Oven door lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016161128-A1
Application number	US-201615043050-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2008
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Lighting for an oven door includes a light source and a design that is selectively illuminated by the light source. The light source is located in the oven door, and the design is etched in an oven door window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An oven comprising:
a housing defining a cavity, the cavity including at least one heating element configured to heat items placed in the cavity; a door pivotably coupled to the housing; a front panel defining a viewing window supported by the door; a design etched in the window; and a light bar operably coupled with and extending across a lower portion of the door, the light bar being configured to pass through a masking of the front panel and into the viewing window to illuminate the design.

2 . The oven of claim 1 , wherein the light bar includes a plurality of distinct light sources.

3 . The oven of claim 1 , further comprising:
a primary contact sensitive oven door light switch supported by the housing and configured to selectively activate the light bar.

4 . The oven of claim 1 , further comprising:
a photosensitive sensor that activates the light bar when lighting around the oven is low.

5 . The oven of claim 1 , further comprising:
a secondary contact sensitive oven door light switch supported by the housing and configured to selectively activate a lighting device that illuminates an interior of the oven.

6 . The oven of claim 1 , wherein the light bar does not illuminate non-etched areas of the viewing window.

7 . The oven of claim 1 , wherein the door includes a bottom side and the light bar extends across the bottom side.

8 . The oven of claim 6 , wherein the light bar includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

9 . An oven door comprising:
a panel; a window supported by the panel, the window including an etched portion and a non-etched portion; a heat-resistant material positioned between the window and the panel to insulate the window from heat; and a light source operably coupled with an edge of the window and selectively activatable to illuminate only the etched portion of the window.

10 . The oven door of claim 9 , wherein the light source is mounted underneath a bottom edge of the window.

11 . The oven door of claim 9 , wherein the light source is configured to emit light in one or more colors.

12 . The oven door of claim 9 , wherein the panel includes a masking, and wherein the masking covers more of the panel than the window.

13 . The oven door of claim 9 , further comprising:
a photosensitive sensor that activates the light source when lighting around the oven is low.

14 . The oven door of claim 9 , further comprising:
a switch supported by a housing and configured to selectively activate a second light source that illuminates an interior of the oven.

15 . The oven door of claim 9 , wherein the light source includes a light bar with a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

16 . An oven comprising:
a housing defining a cavity, the cavity including at least one heating element configured to heat items placed in the cavity; a door pivotably coupled to the housing; a front panel defining a viewing window supported by the door; a design etched in the window; a light bar operably coupled with and extending across a lower portion of the door, the light bar being configured to pass through a masking of the front panel and into the viewing window to illuminate the design, and wherein the light bar is concealed within the door of the oven; and a switch supported by the housing and configured to selectively activate a light source that illuminates an interior of the oven.

17 . The oven of claim 16 , wherein the light bar does not illuminate non-etched areas of the viewing window.

18 . The oven of claim 16 , wherein the light bar includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes.

19 . The oven of claim 16 , further comprising:
a contact sensitive oven door light switch supported by the housing and configured to selectively activate the light bar.

20 . The oven of claim 16 , further comprising:
a photosensitive sensor that activates the light bar when lighting around the oven is low.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Hargrave David C
• Trowbridge Allan G

Classifications

• F24C15/02

  Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges · CPC title

• F24C15/008 Primary

  Illumination for oven cavities · CPC title

• F24C15/04

  with transparent panels · CPC title

• G09F23/0058

  on electrical household appliances, e.g. on a dishwasher, a washing machine or a refrigerator · CPC title

• G09F13/049

  Edge illuminated signs, boards or panels · CPC title