A cooking apparatus and a method of controlling the cooking apparatus. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking chamber, a rotating plate rotatably installed at a bottom of an inside of the cooking chamber and including a plurality of areas formed on a top surface thereof, and a first heating portion installed in the cooking chamber and configured to supply heat to a first area of the plurality of areas when the first area is moved to a heating position by the rotating plate being rotatably driven.

The present invention has an object to provide a vacuum electric cooker as can be easily worked by an operator and as can minimize a stress to be applied to the container. The vacuum electric cooker of this invention includes a cooker body having a horizontal base and a stand section, a cooker container including a cooking tool, a cover member having a discharge nozzle, a connecting arm having a base end attached to the stand section as to rock in a vertical plane between a horizontal active position and a vertical inactive position. A connecting nozzle is attached to the connecting arm and connected to the discharge nozzle when the connecting arm is at the active position. A vacuum pump is disposed in the cooker body, and a tube is connected to the vacuum pump and the connecting nozzle.

A cooking apparatus includes a body, an input unit configured to receive a command in relation to controlling the cooking apparatus from a user, a knob configured to be attachable to one surface of the body or detachable from the body, and a controller configured to sense whether the knob is attached to the body, to receive the command via the knob when the knob is attached, and to receive the command from the input unit when the knob is not attached. As is apparent from the above description, the cooking apparatus may be controlled according to a user's preferences by using the knob attachable to and detachable from the body of the cooking apparatus and may be more conveniently controlled by using the knob in several sides of the cooking apparatus rather than a limited space.

A cooking apparatus includes a body, an input unit configured to receive a command in relation to controlling the cooking apparatus from a user, a knob configured to be attachable to one surface of the body or detachable from the body, and a controller configured to sense whether the knob is attached to the body, to receive the command via the knob when the knob is attached, and to receive the command from the input unit when the knob is not attached. As is apparent from the above description, the cooking apparatus may be controlled according to a user's preferences by using the knob attachable to and detachable from the body of the cooking apparatus and may be more conveniently controlled by using the knob in several sides of the cooking apparatus rather than a limited space.

A counter top cooking appliance has an enclosure defining a cooking chamber arranged to receive a cooking pan. The cooking chamber includes a lower heating element arranged so that the cooking pan may be supported thereon to receive conductive heating there-from, and an upper heating element disposed above and spaced from the cooking pan to provide radiant heating to food there-within. The enclosure includes an upper portion including the upper heating element, and a lower portion including the lower heating element, and a hinge connecting the upper portion to the lower portion. The hinge enables the upper portion to rest atop the lower portion to define the cooking chamber, and alternatively enables the upper portion to be swung relative to the lower portion so that the upper and lower portions are in a parallel side-by-side relationship and both heating elements are arranged so that the cooking pan may be supported on either thereof to receive conductive heating there-from.

A counter top cooking appliance has an enclosure defining a cooking chamber arranged to receive a cooking pan. The cooking chamber includes a lower heating element arranged so that the cooking pan may be supported thereon to receive conductive heating there-from, and an upper heating element disposed above and spaced from the cooking pan to provide radiant heating to food there-within. The enclosure includes an upper portion including the upper heating element, and a lower portion including the lower heating element, and a hinge connecting the upper portion to the lower portion. The hinge enables the upper portion to rest atop the lower portion to define the cooking chamber, and alternatively enables the upper portion to be swung relative to the lower portion so that the upper and lower portions are in a parallel side-by-side relationship and both heating elements are arranged so that the cooking pan may be supported on either thereof to receive conductive heating there-from.

An induction cooking device includes: a top plate on which an object to be heated is to be placed; a housing including a frame plate to which the top plate is adhered; a coil unit disposed inside the housing and pressed against the bottom surface of the top plate; and a locking mechanism that is attached to the bottom surface of the top plate and supports the top plate. The locking mechanism includes an engagement component including an engagement portion located a predetermined distance below the frame plate.

An induction cooking device includes: a top plate on which an object to be heated is to be placed; a housing including a frame plate to which the top plate is adhered; a coil unit disposed inside the housing and pressed against the bottom surface of the top plate; and a locking mechanism that is attached to the bottom surface of the top plate and supports the top plate. The locking mechanism includes an engagement component including an engagement portion located a predetermined distance below the frame plate.

A control element for a household appliance includes an antenna for communicating with an external data source. The antenna can be formed by a cap which is connected to a housing of the control element and is retractable in relation to the housing by a retraction mechanism accommodated in the housing. A transmit/receive unit is supported by the cap and is connected to flexible conductor paths for conveying received or transmitted data.

A control element for a household appliance includes an antenna for communicating with an external data source. The antenna can be formed by a cap which is connected to a housing of the control element and is retractable in relation to the housing by a retraction mechanism accommodated in the housing. A transmit/receive unit is supported by the cap and is connected to flexible conductor paths for conveying received or transmitted data.