Factory preset temperature warming appliance

• US 7,235,762 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Western Industries Incorporated (B-G Western Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jonovic, Scott A., Gagas, John M., Stair, Daniel E. II
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US11/147,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20050274712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/400
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/18 Arrangement of compartments additional to cooking compartments, e.g. for warming or for storing utensils or fuel containers; Arrangement of additional heating or cooking apparatus, e.g. grills
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/087 of electric circuits regulating heat

Abstract

A warming appliance having factory preset temperature modes. The warming appliance comprises an enclosure having a wall. The enclosure defines an interior space having an opening. A drawer is configured to be reciprocally moved within the interior space. The drawer having a wall configured to close the opening. The heating apparatus is configured to change the temperature inside the drawer. The user interface is associated with the drawer and configured to control the heating apparatus. The temperature control apparatus is coupled to the heating apparatus and user interface. The temperature control apparatus is associated with the enclosure, wherein food stuff and objects contained in the drawer are maintained at a predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A warming appliance having factory pre-set temperature modes, the warming appliance comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior space and having an opening;

a drawer configured to be reciprocally moved within the interior space, the drawer having a member configured to close the opening;

a heating apparatus to change the temperature inside the drawer to a factory pre-determined temperature;

a user interface associated with the drawer; and

a temperature control apparatus coupled to the heating apparatus and connected to an IR sensor and a humidity sensor to ensure that food stuff contained in the drawer is maintained at a factory pre-determined temperature.

2. The warming appliance of claim 1, wherein the heating apparatus is mounted in the interior space proximate the drawer.

3. The warming appliance of claim 1, wherein the heating apparatus is mounted external to the drawer and is in communication with the interior space.

4. The warming appliance of claim 2, where the opening is front facing.

5. The warming appliance of claim 4, wherein the temperature control apparatus includes:

a detector configured to sense the temperature in the drawer;

a power circuit electrically connected to the detector, heating apparatus, user interface and an energy source; and

an electronic control device coupled to the detector and power circuit to control the temperature in the drawer within a predetermined range.

6. The warming appliance of claim 5, wherein the detector is mounted in the enclosure.

7. The warming appliance of claim 6, wherein the electronic control device is configured to function in a mode selected from a mode group including boiling, broiling, oven, baking, steam, microwave oven, and a combination of at least any two of such modes.

8. The warming appliance of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides an on/off function and the ability to select a factory preset temperature further controlled by at least one of a fixed temperature thermostat, thermal-disk, thermal protector, thermal cutoff, or electronics, electromechanical, or mechanical temperature controller/sensor detector.

9. The warming appliance of claim 7, wherein the electronic control device includes a microprocessor configured to process a) the detection of an item placed inside the cavity, b) the sensing of the temperature of the item, and c) then setting of a preferred temperature in light of the sensed reading of item temperature by correlating a preferred temperature to a factory preset electronic logic table.

10. The warming appliance of claim 9, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of food type designators, with each designator assigned a predetermined temperature stored in the logic table in an electronic control device that maintains the temperature within the chamber within a predetermined optimal range of operating temperatures or set points.

11. The warming appliance of claim 9, including a sensor mounted in the drawer to sense the temperature of food stuff contained in the drawer and provide a signal to the electronic control device proportionate to the temperature of the food stuff, wherein the electronic control device will maintain the temperature of the drawer at one of the sensed temperature of the food stuff and factory preset temperature.

12. The warming appliance of claim 5, wherein the enclosure is one of free-standing and cabinet mounted.

13. The warming appliance of claim 12, wherein the free-standing enclosure is configured to be moved.

14. The warming appliance of claim 9, including a venting apparatus that is electronically controlled to adjust the temperature and humidity of space defined by the drawer.

15. The warming appliance of claim 14, wherein the venting apparatus is coupled to the IR sensor and the humidity sensor in the cavity.

16. The warming appliance of claim 14, wherein the venting apparatus includes an actuator configured to selectively open and close the venting apparatus cavity to hold the humidity at a certain level or reduce it.

17. The warming appliance of claim 14, including a blower associated with the enclosure and in fluid communication with the venting apparatus to move air in the drawer.

18. The warming appliance of claim 17, including a depository for fragrant substances in gaseous communication with the drawer.

19. The warming appliance of claim 18, wherein the user interface includes a timing device.

20. The warming appliance of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a light switch coupled to a light fixture mounted in the enclosure.

21. The warming appliance of claim 19, wherein the enclosure is configured for use outdoors.

22. The warming appliance of claim 14 is configured as an independent modular unit for integration with another appliance.

23. The warming appliance of claim 14, including an information output device that is viewed remotely from the appliance.

24. The warming appliance of claim 23, wherein the information output device includes a digital display.

25. The warming appliance of claim 23, wherein the user interface is remote from the warming appliance and is combined with the output device.

26. The warming appliance of claim 14, wherein the heating apparatus is coupled to a fan for air movement in the enclosure.

27. A warming appliance of claim 14, wherein the drawer includes transparent material providing visual access to the enclosure.

28. A warming drawer associated with a cooking appliance, wherein the cooking appliance is one of a free-standing unit and a built-in unit, the warming drawer comprising:

an enclosure defining an interior space and having an opening;

a drawer having a member configured to close the opening;

a heating apparatus configured to change a temperature inside the drawer to a predetermined temperature defined by values in a logic table for certain types of foods;

a user interface associated with the drawer; and

a temperature control apparatus coupled to the heating element and user interface, and associated with the enclosure, wherein food stuff contained in the drawer is maintained at a factory pre-determined temperature and automatically adjusted based on input received from sensors in the interior space to thereby minimizing user error in not setting to the proper settings or knowing what the proper setting should be.

29. The warming drawer of claim 28, wherein the heating apparatus is mounted in the interior space proximate the drawer.

30. The warming drawer of claim 28, wherein the heating apparatus is mounted external to the drawer and is in communication with the interior space.

31. The warming drawer of claim 28, where the opening is front facing.

32. The warming drawer of claim 31, wherein the temperature control apparatus includes:

a detector configured to sense the temperature in the drawer;

a power circuit electrically connected to the detector, heating apparatus, user interface and an energy source; and

an electronic control device coupled to the detector and power circuit to control the temperature in the drawer within a predetermined range.

33. The warming drawer of claim 32, wherein the electronic control device is configured to function in a mode selected from a mode group including boiling, broiling, over, baking, steam, microwave over, and a combination of at least any two of such modes.

34. The warming drawer of claim 32, wherein the detector is a PTC thermistor mounted in the enclosure.

35. The warming drawer of claim 28, wherein the user interface only provides an on/off function.

36. The warming drawer of claim 34, wherein the electronic control device includes a microprocessor.

37. The warming drawer of claim 36, wherein the user interface includes a plurality of food type designators, with each designator assigned a predetermined temperature stored in the electronic control device.

38. The warming drawer of claim 32, including a sensor mounted in the drawer to sense the temperature of food stuff contained in the drawer and provide a signal to the electronic control device proportionate to the temperature of the food stuff, wherein the electronic control device will maintain the temperature of the drawer at one of the sensed temperature of the food stuff and a factory preset temperature.

39. The warming drawer of claim 28, wherein the enclosure is mounted in a position, wherein the position is one of above the associated cooking appliance, left of the associated cooking appliance, right of the associated cooking appliance and under the associated cooking appliance.

40. The warming drawer of claim 38, including a venting apparatus configured to control the temperature and humidity of space defined by the drawer.

41. The warming drawer of claim 40, wherein the venting apparatus is coupled to a humidity sensor in the cavity to hold the humidity at a certain level or reduce it.

42. The warming drawer of claim 40, wherein the venting apparatus includes an actuator configured to selectively open and close the venting apparatus.

43. The warming drawer of claim 40, including a blower associated with the enclosure and in fluid communication with the venting apparatus to move air in the drawer.

44. The warming drawer of claim 43, including a depository for fragrant substances in gaseous communication with the drawer.

45. The warming drawer of claim 28, wherein the user interface includes a timing device.

46. The warming device of claim 44, wherein the user interface includes a light switch coupled to a light fixture mounted in the enclosure.

47. The warming drawer of claim 28, wherein the enclosure is configured for use outdoors.

48. The warming drawer of claim 38, wherein the enclosure is one of free-standing and cabinet mounted.

49. The warming drawer of claim 48, wherein the free-standing enclosure is configured to be moved.

50. The warming drawer of claim 28 is configured as an independent modular unit for integration with the cooking appliance.

51. The warming drawer of claim 28, including an information output device.

52. The warming drawer of claim 51, wherein the information output device includes a digital display.

53. The warming drawer of claim 38, wherein the user interface is remote from the warming drawer.

54. The warming drawer of claim 38, wherein the heating apparatus is coupled to a fan for air movement in the enclosure.

55. A warming drawer of claim 48, wherein the drawer includes transparent material providing visual access to the enclosure.

56. A warmer drawer including:

an enclosure;

a microprocessor within the enclosure;

at least one sensor coupled to the microprocessor for detecting moisture and temperature in the enclosure;

a user interface for selecting a food type and coupled to a logic table in communication with the microprocessor;

a venting apparatus coupled to the microprocessor for venting heat and moisture when necessary;

a fan for circulating air with the enclosure; and

a drawer configured to slide out of an opening in the enclosure.