Interior mounted cooktop bracket for concealed and surface mounted installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016169532-A1
Application number	US-201414565771-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An inside-mount countertop-range support for a flush-mount countertop range includes a counter bracket configured to be engaged to an inner edge of an opening defined within a countertop with a top surface. A base flange extends from the counter bracket and into the opening. The inside-mount countertop-range support includes a range having a housing and top member above the housing that extends over the opening and includes a bottom surface, wherein the housing is configured to be disposed within the opening. A range bracket is configured to be coupled to the housing and includes a top flange that is configured to be supported by the base flange, wherein when the top flange rests upon the base flange, the bottom surface of the top member engages and is flush with the top surface of the countertop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inside-mount countertop-range support for a flush-mount countertop range, the inside-mount countertop-range support comprising:
a counter bracket configured to be engaged to an inner edge of an opening defined within a countertop, the countertop having a top surface, wherein a base flange extends from the counter bracket and into the opening; a range having a housing and top member above the housing that extends over the opening and includes a bottom surface, wherein the housing is disposed within the opening; and a range bracket configured to be coupled to the housing and including a top flange that is received by and supported by the base flange, wherein when the top flange rests upon the base flange, the bottom surface of the top member engages and is flush with the top surface of the countertop.

2 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 1 , further comprising:
an adjustment member disposed within the base flange, the adjustment member configured to adjust a height of the top flange relative to the base flange, such that the top member is flush with and minimally supported by the top surface of the countertop.

3 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 2 , wherein the adjustment member includes an adjusting sleeve having a perimetrical flange, wherein the sleeve extends through a support opening defined within the base flange and the perimetrical flange rests upon an upper surface of the base flange around the support opening.

4 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 3 , wherein the adjustment member includes a threaded pin that cooperates with a threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve, and wherein the threaded pin rotates within the threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve to vertically operate the threaded pin relative to the adjusting sleeve and the base flange, wherein the top flange is vertically supported from below by a top portion of the threaded pin.

5 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 4 , wherein the threaded pin includes an adjustment slot defined within a bottom portion of the threaded pin, wherein the adjustment slot is accessible through the threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve to rotate the threaded pin within the threaded interior of the adjusting sleeve to vertically operate the threaded pin relative to the base flange.

6 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of counter brackets are coupled to the inner edge of the opening defined within the countertop.

7 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 6 , wherein the range bracket includes an elongated top flange that is configured to be supported by more than one of the plurality of counter brackets.

8 . The inside-mount countertop-range support of claim 1 , wherein the top member is a ceramic cooktop.

9 . An opening-mounted range support for a flush-mount countertop range, the opening-mounted range support comprising:
a range having a range housing and a cooktop member, the cooktop member having a bottom face that extends beyond an outer perimeter of the range housing; a base flange extending from an inner edge of an opening defined within a countertop, wherein the bottom face of the cooktop member extends beyond the inner edge of the opening, and wherein the countertop includes an upper face; and a top flange extending outward from the perimeter of the range housing, wherein the top flange is supported by the base flange such that the bottom face of the cooktop member is flush with the upper face of the countertop and the cooktop member is minimally supported by the upper face of the countertop.

10 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 9 , further comprising:
an adjusting sleeve disposed within the base flange and defining a threaded interior; and a threaded pin cooperatively and rotationally engaged with the threaded interior, wherein rotation of the threaded pin within the threaded interior simultaneously operates the threaded pin vertically with respect to the adjusting sleeve and the base flange, wherein the top flange rests upon an upper portion of the threaded pin, and wherein the rotation of the threaded pin within the adjusting sleeve vertically operates the range housing relative to the base flange and the countertop.

11 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 10 , wherein the base flange includes a support opening configured to receive the adjusting sleeve, and wherein the adjusting sleeve includes a perimetrical flange that rests upon the base flange proximate the support opening.

12 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 11 , wherein the adjusting sleeve includes a tapered outer surface, wherein the tapered outer surface secures the adjusting sleeve within the support opening such that the adjusting sleeve is free of rotation within the support opening.

13 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 12 , wherein the tapered outer surface defines a plurality of fluted portions that are configured to rotationally secure the adjusting sleeve within the support opening of the base flange.

14 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 11 , wherein the base flange is connected to an attachment flange that extends substantially perpendicular from the base flange, wherein the attachment flange is connected to the inner edge of the opening defined within the countertop.

15 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 9 , wherein a plurality of base flanges extend from the inner edge of the opening defined within the countertop.

16 . The opening-mounted range support of claim 15 , wherein the top flange is an elongated top flange member that is supported by more than one of the plurality of base flanges.

17 . A method for installing a flush-mount countertop range into a countertop using an inside-mount countertop-range support, the method comprising the steps of:
disposing a plurality of counter brackets onto an inner edge of an opening defined within the countertop, wherein the countertop includes a top surface, and wherein each of the plurality of counter brackets is installed such that a corresponding base flange extends from the counter bracket and into the opening; providing an adjustment member within each base flange of the plurality of countertop brackets, wherein each adjustment member includes a threaded pin that rotates within the base flange and vertically operates the threaded pin relative to the base flange as the threaded pin is rotated within the base flange; providing a range having a housing and top member above the housing, wherein the top member is sized to extend over the entire opening defined within the countertop, and wherein the top member includes a bottom surface; attaching at least one range bracket to the housing, the at least one range bracket including a top flange that extends outward from the housing toward an edge of the top member; disposing the range and the at least one range bracket into the opening defined within the countertop such that the top flange of the at least one range bracket rests upon a top portion of each threaded pin of the plurality of counter brackets, wherein rotation of each threaded pin vertically operates the top flange and the range relative to the base flange and the countertop; and adjusting each threaded pin to vertically operate the range such that the bottom surface of the top member of the range engages and is flush with the top surface of the countertop, and wherein the top member is minimally supported by the top surface of the countertop.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Iurk Carlos Eduardo
• De Alcantara Filho Guilherme Moreira
• Mascarello Ledimara

Classifications

• H05B3/74

  Non-metallic plates {, e.g. vitroceramic, ceramic or glassceramic hobs, also including power or control circuits} · CPC title

• F24C15/103

  being movable or rotatable · CPC title

• F24C15/108 Primary

  Mounting of hot plate on worktop · CPC title

• B23P19/04

  for assembling or disassembling parts · CPC title

• H05B6/1209

  induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them · CPC title