The invention is directed to a domestic cooking appliance having a gas flue that is assembled using an embossed locking system.
An example of an application for the invention is a domestic oven that uses gas for heating an inner space and has a flue that routs exhaust gasses out of the inner space.
Some domestic cooking appliances have an inner space that receives a food item for heating. The heating can be done by, for example, electrical heating element or the burning of a gas fuel. In the case of heating with a gas fuel, the burnt exhaust gases, or other hot gases, sometimes need to be exhausted from the inner space.
In some such domestic cooking appliances, a flue or other exhaust conduit is provided to guide the exhaust or other hot gases from the inner space to one or more exhaust openings in the domestic cooking appliance. Often such a flue is constructed from multiple sheet metal pieces that are screwed or riveted together using many screws or rivets. Such a construction is time-consuming and expensive because it requires an assembler to locate and install the many screws or rivets while holding the multiple pieces in the correct position. The many screws or rivets also increases the chance of dropping one of the screws or rivets into the domestic cooking appliance during assembly.
In light of the above, there is a need for a system that quickly, easily, and precisely locates the parts of the flue relative to each other and locks the parts of the flue together using as few separate fasteners as possible.
The invention achieves the benefit of providing a simple and cost effective system for assembling and fastening flue pieces to each other.
This benefit is achieved by providing embossed projections and corresponding embossed recesses on the various pieces of the flue so that the pieces can be snapped together and held in the proper relative position while one, or just a few, screws, rivets, or other fasteners are installed.
Particular embodiments of the invention are directed to a domestic cooking appliance having an inner space for cooking a food item. The domestic cooking appliance includes a gas burner that burns a fuel gas to produce heat inside the inner space of the domestic cooking appliance; an exhaust opening for exhausting exhaust gases from the inner space of the domestic cooking appliance; and a first gas flue for directing the exhaust gases from the inner space to the exhaust opening. The first gas flue has a first part having a plurality of embossed projections, and a first fastener hole; a second part that attaches to the first part, the second part having a plurality of embossed recesses that engage the plurality of embossed projections, and a second fastener hole that aligns with the first fastener hole when the first part and the second part are in an assembled position; and a fastener that extends through the first fastener hole and the second fastener hole and fastens the first part to the second part. The first part and the second part form a first tubular flue section when they are attached to each other, and the first part has more embossed projections than it does fastener holes.
Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a gas flue for a domestic cooking appliance, the domestic cooking appliance having an inner space for cooking a food item, a gas burner that burns a fuel gas to produce heat inside the inner space of the domestic cooking appliance, and an exhaust opening for exhausting exhaust gases from the inner space of the domestic cooking appliance. The gas flue includes a first part having a plurality of embossed projections, and a first fastener hole; a second part that attaches to the first part, the second part having a plurality of embossed recesses that engage the plurality of embossed projections, and a second fastener hole that aligns with the first fastener hole when the first part and the second part are in an assembled position; and a fastener that extends through the first fastener hole and the second fastener hole and fastens the first part to the second part. The first part and the second part form a first tubular flue section when they are attached to each other, the first part has more embossed projections than it does fastener holes, and the gas flue directs the exhaust gases from the inner space to the exhaust opening of the domestic cooking appliance.
The following figures form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the disclosed features and functions, and should not be used to limit or define the disclosed features and functions. Consequently, a more complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments and further features and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
As explained above, some domestic kitchens include a cooking appliance that has an inner space that receives a food item for cooking and this inner space is heated by burning a gas fuel. This burnt gas fuel, and other hot gases, often need to be exhausted from the inner space by way of a flue.
The drawings show an example of the invention that includes a gas flue having four major pieces that, when assembled, form a tubular duct for guiding the exhaust gases to an exhaust opening in the domestic cooking appliance.
First piece 200 and second piece 300 attach to each other and resultant in a first tubular section of a flue that is shown in
As also shown in
As shown in the Figures, the various pieces of the flue have embossed projections, embossed recesses, and fastening holes that interact with embossed recesses, embossed projections, and fastening holes of others of the various pieces.
For example,
The above exemplary structure provides, through the use of a plurality of embossed projections and embossed recesses, a simple and effective way to securely assemble a gas flue by holding the various pieces of the gas flue in their correct relative positions while a small number of fasteners are installed.
It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the invention.
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Entry |
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Mi-Flues, MF3 S/W Flue Systems, Online: Mi-Flues.com, accessed Jan. 3, 2013, publication date unknown. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20140345596 A1 | Nov 2014 | US |