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J
DIM360 Ver 2.15 (14 Jul 2008) - 2720000/0
0981989
NEW EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION
After opposition procedure
B2
20090916
EP
99200334.3
19990205
20000911
20090916
en
en
en
9801821
19980827
ES
20090916
200938
20000301
200009
20030813
200333
20030123
20090916
200938
A47J 37/00 20060101AFI19991124BHEP
A47J 37/06 20060101ALI19991124BHEP
F24C 15/08 20060101ALI19991124BHEP
de
Schutzvorrichtung für die Stützen von Heimgrillapparaten
en
Protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances
fr
Dispositif de protection pour les supports d'appareils ménagers à griller
CH-A- 682 713
US-A- 4 762 114
US-A- 5 086 753
US-A- 5 669 372
Ortubia Nogues, Javier
Avda. de los Castros, 39
39005 Santander (Cantabria)
ES
BSH Fabricacion, S.A.
02706530
ZTP98P6352ES-EP
Avda. Eudardo Garcia del Rio, 30
39011 Santander, Cantabria
ES
Richter, Harald
et al
09257301
BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH Zentralabt Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz / Abt. ZTG Carl-Wery-Strasse 34
81739 München
DE
01
20040513
1
MERLONI ELETTRODOMESTICI S.p.A.
00148890
Via Pinerolo 25
10060 None(TO)
IT
Dini, Roberto
00051284
Metroconsult S.r.l. Via Sestriere 100
10060 None (TO)
IT
ES
FR
GB
IT
NL
20000301
200009
The present invention refers to a grill of home appliances including a protective device, according to the preamble of Claim 1. A protective device of the supports of the grill is known from US-A-5 669 372. These grills used in home appliances, such as for examples, stoves and worktops, particularly gas stoves and combined gas and electric stoves, are formed by a frame that has some legs that are placed above the heat source in order to support the cooking appliance. In said frame there are also some leg type projections that constitute the supports of the grill in the base-worktop of the appliance.
The novelty of the invention is centered on the inclusion of some advantageous protective elastic type plugs elements that are connected in correspondence with the end sections of the support legs of the grill for the purpose of preventing the wear of the seat base of the grill, mainly when the grill unit is assembled and disassembled during cleaning, as well as during cooking.
On the other hand, the novelty of the invention is also centered on the structure of the elastic plugs, as well as on the fastening means of the plugs upon the legs of the grill.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nowadays, with cooking operations and the placement of the grill, once the grill has been removed for cleaning thereof, there are displacements of the grill with regard to the base, which causes friction which results in wear of said base (scratches are produced) or even causes that the protective material (generally enamel) that said base worktop has, peels off.
In order to avoid these inconveniences the use of some protective elements on said support legs is known. These elements are made up of some elastic plugs.
In some cases some elastic plugs, preferably of rubber, that are introduced in a closed window of the support leg, a window that is located close to the support end of the leg are used.
These plugs have two side edges and one of them has a lip-shaped prolongation, in such a way that upon assembling the plug in the window of the leg, it goes around the end of said leg constituting a protective element itself.
Although this is a good solution, because of its special shape, the plug can easily become loose upon pulling on the protective lip, or this protective lip can move from its protective position during the cleaning of the grill and this is all worsened by the fact that the user believes that said protective element is only for transport. Therefore, once the appliance has been installed, it is very probable that the user removes the plug.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In order to overcome the problems and inconveniences mentioned in the above section, the invention proposes a grill of home appliances including a protective device according to claim 1.
The device is defined as of a protective element, such as an elastic plug, which is simply and easily assembled, in such a way that once assembled and retained in its protective position, removal or disassembly thereof turns out to be a difficult task.
The elastic plug has an advantageous structure defined by a solid body provided with some coupling and fastening means in the end sections of the legs of a grill.
These coupling and fastening means consist, in principle, of a through hole of the elastic plug, thanks to which assembly is possible upon the end section of the corresponding leg that has a structure corresponding to and complementary with the cited means.
In an embodiment of the invention the end sections of the legs of the grill there is a side opening that defines a horizontal extension whose free end ends in an elbowed appendix, in such a way that the elastic plug will couple coaxially upon the horizontal extension.
In order to facilitate the assembly of the elastic plugs upon the end sections of the legs of the grill, the plugs may be heated when they are to be assembled.
Hereinafter to provide a better understanding of this specification and forming an integral part thereof, some figures in which the object of the invention has been represented in an illustrative and non-restrictive manner are accompanied.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
- Figure 1 is a raised view of a protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances, not part of the invention.
- Figure 2 is a sectioned raised view of the protective device represented in the previous figure.
- Figure 3 is a view similar to the previous one.
- Figure 4 is a sectioned profile view of that which is shown in figure 2.
- Figure 5 is a raised view of the device of the invention according to a second embodiment of the invention.
- Figure 6 is sectioned raised view of that which is shown in the previous figure.
- Figure 7 is a sectioned profile view of that which is shown in the two previous figures.
- Figure 8 is a perspective view of an elastic plug that forms part of the assembly of the device of the invention.
- Figure 9 is a perspective view of another plug not part of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Making reference to the numbering used in the figures, the protective device of the supports of the grills of home appliances is defined as of a protective element, such as an elastic plug (1) (1') that is assembled on the end sections of some short vertical legs (2) that form part of a grill of home appliances, which has not been represented in the figures because this is not necessary.
The elastic plug (1) (1') essentially has a cubic shape with two different embodiments. In one of them, the plug (1) has a through hole (3) that goes from one surface to the other opposite surface. In the second embodiment, the plug (1') has two opposite blind holes (4) established in correspondence with two parallel surfaces of the prismatic plug (1').
On the other hand, the end sections of the legs (2) of the grills have a structure that also has two different embodiments. In one of them, there is a bottom opening (5), from whose parallel vertically placed surfaces (6) originate two opposite stubs (7) arranged in this way to facilitate the assembly of the corresponding elastic plug (1) (1').
In order to proceed with the assembly of the elastic plug (1) provided with the through hole (3), said plug is introduced, in principle, underneath between the space (8) that exists between the free ends of the opposite stubs (7), in such a way that pushing the plug upward there is a moment when the same becomes located in its definitive place, the opposite stubs (7) being inserted in the ends of the through hole (3) of said plug (1), while a top part thereof will be located in the top part of the bottom opening (5) of the leg (3) of the grill, abutting against the opposite surfaces (6) of the opening (5).
On the other hand, in order to adjust the plug (1') of the second embodiment in the blind holes (4), one will proceed in the same way as with the other plug (1) provided with a through hole (3), with the only difference that the two opposite stubs (7) of the end section of the respective leg will be located inside said blind holes (4).
According to the invention the structure of the end sections of the legs (2) of the grill have a side opening (9) limited between a front surface (10) and two horizontal surfaces, a top one (11) and another bottom one (12) that forms part of a horizontal prolongation (13) where the elastic plug (1) provided with the through hole (3) is coupled coaxially. Corresponding to the free end of the prolongation (13) there is an elbowed appendix (14) that prevent axial removal of the plug (1) when the same is installed or assembled in its place.
In order to proceed with the assembly of the plug (1) provided with the through hole (3) upon the horizontal prolongation (13), the through hole (3) of the elastic plug (1) being opposite the elbowed appendix (14) and the free end of said prolongation (13), the plug (1) in this condition will move against the appendix (14) until it fits in its place around the horizontal prolongation (13).
The insertion or introduction of the elastic plugs (1) proves to be a relatively simple and rapid operation thanks to the deformability of the material. Nonetheless, if the elasticity of the plugs does not suffice, they may be heated by different means until the necessary elasticity and deformability were reached.
On the other hand, once the plugs have been assembled, these plugs will not move from their location, being perfectly fastened in their location.
1. Grill of home appliances including a protective device of the supports of the grill, this grill to be used especially for stoves and worktops, at the same time that the grill is basically made up of a frame that has parts that are located above the heat sources of the appliance and having some projections that are support legs of the grill on the base-worktop.of the appliance the protective device, being constituted as of some protective elements that are coupled to the legs of the grill by means of some fastening means; characterized in that these fastening means of the protective elements are defined by some open windows (5 and 9) that communicate with the outside and that are located in the end sections of the legs (2), the respective protective elements being coupled in correspondence with the open windows (5 and 9) by means of some anchoring means
and the protective elements consisting of some solid plugs (1) provided with at least one through hole (3);
the anchoring means consisting of a bottom prolongation or branch (13) originating as a result of the window (9) open on one side, the elastic plug (1) coupling in the cited branch (13) by means of its through hole (3), within which the branch (13) is housed.
2. Grill of home appliances, according to the above claim, characterized in that the free end of the prolongation or branch (13) where the solid plug (1) is coupled, said prolongation or branch (13) ends in an elbowed appendix (14) of axial retention towards the outside of said plug (1).
1. Gitter von Hausgeräten, umfassend eine Schutzvorrichtung für die Stützen des Gitters, welches Gitter insbesondere für Herde und Arbeitsflächen verwendet wird, wobei das Gitter im Wesentlichen aus einem Rahmen besteht, der mit Teilen versehen ist, die über den Wärmequellen des Geräts angeordnet sind und einige Vorsprünge aufweisen, die Stützbeine des Gitters auf der Grundarbeitsfläche des Apparates sind, wobei die Schutzvorrichtung aus einigen Schutzelementen gebildet ist, die mittels einiger Befestigungsmittel mit den Beinen des Gitters in Eingriff stehen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass diese Befestigungsmittel der Schutzelemente durch einige offene Öffnungen (5 und 9) begrenzt sind, die nach außen offen und in den Endabschnitten der Beine (2) angeordnet sind, wobei die jeweiligen Schutzelemente mit den offenen Öffnungen (5 und 9) mittels einiger Verankerungsmittel in Eingriff stehen, und dass die Schutzelemente aus einigen festen Stopfen (1) bestehen, die mit mindestens einem Durchgangsloch (3) versehen sind, und aus einer unteren Verlängerung oder einem Arm (13) bestehen, der sich durch die an einer Seite offene Öffnung (9) ergibt, wobei der elastische Stopfen (1) in den Arm (13) mittels seines Durchgangslochs (3) eingreift, in dem der Arm (13) gelagert ist.
2. Gitter von Hausgeräten nach dem vorhergehenden Anspruch, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das freie Ende der Verlängerung oder des Armes (13), mit der der feste Stopfen (1) in Eingriff steht, in einem knieförmig ausgebildeten Fortsatz (14) der axialen Halterung zur Außenseite des Stopfens (1) endet.
1. Grill d'appareil ménager incluant un dispositif de protection des supports du grill, ce grill étant destiné à être utilisé notamment pour des fours et des plans de travail ; en même temps, ce grill est formé, de manière basique, d'un cadre comprenant des parties qui sont situées au-dessus des sources de chaleur de l'appareil et qui a des saillies qui sont des pieds de support du grill sur le plan de travail de base de l'appareil, le dispositif de protection étant formé d'éléments protecteurs qui sont couplés aux pieds du grill grâce à des moyens de fixation ; caractérisé en ce que ces moyens de fixation des éléments protecteurs sont définis par des fenêtres ouvertes (5 et 9) qui communiquent avec l'extérieur et qui sont situées dans les sections d'extrémité des pieds (2), les éléments protecteurs respectifs étant couplés en correspondance avec les fenêtres ouvertes (5 et 9) grâce à un moyen d'ancrage et les éléments protecteurs étant formés de connecteurs solides (1) pourvus d'au moins un trou traversant (3) ;
le moyen d'ancrage étant formé d'un prolongement ou branche inférieur/e (13) dont l'origine résulte de la fenêtre (9) ouverte sur un côté, le connecteur élastique (1) étant couplé à la branche (13) mentionnée au moyen de son trou traversant (3) à l'intérieur duquel la branche (13) est logée.
2. Grill d'appareil ménager selon la revendication ci-dessus, caractérisé en ce que l'extrémité libre du prolongement ou de la branche (13) avec lequel/laquelle le connecteur solide (1) est couplé, ledit prolongement ou branche (13) se termine par un appendice coudé (14) de retenue axiale vers l'extérieur dudit connecteur (1).

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description
- US
5669372
A
[0001]