Cooktop with temperature sensor

• US 20030019863A1
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dan Neumayer, Franz Gratz, Markus Theine, Monika Zeraschi, Peter Vetterl, Uwe Has
• Original Assignee: Dan Neumayer, Franz Gratz, Markus Theine, Monika Zeraschi, Peter Vetterl, Uwe Has
• Inventors: Gratz, Franz, Has, Uwe, Vetterl, Peter, Neumayer, Dan, Zeraschi, Monika, Theine, Markus
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/448.17
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/07 Heating plates with temperature control means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/746 Protection, e.g. overheat cutoff, hot plate indicator

Abstract

In a cooktop with a cooktop panel, beneath which at least one heating element is disposed for heating up a cooking vessel to be placed on the cooktop panel, and with a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the cooktop panel, which temperature sensor is in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel within the heating element and is connected to a control unit for controlling the heating power of the heating element, to simplify assembly/fitting, the invention provides a heat-conducting element within the heating element in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel, and fastens the temperature sensor in this region to the heat-conducting element.

Claims

1. A cooktop, comprising:

a cooktop panel having an underside;

at least one heating element disposed beneath said cooktop panel for heating up a cooking vessel to be placed on said cooktop panel;

a control unit electrically connected to said at least one heating element for controlling a heating power of said at least one heating element;

a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of said cooktop panel, said temperature sensor;

in heat-conducting contact with said underside of said cooktop panel within said at least one heating element; and

electrically connected to said control unit;

a heat-conducting element;

at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element; and

in heat-conducting contact with said underside of said cooktop panel at a region of said cooktop panel; and

said temperature sensor fastened to said heat-conducting element in said region of said cooktop panel.

2. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one heating element has an outer circumferential wall; and

said heat-conducting element is fastened at a region of said outer circumferential wall.

3. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one heating element has an outer circumferential wall; and

said heat-conducting element is screwed onto a region of said outer circumferential wall.

4. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one heating element has an outer circumferential wall; and

a screw fastens said heat-conducting element onto a region of said outer circumferential wall.

5. The cooktop according to claim 2, wherein said heat-conducting element is selectively fastened on said outer circumferential wall at various heights.

6. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat-conducting element has an underside; and

said temperature sensor is fastened on said underside of said heat-conducting element.

7. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat-conducting element has;

a receiving portion receiving said temperature sensor; and

a fitting portion for fastening said heat-conducting element; and

said receiving portion is radially offset laterally with respect to said fitting portion.

8. The cooktop according to claim 7, wherein said fitting portion fastens said heat-conducting element on said at least one heating element.

9. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat-conducting element has at least two parts;

one of said at least two parts is a receiving part receiving said temperature sensor;

another of said at least two parts is of a given material; and

said receiving part is of a material softer than said given material.

10. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein said material softer than said given material is spring steel.

11. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat-conducting element is a torsion spring having a torsion region; and

said torsion region is substantially outside said at least one heating element.

12. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one heating element has a temperature limiter; and

said temperature sensor is disposed in a region of said temperature limiter.

13. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein said heat-conducting element is electrically conductive and grounded.

14. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one heating element has a heater emanating thermal radiation; and

insulating material shields said temperature sensor and said heat-conducting element against the thermal radiation.

15. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

said temperature sensor has at least one electrical line; and

said heat-conducting element has a line connection portion connected to said at least one electrical line.

16. The cooktop according to claim 15, wherein said heat-conducting element has a ground line and a ground connection portion connected to said ground line for grounding said heat-conducting element.

17. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein said heat-conducting element has a ground line and a ground connection portion connected to said ground line for grounding said heat-conducting element.

18. In a cooktop having a cooktop panel with an underside, at least one heating element disposed beneath the cooktop panel for heating up a cooking vessel to be placed on the cooktop panel, a control unit electrically connected to the at least one heating element for controlling a heating power of the at least one heating element, and a temperature sensor sensing a temperature of the underside of the cooktop panel, in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel within the at least one heating element, and electrically connected to the control unit, a temperature sensor holder comprising:

a heat-conducting element;

at least partially disposed within the at least one heating element; and

in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel at a region of the cooktop panel; and

the temperature sensor fastened to said heat-conducting element in the region of the cooktop panel.

19. The temperature sensor holding according to claim 18, wherein said heat-conducting element is a removable part of the at least one heating element.

20. In a cooktop having a cooktop panel with an underside, a control unit, and a temperature sensor in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel, electrically connected to the control unit, and sensing a temperature of the cooktop panel, a heater comprising:

at least one heating element;

disposed beneath the cooktop panel for heating up a cooking vessel to be placed on the cooktop panel; and

electrically connected to the control unit for controlling a heating power of said at least one heating element;

the temperature sensor in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel within said at least one heating element;

a heat-conducting element;

at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element; and

in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel at a region of the cooktop panel; and

the temperature sensor fastened to said heat-conducting element in the region of the cooktop panel.