Kitchen exhaust hood assembly having components secured together by threaded studs

Abstract

A kitchen exhaust hood assembly comprises a front subassembly and a rear subassembly connected together. The connected subassemblies including a top portion and opposed side surfaces. A pair of side panels is connected to opposed sides of the front and rear subassemblies. A series of threaded studs welded to either the front or rear subassemblies or to the side panels project into and through openings formed through either the front or rear subassemblies or the side panels such that the side panels are secured to the front and rear subassemblies secured to the threaded studs.

1 . A kitchen exhaust hood assembly, comprising: 
 a. a front subassembly;    b. a rear subassembly;    c. the front and rear subassemblies being secured together and including a top portion and opposed side surfaces;    d. a pair of side panels adapted to be connected to the front and rear subassemblies;    e. a series of threaded studs welded to either the front or rear subassemblies or to the side panels and projecting therefrom into and through openings formed in either the front and rear subassemblies or the side panels; and    f. the side panels being secured to the front and rear subassemblies by fasteners secured to the threaded studs:    
   
   
       2 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  including a caulk seam interposed between the front and rear subassemblies and the side panels.  
   
   
       3 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the threaded studs are welded to the side panels and project therefrom.  
   
   
       4 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 3  wherein the threaded studs extend generally normal with respect to the plane of the side panels.  
   
   
       5 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the rear subassembly includes a grease containment area and wherein the grease containment area is sealed.  
   
   
       6 . The exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the side surfaces of the front and rear subassemblies includes side surfaces associated with both the front and the rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       7 . The exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the side surfaces of the front and rear subassemblies includes the openings through which the threaded studs project, and wherein the threaded studs project from the side panels.  
   
   
       8 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  including a pair of side members that interconnect the front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       9 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 8  wherein the side members include a pair of rails.  
   
   
       10 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 8  including a series of generally vertically disposed threaded studs for securing the side members to the front and rear assemblies.  
   
   
       11 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the rear assembly includes a sealed grease compartment.  
   
   
       12 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  including a front panel extending across the front of the front subassembly.  
   
   
       13 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the front and rear subassemblies each include a top panel and wherein each top panel includes a flange associated therewith, and wherein when the front and rear subassemblies are secured together the respective flanges lie adjacent each other; and a retainer for holding the flanges.  
   
   
       14 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 13  wherein each flange includes an elongated angle strip and wherein the angle strips of the two flanges lie back to back.  
   
   
       15 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 14  wherein the retainer extends around portions of the angle strips.  
   
   
       16 . The kitchen exhaust hood of  claim 1  wherein the rear subassembly includes a back wall and wherein the back wall is reinforced by a series of spaced apart ribs.  
   
   
       17 . The kitchen exhaust hood assembly of  claim 1  wherein the side surfaces comprise at least two side panels disposed on each side of the front and rear subassemblies and wherein there is formed a side opening between the two side plates on each side of the front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       18 . The kitchen exhaust hood assembly of  claim 17  wherein the side panels are secured flush against the two side plates disposed on each side of the front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       19 . A method of fabricating a kitchen hood assembly comprising: 
 a. connecting front and rear subassemblies;    b. securing a pair of side panels to the front and rear subassemblies;    c. wherein connecting the side panels to the front and rear subassemblies includes welding to either the front or rear subassemblies or to the side panels a series of threaded studs and projecting the threaded studs into and through openings formed in either the front or rear subassemblies or the side panels; and    d. securing fasteners to the studs so as to secure the side panels.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  including placing a caulk seam between the side panels and the front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  including sealing innerfaces between the side panels and the front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  including welding the studs to the side panels such that the threaded studs project from the side panels.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  including forming a grease compartment in the hood assembly and generally sealing areas of the grease compartment where components of the hood assembly innerface.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19  including securing the front and rear subassemblies together by securing a pair of side members to both the front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the side members include a pair of side rails.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  including projecting the threaded studs through openings formed in the side members for the purpose of at least partially securing the front and rear subassemblies to the side members.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 19  including forming the rear subassemblies such that the same includes a central panel that includes a plurality of surfaces that extend at angles with respect to adjacent surfaces; and reinforcing the rear subassembly by securing spaced apart ribs adjacent the center panel.  
   
   
       28 . A method of fabricating a kitchen hood assembly comprising: securing a series of components together to form a kitchen hood assembly having a surrounding sidewall structure, a top and an open bottom; welding a series of threaded studs to various components of the hood assembly and projecting the threaded studs through openings formed in other components of the hood assembly; and securing various components together by securing fasteners to the threaded studs wherein components of the hood assembly are secured together by the welded threaded studs projecting through various openings.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the hood assembly includes a pair of side panels with each side panel having an inner surface having a series of the threaded studs welded about an innerface thereof and projecting inwardly therefrom through openings formed in other components such that the side panels can be secured in part, at least, by the threaded studs projecting therefrom.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the hood assembly further includes an inner frame structure onto which the side panels are secured and wherein the inner frame structure includes a series of openings through which the threaded studs project, and wherein there is provided a series of threaded nuts that are secured to the threaded studs for securing the side panels to the inner frame structure.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the inner frame structure includes front and rear subassemblies.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  including securing a pair of rails to the front and rear subassemblies that at least partially connect the front and rear subassemblies together.