# US 2019/0357315 A1 · Range with Suspended Cooktop

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- Number: US 2019/0357315 A1
- Document ID: US20190357315A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/529,280
- Filed: 2019-08-01
- Published: 2019-11-21
- Earliest claimed: 2013-04-30
- Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation
- Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation
- Inventors: Prashant RUPEREE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190357315A1

## CPC

- H05B 3/68: Heating arrangements specially adapted for cooking plates or analogous hot-plates
- F24C 15/108: {Mounting of hot plate on worktop}
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A slide-in or drop-in cooking range includes an upper cooktop in the form of a module suspended above an oven cavity. For installation purposes, the upper cooktop can be vertically repositioned relative to the oven cavity to assure proper alignment with the countertop and avoid damage to the cooktop as a result of combined thermal and mechanical stresses over time. The disclosure is particularly applicable to ranges employing glass cooktops having a periphery designed to rest upon edge portions of a countertop and contemplates various mechanisms to perform the cooktop repositioning function, including select mechanisms for locking, ratcheting and biasing the cooktop to establish a desired vertical position for the cooktop.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cooking appliance comprising:
a cabinet;
an oven cavity mounted in the cabinet;
a cooktop positioned above the oven cavity; and
a mechanism interconnecting the cooktop to the cabinet while permitting the cooktop to be vertically downwardly shifted relative to the oven cavity.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cooktop is constituted by a module, including a control panel and a glass panel provided with a plurality of heating elements, mounted upon the cabinet.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cooking appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for fixing the module in a select vertical position relative to the oven cavity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism includes at least one spring acting between the cooktop and the cabinet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cooking appliance according to claim 4, wherein the at least one spring applies a downward biasing force upon the cooktop.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The cooking appliance according to claim 5, wherein the at least one spring is a tension spring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein the cooking appliance constitutes a range mounted within a cut-out portion of a countertop and the cooktop includes a panel which extends over edge portions of the countertop.

### Claim 8

A method of mounting a range, including a lower oven cavity and an upper cooktop, in an opening provided along a countertop comprising:
positioning the range, including both the lower oven cavity and the upper cooktop simultaneously, within the opening; and
vertically adjusting the upper cooktop relative to the lower oven cavity using a mechanism configured to permit vertical downward shifting of the upper cooktop relative to the lower oven cavity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the range is positioned within the opening, with the lower oven cavity being exposed below the countertop and at least a panel of the upper cooktop resting upon edge portions of the countertop.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: locking the upper cooktop in a select vertical position relative to the lower oven cavity.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the upper cooktop is locked in the select vertical position prior to positioning the range within the opening.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: lowering the upper cooktop onto the countertop after positioning the range within the opening.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising: biasing the upper cooktop downward relative to the oven cavity.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the upper cooktop is biased into engagement with the countertop.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the upper cooktop is biased by a tension spring.