Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6461010
-
Patent Number
6,461,010
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, April 28, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 8, 200221 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Cariaso; Alan
- DelGizzi; Ronald E.
Agents
- Houser; H. Neil
- Rideout, Jr.; George L.
- Armstrong Teasdale LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 362 92
- 362 94
- 362 368
- 362 370
- 362 374
- 362 375
- 362 455
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An oven light assembly includes a lens, a housing, a lamp base and a light bulb. The lens and housing protect the light bulb from the oven environment. The housing includes a rim having cantilever beams and louvers that engage flanged lips on an outer edge of the lens. Cantilever beams apply an upward force to maintain the flanged lips in the louvers. The housing maintains the lens properly positioned and allows removal of the lens without the use of tools.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to light assemblies and, more particularly, to light assemblies for ovens.
Ovens typically include lights to illuminate a cooking area within the oven, i.e., an oven chamber. A known oven light includes a light bulb embedded in an interior wall of the oven chamber. To protect the bulb from breakage due to incidental contact and corrosion due to cooking residue, the light bulb is positioned in a housing and covered by a lens. If the lens is not properly positioned with respect to the housing while the oven is used, the protection of the light bulb will be compromised, and the life of the light bulb may be shortened. Due to the light bulb location inside the oven, changing the oven light bulb can be difficult, especially if tools are needed to remove the lens cover.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an oven light assembly that allows removal of the lens and replacement of the light bulb without tools. Further, it would be desirable to ensure that the lens remains properly positioned with respect to the housing while the oven is used so that the light bulb is protected.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an oven light assembly includes a lamp base, a light bulb, a housing, and a lens that can be removed without the use of tools. The light bulb is electrically connected to the lamp base, and the housing and the lens surround the light bulb and protect the bulb from exposure to the oven environment. The housing retains the lens in a proper position, and the lens is easily removed from the housing without using tools.
The lamp base includes a light bulb socket, and the light bulb is electrically connected to the socket. The housing includes a rim having an engagement surface configured to releasably engage the lens to hold the lens in a proper position. The engagement surface includes louvers and cantilever beams that are inclined relative to the engagement surface.
The lens is serrated and includes an outer edge. The lens outer edge includes flanged lips positioned adjacent the inclined ends of the lens cantilever beams so that when the beams deflect, the beams press the lens flanged lips into contact with the housing louvers. The cantilever beams maintain the lens properly positioned by applying a force to the flanged lips of the lens.
The lens is easily removed from the oven light assembly by pushing the lens toward the housing and depressing the cantilever beams to free the flanged lips from the louvers. The lens is then rotated until the flanged lips are no longer in contact with the louvers.
No tools are required to remove the lens from the housing, and the light bulb may be quickly and easily accessed by removing the lens. Further, the lens protects the light bulb from cooking debris.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of an oven light assembly partially broken away.
FIG. 2
is a top plan view of the lens shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is a cross-sectional view of the lens shown in
FIG. 2
along line
3
—
3
.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of the housing shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 5
is an end plan view of the oven light assembly shown in FIG.
1
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
is a partially broken away perspective view of an oven light assembly
10
including a lamp base
12
, a light bulb
14
, a housing
16
and a lens
18
. Light assembly
10
is used in an oven (not shown) to illuminate an oven cooking chamber (not shown).
Light bulb
14
is connected to lamp base
12
which is connected to housing
16
. Housing
16
is connected to lens
18
, and both housing
16
and lens
18
surround light bulb
14
and protect bulb
14
from exposure to the oven environment. Lens
18
may be easily removed by hand so that light bulb
14
may be removed from housing
16
due to the cooperation of flanged lips
28
of lens
18
and an engagement surface
48
of housing
16
. Also, lens
18
is maintained in proper position with respect to housing
16
through the interaction of engagement surface
48
and flanged lips
28
, as is explained in detail below.
FIG. 2
is a top plan view of lens
18
shown in FIG.
1
. Lens
18
includes a substantially circular outer edge
20
, and a substantially circular exterior cover
22
. Lens
18
further includes a plurality of exterior serrations
24
extending from cover
22
to outer edge
20
along a side
26
. Outer edge
20
includes flanged lips
28
spaced approximately
180
° from one another around a perimeter of outer edge
20
. Each flanged lip
28
extends radially outwardly from outer edge
20
and includes an arcuate engagement edge
30
substantially concentric to outer edge
20
. Each flanged lip
28
also includes a first surface
32
, a second surface
34
(not shown in FIG.
2
), and a pair of side edges
36
.
Lens
18
is fabricated from plastic, glass, or other transparent or translucent material capable of withstanding the heat of the oven while allowing light from light bulb
14
(
FIG. 1
) to illuminate the cooking chamber. In an alternative embodiment, the outer edge is polygonal and the sides of the lens are unserrated. In addition, the lens includes one, three, or more flanged lips.
FIG. 3
is a cross sectional view of lens
18
which is symmetrical about a center axis
38
. Side
26
extends upwardly from flanged lip
28
to cover
22
, thereby forming a protective enclosure for a light bulb
14
(shown in FIG.
1
). Serrations
24
also extend upwardly from flanged lips
28
toward cover
22
. Serrations
24
facilitate gripping lens
18
along side
26
. Flanged lips
28
include a first surface
32
and a second surface
34
. Second surface
34
is substantially flat, while first surface
32
is inclined relative to second surface
34
.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of housing
16
including a rim
40
and a first end
42
. Housing
16
is substantially cylindrical and rim
40
extends from first end
42
. Rim
40
is substantially circular and includes flanges
44
including openings
46
for mounting housing
16
to an interior wall (not shown) of the oven (not shown). Housing
16
is fabricated from drawn sheet metal. In an alternative embodiment, rim
40
is polygonal and is fabricated from materials other than sheet metal.
Rim
40
includes an engagement surface
48
that contacts lens
18
(shown in FIG.
1
). Engagement surface
48
includes raised ribs
50
, louvers
52
, stops
62
, and cantilever beams
64
. Raised ribs
50
have an arcuate shape, extend from engagement surface
48
, and are positioned approximately equidistant from an inner edge
66
and an outer edge
68
of annular rim
40
. Raised ribs
50
are substantially symmetrically located and separated from one another by louvers
52
, stops
62
and cantilever beams
64
.
Louvers
52
project from rim
40
and include a distal end
54
, a proximal end
56
, an inner edge
58
, and an outer edge
60
. Outer edge
60
is connected to rim
40
. Inner edge
58
, proximal end
56
, and distal end
54
are separated from rim
40
. Louvers
52
are formed by punching, or shearing, a portion of rim
40
on three sides and bending the portion upwardly and inwardly from engagement surface
48
. Louvers
52
are separated approximately 180° from one another around the rim
40
, and are separated from raised ribs
50
. Stop
62
is substantially semicircular and projects from engagement surface
48
adjacent each louver
52
. Stops
62
are pre-formed into rim
40
, punched from rim
40
, or otherwise fabricated according to known methods.
Cantilever beams
64
include a proximal end
70
, a distal end
72
, an inner edge
74
, and an outer edge
76
. Rim
40
is punched, or sheared, on three sides and bent to form cantilever beam
64
so that distal end
72
, inner edge
74
, and outer edge
76
are separated from engagement surface
48
and proximal end
70
is attached to engagement surface
48
. Thus, cantilever beams
64
are generally raised relative to engagement surface
48
. Cantilever beams
64
are positioned approximately 180° from one another on rim
40
and are separated from louvers
52
and raised ribs
50
. Cantilever beams
64
extend arcuately and are approximately equidistant from inner edge
66
and outer edge
68
of rim
40
. In an alternative embodiment, engagement surface
48
includes, one, three or more ribs
50
, louvers
52
, stops
62
, and cantilever beams
64
.
A second end
78
of housing
16
includes connectors
80
for attachment to lamp base
12
(shown in FIG.
1
). Lamp base
12
includes a light bulb socket (not shown) and appropriate electrical connections to energize light bulb
14
(shown in
FIG. 1
) when lamp base
12
is connected to a power source (not shown).
FIG. 5
is an end plan view of light assembly
10
illustrating lens
18
connected to housing
16
. When lens
18
and housing
16
are connected, louvers
52
retain flanged lips
28
of lens
18
and maintain lens in contact with housing
16
. Raised ribs
50
contact outer edge
20
of lens
18
and center lens
18
with respect to housing
16
. Flanged lips
28
are positioned adjacent distal ends
72
of cantilever beams
64
, which apply an upward force to second surfaces
34
of flanged lips
28
and maintain first surfaces
32
of flanged lips
28
in contact with louvers
52
. Friction prevents lens
18
from rotating and moving flanged lips
28
out of contact with louvers
52
. Stops
62
contact flanged lips
28
when lens
18
is properly positioned relative to housing
16
. Cantilever beams
64
therefore maintain lens
18
properly positioned against stops
62
during shipping, handling, and subsequent use of the oven (not shown).
A method for assembling oven light assembly
10
includes connecting lamp base
12
to housing
16
and connecting housing
16
to an oven wall via openings
46
in flanges
44
. Light bulb
14
is then inserted into the light bulb socket in lamp base
12
. Lens
18
is positioned so that outer edge
20
of lens
18
contacts raised ribs
50
and flanged lips
28
of lens
18
are free of louvers
52
and stops
62
. Lens
18
is rotated about center axis
38
until flanged lips
28
are positioned within louvers
52
. Cantilever beams
64
slightly depress as lens
18
is rotated and engage flanged lips
28
with louvers
52
. Lens
18
is then rotated until flanged lips
28
rest over distal ends
72
of cantilever beams
64
and side edges
36
of flanged lips
28
contact stops
62
. In this position, lens
18
is properly oriented relative to housing
16
and cantilever beams
64
apply an upward force against flanged lips
28
to prevent disengagement of flanged lips
28
from louvers
52
.
Lens
18
may be installed and uninstalled simply by pushing lens
18
toward housing
16
, depressing cantilever beams
64
and rotating lens
18
about center axis
38
until flanged lips
28
are engaged or disengaged, respectively, from louvers
52
. Thus, no tools are required to remove lens
18
from housing
16
, and light bulb
14
may be replaced quickly and easily.
While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
Claims
- 1. An oven light assembly, comprising:a housing comprising at least one louver; a lens connected to said housing, said lens comprising an outer edge, at least a portion of said outer edge positioned within said louver; and at least one cantilever beam positioned between said housing and said lens, said beam comprising a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end connected to one of said housing and said lens, said distal end inclined toward, and in contact with, the other of said housing and said lens.
- 2. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer edge comprises at least one flanged lip.
- 3. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lip is separated from said at least one cantilever beam.
- 4. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein said housing further comprises at least one raised rib.
- 5. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein said at least one raised rib is separated from said at least one cantilever beam.
- 6. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said lens is serrated.
- 7. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing comprises drawn sheet metal.
- 8. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said outer edge is substantially circular.
- 9. An oven light assembly comprising:a lamp base; a housing connected to said base, said housing comprising a rim including an engagement surface, a raised rib, a louver, and an inclined cantilever beam extending from said engagement surface; and a lens connected to said housing, said lens comprising an outer edge and a flanged lip connected to said outer edge, said flanged lip comprising a first surface and a second surface, said first surface contacting said louver and said second surface contacting said cantilever beam when said lens is connected to said housing.
- 10. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a light bulb connected to said lamp base, said light bulb surrounded by said housing and said lens.
- 11. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said engagement surface includes a stop, said stop contacting said flanged lip when said lens is connected to said housing.
- 12. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said rib contacts said outer edge when said lens is connected to said housing.
- 13. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said cantilever beam is separated from said louver.
- 14. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said cantilever beam is separated from said rib.
- 15. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said rim is substantially circular.
- 16. An oven light assembly in accordance with claim 9 wherein said housing comprises drawn sheet metal.
- 17. A method for assembling an oven light assembly, the assembly including a lens, a housing, a lamp base, and a light bulb, the lens including an outer edge, a center axis, and at least one flanged lip connected to the outer edge, the housing including a rim having an inclined cantilever beam extending therefrom, a plurality of raised ribs, at least one louver, and a stop, the lamp base including a light bulb socket, the housing and the lamp base mounted to an oven wall, said method comprising the steps of:inserting the light bulb into the light bulb socket; positioning the outer edge of the lens between the raised ribs and centering the lens with respect to the housing; and rotating the lens about the center axis until the at least one flanged lip is positioned within the at least one louver, thereby attaching the lens to the housing.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising the step of depressing the at least one inclined cantilever beam.
- 19. A method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the step of rotating the lens about the center axis further comprises steps of:positioning the at least one flanged lip adjacent the inclined end of the cantilever beam; and utilizing the cantilever beam to press the flanged lip against the louver.
- 20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein the step of rotating the lens about the center axis further comprises the step of rotating the lens about the center axis until the at least one flanged lip contacts the stop to properly orient the lens with respect to the housing.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
1611562 |
Robson |
Dec 1926 |
A |
4326243 |
Pistor et al. |
Apr 1982 |
A |
5738437 |
Ilagan |
Apr 1998 |
A |