DE102009034203A1 - Method for operating a hob - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method of operating a hob with a plurality of cooking zones and heaters therefor, on each of which a cooking vessel can be placed for cooking, a controller and at least one actuation sensor are provided at the cooking position. The actuation sensor is designed such that it detects a touch or a movement of the cooking vessel and detects as acknowledgment or deletion of a signal generated by the cooktop, such as a timer alarm o. The like., And then causes the switching off of this signal.

Description

The The invention relates to a method for operating a hob in accordance with Preamble of claim 1.

It is from the EP 967 839 A2 It is known to provide a function on a cooktop with cooking zones and heating devices as well as so-called pan detection sensors that the movement of an erected cooking vessel in the region of the cooking zone is the input of the desired power level. In this case, for example, moving in one direction may be increasing the power level and moving in another direction may be lowering.

From the DE 10 2004 011 749 A1 It is known to provide actuation sensors on a hob, which are designed such that they detect a contact of the cooking vessel or moving or moving the cooking vessel. This serves to make the cooking area on which the cooking vessel is located selected or selected for a subsequent power setting. This makes it possible to dispense with a so-called selection switch or a corresponding control element for selecting a desired hotplate.

Task and solution

Of the Invention is based on the object, an aforementioned method to create with which problems of the state of the art can be rented out can and in particular advantageously a hob can be operated.

Solved This object is achieved by a method having the features of the claim 1. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are Subject matter of the further claims and are hereinafter explained in more detail. The wording of the claims becomes the content of the description by express reference made.

The to be operated hob has advantageously one or even more Cooking rings and heaters on which Here each a cooking vessel can be placed in the usual way for heating food in the cooking vessel. Furthermore, there is a controller provided and an actuation sensor at the cooking area, wherein the actuation sensor is designed such that he a touch of the cooking vessel with the hand on the one hand or on the other hand moving or moving of the cooking vessel recognizes. In the second case, for example moving the cooking vessel by means of a potholder in his hand, be moved or lifted, which is the actuation sensor also recognizes, since he just the place or a change of the Ortes or a lack of cooking vessel recognizes.

According to the invention touching or moving or moving the cooking vessel detected with the aid of the actuation sensor and causes then quasi as acknowledgment or delete one of the hob for some reason generated signal its shutdown. Consequently For example, a set timer alarm can be set according to the preset ten minutes begins by touching the cooking vessel or by moving or moving the cooking vessel be acknowledged to indicate that the operator is the signal or has registered the alarm. Then the signal becomes usual switched off, so feedback that it serves its purpose Has. Finally, it is clear if, for example, a timer alarm after the time set in the timer has expired, and then an operator touches the pot, then they too has perceived the alarm and thus the purpose of the alarm. So can a separate confirmation by a separate operation a special control element can be saved and above all also the effort for its existence. In most cases yes, even after sounding the timer signal, the cooking process be regarded as provisionally ended, so that the cooking vessel of the hotplate can be taken or for example a lid can be raised to check the condition of the food. This is then just the same time the acknowledgment of the signal or the timer alarm made and this also switched off.

On the one hand, it can be provided that even touching the cooking vessel is sufficient or is detected by the operating sensor accordingly. For this purpose, the actuation sensor may be formed, for example, as in the aforementioned DE 10 2004 011 749 A1 to which reference is explicitly made in this regard. Then it can be provided, for example, that the cooking vessel must be touched for at least two seconds, so that it is evaluated as a signal acknowledgment. Thus, it can be avoided that an accidental strip of the cooking vessel or the like. turns off the alarm. Such actuation sensors can be well used with radiant heaters as an additional part. With induction heaters, it makes sense to use the pan detection function, which has such an induction heater anyway. But then only a lifting of the cooking vessel or a shift can be detected by a few cm away from the cooking position so that the induction heater is also switched off, but no contact.

As an alternative to a signal acknowledgment only by touching the cooking vessel, it can only by moving or moving or lifting the cook vessel. It can be provided, for example, that a certain displacement of at least 5 cm is interpreted as a signal acknowledgment, lower displacement paths, for example, by accidental bumping a cooking vessel, but not yet.

In Another embodiment of the invention can be provided that For signal acknowledgment, touch several times of the cooking vessel or a multiple move or Moving the cooking vessel is necessary. Thereby An inadvertent signal acknowledgment can be even better excluded be there for an explicit intention of these actions Operator is necessary.

alternative Moving may also involve moving the cooking vessel be provided in the form of a rotation, which is also by the actuation sensor can be recognized. Then a rotation angle should be at least 15 ° or be even more, so that is considered as a signal acknowledgment.

Advantageously, as the actuation sensor of the above-described according to the DE 10 2004 011 749 A1 be used, which also has a function as pan detection at the cooking area. Thus, the presence of a cooking vessel can be detected at the cooking area to release their operation, detached from possible signals or signal acknowledgments. In this way, the further function can be realized by using this pan detection sensor. Thus, in the end, no major additional constructional effort has to be made, namely the functions can be implemented in the control, that is to say they can be created by software engineering.

These and other features are excluded from the claims also apparent from the description and the drawing, wherein the individual Characteristics in each case alone or in the form of several subcombination in one embodiment of the invention and be realized and advantageous in other fields as well represent protectable versions for which protection is claimed here. The subdivision of the application into individual sections as well as intermediate headings do not limit the statements made thereunder to their universality.

Brief description of the drawing

Embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawing and will be described in more detail below. It shows the 1 a schematic oblique view of a hob with the operating method according to the invention for signal acknowledgment.

Detailed description the embodiments

In 1 is schematically a hob 11 shown in an oblique view, in which the invention is realized in two variants. The stove top 11 has a standard hob plate 12 on. On the hob plate 12 are several cooking places 14a -D provided. You can by appropriate known markings on the top of the glass ceramic plate 12 be identified.

Under each cooking place 14a -D is a heater 16a -D provided. There are conventional radiant heaters, it can also be used as an alternative induction heaters. Each of the heaters 16a -D is via a controller 18 controlled and according to a set power by means of circuit breakers 20a -D controlled.

By means of, for example, capacitive touch switches 21 on the right edge of the hob plate 12 of which only two are shown but much more may be present, in a manner known per se, a timer for the operation of one of the cooking zones fourteen be set so that, for example, after 30 minutes, a cooking process is completed and then a signal sounds to indicate this too. Since such a timer function and a timer signal are known, they need not be explained here.

Furthermore, they are located below each of the hobs 14a -D, advantageous between hob-plate 12 and heating 16 , the so-called cooking vessel detection sensors 22a and d. These can be designed in different forms. Under the hob 14a is in a variant of the invention, a cooking vessel detection sensor 22a provided, which has approximately coil shape and with the controller 18 connected is. It forms the mentioned actuation sensor. Such a sensor is for example in the EP 788 293 A which is expressly referred to in terms of possible implementations.

Under the hob 14d are in another variant of the invention two cooking vessel detection sensors 22d arranged, which are not formed in a coil shape, but form two individual surfaces, which are at the edge of the hob 14d and are arranged approximately opposite one another. These cooking vessel detection sensors 22d As an actuation sensor may have a capacitive operating principle, as for example from the DE 42 24 934 A is known. Although they are used there for a different operating principle. However, the purpose is the same, namely the detection of the presence and the formation of a mounted on the cooking vessel to the detection sensor sensor cooking vessel 25 , here associated with the additional function of detecting the touch of the cooking vessel by an operator 27 ,

function

In the following, the function is based on the cooking area 14a with the left coil-shaped inductive cooking vessel detection sensor 22a to be discribed. However, this functional description is expressly not on the specific design of the cooking vessel detection sensor 22a limited, but can also be used with other cooking vessel detection sensors as an actuation sensor.

If the previously described timer is set and the previously set time, for example 30 minutes, has elapsed, an alarm signal or timer signal will sound in any case. Furthermore, the cooking area with the cooking vessel can already be switched off. Alternatively, it can also be switched off only after a usual signal acknowledgment. According to the invention for signal acknowledgment, as at the hob 14a represented with a finger 27 the cooking vessel 25a touched. It is recognized that with a finger 27 the cooking vessel 25 is touched, so a capacitive coupling takes place. In the context of the invention, it has been shown that with correspondingly accurate tuning and evaluation of the signals of the sensor 22 It can be determined whether a cooking vessel is touched. For this purpose, metallic cooking vessels are necessary. By touching the cooking vessel 25 with one or more fingers 27 For example, the capacity of an operator is added in parallel with a resonant circuit capacitance of the sensors. This may be due to the cooking vessel detection sensor signal 22 be recognized.

To detect this touch of the cooking vessel, it is advantageous to shift the operating frequency of the cooking vessel detection sensor to very high values, as in the DE 10 2005 041 028 A1 is described. Alternatively, capacitive leakage currents can also be applied to the finger via similar sensors with capacitive coupling 27 be measured.

Was about the cooking vessel detection sensor 22 and the controller 18 detected the touch of the cooking vessel, this is generally regarded as a signal acknowledgment and the signal can be turned off.

Alternatively to touching one on the hob 14a set up cooking vessel 25a as signal acknowledgment is on the right side of the hob 14c represented as an operator with two hands 28 the cooking vessel 25c moved, either in one direction moves or turns, possibly also raises. Again, this can be done with the appropriately designed and trained sensors 22 be recognized and causes the acknowledgment of the signal and thus its shutdown.

Either for touching as well as moving the cooking vessel As a signal acknowledgment can be provided that, so to speak, a certain Minimum value must be achieved. This may be for the touch a minimum duration, for example at least two seconds, and for moving a minimum movement of 5 cm or for twisting a minimum angle of rotation of, for example at least 15 °. This will also ensure that the sensors the touch or the movement of the cooking vessel clearly detect. When lifting it does not matter.

This means in one possible embodiment, that touching or moving a cooking vessel is detected by the hob or the actuation sensor and as an acknowledgment of a signal such as a timer or alarm signal according to another acknowledgment via known controls is valued. So it can be either on some controls like acknowledgment switches or the like. be waived. Furthermore, there is an instinctive acknowledgment by touching or moving an erected cooking vessel possible. Finally, it has become part of the Studies on this invention have proven that in many cases a touch of the cooking vessel, for example takes place for removal with heated content from the cooking area, when the timer time has expired, as indicated by the signal becomes. Thus automatically the signal or the Alarm acknowledged and thus switched off.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• - EP 967839 A2 [0002]
• - DE 102004011749 A1 [0003, 0008, 0012]
• - EP 788293 A [0018]
• - DE 4224934 A [0019]
• - DE 102005041028 A1 [0022]

Claims (8)

A method for operating a hob, wherein the hob has a plurality of cooking zones and heaters thereon, on each of which a cooking vessel can be placed to heat cooking material therein, wherein a controller and at least one actuation sensor are provided at the cooking position and wherein the actuation sensor is configured in that it detects a contact of the cooking vessel or a movement or displacement of the cooking vessel, characterized in that a touching or moving or moving of the cooking vessel is detected and as acknowledgment or deletion of a signal generated by the hob, such as a timer alarm or the like. , which causes switching off this signal. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that only moving or moving the cooking vessel the shutdown of the signal causes. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized that just a touch of the cooking vessel for at least two seconds as signal acknowledgment is and causes the switching off of the signal. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a repeated touch or a multiple moving or moving back and forth of the cooking vessel necessary for a signal acknowledgment. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that only a certain displacement of at least 5 cm is acknowledged as a signal acknowledgment and the switching off of the Signal causes. Method according to claim 1 or 4, characterized that only a certain angle of rotation of at least 15 ° as Signal acknowledgment is evaluated and causes the switching off of the signal. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal to be acknowledged is a timer alarm is. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a pan detection at the cooking area, which is usually the presence of a cooking vessel detects to release its operation, used as an actuation sensor becomes.

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