COOKTOP AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A COOKTOP

• US 20110163086A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Monterde Aznar, Fernando, Palacios Tomas, Daniel, Hernandez Blasco, Pablo Jesus, Millan Serrano, Ignacio, Aldana Arjol, Oscar Luis
• Granted Patent: US 9,609,697 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 6/065 using coordinated control of multiple induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1272 with more than one coil or coil segment per heating zone
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

A cooktop is provided that includes heating elements which are combined to a heating zone; a power supply to generate a heating current that operates the heating elements; a switch to open and close a power circuit that includes the power supply and one of the heating elements; and a controller that determines a characteristic variable of the heating current, actuates the switch as a function of a selected power level to operate the heating zone, and activates, in a first operating state, two of the heating elements, which are combined to form the heating zone, in different phases of a heating period.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A cooktop, comprising:

a plurality of heating elements combined to form a heating zone;

a power supply to generate a heating current, the heating current to operate the plurality of heating elements;

a switch to open and close a power circuit, the power circuit having the power supply and one of the plurality of heating elements; and

a controller to determine a characteristic variable of the heating current;

to actuate the switch as a function of a power level selected to operate the heating zone; and

to activate, in a first operating state, two of the plurality of heating elements, which are combined to form the heating zone, in different phases of a heating period.

17. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the plurality of heating elements is a plurality of induction heating elements;

wherein the power supply is an inverter; and

wherein the characteristic variable of the heating current is a frequency of the heating current.

18. The cooktop of claim 17, wherein the controller determines a respective inductance and a respective power factor of each of the two of the plurality of heating elements and an operating state as a function of the inductances and the power factors of the two of the plurality of heating elements and as a function of the selected power level.

19. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the different phases one of follow one another and are separated by a time interval.

20. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the plurality of heating elements are disposed concentrically.

21. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the plurality of heating elements are disposed in a two-dimensional grid, and wherein the controller is structured to combine the plurality of heating elements to form flexibly defined heating zones.

22. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the controller is designed not to activate any of the plurality of heating elements of the heating zone in an additional phase of the heating period.

23. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein, in a second operating state, the controller is structured to operate all of the plurality of heating elements simultaneously.

24. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein a cooking utensil has a base surface;

wherein the cooking utensil is placed on the heating zone;

wherein the controller is structured to determine a size of the cooking utensil and to define a respective length of the different phases as a function of the size in order to achieve homogeneous heating power over the base surface of the cooking utensil.

25. The cooktop of claim 24, wherein the controller is structured to define the respective length of the different phases such that respective heating powers produced by the plurality of the heating elements in the different phases have a predefined ratio to one another.

26. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the two of the plurality of heating elements activated in the different phases of the heating period are operated in a range of power levels at a same heating power.

27. The cooktop of claim 16, wherein the two of the plurality of heating elements activated in the different phases of a heating period are operated in a range of power levels at different heating powers.

28. A method for operating a cooktop that has a plurality of heating elements combined to form a heating zone;

a power supply to generate a heating current for operating the plurality of heating elements; and

a switch to open and close a power circuit having the power supply and one of the heating elements, the method comprising;

one of determining a characteristic variable of the heating current as a function of a power level selected to operate the heating zone and actuating the switch as a function of the power level; and

activating, in at least one operating state, two of the plurality of heating elements, which are combined to form the heating zone, in different phases of a heating period.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of heating elements is a plurality of induction heating elements;

wherein the power supply is an inverter; and

wherein the characteristic variable of the heating current is a frequency of the heating current.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein a respective inductance and a respective power factor of each of the two of the plurality of heating elements are determined, and wherein an operating state is determined as a function of the inductances and the power factors of the two of the plurality of heating elements and as a function of the power level selected.