SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR OBJECT TO BE HEATED

Abstract

Disclosed is a support structure for an induction heating device that includes a working coil configured to heat an object. The support structure includes: a housing including an upper surface that is recessed do inward and that is configured to seat the object; a repeating coil that is located inside of the housing, that is configured to generate magnetic induction or magnetic resonance with the working coil, and that is configured to heat the object on the upper surface of the housing based on magnetic induction or magnetic resonance with the working coil; and a compensation capacitor located inside of the housing and connected to the repeating coil, where the compensation capacitor is configured to control output of the repeating coil.

Claims

1. A support structure for an induction heating device that includes a working coil configured to heat an object, the support structure comprising: a housing including an upper surface that is recessed downward and that is configured to seat the object; a repeating coil that is located inside of the housing, that is configured to generate magnetic induction or magnetic resonance with the working coil, and that is configured to heat the object on the upper surface of the housing based on magnetic induction or magnetic resonance with the working coil; and a compensation capacitor located inside of the housing and connected to the repeating coil, the compensation capacitor being configured to control output of the repeating coil.

2. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the repeating coil is arranged vertically between the working coil and a lowermost end of the object.

3. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the induction heating device further includes a resonance capacitor connected to the working coil, and wherein a capacitance value of the compensation capacitor is less than half of a capacitance value of the resonance capacitor.

4. The support structure of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature sensor located inside of the housing and configured to sense a temperature of the object on the upper surface of the housing; and a communication module that is configured to wirelessly communicate with the temperature sensor and the induction heating device, that is configured to receive information regarding the temperature of the object from the temperature sensor, and that is configured to provide the information to the induction heating device.

5. The support structure of claim 4, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged at a central region of the housing, wherein the housing further includes a lower surface that is spaced apart from the upper surface, and wherein a distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the housing decreases toward the central region of the housing.

6. The support structure of claim 4, wherein the repeating coil is configured to supply, to the temperature sensor and to the communication module, power generated through the magnetic induction or the magnetic resonance with the working coil.

7. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the housing comprises: a first horizontal portion that extends in a horizontal direction with respect to a lower surface of the housing; a curved surface portion that has a first end connected to an end of the first horizontal portion and that is curved downward to the lower surface of the housing; a vertical portion that extends from a second end of the curved surface portion in a vertical direction with respect to the lower surface of the housing; and a second horizontal portion that extends from an end of the vertical portion in the horizontal direction with respect to the lower surface of the housing.

8. The support structure of claim 7, further comprising a temperature sensor that is configured to sense a temperature of the object on the upper surface of the housing, wherein the temperature sensor and the repeating coil are arranged between the second horizontal portion and the lower surface of the housing, and wherein the temperature sensor is provided at a central region inside of the housing and is spaced apart from the repeating coil by a predetermined distance in a radial direction of the repeating coil.

9. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the housing has a concave shape.

10. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the repeating coil is located vertically above the working coil.

11. The support structure of claim 10, wherein the upper surface of the housing is configured to contact a lowermost end of the object vertically above the repeating coil.

12. The support structure of claim 5, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged at the central region of the housing at a position that defines a minimum distance between the upper surface and the lower surface of the housing.

13. The support structure of claim 8, wherein the repeating coil is arranged radially outward of the temperature sensor.

14. The support structure of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a lower surface that has a planar shape and that is configured to contact a top plate of the induction heating device, the top plate being located vertically above the working coil.

15. The support structure of claim 14, wherein the repeating coil is located in a space defined between the upper surface of the housing and the lower surface of the housing.

16. The support structure of claim 15, wherein the compensation capacitor is located in the space defined between the upper surface of the housing and the lower surface of the housing.

17. The support structure of claim 15, wherein the compensation capacitor is located radially outward of the repeating coil.

18. The support structure of claim 15, further comprising: a temperature sensor that is located in the space defined between the upper surface of the housing and the lower surface of the housing, the temperature sensor being configured to sense a temperature of the object on the upper surface of the housing; and a communication module that is located in the space defined between the upper surface of the housing and the lower surface of the housing, the communication module being configured to receive information regarding the temperature of the object from the temperature sensor and to provide the information to the induction heating device, wherein the repeating coil is arranged radially outward of the temperature sensor, and wherein the communication module is arranged radially outward of the repeating coil.

19. The support structure of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the second horizontal portion is configured to be spaced apart from the object in a state in which the curved surface portion contacts a bottom surface of the object.

20. The support structure of claim 7, wherein a vertical distance between the first end of the curved surface portion and the second end of the curved surface portion is greater than a vertical distance between the second end of the curved surface portion and the second horizontal portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a schematic view explaining an example of an induction heating device in related art.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a schematic view explaining another example of an induction heating device in related art.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example support structure according to the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the support structure of FIG. 3.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example repeating coil of the support structure of FIG. 4 and an example position of the repeating coil,

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating an example control flow and an example power flow between the support structure of FIG. 3 and an example object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, the example implementations of this application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the like reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar components.

[0035] Hereinafter, a support structure for an object in accordance with an exemplary implementation of this application will he described.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a perspective view explaining an example support structure for an object that is to be heated. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the support structure of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example position of a repeating coil of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an example control flow and an example power flow between the support structure of FIG. 3 and the object.

[0037] In some implementations, a support structure 1 is driven by a working coil and associated with the working coil (WC in FIG. 6) provided in an induction heating device (1000 in FIG. 6), and a specific matter thereof will be described later.

[0038] Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the support structure 1 includes a housing 100, a repeating coil 150, a compensation capacitor 200, a temperature sensor 250, and a communication module 300.

[0039] An upper surface 100a of the housing 100 can be concavely recessed downward and an object to be heated W can be arranged in the upper surface 100a of the housing 100.

[0040] For example, the housing 100 may include an upper surface 100a, a side surface 100b, and a lower surface 100c. In an inside the housing 100, the repeating coil 150, the compensation capacitor 200, the temperature sensor 250, and the communication module 300 may be included.

[0041] Here, the upper surface 100a may be concavely formed downward so that the object W that to be heated. For example, the object W may be a cooking vessel such as a wok that is be stably supported as shown in FIG. 5.

[0042] In some examples, an upper surface 100a of a housing 100 may include a first horizontal portion HP1, a curved portion CP, a vertical portion VP, and a second horizontal portion HP2.

[0043] For example, the first horizontal portion HP1 is connected to the side surface 100b of the housing 100 and may be formed to extend in a horizontal direction. The curved portion CP has one end connected to the first horizontal portion HPI, and may be formed to have a curved surface. In addition, the vertical portion VP has one end connected to the other end of the curved portion CP and may be formed to extend in a vertical direction (that is, a direction orthogonal to a horizontal direction). The second horizontal portion HP2 has one end connected to the other end of the vertical portion VP, and may be formed to extend in a horizontal direction (that is, a direction parallel to the first horizontal portion HP1).

[0044] A repeating coil 150 is provided inside the housing 100 and can be driven through a magnetic induction (i.e., an electromagnetic induction) or a magnetic resonance (i.e., a magnetic resonance) with a working coil WC provided in an induction heating device.

[0045] In some implementations, the working coil WC may correspond to a primary coil that transmits a wireless power, and the repeating coil 150 may correspond to a secondary coil that receives a wireless power. In the same or other implementations, the repeating coil 150 can be driven by receiving a power through the magnetic induction or the magnetic resonance with the working coil WC.

[0046] In some implementations, as shown in FIG. 5, the repeating coil 150 may be arranged in an area between an intermediate point between the working coil WC and a lowermost end of an object to be heated W. For example, the repeating coil 150 may be arranged in an area A between a lower end of a top plate TB of the induction heating device and a lowermost end of an object W. In some cases, the area A has an area having the same size as an area B between the lower end of the top plate TB of the induction heating device and the working coil WC.

[0047] In some examples, as the distance between the repeating coil 150 and the working coil WC is closer, an energy transfer performance between two coils (that is, a coupling coefficient between the repeating coil 150 and the working coil WC becomes similar to a coupling coefficient between the working coil WC and the object W, and thus, a function of the repeating coil 150 can be degraded, which is an intermediate i tedium of a power transmission) can be degraded. Thus, in order to prevent this, the repeating coil 150 is arranged at the area A.

[0048] In addition, as mentioned above, the repeating coil 150 is driven through the magnetic induction or the magnetic resonance with the working coil WC, and thus, it is possible to supply the power generated based on a magnetic flux generated when driving the working coil WC to a temperature sensor 250 and a communication module 300.

[0049] In some implementations, the repeating coil 150 may be arranged between the second horizontal portion HP2 and a lower surface 100c of the housing 100 and may be arranged so as to be spaced apart from the temperature sensor 250 in a horizontal direction by a predetermined space.

[0050] A compensation capacitor 200 may be provided inside a housing 100 and may be connected to the repeating coil 150 in order to control an output of a repeating coil 150.

[0051] In some implementations, the compensation capacitor 200 may be provided inside the housing 100 by being connected to the repeating coil 150 so that it is possible to efficiently transmit an output of the induction heating device to be object to be heated.

[0052] In some cases, when a capacitance value of the compensation capacitor 200 is a half or more of a capacitance value of a resonance capacitor connected to the working coil WC, it may be difficult to effectively transmit the output of the induction heating device to the object to be heated. In such cases, the magnitude of a resonance current supplied to the working coil WC may have to be increased to provide an expected output to the object W.

[0053] In some implementations, the capacitance value of the compensation capacitor 200 is less than a half () of the capacitance value of the resonance capacitor connected to the working coil WC to effectively transmit the output of the induction heating device to the object to be heated.

[0054] In some implementations, the capacitance value of the compensation capacitor 200 may be set to be larger than or equal to a half () of the capacitance value of the resonance capacitor connected to the working coil WC. However, for convenience of explanation, it will be described by having an example that the capacitance value of the compensation capacitor 200 has a value less than a half of the capacitance value of the resonance capacitor connected to the working coil WC.

[0055] The temperature sensor 250 may be provided inside the housing 100 to sense a temperature of the object W arranged on the upper surface 100a of the housing 100.

[0056] For example, the temperature sensor 250 may be arranged at the center in the inside of the housing 100.

[0057] Here, an interval between the upper surface 100a and the lower surface 100c of the housing 100 is the narrowest at the center in the inside of the housing 100, so that the temperature sensor 250 can sense the temperature of the object W at a position adjacent to the object W.

[0058] In addition, the temperature sensor 250 may be arranged between the second horizontal portion HP2 and a lower surface 100c of a housing 100 and may be provided at the center in the inside of the housing 100 so as to be spaced apart from the repeating coil 150 in the horizontal direction by the predetermined space.

[0059] In some implementations, the temperature sensor 250 can provide information on the temperature of the object W to the communication module 300.

[0060] The communication module 300 may receive information on the temperature of the object W, which is sensed by the temperature sensor 250, and may provide information to the induction heating device 1000 (see FIG. 6) through a wireless communication.

[0061] In some implementations, the communication module 300 may provide information on the temperature of the object W to the induction heating device 1000 through the wireless communication such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, and WiFi, etc.

[0062] Here, referring to FIG. 6, a control and a power flow of an object to be heated are shown.

[0063] In some implementations, a temperature sensor 250 may sense a temperature of an object to be heated W and may provide information on a temperature to a communication module 300. In addition, the communication module 300 can provide information on the temperature of the object W supplied from the temperature sensor 250 to an induction heating device 1000 through a wireless communication.

[0064] In some implementations, the induction heating device 1000 can control an output of a working coil WC (e.g., a frequency, a phase, and a magnitude of a resonance current provided to a working coil WC) based on information on the temperature of the object W provided from the communication module 300.

[0065] That is, a support structure 1 and the induction heating device 1000 are driven associated with each other through the communication module 300 so that a temperature control efficiency of the object to be heated can be improved.

[0066] In some implementations, a repeating coil 150 receives or generates power wirelessly through a magnetic induction or a magnetic resonance with the working coil WC, and generates an eddy current to the object W by using a magnetic field generated by a received power to heat the object to be heated.

[0067] The repeating coil 150 can provide the power generated through the magnetic induction or the magnetic resonance with the working coil WC to a component (for example, the temperature sensor 250 and the communication module 300, etc.) inside the housing 100.

[0068] As mentioned above, the support structure 1 can of transmit an output of the induction heating device to the object to be heated. The user can heat an object to he heated in a special shape such as a wok as well as a general cooking vessel as intended, and furthermore, it is possible to shorten the cooking time when cooking by using the object to be cooked such as a wok.

[0069] In addition, the support structure 1 can improve a temperature control efficiency of the object to be heated through an associated driving with the induction heating device. Furthermore, when cooking by using the object to be heated, a fixed temperature control is possible, so that the taste of food can be improved.

[0070] In some implementations, when the user wishes to heat e general cooking vessel, the general cooking vessel is placed on the top plate (TB of FIG. 5) of the induction heating device without the support structure 1 and heated. In addition, when the user wishes to heat the wok, the wok is placed on the support structure 1 and heated, after arranging the support structure 1 on the top plate (TB of FIG. 5) of the induction heating de ice. Of course, the user may place the general cooking vessel on the support structure 1 and heat it.

[0071] Since various substitutions, changes, and modifications can be made within the scope that does not deviate the technical idea of this application for those skilled in the art to which this application pertains, the above-mentioned application is not limited by the above-mentioned implementations and the accompanying drawings.