Mounting bracket with thermal maze to reduce heat transfer rate

摘要

The present invention provides an oven appliance with a bracket for attaching a component such as a fan motor to the oven appliance. One or more features are provided for minimizing the transfer of heat from the oven appliance, through the bracket, to the component. In certain embodiments, a bracket having a plurality of bracket attachment elements, a plurality of motor attachment elements, and a plurality of slots is configured to define a nonlinear path for the transfer of heat from the oven appliance to the fan motor.

主权项

1. An oven appliance, comprising:
a cabinet defining a cooking chamber configured for receipt of food items for cooking, the cooking chamber having an exterior wall; a heating element configured to heat the cooking chamber; a fan positioned at the cooking chamber and configured for creating an air flow in the cooking chamber; a fan motor connected to the fan by a shaft; and a bracket supported upon the exterior wall, the bracket having a body portion defining a plane, the fan motor supported by the body portion of the bracket, the bracket comprising
a plurality of bracket attachment elements projecting from the body portion toward the exterior wall and configured for attaching the bracket to the exterior wall of the cooking chamber, each bracket attachment element having a plurality of discrete contact members providing the only contact between the bracket and the exterior wall of the cooking chamber, the discrete contact members spacing the body portion of the bracket from the exterior wall;a plurality of motor attachment elements integral with the body portion, each motor attachment element projecting from the body portion toward the fan motor, each motor attachment element providing the only contact between the fan motor and the body portion; anda plurality of slots defined within the plane of the body portion of the bracket,wherein a straight line constructed within the plane between any one of the motor attachment elements and any one of the bracket attachment elements is intersected by at least one slot of the plurality of slots.