System and method of detecting temperature of a cooking utensil over a radiant cooktop

• US 20050286609A1
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mathews, Harry Kirk Jr., Smolenski, Joseph Lucian
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/141
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/16 Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/00 Thermometers specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/00 Application of thermometers in household appliances

Abstract

A system for detecting temperature of a cooking utensil over a radiant cooktop includes a cooktop having an upper surface and a lower surface and a radiant heating element adapted to heat the cooktop. A temperature detector is disposed adjacent the lower surface of the cooktop and is adapted to detect temperature of the lower surface of the cooktop. The system also includes a thermal insulation barrier disposed intermediate the temperature detector and the radiant heating element.

Claims

1. A system for detecting temperature of a cooking utensil over a radiant cooktop comprising:

a cooktop having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a radiant heating element adapted to heat the cooktop;

a temperature detector disposed adjacent the lower surface of the cooktop and adapted to detect temperature of the lower surface of the cooktop; and

a thermal insulation barrier disposed intermediate the temperature detector and the radiant heating element.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the lower surface of the cooktop is a representative of the temperature of a cooking utensil disposed over the upper surface of the cooktop.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooktop comprises a ceramic material.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cooktop comprises a glass material.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature detector is a resistive thermal device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature detector is a thermistor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature detector is bonded to the lower surface of the cooktop.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature detector comprises a spring loaded sensor assembly for urging the temperature detector towards the lower surface of the cooktop.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal insulation barrier comprises a material compliant with the material of the cooktop.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a radiant shield is disposed over the thermal insulation barrier.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the radiant shield comprises gold.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of raised locations disposed on the upper surface of the cooktop adapted to provide contact between the upper surface of the cooktop and a cooking utensil disposed over the upper surface of the cooktop.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a minimum number of the raised locations is three.

14. A system for controlling operation of a radiant cooktop comprising:

a cooktop having an upper surface and a lower surface;

a radiant heating element adapted to heat the cooktop;

a temperature detector disposed adjacent the lower surface of the cooktop adapted to detect temperature of the lower surface of the cooktop;

a thermal insulation barrier disposed intermediate the temperature detector and the radiant heating element; and

a controller coupled to the temperature detector and the radiant heating element for controlling temperature of the radiant cooktop based upon the temperature detected by the temperature detector.

15. The system of claim 14,wherein the temperature of the lower surface of the cooktop is a representative of the temperature of a cooking utensil disposed over the upper surface of the cooktop.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the temperature detector is bonded to the lower surface of the cooktop.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the temperature detector comprises a spring loaded sensor assembly for urging the detector towards the lower surface of the cooktop.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein a radiant shield is disposed over the thermal insulation barrier.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of raised locations disposed on the upper surface of the cooktop adapted to provide contact between the upper surface of the cooktop and a cooking utensil disposed over the upper surface of the cooktop.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a minimum number of the raised locations is three.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is operable to control a cooking feature of the cooktop.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the cooking feature is boil detection of contents placed inside a cooking utensil disposed over the upper surface of the cooktop.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the cooking feature is boil control of contents placed inside a cooking utensil disposed over the upper surface of the cooktop.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the cooking feature is a no-load condition of the radiant cooktop.

25. A method of detecting a temperature of a cooking utensil over a radiant cooktop comprising:

disposing a temperature detector adjacent to a lower surface of a cooktop;

creating an area of reduced heat flux adjacent to the temperature detector; and

sensing the temperature of the area of reduced heat flux via the temperature detector.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the temperature detector is bonded to the lower surface of the cooktop.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the temperature detector is biased towards the lower surface of the cooktop via a resilient sensor assembly.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein creating an area of reduced heat flux comprises providing an insulation barrier adjacent to the temperature detector.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising disposing a radiant shield over the thermal insulation barrier.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing a plurality of raised locations on the upper surface of the cooktop.

31. A method of controlling operation of a radiant cooktop comprising:

disposing a temperature detector adjacent a lower surface of a cooktop;

creating an area of reduced heat flux adjacent to the temperature detector;

sensing a temperature of the area of reduced heat flux via the temperature detector; and

controlling the temperature of the cooktop based upon the temperature sensed by the temperature detector.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the temperature detector is bonded to the lower surface of the cooktop.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the temperature detector is urged towards the lower surface of the cooktop via a resilient sensor assembly.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein creating an area of reduced heat flux comprises providing an insulation barrier adjacent to the temperature detector.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising disposing a radiant shield over the thermal insulation barrier.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein controlling the temperature of the radiant cooktop comprises adjusting the power input to the radiant cooktop based upon the temperature sensed by the temperature detector.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein controlling the temperature of the radiant cooktop comprises controlling a cooking feature of the radiant cooktop based upon the temperature sensed by the temperature detector.