Abstract: There is disclosed herein a toaster (2) for toasting bread or other food, the toaster (2) comprising: a body (4) having an upward facing slot (6) to receive a slice of bread or a food to be toasted; a carriage (16) mounted in the body beneath the slot (6) to receive a slice of bread, the carriage (16) being movable between an elevated position and a lowered position; a heating panel (10) mounted to the body (4) in an upright configuration adjacent the carriage (16) for toasting one side of a slice of bread in the carriage (16); a linkage assembly (53) for connecting the heating panel (10) to the carriage (16); wherein, the heating panel (10) has a contracted form when not toasting bread, and an expanded form when toasting bread, the heating panel (10) having a vertical dimension in the contracted form that is less than the vertical dimension in the expanded form, and the linkage assembly (53) is configured to move the carriage (16) from the elevated position to the lowered position when the heating panel (10)

Abstract: An induction heater (10) for a jug (11). The jug (11) includes a base (12) from which there upwardly extends a side wall (13). The induction heater (10) includes an outer housing (15) that encloses that chamber (16). Located in the chamber (16) is the electronic component for the heater (10), including an electronic oscillator (17). The heater (10) includes a cavity (18) within which the jug (11) is located.

Abstract: A safety system (4) for a kitchen device (1) having a vessel (5) and a lid (21), the safety system (4) comprising: a processor (10); a retaining arm (7) adapted to, in a retaining position, retain the lid (21) against the vessel (5); a first sensor (40) adapted to communicate a retaining signal to the processor (10) when the retaining arm (7) is in the retaining position; and a second sensor (43) adapted to communicate a function signal to the processor (10), the function signal indicating a function of the lid (21), wherein the processor (10) is adapted to select an operating mode of the kitchen device (1) in response to the retaining signal and the function signal.

Abstract: An induction heating circuit for an appliance, the induction heating circuit comprising: an AC power supply with an AC monitoring output connected to the active line of the AC power supply, the AC monitoring output providing an indication of current being drawn from the AC power supply; a control circuit comprising at least one processor and a semiconductor current sensor, the semiconductor current sensor arranged to i) detect the current being drawn from the AC power supply and ii) output an output voltage based on the detected current; and an induction driving circuit for driving an inductor of the appliance comprising a semiconductor switch, wherein the semiconductor switch is controlled by the processor based on, at least, the output voltage.

Abstract: A kitchen device comprising a cooking vessel, a heating plate, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the first temperature sensor is thermally connected to, at least part of, the heating plate of the kitchen device for measuring the temperature of the heating plate, and the second temperature sensor is located in a position to measure the temperature of one or more ingredients that are inside the cooking vessel and the second temperature sensor is thermally isolated from the cooking vessel by a sensor isolation seal.

Abstract: A locking mechanism (104) for a kitchen device (101) having a vessel (105), the vessel (105) providing an interior space and having a rim (106) surrounding an opening (105a) of the space, and a lid (121) to engage the rim (106) to close the space, the locking mechanism (104) comprising: a retaining arm (107), the retaining arm (107) being attachable to the device (101) and movable between a free position, wherein the lid (121) is movable with respect to the vessel (105), and a retaining position, wherein the retaining arm (107) is engageable with the lid (121) to retain the lid (121) against the vessel (105) to at least partly close the opening (105a); a securing assembly (108), the securing assembly (108) being attachable to the device (101) to engage the retaining arm (107) and movable between a free position, wherein the retaining arm (107) may be moved between the free position and the retaining position, and a securing position, wherein the securing assembly (108) engages the retaining arm (107) to preve

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a humidity sensor (10) for a cooking appliance (100). The humidity sensor (10) comprises: a sensor assembly (30) comprising: conductive plates (50) having a space located therebetween, wherein the conductive plates (50) are electrically charged and subsequently discharged over time; a dielectric plate (60) locatable in the space between the conductive plates (50), wherein the dielectric plate (60) is removable from the space between the conductive plates (50) for cleaning; a controller (20), in electrical communication with the sensor assembly (30), configured to: measure a capacitive characteristic across the conductive plates (50) whilst the dielectric plate (60) is located in the space; and determine, based on the capacitive characteristic, a humidity measurement indicative of the humidity within the cooking appliance (100).

Abstract: A cooking appliance (10) including: a body (12) with a front face; at least one projection (24, 26, 28) extending from the front face, and that is manipulated by a user to control the appliance (10); and an interface (30) releasably mounted on the front face adjacent the projection (24, 26, 28), the interface (30) being mountable in a first orientation or a second orientation, with the orientation to be selected by the user when mounting the interface (30) on the front face.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a sous vide appliance (10) including: a tube (12) having longitudinally opposite first and second ends (14, 13), and providing a liquid flow path (26) having an inlet adjacent the first end (14), and an outlet adjacent the second end (13); a heating element (31) mounted adjacent the tube (12) to heat liquid passing along the flow path from the inlet to the outlet; an outer housing (11) within which the tube (12) is located; and a switch (32) located between the tube (12) and the housing (11) and operatively associated with the heating element (31) to provide for the delivery of electric power to the heating element (31).

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an oven (10) for cooking food, the oven (10) comprising: a cavity (12) for receiving the food to be cooked; a door (16) that opens to allow food to be placed in the cavity (12), and closed to enclose an interior space defined by the cavity (12); and a vent actuator (11) configured to selectively open and close a vent opening (36), such that a fluid path extends from the interior space to atmosphere when the vent opening (36) is open.

Abstract: An appliance (100) has a vessel (120) for containing substance, the vessel (120) having an electrical energy storage component and at least one electrically powered device. The appliance (100) has a base (140) on which the vessel (120) is removably located. When the vessel (120) is located on the base (140), the base (140) is configured to charge the electrical energy storage component. The electrical storage component is configured to power the at least one electrically powered device of the vessel (120).

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a level detection system includes a housing (120) having a plurality of wall portions defining a receiving space for a container (200). The system further includes a capacitor having a first plate (142a) and a second plate (142b), the wall portions including a first wall portion having the first plate (142a) and a second wall portion having the second plate (142b). When the container is in the receiving space, a capacitance of the capacitor depends on a level of substance in the container (200). The system also includes a processor configured to determine the level of the substance in the container (200) based on the capacitance of the capacitor.

Abstract: A cooking appliance (100) including: a hollow body (102) having an interior (110) to receive a product to be cooked, the body (102) having an opening (112) via which product to be cooked can be moved relative to the interior (110); a door (114) attached to the body (102) and movable relative thereto between a closed position at which the door (114) closes the opening, and a maximum open position at which the door (114) is spaced from the open position by a maximum predetermined distance; and a latch mechanism (122) operatively associated with the body (102) and the door (114) to at least aid in retaining the door (114) in at least one intermediate position at which the door (114) is spaced from the closed position and the maximum open position, the mechanism (122) including an abutment member (142) fixed to the body (102), and a position defining member (124) attached to the door (114) and the body (102), the position defining member (124) having a plurality of position defining portions including a first por

Abstract: A food cooking appliance such as a waffle maker, pizza maker or toaster uses a combination of sensor inputs and optional user preferences to determine an optimal cooking time.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a coffee machine (10) including: a body (12); a steam wand (14), to froth milk, attached to the body (12); and a cleaning mechanism (20), the cleaning mechanism (20) including: a stem (22) having a first end portion (24) attached to the body (12), and a second end portion (26) extending longitudinally away from the first end portion (24); and a supply of water under pressure to deliver water to the second end portion (26), wherein water under pressure is delivered to the second end portion (26) to produce at least one water jet directed at the steam wand (14).

Abstract: A coffee making device has a body with a drip tray and a removable water tank that supplies water to a heat system of the device. The water tank is internal to the device and removable by a user. The body has a fluid refill opening that leads to the tank. The tank includes an overflow channel or conduit that dispenses into the drip tray.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a frothing assembly (21) to froth milk in a container (11). The assembly (21) includes: a body (25); a motor (33) fixed to the body and having an output shaft (34) that is rotatably driven about a longitudinal axis (35) of the shaft (34); a frothing device (36) rotatably driven by the shaft (34) and to be submerged in the milk in the container (11); and a perforated member (43) at least partly surrounding the frothing device (36) and spaced from the frothing device (36) by a clearance (44), wherein rotation of the frothing device (36) causes movement of milk in the clearance (44) and movement of milk through the perforated member (43) to be circulated back through the container (11) and the clearance (44) to cause frothing of the milk.