U.S. patent application number 13/376441 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-02 for kitchen appliance.
This patent application is currently assigned to ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.. The applicant listed for this patent is Eva Holzgreve. Invention is credited to Eva Holzgreve.
Application Number | 20140001173 13/376441 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41497974 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140001173 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Holzgreve; Eva |
January 2, 2014 |
KITCHEN APPLIANCE
Abstract
Kitchen appliance comprising one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices, a frontal surface adapted, once the
kitchen appliance is installed, to be faced by a user, a lateral
surface substantially perpendicular to the frontal surface, the
lateral surface being provided with a touch-sensitive control
device adapted to operate the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance and/or of
one or more further kitchen appliances.
Inventors: |
Holzgreve; Eva; (Pordenone,
IT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Holzgreve; Eva |
Pordenone |
|
IT |
|
|
Assignee: |
ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS
CORPORATION N.V.
Brussel
BE
|
Family ID: |
41497974 |
Appl. No.: |
13/376441 |
Filed: |
May 28, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
May 28, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/057455 |
371 Date: |
July 25, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/452.12 ;
126/299D; 219/480 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 7/083 20130101;
F24C 15/2021 20130101; F24C 15/20 20130101; F24C 7/086
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
219/452.12 ;
219/480; 126/299.D |
International
Class: |
F24C 7/08 20060101
F24C007/08; F24C 15/20 20060101 F24C015/20 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 12, 2009 |
EP |
09007754.6 |
Claims
1. Kitchen appliance comprising: one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices; a frontal surface (14a, 14b) adapted,
once the kitchen appliance is installed, to be faced by a user; a
lateral surface (7a, 7b) substantially perpendicular to said
frontal surface (14a, 14b), characterized in that said lateral
surface (7a, 7b) is provided with a touch-sensitive control device
adapted to operate said one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance and/or of
one or more further kitchen appliances.
2. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
said lateral surface (7a, 7b) is arranged in such a way that, once
the kitchen appliance is installed, said lateral surface (7a, 7b)
is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, so as to facilitate
the use of said touch-sensitive control.
3. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
it comprises a connecting device adapted to allow its
touch-sensitive control device to operate one or more electrical
and/or electromechanical devices of one or more further kitchen
appliances.
4. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
it comprises a selecting device (17a, 17b) adapted for allowing a
user to select which of the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance or of a
further kitchen appliance has to be operated, in a particular
moment, by said touch- sensitive control device.
5. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
said touch-sensitive control device comprises a touch-sensitive
sensor (16a, 16b) and an illuminating device operated by said
touch-sensitive sensor (16a, 16b).
6. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 5, characterized in that
said touch-sensitive sensor is associated to said lateral surface
(7a, 7b) in such a way that said touch-sensitive sensor is able to
detect the sliding of a body in proximity of, or in contact with,
said lateral surface (7a, 7b).
7. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 5, characterized in that
said illuminating device is adapted to illuminate said lateral
surface (7a, 7b) in such a way that a region of said lateral
surface (7a, 7b), if previously not illuminated by said
illuminating device, is illuminated during and/or after the sliding
on it of a body in a first sliding direction, while a region of
said lateral surface (7a, 7b), if previously illuminated by the
illuminating device, is darkened during and/or after the sliding of
a body on it in a second sliding direction.
8. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
it comprises a further lateral surface (13a, 13b), substantially
perpendicular to said frontal surface (14a, 14b), provided with a
further touch-sensitive control device adapted to operate the one
or more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the same
kitchen appliance and/or of one or more further kitchen
appliances.
9. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
it comprises a cooking hob (1) defining said lateral surface (7a)
and comprising a working surface (3a) provided with one or more
heating devices (4), said lateral surface (7a) being substantially
perpendicular or inclined with respect to said working surface
(3a).
10. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 9, characterized in that
said further kitchen appliance comprises one or more cooking hoods
(2) and/or one or more further cooking hobs (1).
11. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 1, characterized in that
it comprises a cooking hood (2) defining said lateral surface (7b)
and comprising a working surface (3b) provided with suction
devices, said lateral surface (7b) being substantially
perpendicular or inclined with respect to said working surface
(3b).
12. Kitchen appliance, according to claim 11, characterized in that
said further kitchen appliance comprises one or more cooking hobs
(1) and/or one or more further cooking hoods (2).
Description
[0001] The present invention refers to a kitchen appliance,
particularly, but not necessarily, a cooking hob and/or a cooking
hood.
[0002] Nowadays cooking hobs are known, provided with one or more
heating elements, comprising for example electrical resistors or
halogen lamps, adapted to generate heat and to transfer the latter
to a pot or similar receptacle containing foodstuffs to be
cooked.
[0003] The heating elements are usually mounted in a casing whose
base is formed by an adequate thickness of insulating material
having reflective properties for the infrared radiation emitted by
the heating elements.
[0004] The heating elements are covered by an upper surface, on
which the pots or receptacles containing the foodstuffs can be
leaned, adapted for allowing the passage of the heat produced by
the heating elements.
[0005] This upper surface may be produced from laminated glass or,
more frequently, it is a sheet of vitroceramic or glass-ceramic
material.
[0006] Cooking hobs are also known comprising, instead of the
heating elements, one or more inductive coils which can generate a
variable magnetic field adapted to induce, in a metallic pot or
similar receptacle, electrical currents which causes the ohmic
heating of such metallic pot or receptacle, so as to cook the
foodstuffs therein contained.
[0007] Also in this case the inductive coils are covered by a sheet
of vitroceramic material, which substantially doesn't interfere
with the magnetic field produced by the inductive coils, on which
the receptacles containing the foodstuffs can be leaned.
[0008] The above described known cooking hobs are provided with
control devices adapted to activate/deactivate/regulate the heating
elements/inductive coils.
[0009] For example EP 0 887 594 discloses a hob comprising a
rectangular frame with a sloping front face, three or more
hotplates, and rows of display and control devices provided at the
sloping front face. In one embodiment the sloping face is
constructed in one piece from the same glass-ceramic material as
the frame; in another embodiment the frame and the sloping face are
manufactured separately from either the same material or different
materials and assembled together. The sloping face can be metallic,
and the frame can be made of glass-ceramic material.
[0010] This solution has however the drawback that the display and
control devices, being provided at the sloping front face of the
rectangular frame, may result uncomfortable to use, in particular
if the user is very close to the hob (which often happens, for
example, when the user has to stir the food contained in a pot),
and may oblige the user to move away from the hob in order to see
the display and/or to use the control device.
[0011] EP 0 831 276 discloses a kitchen cooking assembly comprising
a vitroceramic hob lowerly provided with electric heating elements
and with an electronic control unit including touch-sensitive
controls, arranged on the upper face of the hob, for the heating
elements, and an electric built-in oven adjacent to the
vitroceramic hob. The oven is provided with respective control and
adjustment members which are also arranged on the vitroceramic hob
and are also consisting of touch-sensitive controls.
[0012] Also this solution has however a drawback; in fact the
touch-sensitive controls are arranged on the upper surface of the
hob, and therefore there is the risk that they may come into
contact with the foodstuff contained in the pots placed on the hob,
which might dirty and/or damage such controls.
[0013] Moreover the touch-sensitive controls are very near to the
electric heating elements, and therefore the user may come into
contact with these heating elements while using the touch sensitive
controls, with the risk of burning himself.
[0014] A known touch-sensitive control for a kitchen appliance is
described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,204 which discloses
an user input/output device (particularly for controlling a range
or the like) comprising a lighted, segmented bar graph type display
and an array of light transmitting touch sensitive areas
superimposed over the bar graph display. A suitable circuit means
is responsive to the touch sensitive areas and connected for
driving the segments of the bar graph such that when any one of the
touch sensitive areas is touched, a corresponding display segment
and all display segments to one side are energized and the
remaining display elements are de-energized. In particular U.S.
Pat. No. 4,121,204 discloses an electric range including four
conventional electric surface heating units and four corresponding
input/output devices disposed upon the right hand portion of a
vertical range control panel. The input/output devices, because of
this positioning, may however result hardly accessible, in
particular if pots of other receptacles are placed on the heating
units.
[0015] It is also known using a kitchen appliance in cooperation
with other appliances, such as a cooker hood; for example EP 0 578
600 discloses a system for the remote control of household
appliances, to control basically induction-heated or vitroceramic
devices, supplied with a transmitter and an infrared ray
sensor-receiver or radio, located above or under the ceramic glass
so that the controls of the heaters are placed on the front of an
apparatus such as the cooker hood, or in an area included in the
scope of the infra-red rays or radio waves, using a remote
control.
[0016] Also this solution has however some drawbacks; in fact, if
the controls of the heaters are placed on the front of an
apparatus, such as the cooker hood, there are the same problems
indicated above with reference to EP 0 887 594, that is the use of
these controls may result uncomfortable. On the other hand, the use
of a remote control increases the costs of the kitchen
appliance.
[0017] Another example of a kitchen appliance cooperating with a
cooker hood is illustrated in DE 195 45 942 which discloses a hob
with a ceramic glass hob surface incorporated in a worktop of a
peninsular unit, so that the cooking zones are accessible from
either side; an extractor hood is positioned directly above the hob
surface. All the operating controls and displays for the cooking
hob and the extractor are combined in a single control unit
directly associated with the hob surface or the extractor hood.
[0018] Also in this case, however, the control unit isn't very
comfortable to use, particularly if the user is very close to the
kitchen appliance.
[0019] The aim of the present invention is therefore to obtain a
kitchen device, particularly a cooking hob and/or a cooking hood,
which may be operated in a comfortable and ergonomic way even by a
user placed very close to the kitchen device.
[0020] Within this aim, another object of the invention is to
provide the user with a feedback of his operations of the kitchen
appliance.
[0021] Another object of the invention is to obtain a kitchen
appliance which allows a user to operate also one or more further
kitchen appliances.
[0022] It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve
the above-noted problems, thereby doing away with the drawbacks of
the cited prior art.
[0023] The Applicant has found that by providing on a lateral
surface of a kitchen appliance a touch-sensitive control device
adapted to operate one or more electrical and/or electromechanical
devices provided on the same kitchen appliance and/or on one or
more further kitchen appliances, it is possible to operate the same
kitchen appliance and/or another kitchen appliance in a very
comfortable and ergonomic way, allowing the user to easily operate
the kitchen appliance even if he is placed very close to the
latter.
[0024] In particular, the above-mentioned aim and objects, as well
as others that will become better apparent hereinafter, are
achieved by a kitchen appliance comprising: [0025] one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices; [0026] a frontal
surface adapted, once the kitchen appliance is installed, to be
faced by a user; [0027] a lateral surface substantially
perpendicular to the frontal surface,
[0028] the lateral surface being provided with a touch-sensitive
control device adapted to operate the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance and/or of
one or more further kitchen appliances.
[0029] Opportunely the lateral surface is arranged in such a way
that, once the kitchen appliance is installed, such a lateral
surface is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, so as to
facilitate the use of the touch-sensitive control.
[0030] Opportunely the kitchen appliance comprises a connecting
device adapted to allow its touch-sensitive control device to
operate one or more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of
one or more further kitchen appliances.
[0031] Advantageously the kitchen appliance comprises a selecting
device adapted for allowing a user to select which of the one or
more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the same
kitchen appliance or of a further kitchen appliance has to be
operated, in a particular moment, by the touch-sensitive control
device.
[0032] Advantageously the touch-sensitive control device comprises
a touch-sensitive sensor and an illuminating device operated by the
touch-sensitive sensor.
[0033] Opportunely the touch-sensitive sensor is associated to the
lateral surface in such a way that the touch-sensitive sensor is
able to detect the sliding of a body in proximity of, or in contact
with, the lateral surface.
[0034] Preferably the illuminating device is adapted to illuminate
the lateral surface in such a way that a region of the lateral
surface, if previously not illuminated by the illuminating device,
is illuminated during and/or after the sliding on it of a body in a
first sliding direction, while a region of the lateral surface, if
previously illuminated by the illuminating device, is darkened
during and/or after the sliding of a body on it in a second sliding
direction.
[0035] Opportunely the kitchen appliance comprises a further
lateral surface, substantially perpendicular to the frontal
surface, provided with a further touch-sensitive control device
adapted to operate the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance and/or of
one or more further kitchen appliances.
[0036] In a preferred embodiment the kitchen appliance comprises a
cooking hob, defining the lateral surface and comprising a working
surface provided with one or more heating devices, the lateral
surface being substantially perpendicular or inclined with respect
to the working surface. In this case the further kitchen appliance
comprises one or more cooking hoods and/or one or more further
cooking hobs.
[0037] In another embodiment thereof, the kitchen appliance
comprises a cooking hood, defining the lateral surface and
comprising a working surface provided with suction devices, the
lateral surface being substantially perpendicular or inclined with
respect to the working surface. In this case the further kitchen
appliance comprises one or more cooking hobs and/or one or more
further cooking hoods.
[0038] Features and advantages of the present invention will anyway
be more readily understood from the description that is given below
by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic prospective view of two kitchen
devices according to the invention, particularly a cooking hob and
a cooking hood.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a schematic prospective view of the two kitchen
devices of FIG. 1 in a different operating condition.
[0041] The present invention regards a kitchen appliance,
particularly a kitchen appliance comprising a cooking hob 1 and/or
a cooking hood 2.
[0042] With reference to the enclosed Figures, the cooking hob 1
comprises a box-shaped casing 6a, preferably substantially
parallelepiped-shaped, adapted to be positioned on the top surface
8 of a kitchen furniture, for example a kitchen base.
[0043] The box-shaped casing 6a comprises a frontal surface 14a
adapted, once the cooking hob 1 is installed on the top surface 8,
to be faced by a user, not illustrated; in other words a user, in
order to use the cooking hob 1, has to stay substantially in front
of the frontal surface 14a.
[0044] The box-shaped casing 6a also comprises a lateral surface 7a
which is substantially perpendicular to the frontal surface
14a.
[0045] The box-shaped casing 6a is closed upwards by a working
surface 3a, advantageously substantially horizontal, preferably,
but not necessarily, made of laminated glass, or of a vitroceramic
or glass-ceramic material.
[0046] Opportunely the lateral surface 7a is substantially
perpendicular or inclined with respect to the working surface
3a.
[0047] In the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed Figures, the
working surface 3a and the lateral surface 7a are manufactured
separately from either the same material or different materials and
are subsequently assembled together; in a further embodiment, not
illustrated, the working surface 3a and the lateral wall 7a are
obtained in single-piece construction, for example by a single
sheet of glass-ceramic material, opportunely shaped in order to
define both the working surface 3a and the lateral wall 7a.
[0048] Advantageously the cooking hob 1 comprises one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices; advantageously these
electrical and/or electromechanical devices comprise one or more
heating devices 4 (preferably, but not necessarily, four or five)
adapted to heat a pot 5 (or similar receptacle) leaning on the
working surface 3a, so as to cook the foodstuff contained in such a
pot 5.
[0049] In the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed Figures, the
cooking hob 1 advantageously comprises four heating devices 4
positioned inside the box-shaped casing 6a, below the working
surface 3a; in FIGS. 1 and 2 the heating devices 4 are
schematically represented by dotted lines since they are covered by
the working surface 3a, and therefore they are not visible from the
external.
[0050] Advantageously, the one ore more heating devices 4 could
comprise, for example, one or more electrical resistors or halogen
lamps positioned below the working surface 3a and adapted to
generate heat and to transfer the latter to an overlaying pot 5 (or
similar receptacle) leaning on the working surface 3a; opportunely
in this case the working surface 3a is adapted to allow the passage
of the heat produced by the heating devices 4.
[0051] In another embodiment the one ore more heating devices 4
advantageously comprise one or more inductive coils positioned
below the working surface 3a and adapted to generate a variable
magnetic field which induces, in a metallic pot 5 (or similar
metallic receptacle) placed over one of such inductive coils,
electrical currents which causes the ohmic heating of such metallic
pot 5, so as to cook the foodstuffs therein contained; in this case
the working surface 3a is made of a material (i.e. a glass-ceramic
material) adapted not to interfere with the magnetic field produced
by the inductive coils.
[0052] In a further embodiment, not illustrated, the one or more
heating devices comprise one or more gas burners positioned in
suitable seats obtained in the working surface 3a and provided with
suitable electrical valves for the delivery of the gas.
[0053] In another embodiment, not illustrated, the one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices may also comprise one
or more lighting device, for example one or more LEDs, not
illustrated, associated to the working surface 3a and/or to the box
shaped casing 6a, and adapted to illuminate the cooking hob 1
and/or the surrounding ambient.
[0054] In a further embodiment, also not illustrated, the one or
more electrical and/or electromechanical devices advantageously
comprise one or more displays, not illustrated, provided on the
working surface 3a and/or on the box-shaped casing 6a, and adapted
to communicate to the user one or more data, for example the time
elapsed from the beginning of the cooking procedure.
[0055] Advantageously the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices may be connected to the electrical means
of the building in which the cooking hob 1 is placed by suitable
electrical connectors, comprising for example suitable electric
cables, not illustrated, exiting from the box shaped casing 6a.
[0056] The cooking hood 2 comprises a box-shaped casing 6b, closed
downward by a working surface 3b and provided with a frontal
surface 14b adapted, once installed, for facing a user, not
illustrated; in other words a user, in order to use the cooking
hood 2, has to stay substantially in front of the frontal surface
14b.
[0057] The box-shaped casing 6b also comprises a lateral surface 7b
which is substantially perpendicular to the frontal surface
14b.
[0058] Opportunely, the working surface 3b may be substantially
horizontal, as in the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed
Figures, or, in another embodiment, not illustrated, it may also be
inclined.
[0059] The cooking hood 2 comprises one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices; advantageously the one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices comprises one or more
suction devices, not illustrated, comprising, for example, one or
more fans adapted to aspire gases and fumes through the working
surface 3b and to filter and/or to evacuate such gases and fumes
via suitable filtering/evacuating means, not illustrated.
[0060] In another embodiment, not illustrated, the one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices may also comprise one
or more lighting device, for example one or more LEDs, not
illustrated, associated to the working surface 3b and/or to the
box-shaped casing 6b, and adapted to illuminate the cooking hood 2
and/or the surrounding ambient.
[0061] In a further embodiment, also not illustrated, the one or
more electrical and/or electromechanical devices advantageously
comprise one or more displays, not illustrated, provided on the
working surface 3b and/or on the box-shaped casing 6b, and adapted
to communicate to the user one or more data, for example the fan
speed, etc.
[0062] Advantageously, in the kitchen appliance according to the
invention the lateral surface 7a, 7b is provided with a
touch-sensitive control device, which will be described in the
following, adapted to operate (i.e. to control, to drive) the one
or more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the same
kitchen appliance and/or of one or more further kitchen
appliances.
[0063] Opportunely, two or more kitchen appliances according to the
invention may be reciprocally connected by a suitable connecting
device adapted to allow the operating of the one or more electrical
and/or electromechanical devices of one of these two or more
kitchen appliances by using the touch-sensitive control device
present at/on another cooking appliance.
[0064] In the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed Figures, the
connecting devices comprises advantageously one or more electric
wires or cables 15, connecting the cooking hob 1 to the cooking
hood 2; in a further embodiment, not illustrated, the connecting
device may comprise a wireless transmission system, for example a
radio wave transmission system, an infrared transmission system, a
so-called "Bluetooth" transmission system, etc.
[0065] In the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed Figures, the
cooking hob 1 comprises a lateral surface 7a provided with a
touch-sensitive control device adapted to operate (i.e. activate,
deactivate, regulate) the one or more heating devices 4 associated
to this cooking hob 1. In this embodiment the touch-sensitive
control device associated to the lateral surface 7a of the cooking
hob 1 is connected by a connecting device (e.g. electric wires or
cables 15, or a wireless transmission system, not illustrated), to
the cooking hood 2, in order to be able to operate (i.e. activate,
deactivate, regulate) also the one or more suction devices of the
cooking hood 2 (for example the fans contained in the box-shaped
casing 6b). In this case, by the touch-sensitive control device
associated to the cooking hob 1, it is therefore possible to
activate, deactivate, regulate also the cooking hood 2.
[0066] In the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed Figures also
the cooking hood 2 comprises a lateral surface 7b provided with a
touch-sensitive control device adapted to operate (i.e. activate,
deactivate, regulate) the one or more suction devices associated to
this cooking hood 2; also in this case the touch-sensitive control
device associated to the lateral surface 7b of the cooking hood 2
is connected by a connecting device (e.g. electric wires or cables
15, or a wireless transmission system, not illustrated), to the
cooking hob 1, in order to be able to operate the one or more
heating devices 4 of the cooking hob 1. From the cooking hood 2 it
is therefore possible to operate also the cooking hob 1.
[0067] According to the invention, therefore, there may be two or
more kitchen appliances, all of them reciprocally connected by one
more connecting devices (e.g. electric wires or cables, or a
wireless transmission system) so that the one or more electrical
and/or electromechanical devices of one of these two or more
kitchen appliances may be operated (i.e. controlled, driven) by one
or more touch-sensitive control devices provided on one or more of
these two or more kitchen appliances.
[0068] Obviously, a touch-sensitive control device may be provided
only on one among two or more kitchen appliances connected one
another by one or more connecting devices (e.g. electric wires or
cables, or a wireless transmission system); in this case a kitchen
appliance which is not provided with the touch-sensitive control
device may be operated by using the touch-sensitive control device
provided on another kitchen appliance.
[0069] For example, three kitchen appliances according to the
invention (e.g.
[0070] two cooking hobs and a cooking hood) may be connected by one
or more connecting devices (e.g. electric wires or cables, or a
wireless transmission system), and their one or more electrical
and/or electromechanical devices (e.g. the heating devices of the
cooking hobs and the fans of the cooking hood) may be operated by
one or more touch-sensitive control devices present on one or more
of these kitchen appliances.
[0071] For example, in the case of two cooking hobs and a cooking
hood, the touch-sensitive control device could be provided on only
one of the cooking hobs, and it could be adapted to operate the one
or more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of both the two
cooking hobs and also of the cooking hood. In another embodiment a
touch-sensitive control device could be provided only on the
cooking hood, and it could be adapted to operate the one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the two cooking hobs
and also of the cooking hood. In another embodiment thereof, two
touch-sensitive control devices are provided both on the cooking
hood and on one of the cooking hobs, and both these touch-sensitive
control devices are adapted to operate the one or more electrical
and/or electromechanical devices of all the three kitchen
appliances.
[0072] Clearly only one kitchen appliance may be present (for
example a cooking hob 1) provided with a touch-sensitive control
device adapted to operate the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of such kitchen appliance.
[0073] Any other combination is obviously possible.
[0074] Advantageously, the touch-sensitive control device provided
on the lateral surface 7a, 7b comprises a touch-sensitive sensor
16a, 16b, which will be better described in the following, and an
illuminating device, not illustrated, operated by the
touch-sensitive sensor.
[0075] Advantageously the kitchen appliance according to the
invention comprises an electronic controller, for example an
electronic board or an electronic microcontroller, adapted to
operatively connect the touch-sensitive sensor, the illuminating
device, the one or more electrical and/or electromechanical
devices, and (if present) the connecting device adapted to connect
the touch-sensitive control device of a kitchen appliance with one
or more further kitchen appliances.
[0076] The electronic controller may be configured and/or
programmed in order to operate (i.e. control, drive) in a
particular way the one or more electrical and/or electromechanical
devices of a kitchen appliance, depending on a particular action
detected by the touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b of the same kitchen
appliance, or of a further kitchen appliance connected to the
latter by a connecting device (e.g. electric wires or cables, or a
wireless transmission system).
[0077] For example, with reference to the enclosed Figures, an
electronic controller, not illustrated, associated to the cooking
hob 1, may be configured and/or programmed in order to
activate/deactivate one of the heating devices 4 of the cooking hob
1 depending on a particular action detected by the touch-sensitive
sensor 16a, 16b of the cooking hob 1 or of the cooking hood 2.
[0078] A further electronic controller, not illustrated, associated
to the cooking hood 2, may be configured and/or programmed in order
to activate/deactivate the suction fan of a cooking hob 1 depending
on a particular action detected by the touch-sensitive sensor 16a,
16b of the cooking hood 2 or of the cooking hob 1.
[0079] Preferably the touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b is adapted to
detect the movement of a body (for example a finger, a hand, etc.)
placed close to or in contact with such touch-sensitive sensor 16a,
16b, in at least two different directions, for example two linear
movements of a body in two opposite directions.
[0080] For example the touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b could be a
capacitive sensor, or an inductive sensor, or an optical sensor, or
a piezoelectric sensor, etc.
[0081] Advantageously the touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b is
associated to the lateral surface 7a, 7b in such a way that it can
detect the sliding of a body (i.e. a hand or one or more fingers of
a user) in proximity of, or in contact with, the lateral surface
7a, 7b; opportunely the touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b may be
fixed behind or in front of the lateral surface 7a, 7b.
[0082] In the embodiment illustrated in the enclosed Figures, a
touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b is fixed behind each of the lateral
surfaces 7a, 7b and isn't visible from the external, so it has been
schematically represented by dotted lines.
[0083] Preferably, but not necessarily, the illuminating device
comprised in the touch-sensitive control device may comprise one or
more light emitting diodes (LEDs), and/or one ore more light
guides, for example optical fibres; clearly the illuminating device
may comprise any other electrical or electronic light source (i.e.
halogen lamps, light bulbs, etc.).
[0084] Opportunely the illuminating device is adapted to illuminate
the lateral surface 7a, 7b in such a way that a region of the
lateral surface 7a, 7b, if previously dark (i.e. not illuminated by
the illuminating device), is illuminated during and/or after the
sliding on/over it of a body in a first sliding direction, while a
region of the lateral surface 7a, 7b, if previously illuminated by
the illuminating device, is darkened during and/or after the
sliding of a body on/over it in a second sliding direction.
[0085] This allows user to have a visual feedback (i.e. the
illumination or darkening of a region of the lateral surface 7a,
7b) of the operation of the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices.
[0086] For example, with reference to FIG. 1, by sliding a finger 9
on a first region 10 (previously not illuminated by the
illuminating device) of the lateral surface 7a of the cooking hob
1, the touch-sensitive sensor 16a provided on the lateral surface
7a detects the sliding of the finger 9 in a prefixed sliding
direction, and commands the illuminating device in order to
illuminate the first region 10 (in the enclosed Figures, the
illumination of a region of the lateral surface 7a, 7b has been
represented by a series of inclined lines).
[0087] In the same time the touch-sensitive sensor 16a operates
(i.e. activates/deactivates/regulates) one or more of the heating
devices 4 of the cooking hob 1, and/or of the suction devices of
the cooking hood 2, depending on the particular programming of the
electronic controllers of the cooking hob 1 and of the cooking hood
2.
[0088] With reference to FIG. 2, by sliding a finger 9 on a second
region 11, previously lightened, of the lateral surface 7b of the
cooking hood 2, the touch-sensitive sensor 16b provided on the
lateral surface 7b detects the sliding of the finger 9 in a certain
sliding direction, and commands the illuminating device in order to
darken the second region 11 (while the rest, numbered 12 in FIG. 2,
of the lateral surface 7b, previously illuminated by the
illuminating device, remains illuminated).
[0089] At the same time the touch-sensitive sensor 16b operates
(i.e. activates/deactivates/regulates) one or more of the suction
devices of the cooking hood 2, and/or of the heating devices 4 of
the cooking hob 1, depending on the particular programming of the
electronic controllers of the cooking hob 1 and of the cooking hood
2.
[0090] Clearly, with reference to both FIGS. 1 and 2, if other
electrical and/or electromechanical devices, not illustrated, are
provided (e.g. other lighting devices, displays, etc.), the
electronic controllers of the cooking hob 1 and/or of the cooking
hood 2 may be configured/programmed in order to operate also these
other electrical and/or electromechanical devices, depending on the
particular sliding of the finger 9 on the lateral surface 7a or 7b
detected by the touch-sensitive sensor 16a or 16b.
[0091] The kitchen appliance is advantageously provided with a
selecting device, which will be better described in the following,
adapted for allowing the user to select which of the one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the same kitchen
appliance or of a further kitchen appliance has to be operated, in
a particular moment, by the touch-sensitive control device.
[0092] Advantageously this selecting device is connected to the
electronic controller of the kitchen appliance, so that, by a
suitable programming of the latter, it is possible to associate a
particular action (for example a pressure, a rotation, a contact,
etc.) applied to this selecting device to the selection of one
electrical and/or electromechanical device to be operated (i.e.
controlled, driven).
[0093] Advantageously the selecting device can be placed on the
lateral surfaces 7a, 7b of the kitchen appliance, and/or on the
working surface 3a, 3b, and/or on the box-shaped casing 6a, 6b
and/or on any accessible part of the kitchen appliance; opportunely
the selecting device may be provided also externally to the kitchen
appliance (e.g. on the surface 8 of a kitchen furniture), and may
be operatively connected to the kitchen appliance for example by
wires or cables, not illustrated, or by a wireless transmission
system, also not illustrated. In the embodiment illustrated in the
enclosed Figures, the selecting device comprises one or more
buttons 17a, 17b (touch- sensitive or not), placed respectively on
the lateral surfaces 7a, 7b, next to the touch-sensitive sensors
16a, 16b, and adapted for selecting, by their pressure, which among
the one or more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the
same kitchen appliance or of a further kitchen appliance has to be
operated, in a particular moment, by the touch-sensitive control
device.
[0094] In a further embodiment, not illustrated, the selecting
device comprises one or more knobs, placed on the lateral surfaces
7a, 7b, and/or on the working surface 3a, 3b or/and on the
box-shaped casing 6a, 6b, and adapted for selecting, by their
rotation, which among the one or more electrical and/or
electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance or of a
further kitchen appliance has to be operated, in a particular
moment, by the touch-sensitive control device.
[0095] In a further embodiment thereof, not illustrated, the
selecting device comprises the same touch-sensitive sensor provided
on the lateral surface 7a, 7b of the kitchen appliance; in this
case the electronic controller of the kitchen appliance could be
programmed in such a way that a particular action detected by the
touch-sensitive sensor, for example two fast touches (i.e. with the
second touch made a prefixed very short time interval after the
first touch) on a particular region of the lateral surface 7a, 7b,
or a rotation of a body on/over a particular region of the lateral
surface 7a, 7b, etc., causes the touch-sensitive control device,
from then on, to operate one particular among the one or more
electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the same kitchen
appliance or of a further kitchen appliance.
[0096] For example, a particular number may be assigned to each
heating device 4 of a cooking hob 1, and the electronic controller
of the cooking hob 1 may be programmed in such a way that after a
user applies to a particular region of the lateral surface 7a a
particular number of fast (i.e. made one a very few time after the
other) touches, from then on, the heating device 4 operated by the
touch-sensitive control device is the one whose number corresponds
to the number of fast touches detected by the touch-sensitive
sensor.
[0097] A similar solution may be used, if more than one cooking
hobs 1 and/or cooking hoods 2 are present, in order to select which
among the one or more cooking hobs 1 and/or the one or more cooking
hoods 2 has to be operated by the touch-sensitive control device of
one of these one or more cooking hobs 1 and/or cooking hoods 2.
[0098] However, this is only an example of how the selection of the
one or more heating devices 4 or of the one or more suction devices
can be made; the electronic controller may be programmed in such a
way that also other specific actions or movements detected by the
touch-sensitive sensor 16a, 16b correspond to the selection of one
or more electrical and/or electromechanical devices of the same
kitchen appliance or of a further kitchen appliance.
[0099] Advantageously the kitchen appliance according to the
invention may be provided of a further lateral surface 13a, 13b,
substantially perpendicular to the frontal surface 14a, 14b,
opposite to the lateral surface 7a, 7b with respect to the working
surface 3a, 3b, and provided with a touch-sensitive control device
analogous to the one described with reference to the lateral
surface 7a, 7b, adapted to operate the one or more electrical
and/or electromechanical devices of the same kitchen appliance
and/or of one or more further kitchen appliances.
[0100] For example the lateral surface 7a of the cooking hob 1 (on
the right in the enclosed Figures) may be provided with a first
touch-sensitive control device for controlling the operations of
the cooking hob 1, and the further lateral surface 13a of the
cooking hob 1 (on the left in the enclosed Figures) may be provided
with a second touch-sensitive control device for controlling the
operations of the cooking hood 2.
[0101] Also the further lateral surface 13a, 13b of a kitchen
appliance according to the invention is substantially perpendicular
or inclined with respect to the working surface 3a, 3b of such a
kitchen appliance.
[0102] The embodiment in which the lateral surface 7a (and, if
present, also the further lateral surface 13a) of the cooking hob 1
is inclined (e.g. of an angle of 45.degree.) with respect to the
working surface 3a, is particularly advantageous, because such
inclination makes more ergonomic the access to the touch-sensitive
control device and the visualization of the latter.
[0103] Similarly, the embodiment in which the lateral surface 7b
(and, if present, also the further lateral surface 13b) of the
cooking hood 2 is inclined (e.g. of an angle of 45.degree.) with
respect to the working surface 3b, is particularly advantageous,
because such inclination makes more ergonomic the access to the
touch-sensitive control device and the visualization of the
latter.
[0104] It is seen therefore how the invention achieves the proposed
aim and objects, there being provided a kitchen device which,
thanks to the particular position of the touch-sensitive control
device, allows to user to operate the electrical or
electromechanical devices (e.g. the heating devices in the case of
a cooking hob, the suction fan in the case of a cooking hood, etc.)
of such a kitchen appliance in a very comfortable and ergonomic
way.
[0105] In addition, thanks to the illuminating device comprised in
the touch-sensitive control device, the user may have a visual
feedback of his operations of the kitchen appliance during the
usage of the latter.
[0106] Moreover, the kitchen appliance according to the invention
allows a user to operate more than one kitchen appliances from a
single kitchen appliance.
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