TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a cooking device having a user interface comprising a touch sensitive slider allowing touch control.

PRIOR ART

Control devices are used to set the operating parameters of the cooking devices by obtaining user data input. The touch-sensitive control area in a circular or linear slider structure is adapted to user interfaces as easy-to-use adjustment elements. For example, the control area created by means of a capacitive sensor adapted to the glass panel allows the user to enter data with increasing or decreasing values according to the direction of use or to switch between different program modes. It is known to use a control element in the form of a flat, touch sensitive strip in the power control of the selected heating element in ovens with a finger tap swipe gesture. By swiping his finger on the slider in one direction, for example, the user changes the predetermined power level of the respective heating element, which increases with a right swipe and decreases with a left swipe. Since the rotary knob is generally used in ovens, said control area is defined with a strip in the illuminated display direction. In this case, parameters such as power level and time are adjusted, for example by dragging the finger slider over the control area, making increase in clockwise and decrease counterclockwise movements.

EP2397769B1 , discloses at least one of the selection tools is designed as a control unit, a touch-sensitive slider in the longitudinal direction, and is set to position the cursor at a position or direction on the display element based on finger movement or position, in the longitudinal direction of the slide and against finger touch of the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to simplify the user interface that includes touch control areas in cooking devices. To achieve said object, the invention relates to a cooking device comprising at least one heating element activated by a control unit provided behind a panel; a touch-sensitive control area secured on the panel defining a user interface; a number of touch sensors provided in the control area and connected in a way that provides electrical signal transmission that adjusts the operating parameters of the control unit and the heating element, arranged in a row to support the panel from the bottom, and a slider in the form of a strip touch wherein the touch sensors adjacent to each other are configured to provide a pressing signal indicating the position of the finger upon a drag gesture on the touch area. The slider of the panel is arranged at least partly translucent and the oven further comprising an illumination element extending beneath the slider and arranged to illuminate adjacent a first and/or second side parts of the touch area upon the pressing signal.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slider is in the form of a transverse extension that define linear drag movement. In this way, the user can, among other things, set the heating element operating parameters with a simple linear movement.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein the slider is in the form of a radial form that define radial drag movement path. In this case, the user can, among other things, set the heating element operating parameters with a simple circular motion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the illumination element contains multiple LED elements in the form of a strip. LED elements provide low energy consumption and at the same time, each LED unit can be placed on a single electronic control card in a compact structure together with touch sensors.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the light intensity of the illumination element is adjusted to a lower or higher value than the first and/or second side parts adjacent to the touching area of the finger in the slider. This allows the user interface to guide the user. For example, in the first and second parts of the illumination element, the light intensity is selected low according to the touch area, while the finger moves in the drag zone, it facilitates for the user to see the setting.

In a preferred embodiment a dial is located on the slider such that indicates an active zone equipped with touch sensors and arranged to allow light transmission from illumination element to the ambient. The dial, as part of the user interface with visual guidance, can guide the user in which direction the increasing or decreasing value for various cooking parameters, for example the power of the heating element, and shows the operational limits of the slider. The dial can be screen printed on the panel, or it can be placed in a transparent window at the bottom of the panel so that it can be seen from the outside.

The dial consists of a plurality of spaced vertical bar forms located in a transverse direction scanning the slider of the dial. The visual accessibility of the bar forms has been increased by extending in the direction perpendicular to the drag movement, allowing the user to recognize the slider on the panel.

A preferred embodiment of the invention the panel is comprising an opaque mask covering the control area and a transparent window having an opening to form an illuminated line when the illumination element is activated at the dial at the slider. While the transparent window allows the illumination elements to appear as forming a light line in the slider, light penetration to other parts is prevented by the mask, which will disrupt the light line.

A preferred embodiment the illumination element is configured to illuminate the part from a proximal first edge away from the touch area to the touch area. This situation visually communicates to the user by what amount the user has increased or decreased the setting during the drag movement, with only the line length, without any alphanumeric notification. Thus, the need to use an additional alphanumeric display is eliminated.

In a preferred embodiment, the illumination element is configured such that illuminates the corresponding zone to each touch sensor activated by finger drag movement in moving the touch area in a tracking simultaneous order. In this case, after each touch sensor placed on a circuit board detects the touch, the illumination element electronically associated with it is provided almost simultaneously to present a light signal in the control area, indicating this, with a very short delay.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, touch sensors include spring touch sensor or ITO layer touch detection. In this way, a touch sensor is obtained that is resistant to cooking conditions that can cause contamination by external factors such as temperature, oil, etc.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pressing area is provided on the control area adjacent to the slider and sends a predetermined command to the control unit when activated. In addition to the slider, the pressing area also allows input additional commands, such as confirmation or cancel commands, to be entered from the control area. Thus, the control area provides a user interface where not only parameters are changed, but also the selected program is confirmed or cancelled. To achieve said purpose, an embodiment of the invention includes a control method for a cooking device comprising at least one heating element activated by a control unit provided behind a panel; a touch-sensitive control area secured on the panel defining a user interface; a number of touch sensors provided in the control area and connected in a way that provides electrical signal transmission that adjusts the operating parameters of the control unit and the heating element, arranged in a row to support the panel from the bottom, and a slider in the form of a strip touch wherein the touch sensors adjacent to each other are configured to provide a pressing signal indicating the position of the finger upon a drag gesture on the touch area. The method comprising the steps of energizing the control unit and the touch sensors; a user to place the finger on the touch area in the drag adjustment region; transmitting the on signal of the touch sensor corresponding to the touch area under the panel to the control unit; the finger drags the touch area to its new position on the drag adjustment region without breaking contact with the second position; transmitting on signals of the corresponding touch sensors to the control unit; the control unit to drive the lighting element in such a way that it illuminates the touched part of the touching area during the movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is a top schematic illustration of a cooktop with a representative embodiment of a control area.

Figure 2 is a sequential illustration of change by user touch gesture in a progressively increasing state of a user interface created control area.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed explanation, the subject matter of the invention is explained without any limitation and only with reference to examples to better explain the subject.

In Figure 1 , a hob in rectangular form and containing a ceramic panel (1 ) is shown schematically from above. There is a heating element (2) and a neighboring second heating element (3) in the electrical resistance plate structure mounted under the panel (1 ) of the hob and defining the corresponding cooking areas above the panel (1). A control area (10) in the form of a rectangular strip is provided on a control unit (5) with a circuit board parallel to and adjacent to the lower long edge of the panel (1). The control unit (5) is connected to the control area (10) where the capacitive sensors are disposed, providing an electrical signal and adjusting the cooking elements according to the incoming input. In Figure 2, the control area (10) is shown schematically during the setting change in increments, respectively. A first adjustment knob (11) is formed on the control area (10) close to one of its edges. The first adjustment button (11) contains letters and is touch sensitive. Next to the first adjustment button (11), another pressing area (13) is separated by a separator extending transversely. The pressing area (13) includes an icon that represents a return in terms of the user interface. A dial (20) is provided in the form of a strip that creates a vertically shaded area on the panel (1 ) by printing paint at a distance from the pressing area (13). The dial (20) forms a first indication of the adjustment process in the user interface. When the user looks at the dial (20) even when the device is not operating, detect that in this area setting adjustment is made by dragging. The dial (20) is arranged from a first edge (21) to an opposite second edge (23) in a touch sensitive manner. The dial (20) is disposed on a transparent window (22) on the panel (1). The transparent window (22) allows light to pass from the bottom to the top of the panel (1). By placing a finger (4) on the dial (20), a touch area (24) on the user interface is defined. A light line (30) has a first side portion (31 ) adjacent to the touching area (24). The first side portion (31) starts close to the corresponding first side (21) of the dial (20) and extends towards a second side portion (32). In the middle illustration, sequential touch sensors (40) are provided behind the control area (10) and under the panel (1 ) and the LED illumination elements (50) electronically associated with them are shown. The touch sensor (40) is switched simultaneously with the illumination element (50) paired with it via a control unit (5) located on the panel (1 ). The illustrated user interface forms a linear slider (12). The touch sensor (40), where the finger (4) of the user is placed, triggers the illumination element (50) provided in alignment with the transparent window (22) and activates it.

The activated lighting element (50) does not turn off unless the touch area (24) created by the user with his finger (4) passes through the same touch sensor (40) again, and thus the touch area (24) moving from the slider (12) leaves a light trail behind in the control area. (10) forms a visible light line (30). When the user removes his finger (4) from the slider (12), the control unit (5) turns off all of the lighting elements (50) simultaneously or after a predefined short period of time, for example 1 second. A second pressing area (14) is formed, which is distant from the second edge (23) of the dial (20) for the user to confirm the command. The first adjustment knob (11), the pressing area (13) and the second pressing area (14) are also equipped behind the panel (1) with the corresponding secondary touch sensors (not shown) to send the push command to the control unit (5). REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Panel

2 Heating element

3 Second heating element

4 Finger

5 Control unit

10 Control area

11 Primary button

12 Slider

13 Pressing area

14 Second press area

20 Dials

21 First edge

22 Transparent window

23 Second edge

24 Touch area

30 Illuminated line

31 First side part

32 Second side part

40 Touch sensor

50 illumination element