Stoves and furnaces – Stove hoods
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-15
2001-08-21
Clarke, Sara (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Stove hoods
C108S050130, C108S050180, C108S106000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276358
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to an appliance ventilation system incorporating a vertically adjustable vent hood arrangement.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many different types of cooking appliances produce smoke, steam or other gaseous byproducts during use. Often, it is considered beneficial to utilize some type of ventilation system to evacuate the gaseous byproducts, either upwards through a venting hood or downward into a draught flue. In typical household kitchens, most known venting arrangements take the form of a hood which is fixed above a cooking surface and which can be selectively activated to evacuate the gaseous byproducts. Downdraft vent arrangements are also widely known in the art wherein a cooking surface will incorporate a vent opening that is positioned between different sections of the cooking surface or extends along a back of the cooking surface. These downdraft vents can either be fixed relative to the cooking surface or can be raised slightly relative to the cooking surface to an in-use position.
With known vent hood arrangements, a vertical distance between the cooking surface and the vent hood is fixed. At least when in an operating position, downdraft vent arrangements known in the art are also limited in this respect. Depending upon the food being cooked and even the particular height of the individual doing the cooking, it may be desired to vary the distance between the cooking surface and the vent hood. For instance, when frying fish on a cooking surface, it may be considered beneficial to arrange a vent hood vertically closer to the cooking surface in order to increase the percentage of gaseous byproducts which are evacuated. On the other hand, it may be desired to raise a vent hood relative to a cooking surface in order to more easily access different portions of the cooking surface.
In any event, there is considered a need in the art for an improved ventilation system for use with a cooking appliance. More particularly, there is a need in the art for a ventilation system incorporating a vent hood which can be selectively, vertically adjusted relative to a heating surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a ventilation system for a cooking appliance having a heating surface. More specifically, the ventilation system incorporates at least one vent hood which is integrated into a vertically adjustable support that is position ed above the cooking appliance. Preferably, the vent hood is movable between an extended, in-use position wherein it projects at least partially over a portion of the heating surface, and a retracted, non-use position wherein the vent hood is recessed in the support. In the most preferred form of the invention, a pair of adjacent vent hoods are arranged above respective sections of the heating surface and are slidable between the extended and retracted positions.
In one preferred form of the invention, the cooking appliance constitutes a cooktop disposed in a countertop of a cooking island. Arranged above the countertop is an additional tabletop that is supported by a pair of spaced, upstanding pillars. The pillars are movable relative to a base of the countertop, such as through the use of hydraulic, pneumatic or electric actuators, to vertically shift the tabletop relative to the countertop. Within a body of a tabletop is formed a common plenum or manifold for the individual vent hoods, with the manifold leading to an exhaust duct extending through one of the pillars and into the countertop base.
With this arrangement, the height at which one or more vent hoods are arranged above the heating surface of the cooking appliance can be selectively altered by adjusting the height of the tabletop. The use of multiple vent hood sections enables each of the vent hoods to be dedicated for use in connection with individual sections of the heating surface, while minimizing an potential obstruction for the cook. In any event, 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 refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
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Brin, Jr. George G.
Harrison Diana
Harrison Marc S.
Lye Michael T.
Michas Luke
Clarke Sara
Diederiks, Jr. Everett G.
Harrison Diana
Maytag Corporation
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