Induction cook-top with improved touch control

In an induction cooking system the combination comprising:

• a plurality of induction heating coils operable at a plurality of power levels;
• energization means for electrically energizing said plurality of induction heating coils;
• at least one touch control pad associated with each of said plurality of induction heating coils for being touched by an operator to generate energization control signals, said at least one touch control pad generating energization control signals in response to grounding of the touched said at least one control pad by the body of the operator;
• means responsive to said energization control signals generated by said at least one touch control pad for actuating and controlling said energization means to thereby vary the energization of said plurality of induction heating coils;
• and
• circuit means for maintaining said at least one touch control pad operable when an operator is in contact with a pan disposed adjacent said plurality of induction heating coils by eliminating the influence of electrical noise transferred from said plurality of induction heating coils, through the body of the operator and impressed upon the touched touch control pad.

In an induction cooking system the combination comprising:

• a plurality of induction heating coils operable at a plurality of power levels;
• energization means for electrically energizing said plurality of induction heating coils;
• a first touch control pad associated with each one of said plurality of induction heating coils for being touched by an operator to ground said first touch control pad at the potential of the body of the operator to increase the output of said energization means to thereby increase the power level of said associated one of said plurality of induction heating coils;
• a second touch control pad associated with each one of said plurality of induction heating coils for being touched by an operator to ground said second control pad at the potential of the body of the operator to decrease the output of said energization means to thereby decrease the power level of said associated one of said plurality of induction heating coils;
• means responsive to said energization control signals generated by said first and second touch control pads for actuating and controlling said energization means to thereby vary the energization of said plurality of induction heating coils;
• a high impedance resistive voltage divider means interconnected to said first and second touch control pads associated with each one of said plurality of induction heating coils;
• and
• means for applying a high voltage level to said high impedance resistive voltage divider means such that said high impedance resistive voltage divider means and said means for applying a high voltage level maintain said first and second touch control pads operable when an operator of the induction cooking system is in contact with a cooking utensil disposed adjacent one of said plurality of induction heating coils and electrical noise is transferred from said plurality of induction heating coils, through the body of the operator and impressed upon said first and second touch controls.