Oven cavity connector for operating power accessory trays for cooking appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10837651-B2
Application number	US-201514863990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2015
Priority date	Sep 24, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes sidewalls and a rear wall defining a heating cavity. At least one heat source is in thermal communication with the heating cavity. An oven cavity connector is disposed within an interior surface of the heating cavity. The oven cavity connector is in communication with the heating cavity. A first tray sliding structure is disposed proximate opposing vertical sidewalls of the heating cavity. A second tray sliding structure is disposed proximate the opposing vertical sidewalls and is vertically offset relative to the first tray sliding structure. A powered accessory tray has a connecting plug, the powered accessory tray being alternatively and selectively engaged with one of the first and second sliding tray structures, and the connecting plug is in selective communication with oven cavity connector when the powered accessory tray is engaged with any one of the first and second tray sliding structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking appliance comprising:
a plurality of sidewalls and an operable door, the plurality of sidewalls defining an interior surface of a heating cavity;
at least one heat source disposed in thermal communication with the heating cavity;
an oven cavity connector positioned within at least one wall of the plurality of sidewalls, wherein the oven cavity connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts disposed within a connector interior, the connector interior being in communication with the heating cavity; and
at least one rotationally operable door that defines an exterior surface and selectively encloses the connector interior when the at least one rotationally operable door is in an idle state, wherein the at least one rotationally operable door includes a rotational axis that is parallel with the at least one wall of the plurality of sidewalls having the oven cavity connector, wherein a majority of the exterior surface of the at least one rotationally operable door in the idle state is exposed to the heating cavity, the at least one rotationally operable door being biased toward the idle state by a biasing mechanism, and wherein the at least one rotationally operable door is adapted to be biased into the connector interior and toward an engaged state when a connecting plug of a powered accessory tray is engaged with the oven cavity connector, wherein the engaged state is defined by the at least one rotationally operable door being within the connector interior.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rotationally operable door includes a pair of opposing operable doors, and wherein each of the at least one rotationally operable doors is made of a thermally insulative material, wherein the pair of opposing operable doors in the idle state limits thermal transfer between the heating cavity and the connector interior.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
an accessory detection mechanism disposed within the oven cavity connector, wherein the accessory detection mechanism selectively engages an identifier portion disposed on a connecting plug of a corresponding powered accessory tray of a plurality of powered accessory trays, wherein engagement of the connecting plug with the oven cavity connector places the accessory detection mechanism in communication with the identifier portion to transfer indicative data of the corresponding powered accessory tray from the identifier portion to the accessory detection mechanism, and wherein the indicative data of the corresponding powered accessory tray sets predetermined operational parameters of the at least one heat source.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 3 , wherein a control unit of the cooking appliance is in communication with the oven cavity connector and a user interface of the cooking appliance, wherein when the powered accessory tray is in communication with the oven cavity connector, the control unit places the user interface of the cooking appliance in signal communication with the powered accessory tray.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of tray sliding structures vertically positioned within opposing vertical sidewalls of the plurality of sidewalls, the plurality of tray sliding structures positioned adjacent to the oven cavity connector; and
at least one powered accessory tray having a connecting plug, the at least one powered accessory tray being alternatively and selectively engaged with one of the plurality of tray sliding structures, wherein the connecting plug is in selective communication with the oven cavity connector when the powered accessory tray is engaged with any one of the plurality of tray sliding structures.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 5 , wherein the powered accessory tray includes a base pan and a resistive heating element, wherein when the base pan is in selective communication with any one of the plurality of tray sliding structures, the resistive heating element is in selective communication with the oven cavity connector.

7. The cooking appliance of claim 6 , wherein the powered accessory tray includes an accessory heating region positioned above the resistive heating element and within the heating cavity, and wherein the heating cavity includes a heating region disposed adjacent to the at least one heat source.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the powered accessory tray includes a fluid pan for selectively holding fluid within the heating cavity, and wherein the fluid pan is positioned within the heating region such that the heating region defines at least one steaming zone.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Bruin-Slot Zachary J
• Gregory Christopher A
• Mcgee Darrin H
• Reyes Rafael G
• Wier Nathan C

Classifications

• A47J37/0641 Primary

  with forced air circulation, e.g. air fryers · CPC title

• H01R13/4536

  Inwardly pivoting shutter · CPC title

• F24C15/16 Primary

  Shelves, racks or trays inside ovens; Supports therefor · CPC title

• F24C15/164

  Rotisserie spits inside ovens · CPC title

• F24C15/166

  with integrated heating means · CPC title