US3659582A

US3659582A - Oven cabinet construction

Info

Publication number: US3659582A
Application number: US45094A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold R Morgan
Original assignee: Dearborn Glass Co
Current assignee: Dearborn Glass Co
Priority date: 1970-06-10
Filing date: 1970-06-10
Publication date: 1972-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1989-05-02

Abstract

An oven cabinet construction having a door provided with a window structure having a front light. An auxiliary light is mounted on the front light of the window structure and is spaced forwardly thereof to provide an air flow passage therebetween thereby maintaining the auxiliary light at a low temperature notwithstanding the existence of a high temperature within the oven to prevent injury to a person accidentally engaging the same. The auxiliary light may be attached or mounted to the oven window structure by a number of different mounting means. The oven window structure is secured in the door by an improved mounting frame wherein the glass is retained by a combination sealing and adhesive means.

Description

O United States Patent [151 3,659,582 Morgan May 2, 1972 541 OVEN CABINET CONSTRUCTION FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Harold R. Morgan, Dolton, 111. 1,361,919 4/1964 France ..52/616 [73] Asslgnee: Dearbom Glass Company Primary ExaminerCarroll B. Dority, Jr. [22] Filed: June 10, 1970 Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord [21] App]. No.: 45,094 [57] ABSTRACT An oven cabinet construction having a door provided with a [52] U.S.Cl ..126/198, 126/200, 5522/7346, window structure having a from light. An auxiliary g is Int Cl F23! mounted on the front light of the window structure and is Spaced forwardly thereof to provide an air flow passage [58] Field of Search ..126/200, 198, 52/304, 616 therebetween thereby maintaining the auxiliary light at a low 56] References Cted temperature notwithstanding the existence of a high temperature within the oven to prevent injury to a person accidentally UNITED STATES PATENTS engaging the same. The auxiliary light may be attached or mounted to the oven window structure by a number of dif- 3,362,396 H1968 Hurko 126/200 fmm mounting means, The oven window Structure is Secured 2,625,717 1/ 1 wampler at X in the door by an improved mounting frame wherein the glass 1,517,833 12/1924 Gemer et a1 126/200 X is retained by a combination sealing and adhesive means. 2,877,761 3/1959 Schibley ....126/200 3,453,997 7/1969 Klepzig 126/198 19 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures f -11321- a 7 mg 7 5o OVEN CABINET CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to oven cabinet constructions and in particular to oven door window means for use in such oven cabinet constructions.

2. Description of the Prior Art A serious problem arises in the provision of glass window structures in oven cabinet door constructions in that because of the trend toward relatively low mounting of the ovens and the use of high temperature, such as in self-cleaning operation of the oven, a serious injury hazard is presented. Illustratively, such a condition presents a hazard to young children who may touch the relatively low positioned oven door window which in the known constructions may be at a relatively high temperature, causing a serious burn. A number of devices have been developed in an effort to overcome this problem. However, none of the known devices fully satisfactorily solves the problem. Illustratively, in one attempted solution, an outer panel is hung on the door to overlie the window structure. The door is provided with auxiliary passage means to permit air flow between the outer panel and the window structure. Such a structure has the serious disadvantage of relatively high cost and poor aesthetics.

In one such construction, the protective panel is hung on the brackets carrying the door handle. This construction has the further disadvantage of potential breakage of the panel by the forces generated in utilization of the handle, thereby requiring relatively expensive protective panel means capable of resisting such deformation.

Another disadvantage of the known structures is the requirement of adapting the door for such auxiliary panel installation. Thus, the known structures do not permit resolution of the problem in those ovens presently installed without replacing substantially the entire oven door structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprehends an improved safety auxiliary window means avoiding the disadvantages of the above discussed prior art devices in a novel and simple manner.

More specifically, the present invention comprehends the provision of an auxiliary light and means for mounting the auxiliary light on the window structure of a conventional oven door. The mounting means is adapted to be secured directly to the front of the door window structure and may be secured thereto by mechanical securing means, such as screws, extended through both the front light of the window structure and the auxiliary light. Alternatively, the auxiliary light may be secured to the front window structure light by suitable adhesive means. Still further, the auxiliary light may be secured to the front window structure light by releasable means such as magnetic means.

The auxiliary light may have a size correlated with the size of the front door window structure light to define entrance and exit openings to an air flow space between the auxiliary light and the front door window structure light for washing the rear of the auxiliary light with a flow of cooling ambient air, thereby maintaining the auxiliary light at a low temperature avoiding injury to a person accidentally contacting the same notwithstanding the existence of a high temperature within the oven cavity.

The auxiliary light and mounting means, therefore, are extremely simple and economical of construction. The auxiliary light is adapted to be mounted on existing oven window structures, permitting use of the invention with ovens presently installed as well as by incorporation in new manufacture. As the conventional door window structure is effectively recessed within the door structure, the auxiliary light may be substantially recessed therein so as to maintain a substantially flush arrangement of the entire window assembly including the auxiliary light means.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of an improved frame structure for mounting the window structure light whereby mounting of the window structure in the door of the oven is facilitated. More specifically, the frame comprises a simple U-section frame having outtumed distal flanges with the window structure light being both secured to the frame and sealed thereto by a suitable adhesive sealant material. Thus, the window structure comprises an improved simplified, low cost structure providing a further improved oven door construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of an oven having a cabinet construction embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary further enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section of a modified form of means for securing the auxiliary light to the front window structure light; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section of another means for securing the auxiliary light to the front window structure light.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing, a freestanding range generally designated 10 is shown to include an oven generally designated 11 having wall means 12 defining a forwardly opening cavity 13 selectively closed by a door 14. Door 14 includes an insulated wall 15 defining a window opening 16 in which is mounted a conventional window structure generally designated 17.

Wall structure 17 includes a forward light 18 having a front surface 19 exposed to outwardly of door 14. Wall structure 17 may further include a rearward light 20 and an air space 21 between the lights to provide a temperature dropping construction whereby the front surface 19 may be at a lower temperature than the temperature existing within oven cavity 13. Illustratively, in such conventional oven door window structures, where the temperature in the oven is approximately 575 F the temperature at surface 19 may be approximately 270 F. Such a 270 temperature, however, presents a serious hazard such as to a person accidentally contacting the surface 19. The present invention comprehends providing an auxiliary light generally designated 22 forwardly of window structure light surface 19 preventing such injury.

More specifically, light 22 comprises a suitable sheet of material, such as glass, having a size slightly smaller than that of front window structure light 18 so as to be received within the front portion 23 of opening 16 defining a recess in the front surface 24 of door wall 15. As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface 25 of auxiliary light 22 may thereby be effectively flush with the front door surface 24.

As best seen in FIG. 3, in the preferred embodiment mounting means 26 comprises a standoff member 27 which may be formed of a suitable rigid material such as stainless steel having a cylindrical midportion 28 and reduced cylindrical

opposite end portions

29 and 30. End portion 29 is received in an opening 31 in auxiliary light 22 and the rear portion 30 is received in a corresponding axially aligned opening 32 in front window structure light 18. Thus, midportion 28 defines an annular planar front surface 33 and an annular planar rear surface 34. Auxiliary light 22 is urged against front surface 33 and rear surface 34 is urged against front surface 19 of front window structure light 18 by means of a pair of truss head screws 35 and 36 threaded into a threaded axial bore 37 extending through the standoff 27. As shown in FIG. 1, four such mounting devices 26 may be employed to provide a rigid removable mounting of the auxiliary light directly on the front window structure light in accurately spaced relationship thereto.

Rear surface 38 of auxiliary light 22 is spaced forwardly of front surface 19 of forward window structure light 18 illustratively approximately one-fourth inch by standoff 27 to define an air flow passage 43 through which cooling ambient air may flow to further increase the temperature drop between the oven cavity 13 and front surface 25 of auxiliary light 22. As discussed above, the auxiliary light is arranged to be slightly smaller than the front light 18 of window structure 17. Thus, the height of auxiliary light 22 may be slightly less than the height of window structure light 18 to define a lower entrance opening 39 forwardly of the lower edge 40 of window structure light 18, and an upper exit opening 41 forwardly of the upper edge portion 42 of window structure light 18. Resultingly, ambient air may flow from forwardly of door 14 upwardly through entrance 39, passage 43, and exit opening 41 to provide a further temperature drop between oven cavity 13 and auxiliary light 22. lllustratively, where the oven cavity is at a 575 F. temperature, the front surface 25 of auxiliary light 22 may be at a temperature of approximately 155 F.

' Thus, the front surface 25 is at a sufficiently low temperature such as below 175 F. to avoid injury to a person accidentally contacting the same notwithstanding a high temperature such as above 500 F. within the oven cavity 13.

By virtue of the simple adhesively secured mounting means, auxiliary light 22 is adapted to be mounted on existing oven door window structures as well as being incorporated in new manufacture.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a modified form of mounting means generally designated 44 is shown to include a spacer 45 formed of a suitable temperature-resisting material such as stainless steel, aluminum, phenolic resin plastic, etc. Spacer 45 defines a rear surface 46 adapted to facially engage front surface 19 of forward light 18. The spacer is secured to light surface 19 by suitable adhesive means 47 received in a rearwardly opening recess 48 in the rear surface 46. Adhesive means 47 illustratively may comprise a silicone rubber sealant suitable for use at the high temperatures encountered in such oven constructions, e. g., the SILASTIC RTV type sealant manufactured by Dow Corning Corporation of Midland, Michigan. Spacer 45 includes a forward cylindrical portion 49 and a forwardly facing annular shoulder 50 at the rear end of portion 49 adapted to abut the rear surface 51 of auxiliary light 22. To this end, auxiliary light 22 is provided with a suitable hole 52 adapted to receive cylindrical portion 49 partially therethrough. The spacer further defines a threaded axial bore 53 adapted to have threaded engagement with the shank 54 of a screw 55 having an enlarged outer truss head 56 of a diameter larger than the hole 52 in light 22 so that when screw 55 is threaded into threaded bore 53, head 56 of the screw clamps the auxiliary light against the shoulder 50 of spacer 45, thereby removably securing auxiliary light 22 to forward light 18 of window structure 17.

Screw 55 may be formed of an insulating material, such as TEFLON, and illustratively, may comprise a No. 12, V4 inch long truss head screw. As seen in FIG. 3, spacer portion 49 is shorter than the axial length of hole 52 so that a space 57 is provided between the front of spacer 45 and screw head 56 to provide a further temperature drop in the mounting means. Four such mounting means 44 may be provided at the four comers of window structure 17 to provide a positive mounting of auxiliary light 22 on the window structure 17.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a further modified form of mounting means generally designated 58 is shown to include a standoff 59 having a cup-shaped front portion 60 defining an axial internal outwardly opening recess 61. The rear of standoff 59 is reduced in diameter to define a cylindrical rear portion 62 received in an opening 63 in the front window structure light 18. A truss head screw 64 is threaded into a threaded bore 65 in rear portion 62 whereby head 66 of screw 64 may draw the rear portion 62 rearwardly to abut a rear surface 67 of front portion 60 against the front surface 19 of light 18 and thereby fixedly secure the standoff 59 to light 18. Auxiliary light 22 is provided with an opening axially aligned with an opening 68 1 securing the auxiliary light 22 to the front window structure light 18. As with the other embodiments, four such mounting means 58 may be provided to afford a positive magnetic attachment of the auxiliary light to the oven window structure.

While the illustrative embodiment utilizes a transparent glass auxiliary light, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the light may be formed of any suitable material and may be opaque or light transmitting as desired. The auxiliary light and mounting means of each of the illustrated embodiments is extremely simple and economical of construction while yet providing the highly desirable advantages discussed above.

The window structure of the present invention provides a further improvement in the facilitated mounting thereof within door 14, as best seen in FIG. 2. Thus, as shown, the window structure 17 comprises a peripheral frame member 72 mounting the window structure lights 18 and 20 in preselected spaced relationship to define air space 21 therebetween. The frame member 72 comprises a simple U-section element having a bight portion 73, spaced

legs

74 and 75 provided with outtumed distal ends 76 and 77 respectively. Each of ends 76 and 77 defines an angularly turned inner portion 78 defining a pocket 79 in which is received a mass 80 of sealant for securing and sealing the edges of the

lights

18 and 20 to the frame in facial engagement with the

legs

74 and 75. The door 14 includes a front panel 81 having an intumed edge 23 defining the front window opening, and a rear door liner 82 having an intumed edge 83 defining the rear portion of the window opening 16. The

edges

23 and 83 provide a slight clearance, such as

clearances

84 and 85, to permit the facilitated extension of the edges of

lights

18 and 20 therepast into retained association with frame element 72. 7

Frame element 72 may be formed of a suitable material such as an extruded or formed metal and, thus, may be extremely simple and economical of construction. The frame element is a unitary structure providing accurate spacing of the window structure lights 18 and 20 controlled by the width of bight portion 73. The securing of the window lights thereto is extremely simple as a bead of RTV sealant need merely be placed in the pocket 79 and the window lights brought into engagement therewith, as shown in FIG. 2. The use of frame 72 further provides for a complete sealing of the window struc' ture lights in the door as the securing and sealing mass 80 extends completely about the periphery of the glass lights in the completely encircling frame 72. Thus, the window structure 17 provides s substantial improvement over the known window structure constructions wherein the comers of the windows are not effectively sealed permitting substantial heat 7 transfer thereabout and thereby lowering the eff ciency of the oven.

Thus, the construction of window structure 17 cooperates with the utilization of the auxiliary light 22 to provide an improved low temperature front surface of the door 14 at the window.

The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is illustrative of the broad inventive concepts comprehended by the invention.

I claim:

1. An oven cabinet construction comprising:

wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening;

a door movably carried by said wall means for selectively closing said opening and having a window structure permitting viewing the oven cavity from forwardly of the door when the door is in a closed position across said opening, said window structure including a transparent light having a front surface exposed to forwardly thereof; an auxiliary transparent light;

spacer means; and means for securing said spacer means to said window light inwardly of the periphery thereof to extend forwardly from the front surface of said window light, and for securing said spacer means to said auxiliary light, whereby said spacer means and securing means define means for mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated.

2. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises a plurality of spacers fixedly secured to said window structure light front surface and means for removably securing said auxiliary light to said spacers.

3. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary light has an area smaller than that of said window structure light.

4. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary light has a height less than that of said window structure light whereby said entrance and exit are disposed forwardly of the lower and upper edge portions of said window structure light respectively.

5. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a hole in said window structure light and securing means extending through said hole.

6. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said mounting means is adhesively secured to said window structure light front surface.

7. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises a spacing member, means fixedly securing said spacing member to said window structure light, a hole in said auxiliary light, and screw means extending through said hole and threadedly engaging said spacing member.

8. The oven cabinet construction of claim 7 wherein said spacing member defines shoulder means spaced forwardly of said window structure light front surface and head means on said screw means clamping said auxiliary light against said shoulder means.

9. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary light is formed of glass.

10. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said window structure and said auxiliary light are arranged to cause the temperature of the front surface of said auxiliary light to be less than 175 F. when the oven cavity is at a temperature of over 500 F.

11. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes thermal insulating means for causing a drop in temperature between said window structure light and the forwardmost portion of the mounting means.

12. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said window structure is recessed within the front surface of the door and said auxiliary light is substantially flush with the front surface of the door.

13. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises a standoff, first threaded means extending through said window structure light, and second threaded means extending through said auxiliary light, said threaded means engaging said standoff to secure said standoff to said window structure light and said auxiliary light to said standoff.

14. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening;

a door movably carried by said wall means for selectively closing said opening and having a window structure permitting viewing the oven cavity from forwardly of the door when the door is in a closed position across said opening, said window structure including a transparent light having a front surface exposed to forwardly thereof;

an auxiliary transparent light; and

means mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated, said mounting means including means for removably securing said auxiliary light to said window structure light permitting removal of said auxiliary light while retaining said mounting means secured to said window structure light.

15. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening;

an auxiliary transparent light; and

means mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated, said mounting means comprising magnetic means for releasably holding the auxiliary light in spaced relationship to said window structure light.

16. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening;

an auxiliary transparent light; and

means mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated, said mounting means com prising a magnet secured to one of said lights and means on the other of said lights adapted to be magnetically attracted to said magnet for defining a magnet mounting means.

17. The oven cabinet construction of claim 16 wherein said means on the other of said lights comprises a ferrous member.

18. The oven cabinet construction of claim 16 wherein said means in the other of said lights comprises a cup-shaped member adapted to receive a portion of said magnet.

19. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said window structure includes a frame secured in said wall and ad hesive sealant means securing said window structure light to said frame.

Claims

1. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening; a door movably carried by said wall means for selectively closing said opening and having a window structure permitting viewing the oven cavity from forwardly of the door when the door is in a closed position across said opening, said window structure including a transparent light having a front surface exposed to forwardly thereof; an auxiliary transparent light; spacer means; and means for securing said spacer means to said window light inwardly of the periphery thereof to extend forwardly from the front surface of said window light, and for securing said spacer means to said auxiliary light, whereby said spacer means and securing means define means for mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated.

10. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said window structure and said auxiliary light are arranged to cause the temperature of the front surface of said auxiliary light to be less than 175* F. when the oven cavity is at a temperature of over 500* F.

14. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening; a door movably carried by said wall means for selectively closing said opening and having a window structure permitting viewing the oven cavity from forwardly of the door when the door is in a closed position across said opening, said window structure including a transparent light having a front surface exposed to forwardly thereof; an auxiliary transparent light; and means mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated, said mounting means including means for removably securing said auxiliary light to said window structure light permitting removal of said auxiliary light while retaining said mounting means secured to said window structure light.

15. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening; a door movably carried by said wall means for selectively closing said opening and having a window structure permitting viewing the oven cavity from forwardly of the door when the door is in a closed position across said opening, said window structure including a transparent light having a front surface exposed to forwardly thereof; an auxiliary transparent light; and means mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated, said mounting means comprising magnetic means for releasably holding the auxiliary light in spaced relationship to said window structure light.

16. An oven cabinet construction comprising: wall means defining an oven cavity having a front opening; a door movably carried by said wall means for selectively closing said opening and having a window structure permitting viewing the oven cavity from forwardLy of the door when the door is in a closed position across said opening, said window structure including a transparent light having a front surface exposed to forwardly thereof; an auxiliary transparent light; and means mounting said auxiliary light on said window light to be spaced forwardly of said front surface thereof and defining therewith an entrance passage at the bottom of said auxiliary light and an exit passage at the top of said auxiliary light for flow of ambient air upwardly through the space between said lights to maintain said auxiliary light at a preselected low temperature suitable to avoid injury to a person accidentally touching said auxiliary light when the oven is heated, said mounting means comprising a magnet secured to one of said lights and means on the other of said lights adapted to be magnetically attracted to said magnet for defining a magnet mounting means.

19. The oven cabinet construction of claim 1 wherein said window structure includes a frame secured in said wall and adhesive sealant means securing said window structure light to said frame.