Patent ID: 6041772
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: F24C

Abstract:
An overhead ventilation hood for use within a ventilation system for a cooking appliance, the ventilation system including a first blower mounted in communication with a first length of ductwork extending to the hood and a second blower mounted in communication with a second length of ductwork extending from the hood, said ventilation hood comprising:a housing having a planar base surface adapted to be secured at an elevated location above the cooking appliance, said housing including a recessed interior which is arrayed in a downwardly facing manner and which is defined by a first side, a second spaced apart side, a first interconnecting end and a second interconnecting end;an intake opening formed through said housing base proximate said first side and adapted to be secured to the first length of ductwork for receiving a first stream of pressurized intake air, an exhaust opening formed through said housing base proximate said second side and adapted to be secured to the second length of ductwork for issuing a second stream of pressurized exhaust air;a supply plenum chamber established within said recessed interior and along said first side, said supply plenum chamber including at least one elongate and planar shaped channeling wall and an interconnecting elongate and planar shaped diffuser extending between said first and second interconnecting ends and proximate an open bottom of said recessed interior, said diffuser including a first plurality of fixed grid members and a second plurality of rearwardly spaced and rotatable blades, said blades being actuable relative to one another along a limited range of rotational motion so that said diffuser regulates a flow of said first stream of pressurized air into a central open interior of said housing; andan exhaust plenum chamber being established within said recessed interior and along said second side, said exhaust plenum chamber including an elongate and planar shaped filter extending between said first and second interconnecting ends and capable of being releasably secured to said housing at a specified angular orientation relative to said second side;the cooking appliance issuing combinations of heat, airborne grease and smoke in an upward direction into said open interior of said housing which are discharged within said second stream of exhaust air concurrent with intermixing with said regulated flow of said first stream of intake air and so as to achieve an air equilibrium condition within said housing.