INDUCTION COOK TOP

Abstract

 The present invention relates to an induction cooktop (1) and comprises at least one induction element (2) for inducing an electric current in a container provided for cooking food; a panel (4) overlapping the induction element (2) on which a cooking surface (5) is defined; at least one support element (6) fastened to the cooking surface (5), projecting from the cooking surface (5) and configured to support the container close to the cooking surface (5), thus avoiding the direct contact between the container and the cooking surface (5).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to an induction cooktop, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] In particular, such induction cooktop is used in cookers of homes and more generally, in any place where it is necessary to cook foods.

[0003] The induction cooktop according to the invention may be provided as a separate domestic appliance or optionally, it may be integrated in a work surface of a modular cooker.

Background art

[0004] Different types of induction cooktops are known in the background art. The most common type comprises different induction elements, each comprising a coil capable of causing an electromagnetic field of variable intensity. A ferromagnetic container is placed over such coil. Thereby electric currents are introduced directly into container, thus heating the contents thereof with a much greater efficiency with respect to a resistive-plate cooker and/or a cooker with traditional burners.

[0005] The induction cooktop comprises an upper panel overlapping the induction element. Such upper panel is capable of supporting the container and preferably is thermally insulating so as to counter the dispersion of heat from the bottom of the container. In the known technique, such panel usually is made of glass.

[0006] However, making a glass surface is disadvantageous due to the glass itself, as well as due to the difficulty with which the surfaces of existing cookers may be integrated, especially in terms of the resulting appearance.

[0007] Therefore, cooktops having panels made of materials other than glass have been made, such as for example wood, granite, marble or other technical materials usually used for making the so-called "tops" of cookers.

[0008] All these materials have proven to be inadequate because they tend to deteriorate or break under the effect of the heat stresses due to contact with the hot container, unless they are made with a greater thickness with respect to an equivalent glass panel. However, an increased thickness increasingly dampens the magnetic field, thus introducing unacceptable losses of energy.

[0009] Cooktops made of materials other than glass are known in the background art as a partial solution to this problem. Such cooktops comprise an upper panel which has a discontinuity close to the induction elements or with respect to the rest of the "top" of the cooker. In other words, the cooking surface in the first case is not defined by a single upper panel, but rather by a plurality of separate panels. Generally, the upper panel has holes over the induction coils. Such holes are each covered by a respective panel which is shaped like the perimeter of the inductor (usually circular) made of the same material as the upper panel. In the second case, one panel covers the inductors but it is separate from the rest of the "top" of the cooker.

[0010] Therefore, the panel that covers the inductors for both the embodiments are separated by means of a gap, which allows the panel to expand when it is heated by the container during the cooking, so as to avoid cracks or breaks.

Problem of the known technique

[0011] This type of cooktop has significant disadvantages.

[0012] Firstly, making a panel with gaps to allow the expansion thereof has a construction complication because it involves additional processing.

[0013] Moreover, it is necessary to seal the gaps provided in the cooktop and placed at the coils with suitable gaskets because it is necessary to avoid possible liquids poured on the cooktop from reaching the electric circuits of the coils.

[0014] Finally, the appearance of having one cooking surface alone is compromised.

Object of the invention

[0015] In this context, the technical task at the basis of the present invention is to propose an induction cooktop which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the known technique.

[0016] In particular, it is an object of the present invention to make available an induction cooktop having a panel without discontinuity with the rest of the top of the cooker, such panel being able to be made of materials other than glass.

[0017] The technical task identified and objects specified are substantially achieved by an induction cooktop comprising the technical features explained in one or more of the appended claims.

Advantages of the invention

[0018] In particular, an induction cooktop according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises at least one induction element. Such induction element is configured to cause an electric current in a container provided for cooking food.

[0019] The cooktop further comprises a panel overlapping the induction element. The panel defines a cooking surface which, as described below, is one with the top, that is there are no discontinuities or gaps between the cooking surface and the rest of the top of the cooker.

[0020] The panel is also configured to support the container. For such purpose, the cooktop comprises at least one support element fastened to the cooking surface. The support element projects from the cooking surface. The support element is configured to support the container close to the cooking surface and at the same time, to avoid the direct contact between the container and the cooking surface.

[0021] The cooktop proposed resolves the technical problem because by providing the direct contact between the hot container and the cooking surface, the heat exchange with the surface itself is greatly limited. The panel is therefore subjected to much smaller thermal stresses with respect to conventional cooktops and therefore may be made of any material without there being a need to introduce discontinuity.

LIST OF DRAWINGS

[0022] Further features and advantages of the present invention shall be more apparent from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of an induction cooktop, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an induction cooktop according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a perspective section view of the cooktop of Figure 1;
• Figure 2a is a section view of a detail of the cooktop of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are perspective views of respective assembly steps of the cooktop of Figures 1 and 2;
• Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of a second embodiment of an induction cooktop according to the present invention;
• Figure 5 is a perspective section view of the cooktop of Figure 4; and
• Figure 5a is a section view of a detail of the cooktop of Figures 4 and 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Even when not expressly indicated, the individual characteristics described in reference to the specific embodiments shall be intended as accessories and/or interchangeable with other characteristics described in reference to other embodiments.

[0024] With reference to the accompanying drawings, 1 indicates an induction cooktop according to the present invention.

[0025] The cooktop 1 comprises at least one induction element 2, which is configured to induce an electric current in a container (not illustrated) provided for cooking foods.

[0026] Such induction element 2, which is diagrammatically depicted with a dotted line in Figure 1, is in itself known to the expert in the field, and therefore is not described in detail.

[0027] Preferably, the cooktop 1 comprises a plurality of induction elements 2. In particular, the number of induction elements 2 in the cooktop 1 is variable according to the model.

[0028] For example, a typical cooktop 1 may comprise four induction elements 2, arranged at the vertexes of a rectangle or of a square.

[0029] In alternative embodiments, there may be any number and arrangement of the induction elements 2.

[0030] The cooktop 1 further comprises a panel 4 which is at least partly, preferably completely, overlapping the induction element 2.

[0031] Such panel 4 defines a cooking surface 5 and is configured to support the container.

[0032] Preferably such panel 4 is substantially flat.

[0033] It is worth noting that the panel 4 may be made of different types of materials among which there are comprised, by mere way of example, marble, wood or ceramic or composite materials or combinations of several of the aforesaid materials or of technical materials of which the tops of cookers are made.

[0034] The panel 4 generally is not made of glass.

[0035] However, alternative embodiments are possible, with which the panel 4 is made completely or in part of this material.

[0036] Moreover, it is worth noting that according to the invention, the cooking surface 5 does not have discontinuities or gaps, that is to say it does not have interruptions or openings that may make it permeable to possible liquids.

[0037] In particular, the panel 4, and therefore the cooking surface 5, forms the "top" of the cooker without there being any discontinuities between the area dedicated to cooking the dish and the other areas of such "top".

[0038] In the present description, discontinuity means an interruption of the cooking surface 5 which extends inwards, interrupting the continuity with the remaining portion of the panel 4.

[0039] The cooking surface 5 of the panel 4 may however have variations in height (that is along the vertical which preferably is perpendicular with respect to the treading plane), also sudden variations, as is better illustrated in a successive section of the present description.

[0040] The cooktop 1 comprises at least one support element 6 fastened to the cooking surface 5. Such support element 6 projects from the cooking surface 5, and in particular is provided to support the container close to the cooking surface 5 so as to avoid the direct contact between the container and the cooking surface 5.

[0041] In other words, during the cooking, the container is in direct contact exclusively with the support element 6, that is the bottom of the container does not come into contact with the cooking surface 5, thus leaving a gap between the bottom of the container and the cooking surface 5.

[0042] Such an arrangement is particularly advantageous during the cooking of food because the heat of the container caused by the inductors does not propagate, if not marginally, to the panel 4 by conduction, rather it is removed by convection by the air in the gap formed by the spacers 6.

[0043] This allows gaps or discontinuities not to be made in order to consider the thermal expansion of the cooking surface.

[0044] In greater detail, it is worth noting that the support element 6 develops, projecting outwards, from the cooking surface 5 for a height (that is along the vertical which preferably is perpendicular with respect to the treading plane) such as to allow an adequate removal of the heat from the container. For example, such height is comprised between 10-12 mm, preferably is comprised between 6-7 mm.

[0045] According to one aspect, the support element 6 is fastened to the cooking surface 5 in a non-removable manner, that is it cannot be removed or moved from its original position.

[0046] Moreover, in use, the support element 6 defines a sufficient contact area for stably supporting the container during the cooking of the foods.

[0047] According to one aspect, the material of which the support 6 is made is a plastic material capable of resisting high temperatures and which does not modify the structure thereof (for example, rigidity, colour, thermal insulation) in the whole lifecycle of the induction surface 1.

[0048] In a first embodiment, the material of which the support 6 is made is a different material from the one of which the support 4 is made. For example, such a material is silicone, PBT, PA66 or PBS, but also wood, glass or granite, marble and the like.

[0049] In another embodiment of the support element 6, the material of which such support 6 is made is the same material as the one of which the support 4 is made. Therefore, if the support 4 is made of wood, then the support element 6 is too.

[0050] It is worth noting that according to one embodiment, the cooktop 1 may comprise a plurality of support elements 6.

[0051] In particular, according to the embodiments shown in figures 1 and 5, there may be four support elements 6 for each induction element 2. Such elements have a rectangular or bar shape and are arranged in a cross at each induction element 2.

[0052] Naturally, countless variants not illustrated are possible, in which the shape, the size and the mutual arrangement of the support elements 6 may be modified in any manner.

[0053] Similarly, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which all the support elements 6 are identical.

[0054] Naturally, countless variants are possible, in which the support elements 6 may have different shapes and sizes from one another.

[0055] According to different embodiments of the invention, the device 1 also comprises fastening means 7. Such fastening means 7 are active between the cooking surface 5 and the support element 6.

[0056] In particular, the fastening means 7 may comprise an adhesive, preferably silicone-based glue.

[0057] Optionally, the panel 4 has at least one recess 8. Such recess 8 is counter-shaped to the support element 6 in such a manner as to stably house the support element 6 therein. As described above, the support element 6 projects from the cooking surface 5, whereby here the total height of the support element 6 is obtained by adding the height with respect to the surface 5, to the depth of the recess 8.

[0058] To align the support elements 6 correctly with respect to the respective induction elements 2, optionally it is possible to engage a mask 9 during the installation of the support elements 6 themselves. Such mask 9 is provided to be fastened on the cooking surface 5.

[0059] Such mask 9 has at least one opening 10 counter-shaped to the support element 6 to be installed.

[0060] Such opening 10 is positioned on the cooking surface 5 substantially at one of the induction elements 2 so that it is possible to fasten the support element 6 in a predetermined position with respect to the induction element 2 by simply fastening it on the surface 5 that remains visible through the openings 10 after the mask 9 is positioned.

[0061] It is worth noting that the number of openings 10 on the mask 9 is equal to the number of support elements 6 to be fastened on the panel 4. Similarly, also the shape of the openings 10 corresponds to the one of the support elements 6 to be installed.

[0062] According to a preferred aspect, although it is fastened and removable with respect to the surface 6 by means of the fastening means 7, the support element 6 is in any case a separate element from the cooking surface 5. However, in an alternative embodiment, the support element 6 may be made integral with the cooking surface 5.

[0063] Obviously, in order to meet contingent and specific needs, those skilled in the art may make several modifications to the variants described above, all however contained within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An induction cooktop (1), comprising:

- at least one induction element (2) configured to induce an electric current in a container provided for cooking food;

- a panel (4) overlapping said induction element (2), defining a cooking surface (5) and configured to support said container;

characterized in that it comprises at least one support element (6) fastened to said cooking surface (5), projecting from said cooking surface (5) and configured to support said container close to said cooking surface (5), thus avoiding the direct contact between said container and said cooking surface (5).

2. Cooktop (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein said support element (6) develops from said cooking surface (5) for a height comprised between 10 mm and 12 mm.

3. Cooktop (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises fastening means (7) acting between said cooking surface (5) and said support element (6).

4. Cooktop (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the fastening means (7) comprise an adhesive.

5. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said support element (6) is made of silicone, PBT, PA66, PBS, wood, glass, granite or marble or a combination of said materials.

6. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said support element (6) is separate from said cooking surface (5).

7. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of support elements (6) defined by a support surface such as to support the bottom of the container in a stable manner.

8. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said panel (4) has at least one recess (8) counter-shaped to said support element (6) for stably housing said support element (6).

9. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said panel (4) is made of marble, wood or ceramic, a combination of several materials.

10. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said cooking surface (5) does not have discontinuity.

11. Cooktop (1) according to any one of the preceding claims from 1 to 5, wherein said support element (6) is made integral with the cooking surface (5).

12. A kit comprising an induction cooktop (1) and at least one support element (6) that can be removably associated with a cooking surface (5) of said cooktop (1), said support element (6) being configured to project from said cooking surface (5) to support a container for cooking foods close to said cooking surface (5), thus avoiding the direct contact between said container and said cooking surface (5).

13. Kit according to claim 12, wherein said support element (6) is configured to project from said cooking surface (5) for a height comprised between 10 mm and 12 mm.

14. Kit according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises a mask (9) that can be fastened on said cooking surface (5) and having at least one opening (10) counter-shaped to said support element (6), said opening (10) being positionable on said cooking surface (5) substantially at an induction element (2) to fasten said support element (6) in a predetermined position with respect to said induction element (2).

Drawing