Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances

Abstract: The invention refers to some elastic plugs (1) that are mounted on the legs (2) of a grill placed on the top of the heat sources of a stove for the purpose of preventing the wear of the support areas of the base where these legs of the grill sit, preventing inappropriate noise and sliding. The invention is centered on the advantageous structure of the elastic plugs and also on the fastening and anchoring means thereof upon the end sections of the cited legs, thanks to which the assembly of the plugs is made substantially easier. Likewise, once the plugs have been assembled, it is difficult to remove them and this implies an obvious important advantage.

Description: As expressed in the title of this specification, the present invention refers to a protective device of the grills of home appliances, according to the preamble of Claim 1. Such a protective device of the supports of the grill is known from US-A-5 669 372. These grills used in home appliances, such as for examples, stoves and worktops, particularly gas stoves and combined gas and electric stoves, are formed by a frame that has some legs that are placed above the heat source in order to support the cooking appliance. In said frame there are also some leg type projections that constitute the supports of the grill in the base-worktop of the appliance. The novelty of the invention is centered on the inclusion of some advantageous protective elastic type plugs elements that are connected in correspondence with the end sections of the support legs of the grills for the purpose of preventing the wear of the seat base of the grill, mainly when the grill unit is assembled and disassembled during cleaning, as well as during cooking. On the other hand, the novelty of the invention is also centered on the structure of the elastic plugs, as well as on the fastening means of the plugs upon the legs of the grill. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Nowadays, with cooking operations and the placement of the grill, once the grill has been removed for cleaning thereof, there are displacements of the grill with regard to the base, which causes friction which results in wear of said base (scratches are produced) or even causes that the protective material (generally enamel) that said base worktop has, peels off. In order to avoid these inconveniences the use of some protective elements on said support legs is known. These elements are made up of some elastic plugs. In some cases some elastic plugs, preferably of rubber, that are introduced in a closed window of the support leg, a window that is located close to the support end of the leg are used. These plugs have two side edges and one of them has a lip-shaped prolongation, in such a way that upon assembling the plug in the window of the leg, it goes around the end of said leg constituting a protective element itself. Although this is a good solution, because of its special shape, the plug can easily become loose upon pulling on the protective lip, or this protective lip can move from its protective position during the cleaning of the grill and this is all worsened by the fact that the user believes that said protective element is only for transport. Therefore, once the appliance has been installed, it is very probable that the user removes the plug. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order to overcome the problems and inconveniences mentioned in the above section, the invention proposes a protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances. The device is defined as of a protective element, such as an elastic plug, which is simply and easily assembled, in such a way that once assembled and retained in its protective position, removal or disassembly thereof turns out to be a difficult task. The elastic plug has an advantageous structure defined by a solid body provided with some coupling and fastening means in the end sections of the legs of a grill. These coupling and fastening means consist, in principle, of a through hole of the elastic plug, thanks to which assembly is possible upon the end section of the corresponding leg that has a structure corresponding to and complementary with the cited means. The coupling and fastening means also consist of some blind holes established in the plug, thanks to which assembly thereof is also possible in the structure of the end section of the corresponding leg. These holes are established upon the outside surface of the plug in the same direction. The structure of the end sections of the legs of the grill have two different embodiments. In one of them, there is a bottom opening where there are two opposite horizontal stubs that fit in the ends of the through hole of the plug or blind holes of the other elastic plug. In this first embodiment, the plug is inserted by pushing it upward deforming the same until the opposite stubs are introduced in the through hole or in the opposite blind holes. In the second embodiment of the end sections of the legs of the grill there is a side opening that defines a horizontal extension whose free end ends in an elbowed appendix, in such a way that the elastic plug will couple coaxially upon the horizontal extension. In order to facilitate the assembly of the elastic plugs upon the end sections of the legs of the grill, the plugs may be heated when they are to be assembled. Hereinafter to provide a better understanding of this specification and forming an integral part thereof, some figures in which the object of the invention has been represented in an illustrative and non-restrictive manner are accompanied. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a raised view of the protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, object of the invention. Figure 2 is a sectioned raised view of the protective device represented in the previous figure. Figure 3 is a view similar to the previous one. Figure 4 is a sectioned profile view of that which is shown in figure 2. Figure 5 is a raised view of the device of the invention according to a second embodiment of the invention. Figure 6 is sectioned raised view of that which is shown in the previous figure. Figure 7 is a sectioned profile view of that which is shown in the two previous figures. Figure 8 is a perspective view of an elastic plug that forms part of the assembly of the device of the invention. Figure 9 is a perspective view of another plug that also forms part of the assembly of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Making reference to the numbering used in the figures, the protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances is defined as of a protective element, such as an elastic plug (1) (1') that is assembled on the end sections of some short vertical legs (2) that form part of a grill of home appliances, which has not been represented in the figures because this is not necessary. The elastic plug (1) (1') essentially has a cubic shape with two different embodiments. In one of them, the plug (1) has a through hole (3) that goes from one surface to the other opposite surface. In the second embodiment, the plug (1') has two opposite blind holes (4) established in correspondence with two parallel surfaces of the prismatic plug (1'). On the other hand, the end sections of the legs (2) of the grills have a structure that also has two different embodiments. In one of them, there is a bottom opening (5), from whose parallel vertically placed surfaces (6) originate two opposite stubs (7) arranged in this way to facilitate the assembly of the corresponding elastic plug (1) (1'). In order to proceed with the assembly of the elastic plug (1) provided with the through hole (3), said plug is introduced, in principle, underneath between the space (8) that exists between the free ends of the opposite stubs (7), in such a way that pushing the plug upward there is a moment when the same becomes located in its definitive place, the opposite stubs (7) being inserted in the ends of the through hole (3) of said plug (1), while a top part thereof will be located in the top part of the bottom opening (5) of the leg (3) of the grill, abutting against the opposite surfaces (6) of the opening (5). On the other hand, in order to adjust the plug (1') of the second embodiment in the blind holes (4), one will proceed in the same way as with the other plug (1) provided with a through hole (3), with the only difference that the two opposite stubs (7) of the end section of the respective leg will be located inside said blind holes (4). The second embodiment of the structure of the end sections of the legs (2) of the grill have a side opening (9) limited between a front surface (10) and two horizontal surfaces, a top one (11) and another bottom one (12) that forms part of a horizontal prolongation (13) where the elastic plug (1) provided with the through hole (3) is coupled coaxially. Corresponding to the free end of the prolongation (13) there is an elbowed appendix (14) that prevent axial removal of the plug (1) when the same is installed or assembled in its place. In order to proceed with the assembly of the plug (1) provided with the through hole (3) upon the horizontal prolongation (13), the through hole (3) of the elastic plug (1) being opposite the elbowed appendix (14) and the free end of said prolongation (13), the plug (1) in this condition will move against the appendix (14) until it fits in its place around the horizontal prolongation (13). The insertion or introduction of the elastic plugs (1) proves to be a relatively simple and rapid operation thanks to the deformability of the material. Nonetheless, if the elasticity of the plugs does not suffice, they may be heated by different means until the necessary elasticity and deformability were reached. On the other hand, once the plugs have been assembled, these plugs will not move from their location, being perfectly fastened in their location.

Claims: Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, these grills to be used especially for stoves and worktops, at the same time that the grills are basically made up of a frame that has parts that are located above the heat sources of the appliance and having some projections that are support legs of the grill on the base-worktop of the appliance; being constituted as of some protective elements that are coupled to the legs of the grill by means of some fastening means; characterized in that these fastening means of the protective elements are defined by some open windows (5 and 9) that communicate with the outside and that are located in the end sections of the legs (2), the respective protective elements being coupled in correspondence with the open windows (5 and 9) by means of some anchoring means. Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, according to the above claim, characterized in that the protective elements consist of some solid plugs (1) provided with at least one through hole (3). Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, according to claim 1, characterized in that the protective elements consist of some solid plugs (1') provided with at least two opposite holes. Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the anchoring means of the plugs (1) provided with the through hole (3), said means consist of some opposite stubs (7) emerging from two opposite surfaces (6) of the window (5) open underneath, the end sections of the through hole (3) of the solid plug (1) fitting in the cited opposite stubs (7). Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the anchoring means of the plugs (1) provided with blind holes (4), consist of some opposite stubs (7) emerging from two opposite surfaces (6) of the window (5) open underneath, the end sections of the blind holes (4) in the solid plug (1') fitting in the cited opposite stubs (7). Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the anchoring means of the solid plugs (1) provided with the through hole (3), consist of a bottom prolongation or branch (13) originating as a result of the window (9) open on one side, the elastic plug (1) coupling in the cited branch (13) by means of its through hole (3), within which the branch (13) is housed. Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, according to the above claim, characterized in that the free end of the prolongation or branch (13) where the solid plug (1) is coupled, said prolongation or branch (13) ends in an elbowed appendix (14) of axial retention towards the outside of said plug (1).

Inventors: ORTUBIA NOGUES JAVIER, ORTUBIA NOGUES, JAVIER
Applicants: BSH FABRICACION SA, BSH FABRICACION, S.A.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A47J37
IPC codes: F24C15