Patent ID: 7030342

Claim:
An electrical heating assembly ( 2 ) comprising: a glass-ceramic cooking plate ( 4 ) having an upper surface ( 6 ) for receiving a cooking vessel ( 8 ) and a lower surface ( 10 ); a radiant electric heater ( 12 ) incorporating at least one electric heating element ( 20 ), the heater ( 12 ) being supported in contact with the lower surface of the cooking plate ( 4 ); circuit means; and temperature sensing means ( 29 ) spaced above the at least one heating element ( 20 ), wherein the temperature sensing means ( 29 ) comprises: a support member ( 33 ) having provided on an upper surface thereof so as to contact the lower surface of the cooking plate ( 4 ) a temperature-sensitive electrical resistance element ( 30 ) of film form and provided with electrical connecting leads ( 34 ) arranged for electrical connection to said circuit means, said circuit means being constructed to monitor the electrical resistance of the film form temperature-sensitive electrical resistance element ( 30 ) as a function of temperature of the shielded region of the lower surface ( 10 ) of the cooking plate ( 4 ) with which it is in contact and hence as a function substantially of temperature of a cooking vessel ( 8 ) located on the upper surface ( 6 ) of the cooking plate ( 4 ) and overlying the shielded region; and thermal insulation means ( 40 ) adapted and arranged to shield the support member ( 33 ) and a corresponding region of the lower surface ( 10 ) of the cooking plate ( 4 ) from direct thermal radiation from the at least one electric heating element ( 20 ).