Abstract:
A home appliance having a griddle includes an appliance body; a cooktop on the appliance body and defining a griddle space; a griddle housing in the body adjacent the griddle space and operatively associated with the griddle; a griddle insulation retainer for removable disposition within the griddle space for supporting insulation material intermediate the griddle and the griddle insulation retainer, the griddle insulation retainer including a base and a wall; and a mounting arrangement for mounting the griddle insulation retainer to the range body including a first mating component on the griddle insulation retainer and a second mating component on the griddle housing, wherein the first mating component is removably joined to the second mating component in a press-fit manner.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates broadly to home appliances for cooking and, more particularly, to a range having a griddle for cooking and an improved griddle insulation retainer. 
         [0002]    Ranges provide a number of cooking options through, for example, ovens, steamers, cooktops and griddles. Ranges that include griddles can use the griddle space as the primary access point into the cooktop for service, since there are significant control electronics located underneath the griddle. In general, a griddle will provide a substantially constant temperature field across the griddle surface. As may be expected, the area underneath the griddle also experiences elevated temperatures. Accordingly, in order to protect the electronic components underneath the griddle, and to enhance efficiency, insulation is provided under the griddle. In order to support the insulation, a griddle insulation retainer is provided in the form of a generally planar sheet-metal structure. 
         [0003]    Since the griddle provides a primary access point to the control electronics underneath the griddle, the ability to efficiently and effectively remove the griddle insulation retainer for electronics access can be important in most any repair operation. Further, the griddle insulation retainer needs to be installed in a straightforward manner for both manufacturing and for closing up the griddle space after repair. 
         [0004]    In the past, such griddle insulation receivers were held in place with a number of screws, which made them difficult to install and remove. The screws had to be placed through openings that are maintained in registry and then screwed in place. For installation, a user had to position the griddle insulation retainer against the proper support members such that the screw openings came into registry and that position had to be maintained while a screw was inserted and tightened, which could be a difficult operation at best. 
         [0005]    Additionally, using such attachment arrangements, the griddles themselves can sag and become unlevel after being unpackaged during range installation. Accordingly, the structural integrity of the griddle insulation retainer required improvement to address these concerns. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is accordingly intended to provide a home appliance having an improved griddle insulation retainer that is mounted to the home appliance in a straightforward manner. 
         [0007]    It is another object of the present invention provide a griddle insulation retainer that includes a mounting arrangement that adds stability to the overall griddle structure. 
         [0008]    To those ends, the present invention is directed to a home appliance having a griddle including an appliance body and a cooktop disposed on the appliance body and defining a griddle space. A griddle housing is in the body adjacent the griddle space and operatively associated with the griddle. A griddle insulation retainer is provided for removable disposition within the griddle space for supporting insulation material intermediate the griddle and the griddle insulation retainer with the griddle insulation retainer including a base and a wall. a mounting arrangement is also provided for mounting the griddle insulation retainer to the range body including a first mating component on the griddle insulation retainer and a second mating component on the griddle housing, wherein the first mating component is removably joined to the second mating component in a press-fit manner. 
         [0009]    It is preferred that the mounting arrangement is also provided for mounting the griddle insulation retainer to the appliance body including a tab on the wall of the griddle insulation retainer and a receiver on the griddle housing. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the griddle housing includes a cross-member having the tab receiver, which may be a bridge lance. 
         [0011]    It is preferred that the griddle insulation retainer includes a generally planar base with the wall extending a predetermined distance away from the base, and wherein the tab extends to a position generally equal to the outward extent of the wall. Alternately, the griddle insulation retainer may include a generally planar base with the wall extending a predetermined distance away from the base, and wherein the tab extends to a position less than equal to the outward extent of the wall. 
         [0012]    It is preferable that the griddle housing include a cross-member having two tab receivers and spaced a predetermined distance apart, and the griddle insulation retainer includes two tabs for receipt in the two tab receivers. 
         [0013]    It is further preferred that the cross-member includes a projection on the cross-member and projecting into the griddle space, the projection being disposed intermediate the two tab receivers. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the griddle insulation retainer includes one of a front wall having a downwardly directed tab and a rear wall having a downwardly directed tab. 
         [0015]    It is preferred that the griddle insulation retainer includes a downwardly directed wall having a downwardly directed tab and the griddle housing includes a cross-member having a tab receiver. It is further preferred that the griddle insulation retainer includes two downwardly directed walls, with each wall having two downwardly directed tabs and the griddle housing includes two cross-members, with each cross-member having two bridge lances for receiving the two tabs. 
         [0016]    It is preferable that the present invention further include a projection on one of the cross-members intermediate the bridge lances and projecting into the griddle space. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the griddle insulation retainer includes a generally planar base member defining an opening for facilitating manual removal of the griddle insulation retainer from the griddle housing. 
         [0018]    The present invention is also directed to a range. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a range having a griddle includes a range body; a cooktop on the range body and defining a griddle space; and a griddle housing in the body adjacent the griddle space and operatively associated with the griddle. The present invention further includes a griddle insulation retainer for removable disposition within the griddle space for supporting insulation material intermediate the griddle and the griddle insulation retainer, the griddle insulation retainer including a base and a wall. A mounting arrangement is provided for mounting the griddle insulation retainer to the range body including a first mating component on the griddle insulation retainer and a second mating component on the griddle housing, wherein the first mating component is removably joined to the second mating component in a press-fit manner. 
         [0019]    It is preferred that the mounting arrangement includes a tab on a wall of the griddle insulation retainer and a tab receiver on the griddle housing. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the griddle housing includes a cross-member having the tab receiver. Further, it is preferred that the tab receiver is a bridge lance. 
         [0021]    It is preferred that the griddle insulation retainer include a generally planar base with the wall extending a predetermined distance away from the base, and wherein the tab extends to a position generally equal to the outward extent of the wall. Further, the griddle insulation retainer may include a generally planar base with the wall extending a predetermined distance away from the base, and wherein the tab extends to a position less than equal to the outward extent of the wall. 
         [0022]    It is preferred that a cross-member having two tab receivers spaced a predetermined distance apart, and the griddle insulation retainer includes two tabs for receipt in the two tab receivers. 
         [0023]    Preferably, the present range includes a projection on the cross-member and projecting into the griddle space, the projection being disposed intermediate the two tab receivers. 
         [0024]    It is preferred that the griddle insulation retainer includes one of a front wall having a downwardly directed tab and a rear wall having a downwardly directed tab. 
         [0025]    In addition, the griddle insulation retainer may preferably include a downwardly directed wall having a downwardly directed tab and the griddle housing includes a cross-member having a tab receiver. Further, the griddle insulation retainer may preferably include two downwardly directed walls, with each wall having two downwardly directed tabs and the griddle housing includes two cross-members, with each cross-member having two bridge lances for receiving the two tabs. Additionally, the present range may include a projection on one of the cross-members intermediate the bridge lances and projecting into the griddle space. 
         [0026]    Preferably, the griddle insulation retainer includes a generally planar base member having an opening for facilitating manual removal of the griddle insulation retainer from the griddle housing. 
         [0027]    By the above the present invention provides a home appliance in the form of a range having a griddle insulation retainer that provides enhanced ease of installation and removal thereof as well as enhanced griddle stability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a range having a griddle and a griddle insulation retainer according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a griddle insulation retainer according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention partially installed in a range as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of a range having the griddle insulation retainer partially removed from the range illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of a front portion of the griddle insulation retainer illustrated in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the griddle insulation retainer illustrated in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the griddle insulation retainer illustrated in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of a griddle insulation retainer according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a front support member of the griddle housing of the range illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the rear support member of the griddle housing of the range illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of the griddle insulation retainer mounted to the front support member illustrated in  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  is an underside perspective view of the griddle insulation retainer mounted to the front support member illustrated in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    Turning now to the drawings and, more particularly to  FIG. 1 , a range having an improved griddle insulation retainer is illustrated generally at  10  and includes a floor-standing range body  12  with two cavities in a lower portion  14  of the range body  12 . As is generally known, many ranges provide a single oven cavity while others, such as the one pictured, define two cavities, both of which way may be an oven. Alternately, the configuration may be, for example, a single oven with a steamer or a warming drawer in the same range body  12 . The cavities are covered by movable doors  16 . 
         [0040]    A cooktop  20  is disposed on a top portion of the range body  12 . The cooktop  20  includes a plurality of aligned burner pans  24 , with each burner pan  24  supporting a burner  26  which may be electric or gas as the range 10 may be powered by electricity, gas or both, as in the case of a “dual-fuel” range. A generally planar upstanding backsplash  22  is provided at a rearward portion of the cooktop  20 . Grates  28  are aligned along the cooktop  20  to support cooking utensils above a flaming burner for cooking. A control panel  18  is disposed above the door  16 , allowing a user to control cooking throughout the range 10. A backsplash  22  is an upstanding shield behind and above the cooktop  20  to protect the wall behind the range 10. 
         [0041]    On certain ranges, like the one illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a griddle  54  may be provided in a griddle space  30  defined intermediate two burner pans  24 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . There, the cooktop  20  defines a griddle housing  32  having components for fueling, controlling and supporting the griddle  54 . The griddle  54  is powered via conventional wiring  52 . 
         [0042]    With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the griddle space  30  is illustrated intermediate two burner pans  24  containing two burners  26  each. A rear support member  40  is provided to support, among other things, a griddle insulation retainer illustrated at  58  which supports a sheet of insulation  56  above the griddle insulation retainer  58  and below the griddle  54 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , many of the range electronics  50  are below the griddle space  30  such that the griddle  54 , insulation  58  and griddle insulation retainer  58  must be removed for access to such electronics  50 . Further, the components need to be protected from the griddle heat, hence the insulation  56  and griddle insulation retainer  58 . 
         [0043]    The present invention provides convenient mounting for the griddle insulation retainer  58  as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3  by providing mating components that press-fit, preferably without the use of hand tools. 
         [0044]    With reference to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , a griddle insulation retainer is illustrated generally at  58  and includes a generally planar base  60 . The base  60  is generally rectangular and includes side walls  64  that are upturned and extend on either side along the long axis of the base  60 . A downturned front wall  66  is on one end of the base  60  and extends the width of the base  60 . Similarly, and with reference to  FIG. 6 , a rear wall  70  is on the opposite end of the base  60  and extends the width of the base  60 . It will be appreciated that the front wall  66  and the rear wall  70  are similar and the mounting arrangement to be described presently is the same on each end. As seen in  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , mating components are on each of the end walls  66 ,  70  and include two tabs  68 ,  72  in each respective end wall  66 ,  70 . The tabs  68 ,  72  are generally U-shaped members in the sheet metal of the griddle insulation retainer  58 . The tabs  68 ,  72  have a spacing on either side thereof to accommodate the tab receivers as will be seen in greater detail presently. 
         [0045]    With reference to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the griddle housing  32 , includes a front support member  34  and a rear support member  42  for engagement with the front and rear walls of the griddle insulation retainer  58 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the rear support member  42  is a cross brace extending along a rear portion of the cooktop  20  adjacent the backsplash  22 . As seen in  FIG. 4 , the front support member  34  is a cross brace at the front portion of the range body  12 , to the rear of the controls  18 . 
         [0046]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , the front support member  34  is shown to be a generally L-shaped member formed from sheet metal. Although an L-shape is illustrated in  FIG. 8 , it will be understood that the front support member  34 , as well as the rear support member  42 , can be formed in any number of shapes available to a metal fabricator and according to the design parameters of the range 10. The primary requirement of the front support member  34  and the rear support member  42 , insofar as mounting the griddle insulation retainer  58  is concerned, is a planar face for contacting the planar front wall  60  and the planar rear wall  66  of the griddle insulation retainer  58 . The front support member  34  includes a planar facing wall  36 , as seen in  FIG. 8 . The rear support member  42  includes a planar facing wall  44  as seen in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0047]    With reference to  FIG. 8 , two further mating components include two tab receivers  38  in the front support member  34  at comparable, predetermined vertical heights along the front support member facing wall  38 . The tab receivers  38  are preferably bridge lances formed with a lance and form tool that uses metal from the primary structure, in this case the front support member  34 , to form a metal bridge across an opening created when the bridge lance is formed. In this manner, spacing is provided between the upper surface of the bridge lance and the remainder of the support member  34  with horizontally oriented spacing to accept the tabs  68  on the front wall  64  of the griddle insulation retainer  58 . A small projection  38 , seen from the back side as a dimple in the metal, is on the front facing wall  36  to engage an upper surface of the griddle insulation retainer  58  to help locate the griddle insulation retainer  58  and to provide a tactile sensation when the griddle insulation retainer  58  has reached the properly mounted position.  FIG. 9  illustrates the rear support member  42  with rear tab receivers  42  that are bridge lances and a projection  48  mimicking those found on the front support member  34 . 
         [0048]    Accordingly, the present invention provides four tab receivers  38 ,  46  that are bridge lances at either end of the griddle housing  32  that will accept tabs  68  in the front wall  66  and tabs  72  in the rear wall  70  to secure the griddle insulation retainer  58  in place within the griddle housing  32  of the range body  12 . The respective projections  40 ,  48  assist in the proper mounting of the griddle insulation retainer  58 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the tabs  74  are approximately half the length of the tabs  68  pictured in  FIG. 5 . In certain cases, the use of the shorter tabs can make the griddle insulation retainer  58  an easier fit than with the longer tabs. As seen in  FIG. 7 , the front wall  66  includes the short tabs  70 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the rear wall  70  can include similar short tabs (not shown). 
         [0050]    The present invention provides substantial improvement over the current mounting arrangement that uses a number of screws that mate with aligned screw holes formed in the griddle insulation retainer and in the support members. The previous manner of mounting the griddle insulation retainer, wherein the installer brings the screw holes into registry, retains the griddle insulation retainer in place, inserts the screw into the screw holes and tightens the screw, has been improved to an essentially drop-in installation. Further, due to the tighter and more comprehensive metal-to-metal contact, the use of the tabs and bridge lances according to the present invention provides a more stable griddle structure more able to withstand packaging and shipping. 
         [0051]    According to the present invention and in operation, with reference to  FIG. 2 , the griddle insulation retainer  58  is moved into the griddle space  30  for mating with the support members and, more particularly, to the rear support member facing wall  44 . 
         [0052]    With reference to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , once the griddle insulation retainer  58  is positioned within the griddle space  30  it may be lowered into position wherein the tabs  68 ,  72  engage the tab receivers  38 ,  46 .  FIG. 4  illustrates the front portion of the griddle insulation retainer being lined up with the tab receivers  38  on the front support member  34 . A similar situation occurs along the rear support member  42 . Once the griddle insulation retainer  58  is positioned, it is pushed downwardly with the front wall tabs  68  and the rear wall tabs  72  engaging the front tab receivers  38  and the rear tab receivers  46 . The engagement position may be seen in  FIGS. 10 and 11  which refer to the front tabs  68  and tab receivers  38  in the front support member  34 . Nevertheless, it should be appreciated that the engagement of the rear tabs  72  with the rear tab receivers  46  achieves essentially the same result illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
         [0053]    Once the griddle insulation retainer  58  is positioned with the tabs  68 ,  72  inserted in the respective receivers  38 ,  46 , it is pressed downwardly until the surface of the base  60  moves across the projections  40 ,  48  indicating that the griddle insulation retainer  58  is properly positioned and mounted.  FIG. 10  illustrates the relationship between the tab receivers  38  and the tabs  68  as well as the griddle insulation retainer base  60  with the projection  40 . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the rear portion of the griddle insulation retainer abuts the projection  48  and the griddle insulation retainer  58  is in a proper position. The insulation  56  may then be laid on top of the base  60  and the griddle itself  54  installed. 
         [0054]    To remove the griddle insulation retainer, for example, for maintenance purposes, the griddle  54  and the insulation  56  are removed and a user grasps the base  60  of the griddle insulation retainer  58  using the opening  62  and applies an upward force to withdraw the griddle insulation retainer  58  from the range body  12 . The tabs  68 ,  72  should readily exit the tab receivers  38 ,  46  and the friction of the respective projections  40 ,  48  on the base  60  should be easily overcome such that the griddle insulation retainer  58  may be easily removed and reinstalled after maintenance is completed. 
         [0055]    By the above, the present invention provides an improved griddle insulation retainer having an improved, straightforward mounting system that doesn&#39;t require tools for installation or removal and enhances the ability to both remove and install the griddle insulation retainer during both manufacturing and maintenance operations. Further, the overall stability of the entire griddle is enhanced. 
         [0056]    It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of a broad utility and application. While the present invention is described in all currently foreseeable embodiments, there may be other, unforeseeable embodiments and adaptations of the present invention, as well as variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, that do not depart from the substance or scope of the present invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.