Patent ID: 7137387
Filing Date: 2006-11-21
Classification: F24C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An oven locking mechanism for a self-cleaning oven having an oven compartment having an opening defined by a top frame wall, a bottom frame wall and side frame walls, an oven door having a top wall, a bottom wall and side walls configured to close the oven compartment, the top walls of the oven frame and the oven door having a central region displaced from the side walls, the oven locking mechanism comprising: a mounting plate located above the oven compartment; a latch mounted to the mounting plate so the latch extends forwardly beyond the central region of the top wall of the oven frame to engage a portion of the door located in the central region when moved into a latched position; an electromechanical actuator coupled to the latch for moving the latch to the latched position when actuated; a switch electrically coupled to the electromechanical actuator and configured to enable the electromechanical actuator when in a first state and disable the electromechanical actuator when in a second state, said switch being mounted to the oven away from the oven compartment opening; a plunger mounted on the mounting plate in the central region of the top wall of the frame for movement relative to the frame, the plunger having a door engaging end and a switch engaging end, the switch engaging end being laterally offset from the switch and a laterally extending switch actuator of the switch engaging end being proximate the switch, when the plunger is in a first position the door engaging end extends forward beyond the frame of the oven in a position to be engaged by a portion of the door in the central region of the top wall during closure of the oven door; a stop between the door engaging end and the switch engaging end; a spring seat positioned about the plunger between the stop and the switch engaging end; a spring positioned about the plunger between the spring seat and the switch engaging end, the spring at one end being operatively supported by a portion of the mounting plate and contacting the spring seat at another end, and arranged so the spring is selectively compressed by the spring seat as the door engaging end of the plunger is pushed by the portion of the door during closure of the oven door and the spring seat is stopped by the stop as the seat is pushed by restorative force stored during compression of the spring; and the switch actuator of the switch engaging end laterally engaging the switch to change the state of the switch between the first and second states in response to the position of the switch engaging end of the plunger.