With Indicator Patents (Class 219/445.1)
  • Patent number: 11617236
    Abstract: The invention relates to an induction hob comprising: a hob plate (2); two or more induction coils (3) arranged below the hob plate in order to form heating zones (4) at the hob plate (2); one or more pot detection sensors (5), the pot detection sensors (5) being at least partially placed between a pair of adjacent induction coils (3); wherein the pot detection sensor (5) is a strip-shaped sensor extending in a space between said pair of adjacent induction coils (3) and the pot detection sensor (5) is coupled with an evaluation unit (8) adapted to determine information regarding the coverage of the pot detection sensor (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Harald Hoffmann, Jochen Holzinger, Gerhard Klein
  • Patent number: 11529008
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heating food tray for child. The heating food tray for child according to the embodiments of the present invention is provided with a heat generation unit to provide a function of heating food contained in the food tray or keeping a temperature of the food. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention provides the heating food tray including the control unit to execute or stop the heating or heat-keeping function when the temperature deviates from a preset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventor: Eun Heui Lee
  • Patent number: 11224100
    Abstract: An illumination device for a heating zone of a cooking hob. The illumination device comprises a light source element and a reflecting element. Further, the illumination device comprises an insulating layer horizontally arranged within the heating zone. Said insulating layer includes a light channel formed as a cut-out. The illumination device comprises a reflecting, diffusing and/or refracting layer covering at least the light channel. The light source element and the reflecting element are arranged such that a light beam from said light source element is redirected by the reflecting element into the light channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Peter Negretti, Gabriel Papp, Jochen Holzinger
  • Patent number: 11088863
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a remote control system for controlling a first domestic appliance (10), in particular a cooking hob. The remote control system comprises the first domestic appliance (10) and at least one remote device (12). The domestic appliance (10) is connected to the remote device (12) via an acoustic connection (20). The domestic appliance (10) is controllable by the remote device (12), if a predefined sound signal from the domestic appliance (10) to the remote device (12) via the acoustic connection (20) is recognised by said remote device (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliance Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Daniel Areljung, Stefano Cladi, Harald Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 11018888
    Abstract: A system and methods for remote control of one or more appliances are provided. An external computing device, such as a mobile device, may be registered and associated with an appliance to be remotely controlled and monitored. The external computing device and the appliance to be remotely controlled by the external computing device may each be in communication with an external server via a network. When a remote control mode of the appliance is enabled, a selected operation of the appliance may be carried out in response to a remote control command generated by the external computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Wyndham F. Gary, Jr., Michael J. Jakeway, David W. Mundy
  • Patent number: 11012615
    Abstract: A digital camera includes a detection unit, an operation history storage unit, an analysis unit, a determination unit, and a warning unit. The detection unit detects an imaging operation and a setting operation of a user as user operation information. The setting operation is an operation to set setting information of a first setting item and setting information of a second setting item selectable exclusively with respect to the setting information of the first setting item for setting items relating to imaging conditions. The analysis unit acquires normal operation information based on an imaging operation history and a setting operation history stored in the operation history storage unit. After the normal operation information is acquired, in a case where the user operation information is different from the normal operation information, the determination unit determines that the user is in the confused state. The warning unit issues a warning in a case where determination is made to be the confused state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Wakabayashi, Yuji Hasegawa, Shunta Ego, Tomoyuki Mizuta, Yukinori Nishiyama, Atsushi Misawa
  • Patent number: 10905280
    Abstract: A grill device includes a first grill module movably connected to a second grill module to be movable between a closed position, where the first and second grill modules define a grill space therebetween for accommodating a food to be grilled, and an opened position. The first grill module includes a first housing having a first grill plate that has a penetrating hole, a sensing mechanism having a probe assembly that is movably mounted on the first housing and that has a probe, and a control mechanism which is disposed to actuate movement of the probe assembly between a projecting position, where a tip end of the probe extends into the grill space through the penetrating hole, and a retreating position, where the tip end retreats into the penetrating hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Tsann Kuen (Zhangzhou) Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dongmei Chen, Yixin Zhan, Haiping Zhang
  • Patent number: 10883950
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensing system that includes a plurality of resistive elements coupled to a plurality of nodes and a controller configured to index through a plurality of modes to measure an electrical characteristic for each resistive element. Each mode of the plurality of modes represents a different combination of power, return, or open circuit condition applied to each of the plurality of nodes. The controller is configured to calculate, for each of the modes, a total power consumed by the system and a power consumed by each of the resistive elements based on the measured electrical characteristics, to determine a physical parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Philip S. Schmidt, Cal T. Swanson
  • Patent number: 10865993
    Abstract: A cooking appliance including a cooking vessel temperature monitoring and fire prevention system, including a gas burner, a cooking vessel support configured to support a cooking vessel above the gas burner, a temperature sensor integrated with the cooking vessel support, the temperature sensor configured to be in thermal contact with the cooking vessel supported on the cooking vessel support and to detect the temperature of the cooking vessel, a control unit configured to control an operation of the cooking appliance based on the temperature of the cooking vessel detected by the temperature sensor, and a passive wireless connection between the temperature sensor and the control unit, the passive wireless connection including a transponder circuit integrated with the cooking vessel support and in communication with the temperature sensor, and a reader circuit spaced a distance away from the transponder circuit, the reader circuit in communication with the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignees: BSH Home Appliances Corporation, BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventor: Garrett Bentley
  • Patent number: 10753894
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring during dynamic processes that determines when effective measurements of thermal effusivity and/or thermal conductivity can be made during a portion of a cycle during a calibration phase, then measures thermal effusivity and/or thermal conductivity during a subsequent dynamic process in dependence upon the time delay value and the measurement duration value until a desired value is obtained. A sensor having a measurement period of between one to two seconds allows monitoring of materials during dynamic processes such as tumbling, blending, mixing, and rocking. For example, measurements can be made until a value indicative of a desired mixture condition is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: C-THERM Technologies
    Inventors: Michael Emanuel, Chongde Zhao, Biao Yu, Dimitri Vinnik, Chris Rendell
  • Patent number: 10667335
    Abstract: Provided is a table top including: an upper plate, which is constituted by a plate-shaped non-magnetic member so as to support an electronic or cooking device placed thereon; an energy supply module, which is disposed under the upper plate so as to supply energy to the electronic or cooking device; at least one light source configured to generate light; and at least one light-transmissive portion, which is provided in the upper plate and through which the light generated by the light source is transmitted; and at least one light guide configured to guide the light, generated by the light source, to the light-transmissive portion, wherein the at least one light guide allows at least a portion of the light, generated by the light source, to be emitted upward from the upper plate through the light-transmissive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyeunsik Nam, Wansoo Kim, Dongseong Kwag, Yangkyeong Kim
  • Patent number: 10619858
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for a gas burner assembly is provided. The gas burner assembly includes an inner burner stage positioned concentrically within an outer burner stage. The fuel supply system includes a fuel supply for providing a primary flow of fuel through a primary fuel conduit. A control valve and a modulating valve are operably coupled in series on the primary fuel conduit for regulating the primary flow of fuel. A first fuel supply conduit and a second fuel supply conduit tee off the primary fuel conduit to supply fuel to the outer burner stage and the inner burner stage, respectively. A shutoff valve is operably coupled to the first fuel supply conduit for stopping the flow of fuel through the first fuel supply conduit, e.g., during a simmer operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Hans Juergen Paller
  • Patent number: 10616954
    Abstract: A wax warmer includes a body, an electrical assembly, a base plate, and a sleeve. The electrical assembly is positioned within an interior space of the body and includes an electrical cord that extends outside the body. The sleeve forms an electrical barrier positioned within the interior space and surrounding the electrical assembly. The sleeve is coupled to the base plate and a portion of the electrical cord that passes through an opening in the sleeve is retained by the base plate and the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Belongia, Dennis J. Beaumont, Michael J. Goodrich
  • Patent number: 10588180
    Abstract: Provided is a table top including: an upper plate, which is constituted by a plate-shaped non-magnetic member so as to support an electronic or cooking device placed thereon; an energy supply module, which is disposed under the upper plate so as to supply energy to the electronic or cooking device; at least one light source configured to generate light; and at least one light-transmissive portion, which is provided in the upper plate and through which the light generated by the light source is transmitted; and at least one light guide configured to guide the light, generated by the light source, to the light-transmissive portion, wherein the at least one light guide allows at least a portion of the light, generated by the light source, to be emitted upward from the upper plate through the light-transmissive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyeunsik Nam, Wansoo Kim, Dongseong Kwag, Yangkyeong Kim
  • Patent number: 10524312
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for protecting against unsafe electric current conditions. A protections circuit may be used in a device, as an electric grill, that has one or more electric loads, such as heating elements. The protection circuit may protect against various failure scenarios, including, without limitation, instances of ground fault, over current, driver failure, and failure of a microprocessor. In response to a failure, the protection circuit may trip a latch relay or disable a triac driver to stop current from flowing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Eric Knappenberger, Julio C. Zuleta, Matthew Lerch, Jeffery C. Emmerich
  • Patent number: 10509381
    Abstract: An electric or gas range may be monitored or controlled with an integrated appliance assistant. The range may include multiple sensors, such as sensors measuring temperature proximate to a burner, power usage by the burner (e.g., electricity or gas consumption), temperature proximate to an oven, or power usage by the oven. The measurements received from the sensors may be processed by a control board, and the control board may be configured to turn off a burner and/or the oven based on the measurements. Such an electric or gas range may provide increased safety by turning off a burner or the oven in the event of a fire or a person accidentally leaving it on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: WALLFLOWER LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Victor Roman Jablokov, Jesse St Marie, Iain McDonald, Daniel Jay Kern
  • Patent number: 10469283
    Abstract: Techniques are described for using information from a knob sensor of an appliance in a property monitoring system. In some implementations, a monitoring system may be configured to receive sensor information from a knob, receive monitoring device information from a monitoring device and, based on the sensor information from the knob, identify a knob event. The monitoring system may integrate the knob event with the monitoring device information and analyze the integrated knob event and monitoring device information against one or more rules related to usage of the appliance in view of the state of the property. Based on analyzing the integrated knob event and monitoring device information, the monitoring system may determine whether to perform an action, such as notifying a user or activating an appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Abraham Joseph Kinney, Daniel Todd Kerzner, Jeffrey A. Bedell, David James Hutz
  • Patent number: 10337929
    Abstract: A remote cooking reminder system for reminding a user of a heating apparatus condition while the user is in another room of a building. The remote cooking reminder system preferably comprises at least one sensor configured to activate at least one relay when a heating apparatus is energized, a transmitter electrically connected to the at least one relay where the transmitter is configured to send a signal when the at least one relay is activated, and at least one remote receiver configured to receive the signal and provide a reminder. The at least one remote receiver is preferably located in at least one room separate from the heating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Inventor: Elmer Algin Rose
  • Patent number: 10098188
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker is provided that has a plurality of heating coils arranged under a top plate, that has power consumption, heat generation, and unnecessary radiation suppressed at the time of detection of a load, and that requires a short time for detection of a load. In the induction heating cooker of this disclosure, two or more heating coils are at the same time selected depending on a position of an area operated on the operation section. The operation detecting section performs the load detection only for the heating coils selected by an operation on the operation section. By using such a configuration, a user can select heating coils to be used out of a plurality of heating coils in advance. A load detection operation is not performed for heating coils other than the selected heating coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Teramoto, Kohji Niiyama, Kuniaki Sakakibara, Junichi Minatodani
  • Patent number: 10088145
    Abstract: An illumination device for a cooking zone element is provided for a cooking hob which is covered by a transparent panel. The illumination device is provided for a cooking zone element with a central cutout in a central portion of said cooking zone element. The illumination device includes at least one diffuser screen arranged or arrangeable in an upper portion of the central cutout of the cooking zone element and parallel to the transparent panel of the cooking hob. The illumination device includes at least one light source element arranged or arrangeable below the central cutout of the cooking zone element. The illumination device includes an optical lens enclosing an upper portion of the light source element. Further, the present invention relates to a corresponding cooking zone element and cooking hob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Jochen Holzinger, Claus Meider, Harald Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9694866
    Abstract: A bicycle light that includes a battery, a light source, a sound emitting device, and a control circuit is described. The light source when powered by the battery is capable of operating at a first power level and a second power level, where the second power level consumes less power than the first power level and where the first power level is associated with a first battery life threshold level. The control circuit is operable to detect that a remaining battery life of the battery has reached below the first battery life threshold level, cause the sound emitting device to emit sound when the remaining battery life of the battery reaches below the first battery life threshold level while the light source is operating at the first power level, and cause the light source to operate at the second power level upon detecting a user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Serfas, Inc.
    Inventors: Erik Dean Braucht, Riley Bullock, Raymond Kuipers
  • Patent number: 9667249
    Abstract: A household appliance apparatus includes a display screen and an input unit which has at least one substantially transparent input device. In order to achieve advantageous ease of use with little design expenditure, the input device covers only a partial region of the display screen. The input device may hereby be configured as a conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
    Inventors: Sebastien Flesch, Markus Hechtbauer, Yves Lebrun, Gerhard Mager, Markus Redelstab
  • Patent number: 9648668
    Abstract: An induction hob (100) includes a solid plate (105), and a plurality of electrically activatable coil members (1101-1108) arranged underneath the plate. The define corresponding cooking zones (1151-1158) of the induction hob, and a control unit (135) is configured to select power levels for the cooking zones. Upon selection of first (P1) and second (P6) power levels for non-adjacent first (1151) and second (1156) cooking zones, respectively, the control unit is configured to automatically select for each intermediate cooking zone (1152-1155) between the first and second cooking zones a corresponding power level (P2-P5) obtained by interpolation of the first and second power levels with a predefined interpolating function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Electrolux Professional S. p. A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Stella, Michele Toppano, Marco Ulian
  • Patent number: 9615692
    Abstract: A grill and/or frying plate for use on an induction cooking hob, including at least one grill section and at least one section different from the grill section, in particular a frame section or a warming section. When the grill and/or frying plate is mounted to the cooking hob, the at least one grill section is at least partially arranged directly above at least one heating element of the cooking hob and that the at least one section different from the grill section is at least partially arranged in a position where no heating element is arranged below. A recess and/or a securing recess and/or a fixation groove are arranged in a region that delimits the grill section from the section different from the grill section, in such a way that the heat transfer from the grill section to the section different from the grill section is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Harald Hoffmann, Alwin Neukamm, Bjorn Leyh, Jurgen Leikam, Ulrich Hautle
  • Patent number: 9371977
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an article having at least one colored luminous zone, in particular a display zone, said article comprising at least one glass-ceramic substrate having a luminous transmission ranging from 0.8% to 40% and an optical transmission of at least 0.1% for at least one wavelength in the range extending from 420 to 780 nm, at least one light source and at least one filter so as to form at least one colored luminous zone, in particular a display zone, in at least one zone of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: EUROKERA S.N.C.
    Inventors: Pierrick Guiset, Jean-Yves Laluet, Claire Mallet, Pablo Vilato
  • Patent number: 9347672
    Abstract: A cooktop includes a boundary element which borders the cooktop at least on one side, and a camera for recognition of operating gestures, wherein the camera is arranged in a recess of the boundary element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERAETEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Jungbauer, Martin Baier
  • Patent number: 9326328
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an induction cooking hob with illuminating equipment. The induction cooking hob includes a panel (10) arranged at the top side of said induction cooking hob, and a chassis (12) forming a substructure of said induction cooking hob. The panel (10) comprises at least one heating zone (14). The chassis (12) comprises at least one induction coil (16). The heating zone (14) corresponds with at least one induction coil (16). The induction cooking hob includes at least one intermediate layer (18, 20) between the panel (10) and the chassis (12). The intermediate layer (18) comprises a plurality of cut-outs (22) arranged according to a predetermined pattern within the heating zone (14). The chassis (12) comprises at least one light emitting diode (24) arranged in a central portion of the induction coil (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Fransesco Corleoni, Fabienne Reinhard-Herrscher, Filippo Tisselli
  • Patent number: 9109803
    Abstract: A cooktop appliance is provided with features for directing light from a light source through a cooking surface of the appliance. The light source may be positioned below the cooking surface, and the features may be positioned adjacent the cooking surface such that the features direct light from the light source through the cooking surface. As a result, the visibility of light to a user of the appliance can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Payam Motabar, Paul Bryan Cadima, Justin Tyler Brown
  • Patent number: 9018113
    Abstract: A glass ceramic as cooktop for induction heating having improved colored display capability and heat shielding is provided. The cooktop includes a transparent, dyed glass ceramic plate having high-quartz mixed crystals as a predominant crystal phase. The glass ceramic contains none of the chemical refining agents arsenic oxide and/or antimony oxide and has a transmittance values greater than 0.4% at at least one wavelength in the blue spectrum between 380 and 500 nm, a transmittance >2% at 630 nm, a transmittance of less than 45% at 1600 nm, and a light transmittance of less than 2.5% in the visible spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Friedrich Siebers, Evelin Weiss, Falk Gabel
  • Patent number: 9006614
    Abstract: A cooking appliance have at least one burner operable in an ON condition for producing heat and an OFF condition for not producing heat and a Hot Surface Indicator having an illumination source that may be operated when the burner is not producing heat as well as a method for illuminating the Hot Surface Indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Robert S. Donarski
  • Publication number: 20150069048
    Abstract: A method of optimizing performance of a cooktop with a plurality of adjacent heating zones includes indicating a point for each heating zone; placing a cooking vessel on the cooktop, the cooking vessel being sufficiently large to cover at least two of the points simultaneously; and adjusting the cooking vessel so that the cooking vessel covers the maximum number of the points possible for the size of the cooking vessel. A cooktop includes at least three induction heating elements; and a persistent indicator for each heating element. The cooktop is adapted to instruct a user to cover a maximum possible number of the at least three persistent indicators with a cooking vessel to optimize use of the cooktop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: Lindsay Eng
  • Publication number: 20150041453
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for visual lamp failure detection in a processing chamber, such as an RTP chamber. Visual feedback is facilitated through the use of a wide-angle lens positioned to view lamps within the process chamber. The wide-angle lens is positioned within a probe and secured using a spring in order to withstand high temperature processing. A camera coupled to the lens is adapted to capture an image of the lamps within the process chamber. The captured image of the lamps is then compared to a reference image to determine if the lamps are functioning as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kim VELLORE, Dinesh KANAWADE, Stephen MOFFATT, Aaron MILLER, Leonid M. TERTITSKI, Norman L. TAM, Michael LIU, Colin FOX
  • Publication number: 20150021312
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus with a cooktop composed of a glass or glass-ceramic material is provided. The cooking apparatus includes a heating element and a lighting element that are disposed in the region below the underside of the cooktop. The heating element is applied to the underside of the cooktop indirectly by a pressing device or directly by pre-stressing one or a plurality of spring elements. The lighting element and the heating element are disposed on a common support section of the pressing device in such a way that they are adjustable with an oscillation of the cooktop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Zenker, Gerold Ohl, Bernd Woelfing, Ju-Young Uam, Martin Taplan
  • Patent number: 8921743
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for monitoring a heating apparatus that includes a motion detector configured to determine whether a person is proximate the heating apparatus. The motion detector is default deactivated. Further disclosed is a heat sensor configured to determine whether the heating apparatus has a temperature that is above a threshold. The heat sensor is default deactivated. A processor is in operable communication with each of the motion detector and the heat sensor configured to cyclically repeat a first countdown. The heat sensor is temporarily activated once during each of the repeated first countdowns. The processor is configured to perform a second countdown when the activated heat sensor determines that the heating apparatus has the temperature that is above the threshold. The second countdown is reset each time the motion detector determines that a person is proximate the heating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Stovminder, LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Ewell, Jr., Douglas L. Garmany, Charles T. Kelly, Charles Philip Wasilewski
  • Patent number: 8810424
    Abstract: An appliance warning system comprises a floor pad for location on or adjacent a device such that a user must stand on the floor pad in order to normally use the device. The floor pad has at least one switch movable between an open position when no weight pressure is detected on the floor pad and a closed position when the switch is activated by weight pressure detected on the floor pad. A transmitter is provided for transmitting a signal depending upon whether the switch is in the open or closed position. A warning device is activated when the switch has been in the open position for a preselected period of time after having been in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Inventor: Rodolfo Garcia
  • Patent number: 8772678
    Abstract: A heating cooker of the present invention is structured such that, an indicator sheet of a light emitting indicator unit has a light transmitting portion that transmits light of a light emission source and a light blocking portion that is provided away from a heating unit than the light transmitting portion is and that blocks the light of the light emission source, and that the light emission source is disposed below the light blocking portion. Thus, uneven shining of the indicator sheet can be suppressed, and the effect of heat from a heating target cooking vessel to the light emission source can be suppressed, whereby a further reduction in thickness of the heating cooker can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Shigeoka, Akira Kataoka, Eiji Matsui
  • Patent number: 8742299
    Abstract: A method for heating a container (Ri) placed on a cooktop including heating elements which are associated respectively with inductors which form elements for detecting the presence of the container and are distributed along a frame which is embodied such that it is two-dimensional in a cooking area. The method includes searching (E20) a heating area (Zi) having the heating elements arrangement which are at least partially covered by the container and computing (E60) a power supplied by each heating element of the heating area (Zi) according to a total specified power (Pi) associated thereto and the degree of coverage of each detection element associated to heating element by the container (Ri). Utilization, in particular, is for an inductive cooktop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: FagorBrandt SAS
    Inventors: Didier Gouardo, Cedric Goumy, Alain Roux
  • Patent number: 8624168
    Abstract: A heating plate for a substrate support assembly in a semiconductor plasma processing apparatus, comprises multiple independently controllable planar heater zones arranged in a scalable multiplexing layout, and electronics to independently control and power the planar heater zones. Each planar heater zone uses at least one diode as a heater element. A substrate support assembly in which the heating plate is incorporated includes an electrostatic clamping electrode and a temperature controlled base plate. Methods for manufacturing the heating plate include bonding together ceramic or polymer sheets having planar heater zones, power supply lines, power return lines and vias.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Keith William Gaff, Keith Comendant
  • Patent number: 8604393
    Abstract: A control panel for controlling the operation of hotplates situated on a cooking appliance. The control panel has a translucent plate that permits the location of operating elements to be visually displayed on a top surface thereof only when lighting elements associated with the operating elements are energized. The lighting elements are selectively energized and/or de-energized so that only the operating elements of a particular hotplate are visible on the top surface of the translucent plate while a user is in the process of selecting or otherwise altering an operating parameter of the particular hot plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Coprecitec, S.L.
    Inventor: José Ignacio Múgica Odriozola
  • Publication number: 20130284716
    Abstract: A control panel for controlling the operation of hotplates situated on a cooking appliance. The control panel has a translucent plate that permits the location of operating elements to be visually displayed on a top surface thereof only when lighting elements associated with the operating elements are energized. The lighting elements are selectively energized and/or de-energized so that only the operating elements of a particular hotplate are visible on the top surface of the translucent plate while a user is in the process of selecting or otherwise altering an operating parameter of the particular hot plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventor: José Ignacio Múgica Odriozola
  • Publication number: 20130270251
    Abstract: A cooktop, having at least one burner and at least one control. Each burner may be associated with a particular control. A burner sensor detects the presence of a pot on the burner. When a pot is detected, an illuminated path is activated between the burner and its associated control. A control sensor detects a user's proximity to the control. When a user is detected, the illuminated path is also activated. Alternatively, a lighting effect is used to highlight the associated burner and control. Alternatively, each burner is associated with a burner selector button or burner user selection interface, and a controller is used to adjust the parameters of a burner selected using the burner selector button. A communication link may be provided between the cooktop and a hood, and a display provided on the hood to indicate burner status, as well as other settings such as timer progress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: LUCIANO L. FURUTI, OCTAVIO GONZALEZ, CARLOS E. IURK, YEN-HSI LIN, MANUEL MATA, RAFEAL CAMPOS DO PRADO, JEAN RICARDO RUSCZAK, BASAVRAJ ISHWAR SANKHGOND, MICHAEL T. SEUM, ARTHUR P. SILVA
  • Patent number: 8536489
    Abstract: A hob includes a cooking surface with a glass ceramic defining a cutout in an outside edge of the glass ceramic, and an insert in the cutout including a material that is different from the glass ceramic and which is permeable to light in a blue spectral range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Martin, Markus Schlegel, Thomas Stein
  • Patent number: 8482421
    Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a patch cord connection are presented. The insertion of a patch cord into a device jack physically closes a circuit, thereby permitting determination of the patch cord connection. The connection of only one side of a patch cord to a jack is able to be determined. In addition, a particular jack with which a patch cord is connected is able to be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Panduit Corp.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Nordin, Brian D. Leshin
  • Patent number: 8455799
    Abstract: A control panel for controlling the operation of hotplates situated on a cooking appliance. The control panel has a translucent plate that permits the location of operating elements to be visually displayed on a top surface thereof only when lighting elements associated with the operating elements are energized. The lighting elements are selectively energized and/or de-energized so that only the operating elements of a particular hotplate are visible on the top surface of the translucent plate while a user is in the process of selecting or otherwise altering an operating parameter of the particular hot plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Coprecitec, S.L.
    Inventor: José Ignacio Múgica Odriozola
  • Patent number: 8400315
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for indicating a process temperature anomaly during a power outage comprising employing a power source separate from that powering the process, setting a temperature set point; sensing presence and absence of power powering the process, sensing process temperature; and indicating to users that an absence of power was sensed and that the temperature sensed during the absence of power was below (or above) the temperature set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: William Sherman
  • Patent number: 8378270
    Abstract: A ceramic hob includes a cooking surface for positioning a cooking pot, a housing, an electronic circuit carrier mounted in the housing beneath the cooking surface, and a positioning element on a lower side of the cooking element engaging a recess of the electronic circuit carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Martin, Markus Schlegel, Thomas Stein
  • Patent number: 8354938
    Abstract: An appliance warning system comprises a floor pad which has a switch movable between an open position when no weight pressure is detected and a closed position when activated by weight pressure. A transmitter transmits a signal depending upon whether the switch is in the open or closed position. A remotely located module has a receiver for the signal from the transmitter. A control circuit is operational between a ready state before the switch is activated to the closed position and a monitoring state after the switch is activated. A warning device is activated by the control circuit when in the monitoring state when the switch has been in the open position for a preselected period of time after having been in the closed position. A reset switch resets the control circuit from the monitoring state to the ready state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Inventor: Rodolfo Garcia
  • Patent number: 8314370
    Abstract: A cooking device includes, on its upper surface, an operation unit and a display unit. The operation unit includes a mode selection key for selecting one of a plurality of control modes, output increasing/decreasing keys for increasing and decreasing a set output and a set temperature, and time increasing/decreasing keys for increasing and decreasing heating. The mode selection key is separated from the time increasing/decreasing keys on the opposite side of the output increasing/decreasing keys. The display unit includes a numerical value display section for displaying a numerical value of a set value in the selected control mode, an output display section for displaying the set value for heating output, and a mode display section for displaying a cooking mode selected by using the mode selection key. The numerical value display section is separated from the mode display section on the opposite side of the output display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tominaga, Keiko Isoda, Masamichi Komada, Fumitaka Ogasawara, Kuniaki Sakakibara
  • Publication number: 20120228282
    Abstract: An apparatus for a cooking system with a number of electrically-operated heating elements that each define a center, and a number of heating element power control circuits that each control power flow to a respective one of the heating elements. There is a cooktop surface member located above the heating elements and defining a top surface and a front edge. There are also a number of user interface elements visible from above the top surface of the cooktop surface member and spaced from the heating elements. One of each of the user interface elements is operatively associated with a respective one of the heating elements and used to control the heating element power control circuit for such heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Bose Corporation
    Inventors: Laura J. Schroeder, Raymond O. England, David W. Beverly, Alfred G. Giombetti
  • Publication number: 20120067865
    Abstract: A transparent, dyed cooktop is provided that has improved color display capability. The cooktop is made of a glass ceramic having high quartz mixed crystals as the predominant crystal phase, wherein the glass ceramic comprises none of the chemical refining agents arsenic oxide and/or antimony oxide, except for inevitable trace amounts. The glass ceramic has transmission values of greater than 0.1% in the range of visible light over the entire wavelength range greater than 450 nm, light transmission in the visible range of 0.8 to 5%, and transmission in the infrared at 1600 nm of 45-85%. The glass ceramic also includes a display apparatus that has a display device which is designed to display different operating conditions with different colours and/or symbols.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Friedrich Siebers, Thomas Zenker, Helga Goetz, Martin Taplan