EP3728952B1 - Cooking appliance and method for operating same - Google Patents

Description

Background of the Invention

The invention relates to a cooking appliance with a door for closing a cooking chamber, with a door opening device for automatically moving the door between a closed and an open position of the door and a detection device in operative connection with the door opening device, and a method for automatically moving a door of a cooking appliance.

State of the art

Devices have recently been increasingly developed, particularly in the domestic appliance industry, which are intended to increase user comfort when operating or actuating a domestic appliance. One of these devices is, for example, a door opening device for automatically moving the door of a household appliance, in particular a cooking appliance, from a closed position to an open position and vice versa.

The DE 10 2009 026 670 A1 shows, for example, a household appliance, in particular a built-in household appliance, with a utility space that can be closed with an appliance door arranged on the front of the appliance, and with a door opening device, by means of which the appliance door can be actuated, the door opening device being connected to a signal generating device for generating an opening signal, and wherein when the opening signal is present, the door opening device opens the appliance door automatically.

The known household appliances and in particular cooking appliances have a disadvantage, for example, in that opening a door of the appliance is not convenient and possibly also not sufficiently safe.

EP 2 784 398 A2 discloses a cooking appliance, such as an oven, which is equipped with a non-contact detector with which a door drive can be activated, which automatically opens the user door of the appliance. An optical, acoustic, capacitive or inductive detector can be provided as a detector, for example. The detector is advantageously designed in such a way that it detects a baking tray or a grating in front of the cooking appliance.

DE 10 2009 026 659 A1 discloses a household appliance, in particular a household appliance such as preferably an oven, refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine or tumble dryer, with an openable front wall with a handle-free front side, which can be brought from a closed, first position into an at least slightly open, second position by means of an opening mechanism . At least one handle device is provided on at least one of the side walls of the front wall, which is accessible in the second position and with which the front wall can be opened further.

WO 2011/039362 A1 discloses a door device for a household appliance, comprising a door with in particular a first vertical longitudinal side, a second vertical longitudinal side opposite the first longitudinal side and a ceiling side that extends between the longitudinal sides, and further comprising a door opening device for automatically opening the door, wherein in particular a grip element is formed on the second longitudinal side and/or a grip element is formed in particular on the upper side, and the door comprises at least one detection sensor which is designed to detect a finger in a detection area around or on the grip element and a control unit which is designed to control the door opening device depending on the information from the detection sensor. WO 2011/039362 A1 also relates to an oven and a method for actuating a door device.

U.S. 2007/0267402 A1 discloses an oven with a flexible and retractable door. The oven door is adapted to move from a closed position in which it effectively closes an open side of the oven chamber and an open position in which the door is retracted into the body of the oven, typically below the oven chamber. In variations, an electric motor is provided to selectively move the oven door between open and closed positions. In other variations the furnace comprises a furnace frame which can be moved between an extended position and a retracted position by means of a second electric motor.

DE 10 2014 201 636 A1 discloses a household appliance system that has at least one first room surveillance detector and at least one second room surveillance detector for contactless detection of an object in the vicinity of the at least one household appliance, which room surveillance detectors (9, 10) are coupled to the at least one household appliance, so that at least one action of at least one household appliance can be triggered on the basis of the detection of the at least one object, with a first room monitoring detector having a lower energy consumption than a second room monitoring detector and with the household appliance system being set up to activate at least one second room monitoring detector when at least a first room monitoring detector has detected an object. A household appliance is used in particular for use in a household appliance system and has a handle and at least one room monitoring detector for contactless detection of an object in the vicinity of the household appliance, with at least one room monitoring detector being arranged on the handle.

DE 10 2015 115 573 A1 discloses a household appliance and a method for operating a household appliance comprising a housing device at least one treatment chamber at least one charging opening at least one door closing the charging opening at least one control device. At least one motor device for opening and closing the door is assigned to the door, the motor device being controllable via the control device. The door comprises a sensor device which is operatively connected to the control device, the control device being suitable and designed to recognize a predetermined object and/or a predetermined movement of the predetermined object from a signal detected by the sensor device and to open the door accordingly by means of the Open motor device and / or close. When operating the household appliance, the control device recognizes a predetermined object and/or a predetermined movement of the predetermined object from a transmitted signal from the sensor device and opens or closes the door using the motor device according to the detected object and/or the predetermined movement of the predetermined object.

WO 2010/030296 A1 discloses a display system. This has multiple cameras with fields of view that extend orthogonally, rather than parallel, to a display screen for viewing distant objects. Reflectors redirect touchscreen light from a direction along the display screen to a direction towards the cameras. A video processor locates a 2D position relative to the display screen of an object near the display screen as a function of images generated by the cameras in response to the touch screen light.

DE 10 2013 208 581 A1 discloses that for an operating method and an operating device for an electrical device, an operating sensor system is provided with at least two distance sensors in a row, which can detect the distance of a hand held in front of the distance sensors. The distance sensors together form a two-dimensional or three-dimensional input area in space, with the hand being brought into the input area at a specific distance and/or specific movement. From this position and/or movement of the hand in the input area, an operating command from the operating sensor system is determined based on a match with a predefined pattern for this operating command. Such patterns are stored in a memory of the operating device.

The description of prior art is provided to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and may include subject matter outside the prior art that is known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

The problem underlying the invention

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art while retaining the advantages achieved by the prior art, and in particular to provide an improved cooking appliance over the prior art in which a safe opening of the door can be guaranteed automatically.

Solution according to the invention

This object is solved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be found in particular in the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, this can be achieved in a cooking appliance according to the preamble of claim 1 in that the detection device has at least two infrared sensors which are arranged on a panel support covered by a panel, at least two of the infrared sensors at a distance of 300 to 420 mm lie in a horizontal plane and the detection device is set up to activate the door opening device for moving the door (6) only if the at least two infrared sensors are triggered simultaneously by the triggering element.

The cooking appliance can refer in a non-restrictive manner to conventional cooking appliances with top and bottom heating elements and/or hot air systems or to cooking appliances with a steam function or steam support, in which, in addition to a steam generator, other heating devices, such as bottom and/or top heating elements and a Hot air system can be provided. In addition, the cooking appliance can also be a steam cooker or steam cooking appliance, which can heat the food to be cooked exclusively by using steam that is provided by an internal or external steam generator in a cooking chamber. In addition, the cooking appliance can also be designed as a cooker in which an oven is combined with a hob. It goes without saying that the devices mentioned can be provided either as built-in, substructure or stand-alone devices.

The door opening device for automatically moving the door can, for example, have an electric drive in the form of a motor. However, it is also conceivable that the door opening device has a mechanical drive, which moves the door from a closed to an open position. It is thus clear that any device which is able to move or displace the door at least in sections between a closed position and an open position can be provided as the door opening device. In this context, it can also be provided, for example, that the door opening device works hydraulically.

The detection device represents a device that is set up to detect an element located in the vicinity of the detection device. The detection device has a predetermined range within which an element to be detected must be present so that it is detected in order to trigger further subsequent processes and functions.

The detection device is operatively connected to the door opening device. This should be understood to mean that the detection device is connected to the door opening device in a wireless and/or wired manner. It is therefore clear that, for example due to this operative connection between the detection device and the door opening device, after the detection device has detected/detected an object, a signal, in particular an electrical signal, can be generated, which is transmitted to the door opening device following the detection process in order to enable further processes and to trigger functions. This means that the signal generated by the detection device is used to control the door opening device so that the door is moved from the closed position to the open position.

In this context, it can be provided that the door is transferred from the open position back to the closed position, for example manually and/or automatically.

According to the invention, it is provided that the detection device is set up to detect a triggering element, which is separate from the cooking appliance, for actuating the door opening device. It is thus clear that the triggering element is an element that is separate from the cooking appliance and is detected by the detection device. The triggering element can be an element or object which is held in the hands of a user of the device according to the invention. For this reason, the detection device can be set up in particular to detect a triggering element located in front of the cooking appliance. This means that the triggering element is located between the device and the user during a detection process by the detection device.

According to the invention it is also provided that the detection device has at least two sensors, in particular infrared sensors. In this way, in particular, the security of the detection can be improved. It is clear to the person skilled in the art that any device/sensor can be provided as a detection device or sensor, by means of which an object in front of the cooking appliance can be reliably detected. It is conceivable that further sensors can be provided to increase security.

The at least two sensors are arranged on a panel support covered by a panel. The arrangement on the panel support enables a user to reach it easily, for example. In addition, the sensors arranged on or in the panel support can be well covered by the panel, so that the design of the cooking appliance can be improved. The panel thus represents part of the front side or the front of the cooking appliance. Provision can also be made for the panel and the panel support to be made in one piece, which would allow the number of components to be reduced, for example.

According to the invention, it is further provided that the at least two sensors are arranged at a distance of 300 to 420 mm. In particular, the distance can correspond to a maximum width of the triggering element to be detected and/or a maximum distance that can be detected. That is, the at least two sensors can be arranged at such a distance that a signal is only generated simultaneously by both sensors in the event that a triggering element with a sufficient width is detected. This makes it possible to ensure in an intelligent manner that the sensors are only triggered when a suitable triggering element is located in front of the cooking appliance or the sensors.

With the help of the cooking appliance according to the invention, it can be achieved in a particularly reliable and safe manner that the door is opened automatically and at the same time the risk of incorrect operation is minimized.

Advantageous training and developments that can be used individually or in combination with one another are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the door can be designed as a retractable door, which can be arranged retracted in the open position in a receiving space that is separate from the cooking chamber, in particular formed under the cooking chamber. This means that the retractable door can be moved or retracted into a receiving space from the closed position into the open position during an opening process. In this context, it can be provided, for example, that a handle arranged on the front side of the door moves from a closed position into an open position during the opening process. This means that the handle can be set up to turn by approximately 90° in the direction of a user standing in front of the cooking appliance during the opening process, so that the user can better grip the handle when the door is open. In particular, the retractable door can increase the comfort for a user, since there are no disruptive components between him and the cooking appliance that could impede an operating process.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the at least two sensors are arranged at a distance of 330 to 390 mm, particularly preferably 360 mm.

The at least two sensors can preferably be aligned symmetrically in relation to a vertically running center line of the cooking appliance and/or the panel. This makes it possible, for example, on the one hand to simplify operation for a user and on the other hand to improve the visual appearance.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the screen has a positioning line which essentially lies in a plane running horizontally through the at least two sensors. The positioning line thus represents an aid or marking for a user, which supports him in aligning the triggering element with the detection device or the sensors. The positioning line can correspond to the width of the predetermined triggering element and/or the distance between the at least two sensors. A reliable alignment of the triggering element can be improved by means of the positioning line and thus reliable operation can be ensured.

The panel can preferably be printed with the positioning line. The screen can be made of glass, for example, or can have glass at least in sections, on which the positioning line is printed. Printing is a cost-effective and visually appealing way of attaching the positioning line.

According to yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the door opening device is set up to move the door from the closed position to the open position after the triggering element has been detected by the detection device for a predetermined time. This is to be understood as meaning that the triggering element must be held in front of the detection device or the sensors for a predetermined time in order to enable the door opening device to be activated. In other words, an electrical signal is only generated by the detection device or the sensors when they detect the triggering element for a predetermined time without interruption. This reduces the risk of incorrect operation. This means that a possible operating error caused by children running past, for example, which can take less than the specified time, can be avoided in this way. It can thus be clearly seen that this practically produces a controlled action which can prevent the door from being opened unintentionally. In this context, it can be particularly preferred that the entire detection device or the at least two sensors are triggered simultaneously, as a result of which safety can be further increased.

Preferably, the separate triggering element can be a food support, in particular a baking tray, grid or the like, which can be present as an accessory in the respective cooking appliance and can be used for baking/cooking food. This makes it possible to reliably ensure that there is a sufficiently large safety distance between the cooking appliance and the user. The user standing in front of the cooking appliance is thus protected from unintentionally entering the area of an opening door, so that the risk of injury can be minimized as a result.

A method according to the invention for automatically moving a door of a cooking appliance, which can be embodied as described above, can be as follows have steps. In one step, the detection device can detect a triggering element that is separate from the cooking appliance after a user has positioned the same in front of the detection device. Subsequent to the detection, the door opening device can be controlled to move the door from a closed position to an open position after detecting the triggering element for a predetermined time. This means that only after a specified time has elapsed, within which the triggering element must be held in front of the detection device without interruption, so that the detection device is triggered, is the door opening device activated by means of an electrical signal generated by the detection device, so that only after this time has elapsed The door is opened. In this way, it can be guaranteed in a very reliable manner that the door is only opened when this is desired by the user.

According to the invention, if the detection device has at least two sensors, the door opening device is only activated to move the door when the at least two sensors are triggered by the triggering element simultaneously and for a predetermined time. In this way it can be ensured, for example, that the triggering element provided for this purpose, for example in the form of a baking sheet, is used. In addition, a child safety device can be implemented in a convenient manner, since both sensors must be triggered simultaneously and for a predetermined time.

• Unterschreiten der vorgegebenen Zeit für das Erfassen des Auslöseelements durch die Erfassungsvorrichtung;
• Erfassen von nur einem der zumindest zwei Sensoren bzw. von nur einem Teil der Erfassungsvorrichtung, der kleiner als ein vorgegebener Abschnitt bzw. Bereich derselben ist;

In other words, the door opening device is not actuated if at least one of the following conditions is met:

• falling below the specified time for the detection of the triggering element by the detection device;
• detecting only one of the at least two sensors or only a part of the detection device that is smaller than a predetermined portion or area thereof;

Further advantages and features of the invention result from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description and the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Gargeräts in einer perspektivischen Ansicht ohne Blende;
• Fig. 2 eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Gargeräts in einer perspektivischen Ansicht mit montierter Blende;
• Fig. 3 eine Draufsicht der Blende des erfindungsgemäßen Gargeräts von Fig. 2.

The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings and which are hereinafter given for purposes of illustration only and are therefore not limitative of the present invention. Show in the drawing:

• 1 a schematic representation of a cooking appliance according to the invention in a perspective view without panel;
• 2 a schematic representation of a cooking appliance according to the invention in a perspective view with the panel fitted;
• 3 a plan view of the panel of the cooking appliance according to the invention 2 .

It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features incorporated in the principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular application and work environment.

Elements that are the same or have the same function are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

Detailed description of the figures

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a schematic representation of a cooking appliance 1 in a perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention without a panel. The cooking appliance 1 has a cooking chamber muffle (not shown) limited cooking chamber 2 with a cooking chamber opening (not shown), which can be closed by a door 6. The door 6 has a handle 8 for manual opening and/or closing. Above the door 2, in an upper section, there is a screen support 12 on which a screen (not shown) can be attached. An infrared sensor 21 is fitted in the panel support 12 in a left-hand and right-hand section in order to detect a triggering element (not shown) arranged in front of the sensors 21 and which is separate from the cooking appliance 1 . The triggering element can be a baking tray, grid or the like, for example.

The two sensors 21, which are arranged at a distance of approximately 360 mm, are operatively connected to a door opening device 10. In the exemplary embodiment, the door opening device 10 has a drive in the form of an electric motor which is able to automatically move the door 6 from a closed position to an open position. It is also conceivable that the door 6 can be automatically transferred from the open position to the closed position, for example by pressing a button (not shown) for this purpose.

The opening process of the door 6 is started by holding the triggering element in the form of a baking tray in front of both sensors simultaneously for a predetermined time, for example 3 seconds. After the predetermined time has elapsed, an electrical signal generated by the detection device 20 or the sensors 21 is transmitted to the door opening device 10, after which the door 6 automatically begins to open. Opening of the door 6 is only achieved by the direct arrangement of the baking tray in front of the sensors for a predetermined time and the simultaneous triggering of the two sensors. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the door 6 is retracted or lowered into a receiving space 4 arranged below the cooking space 2 . After the door 6 has reached the fully open position, it is essentially completely inside the receiving space 4, except for the grippable area of the handle 8.

2 shows a schematic representation of the cooking appliance according to the invention in a perspective view with mounted panel 14. Behind the panel 14 are as in 1 shown, the two sensors in the form of infrared sensors (in 2 Not shown). A positioning line 16 is located in a central area on the front side of the panel 14 facing a user level that runs horizontally through the two sensors. The positioning line 16 enables a user to reach out the trigger element in the form of the baking tray exactly in front of the sensors, so that both sensors can be triggered simultaneously for a predetermined time after the baking tray has been attached, in order to start the door opening process using the door opening device. The positioning line 16 has a width that corresponds to the baking tray that can be used for the cooking appliance 1 .

3 shows a plan view of the panel 14 of the cooking appliance according to the invention from FIG 2 . Additionally is opposite 2 the center line M shown, which divides the aperture 14 into two equal areas. A display 18 is provided in the right-hand area of the screen 14 at the same level as the positioning line 16, by means of which an opening of the door can be displayed. It can also be provided that the display 18 is designed as a touch sensor, by means of which the door can be moved from an open position to the closed position.

REFERENCE LIST

1

cooking appliance

2

cooking chamber

4

recording room

6

door

8th

Handle

10

door opening device

12

visor carrier

14

cover

16

positioning line

18

Advertisement

20

detection device

21

sensors

M

centerline

Claims (9)

1. Cooking appliance (1) comprising a door (6) for closing a cooking chamber (2), a door-opening device (10) for automatically moving the door (6) between a closed position and an open position of the door (6) and a sensing device (20) operatively connected to the door-opening device (10), which sensing device (20) is designed to sense a triggering element separate from the cooking appliance, located in front of the cooking appliance (1) for controlling the door-opening device (10),
   characterised in that

   - the sensing device (20) has at least two infrared sensors (21), which are arranged on a front carrier (12) covered by a panel (14),

   - at least two of the infrared sensors (21) are located at a distance of 300 to 420 mm in a plane running horizontally and

   - the sensing device (20) is designed only to control the door-opening device (10) for moving the door (6) when the at least two infrared sensors (21) are simultaneously triggered by the triggering element.
2. Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the door (6) is configured as a retractable door which in the open position is arranged so as to be retracted in a receiver space (4) which is separated from the cooking chamber (2), in particular configured below the cooking chamber (2).
3. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least two of the infrared sensors (21) are arranged at a distance of 330 to 390 mm, particularly preferably at a distance of 360 mm.
4. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the at least the infrared sensors (21) are symmetrically aligned relative to a vertically running central line (M).
5. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the panel (14) has a positioning line (16) which is located substantially in the plane running horizontally through the at least two infrared sensors (21).
6. Cooking appliance (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the panel (14) is printed with the positioning line (16).
7. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the door-opening device is designed to move the door (6) from the closed position into the open position after the triggering element is sensed for a predetermined time by the sensing device (20).
8. Cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the separate triggering element is a carrier for food to be cooked, in particular a baking sheet, rack or the like.
9. Method for automatically moving a door (6) of a cooking appliance (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps:

   • a triggering element separate from the cooking appliance (1) located in front of the cooking appliance (1) being sensed by the sensing device (20);

   • the door-opening device (10) being controlled for moving the door (6) from a closed position into an open position after the triggering element has been sensed for a predetermined time by at least two of the infrared sensors (21) at the same time.

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