Abstract:
A portable cooking oven utilizes heat lamps to provide a low temperature slow cooking system. Independently operated dimmer control switches provide temperature control by controlling the power supplied to selected heat lamps.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to portable cooking ovens which utilize electrical lamps as a heat source, and more specifically to such ovens which are utilized for low temperature cooking, which include infinitely controllable temperatures within a given temperature range and wherein the temperature of selected lamps may be independently controlled. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of electrical lamps as a heat source for warming and cooking food is well known. However, little has been accomplished in the way of utilizing the potential of this very effective and low cost method of cooking. It is well known that low temperature cooking has many advantages over high temperature cooking, not the least of which is the fact that high temperature electric ovens require the use of a 220 volt power supply. Conversely, electric lamps typically operate with a conventional 110V power supply, can be purchased at very low cost and with relatively large heat outputs. It follows that such lamps provide an ideal medium for specific cooking needs. Examples of such needs include outdoor cooking wherein cost convenience and portability are of paramount importance. Within this category, cooking while camping is becoming an art form rather than simply a necessary chore. The present invention provides the ultimate in convenience and utility for all such cooking needs. In addition, the present invention provides a low temperature cooking oven which produces delicious results with the cooking of a great variety of foods such as roasts or full course meals. The cost of electric lamps and other building materials required for manufacture of the device is very low, as is the cost of the 110V electricity with which it operates. Accordingly, it is clear that the present invention is very economical to build and to operate. 
     The following are U.S. patents which relate generally to the present invention: U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,516 to Goodel; U.S. Pat. No. 2,549,619 to Miskella; U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,249 to Hudson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,297 to Benson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,932 to Forrer; U.S. Pat. No. 2,575,616 to Bergendal; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,054 to Paul. The Goodel patent, titled “ELECTRICALLY HEATED OVEN”, relates to an oven which includes specifically designed ducts for cooling the electrical wires which supply power to the heating elements of the oven. The Miskella patent, titled “INFRARED OVEN”, is directed to a food conveyer system which passes through the oven and which operates in conjunction with an air circulation-system. The Hudson patent, titled “INFRARED OVEN STRUCTURE”, discloses an interior arrangement and configuration of panels which support infrared lamps within the oven. The Benson patent, titled “RADIANT ENERGY OVEN”, teaches use of a specific interior configuration for use in a quick acting, high temperature oven. The Forrer patent, titled “INFRARED COOKING OVEN”, discloses an arrangement of a food shelf for primary heat by radiation independent of heat from air circulated within the oven. The patent to Bergendal, titled “DOMESTIC INFRA-RED RADIATION OVEN”, relates to optimizing infrared wave length and to specific sizing and location of the infrared sources. The patent to Paul, titled “HOT FOOD STAND”, teaches the use of a food warmer which is actuated by placing food on a tray positioned beneath heating lamps. 
     It will be readily appreciated that the while the above described patents relate to the present invention in that the patents utilize heat lamps of various types for cooking and warming food none of the patents in any way suggests the invention described herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing it is clear that a need exists for a portable low temperature oven which may be economically manufactured and which may be operated by conventional 110 volt electrical power. The present invention provides an oven which effectively provides such an oven. In addition the present invention provides state of the art insulation, which is not only an effective insulator, but is also light in weight. 
     To provide such an oven, the present invention includes a rectangular housing constructed of a dual purpose laminated insulating panels. The material consists of a rigid heat resistant insulation material sandwiched between layers of a hard shell material such as aluminum. The housing is provided with an opening for a hinged door which is also constructed of laminated insulating panels. Within the housing a plurality of electric lamps are attached to threaded electrical fixtures. An electrical circuit provides power to the fixtures and lamps when attached to a conventional 110 volt electrical power supply. The circuits include a pair of dimmer switch controls which may be adjusted infinitely between an off position and a predetermined maximum power supplied to the lamps. These controls are attached to selected of the lamps and serve to provide the desired cooking temperature within selected areas of the oven in accordance with the location of the lamps. Typically, an oven is provided with four heating lamps. A single lamp is attached to each side wall of the housing and two lamps are attached to the top of the housing. By circuitry arrangement each of the control switches is attached to a side mounted lamp and to a top lamp which is positioned adjacent the opposite wall. In this way each control switch controls diagonally opposing lamps. This provides the user with the ability to control the cooking temperature to selected portions of the food being cooked without the danger of over cooking any isolated portion. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the low temperature oven comprising the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of the oven taken with the door removed for clarity and illustrating a cooking pan positioned within the oven. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the oven illustrating the side which includes the oven controls. 
     FIG. 4 is a sample portion taken from the front of the oven and illustrating the construction of the insulated panels which make up the housing of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic of the electrical circuit of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, reference is made in particular to FIG. 1 wherein the oven which is the subject of the invention is indicated generally by the numeral  10 . The oven  10  is primarily defined by a housing  12  which includes a top  14 , a bottom  16 , a front  18 , a back  20  (best illustrated in FIG.  3 ), a first side  22 , and a second side  24 . It will be noted that the first and second sides,  22  and  24  respectively, are identified as being the left and right sides respectively of the housing  12  when viewed from the front. Handles  26 ,  28 , are attached one to each of the sides  22 ,  24  to provide a convenient means for carrying the oven. The front  18  includes an opening  30  which provides access to the interior of the housing  12 . A door  32  is pivotally attached to the front  18  for selectively opening or closing the opening  30 . Any conventional means can be provided to hold or lock door  32  in a closed position. This means might be one or more spring loaded latches carried by door  32  which engage apertures in the front  18  of the oven  10 , spring means which provide a friction fit between the door  32  and the opening  30 , a lock placed in door  32  for engaging the walls of an aperture in the opening  30 , or simple cooperating latch means provided on the outside of door  32  and the front  18  of oven  10 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 the housing is constructed of laminated panels which are formed of a rigid insulating material  34  which is surrounded by a protective covering  36 . It has been found that effective panels may be constructed of a two inch insulating fiberglass board #6 density, surrounded by 0.032″ aluminum stucco embossed flat sheets. Referring now to FIG. 2, the interior of the housing  12  is provided with a first light fixture  40 , a second light fixture  42  a third light fixture  44  and a fourth light fixture  46 . For safe operation of the oven  10  heat resistant fixtures and heat resistant interior wires are required. Fixtures suitable for this application are available from Eagle Electric Mfg. CO. of Long Island City, N.Y. and are identified by Mfg. number 610. Heat resistant wiring is an over the counter item available from any well stocked electrical supply outlet. Utilization of these common sense precautions provides a device which is exceedingly safe in operation. It is thus obvious that the present invention provides the simplicity and safety of use as is enjoyed by the use of any common electrical lamp. As is well known, such lamps produce heat by convection rather than by infrared radiation such as is produced by several of the prior art patents cited supra. An electric heat lamp  48  is threadedly attached to each of the light fixtures. Heat lamps  48  are directed toward a cooking pan  50  which is typically utilized to contain the food to be cooked. It has been found that conventional heat lamps in the 200 to 300 watt range are most effective for cooking in this four lamp oven. If time permits the cooking process may be accomplished with the use of only two of the four lamps. As will be pointed out in detail hereinafter the heat lamps  48  of the oven  10  are positioned for effective cooking when using either two or four of the lamps. More specifically, during a cooking situation wherein two bulbs are lighted, the lighted bulbs are laterally spaced and angularly disposed from one another so as to provide maximum dispersal of the heat rays emitted by the lighted bulbs. FIG. 5 of the drawings illustrates an electrical circuit which supplies power from a conventional 110 volt power source to the electrical fixtures  40 ,  42 ,  44 , and  46 . Electrical dimmer switches  60  and  62  provide control of electrical power to selected fixtures. The electrical dimmer switches  60 , 62  are of conventional design and are readily available in electrical retail stores. The switches  60 , 62  are mounted within a switch box  59  which is attached to side  24  of housing  12 . As shown in the schematic of the electrical circuit, each of the dimmer switches  60 ,  62  receives electrical power from a conventional 110 volt power supply through plug  64  and a connecting power cord  66 . It will be noted that each of the fixtures is connected to the power cord through one of the dimmer switches  60 , 62 . With the illustrated circuitry the fixtures  40  and  44  are controlled by dimmer switch  62 , while fixtures  42  and  46  are controlled by dimmer switch  60 . It is significant to note that this arrangement provides power control to heat lamps which are positioned diagonally from one another. Stated another way, as indicated above and in the drawings, in any cooking situation the lighted bulbs are laterally spaced and angularly disposed from one another so as to provide maximum dispersal of the heat rays emitted by the lighted bulbs. This arrangement provides the capability of providing heat where needed while preventing a major unbalance of heat within the oven. Thus, as mentioned above the cooking process may be accomplished by use of either two or four heat lamps. This feature is also particularly useful when the item being cooked is of an unusual shape, such as a long and narrow roast. 
     Having described the preferred embodiment of my invention, numerous changes to its construction and operation may become apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I therefore desire to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.