KITCHEN APPLIANCE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF CONVERTING A KITCHEN HAVING ONE OF A SLIDE-IN AND DROP-IN APPLIANCE TO A KITCHEN HAVING BUILT-IN APPLIANCES

• US 20180163970A1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Published: 06/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regius Investment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Euro Sun Corp.
• Inventors: Boykiw, Robert Alan
• Granted Patent: US 11,121,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0091 Electronic or electric devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/00 Stoves or ranges heated by electric energy stoves or ranges specially adapted for the use of two or more kinds of fuel or energy supply F24C1/02
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/10 for surface mounting on a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/18 providing line outlets

Abstract

There is provided a method of converting a kitchen having one of the slide-in and the drop-in appliance electrically coupled to a range receptacle, to a kitchen having built-in appliances. The method includes removing the one of the slide-in and the drop-in appliance from the range receptacle. The method includes installing at least two kitchen appliances into at least one of preexisting countertops and cabinetry of the kitchen. Each of the kitchen appliances includes a range plug. The method includes providing a power strip apparatus comprising a range plug and a power strip having a plurality of range sockets electrically coupled to the range plug of the power strip apparatus. The method includes inserting the range plug of the power strip apparatus into the range receptacle and inserting the range plugs of the kitchen appliances into respective ones of the range sockets of the power strip.

Claims

1. A method of converting a kitchen having one of a slide-in and drop-in appliance electrically coupled to a range receptacle, to a kitchen having built-in appliances, the method comprising:

removing said one of the slide-in and the drop-in appliance from the range receptacle;

installing at least two kitchen appliances into at least one of preexisting countertops and cabinetry of the kitchen, each of the kitchen appliances including a range plug;

providing a power strip apparatus comprising a range plug and a power strip having a plurality of range sockets electrically coupled to the range plug of the power strip apparatus;

inserting the range plug of the power strip apparatus into the range receptacle, and inserting the range plugs of the kitchen appliances into respective ones of the range sockets of the power strip.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, the range receptacle electrically connecting to household power via an electrical circuit, and the method further including:

configuring the kitchen appliances to be installed such that maximum combined amperage thereof is equal to or less than the amperage of that the electrical circuit can provide.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, the range receptacle electrically connecting to one of an in-line circuit breaker and fuse, said one of the breaker and said fuse having a current rating, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the kitchen appliances to be installed such that the collective amperage thereof is equal to or less than the current rating of said one of the breaker and the fuse.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including:

providing each of said two kitchen appliances with a safety mechanism, each said safety mechanism causing its respective one of the kitchen appliances to selectively depower upon a threshold being reached.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the safety mechanism is one from the group consisting of:

a thermostat, an internal fuse and a circuit breaker.

6. A power strip apparatus comprising:

a flexible electrical cable having a proximal end and a distal end;

a range plug electrically connected to the distal end of the electrical cable;

a hollow housing coupled to the proximal end of the electrical cable; and

three electrical sockets mounted to the housing, wherein the sockets electrically connect together in series with the range plug, wherein a first said socket and a second said socket align with each other and wherein a third said socket is between and offset at least in part from the first said socket and the second said socket.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing has a pair of spaced-apart sides and a pair of spaced-apart ends that extend between said sides thereof, wherein the first said socket is adjacent to a first said end of the housing and is adjacent to a first said side of the housing, wherein the second said socket is adjacent to the first said end of the housing and is adjacent to a second said side of the housing, and wherein the third said socket is adjacent to a second said end of the housing and is between the sides of the housing.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the third said socket is halfway between the sides of the housing.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the sockets has a first half portion and a second half portion and wherein the first half portion of the third said socket aligns with both the second half portion of the first said socket and the second half portion of the second said socket.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the range plug and each of the sockets includes a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal, a third electrical terminal and a fourth electrical terminal, the first electrical terminals electrically connecting together in series, the second electrical terminals electrically connecting together in series, the third electrical terminals electrically connecting together in series, and the fourth electrical terminals electrically connecting together in series.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the electrical sockets has a cross-sectional diameter and wherein adjacent ones of the sockets are spaced from each other by a distance equal to or greater than one half of said diameter.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the housing has a removable front to which the electrical sockets are mounted.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of the electrical sockets has a cross-sectional diameter and wherein the housing has a front and a rear, the front of the housing being spaced-apart from the rear of the housing by a distance in the range of equal to or greater than said diameter and equal to or less than two times said diameter.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the housing has a pair of spaced-apart sides, a pair of spaced-apart ends which extend between said sides, and an open top defined by said ends and said sides, and wherein the housing includes a removable cover shaped to extend about said top, the cover including a planar member to which the electrical sockets mount and the cover including a peripheral portion which couples to and extends outwards from the planar member of the lid, the peripheral portion of the cover extending about and abutting the sides and the ends of the housing.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 further including one or more fasteners which selectively extend through the peripheral portion of the cover and at least one of the sides and the ends of the housing, the one or more fasteners coupling the cover to the sides and the ends of the housing thereby.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the housing is a hollow rectangular prism in shape and wherein the apparatus further includes a plurality of fasteners which selectively extend through the peripheral portion of the cover and into the ends of the housing at locations adjacent to the sides of housing, the fasteners coupling the cover to the sides and the ends of the housing thereby.

17. A power strip apparatus comprising:

a flexible electrical cable having a proximal end and a distal end;

a range plug electrically connected to the distal end of the electrical cable;

a hollow housing coupled to the proximal end of the electrical cable;

a plurality of electrical sockets mounted to the housing, the sockets electrically connecting together in series with the range plug; and

a metal, flexible cable protector within which the cable extends, the cable protector extending between and coupling to the housing and the range plug.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the housing has a front and a rear, the electrical sockets mounting to the front of the housing and the cable protector mounting to the housing adjacent to the rear of the housing.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the housing has a pair of spaced-apart sides, the cable protector mounting to and extending from one of said sides of the housing, and wherein the apparatus further includes a pair of wall mounting plates coupled to and extending outwards from said sides of the housing.

20. A kitchen appliance assembly including the power strip apparatus as claimed in claim 17, the assembly including:

a wall to which the power strip apparatus is mounted;

cabinetry and countertops;

at least two kitchen appliances built in to at least one of the cabinetry and the countertop, each of the kitchen appliances including a range plug, the range plugs of the kitchen appliances being inserted into the range sockets of the power strip apparatus; and

a range receptacle electrically coupled to an electrical power supply, the range plug of the power strip apparatus being inserted within a range receptacle.