Temperature sensing system for a cooking appliance

1. A temperature sensing system for a cooking appliance, said temperature sensing system comprising:

a temperature sensing probe being removably lockable to a cooking appliance said temperature sensing probe including a rotatable knob and a piercing shaft having a temperature sensor, said piercing shaft being extendable from a first position, in which said piercing shaft is substantially contained within said rotatable knob, to a second position, in which said piercing shaft extends out of said rotatable knob and protrudes into said cooking appliance;

a control unit housed within said cooking appliance, said control unit selectively operating said cooking appliance in dependence upon data from said temperature sensing probe;

wherein rotation of said rotatable knob effects the extension of said piercing shaft from said first position to said second position, and

wherein said temperature sensing probe automatically locks to said cooking appliance and wherein movement of a lock button releases said temperature sensing probe from said cooking appliance;

wherein when said temperature sensing probe is locked to said cooking appliance, an electrical connection is established between said temperature sensor within said piercing shaft of said temperature sensing probe and said control unit within said cooking appliance, and when said temperature sensing probe is removed from said cooking appliance, said electrical connection is broken.

2. A cooking appliance, said cooking appliance comprising:

an upper housing having a first heating surface;

a lower housing having a second heating surface;

a temperature sensing probe in a temperature probe housing removably affixable to said upper housing and selectively extendable from said temperature probe housing through said upper housing and said first heating surface;

wherein said temperature sensing probe may be selectively extended between a first position in which a distal tip of said temperature sensing probe containing a temperature sensor does not extend beyond said first heating surface, and a second position in which said distal tip of said temperature sensing probe does extend beyond said first heating surface, during operation of said cooking appliance, and

wherein said temperature sensing probe automatically locks to said upper housing and wherein movement of a lock button of said upper housing releases said temperature sensing probe from said upper housing;

wherein said temperature sensing probe is configured such that an electrical connection between said temperature sensor and a control unit of said cooking appliance is automatically established when said temperature sensing probe is locked to said upper housing; and

wherein when said temperature sensing probe is removed from said upper housing, said electrical connection is severed.

3. A cooking appliance, said cooking appliance comprising:

an upper housing having a first heating surface selectively contacting a food item,

a lower housing having a second heating surface selectively contacting said food item, at least one of said first heating surface and said second heating surface being selectively movable with respect to the other of said first heating surface and said second heating surface;

a temperature sensing probe removably connectable lockable to a receiver in said upper housing;

said temperature sensing probe automatically locks to said receiver and movement of a lock button of said upper housing releases said temperature sensing probe from said receiver;

wherein said temperature sensing probe includes a piercing shaft having a temperature sensor, said piercing shaft being extendable from a first position, in which said piercing shaft is substantially contained within said knob, to a second position, in which said piercing shaft extends further from said knob and through said first heating surface to pierce said food item;

wherein said cooking appliance includes a locking mechanism having said lock button, said lock button being operatively connected to an actuating member,

wherein activation of said lock button moves said actuating member to release said temperature sensing probe from said receiver.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 3 , wherein:

said temperature sensing probe includes at least one protrusion extending from said piercing shaft;

wherein said at least one protrusion is received in an angled slot formed in said guide cylinder and a substantially vertical groove formed in said rotatable knob.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 3 , wherein:

said temperature sensing probe is selectively movable between a first position, in which said temperature probe extends through said first heating surface, and a second position, in which said temperature sensing probe is retracted and does not extend through said first heating surface.