Induction Cook-Top Apparatus

• US 20090289054A1
• Filed: 05/19/2009
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenyon International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kenyon International, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Phillip, Reischmann, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/624
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1209 induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

An induction stove assembly that utilizes pads between the cook-top of the stove and cooking vessels placed on the stove for heating. The pads are easily removable and interchangeable with other similar pads. The pads help protect the cook-top from damage, make clean-up more efficient, and insulate the cook-top from excessive heating.

Claims

1. A cook-top assembly for use with an induction stove that utilizes a coil to create an oscillating magnetic field that interacts with and generates an amount of heat in a cooking vessel located in an induction cooking zone of the stove, the assembly comprising:

a cook-top, comprising a substantially horizontal surface and at least one recess formed in the surface; and

a pad, placed on the cook-top with at least a portion of the pad disposed in the recess; and

wherein the portion of the pad disposed in the recess substantially prevents horizontal movement of the pad relative to the cook-top but does not impede removal of the pad from the cook-top.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad causes no more than about a 40% reduction in the amount of heat generated in the cooking vessel by the oscillating magnetic field.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad causes no more than about a 20% reduction in the amount of heat generated in the cooking vessel by the oscillating magnetic field.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad causes substantially no reduction in the amount of heat generated in the cooking vessel by the oscillating magnetic field.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad exhibits substantially no deformation of shape when exposed to temperatures between 150°

F. and 500°

F.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnetic permeability of the pad is less than 5×

10<sup>−

6</sup> μ

H/m.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad is sized to correspond to the size of the induction cooking zone.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad is sized to cover a majority of the surface area of the cook-top.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad is formed of a flexible, shock-absorbing material.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the cook-top further comprises:

a top plate, having an opening; and

a bottom plate, having an upper surface that is fixed to a lower surface of the top plate and substantially covers the opening;

wherein the recess is defined by the space bound by the upper surface of the bottom plate and the opening in the top plate.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the pad is sized to fit within the recess and rests upon the upper surface of the bottom plate.

12. The assembly of claim 10, wherein the pad includes a protrusion sized to fit within the recess.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad is comprised of silicone rubber.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein any portions of the pad and the cook-top that are located between the coil and the cooking vessel have a combined thickness of about 10 millimeters or less.

15. A pad for use with an induction stove that includes a cook-top and a coil for generating an oscillating magnetic field that interacts with and generates an amount of heat in a cooking vessel located in an induction cooking zone, comprising:

a bottom surface for contacting the cook-top;

a top surface for supporting a cooking vessel to be heated;

wherein the pad is made of a flexible, shock-absorbing material.

16. The pad of claim 15, wherein the pad includes a protrusion for fitting within a recess formed on the cook-top.

17. The pad of claim 15, wherein the pad is comprised of silicone rubber.

18. The pad of claim 15, wherein the pad is sized to substantially correspond to an induction cooking zone of the induction stove and shaped so that when the protrusion is fitted within the recess, the pad is located above the coil.

19. The pad of claim 15, wherein the pad is sized to substantially correspond to the surface area of the cook-top.

20. A method of maintaining a plurality of induction stoves, each of which comprises a cook-top, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a set of pads, each of which is adapted to rest on a cook-top;

placing a first subset of pads from the set of pads on the cook-tops of the plurality of induction stoves so that users may use the plurality of induction stoves;

removing a first pad of the first subset of pads after use of a first induction stove by a first user;

placing a second pad taken from a second subset of pads from the set of pads on the cook-top of the first induction stove to replace the first pad so a second user may use the first induction stove;

cleaning the first pad and transferring it to the second subset for subsequent use.