Cooking appliance
AssigneeCeramaspeed Limited
InventorKevin Ronald McWilliams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooking appliance includes a cooking plate (10) and a radiant electric heater (2) having multiple heating zones (12, 14, 16) arranged substantially side-by-side. A temperature sensing assembly (34) incorporates an electrical component (42) located in a position confined within a first heating zone (12) and having an electrical parameter which changes as a function of temperature. Electronic control apparatus (30) is connected to the electrical component (42) by means of electrical leads (44), the electronic control apparatus being adapted to detect the number of heating zones that are energised and to control energisation of the heater in dependence thereon.
Claims17
A cooking appliance characterised by:
- a cooking plate (10);
- at least one radiant electric heater (2) located behind the cooking plate, the heater having:
- multiple heating zones (12, 14, 16) arranged substantially side-by-side and each provided with at least one electric heating element (18, 20, 22), a first heating zone (12) being arranged to be energised alone and together with one or more further zones (14, 16) of the multiple heating zones, and
- a temperature sensing assembly (34) for sensing a temperature of the cooking plate and incorporating an electrical component (42) located in a position confined within the first heating zone (12) and having an electrical parameter which changes as a function of temperature;
- and
- electronic control apparatus (30) for the at least one heater (2) connected to the electrical component (42) by means of electrical leads (44), wherein the electronic control apparatus is adapted to detect the number of heating zones of the at least one heater that are energised and to control energisation of the heater in dependence thereon.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the at least one heater (2) is provided with a dish-like support (4) comprising or incorporating a base (6) of thermal and electrical insulation material, the heating elements of the heating zones being supported relative to the base.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the electrical component (42) comprises a resistance temperature detector whose electrical resistance changes as a function of temperature.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the temperature sensing assembly (34) comprises a probe which extends from a periphery of the at least one heater (2) across a plurality of the multiple heating zones (12, 14, 16).
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the cooking plate (10) comprises glass-ceramic material.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the electronic control apparatus (30) is adapted to control energisation of the heater (2) in dependence upon the detected electrical parameter of the electrical component and predicted temperature of the cooking plate (10) covering that area of the cooking plate occupied by the heater.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the electronic control apparatus (30) is adapted to provide an initial temperature boost setting, in respect of the cooking plate (10), having regard to a selected energised heating zone or combination of energised heating zones.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the electronic control apparatus (30) is adapted to provide an initial rate of increase of temperature, in respect of the cooking plate (10), having regard to a selected energised heating zone or combination of energised heating zones.
An appliance as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that the electronic control apparatus (30) comprises a microprocessor-based controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.