METHOD THEREFOR

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of kitchen appliances, and in particular, to a cooktop, a panel of a cooktop and a manufacturing method therefor.

Related Art

With the improvement of living standards, consumers require that cooktop products are not limited to having cooking functions, and pose brand-new requirements on appearance quality of the products and pursue ultra-thin and perfectly-flat appearance feelings. However, to ensure strength of the panel and avoid deformation of the panel, a panel of an existing cooktop is relatively thick. Therefore, the panel is difficult to be thinner than 4 mm and has a cumbersome structure. This does not meet requirements of the consumers on an increasingly flat kitchen countertop. Consequently, after the cooktop is mounted to a countertop, a particular height difference exists between an edge of the panel and the countertop, and greasy dirt is easy to accumulate between the edge of the panel and the countertop and is difficult to be removed. SUMMARY

In view of at least one of the foregoing technical problems, an objective of the present invention is to provide an improved panel of a cooktop, a cooktop including the panel, and a method for manufacturing the panel of a cooktop.

To achieve the foregoing technical objective, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a panel of a cooktop, mainly or completely manufactured of a plate body, where the panel includes a multilayer structure located in at least an outer edge area of the panel, any two adjacent layers of the multilayer structure abut against each other, and the multilayer structure is formed by folding the plate body.

The present invention provides a technical solution according to which an ultra-thin panel of a cooktop having a smooth surface may be obtained. Any two adjacent layers of the multilayer structure formed by folding the plate body abut against each other, ensuring that an upper surface of the panel has quite high smoothness and particular strength, to avoid bending deformation of the panel at the upper surface thereof. The panel in the present invention may be manufactured of a 304 stainless steel plate or a 430 stainless steel plate that has a thickness of 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm. If the formed multilayer structure is formed by folding the plate body for one time, a thickness of the formed panel of a cooktop is 1.6 mm, 2.0 mm, 3.0 mm or 4.0 mm. This achieves thinness that is difficult to be achieved in the prior art, and can ensure particular strength and smoothness.

"The panel includes a multilayer structure located in at least an outer edge area of the panel" should be understood as that the multilayer structure may be distributed in an outer edge area having a particular distance to an outer edge of the panel, or the multilayer structure may be distributed on the entire panel, that is, the entire panel is a multilayer structure. Certainly, the multilayer structure may alternatively be distributed in a needed area. For example, when the panel is in a usage state, the multilayer structure is used in an area extending inward from a side edge of the panel facing a user to an operating area including a mounting knob or a touch panel. Layers of the multilayer structure may be different in width.

"Abutting against each other" mentioned in the present invention should be understood as matching and abutting against each other. Therefore, any two adjacent layers of the multilayer structure in the present invention match and come into contact with each other. High-temperature resistant glue may be further used, so that any two adjacent layers are bonded to each other. Alternatively, any two adjacent layers may be bonded to each other depending on only a physical property of the plate body, that is, any two adjacent layers may abut against each other after the plate body is folded. In a possible implementation manner, the multilayer structure includes at least two layers, and when the panel is in a usage state, an upper surface of the panel is of an extending plane. In a possible implementation manner, the panel of a cooktop is polygonal, the multilayer structure is formed on each side of the panel, the multilayer structure on each side is formed by folding the plate body for at least one time, and the multilayer structure on each side does not overlap each other. In this way, each side of the panel has particular strength and ultra-thin thickness. More importantly, an edge of each side of the panel formed after folding the plate body is round and smooth, and the user may not be scratched, so that the panel does not need be abraded or polished. The multilayer structure on each side does not overlap one another. In this way, a panel of a cooktop having uniform thickness is formed, facilitating mounting and use. In a possible implementation manner, the plate body is a metal plate body.

In a possible implementation manner, the plate body is a stainless steel plate body whose thickness is not greater than 2.0 mm. For example, a 304 stainless steel plate or a 430 stainless steel plate that has a thickness of 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm is used.

For ease of manufacturing, in a possible implementation manner, the panel includes heating areas, where the multilayer structure is distributed in an area between an outer edge of the panel and the heating areas. For example, a cooktop is a gas cooktop. The heating area includes a position at which a burner is located, and the multilayer structure is distributed in an area between the outer edge of the panel and the burner. If the multilayer structure is formed on each side of the panel, in an embodiment, the multilayer structure on each side is distributed in an area between each edge and the heating areas. In a possible implementation manner, the panel includes an operating area, where the multilayer structure is distributed in an area between an outer edge of the panel and the operating area. The operating area may include a knob mounting hole or a touch control area. In a possible implementation manner, the panel includes two heating areas, where each of the heating areas includes a burner head mounting hole.

In a possible implementation manner, when the panel is in a usage state, an upper surface of the panel is of an extending plane, the panel further includes an extension portion formed by folding the plate body, the extension portion is connected to the multilayer structure and extends in a direction away from the upper surface, and the extension portion is configured to connect to a bottom case of the cooktop. The extension portion is configured to fix the panel. For example, the extension portion and the bottom case are fixed together by using a screw or a bolt. In an embodiment of the present invention, when the panel is in the usage state, the multilayer structure sequentially includes a surface layer, a middle layer and a bottom layer from up to down, and the extension portion and the bottom layer are perpendicular and connected to each other, to connect to a side wall of the bottom case of the cooktop, so that a connecting structure does not need to be additionally mounted on the panel.

In a possible implementation manner, glue filling holes used to bond the layers are provided in the multilayer structure. The present invention further provides a cooktop herein. The cooktop includes a panel of a cooktop according to any one of the preceding implementation manners.

In a possible implementation manner, the cooktop includes a bottom case, where the panel covers the bottom case and limits inner space of the cooktop; and when the panel is in a usage state, an upper surface of the panel is of an extending plane, and top two layers of the multilayer structure extend from an interior of the inner space to an exterior of the inner space. That is, the top two layers of the multilayer structure cross from covering at least some areas above the bottom case to covering an exterior of the bottom case. When the cooktop is in a usage state, only the top two layers of the multilayer structure are exposed outside. That is, only the top two layers are presented in appearance, other layers are hidden, and the user cannot see the other layers when the cooktop is in the usage state. In consideration of strength of the panel, the multilayer structure may include three layers, four layers, or even more layers, but the user visually sees only appearance of the top two layers, thickness of only two layers are presented, visually ultra-thin appearance is achieved, a visually ultra-thin, elegant, and generous panel is presented to the user. The panel makes a breakthrough in a conventional heavy appearance of a panel of a cooktop and can be a real surprise for consumers. In a possible implementation manner, when the panel is in the usage state, a structure of the multilayer structure excluding the top two layers is located in the inner space. That is, for the foregoing embodiment, when the panel is in the usage state, the multilayer structure sequentially includes a surface layer, a middle layer, and a bottom layer from up to down, the panel further includes an extension portion in perpendicular connection to the bottom layer, and both the bottom layer and the extension portion are located inside the inner space. In this way, the panel can have sufficient strength and can achieve visually ultra-thin appearance.

In a possible implementation manner, a supporting structure is further disposed inside the bottom case, and the supporting structure is used to support an area in which the multilayer structure is not formed on the panel, for example, an area between the two heating areas of the panel. The supporting structure supports the area. In this way, the multilayer structure is formed on the panel, and when the panel is in the usage state, the supporting structure supports the area in which the multilayer structure is not formed. The panel does not easily bend or deform.

In a possible implementation manner, the supporting structure includes a flat portion, and the flat portion comes into contact with the panel in parallel. In this way, the flat portion is attached to the panel, ensuring that an entire panel component has sufficient strength and high smoothness, and does not easily deform.

In a possible implementation manner, the cooktop is a gas cooktop.

Finally, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a panel of a cooktop. The method includes the following steps: a. providing a plate body by means of tailoring or cutting; and b. folding the plate body to form a multilayer structure, where any two adjacent layers of the multilayer structure abut against each other. In a process of forming the plate body in step a, redundant materials have been tailored or cut, to prevent sides from interfering with each other or overlapping each other when the multilayer structures are formed on the sides. Step a may also include a step of forming a crease.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a panel of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of a panel of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional diagram of a panel of a cooktop whose back surface is upward according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional diagram of a panel of a cooktop whose back surface is upward according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a panel of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional diagram of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Reference numerals:

1 : Cooktop; 2: Panel; 3: Bottom case; 4: Supporting structure; 5: Drip pan; 6: Burner head; 7: Knob; 8, 9: Bolt; 10: Multilayer structure; 20: Plate body; 21 , 22: Heating area; 23, 24: Knob mounting hole; 40: Flat portion; 50: Silica gel; 1 10: Surface layer; 120: Middle layer; 130: Bottom layer; 140: Extension portion; 210, 220: Burner head mounting hole; 1201 , 1301 : Glue filling hole; T: Platform; P: Foam; 2a: Upper surface; 2L: Left edge; 2R: Right edge; 2U: Upper edge; 2D: Down edge; and L1 , L2: Width. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For ease of further understanding of the objectives, structures, features and functions of the present invention, detailed description is provided below with reference to embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, FIG. 1 is a front view of a panel of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a rear view of a panel of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional diagram of a panel of a cooktop whose back surface is upward according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In an embodiment, a panel 2 of a cooktop is manufactured of a plate body 20. The plate body 20 is a 304 stainless steel thin plate having a thickness of 0.8 mm, and a multilayer structure 10 is formed by folding the plate body 20. The panel 2 includes a multilayer structure 10 located in at least an outer edge area of the panel 2, and any two adjacent layers of the multilayer structure 10 abut against each other.

Certainly, when the plate body 20 is formed, redundant materials have been tailored or cut by using laser, to prevent sides from interfering with each other or overlapping each other when the sides are subsequently folded. In addition, when the plate body 20 is formed, openings required by the panel 2 have been formed, for example, a burner head mounting hole and a knob mounting hole. The panel 2 is polygonal, the multilayer structure 10 is formed on each side of the panel 2, the multilayer structure 10 on each side is formed by folding the plate body 20 for at least one time, and the multilayer structure 10 on each side does not overlap each other. The panel 2 in this embodiment is rectangular. Each multilayer structure 10 is formed on an upper side, a lower side, a left side, and a right side of the panel 2 shown in FIG. 2. When the panel 2 is in a usage state, an upper surface 2a of the panel 2 is of an extending plane. In this way, the panel 2 presents a perfectly flat appearance in the usage state. As shown in FIG. 3, each multilayer structure 10 in this embodiment includes three layers. When the panel 2 is in the usage state, the multilayer structure 10 sequentially includes a surface layer 110, a middle layer 120, and a bottom layer 130 from up to down. A surface of the surface layer 110 is a component of the upper surface 2a of the panel 2 (referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7). The multilayer structure 10 formed by folding the plate body 20 has features as follows: The surface layer 1 10 and the middle layer 120 abut against each other, and the middle layer 120 and the bottom layer 130 also abut against each other. The panel 2 includes a heating area 21 and a heating area 22, the heating area 21 includes a burner head mounting hole 210, and the heating area 22 includes a burner head mounting hole 220. For ease of processing and manufacturing and subsequent assembling, the multilayer structure of the panel 2 avoids the heating areas. Specifically, the multilayer structure 10 formed on the left side of the panel in FIG. 2 is distributed in an area between a left edge 2L of the panel and the heating area 21 , the multilayer structure 10 formed on the upper side of the panel in FIG. 2 is distributed in an area between an upper edge 2U of the panel and the heating area 21 or the heating area 22, and the multilayer structure 10 formed on the right side of the panel in FIG. 2 is distributed in an area between a right edge 2R of the panel and the heating area 22. The panel 2 further includes an operating area, the operating area includes knob mounting holes 23 and 24, and the multilayer structure 10 formed on the lower side of the panel in FIG. 2 is distributed in an area between a down edge 2D of the panel and the operating area. It may be learned from the foregoing descriptions that, the multilayer structures 10 are formed on a periphery of the panel 2 in this embodiment, and the multilayer structures 10 are formed by folding an outer edge of the plate body inward. In this way, edges of the manufactured panel are round and smooth, a user may not be scratched, and the edges of the panel do not need to be further abraded or polished.

However, only one embodiment of the present invention is described above. A person skilled in the art may obtain more embodiments through modifications and variations based on the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional diagram of a panel of a cooktop whose back surface is upward according to another embodiment of the present invention. Same numerals in this embodiment and the foregoing embodiment represent same or similar structures and functions, and details are not described herein again. Different from the foregoing embodiment, the multilayer structure 10 formed on the lower side of the panel 2 in this embodiment is distributed between the down edge 2D of the panel and the heating area 21 or the heating area 22, and the multilayer structure 10 covers the operating area. In addition, to consolidate the multilayer structure and avoid that layers are loose and do not closely abut against each other, a plurality of glue filling holes used to bond the layers is provided in the multilayer structure 10. Specifically, a plurality of glue filling holes 1201 is provided on the middle layer 120, a plurality of glue filling holes 1301 is correspondingly provided on the bottom layer 130, and an area of the glue filling holes 1301 provided on the bottom layer 130 is greater than an area of the glue filling holes 1201 on the middle layer 120. When the multilayer structure 10 is formed by folding the plate body 20, the glue filling holes 1301 on the bottom layer 130 respectively overlap the glue filling holes 1201 on the middle layer 120 in a one-to-one correspondence. In this way, glue is filled in through the overlapped glue filling holes 1301 and 1201 , to firmly bond the surface layer 1 10, the middle layer 120, and the bottom layer 130 together without looseness.

The following further describes the multilayer structure in the foregoing embodiments. Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a panel of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention. A multilayer structure 10 formed on each side of the panel is formed by first folding a plate body 20 inward for one time and then folding the plate body 20 backward. Because the plate body 20 has been tailored or cut in advance and redundant materials have been removed, a multilayer structure formed on each of an upper side, a lower side, a left side and a right side of the panel 2 do not interfere with each other or overlap each other. As shown in FIG. 5, a bottom layer 130 formed by folding the plate body 20 backward has a width L2 less than a width L1 of a surface layer 110 and a middle layer 120. The panel 2 further includes an extension portion 140 formed by folding the plate body 20, and the extension portion 140 is connected to the multilayer structure 10 and extends in a direction away from an upper surface 2a of the panel. The extension portion 140 is configured to connect to a bottom case of the cooktop 1. The extension portion 140 in this embodiment extends in a direction perpendicular to the panel 2, to connect to the bottom case of the cooktop. A drip pan 5 is further disposed on the panel 2 in this embodiment. Specifically, the drip pan 5 is bonded to the upper surface 2a of the panel 2 by using silica gel 50 resistant to 200°C. Described above is only a typical application embodiment of the present invention, and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention, and following embodiments may further be derived from the present invention through variations and modifications without departing from the inventive concept of the present invention. For example, multilayer structures formed on four sides of the plate body by folding the four side of the plate body are seamlessly connected, so that the multilayer structure is distributed on the entire panel. Alternatively, the multilayer structure is distributed on the entire panel by folding the plate body in half, and the multilayer structure in this embodiment includes only two layers. The panel may alternatively be manufactured of a metal plate body of another thickness, other than a stainless steel plate body having a thickness of 0.88 mm. To achieve an ultra-thin effect, preferably, the thickness of the plate body is not greater than 2.0 mm. The panel may further be formed by an aluminum plate or a decoration plate other than stainless steel by using a means the same as those in the foregoing embodiments. Referring to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 below, FIG. 6 is a three-dimensional diagram of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a cooktop according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cooktop 1 shown herein is a gas cooktop, including a bottom case 3 and the panel 2 according to the foregoing embodiments, two burner heads 6, and two knobs 7. The panel 2 covers the bottom case 3 and limits inner space S of the cooktop 1. As shown in FIG. 6, when the panel 2 is in a usage state, an upper surface 2a of the panel 2 is of an extending plane. In this way, a panel having a perfectly flat visual effect in appearance is provided. A surface of the surface layer 110 of the multilayer structure 10 is a component of the upper surface 2a of the panel 2. A width of the bottom layer 130 in the multilayer structure 10 is less than that of the surface layer 110 and the middle layer 120. When the panel is in the usage state, top two layers, that is, the surface layer 1 10 and the middle layer 120, extends from an interior of the inner space S to an exterior of the inner space S, and the bottom layer 130 and the extension portion 140 of the multilayer structure 10 are located in the interior of the inner space S. In this way, when the panel 2 of the cooktop 1 is in the usage state, a presented thickness of the panel is a sum of thicknesses of the surface layer 1 10 and the middle layer 120, that is, 1.6 mm, and an ultra-thin panel in appearance is provided. Actually, when the cooktop 1 is mounted on a platform T (for example, a marble platform), the surface layer 1 10 and the middle layer 120 of the multilayer structure 10 are constructed on the platform T. Further, to prevent soup or water from entering the inner space S of the cooktop or a cabinet, a foam P is bonded to the middle layer 120 around the panel.

The extension portion 140 formed by folding the plate body and a side wall of the bottom case 3 are connected to each other by using a bolt 8, so that the panel 2 takes advantages of a connecting structure formed by the plate body 20, to connect to the bottom case, and another connecting component does not need to be additionally welded.

To prevent deformation of an area in which no multilayer structure 10 is distributed on the panel 2, a supporting structure 4 is disposed inside the bottom case 3 to support the area in which no multilayer structure 10 is distributed on the panel 2. The supporting structure 4 includes a flat portion 40, the flat portion 40 has relatively high smoothness, and the flat portion 40 comes into contact with the panel 2 in parallel. The supporting structure 4 is approximately distributed in a blank area between the two burner heads 6 shown in FIG. 6, and the blank area may be also referred to as a central area of the panel 2, and the multilayer structure 10 is distributed in the outer edge area of the panel 2. In this way, it may be ensured that the panel 2 does not easily deform in the usage state. The supporting structure 4 may be connected to the bottom case 3 by using a bolt 9. In this way, in the solution of this embodiment, on one hand, the part of the panel presented on the platform can be ultra-thin and has a thickness of only 1.6 mm, and on the other hand, another structure (the bottom layer of the multilayer structure and the supporting structure) hidden in the inner space S of the cooktop is used, and it is ensured that the entire panel has sufficient strength and does not easily deform.

It should be noted that although the foregoing descriptions are provided by using a gas cooktop as an example, the cooktop in the present invention may alternatively be an electric heating cooktop including an electric heating plate inside, other than a gas cooktop.

Finally, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a panel 2 of a cooktop 1 , and the method includes the following steps: a. providing a plate body 20 by means of tailoring or cutting; and b. folding the plate body 20 to form a multilayer structure 10, where any two adjacent layers of the multilayer structure 10 abut against each other.

Step a, that is, providing a plate body by means of tailoring or cutting not only includes a step of separating the plate body 20 from a plate-like base material, that is, includes a step of blanking, that is separating a material from a base material by using various methods (a press machine, a plate shearing machine, flame cutting, plasma cutting, laser cutting, and the like), but also includes a step of removing redundant materials to prevent sides from interfering with each other when the plate body is subsequently folded. Step a further includes a step of forming openings required by the panel. The opening is, for example, a knob mounting hole and a burner head mounting hole.

Various embodiments of single parts described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 7 may be combined with each other in any given manner, to achieve advantages of the present invention.

The present invention is described in the foregoing related embodiments. However, the foregoing embodiments are merely examples of implementing the present invention. It should be noted that the disclosed embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention. On the contrary, variations and modifications made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention shall fall within the patent protection scope of the present invention.