Toaster capable of toasting slice of bread with pattern on surface thereof

In a toaster, when a supporting member on which a sliced bread is placed is moved down to hold the sliced bread in a bread holding space, a pressing member almost straightly keeps and presses the sliced bread toward the plate heater with a pattern plate in conjunction with a downward movement of the supporting member. When heating is started, radiation heat from the plate heater to the sliced bread is shielded by the pattern plate attached to the plate heater. Thus, the sliced bread is toasted with a pattern in the shape of the pattern plate, and a peripheral region of the pattern plate is almost uniformly browned by radiation heat from the plate heater.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to pop-up toasters. More particularly, the 
present invention relates to a toaster capable of toasting a slice of 
bread with a pattern in a shape of animal, flower or the like on the 
surface thereof. 
2. Description of the Background Art 
Generally, a pop-up toaster is exclusively used for toasting a sliced 
bread. In the pop-up toaster, the sliced bread is inserted from the open 
top of the case. 
Today, a certain type of toaster is available in which a sliced bread with 
a different thickness can be toasted. 
In this type of toaster, for example, a width of a slot for insertion and 
removal of a sliced bread in the case and a distance between a pair of 
plate heaters in the case, that is, a bread holding space, correspond to 
the thickest sliced bread. 
In the above described toaster, however, as the bread holding space between 
the two plate heaters corresponds to the thickest sliced bread, in 
toasting the thinnest sliced bread, for example, such sliced bread may be 
inclined in the bread holding space. Then, the upper half of the sliced 
bread on one side may be excessively heated, but the lower half 
insufficiently heated. On the other side of the sliced bread, the upper 
half may be insufficiently heated, while the lower half is excessively 
heated. Thus, the sliced bread may not uniformly be toasted. 
The present inventor has proposed a toaster such as that described above in 
which a pattern plate in the shape of animal, flower or the like is 
attached on an inner side of one plate heater, so that a sliced bread can 
be toasted with a pattern corresponding to the shape of the above 
described pattern plate. 
As described above, in this type of toaster, if the sliced bread is 
inclined when toasting the thinnest sliced bread, the uneven space is 
formed between the pattern plate and the sliced bread, and radiation heat 
from the plate heater is likely to transfer to the space. As a result, the 
sliced bread is not toasted with a clear pattern corresponding to the 
shape of the pattern plate, whereby a fuzzy pattern is formed. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a toaster 
capable of toasting a slice of bread by a heater regardless of a thickness 
of the sliced bread. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a toaster capable of 
uniformly toasting even a thin slice of bread. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pop-up 
toaster capable of toasting a slice of bread with a clear pattern 
corresponding to a shape of a pattern plate on the surface thereof even 
when a thin slice of bread is toasted. 
The above described objects of the present invention can be achieved by a 
toaster having the following elements. 
The toaster according to the present invention includes: a case having a 
slot at the top for insertion and removal of a sliced bread; at least a 
pair of plate heaters provided in parallel in the case to form a shape for 
holding the sliced bread; a supporting member vertically movably provided 
in the bread holding space between the plate heaters for supporting the 
sliced bread; and a pressing member pressing the sliced bread toward one 
plate heater when the sliced bread is supported by the supporting member 
and held in the bread holding space. 
The sliced bread is pressed toward one heater by the pressing member. As 
the sliced bread is pressed toward one heater, it is kept in parallel to 
the heater during toasting. As a result, the sliced bread can be uniformly 
browned by the heater regardless of its thickness. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, a toaster includes: a 
case having a slot at the top for insertion and removal of a sliced bread; 
at least a pair of plate heaters spaced apart almost in parallel in the 
case to form a bread holding space; a supporting member vertically movably 
provided in the bread holding space between the plate heaters for 
supporting the sliced bread; a pattern plate attached on an inner side of 
one plate heater for partially shielding radiation heat from the plate 
heater; and a pressing member pressing the sliced bread toward the plate 
heater with the pattern plate in conjunction with a downward movement of 
the supporting member. 
When the supporting member on which the sliced bread is placed is moved 
down and the sliced bread is held in the bread holding space, the pressing 
member such as a movable guard is inclined in conjunction with the 
downward movement of the supporting member, so that the pressing member 
moves the sliced bread straightly toward the plate heater with the pattern 
plate. When heating is started, radiation heat from the plate heater is 
shielded by the pattern plate attached to the plate heater, whereby the 
sliced bread is browned with a pattern in the shape of the pattern plate. 
For a region of the sliced bread other than the pattern (hereinafter 
referred to as a peripheral region), radiation heat from the plate heater 
is almost uniformly applied to the surface of the sliced bread for 
toasting. 
Thus, as the thin sliced bread is straightly pressed toward the plate 
heater with the pattern plate in the bread holding space between the pair 
of plate heaters, a clear pattern in the shape of the pattern plate is 
formed and the peripheral region can uniformly be toasted. 
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a toaster 
includes: a case having a slot at the top for insertion and removal of a 
sliced bread; at least a pair of plate heaters spaced apart almost in 
parallel in the case to form a bread holding space; a supporting member 
vertically movably provided in the bread holding space between the plate 
heaters for supporting the sliced bread; guards each provided on an inner 
side of the plate heater for preventing direct contact of the sliced bread 
with the inner side of the plate heater; a pattern plate attached to one 
guard for partially shielding radiation heat from the plate heater on the 
side of the guard. The other guard is a movable guard which is inclined 
with a lower end thereof as a supporting point in conjunction with a 
downward movement of the supporting member for pressing the sliced bread 
toward the guard with the pattern plate. 
The guard for the plate heater is used as the pressing member for pressing 
the sliced bread. As the guard is preliminary provided, additional parts 
are not necessary. 
Preferably, the movable guard is formed of a single wire which is bent in a 
prescribed shape, and a supporting point thereof is attached to the plate 
heater in a twisted state. The movable guard is held close to the 
corresponding plate heater by its own twisting spring force when the 
supporting member is on the upper side, and inclined against the twisting 
spring force to be closer to the guard with the pattern plate in 
conjunction with a downward movement of the supporting member. 
Since the movable guard in a single wire is provided as the pressing member 
with its supporting portion for the plate heater in a twisted state, the 
movable guard can be brought back to its original position by its own 
twisting spring force as the supporting member moves upward. Thus, any 
additional part such as a twisting spring for bringing the guard to the 
original position is not necessary, so that increase in a cost can be 
avoided. 
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a toaster 
includes: a case having a slot in the top for insertion and removal of a 
sliced bread; at least two plate heaters spaced apart almost in parallel 
in the case for forming a bread holding space; a supporting member for a 
sliced bread vertically movably provided in the bread holding space 
between the plate heaters; and guards each provided on inner sides of the 
plate heater for preventing direct contact of the sliced bread with the 
inner sides of the plate heater. At least one guard is formed of a single 
wire which is bent in a prescribed shape, of which lower portion is 
attached to the plate heater with its supporting point in a twisted state. 
The guard is a movable guard which is held close to the corresponding 
plate heater by its own twisting spring force when the supporting member 
is positioned on an upper side, and inclined to be closer to the other 
guard against its own twisting spring force in conjunction with a downward 
movement of the supporting member. 
As the guard of the plate heater serves as the pressing member in a toaster 
without the pattern plate, a structure for pressing the sliced bread 
toward the plate heater can be simplified. 
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the 
present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed 
description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the 
drawings. 
Referring to FIG. 1, two slots 2 and 3 for insertion and removal of a slice 
of bread are laterally provided at the top of a case 1 of a toaster A. 
Each of these slots 2 and 3 is generally in a rectangular shape when 
viewed from above. 
Referring to FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, two sets of plate heaters 4, 5 and 6 are 
provided corresponding to slots 2 and 3 for insertion and removal of the 
sliced bread in case 1. Plate heaters 4, 5 and 6 are spaced apart by a 
prescribed distance almost in parallel to form two bread holding spaces 7 
and 8 for holding the sliced bread. It is noted that first plate heater 4 
in the middle and second plate heater 5 on one side are for toasting both 
sides of a sliced bread B held in bread holding space 7, whereas first 
plate heater 4 in the middle and third plate heater 6 on the other side 
are for toasting both sides of sliced bread B held in the other bread 
holding space 8. 
Supporting bars 9 and 10 for supporting sliced bread B are vertically 
movably provided in bread holding spaces 7 and 8. One end of each of 
supporting bars 9 and 10 outwardly produces from one side of case 1, to 
which a single knob 11 (see FIG. 1) is attached. A user can vertically 
move supporting bars 9 and 10 by knob 11. When the supporting bar is moved 
down to a prescribed position, it is held by a holding mechanism (not 
shown) and allowed to move upward at the termination of a timer (not 
shown). It is noted that the above described timer is started by a 
toasting control knob 12 externally provided on one side of case 1. 
Attached to the above described three plate heaters 4, 5 and 6 are two 
guards 13 and two guards 14 for preventing direct contact of sliced bread 
B with plate heaters 4, 5 and 6. More specifically, first plate heater 4 
in the middle is provided with guards 13 on either side, whereas each of 
second and third heaters 5 and 6 on both sides is provided with guard 14 
only on its inner side. Two guards 13 attached to first plate heater 4 
have its upper and lower ends fixed, whereas guards 14 attached to second 
and third heaters 5 and 6 have their lower ends fixed, but are generally 
adapted to be inclined using the lower ends as supporting points. Guards 
13 for first plate heater 4 and guards 14 for second and third plate 
heaters 5 and 6 are respectively referred to as fixed guards and movable 
guards. Each of these guards 13 and 14 are formed by bending a single wire 
or the like at upper and lower portions. 
As shown in FIG. 4, the above described movable guard 14 includes: a bread 
pressing portion 14a generally in a shape of a rectangle with one side 
opened; two supporting portions 14b laterally extending from two lower 
ends of bread pressing portion 14a; and adjusting portions 14c upwardly 
extending from ends of supporting portions 14b. Supporting portions 14b 
are inclined with respect to, not parallel to, bread pressing portion 14a 
with a prescribed angle. As shown in FIG. 5, two supporting portions 14b 
of movable guard 14 are rotatably fixed to fixing members 5a, 5b, 6a and 
6b at the inner lower ends of second and third plate heaters 5 and 6. 
Supporting portions 14b of movable guard 14 are attached to second and 
third plate heaters 5 and 6 in parallel to bread pressing portion 14a in 
an elastically deformed state. Thus, the lower end of bread pressing 
portion 14a is brought into a twisted state, so that a twisting spring 
force is generated for energizing the upper ends of bread pressing 
portions 14a to move toward second and third plate heaters 5 and 6. 
A pattern plate 15 partially shielding radiation heat from first plate 
heater 4 is detachably attached to each of fixed guards 13. Pattern plate 
15 is in a shape of animal as shown, flower, character, symbol or the 
like. Pattern plate 15 allows sliced bread B to be browned with a pattern 
of the shape of pattern plate 15 on one surface thereof. 
Now, a method of using the above described toaster A will be described. 
First, knob 11 is positioned on the upper side, that is, supporting bars 9 
and 10 are elevated to the upper side of bread holding spaces 7 and 8. 
Then, as shown in FIG. 3A, sliced bread B is inserted into each of slots 2 
and 3 for insertion and removal of the sliced bread in case 1, so that 
sliced bread B is supported by each of supporting bars 9 and 10. By moving 
down knob 11, supporting bars 9 and 10 are also moved down, so that sliced 
bread B is held in each of bread holding spaces 7 and 8. The moved down 
supporting bars 9 and 10 are held at the lower position by a holding 
mechanism (not shown). 
At the time, bread pressing portion 14a of movable guard 14 which is 
attached to each of second and third plate heaters 5 and 6 is inclined 
using supporting portion 14b as a supporting point against its own 
twisting spring force in conjunction with a downward movement of each of 
supporting bars 9 and 10. Thus, bread pressing portion l4a abuts against 
one side of sliced bread B for pressing it toward first plate heater 4 in 
the middle. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, sliced bread B is placed almost 
straightly and almost in parallel to first plate heater 4. Thus, sliced 
bread B is set in each of bread holding spaces 7 and 8, held in parallel 
to first plate heater 4. In this state, as movable guards 14 are held down 
by supporting bars 9 and 10, they are kept inclined. 
Thereafter, by suitably rotating toasting control knob 12, three plate 
heaters 4, 5 and 6 are heated for a prescribed period of time by a timer 
(not shown). Thus, a toasting operation is started for toasting both sides 
of sliced bread B. As pattern plates 15 are attached on both sides of 
first plate heater 4 in the middle for shielding radiation heat from first 
plate heater 4 toward sliced bread B, a region shielded by each of pattern 
plates 15 on one side of sliced bread B is not browned, whereby only a 
peripheral region, that is, a region which is not shielded by pattern 
plate 15, is browned. Thus, a pattern in the shape of pattern plate 15 is 
formed by browning the peripheral region. 
When the timer is terminated and the toasting of sliced bread B is 
finished, the holding mechanism (not shown) stops the operation of holding 
supporting bars 9 and 10. Supporting bars 9 and 10 are elevated, so that 
sliced bread B comes out of each of bread holding spaces 7 and 8. As 
supporting bars 9 and 10 elevate, the downward pressure by movable guard 
14 is eliminated. As a result, bread pressing portions 14a of movable 
guards 14 are brought back to the sides close to second and third plate 
heaters 5 and 6 by their own twisting spring force. Now that sliced bread 
B is totally free in bread holding spaces 7 and 8, it can readily be 
removed therefrom. 
As described above, in toaster A according to the present embodiment, when 
sliced bread B is held in each of bread holding spaces 7 and 8, it is 
straightly pressed toward fixed guard 13 on the side of first plate heater 
4 with pattern plate 15. As a space between first plate heater 4 and 
sliced bread B is almost uniform, sliced bread B can be toasted with a 
fine pattern in the shape of pattern plate 15, and the peripheral portion 
can uniformly be browned. It is ensured that sliced bread B is not 
inclined in each of bread holding spaces 7 and 8, but almost straightly 
held. Thus, the present invention is especially effective when a thickness 
of sliced bread B is small. 
In the above described embodiment, movable guards 14 are attached to second 
and third plate heaters 5 and 6 in the twisted state to produce the 
twisting spring force, so that movable guards 14 are brought back to the 
position close to second and third plate heaters 5 and 6 by their own 
twisting spring forces when supporting bars 9 and 10 are elevated. 
Therefore, a separate twisting spring is not necessary for bringing back 
movable guards 14 to their original positions, whereby the number of parts 
required is small and the cost is not increased. 
In the above described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, a distance between 
first plate heater 4 and sliced bread B is smaller than that between each 
of second and third plate heaters 5 and 6 and sliced bread B when sliced 
bread B is held in each of bread holding spaces 7 and 8. Therefore, if a 
heating ability of first plate heater 4 and that of second and third plate 
heaters 5 and 6 are same, or a heating temperature of first plate heater 4 
and that of second and third plate heaters 5 and 6 are same, there would 
be a variation in browning of both sides of sliced bread B. To uniformly 
brown both sides of sliced bread B, for example, the heating ability of 
first plate heater 4 is set relatively lower than that of second and third 
plate heaters 5 and 6, or the heating temperature of first plate heater 4 
is set lower than that of second and third plate heaters 5 and 6. 
It is noted that the present invention is not limited to the above 
described embodiment and various applications and variations are possible. 
(1) In the above described embodiment, although any additional part (for 
example a twisting spring) is not be used as movable guard can be brought 
back to its original position by its own twisting spring force, movable 
guards 14 as shown in FIG. 6 may be used. In the illustrated example, 
supporting portions 14b of movable guard 14 is formed in parallel to, but 
not inclined with respect to, bread pressing portion 14a, so that 
supporting portion 14b is attached to each of second and third plate 
heaters 5 and 6 in a non-twisted state. Then, a separate twisting spring 
(not shown) is additionally attached so that a twisting spring force 
thereof can bring movable guard 14 back to its original position. 
(2) Although any additional part (a twisting spring) is not be used as 
movable guard 14 is brought back to its original position by its own 
twisting spring force in the above described embodiment, movable guards 14 
as shown in FIG. 7 or FIGS. 9A and 9B may be used. In the illustrated 
example, movable guard 14 is directly attached to each of second and third 
plate heaters 5 and 6, not in the twisted state as in the above described 
embodiment. More specifically, the shapes of adjusting portions 14c of 
movable guards 14 are bent in a V like shape when seen in a direction 
indicated by an arrow A to pinch supporting bars 9 and 10. Thus, movable 
guards 14 are inclined during a downward movement of supporting bars 9 and 
10 and elevated by supporting bars 9 and 10 during elevation of supporting 
bars 9 and 10, so that they are brought back to the position close to the 
side of second and third plate heaters 5 and 6. As in the above described 
embodiment, the twisting spring is not necessary. 
(3) Although toaster A in which pattern plates 15 are attached to fixed 
guards 13 is exemplified in the above described embodiment, the present 
invention may also be applied to a structure in which pattern plates 15 
are not attached. Thin sliced bread B can be held in each of bread holding 
spaces 7 and 8 in a straightly pressed state by movable guard 14, so that 
sliced bread B can be uniformly browned. 
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in 
detail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration 
and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit 
and scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms of the 
appended claims.