Heater control for countertop appliance

Abstract

A countertop appliance temperature controller configured to provide improved temperature control of a resistive heating element heated cooking surface of a countertop appliance through the use of a noncontact thermal sensor. The temperature controller including a pair of electrical output contacts selectively coupleable to the resistive heating element of the countertop appliance, a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the cooking surface of the countertop appliance, a noncontact temperature sensor configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface of the countertop appliance, and a thermostat configured to adjust an electrical output of the pair of electrical output contacts to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and a perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface based on the received temperature information.

1 . A countertop appliance temperature controller configured to provide improved temperature control of a resistive heating element heated cooking surface of a countertop appliance through the use of a noncontact thermal sensor, the temperature controller comprising:
 a pair of electrical output contacts selectively coupleable to the resistive heating element of the countertop appliance;   a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the cooking surface of the countertop appliance;   a noncontact temperature sensor configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface of the countertop appliance; and   a thermostat configured to adjust an electrical output of the pair of electrical output contacts to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and a perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface based on the received temperature information.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface for the purpose of inferring the perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface in real time. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is configured to face the cooking surface for receiving radiative temperature information directly from the cooking surface. 
     
     
         4 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor spaced apart from the cooking surface to minimize conductive heating from the cooking surface. 
     
     
         5 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is a low thermal capacitance sensor configured to minimize heat retention to avoid coloring the perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is at least one of a negative coefficient thermistor, resistive temperature detector (RTD) thermocouple, infrared sensor, and/or thermopile. 
     
     
         7 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , wherein the user input is at least one of a rotating temperature control dial, one or more buttons, a touchscreen, and/or a signal receiver configured to receive external commands from a remote device. 
     
     
         8 . The temperature controller of  claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display the desired temperature setpoint, received temperature information, the perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A countertop appliance having improved cooking surface temperature control, the countertop appliance comprising:
 a cooking surface;   a resistive heating element configured to heat the cooking surface; and   a temperature controller including—
 an electrical output operably coupled to the resistive heating element; 
 a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the cooking surface; 
 a noncontact temperature sensor configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface; and 
 a thermostat configured to adjust the electrical output to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and a perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface based on the received temperature information. 
   
     
     
         10 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the countertop appliance is at least one of a griddle, skillet, slow cooker, and/or multi-cooker. 
     
     
         11 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is configured to receive temperature information directly from the cooking surface for the purpose of inferring the perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface in real time. 
     
     
         12 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is configured to face the cooking surface for receiving radiative temperature information directly from the cooking surface. 
     
     
         13 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor spaced apart from the cooking surface to minimize conductive heating from the cooking surface. 
     
     
         14 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is a low thermal capacitance sensor configured to minimize heat retention to avoid coloring the perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface. 
     
     
         15 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is at least one of a negative coefficient thermistor, resistive temperature detector (RTD) thermocouple, infrared sensor, and/or thermopile. 
     
     
         16 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the user input is at least one of a rotating temperature control dial, one or more buttons, a touchscreen, and/or a signal receiver configured to receive external commands from a remote device. 
     
     
         17 . The countertop appliance of  claim 9 , further comprising a display configured to display the desired temperature setpoint, received temperature information, the perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method of providing improved temperature control of a resistive heating element heated cooking surface of a countertop appliance through the use of a noncontact thermal sensor, the method comprising:
 directly sensing an actual temperature of the cooking surface via the noncontact thermal sensor; and   adjusting an electrical output to the resistive heating element to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and the actual temperature of the cooking surface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is configured to face the cooking surface for receiving radiative temperature information directly from the cooking surface. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the noncontact temperature sensor is a low thermal capacitance sensor configured to minimize heat retention to avoid coloring the actual temperature of the cooking surface. 
     
     
         21 . A countertop appliance temperature controller configured to provide improved temperature control of a resistive heating element of a countertop appliance, the temperature controller comprising:
 a pair of electrical output contacts selectively coupleable to the resistive heating element of the countertop appliance;   a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the resistive heating element;   a conductive temperature sensor in conductive heating communication with at least one electrical output contacts of the pair of electrical output contacts, so as to receive temperature information from the resistive heating element; and   a thermostat configured to adjust an electrical output of the pair of electrical output contacts to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and a measure temperature of the resistive heating element based on the received temperature information.   
     
     
         22 . The temperature controller of  claim 21 , wherein the conductive temperature sensor is a low thermal capacitance sensor configured to minimize heat retention to avoid coloring the measured temperature of the resistive heating element. 
     
     
         23 . The temperature controller of  claim 21 , wherein the conductive temperature sensor is at least one of a negative coefficient thermistor, resistive temperature detector (RTD) thermocouple, and/or thermopile. 
     
     
         24 . The temperature controller of  claim 21 , wherein the user input is at least one of a rotating temperature control dial, one or more buttons, a touchscreen, and/or a signal receiver configured to receive external commands from a remote device. 
     
     
         25 . The temperature controller of  claim 21 , further comprising a display configured to display the desired temperature setpoint, received temperature information, a perceived actual temperature of the cooking surface, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         26 . A countertop appliance having improved cooking surface temperature control, the countertop appliance comprising:
 a cooking surface in conductive heating communication with a projecting rib;   a resistive heating element configured to heat the cooking surface and projecting rib; and   a temperature controller including—
 an electrical output operably coupled to the resistive heating element; 
 a user input configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint for the cooking surface; 
 a temperature sensor configured to receive temperature information from the projecting rib; and 
 a thermostat configured to adjust the electrical output to minimize a difference between the desired temperature setpoint and the actual temperature of the cooking surface based on the received temperature information. 
   
     
     
         27 . The countertop appliance of  claim 26 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to receive temperature information from the projecting rib for the purpose of inferring the actual temperature of the cooking surface in real time. 
     
     
         28 . The countertop appliance of  claim 26 , wherein the countertop appliance is at least one of a griddle, skillet, slow cooker, and/or multi-cooker. 
     
     
         29 . The countertop appliance of  claim 26 , further comprising a low thermal capacitance temperature conducting member in direct contact with the projecting rib. 
     
     
         30 . The countertop appliance of  claim 29 , wherein the conducting member has a natural bias configured to promote improved contact with the projecting rib.