US3898975A

US3898975A - Heating appliance with protective guard

Info

Publication number: US3898975A
Application number: US503006A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wayne T Kemp
Original assignee: Raytheon Co
Current assignee: Raytheon Co
Priority date: 1974-09-03
Filing date: 1974-09-03
Publication date: 1975-08-12
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-12

Abstract

A guard for heat-producing kitchen appliances having means for preventing contact with a heated member and means for insuring its use whenever a heating cycle is initiated.

Description

[ 1 Aug. 12, 1975 United States Patent [1 1 Kemp [5 HEA'HNG APPLIANCE WITH PROTECTIVE 3,069.525 12/1962 219/342 3,125,365 Eigelbach GUARD 3,556.624 Baltz. et 3.789.823 2/1974 Assignee: Raytheon Company, Lexington,

Mass.

Primary Examiner-Carrol1 B. Dority, Jr. Assistant E.\'aminerLarry I. Schwartz [22] Flled: Sept' 1974- Attorney, Agent, or FirmHaro1d A. Murphy; Joseph App1. No.2 503,006 D. Pannone; John T. Meaney [57] ABSTRACT A guard for heat-producing kitchen appliances having [52] US. 126/42; 126/214 D [51] Int. A43B 21/36 [58] Field of Search...... 126/197, 273, 214 D, 39 B,

means for preventing contact with a heated member and means for insuring its use whenever a heating cycle is initiated.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 176/47 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2,778,356 1/1957 Pugach PATENTED AUG 1 21975 SHEET PATENTED AUG] 2l975 3 898 I 975 sum 3 HEATING APPLIANCE WITH PROTECTIVE GUARD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Ovens of the self-clean type which are used in the kitchen usually operate at temperatures between 750 and 950 F or higher. Although attempts have been made to thoroughly insulate the oven from adjacent structure in a kitchen range, it has been found that some of the outer surfaces of the range become heated to an undesirable level.

In many ranges there is included a control panel which is positioned at the top front portion for easy access to the control knobs. This control panel and adjacent front area of the range have been found to assume temperatures during a self-clean cycle which are sufficiently high enough to cause burning of a persons skin when brought accidentally into contact with the panel.

Furthermore, in conventional self-clean ovens, the oven is provided with a door latching mechanism which prevents the door from being opened during a selfclean cycle. This latch is electrically connected to one of the control knobs so that even though the knob is positioned in the clean position, the cycle will not start until the door is fully latched. However, once the door is latched and the self-clean cycle is underway, there is no means for insuring that no physical contact will be made with the consequently heated control panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing and other objections to conventional self-clean oven ranges are overcome by the present invention wherein a removable guard is placed over the control panel during a self-clean operation. Furthermore, the door latching means is normally rendered inoperable by means of a pivotal catch which is engaged by the latch and prevents movement thereof to the extent necessary to latch the door and thereby to initiate a self-clean operation.

In further accordance with this invention the guard comprises an open wire structure which physically mounts over the control panel and adjacent front portion of the range and is held spaced therefrom by legs or projections. One of the legs is of a greater length than the others so as to engage an opening therefor in the panel for retaining the guard in position. Furthermore, this leg is made long enough to engage the catch which normally prevents operation of the door latch, and to move the catch so as to release the latch, thus allowing the latch to move through its full travel.

Thus, the guard not only prevents contact between a person and a hot control panel but also is provided with means which cooperates with the door latch to insure that the guard is always used during a self-clean operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a range employing a guard in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the top front portion of the range of FIG. 1 showing the guard in place;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the oven door latch and catch, showing the relation thereof to the-guard;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the parts shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the operation of the latch release mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the guard and control panel illustrating a modification of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 one example of a kitchen range of the free standing type commonly found in the market. Although a free standing range is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that this invention may apply to any range or oven of the self-cleaning type where surface temperatures may assume undesirably high levels.

The major portion of the range in FIG. 1 is of generally conventional structure embodying an oven 10 and a cooktop 12. The oven includes the usual frontopening door 14 with handle 16 and is pivotally supported to open downwardly.

The cooktop 12 supports a number of burner or heater elements (not shown) over which grates 18 are mounted for supporting cooking utensils in the usual manner. The range illustrated in FIG. 1 is a gas-fueled appliance, but it is to be understood that this invention is applicable to electric as well as gas appliances.

Along the top front edge of the range there is provided a control panel 20 on which are mounted a selected number of control knobs 22, one of which knobs is for the purpose of turning the self-cleaning cycle on and off such knob may be located elsewhere, if desired. Details of the self-cleaning mechanism are not included herein since they may be found in many readily available publications such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,121,158 and 3,530,847. It is believed sufficient here to point out that the selected self-clean knob 22 is turned to on position whereupon all self-clean components are placed in a ready condition. Then the oven door is latched and locked whereupon suitable switching means are activated to actually start the self-clean operation by energizing both upper and lower heating elements in the oven of an electric appliance or, in the case of a gas appliance, actually permitting ignition and operation of both upper and lower burners within the oven.

In many such self-clean appliances the oven door cannot be opened after a self-clean cycle is under way until the oven temperature is permitted to drop to a predetermined safe level. One particularly efficient mechanism for achieving this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,767 wherein a complete door latching structure is shown and described.

It will be noted that all known door latching devices in self-clean ovens includes the usual manually operated handle 24, which extends outwardly through a slot in the front of the appliance above the door 14 and beneath the control panel 20. Handle 24 is pivotally mov able about a vertical axis indicated by line or point 25 in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referring particularly to FIG. 4, it will be seen that only a portion of the latching mechanism 27 is shown. Handle 24 may be moved transversely from an unlatched position at the left to a latched position shown by dotted lines to the right, which movement will perform the actual latching and locking function described in US. Pat. No. 3,540,767. Therefore,

reference to US. Pat. No. 3,540,767 should be had for all details not included herein. Suitable switch means 23 is mounted in a suitable position to be operated by the handle 24 or other part of the latching mechanism when the handle has been moved to latching position. Switch means 23 is shown herein as being mounted by a bracket 31 on plate 29 in position to be engaged by handle 24 near the pivot 25 thereof. Switch means 23 cooperates with the selected control knob 22 to insure that both must be operated before a self-clean cycle will be initiated.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a guard 26 which is adapted to be mounted over the control panel to prevent accidental contact with the panel when it becomes heated during a self-clean operation of the oven. The guard performs a second function of unblocking the movement of the latching handle 24 to permit the latch to be operated to initiate the self-clean cycle, the handle being normally blocked from performing this operation.

The guard 26 comprises, in one embodiment, a framework of longitudinally extending wires 28 and additional wires 30 extending transverse to wires 28 and fixed thereto as by welding at the points of intersection. This framework has a portion overlying the adjacent front portion of the range and a second angled portion overlying the control panel and knobs 22. The ends of each of the wires 30 overlying the control panel 20 are bent downwardly to form short legs 32 which are adapted to rest upon the cooktop 12 for supporting the guard in position of use in proper spaced relation to the control panel and knobs.

In one embodiment of this invention a catch 34 is provided beneath the control panel 20 and above the latch handle 24 to normally prevent the handle from moving to its full extent to operate switch means 23 for initiating a self-clean cycle. The catch is a pivotal member having a depending portion 36 integrally joined to an angled portion 38 as shown in FIGS. 3-5. Portion 38 is pivoted to a pair of spaced lugs 40 by a pintle 42 or the like which lugs are provided on the under side of panel 20. Catch 34 normally hangs in the position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 5, and portion 36 carries at its lowest extremity a hook 44 which is adapted to be engaged by handle 24 during its movement from left to' right. The catch 34 thus will prevent further movement of the handle until removed from the path of the handle.

In accordance with this invention, the catch 34 is removed from the path of the handle 24 by means of one leg 46 of the guard 26, which leg is made substantially longer than the other legs 32 and which extends through an opening 48 in the control panel 20 into engagement with the angled portion 38 of catch 34. Leg 46 not only retains the guard 26 in position but also depresses catch portion 38, causing portion 36 to swing upwardly, raising hook 44 out of the path of movement of the handle 24. Thus, the handle 24 can be manipulated to its full extent to operate switch means 23 and allow a self-clean cycle to start.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the handle 24 can not be moved to the extent necessary to operate switch means '23 until the catch portion 38 is depressed by leg 46, thus assuring also that the guard 26 is always in place before a self-clean cycle is started.

In a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. '6 there is provided an electric switch 50 which is adapted to be connected into the self-clean circuit in a conventional manner similar to switch means 23 for completing the initiation of the self-clean operation in cooperation with operation of the selected control knob 22.

As shown in FIG. 6, guard leg 46 extends through opening 48 in the panel 20 and engages and operates the switch 50 which is suitably supported as by a bracket 52 secured to the under side of panel 20. Thus, here again the self-clean cycle can only be started with the protective guard 26 in place.

The guard 26 may be provided with an opening between wires of sufficient size above the selected selfclean knob to permit operation of the knob which it is desired to abort or discontinue the system and cool down the range after a self-clean cycle has started.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the objectives of this invention have been achieved by the invention shown and described, including a protective guard together with a fail-safe mechanism for insuring use of the guard during a self-clean cycle in a kitchen range. It will be also apparent, however, that various modifications and changes in the structures and methods shown and described may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims. Therefore, all

matter shown and described is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

l. A heat-producing appliance comprising a housing having a panel subject to high temperatures during operation of the appliance, electrical switch means within the housing, switch-actuating means operatively associated with said switch, and a guard removably mounted in covering relation-to said panel and having projecting means extending through said panel for effecting operation of said switch when the guard is in position of use over the panel.

2. A heat-producing appliance comprising a housing having a panel subject to high temperatures during operation of the appliance, a handle projecting out through said housing and movable through a predetermined path of travel, catch means engageable with said handle for restraining said handle from movement through its complete path, a guard removably mounted over said panel and having projecting means extending through said panel into engagement with said catch means for moving said catch means out of movementrestraining relation with said handle.

3. A heat-producing appliance as set forth in claim 2 wherein said catch means comprises a hooked member pivotally mounted on the under side of said panel and engageable by said handle and by said projecting means.

4. A heat-producing appliance comprising a housing including a panel subject to high temperatures during operation of the appliance, electrical means including a switch mounted within the housing, and a guard removably mounted in covering relation to said panel and having projecting means extending through said panel into operative engagement with said switch when the guard is in position of use over the panel.

5. A self-clean oven having a control panel, a hinged door closing one side of the oven, latching means for said door comprising a handle movable from an unlatched position to a latched position, a switch operable by said latching means when the handle is in the latched position, and catch means positioned for engagement with said handle for normally restraining movement of the handle to latched position, and a guard removably mounted over said control path, said guard having projecting means extending through said control panel into engagement with said catch means for moving said catch means out of movementrestraining relation with said handle.

6. A self-clean oven as set forth in claim 5 wherein said guard comprises a framework including a number of spaced longitudinally extending members having a number of spaced transversely extending members fixed thereto, selected ones of said members having projections directed toward and engaging said oven for maintaining the guard in spaced relation with the control panel.

7. A self-clean oven as set forth in claim 6 wherein said projecting means is an extension of one of said members.

8. A self-clean oven as set forth in claim 5 wherein said catch means comprises a pivotal hooked member located in the path of movement of the latching handle, a portion thereof disposed to be engaged by said projecting means when the guard is in position of use for swinging the hooked member out of said path.

9. A removable protective guard for a heating appliance having a top panel, a front panel, and a control panel contiguous with said top panel and adjoining the upper end of said front panel, and having knobs thereon comprising a framework having a number of spaced bars extending transversely in overlying relation to said control panel and adjacent portion of the front panel, a number of spaced second bars fixed to said transverse bars, said second bars extending vertically in overlying spaced relation to said portion of the front panel and having angled portions extending in overlying spaced relation to said control panel, and means at the ends of selected bars for engagement with said top panel for supporting the guard in position of use.

10. A removable protective guard as set forth in claim 9 wherein spacings between selected bars overlying the control panel are sufficiently large enough to allow manipulation therethrough of control knobs on the control panel.

Claims

1. A heat-producing appliance comprising a housing having a panel subject to high temperatures during operation of the appliance, electrical switch means within the housing, switchactuating means operatively associated with said switch, and a guard removably mounted in covering relation to said panel and having projecting means extending through said panel for effecting operation of said switch when the guard is in position of use over the panel.

2. A heat-producing appliance comprising a housing having a panel subject to high temperatures during operation of the appliance, a handle projecting out through said housing and movable through a predetermined path of travel, catch means engageable with said handle for restraining said handle from movement through its complete path, a guard removably mounted over said panel and having projecting means extending through said panel into engagement with said catch means for moving said catch means out of movement-restraining relation with said handle.

5. A self-clean oven having a control panel, a hinged door closing one side of the oven, latching means for said door comprising a handle movable from an unlatched position to a latched position, a switch operable by said latching means when the handle is in the latched position, and catch means positioned for engagement with said handle for normally restraining movement of the handle to latched position, and a guard removably mounted over said control path, said guard having projecting means extending through said control panel into engagement with said catch means for moving said catch means out of movement-restraining relation with said handle.