Cooking Appliance for Commercial Kitchens Comprising a Fat Extraction Device, Fat Extraction Device and Method for Operating Such a Cooking Appliance with Fat Extraction

Abstract

A cooking appliance for commercial kitchens has a fat collection device with at least one fat collection container, at least one fat extraction line, at least one suction pump and at least one fat discharge line. The fat extraction line extends from the fat collection container to the suction pump. The suction pump conveys a fat-water mixture via the fat extraction line into the fat discharge line. A cleaning device is provided which conveys water at least via the fat extraction line and the fat collection container into a cooking chamber outlet of the cooking appliance.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A cooking appliance for commercial kitchens comprising a cooking chamber for cooking food to be cooked, a heating device for heating a cooking chamber atmosphere, an appliance controller for controlling the cooking appliance, and a cooking chamber outlet located below a floor of the cooking chamber and provided for draining off a fat-water mixture and gaseous components of the cooking chamber atmosphere from the cooking chamber, wherein the cooking chamber outlet extends from a drain opening in a floor region of the cooking chamber to a siphon device,
 wherein a fat collection device is provided, the fat collection device comprising at least one fat collection container, at least one fat extraction line, at least one suction pump and at least one fat discharge line, wherein the fat extraction line extends from the fat collection container to the suction pump, wherein the suction pump is configured to convey the fat-water mixture extracted via the fat extraction line into the fat discharge line, and   wherein a cleaning device is provided, the cleaning device being configured to convey water at least via the fat extraction line and the fat collection container into the cooking chamber outlet in a direction towards the siphon device.   
     
     
         30 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the cooking appliance is a combi-steamer comprising the cooking chamber for cooking food to be cooked arrangeable on a plurality of cooking levels. 
     
     
         31 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the cooking appliance is a rotisserie appliance comprising the cooking chamber for cooking food to be cooked arrangeable on a rotatable support for food to be cooked. 
     
     
         32 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the fat collection container is located in an initial region of the cooking chamber outlet. 
     
     
         33 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein an end portion of the fat collection container is configured in a ramp-shaped manner in a direction towards the siphon device. 
     
     
         34 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein a branch line for draining off gaseous components of a fluid or vapours discharged from the cooking chamber into the cooking chamber outlet branches off the cooking chamber outlet between the fat collection container and the siphon device. 
     
     
         35 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the water of the cleaning device used for flushing the fat collection device is heated. 
     
     
         36 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the suction pump is configured as a pump which can be flowed through in both directions, whereby it can be flowed through against a pumping direction. 
     
     
         37 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the fat discharge line comprises a riser pipe arranged at a pump outlet of the suction pump and extending upwardly from there over a certain portion. 
     
     
         38 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the cleaning device has a water supply and wherein the fat collection device has a shut-off valve at an inlet of the water supply of the cleaning device into the fat extraction line, such that, after shutting off the fat extraction line, the cleaning device can clean the suction pump and the fat discharge line by flushing through. 
     
     
         39 . The cooking appliance of  claim 38 , wherein the water supply comprises at least one water supply line leading into the riser pipe above the suction pump. 
     
     
         40 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the fat collection device comprises the cleaning device. 
     
     
         41 . The cooking appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the cleaning device comprises a water supply line connected to the fat discharge line and connectable to a water source. 
     
     
         42 . A fat collection device for commercial kitchen cooking appliances comprising at least one fat collection container, at least one fat extraction line, at least one suction pump and at least one fat discharge line, wherein the fat collection container is arrangeable on a cooking chamber outlet of the cooking appliance in the vicinity of a drain opening in the floor or in the floor region of the cooking appliance, wherein the fat extraction line extends from the fat collection container to the suction pump, wherein the suction pump is configured to convey the fat-water mixture extracted via the fat extraction line into the fat discharge line, and wherein the fat collection device comprises a cleaning device configured to convey water at least via the fat extraction line and the fat collection container into the cooking chamber outlet in a direction towards a siphon device at the end of the cooking chamber outlet of the cooking appliance. 
     
     
         43 . A method for operating a commercial kitchen cooking appliance and for collecting fat produced during a cooking process, the method comprising the steps of:
 collecting a fat-water mixture escaping from a cooking chamber of the cooking appliance, via a drain opening thereof, within a fat collection container of a fat collection device connected to a cooking chamber outlet of the cooking appliance,   extracting the fat-water mixture via at least one fat extraction line from the fat collection container by means of a suction pump arranged at an end of the fat extraction line, discharging the fat-water mixture extracted by the suction pump via a fat discharge line to a fat storage tank, and   carrying out a cleaning process of the fat collection device after completing a cleaning process of the cooking appliance, by conveying water in a reverse direction to an extraction direction at least through the fat extraction line and the fat collection container into the cooking chamber outlet in a direction towards a siphon device at an end of the cooking chamber outlet of the cooking appliance.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein an operation of the suction pump is performed in a clocked manner. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the clocking is performed as a function of the food to be cooked. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the clocking is performed as a function of the cooking process. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein, during the cleaning process, water is conveyed through the fat discharge line, the fat extraction line and the fat collection container into the cooking chamber outlet. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the cleaning process of the fat collection device is performed both at the beginning and at the end of the cleaning process of the cooking appliance.