Whirlpool Corporation

Timothy A Mayberry

Anthony Scott Roberts

Michael C Lah

Nicholas E Righetti

Paul Jordan Neuman

Victor H Manrique

Michael Stephen Hendrickson

Keeley Michael Kabala

Jason M Schneemann

Christopher D Cullen

Tao Geng

Brian P Chatot

Stuart Walter Athey

Diego D Dolinski

Martin Lach

Mary A Watson

Sean M Howley

Christopher M Welch

Kyle A Walters

Tao Gen

A cooktop assembly includes a countertop defining a cutout portion, and a countertop contact area is disposed proximate a perimeter of the cutout portion on a lower surface of the countertop. A cooktop defines a work portion, and a cooktop contact area is disposed proximate a perimeter of the work portion on an upper surface of the cooktop. An attachment assembly includes a first attachment member positionable on a first side of the cutout portion of the countertop. A second attachment member is positionable on a second side of the cutout portion of the countertop. The first and second sides are opposing sides, and the first and second attachment members are securable to the countertop and the cooktop to engage the countertop contact area with the cooktop contact area thereby securing the cooktop to the countertop.

Undermount cooktop assembly

A cooking assembly includes a grill rack having a peripheral portion defined by a plurality of laterally extending wires bound by a peripheral frame. An inner retention portion is defined by a plurality of laterally extending wires generally co-planar with the plurality of laterally extending wires of the peripheral portion. The inner retention portion includes a retention border adapted to removably engage the drip tray. A drip tray is configured to removably engage the retention border, thereby securing the drip tray laterally. One of a searing pan and a cooking stone is configured to be received in the drip tray.

Oven based non-powered accessory system

A burner element for a cooktop includes a heat source for providing heat to a cooking zone positioned above the heat source and an automatic thermostat switch in communication with the cooking zone and the heat source. The automatic thermostat switch senses an actual temperature of the cooking zone, and when the actual temperature reaches a predetermined maximum temperature the automatic thermostat switch moves to an open position defined by the automatic thermostat switch at least partially impeding the heat source. The open position of the automatic thermostat switch is further defined by a decrease in the actual temperature of the cooking zone from approximately the predetermined maximum temperature to a control temperature. When the actual temperature of the cooking zone reaches the control temperature the automatic thermostat switch defines a closed position, wherein the automatic thermostat switch is substantially free of impeding the heat source.

Temperature controlling device for an appliance heating element

A gas cooktop includes a gas burner and a grate for supporting cookware above the gas burner. The grate includes a removable insert having an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of tines for supporting the removable insert. When the lower surface of the removable insert is contacting the plurality of tines, the grate supports flat-bottomed cookware on the removable insert at a first height above the gas burner. When the upper surface of the removable insert is contacting the plurality of tines, the grate supports flat-bottomed cookware on the removable insert at a second height above the gas burner, the second height being greater than the first height. When the removable insert is not contacting with the plurality of tines, the grate supports round-bottomed cookware on the plurality of tines.

Gas cooktop and grate for the gas cooktop

Cooktop grate

A gas burner unit for a cooktop includes a spreader having a first side with a plurality of gas outlets and a second side opposite the first side and defining a portion of a fluid path. The spreader further defines a venturi in fluid communication with the gas outlets and extending away from the second side. The gas burner unit further includes an orifice holder having a protrusion defining an upwardly directed primary air inlet therethrough. The upwardly directed primary air inlet is in fluid communication with the fluid path associated with the spreader on a first end thereof and with the venturi on a second end thereof opposite the first end.

Additional primary air access for surface gas burners

A convection oven includes a convection fan assembly and a trough assembly that surrounds a portion of the heating element(s) of the convection fan assembly. Fluid in the trough assembly is heated and turned into steam by the heating element(s) and blown into the cooking cavity of the convection oven by the convection fan of the convection fan assembly. The steam in the cooking cavity provides moisture to the items that are being cooked and/or heated in the cooking cavity.

Forced convection steam assembly

A gas burner unit for a cooktop includes a spreader positioned above a top surface of the cooktop to define a gap therebetween and having a plurality of gas outlets. The gas burner unit further includes a venturi in fluid communication with the gas outlets and an orifice holder having a plurality of protrusions defining a plurality of upwardly directed primary air inlets therethrough. The plurality of upwardly directed primary air inlets are in fluid communication with the gap on respective first ends thereof and with the venturi on respective second ends thereof opposite the first ends.

A grilling appliance includes first and second fuel delivery ports extending from a grill housing, a first burner element selectively connected to one of the first and second fuel delivery ports to define a single-burner condition, a second burner element selectively connected to the other of the first and second fuel delivery ports to define, with the first burner element, a twin-burner condition, an elongated burner element having two fuel inlets selectively connected to the first and second fuel delivery ports to define, when the first and second burner elements are removed from the first and second fuel delivery ports and a large-burner condition. At least one ignitor is in communication with the first burner element in the single-burner condition, the first and second burner elements in the twin-burner condition and the elongated burner element in the large-burner condition.

Growing community of inventors

St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

Timothy A Mayberry