Glass-ceramic cooktop burner assembly having an optical sensor
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJerome Johnson Tiemann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The field of view of an optical sensor used in a burner assembly of a glass-ceramic cooktop appliance is improved by providing the burner assembly with a wide angle optical element. The burner assembly includes a burner casing having a bore formed therein. The optical sensor is located in the lower end of the bore, and the wide angle optical element is located in the upper end of the bore. The wide angle optical element directs radiation from over the entire heated portion of the glass-ceramic plate onto the optical sensor. The a wide angle optical element also prevents dust from falling onto the sensor. In one preferred embodiment, the wide angle optical element is a Fresnel lens.
Claims17
A burner assembly for a cooktop appliance, said burner assembly comprising:
- a burner casing having a bore formed therein, said bore having an upper end and a lower end;
- a sensor located in said lower end of said bore;
- and
- a wide angle optical element located in said upper end of said bore.
A burner assembly for a cooktop appliance having a glass-ceramic cooking surface, said burner assembly comprising:
- a burner casing located under said glass-ceramic cooking surface and having a bore formed therein, said bore having an upper end and a lower end;
- an energy source secured to said burner casing;
- a sensor located in said lower end of said bore so as to receive radiation from said glass-ceramic cooking surface;
- and
- a Fresnel lens located in said upper end of said bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.