First-time start-up of a domestic appliance
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023701924
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-02-09
- Filing Date
- 2023-01-23
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-18
AI Technical Summary
Household appliances, especially baking ovens, often have residues from manufacturing that cannot be fully cleaned and emit odors when first heated, leading to user confusion and unnecessary power consumption as users try to avoid transferring smells to food or polluting the air.
A method where the appliance checks if the initial startup sequence has been completed, locking or unlocking operation settings accordingly, ensuring safe and odor-free operation by guiding users through the startup process and preventing normal operation until the sequence is finished.
This method enhances user-friendliness and safety by ensuring the appliance is used only after residues are removed, reducing odor transfer and air pollution, and eliminating the need for users to read instructions, while optimizing energy use.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] FIRST-TIME COMMISSIONING OF A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE
[0002] The invention relates to a method for commissioning a household appliance, in which a check is carried out to determine whether a specified commissioning sequence for commissioning the household appliance has been performed. The invention also relates to a household appliance configured to carry out the method. The invention is particularly advantageously applicable to ovens.
[0003] Residues from the upstream manufacturing processes of individual components are unavoidable during the manufacture of cooking appliances. The completed appliance cannot be completely cleaned of all residues by washing, as some of the residues are located in gaps or covered or overlapping areas into which washing liquid or aerosol can no longer penetrate and thus no longer exert a cleaning effect. If these residues are found on hot parts or surfaces, they are burned off during the first complete heating of the appliance (also known as "bake-out"). Examples include residues on heating elements and their fastening elements, as well as residues from an oven muffle and all components mounted inside and outside the oven muffle (baffle, fan wheel, lighting elements, drawers, covers, bushings, seals, adhesives on the door, etc.).In addition to the resulting gaseous combustion products, volatile substances evaporate during the heating process. These unwanted gases are gradually expelled to the outside through the unit's fume extractor and ventilation system. Similarly, easily resuspendable particles, those already present during the manufacturing process, and newly formed ones are transported to the outside via the cooling air stream.
[0004] The problem of unpleasant odors associated with the appliance's initial heating cycle is well known and is typically addressed by either pointing out in the user manual that odors may arise during the initial heating cycle and / or advising the customer that the initial heating cycle or final heating cycle should be performed without food in the cooking chamber (so-called "final heating cycle without load") and that the kitchen should be ventilated afterwards. Clear recommendations are usually given regarding the appliance settings and the duration for which the customer should perform the initial heating cycle.
[0005] However, the problem can arise that with a new device it is not always obvious whether the first heating operation has already taken place or not.
[0006] For one thing, some retailers and kitchen builders supply their customers with appliances that they have already pre-heated, or that they pre-heat immediately after installation in the customer's kitchen before handing the entire kitchen over to the customer. This very customer-friendly service is not immediately apparent on the appliance, and since most customers want to be sure that no odors are transferred to the food being cooked, they pre-heat it again as a precaution. For another, many consumers are unaware that cooking appliances tend to produce strong odors when used for the first time. They often do not read the instructions in the manual, or simply forget the instructions they have read or the retailer's advice, and immediately start cooking their first dish with an appliance that has not yet pre-heated.The situation is also unclear for other family members who use a new kitchen, and it's equally unclear for guests of a vacation rental that has just received a new kitchen. Purchasing a "demonstration unit" or other "second-hand" items also leaves the question of prior use unclear. In any case, the unit must be pre-heated to ensure safety, which not only causes unnecessary electricity consumption but also entails unnecessary waiting.
[0007] DE 10 2012 210 749 A1 discloses a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber and with at least one sensor for detecting at least one property of the cooking chamber, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one lambda probe. The cooking appliance can be configured to detect correct initial startup of the cooking chamber based on a drop in the oxygen content. The cooking appliance can be configured to issue a warning in the event of incorrect startup. Alternatively or additionally, startup monitoring can also be carried out using a hydrocarbon sensor. A disadvantage is that the cooking appliance cannot distinguish whether the initial startup of the cooking chamber by a user is correctly carried out as a bake-out mode without a load or incorrectly as a cooking mode. The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
[0008] This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be found in particular in the dependent claims.
[0009] The object is achieved by a method for commissioning a household appliance, in which the household appliance checks whether a commissioning operating sequence specified for commissioning the household appliance has been carried out, and if this is not the case, operation of the household appliance remains blocked in at least one specified operating setting, otherwise operation is enabled in this at least one operating setting.
[0010] Using the proposed method, the household appliance automatically detects whether the initial commissioning procedure has already been completed successfully or not and prevents normal operation with all functions if the commissioning procedure has not yet been completed. This binding inevitability creates clarity for the operator, thereby improving the user-friendliness of the household appliance. Users, retailers, and manufacturers alike can be confident that, for example, no odor and / or flavor will be transferred to food during initial operation, and that no unknown and potentially harmful substances will settle on the food. The same applies to the room air, which - particularly if the household appliance is a cooking appliance - is polluted during initial operation and is exchanged primarily through ventilation.Operation is also particularly safe and easy, as the user no longer necessarily needs to read the instruction manual, but can be fully guided by the appliance. Once the guided tour is complete, it is assured that the appliance can be used safely.
[0011] The fact that the household appliance checks whether a commissioning procedure specified for commissioning the household appliance has been carried out includes, in a further development, that a specified commissioning procedure (e.g. comprehensive operating mode(s) to be carried out for commissioning, values of operating parameters and / or time periods to be achieved) is stored, e.g. saved, in the household appliance.
[0012] If the predefined commissioning sequence has not yet been carried out, operation of the household appliance in at least one predefined operating setting is blocked. This may mean that this at least one operating setting cannot be set or selected, or it may mean that this at least one operating setting can be set or selected, but the household appliance does not activate or carry out any operation under these operating settings. Operation of the household appliance in the at least one predefined operating setting remains blocked until the household appliance detects that the commissioning sequence has been carried out. In this case, operation in this at least one operating setting is enabled. Household appliances that can be operated in this at least one operating setting can therefore advantageously also be used safely.
[0013] The fact that operation of the household appliance is blocked in at least one predetermined operating setting before the commissioning operating procedure is carried out includes in particular that one, several or all operating settings of the household appliance are blocked before the commissioning operating procedure is carried out or that one, several or all operating settings of the household appliance are only released for a user after the commissioning operating procedure has been carried out.
[0014] It is a further development that operation of the household appliance is blocked before commissioning in at least one predetermined operating setting in which a heating element is activated, in particular in all operating settings in which a heating element is activated.
[0015] It is a further development that operation of the household appliance is blocked before commissioning - operating sequence in at least one predetermined operating setting in which a pump is activated, in particular in all operating settings in which a pump is activated.
[0016] Exempt from blocking may include, for example, demonstration operating settings used by a dealer to demonstrate a device (also known as "demo" mode) and / or
[0017] - Operating settings which have no influence on the manufacturing residues, e.g. switching on the interior lighting of a cooking chamber and / or pure recirculation mode without heating.
[0018] It is an embodiment that the at least one predetermined operating setting comprises a setting of at least one operating mode (e.g. "hot air", "top heat", "bottom heat", etc., microwave operation in a microwave oven, coffee preparation in a coffee machine, etc.), at least one operating parameter (e.g. a cooking chamber temperature in an oven) and / or a setting of an operating program (e.g. "bread baking" with several different baking phases).
[0019] This is a further development: if a commissioning sequence has not yet been performed, the household appliance queries whether a commissioning sequence should be performed. If the answer is yes, the household appliance automatically performs the commissioning sequence. This is particularly easy to implement. This process is particularly simple and user-friendly because the operating settings for the commissioning sequence, such as the set temperature and duration, are correctly stored in the household appliance for each type and are automatically set by the appliance.
[0020] The user only needs to decide whether the time for the commissioning operation process is currently convenient for him or whether he would like to carry it out at a later date.
[0021] It is a design that, if no commissioning procedure has yet been carried out, the household appliance queries whether a commissioning procedure should be carried out. If this is answered positively by a user, the household appliance first issues instructions to the user regarding the preparation and / or implementation of the commissioning procedure and then - in particular after a positive response to a query from the household appliance as to whether the instructions have been read / followed - the commissioning procedure is carried out. This ensures that the commissioning procedure is carried out correctly in a particularly reliable manner. Possible instructions can, for example, concern (e.g., that information is provided, queried and / or instructed) that
[0022] - Odors may occur;
[0023] - windows should be opened;
[0024] - transport fastenings, including adhesive strips, stickers, protective films and plastic covers, should be removed;
[0025] - Styrofoam or other plastic residues should be removed, e.g. by wiping with a damp cloth;
[0026] - accessories such as oven drawers, baking trays, grilles, etc. should be brought into the cooking chamber or should be removed from it in whole or in part;
[0027] - the kitchen or similar should be left during the commissioning process,
[0028] - the household appliance should be cleaned after the commissioning procedure, etc. The instructions can be displayed, for example, on a display of the household appliance, in an app (e.g. "Home Connect") of a mobile user device, etc.
[0029] It is designed so that if no basic settings have been made on the household appliance and the commissioning procedure has not yet been performed, the user is first offered the option to make the basic settings and then to perform the commissioning procedure. This offers the advantage that basic settings that do not involve residue removal, such as setting a clock and / or other user-specific presets, can be performed first, which supports user intuition and improves the user experience.
[0030] Offering the option to first make the basic settings and then offering to perform the commissioning procedure may imply that the basic settings must be set before the commissioning procedure, or alternatively, that they can be set before the commissioning procedure but do not need to be set. Offering to perform the commissioning procedure may involve navigating through a basic settings menu at a user interface. One embodiment includes displaying the previous duration and / or the remaining duration of the commissioning procedure when the commissioning procedure is performed, for example, on a display of the household appliance, in an app (e.g., "Home Connect") of a mobile user device, etc.This has the advantage that the user is informed about the timeframe of the commissioning process, which increases user satisfaction.
[0031] One feature is that the operation of the household appliance remains locked in at least one predefined operating setting until the commissioning process has been completed. This has the advantage of preventing a prematurely aborted commissioning process (e.g., due to a power outage, radiator failure, etc.), during which not all manufacturing residues have been removed, from being followed by a "normal" user-configurable operating process, during which the remaining manufacturing residues negatively impact the result of the operating process.
[0032] The object is also achieved by an electrically operated household appliance having a control device, wherein the household appliance, in particular the control device, is designed to check whether a commissioning operating sequence specified for commissioning the household appliance has been carried out, and if this is not the case, to block operation of the household appliance in at least one specified operating setting, otherwise to enable operation in this at least one operating setting.
[0033] The household appliance can be designed analogously to the process, and vice versa, and has the same advantages.
[0034] In one embodiment, the household appliance has a non-volatile data memory and the household appliance, in particular its control device, is set up to write corresponding information into the non-volatile data memory once the commissioning sequence has been carried out. This advantageously makes it possible to track whether a commissioning sequence has already been carried out for the household appliance even after the household appliance has been switched off and disconnected from the power supply. The non-volatile data memory can be an EEPROM, for example. Writing the information into the non-volatile data memory can include setting a flag. In a further development, the information can only be written or written into the non-volatile data memory once the commissioning sequence has been fully carried out.
[0035] In a further development, the electrically operated household appliance comprises at least one electrically operated heating element, e.g., an electric resistance heater. In a further development, the at least one operating setting blocked prior to the commissioning operating sequence includes the activation of the at least one electrically operated heating element.
[0036] It is a further development that the electrically operated household appliance has at least one pumping device, e.g., a water pump. It is a further development that the at least one operating setting blocked before the commissioning operating sequence is carried out includes the activation of the at least one pumping device.
[0037] In one embodiment, the household appliance is a domestic cooking appliance. The invention is particularly advantageous for this purpose, since the effects of the presence of manufacturing residues are particularly noticeable to a user, particularly due to the odor emitted.
[0038] It is an embodiment that the household appliance is an oven and the at least one predetermined operating setting comprises a setting of at least one heating mode (e.g. setting of a top heat, bottom heat, grill, hot air mode, etc.).
[0039] However, the electrically operated household appliance is not limited to this, but may also include, for example, a hob, a microwave oven, a steam treatment appliance (e.g., a steam treatment drawer) or any combination thereof, e.g., an oven or a stove with microwave and / or steam treatment function.
[0040] In addition, the electrically operated household appliance is not limited to household cooking appliances, but can generally include large household appliances (e.g. dishwashers, laundry care appliances such as washing machines and / or tumble dryers, cooling appliances such as refrigerators and / or freezers, etc.) and / or small household appliances (e.g. fully automatic coffee machines, espresso machines, milk frothers, juicers, toasters, etc.).
[0041] For an oven, carrying out the commissioning sequence can, for example, include heating the cooking chamber to a specific cooking chamber temperature (e.g. between 160 °C and 240 °C) using a specific heating element operating mode (e.g. combined top / bottom heat; grill; hot air, etc.). For a dishwasher and a washing machine, carrying out the commissioning sequence can include running a rinsing program (e.g. for pots) or a washing program (e.g. hot wash at 90 °C) with or without the addition of detergent. For a fully automatic coffee machine or an espresso machine, carrying out the commissioning sequence can, for example, include rinsing the liquid lines one or more times, with or without the addition of detergent.
[0042] The above-described properties, features and advantages of this invention, as well as the manner in which they are achieved, will become clearer and more readily understood in connection with the following schematic description of an embodiment, which is explained in more detail in connection with the drawing.
[0043] Fig.1 shows method steps of a possible method for commissioning a household appliance in the form of an oven 1 with a control device 2, which has a non-volatile data memory 3, and with a user interface 4, which comprises a display 5, e.g. a touch-sensitive screen ("touchscreen").
[0044] In a first step S1, the oven 1 is switched on for the first time. Operation of the oven 1 that involves activating any heating element of the oven 1, such as a top heat, bottom heat, grill, and / or hot air (ring) heater, is blocked. Permitted may be, for example, a demo mode for demonstrating the appliance and / or operation of the oven 1 that does not involve activating any heating element.
[0045] In a second step S2, a basic settings menu is run through via the user interface 4 and / or remotely via a mobile user device configured accordingly using a so-called app, e.g., for setting the clock and other user-specific presets. Subsequently, in a third step S3, the oven 1, in particular the control device 2, checks whether a commissioning sequence specified for commissioning the oven in the form of a first bake-out operation has been carried out or not. This can be implemented, for example, by checking whether a specific flag is set in the non-volatile data memory 3 that is not set ex works and thus typically also not set upon initial power-up. If the flag is not set, this is interpreted to mean that no bake-out operation has yet been carried out.
[0046] If the flag is not set ("N"), in step S4, the oven 1 proposes performing the first baking operation via its user interface 4. If this is confirmed by a user ("Y"), for example, by pressing a corresponding activation field, the process proceeds to step S5.
[0047] In step S5, the oven 1 issues instructions to the user via the user interface 4 regarding the preparation and / or execution of the first baking operation, in particular until the user actively confirms that the instructions have been read.
[0048] In a step S6, the oven 1 subsequently performs the first baking operation by means of the control device 2. For this purpose, the operating settings for the first baking operation are stored in the oven, in particular in the non-volatile data memory 3, so that the user does not need to make any settings themselves. Optionally, the duration of this baking operation and / or its remaining duration can be displayed to the user on the display 5 and / or the mobile user device. The baking operation can, for example, comprise operating the oven in grill mode at a cooking chamber temperature of 220°C, operating it with combined top / bottom heat at 240°C for one hour, etc.
[0049] In step S7, a check is made to determine whether the first baking operation has been completed. If this is the case ("Y"), the flag is set in step S8 and the oven proceeds to step S9. Otherwise, if the flag is set ("N"), the oven proceeds to step S9 without setting the flag. Setting the flag in step S8 corresponds to enabling all operating settings for use by a user. In step S9, the control device 2 checks whether the flag is set. If this is the case ("Y"), the oven proceeds to normal operation of the oven 1 in step S10, in which the oven 1 can be operated with all operating settings.
[0050] However, if this is not the case ("N"), the oven 1 is operated in step S11, in which the previously locked operating settings remain locked for use by a user. If the user wishes to perform the initial baking while the oven 1 is still switched on, they can, for example, access the corresponding menu item via the user interface, so that step S4 is then performed again, as indicated by the dashed arrow.
[0051] If oven 1 is turned off and then turned on again, the above process steps are repeated at least from step S3 (optionally also from step S2 if not all basic settings have been made yet). If the flag is set ("Y"), the program branches directly to step S10. If the flag is not set ("N"), the program branches to step S4 as before.
[0052] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment shown.
[0053] In general, "a", "an", etc., can be understood as a singular or a plural, in particular in the sense of "at least one" or "one or more", etc., unless this is explicitly excluded, e.g. by the expression "exactly one", etc.
[0054] A numerical specification may also include the exact number specified as well as a usual tolerance range, as long as this is not explicitly excluded.
[0055] 1 oven
[0056] 2 Control device 3 Non-volatile data memory
[0057] 4 User interface
[0058] 5 Display
[0059] S1-S11 Process steps
Claims
Patent claims Method (S1-S11) for putting a household appliance (1) into operation, wherein - the household appliance (1) checks whether a commissioning operating procedure (S6) specified for commissioning the household appliance (1) has been carried out (S9), and - if this is not the case, operation of the household appliance (1) remains blocked in at least one predefined operating setting (S11), otherwise operation in this at least one operating setting is enabled (S8-S10). Method (S1-S11) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one predefined operating setting - a setting of at least one operating mode, - a setting of at least one operating parameter and / or - includes setting an operating program. Method (S1-S11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, if no commissioning operation sequence (S6) has yet been carried out, the household appliance (1) queries whether a commissioning operation sequence should be carried out (S4), and if this is answered positively, the household appliance (1) first issues instructions to the user for preparing and / or carrying out the commissioning operation sequence (S5) and subsequently carries out the commissioning operation sequence (S6). Method (S1-S11) according to claim 3, wherein, if no basic settings have yet been made on the household appliance (1) and the commissioning operation sequence has not yet been carried out, the possibility of making the basic settings is first offered (S2), and then the commissioning operation sequence is offered (S4).
5. Method (S1-S11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein, when performing the commissioning operation sequence, the duration to date and / or the remaining duration of the commissioning operation sequence is displayed (S6).
6. Method (S1-S11) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operation of the household appliance (1) remains locked in the at least one predetermined operating setting (S10) until the commissioning operating sequence (S6) has been completed once.
7. Electrically operated household appliance (1) comprising a control device (2), wherein - the household appliance (1), in particular the control unit (2), is designed to check whether a start-up operating procedure specified for putting the household appliance (1) into operation has been carried out, and - if this is not the case, keeps the operation of the household appliance (1) locked in at least one specified operating setting, otherwise unlocks the operation in at least one operating setting.
8. Electrically operated household appliance (1) according to claim 7, comprising a non-volatile data storage device (3), wherein the household appliance (1), in particular the control unit (2), is configured to write corresponding information into the non-volatile data storage device (3) when the commissioning operating sequence has been carried out.
9. Electrically operated household appliance (1) according to one of claims 7 to 8, wherein the household appliance (1) is a household cooking appliance.
10. Electrically operated household appliance (1) according to claim 9, wherein the household appliance (1) is an oven and the at least one predetermined operating setting comprises a setting of at least one heating mode.
11. Electrically operated household appliance (1) according to one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the household appliance (1) is a small household appliance.