Radiant surface-heater and temperature sensing assembly

Claim 2

A radianT surface-heater and temperature sensing assembly comprising: A. a plate of a thermal resistant vitreous material having an area providing a cooking surface; B. a longitudinal temperature sensor having a flat side disposed against the under side of said plate below said cooking surface and extending diametrically across said area of said plate; C. a relatively shallow box-like member of a relatively high temperature oxidation resistant and electrically insulating material and having an open top disposed and held adjacent the underside of said plate below said cooking surface, such member including a divider extending diametrically across the interior of said member in longitudinal alignment with said sensor and having a height slightly less than the sides of said member, such divider having a width greater than the width of said sensor and embodying in the upper surface thereof a channel in which the sensor is snugly disposed and supported against said underside of said plate while substantially shielded from radiant heat from electrical resistance heating wire disposed on the interior surface of the bottom of said member; and D. at least one heating element comprising wound electrical resistance heating wire disposed on and secured to the interior surface of the bottom portion of said member, said heating element adapted to be electrically coupled with said temperature sensor for adjustment of the supply of current to said heating element.

Claim 3

An assembly in accordance with claim 1 and in which said temperature sensor is of a type including a coil of wire of a material having a relatively high coefficient of electrical resistance as an electrically responsive temperature element.

Claim 4

An assembly in accordance with claim 1 and in which said temperature sensor is of a type comprising a pair of elongate members having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

Claim 5

An assembly in accordance with claim 1 and in which said vitreous material is a glass-ceramic.

Claim 6

An assembly in accordance with claim 2 and in which said vitreous material is a glass-ceramic.

Claim 7

An assembly in accordance with claim 3 and in which said vitreous material is a glass-ceramic.

Claim 8

A radiant surface-heater and temperature sensing assembly comprising: A. a relatively shallow open topped container of a relatively high temperature oxidation resistant and electrical insulating material, such container including a divider extending generally diametrically across the interior of said container with the top surface of the divider slightly below the top surface of the perimetric wall of the container, such divider embodying in its top surface a relatively elongate channel for snugly receiving and substantially shielding a temperature sensor; B. at least one electrical resistance heating element secured to the interior bottom surface of said container on both sides of said divider; C. an elongate temperature sensor having at least one flat side and snugly disposed in said channel in said divider with said one flat side of the sensor protruding slightly above the top of said channel at least substantially even with said top surface of said perimetric wall of said container, and at least one end of said sensor protruding through said perimetric wall of the container for electric coupling with said heating element for adjustment of the supply of current to said heating element; and D. a plate of a thermal resistant vitreous material having an area providing a cooking surface, said container disposed below said cooking surface of said plate with said top surface of said perimetric wall of the container disposed adjacent the underside of the plate and with said flat side of said sensor contacting and held against the underside of said plate diametrically across said area of the plate.

Claim 9

A radiant surface-heater and temperature sensing assembly comprising: A. a relatively shallow open topped container of a relatively high temperature oxidation resistant and electrical insulating material, such container including a divider extending generally diametrically across the interior of said container with the top surface of the divider slightly below the top surface of the perimetric wall of the container, such divider embodying in its top surface a relatively elongate channel for snugly receiving and substantially shielding a temperature sensor; B. at least one electrical resistance heating element secured to the interior bottom surface of said container on both sides of said divider; C. an elongate temperature sensor having at least one flat side and snugly disposed in said channel in said divider with said one flat side of the sensor protruding slightly above the top of said channel at least substantially even with said top surface of said perimetric wall of said container, and at least one end of said sensor protruding through said perimetric wall of the container for electric coupling with said heating element for adjustment of the supply of current to said heating element; and D. a plate of a thermal resistant vitreous material having an area providing a cooking surface, said container disposed below said cooking surface of said plate with said top surface of said perimetric wall of the container disposed adjacent the underside of the plate and with said flat side of said sensor contacting and held against the underside of said plate diametrically across said area of the plate.

Claim 10

An assembly in accordance with claim 7 and in which said temperature sensor is of a type including a coil of wire of a material having a relatively high coefficient of eLectrical resistance as an electrically responsive temperature element.

Claim 11

An assembly in accordance with claim 7 and in which said temperature sensor is of a type comprising a pair of elongate members having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

Claim 12

An assembly in accordance with claim 7 and in which said vitreous material is a glass-ceramic.

Claim 13

An assembly in accordance with claim 8 and in which said vitreous material is a glass-ceramic.

Claim 14

An assembly in accordance with claim 9 and in which said vitreous material is a glass-ceramic.

Claim 15

In combination, an assembly comprising: A. a radiant heater including, I. a relatively shallow open top container of a thermal resistant and electrical insulating material; II. a longitudinal divider of a thermal resistant material and extending diametrically across the hollow of said container with its top surface slightly below the upper surface of the peripheral wall of the container and embodying in its said top surface an open top channel extending linearly along the length of said top surface of said divider, and III. an electrical heating element secured to the interior bottom wall of said container on both sides of said divider; B. a plate of a thermal resistant vitreous material including a cooking surface defined by an area of the upper surface of said plate, said container being securely supported beneath such plate with said upper surface of said peripheral wall of the container disposed adjacent the lower surface of the plate below said cooking surface; and C. a longitudinal temperature sensor including one flat side and snugly disposed in said groove with said flat side firmly physically contacting said lower surface of said plate directly below said area of said upper surface of said plate and diametrically in alignment with a diameter of said cooking surface, said sensor being slightly less than completely shielded by said divider from radiation from said heating elements and adapted to be electrically coupled to said heating element for adjustment of the supply of current to said heating element.

Claim 16

In combination, an assembly comprising: A. a radiant heater including, I. a relatively shallow open top container of a thermal resistant and electrical insulating material; II. a longitudinal divider of a thermal resistant material and extending diametrically across the hollow of said container with its top surface slightly below the upper surface of the peripheral wall of the container and embodying in its said top surface an open top channel extending linearly along the length of said top surface of said divider, and III. an electrical heating element secured to the interior bottom wall of said container on both sides of said divider; B. a plate of a thermal resistant vitreous material including a cooking surface defined by an area of the upper surface of said plate, said container being securely supported beneath such plate with said upper surface of said peripheral wall of the container disposed adjacent the lower surface of the plate below said cooking surface; and C. a longitudinal temperature sensor including one flat side and snugly disposed in said groove with said flat side firmly physically contacting said lower surface of said plate directly below said area of said upper surface of said plate and diametrically in alignment with a diameter of said cooking surface, said sensor being slightly less than completely shielded by said divider from radiation from said heating elements and adapted to be electrically coupled to said heating element for adjustment of the supply of current to said heating element.

Claim 17

An assembly as in claim 13 and in which said vitreous material of said plate is a glass-ceramic material.

Claim 18

An assembly as in claim 13 and in which said sensor is of a type including a wire of a material having a relatively high coefficient of electrical resistance as an electrically responsive temperature element.