DOMESTIC APPLIANCE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A DOMESTIC APPLIANCE DEVICE

Abstract

A household appliance apparatus includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a first phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a first phase of a power supply network, a second phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a second phase of the power supply network, and a switching arrangement configured to assign each of the first and second inverters to each of the first and second phase terminals.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A household appliance apparatus, comprising: a first inverter; a second inverter; a first phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a first phase of a power supply network; a second phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a second phase of the power supply network; and a switching arrangement configured to assign each of the first and second inverters to each of the first and second phase terminals.

15. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, constructed in a form of a cooktop apparatus.

16. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a third inverter, said switching arrangement configured to assign the third inverter to each of the first and second phase terminals.

17. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a fourth inverter, said switching arrangement configured to assign the fourth inverter to each of the first and second phase terminals.

18. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a third phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a third phase of the power supply network, said switching arrangement configured to assign each of the first and second inverters to the third phase terminal.

19. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of heating units, said switching arrangement configured to assign the plurality of heating units to different ones of the first and second phase terminals.

20. The household appliance apparatus of claim 19, wherein at least two of the plurality of heating units are configured as bridge heating units which at least partially form a continuous heating zone.

21. The household appliance apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a control unit configured to assign in at least one operating state the bridge heating units to different ones of the first and second phase terminals via the switching arrangement.

22. The household appliance apparatus of claim 19, wherein the switching arrangement includes a configuration switching unit configured to connect the first inverter and the second inverter in parallel for a common supply of at least one of the plurality of heating units.

23. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, wherein the switching arrangement includes an isolating switching element configured to isolate in at least one switched-off operating state all connections between the first and second phase terminals and the first and second inverters.

24. The household appliance apparatus of claim 14, wherein the switching arrangement includes exactly one isolating switching element configured to isolate in at least one switched-off operating state all connections between the first and second phase terminals and the first and second inverters.

25. The household appliance apparatus of claim 23, wherein the isolating switching element is directly connected in terms of circuit technology to the second phase terminal.

26. The household appliance apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a control unit configured to assign in the switched-off operating state all of the first and second inverters to the second phase terminal via the switching arrangement and to open the isolating switching element.

27. The household appliance, comprising a household appliance apparatus, said household appliance apparatus comprising a first inverter, a second inverter, a first phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a first phase of a power supply network, a second phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a second phase of the power supply network, and a switching arrangement configured to assign each of the first and second inverters to each of the first and second phase terminals.

28. The household appliance of claim 27, constructed in a form of a cooktop.

29. A method for operating a household appliance apparatus which comprises a first inverter, a second inverter; a first phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a first phase of a power supply network, and a second phase terminal designed for electrical connection to a second phase of the power supply network, the method comprising deciding as a function of an operating state as to which of the first and second inverters is assigned to which of the first and second phase terminals.

30. The method of claim 29 for operating a cooktop apparatus.

Description

[0029] Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawing. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them together to form further meaningful combinations.

[0030] In the drawing:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a cooktop having a household appliance apparatus which is configured as a cooktop apparatus, in a simplified plan view,

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a simplified view of the household appliance apparatus having a first phase terminal and having a second phase terminal,

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of a part of the household appliance apparatus with a switching arrangement in an operating state,

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a circuit diagram of the part of the household appliance apparatus with the switching arrangement in a switched-off operating state,

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram of the part of the household appliance apparatus with the switching arrangement in a further operating state,

[0036] FIGS. 6a-6i show various exemplary possibilities of continuous heating zones of the household appliance apparatus,

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method for operating the household appliance apparatus and

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a circuit diagram of a part of a further exemplary embodiment of a household appliance apparatus with a third phase terminal.

[0039] Of the objects which are repeatedly present, only one is provided in each case with a reference sign in the figures.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a household appliance 10a, in particular a cooking appliance, which is configured as a cooktop, in particular as an induction cooktop.

[0041] In the example shown, the household appliance 10a, which is configured as a cooktop, has a household appliance apparatus 12a which is configured as a cooktop apparatus. In the example shown, the cooktop apparatuses are configured as induction cooktop apparatuses.

[0042] In particular, in FIGS. 2 to 6 parts of the household appliance apparatus 12a are shown in more detail with reference to a schematic illustration and/or circuit diagram.

[0043] The household appliance apparatus 12a has a first inverter 14a. Additionally, the household appliance apparatus 12a has a second inverter 16a. In the example shown, the household appliance apparatus 12a additionally has a third inverter 28a. In the example shown, the household appliance apparatus 12a additionally has a fourth inverter 30a. Additionally, the household appliance apparatus 12a has a control unit 42a.

[0044] Moreover, the household appliance apparatus 12a has a first phase terminal 18a. The first phase terminal 18a is provided for electrical connection to a first phase 20a of a power supply network.

[0045] Moreover, the household appliance apparatus 12a has a second phase terminal 22a. The second phase terminal 22a is provided for electrical connection to a second phase 24a of the power supply network.

[0046] Additionally, the household appliance apparatus 12a has a switching arrangement 26a. Each of the inverters 14a, 16a, 28a, 30a is assigned to each of the phase terminals 18a, 22a by means of the switching arrangement 26a.

[0047] Moreover, the household appliance apparatus 12a has a plurality of heating units 36a. All of the heating units are configured as induction heating units in the example shown.

[0048] The switching arrangement 26a has a configuration switching unit 44a. The configuration switching unit 44a comprises a plurality of configuration relays 52a.

[0049] The first inverter 14a and the second inverter 16a can be connected in parallel by means of the configuration switching unit 44a of the switching arrangement 26a for the common supply of at least one heating unit 36a.

[0050] Additionally, the third inverter 28a and the fourth inverter 30a can be connected in parallel by means of the configuration switching unit 44a of the switching arrangement 26a for the common supply of at least one heating unit 36a. However, the heating units 36a could also be directly connected to the inverters 14a, 16a, 28a, 30a, for example.

[0051] The heating units 36a can be assigned in each case to different phase terminals 18a, 22a by means of the switching arrangement 26a.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows in a circuit diagram the household appliance apparatus 12a in a switched-off operating state. In the switched-off operating state, the control unit 42a assigns all of the inverters 14a, 16a, 28a, 30a to the second phase terminal 22a by means of the switching arrangement 26a.

[0053] Moreover, the switching arrangement 26a has exactly one isolating switching element 46a. The isolating switching element 46a is connected in terms of circuit technology directly to the second phase terminal 22a. In other words, no further component is arranged in terms of circuit technology between the isolating switching element 46a and the second phase terminal 22a.

[0054] In the switched-off state, the control unit 42a opens the isolating switching element 46a. Thus in the switched-off operating state the isolating switching element 46a isolates all of the connections between the phase terminals 18a, 22a and the inverters 14a, 16a, 28a, 30a.

[0055] In the example shown, two of the heating units 36a are configured as bridge heating units 38a (see FIGS. 1 to 5). The two heating units 36a which are configured as bridge heating units 38a form a continuous heating zone 40a.

[0056] In at least one operating state the control unit 42a assigns the bridge heating units 38a to various phase terminals 18a, 22a by means of the switching arrangement 26a and namely, in particular, as a function of an operating state of the household appliance apparatus 12a.

[0057] FIGS. 6a-6i show various options of continuous heating zones 40a in different operating states of the household appliance apparatus 12a, to be understood by way of example. The various possible continuous heating zones 40a are at least partially formed by at least two heating units 36a in each case. The respective assignment of the heating units 36a to the respective phase terminals 18a, 22a is illustrated using different lines.

[0058] FIG. 7 shows a flow diagram of a method 100a for operating the household appliance apparatus 12a. In particular, the method 100a is provided for operating the household appliance apparatus 12a which is configured as a cooktop apparatus.

[0059] The method 100a has, in particular, a first method step 102a and, in particular, a further method step 104a.

[0060] In the first method step 102a, the household appliance apparatus 12a is provided, said household appliance apparatus having the first inverter 14a, having the second inverter 16a; having the first phase terminal 18a which is provided for electrical connection to the first phase 20a of the power supply network, and having the second phase terminal 22a which is provided for electrical connection to the second phase 24a of the power supply network.

[0061] In the further method step 104a, a decision is made as a function of an operating state as to which inverter 14a, 16a is assigned to which of the phase terminals 18a, 22a. In particular, in the further method step 104a a decision is automatically made as a function of an operating state as to which inverter 14a, 16a is assigned to which of the phase terminals 18a, 22a.

[0062] In FIG. 8 a further exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown. The following descriptions are substantially limited to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, wherein relative to components, features and functions remaining the same, reference can be made to the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7. For differentiating between the exemplary embodiments the letter a in the reference signs of the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 7 is replaced by the letter b in the reference signs of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8. Relative to components denoted the same, in particular relative to components provided with the same reference signs, in principle reference can also be made to the drawings and/or the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0063] In particular, a part of a further exemplary embodiment of a household appliance apparatus 12b, in particular a cooktop apparatus, is shown in FIG. 8.

[0064] The household appliance apparatus 12b has a third phase terminal 32b. The third phase terminal 32b is provided for electrical connection to a third phase 34b of the power supply network.

[0065] The household appliance apparatus 12b has a switching arrangement 26b. The household appliance apparatus 12b has a first inverter 14b. Additionally, the household appliance apparatus 12b has a second inverter 16b. Additionally, the household appliance apparatus 12b has a third inverter 28b. Additionally, the household appliance apparatus 12b has a fourth inverter 30b. Additionally, by way of example the household appliance apparatus 12b has a fifth inverter 48b. Additionally, by way of example the household appliance apparatus 12b has a sixth inverter 50b. For the sake of improved clarity, in FIG. 8 a terminal is shown in a circuit diagram with reference to the first inverter 14b. Each of the inverters 14b, 16b, 28b, 30b, 48b, 50b is assigned to the third phase terminal 32b by means of the switching arrangement 26b.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0066] 10 Household appliance [0067] 12 Household appliance apparatus [0068] 14 First inverter [0069] 16 Second inverter [0070] 18 First phase terminal [0071] 20 First phase [0072] 22 Second phase terminal [0073] 24 Second phase [0074] 26 Switching arrangement [0075] 28 Third inverter [0076] 30 Fourth inverter [0077] 32 Third phase terminal [0078] 34 Third phase [0079] 36 Heating unit [0080] 38 Bridge heating unit [0081] 40 Continuous heating zone [0082] 42 Control unit [0083] 44 Configuration switching unit [0084] 46 Isolating switching element [0085] 48 Fifth inverter [0086] 50 Sixth inverter [0087] 52 Configuration relay [0088] 100 Method [0089] 102 Method step [0090] 104 Further method step