Cooking exhaust systems having one or more airflow features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10945356-B2
Application number	US-201816000929-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2018
Priority date	Jun 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

Cooking exhaust systems for use with a cooktop appliance are provided herein. An exhaust system may include a casing, an image monitor, and an air handler. The casing may define an air inlet and an air outlet above the cooktop appliance. The image monitor may be supported on the casing. The air handler may be mounted within the casing in fluid communication between the air inlet and the air outlet to motivate an airflow therethrough. The air outlet may define an airflow curtain path extending outward from the casing in front of the image monitor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for motivating air adjacent to a cooktop appliance comprising a cooktop surface, the system defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the system comprising:
a casing defining an air inlet and an air outlet above the cooktop appliance;
an image monitor having an imaging surface on which an image is selectively displayed, the image monitor being supported on the casing above the air outlet; and
an air handler mounted within the casing in fluid communication between the air inlet and the air outlet to motivate an airflow therethrough,
wherein the air outlet defines an airflow curtain path for air exiting the casing, the airflow curtain path extending outward from the casing and forward along the transverse direction in front of the image monitor, and
wherein the air inlet is defined through the casing above the air outlet, the air inlet being defined at a location behind the image monitor relative to the transverse direction.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the air outlet is a first air outlet, wherein the casing further defines a second air outlet above the first air outlet, and wherein the second air outlet defines a coolant airflow path along the imaging surface.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second air outlet is defined above the imaging surface.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a bezel panel extending about a perimeter of the imaging surface at a position forward therefrom, wherein the second air outlet is defined forward from the bezel panel.

5. The system of claim 3 , further comprising a bezel panel extending about a perimeter of the imaging surface at a position forward therefrom, wherein the second air outlet is defined between the bezel panel and the imaging surface.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the air handler is positioned upstream from the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the air handler is a first air handler upstream from the first air outlet, and wherein the system further comprises a second air handler upstream from the second air outlet in fluid parallel to the first air handler.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the casing extends in the vertical direction from a top end of the casing to a bottom end of the casing, and wherein the air inlet is defined through the casing proximal to the top end of the casing.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the casing extends in the transverse direction between a front end of the casing and a rear end of the casing, and wherein the casing defines an air passage extending along the vertical direction from the air inlet between the front end of the casing and the rear end of the casing.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the casing extends in the vertical direction from a top end of the casing to a bottom end of the casing, wherein the air handler is positioned within an air passage extending between the air inlet and the air outlet, wherein the casing further defines an exhaust passage extending in fluid isolation from the air passage from an exhaust inlet proximal to the bottom end and an exhaust outlet proximal to the top end of the casing.

11. A system for motivating air adjacent to a cooktop appliance comprising a cooktop surface, the system defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the system comprising:
a casing defining an air inlet, a first air outlet, and a second air outlet above the cooktop appliance, the second air outlet being above the first air outlet;
an image monitor supported on the casing above the first air outlet, the image monitor comprising an imaging surface on which an image is selectively displayed; and
an air handler mounted within the casing in fluid communication between the air inlet and the first air outlet to motivate an airflow therethrough,
wherein the first air outlet defines an airflow curtain path for air exiting the casing, the airflow curtain path extending outward from the casing and forward along the transverse direction in front of the image monitor,
wherein the second air outlet defines a coolant airflow path extending from a position above the imaging surface and therealong,
wherein the air inlet is defined through the casing above the air outlet, the air inlet being defined at a location behind the image monitor relative to the transverse direction, and
wherein the air handler is positioned upstream from the first air outlet and the second air outlet.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the air inlet is defined through the casing behind the image monitor relative to the transverse direction.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a bezel panel extending about a perimeter of the imaging surface at a position forward therefrom, wherein the second air outlet is defined forward from the bezel panel.

14. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a bezel panel extending about a perimeter of the imaging surface at a position forward therefrom, wherein the second air outlet is defined between the bezel panel and the imaging surface.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the casing extends in the vertical direction from a top end of the casing to a bottom end of the casing, and wherein the air inlet is defined through the casing proximal to the top end of the casing.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the casing extends in the transverse direction between a front end of the casing and a rear end of the casing, and wherein the casing defines an air passage extending along the vertical direction from the air inlet between the front end of the casing and the rear end of the casing.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the casing extends in the vertical direction from a top end of the casing to a bottom end of the casing, wherein the air handler is positioned within an air passage extending between the air inlet and the air outlet, wherein the casing further defines an exhaust passage extending in fluid isolation from the air passage from an exhaust inlet proximal to the bottom end of the casing and an exhaust outlet proximal to the top end of the casing.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Armstrong James Lee
• Funk Michael A
• Froelicher Stephen Bernard

Classifications

• A47J36/38 Primary

  for withdrawing or condensing cooking vapors from cooking utensils · CPC title

• G02F1/133385

  with cooling means, e.g. fans · CPC title

• F24C15/2042

  Devices for removing cooking fumes structurally associated with a cooking range e.g. downdraft (F24C15/2007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02F2201/36

  Airflow channels, e.g. constructional arrangements facilitating the flow of air · CPC title

• F24C15/2021

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety systems · CPC title