Cooking hob with housing The present invention relates to a cooking hob, in particular an induction cooking hob.

DE 202004 008 514 U1 discloses an induction cooking hob having a housing made of plastic material and having one or more coil carriers for carrying one or more induction coils formed inte gral with the housing. Further, the housing may have integrally formed air inlets for connection with a fan and a fan housing and guiding elements for guiding cooling air. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electri cally safe cooking hob with a housing that can be manufactured in a simple and cost efficient way.

The object of the present invention is achieved by a cooking hob, in particular induction cooking hob, including a housing having a housing bottom wall and housing side walls connected with a cooking hob plate of the cooking hob, wherein the housing forms at least one interior space in which electric and/or elec tronic components of the cooking hob are arrangeable or ar- ranged, wherein the housing comprises at least one electric ter minal being formed integrally to the housing and/or wherein at least one section of one of the housing side walls is a double- walled section formed integrally to the housing and having an inner wall and an outer wall, wherein the outer wall comprises at least one opening. The core of the invention is to provide integrally formed struc tures to a housing of a cooking hob, wherein those structures ensure a safe functionality of the cooking hob with respect to elements that have to be connected with the housing from out- side, such as a mains supply cable or fastening elements, both of which being identified as inhering potential electrical haz ards. A mains supply cable can be assembled to the housing of the cooking hob in a simple way, wherein the number of parts to be assembled is reduced. Further, the overall thickness of the electric terminal can be reduced compared to a separate electric terminal attached to a conventional housing. The provision of a section of one of the housing side walls as a double-walled sec tion enables to electrically isolate a fastening element in tended to fix a cooking hob plate to the housing by engagement of a snap element into the opening from electrically life parts that may be present inside the housing. In general, the inven tion improves the electrical safety of a cooking hob housing and is particularly advantageous when used with a housing of a cook ing hob that is fully made from plastic material.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electric terminal is formed, in particular integrally, to a first bottom wall of the housing bottom wall and/or to a second bottom wall of the housing bottom wall. Additionally, the second bottom wall may be arranged in a plane vertically above a plane in which the first bottom wall is arranged. Additionally or al ternatively, the electric terminal may be, optionally inte grally, formed to at least one of the housing side walls and/or to at least one interior side wall. Additionally or alterna- tively, the electric terminal may form a connecting passage for the electrical main supply from the outside of the cooking hob into the interior space. Thus, the electric terminal can be positioned on the housing in a region, where access for the electric mains cable from outside of the housing can be advantageously provided and where the in- terior electric connections require a specific position of the electric terminal.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the electric terminal is configured to provide, in particular mechanical and/or fixing, connection for an electrical main supply to the cooking hob. The fixing connection may provide a rigid connection or a flexible connection. Additionally or alternatively, the electrical termi nal is connectable or connected to at least one or more electric cables or at least one or more electric contact elements pro- vided outside of the cooking hob and is connectable or connected to at least one or more electric cables or at least one or more electric contact elements provided inside of the cooking hob, in particular provided in the interior space of the housing. Thus, a simple and efficient assembly of the electric cables or electric contact elements within the housing is enabled.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention includes that the housing bottom wall comprises at least one first bottom wall and at least one second bottom wall, wherein the first and the second bottom wall extend, in particular horizontally, in dif ferent, in particular horizontal, planes. At least one interior side wall extends, in particular vertically, from the first bot tom wall to the second bottom wall. The electric terminal may be formed, in particular integrally, to the interior side wall and/or to the first and/or second bottom wall. Thus, the electric terminal would be positioned at a distance from the outermost circumference of the housing. Consequently, the electrical mains cable to be connected with the electric terminal would be protected on at least two sides by housing walls, i.e. the interior side wall and a bottom wall, which in creases the safety against mechanical damage for the cable.

It is also advantageous that the housing comprises at least one interior side wall different from the housing side walls, wherein the interior side wall is arranged angled, in particular substantially perpendicular, relative to the housing bottom wall, in particular relative to the first and/or second bottom wall, and wherein the electric terminal is formed, in particular integrally, to the interior side wall and/or to the first and/or second bottom wall.

Also this embodiment provides a safe guidance for the electrical mains cable towards the electrical terminal, wherein the housing is still simple to manufacture.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention comprises that the electric terminal is configured to receive at least one, in particular a plurality of, electrical contact elements, in particular substantially rigid electrical contact tabs. The cooking hob may further comprise at least one printed circuit board, that is arrangeable in the interior space of the housing. Additionally, the electrical contact elements may be arranged on the printed circuit board and may be inserted into the electric terminal while the printed circuit board can be positioned angu- larly or slanted relative to the first and/or second bottom wall in a mounting position and wherein the printed circuit board can be moved pivotally into a fixation position parallel to the first and/or second bottom wall, in which the printed circuit board is fixable or fixed to the housing and wherein the elec trical contact elements are in a fixed mounted position within the electric terminal, when the printed circuit board is in the fixation position.

This configuration of the electric terminal allows a simple as sembly process for the printed circuit board arranged within the housing. Additionally, wiring that requires connection within the housing in the assembly process can be avoided, since the electrical contact elements, in particular when provided as rigid electrical contact tabs, can easily be connected with the electric terminal by means of the pivotal movement for fixedly mounting of the printed circuit board.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the electric terminal com prises a side that faces the outside of the cooking hob and wherein at least one or more thread holes are integrally formed to the electric terminal on this side, wherein clamping screws cooperate with the threads of the thread holes by clamping wires of the electrical mains supply to the electric terminal and/or wherein the electric terminal comprises at least one cable clamping screw for clamping at least one cable of the electrical mains supply to the electric terminal by cooperating with at least one of the threads of the thread holes.

Thus, the manufacturing process can be simplified by further re ducing the necessary parts to be assembled. Additionally, the connection process for connecting the electrical mains cable to the electric terminal is simplified. Further advantageous is a cooking hob that comprises a cooking hob plate that is fixable or fixed to the housing by at least one, in particular at least partially electrically conducting, fastening element being fixedly attached to, in particular a lower side of, the cooking hob plate, wherein the at least one fastening element, in particular comprises at least one snap el ement that, is fixingly engageable or fixingly engaged with the opening . A snap element that may engage with the opening may be get in contact to electrically life parts inside the housing. The pro vision of a double-walled section prevents the snap element from becoming electrically live. In this way, it becomes possible to avoid grounding of electronic parts inside the housing, leading to a reduction of parts and assembling steps. Further, a ground ing wire for the electrical mains supply cable and/or the elec tric terminal can be avoided.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the at least one double-walled section comprises at least a part of a housing side wall and/or one or two or more lateral walls and/or an in ner wall, in particular wherein the housing side wall is the outer wall comprising the at least one opening and/or wherein the double-walled section is formed integrally to the housing.

Thus, the opening in the outer wall is protected from the inte rior space. Forming all walls integrally to the housing is spe cifically advantageous if the housing is made of plastic mate rial.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the inner wall is config ured to be in direct contact to the cooking hob plate when the cooking hob plate is fixed to the housing, wherein the outer wall is configured to be not in direct contact to the cooking hob plate when the cooking hob plate is fixed to the housing. In such a configuration, a part of the fastening element such as an attachment element for attaching the fastening element to the cooking hob may be arranged in a gap between the cooking hob plate and the outer wall, wherein the inner wall electrically seals off the attachment element from the electrically life parts inside the housing.

According to another aspect, the object of the invention is solved alternatively or in combination with any of the foregoing aspects, by a cooking hob, in particular induction cooking hob, including a housing having a housing bottom wall and housing side walls connected with a cooking hob plate of the cooking hob, wherein the housing forms at least one interior space in which electric and/or electronic components of the cooking hob are arrangeable or arranged, wherein the electric and/or elec- tronic components comprise at least one user interface unit and wherein the housing comprises a seat structure providing a seat for the user interface unit below the cooking hob plate.

Thus, a support for a user interface is provided in a simple and efficient way on the cooking hob housing.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the seat structure com prises at least parts of at least one or two or more housing side walls. Additionally or alternatively, at least one or two or three or four or more support structures, in particular sup port walls, being different from the housing side walls are pro- vided which form the seat structure at least partially, in par ticular as a whole, in particular wherein an upper edge of the seat structure is arranged lower than an upper edge of the hous ing side walls which is in contact with the cooking hob plate. Additionally or alternatively, the seat structure may be formed integrally to the housing.

Thus, a seat structure is provided that allows support for the user interface within the housing, wherein the housing side walls and the cooking hob plate fully enclose the user inter face.

Advantageously, the user interface unit is arranged in the seat. Thus, a cooking hob is provided having a user interface securely supported within the housing.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the user interface unit is in contact with the lower side of the cooking hob plate or wherein the user interface unit is pressed against the lower side of the cooking hob plate.

Specifically touch sensitive user interfaces are pressed against the lower side of the cooking hob plate. Thus, the user inter face is fixed safely in its operation position.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the seat structure forms an enclosed space arranged within the interior space of the housing, in particular wherein the enclosed space comprises at least four support walls and a part of the housing bottom wall, preferably wherein the at least four support walls and the part of the housing bottom wall form a substantially quadrilat eral box. Thus, the lower side of the user interface is separated from other electrical and electronical elements disposed within the housing. Such a separation may be desireable e.g. during the as- sembly process.

Additionally advantageously, the enclosed space forms an at least partially enclosed partition of the interior space of the housing into which the user interface unit at least partially projects and/or wherein the enclosed space forms an at least partially enclosed partition of the interior space of the hous ing that is separated from the outside of the cooking hob and/or from the remaining interior space of the housing. Thus, a space is created within the housing, in which e.g. con necting means of the user interface may protrude. Cables, e.g. from the printed circuit board or from a control board may con nect with the connecting means of the user interface. The con nection means are thus at least partially shielded from heat be- ing generated within the interior space of the housing.

Further advantageously, the seat structure forms or comprises at least one, in particular circumferential, recess or groove or rebate, in particular arranged in or on or at an upper edge of the support walls and/or the housing side walls, wherein the user interface unit comprises at least one plate-like structure, in particular a printed circuit board, being arranged within the recess or groove or rebate. Thus, the user interface can be positioned in a very easy and precise way in the seat structure. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the support walls comprise at least one opening forming a pas sage to the remaining interior space of the housing, in particu lar wherein cables connecting the user interface unit with a second printed circuit board being arranged within the interior space of the housing pass through the opening.

Thus, a very simple electrical and/or data connection between the circuit board and the user interface can be established.

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 drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an empty housing without any non integral components according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the housing according to Fig. 1 having electrical and electronical components arranged therein; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the section as indicated in Fig.

2;

Fig. 1 illustrates a housing 10 having a housing bottom wall 12 and four housing side walls 14a-14d. The housing bottom wall 12 may comprise at least first and second housing bottom walls 30, 32 and also any number of housing bottom walls that may be ap propriate. The housing bottom wall 12 and the housing side walls 14a-14d define an interior space 16 which is fully enclosed by the housing 10 when being attached to a not illustrated cooking hob plate of the cooking hob. The housing 10 has a front side 44 for being arranged on that side of the cooking hob intended to be arranged in front of the user's position when operating the cooking hob.

The first and second housing bottom walls 30, 32 are oriented substantially horizontal, but may have at least sections, in which they are oriented non-horizontally. A first housing bottom wall 30 may be a center housing bottom wall, wherein a second housing bottom wall 32 and further housing bottom walls may be peripheral housing bottom walls that may be arranged adjoining to the housing side walls 14a-14d. The housing side walls 14a- 14d shall be understood as the circumferentially outermost hous ing side walls.

The housing side walls 14a-14d extend substantially vertically and upwards from the adjoining housing bottom walls 30, 32 to- wards the cooking hob plate. Additionally, the housing 10 com prises one or more interior side walls 34 which are distanced from the outermost side walls 14a-14d. The interior side wall 34 extends substantially vertically from the first bottom wall 30 to the second bottom wall 32. Further interior side walls may extend from the first bottom wall 30 towards further bottom walls. Thus, separate mounting planes are created within the housing 10, wherein the first bottom wall 30 defines a first mounting plane and the second bottom wall 32 and any further bottom wall define a second mounting plane. It shall be acknowl- edged that one or more or all of a plurality of bottom walls may be arranged at a different height level, i.e. one vertically above another, resulting in different mounting planes, each one defined by a respective bottom wall.

In the illustrated embodiment, the housing side wall 14a which is the right hand housing side wall as seen from a user's per spective standing in front of the cooking hob comprises a plu rality of air outlets for allowing a cooling air flow to leave the interior space 16 towards the exterior side of the housing 10.

Additionally, the interior side wall 34 comprises a plurality of similar air outlets. Also the interior side wall 34 is a right hand side wall as seen from a user's perspective. Different to the air outlets of the housing side wall 14a, the air outlets of the interior side wall 34 are provided substantially over the full length of the interior side wall 34.

An electric terminal 28 for contacting electrical mains to the housing is formed integrally to the housing 10. In the illus- trated embodiment, the electrical terminal 28 is integrally formed to the interior side wall 34. Optionally, the electrical terminal 28 may separate the air outlets provided in the inte rior side wall 34. Also optionally, the electrical terminal 28 may be accessible for electrical contact elements, in particular substantially rigid flat electrical contact tab elements, in that side of the electrical terminal 28 that faces the interior space 16, wherein the electrical terminal 28 may be accessible for one or more cables of an electrical mains supply from that side facing the outside of the housing 10. Furthermore, the electrical terminal 28 extends from the first bottom wall 30 to the second bottom wall 32. Thus, the electri cal terminal forms a passage for the electrical mains supply.

One or more cables which represent the electrical mains supply, may be attached to the housing 10 from the exterior side at the electrical terminal 28. Further, these cables can be mechani cally fixed to the electrical terminal 28, e.g. by screws that can be screwed from the outside of the housing 10. Alterna tively, it is possible to make the screws accessible for a tool from the inside.

The electrical terminal 28 has openings directed towards the in terior space 16 which allow insertion of electrical contact ele ments, e.g. substantially rigid flat electrical contact tab ele- ments, that may be attached, e.g. soldered, to a printed circuit board.

The printed circuit board may be configured with the electrical contact elements such that the electrical contact elements can be inserted into the openings of electric terminal 28, while the printed circuit board is positioned angularly or slanted rela tive to the first and/or second bottom wall 30, 32 in a mounting position. Subsequently, the printed circuit board can be moved pivotally into a fixation position parallel to the first and/or second bottom wall 30, 32, in which the printed circuit board is fixable or fixed to the housing 10. In the fixation position, the electrical contact elements are in a fixed mounted position within the electric terminal 28. The fixed mounted position of the electrical contact elements within the electric terminal 28 enables to connect the electri cal contact elements in a simple way by mechanical contact and screw fixation within the electrical terminal 28.

The electric terminal 28 further may comprise a side that faces the outside of the cooking hob. At least one or more thread holes are integrally formed to the electric terminal 28 on this side. Clamping screws or any other appropriate contact fixation means cooperate with the threads of the thread holes by clamping the wires of the electrical mains supply to the electric termi nal 28. the electric terminal 28 comprises at least one cable clamping screw for clamping at least one cable of the electrical mains supply to the electric terminal 28 by cooperating with at least one of the threads of the thread holes.

Furthermore, it is possible that the housing 10 forms a seat structure 18 for providing a seat for a user interface unit to be arranged below the cooking hob plate. The seat structure 18 may be formed by the housing side walls 14a-d and/or by addi tional support walls 20a-d being different from the housing side walls 14a-d.

An upper edge 22 of the seat structure is arranged lower than an upper edge 24 of the housing side walls 14a-d which is in con tact with the cooking hob plate. Additionally or alternatively, the seat structure 18 may be formed integrally to the housing 10. A user interface unit can be seated in the seat formed by the seat structure 18 and may be in contact with the lower side of the cooking hob plate for forming, e.g. a touch sensitive con trol surface. For this purpose, the user interface unit may be pressed against the lower side of the cooking hob plate. Furthermore, the seat structure 18 forms an enclosed space ar ranged within the interior space 16 of the housing 10. Option ally, the enclosed space may comprise at least four support walls 20a-d and a part of the housing bottom wall 12. Prefera bly, the at least four support walls 20a-d and the part of the housing bottom wall 12 may form a substantially quadrilateral box, wherein further electric or electronic components may be arranged.

The enclosed space may form an at least partially enclosed par- tition 26 of the interior space 16 of the housing 10 into which the user interface unit at least partially projects. The en closed space may form an at least partially enclosed partition 26 of the interior space 16 of the housing 10 that is separated from the outside of the cooking hob and/or from the remaining interior space 16 of the housing 10. Thus, the electric and/or electronic elements arranged within the partition 26 are well protected.

The seat structure 18 may form or comprise at least one circum- ferential recess or groove or rebate that may be arranged in or on or at an upper edge of the support walls 20a-d and/or the housing side walls 14a-d. The user interface unit may comprise at least one plate-like structure, in particular a printed cir cuit board, being arranged within the recess or groove or re- bate. Further, the support walls 20a-d may comprise at least one open ing forming a passage to the remaining interior space of the housing 10. Cables passing through the opening may connect the user interface unit with a second printed circuit board being arranged within the interior space 16 of the housing 10.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show a plurality of double-walled sections 46 provided on each of the housing side walls 14a-14d. Fig. 3 shows and enlarged view of such a double-walled section 46.

The double-walled section 46 comprises an inner wall 48, an outer wall 54 and lateral walls 50, 52. The outer wall 54 forms part of the housing side wall 14d. The walls 48, 54, 50, 52 form an enclosure or a box. Further, the outer wall 54 comprises an opening 62 which is adapted to be engaged by a snap element of a fastening element 56.

The fastening element 56 is made of metal and comprises the snap element for engaging the opening 62, an attachment element 60 for being attached to the lower side of a cooking hob plate, e.g. by gluing the attachment element 60 to the cooking hob plate, and contact tongues 58 for contacting a worktop in which the cooking hob is insertable. If fastening elements 56 are dis tributed on all sides of the cooking hob, the contact tongues are able to resiliently center the cooking hob within a cutout the worktop.

For the purpose of assembling the housing 10 with the cooking hob plate, the fastening elements 56 are fixed to the lower side of the cooking hob plate in positions which allow to move the housing 10 towards the cooking hob plate such that the snap ele ments of the fastening elements 56 are enabled to engage into the openings 62 and, thus, firmly, but releasably attach the cooking hob plate to the housing. At the same time, the contact tongues 58 extend away from the housing 10 in such way that, when the cooking hob is inserted into the worktop cutout, the contact tongues 58 center and secure the cooking hob within the cutout.

The double-walled section 46 prevents the snap element of the fastening element 56 from getting into electrical contact with electrically live parts inside the housing 10. Thus, it is pos sible to avoid the requirement of providing a grounding for com ponents insider the housing 10, specifically, when the housing 10 is made of plastic material.

List of reference numerals

10 housing

12 housing bottom wall

14a-d housing side walls

16 interior space

18 seat structure

2Oa-d support walls

22 upper edge of seat structure

24 upper edge of housing side walls

26 partition

28 electric terminal

30 first bottom wall

32 second bottom wall

34 interior side wall

36 third bottom wall

44 front side

46 double-walled section

48 inner wall

50, 52 lateral walls 54 outer wall 56 fastening element 58 contact tongues 60 attachment element 62 opening