# US 2014/0190956 A1 · Safety device and method for electric heating appliances

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- Number: US 2014/0190956 A1
- Document ID: US20140190956A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/204,127
- Filed: 2014-03-11
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2008-09-19
- Assignees: Conair Corporation
- Inventors: DANIEL LEE SANDERS; JONATHAN G. BERERA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190956A1

## CPC

- H02J 3/14: by switching loads on to, or off from, the networks, e.g. progressively balanced loading
- A47J 37/0871: {Accessories}
- H02J 2105/42: Home appliances
- Y02B 70/30: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
- Y02B 70/3225: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
- Y04S 20/222: Demand response systems, e.g. load shedding, peak shaving
- Y04S 20/242: Home appliances
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

An appliance includes a plurality of electrical loads and a load control circuit including at least a clock enable circuit and a full power timer. The clock enable circuit is configured and operatively connected to activate the full power timer when all of the loads are energized, and the full power timer is configured and operatively connected to de-energize at least one load selected from the plurality of loads on reaching a predetermined full power time limit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for reducing current in an electrical appliance having a design current limit, a full power current characteristic of a full power condition, and a safety factor, comprising:
setting a cycle time limit;
setting a full power time limit based on at least the cycle time limit, the design current, the full power current, and the safety factor;
sensing whether the appliance is in the full power condition;
incrementing a full power time toward the full power time limit while the appliance is in the full power condition; and
reducing the current in the appliance below the full power current when the full power time reaches the full power time limit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
incrementing a cycle time while the appliance receives power; and
resetting the cycle time and the full power time to zero when the cycle time reaches the predetermined cycle time limit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the cycle time is incremented by a programmable timer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the full power time is incremented by a programmable timer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a plurality of voltage contacts having associated threshold voltages characteristic of the full power condition, and sensing whether the appliance is in the full power condition further comprises:
sensing voltages from the plurality of voltage contacts while the appliance is energized; and
comparing the sensed voltages to the threshold voltages,
thereby sensing whether the appliance is in the full power condition.