1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of gas cooking appliances and, more particularly, to incorporating a louvered burner baffle in a gas oven employing an electrical igniter.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In a gas cooking appliance, one or more burners are arranged in an oven cavity to develop the necessary heat for desired cooking operations. Typically, one burner element is arranged at the bottom of the oven cavity, perhaps under a false bottom, and another burner element is arranged atop the oven cavity, particularly for broiling purposes. Generally, a baffle plate is utilized to disperse the heat generated in connection with operation of the burner element. Often times, the oven cavity is coated with a heat resistant material, such as porcelain.
In order to initiate combustion of gases delivered to one or more of the burner elements, an igniter is typically mounted adjacent the burner element. In mounting the igniter, care must be taken to prevent the igniter from blocking a combustion airflow to the burner element. In addition, it is possible for the porcelain, if exposed to direct heat from the igniter, to craze and chip. The porcelain that chips can actually fall down into the oven cavity, perhaps even into food being cooked therein.
Obviously, the need for adequate combustion air must be addressed, along with the potential for any falling of porcelain chips. With respect to the latter, once such approach concerns employing an aluminized top panel within a porcelain coated oven cavity to protect the coating. Regardless of this known prior art, there still exists a need in the art for an arrangement which enhances the combustion of gas for a burner element having an associated baffle in a coated oven cavity, minimizes the potential for crazing of the coating material, and prevents any coating material from falling into food placed in the oven cavity.
The present invention is directed to a gas cooking appliance including at least one oven cavity which is coated with a heat resistant material, preferably porcelain. The cooking appliance includes a gas broil element and an associated baffle, as well as a gas igniter, arranged atop the oven cavity. The baffle is provided with one or more openings above the igniter for ventilation purposes. In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the baffle includes a louver which defines an opening extending through the baffle. With the inclusion of the louvered opening, enhanced combustion is assured. In addition, any potential crazing zone of the oven cavity is shifted to a position wherein, should any heat resistant material chip off due to heat from the igniter, the material will be blocked from falling into any food support zone of the oven cavity.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
With initial reference to
In the preferred embodiment, upper oven 40 includes a respective first or upper oven cavity 45 and, similarly, lower oven 41 includes a respective second or lower oven cavity 46. In accordance with the present invention, oven cavities 45 and 46 are preferably formed of metal and coated with a heat resistant material, such as porcelain. In a manner known in the art, upper oven 40 has associated therewith a door 50 which can be pivoted by means of a handle 53. Door 50 preferably includes a window 55 for viewing the contents of upper oven cavity 45. In a similar manner, lower oven 41 has associated therewith a door 60, a handle 63 and a window 65.
In a manner known in the art, range 2 is adapted to be mounted upon a supporting surface, such as a kitchen floor or the like. More specifically, a plurality of leg members, two of which are indicated in
As indicated in
In order to ignite the combustion mixture, an igniter 175 is employed. As shown, igniter 175 is mounted to an underside 178 of panel 158, adjacent burner element 165. Igniter 175 preferably constitutes a hot element-type gas igniter known in the art. More specifically, igniter 175 includes an housing 180, a shield 185 and an ignition element 190. Certainly, the positioning of igniter 175 will affect the flow of air for combustion purposes, particularly if igniter 175 is mounted horizontally. In accordance with the present invention, at least one opening 200 is formed above igniter 175 in panel 158 of baffle 155. With this arrangement, opening 200 will provide for additional airflow for combustion purposes.
The general inclusion of opening 200 presents a potential problem concerning the crazing, and possible subsequent chipping, of the porcelain or other heat resistant coating provided in oven cavity 46. To address this concern, the present invention advantageously provides a cover, which is preferably constituted by a louver 210 formed in panel 158 of baffle 155, over opening 200. With this arrangement, an potential crazing area is shifted away from the combustion air flowing through opening 200. More specifically, not only is the potential area for crazing significantly reduced, but louver 210 is positioned in such a manner so as to block a vertical path through opening 200 in the event that any chips should develop. Therefore, louver 210 advantageously allows ample ventilation, moves the potential crazing zone essentially to a position over burner element 165 and away from a path where chips could drop into food, and blocks the path of any porcelain particles directly over igniter 175.
Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, although an integral louver is employed in the most preferred embodiment of the invention, other cover structures could also be employed, such as a separate member attached to the baffle. In addition, although a single fore-to-aft extending louver is preferably employed, multiple louver, laterally extending or otherwise, could also be utilized. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3682156 | Perl | Aug 1972 | A |
3832990 | Trosch | Sep 1974 | A |
4598691 | Herrelko et al. | Jul 1986 | A |
4718400 | Lotz et al. | Jan 1988 | A |
4905660 | Leduc | Mar 1990 | A |
5038748 | Lockwood et al. | Aug 1991 | A |
5534678 | Bowles et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
58130907 | Aug 1983 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040177842 A1 | Sep 2004 | US |