EP1030236A2 - Deactivation system for household appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

A controller for the household device has a sensor (4) that detects the connection or presence of operating fuel and or material. If the required connections are made and the necessary operating materials are available then the device is switched (8) to a standard operating condition and if not it is switched to showroom operation mode.

Description

The invention relates to household appliances that have a function have the use of electricity, gas, water, Air, compressed air or another operating fluid is required and that in a standard operation with unrestricted Function or in a restricted exhibition, in which one or more functions of the household appliance switched off or restricted, operable are.

The presentation of household appliances, especially electrical appliances, for sales purposes, for example at trade fairs or in specialist showrooms usually an unattended installation of the devices. Here it is desirable that the equipment be reduced Scope can be operated so that the prospective buyers a picture of how the device works and can do its operation as well as the operation who can try out the device functions. It should however to avoid unnecessary energy consumption and especially to prevent damage to the device and guaranteed by injuries to prospective buyers be that certain functions are not actually triggered even if the corresponding activation is on the device.

For example, it is like with heat generating devices Ovens desirable that the control panel is complete is in operation, so that the diverse, modern Ovens adjustable by means of the electronic control Operating states and query options demonstrated and can be tried without the heater the oven is actually put into operation becomes. Correspondingly, for example in washing machines Possibility of electronic control and display, without actually washing is started.

To temporarily house appliances for an exhibition partially deactivating is according to the state of the art provided the electrical wiring of the device, preferably in the area of the connection terminals, temporarily to change so that the desired restricted Operation is possible. For example, it is with ovens usual that several terminals are provided, the when they are shared by means of a wire or copper bridge are connected, the full device functionality enable for standard operation. For an exhibition company the bridge is removed, leaving only part of the terminals with the supply voltage is supplied so that only a reduced device function is available. For example, this way the power supply to the radiators must be deactivated, whereas the entire electronic control is still for demonstration and trying it out.

A disadvantage of this known, hardware or circuit technology realized solution is that changing the electrical wiring the use of a specialist required so that the entire associated with the retrofit Time expenditure, even if the conversion itself by a corresponding design of the household appliance itself relatively can be done quickly, a not inconsiderable effort represents. Another disadvantage is that when Selling a home appliance that is in the circuit for one Exhibition was set up, be forgotten can, the electrical wiring again for standard operation to change, for example by inserting the required bridge. Of course, this leads to complications and additional effort during commissioning by the buyer who malfunctioned the home appliance notes.

The present invention takes this state into account the technology based on the task of a household appliance to further train that it is inexpensive in the exhibition business and preferably also put into standard operation can be. This should change the operating mode not made by unauthorized persons can and the home appliance as far as possible against accidental or accidental switching, especially in standard operation.

The inventive solution to this problem in one Home appliance that has a function that use of electricity, gas, water, air, compressed air or another Operating fluid required, and that in a standard operation with unrestricted function or in a restricted Exhibition company in which one or more Functions of the household appliance switched off or restricted are operable is that it a control device with a sensor for the operating fluid has when switching on the device checks whether the operating fluid required for standard operation rests on the household appliance and depends on it of which the home appliance automatically switches to standard operation or switches the exhibition business.

According to the invention, a control device is therefore provided, the depending on whether the required There is fuel in the domestic appliance or not, that Home appliance automatically in the correct operating mode switches. If the required fuel is not available, i.e. for example if no fuel is supplied or its composition does not meet the requirements is enough or the amount, the pressure or another Parameters such as voltage not in the necessary limits can be determined by the control device reliably prevent the device, for example, one of the household appliances in an exhibition prospective buyers, randomly, accidentally or deliberately in standard operation is set.

A sensor that is suitable in the context of the invention is simple Embodiments, for example a pressure switch, which is the water pressure required for operation Checks consumption or cooling water. In other cases it may be useful to use a pressure sensor which provides a measured value for an applied pressure. Other advantageous embodiments can be in one Level meter or one or more components of the operating fluid detecting or analyzing Sensor exist.

In a domestic appliance designed according to the invention advantageously to activate or deactivate the Exhibition company neither when exhibiting the device in an exhibition while installing the device an additional measure is required for a customer, because the control device automatically finds the right one Ceases operation. Is the supply voltage to the household appliance created or the device is switched on, so can the functions desired in the exhibition immediately and the ones required for standard operation Functions, e.g. Functional elements like radiators, only when released by the control device with voltage be supplied. From a microprocessor or microcontroller controlled devices, the sensor for the Operating fluid can also be queried by the processor then the software for the exhibition is not locks required functions.

A first advantageous embodiment can consist in that when the household appliance is switched on if there is a lack of fuel the lack of fuel signals and after The home appliance expires after a specified waiting time is switched on. The signaling can for example acoustically, optically or electronically to give an alarm.

Another advantageous embodiment can be that when switching on the household appliance in the event of a lack of fuel the lack of fuel signals and, if the required Operating fluid within a predetermined Waiting time is supplied to the home appliance, the home appliance in Standard mode is switched on. This allows the A corresponding lack of detection of a lack of operating material Alarm notification can be given and by switching on later the supply of fuel, for example one subsequent opening of a tap, normal commissioning respectively. The wait can be practical Purposes advantageously in the range between two seconds and fifteen minutes, preferably between ten seconds and five minutes.

According to another advantageous feature, it is proposed that that the home appliance has a memory in which is saved whether the switching on of the household appliance First commissioning or later commissioning. With one during normal operation, i.e. standard operation or when switching on the device in normal Operation occurring shortage of operating materials can be due to this Be reacted differently by the home appliance than in the initial commissioning.

An advantageous further development can consist in that the home appliance when it is started for the first time using the control device transferred to the exhibition if the sensor signals a lack of operating fluid. This can be done with or without signaling the lack of fuel to the user.

Another advantageous development can consist in that the household appliance by means of later commissioning the control device in a partially restricted Standard operation, i.e. a partially expanded one Exhibition operation is moved when the sensor indicates a lack of fuel. In this case can certain operating modes that the fuel not required, activated after initial commissioning remain, even if there is no fuel. For example can with a refrigerator making an ice cube has and this a water connection cooling operation without ice cube production be continued if the water supply fails or is switched off. If the water supply again is produced, the refrigerator can then advantageously automatically start making ice cubes again.

For a household appliance with a memory for storing whether initial commissioning has already taken place an additional advantageous feature can be provided, that the memory content can be changed by an input is. Such an entry can be, for example, the entry a certain code or password or a certain one Function selection, for example using a button or a keyboard shortcut. That way for tests by specialist personnel, for example during final acceptance, during a repair on site or during a trial run in the workshop an already with fuel commissioned device by deleting the information back to its original state via initial commissioning be transferred. This can also be a device that already once operated with fuel, back in the state before the first commissioning or in the exhibition to be brought.

A permanent memory, for example, e.g. serve an EEPROM even after a long break the supply voltage, e.g. on the weekend or during company holidays, can be read again.

The inventive control of home appliances with a Sensor, i.e. ensuring that it remains in the exhibition in the event of a lack of fuel, also in the case of manipulations, Demonstrations and activities of the household appliance, can in principle be used advantageously for all household appliances. In particular, such household appliances from Interest that either has a relatively high power requirement have or represent a certain potential hazard. These include devices for preparing dishes such as stoves, Ovens, steamers, steam ovens, microwave ovens etc., devices for treating laundry such as Washing machines, tumble dryers, devices for storing Food such as refrigerators or freezers (such as those Devices with a water connection, e.g. for ice cube preparation) or utensils for cleaning dishes such as Dishwashers. The invention can relate to functional restrictions relate to the use of electricity, gas, Water, air, compressed air or another operating material require. In particular, stationary ones are used or installed devices of interest because most of them a permanently installed or at least little operated Have supply of fuel so that the Deactivation circuit according to the invention there a special offers high security.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 leaves further advantageous features and special features recognize that based on the schematic representation are described and explained in more detail below.

1 shows a domestic appliance designed according to the invention 1, which is a steam oven. It comprises a microcontroller 2, which is operated by means of a relay 3 an electrical consumer, for example one Radiator 4 can turn on and off. For generation of the steam in the steam oven, the domestic appliance 1 is on a water supply line 5 connected to one Water consumer 6 in the home appliance 1 leads. The water supply 5 can be opened and closed with a valve 7 become.

After establishing the electrical connection and commissioning the power supply is switched on of the household appliance 1 by the microcontroller 2 by means of the Sensor 8, which is a pressure switch checks whether a water connection has been made and the water pressure exceeds a limit. If the Sensor 8 detects that no or insufficient water is supplied through the water supply line 5 is by the microcontroller 2, which serves as a control device, the user, for example, in the display of the household appliance 1 indicates that there is a lack of water.

For example, if you forget to open valve 7, the user can then within a short time do this, whereupon the household appliance 1 does this via the sensor 8 registered and starts its normal operation. If, however, the valve 7 is not opened or that Household appliance 1, for example in an exhibition or on a trade fair is not connected to a water supply line 5 is, the microcontroller 2 it automatically in the Relocate exhibition operations in which the other device functions to the extent permitted, but without turn on the radiator 4.

Claims (10)

Household appliance that has a function that requires the use of electricity, gas, water, air, compressed air or another operating material and that in a standard operation with unrestricted function or in a restricted exhibition operation in which one or more functions of the household appliance are switched off or restricted are operable,
characterized in that
it has a control device with a sensor for the operating fluid which, when the device is switched on, checks whether the operating fluid required for standard operation is present on the domestic appliance and, depending on this, automatically switches the domestic appliance to standard operation or exhibition operation. Domestic appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the sensor is a pressure switch, a pressure sensor, a level meter or one or more components of the operating fluid detecting or analyzing sensor. Domestic appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the domestic appliance is switched on when there is a lack of operating material, the lack of operating material is signaled and after a predetermined waiting time the domestic appliance is switched on in the exhibition mode. Household appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the household appliance is switched on, the lack of operating material signals when there is a lack of operating material and, if the required operating material is supplied to the household appliance within a predetermined waiting time, the domestic appliance is switched on in standard operation. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a memory in which it is stored whether the switching on of the domestic appliance is an initial start-up or a later start-up. Domestic appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that it is put into the exhibition mode by the control device when it is started for the first time when the sensor signals a lack of operating material. Domestic appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that it is put into a partially restricted standard operation and a partially expanded exhibition operation when the sensor is signaled that there is a lack of operating fluid when the device is later put into operation. Domestic appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the memory content can be changed by an input. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a device for processing food, a device for preparing food, a device for treating laundry, a device for storing food or a device for cleaning dishes. Domestic appliance according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a stationary operated device.

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