Electric domestic appliance

• US 7,157,669 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Stitzl, Bernd, Garcia Jimenez, Jose Ramon, Calis, Ursula, Lieb, Thomas, Seehuber, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang; Tu
• Application Number:
  US10/848,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20050006376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 219/482, 219489-490, 219/492, 219506-509, 364/400, 348/734
• US Class Current: 219/482
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/054 Application timeslot: duration of actuation or delay between or combination of subsequent actuations determines selected function
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated

Abstract

An electrical domestic appliance containing a main switch for turning the current power supply to the electrical domestic appliance on and off. The main switch having a predetermined turn-on time period during which the main switch must be actuated in order to move from the off-position to the on-position. The main switch predetermined turn-on period can be selected and adjusted by the customer through predetermined time limits.

Claims

1. An electrical domestic appliance, comprising:

a main switch for turning the current supply to the domestic appliance on and off;

said main switch having a predetermined turn-on actuation time period, during which time period said main switch must remain engaged by an operator in order for said main switch to be operatively shifted from its off-position to its on-position; and

an assembly for resetting said predetermined turn-on actuation time period wherein said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period is selectable and adjustable within predetermined limits by an operator in a post-manufacture environment.

2. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, including said time duration adjustment assembly include program parts in a data-processing unit.

3. The domestic appliance according to claim 2, including said program parts having a plurality of different actuation time periods, which can be utilized by said data-processing unit.

4. The domestic appliance according to claim 2, including said program parts being programmable to a plurality of different actuation time periods, which can be utilized by said data-processing unit.

5. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said time duration adjustment assembly includes a plurality of manually adjustable elements provided on said domestic appliance.

6. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said main switch is a touch-control technology actuated switch.

7. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said main switch is a contact sensor actuated switch.

8. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said main switch is a contact free sensor actuated switch.

9. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period limits are in a range from about one-half (0.5) seconds to five (5.0) seconds.

10. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period limit minimum value is substantially about one-half (0.5) seconds.

11. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period limits are selectable and adjustable remotely.

12. A method for turning the current supply to an electrical domestic appliance on and off, comprising:

providing a main switch for turning the current supply to the domestic appliance on and off;

engaging said main switch, and maintaining said switch engagement for a predetermined turn-on actuation time period in order to operatively switch said main switch from its off-position to its on-position; and

providing a predetermined turn-on actuation time period adjusting assembly for use by at least one operator of the domestic appliance in a post-manufacture environment for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period within predetermined limits.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of providing an adjustment assembly includes providing a data-processing unit for selecting and said method further includes the step of adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period within said predetermined limits.

14. The method according to claim 13, including storing a plurality of different actuation time periods in said data-processing unit for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period.

15. The method according to claim 13, including programming a plurality of different actuation time periods in said data-processing unit for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period.

16. The method according to claim 12, including providing a plurality of manually adjustable elements on said domestic appliance for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period.

17. The method according to claim 12, including providing a touch-control technology actuated switch for said main switch for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period.

18. The method according to claim 12, including providing a contact sensor actuated switch for said main switch for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period.

19. The method according to claim 12, including providing a contact free sensor actuated switch for said main switch for selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period.

20. The method according to claim 12, including remotely selecting and adjusting said main switch predetermined turn-on actuation time period within said predetermined limits.

21. An electrical domestic appliance, comprising:

a main switch for turning the current supply to the domestic appliance on and off;

said main switch being configured for a having a predetermined switch-on actuation time period during which time period said main switch must remain engaged by a person for operatively shifting said main switch from a turn-off position to a turn-on position; and

means for adjusting the predetermined switch-on actuation time period by time duration adjustment in a post-manufacture environment by a user.

22. The domestic appliance according to claim 21, further comprising a data processing unit and a control device for controlling operation of the appliance, and said means for adjusting the predetermined switch-on actuation time period includes an operating computer program being run on the data processing unit in a manner in which the time duration of the predetermined switch-on actuation time period can be adjusted by a user.

23. The domestic appliance according to claim 21, wherein said means for adjusting the predetermined switch-on actuation time period is at least one of an adjustable value capacitor and adjustable value resistor connected to at least one operating element for turning on the appliance, wherein the value of the at least one of the capacitor and the resistor can be adjusted to delay an actuation signal from the at least one operating element from turning on the domestic appliance by an amount of time equal to a selected switch-on actuation time.

24. The domestic appliance according to claim 21, wherein said appliance has at least one exposed cooking surface controlled by said at least one operating element, and said means for adjusting is operatively connected to said at least one operating element for controlling an on/off state of said at least one exposed cooking surface.

25. The domestic appliance according to claim 22, wherein said appliance has at least one exposed cooking surface controlled by said at least one operating element, and said means for adjusting is operatively connected to said at least one operating element for controlling an on/off state of said at least one exposed cooking surface.

26. The domestic appliance according to claim 23, wherein said appliance has at least one exposed cooking surface controlled by said at least one operating element, and said means for adjusting is operatively connected to said at least one operating element for controlling an on/off state of said at least one exposed cooking surface.