US 11,655,984 B2
Induction cooktop
Davide Altamura, Fabriano (IT); Diego Bariviera, Fabriano (IT); and Alessio Beato, Fabriano (IT)
Assigned to Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed by Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI (US)
Filed on Jan. 28, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/774,740.
Application 16/774,740 is a division of application No. 14/883,848, filed on Oct. 15, 2015, granted, now 10,605,464.
Application 14/883,848 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/435,814, granted, now 11,212,880, previously published as PCT/IB2013/059340, filed on Oct. 14, 2013.
Claims priority of application No. TO2012A000896 (IT), filed on Oct. 15, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2020/0166220 A1, May 28, 2020
Int. Cl. H05B 6/10 (2006.01); H05B 6/06 (2006.01); F24C 15/10 (2006.01)
CPC F24C 15/107 (2013.01) [F24C 15/106 (2013.01); H05B 6/062 (2013.01); H05B 2213/05 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An induction cooktop, comprising:
a ceramic cooking surface in connection with a housing;
a plurality of inductors disposed in the housing; and
a controller in communication with the inductors, wherein the controller is configured to:
selectively activate each of the inductors in response to an input received at the user interface identifying an active inductor of the plurality of inductors to activate;
detect a presence of a pan proximate the active inductor in response to a detection signal; and
identify a small pan condition in response to a phase angle detected for the active inductor of the plurality of inductors.