U.S. patent application number 13/202423 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-09 for domestic hob.
This patent application is currently assigned to ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS CORPORATION N.V.. Invention is credited to Dieter Forster, Mathias Huntscha, Jurgen Leikam, Alwin Neukamm.
Application Number | 20120031388 13/202423 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40934968 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120031388 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Huntscha; Mathias ; et
al. |
February 9, 2012 |
DOMESTIC HOB
Abstract
Domestic hob (10; 50) comprising a housing (14) with a bottom
wall (16), wherein at least one thermically and/or electrically
isolating and/or flame resistant, protection plate (24) is attached
to the hob (10; 50) underneath the bottom wall (16), wherein a main
plane (26) of the protection plate (24) is spaced apart from the
bottom wall (16) by a predetermined distance.
Inventors: |
Huntscha; Mathias;
(Crailsheim, DE) ; Neukamm; Alwin; (Wilhermsdorf,
DE) ; Leikam; Jurgen; (Hilpoltstein, DE) ;
Forster; Dieter; (Schillingsfurst, DE) |
Assignee: |
ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS
CORPORATION N.V.
Brussel
BE
|
Family ID: |
40934968 |
Appl. No.: |
13/202423 |
Filed: |
April 1, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
April 1, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP10/02093 |
371 Date: |
October 31, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/1F ;
126/1R |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 15/102 20130101;
F24C 15/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/1.F ;
126/1.R |
International
Class: |
F24C 15/08 20060101
F24C015/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 7, 2009 |
EP |
09005094.9 |
Claims
1. Domestic hob (10; 50) comprising a housing (14) with a bottom
wall (16), characterized in that at least one thermically and/or
electrically isolating and/or flame resistant, protection plate
(24) is attached to the hob (10; 50) underneath the bottom wall
(16), wherein a main plane (26) of the protection plate (24) is
spaced apart from the bottom wall (16) by a predetermined
distance.
2. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 1, characterized in that at
least one spacer (28) is provided for maintaining the predetermined
distance.
3. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 2, characterized in that the at
least one spacer is made integral with the protection plate (24)
and/or the housing (14).
4. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 2, characterized in that the at
least one spacer is provided as a separate component.
5. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 1, characterized in that the
protection plate (24) is screwed and/or riveted and/or bonded to or
hooked in the hob (10; 50).
6. Hob (50) according to claim 1, characterized in that
snap-fitting means (52) are provided for fixing the protection
plate (24) to the hob (50), wherein the snap- fitting means (52)
are preferably made integral with the protection plate (24) and/or
the housing (14).
7. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 1, characterized in that the
protection plate (24) comprises at least one cable opening (42) for
feeding through cables.
8. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 7, characterized in that the
edges of the cable opening (42) are chamfered and/or provided with
a cable protecting means.
9. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 1, characterized in that the
protection plate (24) and/or the bottom wall (16) of the housing
(14) comprises at least one venting opening (22a, 22b, 22c; 40a,
40b, 40c).
10. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 9, characterized in that a
first protection plate section (36) is provided with at least one
venting opening (40a) for feeding air and a second protection plate
section (38) is provided with at least one venting opening (40b,
40c) for removing air, wherein the protection plate sections (36,
38) are spacitially separated from each other.
11. Hob (10; 50) according to claim 9, characterized in that a
separation wall (34) and/or sealing means are provided for
separating the protection plate sections (36, 38).
12. Protection plate (24) designed to be attached underneath a
bottom wall (16) of a housing (14) of a domestic hob (10; 50) such
that a main plane (26) of the protection plate (24) is spaced apart
from the bottom wall (16) of the housing (14) by a predetermined
distance, wherein the protection plate is thermically and/or
electrically isolated and/or flame resistant.
13. Protection plate (24) according to claim 12, characterized in
that the protection plate (24) comprises at least one spacer (28)
for defining the predetermined distance.
14. Protection plate (24) according to claim 12, characterized in
that it is designed to be screwed and/or riveted and/or bonded to
or hooked in the hob (10; 50).
15. Protection plate (24) according to claim 12, characterized in
that it comprises snap-fitting means (52) for fixing the protection
plate (24) to the hob (10; 50).
16. Protection plate (24) according to claim 12, characterized in
that at least one cable opening (42) for feeding through cables is
provided whose edges are preferably chamfered and/or provided with
a cable protecting means.
17. Protection plate (24) according to claim 12, characterized in
that a first protection plate section (36) is provided with at
least one venting opening (40a) for feeding air and a second
protection plate section (38) is provided with at least one venting
opening (40b, 40c) for removing air, wherein the protection plate
sections (36, 38) are specially separated from each other.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a domestic hob comprising a
housing with a bottom wall.
[0002] Domestic hobs of the above-mentioned kind are known in prior
art. If such domestic hobs are to be installed in built-in
furniture, such as in a floor cupboard, it is to be considered that
the temperature within the furniture does not exceed an admissible
threshold due to the heat dissipation of the hob in order to
prevent a damage of the furniture.
[0003] In this context DE-A-10 2005 053 173 proposes a domestic hob
of the above-mentioned kind comprising two temperature sensors. The
sensors detect and monitor the temperature of the furniture or
rather the heat yielded to the furniture. However, the detection
and monitoring of the temperature is expensive due to the necessary
electronic equipment.
[0004] A further domestic hob of the above-mentioned kind is
described in DE-U-20 2005 018 776. This domestic hob is installed
in a floor cupboard, wherein a drawer is provided directly beneath
the hob. In order to provide a space for stowing the cables of the
hob, an intermediate plate is arranged between the upper edges of
the drawer and the bottom side of the hob. Moreover, the furniture
comprises a heat resistant and/or thermically isolating protection
plate or protection layer arranged between the intermediate plate
and the bottom side of the hob. This intermediate plate or
intermediate layer can be provided directly on the intermediate
plate. One draw-back of this solution is that the size of the
intermediate plate as well as the size of the protection plate or
the protection layer have to be adapted to the dimensions of the
floor cupboard when assembling the hob. This adaption makes the
assembly of the hob very time-consuming and expensive.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
domestic hob of the above-mentioned kind giving the user protection
against thermal and/or electrical dangers emanating from the bottom
side of the hob, and which is inexpensive to manufacture and to
assemble.
[0006] In order to solve this object the present invention provides
a domestic hob of the above-mentioned kind which is characterized
in that at least one thermically and/or electrically isolating
and/or flame resistant protection plate is attached to the hob
underneath the bottom wall, wherein a main plane of the protection
plate is spaced apart from the bottom wall by a predetermined
distance.
[0007] Such a domestic hob is inexpensive to manufacture thanks to
its simple construction. Moreover, since the protection plate is
attacked to the hob its size does not need to be adapted to the
dimensions of the furniture in which the hob is to be housed, e.g.
to the dimensions of a floor cupboard. Accordingly, the domestic
hob according to the present invention is easy and inexpensive to
assemble.
[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention at
least one spacer is provided for maintaining the predetermined
distance between the main plane of the protection plate and the
bottom wall of the housing. The at least one spacer can be made
integral with the protection plate and/or the bottom wall. For
example, one or more border areas of the protection plate can form
upwardly bent sections, which abut against the bottom wall of the
hob and thus maintain the predetermined distance between the main
plane of the protection plate and the bottom wall of the housing.
Due to the integral configuration of the at least one spacer and
the protection plate and/or the bottom wall, the number of
components is reduced such that in particular the assembly of the
domestic hob can be simplified.
[0009] Alternatively, the at least one spacer is provided as a
separate component, such as a spacer bushing, a spacer pin or the
like extending between the main plane of the protection plate and
the bottom wall of the housing. Of course it is also possible to
use a combination of separate spacers and spacers, which are made
integral with the protection plate and/or the bottom wall.
[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention the
protection plate is screwed and/or riveted and/or bonded to or
hooked in the hob.
[0011] Alternatively, snap-fitting means are provided for fixing
the protection plate to the hob. Such snap-fitting means are
advantageous in that they form a releasable connection between the
protection plate and the hob, which is very easy and fast to
assemble and to disassemble. Preferably, the snap-fitting means are
made integral with the protection plate and/or the housing in order
to reduce the number of components and thus to simplify the
assembly of the domestic hob.
[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention the
protection plate comprises at least one cable opening for feeding
through cables. Accordingly, the cables of the hob can be fed out
of the clearance present between the main plain of the protection
plate and the bottom wall of the housing in a defined manner. The
edges of the cable opening are preferably chamfered and/or provided
with a cable protecting means in order to protect the cables from
being damaged. As a cable protecting means a plastic rail may be
clipped on the edges of the cable opening, only to cite an
example.
[0013] Preferably, the protection plate and/or the bottom wall of
the housing comprises at least one venting opening for venting the
hob.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention a first
protection plate section is provided with at least one venting
opening for feeding air and a second protection plate section is
provided with at least one venting opening for removing air,
wherein the protection plate sections are spacially separated from
each other in order to ensure an effective air circulation.
[0015] For separating the protection plate sections a separation
wall and/or sealing means may be provided.
[0016] Moreover, the present invention provides a protection plate
designed to be attached underneath a bottom wall of a housing of a
domestic hob such that a main plane of the protection plate is
spaced apart from the bottom wall of the housing by a predetermined
distance, wherein the protection plate is thermically and/or
electrically isolated and/or flame resistant.
[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention the
protection plate comprises at least one spacer for defining the
predetermined distance.
[0018] The protection plate may be designed to be screwed and/or
riveted and/or bonded to or hooked in the hob.
[0019] Alternatively, the protection plate may comprise
snap-fitting means for fixing the protection plate to the hob.
[0020] Preferably, at least one cable opening for feeding through
cables is provided whose edges are preferably chamfered and/or
provided with a cable protecting means.
[0021] Advantageously, a first protection plate section is provided
with at least one venting opening for feeding air and a second
protection plate section is provided with at least one venting
opening for removing air, wherein the protection plate sections are
spacially separated from each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[0022] The detailed configuration, features and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent in the course of the
following description with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded bottom view of a domestic
hob according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 is an perspective, exploded top view of the hob shown
in FIG. 1.
[0025] FIG. 3 is an perspective, exploded bottom view of a domestic
hob according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective, exploded top view of the hob shown
in FIG. 3.
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a domestic hob 10 according to a first
embodiment of the present invention. The hob 10 comprises a
conventional ceramic top plate 12 and a housing 14. In order to
accommodate the electronic components of the hob 10 the housing 14
has a box-shape which is defined by a bottom wall 16 and four side
walls 18. Along the upper edges of the side walls 18 angle profiles
20 are arranged for receiving the ceramic top plate 12 and for
fixing it to the housing 14. The bottom wall 16 of the housing 14
is provided with venting openings 22a, 22b and 22c for cooling the
interior of the housing 14 by the circulation of ambient air. The
circulation is caused by means of a fan (not shown) received in the
housing 14, which sucks in ambient air through the venting openings
22a and 22b and ejects the air through the venting opening 22c.
[0028] Moreover, the hob 10 comprises a protection plate 24 which
is made of a thermically and electrically isolating and fire
resistant material and which is fixed to the bottom wall 16 of the
housing 14 by means of screws 23. The protection plate 24 includes
a square main plane 26 extending essentially in parallel to the
bottom wall 16 of the housing 14, wherein three border areas of the
main plane 26 are bent upwardly towards the housing 14 of the hob
10 in order to form spacers 28. These spacers 28 abut against the
bottom wall 16, such that the main plane 26 of the protection plate
24 is spaced apart from the bottom wall 16 by a predetermined
distance. Thus, a clearance is created between the main plane 26 of
the protection plate 24 and the bottom wall 16 of the housing 14.
The clearance is devided by a separation wall 34, which extends
between the two opposing spacers 28 and is fixed to the main plane
26 of the protection plate 24, whereby two protection plate
sections 36 and 38 are formed. Within the protection plate section
36 a first venting opening 40a is provided underneath the venting
openings 22a and 22b of the housing 14 for feeding air, and in the
protection plate section 38 two venting openings 40b and 40c are
provided underneath the venting opening 22c of the housing 14 for
removing air. Accordingly, ambient air is sucked in by means of the
fan through the venting opening 40a formed in the protection plate
24, flows through the venting openings 22a and 22b into the housing
14, receives the heat generated by the electric components arranged
within the housing 14 and flows out through the venting openings
22c of the housing 14 and the venting openings 40b and 40c of the
protection plate 24.
[0029] Moreover, the main plane 26 of the protection plate 24 is
formed with a cable opening 42 for feeding through the cables of
the hob 10. The edges of the cable opening 42 may be chamfered
and/or provided with a cable protection means (not shown), e.g. a
plastic protection rail, which can be clipped on the edges of the
cable opening 42 in order to protect the user from getting cut.
[0030] Thanks to the thermically isolated protection plate 24 as
well as to the distance between the bottom wall 16 of the housing
14 and the main plane 26 of the protection plate 24 created by the
spacers 28 it is prevented that a user, who accidentally comes into
contact with the bottom side of the hob 10, gets burned. Moreover,
the electrical isolation of the protection plate 24 prevents that
the user receives an electric shock. Since the protection plate 24
is not fixed to the furniture but to the hob 10 itself there is no
need to adapt the size of the protection plate 24 to the dimensions
of the furniture, e.g. to the dimensions of floor cupboard. Thus,
the assembly of the hob 10 can be performed in an easy, fast and
inexpensive manner.
[0031] It should be noted that the spacers 28 can also be provided
as separate elements, e.g. in the form of spacer bushings arranged
around the screws 23.
[0032] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a hob 50 according to a second embodiment
of the present invention. The structure of the hob 50 is very
similar to the one of the hob 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for which
reason corresponding components of the hob 50 are designated with
the same reference numerals as used in FIGS. 1 and 2 in order to
simplify matters. The hobs 50 and 10 only vary in that the hob 50
comprises snap-fitting means 52 instead of the screws 30 for fixing
the protection plate 24 to the housing 14 of the hob 50. The
snap-fitting means 52 are provided at the exterior of the spacers
28 and project upwardly towards the housing 14. The snap-fitting
means 52 comprise snap-fitting projections 54 which project inwards
and latch into corresponding snap-fitting openings 56 formed in the
side walls 18 of the housing 14.
[0033] Thanks to the snap-fitting means 52 the fixation of the
protection plate 24 to the bottom wall 16 of the housing 14 can be
performed in a very fast and comfortable manner.
* * * * *