EP3527893B1 - System comprising a hotplate and a monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

Field of application and state of the art

The invention relates to a system comprising a hob with a hob surface, at least one heating device underneath and a hob control and a monitoring device. The invention also relates to a method for operating such a system.

From the EP 845 922 A2 It is known to provide sensor means on a hob in order to detect a temperature of a cooking vessel placed on its hob surface. The sensor means are provided in extendable and retractable towers, which are each arranged in a rear corner area of the hob surface. Such a sensor means is provided for exactly one hotplate, namely that of the hob that is closest to it.

From the DE 10 2006 023 702 A1 it is known to also provide display and / or control elements on a previously mentioned mobile tower with sensor means therein for detecting a temperature. This makes it possible for additional display / control functions to be provided. Furthermore, like the tower itself, these additional functions can be clearly provided for the associated cooking area. This document discloses all the features of the preamble of claim 1.

From the WO 2015 / 125017A2 Methods are known how food can be prepared by cooking by means of an automated device and in particular a robot. A robot can be taught in by a cook in order to carry out his movements or hand movements afterwards.

Task and solution

The invention is based on the object of creating a system mentioned at the beginning and a method for its operation, with which problems of the prior art can be solved and in particular it is possible to detect cooking vessels placed on the hob surface and to be able to determine their position and / or properties of these cooking vessels such as temperature or the like. to be able to recognize.

This object is achieved by a system with the features of claim 1 and by a method for its operation with the features of claim 14. Advantageous and preferred Refinements of the invention are the subject matter of the further claims and are explained in more detail below. Some of the characteristics are mentioned only for the system or only for the method for its operation. However, they should be able to apply independently of one another both to the system and to the process for its operation. The wording of the claims is made part of the content of the description by express reference.

It is provided in the system that the hob has a flat hob surface, usually designed as a hob plate. At least one heating device is arranged under the hob surface, advantageously several heating devices or a plurality of heating devices, so that either discrete and separate cooking areas are formed or essentially any surface areas of the hob surface by activating the corresponding underneath arranged heating devices can be used as a hotplate, the size of which is adapted to an attached cooking vessel. Finally, a hob control of the hob is provided, which is advantageously arranged below the hob surface. It can be connected to or have an operating device of the hob, which is advantageously arranged at least partially below the hob surface.

According to the invention, at least one freely movable and self-propelled monitoring device is provided on the hob or the hob has such a monitoring device. This monitoring device is not permanently connected to the hob surface, but rather detachable therefrom or can be removed, for example for cleaning, repair or other purposes. You will also not with arms or the like. positively driven, but drives itself and can therefore be self-sufficient and independent. The monitoring device has its own energy store and is designed to move freely on the hob surface. In principle, it can move to any point on the hob surface, as long as there is enough space for it. The monitoring device has sensor means in order to detect a cooking vessel placed on the hob surface and / or its temperature and / or its size. This can be a single sensor means; alternatively, several different types of sensor means can be provided. Further sensor means can also be provided for further functions, as will be explained in detail below. The sensor means can be designed differently and be passive or active, as will also be explained below.

Furthermore, the monitoring device has a communication device in order to be able to communicate with an operator and / or the hob control in order to be able to transmit information in at least one direction, advantageously bidirectionally. At least the hob control then also has a corresponding communication device, and both advantageously have a radio device. This can work according to a known radio standard, for example via Bluetooth or BLE. By means of this radio standard, information can then also be transmitted very effectively to a mobile terminal of an operator, or bidirectional communication can also take place with it. Information from the monitoring device can possibly also be transmitted to this mobile terminal.

In addition, the monitoring device has at least one position sensor in order to determine a position and / or a change in position of the monitoring device on the hob surface. Thus, the monitoring device itself knows where it is on the hob surface and can either transmit this information directly to the hob control or evaluate it and use it for further processes. Alternatively, the hob control can additionally or exclusively interrogate the position sensor of the monitoring device in order to determine directly where the monitoring device is located. In particular, a cooking vessel can be localized and information from the monitoring device can be assigned to individually recorded cooking vessels on the hob surface.

Finally, the monitoring device also has a drive device which is designed so that the monitoring device is self-propelled. Details of such a possible drive device are also explained below, since within the scope of the invention possibilities have been worked out how such a monitoring device can move as advantageously as possible on the hob surface. In principle, however, it is important for the drive device that it is arranged on or in the monitoring device itself and is therefore movable with it, in order to ensure that the monitoring device can move as freely as possible on the hob surface and thus every point that can be approached that is accessible, can approach.

The invention thus creates a possibility of identifying or detecting whether there is at least one cooking vessel on the hob surface and, if so, how many and where. In addition, fundamental inherent properties of the cooking vessel can be recorded such as a type, a size, a material or a special identity, as well as operational properties such as a temperature or the like. In addition, there are numerous other possible uses for a monitoring device that can be freely moved on the hob surface which are explained in detail below.

In an embodiment of the invention it is advantageously provided that the monitoring device and the drive device thereof are designed in such a way that the monitoring device can move in any direction on the hob surface. In this way she can do her job of finding a cooking vessel as well as possible. In addition, routes can be optimized or shortened.

In an embodiment of the invention, the sensor means can be arranged movably on the monitoring device in such a way that their height above the hob surface and / or an angular orientation of an effective direction of the sensor means relative to the plane of the hob surface can be changed. So it is possible that deviating from the technology mentioned above EP 845 922 A2 a cooking vessel not only at a fixed, mostly low height or, for example, a temperature of a cooking vessel can be detected. If the height is also variable in the vertical direction, a sensor means can additionally detect the height of the cooking vessel and thus its size and thus also an important individualizing property. On the one hand, this is possible because the sensor means can be moved in height by a moving device, so that the sensor means can be moved, for example, between 1 cm height above the hob surface and 10 cm to 20 cm height. The height can be measured during the procedure, either at intervals or essentially permanently. As an alternative and actually preferred, a sensor means can be constant in its height above the hob surface or not be variable in height, but its angular orientation or its effective direction can be changed towards the hob surface plane. Rotation or pivoting of the sensor means itself is suitable for this, for example by means of a corresponding rotatable or pivotable mounting. Alternatively, only the effective direction of the sensor means can be rotated or pivoted, for example by deflection with a mirror or the like. In yet another embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that a change in the angular alignment or effective direction can be changed not only in the vertical direction, but also in the horizontal direction. However, this can also be replaced by the fact that the monitoring device rotates on the spot by means of the drive device, so to speak, which has the same effect.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the sensor means can be designed in such a way that they have an optical sensor. This can advantageously be a photosensor or a CCD chip for visible and / or invisible light, with IR light then being suitable here. With an optical sensor for invisible light, a photoelectric reflex switch can be provided with which the presence of a cooking vessel and also its position or at least its distance from it can be recognized in a manner known per se. Such a photoelectric reflex switch should have a corresponding light transmitter in the monitoring device, for example as an IR light transmitter or IR LED. The optical sensor then forms the light receiver for the photoelectric reflex switch. A distance of the sensor means and thus the monitoring device from a reflective surface of a cooking vessel, in particular a side wall, can then advantageously be detected by measuring the transit time. In addition or as an alternative to optical sensors, a radar sensor can also be used to detect a size and / or a position of an erected cooking vessel. These are now relatively small and can be easily installed in such a movable monitoring device, for example also in an external add-on module of the monitoring device. Ultrasound can also be used with an ultrasound transmitter and an Ultrasound receiver. Ultrasound can also be directed in many ways like light, for example by means of mirrors.

With an aforementioned CCD chip, a somewhat more precise evaluation, so to speak, of the image of a cooking vessel can be carried out. Different cooking vessels can thus be stored in a database and differentiated from one another. It can also be possible to distinguish between objects such as a pot lid that are not intended to be heated on the hob, but would be recognized by conventional pot recognition as being the same as a pot. They look significantly different and, above all, are much flatter. It should of course not be possible to heat them.

In a special embodiment of the invention it can be provided that a sensor means of the monitoring device is or can be arranged at a height of at least 4 cm above the hob surface. This is a height that a conventional cooking vessel placed on a hob surface at least has. In this way, the sensor means can in any case detect a cooking vessel that has been set up.

The position sensor of the monitoring device can be designed to also detect its alignment or rotational position in addition to determining a position and / or a change in position of the monitoring device. In this way, cooking vessels can be recognized precisely or their position can be recorded because the sensor direction is known, so to speak.

In yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the or a position sensor interacts with so-called determination means which are provided on the hob or under the hob surface. These determination means are intended to help determine the position of the monitoring device on the hob surface, if possible in cooperation with the position sensor, so that this position sensor can possibly be designed more simply and / or work more precisely. On the one hand, the determination means can be designed to be active; then, for example, they can be a transmitter in the manner of a direction finding transmitter. This transmitter can have a transmission source, advantageously punctiform, which transmits a signal. If at least two of these transmitters are provided on the hob, in particular in corner areas of a lateral side of the hob surface, then the exact position of the monitoring device on the hob surface can be detected by simply determining the distance to these two transmitters or transmission sources.

On the other hand, the determination means can be passive, so that they can have, for example, optically or mechanically recognizable markings on the hob surface. Optical Markings are often provided on hob surfaces anyway and can be detected with appropriate sensors. Mechanically recognizable markings can be, for example, a slightly raised or upwardly protruding edge of the hob. The position sensor can then have detection means in order to detect these markings. The detection means can either be optical, for example again with a CCD chip or sensors for pattern or image recognition, or work mechanically, for example as switches or force sensors. Another possibility are magnetically recognizable markings in the form of magnets on or under the hob surface, in which case the recognition means can be magnetic field sensors. The detection means can particularly advantageously be directed downwards in order to detect a marking when the monitoring device is located above it. The monitoring device then automatically and inevitably knows exactly where it is.

In particular, such passive determination means can be designed not to determine the position of the monitoring device at every point on the hob surface, but to carry out at least a calibration or calibration of the position sensor or position detection. Thus, the position sensors per se can be of a somewhat simpler design, since they do not have to have permanently high accuracy.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the monitoring device can have a movement sensor which is designed such that it detects a movement of the movement device in any direction. In particular, it can also detect a rotation in order to be able to carry out the aforementioned recognition of a rotational position or alignment. Such a movement sensor can then be used to detect a movement path of the monitoring device when the monitoring device then starts a movement from a fixed known point. When the movement path is then recorded, the monitoring device knows at all times what position it is at. The aforementioned markings can serve to make this position detection more precise again from time to time.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, a sensor means in the monitoring device can also be designed to detect and evaluate a drive power and / or a drive movement of a drive motor of the drive device for the monitoring device. A position can then also be determined from this alone or in addition to one of the other aforementioned options. In addition, it can also be made possible that a blocking of a movement of the monitoring device is recognized by this sensor means. This information can be important in general, as well as further it can also be deduced from this that the monitoring device has hit a cooking vessel and can therefore not continue. If the monitoring device then deliberately drives several times in the approximate direction where it was stopped for the first time, but each time shifted a little to the side, at least part of the outline of a cooking vessel can be recognized from this. Either the exact size and the exact position of the cooking vessel can then be calculated assuming a circular cooking vessel with three points. Alternatively, even more points can be approached, possibly also several points along the entire circumference, for example up to 10 or even up to 20 points. This then gives the exact shape and position.

In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that the monitoring device actively moves the cooking vessel to a point and / or in a direction that has been specified for it by the hob control. The monitoring device can thus first detect the exact size and the exact position of the cooking vessel, as has been described above. If the hob control then considers a different or slightly changed position for the cooking vessel to be better, for example shifted by 2 cm to 20 cm, the movable monitoring device can move the cooking vessel accordingly into the better position. To do this, it must of course be strong enough and be able to generate sufficient drive power.

The communication device of the monitoring device advantageously has a transmitting device and a receiving device. Information can be sent to the hob control and, if necessary, information can also be received from the hob control, so it is bidirectional. This can, for example, also be information that is to be displayed on the monitoring device for an operator or to be displayed to an operator. This can be information about an operating state of the hob, in particular also about program sequences on the hob, such as automatic cooking programs or the like. The hob control advantageously has a corresponding communication device. If necessary, the monitoring device can also communicate with the aforementioned mobile terminal of an operator and send and / or receive information for this purpose.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the monitoring device has its own internal energy store. This is advantageously designed as a rechargeable battery so that it is self-sufficient in its operation. In order to charge this energy store, the monitoring device particularly advantageously has a charging device which is designed for inductive charging. For this purpose, the hob can have an induction coil installed below the hob surface, so that the monitoring device can operate in a known manner Way can move over this induction coil, and then inductive charging takes place in a known manner. So open contacts or a manual charging with a separate plug or the like. be avoided. Alternatively, the energy store can be charged with a special electrical contacting device provided for this purpose on the hob, as is also known per se, in particular from vacuum cleaner robots or lawn mower robots. Furthermore, it can be provided that the monitoring device moves automatically to charge the energy store and the charging process begins automatically, for example when a charge state of the accumulator has fallen below a certain limit.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the monitoring device has a chassis or a housing which is preferably designed to be essentially closed. Drive means, which are preferably arranged on the outside, can be arranged on the chassis or housing. These drive means carry the monitoring device or with these it stands on the hob surface. Drive means can advantageously be designed circumferentially, such as wheels, caterpillars or the like. A drive for such drive means is preferably arranged in the chassis or in the housing. Such a monitoring device is then designed essentially like a known vehicle. Steering can either be done by appropriately movable wheels, alternatively a complex steering mechanism can be dispensed with and a non-linear movement or rotation can be brought about by different drive of the wheels, for example at different speeds or even different running directions on both sides. The drive means are advantageously designed accordingly, particularly advantageously by means of different drives. For this purpose, for example, a separate drive can be provided for each wheel or each caterpillar, which is then controlled individually for a precisely predetermined movement. This is known per se from the prior art for small autonomous vehicles, in particular robotic vehicles.

Another possibility is a propeller or rotor as the drive means, in which case the monitoring device is an aircraft. It can advantageously be designed in the manner of a drone. It is very mobile and can also fly at different heights and determine its size by flying over a cooking vessel.

In a fundamentally alternative embodiment of the invention, the monitoring device can have a round housing which is in particular spherical. Drive means are provided within this housing, these drive means by a rotary and / or rolling movement of the housing itself relative to the hob surface and resting on the hob surface Move the monitoring device. The drive means can preferably be circumferential or rotate and rest against an inner surface of the housing. Thus, the housing of the monitoring device can move like a sphere or a ball itself, advantageously in any direction. Such a drive principle is known from DE 20 2015 002 763 U1 , to which reference is hereby made.

In this embodiment of the invention, the monitoring device advantageously has a main unit in the housing, on which the essential components of the monitoring device such as a drive or drive motors, control, sensor means and energy storage device are arranged. A center of gravity of this main unit is preferably lower than a geometric center point of the housing, in particular if it is spherical. The drive means can have lower drive wheels in a lower region of the main unit and upper drive wheels in an upper region, these drive wheels each resting on an inner surface of the housing at the top and bottom. The drive wheels are driven on at least one side, advantageously at the bottom. The spherical housing is then firmly mounted on the drive means of the main unit like a shell. If the drive means rotate accordingly, the main unit remains essentially the same aligned with respect to a vertical axis due to the low center of gravity, and a relative movement between the main unit and housing results in a rotation of the housing so that it rolls like a ball on the hob surface. However, this rolling movement is brought about and controlled by the main unit, also with regard to a possible direction. For this purpose, the above is again referred to DE 20 2015 002 763 U1 referenced. Under certain circumstances, the upper drive wheels can also be dispensed with in a simple embodiment of the invention. In this case, however, an upper support against the inner surface of the housing should be provided in the manner of a revolving wheel or the like, at least without great friction with respect to the inner surface. The main unit is firmly and stably mounted in the housing, whereby the friction between the necessary lower drive wheels and the inner surface of the housing can be increased to a sufficient level.

In a further embodiment of such a monitoring device, a type of attachment module can be provided on the outside of the housing, preferably in an area above a horizontal plane in which a geometric center point of the housing lies. This add-on module can be attached to the housing from the outside and rest against it, whereby it is held on the housing in a non-positive manner by magnetic force. In addition, it is held relative to the main unit in the housing in a position that is as constant as possible with only a slight positional deviation. The add-on module advantageously has magnetic holding means for corresponding counter magnetic holding means in the main unit. The distance between the two magnet holding means should be as low as possible for the greatest possible magnetic force between the two. The add-on module should rest on the outside of the housing with as little friction as possible and for this purpose can either have rotating rollers or wheels or balls. Alternatively, there can be sliding surfaces, sliding projections or the like. have that have as little friction as possible with the outside of the housing, for example consisting of PTFE. Even if the spherical housing rotates between the main unit and the add-on module, the add-on module will remain in its position opposite the counter-magnetic holding means on the main unit or only leave this position slightly or for a short time, only to take it up again immediately.

Such an attachment module can be used to accommodate at least one sensor means of the monitoring device. The advantage of this add-on module is that it is actually always arranged in the same position on the housing, for example on its top or at its maximum height. Thus, the sensor means can also have a free line of sight, so to speak, and, if necessary, look in all directions when rotating. It is of course also possible that an effective direction of a sensor means in this add-on module is determined by a movement of the monitoring device or the housing itself.

Furthermore, the add-on module can have a wireless communication device in order to communicate with communication means of the main unit and / or with the communication device of the hob control itself. It can of course also communicate with a communication device of the aforementioned mobile terminal of an operator. In some cases it can even be provided that the named main unit within the housing is only responsible for a corresponding movement of the monitoring device, possibly also for a targeted movement, or a position detection of the monitoring device can be taken over by the main unit. Sensor-based monitoring of processes on the hob surface or of cooking vessels on the hob surface is then taken over by the add-on module, which, so to speak, works independently within the movable monitoring device itself.

The add-on module or functional units within the add-on module, for example the aforementioned sensor means or a communication device, are supplied with energy either by their own built-in energy source, which can of course be advantageously charged. Alternatively, a contactless inductive energy transfer can be provided with corresponding inductive energy transfer means, if possible in the lower area of the add-on module and if possible in the area within the housing where the add-on module is held by magnetic force.

In general, it can be provided in the invention that a sensor means is designed for temperature detection, as has been addressed above and is basically known from the prior art. Contactless temperature detection by means of IR radiation or thermal radiation on the outside of a cooking vessel, that is to say its temperature-dependent radiation, is preferred. Alternatively, if the direction of action of the sensor means is downward or can be directed downward, a temperature of the hob surface itself can also be detected, for example for a known hot display of the hob. Furthermore, it is possible in this way to identify and avoid areas that are too hot for the monitoring device to run over. Such a sensor means for temperature detection should therefore have an effective direction at least partially to the side. This can either be to the side in a horizontal direction or be inclined at an angle upwards or downwards. As was explained at the outset, the sensor means itself or its effective direction can be pivoted between upwards and downwards in a particularly advantageous manner.

In a development of the invention it can be provided that an individual cooking vessel can be recognized. For this purpose, this can have an RFID transponder, for example, which is advantageously robust and attached to the cooking vessel in a practical manner for practical use of the cooking vessel. In order to be able to read out this RFID transponder easily and reliably, even over a customary short distance, the monitoring device can then have a corresponding RFID reader. If the monitoring device, as has also been explained above, is very close to a cooking vessel or bumps into such a cooking vessel, in particular near or even as close as possible to the RFID transponder, it can be ensured that the read-out RFID identifier actually closes belongs to the cooking vessel at this point. This individual recognition can be advantageous, for example, in the case of special cooking vessels that must not be confused with other cooking vessels during operation, for example because they are more sensitive or have to be operated differently.

Another further development of the invention can provide that cooking vessel classes or types of cooking vessels can be recognized and, above all, also differentiated. This can be recognized, for example, by a special outer material of a cooking vessel. Cooking vessels made of stainless steel, cast iron, enamelled cooking vessels or even, if these can be operated on the corresponding heating device, earthenware pots and glass pots can be recognized. Such a detection of an outer material of a cooking vessel is advantageously carried out via a spectrometer which is provided on or in the monitoring device. Such a spectrometer can be arranged similarly to the aforementioned optical sensor and can also be operated similarly. This is known per se for spectrometers and for the person skilled in the art also easy to implement here with a hob. Modern spectrometers are also made relatively small and can be operated easily. It is also advantageous for the use of such a spectrometer if the distance between the spectrometer and a surface to be examined, namely that of the cooking vessel, is relatively small. This makes the measurement predictably more accurate. Furthermore, disturbing influences or possible disturbances can be avoided as a further significant advantage.

In a possible further embodiment of the invention, the hob can have several identical monitoring devices on its hob surface. These monitoring devices are advantageously designed identically, which makes production easier. These monitoring devices can communicate with their communication devices with the hob control and / or with one another. Direct communication of the monitoring devices with one another has the advantage that it is just possible for the monitoring devices to organize themselves and work together, so to speak. In principle, it can thus be possible for the hob surface to be divided into partial areas, with one or precisely one monitoring device being provided for each partial area. However, this fixed division can be changed, either by the hob control or by the group of monitoring devices themselves, if, for example, a cooking vessel is placed on the hob surface in such a way that it significantly covers two partial areas. In order to determine the size of this cooking vessel, the monitoring devices must then carry out a measurement in each of the partial areas, so that the result of the determination becomes more precise. Here, however, either the two monitoring devices that are responsible for the two sub-areas can work together. Alternatively, one monitoring device can take over the main task, so that the other monitoring devices take a back seat here.

With regard to the method, it can be provided for the invention that the monitoring device searches the hob surface automatically or triggered by an operator for a cooking vessel that has been set up or for other processes or states that are relevant. For this purpose, the monitoring device can automatically move onto the hob surface after a start command. Alternatively, it can be provided that, when the hob is switched on, a first rough examination is started by the monitoring device as to whether there are any cooking vessels on the hob surface. From then on, continuous monitoring, which can also be triggered by events such as setting a power level for a hob on the hob or the start of actual operation of a heating device under the hob surface, can be used to identify what is happening on the hob surface or whether you have any Cooking vessels are set up.

A further example of a possible advantageous cooperation of several monitoring devices would be if a monitoring device is prevented from reaching a certain area where it should and wanted to measure something by means of set up cooking vessels or by hot areas of the hob surface. This task can then be given to another free monitoring device which, at least due to the detectable circumstances, should be able to get into this area. If this monitoring device does not succeed in a practical test either, then, if another monitoring device is available, it can be commissioned to do so.

In this regard, many advantageous control methods are possible and conceivable that are generally known from the field of robotics and robot control. Such a distribution of tasks among several monitoring devices can also be influenced by the fact that not every monitoring device performs or has to be able to perform every task, but specialization is possible. For example, it can also be provided that a monitoring device provided in the front area or responsible for the front area gives information to an operator, simply because he is closer to this operator or can also be seen better. Information can be displayed optically and / or acoustically. There are new options for both display options, as their origin is, so to speak, pulled out of the hob or has been brought up from under the hob surface. Thus, the hob surface, for example when it is a conventional hob plate made of glass ceramic, is no longer disruptive or can no longer falsify this information display.

Control elements on the monitoring device for an operator, in particular also in order to be able to operate functions not only of the monitoring device itself, but also of the hob, can advantageously be designed capacitively or designed as touch sensors. Such control elements can also advantageously be provided on an aforementioned add-on module, since this is located on top of the housing and is therefore easily visible and very easily accessible for operation. In addition or as an alternative, a display can also be provided here for general information or for information relating specifically to the monitoring device. Such a display can generally also bring about a projection onto a surface with a small projector, preferably an LED projector. A surface can be on the hob surface or on a surrounding worktop, or alternatively a vertical surface on a wall behind the hob.

Another possibility for an operation or an input can be a voice input. For this purpose, a microphone can be provided on the monitoring device, preferably on an aforementioned add-on module. The microphone can then be moved close to an operator, which makes speech recognition particularly easy.

These and other features emerge from the claims and also from the description and the drawings, the individual features being implemented individually or in combination in the form of subcombinations in one embodiment of the invention and in other areas and being advantageous and protectable per se Can represent designs for which protection is claimed here. The subdivision of the application into individual sections and subheadings does not limit the general validity of the statements made under these.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Kochfelds mit einer auf einer Kochfeldplatte aufgesetzten selbstfahrenden Überwachungseinrichtung,

Fig. 2 bis 4

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt eines Aufsatzes der Überwachungseinrichtung mit verschiedenen Anordnungen von Sensoren und verschiedenen Beweglichkeiten,

Fig. 5

eine grundsätzlich weitere Ausgestaltung einer Überwachungseinrichtung als selbstfahrende Kugel mit oben angeordnetem Aufsatz als Aufsatzmodul, das Sensormittel aufweist und

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf ein erfindungsgemäßes Kochfeld mit mehreren Kochgefäßen in einem Heizbereich, der in zwei Teilbereiche aufgetrennt ist, sowie zwei Überwachungseinrichtungen.

Embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and are explained in more detail below. In the drawings show:

Fig. 1

a schematic side view of a hob according to the invention with a self-propelled monitoring device placed on a hob plate,

Figs. 2 to 4

an enlarged section of an attachment of the monitoring device with different arrangements of sensors and different mobility,

Fig. 5

a fundamentally further embodiment of a monitoring device as a self-propelled ball with an attachment arranged at the top as an attachment module which has sensor means and

Fig. 6

a plan view of a hob according to the invention with several cooking vessels in a heating area that is divided into two sub-areas, and two monitoring devices.

Detailed description of the exemplary embodiments

In the Fig. 1 an inventive hob 11 is simplified from the side and shown schematically. The hob 11 has a conventional hob plate 12, advantageously made of glass ceramic, under which two induction heating coils 17a and 17b are arranged in a heating area not shown here. In practice this can be more, if necessary with a significantly smaller distance from one another. Furthermore, an operating device 18 is provided on the underside of the hob plate 12, as is known per se from the prior art and in the plan view of FIG Fig. 6 something is easier to see.

The induction heating coils 17a and 17b and the operating device 18 are connected to a hob control 20. On the one hand, this hob control 20 has so-called intelligence for the hob 11, in particular with at least one controller. Furthermore, the hob control 20 here also has a power supply for the induction heating coils 17. The hob control 20 is connected to the radio device 22, which can work according to any standard, in particular according to the WLAN standard or the Bluetooth or BLE standard. The radio device 22 can also be formed, for example, in a structural unit with the hob control 20, advantageously on the same printed circuit board.

Furthermore, two radio transmitters 24a and 24b are provided under the hob plate 12, advantageously attached to its underside. As explained at the beginning, these radio transmitters 24a and 24b can indeed be arranged at any point below the hob plate 12 and serve to determine the position. They are particularly preferred according to Fig. 6 arranged in the two rear corners. They can easily be used to determine the position clearly by measuring the distance.

A cooking vessel 26, here a pot filled with water, is placed on the hob plate 12 above the right induction heating coil 17b. It is now a matter of either recognizing the placement of the cooking vessel 26 or its exact location, possibly also its temperature. For this the monitoring device 30 is on the left in Fig. 1 intended. The monitoring device 30 is shown here as a type of car or vehicle with a housing 32 and four wheels 33 on it. The number of wheels 33 can also vary slightly, in particular there can also be only three wheels for better steering. The wheels 33 are driven by drive motors (not shown) and, in the absence of steering by adjustable drive wheels, can be driven with different drive powers and even drive directions so that the monitoring device 30 as a vehicle can be controlled back and forth as desired and in curves.

A controller 36 of the monitoring device 30 advantageously has a controller and is connected to an energy store 38 for the monitoring device 30. This is advantageously a rechargeable battery which can be charged via a charging coil 39 arranged on the underside of the housing 32. For this purpose, either a special charging coil can be provided under the hob plate 12 or in another base station. Alternatively, how from Fig. 1 it can be seen that the left induction heating coil 17a serves this purpose by appropriate design and control. The monitoring device 30 or its energy store 38 can be inductively charged at a given time by stopping over an induction heating coil.

The monitoring device 30 also has a radio module 40 connected to the controller 36. On the one hand, as explained at the beginning, this can communicate with the radio device 22 of the hob control 20 in the manner described at the beginning. Furthermore, the radio module 40 can also serve to communicate with a mobile terminal in the form of a tablet computer 65 shown here by means of its radio device 66, in particular via Bluetooth. In this way, information from the monitoring device 30 can also be given to the tablet computer 65 so that an operator can have this information displayed. Alternatively, the monitoring device 30 can also be influenced via this tablet computer 65, for example at least partial reprogramming.

The attachment 42 on the housing 32 of the monitoring device 30 is shown in FIG Fig. 1 designed to be rotatable. It can be invariable in height, so that sensor means arranged thereon only act at a certain height, but instead in every direction, that is to say practically in one plane. If this level is several centimeters above the hob plate 12, then this can be sufficient to identify cooking vessels such as the cooking vessel 26 that have been set up in any case. Such a configuration of the attachment 42 is shown in Fig. 2 shown. Here, a light transmitter 43 is provided on the side with light beams 46 shown in dashed lines, which run approximately in a horizontal plane. Reflected light rays 46 fall on the light receiver 44 arranged below. An optical system 45 can be provided in a manner known per se. For example, a photoelectric reflex switch explained at the outset can be set up in order to detect the presence of a cooking vessel on the hob plate 12 and, if necessary, also the distance to it. This can be done simply by measuring the transit time, as is known for photoelectric retro-reflective sensors. An evaluation can take place in the controller 36 of the monitoring device 30.

The controller 36 can also use the radio module 40 and the two radio transmitters 24a and 24b to determine the position on the hob plate 12 by determining the distance to these radio transmitters 24a and 24b. This is technically not very difficult. If the radio transmitter 24 in, for example, the two rear corner areas according to Fig. 6 have been set, the position of the monitoring device can easily and clearly be determined from the distance between the monitoring device 30 and these two radio transmitters 24. The two rear corner areas are very suitable for this.

Furthermore, the controller 36 can also contain a movement sensor, which was explained at the beginning and which, taken by itself, detects any movement and can determine a movement path therefrom. It can also align the direction of rotation of the monitoring device 30 take place so that it always knows in which direction it is oriented. This is important for the alignment of the sensor means. For this purpose, only their alignment with the monitoring device 30 itself or with its housing 32 needs to be known.

In the Fig. 3 a somewhat more complex attachment 142 for the monitoring device is shown. Here, a light transmitter 143 and a light receiver 144 do not point directly in the direction in which an expected cooking vessel is placed, but upwards. A MEMS mirror 145 is arranged above this as a type of optics for the light beams 146, with which they can easily be deflected vertically and advantageously horizontally within a certain angular range. Such a use of such a MEMS mirror is for a similar purpose from the European patent application with application number EP 17168739.5 with the filing date of April 28, 2017 by the same applicant, to which reference is hereby expressly made. In this way, a deflection or control of the light beams 146 can be achieved relatively easily in a direction that is not completely arbitrary, but in a varying direction with sufficient practicality.

Instead of a photoelectric reflex switch, only one light receiver 44 can be provided as sensor means, which is an IR sensor. So can, as from the aforementioned EP 845 922 A2 is known, a temperature of a cooking vessel 26 can be detected by its heat radiation on an outside. Such a temperature measurement was explained at the beginning. Yet another alternative is the use of ultrasound with an ultrasound transmitter and an ultrasound receiver. This is also possible in combination with a named MEMS system. In a similar form, an aforementioned spectrometer could also be arranged on a monitoring device.

Furthermore, the same applies to the attachment 42 Fig. 2 also easy to imagine that this can be rotated about a vertical axis of rotation. Thus, when the monitoring device 30 is at a standstill, regardless of its orientation, a certain surface area can either be searched for a cooking vessel at all or the temperature of a recognized and known cooking vessel can be recorded. As an extension, it is possible to design such a rotation axis not vertically, but at an angle to the vertical axis. Then both the lateral direction and the height direction of a detection of the sensor means can be varied. If the alignment of the monitoring device 30 is variable and at the same time known, a large area can also be monitored with sensor means.

In the Fig. 4 a simple design for a monitoring device 230 can be seen in partial representation, an attachment 242 being adjustable in height in the housing 232 here. At a On the side of the attachment 242, an elongated toothed rail 248 is attached, which can be adjusted in height by means of a driven gear 249. The height of the sensor means or light transmitter and light receiver behind the optics 245 shown here can thus be easily adjusted. Such a vertical method of the sensor means is from the aforementioned EP 845 922 A2 known in principle.

In the Fig. 5 a further advantageous embodiment of a monitoring device 330 for a hob is shown, the housing 332 of which is spherical. For the structural design, reference is also made to the aforementioned DE 20 2015 002 763 U1 pointed out.

The spherical monitoring device 330 rests directly on the top of the hob plate 312 of the hob 311. A main unit 331, on which essential parts of the monitoring device 330 are arranged, is arranged within the spherical housing 332. Friction wheels 335 are provided at the bottom of the main unit 331, advantageously rubber-coated on the outside, so that they lie well against an inner surface of the spherical housing 332 and have as little slip as possible. For an advantageous, firm pressing, an arm 351a protrudes upwards from the main unit 331, at the upper end of which a non-driven slide wheel 352 is arranged, which rests against the inner surface of the housing 332. This concern can be somewhat flexible or resilient, which in any case ensures that the friction wheels 335 a and 335 b are pressed against the inner surface of the housing 332.

The friction wheels 335a and 335b are each driven by a drive motor 334a and 334b and can be driven individually. If four of these friction wheels 335 are provided on the main unit 331, similar to the wheels 33 on the housing 32 of the monitoring device 30 according to Fig. 1 , and each of these wheels 335 can be driven individually and at will, but at least those arranged on one side, so it is easy to imagine that the main unit 331 can move within the spherical housing 332 in virtually any direction and thus the housing 332 itself can roll brings, whereby the entire monitor 330 moves. This is known from the aforementioned prior art. For this purpose, a center of gravity of the main unit 331 (not shown here) is arranged significantly lower than a geometric center point of the spherical housing 332, so that the main unit 331 essentially always has a corresponding vertical alignment Fig. 5 tried to stay.

The main unit 331 has a controller 336 and an energy store 338 including a charging coil 339 at the very bottom. The control 336 is connected to a radio module 340, which has the functions described above and can communicate both with a control of a hob and with an external device such as the tablet computer according to Fig. 1 . For inductive charging of the energy store 338, the monitoring device 330 is also run via an induction heating coil 317, so that the charging coil 339 can charge the energy store 338 in cooperation with the induction heating coil 317 in a known manner. Alternatively, a separate charging coil can be provided elsewhere under the hob surface.

A holding magnet 354 is provided at the top of said arm 351a and lies just below the inner surface of the housing 332. In addition, a transmitter 356 is provided, which is connected to the controller 336. Opposite the holding magnet 354, an attachment module 342 is placed on the outside of the housing 332 and rests against it, with several sliding projections 353 on its underside, advantageously made of a material that slides very well, such as PTFE. It has a counter magnet 355 in the lower area, which attracts with the holding magnet 354. In this way, the add-on module 342 is held on the housing 332 in a manner known from the aforementioned prior art, even if the monitoring device 330 moves or the housing 332 rotates. It then rotates, so to speak, between the main unit 331 and the add-on module 342.

Opposite the lower transmitter 356, an upper transmitter 357 is arranged in the add-on module 342, which is connected to a light transmitter 343 and a light receiver 344. These work by means of the light beams 346 as the previously described photoelectric reflex switch. However, other sensor means can also be provided, for example an IR temperature sensor, a radar sensor or the like. The transmitters work advantageously inductively and can either transmit the respective signals or energy to a control system, not shown here, including energy storage device.

Holding magnet 354 and counter magnet 355 are advantageously designed in such a way that not only do they remain exactly opposite one another even when the housing 332 is rotating, but their alignment with one another also remains the same. For example, a direction of the light beams 346 can always be parallel to a direction of travel for the main unit 331 or its friction wheels 335. The alignment of these light beams 346 and thus also the alignment of the sensor means in the attachment module 342 is therefore always known for an exact function, in particular a exact temperature measurement and exact position detection for cooking vessels.

A type of operating device or at least one operating element can be provided on a second arm 351b of the main unit 331. The housing 332 does not have to be transparent for this purpose, but advantageously has to be transparent in such a way that it lets light through from the inside when it is transilluminated, that is to say it is translucent. These are at the top of the arm 351b Light guides 359 are provided in the form of a ring, which are illuminated by LEDs 360 connected to the controller 336. This luminous phenomenon can be seen through the housing 332, so that an operator knows from the luminous phenomenon that an operation is possible at this point. A capacitive sensor 362, which is also connected to the controller 336, is provided for this purpose. He can recognize the placement of a finger 364 in a known manner, as can other touch sensors of capacitive design in hobs. The monitoring device 330 can thus be switched on or off, for example. Alternatively, predefined, defined operating commands can be entered by confirming. In a further embodiment of the invention, several such operating elements can also be provided on the monitoring device 330.

The control 336 can transmit corresponding operating commands and also the information from the sensor means or the light receiver 344 to a control of the hob by means of the radio module 340. In this way, for example, position information from the monitoring device 330 can also be sent, and this information is then processed by the control of the hob to form an overall image.

A monitoring device 330 accordingly Fig. 5 has the advantage that it can be designed to be watertight and is thus insensitive to steam and escaping liquid during a cooking process on a hob. It can also be very robust as a result.

Further sensor means can be provided on the monitoring device 330, for example also simple optical temperature sensors which are oriented downwards and forwards and operate at a distance of a few cm. This enables the monitoring device to recognize when there is a risk of driving into an area of the hob plate that is too hot, in which even a brief drive over could damage the monitoring device.

In the plan view of a hob 11 according to Fig. 6 it can be seen that a heating area 13 is provided on the hob plate 12, which is shown in dashed lines. The heating area 13 takes up most of the surface of the hob plate 12, as is known per se. An operating device 18 or operating elements 18 ′ and a large display 19 can be provided in an area in front of it. Show. Alternatively, the positions of recognized cooking vessels or other information can be displayed. Fully graphics-capable displays with backlighting can also be used for this.

The heating area 13 is divided by means of a dotted partition 14 into a rear part area 15a and a front part area 15b. The subregions 15a and 15b are approximately the same size. A first cooking vessel 26a is placed on the left behind the partition 14. A cooking vessel 26b is placed in the middle relatively far to the front in the front partial area 15b, and a cooking vessel 26c is placed on the right almost in the center of the partition 14.

The purpose of dividing the heating area 13 into two sub-areas 15a and 15d is that a separate monitoring device 30a is provided for the rear sub-area 15a and an identical front monitoring device 30b for the front sub-area 15b. Possible routes for the monitoring device 30b are also indicated by dashed lines. It can be provided that each monitoring device 30a and 30b is exclusively responsible for its sub-area 15a and 15b. This would mean that the monitoring device 30a detects the cooking vessel 26a in the sub-area 15a with regard to its exact position and size. With regard to the cooking vessel 26c, it can indeed see that at least part of a cooking vessel is in its partial area 15a. At the same time, it can be seen that the cooking vessel 26c is not completely in the partial area 15a. Thus, there is a type of conflict here, which the two monitoring devices 30 must resolve. As is known from the prior art for such methods with several robots, what is known as teaming can take place according to various specifications. For this, reference is made to the keyword "Multi-robot adversial coverage". It can be provided here, for example, that the monitoring device 30a is already on the cooking vessel 26c before the monitoring device 30b has reached it. The responsibility for the cooking vessel 26c can thus be transferred to the monitoring device 30a, both with regard to the position and size of the cooking vessel 26c and, for example, with regard to the detection of its temperature.

On the basis of similar considerations, it can then be provided that the monitoring device 30b detects the cooking vessel 26a that is close to it and determines its size and position precisely, also with regard to its temperature monitoring. Furthermore, it could be provided if one of the monitoring devices 30, advantageously the monitoring device 30b, has detected the size and position of the cooking vessel 26b and has given a control of the hob 11 that this control then knows that everything on the hob plate 12 or Cooking vessels 26 placed in the heating area 13 are recognized. For permanent temperature monitoring of all cooking vessels that may then be desired, the controller could command the monitoring devices 30a and 30b that one of the two, advantageously the monitoring device 30a, monitors the two cooking vessels 26b and 26c that are closer to one another. It can even stop at one point if it has sensor means that are adjustable or pivotable to the left and to the right having. The somewhat more distant cooking vessel 26a can then be monitored by the monitoring device 30b alone, since it is not suitable, due to its distance from the other two, to be permanently monitored by a single monitoring device together with one of the other two cooking vessels.

Furthermore, on the monitoring device, for example at the monitoring device 30, accordingly Fig. 1 , further functional units may be provided. These can be cleaning agents in the form of a downward-facing brush, for example. This can for example be raised and lowered by a motor. With it, the monitoring device can clean the hob plate by driving over a soiled area, for example by driving over it several times.

Claims (15)

1. System composed of cooktop (11, 311) and monitoring device (30, 230, 330), the cooktop comprising:

   - a cooktop surface (12, 312),

   - at least one heating device (17, 317) under the cooktop surface,

   - a cooktop control (20), wherein the monitoring device (30, 230, 330) includes:

   - an energy store (38, 338) of its own,

   - sensor means (43, 44, 45, 143, 144, 145, 243, 244, 245, 343, 344), in order to detect a cooking vessel (26) placed on the cooktop surface and/or its temperature and/or its size,

   - a communication device (40, 340) for communication with an operator and/or the cooktop control (20), wherein in the second case the cooktop control has a corresponding communication device (22), a drive device (33, 334, 335), with which the monitoring device is self-propelled,

   characterized in that
   the monitoring device:

   - is freely movable and self-propelled,

   - is not fixedly connected to the cooktop surface (12, 312) and removable from it,

   - is designed to move freely on the cooktop surface,

   - has a control (36, 336) of its own,

   - has at least one position sensor (24a, 24b) for determining a position and/or a change in position of the monitoring device on the cooktop surface.
2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor means (143, 144, 145, 243, 244, 245, 343, 344) are movably arranged on the monitoring device (30, 230, 330) in such a way that their height above the cooktop surface (12, 312) and/or an angular alignment of an effective direction of the sensor means in relation to the plane of the cooktop surface can be changed, wherein in particular at least one sensor means (143, 144, 145) is constant in its height above the cooktop surface and its angular alignment or its effective direction in relation to the plane of the cooktop surface can be changed by rotating or pivoting of the sensor means itself or its effective direction.
3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sensor means (43, 44, 45, 143, 144, 145, 243, 244, 245, 343, 344) have an optical sensor (44, 144, 244, 344), in particular as a photosensor for visible and/or invisible light, wherein preferably in the case of an optical sensor for invisible light a reflection light barrier with a corresponding light transmitter (43, 143, 243, 343) is provided in the monitoring device (30, 230, 330), wherein the optical sensor is the light receiver for the reflection light barrier.
4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the position sensor (24a, 24b) interacts with determination means (40, 340), which are provided on the cooktop (11, 311) or under the cooktop surface (12, 312), wherein preferably the determination means are designed to be active, in particular as a transmitter (40, 340), and for this purpose transmit a signal from a transmission source in point form, wherein preferably at least two of these transmitters are provided on the cooktop.
5. System according to claim 4, characterized in that the determination means are passive as optically or mechanically detectable markings on the cooktop surface, preferably on top of the cooktop surface, wherein detection means are provided in the monitoring device as a position sensor for detecting the markings, in particular downwardly directed detection means for detecting a marking when the monitoring device is located above it.
6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device has a movement sensor, which sensor is designed in such a way that it senses a movement of the monitoring device in any desired direction, in particular also a rotation, and detects a path of movement of the monitoring device, and/or in that the monitoring device has a sensor means which is designed to detect and evaluate a driving power and/or a driving movement of a drive motor of the drive device.
7. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy store of the monitoring device (30, 230, 330) is a chargeable storage battery (38, 338), wherein in particular the monitoring device has a charging device (39, 339) for the energy store, which is designed for inductive charging, preferably by means of an induction coil (17a) installed in the cooktop (11, 311) underneath the cooktop surface (12, 312), wherein for this purpose the monitoring device moves over this induction coil.
8. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device (30, 230) has a chassis or a housing (32) and arranged thereon drive means which carry the monitoring device, in particular rotary drive means such as wheels (33), crawlers or the like, wherein in particular the drive means are designed so as to be driven with different intensities and/or with different numbers of revolutions and/or in different rotational directions for allowing the monitoring device to be controllable on the cooktop surface (12).
9. System according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the monitoring device (330) has a round, in particular spherically round, housing (332) and has drive means (334, 335) within this housing, which bring about a movement of the monitoring device by a rotating and/or rolling movement of the housing itself in relation to the cooktop surface (312), and while resting on it, wherein preferably the drive means are rotary or rotating and lie against an inner surface of the housing, wherein in particular the monitoring device has in the housing a main unit (331), on which components of the monitoring device, such as a drive, control (336), sensor means (343, 344) and energy store, are arranged, wherein a centre of gravity of the main unit lies lower than a geometrical centre point of the housing, wherein the drive means have lower drive wheels (335) in a lower region of the main unit and upper drive wheels (352) in an upper region, these drive wheels lying against an inner surface of the housing.
10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the monitoring device (330) has on the outside of the housing (332), preferably in a region above a horizontal plane in which a geometrical centre point of the housing lies, an attachment module (342) which is attached to the housing from the outside and lies against it and is held in a force-fitting manner by magnetic force in relation to the main unit (331) in the housing, wherein the attachment module has magnetic holding means (355) for corresponding counter magnetic holding means (354) on the main unit, wherein preferably the attachment module has at least one sensor means (343, 344) of the monitoring device and a wireless communication device (357) with respect to the communication means (356) of the main unit and/or a communication device of the cooktop control.
11. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a sensor means is designed for temperature sensing, in particular for contactless temperature sensing by means of IR radiation on the outside of a cooking vessel (26), wherein preferably the sensor means for temperature sensing has an effective direction to the side.
12. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device (30, 230, 330) has operator control elements (362) and/or an indicator.
13. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that there are arranged on the cooktop surface (12) a number of the same monitoring devices (30a, 30b), which communicate by their communication devices (40) with the cooktop control (20) and/or with one another, wherein preferably the cooktop surface is divided into subregions (15a, 15b) and a monitoring device is provided for each subregion.
14. Method for operating a system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring device (30, 230, 330) of its own accord or at the initiation of an operator searches the cooktop surface (12, 312) for a placed-on cooking vessel (26), wherein preferably for this purpose the monitoring device travels of its own accord on the cooktop surface.
15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that, in the search for a cooking vessel (26a-c) placed onto the cooktop surface (12), the at least two monitoring devices (30a, 30b) of the system according to claim 13 divide the cooktop surface among themselves and each monitoring device searches a subregion (15a, 15b) of the cooktop surface, wherein in particular the subregions are of the same size.

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