Patent Application
20190383496
The present embodiments relate to a folding door integrated into a cooking appliance, and particularly, but not limited to, for a gas and/or electric cooking appliance.
Typical cooking appliances with range doors involve a door that is the full height and/or width of the cooking cavity/compartment. When opened, the door projects horizontally to the appliance and users are required to lean over the front edge of the door or be positioned laterally of the door. Moreover, the inner surface of the door may have an increased temperature and may be exposed upwardly towards the user. Further, the open door creates an undesired momentum arm that may be offset by counterweights that increase cost related to materials, assembly, transportation, and installation. Thus, there is a need to allow, but is not limited to, an apparatus and method to conveniently access the cooking appliance (e.g. range top and/or cooking compartment), reduce heat exposure to the user, and/or reduce the momentum force.
In some embodiments, a cooking appliance may comprise one or more cooking compartments including a top, a bottom, at least two sides, and a front door. In various embodiments, the front door may define a front opening allowing access into the one or more cooking compartments. Moreover, in some embodiments, at least one heat source may be in fluid communication with the one or more cooking compartments. In various embodiments, the front door may be hingedly connected adjacent to an outer periphery of the front opening of the one or more cooking compartments adjacent the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments. In some embodiments, the front door may include a plurality of segments hingedly connected to each other to fold upon each other in a vertical direction between the top and the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments.
In addition, in some embodiments, the plurality of segments of the front door may include an upper segment hinged to a lower segment. In various embodiments, the cooking appliance may comprise a first hinge between the upper segment and the lower segment and a second hinge between the lower segment and the outer periphery of the front opening. In some embodiments, the first hinge and second hinge may be substantially horizontal. Moreover, in various embodiments, the front door may include an outer face and an inner face, wherein when folded to an open position the outer face of the front door may be facing upwards in a direction towards the one or more cooking compartments. In some embodiments, the cooking appliance may include one or more tracks guiding the front door between a closed position and an open position. In addition, in some embodiments, the plurality of segments of the front door may include an upper segment hinged to a lower segment, and wherein the one or more tracks may maintain an upper edge of the upper segment to travel adjacent to the front opening between the top and the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments when the front door is folded between a closed position and an open position. In various embodiments, when the front door is in a folded position, the folded front door may be angled downwardly and away from the one or more cooking compartments.
In some embodiments, a cooking appliance may comprise one or more cooking compartments including a top, a bottom, at least two sides, and a segmented front door. In various embodiments, the segmented front door may define a front opening allowing access into the one or more cooking compartments. In various embodiments, at least one heat source may be in fluid communication with the one or more cooking compartments. In addition, in some embodiments, the segmented front door may be interconnected by a one or more first hinges horizontally orientated. In various embodiments, a second hinge horizontally orientated may connect the segmented front door adjacent to an outer periphery of the front opening of the one or more cooking compartments adjacent the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments. In some embodiments, the segmented front door may vertically fold upon a portion of the segmented front door from a closed position to an open position relative to the front opening. Moreover, in various embodiments, when in the closed position the segmented front door may be in an extended configuration and when in the open position the segmented front door may be in a folded configuration adjacent the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments.
In addition, in some embodiments, the segmented front door may include an outer face and an inner face, wherein when in the folded configuration in the open position the outer face of the segmented front door may be facing upwards in a direction towards the one or more cooking compartments. In various embodiments, the cooking appliance may include one or more tracks guiding the segmented front door between the closed position and the open position. In some embodiments, the segmented front door may include at least an upper segment hinged to a lower segment, and wherein the one or more tracks maintain an upper edge of the upper segment to travel adjacent to the front opening between the top and the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments when the segmented front door is folded between the extended configuration and the folded configuration. In addition, in various embodiments, when the segmented front door is in the folded configuration, the segmented front door may be angled downwardly and away from the one or more cooking compartments. In some embodiments, the cooking appliance may include one or more gaskets between adjacent segments of the segmented front door.
Further, in some embodiments, a cooking appliance may comprise one or more cooking compartments. In various embodiments, the cooking compartment may include a top, a bottom, at least two sides, and a front door. In some embodiments, the front door may define a front opening allowing access into the one or more cooking compartments. In addition, in various embodiments, at least one heat source may be in fluid communication with the one or more cooking compartments. In some embodiments, the front door may include at least an upper segment and a lower segment, each of the upper segment and the lower segment may have an upper edge and a lower edge. In various embodiments, a first hinge may hingedly connect the upper edge of the lower segment to the lower edge of the upper segment and a second hinge may hingedly connect the lower edge of the lower segment adjacent to an outer periphery of the front opening of the one or more cooking compartments adjacent the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments. Moreover, in some embodiments, the upper segment and the lower segment may vertically fold together from a closed position to an open position relative to the front opening. In various embodiments, when in the closed position the upper segment and the lower segment may be in an extended configuration and when in the open position the upper segment and the lower segment may be in a folded configuration adjacent the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments.
In addition, in some embodiments, the cooking appliance may include one or more gaskets adjacent the first hinge between the upper edge of the lower segment and the lower edge of the upper segment. In various embodiments, the front door may include an outer face and an inner face, wherein when in the folded configuration in the open position the outer face of the upper segment may be facing upwards in a direction towards the one or more cooking compartments. In addition, in some embodiments, the cooking appliance may include one or more tracks guiding the front door between the closed position and the open position. In various embodiments, the one or more tracks may maintain the upper edge of the upper segment to travel adjacent to the front opening between the top and the bottom of the one or more cooking compartments when the front door is folded between the extended configuration and the folded configuration. In some embodiments, the one or more tracks may longitudinally extend adjacent at least one of the at least two sides of the one or more cooking compartments. In various embodiments, when the front door is in the folded configuration, the front door may be angled downwardly and away from the one or more cooking compartments.
These and other advantages and features, which characterize the embodiments, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and form a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the embodiments, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the Drawings and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is described example embodiments. This summary is merely provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description, and is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
Numerous variations and modifications will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, as will become apparent from the description below. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific implementations discussed herein.
As illustrated in the Figures, a folding door 20 may be used in a variety of cooking appliances 10 to access one or more cooking compartments 12 or portion thereof within the appliance. The folding door 20 defines at least a portion of the front opening 12a into the cooking compartment 12. The folding door 20 is typically on the front side of the appliance 10 and may be positioned above a warming drawer, if used. Although the folding door 20 is shown as covering the front access into the compartment, it should be understood that the folding door may cover at least a portion of one or more cooking compartments 12 or opening 12a (e.g. single or double oven). The folding door 20 may be made of a variety of materials such as but is not limited to cold-rolled steel, stainless steel, pre-painted steel, etc. Moreover, each folding door 20 or one or more segments 30 thereof may include transparent panels (e.g. glass) and insulation (not shown). The folding door 20 may include a handle 21, if used, as shown in one embodiment on the upper segment 32 of the folding door 20. However, the one or more handles 21 may be in a variety of locations, quantities, constructions, sizes, and shapes. Although the cooking appliance 10 in the one embodiment shown includes a folding door with two segments on the front side of the appliance 10, it should be understood that the folding door may include segments having a variety of constructions, shapes, sizes, quantities, and materials. For example, the segments may be different or similar in shape and size. In addition, for example, the folding door may include the appliance controls 3a or portions thereof. Moreover, the folding door may be a portion of another or remaining portion of a cooking appliance door.
In some implementations, the cooking appliance 10 may include a cooktop 1 on a top of the housing 13. The cooking appliance 10 may further include a control panel 3 having a plurality of control knobs or controls 3a for controlling the gas and/or electric burners 14, if a range used, and/or cooking compartment 12. The embodiments discussed hereinafter will focus on the implementation of the hereinafter-described techniques and apparatuses within a residential cooking appliance such as cooking appliance 10, such as the type that may be used in single-family or multi-family dwellings, or in other similar applications. It will be appreciated that the herein-described techniques and apparatuses may also be used in connection with other types of cooking appliances in some embodiments. For example, the herein-described techniques may be used in commercial applications in some embodiments. Moreover, the herein-described techniques may be used in connection with various cooking appliance configurations. Implementation of the herein-described techniques within oven burners, broil burner, gas and/or electric range, slide-in oven, freestanding oven, wall oven, gas and/or electric cooktop, gas countertop range, cooking appliances with front or rear controls, etc. using a folding door would be well within the abilities of one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the instant disclosure, so the embodiments are not limited to the slide-in oven implementation discussed herein. Moreover, the herein-described apparatus and techniques may be used in connection with other appliances, such as, for example, a dishwasher appliance.
As shown in the
In some implementations, the segments 30 of the folding door 20 fold or collapse into a folded configuration when in the open position. The open position (e.g. partially and/or fully open) is a position that is a different from the closed position. The folding door hingedly folds in the vertical direction towards the bottom of the cooking compartment or appliance. The folding door 20 may be in the folded configuration adjacent the bottom 12c of the cooking compartment 12 in some embodiments. As shown in the
In the embodiments shown, the folding door 20 is hingedly connected, by one or more hinges 16, for opening to allow frontal access into the cooking compartment 12 through an opening 12a. The hinges 16 may be adjacent the lower end of the folding door 20 or the lower segment 34 and hingedly connected adjacent to the bottom of the compartment 12. More specifically, in the embodiments shown, the hinges 16 may be adjacent to an outer periphery 12e of the front opening 12a. The hinges 16 may be a variety of constructions, materials, locations, orientations, shapes, sizes, and quantities and still be within the scope of the invention. For example, the hinge 16 does not have to extend the entire width of the door but may be a variety of widths or dimensions relative to the opening 12a and/or remaining portion of the door.
As shown in the Figures, the segmented or folding door 20 may include a plurality of segments 30 hingedly connected to each other to fold upon each other in the vertical direction towards the bottom 12c of the cooking compartment 12. In some embodiments, the folding door 20 may include at least an upper segment 32 hingedly connected to a lower segment 34. One or more hinges 26 may hinge the upper segment 32 to the lower segment 34. The hinges 26 may be a variety of constructions, materials, locations, orientations, shapes, sizes, and quantities and still be within the scope of the invention. Each one of the segments or panels 30 may include an upper edge 32a, 34a and a lower edge 32b, 34b, respectively. The lower edge 34b of the lower segment 34 may include the hinge 16 to the remaining portion of the housing 13. The hinge 26 may connect the lower edge 32b of the upper segment 32 or portions thereof to the upper edge 34a of the lower segment 34 or portions thereof. Hinge 26 and/or the hinge 16 may be substantially parallel. The hinges 16 and 26 combine to allow the folding door to fold between the extended configuration and the folded configuration. One or more of the gaskets 40 may be adjacent the hinge 26 and/or hinge 16. More specifically shown in
The folding door 20 may be connected to the remaining portion of the appliance in a variety of methods, structure, and locations. In some implementations, the folding door 20 may be connected to the remaining portion of the cooking appliance 10 in one or more locations in addition to the hinge 16. As shown in
In addition to the one or more hinges 16, the folding door 20 may be coupled to the remaining portion of the cooking appliance 10 in a variety of methods and techniques. As shown in one embodiment in
It should be understood to one of ordinary skill that the folding door may be operated by methods in addition to or instead of manually operated. For example, one or more gears with specific ratios may operate the door in a predetermined path or movement. Moreover, a drive mechanism may operate the folding door towards the open position and/or the closed position. For example, an electric servo may be used.
While several embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the scope of the present disclosure.
All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms.
The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.”
The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.
In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, Section 2111.03.
It is to be understood that the embodiments are not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” “in communication with,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
The foregoing description of several embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
