U.S. patent application number 12/675513 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-23 for operator control for a domestic appliance and method for operating a display unit.
This patent application is currently assigned to BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERATE GMBH. Invention is credited to Christian Karamatic, Andreas Mayle.
Application Number | 20110146650 12/675513 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40387917 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110146650 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Karamatic; Christian ; et
al. |
June 23, 2011 |
OPERATOR CONTROL FOR A DOMESTIC APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING
A DISPLAY UNIT
Abstract
An operator control for a domestic appliance includes an
actuator shaft penetrating through a cover plate, an actuator
beneath or behind the cover plate and actuable by the actuator
shaft, a control knob on the actuator shaft with an indicator, and
an induction coil behind or beneath the cover plate for inductively
transferring energy to operate the indicator on the control
knob.
Inventors: |
Karamatic; Christian;
(Traunreut, DE) ; Mayle; Andreas; (Gaggenau,
DE) |
Assignee: |
BSH BOSCH UND SIEMENS HAUSGERATE
GMBH
Munich
DE
|
Family ID: |
40387917 |
Appl. No.: |
12/675513 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
August 26, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2008/061143 |
371 Date: |
October 20, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 7/082 20130101;
F24C 3/126 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/42 |
International
Class: |
F24C 3/12 20060101
F24C003/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 29, 2007 |
CN |
200710131445.3 |
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. An operator control for a domestic appliance, the operator
control comprising: an actuator shaft penetrating through a cover
plate an actuator beneath or behind the cover plate and actuable by
the actuator shaft; a control knob on the actuator shaft with an
indicator; and an induction coil behind or beneath the cover plate
for inductively transferring energy to operate the indicator on the
control knob.
16. The operator control of claim 15, wherein the actuator switches
a gas supply of the domestic appliance on and off.
17. The operator control of claim 15, wherein the indicator
comprises a light-emitting diode.
18. The operator control of claim 17, wherein the light-emitting
diode comprises an organic light-emitting diode or a polymer
light-emitting diode.
19. The operator control of claim 15, is capable of assuming two
different activation states and an inactive state as a function of
a signal transmitted via the induction coil.
20. The operator control of claim 15, wherein the indicator
comprises a display.
21. The operator control of claim 15, further comprising a detector
that detects whether the control knob is fitted.
22. The operator control of claim 15, wherein a transparent plastic
material of the control know encapsulates the indicator.
23. The operator control of claim 15, further comprising a means
for inductively detecting a rotational position of the control
knob.
24. The operator control of claim 15, wherein the control knob and
a part of the induction coil beneath or behind the cover plate are
electrically isolated.
25. The operator control of claim 15, wherein the induction coil
transmits information to the indicator.
26. The operator control of claim 15, further comprising a
controller that actuates the indicator via the induction coil based
on an operating state of the domestic appliance.
27. A gas cooking stove having an operator control for a domestic
appliance, comprising: an actuator shaft penetrating through a
cover plate an actuator beneath or behind the cover plate and
actuable by the actuator shaft; a control knob on the actuator
shaft with an indicator; and an induction coil behind or beneath
the cover plate for inductively transferring energy to operate the
indicator on the control knob
28. A method for operating a display unit or indicator unit of an
operator control for a domestic appliance, the operator control
comprising an actuator shaft penetrating through a cover plate for
the purpose of actuating an actuator arranged beneath or behind the
cover plate and a control knob inserted onto the actuator shaft and
including an indicator unit, the method comprising inductively
transferring energy onto the control knob via an induction coil
from a space beneath or behind the cover plate; and operating the
indicator with the transferred energy.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to an operator control for a domestic
appliance according to the pre-characterizing clause of claim 1 and
to a method for operating a display unit or indicator unit of an
operator control for a domestic appliance according to the
pre-characterizing clause of claim 14.
[0002] A multiplicity of domestic appliance control devices
comprising a cover plate and control knobs arranged above or in
front of the cover plate for the purpose of actuating a domestic
appliance are known from the prior art. The control knobs are
frequently coupled to an actuating shaft so as to co-rotate
therewith, the shaft establishing a mechanical connection between
the control knob and an actuation mechanism arranged under or
behind the cover plate. By rotating the control knob it is possible
to move the actuation mechanism into different actuating positions
which correspond to different operating states of the domestic
appliance that is to be controlled. Generic operator controls for
domestic appliances are widely established in particular in the
case of cooking equipment, such as in the case of stovetops or
cooking stoves, but they can also be found on refrigerators,
dishwashers or the like.
[0003] Furthermore it is known to integrate display units or
indicator units, such as e.g. light-emitting diodes, into a control
knob and to supply them with electric current via power supply
leads running in the actuating shaft.
[0004] Control knobs of rotary selector switches that are mounted
on the glass/ceramic cooking surface are known, in particular from
the field of hotplates having glass or ceramic cooking surfaces,
whose actuating position is detected inductively for example. These
types of operator controls for domestic appliances avoid an
actuating shaft penetrating through the glass/ceramic cooking
surface so that holes and instabilities of the glass/ceramic
cooking surface resulting therefrom can be avoided. An operator
control device of said kind for a domestic appliance is disclosed
for example in DE 102 12 954 A1, the domestic appliance operator
control device revealed therein additionally comprising means for
inductively transferring energy to the control knob in order to
actuate light-emitting elements arranged in the control knob.
[0005] Whereas the contactless detection of the position of the
control knob in operator control devices without actuating shaft is
complicated and prone to error, in the case of an energy transfer
by means of electric leads running in or along the actuating shaft
problems can occur due to corrosion, in particular at contacts,
which problems can only be solved by completely sealing the
contacts. The latter solution leads to disadvantages in terms of
cleaning properties, however.
[0006] The object underlying the invention is in particular to
provide an operator control for a domestic appliance, said operator
control comprising a control knob which is connected to an
actuation mechanism by way of an actuating shaft and includes at
least one indicator unit, and avoiding contacts prone to
corrosion.
[0007] The object is achieved by means of an operator control for a
domestic appliance as claimed in claim 1 and by means of a method
for operating a display unit or indicator unit of an operator
control for a domestic appliance as claimed in claim 14. Further
advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention will
emerge from the dependent claims.
[0008] The invention relates in particular to an operator control
for a domestic appliance, comprising an actuating shaft penetrating
through a cover plate for the purpose of actuating an actuation
mechanism arranged beneath or behind the cover plate and a control
knob inserted onto the actuating shaft and comprising at least one
indicator unit.
[0009] It is proposed to equip the operator control for a domestic
appliance with an induction coil arrangement for inductively
transferring energy for operating the indicator unit, wherein the
induction coil arrangement transfers the energy onto the control
knob from a space beneath or behind the cover plate. Owing to the
inductive transfer of the energy, plug-in contacts which are opened
or closed when the control knob is pulled off or pushed on can be
avoided, with the result that the entire apparatus is less
susceptible to corrosion. In the design of the plug-in connection
between the control knob and the actuating shaft a plug-in contact
for transferring the electrical energy can be omitted, which means
that the plug-in connection overall can be optimized in terms of
the cleaning properties.
[0010] Owing to the inductive transfer of energy onto the control
knob and the indicator unit arranged therein it is possible to
avoid sparking completely when the control knob is removed from or
inserted onto the actuating shaft. Thanks to the inventive design
of the operator control for a domestic appliance, therefore,
additional advantages in terms of operational reliability and
safety can be achieved in particular when the actuation mechanism
is embodied for switching a gas supply for a domestic appliance on
and off.
[0011] In a particularly simple embodiment of the indicator unit
the latter can comprise at least one light-emitting diode. Owing to
the low energy consumption of light-emitting diodes the inductive
energy transfer is then also particularly unproblematic.
[0012] At the same time more elaborate colors can be realized if
the light-emitting diode is an organic light-emitting diode or a
polymer light-emitting diode.
[0013] According to a development of the invention it is proposed
that the indicator unit is embodied for assuming at least two
different activation states in addition to an inactive state as a
function of signals transmitted via the induction coil arrangement.
The different activation states can visualize, for example, a
residual heat indicator, a switched-on or switched-off gas valve,
the expiration of a timer for measuring a cooking time, or other
features that appear useful in connection with the special domestic
appliances including the domestic appliances and operator
controls.
[0014] A particularly complex display having a high information
content can be implemented if the indicator unit comprises a
display unit. The display unit can be embodied, for example, as a
seven-segment display, as a liquid crystal display or as comparable
displays.
[0015] The presence of the control knob can be taken into account
in the control of the domestic appliance by means of a detector
arrangement for detecting whether the control knob is fitted. For
example, the operator control for a domestic appliance can trigger
an emergency cutout if the control knob is removed. A structure of
this kind can serve for example as a child safety device in
connection with stovetops.
[0016] The control knob can either be mountable onto the actuating
shaft such that it can be easily removed from the actuating shaft
for cleaning or for triggering a child safety device or inserted
onto the actuating shaft, in particular without the need for tools
to be used, or it can be fitted onto the actuating shaft during
assembly, in which case in the latter instance it can also be cast
with or adhesively attached to the actuating shaft. A complete
electrical isolation of the indicator unit and the associated
electronic elements can be realized if the indicator unit is
encapsulated in an in particular transparent plastic material of
the control knob. The operation of the domestic appliance can be
guaranteed in spite of a control knob having been mounted onto the
actuating shaft at an incorrect angle and a possibility of control
by means of an infinitely rotatable control knob can be realized if
the operator control for a domestic appliance includes a means for
inductively detecting a rotational position of the control
knob.
[0017] If the control knob and a part of the induction coil
arrangement that is arranged beneath or behind the cover plate are
electrically isolated, corrosion-prone electrical contacts can be
avoided altogether. More complex information can be presented on
the indicator unit if the induction coil arrangement is embodied
for the purpose of transmitting at least one item of information to
the indicator unit.
[0018] A complex visualization of an operating state of a domestic
appliance including the operator control for a domestic appliance
can be realized if the domestic appliance operator control includes
a control unit for actuating the indicator unit via the induction
coil arrangement. The control unit can determine the state of the
indicator unit in a flexible manner as a function of the operating
state.
[0019] A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for
operating an indicator unit or display unit of an operator control
for a domestic appliance, the operator control comprising an
actuating shaft penetrating through a cover plate for the purpose
of actuating an actuation mechanism arranged beneath or behind the
cover plate and a control knob inserted onto the actuating shaft
and including at least one indicator unit.
[0020] In order to improve a generic method it is proposed in
particular that energy for operating the indicator unit is
transferred inductively onto the control knob via an induction coil
arrangement from a space beneath or behind the cover plate. This
makes it possible to avoid a transfer via electric leads and
contacts which leads to a shorter service life due to corrosion
occurring at contacts and to less advantageous cleaning
properties.
[0021] Further advantages will emerge from the description of the
drawing. The drawing illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the
invention. The drawing, the description and the claims contain
numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art
will beneficially also consider the features individually and
combine them to create further useful combinations.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a gas cooking stove having an operator control
for a domestic appliance, the operator control comprising an
actuating shaft penetrating through a cover plate for the purpose
of actuating an actuation mechanism arranged beneath the cover
plate, and
[0023] FIG. 2 shows the operator control for a domestic appliance
from FIG. 1 with a gas cock and an induction coil arrangement.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a gas cooking stove having an operator control
for a domestic appliance which comprises a plurality of actuating
shafts 12 in each case penetrating through a cover plate 10 of the
operator control for a domestic appliance. In the exemplary
embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the gas cooking stove has four flames
14, each flame 14 being associated with a control knob 16 which is
inserted onto an actuating shaft 12 and by means of which a gas
cock arranged beneath the cover plate 10 can be opened or closed in
a manner known per se. The actuating shaft 12 penetrates the cover
plate 10 through a circular opening and is mechanically coupled to
the actuation mechanism 18 which in the present exemplary
embodiment is embodied as a gas cock.
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the actuating shaft 12, the
actuation mechanism 18 and an induction coil arrangement 20 for
inductively transferring energy for the purpose of operating an
indicator unit 22 which is integrated in the control knob 16. The
induction coil arrangement 20 serves for inductively transferring
energy onto the control knob 16 from a space beneath the cover
plate 10.
[0026] The actuating shaft 12 is constructed in the manner of a
telescope out of two parts (not shown explicitly in the figure)
moving coaxially relative to one another. In this arrangement a
part that is movable relative to the actuation mechanism 18 is
loaded by means of a spring 24 which pushes the actuating shaft 12
upward in the direction of its end equipped with the control knob
16.
[0027] The gas cock cooperates with a bimetallic switch of the
actuation mechanism 18, said switch implementing a flame monitoring
device in a known manner.
[0028] In order to ignite a gas flame, the control knob 16 must be
pressed axially downward against the restoring force of the spring
24 and rotated.
[0029] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the
indicator unit 22 comprises a light-emitting diode 26, embodied,
for example, as an organic light-emitting diode or as a polymer
light-emitting diode, which serves for indicating a residual
heat.
[0030] In alternative exemplary embodiments of the invention the
indicator unit 22 can be configured to assume two different
activation states in addition to an inactive state as a function of
signals transmitted via the induction coil arrangement 20. For
example, the indicator unit 22 can comprise different-colored
light-emitting diodes 26, wherein a first color can be switched on
and off as a function of a residual heat measured, for example, via
a temperature sensor and wherein a second, different-colored
light-emitting diode 26 can be used, for example, to indicate a
status of a gas supply and can light up whenever the gas cock is
opened, for example.
[0031] In a further exemplary embodiment the indicator unit 22
comprises a display unit on which more complex information,
relating, for example, to specific cooking programs, the time
elapsed thus far in a cooking process or similar, can also be
displayed.
[0032] The induction coil arrangement 20 comprises a first
induction coil 28 which is arranged beneath the cover plate 10 and
is supplied with alternating current via a transformer 32 which can
be controlled by a control unit 34 that is represented only
schematically here, and a second induction coil 30 which is
arranged on an underside of the control knob 16 inserted onto the
actuating shaft 12 and which is integrated in an electric circuit
including the indicator unit 22.
[0033] From a dielectric loss angle which can be measured at the
lower induction coil 28, the control unit 34 can deduce the
presence or non-presence of the control knob 16 by means of the
integrated inductive load, which means that the induction coil
arrangement 20 can simultaneously be used as a detector arrangement
for detecting whether the control knob 16 is fitted.
[0034] In a particularly advantageous exemplary embodiment of the
invention the indicator unit 22 and the induction coil 30 arranged
in the control knob 16 as well as all the connecting leads between
the indicator unit 22 and the induction coil 30 are encapsulated in
a transparent plastic material of the control knob 16. The
induction coil 30 encapsulated in the control knob 16 is arranged
coaxially with respect to the actuating shaft 12 which penetrates
through the coil. The energy transfer between the lower induction
coil 28 and the induction coil 30 encapsulated in the control knob
16 is therefore independent of a rotational position of the control
knob 16 or, as the case may be, of the actuating shaft 12 and
accordingly is ensured in every operating state.
[0035] As a result of the fact that the indicator unit 22 and the
upper part of the induction coil arrangement 20 are completely
encapsulated in the plastic material of the control knob 16, the
control knob 16 is completely isolated electrically from a part of
the induction coil arrangement 20 arranged beneath or behind the
cover plate 10 and is effectively protected against any
corrosion.
[0036] In further exemplary embodiments of the invention the
operator control for a domestic appliance can include, for example,
a means for inductively detecting a rotational position of the
control knob 16, and the induction coil arrangement 20 can be
configured for the purpose of transmitting more complex information
to the indicator unit 22, for example in that the induction coil
arrangement 20 includes a receiver chip arranged in the control
knob 16 for the purpose of processing a data stream transmitted via
the induction coil arrangement 20.
[0037] The inventive operator control for a domestic appliance
implements a method for operating an indicator unit 22 of an
operator control for a domestic appliance, the operator control
comprising an actuating shaft 12 penetrating through the cover
plate 10 for the purpose of actuating an actuation mechanism 18
arranged beneath or behind the cover plate 10 and a control knob 16
inserted onto the actuating shaft 12 and including at least one
indicator unit 22.
[0038] The energy for operating the indicator unit 22 is
transferred inductively onto the control knob 16 from beneath the
cover plate 10 via the induction coil arrangement 20 by means of
the induction coils 28, 30.
[0039] The person skilled in the art will recognize that the
inventive operator control for a domestic appliance and the
inventive method for operating a display unit or indicator unit 22
can be beneficially used not only in connection with gas cooking
stoves but also in connection with further domestic appliances
comprising a control knob 16 having an actuating shaft 12. For
example, an application in electric cooking stoves, dishwashers or
the like is readily conceivable.
REFERENCE SIGNS
[0040] 10 Cover plate [0041] 12 Actuating shaft [0042] 14 Flame
[0043] 16 Control knob [0044] 18 Actuation mechanism [0045] 20
Induction coil arrangement [0046] 22 Indicator unit [0047] 24
Spring [0048] 26 Light-emitting diode [0049] 28 Induction coil
[0050] 30 Induction coil [0051] 32 Transformer [0052] 34 Control
unit
* * * * *