Large size worktop made of glass material
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional glass-ceramic cooking surfaces are limited in size and pose challenges in terms of flatness and handling, and are primarily designed for cooking, lacking versatility for other uses such as supporting objects or accommodating various activities.
Innovation Solution
A work surface made of a monolithic transparent glass material with a coating that provides a high opacity and blur effect, allowing for the integration of heating elements and light sources to indicate cooking zones, while enabling wireless communication and multi-functional use, such as cooking, displaying information, and supporting various objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If glass-ceramic material is used for cooking surfaces, then cooking performance and appearance are improved, but size is limited and handling becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The worktop is divided into multiple glass plates (first glass plate, second glass plate, third glass plate) that are assembled together to form a large surface area exceeding 0.7 m2. This segmentation allows manufacturing of manageable individual plates while achieving a large overall cooking and work surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction with multiple glass plates combined with supporting elements and coating layers. The multi-layered structure integrates structural support, cooking functionality, and aesthetic coating in a single assembly, enabling large size while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
2Ease of manufacture
If glass-ceramic material is used for cooking surfaces, then cooking performance is improved, but flatness and handling become problematic
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the large worktop into smaller glass plate segments, each plate can be manufactured and controlled for flatness independently. The supporting elements provide structural rigidity to maintain overall flatness across the assembled large surface, avoiding the flatness control difficulties of a single large glass-ceramic piece.
3Productivity
If traditional glass-ceramic hobs are designed, then cooking function is optimized, but versatility for other uses is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The worktop is designed as a multi-functional surface that can simultaneously serve as a cooking hob, a work surface for food preparation, and a display surface for information. The large glass surface accommodates heating elements for cooking while also providing space for papers, computers, and other objects, eliminating the need for separate functional zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The worktop incorporates dynamic elements including switchable heating zones, projection displays that can show different information (cooking instructions, recipes, timers), and communication interfaces that adapt to user needs. This dynamic functionality allows the same surface to optimize for different activities as needed.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If heating elements are integrated under the substrate, then safety is improved by hiding elements at rest, but visibility of cooking zones is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The worktop incorporates projection displays that illuminate and highlight cooking zones on the glass surface. When heating elements are activated, corresponding zones are projected or illuminated to indicate active cooking areas, providing clear visibility while maintaining the hidden-at-rest safety advantage of subsurface 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
The solution provides a stable, versatile, and interactive surface that can be used for multiple activities, including cooking, displaying information, and supporting objects, while maintaining safety and aesthetic appeal, overcoming the limitations of traditional glass-ceramic surfaces in terms of size and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
the substrate with the coating has a blur greater than 15%, a light transmission TL less than 60%, and an opacity indicator greater than 85
Implementation Method 2
the substrate with the coating has a blur greater than 15%, a light transmission TL less than 60%, and an opacity indicator greater than 85
Implementation Method 3
at least one heating element (in particular under the substrate and hidden by it when this heating element is not in operation/is at rest)
Implementation Method 4
at least one heating element (in particular under the substrate and hidden by it when this heating element is not in operation/is at rest)
Implementation Method 5
at least one light source, in particular intended to materialize (make visible) one or more areas (such as heating areas) or one or more elements or displays
Implementation Method 6
at least one light source, in particular intended to materialize (make visible) one or more areas (such as heating areas) or one or more elements or displays
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to an advantageously interactive item of furniture and/or appliance, comprising: at least one worktop (5) formed from at least one substrate (6) made of a transparent monolithic glazing material of area larger than 0.7 m2, said substrate being coated with a coating so that the substrate equipped with the coating has a haze higher than 15%, a light transmission TL lower than 60% and an opacity indicator higher than 85; at least one heating element (7); at least one light source (8), in particular intended to light up one or more zones or one or more elements or displays of the substrate, this source in particular being located plumb with the substrate for a display by projection, or under the substrate for a display by transmission through the substrate; and at least one interface (12) for communicating with at least one element of the worktop such as the one or more light sources (8) and/or the one or more heating elements (7) and/or if needs be wirelessly with at least one external element.