Whirlpool Corporation

Rodrigo Schultz

Rodrigo Tamanini

Luciano Piccini Nothen

Matheus Ponick

Rhony Cristian Daufenbach

Javier M Ballesteros

A locking mechanism to prevent inadvertent gas flow for a knob for a gas cooktop may include a stem configured to abut the knob in the resting position to prevent actuation of the knob, a locking mechanism movable between a locked position preventing translation of the stem to prevent against unintentional rotation of the knob, and a released position allowing translation of the stem and thus activation of the flow of gas from the burner, the locking mechanism including a rotatable mechanism wherein rotation of the rotatable mechanism moves the locking mechanism from the locked position to the released position, and a button arranged spaced and separate from the knob and attached to a rod extending downward from the button to engage the rotatable mechanism where the rod rotates the rotatable mechanism to translate the locking mechanism to the released position to allow the knob to be depressed in response to actuation of the button and the knob to prevent against unintentional rotation of the knob.

Knob mechanism for gas cooktop

A cooking vessel support for a burner includes a grate and a support foot. The grate has a top surface configured to support a cooking vessel and a lower surface configured for disposal along an upper surface of a cooking appliance. The lower surface defines a cavity. The support foot is disposed within the cavity, has a first protrusion disposed within a first portion of the cavity, has a second protrusion disposed within a second portion of the cavity, and has pad disposed within a third portion of the cavity. The first protrusion is secured to the pad along a side of the pad. The first and second protrusions are configured to engage first and second internal surfaces of the grate within the first and second portions of the cavity, respectively, to restrict movement of the base support in first and second directions, respectively.

Cooktop grate support

An eccentric knob assembly is coupled to a gas valve of a gas appliance. The cooking surface of the gas appliance has an arcuate opening space away from the gas valve. The gas valve can be actuated by rotation of an actuator pin positioned in the arcuate opening that is connected to the knob and the gas valve.

Eccentric knob assembly for gas appliances

A cooktop grate assembly includes a heat shield having an outer rim and a central plateau region offset from the outer rim by a connecting wall. The central plateau region defines an opening for receiving a burner assembly. A grate is positioned over the heat shield. The grate includes supports that extend over the central plateau region. A gasket is disposed adjacent to the heat shield. The gasket engages at least one of a base of the grate and feet of the supports to retain the grate in position relative to the heat shield.

Cooktop grate assembly

A knob assembly for a gas cooktop may include a knob configured to control a flow of gas from a burner of a cooktop starting at a resting position, the knob defining a hollow interior and having a support cylinder extending vertically through the hollow interior, wherein the support cylinder includes a projection flap protruding therefrom, an inner lock ring arranged at least partially within the hollow interior of the knob and having a chamfered region defining a ring opening adjacent an inclined portion, where the opening is configured to selectively receive the projection flap in response to depression of the knob and where the projection flap slides along the inclined portion in response to subsequent rotation of the knob, the inclined portion imparting frictional resistance on the projection flap to prevent against unintentional rotation of the knob.

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Joinville, Brazil

Rodrigo Schultz