EP3705782A1 - Cooking hob and method for operating a cooking hob with multiple points - Google Patents

Abstract

To operate a hob with several hotplates, for which a maximum power consumption is provided as a power limit and a maximum power corresponding to this power limit can be divided between several hotplates, a display device is provided for each hotplate, on which a currently set power level can be displayed as a power indicator. For each hotplate, the set power is always displayed on the associated power display and the maximum available and selectable power is always displayed, the setting for which the power limit is still maintained for this hotplate. After setting a possible power for a hotplate, it is displayed for each hotplate which power is still available for this hotplate until the power limit is reached. The power available at each hotplate can be seen immediately.

Description

Field of application and state of the art

The invention relates to a method for operating a hob with a plurality of hotplates and a correspondingly designed hob that is designed to carry out this method.

Various methods for displaying the power on a hob are known in the prior art, for example from US Pat DE 10 2004 044 355 A1 , of the DE 10 2011 006 274 A1 such as DE 10 2016 223 848 A1 . As a result, an operator can be shown, possibly in different ways, to which power or power level a hotplate is currently set. On the basis of this power display, the operator can check whether the power or power level corresponds to the desired state.

Task and solution

The invention is based on the object of creating a method mentioned at the beginning and a hob mentioned at the beginning with which problems of the prior art can be avoided and in particular it is possible to display additional information to an operator.

This object is achieved by a method with the features of claim 1 and by a hob with the features of claim 12, which is designed to carry out this method. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are contained in the further claims and are explained in more detail below. Some of the features are only mentioned for the process or only for the hob. However, they should be able to apply independently and independently of one another both to the method and to the hob. The wording of the claims is made part of the content of the description by express reference.

For the hob it is provided that either the entire hob has a maximum power consumption. Alternatively, the maximum power consumption can only apply to part of the hob that is connected to one phase of a power grid in the house, for example one left and one right half. This maximum power consumption represents a power limit that depends, for example, on the power provided by a power supply through the power grid in the house. This is explained in more detail below explained. This power limit as maximum power consumption must be sufficient for the operation of the entire hob, even if, for example, several hotplates are to be operated. A corresponding method for an induction hob is known from EP 2 100 478 A1 , also there a power limit for several inductively operated hotplates must be dealt with together.

Since this mentioned power limit is available for the hob, a maximum of one power corresponding to this power limit can be divided between several hobs. Depending on the level of this power limit and the power consumption, in particular a maximum power consumption, of the individual hotplates, they can partially be operated with their maximum individual power, for example even two of them. Any power remaining until the power limit is reached can then be divided between the other hotplates. How this is done exactly and which priority is possibly assigned or used here is irrelevant for the present invention. The point here is how such available services can be displayed to an operator in order to simplify the selection of a capacity or capacity level for a hotplate that is possible in view of the capacity limit.

A display device is provided for each hotplate in order to display a currently set power, which can also be a power level, as a power display or which can be displayed there. This is used to provide information to an operator about the specific power or power level that prevails at a hotplate. This can also be used to decide whether the power or power level can be increased. For this purpose, the set power is always displayed for each hotplate on the associated power display. This can be done in a manner known per se. On the one hand, it is possible to provide a separate and separate display device for each hotplate. On the other hand, a common display device can also be provided for several or for all hotplates, for example a large display, advantageously a so-called full graphic display as a type of screen.

According to the invention, the maximum available and selectable power is always displayed for each hotplate, the aforementioned power limit of the hob still being adhered to if this maximum available and selectable power were set for this hotplate. This information is displayed to the operator in addition to the aforementioned power display of the currently set power or power level. After setting a possible power for a hotplate, it is displayed for this hotplate as well as for each of the other hotplates, in particular on the respective associated power display which The maximum power is available until the power limit is reached. This means that this display of the maximum available and selectable power for each hotplate can always change when a power on a hotplate is changed. It is irrelevant whether the power on one hotplate is increased or decreased because in the vast majority of cases the power reserve or the power available or selectable for the other hotplates will then change.

It is thus possible according to the invention to display to an operator the available power for each hotplate, which can be set and also provided to a maximum. This enables targeted operation. In particular, possible frustration for an operator can be avoided if he or she selects a specific power setting for a specific hotplate, with this power not being able to be set at the hotplate due to the maximum available power or power limit for the entire hob. Due to the permanent or dynamic adaptation of the display of the maximum power available for each hotplate until the power limit is reached, an operator does not necessarily see the underlying dependencies, but can always see exactly how much power is still available at which hotplate. A higher power than this displayed power simply cannot be set for this hotplate.

Advantageously, every time the power setting has been changed on any hotplate, that is, the power has been increased or decreased, a check is carried out to determine whether the maximum power available for one or each of the other hotplates until the power limit was reached has changed. This can be checked preferably at every hotplate. In such a check, if, for example, on a hob with a total of four hotplates, one hotplate with high power and another hotplate with low power are operated, with the other two hotplates not being operated at all, it is clear that then probably for all hotplates except for hotplate operated with high power would still have the maximum permissible power available for this hotplate. Of course, this does not work for each of these hotplates, but only for one of them, so to speak. An operator can thus see the picture that if there is still sufficient power until the maximum available power limit is reached, it is indicated for all hotplates that they can be operated with their maximum power or that the maximum power could be set. However, if this is actually done for one of the hotplates, it may well be that the power limit has been approached so far that, for example, only half the maximum power is available for a third hotplate or for each of the two remaining hotplates . Then it is shown on the power display for them that only about half the maximum power would be available. In this way, however, an operator also knows immediately and at a glance that more than half the maximum power permitted for this hotplate is not available and therefore cannot be set.

It can preferably be provided that with each change of a power setting on a hotplate, the light indicator of the maximum power available for each of the other hotplates until the power limit is reached changes. The power still available for each hotplate is thus displayed by means of its light indicator. A power display can advantageously be provided for each hotplate, which can, so to speak, display two pieces of information at the same time. On the one hand, this is a currently set power or power level, whereby in practice the power is preferably displayed as a power level. Usually these power levels go from 0 to 9 with a single-digit power display, i.e. from no power to maximum power. With a two-digit performance indicator, this can go even higher. For example, a display device can generally have at least one luminous digit displayed as a luminous display, in particular to display the currently set power. It can also be two digits. Such a power display of the currently set power or power level has largely become established and is very good and very intuitive to understand.

There are at least two options for displaying the power that is still available. According to a first basic possibility, the display device can also have a further digit or a pair of digits on the illuminated display in order to be able to display the maximum power available until the power limit is reached. So that this number display can then be distinguished from the other number display for the currently set power, it is recommended, for example, to make the number display for the currently set power in a first brighter mode. The numerical display for the maximum available power can then take place in a second mode or the digits can be illuminated in a second mode which is darker than the aforementioned first mode. Alternatively, a representation can also be smaller, that is to say with a reduced size, or be of a different color or flashing.

A second basic possibility is that the display device also has a segment display with a number of segments that can be displayed in a luminous manner. These are also known as bar graphs. These luminously displayable segments are arranged in a line, particularly advantageously as a straight line. It is advantageous between 1 and 20 segments, particularly advantageously between 7 and 10 segments. So they again correspond to a single-digit number display, as it was explained above. The currently set Power can be indicated by a corresponding number of segments illuminated in a first mode. The first mode, as explained above, is a light mode. The number of brightly lit segments in the first mode corresponds to the power level set on this hotplate. Here, an aforementioned numerical display can also be provided, advantageously a single-digit numerical display which, so to speak, shows the same information again directly as a number. The maximum power available for this hotplate until the power limit is reached can be displayed in that, in addition to the segments illuminated in the first mode, those additional segments are illuminated in a second mode that show the maximum power available until the power limit is reached. For example, if the segment display has nine segments corresponding to power levels 0 or 1 to 9, and power level 5 is set for this hotplate, then five segments, advantageously starting from the left, light up brightly in the first mode. If the maximum available power is a power level 7, then two further segments, which connect to the brightly illuminated segments, can be weakly illuminated in the second mode as explained above. An operator sees that this hotplate is currently being operated with power level 5 and could be operated with power level 7 at most. Especially when the currently set power is also displayed with the number 7 as a light indicator, an operator can very quickly and instinctively grasp the currently set power and the maximum available power and also visually compare or relate it, so to speak. This results in a very advantageous and convenient operation of the hob.

It is in principle also conceivable that the second mode is brighter than the first mode. However, it is more practicable as it has been described above, since for an operator the power actually set is of course more important than a power still available.

Different known signaling means can be provided for signaling to an operator that a power exceeding a power limit cannot be set. These can be acoustical and / or optical; in particular, signal tones or beeps are considered practical.

Furthermore, with the segment display, it can be provided that those segments, in particular with each illuminated display, which are not illuminated in the first mode and also not in the second mode, are not illuminated at all. Then maximum differentiability can be achieved for quick and instinctive operation.

In an embodiment of the invention, operating elements are integrated into the display device, so that it can be viewed as a full-fledged operating device. The operating elements can in principle be designed in any way for the invention. They are advantageously designed as touch switches or have touch sensors, particularly advantageously capacitive touch sensors or sensor elements. These can even be arranged under the aforementioned segment display so that a finger can be placed on one of the segments for operation, and the touch sensor registers this and triggers the operating function.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the power limit depends only on the total maximum power available for the hob, that is, the power limit, as was explained at the beginning. Boundary conditions at the individual hotplates, for example an individual maximum adjustable power, do not play a role. In this respect, a power display of both the currently set power and a maximum available power is best done in the usual power levels, which, as is known, do not have to be proportionally divided.

For example, with a single-phase connection of a hob with a mains voltage of 230 V in Germany, only a total of 3.7 kW of power can be distributed to the individual hotplates, minus a small amount of power that a display device of the hob plus an associated control unit needs for its operation . It can be seen from this that the maximum available power for a hob with four burners is relatively limited. Even with a conventional two-phase connection of the hob, the total output of 7.4 kW with four burners or even six burners is by far not sufficient to operate all the burners with their maximum permissible output. A display of the respectively available maximum power or, so to speak, distributable residual power means a considerable gain in comfort for an operator.

According to the invention, a display device is then provided for a hob, which can indeed display performance, so to speak. However, the aforementioned segment display is very advantageous here, since it could also offer the desired display function in isolation and is therefore more suitable than a numeric display alone.

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 sub-combinations 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 registration in sub-headings and individual sections do not limit the general validity of the statements made under these.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf ein erfindungsgemäßes Kochfeld in sehr einfacher Darstellung,

Fig. 2

eine Vergrößerung einer der Anzeigevorrichtungen des Kochfelds aus Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 bis 6

vier unterschiedliche Darstellungsarten, wie die vier Anzeigevorrichtungen des Kochfelds aus Fig. 1 erfindungsgemäß betrieben werden können.

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

Fig. 1

a plan view of a hob according to the invention in a very simple illustration,

Fig. 2

an enlargement of one of the display devices of the hob Fig. 1 ,

Figures 3 to 6

four different display types, such as the four display devices on the hob Fig. 1 can be operated according to the invention.

Detailed description of the exemplary embodiments

In the Fig. 1 is a plan view of a simplified illustrated hob 11 according to the invention. The hob 11 has a conventional hob plate 12 on which four hotplates 14a to 14d are provided. Each of the hotplates 14a to 14d is formed by its own heating device, which can be radiant heating devices or induction heating devices. The hotplate 14c is very large and has significantly more power than the others, for example at least 50% more. The hotplate 14b is slightly larger than the hotplates 14a and 14d. It can be about 2cm larger in diameter and 30% more powerful. To the right of the hob is a connection cable 13, which can be symbolically plugged into a conventional socket and is intended to illustrate that a certain power limit is provided for the hob, which comes from the normal house connection. A maximum power consumption of the hob 11 with a mains voltage of 230 V and a fuse protection of 16 A can be around 3.7 kW. If one subtracts about 100 W as the power requirement for controlling the hob 11, then 3.6 kW of heating power can be generated on the hob 11 or are available. Alternatively, an electrical connection of the hob 11 could also be provided to two phases of a three-phase connection in a household, then the maximum power consumption or the power limit is doubled. The maximum power consumption is then provided for each phase, as explained at the beginning.

The hob 11 has a power limit of 3.6 kW here. A higher power consumption for the hotplates 14a to 14d must not permit control of the hob here.

In the front area, the hob 11 has an ON switch 16 and four display devices 17a to 17d. As can be seen from their arrangement, each of the display devices 17a to 17d is clearly and permanently assigned to exactly one hotplate 14a to 14d. The display device 17a is assigned to the hotplate 14a and so on.

An enlarged illustration of a display device 17 is shown in FIG Fig. 2 shown. The display device 17 is used not only for the pure display of information or as a power display, for which purpose the numerical display 19 with the two digits 21a and 21b is provided, which is designed here as a seven-segment display. Each digit 21a and 21b is thus formed by seven luminous segments 22 in the usual way. The display device 17 also has a segment display 25 below the numeric display 19 with nine segments 26a to 26i arranged in a straight line. These each have exactly the same width, but different heights or they are designed in the manner of a trapezoid so that they increase slightly overall. The segments 26a to 26i can also be made to light up individually or be shown illuminated, similar to the light segments 22 of the numeric display 19. A separate LED is provided for each segment 26a to 26i. As shown in dashed lines, a conventional, known touch sensor 28, advantageously a capacitive touch sensor of a correspondingly designed touch switch device, is arranged under each segment 26. This is known to the person skilled in the art, including for so-called sliders, that is to say touch strips, corresponding to the segment display 25. For this, reference is made to the DE 10 2009 049 559 A1 , the DE 10 2005 018 298 A1 or the DE 10 2016 223 848 A1 . These touch sensors 28 form, so to speak, an operating device or assume the operating function within the display device 17, so that the display device 17 can be used to achieve the functions of the display or illuminated display and the operation. The segment display 25 is also operated as a slider by means of the touch sensors 28 as is known from the prior art. If a finger is placed on one of the segments 26a to 26i over a corresponding touch sensor 28, this is understood as an operation to set a power or power level from 1 to 9 corresponding to this segment 26.

In the Fig. 3 it is now shown how the four display devices 17a to 17d look like when the power level 5 has been set for the left rear hotplate 14a on the corresponding display device 17a. On the numeric display 19 of the display device 17a power level 5 is indicated by the right digit. This is advantageously done in a luminous or bright manner, as is illustrated by the corresponding dense hatching. Furthermore, this power level 5 is shown on the segment display 25 in that the first five segments 26a to 26e light up brightly. This is also shown by dense hatching. If only these five segments were to light up, starting from the left, it would be an illuminated display according to the prior art. According to the invention, however, the power consumption of the hotplate 14a at power level 5 is such that it is still far below the aforementioned power limit, for example 1 kW. The remaining four segments 26 also light up, but clearly weaker or less, as is illustrated by the weak hatching. The dense hatching of the five left segments 26 corresponds to a first light mode, as was explained at the beginning. The weak hatching of the right four segments 26 corresponds to a weakly illuminated second mode. These two modes are easy to distinguish, and so it can be seen quickly for the display device 17a and thus for the hotplate 14a that the power level 5 has been set, but that the maximum power or the highest power level 9 could also be set within the aforementioned Performance limit.

The slightly larger hotplate 14b at the rear right could also be operated with full power or maximum power level 9, but is currently not activated. Thus, the numeric display 19 is dark, but the nine segments 26 of the segment display 25 are weakly illuminated in the second mode, as is made clear by the weak hatching. The same applies to the display device 17d of the front right hotplate 14d, which corresponds to the hotplate 14a in terms of its output. It could also be operated at full power, in addition to operating the hotplate 14a with power level 5.

Something different only applies to the front left hotplate 14c, which can be designed for a significantly higher power, for example about 3 kW at a maximum power level 9. Since this 3 kW at the power limit of 3.6 kW and a power consumption of 1 kW the hotplate 14a are obviously not available, the weak lighting in the second mode is only shown for the first eight segments for the hotplate 14c that is not in operation on the segment display 25. The ninth segment on the far right is not illuminated at all in order to indicate to the operator that the hotplate 14c can only be operated up to a maximum of power level 8. However, this "8" is not displayed separately.

The operation of the hotplate 14c with the power level 8 is in Fig. 4 shown. No change whatsoever has occurred on the hotplate 14a including the display device 17a, apart from the one caused by the operation of the hotplate 14c at power level 8, as is the case on the display device 17c is displayed, there is virtually no power reserve left. For this reason, no power reserve is displayed for the hotplate 14a on the display device 17a by correspondingly weakly illuminated segments; here, only the first five segments, starting from the left, continue to light up in the bright first mode.

It also applies to the two hotplates 14b and 14d that they cannot be operated at all because there is no longer any power reserve. Thus, neither their number displays nor their segment displays or segments are illuminated in any way, they remain completely dark.

In the Fig. 5 a further modification is shown based on the illustration of Fig. 3 , in which only one power level 4 has been set for the hotplate 14c on the touch sensors of the segment display. Thus, the numerical display 19 shows the number 4 there. Likewise, in the first mode, the first four segments 26 of the segment display 25 light up brightly, starting from the left, that is to say they are densely hatched. As from the Fig. 4 can be seen, the hotplate 14c could also be operated up to power level 8, which is why the next four segments are weakly illuminated in the second mode. Again, only the ninth segment is not illuminated at all because power level 9 is not available due to the maximum power limit.

Since, however, due to the lower power of the hotplate 14c compared to the Fig. 4 If some power reserve is still available, the hotplate 14a could also be operated up to power level 8. For this reason four further segments 25 are weakly illuminated in the second mode in order to indicate this power reserve.

The hotplate 14b could be operated up to a maximum of power level 4, which is why the first four segments 26 beginning on the left are weakly illuminated in the second mode. Since no power is set, the associated numeric display 19 remains dark or unlit.

The hotplate 14d at the front right is somewhat smaller than the hotplate 14b; it advantageously corresponds in size to the hotplate 14a; it could be operated up to power level 5 at most. Therefore, beginning on the left, the first five segments 26 in the second mode are also weakly illuminated and correspondingly weakly hatched. This numeric display also remains dark because no power is set.

In the Fig. 6 is based on the state of the Fig. 5 shows how a power level 2 has been set for the hotplate 14d from the right by means of the display device 17d. Therefore, beginning on the left, the first two segments 26 light up strongly in the first mode and are shown with dense hatching. Due to this additional power consumption of the hotplate 14d, the hotplate 14a can only be operated up to power level 7, which is why only two further light segments are weakly illuminated in the second mode as an indication of a power reserve. In a similar form, the display device 17c also shows that only three further segments 26 are weakly illuminated in the second mode. This means that a maximum of power level 7 can be set here.

A power level 2 is set for the hotplate 14d at the bottom right, which is why the first two segments 26, beginning on the left, are brightly illuminated in the first mode. Since this hotplate 14d accordingly Fig. 5 could be operated up to power level 5 at most, three more segments are now weakly illuminated in the second mode and shown correspondingly weakly hatched.

Since now compared to the Fig. 5 Even if some power goes to the hotplate 14d because of its set power level 2, even less power reserve remains for the hotplate 14b at the top right. It could now be operated with a maximum of power level 3, which is why the first three segments 26, beginning here on the left, are weakly illuminated in the second mode, represented by weak hatching.

It is thus clear from the illustrated exemplary embodiments, including the description, how the power set on each hotplate is always displayed on a power display. This is advantageously done on the one hand by a clear numerical display on which nothing other than the set power is displayed. In addition, a segment display is provided for each hotplate, on which the currently set power or power level is displayed. However, it is also used to display a maximum available power for this corresponding hotplate. It is important that the maximum available power for this hotplate is displayed here for each hotplate, but this can decrease or is not fully available if, for example, a power is set for another hotplate and this then also consumes power. The maximum available power for the hotplate mentioned then falls due to the power limit specified overall.

Claims (13)

Method for operating a hob with several hotplates, wherein: - A maximum power consumption is provided for the entire hob as a power limit, - a maximum of one output corresponding to this output limit can be divided between several hotplates, - A display device is provided for each hotplate, on which a currently set power or power level can be displayed as a power display, - the set power is always displayed for each hotplate on the associated power display,
characterized in that - the maximum available and selectable power is always displayed for each hotplate, the setting of which for this hotplate still adheres to the power limit, - After setting a possible power for a hotplate, both for this hotplate and for each of the other hotplates, it is displayed which power is still available for this hotplate until the power limit is reached. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that after each change to a power setting at any hotplate, preferably at each hotplate, it is checked whether the maximum available power for each of the other hotplates has changed until the power limit has been reached. Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that with each change in a power setting on a hotplate, the illuminated display of the maximum power available for each of the other hotplates until the power limit is reached changes. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a display device has at least one luminous digit for the currently set power, preferably two digits. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the display device also has a further digit or a further pair of digits to display the maximum power still available until the power limit is reached. Method according to Claim 5, characterized in that the further digits are illuminated in a second mode which is darker than a first mode in which the digits for the illuminated display of the currently set power are displayed. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the display device also has a segment display with a number of luminous displayable segments between 1 and 20, which are arranged in a line, preferably between 7 and 10, with the currently set power is displayed by a corresponding number of segments illuminated in a first mode, in particular corresponding to a power level to which the displayed digit corresponds, the maximum power still available until the power limit is reached being indicated by the fact that the further segments according to the are illuminated in a second mode until the maximum available power is reached. Method according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that in the illuminated display the digits or the segments are illuminated more brightly in the first mode than the digits or the segments in the second mode. Method according to one of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that those segments of each illuminated display which are not illuminated in the first mode and not in the second mode are not illuminated at all. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power limit only depends on the total maximum power available for the hob and not on boundary conditions at one of the hotplates. Method according to Claim 10, characterized in that the power limit also does not depend on boundary conditions on the hob itself, the power limit preferably depending on the power provided by a power supply through a power grid in the house. Hob designed to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has several hotplates and a display device for each of the hotplates, the display devices being designed to display a power or power level set for the associated hotplate as a power display. Hob according to claim 12, characterized in that the display device also has a segment display for each of the hotplates with a number of between 1 and 20 luminously displayable segments which are arranged in a line, preferably between 7 and 10 segments.

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