US Patent 7268324 Electric cooking assembly with hot-warning indicator

An electric cooking assembly includes a cooking surface having supported under the surface an electric heater incorporating an electric heating element and a temperature limiter including a thermally responsive assembly incorporating only a single switch, the switch being adapted to open at a predetermined sensed temperature. A control is provided, adapted to energise the electric heater from a power supply through the switch of the temperature limiter. A modular electronic monitoring device is provided, separate from the control, adapted to monitor energising of the electric heater and to activate a signal device when the cooking surface is too hot to touch.