Cooking hob
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hobs struggle to efficiently heat cooking vessels of different sizes due to limitations in the arrangement and operation of heating devices, which restricts flexibility and efficiency in accommodating various vessel shapes and sizes.
Innovation Solution
A hob design featuring heating devices with separately operable rectangular and L-shaped partial heating surfaces that can be arranged in a bridged configuration to cover the entire support, allowing for flexible heating of vessels by combining adjacent heating devices to create a continuous heating surface, with temperature sensors for safety and efficient operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If heating devices are arranged with overlapping partial heating surfaces, then the heating coverage is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of control increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device is divided into multiple independently controllable partial heating surfaces (first partial heating surface, second partial heating surface, etc.). Each partial heating surface can be operated separately or in combination with others, allowing flexible adaptation to different vessel sizes and shapes without requiring complex overlapping configurations.
2Manufacturing precision
If heating devices are designed with fixed heating surfaces, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to different vessel sizes decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating device provides dynamic configurability through independently controllable partial heating surfaces. While each partial heating surface has a fixed geometric shape with precise manufacturing, the system can dynamically activate different combinations of these surfaces to adapt to various vessel sizes and shapes, effectively combining manufacturing precision with operational flexibility.
3Device complexity
If electrical connections for multiple heating elements are provided jointly, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of installation and maintenance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Electrical connections are segmented and provided separately for each partial heating surface. This allows each heating element to be independently connected, tested, and maintained, simplifying installation procedures and reducing the complexity of troubleshooting compared to joint electrical connections for multiple heating elements.
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
Enables efficient and flexible heating of cooking vessels of different sizes and shapes by allowing for the combination of heating devices to form a continuous heating surface, enhancing safety through temperature monitoring and easy installation with spatially separated electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
The heating elements are designed as strip-shaped heating resistors... Heating elements or heating conductors generate radiant heat upwards during operation
Implementation Method 2
The heating elements are designed as strip-shaped heating resistors... each with a heating conductor
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
A heating element for a cooktop comprises a flat, rectangular support with an outer edge, two heating elements, each with a heating conductor, which together form a heating surface and are mounted on the support. Each heating element defines a partial heating surface, and these partial heating surfaces lie within the rectangular shape of the support. The heating elements and their partial heating surfaces can be operated independently. The partial heating surfaces of the heating elements do not overlap. A first partial heating surface is rectangular, with at least one of its outer edges extending to the outer edge of the support and running parallel to the outer edge. A second partial heating surface covers the portion of the remaining support that is left uncovered by the first partial heating surface. This independent operation allows for various configurations of heated surfaces.