Patent Application
20250093044
The present subject matter relates generally to oven appliances, and more particularly, to systems for using proximity sensor to improve the performance of oven appliances.
Conventional residential and commercial oven appliances generally include a cabinet that includes a cooking chamber for receipt of food items for cooking. Multiple heating elements are positioned within the cooking chamber to provide heat to food items located therein. In addition, conventional oven appliances include a cooktop positioned on a top of the appliance that includes one or more heating elements, such as electric heaters, gas burners, or induction heating elements. Cooking appliances that include both an oven and a cooktop are commonly referred to as “ranges.”
Notably, users often have their hands full when they are cooking at a range, such that they cannot easily press buttons or manipulate a user interface panel. For example, a user may wish to turn on the oven light to see the food cooking in the oven. However, conventional ranges require a physical press of a button. Moreover, because of the inconvenience, the user might also open the door to see inside, which releases heat and slows the cooking process.
In addition, children or pets may periodically interact with a range in unsafe ways. For example, a child may try to touch unsafe areas, may try to open the hot oven door, or may accidentally change some settings on the controls. A supervising adult might not be able to constantly monitor their child in the kitchen. Certain conventional oven appliances do not include features for ensuring the safety of children or pets around the appliance.
Accordingly, an oven appliance with features for improved user interaction and control is desirable. More particularly, a range that facilitates hands-free user interaction while avoiding safety hazards associated with the interactions of pets or kids would be especially beneficial.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one exemplary embodiment, an oven appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction is provided. The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber, a cooktop positioned at a top of the cabinet and comprising one or more heating elements, a proximity sensing assembly defining an upper detection zone and a lower detection zone, and a controller in operative communication with the proximity sensing assembly. The controller is configured to obtain an upper proximity reading in the upper detection zone using the proximity sensing assembly, obtain a lower proximity reading in the lower detection zone using the proximity sensing assembly, and implement a responsive action based on a combination of the upper proximity reading and the lower proximity reading.
In another exemplary embodiment, a method of operating an oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber, a cooktop positioned at a top of the cabinet and comprising one or more heating elements, and a proximity sensing assembly defining an upper detection zone and a lower detection zone. The method includes obtaining an upper proximity reading in the upper detection zone using the proximity sensing assembly, obtaining a lower proximity reading in the lower detection zone using the proximity sensing assembly, and implementing a responsive action based on a combination of the upper proximity reading and the lower proximity reading.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.
Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous features or elements of the present invention.
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, the terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”). Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and claims, is applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially,” are not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. For example, the approximating language may refer to being within a 10 percent margin.
Within cabinet 102 is a single cooking chamber 120 which is configured for the receipt of one or more food items to be cooked. However, it should be appreciated that oven appliance 100 is provided by way of example only, and aspects of the present subject matter may be used in any suitable cooking appliance, such as a double oven range appliance. Thus, the example embodiment shown in
Oven appliance 100 includes a door 124 rotatably attached to cabinet 102 in order to permit selective access to cooking chamber 120. Handle 126 is mounted to door 124 to assist a user with opening and closing door 124 in order to access cooking chamber 120. As an example, a user can pull on handle 126 mounted to door 124 to open or close door 124 and access cooking chamber 120. One or more transparent viewing windows 128 (
In general, cooking chamber 120 is defined by a plurality of chamber walls 130. Specifically, cooking chamber 120 may be defined by a top wall, a rear wall, a bottom wall, and two sidewalls 130. These chamber walls 130 may be joined together to define an opening through which a user may selectively access cooking chamber 120 by opening door 124. In order to insulate cooking chamber 120, oven appliance 100 includes an insulating gap defined between the chamber walls 130 and cabinet 102. According to an exemplary embodiment, the insulation gap is filled with an insulating material 132, such as insulating foam or fiberglass, for insulating cooking chamber 120.
Oven appliance 100 also includes a cooktop 140. Cooktop 140 is positioned at or adjacent top 104 of cabinet 102 such that it is positioned above cooking chamber 120. Specifically, cooktop 140 includes a top panel 142 positioned proximate top 104 of cabinet 102. By way of example, top panel 142 may be constructed of glass, ceramics, enameled steel, and combinations thereof. One or more grates 144 are supported on a top surface of top panel 142 for supporting cooking utensils, such as pots or pans, during a cooking process.
Oven appliance 100 may further include one or more heating elements (identified generally by reference numeral 150) for selectively heating cooking utensils positioned on grates 144 or food items positioned within cooking chamber 120. For example, referring to
In addition, heating elements 150 may be positioned within or may otherwise be in thermal communication with cooking chamber 120 for regulating the temperature within cooking chamber 120. Specifically, an upper gas heating element 154 (also referred to as a broil heating element or gas burner) may be positioned in cabinet 102, e.g., at a top portion of cooking chamber 120, and a lower gas heating element 156 (also referred to as a bake heating element or gas burner) may be positioned at a bottom portion of cooking chamber 120. Upper gas heating element 154 and lower gas heating element 156 may be used independently or simultaneously to heat cooking chamber 120, perform a baking or broil operation, perform a cleaning cycle, etc. The size and heat output of gas heating elements 154, 156 can be selected based on the, e.g., the size of oven appliance 100 or the desired heat output. Oven appliance 100 may include any other suitable number, type, and configuration of heating elements 150 within cabinet 102 and/or on cooktop 140. For example, oven appliance 100 may further include electric heating elements, induction heating elements, or any other suitable heat generating device.
A control panel assembly 160 is located within convenient reach of a user of the oven appliance 100. For this example embodiment, control panel assembly 160 is positioned at a top 104 and front 112 of cabinet 102, e.g., above door 124 along the vertical direction V and forward of cooktop 140 along the transverse direction T. Control panel assembly 160 includes knobs 162 that are each associated with one of heating elements 150. In this manner, knobs 162 allow the user to activate each heating element 150 and determine the amount of heat input provided by each heating element 150 for cooking food items within cooking chamber 120 or on cooktop 140. Although shown with knobs 162, it should be understood that knobs 162 and the configuration of oven appliance 100 shown in
Generally, oven appliance 100 may include a controller 166 in operative communication with control panel assembly 160. Control panel assembly 160 of oven appliance 100 may be in communication with controller 166 via, for example, one or more signal lines or shared communication busses, and signals generated in controller 166 operate oven appliance 100 in response to user input via user input devices, e.g., control knobs 162 and/or display assembly 164. Input/Output (“I/O”) signals may be routed between controller 166 and various operational components of oven appliance 100 such that operation of oven appliance 100 can be regulated by controller 166. In addition, controller 166 may also be communication with one or more sensors, such as temperature sensor 168, which may be used to measure temperature inside cooking chamber 120 and provide such measurements to the controller 166. Although temperature sensor 168 is illustrated at a top and rear of cooking chamber 120, it should be appreciated that other sensor types, positions, and configurations may be used according to alternative embodiments.
Controller 166 is a “processing device” or “controller” and may be embodied as described herein. Controller 166 may include a memory and one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICS), CPUs or the like, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of oven appliance 100, and controller 166 is not restricted necessarily to a single element. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM, electrically erasable, programmable read only memory (EEPROM), or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, controller 166 may be constructed without using a microprocessor, e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and/or digital logic circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators, flip-flops, AND gates, and the like) to perform control functionality instead of relying upon software.
Referring now generally to
According to the illustrated embodiment, proximity sensing assembly 180 includes an upper proximity sensor 182 positioned proximate a top of cabinet 102 for monitoring an upper detection zone (identified generally by reference numeral 184) and a lower proximity sensor 186 positioned proximate a bottom of cabinet 102 for monitoring a lower detection zone (identified generally by reference numeral 188). As shown, upper detection zone 184 is generally configured to cover an area in front of oven appliance 100 and above control panel assembly 160. By contrast, lower detection zone 188 is generally configured to cover an area in front of door 124 and below control panel assembly 160.
Although the figures illustrate two proximity sensors for monitoring two zones proximate oven appliance 100, it should be appreciated that aspects of the present subject matter are applicable to the use of any suitable number, type, and position of proximity sensors. In addition, these sensors may be broken up into any suitable number of zones having any suitable coverage area. Indeed, according to alternative embodiments, proximity sensing assembly 180 may be a single, multi-zone proximity sensor. In addition, it should be appreciated that the detection zones may be fully adjustable by a user of the appliance (e.g., to compensate for a user having smaller stature or to mitigate safety features related to kids in a kid-free household).
Controller 166 may be in operative communication with the proximity sensing assembly 180, i.e., with upper proximity sensor 182 and lower proximity sensor 186, for monitoring the presence or absence of people or pets near oven appliance 100. This may be achieved by continuously or periodically monitoring for motion or taking proximity readings using the proximity sensors 182, 186. As used herein, a proximity reading is “positive” if a person or object is detected within the respective detection zone, whereas a proximity reading is “negative” if a person or object is not detected within the respective detection zone.
As explained in more detail below, controller 166 may be configured to implement methods of operation based on the proximity readings from proximity sensing assembly 180. For example, the operation of oven appliance 100 may vary depending on whether an adult user 190 is interacting with the appliance or a child or pet (identified generally by reference numeral 192) is interacting with the appliance. In addition, as described in more detail below, in addition to adjusting operation based on what/who is interacting with the appliance, controller may also adjust appliance operation based on how that party is interacting with the appliance (e.g., standing, kneeling, leaning, etc.).
Although aspects of the present subject matter are described herein in the context of a single oven appliance, it should be appreciated that oven appliance 100 is provided by way of example only. Other oven or range appliances having different configurations, different appearances, and/or different features may also be utilized with the present subject matter, e.g., double ovens, connected oven/cooktop units, etc.
Now that the construction and configuration of oven appliance 100 and proximity sensing assembly 180 have been described according to exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter, an exemplary method 200 for operating oven appliance 100 will be described according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. Method 200 can be used to operate oven appliance 100 using proximity sensing assembly 180, or may be used to operate any other suitable oven appliances. In this regard, for example, controller 166 may be configured for implementing some or all steps of method 200. Further, it should be appreciated that the exemplary method 200 is discussed herein only to describe exemplary aspects of the present subject matter, and is not intended to be limiting.
Referring now to
Step 230 may generally include implementing a responsive action based on a combination of the upper proximity reading and the lower proximity reading. In this regard, as explained above, the operation of oven appliance 100 may be adjusted based on the readings from proximity sensing assembly 180, e.g., for improved oven performance, safety, or user satisfaction. Although exemplary methods for modifying oven operation based on inputs from proximity sensing assembly 180 are described, it should be appreciated that these methods are only exemplary and intended to facilitate discussion of aspects of the present subject matter. Other operating adjustments are possible and within the scope of the present subject matter.
According to an example embodiment, if the upper proximity reading is positive and the lower proximity reading is positive, implementing the responsive action may include enabling full functionality or normal operation of oven appliance 100. For example, this condition is illustrated schematically in
Notably, as illustrated schematically in
Notably, however, it may be desirable to limit the initiation of the adult kneeling mode to a situation where an adult user 190 is present in standing in front of oven appliance 100 (e.g., as shown in
In addition, aspects of the present subject matter may be directed to the detection of a child 192 or pet interacting with oven appliance 100 and implementing corrective action in the form of safety features. For example,
When such a condition occurs, method 300 may include implementing a responsive action that includes initiating an oven appliance lockout. For example, if a child 192 is detected as approaching from the floor (
Referring now briefly to
As explained herein, aspects of the present subject matter are generally directed to an oven appliance that uses multiple proximity sensors to determine whether an adult or a child is near the cooking range. In this regard, when both the upper and lower sensors detect movement, the oven appliance may recognize the user as an adult. By contrast, if there is a change and only the lower sensor detects movement, the oven appliance may identify the presence of a child near the oven. Likewise, if only the upper sensor detects movement, the oven appliance may understand that a child is near the cooktop, e.g., crawling along the adjacent countertop.
When a child is detected at the oven level or cooktop level, automatic safety features may be initiated, e.g., including alerting an adult, disabling the oven or cooktop burners, locking the oven door, and/or disabling the oven controls. Conversely, when an adult is detected, certain safety features meant to be only accessible to adults may be enable, e.g., such as changing the oven and cooktop controls and other advanced features that could potentially pose danger to children located near the oven appliance.
An optional logic can also be included to avoid false detection of a child, which involves confirming if an adult has been detected recently (e.g., within X seconds) after only the lower sensor detects motion, and if so, it may be concluded that the adult is kneeling nearby and no safety action is required. However, if this is not the case, it may be confirmed that a child is present at oven level and automatic safety features such as alerting an adult are initiated to ensure the child's safety. Aspects of the present subject matter may be applicable to any oven appliance, such as a range, where the cooktop and oven are combined into a single product, as well as to separate cooktop and wall oven products that are installed together.
Other example aspects of the present subject matter are directed to an oven appliance that uses multiple proximity sensors to detect when a user moves from standing in front of the range to leaning/bending over to interact with the oven. The motion can be detected by employing two sensors, one at the top of range and one at bottom to detect when user bends over to see inside oven. When both sensors detect a person, no oven features may get automatically activated. However, when only lower sensor detects a person, features may get automatically activated. These features may include turning on the oven light and door light, turning off the steam generator and convection fan, turning on the oven camera and door LCD screen, and/or temporarily slowing or disabling the cooling fan to prevent hot air blowing towards the user's face. This can be useful when the user has full hands or prefers the oven to react automatically.
Additionally, optional logic can be included to prevent false detection or activation by children or pets. This logic may operate as follows: If both sensors detect a person, no automatic activation of oven features occurs. However, if only the lower sensor detects a person, the system may check if both sensors have detected motion recently (e.g., within X seconds). If motion is detected within the specified time frame, oven features may be activated. If not, it is likely that a child or pet is present at oven height, and activation may be withheld.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
