WO2008068129A1

WO2008068129A1 - Extractor hood with indicator

Info

Publication number: WO2008068129A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/062192
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerd Wilsdorf
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2006-12-06
Filing date: 2007-11-12
Publication date: 2008-06-12
Also published as: DE102006057545A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an extractor hood with an indicator (2), the extractor hood being characterized in that the indicator (2) is connected to at least one control unit (54, 64) and/or at least one monitoring unit (44) within the extractor hood (1), for the purposes of controlling and/or monitoring the function at least of one functional unit (4, 5, 6) of the extractor hood (1), and is designed at least for indicating control and/or monitoring signals at least of one control unit (54, 64) and/or at least of one monitoring unit (44) in plain text.

Description

Extractor hood with display device

The invention relates to a fume hood with display device.

For extractor hoods, it is known to display the hood for example, the currently set fan level of the fan fan of the hood or other functions of the hood. When operating the functional units, such as the fan blower, the hood with switch, the display can be due to the switch position. The disadvantage with this type of extractor hood is that with this display, on the one hand only the selected setting can play and in particular no additional information can be reproduced. On the other hand, the controls must protrude for actuation over the surface of the hood or be sunk in this and are exposed to soiling.

Furthermore, a system for the operation, control and service of household appliances is described for example from DE 100 57 849 A1. Here, the household appliances, such as stove and hood are connected via an interface with a data transmission system, such as the Internet. In this system, it may be provided that the user of an extractor hood receives information on the exchange of wear elements in constant contact with the customer service by means of an alarm on the device.

The disadvantage of this known system is that the user receives information about the actual current state of the extractor hood only when an alarm state occurs.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide a cooker hood, which allows a user-friendly operation.

The invention is based on the finding that the user at the extractor hood a sufficient amount of information is provided in a suitable form available. The object is therefore achieved by an extractor hood according to the main claim 1. By an extractor hood is provided a display device connected to at least one control unit and / or at least one monitoring unit within the hood for controlling and / or monitoring the function of at least one functional unit of the hood is and the display device is designed at least to display control and / or monitoring signals at least one control unit and / or at least one monitoring unit in plain text form, it is possible for the user of a cooker hood quickly and reliably get information about the current state of the hood allow.

Furthermore, the transmission of information to the user can be specified by displaying the control and / or monitoring signals in plain text on the one hand and, on the other hand, the detection of the transmitted information can be facilitated for the user. In addition, as the control and / or supervisory signals are from units inside the cooker hood, the cooker hood can be used independently of other devices or devices and is therefore flexible in use. For the purposes of the present invention, plain text form is understood to be, in particular, the display of information in the form of words, numbers and / or detailed symbols. In particular, the display can be carried out by means of alphanumeric numbers, words and / or so-called bar graphs. For display, for example, an LCD display or other suitable technologies may be used.

Another advantage of using a display in plain text form is that information about different functional units can be sequentially displayed at the same location of the display device. This is possible according to the invention since the currently displayed status information can be displayed together with a designation of the functional unit or a symbol for the functional unit. In display devices of the prior art, in which, for example, symbols for different states of the functional units in the form of a mask are provided on the display device and the respective state are indicated by illumination of a lamp arranged behind the mask, the location of the display for the different functional units is fixed , It is therefore necessary to design the display device in a sufficient size to be able to display the different states. In addition, the user must be at this known display device interpret the icons displayed to capture the displayed information.

The display device of the extractor hood is connected according to one embodiment with the monitoring unit for monitoring the filter saturation of a provided in the hood filter element. By connecting to such a monitoring unit, the user can always be shown the current saturation state of filter elements.

Since the display is also in plain text form, the user can immediately capture this information displayed, without having to interpret symbols. When using displays in which an icon, for example, the instruction "filter to change soon" is displayed when reaching a corresponding saturation level, the user is forced to endeavor to identify the user manual, and to identify the symbol displayed to him When displaying the information on the status of the functional unit by means of plain text, the user can, however, recognize the information without prior consultation of the manual and take appropriate action.

In addition, compared to the pure warning of the user when reaching a saturation level, which makes the replacement of a filter necessary, with the present invention, a continuous information of the user about the degree of saturation of the filter. This is particularly advantageous with metal filters or other filters that can be cleaned upon reaching the saturation level of the filter. If the user is always shown the current saturation level with such a filter, then the user can decide himself when a cleaning is expedient. If, for example, there is still sufficient space left in the dishwasher to clean the filter of the extractor hood, the user can decide whether the current degree of saturation makes the cleaning sensible. The user receives in the present invention, not only a warning when reaching a critical condition but in advance at any time information about the state of the hood, which is easy to detect by the user. The saturation degree can be detected, for example, by adding up the operating time of the extractor hood, if appropriate taking into account the volumetric flow of the extractor hood. Alternatively or in addition to the connection with the monitoring unit for monitoring the filter saturation, the display device may be connected to the control unit for controlling the fan power of a fan blower provided in the extractor hood. Through this connection, the user can be informed at a glance whether an increase in the fan power is still possible.

Alternatively or in addition to the connection to the monitoring unit for monitoring the filter saturation and / or the connection to the fan power control unit of the fan blower, the display device may be connected to the control unit for controlling the illumination intensity of a lighting device provided on the hood. In this embodiment too, the user is enabled in a simple manner to read the illumination potential of the illumination device still available from the display on the extractor hood and thus to set the suitable illumination intensity.

According to one embodiment, the extractor hood has a conversion unit for converting a control and / or monitoring signal into a plain text display. By providing such a conversion unit within the hood, the connection to external evaluation units can be omitted and the cooker hood thus be used flexibly as an independent part of a kitchen.

According to one embodiment, at least two pieces of information are displayed on the display device based on each control and / or monitoring signal. The displayed information preferably represents an indication of the functional unit to which the signal relates, a graphical representation of a state of the functional unit, for example a bar graph, and / or a numerical indication of the status of the functional unit.

By the display device is designed for the display in plain text form in the hood according to the invention, the different information can be displayed together.

By combining the display or display of information, the detection of the displayed information is facilitated. According to one embodiment, the display device is connected to a rating unit and the rating unit generates a rated control and / or monitoring signal of a control unit and / or a monitoring unit for controlling and / or monitoring the function of at least one functional unit of the range hood. In the evaluation unit, the control and / or monitoring signal can be compared with a stored maximum value, and thus, for example, a percentage with respect to the current state of the functional unit can be determined. Furthermore, in the evaluation unit, for example, the achievement of a threshold value can also be determined, and upon reaching the threshold value, a corresponding display can be reproduced on the display device. This embodiment is advantageous, for example, for warnings when reaching the maximum filter saturation or when detecting a malfunction of the blower or the lighting device.

The units of the extractor hood described can also be at least partially summarized according to the invention. The units can also be at least partially realized by circuits or programs.

The invention will be described again below with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic front view of an embodiment of the extractor hood according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a display on an embodiment of the display device of an extractor hood; and

FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of the extractor hood according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an extractor hood 1 according to the invention. The hood 1 has a display device 2, which at the

Front of a body 3 of the hood 1 is provided. In the body 3, a filter 4 is provided, can be cleaned by the sucked fumes and vapors. The filter 4 may be a grease filter, which may for example consist of expanded metal, or an odor filter, in particular an activated carbon filter. In the case of an odor filter this will be arranged differently from the installation position shown in the area behind the shown grease filter 4. In the extractor hood 1, for example in the provided above the body 3 chimney 4, a fan 5 is arranged, which is indicated only schematically in Figure 1. About this fan 5 fumes and vapor are sucked through the filter 4. Furthermore, 3 lighting devices 6 are provided on the underside of the body, by means of which a below the hood 1 located hotplate (not shown) can be illuminated. The fan 5, the lighting device 6 and the filter 4 are also referred to below as functional units.

If the extractor hood 1, for example, via an operating unit 7, which can be configured as a button, switch or touch sensor, put into operation and in particular the fan 5 is activated, then the activation of the fan 5 and due to the design of the display device on the display device 2 2 also the activation level can be displayed as a plain text display.

Possible displays on the display device 2 are shown schematically in an exemplary embodiment in FIG. In the illustrated embodiment, information about the fan intensity 51, 52, 53, the filter saturation 41, 42, 43 and the lighting 61, 62, 63 displayed on the hood 1. For each of the functional units 4, 5, 6, the display on the display device 2 in two different graphical representations 42, 43, 52, 53, 62, 63. In addition, the functional unit 4, 5, 6 on the display device 2 by a text display 41, 51, 61 identified.

The indications 51, 52, 53 with respect to the blower 5 are shown on the left side of the display device 2. The indication "Fan Intensity" 51 recognizes to the user that the information 52, 53 displayed under this information relates to the current setting of the fan 5 of the extractor hood 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the setting or the state of the fan 5 is shown in a graphic Form 53 and a numeric form 52. From the numerical indication "3.5", the user can detect that the blower 5 is currently set to a blower level 3.5. In addition, this fan setting is graphically represented by a bar graph 53. In this case, the currently set area is highlighted by hatching, illumination or selection of another display color. For the user, the current setting of the blower 5 can be seen at a glance. In addition, the user gets the opportunity in this ad the ability to estimate the remaining resources of the fan 5 in a simple way. If, for example, the highest blower level, which is designated P in the illustrated embodiment, is set, the user immediately recognizes that the maximum blower output has been set and can react accordingly, for example taking a saucepan which leads to a high vapor volume from the hotplate.

By displaying in numerical form 52, the user is presented with the absolute value of the setting of the fan 5. In addition, the current setting relative to the possible maximum and minimum settings can be recognized by the graphical detailed representation 53.

In the right area of the display device 2, the setting of the illumination device 6 is displayed. The displayed information is clarified to the user by the display "light" 61. In addition, the utilization of the possibilities of the illumination device 6 is represented by the numerical, percentage indication "75%" 62. The user is displayed by the bar graph 63 further displayed the already exhausted and the resources still available. As a result, the user can see at a glance whether a more extensive illumination is possible.

Finally, in the illustrated embodiment, in the central area, the saturation of the fat filter 4 indicated by the indication "filter saturation" 41 is indicated. The numerical value "75%" 42 indicates to the user the value of the current one

Saturation of the grease filter 4 is displayed. In addition, a readily understandable indication of the relative degree of saturation of the grease filter 4 is reproduced by the graphical display 43 arranged thereunder. The user is made clear at a glance how soon a cleaning or replacement of the filter 4 is necessary.

The display on the display device 2 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. Rather, it is also within the scope of the invention that in addition to the information about the functional unit, only a numerical indication of the current state of the functional unit is displayed or only a graphical representation of the state is displayed. Also, the indication by means of which the functional unit is designated, instead of by the illustrated text playback indicated by an icon. Since the display device 2 is designed to display plain text, the symbol here can be detailed and easily understood by the user compared to conventional symbols.

Furthermore, it is also possible that the display device has a smaller dimension than the dimension shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, a display device can be used in which, for example, only the information relating to a functional unit can be shown. If the state of another functional unit is to be displayed, the information initially displayed is deleted by the display device, that is, are no longer visible to the user, and instead the information and information relating to another functional unit can be displayed. The display of the states of the different Funtkionseinheiten thus takes place with a time delay. The change from the display of the state of a functional unit to the display of the state of another functional unit can be done by pressing a button or a touch sensor by the user. The switching can also be done automatically, for example, when changing the state of one of the functional units.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the display device 2 according to the invention and the units 8, 9, 44, 54, 64 connected thereto according to one embodiment. The functional units 4, 5, 6 are in this case connected to a rating unit 8. Each functional unit 4, 5,6 is a control or

Monitoring unit 44, 54, 64 assigned, which may be integrated in the functional unit 4, 5, 6 or may be combined in a separate control / monitoring unit with the control / monitoring units 44, 54, 64 of the other functional units.

In addition, a conversion unit 9 is provided, which converts the signals received from the functional units 4, 5, 6 or the evaluation unit 8 in order to be able to reproduce them in a clear text form on the display device 2.

The operation of the illustrated system will now be described by way of example with reference to the filter 4 and its monitoring. The filter 4 is associated with a monitoring unit 44, by means of which the saturation state of the filter 4 is detected. The saturation state can be determined, for example, by adding up the operating times of the extractor hood 1. When changing the Saturation state of the filter 4 is output from the monitoring unit 44, a signal that can be evaluated in the evaluation unit 8. In particular, the saturation state can be compared with respect to a stored maximum value of the saturation or the saturation state can be converted into a degree of saturation. The signal thus evaluated can be processed in the conversion unit 9 in order to be able to reproduce the contents of the signal on the display device 2. In this case, for example, the origin of the signal, in this case the monitoring unit 44, is determined and a corresponding display is initiated, for example by the reproduction of the word "filter saturation" on the display device 2. The degree of saturation is processed in the conversion unit 9 such that the value on the one hand as a number and on the other hand by a graphical representation, for example by means of bar graphs is made possible.

The present invention has a number of advantages. In particular, with regard to the display of the filter saturation, these advantages can be used particularly. By displaying the filter saturation in the form of a bargraph with optional or alternative display by numeric characters, the user of the hood can recognize early when it is time to change or clean the grease filter or odor filter. For example, with a metal filter that can be cleaned in the dishwasher, the user can easily check what the current saturation level of the grease filter is and clean the metal filter while the space in the dishwasher is still there. By cleaning the filter even before reaching the maximum saturation level, the performance of the hood can be increased and the energy requirement can be reduced. Also by displaying the settings or states of the other functional units, such as in particular the lighting device or the blower can be helped the user to save energy. If the user only shows, for example, that the blower is currently operated at a level 3, this information only results in insufficient information for the user. In particular, the user can not infer from this information whether there is only one higher level at which the extractor hood can be operated, or whether there are still several intermediate levels available before the maximum value is reached.

Claims

claims

1. Extractor hood with a display device (2), characterized in that the display device (2) with at least one control unit (54, 64) and / or at least one monitoring unit (44) within the extractor hood (1) for controlling and / or monitoring of Function of at least one functional unit (4, 5, 6) of the extractor hood (1) is connected and at least for displaying control and / or monitoring signals at least one control unit (54, 64) and / or at least one monitoring unit (44) in plain text form is designed.

2. Extractor hood according to claim 1, characterized in that the display device (2) with the monitoring unit (44) for monitoring the filter saturation of a provided in the extractor hood filter element (4) is connected.

3. Extractor hood according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the display device (2) to the control unit (54) for controlling the fan power of a provided in the hood fan blower (5) is connected.

4. Extractor hood according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the display device (2) with the control unit (64) for controlling the illumination intensity of a provided on the hood lighting device (6) is connected.

5. Extractor hood according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a conversion unit (9) for converting a control and / or monitoring signal into a plain text display.

6. Extractor hood according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that due to each control and / or Monitoring signal on the display device (2) at least two pieces of information are displayed.

7. Extractor hood according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the display device (2) with a rating unit (8) is connected and the evaluation unit (8) an evaluated control and / or monitoring signal of a control unit (54, 64) and / or monitoring unit (44) for controlling and / or monitoring the function of at least one functional unit (4, 5, 6) of the extractor hood (1) generated.