Rotary switch with improved simmer performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814102-B2
Application number	US-201213614180-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2012
Priority date	Dec 21, 2009
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A cooking appliance has a cooktop including a plurality of separately controlled cooking areas. A first heating element and a second heating element are positioned below one of the separately controlled cooking areas. A control switch is electrically coupled to the first heating element and the second heating element and is operable to selectively energize the first heating element with single-phase AC power and selectively energize the second heating element with two-phase AC power.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a cooking appliance, comprising:
providing a cooktop having a plurality of separately controlled cooking areas;
positioning at least a first heating element and a second heating element below at least one of the plurality of separately controlled cooking areas;
coupling an infinite control switch electrically to the first and second heating elements, wherein the infinite control switch is operable to selectively energize simultaneously the first heating element with single-phase AC power and the second heating element with two-phase AC power;
selectively energizing only the first heating element with single-phase AC power to supply heat to the separately controlled cooking area; and
selectively energizing, simultaneously, both the first heating element with single-phase AC power and a second heating element with two-phase AC power to supply heat to the separately controlled cooking area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein energizing only the first heating element comprises positioning the infinite control switch within a first temperature adjustment zone having an infinite number of settings.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein energizing, simultaneously, both the first heating element and the second heating element comprises positioning the infinite control switch within a second temperature adjustment zone having an infinite number of settings.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising de-energizing both the first heating element and the second heating element by positioning the infinite control switch at a home position.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
measuring a temperature of the separately controlled cooking area; and
de-energizing at least one of the first heating element and the second heating element when the temperature of the separately controlled cooking area exceeds a specified temperature.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: positioning the infinite control switch to electrically couple a first electrical line and a neutral electrical line across the first heating element and electrically couple to the first electrical line and a second electrical line across the second heating element.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: positioning the infinite control switch in at least one of (i) a first temperature adjustment zone position in which only the first heating element is energized, (ii) a second temperature adjustment zone position in which both the first and second heating elements are simultaneously energized, and (iii) a home position in which both the first heating element and the second heating element are de-energized.

Assignees

• Franca Leopoldo H
• Kesheh Foad M
• Possan Jr Moacyr C
• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Franca Leopoldo H
• Kesheh Foad M
• Possan Jr Moacyr C

Classifications

• H05B1/0266

  Cooktops · CPC title

• H05B3/68 Primary

  Heating arrangements specially adapted for cooking plates or analogous hot-plates · CPC title