NL2029271B1

NL2029271B1 - Air recirculation device for fume extraction

Info

Publication number: NL2029271B1
Application number: NL2029271A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Gerard Berthil Lammersen Ramon; Schoenmaker Arie-Jan; Versteeg Johannes; Winters Jos; Koomen Wouter
Original assignee: Intell Properties B V
Priority date: 2021-09-29
Filing date: 2021-09-29
Publication date: 2023-04-04

Abstract

An air recirculation device (1) for a fume extractor, comprising a main housing (2) having a top side (3), a bottom side (4), and a plurality of side walls (5) enclosing an internal space (V) ofthe main housing (2). An air inlet (6) is arranged in a first side wall (7) and an air outlet (8) is arranged in a second side wall (9). The air inlet (6) is configured for connection to an extractor hob (E) for receiving extracted air (A) therefrom. The air outlet (8) is configured for discharging the extracted air (A) from the main housing (2). The main housing (2) is conﬁgured to removably receive an air filter (10) in the internal space (V) between the air inlet (6) and the air outlet (8). The top side (3) further comprises a displaceable access panel (11) providing access to the internal space (V).

Description

Air recirculation device for fume extraction

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to an air recirculation device, particularly to an air recirculation device for a fume extractor.

Background

For energy efficient homes it is customary that extracted air from an extractor hob is not immediately discharged to the outdoors but that the extracted air is filtered or cleaned by means of an air recirculation device and subsequently fed back into the house. Such an air recirculation device may clean the extracted air by removing odours and/or particulate matter using one or more filters, such as a carbon filter for removing odours and a particulate filter for removing particulate matter for example.

Known air recirculation devices for fume extraction may be arranged directly in an extractor hob itself, thereby providing ease of access for maintain filters. However, filtering capabilities of such built-in air recirculation devices are limited and suboptimal due to a lack of space for placing sufficiently large filters in the air recirculation device. Other known air recirculation devices may be placed in the back of a kitchen cabinet, for example, allowing for more space for sufficiently large filters to achieve optimal filtering. As a downside, placement in the back of a kitchen cabinet often reduces ease of access to internals of the air recirculation device as kitchen drawers may need to be removed completely to allow for maintenance and servicing. Further known air recirculation devices may be arranged under a kitchen cabinet in the plinth space there under, thereby providing more space for the air recirculation device to utilise larger filters for improved filtering performance. However, access to internals of the air recirculation device in the plinth space remains limited as removal of the plinth is required for maintenance and servicing purposes.

As a prior art example, US patent application US 2010/0012110 A1 discloses an air circulator for use with a fume extractor which has a housing with an air inlet, an air outlet opening, and an odour filter. The housing has an air outlet opening and additionally an insertion opening for inserting one of the odour filters, and in that an odour filter is assigned to each air outlet opening.

In an embodiment, the air circulator has the shape of a shallow rectangular box, comprising a base tray and a lid mounted thereon. A circular air-inlet opening is provided in the centre of the lid.

Insertion slots run parallel to two opposing edges of the rectangular lid and are adjacent to these edges. The insertion slots extend in their length over most of the length of the lid. Odour filters may be introduced from above through the insertion slots in the lid into the interior of the air circulator. The lid of the air-circulator may be fastened to the floor of a cabinet and to introduce the air circulator from above into the floor of the cabinet and thus into a space or cavity located under the floor, for example a plinth space.

Air circulators such as those disclosed in the above cited art may be arranged in the plinth space below a kitchen cabinet. Since the air circulator receives extracted air through an air line/duct that runs from the upper lid of the air circulator in upward direction to a blower of a fume extractor, the air line/duct occupies useable space of the kitchen cabinet and internals of the air circulator remain difficult to access as a result.

Summary of the invention

The present invention seeks to provide an improved air recirculation device, particularly an air recirculation device for a fume extractor, wherein the air recirculation device solves at least in part the above mentioned deficiencies of the prior art.

According to the present invention, an air recirculation device of the type mentioned above is provided, comprising a main housing having a top side, a bottom side, and a plurality of side walls enclosing an internal space of the main housing. The main housing comprises an air inlet arranged in a first side wall of the plurality of side walls and an air outlet arranged in a second side wall of the plurality of side walls. The air inlet is configured for connection to an extractor hob for receiving extracted air therefrom when in use and wherein the air outlet is configured for discharging the extracted air from the main housing. The main housing is configured to removably receive an air filter in the internal space between the air inlet and the air outlet, and wherein the top side of the main housing further comprises a displaceable access panel for providing access to the internal space V.

The air inlet in the first side wall of the plurality of side walls allows extracted air to enter the air recirculation device sideways from the back of a kitchen cabinet, for example, so that the air recirculation device can be placed in a plinth space under a kitchen cabinet without the air inlet blocking storage space of the kitchen cabinet located above the air recirculation device.

Furthermore, since the air inlet and air outlet of the recirculation device are arranged in the plurality of sidewalls allows a larger displaceable access panel to be provided in the top side of the main housing for gaining maximum access to the internal space for maintenance of the air filter. The access panel may act as a floor part of the kitchen cabinet and be easily reachable by, for example, opening a drawer or door of the kitchen cabinet. Useable space in the kitchen cabinet is not reduced by the access panel in any way. Another advantage of arranging the air inlet and air outlet in the plurality of side walls, and the access panel in the top side of the main housing, is that a larger air filter can be utilized. In particular, since the air filter is arranged between the air inlet and the air out allows for a larger air filter that spans the available internal space between the air inlet and air outlet even though a vertical height of the plinth space below the kitchen cabinet may be severely limited.

Short description of drawings

The present invention will be discussed in more detail below, with reference to the attached drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross sectional view of an air recirculation device arranged below a kitchen cabinet when in use according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a schematic cross sectional view of an air recirculation device arranged below a kitchen cabinet when in use according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a schematic three dimensional view of an air recirculation device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a schematic cross sectional view of an air recirculation device arranged below a kitchen cabinet when accessed for maintenance according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Description of embodiments

Figure 1 shows a schematic cross sectional view of an air recirculation device 1 arranged below or under a kitchen cabinet C when in use according to a first embodiment of the present invention. A more detailed schematic three dimensional view of the air recirculation device 1 according to another embodiment is shown in Figure 3.

As depicted, an air recirculation device 1 for a fume extractor is provided, wherein the air recirculation device 1 may be configured to be arranged in a plinth space S underneath a kitchen cabinet C. In an exemplary embodiment, the air recirculation device 1 may be part of a fume extractor that comprises an extractor hob E configured for placement in or proximal to a cooking hob H. An air duct D is provided as part of the fume extractor and connects the extractor hob E to the air recirculation device 1. The cooking hob H may be arranged to support a pan P and is configured to heat the pan P. When the cooking hob H is in use, odorous cooking fumes F may be generated that need to be extracted. To that end the extractor hob E may be provided with a suction blower B, which, upon activation, extracts the cooking fumes F away from the pan P as extracted air A and wherein the extracted air A travels through the air duct D into the air recirculation device 1 below the kitchen cabinet C. As will be discussed in further detail below, the air recirculation device 1 is configured to receive the extracted air A, then filter the extracted air A, and subsequently expel the filtered extracted air A from the air recirculation device 1.

The air recirculation device 1 as depicted comprises a main housing 2 having a top side 3, a bottom side 4, and a plurality of side walls 5 that enclose an internal space V of the main housing 2. The main housing 2 comprises an air inlet 8 which is arranged in a first side wall 7 of the plurality of side walls 5, and an air outlet 8 which is arranged in a second side wall 9 of the plurality of side walls 5. The air inlet 6 is configured for connection to an extractor hob E for receiving extracted air A therefrom when in use and wherein the air outlet 8 is configured for discharging the extracted air A from the main housing 2.

To allow extracted air A to be filtered, the main housing 2 is configured to removably receive an air filter 10 in the internal space V between the air inlet 6 and the air outlet 8, and wherein the top side 3 of the main housing 2 further comprises a displaceable access panel 11 for providing access to the internal space V. As a result, the air filter 10 in the internal space V is easily accessible by virtue of the access panel 11 in the top side 3 so that the air filter 10 can be removed for cleaning or replaced by a new air filter 10 when required.

In an exemplary embodiment, the air filter 10 may comprise an active carbon filter for filtering odours and/or a particulate filter for filtering particulate matter.

The air inlet 6 in the first side wall 7 of the plurality of side walls 5 allows extracted air A to enter the air recirculation device 1 in sideways manner from the back of the kitchen cabinet C for example. As a result, the air recirculation device 1 is able to optimally utilize the plinth space S without having an air inlet in the top side 3 that connects to the air duct D blocking useable storage space of the Kitchen cabinet C.

Since the air inlet 6 and air outlet 8 of the recirculation device 1 are arranged in the plurality of sidewalls 5 allows a relatively large displaceable access panel 11 to be provided in the top side 3 of the main housing 2 for gaining full access to the internal space V for maintenance of the air filter 10.

Figure 4 shows a schematic cross sectional view of the air recirculation device 1 arranged below or under the kitchen cabinet C when accessed therefrom according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1 and 4, the displaceable access panel 11 may be configured as a floor part of the floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C and be easily reachable by, for example, opening a drawer R of the kitchen cabinet C. By sufficiently opening the drawer R can the access panel 11 be reached and opened to conveniently access the air filter 10. Note that the kitchen cabinet C may have a hinged door instead of a drawer R, so by opening the door can the access panel 11 be accessed and opened accordingly. It is further noted that in an embodiment the displaceable access panel 11 may be completely removed and disconnected from the top side 3. In another embodiment the displaceable access panel 11 may be movably connected to the top side 3 but remains connected thereto when opened for accessing the internal space V.

From Figure 1 and 4 it is clear that the useable space in the kitchen cabinet C is not reduced by the displaceable access panel 11 in any way. When the displaceable access panel 11 is closed and forms a part of the floor Cf, the drawer R of the kitchen cabinet C can be completely closed without interfering with the access panel 11. Furthermore, by arranging the air inlet 6 and air outlet 8 in the plurality of side walls 5, and the access panel 11 in the top side 3 of the main housing 2, allows larger air filters 10 to be utilized between the air inlet 6 and the air outlet 8 even though a vertical height Hs of the plinth space S is limited.

Note that the plinth space S may be seen as the space between the ground G on which the kitchen cabinet C stands and the floor Cf thereof. Furthermore, it is noted that the plinth space

S below the kitchen cabinet C is often covered by a front panel or plinth K, e.g. vertically placed, having one or more air passages, an air grill etc. for ventilation of the plinth space S. In a further embodiment the air outlet 8 may be configured for connection to an opening Ko in the front panel or plinth K of the kitchen cabinet C, thereby allowing efficient discharge of filtered extracted air A from the plinth space S. In an exemplary embodiment, a dedicated discharge duct may be provided which is connectable to the air outlet 8 and the opening Ko of the front panel or plinth K to further improve ventilation of the plinth space S and that the air recirculation device 1 is able to effectively discharge filtered extracted air A.

In the embodiments shown, the first side wall 7 may be arranged opposite to the second side wall 9, so that the air filter 10 is able to completely span a horizontal distance of the internal space V between the air inlet 6 and air outlet 8. Here, the first side wall 7 may be seen as a back wall of the main housing 2 and the second side wall 9 may be seen as a front wall of the main 5 housing 2, so that the front wall will be proximal to the aforementioned front panel or plinth K covering the plinth space S. In this way the air filter 10 is able to optimally utilize the plinth space

S in horizontal manner, e.g. between the back wall and front wall, even though the vertical height

Hs of the plinth space S is limited.

Referring to Figure 3, air flow through the air recirculation device 1 may be improved in an embodiment wherein the air outlet 8 is further arranged in a third side wall 12 and a fourth side wall 13 of the plurality of side walls 5, wherein the third side wall 12 is arranged opposite to the fourth side wall 13. So in this embodiment extracted air A is able to exit the main housing 2 not only through the second side wall 9 but also through the third side wall 12 and the fourth side wall 13. This may increase air flow and/or reduce flow noise for example. In this embodiment the main housing 2 may be seen as a shallow square or rectangular box of which the plurality of side walls 5 are substantial flat and vertically arranged, and wherein the top side 3 and the bottom side 4 are substantially flat, horizontally arranged and parallel to each other. It will be understood that the available vertical height Hs of the plinth space S limits the height of the plurality of side walls 5, i.e. the height of the air recirculation device 1.

In various alternative embodiments, the main housing 2 as shown in Figure 3 need not be a rectangular box, but wherein the first, second, third and/or fourth side wall 7, 8, 12, 13 is/are slanted, e.g. wherein one or more side walls of the plurality side walls 5 taper inward/outward between the top side 3 and bottom side 4 to meet particular shape requirements.

As mentioned earlier, the displaceable access panel 11 may be completely removed and disconnected from the top side 3 when the internal space V needs to be accessed. Alternatively, the displaceable access panel 11 may be movably connected to the top side 3 and remains connected thereto when accessing the internal space V. In the latter case, an embodiment is provided wherein the displaceable access panel 11 is pivotally arranged along the top side 3 of the main housing 2. In this embodiment, the access panel 11 need not be completely removed and can be easily opened, e.g. with one hand, by pivoting the access panel 11 about e.g. a pivot point 3a arranged along the top side 3 to a substantially vertical open position as depicted in

Figure 4. In the open position the air filter 10 can be easily accessed and taken out as desired. In a convenient embodiment, the access panel 11 may be provided with a handle/hook member 11a, e.g. a recessed handle/hook member of the access panel 11, to move the access panel 11.

Note that an axis of rotation O of the access panel 11 as depicted in Figure 3 may be substantially parallel to the first side wall 7, e.g. a back wall of the main housing 2. In a more specific embodiment the displaceable access panel 11 may be pivotally connected, e.g. about the pivot point 3a, along the top side 3 proximal to the first side wall 7 of the plurality of side walls 5.

In this way the access panel 11 can be opened and positioned substantially vertically proximal to the first side wall 7, e.g. proximal to a back wall of the kitchen cabinet C, thereby providing a largest opening in the top side 3 for accessing the internal space V. The opening in the top side 3 so achieved may be conveniently accessed from the front of the kitchen cabinet C when the drawer R or door is sufficiently opened.

Various alternative embodiments are conceivable wherein the displaceable access panel 11 may be pivotally connected along the top side 3 proximal to the third side wall 12 or fourth side 13, for example, thus by pivoting the access panel 11 to the left or right, respectively, when looking into the kitchen cabinet C when the drawer R (or door) is opened.

It was mentioned earlier that, when the displaceable access panel 11 is closed, the drawer R of the kitchen cabinet C may be completely closed without interfering with the access panel 11 and the air duct D. The kitchen drawer R as shown in Figure 1 may comprise a flat bottom panel Rb which moveably extends closely along the floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C. To avoid that the access panel 11 interferes with the bottom panel Rb when the kitchen drawer R is completely moved into the kitchen cabinet C, an embodiment is provided wherein the displaceable access panel 11 is a substantially flat, closed panel. In this way the access panel 11 can be spaced apart from the bottom panel Rb at all times and act as a flat floor portion of the floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C. Moreover, since the access panel 11 is a closed panel, extracted air A cannot escape through the access panel 11 into the kitchen cabinet C.

To allow for maximum accessibility of the internal space V through the top side 3 of the main housing 2, an embodiment is provided wherein the displaceable access panel 11 covers at least 90%, or e.g. 95%, of a total surface area of the top side 3 of the main housing 2. In this way the access panel 11 is able to provide maximum access to all parts of the internal space V from the top side 3 when needed, e.g. for interior cleaning of the main housing 2 and/or the air filter 10.

As further shown, in an embodiment the top side 3 of the main housing 2 may comprise a circumferential recessed edge 14 for receiving the displaceable access panel 11, thereby ensuring that the access panel 11, when closed, is able to remain flush with the floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C and as such allow the bottom panel Rb of the drawer R to closely extend above the access panel 11 without interference therewith.

Referring to Figure 1, further details on placement of the air filter 10 in the internal space

V will now be discussed. As depicted, an embodiment is provided wherein the top side 3 and bottom side 4 of the main housing 2 are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the main housing 2 comprises a filter support member 15 configured for supporting the air filter 10 in the internal space V diagonally between the top side 3 and the bottom side 4. By placing the air filter 10 diagonally between the top side 3 and the bottom side 4, the air inlet 7 and the air outlet 8 can be separated by the air filter 10, particularly for the aforementioned embodiment wherein the first side wall 7 (e.g. back wall) is arranged opposite the second side wall 9 (e.g. front wall), but also when the air inlet 6 and air outlet 8 are arranged at substantially a similar vertical height in the main housing 2 as depicted.

Furthermore, the diagonal placement of the air filter 10 partitions the internal space V into a first space portion V1 proximal to the air inlet 6 for receiving unfiltered extracted air A when the air recirculation device 1 is in use, and a second space portion V2 proximal to the air outlet 8 for expelling filtered extracted air A when the air recirculation device 1 is in use. In an exemplary embodiment, the air filter 10 may be a substantially flat, square/rectangular air filter 10 that are easy to handle and accurately placed in the internal space V with minimal space requirements.

Another advantage of diagonal placement of the air filter 10 in the internal space V is that a larger air filter 10 can be used, i.e. a wider air filter 10 providing a larger effective filter area, compared to e.g. horizontal placement of the air filter 10 substantially parallel to the top side 3 and the bottom side 4.

In an exemplary embodiment as shown in Figure 1, the filter support member 15 is configured to support the air filter 10 along a bottom edge 16 of the first side wall 7 and the bottom side 4, and along a top edge 17 of the second side wall 9 and the top side 3. This embodiment provides diagonal placement of the air filter 10 so that extracted air A first approaches an upper filter surface of the air filter 10 when entering through the air inlet 6.

As an alternative placement of the air filter 10, Figure 2 shows a schematic cross sectional view of the air recirculation device 1 arranged below the kitchen cabinet C when in use according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In particular, in this depicted alternative embodiment, the filter support member 15 is configured to support the air filter 10 along a top edge 18 of the first side wall 7 and the top side 3, and along a bottom edge 19 of the second side wall 9 and the bottom side 3. In this embodiment diagonal placement of the air filter 10 is provided so that extracted air A approaches a lower filter surface of the air filter 10 when entering through the air inlet 6. Like the embodiment of Figure 1, the diagonal placement of the air filter 10 in the internal space V allows for a larger/wider air filter 10 providing a larger effective filter area compared to horizontal placement of the air filter 10 substantially parallel to the top side 3 and the bottom side 4. In this alternative embodiment it may also be the case that, as the extracted air A first approaches a lower filter surface of the air filter 10 when entering the first space portion V1, air pressure on the access panel 11 may be lowered as the access panel 11 does not form a direct boundary of the first space portion V1. That is, a pressure drop over the air filter 10 from the air inlet 6 to the air outlet 8 may be expected and as such the air pressure in the second space portion V2 may be lower than the air pressure in the first space portion V1, wherein the access panel 11 now forms a direct boundary of the second space portion V2. A lower pressure on the access panel 11 may prevent leakage of extracted air A along edges of the access panel 11 into the kitchen cabinet C.

Note that in Figure 3 the placement of the air filter 10 corresponds to the placement of the air filter in Figure 2, so wherein the air filter 10 extends from the top edge 18 of the first side wall 7 and the top side 3 to the bottom edge 19 of the second side wall 9 and the bottom side 4.

It was mentioned earlier that the displaceable access panel 11 may be configured to act as a floor part of the floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C and be easily reachable by opening the drawer R for example. As shown in the Figure 1, the air recirculation device 1 need not be supported by the ground G directly. Instead, the air recirculation device 1, e.g. the main housing 2, may be configured for attachment to the floor Cf of a kitchen cabinet C to allow for accurate placement and to circumvent problems regarding surface irregularities of the ground G.

Referring to Figure 3, to achieve accurate placement of the air recirculation device 1 with respect to the kitchen cabinet C, an embodiment is provided wherein the top side 3 of the main housing 2 comprises a circumferential connecting edge 20 configured for connection to a floor part or floor Cf of a kitchen cabinet C. The circumferential connecting edge 20 allows secure and accurate attachment of the air recirculation device 1 to an underside of the floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C, so that the air recirculation device 1 is suspended above the ground G and wherein the displaceable access panel 11 can be made flush to the floor Cf. In an exemplary embodiment as depicted, the circumferential connecting edge 20 may be an outward protruding flange configured for engaging with an underside of a floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C. The outward protruding flange allows for a larger opening for the access panel 11 in the top side 3 of the main housing 2.

According to the invention, the air recirculation device 1 is advantageous for a fume extractor by recirculating and filtering extracted air A instead of just discharging extracted air A to the outside environment. As such a fume extractor for cooking fumes is provided in a further aspect, see Figure 1 and 2, wherein the fume extractor comprises the air recirculation device 1 according to any of the embodiments as outlined above for placement in a plinth space S below a kitchen cabinet C. The fume extractor further comprises an extractor hob E configured for placement proximal to a cooking hob H, wherein the extractor hob E comprises an extractor inlet

Ei and an extractor outlet Eo, wherein the extractor hob E is arranged to extract cooking fumes F through the extractor inlet Ei and discharge the extracted cooking fumes as extracted air A through the extractor outlet Ei when in use, and wherein the fume extractor also comprises an air duct D configured for connecting the extractor outlet Eo to the air inlet 6 of the air circulation device 1.

The fume extractor as outlined above is compact and can be effectively integrated with a kitchen cabinet C. By virtue of the air inlet 6 being arranged in the first side wall 7, e.g. a back wall of the main housing 2, allows the air duct D to be arranged in the back of the kitchen cabinet C so that the available interior space for e.g. a kitchen drawer R is maximized. The displaceable access panel 11 provides for full access to the internal space V of the main housing 2 as the access panel 11 may be readily accessible in a floor Cf of the kitchen cabinet C. Since the access panel 11 may be arranged flush to the floor Cf allows the drawer R to move in and out of the kitchen cabinet C without interference with the access panel 11.

In view of the above, the present invention can now be summarised by the following embodiments:

Embodiment 1. An air recirculation device (1) for a fume extractor, comprising a main housing (2) having a top side (3), a bottom side (4), and a plurality of side walls (5) enclosing an internal space (V) of the main housing (2); wherein the main housing (2) comprises an air inlet (8) arranged in a first side wall (7) of the plurality of side walls (5) and an air outlet (8) arranged in a second side wall (9) of the plurality of side walls (5);

wherein the air inlet (6) is configured for connection to an extractor hob (E) for receiving extracted air (A) therefrom when in use and wherein the air outlet (8) is configured for discharging the extracted air (A) from the main housing (2); wherein the main housing (2) is configured to removably receive an air filter (10) in the internal space (V) between the air inlet (6) and the air outlet (8), and wherein the top side (3) of the main housing (2) further comprises a displaceable access panel (11) for providing access to the internal space (V).

Embodiment 2. The air recirculation device according to embodiment 1, wherein the first side wall (7) is arranged opposite to the second side wall (9).

Embodiment 3. The air recirculation device according to embodiment 2, wherein the air outlet (8) is further arranged in a third side wall (12) and a fourth side wall (13) of the plurality of side walls (5), the third side wall (12) being arranged opposite to the fourth side wall (13).

Embodiment 4. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-3, wherein the displaceable access panel (11) is pivotally arranged along the top side (3) of the main housing (2).

Embodiment 5. The air recirculation device according to embodiment 4, wherein the displaceable access panel (11) is pivotally connected along the top side (3) proximal to the first side wall (7) of the plurality of side walls (5).

Embodiment 6. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-5, wherein the displaceable access panel (11) is a substantially flat, closed panel.

Embodiment 7. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-6, wherein the displaceable access panel (11) covers at least 90% of a total surface area of the top side (3) of the main housing (2).

Embodiment 8. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-7, wherein the top side (3) of the main housing (2) comprises a circumferential recessed edge (14) for receiving the displaceable access panel (11).

Embodiment 9. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-8, wherein the top side (3) and bottom side (4) of the main housing (2) are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the main housing (2) comprises a filter support member (15) configured for supporting the air filter (10) in the internal space (V) diagonally between the top side (3) and the bottom side (4).

Embodiment 10. The air recirculation device according to embodiment 9, wherein the filter support member (15) is configured to support the air filter (10) along a bottom edge (16) of the first side wall (7) and the bottom side (4), and along a top edge (17) of the second side wall (8) and the top side (3).

Embodiment 11. The air recirculation device according to embodiment 9, wherein the filter support member (15) is configured to support the air filter (10) along a top edge (18) of the first side wall (7) and the top side (3), and along a bottom edge (19) of the second side wall (9) and the bottom side (4).

Embodiment 12. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-11, wherein the top side (3) of the main housing (2) comprises a circumferential connecting edge (20) configured for connection to a floor part of a kitchen cabinet (C).

Embodiment 13. The air recirculation device according to any of embodiments 1-12, wherein the air outlet (8) is configured for connection to an opening (Ko) in a plinth (K) of a kitchen cabinet (C).

Embodiment 14. A fume extractor for cooking fumes, comprising an air recirculation device (1) according to any of embodiments 1-13 for placement in a plinth space (S) under a kitchen cabinet (C), an extractor hob {E) configured for placement proximal to a cooking hob (H), wherein the extractor hob (E) comprises an extractor inlet (Ei) and an extractor outlet (Eo), wherein the extractor hob (E) is arranged to extract cooking fumes through the extractor inlet (Ei) and discharge the extracted cooking fumes through the extractor outlet (Eo) when in use; and an air duct (D) configured for connecting the extractor outlet (Eo) to the air inlet (6) of the air recirculation device (1).

The present invention has been described above with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments as shown in the drawings. Modifications and alternative implementations of some parts or elements are possible, and are included in the scope of protection as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

MODIFIED CONCLUSIONS

An air recirculation device (1) for a fume extractor comprising a main housing (2) having a top (3), a bottom (4), and a plurality of side walls (5) forming an internal space (VV) of the main housing (2) enclose; the main housing (2) comprising an air inlet (8) disposed in a first side wall (7) of the plurality of side walls (5) and an air outlet (8) disposed in a second side wall (9) of the plurality of side walls (5) side walls (5); wherein the air inlet (6) is configured for connection to an exhaust device (E) for receiving extracted air (A) therefrom during use and wherein the air outlet (8) is configured for exhausting the extracted air (A) from the main housing (2); the main housing (2) being configured to removably receive an air filter (10) in the internal space (V) between the air inlet (6) and the air outlet (8), and the top (3) of the main housing (2 ) further comprises a movable access panel (11) for providing access to the internal space (V), the first side wall (7) being arranged opposite the second side wall (9), and the movable access panel (11) being arranged as a floor part of a floor (Cf) of a kitchen cabinet (C).

The air recirculation device according to claim 1, wherein the air outlet (8) is further provided in a third side wall (12) and a fourth side wall (13) of the plurality of side walls (5), the third side wall (12) being opposite the fourth side wall (13) is set up.

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-2, wherein the movable access panel (11) is hinged along the top (3) of the main housing (2).

The air recirculation device according to claim 3, wherein the movable access panel (11) is hinged along the top (3) proximal to the first side wall (7) of the plurality of side walls (5).

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the movable access panel (11) is a substantially flat, closed panel.

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the movable access panel (11) occupies at least 90% of a total area of the top (3) of the main housing (2).

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the top (3) of the main housing (2) includes a circumferential recessed rim (14) for receiving the movable access panel (11).

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the top (3) and bottom (4) of the main housing (2) are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the main housing (2) has a filter support member (15). ) configured to support the air filter (10) in the internal space (V} diagonally between the top (3) and the bottom (4).

The air recirculation device according to claim 8, wherein the filter support member (15) is configured to support the air filter (10) along a lower edge (16) of the first side wall (7) and the lower side (4), and along an upper edge (17) of the second side wall (9) and the top (3).

The air recirculation device according to claim 8, wherein the filter support member (15) is configured to support the air filter (10) along an upper edge (18) of the first side wall (7) and the top (3), and along a lower edge (19) of the second side wall (9) and the bottom (4).

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein the top (3) of the main housing (2) comprises a circumferential connecting edge (20) configured for connection to a floor part of a kitchen cabinet (C).

The air recirculation device according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein the air outlet (8) is configured to connect to an opening (Ko) in a plinth (K) of a kitchen cabinet

(C).

A fume extractor for cooking fumes, comprising an air recirculation device (1) according to any one of claims 1-12 for placement in a baseboard space (S) below a kitchen cabinet (C), an exhaust device (E) configured for placement proximal to a hob (H), in which the extraction device (E} comprises an extraction inlet (Ei) and an extraction outlet (Eo), in which the extraction device (E) is designed to extract cooking vapors during use via the extraction inlet (Ei) and the cooking vapors extracted exhausted through the exhaust outlet (Eo), and an air duct (D) configured to connect the exhaust outlet (Eo) to the air inlet (6) of the air recirculation device (1).