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(11) | EP 3 557 943 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | PANEL FOR A COOKING HOB |
| (57) The present invention relates to a panel (10) for a cooking hob. The panel (10) includes
at least one glass layer (12, 18). Further, the panel (10) includes at least one reactive
layer (14; 20). The reactive layer (14; 20) is made of at least one reactive material,
which is responsive to electric, electromagnetic and/or thermic parameters.
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[0001] The present invention relates to a panel for a cooking hob. Further, the present invention relates to a cooking hob.
[0002] A panel for a cooking hob usually includes a static pattern for indicating the positions and sizes of the cooking zones. However, the static pattern must be adapted to the arrangement of the heating elements. A flexible arrangement of the heating elements is not possible with the same static pattern.
[0003] Further, the cooking hob may include a display for indicating numerically or graphically the temperatures on the single cooking zones. However, the display provides only an indirect indication and requires a relative complex circuit.
[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel for a cooking hob, which allows a direct indication of the cooking zones and/or temperatures by low complexity.
[0006] According to the present invention a panel for a cooking hob is provided, wherein:
- the panel includes at least one glass layer, and
- the panel includes at least one reactive layer, wherein
- the reactive layer is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to electric, electromagnetic and/or thermic parameters.
[0007] The core of the present invention is the reactive layer depending on electric, electromagnetic and/or thermic parameters. The reactive layer is able to indicate states characterised by said electric, electromagnetic and/or thermic parameters.
[0009] For example, the reactive layer is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to an electric field generated by an electric heating element, so that the presence of the electric field is indicated by the reactive layer.
[0010] According to another example, the reactive layer is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to an electromagnetic field generated by an induction coil, so that the presence of the electromagnetic field is indicated by the reactive layer.
[0012] Optionally, the reactive layer is arranged between the glass layer and a further glass layer.
[0014] According to a further example, the reactive layer is made of at least one thermochromic or thermoluminescent material, which is responsive to a current temperature, so that the colour of said thermochromic or thermoluminescent material depends on the temperature level.
[0015] For example, the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes green at a low temperature level.
[0016] Further, the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material may become yellow at a medium temperature level.
[0017] Moreover, the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material may become red at a high temperature level.
[0018] For example, the reactive layer made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material is arranged beneath the glass layer.
[0019] Further, the printed layer may be arranged beneath the reactive layer made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material.
[0020] Alternatively, the reactive layer made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material is arranged above the printed layer, wherein said printed layer in turn is attached above the glass layer.
[0021] Moreover, the present invention relates to a cooking hob with at least one panel, wherein the cooking hob comprises at least one panel according to any one the preceding claims.
[0023] The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, in which
- FIG 1
- illustrates a schematic sectional side view of a panel for a cooking hob according to a first embodiment of the present invention,
- FIG 2
- illustrates a schematic sectional side view of the panel for the cooking hob according to a second embodiment of the present invention,
- FIG 3
- illustrates a schematic sectional side view of the panel for the cooking hob according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and
- FIG 4
- illustrates a schematic sectional side view of the panel for the cooking hob according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG 1 illustrates a schematic sectional side view of a panel 10 for a cooking hob according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] The panel 10 of the first embodiment includes a glass layer 12, an electric or electromagnetic reactive layer 14 and a coated layer 16. The electric or electromagnetic reactive layer 14 is arranged beneath the glass layer 12. In turn, the coated layer 16 is arranged beneath the electric or electromagnetic reactive layer 14.
[0026] The electric reactive layer 14 is responsive to an electric field generated by an electric heating element arranged beneath the panel 10. By this way, the cooking zone is indicated by the electric reactive layer 14, when the corresponding electric heating element is activated.
[0027] The electromagnetic reactive layer 14 is responsive to an electromagnetic field. For example, said electromagnetic field is generated by an induction coil arranged beneath the panel 10. The magnetic field lines extend perpendicular to the plane of the electromagnetic reactive layer 14.
[0028] FIG 2 illustrates a schematic sectional side view of the panel 10 for the cooking hob according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] The panel 10 of the second embodiment includes the glass layer 12, the electric or electromagnetic reactive layer 14, a further glass layer 18 and the coated layer 16. In this embodiment, the electric or electromagnetic reactive layer 14 is arranged between the two glass layers 12 and 18.
[0030] The electric or electromagnetic reactive layer 14 indicates the cooking zone, when the corresponding heating element is activated.
[0031] FIG 3 illustrates a schematic sectional side view of the panel 10 for the cooking hob according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] The panel 10 of the third embodiment includes the glass layer 12, a thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 and a printed layer 22. The thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 is arranged beneath the glass layer 12. In turn, the printed layer 22 is arranged beneath the thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20.
[0033] The thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 changes its colour in dependence of the temperature level. The thermochromic layer 20 changes between different colours or from a coloured to transparent in dependence of the temperature level.
[0034] The colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 indicates the current temperature of the corresponding cooking zone. For example, a green thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 indicates a low temperature level, while a yellow thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 indicates a medium temperature level. Preferably, a red thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 indicates a high temperature level.
[0035] FIG 4 illustrates a schematic sectional side view of the panel 10 for the cooking hob according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] The panel 10 of the fourth embodiment includes the glass layer 12, the thermochromic layer 20 and the printed layer 22. The printed layer 22 is arranged above the glass layer 12. In turn, the thermochromic or thermoluminescent layer 20 is arranged above the printed layer 22.
[0037] The present invention allows a direct indication of the activated cooking zones and the current temperatures by low complexity.
[0038] Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
List of reference numerals
1. A panel (10) for a cooking hob, wherein:
- the panel (10) includes at least one glass layer (12, 18), and
- the panel (10) includes at least one reactive layer (14; 20), wherein
- the reactive layer (14; 20) is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to electric, electromagnetic and/or thermic parameters.
2. The panel according to claim 1,
characterised in that
the panel (10) includes at least one coated layer (16) and/or at least one printed layer (22).
characterised in that
the panel (10) includes at least one coated layer (16) and/or at least one printed layer (22).
3. The panel according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to an electric field generated by an electric heating element, so that the presence of the electric field is indicated by the reactive layer (14).
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to an electric field generated by an electric heating element, so that the presence of the electric field is indicated by the reactive layer (14).
4. The panel according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to an electromagnetic field generated by an induction coil, so that the presence of the electromagnetic field is indicated by the reactive layer (14) .
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is made of at least one reactive material, which is responsive to an electromagnetic field generated by an induction coil, so that the presence of the electromagnetic field is indicated by the reactive layer (14) .
5. The panel according to claim 3 or 4,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is arranged beneath the glass layer (12) .
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is arranged beneath the glass layer (12) .
6. The panel according to any one of the claims 3 to 5,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is arranged between the glass layer (12) and a further glass layer (18).
characterised in that
the reactive layer (14) is arranged between the glass layer (12) and a further glass layer (18).
7. The panel according to any one of the claims 3 to 6,
characterised in that
the coated layer (16) is attached at the lower side of the panel (10).
characterised in that
the coated layer (16) is attached at the lower side of the panel (10).
8. The panel according to claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (20) is made of at least one thermochromic or thermoluminescent material, which is responsive to a current temperature, so that the colour of said thermochromic or thermoluminescent material depends on the temperature level.
characterised in that
the reactive layer (20) is made of at least one thermochromic or thermoluminescent material, which is responsive to a current temperature, so that the colour of said thermochromic or thermoluminescent material depends on the temperature level.
9. The panel according to claim 8,
characterised in that
the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes green at a low temperature level.
characterised in that
the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes green at a low temperature level.
10. The panel according to claim 8 or 9,
characterised in that
the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes yellow at a medium temperature level.
characterised in that
the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes yellow at a medium temperature level.
11. The panel according to any one of the claims 8 to 10,
characterised in that
the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes red at a high temperature level.
characterised in that
the colour of the thermochromic or thermoluminescent material becomes red at a high temperature level.
12. The panel according to any one of the claims 8 to 11,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (20) made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material is arranged beneath the glass layer (12).
characterised in that
the reactive layer (20) made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material is arranged beneath the glass layer (12).
13. The panel according to claim 12,
characterised in that
the printed layer (22) is arranged beneath the reactive layer (20) made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material.
characterised in that
the printed layer (22) is arranged beneath the reactive layer (20) made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material.
14. The panel according to any one of the claims 8 to 11,
characterised in that
the reactive layer (20) made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material is arranged above the printed layer (22), wherein said printed layer (22) in turn is attached above the glass layer (12).
characterised in that
the reactive layer (20) made of thermochromic or thermoluminescent material is arranged above the printed layer (22), wherein said printed layer (22) in turn is attached above the glass layer (12).
15. A cooking hob with at least one panel (10),
characterised in that
the cooking hob comprises at least one panel (10) according to any one the preceding claims.
characterised in that
the cooking hob comprises at least one panel (10) according to any one the preceding claims.