Maytag Corporation

The Maytag Company

Jenn Industries, Inc.

Michael E Bales

John Scott Brown

Robert Z Whipple, Jr

Philip R McKee

Theodore A Becker

Mark A Pickering

Timothy J Arntz

James K Pool, Iii

Wallace E Schmidt

Paul D Noel

Michael A Strader

Jill L Means

Anthony E Kendall

Virginia L Harwell

Steve M Schatz

Joanne G Stillman

Susan K Fisher

Gregory A Martin

Douglas D Swank

Stephen Cunningham

Craig A Sawyer

Michael McKinney

Stephen L Farlett

Pamela S Kleese

Judith D Barber

A quick-cook type convection cooking appliance includes an oven cavity in communication with an air channel assembly incorporating a radial byproduct trap and filter assembly defining a concentric ring-type baffle filter having two cylindrical sets of opposing air baffles. As recirculating air passes outwardly between deflectors of the baffle, the air is accelerated by a nozzle-type effect prior to impacting a center zone of an outer baffle deflector. This arrangement causes part of liquid and/or solid phases, such as grease, fats, and moisture, of the air flow to be deposited or trapped between the baffles. The air flow is then redirected back towards the inner baffle where, once again, the air impacts an inner baffle deflector that removes additional byproducts from the air. Finally, the air exits with a high uniform air flow pattern between respective deflectors of an outer baffle.

Radial byproduct trap and filter assembly for a cooking appliance

A cooking appliance includes a controller which calculates a desired percentage of hot air convection and microwave energy needed to perform a cooking operation based on selections made by a user through a menu driven display. The display prompts a user for a programming inputs, while also displaying operational information to the user as needed. The programming options enable the user to select between various different cooking operations and also provides for appealing cooking sequences to be stored as cooking recipes. As needed, certain pre-cooking functions are automatically performed, such as heating or cooling of the oven cavity, as needed.

Menu driven control system for a cooking appliance

A self-cleaning system for a convection cooking appliance controls the activation and deactivation of multiple heating units, as well as a blower, throughout an initial preheat and subsequent phases of a cleaning operation. In accordance with the preferred self-cleaning method, an initial, catalyst pre-heat stage is followed by a moderately high-temperature presoak stage. For the main cleaning operation, a high temperature stage is initiated in combination with a high convection air flow to establish high oven surface temperatures in a minimal time frame. This timed stage is followed by a cool down period wherein both the temperature and convection speed is reduced. Thereafter, an intermediate temperature heating stage with medium convective air flow followed by a cooling stage are provided for preset time periods. This combination of intermediate temperature heating and subsequent cooling stages is repeated until the total self-cleaning time is completed.

Self-cleaning method for a cooking appliance

An appliance, such as an oven, including a cavity adapted to receive food items has an open frontal portion which can be closed off by means of a pivotable door. The door is provided with a transparent zone which enables viewing of the cavity when the door is closed. Mounted within the door is a lighting device which can be used to selectively illuminate the cavity. Preferably, the transparent zone is defined by a window pack assembly including a pair of spaced first and second transparent panels between which is arranged the lighting device such that the lighting device illuminates the cavity through one of the transparent panels. Wires are directed to the lighting device through the door, while entering a cabinet of the appliance adjacent a hinge axis area associated with the door.

Appliance with light mounted in door

A self-cleaning system for a convection cooking appliance controls the activation and deactivation of multiple heating units, as well as a blower, throughout an initial preheat and subsequent phases of a cleaning operation. More particularly, at least first, second and third heating units are provided, with two of the units being positioned in an air channel assembly which extends about at least a portion of the oven cavity and the remaining heating unit being positioned within the oven cavity. The heating units in the air channel assembly are activated, along with a blower, during a preheat phase to heat the oven cavity at a controlled rate, while developed byproducts are directed through a catalyst. Following the preheat phase, the blower and one of the heating units in the air channel assembly are deactivated, while the heating unit in the oven cavity is activated to rapidly increase the temperature of the oven cavity.

Self-cleaning system for a cooking appliance

Downdraft grill for a cooking appliance

A cooking appliance is provided comprising a grill unit having one or more heating units, a sump basin for collecting grease and other fluids used or generated during the cooking process, a drain opening disposed in the sump basin pan for allowing for the removal of fluid materials from within the basin, and a grease drain conduit extending from the drain opening of the sump basin to a grease receptacle. The grease drain conduit is disposed in sufficient heat-transfer relationship with the cooking unit to maintain the grease and other fluids traveling within the conduit in a flowing state to assist in the prevention of the grease coexisting and thereby obstructing the drain conduit.

Grease transfer system for grill ranges

An indicator for an appliance includes a light bar formed of molded plastic material. The bar is interconnected to the control elements of the appliance so the periphery of the bar lights whenever any element of the appliance is active. The bar is designed so the periphery of the light bar is exposed along the exterior edge of the appliance.

Indicator light for an appliance

A reliable, easily installable and replaceable range top system sealingly and removably connects a sealed glass panel to the structure of a range top. The system comprises a glass panel-elastic seal assembly, including a glass range top panel and an elastic seal attached at the periphery of the glass range top panel, a carrier for the glass panel-elastic seal assembly and means for removably fastening the glass panel into sealing engagement with the range top structure without tools, the fastening means providing an easily disengageable interlock with the range top structure.

Glass range top-seal system

An oven door having a localized interior surface area exposed to high oven temperature and susceptible to the generation of excessive temperature at an adjacent outside surface area, is provided with a heat collector plate fastened over the localize interior surface area with fastening means in heat transfer relationship with said heat collecting plate and with a heat dissipator attached outside of the oven door remotely from said adjacent outside surface area, for dissipating heat to ambient atmosphere.

Oven door heat dissipation system

A centrifugal blower assembly is provided which includes an improved blower housing construction wherein a pair of end panels each define a plurality of apertures disposed along a line corresponding to the profile of a blower spiral. An elongated scroll member includes a plurality of tab members spaced along each longitudinal side and extending through the apertures in the pair of end panels for conforming the scroll member to the blower spiral profile. At least a portion of the plurality of tab members are deformed relative to the apertures to maintain a connection between the scroll member and the end panels to form the blower housing. The assembly also provides isolated drive motor and air intake compartments, combined motor mount and support means for blower housing, and access for removing the drive motor from its compartment without removal of any side walls.

Centrifugal blower assembly

An oven ventilating system is provided for use in conjunction with a proximity ventilated range having modular plug-in cooktop cartridges. A vent tube extends upwardly from an oven vent outlet to a position adjacent the air intake grill. The venting path, in one embodiment, is completed by a collar-like chimney portion of the air intake grill which cooperates with the top of the vent tube to conduct exhaust fumes to above the top surface of the range.

Oven ventilating system

A control panel is provided for a household appliance which includes a clock-timer lens which is effectively sealed to the rear of the control panel assembly. The integral clock-timer lens and control panel combine to prevent the infiltration of soil into the face of the clock-timer. The assembly is simple to clean without soil particles dropping into the face of the clock-timer.

Control panel clock lens arrangement

A grease collection system is provided for a range which includes grilling capability. A collection container is located in the inner panel of the range generally adjacent the oven cavity opening. The container is generally flush with the inner panel and includes a sight window for checking the grease level and a handle for assisting in installation and removal. The container is spaced from the sump area of the grilling unit and includes a front opening for controlled overflow.

Growing community of inventors

Cleveland, TN, United States of America

Michael E Bales