Importance

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Abstract

A device is provided for detecting the presence of a food cooking container (9) placed on a cooking hob (1), in particular of glass ceramic, provided with at least one heater element such as an electrical resistance element (2, 40, 41, 42), a gas burner (30), a halogen lamp or the like includes at least two plates (11, 12) of electrically conducting material associated with the hob (1) and connected to an electrical circuit (13), and being of opposite polarities, said plates acting as plates of a capacitor, i.e. forming a capacitive sensor the capacitance of which changes when the food container is placed on the hob (1) in a position corresponding with said plates (11, 12), the change in capacity of said capacitor being sensed by the electrical circuit (13), which therefore detects the presence of said container (9), to generate a control signal as a result of such detection. This signal is fed to indicator means (20) to indicate which heater element has to be operated to heat the container. The signal is also used to modify the energy feed to each heater element (2; 30; 40, 41, 42), either by switching it on and/or off or by reducing its power.

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First Claim