Heating appliance control panel structure

Claim 2

In a range having a lower oven portion provided with a front door, an upper cooktop portion, and control means for controlling the operation of the oven and cooktop heating means including manual operating portions, means for mounting the control means suitably to effectively prevent damage to the control means by heat from the range and maintain exposed portions of the mounting means and control means below a preselected temperature, said mounting means comprising: a mounting panel; means for mounting said panel to the front of said range above said door; and wall means mounted to said range defining with the mounting panel a lower, inlet opening below said panel, an upper, outlet opening above said panel, and an air flow passage behind said panel for conducting all of the air entering said inlet opening to said outlet opening, the control means being mounted to said mounting panel to be cooled directly by air flowing through said air flow passage and with said manual operating portions disposed forwardly of the mounting panel for adjustment of the controls by a user, said air flowing through said passage further serving to maintain the temperature of the exposed surface of said mounting means and manual operating portions of the control means below a preselected temperature, said walls means preventing air flow from between said oven and cooktop portions to said flow passage, said openings having a horizontal length substantially equal to the wIdth of said oven door.

Claim 3

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 1 further including deflector means rearwardly of said timer for directing the air flow between said inlet opening and outlet opening adjacent said timer in a confined flow path providing maximum cooling effect of the cooling air flow adjacent said timer.

Claim 4

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 2 wherein said deflector extends between said top wall and said bottom wall.

Claim 5

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 2 wherein said deflector is mounted to said bottom wall.

Claim 6

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 2 wherein said deflector includes an insulative wall rearwardly of said timer.

Claim 7

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 2 wherein said deflector includes an insulative wall laterally of said timer.

Claim 8

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 2 wherein said deflector defines a u-shaped, horizontally extending element straddling the timer and defining a vertical air flow passage.

Claim 9

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 2 wherein said deflector defines a U-shaped, horizontally extending element formed of thermally insulative material straddling the timer and defining a vertical air flow passage.

Claim 10

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a timer, and said wall means include means rearwardly of the timer for providing effectively maximum cooling effect of said flowing air adjacent said timer.

Claim 11

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 1 wherein said control means includes a timer acjacent one end of said mounting panel and selector switch means adjacent the other end of said mounting panel.

Claim 12

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 1 wherein said mounting panel and wall means comprise elongated extrusions disposed in vertically spaced relationship to define said openings.

Claim 13

In a range having a lower oven portion provided with a front door, an upper cooktop portion, and control means for controlling the operation of the oven and cooktop heating means including manual operating portions, means for mounting the control means suitably to effectively prevent damage to the control means by heat from the range and maintain exposed portions of the mounting means and control means below a preselected temperature, said mounting means comprising: a mounting panel; means for mounting said panel to the front of said range above said door; and wall means mounted to said range defining with the mounting panel a lower, inlet opening below said panel, an upper, outlet opening above said panel, and an air flow passage behind said panel for conducting all of the air entering said inlet opening to said outlet opening, the control means being mounted to said mounting panel to be cooled directly by air flowing through said air flow passage and with said manual operating portions disposed forwardly of the mounting panel for adjustment of the controls by a user, said air flowing through said passage further serving to maintain the temperature of the exposed surface of said mounting means and manual operating portions of the control means below a preselected temperature, said wall means preventing air flow from between said oven and cooktop portions to said flow passage, said openings having a horizontal length substantially equal to the width of said cooktop portion.

Claim 14

In a range having a lower oven portion provided with a front door, an upper cooktop portion, and control means for controlling the operation of the oven and cooktop heating means including manual operating portions, means for mounting the control means suitably to effectively prevent damage to the control means by heat from the range and maintain exposed portions of the mounting means and control means below a preselected temperature, said mounting means comprising: a mounting panel; means for mounting said panel to the front of said range above said door; and wall means mounted to said range defining with the mounting panel a lower, inlet opening below said panel, an upper, outlet opening above said panel, and an air flow passage behind said panel for conducting all of the air entering said inlet opening to said outlet opening, the control means being mounted to said mounting panel to be cooled directly by air flowing through said air flow passage and with said manual operating portions disposed forwardly of the mounting panel for adjustment of the controls by a user, said air flowing through said passage further serving to maintain the temperature of the exposed surface of said mounting means and manual operating portions of the control means below a preselected temperature, said wall means preventing air flow from between said oven and cooktop portions to said flow passage, said openings having a horizontal length substantially equal to the width of said cooktop portion.

Claim 15

The heating appliance control mounting means of claim 12 wherein said outlet opening is disposed substantially horizontally forwardly of said cooktop portion of the range.