Autonomic hot plate indication (02-Nov-2009)

ID199091

Autonomic hot plate indication

Background of the invention

One of the required safety features of a cooking device is a "hot plate"-indication, i.e. a clear signal to the user when the temperature of the cooking device exceeds certain temperature limit. The ideal solution is an indication working autonomic after switching of the device and/or in the case of a power breakdown.

Problems or disadvantages solved by the invention

The solved problems of the proposed inventions are:
After switching the device off or in the case of a power breakdown a conventional hot plate indication switches off even if the temperature is still at dangerous level

After removing the mixing bowl of a Cut&Cook device any electrical connection is lost, i.e. a conventional "hot plate" indication for the bowl is not functional

Similar autonomic indications require an accumulator or a battery

The essential feature of the invention

The main feature is the usage of Peltier element exploiting the temperature difference between the hot cooking plate and ambience to produce a voltage switching a small diode on.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention consists of a Peltier element (see 1 in figure 1) with a hot site placed in a good thermal contact to a hot part of the cooking plate or any other hot part of the device and with a cold site (2) at ambient tempe...