Heating device for a hob, and hob

Abstract

A heating device for a hob has a flat rectangular carrier with an outer edge, two heating elements which each have a heating conductor and which together form a heating area and which are fastened on the carrier, wherein each heating element defines a partial heating area, and the partial heating areas are situated inside the rectangular shape of the carrier. The heating elements and their partial heating areas can be operated independently of one another. The partial heating areas of the heating elements do not intersect. A first partial heating area is rectangular and extends, by way of at least one of its outer sides, to the outer edge of the carrier and runs parallel in relation to the outer edge. A second partial heating area covers the portion of the rest of the carrier which is left free by the first partial heating area. Various configurations of heated areas can be achieved owing to the independent operation.

Claims

1. Heating device for a hob, wherein said heating device comprising: a flat carrier with an outer edge, said carrier having a substantially rectangular shape, exactly two heating elements, each of the exactly two heating elements having a single heating conductor, collectively forming a heating area, wherein: said heating conductors are fastened on said carrier, each of said two heating elements defines a partial heating area, said two heating elements and said partial heating areas can be operated independently of one another and have respectively dedicated electrical connections, said partial heating areas are situated inside said rectangular shape, said partial heating areas of said two heating elements do not intersect, a first partial heating area is rectangular, extends, by way of at least two outer side of the first partial heating area, in each case to an outer edge or to an inner side of said outer edge of said carrier, and runs parallel in relation to said outer edge, a second partial heating area covers a rest of said carrier left free by said first partial heating area, said first partial heating area is situated in a corner of said carrier, and said second partial heating area has an L shape with two limbs, said two limbs having approximately equal widths and different lengths.

2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said first partial heating area has a square shape.

3. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said carrier has a square shape.

4. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein an elongate temperature sensor or an elongate temperature limiter runs above said two heating elements over at least said first partial heating area.

5. The heating device according to claim 4, wherein said elongate temperature sensor or said elongate temperature limiter runs above said two heating elements also partially over said second partial heating area.

6. The heating device according to claim 4, wherein said elongate temperature sensor or said elongate temperature limiter runs from an outer edge of said carrier over at least half an extent of said carrier along a longitudinal direction of said temperature sensor or said temperature limiter over at least said first partial heating area.

7. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein a first point-type temperature sensor is arranged over at least said first partial heating area.

8. The heating device according to claim 7, wherein a further point-type temperature sensor is arranged over said second partial heating area.

9. Hob comprising a plurality of heating devices according to claim 1, wherein two of said plurality of heating devices are arranged next to one another in such a way that said respectively first partial heating areas of said two heating devices, by way of their outer sides, are situated adjacent and parallel in relation to one another.

10. The hob according to claim 9, wherein said two of said plurality of heating devices are arranged next to one another at a distance of less than 2 centimeters.

11. The hob according to claim 10, wherein said respectively first partial heating areas of said two heating devices, by way of their outer sides, are situated congruently or parallel next to one another over a same length in each case.

12. The hob according to claim 9, wherein said two heating devices which are arranged next to one another are in contact by way of their outer edges.

13. The hob according to claim 9, wherein said two heating devices which are arranged next to one another are formed with mirror-image symmetry, wherein a centre line which runs centrally between said two heating devices forms an axis of mirror-image symmetry.

14. The hob according to claim 9, wherein further heating devices are provided which are of round or oval design.

15. The hob according to claim 9, wherein precisely two rectangular heating devices of identical size are arranged next to one another in a rear region of said hob, wherein said precisely two rectangular heating devices of identical size are arranged next to one another in a front region of said hob, wherein said two heating devices, by way of in each case said outer sides of their first partial heating areas, are situated adjacent and parallel in relation to one another on at least a left-hand side or a right-hand side of said hob.

16. The hob according to claim 15, wherein said outer sides of their first partial areas are congruent or situated parallel next to one another over a same length in each case.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are schematically illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first refinement of a heating device according to the invention having two heating elements which each define a partial heating area, wherein the heating device has a square outer shape,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a functionally schematic illustration of the heating device from FIG. 1 with a square first partial heating area and an L-shaped second partial heating area,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a further heating device according to the invention based on that according to FIG. 1 with a square outer shape,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a functionally schematic illustration of the heating device from FIG. 3 with a square first partial heating area and an L-shaped second partial heating area,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an arrangement of two heating devices similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 directly next to one another which could be present, for example, in a hob, wherein the two first partial heating areas, by way of an outer side, are situated congruently next to one another,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a modification to the arrangement from FIG. 5 with use of heating devices similar to FIGS. 3 and 4,

(8) FIG. 7 shows a hob according to the invention comprising four heating devices and an operator control device, wherein precisely one heating device similar to FIG. 1 and a heating device according to FIG. 3 is in each case provided on the left-hand side and on the right-hand side,

(9) FIG. 8 shows a further hob according to the invention comprising four square heating devices and an operator control device, wherein four heating devices according to FIG. 1 are provided and are each offset in relation to one another,

(10) FIG. 9 shows a further hob according to the invention comprising four heating devices and an operator control device, wherein an arrangement of heating devices according to FIG. 4 is provided on the left-hand side and two round heating devices of different size are provided on the right-hand side, and

(11) FIG. 10 shows a further hob according to the invention comprising four heating devices and an operator control device, wherein four heating devices of the same outer shape are provided close to one another or adjoining one another, with their respective first partial heating areas forming a closed rectangular surface area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(12) FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a heating device 11a, which is designed as a radiant heating device, according to a first refinement of the invention. The heating device 11a is, as is customary for radiant heating devices, arranged in a sheet-metal tray 12a which has a square outer shape here. The heating device 11a further has a carrier 13a which is arranged in the sheet-metal tray 12a and which is composed of a suitable thermally insulating and electrically insulating material. A wide outer edge which protrudes upwards and can be a separate part or can be integrally formed during production runs around the carrier 13a. The said wide outer edge is composed of a similar material to the carrier 13a. The outer edge 15a has rounded corners for reasons of production. Apart from these rounded corners, the outer edge 15a is rectangular or here even square, just like the carrier 13a. Furthermore, the outer edge 15a has an inner side 16a which, as it were, delimits the top side of the carrier 13a. Similarly, the outer edge 15a has an outer side 17a by way of which it bears largely against a raised edge of the sheet-metal tray 12a.

(13) A first heating element 19a which consists of a first heating conductor 20a, specifically of a single heating conductor 20a, is provided on the carrier 13a. This elongate heating conductor 20a is laid in a meandering manner in two parallel tracks and has two first connections 21a which protrude through the outer edge 15a to the outside for electrical connection purposes. FIG. 2 shows that the first heating element 19a forms, with the first heating conductor 20a, a first partial heating area 1THa which is not only rectangular but which can also be considered to be square. The first heating conductor 20a runs around a raised portion 14a of the carrier 13a, so that no heating conductor and therefore no heating is provided in the region of the raised portion 14a. Nevertheless, the said first partial heating area 1THa can be considered, as the outer boundaries, to be accordingly square. This also applies to the corners according to FIG. 2, in particular the top-right corner and the bottom right corner.

(14) The heating device 11a further has a second heating element 22a which covers, as it were, the rest of the surface area of the carrier 13a. To this end, a second heating conductor 23a is laid in a meandering manner with a different width on the carrier 13a; it forms the second partial heating area 2THa. The second heating conductor 23a of the second heating element 22a is guided to second connections 24a which, in turn, protrude through the outer edge 15a to the outside. As shown in FIG. 2, the second partial heating area is of L-shaped or angular design with the same simplifications as above for the first partial heating area 1THa. Since the carrier 13a is square, and the first partial heating area 1THa is likewise square and is positioned in the top-right corner of the carrier 13a, the second heating element 22a or the corresponding second partial heating area 2THa has an L shape with two limbs of equal length and equal width.

(15) The two partial heating areas 1THa and 2THa jointly form a heating area Ha of the heating device 11a, that is to say a square surface area can be heated overall. The laying pattern of FIG. 1 for the two heating conductors 20a and 23a shows that they do not cross over, which is relatively self-evident. However, furthermore, the respective partial heating areas which are formed by each of the heating conductors 20a and 23a do not cross over and overlap either.

(16) A rod-type thermostat 27a, which is designed as is known in the prior art, is fitted to the heating device 11a on the right-hand side. The rod-type thermostat 27a has a rod-type thermostat housing 28a from which an elongate thermomechanical temperature sensor 29a protrudes into the heating device 11a or runs above the heating area Ha. The temperature sensor 29a extends as far as the raised portion 14a of the carrier 13a and is held by the said raised portion against being pressed downwards. Therefore, it is clear that in FIG. 1 the rod-type thermostat 27a thermally monitors only the first partial heating area 1THa and switches off at an excessive temperature, as is known from the prior art and does not need to the explained in any detail. FIG. 2 illustrates how the temperature sensor 29a could be extended by way of an extension 29a′, illustrated using dashed lines, which then also covers a portion of the second partial heating area 2THa. Therefore, the second heating element 22a can also be thermally monitored, but this does not have to be the case. Here, the rod-type thermostat, as temperature sensor, can be compensated, as is known from the abovementioned documents U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,049 and DE 102004058473 A1.

(17) The first connections of the first heating element 19a and, respectively, of the first heating conductor 20a are guided and electrically connected to the rod-type thermostat housing 29. The second connections 24a of the second heating conductor 23a are held in a so-called connection block, advantageously composed of ceramic material. Therefore, they can be easily contacted by a plug from the side. The first connection of the connection block is connected to the contact of the rod-type thermostat 27a by means of a stranded wire, not shown, so that both heating elements can be switched off, even if only the first heating element is monitored, when the rod-type controller 27a is switched.

(18) FIG. 3 illustrates, as a modification, a further heating device 11b according to the invention, wherein the heating device 11b has a rectangular outer shape. A correspondingly suitable carrier 13b with a raised outer edge 15b which has an inner side 16b and an outer side 17b is inserted into a sheet-metal tray 12b with a rectangular outer shape. A raised portion 14b is also provided on the carrier 13b. Comparison of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 shows that the heating device 11b of FIG. 3 is based, as it were, on the heating device 11a of FIG. 1, wherein something is attached on the left-hand side as it were.

(19) The heating device 11b has a first heating element 19b which is formed by a first heating conductor 20b which has first connections 21b. This first heating element 19b corresponds precisely to the first heating element 19a from FIG. 1. A first partial heating area 1THb which is formed from the said first heating element, as shown at the bottom of FIG. 4, is square and sits, as it were, in the top-right corner of the overall heating area Hb of the heating device 11b.

(20) A second heating element 22b fills the rest of the heating area Hb apart from the raised portion 14b and forms, with a second heating conductor 23b, the second partial heating area 2THb, as is likewise shown in FIG. 4. Comparison of FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 with one another also clearly shows that something is attached on the left-hand side in the case of the second heating device 11b, in particular in the case of the second partial heating area 2THb, specifically to the extent that the second heating device 11b is longer in the direction from left to right than the first heating device 11a. The second heating conductor 23b can be electrically connected to the outside by way of second electrical connections 24b through the outer edge 15b.

(21) A rod-type thermostat 27b which has a rod-type thermostat housing 28b with an elongate temperature sensor 29b is also provided in the case of the heating device 11b. FIG. 4 illustrates that the elongate temperature sensor 29b, on the left-hand side, in a manner illustrated using dashed lines, could extend, by way of an extension 29b′, as far as beyond the entire heating area Hb and therefore also completely beyond this region of the second partial heating area 2THb which is somewhat wider than in FIG. 1.

(22) FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 show that the respective first partial heating area 1TH could also be arranged at any desired other point on the carrier 13 or inside its heating area H. However, in this case, it would potentially be more difficult to lay the electrical supply lines, wherein this is feasible as will be found further below.

(23) FIG. 5 shows an arrangement 31a of two heating devices 11a according to and similar to the illustration of FIG. 2. However, it can only be seen that the left-hand-side heating device 11a is designed precisely as in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2; the right-hand-side heating device 11a′ is only in principle of identical design, that is to say with partial heating areas of the same size. To be precise, the right-hand-side heating device is formed with mirror-image symmetry in relation to the left-hand-side heating device 11a with a mirror axis along a centre line 32a which runs between the two heating devices 11a and 11a′.

(24) The two first partial heating areas 1THa and 1THa′ adjoin one another by way of their sides which face one another. In this case, they are congruent in this respect because they are also of the same size. Therefore, it can be seen from this that a plurality of cooking vessels of different sizes can be heated or heating zones can be formed with the arrangement 31a. The smallest cooking vessel can be heated merely by one of the two first partial heating areas 1THa or 1THa′. A next-biggest cooking vessel can be heated by an entire heating device 11a or 11a′, that is to say 1THa and 2THa for example. A smaller elongate or oval roasting pan can be heated by the two first partial heating areas 1THa and 1THa′ in joint operation. An even larger elongate roasting pan or a very large cooking pot could be jointly heated by the two heating devices 11a and 11a′. It is clear from a first look at the shape of the second partial heating areas 2THa and, respectively, 2THa′ that isolated operation thereof makes no sense.

(25) FIG. 6 illustrates a further arrangement 31b which, in principle, is of similar construction to that from FIG. 5. A heating device 11b according to FIGS. 3 and 4 is provided on the left-hand side. A further heating device 11b′ which is of the same size and same outer shape is provided on the right-hand side directly next to the said heating device and separated only by a centre line 32b. In a similar manner to that described above in relation to FIG. 5, the said further heating device is formed with mirror-image symmetry in relation to the left-hand-side heating device 11b, wherein it is possible for the two first partial heating areas 1THb and 1THb′ to exhibit mirror-image symmetry and to virtually bare against one another by way of their outer sides which face one another.

(26) In the illustrations of FIG. 5 et. seq., the thickness of the respective outer edge 15 is not taken into account when it is shown how partial heating areas or entire heating areas can bear against one another or can continue. However, the principle underlying the invention is nevertheless clearly understandable and comprehensible.

(27) In the case of the arrangement 31b according to FIG. 6, heating as described above in relation to FIG. 5 can be performed using the respective first partial heating areas 1THb and 1THb′. Owing to the now somewhat larger second partial heating areas 2THb, improved adjustment to cooking vessels of different sizes may possibly be achieved.

(28) FIG. 7 illustrates a plan view of a hob 35 according to the invention in a first refinement of the invention. The hob 35 has four heating devices 11, specifically two heating devices 11a and, respectively, 11a′ with a square outer shape and two heating devices 11b and, respectively, 11b′ with a rectangular outer shape. However, even more correspondingly designed heating devices, for example six or eight heating devices, could be provided in a hob. An operator control device 36, advantageously with touch switches, is arranged at the front in the centre.

(29) In the hob 35, a heating device 11a and, respectively, 11a′ with a square outer shape and a heating device 11b and, respectively, 11b′ with a rectangular outer shape are respectively combined and installed close to one another. They can even be in contact. It can be seen how, in the heating device 11a′ according to FIG. 5, the first partial heating area 1THa′ is positioned in the top-left corner. The second partial heating area 2THa′ is located therebelow on the right-hand side.

(30) In the other upper heating device 11b according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first partial heating area 1THb is arranged in the bottom-left corner, and the L-shaped second partial heating area 2THb extends above it and to the right. Therefore, a continuous bridge for heating an elongate cooking vessel can again be operated with the two first partial heating areas 1THa′ and 1THb.

(31) In the case of the right-hand-side arrangement of the heating devices 11a′ and 11b, the offset is selected to be different to the left-hand side as an example of as large a number of different options for arrangement purposes. The two heating devices bear directly against one another, as do the respectively first partial heating areas 1THa′ and 1THb. However, the outer sides which bear against one another are no longer congruent, but rather offset in relation to one another to a certain extent. Therefore, they can each still be arranged in the corners of the respective heating device, but the same heating devices 11 can be used on the left-hand side and the right-hand side in the hob 35. The offset between the two first partial heating areas can be somewhat surprising and have a thermally disruptive effect, but only to an insignificant extent, in practice.

(32) A further hob 135 according to the invention in line with FIG. 8 has, on the left-hand side, two heating devices 11a according to FIGS. 1 and 2 which bear against one another but are not congruent, but rather offset to a certain extent. Their outer shape is square in each case. However, the respectively first partial heating areas 1THa bear congruently against one another.

(33) On the right-hand side, two further square heating devices 11a″ rest against one another but are arranged offset in relation to one another. There, a respective first partial heating area 1THa″ is designed so as to butt against an outer side wall against the outer edge, but only on one outer side. The said first partial heating area is, as it were, not arranged in the corner. As a result, it is possible for the two heating devices 11a″ to be arranged offset in relation to one another and for the first partial heating areas 1THa″ to likewise not be arranged in the corner but nevertheless to be arranged congruently next to one another.

(34) Comparison of FIGS. 7 and 8 with one another shows that the utilization of space in the hob behind the front central operator control device is somewhat better in the case of the hob 35 of FIG. 7.

(35) FIG. 9 shows a further hob 235 according to the invention in which an arrangement 31a according to FIG. 5 of a heating device 11a and a heating device 11a′ is provided behind a front central operator control device 236 on the left-hand side. Two round heating devices, specifically a small round heating device 35c at the front and a larger round heating device 35d at the rear, are located in the right-hand half of the hob 235. These heating devices are in no way subdivided into different partial heating areas. On account of their respective size, they are easily matched to the available space even taking into account the operator control device 236.

(36) Finally, in the yet further hob 335 according to the invention in line with FIG. 10, four heating devices 111a and 111a′ are to be arranged very close to one another or in an abutting manner in a heating region behind a narrow long operator control device 336. These heating devices 111a and, respectively, 111a′, which each have a square outer shape, are provided with the special feature that their first partial heating areas 1THa and 1THa′ butt against one another in the centre or in the common central region and form a substantially closed or continuous surface area. They are all of the same size. In this case, the diagonally opposite heating devices 111a and, respectively, 111a′ are each identical, with the others exhibiting mirror-image symmetry thereto. The very large surface area formed overall by the four partial heating areas 1THa and 1THa′ involved can be used for heating very large cooking vessels, such as paella pans for example. It is likewise conceivable to operate the four entire heating devices 111a and 111a′ with all partial heating areas 1THa, 1THa′, 2THa and 2THa′ completely for paella pans of this kind or the like.

(37) The respectively associated second partial heating areas 2THa and 2THa′ are then grouped overall as a kind of rectangular ring around the said first partial heating areas. Different bridge functions or bridge arrangements and therefore overall interconnections of heating areas and, respectively, partial heating areas are possible in this case too in order to be able to heat cooking vessels of respectively different sizes in an optimum manner. Here, an inner electrical connection to the first partial heating areas 1THa and 1THa′ is technically somewhat more difficult and complicated since they do not even adjoin an exposed outer side of the heating device. This can also be performed by means of corresponding laying of heating conductors. It is possible to space apart the heating devices 111a and, respectively, 111a′ from one another to such an extent that an electrical connection option is created in an intermediate space. However, a large distance of this kind creates problems which are undesirable for other reasons and has an adverse effect on the bridge function in a predictable manner owing to excessively large intermediate spaces. Therefore, the option of electrical supply to a partial heating area from below or else with non-incandescent electrical supplies over the respective second partial heating area 2THa and 2THa′ still remains. These can be, for example, considerably thicker and therefore not heated given the same power. As an alternative, the heating conductors can be straightened at these points, so that they are not corrugated. In this way, they incandesce such that they are virtually no longer visible. Therefore, complicated connection from below is not required. These heating conductors which no longer incandesce as connections for a partial heating area can then generally be guided past the heating conductors of the other partial heating area close to the side and therefore have no or virtually no adverse effect on this area.