EP1908333B1 - Method for operating a heating device of an electric heating appliance having a plurality of heating devices - Google Patents

Abstract

In an operating method for a hob having a plurality of heating elements, an operating action for a heating element, such as heating with an additional region on the cooktop or invoking a parboiling step, is selected in an initial step by providing input to a general input sensor element that is not associated with any specific heating element. In a subsequent step, the selected operating action is allocated or associated with a specific heating element by operating a cooking element specific sensor element, for example when setting the power level for that heating element. Therefore, sensor elements can be provided with an advantageous multiple-use effect for general operating actions. Furthermore, the operating sequence permits simple and convenient operation.

Description

Field of application and state of the art

The invention relates to a method for operating one of a plurality of heating devices of an electric heating device, in particular a hob, which has a plurality of heating devices.

Usually, the commissioning of an electric heating device such as in the DE 101 23 640 A1 or EP 1 344 983 by first switching on the entire device. For operation, controls serve as a kind of switch. Thereafter, a hotplate to be put into service is selected, either by activating a special selection switch. Or you can use plus or minus switches, which are specially designed for this hob. With the adjusted power level then the operation of the hob takes place.

Task and solution

The invention has for its object to provide an alternative to an otherwise conventional operating method, which can be performed just as easily and instinctively.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of further claims and are explained in more detail below. The wording of the claims is incorporated herein by express reference.

According to the invention, in a preceding or first step of the operating method, a specific operating action, which can be carried out with a plurality of the heating devices, is selected or determined by operating a corresponding operating element in a general or generally valid manner. In a subsequent or later following step, another or further operating element is actuated, which is assigned to exactly one heating device or the actuation of the operating element takes place in such a way that the assignment to the heating device is precisely predetermined. In this case, the assignment is made by this further pressing and causes the takeover or implementation of this operation action with exactly this heater.

By the invention, it is essentially possible, in simple words, to first select an operation to be performed and then assign it to a particular desired heater. So it is the usual operating method of the order reversed. This is particularly suitable for operating actions such as areal characterization, in particular operation with additional area as a so-called multi-circuit, or cooking stage. These functions do not need multiple controls, but only one per function. Under certain circumstances, even a single control element for special functions of the type mentioned can be provided, with which one can switch through various special functions, advantageously cyclically.

One of the other advantages of this method according to the invention, in addition to providing an alternative to known methods, is that it may be instinctively easier for an operator to perform this order. Furthermore, additional design options arise, for example, in that on This way, a complicated selection of an operating action can be made and only then the assignment to a specific heater is made.

The previous step may be the next step to be performed after the electric heater has been switched on. When the device is switched on, it is therefore the first step of an operating procedure.

It can be provided that the two mentioned steps have to follow one another directly, so that no intermediate step is to be carried out. This facilitates an instinctive operation, since then first the desired operation action is selected and then assigned to a specific heating device.

Advantageously, the other of the heater exactly associated control element is a control element for adjusting the power level, such as a plus or minus switch to increase or decrease the power. When setting the power level for this heating device, the previously selected operating action for this heating device is particularly advantageously adopted. This is particularly advantageous if a selection of a heater anyway via pressing one of the switch for power adjustment takes place.

Furthermore, it can be provided for the sequence of steps that, after the lapse of a certain period of time after the selection of the operating action without subsequent assignment of this operating action to a specific heating device, this selection is canceled again or the operating state is reset to zero. Such a period of time may be in the range of, for example, five to ten seconds. Thus, incorrect operation or incorrect or unintentional assignment of a selected operating action to a heating device can be avoided.

A withdrawal or termination of an operating action can be carried out so that in a previous step, the operation to be terminated operation is selected by pressing a corresponding control element. In a subsequent step, exactly this operating action in this heating device is terminated by a further actuation of one of the control elements operated with the operating action. Thus, the operating action can be reversed with approximately the same procedure.

It is possible that an operation action is selected and then remains selected as the default value for a certain period of time. This selected operation action can then be assigned to exactly one heater in exactly this form. It is provided that with the assignment of a selected operating action to exactly one heater this operation action for the other heating devices is deleted again. For other heating devices to be put into operation, the same as a new operating action must again be selected in the same way from the front.

Such an operating action may, for example, provide for selecting a heating mode and a desired power level in two successive operating steps. As described above, it can also be provided here that after the first step within the operating action, a further step can be specified for a certain period of time. If this remains off or if the time duration is exceeded without entering this further step, the first selected step is deleted.

These and other features are apparent from the claims and from the description and drawings, wherein the individual Characteristics may be implemented on their own or in combination in the form of sub-combinations in one embodiment of the invention and in other fields and may represent advantageous and protectable embodiments for which protection is claimed here. The subdivision of the application into individual sections as well as intermediate headings does not restrict the general validity of the statements made thereunder.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf ein Kochfeld mit einer Bedieneinrichtung und

Fig. 2

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Bedieneinrichtung nach Fig. 1 mit einem beispielhaften Ablauf bei einer Bedienung des Kochfeldes.

An embodiment of the invention is shown very schematically in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. In the drawings shows

Fig. 1

a plan view of a hob with an operating device and

Fig. 2

an enlarged view of the operating device according to Fig. 1 with an exemplary sequence when operating the hob.

Detailed description of the drawings

In Fig. 1 a hob 11 is shown, which in known manner four cooking zones 14 ad has on a cooktop plate 13 and in the front area an operating device 10. Here are all hotplates 14 ad formed as a so-called multi-circle cooking zones with Grundheizzone and an additional heating zone, said this does not necessarily have to be general. This is known to the person skilled in the art.

In the enlarged view of the operating device 10 after Fig. 2 It can be seen that it has a plurality of sensor elements as operating elements or touch switches and a plurality of displays. For one thing so-called general sensor elements 16 are provided. These are an ON / OFF switch 16a and two sensor elements 16b and 16c for a timer function. Furthermore, it is a sensor element 16d for a boil-up and a sensor element 16e for connecting additional heating zones in the multi-circuit cooking zones. Between the sensor elements 16b and 16c, a general display 17 is arranged as a seven-segment display for the timer function.

The other illustrated sensor elements 18 are provided for specific individual cooking point-dependent functions, and indeed there are four pairs of double arranged side by side sensor elements. The leftmost pair of sensor elements 18a and 18'a serve to select the function of the front left cooking point 14a and to adjust the power level. If one of these sensor elements 18 is actuated, the hotplate in question is selected at the same time, advantageously even after the first actuation of a sensor element without power level or start of operation. According to this pair of sensor elements 18a and 18'a, further pairs of sensor elements 18b and 18'b to 18d and 18'd are provided. These are used to operate the cooking points 14 marked behind each by the cooking point-specific symbol 24.

Behind the sensor elements 18a and 18'a to 18d and 18'd are the respective associated cooking point-specific displays 19a to 19d and the cooking point-specific multi-circuit displays 21a to 21d.

By actuating one of the sensor elements 18, an assignment of a selected operating action to one of the cooking zones 14 can take place and an adjustment of the power level. Thus, only the absolutely necessary number of sensor elements must be provided for the functions of the timer, the Ankochstoßes and the additional heating. These can easily be used for hiring any suitable Cooking area to be used. Furthermore, the novel sequence of operation allows easy and comfortable operation.

It goes without saying that more or fewer sensor elements could also be provided within the scope of the invention, as well as more or fewer cooking zones 14. Instead of touch switches with sensor elements, other operating elements may also be provided, in particular also piezo sensors or mechanical contact switches. Likewise, the ads can be designed differently, for example, in a simple way by LED or more expensive way through a screen.

function

The arrows with Roman numerals describe the order of an exemplary operating method.

In step 1, by operating the sensor element 16a, the hob 11 is switched on via the operating device 10. It is now ready for operation in a ground state.

In a possible subsequent step II, a timer function is activated and set by repeatedly actuating the sensor element 16b or 16c. Alternatively, in another or just alternatively possible step III, that is to say even without the step II with the timer function, a boost pulse can be set by the sensor element 16d. With this, the below to be selected cooking zone 14 should be operated. Likewise, in a further or just alternatively possible possible step III 'via the sensor element 16e an additional heating zone can be set as a multi-circuit or a dual-circuit operation with which the cooking point 14 is still to be operated.

For the additional heating zone can be provided that the hotplates 14 are taken either in the ground state always with additional heating or always without additional heating zone in operation, so this must either be switched off or switched depending on the desired case. Thus, through the steps I to III, the hob 11 has been turned on, and possibly a timer or additional function has been entered in the form of the Ankochstoßes or Zusatzheizzone for multi-circuit operation. This ready-specific operation action now only needs to be assigned to a stove. Furthermore, their power level must be adjusted.

For this purpose, for example, the sensor element 18'a is actuated in a subsequent and also concluding step IV. After the first actuation, the hotplate 14a is selected for subsequent power adjustment. In this case, the previously selected mode of operation of this hotplate is assigned automatically. By further actuation of the sensor element 18'a, the power is increased in steps, for example in the case of seven actuations up to the illustrated step 7. Altogether, then, the sensor element 18'a has been actuated eight times.

Thus, the previously selected operation action is assigned to the left side of the cooking area 14a or it starts according to the ready-determined operating action. This may be due to the condition of the hotplate 14a in FIG Fig. 1 be seen, which is indicated by the hatching that the hotplate 14a is operated together with Zusatzheizzone. So here is the step III 'has been made. The display 19a above the sensor element 18a is illustrated as being operated at power level "7". A change in the power level during operation of the hotplate 14a may occur normally via the sensor elements 18a or 18'a.

As an alternative to increasing the output at zero starting in steps, during the second actuation of the sensor element 18'a for the power increase, a jump can be made directly to the highest power level. Upon actuation of the power reduction sensor element 18a, a direct jump to an intermediate power level may occur. Independently of this, however, the previously selected mode of operation of this hotplate is also automatically assigned here by the first actuation of one of the sensor elements 18a or 18'a.

In a corresponding manner, it is possible to re-select an aforementioned operation by the steps II or III or III 'and the cooking point 14c assign by operating the sensor element 18c or 18'c. Then the hotplate 14c would be operated with the selected operating action. Alternatively, it is possible that by operating the sensor elements 16d and / or 16e once, for example, the functions of the booster blow and the additional heating remain permanently selected, even for cooking zones to be subsequently set. This can be indicated by a corresponding light indicator. The functions must be explicitly deselected if they should not be desired for a hotplate.

Claims (9)

1. Method for operating one of several heating devices (14a - d) of an electrical heating appliance (11), in particular of a hob, having several heating devices, where a certain operating action can be performed with several of the heating devices, characterized in that in a preceding step (I - III) the operating action is selected or determined in a general form by actuation of an appropriate operating element and in a subsequent step (IV) is, by further actuation of a further operating element (18a - d) precisely assigned to a heating device, assigned precisely to this heating device for adopting or performing this operating action.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the two steps (I - III, IV) directly succeed one another.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the further operating element (18a - d) precisely assigned to the heating device is an operating element for setting the power level, where the selected operating action for this heating device is adopted during setting of the power level for this heating device.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after expiry of a certain period of time following the selection of the operating action without assignment to a certain heating device (14a - d), this selection is cancelled, preferably after the expiry of 5 to 10 seconds.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that to rescind or terminate an operating action in a preceding step, the operating action to be terminated is selected by actuation of an appropriate operating element (16a - e) and in a subsequent step precisely this operating action for this heating device is terminated by further actuation of an operating element (18a - d) assigned to the heating device operated with the operating action.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after selection of an operating action this operating action is deemed selected for a certain period of time for subsequent assignment to precisely one heating device (14a - d), where after assignment to a heating device the selection of the operating action for the other heating devices is not required.
7. Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that after assignment to a heating device (14a - d) the selection of the operating action is repeated by actuation of an operating element (18a - d) assigned to precisely this heating device for a further assignment of this operating action to another heating device.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a type of heating such as surface characterization, in particular with supplementary area or full heat setting, is selected as an operating action.
9. Method according to Claim 8, characterized in that after selection or after the first step for selecting the operating action a further operating action or the required power level can be entered for a certain period of time, where after expiry of this period of time all settings previously made in this selection process are cancelled.

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