Cooking Hob Bridging Detection via Inter-Zone Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hobs struggle to reliably detect large cookware elements that cover multiple heating zones, leading to incorrect detection of cookware placement, as sensors within the heating zones respond similarly to adjacent pots and elongated cookware covering multiple zones.
Innovation Solution
A hob with a cookware sensor unit and bridging detection unit, where additional sensors are placed outside the heating zones to detect bridging between zones, allowing for coordinated operation of heating zones and preventing incorrect detection by using a combination of sensors within and outside the zones to determine if a cookware element covers multiple zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are arranged within heating zones to detect cookware, then cookware detection function is provided, but large cookware elements covering multiple zones cannot be distinguished from separate pots on adjacent zones
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor arrangement is segmented into two distinct groups: sensors within heating zones (first arrangement) and sensors in inactive areas between heating zones (second arrangement). This segmentation allows the system to differentiate between cookware on single zones versus cookware bridging multiple zones by comparing signals from both sensor groups.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors arranged in inactive areas between heating zones serve as intermediary detection points. These intermediate sensors detect whether cookware extends into the space between heating zones, providing critical information that distinguishes bridging cookware from separate pots on adjacent zones.
2Ease of operation
If heating zones are marked with visual separators, then zone boundaries are identified, but inactive areas of the hob are created reducing usable surface
Solution Approach 1:
Physical visual separators that would create inactive areas are replaced by an electronic detection system using sensors in inactive areas. The system uses signal processing and control logic to identify zone boundaries and cookware placement without requiring physical markings, thus maintaining 100% usable hob surface area.
3Measurement precision
If additional sensors are placed outside heating zones to detect bridging, then cookware placement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors in inactive areas serve multiple functions: they detect cookware bridging between zones, verify cookware placement on single zones, and provide information for coordinated control of multiple heating zones. This multi-functionality justifies the additional sensors by providing comprehensive detection capability from a single sensor set.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit processes signals from both sensor arrangements and provides feedback to determine cookware configuration. When sensors in inactive areas detect cookware presence, the control unit coordinates the operation of adjacent heating zones, creating a closed-loop system that automatically adapts to bridging cookware scenarios.
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 accurate detection of cookware placement, preventing incorrect operation and ensuring efficient energy distribution by distinguishing between separate cookware elements and those covering multiple heating zones, thus improving user experience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
cookware sensors in the center of heating zones, which can inductively or capacitively detect the presence of a cookware element
Implementation Method 2
cookware sensors in the center of heating zones, which can inductively or capacitively detect the presence of a cookware element
Implementation Method 3
a heating zone (10a, 10b) and a second heating zone (10c, 10d), with a cookware element (18a) on the first heating zone (10a, 10b) and a second cookware element (18b) on the second heating zone (10c, 10d)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
AI summary
A hob device is proposed, in particular for a hob with a cover plate (16) comprising at least two heating zones (10a-10d), comprising a cookware sensor unit (28), wherein the cookware sensor unit (28) has at least one bridging detection unit (30) which is provided to detect at least one bridging of the at least two heating zones (10a-10d) by means of at least one cookware element (18a), and wherein the bridging detection unit (30) has at least one cookware sensor (22a, 22b) which is provided to detect a cookware element (18a) in an inactive area of the cover plate (16) between the two heating zones (10a-10d).