Cooking engagement system equipped with thermistor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10619863-B2
Application number	US-201816053848-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2018
Priority date	Aug 3, 2018
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A cooking engagement system and methods therefore are provided. The system includes a cooktop appliance and an interactive assembly positioned above the cooktop appliance. The interactive assembly includes an image monitor that presents various images and information to a user, e.g., recipes. The system includes a thermistor for detecting operation of the cooktop appliance. When the thermistor senses a temperature level that exceeds a threshold, a controller communicatively coupled thereto activates an air handler to move or motivate an airflow across or about the image monitor. In this way, the image monitor may be cooled and condensation is prevented from forming on the imaging surface of the image monitor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the system comprising:
an interactive assembly,
comprising: an image monitor;
a casing supporting the image monitor, the casing defining an air inlet, a first air outlet defined above the image monitor along the vertical direction, and a second air outlet defined below the image monitor along the vertical direction;

an air handler mounted within the casing;
a thermistor mounted to or within the casing; and
a controller communicatively coupled with the air handler and the thermistor, the controller configured to:
receive, from the thermistor, one or more signals indicative of a temperature level of air proximate the thermistor;
determine whether the temperature level has exceeded a predetermined activation threshold based at least in part on the one or more signals received from the thermistor; and
activate the air handler based at least in part on whether the temperature level has exceeded the predetermined activation threshold so that the air handler moves air through the first air outlet along a cooling airflow path defined along at least a portion of an imaging surface of the image monitor along the vertical direction and through the second air outlet and along an airflow curtain path defined orthogonal to the vertical direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first air outlet is at least partially defined by a beveled surface configured to direct air downward along the vertical direction such that air moves along the cooling airflow path when the air handler is activated.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein when the controller determines whether the temperature level has exceeded the predetermined activation threshold based at least in part on the one or more signals received from the thermistor, the controller is configured to:
ascertain whether the temperature level has increased by a predetermined amount over a predetermined time period.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermistor is a negative temperature coefficient thermistor.

5. A method for operating a system defining a vertical direction, the method comprising:
receiving one or more signals from a thermistor indicative of a temperature level of air proximate the thermistor, the thermistor disposed proximate an image monitor of an interactive assembly;
determining whether the temperature level proximate the thermistor has exceeded a predetermined activation threshold based at least in part on the one or more signals from the thermistor; and
activating an air handler disposed within a casing of the interactive assembly
based at least in part on whether the temperature level has exceeded the predetermined activation threshold, the casing defining an air inlet, a first air outlet
defined above the image monitor along the vertical direction, and a second air outlet defined below the image monitor along the vertical direction, wherein in activating the air handler when the temperature level has exceeded the predetermined activation threshold, the air handler moves air through the first air outlet along a cooling airflow path defined along at least a portion of an imaging surface of the image monitor along the vertical direction and through the second air outlet and along an airflow curtain path defined orthogonal to the vertical direction.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the imaging surface of the image monitor is a touchscreen.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the thermistor is mounted proximate a bottom end of the imaging surface of the image monitor.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein determining whether the temperature level has exceeded the predetermined activation threshold based at least in part on the one or more signals from the thermistor comprises ascertaining whether the temperature level has increased by a predetermined amount over a predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the temperature level has exceeded the predetermined activation threshold based at least in part on the one or more signals from the thermistor comprises ascertaining whether the temperature level is greater than a predetermined temperature level.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein after activating the air handler, the method further comprises:
receiving one or more second signals from the thermistor indicative of a second temperature level of air proximate the thermistor;
determining whether the second temperature level has exceeded a predetermined deactivation threshold based at least in part on the one or more second signals received from the thermistor; and
deactivating the air handler based at least in part on whether the second temperature level has exceeded the predetermined deactivation threshold.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Funk Michael Andrew
• Armstrong James Lee

Classifications

• F24C15/2028

  using an air curtain · CPC title

• F24C15/2021

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety systems · CPC title

• F24C15/006

  Arrangements for circulation of cooling air · CPC title

• F24C15/00

  Details · CPC title

• H05B6/6423

  wherein the microwave oven air circulation system is also used as air extracting hood · CPC title