UNDERLAY ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR USING AN UNDERLAY ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

An underlay apparatus for use with a hob includes an underlay unit positioned between a cooking vessel and a cooking zone of the hob, and a positioning aid supporting the positioning of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An underlay apparatus for use with a hob, said underlay apparatus comprising: an underlay unit positioned between a cooking vessel and a cooking zone of the hob; and a positioning aid supporting a positioning of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

14. The underlay apparatus of claim 13, wherein the positioning aid is arranged in a central region of the underlay unit.

15. The underlay apparatus of claim 13, wherein the positioning aid is configured to exert a holding force for supporting the positioning in a predefined position of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

16. The underlay apparatus of claim 15, wherein the positioning aid includes a magnetic holding element for providing the holding force.

17. The underlay apparatus of claim 16, wherein the holding element is configured as a permanent magnet.

18. The underlay apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a shielding element arranged between the positioning aid and a cooking vessel support surface of the underlay unit and shielding the positioning aid electromagnetically.

19. A system, comprising: a hob; and an underlay apparatus comprising an underlay unit positioned between a cooking vessel and a cooking zone of the hob, and a positioning aid supporting a positioning of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the hob includes a positioning aid which together with the positioning aid of the underlay apparatus supports the positioning of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the hob includes a heating unit, said positioning aid of the hob being arranged in a central region of the heating unit.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a worktop arranged above the hob in a mounted state.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the worktop is free of markings identifying the cooking zone.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the positioning aid of the underlay apparatus is arranged in a central region of the underlay unit.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the positioning aid of the underlay apparatus is configured to exert a holding force for supporting the positioning in a predefined position of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the positioning aid of the underlay apparatus includes a magnetic holding element for providing the holding force.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the holding element is configured as a permanent magnet.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the underlay apparatus includes a shielding element arranged between the positioning aid and a cooking vessel support surface of the underlay unit and shielding the positioning aid electromagnetically.

29. A method, comprising: positioning an underlay unit of an underlay apparatus between a cooking vessel and a cooking zone of a hob; and supporting a positioning of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone by a positioning aid of the underlay apparatus.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising exerting with the positioning aid a holding force for supporting the positioning in a predefined position of the underlay unit relative to the cooking zone.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising shielding the positioning aid electromagnetically by arranging a shielding element between the positioning aid and a cooking vessel support surface of the underlay unit.

Description

[0027] Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawings. Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The drawings, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will also expediently consider the features individually and combine them to form further meaningful combinations.

[0028] In the drawings:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a view of a system with an underlay apparatus and a hob from above,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the system along the cutting line A-A in FIG. 1,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method for using the underlay apparatus and

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a further exemplary embodiment of a system having an underlay apparatus and a hob along a cutting line similar to the cutting line A-A in FIG. 1.

[0033] Of the objects repeatedly present in the figures, in each case only one is provided with a reference character.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a system 26a. The system 26a has a hob 12a. The hob 12a is configured as an induction hob. The hob 12a has a heating unit 28a which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The heating unit 28a is configured as a heating inductor. The hob 12a has a cooking zone. The cooking zone is defined by the heating unit 28a. The cooking zone corresponds to a region above the heating unit 28a. The system 26a has a worktop 32a. The worktop 32a is configured as a kitchen worktop. The worktop 32a is arranged above the hob 12a. The hob 12a is mounted on a lower face of the worktop 32a. Alternatively, the hob 12a could have a hob plate and could be mounted in a recess of the worktop 32a. The worktop 32a is free of markings identifying the cooking zone.

[0035] The system 26a has an underlay apparatus 10a which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The underlay apparatus 10a serves for use with the hob 12a. The underlay apparatus 10a is of plate-shaped configuration. The underlay apparatus 10a comprises a high-temperature silicone. Alternatively or additionally, the underlay apparatus 10a could comprise wood and/or cork. The underlay apparatus 10a has an underlay unit 14a. The underlay unit 14a entirely forms an outer contour of the underlay apparatus 10a. Alternatively, the underlay apparatus 10a could have further units, in particular overhanging portions, which could be connected integrally to the underlay unit 14a. The underlay unit 14a is configured to be circular disk-shaped. Alternatively, the underlay unit 14a could have any other shape, in particular a rectangular disk shape, in particular a square disk shape. The underlay unit 14a is provided for positioning between a cooking vessel 16a and the cooking zone of the hob 12a. The underlay unit 14a has a cooking vessel support surface 24a. The cooking vessel 16a is positioned on the cooking vessel support surface 24a.

[0036] The underlay apparatus 10a has a positioning aid 18a. The positioning aid 18a serves for supporting a positioning of the underlay unit 14a relative to the cooking zone. The positioning aid 18a is arranged in a central region 20a of the underlay unit 14a. The positioning aid 18a is arranged concentrically to the underlay unit 14a. The positioning aid 18a is configured to be circular disk-shaped. Alternatively, the positioning aid 18a could have any other shape, for example a rectangular disk shape, in particular a square disk shape. The positioning aid 18a is arranged on a lower face 34a of the underlay unit 14a. The lower face 34a is arranged opposite the cooking vessel support surface 24a. Alternatively, the positioning aid 18a could be arranged entirely in an internal region of the underlay unit 14a or on the cooking vessel support surface 24a of the underlay unit 14a.

[0037] The positioning aid 18a provides a holding force for supporting the positioning of the underlay unit 14a in a predefined position relative to the cooking zone. Alternatively, in the predefined position the positioning aid 18a could output a signal to a user. The predefined position corresponds to a position in which, when viewed perpendicularly to a main extension plane of the underlay unit 14a, central points of the underlay unit 14a and the cooking zone are identical to one another. The holding force is able to be overcome manually by the user. The holding force is 5 N. The positioning aid 18a has a magnetic holding element. The holding element serves for providing the holding force. The holding element entirely forms the positioning aid 18a. Alternatively, the positioning aid 18a could have a plurality of holding elements. The holding element is configured as a permanent magnet. The holding element is configured as a SmCo magnet.

[0038] The underlay apparatus 10a has a shielding element 22a. The shielding element 22a is arranged between the positioning aid 18a and the cooking vessel support surface 24a. The shielding element 22a serves for the electromagnetic shielding of the positioning aid 18a. The shielding element 22a prevents an adhesion of the underlay unit 14a to the cooking vessel 16a. The shielding element 22a is configured to be plate-shaped. The shielding element 22a is configured to be circular disk-shaped. Alternatively, the shielding element 22a could have any other shape, for example a rectangular disk shape, in particular a square disk shape. The shielding element 22a entirely covers the positioning aid 18a when viewed perpendicularly. The shielding element 22a comprises a Mu-metal. Alternatively or additionally, the shielding element 22a could comprise a ferrite.

[0039] The hob 12a has a further positioning aid 27a. The further positioning aid 27a, together with the positioning aid 18a, provides support for positioning the underlay unit 14a relative to the cooking zone. The further positioning aid 27a is configured identically to the positioning aid 18a, except for a height. Alternatively, the further positioning aid 27a could be configured as a different type of permanent magnet or a ferrite. The further positioning aid 27a is arranged in a central region 30a of the heating unit 28a. The heating unit 28a entirely encloses the further positioning aid 27a, when viewed perpendicularly to a main extension plane of the heating unit 28a.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method for using the underlay apparatus 10a. In a positioning step 100a, the underlay apparatus 10a is moved over the worktop 32a until the underlay apparatus 10a arrives in the predefined positon and is secured by the positioning aid 18a. In a placement step 110a, the cooking vessel 16a is positioned on the underlay apparatus 10a. The placement step 110a follows the positioning step 100a. Following the placement step 110a, the system 36a may be transferred into a heating operating state in which the cooking vessel 16a is optimally heated.

[0041] In FIG. 4 a further exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown. The following descriptions are substantially limited to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, wherein relative to components, features and functions remaining the same, reference is made to the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. To differentiate between the exemplary embodiments, the letter a in the reference characters of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 3 is replaced by the letter b in the reference characters of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4. Relative to components denoted the same, in particular relative to components with the same reference characters, in principle reference may also be made to the drawings and/or the description of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a system 26b. The system 26b is free of shielding elements. The system 26b has a positioning aid 18b. The positioning aid 18b is configured as a ferrite. The system 26b has a further positioning aid 27b. The further positioning aid 27b is configured differently from the positioning aid 18b.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0043] 10 Underlay apparatus [0044] 12 Hob [0045] 14 Underlay unit [0046] 16 Cooking vessel [0047] 18 Positioning aid [0048] 20 Central region [0049] 22 Shielding element [0050] 24 Cooking vessel support surface [0051] 26 System [0052] 27 Further positioning aid [0053] 28 Heating unit [0054] 30 Central region [0055] 32 Worktop [0056] 34 Lower face [0057] 100 Positioning step [0058] 110 Placement step