Oven appliance having a restrictor plate to prevent contact

Abstract

An oven appliance may include a cabinet, a door, and a restrictor plate. The cabinet may include a top panel and a bottom panel. The cabinet may define a cooking chamber between the top panel and the bottom panel. The door may be mounted on the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the cooking chamber in a closed position. The restrictor plate may be mounted to the cabinet apart from the door below the bottom panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooking appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the cooking appliance comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a top panel and a bottom panel, the cabinet defining a cooking chamber between the top panel and the bottom panel;   a door mounted on the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the cooking chamber in a closed position; and   a restrictor plate mounted to the cabinet apart from the door below the bottom panel.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a panel embossing extending rearward from the blocking panel against a front panel of the cabinet. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet further comprises a left side panel and a right side panel extending between the top panel and the bottom panel, and wherein the blocking panel is mounted to the left and right side panels. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the restrictor plate defines a transverse hole extending therethrough from a front facing surface of the restrictor plate to a rear facing surface of the restrictor plate. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the restrictor plate defines a plurality of transverse holes extending therethrough and spaced apart along the lateral direction. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the restrictor plate defines
 a first plurality of transverse holes extending therethrough and spaced apart along the lateral direction, and   a second plurality of transverse holes extending therethrough and spaced apart along the lateral direction, the second plurality of transverse holes being spaced apart from the first plurality of transverse holes along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         7 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the restrictor plate is disposed rearward from door. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the cooking chamber extends along a lateral length in the lateral direction between a first chamber side and a second chamber side, and wherein the restrictor plate spans past the lateral length along the lateral direction between the first chamber side and the second chamber side. 
     
     
         9 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the bent bottom rim extends continuously along the lateral direction from a first plate side to a second plate side. 
     
     
         10 . The cooking appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the bent bottom rim defines a maximum depth less than or equal to one inch. 
     
     
         11 . A cooking appliance defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction, the cooking appliance comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a top panel and a bottom panel, the cabinet defining a cooking chamber between the top panel and the bottom panel;   a door mounted on the cabinet to selectively restrict access to the cooking chamber in a closed position; and   a restrictor plate mounted to the cabinet below the door, the restrictor plate comprising
 a blocking panel extending downward below the bottom panel, and 
 a bent bottom rim extending along the transverse direction from the blocking panel below the bottom panel. 
   
     
     
         12 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the cabinet further comprises a left side panel and a right side panel extending between the top panel and the bottom panel, and wherein the blocking panel is mounted to the left and right side panels. 
     
     
         13 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the restrictor plate defines a transverse hole extending therethrough from a front facing surface of the restrictor plate to a rear facing surface of the restrictor plate. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the restrictor plate defines a plurality of transverse holes extending therethrough and spaced apart along the lateral direction. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the restrictor plate defines
 a first plurality of transverse holes extending therethrough and spaced apart along the lateral direction, and   a second plurality of transverse holes extending therethrough and spaced apart along the lateral direction, the second plurality of transverse holes being spaced apart from the first plurality of transverse holes along the vertical direction.   
     
     
         16 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the restrictor plate is disposed rearward from door. 
     
     
         17 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the cooking chamber extends along a lateral length in the lateral direction between a first chamber side and a second chamber side, and wherein the restrictor plate spans past the lateral length along the lateral direction between the first chamber side and the second chamber side. 
     
     
         18 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the bent bottom rim defines a maximum depth less than or equal to one inch.