Electrically heated cooking appliance

Claim 2

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising a heating tray having a flat circular bottom portion and an upwardly curved peripheral side wall extending only a short distance above said flat bottom portion, said heating tray being formed of a good heat conducting material, an electrical heating element in intimate heat exchange relationship with said heating tray, a removable vessel having a side wall of an extent to define a container having a depth several times greater than the depth of said heating tray, said removable vessel having a bottom and a small section of the lower portion of the side wall of said vessel contoured to fit in good heat conducting relationship within said heating tray, said vessel having a circular flat bottom in heat exchange engagement with said bottom portion and a portion of the side wall of said vessel being in heat exchange relationship with said curved peripheral side wall, a temperature sensing control device positioned closely adjacent to said heating tray and responsive to the temperature of said heating tray for connecting said heating element to an electrical power source and for maintaining said heating tray at a constant preselected temperature, and an insulating support tray of shallow pan-like configuration mounted in spaced relationship with said heating tray to provide an annular passageway between the adjacent open tops of said heating tray and said support tray, and fastening means for securing said trays in said spaced relationship.

Claim 3

The cooking appliance of claim 1 wherein the side wall of said removable vessel is tapered inwardly toward the top thereof to prevent spillage or splashing of liquid placed in said vessel.

Claim 4

The cooking appliance of claim 1 wherein a ventilating opening is provided in said insulating support tray to permit the flow of air through said opening and said annular passageway.

Claim 5

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising a heating tray having a flat circular bottom portion and an upwardly curved peripheral side wall, said tray being formed of a good heat conducting material and having an electrical heating element secured to the underside of said bottom portion, a removable vessel having bottom and side walls contoured to fit into good heat conducting relation to said tray, said vessel having a circular flat bottom in engagement with said bottom portion and curved side walls which are positioned in closely spaced relation to said tray side walls, said tray including a pair of parallel downwardly depending side walls integrally formed on the bottom thereof defining a temperature sensing zone therebetween, closing means extending across the ends of said depending side walls to enclose all but the ends of said temperature sensing zone, a detachable temperature sensing and control device for connecting said heating element to an electrical power source, said sensing and control device being positioned in good heat transfer relation with the bottom of said tray and extending into said zone between said side walls to control the temperature of said vessel.

Claim 6

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising a heating tray having a flat circular bottom portion and an upwardly curved peripheral side wall, said tray being formed of a good heat conducting material and having an electrical heating element secured to the underside of said bottom portion, a removable vessel having bottom and side walls contoured to fit into good heat conducting relation to said tray, said vessel having a circular flat bottom in engagement with said bottom portion and curved side walls which are positioned in closely spaced relation to said tray side walls, said tray including a pair of parallel downwardly depending side walls integrally formed on the bottom thereof defining a temperature sensing zone therebetween, closing means extending across the ends of said depending side walls to enclose all but the ends of said temperature sensing zone, a detachable temperature sensing and control device for connecting said heating element to an electrical power source, said sensing and control device being positioned in good heat transfer relation with the bottom of said tray and extending into said zone between said side walls to control the temperature of said vessel.

Claim 7

The appliance of claim 4 wherein said vessel is formed with inwardly sloping walls to provide a top opening which is smaller in diameter than said circular flat bottom.

Claim 8

The appliance of claim 4 wherein said tray is provided with an insulating supporting base detachably secured to the underside of said tray, said base having legs for supporting said appliance on a horizontal surface, said base shielding said surface from radiation from said element and tray.

Claim 9

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising means defining a heating surface, an electrical heating element in heat exchange relationship with said first mentioned means, downwardly depending wall means integrally formed with said first mentioned means including a pair of spaced parallel walls defining a temperature sensing zone therebetween and including lower edges, a bracket including a wall portion secured to said first mentioned means and engaging said lower edges of said parallel walls remote from said first mentioned means further to enclose said temperature sensing zone thereby defining an elongated tubular passageway between said walls and above said wall portion of said bracket, a pair of terminal connectors supported by said bracket in spaced parallel relationship with the longitudinal axis of said passageway, means for electrically connecting said heating element to said terminal connectors, and a probe type removable temperature responsive control means having a projecting probe receivable in said passageway and terminals engageable with said terminal connectors when said probe is within said temperature sensing zone.

Claim 10

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising means defining a heating surface, an electrical heating element in heat exchange relationship with said first mentioned means, downwardly depending wall means integrally formed with said first mentioned means including a pair of spaced parallel walls defining a temperature sensing zone therebetween and including lower edges, a bracket including a wall portion secured to said first mentioned means and engaging said lower edges of said parallel walls remote from said first mentioned means further to enclose said temperature sensing zone thereby defining an elongated tubular passageway between said walls and above said wall portion of said bracket, a pair of terminal connectors supported by said bracket in spaced parallel relationship with the longitudinal axis of said passageway, means for electrically connecting said heating element to said terminal connectors, and a probe type removable temperature responsive control means having a projecting probe receivable in said passageway and terminals engageable with said terminal connectors when said probe is within said temperature sensing zone.

Claim 11

The appliance of claim 7 including insulating support means for said means defining a heating surface including an outwardly opening cavity defined thereby for removably receiving said probe type control means, said cavity having an apertured inside wall providing access to said passageway and terminal connectors.

Claim 12

The appliance of claim 7 wherein an insulating support is secured to said means defining a heating surface, securing means for fastening said first mentioned means and said insulating support together effectively to provide a unitary structure, said securing means permitting ready disassembly of said first mentioned means and said base structure, whereby upon removal of said control means the parts of said appliance may readily be cleaned.

Claim 13

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising a heating tray having a flat circular bottom portion and an upwardly curved peripheral side wall extending only a short distance above said flat bottom portion, said heating tray being formed of a good heat conducting material, an electrical heating element in intimate heat exchange relationship with said heating tray, a removable vessel having a side wall tapering inwardly to prevent spillage or splashing of liquid placed in said vessel, the side wall of said vessel being of such extent as to define a container having a depth several times greater than the depth of said heating tray, said removable vessel having a bottom and a small section of the Lower portion of the side wall of said vessel contoured to fit in good heat conducting relationship within said heating tray, said vessel having a circular flat bottom in heat exchange engagement with said bottom portion and a portion of the side wall of said vessel being in heat exchange relationship with said curved peripheral side wall, a temperature sensing control device positioned closely adjacent to said heating tray and responsive to the temperature of said heating tray for connecting said heating element to an electrical power source and for maintaining said heating tray at a constant preselected temperature, and an insulating support tray of shallow pan-like configuration mounted in spaced relationship with said heating tray to provide an annular passageway between the adjacent open tops of said heating tray and said support tray, and securing means including a single threaded fastening means for securing said trays in said spaced relationship.

Claim 14

An electrically heated cooking appliance comprising a heating tray having a flat circular bottom portion and an upwardly curved peripheral side wall extending only a short distance above said flat bottom portion, said heating tray being formed of a good heat conducting material, an electrical heating element in intimate heat exchange relationship with said heating tray, a removable vessel having a side wall tapering inwardly to prevent spillage or splashing of liquid placed in said vessel, the side wall of said vessel being of such extent as to define a container having a depth several times greater than the depth of said heating tray, said removable vessel having a bottom and a small section of the Lower portion of the side wall of said vessel contoured to fit in good heat conducting relationship within said heating tray, said vessel having a circular flat bottom in heat exchange engagement with said bottom portion and a portion of the side wall of said vessel being in heat exchange relationship with said curved peripheral side wall, a temperature sensing control device positioned closely adjacent to said heating tray and responsive to the temperature of said heating tray for connecting said heating element to an electrical power source and for maintaining said heating tray at a constant preselected temperature, and an insulating support tray of shallow pan-like configuration mounted in spaced relationship with said heating tray to provide an annular passageway between the adjacent open tops of said heating tray and said support tray, and securing means including a single threaded fastening means for securing said trays in said spaced relationship.

Claim 15

The cooking appliance of claim 10 wherein first cooperating support means projecting from the bottom of said heating tray and second cooperating support means projecting from said insulating support tray maintain a predetermined spaced relationship between said trays to define said annular passageway.