Method for measuring a temperature inside a kitchen appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048135-B2
Application number	US-201615042209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for measuring a temperature inside a kitchen appliance (1), in particular of a temperature of an item to be cooked of an item to be cooked (21), which is to be prepared inside a kitchen appliance (1), comprising the method steps: transmitting an electromagnetic excitation signal by means of a transmission-receiving device (2), receiving the excitation signal by a temperature sensor (3), which is arranged in the kitchen appliance (1), in particular in the item to be cooked (21), transmitting a temperature-dependent response signal by the temperature sensor (3), receiving the response signal by the transmission-receiving device (2), determining the current temperature by comparing the response signal to temperature-dependent reference signals. To also provide for an interaction between a plurality of kitchen appliances (1, 4), it is proposed for the transmission-receiving device (2) to transmit the response signal or partial information of the response signal and/or the value of a current temperature, which is determined by means of the transmission-receiving device (2), to a control device of a further kitchen appliance (4) or to an external processor (5). In addition, a system for carrying out a method according to the invention is proposed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for measuring a temperature of an item inside a first kitchen appliance, wherein the item is to be prepared inside the first kitchen appliance, comprising the method steps:
placing a temperature sensor in the first kitchen appliance,
connecting a transmission-receiving device diplaceable relative to the first kitchen appliance,
transmitting an electromagnetic excitation signal by means of the transmission-receiving device,
receiving the excitation signal by the temperature sensor, which is arranged in the first kitchen appliance,
transmitting a temperature-dependent response signal by the temperature sensor,
receiving the response signal by the transmission-receiving device,
wherein the transmission-receiving device transmits the response signal or partial information of the response signal to a control device of a second kitchen appliance or to an external processor, and
wherein the control device of the second kitchen appliance or the external processor determines the current temperature by comparing the response signal to temperature-dependent reference signals.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the response signal excites temperature-dependent acoustic surface waves (SAW), which are a part of the response signal, in the temperature sensor.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of excitation signals comprising different frequencies of a defined frequency band are transmitted in succession.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein for determining the current temperature, the signal intensities of the response signals are measured, the response signal having the largest signal intensity is determined therefrom, and the frequency of this response signal is compared to temperature-dependent resonance frequencies of the temperature sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current temperature is determined at least partially inside the first kitchen appliance and/or inside the second kitchen appliance and/or inside the external processor.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second kitchen appliance is an electrically operated food processor.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external processor is a processor of a mobile end device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the external processor or the control device of the second kitchen appliance controls a preparation step of the second kitchen appliance as a function of the determined current temperature.

9. A system for carrying out a method according to claim 1 , said system having a second kitchen appliance, comprising a control device for controlling a preparation of an item to be cooked, which is contained in a preparation vessel, and comprising a communication interface for transmitting and/or receiving data, at least one temperature sensor, which can be moved relative to the second kitchen appliance, as well as at least one transmission-receiving device, which can be moved relative to the second kitchen appliance, wherein the temperature sensor can be connected to the second kitchen appliance via the transmission-receiving device, and wherein the control device is embodied to control a preparation step of the second kitchen appliance as a function of a current temperature, inside a first kitchen appliance, and wherein the transmission-receiving device is built to transmit a response signal or partial information of the response signal of the temperature sensor to the control device of the second kitchen appliance or to an external processor, and wherein the control device of the second kitchen appliance or the external processor is built to determine the current temperature by comparing the response signal to temperature-dependent reference signals.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the system additionally has a preparation vessel, which can be arranged in the second kitchen appliance, a spatula, which can be arranged in the preparation vessel, a knife set or milk frother, which can be connected to a mixer of the second kitchen appliance, or a cooking attachment, which can be connected to the preparation vessel, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged in or on the preparation vessel, the spatula the knife set, the milk frother and/or the cooking attachment.

Assignees

• Vorwerk Co Interholding

Inventors

• Koetz Hendrik
• Fricke Christopher
• Hilgers Stefan
• Koennings Maximilian
• Koch Arno
• Resende Maria
• Hackert Georg

Classifications

• A47J36/321

  the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device · CPC title

• G01K11/265

  using surface acoustic wave [SAW] · CPC title

• G01K2207/06

  for preparation purposes · CPC title

• G01K1/024 Primary

  for remote indication · CPC title

• G01D5/48

  using wave or particle radiation means (G01D5/26 takes precedence) · CPC title