COMBINATION APPLIANCE AND THE USE OF THE COMBINATION APPLIANCE

Abstract

A combination appliance (1) comprising a cooking hob (2), which comprises at least one support surface (4) and at least one therein formed recess (11), and at least one extraction device (3), which is arranged below the support surface (4) of the cooking hob (2) and comprises at least one fan (15) for sucking air from the space above the cooking hob (2) through the recess (11) of the support surface (4), and at least one lid (20) for the recess, wherein at least one control module (28), comprising at least one extraction control (18) that controls at least one operation parameter of the extraction device (3), at least one hob control (6) that controls at least one operation parameter of the cooking hob (2), and at least one interface unit (29) that is at least connected to the extraction control (18) and to the hob control (6), and wherein the interface unit (29) is capable of sending signals to the extraction control (18), wherein the extraction control (18) is controlling the extraction device (3) in response to the signals received from the interface unit (29).

Claims

1. A combination appliance comprising a cooking hob, which comprises a support surface and a recess formed therein, and an extraction device arranged below the support surface of the cooking hob, wherein the extraction device comprises a fan for sucking air from a space above the cooking hob through the recess of the support surface, and a lid for the recess, a control module, comprising: an extraction control that controls an operation parameter of the extraction device, a hob control that controls an operation parameter of the cooking hob, and an interface unit connected to the extraction control and to the hob control, wherein the interface unit is adapted to send signals to the extraction control, and wherein the extraction control controls the extraction device in response to the signals received from the interface unit.

2. The combination appliance according to claim 1, further comprising one or more measuring elements adapted to detect one or more parameter values, respectively, of the cooking hob and/or the extraction device, wherein the interface unit is adapted to process said parameter value.

3. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein the operation parameters of the extraction device and/or the cooking hob are selected from one or more of: selection of the fan, regulation of the fan's power, a power level of the cooking hob, rotational speed of the fan, suction capacity of the fan, interval operation of the extraction device, selection of a heating zone and changing of a heating zone.

4. The combination appliance according to claim 2, wherein the one or more parameter values are selected from the group consisting of: temperature, heat output density of a heating zone, detection of one or more pots, voltage, frequency, current, humidity value, time and flame-size.

5. The combination appliance according to claim 2, wherein the operation parameter of the extraction device is a rotational speed of the fan, a power level of the fan, or a suction capacity of the fan, the operation parameter of the extraction device being controlled based on at least one of the one or more parameter values detected by the one or more measuring elements.

6. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit comprises a storage for data, said data comprising reference data and/or user settings and/or default settings.

7. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control module comprises a user interface, wherein interface unit and/or the user interface of the control module, comprises a receiver unit adapted to receive voice commands.

8. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein the operation parameter of the extraction device is a power level of the fan or a rotational speed of the fan, and is adjustable by user settings.

9. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control module is coupled with at least one illumination device that comprises one or more light sources and is arranged in an area of the recess.

10. The combination appliance according to claim 9, wherein the control module is adapted to control a light parameter of each light source of the illumination device, said light parameter being on/off switching, light intensity and/or light color, as a function of time.

11. The combination appliance according to claim 10, wherein the operation parameter of the extraction device is indicated at the illumination device by changing said light parameter over time.

12. The combination appliance according to claim 10, wherein the operation parameter of the cooking hob indicates changes of said light parameter over the time at the illumination device.

13. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein the interface unit is integrated in the extraction control or in the hob control.

14. The combination appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least one component of the extraction device comprises an anti-bacterial material.

15. An air filter comprising the combination appliance according to claim 1.

16. A combination appliance comprising: a cooking hob having a support surface and an opening in the support surface, a fan arranged below the support surface and configured to suck air from a space above the support surface through the opening therein, first and second linear arrays of LEDs arranged concentrically adjacent to a perimeter of said opening in the support surface, and a control module in operative communication with each of the cooking hob, the extraction device and the first and second arrays of LEDs; said control module being configured to operate said first and second arrays of LEDs sequentially to provide an indication that said fan is operating to draw suction through the adjacent opening via an animation that simulates drawing light emitted sequentially by the respective arrays into said opening determine a fan-operating parameter based on a hob-operating parameter.

17. The combination appliance according to claim 16, said control module being further configured to operate said fan to achieve a selected level of suction through said opening based on or proportional with a value of an operating parameter of said hob.

18. The combination appliance according to claim 16, said control module being further configured to adjust first and second lighting parameters associated with the first and second arrays of LEDs, respectively, in order to provide to a user an indication of a value of: an operating parameter of said cooking hob, an operating parameter of said fan, or both; said operating parameter of said cooking hob being selected from among: activation of a heating zone thereof, a power level of said heating zone, a temperature thereof, and a presence of a cookware on the support surface; said operating parameter of said fan being selected from among: a power level of said fan, a rotational speed of said fan; and each of said first and second lighting parameters being selected from among: intensity, and color.

19. The combination appliance according to claim 16, wherein only selected segments of the respective first and second arrays of LEDs are operated, the selected segments being adjacent to one another and also disposed adjacent to a selected heating zone of the cooking hob, thereby presenting to a user an indication that the selected heating zone is operative.

Description

[0036] Further details, features, combinations of features and effects based on the invention result from the following description of preferred, exemplary embodiments of the invention and from the drawings, in which

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective top front view of a combination appliance according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates a front side view of the combination appliance according FIG. 1; and

[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates schematic a cross-sectional view of a combination appliance according to FIG. 1; and

[0040] FIG. 4 illustrates schematic a cross-sectional view of a combination appliance according to a second embodiment; and

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a combination appliance according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of a combination appliance according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and

[0043] FIG. 7 illustrates another schematic diagram of the interactions between the components of the control module of the combination appliance; and

[0044] FIG. 8 illustrates another schematic diagram of the interactions between the components of the control module of the combination appliance; and

[0045] FIG. 9 illustrates another schematic diagram of the interactions between the components of the control module of the combination appliance.

[0046] In all figures the same or equivalent parts are marked with the same reference numbers.

[0047] FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the inventive combination appliance 1 in different views. The combination appliance 1 comprises a cooking hob 2 and an extraction device 3. The cooking hob 2 comprises a support surface 4 and supports the cookware. This means the support surface 4 is the surface, on which the cookware is placed. The support surface 4 is usually made of glass ceramics. The cooking hob 2 further comprises a housing 5, wherein the housing 5 encloses two hob controls 6, for controlling at least one operation parameter of the cooking hob 2, and at least one energy transferring element 7, for example radiant heaters, induction coils or gas burners. The housing is arranged underneath the support surface 4, wherein underneath is understood in the direction of a built-in situation of the combination appliance.

[0048] The cooking hob 2 has a width W.sub.I, a height H.sub.I and a depth D.sub.I. The width W.sub.I of the cooking hob 2 is measured from one side 8 of the support surface 4 to the opposite side 8 of the support surface 4. The depth D.sub.I of the cooking hob 2 is measured from the front side 9 to the back side 10 of the support surface 4. The height H.sub.I of the cooking hob 2 is measured from the upper surface of the support surface 2 to the bottom surface of the housing 5 of the cooking hob 2.

[0049] The support surface 4 comprises in this illustrated embodiment one recess 11 and four heating zones 12. Alternatively, the support surface may comprise two or more recesses, preferably arranged symmetrically on the support surface around the heating zones 12. The recess 11 is arranged in the middle of the support surface 4 according to the width W.sub.I of the cooking hob 2. The recess 11 is shaped rectangular and extends in the height direction H.sub.I from the upper surface of the support surface 2 to the bottom surface of the housing 5 of the cooking hob 2. The recess 11 extends in the depth direction D.sub.I of the cooking hob 2 at least for one third of the support surface 4 depth, preferably at least for one half of the support surface 4 depth.

[0050] The extraction device 3 is arranged directly underneath the housing 5 of the cooking hob 2. The extraction device 3 comprises in this embodiment a grease filter 13 and a liquid collector 14, which are arranged beneath the recess 11. In this embodiment the grease filter 13 is arranged in the liquid collector 14. Further in this embodiment the extraction device 3 comprises one fan 15, that is arranged besides the liquid collector 14. This means that the fan 15 is arranged at one side of the cooking hob 2. The fan 15 sucks in the air from the space above the cooking hob 2 through the recess 11 of the support surface 4. The air flows through the grease filter 13 and through at least one opening 16 in the liquid collector 14 so that the air flow flows into the fan 15. The fan 15 and the liquid collector 14 are enclosed by one extraction device housing 17.

[0051] On the other side of the liquid collector 14 at least one extraction control 18, for controlling at least one operation parameter of the extraction device 3, is arranged directly underneath the housing 5 of the cooking hob 2 in a separate extraction control housing 19.

[0052] The recess 11 is covered with a removable lid 20, wherein in this embodiment the lid 20 is designed as a grid with fluid guiding means 21. The lid 20 is flush mounted with the upper surface of the support surface 4, so that moving the cookware from one heating zone to another on the support surface 4 of the cooking hob 5 is possible without lifting the cookware.

[0053] In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 an illumination device 22 is arranged underneath the support surface 4 around the recess 11. The illumination device 22 comprises more than one light source 23, wherein each light source 23 is capable to change one or more light parameters individually from each other and all light sources 23 are preferably light emitting diodes. The light sources 23 are arranged at least in one line around the rectangular recess 11. This means that it is also possible to have more than one line 24 of light sources 23 arranged around the recess 11. In this embodiment there are three light source lines 24, 25, 26 arranged directly adjacent besides each other and around the recess 11. In a first option according to this design of the illumination device 22 the light parameters of the light sources 23 can be controlled accordingly to the sucked in air through the recess 11 as if the lights are also sucked in. The outer light source line 24, means the light sources 23 furthest away from the recess 11, are switched on first, then the adjacent second light source line 25 is switched on and the first light source line 24 is switched off. Afterwards the third light source line 26, which is adjacent to the second light source line 25 is switched on, and the second light source line 25 is switched off. This will be repeated again as long as the extraction device 3, especially the fan 15 of the extraction device 3, is turned on. The on- and off-time period of each light source line 24, 25, 26 is in accordance with the power level of the fan 15. This means, the higher the power level and/or the faster the rotational speed of the fan 15 is, the shorter is the time period of the successively switched on light sources 23 of each light source line 24, 25, 26.

[0054] In a further option according to this design of the illumination device 22 the light parameters of the light sources 23 can be controlled in a way, that the light sources 23 indicate the rotational speed of the fan 15. This means that the light sources 23 are switched on/off in a way, that the switched-on light sources 23 are moving around the recess 11 in a predetermined time period. Therefore, the adjacent light sources 23 are successively switched on and off again. Additionally, the light source lines 24, 25, 26 can be coupled to the power level of the fan 15 of the extraction device 3, so that at power level one of the fan 15 only the light parameters of the light sources 23 of the light source line 26, which is the closest to the recess 11, are being changed. At the power level two of the fan 15 the adjacent light source line 25 is being simultaneously controlled with the inner light source line 26. This indicates to the user that the fan has actually more power. The third light source line 24 will be controlled simultaneously with the other light source lines 26, 25, if the power level of the fan 15 is increased to the next power level.

[0055] Of course, all of these options are also only partially possible regarding the control of the illumination device 22, so for example only on the side where the heating zone 12 is activated or cookware is detected, the light sources 23 are controlled in such a way as described above. Furthermore, all of these described options are also usable alternatively or additionally in regard to the other light parameters, like light intensity and/or light color. For example, additionally to the options described above, the color of the light sources 23 may change and/or the intensity of the light sources 23 may change in accordance with the power level of the fan 15. In regard to the light parameter intensity, it is for example possible to control the light sources 23 in such a way, that the light sources 23 are displayed brighter or darker the higher the power level of the fan 15 is. In regard to the light parameter color of the light sources 23, it is possible to change the color of the light sources 23 according to the power level of the fan 15. For example, the light sources 23 are colored red for a high power level and blue for a low power level.

[0056] In FIG. 4 another embodiment of a combination appliance 1 is shown, wherein the only difference to the first embodiment in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 is the arrangement of the illumination device 22. Here the illumination device 22 is arranged at the inside of the recess 11. The light sources 23 of the illumination device 22 are arranged at least in one horizontal line, which is going around the inner surface of the recess 11. In this embodiment the illumination device 22 comprises an arrangement of the light sources 23 in a matrix form. This means that more than one horizontal line 27 of light sources 23 is arranged at the inner surface of the recess 11. The light sources 23 can be controlled as described in the embodiment before, wherein at least one light parameter changes according to one operation parameter of the extraction device 3 and/or cooking hob 2. Preferably the light sources 23 indicate the power level of the fan 15 or the rotational speed of the fan 15 while changing at least one light parameter over the time. For an example the light sources 23 are controlled accordingly to the sucked in air through the recess 11 as if the illumination is also sucked in. This means that the light sources 23 arranged at the closest to the edge of the support surface 4 are switched on at first. After that the adjacent light sources 23 in the downstream direction of the recess 11 are switched on and the light sources 23 at the edge are switched off. This successively switching on and off of the light sources 23 in accordance to the vertical direction of the combination appliance 1 visualizes the user that the air is sucked in the recess 11 and illustrates moving lights. Also the other described option of controlling the illumination device 22 as described in the first embodiment with the illumination that is running around the recess 11 can be transferred to this embodiment.

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates another inventive embodiment of a combination appliance 1, wherein the only difference to the other two described embodiments is the arrangement of the illumination device 22. Here the illumination device 22 is arranged in the lid 20. Therefore, the lid 20 comprises several light sources 23, which are arranged at the lid 20. Preferably the light sources 23 are arranged at the top and/or at the fluid guiding means 21 and/or at the sides of the lid 20. The illumination device 22 can also be controlled as described in the embodiments before.

[0058] Alternatively, it is also possible, that more than one illumination device 22 is arranged at the inventive combination appliance 1. In FIG. 6 three illumination devices 22 are arranged at the combination appliance 1, wherein the first illumination device 22 is arranged adjacent to the recess 11 below the support surface 4. Furthermore, the second illumination device 22 is arranged at the lid 20. The third illumination device 22 is arranged inside of the recess 11. In that sense all the three embodiments described above are integrated in one embodiment. All three illumination devices 22 are capable of being controlled together, but each light source 23 is controllable individually. For example, the described above options of controlling the illumination devices 22 can be coupled together so that the light sources 23 on the support surface 4 start and then seamlessly goes over to the light sources 23 of the lid 20 and to the light sources 23 at the recess 11. Therefore, the light sources 23 of each illumination device 22 extends the lighting effect.

[0059] All these described options how the illumination device 22 can be controlled, are showing the user directly, on what power level the fan 15 is currently set.

[0060] FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 illustrate schematic embodiments of the setup of a control module 28 of the inventive combination appliance 1.

[0061] The inventive combination appliance 1 comprises one control module 28. The control module 28 comprises at least one hob control 6, that is capable to control at least one operation parameter of the cooking hob 2, at least one extraction control 18, that controls at least one operation parameter of the extraction device 3, and one interface unit 29, that is at least connected to the extraction control 18 and to the hob control 6. The interface unit 29 is capable of sending signals to the extraction control 18. This means that the interface unit 29 is a communication device between the extraction control 18 and the hob control 6. The interface unit 29 is particularly configured to communicate by means of a wireless and/or wiring connection with the extraction control 18 and the hob control 6, wherein the connections between each other are illustrated in FIG. 7 to FIG. 9 with lines. The interface unit 29 can be part of the combination appliance 1 or can be arranged at an external device as shown in FIG. 7, for example an external server, preferably a part of a smart home system, such as Google Home®, Amazon Echo®, Apple Homepod® or the like, and/or a computer device and/or a mobile device, such as a tablet or mobile phone, that are detached from the combination appliance 1.

[0062] Furthermore, measuring elements 30 are coupled to the hob control 6, to the extraction control 18 and/or to the interface unit 29 for measuring parameter values of the cooking hob 2 and/or the extraction device 3. For example, one measuring element 30 is a temperature sensor, which is arranged at each heating zone 12. Therefore, the combination appliance 1 comprises for each heating zone 12 one temperature sensor. Other examples for measuring elements 30 are a pot detecting sensors and/or vibration sensors for detecting boiling of the cookware ingredients, which are also arranged at the cooking hob 2. Examples for measuring elements 30, which are arranged at the extraction device 3, are humidity sensors, that can be arranged at the recess 11, RPM sensors, that measures the speed of the fan 15 and/or water level sensor, that discloses the fill level of spilled liquid, which is collected in the liquid collector 14. Further examples for measuring elements 30 are weight sensors, photo-optical sensors, piezoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, food sensors and/or a timer. Some of these parameter values have to be compared related to time. Therefore, also time is being measured by a measuring element 30.

[0063] The information or data that is being received by the measuring elements 30 are transmitted to the interface unit 29. Furthermore, all the information and/or data from the hob control 6 and/or extraction control 18 are also transmitted to the interface unit 29. The interface unit 29 processes all of this information or data and sends a signal to the extraction control 18. The extraction control 18 responses to this received signal from the interface unit 29 by controlling the extraction device 3 accordingly. Controlling the extraction device 3 is understood especially as selecting and/or changing operation parameters of the extraction device 3, wherein these operation parameters are preferably coupled to the light parameters of the illumination device 22.

[0064] The interface unit 29 comprises a storage 31 for data, that is being collected and/or that has been saved there as reference data and/or user settings and/or default settings. Furthermore, the inventive combination appliance 1, especially the control module 28 comprises an user interface 32. The user interface 32 comprises at least one receiver unit, wherein the receiver unit is capable of receiving voice commands, especially from the user. The receiver unit is preferably integrated in the control module 28 of the combination appliance 1, for example integrated in the interface unit 29 and/or extraction control 18 and/or hob control 6 and/or user interface 32, wherein the said receiver unit is alternatively or additionally arranged at an external device. The user interface 32 is capable of controlling the extraction control 18 and/or the hob control 6 of the combination appliance 1.

[0065] In FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 the schematic setup of the control module 28 differs only compared to the setup in FIG. 7, that the interface unit 29 is directly integrated in the hob control 6 or integrated in the extraction control 18 and that each control module 28 comprises only one extraction control 18 and one hob control 6. Furthermore, the user interface 32 is integrated in this embodiment in the interface unit 29.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0066] 1 combination appliance [0067] 2 cooking hob [0068] 3 extraction device [0069] 4 support surface [0070] 5 housing [0071] 6 hob control [0072] 7 energy transferring element [0073] 8 side of the support surface [0074] 9 front side of the support surface [0075] 10 back side of the support surface [0076] 11 recess [0077] 12 heating zone [0078] 13 grease filter [0079] 14 liquid collector [0080] 15 fan [0081] 16 opening in liquid collector [0082] 17 extraction device housing [0083] 18 extraction control [0084] 19 extraction control housing [0085] 20 lid [0086] 21 fluid guiding means [0087] 22 illumination device [0088] 23 light source [0089] 24 first light source line [0090] 25 second light source line [0091] 26 third light source line [0092] 27 horizontal line [0093] 28 control module [0094] 29 interface unit [0095] 30 measuring element [0096] 31 storage [0097] 32 user interface [0098] W.sub.I width of cooking hob [0099] H.sub.I height of cooking hob [0100] D.sub.I depth of cooking hob