Cooking hob

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hobs with suction slots on both sides and the rear are inefficient due to canceled suction flows, high production and maintenance costs, significant energy consumption, noise pollution, and restricted worktop usage for storage purposes.

Innovation Solution

A hob design featuring a central recess for vertical cooking vapor extraction, with a grease filter insert and exhaust air duct system that allows for efficient suction and low noise operation, enabling unrestricted worktop usage and reduced costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If extraction slots are provided on both sides and the rear of the cooktop, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but the worktop surfaces on both sides and behind the cooktop cannot be used for storage purposes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidworktop storage area
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the cooking fume extraction function from the traditional side and rear slot configuration and concentrates it into a single central extraction device located in the middle of the cooktop surface. This allows the previously occupied side and rear worktop areas to be freed up for storage purposes while maintaining effective cooking fume extraction through the centralized system with downwardly acting extraction flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If extraction slots are provided on both sides and the rear, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but the extraction flows cancel each other out in the center area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidextraction effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs asymmetric extraction flow direction by directing the extraction flow predominantly downward from the central extraction device, rather than using symmetric lateral flows from side slots. This asymmetric downward extraction pattern prevents flow cancellation in the center area and creates effective extraction currents that reliably draw cooking fumes away from the cooking zone without the interference of opposing lateral flows.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

3Object-generated harmful factors

If three extraction devices are used with slots on both sides and the rear, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but manufacturing and material costs are significantly increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidmanufacturing and material costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the three separate extraction devices (left side slot, rear slot, right side slot) into a single integrated central extraction device. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components, simplifies the exhaust duct system configuration, and lowers both manufacturing and material costs while maintaining effective cooking fume extraction through the unified central system with downward extraction flow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Object-generated harmful factors

If three extraction devices with slots on both sides and the rear are used, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but maintenance costs are particularly high due to three grease filters

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidmaintenance costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines the three separate grease filters that would be required for the left side slot, rear slot, and right side slot into a single grease filter system integrated with the central extraction device. This reduction from three filters to one significantly lowers maintenance costs and simplifies the maintenance routine while still providing effective grease filtration for the cooking fumes extracted by the centralized system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

5Object-generated harmful factors

If strong extraction currents are released simultaneously through all extraction slots, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but energy expenditure is particularly high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidenergy expenditure for extraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the extraction function from multiple high-energy-consuming slots and concentrates it into a single central extraction device with optimized downward extraction flow. This centralized approach reduces the total energy expenditure required for extraction by eliminating redundant extraction efforts and optimizing the extraction flow pattern to efficiently capture and remove cooking fumes with lower energy input compared to simultaneous operation of three separate extraction devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

6Object-generated harmful factors

If three strong extraction flows are used, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but noise pollution from flow noise and fan motors is pronounced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidnoise pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges three separate high-noise extraction devices into a single central extraction device with optimized downward extraction flow. This consolidation reduces noise pollution by eliminating the noise from three separate fan motors and flow systems, replacing them with a single optimized system that achieves the same cooking fume extraction effectiveness at lower noise levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

7Object-generated harmful factors

If extraction slots on both sides and the back are provided, then cooking fumes can be extracted, but a separate mounting frame is required for installation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooking fume extractionVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the extraction function from the complex side and rear slot configuration requiring mounting frames and simplifies it into a single central extraction device that can be directly integrated into the cooktop structure. This eliminates the need for separate mounting frames and complex installation procedures while maintaining effective cooking fume extraction through the centralized downward extraction system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 design effectively prevents vapor rise and spread, lowers production, assembly, and maintenance costs, while enhancing energy efficiency and reducing noise levels, allowing for efficient and quiet cooking vapor extraction.

Implementation Method 1

devices (5) for extracting cooking fumes, wherein these devices (5) for extracting cooking fumes draw the cooking fumes generated above the cooking zone(s) (2) downwards in a vertical direction below the cooktop (1)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Implementation Method 2

grease filter insert (6) which has a collection tray (10) in its base area for liquid that has entered through the central recess (4)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP4019851A1Cooking hob
Publication Date: 2022.06.29 WERKHAUS GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4019851A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4019851A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4019851A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Cooking surface (1) with a device (5; 36) for extracting cooking fumes downwards.