A cooktop device includes at least one heater arrangement, and at least one control unit configured to define in at least one operating mode a number of virtual heating zones with different heat output densities depending on a size of the cookware. The virtual heating zones are formed by adjacently arranged heating elements of the heater arrangement of a number or size sufficient to heat the cookware.

A heating appliance includes a heating structure having a lower surface and a flat upper surface for supporting and imparting heat into an object, such a pot or pan used to cook food. The heating structure includes an array of heating elements arranged on the lower surface of the heating structure in an mn array having m columns and n rows. Each element is thermally coupled to a region of the structure for heating its respective region of the structure independently of other regions of the structure associated with the other heating elements.

Methods of manufacturing a heater are provided that generally include forming a laminate having a dielectric layer, a first double-sided adhesive dielectric layer, and a conductive layer. Next, a circuit pattern is created into the conductive layer, and then the circuit pattern is covered with a second double-sided adhesive dielectric layer. The second double-sided adhesive dielectric layer is covered with a sacrificial layer, and then the heater is formed, the heater comprising the dielectric layer, the first double-sided adhesive dielectric layer, the conductive layer, and the second double-sided adhesive dielectric layer. Subsequently, the sacrificial layer is removed.

An apparatus is provided, by way of example, a heater for use in semiconductor processing equipment, that includes a base functional layer having at least one functional zone. A substrate is secured to the base functional layer, and a tuning layer is secured to the substrate opposite the base functional layer. The tuning layer includes a plurality of zones that is greater in number than the zones of the base functional layer, and the tuning layer has lower power than the base functional layer. Further, a component, such as a chuck by way of example, is secured to the tuning layer opposite the substrate. The substrate defines a thermal conductivity to dissipate a requisite amount of power from the base functional layer.

The present invention relates to an induction coil assembly (10) for an induction cooking hob. The induction coil assembly (10) comprises at least one coil winding (15), at least one lower electrically isolating sheet (14) and optionally at least one thermally insulating sheet (16). The coil winding (15) is dedicated to one lower electrically isolating sheet (14) and one thermally insulating sheet (16). The coil winding (15) is arranged above the dedicated lower electrically isolating sheet (14), while the thermally insulating sheet (16) is arranged above the dedicated coil winding (15). The induction coil assembly (10) comprises a carrier plate (12) provided for supporting the lower electrically isolating sheet (14), the coil winding (15) and the thermally insulating sheet (16). The carrier plate (12) is made of a metal sheet, preferably an aluminium sheet, or of a plastic sheet. The induction coil assembly (10) comprises at least two power cables (30) for each coil winding (15) connected to the dedicated coil winding (15) on the one hand and connectable or connected to a power supply unit of the induction cooking hob on the other hand. The induction coil assembly (10) is installable or installed within the induction cooking hob and between a coil carrier (28) and a glass ceramic panel of said induction cooking hob. The power cables (30) are at least partially arranged at a bottom side of the carrier plate (12) and act as spring elements, so that the induction coil assembly (10) can be pressed or is pressed against the glass ceramic panel of the induction cooking hob.

A method of manufacturing a heater includes forming a first laminate having a first double-sided adhesive dielectric layer, a sacrificial layer, and a conductive layer. The first double sided adhesive layer is disposed between the sacrificial layer and the conductive layer. Next, a circuit pattern is created into the conductive layer, followed by covering the circuit pattern with a second double-sided adhesive dielectric layer. Thereafter, the second double-sided adhesive dielectric layer is covered with a dielectric layer to form a second laminate. Finally, the sacrificial layer is completely removed to form the heater comprising the first double-sided adhesive dielectric layer, the circuit pattern, the second double-sided adhesive layer, and the dielectric layer.

A cooktop includes a plurality of heating elements, a user interface for inputting a power level, a detection assembly for detecting a position and size of at least one cookware element, and a control unit designed to combine a plurality of heating elements into a heating zone depending on the detected size and position of the cookware element and to operate the heating elements of the heating zone with a total heat output. In order to ensure a reproducible total heat output, the control unit is designed to calculate a bottom surface of the cookware element from the measurands of the detection assembly and to determine the total heat output depending on power level and bottom surface.

A thermal array system is provided. The system includes a first thermal element and a second thermal element connected between a first node and a second node. The first thermal element being activated and the second thermal element being deactivated by a first polarity of the first node relative to the second node. Further, the first thermal element being deactivated and the second thermal element being activated by a second polarity of the first node relative to the second node.

An induction heating cooker includes a plurality of heating coils to heat a container, an inverter having a plurality of switching elements to be operated such that a high-frequency voltage is selectively supplied to the plurality of heating coils, and a control unit to control the operations of the plurality of switching elements such that the high-frequency voltage is time-divisionally supplied to a heating coil, on which the container is positioned, among the plurality of heating coils. By this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of inverters and manufacturing costs. In addition, since the thickness of the cooker is reduced, it is possible to reduce the overall size of the cooker.

Disclosed herein is a cooking apparatus including a cooking plate, induction heating coils installed under the cooking plate, a vessel sensor configured to detect a cooking vessel while the cooking vessel is placed on the cooking plate, a driving assembly including a driving circuit configured to generate a driving current and distribute the driving current to each of the induction heating coils, and a sub assembly including a vessel sensing circuit configured to determine one or more of the induction heating coils overlapping the cooking vessel based on an output of the vessel sensor. The sub assembly may be separated from the driving assembly.