GB2205177A

GB2205177A - An electronic programme controller for cooking equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2205177A
Application number: GB08811872A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alain Costa
Original assignee: Eaton Controls SARL
Current assignee: Eaton Controls SARL
Priority date: 1987-05-27
Filing date: 1988-05-19
Publication date: 1988-11-30
Also published as: IT8820669A0; ES2010271A6; FR2615973B1; FR2615973A1; DE3816761A1; IT1217673B; GB8811872D0

Description

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Ail ELECTRONIC PROGRAMME CONTROLLER FOR COOKI'1G EQUIPMEilT The present invention relates to an electronic programme controller or timer for ovens or other cooking equipment.

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Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a frontal view of the control panel 1 in an electronic programme controller of the known type, comprisin0 an electro-fluorescent dl.Spl a; screen 2 and a control keyboard 3.

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The electro-fluorescent display screen 2 has a FIP (flourescent indicator panel) tube adapted to display four digits 5, separated by a pointer 6 to indicate the time of day (in hours and minutes), and each comprising seven segments; a constant or winking "AUTO" indicator 14 which is illuminated when the programme controller is functioning automatically; and an indicator i which is illuminated when the o.::_:.s f unc ti onin-- under automatic proc-ramme control.

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The control keyboard 3 includes five pushbuttons, of whici: there are three pushbuttons 8, 9 and 10, one twoposition rotating switch 11 and a rotating pushbutton 12 which can be turned both clockwise and anticlockwise.

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From the layout point of view, Figure 1 corresponds to a system which has in practice been accepted as a commercial standard for the assembly o such programme controller.

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The functions which this type of electronic programme controller can provide are as follows:

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I - a simple clock function:

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This function comprises the permanent indication or the time of day in hours and minutes, on the eiectro-fluorescent display screen 2. To set the correct time in the projramnle controller shown in Figure 1, pushbuttons 8 and 9 must be depressed simultaneously and held down whilst the pushbutton 12 is rotated to indicate the correct time of day on the display screen 2.

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II _ a simple timing function:

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This function consists in selecting a period of time, for example 50 minutes, after which a sonic alarm should switch on without any action on the oven itself. To obtain this setting the pushbutton 8 must be depressed, whereupon the display screen 2 will indicate 00.00, and the pushbutton 12 must simultaneously be rotated until the selected time period is displayed.

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III - controlling a specified cooking period; this can be ef" f ected in two different ways:

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IIIa - immediate cooking with a timed switch-off.

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This function is brought about by first setting the sw-11 to the "programming position", indicated on the dial ca cl ockface 13: the "AUTO" indicator is then illuminated and starts to wink on the display 2; then one sets either the time a;, which cooking must cease, by depressing the pushbutton 10 and simultaneously rotating the pushbutton 12, or the cooking period, by depressing the pushbutton 9 and simultaneously rotating the pushbutton 12.

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IIIb - delayed cooking with a controlled-switch-of time and cooking period. Once again, the switch 11 is set to the "programming position", the switch-off time is set by depressing the pushbutton 10 and simultaneously rotating the pushbutton 12, and the cooking period is. set by depressing tt:e pusnbutton 9 and simultaneously rotating the pushbutton 12.

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IV - manual functioning:

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This final function consists in making no use of the programme controller. It is effected by setting the switch 11 in the "manual" position, also identified in Figure 1 by a hand 15.

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Of course, the majority of programme controllers are adapted, by means of an input and an added circuit box, to actuate a lighting-up device, but this will not be described in detail since it has no bearing on the novel features o- the present invention.

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The know=n programme controllers have certain inherent defects. First, it is invariably necessary to use both hands when altering the settings: the user cannot set the controller with one hard and hold a cooking dish in the other}':and. Secondly, the row of four pushbuttons 8, 9, 10 and 12, switc. 11 and cl ockface 13 leaves no space on tire keyboard 3 t0 acImmodate an additional ccnU-rol pushbutton, fc r e.. ample to re=.;late the oven temperature or pro- ra::me a miCrc-wave secuercinc, device. Another de-ect is tiia-' there are no means of preventing a situation whereby the settings (the switch-off tide and cookin;,7 period) are inadvertently made whilst- the switch 11 has accidentally remained in the manual position: in this situation, the coo::ir. sta-be:rill commenco immediately, whereas the user remains convinced that it wil:L start after a certain delay and cease automatically after tile cooking period has elapsed. i4oreov er, since it is -L,-,,,material.:nether one pro7ramiies first ti:c i.liae at.;'nich, cooiin':dill cease::nu cnen tire preceding coo:,'_n: period, or vice versa, it is possible fer the user to fcrgec wilut has beer. se;, and/or forget to programme one or the other setting. Furthermore, between setting the cookin.- period, if this setting is made irst, and then setting of the switch-off tire, the oven will be switched on, which is a very inelegant situation. Finally, if the manual setting is operative and a power cut should supervene, the oven will switch itself back on when the power cones back on, if the user has removed the dish during she power cut but has forgotten to switch the controller off, thereby wasting power in an empty oven.

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The object of the invention is to remedy these ef eC L.s.

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According to the present invention., there is provided electronic progranräe controller for cooriing equipment, in:rnich a control panel has an electro-fluoresce:,;, display reen and a COno1 ke -'n-.:_ .^.__;. i,-, d 'u i.:

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r,jbC.,....., "_i.,1. c aJ;.

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-c -ic-n a t! 2ast as c simple C1 o C''.:, as a t=--Cr, a... c c!cc--Cr op:"ode ten-lined cOOi;in--- Der40dS, a;':.^. li Z:- simple.2 i;ian-j a.'_....0....; i-inerein vhe control ke,vboarC consists of _Our j-,t, bctzons providin7 a-F, least four functions, v=--.. a f lrst pushbutton adapted to swi tc at eac:: cerressi on fro:: the manual mode to the automatic node, or vice versa' f a second pushbutton adapted to maintain incremental au-var.ces, so long as it re"Irains depressed, of any and all ti;e settings; a third pushbutton adapted to Maintain incremental reroressions, so long as it remains depressed, of a1_ the,!:=id time settings; arid a f ourth and last pushba':ton adapted to bri;_ about, at each depression thereof, the cyclic selection of a programming mode; wherein the electro-fluorescent display screen in the said programme controller _has, in addition to a time of day display and an automatic-mode indicator, five indicators of the programming mode selected by the fourth pushbutton, which respectively indicate, in any predetermined and permanent order:

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the manual functioning mode; the programming of cooping period settings; the pro-rramming of switch-off time settings; simple timing adjustments; simple clock-time corrections; and wherein the control panel is associated with an electronic circuit which incorporates a central logic unit for diital data processing and control having:

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at least one input for a time-base unit the pericc o which is correlated with t;Zat of an al ternating-curie nt ma=ns su0pl;,'; at least one input data for each pushbutton. on she keyboard; at least two output lines respecti vely f eeding t::e segments and the grids in the elec tro-fluorescent di snla'= screen; at least one output feeding a sonic alarm; and at least one output controlling, a sWitching relay or the cooking equipimen'. t.

An e:;bodiment of the invention will be described., bar rae onl.r, ' '., s t, o, i - ea' r,.pl_, wi. reference to iLs advar.zageand.

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preferred further features, in the following description of Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, in which:- .DTD:

Figure 2 is a frontal view of the control panel of a programme controller in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 is a simplified. block diagram of the electronic circuit of the said programme controller; Referring to Figure 2, the control panel 1 of this programme controller has, in common with all electronic programme controllers for cooking equipment, an electrofluorescent display screen 2' and a keyboard 3'.

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The display screen 2' consists of -a FIP tube type 4T 13, which is adapted to display:

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four digits 5, each in seven segments, representing hours and minutes; two pointers 6 separating the minutes from the hours; an "AUTO" indicator 14 identical with that in Figure 1; and five indicators in the form of illuminatable pointers 16 to 20, aligned from left to right in the following order:

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a pointer 16 indicating the manual mode (also identified, as before, by a hand 15); a pointer 17 indicating the programming of the cooking period; a pointer 18 indicating the programming of the oven switch-off time; a pointer 19 indicating the regulation of the simple timing function; and a pointer 20 indicating the regulation of the simple clock function.

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The keyboard 31 has four pushbuttons 21 to 24, aligned from left to right in the following order:

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a pushbutton 21: it is used to select the manual or automatic mode; if for example the system is set in the manual mode, the pointer 16 will be illuminated and the indicator 14 extinguished: on depressing the pushbutton 21 with the finger, the automatic mode will be selected, and this will be displayed by the pointer 16 being extinguished and the indicator 14 illuminated and winking; the next depressing of the pushbutton 21 will bring the system back to the manual mode; a pushbutton 22: this produces forward clock corrections: on depressing this pushbutton 22, the time displayed by the four digits 5 will advance forwards, minute by minute, and remain at the corrected time setting when the pushbutton 22 is released; a pushbutton 23: this produces reverse clock corrections: on depressing this pushbutton 23, the time displayed will move backwards, minute by minute, and remain at the corrected time setting when the pushbutton 23 is released; a pushbutton 24: this provides sequential programme selection: each time the finger depresses this pushbutton, the indication will advance from pointer 17 to pointer 18, then from 18 to 19, then from 19 to 20, and then from 20 back to 17, and so on, each depression selecting the next programming function (in the order: cooking period, then switch-off time, then the simple cooking period, then the simple clock time, and then back to the cooking period, and so on).

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FiDure 3 represents the electronic circuit associated wits the panel shown in Figure 2. In addition to the display screen 21 and the pushbuttons 21 to 24, this circuit consists substantially of a micro- processor 25, a time-base unit 26 syncronised with the with the mains supply, an output relay 27, a sonic alarm 23 and a lirghtino-up adaptor box 29. The drawing includes neither the supply circuitry nor the monostabiliser system for the micro-processor 25 and its internal RC clock-time circuit.

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The central computinlogic unit and controller 25, which may for example be a type 7527 micro-processor, has f ive data inputs:

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an input 31 connected to the positive terminal 30 of a l-vo_t d.c. supply system through the pushbutton 21: this constitutes ti:e eoM:.12rd input for switching from manual to automatic and vice versa; an input 32 connected to the positive terminal 30:rou:1 the pushbutton 22: this consitutes the cor.ä,:and input or forwarc corrections of the clock-time display; an inaut 33 connected to the terminal 30 through the pushbutton 23: this constitutes the command input for reverse corrections of the clock-time display; an input 34 connected to the terminal 30 through t:e pushbutton 24: this consitutes the command input for sequential programme selection; and an input 35 co.i.._cted to t lihtinS-up adaptor box 29, which is brou7izt into action -by the closure o-f 4 special i;Tni ti o n interrupzor 36 mounted in the equiorent.

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In addition, synchronising pulses are transmitted at an input point 37 from a time-base unit 26, itself triggered by the arrival at an input 38 of a. c. signals at 50 or 60 Hz, depending on the alternating mains frequency: this synchronisation ensures that the programme controller can function equally well in countries with power supplies at either 50 or 60 Hz.

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The micro-processor 25 has four outputs:

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an output connection 39 to the relay 27 which switches the oven on; an output connection 40 to the sonic alarm generator 23; an output group 41 with six conductors leading to the six grids (inputs G) in the display screen 2'; an output group 42 with eight conductors leading to the segments and pointers (inputs S) in the display screen 2'.

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The display screen 21 obviously leas adit;ortl input tarr"inals 43, to supply the iI3amenL, with a 3-vol t a.c. current from a source 44, together with a polarisation. terminal 45 connected to a terminal 30 (5volt supply) throug1, a polarising resistor 46.

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This programme controller functions as follows:

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On first connecting the apparatus to the mains supply, or following any power cut, the micro-processor 25 is programmed so that the programme controller necessarily enters the automatic mode. The symbol "AUTO" 14 will illuminate and win:;, Loge they with the four digits 5 and the pointers 6, indicating OO:J0.

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The besz first stew is to correct the si::ole clot"' tire. Successive depressions of the pushbutton 24 will cause the pointer 20 to light up. The time correction is then made by depressing the pushbutton 22 (forward corrections) and finally the pushbutton 23 (reverse correction) if the time has been overshot, until the correct time is shown on the display screen 2'.

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If the oven is then to be set in the manual mode, one only needs to depress the pushbutton 21 once: the indicator 14 will be extinguished and the pointer 16 will light up.

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In order to regulate the simple timing setting, the system must be on "AUTO"; then successive depressions of the pushbutton 24 are made until the pointer 19 lights up, whereupon the display screen will show 00:00. The desired period is selected by depressing pushbuttons 22 and/or 23. After completing this setting, the display screen will revert in a few seconds to displaying th a clock time. At the end of the programmed interval, the sonic alar-r. 23 will be sari ached cn f or 3.minutes, unless or until it is switched off by T depressing, the pushbutton 22 or the pushbutton 23. hen it is required to programme a coo:<ing sequence, there are t;.ro possibilities:

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Case 1: immediate timed cooking:

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The cooking must commence immediately and cease after a predetermined time lapse. By depressing the pushbutton 24, the pointer 17 is illuminated and the 00:00 indication is brought up on the display screen. The cooking period is then selected by the sa;:e procedure as just described for simple t;me setting;. if ter completinthe setting there:; i_1 be a delay of abou' fifteen seconds before the oven will be switched on. At the end of the programmed period the relay 27 will be de- activated and the alarm 28 will sound as in the simple timing case already described.

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Case _Z: delayed cooking:

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It is characteristic of this programme controller that the end of cooking time cannot be programmed until the cooking period has been programmed.

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The cooking period is selected by the procedure already described. Threupon, there will be the 15 seconds delay, already referred to, before the oven would be switched or. except that, meanwhile, the end of cooking time is selected by depressing the pushbutton 24, so that the pointer 10 lights up in the place of the pointer 1 7. Then the end of cooking time is selected 2s in the previous cases by- means of the pushbuttons 212 and 23It is a notabl a feature of this pro?ramrne controller:zat no cooking programmes can be selected whilst it is set ij. t:ze manual mode.

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Between the pushbuttons 23 and 24 there is a free area wi-iic'L: can accommodate an extra pushbutton 47 (shown in dashed lines) to provide an additional function: this can be 1"cr correction, for oven temperature regulation, for micro-:,rave.z=quencin-, e'-c.... In this case, the pushbutton 4 7 will b associated Wit'a an extra data input 481 on the micro-processor 2 5.

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The invention is obviously not restricted to t::e Cetails of t::e embodiment jus, described; the proT ra::me controller can be further adapted with advanta"Te so t'nat tile poi titers w il_ wlin:C t-:n_1 st pro- in-, is takin? plac.a, an' sonic alarm: will be switched on for a period at the end of o delayed coo':inC perod. It can al so be equipped advantageously with two output relays instead of the one, et- c..

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Claims

CLAIitS .CLME:

1. An electronic programme controller for cooking equipment, in which a control. panel has an electro-fluorescent display screen and a control keyboard, which controller is adapted to function at least as a simple clock, as a simple timer, as a selector of predetermined cooking periods, and ' in the manual mode; wherein, the control keyboard consists of four pushbottons providing a t least four functions, viz.:

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a first pushbutton adapted to switch at each depression from the manual mode to the automatic mode, or vice versa; second pushbutton adapted to maintain incremental advances, so long as it remains depressed, of any and all time settings; a third pushbutton adapted to maintain incremental retror:asSlons, J 'oil- ?s =_':. remains depressed, of call the said t_:ae settings; and a fourth and last pushbut ton adapted to branbou at eac-depression thereof, the cycl is se11ec:.on C' a prO6-ran.:minv mode; Alerein "Uhe eleci,ro-fluorescent displ a, screen in the s2id proramme controller has, in addition. to a tine of day display and an autoiiiatlc-mode indicator, five indicators of the programming mode selected by the fourth pushbutton, which respectively indicate, in any predetermined and permanent order:

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the manual functioning mode; the probrammin o.-C cooking period settln?S; the proyramminof switch-ofI time- settia:7s; siä.ple timing adjustments; simple clock-time corrections; and wherein the control panel is associated with an electronic circuit which incorporates a central logic unit for digital data proce.ssing and control having:

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at least one input for a time-base unit the period of which is correlated with that of an alternating-current mains supply; at least one input data for each pushbutton on the keyboard; at least two output lines respectively feeding the segments and the grids in the electro-fluorescent display screen; at least one output feeding a sonic alarm; and at least one output controlling a switc'. ing relay for tae cookin:z equipment.

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2. n-In elec-z;ronic prooram:e controller as in Ciai:: 1, wherein the central logic unit is designed so as to impose t;ie automatic mode when the power is first switched on.

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3. An electronic programme controller as in C1 a_::: 1 or Claim 2, wherein the central loic unit is designed sc as to prohibit any and all programme settings:when it is seL in the manual mode.

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An electronic programme controller as in any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the central logic unit is designed so as to prohibit setting the end-of-cooking time if:he cooping period has not already been pro jranmed.

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5. An electronic progra.:.;e controller as in an-! One o: Claims 1 to 4, incorporating a delay unit which proni'31ts s.witchino on the cooking equipment until a predetermined period. has elapsed since programming the cooping period.

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6. An electronic programme controller for cooking equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

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Published 1988 at The Paten: 0=:ice. State House. 66 71 High He:born. Londor WC1R 4':P. F,Ltrer copies mkòbe obtained from The Patent Office, Saes Branch. St Mary Cray. Orp:ngtcr_. Kent BR5 3RL Printed b,; Mu:t:p:ex tec hmques Itd. St Mary Crkv. Kent- Con. 1 87-