US-12618567-B2 - Cooktop with hinged burner grates

Abstract

A cooktop for an appliance includes a cooktop base surface that defines an edge. A cooktop burner is mounted on the cooktop base surface. A support base is rigidly fixed with the cooktop base surface adjacent the edge. A grate is rotatably supported to the support base and is rotatable between a raised position and a lowered position to alternately cover and uncover the cooking burner. A biasing member is coupled to the support base and exerts an upward biasing force on the grate.

Inventors

• Deeptiranjan Barik
• Patrick J. Duffy
• TUSHAR JADHAV
• SACHIN KARADE
• ATUL NALAWADE
• Pradeep Thorat

Assignees

• WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20240521

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A cooktop, comprising: a cooktop base defining an edge; first, second, and third support bases coupled to the cooktop base proximate to the edge; pivot members coupled to the first and third support bases, respectively; a first grate assembly operably coupled to the first and second support bases, wherein the first grate assembly includes: a first grate defining a first receiving member; and a first coupling member disposed within the first receiving member, wherein the first coupling member is configured to engage the pivot member coupled to the first support base; and a second grate assembly operably coupled to the second and third support bases, wherein the second grate assembly includes: a second grate defining a second receiving member; and a second coupling member disposed within the second receiving member, wherein the second coupling member is configured to engage the pivot member coupled to the third support base.
2. 2 . The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling member is engaged with the pivot member coupled to the first support base, and wherein the first grate assembly further includes a biasing assembly operably coupled to the first grate and the second support base.
3. 3 . The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the edge is a rear edge of the cooktop base, and wherein the first receiving member and the second receiving member extend along rear edges of the first and second grates, respectively.
4. 4 . The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first receiving member defines a receiving channel, and wherein the first coupling member extends a length of the receiving channel.
5. 5 . The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling member is configured to interlock with the pivot member coupled to the first support base.
6. 6 . The cooktop of claim 1 , wherein the first coupling member defines an interlocking fit with the first receiving member.
7. 7 . The cooktop of claim 6 , wherein the first receiving member defines a slot, and wherein the first coupling member includes an interlocking feature that extends into the slot.
8. 8 . A cooktop, comprising: a cooktop base defining an edge; first and second support bases coupled to the cooktop base proximate to the edge; a grate including a receiving member extending between first and second side edges of the grate, wherein the receiving member defines a receiving channel and at least one slot; a coupling member disposed within the receiving channel, wherein the coupling member includes an interlocking feature that extends into the at least one slot to form an interlocking engagement, and wherein the coupling member defines an inner channel and a cutout forming an extension of the inner channel; and a pivot member coupled between the first support base and the receiving member to guide rotation of the grate between raised and lowered positions, wherein the pivot member includes a coupling extension disposed within the cutout of the coupling member to form an interlocking fit with the coupling member.
9. 9 . The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the at least one slot includes an elongated slot that extends along a length of the receiving member.
10. 10 . The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the at least one slot includes a first slot and a second slot.
11. 11 . The cooktop of claim 8 , further comprising: a biasing assembly operably coupled to the grate, wherein the pivot member is operably coupled to the first side edge of the grate and the biasing assembly is operably coupled to the second side edge of the grate.
12. 12 . The cooktop of claim 11 , wherein the biasing assembly extends into the receiving channel.
13. 13 . The cooktop of claim 11 , wherein the biasing assembly includes a coupling extension disposed within the cutout of the coupling member.
14. 14 . The cooktop of claim 11 , wherein the biasing assembly is configured to bias the grate toward the raised position.
15. 15 . The cooktop of claim 8 , further comprising: a pivot assembly including an interlocking base plate and the pivot member, wherein the interlocking base plate is coupled with the first support base and the pivot member is coupled with the coupling member.
16. 16 . The cooktop of claim 8 , wherein the coupling extension of the pivot member is configured to move within the cutout of the coupling member, and wherein the coupling extension is configured to engage a first surface of the cutout when the grate is in the raised position and a second opposing surface of the cutout when the grate is in the lowered position.
17. 17 . A cooktop, comprising: a cooktop base defining an edge; first and second support bases coupled to the cooktop base proximate to the edge; a grate including a receiving member that defines a receiving channel, wherein the receiving member is configured to extend from proximate the first support base to proximate the second support base; a coupling member disposed within the receiving channel, wherein the coupling member defines an inner channel and a cutout forming an extension of the inner channel; a pivot assembly coupled between the first support base and the receiving member; and a biasing assembly coupled between the second support base and the receiving member, wherein at least one of the pivot assembly and the biasing assembly includes a coupling extension disposed within the cutout of the coupling member to form an interlocking fit with the coupling member.
18. 18 . The cooktop of claim 17 , wherein both of the pivot assembly and the biasing assembly include the coupling extension disposed within the cutout.
19. 19 . The cooktop of claim 17 , wherein the receiving member defines a slot, and wherein the coupling member includes an interlocking feature that extends into the slot to form an interlocking engagement.
20. 20 . The cooktop of claim 17 , wherein each of the first and second support bases define a notch, and wherein the pivot assembly and the biasing assembly each include a coupling protrusion configured to be received by the respective notch.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/722,591, filed Apr. 18, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,018,843, entitled COOKTOP WITH HINGED BURNER GRATES, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/670,091 filed Oct. 31, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,320,152, entitled COOKTOP WITH HINGED BURNER GRATES, the entire disclosure of each is hereby incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure generally relates to a cooktop assembly, and more specifically, to a cooktop assembly including grates hingedly supported over associated burners. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a cooktop for an appliance includes a cooktop base surface that defines an edge. A cooking burner is mounted on the cooktop surface. A support base is rigidly fixed with the cooktop base surface adjacent to the edge. The grate rotatably supported by the first and second support bases and is rotated between a raised position and a lowered position to alternately cover and uncovered the cooking burner. A biasing member is coupled to the support base. A biasing member is coupled to the first support base and exerts an upward biasing force on the grate. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a cooktop for an appliance includes a cooktop surface that defines an edge. A first support base is rigidly fixed with the cooktop surface adjacent to the edge. A pivot member is coupled to the first support base. A second support base is rigidly fixed with the cooktop surface adjacent the first support base. A biasing assembly includes a first housing, a second housing, and a biasing member disposed therebetween. The biasing assembly is coupled to the second support base. A grate is coupled to the pivot member and the biasing assembly. The grate is rotatable between raised and lowered positions and biased toward the raised position by the biasing assembly. According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a cooktop assembly includes a cooktop base surface that defines an edge. A grate is operably coupled to the cooktop surface. The grate defines a first receiving member that has a first channel and a second receiving member that has a second channel. A first support base is coupled to the cooktop base surface proximate the edge. A pivot member is coupled to the first support base and at least partially received within the first channel. A second support bases coupled to the second base surface proximate the edge. A biasing assembly is coupled to the second support base and received within the second channel and biasing the grate toward a raised position. These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 a front perspective view of a cooking appliance, according to an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a perspective detail view of a support base and corresponding interface with a grate associated with a cooktop; FIG. 3 is a perspective detail assembly view of a support assembly and corresponding interface with a grate; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cooktop with a grate in a rotated position about a support assembly; FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view of a portion of a grate in a rotated position about a support assembly; FIG. 6 is a detail view of a retention track and a pin associated with a support assembly and a grate; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cooktop of a grate in a further rotated position about a support assembly; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a cooktop of the second grate in a rotated position about an additional support assembly; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a cooktop, according to an aspect of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a cooktop with a grate having a pivot assembly and a biasing assembly; FIG. 10A is a side plan view of a coupling member within a receiving member of a grate; FIG. 11 is a perspective detail view of the support assembly and a grate; FIG. 12 is a perspective detail view of a portion of a grate in a rotated position about a support assembly; FIG. 13 is a partial rear perspective view of a cooktop with a grate having a pivot assembly and a biasing assembly; and FIG. 13A is a side plan view of a coupling member within a receiving member of a grate. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present illustrated embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to a cooktop with hinged burner grates. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional