Removable electric grill controller with mount
AssigneeWeber-Stephen Products LLC
InventorKevin James Schmeski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure related to an electric grill's housing, controller, and a mounting bracket which mounts the controller to the housing. The mounting bracket is generally hollow and forms a thermal barrier between the controller and the housing, wherein the thermal barrier protects the controller from heat generated in the housing. As a result, the controller does not require insulation and may include lower temperature rated components. Moreover, the mounting bracket may have metallic tabs which interface with spring elements on the controller, thereby fastening the controller to the bracket. These spring elements and metallic tabs may be in electric communication with the housing, thereby allowing the controller to act as an electric ground with respect to the housing.
Claims18
An electric grill assembly, comprising:
- a housing;
- a mounting bracket having a front surface, a top surface, a left side, a right side, a bottom surface, and a generally open back plane;
- said mounting bracket's back plane having at least two flanges for mounting said mounting bracket to said housing;
- an elongated slot spanning along the mounting bracket's front surface;
- a first and second tab respectively positioned on the slot's left and right edges;
- and
- an electronic controller having a power cord, and further comprising a first and second spring element, said first and second spring element being aligned to respectively engage said first and second tab when said electronic controller is attached to said mounting bracket;
- wherein the power cord is connectable to a voltage line and a neutral line such that the neutral line is in electrical communication with the first and second spring element and forms an electrical path for electrical current to flow from the housing, through the mounting bracket, through the first and second tabs, through the first and second spring elements, and to the neutral line when the electric controller is in the engaged position so as to electrically ground the housing of the electric grill;
- and wherein said housing, said mounting bracket, said first and second tabs, and said first and second spring elements are made of electrically conductive material.
A system for mounting an electric grill's controller to a housing, comprising:
- the housing;
- a mounting bracket having a front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side, a right side, and a back side;
- the mounting bracket being affixed to the housing and being in electrical communication with the housing;
- an elongated slot oriented on the mounting bracket's front surface;
- and
- the controller having two engagement members configured to mate with the elongated slot when the controller is in an engaged position;
- and
- a power cord connectable to the controller, the power cord having a voltage line and a neutral line;
- wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the mounting bracket to form an electrical path between the neutral line, the mounting bracket, and the housing when the controller is in the engaged position so as to electrically ground the housing of the electric grill;
- and
- wherein the mounting bracket, the controller, and the two engagement members are made of an electrically conductive material.
An electric grill, comprising:
- a housing;
- a controller connected to a power cord having a voltage line and a neutral line;
- and
- a mounting bracket having a front surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, a left side, a right side, and a back side, and an elongated slot oriented on the mounting bracket's front surface;
- the mounting bracket forming a thermal barrier between the housing and the controller, the bracket being mounted to the housing;
- wherein the controller is removably secured to the mounting bracket when the controller is in an engaged position;
- wherein the housing, the mounting bracket, and the controller are in electrical communication when the controller is in an engaged position to form an electrical path between the neutral line, the mounting bracket, and the housing when the controller is in the engaged position so as to electrically ground the housing of the electric grill;
- and
- wherein the housing and the mounting bracket forming the electrical path are made of an electrically conductive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.