FR2776162A1 - ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VITROCERAMIC COOKING HOBS, WITH OPTICAL CONTAINER DETECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic power control system for glass ceramic hobs with optical receptacle detector characterized in that it is formed by an optical switch (1), a microprocessor (3) and a static electronic switch (4), a container detector by optical fibers or a container detector by quartz conductors.

Description

ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL SYSTEM FOR

  VITROCERAMIC COOKING TOPS, WITH DETECTOR

CONTAINER OPTICS

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

  The object of the present invention is, as its denomination indicates, an electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with an optical receptacle detector, capable of improving the efficiency of the ceramic hobs and

other household appliances.

BACKGROUND

  At the present time, whether it is with resistance cookers for domestic use or with those called ceramic hobs, heat sources or hotplates do not receive energy continuously, but alternate ignition and extinction at a relatively high frequency but very unsatisfactory, insofar as these ignitions and extinctions are carried out by relays whose lifetime is limited to a determined number of operations, not to mention the losses

  considerable that this entails in terms of energy.

  In addition, when the heaters or hotplates are switched on and the temperature is adjusted by means of switches, the heating device remains on even after removing the pan or the container to be heated. , with the ensuing loss of energy

  and sometimes for a very long time due to an oversight.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  In order to eliminate the limitations of use from which the relays suffer and to allow a more rational use of the available electrical energy, while avoiding unnecessary energy losses as well as the risks linked to a possible forget to turn off the plates, we have developed an electronic power control system for ceramic glass hobs, with an optical detector of containers, which can be adapted not only to the hot plates of the hobs in question,

  but also to all kinds of household appliances powered by electricity.

  The electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical container detector is made up of two sets of components: the power control system on the one hand, and the optical container detector on the other. The power control system in turn consists of an optical switch or "touch control", a microprocessor and a static electronic switch or "triac". In the household appliances on which it is installed, such a device allows a much higher frequency of ignitions and extinctions due to the absence of components, of mechanical type by limiting the operating speed, which shortens the time. initial heating and provides a more constant temperature without

sudden variations.

  The logic system incorporated in the microprocessor allows the electronic power control system for ceramic hobs to optimize the use of the electrical energy received, the microprocessor having the function, in the case where several plates are used simultaneously, to rationally distribute the phases

  on and off of the various plates.

  With the optical container detector, any plate, even if it is not turned off with the switch, is automatically switched off when the container is removed from it. The extinction of the hot plates, when one withdraws a container from their surface, can be obtained by two different means: thanks to optical fibers or thanks to transducers

of light or "quartz pipes".

  With the first method, a light emitting diode produces a light signal (modulated light) which is transmitted through a fiber optic conductor placed next to the heating plate to the infrared detector, which in turn transmits the signal ignition or

  of the heating plate.

  With the second method, it is a transducer or "quartz pipe" which produces a light beam which is transmitted towards the base of the container, where it is reflected and redirected towards the infrared ray detector, which

  then commands the heating plate to be switched on or off.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DIAGRAMS

  To aid in a better understanding of the object of the present invention, we describe below a preferred practical embodiment of the electronic power control system for ceramic hobs, object of the present invention, from the attached figures: Fig. 1: Diagram of the components of the electronic control system

  power for ceramic hobs.

  Fig. 2: Graph of the heating process with the control system

  by relay currently used.

  Fig. 3: Graph of the heating process with the electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with

optical container detector.

  Fig. 4: Diagram of the optical container detector: optical fiber process. Fig. 5: Diagram of the optical container detector: method of

transducer or "quartz pipe".

  PREFERENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

  The electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical receptacle detector is made up of two sets of components: the power control system, Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, on the one hand, and the optical container detector, FIG. 4 and Fig. 5, on the other. The power control system in turn consists of an optical switch (1) or "touch control", located immediately under the glass ceramic (2), a microprocessor (3) and a static electronic switch (4 ) or "triac", all connected by cables to the power supply and

to the hot plates (5).

  In the household appliances on which it is installed, such a device allows a much higher frequency of ignitions and extinctions due to the absence of mechanical component by limiting the operating speed, which shortens the time of initial heating and allows a more constant temperature to be obtained, without sudden variations, as can be observed by comparing the graphs in FIGS. 2 and 3: with the static electronic switch (4) or "triac" the switching on and off interval (6) may not exceed one second, whereas with traditional methods, this interval (7) is usually one minute. It will also be noted that the initial heating time is shorter and that, once the programmed temperature has been reached, the electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical receptacle detector is capable of maintaining this temperature at

a more constant level.

  The logic system incorporated in the microprocessor (3) allows the electronic power control system for ceramic hobs to optimize the use of the electrical energy received, the microprocessor having the function, in the case where several plates are used simultaneously, to distribute the phases rationally

  on and off of the various plates.

  With the optical container detector, Fig. 4 and 5, any plate, even if it is not turned off with the switch, is automatically

  extinct when the container (8) is removed from this plate (5).

  The extinction of the hot plates, when a container is removed from their surface, can be obtained by two different means: thanks to optical fibers, Fig. 4, or by means of light transducers or "pipes of

quartz ", Fig. 5.

  With the optical fibers, Fig. 4, a light emitting diode (9) produces a light signal (modulated light) which is transmitted through a fiber optic conductor (10) placed next to the heating plate to the infrared ray detector (11), which transmits to turn the signal to switch on or off the heating plate (5) at the switch

  static electronics (4) or "triac" through the conduit (12).

  In the case of the transducer or "quartz pipe", Fig. 5, it is the latter (13) which produces a light beam which is transmitted through a conductor (14) called "quartz pipe" towards the base of the container (8), where it is reflected and redirected towards the detector of infrared rays (15), which then transmits the signal for switching the heating plate (5) on or off to

  the static switch (4) or "triac" through the conduit (16).

  The nature of the present invention and one of the ways in which it can be put into practice having thus been described in sufficient detail, it will suffice to add that, both at the level of the assembly and in the various parts which compose it , it is possible to introduce changes in shape, materials and layout, provided that these changes do not substantially alter the characteristics of the invention which are

claimed below.

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Claims (4)

  1 - Electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical receptacle detector characterized in that it is formed by an optical switch (1), a microprocessor (3) and a static electronic switch (4), a fiber optic container detector or a container detector by quartz conductors.   2 - Electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical receptacle detector according to claim 1 characterized in that the microprocessor controls the distribution of the ignition and extinction phases of a plurality of plates used simultaneously.   3 - Electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical container detector according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in   that it has no mechanical components.   4 - Electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical detector   of containers according to at least one of the claims   previous characterized in that the optical detector is composed of a light emitting diode (9) which produces a light signal transmitted through a fiber optic conductor (10) placed next to the heating plate (5), and of a detector infrared rays (11) detecting the signal reflected by the container (8), this detector transmitting a   signal to the static switch (4).   - Electronic power control system for ceramic hobs with optical sensor 7 2776162   of containers according to at least one of the claims   previous characterized in that the detector is formed by a transducer producing a signal sent through the glass ceramic plate (2), this signal reflected by the bottom5 of the container (8) being detected by a detector which transmits a control signal to the static electronic switch.