Cooking appliance such as a stove with an arrangement of a ceramic heating element as a cooking zone in a cutout of a cooking surface

• US 6,111,229 A
• Filed: 10/22/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SCHOTT Glass
• Original Assignee: SCHOTT Glass
• Inventors: Schultheis, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US09/177,336
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 219/443.1, 219/451.1, 219/452.11, 219/452.12, 219/454.12, 219/456.1, 219/460.1, 219/461.1, 219/462.1, 219/465.1, 219/466.1, 219/467.1 , 219/468.1, 219/468.2, 126/211, 126/217, 126/214 A, 126/90 A, 126/92 A, 126/92 B
• US Class Current: 219/452.11
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/102 electrically heated
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/141 Conductive ceramics, e.g. metal oxides, metal carbides, barium titanate, ferrites, zirconia, vitrous compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/74 Non-metallic plates , e.g. vitroceramic, ceramic or glassceramic hobs, also including power or control circuits

Abstract

Arrangement of an electrical heating element as a cooking zone, having as a carrier a ceramic of very high thermal conductivity, in a cutout of a cooking surface comprising glass-ceramic, glass, ceramic, metal or plastic. The ceramic carrier of the heating element has, above the plane of the cooking surface, a region, by means of which region the carrier engages over the cutout onto the top of the cooking surface and by means of which region the carrier rests on the cooking surface by a gasket. The ceramic carrier forms, in the plane of the cooking surface, a further region, by which further region the carrier is positioned in the cutout at a distance from the end faces of the latter, and, below the plane of the cooking surface, a region having shaped-out portions serves as a bearing for an element which element, with the aid of the cooking surface as an abutment, fixes the heating element in the cutout of the cooking surface.

Claims

1. A cook top for cooking food, said cook top comprising:

a housing;

said housing comprising a cooking surface, said cooking surface having a top and a bottom;

said cooking surface comprising a cutout portion;

a heating arrangement comprising a carrier and an electrical heating element disposed in said carrier;

said heating arrangement being disposed at said cutout portion of said cooking surface;

said carrier comprising a first portion, said first portion of said carrier being disposed above said cutout portion and adjacent said top of said cooking surface to rest on said cooking surface;

a gasket;

said gasket being disposed between said first portion of said carrier and said top of said cooking surface;

said carrier comprising a second portion;

said second portion of said carrier being disposed below said top of said cooking surface;

a fastening element;

said second portion comprising a part to receive said fastening element, said receiving part being disposed below said top of said cooking surface and also adjacent to said cutout portion;

said receiving part being configured and disposed to engage said fastening element; and

said fastening element being disposed and configured to engage said receiving part and simultaneously to abut said bottom of said cooking surface to thus hold said heating arrangement in said cutout portion.

2. The cook top according to claim 1 wherein said cooking surface comprises at least one of glass-ceramic, glass, ceramic, metal, and plastic.

3. The cook top according to claim 2 wherein said carrier of said heating arrangement comprises ceramic, said ceramic having a high thermal conductivity.

4. The cook top according to claim 3 wherein:

said cooking surface comprises a facing in said cooking surface, said facing surrounding said cutout portion and defining said cutout portion;

said cooking surface having a thickness between said top of said cooking surface and said bottom of said cooking surface;

said cooking surface defining a plane, said plane substantially bisecting said thickness of said cooking surface;

said carrier comprises a third portion;

said third portion of said carrier being disposed substantially in said cutout portion, substantially in said plane of said cooking surface; and

said third portion of said carrier being disposed a distance from said facing, to allow a space between said facing and said third portion.

5. The cook top according to claim 4 wherein:

said receiving part comprises a recessed portion;

said recessed portion comprises a bearing to engage said fastening element; and

said fastening element being disposed and configured to fix said heating arrangement in said cutout portion.

6. The cook top according to claim 5 wherein said recessed portion of said receiving part comprises one of grooves, threads, bosses, or bored portions.

7. The cook top according to claim 6 wherein said fastening element comprises:

a resilient fastening element; and

one of metal and ceramic.

8. The cook top according to claim 7 comprising:

an additional gasket; and

said additional gasket being disposed between said fastening element and said bottom of said cooking surface.

9. The cook top according to claim 8 wherein said gasket and said additional gasket each comprise at least one of a graphite containing material, and a ceramic fiber material.

10. The cook top according to claim 9 wherein said fastening element comprises one of a), b), and c):

a) a bayonet ring; and

said bayonet ring being disposed to engage said receiving element;

b) an elastic fastening ring;

said elastic fastening ring being disposed and configured to hold said gasket by a friction fit;

a guard ring; and

said guard ring being disposed and configured to substantially prevent contact between said fastening ring and said bottom of said cooking surface; and

c) a clamping element; and

said clamping element being disposed to clamp said heating arrangement in said cutout portion.

11. The cook top according to claim 10 wherein said electrical heating element is electrically insulated.

12. The cook top according to claim 11 wherein said receiving part is formed by milling.

13. The cook top according to claim 12 wherein said receiving part is formed from one piece with the heating arrangement.

14. The cook top according to claim 13 wherein said heating arrangement is one of caught into said cutout portion, or threaded into said cutout portion.

15. The cook top according to claim 12 wherein:

said receiving part comprises metal; and

said metal receiving part being hard soldered to said heating arrangement.

16. The cook top according to claim 15 wherein said heating arrangement is one of caught into said cutout portion, or threaded into said cutout portion.

17. The cook top according to claim 12 wherein:

said receiving part comprises a separate ceramic part; and

said separate ceramic part comprises the same ceramic material as the ceramic of said heating arrangement.

18. The cook top according to claim 17 wherein said separate ceramic part is attached to said heating arrangement with thermally stable ceramic adhesive.

19. The cook top according to claim 18 wherein said heating arrangement is one of caught into said cutout portion, or threaded into said cutout portion.

20. Arrangement of an electrical heating element as a cooking zone, having as a carrier a ceramic of very high thermal conductivity, in a cutout of a cooking surface consisting of glass-ceramic, glass, ceramic, metal or plastic, the cutout defining end faces about the outside of the cutout, characterized in that the ceramic carrier of the heating element has, above the plane of the cooking surface, a region, by means of which the carrier engages over the cutout onto the top of the cooking surface and by means of which the carrier rests on the cooking surface by means of a gasket, and the ceramic carrier forms, in the plane of the cooking surface, a further region, by means of which the carrier is positioned in the cutout at a distance from the end faces of the latter, and, below the plane of the cooking surface, a region having shaped-out portions serving as a bearing for an element which, with the aid of the cooking surface as an abutment, fixes the heating element in the cutout of the cooking surface.