WO2004023043A1

WO2004023043A1 - Cooker grid

Info

Publication number: WO2004023043A1
Application number: PCT/IB2003/003860
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lino Cavicchioli
Original assignee: Lino Cavicchioli
Priority date: 2002-09-09
Filing date: 2003-09-09
Publication date: 2004-03-18
Also published as: AU2003263406A1

Abstract

Apparatus comprises a grid for a cooker provided with housing means (7) equipped with an inlet section and suitable for receiving resting-foot means (6), said housing means (7) having at least one section with an extension that is greater than the extension of said inlet section. The support means for said grid (1) may comprise holding means (33), suitable for being accommodated in housing means (7), and resting-foot means (6') associable with said holding means (33), said resting-foot means (6') being configured in such a way as to at least partially surround said holding means (33) protruding from an intended bottom portion (40) of said grid (1).

Description

Cooker grid

This invention concerns a grid for cookers, hobs and stoves, suitable for supporting a saucepan or frying pan or the like to cook, for example, food. Grids exist in the prior art consisting of a metal material, for example cast iron or steel or stainless steel, provided with elongated elements suitable for supporting a cooking container, and with housing seats or zones suitable for housing resting feet of the grid on the hob. In the prior art, the resting feet of the grid comprise resilient elements (that have a great elongation and that are non-metallic) .

The resilient elements prevent from making scratches and dents when the grid is positioned on the hob and when saucepans is rested on the grid.

As^' the resilient elements jut from the housing seats that accommodate them, they can for example be accidentally removed therefrom during cleaning of the grids . The lack of a foot or resilient element produces an instable rest of the grid with undesirable rocking when a saucepan is placed on said grid. The result is that the user of the stove is exposed to the risk of a serious accident due to the slipping and overturning of the saucepan. The feet of the grid are generally applied by means of adhesives, in general silicon adhesives, which tend to deteriorate - as they are subjected to high temperatures near the flames during normal operation - which over time causes the feet to disengage from the grid and therefore compromises the wholeness of the support surface. Other grids furthermore exist • in the prior art wherein the housing seats are provided with inserts, each of which comprises a tang accommodated in the relative housing seat, and a base provided with a hole that houses said foot of resilient material. The foot may be fixed to the hole by means of glues.

The aforesaid disadvantages also exist ' for these grids.

Because of the deterioration of the glue, the foot may become detached and come out from the insert or may break in an undesirable manner through the action of a cutting force applied accidentally to the foot when the grid is handled. The latter circumstance may occur even more easily inasmuch as the resting foot protrudes from the base and therefore noticeably protrudes from the rest bottom of the grid.

A further disadvantage of said grids is that the bases are rather bulky and give the grid and the support surface on which it is arranged an unattractive appearance.

Furthermore, replacing a damaged foot or restoring a missing foot requires the use of suitable tools or the help of an expert person in order not to damage the housing seat.

An object of this invention is to improve the grids for cooking appliances.

Another object of the invention is to obtain grids for cooking appliances that are always stable on the support surface.

Another object is to supply grids for cooking appliances that comprise seats that are suitable for effectively holding the resilient elements.

Yet another object is to supply grids for cooking appliances wherein the resting feet can be easily replaced, without having to use special tools or resort to expert personnel.

In a first aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided, comprising a cooker grid provided with housing means equipped with an inlet section, resting-foot means for said grid and furthermore coupling means arranged to associate with one another said housing means and said resting-foot means, characterised in that said coupling means comprises mechanical coupling means.

The grids may be made of cast iron or of stainless steel. In one embodiment, said housing means comprises hole means. Said hole means may comprise a surface chosen from a group comprising: cylindrical, conical, spherical, toroidal surfaces. In one embodiment, said housing means comprises holding means suitable for holding said resting-foot means . Said holding means can be contained in said hole means . Said holding means can be arranged outside said hole means. In one embodiment, said holding means has a shape chosen from a group comprising: an annular, toroidal shape.

In yet another embodiment, said holding means comprises an incision that interrupts the continuity of their external surface . Said incision can furthermore be shaped. In a further embodiment, said resting-foot means comprises resilient elements.

Owing to the invention, the anchoring of the feet of a grid can be significantly improved, increasing its durability and therefore preserving the support surface from damage. The holding means can be furthermore made with very compact shapes and dimensions, in such a way that it is substantially not visible to the user and therefore does not affect the aesthetic appeal of the grids and of the support surface whereupon it is mounted. In a second aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided comprising support means for a grid provided with holding means, suitable for being received in housing means obtained in said grid, and with resting-foot means associable with said holding means, characterised in that said resting-foot means is configured in such a way as to surround at least partially said holding means.

Owing to the second aspect of the invention, the anchoring of the feet- of a grid can be significantly improved, thereby increasing its durability -and thus preserving the support surface from damage.

The resting-foot means can be configured according to female means arranged to be coupled with the holding means configured according to respective male means .

Owing to the configuration of the resting-foot means, the resting-foot means, in case it is damaged, can be replaced in a very simple way without having to use a special tool or having to resort to specialised personnel. The invention will be better disclosed and carried out with reference to the accompanying drawings, that show some exemplifying and not limiting embodiments thereof, in which: Figure 1 is a view from above of an embodiment of a grid for two burners according to the invention, as resting on the hob; Figures 2 to 5 are views from above of embodiments of grids for one burner according to the invention, as^' resting on the hob;

Figure 6 is a partial and enlarged cross-section according to a plane VI-VI of Figure 2 showing housing means according to the invention;

Figures 7 to 22 are cross-sections like the one in Figure 6 illustrating embodiments of the housing means;

Figures 23 to 29 are axial cross-sections of resting-foot means according to the invention; Figures 30, 31, 32, 33 are- cross-sections like the one in Figure 6, but showing resting-foot means conformed in such a way as to also protect the hob of a stove from perimeter contacts between the bottom of the grid and the hob itself; Figures 34, 35, 36 and 37 are plan views of the resting-foot means shown respectively in Figures 30 to 33;

Figure 38 is a partial and enlarged cross-section according to a plane VI-VI of Figure 2 highlighting insert means according to the invention when it is housed in housing means of a grid; Figures 39 and 40 are cross-sections like the one in Figure 38 illustrating embodiments of the insert means;

Figures 41 to 43 are axial cross-sections of resting-foot means according to the invention when associated with the insert means;

Figures 44 and 45 are cross-sections like the one in Figure 41, but highlighting resting-foot means configured in such a way as to also protect the hob of a stove from perimeter contacts between the bottom of the grid and the hob itself; Figures 46 and 47 are plan views of the resting-foot means shown respectively in Figures 44 and 45.

In Figures 1 to 3, the illustrated grids, illustrated for example in stainless steel or cast iron, comprise a bottom frame 2 and a plurality of elongated elements 4 that protrude from the frame towards a central zone 3 defined inside the bottom frame 2 for a preset length. In this embodiment the elongated elements are L-shaped and jut out from the bottom frame 2. In Figure 1 the bottom frame 2 comprises a separator element 5 suitable for defining two central zones 3' and 3'', provided with elongated elements 4' and 4^rf each one of which extends respectively towards one of the central zones 3 ' and 3'' defined by the separator element 5. With reference to Figure 4, a grid in which there are only sections 2' of a bottom frame is shown and furthermore the elongated elements 4 extend towards the central zone 3 until they join at the central zone 3.

Figure 5 shows a further embodiment of a grid for a cooker that does not comprise any bottom frame, but comprises the elongated elements 4 extending until they meet at the central zone 3.

In all the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the elongated elements 4 are suitable for supporting any container suitable for being heated. At portions of the bottom frame 2 or 2' that are not shown, intended to be turned towards the support surface for the grid 1, rest means is provided that comprises resting-foot means 6 (shown in detail in Figures 23 to 37), suitable for enabling the grid 1 to rest on the hob, which hob is not shown either. Figures 6 to 22 show partial cross-sections of housing means indicated overall by 7 according to the invention that are arranged to accommodate the resting-foot means specified in Figures 23 to 37. The housing means 7 comprises a blind hole 8 made for example in zones at equidistant angles of the part of the frame 2 or of the sections of the frame 2', facing the support surface, or at the vertexes of the elongated elements 4. At an intermediate part of the blind hole 8 an annular groove can be obtained that has a rectangular cross-section 9 (Figure 6), or a triangular cross-section 10 (Figure 7), or a mixed triangular and rectangular cross-section 11 (Figure 8) . Figure 9 shows an embodiment of the cross-section of the groove having a connected internal edge 12 towards the bottom of the hole 8.

Figures 10 to 13 respectively show how the rectangular 9 and triangular 10 annular grooves can extend to the bottom of the blind hole 8. In particular, Figures 11 and 13 show how the blind hole 8 can end with a flat surface 13. In the embodiments in Figures 6 to 13 the housing means is therefore equipped with an inlet section through which a part of shank 15 of the resting foot means 6 is inserted during the last construction phase of the grid, i.e. the phase wherein the shank 15 is inserted inside the blind hole 8. The part of shank 15 is equipped with an enlarged end part 16 arranged to be locked into and expand in the groove 9, 10, 11, 12 in such a way that the resting-foot means is prevented from coming out from the hole 8. For this purpose both the enlarged part 16 and the groove 9, 10, 11, 12 are respectively provided with a first cooperating limiting surface 17 and a second cooperating limiting surface 18 that lock with each other, thereby preventing the foot means 6 to come out from the hole 8 after assembling.

Figures 14 to 22 show a different series of embodiments of the housing means, wherein the blind hole 8 cooperates with an additional element 19 to hold the foot means 6 in the hole 8. More in particular, with reference to Figure 14, the additional element consists of a cylindrical body 20 mounted with interference inside the hole 8 and completely contained therein, wherein an annular protrusion 21 is created that internally defines the second cooperating limiting surface 18. Figure 15 shows an additional element 19 provided with an incision 22 that is arranged along a generatrix of the cylindrical body 20 in such a manner as to make it elastically yielding in a radial direction to enable easier mounting thereof with interference in the hole 8. Figure 16 illustrates how the second cooperating limiting surface 18 is created on the end wall that axially delimits the cylindrical body 20 towards its most internal end in the hole 8.

Figure 17 shows an embodiment of the additional element 19 that has the shape of a toroidal ring 21. Figure 18 shows an embodiment of the additional element 19 that comprises a body 23 outside the blind hole 8 and fixed to the bottom 2 by welding or gluing.

Figures 19, 20, 21 show embodiments of the shape of the incision respectively in the form of a toothed 26 oblique 25 trapezium 24 created in an additional element 19 having a tubular body 28.

Figure 22 shows a non-through incision 27 through the axial extension of the tubular body 28. In the embodiments in Figures 14 to 22 the part of shank 15 of the resting-foot means 6 is held inside the blind hole 8 of the second cooperating limiting surface 18 created in the additional element 19. As Figures 23 to 37 show, the resting-foot means 6 is provided at the end opposite the enlarged part 16 with a rest surface 29 arranged to absorb the contact between the grid and the relative support surface. Furthermore, the resting-foot means 6, made for example from a resilient polymer material such as rubber or silicon, is equipped with a cavity 30 extending axially and arranged in such a way as to determine a substantially uniform thickness in the part of shank 15 of the resting-foot means 6. Figures 30 to 37 show embodiments of the resting-foot means wherein a side wall 31 is furthermore provided that develops outside the shank 15 and is arranged to be interposed between the bottom of the grid and a wall of the support surface in such a way as to protect the latter from blows and scratches that may occur at either the rest surface or the perimeter walls.

In Figures 31, 32, 35 and 36 there is a further side wall 32 substantially arranged at right angles to the first side wall 31 to protect the support surface from vertex zones of the grid that could damage said support surface. In the embodiments of Figures 41 to 47, resting-foot means 6' is shown that is associated with relative embodiments of the support means comprising an insert means 33.

Figure 38 shows a partial cross-section section of insert means 33 according to the invention arranged to be associated with and to hold the resting-foot means 6' , according to Figures 41 to 47, and to be accommodated in the housing means 7.

During a construction phase of the grid 1, the insert means 33 is inserted inside the blind hole 8 of the housing means^' 7, in other words, a tang 34 of the insert means 33 is inserted through the inlet section of the housing means 7. The tang 34 is arranged to be coupled with the hole 8 in such a way that the insert means 33 is prevented from coming out from the hole 8, for example coupled with interference.

The insert means 33 furthermore comprises a base 35 connected to the tang 34 and designed to protrude from an intended bottom portion 40 of the grid 1, towards the support surface for a certain section. The base 35 is equipped, at one end, with a head 37 suitable for defining a widened support for said base 35, and then for the grid 1 and is suitable for being at least partially surrounded by the resting-foot means. During the phase of mounting the insert means 33 in the housing means 7, the head 37 is kept at a set distance Y from the intended bottom portion 40 of the grid 1, in such a way as to enable a limit wall 41 of the resting-foot means 6' to be inserted between the head 37 and the intended bottom portion 40, during the phase of construction of the grid 1 wherein the insert means 33 is provided to be surround by the resting-foot means^' 6' .

Distance Y can be maintained during mounting operations by inserting between the head 37 and the intended bottom portion 40 a spacer element having a dimension that is equal to Y, said spacer element being then subsequently removed, as shown in Figure 39.

Alternatively, the dimension of longitudinal extension of the tang 34 may be such that if it is arranged to engage the entire dimension of longitudinal extension of the blind hole 8, the dimension of the base 35 that extends from the intended bottom portion 40 to the head 37 remain equal to Y, as shown in Figure 40.

Otherwise, the base 35 can be provided with a spacer section 36 having a transversal cross-section that is greater than the inlet section of the housing means 7 and having a longitudinal dimension equal to Y, as shown in Figure 38. In this case, the entire length of the tang 34 is inserted into the blind hole 8 and the spacer section 36 cooperates with a zone of the intended bottom portion 40 next to the blind hole 8 to keep the head 37 at distance Y from said intended bottom portion 40.

The head 37 may have a plan shape with a polygonal plan such as a triangular, square, rectangular, hexagonal shape, or may have the plan shape of a circular, elliptic, or oval shape, or may have any desired shape, also not regular and formed by a mixed outline comprising straight sections and curved sections together.

The insert means may be in metal material, e.g. steel or aluminium or in polymer material, or in any other type of material.

Figures 41 to 43 shows axial cross-sections of the resting- foot means 6' according to the invention when associated with an insert means 33 according to the embodiment in Figure 38. The resting-foot means 6' is shaped in such a way as to at least partially surround said insert means 33. In fact, the resting-foot means 6' , manufactured for example from a resilient polymer material, such as rubber or silicon, is equipped with an axially extending chamber 38 that is suitable for shapingly couple with the head 37 of the insert means 33. The resting-foot means 6' is furthermore provided with an opening 39 connected to the chamber 38, suitable for accommodating in a housing a section of the base 35 or the spacer section 36. The opening 39 is created in the limit wall 41 suitable for cooperating with the head 37 to hold the resting-foot means 6' in a position embracing the insert means 33 and for preventing the resting-foot means 6' from becoming detached from the insert means 33, and vice versa. The chamber 38 together with an external surface 42 define walls of the resting-foot means 6' having a virtually uniform thickness. During mounting, owing to the resiliency of the material of the resting-foot means 6' , the opening 39 is widened to force the limit wall 41 to tilt to be arranged in a configuration that is such as to enable the head 37 to enter the chamber 38. Once the resting-foot means 6' has been mounted the opening 39 faces a section of the base 35 or the spacer section 36 and the limit wall 41 has a configuration such that it faces an area of the head 37 turned towards the tang 34. The resting-foot means 6' thus performs the same function as a female part of a coupling wherein the insert means 33 performs the function of the corresponding male part.

This configuration of the resting-foot means 6' enables the possibility to be _. prevented that during grid cleaning operations for example a rest foot might break and separate into two parts, one part of which, by remaining inside the housing seat, has to be removed by using special tools or through the intervention of an expert person.

The plan view of the resting-foot means 6' may be substantially the same as the plan view of the head 37 in order to give a pleasant aesthetic appearance to the grid 1, when the insert means 33 and the resting-foot means 6' are applied thereupon. In particular, the spacer section 36, the head 37 and therefore the resting-foot means 6' may have very compact shapes and dimensions so as to be substantially non- visible to the user.

The external surface 42 comprises the rest surface 29, which can be a flat surface, as shown in Figure 41, or a curved surface, for example cylindrical or spherical, as shown respectively in Figures 42 and 43 respectively. Figures 44 to 47 show embodiments of the resting-foot means 6^r wherein there is furthermore a side wall 31' that extends from an edge of the resting-foot means 6' and is arranged to be interposed between the bottom of the grid and a wall of the support surface in such a way as to protect the latter from blows and scratches that may occur either at the support surface or at the perimeter walls.

In Figures 45 and 47 there is a further side wall 32' that is substantially arranged at right angles to the first side wall 31' to protect the support surface from vertex zones of the grid that could damage it.

Embodiments of the resting-foot means 6' that are not shown and are substantially analogous to those disclosed above can also be associated with the insert means 33 of the embodiments of Figures 39 and of Figures 40.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a grid (1) for a cooker provided with housing means (7) equipped with an inlet section, resting-foot means (6; 6') for said grid and furthermore coupling means arranged to associate with one another said housing means (7) and said resting-foot means (6; 6' ) , characterised in that said coupling means comprises mechanical coupling means.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mechanical coupling means comprises at least one section of said housing means (7) having an extension that is greater than the extension of said inlet section.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, or 2, wherein said housing means (7) comprises a blind hole (8) .

4. Apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said resting-foot means (6) is provided with a shank (15) equipped with an enlarged part (16) .

5. Apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said mechanical coupling means includes a holding means (19; 33) comprised in said housing means (7) near said inlet section.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 as appended to claim 3, or to claim 4 as appended to claim 3, wherein said holding means (19) has a body (20, 21, 28; 23; 35) arranged outside said blind hole (8) .

7. Apparatus according to claim 5^' as appended to claim 3, or to claim 4 as appended to claim 3, wherein said holding means (19) has a body (20, 21, 28; 23; 34) arranged inside said blind hole (8) .

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, or 7, wherein said body

(20, 21) comprises an incision (22, 27) that interrupts the continuity of the external surface thereof.

9. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 6 to 8, wherein said resting-foot means (6') is configured in such a way as to surround at least partially said holding means (33) .

10. Apparatus comprising rest means for a grid (1), said rest means being provided with holding means _.(33), suitable for being received in a housing means (7) obtained in said grid (1), and with resting-foot means (6') associable with said holding means (33), characterised in that said resting-foot means (6') is configured in such a way as to surround at least partially said holding means (33) .

11. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 5 to 10, wherein said resting-foot means (6' ) is configured as a female means arranged for being coupled with said holding means (33) configured as a respective male means.

12. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 5 to claim 11, wherein said holding means (33) comprises head means (37) , suitable for defining a support for said resting- foot means (6' ) . ^•

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said resting- foot means (6') comprises stopping wall means (41) suitable for cooperating with said head means (37) to prevent said resting-foot means (6) from becoming detached from said holding means (33) and vice versa.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12, or 13, wherein said resting-foot means (6') has an external shape substantially corresponding to the outer shape of said head means (37) .

15. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 12 to 14, wherein said holding means (33) comprises spacer means (36) suitable for spacing by a preset distance (Y) , said head means (37) from a portion of said holding means (33) intended to be arranged inside said housing means (7) .

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said spacer means (36) is selected in a group comprising spacer means obtained in said head means (37) and spacer means removable from said head means (37) . Apparatus according to any one of the previous claims, wherein said resting-foot means (6; 6') comprises side wall means (31; 31'; 32; 32') protruding from an edge of said resting-foot means (6; 6') and arranged to be interposed between a portion of said grid (1) and a wall of a support surface of said grid (1) .