Cooking appliance and control method thereof

Abstract

A cooking appliance, according to one aspect of the disclosed invention, may comprise: a cooking chamber; a burner including an ignition device for igniting a gas fuel, and for heating the interior of the cooking chamber by combusting the ignited gas fuel; a voltage sensor for sensing a voltage applied to the burner; a current limiting element for reducing a current flowing through the burner; a switching element switched so that the current limiting element is connected to or disconnected from the burner; and a control unit for controlling the switching element such that the current limiting element is connected to the burner when the voltage sensed by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to a first voltage.

Description

Cooking appliance and control method thereof

[0001] The disclosed invention relates to a cooking device capable of improving operational stability and a method for controlling the same.

[0002] A cooking appliance refers to a device designed to heat and cook a target object, such as food, and capable of providing various cooking-related functions, such as heating, defrosting, drying, and sterilization of the target object. Examples of such cooking appliances include ovens (such as gas ovens or electric ovens), microwave heating devices (hereinafter referred to as microwaves), gas ranges, electric ranges, over-the-range (OTR) ranges, gas grills, or electric grills.

[0003] An oven is a device that cooks food by directly transferring heat to the food or heating the interior of the cooking chamber through a heat-generating source, such as a heater. A microwave oven is a device that cooks food using intermolecular frictional heat generated by disrupting the molecular arrangement of food with high-frequency waves as a heating source.

[0004] A gas oven is a home appliance that cooks food by heating it to a high temperature, comprising a cooking chamber for cooking food, a burner that generates heat by burning gas fuel and air, a gas supply path that supplies gas to the burner, and an ignition device that generates a flame.

[0005] When using cooking appliances such as ovens in areas with unstable power supply, such as poor power zones, the voltage may exceed the guaranteed range, making stable use difficult.

[0006] One aspect of the disclosed invention provides a cooking device and a control method thereof that can ensure stable operation of a cooking device by detecting an applied voltage and, when the applied voltage deviates from a voltage range for stable operation of the cooking device, reducing the current flowing through the cooking device or stopping the operation of the cooking device using a separate resistor module, etc.

[0007] The technical problems to be solved in this document are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs from the description below.

[0008] A cooking device according to one aspect of the disclosed invention may include: a cooking chamber; a burner that includes an ignition device for igniting gas fuel and burns the ignited gas fuel to heat the interior of the cooking chamber; a voltage sensor that detects a voltage applied to the burner; a current limiting element that reduces the current flowing through the burner; a switching element that switches the current limiting element to be connected to or disconnected from the burner; and a control unit that controls the switching element so that the current limiting element is connected to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to a first voltage.

[0009] A control method for a cooking appliance according to one aspect of the disclosed invention may include: a cooking chamber; a burner that includes an ignition device for igniting gas fuel and burns the ignited gas fuel to heat the interior of the cooking chamber; and, in the control method for a cooking appliance, detecting a voltage applied to the burner; and, when the detected voltage is greater than or equal to a first voltage, controlling a switching element so that a current limiting element that reduces the current flowing through the burner is connected to the burner.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a perspective view of a cooking device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0011] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing the door of a cooking appliance in an open state according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0012] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating some configurations, such as a burner receiving chamber, of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a burner receiving chamber of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0014] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing gas being supplied to a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a control block diagram of a cooking device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the switching of a switching element according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0017] FIGS. 8 to 10 are flowcharts illustrating a method for controlling a cooking device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0018] FIG. 11 is a drawing illustrating the provision of a notification according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0019] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the operation according to the voltage applied to a cooking device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0020] The embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely preferred examples of the disclosed invention, and various modifications that may replace the embodiments and drawings of this specification may exist at the time of filing this application.

[0021] Additionally, the same reference numerals or symbols presented in each drawing of this specification represent parts or components that perform substantially the same function.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms used in this specification are for describing embodiments and are not intended to limit or / or restrict the disclosed invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to indicate the existence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and do not preclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0023] Additionally, in this specification, when a configuration is described as being "connected" or "combined" with another configuration, this includes not only cases where they are directly connected or combined, but also cases where they are indirectly connected or combined.

[0024] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first," "second," etc., as used herein may be used to describe various components, but said components are not limited by said terms, and said terms are used solely for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component. The term "and / or" includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any one of a plurality of related described items.

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a view showing the door of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure in an open state.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be installed inside a cabinet (2) to have a sense of unity with the kitchen space. That is, the cooking appliance (1) may be installed as a built-in type.

[0028] An opening may be formed in at least a portion of the front of the cabinet (2), and a cooking appliance (1) may be installed through the opening of the cabinet (2). The cooking appliance (1) may be inserted into the cabinet (2) through the opening of the cabinet (2) or withdrawn from the cabinet (2). For example, the cooking appliance (1) may be required to be withdrawn from the cabinet (2) for repair or replacement of parts.

[0029] The cooking device (1) may include a cooking chamber (20), a main body (10) forming the cooking chamber (20), and a door (30) provided to open and close the cooking chamber (20).

[0030] The main body (10) may include an inner case (12) in which a cooking chamber (20) is formed. The inner case (12) may be provided inside the outer case (11) of the main body (10) described later.

[0031] The cooking chamber (20) may be formed with an open front so that food can be fed in and out. The inner case (12) may include a front opening (12a) formed to be open for food to enter and exit the cooking chamber (20). The front opening (12a) can be defined as the front of one side of the main body (10) where the front opening (12a) is formed.

[0032] For example, the inner case (12) can be formed to have a box shape with the front open.

[0033] The inner wall of the inner case (12) may be coated to prevent corrosion of the inner wall of the inner case (12) by condensation that may occur during the steam condensation process or moisture contained in the food itself. The inner wall of the inner case (12) may be dried by the heat generated during the food cooking process.

[0034] The cooking device (1) may include an outer case (11) that forms the exterior of the cooking device (1). An inner case (12) may be positioned inside the outer case (11). The outer case (11) may be positioned to surround the upper surface, lower surface, rear surface, left side, right side, etc., of the inner case (12) from the outside.

[0035] The outer case (11) may include a front frame (11b). The front frame (11b) may be provided in the front portion of the main body (10). The front frame (11b) may form at least a portion of the front of the main body (10). The front frame (11b) may be covered by the door (30) when the door (30) is closed.

[0036] The front frame (11b) may be formed so that the front is open for food to enter and exit the cooking chamber (20). The front frame (11b) may be formed in the shape of a frame having an opening. The opening of the front frame (11b) may be formed to have a size corresponding to the front opening (12a). The front frame (11b) may be formed along the perimeter of the front opening (12a) of the inner case (12).

[0037] For example, the inner case (12) can be coupled to the front frame (11b). A portion adjacent to the front opening (12a) of the inner case (12) can be coupled to the front frame (11b).

[0038] The outer case (11) may include a base forming the bottom surface of the cooking appliance (1). The base may support other components of the cooking appliance (1) from below.

[0039] The outer case (11) may include a left panel forming the left side of the cooking appliance (1) and a right panel (11e) forming the right side of the cooking appliance (1).

[0040] The outer case (11) may include a rear panel. The rear panel may form at least a part of the rear exterior of the cooking appliance (1).

[0041] Various components provided in the cooking device (1), such as a convection fan (80), at least a part of a printed circuit board (not shown) constituting a control device, and a gas guide device, can be mounted on the rear panel.

[0042] Insulating material (not shown) may be provided between the inner case (12) and the outer case (11) to prevent heat inside the cooking chamber (20) from being released directly to the outside of the main body (10).

[0043] The main body (10) may include a rear cover that covers at least a portion of the rear panel. The rear cover may cover at least a portion of the rear panel from the rear. The rear cover may form at least a portion of the rear exterior of the cooking appliance (1). The rear cover may be attached to the rear of the rear panel.

[0044] The rear cover may include heat dissipation holes formed to release heat generated by the operation of a convection fan (80) mounted on the rear panel, a printed circuit board (not shown), a valve device, etc., to the outside.

[0045] The door (30) of the cooking appliance (1) may be rotatably coupled to the main body (10) to open and close the cooking chamber (20). For example, the door (30) may be rotatably coupled to the lower part of the main body (10) and may be rotatably arranged around a rotation axis located at the lower part of the cooking appliance (1). For example, as shown in the drawing, the rotation axis of the door (30) may extend in the left-right direction of the cooking appliance (1), which is the Y direction.

[0046] The cooking appliance (1) may include a hinge (40) connecting the main body (10) and the door (30). The door (30) may be rotatably provided relative to the main body (10) by the hinge (40).

[0047] For example, the hinge (40) may include a pair of hinges (40).

[0048] The door (30) may include a transparent portion (31) formed transparently so that a user can look inside the kitchen (20) even when the door (30) closes the kitchen (20). The transparent portion (31) may include various transparent materials, such as glass. For example, the transparent portion (31) may be configured to include a plurality of glass plates spaced apart from each other and forming an insulating space between them to prevent heat inside the kitchen (20) from being transferred to the outside of the door (30) through the transparent portion (31).

[0049] The door (30) may include a handle (32) provided to allow a user to manually open and close the door (30). To allow the user to easily open and close the door (30), the handle (32) may be provided adjacent to a part of the door (30) opposite to the axis of rotation of the door (30). Although FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment in which the handle (32) is provided on the front of the door (30), it is not limited thereto. The term "front of the door (30)" as used herein refers to the front side of the door (30) in the X-direction when the door (30) is closing the kitchen (20).

[0050] The cooking device (1) may include a burner (200) provided to heat the interior of the cooking chamber (20). The burner (200) may be provided to heat the interior of the cooking chamber (20) by burning gas fuel. That is, the burner (200) may be composed of a gas burner. The burner (200) may be provided inside the main body (10).

[0051] When the ignition device (201) included in the burner (200) ignites the gas fuel, the burner (200) can burn the ignited gas fuel to heat the inside of the cooking chamber (20).

[0052] The burner (200) may include a plurality of burners (210, 220).

[0053] For example, the burner (200) may include a first burner (210) positioned inside the cooking chamber (20). The first burner (210) may be provided at the top of the cooking chamber (20). The first burner (210) may be mounted on the upper inner wall of the inner case (12).

[0054] The first burner (210) may be provided exposed above the cooking chamber (20). The first burner (210) may be provided to directly heat the food inside the cooking chamber (20) by the flame generated by burning gas fuel. Specifically, the food may be directly heated by the radiant heat generated by the flame of the first burner (210). That is, the first burner (210) may be a broil burner.

[0055] Additionally, as an example, the burner (200) may include a second burner (210) positioned outside the cooking chamber (20). The second burner (220) may be positioned inside the burner housing (16, see FIG. 3). The second burner (220) may be provided at the lower outer side of the cooking chamber (20).

[0056] The second burner (220) may be provided to indirectly heat the food inside the cooking chamber (20). Specifically, the second burner (220) may heat the air inside the burner receiving chamber (16), and the heated air inside the burner receiving chamber (16) may flow into the cooking chamber (20) by natural convection to heat the food inside the cooking chamber (20). That is, the second burner (220) may be a bake burner.

[0057] The second burner (220) includes a pipe forming a gas path through which gas fuel passes, and the pipe of the second burner (220) may have a plurality of holes formed therein to allow a flame generated by the combustion of gas fuel to be sprayed (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).

[0058] However, it is not limited thereto, and a burner according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be composed of only one type of the aforementioned burners (210, 220) (e.g., a bake burner (220)).

[0059] Detailed information regarding the configuration or operation of the burner (200) will be described later.

[0060] The cooking device (1) may include a convection fan (80). The convection fan (80) can rotate by receiving rotational force from a fan motor, thereby circulating air inside the cooking chamber (20). Specifically, the convection fan (80) can be mounted on the rear part of the inner case (12) and can blow air toward the front of the cooking chamber (20) as it rotates. The air blown toward the front of the cooking chamber (20) by the convection fan (80) can return to the convection fan (80) after circulating inside the cooking chamber (20). Through this operation, the convection fan (80) can efficiently convect the air inside the cooking chamber (20). Since the air inside the cooking chamber (20) is circulated by the convection fan (80), the inside of the cooking chamber (20) can have a uniform temperature distribution.

[0061] FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which the cooking appliance (1) includes only a single convection fan (80), but is not limited thereto, and the cooking appliance according to one embodiment may include a plurality of convection fans.

[0062] The cooking appliance (1) may include a display (52) that displays operation information of the cooking appliance (1). For example, the display (52) may be provided on the upper part of the cooking appliance (1).

[0063] The main body (10) may include a display case (15) that supports a display (52). For example, the display case (15) may be provided on the upper part of a cooking appliance (1). The display case (15) may accommodate various components that constitute a user interface (50, see FIG. 11), such as a display (52).

[0064] The cooking appliance (1) described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and FIG. 2 is merely an example of a cooking appliance according to the concept of the present disclosure, and the concept of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In addition, unlike as shown in FIG. 1, a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may not be a built-in type cooking appliance installed in a cabinet.

[0065] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a portion of the configuration, such as a burner receiving chamber, of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a burner receiving chamber of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a cooking device (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a burner receiving chamber (16) provided inside a main body (10). A second burner (220) may be provided inside the burner receiving chamber (16). The burner receiving chamber (16) may be provided outside the cooking chamber (20) and may be formed partitioned from the cooking chamber (20).

[0067] For example, the burner housing (16) may be located below the cooking chamber (20). The burner housing (16) may be located below the inner case (12). The second burner (220) may be placed below the cooking chamber (20).

[0068] The burner housing (16) may be provided to be connected to the cooking room (20). Specifically, the inner case (12) may include a lower opening (12b) formed so that a portion of the lower wall is open. The lower opening (12b) may be positioned between the interior of the burner housing (16) and the interior of the cooking room (20) to connect the lower opening (12b) and the burner housing (16).

[0069] The cooking device (1) may include a bottom plate (17) that partitions the cooking chamber (20) and the burner receiving chamber (16). For example, the bottom plate (17) may be attached to the lower wall of the inner case (12). More specifically, the bottom plate (17) may be attached to the edge portion of the lower opening (12b). The bottom plate (17) may cover the lower opening (12b) to partition the cooking chamber (20) and the burner receiving chamber (16).

[0070] At least a portion of the bottom plate (17) may be located inside the cooking chamber (20). The bottom plate (17) may be provided to allow a cooking container containing food to be placed on it.

[0071] The bottom plate (17) may include a heat outlet (17a) provided to supply heat generated by the second burner (220) to the cooking chamber (20). The heat generated by the second burner (220) may flow from the burner receiving chamber (16) to the cooking chamber (20) through the heat outlet (17a). The heat outlet (17a) may connect the burner receiving chamber (16) and the cooking chamber (20). The heat outlet (17a) may be formed to have a shape that penetrates the bottom plate (17) (for example, to have a shape that penetrates the bottom plate (17) approximately in the vertical direction (Z).

[0072] For example, the heat exhaust outlets (17a) may be provided in multiple locations adjacent to the left inner wall and the right inner wall of the cooking room (20), respectively.

[0073] For example, a plurality of heat exhaust ports (17a) may have a slit shape that extends approximately in the front-to-back direction (X direction) of the cooking chamber (20).

[0074] The cooking device (1) may include a support plate (18). The support plate (18) may be positioned below the bottom plate (17). The support plate (18) may be coupled to the inner case (12). Specifically, the support plate (18) may be coupled to at least a portion of the rim portion of the lower opening (12b) of the inner case (12). The support plate (18) may cover a portion of the lower opening (12b) of the cooking chamber (20).

[0075] The support plate (18) can support the upper part of the second burner (220). As shown in FIG. 4, the heat generated by the second burner (220) can move along the inclined surface of the support plate (18) and flow to the heat outlet (17a). That is, the support plate (18) can guide the flow of the heat generated by the second burner (220).

[0076] The configuration of the second burner (220) and the configuration of the burner housing (16) that accommodates the second burner (220) described above are merely examples of the configuration of the burner and the configuration of the burner housing provided in a cooking appliance according to the concept of the present disclosure, and the concept of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing gas being supplied to a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 5 (a), when power is not applied to the cooking device (1), a low current flows through the cooking device (1), so the bimetal coil (350) included in the cooking device (1) does not bend, and the bimetal arm (360) connected to the bimetal coil (350) blocks the gas outlet, and consequently, gas may not be supplied to the burner (200).

[0079] However, as shown in Fig. 5(b), when power is applied to the cooking device (1), a high current flows through the cooking device (1), causing the bimetal coil (350) included in the cooking device (1) to bend. Accordingly, the bimetal arm (360) connected to the bimetal coil (350) bends so as not to block the gas outlet, and thus gas can be supplied to the burner (200).

[0080] Because of the structure in which gas can be automatically supplied / cut off as power is applied without control such as a separate gas valve, it may be more important to ensure that stable power is supplied to the cooking appliance (1).

[0081] Below, various operations according to the power applied to the cooking device (1) are described.

[0082] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a control block diagram of a cooking device according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the switching of a switching element according to one embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0083] The cooking device (1) may further include a user interface (50), a voltage sensor (400), a switching element (500), a communication unit (70), and a control unit (100) in addition to the aforementioned burner (200) and ignition device (201). The control unit (100) may include at least one processor (101) and a memory (102).

[0084] The user interface (50) may include an input device (51) for receiving user input. The input device (51) may receive setting values ​​related to the operation of the cooking device (1) or various control commands from the user.

[0085] Types of user inputs that can be received through the input device (51) may include on / off power of the cooking device (1), execution / operation of cooking operations, setting of cooking time, change of cooking temperature, and settings related to the selection of a cooking method (e.g., baking or broil cooking).

[0086] The input device (51) may include various types of input devices such as a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, or a touch switch.

[0087] The input device (51) can receive user input and output an electrical signal (voltage or current) corresponding to the user input to the control unit (100). The control unit (100) can receive user input based on the output signal of the input device (51).

[0088] The user interface (50) may include a display (52) for displaying information related to the operation or status of the cooking device (1).

[0089] Operation or status information of the cooking appliance (1) that can be displayed by the display (52) may include the cooking temperature or cooking method, the current temperature inside the cooking chamber (20), the progress status of the cooking operation, the remaining cooking time, and information regarding the occurrence of various errors (e.g., fire occurrence warning notification).

[0090] The display (52) may be configured to provide information to the user, including a light-emitting diode (LED) panel, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, or a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel.

[0091] Additionally, the display (52) may include a touch screen that includes a touch pad for detecting a user's touch. The touch screen displays a setting value or control command that the user can select, and can receive a setting value or control command based on the user's touch input.

[0092] However, the configuration of the user interface provided in the cooking appliance according to the concept of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various types of user interfaces may be provided.

[0093] The voltage sensor (400) can detect the voltage applied to the burner (200). That is, it can detect the voltage applied to the burner (200) of the cooking appliance (1) from an external power source.

[0094] Additionally, the cooking device (1) may include a communication unit (70) for communicating with an external device via wired and / or wireless means.

[0095] The communication unit (70) may include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module.

[0096] The communication unit (70) can transmit data to an external device (e.g., server, user device and / or home appliance) or receive data from an external device. For example, the communication unit can establish communication with a server and / or user device and / or home appliance and transmit and receive various data.

[0097] To this end, the communication unit (70) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between external devices, and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the communication unit may include a wireless communication module (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a GNSS (global navigation satellite system) communication module) or a wired communication module (e.g., a LAN (local area network) communication module, or a power line communication module). The corresponding communication unit among these communication modules may communicate with an external device through a first network (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, WiFi (wireless fidelity) direct, or IrDA (infrared data association)) or a second network (e.g., a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a long-range communication network such as a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN). These various types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips).

[0098] A short-range wireless communication module may include, but is not limited to, Bluetooth communication modules, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication modules, Near Field Communication modules, WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication modules, Zigbee communication modules, infrared (IrDA, infrared Data Association) communication modules, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication modules, UWB (ultrawideband) communication modules, Ant+ communication modules, microwave (uWave) communication modules, etc.

[0099] The long-distance communication module may include a communication unit that performs various types of long-distance communication and may include a mobile communication module. The mobile communication module transmits and receives wireless signals with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network.

[0100] The control unit (100) may include a memory (102) that stores a control program and control data for controlling a burner (200) and a switching element (500), and at least one processor (101) that generates a control signal according to the control program and control data stored in the memory (102). The memory (102) and the processor (101) may be provided as a single unit or separately.

[0101] The memory (102) can store programs and data for controlling the burner (200) and switching element (500), etc.

[0102] The memory (102) may include volatile memory such as S-RAM (Static Random Access Memory, S-RAM) and D-RAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data. Additionally, the memory (102) may include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) for long-term data storage.

[0103] The processor (101) may include various logic circuits and arithmetic circuits, process data according to a program provided from memory (102), and generate control signals according to the processing result.

[0104] In the case where a method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by a single processor (101) or by a plurality of processors (101). For example, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by a method according to at least one embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first processor (101), or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by a first processor (101) (e.g., a general-purpose processor (101)) and the third operation may be performed by a second processor (101) (e.g., an artificial intelligence dedicated processor (101)).

[0105] This control unit (100) can be electrically connected to a user interface (50), a voltage sensor (400), a burner (200), a switching element (500) and / or a communication unit (70).

[0106] The switching element (500) can be configured to switch so that the current limiting element (600) is connected to or disconnected from the burner (200) as shown in FIG. 7.

[0107] The current limiting element (600) is a device for reducing the current flowing through the burner (200) and may be configured to include at least one resistor element.

[0108] The control unit (100) can control the switching element (500) under predetermined conditions to connect the burner (200) to the current limiting element (600). Accordingly, the current flowing through the burner (200) may be reduced. Additionally, the switching element (500) may be controlled to disconnect the burner (200) from the current limiting element (600). This means that a current circuit is formed using the existing power source, allowing the cooking device (1) to operate normally. A detailed explanation of this will be provided later.

[0109] FIGS. 8 to 10 are flowcharts showing a control method of a cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosed invention, FIG. 11 is a drawing showing the provision of a notification according to an embodiment of the disclosed invention, and FIG. 12 is a drawing explaining the operation according to the voltage applied to the cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the disclosed invention.

[0110] A voltage sensor (400) can detect the voltage applied to the burner (200) of the cooking appliance (1). The operation of the burner (200) of the cooking appliance (1) is executed according to user input, etc. (801), and when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is greater than or equal to the first voltage (e.g., 803), the control unit (100) can control the switching element so that the current limiting element (600) is connected to the burner (200) (807).

[0111] Here, the first voltage may be the upper limit voltage of the applied voltage range for normal operation of the cooking appliance (1). For example, if the applied voltage range for normal operation of the cooking appliance (1) is 102 [V] to 132 [V], the first voltage may mean 132 [V].

[0112] If the applied voltage exceeds 132 [V], a voltage higher than the voltage required for normal operation of the cooking device (1) is applied, and damage may occur to the bimetal coil (350) or bimetal arm (360), causing errors such as gas leakage.

[0113] Accordingly, by controlling the switching element (500) so that the current limiting element (600) is included in series with the current circuit, the current flowing throughout the cooking device (1) can be reduced. Accordingly, the cooking device (1) can operate normally even when a high voltage is applied.

[0114] The following describes the case where the applied voltage is too low.

[0115] If the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is less than the second voltage which is lower than the first voltage (No in 901), the control unit (100) can cut off the voltage applied to the cooking appliance (1). That is, the voltage applied to the burner (200) of the cooking appliance (1) can be cut off by controlling the power relay (150) included in the power circuit (903).

[0116] Here, the second voltage may be the lower limit voltage of the applied voltage range for normal operation of the cooking appliance (1). For example, if the applied voltage range for normal operation of the cooking appliance (1) is 102 [V] to 132 [V], the second voltage may mean 102 [V].

[0117] If the applied voltage is less than 102 [V], a voltage lower than the voltage required for normal operation of the cooking device (1) is applied, so the bimetal coil (350) or bimetal arm (360), etc., cannot be bent sufficiently, so gas may not be supplied properly, and errors such as failure to ignite may occur due to a small amount of gas ejected.

[0118] Accordingly, the control unit (100) can prevent malfunction by controlling the power relay (150) to cut off the power supplied to the cooking device (1).

[0119] When the control unit (100) blocks the voltage applied to the burner (200) in this way, it can transmit a notification related to the blocking of the voltage applied to the burner (200) to an external device, etc., through the communication unit (70) (905). That is, as shown in FIG. 11, a notification related to the voltage blocking can be transmitted to an external device such as a user terminal.

[0120] A message such as "Operation will stop due to low power supply" may be displayed on the user terminal so that the user can know that the cooking device (1) has stopped operating.

[0121] Additionally, the control unit (100) can control the display (52) included in the cooking device (1) to display a notification related to the voltage applied to the burner (200) being cut off.

[0122] In this case, a message such as "Operation stops due to low power supply" is displayed on the display (52) included in the cooking device (1), so that the user can know that the cooking device (1) has stopped operating.

[0123] When the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is less than the first voltage and greater than the second voltage (e.g., 901), that is, when a voltage within the voltage range for normal operation of the cooking device (1) is applied, the control unit (100) can control the switching element (500) so that the current limiting element (600) and the burner (200) are cut off. That is, as described above, a conventional power circuit that does not include the current limiting element (600) can be formed to perform normal operation.

[0124] The following describes the case where the applied voltage is too high.

[0125] If the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is higher than the third voltage (e.g., 805), the control unit (100) can cut off the voltage applied to the cooking appliance (1). That is, the voltage applied to the burner (200) of the cooking appliance (1) can be cut off by controlling the power relay (150) included in the power circuit (1001).

[0126] Here, the third voltage may be a voltage higher than the upper limit voltage of the applied voltage range for normal operation of the cooking appliance (1). For example, if the applied voltage range for normal operation of the cooking appliance (1) is 102 [V] to 132 [V], the third voltage may mean about 150 [V].

[0127] When the applied voltage is 150 [V] or higher, the voltage applied is too high compared to the voltage required for normal operation of the cooking device (1), so even if the current flowing through the current limiting element (600) is reduced, an excessively high current may flow to perform normal operation.

[0128] Accordingly, the control unit (100) can prevent malfunction by controlling the power relay (150) to cut off the power supplied to the cooking device (1).

[0129] When the control unit (100) blocks the voltage applied to the burner (200) in this way, it can transmit a notification related to the blocking of the voltage applied to the burner (200) to an external device, etc. through the communication unit (70) (1003).

[0130] A message such as "Operation will stop because the power supply is too high" may be displayed on the user terminal so that the user can know that the cooking device (1) has stopped operating.

[0131] Additionally, the control unit (100) can control the display (52) included in the cooking device (1) to display a notification related to the voltage applied to the burner (200) being cut off.

[0132] In this case, a message such as "Operation will stop because the power supply is too high" is displayed on the display (52) included in the cooking device (1), so that the user can know that the cooking device (1) has stopped operating.

[0133] In summary, if the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is less than the second voltage, which is the lower limit voltage for normal operation, the control unit (100) can cut off the voltage applied to the burner (200) and provide a related notification.

[0134] When the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is greater than or equal to the second voltage, which is the lower limit voltage for normal operation, and less than the first voltage, which is the upper limit voltage for normal operation, the control unit (100) can control the switching element (500) so that the current limiting element (600) is disconnected from the burner (200) so that the cooking device (1) operates normally.

[0135] When the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is greater than or equal to the first voltage, which is the upper limit voltage for normal operation, the cooking device (1) can be made to operate normally by controlling the switching element (500) so that the current limiting element (600) is connected to the burner (200).

[0136] If the voltage detected by the voltage sensor (400) is greater than or equal to a third voltage that exceeds the upper limit voltage for normal operation, the control unit (100) can cut off the voltage applied to the burner (200) and provide a related notification.

[0137] By detecting the applied voltage and, if the applied voltage deviates from the voltage range required for stable operation of the cooking appliance, using a separate resistor module or the like to reduce the current flowing through the cooking appliance or stop the operation of the cooking appliance, stable operation of the cooking appliance can be ensured.

[0138] A cooking device according to one embodiment may include: a cooking chamber; a burner that includes an ignition device for igniting gas fuel and burns the ignited gas fuel to heat the interior of the cooking chamber; a voltage sensor that detects a voltage applied to the burner; a current limiting element that reduces the current flowing through the burner; a switching element that switches the current limiting element to be connected to or disconnected from the burner; and a control unit that controls the switching element so that the current limiting element is connected to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to a first voltage.

[0139] According to the present disclosure, stable operation of a cooking appliance can be achieved by detecting the applied voltage and, when the applied voltage deviates from the voltage range for stable operation of the cooking appliance, reducing the current flowing through the cooking appliance or stopping the operation of the cooking appliance using a separate resistor module, etc.

[0140] The control unit can cut off the voltage applied to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is less than a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage.

[0141] It further includes a communication unit that performs communication with an external device; and the control unit can transmit a notification to the external device regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off through the communication unit when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is less than the second voltage.

[0142] The control unit may further include a display, and the control unit may control the display to display a notification regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is less than the second voltage.

[0143] The control unit can control the switching element so that the current limiting element is cut off from the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to the second voltage and less than or equal to the first voltage.

[0144] The control unit above can block the voltage applied to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is higher than the third voltage, which is higher than the first voltage.

[0145] It further includes a communication unit that performs communication with an external device; and the control unit can transmit a notification to the external device through the communication unit regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to the third voltage.

[0146] The control unit may further include a display, and the control unit may control the display to display a notification regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to the third voltage.

[0147] The above current limiting element may include at least one resistor element.

[0148] A control method for a cooking appliance according to one embodiment may include: a cooking chamber; a burner that includes an ignition device for igniting gas fuel and burns the ignited gas fuel to heat the interior of the cooking chamber; and, in the control method for a cooking appliance, detecting a voltage applied to the burner; and, when the detected voltage is greater than or equal to a first voltage, controlling a switching element so that a current limiting element that reduces the current flowing through the burner is connected to the burner.

[0149] It may further include blocking the voltage applied to the burner when the detected voltage is lower than the second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage.

[0150] It may further include performing communication with an external device; and transmitting a notification to the external device regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the detected voltage is less than the second voltage.

[0151] The above cooking device may further include a display and control the display to display a notification related to the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the detected voltage is less than the second voltage.

[0152] It may further include controlling the switching element so that the current limiting element is cut off from the burner when the detected voltage is greater than or equal to the second voltage and less than or equal to the first voltage.

[0153] It may further include blocking the voltage applied to the burner when the detected voltage is higher than or equal to a third voltage that is higher than the first voltage.

[0154] It may further include performing communication with an external device; and, if the detected voltage is greater than or equal to the third voltage, transmitting a notification to the external device regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off.

[0155] The above cooking device may further include a display and control the display to display a notification related to the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the detected voltage is greater than or equal to the third voltage.

[0156] The above current limiting element may include at least one resistor element.

[0157] According to the disclosed invention, stable operation of a cooking appliance can be achieved by detecting the applied voltage and, when the applied voltage deviates from the voltage range for stable operation of the cooking appliance, using a separate resistor module or the like to reduce the current flowing through the cooking appliance or stop the operation of the cooking appliance.

[0158] Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a recording medium that stores instructions executable by a computer. The instructions may be stored in the form of program code and, when executed by a processor, may generate a program module to perform the operation of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium.

[0159] Computer-readable recording media include all types of recording media that store instructions that can be decoded by a computer. Examples include ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage devices, etc.

[0160] As described above, the disclosed embodiments have been explained with reference to the attached drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be practiced in forms different from the disclosed embodiments without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be interpreted restrictively.

Claims

1. Kitchen; A burner comprising an ignition device for igniting gas fuel and burning the ignited gas fuel to heat the interior of the cooking chamber; A voltage sensor that detects the voltage applied to the burner; A current limiting element that reduces the current flowing through the burner; A switching element that switches the current limiting element to be connected to or disconnected from the burner; and A cooking device comprising: a control unit that controls the switching element so that the current limiting element is connected to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to a first voltage.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above control unit is, A cooking device that cuts off the voltage applied to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is less than a second voltage which is lower than the first voltage.

3. In Paragraph 2, A communication unit that performs communication with an external device; further comprising, The above control unit is, A cooking device that transmits a notification to an external device regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off through the communication unit when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is less than the second voltage.

4. In Paragraph 2, Including a display; further The above control unit is, A cooking device that controls the display to display a notification regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is less than the second voltage.

5. In Paragraph 2, The above control unit is, A cooking device that controls the switching element so that the current limiting element is cut off from the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to the second voltage and less than or equal to the first voltage.

6. In Paragraph 2, The above control unit is, A cooking device that cuts off the voltage applied to the burner when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is higher than or equal to a third voltage that is higher than the first voltage.

7. In Paragraph 6, A communication unit that performs communication with an external device; further comprising, The above control unit is, A cooking device that transmits a notification to an external device regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off through the communication unit when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to the third voltage.

8. In Paragraph 6, Including a display; further The above control unit is, A cooking device that controls the display to display a notification regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the voltage detected by the voltage sensor is greater than or equal to the third voltage.

9. In Paragraph 1, The above current limiting element is, A cooking appliance comprising at least one resistor element.

10. A cooking chamber; a burner comprising an ignition device for igniting gas fuel and a burner for burning the ignited gas fuel to heat the interior of the cooking chamber; a control method for a cooking device comprising: Detecting the voltage applied to the burner; A method for controlling a cooking appliance, comprising: controlling a switching element so that a current limiting element that reduces the current flowing to the burner is connected to the burner when the above-detected voltage is greater than or equal to a first voltage.

11. In Paragraph 10, A control method for a cooking appliance further comprising: cutting off the voltage applied to the burner when the detected voltage is less than a second voltage which is lower than the first voltage.

12. In Paragraph 11, Performing communication with an external device; and A method for controlling a cooking appliance, further comprising: transmitting a notification to an external device regarding the interruption of the voltage applied to the burner when the detected voltage is less than the second voltage.

13. In Paragraph 11, The above cooking appliance further includes a display, and A method for controlling a cooking appliance, further comprising: controlling the display to display a notification regarding the voltage applied to the burner being cut off when the detected voltage is less than the second voltage.

14. In Paragraph 11, A method for controlling a cooking appliance, further comprising: controlling the switching element so that the current limiting element is cut off from the burner when the detected voltage is greater than or equal to the second voltage and less than or equal to the first voltage.

15. In Paragraph 11, A control method for a cooking appliance further comprising: blocking the voltage applied to the burner when the detected voltage is higher than or equal to a third voltage that is higher than the first voltage.

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