GB2250531A - Door for cooking appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

A door 1 for a gas or an electric cooker, or a microwave oven, has two spaced, opposed side members 2, 3 of extruded aluminium section with facing edges formed with a step to receive and position a first panel 6, of heat-resistant glass which extends over the space between the side members. Each side member also has a longitudinal channel in which locates an edge of a second panel 7 of heat-resistant glass that lies parallel to and spaced from the first panel. Top and bottom caps 4, 5 are secured to the upper and lower ends respectively of the side members. The bottom cap supports both panels and the top cap retains the first panel in position and is contoured to permit the insertion into and withdrawal from the door of the second panel. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in and relatin# to Closure Members This invention relates to closure members or doors and has particular but not exclusive reference to closure members or doors for domestic and commercial cooking appliances for example, gas and electric cookers and microwave ovens.

Conventional closure members for such appliances are of a relatively complicated construction which is expensive to manufacture and which is not easily adapted for production in a range of different sizes.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a closure member or door which is of relatively simple construction and which is readily capable of manufacture in a range of different sizes.

According to the present invention a closure member has spaced, parallel side members with facing side edges contoured to position therebetween first and second spaced, parallel closure panels which extend over the space between the side members, a top cap secured between the side members at one of the ends thereof and contoured to retain the first panel in position and to permit removal and replacement of the second panel from the closure member and a bottom cap secured between the side members at the other ends thereof and contoured to support the first and second panels.

The facing side edges may have stepped portions which together position the first panel. The facing side edges may also have longitudinal channels in which opposing edges of the second panel are located.

The bottom cap may have a portion which extends over a first edge of the first panel that extends between the side members.

The top cap may have a portion that extends over a second edge of the first panel that extends between the side members.

That portion of the top cap may carries a handle for the closure member, and the portion may also have first and second extensions that carry the handle.

The handle may comprise first and second handle supports secured respectively to the first and second supports and a handle member secured between the supports.

Both side members may include a second longitudinal channel by means of which the top and bottom caps are secured to the side members. Screws may be used to secure the caps to the side members.

Both top and bottom caps may be of elongate form with end portion sized to mate against opposite ends of the side members.

Preferably, the top cap os so dimensioned between its end portions to permit insertion and withdrawal of the second panel into and from the closure member.

By way of example only, a closure member embodying the invention suitable for a domestic gas cooker will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which : Fig. 1 is a partially-exploded, perspective view in diagrammatic form only of the closure member, Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a front elevation and a rear elevation of a component of the member shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a section on a larger scale on the line IV - IV of Fig. 2, Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, front elevation and plan view of another component of the member shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII - VII of Fig. 5, Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, front elevation and plan view of a further component of the member shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 10 is a section on the line X - X of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a side view of a handle, Fig. 12 is a section on the line XII - XII of Fig. 11, Fig. 13 is a side view of an end cap for the handle of Fig. 11, Fig. 14 is a view in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 13, Fig. 15 is a section on the line XV - XV of Fig. 14, and, Fig. 16 is a section on the line XVI - XVI of Fig. 14.

The closure member 1 shown in Fig. 1 comprises two side members 2, 3, a top cap 4 and a bottom cap 5 which, when assembled together, form a frame which supports outer and inner glass panels 6,7.

One, 2, of the side frame members 2, 3 is shown in more detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The other side member 3 is identical in shape.

Side frame member 2 has an inner or rear wall 8 having a plane surface and a plane outer side wall 9. The member 2 also has an outer or front wall 10 generally parallel to wall 8 and having a rounded corner 11 and a stepped part 12.

The member 2 also has an inner side wall 13 which extends at right angles from the rear wall 8 along a line spaced inwardly from the edge of the wall 8 as seen in Fig. 4. The side wall 13 supports a rib 14 that projects therefrom at right angles and is spaced from the wall 8 to provide a longitudinal channel 15 that extends for the full length of the member 2. The rib 14 has a raised portion 16 on one of its faces, and a step 17 on the other face. Both the portion 16 and the step 17 extend for the full length of the rib 14. The side wall 13 supports a second rib 18 which is spaced from and parallel to the first rib 14 and has, at its outer end, a channel member 19 that extends for the full length of the rib 18. The channel member 19 is of approximately semi-circular cross section in a plane transverse to its length.

As can be seen from Figs. 1 and 4, each side member 2, 3 is hollow and within the interior thereof is a further channel member 20 whose internal cross section in a plane transverse to its length is circular. The ends of the member 20 are separated by a small gap 21. The base of the channel member 20 is integral with the front wall 10 as can be seen from Fig. 4.

The top cap 4 is shown in more detail in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The top cap 4 is of generally elongate form with end portions 22 whose front-to-back dimension is somewhat greater than that of the remainder of the length of the top cap. The end portions are sized to seat flush against the upper ends of the side members 2, 3. Adjacent the inner ends of the end portions are small cut-outs 23. The top cap 4 has a wall round its entire periphery except adjacent the cut-outs 23.

As can be seen from Fig. 5, the height of the wall 24 along the front of the top cap is somewhat greater than over the remainder of the wall. The front section of the wall has two downwardly-extending ears 25, 26 of which one, 25. is located close to one end of the top cap whilst the other, 26, is spaced a short distance away. The lower edges of the ears 25, 26 are bevelled as indicated at 27 and each has a coumtersunk hole 28. There are further countersunk holes 29, 30 situated as shown in Fig. 6 adjacent the end portions 22.

The bottom cap 5 is shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 and is also of elongate form with a peripheral wall 31. The bottom cap 5 also has end portions 32 whose front-to-back dimension is greater than that of the remainder of the length of the cap 5. The wall 31 is of a reduced height round part of each end portion 32 as indicated at 33 in Figs. 8 and 9. The end portions 32 are sized to seat against the lower ends of the side members 2. 3 as will be described in more detail below.

Midway of the end portions 32, the end cap 5 has an extension 34 whose front-to-back dimension is equal to that of the end portions 32. It will be noted from Fig. 5 that there is no peripheral wall 31 between the end portions 32 and the extension 34 and also that the latter is provided with the wall.

Countersunk holes 35 are formed in the end cap 5 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and there is another hole 36 adjacent one end of the end cap 5.

The closure member or door 1 is provided with a handle (not shown in Fig. 1) by means of which the door can be opened and closed.

The handle 37 is shown on Figs. 11 and 12 and is a short tubular member with a smooth external surface and a bore 38 of a generally oval transverse cross section. The bore 38 has internal ribs 39, 40 and 41 which face towards the centre line 42 of the bore. As can be seen from Fig. 12, ribs 39 and 40 lie on one side of the centre line 42 in positions which are equi-spaced from the other centre line 43 of the bore and rib 41 lies on the other side of centre line 42. Rib 41 also lies on the centre line 43.

The handle 37 is mounted between two supports of which one 44 is shown in Figs 13 - 16. The support 44 is in the general shape of a right-angled bracket with a stem 45 carrying an arm 46 whose end portion 47 is of a reduced transverse cross section as compared with the remainder of the arm. The external contour of the portion 47 conforms with the internal contour of the bore 38 of the handle 37 and has a longitudinal groove 48 in a position corresponding with that of the rib 41. The lower (as seen in Fig. 4) face of the portion 47 has a wide groove 49 in a position corresponding with ribs 39 and 40 and whose width is sufficient to allow the latter ribs to engage closely in the groove. The portion 47 is hollow with a bore 50 that extends partway into the arm 46.

The stem 45 has a plane lower end 51 recessed as indicated at 52 and with a central boss 53 having a bore 54 extending partway through it.

To assemble the components of the closure member, one of the handle supports 44 is secured to one of the ears 25, 26 by a self-tapping screw which is first passed through the hole 28 in the ear and is then screwed into the bore 54 in the stem of the support 44. The handle 37 is then attached to the support 44 by engaging the portion 47 of the support in one end of the bore 38 of the handle. The other portion of the other support 44 is then located in the other end of the handle bore 38 and the support is then secured to the other ear by a self-tapping screw passed through the hole 28 in the ear and then screwed into the bore 54 in the stem of the support.

Next, the bottom cap 5 is fixed to the side members 2, 3 by self-tapping screws which are passed upwardly through the holes 35 in the bottom cap 5 and are then screwed into the lower ends of the channel members 19 in the side members. The #bottom cap is then so located against the lower ends of the side members 2, 3 that those parts of the wall 31 that are of reduced height seat against the lower edges of the ends of the side members 2, 3 whilst the remainder of the wall 31 lies against the lower part of the face of the front walls 10 of the side members 2, 3.

The outer glass panel 6 is then placed in position in the stepped parts 12 of the side members 2, 3, the lower edge of the panel passing behind the wall 31 of the cap 5 and being supported by the latter.

The top cap 4 is next secured to the side members 2, 3 by self-tapping screws which are passed downwardly through holes 29, 30 and are then screwed into the upper ends of the channels 19 in the side members. When correctly located in position, the top cap seats on the top edges of the upper ends of the side members except for the portion of the wall 26 having the greater height which lies along the front of the outer walls 10 of the side members and so retains the glass panel 6 in position along its upper edge.

The door is pivotally mounted in a door frame (not shown) by means of pivot pins (also not shown) which extend from the door frame into a hole 55 and the hole 36 in the top and bottom caps respectively.

Holes 56 in the rear wall 8 of side member 3 enable a door catch of any suitable form to be fixed to the side member. The catch coacts with a suitable component mounted in the door frame to hold the door in its closed position.

The inner glass panel 7 is now placed in position by sliding it down the channels 15 in the side members. Clearance from the top cap is provided by the reduced back-to-front dimension part of the tap cap. When in position, the panel 7 is spaced from the outer panel 6 and is supported on the end portions 32 and the extension 43 of the bottom cap 5 and is retained behind the wall 31.

In one form of the door assembly described above, the side members 2, 3 are extruded aluminium components and the top and bottom caps are pressed sheet metal components. The panels 6, 7 are both of heat-resistant glass.

It will be appreciated that the closure member described above is simple and therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Moreover, it is readily made in a range of different sizes by utilising side members and caps of appropriate lengths.

Neither of the glass panels 6, 7 has any holes in it - a feature which reduces manufacturing costs. The edges of the panels are protected, protection being particularly important in the case of the front panel where exposed edges are prone to damage. There is no stressing of either panel, the handle being mounted on the top cap which is not secured in any way to the front panel.

The inner panel is easily removed from the closure member for cleaning, removal being achieved simply by lifting the panel upwardly from the closure member. The necessary clearance from the top cap being provided as described above.

It will be appreciated that handles of other designs than that described above may be used. Also, the bottom cap may be of constant front-to-back dimension with spaced holes in it, the holes lying directly beneath the space between the two panels.

Claims (17)

Claims.

1. A closure member having spaced side members with facing edges contoured to position therebetween first and second spaced, parallel closure panels which extend over the space between the side members, a top cap secured between the side members at one of the ends thereof and contoured to retain the first panel in position and to permit removal of the second panel from the closure member and a bottom cap secured between the side members at the other ends thereof and contoured to support the first and second panels.

2. A closure member as claimed in claim 1 in which the facing edges each have a stepped portion which together position the first panel.

3. A closure member as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the facing edges each have a longitudinal channel in which opposed edges of the second panel are located.

4. A closure member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the bottom cap has a portion which extends over a first edge of the first panel that extends between the side members.

5. A closure member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the top-cap has a portion that extends over a second edge of the first panel that extends between the side members.

6. A closure member as claimed in claim 5 in which the portion of the top cap carries a handle for the closure member.

7. A closure member as claimed in claim 6 in which the portion of the top cap has spaced first and second extensions that carry the handle.

8. A closure member as claimed in claims 6 or 7 in which the door handle comprises first and second handle supports secured respectively to the first and second extensions and a handle member secured between the handle supports.

9. A closure member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which both side members each include a second longitudinal channel by means of which the top and bottom caps are secured to the side members.

10. A closure member as claimed in claim 9 in which the top and bottom caps are secured to the side members by screws which pass through the caps and then screw into the longitudinal channels.

11. A closure member as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the top cap is of elongate form with end portions sized to mate against the ends of the side members.

12. A closure member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the bottom cap is of elongate form with end portions sized to mate against the ends of the side members.

13. A closure member as claimed in claim 11 in which the top cap is so dimensioned over that part of its length between the end portions as to permit insertion and withdrawal of the second panel into and from the closure member.

14. A closure member as claimed in claim 12 in which the bottom cap has, between its end portions an extension that supports the second panel.

15. A closure member as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the side members are hollow, extruded aluminium sections.

16. A closure member as claimed in claim 15 in which the first and second panels are of heat-resistant glass.

17. A closure member for a gas or an electric cooker substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.