Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6712066
-
Patent Number
6,712,066
-
Date Filed
Thursday, April 10, 200321 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 30, 200420 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Diederiks & Whitelaw, PLC
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 126 19 R
- 126 20 R
- 126 214 R
- 126 211
- 126 214 A
- 126 214 C
- 126 39 R
- 126 37 A
- 126 37 B
- 126 39 N
- 219 45211
- 219 45212
- 219 4581
- 312 263
- 312 228
- 312 279
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A cooking appliance includes a cabinet, defined by at least front, side, bottom and back panel portions, a pair of laterally spaced end caps provided at an upper rear portion cabinet, and a range top mounted upon an upper portion of the cabinet. At least two sets of alignment components, with each set of alignment components being defined by cooperating first and second sets of alignment elements, are provided on the end caps and range top respectively. When the range top is mounted upon the cabinet, the sets of alignment components become interengaged to automatically, laterally center and mount the range top with respect to the cabinet.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to a cooking appliance having a rear alignment and support system for laterally positioning and mounting a range top on the appliance.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Cooking appliances in the form of free-standing and slide-in oven ranges are well known. Typically, a cooking operation is performed on a cooking surface defined by one or more of a plurality of heating zones or burners arranged about a range top or, alternatively, in an oven formed within the appliance. Generally, oven ranges have burners mounted directly to the range top or to structure provided below the range top. This structure can take various forms, for example, the burners are mounted directly to the range top, to the appliance chassis, to rails extending below the range top or, in some cases, to flexible mounting structure carried either by the chassis or other support structure provided below the range top. In any event, it is important for the manufacturer to provide a means to access the area below the cooktop, such as for servicing of mechanical and electrical components, or to clean-up after spills occurring on the range top.
Manufacturers have developed a variety of methods for mounting range tops to appliance cabinets so as to allow either a consumer or service technician to access the area immediately below the cooking surface. These methods range from providing hinges on the range top to allow it to swing upwardly to expose the mechanical and electrical components, to attachments in the form of tab and slot arrangements between a range top and an associated appliance chassis. In the later case, aligning the range top with respect to the appliance is critical when mounting gas burners directly to the range top.
Range top mounted gas burners include structure which interconnects the burner to gas delivery elements, typically gas supply piping. Without proper alignment, the attachment components cannot interengage, resulting in the gas burner being improperly aligned with the gas supply structure. When the gas burner and gas supply are misaligned, the overall efficiency of the burner is greatly reduced.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for a system to properly secure and align a range top to a cooking appliance. More specifically, there exists a need in the art for a system that readily aligns the range top and associated burner elements with respect to the appliance, while additionally serving as attachment structure for securing the range top to the appliance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a cooking appliance including a cabinet and a range top. The cabinet is generally defined by a front portion, opposing side panels, a bottom panel and a back panel, while the range top is mounted to the cabinet. More specifically, a plurality of heating elements, which in the preferred form of the invention, are defined by gas burner elements, are arranged about the range top. The cabinet also includes a control panel having an associated pair of laterally spaced end caps provided at side portions thereof.
In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, the cooking appliance includes two sets of alignment components, with each set of alignment components being defined by cooperating first and second sets of alignment elements. Preferably, the first set of alignment elements is provided on the range top and the second set of alignment elements is provided on each of the laterally spaced end caps. With this construction, when the range top is mounted upon the cabinet, the first and second sets of alignment elements become interengaged to laterally position the range top with respect to the cabinet.
In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the second set of alignment elements are constituted by tab members projecting from side portions of each of the pair of laterally spaced end caps. More specifically, the second set of alignment elements includes a first or upper tab member and a second or lower tab member. Preferably, the upper tab member is defined by a flat, blade-like tab, while the lower tab member is defined by an in-turned tab element adapted to engage with an inner side portion of the range top. With this construction, the lower tab member outwardly biases the range top resulting in the range top being properly aligned with respect to the cabinet.
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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an upper right front perspective view of a cooking appliance incorporating a rear range top alignment and support system constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a partial perspective view of an end cap of the cooking appliance having projecting therefrom alignment components of the rear alignment and support system in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a right side elevational view of a portion of the end cap and range top of
FIG. 2
; and
FIG. 4
is a bottom plan view of the end cap and range top of FIG.
2
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With initial reference to
FIG. 1
, the present invention is preferably incorporated into a cooking appliance generally indicated at
2
. As shown, cooking appliance
2
takes the form of a free-standing gas range. Range
2
includes a cabinet
4
having a front panel portion
5
, opposing side panel portions
6
, a bottom portion
7
, a range top
8
, and a main back panel
9
. Within the scope of the invention, range top
8
can take on various forms. In the preferred embodiment shown, range top
8
is provided with five gas burner elements
11
-
15
, i.e., four outer quadrant gas burner elements
11
-
14
and a central gas burner element
15
, which are covered by left and right, mirror image burner grates
17
and
18
.
In the embodiment illustrated, cabinet
4
further includes a front control surface
20
. Preferably, control surface
20
supports a plurality of control knobs
21
-
25
for controlling the activation/de-activation of gas burners
11
-
15
respectively. Furthermore, cabinet
4
includes an upstanding control panel
30
arranged at an upper rear portion
31
of cabinet
4
. In the embodiment shown, control panel
30
includes a central control and display unit, generally indicated at
35
. Control panel
30
is provided above an exhaust outlet opening
37
extending across upper rear portion
31
and having an associated exhaust deflector
38
for directing an exhaust airflow away from control panel
30
and central control and display
35
.
In the preferred form of the invention, central control and display
35
is provided for use in controlling an oven
40
of range
2
. Although not fully detailed in this figure, control and display unit
35
includes a first control section
41
for selecting a desired cooking operation for oven
40
. For instance, a user can select between keep warm, convection bake, bake, clean convection broil, broil, drying, and bread proofing operations. In connection with setting desired cooking parameters, control and display unit
35
also includes a second control section
42
which defines a numeric key pad. At this point, it should be realized that the arrangement and features associated with control panel
30
can vary without departing from the invention. For instance, in addition to other standard controls, such as timer and clock setting elements, control panel
30
can provide for other operations, such as a “cook and hold” feature wherein oven
40
operates to maintain food cooked therein warm following a cooking operation or a “favorite” selector which can be employed to readily establish a predetermined, preferred cooking sequence for oven
40
. In any event, control and display unit
35
further includes a central display
44
for conveying information to and verifying input/operational parameters to a user.
In the preferred embodiment, oven
40
includes an oven cavity
45
which is larger than an oven cavity of a standard range. More specifically, wherein the volume of a standard oven cavity for a range would be in the order of 4.0 cubic feet, oven cavity
45
is approximately 5.2 cubic feet. In accordance with the present invention, oven cavity
45
is preferably formed of metal and coated with a heat resistant material, such as porcelain. In any case, oven
40
has associated therewith a door
50
which can be pivoted by means of a handle
53
. Door
50
preferably includes a plurality of vents
54
arranged behind handle
53
and a window
55
for viewing the contents of oven cavity
45
when door
50
is closed. Arranged below door
50
and extending across cabinet
4
is a lower face panel
58
.
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
FIGS. 1
at
60
and
61
, extend from bottom portion
7
at front and rear portions of cabinet
4
, along side panel
6
. Of course, corresponding leg members
60
and
61
are also provided on the opposing side of range
2
. In any event, the various leg members
60
and
61
are preferably vertically adjustable to also act as levelers for range
2
. Such type of leg leveler arrangements are widely known in the art of appliances, including both ranges and refrigerators such that the leveling function of leg members
60
and
61
does not form part of the present invention. Instead, the invention is actually directed to a rear alignment and support system for cooktop
8
as will be more fully discussed below.
In the embodiment shown, cooking appliance
2
includes a pair of end caps
70
and
71
provided at upper rear portion
31
of cabinet
4
. Actually, end caps
70
and
71
are partially formed from a frame sub-assembly
80
that serves as the underlying support structure for cabinet
4
and, by extension, cooking appliance
2
. In any event, end caps
70
and
71
are laterally spaced and support, at least in part, control panel
30
. Reference will be made below to
FIGS. 2-4
in describing the specific structure of end caps
70
and
71
in accordance with the invention. However, since the structure of each end cap
70
,
71
is identical, a detailed description of end cap
70
will be made and it is to be understood that end cap
71
has commensurate structure.
As best seen in
FIG. 2
, end cap
70
includes a first or inside portion
73
, a second or outside portion
74
, a bottom portion
75
and a front edge portion
76
. In accordance with a preferred form of the invention, end cap
70
is provided with an upper tab member
95
projecting from an intermediate portion of end cap
70
and a lower tab member
96
projecting from a lower portion of end cap
70
. More specifically, upper tab member
95
is preferably constituted by a flat blade-like projection and, as will be discussed more fully below, lower tab member
96
is constituted by in-turned element projecting toward a central portion of cooking appliance
2
. As best seen in
FIG. 2
, upper and lower tab members
95
and
96
extend from a forwardly projecting stepped edge section
100
provided on front edge portion
76
of end cap
70
. As shown, edge section
100
forms a stepped region which is adapted to receive range top
8
as shown in FIG.
3
and discussed more fully below.
With reference to
FIG. 4
, lower tab member
96
includes a first in-turned section
104
extending outwardly from edge section
100
. As shown, first in-turn section
104
leads to an intermediate section
106
through a curved section
107
. Intermediate section
106
extends substantially parallel to side panel portion
6
of cooking appliance
2
and thereafter leads to a second in-turned section
108
terminating in an angled section
109
. Lower tab member
96
is adapted to engage with a side portion
113
extending above a bottom portion
114
of range top
8
. Actually, lower tab member
96
is outwardly biased when top
8
is fully mounted upon cabinet
4
. That is, during mounting, range top
8
is shifted rearward toward control panel
30
, whereupon side portion
113
engages with lower tab member
96
forcing lower tab member
96
to slightly deflect laterally inwardly while forcing range top
8
to be laterally centered with respect to cabinet
4
as further discussed below.
In further accordance with the most preferred embodiment, range top
8
includes an up-swept section
120
(see
FIG. 3
) including laterally opposing up-swept end portions
122
having an inner side surface
123
adapted to engage with upper tab member
95
. That is, inner side surface
123
of up-swept section
120
and side portion
113
include structure which interengage with upper and lower tab members
95
and
96
. Actually, lower tab member
96
and side portion
113
constitute first and second alignment elements of a first alignment component, with a second alignment component being similarly arranged on the opposing end cap
70
. Similarly, upper tab member
95
and side portion
123
constitute third and fourth alignment elements of a third alignment component, with a fourth alignment component being similarly arranged on opposing end cap
70
.
With this construction, when range top
8
is mounted upon cabinet
4
and moved rearward, the first and second alignment components interengage to laterally position and mount range top
8
with respect to cabinet
4
. Towards that end, as range top
8
is positioned upon cabinet
4
and maneuvered toward upper rear portion
31
, upper tab member
95
interengages with inner side surface
123
of up-swept section
120
and second tab member
96
interengages with side portion
113
. Of course, it should be apparent that, as second tab member
96
forces side portion
113
outward, range top
8
is laterally centered and aligned with respect to cabinet
4
. With this arrangement, it is assured that range top
8
and burner elements
11
-
15
are properly positioned upon cabinet
4
in a quick and efficient manner. Moreover, as upper and lower tab members
95
and
96
project from stepped edge section
100
, once range top
8
engages with end caps
70
and
71
side portion
113
cooperates with stepped edge section
100
such that the two surfaces are flush with one another.
Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, while tab members are shown projecting from the end caps, it should be apparent that the tab elements could alternatively be formed projecting from portions of the range top and where the end caps include the mating or cooperating structure. Additionally, while the cooking appliance is shown as a gas range, it should be understood that electric heating elements could be employed, as well as gas elements provided under a smooth top cooking surface. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited to the scope of the following claims.
Claims
- 1. A cooking appliance comprising:a cabinet including at least a front portion, opposing side panels, a bottom panel and a back panel, said cabinet being adapted to rest upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface; a range top including front, rear and opposing side portions; a plurality of heating elements arranged about the range top; a pair of laterally spaced end caps provided at an upper rear portion of the cabinet; and first and second sets of alignment components, each of the first and second alignment components including cooperating first and second alignment elements, said first alignment elements being provided on the laterally spaced end caps and said second alignment elements being provided on the range top wherein, when the range top is mounted upon the cabinet, said first and second alignment elements of each of the first and second alignment components become interengaged to laterally position and mount the range top with respect to the cabinet.
- 2. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising: a control panel arranged at the upper rear portion of the cooking appliance, said control panel being supported, at least in part, by the pair of laterally spaced end caps.
- 3. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the first alignment elements are defined by first and second tab members.
- 4. The cooking appliance according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second tab members project from a lower end portion of a respective one of the laterally spaced end caps.
- 5. The cooking appliance according to claim 4, wherein each of the first and second tab members includes an inwardly projecting section adapted to engage with a respective one of the opposing side portions of the range top.
- 6. The cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising: third and fourth sets of alignment components, each of the third and fourth sets of alignment components including cooperating third and fourth alignment elements, said third alignment elements being provided on the laterally spaced end caps and the fourth alignment elements being provided on the range top.
- 7. The cooking appliance according to claim 6, wherein the third alignment elements are defined by flat tab members projecting from an intermediate portion of the laterally spaced end caps.
- 8. The cooking appliance according to claim 7, wherein the rear portion of the range top is constituted by an up-swept portion including laterally opposing first and second up-swept ends, each of said first and second up-swept ends including a respective side surface defining a tab member receiving section which constitutes a respective one of the fourth alignment elements, wherein the first and second up-swept ends are adapted to engage the laterally spaced end caps with the third alignment elements extending into the tab member receiving sections.
- 9. A cooking appliance comprising:a cabinet including at least a front portion, opposing side panels, a bottom panel and a back panel, said cabinet being adapted to rest upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface; a range top including front, rear and opposing side portions; a plurality of heating elements arranged about the range top; a pair of laterally spaced end caps provided at an upper rear portion of the cabinet; and alignment means provided on each of the range top and the laterally spaced end caps for automatically, laterally centering the range top as the range top is mounted on the cabinet.
- 10. The cooking appliance according to claim 9, further comprising: a control panel arranged at the upper rear portion of the cooking appliance, said control panel being supported, at least in part, by the pair of laterally spaced end caps.
- 11. The cooking appliance according to claim 10, wherein the alignment means is constituted by first and second sets of alignment components, each of the first and second alignment components including cooperating first and second alignment elements, said first alignment elements being provided on the laterally spaced end caps and said second alignment elements being provided on the range top.
- 12. The cooking appliance according to claim 11, wherein the first set of alignment elements are defined by first and second tab members.
- 13. The cooking appliance according to claim 12, wherein each of the first and second tab members project from a lower end portion of a respective one of the laterally spaced end caps.
- 14. The cooking appliance according to claim 13, wherein each of the first and second tab members includes an inwardly projecting section adapted to engage with a respective one of the opposing side portions of the range top.
- 15. The cooking appliance according to claim 9, further comprising: third and fourth sets of alignment components, each of the third and fourth sets of alignment components including cooperating third and fourth alignment elements, said third alignment elements being provided on the laterally spaced end caps and the fourth alignment elements being provided on the range top.
- 16. The cooking appliance according to claim 15, wherein the third alignment elements are defined by flat tab members projecting from an intermediate portion of the laterally spaced end caps.
- 17. The cooking appliance according to claim 16, wherein the rear portion of the range top is constituted by an up-swept portion including laterally opposing first and second up-swept ends, each of said first and second up-swept ends including a respective side surface defining a tab member receiving section which constitutes a respective one of the fourth alignment elements, wherein the first and second up-swept ends are adapted to engage the laterally spaced end caps with the third alignment elements extending into the tab member receiving sections.
- 18. A method of aligning a range top on a cooking appliance having a cabinet and a pair of laterally spaced end caps provided at a rear portion of the cabinet comprising:placing the range top on an upper portion of the cabinet; sliding the range top toward the rear portion of the cabinet; and automatically, laterally centering the range top on the cabinet by engaging first alignment elements on the laterally spaced end caps with second alignment elements on the range top.
- 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: engaging third alignment elements on the laterally spaced end caps with fourth alignment elements on the range top.
- 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising: positioning an up-swept section of the range top flush with the laterally spaced end caps when the range top is slid toward the rear portion of the cabinet.
US Referenced Citations (9)