Patent Application
20220299204
Cooking appliances such as cooktops, ovens and ranges may be powered by various types of burners or cooking elements, with electrical heating elements and gas burners being among the most common. In particular, gas burners generally use as an energy source a combustible gas such as natural gas or liquified petroleum (LP) gas (also referred to as propane), and generate heat by combusting and burning the gas. The output levels of gas burners are generally controlled by valves, which regulate gas flow to the gas burners, and which in some instances are coupled mechanically to associated user controls, e.g., knobs that are rotatable by a user to control gas flow rates through the valves. Gas burners also generally require some manner of igniting the burners, and many gas cooktop burners utilize spark igniters that are also activated based upon the positions of the associated user controls for the gas burners.
It is generally desirable to assemble the gas valves in a cooking appliance such that their positions are fixed and such that good alignment is achieved between the valve stem, knob, control panel, and other parts of the appliance. This is generally both for appearance and for functionality. It is desirable therefore for a mounting assembly for a cooking appliance gas valve to be economical, secure and easy to fabricate and assemble.
The herein-described embodiments address these and other problems associated with the art by utilizing a gas valve mounting assembly in a gas cooking appliance that incorporates a valve attachment plate that generally circumscribes a gas valve and extends generally transversely to an actuation axis of the gas valve, as well as multiple standoffs that extend generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve. The attachment plate and standoffs attach to one another, and may be used to mount the gas valve to a control panel of the gas cooking appliance with the gas valve attached to the attachment plate and the standoffs attached to the control panel.
Therefore, consistent with one aspect of the invention, a cooking appliance may include a housing including a cooktop and a control panel, a gas burner disposed on the cooktop, a gas valve including a valve body and a rotatable shaft configured to regulate gas flow to the gas burner through rotation of the rotatable shaft about an actuation axis, a burner control coupled to the rotatable shaft of the gas valve, and a gas valve mounting assembly mounting the gas valve to the control panel of the housing. The gas valve mounting assembly may include a valve attachment plate that secures to and generally circumscribes the gas valve and extends generally transversely to the actuation axis of the gas valve, and a plurality of standoffs having respective first and second ends and extending generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve, the respective first ends of the plurality of standoffs secured to the valve attachment plate and the respective second ends of the plurality of standoffs secured to the control panel of the housing to thereby mount the gas valve to the control panel of the housing.
In some embodiments, the control panel includes a control aperture through which the rotatable shaft of the gas valve projects when the gas valve is mounted to the control panel. In some embodiments, the control aperture has an area that is less than a cross-sectional area of the burner control such that the burner control fully covers the control aperture when the burner control is coupled to the rotatable shaft of the gas valve, and the control panel further includes a plurality of mounting apertures through which the plurality of standoffs are secured to the control panel using a plurality of fasteners. Further, in some embodiments, each of the plurality of standoffs includes an alignment pin and a fastener recess disposed at the respective second end thereof, the plurality of fasteners are received in the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs, and the control panel further includes a plurality of alignment apertures configured to receive the alignment pins of the plurality of standoffs to align the plurality of mounting apertures with the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs.
In some embodiments, the control aperture has an area that is greater than a cross-sectional area of the burner control and the control panel includes a control bezel that is received in the control aperture on an opposite side of the control panel from the gas valve, and the control bezel further includes a plurality of mounting apertures through which the plurality of standoffs are secured to the control panel using a plurality of fasteners. In addition, in some embodiments, each of the plurality of standoffs includes an alignment pin and a fastener recess disposed at the respective second end thereof, the plurality of fasteners are received in the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs, and the control bezel further includes a plurality of alignment apertures configured to receive the alignment pins of the plurality of standoffs to align the plurality of mounting apertures with the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs.
In some embodiments, the valve attachment plate includes a plurality of mounting apertures through which the plurality of standoffs are secured to the valve attachment plate using a plurality of fasteners. In addition, in some embodiments, each of the plurality of standoffs includes an alignment pin and a fastener recess disposed at the respective first end thereof, the plurality of fasteners are received in the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs, and the valve attachment plate further includes a plurality of alignment apertures configured to receive the alignment pins of the plurality of standoffs to align the plurality of mounting apertures with the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs.
Moreover, in some embodiments, the valve attachment plate fully circumscribes the gas valve and defines a valve aperture through which the gas valve projects. In some embodiments, the gas valve includes a plurality of fastener recesses extending generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve, and the valve attachment plate includes a plurality of mounting apertures through which the valve attachment plate is secured to the gas valve using a plurality of fasteners received in the plurality of fastener recesses. Moreover, in some embodiments, the valve attachment plate further includes a switch recess configured to receive a portion of an electrical switch that is actuated by rotation of the burner control.
Consistent with another aspect of the invention, a gas valve assembly for a cooking appliance of a type including a control panel and a cooktop having a gas burner may include a gas valve including a valve body and a rotatable shaft configured to regulate gas flow to the gas burner through rotation of the rotatable shaft about an actuation axis, and a gas valve mounting assembly configured to mount the gas valve to the control panel. The gas valve mounting assembly may include a valve attachment plate that secures to and generally circumscribes the gas valve and extends generally transversely to the actuation axis of the gas valve, and a plurality of standoffs having respective first and second ends and extending generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve, the respective first ends of the plurality of standoffs secured to the valve attachment plate and the respective second ends of the plurality of standoffs configured to be secured to the control panel to thereby mount the gas valve to the control panel.
In some embodiments, each of the plurality of standoffs includes an alignment pin and a fastener recess disposed at the respective second end thereof, the plurality of fastener recesses are configured to receive a plurality of fasteners that secure the gas valve mounting assembly to the control panel through a plurality of mounting apertures in the control panel, and the plurality of alignment pins are configured to be received in a plurality of alignment apertures disposed in the control panel. In addition, in some embodiments, the valve attachment plate includes a plurality of mounting apertures through which the plurality of standoffs are secured to the valve attachment plate using a plurality of fasteners.
In some embodiments, each of the plurality of standoffs includes an alignment pin and a fastener recess disposed at the respective first end thereof, the plurality of fasteners are received in the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs, and the valve attachment plate further includes a plurality of alignment apertures configured to receive the alignment pins of the plurality of standoffs to align the plurality of mounting apertures with the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs. Moreover, in some embodiments, the valve attachment plate fully circumscribes the gas valve and defines a valve aperture through which the gas valve projects.
Also, in some embodiments, the gas valve includes a plurality of fastener recesses extending generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve, and the valve attachment plate includes a plurality of mounting apertures through which the valve attachment plate is secured to the gas valve using a plurality of fasteners received in the plurality of fastener recesses. In some embodiments, the valve attachment plate further includes a switch recess configured to receive a portion of an electrical switch that is actuated by rotation of the rotatable shaft of the gas valve.
Consistent with another aspect of the invention, a gas valve mounting assembly may be provided for mounting a gas valve to a control panel of a cooking appliance of a type including a cooktop having a gas burner, the gas valve including a valve body and a rotatable shaft configured to regulate gas flow to the gas burner through rotation of the rotatable shaft about an actuation axis. The gas valve mounting assembly may include a valve attachment plate configured to be secured to and generally circumscribe the gas valve and extend generally transversely to the actuation axis of the gas valve, and a plurality of standoffs having respective first and second ends and extending generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve, the respective first ends of the plurality of standoffs secured to the valve attachment plate and the respective second ends of the plurality of standoffs configured to be secured to the control panel to thereby mount the gas valve to the control panel.
In addition, some embodiments may also include a plurality of first fasteners securing the plurality of standoffs to the valve attachment plate through a plurality of first mounting apertures in the valve attachment plate, each of the plurality of standoffs includes a first alignment pin and a first fastener recess disposed at the respective first end thereof and a second alignment pin and a second fastener recess disposed at the respective second end thereof, the plurality of first fasteners are received in the first fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs, and the attachment plate further includes a plurality of alignment apertures configured to receive the first alignment pins of the plurality of standoffs to align the plurality of first mounting apertures with the fastener recesses of the plurality of standoffs, and the plurality of second fastener recesses are configured to receive a plurality of second fasteners that secure the gas valve mounting assembly to the control panel through a plurality of second mounting apertures in the control panel, and the plurality of second alignment pins are configured to be received in a plurality of second alignment apertures disposed in the control panel.
These and other advantages and features, which characterize the invention, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, 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 of the invention. 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 embodiments discussed hereinafter, a gas cooking appliance may include a gas valve mounting assembly incorporating a valve attachment plate that generally circumscribes a gas valve and extends generally transversely to an actuation axis of the gas valve in combination with multiple standoffs that extend generally parallel to the actuation axis of the gas valve and serve to mount the gas valve to a control panel of the gas cooking appliance with the gas valve attached to the attachment plate and the standoffs attached to the control panel. As will become more apparent below, such a gas valve mounting assembly may be used to economically and securely mount a gas valve in a gas cooking appliance.
Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numbers denote like parts throughout the several views,
Cooking appliance 10 may also include various user interface devices, including, for example, a control panel 26 incorporating a plurality of rotary burner controls 28 and a user interface or display 30 for providing visual feedback as to the activation state of the cooking appliance. It will be appreciated that cooking appliance 10 may include various types of user controls in other embodiments, including various combinations of switches, buttons, knobs and/or sliders, typically disposed at the rear or front (or both) of the cooking appliance. Further, in some embodiments, one or more touch screens may be employed for interaction with a user. As such, in some embodiments, display 30 may be touch sensitive to receive user input in addition to displaying status information and/or otherwise interacting with a user.
As noted above, cooking appliance 10 of
A cooking appliance consistent with the invention also generally includes one or more controllers configured to control the cooking elements and otherwise perform cooking operations at the direction of a user.
As shown in
Controller 42 may also be interfaced with various sensors 58 located to sense environmental conditions inside of and/or external to cooking appliance 40, e.g., one or more temperature sensors, humidity sensors, air quality sensors, smoke sensors, flame sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, odor sensors and/or electronic nose sensors, among others. Such sensors may be internal or external to cooking appliance 40, and may be coupled wirelessly to controller 42 in some embodiments.
In some embodiments, controller 42 may also be coupled to one or more network interfaces 60, e.g., for interfacing with external devices via wired and/or wireless networks such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, cellular and other suitable networks, collectively represented in
In some embodiments, controller 42 may operate under the control of an operating system and may execute or otherwise rely upon various computer software applications, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc. In addition, controller 42 may also incorporate hardware logic to implement some or all of the functionality disclosed herein. Further, in some embodiments, the sequences of operations performed by controller 42 to implement the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented using program code including one or more instructions that are resident at various times in various memory and storage devices, and that, when read and executed by one or more hardware-based processors, perform the operations embodying desired functionality. Moreover, in some embodiments, such program code may be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that the invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of computer readable media used to actually carry out the distribution, including, for example, non-transitory computer readable storage media. In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations described herein may be combined, split, reordered, reversed, varied, omitted, parallelized and/or supplemented with other techniques known in the art, and therefore, the invention is not limited to the particular sequences of operations described herein.
Numerous variations and modifications to the cooking appliances illustrated in
As noted above, embodiments consistent with the invention may utilize a gas valve mounting assembly to mount a gas valve for a gas cooktop burner to a control panel.
Each burner control 104, 106, 108 is used to actuate a respective gas valve assembly 110, 112, 114 to regulate gas flow to a gas burner, and each gas valve assembly includes a respective gas valve 116, 118, 120 and a respective gas valve mounting assembly 122, 124, 126 that mounts the respective gas valve to control panel 102. In addition, in some instances, one or more additional structures may be disposed on the back side of control panel 102, e.g., a backing plate 128 or other supporting structure and/or a circuit board. Backing plate 128 may include openings through which each gas valve 116, 118, 120 may project, as well as one or more mounting apertures 196 (see
Gas valve mounting assembly 126 in the illustrated embodiment includes a valve attachment plate 148 and a plurality of standoffs, e.g., standoffs 150, 152. Valve attachment plate 148 secures to and generally circumscribes gas valve 120 and extends generally transversely to actuation axis A, while standoffs 150, 152 extend generally parallel to actuation axis A.
As noted above, valve attachment plate 148 may generally circumscribe gas valve 120, and thus may include a valve aperture 154 through which gas valve 120 may project. In some instances valve attachment plate 148 may only partially circumscribe gas valve 120, e.g., having a C or U shape; however, in the illustrated embodiment, valve attachment plate 148 has a generally O shape and fully circumscribes the gas valve. It is believed that fully circumscribing the gas valve as illustrated herein may be beneficial in some applications as doing so may provide a sturdier assembly that is better able to accommodate bumps or impacts against the associated burner control during use.
Valve attachment plate 148 also includes a pair of valve mounting apertures 156, a pair of standoff mounting apertures 158 and a pair of alignment apertures 160, while each standoff 150, 152 includes respective first and second ends 162, 164, with first end 162 including a fastener recess 166 and alignment pin 168 and second end 164 including a fastener recess 170 and alignment pin 172.
Valve mounting apertures 156 of valve attachment plate 148 are used to mount valve attachment plate 148 to gas valve 120 using a pair of fasteners 174 that engage corresponding fastener recesses 176 in valve body 130 of gas valve 120, while standoff mounting apertures 158 are used to mount valve attachment plate 148 to each standoff 150, 152 using a pair of fasteners 178 that engage fastener recesses 166 in the first ends 162 of standoffs 150, 152. Alignment apertures 160 moreover receive alignment pins 168 to maintain alignment between valve attachment plate 148 and each standoff 150, 152, additionally facilitating assembly prior to securing fasteners 178 to fastener recesses 166.
In some embodiments, gas valve mounting assembly 126 may also be used to mount additional structures to or proximate gas valve 120. For example, as illustrated in
Now returning to
In addition, in some embodiments, control aperture 184 may have a smaller area than the cross-sectional area of burner control 108, such that burner control 108 fully covers the control aperture and such that mounting apertures 188 and alignment apertures 190 may be disposed on the main structure of control panel 102 rather than on control bezel 186. In addition, in some instances, no control bezel may be used.
Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, each fastener 144, 174, 178, 192 is a threaded fastener such as a screw or bolt, and each fastener recess 166, 170, 176 is a threaded recess, such that each fastener is threadably received in its corresponding fastener recess. It will be appreciated, however, that other types of fasteners, e.g., rivets, may be used in other embodiments.
Valve attachment plate 148 in the illustrated embodiment may be formed from metal sheet stock, e.g., about a 2 mm sheet of steel or aluminum, while standoffs 150, 152 may be cast, molded or machined in different embodiments, e.g., formed of machined aluminum. It will be appreciated, however, that other materials and other manufacturing techniques may be used to form the components of each gas valve mounting assembly. For example, a valve attachment plate may be formed of cut, stamped or formed sheet metal steel or aluminum, or formed as diecast metal parts or machined from a block of metal. Any material having sufficient rigidity to meet appropriate valve standards (e.g., ANSI Z21.15) may also be used. Standoffs 150 and 152 may be cast, molded, or machined from a block of metal, or may be formed from formed or bent sheet metal. Additionally, because standoffs 150 and 152 may not be considered to be part of a valve assembly in some instances (and not subject to ANSI Z21.15 or other international valve standards), they may be considered separate structural pieces, and be made of an even greater variety of materials such as molded plastic. Standoffs may also take different forms in other embodiments, e.g., as simple solid rod shapes that connect on the ends, as hollow tubes that are threaded on the ends, as pieces of threaded rod with shoulders on both ends or simply hollow tubes that act as spacers or washers, e.g., such that one long fastener may extend through each standoff to secure the valve attachment plate to the control panel.
It has found, however, that the use of a flat plate in combination with standoffs that run perpendicular to the plate provides an economical and sturdy configuration that also facilitates assembly of the gas valve assembly and control panel. It will also be appreciated that different numbers of standoffs, different numbers and/or locations of mounting apertures, fastener recesses, alignment apertures and/or alignment pins may be used in other embodiments. Indeed, alignment pins and apertures may not be used in some embodiments, or may be used at one end of each standoff in still other embodiments.
Furthermore, it is believed that the use of a separate plate and standoffs may provide additional design flexibility, thereby enabling, for example, component reuse with different gas valve designs and/or different control panel designs, or to accommodate various types of structures such as switches and the like.
Other modifications may be made to the embodiments discussed herein, and a number of the concepts disclosed herein may be used in combination with one another or may be used separately. Therefore, the invention lies in the claims hereinafter appended.
