Whirlpool Corporation

Ettore Arione

Giuseppe Arena

Roberto Lazzarotto

Giorgio Braghini

Matteo Santinato

Davide Parachini

Gianpiero Santacatterina

Diego Neftali Gutierrez

Alessandro Boer

Francesco Del Bello

Paolo Crosta

Anders B Zeijlon

Bjorn Goransson

Rocco Pertigliano

An electronic system for power consumption management of one or more domestic appliances is routinely informed on actual energy tariff through a network control unit or through a predetermined time-table stored in the system. A user interface of the electronic system is provided where the user can set his preference concerning the switch-on time of each appliance and/or function thereof and read the related estimated energy consumption and/or energy cost of the appliance working program.

Electronic system for power consumption management of appliances

An user interface for domestic appliances, particularly for cooking ovens, comprises input and display for showing menus and/or items selected by the user through said input. The input comprises a selection zone where the user's finger can move, the display having at least a portion with a shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the selection zone and showing the result of the finger movement in terms of item or menu selection.

User interface and cooking oven provided with such user interface

A method for detecting the presence of a cooking vessel on an induction heating element is disclosed. The induction element is placed below a glass surface and a conductive electrode placed below the glass surface to detect if a cooking utensil is placed on the induction heating element. The electrode measures capacitance, which indicates to the user whether the cooking utensil is present on one or more induction heating elements. After activation by a user, a second detection of the cooking utensil is accomplished by feeding power to the induction heating element and by assessing at least an electrical parameter of a power circuit thereof.

Method for detecting the presence of a cooking vessel on an induction cooking hob and hob using such method

A capacitive touch switch having a printed circuit board and a capacitive electrode connected to the circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board is transparent and is interposed between a planar light guide provided with a light source and a non-conductive transparent cover, the electrode being icon-shaped and supported by the printed circuit board.

Capacitive touch switch and domestic appliance provided with such switch

A method for automatically controlling the heating/cooking of a food item in a cooking oven having a door, heaters and an oven temperature acquisition system, comprising the steps of measuring the total electrical power (P) absorbed by the oven, measuring the oven temperature, and assessing the actual power (P) transferred to the food item by automatically compensating disturbance factors. A cooking oven is also disclosed.

Process for automatically controlling the heating/cooking of a food item in a cooking oven and cooking oven adapted to carry out such process

A capacitive touch switch having a printed circuit board and capacitive electrode provided on a surface of the printed circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board is interposed between a transparent planar light guide and the electrode, the planar light guide being attached to a first face of a transparent cover whose second face is adapted to be touched by the user, a light source being connected to the printed circuit board and being able to convey light to the planar light guide.

A touch switch for an electrical appliance having a capacitive flat electrode, a light source, a transparent cover and a printed circuit board connected to the electrode is disclosed. The light source is mounted on a face of the printed circuit board opposite the transparent cover and the printed circuit board presents a cut-out for allowing light transmission from the light source towards the transparent cover.

Growing community of inventors

Leggiuno, Italy

Ettore Arione