CA2227916C - Free standing warmer drawer - Google Patents
Free standing warmer drawer Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2227916C CA2227916C CA002227916A CA2227916A CA2227916C CA 2227916 C CA2227916 C CA 2227916C CA 002227916 A CA002227916 A CA 002227916A CA 2227916 A CA2227916 A CA 2227916A CA 2227916 C CA2227916 C CA 2227916C
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- enclosure
- lateral walls
- wall
- panel
- heating chamber
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
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Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24C—DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES ; DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F24C15/00—Details
- F24C15/08—Foundations or supports plates; Legs or pillars; Casings; Wheels
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24C—DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES ; DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F24C15/00—Details
- F24C15/18—Arrangement of compartments additional to cooking compartments, e.g. for warming or for storing utensils or fuel containers; Arrangement of additional heating or cooking apparatus, e.g. grills
Abstract
A free-standing warming appliance includes an outer enclosure and an inner liner which cooperate together to form a heating chamber. A warmer drawer forming a receptacle for precooked food stuffs is selectively inserted into and withdrawn out of the heating chamber.
A heating element is secured to the inner liner within the heating chamber to warm the food stuffs within the warmer drawer receptacle. A control panel has an indicator light and infinite switch for controlling the heating element. The control panel is located within the enclosure and covered by a front panel of the warmer drawer so that access to the control components of the control panel is provided only when the warmer drawer is withdrawn from the heating chamber. Oven support members are secured to the outer enclosure to support a cooking appliance, such as a built-in oven, above the free-standing warming appliance. The cooking appliance rests directly on the oven support members of the warming appliance.
A heating element is secured to the inner liner within the heating chamber to warm the food stuffs within the warmer drawer receptacle. A control panel has an indicator light and infinite switch for controlling the heating element. The control panel is located within the enclosure and covered by a front panel of the warmer drawer so that access to the control components of the control panel is provided only when the warmer drawer is withdrawn from the heating chamber. Oven support members are secured to the outer enclosure to support a cooking appliance, such as a built-in oven, above the free-standing warming appliance. The cooking appliance rests directly on the oven support members of the warming appliance.
Description
' CA 02227916 1998-O1-27 3 The present invention generally relates to domestic kitchen appliances and, more particularly, to domestic warming appliances having a warmer drawer adapted to 6 receive and maintain cooked hot food at an above-ambient temperature.
g Domestic kitchens typically have a cooking or baking 9 appliance, such as a range or a built in oven, which is used to cook food stuffs. It would also be advantageous 11 for domestic kitchens to have a warming or holding 12 appliance, like many commercial kitchens. The warming 13 appliance is used to hold previously cooked food stuffs 14 in a warm or above-ambient condition. The warming appliance holds the food stuffs at a controlled above-16 ambient temperature so that the food remains hot but is 1~ not further cooked because further cooking may degrade 1g the food quality. Warming appliances are distinguished 1g from cooking appliances in that cooking appliances typically operate at cooking temperatures up to 550 21 degrees Fahrenheit and up while warming appliances 22 typically operate at much lower temperatures such as in 23 the range of 160 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
24 Commercial warming appliances are typically constructed together with the cooking appliances. These 26 combination appliances can be relatively expensive and 2~ difficult to install and remove due to their relatively 2g high weight. Most domestic kitchens already have a 29 built-in oven or range which may not need to be replaced.
Additionally, domestic kitchens typically have a large 31 number of standard wood storage~cabinets which can be 32 utilized to hold a warming appliance. Accordingly, there 33 is a need in the art for a separate or free-standing 34 warming appliance which can be installed in a standard kitchen cabinet. There also exists the need in the art 1 for a warming appliance which is relatively inexpensive, 2 light weight, and easy to install and remove.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
g Domestic kitchens typically have a cooking or baking 9 appliance, such as a range or a built in oven, which is used to cook food stuffs. It would also be advantageous 11 for domestic kitchens to have a warming or holding 12 appliance, like many commercial kitchens. The warming 13 appliance is used to hold previously cooked food stuffs 14 in a warm or above-ambient condition. The warming appliance holds the food stuffs at a controlled above-16 ambient temperature so that the food remains hot but is 1~ not further cooked because further cooking may degrade 1g the food quality. Warming appliances are distinguished 1g from cooking appliances in that cooking appliances typically operate at cooking temperatures up to 550 21 degrees Fahrenheit and up while warming appliances 22 typically operate at much lower temperatures such as in 23 the range of 160 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
24 Commercial warming appliances are typically constructed together with the cooking appliances. These 26 combination appliances can be relatively expensive and 2~ difficult to install and remove due to their relatively 2g high weight. Most domestic kitchens already have a 29 built-in oven or range which may not need to be replaced.
Additionally, domestic kitchens typically have a large 31 number of standard wood storage~cabinets which can be 32 utilized to hold a warming appliance. Accordingly, there 33 is a need in the art for a separate or free-standing 34 warming appliance which can be installed in a standard kitchen cabinet. There also exists the need in the art 1 for a warming appliance which is relatively inexpensive, 2 light weight, and easy to install and remove.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
4 The present invention provides a free-standing warming appliance which overcomes at least some of the 6 above-noted problems of the related art. The warming 7 appliance includes an enclosure and a liner. The 8 enclosure has a pair of lateral walls and a top wall 9 disposed between the lateral walls. The liner has a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from the enclosure, 11 lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between the 12 liner lateral walls. The enclosure top wall, the liner 13 lateral walls, and the liner bottom wall cooperate to 14 form a heating chamber. A warmer drawer is adapted to be received within and withdrawn from the heating chamber.
16 A heating element is secured to the liner within the 17 heating chamber to warm food stuffs placed within the 18 warmer drawer.
1g According to another aspect of the present invention, the warming appliance includes a control panel 21 having control components for controlling the heating 22 element. The control panel is located within the 23 enclosure so that access to the control panel is provided 24 only when the warmer drawer is withdrawn from the heating chamber. Preferably, the control panel is located 26 between one of the enclosure lateral walls and one of the 27 liner lateral walls and the warmer drawer includes a 28 front wall which extends between the enclosure lateral 29 walls in front of the control panel.
According to a further aspect of the present 31 invention, the warming appliance includes support members 32 secured to the outer enclosure. A separate cooking 33 appliance, such as a built-in oven, rests above the 34 warming appliance directly on the support members.
Therefore, the free-standing warming appliance of the 36 present invention is ideal for use in a domestic kitchen in combination with either anew or existing range or built-in oven.
In a broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to a free-standing warming appliance comprising: an enclosure having a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls.: a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber; a panel extending between one of said enclosure lateral walls and one of said liner lateral walls: a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber, said warmer drawer including a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of lateral walls, and a bottom wall, which define a receptacle adapted to receive food stuffs, said front wall extending between said enclosure lateral walls and in front of said panel such that access to said panel is provided only when said warmer drawer is withdrawn from said heating chamber; a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer; and, oven support members secured to said enclosure.
In another broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to a cooking and warming system for a kitchen cabinet comprising:
a warming appliance including an outer enclosure and support members secured to said outer enclosure, said outer enclosure comprising a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls; and a separate cooking appliance located above said warming appliance and resting on said support members, wherein said warming appliance comprises: a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber, a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber; and a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer.
3 (a) 1 $RIEF DESCRIPTION OF TfiE SL:VERAL VIEWS OF '1111 DRAWING
2 These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following 3 description and drawings, wherein:
4 F'IG. 1 is a perspective view of a free-standing warming appliance according to the present invention G mounted within a standard kitchen cabinet and supporting a built-in oven;
g FIG. 2 is a perspective of tyre warming appliance of 9 FIG. 1 showing a warmer drawer extended from a chassis;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the chassis of the 11 warming appliance of FIG. 1 with a top cover removed for 12 clarity;
13 FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the chassis of the 14 warming appliance of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the drawer of 1G the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
1~ FIG. G is an exploded view of the drawer of the 1g warming appliance of FIG. 1;
1g FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a glide assembly of the warming appliance of I~IG. 1;
21 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-22 8 of FIG. 7;
23 FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a heating element of 24 the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating element 26 mounting clip of the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
2~ FIGS. 11a, 11b, and llc are, respectively, a front 2g elevational view, a top plan view , and a side 29 elevational view of a temperature sensor of the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
31 FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a 32 control circuit for the warming appliance oC I~Ig. 1;
33 FIGS. 13a, 13b, and 13c are, respectively, a front 1 elevational view, a top plan view, and a side elevational 2 view of an oven support member of the warming appliance 3 of FIG. 1;
4 FIG. 14 is a fragmentary' elevational view, in cross section, showing the warming appliance of FIG. 1 6 supporting the built-in oven; and 7 FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a support bracket 8 of the warming appliance of FIG. 1.
g DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a free-standing warming 11 appliance or oven 10 according to the present invention.
12 The illustrated warming appliance 10 is located in a 13 standard, wood, kitchen cabinet 12 along with a built-in 14 oven 14. The kitchen cabinet 12 has a generally hollow interior with a front opening in which the oven 14 is 16 located above the warming appliance 10. The oven 14 17 includes an oven door 16 which is secured so as to permit 18 pivotal movement of the door 16 about its bottom edge.
19 The door 16 provides access to a cooking chamber within the oven 14. An oven control panel 18 is located above 21 the door 16 and includes a plurality of control devices 22 such as, for example dials, switches, buttons, and/or 23 knobs.
24 The free-standing warming appliance 10 includes a warmer drawer chassis 20 forming a heating chamber 26 therein, a warmer drawer 22 which is selectively inserted 27 into and withdrawn from the heating chamber, and glide 28 assemblies 24 which slidably connect the warmer drawer 22 29 to the warmer drawer chassis 20. A warmer drawer control panel 2G is located at the front of the warmer drawer 31 chassis 20 behind a portion of the warmer drawer 22 so 32 that it is not visible when the warmer drawer 22 is fully 33 within the heating chamber (best shown in FIG. 1).
34 Access to control components of the control panel 26 is provided when the warmer drawer 22 is withdrawn from the 36 heating chamber (best shown in FIG. 2).
1 The illustrated control panel 26 has control 2 components including a heater control switch 28 and an 3 associated indicator light 30. Preferably, the heater 4 control switch 28 is rotatabl'y mounted to the control 5 panel 26, and is movable in a push-and-turn fashion to 6 any user-selected position between an off position and a 7 high heat position. More preferably, the heater control 8 switch 28 is an infinite switch wherein the duty cycle 9 (ratio of heater on-time to heater on-time plus heater off-time) varies between zero, when the switch is set to 11 an off position, to one when the switch is set to the 12 high position. As will be described more fully 13 hereafter, rotation of the heater control switch 28 14 between the various user-selected positions varies the duty cycle of a heating element. It is believed that 16 operation of infinite switches is well known to one 17 skilled in the art and, therefore, will not be further 18 discussed hereafter.
19 As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the warmer drawer chassis 20 includes an inner liner 32 which partially 21 defines the heating chamber for the warmer drawer 22, an 22 outer wrapper or enclosure 34 which supports and 23 surrounds the inner liner 32 and partially forms the 24 heating chamber, a heating element 3G, and a temperature sensing assembly 38. The inner liner 32 includes a 26 bottom wall or panel 40 and lateral side wall or panels 27 42, 44. The bottom panel 40 is preferably formed from 28 steel. The side panels 42, 44 are preferably formed from 29 steel with porcelain on exposed surfaces. The porcelain surfaces are preferable over painted surfaces for a 31 number of reasons. These reasons include heat tolerance, 32 resistance to scratches and wear, ease of cleaning, an 33 aesthetic continuity with other surfaces of the warming 34 appliance 10 and of other kitchen appliances such as the oven 14.
36 The bottom panel 40 of the inner liner 32 defines 37 the lower and rear extent of the heating chamber. The G
1 bottom panel 40 includes a main or lower wall 4G from 2 which a substantially-vertical front flange 48 and a 3 substantially-vertical rear wall 50 extend. The lower 4 wall 46 has openings along it's lateral edges through which screws are inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 6 to the side panels 42, 44 and portions of the outer 7 enclosure 34 as further described hereafter. The lower 8 wall 46 also has upwardly embossed openings through which 9 screws are inserted to secure the heating element 3G to the bottom panel 40 as further described hereafter. The 11 front flange 48 is bent generally perpendicular to the 12 lower wall 46 from a front edge of the lower wall 4G.
13 The front flange 48 has openings through which screws are 14 inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 to a portion of the outer enclosure 34 as further described hereafter.
16 The rear wall 50 is bent generally perpendicular to the 17 lower wall 46 from a rear edge of the lower wall 46. An 18 upper flange 52 is bent generally perpendicular the rear 19 wall 50 and forwardly extends from a top edge of the rear wall 50. A pair of mounting tabs 54 are also bent 21 generally perpendicular to the rear wall 50 and 22 rearwardly extend from the lateral side edges of the rear 23 wall 50. The tabs 54 have openings through which screws 24 are inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 to side panels 42, 44. The rear wall 50 also has openings and extruded 26 holes for mounting the heating element 36 and the 27 temperature sensing assembly 38 as described in more 28 detail hereafter.
29 The side panels 42, 44 of the inner liner 32 define the lateral extent of the heating chamber. Each side 31 panel 42, 44 includes a main or lateral wall 56 from 32 which substantially-horizontal upper and lower flanges 33 58, 60 inwardly extend and substantially-vertical end 34 walls 62, 64 outwardly extend. The lateral wall 56 has an opening through which a screw is inserted to secure 36 the side panel 42, 44 to the mounting tab 54 of the 37 bottom panel 40 as described hereinbefore The lateral 1 wall 56 also has openings formed therein for attaching 2 the glide assemblies 24. Each of the side panels 42, 44 3 has a first portion of the glide assemblies 24 secured 4 thereto, as will be discussed in more detail hereafter.
The lateral wall 56 of the left side panel 42 also has an 6 opening sized for passing wires therethrough near a rear 7 end of the lateral wall 56. The upper and lower flanges 8 58, 60 are bent generally perpendicular to the lateral 9 wall 56 from the top and bottom edges of the lateral wall 56 respectively. The lower flange 60 has openings 11 through which screws are inserted to secure side panel 12 42, 44 to the lower wall 46 of the bottom panel 40 as 13 described hereinbefore. The end walls 62, 64 are bent 14 generally perpendicular to the lateral wall 56 from the front arid rear edges of the lateral wall 56. Flanges 66, 16 68 are bent generally perpendicular to the end walls 62, 17 64 and extend from the outer edge of the end walls 62, 64 18 generally parallel to the lateral wall 56. The flanges 19 66, 68 have openings through which screws are inserted to secure the side panels 42 to the outer enclosure 34 as 21 further described hereafter. The front end wall 62 of 22 the left side panel 42 forms the control panel 26 and has 23 openings and holes for mounting the heater control switch 24 28 and the indicator light 30.
The outer enclosure 34 includes left and right 26 lateral walls or panels 70, 72, a rear wall or panel 74, 27 a top wall or panel 76, and front trim 78. The lateral 28 panels '70, 72, rear panel 74, and the top panel 76 are 29 preferably formed from steel. The front trim 78 is preferably formed from stainless steel which is polished 31 at exposed surfaces.
32 The lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34 33 define the lateral extent of the outer enclosure 34. The 34 lateral panels 70, 72 each have a substantially-horizontal base or lower wall 80 from which a 36 substantially-vertical side or outer wall 82 and a 37 substantially-vertical inner wall 84 upwardly extend.
1 The outer wall 82 is bent generally perpendicular to the 2 lower wall 80 from an outer edge of the lower wall 80.
3 The outer wall 82 has openings through which screws are 4 inserted to secure the lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34 to the side walls 42, 44 of the inner liner 6 32. The inner wall 84 is bent generally perpendicular to 7 the lower wall 80 from an inner edge of the lower wall 8 80. A substantially-horizontal flange 86 is bent 9 generally perpendicular to the inner wall 84 and inwardly extends from a top edge of the inner wall 84. Mounting 11 tabs 88 are formed in the flange 86 to secure and support 12 the inner liner 32. The tabs 88 have openings through 13 which screws are inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 14 and the side panels 42, 44 of the inner liner 32 to the lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34.
16 The left lateral panel 70 of the outer enclosure 34 17 has a rectangularly-shaped access opening at a forward 18 end thereof. The access opening provides access to the 19 rear side of the heater control switch 28 and the indicator light 30 mounted on the control panel 2G. A
21 removable door 89 is provided to selectively close and 22 open the access opening. The door 89 preferably has a 23 mounting tab at one side for a screw which is inserted 24 into an opening in the lateral panel 70 adjacent the access opening and a pair of mounting tabs at the 26 opposite side which are inserted into slots in the 27 lateral panel 70 adjacent the access opening.
28 The rear panel 74 of the outer enclosure 34 defines 29 the rear extent of the outer enclosure 34. The rear panel 74 has a substantially-vertical back wall 90 from 31 which a substantially-horizontal bottom wall 92 inwardly 32 extends. The bottom wall 92 is bent generally 33 perpendicular to the back wall 90 from a lower edge of 34 the back wall 90. The back wall 90 has openings through which screws are inserted to secure the rear panel 74 to 36 the top panel 76. The back wall 90 also has an opening 37 for passage of a power cord (not specifically shown) 1 therethrough. Flanges 94 are bent generally 2 perpendicular to the back wall 90 and forwardly extend 3 from the side edges of the back wall 90. The bottom wall 4 92 is bent generally perpendicular to the back wall 90 from the lower edge of the back wall 90. Flanges 96, 98 6 are bent generally perpendicular to the bottom wall 92 7 and upwardly extend from the forward and side edges of 8 the bottom wall 92 respectively. The flanges 94, 96, 98 9 of the back and bottom walls 90, 92 cooperate with the bottom and side panels 40, 42, 44 of the inner liner 32.
11 The top panel 76 of the outer enclosure 34 defines 12 the upper extent of both the outer enclosure 34 and the 13 heating chamber. The top panel 76 includes a generally 14 planar upper wall 100 from which a forward flange 102, a rearward flange 104, and a pair of lateral flanges 106 16 are downwardly bent. The rearward flange 104 includes 17 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 18 top panel 76 to the rear panel 74 as discussed 19 hereinbefore. The lateral flanges 106 include openings through which screws are inserted to secure the top panel 21 76 to the lateral walls 70, 72 as discussed hereinbefore.
22 As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the panels 40, 42, 23 44 of the inner liner 32 cooperate with the panels 70, 24 72, 74, 76 of the outer enclosure 34 to define the heating chamber. The heating chamber is closed at its 26 lateral sides by the side panels 42, 44 of the inner 27 liner 3:?, its rear side by the bottom panel 40 of the 28 inner liner 32, its upper side by the top panel 76 of the 29 outer enclosure, and its lower side by the bottom panel 40 of the inner liner 32. The heating chamber is open at 31 its front side which forms a front opening 108 adjacent 32 the control panel 26.
33 The side panels 42, 44 of the inner liner 32 are 34 laterally spaced from and are substantially parallel to the lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34 to 36 form side spaces or chambers. The side chambers extend 37 the full longitudinal length of the outer enclosure 34 1 and space the heating chamber from the lateral sides of 2 the outer enclosure 34. The rear wall 50 of the inner 3 liner bottom panel 40 is rearwardly spaced from and is 4 substantially parallel to the rear panel 74 of the outer 5 enclose 34 to form a rear space or chamber. The rear 6 chamber forwardly spaces the heating chamber from the 7 rear end of the outer enclosure 34.
8 The trim 78 of the outer enclosure 34 forms a frame 9 about the front opening 108 and the control panel 26 of 10 the warmer drawer chassis 20. The trim 78 cooperates 11 with thE: warmer drawer 22 to form a generally smooth 12 front surface when the warmer drawer 22 is fully within 13 the heating chamber (as best shown in FIG. 1). The trim 14 78 includes a bottom trim member 110, left and right side trim members 112, 114, and a top trim member 116.
16 The bottom trim member 110 has a main wall bent to 17 generally form a rectangularly-shaped cross section 18 having end flanges 120 upwardly extending from the ends 19 thereof and an upper flange 122 upwardly extending from an upper rear edge thereof. The upper flange 122 has 21 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 22 bottom trim member 110 to the front flange 48 of the 23 inner liner bottom panel 40 as described hereinbefore.
24 The bottom ends of the lower trim member 110 have openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 26 bottom trim member 110 to the side trim members 112, 114 27 as further described hereinbelow.
28 The side trim members 112, 114 each have a main wall 29 124 bent to generally form a rectangularly-shaped cross section having end flanges 126 outwardly extending from 31 the ends thereof and a side flange 128 rearwardly 32 extending from an inner rear edge thereof. The end 33 flanges 126 have openings through which screws are 34 inserted to secure the side trim members 112, 114 to the bottom and top trim members 110, 116. The side flange 36 128 has openings through which screws are inserted to 37 secure the side trim members to the forward flange 66 of 1 the inner liner side panels 42, 44 as described 2 hereinbefore.
3 The top trim member 11G has a main wall 130 bent to 4 generally form a rectangularly-shaped cross section and end flanges 132 downwardly extending from the ends of the 6 main wall 130. The bottom ends of the main wall 130 have 7 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 8 top trim member 116 to the end flanges 126 of the side 9 trim members 112, 114 as described hereinbefore.
As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the warmer drawer 22 11 has forward, rearward, lateral an lower walls which 12 define a receptacle adapted to receive food stuffs to be 13 maintained at an acceptable above-ambient serving 14 temperature. The warmer drawer 22 preferably receives one or more racks (not specifically shown) which support 16 food stuffs in a spaced relationship to the lower wall.
17 The warmer drawer 22 includes a main panel 134 which 18 forms the lower and lateral walls, a back panel 136 which 19 forms the rearward wall, interior and exterior front panels 1.38, 140 which together form the forward wall, a 21 pull handle 142, and a heat sealing member or gasket 144.
22 The main panel 134, the back panel 136, and the interior 23 front panel 138 of the warmer drawer 22 are preferably 24 formed from steel with porcelain on exposed surfaces.
The exterior front panel 140 and the pull handle 142 are 26 preferably formed from stainless steel which is polished 27 at exposed surfaces.
28 The main panel 134 of the warmer drawer 22 defines 29 the lower and lateral extent of the warmer drawer receptacle and includes a lower wall 146 and lateral 31 walls 148, 150 which upwardly and outwardly extend from 32 the side edges of the lower wall 146. The lower and 33 lateral walls 146, 148, 150 include openings through 34 which screws are inserted to secure the main panel 134 to the back panel 136 as further discussed hereafter. A
36 front flange 152 is downwardly bent from the front edge 37 of the lower wall 146. The front flange 152 includes 1 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 2 main panel 134 to the interior front panel 138 as further 3 discussed hereafter. Side flanges 154 are outwardly bent 4 from the front edges of the lateral walls 148. The side flanges 154 include openings through which screws are 6 inserted to secure the main panel 134 to the interior 7 front panel 138 as further discussed hereafter. Openings 8 are formed in the lateral walls 148 to secure the glide 9 assemblies 24. Each of the lateral walls 148 has a second portion of the glide assembly 24 secured thereto, 11 as will be discussed in more detail hereafter.
12 The back panel 136 of the warmer drawer 22 defines 13 the rearward extent of the warmer drawer receptacle. The 14 back panel 136 includes a generally planar main wall 156 from which a top flange 158, a bottom flange 160, and a 16 pair of lateral flanges 162 are rearwardly bent. The 17 bottom and lateral flanges 160, 162 include openings 18 through which screws are inserted to secure the back 19 panel 136 to the main panel lower wall 146 and the main panel lateral walls 148, 150 respectively, as discussed 21 hereinbefore.
22 The interior front panel 138 of the warmer drawer 22 23 include: a generally planar main wall 164 from which a 24 top flange 166, a bottom flange 168, and a pair of lateral flanges 170 are forwardly bent. The main wall 26 164 includes openings through which screws are inserted 27 to secuz-e the interior front panel 138 to the main panel 28 front and side flanges 153, 154 as discussed 29 hereinbefore. The main wall 164 also includes openings through which screws are inserted to secure a heat 31 sealing member 144 and the exterior front panel 140 32 respectively. The bottom flange 168 also includes 33 opening: through which screws are inserted to secure the 34 interior front panel 138 to the exterior front panel 140 as discussed hereafter.
36 The exterior front panel 140 of the warmer drawer 22 37 includes a generally planar main wall 172 from which a 1 top flange 174, a bottom flange 176, and a pair of 2 lateral flanges 178 are forwardly bent. The adjacent 3 ends of the flanges 174, 17G, 178 are preferably welded 4 together at the corners of the exterior front panel 140.
The bottom flange 176 includes openings through which 6 screws are inserted to secure the exterior front panel 7 140 to t:he interior front panel bottom flange 168 as 8 discussed hereinbefore. The top flange 174 also has a 9 rear flange 180 downwardly bent therefrom at a rear edge.
The rear flange 180 includes openings through which 11 screws are inserted to secure the exterior front panel 12 140 to t:he interior front panel main wall 164 as 13 discussed hereinbefore. The main wall 172 includes 14 opening: through which screws are inserted to secure the pull handle 142 to the exterior front panel 140.
16 Ths: annular heat sealing member 144 of the warmer 17 drawer :?2 is attached to a rearward facing surface of the 18 interior front panel 138 and encircles the main panel 19 134, as illustrated. When the warmer drawer 22 is in a retractE:d or closed position, the heat sealing member 144 21 engages the warmer drawer chassis 22 about the front 22 opening 108 to limit the escape of heat from within the 23 warmer drawer 22 and the heating chamber. Preferably the 24 heat se<~ling member 144 is formed from a material commonly used to seal the periphery of an oven door to 2 6 the cabinet .
27 The warmer drawer 22 is slidably inserted into the 28 heating chamber, by means of the glide assemblies 24. As 29 best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the glide assemblies 24 each include a first or outer portion 182, a second or inner 31 portion 184 which is longitudinally received within the 32 outer portion 182, and a plurality of bearing members 186 33 located between the outer and inner portions 182, 184.
34 The outer portion 182 of the drawer glide assembly 24 is secured to the inner surface of the inner liner side 36 panels 42, 44 (best shown in FIG. 3). The inner portion 37 184 of 'the glide assembly 24 is secured to the outer 1 surface of the warmer drawer main panel 134 (best shown 2 in FIG. 5). The first and second portions 182, 184 of 3 the glide assembly 24 cooperate with one another to 4 permit t=he warmer drawer 22 to be slidably inserted into the heating chamber and slidably removed from the heating 6 chamber. Also, the first and second glide portions 182, 7 184 may be disengaged from one another to permit the 8 warmer drawer 22 to be completely disconnected and 9 removed from the heating chamber. It is understood that numerou:~ glide assemblies 24 are known in the art, and 11 various other glide assemblies may be substituted for the 12 illustrated glide assembly 24 without departing from the 13 scope and spirit of the present invention.
14 As best shown in FIG. 3, the heating element 36 and temperature sensing assembly 38 are each disposed within 16 the heating chamber and secured to the bottom panel 40 of 17 the inner liner 32. As best shown in FIG. 9, the heating 18 element 36 preferably includes a tubular, electrical 19 resistance-type heating element 188 which is fastened to the lowe=r panel rear wall 50 via a mounting plate 190 and 21 to the :Lower panel lower wall 46 via three mounting clips 22 192. The mounting plate 190 of the heating element 36 23 preferably has openings through which fasteners extend to 24 secure the mounting plate to the lower panel rear wall 50.
26 As best shown in FIG. 10, the mounting clips 192 27 each have a planar mounting portion 194 and an arcuate 28 clamping portion 196 formed to cooperate with the tubular 29 heating element 36. The mounting portion 194 includes an opening through which a screw is inserted to secure the 31 mounting clip 192 to the lower wall 46 of the inner liner 32 bottom panel 40 as described hereinbefore. With the 33 mounting portion 194 secured to the lower wall 46, the 34 clamping portion clamps the heating element 36 to the lower wall 46. Naturally, greater or less quantity of 36 the mounting clips 192 may be used to secure the heating 37 element 36 to the bottom panel 440 if desired.
1 'The heating element 36 is electrically connected 2 to the t:emperature sensing assembly 38, and is powered in 3 accordance with the user-selected setting of the control 4 switch 28 and as-needed to maintain the temperature 5 within t:he heating chamber, as sensed by the temperature 6 sensing assembly 38, within a predetermined desired range 7 of operating temperatures, as will be described in more 8 detail hereafter with reference to a control circuit 198 9 (FIG. 12).
10 As best shown in FIGS. 11a-llc, the temperature 11 sensing assembly or temperature sensor 38 has a forwardly 12 projecting sensor portion 200, a mounting flange 202, and 13 a rearwardly extending connector portion 204. The 14 mounting flange 202 includes a pair of lateral openings 15 through which fasteners extend to secure the temperature 16 sensor 38 to the bottom panel rear wall 50. The 17 temperat:ure sensor 38 is inserted through the elongated 18 opening in the bottom panel rear wall 50, such that the 19 sensor portion 200 faces toward the warmer drawer 22 and the front opening 108 of the heating chamber and the 21 connecting portion 204 faces toward the bottom panel rear 22 wall 50. The connecting portion 204 is electrically 23 connected, via suitable conductors, to the control switch 24 28 and the heating element 36. It is noted that wires conveniently extend through the rear chamber and the left 26 side chamber formed between the inner liner 32 and the 27 outer enclosure 34.
28 ThE; temperature sensor 38 is secured to the bottom 29 panel rear wall 50 in an elevated position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and is operable to sense the 31 temperat:ure within the heating chamber. Therefore, the 32 sensor 38 is located at the rear of the heating chamber 33 behind t:he warmer drawer and at the top of the heating 34 chamber adjacent the top panel 76. The location of the sensor 38 gives the control circuit 198 its ambient 36 compensation characteristics. For example, and as will 37 be apparent from the description to follow, relatively 1 more heat may have to be input into the heating chamber 2 to reach the predetermined maximum temperature during low 3 ambient conditions than during high ambient conditions.
4 Putting more heat into the heating chamber during low ambient conditions may help reduce cycling as the time 6 required to reach the minimum temperature will be 7 extended. Moreover, the temperature within the warmer 8 drawer :?2 corresponding to the predetermined maximum 9 heating chamber temperature may be relatively higher during :Low ambient conditions than during high ambient..
11 conditions. For high ambient conditions, less heat may 12 be required to reach the predetermined maximum heating 13 chamber temperature, and less heat is lost to atmosphere, 14 so the temperature within the heating chamber and the warmer drawer 22 may be relatively more uniform and 16 static.
17 The warmer drawer 22 of the present invention is 18 located above the heating element 3& and, therefore, 19 takes advantage of the natural tendency of relatively hot air to rise. As such, the food stuffs contained within 21 the warmer drawer 22 are in a relatively hot portion of 22 the heating chamber. As mentioned briefly hereinbefore, 23 it may be desirable to place one or more removable racks 24 within the warmer drawer 22 to space the food stuffs being warmed away from the lower wall 14G of the warmer 26 drawer 22. Spacing the food stuffs from the lower wall 27 146 permits warm air to flow beneath the food stuffs and 28 facilitates more even heating thereof. Spacing of the 29 food stuffs away from the lower wall 146 also prevents localized over-heating of the food stuffs at the 31 interface with the warmer drawer main panel 134, since 32 the main panel 134 will be relatively hot, as compared to 33' air within the heating chamber, due to the proximity of 34 the maim panel 134 to the heating element 3G.
FIB. 12 illustrates the preferred control circuit 36 198 for the warmer drawer heating element 36. The 37 control circuit 198 generally includes the heater control 1 switch :?8, the indicator light 30, heating element 36, 2 the temperature sensor 38, and a diode 206. The heater 3 control switch 28 provides first and second pairs of 4 contact: 28a, 28b. The first pair of contacts 28a are closed whenever the switch 28 is turned on. The second 6 pair of contacts 28b open and close when the switch 28 is 7 turned on, the frequency of opening and closing depending 8 upon thc= angular position of the switch 28 to vary or 9 adjust the duty cycle of heater operation. For example, when thc~ heater control switch 28 is turned to "high",.
11 the second pair of contacts 28b are mechanically locked 12 in a closed position whereas, when the switch 28 is 13 turned to the "low" position, the second pair of contacts 14 28b wil:L be closed only a portion of the time. It is considered that the above-described operation of the 16 switch 28 is well known in the infinite switch art.
17 The first pair of heater control switch contacts-28a 18 are connected in series with the heating element 36. The 19 warmer .indicator light 30 is connected in parallel with the warmer heating element 36 and a heating element 21 energization control circuit 208 and, therefore, is 22 illuminated whenever the heating element 36 is powered to 23 provide visual indication to the user that the warmer 24 heating element 36 is operating.
The temperature sensor 38 provides a thermally-26 actuated switch 38a which is normally closed. The 27 energization control circuit 208 includes the diode 206 28 and the second pair of heater control switch contacts 28b 29 in parallel with the temperature sensor switch 38a, as illustrated. Therefore, when the heater control switch 31 28 is turned from "off" to any position, the series 32 combination of the second pair of heater control switch 33 contacts 28b and the diode 206 is shorted by the parallel 34 branch due to the normally-closed temperature sensor switch 38a.
36 The heating element 36 is therefor in series with 37 the temperature sensor switch 38a, and full power is 1 applied to the heating element 36. At this point, no 2 current flows through the branch of the energization 3 circuit 208 containing the diode 20G and the second pair 4 of heatE:r control switch contacts 28b. This period of operation is referred to herein as the preheating cycle 6 during which the heating element 36 is operated at full 7 power to more quickly bring the warmer drawer 22 up to 8 the maximum operating or preheat temperature. When the 9 temperature within the heating chamber reaches the predetermined maximum desired temperature or peak preheat 11 temperature, the temperature sensor switch 38a opens and 12 control of the heating element 36 energization is given 13 over to the heater control switch 28. The time required 14 to reach the predetermined maximum temperature depends upon a number of factors, including the size, 16 temperature, and type of food being warmed, and the 17 ambient temperature.
18 The heating chamber temperature corresponds to the 19 warmer drawer temperature, i.e. food temperature, so that sensing of the heating element temperature and, as will 21 be apparent from the following description, the sensed 22 heating chamber temperature is used to control 23 energization of the heating element 36 to maintain the 24 warmer drawer temperature within a range of desired food serving temperatures.
26 Due to the diode 208, only half-wave rectified 27 current flows through the heating element 3G which, 28 therefore, is limited to half maximum power if the 29 control switch 28 is set to "high". As noted hereinbefore, the duty cycle of the heating element 36 31 operation is controlled by the angular position of the 32 heater control switch 28 which, in turn, corresponds to 33 the rate or frequency of opening/closing of the second 34 pair of heater control switch contacts 28b.
The duty cycle controls the amount of power 36 dissipated in the heater element 36 which, in turn, 37 affects the amount of heat energy added to the heating 1 chamber and, hence, the warmer drawer 22. The rate at 2 which the heating chamber temperature falls (from the 3 maximum temperature at the end of the preheat cycle) is 4 affected by the food load within the warmer drawer 22, the ambient temperature, and the user-selected duty cycle 6 of the warmer drawer heating element 36, i.e. the angular 7 position of the control switch 28.
8 For example, at a given ambient temperature, if a 9 relativE:ly large, cool item of food is placed in the warmer drawer 22 and the control switch 28 is set to the 11 "low" position (which corresponds to a small duty cycle, 12 e.g., .:?0) the temperature within the heating chamber and 13 the drawer 22, following the preheat cycle, will fall 14 faster than if a similarly sized but hotter item of food is placc_d in the drawer 22 and the control switch 28 is 16 set to "high" (i.e., full one-half power, switch duty 17 cycle equals 1.0). Similarly, if a small, hot food item 18 is placed in the drawer 22 in a low ambient environment 19 and the control switch 28 is set to "medium", the temperature within the heating chamber and the drawer 22 21 will fall faster than if an item of similar size and 22 temperature is placed in the warmer drawer 22 in a high 23 ambient environment and the control switch 28 is set to 24 the "medium" position.
If the heating chamber temperature drops below a 26 predetermined minimum desired temperature, which 27 corresponds to a minimum desired serving temperature 28 within the drawer 22, the temperature sensor contacts 38a 29 close, :shorting the branch of the energization circuit 208 containing the diode 206 and the second pair of 31 heater control switch contacts 28b, and full power is 32 again applied to the heating element 3G until the heating 33 chamber temperature exceeds the maximum desired 34 temperature, corresponding to the maximum desired serving temperature within the drawer 22, at which point the 36 temperature sensor contacts 38a open and control is 37 returned to the heater control switch 28 at the user-1 selected duty cycle. Accordingly, the warmer drawer 2 temperature is maintained between maximum and minimum 3 desired serving temperatures.
4 As should be apparent from the foregoing, control 5 over energization of the heating element 36 alternates 6 between full power when the temperature sensor contacts 7 38a close (preheat cycle and low heating chamber/drawer 8 temperature) and the user selected duty cycle. As noted 9 hereinbefore, the heat input into the heating chamber to 10 reach the maximum desired heating chamber temperature 11 will vary depending at least upon ambient temperature.
12 Similarly, the rate at which the heating chamber 13 temperature falls to the predetermined minimum desired 14 heating chamber temperature will vary at least depending 15 upon ambient temperature, food size and type, and user 16 selected setting of the control switch 28.
17 It is noted that the maximum and minimum warmer 18 drawer 'temperatures may vary in dependance upon ambient 19 temperature. For example, the maximum warmer drawer 20 temperature may be relatively higher in low ambient 21 conditions than in high ambient conditions. Similarly, 22 the minimum warmer drawer temperature may be relatively 23 higher in low ambient conditions than in high ambient 24 conditions. Since relatively more heat is lost to the environment in low ambient conditions than in high 26 ambient conditions, the noted temperature compensation 27 feature reduces cycling of the heater element between the 28 user-selected duty cycle and the full-power cycle than 29 would otherwise occur. The maximum an minimum warmer drawer temperatures fall within a range of desired food 31 serving temperatures.
32 As best shown in FIG. 2, 13a-13c, and 14, the free-33 standing warming appliance l0 can optionally be provided 34 with a pair of oven support members 210 to directly support the built-in oven 14. Each of the oven support 36 members 210 is inverted-U-shaped in cross section having 37 a top wall 212 and inner and outer walls 214, 216 1 downwardly bent from the inner and outer edges if the top 2 wall 21<?. The inner wall forms a plurality of spaced-3 apart engagement arms 218 with mounting tabs 220 provided 4 at their_ lower ends. The tabs 220 are sized to be inserted into a plurality of spaced-apart and collinear 6 slots 2:?2 formed in the top panel 76 (best shown in FIG.
7 4). They outer wall 214 is provided with openings and a 8 central groove through which the screws are inserted 9 which sE_cure the top panel 76 to the lateral panels 70, 72.
11 Each support member 210 is attached to the warmer 12 drawer chassis 20 by inserting the tabs 220 into the 13 slots 2:?2 in the outer enclosure top panel 76 so that the 14 arms 2113 engage the top panel 76. Screws are then inserted to attach the outer wall 216 to the outer 16 enclosure lateral walls 70, 72. It is readily apparent 17 from the above description that the support members 210 18 can be :installed and removed with access to only the 19 lateral sides of the warming appliance 10.
With each of the support members 210 attached to the 21 outer enclosure 34 of the warming appliance 10, the top 22 walls 2:10 of the support members 210 are generally 23 parallel and spaced-apart to form a generally horizontal 24 support plane 223 for the built-in oven 14. As best shown in FIG. 14, the oven 14 rests directly on the 26 support member top walls 212 within the cabinet 12.
27 Therefore, the free-standing warming appliance 10 28 directly supports the built-in oven 14.
29 As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 15, the free-standing warming appliance 10 can optionally be provided with a 31 pair of cabinet support brackets 224. Each bracket has a 32 genera lly planar main wall 226 and a tab 228 extending 33 genera lly perpendicularly therefrom. The main wall 226 34 is provided with openings through which screws are inserted to secure the support brackets to the lateral 36 panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34. With the 37 brackets 224 attached to the outer enclosure 34 with the 1 tabs 22F3 laterally extending outward from the sides of 2 the outer enclosure 34. The tabs 228 are generally 3 paralle:L to the front surface of the warming appliance 10 4 and spaced rearwardly from the rear side of the front trim 78 a distance adequate to receive the front panel of 6 the cabinet therebetween 12. The tabs 228 provide 7 forward facing engagement surfaces which engage the rear 8 surface of the cabinet front panel to prevent the chassis 9 20 of the warming appliance 10 from being pulled out of the cabinet 12 when the warmer drawer 22 is pulled out.. of 11 the cha:~sis 20.
12 Although particular embodiments of the invention 13 have been described in detail, it is to be understood 14 that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming 16 within the spirit and terms of the claims appended 17 hereto.
16 A heating element is secured to the liner within the 17 heating chamber to warm food stuffs placed within the 18 warmer drawer.
1g According to another aspect of the present invention, the warming appliance includes a control panel 21 having control components for controlling the heating 22 element. The control panel is located within the 23 enclosure so that access to the control panel is provided 24 only when the warmer drawer is withdrawn from the heating chamber. Preferably, the control panel is located 26 between one of the enclosure lateral walls and one of the 27 liner lateral walls and the warmer drawer includes a 28 front wall which extends between the enclosure lateral 29 walls in front of the control panel.
According to a further aspect of the present 31 invention, the warming appliance includes support members 32 secured to the outer enclosure. A separate cooking 33 appliance, such as a built-in oven, rests above the 34 warming appliance directly on the support members.
Therefore, the free-standing warming appliance of the 36 present invention is ideal for use in a domestic kitchen in combination with either anew or existing range or built-in oven.
In a broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to a free-standing warming appliance comprising: an enclosure having a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls.: a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber; a panel extending between one of said enclosure lateral walls and one of said liner lateral walls: a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber, said warmer drawer including a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of lateral walls, and a bottom wall, which define a receptacle adapted to receive food stuffs, said front wall extending between said enclosure lateral walls and in front of said panel such that access to said panel is provided only when said warmer drawer is withdrawn from said heating chamber; a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer; and, oven support members secured to said enclosure.
In another broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to a cooking and warming system for a kitchen cabinet comprising:
a warming appliance including an outer enclosure and support members secured to said outer enclosure, said outer enclosure comprising a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls; and a separate cooking appliance located above said warming appliance and resting on said support members, wherein said warming appliance comprises: a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber, a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber; and a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer.
3 (a) 1 $RIEF DESCRIPTION OF TfiE SL:VERAL VIEWS OF '1111 DRAWING
2 These and further features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following 3 description and drawings, wherein:
4 F'IG. 1 is a perspective view of a free-standing warming appliance according to the present invention G mounted within a standard kitchen cabinet and supporting a built-in oven;
g FIG. 2 is a perspective of tyre warming appliance of 9 FIG. 1 showing a warmer drawer extended from a chassis;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the chassis of the 11 warming appliance of FIG. 1 with a top cover removed for 12 clarity;
13 FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the chassis of the 14 warming appliance of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of the drawer of 1G the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
1~ FIG. G is an exploded view of the drawer of the 1g warming appliance of FIG. 1;
1g FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a glide assembly of the warming appliance of I~IG. 1;
21 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-22 8 of FIG. 7;
23 FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a heating element of 24 the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a heating element 26 mounting clip of the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
2~ FIGS. 11a, 11b, and llc are, respectively, a front 2g elevational view, a top plan view , and a side 29 elevational view of a temperature sensor of the warming appliance of FIG. 1;
31 FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating a 32 control circuit for the warming appliance oC I~Ig. 1;
33 FIGS. 13a, 13b, and 13c are, respectively, a front 1 elevational view, a top plan view, and a side elevational 2 view of an oven support member of the warming appliance 3 of FIG. 1;
4 FIG. 14 is a fragmentary' elevational view, in cross section, showing the warming appliance of FIG. 1 6 supporting the built-in oven; and 7 FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a support bracket 8 of the warming appliance of FIG. 1.
g DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a free-standing warming 11 appliance or oven 10 according to the present invention.
12 The illustrated warming appliance 10 is located in a 13 standard, wood, kitchen cabinet 12 along with a built-in 14 oven 14. The kitchen cabinet 12 has a generally hollow interior with a front opening in which the oven 14 is 16 located above the warming appliance 10. The oven 14 17 includes an oven door 16 which is secured so as to permit 18 pivotal movement of the door 16 about its bottom edge.
19 The door 16 provides access to a cooking chamber within the oven 14. An oven control panel 18 is located above 21 the door 16 and includes a plurality of control devices 22 such as, for example dials, switches, buttons, and/or 23 knobs.
24 The free-standing warming appliance 10 includes a warmer drawer chassis 20 forming a heating chamber 26 therein, a warmer drawer 22 which is selectively inserted 27 into and withdrawn from the heating chamber, and glide 28 assemblies 24 which slidably connect the warmer drawer 22 29 to the warmer drawer chassis 20. A warmer drawer control panel 2G is located at the front of the warmer drawer 31 chassis 20 behind a portion of the warmer drawer 22 so 32 that it is not visible when the warmer drawer 22 is fully 33 within the heating chamber (best shown in FIG. 1).
34 Access to control components of the control panel 26 is provided when the warmer drawer 22 is withdrawn from the 36 heating chamber (best shown in FIG. 2).
1 The illustrated control panel 26 has control 2 components including a heater control switch 28 and an 3 associated indicator light 30. Preferably, the heater 4 control switch 28 is rotatabl'y mounted to the control 5 panel 26, and is movable in a push-and-turn fashion to 6 any user-selected position between an off position and a 7 high heat position. More preferably, the heater control 8 switch 28 is an infinite switch wherein the duty cycle 9 (ratio of heater on-time to heater on-time plus heater off-time) varies between zero, when the switch is set to 11 an off position, to one when the switch is set to the 12 high position. As will be described more fully 13 hereafter, rotation of the heater control switch 28 14 between the various user-selected positions varies the duty cycle of a heating element. It is believed that 16 operation of infinite switches is well known to one 17 skilled in the art and, therefore, will not be further 18 discussed hereafter.
19 As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the warmer drawer chassis 20 includes an inner liner 32 which partially 21 defines the heating chamber for the warmer drawer 22, an 22 outer wrapper or enclosure 34 which supports and 23 surrounds the inner liner 32 and partially forms the 24 heating chamber, a heating element 3G, and a temperature sensing assembly 38. The inner liner 32 includes a 26 bottom wall or panel 40 and lateral side wall or panels 27 42, 44. The bottom panel 40 is preferably formed from 28 steel. The side panels 42, 44 are preferably formed from 29 steel with porcelain on exposed surfaces. The porcelain surfaces are preferable over painted surfaces for a 31 number of reasons. These reasons include heat tolerance, 32 resistance to scratches and wear, ease of cleaning, an 33 aesthetic continuity with other surfaces of the warming 34 appliance 10 and of other kitchen appliances such as the oven 14.
36 The bottom panel 40 of the inner liner 32 defines 37 the lower and rear extent of the heating chamber. The G
1 bottom panel 40 includes a main or lower wall 4G from 2 which a substantially-vertical front flange 48 and a 3 substantially-vertical rear wall 50 extend. The lower 4 wall 46 has openings along it's lateral edges through which screws are inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 6 to the side panels 42, 44 and portions of the outer 7 enclosure 34 as further described hereafter. The lower 8 wall 46 also has upwardly embossed openings through which 9 screws are inserted to secure the heating element 3G to the bottom panel 40 as further described hereafter. The 11 front flange 48 is bent generally perpendicular to the 12 lower wall 46 from a front edge of the lower wall 4G.
13 The front flange 48 has openings through which screws are 14 inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 to a portion of the outer enclosure 34 as further described hereafter.
16 The rear wall 50 is bent generally perpendicular to the 17 lower wall 46 from a rear edge of the lower wall 46. An 18 upper flange 52 is bent generally perpendicular the rear 19 wall 50 and forwardly extends from a top edge of the rear wall 50. A pair of mounting tabs 54 are also bent 21 generally perpendicular to the rear wall 50 and 22 rearwardly extend from the lateral side edges of the rear 23 wall 50. The tabs 54 have openings through which screws 24 are inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 to side panels 42, 44. The rear wall 50 also has openings and extruded 26 holes for mounting the heating element 36 and the 27 temperature sensing assembly 38 as described in more 28 detail hereafter.
29 The side panels 42, 44 of the inner liner 32 define the lateral extent of the heating chamber. Each side 31 panel 42, 44 includes a main or lateral wall 56 from 32 which substantially-horizontal upper and lower flanges 33 58, 60 inwardly extend and substantially-vertical end 34 walls 62, 64 outwardly extend. The lateral wall 56 has an opening through which a screw is inserted to secure 36 the side panel 42, 44 to the mounting tab 54 of the 37 bottom panel 40 as described hereinbefore The lateral 1 wall 56 also has openings formed therein for attaching 2 the glide assemblies 24. Each of the side panels 42, 44 3 has a first portion of the glide assemblies 24 secured 4 thereto, as will be discussed in more detail hereafter.
The lateral wall 56 of the left side panel 42 also has an 6 opening sized for passing wires therethrough near a rear 7 end of the lateral wall 56. The upper and lower flanges 8 58, 60 are bent generally perpendicular to the lateral 9 wall 56 from the top and bottom edges of the lateral wall 56 respectively. The lower flange 60 has openings 11 through which screws are inserted to secure side panel 12 42, 44 to the lower wall 46 of the bottom panel 40 as 13 described hereinbefore. The end walls 62, 64 are bent 14 generally perpendicular to the lateral wall 56 from the front arid rear edges of the lateral wall 56. Flanges 66, 16 68 are bent generally perpendicular to the end walls 62, 17 64 and extend from the outer edge of the end walls 62, 64 18 generally parallel to the lateral wall 56. The flanges 19 66, 68 have openings through which screws are inserted to secure the side panels 42 to the outer enclosure 34 as 21 further described hereafter. The front end wall 62 of 22 the left side panel 42 forms the control panel 26 and has 23 openings and holes for mounting the heater control switch 24 28 and the indicator light 30.
The outer enclosure 34 includes left and right 26 lateral walls or panels 70, 72, a rear wall or panel 74, 27 a top wall or panel 76, and front trim 78. The lateral 28 panels '70, 72, rear panel 74, and the top panel 76 are 29 preferably formed from steel. The front trim 78 is preferably formed from stainless steel which is polished 31 at exposed surfaces.
32 The lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34 33 define the lateral extent of the outer enclosure 34. The 34 lateral panels 70, 72 each have a substantially-horizontal base or lower wall 80 from which a 36 substantially-vertical side or outer wall 82 and a 37 substantially-vertical inner wall 84 upwardly extend.
1 The outer wall 82 is bent generally perpendicular to the 2 lower wall 80 from an outer edge of the lower wall 80.
3 The outer wall 82 has openings through which screws are 4 inserted to secure the lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34 to the side walls 42, 44 of the inner liner 6 32. The inner wall 84 is bent generally perpendicular to 7 the lower wall 80 from an inner edge of the lower wall 8 80. A substantially-horizontal flange 86 is bent 9 generally perpendicular to the inner wall 84 and inwardly extends from a top edge of the inner wall 84. Mounting 11 tabs 88 are formed in the flange 86 to secure and support 12 the inner liner 32. The tabs 88 have openings through 13 which screws are inserted to secure the bottom panel 40 14 and the side panels 42, 44 of the inner liner 32 to the lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34.
16 The left lateral panel 70 of the outer enclosure 34 17 has a rectangularly-shaped access opening at a forward 18 end thereof. The access opening provides access to the 19 rear side of the heater control switch 28 and the indicator light 30 mounted on the control panel 2G. A
21 removable door 89 is provided to selectively close and 22 open the access opening. The door 89 preferably has a 23 mounting tab at one side for a screw which is inserted 24 into an opening in the lateral panel 70 adjacent the access opening and a pair of mounting tabs at the 26 opposite side which are inserted into slots in the 27 lateral panel 70 adjacent the access opening.
28 The rear panel 74 of the outer enclosure 34 defines 29 the rear extent of the outer enclosure 34. The rear panel 74 has a substantially-vertical back wall 90 from 31 which a substantially-horizontal bottom wall 92 inwardly 32 extends. The bottom wall 92 is bent generally 33 perpendicular to the back wall 90 from a lower edge of 34 the back wall 90. The back wall 90 has openings through which screws are inserted to secure the rear panel 74 to 36 the top panel 76. The back wall 90 also has an opening 37 for passage of a power cord (not specifically shown) 1 therethrough. Flanges 94 are bent generally 2 perpendicular to the back wall 90 and forwardly extend 3 from the side edges of the back wall 90. The bottom wall 4 92 is bent generally perpendicular to the back wall 90 from the lower edge of the back wall 90. Flanges 96, 98 6 are bent generally perpendicular to the bottom wall 92 7 and upwardly extend from the forward and side edges of 8 the bottom wall 92 respectively. The flanges 94, 96, 98 9 of the back and bottom walls 90, 92 cooperate with the bottom and side panels 40, 42, 44 of the inner liner 32.
11 The top panel 76 of the outer enclosure 34 defines 12 the upper extent of both the outer enclosure 34 and the 13 heating chamber. The top panel 76 includes a generally 14 planar upper wall 100 from which a forward flange 102, a rearward flange 104, and a pair of lateral flanges 106 16 are downwardly bent. The rearward flange 104 includes 17 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 18 top panel 76 to the rear panel 74 as discussed 19 hereinbefore. The lateral flanges 106 include openings through which screws are inserted to secure the top panel 21 76 to the lateral walls 70, 72 as discussed hereinbefore.
22 As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the panels 40, 42, 23 44 of the inner liner 32 cooperate with the panels 70, 24 72, 74, 76 of the outer enclosure 34 to define the heating chamber. The heating chamber is closed at its 26 lateral sides by the side panels 42, 44 of the inner 27 liner 3:?, its rear side by the bottom panel 40 of the 28 inner liner 32, its upper side by the top panel 76 of the 29 outer enclosure, and its lower side by the bottom panel 40 of the inner liner 32. The heating chamber is open at 31 its front side which forms a front opening 108 adjacent 32 the control panel 26.
33 The side panels 42, 44 of the inner liner 32 are 34 laterally spaced from and are substantially parallel to the lateral panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34 to 36 form side spaces or chambers. The side chambers extend 37 the full longitudinal length of the outer enclosure 34 1 and space the heating chamber from the lateral sides of 2 the outer enclosure 34. The rear wall 50 of the inner 3 liner bottom panel 40 is rearwardly spaced from and is 4 substantially parallel to the rear panel 74 of the outer 5 enclose 34 to form a rear space or chamber. The rear 6 chamber forwardly spaces the heating chamber from the 7 rear end of the outer enclosure 34.
8 The trim 78 of the outer enclosure 34 forms a frame 9 about the front opening 108 and the control panel 26 of 10 the warmer drawer chassis 20. The trim 78 cooperates 11 with thE: warmer drawer 22 to form a generally smooth 12 front surface when the warmer drawer 22 is fully within 13 the heating chamber (as best shown in FIG. 1). The trim 14 78 includes a bottom trim member 110, left and right side trim members 112, 114, and a top trim member 116.
16 The bottom trim member 110 has a main wall bent to 17 generally form a rectangularly-shaped cross section 18 having end flanges 120 upwardly extending from the ends 19 thereof and an upper flange 122 upwardly extending from an upper rear edge thereof. The upper flange 122 has 21 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 22 bottom trim member 110 to the front flange 48 of the 23 inner liner bottom panel 40 as described hereinbefore.
24 The bottom ends of the lower trim member 110 have openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 26 bottom trim member 110 to the side trim members 112, 114 27 as further described hereinbelow.
28 The side trim members 112, 114 each have a main wall 29 124 bent to generally form a rectangularly-shaped cross section having end flanges 126 outwardly extending from 31 the ends thereof and a side flange 128 rearwardly 32 extending from an inner rear edge thereof. The end 33 flanges 126 have openings through which screws are 34 inserted to secure the side trim members 112, 114 to the bottom and top trim members 110, 116. The side flange 36 128 has openings through which screws are inserted to 37 secure the side trim members to the forward flange 66 of 1 the inner liner side panels 42, 44 as described 2 hereinbefore.
3 The top trim member 11G has a main wall 130 bent to 4 generally form a rectangularly-shaped cross section and end flanges 132 downwardly extending from the ends of the 6 main wall 130. The bottom ends of the main wall 130 have 7 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 8 top trim member 116 to the end flanges 126 of the side 9 trim members 112, 114 as described hereinbefore.
As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the warmer drawer 22 11 has forward, rearward, lateral an lower walls which 12 define a receptacle adapted to receive food stuffs to be 13 maintained at an acceptable above-ambient serving 14 temperature. The warmer drawer 22 preferably receives one or more racks (not specifically shown) which support 16 food stuffs in a spaced relationship to the lower wall.
17 The warmer drawer 22 includes a main panel 134 which 18 forms the lower and lateral walls, a back panel 136 which 19 forms the rearward wall, interior and exterior front panels 1.38, 140 which together form the forward wall, a 21 pull handle 142, and a heat sealing member or gasket 144.
22 The main panel 134, the back panel 136, and the interior 23 front panel 138 of the warmer drawer 22 are preferably 24 formed from steel with porcelain on exposed surfaces.
The exterior front panel 140 and the pull handle 142 are 26 preferably formed from stainless steel which is polished 27 at exposed surfaces.
28 The main panel 134 of the warmer drawer 22 defines 29 the lower and lateral extent of the warmer drawer receptacle and includes a lower wall 146 and lateral 31 walls 148, 150 which upwardly and outwardly extend from 32 the side edges of the lower wall 146. The lower and 33 lateral walls 146, 148, 150 include openings through 34 which screws are inserted to secure the main panel 134 to the back panel 136 as further discussed hereafter. A
36 front flange 152 is downwardly bent from the front edge 37 of the lower wall 146. The front flange 152 includes 1 openings through which screws are inserted to secure the 2 main panel 134 to the interior front panel 138 as further 3 discussed hereafter. Side flanges 154 are outwardly bent 4 from the front edges of the lateral walls 148. The side flanges 154 include openings through which screws are 6 inserted to secure the main panel 134 to the interior 7 front panel 138 as further discussed hereafter. Openings 8 are formed in the lateral walls 148 to secure the glide 9 assemblies 24. Each of the lateral walls 148 has a second portion of the glide assembly 24 secured thereto, 11 as will be discussed in more detail hereafter.
12 The back panel 136 of the warmer drawer 22 defines 13 the rearward extent of the warmer drawer receptacle. The 14 back panel 136 includes a generally planar main wall 156 from which a top flange 158, a bottom flange 160, and a 16 pair of lateral flanges 162 are rearwardly bent. The 17 bottom and lateral flanges 160, 162 include openings 18 through which screws are inserted to secure the back 19 panel 136 to the main panel lower wall 146 and the main panel lateral walls 148, 150 respectively, as discussed 21 hereinbefore.
22 The interior front panel 138 of the warmer drawer 22 23 include: a generally planar main wall 164 from which a 24 top flange 166, a bottom flange 168, and a pair of lateral flanges 170 are forwardly bent. The main wall 26 164 includes openings through which screws are inserted 27 to secuz-e the interior front panel 138 to the main panel 28 front and side flanges 153, 154 as discussed 29 hereinbefore. The main wall 164 also includes openings through which screws are inserted to secure a heat 31 sealing member 144 and the exterior front panel 140 32 respectively. The bottom flange 168 also includes 33 opening: through which screws are inserted to secure the 34 interior front panel 138 to the exterior front panel 140 as discussed hereafter.
36 The exterior front panel 140 of the warmer drawer 22 37 includes a generally planar main wall 172 from which a 1 top flange 174, a bottom flange 176, and a pair of 2 lateral flanges 178 are forwardly bent. The adjacent 3 ends of the flanges 174, 17G, 178 are preferably welded 4 together at the corners of the exterior front panel 140.
The bottom flange 176 includes openings through which 6 screws are inserted to secure the exterior front panel 7 140 to t:he interior front panel bottom flange 168 as 8 discussed hereinbefore. The top flange 174 also has a 9 rear flange 180 downwardly bent therefrom at a rear edge.
The rear flange 180 includes openings through which 11 screws are inserted to secure the exterior front panel 12 140 to t:he interior front panel main wall 164 as 13 discussed hereinbefore. The main wall 172 includes 14 opening: through which screws are inserted to secure the pull handle 142 to the exterior front panel 140.
16 Ths: annular heat sealing member 144 of the warmer 17 drawer :?2 is attached to a rearward facing surface of the 18 interior front panel 138 and encircles the main panel 19 134, as illustrated. When the warmer drawer 22 is in a retractE:d or closed position, the heat sealing member 144 21 engages the warmer drawer chassis 22 about the front 22 opening 108 to limit the escape of heat from within the 23 warmer drawer 22 and the heating chamber. Preferably the 24 heat se<~ling member 144 is formed from a material commonly used to seal the periphery of an oven door to 2 6 the cabinet .
27 The warmer drawer 22 is slidably inserted into the 28 heating chamber, by means of the glide assemblies 24. As 29 best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the glide assemblies 24 each include a first or outer portion 182, a second or inner 31 portion 184 which is longitudinally received within the 32 outer portion 182, and a plurality of bearing members 186 33 located between the outer and inner portions 182, 184.
34 The outer portion 182 of the drawer glide assembly 24 is secured to the inner surface of the inner liner side 36 panels 42, 44 (best shown in FIG. 3). The inner portion 37 184 of 'the glide assembly 24 is secured to the outer 1 surface of the warmer drawer main panel 134 (best shown 2 in FIG. 5). The first and second portions 182, 184 of 3 the glide assembly 24 cooperate with one another to 4 permit t=he warmer drawer 22 to be slidably inserted into the heating chamber and slidably removed from the heating 6 chamber. Also, the first and second glide portions 182, 7 184 may be disengaged from one another to permit the 8 warmer drawer 22 to be completely disconnected and 9 removed from the heating chamber. It is understood that numerou:~ glide assemblies 24 are known in the art, and 11 various other glide assemblies may be substituted for the 12 illustrated glide assembly 24 without departing from the 13 scope and spirit of the present invention.
14 As best shown in FIG. 3, the heating element 36 and temperature sensing assembly 38 are each disposed within 16 the heating chamber and secured to the bottom panel 40 of 17 the inner liner 32. As best shown in FIG. 9, the heating 18 element 36 preferably includes a tubular, electrical 19 resistance-type heating element 188 which is fastened to the lowe=r panel rear wall 50 via a mounting plate 190 and 21 to the :Lower panel lower wall 46 via three mounting clips 22 192. The mounting plate 190 of the heating element 36 23 preferably has openings through which fasteners extend to 24 secure the mounting plate to the lower panel rear wall 50.
26 As best shown in FIG. 10, the mounting clips 192 27 each have a planar mounting portion 194 and an arcuate 28 clamping portion 196 formed to cooperate with the tubular 29 heating element 36. The mounting portion 194 includes an opening through which a screw is inserted to secure the 31 mounting clip 192 to the lower wall 46 of the inner liner 32 bottom panel 40 as described hereinbefore. With the 33 mounting portion 194 secured to the lower wall 46, the 34 clamping portion clamps the heating element 36 to the lower wall 46. Naturally, greater or less quantity of 36 the mounting clips 192 may be used to secure the heating 37 element 36 to the bottom panel 440 if desired.
1 'The heating element 36 is electrically connected 2 to the t:emperature sensing assembly 38, and is powered in 3 accordance with the user-selected setting of the control 4 switch 28 and as-needed to maintain the temperature 5 within t:he heating chamber, as sensed by the temperature 6 sensing assembly 38, within a predetermined desired range 7 of operating temperatures, as will be described in more 8 detail hereafter with reference to a control circuit 198 9 (FIG. 12).
10 As best shown in FIGS. 11a-llc, the temperature 11 sensing assembly or temperature sensor 38 has a forwardly 12 projecting sensor portion 200, a mounting flange 202, and 13 a rearwardly extending connector portion 204. The 14 mounting flange 202 includes a pair of lateral openings 15 through which fasteners extend to secure the temperature 16 sensor 38 to the bottom panel rear wall 50. The 17 temperat:ure sensor 38 is inserted through the elongated 18 opening in the bottom panel rear wall 50, such that the 19 sensor portion 200 faces toward the warmer drawer 22 and the front opening 108 of the heating chamber and the 21 connecting portion 204 faces toward the bottom panel rear 22 wall 50. The connecting portion 204 is electrically 23 connected, via suitable conductors, to the control switch 24 28 and the heating element 36. It is noted that wires conveniently extend through the rear chamber and the left 26 side chamber formed between the inner liner 32 and the 27 outer enclosure 34.
28 ThE; temperature sensor 38 is secured to the bottom 29 panel rear wall 50 in an elevated position, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and is operable to sense the 31 temperat:ure within the heating chamber. Therefore, the 32 sensor 38 is located at the rear of the heating chamber 33 behind t:he warmer drawer and at the top of the heating 34 chamber adjacent the top panel 76. The location of the sensor 38 gives the control circuit 198 its ambient 36 compensation characteristics. For example, and as will 37 be apparent from the description to follow, relatively 1 more heat may have to be input into the heating chamber 2 to reach the predetermined maximum temperature during low 3 ambient conditions than during high ambient conditions.
4 Putting more heat into the heating chamber during low ambient conditions may help reduce cycling as the time 6 required to reach the minimum temperature will be 7 extended. Moreover, the temperature within the warmer 8 drawer :?2 corresponding to the predetermined maximum 9 heating chamber temperature may be relatively higher during :Low ambient conditions than during high ambient..
11 conditions. For high ambient conditions, less heat may 12 be required to reach the predetermined maximum heating 13 chamber temperature, and less heat is lost to atmosphere, 14 so the temperature within the heating chamber and the warmer drawer 22 may be relatively more uniform and 16 static.
17 The warmer drawer 22 of the present invention is 18 located above the heating element 3& and, therefore, 19 takes advantage of the natural tendency of relatively hot air to rise. As such, the food stuffs contained within 21 the warmer drawer 22 are in a relatively hot portion of 22 the heating chamber. As mentioned briefly hereinbefore, 23 it may be desirable to place one or more removable racks 24 within the warmer drawer 22 to space the food stuffs being warmed away from the lower wall 14G of the warmer 26 drawer 22. Spacing the food stuffs from the lower wall 27 146 permits warm air to flow beneath the food stuffs and 28 facilitates more even heating thereof. Spacing of the 29 food stuffs away from the lower wall 146 also prevents localized over-heating of the food stuffs at the 31 interface with the warmer drawer main panel 134, since 32 the main panel 134 will be relatively hot, as compared to 33' air within the heating chamber, due to the proximity of 34 the maim panel 134 to the heating element 3G.
FIB. 12 illustrates the preferred control circuit 36 198 for the warmer drawer heating element 36. The 37 control circuit 198 generally includes the heater control 1 switch :?8, the indicator light 30, heating element 36, 2 the temperature sensor 38, and a diode 206. The heater 3 control switch 28 provides first and second pairs of 4 contact: 28a, 28b. The first pair of contacts 28a are closed whenever the switch 28 is turned on. The second 6 pair of contacts 28b open and close when the switch 28 is 7 turned on, the frequency of opening and closing depending 8 upon thc= angular position of the switch 28 to vary or 9 adjust the duty cycle of heater operation. For example, when thc~ heater control switch 28 is turned to "high",.
11 the second pair of contacts 28b are mechanically locked 12 in a closed position whereas, when the switch 28 is 13 turned to the "low" position, the second pair of contacts 14 28b wil:L be closed only a portion of the time. It is considered that the above-described operation of the 16 switch 28 is well known in the infinite switch art.
17 The first pair of heater control switch contacts-28a 18 are connected in series with the heating element 36. The 19 warmer .indicator light 30 is connected in parallel with the warmer heating element 36 and a heating element 21 energization control circuit 208 and, therefore, is 22 illuminated whenever the heating element 36 is powered to 23 provide visual indication to the user that the warmer 24 heating element 36 is operating.
The temperature sensor 38 provides a thermally-26 actuated switch 38a which is normally closed. The 27 energization control circuit 208 includes the diode 206 28 and the second pair of heater control switch contacts 28b 29 in parallel with the temperature sensor switch 38a, as illustrated. Therefore, when the heater control switch 31 28 is turned from "off" to any position, the series 32 combination of the second pair of heater control switch 33 contacts 28b and the diode 206 is shorted by the parallel 34 branch due to the normally-closed temperature sensor switch 38a.
36 The heating element 36 is therefor in series with 37 the temperature sensor switch 38a, and full power is 1 applied to the heating element 36. At this point, no 2 current flows through the branch of the energization 3 circuit 208 containing the diode 20G and the second pair 4 of heatE:r control switch contacts 28b. This period of operation is referred to herein as the preheating cycle 6 during which the heating element 36 is operated at full 7 power to more quickly bring the warmer drawer 22 up to 8 the maximum operating or preheat temperature. When the 9 temperature within the heating chamber reaches the predetermined maximum desired temperature or peak preheat 11 temperature, the temperature sensor switch 38a opens and 12 control of the heating element 36 energization is given 13 over to the heater control switch 28. The time required 14 to reach the predetermined maximum temperature depends upon a number of factors, including the size, 16 temperature, and type of food being warmed, and the 17 ambient temperature.
18 The heating chamber temperature corresponds to the 19 warmer drawer temperature, i.e. food temperature, so that sensing of the heating element temperature and, as will 21 be apparent from the following description, the sensed 22 heating chamber temperature is used to control 23 energization of the heating element 36 to maintain the 24 warmer drawer temperature within a range of desired food serving temperatures.
26 Due to the diode 208, only half-wave rectified 27 current flows through the heating element 3G which, 28 therefore, is limited to half maximum power if the 29 control switch 28 is set to "high". As noted hereinbefore, the duty cycle of the heating element 36 31 operation is controlled by the angular position of the 32 heater control switch 28 which, in turn, corresponds to 33 the rate or frequency of opening/closing of the second 34 pair of heater control switch contacts 28b.
The duty cycle controls the amount of power 36 dissipated in the heater element 36 which, in turn, 37 affects the amount of heat energy added to the heating 1 chamber and, hence, the warmer drawer 22. The rate at 2 which the heating chamber temperature falls (from the 3 maximum temperature at the end of the preheat cycle) is 4 affected by the food load within the warmer drawer 22, the ambient temperature, and the user-selected duty cycle 6 of the warmer drawer heating element 36, i.e. the angular 7 position of the control switch 28.
8 For example, at a given ambient temperature, if a 9 relativE:ly large, cool item of food is placed in the warmer drawer 22 and the control switch 28 is set to the 11 "low" position (which corresponds to a small duty cycle, 12 e.g., .:?0) the temperature within the heating chamber and 13 the drawer 22, following the preheat cycle, will fall 14 faster than if a similarly sized but hotter item of food is placc_d in the drawer 22 and the control switch 28 is 16 set to "high" (i.e., full one-half power, switch duty 17 cycle equals 1.0). Similarly, if a small, hot food item 18 is placed in the drawer 22 in a low ambient environment 19 and the control switch 28 is set to "medium", the temperature within the heating chamber and the drawer 22 21 will fall faster than if an item of similar size and 22 temperature is placed in the warmer drawer 22 in a high 23 ambient environment and the control switch 28 is set to 24 the "medium" position.
If the heating chamber temperature drops below a 26 predetermined minimum desired temperature, which 27 corresponds to a minimum desired serving temperature 28 within the drawer 22, the temperature sensor contacts 38a 29 close, :shorting the branch of the energization circuit 208 containing the diode 206 and the second pair of 31 heater control switch contacts 28b, and full power is 32 again applied to the heating element 3G until the heating 33 chamber temperature exceeds the maximum desired 34 temperature, corresponding to the maximum desired serving temperature within the drawer 22, at which point the 36 temperature sensor contacts 38a open and control is 37 returned to the heater control switch 28 at the user-1 selected duty cycle. Accordingly, the warmer drawer 2 temperature is maintained between maximum and minimum 3 desired serving temperatures.
4 As should be apparent from the foregoing, control 5 over energization of the heating element 36 alternates 6 between full power when the temperature sensor contacts 7 38a close (preheat cycle and low heating chamber/drawer 8 temperature) and the user selected duty cycle. As noted 9 hereinbefore, the heat input into the heating chamber to 10 reach the maximum desired heating chamber temperature 11 will vary depending at least upon ambient temperature.
12 Similarly, the rate at which the heating chamber 13 temperature falls to the predetermined minimum desired 14 heating chamber temperature will vary at least depending 15 upon ambient temperature, food size and type, and user 16 selected setting of the control switch 28.
17 It is noted that the maximum and minimum warmer 18 drawer 'temperatures may vary in dependance upon ambient 19 temperature. For example, the maximum warmer drawer 20 temperature may be relatively higher in low ambient 21 conditions than in high ambient conditions. Similarly, 22 the minimum warmer drawer temperature may be relatively 23 higher in low ambient conditions than in high ambient 24 conditions. Since relatively more heat is lost to the environment in low ambient conditions than in high 26 ambient conditions, the noted temperature compensation 27 feature reduces cycling of the heater element between the 28 user-selected duty cycle and the full-power cycle than 29 would otherwise occur. The maximum an minimum warmer drawer temperatures fall within a range of desired food 31 serving temperatures.
32 As best shown in FIG. 2, 13a-13c, and 14, the free-33 standing warming appliance l0 can optionally be provided 34 with a pair of oven support members 210 to directly support the built-in oven 14. Each of the oven support 36 members 210 is inverted-U-shaped in cross section having 37 a top wall 212 and inner and outer walls 214, 216 1 downwardly bent from the inner and outer edges if the top 2 wall 21<?. The inner wall forms a plurality of spaced-3 apart engagement arms 218 with mounting tabs 220 provided 4 at their_ lower ends. The tabs 220 are sized to be inserted into a plurality of spaced-apart and collinear 6 slots 2:?2 formed in the top panel 76 (best shown in FIG.
7 4). They outer wall 214 is provided with openings and a 8 central groove through which the screws are inserted 9 which sE_cure the top panel 76 to the lateral panels 70, 72.
11 Each support member 210 is attached to the warmer 12 drawer chassis 20 by inserting the tabs 220 into the 13 slots 2:?2 in the outer enclosure top panel 76 so that the 14 arms 2113 engage the top panel 76. Screws are then inserted to attach the outer wall 216 to the outer 16 enclosure lateral walls 70, 72. It is readily apparent 17 from the above description that the support members 210 18 can be :installed and removed with access to only the 19 lateral sides of the warming appliance 10.
With each of the support members 210 attached to the 21 outer enclosure 34 of the warming appliance 10, the top 22 walls 2:10 of the support members 210 are generally 23 parallel and spaced-apart to form a generally horizontal 24 support plane 223 for the built-in oven 14. As best shown in FIG. 14, the oven 14 rests directly on the 26 support member top walls 212 within the cabinet 12.
27 Therefore, the free-standing warming appliance 10 28 directly supports the built-in oven 14.
29 As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 15, the free-standing warming appliance 10 can optionally be provided with a 31 pair of cabinet support brackets 224. Each bracket has a 32 genera lly planar main wall 226 and a tab 228 extending 33 genera lly perpendicularly therefrom. The main wall 226 34 is provided with openings through which screws are inserted to secure the support brackets to the lateral 36 panels 70, 72 of the outer enclosure 34. With the 37 brackets 224 attached to the outer enclosure 34 with the 1 tabs 22F3 laterally extending outward from the sides of 2 the outer enclosure 34. The tabs 228 are generally 3 paralle:L to the front surface of the warming appliance 10 4 and spaced rearwardly from the rear side of the front trim 78 a distance adequate to receive the front panel of 6 the cabinet therebetween 12. The tabs 228 provide 7 forward facing engagement surfaces which engage the rear 8 surface of the cabinet front panel to prevent the chassis 9 20 of the warming appliance 10 from being pulled out of the cabinet 12 when the warmer drawer 22 is pulled out.. of 11 the cha:~sis 20.
12 Although particular embodiments of the invention 13 have been described in detail, it is to be understood 14 that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming 16 within the spirit and terms of the claims appended 17 hereto.
Claims (13)
1. A free-standing warming appliance comprising:
an enclosure having a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls:
a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber;
a panel extending between one of said enclosure lateral walls and one of said liner lateral walls;
a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber, said warmer drawer including a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of lateral walls, and a bottom wall, which define a receptacle adapted to receive food stuffs, said front wall extending between said enclosure lateral walls and in front of said panel such that access to said panel is provided only when said warmer drawer is withdrawn from said heating chamber;
a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer; and, oven support members secured to said enclosure.
an enclosure having a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls:
a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber;
a panel extending between one of said enclosure lateral walls and one of said liner lateral walls;
a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber, said warmer drawer including a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of lateral walls, and a bottom wall, which define a receptacle adapted to receive food stuffs, said front wall extending between said enclosure lateral walls and in front of said panel such that access to said panel is provided only when said warmer drawer is withdrawn from said heating chamber;
a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer; and, oven support members secured to said enclosure.
2. The warming appliance according to claim 1, wherein said oven support members have engagement surfaces which together form a generally horizontal support plane above said enclosure top wall.
3. The warming appliance according to claim 1, wherein said support members are generally inverted-U-shaped in cross section having a top wall and inner and outer walls downwardly extending from inner and outer edges of said top wall.
4. The warming appliance according to claim 3, wherein said inner walls are secured to said enclosure outer walls with fasteners and said inner walls engage said enclosure top wall.
5. The warming appliance according to claim 4, wherein said inner wall is provided with mounting tabs which cooperate with slots formed in said enclosure top wall.
6. The warming appliance according to claim 1, wherein said panel is a control panel.
7. The warning appliance according to claim 6, wherein said control panel includes a control switch and an indicator light.
8. The warming appliance according to claim 6, wherein one of said enclosure lateral walls has an access opening near said control panel and a removable door selectively closing said access opening.
9. A cooking and warming system for a kitchen cabinet comprising:
a warming appliance including an outer enclosure and support members secured to said outer enclosure, said outer enclosure comprising a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls; and a separate cooking appliance located above said warming appliance and resting on said support members, wherein said warming appliance comprises:
a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber, a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber; and a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer.
a warming appliance including an outer enclosure and support members secured to said outer enclosure, said outer enclosure comprising a pair of lateral walls and a top wall disposed between said lateral walls; and a separate cooking appliance located above said warming appliance and resting on said support members, wherein said warming appliance comprises:
a liner having a pair of lateral walls inwardly spaced from said enclosure lateral walls and a bottom wall disposed between said liner lateral walls, wherein said enclosure top wall, said liner lateral walls, and said liner bottom wall cooperate to form a heating chamber, a warmer drawer adapted to be received within and withdrawn from said heating chamber; and a heating element secured to said liner within said heating chamber at a location relatively beneath said warmer drawer.
10. The cooking and warming system according to claim 9, wherein said support members have engagement surfaces which together form a generally horizontal support plane for said cooking appliance, said cooking appliance resting on said engagement surfaces.
11. The cooking and warming system according to claim 9, wherein there are two of said support members which are generally inverted-U-shaped in cross section having a top wall and inner and outer walls downwardly extending from inner and outer edges of said top wall.
12. The cooking and warming system according to claim 11, wherein said outer walls of said support members are secured to said enclosure outer walls with fasteners, and said inner walls of said support members engage said enclosure top wall.
13. The cooking and warming system according to claim 12, wherein said inner walls of said support members are provided with mounting tabs which cooperate with slots formed in said enclosure top wall.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US08/916,650 US6166353A (en) | 1997-08-22 | 1997-08-22 | Free-standing warmer drawer |
| US08/916,650 | 1997-08-22 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2227916A1 CA2227916A1 (en) | 1999-02-22 |
| CA2227916C true CA2227916C (en) | 2006-06-27 |
Family
ID=25437625
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002227916A Expired - Fee Related CA2227916C (en) | 1997-08-22 | 1998-01-27 | Free standing warmer drawer |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US6166353A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2227916C (en) |
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| WO2023191751A1 (en) * | 2022-03-30 | 2023-10-05 | Vestel Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi | A washing device with a mounting element |
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-
1997
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-
1998
- 1998-01-27 CA CA002227916A patent/CA2227916C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| US6166353A (en) | 2000-12-26 |
| CA2227916A1 (en) | 1999-02-22 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |
Effective date: 20130128 |