Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
  • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
  • H05B6/02—Induction heating
  • H05B6/10—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications
  • H05B6/12—Cooking devices
  • H05B6/1209—Cooking devices induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them
  • H05B6/1218—Cooking devices induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them with arrangements using lights for heating zone state indication
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
  • G09F23/00—Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes
  • G09F23/0058—Advertising on or in specific articles, e.g. ashtrays, letter-boxes on electrical household appliances, e.g. on a dishwasher, a washing machine or a refrigerator
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
  • H05B2206/00—Aspects relating to heating by electric, magnetic, or electromagnetic fields covered by group H05B6/00
  • H05B2206/02—Induction heating
  • H05B2206/022—Special supports for the induction coils

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates to induction cooktops and in particular to modular induction coil arrangements having integrated display devices included therein .
• a trend with home appliances is to make them smart , namely, digitally connected, so as to of fer cooking assistance and information feedback to the user, as well as provide for new options for designs along with an overall improvement of the customer experience .
• certain home appliances have started to include a variety of individual features which use light from built-in light sources to visually communicate with the user useful information including cooking parameters , cooking recipes and the like .
• particular arrangements of the light sources have been shown to increase the aesthetic appeal and design of a respective home appliance and have therefore become a consideration for the smart home appliance designer and engineer with respect to how to increase the appeal of their design and end-product .
• induction cooktops are gaining in popularity worldwide .
• induction cooking is a two-part system .
• the first part is a coil of wire , such as a copper wire , particularly coiled such that when an electric current is passed through the coil , it creates an electromagnetic field of energy below the cooktop surface , at a cooking zone of the cooktop , which radiates upwards and outwards from below the surface .
• the second part is a magnetic cooking utensil appropriately configured with a suf ficient amount of magnetic content , such as iron and the like , applied along the bottom of the cooking utensil , so as to work be detectable by the induction cooktop and/or at least interact with the electromagnetic field generated by the induction coil in order to undertake the cooking process .
• the induction cooktop heats up the cooking utensil via the excitation of molecules within the appropriate cooking utensil by the electromagnetic field, the friction created by the excitation resulting in heat generation in the cooking utensil . Accordingly, the induction coil directly heats up the cooking utensil .
• a traditional heat source in a cooking zone must generate a suf ficient amount of heat to pass or trans fer through the cooktop surface , typically ceramic, to reach the cooking utensil and only then heat up the cooking utensil .
• the more ef ficient heat trans fer of induction cooktops versus traditional cooktops results in faster cooking times , faster control of heat generation/reduction and a lack of dangerous/ intense heat generation at the cooktop surface of the cooking zone .
• a traditional heat generating cooking zone may produce upwards of 200 degrees Celsius for boiling water, such being intensely dangerous to the human touch .
• the typical induction cooktop cooking zone produces about 40 degrees Celsius , arising mostly arising from heat back down to the surface from the utensil , such not being intensely dangerous to the human touch .
• Certain induction cooktops may include particular forms of illumination taking the form of form of light emitting diodes ( LED) arranged below the cooktop surface and configured so as to emit a particular radiation of light that is transmissive by the cooktop surface and visible to the cooktop user .
• LED light emitting diodes
• CN000207471609U discloses an anti-fog display screen for use with electromagnetic stoves having a control panel with the illumination being provided by LEDs within a matrix layer .
• a combination insulation-anti fog coating is provided to promote convenience of use as well as address problems stemming from fog build up in and/or on the display .
• CN000207514994U discloses an electromagnetic stove display screen including, among other elements , an arrangement of an insulated transparent plate below a number of other layers .
• the teachings provided herein are directed towards a particular type of display having certain physical wear-resistant features .
• DE102012219040A1 discloses a display device for a glass ceramic hob having LED backlighting arranged underneath a display surface , the display being thermally connected with a surface of an insulating and non-transparent metal plate .
• EP0990855B1 discloses a hob plate having a number of di f ference cooking zones with individual integrated timing controls facilitating the programming of certain time-based functions for the respective zone . The controls are accessible via certain electronically insulated operating elements with capacitive , inductive , or piezoelectric sensor functionality and a display element for indicating the selected time .
• EP25887166A2 and US 20130098351A1 are directed to a cooking apparatus having a hob plate with a heating device arranged beneath it for cooking a vessel placed on the plate .
• An optical display device for displaying temperature is also provided below the hob plate proximate to and/or between it and the heating device .
• the display device comprises thermochromic color or material , namely a material known to change color in response to a particular change in temperature , applied on a separate carrier, and otherwise visible from above the cooktop surface .
• US2007096631A1 is directed to a particular configuration for a flat panel display with an insulating substrate , the panel being directed towards minimi zing an inflow of ambient oxygen and moisture .
• a heat trans fer member is also provided between a first and at least one of the insulating substrates and a cover substrate .
• Application of the panel to a kitchen environment , and in particular to an induction stovetop or hob, is absent .
• W02019201590A1 is directed to a panel for a cooking hob having a glass layer and a reactive layer responsive to electric, electromagnetic and/or thermic parameters , the reactive layer acting as a visual indicator .
• EP3177108A1 is directed to light elements arranged below an induction cooktop surface , the arrangement including air vents through which air is pumped in a close loop in order to dissipate heat buildup below the surface .
• It is an obj ect of the present invention to provide a module for an induction cooktop comprising an induction coil with an LED, OLED or TFT illumination panel arranged thereon and separated from the induction coil by a thermal barrier .
• Another thermal barrier may be applied to another end of the illumination panel thereby thermally insulating the illumination panel from excessive temperatures originating from the other direction .
• the si ze of modules is also flexible .
• Still another obj ect of the present invention is to provide an induction cooktop which is able to display a variety of di f ferent information and communications , in a variety of di f ferent locations , in a manner interactive with the user .
• Such induction cooktops of fer more flexibility in design and configuration and may further be individuali zed to the user .
• a module for an induction cooktop appliance having a cooktop surface with a cooking direction comprising - an illumination panel configured to emit visible light and arranged below the cooktop surface so as to emit the visible light in the cooking direction;
• first thermal barrier arranged above the illumination panel and below the cooktop surface , the first thermal barrier comprising a material configured to thermally insulate the illumination panel from ambient heat ;
• the second thermal barrier comprising a material configured to thermally insulate the illumination panel from ambient heat ;
• the first thermal barrier is transparent to the visible light ;
• the illumination panel comprises at least one of an LCD, TFT or OLED display .
• a module may comprise an induction coil arranged to abut the second thermal barrier at a distal end to the end abutting the illumination panel .
• an induction cooktop comprising a module according to the present invention and the cooktop surface
• the first thermal barrier comprises a top layer and a bottom layer and is arranged to abut the cooktop surface with the top layer and abut the illumination panel with the bottom layer
• the illumination panel comprises a display surface and a bottom surface and is arranged to abut the first thermal barrier with the display surface and the second thermal barrier with the bottom surface
• a second thermal barrier abuts the bottom surface
• the cooktop surface is configured to transmit the visible light .
• the module according to the present invention includes an illumination panel sandwiched between two thermal barriers .
• the thermal barriers may be transparent and/or at least transmissive to the visual radiation emitted by the illumination panel while being heat resistant .
• the illumination panel may be an LED, OLED or TFT display configured to be operated by certain local and remote controls made available to the user via interactive input/output means .
• the illumination panel may be spread out to cover a portion of up to an entirety of the cooktop surface .
• the coverage of the cooktop surface by the illumination panel is not limited to any particular location and may be atop of induction coils and/or alongside them, when viewed from above , as well as in locations which are free of the induction coils . Accordingly, the illumination panel with insulations layers may be integrated with the induction coils or made as a separate unit such that the two cooperate in achieving the aforementioned coverage .
• the thermal barriers may operate as insulation layers thermally guarding the illumination panel from heat , the thermal barriers may comprise any suitable material for the particular illumination panel configuration or be an air gap through which air may pass thereby dissipating heat so as to remove any danger from the same to the illumination panel .
• the thermal barrier located between the illumination panel and cooktop surface is transmissive to the radiation, such as visible light , generated by the illumination panel , such that the radiation may be viewed from above the cooktop surface . Accordingly, the illumination panel is not limited by the type of image being displayed, so long as the image is suf ficiently displayed so as to be appreciated from above the cooktop surface .
• the illumination panel with or without the coils may be arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB ) configured to transmit an appropriate display signal to the i llumination panel for the latter to display it .
• the display signal may originate from components on the PCB, in direct connection with the PCB or remote and wirelessl y connected .
• Appropriately configured and arranged computer processing elements may be in electrical communication with the PCB so as to enable the generation and/or communication of the display signal to the illumination panel .
• the communication elements may be in communication with external sources via wired or wireless communication, as well as with the controls of the cooktop surface and any auxiliary elements , wired or wirelessly, such as temperature sensors , timers , cameras , microphones , speakers and the like . Such communication may be facilitated by an appropriately located and configured user interface .
• the content of the display signal input for display by the illumination panel , is limited only by the technical parameters of the particular display employed as the illumination panel .
• a user interface may be arranged at the cooktop surface and configured to enable user input to the computer processing elements , cooktop controls and any other elements associated with the present invention .
• the user interface may include a touch screen configured to output to and receive input from the user .
• An air cooling arrangement may be employed with or in place of a thermal barrier located between the illumination panel and cooktop surface .
• the thermal barrier includes an open- air passage or may be absent with its absence defining the air passage .
• a temperature sensor may be included proximate to the passage and configured to measure the temperature and generate or have generated a signal which activates an appropriately located pressure blower to force air through the air passage to an inlet of appropriately located suction blower arranged at another end o f the modules being cooled and configured to cooperate with the suction blower in a feedback loop so as to dissipate heat which the forced air encounters .
• the suction blower may include an exhaust for exhausting air received from the direction of the pressure blower .
• gaps between modules may be employed to pass forced air by way of heat dissipation .
• Location of the temperature sensors is not limited by the location of the module and/or illumination panels and may be spaced between 5 cm and 10 cm apart , preferably 7 cm .
• FIGS 1A- 1C depict cross sectional views of modules according to the present invention
• Figure 2 depicts modules arranged on a PCB
• Figure 3 depicts an arrangement of modules on a PCB with an air-cooling arrangement
• Figure 4 depicts a top view of an induction cooktop
• Figures 5A and 5B depict other top views of cooktop surfaces .
• Figure 6 depicts an example application of the present invention .
• FIG. 1A depicts a first module 11 according to the present invention .
• the first module comprises an illumination panel 12 sandwiched between a first thermal barrier 10 , abutting a top of illumination panel 12 , and a support 20 abutting a bottom of the illumination panel .
• the illumination panel 12 may comprise a thin film transistor ( TFT ) , liquid crystal display ( LCD) or organic light emitting diode ( OLED) display .
• the illumination panel 12 may comprise any other equivalent display known to the skilled as being suitable for application in a smart appliance .
• the illumination panel i s configured and arranged in the present modules by means and methods known in the art so as to display any still and/or moving images of suf ficient clarity and intensity so as to be visible by a user located above the induction cooktop surface .
• the first thermal barrier 10 may comprise any material suitable for thermally insulating the particular type of display, used for the illumination panel , from ambient heat . As would be appreciated by the skilled person, selection and application of such material would therefore only be dependent upon the particular display as well as the induction cooktop environment .
• the support 20 may comprise any material and structure suitable for physically supporting the illumination panel 12 and first thermal barrier 10 as well as enable electronical communication through it to the illumination panel .
• Figure IB depicts a second module 13 according to the present invention, the second module including illumination panel 12 sandwiched between first thermal barrier 10 and a second thermal barrier 14 , itsel f sandwiched between the illumination panel 12 and support 20 .
• the second thermal barrier 14 may also comprise any suitable material and structure appropriate for thermally insulating illumination panel 12 from ambient heat .
• Figure 1C depicts a third module 15 according to the present invention, the third module including an induction coil 18 arranged between the second thermal barrier 14 and support 20 .
• the induction coil may comprise any appropriately configured induction coil , of suitable material , as would be envisioned by the skilled person, to enable induction cooking at the induction cooktop .
• the modules of the present invention may be arranged directly underneath the induction cooktop surface with the first thermal layer 10 abutting the surface from below .
• the induction cooktop surface may comprise glass .
• the abutment of the instant module here the third module , may define a cooking zone on which the user may place a suitable magnetic cooking appliance for cooking via the induction coil .
• Figure 1C depicts the surface glass 16 abutting the first thermal barrier 10 from above .
• the surface glass 16 may constitute a cooking zone given the proximate location of the induction coi l 18 .
• the cooking zone may as well include an illumination panel 12 . Top views of examples of cooking zones are depicted in Figures 4- 6 .
• Figure 2 depicts a plurality of third modules 15 arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB ) 22 suitable for application with induction cooktops as envisioned by the skilled person .
• the number and type of modules may vary by application .
• the support 20 of each module is configured to enable direct electrical communication between the PCB 22 , induction coil 18 and illumination panel 12 ; the electrical signals including parameter control signals for the induction coil and illumination panel along with display and/or content signals to be displayed by the illumination panel .
• Other signal communications facilitating smooth operation of the present invention may be implemented here as part of the present invention .
• the appropriateness of the signals , their creation and communication are a matter of design choice known to the skilled person .
• the content and application of signals to be displayed is limited only by the imagination of the skilled person and may include still as well as streamed and/or moving images .
• FIG 3 depicts a cross section of an application of the present invention with an induction cooktop .
• a cooktop surface 16 arranged below a cooktop surface 16 are interspaced second and third modules 13 and 15 .
• Other arrangements , numbers and type of the modules may be undertaken without departing from the present invention .
• the second modules 13 lacking induction coils
• a gap 39 is introduced by the second module when it is interspaced between two third modules that do have induction coils 18 .
• All of the modules are arranged such that their respective first thermal barrier 10 abuts a bottom of the cooktop surface 16 .
• Cooking zones are defined by the presence of induction coils arranged below the cooktop surface 16 .
• the induction coils may be arranged directly below the cooktop surface absent the intermediate illumination panel and thermal barriers and the modules may take on a variety of physical forms .
• the material of the first thermal barrier 10 may be hollowed so as to form an air passage or the material may be omitted outright such that it ' s the space formed by the material ' s absence forms the air passage .
• Air passages may be formed in adj acent first thermal barriers so as to form a pathway between distal ends of the induction cooktop where the modules are mounted .
• a hollowed air passage is depicted as first path 34 extending from a first end having a pressure blower 30 arranged therein to a second end having a suction blower 28 arranged therein .
• the first path 34 is aligned with an outlet 24 of pressure blower 30 such that air may be blown directly to an inlet 29 of the suction blower 28 , through the aligned air passages , below the cooktop surface , so as to carry away any present ambient heat . Blown or forced air from outlet 24 , of pressure blower 30 , received at inlet 29 , of suction blower 28 , is then circulated back to an inlet 26 , of pressure blower 30 , via a return path 38 .
• the return path 38 may travel through openings in the supports 20 of the third modules 15 and gaps 39 formed between the third modules 15 .
• an exhaust path (not shown) leading out of the induction cooktop may be substituted for the return path .
• Other path arrangements may be employed which function to dissipate heat by air movement .
• the pressure blower and suction blower may comprise any suitable blowers envisioned by the skilled person .
• Certain electronic components may be brought into communication with PCB 22 in order to enable control of the induction coils and illumination panels as well as direct select information to select illumination panels for display .
• Such components are not limited to the ones discussed herein and may include others as envisioned by the skilled person to implement the present invention .
• a user input output ( I /O) 37 may be arranged in communication 31 with PCB 22 and configured to facilitate communication between a user (not shown) and a controller 35 for the induction cooktop and user (not shown) .
• the I /O may comprise appropriately arranged and configured touch screen, switches , microphone and speaker, and the like (not shown) .
• An communication module 33 may arranged in communication with the PCB 22 and configured to enable wired or wireless communication between at least the controller 35 , I /O 37 and externally located resources (not shown) .
• Information may trans fer via the communication module 33 , such information intended for display by select illumination panels . Such information may include still and moving images , personal pictures , cooking recipes , and any other user available content .
• the content are trans formed by the controller 35 into display signals for select display by appropriate illumination panels at the cooktop surface .
• the communication module may facilitate visual and audio communication via the cooktop surface with external points of contact . Enabling such communication are appropriately arranged and configured cameras and/or microphones and/or speakers (not shown) .
• the second and third modules may be arranged in parallel or in series to the PCB in order to enable control thereof by the controller .
• Temperature sensors may be arranged along the first path and return path, the sensors being in electrical communication with controller 35 so as to provide suf ficient feedback to the controller to engage or disengage the pressure blower and/or suction blower in order to circulate air and dissipate detected ambient heat .
• the temperature sensors may be spaced apart 5 cm to 10 cm and in particular 7 cm .
• Figure 4 depicts a top view 40 o f an induction cooktop, without the cooktop surface , to reveal four modules mounted together on a PCB (not shown) and forming a surface upon which the cooktop surface (not shown) abuts .
• a circular induction coil arrangement 42 is surrounded by a thermal barrier 44 protecting a illumination panel 46 from heat emanating from the cooking zone defined by the visible surface area of the induction coi l arrangement 42 .
• One of the four modules is highlighted and magni fied 48 so as to depict in more detail the arrangement of the induction coil 42 , thermal barrier 44 and display panel 46 respectively .
• a user interface I /O 37 Arranged at one end of the top view and covered with the induction cooktop surface is a user interface I /O 37 .
• the user interface may be arranged anywhere on the surface and is shown here as an example location which may be conveniently reached by the user .
• Figures 5A and 5B depict another arrangement 50 of modules according to the present invention .
• a rectangular shaped induction coil 52 which may be accommodated in an appropriately si zed module for the particular induction cooktop, is arranged proximate to two modules 56 , having circular induction coils , examples of which are depicted in Figure 4 .
• the intervening space between the rectangular shaped induction coil 52 and the two circular shaped induction coils 56 is taken up by illumination panels 54 , such as may be the first module .
• a covered user interface 37 is arranged at a location convenient for the user .
• Figure 5B depicts the arrangement of Figure 5A with a cooktop surface 16 now in place .
• a first cooking zone 58 is defined by the aforementioned rectangular shaped induction coil 52 now covered by cooktop surface 16 .
• a second and third cooking zone 57 and 55 are defined by the circularly arranged induction coils 56 .
• An intermediate display area 59 between the aforementioned first and second cooking zones , is shown covered by a clear glass to facilitate display from the illumination panels 54 . While depicted as a darkened and clear glass respectively, other glass arrangements may be substituted as envisioned by the skilled person without departing from the present invention . In operation, the display area may be used to depict select images and information while the cooking zones may be selectively used for induction cooking .
• FIG. 6 depicts an example of a personali zed induction cooktop 60 having a user interface 70 arranged and configured to operate the induction cooktop under commands from and/or for the user .
• a cooking utensil 64 is depicted in a cooking zone having certain illuminations 62 arranged along the cooking utensil ' s perimeter and/or along a perimeter of the cooking zone .
• a temperature gauge 68 is further depicted proximate thereto .
• the depiction may correspond to one or more temperature gauges configured and arranged to measure select temperatures within and/or related to a cooking zone , including but not limited to the cooking zone and/or glass surface .
• the signal from the temperature gauge may then be feedback to the induction cooktop controller 35 to facilitate and otherwise enable control of a pot temperature and/or other cooking related devices and elements .
• the user may have engaged a request to display the surface temperature of the induction cooktop surface 66 near cooking utensil 64 with the certain illuminations indicating speci fic locations which are currently safe for human touch .
• a display of information 72 such as recipe information, as may be obtained from the Internet , is shown at a location convenient for the user to browse and consult while cooking .
• a communication display 74 is arranged on the cooktop surface 66 making it possible for the user to remain in communication and/or online while cooking; the communication display 74 visually indicating whether messages are received or transmitted as well as facilitating other forms of communication such as audio and/or video calls .

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Induction Heating Cooking Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=78414434

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Citations (10)

• 2021
  • 2021-10-28 EP EP21205410.0A patent/EP4175410A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2022
  • 2022-10-19 WO PCT/EP2022/079147 patent/WO2023072708A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (10)

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