INDUCTION COOKING APPLIANCE INCLUDING COOKING VESSEL HAVING MEANS FOR WIRELESS TRANSMISSION OF TEMPERATURE DATA

• US 3,742,178 A
• Filed: 12/29/1971
• Issued: 06/26/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John D. Harnden Jr
• Original Assignee: John D. Harnden Jr
• Inventors: Harnden, John D. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truhe, J. V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reynolds, B. A.
• Application Number:
  US05/213,335
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 219/10.49,10.75,10.77,450,501 340/210 220/9R 73/362,343R 307/117
• US Class Current: 219/627
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 27/002 Construction of cooking-vessels; Methods or processes of manufacturing specially adapted for cooking-vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/321 the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/06 Cook-top or cookware capable of communicating with each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/07 Heating plates with temperature control means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/062 for cooking plates or the like

Abstract

Herein disclosed is an induction cooking range having a counter which supports a food-containing vessel. The vessel is heated by the range'"'"''"'"'s induction coil which operates at high frequency. The invention includes a temperature sensing unit comprising a temperature detection unit and a temperature receiving unit. The former unit is incorporated in the cooking vessel while the latter unit is remotely located therefrom in the induction range. The aforesaid temperature receiving unit receives radio frequency transmissions of temperature data from the temperature detection unit in the vessel. The temperature detection unit in the vessel is powered by the main field produced by the induction coil.

Claims

1. In combination, an induction heating appliance and a vessel said appliance comprising vessel supporting means for supporting said vessel, said supporting means being of a non-magnetic material in which no substantial heating current is induced when subjected to a changing magnetic field, an induction coil proximate said supporting means but separated from the vessel by the supporting means which is situated between said coil and said vessel, said coil being energizable for producing a main changing magnetic field, means for energizing said coil with electric power, and a temperature receiving Unit included in said appliance;

said vessel comprising a portion in which heating current is induced by said main changing magnetic field when said vessel is supported by said supporting means, and a temperature detection unit supported by said vessel, said temperature detection unit including a temperature sensor unit for sensing the temperature of said vessel, said temperature detection unit being energizable by said main changing magnetic field to produce an auxiliary changing magnetic field which contains temperature data corresponding to the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said temperature receiving unit including means responsive to said auxiliary changing magnetic field for producing a signal representative of the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said temperature detection unit supported by said vessel being further comprised of a pick-up coil for developing a first voltage when subjected to said main changing magnetic field, a rectifier for converting said first voltage to a rectified second voltage, a voltage controlled oscillator energized by said second voltage for producing a variable frequency output signal, said temperature sensor unit providing an impedance corresponding to a temperature sensed by said sensor unit, said temperature sensor unit being electrically coupled with said voltage controlled oscillator whereby said oscillator produces an output signal of a frequency corresponding to the temperature sensed by said sensor unit, and a transmitting coil electrically coupled with said voltage controlled oscillator for producing said auxiliary changing magnetic field corresponding to the output signal produced by said oscillator.

2. An inductively heatable vessel comprising:

a first metallic wall member and a second non-metallic wall member having portions thereof sealed together to form a sealed double-walled vessel having an enclosed space between said wall members, said first wall member forming an inside wall surface of said vessel, said first wall member having heating current induced therein when said first wall member is subjected to a changing magnetic field, said second non-metallic wall member having no substantial heating current induced therein when subjected to a changing magnetic field, said second wall member serving as a supportable outside wall of said vessel, a temperature detection unit located within said space between said wall members, said temperature detection unit including a temperature sensor unit for sensing the temperature of at least said first wall member, said temperature detection unit being further comprised of a pick-up coil, a rectifier, an oscillator and a transmit coil, said pick-up coil producing a first voltage in response to the changing magnetic field to which said first wall member is subjected, said rectifier producing from said first voltage a rectified voltage, said oscillator being driven by said rectified voltage and producing a variable frequency output signal corresponding to a temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said transmit coil in response to the output signal produced by said oscillator producing an auxiliary changing magnetic field, said auxiliary changing magnetic field containing temperature data corresponding to the temperature sensed by said sensor unit.

3. In combination, an inductively heatable vessel and a temperature receiving unit located remotely from said vessel, said vessel comprising a first metallic wall member and a second non-metallic wall member, said wall members having portions thereof sealed together to form a double-walled vessel having an enclosed space between said walled members, said first metallic wall member forming the inside surface of said vessel, said first wall member being adapted for having heating current induced therein when subjected to a changing magnetic field, said second non-metallic wall member having no substantial heating current induced therein when subjected to a changing magnetic field, a temperature detEction unit located within said space between said wall members, said temperature detection unit including a temperature sensor unit for sensing the temperature of at least said first wall member, said temperatue detection unit including means for transmitting an auxiliary changing magnetic field containing data representative of the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit to said remotely located temperature receiving unit, said remotely located temperature receiving unit comprising a receiving coil adapted for being magnetically coupled with said auxiliary changing magnetic field and for producing an electrical signal therefrom representative of the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit of said temperature detection unit and a temperature signal processing circuit for processing the signal from said receiving coil to produce another signal representative of said temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, and display means coupled with said temperature signal processing circuit for indicating the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said temperature detection unit further comprising a pick-up coil, a rectifier, an oscillator and a transmit coil, said pick-up coil producing a first voltage in response to the changing magnetic field to which said first wall member is subjected, said rectifier producing from said first voltage a rectified voltage, said oscillator being driven by said rectified voltage and producing a variable frequency output signal corresponding to a temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said transmit coil in response to the output signal produced by said oscillator producing the auxiliary changing magnetic field, said auxiliary changing magnetic field containing temperature data corresponding to the temperature sensed by said sensor unit.

4. In combination, an induction cooking appliance and a cooking vessel, said appliance comprising vessel supporting means in which no substantial heating current is induced when subjected to a changing magnetic field, an induction coil proximate said supporting means but separated from the vessel by the supporting means which is located between the vessel and the coil, said coil being energizable for producing a main changing magnetic field, means for energizing said induction coil with electric power, and a temperature receiving unit supported by said appliance, said vessel comprising a first metallic wall member and a second non-metallic wall member, said wall members having portions thereof sealed together to form a double-walled vessel with an enclosed space between said wall members, said first metallic wall member forming the inside surface of said vessel and being adapted for containing foodstuff to be cooked, said first wall member and also being adapted for having heating current induced therein when said vessel is supported by said vessel supporting means such that said first wall member of said vessel is subjected to said main changing magnetic field, a temperature detection unit located within said space between said wall members, said temperature detection unit including a temperature sensor unit for sensing the temperature of at least said first metallic wall member, said temperature detection unit being energizable by said main changing magnetic field to produce an auxiliary changing magnetic field containing temperature data corresponding to the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said temperature detection unit further comprising a pick-up coil for developing a first voltage when subjected to said main changing magnetic field, a rectifier for converting said first voltage to a rectified second voltage, a voltage controlled oscillator energized by said second voltage for producing a variable frequency output signal, said temperature sensor unit providing an impedance corresponding to a temperature sensed by said sensor unit, said temperature sensor unit being electrically coupled with said voltage controlled oscillator whereby sAid oscillator produces an output signal of a frequency corresponding to the temperature sensed by said sensor unit, and a transmitting coil electrically coupled with said voltage controlled oscillator for producing an auxiliary changing metallic field corresponding to output signal produced by said oscillator, said auxiliary magnetic field containing temperature data corresponding to the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit, said temperature receiving unit including means responsive to said auxiliary changing magnetic field for producing a signal representative of the temperature sensed by said temperature sensor unit.