HEATING DEVICE FOR A PLANAR HEATER WITH INDUCTION HEATING ELEMENTS

• US 20070215605A1
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• 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: OSE, LUTZ, BAIER, MARTIN
• Granted Patent: US 7,423,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/622
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/03 Heating plates made out of a matrix of heating elements that can define heating areas adapted to cookware randomly placed on the heating plate
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/062 for cooking plates or the like

Abstract

A heater for a glass ceramic hob is disclosed, whereby a number of individual modules with induction coils are provided with converters and a converter control for each induction coil. Said modules may be independently handled and are arranged close together beneath the glass ceramic hob and electrically connected. Each module may be controlled separately. A heated surface of any embodiment can thus be achieved.

Claims

1. A heating device for a planar heater, said heating device comprising:

a planar support;

a plurality of induction heating elements distributed in planar manner on said support;

electrical connections to said induction heating elements;

wherein each said induction heating element has a converter device directly associated with and fixed to said induction heating element for converting electrical power for said induction heating element, said induction heating element and said converter device forming a singular module.

2. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein each of said induction heating element has a single induction coil and a single converter.

3. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein several said induction heating elements are provided and each induction heating element is individually controllable.

4. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said induction heating elements are mechanically connected to said planar support by means of said electrical connection for fixing purposes.

6. The heating device according to claim 4, wherein said electrical connection has an electrical connecting wire and said induction heating element is fixed by means of said electrical connecting wire to a spring clip being fixed to said support.

7. The heating device according to claim 6, wherein said spring clip is a self-closing spring clip.

8. The heating device according to claim 6, wherein a clamping direction of said spring clip is away from said support.

9. The heating device according to claim 6, wherein said spring clip is placed on a side of said support facing away from said induction heating element.

10. The heating device according to claim 6, wherein on the side remote from said support is provided a holder carrying said spring clips.

11. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein a terminal is provided for said electrical connections for a power supply to said induction heating elements to go to, wherein said terminal is a busbar.

12. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said induction heating element has control terminals for controlling said converter device, wherein said control terminals are constructed to connect with said terminals for said power supply.

13. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said control terminals of several said induction heating elements are guided via a bus system.

14. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said bus system is a two-wire bus and is separate from a power supply to said induction heating elements.

15. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said induction heating elements have an external shape suitable for joining with further said induction heating elements so as to form a substantially closed surface.

16. The heating device according to claim 15, wherein said shape is a square.

17. The heating device according to claim 15, wherein said shape is a hexagon.

18. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said converter device comprises a microprocessor for evaluation of control signals a to detected a cooking vessel.

19. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein said induction heating element comprises a microprocessor for evaluation of control signals to detect a cooking vessel.

20. The heating device according to claim 18, wherein said cooking vessel detection takes place by means of evaluating a current flow during heating operation and said microprocessor is constructed for carrying out an evaluation and emitting a signal indicating that a cooking vessel is detected.

21. The heating device according to claim 2, wherein said induction heating element has associated monitoring means for monitoring of a power or a current flow through said induction coil.

22. The heating device according to claim 21, wherein said monitoring means are connected to said converter device.

23. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein a central control is provided, said central control being connected to each said induction heating element for control or evaluation thereof.

24. The heating device according to claim 23, wherein said central control is constructed in such a way that from the response of a cooking vessel detection of each said induction heating element an occupancy state is detected of said heating device of none, one, or more than one cooking vessels, and an operating state preset by an operator is supplied to each said induction heating element being covered by a suitable cooking vessel.

25. The heating device according to claim 24, wherein said central control is constructed in such a way as to control operation of each said induction heating element.

26. The heating device according to claim 1, wherein each said induction heating element is individually controllable and a subset of the plurality of induction heating elements are controlled as a group.

5. (canceled)