Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, such as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

A cooking system including a housing having a hollow interior and food being receivable within said hollow interior. A support body supports food within the hollow interior and a heating element is positioned to heat the hollow interior and the support body. A temperature sensor is operable to monitor a temperature of the support body. The temperature sensor is located remotely from said heating element.

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to a grill with a continuous cooking surface having individually controllable heating zones separated by one or more isolation zones. One example provides a grill, comprising a continuous cooking surface comprising a plurality of individually controllable heating zones separated by one or more isolation zones, each heating zone comprising a heating zone plate with one or more heating elements disposed beneath the heating zone plate, and each isolation zone comprising an isolation bar joined to adjacent conductive plates of adjacent heating zones, each isolation bar comprising a cooling channel extending at least partially along a length of the isolation bar.

A countertop appliance and related methods of fabrication using a floating mounting assembly to connect a cooking surface to a mounting frame. The floating mounting assembly allows the cooking surface to expand and contract in response to changing temperature without translating these dimensional changes to the mounting frame and negatively impacting the integrity or appearance of the countertop appliance. The floating mounting assembly can include a grommet assembly that connects to elongated apertures defined in the mounting frame. As the cooking surface expands and contracts, the grommet assembly can slide within the elongated aperture. Through the use of the elongated aperture, dimensional changes in the cooking surface are not directly translated to the mounting frame.

Examples are disclosed herein that relate to a grill with a continuous cooking surface having individually controllable heating zones separated by one or more isolation zones. One example provides a grill, comprising a continuous cooking surface comprising a plurality of individually controllable heating zones separated by one or more isolation zones, each heating zone comprising a heating zone plate with one or more heating elements disposed beneath the heating zone plate, and each isolation zone comprising an isolation bar joined to adjacent conductive plates of adjacent heating zones, each isolation bar comprising a cooling channel extending at least partially along a length of the isolation bar.

Provided is an apparatus and method for a digital power supply that can provide independent power control, and control variable power, for two or more electrical loads. Disclosed embodiments may reduce the magnitude of harmonic currents and/or flicker introduced into a power system. Embodiments include a microprocessor that delivers power to electric loads using phase-controlled AC current. The microprocessor may calculate a power array corresponding to a requested power for each electric load. Logic is provided for populating the power array in a pattern that reduces the magnitude of harmonic currents and flicker.

The present invention relates to an electric grill comprising a purification and circulation system for removing oil mist and smoke and, more particularly, to an electric grill comprising a purification and circulation system for removing oil mist and smoke, wherein: a suction hole and a discharge hole are installed around a grill plate; air containing oil mist, smoke, heat, and smell is suctioned through the suction hole, the suctioned air containing, oil mist, smoke, heat, and smell is introduced into the lower portion of the grill by a suction fan, and comes into contact with water on the upper side of an oil pan containing the water, so as to remove the oil mist, smoke, heat, and smell contained therein, and then the purified air is circulated through the discharge hole installed around the grill plate; a filter is disposed so as to completely remove the oil mist, smoke, heat, and smell; and a Coanda air guide is installed so as to facilitate the contact between the oil mist, smoke, heat, and smell and the water, whereby the oil mist, smoke, heat, and smell can be completely removed.

Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.

A cooking device is provided. In one embodiment, the cooking device includes a base having a recessed cavity arranged in a top surface. The cooking device can also include a heating element arranged within the recessed cavity of the base. A first bracket can be positioned on the base, and a cooking plate can be positioned on the top surface of the base. A lid assembly can be provided and can include a cover plate configured to be removably positioned over the cooking plate. The cover plate can include a plurality of through-holes arranged therein. A second bracket can be positioned on the cover plate and it can be configured to couple to the first bracket such that the lid assembly is connected to and rotatable relative to the base.

A cooking system includes a housing having a hollow interior and food is receivable within said hollow interior. A heating element is associated with the housing and a support body supports food within the hollow interior. The support body includes a body having a plurality of diffuser ribs. A plurality of channels is formed between the plurality of diffuser rib and at least one of the plurality of diffuser ribs and the plurality of channels is operable to deflect a relatively downward flowing fluid relatively horizontally across said support body.