ITTO20131060A1 - PILOT CIRCUIT FOR PILOTING A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE FROM A STAND-BY CONDITION TO AN OPERATIONAL CONDITION, AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES PROVIDED FOR THAT CIRCUIT - Google Patents

Description

Description of the Industrial Invention entitled: -ME367- "PILOTING CIRCUIT TO DRIVE A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE FROM A STAND-BY CONDITION TO AN OPERATING CONDITION, AND APPLIANCE EQUIPPED WITH SAID CIRCUIT"

DESCRIPTION

[FIELD OF TECHNIQUE]

The present invention relates to a driving circuit for driving a household appliance from a stand-by condition to an operating condition.

The present invention also relates to a household appliance provided with said piloting circuit.

[ART NOTE]

The development of electronics and the reduction of the costs associated with it, together with the need to provide users with increasingly innovative devices, has led to the development of increasingly sophisticated household appliances (for example ovens, washing machines, televisions, refrigerators, dishwashers). .

Numerous household appliances currently on the market provide for the use of sensors which allow to detect the operating status of the household appliance or some physical quantities useful or necessary for its operation. For example, many ovens are equipped with a thermocouple which allows to detect the temperature inside the cooking cavity and thus to be able to control the cooking of food.

The use of an increasingly numerous on-board electronics has thus led household appliances to consume a lot of energy even when they are not operational, i.e. they are not performing their main function such as, for example, the cooking function performed by an oven.

In order to reduce these consumptions, it is known to provide a stand-by state in which power is cut off to a part of the on-board electronics of the household appliance, in particular to the sensors and to the video or light interfaces.

In known household appliances, the exit from the standby state is made possible in response to the pressure by the user of a button, typically a power button.

This results in a reduced simplicity and speed of use of household appliances.

[OBJECTIVES AND BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]

The purpose of the present invention is to solve some of the aforementioned problems of the known art.

In particular, the purpose of the present invention is to improve the simplicity and speed of use of an appliance without substantially increasing its standby energy consumption.

These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by means of a household appliance incorporating the characteristics of the attached claims, which form an integral part of the present description.

An idea behind the present invention is to provide for the automatic awakening of the appliance when the user sets a new work program or, in general, moves an actuation / selection element of the appliance itself. In particular, the invention is aimed at recognizing the movement of said actuation / selection element in both directions in which this element can be moved.

This solution allows for a better simplicity and speed of use of the appliance, since, to wake the appliance from stand-by, the user is no longer required to identify and press a given button, but it is sufficient to use the appliance as if the same was already operational.

In accordance with a first aspect, the invention relates to a driving circuit for driving an appliance from a stand-by condition to an operating condition, said circuit comprising:

- an input stage for generating a main signal representative of a movement of an actuation / selection element of a household appliance, said main signal having a different sign depending on a direction / direction of movement of said actuation / selection element;

- a first comparator stage, to detect said main signal when the latter has a certain sign and generate a corresponding first command signal at the output;

- a second comparator stage, to detect said main signal when the latter has a sign opposite to said specific sign and generate a corresponding second command signal at the output;

- an output stage configured to generate, when it receives said first command signal and / or said second command signal at its input, a corresponding reactivation signal to drive said household appliance from a stand-by condition to an operating condition.

Preferably said input stage is a shunt stage.

Preferably, said actuation / selection element can be driven between a plurality of operating positions, said actuation / selection element being associated with a respective electric circuit able to generate a corresponding electrical signal as a function of the operating position of the actuation / selection element, said input stage being configured to convert said electrical signal into said main signal.

Preferably, said electrical signal has a step waveform, in particular a voltage step.

Preferably, said main signal has a pulse waveform, preferably a voltage pulse.

Preferably, said first comparator stage includes a first comparator, having a first input for receiving said main signal, and a second input for receiving a first reference, said first comparator being configured to generate said first command signal as a function of a comparison between said signal principal and said first reference.

Preferably, said second comparator stage includes a second comparator, preferably comprising an operational amplifier, having a first input for receiving said main signal, and a second input for receiving a second reference, said second comparator being configured to generate said second command signal in operation. of a comparison between said main signal and said second reference.

Preferably, said reactivation signal is configured to drive a control unit of said household appliance from a stand-by condition to an operating condition.

Preferably, said reactivation signal is configured to act on a switch which is part of said household appliance and drive the same from a first condition in which it maintains said appliance in a stand-by condition to a second condition in which it brings said appliance into an operating condition .

In accordance with a second aspect, the invention relates to a household appliance comprising:

- at least one operational area;

- one or more actuators, of the electromechanical and / or electrothermal type, operatively active on said operating zone;

- a control unit configured to manage the operation of said one or more actuators;

- at least one actuation / selection element associated with said one or more actuators and / or with said control unit, said actuation / selection element being movable to define operating conditions of said household appliance;

- said driving circuit.

Preferably, the reactivation signal generated by said driving circuit is configured to drive said control unit from a stand-by condition to an operating condition.

Preferably, said household appliance comprises a switch, which can be driven between a first condition in which it maintains said household appliance in a stand-by condition and a second condition in which it brings said appliance into an operating condition, said reactivation signal being configured to drive said switch from the first to the second condition.

Preferably said household appliance is an oven; said one or more actuators comprise one or more heating elements; said at least one operative zone comprises a cavity heated by said one or more heating elements.

Preferably, said actuation / selection element comprises at least one knob associated with said control unit and / or said one or more heating elements and / or said fan.

Preferably, said at least one knob can be moved to determine the operating conditions of said oven.

Preferably, said switch is an electronic switch circuit.

Further features and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the invention.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

This description is provided below with reference to the accompanying figures, also having purely illustrative and therefore non-limiting purposes, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a representative diagram of a driving circuit in accordance with the invention;

- Figures 2 and 3 show block diagrams of two embodiments of the operation of the circuit of figure 1. - Figure 4 shows an example of a household appliance in which the driving circuit of figure 1 can be used.

The figures illustrate different aspects and embodiments of the present invention and, where appropriate, similar structures, components, materials and / or elements in different figures are indicated by the same reference numerals.

[DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION]

The driving circuit 100 according to the present invention is represented in figure 1 and in figure 2.

The driving circuit 100 first of all comprises an input stage 110 for generating a main signal MS representative of a movement of an actuation / selection element 120 of a household appliance 1.

The actuation / selection element 120 can be moved in different directions D1, D2, preferably in two opposite directions.

As will become clearer below, the actuation / selection element 120 can be a knob 27 of an oven 21, which can be rotated with respect to a frame 22 of the oven itself both in a clockwise direction (arrow D1, in fig. 4) and in a clockwise direction. anticlockwise (arrow D2 in fig. 4).

By means of the actuation / selection element a user can set one or more operating parameters of the household appliance 1 such as, for example, in the case of the oven 21, a cooking time and / or a cooking temperature and / or a program of cooking.

In particular, each operating position of the activation / selection element 120, which can correspond, for example, to a respective angular position, is associated with a corresponding program or value of a parameter for the operation of the appliance 1.

Preferably the actuation / selection element 120 is associated with an electrical circuit EC which, depending on the operating position of the activation / selection element 120, generates a corresponding electrical signal ES, representative of this operating position.

In practice, the electrical circuit EC can be made as a potentiometer, designed to generate an electrical signal ES of different level, in particular of different voltage level, depending on the position of the activation / selection element 120.

In a preferred embodiment, the electric circuit EC generates, at each change of position of the activation / selection element 120, a voltage step, the sign of which depends on the direction in which the activation / selection element 120 has been eventful.

The input stage 110 is preferably a shunt stage, in particular configured to convert this voltage step into a corresponding voltage pulse.

This voltage pulse will have a sign corresponding to the sign of the voltage step supplied at the output by the electrical circuit EC.

The driving circuit 100 further comprises a first comparator stage 130 connected downstream of said input stage 110.

The first comparator stage 130 is configured to detect the main signal MS when the latter has a certain sign.

By way of example, the circuit diagram shown in Figure 1 provides that the first comparator stage 130 detects the main signal MS when the latter has a positive sign.

Once the main signal MS has been detected, the first comparator stage 130 generates a first command signal CS1 which, as will become clearer later, will cause the appliance 1 to wake up.

Preferably, the first comparator stage 130 can include a first comparator 131, preferably comprising an operational amplifier, having a first input 132 for receiving the main signal MS, and a second input 133 for receiving a first reference Ref1.

The first comparator 131 is preferably configured to generate the first command signal CS1 as a function of a comparison between the main signal MS and the first reference Ref1.

Advantageously, the driving circuit 100 further comprises a second comparator stage 140 connected downstream of said input stage 110.

The second comparator stage 140 is configured to detect the main signal MS when the latter has a different sign, and in particular opposite, to the aforementioned certain sign, i.e. the sign of the main signal MS when the latter is detected by the first comparator stage 130 .

By way of example, the circuit diagram shown in Figure 1 provides that the second comparator stage 140 detects the main signal MS when the latter has a negative sign.

Once the main signal MS has been detected, the second comparator stage 140 generates a second command signal CS2 which, as will become clearer later, will cause the appliance 1 to wake up.

Preferably, the second comparator stage 140 can include a second comparator 141, preferably comprising an operational amplifier, having a first input 142 for receiving the main signal MS, and a second input 143 for receiving a second reference Ref2.

The second comparator 141 is preferably configured to generate the second command signal CS2 as a function of a comparison between the main signal MS and the second reference Ref2.

Conveniently, the first comparator 131 and the second comparator 141 have the respective command signal CS1, CS2 generated on an output port of the opencollector or open-drain type, so as to allow the direct connection of the respective output ports.

Conveniently, the driving circuit 100 further comprises an output stage 150 configured to generate, when the first command signal CS1 and / or the second command signal CS2 is received, a corresponding reactivation signal RS to drive the household appliance 1 from a stand-by condition to an operating condition.

In practice, as schematically shown in Figure 1, the output stage 150 can be realized as a simple connection between the outputs of the first and second comparator stage 130, 140, so as to create a sort of logic OR and provide the output for the first. or the second control signal CS1, CS2 depending on which of the two is generated by the upstream stages.

In one embodiment (Figure 2), the reactivation signal RS is configured to drive a control unit 6 of the household appliance 1 from a stand-by condition to an operating condition.

In practice, in this embodiment, the reactivation signal RS is sent directly to a special awakening pin of the control unit 6, i.e. of the microprocessor, of the household appliance 1, so that the latter exits the stand-by condition in which he had previously entered and returns to operation.

In a different embodiment (Figure 3), the reactivation signal RS is configured to act on a switch 10, preferably made as an electronic switch circuit, which is part of the household appliance 1.

In particular, the reactivation signal RS is configured to drive this switch 10 from a first condition in which it keeps the appliance 1 in a standby condition to a second condition in which it brings the appliance 1 into an operating condition.

This switch 10 is interposed between the 12 V power supply, typically provided in most household appliances, and the electronic control board of the household appliance 1.

When switch 10 is open (first condition), the board is disconnected and the appliance is in stand-by condition.

Typically, the switch 10 is opened following an "open" command sent by the control unit 6 (ie by the microprocessor mounted on the electronic control board), in a manner known per se.

When, following the reception of the RS reactivation signal, the switch 10 closes (second condition), and the appliance 1 is brought back to operating conditions.

As mentioned above, the driving circuit 100 can be advantageously integrated into a household appliance 1. The household appliance 1 first of all comprises an operating area 4 which, in the case of an oven 21 (fig. 4), can be constituted by a cavity or muffle 24 in which the foods to be cooked or heated are placed.

The household appliance 1 also comprises one or more actuators 5, 15, of the electromechanical and / or electrothermal type, operationally active on the operating area 4.

The actuators 5, 15 are the members by means of which the appliance 1 performs its main functions.

By way of example, in the case of the oven 21 the actuators 5, 15 can comprise one or more heating elements 25, such as for example heating resistors, and a fan 215, adapted to ventilate the cavity 24 to make the distribution of heat uniform to the internal of the same.

As mentioned several times, the household appliance 1 advantageously comprises a control unit 6 configured to manage the operation of said one or more actuators 5, 15.

In the specific case of the oven 21, the control unit 6 is active on the heating elements 25 and on the fan 215 to perform the set cooking / heating cycles.

The household appliance 1 also comprises the aforementioned an actuation / selection element 120, associated with said one or more actuators 5, 15 and / or said control unit 6, to define operating conditions of the appliance 1.

The actuation / selection element 120 is movable with respect to the frame 22 of the appliance 1.

In the case of the oven 21, the actuation / selection element 120 can be a knob 27 rotatably mounted on the frame 22 of the oven 21.

Using the knob 27, the temperature and / or time and / or other operating modes of the oven 21 can be manually set by the user.

The invention achieves important advantages.

First of all, the invention allows to implement a simple stand-by awakening technique characterized by reduced manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to improve the simplicity and speed of use of an appliance without substantially increasing its standby energy consumption.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS 1. Driving circuit (100) for driving a household appliance from a stand-by condition to an operating condition, said circuit comprising: - an input stage (110) for generating a main signal (MS) representative of a movement of an actuation / selection element (120) of a household appliance (1), said main signal (MS) presenting a different sign as a function of a direction / direction of movement (D1, D2) of said actuation / selection element (120); - a first comparator stage (130), to detect said main signal (MS) when the latter has a certain sign and generate a corresponding first command signal (CS1) at the output; - a second comparator stage (140), to detect said main signal (MD) when the latter has a sign opposite to said particular sign and generate at the output a corresponding second command signal (CS2); - an output stage (150) configured to generate, when it receives in input said first command signal (CS1) and / or said second command signal (CS2), a corresponding reactivation signal (RS) to drive said household appliance (1 ) from a stand-by condition to an operating condition. 2. A circuit according to claim 1 wherein said input stage (110) is a shunt stage. 3. Circuit according to claim 2 in which said actuation / selection element (120) can be driven between a plurality of operating positions, said actuation / selection element (120) being associated with a respective electrical circuit (EC) adapted to generate a corresponding electrical signal (ES) as a function of the operating position of the actuation / selection element (120), said input stage (110) being configured to convert said electrical signal (ES) into said main signal (MS). 4. Circuit according to claim 3 in which said electrical signal (ES) has a step waveform, in particular a voltage step. 5. Circuit according to claim 3 or 4 in which said main signal (MS) has a pulse waveform, preferably a voltage pulse. 6. Circuit according to any one of the preceding claims in which said first comparator stage (130) includes a first comparator (131), preferably comprising an operational amplifier, having a first input (132) for receiving said main signal (MS), and a second input (133) for receiving a first reference (Ref1), said first comparator (131) being configured to generate said first command signal (CS1) as a function of a comparison between said main signal (MS) and said first reference (Ref1 ). Circuit according to any one of the preceding claims in which said second comparator stage (140) includes a second comparator (141), preferably comprising an operational amplifier, having a first input (142) for receiving said main signal (MS), and a second input (143) to receive a second reference (Ref2), said second comparator (141) being configured to generate said second command signal (CS2) as a function of a comparison between said main signal (MS) and said second reference (Ref2) ). 8. Circuit according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said reactivation signal (RS) is configured to drive a control unit (6) of said household appliance (1) from a stand-by condition to an operating condition. 9. Circuit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which said reactivation signal (RS) is configured to act on a switch (10) forming part of said household appliance (1) and to control the same from a first condition in which it maintains said household appliance (1) in a stand-by condition to a second condition in which it brings said household appliance (1) into an operating condition. 10. Household appliance (1) comprising: - at least one operational area (4); - one or more actuators (5, 15), of the electromechanical and / or electrothermal type, operatively active on said operative zone (4); - a control unit (6) configured to manage the operation of said one or more actuators (5, 15); - at least one actuation / selection element (120) associated with said one or more actuators (5, 15) and / or with said control unit (6), said actuation / selection element (120) being movable to define operating conditions of said household appliance (1); - at least one driving circuit (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. 11. Household appliance according to claim 10 wherein the reactivation signal (RS) generated by said driving circuit (100) is configured to drive said control unit (6) from a stand-by condition to an operating condition. 12. Appliance according to claim 10 comprising a switch (10), which can be driven between a first condition in which it keeps said appliance (1) in a stand-by condition and a second condition in which it brings said appliance (1) in an operating condition , said reactivation signal (RS) being configured to drive said switch (10) from the first to the second condition. 13. Household appliance according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein: - said household appliance (1) is an oven (21); - said one or more actuators (5, 15) comprise one or more heating elements (25) and / or a fan (215); - said at least one operative zone (4) comprises a cavity (24) or muffle heated by said one or more heating elements (25); - said actuation / selection element (120) comprises at least one knob (27) associated with said control unit (6) and / or said one or more heating elements (25) and / or said fan (215), and can be moved to determine operating conditions of said furnace (21).