GRATE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CLEANING
A grate assembly includes a cook top defining a support surface, and a grate that includes a projection extending from a peripheral portion. The projection is configured to support a cooking vessel on the grate. The peripheral portion is configured to support the grate on the support surface. A hole is formed in one of the peripheral portion of the grate or the support surface of the cook top. An insert is disposed within the hole and between the support surface of the cook top and the peripheral portion of the grate.
This invention relates generally to an appliance, and more particularly, to a grate apparatus and method such as for a cook top stove.
A cooking appliance includes gas and/or electric heating elements for heating and cooking food. The cook top may be made out of ceramic or metal. Often the metal cook top is coated with enamel for added durability. Either a natural gas or propane gas cooking unit is generally used.
In a first type, a gas burner is provided which is arranged under a cook top surface that is typically a closed glass-ceramic panel. In this type, the gas burner heats the ceramic cook top that in turn heats a cooking vessel. A second type of gas cooking unit utilizes a conventional atmospheric gas burner, i.e. that with an open flame, which is inserted through an opening in the cook top.
A grate is utilized to provide separation between the cooking vessel and the burner. The grate is often made of metal or other hard material. The grate must have a surface for resting a cooking vessel, and feet for raising the grate above the cook top. The cooking grate must be arranged so that it is directly above the gas burner and relatively fixed in position, so that the energy transfer from the burner to the cooking vessel is optimized. The grate prevents damage to the burner and maintains an optimal cook distance between the cook top and the cooking vessel and therefore must be sturdy and withstand the high temperatures associated with its location.
The hard material or metal of the grate can scratch or mar the enamel coating or glass-ceramic cook top. Particularly where the grate can move in relation to the cook top. These scratches not only reduce the visual aesthetics of the cook top, but in the case of a glass-ceramic cook top, weaken the structural integrity of the cook top increasing the possibility of breaking. It has therefore been a concern to reduce or eliminate the marring and scratching of the cook top.
One practice has been to glue inserts made of silicone or another soft material onto the bottom or feet of the grate so as to cushion the interface between the grate and the cooking area. The feet are regions of the bottom of the grate which are formed to be lower than the rest of the periphery to allow point contact with the cook top. This creates a more stable interface and prevents rocking of the grate on the cook top.
Another arrangement has a foot holding device for maintaining the grate in position on the cook top. The foot holding device includes a plurality of foot holders for mating with the feet of the cooking grate. Forming depressed regions in the surface of the cook top forms the foot holders. The depressed regions are formed to fit the shape of the respective feet of the grate and the foot ends are inserted into the depressions for retention. This limits removal and can be difficult to clean the cook top as grease and other debris may settle into the depressed regions.
Grates have traditionally been hard to clean due to the intense heat associated with their use and the resulting effect it has on food and grease spills. The food and grease often becomes cooked onto the surface and becomes difficult to remove. Generally, harsh chemicals or mechanical methods had been employed with generally poor results in cleaning the grates.
Self-clean ovens have become very common. Further, with the temperature, cycle time and material improvements self-clean ovens are very effective at removing debris from the interior surfaces of the oven.
Placing the grates from a gas cook top into the oven during a self-clean cycle is very effective in cleaning the grates. However, the temperature in the self-clean cycle often degrades the interface between the cook top and the grate. During the high temperatures of the self-clean cycle the soft material often oxidizes or sublimes into carbon ash, or the bonding agent between the soft material and the grate fails.
Thus, there exists a need in the art for a grate assembly that provides a sturdy support for cooking vessels and includes an interface that will not mar or scratch a cook top employing the gas burners and can be easily cleaned in the self-clean cycle of a self-clean oven.
There also exists a need in the art for a method of cleaning a grate for supporting cooking vessels by placing the grate in a self-clean oven during a self-clean cycle. Further, the interface for preventing marring or scratching of the cook top by the grate should be able to maintain pliability during the cleaning method.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONAs described herein, each of the embodiments of the invention overcomes one or more of the above or other disadvantages in the art.
In an embodiment, a grate assembly includes a cook top defining a support surface, and a grate that includes a projection extending from a peripheral portion. The projection is configured to support a cooking vessel on the grate. The peripheral portion is configured to support the grate on the support surface. A hole is formed in one of the peripheral portion of the grate or the support surface of the cook top. An insert is disposed within the hole and between the support surface of the cook top and the peripheral portion of the grate.
In an embodiment, the invention provides a method of cleaning a grate for a burner assembly of a cook top, the burner assembly including a gas burner and a grate for supporting a cooking vessel. The method includes placing the grate into a self-clean oven for at least one cycle of a self-clean feature of the oven, and removing the grate from the self-clean oven. The method further includes supporting the grate on an interface between the cook top and the grate. The interface includes a plurality of pliable inserts in holes, each insert including a shank portion and a head portion. The head portion has a cross section greater than the shank portion, and the shank portion is positioned within a respective one of the holes.
The following figures illustrate examples of embodiments of the invention. The figures are described in detail below.
Embodiments of the invention are described below, with reference to the figures. Throughout the figures, like reference numbers indicate the same or similar components. References to preferred embodiments are for illustration and understanding, and should not be taken as limiting.
With initial reference to
In the figures, upper front face 114 is provided with a plurality of element control knobs 130, 132, 134 and 136. Element control knobs 130, 132, 134 and 136 are used to control the operation of gas burner heating elements 140, 142, 144 and 146 respectively. Heating elements 140 and 142 are fitted with grates 141 and 143 respectively. Similarly, heating elements 144 and 146 are fitted with grates 145 and 147. In general, the construction and operation of cooking appliance 100, as described until this point, is known in the art. Further, the form, number and location of each of the elements described may change based on preference and use. To this end, additional details of this construction or operation will not be provided here.
Traditionally, cleaning the grates 141, 143, 145 and 147 is labor intensive and often requires caustic chemicals and harsh abrasives to remove the food and grease cooked onto the grate due to the high operational temperatures involved. By placing the grate into an oven during the self-clean cycle it was found that the grates would become very clean and not lose any luster as harsh chemicals and abrasives were not employed. According to one aspect of the present invention, the grate is cleaned by removing the grate from the cook top surface and removing the bumpers or feet from the grate prior to placing in an oven for the duration of a self-clean cycle.
Reference will now be made to one of the element assemblies, which include grate 141, and heating element 140 but is representative of the each of the element assemblies including grates 141, 143, 145 and 147 and heating elements 140, 142, 144 and 146. Referring to
In an embodiment of the invention interface 150 is a plurality of inserts 162 as shown in
Alternatively, as shown in
In another alternate embodiment shown in
In other embodiments of the invention, interface 150 is a plurality of inserts 152, as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
This written description uses examples to disclose embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use embodiments of the invention. It is understood that the patentable scope of embodiments of the invention is defined by the claims, and can include additional components occurring to those skilled in the art. Such other components and examples are understood to be within the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A grate assembly comprising;
- a cook top defining a support surface;
- a grate comprising a projection extending from a peripheral portion, the projection configured to support a cooking vessel on the grate, and the peripheral portion configured to support the grate on the support surface;
- a hole formed in one of the peripheral portion of the grate or the support surface of the cook top; and
- an insert disposed within the hole and between the support surface of the cook top and the peripheral portion of the grate.
2. The grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises a shaft portion and a head portion, the shaft portion disposed in the hole and having a first diameter, and the head portion disposed between the cook top and the peripheral portion of the grate and having a second diameter greater than the first diameter.
3. The grate assembly of claim 2, wherein the shaft of the insert further comprises a bulge at an end opposite the head portion, the bulge having a third diameter greater than the first diameter and smaller than the second diameter.
4. The grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert is made of pliable material.
5. The grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert and the hole comprise corresponding threads.
6. The grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert is retained in the cook top surface with a retention force.
7. The grate assembly of claim 1, wherein the insert is retained in the peripheral portion of the grate with a retention force.
8. The grate assembly of claim 7, wherein the insert is made of heat resistant material.
9. The grate assembly of claim 8, wherein the heat resistant material is graphite foil.
10. A cooking appliance comprising;
- a cook top;
- a plurality of gas burners;
- a grate comprising a surface portion for supporting a cooking vessel and a peripheral portion for resting on the cook top;
- a hole formed in one of the peripheral portion or the cook top; and
- an interface between the cook top and peripheral portion, wherein the interface permits cleaning the grate in a self-clean oven and comprises a plurality of pliable inserts in the holes, each of the inserts comprises a shank portion and a head portion, the head portion having a cross section greater than the shank portion, the shank portion positioned within a respective one of the holes.
11. The cooking appliance according to claim 10, wherein the inserts are retained in the cook top with a retention force.
12. The cooking appliance according to claim 10, wherein the inserts are retained in the peripheral portion with a retention force.
13. The cooking appliance according to claim 12, wherein the inserts are made of heat resistant material.
14. The cooking appliance according to claim 13, wherein the heat resistant material is graphite foil.
15. A method of cleaning a grate for a burner assembly of a cook top, the burner assembly comprising a gas burner and a grate for supporting a cooking vessel, the method comprising:
- placing the grate into a self-clean oven for at least one cycle of a self-clean feature of the oven;
- removing the grate from the self-clean oven; and
- supporting the grate on an interface between the cook top and the grate, the interface comprising a plurality of pliable inserts in holes, each insert comprising a shank portion and a head portion, the head portion having a cross section greater than the shank portion, and the shank portion positioned within a respective one of the holes.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:
- removing the inserts from the holes, which are in the grate, prior to placing the grate into the self-clean oven; and
- placing the inserts in the holes after removing the grate from the self-clean cycle.
17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the inserts are made of a heat resistant material.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the heat resistant material is graphite foil.
19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the shank portion of each insert comprises a thicker cross-section and a necked down cross-section, where the necked down cross-section is adjacent the head portion.
20. The cooking appliance according to claim 19, wherein the inserts are retained in the cook top with a retention force.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 17, 2007
Publication Date: Feb 19, 2009
Inventors: Timothy Scott Shaffer (LaGrange, KY), James W. Allen (Anniston, AL), Daniel J. Trice (Louisville, KY)
Application Number: 11/840,447
International Classification: F24C 15/10 (20060101); F23H 13/00 (20060101);