U.S. patent application number 12/552314 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-04 for grate to improve the simmering on a gas hob.
This patent application is currently assigned to WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION. Invention is credited to FILIPPO COSTA, DANIELE FRANCHI, VALERIO S. HAMMES, EDUARDO SANT'ANNA MARTINS.
Application Number | 20100051012 12/552314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40521529 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100051012 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MARTINS; EDUARDO SANT'ANNA ;
et al. |
March 4, 2010 |
GRATE TO IMPROVE THE SIMMERING ON A GAS HOB
Abstract
Gas burner assemblies include a cooking gas hob and a grate for
supporting cooking utensils. The grate includes a plate which
integrates a protection for preventing the flame of a burner from
being extinguished from a wind blow when operating around the
minimum level. Simmering performance of such burner assembly is
enhanced.
Inventors: |
MARTINS; EDUARDO SANT'ANNA;
(JOINVILLE, BR) ; COSTA; FILIPPO; (BODIO LOMNAGO,
IT) ; HAMMES; VALERIO S.; (CASCIAGO, IT) ;
FRANCHI; DANIELE; (BODIO LOMNAGO, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WHIRLPOOL PATENTS COMPANY - MD 0750
500 RENAISSANCE DRIVE - SUITE 102
ST. JOSEPH
MI
49085
US
|
Assignee: |
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
Benton Harbor
MI
|
Family ID: |
40521529 |
Appl. No.: |
12/552314 |
Filed: |
September 2, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/39B |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 15/107
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/39.B |
International
Class: |
F24C 15/10 20060101
F24C015/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 2, 2008 |
EP |
08163476.8 |
Claims
1. A gas burner assembly comprising: a cooking gas hob having a gas
burner which feeds combustible gas to a flame; a grate positioned
above the gas burner; and a plate secured to the grate and
presenting a surface above the burner, wherein the plate is
displaced a predetermined distance from the gas burner so as to
retain the flame of the gas burner below the grate when the burner
is operated near the minimum level
2. The gas burner assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plate
is integral with the grate.
3. The gas burner assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plate
is flat and parallel with a worktop in which the hob is
installed.
4. The gas burner assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plate
and the grate are formed by a metal casting process.
5. The method for preventing the extinguishing of a gas burner
flame from accidental air blows in a cooking gas hob according to
claim 1, wherein the method comprises the step of setting the
burner to operate to a predetermined minimum power level retaining
the flame underneath the plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] Gas burner assemblies include gas hobs and grates are
associated with a gas built-in cook top or a gas cook top
integrated within a cooking range. For the purpose of the present
invention we extend this definition by including all the cooking
gas hobs provides with at least one burner fed with any type of
combustible gas.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Burner assemblies include gas hobs having gas burners with
grates placed above the gas burners. Grates normally present
"fingers" for supporting pots, pans, casseroles or any other
cooking utensil that has to be heated by the gas hob.
[0005] "Fingers" are required to position, in a centered and stable
way, cooking utensils above the gas burners.
[0006] Generally, gas hob appliances are designed to prevent the
flame from being extinguished by a wind blow caused for instance by
a slammed door, especially with regard to the low power burners.
This design is particularly important for the countries in which it
the door slam test is a safety requirement to be passed for obtain
the approval of the product.
[0007] Whenever it is desired to pass such a test the product may
be modified to increase the minimum power level of the target
burner to prevent extinguishing the flame. This change has
decreases the performance of the product when using the same burner
at the minimum level. This effect is particularly undesirable when
the burner is used for simmering, especially when needed to supply
good melting and good sauce results. In fact, a burner with
increased power is not good enough for this purpose.
[0008] Moreover, it is known in the art that after having increased
the power, to avoid extinguishing the flame hob temperatures may
increase. This may require a change the ornamental design of
grates. This change normally has an impact on metal top design, and
on other components including the "fingers". As a consequence the
overall grate ornamental design is changed, and this change can
compromise the overall stability of the cooking utensils and
jeopardize the overall aesthetic design.
[0009] Good results on performance tests, like simmering Tomato
Sauce and Melting Chocolate and a nice appearance based on a design
which provides stability the cooking utensils, are very important
for the brand to build a good image on the market, and are very
important to transmit a good impression to the customer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] An aspect of the present invention is therefore to provide a
burner assembly that does not present the limitations of the prior
art.
[0011] More specifically, a further aspect of the present invention
is a cooking gas hob provided with a grate presenting some
characteristics capable to solve the problem of the flame
extinguishing due to wind blows and which also doesn't need to
change the disposition of the fingers, compromising the stability
of the cooking utensils supported by the grates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become readily apparent to the skilled artisan from the following
detailed description when read in light of the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a cooking gas hob provided with a grid
according to the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a preferred embodiment of
grid according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] With reference to the drawings a gas hob 100 presents five
burners having different sizes, adapted for being coupled with
different pans and for supply different powers. In particular the
gas hob presents an auxiliary burner A having a small size, i.e.
rated 1.5 kW and rapid burner R rated, for instance, 4.4 kW. Three
grates G are positioned above the burners, each of them presenting
"fingers" F to support cooking utensils (cookware) of different
sizes.
[0016] According to the present invention, the grate G above the
auxiliary burner A, which is the burner that first extinguishes it
flame when set at its lower (minimum) power level during the door
slam test, present a flat surface metal area M, a plate, which
avoids the flame be directly in contact with the pan at low power
level, and which prevent an excessive warming when the customer is
using the burner of the product on the simmer function.
[0017] The same configuration is applicable also to the grates over
standing the rapid burner R or any other burner which can also
affected by the same problem. This flat surface metal area M is
integrated with the grids and obtained by a metal casting
process.
[0018] With a grid G according to the present invention it is
possible to improve the simmer function of the product and to
prevent the flame extinguishing in case of a wind blow. The results
are particularly appreciable when the burner is operated at its
minimum level, whenever the flame of the burner is retained
underneath the flat surface metal area M.
[0019] The presence of the flat surface metal area/s prevent to a
modification of the "fingers" F and so of the stability of the
cooking utensils used with the hob. As a further consequence the
overall original nice appearance of the product is maintained
together with the product performances.
* * * * *