Self-locking oven door hinge

• US 3,889,654 A
• Filed: 12/26/1973
• Issued: 06/17/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alvin J. Schettl, Herbert A. Kauranen
• Original Assignee: Alvin J. Schettl, Herbert A. Kauranen
• Inventors: Kauranen, Herbert A., Schettl, Alvin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dority, Jr., Carroll B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schwartz, Larry I.
• Application Number:
  US05/428,085
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 126/191,192,194,197,190 49/386 219/413 16/149
• US Class Current: 126/194
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/416 for counterbalancing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/308 for ovens
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/022 Latches
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/023 Mounting of doors, e.g. hinges, counterbalancing

Abstract

A self-contained oven door hinge assembly for releasably mounting a door on a range oven cabinet including locking surfaces arranged to prevent disengagement when the door is in a closed position, whereby the door latch mechanism normally provided in a self-cleaning oven is utilized to prevent the door from being opened or removed during high temperature operation.

Claims

1. A range comprising a cabinet assembly having an oven chamber, and a door assembly, including a lower hinge, adapted to be removably mounted on the cabinet assembly, the door assembly being in a closed position when vertically disposed and being pivotal away from the oven chamber about a horizontal hinge axis adjacent its lower edge, releasable locking means adjacent the lower door hinge for retaining the lower door hinge on the oven chamber, said releasable locking means including interengaging elements associated with said door assembly and said cabinet assembly, said releasable locking means allowing separation of said door assembly from said cabinet assembly when the lower edge of the door assembly is raised a predetermined distance from a normal locked position, door latching means operative to prevent the door from being opened when the internal temperature of the oven chamber is above normal baking temperatures, and means preventing the lower door edge from being lifted said predetermined distance when said door latching means is operative on said door assembly and allowing said lower door edge to be lifted said predetermined distance when said door latching means is not operative wherein said door lift prevention means includes a first surface fixed relative to the cabinet assembly and a second surface fixed relative to the door assembly engageable with said first surface when said door assembly is vertically disposed, said first and second surfaces being arranged relative to one another in a manner which, when in engagement, prevents said door from being lifted through said predetermined distance.

2. A range as set forth in claim 1, wherein said door assembly includes a hinge adjacent each of its lateral sides, each of said hinges including an arm extending generally horizontally from a door pivot into the cabinet assembly, said arms forming said locking elements of the door assembly.

3. A range as set forth in claim 2, wherein said locking means includes lug means and cooperating slot means.

4. A range as set forth in claim 3, wherein said lug means is provided by said hinge arm locking elements.

5. A range as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second surface is provided on the upper edge of the door assembly.

6. A range as set forth in claim 5, wherein said cabinet assembly includes an exterior surface forming said first surface, said first surface extending horizontally over said door assembly when the latter is closed.

7. A domestic range comprising a cabinet assembly including an oven chamber, a door assembly associated with the oven chamber, counterbaLancing hinge assemblies contained in each lateral side of the door assembly for pivotally mounting the door about a horizontal axis adjacent its lower edge, said door assembly being pivotally movable between open and closed positions, a latching mechanism adapted to hold the door assembly in a closed position when the temperature of the oven chamber is at elevated pyrolytic cleaning temperatures, each of said hinge assemblies including a hinge arm extending from the door assembly into an associated receptacle fixed on the cabinet assembly, said receptacles each having upper and lower horizontally extending surfaces vertically supporting the associated hinge arm, a slot in each lower horizontal surface, said hinge arms each including a depending locking lug extending a first distance into the adjacent slot, a surface of the cabinet assembly extending horizontally over the upper edge of the door assembly at a predetermined vertical distance when the door assembly is in its closed position, said hinge arms being vertically movable in said receptacles upon lifting of the door assembly relative to the cabinet assembly to release said locking lugs from said slots, said predetermined vertical distance between said upper door edge and said cabinet assembly surface being less than the length of the locking lugs in their slots whereby the door assembly cannot be fully lifted to release said lugs when the door assembly is in its closed position, said door assembly clearing said cabinet assembly surface when in a partially open position to permit release of said locking lugs and removal of said door.

8. A range as set forth in claim 7, wherein said counterbalancing hinge assemblies include means for holding said door assembly and said hinge arms in a fixed relationship relative to each other with the door assembly in a partially open broil position, and said lugs are arranged to clear said slots while said door assembly and said hinge arms remain in said fixed relationship.

9. A range comprising a cabinet assembly having an oven chamber, and a door assembly, including a lower hinge, adapted to be removably mounted on the cabinet assembly, the door assembly being in a closed position when vertically disposed and being pivotal away from the oven chamber about a horizontal hinge axis adjacent its lower edge, releasable locking means adjacent the lower door hinge for retaining the lower door hinge on the oven chamber, said releasable locking means including interengaging elements associated with said door assembly and said cabinet assembly, said releasable locking means allowing separation of said door assembly from said cabinet assembly when the lower edge of the door assembly is raised a predetermined distance from a normal locked position, door latching means operative to prevent the door from being opened when the internal temperature of the oven chamber is above normal baking tamperatures, and means preventing the lower door edge from being lifted when said door latching means is operative on said door assembly and allowing said lower door edge to be lifted when said door latching means is not operative, said door lift prevention means including a first surface fixed relative to said cabinet assembly and a second surface fixed relative to said door assembly engageable with said first surface when said door assembly is vertically disposed, said second surface being on the upper edge of said door assembly, said cabinet assembly including an exterior surface forming said first surface, said first surface extending horizontally over said door assembly when the latter is closed, the vertical clearance between the door assembly and said overhanging surface portion being less than said predetermined distance whereby engagement between said door assembly and said surface prevents said door assembly from being raised through said predetermined distance when said door is in its closed position.