Vent pipe cover for cooking appliance

Abstract

A vent pipe cover (1) includes a base (2), an attachment structure (3) depending from the base (2) for removably attaching the vent pipe cover (1) to the cooking appliance (10) and a frame (4) protruding from the base (2) to at least partially surround the vent pipe (11). The base (2) includes an opening (20) to accommodate a vent pipe (11) of a cooking appliance (10) and the attachment structure (3) surrounds the opening (20). The frame (4) includes a discontinuity (41) for ensuring the airflow of the vent pipe (11).

Description

VENT PIPE COVER FOR COOKING APPLIANCETechnical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of cooking appliances. More specifically, this invention relates to a vent pipe cover for a cooking appliance.Technical Background

[0002] Vent pipe covers are commonly provided on cooking appliances. These devices normally comprise a hood that covers the vent pipe and is spaced apart from it in order to create an airway between the two.Summary

[0003] The invention aims to provide a more versatile vent pipe cover that can be used with vent pipes of various sizes and configurations.

[0004] The invention relates to a vent pipe cover for surrounding the vent pipe of a cooking appliance, which comprises attachment means for removably attaching the vent pipe cover to the cooking appliance.

[0005] The invention therefore provides a vent pipe cover that can be adapted to different vent pipe configurations.

[0006] The vent pipe cover can comprise a discontinuity for ensuring the airflow of the vent pipe.

[0007] The invention also relates to a vent pipe cover for surrounding the vent pipe of a cooking appliance, which comprises: an attachment means for attaching the vent pipe cover to the cooking appliance; and a discontinuity for ensuring the airflow of the vent Pipe.

[0008] The vent pipe cover can comprise a base. The base can have an opening, for example for accommodating the vent pipe. The attachment means can depend from the base. The attachment means can surround the opening.

[0009] The vent pipe cover can comprise a frame. The frame can protrude from the base, for example to at least partially surround the vent pipe. The frame can comprise the discontinuity for ensuring the airflow of the vent pipe.

[0010] The invention also relates to a vent pipe cover comprising a base with an opening for accommodating a vent pipe of a cooking appliance; an attachment means depending from the base and surrounding the opening for removably attaching the vent pipe cover to the cooking appliance; and a frame protruding from the base to at least partially surround the vent pipe; in which the frame comprises a discontinuity for ensuring the airflow of the vent pipe.

[0011] The frame can comprise a peripheral wall.

[0012] The peripheral wall can comprise a sloping top edge to prevent an object from being placed on the frame.

[0013] The peripheral wall can feature the discontinuity.

[0014] More specifically, the frame can comprise a peripheral wall featuring the discontinuity.

[0015] The discontinuity can comprise one or more openings. The discontinuity can comprise inlets.

[0016] The discontinuity can comprise inlets in the peripheral wall.

[0017] The peripheral wall can comprise a slot for draining water.

[0018] The vent pipe cover can comprise a groove surrounding the attachment means to accommodate an O-ring in order to ensure the seal between the vent pipe cover and the cooking appliance.

[0019] The groove can be provided on a lower surface of the base.

[0020] The attachment means can comprise a bayonet connector.

[0021] The bayonet connector can comprise at least one leg. The bayonet connector can comprise a plurality of legs. The legs can be spaced apart. The legs can depend from the frame.

[0022] Each leg of the bayonet connector can comprise a tapered inlet at one end and a tightening ramp.

[0023] More specifically, the bayonet connector can comprise a plurality of spaced legs depending from the frame.

[0024] The attachment means can comprise error-proofing means, for example to ensure correct installation on the cooking appliance.

[0025] More specifically, the attachment means can comprise error-proofing means to ensure correct installation on the cooking appliance.

[0026] The attachment means can comprise a ring extending from the base and surrounding the opening.

[0027] The legs and the error-proofing means can protrude radially outwards from the ring to create a clearance.

[0028] The error-proofing means can comprise an arm, for example a spring-loaded arm.

[0029] The arm can comprise a protuberance. The protuberance can be at or near the end of the arm, for example to releasably engage a cavity or hole in the cooking appliance.

[0030] More specifically, the error-proofing means can comprise a spring-loaded arm with a protuberance at or near its end for releasably engaging a cavity or hole in the cooking appliance.

[0031] The opening can have a diameter configured to accommodate vent pipes of different sizes, in order to enable the vent pipe cover to be used with different types of vent pipes.

[0032] For example, the vent pipe cover can be used with a wide range of cooking appliances, such as multi-deck combi ovens (for example, 6, 10 and 20 decks) and / or electric or gas-fired ovens. The vent pipe cover can also be used with a vent pipe such as a kitchen air inlet duct and / or a vent pipe such as a flue gas duct and / or an air vent from the cavity.

[0033] The invention also relates to a cooking appliance comprising a vent pipe and the aforementioned vent pipe cover.

[0034] For the avoidance of doubt, all the features described herein also apply to any aspect of the invention.

[0035] As part of this application, it is expressly provided that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives disclosed in the preceding paragraphs and / or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, can be taken separately or in any combination. In other words, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way, unless these features are incompatible.

[0036] For the avoidance of doubt, the terms "can", "and / or", "for example", "for example" and any other similar term used herein must be interpreted as not limiting, such that any feature described herein is not necessarily required to be present.Brief Description of the Figures

[0037] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which will be understood in reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0038] Figure 1 illustrates a top perspective view of a vent pipe cover according to one example;

[0039] Figure 2 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the vent pipe cover in Figure 1 ;

[0040] Figure 3 illustrates the front side of the vent pipe cover in Figures 1 and 2;

[0041] Figure 4 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the vent pipe cover seen from the rear; and

[0042] Figure 5 illustrates a top part of a cooking appliance incorporating several vent pipe covers according to Figures 1 to 4.Detailed Description

[0043] Referring now to the figures, a vent pipe cover 1 for a cooking appliance 10 can be seen. The vent pipe cover 1 comprises a base 2 with an opening 20, an attachment means 3 depending from the base 2 and surrounding the opening 20, and a frame 4 protruding from the base 2 and surrounding the opening 20.

[0044] The base 2 is square-shaped and comprises a circular groove 5 on its lower surface 21 , which surrounds the attachment means 3. The groove 5 is designed to accommodate an O-ring (not shown) to ensure the seal between vent pipe cover 1 and the cooking appliance 10.

[0045] The base 2 also comprises a circular inner wall 6 protruding from its top surface 22, which surrounds the attachment means 3. The circular inner wall 6 is radially located between the attachment means 3 and the groove 5. The circular inner wall 6 creates a ring-shaped recess 60 around the opening 20 of the base 2.

[0046] The attachment means 3 comprises a bayonet connector 30 with a plurality of connecting elements 31 , 32, six in this example. The connecting elements 31 , 32 are equally spaced around the edge of the opening 20 and comprise five spaced legs 31 and error-proofing means 32 to ensure correct installation on the cooking appliance 10.

[0047] Each leg 31 comprises a tapered inlet 31a at one end and a tightening ramp 31b. The error-proofing means 32 is similar in shape to each leg 31 , but has a spring-loaded arm 33 and a protuberance 34 at its free end that replaces the tapered inlet 31a.

[0048] The attachment means 3 also comprises a ring 35 that extends from the base 2 and surrounds the opening 20. The legs 31 and the error-proofing means 32 all protrude radially outwards from the ring 35, so that they are spaced apart from the base 2 to create a clearance.

[0049] The frame 4 comprises a peripheral wall 40 featuring a discontinuity 41 in the form of inlets 41a, 41 b, 41c, 41 d in the peripheral wall 40 for ensuring the airflow of the vent pipe 11. The peripheral wall 40 also comprises a sloping top edge 42, to prevent an object from being placed on the frame 4, and a slot 43 for draining water. The lower end of the peripheral wall 40 flares outwards to form a skirt 44 around its edge.

[0050] The cooking appliance 10 comprises one or more vent pipes 11 with a broken ring of holes (not shown) surrounding each vent pipe 11 . Each hole (not shown) in the top part of the cooking appliance 10 has a shape that substantially corresponds to one of the legs 31 or to the error-proofing means 32.

[0051] When in use, the vent pipe cover 1 is lowered onto the top of the cooking appliance 10 so that the frame 4 surrounds the vent pipe 11. To connect the vent pipe cover 1 to the cooking appliance 10, each leg 31 and the error-proofing means 32 areinserted into a respective hole. The orientation of the tapered inlet 31a and of the tightening ramp 31b is such that the vent pipe cover 1 can be rotated to engage, capture and gradually compress the edge of the hole.

[0052] Additionally, the spring-loaded arm 33 of the error-proofing means 32 is elastically deformed until the protuberance 34 aligns with a cavity or a hole in the cooking appliance, whereupon it snaps into place to releasably attach the vent pipe cap 1 to the cooking appliance 10.

[0053] The person skilled in the art will be aware that several variants of the aforementioned embodiments are conceivable without departing from the scope of the invention.List of Reference Numbers1 vent pipe cover10 cooking appliance11 vent pipe2 base20 open bottom21 bottom surface22 top surface3 attachment means30 bayonet connector31 spaced legs32 error-proofing means33 spring-loaded arm34 protuberance35 ring4 frame40 peripheral wall41 discontinuity41a inlet41 b inlet41c inlet41 d inlet42 sloping top edgeslot skirt groove circular inner wall ring-shaped recess

Claims

CLAIMS1. A vent pipe cover (1) comprising: a base (2) with an opening (20) to accommodate a vent pipe (11) of a cooking appliance (10); an attachment means (3) depending from the base (2) and surrounding the opening (20) for removably attaching the vent pipe cover (1) to the cooking appliance (10); and a frame (4) protruding from the base (2) to at least partially surround the vent pipe (11); in which the frame (4) comprises a discontinuity (41) for ensuring the airflow of the vent pipe (11).

2. The vent pipe cover according to claim 1 , in which the frame (4) comprises a peripheral wall (40) featuring the discontinuity (41).

3. The vent pipe cover according to claim 2, in which the peripheral wall (40) comprises a sloping top edge (42) to prevent an object from being placed on the frame (4).

4. The vent pipe cover according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the discontinuity (41) comprises inlets (41a, 41 b, 41 c, 41 d) in the peripheral wall (40).

5. The vent pipe cover according to any of claims 2 to 4, in which the peripheral wall (40) comprises a slot (43) for draining water.

6. The vent pipe cover according to any of the preceding claims comprising a groove (5) surrounding the attachment means (3) to accommodate an O-ring in order to ensure the seal between the vent pipe cover (1) and the cooking appliance (10).

7. The vent pipe cover according to claim 6, wherein the groove (5) is provided on a lower surface (22) of the base (2).

8. The vent pipe cover according to any of the preceding claims, in which the attachment means (3) comprises a bayonet connector (30).

9. The vent pipe cover according to claim 8, in which the bayonet connector (30) comprises a plurality of spaced legs (31) depending from the frame.

10. The vent pipe according to claim 9, in which each leg (31) comprises a tapered inlet (31a) at one end and a tightening ramp (31 b).

11. The vent pipe cover according to any of the preceding claims, in which the attachment means (3) comprises an error-proofing means (32) to ensure correct installation on the cooking appliance (10).

12. The vent pipe according to claim 11 when dependent on claim 9, in which the attachment means (3) comprises a ring (35) extending from the base (2) and surrounding the opening (20), and in which the legs (31) and the error-proofing means (32) protrude radially outwards from the ring (35) to create a clearance.

13. The vent pipe cover according to claim 8, in which the error-proofing means (32) comprises a spring-loaded arm (33) with a protuberance (34) at or near its end for releasably engaging a cavity or hole in the cooking appliance (10).

14. The vent pipe cover according to any of the preceding claims, in which the opening (20) has a diameter configured to accommodate vent pipes (1 1) of different sizes in order to enable the vent pipe cover (1) to be used with different types of vent pipes (1 1).

15. A cooking appliance (10) comprising a vent pipe (11) and a vent pipe cover (1) according to any of the preceding claims mounted on the cooking appliance (10) and at least partially surrounding the vent pipe (1 1).

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