Temperature sensor assembly

Abstract

Temperature sensor arrangement (10) for a food processor (1) for processing food in a cooking pot (2), comprising - a temperature sensor (12) which, in the installed state, is received in a sensor pot (13) facing the cooking pot (2), wherein the sensor pot (13) in the installed state has a window (14) facing the cooking pot (2), and - a mounting board (15) for receiving electrical contacts (16) of the temperature sensor (12), wherein the mounting board (15) is arranged in a housing part (3) of the food processor (1) and is connected to the temperature sensor (12) via the electrical contacts (16), and is in direct contact with the temperature sensor (12), wherein the mounting plate (15) has a screw hole (17) which corresponds to a blind hole (8) on the inside of the housing of the food processor, and wherein the food processor (1) has on the inside of its housing (5) an opening cylinder (7) as a sensor opening (4) for inserting the sensor pot (13), wherein on the inside of the housing (5) in the immediate vicinity of the opening cylinder (7) there is a blind bore (8) parallel to the opening cylinder (7) for receiving a fastening screw (9), characterized in that the sensor pot (13) has a flange (18) which serves as a stop for an O-ring (19), wherein the O-ring (19) in the installed state when installed in a sensor opening (4) of the housing (5) of the food processor (1) seals against the ingress of moisture, wherein the opening cylinder (7) has on the inside of the housing (5) of the food processor (1) a rim groove (7a) for receiving the O-ring (19) of the temperature sensor assembly (10).

Description

Field of invention

[0001] The invention relates to a temperature sensor arrangement for a food processor, a food processor comprising this temperature sensor and a method for installing this temperature sensor in a corresponding food processor. Background of the invention

[0002] For automating cooking in private households, combination food processors are available that can chop, weigh, stir, heat, fry, and cook. To further automate cooking, it is necessary to monitor the temperature of the food quite precisely to prevent it from boiling over or to ensure that the cooking times are correct for achieving the desired result.

[0003] Stoves with temperature sensors in the cooktop are known. Kitchen appliances that can measure the temperature at the bottom of the cooking pot are also known. During rapid cooking, significant temperature gradients can develop within the pot. It is common knowledge that food can burn on the bottom of the pot, while food just a few centimeters above the bottom is still edible. Therefore, the temperature at the bottom of the pot is not a sufficiently accurate measure for determining the temperature of the food being cooked.

[0004] Such temperature sensor arrangements are disclosed, for example, in CN 107 091 693 A, CN 108 497 936 A, JP 2009 - 187 909 A or JP 2011 - 172 798 A. The problem underlying the invention

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved temperature sensor arrangement in a kitchen machine, in particular a temperature sensor arrangement which enables a more accurate temperature measurement of the food being cooked. Inventive solution

[0006] The problem underlying the invention is solved by a temperature sensor arrangement for a food processor for cooking food in a cooking pot according to claim 1, comprising a temperature sensor which, in the installed state, is received in a sensor pot facing the cooking pot, wherein the sensor pot, in the installed state, has a window facing the cooking pot, and a mounting plate for receiving electrical contacts of the temperature sensor, wherein the mounting plate is arranged in a housing part of the food processor and is connected to the temperature sensor via the electrical contacts, and rests directly against the temperature sensor, wherein the mounting plate has a screw hole which corresponds to a blind hole on the inside of the housing of the food processor. Further advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims to claim 1.

[0007] According to the invention, the temperature sensor assembly is located not in the base of the cooking pot, but on the inside of the housing of a food processor. Therefore, the only possible location for the temperature sensor assembly is a lateral position relative to the cooking pot. When measuring the temperature laterally, the temperature measured is not the direct temperature of the pot base, but rather the temperature of the food being cooked. Preferred embodiments of the invention

[0008] Advantageous training and further education programs, which can be used individually or in combination, are the subject of the dependent claims and the following description.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, to prevent liquid or moisture from penetrating the housing of the food processor, the sensor pot has a flange that serves as a stop for an O-ring, wherein the O-ring, when installed in a sensor opening of the housing of the food processor, seals against the ingress of moisture.

[0010] For easy installation of the temperature sensor assembly at the factory, the mounting plate may be designed with a projection extending beyond the temperature sensor. When installed, this projection engages behind mounting lugs on the inside of the food processor housing, thus holding the temperature sensor in position. The temperature sensor assembly is therefore fixed to the inner housing wall.

[0011] For reliable, reproducible, and accurate temperature measurement of the food being cooked, the temperature sensor can be an IR sensor, preferably an IR thermopile sensor. Using an IR sensor, especially a thermopile sensor, has the advantage that the sensor's own heat does not distort the measurement. A very accurate temperature of the food being cooked can be measured with the IR sensor, both immediately after the food processor is started and after it has been in operation for some time and is therefore largely in thermal equilibrium and possibly very hot due to prolonged cooking.

[0012] For the most precise measurement possible, it has proven advantageous if the sensor pot's window facing the cooking pot is made of IR-transparent mineral glass and is flush with the outer surface of the sensor pot. This flush fit prevents food residue from accumulating in edges or corners and thus obstructing the IR sensor. The flush fit also makes cleaning the food processor easier.

[0013] The temperature sensor arrangement according to the invention corresponds to a food processor which has an opening cylinder on the inside of its housing for inserting the sensor pot. On the inside of the housing, in the immediate vicinity of the opening cylinder, there is a blind bore parallel to the opening cylinder for receiving a mounting screw. The temperature sensor arrangement is thus fixed by the IR sensor's position in the housing and also by a screw, providing two fixing points. This fixing can be further supported by mounting projections on the inside of the housing.In this case, the housing is provided with at least one mounting projection on the inside, for example in the form of projecting housing stiffening ribs, to secure the temperature sensor assembly against unintentional removal. This mounting projection is spaced from the opening plane of the opening cylinder on the inside of the housing such that the mounting board fits between the distance of the mounting projection to the inside of the housing and the opening plane of the opening cylinder. This type of mounting allows the temperature sensor assembly to be installed by simply inserting and twisting it, thus enabling quick and easy assembly at the factory.

[0014] In a further advantageous embodiment of the temperature sensor arrangement, the opening cylinder can be provided with a groove on the inside of the housing to receive the O-ring of the temperature sensor arrangement. The O-ring prevents unwanted moisture from penetrating the housing.

[0015] For particularly precise measurement of the cooking temperature, the opening cylinder can be arranged at a height between 10 mm and 20 mm above the bottom of a cooking pot in the food processor.

[0016] The following procedure has proven advantageous for installation: Insert the sensor cup into the opening cylinder from the inside of the food processor housing until the O-ring is clamped between the flange of the sensor cup and the rim groove of the opening cylinder. Rotate the temperature sensor assembly in the opening cylinder of the food processor housing by approximately 90° so that the mounting plate engages behind at least one corresponding mounting projection on the inside of the food processor housing and is held in place by the projection. The rotation causes the screw hole in the mounting plate to cover the blind hole. Insert a screw into the screw hole and tighten the screw in the blind hole. To facilitate insertion and rotation, the temperature sensor can be lubricated with food-grade silicone grease. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] Further advantageous embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures, to which the invention is not limited. It shows: Fig. 1 a food processor with an inserted cooking pot without a lid, Fig. 2 the food processor off Fig. 1 without cooking pot with outer casing removed and detail A marked, Fig. 3a an IR sensor in a sensor pot with a window, Fig. 3b the IR sensor in the sensor pot with window, which is mounted on a mounting board, Fig. 4a Detail A from Fig. 2 in a first step to assemble the temperature sensor assembly, Fig. 4b Detail A from Fig. 2 in a second step for the assembly of the temperature sensor arrangement, Fig. 4c Detail A from Fig. 2 in a third step for the assembly of the temperature sensor arrangement, Fig. 4D Detail A from Fig. 2 in a fourth step for the assembly of the temperature sensor arrangement, Fig. 5 Detail A from Fig. 2 in a sectional drawing. Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0018] In the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same reference numerals denote identical or comparable components.

[0019] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a food processor 1 with a cooking pot 2 inserted but without a lid, in a perspective view. For manual or automated cooking, the cooking pot 2 is heated in the food processor 1 by a heating coil in the base of the cooking pot 2. The aim of the invention is to improve the accuracy of the temperature measurement of the food being cooked in the cooking pot 2. The assembly of the necessary temperature sensor arrangement should be as simple as possible.

[0020] The food processor 1 in Fig. 1 is in Fig. Figure 2 is shown from a similar perspective, but with the cooking pot 2 removed from the food processor 1 and the housing 5 partially removed, revealing the internal components of the food processor 1. The housing part 3 of the food processor 2, which partially encloses the cooking pot 2, serves as a fixing element for the temperature sensor assembly, which is highlighted as detail A by the circle inscribed in the figure. This detail A is explained in more detail in the following figures.

[0021] In Fig. Figure 3a shows a temperature sensor 12 of a temperature sensor arrangement 10, wherein the temperature sensor 12 is housed in a sensor pot 13. The sensor pot 13 has a window 14 made of IR-transmitting mineral glass on its front, which, when installed, faces the cooking pot 2. This window is flush with the surface 13a of the sensor pot 13. The flush surface facilitates cleaning. The rear of the temperature sensor has electrical contacts 16 for transmitting the electrical signal from which the measured temperature can be determined. For moisture-proof operation, the sensor pot has a flange 18 that serves as a contact surface for an O-ring 19. The O-ring seals the flange 18 against moisture when installed in the food processor 1.The temperature sensor 12 and the sensor pot 13 are shown in this illustration as a sectional drawing, with the section dividing the temperature sensor and the sensor pot approximately in the middle.

[0022] The temperature sensor 12, which is housed in the sensor pot 13, is further arranged on a mounting board 15, as shown in Fig. 3b is shown in a comparable sectional drawing, where the mounting board 15 rests directly against the temperature sensor. In this configuration, the pure temperature sensor assembly 10 is complete. The mounting board 15 has a projection 20, which is used to fix the mounting board 15 to the housing of the food processor by means of mounting projections 6.

[0023] Detail A from Fig. 2 will be shown using the figures Fig. 4a, Fig. 4b, Fig. 4c and Fig. 4d explained in more detail. In these Fig. Sections 4a to 4d show, firstly, how the temperature sensor arrangement 10 is made of Fig. 3b is mounted on the inside of the housing 5 in the area of ​​the housing part 3a and how the temperature sensor arrangement 10 is arranged in the housing part 3.

[0024] In Fig. Figure 4a shows how, in a first step (1. in the circle), the mounting board 15, on whose visible underside only the contacts 16 of the temperature sensor 1 are visible, is brought close to the inner wall of the housing part 3 such that the sensor cup 13, which is largely concealed here, approaches a sensor opening 4, designed as an opening cylinder 7. A screw hole 17 in the mounting board, which corresponds to a blind hole 18 in the final installation state, is not yet collinear with the blind hole 8 in this approach phase. The arrow indicates the approach of the temperature sensor assembly 10i to the inner side of the housing part 3.

[0025] In Fig. 4b shows the second step of assembling the temperature sensor assembly 10. After in Fig. 1. Once the temperature sensor assembly 10 has been brought so close to the inner housing wall 3 that the sensor cup 13 is inserted into the opening cylinder 7, the mounting board 15, together with the sensor cup 13, is rotated counterclockwise by approximately 90°. During this rotation, the mounting board 15 engages mounting projections 6, which are integrally connected to the inner housing wall of the housing part 3. The rotated state is in Fig. 4c is shown. In this rotated position, the screw hole 7 and the blind hole 8 correspond to each other, so that a screw 9 can be inserted through the screw hole 9 and screwed into the blind hole 8. The screwed-in state is shown in Fig. 4d shown. The screw 9 secures the temperature sensor assembly 10 against rotation in the opening cylinder 7 and holds the temperature sensor assembly firmly to the housing part 3, with the mounting projections 6 additionally holding the mounting board 15 to the housing.

[0026] In Fig. Finally, 5 is the temperature sensor arrangement 10. Fig. 3b is shown in the installed state, using the same section plane as in Fig.3b has been selected. The flange 18 is sealed against the opening cylinder 7 by the O-ring 19, preventing any liquid from entering the housing 5 of the food processor. In the mounting position, the temperature sensor 12 is positioned at a height relative to the cooking pot 2 such that it is located at a distance d of 10 mm to 20 mm, ideally 15 mm, above the bottom of the pot. The temperature of the food being cooked is determined at this height to avoid measuring the temperature at the bottom of the cooking pot, where the temperature is always higher than the temperature of the food being cooked due to the hot heating element.

[0027] The temperature sensor arrangement enables a more accurate temperature measurement of the food being cooked.

[0028] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, the claims and the drawings may be important for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination. REFERENCE MARK LIST 1 food processor 2 cooking pots 2a Pot base 3 Housing part 4 Sensor opening 6 Assembly lead 7 opening cylinders 7a Edge groove 8 Blind hole 9 fastening screw 10 Temperature sensor arrangement 12 Temperature sensor 13 Sensor pot 13a Surface 14 windows 15 Mounting board 16 Contact 17 screw holes 18 flange 19 O-ring 20 excess

Claims

[1] Temperature sensor arrangement (10) for a food processor (1) for cooking food in a cooking pot (2), comprising - a temperature sensor (12) which, in the installed state, is received in a sensor pot (13) facing the cooking pot (2), wherein the sensor pot (13) in the installed state has a window (14) facing the cooking pot (2), and - a mounting board (15) for receiving electrical contacts (16) of the temperature sensor (12), wherein the mounting board (15) is arranged in a housing part (3) of the food processor (1) and is connected to the temperature sensor (12) via the electrical contacts (16), and is in direct contact with the temperature sensor (12), wherein the mounting plate (15) has a screw hole (17) which corresponds to a blind hole (8) on the inside of the housing of the food processor, and wherein the food processor (1) has on the inside of its housing (5) an opening cylinder (7) as a sensor opening (4) for inserting the sensor pot (13), wherein on the inside of the housing (5) in the immediate vicinity of the opening cylinder (7) there is a blind bore (8) parallel to the opening cylinder (7) for receiving a fastening screw (9), characterized by , that the sensor pot (13) has a flange (18) which serves as a stop for an O-ring (19), wherein the O-ring (19) in the installed state when installed in a sensor opening (4) of the housing (5) of the food processor (1) seals against the ingress of moisture, wherein the opening cylinder (7) has a rim groove (7a) on the inside of the housing (5) of the food processor (1) for receiving the O-ring (19) of the temperature sensor assembly (10). [2] Temperature sensor arrangement (10) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the mounting board (15) has a projection (20) towards the temperature sensor (12), which in the installed state engages behind mounting projections (6) on the inside of the housing (5) of the kitchen machine (1) and thus holds the temperature sensor (12) in position. [3] Temperature sensor arrangement (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by , that the window (14) of the sensor pot (13) facing the cooking pot (2) is made of IR-transmitting mineral glass and is flush with the outwardly facing surface (13a) of the sensor pot (13). [4] Temperature sensor arrangement (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the temperature sensor (12) is an IR thermopile sensor. [5] Kitchen machine (1) for processing food comprising a according to one of claims 1 to 4. [6] Kitchen machine according to claim 5, characterized by, that on the inside of its housing (5) it has at least one mounting projection (6) for securing the temperature sensor arrangement (10) against unintentional falling out, wherein the at least one mounting projection (6) is spaced apart from the opening plane of the opening cylinder (7) on the inside of the housing (5) such that the mounting board (15) fits between the distance of the mounting projection (6) to the inside of the housing and the opening plane of the opening cylinder (7). [7] Food processor according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized by , that the opening cylinder (7) is arranged at a height between 10mm and 20mm above the bottom of the pot (2a) of a cooking pot (2) present in the food processor (1). [8] Method for installing a temperature sensor arrangement (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4 in a food processor according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by - Insert the sensor pot (13) into the opening cylinder (7) from the inside of the housing (5) of the food processor (1) until the O-ring (19) is clamped between the flange (18) of the sensor pot (13) and the edge groove (7a) of the opening cylinder of the housing (5) of the food processor (1), - Rotating the temperature sensor assembly (10) in the opening cylinder (7) of the housing (5) of the food processor by approximately 90°, so that the mounting plate (15) engages behind at least one corresponding mounting projection (6) on the inside of the housing (5) of the food processor (1) and is held by the mounting projection (6), whereby the screw hole (17) in the mounting plate (15) covers the blind hole (8) by the rotation, - Inserting a screw (9) into the screw hole (17) and - Screw the screw (9) into the blind hole (8). [9] Method for installing a temperature sensor arrangement (10) according to claim 8, characterized byLubricating the sensor pot (13) with silicone grease.

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