Cooking hob and method for assembling a cooking hob

Abstract

A cooking hob with a hob plate, several heating devices below the hob plate and being arranged on a support plate such that the heating devices are arranged between the hob plate and the support plate has latching hooks projecting from an upper side of the support plate, to which latching hooks the heating devices are fastened. At least two latching openings are provided on each heating device, namely one latching opening per latching hook. The latching hooks and the latching openings are designed in such a way that, when the heating device is arranged on the support plate and a latching connection is produced, each latching hook engages in the corresponding latching opening as a positive latching connection. The latching hooks can be punched and bent out of a metallic support plate. The latching openings can be provided on latching tabs protruding from a lateral side of the heating device.

Description

Technical Field and prior art

[0001] The invention is directed to a cooking hob, said cooking hob having a hob plate, at least one heating device below the hob plate and a support plate. The heating device is arranged between the hob plate and the support plate. The invention is also directed to a method for assembling such a cooking hob, in particular with fixing the heating device to the support plate.

[0002] A corresponding hob is known from DE 102 06 062 A1. In this case, the heating devices in the form of induction heating coils are fastened to different holes in the support plate, for example by being screwed to it. The holes are arranged in specific hole patterns. Alternatively, slots may be provided for fastening the induction heating coils to the support plate. A positioning of the heating devices which is variable but also accurately predeterminable may be implemented by means of using some of the different holes or slots.Summary of the Invention

[0003] It is the object of the invention to provide a cooking hob and a method for assembling such a cooking hob with which problems of the prior art can be avoided and in particular the cooking hob can be easily manufactured in smart manner and in brief time.

[0004] This object is solved by a cooking hob with the features of claim 1 and by a method for assembling such a cooking hob with the features of claim 15. Advantageous and preferred configurations of the invention are the subject of the further claims and are explained in more detail below. Some of the features may be described only with regard to the cooking hob or with regard to the method. However, independent and regardless of this, they are intended to be able to apply by themselves for the cooking hob and for the method for assembling such a cooking hob independently of one another. The wording of the claims is made to the content of the description by means of express references.

[0005] The cooking hob as named above has a hob plate, a support plate at some distance beneath the hob plate and at least one heating device or several heating devices being arranged between the hob plate and the support plate. The support plate can be a separate part or a casing base of a conventional casing for the hob. A latching connection is provided for fixing or fastening the at least one heating device on the support plate, preferably all the heating devices in the same manner. For this latching connection, at least two latching hooks project from an upper side of the support plate on which this at least one heating device is arranged, wherein in particular no part of this latching connection projects underneath the plane of the underside of the support plate. This heating device is fastened to these at least two latching hooks, wherein preferably one heating device is fastened to exactly two latching hooks. For any further heating device on the support plate, further latching hooks are provided or, preferably, corresponding pairs of latching hooks. The at least one heating device has two latching openings, which means that one latching opening is provided per latching hook. Preferably, the heating device has exactly one latching tab for each one latching opening, wherein the latching tabs are protruding laterally from the heating device, in particular in a horizontal direction. The latching hooks and the latching openings are designed in such a way that, when the heating device is arranged on the support plate or laid onto the support plate for providing the latching connection, each latching hook engages in the corresponding latching opening. In this way, each latching hook is fastening the heating device via the latching opening in such a way that the mentioned latching connection is a positive latching connection. This positive latching connection serves against removal of the latching connection and its respective heating device from the latching hook, such that, as a result, the heating device is positively fastened on the support plate by means of this latching connection.

[0006] In this manner, the invention serves to provide a simple method to fasten a heating device onto the support plate in such a manner that its position is fixed and the heating device does not move, even before assembling the hob plate to the support plate with the at least one heating device placed thereon. The support plate with the at least one heating device, preferably with all the heating devices, forms a construction unit which again serves to be transported to a location where the hob plate is mounted on top, which is then the finishing step in assembling the cooking hob. In a preferred manner, no tools or screws or the like are needed to establish or produce the latching connection.

[0007] This latching connection may preferably be such that the latching hook has some degree of free movement relative to the latching tab, preferably in all directions parallel to the support plate. This free movement may for example be 1 mm to 5 mm or even 10 mm, depending on the size of the latching opening and its geometry, in particular.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching hooks are rigid and immovable. This at least means that they can only be moved or changed in their form by applying excessive force which is absolutely not normal during regular assembly of the cooking hob or its regular use. This serves for a solid and safe fixing of the heating device in the defined position, at least until the hob plate has been placed above it. In this final assembly state, the heating device will not move any more.

[0009] In a first embodiment of the invention, the latching hooks might be formed as an integral part of the support plate, for example by being manufactured integrally and in one piece with the support plate. In one possible manner, the support plate is made from thin metal sheet, for example with a thickness between 0.5 mm and 2 mm. The latching hooks may then be manufactured by punching in with a respective shape into the thin metal sheet and bending the latching hook out of the support plate, wherein this bending preferably is about 90°. This is a very simple process in manufacturing the latching hooks.

[0010] In a second embodiment of the invention, the latching hooks are produced as separate parts and are then fixed to the support plate, preferably in solid and immovable manner. One possible fixing method can be riveting or screwing the latching hooks to the support plate, an alternative might be gluing. A further alternative could be inserting the latching hooks, possibly even with a latching means, into a respective opening in the support plate.

[0011] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the latching openings or any latching tabs or the like, in which these latching openings are provided, are designed to be movable or flexible or elastic, respectively. This may in particular serve to easily produce the latching connection, where for establishing a positive latching connection either the latching hooks or the latching tabs and the latching openings, respectively, must be movable. This movability or flexibility can be achieved by a corresponding material for the latching tab or any other part, in which the latching opening is provided.

[0012] In an alternative and preferred embodiment, the part or component whereon the latching opening is provided or having said latching opening is rigid and not flexible or elastic, respectively. In this way, no specific material is needed, but preferably this could be a latching tab made from electrically isolating material such as mica with a thickness of 2 mm to 3mm. This is rather rigid and may only bend for about 2° to 5°. Furthermore, the heating device is even more solid and robust. In this way, as will be explained later on, a position of the heating device on the support plate must be changeable, for example by providing the heating device with some flexibility or elasticity on the support plate such that it can be pressed down and be moved towards the support plate for some distance, which allows the latching hook to engage in the latching connection or latching opening, respectively. One simple embodiment can be provided with elastic spring means on the underside of the heating device with which it is laid or placed onto the support plate, preferably with coil springs.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a latching movement for producing or establishing the latching connection is mainly or substantially, in particular only and exactly, parallel to the support plate. This means that the above-mentioned movability or elastic flexibility of the latching openings or any latching tab having a latching opening has a movement component in a direction perpendicular to the support plate. In this embodiment, it may be provided that the heating device with the latching openings or respective latching tabs is moved parallel to the support plate, wherein for establishing the latching connection, the latching opening or tab is bent downwards when coming into contact with the latching hook. This bending downwards is the previously mentioned movement component in the direction perpendicular to the support plate. An angle for this movability or elastic flexibility of the latching tab may be between 1° and 60°, preferably between 5° and 30°, to the support plate. This is one embodiment of the invention, wherein the latching openings or their latching tabs, respectively, are elastic and can be flexed or bent.

[0014] In another embodiment of the invention, the latching openings are non-flexible or rigid, respectively, as well as any latching tabs that they are formed on, as described above. In this case, a heating device is supported in a flexible or spring-movable manner on the support plate such that the heating device can be pressed against the underside of the hob plate in a flexible way. This also allows the heating device to be pressed against the support plate so far that a plane of the latching opening is lower than the plane in which it is after the latching connection has been produced. This means that for establishing the latching connection, the heating device is pressed down against or towards the support plate such that the latching opening can move under the latching hook or a latching hook point by moving the whole heating device in parallel to the support plate. Then the force pressing down the heating device can be removed or stopped such that the heating device is elastically pressed upwards by any spring means or the like, which leads to the latching connection being finished or produced, respectively, by the latching hook point entering the latching opening. In this case, a latching movement also comprises a component parallel to the support plate, but also a component perpendicular to the support plate. This second embodiment has the advantage that in many cases, a spring load on the heating device for pressing against the underside of the hob plate is provided in any way, and the latching opening or its latching tab, respectively, can be easily manufactured and mounted in a rigid manner to the heating device.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching openings may be provided in equally distributed manner on the heating device. It is preferred to have two separate latching openings for two latching connections per each heating device, which is regarded as sufficient to guarantee for a fixed and safe positioning of the heating device, at least until final assembly together with the hob plate to form the cooking hob. It is preferred to provide the two latching openings and respective latching tabs opposite each other on the heating device for an equally distributed holding function.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching hooks may be formed with a base portion projecting upwardly or vertically from the support plate. This base portion merges into a retaining portion that can project at an angle from the base portion, in particular at right angles. This means that the retaining portion may be about parallel to the support plate. At the end of the retaining portion, a latching hook part or hook point may project downwardly from the retaining portion, which means projecting in a direction towards the support plate. This latching hook point then engages in the latching opening of the respective latching tab on the heating device. This is a conventional embodiment of such a latching hook, and can be easily formed and used. The lateral side of the latching hook part may be oblique at its underside for an easier manufacturing of the latching connection, which is but also known in the art.

[0017] If the latching hooks are made from thin material, in particular by punching and bending out of a metallic sheet of the support plate as mentioned before, they are provided with a length or longitudinal direction. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these longitudinal directions of the latching hooks for one heating device can be or point, respectively, in directions being parallel to one another. This should allow for the possibility to establish both latching connections for both latching hooks in one single latching movement. In a first option, the latching movement is a straight movement and both latching connections are established simultaneously. Preferably, the two latching hooks would be pointing in the same direction. In a second option, the two latching hooks are pointing in opposite directions such that a heating device can be placed between them and be rotated, preferably about its center point, such that both latching connections are established simultaneously. This has the advantage that the space needed for placing the heating device onto the support plate and moving it into a final position with the latching connections being established would be minimized.

[0018] As mentioned before, it is preferred to provide the latching openings at the heating device on or in a latching tab, wherein each latching opening has its own latching tab such that each one latching tab has exactly one latching opening. The latching tabs should project laterally from the respective heating device to have the latching connection outside the heating device. In conventional heating devices such as radiant heaters or induction heating coils for cooking hobs, there is rarely sufficient space inside the heating devices for the latching hooks to intrude. For this reason, the latching tabs or similar parts are provided bearing the latching openings, projecting laterally from the heating device. This also serves to have the latching openings outside the cross-section of this heating device as well as of any other heating device of the cooking hob. The latching tabs may project for about 2 cm to 4 cm from the heating device.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, the latching openings or their latching tabs, respectively, can be integrally formed on a component of the heating device such that when the heating device has a carrier or other structural part being made from metal or plastic material, respectively, it can already have a protruding part serving as the latching tab. This may in particular be a holder for an induction heating coil, wherein the holder carries the coil windings and / or has ferrites placed on its underside underneath the coil windings. Such a holder is made from plastic material, preferably by injection moulding, wherein latching tabs may easily be integrally formed or moulded to the holder. If such a holder or support would be made from metal, for example sheet metal, a latching tab can also be simply bent out to project in lateral direction.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a latching tab with the latching opening on it can be formed on a separate part, which separate part will then be separately attached to the heating device. This separate part may also be made of electrically and thermally insulating material such as mica or the like. It could be a projecting part from sheets or disks made out of such material, for example mica, on which coil windings of an induction heating coil are placed. Such latching tabs may also be formed as separate parts of mica and be fixed to the heating device, for example by gluing, riveting or any other reliable fixing method.

[0021] These and further features may be gathered from the claims and also from the description and the drawings, with the individual features being capable of being implemented in each case by themselves or severally in the form of sub-combinations in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields and being capable of constituting advantageous and independently patentable versions for which protection is claimed here. The subdivision of the application into individual sections and intermediate headings does not restrict the general validity of the statements made under these.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Fig. 1a side view onto a cooking hob according to the invention with heating devices placed on a support plate and pressed against the underside of a hob plate, Fig. 2a latching hook on the support plate in a side view, Fig. 3a top view onto the latching hook of Fig. 2, Fig. 4an oblique view onto a part of a heating device with a latching tab having a latching opening, Fig. 5a top view onto the whole heating device of Fig. 4 with latching tabs at opposing corner regions, Fig. 6alternatives of producing the latching connection where the heating device is either moved linearly or rotated, where the latching tab is close to the latching hook, Fig. 7a top view onto a configuration where a heating device with a latching tab according to Fig. 5 is placed onto the support plate with the latching hook according to Fig. 2 at small distance, Fig. 8the configuration of Fig. 7 with the heating device pressed towards the support plate for the latching tab to fit underneath a hook point of the latching hook, Fig. 9the next step after Fig. 8 where the heating device and the latching tab have been moved linearly to the left for the latching tab to be underneath the hook point, and Fig. 10the next step after Fig. 9 where the force pressing the heating device against the support plate has stopped and the hook point of the latching hook protrudes into the latching opening in the latching tab, Fig. 11an oblique view onto the configuration of Fig. 10. Detailed description of the embodiments

[0023] The side view or sectional view of Fig. 1 shows that a cooking hob 11 according to the invention has a hob plate 12 with a top side 13 and an underside 14. The cooking hob 11 has a hob casing 16 which can be fixed in known manner to the underside 14 of the hob plate 12. The cooking hob 11 has an operating control 18 being fixed to the underside 14 of the hob plate 12.

[0024] A support plate 20 is provided, preferably carried by spacers not shown in the hob casing 16, wherein preferably the support plate 20 is the casing base of the hob casing 12. In alternative embodiments, the support plate could be a separate part arranged in the hob casing 12. The support plate 20 carries two heating devices 22a and 22b, preferably even more heating devices not shown here, which are fixed in exactly the same manner.

[0025] Two latching hooks 34a and 34'a are provided for the heating device 22a, which is affixed to them. In similar manner, two latching hooks 34b and 34'b are provided at the support plate 20 for the heating device 22b. By the support springs 28 of Fig. 7, the heating devices 22a and 22b are pressed against the underside 14 of the hob plate 12. This is the main fixing mechanism for the heating devices 22. The latching hooks 34 mainly serve to hold the heating devices 22 in place on the support plate 20 until the hob plate 12 has been mounted on top. Even in the fully assembled state of Fig. 1, the latching hooks 34 provide an additional fixing in the correct position for the heating devices 22.

[0026] Fig. 2 shows a latching hook 34 in the side view, which is shown in Fig. 3 from above. The latching hook 34 is produced by punching its form out of a support plate 20 made of thin sheet metal, for example 1mm to 2 mm thick. The resulting punching hole 33 may be rectangular, alternatively may be just a cutout corresponding to the form of the latching hook 34 according to Fig. 2. The latching hook 34 has a base portion 35 being directly bent out at right angles from the support plate 20 to protrude upwards. The base portion 35 merges into a retaining portion 37 being roughly parallel to the support plate 20 itself or horizontal, respectively. At the right free end of the retaining portion 37, a hook part 39 with a hook point 40 is formed, where the hook point 40 projects downwards somewhat over the lower edge of the retaining portion 37, for example 2mm to 4mm. Such a latching hook 34 is basically known in the art and is easy to manufacture. Its stability may depend on the width of the base portion 35 and the thickness of the sheet metal of the support plate 20. In alternative embodiments of the invention, such a latching hook 34 can be produced separately and fixed to the top side of the support plate 20, for example by riveting, screwing or welding. All the while, the process of punching out and bending to have an integrated latching hook 34 is preferred.

[0027] Fig. 4 shows an enlarged oblique view onto a heating device 22 with a protruding latching tab 30. This latching tab 30 projects for about 2 cm to 5 cm from the outer edge or vertical projection of the heating device 22 and its lateral side. It may have a substantially rectangular form, at least with its protruding part. The latching tab 30 has a latching opening 31 provided in it, which may have any suitable shape. In this case, the latching opening 31 is substantially rectangular.

[0028] The top view onto the heating device 22 of Fig. 5 shows that it is basically of rectangular shape with cut-off corners. The shape of the heating device 22 can also be round or of another geometry, which is known in the art and easy to realize. At two opposing corner regions, the latching tabs 30 are provided protruding from the lateral sides. The latching tabs 30 themselves can be identical, which serves for easier manufacturing and less effort by a reduction of necessary components.

[0029] In Figs. 7 to 10 the method for producing the latching connection is shown, which also gives away some details of the construction of the heating device 22. On the support plate 20 the latching hook 34 of Fig. 2 is provided. A heating device 22 in a sectional view is placed behind the latching hook 34 and its hook part 39. The heating device 22 is an induction heating coil in this case. It has a top mica sheet 24a and a middle mica sheet 24b as is known in the art. Between the two mica sheets 24a and 24b, wire strands 26 being formed as a spiral are provided, which form the induction heating coil of the heating device 22 in a manner known in the art. A third base mica sheet 24c is provided underneath, which can also be replaced by a sheet of plastic material. It may serve to hold ferrite parts underneath the induction heating coil.

[0030] On the underside of the heating device 22 and the base mica sheet 24c, a support spring 28 is provided. This serves to press the heating device 22 upwards against the support plate 20 for being pressed against the underside of a hob plate of a cooking hob. This is known in the art.

[0031] The latching tab 30 is provided and fixed between the middle mica sheet 24b and the base mica sheet 24c, for example by gluing or, alternatively, by a positive mechanical connection with projections and cutouts, respectively. As a result, the latching tab 30 is fixed to the heating device 22 in vertical and horizontal direction. The latching tab 30 in this case is made from electrical insulating material, preferably also from mica, alternatively from a plastic material. It can be taken from Fig. 7 that, when the support spring 28 is not compressed or only slightly by the weight of the heating device 22 itself, the latching tab 30 is above the lower end of the hook point 40 of the latching hook 34 and even above a lower edge of the retaining portion 37. To move the latching tab 30 underneath the hook part 39 or the hook point 40, respectively, it needs to be moved downwards. This can be made by pressing the heating device 22 against the support spring 28, which is shown by the thick arrow, resulting in the configuration of Fig. 8. This pressing down can be made manually when manufacturing a cooking hob or at least when assembling a constructional unit by fixing the heating device 22 to the support plate 20.

[0032] In the configuration of Fig. 8, the latching tab 30 is lower than the hook point 40 of the hook part 39 as can be taken from the dashed line. Then the heating device 22 with the latching tab 30 can be moved sideways relative to the latching hook 34, resulting in the configuration of Fig. 9. The latching tab 30 and particularly its latching opening 31 are situated underneath the hook point 40 of the hook part 39.

[0033] In a next step, as can be taken from Fig. 10, the force pressing the heating device 22 downwards has stopped, such that the support spring 28 or several support springs can push the heating device 22 upwards and away from the support plate 20. By this movement upwards, the hook part 39 with its hook point 40 moves into the latching opening 31 in the latching tab 30. Even when comparing the dimensions of the latching hook 34 of Fig. 2 with the size of the latching opening 31 in the latching tab 30 of Fig. 4 it is obvious that there is still some freedom of movement. If such should not be wished for, the latching opening 31 can be made smaller for a more specific positioning of the latching tab 30 relative to the latching hook 34.

[0034] As an alternative to such a pressing down the heating device for moving the latching tab 30 underneath the latching hook 34, the latching tab can be made in an elastic manner. Together with the oblique part at the underside of the hook part 39 facing down and to the right, by moving the latching tab 30 against the latching hook 34 it might be bent downwards automatically. As soon as the hook part 39 with its hook point 40 moves into the latching opening of the latching tab 30, this can bend upwards again into its original shape or at least close to the original shape.

[0035] The Figs. 7 to 10 serve to schematically show how a latching connection can be produced. When looking at Fig. 7, it can be seen that the longitudinal direction of the latching hook can in most cases not go through a center region of the heating device 22.

[0036] An alternative to such a linear movement or movement in one direction is shown in Fig. 6 by the arrow in dashed lines, where the latching tab 30 is also provided at a side of the latching hook 34 in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the latching hook 34. In such a case the heating device 22 would be placed right between two opposing latching hooks 34, one latching hook as shown in Fig. 6 being to the left side of the latching tab 30, the other on the opposite side being on the right side. Then the heating device 22 would be rotated clock-wise for producing the latching connections, preferably again with being pressed down according to Figs. 7 to 10. The rotation can basically also be counter clock-wise. In this way the heating device needs not to be fully moved along the support plate, resulting in less space needed for this process. With a movement according to the arrow in continuous lines, both latching hooks 34 would, according to Fig. 5, point in the same direction. The movement for producing the latching connection would be a linear movement.

[0037] Fig. 10 shows in an oblique view the final latching connection as in Fig. 10. It can be taken that the induction heating coil of the heating device 22 is provided with three mica sheets 24a to 24c, each at some distance to each other. The latching tab 30 is provided between the mica sheets 24b and 24c, for example glued to the underside of the middle mica sheet 24b. The latching hook 34 reaches into the latching opening 31 with the lower part of the hook part 39 and of course the hook point 40. This latching connection is such that the latching hook 34 has some degree of free movement relative to the latching tab 30. This free movement may for example be 1 mm to 10 mm, depending on the size of the latching opening 31 and its geometry, in particular. This serves for a reduced need of accurate manufacturing while at the same time the position of the heating device 22 on the support plate 20 still is as defined. The force from the support springs 28 presses the latching tab 30 against the latching hook 34, which reduces a free movement of the heating device 22 on the support plate 20.

Claims

1. Cooking hob with: - a hob plate, - at least one heating device below the hob plate, - a support plate on which the heating device is arranged in such a way that the heating device is arranged between the hob plate and the support plate, characterized in that: - at least two latching hooks project from an upper side of the support plate on which the heating device is arranged, to which latching hooks this heating device is fastened, - at least two latching openings are provided on the heating device, namely one latching opening per latching hook, - the latching hooks and the latching openings are designed in such a way that, when the heating device is arranged on the support plate and a latching connection is produced, each latching hook engages in the corresponding latching opening for fastening in such a way that a positive latching connection is provided against removal of the latching opening and the heating device from the latching hook for positive fastening of the heating device on the support plate by means of the latching connection.

2. Cooking hob according to claim 1, characterized in that the latching hooks are rigid and immovable, preferably as integral functional parts.

3. Cooking hob according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the latching openings are designed to be movable or elastically flexible.

4. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a latching movement for producing the latching connection is parallel to the support plate, so that a movability or elastic flexibility of the latching openings has a movement component in the direction perpendicular to the support plate, wherein preferably a movability or elastic flexibility is at an angle between 1° and 60°, preferably between 5° and 30°, to the support plate.

5. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching openings are provided equally distributed on the heating device, preferably at least one heating device having two latching openings arranged opposite each other.

6. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching hooks are formed with a base portion projecting upwardly from the support plate and then with a retaining portion projecting at an angle from the base portion, in particular are formed projecting at right angles, wherein preferably a latching hook point projects downwardly from the retaining portion towards the support plate for engagement in the latching opening on the heating device.

7. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching hooks are an integral part of the support plate, in particular are manufactured integrally and in one piece therewith, preferably the support plate being a thin metal sheet and the latching hooks being manufactured by punching and bending out of the support plate, in particular bending out by 90°.

8. Cooking hob according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the latching hooks are produced as separate parts and are fixed to the support plate, preferably glued or riveted to the support plate.

9. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching hooks for one heating device point in directions parallel to one another, preferably with the two latching hooks pointing in opposite directions.

10. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each latching opening for the latching hooks on the at least one heating device is formed on a latching tab projecting laterally from the respective heating device, the latching openings preferably lying outside the projection of the respective heating device onto the support plate, wherein in particular the latching tabs are flexible or rigid parts.

11. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching openings, in particular on the latching tabs according to claim 10, are integrally formed and integrally moulded on a component of the heating device, wherein in particular the at least one heating device comprises an induction heating coil and comprises a holder for the induction heating coil and / or a holder for ferrites below the induction heating coil, wherein preferably the latching tabs are integrally and moulded in one piece on the holder.

12. Cooking hob according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a latching tab with the latching opening are formed on a part being separately attached to the at least one heating device, preferably the part being made of plastic and having the latching opening as its sole function.

13. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching openings or the latching tabs according to claim 10 are electrically insulating, preferably formed of electrically insulating material.

14. Cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one heating device is arranged on the support plate in elastic manner in a direction away from the support plate in a spring manner or elastic manner and in a height-variable manner, wherein in particular a spring travel or movement path is at least 1 mm towards the support plate, preferably at least 3 mm.

15. Method for assembling a cooking hob according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that - in a preceding step, the support plate is provided with an upper side with the latching hooks facing upwards, - in a subsequent step, a heating device is brought to the support plate and in proximity to the latching hooks such that each latching opening of the heating device is in proximity to its associated latching hook, - wherein thereafter in a further step in a latching step the heating device is moved relative to the latching hooks in such a way that the latching hooks engage in the latching openings and establish the latching connection.

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