Hob apparatus

Abstract

A hob apparatus includes a heating region for placement and heating of a cooking container. A dynamic display unit provides an identification of the heating region in an operating mode, and a control unit selects an identifying property of the identification of the heating region in the operating mode, depending on an operating parameter.

Claims

1. A hob apparatus, comprising: a heating region for placement and heating of a cooking container; a dynamic display unit configured to provide an identification of the heating region in an operating mode of the hob apparatus; and a control unit configured to: control activation of the dynamic display unit to provide the identification of the heating region in response to an activation of the operating mode while being independent of placing and removing the cooking container in and out of the heating region and independent of carrying out a heating process, select an identifying property of the identification of the heating region in the operating mode, depending on an operating parameter of the hob apparatus, and control an illumination of the dynamic display unit to provide the selected identifying property of the identification of the heating region.

2. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the dynamic display unit to keep, in the operating mode, a variable of the identification substantially constant.

3. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the dynamic display unit to alter, in the operating mode, the identifying property in response to an alteration of the operating parameter.

4. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying property is an intensity of the identification of the heating region.

5. The hob apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hob plate, said control unit being configured to control the dynamic display unit to display, in the operating mode, an alteration of the operating parameter in a direction oriented parallel to the hob plate by means of the identification of the heating region.

6. The hob apparatus of claim 5, wherein the direction is a depth direction.

7. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operating parameter is a heating parameter.

8. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating region comprises at least one combined heating zone including a plurality of heating units.

9. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating region comprises a plurality of heating units, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the dynamic display unit to identify, in the operating mode, at least partially an edge of the heating region by means of the identification.

10. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating region comprises a plurality of heating units, and wherein the control unit is configured to control the dynamic display unit to identify, in the operating mode, at least one position of individual ones of the heating units by means of the identification.

11. The hob apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to control the dynamic display unit to display, in the operating mode, an illumination representing a temperature of a heating zone of the heating region by means of the identification.

12. A hob, comprising a hob apparatus, said hob apparatus comprising a heating region for placement and heating of a cooking container, a dynamic display unit configured to provide an identification of the heating region in an operating mode of the hob apparatus, and a control unit configured to: control activation of the dynamic display unit to provide the identification of the heating region in response to an activation of the operating mode while being independent of placing and removing the cooking container in and out of the heating region and independent of carrying out a heating process, select an identifying property of the identification of the heating region in the operating mode, depending on an operating parameter of the hob apparatus, and control an illumination of the dynamic display unit to provide the selected identifying property of the identification of the heating region.

13. The hob of claim 12, constructed in the form of an induction hob.

14. A method of operating a hob apparatus, comprising: identifying, by a control unit configured to control activation of a dynamic display unit, an identification of a heating region on which a cooking container is placeable for heating purposes, in response to an activation of an operating mode by the hob apparatus while being independent of placing and removing the cooking container in and out of the heating region and independent of carrying out a heating process; selecting, by the control unit, an identifying property of the identification of the heating region depending on an operating parameter of the hob apparatus, and controlling, by the control unit, an illumination of the dynamic display unit to provide the selected identifying property of the identification of the heating region.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising keeping, by the control unit controlling the illumination of the dynamic display unit in the operating mode, a variable of the identification substantially constant.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising altering, by the control unit controlling the illumination of the dynamic display unit in the operating mode, the identifying property in response to an alteration of the operating parameter.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifying property is an intensity of the identification of the heating region.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying, by the control unit controlling the illumination of the dynamic display unit in the operating mode, an alteration of the operating parameter in a direction oriented parallel to a hob plate of the hob apparatus by means of the identification of the heating region.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the direction is a depth direction.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the operating parameter is a heating parameter.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying, by the control unit controlling the illumination of the dynamic display unit in the operating mode, at least partially an edge of the heating region by means of the identification.

22. The method of claim 14, further identifying, by the control unit controlling the illumination of the dynamic display unit in the operating mode, at least one position of individual heating units defining the heating region by means of the identification.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising displaying, by the control unit controlling the dynamic display unit in the operating mode, an illumination representing a temperature of a heating zone of the heating region by means of the identification.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a hob with a hob apparatus out of an operating mode in a schematic plan view,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the hob with the hob apparatus in an operating mode before the start of a heating operating state in a schematic plan view,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the hob with the hob apparatus in an operating mode before the heating operating state in a schematic plan view,

(5) FIG. 4 shows the hob with the hob apparatus in an operating mode before the end of the heating operating state in a schematic plan view,

(6) FIG. 5 shows different display elements of a display unit of the hob apparatus in a schematic view,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a hob with an alternative hob apparatus in an operating mode in a schematic plan view and

(8) FIG. 7 shows a hob with an alternative hob apparatus in an operating mode in a schematic plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(9) FIG. 1 shows a hob 26a which is configured as an induction hob, with a hob apparatus 10a which is configured as an induction hob apparatus. The hob apparatus 10a has a hob plate 20a. In a mounted state the hob plate 20a forms part of an external housing of the hob. The hob plate 20a is provided for placing a cooking container 14a thereon.

(10) The hob apparatus 10a has a plurality of heating units 24a. In the figures, of objects which are repeatedly present, in each case only one is provided with a reference numeral. The heating units 24a define a variable cooking surface region. In each case four of the heating units 24a are arranged in a row. Alternatively, the hob apparatus could have a plurality of heating units which could be arranged in the form of a matrix.

(11) In the present exemplary embodiment, the hob apparatus 10a comprises eight heating units 24a. The heating units 24a are provided to heat a cooking container 14a placed on the hob plate 20a above the heating units 24a. The heating units 24a are configured as induction heating units.

(12) The hob apparatus 10a has an operator interface 28a for the input and/or selection of operating parameters, for example a heat output and/or a heat output density and/or a heating zone. The operator interface 28a is provided for the output of a value of an operating parameter to an operator.

(13) The hob apparatus 10a has a control unit 18a. The control unit 18a is provided to carry out actions and/or to alter settings depending on operating parameters which are input via the operator interface 28a. In a heating operating state the control unit 18a regulates an energy supply to the heating units 24a.

(14) In the present exemplary embodiment, the hob apparatus 10a comprises two heating regions 12a. The heating regions 12a are arranged adjacent to one another relative to a transverse direction. Of the heating regions 12a, only one is described hereinafter. In the present exemplary embodiment, the heating region 12a is defined by four heating units 24a.

(15) The heating region 12a extends from a region facing an operator into a region remote from an operator. A cooking container 14a is able to be placed on the heating region 12a for heating.

(16) The hob apparatus 10a has a dynamic display unit 16a. The display unit 16a is provided in an operating mode for identification of the heating region 12a. The identification is a light. In the operating mode, the display unit 16a is provided for illuminating the heating region 12a.

(17) The display unit 16a has at least one display element 30a. In the present exemplary embodiment, the display unit 16a comprises a plurality of display elements 30a. Of the display elements 30a, only one is described hereinafter. The display element 30a is an LED.

(18) For example, an operator activates the operating mode by an operating input via the operator interface 28a. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a selects an identifying property of the identification of the heating region 12a depending on an operating parameter.

(19) A size of the heating region 12a in the operating mode is substantially constant. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a keeps a size of the identification of the heating region 12a substantially constant.

(20) In the case of an activation of the operating mode the control unit 18a identifies the heating region 12a by means of the identification provided by the display unit 16a. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a alters the identifying property depending on an alteration of the operating parameter. In the present exemplary embodiment the identifying property is an intensity of the identification of the heating region 12a. In the case of an activation of the operating mode, the control unit 18a identifies the heating region 12a until the start of a heating operating state in which, in particular, at least one cooking container 14a placed on the heating region 12a is heated with a lower intensity of the operating parameter (see FIG. 2).

(21) Alternatively, the control unit could be provided to identify each heating region with a low intensity of the operating parameter and, in particular with an activation of the operating mode in one of these heating regions, to identify this heating region with a greater intensity of the operating parameter.

(22) In the present exemplary embodiment, the operating mode is an operating mode denoted as “power move”. Alternatively, the operating mode could be an operating mode denoted as “temperature move”.

(23) In the operating mode, the control unit 18a assigns a predefined heating parameter to every heating unit 24a. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a assigns a greater value of the heating parameter to a heating unit 24a arranged in the region facing an operator than to a heating unit 24a arranged in the region facing away from an operator.

(24) In the present exemplary embodiment, the control unit 18a selects the identifying property of the identification of the heating region 12a depending on the heating parameter. In the operating mode, the operating parameter is a heating parameter.

(25) In the operating mode, the control unit 18a displays an operating parameter which alters in a direction 22a oriented parallel to the hob plate 20a by means of the identification of the heating region 12a. The direction 22a faces from the region facing an operator into the region facing away from an operator. The direction 22a is a depth direction. In the present exemplary embodiment, the operating parameter in the direction 22a decreases monotonously.

(26) When a cooking container 14a is placed on the heating region 12a the control unit 18a starts the heating operating state. In the heating operating state the control unit 18a regulates a heating of the cooking container 14a. In the heating operating state, the control unit 18a regulates an energy supply to the heating units 24a above which the cooking container 14a is placed. In the heating operating state, the control unit 18a identifies the heating region 12a with a high intensity of the operating parameter (see FIG. 3).

(27) The heating units 24a heating the cooking container 14a define a heating zone (not shown). In the operating mode, the control unit 18a displays a temperature of an activated heating zone of the heating region 12a by means of the identification. For example, the control unit could display a high temperature of the heating zone of the heating region with a first color, such as in particular red, and a low temperature of the heating zone of the heating region with a second color which is different from the first color, such as in particular blue, by means of the identification. The identifying property could, for example, be a color of the identification of the heating region. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit could display different temperatures by means of different intensities. In this case the identifying property, for example, could be an intensity of the identification of the heating region.

(28) In the present exemplary embodiment, the heating zone of the heating region 12a is defined by two heating units 24a. The heating zone is a combined heating zone. The heating region 12a comprises the combined heating zone. The combined heating zone is part of the heating region 12a. In the heating operating mode, the heating zone defines an activated partial region of the heating region 12a.

(29) In the operating mode, the control unit 18a identifies the activated partial region of the heating region 12a and a deactivated part of the heating region 12a. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a identifies the entire heating region 12a. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a partially identifies an edge of the heating region 12a.

(30) The display unit 16a is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the heating units 24a. The display unit 16a partially surrounds the heating region 12a. A display element 30a is arranged at specific points of the edge of the heating region 12a in each case. The display unit 16a has display elements 30a of different geometry (see FIG. 5).

(31) The display unit 16a has a first display element 30a′. The first display element 30a′ is substantially L-shaped and/or hook-shaped and/or boomerang-shaped. The first display element 30a′ is provided for identification of a corner of the heating region 12a. The first display element 30a′ is provided for identification of a boundary of the heating region 12a.

(32) Alternatively, the first display element could be provided for identification of a boundary of a heating unit.

(33) The display unit 16a has a second display element 30a″. The second display element 30a″ has an elongated, substantially rectangular shape. The second display element 30a″ is provided for identification of an elongated lateral edge of the heating region 12a. In the present exemplary embodiment, the second display element 30a″ has a substantially continuous elongated shape which is substantially rectangular.

(34) The display unit 16a has a third display element 30a′″. The third display element 30a′″ has a plurality of substantially square shapes which are arranged in a row. The third display element 30a′″ has a substantially elongated shape which is defined by the plurality of substantially square shapes. The third display element 30a′″ is provided for identifying an elongated lateral edge of the heating region 12a.

(35) The display unit 16a has a fourth display element 30a″″. The fourth display element 30a″″ is defined by two first display elements 30a′ which adjoin one another along one respective edge of the shapes of the first display elements 30a′. The first display elements 30a′ defining the fourth display element 30a″″ are arranged substantially mirror-symmetrically.

(36) In the present exemplary embodiment, the identification of the heating region 12a has four first display elements 30a′ and eight second display elements 30a″. The first display elements 30a′ are provided for an identification of the corners of the heating region 12a. A longitudinal direction of one respective second display element 30a″ is oriented substantially parallel to the direction 22a. The direction 22a is arranged parallel to a longitudinal direction of extension of the heating region 12a. The second display elements 30a″ are arranged on opposing sides of the heating region 12a relative to the transverse direction. The second display elements 30a″ are arranged so as to be distributed substantially uniformly between two immediately adjacent first display elements 30a′ relative to the direction 22a.

(37) The second display elements 30a″ are arranged substantially level with the center of gravity and/or central point of the heating units 24a. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a identifies a position of the individual heating units 24a defining the heating region 12a by means of the identification.

(38) When the cooking container 14a is removed from the heating region 12a the control unit 18a terminates the heating operating state (see FIG. 4). The control unit 18a stops an energy supply to the heating units 24a defining the heating zone. When the heating operating state is terminated, the activated heating zone becomes a deactivated heating zone.

(39) Immediately after terminating the heating operating state, the deactivated heating zone has a slightly lower temperature than the activated heating zone shortly before terminating the heating operating state. In the operating mode, the control unit 18a displays a temperature of a deactivated heating zone of the heating region 12a by means of the identification.

(40) In a method comprising the hob apparatus 10a, the heating region 12a is identified by means of the identification of the heating region 12a. In the method, an identifying property of the identification of the heating region 12a is selected in the operating mode depending on an operating parameter.

(41) In FIGS. 6 and 7 two further exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The following descriptions are substantially limited to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, wherein relative to components, features and functions which remain the same, reference may be made to the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5. For differentiating the exemplary embodiments, the letter a in the reference numerals of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 5 is replaced by the letters b and c in the reference numerals of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7. Relative to components which are denoted the same, in particular relative to components with the same reference numeral, in principle reference may also be made to the drawings and/or the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5.

(42) FIG. 6 shows a hob 26b with an alternative hob apparatus 10b. In the present exemplary embodiment the hob apparatus 10b has twelve heating units 24b. A dynamic display unit 16b of the hob apparatus 10b is provided in an operating mode for identification of a heating region 12b of the hob apparatus 10b. In the operating mode, the control unit 18b selects an identifying property of the identification of the heating region 12b depending on an operating parameter.

(43) In the operating mode, the control unit 18b identifies a position of individual heating units 24b defining the heating region 12b by means of the identification. In the operating mode, the control unit 18b identifies the intermediate spaces between immediately adjacent heating units 24b. In the operating mode, the control unit 18b partially identifies an edge of the heating region 12b by means of the identification. In the operating mode, the control unit 18b identifies the upper and/or lower and/or lateral edges of the heating units 24b on the edge, in particular relative to a direction 22b, which is a depth direction.

(44) In the operating mode, the control unit 18b identifies each heating unit 24b by means of four display elements 30b of the display unit 16b. In the operating mode, the control unit 18b partially assigns the same display elements 30b to the immediately adjacent heating units 24b. Display elements 30b, which identify an intermediate space between two immediately adjacent heating units 24b, are assigned equally to both heating units 24b.

(45) In the present exemplary embodiment, the identification of the heating region 12b has ten second display elements 30b″. A longitudinal direction of extension of one respective second display element 30b″ is oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction 22b. In each case, five second display elements 30b″ are arranged one behind the other in the direction 22b. In each case, two second display elements 30b″ are arranged on opposing sides of the heating region 12b relative to a transverse direction. The transverse direction is oriented perpendicular to the direction 22b.

(46) FIG. 7 shows a hob 26c with an alternative hob apparatus 10c. In the present exemplary embodiment, the hob apparatus 10c has four heating units 24c which define a variable cooking surface region. The hob apparatus 10c has two individual heating units 32c. The individual heating units 32c define a heating region 12c of the hob apparatus 10c.

(47) Alternatively, the hob apparatus could have two heating units which together could define a combined heating zone. For example, the heating units could be arranged concentrically to one another. Alternatively or additionally, the heating units could adjoin one another directly. In this case, for example, a first of the heating units could be substantially circular shaped and a second of the heating units could be substantially sickle-shaped. The second heating unit could at least partially encompass the first heating unit.

(48) A dynamic display unit 16c of the hob apparatus 10c is provided in an operating mode for identification of the heating region 12c. In the operating mode, the control unit 18c selects an identifying property of the identification of the heating region 12c depending on an operating parameter.