Connecting element for connecting an induction coil to a coil carrier of an induction cooking hob

The present invention relates to a connecting element for connecting an induction coil to a coil carrier of an induction cooking hob. Further, the present invention relates to an induction cooking hob with at least one induction coil and at least one coil carrier. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for assembling an induction coil to a coil carrier of an induction cooking hob.

The fastening of an induction coil on coil carrier of an induc- tion cooking hob reguires several elements. For example, a metal spring element is arranged between the induction coil and the coil carrier in order to push said induction coil towards a cooking panel arranged on the top side of the induction cooking hob. Further, at least one fastening element is provided for connecting the induction coil, the coil carrier and/or the spring element .

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connecting element for connecting an induction coil to a coil carrier of an induction cooking hob, which allows a reliable connection between the induction coil and the coil carrier by low complexity.

The object is achieved by the connecting element according to claim 1.

According to the present invention a connecting element for connecting an induction coil to a coil carrier of an induction cooking hob is provided, wherein:

- the connecting element is made of an elastic material, the connecting element is formed as a single-piece part, the connecting element includes a first snap-fit portion connectable to a cut-out of the induction coil, so that the snap-fit portion and the cut-out form a snap-in mechanism, the connecting element includes a spring portion arrangeable between the induction coil and the coil carrier, so that the spring portion provides a distance between the induction coil and the coil carrier,

the connecting element includes at least one groove enclos ^¬ ing at least partially the connecting element,

the groove is engageable with the cut-out of the induction coil,

the connecting element includes a second snap-fit portion extending opposite to the first snap-fit portion, and the second snap-fit portion is connectable to a cut-out of the coil carrier, so that the second snap-fit portion and the cut-out form a snap-in mechanism.

The main idea of the present invention is the connecting element formed as single-piece part, wherein said connecting element in ^¬ cludes the first snap-fit portion, the second snap-fit portion, the groove and the spring portion. The snap-in mechanism formed by the first snap-fit portion, the groove and the cut-out of the induction coil allows a reliable fixation of the connecting ele- ment at the induction coil. In a similar way, the snap-in mecha ^¬ nism formed by the second snap-fit portion and the cut-out of the coil carrier allows a reliable fixation of the connecting element on the coil carrier. The spring portion allows an elas ^¬ tic support of the induction coil by the coil carrier. On the induction coil and on the coil carrier only cut-outs, but not any projecting elements, are reguired in order to fix the con ^¬ necting element . For example, the connecting element is made of silicone or rubber .

In particular, the at least one groove is arranged between the first snap-fit portion and the spring portion.

Further, the spring portion may include at least two wings arranged at opposite sides, wherein said wings extend outwards and away from the first snap-fit portion.

Preferably, the second snap-fit portion extends between the at least two wings of the spring portion.

Advantageously, the at least two parallel grooves are arranged at opposite sides of the connecting element.

In particular, the connecting element is formed as a profile section, wherein the profile axis extends parallel to the at least one groove.

Further, the first snap-fit portion may include a clearance hole, wherein preferably said clearance hole extends parallel to the profile axis. Alternatively, the first snap-fit portion may be formed as a truncated pyramid.

Further, the present invention relates to an induction cooking hob with at least one induction coil and at least one coil car- rier, wherein the induction cooking hob comprises a plurality of connecting elements according to any one of the preceding claims . In particular, the induction coil includes a plurality of cutouts adapted for receiving the snap-fit portion, wherein said cut-out is engaged or engageable with the groove.

Additionally, the coil carrier may include a plurality of cutouts adapted for receiving the further snap-fit portion.

Preferably, the cut-outs of the induction coil and/or the cutouts of the coil carrier have rectangular shapes.

Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for assembling at least one induction coil to a coil carrier for an induction cooking hob by using a plurality of connecting elements mentioned above, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

- providing the coil carrier including a plurality of cutouts,

- providing the at least one induction coil including a plurality of cut-outs,

- inserting a predetermined number of the of connecting elements into the corresponding selected cut-outs of the coil carrier by a robot, so that the second snap-fit portion of each connecting element penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the coil carrier, and

- setting the induction coil onto the inserted connecting elements by the robot, so that the first snap-fit portion of each connecting element penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the induction coil and the grooves of the connecting elements engage with the corresponding cut-outs of the induction coil.

At last, the present invention relates to an alternative method for assembling at least one induction coil to the coil carrier for an induction cooking hob by using a plurality of connecting elements mentioned above, wherein the method comprises the steps of :

- providing the at least one induction coil including a plurality of cut-outs,

- providing the coil carrier including a plurality of cutouts,

- inserting a predetermined number of the connecting elements into the corresponding selected cut-outs of the induction coil by a robot, so that the first snap-fit portion of each connecting element penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the induction coil and the grooves of the connecting ele ^¬ ments engage with the corresponding cut-outs of the induc ^¬ tion coil, and

- setting the induction coil with the connecting elements onto the coil carrier, so that the second snap-fit portion of each connecting element penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the coil carrier .

The fixation of the connecting elements at the induction coil is very rigid.

Furthermore, a component supplier may provide induction coils including the plurality of cut-outs, wherein the connecting ele ^¬ ments are already inserted in the corresponding selected cut- outs.

Novel and inventive features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims . The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawing, in which illustrates a schematic perspective view of a connecting element according to a first embodiment of the present invention, illustrates a schematic front view of the connecting ele ment according to the first embodiment of the present in vention, illustrates a schematic front view of the connecting ele ment according to a second embodiment of the present in ^¬ vention, illustrates a schematic front view of the connecting ele ment according to a third embodiment of the present in ^¬ vention,

FIG 5 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the connect ^¬ ing element interconnected between the induction coil and the coil carrier according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and illustrates a schematic perspective sectional view of the connecting element interconnected between the induction coil and the coil carrier according to the first embodi ^¬ ment of the present invention.

FIG 1 illustrates a schematic perspective view of a connecting element 10 according to a first embodiment of the present inven ^¬ tion. The connecting element 10 is made of an elastic material. Preferably, the connecting element 10 is made of silicone or rubber .

In this example, the connecting element 10 has the shape of a profile section, so that the cross-section of said connecting element 10 along a profile axis is constant. The connecting element 10 includes a first snap-fit portion 12, a spring portion 14 and a second snap-fit portion 18. The first snap-fit portion 12 is substantially formed as a prism extending along the pro- file axis. The width of the first snap-fit portion 12 decreases with the distance from the spring portion 14. The spring portion 14 includes two wings arranged at opposite sides. Said wings extend outwards and away from the first snap-fit portion 12. Two parallel grooves 16 are formed between the first snap-fit por- tion 12 and the spring portion 14. Said grooves 16 are arranged at opposite sides. The grooves 16 extend parallel to the profile axis. Each groove 16 is arranged between the first snap-fit portion 12 and one wing of the spring portion 14. The second snap- fit portion 18 is arranged opposite to the first snap-fit por- tion 12. Moreover, the first snap-fit portion 12 includes a clearance hole 22 extending along the profile axis. Thus, the first snap-fit portion 12 is a flexible hose with a triangular cross-section . The connecting element 10 is provided for connecting an induction coil 24 to a coil carrier 26 of an induction cooking hob, wherein the distal ends of the wings of the spring portion 14 are aligned on the coil carrier 26. The first snap-fit portion 12 is penetrable into a cut-out of the induction coil 24. Pref- erably, said cut-out is rectangular. For example, the cut-out may be formed in an aluminium sheet of the induction coil 24. The grooves 16 of the connecting element 10 are engaged or en- gageable with the cut-out of the induction coil 24. The second snap-fit portion 18 is penetrable into a cut-out of the coil carrier 24. Preferably, said cut-out is also rectangular.

FIG 2 illustrates a schematic front view of the connecting element 10 according to the first embodiment of the present inven- tion. FIG 2 clarifies the cross-section of the connecting element 10 of the first embodiment. The first snap-fit portion 12 is hollow and hence easily deformable. Thus, the first snap-fit portion 12 can be inserted into the cut-out of the induction coil 24 by little effort.

FIG 3 illustrates a schematic front view of the connecting element 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Also the connecting element 10 of the second embodiment has the shape of a profile section.

The connecting element 10 includes the first snap-fit portion 12, the spring portion 14 and the second snap-fit portion 18. The first snap-fit portion 12 is substantially formed as a cu- boid extending along the profile axis. The spring portion 14 includes two wings arranged at opposite sides. Said wings extend outwards and away from the first snap-fit portion 12. Two grooves 16 are formed between the first snap-fit portion 12 and the spring portion 14. The grooves 16 extend parallel to each other and are arranged at opposite sides. The grooves 16 extend along the profile axis. Each groove 16 is arranged between the first snap-fit portion 12 and one wing of the spring portion 14. The second snap-fit portion 18 is arranged opposite to the first snap-fit portion 12. The second snap-fit portion 18 is penetra- ble into the cut-out of the coil carrier 24.

FIG 4 illustrates a schematic front view of the connecting element 10 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The connecting element 10 of the third embodiment also has the shape of a profile section.

The connecting element 10 includes the first snap-fit portion 12, the spring portion 14, the grooves 16 and the second snap- fit portion 18. The first snap-fit portion 12 is substantially formed as a cuboid with a hollow. Said hollow is arranged opposite to the second snap-fit portion 18 and extends along the profile axis. The spring portion 14 includes the two wings arranged at opposite sides. Said wings extend outwards and away from the first snap-fit portion 12. Two grooves 16 are formed between the first snap-fit portion 12 and the spring portion 14. The grooves 16 extend parallel to each other and are arranged at opposite sides. The grooves 16 extend along the profile axis. Each groove 16 is arranged between the first snap-fit portion 12 and one wing of the spring portion 14. The connecting element 10 includes the second snap-fit portion 18 arranged opposite to the first snap-fit portion 12, wherein said second snap-fit portion 18 is penetrable into the cut-out of the coil carrier 24. FIG 5 illustrates a schematic perspective view of the connecting element 10 interconnected between the induction coil 24 and the coil carrier 26 according to the first embodiment of the present invention . The induction coil 24 is arranged above the coil carrier 26. The connecting element 10 is fastened at the induction coil 24 and at the coil carrier 26. The connecting element 10 is penetrated in the induction coil 24, wherein the first snap-fit portion 12 of said connecting element 10 is arranged above the induction coil 24. The spring portion 14 of the connecting element 10 is arranged between the induction coil 24 and the coil carrier 26. The grooves 16 of the connecting element 10 engage with the cutout in the induction coil 24. For example, the cut-out of the induction coil 24 is formed in an aluminium disk of said induc- tion coil 24. The distal ends of the wings of the spring portion 14 are supported by the coil carrier 26. The second snap-fit portion 18 of the connecting element 10 penetrates the cut-out 32 in the coil carrier 26. The second snap-fit portion 18 of the connecting element 10 and the cut-out 32 of the coil carrier 26 form a snap-in mechanism.

FIG 6 illustrates a schematic perspective sectional view of the connecting element 10 interconnected between the induction coil 24 and the coil carrier 26 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

At least one connecting element 10 is provided for connecting the induction coil 24 to the coil carrier 26. For example, three connecting elements 10 are provided for connecting the induction coil 24 to the coil carrier 26.

The connecting element 10 is fastened at the induction coil 24 and at the coil carrier 26. The first snap-fit portion 12 of said connecting element 10 is fastened above the induction coil 24, while the spring portion 14 of the connecting element 10 is arranged between the induction coil 24 and the coil carrier 26. The grooves 16 of the connecting element 10 engage with the cut- out in the induction coil 24. The distal ends of the wings of the spring portion 14 are supported by the coil carrier 26. The second snap-fit portion 18 of the connecting element 10 pene ^¬ trates the cut-out 32 in the coil carrier 26. The connecting element 10 according to the present invention is fixable on the coil carrier 26 without a bent sheet metal finger or any other projecting element. The cut-out 32 in the coil carrier 26 is sufficient for fixing the connecting element 10 by the second snap-fit portion 18. The concept of the cut-outs 32 in the coil carrier 26 allows a modular coil carrier 26. A plu ^¬ rality of arrangements of the cut-outs 32 in the coil carrier 26 allows that one coil carrier 26 is provided for different induc ^¬ tion cooking hobs . Moreover, the spring element 14 of the connecting element 10 pushes the induction coil 24 towards against a cooking panel arranged on the top side of the induction cooking hob. The connecting element 10 does not reguire any steel spring elements because of the spring portion 14. The inventive connecting element 10 does not reguire any space beneath the coil carrier 26. The connecting element 10 may be used for already existing induction coils 24 and coil carriers 26. The first snap-fit portion 10 and the second snap-fit portion 18 of the connecting element 10 allow an automatic assembling of the induction coil 24 on the coil carrier 26 by an assembling line. The connecting element 10 with the snap-fit portion 10 and the second snap-fit portion 18 allows the assembling of the in- duction coil 24 on the coil carrier 26 by a robot. The first snap-fit portion 12 and the cut-out in the induction coil 24 form the snap-in mechanism between the induction coil 24 and the connecting element 10, while the second snap-fit portion 18 and the cut-out 32 in the coil carrier 26 form a snap-in mechanism between the coil carrier 26 and the connecting element 10.

The connecting element 10 is provided for a method for assembling the induction coil 24 to the coil carrier 26, wherein the coil carrier 26 with the plurality of cut-outs 32 and one or more induction coils 24 with the plurality of cut-outs are provided .

For example, the connecting elements 10 are inserted into the corresponding selected cut-outs 32 of the coil carrier 26 by a robot, so that the second snap-fit portion 18 of each connecting element 10 penetrates the corresponding cut-out 32 of the coil carrier 26, and then the induction coil 24 is set onto the inserted connecting elements 10 by the robot, so that the first snap-fit portion 12 of each connecting element 10 penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the induction coil 24 and the grooves 16 of the connecting elements 10 engage with the corresponding cut-outs of the induction coil 24. Alternatively, the connecting elements 10 are inserted into the corresponding selected cut-outs of the induction coil 24 by a robot, so that the first snap-fit portion 12 of each connecting element 10 penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the induction coil 24 and the grooves 16 of the connecting elements 10 engage with the corresponding cut-outs of the induction coil 24, and then the induction coil 24 with the connecting elements 10 is set onto the coil carrier 26, so that the second snap-fit portion 18 of each connecting element 10 penetrates the corresponding cut-out of the coil carrier 26. The fixation of the connect- ing elements at the induction coil is very rigid.

Furthermore, a component supplier may provide induction coils including the plurality of cut-outs, wherein the connecting elements are already inserted in the corresponding selected cut- outs.

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 embodiment, 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 ap- pended claims . List of reference numerals

10 connecting element

12 first snap-fit portion

14 spring portion

16 groove

18 second snap-fit portion

22 clearance hole

24 induction coil

26 coil carrier

32 cut-out