GB2100853A

GB2100853A - Kitchen installation with built- in cooker hob

Info

Publication number: GB2100853A
Application number: GB08216819A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julius Husslein; Heinrich Detterbeck; Georg Brandl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-06-23
Filing date: 1982-06-10
Publication date: 1983-01-06
Also published as: NL8202412A; GB2100853B; FR2508142A1; SE8203844D0; SE8203844L; IT8221948A0; IT1152254B; FR2508142B1

Abstract

A kitchen installation comprises a built-in cooker hob (1) comprising a one-piece housing (5) in which a cooker plate (9), associated heating devices, electrical or electronic control means and operating and indicating elements (16, 17) are installed. The overall depth (t) of the housing (5) is such that it does not project beyond the lower, and preferably also the upper, boundary plane of adjoining work plates (2, 3). Preferably, the overall length (l) of the hob (1) corresponds at least approximately to the depth of the work plates (2, 3), the spacing of which from each other in turn corresponds to the overall width (b) of the hob (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Kitchen installation The present invention relates to a kitchen installation, and has particular reference to a built-in cooker hob with work plate, a cooker plate, especially a glass ceramic plate having cooking zones, heating means for the cooking zones, and operating and indicating means.

In known cooker hobs of this kind, cooking surfaces or cooker plates and control equipment with associated operating and indicating devices are separate components which require separate installation places, for example in a kitchen fitting.

Usually, the control equipment for the different cooking zones of the cooker hob is integrated in the switch box of an oven arranged underneath the hob. If such an oven is not provided, then a special switch box is required, which must be built into the kitchen fitting directly below the hob in order to maintain a direct association of the operating devices or indicating elements with the cooking zones of the hob. Although the operating devices in other known cooker hobs are arranged in the region of the upper side of the hob, for example laterally beside the cooking zones, these operating devices, projecting above the cooker plate or cooking zones, are not clearly arranged and also obstruct use of the cooking surface.

Moreover, receptacles for the control equipment are also provided in cooker hobs of that kind, which receptacles project downwardly below the underside of the work plate carrying the cooker hob so that the region under the hob cannot be freely used for other standing or built-in appliances, fixtures or the like.

In addition, the performance of repair operations is situ is relatively difficult in the case of electrical appliances of that kind, especially cooker hobs or cookers, since the electrical or electronic control and regulating equipment necessary for the operation of the appliance are permanently built into an appliance switch chamber. To enable the repair to be carried out, for example, the oven front must be lifted off.

Even then it is still difficuit to perform repair operations in the restricted switch space.

Finally, it is usual in known glass ceramic cooker hobs (for example, that of DE-OS 28 1 9 1 18) to lay the planar glass ceramic plate into a metallic frame and to connect it with the frame by means of a temperature-stable, permanently elastic adhesive substance. In another known construction (described in German utility model 1 800 892), all electrical switches necessary for the control of the cooking plates are arranged directly beside a steel hob in an area lying substantially in the plane of the hob, this switch area being a component of the hob iying on the work plate.For the reception of the heater elements for the individual cooking plates and of electrical switch and control equipment associated with the electrical switches, the hob is provided on its underside with a trough-iike housing which projects downwardly below the work plate. In such cooker hobs, the problem again exists that no other appliances, drawers or the like can be accommodated directly under the work plate in the region of the hob, since this space is needed for the hob itself or at least for the control equipment of the hob. The mains part (current supply of the electronics with low voltage) and the mains connection in these appliances are accommodated in an accessory housing which is located externally in a cupboard and connected by a cable with the control.

There is accordingly a need for a cooker hob provided with all equipment required for its function and having a compact flat mode of construction so that only a relatively small installation space is necessary, in particular so that the space under the hob is available for other purposes. In addition, notwithstanding the compact mode of construction, access of regulating and control means should be improved compared with known constructions, operating and indicating devices should be easily monitored and visually linked with the different cooking zones, and operations on the hob should not be obstructed.

According to the present invention there is provided a kitchen installation comprising a worktop and an adjoining built-in cooker hob which comprises a housing, a cooker plate carried by the housing and provided with cooking zones, heating means associated with the cooking zones and arranged in the housing, operating and indicating means arranged at an exterior surface of the hob and carried by the housing, and control means associated with the operating and indicating means and arranged in the housing, the overall depth of the housing being such that the housing does not substantially protrude beyond at least the lower one of the upper and lower boundary planes of the worktop.

The accommodation of all devices required for the function of the hob as well as the aesthetic effect of the hob may be improved if its overall length corresponds at least approximately to the plate depth of two laterally adjoining worktops, the spacing of which from each other in turn corresponds to the overall width of the hob, between which work plates the cooker hob is inserted.

Preferably, in this case the control means is arranged underneath the operating and indicating panel and its connecting and current supply part is arranged in a dome-like protrusion. Electronic subassemblies, which required very little space, are preferably used for the control equipment, while the more space-consuming connecting and current supply component is arranged in the rearward protrusion. This protrusion does not adversely affect the appearance of the hob, as kitchen worktops are usually rearwardly bounded by upwardly projecting terminal strips and the protrusion is interposed substantially in alignment with and between the adjoining wall strips of the worktops.

The entire control subassembly can preferably be removed as a unit from the built-in hob for the performance of repair operations, wherein a particular housing wall to be detached for the purpose of repair becomes redundant through the function of the carrier as an outer cover of the control subassembly. It is in this case particularly advantageous to arrange the control units on easily exchangeable printed circuit boards.

Preferably, mounting brackets, into which the individual circuit boards can be plugged in simple manner, are provided at the carrier, wherein these brackets can be so constructed that the mounting position is adaptable to different subassembly depths.

Advantageously, the control subassembly is constructed as a flat circuit block, easily detachable from the appliance, in such a manner that the electrical or electronic control and regulating units as well as setting devices, for example the operating elements, are for example arranged on the circuit boards. This circuit block is inserted as a unit into the hob, for example below a planar operating and indicating panel, and the operating elements are so positioned that they are exactly geometrically associated with the corresponding operating places of the operating panel, for example the elements project through openings in the panel in the case of rotary knobs, press keys or slide switches, or resiliently bear against the underside of the panel in the case of touch-sensitive switches with capacitive signal transmission.

Through the particular structuring of the hob, particularly through the presence of the inclined operating and indicating panel, the advantage furthermore results that the panel is conveniently disposed for viewing at the hob front side.

However, it does not protrude above the cooker plate surface so that obstruction due to the operating elements does not arise in use of the cooker hob. Expediently, the carrier is subdivided into a receptacle for the control equipment and a frame part for the cooker plate, so that mutual influencing, for example thermal influencing, of the individual functional units does not occur notwithstanding the compact mode of construction.

Also of significance is the particular manner of the arrangement and distribution of the electrical or electronic sub-assemblies within the flat frame open at both sides, whereby an extremely flat mode of construction is achieved. In that case, retaining elements for the sub-assemblies can be so arranged that, with consideration for the extremely flat mode of construction of the hob, optimum distribution and adaptation in height of the position of the subassemblies to the position of the operating elements, for example touchsensitive switches, at the operating panel is possible. In this manner, the housing for the control equipment can be kept to a height of, example, four centimetres, notwithstanding electronic subassemblies, for example circuit boards, arranged in part one above the other.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a built-in cooker hob, according to a first embodiment of the invention, inserted between two work plates; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the cooker hob slightly modified compared with Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a rear part of the cooker hob according to Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a control subassembly of the cooker hob according to Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the control subassembly according to Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of part of the cooker hob; Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the rearward part of the cooker hob;; Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation on the line VII VII of Fig. 9, of a built-in cooker hob according to a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 9 is a plan view of part of the cooker hob of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a cross-section on the line X-X of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a sectional view of a carrier of the cooker hob of Fig. 8; Fig. 1 2 is a sectional view of a built-in cooker hob according to a third embodiment of the invention; Fig. 1 3 is an inverted plan view of part of a built-in cooker hob according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 14 is a sectional side view of the cooker hob part shown in Fig. 13; Fig. 1 5 is a sectional elevation of a built-in cooker hob according to a fifth embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 1 6 is a sectional elevation of a built-in cooker hob according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a built-in cooker hob I, which is inserted between two work plates 2 and 3. The cooker hob has an overall length 1 which at least approximately corresponds to the depth of the laterally adjoining work plates 2 and 3, and the spacing of the facing side edges of the work plates 2 and 3 from each other in turn corresponds to the overall width b of the cooker hob 1. The hob is enclosed by a frame 4 of a housing 5, which is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 2 and which is inserted between the work plates 2 and 3. The housing bears or is fastened indirectly or directly to the facing end edges of the work plates. The overall depth t of the housing 5 or of the entire built-in cooker hob is so chosen that it corresponds at least approximately to the thickness of the work plates 2 and 3 so that the cooker hob 1 does not project beyond the lower boundary plane of the work plates 2 and 3 and also does not project, or at least substantially project, above the work plates.

An operating and indicating panel 7 is arranged so that a section 6 thereof is obliquely inclined forwardly at the front side of the housing and has a horizontal section 8 adjoined by a cooker plate 9 with round and elongate cooking zones 10, 11 and 1 2. The cooker plate is of glass-ceramic material and arranged below the plate are appropriate electrical heating devices, for example radiation heating elements. A dome-like protrusion 13, projecting above the cooker plate 9, of the housing 5 adjoins the cooker plate 9 towards the rear. As indicated in Fig. 1 , this rearward protrusion 13 adjoins and is substantially in alignment with wall strips 14 bounding the work plates 2 and 3 towards the rear. The section 8 of the panel 7 is substantially aligned with the cooker plate 9 and is separated by a web 1 5 of the frame 4 from the cooker plate 9.Indicating elements 1 6 associated with the individual cooking zones 10 to 12 are arranged at this section 8, while associated operating elements 1 7 in the form of switch knobs or the like are arranged at the obliquely inclined section 6. As Fig. 1 shows, the entire space under the cooker hob 1 is freely available for, for example, the arrangement of a drawer 18. The frame 4 is so structured that parts of the panel 7 project beyond the section 6 thereof at both sides and thus form cheeks 19.

The hob shown in Fig. 2 differs from that of Fig.

1 primarily by the structuring of its operating and indicating panel 20 and by the arrangement of the operating and indicating elements. Although the panel 20 is also angularly inclined and possesses a section extending obliquely downwards, operating elements 21 and indicating elements 22 are in this case arranged under the transparent panel in the region of this obliquely inclined section. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the overall depth t corresponds to the thickness of the work plates, for example 2. Again designated by 5 in Fig. 2 is the flat housing of the cooker hob, which at the front side between the two side cheeks 1 9 carries the panel 20, underneath which the housing 5 is open and includes a hollow space 23 for the accommodation of a control subassembly 24 of a control device, for example an electronic control device.The protrusion 1 3 of the housing 5 is disposed at the rear side of the cooker hob.

Disposed between the protrusion 13 and the operating and indicating panel 20 at the front side is the glass ceramic cooker plate 9, which is mounted in trough-like recesses 25 of the housing 5 and possesses electrical heater elements (not shown) arranged under the plate 9.

The protrusion 13, with the exception of its rear side, encloses a hollow space 26 in which a connecting and current supply part 27, in the form of vertically arranged circuit boards, is accommodated. At least one circuit board 29 with electrical and/or electronic components, input elements and indication elements, which represent the control equipment for the cooker hob, is fastened to a carrier 28 forming the lower boundary of the housing 5. Mounting brackets 30 and fastening elements 31, which are formed by lobes cut out of a projection 32, as well as support surfaces, serve for the location of the circuit boards.The fastening elements 31 are disposed on a substantially lower level with respect to the carrier 28 than fastening elements of the mounting brackers 30, so that the circuit boards 29 are disposed in an inclined position in correspondence with the inclination of the panel 20. The circuit boards 29 can be inserted from below into the housing 5. The hollow space 23 is then closed off downwardly by the carrier 28.

A slightly modified embodiment of the aforementioned control equipment is shown in Fig. 5.

In this case, a carrier 111, which is made of metal plate, is provided at both sides with fastening projections 112 and 113 and at the front side has a bent-up projection 114 for the formation of fastening elements 11 5, the carrier carrying part of the control subassembly 24. Fastened to the rear side of the extended, horizontal and perforated metal carrier plate 11 6 are mounting brackets 11 7, which are made of plastics material and which substantially agree with the mounting brackets 30 according to Fig. 2. The brackets 11 7 have engagement grooves 118, support surfaces 119 and rounded pressure surfaces 120, and are constructed to be resiliently yielding.Electronic control units, which are associated with different control or regulating functions of the cooker hob, are formed by circuit boards 121, 122 and 123 and are fastenable to the carrier 111. The circuit boards in usual manner possess a printed circuit and carry electrical or electronic components, for example 124, electrical terminal strips 125, and input elements, for example a press switch 21 (Fig. 2) with switch pushrods 127 or the like. The mounting brackets 11 7 on the one hand and the fastening element 11 5 on the other hand, which are formed by lobes 11 5' cut out of the projection 114 as well as support surfaces 11 5", serve for the location of the circuit boards.The circuit boards are at first inserted into the fastening elements 11 5, wherein the lobes 11 5' engage into edge recesses 128 of the circuit boards and in this manner laterally locate the circuit boards.

The circuit boards are then pressed into the engagement grooves 11 8, whereby the edge of the respective circuit board runs up on the bent pressure surface 120 and presses the mounting bracket 11 7 resiliently to the rear. As is evident from the drawings, the pre-assembled control subassembly is inserted from below into the hollow space 23(Fig. 2) of the cooker hob.

Therefore, this control subassembly, i.e. the carrier 111, is connected by, for example, screws 129 (Fig. 2) and/or by means of plug or engagement elements 1 30 with the housing 5.

When the control subassembly is mounted, the operating elements of same, for example the switch pushrod 21, automatically get into the correct setting in or underneath the operating panel. In the present example, the switch pushrod 1 27 gets into the predetermined switch position within an opening in the operating panel which is covered in a known manner by a resilient switch member. As Fig. 4 shows, the circuit boards can be equipped with a variety of electrical or electronic components, for example with indicating elements 132, with diverse terminal devices, with microcomputer equipment, time control devices, and the like. In all cases, the metal carrier plate 11 6 forms the outer, in the present case the lower, cover for the control subassembly as well as for the hollow space 23.

As in the case of the control equipment, a vertical carrier 23 serves for the connecting and current supply part 27 as a carrying element for the components or circuit boards of the part 27, the carrier 33 representing thr rear wall of the hollow space 26 of the protrusion 13. The structuring of the rearward housing part, i.e. of the protrusion 13, as well as the equipment. thereof with connecting and circuit subassemblies is clarified in Figs. 2, 6 and 7. As in the case of the front region of the cooker hob, a carrier 33, which closes off the hollow space 26 rearwardly and serves as an outer cover for the entire connecting and circuit subassembly, acts as a carrying part for the subassembly 27.The carrier 33 in turn possesses a substantially planar metal carrier plate 134, an upper bent-over portion 1 35 and a lower horizontal projection 136, which is bent over in L-shape and at the end of which are disposed engagement elements, for example openings 137, by means of which the carrier 133 can be plugged onto a corresponding, hook-like engagement element 1 38 of the housing and thereby located. At the upper end, the carrier is fastened by means of screws at the point 149. A circuit board 139, which bears against spacer members 140 of the metal carrier plate 1 34, is connected with the carrier 33 to be easily detachable.As shown in Fig. 6, several circuit boards are retained one beside the other at the carrier 1 33. These circuit boards are supported below in engagement elements 141, which are provided with a wedge-shaped engagement groove. The circuit boards in turn carry a variety of electrical or electronic components, for example 142, safety elements, monitoring elements and the like. As is evident from Fig. 7, the carrier 1 33 has an intermediate metal plate 143, which is bent over at a spacing from the vertical metal carrier plate 134 to extend parallelly thereto and which bounds a connecting chamber 144, in which electrical terminal devices for example 145, cable clips or tension relief equipment 146 and the like, are arranged.The intermediate metal plate 1 43 and the connecting device 145 are to be recognized in the horizontal sectional elevation of the housing part 13 or of the protrusion according to Fig. 6. In case of repair, the entire carrier 1 33 can be provided downwardly as a unit about the engagement elements 1 38 or be lifted off completely from the housing part 13 so that repair operations can be conveniently carried out.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 8 to 11, a carrier constructed as aluminium die cast moulded part is designated generally by 250. As Figs. 8 and 11 clearly show, the carrier basically consists of three main sections arranged one after the other in the overall length direction (arrow A, Fig. 8), in particular a receptacle 251 for a control device 252 and for an operating and indicating panel 253, a frame part 254 for the reception of a planar cooker plate 255 in the form of a glassceramic plate, and a rearward housing part 256, which again in the manner of a dome projects above the upper boundary of the cooker plate 255 and, with the exception of the rear side and underside, encloses a receiving space 257. The above-mentioned parts are integral components of the carrier 250.It is evident from Figs. 8 to 11 that the frame part 254 possesses an encircling insertion edge frame 258 which, relative to the upper boundary of the carrier 250, is dependent in the region of the receptacle 251 by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of the cooker plate 255, so that the cooker plate 255 can be laid flush into this insertion edge frame 258, and for example, be glued to the edge frame surface.

Adjoining the insertion edge frame 258 is an encircling, vertical frame web 259 of the frame part 254. Formed on the frame part 254 immediately at the outside of the web 259 are post-like fastening dogs 260 and 261, which have different overall depths and are provided at the underside with threaded bores. Generally designated by 262 are heater devices consisting of upwardly open troughs 263, which are lined by heat insulating material 264 and in which one or more electrical resistance heaters 265 are arranged. A pressure plate, which is constructed in the shape of a trough and which is fastened by means of screws to the fastening dogs 261, is designated by 266. The width of the pressure plate 266 is somewhat smaller than the clear width between the lateral frame webs 259 so that heat can flow upwardly through these gaps in the direction of the cooker plate 255.Plate-shaped compression springs 267, which serve to press the heater devices 262 upwardly against the cooker plate 255, are mounted on the pressure plate 266. A similarly trough-shaped heat insulating plate 268, which is fastened by means of screws to the posts 260, is arranged at a spacing below the pressure plate 266. This heat insulating plate 268 does not directly contact the pressure plate 266 and is preferably coated with a heat-insulating lacquer which increases the heatinsulating effect and in case of possible contact of the heat-insulating plate by an iron metal plate or the like prevents so-called "adhesive effect". The lower fastening dogs 260 project downwardly through corresponding recesses in the pressure plate 266. The heat-insulating plate 268 extends in the rearward region underneath the housing part 256 and is provided with ventilation openings 269 in this region. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral frame webs 259' at the same time form the outer boundary walls of the carrier 250, wherein horizontal bearing webs 270 adjoin the upper side of these frame webs 259'.

By means of these webs, the carrier 250 or the entire cooker hob can be inserted and mounted between the boundary edges of work plates arranged at a spacing from each other. The bearing webs 270 extend over the entire overall length A of the carrier 250, wherein the overall length of the cooker hob and thereby also the carrier 250 corresponds at least approximately to the depth of two laterally adjoining work plates, the spacing of which from each other in turn corresponds to the width of the cooker hob.

Preferably, the bearing webs 270 do not rest directly on the work plates at both side edges of the carrier 250, but on special connecting parts which are fastened to the edges of the work plates. The overall depth of the carrier 250 and thereby of the cooker hob is so dimensioned that the carrier 250, with the exception of the domelike housing part 256, finds space between the oppositely disposed edges of the work plates and does not project beyond the lower plane of these work plates. The housing part 256 projects above the work plates in the rearward region merely on the upper side. In this manner, the space under the cooker hob is completely free so that a built-in appliance, a drawer, or the like, can also be arranged directly below the cooker hob.

Arranged on the carrier in the region of the receptacle 251 are struts 271,272 and 273, in which an operating and indicating panel 253, for example a transparent material, is mounted and retained, for example through shaped engaging means as shown in Fig. 8. The panel 253 possesses an inclined panel surface 274, which can be provided with window-like openings for indicating elements, for example LED-indicators 275, and at which operating devices 276, for example rotary knobs or press keys, are mounted.

In general agreement with the preceding embodiments, a metal carrier plate 277 is provided, at which at least one circuit board 278 is mounted. The circuit board carries electrical or electronic components or devices of the control equipment 252, for example the afore-mentioned LED-indicators, potentiometers, or the like. The carrier plate 277 is in turn detachably fastened to the underside of the carrier 255. As Fig. 8 shows, the panel 253 is stepped obliquely downwards between side cheeks 279 so that the indicating or operating devices, for example 276, do not project beyond the upper boundary of the carrier and thereby of the cooker plate 255, but lie protected and well visible between the side cheeks 279.

In addition to the heat insulation provided by the frame web 259 between the receptacle 251 and frame part 254, a metal reflector plate 280 is arranged to prevent any heat flow between these spaces so that a functional impairment of the control equipment 252 due to excessive heating is avoided. As already mentioned, the receiving space 257 within the housing part 256 adjoins the rear insertion edge frame 258 or the rear part of the encircling frame web 259. This space 257 is bounded towards the rear side by a rear cover 281, which at the upper side possesses a bentover projection 281' forming, in conjunction with the upper limitation of the housing part 256, a labyrinth-like ventilation slot 282.Components and devices, indicated by chain-dotted lines, for the current supply of the control equipment 252 as well as the electrical connecting equipment, for example with tension relief, for the aforementioned devices are accommodated in the space 257. The mains connection of the cooker hob is provided by this connecting equipment.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 12, an operating and indicating panel, for example rectangular, of glass or glass-ceramic material is designated by 301. This is inserted in a similarly rectangular, flat metallic frame 302 and connected therewith. For this purpose, the flat frame 302 is provided in its upper region with bent-over projections 303, on which the operating and indicating panel 301 is laid and firmly connected with the projections 303 by gluing at the point 304. The frame 302 is connectable with a more extended frame 306 by, for example, lobes 305 forming plug connections.

This frame possesses a corresponding recess 308 which is formed by a downwardly drawn flange 307 and in which the component unit of frame 302 and operating and indicating panel 301 is insertable and connectible with the frame 306 by means of the lobes 305 in corresponding recesses. The extended frame 306 is provided for carrying a cooker plate, for example a glassceramic material, wherein the actual cooker hob, consisting of cooker plate and operating and indicating panel is formed by the frame 306. The frame 306 can bear on a work plate (not shown) by, for example, bevelled ends 309. It is structured to be open at both sides and has, for example, a height of about four centimetres so that it can be inserted flush into a work plate of normal thickness without projecting beyond the underside of the work plate.Components or subassemblies (not shown) of electrical or electronic control equipment are accommodated in the frame 302. Preferably, the sub-assemblies in that cases consist of individual circuit plates or circuit boards which are provided with appropriate conductor tracks and components.

For the location of these subassemblies in the frame 302, the frame has retaining elements 310 and 311 at the lateral frame walls. The retaining elements 310 consist of plastics material strips which are connected with the frame wall and which are provided with retaining grooves 312 at different heights. On the other side, the retaining elements 311 are constructed in the form of screw lobes which can be integral components of the frame 302. Designated by 313 is a schematically illustrated electronic subassembly in the form of a circuit board which can, for example, carry on its underside different electronic components and on the upper side possesses spring-like connecting elements 31 4.

The elements 314 are electrically connected with the components, which on the other side create electrical connections through contact places 314' with the operating and indicating panel 301.

Through these electrical connecting elements 314, for example, an electrical connection between capacitive touch-sensitive switches at the operating and indicating panel and consisting of electrically conducting capacitor surfaces, is provided at the height of the contact places 314' at the panel 301, at both sides of the panel. The panel consists of dielectric material. When the upper capacitor surface is touched, electrical switch pulses are conducted through the connecting elements 314 to the electronic system of the aforementioned subassembly, are processes and used for control of the cooker plates. The subassembly 313 is retained on the one hand in the uppermost retaining groove 312 of the retaining element 310 and on the other hand by the retaining element 311 at the same level, for example by screws.A second subassembly 313' in indicated by dashed lines and located in the retaining elements 310 and 311 in a lower plane in adaptation of its connecting elements or electrical or electronic components to the height of the frame 302 or to the geometric position of the panel 301.

Fig. 1 3 shows the underside of the frame 306 and Fig. 14 shows another sectional elevation of this frame. It is to be inferred from Fig. 14 that the subassemblies 313 and 313N" constructed in the form of circuit boards are distributed in area and space over the entire surface of the frame 306, wherein the retaining elements, displaying several retaining grooves, are again designated by 310.

The lower, open side of the frame 306 is coverable by a cover 315, which is connected by screws to the frame 306. It is evident from Fig. 13 that the subassemblies or the circuit boards are provided with connecting strips, for example 313a, as well as with appropriate wiring tracks. In the illustrated embodiment, the frame 306 is provided at all sides with projections 316, which are bent over in Z-shape and into which an operating and indicating panel of the aforedescribed kind is laid and fastened, for example by gluing. Designated generally by 31 7 in Figs. 1 3 and 14 is the main connection with mains connecting terminal, relay conductor connection and tension relief for a main connecting cable (integrated on conductor plate), which is arranged in a corner region of the frame 306.The frame 306, and if so desired also the cover 31 5, has a corresponding recess 31 8 in this region.

For the performance of repair operations, the entire frame unit inclusive of the operating and indicating panel can, for example, be removed rearwardly from the work plate in the embodiment according to Figs. 13 to 14. For test purposes or for the exchange of individual subassemblies, only the cover 31 5 need be taken off.

Designated by 319 in the embodiment according to Fig. 15 is a frame, which contains the control equipment and which is provided with upper, Z-shaped projections 320 and which in the described manner contains electrical or electronic control subassemblies, for example in the form of circuit boards which are again arranged at different heights with respect to the frame. By contrast to the previous embodiment, a retaining element 321 with a snap connection 322 is provided for fastening of the circuit boards.

Designated by 323 is a retaining frame of large area, which has e frame part (not shown in detail) with an insertion recess for a glass-ceramic cooker plate as well as a frame part for the operating and indicating panel 301. At least the last-mentioned frame part of the frame 323 possesses, for the formation of the recess 324, a downwardly drawn Z-shaped and encircling flange 325, which fits into the upwardly directed projections 320 of the frame 31 9 and is supported on these. The panel 301 is placed in the recess of the frame 323 in the illustrated manner and fastened and sealed off therein, for example by gluing. For the performance of repair operations, the complete frame 319 can be removed downwardly from the retaining frame 323. Retaining frame 323 and frame 319 are connectible together by screw connections (not shown).

In the embodiment according to Fig. 16, a frame 306, which carries the control equipment, is provided in correspondence with the embodiment according to Fig. 12. The frame 306 is connectible by, for example, a screw connection 326 and by an engagement element 327 with an intermediate frame 328, which is connected by projections 329, for example glued, to the panel 301. The intermediate frame 328 in turn is connectible with a retaining frame 330, which can be constructed similarly to the retaining frame according to Fig.15, which, however, in this embodiment does not carry the panel 301 directly. In the inserted setting, sealing elements 331 are laid between the panel 301 and retaining frame 330 or the sealing elements are previously glued to the panel 301.In this embodiment, the possibility exists of either lifting the frame 306 together with the electrical or electronic subassemblies downwardly from the intermediate frame 328 by loosening the screw connection 326 or detaching the functional unit represented by the frame 6 and panel 301 together from the retaining frame 330 so that the afore-mentioned functional unit is not separated.

Through the particular structuring of the preferably one-piece housing of a cooker hob according to the described embodiments, the advantage results that all parts required for the function of the hob are present in a one-piece appliance. Through the flat mode of construction of the appliance, the space below the hob is completely free so that further appliances, drawers or the like can be arranged in this space, thus directly under the hob. An excellent capability for monitoring and operability of the hob results from the inclined arrangement of the operating and indicating panel which adjoins the cooker plate at the front.

Claims

1. A kitchen installation comprising a worktop and an adjoining built-in cooker hob which comprises a housing, a cooker plate carried by the housing and provided with cooking zones, heating means associated with the cooking zones and arranged in the housing, operating and indicating means arranged at an exterior surface of the hob and carried by the housing, and control means associated with the operating and indicating means and arranged in the housing, the overall depth of the housing being such that the housing does not substantially protrude beyond at least the lower one of the upper and lower boundary planes of the worktop.

2. An installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooker plate comprises a glassceramic member.

3. An installation as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the housing is a shaped diecast member.

4. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising a further worktop spaced from the first-mentioned worktop by an amount substantially equal to the overall width of the hob, the hob being inserted in the space between the worktops and the overall length of the hob being substantially equal to the corresponding dimension of each of the two worktops.

5. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating and indicating means comprise a panel which adjoins the cooker plate and is arranged at a front side of the housing, an upstanding enclosure being disposed at a rear side of the housing to project above the cooker plate.

6. An installation as claimed in claim 5, wherein the panel extends at least in part at an angle relative to the cooker plate.

7. An installation as claimed in claim 6, the control means being arranged underneath the panel and comprising a connecting and current supply part arranged in the upstanding enclosure.

8. An installation as claimed in claim 7, the control means comprising a plurality of circuit boards arranged substantially underneath the panel to extend parallel thereto and the connecting and current supply part comprising vertically arranged sub-assemblies.

9. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the panel comprises a first section which is provided with indicating elements and is substantially aligned with the cooker plate and a second section which is provided with operating elements and which is inclined relative to the first section.

10. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the housing comprises a unitary frame which encloses at least the cooker plate and the panel and which includes side cheeks projecting beyond at least a section of the panel provided with operating elements.

11. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a carrier member fastened to the housing to cover the control means at least at one side thereof and adapted for readily detachable mounting thereon of control units respective to different control functions of the hob.

12. An installation as claimed in claim 11, wherein the carrier member comprises an elongate metal plate provided in the region of a longitudinal edge thereof with projecting mounting brackets, the brackets being provided with engagement elements for detachable retention of the control units.

13. An installation as claimed in claim 12, comprising a plurality of engagement elements provided on the brackets at respectively different heights for mounting of control units of different heights.

14. An installation as claimed in either claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the carrier member is provided in the region of a longitudinal edge thereof opposite to the first-mentioned edge with fastening elements for the control units.

1 5. An installation as claimed in claim 14, wherein the fastening elements are lower than the mounting brackets so as to enable an inclined arrangement of the control units in correspondence with an inclined section of a panel of the operating and indicating means.

1 6. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the mounting brackets are constructed to be resiliently yielding.

17. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16, wherein the mounting brackets comprise plastics material.

18. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 17, wherein the carrier member is substantially trough-shaped and, together with control units mounted thereon, is insertable from below and locatable with reference to an operating face of the hob.

1 9. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10, comprising a substantially vertical carrier member carrying readily detachable electrical connecting and current supply subassemblies and located in the enclosure, the enclosure being open towards a rear side of the hob.

20 An installation as claimed in claim 19, wherein the carrier member is provided at least at its lower side with engagement elements in which vertical circuit boards are engaged.

21. An installation as claimed in either claim 1 9 or claim 20, wherein the carrier member comprises a vertical metal plate provided at its lower edge with a horizontal extension having connecting elements engageable with the housing to connect the carrier member thereto.

22. An installation as claimed in claim 21, wherein the carrier member is mounted to be pivotable about the connecting elements.

23. An installation as claimed in either claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the carrier member further comprises a bent over intermediate metal plate which is arranged at a spacing from and extends in part parallel to said vertical metal plate, the intermediate plate bounding a terminal chamber for electrical feed and outlet cables.

24. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing comprises a frame portion surrounding the cooker plate.

25. An installation as claimed in claim 24, wherein the frame portion comprises an encircling flange for the cooker plate and an encircling web at the height of the heating means below the cooker plate.

26. An installation as claimed in either claim 24 or claim 25, wherein the frame-portion is bounded downwardly by a heat insulating plate provided with a heat insulating layer.

27. An installation as claimed in claim 26, wherein the heat insulating plate is substantially trough-shaped and the insulating layer comprises a lacquer.

28. An installation as claimed in either claim 26 or claim 27, comprising a pressure plate arranged between the heat insulating plate and the heating means and provided with pressure elements bearing against the heating means, the heating means bearing against the cooker plate.

29. An installation as claimed in claim 24, wherein the frame portion is provided with mounting posts of different overall heights mounting the pressure plate and heat insulating plate ot the frame.

30. An installation as claimed in any one of the claims 26 to 29 when appended to claim 5, wherein the heat insulating plate extends into the region below the enclosure and is provided with ventilation openings in this region.

31. An installation as claimed in claim 30, comprising a cover memebr closing a rear side of the enclosure and provided in an upper portion thereof with a ventilation opening.

32. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is provided at two mutually opposite side edges with support elements for supporting the housing relative to the or each worktop, the support elements extending over the entire length of said sides.

33. An installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooker plate comprises a glass ceramic plate and the housing comprises a flat frame which is open at both sides and in which sub-assemblies of the control means are mounted in different positions by retaining elements provided at different heights in the frame, the subassemblies being disposed at an open side of the frame.

34. An installation as claimed in claim 33, the operating and indicating means comprising an operating and indicating panel and a plurality of operating elements mounted in the panel.

35. An installation as claimed in claim 34, wherein the operating and indicating panel comprises a glass-ceramic panel member and the operating elements comprise touch-sensitive switches.

36. An installation as claimed in either claim 34 or claim 35, wherein the sub-assemblies are detachably held by the retaining elements.

37. An installation as claimed in claim 1, the operating and indicating means comprising an operating and indicating panel provided at its underside with an electrical unit comprising touch-sentitive switches and sub-assemblies of the control means.

38. An installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a frame and the operating and indicating means comprises an operating and indicating panel secured by permanent fixing means to the frame.

39. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 37, wherein the housing comprises a frame portion for the panel, the frame portion being open at both sides and the panel being secured in the frame portion by permanent fixing means.

40. An installation as claimed in claim 39, wherein the housing comprises a separate further frame portion for the cooker plate.

41. An installation as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 36, comprising an intermediate frame connected to the housing frame and inserted in a retaining frame for the cooker plate, the panel being securely connected to the intermediate frame.

42. An installation as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the control means comprising sub-assemblies being retained in retaining elements provided with mounting means and in further retaining elements constructed as snap connectors.

43. A kitchen installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

44. A kitchen installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 8 to 11 of the accompanying drawings.

45. A kitchen installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 12 of the accompanying drawings.

46. A kitchen installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 3 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.

47. A kitchen installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 5 of the accompanying drawings.

48. A kitchen installation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 6 of the accompanying drawings.