Oven door assembly

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6561180
  • Patent Number
    6,561,180
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, January 15, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 13, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
An oven door assembly having a minimum number of required components parts is constructed by attaching a pair of spaced hinge assemblies, preferably through a tab and slot arrangement to the first panel, and positioning a central window pack on a first panel. A second panel is then snap-fit directly through the hinge assemblies to the first panel, thereby indirectly securing the second panel to the first panel through the hinge assemblies with the window pack therebetween.
Description




BACKGROUND OF INVENTION




1. Field of Invention




The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, the construction and assembly of an oven door which includes components that are snap-fit together in order to simplify assembly and reduce production costs.




2. Discussion of Prior Art




Ovens and their general construction are well known. In general, an oven includes a cooking cavity having an opening which is selectively closed by a door assembly. Usually, ovens are of two general configurations, the ovens are either built-in units, i.e. into a cabinet or wall, or the oven is a free standing range including a cooktop. The doors furnished with ovens can be composed of multiple components which can include a sealing panel, thermal insulation, a window, an intermediate panel, an outer panel, handles, hinges and, in some instances, a decorative face covering. In order to join all of the aforementioned components into a door, a large number of fasteners or welds are typically required.




A major disadvantage of this known arrangement is the number of assembly operations and fasteners required to construct the oven door. The relatively large number of parts, and complexity of construction increases manufacturing costs. As the home appliance industry is highly competitive, reducing the number of component parts and simplifying construction could lead to a tremendous cost and efficiency savings. However, the overall assembly must still be structurally sound and reliable. Although attempts have been made to simplify the overall construction of an oven door, there exists a need in the art for an improved oven door construction assembly.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An oven door constructed in accordance with the present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the art by reducing the number of components and simplifying the overall construction of an oven door. Specifically, the oven door of the present invention includes a first panel adapted to seal the oven cavity of a cooking appliance, a hinge assembly secured to the first panel, at least one internal door component positioned against the first panel, and a second panel which is snap-fit to the hinge assembly securing the internal door component in position.




Preferably, the hinge assembly is secured to the first panel by first positioning a tab located on a first end of the hinge assembly in a slot provided on an edge portion of the first panel. The hinge assembly is then rotated so as to be positioned against the first panel. Once the hinge assembly is in place, the internal door component(s) is installed in at central portion of first panel. In the most preferred embodiment of the invention, a pre-assembled internal component taking the form of a window pack is utilized. More specifically, the window pack includes an interlocking frame assembly which utilizes matching L-shaped frame elements designed to secure two glass panes in a spaced relationship. Each of the L-shaped frame elements includes a tab and slot structure designed to snap-fit the frame elements into a substantially rectangular support for the glass panes. Once the internal door components are in position, a second panel is snap-fit to the hinge assembly thereby securing the window pack between the first and second panels.




Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the invention provides for an oven door assembly having a minimum number of required component parts and employs constructions steps which simplifies the construction process and leads to an overall cost savings for the manufacturer. In any event, additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a wall oven including multiple oven cavities having associated, identical door assemblies constructed in accordance with the present invention;





FIG. 2

is an exploded view of the door assembly shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is an exploded view of a window pack incorporated in the door assembly of

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 4

is an enlarged view of a portion of the window pack of

FIG. 3

;





FIG. 5

is an enlarged, cross-sectional side view of a frame connection utilized in the window pack of

FIGS. 3 and 4

;





FIG. 6

is a perspective, partly assembled view of the door assembly of the invention;





FIG. 7

is a cross-sectional view of a snap-fit connection portion of the door assembly of the invention in an initial connection stage; and





FIG. 8

is a cross-sectional view similar to that of

FIG. 7

, but depicting the snap-fit connection in a final connection stage.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




With initial reference to

FIG. 1

, an oven door assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally shown at


1


. Although the actual cooking appliance to which door assembly


1


can be applied can vary, the invention is shown in connection with a cooking appliance


2


depicted as a wall oven. In the embodiment shown, cooking appliance


2


constitutes a dual oven wall unit which includes identically constructed upper and lower oven door assemblies


1


. Cooking appliance


2


further includes a structural frame


3


supporting an upper cooking cavity


4


and a lower cooking cavity


5


. According to the present invention, an associated door assembly


1


is provided to selectively provide access to a respective one of upper and lower cooking cavities


4


and


5


. Although cooking appliance


2


is depicted as a wall oven, it should be understood that door assembly


1


is not limited to this model type and can be incorporated into various types of oven configurations, e.g., cabinet mounted ovens and ranges.




Cooking appliance


2


is shown to incorporate an upper control panel


12


. In the embodiment shown, control panel


12


includes first and second rows of oven control buttons


13


and


14


for programming, in combination with a numeric pad


15


and a display


17


, particular cooking operations for oven cavities


4


and


5


respectively. Since the general programming and operation of cooking appliance


2


is known in the art and does not form part of the present invention, these features will not be discussed further here.





FIG. 2

is an exploded view of door assembly


1


according to the preferred embodiment and illustrates the various internal components of door assembly


1


. The major internal components are: a first panel


67


, hinge assemblies


68


and


69


, a window pack


70


, a second panel


71


, and an outer panel


73


. Outer panel


73


has associated therewith a handle


74


(see

FIG. 1

) and a decorative cover


75


to complete the assembly. The construction and interconnection of these components will now be described in detail.




First panel


67


is preferably, substantially rectangular and includes a multi-level base portion


80


, a window opening


81


, and a peripheral edge portion


82


. More specifically, peripheral edge portion


82


is defined by a top portion


84


, a bottom portion


85


, a left side portion


86


and a right side portion


87


. Top portion


84


includes a first end


89


having a pair of adjacent slots


90


and a second end


91


having matching slots


92


. Bottom portion


85


includes a first end


93


having a slotted opening


94


having both vertical and horizontal components and a second end


95


having a matching opening


96


which also extends in two, substantially perpendicular planes. Slots


90


and


92


, as well as openings


94


and


96


, are provided in connection with the mounting of the hinge assemblies


68


and


69


to the first panel


67


as will be detailed more fully below.




Hinge assemblies


68


and


69


are substantially identically constructed and therefore a detailed description will now be provided in connection with the construction of hinge assembly


68


and it is to be understood that hinge assembly


69


is correspondingly constructed. Hinge assembly


68


is constituted by a hinge bar


103


having a first end


104


and a second end


105


. A pivoting hinge arm


107


projects forward from second end


105


of hinge bar


103


. Hinge arm


107


is adapted to extend through opening


94


and to be interconnected with the frame


3


of cooking appliance


2


to pivotally mount door assembly


1


across a respective oven cavity


4


,


5


. In the most preferred embodiment, hinge bar


103


is constituted by an elongated U-shaped channel member including opposing side portions


109


and


110


joined through a web


111


(also see FIGS.


7


and


8


). Each of side portions


109


and


110


includes a plurality of snap elements


113


, such as holes, arranged at spaced locations between first end


104


and second end


105


. In addition, first end


104


including at least one tab element


118


and, preferably, a pair of adjacent tab elements


118


.




Reference will now be made to

FIGS. 2-5

in describing the preferred construction of window pack


70


of door assembly


1


. In a manner known in the art, window pack


70


is provided to enable a consumer to view the contents of a particular cooking cavity


4


,


5


. As shown, window pack


70


includes a substantially rectangular metal frame


135


and opposing panes of glass


140


and


141


. In a preferred embodiment, frame


135


includes substantially identical L-shaped frame elements


145


and


146


. Each L-shaped frame element


145


,


146


includes a long leg portion


147


and a short leg portion


148


. Additionally, each frame element


145


,


146


includes a pair of generally U-shaped tracks


155


and


156


joined by a web


158


. Tracks


155


and


156


are adapted to receive and maintain glass panes


140


and


141


in a spaced relationship. A plurality of glass retainer elements


160


are stamped into tracks


155


and


156


to support each glass pane


140


,


141


within a respective track


155


,


156


. Glass retainer elements


160


are simply defined by bent, preferably metal tab portions of tracks


155


and


156


which function to bias glass panes


140


and


141


in order to substantially reduce the effects of vibration caused by operation of door assembly


1


. To aid assembly, a tab element


165


having a spring retaining portion


166


is provided at the terminal end of each long leg portion


147


and a matching slot


170


is provided at the terminal end of each short leg portion


148


.




During assembly of window pack


70


, each of glass panes


140


and


141


are inserted into a respective one of tracks


155


and


156


of an L-shaped frame element


145


,


146


such that glass panes


140


and


141


rest against respective retainer elements


160


. The opposing L-shaped frame elements


145


and


146


are positioned such that one short leg portion


148


is arranged adjacent to a corresponding long leg portion


147


. Once positioned in this manner, each of tab elements


165


is interengaged with an associated slot


170


. In this manner, frame elements


145


and


146


are snap-fittingly interconnected to form window pack


70


.




Referring mainly to

FIG. 2

, second panel


71


is preferably, substantially rectangular in shape and includes a base portion


176


having a window opening


177


. Base portion


176


is preferably formed with an in-turned top lip


180


, an in-turned bottom lip


181


, an out-turned right side lip


182


and an out-turned left side lip


183


. As shown, each of right and left side lips


182


and


183


includes a plurality of snap members


185


arranged at spaced locations there along. In the preferred embodiment shown, snap members


185


are constituted by dimpled, resilient tab portions of right and left side lips


182


and


183


.




Outer panel


73


is preferably formed of metal and defines a substantially rectangular member including a window opening


190


. As will be discussed more fully below, outer panel


73


is adapted to encompass first and second panels


67


and


71


, with hinge assemblies


68


and


69


and window pack


70


sandwiched therebetween. Decorative panel


75


is optionally provided and preferably constitutes a glass panel having a substantially opaque outer area


192


and a substantially clear inner window area


193


. Although decorative panel


75


is preferably made of glass, various other materials could be employed for decoratively covering the outer surface of outer panel


73


. However, no decorative panel


75


need be provided.




Reference will now be made to FIGS.


2


and


6


-


8


in describing the preferred manner in which door assembly


1


is assembled. Initially, hinge assemblies


68


and


69


are secured to first panel


67


by positioning tab elements


118


within respective slots


90


and


92


on first panel


67


. Hinge assemblies


68


and


69


are then rotated into contact with first panel


67


until hinge arms


107


project through openings


96


. Next, pre-assembled window pack


70


, constructed as previously described, is positioned onto first panel


67


between hinge assemblies


68


and


69


such that window panes


140


and


141


are exposed in opening


81


. A gasket (not shown) may be provided as a seal between the perimeter of window pack


70


and opening


81


. In addition to window pack


70


, thermal insulation (not shown) of a type well known in the art is also be preferably incorporated into door assembly


1


to reduce any heat transfer from a respective oven cavity


4


,


5


to the exterior.




After window pack


70


is positioned on first panel


67


, second panel


71


is secured to first panel


67


through hinge assemblies


68


and


69


. More specifically, snap members


185


on the left panel edge


182


are engaged with associated snap elements


113


on hinge assembly


68


. Second panel


71


is subsequently rotated into contact with hinge assembly


69


, wherein the snap members


185


of right panel edge


183


are snap-fit to the associated snap elements


113


on hinge assembly


69


, wherein window pack


70


is secured therebetween.




Referring to

FIG. 2

, after second panel


71


is secured to first panel


67


through hinge members


68


and


69


, outer panel


73


is secured to first panel


67


and second panel


71


. In general, outer panel


73


and decorative panel


75


simply complete the overall oven door assembly


1


, with outer panel


73


actually extending around and being attached, preferably through the use of screws (not shown) to first panel


67


. Outer panel


73


is preferably a metal panel having a substantially rectangular area including a window opening


190


which is aligned with opening


177


. Decorative panel


75


is preferably a glass panel having a substantially opaque outer area


192


and a substantially clear inner window area


193


. Although decorative panel


75


is illustrated as glass, any suitable material for covering the outer surface of outer panel


73


would be acceptable, particularly since panel


75


is for decorative purposes and is an optional part for oven door assembly


1


. Finally, handle


74


is secured to door assembly


1


completing the construction.




Based on the above, it should be readily apparent that the invention provides for an oven door assembly having relatively few component parts which are assembled in a simplified construction process, leading to a significant cost savings. In any event, it should be understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof Additionally, it should be recognized that the use of terms such as top, bottom, left and right have been presented for illustrative purposes only and should not limit the scope of the present invention. Instead, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. In a cooking appliance including an oven cavity having an associated access opening, a door assembly provided to selectively seal the opening, said door assembly comprising:a substantially rectangular first panel; at least one hinge assembly attached to the first panel, said hinge assembly including a side portion provided with a plurality of snap elements; a window pack including at least one glass pane for viewing the oven cavity through the door assembly; and a second panel including at least one edge portion provided with a plurality of snap members which are engaged with the snap elements of the at least one hinge assembly, wherein the second panel interconnected to the first panel through the hinge assembly with the window pack therebetween.
  • 2. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first panel includes at least one slot for attaching the hinge assembly thereto.
  • 3. The door assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hinge assembly includes at least one tab element positioned in the at least one slot.
  • 4. The door assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one hinge assembly includes a pair of spaced hinge members, which each hinge member having a pivoting hinge arm at an end opposite the at least one tab element.
  • 5. The door assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first panel is formed with a pair of spaced, slotted openings, each said pivoting hinge arm projecting through a respective one of the pair of slotted openings.
  • 6. The door assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the slotted openings extends in two, substantially perpendicular planes.
  • 7. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the snap elements constitutes an opening formed in the at least one hinge assembly and each of the plurality of snap elements constitutes a flexible tab.
  • 8. The door assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the resilient tab is dimpled.
  • 9. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the window pack includes a first glass pane, a second glass pane and a frame structure, said frame structure including at least two interlocked frame elements extending about portions of each of the first and second glass panes and maintaining the first and second glass panes in a spaced relationship.
  • 10. The door assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the frame structure included two generally L-shaped members.
  • 11. The door assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the generally L-shaped members includes means for snap-fitting the L-shaped members together.
  • 12. The door assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a substantially rectangular outer panel including a window opening, said outer panel extending about a portion of and being secured to the first panel, with the second panel arranged therebetween and the window pack being aligned with the window opening.
  • 13. The door assembly as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: a decorative panel attached to the outer panel.
  • 14. A method of assembling an oven door comprising:attaching at least one hinge assembly to a first panel of the oven door; positioning at least one internal door component against the first panel; and snap-fittingly attaching a second panel directly to the hinge assembly such that the first panel is coupled to the second panel through the hinge assembly while securely retaining the at least one internal door component therebetween.
  • 15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one internal door component constitutes a window pack.
  • 16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising: creating the window pack by: positioning first and second glass panes within tracks formed in a first frame element; and interlocking a second frame element to the first frame element, with the first and second frame elements extending about portions of each of the first and second glass panes, while maintaining the first and second glass panes in a spaced relationship.
  • 17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: interlocking the first and second frame elements solely through a snap-fit connection.
  • 18. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: securing an outer panel about portions of the first panel, with the second panel and the at least one internal component therebetween.
  • 19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: securing a decorative panel to the outer panel.
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