Temperature Patents (Class 219/627)
  • Patent number: 11212879
    Abstract: Temperature measurement systems (20) include a temperature sensor (22) and an electronic signal interrogator (24). The temperature sensor (22) has a transponder (26) equipped with an antenna (28), and a separate parasitic antenna (32) with a temperature-sensitive transducer (34, 68-74, 78a-84a), while the interrogator (24) has a transmitter (42) and antenna (40). The sensor (22) is designed to be placed in thermal contact with an object to be temperature-measured, with the interrogator (24) placed in proximity to the object. The systems (20) may be used with food servingware domes (88, 114), which can be preheated and placed over a food-bearing plate to maintain the temperature of the food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TSI Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Michael J. Bourke, III, Brian L. Clothier
  • Patent number: 10932330
    Abstract: A device to support a cooking container for a smart under range being installed under a lower surface of a table comprises a body pad, a cooking container supporting part placed on the body pad, a temperature sensing part placed inside the body pad, a transmitting circuit part provided inside the body pad and transferring a temperature sensed by the temperature sensing part to an outside, and a power supply part supplying power to the transmitting circuit part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: PEACEWORLD CO., LTD, AIRCOOK CO., LTD
    Inventor: Myung Ok Lee
  • Patent number: 10856686
    Abstract: A temperature regulation device for warming or maintaining the temperature of food items includes a food pan configured to hold a food item, an induction coil configured to warm the food item via inductive heating of the food pan, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the food pan, a temperature control system coupled to the induction coil and the temperature sensor. The temperature control system is configured to control the induction coil in response to at least the temperature of the food pan detected by the temperature sensor and initiate a soft start control mode in response to pan placement on the device and detecting the temperature of the food pan below a minimum preset temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeremiah Kopiness, Andrew Amrhein
  • Patent number: 10722070
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide a multi-layered exothermic microwave cooking apparatus. The apparatus includes an inner cooking plate shell having top and bottom faces. The apparatus also includes an exothermic plastic outer shell to generate heat from microwave radiation. The outer exothermic shell of the vessel has a bottom surface and at least one side wall, and the inner cooking plate shell closes the vessel to create a cooking surface, and to form an inner space between the bottom surface and the plate. The apparatus also includes a safety valve, which is installed on the side wall of the vessel, to release excess pressure from the inner space during microwave cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Inventor: Jong Peter Park
  • Patent number: 10608472
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wireless power transmission device, a wireless power reception device, and a wireless charging system in a wireless power transmission field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Seonghun Lee
  • Patent number: 10321523
    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: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyeunsik Nam, Wansoo Kim, Dongseong Kwag, Yangkyeong Kim
  • Patent number: 10219327
    Abstract: To determine the temperature of boiling water in an induction hob including induction heating coils which can be individually driven and which, in a common heating mode, form a cooking point for a cooking vessel containing water, the cooking vessel is positioned over at least two induction heating coils. The induction heating coils are operated in the heating mode to bring the water in the cooking vessel to boil and each induction heating coil heats that region of the cooking vessel base arranged above it. During the heating mode, the oscillation response at each induction heating coil is used to detect whether temperature of the region of the cooking vessel base above this induction heating coil increases. The induction heating coils are operated in the heating mode until one induction heating coil detects that the temperature gradient of the cooking vessel base above the induction heating coil has reached zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Marcus Frank, Elmar Herweg, Marius Lehner, Michael Stober
  • Patent number: 9615407
    Abstract: A device and method is provided for inductively heating a heating element, particularly via a magnetic field generated by an induction coil, having an induction coil connected to a resonant circuit, whereby the resonant circuit has at least one first capacitor and at least one first current source, and the coil has a specific inductance and a resistance, and the material of the heating element has a constant permeability at least in temperature subranges, and a method for determining a temperature of a heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
    Inventors: Harri Pankratz, Hans-Joachim Thiemann
  • Patent number: 9603201
    Abstract: The disclosure herein provides for transmitting data from an induction heating device to a receiver of an inductively heatable cooking vessel. The induction heating device may include a resonant circuit with an induction heating coil and a converter that may generate a control voltage (UA) from an AC mains voltage (UN) with a control frequency. The resonant circuit may be applied with a control voltage in order to generate an alternating magnetic field for heating the cooking vessel. The data to be transmitted to the receiver may be encoded using the the control frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: E.G.O. ELEKTRO-GERÄTEBAU GMBH
    Inventors: Jorg Bogel, Michael Eberle
  • Patent number: 9581502
    Abstract: A temperature control apparatus includes a temperature monitoring integrated circuit (IC). The temperature monitoring IC has an output pin and is configured to generate an output signal having a voltage dependent on a sensed temperature. An output terminal is operatively connected to the output pin. An insulating material substantially surrounds the temperature monitoring IC. The insulating material substantially insulates the temperature monitoring IC from ambient heat and electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Inventor: David Jonathan Tafoya
  • Patent number: 9565721
    Abstract: An infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays of light and a light emitting element are disposed below a light transmittable top plate, which has a hearing area for heating an article to be heated placed thereon, in juxtaposed fashion relative to each other, so that infrared rays of light radiated from the article to be heated may be guided towards the infrared sensor. A light guide portion is provided for guiding rays of flight, emitted from the light emitting element, towards a heating area of the top plate, and the rays of light emitted from the light emitting element and guided by the light guide portion are projected onto the top plate through an upper opening of the light guide portion so that such rays of light can be noticed with eyes within the heating area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuichi Okada, Masahiro Yokono
  • Patent number: 9506811
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a temperature of goods in a temperature controlled unit are disclosed. Raw temperature data is received for a first iteration. The raw temperature data indicates an air temperature inside the temperature controlled unit at the first iteration. A property value for a good stored in the temperature controlled unit is obtained. Based on the raw temperature data for the first iteration and the property value for the good, a first adjusted stored goods temperature is determined for the good. The first adjusted stored goods temperature for the good represents a first internal temperature of the good. Additional iterations are performed, where raw temperature data is received for a second iteration. Based on the raw temperature for the second iteration and the property value for the good, a second adjusted stored goods temperature is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: American Pharma Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Richard Rusnack, Casey Alexander Harris, Marc Roger Hayden, Michael Altree
  • Patent number: 9414443
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a top plate (2) on which a cooking container is placed, an infrared ray sensor (3) configured to detect an infrared ray radiated from the cooking container through the top plate, a heating coil (4) to which a high-frequency electric current is supplied to generate an induction magnetic field for heating the cooking container, a mounting plate (6) on which a member for supporting the heating coil is mounted, and a heating control unit (8) configured to control an electric power for heating the cooking container by controlling the high-frequency electric current supplied to the heating coil based on an amount of an energy of the infrared ray received by the infrared ray sensor. The infrared ray sensor is thermally connected to the mounting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya Fujinami, Sunao Okuda, Naoaki Ishimaru, Akira Kataoka
  • Patent number: 9374851
    Abstract: The present application in particular is directed to an induction coil assembly 2 adapted for an electric induction hob of a household or industrial type appliance. The induction coil assembly 2 comprises at least one induction coil 5 which has at least one of ovoid and coiled ovoid windings 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Gerhard Klein, Thomas Dehnert, Laurent Jeanneteau, Alex Viroli, Thibaut Rigolle
  • Patent number: 9247588
    Abstract: An inductive power supply system includes a non-contact power supply for energizing a device. The inductive power supply system includes a communication system for enabling communication between a device and the system. The device transmits an identifier to the system. If the device does not have a transmitter, the system attempts to determine the type of device from a characterization of the power consumption by the device. If the device cannot be characterized, the inductive power supply system can be operated manually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: ACCESS BUSINESS GROUP INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: David W. Baarman, John J. Lord, Nathan P. Stien, Wesley J. Bachman
  • Patent number: 9167631
    Abstract: When a power system experiences a disruptive event, conditions may exist that threaten the survival of power devices used in the system. Embodiments described herein provide an improved means of protecting these devices under such circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc.
    Inventor: Ian Alan Paull
  • Patent number: 9113503
    Abstract: A cooking hob, in particular an induction hob, includes several heating elements, at least one power electronics subassembly for generating a heating current for operating the heating elements, and a switching arrangement for making and breaking a connection between the power electronics assembly and the heating elements. The switching arrangement is constructed as an assembly that is separate from the power electronics assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
    Inventors: Adolfo Arnal Valero, Ignacio Garde Aranda, Pablo Jesus Hernandez Blasco, Sergio Llorente Gil, Daniel Palacios Tomas, Ramon Peinado Adiego, Jose Alfonso Santolaria Lorenzo
  • Patent number: 9089006
    Abstract: An intelligent heater includes a first induction coil, a control panel, a power supply unit, a storage unit, a data transmission interface, and a controlling unit. The control panel includes an input unit for inputting, adding, amending, deleting or refreshing a cooking data and a display unit for showing an operating condition of the intelligent heater. The power supply unit is connected with the first induction coil for providing a first power to the first induction coil. The storage unit is used for storing the cooking data. The data transmission interface is used for transmitting the cooking data. The controlling unit is used for controlling the power supply unit to provide an electricity quantity of the first power to the first induction coil according to the cooking data, so that a heat quantity and a heating time required for heating a first foodstuff container are adaptively adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsien Cho, Yin-Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 9084504
    Abstract: A cooking system that utilizes vibration to improve the convenience of preparing food and the quality of the finished product. The system uses a vibrating device coupled to a cooking vessel with a pad and/or isolation blocks disposed between the vibrator and the vessel. The cooking system can be adapted to prepare specific foods in specific quantities, such as popcorn in pre-packaged containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: KENYON INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Reischmann
  • Patent number: 9084295
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes a top plate adapted to have an object placed thereon, plural heating coils provided below a lower surface of the top plate, an inverter for supplying high-frequency power to the heating coils, a data memory, and a controller controlling the inverter. The data memory stores first and second heating coil patterns. Each of the first and second heating coil patterns defines one or more heatable regions and one or more non-heatable regions. The controller selects a heating coil pattern from the first and second coil patterns. The controller controls the inverter such that high-frequency power can be supplied to one or more first heating coils out of the plural heating coils located in the one or more heatable regions of the selected heating coil pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sadakata, Atsushi Fujita, Makoto Imai, Yuta Miura, Shinichiro Sumiyoshi
  • Patent number: 9035223
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking device is provided that finishes preheating in a short time and maintains the temperature obtained at the finish of the preheating. The induction heat cooking device includes a heating coil for heating a cooking container by induction, an inverter circuit for providing a high frequency current to the heating coil, an operation unit including an operation mode setting unit for setting an operation mode of the inverter circuit, an infrared sensor for detecting an infrared light that is emitted from a bottom surface of the cooking container, a control unit for controlling an output of the inverter circuit based on an output of the infrared sensor and a setting inputted to the operation unit, and a notification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shintaro Noguchi, Kuniaki Sakakibara, Yoshiaki Ishio, Hiroshi Tominaga, Kenji Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150008216
    Abstract: A method (200;300;400) for operating a cooking hob (100) is proposed. The cooking hob comprises at least a first (1151) and a second (1156) cooking zones and a control unit (135) configured for controlling the first and second cooking zones. The method comprises the following steps executed by the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: Electrolux Professional S.p.a.
    Inventor: Ennio PIPPIA
  • Patent number: 8921741
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the power delivered to cookware by a power control system that comprises a heating control user interface that is set by the user to a particular heating control user interface set point within an operating range. A controller derives from the heating control user interface set point a desired cookware temperature set point, and, over at least a first portion of the operating range that encompasses the boiling range, also derives from the heating control user interface set point a maximum limit of power that can be delivered to the cookware to maintain the cookware at the desired cookware temperature set point. The maximum power limit varies monotonically over the first portion of the operating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Adam Broders
  • Patent number: 8912471
    Abstract: A heating cooker of the present invention includes a plurality of light emitting indicator units. The light emitting indicator units each have a temperature sensing unit that senses an ambient temperature of a light emission source. Therefore, deterioration of the light emission source of each of the light emitting indicator units can be suppressed to realize a further reduction in thickness, and to improve visibility of the indicator sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiko Shigeoka, Akira Kataoka, Eiji Matsui
  • Patent number: 8901466
    Abstract: The invention may enable provision of a method for facilitating operation of an induction heating device, and a pot detection method for an induction heating device and to an induction heating device. The induction heating device is characterized by determining a low point of a resonant cycle on a linking node of a parallel resonant circuit and a switching element, determining a low point voltage at the low point of the resonant cycle and switching on the switching element at the low point of the resonant cycle for a cycle duration that is determined depending on the low point voltage in such a manner that a low point voltage does not exceed a predetermined maximum value in the following resonant cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: E.G.O. Elektro-Geraetebau GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Schilling, Ralf Dorwarth, Martin Volk, Tobias Schönherr
  • Patent number: 8866053
    Abstract: A permanent magnet thermal generator having a rotating chamber with an attached optionally rotational heat element in close proximity to one or more permanent magnets. The relative motion of the heat element to the magnetic flux from the magnets results in heat generation and in some cases in levitation. Clothe driers, air furnaces, water heaters and other systems incorporating a permanent magnet thermal generator are also set forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Inventor: Elberto Berdut-Teruel
  • Patent number: 8853599
    Abstract: An induction heating cooking apparatus includes a magnetic flux-shielding plate 28 to restrain magnetic flux leakage from a heating coil 24 and define a cooling air trunk 33, through which cooling air from a fan 32 passes. An infrared sensor 26 for detecting infrared rays emitted from a cooking container 22 and a control circuit 27 for controlling an output of a heating coil 24 depending on an output from the infrared sensor 26 are accommodated within the same space with respect to the magnetic flux-shielding plate 28 to thereby enhance assemblage. Also, the infrared sensor 26 is mainly cooled by cooling air passing through a cooling air trunk 33 to thereby enhance the cooling efficiency of the infrared sensor 26 and conduct correct temperature detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kusaka, Akira Kataoka, Kazunori Takechi
  • Publication number: 20140263287
    Abstract: A temperature detection system for detecting temperature within a metallic can during heating is provided. The system includes an induction heating coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field, and a hermetically sealed can positioned within the magnetic field generated by the induction coil. At least a portion of the sealed can is formed from a metallic material, and the sealed can includes a food product within the can. The magnetic field causes resistive heating of the metallic material of the sealed can. The system includes a temperature sensing element located within the sealed can configured to generate a signal indicative of the temperature of the food product during heating and a memory device communicably coupled to the temperature sensing element configured to store data related to the signal received from the temperature sensing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Silgan Containers LLC
    Inventors: Alvin Widitora, Douglas C. Miller, George Sadler, Jianwen Hu, Gerald J. Baker
  • Publication number: 20140251980
    Abstract: An electromagnetic induction heater includes a supporting plate and a plurality of first induction coils. The supporting plate has a heating zone for placing at least one foodstuff container thereon. The heating zone includes a plurality of sub-heating zones. The first induction coils are located at the positions corresponding to the sub-heating zones respectively for heating the at least one foodstuff container. The first induction coils have elliptic profiles, and are located at an inner side of the supporting plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC,
    Inventor: I-Shen Lin
  • Patent number: 8803048
    Abstract: An induction heating and control system and method have enhanced reliability and advanced performance features for use with induction cooking devices, such as induction heating ranges. Enhanced performance is facilitated via the use of an induction heating system which integrates voltage management, power management, thermal management, digital control sensing and regulation systems, and protection systems management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Nicholas Bassill, Clifford Jameson, Dongyu Wang
  • Patent number: 8796599
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking device is provided that finishes preheating in a short time and maintains the temperature obtained at the finish of the preheating. When a preheating heating mode is selected as an operation mode, a control unit (8) arranged in the induction heat cooking device starts operation in a preheating mode in which a cooking container is heated with a first heating output. When an increment of an output value of an infrared sensor exceeds a first predetermined increment since the heating starts with the first heating output, the control unit causes a notification unit to notify a user that the preheating is finished, and the operation mode is changed to a waiting mode for performing heating with a second heating output that is lower than the first heating output. Further, when the user sets a heating power by means of a heating power setting unit in the preheating mode, the control unit prohibits changing to the heating power set by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniaki Sakakibara, Shintaro Noguchi, Yoshiaki Ishio, Hiroshi Tominaga, Kenji Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140158678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining and regulating the temperature of an article with inductive properties which is heated inductively by means of an induction device, wherein the induction device contains an induction coil, means for producing an induction resonant circuit and a support element arranged above the induction coil and having a first side, which acts as support face for the article, and a second side, which is directed towards the inductive coil. At least one temperature sensor is fitted to the second side. The resonant frequency of the induction resonant circuit is measured via detection means and the temperature of the article is calculated from the measured resonant frequency, wherein the resonant frequency is related to the temperature of the article by virtue of a mathematical function, and the function is determined by determining at least two absolute temperature calibration values of the article at respectively different resonant frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: Inducs AG
    Inventors: Albert Thomann, Andreas Vogel, Christian Fuchs
  • Patent number: 8729434
    Abstract: An induction cooking device includes a heating coil performing induction heating of a cooking container placed on a top plate, an inverter circuit supplying high frequency current to the heating coil, an infrared sensor detecting an amount of infrared light radiated from the cooking container and outputting a detection signal based on the detected amount, a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the cooking container by thermal conduction through the top plate, and a control unit controlling an output of the inverter circuit so that the outputs of the infrared and temperature sensors do not exceed the respective control temperature. The control unit judges whether or not the infrared sensor is normally detecting the temperature of the cooking container, and when it is judged that the infrared sensor is normally detecting the temperature of the cooking container, the control unit raises the control temperature of the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tominaga, Kenji Watanabe, Izuo Hirota, Sadatoshi Tabuchi, Keiko Isoda
  • Patent number: 8704141
    Abstract: An induction cooking heater having at least one inductor and ferrite bars as magnetic field concentrators located beneath the inductor comprises a sensing circuit associated to the ferrite bars and adapted to monitor at least one electric parameter of the sensing circuit in order to prevent the ferrite bars from reaching the Curie point temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Diego Neftali Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 8674272
    Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes: a top plate on which a cooking container is placed; a temperature measuring device which has an infrared ray sensor operable to detect infrared rays radiated from the cooking container and a temperature converting unit operable to calculate a temperature of the cooking container from an output of the infrared ray sensor; a heating coil operable to receive a supply of a high frequency current and generate an induction magnetic field for heating the cooking container; and a heating control unit operable to control the high frequency current of the heating coil based on the temperature measured by the temperature measuring device, and control heating power to be supplied to the cooking container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Fujinami, Sunao Okuda, Naoaki Ishimaru, Akira Kataoka
  • Patent number: 8637797
    Abstract: A temperature controlled heatable object is provided in which a temperature sensor is connected to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The RFID tag is located within the handle of the object, and the temperature sensor is placed in contact with the object. In a first embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor is partially imbedded within the object via a notch located in the side of the object. In a second embodiment of the invention, a temperature sensor is imbedded within a tunnel drilled within the base of the object. In a third embodiment, a temperature sensor is imbedded between the bottom of the object and a slab attached to the bottom of the object. The sensor can be located in a slot formed in either the slab or the bottom or the object. Handles and receivers for mounting the handles to the temperature controllable objects are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Inventor: Mamoru Imura
  • Patent number: 8581159
    Abstract: A method and cooktop include a cooktop panel, a cooking zone, and an induction heating device disposed below the cooktop panel. First, second and third heat sensor units are disposed beneath the cooktop panel in a region of a measuring spot. The first heat sensor unit is configured to measure heat flow from substantially only the cooktop panel. The second and third heat sensor units are configured to measure heat flow from the cooktop panel and a cooking utensil disposed thereon. A light source is provided for measuring an emissivity of the bottom of the cooking utensil. An auxiliary heater heats the region of the measuring spot. An electrical control system calculates a ratio from signals of the second and third heat sensor units and determines an actual temperature of the bottom of the cooking utensil from the ratio by using a temperature of a lower surface of the cooktop panel measured by the first sensor unit and a value of the emissivity of the cooking utensil bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Miele & Cie. KG
    Inventors: Holger Ernst, Uwe Femmer, Sonja Heitmann, Thomas Kruempelmann
  • Patent number: 8573117
    Abstract: A charbroiler having both heated grids and at least one radiant heater and a method of charbroiling a food product are disclosed. Each heat source of the charbroiler may be an independently regulated heat source. The independently regulated heat sources may be adjusted to each contribute to the overall cooking of a food product in a cooking cycle. Each of the independently regulated heat sources may be any heat source capable of being regulated either manually or automatically by a cooking control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: CFA Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger H. Shealy, Dan M. Reep
  • Patent number: 8569666
    Abstract: A method for detecting the pan size and/or position in induction cooking hobs comprises providing at least a sensing circuit associated to a magnetic field concentrator, particularly a ferrite bar, and assessing an electrical parameter thereof correlated to the variation of the magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Diego Neftali Gutierrez, Fabrizio Dughiero
  • Patent number: 8564413
    Abstract: A method for configuring a terminal capable of emitting a radio-frequency field for a transponder including, in the presence of a transponder within the range of the terminal, at least one step of adaptation of the series resistance of an oscillating circuit of the terminal, according to an off-load value, which depends on an operation of the terminal while no transponder is in its field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventor: Luc Wuidart
  • Publication number: 20130248516
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a cooking hob (10) including at least two cooking zones (16, 18) and a balance system for adjusting the temperature of a cooking vessel (20) after said cooking vessel (20) has been moved from a first cooking zone (16) to a second cooking zone (18). The cooking zones (16, 18) comprise or correspond with a vessel recognition device in each case. The cooking hob (10) includes a sensor device for detecting the temperature of the first cooking zone (16). The balance system is provided for activating a boosted power level (30) at the second cooking zone (18) for an estimated time in order to compensate the energy loss (Qs) of the cooking vessel (20) during setting said cooking vessel (20) on the second cooking zone (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.
    Inventors: Harald Hoffmann, Richard Turek
  • Patent number: 8541723
    Abstract: An induction heat cooking device is provided that finishes preheating in a short time and maintains the temperature obtained at the finish of the preheating. The induction heat cooking device includes a heating coil for heating a cooking container by induction, an inverter circuit for providing a high frequency current to the heating coil, an operation unit including an operation mode setting unit for setting an operation mode of the inverter circuit, an infrared sensor for detecting an infrared light that is emitted from a bottom surface of the cooking container, a control unit for controlling an output of the inverter circuit based on an output of the infrared sensor and a setting inputted to the operation unit, and a notification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Noguchi, Kuniaki Sakakibara, Yoshiaki Ishio, Hiroshi Tominaga, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8519310
    Abstract: A cooking appliance. The cooking appliance includes a cook top for a kitchen. One side of the cook top includes a cooking area with cooking areas. The cooking areas may be operated via an induction cooker. The bottom side of the cooking appliance has a display. The display can provide useful information thereon such as the time. The cook top can be arranged in a first horizontal position for use of the cooking areas, and folded to a second vertical position during non use to display information on the display. The cooking appliance also includes a data reader, such as an RFID reader or bar code scanner to obtain data from a food product package. The data may include suggested recipes, cooking temperatures, and/or cooking times. The obtained data may be used to assist in controlling the operation of the cooking areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventor: Matthias Pinkert
  • Patent number: 8492684
    Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a cooking vessel on an induction heating element is disclosed. The induction element is placed below a glass surface and a conductive electrode placed below the glass surface to detect if a cooking utensil is placed on the induction heating element. The electrode measures capacitance, which indicates to the user whether the cooking utensil is present on one or more induction heating elements. After activation by a user, a second detection of the cooking utensil is accomplished by feeding power to the induction heating element and by assessing at least an electrical parameter of a power circuit thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Diego Neftali Gutierrez, Ettore Arione
  • Publication number: 20130140297
    Abstract: In an induction heating apparatus, an infrared-ray detection portion includes an infrared-ray reception portion adapted to receive infrared rays radiated from an object to be heated, an amplification portion adapted to amplify a detection signal from the infrared-ray reception portion to form an infrared-ray detection signal, and a temperature detection portion adapted to detect the temperature of the infrared-ray detection portion and to output the temperature to the control portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sunao Okuda, Naoaki Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 8450665
    Abstract: An induction heating device according to the present invention includes an infrared ray sensor for detecting infrared rays radiated from a cooking container through a top plate, a light emitting device which is placed near the infrared ray sensor and emits light to the back surface of the top plate, and a heating control unit which controls a high-frequency current through a heating coil for controlling the heating of the cooking container. When the heating control unit has stopped the heating of the cooking container, and a predetermined time elapses at the heating-stopped state, the light emitting device is controlled to stop the light emission therefrom. This can improve durability of the light emitting device, which enables maintaining a function of clearly indicating a position at which the cooking container should be placed and a function of detecting failures in the infrared ray sensor, which are roles of the light emitting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumitaka Ogasawara, Keiko Isoda, Hiroshi Tominaga, Masamichi Komada
  • Patent number: 8426782
    Abstract: An induction heating device has an accurate sensing of the temperature of a to-be-heated object and is user-friendly. The induction heating device includes a sensor for sensing the temperature of the to-be-heated object and can carry out a heating operation only when it is determined that the to-be-heated object exists above the sensor. A display having a circular design and characters, for example, that shows the position of this sensor is provided on a top plate of the induction heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Keishima, Akira Kataoka, Hirofumi Nakakura, Izuo Hirota
  • Patent number: 8420984
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a household appliance for performing a housekeeping task. The household appliance comprises a data input device (16) adapted to remotely sense a property in a sensing area (18), and a controller (22) coupled to the data input device and adapted to control an operation of the household appliance in accordance with the sensed property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V.
    Inventors: Kersten Kaiser, Alwin Neukamm, Claudio Cenedese
  • Patent number: 8378274
    Abstract: An induction heating device includes a top plate, a thermo-sensitive device, a temperature detector, a coil, a controller, and a light-emitting section. The top plate places thereon a cooking utensil containing material to be cooked. The thermo-sensitive device changes its electrical characteristics with the temperature of the cooking utensil. The temperature detector detects the temperature of the cooking utensil based on the electrical characteristics of the thermo-sensitive device. The coil heats the cooking utensil. The controller controls the coil based on the temperature information of the temperature detector, thereby controlling an amount of the electric heating power to be supplied to the cooking utensil. The light-emitting section emits visible light to the area over the thermo-sensitive device. The light from the light-emitting section illuminates the area over the thermo-sensitive device through the top plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Fujinami, Naoaki Ishimaru, Izuo Hirota, Akira Kataoka
  • Patent number: 8373102
    Abstract: An induction cooker includes a top plate (1) for placing an object to be heated thereon, a heating mode selection key (8) for allowing the user to select one control mode for heating the object to be heated between a manual heating mode in which the heat output is set by the user by using an output adjusting key (9) and at least another control mode in which the heat output is controlled automatically, and a heating off/on key (7) for starting to heat the object to be heated. In the standby mode, the controller starts heating only when the user operates the heating mode selection key (8) to change the mode to the cooking menu selection mode before operating the heating off/on key (7). When a predetermined time has elapsed in the cooking menu selection mode without a change in a selected control mode, the mode is changed to the standby mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniaki Sakakibara, Keiko Isoda, Masamichi Komada, Hiroshi Tominaga, Fumitaka Ogasawara