Patent ID: 6966315
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: F24C

Abstract:
1. A cooking appliance comprising: a cooktop including a cooking surface having a substantially smooth upper surface with at least one cooking zone being arranged thereon; at least one gas burner assembly arranged below the upper surface of the cooktop, said gas burner assembly being adapted to selectively establish a first heat energy source for heating the at least one cooking zone to a cooking temperature; a wire filament arranged adjacent to the at least one gas burner assembly; and a control unit electrically interconnected to the wire filament through simmer circuitry, said control unit being adapted to activate the wire filament in a first mode, wherein electrical energy is momentarily supplied to the wire filament to ignite a flow of gas emanating from the gas burner assembly, and in a second mode, wherein the electrical energy is supplied to the wire filament coil through the simmer circuitry in the absence of the flow of gas to establish a second heat energy source for heating the at least one cooking zone to a temperature below the cooking temperature.