Glass breakage mitigation using silicone rubber or similar material
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsRodrigo Tamanini, Ramiro Ruthes, Jr., Luciano P. Nothen, Rodrigo Schultz, Javier M. Ballesteros, Cristiano M. Diman
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Abstract
A glass cooktop includes a single planar glass substrate having an exposed upper surface and an interior lower surface. A perimeter is disposed about an outer edge of the single planar glass substrate. A gasket is disposed on the interior surface radially inward from the perimeter of the single planar glass substrate. The gasket is adapted to absorb energy associated with a breaking of the single planar glass substrate such that a plurality of broken sections of the single planar glass substrate are retained by the gasket.
Claims18
A glass cooktop comprising a base and a single planar glass substrate, wherein the single planar glass substrate further comprises;
- an exposed upper surface;
- an interior lower surface;
- a perimeter disposed about an outer edge of the single planar glass substrate and adapted to be received within a recess on an upper surface of the base of the glass cooktop;
- a gasket disposed on the interior surface radially inward from the perimeter of the single planar glass substrate;
- and
- a plurality of connectors on each of a plurality of corners of the interior surface of the single planar glass substrate, such that the gasket is disposed on the interior surface radially inward from a perimeter of the glass substrate;
- wherein the gasket includes a plurality of individual linear sections that each extend between an adjacent pair of the plurality of connectors;
- and
- wherein the gasket is adapted to absorb energy associated with a breaking of the single planar glass substrate such that the single planar glass substrate is retained in its entirety by the gasket in the event of breakage thereof.
A glass cooktop comprising a single planar glass substrate, wherein the single planar glass substrate further comprises:
- an exterior surface and an interior surface defining a polygonal configuration having a plurality of corners;
- a plurality of connectors disposed on each of the plurality of corners of the interior surface of the single planar glass substrate;
- and
- a gasket disposed on the interior surface radially inward from a perimeter of the single planar glass substrate, wherein the gasket includes a plurality of individual linear sections that each extend between an adjacent pair of the plurality of connectors;
- wherein the plurality of connectors comprise a single-sided adhesive or a double-sided adhesive and the gasket comprises a tape adhered to the interior surface of the single planar glass substrate by a single-sided adhesive or a double-sided adhesive.
A method of absorbing energy associated with breaking a single planar glass substrate of a cooktop, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing the single planar glass substrate having an exposed upper exterior surface and a lower interior surface;
- disposing a gasket on the interior surface radially inward from a perimeter disposed about an outer edge of the single planar glass substrate;
- installing the single planar glass substrate within a recess on an upper surface of a base of the cooktop, such that the gasket is adapted to absorb energy and the single planar glass substrate is retained in its entirety by the gasket in the event of breakage thereof;
- and
- disposing a plurality of connectors on each of a plurality of corners of the interior surface of the single planar glass substrate, such that the gasket is disposed on the interior surface radially inward from a perimeter of the glass substrate, and wherein the gasket includes a plurality of individual linear sections that each extend between an adjacent pair of the plurality of connectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.