Cooking appliance with cavity connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512856-B2
Application number	US-201916690947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2019
Priority date	Dec 30, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A cooking appliance includes a heating cavity with a heat source. A cavity connector is disposed within the heating cavity and a rack is slidably coupled with a sliding structure disposed within the heating cavity. A powered accessory has a connecting plug and is engageable with the rack. The connecting plug is configured to be in selective communication with the cavity connector. A first locating assembly is configured to locate and engage the powered accessory with the rack and is coupled to the powered accessory. A second locating assembly is disposed between the sliding structure and a pair of opposing sidewalk of the heating cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking appliance comprising:
a heating cavity including a heat source;
a cavity connector disposed within the heating cavity;
a rack slidably coupled with a sliding structure disposed within the heating cavity;
a powered accessory having a connecting plug, wherein the powered accessory is engageable with the rack and the connecting plug is configured to be in selective communication with the cavity connector, and wherein the powered accessory includes a base pan and a resistive heating element;
a first locating assembly configured to locate and engage the powered accessory with the rack, wherein the first locating assembly is coupled to the powered accessory and includes an attachment hole and an alignment groove and wherein the base pan is slid forward until a pin of the powered accessory engages the attachment hole; and
a second locating assembly disposed between the sliding structure and a pair of opposing sidewalls of the heating cavity.

2. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cavity connector is disposed in a rear wall of the heating cavity.

3. The cooking appliance of claim 2 , further comprising:
a third locating assembly that extends from the rack and contacts the rear wall of the heating cavity.

4. The cooking appliance of claim 3 , wherein the third locating assembly is centrally disposed within a rear portion of the rack and protrudes above an outer frame and rearwardly of the outer frame.

5. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first locating assembly includes a pair of attachment members that define one or more attachment holes encompassed by a tapered surface.

6. The cooking appliance of claim 1 , wherein when the base pan is in selective engagement with the rack, the resistive heating element is in selective communication with the cavity connector.

7. A cooking appliance comprising:
a heat source in thermal communication with a heating cavity;
a cavity connector disposed within an interior surface of the heating cavity, the cavity connector being in communication with the heating cavity;
a rack defined by a plurality of wires coupled to a frame;
a powered accessory having a connecting plug, wherein the powered accessory is engageable with the rack and the connecting plug is configured to be in selective communication with the cavity connector;
a first locating assembly configured to locate the powered accessory on the rack, wherein the first locating assembly includes a first base structure disposed on a bottom portion of a base pan, the first base structure defining a groove therein and a second base structure disposed on the bottom portion of the base pan separated from the first base structure and extending between two adjacent wires of the plurality of wires of the rack;
a sliding structure coupled to the rack and disposed proximate opposing vertical sidewalls of a pair of sidewalls of the heating cavity;
a second locating assembly disposed between the sliding structure and the opposing vertical sidewalls; and
a third locating assembly disposed on a rear portion of the rack and a rear wall of the heating cavity.

8. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein a control unit of said cooking appliance is in communication with the cavity connector and a user interface of said cooking appliance and the control unit places the user interface of said cooking appliance in signal communication with the powered accessory.

9. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the powered accessory includes a plurality of pins and the first locating assembly includes a slot configured to receive the plurality of pins.

10. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the groove defined by the first base structure partially encompasses the plurality of wires of the rack and includes at least one locking edge.

11. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the first base structure includes a first chamfered surface disposed outwardly of the groove.

12. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the first locating assembly is configured as a pair of pins disposed on the bottom portion of the base pan that is disposed within apertures defined by an attachment member on the rack.

13. The cooking appliance of claim 7 , wherein the first locating assembly includes a pair of attachment members that define one or more attachment holes encompassed by a tapered surface.

14. An appliance comprising:
a base pan configured to be selectively engaged with a rack within a cavity of said appliance;
a first base structure disposed on a bottom portion of the base pan, the first base structure defining a groove therein;
a second base structure disposed on the bottom portion of the base pan and separated from the first base structure;
a connecting plug in communication with said appliance, wherein selective engagement of the connecting plug with a cavity connector disposed within the cavity of said appliance places a powered accessory in communication with said appliance;
a locating assembly disposed between a sliding structure and a wall of the heating cavity, the locating assembly including a resilient component that is configured to horizontally align the rack within the heating cavity; and
a plurality of feet coupled to the base pan and defining the groove, wherein the groove engages laterally extending surface wires of the rack.

15. The appliance of claim 14 , wherein the sliding structure is coupled to the rack and is configured to move the rack into and from the heating cavity.

16. The appliance of claim 14 , wherein the locating assembly extends from a rear portion of the rack to assist in preventing over insertion of the connection plug within the connector.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Bruin-Slot Zachary J
• Donarski Robert Scott
• Mcgee Darrin H

Classifications

• F24C15/18

  Arrangement of compartments additional to cooking compartments, e.g. for warming or for storing utensils or fuel containers; Arrangement of additional heating or cooking apparatus, e.g. grills · CPC title

• F24C15/166 Primary

  with integrated heating means · CPC title

• F24C1/04

  simultaneously · CPC title