Cooking hob, household appliance and method of operating an cooking hob

Abstract

The invention is in particular directed to a cooking hob ( 1 ) having at least two heating elements ( 5, 6 ) and a motion unit adapted to move at least one first heating element ( 5 ) along a trajectory ( 12 ), such that in at least one trajectile position along at least one trajectory ( 12 ), the first heating element ( 5 ) and a second heating element ( 6 ) are so close to each other to establish a unique cooking zone ( 7 ).

1 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) comprising a cooking face ( 2 ) having at least two heating elements ( 5 ,  6 ) adapted to heating cookware, and further comprising at least one motion unit coupled to at least one first heating element ( 5 ) of the at least two heating elements, wherein the motion unit is adapted and designed such that the first heating element ( 5 ) is moveable along at least one trajectory ( 12 ) of at least one of linear and curved type, wherein at least one second heating element ( 6 ) of the at least two heating elements is positioned relative to the trajectory ( 12 ) such that in at least one trajectile position along the at least one trajectory ( 12 ), the first heating element ( 5 ) and the at least one second heating element ( 6 ) are so close to each other to establish a unique cooking zone ( 7 ). 
     
     
         2 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one trajectory ( 12 ) is composed of at least one of a one-dimensional linear movement, two-dimensional movement, one-dimensional circular movement and two-dimensional circular movement. 
     
     
         3 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising at least three heating elements, wherein the at least one motion unit is adapted such that in at least one second position of the first heating element ( 5 ) along the trajectory all of the heating elements are aligned along a common line. 
     
     
         4 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the motion unit is adapted such that the at least one first heating element is rotatable in clockwise and/or counter-clockwise direction at least one of at least 90°, 180°, 270° and 360°. 
     
     
         5 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one motion unit comprises at least one latching mechanism adapted to latch the first heating element ( 5 ) in at least one predefined position along a trajectory ( 12 ). 
     
     
         6 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one motion unit comprises a moveable platform to which the first heating element is mounted to. 
     
     
         7 . Cooking hob according to  claim 6 , wherein the moveable platform comprises a turntable ( 3 ) rotatable around an inner rotation axis, wherein the first heating element ( 5 ) is mounted to the turntable ( 3 ). 
     
     
         8 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a control system having control elements ( 10 ,  11 ) adapted to operate a respective one of the heating elements ( 5 ,  6 ), wherein the control system is adapted such that a pair of first ( 5 ) and second heating elements ( 6 ) establishing a unique cooking zone ( 7 ) is controllable by one common control element ( 10 ). 
     
     
         9 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the common control element ( 10 ) is activated in dependence of at least one of the trajectile positions the first heating element ( 5 ), and where applicable the at least one second heating element ( 6 ). 
     
     
         10 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one motion control adapted and configured to move the first heating element along the at least one trajectory ( 12 ). 
     
     
         11 . Cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first and/or second heating element is selected from the group comprising gas burners, inductive heating elements, radiation heating elements, electrical resistance heating elements. 
     
     
         12 . Method of operating a cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1  ( 1 ), wherein in a twin-mode configuration of the first heating element ( 5 ) and a second heating element ( 6 ), in which the first ( 5 ) and second heating element ( 6 ) establish a unique cooking zone ( 7 ), the first ( 5 ) and second heating elements ( 6 ) are operable by a common control element ( 10 ), whilst in an any non twin-mode configuration, the first ( 5 ) and second heating elements ( 6 ) are operable by respective individual control elements ( 10 ,  11 ). 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein the common control element ( 10 ) is activated and deactivated in dependence of at least one twin-mode trajectile position along the at least one trajectory ( 12 ). 
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein the first heating element ( 5 ) is automatically moved along a trajectory ( 12 ) according to a setting of a user or program. 
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein a twin-mode configuration is indicated by visual, acoustic and/or haptic means on a user interface. 
     
     
         16 . Household appliance ( 9 ) comprising at least one cooking hob ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . Household appliance according to  claim 16 , further comprising an electronic control unit adapted and configured to operate the household appliance according to a method wherein in a twin-mode configuration of the first heating element ( 5 ) and a second heating element ( 6 ), in which the first ( 5 ) and second heating element ( 6 ) establish the unique cooking zone ( 7 ), the first ( 5 ) and second heating elements ( 6 ) are operable by a common control element ( 10 ), whilst in an any non twin-mode configuration, the first ( 5 ) and second heating elements ( 6 ) are operable by respective individual control elements ( 10 ,  11 ).