A countertop appliance temperature controller configured to provide improved temperature control of a resistive heating element heated cooking surface of a countertop appliance through the use of a noncontact thermal sensor. The temperature controller including a pair of electrical output contacts selectively coupleable to the resistive heating element of the countertop appliance, a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the cooking surface of the countertop appliance, a noncontact temperature sensor configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface of the countertop appliance, and a thermostat configured to adjust an electrical output of the pair of electrical output contacts to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and a perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface based on the received temperature information.

An apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heater comprising a heating element having a region that does not contain a surface heating portion. The apparatus further includes a thermostat positioned in the region. The thermostat includes a contact surface disposed to make contact with an object placed on the surface heating portion. The thermostat includes 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. The apparatus further includes a medallion coupled to the thermostat and positioned below a top surface of the heating element, the medallion comprising an aperture shaped to allow the contact surface to extend through the aperture to make contact with the object. The apparatus includes an urging element configured to provide vertical movement of the medallion in response to a downward force applied from the object.

A glass-ceramic cooking apparatus and a method relating to temperature limiting control of the glass heating area for preventing cooking oil ignition is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one glass surface, at least one heat source under the glass to create a heating area on the glass, one temperature sensor and one control unit for each heat source, wherein the sensor measures the temperature on the underside the glass heating area, and the control unit is electrically connected with the heat source, compares the measured glass temperature with predetermined upper and lower temperature limits that are based on a corresponding relationship between the heating area temperature and the cooking oil temperature within the cooking vessel, and then reduces or increases the output power of the heating source, so that the maximum temperature of the cooking oil in the cooking vessel can be limited in a range that is below the cooking oil ignition point while a minimum temperature can still be maintained for a desired cooking performance.

A range has burner coil elements which have temperature switches as a portion of the replaceable coils. Upon reaching a predetermined temperature, the switch opens and power through the burner element is secured. The burner elements are preferably open coil units. Lowering the temperature in a cooking utensil below common ignition temperatures while still allowing boiling is an objective of many embodiments.

A stovetop assembly where on/off status of a burner is controlled, at least in part, based upon whether the body of a cookware vessel is: (i) placed on a burner to complete an electrical circuit (for example direct current conductive circuit) or magnetic circuit; or (ii) removed from the burner to break the electrical or magnetic circuit. Also, a control box with a tether line extending therefrom that controls on/off status of a burner based, at least in part, upon whether a clip at a distal end of the tether line is mechanically connected to a cookware vessel.

The present disclosure relates to an induction heating device comprising: a heating coil provided in a main body; a knob switch, detachable from and attachable to a knob area formed on one surface of the main body, for adjusting a heating power of the heating coil by rotation when attached to the knob area; a resonance detecting unit for outputting a frequency pulse corresponding to an impedance inflection point that varies according to a degree of rotation of the knob switch; and a controller for controlling the heating power of the heating coil according to the frequency pulse.

A cooktop appliance or heating coil assembly, as provided herein, may include a spiral wound sheathed heating element, a thermostat, a heat transfer disk, and a threaded coupling. The thermostat may include a base and a top cap held on the base. The thermostat may be connected to a heating element. The thermostat may be spring loaded such that a distal end of the thermostat is urged away from a top surface of the heating element. The heat transfer disk may be positioned above the top cap. The threaded coupling may extend between the top cap and the heat transfer disk and may connect the top cap to the heat transfer disk. The threaded coupling may include a male stud and a female collar. The male stud may be selectively received within the female collar.

An isothermal cooking plate assembly is formed from a first plate of high thermal conductivity material having a back surface and an oppositely disposed top cooking surface. One or more heater circuit assemblies are disposed on the first plate back surface for forming a composite having a back surface. A controller is in electrical connection with the heater circuit assemblies for controlling temperature of the first plate of high thermal conductivity material. The first plate can be Aluminum Type 1100 or Aluminum Type 6061. The first plate can be a laminate formed from a clad bottom metal layer and clad top cooking surface metal layer, where the clad layers formed from the same material and having about the same thickness. The clad material can be austenitic stainless steel. A second plate of low thermal conductivity material can be attached to the composite back surface of first plate.

An embodiment of an electric heating element is disclosed, including an electrically resistive inner heating element, an electrically resistive outer heating element, and a thermostat positioned along a cold leg of the inner heating element. The thermostat is configured to selectively allow electrical current to be delivered to the inner heating element while maximum electrical current, for example, continues to be provided to the outer heating element. The thermostat cycles the electrical current on and off when detecting maximum and minimum desired temperatures radiated from the electric heating element. The inner heating element has a pair of cold legs that extend parallel to a pair of cold legs of the outer heating element, some or all of which may be supported by a terminal bracket.

The invention relates to a power module, preferably induction module for powering one, two, three, four, at least one, at least two, at least three or at least four heating element (s), preferably electrical, radiant and/or induction heating elements, more preferably induction coils (3), of a cooking appliance, preferably a cooking hob, more preferably a radiant or induction hob (1), the power module (10) at least comprising: —one, two or at least two heating power units (11), in particular three or at least three heating power units, more in particular four or at least four heating power units, preferably heating frequency units and/or induction generators (11), each for providing power, in particular electrical power, to one, two, three, at least one, at least two or at least three heating elements (3); —one or at least one controller (12) for controlling the heating power unit(s) (11); —a communication interface (13) for coupling the power module (10) with one or at least one user interface (5); —wherein, in particular in a first configuration mode, the power module (10) is adapted to be operated either according to a master module configuration or a slave module configuration and/or—wherein, in particular in a second configuration mode, the power module (10) is configured to directly communicate with the at least one user interface, a corresponding cooking appliance as well as a corresponding method for operating a cooking appliance.