Operating device for an electrical appliance

• US 20030178290A1
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Original Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Inventors: Schilling, Wilfried
• Granted Patent: US 6,838,785 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/6A
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/083 on tops, hot plates
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/97 using a magnetic movable element

Abstract

In an embodiment of the invention it is possible to create an operating unit (11) with a rotary toggle (14), which has an integrated bearing device (15) with which the operating unit (11) can be magnetically fixed to a cover (12). The operating unit (11) has a control means (23) with a microprocessor for evaluating magnetic signalling means (19), which detect a rotation of the rotary toggle (14) relative to the bearing device (15). Through a first transformer (26) in the operating unit (11) and a second transformer (29) on the underside of the cover (12), it is possible to have both a signal transmission and a power transmission between the operating unit (11) and the electrical appliance.

Claims

1. Operating device for an electrical appliance, wherein:

the operating device has an operating unit,

the operating unit has a rotary device for the rotary operation of the electrical appliance with position change,

the electrical appliance has a cover and the operating unit can be fixed to the cover,

signalling means are provided for generating signals as a function of a position change or a position of the rotary device,

the operating unit has control means for processing signals for the purpose of influencing the electrical appliance,

exclusively the operating unit has signalling means,

the control means are connected to the signalling means,

the operating unit has a power supply,

the operating device has a signal transmission from the signalling means to the electrical appliance and

the signal transmission takes place in contact-free manner.

2. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the signalling means are constructed for a magnetic operating procedure and have at least one signalling magnet and at least one magnetic field sensor.

3. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the signalling means in different positions generate different electrical signals.

4. Operating device according to claim 3, wherein the signalling means have a potentiometer.

5. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit has a bearing device for the rotary device, the rotary device being mounted in rotatable manner on the bearing device, the bearing device being fixable in substantially immovable manner to the cover and being also removable.

6. Operating device according to claim 5, wherein the bearing device is fixable to the cover by a holding power, which is produced by magnetic holding means.

7. Operating device according to claim 5, wherein the control means are located on the bearing device.

8. Operating device according to claim 5, wherein the power supply is located on the bearing device.

9. Operating device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one signalling magnet is located on the rotary device and the at least one magnetic field sensor is located on the remaining operating unit, particularly on the bearing device.

10. Operating device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one magnetic field sensor is located on on the bearing device.

11. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the control means have a signal processing means in order to convert signals of the signalling means into switching signals for operating the electrical appliance.

12. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the operating unit is constructed for operating a single functional unit of the electrical appliance.

13. Operating device according to claim 12, wherein the electrical appliance is a hob and the functional unit is a heating device.

14. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply takes place by power transmission from the electrical appliance to the operating unit.

15. Operating device according to claim 14, wherein the power supply takes place in contact-free manner through the cover in transformer manner.

16. Operating device according to claim 14, wherein the power transmission is constructed for signal transmission from the operating unit to the remaining operating device or to the electrical appliance.

17. Operating device according to claim 16, wherein the power transmission is constructed for clocking or time-displaced transmission of power or signals.

18. Operating device according to claim 17, wherein the signal transmission is bi-directional.

19. Operating device according to claim 1, wherein with the operating unit are associated electrical display means being connected to the power supply and control means.

20. Operating device according to claim 19, wherein the display means are placed on the bearing device and are fixed in position during rotary operation of the rotary device.