Supports: cabinet structure – Counters – Tops
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-15
2001-05-15
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
Counters
Tops
C312S238000, C312S236000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231137
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking and, more particularly, to the combination of a countertop oven and a cooling rack.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the art of cooking, there have been various ways in which ovens have been mounted, as well as many different energy sources utilized with such ovens. For example, it is conventional to provide either an electric or gas range between two sections of a kitchen countertop such that an oven of the range is located below the level of the countertop. It is also fairly common to find an oven mounted in a wall within a kitchen. With either of these types of arrangements, the oven will incorporate a door which pivots about a lower, generally horizontal axis, such that, upon opening of the door, the door projects forwardly of a cavity of the oven. This positioning of the door mandates that a user either stand to the side or lean over the door in order to access the oven cavity when either placing food items to be cooked within the oven cavity or removing the items therefrom. This positioning of the door is not always extremely convenient, particularly when removing hot items from the oven cavity which have to be lifted and carried to another support surface.
Microwave ovens are also commonly found in households today. Microwave ovens are typically either supported directly upon a countertop or mounted in a spaced relationship above a range and between wall cabinets. These types of ovens generally have an associated door which is hinged about a substantially vertical axis at one upright edge portion thereof. With such an arrangement, when the door is opened, easy access to food items and containers within a cavity of the oven is available. Therefore, a user can readily remove the food or container from the oven and carry the same to a remote serving position. In addition, particularly with respect to microwave ovens but also applicable to more conventional ovens, it is sometimes required to remove a food container from an oven cavity before cooking is completed in order to stir the contents of the container for further cooking. During such times, the food container is generally placed on a countertop or another cooking surface which will provide the required stability for the container.
Because containers are typically quite hot when removed from ovens, it is not too uncommon to find a certain percentage of the cookware slips and breaks while being transferred to and from the oven. In order to address this concern, at least with respect to microwave ovens, it has been proposed to interpose a base between a microwave oven and a countertop, wherein the base incorporates a slidable cookware support which will aid in transferring cookware to and from the cavity of the oven. Such an arrangement is represented in U.S. Pat. No. 4,436,356. Although the presence of such a supplemental cookware support can be advantageous in various situations, the arrangement is considered to have various drawbacks. For instance, the support is particularly adapted for use in removing a food container from the oven cavity prior to final completion of the cooking cycle such that the food therein can be stirred and then placed back in the oven cavity. Due to the arrangement of the support and the manner in which the door for the microwave oven is opened and closed, once a piece of cookware is placed on the support, the door cannot be shifted between the opened and closed positions. Therefore, the support is not particularly useful following completion of the cooking operation, unless it is desired to maintain the door of the microwave oven open. Furthermore, since the cookware support must project forward of a frontal edge of the countertop during use, a hazard may be presented wherein an individual can bump into the support and possibly even knock the entire microwave oven off the countertop.
Regardless of the proposals made in the art, there exists a need in the art for a combination oven and cooling rack assembly which provides for a convenient arrangement for shifting cookware and/or food items into and out of a cavity of the oven. More specifically, there exists a need for an oven construction which provides for food items to be easily placed in or removed from a cavity of the oven while being unobstructed from a door associated with the cavity. In addition, there exists a need for a support to be used with such an oven wherein food containers can be readily removed from the oven cavity and positioned on the support with a greatly reduced concern of possible damage being caused to the cookware or other accidents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a combination countertop oven and cooking rack assembly including an oven unit having an open frontal portion including a lower edge which is at or below a level of a countertop work surface. The frontal opening leads to an oven cavity which can be selectively closed by movement of one or more doors. In the most preferred form of the invention, a pair of arcuate, slidably mounted doors are utilized which, when opened, provide clear access to within the oven cavity. The frontal opening is also spaced rearward of a front edge of the countertop such that a portion of the countertop projects forward of the oven cavity. The countertop supports a cooling rack at a position directly in front of the opening of the oven cavity.
With this arrangement, the cooling rack is conveniently located for supporting cookware to be placed into or removed from the oven cavity. Actually, a lowermost rack or support within the oven cavity is preferably at the same level as the cooling rack such that the container can be simply slid into or out of the oven cavity. Furthermore, the cooling rack is preferably embedded into the countertop such that an upper surface of the cooling rack is flush with an upper work surface of the countertop. In the most preferred form of the invention, the cooling rack constitutes a metal plate, such as a stainless steel plate, provided with a plurality of spaced apertures for enhancing heat dissipation.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals prefer to corresponding parts on the several views.
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Akers Elizabeth
Harrison Diana
Harrison Marc S.
Howard Jeremy C.
Laguinia Edgar L.
Diederiks, Jr. Everett G.
Harrison Diana
Maytag Corporation
Wilkens Janet M.
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