EP1985566A2 - Portable hot plate which can be used on its own or in a group of at least two interconnected modules. - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus has four unitary identical modules (1), where each module is equipped with a cord (2) terminated by a mains plug (3) and a radiant, induction or halogen type burner. The cord is retractable inside the module when the cord is not connected on the mains. The modules are utilized individually for heating casserole used by a housekeeper, and are in a group of two for heating large sized containers. The module is presented in the form of closed rectangular or square shaped support case on its upper surface.

Description

The invention relates to an electric cooking appliance.

More particularly, the invention relates to a "stove-type" appliance in a home having a cooking plate on which is placed a container for heating or cooking food.

The object of the invention is to provide a modular stove so as to be able to combine electrically with other similar stoves to compose at will and as needed a stove with larger dimensions and greater heating power. This concept of electrically adjustable stove is totally new and unknown to the skilled person.

The prior art knows stoves mechanically associable with each other by means of hooking boxes between them as in the document US-2002/0033390 A1 . The prior art also knows the document DE-G-88 03 945.5 offering a set of stoves that can be electrically connected to each other, but they are not identical because the user must buy two types of stoves to achieve combinations, namely at least one stove with four connectors and at least a stove to a connector. In addition, after connection, the document gives no information about the nominal powers.

• soit individuellement en connectant chacun sur le secteur,
• soit par groupes de deux modules connectés électriquement entre eux, par un cordon d'alimentation secteur d'un premier module branché dans la prise femelle d'un deuxième module.

This object is achieved by the invention which consists of a set of electric cooking appliances for cooking and heating food, characterized in that it is composed of a set of identical unit modules of electric stoves, each being equipped with an electric fireplace, means for controlling and adjusting a power circuit of the fireplace, a power cord terminated by a male mains plug, a socket adapted to receive a plug of the same type as that of the power cord, said socket being electrically connected to the supply circuit of the furnace, said modules being usable in several ways:

• either individually by connecting each to the sector,
• either in groups of two modules electrically connected to each other, by a power supply cord of a first module plugged into the socket of a second module.

The invention also relates to a stove with a predefined heating mode and power, called a unitary module, since the manufacturer will only have to manufacture one type of stove while offering the possibility of constituting one, two or two cooktops. , three, four or more homes.

• La figure 1 montre quatre réchauds unitaires du type selon l'invention.
• La figure 2 montre deux réchauds unitaires de la figure 1 connectés ensemble pour former une plaque chauffante à deux foyers.
• La figure 3 montre les quatre réchauds de la figure 1 connectés ensemble pour former une plaque chauffante à quatre foyers.
• La figure 4 montre un récipient de grande largeur pour cuisine collective posé sur la plaque chauffante de la figure 3.

The invention will be better understood from the following description given with reference to the following appended figures:

• The figure 1 shows four unit heaters of the type according to the invention.
• The figure 2 shows two unitary stoves of the figure 1 connected together to form a two-burner hotplate.
• The figure 3 shows the four stoves of the figure 1 connected together to form a four-burner hotplate.
• The figure 4 shows a large container for collective kitchen placed on the hot plate of the figure 3 .

• individuellement pour chauffer une casserole de la taille de celles utilisées par les ménagères,
• par groupe de deux pour des récipients allongés type poissonnière (figure 2),
• par groupe de quatre pour des récipients de grande taille pour une cuisine collective (figure 3 et 4).

The principle of the invention is to propose to a user a set of identical unit modules (1) of radiant or induction type electric stoves or halogens that can be used in several ways:

• individually to heat a saucepan the size of those used by housewives,
• in groups of two for elongated fish-type containers ( figure 2 )
• in groups of four for large containers for a collective kitchen ( figure 3 and 4 ).

Each module is equipped with an electrical cord (2) terminated by a standard 16A mains socket (3), said cord being preferably retractable inside the module (type of those fitted to the vacuum cleaners) when it is not not connected to the mains.

A stove or unitary module (1) is conventionally and non-restrictively in the form of a support box (4) of square or rectangular shape closed on its upper face and sealingly by a support glass, for example glass-ceramic (5) . All electrical or electronic components of the cooking chamber are housed in said box. The hearth preferably has a conventional power of 1800 W. The electric circuit of the stove comprises a power circuit, a power circuit, a control circuit and power control.

The fireplace may be a radiant or induction fireplace or a halogen fireplace or other heating technique.

• sur le dessus un moyen de commande et de réglage (6) par exemple un bouton de commande rotatif ou une zone de commande à touches sensitives avec un affichage de l'allure de chauffe, pour commander ou régler la puissance du circuit de puissance,
• éventuellement un moyen pour rétracter automatiquement ou manuellement le cordon électrique d'alimentation (2),
• une prise femelle (7) standard de 16A connectée électriquement et en parallèle sur l'alimentation du circuit électrique du réchaud, et complémentaire d'une prise secteur mâle (3) d'un réchaud identique de façon à pouvoir accueillir une prise mâle de tout autre réchaud,
• éventuellement des moyens d'accrochage avec un réchaud voisin.

The support box (4) also comprises the following means:

• on the top control and adjustment means (6), for example a rotary control knob or a touch-sensitive control zone with a display of the heating curve, for controlling or adjusting the power of the power circuit,
• optionally means for automatically or manually retracting the power supply cord (2),
• a standard socket (7) of 16A electrically connected in parallel with the supply of the electric circuit of the stove, and complementary to a male plug socket (3) of an identical stove so as to accommodate a plug of any other stove,
• possibly hooking means with a neighboring stove.

Optionally can be provided in the underside of a unit module (1) legs or folding legs not shown.

Cleverly the means (6) is placed in an angle of the support glass (5) to allow to lay a container straddling two or four juxtaposed modules while keeping the means (6) of all modules accessible to the user (see Figures 3 and 4 ), and the socket (7) is fixed on one of the lateral faces of the box (4).

To form a group of two contiguous modules, a module is electrically connected to its neighbor by means of its cord (2a) preferably in the retracted position, the second module being connected to the sector by its cord (2b) in the extended position. The operations of the modules may or may not be synchronized with each other, and the control of the group can be done from the same control means (6) of one or other of the two modules, whether it is a button of command or a zone with sensitive keys.

By way of non-limiting example, provision may be made for the electrical connection of two modules with sensitive control keys, each of the modules comprising means for synchronizing the power circuits of a module with the power circuit of the second module and a means for link (eg infrared link, or radio link, or bearer link) used as follows: the user selects the heating power by pressing a setting or control button on one of the stoves and automatically Another stove is set to the same heating power.

We then obtain a hob ( figure 2 ) to two homes connected to a 16 A mains socket and on which one can heat either two circular containers of the diameter corresponding to a module, or a long container known as "fishmonger" and resting on both modules at a time.

In this configuration the power cord (2a) of a first module is in retracted position and is connected to the socket (7b) of a second module, the power cord (2b) of the second module is in out position and is connected to the mains by its plug (3b).

In this configuration the power circuits of the two stoves are electrically connected to each other in parallel and on a 16A socket of the sector so as to obtain a dual power rating of 3600 W.

To constitute a stove of four modules is brought together two groups of two connected modules as explained above and plug the two cords either to two 16 A outlets of the sector, or on a 32 A plug via a connection 2 x 16 A / 1 x 32 A, so as to keep for each group a nominal power of 3600 W.

We then obtain a hob ( figure 3 ) four fireplaces with two power cords for 16 A receptacles, on which one can heat either several small diameter receptacles or a large receptacle covering the four hearths ( figure 4 ).

This concept of modular stove is particularly useful in catering, especially for itinerant restaurateurs known as "caterers" who will be able to adapt the size of the stove to take away to the size of the containers they will have to use in the place where they will have to cook.

As before, there is synchronization of the stoves and possibility of single control of the four stoves. By pressing a control key on any of the stoves, the other three automatically adjust to the same power.

Each support box (4) therefore contains means for synchronizing the power circuits of several other identical stoves and connecting means within the reach of the skilled person.

Cleverly, the four modules are close to each other and possibly hooked to each other so as to form a single support surface where the control means (6) are placed at the four corners as shown in FIG. figure 1 .

On the top of the support glass a zone (8) is drawn or screen-printed, for example in the form of a crescent moon, and lights up when the heating power is activated, the module therefore comprises the lighting means for this purpose.

The embodiment described above is not limiting, alternative embodiments can be proposed without departing from the scope of the invention, for example the automatic retractable means are preferential means but not mandatory, it can be provided a power cord disconnectable from the support or a conventional fixed cord, or manually retractable means.

Of course, if the user has more than two power outlets 16A, it can multiply the number of individual modules or groups of two modules, the combination examples described are not limiting.

Claims (10)

Set of electric cooking appliances for cooking and heating food, characterized in that it consists of a set of identical unitary units (1) of electric stoves, each equipped with an electric fireplace, means for controlling and adjusting a power circuit of the fireplace, a power cord terminated by a male mains plug, a socket adapted to receive a plug of the same type as that of the cord of power supply, said socket being electrically connected to the supply circuit of the fireplace, said modules being usable in several ways: - individually by connecting each module to the sector, - Or by groups of two modules electrically connected to each other, by a power cord (2a) of a first module plugged into the socket (7b) of a second module. Set of electric cooking appliances according to claim 1 characterized in that the power cord (2) is automatically retractable inside the module. Set of electric cooking appliances according to claim 2, characterized in that two modules are able to form a hob with two fireplaces, the power cord of a first module being connected in the socket of a second adjacent module and being in the retracted position, the power cord of the second module being connected to a socket of the sector and being in the extended position. Set of electric cooking appliances according to claim 3, characterized in that four modules are able to form a four-burner hob, mechanically hooking two hobs according to claim 3, the two cords in the extended position. are each connected to a mains socket. Electric cooking appliance set according to one of claims 3 to 4, characterized in that the electric fireplaces have a synchronized operation and are controlled by any one of the control means of one or the other module. Mobile electric hob with a radiant, or induction or halogen type hearth, comprising an electric supply cord (2) terminated by a male mains plug (3), in the form of a closed support box (4) on its upper surface and in a sealed manner by a support glass (5), all the electrical and electronic components of the hearth being housed in the support box (4), characterized in that it constitutes a single-unit unitary model, the power supply circuit includes a complementary socket of the male power plug (3). Electric stove according to claim 6 characterized in that the support box (4) also contains synchronization means adapted to synchronize the power circuits of several other identical stoves. Electric stove according to one of claims 7 to 8 characterized in that the support box (4) comprises in the underside, legs or folding legs. Electric stove according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises mechanical attachment means with a neighboring stove. Electric stove according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the support box (4) also encloses a means for automatically retracting the electric cord (2).

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