1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a cook-top reflector assembly, featuring a device that concentrates heat on the bottom of a cooking vessel being heated and prevents heat from escaping laterally from under the vessel being heated.
2. Background Information
The invention is a range cook-top reflector assembly, featuring a spring-biased reflector cylinder that mates to cooking vessels placed on the cook-top burner and prevents heat from escaping laterally from under the vessel. The result is decreased energy consumption and cooking time.
Experimentation has indicated that significant quantities of heat energy are wasted on currently available conventional range cook-tops. The heat is wasted as it escapes laterally from under a vessel being heated. Cooking time is also increased, because the vessel and its contents are not heated as efficiently as they might be. Additionally, the waste heat increases the room temperature, which can increase the use of air conditioning, a further consumption of energy.
A variety of devices have been disclosed that improve utilization of heat energy for range cook-tops. Patents have been granted for some of the devices, including the following. U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,384 by Ranisate; U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,134 by Scott; U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,795 by Hurko et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,140 by Wolze; U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,728 by Hofstetter; U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,050 by Abenaim; U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,752 by Leounes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,186 by Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,806 by Foust and U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,550 by Royer.
Applicant has invented a range cook-top reflector assembly, which directs heat at the bottom of the vessel being heated and prevents heat from escaping laterally from under the vessel being heated. The device works with any size vessel, but functions most efficiently with a vessel properly sized for the burner. The invention may be easily retrofitted to currently produced electric and gas ranges. In the case of electric ranges with plug-in heating elements, one embodiment of the invention replaces the standard cook-top reflector pans. In the case of gas ranges, another embodiment of the invention replaces the standard cook-top burner grates.