FLAME INDICATION SYSTEM FOR HYDROGEN COOKTOPS

Description

FLAME INDICATION SYSTEM FOR COOKTOPS HYDROGEN TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, and more specifically to domestic cooktops that use hydrogen or hydrogen mixtures as fuel, and to safety systems to improve their use. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Traditional gas cooktops, which use fuels such as natural gas, butane, or propane, produce a visible blue flame that allows users to clearly and immediately identify whether a burner is active. This visual feedback is an inherent safety feature. EP 1528326 B1 describes a gas cooktop with at least two gas burners, each with an associated flame monitoring sensor. In the event of an erroneous extinguishing of the flame of the associated gas burner, a main valve is closed. This main gas duct is divided into partial gas ducts leading to the gas burners, each of which has an adjustment element for regulating the gas flow rate. Furthermore, a display is configured so that, after the main valve closes, it displays the gas burner whose flame has been erroneously extinguished, regardless of the position of its adjustment element, and displays the gas burner whose flame has not been erroneously extinguished, until its adjustment element is in the closed position. With the transition to cleaner energy sources, hydrogen cooktops have emerged. However, an inherent characteristic of hydrogen combustion is that it produces a flame almost invisible to the human eye. This lack of visibility significantly increases the risk of accidental burns or of unknowingly leaving a burner on. Known solutions to this problem include visual indicators (e.g., LED lights) that signal burner activity. However, these systems rely exclusively on the home's main AC power supply. In the event of a power outage—whether due to a grid failure or exceeding the contracted power limit—these indicators stop working. This creates a high-risk situation where a hydrogen burner can remain active without the user receiving any visual or audible warning, negating the purpose of the safety system. Therefore, there is an unmet need for a reliable, continuous flame indication system for hydrogen cooktops that functions even during mains power outages. This deficiency becomes even more critical as safety regulations for household appliances become more stringent and consumers demand products with greater guarantees of reliability and intrinsic safety. The energy transition to hydrogen as a domestic fuel thus requires a reinvention of safety systems that goes beyond simply porting existing technologies. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hydrogen cooktop with an improved level of safety and functionality. First, the invention provides a cooktop comprising at least one burner, an indicator system, a connection to a main AC power supply (hereinafter referred to as alternating current), a backup DC power supply (hereinafter referred to as direct current), and a control system configured to automatically switch to the DC power supply in the event of an AC failure. The key advantage of this configuration is that it ensures uninterrupted safety by guaranteeing that the active burner indicator remains functional even during a power outage. To this end, it is specified that the indication system must include at least one visual indicator and, additionally, at least one audible indicator. The advantage of this combination is that it provides redundant, multisensory feedback, significantly increasing the likelihood that the user will perceive the alert and improving the device's accessibility. Furthermore, the invention specifies that the DC backup power supply comprises at least one rechargeable battery. The advantage of this feature is greater user convenience and sustainability, by eliminating the need to purchase and replace disposable batteries. To optimize the experience, it is claimed that the battery is rechargeable via a wireless charging system. This offers the advantage of extremely simple user interaction and an aesthetic improvement, allowing for a more airtight and easier-to-clean product design, without ports or physical access points. To ensure the reliability of this backup system, the invention further includes a status indicator to display the charge level of the DC power supply. This is a crucial advantage, as it guarantees the continuous availability of the safety function by informing the user when recharging is necessary. Expanding the scope of safety, the cooktop also includes a wireless communication module configured to send an alert to a remote device. The advantage of this feature is that it allows for remote monitoring, providing peace of mind to the user even when they are not near the cooktop. Specifically, it is claimed that this alert should be sent when the indicator system is powered by the DC backup power supply. The advantage of this condition is that the notification becomes contextual and intelligent, informing the user not only of an active burner, but also of the increased risk posed by an active burner during a power outage. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a hydrogen cooktop (1) schematically, illustrating the interconnection between the AC network (5), the AC / DC dual power system, the DC backup source (6), the burner control panel (2), and the indication (3) and communication (8) components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention proposes a hydrogen cooktop (1) equipped with an improved safety system. As shown in Figure 1, the cooktop comprises at least one hydrogen burner (2). The safety system comprises a main AC power supply (5) that is connected to the electrical network and is responsible for powering the cooktop components. It includes an AC power supply monitoring circuit. The safety system also includes a DC backup power supply (6). This supply may consist of one or more batteries, such as lithium-ion (Li-ion) or lithium-polymer (Li-Po) batteries, due to their high energy density and low memory effect. In a preferred configuration, these batteries (7) are rechargeable, either via a USB port or a wireless charging system, eliminating the need for the user to access the device for replacement. Other configurations may include standard replaceable batteries or even supercapacitors, which offer very long lifespans and extremely fast recharge capabilities, ideal for this critical backup function. The safety system also includes a control system, preferably implemented in a microcontroller (MCU) or programmable logic controller. This control system runs firmware that continuously monitors the voltage on the AC power line (5) via a voltage sensing circuit. During normal operation, the MCU powers the indicators from the AC mains. If the voltage sensing circuit reports a voltage drop below a predefined threshold (indicative of a mains failure), the MCU instantly activates a switch, such as a solid-state relay or electromechanical switch, to disconnect the AC line and connect the DC backup power source (6), thus ensuring uninterrupted operation of the indicators. It also features an indication system (3) located on the burner control panel. This may include visual indicators, such as LEDs on the control knobs or panel, which illuminate when a burner (2) is active, and / or audible indicators, such as a buzzer or speaker that emits a sound to alert the user to burner activity. The indication during a power failure may be the same as the normal indication or a specific warning signal (e.g., a flashing red light or an intermittent beep) to alert the user not only to burner (2) activity but also to the power outage. In addition, the system includes a battery status indicator (9) that can be visual or a notification to warn the user when the backup battery charge level is low, ensuring that the safety system is always ready to operate. In an advanced embodiment of the invention, the cooktop also features a wireless communication module (8) (e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) to send real-time alerts to remote devices such as smartphones or smart home assistants (e.g., Alexa). These alerts can contain detailed information, such as the identification of the specific burner that is active, the duration it has been on, the power status (operating on AC or backup DC), and the percentage charge level of the battery (9). Communication can be carried out using standard IoT (Internet of Things) protocols such as MQTT or via push notifications to a dedicated mobile application. This allows the user not only to be notified of an active burner even if they are not near the cooktop, but also to diagnose the situation remotely.

Claims

1. A gas cooktop (1) with at least one hydrogen component, comprising: at least one gas burner (2); an indication system (3) for indicating that said burner is active; and a connection to a main AC power supply (5) for powering the indication system (3), characterized in that it further comprises a backup DC power supply (6) and a control system configured to power the indication system (3) from the main power supply (5) during normal operation and, in the event of a detected failure in the main power supply, to automatically power the indication system (3) from the backup power supply (6).

2. The cooktop according to claim 1, characterized in that the indication system (3) comprises at least one visual indicator associated with the burner (2). 3.The cooktop according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the indication system (3) comprises at least one audible indicator.

4. The cooktop according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the backup power supply (6) comprises at least one rechargeable battery (7).

5. The cooktop according to claim 4, wherein the battery is rechargeable by means of a wireless charging system.

6. The cooktop according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a wireless communication module (8) configured to send an alert to a remote device when the burner is active.

7. The cooktop according to claim 6, wherein the alert is sent when the indication system (3) is being powered by the backup power supply (6). 8.The cooktop according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a status indicator (9) to show the load level of the backup power supply.

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