Appliance for cooking dishes

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an appliance for cooking dishes, in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

In particular, the present invention relates to an appliance for cooking dishes which integrates an oven, a cooking hob and a hood of the type commercially known as downdraft hood.

STATE OF THE ART

In the state of the art there are known appliances for cooking dishes comprising an oven, a cooking hob and a hood for suction of cooking fumes.

In particular, some of such appliances have downdraft hoods integrated in the cooking hob or alternatively in the top of a kitchen cabinet where the appliance for cooking dishes is housed.

Such a downdraft hood is configured to generate a descending current greater than the ascending speed of the fumes caused by cooking, so that these fumes are sucked towards an opening provided in the cooking hob itself with motion having a downwards direction.

For example, document U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,818 B1 shows an appliance for cooking dishes comprising an oven and a cooking hob arranged vertically above the oven.

Such a cooking hob has a central opening arranged between a plurality of cooking zones and is in fluid communication with a suction assembly, positioned below the cooking hob. During use, the suction assembly is configured to generate a negative pressure which results in a suction effect of the cooking fumes through the central slot.

Said appliance for cooking dishes comprises a filter assembly arranged in the slot and vertically removable from the cooking hob to enable the operations of cleaning or replacing the filters to be carried out.

In particular, the filter assembly comprises a grease filter and a collection portion configured to accumulate the liquids and greases present in the cooking fumes sucked through the central slot of the cooking hob.

Given the limited liquid storage capacity of the collection portion, the user must necessarily carry out periodic emptying operations which, similar to the operations of cleaning and replacing the filters, require the complete vertical extraction of the filter assembly from the central slot.

In particular, such emptying operations are necessary downstream of the accidental spillage of liquids used for cooking the dishes in the central slot of the cooking hob.

It is useful to note that in the act of extraction, to avoid the spread of liquids from the collection portion, it is necessary to take the utmost care, limiting as much as possible the tilting and shaking of the filter assembly.

Problem of the Prior Art

Disadvantageously, the vertical extraction from the central slot of the cooking hob shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,818 B1 causes the user to tilt the filter assembly thus increasing the risk of liquid spillage from the collection portion.

In fact, when gripping the filter assembly, the user places their fingers between the cooking hob and the filter assembly, causing the latter to be tilted and jolted.

Further, the extraction along the vertical direction does not allow the user to grasp the filter assembly firmly until the filter assembly is spaced sufficiently away from the cooking hob. Therefore, in the first stage of lifting, the filter assembly could inadvertently slip out of the user's hand, falling violently into the opening and causing liquids to spill out of the collection portion.

It is also worth to note that the user performs the operation of lifting the filter assembly with their arms spaced apart from their torso so as to reach the central slot in which the filter is arranged. This position of the arms is particularly inconvenient for the vertical lifting of objects, in particular it does not guarantee full control of the movement. Thus, disadvantageously, during the extraction operation the user could inadvertently induce undesired tilting and vibrations in the filter assembly thereby causing the spillage of liquids from the collection portion.

Object of the Invention

In this context, the object underlying the present invention is to provide an appliance for cooking dishes adapted to facilitate the operations of emptying the liquids extracted from the cooking fumes and accumulated in a dedicated collection tray.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an appliance able to minimize the risk of spillage of the liquids accumulated in the collection tray when it is extracted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, the technical task indicated and the specified objects are achieved by an appliance for cooking dishes according to one or more of the claims below.

Advantages of the Invention

By means of the present invention, it is possible to provide a domestic appliance for cooking dishes having an opening, arranged on the front surface of the oven cavity, specially sized to allow the extraction/insertion of a liquid collection tray.

During use, to empty the liquid collection tray, the user moves the latter to and from the opening on the front wall of the oven.

It should be noted that, in the act of extracting and inserting the liquid collection tray, the user is arranged in front of the front surface of the oven cavity, therefore he/she can easily and firmly grasp a peripheral portion of the tray to move it towards and away from the opening.

It is important to specify that, by means of the opening arranged on the front surface of the oven, before inducing any movement in the tray, the user is able to grasp the tray firmly so as to be able to better control its movement and avoid involuntary tilting and vibrations. In this regard, it should be noted that the user, before handling the tray, is able to grip the lower and upper of a peripheral portion of the tray (“pinching” the tray with their fingers).

In addition, it should be noted that the movement of the tray through the opening can be carried out by the user with the arms near the torso, i.e. in a position to allow the movement of the objects to be easily controlled. Therefore, advantageously, the arrangement of the extraction/insertion opening on the front surface of the cavity allows the user to have better control of the movement, so as to prevent unintentional tilting and vibration of the liquid collection tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of an exemplary, but not exclusive, and therefore non-limiting preferred embodiment of an appliance for cooking dishes, as illustrated in the appended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view, with some components in exploded view, of an appliance for cooking dishes according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a front sectional view of the appliance of FIG. 1 adapted to show some internal components thereof, in particular FIG. 2 shows the paths taken by the cooking fumes inside the appliance;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of some components of the appliance of FIG. 1, in particular FIG. 3 highlights the path of a flow of cooking fumes through such components;

FIG. 4 shows a sectional perspective view of a lower portion of the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective sectional view of an upper portion of the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective sectional view of a side portion of the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a portion of the appliance of FIG. 1 with some components in exploded view;

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a portion of the appliance of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the appliance from FIG. 1 with some components in exploded view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to an appliance for cooking dishes, indicated by 1 in the attached figures.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the appliance 1 comprises an oven 2 with a cavity 3 and a door 4 associated with a front surface 3A of the cavity.

It is important to specify that in the context of the present invention, cavity 3 refers to a temperature-controllable cooking chamber adapted to accommodate one or more dishes to be baked.

The cavity 3 is bounded at the top, bottom and sides by respective walls 21, 22, 23 of a frame of the oven 2. According to a preferred embodiment, the cavity is parallelepipedal in shape.

The door 4 is configured to selectively provide access to the inside of the cavity 3 of the oven 2 so as to allow the dishes that are to be cooked to be loaded and the cooked dishes to be unloaded.

In detail, the door 4 can be switched between a cooking position in which it frontally closes the cavity 3 by being disposed in the front surface 3A, and an access position in which it allows access to the cavity 3 through the front surface 3A.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the door 4 is rotationally constrained to a main body of the oven so that, rotating around a hinging axis, it switches between the aforementioned cooking position and access position. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art is able to independently realize the kinematic connection between the door 4 and the main body of the oven, therefore no further details will be given in this regard.

The access position, shown in FIG. 1, will also be indicated hereinafter as a maintenance configuration, as it allows the ordinary maintenance operations to be carried out on some components of the appliance 1. More details on this will be provided later in the description.

The appliance 1 which is the object of the present invention also comprises a cooking hob 6 defining an upper surface 1A which limits the appliance 6 at the top.

Preferably, the cooking hob 6 comprises a plurality of heating elements 7 suitably distributed on the upper surface 1A and, in particular, capable of transmitting energy to the bottom of the containers in which the dishes to be heated are kept.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one heating element 7 is embodied in a resistive, or gas, or, preferably, conductive heating element.

Furthermore, the plurality of heating elements can be distributed on the upper surface 1A by means of a plurality of micro-conductors homogeneously distributed throughout the entire cooking hob 6.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the upper surface 1A is embodied in a glass-ceramic plate.

The appliance 1 that is the object of the present invention further comprises at least one inlet opening 8 arranged on the upper surface 1A of the cooking hob 6 and configured to allow the suction of cooking fumes from the containers for the dishes. Therefore, the inlet opening 8 represents the point at which the suction of the cooking fumes takes place.

Said inlet opening 8 passes, i.e. extends, in the cooking hob 6, along a thickness direction, between upper surface 1A and a lower surface 1B opposite to the upper one.

According to one aspect, the inlet opening 8 is quadrangular in shape and one of its two dimensions is much larger with respect to the other.

In particular, it is important to specify that the inlet opening 8 is not configured to allow the extraction/insertion of any component of the appliance 1, in particular of the filter and the liquid collection tray disclosed below. That is to say, the liquid collection tray and filter have a larger footprint than the inlet opening 8, thus geometrically impinging on the latter.

In this regard, it is worth noting that it is advantageous to keep the inlet opening 8 small in order to maximise the surface area of the cooking hob that can be used to support the containers with which to cook the dishes.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the appliance 1 comprises a pair of inlet openings 8 arranged near a perimeter edge P of the cooking hob 6. Preferably, the inlet openings 8 are arranged at opposite sides of the perimeter edge P, thus being positioned laterally to the oven cavity along a width direction L-L of the appliance 1.

The appliance 1 further comprises an outlet opening 9 placed in fluid communication with the inlet opening 8 and representing the point of expulsion of the sucked cooking fumes.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outlet opening 9 is arranged at a lower portion IC of the appliance 1, opposite to the cooking hob 6.

As shown in FIG. 2, the appliance I comprises a downdraft-type hood 10.

Preferably, the downdraft-type hood 10 can be operated in suction or filtering mode. In greater detail, in suction mode the hood 10 is configured to expel the cooking fumes to an environment outside the room in which the hood 10 is disposed, preferably an open environment, while in filtering mode the hood 10 expels the cooking fumes into the room in which the hood 10 is disposed.

Such a downdraft hood 10 has one or more suction assemblies 11 each of which is configured to suck the cooking fumes through the at least one inlet opening 8 and to expel them through a respective outlet opening 9.

The suction assembly 11 is configured to generate a negative pressure (less than atmospheric) that causes the suction effect of the cooking fumes through the inlet opening 8.

It should be noted that the suction assemblies for downdraft hoods 10, in particular those with centrifugal impellers, are known to the person skilled in the art, therefore they need not be described further.

According to one aspect shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the appliance 1 that is the object of the present invention comprises a suction chamber 16 inside which the suction assembly 11 is arranged.

The suction chamber 16 is arranged downstream of the one or more inlet openings 8 and upstream of the outlet opening 9 so that the suction assembly is interposed between them.

As shown in FIG. 2, the appliance 1 comprises a conduit system 12 comprising a first cooking fumes path 12a. The sucked cooking fumes flowing along the first cooking fumes path 12a flow between the at least one inlet opening 8 and the outlet opening 9.

In other words, the first cooking fumes path 12a fluid-dynamically connects the inlet opening 8 and the outlet opening 9.

According to one aspect, the conduit system 12 is made of metallic material to better resist the heat emanating from the cavity 3 of the oven 2 during its operation. However, other suitable materials can be used that are not metallic.

In the embodiment with two inlet openings 8 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conduit system 12 comprises a cooking fumes path for each inlet opening 8. That is, the conduit system 12 comprises a first and a second cooking fumes path 12a, 12b each of which is associated with a respective inlet opening but with the same outlet opening.

The first and second cooking fumes paths are shown in FIG. 2 respectively with a first group of solid arrows F1 and a second group of dotted arrows F2.

In the embodiment shown in the attached figures, the first and second cooking fumes paths 12a, 12b extend along a vertical direction at a respective side wall 23 of the cavity 3 of the oven 2. The oven 2 is then interposed between the first and second cooking fumes paths 12a, 12b.

With reference to FIG. 2, the first and second cooking fumes paths 12a, 12b are placed in fluid communication with the suction chamber 16 upstream of the suction assembly 11.

The appliance I also comprises a filter 13 for filtering the sucked cooking fumes.

Such a filter 13 is arranged in the first cooking fumes path 12a of the conduit system 12, in particular upstream of the suction assembly 11.

Therefore, during use, the cooking fumes, once sucked through the at least one inlet opening 8 by the suction effect generated by the suction assembly 11, then proceed along the first cooking fumes path 12a passing through the filter 13 to thus reach the suction assembly 11 and then the outlet opening 9.

It should be noted that in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 in which there are two inlet openings 8 respectively associated with a first and a second cooking fumes path 12a, 12b, each of the latter comprises a respective filter 13.

For the sake of simplicity, the following will refer exclusively to the first cooking fumes path 12a, however what has been said in relation to the latter is equally valid for the second cooking fumes path 12b.

According to what is shown in FIG. 3, the first cooking fumes path 12a is shaped to create a shape coupling with said filter 13. More details on the removable anchorage of the filter to the first cooking fumes path 12a will be provided in a later part of the description.

Preferably, the filter 13 comprises a grease filter 131 configured to filter the greases present in the cooking fumes.

Still more preferably, the grease filter 131 is also arranged transversely to a main extension direction Y-Y of the first cooking fumes path 12a so as to maximise the surface of the grease filter 131 exposed to the flow of the cooking fumes that run from the first path 12a.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the grease filter 131 comprises two V-shaped filtering sections 131a. In other words, the grease filter 131 comprises a first filtering section inclined with respect to the main extension direction Y-Y of the first cooking fumes path 12a, and a second filtering portion, facing the first filtering section, also inclined with respect to the main extension direction Y-Y. Preferably, the first and second filtering portions 131a are arranged specularly with respect to a centre plane of the grease filter 131.

For example, the grease filter 131 is made by one or more metal grids (or of another material having similar characteristics).

Further, the filter 13 comprises an odour filter 132 configured to filter the molecules responsible for the odours of the cooking fumes, eliminating them.

In detail, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, said odour filter 132 is arranged downstream of the grease filter 131, i.e., the flow of cooking fumes passes first through the grease filter 131 and then through the odour filter 132.

For example, the odour filter 132 is an activated carbon filter.

It should be specified that the odour filter 132 as well as the grease filter 131 is arranged in the conduit so as to occupy the entire section thereof, so that the entire flow is filtered.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, the grease filter 131 is separate and distinct from the odour filter 132, i.e., each grease and odour filter are extractable/insertable independently of the other, i.e., they are individually movable. More details on the extraction of the grease filter 131 and odour filter 132 will be provided in a later part of the description.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, the appliance 1 further comprises a liquid collection tray 17 arranged in the first cooking fumes path 12a downstream of the filter 13, in particular of the grease filter 131.

Said liquid collection tray 17 is configured to collect both the liquid phase present in the air flow sucked through the inlet opening 8 and any liquids that accidentally fall by gravity through the opening 8.

It should be noted that this liquid phase comprises both water vapour and greases in liquid form which, after being stopped by the grease filter 131, fall by gravity into the liquid collection tray 17.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, the tray 17 is interposed between the grease filter 131 and the odour filter 132, so that the flow through the odour filter 132 is devoid of liquid phase or in any case contains low concentrations thereof.

It should be noted that activated carbon filters, often used as odour filters 132, are particularly sensitive to moisture, therefore, the aforementioned arrangement of the liquid collection tray 17 preserves the integrity in the odour filters 132 over time.

According to one aspect shown in FIG. 3, which will be further elaborated in the description below, the liquid collection tray 17 is removably constrained to the grease filter 131, in particular by means of what in the following will be defined as first guide means 19.

As known to the person skilled in the art, the liquid collection tray 17, given its finite liquid collection capacity, requires periodic operations to empty the liquids accumulated therein.

In addition, the filters for the cooking fumes suction hoods require ordinary maintenance operations which typically involve the cleaning/replacement of filters.

It is therefore evident that there is a need for the user to be able to access the liquid collection tray 17 and the filter 13 to respectively carry out the aforementioned operations of emptying the liquid collection tray 17 and/or of ordinary maintenance of the filters 13.

In greater detail, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the appliance 1 comprises an extraction/insertion opening 14 dimensioned to allow the extraction and insertion of the liquid collection tray 17 and preferably also of the filter 13.

Such an extraction/insertion opening 14 is disposed on the front surface 3A of the cavity 3 of the oven 2.

The liquid collection tray 17, and preferably also the filter 13, is extractable/insertable through the opening 14 along a direction transverse to the front surface 3A of the cavity 3. Preferably, the extraction/insertion direction of the liquid collection tray is oriented perpendicularly to the front surface 3A of the cavity 3.

It is important to specify that the extraction/insertion opening 14 is accessible when the door 4 allows access inside the cavity 3 of the oven 2, i.e. when it is in the access/maintenance position.

Preferably, the extraction/insertion opening 14 is accessible only and exclusively when the door 4 is in such an access/maintenance position. In fact, when the door 4 is in a cooking position it covers the extraction/insertion opening 14, which is thus inaccessible to the user.

According to one possible embodiment, the extraction/insertion opening 14 comprises separate first and second openings 14a, 14b. Preferably, the liquid collection tray 17 and the grease filter 131 are extractable/insertable through the first opening 14a, otherwise the odour filter 132 is extractable/insertable through the second opening 14b, or vice versa.

Preferably, the appliance 1 comprises closing means 15 associated with said extraction/insertion opening 14 for selectively switching between a first operating configuration in which these means hermetically close said extraction/insertion opening 14 and a second operating configuration in which they allow the extraction/insertion of said liquid collection tray 17 and/or said filter 13.

For example, the closing means 15 are embodied in a pressure tap that can be removably coupled with the opening 14.

Advantageously, the closing means 15 arranged in the first operating configuration allow the elimination of air leaks through the extraction/insertion opening 14 which, during use, would entail significant pressure drops in the first cooking fumes path 12a.

If the extraction/insertion opening 14 comprises a first and a second opening 14a, 14b distinct from each other according to the above, the closing means 15 comprise first and second closing means 15a, 15b respectively associated in closure with said first and second opening 14a, 14b.

In the following description, the focus will be on possible embodiments of the removable coupling of the filter 13 and the liquid collection tray 17 with the first cooking fumes path 12a.

With reference to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the appliance 1 that is the object of the present description comprises first guide means 18 arranged to guide the liquid collection tray 17 through the extraction/insertion opening 14 during its extraction/insertion.

The first guide means 18 are configured to conduct the extraction/insertion of the liquid collection tray 17 transversely, preferably orthogonally, to the front surface 3A of the cavity 3 of the oven 2.

It should be specified that “guide means” refers to kinematic devices capable of allowing relative translatory motion between two components along a certain direction which, in the case in question, coincides with the extraction/insertion direction.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the first guide means 18 removably connect the liquid collection tray 17 to the filter 13, in particular to the grease filter 131. Therefore, the liquid collection tray 17 is extractable from the first cooking fumes path 12a independently of the filter 13, in particular of the grease filter 131.

In detail, preferably, the first guide means 18 are arranged in the vicinity of a lower portion of the filter 13, in particular of the grease filter 131.

In the above-mentioned V-shape of the grease filter 131 the lower edges 131b of the filtering sections 131a are connected by the liquid collection tray 17 connected thereto by means of the first guide means 18.

Referring to FIG. 3, the first guide means 18 are arranged in the vicinity of the cusp of the V and, preferably, are made by means of profiles complementarily sliding in each other mutually arranged on the tray 17 and on the lower edges 131b of the filtering sections.

In alternative embodiments not shown in the attached figures, the liquid collection tray 17 could be directly slidably connected to the first cooking fumes path 12a.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, preferably, the appliance 1 comprises second guide means 19 adapted to guide the filter 13, in particular the grease filter 131, during extraction/insertion through the extraction/insertion opening 14.

The second guide means 19 are configured to conduct the extraction/insertion of the filter 13, in particular of the grease filter 131 transversely, preferably orthogonally, to the front surface 3A of the cavity 3 of the oven 2.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the second guide means 19 removably connects the grease filter 131 to the first cooking fumes path 12a.

In detail, preferably, the second guide means 19 are arranged in the vicinity of an upper portion of the filter 13, in particular of the grease filter 131.

In the aforementioned V-shaped conformation of the grease filter 131, the second guide means 19 are arranged near the apexes of the V. In particular, the upper edges 131c of the filtering sections 131a are configured to slide in special grooves 131d obtained in the first cooking fumes path 12a.

With reference to FIG. 3, preferably, the appliance 1 comprises third guide means 20 for guiding the odour filter 132 during its extraction/insertion through the extraction/insertion opening 14

The third guide means 20 are configured to conduct the extraction/insertion of the odour filter 132 transversely, preferably orthogonally, to the front surface 3A of the cavity 3 of the oven 2.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the third guide means 20 comprise a groove 20a obtained in the first cooking fumes path 12a, and a slider 20b obtained on the odour filter 132 and adapted to slide in the appropriate groove.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a chamber is created between the extraction/insertion opening 14 and the door 4 arranged in the cooking position to accommodate accessories of the appliance 1.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it can be seen that appliance 1 comprises a first chamber 160 associated with the first cooking fumes suction path 12a.

A similar chamber 170 (FIG. 8) is associated with the second cooking fumes suction path 12b.

The first and second chambers 160, 170 are arranged on opposite sides of the cavity 3 of the oven 2 along the width direction L-L of the appliance.

It should be noted that the chamber(s) 160, 170, although distinct from the fumes suction path, i.e. the chambers are not directly traversed by the sucked fumes, during use have a temperature substantially similar to that of the fumes suction path. In particular, when the hood 10 is functioning, and the dishes are cooking on the cooking hob 6, the fumes that are sucked through the channels 12a and 12b are hot. These hot fumes also heat the volume of chambers 160, 170 by conduction/convection.

With reference to FIG. 7, and according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the oven 2 is arranged to carry out the steam cooking of the dishes and comprises, for this purpose, a tank 50 adapted to contain water.

The tank 50 is arranged removably in one of the two chambers. For example, it is arranged in the first chamber 160 as shown in the attached Figures.

The extraction of the tank 50 takes place along an extraction direction transverse to the direction Y-Y, preferably orthogonal.

It should be noted that, in order to extract the tray 17 and the filter 13 and/or 132, the user must first extract the tank 50.

In other words, the tank 50 is placed in front of the tray 17 and the grease filters 13 and odour filters 132.

Said tank 50 has an intake 51 for loading the water and an outlet (not illustrated), preferably equipped with a so-called aquastop system.

The intake 51 for loading water can be a hinged door or a cap or equivalent system that allows access to the interior of the tank 50 so as to facilitate water loading or unloading operations.

The appliance 1 comprises a suitable hydraulic circuitry (not shown) and a boiler (not shown), the latter configured to generate steam to be introduced into the cooking compartment 3 in accordance with the selected program.

To this end, the tank 50 is in fluid communication with the boiler through its outlet by means of the hydraulic circuitry.

Advantageously, the tank 50 is placed in the chamber 160 (or 170) which, as mentioned, benefits from the heat brought by the passage of the cooking fumes in the suction path 12a. This has the advantage that the water contained in the tank 50 also balances with the temperature present in the chamber 160. Therefore, at the moment when the generation of steam is required, the appliance 1 needs a lower energy input to induce the passage of state from liquid to gas of the water contained in the tank 50. This situation is evident since the water introduced into the tank 50 is at the temperature of the tap water i.e. variable in a range between 10 and 20° C., while, thanks to the heat of the sucked fumes, the temperature of the chamber 160 is significantly higher than the aforementioned range.

With reference now to FIG. 8, it is noted that the appliance 1 comprises a temperature probe 60 that is configured to detect the internal temperature of the dishes being cooked in the oven 2 and/or on the cooking hob 6.

In particular, the probe 60 is removably disposed in one of the aforementioned chambers 160, 170.

According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the temperature probe 60 is arranged in the chamber 170 and is accessible to the user when the door 4 allows access inside the cavity 3 of the oven 2.

In particular, the chamber 170 is closed by a dividing element 171 mechanically connected, preferably hinged, to the front surface of the oven 2. Said dividing element 171 is movable between a closed position in which it prevents access to the chamber 170 and an open position in which it allows access to the chamber 170.

Then to access the probe 60, the door 4 must be in the position allowing access inside the cavity 3 of the oven 2 and the dividing element 171 must be in the open position.

It should also be noted that only in the opening position of the dividing element 171 (and therefore when the door 4 is in the position allowing access to the cavity 3) is it possible to extract the filters 131, 132 and/or the tray 17, after having removed the closing means 15 from the opening 14.

This dividing element 171, in its closed position, has a surface 171a visible to the user and an opposite surface 171b hidden from view to the user.

The appliance 1 comprises a pocket 61 configured to house the probe 60 when the latter is not in use.

This pocket 61 is cut into the surface 171b of the dividing element 171.

When the dividing element 170 is in the open position, the pocket 61 is directly accessible to the user who can remove the probe 60 and position it in proximity to or within the cooking dishes whether they are in the cavity 3 of the oven 2 or in a pot on the cooking hob 6.

Advantageously, when the temperature detection operation is finished, the user will not have to do anything other than store the probe 60 in the pocket 61, bring the dividing element 171 into the closing position so as to safely store the probe itself.

It is useful to note that the probe 60 is in signal communication with a control interface 172 for transmitting data on the temperature of the dishes.

Such signal communication may be via a wired or wireless connection.

It should be noted that the temperature probe 60 detects the temperature values reached by the dishes being cooked at several points on their surface.

These points are preferably distributed along the main extension direction of the probe 60 which in the illustrated case is shaped like a cylinder (having a height greater than the width) with a pointed end and a suitably shaped distal end to be gripped by the user.

The temperature data from the sensing points of the probe 60 may be transmitted to the control interface 172 independently of one another or as an average value.

In accordance with one aspect, the control interface 172 as a function of such data manages the power to be applied to the heating elements of the cooking hob or oven.

It is clear that, in order to satisfy contingent and specific needs, a person skilled in the art may make numerous modifications and variations to the configurations described above. Such modifications and variations are all also contained within the scope of protection of the invention, as defined by the following claims.