FR2615973A1 - ELECTRONIC PROGRAMMER FOR COOKING APPARATUS - Google Patents

Abstract

Electronic programmer comprising a display 2 'and a keypad 3'. The keypad has pushbuttons 21, 22, 23, 24 serving respectively for manual - automatic switching, for incrementing the time settings, for their decrementation, and for selecting the programming modes. These push buttons control input data to a central computer 25 which is also connected to display 2 'and output relay 27.

Description

I "Electronic programmer for cooking appliance" This presents

  invention relates to a programmer, or

  timer, electronics for cooker or other cooking appliance.

  Figure 1 attached is a front view of the control panel 1 of an electronic programmer of known type, which consists of an electrofluorescent display panel 2 and a control keyboard 3. The electrofluorescent display 2 is constituted by an FIP tube, capable of displaying four digits 5 to seven segments each and a separation point 6, which give a time indication (hour and minutes), an indication 14, fixed or flashing, "AUTO" signaling the setting of the programmer in automatic operation, and an indication 7

  signaling the operation of the stove, while it is in

automatic mation.

  The control keyboard 3 consists of five buttons, including three pushbuttons 8,9,10, a rotary switch II two positions,

  and a rotary knob 12 which can rotate in one direction or the other.

  From the point of view of appearance, that schematized in Figure 1 corre-

  to a presentation which, from a commercial point of view, corresponds

  practically to a fixed standard for all of these programmers.

  The functions provided by this kind of electronic programmer

  I - Simple clock function This function is the permanent indication of the time, read, in hours and minutes, on the electrofluorescent display 2. To set the time on the timer Figure 1, it is necessary to simultaneously press the two keys 8 and 9 and, without ceasing to press on them, turn the knob 12 to get on the display 2 the desired time. II - Simple Timer Function This function consists in setting a time, for example 50 minutes, and obtaining, at the end of this time, a sound signal without any action on the cooker itself. To perform this function using the programmer of Figure 1, you have to press the 8 button, which makes 00.00 appear on the display 2, and simultaneously turn

  the button 12 until the desired timer time.

  III - Function of setting a determined cooking period This is the main function of the programmer; it must be possible in two modes: - IIIa. Immediate cooking with delayed stop. This function is obtained by first placing the switch 11 in the "programming" position, identified on the dial by a clock 13: the "AUTO" indication then flashes on the display Z; or then adjust either the end of cooking time by pressing the button and simultaneously turning knob 12, or the cooking time by pressing button 9 and simultaneously turning the knob

12.

  - IIIb. Delayed cooking, with setting of end of cooking time and cooking time. When the switch 11 is again in its "programming" position, the end of cooking time is set by pressing the button 10 and simultaneously turning the knob 12, while the cooking time is set by pressing the button

  9 and simultaneously turning the knob 12.

IV - Manual operation

  The latter function consists in not making use of the

  grammateur. It is obtained by placing the switch 11 on its position

  "manual", identified in Figure I by a hand 15.

  Of course, most programmers are able to

  by means of an input into an auxiliary box, an adjustable pyrolysis function, which will not be described here in detail, not being part of

  novel features of the present invention.

  These known programmers have some disadvantages.

  A first disadvantage is that it is always necessary to use both hands to make an adjustment: the user can not adjust his programmer with one hand while holding his dish to cook with the other hand. A second disadvantage is that with the five buttons 8 to 12, there is not available on the keyboard 3 additional location to install a complementary adjustment button: for example regulation

  the temperature of the oven, or programming a micro-sequencer

  waves. Another disadvantage is that there is nothing to prevent the data from being entered inadvertently (end of cooking time and cooking time), whereas the switch 11 has by mistake remained

  on the manual position: in such a case, cooking starts immediately

  while the user is convinced that it will start later and stop automatically afterwards. Moreover, since it is possible to program the end of cooking time, then the cooking time, and vice versa, the user may no longer know, during adjustment, what he has already done exactly and forgets to program one of these two values. In addition, between the programming of the cooking time, if it is done first, and that of the end of cooking time, the stove starts, which is enough

  inelegant. Finally, if you are in manual mode and there is a

  current, the cooker resumes power on again if the user has not thought to cut it by removing the dish while

  the power cut, and it then runs idly unnecessarily.

  The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks. It relates to an electronic programmer for a cooking appliance whose control panel comprises an electrofluorescent display and a control keyboard, this programmer being able to achieve at least the

  functions I to IV above defined.

  The control keyboard of this programmer is constituted,

  to ensure at least these four functions I to IV, four buttons

  pushbuttons, including: - a first pushbutton capable of ensuring, each time this button is pressed, switching from the manual mode to automatic mode, and vice versa

  a second push button capable of ensuring, as long as one

  press this button, the incremental advance of any time setting - a third push button capable of ensuring, as long as the button is held down, the incremental delay of these buttons. same time settings; and - a fourth and last push button capable of ensuring,

  each press of this button, the cyclical selection of a pro-

  ming. The electrofluorescent display of this programmer includes, in addition to the usual time display and indication ("AUTO")

  of automatic mode, five pointers indicating the program mode

  selected by the fourth push-button, and which respectively indicate, in any order but pre-set - the manual operation - the programming of the cooking time - the programming of the end time of cooking - the setting of the timer simple

- the setting of the simple clock.

  This control panel is associated with an electronic circuit which contains a central logic unit for digital processing and control, constituted for example by a microcomputer, this logical unit comprising: at least one input for a time base whose period I10 is correlated with that of the AC voltage supply sector; at least one push button information input of the control keyboard; at least two output buses to respectively the segments and the grids of the electrofluorescent display; at least one output to a sound signal transmitter; and at least one control output of a relay for setting

route of the cooking appliance.

  The invention will be well understood, and its advantages and others

  characteristics will emerge, in the course of the following description of a

  embodiment of this electronic programmer, with reference to the attached schematic drawings in which: FIG. 2 is a front view of the control panel of this programmer; - Figure 3 is a simplified diagram of the electronic circuit of

this programmer.

  Referring to FIG. 2, the control panel 1 of

  this programmer includes, as is the case for all programs

  appliances for cooking appliances, an electronic display

  fluorescent 2 'and a control keyboard 3'.

  The display 2 'is constituted by a tube FIP 4T 13 and it makes it possible to display: - four digits 5, with seven segments each, representing the hours and the minutes, - two points 6 separating the minutes from the hours, an indicator " AUTO "14 identical to that of FIG. 1, - five pointers 16 to 20, aligned from left to right, according to the following order pointer 16 for indicating the manual operation (marked as previously by the hand 15) pointer 17 d indication of the programming of the cooking time pointer 18 indicating the programming of the end of cooking time pointer 19 indicating the setting of the single timer

  pointer 20 indicating adjustment of the simple clock.

  The keyboard 3 'has four pushbuttons 21 to 24, aligned from left to right in the following order: pushbutton 21: is used to select the manual or automatic mode; if one is for example in manual mode, the pointer 16 is lit while the indicator 14 is off: by pressing the button 21, one switches to automatic mode, which is visualized by the fact that 16 goes out, while 14 comes on and flashes and you return to the previous manual position by pressing button 21 again; pushbutton 22: incrementing the time stamps by pressing this key 22, the time displayed by the four digits 5 advance progressively, minute by minute, this advance stopping when release button 22; push button 23: decrementing the time settings

  by pressing this key 23, the displayed time gradually decreases

  minute by minute, this decline of the hour stopping when one relaxes

this button 23.

  push-button 24: sequential selection of the program

  mation; each press of this key moves the pointing from 17 to 18, from 18 to 19, from 19 to 20, then from 20 to 17, and so on, each time selecting a program -30 (respectively : cooking time, then end of cooking time, then simple timer, then simple clock, then again cooking time,

And so on).

  FIG. 3 shows the electronic circuit associated with the panel of FIG. 2. In addition to the display 2 'and the push-buttons 21 to 24, this circuit essentially comprises a microcomputer 25, a time base 26 for synchronization at sector, an output relay

  27, a vibrating ring 28, and a pyrolytic adapter box 29.

  The power supply circuit is not represented in this drawing, as is the initialization monostable of the microcomputer 25 and its circuit

Internal clock RC.

  The central logic unit for calculation and control 25, which is for example a microcomputer of the type 7527, comprises five data inputs: an input 31, connected to the positive terminal 30 of continuous supply in 5 volts by the intermediate pushbutton 21: this is the "manual-automatic" switching control input, and vice versa;

  an input 32, connected to the positive terminal 30 by the button

  pushbutton 22: this is the control input for incrementing the time settings; an input 33, connected to the terminal 30 by the push-button 23: this is the control input for decrementing the time settings - an input 34, connected to the terminal 30 by the push-button 24: this is the sequential selection control input of the programming mode; an input 35 connected to the pyrolysis adaptation box 29, the latter being switched on by the closing of a special switch

  pyrolyzer 36, which is placed on the side of the apparatus.

  In addition, synchronization pulses are applied at 37, from the time base 26, itself triggered

  by an input 38 of an alternating signal at 50 or 60 Hertz, depending on the frequency

  the alternative sector: this synchronization allows the program

  to operate as well in alternative-powered countries

  periods only in those powered alternatively 60 periods.

  This microcomputer 25 has four outputs: - an output connection 39 to the start relay 27 of the range - an output connection 40 to the sound signal generator - a six-conductor output bus 41, to the six grids (inputs G) of the display 2 '- an output bus 42, eight conductors, to the segments

  and pointers (S inputs) of the display 2 '.

  Of course, the display 2 'furthermore has input terminals 43 for feeding the filament with an AC voltage of 3 volts applied at 44, as well as a polarization terminal 45 connected to the terminal

  (5 volts supply) by the bias resistor 46.

  The operation of this programmer is the following When connecting the device to the network, or after a power failure, the microcomputer 25 is programmed so that

  the programmer necessarily starts automatically.

  The "AUTO" symbol 14 lights up and flashes, as do the four

  digits 5 and 6 that indicate 00:00.

  First, you need to adjust the simple clock. By successive presses on the button 24, this brings the pointer 20 to light. The setting of the time is then done by pressing the key 22 (incrementation), and possibly the key 23 (decrementing) if one went too far, until obtaining

the time on the display 2 '.

  If one then wants to go into manual operation of the kitchen,

  However, press button 21 once: the indication 14

  turns off while pointer 16 lights up.

  To set the simple timer it is necessary, by being necessarily set to "AUTO", to exert successive presses on the key 24 until the pointer 19 lights up, which makes the indication 00:00 appear on the 2 'display. The setting of the desired time is then carried out as previously with the keys 22 and 23. When this setting is

  is completed, the indication returns to that of the clock after a

  a few seconds. At the end of the programmed time, the apparatus 28 emits an audible signal for 3 minutes, which can be stopped by pressing the key 22 or the key 23. If now it is desired to program a cooking, two cases arise 30. 1l case: Immediate cooking delay: We want the cooking starts immediately, but stops after a predetermined time. With the help of key 24, we bring

  pointer 17 on, and the indication 00:00 appears on the display.

  The setting of the cooking time is then carried out in the same way as the setting of the clock described above. This setting is made, the start of the cooker begins after a delay of fifteen seconds. At the end of the programmed time, the relay 27

2 6 1 5 9 7 3

  is off and the ringer 28 sounds as before for

the simple timer.

  2 cases: delayed cooking According to a characteristic of this programmer, it is not possible to program the end of cooking time before having programmed

a cooking time.

  To adjust the cooking time, proceed as described above. This setting is made, the aforementioned 15 second delay

  prevents the immediate start of the cooker.

  The setting of the end of cooking time is then carried out by pressing the key 24 to switch on the pointer 18 to switch on instead of the pointer 17. Then, as in the previous cases,

  the end of cooking time using keys 22 and 23.

  Note that with this programmer, any programming

  cooking is prohibited when in manual mode.

  Between the buttons 23 and 24, there remains a free place for another pushbutton 47 (shown in phantom) which can provide an additional function: correction function, oven temperature control function, scheduling function of a sequencer microwaves, etc ... In this case, the button 47 will be associated with an input

  additional data 48 on the microcomputer 25.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the example of realizing

  description that has just been described, and this programmer can also advantageously

  ensure that the pointers being set are flashing, as well as

  that the emission of a timed sound signal at each end of cooking

  grammed. It can also advantageously be equipped with two relays

  output instead of one, etc.

Z6 15973

Claims (5)

  1. electronic programmer for a cooking appliance, whose control panel (1) comprises an electrofluorescent display (2 ') and a control keyboard (3'), this programmer being able to perform at least the simple clock functions, simple timer, setting a determined cooking period, and manual operation, characterized in that the control keyboard (3 ') is constituted, to ensure at least these four functions, four pushbuttons, including : - a first push button (21) able to ensure, at each   pressing this button, switching from manual mode to automatic mode   tick, and vice versa; a second push-button (22) able to ensure, as long as the pressure on this button is maintained, the incremental advance of any time setting; - A third pushbutton (23) able to ensure, as long as you press the button, the incremental delay of these same time settings; and a fourth and last push button (24) capable of ensuring, each time this button is pressed, the cyclic selection of a programming mode in that the electrofluorescent display of this programmer comprises, in addition to the display of the time and indication ("AUTO") 14 usual automatic mode, five pointers indication (16 to   ) of the programming mode selected by the fourth button   pusher (24), which respectively indicate, in any order but pre-established: -the manual operation (16) - the programming of the cooking time (17) - the programming of the end time of cooking (18) - the setting of the simple timer (19) - the setting of the simple clock (20), and in that at its control panel (1) is associated a circuit   which contains a central digital processing unit   and control, constituted for example by a microcomputer (25), this logical unit comprising: 2 6 1 5 9 7 3 26159? 3   at least one input (37) for a time base (26) whose period is correlated with that of the AC voltage supply sector (38); at least one information input (31 to 34) by push button (21 to 24) of the control keyboard; at least two output buses (43, 41) respectively to the segments (S) and the gates (G) of the electrofluorescent display (2 '); at least one output to a sound signal transmitter (28); and - at least one control output of a relay (27) for on the way to the cooking appliance.   2. Electronic programmer according to claim 1,   in that the central logic unit (25) is designed to impose   setting to automatic mode at power on.   3. Electronic programmer according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the central logic unit (25) is designed to prohibit any cooking programming when one is in manual mode.   4. Electronic programmer according to one of the claims   1 to 3, characterized in that the central logic unit (25) is designed   to prohibit the programming of the end of cooking time if the   grammage of the cooking time was not carried out.   Electronic programming according to one of the claims   I to 4, characterized in that it comprises a delay which prohibits the start of the cooking appliance for a predetermined time   (15 seconds) after setting a cooking time.