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US4617441A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Temperature controlled induction heating and cooking apparatus

Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1984-06-22
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Granted: 1986-10-14
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Expires: 2004-06-22
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Abstract

Abstract An induction heating cooking apparatus contains a cooker main unit (1), comprising a connector (17) attached to an operation part (7) of the cooker main unit (1) in a freely attachable/detachable manner. A probe (13) containing a thermistor therein is coupled to the connector (17). The probe (13) is inserted into the foodstuff to be cooked in a cooking pan (5), and the thermistor detects the temperature thereof. A light emitting device (23) installed in the connector (17) outputs a light signal in response to the output from the thermistor. This light signal is introduced into the cooker main unit (1) through a light transmitting part (25) formed at a bottom part (19) of the connector (17) and another light transmitting part (27) formed in the operation part (7), being received by a light receiving device (29). In response to the output from the light receiving device (29), a driving circuit drives an inverter. When no light signal is received, the inverter oscillates, and when the light signal is received, the inverter stops oscillating operation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Satoshi Koide
  • 👤 Kiyoshi Hiejima

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 00:10
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B6/00; H05B6/02; H05B6/06; H05B6/062; A; A47; A47J; A47J36/00; A47J36/32; G; G01; G01K; G01K1/00; G01K1/02; G01K1/024; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/20; G05D23/24; G05D23/2451; G05D23/2454; H05B2213/00; H05B2213/07; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S99/00; Y10S99/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 210 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus, comprising: a first power supply for supplying DC voltage, an inverter which contains an induction coil and is energized by said first power supply, a cooker main unit for housing said induction coil therein, a light transmitting part formed in a portion of said cooker main unit, a connector attached to said cooker main unit in a freely attachable/detachable manner, a probe containing a thermo-sensitive device and being connected to said connector, a light emitting device being installed in said connector of said probe for emitting a light signal in response to an output of said thermo-sensitive device, the light signal from said light emitting device being led into said cooker main unit through said light transmitting part, a light receiving device being installed in said cooker main unit for receiving said light signal, control means for controlling said inverter in response to an output of said light receiving device, and change over means responsive to (1) the attachment of said connector to said cooker main unit for permitting light to travel through said light transmitting part, and to (2) the detachment of said connector from said cooker main unit for blocking light from traveling through said light transmitting part to said light receiving device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 210 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus, comprising: a first power supply for supplying DC voltage, an inverter which contains an induction coil and is energized by said first power supply, a cooker main unit for housing said induction coil therein, a light transmitting part formed in a portion of said cooker main unit, a connector attached to said cooker main unit in a freely attachable/detachable manner, a probe containing a thermo-sensitive device and being connected to said connector, a light emitting device being installed in said connector of said probe for emitting a light signal in response to an output of said thermo-sensitive device, the light signal from said light emitting device being led into said cooker main unit through said light transmitting part, a light receiving device being installed in said cooker main unit for receiving said light signal, control means for controlling said inverter in response to an output of said light receiving device, and change over means responsive to (1) the attachment of said connector to said cooker main unit for permitting light to travel through said light transmitting part, and to (2) the detachment of said connector from said cooker main unit for blocking light from traveling through said light transmitting part to said light receiving device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 81 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said change-over means comprises: magnet means installed in said connector, and a magneto-sensitive member being installed at a side of said cooker main unit for responding to (1) said magnet means being proximate thereto for permitting light to travel through said light transmitting part, and to (2) the removal of said connector and magnet from said cooker main unit for blocking the travel of light through said light transmitting part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said magneto-sensitive member comprises a magneto-sensitive switch being turned on or off in response to said magnet means, and the output of said light receiving device is enabled or disabled by said magneto-sensitive switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 68 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said magneto-sensitive member comprises shading plate means being installed between said light emitting device and said light receiving device and capable of providing a specific state in response to said magnet means, and said light signal from said light emitting device can reach said light receiving device when said shading plate means is in said specific state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 92 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light emitting device outputs a pulsed light as said light signal, said light receiving device comprises a photo conductive element which conducts a current by receiving said light signal, said change-over means comprises; an RC circuit being charged or discharged in response to a state of said photo conductive element, and level discriminator means for discriminating the terminal voltage of said RC circuit, and said control means controls said inverter in response to the output of said level discriminator means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said level discriminator means comprises means for setting two different threshold values to provide the output capable of making said inverter oscillating out of range between these two threshold values.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 34 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, which further comprises a second power supply being installed in said connector for energizing at least said thermo-sensitive device and said light emitting device.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said second power supply comprises a battery.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 8, which further comprises manually operable power switch means inserted between said battery and said thermo-sensitive device and said light emitting device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 33 words
A induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, which further comprises positioning means being installed at a side of said cooker main unit for positioning said connector to a predetermined position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 29 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said positioning means comprises a stepwise portion formed in association with the position of said light transmitting part.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 45 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said positioning means comprises: a magnet installed in said connector, and a magnetic member installed at a side of said cooker main unit so as to respond to said magnet for positioning said connector.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said magnetic member comprises another magnet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 19 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said magnetic member comprises a ferromagnetic metal plate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 45 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, which further comprises cut-off means for cutting off an extraneous light impinging on said light receiving device from said light transmitting part in a state wherein said connector is removed from said cooker main unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 81 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said cut-off means comprises; a magnet installed in said connector, and a moving member being capable of moving in response to said magnet for leading a light signal from said light transmitting part to said light receiving device in a state wherein said connector is attached to said cooker main unit and cutting off said light signal in a state wherein said connector is removed from said cooker main unit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 20 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, which further comprises temperature setting means installed in said connector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 47 words
An induction heating cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein said thermo-sensitive device comprises a temperature dependent resistance device changing the resistance value thereof in response to the temperature, and said temperature setting means comprises a variable resistance device cooperating with said temperature dependent resistance device.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3742174A Cited
US3742175A Cited
US3781504A Cited
US4088863A Cited
US4223226A Cited
JPS5853036A Cited
US4402790A Cited
US4532396A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-10-13 1990-04-14 1990-10-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-10-13 1994-04-14 1994-10-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-10-13 1998-04-14 1998-10-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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