Range hood installation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10539329-B2
Application number	US-201615159571-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Jan 21, 2020
Grant date	Jan 21, 2020

Abstract

A mounting bracket mountable to the underside of the cabinet prior to the range hood and configured to engage and support the range hood as the range hood is secured to the cabinet. The mounting bracket having a support feature engagable to the range hood to hold the range hood proximate the cabinet while fasteners are sunk to secure the range hood to the cabinet. The mounting brackets are pre-positioned on the cabinet such that range hood is aligned with the cabinet when the range hood is supported by the support feature. The smaller mounting brackets can be more easily mounted in the proper position on the cabinet then the larger range hood speeding the installation process and reducing errors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A range hood mountable to an underside mounting surface of a cabinet, comprising:
a base section defining a thickness and having an upper surface and defining at least one support opening on the upper surface; and
a mounting plate mountable to the cabinet at the underside mounting surface and including a base portion defining a thickness and having at least one support feature configured to be inserted through the corresponding support opening to engage the upper surface of the base section to hold the base section proximate to the cabinet before being secured thereto by at least one fastener;
wherein the support feature comprises a tongue formed from material of the base portion and displaced from the base portion to define a void in the base portion, the tongue having a proximal end extending from the base portion and a distal end displaced from the base portion a distance greater than the thickness of the base section of the range hood;
wherein the tongue extends away from the base section at the tongue proximal end to a crest, the tongue extending from the crest to a trough and then from the trough to the distal end of the tongue.

2. The range hood of claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the mounting plate defines at least one hood opening configured to receive a fastener inserted through a mounting feature of the base section to operably couple the range hood to the mounting plate;
wherein the support feature couples the range hood to the mounting plate as the fastener is inserted through the range hood and the base portion.

3. The range hood of claim 2 , wherein the at least one hood opening guides the fastener inserted through the mounting feature to the underside mount surface such that the fastener is configured to be sunk into the underside mounting surface to couple the range hood to the cabinet.

4. The range hood of claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the mounting plate defines at least one positioning opening for receiving a fastener configured to be sunk into the underside mounting surface of the cabinet to couple the mounting plate to the cabinet.

5. The range hood of claim 1 , wherein the base portion of the mounting plate, further includes:
at least one trim tab extending transversely from the base portion and configured to contact a frame portion encircling the underside mounting surface of the cabinet for aligning the base section with the underside mounting surface.

6. The range hood of claim 5 , wherein each trim tab defines at least one positioning opening for receiving a fastener configured to be sunk into the frame portion such that the base portion is oriented parallel to the underside mounting surface of the cabinet and the upper surface of the base section.

7. The range hood of claim 6 , wherein the at least one trim tab is mounted on the frame such that the base portion is flush with an edge of the frame portion.

8. A mounting plate for mounting a range hood to an underside mounting surface of a cabinet, comprising:
a plate base portion defining a thickness and having at least one support feature;
wherein the at least one support feature is configured to be inserted through a support opening defined in an upper surface of the range hood to support the upper surface at a position proximate to the cabinet before being secured thereto by at least one fastener;
wherein the support feature comprises a tongue formed from material of the base portion and displaced from the base portion to define a void in the base portion, the tongue having a proximal end extending from the base portion and a distal end displaced from the base portion a distance greater than a thickness of the range hood upper surface;
wherein the tongue extends away from the base section at the tongue proximal end to a crest, the tongue extending from the crest to a trough and then from the trough to the distal end of the tongue.

9. The mounting plate of claim 8 , wherein the base portion further comprises:
at least one range hood opening configured to receive a fastener inserted through a mounting feature in the upper surface of the range hood to operably couple the range hood to the mounting plate;
wherein the support feature couples the range hood to the mounting plate as the fastener is inserted through the range hood and the base portion.

10. The mounting plate of claim 9 , wherein the at least one hood opening guides the fastener inserted through the mounting feature to the underside mount surface such that the fastener configured to be sunk into the underside mounting surface to couple the range hood to the cabinet.

11. The mounting plate of claim 9 , wherein the base portion defines at least one positioning opening for receiving a fastener configured to be sunk into the underside mounting surface of the cabinet to couple the mounting plate to the cabinet.

12. The mounting plate of claim 9 , wherein the base portion further comprises:
at least one trim tab extending transversely from the base portion and configured to contact a frame portion encircling the underside mounting surface of the cabinet for aligning the range hood with the underside mounting surface.

13. The mounting plate of claim 12 , wherein each trim tab defines at least one positioning opening for receiving a fastener configured to be sunk into the frame portion such that the base portion is oriented parallel to the underside mounting surface of the cabinet and the upper surface of the range hood.

14. The mounting plate of claim 13 , wherein the at least one trim tab is mounted on the frame such that the base portion is flush with an edge of the frame portion.

15. A method of mounting a range hood to an underside mounting surface of a cabinet, comprising:
coupling a base portion of a mounting plate to the cabinet at the underside mounting surface, wherein the base portion includes at least one support feature;
engaging the support feature to a support opening in an upper surface of the range hood such that the mounting plate supports the range hood and positions the range hood proximate the underside mounting surface, wherein the support feature comprises a tongue formed from material of the base portion displaced from the base portion to define a void in the base portion, the tongue having a proximal end extending from the base portion and a distal end displaced from the base portion a distance greater than the thickness of the base section of the range hood and the tongue extends away from the base section at the tongue proximal end to a crest, the tongue extending from the crest to a trough and then from the trough to the distal end of the tongue; and
inserting a fastener through a mounting feature in the upper surface of the range hood and through a hood opening in the base portion to couple the range hood to the mounting plate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the hood opening guides the fastener inserted through the mounting feature to the underside mount surface such that the fastener configured to be sunk into the underside mounting surface to couple the range hood to the cabinet.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein coupling the base portion to the cabinet includes inserting a second fastener through at least one positioning opening defined in the base portion of the mounting plate;
wherein the base portion is coupled to the underside mounting surface of the cabinet.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein coupling the base portion to the cabinet includes inserting a second fastener through at least one positioning opening defined in a trim tab exte

Assignees

• Broan Nu Tone Llc

Inventors

• Gauthier Benoit
• Sinur Richard R
• Wellnitz Brian R
• Houde Jonathan
• Cossette Rémi
• Morin Yannick
• Kurth Mark
• Muller Peter
• Payne Timothy
• Wylen David
• Anthony Phil
• Eiger Aaron
• Rote Scott

Classifications

• F24C15/2071 Primary

  mounting of cooking hood · CPC title

• F24C15/2028 Primary

  using an air curtain · CPC title