An induction cooktop includes: a cover plate with at least one cooking point; a holding plate; at least one inductive heating coil arranged between the cover plate and the holding plate; at least one electronics housing fastened to a side of the holding plate facing away from the at least one inductive heating coil and having electronics for the at least one inductive heating coil; and a lower box closing off the induction cooktop at a bottom of the induction cooktop, the lower box being open at a top thereof. The at least one electronics housing is arranged in the lower box. The holding plate covers the lower box at the top. The retaining plate is connected in a force-transmitting manner to the lower box in an assembly state of the induction cooktop.

lower boxlower boxlower boxlower boxlower boxlower box An induction cooktop includes: a cover plate with at least one cooking point; a retaining plate; at least one inductive heating coil arranged in an intermediate space between the cover plate and the retaining plate; at least one electronics housing fastened to a side of the retaining plate facing away from the at least one heating coil and having electronics for the at least one heating coil; and a lower box closing off the induction cooktop at a bottom of the induction cooktop, the lower box being open at a top of the lower box. The at least one electronics housing with the electronics is arranged in the lower box. The retaining plate covers the lower box at the top of the lower box. The induction cooktop includes a fan for generating a primary cooling air flow for cooling the electronics in the lower box. At least one cooling air opening is arranged in the retaining plate.

A knob assembly includes a light guide and a control knob that is independently rotatable relative to the light guide. The light guide is positioned at an aperture formed on a surface such that the light guide receives light emitted by a light source positioned below the surface along a vertical direction. The light guide also defines a guide opening, and further includes an opaque and translucent region. The control knob defines a light opening and is rotatably coupled to a stem extending through the guide opening. The control knob is rotatable between a first and second position. In the first position, the light opening is positioned entirely over the opaque region of the light guide along the vertical direction. In the second position, the light opening is positioned entirely over the translucent region of the light guide along the vertical direction. A related cooktop appliance is provided.

A method includes: obtaining temperature-related information which is related to temperatures at portions of a cooking container, using a processor; recognizing an edge of the cooking container disposed in a cooking device that cooks by heating, and identifying an overheated portion in the edge where a temperature exceeds a threshold value, based on the temperature-related information using the processor; and transmitting emission instruction information to a light emitter, and causing the light emitter to emit light to the identified overheated portion.

A method for operating a cooktop appliance is provided. The method includes determining a temperature of a cooking utensil positioned on a heating element of the cooktop appliance, as well as determining a temperature of a food in the utensil positioned on the heating element of the cooktop appliance. The method also includes calculating a temperature differential between the temperatures of the food in the cooking utensil and of the cooking utensil itself. Subsequently, the method includes controlling a heating temperature of the heating element to reduce the temperature differential when the temperature differential is greater than a predetermined threshold to, e.g., reduce a risk of burning a portion of the food in the utensil.

A cooking appliance having a cooktop that is regulated by a fire prevention module is provided. In addition to its fire prevention and safety features, the fire prevention module includes a communication module that enables communication between the cooktop appliance and a remote device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer. Using this communication link, the fire prevention module can be used to expand the ability of a user to monitor and/or control operation of the cooktop appliance from a remote location. For example, using a software application on their smartphone, a user may monitor the temperature of a cooking utensil and initiate a particular cooking profile, or be notified when an unsafe cooking condition might be present and that the cooktop unit has been automatically deactivated to remedy the situation.

A cooking appliance includes a plurality of electrically controlled heating elements operable to elevate a temperature of food items. A user interface includes a touch-sensitive circuit that is operatively-connected to an external surface of the cooking appliance for altering operational settings of the electrically controlled heating elements. An electrovibration feedback circuit is coupled to the external surface that generates a vibratory feedback that is sensible by the user's finger at the external surface in response to adjustments of the operational settings. The electrovibration feedback circuit creates an electrostatic force on the user's finger that simulates friction between the user's finger and the external surface.

A cooktop appliance or heating element, as provided herein, may include a sensor support assembly positioned within a heating zone of the heating element. The sensor support assembly may include a shroud cover and a thermostat. The thermostat may be mounted to the shroud cover. The thermostat may include a base and a top cap held on the base. The top cap may be positioned above the shroud cover and spaced apart therefrom. A vertical air gap may be defined between the top cap and the shroud cover.

The invention relates to a cooking apparatus for simultaneous cooking of a plurality of food items. The apparatus has a control unit (1) with a conductor (7) arranged to be connected to an electric energy supply and has switching means 10. According to the invention the control unit (1) is provided with a plurality of electrical connection means (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d). Each connection means (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) is arranged to be connectable to a cooking pot (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) for supply of electric energy to a respective cooking pot (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d). The control unit (1) is arranged to allow simultaneous supply of electric energy through the plurality of 1 connection means (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d). The invention also relates to a cooking pot (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) with heating means (3a, 3b, 3c) to supply heat to a food item (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d). The cooking pot (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) has an electric connection unit (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d). The connection unit (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d) is arranged to be connected to either one of a plurality of 20 connection means (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) of a control unit (1). The invention also relates to a corresponding method for cooking.

A household device, in particular a refrigeration device, includes an electronic control device configured to control at least one function of the household device, an input device connected to the control device, having at least one input and being configured to supply an assigned control signal to the control device, based on a manual actuation of the at least one input. An input locking device, in its locked state, is configured to prevent controlling of the function of the household device, despite the at least one input being actuated, and in its unlocked state, is configured to permit controlling of the function of the household device when the at least one input is actuated. The input locking device is configured and/or constructed for shifting the input locking device into the locked state, after the at least one input has not been actuated over a predefined time period.