HOB DEVICE

Abstract

A hob apparatus includes a sensor unit configured to detect a sensor signal, an electronic signal processing unit configured to further process and/or analyze the sensor signal, and a printed circuit board, on which the sensor unit and the signal processing unit are arranged together.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A hob apparatus, comprising: a sensor unit configured to detect a sensor signal; an electronic signal processing unit configured to further process and/or analyze the sensor signal; and a printed circuit board, on which the sensor unit and the signal processing unit are arranged together.

17. The hob apparatus of claim 16, embodied as an induction hob apparatus.

18. The hob apparatus of claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board includes a bending region.

19. The hob apparatus of claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board includes a flexible part.

20. The hob apparatus of claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board is configured as a rigid-flexible printed circuit board.

21. The hob apparatus of claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board is configured as a semi-flexible printed circuit board.

22. The hob apparatus of claim 18, wherein the printed circuit board includes a signal processing region which is separated from a sensor region of the printed circuit board by the bending region.

23. The hob apparatus of claim 22, wherein the sensor region and the signal processing region are aligned at an angle to one another in an assembled state.

24. The hob apparatus of claim 22, wherein the sensor region and the signal processing region are aligned at least substantially perpendicular to one another in an assembled state.

25. The hob apparatus of claim 22, wherein the sensor region and the signal processing region are aligned at least substantially parallel to one another in an assembled state.

26. The hob apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a shielding element, wherein the sensor region and the signal processing region are arranged on different sides of the shielding element in an assembled state.

27. The hob apparatus of claim 26, wherein the shielding element has an opening for passage of the bending region in the assembled state.

28. The hob apparatus of claim 22, wherein the signal processing region is at least substantially rigid.

29. The hob apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor region is at least substantially rigid.

30. The hob apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a protection element arranged above the signal processing unit for protecting the signal processing unit against thermal influence.

31. The hob apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a further sensor unit configured to detect a further sensor signal; a further signal processing unit configured to further process and/or analyze the further sensor signal; and a further printed circuit board, on which the further sensor unit and the further signal processing unit are arranged together.

32. A hob, comprising a hob apparatus, said hob apparatus comprising a sensor unit configured to detect a sensor signal, an electronic signal processing unit configured to further process and/or analyze the sensor signal, and a printed circuit board, on which the sensor unit and the signal processing unit are arranged together.

33. The hob of claim 32, embodied as an induction hob.

Description

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a hob with a hob apparatus,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded view of the hob apparatus with a sensor unit and a signal processing unit,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a further exemplary embodiment of a hob apparatus,

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the hob apparatus from FIG. 3,

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of a further exemplary embodiment of a hob apparatus, and

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the hob apparatus from FIG. 5.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a hob 42a. The hob 42a is configured as an induction hob. The hob 42a has a hob apparatus 10a. The hob apparatus 10a is configured as an induction hob apparatus. The hob comprises an operating unit 20a. The operating unit 20a is provided for a user to control the hob 42a.

[0036] The hob apparatus 10a comprises a heating unit 12a with a number of heating elements 32a and further heating elements 50a, each of which is configured as an inductor.

[0037] Where a number of objects is present only one is shown with a reference character in the figures.

[0038] The hob apparatus 10a comprises a sensor unit 14a. The sensor unit 14a is provided for detecting a sensor signal (not shown).

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded view of the hob apparatus 10a. The hob apparatus 10a comprises a signal processing unit 16a. The signal processing unit 16a is provided for further processing and/or analyzing the sensor signal. When the hob apparatus 10a is in an operating state, the signal processing unit 16a determines a presence of and/or degree of cover by cookware (not shown) positioned on a hob plate 44a of the hob 42a based on the sensor signal.

[0040] The hob apparatus 10a has a printed circuit board 18a. The sensor unit 14a and the signal processing unit 16a are arranged together on the printed circuit board 18a.

[0041] When the hob apparatus 10a is in the assembled state, the printed circuit board 18a is arranged above the heating unit 12a. In the assembled state the printed circuit board 18a is arranged below the hob plate 44a of the hob 42a.

[0042] The printed circuit board 18a has a bending region 22a. The printed circuit board 18a has a sensor region 24a. The sensor unit 14a is arranged in the sensor region 24a on the printed circuit board 18a. The printed circuit board 18a has a signal processing region 26a. The signal processing unit 16a is arranged in the signal processing region 26a on the printed circuit board 18a. The signal processing region 26a of the printed circuit board 18a is separated from the sensor region 24a of the printed circuit board 18a by the bending region 22a. At least parts of the printed circuit board 18a are configured as flexible. In the present exemplary embodiment the bending region 22a of the printed circuit board 18a is configured as flexible.

[0043] The sensor region 24a of the printed circuit board 18a is at least substantially rigid. The signal processing region 26a of the printed circuit board 18a is at least substantially rigid.

[0044] The hob apparatus 10a has a protection element 46a. The protection element 46a is provided for protecting the signal processing unit 16a against thermal influences. The protection element 46a is attached to a lower side 48a of the hob plate 44a. The protection element 46a is configured as a thin transparent layer made of a silica aerogel. In the assembled state the protection element 46a extends over the signal processing region 26a. When the hob apparatus 10a is in the operating state, the protection element protects the signal processing unit 16a against thermal influences, specifically temperature influences from the hob plate 44a.

[0045] FIGS. 3 to 6 show two further exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0046] The descriptions that follow are restricted substantially to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, it being possible to refer to the description of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 2 for components, features and functions that remain the same. To distinguish between the exemplary embodiments the letter a in the reference characters of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 2 is replaced by the letters b and c in the reference characters of the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 3 to 6. Reference can also be made in principle to the drawings and/or the description of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 2 for components of identical designation, in particular for components with identical reference characters.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of a hob apparatus 10b. The hob apparatus 10b is part of a hob 42b configured as an induction hob and is configured as an induction hob apparatus. The hob apparatus 10b comprises a heating unit 12b with a number of heating elements 32b and a number of further heating elements 50b. The heating element 32b and the further heating elements 50b are each configured as inductors.

[0048] The hob apparatus 10b comprises a sensor unit 14b for detecting a sensor signal (not shown) and a signal processing unit 16b for further processing and/or analyzing the sensor signal. When the hob apparatus 10b is in an operating state, the signal processing unit 16b determines a presence of and/or degree of cover by cookware (not shown) positioned above the heating element 32b of the heating unit 12b based on the sensor signal.

[0049] The hob apparatus 10b comprises a printed circuit board 18b. The sensor unit 14b and the signal processing unit 16b are arranged together on the printed circuit board 18b. The printed circuit board 18b comprises a bending region 22b. At least parts of the printed circuit board 18b are configured as flexible. The printed circuit board 18b is configured as a semi-flexible printed circuit board 30b. The semi-flexible printed circuit board 30b can be bent several times for assembly. The bending region 22b is produced during assembly. When the hob apparatus 10b is in an assembled state, the bending region 22b is bent (see FIG. 4).

[0050] A signal processing region 26b of the printed circuit board 18b, on which the signal processing unit 16b is arranged, is separated from a sensor region 24b of the printed circuit board 18b, on which the sensor unit 14b is arranged, by the bending region 22b.

[0051] The hob apparatus 10b has a number of further sensor units 52b. The hob apparatus 10b has a number of further signal processing units 54b. The hob apparatus 10b has a number of further printed circuit boards 56b. The further sensor units 52b, the further signal processing units 54b and the further printed circuit boards 56b are configured in a substantially identical manner to one another, so the description that follows is restricted to one further sensor unit 52b, one further signal processing unit 54b and one further printed circuit board 56b.

[0052] The further sensor unit 52b is provided for detecting a further sensor signal (not shown). The further signal processing unit 54b is provided for further processing and/or analyzing the further sensor signal. The further sensor unit 52b and the further signal processing unit 54b are arranged together on the further printed circuit board 56b.

[0053] When the hob apparatus 10b is in the operating state, the further signal processing unit 54b determines a presence of and/or degree of cover by cookware (not shown) positioned above the further heating element 50b of the heating unit 12b based on the further sensor signal.

[0054] The further printed circuit board 56b has a further bending region 58b. A further signal processing region 62b of the further printed circuit board 56b, on which the further signal processing unit 54b is arranged, is separated from a further sensor region 60b of the further printed circuit board 58b, on which the further sensor unit 52b is arranged, by the further bending region 58b.

[0055] At least parts of the further printed circuit board 56b are configured as flexible. The further printed circuit board 56b is configured as a semi-flexible printed circuit board 30b. The further printed circuit board 56b configured as a semi-flexible printed circuit board 30b can be bent several times for assembly. The further bending region 58b is produced during assembly.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the hob apparatus 10b. The hob apparatus 10b has a shielding element 34b. The shielding element 34b is provided for shielding electromagnetic radiation radiated by the heating element 32b and/or the further heating element 50b in the operating state.

[0057] When the hob apparatus 10b is in the assembled state, the sensor region 24b and the signal processing region 26b are on different sides 36b, 38b of the shielding element 34b. In the assembled state the sensor region 24b is arranged on an upper side 36b of the shielding element. In the assembled state the signal processing region 26b is arranged on a lower side 38b of the shielding element 34b.

[0058] The shielding element 34b has an opening 40b. In the assembled state the bending region 22b of the printed circuit board 18b is passed through the opening 40b.

[0059] In the assembled state the sensor region 24b and the signal processing region 26b are aligned at an angle, specifically at least substantially perpendicular, to one another. In the assembled state the sensor region 24b is aligned substantially parallel to a horizontal extension 66b of the hob 42b. The signal processing region 26b is arranged in an edge region 70b of the hob 42b and aligned substantially parallel to a vertical extension 68b of the hob 42b. The signal processing unit 16b is protected against thermal and electromagnetic influences from the heating unit 12b on the signal processing region 26b of the printed circuit board 18b in the edge region 70b of the hob 42b.

[0060] The shielding element 34b has a further opening 64b. In the assembled state the further bending region 58b of the further printed circuit board 56b is passed through the further opening 64b. In the assembled state the further sensor region 60b is arranged on the upper side 36b of the shielding element 34b and the further signal processing region 62b on the lower side 38b of the shielding element 34b. In the assembled state the further sensor region 60b and the further signal processing region 62b are aligned at an angle, specifically at least substantially perpendicular, to one another.

[0061] FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view of a hob apparatus 10c. The hob apparatus 10c is part of a hob 42c configured as an induction hob and is configured as an induction hob apparatus. The hob apparatus 10c comprises a heating unit 12c with a number of heating elements 32c and with a number of further heating elements 50c. The heating elements 32c and the further heating elements 50c are each configured as inductors. The hob apparatus 10c comprises a sensor unit 14c for detecting a sensor signal (not shown) and a signal processing unit 16c for further processing and/or analyzing the sensor signal. The sensor unit 14c and the signal processing unit 16c are arranged together on a printed circuit board 18c of the hob apparatus 10c.

[0062] The printed circuit board 18c has a bending region 22c, which separates a sensor region 24c from a signal processing region 26c. At least parts of the printed circuit board 18c are configured as flexible. The printed circuit board 18c is configured as a rigid-flexible printed circuit board 28c.

[0063] The hob apparatus 10c has a number of further sensor units 52c for detecting further sensor signals and a number of further signal processing units 54c for further processing and/or analyzing the further sensor signals, these being arranged together on further printed circuit boards 56c of the hob apparatus 10c. The further sensor units 52c, the further signal processing units 54c and the further printed circuit boards 56c are configured in a substantially identical manner to one another, so the description that follows is restricted to one further sensor unit 52c, one further signal processing unit 54c and one further printed circuit board 56c.

[0064] When the hob apparatus 10c is in an operating state, the signal processing unit 16c uses the sensor signal and the further signal processing unit 54c uses the further sensor signal to determine a presence of and/or degree of cover of one or more of the heating elements 32b and/or the further heating elements 50c of the heating unit 12b by one or more items of cookware (not shown) positioned above.

[0065] FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view of the hob apparatus 10c. The hob apparatus 10c has a shielding element 34c. The shielding element 34c has an opening 40c. In the assembled state the bending region 22c of the printed circuit board 18c is passed through the opening 40c. In the assembled state the sensor region 24c is arranged on an upper side 36c of the shielding element. In the assembled state the signal processing region 26c is arranged on a lower side 38c of the shielding element 34c.

[0066] The sensor region 24c and the signal processing region 26c are aligned at least substantially parallel to one another in the assembled state. The sensor region 24c and the signal processing region 26c are each aligned substantially parallel to a horizontal extension 66c of the hob 42c. The signal processing unit 16c is protected against thermal and electromagnetic influences from the heating element 32c of the heating unit 12c on the signal processing region 26c of the printed circuit board 18c in a lower region 72c of the hob 42c.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0067] 10 Hob apparatus [0068] 12 Heating unit [0069] 14 Sensor unit [0070] 16 Signal processing unit [0071] 18 Printed circuit board [0072] 20 Operating unit [0073] 22 Bending region [0074] 24 Sensor region [0075] 26 Signal processing region [0076] 28 Rigid-flexible printed circuit board [0077] 30 Semi-flexible printed circuit board [0078] 32 Heating element [0079] 34 Shielding element [0080] 36 Upper side [0081] 38 Lower side [0082] 40 Opening [0083] 42 Hob [0084] 44 Hob plate [0085] 46 Protection element [0086] 48 Lower side [0087] 50 Further heating element [0088] 52 Further sensor unit [0089] 54 Further signal processing unit [0090] 56 Further printed circuit board [0091] 58 Further bending region [0092] 60 Further sensor region [0093] 62 Further signal processing region [0094] 64 Further opening [0095] 66 Horizontal extension [0096] 68 Vertical extension [0097] 70 Edge region [0098] 72 Lower region