Cover plate for a domestic appliance, said cover plate having at least one semi-transparent support plate, domestic appliance for preparing food and method for producing a cover plate for a domestic appliance

Abstract

A cover plate for a domestic appliance includes an at least semi-transparent support plate having a bottom provided with at least one colored layer and at least one semi-transparent metal layer. The metal layer has at least one continuous cut-out section and the colored layer is arranged in the area of the cut-out section.

Claims

1. A domestic appliance cover plate, comprising: an at least semi-transparent support plate having a bottom provided with at least one colored layer and at least one semi-transparent or opaque metallic layer, wherein the metallic layer has at least one continuous cut-out section, said colored layer being provided in a region of the cut-out section; the domestic appliance further comprising a light source disposed beneath the colored layer, said colored layer having at least one continuous cut-out section for passage of light from the light source; wherein the metallic layer is configured to extend above the colored layer without a cut-out section over an entire surface of the cut-out section in the colored layer.

2. The domestic appliance cover plate of claim 1, wherein the colored layer is formed beneath the metallic layer.

3. The domestic appliance cover plate of claim 1, wherein the metallic layer is applied using a sputter procedure.

4. The domestic appliance cover plate of claim 1, wherein the cut-out section in the metallic layer is produced by laser processing.

5. The domestic appliance cover plate of claim 1, wherein the colored layer is configured as a visual information display layer and as a scratch protection layer for the metallic layer.

6. The domestic appliance cover plate of claim 1, wherein the cut-out section in the metallic layer is configured without any overlap with the cut-out section in the colored layer.

7. A domestic appliance for preparing food, said domestic appliance comprising: a domestic appliance cover plate which includes an at least semi-transparent support plate having a bottom provided with at least one colored layer; and at least one semi-transparent or opaque metallic layer, wherein the metallic layer has at least one continuous cut-out section, said colored layer being provided in a region of the cut-out section; the domestic appliance further comprising a light source disposed beneath the colored layer, said colored layer having at least one continuous cut-out section for passage of light from the light source; wherein the metallic layer is configured to extend above the colored layer without a cut-out section over an entire surface of the cut-out section in the colored layer.

8. The domestic appliance of claim 7, constructed in the form of a hob.

9. The domestic appliance of claim 7, wherein the colored layer is formed beneath the metallic layer.

10. The domestic appliance of claim 7, wherein the metallic layer is applied using a sputter procedure.

11. The domestic appliance of claim 7, wherein the cut-out section in the metallic layer is produced by laser processing.

12. The domestic appliance of claim 7, wherein the colored layer is configured as a visual information display layer and as a scratch protection layer for the metallic layer.

13. The domestic appliance of claim 7, wherein the cut-out section in the metallic layer is configured without any overlap with the cut-out section in the colored layer.

14. A method for producing a domestic appliance cover plate, comprising: applying at least one semi-transparent or opaque metallic layer on a bottom of an at least semi-transparent support plate; forming at least one continuous cut-out section in the metallic layer; and applying a colored layer beneath the metallic layer at least in a region of the cut-out section; wherein the cut-out section in the colored layer is configured so as to be completely covered by the metallic layer; and wherein the cut-out section in the colored layer is configured without any overlap with the cut-out section in the metallic layer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the metallic layer is applied using a sputter procedure and the cut-out section is produced by laser processing.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming at least one continuous cut-out section in the colored layer for passage of light from a light source disposed beneath the colored layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments are described in more detail below based on schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an inventive hob;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view through a partial section according to a first stage of manufacture of a domestic appliance cover plate of the hob according to FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view according to FIG. 2 in a second stage of manufacture;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view according to FIGS. 2 and 3 in a third stage of manufacture; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a view according to FIGS. 2 to 4 in a fourth stage of manufacture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(7) Identical elements or elements of identical function are shown with identical reference characters in the figures.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a simplified perspective view of a hob 1 for preparing food. The hob 1 comprises a glass ceramic plate 2 as the domestic appliance cover plate. Preparation vessels such as pans, pots and the like can be positioned on this. Cooking zones 3, 4, 5 and 6 are identified for this purpose. Heating elements are positioned beneath the glass ceramic plate 2 at these points of the cooking zones 3 to 6, so that said zones can be heated. An operating and/or display field 7 is also configured.

(9) The cooking zones 3 to 6 with their specific contour markings are displayed visually and can be seen when the glass ceramic plate 2 is viewed from above. Additional visual information can also be displayed constantly and/or as a function of the operating phase in the operating and/or display field 7.

(10) A plurality of layers are applied to the bottom 8 of the glass ceramic plate 2 to display the information visually.

(11) The layer structure and production of the layers is described in more detail below.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a simplified sectional view of a partial section of the hob 1, the sectional plane lying in the x-y plane. With regard to the production of the domestic appliance cover plate form for the glass ceramic plate 2, a support plate 9 is configured for this purpose, made of glass or glass ceramic. Configured on the bottom 8 of this support plate 9 is at least one metallic layer 10, which is applied using a sputter procedure. In the exemplary embodiment provision is made, after the application of this first metallic layer 10, which is configured as semi-transparent, for a protective layer 11 to be configured, which can be correspondingly semi-transparent or even completely transparent. The degree of transparency in the exemplary embodiment is at least as great as the degree of transparency of the metallic layer 10. Alternatively the metallic layer can also be configured as opaque.

(13) A cut-out section 12 is then produced both in the protective layer 11 and in the metallic layer 10 according to the diagram in FIG. 3. The cut-out section 12 is therefore totally continuous through both said layers 10 and 11.

(14) It should also be noted that in addition to the one metallic layer at least a second further metallic layer can be provided, with two metallic layers then preferably being separated by a dielectric separation layer.

(15) The cut-out 12 is produced using a suitable laser. This allows very precise and the smallest and thinnest accurate contours to be produced and material to be removed accurately, so that very complex and thin visual information can be displayed.

(16) In a further method step a colored layer 13 is then configured beneath the metallic layer 10 and beneath the protective layer 11 according to the diagram in FIG. 4. The colored layer 13 is made of a material that is different from the material of the metallic layer 10 and in particular also different from the protective layer 11. The colored layer 10 is in particular configured so that it lies beneath the entire surface of the layers 10 and 11. The colored layer 10 can also be applied for example using a sputter procedure.

(17) Visual information that is displayed using color can therefore be produced constantly. In the exemplary embodiment provision is made for example for the circumferential boundary line and therefore the contour of a cooking zone 3 to 6, for example the contour 14 of the cooking zone 5, to be shown through the cut-out section 12 and the colored layer 13. The colored embodiment of the colored layer 13 is different from the color or metallic color impression of the layer 10.

(18) In a further subsequent method step a cut-out section 15 is then produced in the colored layer 13, this also being configured in a continuous manner through the colored layer 13. This cut-out section 15 is also produced by removing material by means of laser, so that it can be completed very precisely here and also without impairing the layers 11 and 10 disposed above. The cut-out section 15 can extend over parts of the display field 7 or over the entire display field 7.

(19) Provision is also made in particular and as an essential feature for the cut-out section 15 to be disposed without any overlap with the cut-out section 12 in the layers 10 and 11 disposed above when viewed in an x-direction. In the exemplary embodiment a distance d is also configured for this purpose. This prevents the configuration of a cut-out section that continues through all the layers of the support plate 9.

(20) A particularly appropriate visual information presentation can be ensured. The constantly displayed visual information in the form of the contour line 14 with coloring by means of the colored layer 13 can be seen reliably and clearly by a viewer of the hob 1. Further visual information can also be displayed as a function of the operating phase. In this context a light source 16 is configured, which is disposed beneath the support plate 9 and in the exemplary embodiment is positioned directly beneath the cut-out section 15 in the colored layer 13. With the light source 16, which can be a light-emitting diode for example, switched off, when the support plate 9 is viewed from above at this point above the cut-out section 15, only a visual metallic embodiment according to the layer 10 can be perceived. Neither the colored layer 13 nor the cut-out section 15 nor the light source 16 can be seen in such an operating mode. When the light source 16 is switched on, someone looking at the top of the support plate 9 can see this light and the associated visual information, since the light from the light source 16 penetrates by way of the cut-out section 15 through the semi-transparent layers 10 and 11. In this instance the layers 10, 11 must be configured as at least semi-transparent. Provision can be made for a transparent protective layer to be applied in the region of the cut-out section 15. Its thickness can be for example several 100 m. When the support plate 9 is viewed from above with the light source 16 switched on, only the light is seen through the layers 10 and 11; the light source 16 as a component is however not visible.

(21) Examples of such layer sequences are glass, iron or steel and titanium nitrite to produce a steel-like color, glass, silicon dioxide, copper, silicon dioxide, iron (steel) and silicon dioxide for a red shimmer, glass, silicon dioxide, a silicon-aluminum alloy (SiAl), silicon dioxide, iron (steel) and silicon dioxide for a yellow color and glass, silicon dioxide, iron (steel), silicon dioxide, iron (steel) and silicon dioxide in different layer thicknesses for a bluish or grayish coloring.

(22) The protective layer made of titanium nitrate is particularly robust. The protective layer serves among other things to prevent oxidation of the metallic layer at high temperatures.

(23) Electrical switching circuits can be engraved in the different metallic layers with the aid of a laser and the metallic layers can be provided with contact elements (not shown here), in order to be able to use the metallic layers as conductors for transmitting control signals or the like.

(24) In the exemplary embodiments described above the separation layers can be made of oxides of tin, zinc, titanium, aluminum, silicon, tantalum, niobium, nickel, chromium or mixtures thereof and/or of nitrides of titanium, silicon, aluminum, nickel, chromium or mixtures thereof.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

(25) 1 Hob 2 Glass ceramic plate 3 to 6 Cooking zones 7 Display field 8 Bottom 9 Support plate 10, 11 Layers 12 Cut-out section 13 Colored layer 14 Contour line 15 Cut-out section 16 Light source d Distance