IP Library Granted Patent US 8,667,958
Granted Patent B2
US 8,667,958 · App. 12/955,079 · Granted Mar 11, 2014

Burner illumination in an appliance

Inventor: Paul Bryan Cadima (Louisville, KY)
Assignee: General Electric Company
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,667,958
App. No.
12/955,079
Granted
Mar 11, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An appliance includes a cooktop, a gas burner assembly disposed in the cooktop, the gas burner assembly having a burner head portion and a burner base portion, and a light disc disposed beneath the burner head portion.

Claims (33)

1. An appliance comprising:

a cooktop;

a gas burner assembly disposed in the cooktop, the gas burner assembly comprising a burner, the burner comprising a burner head portion and a burner base portion;

a light disc disposed beneath the burner head portion and above a surface of the cooktop; and

an opening in a sidewall of the burner, the light disc being disposed in the opening.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light disc is disposed on a top surface of the cooktop.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light disc is integrated into a surface of the cooktop.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising an opening in a bottom of the burner, an opening in the cooktop corresponding in location to the opening in the bottom of the burner, and a light source disposed beneath the cooktop being configured to direct light through the openings in the cooktop and the burner and into the light disc.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein only a portion of the light disc is received in the opening in the sidewall of the burner, a shape of the portion of the light disc being semi-circular.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light disc is removably disposed in the opening in the sidewall of the burner.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the light disc extends beyond an outer edge of the burner.

8. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a light source disposed below the cooktop away from the burner, the light source configured to project light into the light disc.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , further comprising an opening in the cooktop below the burner, the light source positioned beneath the opening in the cooktop to project light through the opening in the cooktop into the light disc.

10. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

11. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a coating on a bottom side of the light disc, and an uncoated area on the bottom side to allow light to be projected into the light disc.

12. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein light projected into the light disc is emitted from a peripheral side of the light disc.

13. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the light disc is a glass ceramic disc.

14. A lighting system for a gas burner assembly of an appliance, comprising:

a light disc;

a base portion of the gas burner assembly disposed above the light disc;

a cooktop configured to support the light disc and the gas burner assembly, the cooktop including an opening in a surface of the cooktop, the opening exposing an underside of the light disc;

a light source disposed away from an underside of the cooktop configured to direct light into the opening in the surface of the cooktop and the underside of the light disc; and

an opening in a sidewall of the gas burner assembly, the light disc being disposed in the opening in the sidewall of the gas burner assembly.

15. The lighting system of claim 14 , wherein the light disc is disposed on a top surface of the cooktop.

16. The lighting system of claim 14 , wherein the light disc is integrated into a surface of the cooktop.

17. The lighting system of claim 14 , wherein a portion of the light disc extends beyond an outer edge of the base portion of the gas burner assembly.

18. A lighting system for a gas burner assembly of an appliance, comprising:

a light disc;

the gas burner assembly having a burner portion, a sidewall of the burner portion including an opening, the opening configured to receive the light disc;

a cooktop configured to support the gas burner assembly, the cooktop including an opening in a surface of the cooktop;

an underside of the burner portion including an opening corresponding in location to the opening in the surface of the cooktop, the opening in the underside of the burner portion exposing an underside of the light disc; and

a light source disposed away from an underside of the cooktop, the light source configured to direct light into the opening in the sidewall of the burner portion and the underside of the light disc.

19. The lighting system of claim 18 , wherein the light disc is removably disposed in the opening in the sidewall of the burner portion configured to receive the light disc.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2016
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 038967/0292 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2010
From: CADIMA, PAUL BRYAN
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025426/0862 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120132191A1 · May 31, 2012