EP2877784B1

EP2877784B1 - Cooking device with a sealing element for knobs

Info

Publication number: EP2877784B1
Application number: EP13735261.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Davut Ayhan Serabatir; Merih Tarimtoru; Murat Mamatoglu
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2012-07-27
Filing date: 2013-07-09
Publication date: 2017-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 2033-07-09
Also published as: WO2014016114A2; WO2014016114A3; EP2877784A2

Description

The present invention relates a cooking device with a sealing element providing leak-proofing of the apertures wherein knobs are mounted.
The knobs of cooking devices, for example of cooktops used on counters, are positioned on the horizontal control panel. The shaft connected to the knob, that provides the controlling of the gas burners on the cooktops, transmits the movement of the knob to the gas tap under the panel and similarly the shaft connected to the knob, that provides the controlling of the electric heaters, transmits the movement of the knob to the electric switch under the panel. The panels whereon the knobs are arranged are produced from glass or metal and circular apertures are provided on the panel, through which the shafts of the knobs pass. If a proper leak-proofing is not maintained between the said apertures and the knob, liquids, such as water, detergent, etc, spilled onto the cooktop, reach the gas taps or the electric switches in the cooktop and cause them to be damaged.
In the United States Patent No. US7992876 , a sealing gasket is disclosed, that is positioned between the buttons and tray of counter-top furnaces. In the European Patent No. EP1541928 , a seal element is disclosed, that is situated on the hob cover of a gas cooking hob and used at the aperture through which the shaft of the button passes.
The WO 89/09900 A1 describes a seal for sealing a shaft to a sheet of material. The seal has a hollow body of hard material that extends through an aperture in the sheet, and soft sealing elements that extend radially inwardly of the body for sealing towards the shaft and the sheet. The body further has claws that retain the body in the aperture by cooperating with a washer.
The US 4 656 689 discloses a grommet device for providing an air seal between a conduit and a wall opening. The grommet device has a relatively stiff fastener portion with claws extending therefrom for engaging the edges of the wall around the wall opening. An elastomeric seal portion is pressed by the fastener portion to the wall. The DE 39 39 717 A1 discloses an electrical switch wherein a sealing element encircles an aperture in a front plate and is pressed between a holding disk and a sealing disk. The holding disk and the sealing disk are made from e.g. polyamide and attached to each other by a snap-fit.
The FR 2694424 discloses a cylindrical collar mounted behind the control knob of a household appliance. The collar carries at least two flexible fingers on its outer surface which pass through an aperture in a panel of the appliance and expand to grip the rear of the panel.
The DE 103 02 116 A1 discloses a covering ring which prevents liquids or other substances from entering into the aperture provided for a knob of a cooking device.
Document US 3 887 960 A1 discloses a bushing design for use on a control panel of a kitchen appliance wherein the bushing is mounted on a shaft and located within an opening through which the shaft extends so as to seal the opening and prevent the migration of soil therethrough.
Document EP 2 023 358 A1 discloses an element for a domestic appliance for switching and/or adjusting an operation parameter of the appliance by rotating an adjusting knob around an axis, having an axle extending through a bore in a plate element of the appliance. The passage of the axle through the bore in the plate element is equipped with a socket element being fixed in the bore and a bush element being inserted into the socket element.
The aim of the present invention is the realization of a cooking device comprising a sealing element
providing an efficient leak-proofing on the control panel of the cooking device, at the apertures wherein the knobs are mounted.
The sealing element of the cooking device realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, is placed at the knob-mounting apertures on the panel
whereon the knobs are situated. The sealing element is composed of a gasket produced from elastic material, for example thermoplastic elastomer or silicone rubber, a ring-shaped rigid frame produced from hard plastic material, for example polyamide and embedded into the gasket, and claws, connected to the frame, that go out of the gasket to pass through the apertures and are fitted under the panel. Produced as a single piece with the frame, the claws provides the sealing element to be snap-fittingly mounted to the aperture on the panel and provides the elastic gasket to apply pressure all around the edge of the aperture.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element comprises guides produced as a single piece with the claws and the frame, providing centering by bearing against the edge of the aperture, thus facilitating the process of fitting the claws through the aperture during production. On the frame there are three claws positioned at equal intervals and three guides positioned side by side with the claws.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the frame produced from hard plastic and the gasket produced from elastic material are joined with the double injection method.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the gasket and the frame are produced separately and joined manually.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element comprises retaining extensions that extend from the edge of the gasket inwards and that bear against the frame. While the gasket and the frame are being joined manually, the retaining extensions are bent and the frame is easily placed into the gasket, and after the frame is placed into the gasket, the retaining extensions prevent the frame body from dislodging from the gasket by bearing thereagainst.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element comprises a circular protrusion that is situated at the bottom side thereof whereby the gasket is seated onto the panel and that improves the leak-proofing by being squeezed between the gasket and the panel.
The sealing element of the cooking device of the present invention eliminates the problem of
leak-proofing at the apertures to which the knobs in the cooking devices are mounted and prevents liquids spilled onto the cooktop tray from leaking through the aperture, especially in cooktops with horizontal panels.
The sealing element of the cooking device realized in order to attain the aim of the present
invention and the cooking device wherein the sealing element is used are illustrated in the attached figures, where:

Figure 1 - is the perspective view of the knobs situated on the panel of a cooking device, and the sealing elements mounted to the apertures under the knobs.
Figure 2 - is the cross-sectional view of the knob and the sealing element placed onto the panel of a cooking device.
Figure 3 - is the exploded view of a sealing element.
Figure 4 - is the perspective view of a sealing element.

The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Sealing element
2. Gasket
3. Frame
4. Claw
5. Guide
6. Retaining extension
7. Protrusion

The cooking device, especially the counter-top cooktop, comprises a panel (P), at least one knob (K) placed on the panel (P), at least one aperture (A) arranged on the panel (P) and wherein the knob (K) is mounted. The cooking device further comprises a sealing element (1) that comprises a gasket (2) seated all around the edge of the aperture (A) on the upper surface of the panel (P) and produced from elastic material, and prevents the liquids spilled onto the panel (P) from leaking through the aperture (A) by providing leak-proofing of the apertures (A) wherein the knobs (K) placed onto the panel (P) are mounted.
The sealing element (1) of the cooking device of the present invention comprises

a ring-shaped frame (3) produced from hard plastic material and mounted into the gasket (2), and
at least one claw (4) connected to the frame (3), that goes out of the gasket (2) by extending in the axial direction from the frame (3), that bears against the lower surface of the panel (P) by passing over the inner edge of the aperture (A), thus providing the gasket (2) to be snap-fittingly mounted and to apply pressure to the edge of the aperture (A) on the upper surface of the panel (P).

The sealing element (1) is composed of elastic and hard portions, and the gasket (2) forming the elastic portion provides leak-proofing by bearing against the edge of the aperture (A) on the upper surface of the panel (P), while the frame (3) and the claws (4) forming the hard portion improve the leak-proofing provided by the gasket (2). While the sealing element (1) is being mounted to the aperture (A), the claws (4) fitted onto the lower surface of the panel (P) and the frame (3) whereto the claws (4) are connected pull the gasket (2), wherein the claws (4) and the frame (3) are embedded, towards the aperture (A) (downwards) and provide the gasket (2) to apply pressure all around the edge of the aperture (A). Leak-proofing provided by the gasket (2) on the panel (P) is improved and it is assured that even if a large amount of liquid is spilled onto the panel (P), the liquid does not leak through the aperture (A).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the gasket (2) is produced from thermoplastic elastomer.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the gasket (2) is produced from silicone rubber.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the frame (3) and the claws (4) are produced from polyamide.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (1) comprises more than one, for example three claws (4) arranged at equal intervals on the frame (3).
According to the present invention, the sealing element (1) comprises at least one guide (5) connected to the frame (3), extending outwards from the gasket (2) and facilitating the process of the claws (4) being fitted onto the panel (P) by bearing against the edge of the aperture (A).
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (1) comprises more than one, for example three guides (5) arranged at equal intervals along the frame (3) and positioned side by side with the claws (4).
While the sealing element (1) is being mounted to the aperture (A), the guides (5) bear against all around the edge of the aperture (A), provide the claws (4) to pass through the aperture (A) by being centered and prevent the claws (4) from breaking.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the frame (3), the claws (4) and the guides (5) are produced as a single piece.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the gasket (2) and the frame (3) are joined with the double injection method, and the gasket (2) is at least partially coated over the frame (3) in an inseparable manner.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the gasket (2) and the frame (3) are produced separately and joined manually.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (1) comprises at least one retaining extension (6) that extends in the axial direction from the edge of the gasket (2) towards the center thereof and that prevents the gasket (2) from separating from the frame (3) by bearing against the frame (3) placed into the gasket (2).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the sealing element (1) comprises a circular protrusion (7) that extends towards the panel (P) at the level of the frame (3) and on the surface of the gasket (2) seated onto the panel (P) surface and that improves leak-proofing between the gasket (2) and the panel (P) surface by being squeezed as a result of the pressure applied by the frame (3) onto the gasket (2) by means of the claws (4) during the mounting of the sealing element (1).
The sealing element (1) of the present invention is suitable for using in the panels (P) produced from sheet metal or glass. The thickness of the glass panels (P) is approximately 4 mm and the thickness of the sheet metal panels (P) is approximately 1 mm, and the height of the claws (4) providing the sealing element (1) to be snap-fittingly mounted to the aperture (A) is determined according to the thickness of the panel (P). The claws (4) are not visible from the outside, thus providing an esthetic appearance. The leak-proofing provided by the gasket (2) forming the elastic portion of the sealing element (1) is improved by means of the frame (3) and the claws (4) that form the hard portion thereof.
The cooking device of the present invention comprises a sealing element (1) as described in the above-mentioned embodiments.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed above and a person skilled in the art can easily introduce different embodiments. These should be considered within the scope of the protection postulated by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

A cooking device comprising
a panel (P),
at least one knob (K) placed on the panel (P),
at least one aperture (A) arranged on the panel (P) and wherein the knob (K) is mounted, wherein the cooking device further comprises a sealing element (1) comprising:
- a gasket (2) providing leak-proofing of the aperture (A) wherein the at least one knob (K) placed onto the panel (P) is mounted, seated all around the edge of the aperture (A) on the upper surface of the panel (P) and produced from elastic material,

- a ring-shaped frame (3) produced from hard plastic material and mounted into the gasket (2),
characterized by
- at least one claw (4) connected to the frame (3), that goes out of the gasket (2) by extending in the axial direction from the frame (3), that bears against the lower surface of the panel (P) by passing over the inner edge of the aperture (A), thus providing the gasket (2) to apply pressure to the edge of the aperture (A) on the upper surface of the panel (P),

- at least one guide (5) connected to the frame (3), extending outwards from the gasket (2) and facilitating the process of the claws (4) being fitted onto the panel (P) by bearing against the edge of the aperture (A).
A cooking device as in Claim 1, characterized in that the gasket (2) is produced from thermoplastic elastomer.
A cooking device as in Claim 1, characterized in that the gasket (2) is produced from silicone rubber.
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the frame (3) and the claws (4) are produced from polyamide.
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that more than one claw (4) are arranged at equal intervals on the frame (3).
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that more than one guide (5) are arranged at equal intervals along the frame (3) and positioned side by side with the claws (4).
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the frame (3), the claws (4) and the guides (5) are produced as a single piece.
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that the gasket (2) and the frame (3) are joined with the double injection method.
A cooking device as in any one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the gasket (2) and the frame (3) are produced separately and joined manually.
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized in that at least one retaining extension (6) extends in the axial direction from the edge of the gasket (2) towards the center thereof and that bears against the frame (3) placed into the gasket (2).
A cooking device as in any one of the above claims, characterized by a circular protrusion (7) situated at the bottom side of the gasket (2) whereby the sealing element (1) is seated onto the panel (P) and extending towards the panel (P) at the level of the frame (3).