Abstract: An induction hot plate including a plurality of heating regions with a reconfigurable structure. The hot plate includes at least two power modules, each supplying electrical power to at least one first and one second induction heating element. The maximum power to each of the regions can be increased by supplying electrical power from both power modules to only the first or the second induction heating element.

Abstract: In one aspect, a cooktop heating system that include a first cooktop heating element, a second cooktop heating element, and an interface device. The system also includes a controller for selectively associating the interface device with any one or both of the first cooktop heating element and the second cooktop heating element. In another aspect, the system includes at least one cooktop heating element, a potentiometer, and controller arrangement operatively connected between the potentiometer and the at least one cooktop heating element to determine heating of the at least one cooktop heating element responsive to the input provided by the potentiometer and control power provision to the at least one cooktop heating element responsive to the determination.

Abstract: A disc-type unit 10 adjusts temperature of a control face 14 by means of a heater 12 and coolant, with a hollow plate 11 to which the heater 12 is secured, a cavity 13 formed in the hollow plate 11 and a piping 20 for supplying the coolant to the cavity 13, the piping 20 opening in the cavity 13, and the coolant being jetted to a portion to which the heater 12 is secured or a portion in proximity thereto and which shows high temperature rise when energizing the heater 12.

Abstract: A control unit for a household appliance, preferably a cooking device, containing a control device and regulating devices. The control device has a removable control element and a blocking device. The regulating devices have a change-over regulating device that allows the cooking device to be used in an alternative operating mode should the control element be removed from the cooking device.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cooktop having at least one heating element and a controller capable of automatically performing a cooking process by operating the heating element at multiple power levels for multiple time periods. More specifically, upon activation, a consumer, through manipulation of a control, can select an initial power level and an initial time duration for the initial power level. Once the initial power level is selected, a second power level and second time duration may be selected. With this arrangement, the controller will operate the heating element at the initial, high power level for the first time duration. Once the initial time period has elapsed, the controller automatically lowers the temperature of the heating element to finish the cooking process for the second time duration.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a cooktop having at least one heating element, a controller and a control element linked to the controller and associated with operation of the heating element. Specifically, the control element includes first and second operational setting schemes which provide a consumer with a higher degree of control over operation of the heating element. More specifically, selection of the first scheme operates the heating element at a selected level, while selection of the second scheme causes the heating element to operate at an initial high level and then to automatically convert to a lower level.

Abstract: A cooking hob with random positioning of pans or the like, comprising a plurality of electrical heating elements disposed within a cooking area and individually powered under the control of a control circuit, the heating elements also being used as position sensors for the pan or pans placed on the cooking area, in which a user interface is present, provided with a touch screen reproducing the cooking area and on which, for each pan placed on the cooking area, there is displayed an activatable region substantially representative of the position of the pan on the cooking area, this position being obtained from data provided by the electrical heating elements in their function as position sensors.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for controlling an electric cooking appliance, a boost condition is initiated by increasing the power level of one or more electric heating means (2) to a maximum power level from a previous lower power level. Elapsed time (38) during cooling of the appliance since an end of an immediately previous period at the maximum power level is monitored, as is difference in power levels between the maximum power level and the previous lower power level. Duration (34) of the boost condition is set according to one of the elapsed time (38) and the difference in power levels and a level (36) of temperature boost in the boost condition is correspondingly set according to one of the difference in power levels and the elapsed time respectively.

Abstract: A wafer-cleaning module can remove contaminants from a semiconductor wafer prior to measurement in a metrology tool. A heating chamber and heater plate of the cleaning module can be used to heat the wafer by conduction, while a separate cooling chamber can be used to cool the wafer. The system is controlled by a processor so the heating cycle, cooling cycle and the time periods between these cycles and the measurement cycle are uniform for all wafers.

Abstract: A hot plate for a semiconductor producing/examining device, in which hot plate, when an object to be heated such as a silicon wafer is heated in a state that the object is distanced by a certain distance from the heating face, air is less likely to stagnate between the silicon wafer and the heating face and thus the object to be heated can be evenly heated. Specifically, the hot plate for a semiconductor producing/examining device includes a resistance heating element formed on a surface of a ceramic substrate or inside the ceramic substrate, wherein the glossiness of the heating face of the ceramic substrate is 1.5% or more.

Abstract: Object of the present invention is to provide uniform heat distribution to a substrate undergoing heat treatment on top of a heat exchange plate. A heat exchange plate 1 is a flat, circular receptacle, has a cooling liquid inflow opening 11 on one end and outflow opening 13 on the other end, and cooling liquid flows on the inside. The surface of the plate 1 is divided, for example, into four zones having different heat capacities and heat transfer characteristics, and an independently controllable foil heater 21A, 23A, 25A, 27A is attached to each zone. Heater 21A covers a zone, which circumferentially surrounds a substrate placed on top of a plate, heater 23A covers a zone directly beneath a substrate, heater 25A covers a zone of the vicinity of the outflow opening 13, and heater 27A covers a zone of the vicinity of the inflow opening 11. Temperature sensors 31-33 are disposed on the inside of a plate at four locations of a second zone, which are apt to receive the affects of the first to fourth zones.

Abstract: An improved heating unit (10) used in a cooktop (12). Operation of the heating unit is by a controller (16). An electric current is applied to a composition heating element (20). The heating element is supported on a cake (24) of insulation material installed in a pan (22) located beneath a glasstop (14) of the cooktop. A thermal sensor (28) senses the temperature of the heating element and supplies an indication of the heating element temperature to the controller which changes the amount of current supplied to the heating element as a function of the sensed temperature.

Abstract: A monitor and control system that responds to alarm signals representing different hazardous conditions in an environment having a number of utility service supply lines, such as a home residence. One or more sensors coupled to the processor are each associated with one or more of the service supply lines. Each sensor produces an alarm signal in response to a hazardous condition attributable to an associated supply line. Each associated supply line is provided with a control device that is coupled to an output of the processor, and the processor is configured to produce one or more output signals in response to an alarm signal at a given input. Each control device is arranged to disable its associated supply line with respect to a sensed hazardous condition in response to a corresponding output signal from the processor.

Abstract: On an electric cooker the sensor circuit (1) detects the presence of a pan (2) on each heater (F1-F4) and comprises a microcontroller (4) and a generator (6,7) that supply a high-frequency current (Ig) to a respective sensor loop (E1-E4) of each heater which generates a magnetic field, and two maximum and minimum reference signals (Vr0,Vr1) for all the heaters (F1-F4) obtained in the working temperature condition and a circuit (9-13) for measuring and evaluating the voltage (Vs) produced in each sensor loop, with a circuit part (11,11′) for demodulation into low frequency of the measuring and reference signals (Vs,Vr0,Vr1), and their differential amplification (Vm,Vrr).

Abstract: A rotary nozzle device has