Advanced radiant electric heater
AssigneeEmerson Electric Co.
InventorsSimon P. Griffiths, Herbert G. Ray
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved heating unit (10) used in a cooktop (12). Operation of the heating unit is by a controller (16). An electric current is applied to a composition heating element (20). The heating element is supported on a cake (24) of insulation material installed in a pan (22) located beneath a glasstop (14) of the cooktop. A thermal sensor (28) senses the temperature of the heating element and supplies an indication of the heating element temperature to the controller which changes the amount of current supplied to the heating element as a function of the sensed temperature.
Claims19
A heating unit adapted to be installed in a cooktop wherein operation of the heating unit is controlled by a controller, said heating unit comprising:
- a heating element to which an electric current is applied to generate heat, said heating element being disposed beneath a glass cooking surface;
- a pan mounted beneath the cooking surface, the pan and the cooking surface defining a cavity, and an insulating member fitting in said pan and supporting said heating element in said pan;
- and
- a thermal sensor for sensing a temperature in the proximity of the heating element and supplying an indication of said temperature to said controller, said controller being responsive to said temperature indication from said thermal sensor to modulate the amount of power supplied to said heating element during a given interval to maintain said temperature in the cavity substantially at a preselected temperature;
- wherein said thermal sensor is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with an underside of said cooking surface,
- wherein said pan has an opening in a surface thereof and said thermal sensor is inserted through said opening and terminating at a point within said pan, said thermal sensor being positioned in a temperature sensing relationship to said heating element.
A heating unit adapted to be installed in a cooktop wherein operation of the heating unit is controlled by a controller, said heating unit comprising:
- a heating element to which an electric current is applied to generate heat, said heating element being disposed beneath a glass cooking surface;
- a pan mounted beneath the cooking surface, and an insulating member fitting in said pan and supporting said heating element in said pan, said pan and said insulating member forming a cavity beneath the cooking surface;
- and
- a thermal sensor for sensing a temperature in the cavity of the heating unit and supplying an indication of said temperature to said controller, said controller being responsive to said temperature indication from said thermal sensor to modulate the amount of power supplied to said heating element during a given interval to maintain said temperature in the cavity substantially at a preselected temperature;
- wherein said thermal sensor is disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with an underside of said cooking surface,
- wherein said pan has an opening in a surface thereof and said thermal sensor is inserted through said opening and terminating at a point within the cavity, said thermal sensor being positioned in a temperature sensing relationship to said cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.