Method for driving appliances and household appliance with energy management

• US 6,870,141 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Sams, Walter, Damrath, Joachim, Grunert, Klaus, Wetzl, Gerhard, Spielmannleitner, Markus, Hafer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Paschall, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/446,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 219/490, 219/497, 219/501, 219/483, 219/485, 219/486, 219/412, 219/413, 307/117, 307/38, 307/39, 307/40, 307/41
• US Class Current: 219/490
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/14 The load or loads being home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/14 by switching loads on to, or off from, network, e.g. progressively balanced loading
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/3225 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/222 Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A method for driving appliances and a household appliance for operating two household appliances includes connecting a first household appliance to an electrical wall outlet and disposing an appliance plug receptacle inside the first household appliance, for example, an ironing dummy. The second household appliance, for example, a pressing iron is plugged into the plug receptacle. To prevent an overloading of the electrical mains, a regulating unit disposed inside the first household appliance regulates the current consumption of at least one of these household appliances.

Claims

1. A method for driving two electrical appliances, which comprises:

providing a first household appliance with an electrical outlet;

drawing a current supply of the first appliance from a wall terminal;

drawing a current supply of a second appliance from the electrical outlet;

regulating power consumption for at least one of the first and second appliances; and

integrating over time at least one of a current through and the power consumption of the at least one of the first and second appliances having regulation of the power consumption and utilizing the integral of the at least one of the current and the power consumption to control the at least one of the first and second appliances.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises:

providing the first appliance as an ironing dummy; and

providing the second appliance as an iron.

3. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises regulating the power consumption of the first appliance.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises regulating the power consumption of the second appliance.

5. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises regulating the power consumption of both of the first and second appliances.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the regulation of the at least one of the first and second appliances as a switching regulation.

7. A method for powering two electrical household appliances, which comprises:

providing an ironing dummy with an electrical outlet;

drawing a current supply of the ironing dummy from a wall terminal;

drawing a current supply of an iron from the outlet;

regulating power consumption for at least one of the ironing dummy and the iron; and

integrating over time at least one of a current through and the power consumption of the at least one of the ironing dummy and the iron having regulation of the power consumption and utilizing the integral of the at least one of the current and the power consumption to control the at least one of the ironing dummy and the iron.

8. A household appliance, comprising:

a mains-powered body having;

an electrical connection to be connected to a mains-powered wall terminal for drawing a current supply;

a built-in electrical outlet for another mains-powered household appliance; and

a current regulating unit having at least one regulating element connected to said electrical connection and to said built-in outlet for regulating power consumption for at least one of said mains-powered body and the other mains-powered appliance, said current regulating unit integrating over time at least one of a current and the power consumption of at least one of said mains-powered body and the other mains-powered appliance and controlling at least one of said mains-powered body and the other mains-powered appliance dependent upon said integral of the at least one of the through current and the power consumption.

9. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said current regulating unit has a priority switch.

10. The appliance according to claim 9, wherein said priority switch is connected to said at least one regulating element for selectively regulating said body and the other mains-powered appliance.

11. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has a thermally responsive mechanism.

12. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has a thermally responsive mechanism for regulating at least one of said body and the other mains-powered appliance.

13. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has an electromagnetically responsive mechanism.

14. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has an electromagnetically responsive mechanism for regulating at least one of said body and the other mains-powered appliance.

15. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has a thyristor circuit.

16. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has a thyristor circuit for regulating at least one of said body and the other mains-powered appliance.

17. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has a triac circuit.

18. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element has a triac circuit for regulating at least one of said body and the other mains-powered appliance.

19. The appliance according to claim 8, wherein said at least one regulating element regulates at least two electrical consumers.

20. An ironing dummy, comprising:

a mains-powered ironing body having;

an electrical connection to be connected to a mains-powered wall terminal for drawing a current supply;

a built-in electrical outlet for another mains-powered appliance; and

a current regulating unit having at least one regulating element connected to said electrical connection and to said built-in outlet for regulating power consumption for at least one of said ironing body and the other mains-powered appliance, said current regulating unit integrating over time at least one of a through current and the power consumption of at least one of said ironing body and the other mains-powered appliance and controlling at least one of said ironing body and the other mains-powered appliance dependent upon said integral of the at least one of the current and the power consumption.