EASILY CLEANED AND SERVICED WAFFLE IRON

Abstract: An improved belgian style waffle iron apparatus wherein the waffle grid providing members, electrical connections therefore and electrical components associated with the iron base are all easly disconnected and easily cleaned and serviced. An easily cleaned and serviced belgian style waffle iron has a cast aluminium base (10) provided with a hollow interior opening downwardly between support legs of the base, an electrically power source component (50) including a housing (51) which is removably secured within the base cavity and includes a pair of electrical conduit plug receiving receptacles (55a and 55b), a power line (60) for connection to a source of electrical power, electrical conduit (57a-c and 58a-c) for electrically connecting the receptacles to the power line and fasteners (56a-d) for holding the housing in the base cavity, a pair of waffle grid providing members (20 and 30) are pivottaly mounted on the base by a support shaft (42) extending between spaced journal blocks (41a and 41b) which in turn are removably mounted to the waffle iron base, in such a manner to allow easy removal of the blocks, shaft and grid providing members for cleaning or servicing thereof and a pair of detachable thermostat-electrical conduit members (70 and 80) are provided to supply electrical power from the electrical power source component to heating elements (25 and 35) in the grid providing members, the thermostat-electrical conduit (70 and 80) being disconnectable at both ends where they engage the members and power source component whereby the waffle iron construction is in components which are each individually and collectively separable for cleaning, servicing or replacement.

Description: EASILY CLEANED AND SERVICED WAFFLE IRON BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: The present invention relates in general to waf irons and more specifically to waffle irons employed baking belgian style waffle. A popular form of waffle commonly referred to a belgian style waffle is a fairly thick waffle made f light batter in such a manner that fairly deep rectangu 10 indentations of one-half or more inches deep are provi on each surface of -the waffle to facilitate the retent of dessert type toppings, fruits and syrups thereon. order to make such thick waffles of light weight batter is necessary to employ fairly heavy, bulky waffle i • *-- * -' constructions which have typified the construction belgian waffle irons. Such irons have generally be made cast iron and originally was gas fired or heated over co The thick heavy cast iron construction of the ir facilitated maintenance of heat and heat trans 0 throughout the iron to the waffle batter maintained betw mating iron members or plates with irons being periodica turned over during the baking process. Waffle i apparatus which have facilitated such turning of the waf iron parts or plates have been made in manner to insure 5 continued maintenance of the heavy, cast iron parts of iron in assembled operable relation. Concern has b given heretofore with making the sturdy cast ir construction irons for durability, with the ease cleaning and servicing thereof being generally overlook 0 In the more modern day belgian style waffle iron electrical heating elements have been utilized in waffle iron members requiring suitable electric connections to provide electricity to the heat source, t electrical heating elements. Exemplary thereof is t 5 waffle iron of prior Design Patent Des. 253,217. In the waffle iron construction of the apparatus design patent DES. 253,217, a cast aluminum base utilized with cast aluminum waffle grid providing memb permanently mounted in pivotal relationship upon the ba Thermostat controlled electrical connectors engage electrical heating elements of the grid providing memb in a disconnectable manner while the associated electri conduits were secured in fixed relation to electrical me permanently secured within the iron base in a man generally referred to as "hard" wiring in the electri field. A similiarly connected power line ran from the b to an electrical source such as a conventional wa electrical receptacle. While the thermostat connects the waffle grid providing members could be easi disconnected, the waffle grid providing members, electrical connections and the electrical components w not easily removable from the waffle iron base for clean or servicing. It is therefore the primary object of the pres invention to disclose and provide an improved belgian st waffle iron apparatus wherein the waffle grid provid members, electrical connections therefore and electri components associated with the iron base are all eas disconnected via simple manipulations . It is a further object to provide an improved belg style waffle iron apparatus as in the foregoing obj wherein the major portions of the iron apparatus provided in subassemblies or components which a individually removably mounted to the totally assemb iron apparatus in such manner that the subassemblies components can be individually or collectively removed ease of cleaning of all of the iron apparatus parts, servicing of individual parts which may wear out deteriorate or alternatively to replace an individu subassembly or component without requiring a substant "down time" for the apparatus which would detract from i suitability for use in commercial operations, such as restaurant baking or waffles where it would be not o inconvenient, but commerically undesirable to have extended interruption in the waffle baking operations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: Generally stated, the present invention in an eas cleaned and serviced belgian style waffle iron includes provision of an open bottomed base having a downwar opening cavity therein into which an electrical po source subassembly or unitary component is removab positioned, such component preferably including one or mo electrical conduit plug receiving receptacles, a power li conduit for connection to a source of electrical powe electrical conduit means for electrically connecting t receptacles to the power line and holding means f removably mounting such component in the base cavity. Mo specifically, the present invention in an easily clean and serviced belgian style waffle further includes t provision of means for removably mounting a pair of waff grid providing members in pivotal relation on the waff iron base, such means in an exemplary embodiment includi the provision of a pair of spaced journal blocks which a individually held by manually operable fastening means the waffle iron base whereby on removal of the journ blocks, an associated shaft to which the grid providi members are pivotally mounted is freed to release the gr providing members from the base. As is further contemplated within the prese invention, detachable thermostat-electrical conduit mea are provided for being selectively connected not only thermal sensing and electrical power supply relation heating elements of the grid providing members, but also a quick connect-disconnect manner to the elctrical pow source component whereby on cleaning or servicing of t waffle iron, the base, grid proviidng members, thermosta electrical conduit means and electrical power sour components are each individually and collectively separab from the waffle iron apparatus as a whole. As is still further contemplated within the prese invention, thermal insulating material is provided in pla like form to cover the undersides of the grid providi members in order to reduce the likelihood of an operat touching the heat conductive, normally cast alumin portions of the members. Guard means, preferably in t form of flanges formed integrally of the thermal insulati plates are also provided for to reduce the likelihood waffle batter or cleaning fluids from contacting t thermostat units where they are secured to the gr providing members. It is believed that a better understanding of t present invention in waffle iron, as well as a realizati of additional objects and advantage therefore, will afforded to those skilled in the art from a considerati of the following detailed description of a preferr exemplary embodiment. Reference will be made to t appended sheets of drawings which will be first describ briefly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred exempla embodiment of the easily cleaned and serviced waffle ir of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the waffle iron of Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a rear view of the waffle iron taken alo the plane III-III in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a right side view of the exemplary waff iron taken along the plane IV-IV in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a front view of the exemplary waffle ir as in Fig. 2 showing one of the waffle grid providi members pivoted into overlying relation with the other said members in a waffle baking position for said members Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the exemplary waff iron showing the individual components separated from another for ease of cleaning, servicing or replacement the components. Fig. 7 is a top view of the electrical power sou component showing the electrical subassembly contai within the component housing which is attached to as a u to the iron base. Fig. 8 is a front view of the electrical power sou component of Fig. 7. 10 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT: Referring initially to Fig. 6, the preferr exemplary embodiment of easily cleaned and serviced waf iron, in accordance with the present invention, is made of a plurality of individual components which are easi 15 separated for cleaning and servicing in accordance with t present invention. As seen in Fig. 6, the exemplary waff iron includes, generally stated, a base 10, a pair waffle grid providing members 20 and 30, an electric power source subassembly or component, indicated general 20 at 50, and a pair of individually detachable thermosta electrical conduit means 70 and 80. The waffle gr providing members 20 and 30 are both removably a pivotally mounted to the base by removable mounting eman indicated generally at 40, with thermal insulating materi ,25 guard flanges 90 and 100 extending laterally outwardly the members to overlie the thermostat-electrical connecti each of the members have with the aforestated conduit mea 70 and 80. Referring now more particuarly to Figs. 1 through 30 the exemplary waffle iron base 10 is made up of a unita cast aluminum component having a front wall 11, back wa 12, left side wall 13, right side wall 14 and top 15. Ba 10 is preferably hollow to provide an internal cavi within the side walls below top 15 which opens downward 35 through the open bottom of the base. Top 15 is furth provided with a forward journal block mounting front flan 17 and rear flange 18 for the removably mounted journ blocks 41a and 41b discussed hereinafter. As best seen Fig. 3, back wall 12 of base 10 is provided with a cuto 5 or notch 19 extending over a substantial portion thereof expose most og the front face of the electrical pow source component indicated generally at 50 to facilita electrical connections thereto as discussed hereinafter. A pair of waffle grid providing members 20 and 30 a ° removably mounted, in accoardance with the prese invention, to base 10 to facilitate their removal f cleaning, service or replacement. The respective membe 20 and 30 each comprise a cast aluminum body 21, 31 havi a waffle grid face 22, 32, respectively. The waffle ir 5 bodies may be pivoted from the open position of Fig. 3 the closed position of Fig. 5, by way ofexample, throu the use of handles 23, 33, handle flanges 24 and engaging in an overlapping relation as seen in Fig. Appropriate rod type heating elements 25 and 35 a 0 embedded within each of the cast aluminum bodies 21 and with, as contemplated within the present invention, t provision of thermal insulating plastic material bo covers or plates 26 or 36 protecting the users from comi in direct contact with the hot cast aluminum portions 5 bodies 21 and 31 respectively. Feet 27a and 27b a provided on cover 26 with integral feet 37a and 37b bei formed in cover 36 to facilitate positioning of the waff grid provding members 20 and 30 in open position on base as seen in Figs. 1 through 4. While the waffle gr 0 providing members 20 and 30 are shown pivoted in Fig. 5 a position with member 30 overlying member 20, it contemplated in normal waffle baking operations that bo members will be pivoted in the opposite direction to pla member 20 in overlying relation to member 30 during 5 baking operation. The means for removably mounting the aforedescrib waffle grid providing members 20 and 30 to base 10 in exemplary embodiment are indicated generally at 40 include- the provision of a pair of journal bloc including front journal block 41a and rear journal bl 41b, shaft 42 and the provision of apertured hing flan 43a, 43b and 44 on member 20 and 45a, 45b and 46 on mem 30 as best seen in Fig. 6. Hinge flanges 43a and 43b closely spaced to receive flange 46 therebetween, as flanges 45a and 45b closely spaced to receive flange therebetween, each of the flanges being apertured as sta to receive shaft 42 therethrough to pivotally mount memb 20 and 30 on shaft 42. Spacer sleeves 44a and 44b provided to center the members 20 and 30 over base 10 w assembled in pivotal relation thereto as seen in Figs. through 5. As is particularly contemp(ated within present invention, shaft 42 is removably received in journal blocks 41a and 41b. which in turn are remova fastened to the top 15 of base 10 by suitable manua operable fasteners 47a, 47b, 47c and 47d. Such fasten may comprise wing nuts, hexhead nuts or recessed al wrench style hex headed machine screws turned into suita tapped vertical bores through mounting flanges 17 and 18 top 15 of base 10. By removing fasteners 47a-d, t journal blocks 41a and 41b may be easily released from t base to release shaft 42 and the associated waffle gr providing members 20 and 30 from the base. As is particularly contemplated within the prese invention, an electrical power source subassembly component, indicated generally at 50, is removably mount as a unit to the open bottomed base 10 to facilitate i removal for cleaning of the base, servicing of t electrical conduits and receptacles provided therein ease of the replacement if necessary without substantial interrupting continued use of the waffle iron, as particularly desirable in commercial insulations. In t exemplary embodiment, the electrical power sour - GREA subassembly includes a housing 51 in the form of a f sided open box of cast aluminum construction which removably mounted via apertures 52a and 52b in end flan 53a and 53b respectively. As seen in Figs. 3 through 5 housing 51 is simply inserted upwardly through the o bottom of base 10 and secured therein through the use threaded fasteners 54a and 54b which penetrate thro bores in the front wall 12 of base 10 to engage in suita tapped threads of apertures 52a and 52b. Fasteners 54a τ_0 54b may be made in the same form as fasteners 47a Electrical conduit plug receiving receptacles 55a and are provided within housing 51 with their front fa opening outwardly of housing 51 through a front w thereof as seen in Fig. 8. Suitable fasteners 56a-d -|_5 provided for mounting receptacles 55a and 55b to the fr wall of the box like housing 51 as seen in Figs. 3, 7 8. Referring specifically to Fig. 7, electrical cond means are provided within housing 51 which inclu positive, negative and ground leads 57a-c, respective 20 f 0 -***" receptacle 55a and 58a-c, respectively, for recepta 55b. Ground 59a receives the ground leads internally the housing 51. Electrical power is supplied to the exempl electrical power source component, indicated generally '25 50, via a main conduit 60 which is provided with conventional three prong plug 61. Conduit 60 is prefera securely attached to housing 51 in other than a qui connect-disconnect type coupling like coupling 62. positive, negative and ground leads 63a-c are connec 30 internally of the housing 51 to the respective leads of internal electrical conduit means as seen in Fig. 7. exemplary electrical power source component, indicat generally at 50, therefore is a unitary, removab component which communicates with a power source thro 35 plug 61 to, when assembled to base 10, provided receptacl 55a and 55b opening through recess 19 in the rear wall T of base 10 for quick connect-disconnect electri connections . Detachable thermostat-electrical conduits means provided, as particularly contemplated within the pres invention, in a manner to provide for complete qu removal from the power source component, indica generally at 50, as well as the individual waffle g providing members 20 and 30. Such thermostat-electri conduit means in the exemplary embodiment are indica generally at 70 and 80 and include the provision otherwise conventional electrical thermostat units 71, which have thermal probs 72 and 82 respectively, to eng in conventional manner with the electrical rod type heat elements 25 and 35 of members 20 and 30 respectively. thermostat control units are connected to electri conduits 73 and 83, respectively, which in accordance w the present invention are provided with quick conne disconnect type three prong electrical plugs 74 and respectively, at their opposite ends so that a complet removable, easily disconnected electrical connection made with the power source component indicated generally 50. Each of the electrical plugs 74 and 84 may be provi with bayonent type prongs with receptacles 55a and ' having mating slots wherein the plugs are inserted and t turned into a locking connecting until manually turned the opposite direction for release. a qui connect-disconnect electrical conneciton is thus affor between the power source component, indicated generally 50, and the thermostat-electrical conduit means 70 and 80 As is further contemplated within the prese invention, guard flanges 90 and 100 are provided on waff grid providing members 20 and 30, respectively, to prote the thermostat units 71 and 81 from waffle batter cleaning solutions applied to the open members 20 and 30 seen Fig. 1. Preferably, guard flanges 90, 100 are form integrally of the plastic thermal insulating material SUBSTITUTE SHEET the body covers or plates 26 and 36 to be automatical located in guard positions on assembly of the plates to t cast aluminum bodies 21 and 31, respectively. Machi screw fasteners may be employed for mounting plates 26 a 31 in removable fashion to facilitate cleaning a servicing of the members 20 and 30. A conventional timer 110 is shown mounted to base in Figs 2 and 4-6 in conventional manner, however, virtue of the opened bottom constructions for base 10, accordance with the present invention, easy access provided to the timer works positoned within the ba cavity, as seen in Fig. 4, so that the timer can also easily reached for servicing or replacement. Having thus described a preferred exempla embodiment of an easily cleaned and serviced waffle iron accordance with the present invention, it should be n apparent to those skilled in the art that the with inveniton attains the various obj . ects and advantag hereinbefore stated and that various other embodiment modifications, adaptations and equivalents may be ma within the scope of the present invention which is defin by the following claims . s- uτε SHEET O

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 28 September 1983 (28.09.83); original claims 8,9 and 12 cancelled; original claims 10 and 13 rewritten as claims 8 and 10; original claim 9 now dependent on claim 8] 1. An easily cleaned and serviced belgian waffle iron comprising: an open bottom base having a cavity acce through its open bottom; 5 an electrical power source subassembly includ pair of electrical conduit plug receiving receptacl power line conduit and associated plug for connection electrical supply receptacle, electrical conduit mea electrically connecting said plug receiving receptacl 10 said power line and holding means for removably mo said receptacles, power line conduit and electrical c means in an unitary subassembly in said base cavity; a pair of waffle grid providing members and mea removably mounting said members to said base for pi 15 movement into and out of a waffle baking position; and detachable thermostat-electrical conduit mean selective engagement and disengagement with " both a receiving receptacle of said power source subassembly heating element of at least one of said waffle 20 providing members to selectively place said heating el in thermally controlled electrical communication with power line conduit via said electrical power s subassembly whereby: each of said electrical power source subasse ;:25 waffle grid providing members and thermostat-elect conduit means are individually and collectively remo from said base for cleaning and for ease of servici replacement. 30 2. An easily cleaned and serviced belgian waffle iron as in claim 1 wherein said holding mean said electrical power source subassembly comprisings: a housing having a side wall to which said elect conduit plug receiving receptacles are mounted with 35 receptcales opening outwardly through apertures in side wall, a cavity containing said receptacles SUBSTITUTE SHE E T ^ f electrical conduit means, a fitting mounting said po line conduit fixedly to said housing and remova fastening means for mounting said housing to said b within said base cavity. 5 3. An easily cleaned and serviced belgian st waffle iron as in claim 1 wherein said means for remova mounting said waffle grid providing members to said b comprises: -*- 0 a pair of journal blocks, a member mounting sha and fastener means for removably holding said jour blocks in spaced relation on said base with said sh extending between and being mounted by said journal bloc said grid providing members each having apertured hi 1 providing flanges by which said members are pivota mounted on said shaft, whereby selected removal of s journal blocks from said base releases said shaft and s grid providing members for removal of said grid memb from said base. 20 4. In a waffle iron apparatus having a pair waffle grid providing members having internal heat elements to bake waffle batter positioned between s members, the improvement comprising the provision of: '25 a base having a normally outwardly open inter cavity; an electrical component subassembly including housing having one or more electrical conduit pl receiving receptacles opening through a said wall there 30 a power line conduit secured to said housing for connect to an electrical power source, electrical conduit me within said housing for electrically connecting said one more receptacles to said power line and fastener means removably mounting said housing within said base cavity. 35 The improvement in waffle iron of claim wherein: means are provided for removably mounting waffle grid providing members to said base with at l one of said members being movable relative to the othe said members. 5 6. The improvement in waffle iron of claim 5 whe said means for removably mounting said members to said comprising: a pair of journal blocks removably fastened to 10 base with a member mounting shaft extending therebet whereby on removal of said journal blocks, said shaft associated members are released from said base. 7. The improvement in waffle iron of claim 4 furt 15 comprising: one or more thermostat-electrical conduit means being selectively placed in thermal sensing and electri supply communication with one of said members and electrical source communication with one of said one 20 more receptacles. 8. An easily cleaned, componentized waffle i including a base and further comprising: an electrical power source component and means • 25 removably mounting said component to said base, wher said base comprising a hollow structure having a downwar opening cavity for receiving said electrical power sou component therein and wherein said electrical power sou component comprises one or more electric plug receiv 30 receptacles, a box with one or more side walls and one more receptacles opening through a side wall thereof, main power line conduit connected to said housing electrical conduit means within said housing communicat between one or more receptacles and said power l 35 conduit; one or more waffle grid providing members remova BU R mounted to said base, one or more of said members having electrically operated heating element therein; and electrical conduit means for connecting a heat element of said members to said component. 5 9. A waffle iron of claim 8 wherein means provided for removably mounting said waffle grid provid members in pivotal relation to said base including a p of journal blocks removably fastened to said base with 10 grid providing member mounting shaft extending between s blocks. 10. An easily cleaned and serviced belgian st waffle iron comprising: 15 an open ' bottom base having a cavity accessi through its open bottom; an electrical power source subassembly including pair of electrical conduit plug receiving receptacles, power line conduit and associated plug for connection to 20 electrical supply receptacles to said power line holding means for removably mounting said receptacl power line conduit and electrical conduit means in unitary subsassembly in said base cavity; a pair of waffle grid providing members and means ■25 removably mounting said members to said base for pivo movement into and out of a waffle baking position; detachable thermostat-electrical conduit means selective engagement and disengagement with both a p receiving receptacle of said power source subassembly an 30 heating element of at least one of said waffle g providing members to selectively place said heating elem in thermally controlled electrical communication with s power line conduit via said electrical power sou subassembly whereby each of said electrical power sou 35 subassembly, waffle grid providing members thermostatelectrical conduit means are individually - RE OMP collectively removable from said base for cleaning and ease of servicing or replacement; and thermal insulating plate means covering the u side of each of said waffle grid providing members whe said thermal insulating plate means are further prov with integrally formed guard flanges extending outwardl the associated waffle grid providing members to ove portions of said electrical conduit means where conne to the associated member.

Inventors: ANDRIZZI SHELDON, ANDRIZZI, SHELDON
Applicants: BELLE GEM WAFFLE CO, BELLE-GEM WAFFLE CO.
Application year: 1983
Main classification: H05B3
IPC codes: A47J37