Cooking Appliance

Abstract

A cooking appliance, particularly an elevated-mounted cooking appliance, comprising: at least one muffle, which delimits a cooking compartment and whose muffle opening is surrounded by a muffle frame; a door for closing the muffle opening; a drive device, which is controlled by a control circuit and which serves to displace the door, and; a pinching protection device for identifying a pinching instance. Once a pinching instance has been identified by the pinching protection device, the drive device can be controlled by the control circuit so that a force applied to the door does not exceed a specified force time profile.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A cooking appliance comprising:
 a muffle having a muffle body defining a cooking compartment with a cooking compartment access opening formed in the muffle body;   a door configured for traveling movement in and out of a covering relation with the muffle access opening;   a drive device in mechanical communication with the door for applying motive force thereto;   a control circuit in operational communication with the drive device for controlling door motion; and   a pinch protection device in operational communication with the control circuit for detecting a pinch event, wherein upon detection of a pinch event by the pinch protection device, the control circuit controls the drive device to apply a force to the door that does not exceed a predetermined force/time profile, with the force/time profile representing a predetermined force applied for a predetermined time period.   
   
   
       20 . The cooking appliance according to claim  18  wherein the pinch protection device is functionally integrated in the control circuit. 
   
   
       21 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 19  wherein a first force/time profile is applied for a pinch event occurring when the door is being driven toward the muffle access opening and a second force/time profile is applied for a pinch event occurring when the door is being driven away from the muffle access opening. 
   
   
       22 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 21  wherein the first force/time profile includes a first portion having a maximum force of 100 N for 5 s, and a second portion having a maximum force of 25 N for an indeterminate time. 
   
   
       23 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 21  wherein the second force/time profile includes a first portion having a maximum value of 400 N for 0.5 s; a second portion having a maximum force of 150 N for 4.5 s; and a third portion having a maximum force of 25 N for an indeterminate time. 
   
   
       24 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 19  and further comprising means for monitoring door speed including means for detecting a pinch event. 
   
   
       25 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 24  wherein the means for detecting a pinch event includes means for determining a reference speed and means for a comparing the door speed with the reference speed to determine a deviation of the door speed from the reference speed, with a predetermined deviation being indicative of a pinch event. 
   
   
       26 . The cooking appliance according to claim  5  wherein the means for monitoring the door speed includes means for detecting a change of door speed within a predetermined time period with a predetermined change in door speed within a predetermined time period being indicative of a pinch event. 
   
   
       27 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 19  the control circuit includes means for regulating door movement as a function of door speed. 
   
   
       28 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 19  wherein the control circuit includes means for causing the drive device to reverse door movement upon detection of a pinch event by the pinch protection device. 
   
   
       29 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 25  wherein the pinch protection device becomes operational when the means for monitoring door speed detects that door speed has reached the reference speed. 
   
   
       30 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 25  wherein the control circuit controls the drive device according to a predetermined force/time profile when the means for monitoring door speed detects that door speed has reached the reference speed. 
   
   
       31 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 19  and further comprising at least one stop switch operationally disposed between the muffle body and the door wherein an actuation of the at least one stop switch deactivates the pinch protection device. 
   
   
       32 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 30  wherein the at least one stop switch becomes operational a distance of about 4 mm between the muffle body and the door. 
   
   
       33 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 31  wherein the door can be moved into a closed relation with the access opening with a predetermined force when the at least one stop switch is actuated. 
   
   
       34 . The cooking appliance according to  claim 19  wherein said cooking appliance is configured for mounting above countertop level with a plurality of sides and a downwardly directed muffle opening and the door is configured for covering the downwardly directed muffle opening. 
   
   
       35 . A method for operating a cooking appliance comprising the steps of:
 providing a muffle having a muffle body defining a cooking compartment with a muffle access opening formed in the muffle body; a door configured for traveling movement in and out of a covering relation with the muffle access opening; a drive device in mechanical communication with the door for applying motive force thereto; a control circuit in operational communication with the drive device for controlling door motion; and a pinch protection device in operational communication with the control circuit;   detecting a pinch event using the pinch protection device; and   controlling the drive device using the control circuit to apply a force to the door that does not exceed a predetermined force/time profile, with the force/time profile representing a predetermined force applied for a predetermined time period.