Assembly unit for an induction hob, induction hob and method for manufacturing an assembly unit

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly unit for an induction hob with at least one induction element has a) at least one carrying element for carrying the circuits and/or devices for supplying the at least one induction element. The at least one carrying element has a base area and side areas protruding upwards from the base area. The at least one carrying element is connectable with at least one further carrying element along a side area. The side areas have connection elements for connection with the at least one further carrying element, preferably at least one power wire slot for inserting at least one power supply wire and/or preferably at least one signal wire slot for inserting at least one signal wire. Furthermore, the invention a method for manufacturing an assembly unit is described.

Claims

1. An assembly unit for an induction hob with at least one induction element, comprising: a first carrying element and a second carrying element respectively carrying a first set and a second set of devices that respectively supply a first and a second induction element, the first and second carrying elements each comprising a base area, the base area comprising sides protruding upward from the base area, a first one of the sides comprising a protrusion extending away from the base area, a second one of the sides being positioned opposite the first side and comprising a recess extending into the base area, a third one of the sides extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side and comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the recess and the protrusion of the third side of the first carrying element are respectively coupled to the protrusion and the recess of the third side of the second carrying element.

2. The assembly unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a third carrying element carrying a third set of devices that supplies a third induction element, the third carrying element comprising a base area, the base area comprising sides protruding upward from the base area, a first one of the sides comprising a protrusion extending away from the base area, a second one of the sides being positioned opposite the first side and comprising a recess extending into the base area, a third one of the sides extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side and comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the protrusion of the first side of the first carrying element is coupled to the recess of the second side of the third carrying element, and wherein the first carrying element is inversely oriented with respect to the second carrying element.

3. The assembly unit according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one power supply wire extending through the third sides of the first and second carrying elements and passing power between the first and the second carrying elements, each of the third sides of the first and second carrying elements further comprising at least one power wire slot through which the power supply wire extends from the first carrying element to the second carrying element.

4. The assembly unit according to claim 3, wherein the power supply wire passes signals between the first and the second carrying elements.

5. The assembly unit according to claim 3, wherein the power wire slots of the first and second carrying elements are respectively arranged in a center of third sides of the first and third carrying elements.

6. The assembly unit according to claim 5, wherein two of the wire slots are arranged within the same distance from a center of each of the third side areas of the first and second carrying elements.

7. The assembly unit according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion of the first, second, and third carrying elements has a shape of one of an outwardly pointing cone or an inwardly pointing cone, and wherein the recess of the first, second, and third carrying elements corresponds with the shape of the protrusion.

8. The assembly unit according to claim 1, wherein the first and second carrying elements each further comprise a power box that distributes power between the first carrying element and the second carrying element.

9. The assembly unit according to claim 1, wherein the base area and the sides of each carrying element define dimensions and an orientation of a corresponding one of the induction elements fitting therein, the base area having the shape of a rectangle.

10. An assembly unit according to claim 1, further comprising: an induction hob comprising induction heating elements arranged according to an arrangement of the first and second carrying elements.

11. The assembly unit according to claim 1, wherein the carrying elements form a plug-in system.

12. The assembly unit according to claim 2, further comprising: a fourth carrying element carrying a fourth set of devices that supply a fourth induction element, the fourth carrying element comprising a base area, the base area comprising sides protruding upward from the base area, a first one of the sides comprising a protrusion extending away from the base area, a second one of the sides being positioned opposite the first side and comprising a recess extending into the base area, a third one of the sides extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side and comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the protrusion of the first side of the second carrying element is coupled to the recess of the second side of the fourth carrying element, and wherein the recess and the protrusion of the third side of the third carrying element are respectively coupled to the protrusion and the recess of the third side of the fourth carrying element.

13. The assembly unit according to claim 1, wherein a circuit is inserted between each of the carrying elements, the circuit of the first carrying element and the circuit of the second carrying element distributing power between each other.

14. The assembly unit according to claim 1, wherein the carrying elements are used in induction hobs having a differing number of induction heating elements.

15. An induction hob comprising the assembly unit according to claim 1, wherein an induction heating element is directly connected with and arranged above the first and second carrying elements carrying the devices the induction heating element.

16. An assembly unit for an induction hob with at least one induction element, comprising: a first carrying element and a second carrying element respectively carrying a first set and a second set of devices that respectively supply a first and a second induction element, the first and second carrying elements each comprising a base area, the base area comprising sides protruding upward from the base area, a first one of the sides comprising a protrusion extending away from the base area, a second one of the sides being positioned opposite the first side and comprising a recess extending into the base area, a third one of the sides extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side and comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the protrusion of the first side of the first carrying element is coupled to the recess of the second side of the second carrying element.

17. The assembly unit according to claim 16, further comprising: a third carrying element carrying a third set of devices that supply a third induction element, the third carrying element comprising a base area, the base area comprising sides protruding upward from the base area, a first one of the sides comprising a protrusion extending away from the base area, a second one of the sides being positioned opposite the first side and comprising a recess extending into the base area, a third one of the sides extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side and comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the recess and the protrusion of the third side of the first carrying element are respectively coupled to the protrusion and the recess of the third side of the third carrying element, and wherein the first carrying element is inversely oriented with respect to the third carrying element.

18. The assembly unit according to claim 17, further comprising: a fourth carrying element carrying a fourth set of devices that supply a fourth induction element, the fourth carrying element comprising a base area, the base area comprising sides protruding upward from the base area, a first one of the sides comprising a protrusion extending away from the base area, a second one of the sides being positioned opposite the first side and comprising a recess extending into the base area, a third one of the sides extending between an edge of the first side and an edge of the second side and comprising a protrusion and a recess, wherein the protrusion of the first side of the third carrying element is coupled to the recess of the second side of the fourth carrying element, and wherein the recess and the protrusion of the third side of the second carrying element are respectively coupled to the protrusion and the recess of the third side of the fourth carrying element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be now described in further details with references to the figures, in which

(2) FIG. 1 describes an assembly unit according to the invention with a single carrying element,

(3) FIG. 2 describes an assembly unit according to the invention with two carrying elements arranged side by side,

(4) FIG. 3 shows another assembly unit with two carrying elements arranged along their back sides,

(5) FIG. 4 shows another assembly unit according to the invention with four carrying elements arranged along their back sides and along their sides and in which

(6) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of an assembly unit according to the invention comprising six carrying elements arranged side by side and along their back sides.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows an assembly unit 1 comprising one carrying element 2 with circuits and/or devices 3 for supplying the induction element.

(8) The carrying element 2 is formed like a box. The base area 2a has an at least substantially rectangular shape. The carrying element 2 comprises four side areas 2b to 2e protruding upwards from the base area 2a. The first side area 2e forms a first side wall, the second side area 2b forms a second side wall, the third side area 2c forms a third side wall opposite to the first side wall 2e and the forth side area 2d forms a forth side wall opposite to the second side wall. The side walls 2b to 2e form corners 2f to 2i, where corner 2f is arranged between side walls 2d and 2c, where corner 2g is arranged between side walls 2c and 2a, where corner 2h is arranged between side walls 2b and 2e and where corner 2i is arranged between side walls 2e and 2d.

(9) As can be seen from FIG. 2, the carrying element 2 is connectable and connected with a further carrying element 2 along the side 2e of the carrying element 2 and the side 2e of the carrying element 2. Both carrying elements 2 and 2 have the same connection elements 10 to 19.

(10) The side areas 2b to 2e comprise connection elements 10 to 19 along their surfaces, where the side 2b comprises four connection elements 10, 11, 12 and 18 protruding like a cone and away from the base area 2a.

(11) Connection element 10 has a distance d10, connection element 11 has a distance d11, connection element 12 has a distance d13 and, not shown, connection element 18 has a distance d18 from the corner 2g.

(12) The opposite side 2d comprises four connection elements 13, 14, 15 and 19 protruding inwards in the direction of the base area 2a. The connection elements 13, 14, 15 and 19 are also formed like a cone, however, they are formed as a counterpart with respect to the connection elements 10, 11, 12 and 18.

(13) Connection element 13 has a distance d13, connection element 14 has a distance d14, connection element 15 has a distance d15 and, not shown, connection element 19 has a distance d19 from the corner 2f.

(14) To be able to connect two carrying elements 2 and 2 along their corresponding sides 2d and 2b, the distance d13 is equal to the distance d12, the distance d14 is equal to the distance d11, and the distance d15 is equal to the distance d10 and the distance d18 (not shown) of the element 18 is equal to the distance d19 (not shown) of the element 19. Furthermore, along the short side 2e, one connection element formed like a cone with reference No. 16 is arranged, which protrudes away from the base area 2a.

(15) In the upper part of the side area 2e, another connection element 17 is arranged, which, however, protrudes inwards into the direction of the base area 2a and which is also formed like a cone and forms a counterpart with respect to the connecting element 16.

(16) Connection element 17 has a distance d17 from the corner 2h and connection element 16 has a distance d16 from the corner 2i.

(17) To be able to connect two carrying elements 2 and 2 along their sides 2e, the distance d16 is equal to the distance d17.

(18) Furthermore, in the side area 2e, a slot 30 is provided for inserting power cables 33, which are passed from the carrying element 2 to another carrying element 2.

(19) The slot 30 has the same distance from corner 2h and from corner 2i.

(20) Into this slot, also signal cables can be inserted, which transmit signals from a carrying element 2 to another carrying element 2.

(21) FIG. 3 shows another embodiment according to the invention, with a carrying element 2 combined with a carrying element 2 along its lower longer side 2d. The carrying element 2 is connected with a carrying element 2 along its upper longer side 2b.

(22) FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of an assembly unit 1 according to the invention, with a carrying element 2 and three further carrying elements 2, 2 and 2. The four carrying elements are connected with each other. The carrying element 2 is connected with the carrying element 2 along its left side area 2e and with the carrying element 2 along its side 2d. The three further carrying elements 2, 2 and 2 have connections in a corresponding way, so that they form two rows and two columns.

(23) FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the invention with the assembly unit 1 with six carrying elements 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 and 2. The form three rows and two columns.

(24) If a single carrying or box element is used, a cable for power supply can be placed.

(25) If two carrying elements are connected side by side a power box 31 is inserted in one or both carrying elements and the power is passed via the wire slots, the signal wires are passed also using the wire slots 30.

(26) If two carrying elements are connected back to back, also at least one power pox 31 is used. Furthermore, a circuit for wire distribution is used.

(27) The box design is minimized for a simple manufacturing tool. For fixing the carrying elements side by side, besides the cone shape, hooks and/or slots can be added. The fixing back to back is made by a cone shape.

(28) For manufacturing of the assembly unit 1, the needed number of carrying elements 2 is simply pushed into each other, and, afterwards, the necessary cables are inserted.

(29) If necessary, also power boxes 31 and circuits for wire distribution are included.

(30) Each carrying element 2 defines the dimension and the orientation of the area for an induction heating element to be supplied, which is not shown in the figures. The carrying elements 2 are usable in different induction hobs which differ in their number and/or arrangement of heating elements.

(31) The induction hob can comprise induction heating elements which can be arranged in a row, a column or a two-dimensional matrix.

(32) Each induction heating element is connected and arranged above a carrying element 2 carrying the circuits and devices 3 for supplying the induction heating element.

(33) The carrying elements 2 form a plug-in system with all components necessary for supplying the induction heating elements.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(34) 1 assembly unit 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 carrying elements 2a base area 2b-2e side areas 2f-2h corners 3 induction supplying devices 10-19 connection elements 30 wire slot 31 power box 33 power supply wire d10-d17 distances