Capacitive Sensor Panel for Induction Cooktop Overflow Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Induction heating cooking apparatuses lack effective mechanisms to detect food overflow, leading to potential accidents and hygiene issues due to unchecked overheating.
Innovation Solution
A cooking apparatus with a capacitive sensor panel on a glass cooking plate that determines a reference position and assigns weights to regions based on capacitance changes, triggering an alarm, reducing heater output, and sending warnings to notify users of food overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If induction heating is used to cook food, then cooking efficiency is improved, but food overflow detection capability deteriorates (no detection mechanism)
Solution Approach 1:
A capacitive sensor panel is introduced as an intermediary component between the cooking vessel and the controller. The sensor panel detects capacitance changes caused by food overflow and transmits this information to the controller, enabling indirect detection of overflow conditions without interfering with the induction heating process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical or manual overflow detection methods with an electrical sensing system. The capacitive sensor panel uses electrical field changes to detect food overflow, substituting traditional mechanical sensors or human visual inspection with a non-contact electrical measurement approach
2Reliability
If food overflow is detected using simple capacitance sensing, then detection capability is improved, but false detection accuracy deteriorates (cannot distinguish food from water)
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking plate surface is divided into multiple detection regions, each with independently adjustable weight coefficients. By segmenting the detection area and applying different weights to different regions, the system can distinguish between food overflow (which typically accumulates in specific patterns) and water spills (which may distribute differently), thereby reducing false detections
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the capacitive sensor panel are assigned different weight coefficients based on their proximity to the cooking vessel and likelihood of food overflow. This local quality differentiation allows the system to prioritize detection in high-risk areas while maintaining overall detection accuracy across the entire cooking surface
3Measurement precision
If weight coefficients are assigned to different regions, then detection accuracy is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses parameter changes (weight coefficients) as a software-based solution rather than hardware modifications. By adjusting numerical weights in the control algorithm rather than physically modifying the sensor panel or adding complex hardware, the system achieves improved detection accuracy while maintaining relatively simple device architecture
4Reliability
If alarm and automatic control are implemented, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alarm notification function and automatic heater control functions are merged into a single integrated safety response system. When food overflow is detected, the controller simultaneously activates the alarm and adjusts heater output, combining multiple safety actions into one coordinated response rather than requiring separate independent systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively detects food overflow, reduces the risk of accidents, and maintains hygiene by automatically controlling the cooking apparatus and alerting users, enhancing safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive sensor panel stacked on an upper surface of the glass... determine a reference position corresponding to a position of a cooking vessel based on a capacitance change of the cooking plate
Implementation Method 2
an induction coil that generates a magnetic field with a current applied thereto... a secondary current is induced in the cooking vessel, and resistance component of the cooking vessel itself causes Joule heat to be generated
Implementation Method 3
resistance component of the cooking vessel itself causes Joule heat to be generated
Data Source
AI summary
A cooking apparatus may comprise: an alarm; a cooking plate including glass and a capacitance sensor panel; and a control unit which determines a reference position corresponding to the position of a cooking vessel on the basis of a capacitance change of the cooking plate, determines a plurality of regions on the cooking plate, to which different weights are provided depending on a distance from the reference position, and controls the alarm to output a warning message when a value of capacitance change of the cooking plate having the weights applied thereto exceeds a predetermined value.