Flip top induction cooktop

Abstract

Provided is a cooktop assembly that includes a generator that produces a high-frequency alternating current and is configured to be coupled to a surface of a cabinet. An adjustable cooking surface with a heating coil is electrically connected to the generator to conduct the high-frequency alternating current produced by the generator and induce an induced current in a cooking vessel supported by the adjustable cooking surface in a cooking orientation. An adjustable coupling pivotally couples the adjustable cooking surface to the generator and supports the adjustable cooking surface at a plurality of different angular orientations relative to the generator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooktop assembly comprising:
 a generator that produces a high-frequency alternating current and is configured to be coupled to a surface of a cabinet;   an adjustable cooking surface comprising a heating coil electrically connected to the generator to conduct the high-frequency alternating current produced by the generator and induce an induced current in a cooking vessel supported by the adjustable cooking surface while the adjustable cooking surface is in a cooking orientation; and   an adjustable coupling that pivotally couples the adjustable cooking surface to the generator and supports the adjustable cooking surface at a plurality of different angular orientations relative to the generator.   
     
     
         2 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the generator comprises a generator housing configured to be coupled to the cabinet with a major planar surface of the generator housing oriented in a substantially vertical orientation within an interior of the cabinet. 
     
     
         3 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an electrical connector that is adaptable to establish a conductive pathway between the generator and the heating coil while the adjustable cooking surface is in each of the plurality of different angular orientations. 
     
     
         4 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable cooktop surface comprises a substantially-planar glass pane concealing the heating coil and at least one additional heating coil, and the heating coil and the at least one additional heating coil are arranged in a common plane substantially parallel with a planar exterior surface of the glass pane. 
     
     
         5 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable coupling comprises a hinge comprising a substantially-cylindrical portion that is to be at least partially inserted into a recess formed in a top surface of the cabinet that is exposed when the adjustable cooking surface is adjusted to an upright orientation relative to the generator. 
     
     
         6 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge comprises a damping feature configured to dampen pivotal adjustment of the adjustable cooking surface about the hinge toward the top surface of the cabinet. 
     
     
         7 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge comprises a balance spring configured to prevent pivotal adjustment of the adjustable cooking surface about the hinge toward the top surface of the cabinet under only a gravitational force, and without an externally-applied force, imparted on the adjustable cooking surface. 
     
     
         8 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the generator housing comprises:
 an air inlet through which cooling air enters the generator housing; and   an interior passage directed generally toward the adjustable cooking surface, wherein the cooling air entering the air inlet passes through the interior passage to provide a cooling effect to the generator within the generator housing.   
     
     
         9 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the adjustable cooking surface comprises a duct between the heating coil and a glass pane on which the cooking vessel is to be supported, and the housing further comprises an air outlet in fluid communication with the duct through which the cooling air is introduced to the duct. 
     
     
         10 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the hinge comprises a generally-cylindrical hinge housing comprising:
 an inlet formed adjacent to a lateral end of the hinge through which cooling air enters the hinge housing; and   an outlet through which the cooling air entering the inlet exits the hinge housing in a direction generally toward a front edge of the adjustable cooking surface.   
     
     
         11 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a controller that interferes with operation of the heating coil while the adjustable cooking surface is adjusted to an alternate orientation other than the cooking orientation. 
     
     
         12 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a locking mechanism that prevents adjustment of the adjustable cooking surface from the cooking orientation while the cooking vessel is determined to be present on the adjustable cooking surface. 
     
     
         13 . A cooktop assembly comprising:
 an adjustable cooking surface comprising a heating coil that conducts an alternating electric current and induces an induced current in a cooking vessel supported by the adjustable cooking surface to heat the cooking vessel;   a hinge that pivotally supports the adjustable cooking surface to be pivotally adjusted between a cooking orientation where an externally-exposed surface of the adjustable cooking surface is substantially horizontal and a stowed orientation where the externally-exposed surface is substantially vertical;   a generator coupled to the hinge to generate and supply the alternating electric current conducted by the heating coil; and   a duct formed within a hinge housing to direct cooling air entering an air inlet generally toward the adjustable cooking surface.   
     
     
         14 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the generator is disposed within a hinge housing, and the air inlet is provided to the hinge housing. 
     
     
         15 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the air inlet is formed adjacent to a lateral end of the hinge housing and the cooling air enters the air inlet and provides a cooling effect to the generator before being directed by the duct toward the adjustable cooking surface. 
     
     
         16 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge housing is substantially cylindrical and is to be at least partially inserted into a recess formed in a top surface of a cabinet to which the cooktop assembly is to be installed. 
     
     
         17 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the hinge comprises a damping feature configured to slow pivotal adjustment of the adjustable cooking surface toward a top surface of a cabinet to which the cooktop assembly is to be installed relative to an undamped rate at which the adjustable cooking surface can be pivotally adjusted. 
     
     
         18 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the generator is disposed within a substantially-vertically oriented generator housing coupled to the adjustable cooking surface by the hinge, and the air inlet is provided to the generator housing. 
     
     
         19 . The cooktop assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the air inlet is formed adjacent to a lowermost region of the generator housing such that the cooling air entering the air inlet provides a cooling effect to the generator before being directed by the duct provided to the hinge toward the adjustable cooking surface. 
     
     
         20 . A cooktop assembly comprising:
 a generator that produces a high-frequency alternating current and is configured to be coupled to a surface of a cabinet;   an adjustable cooking surface comprising a heating coil electrically connected to the generator to conduct the high-frequency alternating current produced by the generator and induce an induced current in a cooking vessel supported by the adjustable cooking surface while the adjustable cooking surface is in a cooking orientation;   a hinge that pivotally couples the adjustable cooking surface to the generator and supports the adjustable cooking surface at a plurality of different angular orientations relative to the generator;   an air inlet formed in at least one of a hinge housing forming a portion of the hinge and a generator housing enclosing at least a portion of the generator;   a duct formed within the hinge housing that conveys cooling air entering the air inlet generally toward the adjustable cooking surface; and   a damping device coupled to the hinge to slow pivotal adjustment of the adjustable cooking surface toward a top surface of a cabinet to which the cooktop assembly is to be installed relative to an undamped rate at which the adjustable cooking surface can be pivotally adjusted.