Silicon pads for protecting ranges and cooktops

Abstract

A silicone sheet or multiple pads lie over electric heating elements. The sheet may be one continuous sheet, or it may be divided into separate components for each heating element. If it's a continuous pad, openings sized for the heating element and a cover sized for the opening cover the heating element. If separate pads are used, each pad has an opening, and a cover sized for the opening covers the heating element under the opening. When using one heating element, the user removes its removable cover and places the pot or pan in the opening. Any splatter lands on the pad, and cleaning the splatter from the pad does not damage the glass top.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A device for protecting portions of the surface of a cooktop comprising:
 a sheet of low thermal conductivity material;   at least a first opening through the sheet sized to accommodate a first heating element;   at least a second opening through the sheet sized to accommodate a second heating element;   a first piece of the low thermal conductivity material sized to fit inside at least one opening through the sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the low thermal conductivity material is silicone. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the sheet of low thermal conductivity material is divided into separate pads. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein at least one pad comprises an opening through the pad sized to accommodate a heating element under the pad. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3  wherein each pad has at least one edge, the pad further comprising attaching means along the at least one edge for attaching adjacent pads together. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein to attaching means on one pad comprises a groove adapted to receive a shoulder from an adjacent pad. 
     
     
         7 . A device for protecting portions of the surface of a range comprising:
 at least a first pad having an outer region of low thermal conductivity material;   at least a first opening through the first pad sized to accommodate a heating element;   at least a second pad having an outer region of low thermal conductivity material;   at least a second opening through the second pad to accommodate a heating element;   wherein the first pad and second pad are attachable to each other.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein each of the first and second pads has at least one edge, and at least one of the first and second pads having a grove along at least one edge and the other of the first and second pads having a shoulder, the shoulder being receivable in the groove. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7  further comprising a first cover sized to fit in the first opening and a second cover sized to fit in the second opening.