Snap spring clip for burner unit mounting
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorAlexander S. Pille
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An appliance includes a spring clip for attaching a radiant burner unit to a cooktop includes a body extending in a lateral direction. A retention tab projects from the body and extends in the lateral direction adjacent the body. A retention arm projects from the body and defines a first spring loop and a lever. The spring loop biases the lever toward the retention tab. The spring clip further includes a snap tab having a support arm projecting from the body in a vertical direction and a tab resiliently flexible toward and away from the support arm.
Claims20
A spring clip for attaching a radiant burner unit to a cooktop, comprising:
- a body extending in a lateral direction;
- a retention tab projecting from the body and extending in the lateral direction adjacent the body;
- a retention arm projecting from the body in a vertical direction and defining a first spring loop and a lever, the first spring loop biasing the lever toward the retention tab;
- and
- a snap tab having a support arm projecting from the body in the vertical direction adjacent the retention arm and a tab resiliently flexible toward and away from the support arm.
A burner assembly for a cooktop, comprising:
- a burner unit comprising a heating element retained within a housing defining a vertical side wall and a lower surface having a hole therein adjacent the side wall;
- and
- a spring clip, including:
- a body extending in a lateral direction;
- a retention tab projecting from the body and engaging with the hole with the body retained against the lower surface of the housing;
- a retention arm projecting from the body in a vertical direction and defining a first spring loop and a lever, the spring loop biasing the lever against the side wall;
- and
- a snap tab projecting from the body in the vertical direction adjacent the retention arm and spaced apart from the side wall of the housing.
A method for assembling a burner unit with a cooktop, comprising:
- assembling a first spring clip with a housing of the burner unit, including positioning a retention arm of the first spring clip against a side wall of the housing and urging the first spring clip in a first lateral direction against a bias of the retention arm to align a retention tab of the first spring clip with a first hole in a lower surface of the housing and releasing the first spring clip such that the retention tab is engaged with the first hole and the retention arm is biased against the side wall;
- and
- assembling the first spring clip with a support structure of the cooktop positioned vertically above the housing, including aligning the housing of the burner unit with an aperture in the support structure and engaging a spring tab of the first spring clip with a first receiving aperture disposed in the support structure adjacent the aperture by vertical movement of the housing toward the support structure, wherein engaging the spring tab with the first receiving aperture includes deflection of the spring tab in a vertical direction against a bias of the first spring clip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.