Abstract:
A domestic appliance has an enclosure panel that has a ventilation section that has solid portions and open portions. The solid portions has first legs extending in a first direction, and second legs extending in a second direction. Two of the first legs and two of the second legs completely bound one of the open portions. A third one of the second legs intersects the first one of the first legs at a first intersecting location other than either end of the first one of the first legs. A fourth one of the second legs intersects the second one of the first legs at a second intersecting location other than either end of the second one of the first legs.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention is directed to an enclosure panel having a ventilation section for a domestic home appliance. 
         [0002]    An example of an application for the invention is cooling air intake panel for a domestic kitchen cooking range. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Some modern domestic kitchens include an appliance, such as a cooking range, that has an internal heat source or other feature that requires ventilation. Often this ventilation is achieved through openings in a rear panel of the appliance that supplies air to a cooling fan. 
         [0004]    Some appliances have a mesh screen that is attached over an opening in a panel of the appliance in order to allow air to enter the appliance. These mesh screens can be attached to the panel by, for example, welding or threaded fasteners. These mesh screens can be of a woven construction that results in rows and columns of aligned square openings. 
         [0005]    A standard Underwriters Laboratory test exists for testing the penetrability of openings in particular domestic home appliances. Parts of UL 858 require that particular openings in particular domestic home appliances must resist a defined articulated finger-shaped probe such that the probe cannot penetrate the opening. The above-described mesh screens often do not sufficiently resist penetration by the UL required probe and/or require a large amount of material to provide sufficient resistance to penetration. This large amount of material can add expense to the appliance and can also result in a smaller than ideal open-to-blocked ratio of the ventilation opening. The UL standard and the associated test is designed to simulate a user&#39;s finger entering the appliance housing by way of the ventilation opening. 
         [0006]    Applicants recognized these problems and developed a solution as described herein. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The invention achieves the benefit of a low cost ventilation panel that passes the above-described UL penetration test by providing a particular panel design for a domestic home appliance. The particular panel design resists penetration by the UL required probe under the conditions prescribed in the UL testing procedure. 
         [0008]    The invention achieves this benefit by providing a ventilation panel that has integrally formed ventilation holes that are bounded by panel material of a particular layout. 
         [0009]    By aligning, for example, horizontal elements (or “horizontal legs”) of the panel structure such that ends of the horizontal legs intersect vertical legs at a point other than the ends of the vertical legs, a stronger opening (formed by the legs) results. In contrast to a woven mesh screen, the inventive structure provides support for the legs in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the legs. 
         [0010]    Particular embodiments of the invention are directed to a domestic home appliance, having a housing; an enclosure panel attached to the housing, the enclosure panel having a main body; an operating section that performs an appliance operation of the domestic home appliance that is usable by a user of the domestic home appliance; and a heat source located inside the housing. The enclosure panel has a ventilation section positioned within the main body, the ventilation section has solid portions and open portions, and provides ventilation to the heat source, the solid portions comprise a plurality of first legs extending a first length in a first direction, and a plurality of second legs extending a second length in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, each of the first legs has a first end and a second end, the second end being opposite the first end along the first direction, each of the second legs has a first end and a second end, the second end being opposite the first end along the second direction, a first one and a second one of the first legs and a first one and a second one of the second legs completely bound one of the open portions, a third one of the second legs intersects the first one of the first legs at a first intersecting location, the first intersecting location being a location other than the first end of the first one of the first legs, and the first intersecting location being a location other than the second end of the first one of the first legs, and a fourth one of the second legs intersects the second one of the first legs at a second intersecting location, the second intersecting location being a location other than the first end of the second one of the first legs, and the second intersecting location being a location other than the second end of the second one of the first legs. 
         [0011]    Other embodiments of the invention are directed to an enclosure panel for a domestic home appliance having a housing, an operating section that performs an appliance operation of the domestic home appliance that is usable by a user of the domestic home appliance, and a heat source located inside the housing. The enclosure panel has a main body; and a ventilation section positioned within the main body, the ventilation section having solid portions and open portions and being configured to provide ventilation to the heat source. The enclosure panel is configured to attach to the housing of the domestic home appliance, the solid portions comprise a plurality of first legs extending a first length in a first direction, and a plurality of second legs extending a second length in a second direction, the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, each of the first legs has a first end and a second end, the second end being opposite the first end along the first direction, each of the second legs has a first end and a second end, the second end being opposite the first end along the second direction, a first one and a second one of the first legs and a first one and a second one of the second legs completely bound one of the open portions, a third one of the second legs intersects the first one of the first legs at a first intersecting location, the first intersecting location being a location other than the first end of the first one of the first legs, and the first intersecting location being a location other than the second end of the first one of the first legs, and a fourth one of the second legs intersects the second one of the first legs at a second intersecting location, the second intersecting location being a location other than the first end of the second one of the first legs, and the second intersecting location being a location other than the second end of the second one of the first legs. 
         [0012]    Particular embodiments of the invention include the feature of the first intersecting location being equidistant from the first end of the first leg and the second end of the first leg. 
         [0013]    Particular embodiments of the invention include the feature of the first intersecting location being opposite the second intersecting location in the second direction. 
         [0014]    Particular embodiments of the invention include the feature of the first legs and the second legs being integrally formed with the main body of the enclosure panel. 
         [0015]    Particular embodiments of the invention include the feature of the enclosure panel having a plurality of the ventilation section. 
         [0016]    Particular embodiments of the invention include the feature of the first length being equal to the second length. 
         [0017]    Particular embodiments of the invention include the feature of the first length being less than 0.10 inch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    The following figures form part of the present specification and are included to further demonstrate certain aspects of the disclosed features and functions, and should not be used to limit or define the disclosed features and functions. Consequently, a more complete understanding of the exemplary embodiments and further features and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of a cooking range having a mesh cooling grille; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a view of a mesh cooling grille in accordance with  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a rear perspective view of a cooking range in accordance with embodiments of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a view of an enclosure panel in accordance with embodiments of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a partial view of an enclosure panel in accordance with embodiments of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a finger probe being inserted into the cooling mesh grille of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a finger probe being inserted into the cooling mesh grille of  FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a finger probe being stopped by an enclosure panel in accordance with embodiments of the invention; and 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a detail view of a finger probe being stopped by an enclosure panel in accordance with embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    The invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
         [0029]    In the description of embodiments disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”, “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms such as “attached,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. 
         [0030]    As explained above, embodiments of the invention provide a solution to the problems associated with a mesh type cooling grille on a domestic home appliance. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  shows an example of an appliance  100  having an upper cooking area  110 , side panels  140  and a back panel  150 . Upper cooking area  110  has, in this example, three grates  120  that cover six burners  130 . Back panel  150  has, in this example, two openings  190 , each of which is covered by a separate mesh screen  195 . Openings  190  can be, for example, openings that provide ventilation to an internal space of appliance  100 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows an enlarged view of mesh screen  195 . In this example, each mesh screen  195  is attached to back panel  150  by eight spot welds  200 . Other attachment methods such as, for example, screws or bolts can be used. Mesh screens  195  are separate pieces that are attached to back panel  150  either before or after back panel  150  is attached to appliance  100 . The operation of attaching mesh screens  195  to back panel  150  can be time consuming and/or require specialized equipment. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3  shows an example of an embodiment of the invention using an example of the inventive ventilation panel.  FIG. 3  shows an appliance  300  having an upper cooking area  310  that has, in this example, three grates  320  that cover six burners  330 . Appliance  300  has side panels  340  and a back panel  350 . In addition to back panel  350 , appliance  300  has a ventilation panel  370  that partially encloses the back side of appliance  300 . Ventilation panel  370  includes, in this example, three ventilation openings  380 . Fewer or more ventilation openings can be included. In this example, ventilation panel  370  is separate from back panel  350 . In other examples, ventilation panel  370  can be the entire back panel of appliance  100 . However, making ventilation panel  370  smaller than the entire back panel of the appliance can facilitate manufacturing of ventilation openings  380 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows an example of ventilation panel  370  having three ventilation openings  380 . In this example, a plurality of holes  410  are provided for attaching ventilation panel  370  to appliance  100 .  FIG. 4  also shows a plurality of holes  420  they can be used to further secure ventilation panel  370  to appliance  100 . Holes  420  can be for attaching ventilation panel  370  to a specific piece of equipment (such as a fan) inside appliance  100  such that a particular ventilation opening  380  aligns properly with that piece of equipment. More or fewer holes  410 ,  420  can be used. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows a more detailed view of ventilation opening  380 . Holes  420  are shown positioned over attachment points  421  of appliance  100 . In this example, ventilation opening  380  is formed by a plurality of vertical and horizontal structural components that will be referred to as “legs”. In this example, each opening is defined by two horizontal legs  520  and two vertical legs  510 . The opening bounded by two horizontal legs  520  and two vertical legs  510  is made more structurally sound and penetration resistant because horizontal legs  520  outside of the opening intersect vertical legs  510  at a point other than the ends of vertical legs  510 . This is in contrast to a woven mesh screen in which the ends of the horizontal pieces intersect the ends of the vertical pieces. In such a woven mesh screen (or any other structure where the ends of the horizontal pieces intersect the ends of the vertical pieces) a horizontal force imposed on a vertical piece is not opposed by any structure on the opposite side of the vertical piece. This results in a relatively week resistance to lateral forces. 
         [0036]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show mesh screen  195  being subjected to a probe  600  such as, for example, the UL specified probe discussed above.  FIG. 6  shows probe  600  being moved toward mesh screen  195  and coming in contact with mesh screen  195 . The size of the openings in mesh screen  195  may be smaller than the diameter of probe  600 , but as probe  600  is pressed against mesh screen  195  sections  895  of mesh screen  195  deflect and allow probe  600  to penetrate mesh screen  195 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . This penetration happens because each deflected section  895  is not supported on a side opposite to the probe. In other words, the lateral force exerted on deflected section  895  is not met with an opposite force from any structure other than deflected section  895 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  shows probe  600  being moved toward and contacting ventilation opening  380 .  FIG. 9  shows a larger scale view of what happens as probe  600  contacts and is pressed against ventilation opening  380 . In  FIG. 9 , as probe  600  is pressed against ventilation opening  380  is comes into contact with the left vertical leg  510  and the upper horizontal leg  520 . Often in this situation, the right and bottom edges of probe  600  will move past the front edge of ventilation opening  380  and press laterally against the right vertical leg  510  (shown by Arrow A) and press vertically down against the bottom horizontal leg  520 . As illustrated by Arrow A, this lateral force is opposed by the structure of the horizontal leg  520  that is opposite to arrow A. The horizontal leg opposite to Arrow A in this example prevents the right vertical leg  510  from bending to the right and allowing probe  600  to penetrate ventilation opening  380 . By providing a horizontal leg on each side of the opening bounded by four legs, probe  600  is prevented from bending either vertical leg in a direction that would make the opening larger. As long as this condition exists for either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, probe  600  cannot penetrate ventilation opening  380 . 
         [0038]    Ventilation openings  380  can be cut out of a piece of sheet material from which ventilation panel  370  is made. Non-exclusive examples of devices for cutting ventilation openings  380  are laser cutters, plasma cutters, and water jets. 
         [0039]    The above described structure provide protection against penetration by probe  600  while simultaneously providing a maximum open-to-blocked ratio for ventilation opening  380  for a given ventilation panel thickness. Embodiments of the invention provide a significant improvement over a louvered opening in that the invention provides 180 degrees of open air access to the ventilation opening, whereas a louver provides about 90 degrees of open air access. 
         [0040]    It will be appreciated that variants of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into many other different systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the invention. In addition, all combinations of any and all of the features described in the disclosure, in any combination, are part of the invention.