STOVE WITH ASSEMBLY COMPONENTS

Abstract

A stove with a plurality of structural members coupled together and assembled to form a stove is disclosed. The stove may include a first structural member with an integral alignment protrusion formed in the structural member and extending from a main body of the structural member and a second structural member having an integral orifice complimentary in configuration and housed on the second structural member in a complimentary location to permit the integral alignment protrusion of the first structural member to be placed within the integral orifice and slid relative to the second structural member so as to couple the first and second structural members so as to form a portion of a stove. As such, stove tops, stove sides, kick plates, and other structural components in stoves may be easily assembled.

Description

This application claims priority to Brazilian Patent Application Number MU8802471-7 filed on Sep. 1, 2008 and is a continuation of PCT Application Number PCT/BR2009/000280 filed on Sep. 1, 2009, each herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to household appliances and construction and assembly of these products. Particularly, the present disclosure is directed to stoves with assembly components to facilitate assembly of the stove.

BACKGROUND

Currently stove parts are assembled and made using conventional fastening devices, such as screws or rivets, in addition to joint pieces, as illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Use of these conventional fastening members in stove assembly adds cost to the final product, as a result of not only screws, clinches and pieces that must be acquired for this purpose, but also the time and manpower employed in these assembly tasks. For example, assembly of the stove table with the side pieces typically requires using at least four screws or rivets, as shown in FIG. 7A, plus additional pieces to unite the parts. This additional labor, usually manual, requires further assembly time and effort and must be performed with reasonable accuracy.

In other assembly processes, the table is combined with the front finishing and the table is fastened on the sides of the chamber and its front part only overlapped to the finishing, which is fixed with screws in the chamber body. This manner of assembly has disadvantages as the table is only overlapped to the finishing, and an alignment gap may occur. Eventually table barbs may be exposed on the front part of the product potentially causing harm to users and others. In oven doors that may have two hinges and a handle along with two stamped pieces assembled opposing one another, plus corner finishing, these pieces are coupled together using at least four rivets. These rivets remain exposed and are subject to user interaction, are aesthetically unappealing and may pose as safety risk during operation.

PI 9600036 8A presents a conventional stove component assembly system detailing a fitting system of an intermediate table and lacks integral alignment protrusions and clamps. U.S. Pat. No. 2,533,797 merely describes a stove component assembly system that utilizes later added pieces not formed as part of the stove components. Neither of these documents provides the innovative aspects of the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

This disclosure is directed to household appliances including stoves with improved features and components for facilitating assembly. Using complimentary shaped and configured integral alignment protrusions and associated orifices formed in stove members including stove tops, sides, fronts and other features, assembly of the stoves may be expedited and made significantly more cost effective through reduced components and reduced time spent on assembly. The stove components are outfitted with complimentary structures to facilitate alignment and coupling together. These components may include coupling structures including integral alignment protrusions and orifices which may be stamped or otherwise formed in the structural and other components of the stove. The shapes, dimensions and arrangements simplify its fabrication and assembly and reduce or eliminate the need for conventional fasteners and tools for assembly processes such as assembly of the stove top with the sides, the table with the front finishing and the stove oven door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure and the advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description in consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein:

FIG. 1A illustratively presents an overview of the table fitting (3) with the stove side (4), with a perspective view of the pieces in position prior to the fitting. FIG. 1B illustratively shows a detailed perspective view of the integral alignment protrusion (1), located in the stove side (4), and of the corresponding orifice (2), located in the stove table or stove top (3).

FIGS. 2A-2F illustrate stages of assembly of the table fitting (3) with the stove side (4). FIG. 2A illustratively shows a side view of the table (3) and of the stove side (4) prior to the fitting, while FIG. 2B illustratively shows a cut-way view of the stove components taken along the line B-B of FIG. 2A. FIG. 2C illustratively shows a side view of the table (3) and the stove side (4) in a fitted position, and is shown in more detail in enlarged view FIG. 2E, illustrating the integral alignment protrusion (1) at a coupled or engaged position. FIG. 2D shows a cut-way view of the stove components in a fitted position of FIG. 2C and is a view taken along the same line B-B in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2F is an illustrative enlarged view the stove components shown in FIG. 2D.

FIG. 3A provides an illustrative perspective view of an alternative arrangement of the table fitting (3) with the stove side (4) in a position prior to being fitted together or placed in an engaged position. FIG. 3B illustrative shows a detailed perspective view of the integral alignment protrusion (1), located in the stove table (3), and of the corresponding orifice (2), placed in the stove side (4).

FIGS. 4A-4F illustratively depicts the stages fitting the table (3) with the stove side (4). FIG. 4A illustratively depicts a side view of the table (3) and of the stove side (4) prior to the fitting, while FIG. 4B shows an illustrative cut-way view of the stove components taken along the line B-B of FIG. 4A. FIG. 4C illustrative shows a side view of the table (3) fitted to the stove side (4). FIG. 4E, provides a further enlarged detailed view illustrating the integral alignment protrusion (1) at an engaged or coupled position. FIG. 4D depicts an illustrative cut-way view taken along the same line B-B in FIG. 4A of the stove components in an engaged or coupled position pieces. FIG. 4F illustratively shows an enlarged view of the stove components shown in FIG. 4D.

FIGS. 5A-5F illustratively depict the coupling system of the table (3) with the frontal finishing (5). FIG. 5A illustratively presents a front view of the finishing (5), while FIG. 5B shows an upper view of the same finishing (5). FIG. 5C illustratively provides a partial top view of the table (3), with a cut-way detail illustratively showing the integral alignment protrusions (1). FIG. 5D & 5G illustratively depicts the fitting sequence of the finishing (5) on the table (3), illustrating the integral alignment protrusions (1) on the table (3) and the corresponding orifices (2) in the finishing (5), as well as the fitting motions and the side displacement for fastening. FIG. 5E illustratively shows a cut-away view of transversal section of mounted parts and illustrates the table fastening shape (3) with the finishing (5). FIG. 5F provides an illustrative perspective view of the table (3) with a cut-away region depicting coupling of the integral alignment protrusions (1).

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustratively provide two perspective views of the oven door, depicting the coupling or engagement process of the two component pieces (6a and 6b). FIG. 6A illustratively shows a perspective view of both pieces (6a and 6b) as they are about to be placed in a coupled or engaged position. FIG. 6B shows a vertical perspective of both pieces (6a and 6b) as they are about to be placed in a coupled or engaged position. FIG. 6C illustrative shows an enlarged perspective view of the coupling of the integral alignment protrusion (7) detail and the corresponding orifice (8), both integrally formed in the stove component structures (6a and 6b). FIG. 6C is an enlarged detailed view of the region identified in FIG. 6B.

FIG. 7A illustratively shows a front view of a stove and the current assembly technique, while FIG. 7B illustratively provides a detailed enlarged front view detail of the fastening system in FIG. 7A, in which are presented the screws (9) that are conventionally used to fasten stove parts, namely the table (3), side wall (4) and the reinforcement (10).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

This disclosure illustratively describes various arrangements of stove components, comprised by couplings, which consist of associations of orifices (2) and integral alignment protrusion type cuttings (1), integrally formed on the component parts. Such devices are coupled together to assemble the table (3) with the stove side (4), as shown in FIGS. 1A to 4F, of the table (3) with the front finishing (5), in FIG. 5A-5F, and of both component parts (6a and 6b) of the stove oven door, in FIGS. 6A-6C. The term stove is well known to those skill in the art and may include various cooking features ands structures and may also house ovens, microwaves, burners and other structures well known in the art. Additionally, that disclosed herein will be recognized by those skilled in the art as generally applicable to appliances in general.

In one illustrative aspect of this invention, the stove side (4) is supplied with a integral alignment protrusion (1), hook-shaped, as FIGS. 1A and 2E, formed on its upper border, having the stove table (3) as a slit (2) on its side lower tab, coincident with the hook (1) of the side (4), as illustrated in FIG. 1A. Thus, the table (3), is overlapped on the sides (4) and recessed several centimeters back, locks the pieces vertically, while limiting the backward motion, as illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2C. After that, the table (3) may be fastened at its rear part to the chamber through use of only two screws.

In another illustrative arrangement, the coupling system between the table (3) and the side (4) can be reversed, so the side (4) could match the slit (2) and the table (3) has the integral alignment protrusion (1) which is hook-shaped, as shown in FIG. 3A. The operation mode and process to lock is substantially identical to the previous arrangement, as it may be observed in FIGS. 4A and 4C.

In other aspect of the disclosure, the stove table (3) with two or more integral alignment protrusions (1), hook-shaped, and formed on its front lower border and turned inward, as shown in FIG. 5C, while the finishing (5) has a channel with two slits (2) on its upper tab, coincident with the table hooks (1), shown in FIG. 5D. Thus, when the finishing (5) is coupled with the table (3) tab and displaced a few millimeters sideward, the pieces are locked horizontally, not allowing a gap between them, as observed in FIG. 5D. After that, the finishing (5) may be fastened, in its lower part, to the chamber through two screws. This routine provides, also, a front finishing free from barbs, contributing to the equipment aesthetic and safety.

In another arrangement of the disclosure, the system may be utilized in assembling of the stove heater door, providing the external half (6a) of the oven door with two integral alignment protrusions (7) formed on its upper border, as shown in FIG. 6C, which, upon assembly, are coincident with two slits (8) existing on the upper border of the inner half (6b) of the door, as illustrated in FIG. 6C. Thus, the two pieces (6a and 6b) may be kept coupled and united by the upper border of both pieces (6a and 6b), and after, the external half (6a) is fastened to the inner half (6b) on its lower part through three rivets. Then, the upper border of the oven door may be kept free of rivets.

This invention is not limited to the representations mentioned or illustrated herein, and it has to be comprehended in its wide scope. Many changes and other representations of the invention will come in mind of those skilled in the technique to which this invention belongs, having the learning benefit presented in previous descriptions and attached drawings. Further, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed specific shape and that changes and other shapes are understood as enclosed within the scope of the attached claims. Although specific terms are nominated herein, they are only used in a generic and descriptive form and not for a limiting purpose.

While the invention has been described with respect to specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and techniques. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A plurality of components for assembly as a portion of a stove comprising:

a plurality of structural members configured to be coupled together and assembled to form a stove, a first structural member having an integral alignment protrusion formed in the structural member and extending from a main body of the structural member and a second structural member having an integral orifice complimentary in configuration and housed on the second structural member in a complimentary location to permit the integral alignment protrusion of the first structural member to be placed within the integral orifice and slid relative to the second structural member so as to couple the first and second structural members so as to form a portion of a stove.

2. The plurality of components for assembly as a portion of a stove of claim 1, wherein the first structural member is a stove top and the second structural member is a side of stove.

3. The plurality of components for assembly as a portion of a stove of claim 1, wherein the first structural member is a side of stove and the second structural member is a stove top.

4. The plurality of components for assembly as a portion of a stove of claim 1, wherein the first structural member is a side of a stove, the integral alignment protrusion being positioned on a lower edge of the side of the stove, and wherein the second structural member is a kick plate of the stove.

5. The plurality of components for assembly as a portion of a stove of claim 1, where the first structural member is the external half of a door of the stove and the second structural member is the internal half of the door of the stove.

6. A stove comprising:

a plurality of structural members coupled together and assembled to form a stove, a first structural member having an integral alignment protrusion formed in the structural member and extending from a main body of the structural member and a second structural member having an integral orifice complimentary in configuration and housed on the second structural member in a complimentary location to permit the integral alignment protrusion of the first structural member to be placed within the integral orifice and slid relative to the second structural member so as to couple the first and second structural members so as to form a portion of a stove.

7. The stove of claim 6, wherein the first structural member is a stove top and the second structural member is a side of a stove.

8. The stove of claim 6, where the first structural member is the external half of a door of the stove and the second structural member is the internal half of the door of the stove.