Induction Cooktop Control Unit Power Surplus Deficit Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliance devices, particularly induction hobs, face challenges in controlling induction targets to minimize noise and flicker while maintaining efficient heating, leading to increased production costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A cooking appliance device with a control unit that operates induction targets with a power surplus in one time interval and a power deficit in another, using phase-shifted control signals to maintain target heating power and reduce noise and flicker, allowing for simplified control and cost-effective design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If inductors are operated with mutually adapted heating frequencies to avoid coupling noises, then acoustic quality is improved, but control complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by dividing the heating process into alternating time intervals where inductors are operated in synchronized and desynchronized modes. During synchronized intervals, all inductors use the same heating frequency to minimize coupling noise. During desynchronized intervals, inductors use different frequencies to maintain heating efficiency. This periodic switching resolves the contradiction by providing low noise during synchronized periods while maintaining control flexibility during desynchronized periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically adjusts the heating frequency of individual inductors based on the current time interval. The control unit switches between synchronized frequency operation (for noise reduction) and desynchronized frequency operation (for heating efficiency). This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize both acoustic quality and heating performance without requiring permanently complex control circuitry.
2Manufacturing precision
If control schemes are determined through complex discovery and calculation processes, then heating control quality is improved, but manufacturing and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control scheme is segmented into simple, repeatable time intervals with predefined synchronized and desynchronized phases. Rather than requiring complex continuous calculation, the system uses discrete temporal segments where each segment follows a predetermined frequency pattern. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing by replacing complex control algorithms with simpler periodic control logic while maintaining heating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the heating frequency parameter periodically between synchronized and desynchronized values. Instead of using complex control calculations, the system simply switches frequency parameters according to a periodic pattern. This parameter-based approach reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining effective heating control through the alternating frequency regimes.
3Productivity
If multiple inductors are operated simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but noise generation and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action to alternate between synchronized operation (reducing noise) and desynchronized operation (maintaining heating efficiency) of multiple inductors. During synchronized time intervals, all inductors operate at the same frequency to minimize coupling noise while still heating multiple cookware items simultaneously. This periodic synchronization allows high productivity while controlling noise generation through temporal frequency coordination.
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 approach reduces the effort required for control scheme development, minimizes noise and flicker, and ensures reliable heating performance, enhancing operating comfort and compliance with flicker standards like DIN EN 61000-3-3.
Implementation Method 1
a control unit which is provided in at least one periodic continuous heating operating state for repetitive control and energy supply of at least one first induction target and at least one second induction target with an operating period
Implementation Method 2
the control unit is provided to operate each of the induction targets in at least one time interval of the operating period with a power surplus and in at least one further time interval of the operating period with a power deficit compared to the respective target heating power
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooking appliance (10), in particular a cooktop appliance, with a control unit (12) which, in a periodic continuous heating operating state, is designed for the repetitive control and energy supply of at least one first induction target (14) and at least one second induction target (50) for an operating period (16). To improve the control characteristics, it is proposed that the control unit (12) be designed to operate each induction target (14, 50) with a power surplus (20) in at least one time interval (18) of the operating period (16) and with a power deficit (22) compared to the respective target heating power (24) in at least one further time interval (18) of the operating period (16).