Abstract:
A waffle baking appliance includes a waffle iron pivotally mounted to a stationary base, the waffle iron being pivotable between a first disposition and a second inverted disposition, baking heat being appliable to the waffle iron in both the first and the second dispositions. A method for baking a waffle is further included.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a kitchen electrical appliance. More particularly, the present invention is an appliance useful in baking a waffle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    It has been known that flipping (inverting) a waffle-iron during the cooking process enhances the final product. Flipping the waffle-iron results in better uniformity in the spreading of batter between the irons, resulting in a more uniformly cooked product. Also, flipping causes air bubbles, which tend to rise in the waffle batter, to assume a more central location in the waffle, further contributing to the uniformity of the cooked product. 
         [0003]    Kitchen electric appliances are known that show a flipping waffle-iron to exploit those advantages, such as the appliance described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,199. However, such devices are relatively quite large and therefore require a substantial amount of storage space and, due to the large amount of material incorporated in constructing the device, are costly to manufacture. Another type of waffle-iron, a product of Hamilton Beach known as a Belgian Waffle Baker, allows for the inversion of the waffle-iron during baking, but does not include a display component allowing the user to monitor baking time that is readily viewable by the user during the entire baking process. Stationary (non-flipping) waffle-irons have the advantage of presenting controls and a baking display to the user continuously throughout the baking process. 
         [0004]    There is then a need in the industry for an inexpensive flip waffle maker that is easy to store and allows for stationary controls and display that is accessible by the user in all modes of operation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention substantially meets the aforementioned needs of the industry and includes an innovative flip mechanism for a waffle maker. It combines the advantages of a stationary waffle-iron with a flip waffle-iron. Like a stationary waffle-iron, the present invention incorporates a display panel that is mounted in a stationery base and is therefore accessible and viewable at every stage of use. This allows the user to maintain control during the waffle baking process, and provides continuous feedback during that process. The superior baking of a flip waffle-iron is also obtained by providing a stationary base and a pivotally mounted waffle iron, resulting in an evenly cooked waffle. By combining the advantages of a stationary and flip waffle-iron, the result is a waffle-iron that is easy to use and control, that produces an excellent food product, and that uses a minimum of counter space and stores conveniently in a typical kitchen cabinet. 
         [0006]    The present invention is a waffle baking appliance, including a waffle iron pivotally mounted to a stationary base, the waffle iron being pivotable between a first disposition and a second inverted disposition, baking heat being appliable to the waffle iron in both the first and the second dispositions and a continuously viewable display being mounted on the base. The present invention is further a method for baking a waffle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the kitchen appliance in the horizontal cooking position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a fragmentary perspective view of the kitchen appliance in the horizontal cooking position showing the pivot bearing; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view of the base of the kitchen appliance with the control panel cover removed and showing the pivot axle; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a fragmentary perspective view of the kitchen appliance in the horizontal cooking position with cover removed to show internal components of a hot plate; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a fragmentary perspective view of the kitchen appliance in the horizontal cooking position showing external components of the hot plate; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the kitchen appliance in the horizontal, open position; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a fragmentary perspective view of the kitchen appliance with a cover removed to show internal components of a hot plate and displaying components of the hinge mechanism. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    A kitchen electrical appliance or waffle maker is depicted generally at  10  in the Figures. Generally, the waffle maker  10  is used to cook liquid batter in order to convert the liquid batter to an aerated solid product, preferably with a browned outer surface, such as a waffle. 
         [0016]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the waffle maker  10  is comprised primarily of two components, a base  20  and a waffle-iron  22 . The base  20  is comprised of a housing  30 , preferably made of a durable material such as thermal plastic. The housing  30  has a center section  35  flanked by two uprights  36   a ,  36   b . A control panel  32 , mounted to upright  36   a , provides control and feedback mechanisms for the user. As noted in the Figures, the control panel  32 , by being mounted on the stationary base  20  is continually viewable by an operator during the cooking process without regard to the disposition of the various components of the waffle-iron  22 . The control panel  32  includes a display  34  and timer control  38 . The display  34  can include a clock, timer, etc. Preferably, the display  34  includes a countdown timer showing the amount of time remaining for the waffle to be fully cooked. The display  34  can activate an auditory indication to the user upon the expiration of the set time. The timer control  38  may include two control buttons, one of which adjusts the minutes displayed on the display  34 , and the other controls the seconds on the display  34 . 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the base  20  also includes an electrical cord  42 , and as shown in  FIG. 3 , the base  20  includes an interrupted pivot axle  46  to which the waffle-iron  22  is pivotally coupled. Electrical power is transmitted from the cord  42  to components disposed in the electrical panel  40 , and thence distributed to the waffle-iron  22  via the interior passage  43  defined in the axle  46 . The control panel  32  is also electrically coupled to power in the electrical panel  40  when the control panel cover  33  (see  FIG. 1 ) is mated to the base  20 . 
         [0018]    The waffle-iron  22  is the other major component of the waffle maker  10 . The waffle-iron  22  includes two substantially identical waffle-iron halves  58   a ,  58   b . The waffle-iron halves  58   a ,  58   b  are selectively matable together in the cooking disposition of  FIG. 1  and are separable, as depicted in  FIG. 6  for removal of a cooked waffle or for the introduction of batter thereto. Accordingly, the waffle-iron halves  58   a ,  58   b  are independently pivotally coupled to the axle  46 . The waffle-iron halves  58   a ,  58   b  may be rotated relative to the axle  46  in concert or individually, as desired. 
         [0019]    The waffle-iron halves  58   a ,  58   b  of the waffle-iron  22  includes a pair of respective, substantially mirror image outer shells  60   a ,  60   b . Each of the outer shells  60   a ,  60   b  is composed of a heat resistant material, such as stainless steel and functions as a cover for the respective hot plates  64   a ,  64   b . Removal of an outer shell  60   a ,  60   b  exposes the underside of the heating elements, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , described in greater detail below. A respective hot plate  64   a ,  64   b , as depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , is mounted on each outer shell  60   a ,  60   b . A flip handle half  68   a ,  68   b  is mounted on a portion of a respective outer shell  60   a ,  60   b . When the waffle-iron  22  is in the closed (cooking) disposition of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the flip handle halves  68   a ,  68   b  are mated to one another to form a single flip handle  68 . A support  80 , preferably made of a resilient material such as rubber, is mounted on an outer surface of each of the outer shells  60   a ,  60   b . The support  80  rests on the countertop to support the respective waffle-iron half  58   a ,  58   b  of the waffle-iron  22  when a respective waffle-iron half  58   a ,  58   b  is flipped to a disposition overlying the countertop. 
         [0020]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 7 , each of the hot plates  64   a ,  64   b  is comprised of a resistive heating element  82 , an irregular thermal conductor  84 , electrical terminals  86 , and, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a batter surface  90 . The resistive heating element  82  may be made of any of a variety of resistive, non-conducting elements, such as a Calrod™ brand element (Calrod is a registered trademark of the General Electric Company.) The resistive heating element  82  is comprised of an electrically conductive, thermally conductive element, such as copper, encased in a non-electrically conductive, thermally conductive material such as MgO. Two electrical terminals  86  connect either end of the resistive heating element  82  to the electrical cord  42  in order to transfer electrical current through the resistive heating element  82 . 
         [0021]    The irregular thermal conductor  84  includes the batter surface  90  and may be made of any number of materials such as iron or iron alloys that effectively conduct heat and maintain a particular shape throughout the heating/cooling process. The batter surface  90  of the irregular thermal conductor  84  may further be coated with a non-stick material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), thus improving the ability of the finished waffle food product to be removed from the contact surface of the irregular thermal conductor  84 . As depicted in  FIG. 5 , one of many possible batter surfaces  90  is depicted which allow for an irregular surface of a waffle. Such an irregular batter surface  90  can provide structural strength to the waffle and additionally provides voids in the baked waffle to hold syrup, butter, or other condiments. 
         [0022]      FIG. 7  shows the interworking of the components of the hinge assembly  75  to allow the respective hot plates  64   a ,  64   b  to independently rotate relative to the base  20 . The two opposed halves of the pivot axle  46  are fit into respective uprights  36   a ,  36   b  of the housing  30 . Hot plate  64   a  includes pivot bearings  77   a , and  78   a . Hot plate  64   b  includes pivot bearings  76   b . The pivot bearings  76   b ,  77   a , and  78   a  provide independent rotational engagement of the respective hot plates  64   a ,  64   b  with pivot axle  46 . The pivot bearings  77   a , and  78   a  of the hot plate  64   a  flank the pivot bearing  76   b  of the hot plate  64   b . Spring  79  provides a low friction conduit for electric wiring that connects the element  82  to the power cord  42  and the control panel  32 . 
         [0023]    In  FIG. 6 , the waffle-maker  10  is shown in the open position. The horizontal hot plate  64   a  is positioned to receive waffle batter or to remove a baked waffle. Resistive heating element  84  is energized, simultaneously raising the temperature of the hot plates  64   a ,  64   b  to a desired operating temperature, approximately 400° F. A user-determined amount of batter is then poured onto plate  64   a . Flip handle half  68   a  (comprising half of the flip handle halves  68 ) is then grasped by the user and utilized to lower hot plate  64   b  into contact with hot plate  64   a.    
         [0024]    During to baking process, the user then grasps flip handle  68  and rotates the waffle-iron 20 through 180 degrees, ending with hot plate  64   a  residing above, and still in contact with, hot plate  64   b , which is immediately above the underlying counter top. Generally, the waffle-iron  20 , including both waffle-iron halves  58   a ,  58   b  of the waffle-iron  22 , is flipped (inverted) by being rotated about axle  46  from a first side to the base  22  to the opposed second side of the base  22 , the base  22  remaining stationary during the transition. During the entire baking process, the display  32  is continuously viewable by the user to monitor the baking progress. After the baking cycle is complete, approximately 3½ minutes, the user then grasps handle  68   a  and raises it to a resting position, generally greater than 90 degrees from horizontal. The user may then remove the baked waffle and start the process over. 
         [0025]    The above disclosure is not intended as limiting. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the restrictions of the appended claims.