Fan apparency arrangement for an appliance

Abstract

A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance having a cooling fan for moving cooling air through an airflow pathway is disclosed. The arrangement includes a bracket mounted to the appliance's interior frame and one or more thermal switches mounted to the bracket. The thermal switches have an activation temperature at which they signal a malfunction of the fan when the fan fails to move sufficient cooling air through the airflow pathway. The bracket is configured to secure the switches within the airflow pathway to maintain the switches at a temperature below their respective activation temperatures when the fan is operating properly. Additionally, the bracket conducts heat directly from the frame to the switches so that when the fan malfunctions, the reaction time of the switches in reaching their respective activation temperatures is reduced. An appliance incorporating such a fan apparency arrangement is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fan apparency arrangement for an appliance comprising an interior frame and a fan for moving cooling air through an airflow pathway in an interior of the appliance, the arrangement comprising:
 a bracket mounted to a section of the frame in such a manner that at least a portion of the bracket directly contacts the frame; and   at least one thermal switch mounted to the bracket and comprising an activation temperature at which the at least one thermal switch signals malfunction of the fan,   wherein the bracket (i) secures the at least one thermal switch at a location within the airflow pathway, so that the cooling air flows substantially around the at least one thermal switch to maintain the at least one thermal switch at a temperature below the activation temperature and (ii) conducts heat directly from the frame to the at least one thermal switch so that when the fan fails to move sufficient cooling air through the airflow pathway, the activation temperature of the at least one thermal switch is reached.   
     
     
         2 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein an interface between the at least one thermal switch and the bracket is approximately centered relative to an adjacent section of the airflow pathway. 
     
     
         3 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket comprises at least one mounting surface onto which the at least one thermal switch is mounted, and at least two leg members extending from the at least one mounting surface. 
     
     
         4 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein when the bracket is mounted to the frame, the at least two leg members space the at least one mounting surface away from the frame so that cooling air is allowed to flow between the at least one mounting surface and the frame to prevent obstruction of the airflow pathway and allow cooling air to flow underneath the at least one thermal switch. 
     
     
         5 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the at least two leg members includes a mounting appendage for securing the bracket to the frame, the mounting appendage directly contacting the frame. 
     
     
         6 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermal switch comprises a first thermal switch comprising a first activation temperature and a second thermal switch comprising a second activation temperature higher than the first activation temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the bracket conducts heat substantially evenly from the frame to both the first thermal switch and the second thermal switch. 
     
     
         8 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the first thermal switch is configured to signal malfunction of the fan during an operative cycle of a first heating operation, but remains in a nonfunctioning state during an operative cycle of a second heating operation; and the second thermal switch is configured to signal malfunction of the fan during the operative cycle of the second heating operation, but remains in a nonfunctioning state during the operative cycle of the first heating operation. 
     
     
         9 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein the appliance is a cooking appliance, the first heating operation is a baking or cooking operation and the second heating operation is a self-cleaning operation. 
     
     
         10 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket is made from aluminum, steel or aluminized steel. 
     
     
         11 . An appliance comprising:
 a frame;   an airflow pathway;   a fan operative to move cooling air through the airflow pathway;   a bracket mounted to a section of the frame in such a manner that at least a portion of the bracket directly contacts the frame; and   at least one thermal switch mounted to the bracket and comprising an activation temperature at which the at least one thermal switch signals malfunction of the fan,   wherein the bracket (i) secures the at least one thermal switch at a location within the airflow pathway, so that the cooling air flows substantially around the at least one thermal switch to maintain the at least one thermal switch at a temperature below the activation temperature when the fan is operating properly, and (ii) conducts heat directly from the frame to the at least one thermal switch so that when the fan fails to move sufficient cooling air through the airflow pathway, the at least one thermal switch reaches the activation temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein an interface between the at least one thermal switch and the bracket is approximately centered relative to an adjacent section of the airflow pathway. 
     
     
         13 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein the bracket comprises at least one mounting surface onto which the at least one thermal switch is mounted, and at least two leg members extending from the at least one mounting surface. 
     
     
         14 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein when the bracket is mounted to the frame, the at least two leg members space the at least one mounting surface away from the frame so that cooling air is allowed to flow between the at least one mounting surface and the frame to prevent obstruction of the airflow pathway and allow cooling air to flow underneath the at least one thermal switch. 
     
     
         15 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the at least two leg members includes a mounting appendage for securing the bracket to the frame, the mounting appendage directly contacting the frame. 
     
     
         16 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one thermal switch comprises a first thermal switch comprising a first activation temperature and a second thermal switch comprising a second activation temperature higher than the first activation temperature. 
     
     
         17 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein the bracket conducts heat substantially evenly from the frame to both the first thermal switch and the second thermal switch. 
     
     
         18 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein the first thermal switch is configured to signal malfunction of the fan during an operative cycle of a first heating operation, but remains in a nonfunctioning state during an operative cycle of a second heating operation; and the second thermal switch is configured to signal malfunction of the fan during the operative cycle of the second heating operation, but remains in a nonfunctioning state during the operative cycle of the first heating operation. 
     
     
         19 . The fan apparency arrangement of  claim 18 , wherein the appliance is a cooking appliance, the first appliance operation is a baking or cooking operation and the second appliance operation is a self-cleaning operation.