Stoves and furnaces – Stoves – Cooking
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-15
2001-01-16
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Stoves
Cooking
C126S0390BA
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173708
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of gas cooking appliances and, more particularly, to the mounting of a gas burner to a ceramic based appliance cooktop.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A conventional gas cooking appliance will incorporate a cooktop which is generally formed of coated metal or glass. The cooktop is provided with an opening for receiving a gas operated burner. More specifically, the gas burner projects through the cooktop and is typically, rigidly secured to a chassis of the appliance and either fixedly or loosely secured to the cooktop. Whether a rigid or loose connection is present, some type of sealing arrangement is often provided between the cooktop and the gas burner in order to seal the opening so as to enhance the cleanability of the overall appliance.
Other known gas appliances incorporate ceramic based cooktops, e.g., ceramic and glass-ceramic cooktops. Due to material characteristic limitations, the interior panel of such a ceramic based cooktop must be free to flex during use of the appliance. For at least this reason, either a loose connection or no connection at all is generally provided between a gas burner and a ceramic based cooktop, while a rigid connection is utilized between the gas burner and the appliance chassis. With such an arrangement, since the gas burner must still project through an opening in the cooktop, it is extremely difficult to provide an extremely effective seal around the burner unit.
Although some attempts have been made in the art to provide an arrangement wherein a gas burner is secured against a ceramic based cooktop, there exists a need in the art for an enhanced gas burner mounting assembly for use in connection with a cooking appliance incorporating a ceramic based cooktop, wherein the gas burner is fixedly secured to the cooktop in a manner which enables the burner to flex with the cooktop during use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a gas burner mounting assembly in a cooking appliance including a ceramic based cooktop, wherein a gas burner is fixedly secured to the cooktop and, preferably, loosely connected to a chassis of the appliance. With this arrangement, the gas burner can flex with the ceramic cooktop during operation of the cooking appliance.
In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the gas burner mounting assembly includes a gas injector/mixer having a main body portion arranged below the cooktop and an upper body portion which extends through a mounting aperture formed in the cooktop. A burner retention bracket is preferably placed about the upper body portion so as to be interposed between the main body portion and the underside of the cooktop. In addition, a first gasket is arranged between the burner retention bracket and the underside of the cooktop.
At least a section of the upper body portion of the gas injector/mixer which extends through the cooktop is externally threaded and projects into a central through hole formed in a gas burner head positioned on the cooktop, preferably with a second gasket interposed between the gas burner head and the cooktop. A fastening member, which preferably takes the form of a nut, is threaded on the upper body portion of the gas injector/mixer, thereby fixedly securing the gas injector/mixer, the burner retention bracket, the first and second gaskets and the gas burner head to the cooktop. The overall gas burner mounting assembly further includes a burner cap which is set on top of the burner head.
Given the rigid connection between the gas burner and the ceramic based cooktop, when the cooktop flexes during use of the cooking appliance, the gas burner will also flex. In order to provide a resilient support at various spaced locations for the cooktop, it is also preferable in accordance with the present invention to provide a resilient support which acts between a chassis member of the cooking appliance and each of the gas burners. In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention, a resilient mounting support is positioned between the chassis member and the gas injector/mixer in order to bias the gas injector/mixer towards the cooktop. In another embodiment, a gas supply line extending to the gas injector/mixer is supported by the appliance chassis at a position spaced from the gas injector/mixer such that the gas supply line essentially acts as a leaf spring. In either case, a resilient support is provided for the cooktop, while also biasing the gas injector towards the underside of the cooktop. Regardless of the presence or particular type of biasing arrangement utilized, no rigid connection is provided between the gas burner and the chassis in order to ensure the ability of the gas burner to flex with the cooktop.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
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Arntz Timothy John
Brooks Steven Todd
Pickering Mark A.
Diederiks, Jr Everett G.
Lazarus Ira S.
Lee David
Maytag Corporation
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