IP Library Granted Patent US 12,680,700
Granted Patent B2
US 12,680,700 · App. 18/103,615 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Hob with central downward removal of cooking vapors through suction

Inventor: Wilhelm Bruckbauer (Neubeuern, DE)
Assignee: Werkhaus GmbH & Co. KG
F24C15/2042F24C15/20F24C15/2035F24C15/322F24C15/325B08B2215/006
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,680,700
App. No.
18/103,615
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hob ( 1 ) with one or more cooking locations ( 2 ), which, as viewed from above, exhibits one or more recesses ( 4 ) only in the area ( 25 ) around its geometric center ( 3 ), which are respectively connected with one or more devices ( 5 ) for removing cooking vapors through suction. These devices ( 5 ) for removing cooking vapors through suction downwardly remove the cooking vapors that arise above the cooking locations ( 2 ) by suction in a direction vertically below the hob ( 1 ), and such a hob ( 1 ), which in the assembly unit is designed with a device ( 36 ) for operating the hob ( 2 ) and downwardly removing cooking vapors by suction.

Claims (42)

1 . An assembly unit, comprising:

a cooktop having a top surface comprising one or more cooking locations and a central recess;

a heater housing disposed underneath the cooktop for housing heating components; and

a cooking vapor removal device disposed below the cooktop and in fluid communication with the central recess to remove cooking vapors through the central recess, the cooking vapor removal device comprising:

a grease filter insert insertable into the central recess;

a vapor aspiration chamber having a floor;

a fan and a fan housing, the fan housing being mounted to a bottom of the heater housing and arranged above the floor of the vapor aspiration chamber such that the fan is laterally offset from the central recess, the fan being configured to transport at least some of the cooking vapors from the vapor aspiration chamber and towards the fan through a lower portion of the fan housing; and

an odor filter provided downstream of the fan and behind the central recess.

2 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between a bottom side of the cooktop and a bottom side of the vapor aspiration chamber is between 110 mm and 260 mm, and wherein the assembly unit is configured to be installed in a recess of a countertop.

3 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein the fan is a radial fan comprising a fan motor with a vertically aligned rotational axis.

4 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein the central recess is round or oval.

5 . The assembly unit of claim 1 , wherein a distance between the bottom of the heater housing and a bottom side of the fan housing is between 60 mm and 100 mm.

6 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein the grease filter insert has a cross section in a shape of a letter U.

7 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein the grease filter insert has a lateral wall that has a cylindrical shape.

8 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein the grease filter insert has a lateral wall and a floor, and wherein the lateral wall and the floor of the grease filter insert are permeable to cooking vapors.

9 . The assembly unit according to claim 1 , wherein the vapor aspiration chamber guides the cooking vapors from the central recess, towards the fan through the lower portion of the fan housing, and then through the odor filter.

10 . An assembly unit, comprising:

a cooktop having a top surface comprising one or more cooking locations and a central recess;

a heater housing disposed underneath the cooktop for housing heating components; and

a cooking vapor removal device disposed below the cooktop and in fluid communication with the central recess to remove cooking vapors through the central recess, the cooking vapor removal device comprising:

a grease filter insert insertable into the central recess;

a vapor aspiration chamber having a floor;

a fan and a fan housing, the fan housing being mounted to a bottom of the heater housing and arranged above the floor of the vapor aspiration chamber, the fan being configured to transport at least some of the cooking vapors from the vapor aspiration chamber and towards the fan; and

an odor filter, the odor filter being separate and distinct from the grease filter insert.

11 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , wherein a distance between a bottom side of the cooktop and a bottom side of the vapor aspiration chamber is between 110 mm and 260 mm, and wherein the assembly unit is configured to be installed in a recess of a countertop.

12 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , wherein the fan is a radial fan comprising a fan motor with a vertically aligned rotational axis.

13 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , wherein the central recess is rectangular.

14 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a heater housing disposed underneath the cooktop for housing heating components.

15 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , wherein the grease filter insert has a lateral wall and a floor, the grease filter insert being permeable to the cooking vapors.

16 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , wherein the odor filter is laterally offset from a longitudinal access of the central recess.

17 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , wherein the vapor aspiration chamber has a floor that defines a liquid collecting basin, and wherein the liquid collecting basin is configured to be manually drained.

18 . The assembly unit according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a bladed shutter removably overlying the central recess.

19 . An assembly unit, comprising:

a cooktop having a top surface comprising one or more cooking locations and a central recess, the central recess defining a longitudinal axis extending in a vertical direction;

a heater housing disposed underneath the cooktop for housing heating components; and

a cooking vapor removal device disposed below the cooktop and in fluid communication with the central recess to remove cooking vapors through the central recess, the cooking vapor removal device comprising:

a grease filter insert insertable into the central recess;

a vapor aspiration chamber having a floor;

a fan and a fan housing, the fan housing being mounted to a bottom of the heater housing and arranged above the floor of the vapor aspiration chamber such that the fan is laterally offset from the central recess, the fan being configured to transport at least some of the cooking vapors from the vapor aspiration chamber and towards the fan through a lower portion of the fan housing; and

an odor filter defining a central axis, wherein the central axis of the odor filter and the longitudinal axis of the central recess are noncollinear.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024
From: BRUCKBAUER, WILHELM
To: WERKHAUS GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 068655/0065 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 20 2011 005 698.8 · Apr 28, 2011 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16907628 · Jun 22, 2020
Continuation 15988237 · May 24, 2018
Continuation 14114351 · Apr 28, 2012
Related Publication 20230184442A1 · Jun 15, 2023
References Cited (179)
US 2674991A · Schaefer · 1954 [cited by examiner]
US 3109358A · Meyer · 1963 [cited by applicant]
US 3233606A · Robert et al. · 1966 [cited by applicant]
US 3367320A · Jenn et al. · 1968 [cited by third party]
US 3409005A · Field · 1968 [cited by applicant]
US 3587555A · Cerola · 1971 [cited by examiner]
US 3596650A · Cerola · 1971 [cited by applicant]
US 3606740A · Ballennie · 1971 [cited by examiner]
US 3710948A · Sexton · 1973 [cited by examiner]
US 3797375A · Cerola · 1974 [cited by examiner]
US 4071739A · Jenn et al. · 1978 [cited by applicant]
US 4409954A · Berlik · 1983 [cited by examiner]
US 4411254A · Field · 1983 [cited by examiner]
US 4415788A · Field · 1983 [cited by examiner]
US 4431892A · White · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 4446849A · Mc Farland · 1984 [cited by third party]
US 4501260A · Grace · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 4562827A · Cerola · 1986 [cited by applicant]
US 4665893A · Miyagawa et al. · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4705018A · Beach · 1987 [cited by examiner]
US 4750470A · Beach · 1988 [cited by examiner]
US 4846146A · Tucker et al. · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4889104A · Gostelow · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4899028A · Arai et al. · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 5001970A · Graver · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5078122A · Kalenian · 1992 [cited by examiner]
US 5133786A · Anderson · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5190026A · Doty · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5209217A · Beach · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5231972A · Galassi · 1993 [cited by third party]
US 5269824A · Takita · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5279279A · White · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5301653A · Gerdes · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5325842A · Beach et al. · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5619982A · Kelly et al. · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5738083A · Pettinari · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5797512A · Boland · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5800585A · Choi · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5884619A · Terry · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 5954221A · Boland · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 5962410A · Jaynes · 1999 [cited by third party]
US 6455818B1 · Arntz · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 6575157B1 · Shaver · 2003 [cited by third party]
US 6916353B2 · Tang · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7002110B2 · Satou et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7069923B2 · Seong · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20050088128A1 · Seong · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20050167415A1 · Satou et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050188983A1 · Grandpierre · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060150965A1 · Kim et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070023420A1 · Gagas · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070062513A1 · Gagas · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070062514A1 · Ota · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070151067A1 · Cheng · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20090123285A1 · Sinzaki · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20100116263A1 · Bruckbauer · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20100163549A1 · Gagas · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20110132900A1 · Kinoshita et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110146657A1 · Briedis · 2011 [cited by third party]
US 20120204855A1 · Huber · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140048057A1 · Bruckbauer · 2014 [cited by applicant]
CA 2081823A1 · 1992 [cited by applicant]
CA 2056695 · 1993 [cited by third party]
CN 2310522Y · 1999 [cited by applicant]
CN 2851909Y · 2006 [cited by applicant]
CN 201315818Y · 2009 [cited by applicant]
CN 101694306A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
CN 201569025U · 2010 [cited by applicant]
DE 1579679A1 · 1970 [cited by applicant]
DE 3718134A1 · 1987 [cited by applicant]
DE 3741721A1 · 1988 [cited by applicant]
DE 4339877A1 · 1995 [cited by applicant]
DE 202005010164U1 · 2005 [cited by examiner]
DE 102005030038A1 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
DE 202007003135U1 · 2007 [cited by examiner]
DE 202007017325U1 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
DE 102007002241A1 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
DE 202008013350U1 · 2009 [cited by applicant]
DE 20200900828U · 2009 [cited by applicant]
DE 202009008286U1 · 2009 [cited by examiner]
DE 102008050723A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
DE 102009025038A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
DE 202011001401U1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
DE 202011005698U1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
DE 202011104408U1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
DE 202011109570U1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
DE 202012013574U1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
DE 102020202599A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 1680997A2 · 2006 [cited by applicant]
EP 1944553A2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
EP 1944553B1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
EP 2444739A2 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
EP 2975327A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]
EP 3282197A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
EP 3287702A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
EP 3828469A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
EP 3869107A1 · 2021 [cited by applicant]
FR 2726752A1 · 1996 [cited by applicant]
GB 1232982A · 1971 [cited by applicant]
GB 2263334A · 1993 [cited by applicant]
JP S58178989A · 1983 [cited by applicant]
JP S63294423A · 1988 [cited by applicant]
JP H04240317A · 1992 [cited by applicant]
JP 04309738A · 1992 [cited by examiner]
JP H07236574A · 1995 [cited by applicant]
JP H0970360A · 1997 [cited by applicant]
JP 09148061A · 1997 [cited by examiner]
JP 2000046391A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000070759A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2000139720A · 2000 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001029240A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001340227A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2002033184A · 2002 [cited by examiner]
JP 2002085262A · 2002 [cited by applicant]
JP 2003217814A · 2003 [cited by examiner]
JP 2007003088A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
KR 20060082690A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
KR 20060087209A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
RU 2315242C2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
WO 20051008631 · 2005 [cited by third party]
WO 2007134500A1 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
WO 2008083660A2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
WO 2010090369A1 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012146237A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
Affidavit from Mr. Geoffrey Baker. [cited by applicant]
Affidavit from Mrs. Paula Haines. [cited by applicant]
Dimension Guide for a KitchenAid Electric Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit A Relating to a Full Line Catalog of Appliances. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit A Relating to Sales Information. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit B Relating to Information Regarding Jenn-Air Cooktops. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit B Relating to Sales Information of Jenn-Air appliances. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit C Relating to a Sales Transaction. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit C Relating to Jenn-Air Training Portfolio Model Numbers. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit D Relating to a Full Line Catalog of Jenn-Air Appliances. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit D Relating to a Sales Transaction. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit E Relating to a Sale Check. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit E Relating to a Sears Sales Transaction. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit F Relating to a Sears Sales Transaction. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit G Relating to a Sears Sales Transaction. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit G Relating to a Slip-Sheet. [cited by applicant]
Installation Manual for a 30 inch Gas Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Installation Manual Relating to a Jenn-Air 30 inch and 36 inch Electric Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Operating Manual for a KitchenAid 30 inch and 36 inch Downdraft Radiant Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Sales Documents Häcker Küchen. [cited by applicant]
Sales Documents Nolte Küchen. [cited by applicant]
Sales Documents Nobilia Küchen. [cited by applicant]
Sales Documents Miele Die Küchen. [cited by applicant]
Sales Documents Poggenpohl Küchen. [cited by applicant]
Sales Manual, Edition Sep. 2010. [cited by applicant]
Screenshot relating to a Jenn-Air 30 inch Electric Radiant Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Screenshot relating to a KitchenAid Architect Series Smoothtop Electric Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Screenshots of a KitchenAid 4-burner Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Screenshots relating to a Jenn-Air 30 inch Electric Radiant Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Screenshots relating to a KitchenAid architect series 30-inch electric cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Screenshots relating to electric cooking on an island. [cited by applicant]
Screenshots relating to KitchenAid 4-burner downdraft cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Third Party Observation Document of Apr. 12, 2017. [cited by applicant]
Third Party Observation Document of Feb. 21, 2017. [cited by applicant]
Third Party Observation Document of Nov. 5, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Third Party Observation Document of Oct. 29, 2018. [cited by applicant]
Third Party Observation Document of Sep. 11, 2017. [cited by applicant]
WESCO uttenlüfter und Randabzugshauben Technik ohne Schnickschnack. [cited by applicant]
Operating Manual for a Gas Downdraft Cooktop. [cited by applicant]
Exhibit F relating to a Slip-Sheet. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action of Mar. 21, 2019. [cited by applicant]
International Search Report for PCT/DE/2012/000458 dated Sep. 5, 2012. [cited by applicant]
Anonymous: “Blowers and Fans for Extractor Hoods Ebmpapst,” Presentation EBM-PAPST, Sep. 15, 2005, pp. 1-31 (1 Page) XP055661646. [cited by applicant]
European Search Report for European Application No. 21168165.5, mailed Jul. 5, 2021, 4 Pages. [cited by applicant]
European Search Report for European Application No. 23165982.2, mailed Jul. 20, 2023, 5 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 15177616.8, mailed Oct. 8, 2015, 6 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 17184069.7, mailed Jan. 15, 2018, 9 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 17197091.6, mailed Jan. 15, 2018, 9 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 20216989.2, mailed Mar. 29, 2021, 7 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Extended European Search Report for European Application No. 22157724.0, mailed May 31, 2022, 8 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Hcker Kchen: “Sales Manual 2010,” Jan. 1, 2010, pp. 1-6,24-34 (17 Pages) XP055502720. [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability for International Application No. PCT/DE2012/000458, mailed Aug. 14, 2013, 29 Pages. [cited by applicant]
Miele: “The Miele Kitchen”, Point System, Apr. 1, 2009, 40 Page, XP055502729. [cited by applicant]
Office Action for European Application No. 15177616.8, mailed Aug. 1, 2016, 05 Pages. [cited by applicant]
WESCO: “Huttenlufter Aerateur RVM,” Wesco AG-PROSPEKT, Apr. 1, 1988, 1 Page, XP055661580. [cited by applicant]