 to 210 mm, and is preferably 192 mm. This distance may be changed, in particular according to the extraction power of the hood 5 and the arrangement of the burners 4.
As shown in
Those skilled in the art will obviously appreciate that a number of changes and variants as described above may be made to fulfill particular requirements, without departure from the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.