Edge to edge cooktop gasket

Inventors: Alexander Auer (Benton Harbor, MI); Satish Janardhan Kathar (Aurangabad, IN); Akhil Haribhau Wankhede (Chandrapur, IN); Ajit Janardan Manohar (Maharashtra, IN)

Assignee: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION

F24C15/10

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12698905
App. No.: 18/225,415
Granted: Aug 4, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

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Abstract

A gasket for a cooking appliance is positioned between a rear upswept section of the appliance and the cooktop surface. The gasket has a rigid section that is received in a gasket groove in the upswept section of the appliance and a flexible section that contacts the top surface of the cooktop surface. The gasket has a compressible gap that allows the gasket to seal to different length gaps between the cooktop surface and the gasket groove.

Claims (28)

1 . A gasket for a cooktop unit having an upswept section extending adjacent to the rear of the cooktop unit, comprising:

a cooktop housing having a front surface, rear surface, and two side surfaces;

a gasket groove located in said upswept section; and

a single piece gasket having a rigid section and a flexible section, said rigid section including a projection that is received in said gasket groove, said projection including an upper rounded section and a lower section with a shoulder, wherein said upper rounded section permits said rigid section to be inserted into said gasket groove and rotated into place, and wherein said gasket groove has a surface that contacts said shoulder to retain said gasket in said gasket groove, and said flexible section including a curved section and a sealing section that contacts a cooktop surface coupled to said cooktop housing, wherein said flexible section includes a side section and a bottom section, and wherein said flexible section is configured to compress against said upswept section and said cooktop surface to provide a seal between said upswept section and said cooktop surface.

2 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 1 , wherein said bottom section has a front terminal end that does not extend to a front edge of said rigid section.

3 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 1 , wherein said gasket is co-extruded.

4 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 1 , wherein said rigid section includes a curved surface.

5 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 1 , wherein said cooktop surface extends over the side surface of the cooktop housing.

6 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 1 , wherein said rigid material is a thermoplastic elastomer with a first shore hardness.

7 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 6 , wherein said flexible material is a thermoplastic elastomer with a second shore hardness that is lower than said first shore hardness.

8 . The gasket for a cooktop unit of claim 1 , wherein said gasket has a generally reversed S-shaped cross-sectional profile.

9 . A cooktop unit having an upswept section extending adjacent to the rear of the cooktop unit, comprising:

a cooktop surface coupled to said cooktop unit;

a gasket groove located in said upswept section, said gasket groove extending adjacent to the entire length of said cooktop surface; and

10 . The cooktop unit of claim 9 , wherein said bottom section has a front terminal end that does not extend to a front edge of said rigid section.

11 . The cooktop unit of claim 9 , wherein said gasket is co-extruded.

12 . The cooktop unit of claim 9 , wherein said rigid section includes a curved surface.

13 . The cooktop unit of claim 9 , wherein said rigid material is a thermoplastic elastomer with a first shore hardness.

14 . The cooktop unit of claim 13 , wherein said flexible material is a thermoplastic elastomer with a second shore hardness that is lower than said first shore hardness.

15 . The cooktop unit of claim 9 , wherein said gasket has a generally reversed S-shaped cross-sectional profile.

16 . An appliance having a cooktop surface that extends over each lateral side of the appliance, and an upswept section extending adjacent to the rear of the cooktop unit:

a gasket groove located in a rear portion of said appliance adjacent to said cooktop surface; and

a gasket having a rigid section and a flexible section, said rigid section including a projection that is received in said gasket groove, said projection including an upper rounded section and a lower section with a shoulder, wherein said upper rounded section permits said rigid section to be inserted into said gasket groove and rotated into place, and wherein said gasket groove has a surface that contact said shoulder to retain said gasket in said gasket groove, and said flexible section including a curved section and a sealing section that contacts a cooktop surface coupled to said cooktop housing, wherein said flexible section includes a side section and a bottom section, and wherein said flexible section is configured to compress against said upswept section and said cooktop surface to provide a seal between said upswept section and said cooktop surface.

17 . The appliance of claim 16 , wherein said bottom section has a front terminal end that does not extend to a front edge of said rigid section.

18 . The appliance of claim 16 , wherein said gasket is co-extruded.

19 . The appliance of claim 16 , wherein said rigid section includes a curved surface.

20 . The appliance of claim 16 , wherein said gasket has a generally reversed S-shaped cross-sectional profile.