A temperature control method for a cooking appliance and a system related thereto

Abstract

The present invention relates to a temperature control method for a cooking appliance (1) and a system related thereto, comprising a cooking chamber containing a heating element (50, 60, 70), a mechanical thermostat (40) capable of adjusting the cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning on and off the heating element (50, 60, 70), a mode selection unit (100) enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance (1), and a control unit (10) providing control of the operation of the heating element (50, 60, 70) in any operating mode selected via the mode selection unit (100).

Description

[0001] A TEMPERATURE CONTROL METHOD FOR A COOKING APPLIANCE AND A SYSTEM RELATED THERETO

[0002] Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to a temperature control method for cooking appliances and a system related thereto.

[0004] More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanical thermostat capable of adjusting a cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning a heating element on and off therein, a mode selection unit enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance, and a control method and system implemented to provide an efficient cooking function with the help of a button in any operating mode selected in ovens with mechanical thermostats, by providing control of the operation of the heating element according to any operating mode selected via the mode selection unit.

[0005] State of the Art

[0006] A cooking appliance is a household appliance used for cooking or heating food. This appliance, generally located on a kitchen counter or above the counter, is used for preparing meals (heating, cooking). The cooking appliance has varieties such as gas or electricity. For example, built-in domestic ovens are cooking appliances that usually have an electric heater and an internal fan.

[0007] The cooking performance of ovens is an important issue that users pay attention to. Cooking performance can be defined as a measure of how fast, high-quality, and low-energy-consuming the oven cooks food and how user-friendly it is. High-quality cooking is directly related to the moisture, temperature, and the amount of browning known as the Maillard reaction that the food has during the cooking process, as well as aroma and taste. In addition, from the user's perspective, designs that minimize user intervention are occupying an increasingly larger place in the market. For this reason, the implementation of software and hardware used in the oven in a way that facilitates user use and increases cooking performance is an important configuration step.

[0008] Today, fans are used in ovens to perform ventilation, circulation, and cooling functions. The oven fan is basically used to distribute and circulate hot air inside the oven. When the fan is operated while cooking something in the oven, hot air reaches all surfaces of the food better. In this way, the food cooks faster and more homogeneously. This mechanism is called forced convection in heat transfer.While cooking, the source of the hot air emitted by the fan is electric heaters. These heaters can be placed in different regions of the oven. The upper heater is placed inside the cooking chamber (fixed to the upper region) for grilling activity, the lower heater is placed outside the cooking chamber (fixed to the lower region) , and the turbo heater is placed on the rear wall of the oven (fixed around the fan). The heat dissemination methods of these heaters are natural convection, forced convection, and radiation. Especially the upper heater has a very high radiation effect because it is in the direct line of sight of the food without any obstacle in between. It is also important that energy consumption is low while providing the basic function of the oven, which is the cooking process. Due to obligations imposed by international standards, competitive conditions, and the efficient use of energy resources worldwide, efforts to reduce energy consumption and increase cooking quality in domestic electric ovens are rapidly increasing.

[0009] An electronic control method is used to provide and maintain the necessary temperature for the cooking process in the oven. In ovens using RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector) sensors, the control process is easier compared to ovens with mechanical thermostats. Because the oven's interior temperature is precisely controlled by the sensor and this temperature is sent as a signal to the electronic circuit board. According to this signal, the oven temperature control is performed precisely while the appropriate cooking function can also be determined with the help of the electronic circuit board. However, in products with mechanical thermostats, the cooking function is performed less efficiently compared to ovens with RTD sensors due to reasons such as high on-off oscillation and the thermostat not being in communication with the electronic circuit board. This situation causes an increase in energy consumption.

[0010] In products with mechanical thermostats, dual thermostats are used to provide more precise control. This leads to a more complex and expensive configuration. In products that do not use dual thermostats, since the main control system of the oven is according to the mechanical thermostat, the on-off temperature oscillation is high during the cooking process, and the reference temperature cannot be provided precisely. In products with mechanical thermostats where the reference temperature cannot be provided precisely, excess energy consumption is realized during the cooking process.

[0011] In ovens with mechanical thermostats, an efficient (eco) mode is generally not present. This is because ovens with mechanical thermostats lack advanced electronic control systems that optimize energy use. In cases where the efficient mode is completely absent, energy consumption cannot be controlled, and high energy consumption occurs. The presence of the efficient mode only in certain modes or in limited use narrows the options for users to save energy. Making the efficient modeaccessible in every mode is important in terms of energy efficiency and flexibility of use. In today's world, where energy saving and sustainability are becoming increasingly important, the absence of an efficient mode constitutes a disadvantage. The efficient mode is basically a feature that makes it possible to cook with low energy consumption, ensuring that the oven consumes only as much energy as necessary. To increase energy efficiency in ovens with mechanical thermostats, the integration of an efficient mode is required. Making the efficient mode available in every operating mode of ovens with mechanical thermostats (e.g., fish cooking, chicken cooking, only bottom resistance on, etc.) provides significant advantages in terms of energy saving and flexibility of use. Enabling the activation of the efficient mode in every operating mode of the oven optimizes energy consumption according to different cooking needs, thus reducing user costs.

[0012] EP3249302B1 discloses a cooking appliance comprises several electrically operable heating elements for heating a cooking chamber thereof, a mechanically rotatable operating selection switch for switching on at least one heating element depending on its rotational position, and a mechanical temperature regulator for regulating a switched-on heating element depending on a temperature of the cooking chamber. This temperature regulator is connected in series with the heating elements and comprises an electronic circuit.

[0013] WO2023140799A1 discloses an oven temperature control system comprising an electric heating element that provides heating of a cooking chamber; a mechanical thermostat adjusted to switch the temperature of the cooking chamber by switching on and off in a range around a determined temperature value in a cooking mode; a mechanically switched switch controlled by the mechanical thermostat to activate the heating element.

[0014] CN104284616A discloses a device comprises a first mechanical thermostat in thermal communication with a lower grill plate adjustable to turn off said electric resistance at a fixed temperature value of a plate, and a second bimetal thermostat in thermal communication with the lower grill plate adjustable to turn off said electric resistance at different temperature values of the plate.

[0015] US5277104A discloses an electronically heat-controlled pretzel oven. Said oven comprises a microprocessor-based control, a solid-state relay for less maintenance and improved baking production, and an overheat temperature electrical source in case of fire or other excessive temperature conditions.

[0016] US4692598A discloses a temperature controller. More specifically, the invention relates to a temperature controller suitable for controlling the temperature in an incubator or oven. In an incubatorused for growing microorganisms or cells or in an oven used for various temperature tests for materials or parts, the temperature in a chamber must be maintained at a desired level throughout the cultivation or testing period. Therefore, there is a heater and a temperature controller that controls the electric current supplied from the heater and keeps the temperature in the chamber at a constant level. Said document basically discloses a control mechanism for energizing the heaters.

[0017] As a result, considering the prior art and the mentioned drawbacks, there is a need for a method capable of implementing an efficient mode in any selected mode in systems with mechanical thermostats, and a system related thereto.

[0018] Object and Brief Description of the Invention

[0019] An object of the invention is to enable the operation of the efficient mode in any desired cooking mode in cooking appliances with mechanical thermostats (for example, ovens).

[0020] Another object of the invention is to enable the use of idle energy in cooking appliances.

[0021] Another object of the invention is to enable the cooking to continue in an energy-efficient manner from the moment a button is pressed while the cooking process is ongoing in a currently operating mode, without needing to switch the mode off and on (resetting, restarting the mode, etc.).

[0022] Another object of the invention is to take the control of the cooking appliance from the thermostat in any cooking mode and enable the use of the special mode with added hardware and software.

[0023] Another object of the invention is to enable the thermostat to operate as a secondary safety element when the control of the cooking appliance is taken from the thermostat.

[0024] The invention is a temperature control method for a cooking appliance that provides energy savings in a desired operating mode without using an electronic temperature control element, comprising the process steps of:

[0025] initiating a heating process of the cooking chamber by a control unit receiving feedback via a button for any mode selected by the user via a mode selection unit to operate in an energy-saving manner and, with permission of a relay according to an instruction from the control unit, a mechanical thermostat configured to activate and deactivate a heating element in a temperature period between a lower temperature threshold value and an upper temperature threshold value by activating the heating element until the upper temperature threshold value is reached;deactivating the heating element by the mechanical thermostat upon the temperature of the cooking chamber reaching the upper temperature threshold value;

[0026] performing temperature control of the cooking chamber independently of the mechanical thermostat, after deactivation of the heating element, by the relay activating and deactivating the heating element in a different period during the cooking time independently of the mechanical thermostat according to the instruction from the control unit.

[0027] The invention is a temperature control system for a cooking appliance comprising at least one cooking chamber containing at least one heating element, at least one mechanical thermostat capable of adjusting the cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning on and off said heating element, at least one mode selection unit enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance, and at least one control unit providing control of the operation of the heating element according to the operating mode selected via the mode selection unit, comprising, to provide energy savings in a desired operating mode:

[0028] at least one button that provides feedback to the control unit according to any mode selected with the mode selection unit as to whether the heating elements become active or passive independently of the mechanical thermostat;

[0029] at least one relay that enables the heating element to become active or passive independently or dependently of the mechanical thermostat during the cooking time according to the instruction from the control unit.

[0030] The present invention relates to a mechanical thermostat capable of adjusting the cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning on and off a heating element therein, a mode selection unit enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance, and a control method and a system related thereto, which provides control of the operation of the heating element so that the efficient mode can be used in the operating mode selected via the mode selection unit.

[0031] Brief Description of the Figures

[0032] Figure - 1 A view of the circuit diagram of the control method and system is given.

[0033] Figure - 2 A temperature-time graph related to the cooking chamber of the control method and system is given.

[0034] Figure - 3 A representative view of the cooking appliance and the mode selection unit is given.Figure - 4 Another representative view of the cooking appliance and the mode selection unit is given.

[0035] Figure - 5 Another representative view of the cooking appliance and the mode selection unit is given.

[0036] Figure - 6 A representative view of the connection between the mode selection unit and the switch is given.

[0037] Reference Numerals

[0038] I Cooking appliance

[0039] 10 Control unit

[0040] II Relay

[0041] A Relay input

[0042] A' Relay switch output

[0043] 12 Control unit button input

[0044] 13 Control unit thermostat input

[0045] 14 Control unit neutral input

[0046] 15 Control unit phase input

[0047] 20 Thermal cut-out

[0048] 21 Thermal cut-out phase output

[0049] 22 Thermal cut-out switch output

[0050] 30 Switch

[0051] 31 a Switch lamp first output pin

[0052] 34a Switch lamp second output pin

[0053] 36a Switch thermostat output pin

[0054] 31 b Switch resistance first output pin

[0055] 32b Switch resistance second output pin

[0056] 33b Switch resistance third output pin

[0057] 34b Switch button output pin

[0058] 36b Switch relay output pin

[0059] 40 Mechanical thermostat

[0060] 41 Thermostat switch output

[0061] 42 Thermostat control unit output

[0062] 50 First heating element

[0063] 51 RC thermostat output

[0064] 52 RC ground output

[0065] 53 RC switch output

[0066] 60 Second heating element

[0067] 61 RGE thermostat output

[0068] 62 RGE ground output

[0069] 63 RGE switch output

[0070] 70 Third heating element

[0071] 71 RD thermostat output

[0072] 72 RD ground output

[0073] 73 RD switch output80 Terminal box

[0074] 81 Terminal neutral input

[0075] 82 Terminal phase input

[0076] 83 Terminal ground input

[0077] 84 Terminal neutral output

[0078] 85 Terminal phase output

[0079] 86 Terminal ground output

[0080] 90 Lamp

[0081] 91 Lamp first switch output

[0082] 92 Lamp ground output

[0083] 93 Lamp second switch output

[0084] 100 Mode selection unit

[0085] 110 Button

[0086] 111 Button control unit output

[0087] 112 Button neutral output

[0088] Tmin Lower temperature threshold value

[0089] Tmax Upper temperature threshold value

[0090] Detailed Description of the Invention

[0091] The invention relates to a temperature control method for a cooking appliance (1) and a system related thereto, comprising a cooking chamber containing a heating element (50, 60, 70), a mechanical thermostat (40) capable of adjusting the cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning on and off the heating element (50, 60, 70), a mode selection unit (100) enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance (1), and a control unit (10) providing control of the operation of the heating element (50, 60, 70) according to the operating mode selected via the mode selection unit (100).

[0092] Cooking appliances (1) are devices generally used for cooking and heating food, and have varieties such as electricity, gas, and induction. The cooking appliances (1) are mostly used in the kitchen parts of homes. In ovens, which are cooking appliances (1), a thermostat element is used. In ovens with mechanical thermostats, the operating times of the heaters are fixed depending on the temperature sensed by the mechanical thermostat inside the oven. Furthermore, operating the efficient mode (eco mode) in electronic ovens is a more costly process. In the present invention, in products with mechanical thermostats, a more precise and controlled temperature is provided inside the oven during the cooking process with the help of an intelligent algorithm and hardware, thereby increasing cooking efficiency and reducing energy consumption and cost. In normal electric ovens, relays are used to utilize idle heat. In ovens with mechanical thermostats, idle heat is not used and the oven operates with low efficiency. In the present invention, feedback (neutral electrical signal feedback) is provided to the control unit (10) via a button (110) without using an electronic circuit,and the control of the cooking appliance (1) is taken from the mechanical thermostat (40) and given to the control unit (10) in any mode selected by the user from the mode selection unit (100). The control unit (10) gives instructions to the relay (11) to enable a currently operating mode (e.g., fish cooking mode) to operate in an energy-saving manner, and the relay (11) provides efficient cooking in the currently operating mode by turning the heating elements (50, 60, 70) on and off for specific durations according to the incoming instructions. Thus, cooking is done using the efficient mode in all operating modes. In the efficient cooking, only the control of the cooking appliance (1) is taken from the mechanical thermostat (40), and the mechanical thermostat (40) is not completely deactivated but continues to operate in the background as a secondary safety provider. Another important aspect to note in the operation of our invention is that a current operating mode continues to operate in an energy-efficient manner from the moment the button (110) is pressed, without needing to be switched off and on again.

[0093] The present invention fundamentally comprises at least one control unit (10), at least one thermal cut-out (20), at least one switch (30), at least one mechanical thermostat (40), at least one heating element (50, 60, 70), at least one terminal box (80), at least one lamp (90), at least one cooking chamber, at least one mode selection unit (100), and at least one button (110). The cooking chamber is equipped with at least one heating element (50, 60, 70).

[0094] The circuit diagram of the control system is shown in Figure 1. The description of the terminals and pins of the circuit is provided below. The naming of the pins and terminals is designed to include the name of the connected component to facilitate understanding of the circuit. The terminals and pins of the components mentioned in the invention are electrically connected to other related components. The purpose of the connection may vary depending on the function of the terminal or pin. For example, if a terminal is connected to the power line, it receives or transmits electric current as an electrical signal. For example, if a pin is connected to another component to control it, it can transmit electrical current or an electrical signal to the component to be controlled.

[0095] The control unit (10) has at least one control unit button input (12), at least one control unit thermostat input (13), at least one control unit neutral input (14), and at least one control unit phase input (15) connection terminals. The control unit (10) is equipped with at least one electrically connected relay (11). The relay (11) has at least one relay input (A) and at least one relay switch output (A1) terminal. In the control unit (10), the control unit button input (12) terminal is connected to the button control unit output (111) terminal. The line from the control unit thermostat input (13) terminal is connected to the thermostat control unit output (42) terminal, the RC thermostat output (51) terminal, the RGE thermostat output (61) terminal, and the RD thermostat output (71) terminal. In the relay (11), therelay switch output (A1) terminal is connected to the switch relay output pin (36b). The control unit (10) is electrically connected to the relay (11), the switch (30), the mechanical thermostat (40), the heating elements (50, 60, 70), the terminal box (80) - to the neutral line, the phase line - and the button (110). The control unit (10) is configured to receive electrical feedback from the connected components and process this information in its algorithm to send feedback to the components. The relay (11) enables the heating element (50, 60, 70) to become active or passive, independently or dependently of the mechanical thermostat (40), during the cooking time according to the instruction from the control unit (10). Here, the instruction is an electrical signal containing information about the on-off operation of the relay (11) and the durations of the on-off operation. The electrical signal is sent by a processor located in the control unit (10). In other words, the processor in the control unit (10) sends electrical current to the relay (11) to control its opening and closing. Additionally, the processor performs time calculations. In the processor, an algorithm runs to control the cooking appliance (1), controlling the relay (11), the switch (30), the mechanical thermostat (40), and the heating elements (50, 60, 70). The processor includes a memory unit in which algorithm data, operating mode data, and predetermined threshold values, etc., are stored. The algorithm operates at any position of the switch (30) and receives feedback when the user presses the button (110). To operate a cooking mode in an energy-efficient manner, the feedback is received from the button (110), and subsequently, the control of the components is provided by the time-controlled relay (11). Throughout the operation of the efficient mode, the mechanical thermostat (40) is not deactivated, but the algorithm operates independently of the mechanical thermostat (40). Here, the algorithm is an on-off algorithm with predetermined values. The relay (11) is electrically connected to the control unit (10), the switch (30), and the neutral line.

[0096] The thermal cut-out (20) has at least one thermal cut-out phase output (21) and at least one thermal cut-out switch output (22) terminal. The thermal cut-out (20) interrupts the circuit when a certain temperature threshold is reached, in other words, it opens the circuit by the expansion of the bimetal in its structure at a certain temperature. The thermal cut-out (20) is electrically connected to the switch (30), the lamp (90), and the phase line.

[0097] The switch (30) has at least one switch lamp first output pin (31a), at least one switch lamp second output pin (34a), at least one switch thermostat output pin (36a), at least one switch resistance first output pin (31b), at least one switch resistance second output pin (32b), at least one switch resistance third output pin (33b), at least one switch button output pin (34b), and at least one switch relay output pin (36b) terminals. In the switch (30), the switch resistance first output pin (31b) is connected to the RC switch output (53) terminal, the switch resistance second output pin (32b) is connected to the RGE switch output (63) terminal, and the switch resistance third output pin (33b) is connected to theRD switch output (73) terminal. The line from the switch lamp first output pin (31a) is connected to the thermal cut-out switch output (22) terminal and the lamp second switch output (93) terminal. On the other hand, the switch lamp second output pin (34a) is connected to the lamp first switch output (91) terminal, and the switch thermostat output pin (36a) is connected to the thermostat switch output (41) terminal. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the switch (30) is mechanically switched. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the switch (30) is configured to activate or deactivate the heating element. The switch (30) is pre-configured to know the function of each leg in each position. The pre-configurations are stored in the memory unit of the processor. The switch (30) is electrically connected to the control unit (10), the relay (11), the thermal cut-out (20), the mechanical thermostat (40), the heating elements (50, 60, 70), the terminal box (80), the lamp (90), and the button (110).

[0098] The mechanical thermostat (40) has at least one thermostat switch output (41) and at least one thermostat control unit output (42) terminal. The mechanical thermostat (40) is configured to adjust the temperature of the cooking chamber around a certain value by turning on and off the heating element (50, 60, 70). The mechanical thermostat (40) is electrically connected to the control unit (10) and the switch (30).

[0099] The first heating element -resistance-capacitor-RC- (50) has at least one RC thermostat output (51), at least one RC ground output (52), and at least one RC switch output (53) terminal. The first heating element (50) is electrically connected to the control unit (10), the switch (30), and the ground line. In other words, the RC thermostat output (51) terminal is connected to the line where the control unit thermostat input (13), thermostat control unit output (42), RGE thermostat output (61), and RD thermostat output (71) terminals are connected. The second heating element -resistance-grounding-RGE- (60) has at least one RGE thermostat output (61), at least one RGE ground output (62), and at least one RGE switch output (63) terminal. The second heating element (60) is electrically connected to the control unit (10), the switch (30), and the ground line. In other words, the RGE thermostat output (61) terminal is connected to the line where the control unit thermostat input (13), thermostat control unit output (42), RC thermostat output (51), and RD thermostat output (71) terminals are connected. The third heating element -resistance-decade-RD- (70) has at least one RD thermostat output (71), at least one RD ground output (72), and at least one RD switch output (73) terminal. The third heating element (70) is electrically connected to the control unit (10), the switch (30), and the ground line. In other words, the RD thermostat output (71) terminal is connected to the line where the control unit thermostat input (13), thermostat control unit output (42), RC thermostat output (51), and RGE thermostat output (61) terminals are connected. The heating element (50, 60, 70) provides heating of the cooking chamber. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, there arethree heating elements (50, 60, 70), but this should not be considered a limitation of the invention. The intent here is to describe the presence of a heating element capable of heating the cooking chamber, and the number of heating elements may vary.

[0100] The terminal box (80) refers to a connection box used to organize and safely distribute neutral, phase, and ground line connections in electrical circuits. In the terminal box (80), energy and ground connections are made from the terminal neutral input (81) terminal, terminal phase input (82) terminal, and terminal ground input (83) terminal, and distributed to the circuit (components) from the terminal neutral output (84) terminal, terminal phase output (85) terminal, and terminal ground output (86) terminal. The neutral line from the terminal neutral output (84) terminal is connected to the control unit neutral input (14) terminal, the relay input (A) terminal, the switch button output pin (34b), and the button neutral output (112) terminal. The energy line (phase line) from the terminal phase output (85) terminal is connected to the control unit phase input (15) terminal and the thermal cut-out phase output (21) terminal. The ground line from the terminal ground output (86) terminal is connected to the RC ground output (52) terminal, RGE ground output (62) terminal, RD ground output (72) terminal, and lamp ground output (92) terminal. The terminal box (80) is electrically connected to the control unit (10), the relay (11), the thermal cut-out (20), the switch (30), the heating elements (50, 60, 70), the lamp (90), and the button (110).

[0101] The lamp (90) has at least one lamp first switch output (91), at least one lamp ground output (92), and at least one lamp second switch output (93) terminal. The lamp (90) is the component that provides illumination inside the cooking appliance (1). The lamp (90) is electrically connected to the thermal cut-out (20), the switch (30), and the neutral line.

[0102] The cooking chamber refers to the chamber located inside the cooking appliance (1) where food is cooked. Here, the cooking chamber is heated by the heating elements (50, 60, 70).

[0103] The mode selection unit (100) refers to the unit where the user selects the desired cooking mode and can make adjustments such as temperature and time. Here, the mode selection unit (100) may be a mechanical rotary knob, an electronic screen, or a keyed structure (Figures 3, 4, 5). The mode selection unit (100) is connected to the switch (30) and enables the opening and closing of the internal legs of the switch (30) according to the selected mode, thereby setting the cooking mode, time, and similar parameters (Figure 6).

[0104] The button (110) transmits a neutral feedback to the control unit (10) for any mode selected via said mode selection unit (100) to operate in an energy-efficient manner, leaving its normal operation while it is running. The feedback enables the heating elements (50, 60, 70) to become active or passiveindependently of the mechanical thermostat (40) for a currently operating cooking mode to operate in an energy-efficient manner. The feedback is transmitted to the control unit (10) as a neutral electrical signal when the button (110) is pressed. The button (110) has button control unit output (111) and button neutral output (112) terminals. The button control unit output (111) is connected to the control unit button input (12) terminal, and when the button (110) is pressed, the button neutral output (112), which is connected to the neutral line, and the control unit button input (12) line are joined, and neutral feedback is transmitted to the control unit (10). According to this feedback, the relay (11) and the mechanical thermostat (40) connected in series operate. Thus, regardless of the switch (30) position, the cooking mode operates in an energy-efficient manner according to any selection in the mode selection unit (100) based on the neutral signal. In other words, the button (110) can provide a neutral feedback to the control unit (10).

[0105] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, independently of the position of the switch (30) (commutator switch) (cooking mode), in the process that starts with the user pressing the button (110) to use the efficient cooking (energy saving) feature in whichever cooking mode the oven is currently in, and the button (110) providing a neutral feedback (transmitting a neutral electrical signal) to the control unit (10), after the oven (cooking appliance (1)) reaches a certain temperature, the heat sources are removed from the control of the mechanical thermostat (40) and configured to operate only connected to the relay (11). In the position connected to the relay (11), the heating elements (50, 60, 70) have a flexible operation for appropriate cooking functions. In this way, while efficient cooking is provided in the desired operating mode (whichever cooking mode is currently being used for cooking) in cooking appliances (1) with mechanical thermostats (40), the energy consumption for each cooking mode is reduced by pressing the button (110).

[0106] In the present invention, the situation where a cooking mode continues to operate in an energy-saving (efficient mode) manner when the button (110) is pressed while it is ongoing comprises a series of processes. First, the user selects a mode via a mode selection unit (100). Here, the mode refers to a performance mode, a mode where only the upper heating element (resistance) is on, a mode where all heating elements are on, etc., of the cooking appliance (1). The modes refer to customized modes (e.g., fish cooking, chicken cooking, etc.) with combinations of features such as the on-status of the heating elements (50, 60, 70), operating times, etc. Then, for any selected mode to operate in an energy-saving manner, the control unit (10) receives feedback via a button (110), an instruction is given from the control unit (10) according to the feedback, the instruction is transmitted to the relay (11), the relay (11) gives permission according to the instruction from the control unit (10), and a mechanical thermostat (40) configured to activate and deactivate the heating element (50, 60, 70) in a temperature period between a lower temperature threshold value (Tmin) and an upper temperaturethreshold value (Tmax) activates the heating element (50, 60, 70) until the upper temperature threshold value (Tmax) is reached, thereby initiating the heating process of the cooking chamber. The information that the mechanical thermostat (40) use to activate and deactivate the heating element (50, 60, 70) is transmitted from the control unit thermostat input (13) terminal of the control unit (10). The control unit thermostat input (13) terminal is also used to transmit information to the control unit (10), such as whether the mechanical thermostat (40) is switching on and off, and whether the mechanical thermostat (40) is operating. Then, upon the temperature of the cooking chamber reaching the upper temperature threshold value (Tmax), the mechanical thermostat (40) deactivates the heating element (50, 60, 70). After the deactivation of the heating element (50, 60, 70), the relay (11) activates and deactivates the heating element (50, 60, 70) in a different period during the cooking time independently of the mechanical thermostat (40) according to the instruction from the control unit (10), thereby performing temperature control of the cooking chamber independently of the mechanical thermostat (40). Here, the instruction is an electrical signal containing information about the on-off operation of the relay (11) and the durations of the on-off operation. The electrical signal is sent by a processor located in the control unit (10). To provide the described process (method), the present invention is a temperature control system for a cooking appliance (1) comprising at least one cooking chamber containing at least one heating element (50, 60, 70), at least one mechanical thermostat (40) capable of adjusting the cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning on and off the heating element (50, 60, 70), at least one mode selection unit (100) enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance (1), and at least one control unit (10) providing control of the operation of the heating element (50, 60, 70) according to the operating mode selected via the mode selection unit (100), comprising, to provide energy savings in a desired operating mode: at least one button (110) that provides feedback to the control unit (10) according to any mode selected with the mode selection unit (100) as to whether the heating elements (50, 60, 70) become active or passive independently of the mechanical thermostat (40), and at least one relay (11) that enables the heating element (50, 60, 70) to become active or passive independently or dependently of the mechanical thermostat (40) during the cooking time according to the instruction from the control unit (10).

Claims

CLAIMS1. A temperature control method for a cooking appliance (1) that provides energy savings in a desired operating mode, characterized in that it comprises the process steps of:initiating a heating process of the cooking chamber by a control unit (10) receiving feedback via a button (110) for any mode selected by the user via a mode selection unit (100) to operate in an energy-saving manner and, with permission of a relay (11) according to an instruction from the control unit (10), a mechanical thermostat (40) configured to activate and deactivate a heating element (50, 60, 70) in a temperature period between a lower temperature threshold value (Tmin) and an upper temperature threshold value (Tmax) by activating the heating element (50, 60, 70) until the upper temperature threshold value (T max) is reached;deactivating the heating element (50,60,70) by the mechanical thermostat (40) upon the temperature of the cooking chamber reaching the upper temperature threshold value (Tmax);performing temperature control of the cooking chamber independently of the mechanical thermostat (40), after deactivation of the heating element (50,60,70), by the relay (11) activating and deactivating the heating element (50,60,70) in a different period during the cooking time independently of the mechanical thermostat (40) according to the instruction from the control unit (10).

2. A temperature control system for a cooking appliance (1) comprising at least one cooking chamber containing at least one heating element (50, 60, 70), at least one mechanical thermostat (40) capable of adjusting the cooking chamber temperature around a certain value by turning on and off the heating element (50, 60, 70), at least one mode selection unit (100) enabling the selection of different operating modes of the cooking appliance (1), and at least one control unit (10) providing control of the operation of the heating element (50, 60, 70) according to the operating mode selected via the mode selection unit (100), characterized in that, to provide energy savings in a desired operating mode, it comprises:at least one button (110) that provides feedback to the control unit (10) according to any mode selected with the mode selection unit (100) as to whether the heating elements (50, 60, 70) become active or passive independently of the mechanical thermostat (40);at least one relay (11) that enables the heating element (50, 60, 70) to become active or passive independently or dependently of the mechanical thermostat (40) during the cooking time according to the instruction from the control unit (10).

3. The temperature control system for a cooking appliance (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the control unit (10) comprises at least one processor configured to transmit electrical signals, perform numerical time calculations, record predetermined data, and run an algorithm that provides control of the cooking appliance (1).

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