Cooking device with safety assembly

Abstract

A cooking device may include a heat source switchable between an on state and an off state, a support element moveable between a first position and a second position, and a controller operably connected to the heat source and the support element. The support element may be in the first position when no cooking implement is placed on the heat source or the support element, and the support element may be in the second position when a cooking implement is placed on the heat source or the support element. The controller may be configured to transition the heat source to the off state in response to the heat source being in the on state and the support element being in the first position.

1 . A cooking device comprising:
 a heat source switchable between an on state and an off state;   a support element moveable between a first position, in which no cooking implement is placed on the heat source or the support element, and a second position, in which a cooking implement is placed on the heat source or the support element;   a controller operably connected to the heat source and the support element;   a position detector operably connected to the controller and configured to detect a position of the support element;   a heat source detector configured to detect a state of the heat source and operably connected to the controller; and   a warning device operably connected to the controller;
 wherein the controller is configured to: start a first fault timer in response to the position detector indicating that the support element is in the first position and the heat source detector indicating that the heat source is in an on state; 
 stop the first fault timer and reset to a normal state in response to the position detector indicating that the support element is in the second position while the first fault timer is active or in response to the heat source detector indicating that the heat source is in an off state while the first fault timer is active; 
 control the warning device to provide a warning and starting a second fault timer in response to the first fault timer exceeding a warning time period; 
 stop the second fault timer and reset to the normal state in response to the position detector indicating that the support element is in the second position while the second fault timer is active or in response to the heat source detector indicating that the heat source is in an off state while the second fault timer is active; and 
 shut down the heat source in response to the second fault timer exceeding a shut down time period. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cooking device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the position detector is configured to:
 output a first signal in response to the support element being in the first position; and 
   output a second signal in response to the support element being in the second position.   
     
     
         3 . The cooking device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a surface;   an opening extending through the surface;   wherein the support element comprises an arm configured to extend through the opening;   the position detector comprises an actuator moveable between an actuator first position and an actuator second position;   the actuator is biased to the actuator first position;   the arm is configured to push the actuator from the actuator first position to the actuator second position in response to the support element moving from the first position to the second position;   the position detector is configured to:
 output the first signal in response to the actuator being in the actuator first position; and 
 output the second signal in response to the actuator being in the actuator second position. 
   
     
     
         4 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a surface; and   a hinge;   wherein the support element is rotatably coupled to the surface via the hinge.   
     
     
         5 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , further comprising a bias element configured to bias the support element to the first position;
 wherein the support element is configured to move to the second position in response to a cooking implement being placed on the cooking device.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heat source comprises:
 an electric burner; 
 an electrical line configured to supply current to the electric burner; and 
 a switch provided in series with the electrical line and operably connected to the controller; 
   the heat source detector comprises a current detector configured to measure a current in the electrical line;   the electric burner is supported on the support element;   the controller is configured to open the switch in response to the support element being in the first position for longer than a shutdown time period.   
     
     
         8 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heat source comprises:
 a gas burner; 
 a gas line configured to supply gas to the gas burner; and 
 a valve provided in series with the gas line and operably connected to the controller, the valve being switchable between an open state and a closed state; 
   the heat source detector comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature proximate to the base burner;   the support element is a grate provided over the gas burner; and   the controller is configured to control the valve to transition to the closed state in response to the support element being in the first position for longer than a shutdown time period.   
     
     
         9 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the warning device is an audio device; and   the warning is an audible sound.   
     
     
         10 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the warning device is light source or a display; and   the warning is a visible indicator on the light source or the display.   
     
     
         11 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a time circuit configured to measure how long the support element is in the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , further comprising a user input operably connected to the controller;
 wherein the shutdown time period is settable via the user input.   
     
     
         13 . The cooking device of  claim 12 , further comprising a communication module operably connected to the controller;
 wherein the communication module is configured to communicate wirelessly with a control device; and   the shutdown time period is settable via the control device.   
     
     
         14 . The cooking device of  claim 13 , wherein the control device is a cellular phone or tablet computer running an application configured to control the cooking device. 
     
     
         15 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of operating a safety assembly in a cooking device comprising a heat source switchable between an on state and an off state, the method comprising:
 providing a safety assembly comprising:
 a support element moveable between a first position, in which no cooking implement is placed on the support element or the heat source, and a second position, in which a cooking implement is placed on the support element or the heat source; 
 a position detector configured to detect a position of the support element; 
 a heat source detector operably configured to detect a state of the heat source of the cooking device; 
   starting a first fault timer in response to the position detector indicating that the support element is in the first position and the heat source detector indicating that the heat source is in an on state;   stopping the first fault timer and resetting to a normal state in response to the position detector indicating that the support element is in the second position while the first fault timer is active or in response to the heat source detector indicating that the heat source is in an off state while the first fault timer is active;   providing a warning and starting a second fault timer in response to the first fault timer exceeding a warning time period;   stopping the second fault timer and resetting to the normal state in response to the position detector indicating that the support element is in the second position while the second fault timer is active or in response to the heat source detector indicating that the heat source is in an off state while the second fault timer is active; and   shutting down the heat source in response to the second fault timer exceeding a shut down time period.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the support element comprises a hinge; and   the support element is rotatably coupled to a surface of the cooking device via a hinge.