An induction heating type cooktop includes a cover plate that is coupled to a top of a case and that includes an upper plate configured to seat an object to be heated, a working coil disposed inside the case and configured to heat the object, an insulator disposed between a bottom surface of the upper plate and the working coil, and a thin film that is disposed on at least one of a top surface of the upper plate or the bottom surface of the upper plate and that includes a plurality of sub-films that are arranged about a central portion of the thin film. An outer boundary of one of the plurality of sub-films is positioned radially outward of an outer boundary of another of the plurality of sub-films relative to the central portion of the thin film.

An induction heating type cooktop includes a cover plate that is coupled to a top of a case and that includes an upper plate configured to seat an object to be heated, a working coil disposed inside the case and configured to heat the object, an insulator disposed between a bottom surface of the upper plate and the working coil, and a thin film that is disposed on at least one of a top surface of the upper plate or the bottom surface of the upper plate and that includes a plurality of sub-films that are arranged about a central portion of the thin film. An outer boundary of one of the plurality of sub-films is positioned radially outward of an outer boundary of another of the plurality of sub-films relative to the central portion of the thin film.

A food warming system involving a heat sink component, a warming plate, and an intervening insulation and heat- or fire-resistant layer that moderates the flow of heat from a charged heat sink component to the warming plate on which a vessel containing food is placed to maintain food in a heat-regulated state.

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 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.

An electric heater includes a substrate, a first outer pattern part disposed on one surface of the substrate and to connect with a pair of first electrodes, a second outer pattern part to connect with the pair of first electrodes in parallel with the first outer pattern part and to be spaced apart from the first outer pattern part, and an inner pattern part disposed on one surface of the substrate so as to be located such that the first outer pattern part and the second outer pattern part surround the inner pattern part, to be spaced apart from the first outer pattern part and the second outer pattern part, and to connect with a pair of second electrodes spaced apart from the pair of first electrodes.

An electric stovetop includes a vitroceramic top part, an electric heating element built-in below the top part, and a bottom box with the electric heating element mounted through the bottom box. The electrical heating element can include parallel and equidistant tracks defining a rectangular heating area. Each track is divided into three segments, a large central part and two smaller end parts. Each track is positioned corresponding to a sliding button for controlling power to start heating and to control intensity of heat. The sliding button sets each track according to at least three stages of activation: no power, power to the central part, and power to the smaller ends. There can be an intermediate position defined by a midpoint with a tactile stop to indicate the transition from the second stage to the third stage.

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 method is provided for producing a glass or glass ceramic article that includes: providing a sheet-like glass or glass ceramic substrate having two opposite faces, which in the visible spectral range from 380 nm to 780 nm exhibits light transmittance of at least 1% for visible light that passes from one face to the opposite face; providing an opaque coating on one face where the coating exhibits light transmittance of not more than 5% in the visible spectral range from 380 nm to 780 nm; and directing a pulsed laser beam onto the opaque coating and locally removing the coating by ablation down to the surface of the glass or glass ceramic article, repeatedly at different locations, thereby producing a pattern of a multitude of openings defining a perforated area in the opaque coating, so that the opaque coating becomes semi-transparent in the area.

A method is provided for producing a glass or glass ceramic article that includes: providing a sheet-like glass or glass ceramic substrate having two opposite faces, which in the visible spectral range from 380 nm to 780 nm exhibits light transmittance of at least 1% for visible light that passes from one face to the opposite face; providing an opaque coating on one face where the coating exhibits light transmittance of not more than 5% in the visible spectral range from 380 nm to 780 nm; and directing a pulsed laser beam onto the opaque coating and locally removing the coating by ablation down to the surface of the glass or glass ceramic article, repeatedly at different locations, thereby producing a pattern of a multitude of openings defining a perforated area in the opaque coating, so that the opaque coating becomes semi-transparent in the area.