Range hood with overlay panels

Abstract

Apparatus and method for a range hood that provides light to a range top. The apparatus can include a flue, a capture sump coupled to the flue, and one or more overlay panels coupled to the capture sump. The range hood can also include one or more lights that shine light through the overlay panels, through the capture sump, and onto the range top. The range hood can further include a circulation/lighting unit for providing light and removing cooking effluent from the range top.

Description

BACKGROUND

Conventional range hoods are designed to provide light to a range top and to ventilate air (or cooking effluent) from the cooking area above the range top. Conventional range hoods generally cannot be customized to coordinate with their environment.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the invention includes a range hood that can provide light to a range top. The range hood can include a flue, a capture sump coupled to the flue, and one or more overlay panels coupled to the capture sump. The range hood can also include one or more lights that shine light through the overlay panels, through the capture sump, and onto the range top. The range hood can further include a circulation/lighting unit for providing light and removing cooking effluent from the range top.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of installing one or more overlay panels in a range hood. The method can include providing one or more overlay panels, positioning one or more stand-offs on a capture sump, positioning the overlay panels over the stand-offs and between the capture sump and one or more lights, and fastening the overlay panels to the capture sump.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a range hood having overlay panels according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is side view of the range hood of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the range hood of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the range hood of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a range hood 10 according to one embodiment of the invention. The range hood 10 can include a flue 12, a circulation/lighting unit 14, one or more chandelier lights 16, a capture sump 18, and one or more overlay panels 20.

The flue 12 can include a bracket 22 that can be used to attach the range hood 10 to a ceiling. The bracket 22 can include one or more holes that can allow ducting to pass through. Ducting or recirculation components (not shown) can be positioned within an interior portion of the flue 12, along with any suitable fan (not shown). The fan can be positioned in a lower portion of the flue 12 above the circulation/lighting unit 14. The flue 12 can include a first, smaller concentric portion 24 and a second, larger concentric portion 26. A lip 28 can be formed between the first concentric portion 24 and the second concentric portion 26. The flue 12 can include one or more flat surfaces 29 that can extend along at least a portion of the height of the flue 12. In some embodiments, one or more chandelier lights 16 can be coupled to the flat surfaces 29. The flue 12 can be at least partially constructed of a decorative material, such as stainless steel, painted metal, copper, Corian®, ceramic tile, etc. The flue 12 can be mounted to a wall for a stand-alone range or a range top adjacent a wall or to a ceiling for a range located on an island cabinet. In some embodiments, when the range hood 10 is secured to a wall, the flue 12 can be attached to the ceiling and the capture sump 18 can be coupled to the wall for additional stability.

The chandelier lights 16 can include one or more chandelier connectors 30 that can be coupled to the flue 12. The chandelier lights 16 can also include one or more cantilever bars 32 that can be coupled to the chandelier connectors 30. The chandelier lights 16 can further include one or more cables 34 (or tubes), one or more shade connectors 36, and one or more shades 38. The cables 34 can be coupled to the cantilever bars 32 and the shade connectors 36. The shades 38 can be coupled to the shade connectors 36. The shades 38 can have any suitable shape, such as a cone-shape with one or more concave edges 39. The shade connectors 36 can include a recess (such as a threaded recess or a bi-pin for halogen lights) to receive any suitable light bulb (such as a low-voltage chandelier light bulb). The cables 34 can have a suitable length in order to position the shades 38 an appropriate distance from the overlay panels 20 (e.g., between one inch and ten inches) in order to shine an adequate amount of light through the overlay panels 20 and the capture sump 18 onto the range top (not shown). The shades 38 should be positioned far enough from the overlay panels 20 in order to prevent scorching of the overlay panels 20, but close enough to the overlay panels 20 to provide an adequate amount of light to the range top. Also, the type of light bulbs used can depend on the position of the shades 38, the material of the overlay panels 20, and/or the material of the capture sump 18.

The capture sump 18 can be secured between the flue 12 and the circulation/lighting unit 14 in any suitable manner, such as with one or more bolts 40. As shown in FIG. 3, external portions 42 of the circulation/lighting unit 14 can also provide support for a central portion or any other suitable portion of the capture sump 18. The capture sump 18 can be constructed of a material including glass, such as substantially-transparent, tempered, heat-resistant glass. The capture sump 18 can also be constructed of other materials that do not include glass. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the capture sump 18 can have an arched rectangular shape. In one embodiment, the capture sump 18 can have a substantially-flat horizontal portion with vertical edges positioned perpendicular to the horizontal portion. In other embodiments, the capture sump 18 can have any suitable shape, such as a semi-circular shape, a polygonal shape, a round shape (e.g., suitable for above an island cabinet), an oval shape (e.g., also suitable for above an island cabinet), etc. Also, any of these shapes are suitable for an arched configuration, such as an arched semi-circle, an arched polygon, an arched circle, an arched oval, etc. In general, the capture sump 18 can have any shape and configuration in order to trap cooking effluent. The capture sump 18 can also have different overall widths to accommodate different spaces between cabinets and different sizes of range tops.

As shown in FIG. 3, the overlay panels 20 can be coupled to the capture sump 18 by one or more stand-offs 44. Any suitable fastener, such as bolts 46, can be positioned through the overlay panels 20, through the stand-offs 44, and through the capture sump 18. In some embodiments, rubber grommets can be used with the stand-offs 44 and the bolts 46. Other suitable fasteners, such as heat-resistant adhesives, can be used to secure the overlay panels 20 to the stand-offs 44. In some embodiments, the overlay panels 20 can be coupled directly to the capture sump 18 without the use of stand-offs 44. In some embodiments, the overlay panels 20 can be constructed of “art glass” panels having various designs that can be easily interchanged. For example, the range hood 10 can be sold with one or more overlay panels 20 that can be chosen by the customer from several decorative art glass designs according to the decorative environment of the stand-alone range or range top. The customer can easily change or replace the overlay panels 20. In some embodiments, the stand-offs 44 can include spring clips (not shown) that can temporarily support the overlay panels 20 during installation. The overlay panels 20 can have an arched rectangular shape that can correspond to a portion of the capture sump 18 over which the overlay panels 20 are positioned. In some embodiments, the overlay panels 20 can be constructed of a non-tempered, decorative, fused glass that is less heat-resistant than the glass of the capture sump 18. Light from the chandelier lights 16 can shine through the overlay panels 20, through the capture sump 18, and onto the range top. If the overlay panels 20 have a particular design or coloring, the light from the chandelier lights 16 will be filtered by the design or coloring.

The circulation/lighting unit 14 can include a filter 48 through which the fan positioned within the flue 12 can draw the cooking effluent trapped by the capture sump 18. The filter 48 can include any suitable number and configuration of louvers. The circulation/lighting unit 14 can include a control panel 50 that can include a first face 52 that can extend in a forward direction from a second face 54. The circulation/lighting unit 14 can include one or more light fixtures 56 that can be recessed, in some embodiments. The control panel 50 can include any one or more of the following: one or more controls, one or more indicator lights, one or more timers, a digital clock, etc. The controls can be used to control the fan, the chandelier lights 16, and/or the recessed light fixtures 56. In some embodiments, the first face 52 and the second face 54 can each have a semi-circular shape. In some embodiments, the circulation/lighting unit 14 can include a body portion 58 that extends the semi-circular shape from the second face 54 to a third, rearward face 60. The circulation/lighting unit 14 can be coupled to the capture sump 18 with the bolts 40 and/or to the flue 12 with any suitable fasteners.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A range hood for providing light to a range top, the range hood comprising:

a flue;

a capture sump coupled to the flue;

at least one overlay panel coupled to the capture sump;

at least one light that shines light through the at least one overlay panel, through the capture sump, and onto the range top.

2. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the at least one overlay panel is coupled to the capture sump with at least one stand-off.

3. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the capture sump is constructed of a first glass that is a substantially-transparent, tempered, heat-resistant glass.

4. The range hood of claim 3 wherein the at least one overlay panel is constructed of a second glass that is a non-tempered, decorative, fused glass and that is less heat-resistant than the first glass of the capture sump.

5. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the at least one overlay panel is constructed of a removable and interchangeable decorative glass.

6. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the at least one light includes a cantilever bar coupled to the flue, a cable coupled to the cantilever bar, and a shade coupled to the cable.

7. The range hood of claim 1 and further comprising a circulation/lighting unit that is in communication with a fan that removes cooking effluent from an area above the range top, the circulation/lighting unit including at least one recessed light fixture.

8. The range hood of claim 7 wherein the circulation/lighting unit has a semi-circular cylindrical shape.

9. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the capture sump has an arched rectangular shape.

10. The range hood of claim 9 wherein the at least one overlay panel includes a first overlay panel with a rectangular shape positioned on a first side of the flue and a second overlay panel with a rectangular shape positioned on a second side of the flue.

11. The range hood of claim 10 wherein the at least one light includes a first light positioned above the first overlay panel and a second light positioned above the second overlay panel.

12. The range hood of claim 1 wherein at least one of the capture sump and the at least one overlay panel has a semi-circular shape, a circular shape, a polygonal shape, or an oval shape.

13. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the flue has a cylindrical shape and includes a first, smaller concentric portion and a second, larger concentric portion.

14. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the flue includes at least one flat surface to which the at least one light is coupled.

15. The range hood of claim 1 wherein the at least one light includes a shade having a cone shape and at least one concave edge.

16. A method of installing at least one overlay panel of a range hood, the method comprising:

positioning at least one stand-off on a capture sump;

positioning at least one overlay panel over the at least one stand-off and between the capture sump and at least one light; and

fastening the at least one overlay panel to the capture sump.

17. The method of claim 16 and further comprising removing the at least one overlay from the capture sump and fastening at least one new overlay panel onto the capture sump.

18. The method of claim 16 and further comprising positioning a first overlay panel on a first side of a flue and a second overlay panel on a second side of the flue.

19. The method of claim 18 and further comprising positioning a first light over the first overlay panel and a second light over the second overlay panel.

20. The method of claim 16 and further comprising trapping cooking effluent with the capture sump and removing the cooking effluent with a fan.