Oven range appliance

• US 9,521,708 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Adelmann, Christopher James, Froelicher, Stephen Bernard, Laundroche, Kevin Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US14/152,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 2194431-4682
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/08 Foundations or supports plates; Legs or pillars; Casings; Wheels tops, e.g. hot plates F24C15/10
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/10 Tops, e.g. hot plates; Rings cover lids or splash guards F24C15/12; spillage trays or grooves F24C15/14
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2206/022 Special supports for the induction coils
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/74 Non-metallic plates , e.g. vitroceramic, ceramic or glassceramic hobs, also including power or control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/1245 with special coil arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

The present subject matter provides an oven range appliance. The oven range appliance includes a cabinet. The cabinet defines a width. A cooktop is positioned at a top portion of the cabinet. The cooktop includes a ceramic panel. The ceramic panel defines a width. The width of the ceramic panel is about equal to the width of the cabinet. Thus, the ceramic panel can extend across the width of the cabinet.

Claims

1. An oven range appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the oven range appliance comprising:

a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber, the cabinet extending between a first side and a second side along the lateral direction, the cabinet also extending between a front and a back along the transverse direction, the cabinet having a continuous frame positioned above the cooking chamber along the vertical direction, the continuous frame having a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, the first leg of the continuous frame positioned above the first side of the cabinet along the vertical direction and extending from the front of the cabinet towards the back of the cabinet along the transverse direction, the second leg of the continuous frame positioned above the second side of the cabinet along the vertical direction and extending from the front of the cabinet towards the back of the cabinet along the transverse direction, the third leg of the continuous frame positioned above the front of the cabinet along the vertical direction and extending between the first and second legs of the continuous frame along the lateral direction;

a ceramic panel mounted to the continuous frame such that the ceramic panel is positioned completely above the continuous frame along the vertical direction, the ceramic panel extending between a first side edge and a second side edge along the lateral direction, the first side edge of the ceramic panel positioned above the first leg of the continuous frame along the vertical direction and inset from an outer surface of the first leg along the lateral direction, the second side edge of the ceramic panel positioned above the second leg of the continuous frame along the vertical direction and inset from an outer surface of the second leg along the lateral direction, the ceramic panel also extending between a front edge and a back edge along the transverse direction, the front edge of the ceramic panel positioned above the third leg of the continuous frame along the vertical direction and inset from an outer surface of the third leg along the transverse direction,

wherein the first and second side edges of the ceramic panel and the front edge of the ceramic panel are exposed such that the first and second side edges of the ceramic panel and the front edge of the ceramic panel are visible.

2. The oven range appliance of claim 1, wherein the first, second and third legs of the continuous frame are integrally mounted to one another.

3. The oven range appliance of claim 1, wherein the continuous frame comprises stainless steel or coated steel.

4. The oven range appliance of claim 1, further comprising a heating element mounting bracket and adhesive tape, the heat element mounting bracket mounted to a top surface of the continuous frame, the adhesive tape extending between and adhering to the heating element mounting bracket and the ceramic panel.

5. The oven range appliance of claim 1, further comprising a heating element mounting bracket for supporting a plurality of heating elements, the heating element mounting bracket mounted to the continuous frame with a plurality of fasteners, silicon adhesive extending between and adhering to the heating element mounting bracket and the ceramic panel.

6. The oven range appliance of claim 1, wherein the ceramic plate is substantially rectangular and the continuous frame is substantially u-shaped in a plane that is perpendicular to the vertical direction.

7. The oven range appliance of claim 1, further comprising a rear bracket and a backsplash, the rear bracket mounted to the ceramic panel along the back edge of the ceramic panel, adhesive tape extending between and adhering to the rear bracket and the ceramic panel, the backsplash mounted to the rear bracket such that a top surface of the ceramic panel is substantially perpendicular to an outer surface of the backsplash.

8. The oven range appliance of claim 7, further comprising threaded projections, a plurality of nuts and a heating element mounting bracket for supporting a plurality of heating elements, the threaded projections mounted to the rear bracket and extending downwardly along the vertical direction from the rear bracket, the threaded projections extending through the heating element mounting bracket, each nut of the plurality of nuts threaded onto a respective one of the threaded projections.

9. The oven range appliance of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of fasteners extending through the backsplash and the rear bracket.

10. The oven range appliance of claim 7, wherein the back edge of the ceramic panel abuts the outer surface of the backsplash.

11. The oven range appliance of claim 7, wherein the backsplash includes a curved outer surface portion that is flush with the top surface of the ceramic panel.

12. An oven range appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the oven range appliance comprising:

a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber, the cabinet extending between a first side portion and a second side portion along the lateral direction, the cabinet also extending between a front portion and a back portion along the transverse direction; and

a cooktop positioned at a top portion of the cabinet, the cooktop comprising a ceramic panel, the ceramic panel extending between a first side edge and a second side edge, the first side edge of the ceramic panel positioned completely above the first side of the cabinet along the vertical direction and inset from an outer surface of the first side of the cabinet along the lateral direction, the second side edge of the ceramic panel positioned completely above the second side of the cabinet along the vertical direction and inset from an outer surface of the second side of the cabinet along the lateral direction, the ceramic panel also extending between a front edge and a back edge, the front edge of the ceramic panel positioned above the front of the cabinet along the vertical direction and inset from the front of the cabinet along the transverse direction,

wherein the first and second side edges of the ceramic panel and the front edge of the ceramic panel are visible to a user of the oven range appliance.

13. The oven range appliance of claim 12, wherein the cabinet comprises a backsplash positioned at a back portion of the cabinet, the backsplash defining an outer surface, the ceramic panel defining a top surface, the top surface of the ceramic panel being substantially perpendicular to the outer surface of the backsplash.

14. The oven range appliance of claim 13, wherein the outer surface of the backsplash terminates at the top surface of the ceramic panel.

15. The oven range appliance of claim 13, wherein the top surface of the ceramic panel terminates at the outer surface of the backsplash.

16. The oven range appliance of claim 13, wherein the back edge of the ceramic panel abuts the outer surface of the backsplash.

17. The oven range appliance of claim 13, wherein the backsplash includes a curved outer surface portion that is substantially flush with the top surface of the ceramic panel.

18. The oven range appliance of claim 12, wherein the ceramic panel comprises an upswept back edge.

19. The oven range appliance of claim 18, wherein a tangent line at a bottom portion of the upswept back edge and a tangent line at a top portion of the upswept back edge define an angle α

therebetween, the angle α

being less than about one hundred and ten degrees and greater than about seventy degrees.