Spring-Mounted Hob Casing Sealing Against Condensate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking hobs with electric and electronic circuits and touch-sensitive elements require complex separate enclosures, leading to high complexity and vulnerability to condensate damage, with touch-sensitive elements needing to rest against the glass-ceramic panel for sensitivity but lacking a stable and low-complexity mounting solution.
Innovation Solution
A casing with spring elements and a sealing strip is used to securely position the casing with electric and electronic circuits and touch-sensitive elements under the glass-ceramic panel, allowing limited vertical motion to compensate for panel irregularities while preventing horizontal motion, using coil springs and hooks for stability and low-cost production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate enclosures are used for electric circuits and touch-sensitive elements, then reliability is improved by protecting against condensate damage, but device complexity increases due to multiple separate enclosures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the enclosure for electric circuits and the enclosure for touch-sensitive elements into a single integrated casing. This single casing has a bottom part and a circumferential sidewall that houses both types of components, eliminating the need for separate enclosures while maintaining protection against condensate damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The single casing serves multiple functions: it protects electric circuits from condensate, houses touch-sensitive elements, provides structural support, and enables sealing against the glass-ceramic panel. This multi-functional design reduces overall device complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Measurement precision
If touch-sensitive elements are arranged under the glass-ceramic panel, then sensitivity is improved by direct contact with the panel, but stability deteriorates due to lack of secure positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spring elements that provide dynamic, resilient connection between the casing and the glass-ceramic panel. These springs allow the casing to adapt to panel irregularities while maintaining stable positioning, enabling both touch sensitivity and structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system is segmented into multiple independent spring elements distributed around the casing perimeter. This segmentation allows localized adaptation to panel irregularities while maintaining overall stability of the casing position.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid fixed positioning is used for the casing, then stability is improved by preventing all motion, but adaptability deteriorates due to inability to compensate for panel irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The spring elements transform the rigid fixed positioning into a dynamic resilient connection. The springs can compress and extend to accommodate vertical displacements caused by panel irregularities, providing both stability and adaptability simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring elements change their compression parameter to adapt to varying panel flatness. When the panel is irregular, the springs compress differently to maintain contact, allowing the casing to adapt while remaining stable.
4Stability of the object's composition
If complex fastening mechanisms are used to prevent horizontal motion, then stability is improved by securing the casing, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to increased complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the horizontal motion constraint function from complex fastening mechanisms and implements it through simple geometric interfitting features. The protrusions on the casing fit into corresponding recesses in the panel, providing horizontal stabilization through simple shape complementarity rather than complex mechanical fasteners.
Solution Approach 2:
The simple geometric interfitting features can be integrated into the casing during injection molding, eliminating the need for separate complex fastening components. This reduces manufacturing cost and simplifies production.
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
This solution provides a stable, low-complexity, and cost-effective mounting system that protects against condensate damage, ensures touch-sensitive element functionality, and maintains impermeability between the casing and panel, while allowing for easy adjustment and production.
Implementation Method 1
A number of spring elements is arranged at the bottom side of said casing (10) in order to press an upper edge (22) of the sidewall (10) against the sealing strip (20)
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the spring elements is formed as a coil spring
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cooking hob with electric and/or electronic circuits and/or touch sensitive elements. The cooking hob comprises a lower part (14) including a bottom panel and at least two side panels, in particular four side panels. The cooking hob comprises at least one casing (10) including a bottom part, a circumferential sidewall and an open top side, wherein the casing (10) is arranged within the lower part (14) of the cooking hob, and wherein at least a part of the electric and/or electronic circuits and/or touch sensitive elements is arranged within the casing (10). The cooking hob comprises a glass-ceramic panel (18) covering the top sides of the casing (10) and of the lower part (14), a sealing strip (20) applied at the bottom side of the glass-ceramic panel (18) and adapted to an upper edge (22) of the sidewall of the casing (10), and a number of spring elements (12) arranged between the bottom part of the casing (10) and the bottom panel of the lower part (14) in order to press the upper edge (22) against the sealing strip (20) at the glass-ceramic panel (18).