HOB APPARATUS

Abstract

A hob apparatus, in particular an induction hob apparatus includes a hob panel, a heating element, a light supply unit arranged at least in part on a side of the heating element remote from the hob panel and supplying light in at least one operating condition, and a waveguide unit transporting in the operating condition light from the light supply unit to a side of the heating element facing the hob panel.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A hob apparatus, in particular an induction hob apparatus, said hob apparatus comprising: a hob panel; a heating element; a light supply unit arranged at least in part on a side of the heating element remote from the hob panel and supplying light in at least one operating condition; and a waveguide unit transporting in the operating condition light from the light supply unit to a side of the heating element facing the hob panel.

15. The hob apparatus of claim 14, wherein the light supply unit includes at least two light sources, each of the two light sources being associated to at least one waveguide of the waveguide unit.

16. The hob apparatus of claim 14, wherein the light supply unit includes a number of light sources in correspondence to a number of waveguides of the waveguide unit.

17. The hob apparatus of claim 14, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide which is predominantly arranged next to the heating element, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel.

18. The hob apparatus of claim 14, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide which is arranged at least in part in a region of the heating element, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel.

19. The hob apparatus of claim 14, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide which is arranged at least in part above the heating element in an installed position.

20. The hob apparatus of claim 14, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide having a minimum spacing of at most 10 mm from the hob panel in at least one mounted condition.

21. The hob apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a structural unit configured to include the heating element and the light supply unit.

22. The hob apparatus of claim 21, wherein the structural unit is configured to include the waveguide unit.

23. The hob apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a further heating element, said light supply unit including a light source which is associated to both the heating element and the further heating element.

24. The hob apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a control unit configured to output in the operating condition an item of information to a user via the light supply unit.

25. A hob, in particular an induction hob, comprising a hob apparatus, said hob apparatus comprising a hob panel, a heating element, a light supply unit arranged at least in part on a side of the heating element remote from the hob panel and supplying light in at least one operating condition, and a waveguide unit transporting in the operating condition light from the light supply unit to a side of the heating element facing the hob panel.

26. The hob of claim 25, wherein the light supply unit includes at least two light sources, each of the two light sources being associated to at least one waveguide of the waveguide unit.

27. The hob of claim 25, wherein the light supply unit includes a number of light sources in correspondence to a number of waveguides of the waveguide unit.

28. The hob of claim 25, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide which is predominantly arranged next to the heating element, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel.

29. The hob of claim 25, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide which is arranged at least in part in a region of the heating element, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel.

30. The hob of claim 25, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide which is arranged at least in part above the heating element in an installed position.

31. The hob of claim 25, wherein the waveguide unit includes a waveguide having a minimum spacing of at most 10 mm from the hob panel in at least one mounted condition.

32. The hob of claim 25, wherein the hob apparatus includes a structural unit configured to include the heating element and the light supply unit.

33. The hob of claim 32, wherein the structural unit is configured to include the waveguide unit.

34. The hob of claim 25, wherein the hob apparatus includes a further heating element, said light supply unit including a light source which is associated to both the heating element and the further heating element.

35. The hob of claim 25, wherein the hob apparatus includes a control unit configured to output in the operating condition an item of information to a user via the light supply unit.

36. A method for operating a hob apparatus including a hob panel and a heating element, said method comprising transporting light from a side of the heating element remote from the hob panel to a side of the heating element facing the hob panel.

Description

[0031] In the drawing:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a hob with a hob apparatus,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a structural unit of the hob apparatus, wherein the structural unit includes a heating element, part of a light supply unit, part of a waveguide unit and part of a holding unit,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a schematic exploded illustration of the structural unit,

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a hob panel of the hob apparatus and the structural unit, and

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the structural unit and a plurality of further structural units of the hob apparatus.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a hob 36 that takes the form of an induction hob, with a hob apparatus 10 that takes the form of an induction hob apparatus.

[0038] The hob apparatus 10 has a hob panel 12. In a mounted condition, the hob panel 12 forms part of a hob external casing, in particular a hob external casing in particular of the hob 36. The hob panel 12 is provided for the purpose of having cooking vessels (not illustrated) placed on it.

[0039] The hob apparatus 10 has a heating element 14 (cf. FIGS. 2 to 5). In an installed position, the heating element 14 is arranged below the hob panel 12. The heating element 14 is provided for the purpose of heating cooking vessels that are placed on the hob panel 12 above the heating element 14. The heating element 14 takes the form of an induction heating element.

[0040] The hob apparatus 10 has a user interface 38 for inputting and/or selecting operating parameters, for example a heating power and/or heating power density and/or a heating zone. The user interface 38 is provided for the purpose of outputting a value of an operating parameter to a user.

[0041] The hob apparatus 10 has a control unit 34. The control unit 34 is provided for the purpose of performing actions and/or changing settings, in dependence on operating parameters that are input by way of the user interface 38. In a heating operating condition, the control unit 34 controls a supply of energy to the heating element 14 by closed-loop control.

[0042] The hob apparatus 10 has a light supply unit 16. In one operating condition, the light supply unit 16 supplies light, in particular for the purpose of illuminating the hob panel 12. The control unit 34 operates the light supply unit 16 in the operating condition. In an installed position, the light supply unit 16 is arranged on a side of the heating element 14 remote from the hob panel 12 (cf. FIG. 4).

[0043] In the present exemplary embodiment, the light supply unit 16 includes a multiplicity of light sources 20, 22. In the figures, in each case only one of a plurality of objects present is provided with a reference numeral. The light supply unit 16 has sixteen light sources 20, 22 per heating element 14.

[0044] The hob apparatus 10 has a hob electronics unit 40. In a mounted condition, the light sources 20, 22 of the light supply unit 16 are arranged on the hob electronics unit 40.

[0045] The hob electronics unit 40 has a sub-unit 42 for each heating element 14. In the present exemplary embodiment, sixteen light sources 20, 22 of the light supply unit 16 are arranged on the sub-unit 42 of the hob electronics unit 40 per heating element 14. In an installed position, a main plane of extent of the sub-unit 42 of the hob electronics unit 40 is arranged substantially parallel to a main plane of extent of the heating element 14. In an installed position, the majority of the sub-unit 42 of the hob electronics unit 40 is arranged below the heating element 14.

[0046] The hob apparatus 10 has a waveguide unit 18. In the operating condition, the waveguide unit 18 transports light from the light supply unit 16 to a side of the heating element 14 facing the hob panel 12. The waveguide unit 18 extends from the side of the heating element 14 remote from the hob panel 12 to the side of the heating element 14 facing the hob panel 12. In the operating condition, the waveguide unit 18 transports light from the light supply unit 16 past the heating element 14 and/or through a region of the heating element 14.

[0047] In the present exemplary embodiment, the waveguide unit 18 has a multiplicity of waveguides 24, 26. The waveguide unit 18 has sixteen waveguides 24, 26 per heating element 14. A waveguide 24, 26 of the waveguide unit 18 is associated with each light source 20, 22 of the light supply unit 16. In the present exemplary embodiment, a number of light sources 20, 22 of the light supply unit 16 corresponds to a number of waveguides 24, 26 of the waveguide unit 18.

[0048] In the present exemplary embodiment, the waveguide unit 18 has seven waveguides 24, of which the majority, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, are arranged next to the heating element 14. The waveguides 24 of the waveguide unit 18 of which, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, the majority are arranged next to the heating element 14 are arranged, in relation to a center point and/or center of gravity of the heating element 14, over an angular range in the main plane of extent of substantially 180°, in particular regularly and advantageously in the peripheral direction around the heating element 14.

[0049] The hob apparatus 10 has a holding unit 44. In a mounted condition, the holding unit 44 defines a position of the waveguides 24, 26 of the waveguide unit 18 in relation to the light sources 20, 22 of the light supply unit 16. The holding unit 44 has a holding element 46 that defines a position of the waveguides 24—of which, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, the majority are arranged next to the heating element 14—relative to the corresponding light sources 20 of the light supply unit 16. In an installed position, the majority of the holding element 46 is arranged below the heating element 14.

[0050] In the present exemplary embodiment, the waveguide unit 18 has nine waveguides 26, which, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, are arranged in a region of the heating element 14. A waveguide 26 of the waveguide unit 18 which, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, is arranged in a region of the heating element 14 is arranged substantially at a center point and/or center of gravity of the heating element 14. Eight waveguides 26 of the waveguide unit 18 that are arranged, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, in a region of the heating element 14, are arranged, in relation to a center point and/or center of gravity of the heating element 14 in the main plane of extent, over an angular range of substantially 360°, in particular regularly and advantageously in the peripheral direction around the center point and/or center of gravity of the heating element 14, in the main plane of extent.

[0051] The holding unit 44 has a holding element 50 that defines a position of the waveguide 26—which, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the hob panel 12, is arranged substantially at a center point and/or center of gravity of the heating element 14 in the main plane of extent—in relation to the corresponding light source 22 of the light supply unit 16. In an installed position, the majority of the holding element 50 is arranged in a main plane of extent spanned by the heating element 14.

[0052] The waveguide unit 18 has eight waveguides 26, which in an installed position are arranged in part above the heating element 14. In the present exemplary embodiment, the waveguide unit 18 has four waveguides 26 that, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the heating element 14, are arranged over a proportion of substantially 15% of a maximum extent of the heating element 14 in the main plane of extent above the heating element 14. In the present exemplary embodiment, the waveguide unit 18 has four waveguides 26 that, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the heating element 14, are arranged over a proportion of substantially 25% of a maximum extent of the heating element 14 in the main plane of extent above the heating element 14.

[0053] The waveguides 26 of the waveguide unit 18 that, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the heating element 14, are arranged over a proportion of substantially 15% of a maximum extent of the heating element 14 in the main plane of extent above the heating element 14, and the waveguides 26 of the waveguide unit 18 that, as viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the heating element 14, are arranged over a proportion of substantially 25% of a maximum extent of the heating element 14 in the main plane of extent above the heating element 14, are arranged alternately adjacent to one another.

[0054] The holding unit 44 has a holding element 48 that defines a position of the waveguides 26—which, in an installed position, are arranged in part above the heating element 14—in relation to the corresponding light sources 22 of the light supply unit 16. In an installed position, the majority of the holding element 48 is arranged in a plane spanned by the heating element 14.

[0055] In the present exemplary embodiment, the waveguides 24, 26 of the waveguide unit 18 have a minimum spacing 28 of substantially three mm from the hob panel 12. A region of the waveguides 24, 26 of the waveguide unit 18 that is closest to the hob panel 12 has a minimum spacing 28 of substantially three mm from the hob panel 12.

[0056] The hob apparatus 10 has a structural unit 30. The structural unit 30 includes the heating element 14 and part of the light supply unit 16. In the present exemplary embodiment, the structural unit 30 includes the heating element 14 and sixteen light sources 20, 22 of the light supply unit 16.

[0057] In addition to the heating element 14 and the part of the light supply unit 16, the structural unit 30 includes part of the waveguide unit 18. In the present exemplary embodiment, the structural unit 30 includes sixteen waveguides 24, 26 of the waveguide unit 18.

[0058] In particular in addition to the heating element 14 and the part of the light supply unit 16 and the part of the waveguide unit 18, the structural unit 30 includes part of the holding unit 44. In the present exemplary embodiment, the structural unit 30 includes three holding elements 46, 48, 50 of the holding unit 44.

[0059] The hob apparatus 10 includes a multiplicity of further heating elements 32 (cf. FIG. 5). Of the further heating elements 32, only six are illustrated in the figures. Moreover, of the further heating elements 32, only one is described below.

[0060] In an installed position, the further heating element 32 is arranged below the hob panel 12. The further heating element 32 is provided for the purpose of heating cooking vessels that are placed on the hob panel 12 above the further heating element 32. The further heating element 32 takes the form of an induction heating element. The further heating element 32 takes a form identical to the heating element 14, so the reader is referred to the description given in respect of the heating element 14 for a description of the further heating element 32.

[0061] The hob apparatus 10 has one further structural unit 52 per further heating element 32. The further structural unit 52 is identical to the structural unit 30, so the reader is referred to the description given in respect of the structural unit 30 for a description of the further structural unit 52.

[0062] In the present exemplary embodiment, the light supply unit 16 includes three light sources 20, which are associated simultaneously with the heating element 14 and the further heating element 32. Of the light sources 20 that are associated simultaneously with the heating element 14 and the further heating element 32, only one is described below.

[0063] As viewed perpendicular to a main plane of extent of the heating element 14, the light source 20 of the light supply unit 16—which is associated simultaneously with the heating element 14 and the further heating element 32—is arranged between the heating element 14 and the further heating element 32.

[0064] In one operating condition, the control unit 34 outputs information to a user by way of the light supply unit 16. In one operating condition, the control unit 34 informs a user of a position of a cooking vessel that is placed on, by way of the light supply unit 16. In one operating condition, the control unit 34 informs a user of a heating power supplied to a cooking vessel, by way of the light supply unit 16.

[0065] In a method for operating the hob apparatus 10, in one operating condition light is transported from a side of the heating element 14 remote from the hob panel 12 to a side of the heating element 14 facing the hob panel 12.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0066] 10 Hob apparatus [0067] 12 Hob panel [0068] 14 Heating element [0069] 16 Light supply unit [0070] 18 Waveguide unit [0071] 20 Light source [0072] 22 Light source [0073] 24 Waveguide [0074] 26 Waveguide [0075] 28 Spacing [0076] 30 Structural unit [0077] 32 Further heating element [0078] 34 Control unit [0079] 36 Hob [0080] 38 User interface [0081] 40 Hob electronics unit [0082] 42 Sub-unit [0083] 44 Holding unit [0084] 46 Holding element [0085] 48 Holding element [0086] 50 Holding element [0087] 52 Further structural unit