Grate fingers in flue path

Abstract

A cooking device includes a cooktop, an oven provided under the cooktop, a burner grate on a top surface of the cooktop, and a flue path connecting an oven cavity of the oven and a discharge opening. The flue path is located adjacent the cooktop. The burner grate comprises at least one grate finger extending over the discharge opening of the flue path. The grate finger comprises a drip edge that is located above the discharge opening of the flue path, and the drip edge is configured to allow a condensed flue gas to drip from the drip edge into the flue path through the discharge opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooking device comprising:
 a cooktop;   an oven provided under the cooktop;   a burner grate on a top surface of the cooktop; and   a flue path connecting an oven cavity of the oven and a discharge opening located adjacent the cooktop,   said burner grate comprising at least one grate finger extending over the discharge opening of the flue path, said grate finger comprising a drip edge that is located above the discharge opening of the flue path, the drip edge being configured to allow a condensed flue gas to drip from the drip edge into the flue path through the discharge opening.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the grate finger comprises a grate finger top surface that is parallel to a top surface of the burner grate, and the drip edge extends downward from the grate finger top surface toward the discharge opening of the flue path. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the drip edge further comprises a drip point at a location along the drip edge closest to the discharge opening of the flue path, the drip point is configured to allow condensed flue gas gather to the drip point and to drip from the drip point into the flue path through the discharge opening. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking device of  claim 2 , wherein at least a part of the grate finger comprises a substantially convergent shape extending downward, and a vertex of the convergent shape is a drip point. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking device of  claim 4 , wherein a cross section of the grate finger taken in a plane perpendicular to a planar expanse of the burner grate becomes narrower toward the drip edge. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking device of  claim 4 , wherein a cross-section of the grate finger taken in a plane perpendicular to the top surface of the burner grate and passing through the drip point includes a substantially triangular shape. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the discharge opening of the flue path is oriented at an obtuse angle with respect to the cooktop. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the oven is a gas convection oven. 
     
     
         9 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the grate finger is integral with the burner grate, and the grate finger and the burner grate are made of the same material. 
     
     
         10 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , wherein the grate finger and the burner grate are unitedly cast in one mold. 
     
     
         11 . The cooking device of  claim 1 , said burner grate comprising a plurality of said grate fingers, each comprising a respective drip edge located above the discharge opening of the flue path and configured to allow condensed flue gas to drip therefrom into said flue path through the discharge opening. 
     
     
         12 . A cooktop burner grate comprising:
 a grate frame; and   at least one grate finger extending from the grate frame,   wherein a part of the grate finger comprises a substantially convergent shape extending downward.   
     
     
         13 . The cooking burner grate of  claim 12 , said convergent shape comprising a drip edge extending downward, and a drip point disposed at a lowest location along said drip edge. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking device of  claim 12 , wherein a cross section of the grate finger taken in a plane perpendicular to a planar expanse of the burner grate becomes narrower toward the drip edge. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking device of  claim 12 , wherein a cross-section of the grate finger, taken in a plane perpendicular to a top surface of the burner grate and passing through the drip point, includes a substantially triangular shape. 
     
     
         16 . The cooktop burner grate of  claim 12 , wherein the grate finger is integral with the grate frame of the burner grate, and the grate finger and the grate frame are made of the same material. 
     
     
         17 . The cooktop burner grate of  claim 12 , wherein the grate finger and the grate frame are unitedly cast in one mold. 
     
     
         18 . A cooktop burner grate comprising:
 a grate frame; and   at least one grate finger extending outside of the grate frame,   wherein the grate finger comprises a drip edge extending downward, and   wherein a cross-section of the grate finger, taken in a plane perpendicular to a planar expanse of the grate frame and perpendicular to the direction in which the grate finger extends from the grate frame, comprises convergent sides defining at least a portion of a substantially inverted triangle.   
     
     
         19 . The cooktop burner grate of  claim 18 , wherein the grate finger is integral with the grate frame of the burner grate, and the grate finger and the grate frame are made of the same material. 
     
     
         20 . The cooktop burner grate of  claim 18 , wherein the grate finger and the grate frame are unitedly cast in one mold. 
     
     
         21 . The cooktop burner grate of  claim 18 , comprising a plurality of said grate fingers each having said cross-section.