Glass ceramic worktop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glass-ceramic cooking surfaces are limited in size, complexity to produce, and functionality, making it difficult to create large, flat, and versatile surfaces for multiple uses beyond cooking.
Innovation Solution
A large-sized, transparent monolithic glass worktop with integrated heating elements and wireless communication interfaces, allowing for various activities and object support, while maintaining safety and aesthetic appeal through optimized manufacturing processes and coatings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If conventional glass-ceramic plates are used for cooking surfaces, then they provide adequate cooking functionality, but their size is limited to less than 0.4 m2 and production becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameters by reducing the passage speed through the ceramization furnace by at least 25% (preferably by at least 50%), or increasing the length of the ceramization furnace or the residence time by at least 25% (preferably by at least 50%). This parameter change enables the production of large-sized glass-ceramic plates with surface area greater than 0.7 m2 while maintaining flatness and quality, directly resolving the contradiction between plate size and production difficulty
2Reliability
If glass-ceramic plates are made with high light transmission to allow visual detection of heating elements, then safety is improved, but the underlying heating elements become visible when turned off reducing aesthetic appeal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies colorants to the glass-ceramic plate that modify its optical properties. The colorants enable the plate to have appropriate light transmission characteristics that allow visual detection of heating elements when operating, while controlling the visibility of heating elements when turned off, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and aesthetic appeal
3Reliability
If glass-ceramic plates are designed exclusively for cooking use, then cooking performance is optimized, but versatility for other activities is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a worktop that serves multiple functions: it can be used for cooking on heating zones, for writing or drawing on non-heating zones, for playing games, for reading, and for supporting objects. The large surface area (greater than 0.7 m2) and the interface for communication with external elements enable this multi-functionality, resolving the contradiction between specialized cooking performance and general versatility
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 provides a versatile, safe, and aesthetically pleasing surface for multiple uses, overcoming production challenges and expanding the functionality of glass-ceramic surfaces beyond traditional cooking applications.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heating element (in particular under the substrate and hidden by the latter when this heating element is not in operation/is turned off)
Implementation Method 2
the user to be able to visually detect the heating elements in the operating state for the purpose of safety
Data Source
AI summary
An item of equipment includes at least one worktop formed of at least one substrate made of transparent monolithic glass material with a surface area of greater than 0.7 m2. The substrate exhibits a light transmission TL of greater than 10% and an opacity indicator of between 5 and 90. The substrate is predominantly or completely bare or provided with coating(s) such that the substrate, thus coated, exhibits a haze of less than 15% and/or a light transmission TL of greater than 60% and/or an opacity indicator of less than 85. The item of equipment also includes at least one heating element and at least one interface for communication with at least one element of the worktop and/or with at least one external element for wireless communication. The item of equipment is devoid of light source(s).