General Electric Company

James A White

Frank L Rice

Jeffery Donald Hunt

Bang M Kim

Paul A Siemers

Mark Edward Dausch

Youssef El-Shoubary

Richard E Hornung

James R Griffin

Norman Zethward Shilling

Walter E Lewis

Michael Stephen Woods

Martin Edward Vink, Jr

A variable volume oven that can be modified to adjust its volume according to the cooking load. The volume of the oven is able to be adjusted by providing a heating element that is vertically adjustable within the oven to a position that provides better convective and radiative heating to the cooking load.

Variable volume oven

A range which includes a mounting system for securing the heating element to the range so that the heating element is maintained against an underside surface of the glass plate with a substantially constant force over a broad temperature range is described. In one embodiment, the mounting system includes a first swing leaf spring and a second swing leaf spring for engaging to the cooktop and to the radiant heating element for positioning the radiant heating element within the radiant heating element opening. More particularly, the cooktop includes at least one radiant heating element opening and a rim extending from an underside surface of the cooktop surrounding the radiant heating element opening. The rim includes a first slot and a second slot, and the first and second slots are located approximately about one hundred and eighty degrees apart in the rim. The first swing leaf spring has a spring hook portion at least partially inserted into the first rim slot, and the second swing leaf spring includes a spring hook portion at least partially inserted into the second rim slot. Each swing leaf spring also includes a lead-in portion for engaging to the heating element. Specifically the lead-in portion includes a spring barb for inserting into a slot in the heating element and an angular offset section for facilitating engagement between the spring and the heating element. Each swing leaf spring also includes an extension portion which, in one embodiment, is u-shaped.

Mounting system for radiant cooktop heating elements

Ranges which include mounting systems for securing the heating elements so that the heating elements are maintained against an underside surface of the glass plate with a substantially constant force over a broad temperature range are described. In one embodiment, the cooktop includes a frame and a support panel having a plurality of radiant heating element openings. A glass panel is adhesively secured at selected locations to the support panel. The mounting system includes coil springs for engaging to the support panel and to the radiant heating elements for positioning the radiant heating elements within the radiant heating element openings and against the glass plate.

Radiant heater support system

Ranges which include mounting systems for securing the heating elements so that the heating elements are maintained against an underside surface of the glass panel with a substantially constant force over a broad temperature range are described. In one embodiment, the cooktop includes a frame having an opening for receiving the glass panel. Flanges extend into the opening from the frame and support the panel in the opening. A metal plate is secured to an underside surface of the glass panel, and the plate includes a plurality of radiant heating element openings. The mounting system includes coil springs, or other types of springs, for engaging to the plate and to the radiant heating elements for positioning the radiant heating elements within the radiant heating element openings and against the glass panel. Various alternative embodiments of the above described mounting system are also described.

Glass supported heating elements for radiant cooktop ranges

A range has a housing with a cook top, including a plurality of surface cooking units and a backsplash assembly extending upward at the rear of the cooking top. The backsplash assembly includes end caps, with generally vertical front and rear walls extending therebetween and a top wall extending between the front and rear walls to define a control cavity. A display plate of light transparent material overlies the front wall and has an upper portion extending above the top wall. A lamp cover extends between the end caps and projects forward from the rear wall and overlaps the display plate to form a lamp cavity separate from the control cavity. A lamp is mounted in the lamp cavity and the upper portion of the display plate transmits light from the lamp outwardly to illuminate the surface cooking units. The top edge of the display plate is exposed to light from the lamp for edgewise illumination of the plate. The lamp cover is removable for servicing the lamp without exposing any controls in the control cavity.

Range backsplash assembly

A refrigerator including two compartments, one of which is maintained at a temperature above freezing and the other of which is maintained at a below freezing temperature. The refrigerator cabinet is divided into the two compartments by a divider that is slidably received in support grooves in the side walls of the cabinet. A self-contained pre-assembled air circulating and cooling module is arranged on the rear wall of the cabinet and the divider installed so that air circulated through the pre-assembled module is proportionally divided between the compartments in amounts sufficient to maintain the compartments at the preselected temperature.

Pre-assembled cooling and air circulating module for a household

An assembly for combining an appliance, for example a microwave oven, with a range vent hood having an appliance housing and a support structure for mounting the housing to a wall or to the floor of an overhead cabinet above a conventional cooking range is disclosed. The support structure includes a back wall upon which ribs are formed so as to space the rear of the housing from the back to form a channelized air space therebetween. A plate is attached to a lower portion of the back wall and extends forwardly toward and beneath the front of the appliance housing to form a second channelized air space between the plate and bottom of the housing. The two air spaces thus formed, communicate with one another to permit cooking gases and vapors from the range to be drawn upward through openings in the plate, then through the two air spaces and out the assembly on or near a top rear portion thereof. Ventilating means for the microwave oven completely separate and distinct from the first and second channelized air vent spaces is also provided so that the range heed vent feature and the microwave vent feature of the assembly can be used independently from one another or concurrently as desired.

Ventilation system for combination microwave oven and exhaust vent

A combination microwave oven and exhaust vent comprising a support assembly and a microwave oven operating module. The support assembly includes an open sided support enclosure into which the operating module is slidably inserted. The support assembly is initially mounted in the position above a countertop or cooking surface and the module is inserted thereinto to complete the mounting process.

Combination microwave oven and exhaust vent and installation mounting

A composite structure for a microwave oven housing having a main frame defined by top, rear and bottom surfaces and being open along the front thereof is disclosed. A partition wall is disposed in the main frame intermediate the side edges thereof for providing and separating a cooking chamber and a control compartment. A rectangular door frame is connected to front edge portions of the top and bottom surfaces of the main frame in front of the chamber for connecting an oven door thereto, the door frame defining an opening for access to the chamber. An additional feature includes a mode stirrer housing and a waveguide mounted on the top surface of the main frame above the chamber and compartment with the top surface defining openings which communicate between the compartment and waveguide and between the mode stirrer housing and chamber for transmitting a microwave signal generated in the compartment through the waveguide to the housing, and from the housing into the chamber.

Unitized structure for a microwave oven

A lamp mounting assembly for a microwave oven which permits easy replacement of the illuminating lamps including a lamp housing which attaches to the top wall of a microwave oven structure and is located in a space between the top wall of the oven structure and the top wall of a support assembly. The lamp housing is accessible through a removable grille which closes the space at the front of the microwave oven. The top wall of the oven cavity has a series of openings through which light from the bulb is directed to illuminate the oven cavity. The assembly includes supporting sidewalls having elongated channels sloping downwardly from front to rear. The lamp mounting member is supported for reciprocal movement along the channels, the member being accessible through the removable grille.

Lamp assembly for combination microwave oven and exhaust vent

A microwave oven is provided with a cooking cavity and an access door. The oven has a food temperature control system for monitoring the internal temperature of food being heated in the oven, and turning off the microwave power at the completion of a heating cycle, or for holding a predetermined temperature for a timed cycle. A temperature-sensing probe is adapted to be inserted into the food. The probe is equipped with a flexible electric cable that is joined to one wall of the cooking cavity for connecting the probe in a control circuit for the microwave generator. This flexible cable is provided with a plurality of diameter-increasing protrusions so, in the event the cable extends outwardly of the cooking cavity, the oven door may not be closed.

Food temperature control cable for microwave oven

A disc-like reflector, in addition to preventing excessive cooking of the food in a region immediately adjacent the probe housing, functions as a spring to hold the handle and reflector assembly together. The assembly remains tightly together despite different coefficients of thermal expansion of the various component parts.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

James A White