Light guide for generating illuminated indicia for an electric burner of a heating appliance
First Claim
1. A heating appliance comprising:
- a cooktop that is at least partially translucent;
an electric burner positioned in thermal communication with an upper surface of the cooktop, the electric burner being operable between a deactive state and at least one active state, wherein the upper surface of the cooktop proximate the electric burner defines a temporary cooldown state after the electric burner is moved from the at least one active state to the deactive state;
a light module including at least one light source, wherein the light module is in an illuminated state when the electric burner is in the at least one active state, and wherein the light module remains at least partially in the illuminated state during the temporary cooldown state; and
a light guide extending from the light module and extending around a portion of the electric burner, wherein the light guide is positioned such that the at least one light source directs light through the light guide, and wherein an outer surface of the light guide includes an elongated formed surface for directing and concentrating the light upward and through the cooktop, such that the elongated formed surface of the light guide is at least partially visible through the cooktop when the light module is in the illuminated state, wherein the elongated formed surface is a single prism-shaped extrusion that extends uniformly and continuously along only a top portion of the light guide.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A heating appliance includes a translucent cooktop and a burner in communication with the cooktop. The burner is operable between deactive and active states. The upper surface of the cooktop defines a cooldown state after the burner is moved from the active to the deactive state. A light module includes a light source and is in an illuminated state when the burner is in the active state and when the cooktop is in the cooldown state. A light guide extends from the light module and around a portion of the burner. The light guide is positioned such that the light source directs light through the light guide. The outer surface of the light guide includes a formed surface that directs light upward and through the cooktop, wherein the light guide is visible through the cooktop when the light module is in the illuminated state.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A heating appliance comprising:
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a cooktop that is at least partially translucent; an electric burner positioned in thermal communication with an upper surface of the cooktop, the electric burner being operable between a deactive state and at least one active state, wherein the upper surface of the cooktop proximate the electric burner defines a temporary cooldown state after the electric burner is moved from the at least one active state to the deactive state; a light module including at least one light source, wherein the light module is in an illuminated state when the electric burner is in the at least one active state, and wherein the light module remains at least partially in the illuminated state during the temporary cooldown state; and a light guide extending from the light module and extending around a portion of the electric burner, wherein the light guide is positioned such that the at least one light source directs light through the light guide, and wherein an outer surface of the light guide includes an elongated formed surface for directing and concentrating the light upward and through the cooktop, such that the elongated formed surface of the light guide is at least partially visible through the cooktop when the light module is in the illuminated state, wherein the elongated formed surface is a single prism-shaped extrusion that extends uniformly and continuously along only a top portion of the light guide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A heating appliance comprising:
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a light module in communication with a translucent cooktop, wherein the light module includes a plurality of lighting elements that selectively direct light through a silicone light guide; an electric burner positioned proximate the translucent cooktop, wherein the silicone light guide extends at least partially around the electric burner and directs light from the light module through the translucent cooktop to reveal an illuminated indicia, of a plurality of illuminated indicia, within an upper surface of the translucent cooktop, wherein the silicone light guide includes a core member and an outer covering that define an internal boundary therebetween, wherein a top portion of the internal boundary defines an elongated surface condition that extends uniformly and continuously along the internal boundary and only at the top portion of the internal boundary, and wherein the elongated surface condition is a prism-shaped extrusion that defines an inefficient portion of the internal boundary that concentrates and directs the light upward to the translucent cooktop; and a temperature sensor in communication with the light module, wherein the temperature sensor measures a surface temperature of the translucent cooktop proximate the electric burner, and wherein the plurality of lighting elements generates the plurality of illuminated indicia by directing light from the plurality of lighting elements and through the translucent cooktop in response to the surface temperature of the translucent cooktop. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A heating appliance comprising:
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an electric burner positioned below a translucent cooktop, wherein the electric burner selectively provides heat to an upper surface of the translucent cooktop to generate a plurality of heating conditions; a light module having a plurality of light fixtures and at least one solid silicone prism, wherein each of the plurality of light fixtures is positioned to direct light through one of first and second ends of the at least one solid silicone prism to produce a plurality of illuminated indicia visible through the translucent cooktop, wherein the plurality of illuminated indicia includes a plurality of operational indicia, wherein each operational indicia of the plurality of operational indicia corresponds to a respective heating condition of the plurality of heating conditions, and wherein each of the plurality of illuminated indicia is positioned proximate the electric burner, wherein a conditioned surface in a form of an elongated prism-shaped ridge is defined within a top portion of the at least one solid silicone prism, wherein the elongated prism-shaped ridge extends continuously along only the top portion, and wherein the elongated prism-shaped ridge is in an extruded form and is configured to concentrate the light toward the translucent cooktop; and a control that operates the electric burner to generate the plurality of heating conditions and the corresponding plurality of operational indicia. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification