OVEN APPLIANCE

Abstract

An oven appliance includes a slide assembly that couples a door to a cabinet such that the door is movable along a transverse direction relative to the cabinet. A support assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinet and a leveling leg threaded to the block. The block extends from the cabinet along the transverse direction.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter relates generally to oven appliances, such as double oven range appliances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Double oven range appliances generally include upper and lower cooking chambers. A user of the double oven range appliances may conveniently utilize either or both of the upper and lower cooking chambers to cook food items. In certain double oven range appliance, the upper cooking chamber is smaller than the lower cooking chamber. Thus, the user may utilize the upper cooking chamber to cook smaller food items and the lower cooking chamber to cook larger food items.

Double oven range appliances also generally include two doors, one for the upper cooking chamber and another for the lower cooking chamber. The doors are generally rotatably mounted to a cabinet of the appliance with hinges. Thus, the user of the double oven range appliance may rotate the doors open on the hinges in order to access the upper and lower cooking chambers.

Hinges have certain drawbacks that may be inconvenient or undesirable to users. For example, removing food items from the upper cooking chamber can be difficult or awkward. In particular, the upper cooking chamber may be relatively small compared to the lower cooking chamber, and reaching into the upper cooking chamber to grasp and handle cookware therein can be difficult or awkward. In addition, monitoring the cooking of food items within the upper cooking chamber can be difficult due to poor visibility of the food items within the upper cooking chamber even when the door to the upper cooking chamber is open.

Accordingly, an oven appliance with features for facilitating access to food items within a cooking chamber of the oven appliance would be useful. In addition, an oven appliance with features for facilitating monitoring of food items within a cooking chamber of the oven appliance would be useful.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter provides an oven appliance. The oven appliance includes a slide assembly that couples a door to a cabinet such that the door is movable along a transverse direction relative to the cabinet. A support assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinet and a leveling leg threaded to the block. The block extends from the cabinet along the transverse direction. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

In a first exemplary embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance defines a lateral direction and a transverse direction. The lateral direction and the transverse direction are perpendicular to each other. The oven appliance includes a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber and an opening for accessing the cooking chamber of the cabinet. A heating element is positioned at the cooking chamber of the cabinet. A slide assembly is mounted to the cabinet. A door is positioned adjacent the opening of the cabinet. The slide assembly couples the door to the cabinet such that the door is movable along the transverse direction relative to the cabinet. A support assembly is positioned at a bottom portion of the cabinet. The support assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinet. A leveling leg is threaded to the block. At least a portion of the leveling leg is positioned directly below the door when the door is positioned at the opening of the cabinet.

In a second exemplary embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance defines a lateral direction and a transverse direction. The lateral direction and the transverse direction are perpendicular to each other. The oven appliance includes a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber and an opening for accessing the cooking chamber of the cabinet. A heating element is positioned at the cooking chamber of the cabinet. A pair of slide assemblies is mounted to the cabinet. A door is positioned adjacent the opening of the cabinet. The slide assemblies of the pair of slide assemblies couple the door to the cabinet such that the door is movable along the transverse direction relative to the cabinet. A support assembly is positioned at a bottom portion of the cabinet. The support assembly includes a block mounted to the cabinet and extending from the cabinet along the transverse direction. A leveling leg threaded to the block.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 provide perspective views of an oven range appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter with a door of the exemplary oven range appliance shown in various positions and orientations.

FIG. 4 provides a partial, perspective view of the exemplary oven range appliance of FIG. 1 and a support assembly of the exemplary oven range appliance.

FIG. 5 provides a partial, bottom plan view of the exemplary oven range appliance of FIG. 1 and the support assembly of the exemplary oven range appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 provide perspective views of an oven range appliance 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an upper door 121 of range appliance 100 is shown various positions and orientations, as discussed in greater detail below. As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, range appliance 100 defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L and a transverse direction T. The vertical, lateral and transverse directions are mutually perpendicular and form an orthogonal direction system.

Range appliance 100 includes an insulated cabinet 110. Cabinet 110 extends between a top portion 111 and a bottom portion 112, e.g., along the vertical direction V. Thus, top and bottom portions 111, 112 of cabinet 110 are spaced apart from each other, e.g., along the vertical direction V. Cabinet 110 also extends between a first side portion 113 and a second side portion 114, e.g., along the lateral direction L. Thus, first and second side portions 113, 114 of cabinet 110 are spaced apart from each other, e.g., along the lateral direction L. Cabinet 110 further extends between a front portion 115 and a back portion 116, e.g., along the transverse direction T. Thus, front and back portions 115, 116 of cabinet 110 are spaced apart from each other, e.g., along the transverse direction T.

Range appliance 100 includes a cooktop 130 positioned at or adjacent top portion 111 of cabinet 110. Cooktop 130 includes various heating elements 132, such as gas burners, electric resistance elements, induction elements, etc., that are configured for heating cookware positioned thereon. As may be seen in FIG. 1, cabinet 110 also defines an upper cooking chamber 120 and a lower cooking chamber 124. Thus, range appliance 100 is generally referred to as a double oven range appliance. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, range appliance 100 is provided by way of example only, and the present subject matter may be used in any suitable oven appliance, e.g., a single oven range appliance, etc.

Upper cooking chamber 120 is positioned at or adjacent top portion 111 of cabinet 110. Conversely, lower cooking chamber 124 is positioned at or adjacent bottom portion 112 of cabinet 110. Thus, upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 are spaced apart from each other along the vertical direction V. Upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 can have any suitable size relative to each other. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, upper cooking chamber 120 may be smaller than lower cooking chamber 124.

Upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 are configured for receipt of one or more food items to be cooked. Range appliance 100 includes an upper door 121 and a lower door 125 that are attached or coupled to cabinet 110, e.g., with slide assemblies and hinges as discussed in greater detail below, in order to permit selective access to upper cooking chamber 120 and lower cooking chamber 124, respectively. Handles 123, 127 are mounted to upper and lower doors 121, 125 to assist a user with opening and closing doors 121, 125 in order to access cooking chambers 120, 124. As an example, a user can pull on handle 123 mounted to upper door 121 to open or close upper door 121 and access upper cooking chamber 120. Glass window panes 122, 126 provide for viewing the contents of upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 when doors 121, 125 are closed and also assist with insulating upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124. Heating elements, such as electric resistance heating elements, gas burners, microwave elements, etc., are positioned within upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124 of cabinet 110 for heating upper and lower cooking chambers 120, 124.

A control panel 140 of range appliance 100 is positioned at top portion 111 and back portion 116 of cabinet 110. Control panel 140 includes user inputs 142. Control panel 140 provides selections for user manipulation of the operation of range appliance 100. For example, a user can touch control panel 140 to trigger one of user inputs 142. In response to user manipulation of user inputs 142, various components of the range appliance 100, such as the heating elements, can be operated.

As may be seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, upper door 121 may be positioned and oriented in a variety of configurations and positions. For example, door 121 is shown in a closed position and a vertical configuration in FIG. 1. As another example, upper door 121 is shown in the closed position and a peak configuration in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, upper door 121 is shown in an open position and the peak configuration. A user of range appliance 100 may adjust upper door 121 between the various positions and configurations shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. For example, the user may grasp handle 123 of upper door 121 and move upper door 121, e.g., along the transverse direction T, between the closed and open positions and/or pivot upper door 121, e.g., on an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction L, between the vertical and peak configurations.

To permit movement of upper door 121, e.g., along the transverse direction T, range appliance 100 includes a pair of slide assemblies or slide rails 172 that slidably couple upper door 121 to cabinet 110. Slide assemblies 172 are mounted to cabinet 110 at or adjacent upper cooking chamber 120. Each slide assembly of slide assemblies 172 are positioned at a respective one of the first and second side portions 113, 114 of cabinet 110. Slide assemblies 172 may be mounted to any suitable component of cabinet 110 and positioned at any suitable location on cabinet 110. For example, slide assemblies 172 may be mounted to cabinet 110 within upper cooking chamber 120. Thus, slide assemblies 172 may be positioned within upper cooking chamber 120, e.g., when upper door 121 is in the closed position. As another example, slide assemblies 172 may be mounted to cabinet 110 outside of upper cooking chamber 120. Thus, slide elements 172 may be positioned such that slide elements 172 are shielded from upper cooking chamber 120 and, e.g., not exposed to heated air within or from upper cooking chamber 120 when upper door 121 is in the closed position.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, cabinet 110 defines an opening 118 for accessing upper cooking chamber 120 of cabinet 110. Upper door 121 is positioned at or adjacent opening 118 of cabinet 110 when upper door 121 is in the closed position. Conversely, upper door 121 is spaced apart from cabinet 110, e.g., opening 118 of cabinet 110, along the transverse direction T when upper door 121 is in the open position. For example, upper door 121 may move along the transverse direction T on slide assemblies 172 such that upper door 121 is spaced apart from opening 118 of cabinet 110 by at least one foot along the transverse direction T when upper door 121 is in the open position.

As discussed above, upper door 121 is pivotable, e.g., about an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction L, on hinges 182 that extend between upper door 121 and slide elements 172 between the vertical and peak configurations. For example, upper door 121 may be pivotable by at least thirty degrees, e.g., about an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction L, between the vertical and peak positions. As another example, upper door 121 may be pivotable by at least sixty degrees, e.g., about an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction L, between the vertical and peak positions. As yet another example, upper door 121 may be pivotable by about ninety degrees, e.g., about an axis that is parallel to the lateral direction L, between the vertical and peak positions.

When upper door 121 is in the closed position and the vertical configuration as shown in FIG. 1, upper door 121 seals or closes upper cooking chamber 120. Thus, such position and orientation of upper door 121 may be used when cooking food items within upper cooking chamber 120. If a user wants to check on the food items, the user may pivot upper door 121 to the peak position in order to allow the user to view and observe the food items within upper cooking chamber 120. Thus, when upper door 121 is in the closed position and the peak configuration as shown in FIG. 2, upper door 121 may be positioned and oriented to allow the user to view food items within upper cooking chamber 120 without removing the food items from upper cooking chamber 120. Upper door 121 is also pivotable between the vertical and peak configurations when upper door 121 is in the open position.

Range appliance 100 also includes a rack assembly 180 that includes features for supporting food items thereon. Rack assembly 180 is slidably coupled to cabinet 110, e.g., with slide assemblies 172, such that rack assembly 180 moves with upper door 121 along the transverse direction T. Thus, food items on rack assembly 180 may be, e.g., at least partially, removed from upper cooking chamber 120 by shifting door from the closed position to the open position. In particular, with food items cooking within upper cooking chamber 120, a user of range appliance 100 may avoid having to reach into upper cooking chamber 120 in order to grasp or handle the food items located therein by grasping handle 123 of upper door 121 and shifting upper door 121 to the open position such that rack assembly 180 slides out of upper cooking chamber 120. Similarly, if the user wants to check on the food items, the user may move upper door 121 to the open position in order to remove the food items from upper cooking chamber 120 and allow the user to view and observe the food items outside of upper cooking chamber 120.

Turning back to FIG. 1, range appliance 100 also includes a support assembly 200. Support assembly 200 is positioned at or adjacent bottom portion 112 and front portion 115 of cabinet 110. Although not shown in FIG. 1, an additional support assembly 200 may also be provided at second side portion 114 of cabinet 110. Support assembly 200 includes features that extend between cabinet 110 and a floor beneath range appliance 100 in order to support range appliance 100 on the floor. Support assembly 200 also includes features for leveling range appliance 100, as discussed in greater detail below.

FIG. 4 provides a partial, perspective view of range appliance 100 and support assembly 200. FIG. 5 provides a partial, bottom plan view of range appliance 100 and support assembly 200. As may be seen in FIG. 4, support assembly 200 includes a block 210 and a leveling leg 220. Block 210 is mounted to cabinet 110. In particular, block 210 is mounted to cabinet 110 such that block 210 extends from cabinet 110 along the transverse direction T and a distal end portion 212 of block 210 is cantilevered from cabinet 110.

As may be seen in FIG. 4, cabinet 110 includes a bottom panel 190, e.g., that faces the floor below range appliance 100. Bottom panel 190 is positioned at bottom portion 112 of cabinet 110. Bottom panel 190 also includes a front edge 192. Front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 is positioned at or adjacent front portion 115 of cabinet 110 and extend between first and second side portions 113, 114 of cabinet 110 at front portion 115 of cabinet 110. Block 210 is positioned at and/or mounted to bottom panel 190 such that block 210 extends past front edge 192 of bottom panel 190, e.g., along the transverse direction T. Block 210 may extend past front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 by any suitable amount or distance. For example, block 210 may extend from cabinet 110 past front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 by at least half an inch along the transverse direction T. Thus, a tip of block 210 may be spaced apart from front edge 192 of bottom panel 190 by at least half an inch along the transverse direction T.

As may be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, block 210 is partially disposed within a pocket 194 defined by cabinet 110, e.g., bottom panel 190 of cabinet 110. A fastener 196, such as a screw, rivet, bolt or nail, may extend through cabinet 110 into block 210, e.g., at pocket 194 of cabinet 110, in order to mount block 210 to cabinet 110. In alternative exemplary embodiments, block 210 may be adhered, welded or otherwise suitable fastened to cabinet 110 at bottom portion 112 of cabinet 110 in order to mount block 210 to cabinet 110.

Leveling leg 220 is threaded to block 210, e.g., at or adjacent distal end portion 212 of block 210. In particular, leveling leg 220 includes a threaded post 222 received within a threaded opening 214 defined by block 210. Leveling leg 220 also includes a foot 224 positioned at a distal end of threaded post 222. Foot 224 is configured for resting of the floor beneath range appliance 100. A distance between cabinet 110 and foot 224 of leveling leg 220 is selectively adjustable by rotating threaded post 222 relative to block 210, e.g., such that a thread of threaded post 222 rotates relative to a thread of block 210. Range appliance 100 may be leveled by rotating threaded post 222 and suitably positioning foot 224 relative to cabinet 110, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

As may be seen in FIG. 5, at least a portion of leveling leg 220, such as the threaded post 222 and/or the foot 224, is positioned directly below a door, such as upper door 121 and/or lower door 125, of range appliance 100 when the door is closed. For example, at least a portion of leveling leg 220 may be positioned directly below upper door 121, e.g., along the vertical direction V, when upper door 121 is positioned at opening 118 of cabinet 110 and in the vertical position. As another example, at least a portion of leveling leg 220 may be positioned directly below lower door 125, e.g., along the vertical direction V, when lower door 125 is closed. Thus, as may be seen in FIG. 5, at least a portion of the foot 224 of leveling leg 220 is not positioned directly below cabinet 110, e.g., along the vertical direction V.

By extending block 210 past cabinet 112 and positioning at least a portion of leveling leg 220 below a door of range appliance 100, a balance of range appliance 100 may be improved. In particular, such positioning of support assembly 200 may require more force to tip range appliance 100 compared to leveling legs that are positioned fully under bottom panel 192 of cabinet 110. In such a manner, range appliance 100 may be more difficult and/or require more force to tip over when upper door 121 is in the open position (FIG. 3).

Block 210 and leveling leg 220 of support assembly 200 may be made of any suitable material. For example, block 210 and leveling leg 220 of support assembly 200 may each be made from or with a separate piece of molded plastic or cast metal.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

Claims

1. An oven appliance defining a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the lateral direction and the transverse direction being perpendicular, the oven appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and an opening for accessing the cooking chamber of the cabinet;

a heating element positioned at the cooking chamber of the cabinet;

a slide assembly mounted to the cabinet;

a door positioned adjacent the opening of the cabinet, the slide assembly coupling the door to the cabinet such that the door is movable along the transverse direction relative to the cabinet; and

a support assembly positioned at a bottom portion of the cabinet, the support assembly comprising a block mounted to the cabinet; and a leveling leg threaded to the block, at least a portion of the leveling leg positioned directly below the door when the door is positioned at the opening of the cabinet.

2. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the cabinet comprises a bottom panel positioned at the bottom portion of the cabinet, the block mounted to the bottom panel of the cabinet such that the block extends past a front edge of the bottom panel along the transverse direction.

3. The oven appliance of claim 2, wherein the block extends past the front edge of the bottom panel by at least half an inch along the transverse direction.

4. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the block is partially disposed within a pocket defined by the cabinet.

5. The oven appliance of claim 1, further comprising a fastener that extends through the cabinet into the block in order to mount the block to the cabinet.

6. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the block is adhered, welded or fastened to the cabinet at the bottom portion of the cabinet in order to mount the block to the cabinet.

7. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the door is a top door, the oven appliance further comprising a bottom door rotatably mounted to the cabinet adjacent the bottom portion of the cabinet, the bottom door positioned below the top door.

8. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the leveling leg is positioned directly below of the bottom door when the bottom door is closed.

9. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the leveling leg includes a foot positioned at a distal end of the leveling leg, a distance between the cabinet and the foot of the leveling leg being selectively adjustable by rotating the leveling leg relative to the block.

10. The oven appliance of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of a foot of the leveling leg is not positioned directly below the cabinet.

11. An oven appliance defining a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the lateral direction and the transverse direction being perpendicular, the oven appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and an opening for accessing the cooking chamber of the cabinet;

a heating element positioned at the cooking chamber of the cabinet;

a pair of slide assemblies mounted to the cabinet;

a door positioned adjacent the opening of the cabinet, the slide assemblies of the pair of slide assemblies coupling the door to the cabinet such that the door is movable along the transverse direction relative to the cabinet; and

a support assembly positioned at a bottom portion of the cabinet, the support assembly comprising a block mounted to the cabinet and extending from the cabinet along the transverse direction; and a leveling leg threaded to the block.

12. The oven appliance of claim 11, wherein the cabinet comprises a bottom panel positioned at the bottom portion of the cabinet, the block mounted to the bottom panel of the cabinet such that the block extends past a front edge of the bottom panel along the transverse direction.

13. The oven appliance of claim 12, wherein the block extends past the front edge of the bottom panel by at least half an inch along the transverse direction.

14. The oven appliance of claim 11, wherein the block is partially disposed within a pocket defined by the cabinet.

15. The oven appliance of claim 11, further comprising a fastener that extends through the cabinet into the block in order to mount the block to the cabinet.

16. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the block is adhered, welded or fastened to the cabinet at the bottom portion of the cabinet in order to mount the block to the cabinet.

17. The oven appliance of claim 11, wherein the block extends past the cabinet such that at least a portion of the leveling leg is positioned directly below of the door when the door is positioned at the opening of the cabinet.

18. The oven appliance of claim 11, wherein the leveling leg includes a foot positioned at a distal end of the leveling leg, a distance between the cabinet and the foot of the leveling leg being selectively adjustable by rotating the leveling leg relative to the block.

19. The oven appliance of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of a foot of the leveling leg is not positioned directly below the cabinet.