The present invention relates generally to smoke directing devices for use with over-a-stove top exhaust systems, and more particularly, to a removable and extendable smoke director device to direct smoke and other particulates towards an over-the-stove exhaust system.
It is important when cooking indoors to be careful not to allow smoke and other particulates rising off of a cooking surface and out of the foods being cooked to contaminate surrounding surfaces and adjacent rooms for health purposes and cleanliness. Indoor air pollution resulting from these contaminants are especially problematic for people with respiratory health conditions. Specifically, when foods are being cooked in a cooking utensil on a heated stove top cooking surface, the oils or fats the food is being cooked in vaporize and rise up off of the cooking utensil and into the surrounding air as smoke and other airborne particulates. Additionally, some cooked food particles are also vaporized and rise up in the form of smoke and other particulates. This is particularly true when the food is over cooked to the point of burning. The rising smoke and particulates constitute a serious health hazard.
Additionally, the rising smoke and particulates permeate the cooking room and any adjacent rooms. When these particulates land on cabinets, walls, floors or other surfaces, the oils and grime contained in the smoke and particulates contaminate the surfaces. The contaminated area may be substantial and maintaining these surfaces clean can become a difficult and time-consuming job, and possibly an expensive problem.
Over-the-stove top hoods having exhaust systems have been developed to draw off the rising smoke and particulates. However, these known systems cannot be used where a microwave oven is mounted over the stove or incorporated into a stove and microwave unit. Instead, microwave ovens themselves are often provided with small exhaust or air recirculation systems; however, since over-the-stove microwave ovens generally extend over only a small portion of the cook surface they are incapable of capturing the majority of the rising smoke and other particulates coming off of the stove top. This allows the remaining or excess smoke and particulates to contaminate the surrounding surfaces and areas.
Accordingly, there is an established need for a solution to at least one of the aforementioned problems, and especially a solution which allows to capture rising smoke and other particulates from an entire cooking or stove surface area, to minimize the dispersion of said smoke and particles to other rooms which may be communicated with the cooking room.
The present invention is directed to a convenient and removable smoke and particulate directing device that is capable of being extended out over a cooking surface to catch and direct rising smoke and other particulates towards an exhaust system. The smoke director device includes one or more smoke director units, each smoke director unit comprising a housing containing an extendable, telescoping smoke director assembly. At least one mounting assembly is provided for removably attaching the one or more smoke director units to an underside of an over the stove exhaust system such as those provided in an underside of an over-the-stove microwave oven. The mounting assembly includes a hinge to angle the smoke director relative to the cook surface of the stove.
In a first implementation of the invention, a smoke director device for use with a stove top exhaust system comprises one or more smoke director units. Each smoke director unit includes a hollow housing having an open front wall and an open back wall, and a reversibly retractable and extendable smoke director assembly movably mounted within the hollow housing. The retractable and extendable smoke director assembly is configured to adopt a retracted configuration in which the smoke director assembly is retracted within the hollow housing and an extended configuration in which the smoke director assembly extends frontward of the open front wall of the hollow housing. At least one mounting assembly is connected to the one or more smoke director units for attaching the one or more smoke director units to an underside of an exhaust containing structure arranged over a cooking surface of a stove.
In a second aspect, the smoke director assembly can include a fixed inner panel and a movable end panel. The movable end panel is movable relative to the fixed inner panel between a retracted condition contained within the hollow housing when the smoke director assembly is in the retracted configuration and an extended condition extending outward and frontward of the open front wall of the hollow housing and frontward of the fixed inner panel when the smoke director assembly is in the extended configuration.
In another aspect, the smoke director assembly can further include a movable intermediate panel located between the movable end panel and the fixed inner panel. The movable intermediate panel is movable relative to the movable end panel and fixed inner panel and is arranged frontward of the fixed inner panel and rearward of the movable end panel when the smoke director assembly is in the extended configuration.
In another aspect, at least one of the movable end panel, the movable intermediate panel and the fixed inner panel can be corrugated.
In another aspect, the movable end panel, the movable intermediate panel and the fixed inner panel can be corrugated. In some embodiments, the movable end panel, movable intermediate panel and fixed inner panel can include respective channels configured to align with one another to form effective front-to-back longitudinal channels extending from a front end of the smoke director assembly to a rear end of the smoke director assembly.
In yet another aspect, the smoke director assembly can further include an end support structure attached to and supporting the movable end panel and an intermediate support structure attached to and supporting the movable intermediate panel. The end support structure is movably connected to the intermediate support structure and the intermediate support structure is movably connected to the housing.
In another aspect, at least one stop can limit a movement of the end support structure relative to the intermediate support structure.
In another aspect, the smoke director assembly can further include a face plate connected to the movable end panel such that the face plate lies flush with the open front wall of the housing when the smoke director assembly is in the retracted configuration.
In another aspect, the smoke director assembly can further include a handle mounted to the face plate for manual pulling of the face plate.
In yet another aspect, the hollow housing can further include an open bottom wall.
In another aspect, the at least one mounting assembly can be removable from the one or more smoke director units.
In another aspect, the at least one mounting assembly can include a forward plate removably attachable to the hollow housing.
In another aspect, the mounting assembly can include a rear plate and a hinge positioned between the rear plate and the forward plate for angling the smoke director assembly relative to the cooking surface.
In yet another aspect, the mounting assembly can include a mounting magnet for detachably attaching the mounting assembly to the exhaust containing structure.
In another aspect, the mounting magnet can be located on the rear plate of the mounting assembly.
In another aspect, the one or more smoke director units can include two smoke director units attachable to one another in a side-by-side arrangement.
In another aspect, the two smoke director units can be magnetically attachable to one another.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.
The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention, where like designations denote like elements, and in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “left”, “rear”, “right”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in
The present invention is directed toward a convenient and economical, removable and extendable smoke director device for use with a kitchen stove having a microwave oven or other smoke-exhausting device positioned over the stove and that is capable of being extended out over a stove top surface to safely direct any rising smoke or particulates into an exhaust or air recirculation system and fan of the microwave oven or other smoke-exhausting device.
Shown throughout
Referring initially to
The housing 112 includes an optionally recessed, attachment area 118 for receipt of a removable mounting assembly 120. The removable mounting assembly 120 is provided to removably attach the smoke director unit 102 to an underside of a microwave oven or other over-a-stove exhausting device including a smoke exhaust system, as well as to allow the smoke director unit 102 and, in particular, the director assembly 112 to be angled out over a cooking surface to better catch and direct any rising smoke and particulates into the exhaust system of the microwave oven or other exhausting device.
In this particular embodiment, the smoke director unit 102 can have a width “w” of 15″, a depth “d” of 6.75″ and a height “h” of 1.75″, for instance and without limitation. When two smoke director units 102 are combined in side by side relationship as discussed in more detail hereinbelow, they have a combined width “w” of approximately 30″. In different embodiments of the invention, the smoke director unit 102 can be produced in varying sizes to accommodate differing stove top applications.
Referring now to
As shown in
The disclosed smoke director 100 is provided to be attached to a microwave oven. Alternatively, the disclosed smoke director 100 can be attached directly to an upper component of a stove, such as, for example, an extended hood, and overhanging light assembly etc. to channel smoke and particulates into a standalone exhaust system or exhaust system directly associated with the stove itself.
With continued reference to
As shown, the first or movable end panel 140, the second or fixed inner panel 142 and the third or intermediate panel 144 of the present embodiment are not flat but have a corrugated shape, such as but not limited to a saw-toothed shape, to better catch and channel the smoke and particulates through the housing 110 and out the rear wall opening 134. For example, with specific reference to the fixed inner panel 142 (
The movable end panel 140 and the intermediate movable panel 144 can be connected to the fixed inner panel 142 such that they are extendable and retractable relative to the fixed inner panel 142 and the housing 112 in telescoping fashion. The movable end panel 140 can be located under the fixed inner panel 142 with the intermediate panel 144 nested between the movable end panel 140 and the fixed inner panel 142. As shown in
With further reference to
A front end 154 of the end support structure 150 is affixed to the rear surface 148 of the face plate 114 and a rear end 156 of the end support structure 150 is movable within the intermediate support structure 152. The intermediate support structure 152 includes a front end 158 and a rear end 160. Stops 162 and 164 are provided on the rear end 156 of the movable end support structure 150 and the front end 158 of the intermediate support structure 152, respectively, to prevent the end support structure 150 and the intermediate support structure 152 from pulling apart. While not specifically shown, similar stops are provided on the rear end 160 of the intermediate support structure 152 and a rail system on the inside of the first and second side walls 124 and 126 of the housing 110 to prevent the intermediate support structure 152 from pulling apart from the housing 110 when extended.
The components of the smoke director 100 may be formed from a variety of materials. For instance, the housing 110 may be formed from metallic material such as, but not limited to, stainless steel, powder coated or painted steel color coordinated to surrounding appliance colors, etc. or may be formed from polymeric materials. Preferably, the housing 110 is formed from stainless steel which is easily cleanable of grease and grime. The face plate 114 can be formed from a similar material to that used in the housing 110 for a uniform appearance. The handle 116 can be formed from a variety of materials including woods, ceramics, polymeric materials or metallic materials to match the housing 110. The support structures, including the end support structure 150 and the intermediate support structure 152 are preferably formed from a metallic material for strength. The smoke directing panels including the movable end panel 140, the fixed inner panel 142 and the movable intermediate panel 144 may also be formed from a variety of heat resistant materials and preferably from corrugated stainless steel. Additionally, the smoke directing panels may be coated so as to better allow any smoke or particulates to flow along surfaces thereof.
Referring to
With continued reference to
The smoke director unit 102 may be combined with additional smoke director units to increase the surface area covered by the smoke director assemblies 112. In order to facilitate keeping the units in a side by side relationship, a magnetic strip 186 is provided on the housing 110. Specifically, in this embodiment, the magnetic strip 186 is provided on the second side wall 126 of the housing 110.
Turning for the moment to
Referring now to
Referring to
Turning now to
As noted above, the initial mounting of the first and second smoke director units 102 and 102′, respectively, is accomplished with the smoke director assemblies 112 and 112′ in the closed or retracted condition within the respective housings 110 and 110′. Should the user be cooking near a front 208 of the stove 200 or generating a larger than normal amount of rising smoke and particulates 230, the smoke director assemblies 112 and 112′ can be pulled out to the extended condition shown in
With specific reference to
Once the smoke director assemblies 112 and 112′ have been moved to the extended condition out of the respective housings 110 and 110′, they are in a condition to capture and direct smoke and particulates to an exhaust system 224 located in the undersurface 222 of the microwave 220. When a cook (not shown) starts cooking food in the cooking utensil 204 on the cooking surface 202, the smoke and particulates 230 rise up in the direction of arrow “B”. In the absence of the smoke director units 102 and 102′, only a small portion of the smoke and particulates 230 would be captured by the exhaust system 224 of the microwave leaving a large amount of smoke and particulates to contaminate the room and surrounding areas. However, with the smoke director assemblies 112 and 112′ in the extended condition out over the rising smoke and particulates 230, the smoke and particulates 230 hit the movable end panels 140, 140′ and the movable intermediate panels 144, such that the smoke and particulates 230 are guided in the direction of arrow “B” along the panels and into the front wall opening 138 in the housing and along the fixed inner panel 142 and out the rear wall opening 134 (
Referring to
In this manner, the disclosed smoke director 100 provides an easily mountable smoke directing unit which is capable of being extended out over a cooking surface 202 to direct rising smoke and particulates 230 to an exhaust system to better capture a larger amount of the smoke and particulates 230.
In summary, an extendable smoke directing device is provided which can be installed beneath an over-a-stove microwave oven or other exhausting device having an over-the-stove exhaust system. The extendable smoke directing device can be extended out over the surface of the stove generating the smoke and particulates and direct or channel the rising smoke and particulates towards the exhaust or air recirculation system of the microwave oven or other exhausting device. The extendable smoke directing device can be quickly and easily removed from the stove area for cleaning.
Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Furthermore, it is understood that any of the features presented in the embodiments may be integrated into any of the other embodiments unless explicitly stated otherwise. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
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