Abstract: A heating element for a cooking appliance includes terminals that act as electrically conductive contact points. One or more buses are arranged between the terminals, and connect one or more heating element segments in a zig-zag configuration. The heating element segments are connected in series and are arranged parallel with one another. Each heating element segment includes a plurality of cutouts linked together and having an elliptical shape. The terminals, heating element segments, and buses are a continuous single sheet of conductive material. A method of making the heating element includes forming a pattern into the sheet of conductive material by etching the pattern into the conductive sheet using photolithography.

Abstract: A heating element for a cooking appliance includes terminals that act as electrically conductive contact points. One or more buses are arranged between the terminals, and connect one or more heating element segments in a zig-zag configuration. The heating element segments are connected in series and are arranged parallel with one another. Each heating element segment includes a plurality of cutouts linked together and having an elliptical shape. The terminals, heating element segments, and buses are a continuous single sheet of conductive material. A method of making the heating element includes forming a pattern into the sheet of conductive material by etching the pattern into the conductive sheet using photolithography.

Abstract: A heating assembly for a cooking appliance, such as a toaster or oven, has a support and/or heating element with a curved shape having a concave side facing a cooking cavity. The support and/or heating element may be flexible, e.g., having a planar shape when unstressed and a curved shape when stressed. The support and/or heating element may define a sheet, e.g., having a length and width. The heating element may have openings in the sheet. The heating element may be coupled to the support so as to be slidable movable relative to the support, e.g., so the heating element can slide relative to the support when the support and heating element are bent into a curved shape.