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US 12,584,636 B2Granted
Sol-gel coated glass ceramic induction cooktop
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsMargherita Basso, Ermanno Buzzi, Christine Nortey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooking appliance with a cooktop includes a glass-ceramic substrate with a top surface for receiving cookware thereon for heating. The surface includes a coating formed by applying a sol-gel coating to the surface after the surface is roughened to increase the surface roughness of the top surface and improve adhesion of the coating thereon. The sol-gel coating forms a matte finish on the cooktop while having anti-stick properties for cleanability.
Claims20
A method of forming a cooking appliance, comprising:
- providing a glass-ceramic substrate having a top surface for supporting cookware for heating thereon;
- processing at least portions of the top surface to increase a surface roughness of the portions of the top surface as compared with adjacent non-roughened portions of the top surface, and form a roughened portion of the top surface;
- applying a sol-gel coating on at least the roughened top surface;
- and
- curing the sol-gel coating to form a matte surface at the roughened portion of the top surface, the matte surface having a lower gloss finish and a greater opacity as compared to the adjacent non-roughened portions of the top surface.
2 more elements
A method of forming a cooking appliance comprising:
- providing a glass-ceramic substrate having a top surface for supporting cookware for heating thereon;
- masking portions of the top surface to define uncoated portions adjacent to processing portions;
- processing the processing portions of the top surface to increase a surface roughness of the top surface and form a roughened top surface;
- applying a sol-gel coating including one or more metal alkoxide or polymer precursors on the roughened top surface;
- and
- curing the sol-gel coating to form a matte surface having a greater opacity and a lower gloss finish than the uncoated portions of the top surface.
3 more elements
A cooking appliance comprising:
- a glass-ceramic substrate having a top surface for supporting cookware for heating thereon, and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the top surface having a surface roughness greater than the bottom surface and defining at least one uncoated region adjacent to a coated region;
- and
- a matte anti-stick coating on the top surface, the matte anti-stick coating having a smoothness greater than a smoothness of the at least one uncoated region, and the matte anti-stick coating having a greater opacity than the at least one uncoated region of the top surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.