Domestic appliance and method for operating a domestic appliance

Abstract

A domestic appliance has at least one functional unit from the group of pump, heating device, fan, motor, actuators, treatment chamber or treatment surface and an electrical connection to the outside for connection to an external energy supply such as an electricity supply network or a photovoltaic system, the energy supply being able to provide DC voltage or AC voltage. A power supply supplies the functional units with the required electrical power. Provided between the power supply and the electrical connection is an adapter switching unit which detects DC voltage or AC voltage at the electrical connection and adjusts to the respective voltage type. Said adapter switching unit is designed as a standalone and independent module. The adapter switching unit supplies the power supply with DC voltage and has a power supply unit or a switched-mode power supply unit or a converter. An energy distribution module is arranged between the adapter switching unit and the power supply.

Description

[0001] Household appliance and method for operating a household appliance

[0002] Application area and state of the art

[0003] The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a water-bearing household appliance such as a washing machine, dishwasher or tumble dryer, or a cooking appliance such as a freestanding cooker, a built-in cooking appliance or a built-in oven or hob. The invention also relates to a method for operating such a household appliance.

[0004] From EP 4 086 383 A1, it is known to provide a pull-out drawer-like compartment in a washing machine. Various functional units can be arranged in or on this compartment, in particular a pump and a heating element or a heated pump, with which water from the drum can be circulated and heated to a desired temperature. Furthermore, valves and, optionally, electronics or power electronics can also be provided in this compartment.

[0005] A typical electrical connection for a standard washing machine consists of a wall socket in the house and a power cord running into the washing machine or its housing. The power cord usually enters the housing at the back and top. It can then be connected to a distribution box to supply other components, such as the aforementioned appliances. For freestanding cookers or dishwashers, a separate power supply with appropriate circuit protection is often provided, based on their electrical specifications.

[0006] Task and solution

[0007] The invention is based on the objective of creating a household appliance mentioned above and a method for its operation, with which problems of the prior art can be solved and it is particularly possible to make the construction of such a household appliance relatively simple and practical as well as easy to assemble and repair, so that the household appliance can also be used in the future under changing situations, especially with regard to the power grid supply.

[0008] This problem is solved by a household appliance with the features of claim 1 and by a method with the features of claim 13. Advantageous and preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of further claims and are explained in more detail below. Some of the features are described only for the household appliance or only for the method. However, they should be able to apply independently to both the household appliance and the method. The wording of the claims is incorporated into the description by express reference.

[0009] The household appliance has at least one functional unit, which may be selected from the group consisting of a pump, heating element, and motor. Further functional units may include a valve, a relay, an induction coil or induction heating coil, or similar components. The household appliance also has a treatment chamber or a treatment surface. A treatment chamber is primarily found in household appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, ovens, or steam cookers. A treatment surface is primarily found in a cooktop or the cooktop section of a range, particularly as a cooktop plate. The household appliance has an external electrical connection for connecting it to an external power supply.This can preferably be, as is known, an AC power grid, but increasingly, and in the future more and more frequently, it will also be a photovoltaic system or a battery storage system, which is particularly powered by a photovoltaic system, or an autonomous grid, especially a DC grid. This energy supply can accordingly provide alternating current or direct current, with alternating current being the predominant case so far. In the future, it is expected that direct current, such as that generated directly by a photovoltaic system or coming from a aforementioned battery storage system, will be more common or will exist as DC microgrids.

[0010] The household appliance has a power supply for at least one of the aforementioned functional units, which is connected to this functional unit to provide it with the required electrical power. This required electrical power can be specified, in particular, by a device control unit that is already present and which includes at least one microcontroller, primarily for control functions.

[0011] According to the invention, an adapter switching unit is provided between the aforementioned power supply and the external electrical connection. This unit is designed to detect whether direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) is present at the electrical connection, or, if the electrical connection is connected to both an AC and a DC source, to determine which of the two voltage types is actually present. Preferably, the adapter switching unit can also detect the magnitude of the DC or AC voltage. Accordingly, the adapter switching unit is designed to adjust to the respective voltage type, advantageously for the internal connection to the device or with regard to the power supply of the functional units. Advantageously, it can be designed or include a corresponding converter to convert AC voltage to DC voltage, if necessary.The goal is to convert a DC voltage to the device-side voltage so that the power supply or functional units of the household appliance can be operated or supplied with DC voltage. A DC-DC converter can be used for this purpose. This allows the adapter switching unit to supply the power supply with DC voltage, which is particularly advantageous when the power supply operates functional units that work directly with DC voltage, such as electronics, a brushless DC motor, or a resistance heating element. For other functional units, such as an inverter or an induction heating coil, a DC intermediate circuit is usually provided anyway, so that a desired AC voltage can be generated directly from the DC voltage. The adapter switching unit includes a power supply unit or...A switched-mode power supply or an inverter is used to advantageously generate the DC voltage when the power supply at the electrical connection provides AC voltage or a DC voltage that does not correspond to the device's power supply. An energy distribution module is arranged between the adapter switching unit and the power supply to, in effect, forward or distribute the energy. This energy distribution module can advantageously be simply a cable, or alternatively, electronics or power electronics, particularly as a switch. If the energy distribution module is designed as electronics, it can also change process parameters via the device control, for example, by changing the detergent dosage and / or reducing the temperature in washing machines. For the following or subsequent...If a stable power supply is required for connected and powered consumers in the device, this can be provided by this energy distribution module, which in particular allows direct DC voltage use with inverters.

[0012] Finally, the adapter switching unit and, if applicable, the power distribution module are designed as independent modules, meaning they can be integrated into a basic unit specific to a particular production series, or omitted entirely, especially for a simpler version of the device. This is particularly easy with a standalone module.

[0013] Thus, a household appliance can be designed to accept either direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) via a power supply and an electrical connection. For this purpose, two connection cables are advantageously provided for the electrical connection to the appliance. If, in the future, the appliance is operated in an environment with only DC or only AC voltage, one of the connection cables can be omitted or removed. The appliance then processes the available voltage type using an adapter switching unit, ensuring that its functional units are always supplied with power. Advantageously, at least some of these functional units can be designed for operation with DC voltage, whereby the DC voltage is further modified or varied compared to the voltage supplied at the electrical connection to adjust the power output.Above all, the voltage can also be variable. For a functional unit that absolutely requires alternating current, such as an induction heating coil, this can be generated in the power supply by converting the supplied direct current into alternating current.

[0014] The invention does not automatically imply that the voltages on the device side must be fixed. For example, 48VDC can be provided internally for all components, and the same applies to the mains side. A hybrid solution can facilitate this, as it allows the household appliance to be future-proofed, independent of development cycles and standards on the power supply or mains side. This aspect also provides flexibility between DC and AC, even with a defined device-side voltage. The hybrid nature, which, through the modularization of functional units, allows for device evolution over time, ultimately leading to the ideal DC device, can be significant.

[0015] In an embodiment of the invention, the adapter switching unit can be designed as a module such that the connections and cable cross-sections within the adapter switching unit are designed for either direct or alternating current, eliminating the need for separate voltage variants. Instead, the voltage can be selected automatically. For example, cable cross-sections between 2 mm² and 2 mm² can be used. 2 and 9 mm 2 It is intended for use with alternating current. A cross-section of between 2 mm² is suitable. 2 and 4 mm 2 sufficient. For DC voltage, it is advantageous; at higher power levels, it is larger due to the higher currents; it can be particularly advantageous between 4 mm. 2 and 9 mm 2 They are located. Corresponding standardized connections within the device are therefore also accessible.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, protective devices can be provided within the adapter switching unit independently of the actual voltage present, with the protective devices being grounding conductors, protective conductors, and connections such as plugs or the like. This takes into account, in particular, the fact that currents are generally higher with direct current and the protection may differ from that required with alternating current. This can also vary, and the adapter switching unit according to the invention is advantageous in this respect as well. In such cases, it is not necessary to change the household appliance, the power supply, or the electrical connection; the adapter switching unit solves this problem. It is already equipped accordingly in terms of hardware, or the relevant specifications are already implemented in hardware. The module can automatically detect the respective input and output, or it is designed accordingly.

[0017] In a further development of the invention, the functional unit can comprise at least one induction heating device with an induction heating coil, which includes an internal DC-to-AC converter and is advantageously designed together with this converter as a single module. The induction heating coil requires AC voltage for heating operation, typically with a frequency between 15 kHz and 25 kHz. A separate internal converter can be provided for each induction heating device. Such an induction heating device can advantageously be used in an induction cooktop or an induction range, i.e., for cooking. Further possibilities include heating in a washing machine or a dishwasher, advantageously for heating the water used for cleaning. For washer-dryers and dryers, the heating element can also be operated inductively via a DC voltage with an internal converter.

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention, the functional unit can be a pump or an actuator with a motor for drive or operation. Advantageously, the pump has a heating element to heat the water it pumps. The heating element can be integrated into the pump or be a component of it, i.e., designed as a single unit. Preferably, the heating element is integrated into a pump chamber of the pump. Alternatively, the heating element can be arranged separately.

[0019] In another embodiment of the invention, the functional unit, in particular the energy distribution module, can transmit information about whether the at least one functional unit is operating with direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) to the device control unit of the household appliance. This allows the control of the functional unit and its operation to be carried out and / or monitored more effectively by the device control unit, and / or the process control can be adapted by adjusting the parameters relating to electrical power consumption. In a further embodiment of the invention, the adapter switching unit can be configured such that the connections and cable cross-sections within the module are designed for either DC or AC voltage, allowing for submodules and, depending on the boundary conditions, appropriate safety measures within the adapter switching unit.These submodules can generally be advantageously self-contained units, and thus can operate independently of one another. This makes repairs and updates easily possible depending on the external network side, without requiring any changes or component replacements on the device itself. More generally, constructing the adapter switching unit partly from several submodules or entirely from submodules as prefabricated units can be advantageous because it utilizes pre-manufactured components. This simplifies assembly, inventory management, and complexity, while simultaneously reducing costs and increasing reliability.

[0020] In a further development of the invention, the household appliance can be a freestanding unit with a housing, preferably a washing machine, a tumble dryer, or a dishwasher. A removable receptacle can be provided in the lower part of the household appliance, with at least one functional unit and fluid lines arranged in the receptacle. For an exemplary embodiment, reference is made to the prior art mentioned above. Advantageously, the receptacle can be designed as a housing section that can be pulled out of the housing in the manner of a drawer, preferably as a housing section that can be pulled out in a straight line, see the aforementioned EP 4 086 383 A1.

[0021] The adapter switching unit can be positioned within the housing in such a way that, even when the housing is fully extended, it remains inside the appliance's casing. This ensures that it is inaccessible to an operator from the outside. This provides a high level of safety, as an operator cannot come into contact with live components, such as those found within the adapter switching unit.

[0022] Alternatively, the appliance could be a range with an oven, a freestanding range, or a cooktop, with the cooktop positioned above or on top of the oven. Preferably, the unit is located in the lower section of the oven, below the oven's flue, as this is the only area with sufficient space. An induction heater can also be used for cooking and possibly for heating a fan or similar device, although the oven should be kept separate. This heating can be achieved with a standard heater using resistance heating elements or similar technology.

[0023] Alternatively, the household appliance can be a cooktop with a cooktop housing, several heating elements, and a cooktop plate. Advantageously, the heating elements are arranged in the cooktop housing beneath the cooktop plate, as is known per se. In an embodiment of the invention, the electrical appliance is designed to be supplied with a variable voltage or to operate with a variable voltage at the electrical connection.

[0024] In an inventive method for operating a household appliance as described above, the adapter switching unit can detect whether direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) is present at the electrical connection from the power supply. The adapter switching unit can then adjust itself to the detected voltage type in order to convert the voltage from the power supply as required by the power supply. It is not essential to achieve a specific voltage level. Advantageously, the voltage level can vary, or the device can operate with varying voltage levels.

[0025] In a further development of the invention, the adapter switching unit can be designed to detect whether direct current from a microgrid or an energy source, in particular from a photovoltaic system, a small wind turbine or a storage system, is applied as an energy input at the electrical connection, or whether voltage or alternating current from a conventional public power grid is applied. It can then adjust itself and perform a voltage conversion accordingly.

[0026] In a further development of the invention, the adapter switching unit can be designed to detect whether direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) is present at the electrical connection from the power supply, and preferably also its value. Based on this, it can then inform the device control accordingly to adjust process parameters to the respective detected voltage type in order to compensate for the reduced energy supply as required by the power supply.

[0027] These and other features are evident not only from the claims but also from the description and the drawings, whereby the individual features, either alone or in combination, may be implemented in one embodiment of the invention and in other fields, and may represent advantageous and individually protectable embodiments for which protection is claimed here. The division of the application into individual sections and subheadings does not limit the general validity of the statements made therein.

[0028] Brief description of the drawings

[0029] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown schematically in the drawings and are explained in more detail below. The drawings show:

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a schematic simplified representation of a washing machine as a household appliance according to the invention, with heating and BLDC motors for a pump and a drum drive, which are inverter-powered.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a stove as another household appliance, wherein the stove has induction heating coils and two BLDC motors for fans in cooking compartments,

[0032] Fig. 3 shows a schematically simplified representation of how an adapter switch unit according to the invention is provided between a mains-side electrical connection to a household appliance and an appliance-side power supply.

[0033] Fig. 4 shows a slightly more detailed representation of a hybrid solution when AC and DC voltage are available on the mains side as an electrical connection and AC and DC voltage are required on the device side.

[0034] Fig. 5 shows a modification of the hybrid solution from Fig. 4 with a pure DC supply on both the mains and device sides,

[0035] Fig. 6 shows an enlarged view of the hybrid solution from Fig. 4, in which an adapter switching unit has two different switched-mode power supplies, and a battery can optionally be added.

[0036] Fig. 7 shows how an energy distribution module is provided behind an adapter switching unit with energy supply, which in turn is connected to various device-side control modules or supplies them with energy.

[0037] Fig. 8 shows a modification of the representation from Fig. 7, in which the adapter switching unit has a switched-mode power supply and an AC filter and in turn feeds several control modules, including those that are operated with alternating current.

[0038] Fig. 9 shows a further modification of the illustration from Fig. 7 with an adapter switching unit and power distribution module, and their arrangement in a lower drawer that can be pulled out of the appliance. Detailed description of the exemplary embodiments.

[0039] Figure 1 shows a washing machine 11 as a household appliance according to the invention, comprising a housing 12 and a drum holder 14, including a drum (not shown). These components are designed as known from the prior art. An injection device 16 is directed into the drum holder 14 to introduce water into the drum and onto the laundry contained therein. This water can be heated to a desired temperature by means of an inductive heating device 18. Examples of such devices exist in the prior art. Furthermore, the washing machine 11 can have an alternative heating device 18b in the upper area or above the drum holder 14, for example, as a unit together with a detergent dispenser, which also has an electrical connection. This simplifies the electrical connection.Another possibility for arranging an inductive heating device 18c is at the bottom of the drum receptacle 14, i.e. in the sump under a drum arranged therein.

[0040] An adapter switching unit according to the invention 30 is arranged at the very bottom of the housing 12 of the washing machine 11. It has an induction inverter 32, which operates the at least one inductive heating device 18a to 18c. Furthermore, the adapter switching unit 30 has an external electrical connection 31, which forms the mains connection. In addition to the induction inverter 32, further device-side control modules include a BLDC controller 34 for two BLDC motors, one each for the drum drive and the pump. Such BLDC motors are very easy to control and have a simple and proven design.

[0041] Finally, a further standard control module, a machine control unit 36, is provided, which can also be considered the aforementioned device control unit. The machine control unit 36 ​​controls all processes in the washing machine 11 and is also supplied with energy by the adapter switching unit 30. A power distribution module mentioned earlier may also be provided here, which will be explained with reference to Figures 7 and 9.

[0042] Figure 2 shows an induction cooker 21, which has an induction hob 22 on its upper surface. This hob can have several induction heating coils 23, designed for inductively heating a suitable metallic pot placed above it. The induction heating coils 23 are supplied with energy by an induction inverter 32, as is known per se. This inverter can correspond to the induction inverter 32 from Figure 1.

[0043] The induction cooker 21 also has two cooking compartments 25a and 25b, one of which, for example, has a steam cooking function and the other is a normal oven. Each compartment has BLDC motors for a known fan function or hot air function. A BLDC controller 34 is provided for these BLDC motors, located at the bottom of the induction cooker 21. A machine control unit 36 ​​is also provided there, which controls the essential or all processes during the operation of the induction cooker 21.

[0044] The induction cooker 21 has an adapter switching unit 30 according to the invention in the lower right corner, with an electrical connection 31 as a mains connection. This adapter switching unit 30 is connected to the control modules induction inverter 32, BLDC controller 34 and machine controller 36 and supplies them with energy from the electrical connection 31. An energy distribution module can also be provided here.

[0045] The adapter switching units 30 of Figures 1 and 2 enable a sufficient power supply to the connected control modules, regardless of whether it is alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). The induction inverter 32, the BLDC controller 34, and the machine controller 36 form the aforementioned power supply for the functional units of the induction heating coils 23 and the BLDC motors in the cooking chambers 25a and 25b.

[0046] An additional power supply or control module could be used for heating elements in cooking compartments 25a and 25b. This is not shown here for simplicity, but is easily implemented.

[0047] Figure 3 shows a very simplified illustration of how an adapter switching unit according to the invention is provided between an electrical connection on the mains side, which comes from a power supply, and a power supply on the device side, i.e., for the functional units in the device. For the power supply, either alternating current and / or direct current can be present at the electrical connection 31, corresponding to the mains connection. On the device side, i.e., for the power supply of functional units, either alternating current or direct current can also be required. The adapter switching unit 30 must ensure that the desired and, in any case, required type of voltage is present for the power supply. Figure 4 shows a representation based on the basic illustration in Figure 3.Figure 3 shows how, in a hybrid solution, both AC voltage and DC voltage of varying magnitude can be present at the electrical connection 31. The adapter switching unit 30 comprises a power supply 38 and a DC distributor 39. It can be seen that the AC input at the electrical connection 31 connects to both the AC output and the power supply 38. The DC input connects to the DC distributor 39, which in turn connects to the DC output. Simultaneously, the power supply 38 and the DC distributor 39 are interconnected to exchange information and, if necessary, power for stable operation. Power supplies for functional units, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, can then be arranged at the AC output and / or the DC output.

[0048] As a variation of the hybrid solution from Fig. 4, Fig. 5 shows a purely DC solution. Here, only one DC input is provided at the electrical connection 31, for example, from a PV system. The adapter switching unit 30 then only has a DC distributor 39, which feeds a pure DC output on the device side or in the case of a power supply. Thus, for example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a BLDC controller 34 can be controlled very easily, and an induction inverter 32 can also be controlled in a manageable way, since the induction inverter 32 also has a DC intermediate circuit.

[0049] Figure 6 shows a possible configuration corresponding to the hybrid solution from Figure 4 in detail. The electrical connection 31 has an AC input and a DC input; the device side also provides an AC output and a DC output. The adapter switching unit 30 in between has a switched-mode power supply 40 for AC / DC, which can generate both AC and DC voltage. It can be connected directly to the AC output. Furthermore, it can be connected to or supply a DC converter 43 at the DC end, which then supplies the DC output on the device side with DC voltage for power supply.

[0050] Furthermore, the DC input at electrical terminal 31 is connected to a switching power supply 41 for DC / DC, which also feeds the DC converter 43 and thus also the DC output, which then provides a desired DC voltage.

[0051] As a further alternative to an AC input, for example provided by a normal AC power supply network or a combined heat and power plant, and a DC input, which comes, for example, from a DC microgrid, a battery, or a PV system and therefore also fluctuates in its supplied power. It can have a DC voltage of, for example, 120V. This also goes to the adapter switching unit 30 and is connected to the DC converter 43 via an intermediate battery monitoring unit 46. The advantage of such a battery 45 with battery monitoring unit 46 is that it provides predictable, safe, and constant energy at a specific voltage, for example, the DC voltage of 120V. This allows, for example, a particularly high power to be provided to the DC converter 43 for short periods if needed. Likewise, in the aforementioned case, if only less or less power is available from the grid at the electrical connection, the DC converter 43 can be supplied with a DC voltage of 120V.Reduced power can be obtained, the missing energy can be taken from the battery 45.

[0052] Figure 7 shows a slightly different representation of the construction of an adapter switching unit 30. It is powered by an electrical connection 31 (not shown in detail). The adapter switching unit 30 has an internal interface controller 48, a detection device 49 for detecting the input and output voltages, and a DC-DC amplifier 51. This adapter switching unit 30 is connected via a power distribution module 53 to various control modules, which are typically provided on the device side. These include motor controllers or BLDC controllers 34 (far right), DC heaters such as electric resistance heaters 55, and DC actuators 56 such as solenoid valves. A dosing controller 58 can also be provided, for example, with pumps and / or solenoid valves, particularly for use in a washing machine 11.

[0053] Further control modules can include a heating control unit 60 and a machine control unit 36. An adaptation module 62 is also provided. Finally, a communication module 64 is provided. The heating control unit 60, the machine control unit 36, and the adaptation module 62 are, so to speak, the core functions of a control system. The energy distribution module 53 is configured as previously described.

[0054] The adapter switching unit 30 features connections and cable cross-sections (not shown in detail here) designed to be suitable for both DC and AC voltages without requiring modifications or risk of overload. Furthermore, the adapter switching unit 30 may also incorporate the aforementioned safety devices, in particular a protective conductor or a ground connection.

[0055] The connection between the voltage type detection device 49 and the DC-DC amplifier 51 serves for communication, enabling the amplifier 51 to operate accordingly. The power is supplied from the electrical connection 31, allowing the detection device 49 to identify the voltage type and voltage level.

[0056] Figure 7 also shows that, firstly, the adapter switching unit 30 is formed by various submodules, each of which can be an independent component that is assembled and interconnected. Secondly, the control modules in the upper area are also designed as corresponding submodules, possibly combined as in the case of the machine control 36 with heating control 60 and the adaptation module 62.

[0057] In Fig. 8, as a variation of the arrangement in Fig. 7, an adapter switching unit 30 is connected to an electrical terminal 31, which is connected to alternating current. It again has an internal interface control 48 and a detection device 49 to detect the applied voltage. Here, of course, it is alternating current. The internal interface control 48 and the detection device 49 can each be designed as submodules and together form another module.

[0058] A switched-mode power supply 40 and an AC voltage filter 66 are also connected to the electrical connection 31. A motor controller 34 for a BLDC motor, an AC resistance heater 55, and AC actuators 57 can be directly connected to the AC voltage filter 66. In this case, a power distribution module is not even strictly necessary.

[0059] The switching power supply 40 can supply the unit of submodules of an adaptation module 62, a machine control 36, and a heating control 60 with DC voltage. Similar to Fig. 7, separate submodules of another DC heater, DC actuators 56, and a dosing control 58 of a washing machine can also be supplied.

[0060] A communication module 64 is also connected to the summary of the submodules in the upper left.

[0061] The arrangement shown in Fig. 8 can therefore be used to process a pure AC input at the electrical connection 31. Of course, the arrangements shown in Figs. 7 and 8 can also be combined, in particular connected to a common electrical connection 31, and then supply the control modules arranged above via a common power distribution module. In Fig. 1, it is already indicated for the washing machine 11 that some components are arranged in the lower area, advantageously in a drawer mount according to EP 4 086 383 A1, as shown on the far right in Fig. 9. It can be seen how the components of Fig. 7 are provided on the drawer mount 68, i.e., also in the lower area of ​​a washing machine and can be pulled out of the housing 12 of the washing machine 11.Furthermore, they should be arranged in the right-hand area, i.e., in the front area directly behind a panel 69 of the drawer unit 68, so that they are easily accessible. The adapter switching unit 30 can be provided in a housing or as a single assembly. The control modules shown above in Fig. 9 can be provided as a separate assembly in another housing. These two assemblies can then be connected to each other by the power distribution module 53.

[0062] By arranging the electrical and electronic components or power electronics at the very bottom of the housing 12 of the washing machine 11, it is possible to keep a dosing device located in the upper area, and thus an area most easily accessible to an operator, free of electrical connections for safety reasons.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Household appliance comprising: at least one functional unit selected from the group consisting of: pump, heating device, fan, motor, actuators, a treatment chamber or treatment surface, an external electrical connection for connection to an external power supply such as preferably a power grid or a photovoltaic system, wherein the power supply can provide direct or alternating voltage, a power supply for the at least one functional unit, which is connected to the at least one functional unit for supplying this functional unit with the required electrical power, a device control unit comprising at least one microcontroller, characterized in that: an adapter switching unit is provided between the power supply and the electrical connection, which detects either direct or alternating voltage at the electrical connection and is designed to adjust to the respective voltage type,The adapter switching unit is designed to supply the power supply with DC voltage, the adapter switching unit includes a power supply unit or a switching power supply unit or a converter, an energy distribution module is arranged between the adapter switching unit and the power supply, and the adapter switching unit is designed as a self-contained and independent module.

2. Household appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the adapter switching unit is designed as a module such that connections and cable cross-sections within the adapter switching unit are designed accordingly for direct or alternating voltage so that no variants for the respective voltage are required, but only an independent selection and choice.

3. Household appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that safety means are provided within the adapter switching unit regardless of the actual voltage. are, wherein the safety devices are preferably earthing conductors, protective conductors or the like.

4. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter switching unit is designed to transmit information about the operation of the at least one functional unit with direct current on the one hand or with alternating current on the other hand to the device control.

5. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional unit is a pump with a motor, wherein preferably the pump has an integrated heating device, wherein preferably the heating device is integrated into a pump chamber of the pump.

6. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the functional unit has at least one induction heating device with an induction heating coil, which has an internal converter from DC voltage to AC voltage and is designed together with this as a module, wherein preferably a single separate internal converter is provided for each induction heating device.

7. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the household appliance is a freestanding unit with a housing, preferably a washing machine, a tumble dryer or a dishwasher, wherein a removable receptacle is provided in the lower area of ​​the household appliance, wherein at least one functional unit and fluid lines are arranged in the receptacle.

8. Household appliance according to claim 7, characterized in that the adapter switching unit is also arranged in the receptacle such that, when the receptacle is moved out to its maximum extent, it is not moved out of the housing of the household appliance and is not accessible from the outside by an operator.

9. Household appliance according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the receptacle is designed as a housing area that can be pulled out of the housing in the manner of a drawer, preferably as a housing area that can be pulled out in a straight line.

10. Household appliance according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the household appliance is a stove with oven and with hob, wherein the hob is arranged above the oven, wherein in particular the receptacle is arranged in the lower area of ​​the oven below a muffle of the oven.

11. Household appliance according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the household appliance is a hob with a hob housing, several heating devices and a hob plate, wherein the heating devices are preferably arranged in the hob housing under the hob plate.

12. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed to be supplied with a variable voltage or to operate with a variable voltage at the electrical connection.

13. Method for operating a household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adapter switching unit detects whether either direct current or alternating current from the energy supply is present at the electrical connection and then adjusts itself to the respective detected voltage type in order to convert the voltage from the energy supply as required by the power supply, wherein the adapter switching unit preferably also detects the magnitude of the direct or alternating voltage.

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the adapter switching unit detects whether direct current from a microgrid or from an energy source, in particular from a photovoltaic system, a small wind turbine or a storage system, is present as an energy supply at the electrical connection.

15. Method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the adapter switching unit detects whether either direct or alternating voltage from the power supply is present at the electrical connection, preferably also its value, and then informs the device control in order to adjust process parameters to the respective detected voltage type in order to compensate for a reduced energy supply as required by the power supply.

16. Method according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the stability or constancy of the energy supply at the electrical connection is checked and, in the event of fluctuations, preferably a fluctuation of voltage and / or mains voltage, frequency at the electrical connection by more than 0.5%, which reduces the power output of at least one functional unit or supplies it with less power, whereby, in particular, when the original stability or constancy of the energy supply at the electrical connection is restored, the original normal operation of the functional unit with the original power is restored.

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