Airflow cooling system for heat-cleaning ranges

Claim 2

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, air sealed cooktop means forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and support means for said heating element, said support means received below said cooktop means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said cooktop, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passagedisposed generally between said heating element support means and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including top and side door frame members at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooktop having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, power driven exhaust fan means disposed within said duct lower intake opening, air inlet means in said door top frame member placing said air flow passage in communication with the atmosphere, said inlet means being provided with valve means resiliently biased closed when said door is opened, and means associated with said valve means engageable by said door upon shutting same to maintain said inlet means open, whereby upon ititiation of the oven heat-cleaning operation the fan means is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said inlet means into said flow passage for exhausting the air to the atmosphere through said duct and said splash panel exhaust vent means.

Claim 3

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, sealed cooktop plate means forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrIcal heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below said cooktop plate means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passage disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top and side frame means at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including a generally vertical wall section having an inwardly deformed flange defining, with the top edge of said closed door, an outer gap; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said gap defining flange deformed upwardly to provide an inner recess of appreciable depth so as to receive a horizontally disposed inner ported valve plate in said recess, said valve plate ports being provided with a hinged valve which is spring biased closed when said door is opened, means associated with said valve engageable by said door upon shutting same to maintain said ports open, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said outer gap, said inner recess, and said ports into said flow passage for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and said hinged valve automatically closing said ports in response to opening said door to prevent the movement of cooking vapors from the oven cavity through said ports and into said flow passage.

Claim 4

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, sealed cooktop plate means forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrIcal heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below said cooktop plate means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passage disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top and side frame means at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including a generally vertical wall section having an inwardly deformed flange defining, with the top edge of said closed door, an outer gap; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said gap defining flange deformed upwardly to provide an inner recess of appreciable depth so as to receive a horizontally disposed inner ported valve plate in said recess, said valve plate ports being provided with a hinged valve which is spring biased closed when said door is opened, means associated with said valve engageable by said door upon shutting same to maintain said ports open, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said outer gap, said inner recess, and said ports into said flow passage for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and said hinged valve automatically closing said ports in response to opening said door to prevent the movement of cooking vapors from the oven cavity through said ports and into said flow passage.

Claim 5

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, a sealed continuous glass-ceramic plate forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below glass-ceramic plate, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow chamber disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top frame means and side frame members at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including a generally vertical wall section having an inwardly deformed flange defining, with the top edge of said closed door, an outer gap; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow chamber, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said gap defining flange deformed upwardly to provide an inner recess of appreciable depth having a horizontally disposed inner double-leaf hinge valve assembly in said recess, said valve assembly including an L-section lower leaf having a plurality of inlet air ports in its horizontal plate portion, said valve plate ports being provided with an upper leaf hinged valve which is spring biased closed when said door is opened, vertical pins depending from said valve through longitudinal slots in said lower leaf plate portion engageable by said door upon shutting same for movement in said slots to an inwardly canted position so as to maintain said ports open, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said outer gap, said inner recess, and said ports into said flow chamber for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and said spring biased upper leaf hinged valve pivoting in a clockwise direction to seat on said lower hinge closing said ports and said pins returning to their vertical position upon opening said door to prevent the movement of cooking vapors from the oven cavity through said ports and into said flow passage.

Claim 6

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, a sealed continuous glass-ceramic plate forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below glass-ceramic plate, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow chamber disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top frame means and side frame members at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including a generally vertical wall section having an inwardly deformed flange defining, with the top edge of said closed door, an outer gap; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow chamber, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said gap defining flange deformed upwardly to provide an inner recess of appreciable depth having a horizontally disposed inner double-leaf hinge valve assembly in said recess, said valve assembly including an L-section lower leaf having a plurality of inlet air ports in its horizontal plate portion, said valve plate ports being provided with an upper leaf hinged valve which is spring biased closed when said door is opened, vertical pins depending from said valve through longitudinal slots in said lower leaf plate portion engageable by said door upon shutting same for movement in said slots to an inwardly canted position so as to maintain said ports open, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said outer gap, said inner recess, and said ports into said flow chamber for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and said spring biased upper leaf hinged valve pivoting in a clockwise direction to seat on said lower hinge closing said ports and said pins returning to their vertical position upon opening said door to prevent the movement of cooking vapors from the oven cavity through said ports and into said flow passage.

Claim 7

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, sealed glass-ceramic plate means forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below said glass-ceramic plate means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passage disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top and side frame means at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including an outer channel member having a generally vertical wall with air inlet ports therein, said channel wall including an outwardly deformed flange and an inwardly deformed return flange defining an air deflection foot portion; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said top frame means including an inner horizontally disposed valve plate frame member having an angle sectioned valve member pivoted by a leaf spring hinge thereto, said leaf spring biasing said angle sectioned valve member in an upper seated position when said door is opened blocking the flow of ambient air into said air flow passage, means associated with said valve member engageable by said door upon shutting same to maintain said valve member in its lower position permitting the flow of air through said ports into said airflow passage, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said ports into said flow chamber for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and said hinged valve member automatically moving to its seated biased position in response to opening said door thereby preventing the flow of cooking vapors from the oven cavity into said flow passage.

Claim 8

A cooking range adapted for installation in a space provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, sealed glass-ceramic plate means forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below said glass-ceramic plate means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passage disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top and side frame means at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including an outer channel member having a generally vertical wall with air inlet ports therein, said channel wall including an outwardly deformed flange and an inwardly deformed return flange defining an air deflection foot portion; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said top frame means including an inner horizontally disposed valve plate frame member having an angle sectioned valve member pivoted by a leaf spring hinge thereto, said leaf spring biasing said angle sectioned valve member in an upper seated position when said door is opened blocking the flow of ambient air into said air flow passage, means associated with said valve member engageable by said door upon shutting same to maintain said valve member in its lower position permitting the flow of air through said ports into said airflow passage, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said ports into said flow chamber for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and said hinged valve member automatically moving to its seated biased position in response to opening said door thereby preventing the flow of cooking vapors from the oven cavity into said flow passage.

Claim 9

A cooking range adapted for installation in a sapce provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, a sealed glass-ceramic continuous plate forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below said glass-ceramic plate means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passage disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top and side frame means at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including an outer channel member having a generally vertical wall with air inlet ports therein, said channel wall including an outwardly deformed flange and an inwardly deformed return flange defining an air deflection foot portion; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said top frame means including an inner horizontally disposed valve plate frame member having an obtuse angle sectioned valve member having a base leg for flush contact with said valve plate frame member and an upwardly extending valve leg, said valve member pivoted by means of its base leg to a coextensive acute angled leaf spring hinge, said leaf spring biasing said angle sectioned valve member in an upper position with the free edge of its valve leg seated on said frame means when said door is opened blocking the flow of ambient air into said air flow passage, outwardly canted pins depending from said base leg through longitudinal slots in said valve plates engageable by said door upon shutting same for movement in said slots to a vertical position so as to maintain said valve base leg in flush contact with said valve plate permitting the flow of air through said ports into said airflow passage, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said ports into said flow chamber for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and siad hinged valve member automatically moving to its seated resiliently biased position in response to opening said door thereby preventing the flow of cooking vapors from the oven cavity into said flow passage.

Claim 10

A cooking range adapted for installation in a sapce provided therefor in a counter having a horizontal working surface, comprising an outer casing for said range adapted to be secured in said space, a sealed glass-ceramic continuous plate forming the top cooking surface of the casing, an electrical heating element and a support box for said heating element, said support box having side walls and a bottom wall received below said glass-ceramic plate means, a heat-cleaning oven cabinet supported in spaced relation in said casing beneath said support box, said oven including a liner having walls defining an oven cavity open at the front, an air flow passage disposed generally between said support box bottom wall and said oven cabinet upper wall, said casing including door top and side frame means at the front of the oven cabinet, a door for closing said oven compartment, said top frame means including an outer channel member having a generally vertical wall with air inlet ports therein, said channel wall including an outwardly deformed flange and an inwardly deformed return flange defining an air deflection foot portion; a splash panel extending across the rear of said cooking surface having exhaust vent means therein, a vertically disposed plenum duct having a lower duct intake opening in communication with the rearward end of said air flow passage, said duct having an upper outlet opening in communication with said exhaust vent means, a power driven exhaust fan disposed within said duct lower intake opening, said top frame means including an inner horizontally disposed valve plate frame member having an obtuse angle sectioned valve member having a base leg for flush contact with said valve plate frame member and an upwardly extending valve leg, said valve member pivoted by means of its base leg to a coextensive acute angled leaf spring hinge, said leaf spring biasing said angle sectioned valve member in an upper position with the free edge of its valve leg seated on said frame means when said door is opened blocking the flow of ambient air into said air flow passage, outwardly canted pins depending from said base leg through longitudinal slots in said valve plates engageable by said door upon shutting same for movement in said slots to a vertical position so as to maintain said valve base leg in flush contact with said valve plate permitting the flow of air through said ports into said airflow passage, whereby upon initiation of the heat-cleaning operation of said oven said fan is energized to draw cooling ambient air through said ports into said flow chamber for exhausting the air to the atmosphere via said duct and said exhaust vent means in said splash panel; and siad hinged valve member automatically moving to its seated resiliently biased position in response to opening said door thereby preventing the flow of cooking vapors from the oven cavity into said flow passage.