WO2013041518A1

WO2013041518A1 - Cooker, and combination of cooker and range hood

Info

Publication number: WO2013041518A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/068326
Authority: WO
Inventors: Xue Zou; Xuebin Gu; Beibei Wang
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2011-09-19
Filing date: 2012-09-18
Publication date: 2013-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 2014-03-19
Also published as: CN102997287B; CN102997287A

Abstract

The present invention provides a cooker, where the cooker includes: a cooker main body; a cooker Micro Control Unit (MCU), used to receive and send a control signal, and control the cooker main body to be in a predetermined working state; and a photoelectric knob device, where the photoelectric knob device is designed on the basis of photoelectric technologies having a with apertures of different size or an aperture of of variying cross section.

Description

COOKER, AND COMBINATION OF COOKER AND RANGE HOOD

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a cooker, and in particular to a cooker adopting photoelectric control technologies, and a combination of the cooker and a range hood.

Related Art

Cookers and range hoods are household appliances universally used in people's life, and are generally used in cooperation. With the development of technologies and demands of a consumer market, kitchens are more and more intelligent. In the prior art, the cookers and the range hoods can already be controlled in an intelligent communication and linked manner, that is, a rotation speed of the range hood is changed in real time according to the change of a fire size of the cooker, so that an air draft amount of the range hood is correspondingly changed at the same time when the fire size of the cooker is adjusted. For example, China patent No. CN2833375Y discloses a cooker and a range hood capable of being controlled in a linked manner, where the cooker includes a fire size detection module, and an information receiving and sending module capable of sending and receiving information data through a wireless communication manner; the range hood includes an information receiving and sending module and a control module, the control module is connected to a motor of the range hood and capable of adjusting a rotation speed of the motor according to the received fire size information of the cooker, so as to control an air draft amount of the range hood. The cooker detects the fire size thereof generally through a potentiometer disposed on a knob switch of the cooker, where the potentiometer is generally a touch potentiometer, is formed by a resistive film and a touch point, and changes, by directly adjusting a position of the touch point on the resistive film, resistance input into a circuit, so as to send a corresponding detection signal to the cooker main controller. A physical structure of the potentiometer determines that the potentiometer at least has two problems: one is poor durability by using the potentiometer as the detection module; the other one is undesirable real-time performance and accuracy of detecting the fire size of the cooker by the potentiometer, resulting in that the cooker and the range hood combined to the cooker cannot be well controlled in real time and in a linked manner. In view of this, the control and detection module of the cooker should be improved.

Unless supported by sufficient evidences, the prior art described herein does not mean that it is known to those of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of this application. SUMMARY

An objective of the present invention is to provide a cooker with a photoelectric knob device, where a detection module in the cooker and for detecting a fire size of the cooker has greatly improved durability, detection performance, and detection accuracy, so as to better control, in real time and in a linked manner, the cooker and the range hood combined to the cooker.

The present invention solves the technical problems by adopting the following technical solutions.

A cooker includes a cooker main body and a cooker Micro Control Unit (MCU). The cooker further includes a photoelectric knob device, where the photoelectric knob device includes a rotation rod, a light-emitting unit, and a light receiving unit; the light receiving unit receives light emitted by the light-emitting unit, generates different optical signals according to a change of a light received amount, and send the optical signals to the cooker MCU; the cooker MCU determines a rotation direction and/or rotation amplitude of the rotation rod (1 1 ) according to the different optical signals. As a further improvement to the present invention, the photoelectric knob device further includes a light transmission unit disposed between the light-emitting unit and the light receiving unit; when the rotation rod rotates, driven by the rotation rod in a linked manner, the light receiving unit and the light transmission unit move with respect to each other.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light transmission unit is disposed on the rotation rod and rotates in a linked manner under the drive of the rotation rod; the light receiving unit keeps still.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light receiving unit is disposed on the rotation rod and rotates in a linked manner under the drive of the rotation rod; the light transmission unit keeps still. As a further improvement to the present invention, the light transmission unit has light transmission openings capable of changing the light received amount of the light receiving unit when the light transmission unit and the light receiving unit move with respect to each other.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the photoelectric knob device further includes a protecting shell with an upper and a lower shells; the light-emitting unit, the light receiving unit, and the light transmission unit are disposed in the protecting shell.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light-emitting unit is a semiconductor light-emitting device, a filament lamp, or a laser.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light receiving unit is a photosensitive resistance, a photoelectric diode, or a photoelectric triode.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light transmission unit is in a disc shape and has a through hole in a center, the rotation rod passes through the through hole, and the light transmission openings encircle the rotation rod and are disposed on the disc. As a further improvement to the present invention, opening widths of the light transmission openings change in an ascending sequence along a circumference direction.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light transmission opening is an opening formed by two intersected Archimedean spirals on the light transmission unit.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the light transmission openings are more than two penetration holes of different size and distributed at a spacing with each other on the light transmission unit along a circumference direction, and are used to determine that the rotation rod is in a predetermined rotation position.

As a further improvement to the present invention, the penetration holes are continuously distributed on the light transmission unit at a spacing with each other in an ascending size sequence.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a combination of a cooker and a range hood, including: the cooker according to any item of the foregoing content, where a detection module for detecting a fire size of the cooker and an information sending module for sending fire size information to the range hood are disposed in the cooker; and the range hood, where an information receiving module for receiving the fire size information from the cooker and a control module for controlling a rotation speed of a motor of the range hood are disposed in the range hood. The control module is connected to the motor of the range hood, so as to adjust the rotation speed of the motor according to the received fire size information of the cooker. Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the cooker of the present invention adopts a newly designed photoelectric knob device, so that a detection module for detecting a fire size of the cooker has greatly improved durability, detection performance, and detection accuracy, so as to better control, in real time and in a linked manner, the cooker and the range hood combined to the cooker. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a photoelectric knob device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural view of a light transmission unit in an implementation manner of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of a light transmission unit in another

implementation manner of the present invention; and

FIG. 4a to FIG. 4c are schematic views show different light received amount of light received by the light receiving unit in different rotation positions. List of the numerals: 10. photoelectric knob device, 1 1. rotation rod, 12. light transmission unit, 13. light-emitting unit, 14. light receiving unit, 15. light transmission opening, 16. protecting shell, 161. upper shell, and 162. lower shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a cooker, including: a cooker main body; a cooker MCU, for receiving and sending a control signal and controlling the cooker main body to be in a predetermined working state; and a photoelectric knob device 10, for controlling a fire size of the cooker main body, detecting a signal indicating the fire size, and sending the signal to the cooker MCU. The foregoing basic constitution of the cooker is known by persons skilled in the art, so the applicant does not describe the details herein again. The distinguishing technical feature part of the photoelectric knob device 10 of the present invention is mainly described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings in the specification.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the photoelectric knob device 10 in the present invention, where the photoelectric knob device 10 is designed on the basis of photoelectric technologies. As shown in FIG. 1 , the photoelectric knob device 10 includes a rotation rod 1 1 , a light-emitting unit 13, a light receiving unit 14, and a light transmission unit 12 disposed between the light-emitting unit 13 and the light receiving unit 14. Light emitted by the light-emitting unit 13 irradiates on the light receiving unit 14 through the light transmission unit 12. In addition, the photoelectric knob device 10 further includes a protecting shell 16, and the protecting shell 16 has an upper shell 161 and a lower shell 162. The upper shell 161 and the lower shell 162 are clamped to each other to form a light-proof cavity, and the light-emitting unit 13, the light receiving unit 14, and the light transmission unit 12 are disposed in the cavity of the protecting shell 16, thereby providing a relatively stable dark working environment for the photoelectric knob device 10, so as to avoid interference of an external optical signal.

When the rotation rod 1 1 rotates, driven by the rotation rod 1 1 , the light receiving unit 14 and the light transmission unit 12 move with respect to each other. The light receiving unit 14 is used to receive light emitted through the light transmission unit 12 by the light-emitting unit 13, generate different optical signals according to a change of a light received amount, and send the optical signals to the cooker MCU; the cooker MCU determines a rotation direction and/or rotation amplitude of the rotation rod 1 1 according to the different optical signals. The light transmission unit 12 has light transmission openings 15 capable of changing the light received amount of the light receiving unit 14 when the light transmission unit 12 and the light receiving unit 14 move with respect to each other. The linking drive of the rotation rod 1 1 refers to that, while rotating, the rotation rod 1 1 correspondingly drives the light receiving unit 14 or the light transmission unit 12 to rotate at the same time, so that the light receiving unit 14 and the light transmission unit 12 can move with respect to each other, and the light received amount of light received, due to the relative motion, by the light receiving unit 14 through the light transmission unit 12 changes with the motion. The relative motion of the light receiving unit 14 and the light transmission unit 12 includes two basic manners. One manner is that, in this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the light receiving unit 14 keeps still; the light transmission unit 12 is disposed on the rotation rod 1 1 , rotates in a linked manner under the drive of the rotation rod 1 1 , and moves with respect to the light receiving unit 14, that is, the light transmission unit 12 can be clamped to the rotation rod 1 1 through a fastener. The other manner is that, in another embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the light transmission unit 12 keeps still; the light receiving unit 14 is disposed on the rotation rod 1 1 , rotates in a linked manner under the drive of the rotation rod 1 1 , and moves with respect to the light transmission unit 12. The case that the light receiving unit 14 determines a rotation direction and/or rotation amplitude of the rotation rod 1 1 according to the light received amount refers to that, since the light received amount of light received by the light receiving unit 14 at each rotation position is uniquely determined, the generated optical signals are also uniquely determined and are sent to the MCU of the household appliance; the MCU performs comparison operation processing according to the uniquely determined optical signals, so as to determine the rotation direction and/or the rotation amplitude of the rotation rod 1 1. Definitely, the MCU may preset different rotation positions

represented by the different optical signals, and the details are not described herein again.

In this embodiment, the light-emitting unit 13 may be a filament lamp, a laser, or a semiconductor light-emitting device, but preferably is the semiconductor light-emitting device such as a light-emitting diode (LED) herein. The semiconductor light-emitting device is a device converting electric energy into optical energy, and includes an LED, an infrared light source, and a semiconductor light-emitting digital tube. The light receiving unit 14 may include a photosensitive resistance, a photoelectric diode, or a photoelectric triode, but preferably is the photoelectric triode. The photoelectric triode is a transistor and has three electrodes. When the light intensity changes, resistance among the electrodes also changes, so as to generate different electric signals and send the electric signals to the appliance MCU through a corresponding electronic line of the light receiving unit 14. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the light transmission unit 12 is in a disc shape and has a through hole in the center; the rotation rod 1 1 passes through the through hole; and the light transmission openings 15 encircle the rotation rod 1 1 and are disposed on the disc. Opening widths of the light transmission openings 15 change in an ascending sequence along a circumference direction. Preferably, the light transmission opening 15 may be an opening similar to a sickle shape and formed by two intersected Archimedean spirals. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the light transmission openings 15 on the disc-shaped light transmission unit 12 are multiple penetration holes of different size, encircle the rotation rod 1 1 , and are distributed on the light transmission unit 12 at a spacing with each other along a circumference direction. The light receiving unit 14 determines, according to different light received amount of light received through the penetration holes of different size, different rotation positions of the rotation rod 1 1 .

Preferably, the penetration holes may encircle the rotation rod 1 1 in an ascending size sequence and are continuously distributed on the light transmission unit 12 at a spacing with each other.

A specific function of the photoelectric knob device 10 is described in the following in the case that the photoelectric knob device 10 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is used as a control knob on the cooker. When a user turns the cooker control knob, the rotation rod 1 1 correspondingly turns, and meanwhile drives the light transmission unit 12 to turn; at this time, the light generated by the light-emitting unit 13 passes through the light transmission openings 15 on the light transmission unit 12 and irradiates on the light receiving unit 14. With the turning of the light transmission unit 12, the light received amount of light received by the still light receiving unit 14 through the light transmission openings 15 also correspondingly changes. Specifically, FIG. 4a and FIG. 4e are schematic views showing different states of light amount of light received by the light receiving unit 14 in an ascending amount sequence. FIG. 4a, FIG. 4b, FIG. 4c, FIG. 4d, and FIG. 4e respectively show that the cooker knob switch is in a level 1 , a level 2, a level 3, a level 4, and a level 0. When the cooker is in the level 1 , as shown in FIG. 4a, the light transmission unit 12 is rotated at certain amplitude, and the light receiving unit 14 merely receives a small part of received light. In the figures, a part of the received light is indicated by a shadow part. The generated optical signal is also weak, and the cooker MCU determines that a fire size is small according to the optical signal. When the light transmission unit 12 is rotated to the level 2, the level 3, or the level 4, the shadow part indicating the light received by the light receiving unit 14 becomes larger, and the generated optical signal is more and more strong. The cooker MCU determines that the fire size of the cooker is gradually increased according to the gradually strong optical signal. Finally, when the light transmission unit 12 is rotated to the level 0, the light receiving unit 14 does not receive any light, and no optical signal is generated, so the cooker MCU determines that the cooker is turned off at this time. The cooker MCU determines a rotated position of the cooker control knob according to the changed and determined photoelectric signal, so as to execute further control operations, for example, correspondingly control an opening degree of a gas electromagnetic valve of the cooker according to the optical signal, so as to control the fire size of the cooker; or for another example, in the linked combination of the cooker and the range hood, the cooker MCU may send the optical signal generated by the photoelectric knob device 10 to a MCU of the range hood as a linking control signal, so as to control a rotation speed of the range hood in real time, thereby controlling the cooker and the range hood in real time and in a linked manner.

In addition, in another embodiment (not providing the accompanying drawing), the structure of the photoelectric knob device 10 in the present invention does not include the light transmission unit 12. When the rotation rod 1 1 rotates, driven by the rotation rod 1 1 in a linked manner, the light receiving unit 14 and the light-emitting unit 13 move with respect to each other, so as to change the light received amount of light emitted by the light-emitting unit 13 and received by the light receiving unit 14. Multiple light-emitting units 13 exist, preferably adopt multiple lasers emitting beams of different sizes, encircle the rotation rod 1 1 , are fixedly disposed on the rotation rod 1 1 along a circumference direction, and rotate under the drive of the rotation rod 1 1 . The lasers emit straight beams of different sizes along an axial direction. The light receiving unit 14 keeps still at a position corresponding to the laser. When the rotation rod 1 1 rotates, at different rotation positions, different lasers project different beams onto the light receiving unit 14, so the light receiving unit 14 receives light of different light received amount, generates optical signals of different strength, and sends the optical signals to the cooker MCU. The cooker MCU performs comparison operation processing according to the optical signals of different strength, so as to determine a rotation direction and/or rotation amplitude of the rotation rod 1 1 , thereby implementing the purposes and functions of the photoelectric knob device 10 in the cooker in other embodiments above. In addition, there is another embodiment (not providing the accompanying drawings).

Different from the foregoing embodiment, in this embodiment, multiple light-emitting units 13 encircle the rotation rod 1 1 , are disposed along a circumference direction, are not fixed on the rotation rod 1 1 , and keep still; the light receiving unit 14 is fixed on the rotation rod 1 1 and rotates under the drive of the rotation rod 1 1. When the rotation rod 1 1 rotates, at different rotation positions, the light receiving unit 14 receives beams of different sizes from the different light-emitting units 13, so the light receiving unit 14 receives light of different light received amount, generates optical signals of different strength, and sends the optical signals to the cooker MCU. The cooker MCU performs comparison operation processing according to the optical signals of different strength, so as to determine a rotation direction and/or rotation amplitude of the rotation rod 1 1 , thereby implementing the purposes and functions of the photoelectric knob device 10 in the cooker in other embodiments above.

Moreover, the present invention further provides a combination of a cooker and a range hood, including: the cooker embodiment as described in the above, where a detection module for detecting a fire size of the cooker and an information sending module for sending fire size information to the range hood are disposed in the cooker; and the range hood, where an information receiving module for receiving the fire size information from the cooker and a control module for controlling a rotation speed of a motor of the range hood are disposed in the range hood. The control module is connected to a motor of the range hood, so as to adjust a rotation speed of the motor according to the received fire size information of the cooker, and control an air draft amount of the range hood. The basic constitution of the cooker, the range hood, and a combination of the cooker and the range hood is known by persons skilled in the art, so the applicant does not describe the details herein again.

The detailed description above is merely specific illustration of feasible embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent embodiment or modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A cooker, comprising: a cooker main body; a cooker Micro Control Unit (MCU); characterized in that: the cooker further comprises a photoelectric knob device (10); the photoelectric knob device (10) comprises a rotation rod (11 ), a light-emitting unit (13), and a light receiving unit (14); the light receiving unit (14) receives light emitted by the light-emitting unit (13), generates different optical signals according to a change of a light received amount, and send the optical signals to the cooker MCU; the cooker MCU determines a rotation direction and/or rotation amplitude of the rotation rod (11 ) according to the different optical signals.

2. The cooker according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the photoelectric knob device (10) further comprises a light transmission unit (12) disposed between the light-emitting unit (13) and the light receiving unit (14); when the rotation rod (1 1 ) rotates, driven by the rotation rod (1 1 ) in a linked manner, the light receiving unit (14) and the light transmission unit (12) move with respect to each other.

3. The cooker according to claim 2, characterized in that, the light transmission unit (12) is disposed on the rotation rod (1 1 ) and rotates in a linked manner under the drive of the rotation rod (1 1 ); the light receiving unit (14) keeps still.

4. The cooker according to claim 2, characterized in that, the light receiving unit (14) is disposed on the rotation rod (1 1 ) and rotates in a linked manner under the drive of the rotation rod (1 1 ); the light transmission unit (12) keeps still.

5. The cooker according to claim 2, characterized in that, the light transmission unit (12) has light transmission openings (15) capable of changing the light received amount of the light receiving unit (14) when the light transmission unit (12) and the light receiving unit (14) move with respect to each other.

6. The cooker according to claim 2, characterized in that, the photoelectric knob device (10) further comprises a protecting shell (16) with an upper and a lower shells (161 , 162); the light-emitting unit (13), the light receiving unit (14), and the light transmission unit (12) are disposed in the protecting shell (16).

7. The cooker according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the light-emitting unit (13) is a semiconductor light-emitting device, a filament lamp, or a laser.

8. The cooker according to claim 1 , characterized in that, the light receiving unit (14) is a photosensitive resistance, a photoelectric diode, or a photoelectric triode.

9. The cooker according to claim 5, characterized in that, the light transmission unit (12) is in a disc shape and has a through hole in a center, the rotation rod (1 1 ) passes through the through hole, and the light transmission openings (15) encircle the rotation rod (1 1 ) and are disposed on the disc.

10. The cooker according to claim 9, characterized in that, opening widths of the light transmission openings (15) change in an ascending sequence along a circumference direction.

1 1 . The cooker according to claim 10, characterized in that, the light transmission opening (15) is an opening formed by two intersected Archimedean spirals on the light transmission unit (12).

12. The cooker according to claim 9, characterized in that, the light transmission openings (15) are more than two penetration holes of different size and distributed at a spacing with each other on the light transmission unit (12) along a circumference direction, and are used to determine that the rotation rod (1 1 ) is in a predetermined rotation position.

13. The cooker according to claim 12, characterized in that, the penetration holes are continuously distributed on the light transmission unit (12) at a spacing with each other in an ascending size sequence.

14. A combination of a cooker and a range hood, comprising: the cooker according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein a detection module for detecting a fire size of the cooker and an information sending module for sending fire size information to the range hood are disposed in the cooker; and the range hood, wherein an information receiving module for receiving the fire size information from the cooker and a control module for controlling a rotation speed of a motor of the range hood are disposed in the range hood; and the control module is connected to the motor of the range hood, so as to adjust the rotation speed of the motor according to the received fire size information of the cooker.