Operating device for an electrical appliance, and electrical appliance having an operating device of this kind

Abstract

An operating device for a hob comprises a main operating unit on the underside of the hob plate, said main operating unit being autonomous and independently functional. The operating device also comprises an additional operating unit with an additional component support and with other components thereon, said additional operating unit being independent of the main operating unit and separate in the form of an individual assembly. The additional operating unit has a removable rotary operating element on the hob plate and also means for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position of the rotary operating element, which are in particular arranged under the hob plate. In addition, it has a connecting cable for connection to an interface connection of the main operating unit so that it can issue operating commands thereto in order to operate the hob.

Description

[0001] Control device for an electrical appliance and electrical appliance with such a control device

[0002] Area of ​​application and state of the art

[0003] The invention relates to an operating device for an electrical appliance and to an electrical appliance provided with such an operating device, wherein the electrical appliance is advantageously a hob.

[0004] It is known from DE 198 33 983 A1, DE 296 05 163 U1, and DE 102 12 954 A1 to provide a rotatable control element for operating a hob as an electrical appliance. The control element rests on the hob plate in an operating area. Its rotation can be detected by a sensor device arranged underneath it. Additional operating functions can be provided by individual control elements, such as those known, for example, from EP 859 467 A1, DE 10 2015 203 209 A1, and DE 10 2015 214 008 A1 as capacitive touch switches.

[0005] Task and solution

[0006] The invention is based on the object of creating an operating device for an electrical device and an electrical device provided therewith, with which problems of the prior art can be solved and better operating options for an electrical device can be created while at the same time being practically suitable for assembly.

[0007] This object is achieved by an operating device having the features of claim 1 and by an electrical device having the features of claim 13. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the further claims and are explained in more detail below. Some of the features are described only for the operating device or only for the electrical device. However, they are intended to be able to apply independently and independently of one another to both such an operating device and such an electrical device. The wording of the claims is incorporated into the content of the description by express reference.

[0008] It is provided that the operating device has an operating surface that is arranged on an outer side of the electrical device or that forms an outer side of the electrical device. In particular, this operating surface is provided on an upper side of the electrical device, which faces upwards and is accessible from above, particularly advantageously in a front region of the electrical device. This makes the operating surface easily accessible for an operator. Furthermore, the operating device has a main operating unit that is arranged below the operating surface. This main operating unit has a circuit carrier, for example a conventional printed circuit board, on or on which operating elements, circuit components and a microcontroller as well as at least one interface connection are arranged. The operating elements can be designed as touch switches as mentioned above, for the operation of which an operator places their finger on the operating surface.Such operating elements can have an optical function, in particular as a reflex light barrier, or alternatively be designed as capacitive operating elements as described above. This main operating unit is arranged on the underside of the operating surface; preferably, it can partially rest against it or be arranged at a defined distance from it. This is particularly advantageous for the aforementioned operating elements. This main operating unit is preferably autonomous and independently functional in order to operate the electrical device and the functional units contained in the electrical device. Particularly preferably, the electrical device is designed and constructed in such a way that it can be operated with this main operating unit at least in basic functions or in standard functions. The aforementioned operating elements primarily serve this purpose.

[0009] According to the invention, the operating device for the electrical device also has an additional operating unit, which is designed independently of the main operating unit and is constructed separately as a separate structural unit. Thus, the main operating unit, on the one hand, and the additional operating unit, on the other, can be handled separately and installed separately in the electrical device. The additional operating unit can either be subsequently installed in the electrical device, advantageously even when the device is already in use by the customer. Alternatively, it can be installed during manufacture and assembly of the electrical device and is, in a sense, a functional addition to the electrical device or its operation, provided by the manufacturer. This eliminates the need to completely redesign the electrical device, and potentially also reduces the approval effort for the electrical device.Furthermore, the additional control unit can be designed entirely in addition to the main control unit, including its control elements. Alternatively, it can take over some or all of the functions of its control elements.

[0010] The additional control unit has an additional component carrier on which at least one holding magnet and other components are arranged. The holding magnet is advantageously connected to the additional component carrier by a fastening means or arranged thereon. Furthermore, it has a removable rotary control element that can be positioned on the control surface above the holding magnet. It can be rotatably held thereon by means of its own integrated centering magnet. Such a removable rotary control element for a rotary control is generally known from the prior art mentioned above. The additional control unit also has means for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position or rotational position of the rotary control element on the control surface. These means are naturally coordinated with the removable rotary control element; in principle, they can be designed as known from the prior art mentioned above.

[0011] The additional component carrier with the holding magnet and the other components on it is located beneath the control surface or on its underside, possibly pressed against it or arranged at a precisely defined distance. Spacers can preferably be provided for this purpose. Furthermore, the additional control unit has a connecting cable with which it can be connected to the interface port of the main control unit. Such a connection via a cable has the advantage that it can transmit both information and power, and after all, the additional control unit also requires power.

[0012] The invention therefore creates the possibility of providing an electrical device with additional or different operating functions that were previously unavailable. In addition or alternatively, while fundamentally maintaining the same range of functions, a different type of operation can be achieved, namely by means of the rotatable rotary operating element, which can be more convenient than, for example, the previously existing touch switches of the main operating unit. The additional operating unit can be smaller than the main operating unit and arranged next to it, which has the advantage that one connection is short and, for example, the aforementioned connecting cable can be kept short. Furthermore, an operating area can still be designed as a continuous one, but now somewhat larger due to the additional surface for operation by means of the additional operating unit, in particular for the rotary operating element that can be placed on the operating surface.

[0013] In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that means are arranged on or in the rotary control element for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position of the rotary control element on the control surface, which occurs around a rotation axis that runs vertically to the control surface. These detection means are advantageously arranged around the aforementioned centering magnet, particularly advantageously along a circle around it. This is particularly advantageous for detecting the aforementioned rotation or change in rotational position. Preferably, the aforementioned vertical axis of rotation can run through a center point of the rotary control element. In general, it can also be provided that the rotary control element is designed to be circularly symmetrical, which is advantageous for rotation. In an advantageous development of the aforementioned means for detecting a rotation and / or change in position, signal magnets, pieces of iron or the like can be arranged on or in the rotary control element.be provided as part of these means. They are arranged on a circular path around the centering magnet so that they all move exactly or approximately on this circular path. This circular path should run around the aforementioned vertical axis of rotation so that these parts are arranged in a circle around the axis of rotation and, when the rotary control element rotates, also move over points on this circle below the control surface. For this purpose, sensors for these detection means can generally be provided below the control surface. In the case of signal magnets or iron pieces in the rotary control element, these can be magnetic field sensors arranged on a circular path of the same diameter around the vertical axis of rotation or around the holding magnet on the additional component carrier.While the rotary control element can advantageously contain two to twenty or thirty signal magnets or iron pieces, one, two, or three such magnetic field sensors are advantageously arranged on the additional component carrier. These are more expensive and complex to install and connect, so the desired resolution accuracy for detecting rotation and / or position changes should be achieved via a correspondingly large number of signal magnets or iron pieces in the rotary control element.

[0014] As an alternative to a magnetic operating principle, an optical operating principle can also be used to detect rotation and / or position changes. For this purpose, retro-reflective photoelectric sensors can be provided underneath the operating surface and reflective surfaces on the underside of the rotary operating element.

[0015] In an embodiment of the invention, the additional control unit can have its own microcontroller, which advantageously serves to evaluate the means for detecting the rotation and / or position change. Corresponding information about this can be passed on to the main control unit, in particular via the aforementioned interface connection, in order to be able to control at least one functional unit of the electrical device. This has the advantage that this information is then passed on to the main control unit or its microcontroller in such a form that it understands as direct and explicit operating commands, for example, as input power levels for a heating device. The microcontroller of the main control unit therefore does not have to evaluate signals from the aforementioned magnetic field sensors or the like that have not been detected in order to determine specific operating commands based on further information about the design of the additional control unit.This further improves the simplicity of operation and also makes it possible to make as few changes as possible to the main control unit or its microcontroller. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the interface connection of the main control unit is designed as a bus. For example, it can be designed as a bus with which the main control unit is already connected to the electrical device or other control units of the electrical device. Alternatively, the interface connection on the main control unit can be provided entirely additionally and only designed for the possible later connection of an additional control unit. For example, the provision of this interface connection, advantageously as a plug connection, on the main control unit would be the only design and component change.The potentially unnecessary additional effort if no additional control unit is provided and is connected to the main control unit, for example because a simpler version of the electrical device is manufactured, is thus very limited or relatively low. This makes it justifiable even for series production of the main control unit and thus of the electrical device. In this case, it may also be possible for only the main control unit in an existing series of electrical devices to be modified by a design with such an additional interface connection, i.e. a slightly modified main control unit is provided as standard. This is not difficult in terms of design and modification effort. At the same time, a corresponding additional control unit can then be installed for certain series models during assembly of the electrical device, so that different series models with different features and functional scopes can be achieved.However, they can all be equipped with the same main control unit.

[0016] In principle, the additional control unit can be designed similarly to the main control unit, whereby the main control unit advantageously does not have such a rotary control element, but only so-called touch switches with corresponding touch sensors or control elements below the control surface, preferably capacitive or with light via reflex photoelectric sensors. For an entire electrical device, it can also be provided that some or all control elements and thus control functions are retained, in particular an on / off switch for the electrical device. Operation via the rotary control element on the additional control unit is then purely additional.

[0017] The additional control unit advantageously also has display options, in particular illuminated displays. These can shine through the control surface and be visible, especially if the latter is translucent or even transparent at least in some areas. For example, at least one LED can be arranged on or in the additional component carrier to provide such an illuminated display. Such display options using LEDs can be provided to a much greater extent on the additional control unit than on the main control unit, both in terms of the number of displays or LEDs and the display options that can be achieved thereby. In a further development of the invention, it can be provided that at least one light source or LED of the additional control unit is covered by the rotary control element placed on the control surface, i.e. is arranged underneath it.It can then shine through this rotary control element, making it visible on its top or lateral side. A light channel or fiber optic cable can be provided in the rotary control element for this purpose. This allows an illuminated display to be created without requiring its own power supply.

[0018] Alternatively or additionally, LEDs or light sources can be arranged on the additional component carrier next to or outside the area covered by the rotary control element and can shine through the control surface and be visible.

[0019] As a further option, at least one seven-segment display can be installed on the additional component carrier, preferably with LEDs as light sources. This should also be located next to the rotary control element and be visible from above through the control surface.

[0020] In a further embodiment, at least one further operating element on the additional component carrier for a touch switch can be a capacitive sensor element, as is known, for example, from the prior art mentioned at the beginning.

[0021] The additional control unit advantageously has at least one additional component carrier, particularly advantageously a single additional component carrier. It can be designed without a circuit breaker, power relay, or the like and can be designed and intended exclusively for control functions or operating functions.

[0022] The additional control unit can be smaller than the main control unit, particularly in terms of width and / or length, i.e., in terms of surface area. This can also be achieved, as previously mentioned, by essentially comprising only control elements and the rotary control element, including the means for detecting its rotation or position change.

[0023] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electrical appliance is a hob with a hob plate, in the front area of ​​which the operating surface is formed so that it can be operated here. The operating device is also arranged here. The heating method of the hob can basically be any; it can be electrically operated heating devices such as radiant heaters or induction heaters, or alternatively gas burners. These and other features emerge not only from the claims but also from the description and the drawings, wherein the individual features can be implemented individually or in combination in one embodiment of the invention and in other fields and can represent advantageous and individually protectable embodiments, for which protection is claimed here.The division of the application into subheadings and individual sections does not limit the general validity of the statements made under these headings.

[0024] Brief description of the drawings

[0025] Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a section through a hob according to the invention with an operating device according to the invention with a main operating unit and an additional operating unit,

[0027] Fig. 2 is a plan view of the hob shown in Fig. 1 and

[0028] Fig. 3 shows an enlarged section of Fig. 1 with more details.

[0029] Detailed description of the implementation examples

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a cooktop 11 according to the invention. The cooktop 11 has a cooktop plate 12 made of conventional glass ceramic, the cooktop plate 12 having a top side 13 and a bottom side 14. A housing tray 16 is fastened below the cooktop plate 12 or to its bottom side 14 in the usual way. Four induction heating coils 17a to 17d are arranged in this housing tray 16, as shown in Fig. 2 in plan view. Furthermore, the cooktop 11 has an operating device 19 according to the invention in an operating area 18. Part of this operating device 19 is a main operating unit 20, which is arranged or housed in a main housing 21 and is arranged together with the main housing in the housing tray 16. It can rest against the bottom side 14 of the cooktop plate 12, or at least parts of it can be pressed against it. Details will be explained later in connection with Fig. 3.

[0031] The main control unit 20 is connected by an interface cable 38 to an additional control unit 30, which is arranged in an additional housing 31. The main control unit 20 either has a power supply or converter for the induction heating coils 17a to 17d, or is at least connected to such a power supply, which is arranged in a separate housing or at least on a separate circuit board. The additional control unit 30 has a rotary knob 42, which is placed above it on the upper side 13 of the cooktop plate 12 and is held magnetically and by gravity. This can also be seen in Fig. 2. With the rotary knob 42, operating commands can be entered via the connection to the main control unit 20 using the interface cable 38, just as they would otherwise be entered directly on the main control unit 20.In particular, a power level for the operation of the induction heating coils 17a to 17d can be set by means of the rotary knob 42.

[0032] Fig. 3 shows the structure of the operating device 19 in the operating area 18 in more detail. The main operating unit 20 has a main circuit board 22 on which several different parts are arranged. A total of six capacitive operating elements 23 are arranged on the top left of the main circuit board 22 (see also the top view in Fig. 2). These can be operated in a known manner by placing a finger on the top side 13 of the hob plate 12 above it, so that the hob plate 12 clearly forms the operating surface described above.

[0033] To the right of the capacitive control elements 23 is a two-digit, seven-segment display 24, designed in a known manner. It can be used to display power levels, timer information, and the like.

[0034] A main controller 25, including an interface connector 26, is provided at the bottom of the main circuit board 22. Additional circuit components 27 may also be provided here, which serve to control the power supply of the induction heating coils 17a to 17d, possibly also for other functions.

[0035] In principle, the main control unit 20 can be designed to control all functions and functionalities of the cooktop 11 upon appropriate operation by an operator. Operating commands recognized by the capacitive control elements 23 are converted into corresponding operating operations.

[0036] Now, within the scope of the invention, it has been recognized as advantageous if either further operating functions or an additional operating option can be added to the hob 11, namely through the aforementioned rotary knob 42, which enables more intuitive operation similar to older hobs or stoves with mechanical rotary switches. To avoid having to build and, above all, approve a completely new main control unit 20, the aforementioned additional control unit 30 can be used. This additional control unit 30 has an additional circuit board 32 in an additional housing 31, which is also arranged beneath the hob plate 12 or is pressed onto its underside 14. The structure of the additional control unit 30 is fundamentally similar to that of the main control unit 20, except that it lacks some functionalities but instead has the rotary knob 42 and the necessary control.On the top side of the additional circuit board 32, four illuminable touch switches 34a to 34d are arranged around the rotary knob 42; see also the top view of Fig. 2. Such illuminable touch switches are known, for example, from DE 10 2015203 209 A1 and DE 10 2015 214 008 A1. An additional controller 35 is arranged on the underside of the additional circuit board 32 and serves to evaluate the rotation or change in position of the rotary knob 42. This will be explained in more detail below. It is connected to an interface connection 36, which in turn is connected to the interface connection 26 of the main control unit 20 via the interface cable 38. Additional circuit components 37 are also provided on the underside of the additional circuit board 32.

[0037] On the top side of the additional circuit board 32, a holding magnet 39 is arranged in the center of the four touch switches 34a to 34d. It is preferably pressed onto the top of the additional circuit board 32 by means of a special plastic holder, or at a very short distance from the bottom side 14. Two Hall sensors 40 are provided to the left and right of the holding magnet 39; there could also be more along a corresponding circular path around the center of the holding magnet 39.

[0038] A centering magnet 44 is located in the rotary knob 42, in the center and, if possible, on its underside. This minimizes the distance to the holding magnet 39 under the cooktop plate 12. The rotary knob 42 rests directly on the top side 13 of the cooktop plate 12 in a known manner.

[0039] A plurality of signal magnets 45 are arranged along a circular path centered on the centering magnet 44, through which a rotational axis D (shown in dash-dotted lines) also runs. Alternatively, they can also be replaced by corresponding iron parts that orbit in a stepped or wavy manner. They can be magnetized, for example, by the centering magnet 44 in such a way that they generate a magnetic field, varying in step or wave shape, directed downwards toward the Hall sensors 40. In this way, a rotation and / or change in position or rotational position of the rotary knob 42 can be detected in a known manner.

[0040] This change in the rotary position of the rotary knob 42 is recorded by corresponding signals at the Hall sensors 40 and converted by the additional controller 35 into corresponding operating commands, for example, increasing or decreasing a power value or power level for operating one of the induction heating coils 17a to 17d. The evaluation in the additional controller 35 can be carried out to such an extent that no longer any raw data or raw signals from the Hall sensors 40 are transmitted to the main control unit 20 via the interface cable 38, but rather directly usable numerical values ​​or power levels. This corresponds approximately to what the main controller 25 detects and processes from an actuation of the capacitive control elements 23. This eliminates the need to reprogram the main controller 25 for this detection and conversion of the signals from the Hall sensors 40.Rather, in addition to the capacitive control elements 23, the input from the additional control unit 30 or the rotary knob 42 can now also be used as a source of power control signals on an interface designed as a bus. In the control device 19 according to the invention, it may then be possible under certain circumstances for the hob 11 to be operated in a known manner only via the main control unit 20 and additionally via the additional control unit 30 or via the rotary knob 42. Alternatively, the main control unit 20 could be modified such that no input is possible, but input is possible via the additional control unit 30 and, above all, via the rotary knob 42.

[0041] One function for the four capacitive touch switches 34a to 34d can be, since their arrangement relative to one another corresponds to that of the induction heating coils 17a to 17d, to select the induction heating coil 17a corresponding to its position for a power setting by actuating one of these touch switches 34. By turning the rotary knob 42, the power level can then be set, so that the main control unit 20 causes the operation of this induction heating coil at the power level set on the rotary knob 42. This power level can be displayed in a known manner on the seven-segment display 24. This means that the additional control unit does have illuminated displays for the aforementioned selection. However, the actually set power level is displayed on the already known and existing display in the form of the seven-segment display 24.In a similar way, further functions can be provided on the additional control unit 30 which are not yet, not or no longer provided on the main control unit 20.

[0042] When implementing the invention, it can be provided that the hob 11 is manufactured with only the main control unit 20 and is fully functional and is mass-produced. For a more convenient model or version, the additional control unit 30 can also be installed to enable operation with the rotary knob 42. Therefore, nothing needs to be changed in the existing design of the hob 11, at least in electrical and electronic terms; only the space for the additional control unit 30 needs to be created for its arrangement beneath the hob plate 12. Furthermore, the interface connection 26 may have to be provided as an additional component on the main control unit 20, although a corresponding plug connection may already be present, for example for connection to the aforementioned converter of a power supply.The interface cable 38 can then be connected here along with a suitable connector. This additional, more convenient version can then be manufactured and offered by the manufacturer of the cooktop 11.

[0043] Alternatively, the additional control unit 30 may not have any so-called intelligence or an additional controller 35. Then, the signals from the Hall sensors 40 can be transmitted directly or possibly via signal conditioning through resistors to the main controller 25. The main controller then detects a rotation or change in the rotary position of the rotary knob 42 based on the signals from the Hall sensors 40.

[0044] By arranging the main control unit 20 and the additional control unit 30, each with its own housing, the effort required to retrofit a series of cooktops with an additional control unit can be simplified, as the required modifications to the main control unit 20 are then minimal. Alternatively, it is of course also possible to arrange an additional control unit in the same housing as a main control unit. It can then still be designed as a separate unit, namely by having its own additional circuit board.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Operating device for an electrical device, wherein the operating device comprises: an operating surface as an outer side of the electrical device, in particular on a top side of the electrical device, a main operating unit below the operating surface, wherein the main operating unit comprises a main component carrier with operating elements, circuit components and a microcontroller thereon as well as with at least one interface connection, wherein preferably the main operating unit is autonomous and independently functional for operating the electrical device, wherein the main operating unit is arranged on the underside of the operating surface, characterized in that the operating device comprises an additional operating unit which is designed independently of the main operating unit and is designed separately as a separate structural unit, wherein the additional operating unit comprises: an additional component carrier with at least one holding magnet and with further components thereon,a removable rotary control element that can be positioned on the control surface above the holding magnet and is held there by means of its own integrated centering magnet, Means for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position of the rotary control element on the control surface, the additional component carrier with the holding magnet and the further components thereon is arranged on the underside of the control surface, the additional control unit has a connecting cable for connection to the interface connection of the main control unit.

2. Operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position of the rotary operating element on the operating surface are arranged on or in the rotary operating element around the centering magnet around a vertical axis of rotation of the rotary operating element on the operating surface, wherein in particular the axis of rotation runs through a center point of the rotary operating element.

3. Operating device according to claim 2, characterized in that on or in the rotary operating element signal magnets or iron pieces are provided as part of the means for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position on a circular path around the centering magnet and are arranged around a vertical axis of rotation of the rotary operating element on the operating surface, wherein magnetic field sensors are preferably arranged on the additional component carrier on a circular path of the same diameter around the vertical axis of rotation or around the holding magnet.

4. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional operating unit has its own microcontroller, in particular for evaluating the means for detecting a rotation and / or a change in position, in order to detect a rotation and / or a change in position of the rotary operating element and to forward corresponding information about this to the main operating unit for controlling at least one functional unit of the electrical device.

5. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interface connection is designed as a bus.

6. Control device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the additional control unit is only connected to the main control unit by means of the connecting cable.

7. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one LED is arranged on the additional component carrier, in particular to shine through the translucent operating surface to generate a light display that is visible from above.

8. Operating device according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one LED is covered by the rotary operating element placed on the operating surface and shines through this rotary operating element along a light channel and / or light guide in the rotary operating element.

9. Operating device according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one LED is arranged outside the area covered by the rotary operating element and shines through the operating surface next to this rotary operating element.

10. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one seven-segment display is arranged on the additional component carrier, which, in addition to the rotary operating element, is illuminated by the translucent control surface to create an illuminated display that is visible from above.

11. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one capacitive sensor element is arranged on the additional component carrier to form a capacitive touch switch which can be switched by placing a finger on the operating surface above the sensor element.

12. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the main operating unit and the additional operating unit each have their own housing such that the main operating unit has a main housing and the additional operating unit has an additional housing, wherein the main housing and the additional housing are preferably arranged at a distance from one another.

13. Electrical appliance with an operating device according to one of the preceding claims.

14. Electrical appliance according to claim 13, characterized in that it is a hob and the operating surface is formed by a hob plate or by a part of the hob plate.

Images