Method for controlling a device for drawing cooking fumes, in particular for controlling a cooking hob extractor, control device, device and cooking hob system

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling cooking fume extraction devices, such as hob extractors, are inefficient in energy use and noisy due to their reliance on idealized proportional relationships between fan speed and volume flow, which do not account for varying flow resistances and actual operating conditions.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines a second control signal for the fan based on a first control signal, a measurement signal, and fan characteristics, allowing for precise adjustment of the fan's operating state to achieve a target extraction performance while minimizing energy consumption and noise, by considering momentary flow resistance and actual operating conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a control signal for operating a fan is determined based on a proportional relationship between volume flow and fan speed, then the device structure is simple, but the volume flow delivered by the device deviates from the predetermined volume flow and energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control device receives a measurement signal from a sensor that detects an operating parameter (such as rotational speed or electrical power) of the fan. Based on this feedback measurement signal and fan characteristic data stored in memory, the control device determines a corrected control signal to drive the fan, ensuring the actual volume flow matches the target value despite varying flow resistance conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses fan characteristic data that describes the relationship between control signals, measurement signals, and operating states across different operating conditions. By changing the control approach from a fixed proportional relationship to a dynamic parameter adjustment based on measured operating states and stored characteristic data, the system achieves accurate volume flow control while minimizing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If a control signal for operating a fan is determined based on a proportional relationship between volume flow and fan speed, then the control method is simple, but noise emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol method complexityVSAvoidnoise emissions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control device receives a measurement signal from a sensor that detects an operating parameter (such as rotational speed or electrical power) of the fan. Based on this feedback measurement signal and fan characteristic data stored in memory, the control device determines a corrected control signal to drive the fan, ensuring the actual volume flow matches the target value despite varying flow resistance conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses fan characteristic data that describes the relationship between control signals, measurement signals, and operating states across different operating conditions. By changing the control approach from a fixed proportional relationship to a dynamic parameter adjustment based on measured operating states and stored characteristic data, the system achieves accurate volume flow control while minimizing energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the fan is operated without considering actual operating conditions and flow resistance, then the control system is simple, but the extraction performance deviates from the target value

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system structureVSAvoidextraction performance reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Fan characteristic data is stored in advance in the memory of the control device. This data describes the relationship between control signals, measurement signals, and operating states for various operating conditions. Before operation, the system has this reference data ready, allowing it to quickly determine the appropriate control signal during operation without complex real-time calculations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device receives a measurement signal from a sensor that detects an operating parameter (such as rotational speed or electrical power) of the fan. Based on this feedback measurement signal and fan characteristic data stored in memory, the control device determines a corrected control signal to drive the fan, ensuring the actual volume flow matches the target value despite varying flow resistance conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4354024A1Method for controlling a device for drawing cooking fumes, in particular for controlling a cooking hob extractor, control device, device and cooking hob system
Publication Date: 2024.04.17 BORA VERTRIEBS GMBH & CO KG
  • EP4354024A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4354024A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4354024A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for controlling a device (2) for extracting cooking fumes, in particular for controlling a cooktop extractor, comprises the steps of: operating a fan (18) for conveying the cooking fumes based on a first control signal in a first operating state; acquiring a first measurement signal correlated with the first operating state of the fan (18); determining a second control signal to effect a second operating state based on the first control signal, the first measurement signal, and fan characteristics, which include the operating states of the fan (18) present at different control signals and measurement signals; and operating the fan (18) based on the second control signal. A control device (5) for controlling a device (2) for extracting cooking fumes, a device (2) with such a control device (5), and a cooktop system (1) with such a device (2) are also included.