Abstract
An electrically operated kitchen appliance includes at least two functional elements for performing a function of the kitchen appliance and has a receiving region for holding a preparation vessel. The receiving region has an electrical interface with electrical contact elements that are electrically connected to a functional element of the kitchen appliance, and establish an electrically conductive connection to corresponding contact elements of a preparation vessel, which is connected to the receiving region. The kitchen appliance has a switch-over device, which is assigned to the electrical contact elements and which changes a connection assignment between the electrical contact elements of the kitchen appliance and the functional elements of the kitchen appliance in such a way that after the actuation of the switch-over device, a functional element is connected to a different electrical contact element than prior to the actuation of the switch-over device.
Claims
1. An electrically operated kitchen appliance comprising: at least two functional elements configured for performing a function of the kitchen appliance, a receiving region configured for holding a preparation vessel, the receiving region having an electrical interface comprising a plurality of electrical contact elements, wherein the electrical contact elements are each connected in an electrically conductive manner to one of the functional elements of the kitchen appliance and are configured to establish an electrically conductive connection to corresponding electrical vessel contact elements of the preparation vessel, when the preparation vessel is connected to the receiving region, a switch-over device, which is assigned to the electrical contact elements of the kitchen appliance and which is configured to change a connection assignment between the electrical contact elements of the kitchen appliance and the functional elements of the kitchen appliance in such a way that after actuation of switch-over device, at least one of the functional elements is connected to a different electrical contact element than prior to the actuation of the switch-over device.
2. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the functional elements comprise a heating device for heating the preparation vessel, a detection device for detecting a temperature of the preparation vessel, or an electrical protection device.
3. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the switch-over device has an electrical circuit comprising a plurality of electrical connecting lines, which connect the electrical contact elements to the functional elements in a defined changeable manner.
4. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the switch-over device has a mechanical switching element which is configured to be manually actuated by a user of the kitchen appliance.
5. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor for detecting a type of preparation vessel, which is connected to the electrical interface of the kitchen appliance, wherein the switch-over device is configured to switch over the connecting assignment between the electrical contact elements and the functional element as a function of the detected type of the preparation vessel.
6. The kitchen appliance according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is a contact sensor, magnetic sensor, or optical sensor.
7. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the switch-over device has an electromagnetically acting, remote-controlled switching element in the form of a relay.
8. The kitchen appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receiving region has a guide, which is configured to guide the preparation vessel to be connected to the receiving region to the electrical interface in a shape-corresponding manner.
9. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, wherein the receiving region additionally has a rotating shaft for a force-transmitting connection to an agitator of the preparation vessel.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
[0019] In the drawings,
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a kitchen appliance according to the invention comprising a preparation vessel;
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a perspective top view onto the kitchen appliance;
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a top view onto the kitchen appliance comprising an electrical interface for the connection of the preparation vessel;
[0023] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a lower subregion of the preparation vessel;
[0024] FIG. 5A shows a connection diagram for the electrical vessel contact elements of a first preparation vessel;
[0025] FIG. 5B shows a connection diagram for the electrical vessel contact elements of a second preparation vessel; and
[0026] FIG. 6 shows a switch-over means of the kitchen appliance for switching over connecting assignments between electrical contact elements of the kitchen appliance and functional means of the kitchen appliance.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] FIG. 1 shows a kitchen appliance 1, which has a receiving region 4 for connection to a preparation vessel 5. Here, the kitchen appliance 1 is formed, for example, particularly flat. The preparation vessel 5 stands on a top side of the kitchen appliance 1 and is not encompassed by the latter. The flat kitchen appliance 1 can be stowed, for example, in a particularly space-saving manner in a drawer of a kitchen in this way. The kitchen appliance 1 has a display 18 for displaying functions of the kitchen appliance 1 and optionally of recipes, which can be prepared by means of the kitchen appliance 1. A switch 19, which can serve for turning on and turning off the kitchen appliance 1 on the one hand, and for confirming input commands or the like on the other hand, is located next to the display 18. The preparation vessel 5 furthermore has, for example, a handle 20 and a vessel base 21, which serves for the connection to the receiving region 4 of the kitchen appliance 1, as well as a cover 22 closing a vessel opening, comprising a cover opening 23. For example, ingredients can be placed into the preparation vessel 5 through the cover opening 23 during an on-going preparation of the kitchen appliance 1. A mechanical switching element 15, which serves to actuate a switch-over means 13 (see FIG. 6) of the kitchen appliance 1, is furthermore located on the top side of the housing of the kitchen appliance 1. The switching element 15 can generally be located at the kitchen appliance 1 at any position, in particular on the top, on the bottom, or laterally of the housing of the kitchen appliance 1. Here, the switching element 15 is formed, for example, as mechanical slide switch, which can be displaced from a first position, which is illustrated by means of a solid line, into a second position, which is illustrated by means of a dashed line. The function of the switch-over means 13 will be described later with reference to the further figures.
[0028] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the kitchen appliance 1 in a top view without preparation vessel 5 connected thereto. A guide means 16, which is formed here, for example, as collar, which protrudes upwards from the housing of the kitchen appliance 1, is assigned to the receiving region 4 of the preparation vessel 5. The vessel base 21 of the preparation vessel 5 can be at least partially inserted into this collar. The vessel base 21 and the guide means 16 are thereby preferably formed so as to correspond to one another in shape, so that the preparation vessel 5 is automatically forced into a defined position and orientation relative to the receiving region 4, following the force of gravity, upon connection to the kitchen appliance 1. Within the contour of the guide means 16, the receiving region 4 has an electrical interface 6 comprising a plurality of electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Concretely, the electrical interface 6 has, for example a total of five electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 here. Each of the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 serves for a certain function of the kitchen appliance 1 or of the preparation vessel 5, respectively, which is connected to the kitchen appliance 1. For this purpose, each of the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 is connected to a certain functional means 2, 3 (see FIG. 6) of the kitchen appliance 1. Here, a first functional means 2 is, for example, a heating means of the kitchen appliance 1, and a second functional means 3 is, for example, a detection means for detecting a parameter of the preparation vessel 5, which is connected to the kitchen appliance 1. Here, the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are formed, for example, in the manner of electrical sockets, into which corresponding electrical vessel contact elements 12 of the preparation vessel 5 (see FIG. 4) can be inserted. A rotating shaft 17, which is assigned to a drive motor of the kitchen appliance 1, is furthermore located in the receiving region 4 of the kitchen appliance 1. The rotating shaft 17 serves to drive an agitator, which is arranged in the preparation vessel 5 and which is configured, for example, to stir or to comminute food in the preparation vessel 5.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a lower subregion of the preparation vessel 5 comprising the vessel base 21. Electrical vessel contact elements 12, the number, shape and arrangement of which corresponds to the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of the kitchen appliance 1, are arranged on the underside of the preparation vessel 5. Here, the electrical vessel contact elements 12 are formed as contact pins, which can be inserted into the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, which are formed as sockets, of the electrical interface 6 of the kitchen appliance 1. A passage opening 24, which serves for the passage of the rotating shaft 17 of the kitchen appliance 1 into the interior of the preparation vessel 5, can furthermore be seen on the underside of the preparation vessel 5. The vessel base 21 furthermore has an outer base contour, which corresponds to the shape of the guide means 16 of the receiving region 4 of the kitchen appliance 1, so that the preparation vessel 5 can be optimally aligned to the receiving region 4 of the kitchen appliance 1.
[0030] FIGS. 5A and 5B in each case show a preparation vessel 5 of a first type (FIG. 5A) and of a second type (FIG. 5B), and schematically the same electrical interface 6 of the kitchen appliance 1 comprising electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, the assignment of which to certain functional means 2, 3 of the kitchen appliance 1 differs from one another, depending on the type of the connected preparation vessel 5. Viewed from left to right, the electrical interface 6 of the kitchen appliance 1 initially has electrical contact elements 10 and 11, which are assigned to a functional means 3 in FIG. 5A, namely here for example to a temperature detection means. The middle electrical contact element 9 serves for the connection of the preparation vessel 5 to an electrical protection means. The electrical contact elements 7, 8 are assigned to a different functional means 2 of the kitchen appliance 1, namely here for example to a heating means for operating a corresponding heating element of the preparation vessel 5, for example a resistance heater, which is integrated in a bottom region of the preparation vessel 5. The assignment of the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of the kitchen appliance 1 according to FIG. 5A serves for the connection of electrical vessel contact elements 12 of the preparation vessel 5 of the first type. This type of preparation vessel 5 can be, for example, a current preparation vessel 5 of the manufacturer. In contrast, FIG. 5B shows, for example, a preparation vessel 5 of an older version, the electrical vessel contact elements 12 of which belong to other means of the preparation vessel 5. To likewise connect such a preparation vessel 5 to the same kitchen appliance 1 and to be able to optimally use all functional means 2, 3 of the kitchen appliance 1, the kitchen appliance 1 has the switch-over means 13, which is illustrated in more detail with respect to FIG. 6. The switch-over means 13 of the kitchen appliance 1 has the effect that the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of the receiving region 4 of the kitchen appliance 1 are switched over in such a way that the connection thereof to the functional means 2, 3 corresponds to the electrical vessel contact elements 12 of the respective preparation vessel 5 of the manufacturer. The result of such a switch-over can be seen in the comparison of FIGS. 5A and 5B. In the switching state of the electrical interface 6 according to FIG. 5A, the electrical contact elements 10, 11 of the kitchen appliance 1 are assigned to the functional means 3, namely the detection means, while the electrical contact elements 7, 8 are assigned to the functional means 2, namely the heating means. After actuation of the switching element 15, the assignments between the functional means 2, 3 and the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 10, 11 are changed in such a way that the result illustrated in FIG. 5B shows. The electrical contact elements 10, 11 are thereby now assigned to the functional means 2, namely the heating means, while the electrical contact elements 7, 8 are assigned to the functional means 3, namely the detection means. The arrangement of the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 according to FIG. 5B thus corresponds, for example, to an interconnection of the electrical vessel contact elements 12 of an older version of the preparation vessel 5.
[0031] FIG. 6 shows the switch-over means 13, which serves for the switch-over of the assignment between the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of the electrical interface 6 and the functional means 2, 3 of the kitchen appliance 1. Here, the switch-over means 13 is connected, for example, to the mechanical switching element 15 (see, for example, FIGS. 1 to 3), so that the user can effect a switch-over of connecting lines 14 of the electronic circuit by means of actuation, i.e. displacement, of the switching element 15. As illustrated in a simplified and schematic manner in FIG. 6, the displacement of the switching element 15 effects a switch-over of the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 10, 11 of the kitchen appliance, which lead to the functional means 2, 3 of the kitchen appliance 1. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the actuation of the switching element 15 (based on the illustration plane from top to bottom) effects a downward pivoting of switching contacts 25, so that the functional means 2, 3 are connected in a conductive manner to other electrical contact elements 7, 8, 10, 11 of the electrical interface 6. This relates in particular to a switch-over of the electrical contact elements 7, 8 and 10, 11. The electrical contact element 9, which establishes the connection to the grounding conductor, remains unchanged at the previous position. Due to the actuation of the switching element 15 based on the switching position illustrated in FIG. 6, the electrical assignments of the electrical contact elements 7 and 11 or 8 and 10, respectively, are evidently interchanged via the switching contacts 25. This has the result that the electrical contact elements 7, 8 of the kitchen appliance 1 are then no longer assigned to the heating means of the kitchen appliance 1 after actuation of the switching element 15, but to the detection means, on the contrary. After the switch-over, the electrical contact elements 10, 11 are assigned to the functional means 2, namely the heating means. The illustrated switch-over can also take place only partially, i.e., that, for example, only the connecting line 14 to the heating means is changed, but a switch-over of the detection means does not take place at the same time.
[0032] Even though this is not illustrated here, the switch-over means 13 is to be understood only in an exemplary manner. In the alternative, the switching element 15 can furthermore also be a switching element, which is controlled in an automated manner, for example a relay, which is switched at the receiving region 4 as a function of the result of a detection of a type or version of a preparation vessel 5. In this sense, a remote-controlled switch-over of the assignments between the electrical contact elements 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 of the kitchen appliance 1 and the functional means 2, 3 of the kitchen appliance 1 takes place. For this purpose, a sensor, which is not shown in more detail here, which can recognize the type of a preparation vessel 5 and which, as a function thereof, outputs a signal for the switch-over of the connecting lines 14, can be assigned to the receiving region 4. In the alternative, the switch-over means 13 can furthermore also be actuated manually by a user by operation of the display 18, which is preferably sensitive to touch, or of the switch 19.
[0033] Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
List of Reference Numerals
[0034] 1 kitchen appliance
[0035] 2 functional means
[0036] 3 functional means
[0037] 4 receiving region
[0038] 5 preparation vessel
[0039] 6 electrical interface
[0040] 7 electrical contact element
[0041] 8 electrical contact element
[0042] 9 electrical contact element
[0043] 10 electrical contact element
[0044] 11 electrical contact element
[0045] 12 electrical vessel contact element
[0046] 13 switch-over means
[0047] 14 connecting line
[0048] 15 switching element
[0049] 16 guide means
[0050] 17 rotating shaft
[0051] 18 display
[0052] 19 switch
[0053] 20 handle
[0054] 21 vessel base
[0055] 22 cover
[0056] 23 cover opening
[0057] 24 passage opening
[0058] 25 switching contact
