Interior mounted cooktop bracket for concealed and surface mounted installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10088170-B2
Application number	US-201414565771-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

An inside-mount countertop-range support for a flush-mount countertop range includes a counter bracket configured to be engaged to an inner edge of an opening defined within a countertop with a top surface. A base flange extends from the counter bracket and into the opening. The inside-mount countertop-range support includes a range having a housing and top member above the housing that extends over the opening and includes a bottom surface, wherein the housing is configured to be disposed within the opening. A range bracket is configured to be coupled to the housing and includes a top flange that is configured to be supported by the base flange, wherein when the top flange rests upon the base flange, the bottom surface of the top member engages and is flush with the top surface of the countertop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inside-mount countertop-range support comprising:
a counter bracket configured to be engaged to an inner edge of an opening defined within a countertop, wherein the counter bracket includes a base flange that is configured to extend into the opening;
a range having a housing and ceramic top member above the housing, wherein a beveled edge of the ceramic top member extends beyond the counter bracket and is configured to extend beyond the opening when the housing is disposed within the opening;
a range bracket coupled to the housing and including a top flange that is received by and is supported by the base flange, wherein when the top flange rests upon the base flange to define a primary support of the range and the ceramic top member, a bottom surface of the ceramic top member at the beveled edge directly engages and is flush with a top surface of the countertop; and
an adjustment member disposed within the base flange, the adjustment member configured to adjust a height of the top flange relative to the base flange, such that the beveled edge of the ceramic top member is flush with and is minimally supported by the top surface of the countertop and wherein the adjustment member includes an adjusting sleeve having a perimetrical flange, wherein the adjusting sleeve extends through a support opening defined within the base flange and the perimetrical flange rests upon an upper surface of the base flange around the support opening.

2. The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member includes a threaded pin that cooperates with a threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve, and wherein the threaded pin rotates within the threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve to vertically operate the threaded pin relative to the adjusting sleeve and the base flange, wherein the top flange is vertically supported from below by a top portion of the threaded pin.

3. The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 2 , wherein the threaded pin includes an adjustment slot defined within a bottom portion of the threaded pin, wherein the adjustment slot is accessible through the threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve to rotate the threaded pin within the threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve to vertically operate the threaded pin relative to the base flange.

4. The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of counter brackets that are coupled to the inner edge of the opening defined within the countertop.

5. The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 4 , wherein the range bracket includes an elongated member that is configured to be supported by more than one of the plurality of counter brackets.

6. The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic top member is a glass cooktop.

7. An opening-mounted range support assembly—comprising:
a range having a range housing and a ceramic cooktop member, the ceramic cooktop member having a beveled edge and a bottom face, wherein the bottom face at the beveled edge extends beyond an outer perimeter of the range housing;
a base flange configured to extend from an inner edge of an opening defined within a countertop, wherein the bottom face of the ceramic cooktop member extends beyond the base flange and is configured to extend beyond the inner edge of the opening;
a top flange extending outward from the outer perimeter of the range housing, wherein the top flange is supported by the base flange such that the bottom face of the ceramic cooktop member at the beveled edge is configured to rest upon an upper face of the countertop and the beveled edge of the ceramic cooktop member is minimally supported by the upper face of the countertop;
an adjusting sleeve disposed within the base flange and defining a threaded interior; and
a threaded pin cooperatively and rotationally engaged with the threaded interior, wherein rotation of the threaded pin within the threaded interior simultaneously operates the threaded pin vertically with respect to the adjusting sleeve and the base flange, wherein the top flange rests upon an upper portion of the threaded pin, and wherein the rotation of the threaded pin within the adjusting sleeve vertically adjusts a position of the range housing relative to the base flange and the countertop.

8. The opening-mounted range support of claim 7 , wherein the base flange includes a support opening configured to receive the adjusting sleeve, and wherein the adjusting sleeve includes a perimetrical flange that rests upon the base flange proximate the support opening.

9. The opening-mounted range support of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting sleeve includes a tapered outer surface, wherein the tapered outer surface secures the adjusting sleeve within the support opening such that the adjusting sleeve is free of rotation within the support opening.

10. The opening-mounted range support of claim 9 , wherein the tapered outer surface defines a plurality of fluted portions that are configured to rotationally secure the adjusting sleeve within the support opening of the base flange.

11. The opening-mounted range support of claim 8 , wherein the base flange is connected to an attachment flange that extends substantially perpendicular from the base flange, wherein the attachment flange is connected to the inner edge of the opening defined within the countertop.

12. The opening-mounted range support of claim 7 , further comprising:
a plurality of base flanges that are configured to extend from the inner edge of the opening defined within the countertop.

13. The opening-mounted range support of claim 12 , wherein the top flange is an elongated member that is supported by more than one of the plurality of base flanges.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Iurk Carlos Eduardo
• De Alcantara Filho Guilherme Moreira
• Mascarello Ledimara

Classifications

• H05B6/1209

  induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them · CPC title

• F24C15/108 Primary

  Mounting of hot plate on worktop · CPC title

• H05B3/74

  Non-metallic plates {, e.g. vitroceramic, ceramic or glassceramic hobs, also including power or control circuits} · CPC title