U.S. patent application number 15/473728 was filed with the patent office on 2018-10-04 for oven range appliance having a ventilation system.
The applicant listed for this patent is Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.. Invention is credited to James Lee Armstrong.
Application Number | 20180283699 15/473728 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63669133 |
Filed Date | 2018-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180283699 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Armstrong; James Lee |
October 4, 2018 |
OVEN RANGE APPLIANCE HAVING A VENTILATION SYSTEM
Abstract
An oven range appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking
chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked. The oven
range appliance also includes a cooktop positioned at a top portion
of the cabinet. The cooktop comprises one or more heating elements.
The oven range appliance also includes a ventilation system
comprising a vent housing and a fan. The vent housing defines an
intake opening and is vertically movable between a deployed
position and a stowed position. In the deployed position, the
intake opening is positioned outside the cabinet. In the stowed
position, the intake opening is positioned within the cabinet. The
fan is operable to draw fumes into the cabinet through the intake
opening when the vent housing is in the deployed position.
Inventors: |
Armstrong; James Lee;
(Louisville, KY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. |
Wilmington |
DE |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
63669133 |
Appl. No.: |
15/473728 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C 15/2092 20130101;
F24C 15/2042 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F24C 15/20 20060101
F24C015/20 |
Claims
1. An oven range appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral
direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral and
transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the oven range
appliance comprising: a cabinet defining a cooking chamber
configured for receipt of items to be cooked; a cooktop positioned
at a top portion of the cabinet, the cooktop comprising one or more
heating elements; and a ventilation system comprising: a vent
housing defining an intake opening, the vent housing movable along
the vertical direction between a deployed position and a stowed
position, the intake opening positioned outside of the cabinet when
the vent housing is in the deployed position, the intake opening
positioned within the cabinet when the vent housing is in the
stowed position; and a fan positioned within the cabinet, the fan
operable to draw air through the intake opening when the vent
housing is in the deployed position.
2. The oven range appliance of claim 1, wherein the vent housing is
positioned between the cooking chamber and a rear of the cabinet
along the transverse direction.
3. The oven range appliance of claim 2, wherein an air passage is
positioned, at least in part, between the cooking chamber and the
rear of the cabinet along the transverse direction, and wherein the
intake opening is positioned within the air passage when the vent
is in the stowed position.
4. The oven range appliance of claim 3, wherein the fan is
positioned within the air passage.
5. The oven range appliance of claim 4, wherein the air passage
extends between an inlet and an outlet, the inlet defined by the
cooktop, the outlet define by a front of the cabinet.
6. The oven range appliance of claim 5, wherein the cooking chamber
is positioned between the cooktop and the outlet along the vertical
direction.
7. The oven range appliance of claim 5, wherein the inlet and
outlet are spaced apart from one another along both the vertical
direction and the transverse direction.
8. The oven range appliance of claim 3, further comprising a drawer
positioned between the cooking chamber and a portion of the air
passage along the vertical direction.
9. The oven range appliance of claim 5, wherein the ventilation
system further comprises an air filter positioned on the outlet of
the air passage.
10. The oven range appliance of claim 3, wherein the air passage
extends between opposing sides of the cabinet along the lateral
direction.
11. The oven range appliance of claim 1, wherein the intake opening
comprises a plurality of intake openings.
12. An oven range appliance defining a vertical direction, a
lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical, lateral
and transverse directions being mutually perpendicular, the oven
range appliance comprising: a cabinet defining a cooking chamber
configured for receipt of items to be cooked; a cooktop positioned
at a top portion of the cabinet, the cooktop comprising one or more
heating elements; and a ventilation system comprising: a vent
housing defining an intake opening, the vent housing movable along
the vertical direction between a deployed position and a stowed
position, the intake opening positioned outside of the cabinet when
the vent housing is in the deployed position, the intake opening
positioned within the cabinet when the vent housing is in the
stowed position; and a fan positioned within an air passage
positioned, at least in part, between the cooking chamber and a
rear of the cabinet along the transverse direction, the fan
operable to draw air through the intake opening and into the air
passage when the vent housing is in the deployed position.
13. The oven range appliance of claim 12, wherein the intake
opening is positioned within the air passage when the vent housing
is in the stowed position.
14. The oven range appliance of claim 12, wherein the air passage
extends between an inlet and an outlet, the inlet defined by the
cooktop, the outlet define by a front of the cabinet.
15. The oven range appliance of claim 14, wherein the cooking
chamber is positioned between the cooktop and the outlet along the
vertical direction.
16. The oven range appliance of claim 14, wherein the inlet and
outlet are spaced apart from one another along both the vertical
direction and the transverse direction.
17. The oven range appliance of claim 12, further comprising a
drawer positioned between the cooking chamber and a portion of the
air passage along the vertical direction.
18. The oven range appliance of claim 14, further comprising an air
filter positioned on the outlet.
19. The oven range appliance of claim 12, wherein the air passage
extends between opposing sides of the cabinet along the lateral
direction.
20. The oven range appliance of claim 12, wherein the intake
opening comprises a plurality of intake openings.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to oven range
appliances, such as oven range appliances with ventilation
systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Oven range appliances generally include a cabinet that
defines a cooking chamber for cooking food items therein and
further include a cooktop positioned at a top of the cabinet for
cooking food items thereon. While food items are cooking on the
cooktop, fumes are generated directly above the cooktop and, absent
proper ventilation, the fumes drift to other areas of a room (e.g.,
kitchen) in which the oven range appliance is located. This is
undesirable, especially if the fumes have a foul odor. As such,
kitchens having an oven range appliance also typically include a
ventilation system for removing the fumes.
[0003] In some kitchens, the ventilation system includes a vent
hood positioned above the cooktop, and a fan operable to draw the
fumes into the vent hood where the fumes are then exhausted,
preferably outside. However, the vent hood may be undesirable in
some kitchens. For example, residential homes having an open floor
plan include a great room that combines the kitchen with the dining
room and living room. In such homes, the great room may include a
kitchen island, and the oven range appliance may be positioned
within the kitchen island. Here, the vent hood is undesirable,
because the vent hood obstructs the view of the open floor
plan.
[0004] In other kitchens, a ventilation system includes a
telescoping downdraft ventilator. The telescoping downdraft
ventilator generally includes a vent housing positioned behind the
cooktop, and the vent housing is vertically movable between a
deployed position and a stowed position. In the deployed position,
the vent housing is positioned above the cooktop to remove the
fumes. In the stowed position, the vent housing is stored below the
cooktop. As such, the telescoping downdraft ventilator is desirable
in residential homes having an open floor plan. This is especially
true if the oven range appliance is positioned within the kitchen
island. However, since the telescoping downdraft ventilator
requires space within the kitchen island to accommodate the vent
housing and other components, the amount of cabinet space available
within the kitchen island is reduced, which is generally
undesirable.
[0005] In still other kitchens, a ventilation system may be
integral with the oven range appliance. As an example, the cooktop
of the oven range appliance may define a vent, and a fan positioned
within the cabinet may draw the fumes into the cabinet through the
vent where the fumes are then exhausted, preferably outside. The
integral ventilation system is desirable in residential homes
having an open floor plan, because the ventilation system is
disposed within the oven range appliance and will not obstruct the
view of the open floor plan. Further, the integral ventilation
system is especially desirable when the oven range appliance is
positioned within the kitchen island, because the integral
ventilation system does not take away from the available cabinet
space within the kitchen island.
[0006] However, the integral ventilation system has its
disadvantages. For example, since the fumes rise from the cooktop,
the fumes are naturally moving away from the vent defined by the
cooktop. As such, the fan must be driven by a motor powerful enough
to redirect the fumes back towards the vent. However, since the fan
is positioned within the cabinet, the motor cannot be sized to meet
this requirement without adversely affecting aspects of the oven
range appliance, such as the amount of available space within the
cooking chamber. As such, the integral ventilation system may be
undesirable, because the integral ventilation system takes away
from the amount of available space within the cooking chamber.
[0007] Accordingly, an oven range appliance having an improved
ventilation system would be welcomed within the technology.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present disclosure provides an oven range appliance
having a ventilation system. The ventilation system includes a vent
or vent housing and a fan. The vent housing is vertically movable
between a deployed position and a stowed position. The fan may be
positioned within a cabinet of the oven range appliance. When the
vent housing is in the deployed position, the fan may operate to
remove fumes from the room or area in which the oven range
appliance is located. Additional aspects and advantages of the
invention will be set forth in part in the following description,
or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through
practice of the invention.
[0009] In one aspect of the present disclosure, an oven range
appliance is provided. The oven range appliance may define a
vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse
direction. The vertical, lateral, and transverse directions may be
mutually perpendicular. The oven range appliance may include a
cabinet defining a cooking chamber configured for receipt of items
to be cooked. The oven range appliance may also include a cooktop
positioned at a top portion of the cabinet. The cooktop may
comprise one or more heating elements. In addition, the oven range
appliance may include a ventilation system comprising a vent
housing and a fan. The vent housing may define an intake opening,
and the fan may be positioned within the cabinet. In addition, the
vent housing may be movable along the vertical direction between a
deployed position and a stowed position. When the vent housing is
in the deployed position, the intake opening may be positioned
outside the cabinet. In contrast, the intake opening may be
positioned within the cabinet when the vent housing is in the
stowed position. The fan may be operable to draw air through the
intake opening when the vent housing is in the deployed
position.
[0010] In another aspect of the present disclosure, an oven range
appliance is provided. The oven range appliance may define a
vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse
direction. The vertical, lateral, and transverse directions may be
mutually perpendicular. The oven range appliance may include a
cabinet defining a cooking chamber configured for receipt of items
to be cooked. The oven range appliance may also include a cooktop
positioned at a top of the cabinet. The cooktop may comprise one or
more heating elements. In addition, the oven range appliance may
include a ventilation system comprising a vent housing and a fan.
The vent housing may define an intake opening, and the fan may be
positioned within an air passage positioned, at least in part,
between the cooking chamber and a rear portion of the cabinet along
the transverse direction. When the vent housing is in the deployed
position, the intake opening may be positioned outside the cabinet.
In contrast, the intake opening may be positioned within the
cabinet when the vent housing is in the stowed position. The fan
may be operable to draw air through the intake opening and into the
air passage when the vent housing is in the deployed position.
[0011] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with reference to
the following description and appended claims. The accompanying
drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and,
together with the description, serve to explain the principles of
the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention,
including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill
in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes
reference to the appended figures, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 provides a front perspective view of an oven range
appliance in accordance with embodiments of the present
disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 2 provides a side cross-sectional view of the oven
range appliance of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 provides a front view of an oven range appliance
having a ventilation system in accordance with embodiments of the
present disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 4 provides a side cross-sectional view of the oven
range appliance and ventilation system of FIG. 3
[0017] FIG. 5 provides another side cross-sectional view of the
oven range appliance and ventilation system of FIG. 3; and
[0018] FIG. 6 provides a top view of the oven range appliance of
FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the
invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the
drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the
invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and
variations can be made in the present invention without departing
from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features
illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with
another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is
intended that the present invention covers such modifications and
variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and
their equivalents.
[0020] Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 provides a front
perspective view of an oven range appliance 10 according to an
example embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 provides a
side, cross section view of oven range appliance 10 taken along the
2-2 line of FIG. 1 (e.g., taken in a plane that is perpendicular to
a lateral direction L). It should be understood that oven range
appliance 10 is provided by way of example only and is not intended
to limit the present disclosure in any particular aspect. Thus, the
present disclosure may be used with other oven range appliance
configurations, e.g., that define one or more interior cavities
configured for receiving food and/or having different pan or rack
arrangements than what is shown in FIG. 2.
[0021] As may be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the oven range appliance 10
defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L, and a
transverse direction T. The vertical direction V, lateral direction
L, and transverse direction T are mutually perpendicular and
together form an orthogonal direction system. The oven range
appliance 10 includes an insulated cabinet 12. The cabinet 12
extends between a top portion 14 and a bottom portion 16, e.g.,
along the vertical direction V. The cabinet 12 also extends between
opposing sides 18 and 20, e.g., along the lateral direction L. The
cabinet 12 further extends between a front 22 and a rear 24, e.g.,
along the transverse direction T. Still further, an internal wall
26 positioned within the cabinet 12 defines an insulated cooking
chamber 28.
[0022] The oven range appliance 10 includes a door 30 rotatably
mounted to cabinet 12 at the front 22 of the cabinet 12, e.g., with
a hinge (not shown). A handle 32 is mounted to the door 30 and
assists a user with opening and closing the door 30 in order to
access the cooking chamber 28. In some embodiments, the oven range
appliance 10 may include a seal (not shown) between the door 30 and
the cabinet 12 that assists with maintaining heat and cooking fumes
within the cooking chamber 28 when the door 30 is closed as shown
in FIG. 2. Multiple parallel glass panes 34 provide for viewing the
contents of the cooking chamber 28 when the door is closed and
assist with insulating the cooking chamber 28. A baking rack 34 is
positioned within the cooking chamber 28 for the receipt of food
items or utensils containing food items. The baking rack 36 is
slidably received onto embossed ribs or sliding rails 38 such that
the baking rack 36 may be conveniently moved into and out of the
cooking chamber 28 when the door 30 is open.
[0023] A broil or upper heating element 40 is positioned within the
cabinet 12, e.g., at or adjacent the top portion 14 of the cabinet
12. The upper heating element 40 is used to heat the cooking
chamber 28 for both cooking/broiling and cleaning of the oven range
appliance 10. The size and heat output of the upper heating element
40 may be selected based on the size of the oven range appliance
10.
[0024] A bake or lower heating element 42 is also positioned in the
cooking chamber 28 of the cabinet, e.g., at or adjacent the bottom
portion 16 of the cabinet 12. The lower heating element 42 is used
to heat the cooking chamber 28 for both cooking/baking and cleaning
of the oven range appliance 10. Like the upper heating element 40,
the size and heat output of the lower heating element 42 may be
selected based on, for example, the size of the oven range
appliance 10.
[0025] It should be appreciated that the upper and lower heating
elements 40, 42 may be any suitable heating element or combination
of heating elements. For example, the upper and lower heating
elements 40, 42 may both be an electric resistance heating element.
In an alternative embodiment, the upper and lower heating elements
40, 42 may both be a gas burner.
[0026] The oven range appliance 10 includes a drawer 46 positioned
between the cooking chamber 28 and the bottom portion 16 of the
cabinet 12 along the vertical direction V. The drawer 46 may move
between a closed position (FIG. 2) and an open position (not
shown). The drawer 46 may include a handle 48 to assist a user in
moving the drawer 46 between the open and closed positions.
[0027] The oven range appliance 10 also includes a cooktop 50
positioned at the top portion 14 of the cabinet 12. Thus, the
cooktop 50 is positioned above the cooking chamber 28, e.g., along
the vertical direction V. The cooktop 50 includes heating elements
52 and a top panel 54. The heating elements 52 may be positioned
below the top panel 54, e.g., along the vertical direction V, and
are operable to heat items, such as pots, pans, griddles, etc. More
specifically, items such as pots and pans may rest on the top panel
54 and be heated by the heating elements 52. It should be
appreciated that the top panel 54 may be formed from glass, glass
ceramic, metal, or any other suitable material. The heating
elements 52 may be any suitable heating elements or combination of
heating elements, such as gas burners, electric coils, induction
heating elements, etc.
[0028] Operation of the oven range appliance 10 is regulated by a
controller 60 that is operatively coupled to various components of
the oven range appliance 10, including a control panel 70. The
control panel 70 includes a plurality of user inputs 72 and a
display 74. The control panel 70 may be in communication with the
controller 60 via one or more signal lines or shared communication
buses. The control panel 70 provides selections that allow a user
to manipulate operation of the oven range appliance 10. As an
example, a user may actuate one or more user inputs 72 and signal
the controller 70. In response, the controller 70 operates various
components of the oven range appliance 10, such as the upper and
lower heating elements 40, 42. The user inputs 72 of the control
panel 70 may be any suitable user input. For example, the user
inputs may include various components, such as one or more of a
variety of touch-type controls, electrical, mechanical or
electro-mechanical input devices, including rotary dials, push
buttons, and touch pads.
[0029] The controller 60 includes memory and one or more processing
devices, such as microprocessors, CPUs or the like, such as general
or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming
instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of the
oven range appliance 10. The memory may represent random access
memory, such as dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), read only
memory (ROM), or electrically erasable programmable read only
memory (EEPROM). The processor executes programming instructions
stored in the memory, which may be separate from the processor or
included onboard within the processor. Alternatively, the
controller 60 may be constructed without using a microprocessor,
e.g., using a combination of discrete analog and/or digital logic
circuitry (such as switches, amplifiers, integrators, comparators,
flip-flops, AND gates and the like) to perform control
functionality instead of relying upon software. The controller 60
may be positioned in a variety of locations throughout the oven
range appliance 10. Input/output ("I/O") signals may be routed
between the controller 60 and various operational components of the
oven range appliance 10, e.g., via one or more signal lines or
shared communication busses.
[0030] The oven range appliance also includes various features for
providing a user with information regarding operation of the oven
range appliance 10. For example, the display 74 may present
information to a user of the oven range appliance 10. In
particular, the display 74 may show the current time or the
operating temperature of the cooking chamber 28. The display 74 may
be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a dot matrix display, a series
of seven-segment displays, or any other suitable display.
[0031] FIGS. 3 through 6 depict an oven range appliance 100 in
accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
The oven range appliance 100 depicted in FIG. 3 may be configured
in substantially the same manner as the oven range appliance 10
depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, and accordingly, the same or similar
numbers may refer to the same or similar parts. For example, the
oven range appliance 100 includes a cabinet 12 and an internal wall
26 positioned within the cabinet 12. In addition, the oven range
appliance 100 includes a cooktop 50 comprising heating elements 52
and a top panel 54.
[0032] However, for the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 3 through 6,
the oven range appliance 100 additionally includes a ventilation
system 200. In one example embodiment, the ventilation system 200
may include a vent housing 210 positioned between the cooking
chamber 28 and the rear 24 of the cabinet 12 along the transverse
direction T. As shown, the vent housing 210 defines a cavity 212
and one or more intake openings 214 that are in fluid communication
with the cavity 212. Further, the vent housing 210 is movable along
the vertical direction V between a deployed position (FIGS. 3 and
4) and a stowed position (FIG. 5). The one or more intake openings
214 are positioned outside of the cabinet 12 when the vent housing
210 is in the deployed position. In contrast, the one or more
intake openings 214 are positioned within the cabinet 12 when the
vent housing 210 is in the stowed position.
[0033] It should be appreciated that the ventilation system 200 may
include an electric motor (not shown) that, when actuated, moves
the vent housing 210 along the vertical direction V to or towards
either the deployed position or the stowed position. The electric
motor may be coupled to a gear rack system or other suitable
coupling to move the vent housing 210 along the vertical direction
V between the deployed position and the stowed position. In one
example embodiment, a user controls operation of the vent housing
210 via manipulation of one or more user inputs 72 (FIG. 1) on the
control panel 70 (FIG. 1). In particular, manipulation of the one
or more user inputs 72 generates a signal that is received by the
controller 60 (FIG. 2). Upon receiving the signal, the controller
60 actuates the electric motor to move the vent housing 210 to or
towards either the deployed position or the stowed position.
[0034] Referring now to FIG. 4, a pot 300 is shown resting on the
cooktop 50. More specifically, the pot 300 contains one or more
food items (not shown) that are being heated by one of the heating
elements 52 (FIG. 4). As the heating element 52 heats the pot 300
and cooks the one or more food items, fumes 400 are generated
comprising smoke, gas vapor, or any other suitable gas-liquid
mixture. Without proper ventilation, the fumes 400 will continue to
move away from the cooktop 50 along the vertical direction V.
Further, the fumes 400 may drift to other areas of a room (e.g.,
kitchen) in which the oven range appliance 10 is located. However,
as discussed below and shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ventilation
system 200 includes a fan 220 that operates in conjunction with the
vent housing 210 to remove the fumes 400 from the room.
[0035] As shown, the fan 220 is positioned within the cabinet 12
and draws the fumes 400 through the one or more intake opening 214
and into the cabinet 12 when the vent housing 210 is in the
deployed position. In one example embodiment, the fan 220 operates
continuously while the vent housing 210 is in the deployed
position. In alternative embodiments, however, the controller 60
operates the fan 220 for a predetermined amount of time when the
vent housing 210 is in the deployed position. As an example, the
controller 60 may be configured to operate the fan 220 for a first
interval of time. Then, upon expiration of the first interval of
time, the controller 60 may deactivate the fan 220 for a second
interval of time that is different than the first interval of time.
Alternatively, the first and second intervals of time may be equal
to one another.
[0036] Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 6, the cabinet 12 of the
oven range appliance 100 may include an air passage 230 that is
positioned, at least in part, between the cooking chamber 28 and
the rear 24 of the cabinet 12 along the transverse direction T. The
air passage 230 may extend between an inlet 240 (FIG. 6) and an
outlet 250. Further, the air passage 230 may extend between the
opposing sides 18, 20 of the cabinet 12 along the lateral direction
L.
[0037] In one example embodiment, the inlet 240 may be defined by
the cooktop 50 and may be positioned adjacent the rear 24 of the
cabinet 12. In addition, the outlet 250 may be defined at the front
22 of the cabinet 12, and may be positioned adjacent the bottom
portion 16 of the cabinet 12. More specifically, the cooking
chamber 28 may be positioned between the cooktop 50 and the outlet
250 along the vertical direction V. As such, the inlet 240 and
outlet 250 may be spaced apart from one another along both the
vertical direction V and the transverse direction T.
[0038] As shown, the air passage 230 may include a first portion
232 and second portion 234 that is substantially perpendicular to
the first portion 232. The first portion 232 may extend from the
inlet 240 towards the bottom portion 16 of the cabinet 12 along the
vertical direction V. In addition, the first portion 232 may be
positioned between the cooking chamber 28 and the rear 24 of the
cabinet 12 along the transverse direction T. The second portion 234
may extend from the outlet 250 towards the rear 24 of the cabinet
12 along the transverse direction T. In addition, the second
portion 234 may be positioned between the drawer 46 and the bottom
portion 16 of the cabinet 12 along the vertical direction V. More
specifically, the drawer 46 may be positioned between the cooking
chamber 28 and the second portion 234 along the vertical direction
V. It should be appreciated that the first and second portions 232,
234 merge and are contiguous with one another at a junction
adjacent both the bottom portion 16 of the cabinet 12 and the rear
24 of the cabinet 12.
[0039] In one example embodiment, the one or more intake openings
214 may enter and exit the cabinet 12 through the inlet 240 when
the vent housing 210 moves between the stowed and deployed
positions. As such, the one or more intake openings 214 may be
positioned within the air passage 230 when the vent housing 210 is
in the stowed position. More specifically, the one or more intake
openings 214 may be positioned within the first portion 232 of the
air passage 230. As discussed below and depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5,
the fan 220 may be positioned within the air passage 230, and the
fan 220 may draw the fumes 400 into the air passage 230 when the
vent housing 210 is in the deployed position and the fan 220 is
activated.
[0040] As shown, the fan 220 may be positioned at the junction
where first and second portions 232, 234 of the air passage merge
with one another. In particular, the fan 220 may be positioned
adjacent to both the bottom portion 16 and rear 24 of the cabinet
12. The fan 220 may operate and draw the fumes 400 towards the one
or more intake openings 214 along the transverse direction T. As
the fumes 400 enter the cavity 212 through the one or more intake
openings 214, the fan 220 may draw the fumes 400 downwards towards
the inlet 240 along the vertical direction V. Thus, the fan 220 may
draw the fumes 400 into the first portion 232 of the air passage
230 through the inlet 240. The fan 220 may then continue to draw
the fumes 400 thorough the first portion 232 towards the bottom
portion 16 of the cabinet 12 until the fumes 400 reach the fan 220.
Then, the fan may expel the fumes 400 into the second portion 234
of the air passage 230. More specifically, the fan 220 may expel
the fumes 400 along the transverse direction T towards the outlet
250. As will be discussed below, the fumes 400 may exit the air
passage 230 through the outlet 250.
[0041] In some example embodiments, the ventilation system 200 may
include an air filter 260 positioned on the outlet 250 of the air
passage 230. In particular, the air filter 260 may be any suitable
filter configured to remove pollutants from the fumes 400, such as
grease filter. As such, fumes 400 exiting the air passage 230
through the outlet 250 may be filtered before reentering the room
or area in which the oven range appliance 10 is located.
Accordingly, the ventilation system 200 may filter the fumes 400,
and direct filtered air 410 back into the room.
[0042] The oven range appliance 100 having the ventilation system
200 provides numerous advantages. For example, the oven range
appliance 100 is desirable in residential homes having open floor
plans, because the vent housing 210 is vertically movable between
the deployed and stowed positions. More specifically, the vent
housing 210 may be moved to the stowed position when not in use to
avoid obstructing the view of the open floor plan. In addition, the
oven range appliance 100 is especially desirable in residential
homes having a kitchen island, because the ventilation system 200
does not require any additional cabinet space beyond that required
to accommodate the oven range appliance 100. Thus, the oven range
appliance 100 of the present disclosure does not take away from the
available cabinet space within the kitchen island. Further, since
the fumes 400 are filtered before exiting the cabinet 12 of the
oven range appliance 10, the ventilation system 200 of the present
disclosure eliminates the need for external ductwork previously
required to exhaust the fumes 400, preferably outside. As an
example, a width of oven range appliance 10 may be no greater no
less than twenty nine inches and no greater than thirty one inches
along the lateral direction, and a depth of oven range appliance 10
may be no greater no less than twenty seven inches and no greater
than thirty one inches along the transverse direction. Thus,
ventilation system 200 may be incorporated into a "slide-in" style
range appliance.
[0043] This written description uses examples to disclose the
invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person
skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and
using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated
methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the
claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled
in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope
of the claims if they include structural elements that do not
differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include
equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from
the literal languages of the claims.
* * * * *