Cooking appliance and knob assembly

Abstract

A cooking appliance or knob assembly may include a surface panel, a bezel body, and a control knob. The surface panel may have a forward face and a rearward face. The surface panel may define a central axis through the surface panel from the rearward face to the forward face. The bezel body may extend from a front end to a rear end disposed against the surface panel. The bezel body may define a central region aligned with the central axis. The bezel body may further define an axial gutter extending through a portion of the bezel body radially outward from the central region. The axial gutter may be disposed between the forward face of the surface panel and the front end of the bezel body. The control knob may be rotatably disposed within the central region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A knob assembly for an appliance, the knob assembly comprising:
 a surface panel having a forward face and a rearward face, the surface panel defining a central axis through the surface panel from the rearward face to the forward face;   a bezel body extending from a front end to a rear end disposed against the surface panel, the bezel body defining a central region aligned with the central axis, the bezel body further defining an axial gutter extending through a portion of the bezel body radially outward from the central region, the axial gutter being disposed between the forward face of the surface panel and the front end of the bezel body; and   a control knob rotatably disposed within the central region.   
     
     
         2 . The knob assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the axial gutter extends continuously about the central axis. 
     
     
         3 . The knob assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the axial gutter is defined between an inner rim and an outer rim spaced apart from the inner rim along a radial direction, wherein the outer rim defines an outer axial length extending rearward from the axial gutter, wherein the inner rim defines an inner axial length extending rearward from the axial gutter, and wherein the outer axial length is greater than the inner axial length. 
     
     
         4 . The knob assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the axial gutter and the surface panel define a water guide between the rear end of the bezel body and the forward face of the surface panel. 
     
     
         5 . The knob assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a light source mounted on a support substrate within the central region forward from the forward face. 
     
     
         6 . The knob assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a light guide mounted within the central region between the control knob and the support substrate along the central axis. 
     
     
         7 . The knob assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the support substrate is spaced apart from the forward face along the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The knob assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a light guide mounted within the central region between the control knob and the support substrate along the central axis. 
     
     
         9 . The knob assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising an electrical connector extending from the support substrate to the forward face. 
     
     
         10 . A cooking appliance comprising:
 a cooktop surface;   a heating element mounted to the cooktop surface;   a control panel positioned forward from the cooktop surface, the control panel comprising a surface panel defining a central axis;   a bezel body extending from a front end to a rear end disposed against the surface panel, the bezel body defining a central region aligned with the central axis, the bezel body further defining an axial gutter extending through a portion of the bezel body radially outward from the central region, the axial gutter being disposed between the forward face of the surface panel and the front end of the bezel body; and   a control knob rotatably disposed within the central region.   
     
     
         11 . The cooking appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the axial gutter extends continuously about the central axis. 
     
     
         12 . The cooking appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the axial gutter is defined between an inner rim and an outer rim spaced apart from the inner rim along a radial direction, wherein the outer rim defines an outer axial length extending rearward from the axial gutter, wherein the inner rim defines an inner axial length extending rearward from the axial gutter, and wherein the outer axial length is greater than the inner axial length. 
     
     
         13 . The cooking appliance of  claim 10 , wherein the axial gutter and the surface panel define a water guide between the rear end of the bezel body and the forward face of the surface panel. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking appliance of  claim 10 , further comprising a light source mounted on a support substrate within the central region forward from the forward face. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking appliance of  claim 14 , further comprising a light guide mounted within the central region between the control knob and the support substrate along the central axis. 
     
     
         16 . The cooking appliance of  claim 14 , wherein the support substrate is spaced apart from the forward face along the central axis. 
     
     
         17 . The cooking appliance of  claim 16 , further comprising a light guide mounted within the central region between the control knob and the support substrate along the central axis. 
     
     
         18 . The cooking appliance of  claim 14 , further comprising an electrical connector extending from the support substrate to the forward face.