Control console assembly for a cooking appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801732-B2
Application number	US-201916284019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2019
Priority date	Feb 25, 2019
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A control console for an appliance such as a cooking range and a method of assembling. The control console can include a front glass panel that is full-width so as to overlay or cover metal portions of the console as viewed from the front of the appliance. A frame may include one or more brackets having a movable paddle that can be used with an adhesive to facilitate manufacturing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking appliance having a front, back, and opposing sides, the cooking appliance comprising:
a top panel having a plurality of heating elements, each heating element configured for use in cooking one or more food items;
a plurality of heating element control units, each heating element control unit configured for controlling at least one of the heating elements;
a control console positioned adjacent to the top panel, the control console comprising:
a pair of opposing end caps:
an upper rail and a lower rail connected to the end caps and extending horizontally between the end caps;
a bracket connected to, and extending between, the upper rail and the lower rail, wherein the bracket includes a plurality of bracket openings, each opening configured for receipt of one of the heating element control units, wherein the bracket includes a main body and a movable paddle, the main body defining an aperture into which the movable paddle is positioned, the movable paddle attached to the main body by a connector the allows the movable paddle to move relative to the main body so as provide a recess; and
a glass panel secured by a first adhesive to the movable paddle and by a second adhesive to the upper rail and the lower rail, the first adhesive received into the recess and onto the movable paddle, the glass panel having a top edge overlaying the upper rail, a bottom edge overlaying the lower rail, and opposing side edges overlaying the end caps, the glass panel having a plurality of glass panel openings aligned with the bracket openings and receiving a portion of the heating element control units.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the control console comprise a pair of the brackets.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first adhesive comprises a double sided tape having adhesive on each side.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 3 , wherein the second adhesive comprises glue received between the glass panel and the bracket.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of heating elements comprise a plurality of gas burners.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the upper rail and the lower rail each define a ledge for receipt of the second adhesive.

7. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is interlocked with the upper rail and the lower rail.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of cuffs, each cuff positioned at one of the bracket openings and through one of the glass panel openings.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 8 , wherein each cuff comprises a pin that extends through the bracket.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the upper rail, lower rail, and end caps each comprises aluminum.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the upper rail and lower rail comprise an extruded aluminum and wherein the end caps comprise a die cast aluminum.

12. A method of assembling a control console of a cooking appliance, the method comprising:
attaching an upper rail and a lower rail to a pair of opposing end caps such that the upper rail and lower rail extend between the pair of opposing end caps;
connecting a pair of brackets to the upper rail and the lower rail such that the brackets extend between the upper rail and lower rail, wherein each bracket has a main body defining a movable paddle positioned at an aperture defined by the main body, the movable paddle attached to the main body by a connector, the main body also defining a plurality of bracket openings;
applying a first adhesive to the movable paddle;
applying a second adhesive to the upper rail and the lower rail; and
pressing a glass panel together with the upper rail and the lower rail and into contact with the first adhesive and the second adhesive, wherein the pressing causes the movable paddle to move relative to the main body.

13. The method of assembling as in claim 10 , wherein each bracket has a front side and a back side, and further comprising bending the movable paddle of each bracket away from the aperture and along the front side before the pressing.

14. The method of assembling as in claim 10 , wherein the pressing causes the connector of each bracket to bend so that the movable paddle can pivot towards the main body and form a recess for receipt of the first adhesive.

15. The method of assembling as in claim 10 , wherein the glass panel comprises a plurality of glass panel openings, the method further comprising aligning the plurality of glass panel openings with the plurality of bracket openings.

16. The method of assembling as in claim 15 , wherein the appliance comprises a plurality of heating element control units, the method further comprising extending a portion of the heating control elements through the bracket openings and the glass panel openings.

17. The method of assembling as in claim 12 , wherein the pressing creates a recess for the receipt of the first adhesive between the movable body and the glass panel.

18. The method of assembling as in claim 12 , wherein the control console has a front and a back, wherein the pressing comprises positioning the glass panel so that the upper rail, the lower rail, and the pair of opposing end caps are covered by the glass panel as viewed from the front of the control console.

19. The method of assembling as in claim 12 , wherein the first adhesive comprises a double-sided tape having an adhesive on both sides of the double-sided tape.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Kozinski Kyle Andrew
• Moore Daniel Ian

Classifications

• F24C3/124 Primary

  Control panels · CPC title

• F24C15/12

  Side rests; Side plates; Cover lids; Splash guards; Racks outside ovens, e.g. for drying plates · CPC title

• F24C3/126

  on ranges · CPC title

• F24C7/086

  touch control · CPC title

• F24C5/16

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices · CPC title