Cooktop with temperature sensor

• US 7,573,003 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2002
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Has, Uwe, Vetterl, Peter, Neumayer, Dan, Zeraschi, Monika, Theine, Markus, Grätz, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US10/223,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 219/446.1, 219/447.1, 219/448.11, 219/448.12, 219/448.14, 219/448.16, 219/448.18, 219/448.19, 219/458.1, 219/460.1, 219/461.1, 136/221, 136/230, 136/231
• 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 having an outer circumferential wall and being 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;

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

being electrically connected to said control unit;

a heat-conducting element fastened at a region of said outer circumferential wall and having a portion at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element, said portion being in heat-conducting contact with said underside of said cooktop panel at a region of said cooktop panel; and

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

2. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

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

3. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein:

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

4. The cooktop according to claim 1, wherein said heat-conducting element is selectively fastened on said outer circumferential wall at various heights.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. The cooktop according to claim 9, 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.

11. 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.

12. 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;

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

being electrically connected to said control unit;

a heat-conducting element having a portion at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element, said portion being in heat-conducting contact with said underside of said cooktop panel at a region of said cooktop panel, and said heat-conducting element having a receiving portion receiving said temperature sensor, a fitting portion for fastening said heat-conducting element, and said receiving portion being radially offset laterally with respect to said fitting portion; and

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

13. The cooktop according to claim 12, 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.

14. The cooktop according to claim 12, wherein said fitting portion fastens said heat-conducting element on said at least one heating element.

15. 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;

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

being electrically connected to said control unit;

a heat-conducting element having a portion at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element, said portion being in heat-conducting contact with said underside of said cooktop panel at a region of said cooktop panel;

said heat-conducting element having at least two parts, one of said at least two parts being a receiving part receiving said temperature sensor, said receiving part being of a first material, and another of said at least two parts being of a second material harder than said first material; and

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

16. The cooktop according to claim 15, wherein said first material is spring steel.

17. 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;

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

being electrically connected to said control unit;

a heat-conducting element being a torsion spring having a torsion region substantially outside said at least one heating element, said heat-conducting element having a portion at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element, said portion being in heat-conducting contact with said underside of said cooktop panel at a region of said cooktop panel; and

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

18. In a cooktop having a cooktop panel with an underside, at least one heating element having a circumferential wall and being 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 fastened at a region of the outer circumferential wall and having a portion at least partially disposed within the at least one heating element, said portion being in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel at a region of the cooktop panel; and

the temperature sensor being 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 having a circumferential wall;

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

a heat-conducting element fastened at a region of said outer circumferential wall and having a portion at least partially disposed within said at least one heating element, said portion being in heat-conducting contact with the underside of the cooktop panel at a region of the cooktop panel; and

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