An apparatus includes a heater with a heating element having a region that does not contain a surface heating portion of the heating element and a thermostat positioned in the region. The thermostat includes a contact surface disposed to make physical contact with an object placed on the surface heating portion and a switch configured to prevent a current from conducting through the heating element when the contact surface experiences a temperature equal to or greater than a temperature limit.

A cook top includes an inputter configured to receive input of a user manipulation, and a cooker configured to heat a cooking device placed on the cook top. A communicator is configured to perform communication with a user terminal device and a range hood. A processor is configured to: control an operating state of the cooker according to the user manipulation, transmit a signal for controlling an operating state of the range hood to correspond to the operating state of the cooker to the range hood, and control the communicator to transmit state information of the cook top that includes information of the operating state of the cooker to the user terminal device.

A sensor holder apparatus for a cooktop comprises a body forming an exterior profile configured to extend through a portion of a housing of the cooktop and position a sensor proximate to an interior surface of a panel forming a cooking surface. A first interior passage is formed through the body and configured to receive the sensor in a first configuration or type. At least one second interior passage is configured to receive the sensor in a second configuration or type. The sensor holder is configured to retain and position the sensor in the first configuration or the second configuration in conductive connection with a panel forming a cooking surface of the cooktop.

An induction cooker has a temperature sensor mount that includes a reciprocating sensor holder and a flexible diaphragm.

A cook top includes an inputter configured to receive input of a user manipulation, and a cooker configured to heat a cooking device placed on the cook top. A communicator is configured to perform communication with a user terminal device and a range hood. A processor is configured to: control an operating state of the cooker according to the user manipulation, transmit a signal for controlling an operating state of the range hood to correspond to the operating state of the cooker to the range hood, and control the communicator to transmit state information of the cook top that includes information of the operating state of the cooker to the user terminal device.

The present invention relates to a cooking hob (10) comprising at least one cooking area (12) and at least one user interface (14), wherein the cooking area (12) is subdivided into cooking zones, each cooking zone is activatable at a predefined power level and the user interface (14) comprises a position indicator device (18) for indicating a position of at least one cooking vessel on the cooktop.

A cooktop device, in particular an induction cooktop device, includes a base component and an articulated arm having a first arm part and a second arm part, with the articulated arm bearing exactly one heating element. A joint supports the second arm part for movement relative to the first arm part, and a suspension connects the first arm part to the base component.

A low profile spring bracket for a heating element of a cooktop appliance includes features that allow the bracket to move along the axial direction in a smooth fashion with minimal force. In this way, a temperature sensor attached thereto can maintain contact with a cooking utensil placed on the heating element.

An apparatus includes a heater with a heating element having a region that does not contain a surface heating portion of the heating element and a thermostat positioned in the region. The thermostat includes a contact surface disposed to make physical contact with an object placed on the surface heating portion and a switch configured to prevent a current from conducting through the heating element when the contact surface experiences a temperature equal to or greater than a temperature limit.

A cooktop appliance includes an electric heating element positioned below a ceramic plate. A temperature sensor is positioned proximate a bottom surface of the ceramic plate. The temperature sensor may be offset from a center of the electric heating element. A controller is configured to receive a plurality of temperature measurements from the temperature sensor, determine a change between the plurality of temperature measurements over time, calculate a value of a control criterion with the change between the plurality of temperature measurements over time, and open a relay in response to the value of the control criterion passing a threshold value. A related method for operating a cooktop appliance is also provided.