U.S. patent application number 11/186688 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-14 for detachable grease cup for smoke exhauster.
Invention is credited to Chao-Cheng Chiang, Chi-Hsiung Chiang.
Application Number | 20080190411 11/186688 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39684783 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080190411 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiang; Chi-Hsiung ; et
al. |
August 14, 2008 |
Detachable grease cup for smoke exhauster
Abstract
A smoke exhauster includes a housing having one or more orifices
each for receiving an oil cup, and a catching device for catching
the oil cup to the housing when the oil cup is moved upwardly
relative to the housing, and to release the oil cup from the
housing when the oil cup is moved upwardly relative to the housing
again. The catching device includes a follower slidably received in
a container, and a grasping device for grasping the follower to the
container when the follower is moved upwardly relative to the
container, and to release the follower from the container when the
follower is moved upwardly relative to the container again. The
housing has one or more windows for viewing the oil cups.
Inventors: |
Chiang; Chi-Hsiung;
(Taichung Hsien, TW) ; Chiang; Chao-Cheng;
(Taichung Hsien, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQUIRE
90 JOHN STREET, SUITE 309
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
39684783 |
Appl. No.: |
11/186688 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/299R |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 15/2035
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/299.R |
International
Class: |
F24C 15/20 20060101
F24C015/20 |
Claims
1. A smoke exhauster comprising: a housing including at least one
fan device provided therein for smoke drawing purpose, and
including at least one orifice formed therein, an oil cup
engageable into said at least one orifice of said housing, and
means for catching said oil cup to said housing when said oil cup
is moved upwardly relative to said housing, and to release said oil
cup from said housing when said oil cup is moved upwardly relative
to said housing again.
2. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 1, wherein said catching
means includes a container for attaching to said housing, a
follower slidably received and engaged in said container, and means
for grasping said follower to said container when said follower is
moved upwardly relative to said container, and to release said
follower from said container when said follower is moved upwardly
relative to said container again.
3. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said follower
includes two sides each having a channel formed therein and defined
by a guide member which includes a socket formed therein, and said
grasping means includes two spring legs slidably engaged into said
channels of said follower, and selectively receivable in said
sockets of said guide members, for grasping said follower to said
container.
4. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 3, wherein said channels
of said follower each includes an inverted Y-shaped structure
having two passageways formed therein for slidably receiving and
guiding said spring legs.
5. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide
members each includes a downwardly extended limb for engaging with
and for guiding said spring legs to engage into said sockets of
said guide members, and then to be disengaged from said sockets of
said guide members.
6. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 5, wherein said follower
includes a stop extended from one of said sides thereof, and
located below a first guide member of said guide members and
opposite to said limb of said first guide member, and arranged to
engage with said spring legs of said grasping means, and to guide
said spring legs of said grasping means to engage into said sockets
of said guide members.
7. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
container includes a space formed therein for slidably receiving
said follower therein, and a passage formed therein for engaging
said grasping means into said space of said container.
8. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 7, wherein said
container includes a peg extended into said space thereof, and an
arm extended into said passage thereof, for engaging with said
grasping means, and for positioning and retaining said grasping
means in said space of said container.
9. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said oil cup
includes at least one projection extended therefrom, and said
follower includes two resilient pawls extended therefrom for
engaging with said at least one projection of said oil cup, and for
detachably retaining said oil cup to said receptacle.
10. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 9, wherein said housing
includes a casing provided therein for receiving and anchoring said
container, and for engaging with and for forcing said resilient
pawls of said follower to engage with said at least one projection
of said oil cup.
11. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 10, wherein said casing
includes at least one cavity formed therein, said container
includes at least one protrusion extended outwardly therefrom, for
engaging with said at least one cavity of said casing, and for
detachably anchoring said container to said casing.
12. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 10, wherein said
housing includes a receptacle provided therein and having a chamber
formed therein and having an open bottom for allowing said oil cup
to engage into said chamber via said open bottom of said
receptacle.
13. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 12, wherein said
receptacle includes an opening formed therein for viewing said oil
cup.
14. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 13, wherein said
housing includes an inner peripheral portion having at least one
window provided therein, and aligned with said opening of said
receptacle.
15. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
catching means includes a spring element positioned between said
follower and said container, for biasing said follower to move
relative to said container.
16. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 15, wherein said
follower includes a hole formed therein for receiving said spring
element.
17. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 16, wherein said
container includes a pole extended therefrom and engageable into
said hole of said follower, for engaging with and for guiding said
spring element.
18. The smoke exhauster as claimed in claim 2, wherein said
container includes a space formed therein and defined by an inner
peripheral surface for slidably receiving said follower, and a
groove formed therein and communicating with the space thereof,
said follower includes a key extended therefrom and slidably
engaged in said groove of said container, and for guiding said
follower to move relative to said container.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a smoke exhauster, and more
particularly to a smoke exhauster having a grease cup that may be
easily and readily disengaged from the smoke exhauster without
dirtying the hands of the users.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical smoke exhausters comprise a fan device for drawing
or for circulating exhaust air or gas or smoke, and a grease or oil
collector disposed in the bottom portion of the smoke exhauster,
for collecting the grease or oil contained within the exhaust air
or gas or smoke.
[0005] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,349 to Wu discloses one of
the typical oil collectors for upright smoke exhausters, and also
comprising a grease or oil collector disposed below the fan device
or disposed in the bottom portion of the smoke exhauster, for
collecting the grease or oil contained within the exhaust air or
gas or smoke.
[0006] Normally, the grease or oil collector is required to be
secured to the smoke exhauster with one or more fasteners, such
that additional tools are required for attaching or securing or
detaching or disengaging the grease or oil collector from the smoke
exhauster. In addition, both the smoke exhauster and the grease or
oil collector will be covered with grease or oil, and the users
hands will be dirtied by the grease or oil when attaching to or
securing or detaching or disengaging the grease or oil collector
from the smoke exhauster.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,436 to Chiang et al. discloses another
smoke exhauster including two grease or oil collectors slidably
attached to the smoke exhauster as a drawer, without additional
fasteners and tools, and each having a projected tiny hand grip
formed or provided thereon for being grasped or handled by the
users.
[0008] However, the projected tiny hand grips of the grease or oil
collectors may not be easily grasped or handled by the users, and
the users hands will be dirtied by the grease or oil when attaching
or securing the grease or oil collector to the smoke exhauster,
particularly when detaching or disengaging the grease or oil
collector from the smoke exhauster.
[0009] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional smoke
exhausters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a smoke exhauster including a grease cup that may be easily and
readily disengaged from the smoke exhauster without dirtying the
hands of the users.
[0011] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a smoke exhauster comprising a housing including at least
one fan device provided therein for smoke drawing purpose, and
including at least one orifice formed therein, an oil cup
engageable into the orifice of the housing, and a catching device
for catching the oil cup to the housing when the oil cup is moved
upwardly relative to the housing, and to release the oil cup from
the housing when the oil cup is moved upwardly relative to the
housing again, without dirtying the hands of the users.
[0012] The catching device includes a container for attaching to
the housing, a follower slidably received and engaged in the
container, and device for grasping the follower to the container
when the follower is moved upwardly relative to the container, and
to release the follower from the container when the follower is
moved upwardly relative to the container again.
[0013] The follower includes two sides each having a channel formed
therein and defined by a guide member which includes a socket
formed therein, and the grasping device includes two spring legs
slidably engaged into the channels of the follower, and selectively
receivable in the sockets of the guide members, for grasping the
follower to the container.
[0014] The channels of the follower each includes an inverted
Y-shaped structure having two passageways formed therein for
slidably receiving and guiding the spring legs. The guide members
each includes a downwardly extended limb for engaging with and for
guiding the spring legs to engage into the sockets of the guide
members, and then to be disengaged from the sockets of the guide
members.
[0015] The follower includes a stop extended from one of the sides
thereof, and located below a first guide member of the guide
members and opposite to the limb of the first guide member, and
arranged to engage with the spring legs of the grasping device, and
to guide the spring legs of the grasping device to engage into the
sockets of the guide members.
[0016] The container includes a space formed therein for slidably
receiving the follower therein, and a passage formed therein for
engaging the grasping device into the space of the container. The
container includes a peg extended into the space thereof, and an
arm extended into the passage thereof, for engaging with the
grasping device, and for positioning and retaining the grasping
device in the space of the container.
[0017] The cup includes at least one projection extended therefrom,
and the follower includes two resilient pawls extended therefrom
for engaging with the projection of the oil cup, and for detachably
retaining the oil cup to the receptacle. The housing includes a
casing provided therein for receiving and anchoring the container,
and for engaging with and for forcing the resilient pawls of the
follower to engage with the projection of the oil cup.
[0018] The casing includes at least one cavity formed therein, the
container includes at least one protrusion extended outwardly
therefrom, for engaging with the cavity of the casing, and for
detachably anchoring the container to the casing. The housing
includes a receptacle provided therein and having a chamber formed
therein and having an open bottom for allowing the oil cup to move
upwardly and to engage into the chamber via the open bottom of the
receptacle.
[0019] The receptacle includes an opening formed therein for
viewing the oil cup. The housing includes an inner peripheral
portion having at least one window provided therein, and aligned
with the opening of the receptacle.
[0020] The catching device includes a spring element positioned
between the follower and the container, for biasing the follower to
move relative to the container. The follower includes a hole formed
therein for receiving the spring element. The container includes a
pole extended therefrom and engageable into the hole of the
follower, for engaging with the spring element and for guiding the
spring element.
[0021] The container includes a space formed therein and defined by
an inner peripheral surface for slidably receiving the follower,
and a groove formed therein and communicating with the space
thereof, the follower includes a key extended therefrom and
slidably engaged in the groove of the container, and for guiding
the follower to move relative to the container.
[0022] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of a smoke exhauster in
accordance with the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial bottom perspective view of the
smoke exhauster;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the smoke
exhauster;
[0026] FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial front plan view of the smoke
exhauster, in which a portion of the smoke exhauster has been cut
off for showing an inner structure of the smoke exhauster;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the smoke exhauster,
taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a partial exploded view illustrating a latching
device for latching a grease or oil cup to the smoke exhauster;
[0029] FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial rear perspective view of the
latching device of the smoke exhauster, in which a portion of the
latching device has been cut off for showing an inner structure of
the latching device;
[0030] FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial front perspective view of the
latching device of the smoke exhauster, in which a portion of the
latching device has also been cut off for showing an inner
structure of the latching device;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a partial cross sectional view of the latching
device of the smoke exhauster, taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 7;
and
[0032] FIGS. 10, 11, 12, 13 are partial cross sectional views
similar to FIG. 9, illustrating the operation of the smoke
exhauster.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0033] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-5, a
smoke exhauster 1 in accordance with the present invention
comprises a housing 10 including a lower peripheral portion 11
having one or more orifices 12 formed therein, for detachably
receiving one or more grease or oil cups 20 therein respectively,
each with a positioning or latching means or device 30. The housing
10 includes an inner peripheral portion or wall 13 having one or
more windows 14 formed or provided therein, and includes one or
more fan devices 15 provided therein for air or smoke drawing or
circulating purposes.
[0034] The latching devices 30 each includes a receptacle 31
engaged into the respective orifice 12 of the housing 10, and
secured to the housing 10 with such as latches or fasteners (not
shown), or by adhesive materials, or by welding processes or the
like. The receptacle 31 includes a front opening 32 formed therein
and aligned with the respective window 14 of the housing 10 (FIG.
2), for allowing the users to see through or into the receptacle
31, and includes one or more, such as two side peripheral recesses
33 formed therein.
[0035] One or more, such as two retaining frames 40 are provided
and engaged into the respective side peripheral recesses 33 of the
receptacle 31, for example, the retaining frames 40 each includes a
flap 41 bent or extended therefrom, and perpendicular thereto, also
for engaging into the respective side peripheral recesses 33 of the
receptacle 31, and each includes a panel 42 bent or extended
therefrom, and perpendicular thereto, for securing to the housing
10, and thus for solidly securing and positioning the receptacle 31
to the housing 10.
[0036] The receptacle 31 includes a chamber 35 formed therein and
having an open bottom 36 for allowing the grease or oil cup 20 to
be engaged into the chamber 35 via the open bottom 36 of the
receptacle 31. It is preferable that the grease or oil cup 20 is
made of transparent or semi-transparent materials (FIG. 5), for
allowing the users to see the grease or oil level in the grease or
oil cup 20, through the front opening 32 of the receptacle 31 and
the window 14 of the housing 10. The receptacle 31 may also be made
of transparent or semi-transparent materials (FIG. 5), for allowing
the users to see the grease or oil cup 20 without the front opening
32 of the receptacle 31.
[0037] The receptacle 31 further includes one or more, such as two
casings 37 disposed therein, such as disposed in the chamber 35
thereof and secured to the side portions thereof respectively, and
each having a compartment 38 formed therein, and each having one or
more, such as two cavities 39 formed therein (FIGS. 5 and 9-13),
and a gripping or grasping or catching means or device 50 disposed
or engaged in each of the casings 37, for gripping or catching or
securing the grease or oil cup 20 to the receptacle 31. The grease
or oil cup 20 includes one or more, such as two heads or
projections 21 extended upwardly therefrom, for engaging with the
catching devices 50, and for securing the grease or oil cup 20 to
the receptacle 31.
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 5-8, the catching devices 50 each includes
a container 51 for attaching to the housing 10, or for engaging
into the compartment 38 of the respective casing 37, and having one
or more, such as two protrusions 52 extended outwardly therefrom,
for engaging with the cavities 39 of the casings 37, and for
detachably attaching or securing or anchoring the containers 51 to
the casings 37 respectively. The containers 51 each includes a
space 53 formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface
54, and each includes a groove 55 formed therein and communicating
with the space 53 thereof.
[0039] The containers 51 each further includes a peg 56 extended
into the space 53 thereof and a passage 57 formed in the upper
portion thereof, for engaging a spring or grasping means or device
60 into the space 53 of the container 51, and each further includes
an arm 58 extended into the passage 57 thereof, for engaging with
the grasping device 60, and for positioning and retaining the
grasping device 60 in the space 53 of the container 51 with the peg
56 and the arm 58, and each further includes a pole 59 extended
into the space 53 thereof. The grasping device 60 includes two
spring legs 61, 62 extended therefrom.
[0040] A slide or follower 70 is slidably received or engaged in
the space 53 of the container 51, and includes a key 71 extended
therefrom, for slidably engaging in the groove 55 of the container
51, and for guiding the follower 70 to stably move up and down
relative to the container 51, and includes a hole 72 formed therein
for receiving a spring element 63 and the pole 59 of the container
51. The spring element 63 may be positioned by the pole 59, and may
bias and force the follower 70 to slide or to move downwardly
relative to the container 51.
[0041] The follower 70 includes two spring or resilient pawls 73
extended therefrom for engaging with the projections 21 of the
grease or oil cup 20, best shown in FIGS. 9-13, and for detachably
or releasably securing or retaining the grease or oil cup 20 to the
receptacle 31 and/or the housing 10; and includes two sides 74 each
having an inverted Y-shaped channel 75 formed therein, and defined
by a guide member 80, 81. The inverted Y-shaped channels 75 on the
opposite sides 74 of the follower 70 each includes two passageways
76, 77 formed therein.
[0042] The guide members 80, 81 each includes a seat or socket 82
formed therein, such as formed in the lower or bottom portion
thereof, and defined by a downwardly extended limb 83, in which the
limbs 83 of the guide members 80, 81 on the opposite sides 74 of
the follower 70 are extended on different or opposite direction.
The inverted Y-shaped channels 75 of the follower 70 are arranged
to slidably receive the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device
60, and the guide members 80, 81 are arranged to engage with the
spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60, to allow the spring
legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 to be engaged into the
sockets 82 of the guide members 80, 81.
[0043] The follower 70 further includes a stop 84 extended from one
of the sides 74 thereof, and located below the guide member 80 and
opposite to the limb 83 of the guide member 80, and also arranged
to engage with the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60,
and to guide the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 to
engage into the sockets 82 of the guide members 80, 81 when the
follower 70 is slid or moved up relative to the container 51, and
to be disengaged from the sockets 82 of the guide members 80, 81
when the follower 70 is slid or moved up relative to the container
51 again.
[0044] In operation, as shown in FIG. 9, when the follower 70 is
slid or moved up relative to the container 51 by such as the grease
or oil cup 20, the guide member 81 is arranged to engage with the
spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 and to prevent the
spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 from engaging into the
passageways 77 of the channels 75 of the follower 70, and then to
prevent the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 from
engaging into the sockets 82 of the guide members 80, 81 (FIG. 10),
and then to guide the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60
to move downwardly to engage with the stop 84 after the spring legs
61, 62 of the grasping device 60 are disengaged from the limb 83 of
the guide member 81, as also shown in FIG. 10.
[0045] At this moment, the spring or resilient pawls 73 of the
follower 70 may be forced to move into the compartment 38 of the
casing 37, and to engage with or to grip or to grasp the
projections 21 of the grease or oil cup 20, and thus to secure or
to retain the grease or oil cup 20 to the receptacle 31 and/or the
housing 10. When the follower 70 is released, the follower 70 may
be forced to move or to slide downwardly relative to the container
51 by the spring element 63, and the spring legs 61, 62 of the
grasping device 60 may then be disengaged from the stops 84, and
then guided to engage into the sockets 82 of the guide members 80,
81 (FIG. 11).
[0046] As shown in FIG. 11, when the spring legs 61, 62 of the
grasping device 60 are engaged into the sockets 82 of the guide
members 80, 81, the spring or resilient pawls 73 of the follower 70
may still be retained within the compartment 38 of the casing 37,
and to engage with or to grip or to grasp the projections 21 of the
grease or oil cup 20, and thus to still secure or retain the grease
or oil cup 20 to the receptacle 31 and/or the housing 10, and thus
to prevent the grease or oil cup 20 from being disengaged from the
receptacle 31 and/or the housing 10.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 12, when the follower 70 is moved up
relative to the container 51 again by such as the grease or oil cup
20, the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 may be guided
to move along the limb 83 of the guide member 80, and may then
spring or move into the passageways 77 of the channels 75 of the
follower 70 after the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60
are disengaged from the limb 83 of the guide member 80 (FIG. 13),
and the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping device 60 may then be
guided to move along the channels 75 of the follower 70.
[0048] At this moment, the spring element 63 may bias and force the
follower 70 to slide or to move downwardly relative to the
container 51, until the spring or resilient pawls 73 of the
follower 70 are moved out or disengaged from the compartment 38 of
the casing 37, and thus to disengage or to release the projections
21 of the grease or oil cup 20, and thus to disengage or to remove
the grease or oil cup 20 from the receptacle 31 and/or the housing
10.
[0049] Accordingly, the users may use a paper sheet or a rag to
engage with the grease or oil cup 20, and to move the grease or oil
cup 20 up relative to the casings 37, and thus to engage the
projections 21 of the grease or oil cup 20 with the followers 70,
in order to move the followers 70 upwardly relative to the grasping
device 60, and then to allow the spring legs 61, 62 of the grasping
device 60 to be engaged into the sockets 82 of the guide members
80, 81, in order to secure or retain the grease or oil cup 20 to
the receptacle 31 and/or the housing 10. The hands of the users may
be prevented from contacting with the grease or oil that may be
provided on the outer peripheral portion of the grease or oil cup
20 by the paper sheet or the rag.
[0050] The users may also use a paper sheet or a rag to engage with
the grease or oil cup 20, and to move the grease or oil cup 20 up
relative to the casings 37 again, in order to disengage the grease
or oil cup 20 from the receptacle 31 and/or the housing 10, and may
also prevent the hands of the users from contacting with the grease
or oil that may be provided or applied on the outer peripheral
portion of the grease or oil cup 20 by the paper sheet or the rag.
It is to be noted that the casings 37 may be directly attached or
secured to the housing 10 without the receptacles 31, or the
receptacles 31 may be formed integral with the housing 10, and may
thus be taken as one part or one portion of the housing 10.
[0051] Accordingly, the smoke exhauster in accordance with the
present invention includes a grease cup that may be easily and
readily disengaged from the smoke exhauster without dirtying the
hands of the users.
[0052] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *