COMPONENT, IN PARTICULAR A TOP PLATE AND/OR A BURNER CAP OF A GAS HOB HAVING A NON-STICK AND/OR NON-WETTING COATING, GAS HOB COMPRISING SUCH A COMPONENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A COMPONENT

Abstract

The present invention relates to component, in particular a top plate (2) for a gas hob (1) and/or a burner cap (6a, 6b) of a gas burner (5a, 5b) for a gas hob (1), having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) obtainable by a process characterised by the following steps, a) providing a component, in particular a top plate (2) and/or a burner cap (6a, 6b), having an upper surface (7a) and a bottom surface (11b), b) preferably, pretreating of at least the upper surface of the component, in particular the top plate or the burner cap, for providing a surface having a roughness being suitable for applying a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating, by mechanical treatment, physical treatment or chemical treatment, in particular by sand-blasting and/or laser treatment and/or a surface activation treatment, particularly a plasma treatment, and/or an enameling process to form a ground layer (13), thus applying an enamel layer onto the upper surface of the component, in particular the top plate or the burner cap, c) applying the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) to the upper surface (11a) of the component, in particular a top plate (2) and/or a burner cap (6a, 6b), or the surface (14a) of the ground layer (13), wherein the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating (12) comprises at least one layer (17) that is obtained by a sol-gel process from a first composition comprising a silica sol and a silane. The invention further relates to a cooking appliance (1), in particular a gas hob comprising such a component, in particular a top plate (2) and/or a burner cap (6a, 6b), and a method for manufacturing such a component, in particular a top plate (2) and/or a burner cap (6a, 6b).

Claims

1. A top plate of a gas hob and/or a burner cap of a gas burner for a gas hob, having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating produced by a process comprising the following steps: a) providing the top plate or the burner cap, having an upper surface and a bottom surface, b) optionally pretreating at least the upper surface of the top plate or the burner cap to provide a surface roughness suitable for applying a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating by mechanical treatment, physical treatment or chemical treatment, to form a ground layer, thus applying an enamel layer onto the upper surface of the top plate or the burner cap, c) applying the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating to the upper surface of the top plate or the burner cap, or a surface of the ground layer, wherein the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating comprises at least one layer that is obtained by a sol-gel process from a first composition comprising a silica sol and a silane.

2. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the top plate and/or burner cap, is made of a corrosive steel, stainless steel, or glass or glass ceramics.

3. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the top plate and/or burner cap is provided with a protective layer that is applied to at least the upper surface thereof, said protective layer is pretreated by sandblasting and/or laser treatment and/or an enameling process for providing a surface having a roughness suitable for applying the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating, and the at least one layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating is applied to the surface of said protective layer.

4. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer is an enamel layer and/or an aluminium layer and/or a layer comprising aluminium.

5. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 3, wherein the protective layer has a thickness between 50 and 250 μm.

6. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the ground layer is an enamel layer obtained by the enameling process and has a layer thickness between 10 and 80 μm.

7. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap, and/or said surface of the ground layer and/or said surface the protective layer has a surface roughness between Ra 0.01 μm to 10.00 μm.

8. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating comprises at least a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating is applied to the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap, or to the surface of the ground layer or to the surface of the protective layer, and wherein the second layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating is applied to the first layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating.

9. The top plate and/or burner cap, according to claim 8, wherein the second layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating is obtained by a sol-gel process from a second composition comprising a silica sol, a silane and a siloxane.

10. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the silica sol is present in an amount of 15 to 70 wt % and/or the silane is present in an amount of 2 to 70 wt % within the first composition.

11. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the silane is an organoalkoxysilane and/or a fluoralkoxysilane.

12. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises an organic solvent.

13. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 12, wherein the solvent is present in said first composition in an amount of 10 to 60 wt %, and/or the catalyst is present in said first composition in an amount of 0.1 to 5 wt %.

14. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises a siloxane.

15. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 9, wherein the siloxane is present in said second composition in an amount of 0.1 to 2 wt %.

16. The top plate and/or burner cap according to claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises pigments and/or dyes and/or filling materials and/or further additives.

17. The component according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of a surface of the coating provides an activated surface area activated by an activation process that increases surface tension within the activated surface area, using plasma technology, and wherein a printing is applied to the activated surface area by means of ink technology.

18. A gas hob comprising: a top plate comprising at least one cooking area, at least one gas burner for heating the at least one cooking area, and the top plate and/or burner cap, according to claim 1.

19. A method for manufacturing a top plate for a gas hob and/or a burner cap of a gas burner for a gas hob, having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating on at least an upper surface thereof, comprising least the following steps: providing a top plate and/or a burner cap having an upper surface and a lower surface, pretreating at least the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap by mechanical treatment, physical treatment or chemical treatment to form a first ground layer, applying at least one layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating to the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap or to a surface of the first ground layer.

20. A method for manufacturing a top plate and/or a burner cap according to claim 19, further comprising applying a protective layer comprising enamel and/or aluminium to at least the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap and pretreating a surface of the protective layer by sandblasting and/or laser treatment and/or an enameling process to form a second ground layer.

21. A method for manufacturing a top plate and/or a burner cap according to claim 20, further comprising applying an enamel powder onto the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap and/or onto the surface of the protective layer, and heating the enamel powder to provide said first ground layer and/or said second ground layer with a roughness suitable for applying the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating.

22. A method for manufacturing a top plate and/or a burner cap, according to claim 20, wherein the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating is applied to the upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap or to the surface of the first ground layer or to the surface of the protective layer, and wherein the second layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating is applied to the first layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating.

23. A method for manufacturing a top plate and/or a burner cap according to claim 19, further comprising the following steps: performing an activation process using plasma technology on at least a part of a surface of the coating in order to provide an activated surface area, wherein the activation process increases surface tension within the activated surface area, applying a printing to the activated surface area means of ink technology.

24. A coated top plate and/or a burner cap for a cooking appliance, comprising: a top plate and/or a burner cap made of low-carbon steel and having an upper surface roughened by sand-blasting or by laser treatment to achieve a first surface roughness of Ra 0.01 μm to 10.00 μm according to ISO 4287:1997; a protective layer applied over the roughened upper surface of the top plate and/or burner cap, said protective layer comprising a non-corrosive material selected from enamel and aluminum and having a thickness between 50 μm and 250 μm, said protective layer having an outer surface facing away from said top plate and/or burner cap; a ground layer comprising enamel applied to said outer surface of said protective layer, the ground layer having an outer surface facing away from said protective layer that has a second surface roughness up to about 3.5 μm according to ISO 4287:1997 provided by sand-blasting or by laser treatment of the outer surface of said ground layer; a first non-stick, non-wetting solgel coating layer deposited on the roughened outer surface of said ground layer, said first non-stick, non-wetting coating layer having been deposited as a first composition comprising 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % silica sol and 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % silane that underwent a first condensation reaction therebetween to yield the first solgel coating layer; and a second non-stick, non-wetting solgel coating layer deposited on an outer surface of said first non-stick, non-wetting coating layer, said second non-stick, non-wetting coating layer having been deposited as a second composition comprising 30 wt. % to 70 wt. % silica sol, 10 wt. % to 40 wt. % silane, and 0.1 wt. % to 2 wt. % siloxane that underwent a second condensation reaction therebetween to yield the second solgel coating layer; said second solgel coating layer having an outer surface having an activated surface area that has been activated using plasma technology, and a printing applied to the activated surface area by ink technology, said activated surface area having a water-contact angel of at least 95°.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0077] The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which

[0078] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a gas hob having a top plate according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0079] FIG. 2A illustrates a first embodiment of a gas burner having a burner cap,

[0080] FIG. 2B illustrates a second embodiment of a gas burner having a burner cap,

[0081] FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the top plate according to a first embodiment of the invention in detail,

[0082] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the top plate according to a second embodiment of the invention in detail,

[0083] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the coating according to an embodiment of the invention in detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0084] FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a gas hob 1. The gas hob 1 comprises a component, in fact a top plate 2 according to the present invention being plate-shaped and having exemplary four cooking areas 3 of different sizes on which pans or pots are to be placed for cooking foodstuff.

[0085] The gas hob 1 further comprises a control panel 4 with several operating and display elements, e.g. cooking level display or setting knobs. Furthermore, the gas hob may comprise grate or pot carriers (not shown) that can be placed on the top plate 2.

[0086] The gas hob 1 further comprises gas burners 5a, 5b for heating the cooking areas. Two embodiments of such gas burners 5a, 5b are exemplarily shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B. The gas burner 5a according to a first embodiment comprises a disc-shaped burner cap 6a being prepared and having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating according to the present invention, a burner crown 7a, a spark plug 8a and a thermocouple 9a. The gas burner 5b according to a second embodiment comprises a ring-shaped burner cap 6b being prepared and having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating according to the present invention, a burner crown 7b, a spark plug 8b and a thermocouple 9b.

[0087] The top plate 2 can be made of a corrosive material, in particular low-carbon steel, or glass or glass ceramics. The top plate 2 comprises an upper surface 11a, a bottom surface 11b and openings for inserting a gas burner 4a, 4b. Of course, the top plate 2 can have other shapes or openings of different design than shown in FIG. 1.

[0088] The layers, coating and manufacturing process of the component according to the invention is described in the following FIGS. 3 to 5 with regard to the top plate 2. The burner caps 6a, 6b shown in FIG. 2, may also have such a layers, coating and manufacturing process.

[0089] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the top plate 2 according to a first embodiment in which the layer structure can be seen. The top plate 2 is obtained by a process wherein the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 is pretreated by an enameling process to form a ground layer 13 formed by a ground coat composition that has burned to the top plate 2 at temperatures of about 820° C. on said surface 7a. In general, the temperature for enameling a ground enamel may be between 680 and 820° C., depending of the specific formulation of the ground enamel. Said ground layer 13 or, respectively, enamel layer, has an upper surface 14a and a bottom surface 14b and shows a surface roughness Ra of about 2 to 3.5 μm at its upper surface 14a. The thickness of the ground layer 13 is about 20 μm. Ground layer 13 also shows corrosion resistant properties so that the top plate 2 is protected against corrosion, what is in particular useful and necessary if said top plate 2 is made of a corrosive material, for example a low carbon steel to save costs. Inventors have surprisingly found that such a small thickness and small roughness shows good adhesion properties that are sufficient for applying a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 comprising at least one layer 17 that is obtained by a sol-gel process from a first composition comprising a silica sol and a silane and according to embodiments of the invention further components like solvents or additives in useful amounts as described before.

[0090] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the top plate 2 according to a second embodiment in which the layer structure can be seen. The top plate 2 is presently made from a corrosive material so that a protective layer 15 is applied to the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 before the pretreatment step for preventing the top plate 2 from corrosion, the protective layer 15 having an upper surface 16a and a bottom surface 16b. Afterwards, for obtaining a top plate 2 with a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12, said protective layer 15 is pretreated by sandblasting or laser treatment to achieve a surface roughness of the surface 16a of the protective layer between about 2 and 3.5 μm by sandblasting or a surface roughness smaller than 1 μm by laser treatment. Inventors have surprisingly found out that even though the surface roughness achieved by laser treatment is smaller, good adhesion behaviour can be achieved, probably due to more fine-grained structure in comparison with a sandblasted surface. The protection layer 15 has a layer thickness of about 150 μm. In particular in case that the protection layer 15 is an aluminium layer or a layer comprising aluminium, it might be useful to carry out an enameling process to form a ground coat 13 on the surface 16a of the protective layer 15 (shown in dashed lines) to benefit from the good adhesive properties of an enamel layer made from a ground composition having a surface roughness between 2 to 3.5 μm.

[0091] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the top plate 2 according to a third embodiment, that differs from the first embodiment according to FIG. 3 in that the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 comprises a first and a second layer 17, 18, wherein the first layer 17 is applied to the surface 14a of the ground layer 13 and wherein the second layer 18 is applied to the first layer 17. The second layer 18 is obtained by a sol-gel process from a second composition comprising a silica sol, a silane and a siloxane.

[0092] As a matter of course, even a top plate 2 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4 might have a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 comprising a first and a second layer 17, 18, wherein the first layer 17 is applied to the surface 16a of the protective layer 15 and wherein the second layer 18 is applied to the first layer 17.

[0093] Both, the first layer 17 and, if present, the second layer 18 are obtained by a sol-gel process. For production of the first layer 17, a colloidal silica sol, which is pure SiO.sub.2, an organoalkoxysilane, which is an organic-inorganic hybrid material and presently methyltrimethyoxysilane, and an acid catalyst, presently acetic acid are mixed and stirred for about 2 hours at room temperature in order to effect a condensation reaction. The weight proportion of organoalkoxysilane is about 10 to 40 wt %, silica sol is present in an amount of 30 to 70 wt %. Adding acetic acid in an amount of 0.1 to 2 wt % is sufficient for accelerating the condensation reaction.

[0094] Then, a solvent, presently propanol, is added in an amount of 10 to 40 wt %. Pigments are added and further additives can be additionally added at this step.

[0095] For production of the second layer 18, colloidal silica sol, siloxane and a solvent, even here propanol, are mixed. Organoalkoxysilane and an acid catalyst, presently acetic acid are then added. Even said mixture is mixed and stirred for about 2 hours at room temperature. The weight proportion of organoalkoxysilane is about 10 to 40 wt %, silica sol is present in an amount of 30 to 70 wt %, acetic acid is present in an amount of 0.1 to 2 wt %. Siloxane, presently polydimethylsiloxane, is added in an amount of 0.1 to 2 wt %.

[0096] Then, a solvent, presently even here propanol, is added in an amount of 10 to 40 wt %. Pigments are added and further additives can be additionally added at this step.

[0097] For manufacturing a top plate 2 having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 on its upper surface 11a, a top plate 2 having an upper surface 11a and a bottom surface 11b. In a further step, the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 is pretreated in order to provide good adhesion properties and surface roughness for subsequent apply of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 (FIG. 3). Additionally or in an alternative, a protective layer 15 is applied to the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 and said protective layer 15 is pretreated (FIG. 4). Pretreatment of the surface 7a of the top plate 2 or, if present, the surface 16a of the protective layer 15 is carried out in particular by sandblasting, laser treatment or an enameling process for forming a ground layer 13.

[0098] The enameling process is in particular carried out by applying an enamel powder onto the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 and/or onto the surface 16a of the protective layer 15, and heating the enamel powder for providing a ground layer 13 with a surface 14a having a roughness being suitable for applying the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12.

[0099] Afterwards, at least one layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 is applied to the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 or, if present, to the upper surface 16a of the protective layer 15 or the surface 14a of the ground layer 13.

[0100] In case of applying a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 comprising at least two layers 17, 18 (FIG. 5), the first layer 17 is applied to the upper surface 11a of the top plate 2 or the surface 14a of the ground layer 13 or the surface 16a of the protective layer 15, and the second layer 18 is applied to the first layer 17. Both layers 17, 18 have a bottom surface 17a, 18a facing away from the top plate 2 and an upper surface 17b, 18b facing towards the top plate 2.

[0101] The present invention, thus a component, in particular top plate 2 having a non-stick and/or non-wetting coating 12 and a cooking appliance 1 having such a top plate 2 shows an improved cleaning behaviour. The coating 12 is abrasion-resistant and shows a greater surface hardness what leads to an increased lifetime. Furthermore, the coating 12 has shown a good adhesion properties on the top plate 2, in particular on the surface 14a of the ground layer 13 or the surface 16a of the protective layer 15. As the coating 12 is produced by a sol-gel process, a (second) burning step at high temperatures is not necessary.

[0102] The top plate 2 may further comprise a printing (not shown) that is applied, in particular by ink technology, to the surface of the coating 12, in particular to a surface area that has been activated by using plasma technology in order to increase the surface tension.

[0103] Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the apes pended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0104] 1 gas hob [0105] 2 top plate [0106] 3 cooking area [0107] 4 control panel [0108] 5a, 5b gas burner [0109] 6a, 6b burner cap [0110] 7a, 7b burner crown [0111] 8a, 8b spark plug [0112] 9a, 9b thermocouple [0113] 10 control panel [0114] 11a upper surface of the top plate [0115] 11b bottom surface of the top plate [0116] 12 non-stick and/or non-wetting coating [0117] 13 ground layer [0118] 14a upper surface of the ground layer [0119] 14b bottom surface of the ground layer [0120] 15 protective layer [0121] 16a upper surface of the protective layer [0122] 16b bottom surface of the protective layer [0123] 17 first layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating [0124] 17a upper surface of the first layer [0125] 17b bottom surface of the first layer [0126] 18 second layer of the non-stick and/or non-wetting coating [0127] 18a upper surface of the second layer [0128] 18b bottom surface of the second layer