EP4639036A1

EP4639036A1 - A door with a glass panel and a flexible buffer-supported column for an oven

Info

Publication number: EP4639036A1
Application number: EP23907985.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ethem TEKE; Tuncay CIHAN; Halit AKDOGAN; Yahya AKKUS
Original assignee: Femas Metal Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Femas Metal Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2022-12-20
Filing date: 2023-10-25
Publication date: 2025-10-29
Also published as: WO2024136792A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a door assembly for an oven comprising a flat outer panel (60), a support column (20) attached to opposing edges of the inner wall (62) of the outer panel (60); an intermediate glass panel (30) and an inner panel (10) mounted in parallel and at a distance to the support column (20) respectively. The door assembly further comprises at least one flexible buffer (70) that supports an inner and/or outer wall (32, 34) of the intermediate glass panel (30) by leaning against a support wall (72) to absorb vibration.

Description

A DOOR WITH A GLASS PANEL AND A FLEXIBLE BUFFER-SUPPORTED COLUMN FOR AN OVEN

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a door assembly for an oven with a glass panel, particularly to a door in which multiple glass panels are fixed at a distance from each other by opposing columns forming a frame.

STATE OF THE ART

In ovens, particularly in a built-in oven, there are glass panels sequentially spaced apart in a hinged door covering a cavity. Two opposing door profiles with column structures are glued to the outer glass panel with silicone in the door assembly. Intermediate glass panels are placed on the protrusions located on the columns glued to the outer glass. Therefore, the door column serves as a carrier element of the door group. The glass panels prevent the hot air inside the oven cavity from escaping. The use of multiple glass panels reduces heat loss, and the outer panel that the user touches remains cold. Even if multiple glass panels are well-fixed to the support profile, they can make noise during closing due to the sudden acceleration that occurs at the moment of closing.

US20220065461 describes an oven door architecture capable of efficient cooling and onedirectional assembly. The oven door assembly comprises an outer glass pane with mounting columns adhered to it. In one embodiment, a door shield is coupled to door shield locating features of the mounting columns. A glass pack comprising two more glass panes is then coupled to the door shield. A door liner is fastened over top of the assembly. The architecture of the assembly provides for two internal chambers capable of fluid communication with one another, an air intake, and an exhaust. In another embodiment, the oven door assembly has only an outer glass pane and an interior glass pane with a main chamber between them. This main chamber is in fluid communication with an intake and an exhaust, enabling the door to cool. All embodiments are capable of assembly in one direction with substantially no lateral movement. Moreover, the embodiments are highly configurable due to shared assembly interfaces and can be used on a variety of ranges, wall ovens, and the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to eliminate the possibility of noise generation during the slamming of a glass door assembly with a glass panel fixed at a distance between two mutual cover support columns.

In order to achieve the mentioned objective, the invention relates to a door assembly for an oven comprising a flat outer panel, support columns attached to opposite edges of the inner wall of the outer panel, an intermediate glass panel, and an inner panel mounted in succession to the support column parallel to and at a distance from the outer panel. The door assembly includes at least one flexible buffer that supports the intermediate glass panel's inner and/or outer wall by leaning against a support wall in a vibration-absorbing manner by being attached to the support column. The flexible buffer supports the wide face of the intermediate glass panel exposed to vibration, contributing to the damping of vibration with its flexible structure.

The buffer is made of silicone material in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The silicone material withstands the temperatures occurring in the oven door with its thermal high resistance, does not create a thermal bridge, and contributes to the damping of vibration of the inner and/or outer wall it supports with its high vibration absorbing property.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a hole is provided in the support column through which a holding part of the buffer passes in a removable manner. The hole facilitates the mounting of the buffer simply by pushing the holding part toward the support column. Alternatively, the silicone can be directly adhered to the support column.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the holding part has a conical end that extends integrally behind the support wall. The alignment of the conical tip and the holding part with the hole and their return by pressure is possible only by applying a force that allows flexing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, between the holding part and the support wall, a throat part is provided that is adjusted to fully lean against the inner wall of the hole. The throat part sits in the inner wall of the hole, preventing the buffer from being displaced by vibration.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support wall is flat and in the form of a thin strip. In this way, it covers the widest possible area in the support column to dampen the vibration of the inner and/or outer wall it contacts. Also, its compact structure allows for the reduction of door thickness.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the buffer is provided to support the outer wall of the inner panel on a front wall of the support column. In this way, in addition to the intermediate panel or panels, the damping of the vibration of the inner panel during closing is also provided.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inner and/or outer wall of the intermediate glass panel is supported only by the buffer in the support column. In this way, contact that could cause sound in the panels due to vibration has been eliminated.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a wedge carries an additional buffer and supports an intermediate panel and/or a second intermediate panel and/or an outer wall of the inner panel in a spaced manner in addition to the buffer provided on the side wall of the support column. The wedge ensures the spaced-apart attachment of additional buffers in the support column, each corresponding to a glass panel, for example. In this way, a buffer wedge can be bedded for each of the panels parallel to and spaced apart from each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wedge has a stepped form in which the buffer settles into corresponding steps. The stepped form provides a wide seating area to the side wall, while positioning each buffer elevated as much as the intermediate distance of the corresponding panel in the door assembly.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the buffer is provided in pairs at the upper and lower parts of the front wall of the support column. In this way, a buffer close to the vibration source is placed in all the support columns that may generate vibration during the closing of the door.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hole is in the form of an oval extending vertically on the front wall. In this way, the buffer is fixed axially, and the rotation and damage of the buffer over time in the axial direction of the hole are prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a representative embodiment of the door assembly according to the subject matter invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the mounting position of a flexible buffer secured in a column of the door on the column.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional schematic view of an application of the upper part of a column of the door equipped with flexible buffers.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional schematic view of the lower part of the column shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a representative application of the flexible buffers of the invention subject door on a door with three glass panels. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, the subject matter of the invention is explained with references to examples to better illustrate the subject matter without any limitations.

In Figure 1 , a door assembly hinged in front of a built-in oven's cooking cavity (not shown) is illustrated in an exploded perspective view. The door assembly has been obtained by fixing several glass panels to each other at a distance. A straight and flat panel (10) covers the cavity from an inner wall (12) in a closed position. A straight and flat outer panel (60) is mounted to an outer wall from a handle (1 ) by means of screws, parallel and at a distance from the inner panel (10). An inner wall (62) of the outer panel (60) and an outer wall (14) of the inner panel (10) face a pack of intermediate glass panels (30). Opposing support columns (20) with profile structures are fixed to the inner wall (62) of the outer panel (60) adjacent to its long vertical edges by silicone on their outer surfaces. The intermediate glass panel (30) comprises a first intermediate panel (40) and a second intermediate panel (50) that is parallel and spaced apart from it. The intermediate glass panel (30) is placed on the support column (20) parallel to the outer wall (60) and inner wall (10) such that its outer walls (34) face the inner wall (62) of the outer panel (60) and its inner walls (32) face the outer wall (14) of the inner panel (10). A transverse adapter (2) is in the door structure, and from one edge it holds the outer panel (60) and from the other edge, it holds the inner panel (10) to merge the top of the door assembly so that it sits removably on top of the corresponding support column (20).

A hole (22) is provided on a front wall (21 ) of the support column (20) facing the outer walls (14, 34), and a buffer (70) made of silicone material is inserted into it. The front wall (21) extends vertically in a strip form, and the hole (22) is an elongated oval shape along the long edge of the front wall (21). Around the front part (221) of the hole (22) facing the front wall, a flat, thin support wall (72) of the buffer (70) sits on a support surface (23) from the back. The support wall (72) is in a rectangle-like form, and its edges are wider than the corresponding dimensions of the hole (22). In the center and at the back of the support wall (72), a throat part (75) that will completely and tightly fit into the oval hole (22) inner wall and a holding part (74) continuing from it are integrally provided. The holding part (74) has a cut conical end (741 ) and on the opposite side, a flat abutment wall (742) adjacent to the throat part (75). Thus, when pressure is applied by pushing the buffer (70) toward the hole (22) from the holding part (74), the conical end (741 ) passes through the hole (22) and the part near the support wall (72) deforms to advance in the hole (22). Then, the holding part (74) reaches the back part (222) of the hole, and the initial state holding part (74) settles on the periphery of the back part (222) with the abutment wall (742) on it. In this case, since the length of the throat part (75) is equal to the depth of the hole (22), the support wall (72) settles on the support surface (23) from the back of the front wall (21). The upper and lower radial parts (223) of the hole (22) facilitate the first passage of the holding part (74) of the buffer (70) through the hole for assembly. When it is desired to remove the buffer (70) from the support column (20), it is ensured that the holding part (74) deforms to pass through the hole (22) by compressing at the back part (222) when a pulling force is applied.

In Figures 3 and 4, the upper and lower parts of the same support column are shown in detail, respectively. Here, the support column (20) has a vertical profile form, and the outer panel (60) rests against the support column (20) on one face. On the opposite face, the inner panel (10) rests against the support column (20) only with the support of the buffer (70). Also, a wedge (24) carries corresponding buffers (70) on stepped walls parallel to the front wall (21) of the support column (20). A similar structure has also been provided symmetrically at the bottom. As shown in Figure 4, each inner panel (10) is fixed parallelly and at a distance to each other by fitting into the corresponding support slots of the support column (20) from the bottom edges of the first intermediate panel (40) and the second intermediate panel (50). The planar support wall (72) of the wedge (24) leans against the outer wall (14) of the inner panel (10). To ensure this, the buffer (70) is attached from the front wall (21) to the support column (20). The buffer (70) can be accessed from the holding part (74) through a channel (25) provided on a side wall (26) perpendicular to the front wall. Also, on the side wall (26), a first step (241 ) and a second step (242) are formed parallel to the front wall (21 ) in a staircase structure, and a two-stepped wedge (24) is fixed to the lower part of the support column (20) at the bottom. Here, the distance of the first step (241) is adjusted such that the support wall (72) of the buffer (70) attached through the hole leans against the outer wall (34). The distance of the second step (242) is also adjusted such that the corresponding buffer (70) leans against the intermediate glass panel (30) from the support wall (72).

In Figure 5, the wedge (24) is shown in perspective and before the glass panel assembly. The first step (241) has a U-shaped section and is fixed to the side wall (26) from its side. At its end, a buffer (70) is detachably attached to a face parallel to the front wall (21 ). Behind the first step (241 ), a second step (242) with a U-shaped section is located on top, staggered and with respect to the side wall (26). A buffer (70) is attached to the planar end of the second step (242). The support wall (72) of the buffer (70) covers the front wall of the second step (242). Thanks to the U-shaped section, the holding parts (74) of the buffers (70) on both the first step (241 ) and the second step (242) are accessible from the outside. The position of the wedge (24) on the side wall (26) allows it to lean against the corresponding edges of the outer walls (14, 34) of the inner panel (10), the first intermediate panel (40), and the second intermediate panel (50), respectively. In other words, when the intermediate glass panels (30) sit in the appropriate slots at the bottom of the support column (20), and the inner panel (10) leans against the support column (20), the outer walls (14, 34) of each lean against the support walls (72) of the corresponding buffers (70). In this way, when the door assembly is rotated and closed around, for example, a hinge, the buffer (70) ensures that the resulting sudden acceleration dampens the vibration. The inner panel (10) and the intermediate glass panels (30) are made of heat-resistant glass (for example, toughened glass, ceramic, tempered glass, etc.), and preventing them from making noise in the slots where they sit on the support column (20) due to the vibrations and damping the vibrations with the buffers (70) has been made possible.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 Handle 30 Intermediate glass panel

2 Adapter 32 Inner wall

10 Inner panel 34 Outer wall

12 Inner wall 40 First intermediate panel

14 Outer wall 50 Second intermediate panel

20 Support column 60 Outer panel

21 Front wall 62 Inner wall

22 Hole 70 Buffer

221 Front part 72 Support wall

222 Rear part 74 Holding part

223 Radial part 741 Conical end

23 Support surface 742 Abutment wall

24 Wedge 75 Throat part

241 First step

242 Second step

25 Channel

26 Side wall

Claims

1- A door assembly for an oven comprising a flat outer panel (60), a support column (20) attached to opposing edges of the inner wall (62) of the outer panel (60); an intermediate glass panel (30) and an inner panel (10) mounted in parallel and at a distance to the support column (20) respectively, characterized by at least one flexible buffer (70) that supports an inner and/or outer wall (32, 34) of the intermediate glass panel (30) by leaning against a support wall (72) to absorb vibration.

2- A door assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the buffer (70) is made of silicone material.

3- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a hole (22) is provided in the support column (20) through which a holding part (74) of the buffer (70) passes in a removable manner.

4- A door assembly according to claim 3, wherein the holding part (74) has a conical end (741 ) that extends integrally behind the support wall (72).

5- A door assembly according to claims 3-4, wherein a throat part (75) is provided between the holding part (74) and the support wall (72) and adjusted to fully lean against the inner wall of the hole (22).

6- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the support wall (72) is flat and in the form of a thin strip.

7- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the buffer (70) supports the outer wall (34) of the inner panel (10) on a front wall (21 ) of the support column (20).

8- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the inner and/or outer walls (32, 34) of the intermediate glass panel (30) are supported by the buffer (70) on the support column (20).

9- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a wedge (24) carries an additional buffer (70) and supports an intermediate panel (40) and/or a second intermediate panel (50) and/or an outer wall (12) of the inner panel (10) in a spaced manner in addition to the buffer (70) provided on the side wall (26) of the support column (20).

10- A door assembly according to claim 9, wherein the wedge (24) is provided in a stepped form with corresponding steps for the buffer (70).

11- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the buffer (70) is provided in pairs on the upper and lower parts of the front wall (21 ) of the support column (20).

12- A door assembly according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the hole (22) is provided in an oval form extending vertically on the front wall (21).