Wireless kitchen appliance operated on an induction heating cooker

• US 10,129,935 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
• Original Assignee: Arcelik Anonim Sirketi
• Inventors: Yaman, Onur, Yorukoglu, Ahmet, Hazir, Sefa
• Primary Examiner(s): Abraham, Ibrahime A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bae, Gyounghyun
• Application Number:
  US14/370,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,178 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/004 with integral electrical heating means drinking cups with integral heating means A47J36/2466
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2206/02 Induction heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/06 Cook-top or cookware capable of communicating with each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/06 Control, e.g. of temperature, of power
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/12 Cooking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1236 adapted to induce current in a coil to supply power to a device and electrical heating devices powered in this way

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kitchen appliance (1) that is operated wirelessly on an induction heating cooker (K), comprising a programmable microcontroller (2), one or more than one electronic circuit (3) that provides the microcontroller (2) to control the communication means, user interface and sensors, providing communication with the induction heating cooker (K) whereon the kitchen appliance (1) is operated, a power control circuitry (4) that supplies the microcontroller (2) and the electronic circuits (3) with low level DC voltage, a receiver coil (5) that partially collects and provides transfer of the power generated by the induction coil (B) in the induction heating cooker (K) to the power control circuitry (4), a rectifier (6) that converts the AC voltage delivered from the receiver coil (5) to DC voltage and a buffer capacitor (7) which filters the DC voltage at the rectifier (6) outlet.

Claims

1. A kitchen appliance, configured to wirelessly operate on an induction heating cooker with a power generated by an induction coil, the kitchen appliance comprising:

a microcontroller,

one or more than one electronic circuit that provides a communication and/or control means to be controlled by the microcontroller,

a power control circuitry that supplies the microcontroller and the one or more than one electronic circuit with a DC voltage for operation of the microcontroller and the one or more than one other electronic circuits,

a receiver coil positioned across from the induction coil that receives the power generated by the induction coil based on a power scale setting on the inducting heating cooker, and provides transfer of a power to the power control circuitry,

a rectifier disposed in the power control circuitry that converts AC voltage delivered from the receiver coil to a DC voltage,

a buffer capacitor which filters the DC voltage at an outlet of the rectifier, and

a peak voltage tracker that is disposed between the rectifier and the buffer capacitor, that tracks peak values of the DC voltage at the outlet of the rectifier and feeds back to the microcontroller, and

a transformer disposed between the receiver coil and the rectifier, wherein the transformer is configured to modify, based upon a feedback received from the peak voltage tracker, an amount of AC voltage delivered to the rectifier to keep an amount of DC voltage provided to the microcontroller and the one or more than one electronic circuits constant.

2. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by the transformer comprising a primary winding and more than one secondary winding and a switching means controlled by the microcontroller, which activates or deactivates one or more than one secondary winding by switching the secondary windings, such that the one or more than one secondary winding is electrically coupled to the rectifier based on a state of the switching means.

3. A kitchen appliance as in claim 2, characterized by the microcontroller, that activates or deactivates one or more than one secondary winding by actuating the switching means depending on the feedback received from the peak voltage tracker.

4. A kitchen appliance as in claim 3, characterized by the transformer comprising a common end double secondary winding.

5. A kitchen appliance as in claim 4, characterized by the microcontroller that deactivates members like LED, display, backlight which draw high power in situations whereat the induction heating cooker is operated at low power settings.

6. A kitchen appliance as in claim 5, characterized by being a ferromagnetic cooking container that is heated by the induction energy generated by the induction coil.

7. A kitchen appliance as in claim 5, characterized by being an active heating appliance having a resistant heater.

8. A kitchen appliance as in claim 5, characterized by being an electromechanical appliance that is operated by an electric motor.

9. A kitchen appliance as in claim 5, characterized by being a coffee machine wherein a cooking control is provided by means of an infrared sensor.

10. A kitchen appliance as in claim 9, characterized by one or more than one high power receiver coil that transfers power from the induction coil for operating members like heater or motor.

11. A kitchen appliance as in claim 3, wherein the microcontroller decreases a number of secondary windings activated, by means of a relay, if a voltage level detected by the peak voltage tracker is higher than a desired voltage level and increases the number of secondary windings activated if the voltage level detected by the peak voltage tracker is lower than the desired voltage level.

12. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by the microcontroller that deactivates the members like LED, display, backlight which draw high power in situations whereat the induction heating cooker is operated at low power settings.

13. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by being a ferromagnetic cooking container that is heated by the induction energy generated by the induction coil.

14. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by being an active heating appliance having a resistant heater.

15. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by being an electromechanical appliance that is operated by an electric motor.

16. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by being a coffee machine wherein a cooking control is provided by means of an infrared sensor.

17. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, characterized by one or more than one high power receiver coil that transfers power from the induction coil for operating members like heater or motor.

18. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, wherein if a low power scale of the kitchen appliance is selected, power is transferred intermittently from the induction coil to the receiver coil, and if a high power scale is selected, the power transferred from the induction coil to the receiver coil is delivered to the receiver coil uninterruptedly.

19. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, wherein the transformer includes a switch, and wherein the switch is controlled by the microcontroller.

20. A kitchen appliance as in claim 19, wherein the switch is a relay.

21. A kitchen appliance as in claim 1, wherein the transformer includes a common end.

22. A kitchen appliance, configured to wirelessly operate on an induction heating cooker with a power generated by an induction coil, the kitchen appliance comprising:

a microcontroller,

one or more than one electronic circuit that provides a communication and/or control means to be controlled by the microcontroller,

a power control circuitry that supplies the microcontroller and the one or more than one electronic circuit with a DC voltage for operation of the microcontroller and the one or more than one other electronic circuits,

a receiver coil positioned across from the induction coil that receives the power generated by the induction coil based on a power scale setting on the inducting heating cooker, and provides transfer of a power to the power control circuitry,

a rectifier disposed in the power control circuitry that converts AC voltage delivered from the receiver coil to a DC voltage,

a buffer capacitor which filters the DC voltage at an outlet of the rectifier,

a peak voltage tracker that is disposed between the rectifier coil and the buffer capacitor, wherein the peak voltage tracker tracks peak values of the DC voltage at the outlet of the rectifier and feeds back to the microcontroller, and

a transformer disposed between the receiver coil and the rectifier, the transformer providing the power control circuitry to supply the microcontroller and the electronic circuits with constant DC voltage by compensating the AC voltage at the outlet of the receiver coil, wherein the transformer includes a switch to adjust the AC voltage, and wherein the AC voltage is adjusted based upon a feedback from the peak voltage tracker to keep an amount of DC voltage constant.