Induction hob with induction coils and an apparatus for determining the temperatures on the induction coils

• US 9,794,988 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Rigolle, Thibaut, Laurent, Jeanneteau, Viroli, Alex, Martini, Filippo
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Tu B
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US13/511,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20120241441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,493 Days
• Field of Search: 219620-622, 219624, 219626-627, 219647, 336225
• 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 2213/07 Heating plates with temperature control means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/062 for cooking plates or the like

Abstract

The present invention relates to an induction hob with a number of induction coils (12) on a cooking surface (10) and an apparatus for determining the temperatures on the induction coils (12). The induction coils (12) are arranged on the cooking surface (10) according to a predetermined scheme. At least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20; 24, 26) is arranged within an intermediate space between two or more induction coils (12). The at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20; 24, 26) and the central portions of at least two adjacent induction coils (12) are thermally connected by heat conductor elements (22). The temperature sensors (14, 16, 18, 20; 24, 26) are electrically connected to at least one evaluation circuit for determining the temperatures of the adjacent induction coils (12).

Claims

1. An induction hob with a number of induction coils (12) on a cooking surface (10) and an apparatus for determining temperatures on the induction coils (12), wherein:

the induction coils (12) are arranged on the cooking surface (10) according to a predetermined scheme,

at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) is arranged within an intermediate space between two or more of the induction coils (12),

at least one further temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) is arranged within at least one further intermediate space between two or more of the induction coils (12),

the at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) and the central portions of at least two adjacent coils of the induction coils (12) are thermally connected by heat conductor elements (22), and

the at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) is connected to at least one evaluation circuit for determining the temperatures of the at least two adjacent induction coils (12).

2. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that at least a part of the induction coils (12) is arranged as a matrix on the cooking surface (10) or at least on a section of the cooking surface (10).

3. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that at least a part of the induction coils (12) is arranged as a honeycomb on the cooking surface (10) or at least on a section of the cooking surface (10).

4. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that the at least one evaluation circuit takes into account two of the at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) of the at least two adjacent coils of the induction coils (12) in order to determine the temperature of one of the induction coils (12).

5. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) is arranged within at least one intermediate space between three of the induction coils (12), wherein said three induction coils (12) form a triangle on the cooking surface (10).

6. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that at least one temperature sensor (14, 16, 18, 20;

24, 26) is arranged within at least one intermediate space between four of the induction coils (12), wherein said four induction coils (12) form a rectangle or a square on the cooking surface (10).

7. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that at least one of the heat conductor elements (22) is formed as an elongated sheet.

8. The induction hob according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of the heat conductor elements (22) is triangular, wherein the most acute angle of said triangular heat conductor element (22) is thermally connected to the central portion of the induction coils (12).

9. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that at least one temperature sensor (28) is arranged in a central portion of one of the induction coils (12).

10. The induction hob according to claim 9, characterized in, that the at least one temperature sensor (28) arranged in the central portion of one of the induction coils is connected to an adjacent intermediate space between two or more of the induction coils (12) by a further heat conductor element (22).

11. The induction hob according to claim 10, characterized in, that the further heat conductor element (22) is an elongated triangular sheet, wherein the most acute angle of said triangular heat conductor element (22) is thermally connected to the adjacent intermediate space.

12. The induction hob according to claim 1, characterized in, that at least one of the heat conductor elements (22) is made of metal, in particular made of aluminum.

13. The induction hob according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the heat conductor elements is made of metal and is formed as a stripe.

14. An induction hob, the induction hob including:

a cooking surface;

a number of induction coils, the induction coils are arranged on the cooking surface according to a predetermined scheme;

an apparatus for determining temperatures on the induction coils;

at least one temperature sensor, the at least one temperature sensor is arranged within an intermediate space between two or more of the induction coils, wherein another of the at least one temperature sensor is arranged in a central portion of one of the induction coils;

at least one further temperature sensor, the at least one further temperature sensor is arranged within at least one further intermediate space between two or more of the induction coils;

a number of heat conductor elements, the heat conductor elements thermally connect the at least one temperature sensor and the central portions of at least two adjacent coils of the induction coils, wherein at least one of the heat conductor elements is made of aluminum;

a further heat conductor element, the further heat conductor element connects the another of the at least one temperature sensor to an adjacent intermediate space between two or more of the induction coils; and

at least one evaluation circuit, the at least one evaluation circuit is connected to the at least one temperature sensor for determining the temperatures of at least two adjacent induction coils,

wherein the at least one evaluation circuit takes into account two of the at least one temperature sensor of the induction coils, wherein two of the at least one temperature sensor are adjacent to one another in order to determine the temperature of one of the induction coils.