A cooking apparatus including a plurality of physically separated glasses and a coupling member coupling the plurality of glasses. The cooking apparatus includes a first glass forming a first region, a second glass forming a second region separated from the first region, and the coupling member configured to couple the first glass and the second glass. Where the coupling member includes an upper flange configured to cover a portion of an upper surface of the first glass and a portion of an upper surface of the second glass to divide the first region and the second region, a lower flange configured to support a portion of a lower surface of the first glass and a portion of a lower surface of the second glass, and a column configured to connect the upper flange and the lower flange.

System and method for controlling a smart cooking appliance, including: at an oven comprising a cooking chamber, a food support platform, and a control unit; detecting a first event corresponding to a start of a cooking process for a food item, wherein a first heating surface of the cooking chamber is operating at a first preset output level; in response to detecting the first event, activating one or more actuators to move the food support platform to a first position; while the food support platform is at the first position and while the first heating surface is operating at the first preset output level, detecting that oven reconfiguration criteria are met; and in response to detecting that the oven reconfiguration criteria are met, activating the one or more actuators to move the food support platform from the first position to a second position that is distinct from the first position.

A heating element for a cooking appliance includes terminals that act as electrically conductive contact points. One or more buses are arranged between the terminals, and connect one or more heating element segments in a zig-zag configuration. The heating element segments are connected in series and are arranged parallel with one another. Each heating element segment includes a plurality of cutouts linked together and having an elliptical shape. The terminals, heating element segments, and buses are a continuous single sheet of conductive material. A method of making the heating element includes forming a pattern into the sheet of conductive material by etching the pattern into the conductive sheet using photolithography.

Cooking apparatus (10) includes heating chamber (4) in which an object to be heated is rested, radiant heater unit (38) provided inside heating chamber (4) and operating in the preheating mode and cooking mode, and a control unit controlling radiant heater unit (38). The control unit is configured to make radiant heater unit (38) operate in the standby mode, which is a mode after the preheating mode ends and until the cooking mode starts. According to this aspect, the surface temperature of radiant heater unit (38) is kept at a high level during the standby mode to suppress uneven browning due to variations in the surface temperature of radiant heater unit (38) when cooking starts.

A heater apparatus includes a heat generating unit, an outer surface, a temperature sensor and a detection unit. A first control portion of an electronic control unit controls temperature of the heat generating unit in such a way that it stops or reduces electric power supply to the heat generating unit, when it determines that an object has been brought into contact with a first region of the outer surface. A second control portion of the electronic control unit controls the temperature of the heat generating unit depending on a detected temperature of the temperature sensor. A third control portion of the electronic control unit controls the temperature of the heat generating unit in such a way that it stops or reduces the electric power supply to the heat generating unit, when it determines that the object has been brought into contact with a second region of the outer surface.

A multi-zone food holding bin has a continuous food supporting surface with multiple food holding zones. Each food holding zone is independently controllable so that different food temperatures may be maintained in adjacent food holding zones.

An electric oven includes a top plate and a bottom plate facing each other, two side plates facing each other, and a rear plate connecting the top plate, the bottom plate and the two side plates where the top plate, the bottom plate, the two side plates and the rear plate define a cavity having a front opening, a door which selectively opens and closes the front opening of the cavity, a casing which surrounds the cavity, a support member interposed between the casing and the cavity, and one or more planar heating elements which extend along one plane, are detachably supported by the support member, and apply radiant heat to the cavity.

A heating element for a cooking appliance includes terminals that act as electrically conductive contact points. One or more buses are arranged between the terminals, and connect one or more heating element segments in a zig-zag configuration. The heating element segments are connected in series and are arranged parallel with one another. Each heating element segment includes a plurality of cutouts linked together and having an elliptical shape. The terminals, heating element segments, and buses are a continuous single sheet of conductive material. A method of making the heating element includes forming a pattern into the sheet of conductive material by etching the pattern into the conductive sheet using photolithography.

A multi-zone food holding bin has a continuous food supporting surface with multiple food holding zones. Each food holding zone is independently controllable so that different food temperatures may be maintained in adjacent food holding zones.

An oven has a first conveyor, a first burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from above the first conveyor, and a second burner that directs heat toward the first conveyor from below the first conveyor. A method includes providing foodstuff on a conveyor, exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from above the conveyor, and exposing the foodstuff to heat directed toward the foodstuff from below the conveyor. Another oven has a first conveyor and first conveyor insulators that surround the first conveyor and define a first zone. Another method includes introducing foodstuff to a first conveyor belt within a first insulated zone, introducing heat into the first insulated zone, and retaining a portion of the heat within the first insulated zone. Another oven has an insulated cooking zone that closely envelopes a cooking path and an insulated oven zone that substantially envelopes the cooking zone.