Patent Publication Number: US-9890958-B2

Title: Removable enclosure for range tops

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 62/119,300 filed Feb. 28, 2015, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to enclosures for enclosing the space between a range top and a range hood. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cooking on range tops often involves the creation of smoke and fumes resulting from the cooking process. Range hoods are often provided above range tops to evacuate as much of the smoke and fumes as possible; however, they are completely effective in dealing with the volume of smoke and fumes which are often produced. Therefore, stove enclosures (or range enclosures) are occasionally provided for containing the smoke and fumes. While these enclosures are effective, they are often complicated to assemble and cumbersome to use. An improved enclosure for enclosing the space between a range top and range hood would therefore be useful. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an enclosure for a range having opposite right and left sides, a front side and a back side, the range being positioned directly below a range hood having opposite right and left sides, a front side and a back side. The removable enclosure includes opposite right and left curtains depending from the right and left sides of the range hood, the right curtain extending downward to a point just below the right side of the range, the left curtain extending downward to a point just below the left side of the range. The enclosure further includes a front curtain depending from the front side of the range hood and extending downward to a point just below the front side of the range, a first horizontal row of permanent magnets formed as a lower edge of the front curtain, the front curtain being coupled to the front side of the range hood by a T shaped member having opposite first and second ends, the first end of the T shaped member having a hook portion for attaching to the front side of the range hood, the second end of the T shaped member having a second horizontal row of permanent magnets oriented away from the range hood, the second horizontal row of permanent magnets configured to magnetically couple to the first horizontal row of permanent magnets to support the front curtain in an elevated position wherein the lower edge of the front curtain is magnetically coupled to the second end of the T shaped member. The front, left and right curtains of the enclosure are all configured to fully enclose the range and range hood. 
     With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a range top enclosure showing one of the front curtains in an elevated position. 
         FIG. 2  is perspective view of the range top enclosure shown in  FIG. 1  showing both front curtains in their elevated positions. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the T shaped support member portion of the range top enclose shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the T shaped support member shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a portion of the front curtain showing a cooking pot contacting the heat shield portion of the front curtain. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a range top enclosure made in accordance with the present invention, shown generally as item  10 , consists of a left curtain  26  depending from the left side  14  of range hood  13 , a right curtain  28  depending from the right side  18  of the range hood and front curtains  30  and  32  depending from front side  16  of the range hood. Each of the curtains depend from the range hood to a portion slightly below top  34  of range top  12  of stove  11 . Each of curtains  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  are dimensioned such that the curtains completely contain the enclosed space  50  between range hood  13  and range top  12 . In particular, side curtains  26  and  28  are wider towards range top  12  and narrower towards range hood  13  so that when all of the curtains completely enclose the range top and the range hood and any smoke or fumes contained in space  50  can be vented through the range hood. 
     Curtains  26  and  28  are attached at their top ends to sides  14  and  18 , respectively, of range hood  13  by means known generally in the art such as clamps, screws, or adhesive. Curtains  26  and  28  may be made of a clear flexible plastic, but they may also be made of a more rigid clear plastic material since they are likely to remain stationary. Curtains  30  and  32  however, must be made of a flexible clear plastic material to permit the curtains to move between a lowered position as shown by curtain  32  and a raised position as shown by curtain  30 . The widths of curtains  30  and  32  are selected such that an overlap portion  44  on curtain  32  is provided where curtain  30  overlaps curtain  32  so to ensure the enclosure is more secure against leaking when both curtains are in their lowered position. 
     Front curtains  30  and  32  are coupled to front side  16  of range hood  13 . T shaped support brackets  38  and  36  are identical. Each have a row of permanent magnets  42  which are oriented away from range hood  13 . Adjacent the lower edge of each of curtains  30  and  32  is a row of permanent magnets  40 . Row of permanent magnets  40  and row of permanent magnets  42  are both configured such that when the front curtains are placed in their raised position, permanent magnets  40  magnetically couple to permanent magnets  42 . Preferably, magnets  40  and  42  are sufficiently strong to keep the curtains in their raised position securely. Also, when the curtains are in their lowered positions, permanent magnets  40  help to secure the bottom end of the curtains by magnetically coupling to the range  12 . Suitable rare earth permanent magnets are readily available on the market which could be used. 
     Channels  74  and  76  are provided at the edges of front curtains  32  and  30 , where the front curtains meet side curtains  28  and  26  respectively. Channels  74  and  76  are elongated plastic extrusions which are configured so that the outer edges of curtains  32  and  30  seal against channels  74  and  76 , respectively, when the front curtains are lowered to ensure a relatively tight seal between the front curtains and the side curtains. 
     Side curtains  28  and  26  are suspended from the range hood by means of clamps  72 . Clamps  72  are more particularly described below. Also, side curtains  26  and  28  and front curtains  30  and  32  are preferably made of a PVC plastic certified to handle up to 168° F. Suitable PVC plastic is generally available in the market. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , both curtains  30  and  32  can be placed in their elevated positions, thereby allowing the user unrestricted access to stove top  12  and space  50  between range top  12  and range hood  13 . In this orientation, the user can access the range controls, access pots and pans on the range top. The magnetic supporting mechanism of T support brackets  36  and  38  keep curtains  30  and  32  secure and prevents them from accidentally falling. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , T shaped support member  36  will now be discussed in greater detail. It will be appreciated that both of the T shaped support members are identical. T shaped support member includes an elongated strut  52  having opposite ends  51  and  53 . An upper transverse member  54  is secured to strut  52  towards end  51  and a lower transverse member  56  is secured at end  53 . Transverse members  54  and  56  are secured to strut  52  by means known generally in the art, but preferably by a means which permits the transverse member  54  to selectively slide along strut  52  to permit the transverse member to be positioned along the strut and locked into place. This feature permits the front curtains level to be adjusted as desired. Transverse member  56  has opposite ends  55  and hooks  58  and  60  are positioned thereon, respectively. Magnets  42  are mounted along transverse member  54  on the side of strut  52  opposite hooks  58  and  60 . As best seen in  FIG. 4 , clamps  72  are formed on the ends of each of the hooks. Essentially, each clamp  72  consists of a C shaped bracket  62  and a camp mechanism  64 . Clamp  72  consists of a heavy duty elongated screw bolt with a handle at one end. Turning the handle at the end of the screw bolt causes the screw bolt to move relative to the rest of the C shaped bracket, enabling the user to selectively tighten or loosen the clamp. As mentioned above, clamps  72  are also used to clamp the side curtains to the range hood (see  FIG. 1 ). When attaching T support  36  to the range hood  13  (see  FIG. 1 ) the clamp mechanism  64  of clamps  72  can be engaged to trap an edge of the front portion of the range hood thereby holding T support flu lily to the range hood. The handle on clamps  72  make it easy to attach the clamp without additional tools simply by turning the handle thereby causing the screw bolt in the clamp to tighten or loosen as desired. It is also apparent that when so mounted to the range hood, magnets  42 , which are positioned away from the hooks, will be oriented away from the range hood. As best seen in  FIG. 1 , by positioning magnets  42  away from hood  13 , magnets  42  can make strong direct contact with corresponding magnets  40 . Preferably, the row of magnets  42  and  40  are configured so that each magnet  42  makes direct physical contact with a corresponding magnet  40 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the inside surface of the front curtains, such as front curtain  28 , may be provided with a heat shield  68 . Heat shield  68  preferably consists of a thick foil of reflective metal, such as aluminum, which is adhered to surface  66  by an adhesive layer formed on the reflective metal foil. This foil can be used to prevent heat transferred from a pot  70  from damaging curtain  28 . Preferably, heat shield  68  is in the form of a rectangle spanning part of the width of curtain  28 ; however, other orientations may be used depending on the needs of the user. Indeed, heat shield  68  may be a separate item which the user can apply to the inside surface of curtain  28  as the need arises. 
     The present invention has several advantageous features. Firstly, the T support members make it very easy and quick to mount the front curtains to the range hood. Also, the T supports make it possible to position the rows of permanent magnets in an ideal location for making a strong magnetic coupling to the magnets positioned along the bottom of the front curtains. The T shaped members also allow for flexibility in attachment because the clamp and hook mechanism used in the T shaped members allow attachment to a variety of different sized and shapes of range hoods. The T shaped members are also easily dismounted by simply engaging the clamp mechanisms to permit ease of cleaning. 
     A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.