Abstract:
Indoor use rotisserie ovens which have construction features and scale which make the cleaning process easier. Shown are indoor use rotisserie ovens which also may rotate cooking foods about either a horizontal or vertical axis, which makes their applications more versatile. Construction features include: a scale appropriate for cleaning in a typical kitchen sink, use of removable electrical components, and single oven wall construction, all to allow easy cabinet cleaning. Also shown is a locking tab manufacturing detail which creates an inexpensive, light weight, oven cavity, which is easy to clean and also permits oven cavity washing and/or immersion in water. This manufacturing detail also is easy to handle by the end-user without projecting sharp edges. Self lubricated spit assembly axles are shown as well to help deaden sound.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is directed toward food cooking ovens. More particularly, the present invention is directed to rotisserie ovens having horizontally and vertically oriented cooking elements.  
         [0002]     Indoor household use rotisserie ovens are in wide use in the United States. Because most use hot electrical elements to radiantly cook foods such as meats, fish, foul, and vegetables; they commonly share cleaning problems associated with splattering, vaporizing, and recondensing of greases and oils. Cleaning typically is made yet more difficult by the presence of hard-to-reach areas such as nooks and crannies around heating elements. Further, grease may condense between inner and outer oven walls and in other inaccessible areas, potentially creating unpleasant odors and breeding grounds for bacteria.  
         [0003]     Part of the problem is that most of these devices have twin, inner and outer, oven wall construction. Such construction does not allow these devices to be immersed in water for cleaning because water would collect in the spaces between the inner and outer walls. Immersion in water for cleaning is also prevented by the presence of integrally connected electrical components.  
         [0004]     Many outdoor rotisseries have single thickness walls encasing their oven cavities. A particularly innovative embodiment of this outdoor construction uses a single thickness oven wall construction and removable electrical components. Such device relies on an outer frame to support the oven cavity and its electrical components. Consequently this device is more expensive to construct than a device which does not rely on an outer frame. In addition, the scale of this device appears to make it difficult to wash the oven cavity in a kitchen sink.  
         [0005]     Other problems indoor household use rotisseries have include lack of versatility. As an example, horizontal spit countertop rotisseries, are good for cooking chickens, but are inappropriate for cooking pizzas. By contrast, horizontal turntable rotisseries, may cook pizzas, but are inappropriate for chickens. And none of these devices can cook breads.  
         [0006]     It would be desirable to have a single device which could a variety of foods and overcomes the aforementioned problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cooking system which is able to cook a variety of foods.  
         [0008]     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an indoor use oven which has construction features and scale which make the cleaning process easier. Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cooking system which is able to rotate cooking foods about either a horizontal or vertical axis, which makes its application more versatile. The cooking system also provides apparatus for cooking breads and bread sticks. The cooking system of the present invention includes a scale appropriate for cleaning in a typical kitchen sink, use of removable electrical components and single oven wall construction, both to allow cabinet washing and/or immersion for cleaning, and a locking tab manufacturing detail which creates an inexpensive, light weight, oven cavity, which is easy to clean and also permits oven cavity washing and/or immersion in water.  
         [0009]     Still further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided cooking system. The cooking system comprises housing means defining an interior chamber, the housing means including an opening adapted to receive a food product into the interior chamber. The housing means further defines a port adapted to matingly receive a removable heating element therethrough. The cooking system also comprises door means adapted to selectively seal the opening and a control box. The control box includes a control box housing and an elongated, electrical resistance heating element secured to the control box housing so as to extend outwardly from an exterior therof. The control box also includes means adapted to selectively secure the control box housing to an exterior of the housing means such that the heating element is received through the port so as to extend into the interior chamber relatively proximate to a selected interior portion of the housing means and a motor. The control box further includes a mechanical coupling operatively engaged to the motor, which mechanical coupling is positioned so as to be adapted to provide a mechanical link therewith to an associated object disposed in the interior chamber and means adapted to selectively receive electrical energy into the at least one of the heating element and the motor.  
         [0010]     In a preferred embodiment, the cooking system further comprises means adapted for securing, within the interior chamber, at least one rotatable member to the mechanical coupling so as to be linked therewith such that mechanical energy from the motor is transferred to the rotatable member through the mechanical coupling. In more preferred embodiment, the rotatable member is at least one of a rotisserie and a turntable for moving food associated therewith relative to the electrical resistance element when disposed in the interior chamber.  
         [0011]     Preferably, the housing includes means adapted for receiving a drip pan therein, which drip pan is oriented so as to receive drippings from food disposed in the interior chamber while being heated by the heating element. In addition, the control box includes a settable timer adapted for selectively activating at least one of the rotatable member and the heating element for a selected duration.  
         [0012]     In a preferred embodiment, the control box includes a settable timer adapted for selectively activating at least one of the rotatable member and the heating element for a selected duration. In addition, the control box includes a lighting element adapted to project light into the interior chamber when the control box is secured to the exterior of the housing.  
         [0013]     Still other objects and aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, simply by way of illustration of one of the best modes suited for to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects all without from the invention. Accordingly, the drawing and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a forward, upper, right hand perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present inventions;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a right side perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  with a hand positioned to remove control box from oven cavity;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a forward, lower perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , with control box being removed;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a right side perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  with back wall and floor removed to show construction details;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is an enlargement of  FIG. 4  as indicated in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a left, upper perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  with its door slid under the oven cavity and vertical axis turntable being installed;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is the same view as shown in  FIG. 6  with turntable fully installed;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is the same view as shown in  FIG. 6  but with reflector installed;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is the same embodiment shown in  FIG. 8  but taken from a lower viewpoint;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the same embodiment shown in FIGS.  6  to  9  but with different turntable; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  shows an upper left perspective view of part of spit assembly with the left axle exploded.  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of a spit assembly used to cook bread and other farinaceous products.  
         [0027]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the spit assembly shown in  FIG. 12  with one end removed.  
         [0028]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a spit assembly used to cook multiple breads and other farinaceous products simultaneously.  
         [0029]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the spit assembly shown in  FIG. 14 , but with both end portions removed.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     The present invention is directed to rotisserie ovens having horizontally and vertically oriented cooking elements. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The cooking system of the present invention is a metal enclosure  10  including an essentially horizontal metal floor  70  and metal roof  74 , a generally vertical metal back  72 , and two essentially vertical side walls, left oven wall  68  and right oven wall  56 , and a glass door  34 .  
         [0031]     Spit assembly  20  is suspended within oven cavity  28  by spit supports  30 . Heating element  32  provides the heat to cook foods within oven cavity  28 . Spit supports  30  have forward rest positions  88  which provide the user an easy place to set down spit assembly  20  before sliding it into cooking position  90 . Spit supports  30  as well as heater support  66  are attached to oven cavity  28  walls by means of tabs  92  on the supports sliding into slots  94  located on the walls.  
         [0032]     Drip pan  40  is covered by drip pan cover  42 , and in combination they function to catch grease and oils dripped from cooking foods. Drip pan cover  42  also functions to prevent fires which might occur by limiting the amount of oxygen that can reach fats and oils contained within drip pan  40 .  
         [0033]     In operation, door  34  is lowered and slid beneath the unit as shown in FIGS.  6  to  9  described in detail below. The door is also suitably removed.  
         [0034]     Control box  36  contains countdown timer  38  which turns off operation of the unit by any suitable means at a time preset by the user.  
         [0035]     Feet rests  44  help stabilize a warming and heating tray (not shown) which is suitably rested on top of the unit.  
         [0036]     Rails  46  provide support for the embodiment on a countertop as well as provide tracks to slide door  34  beneath oven cavity  28 . Rails  46 , by spacing oven cavity  28  off of a countertop, help prevent excessive heat from reaching such a countertop.  
         [0037]     Door handles  47  provide a cool, easy to grasp handle for raising and lowering door  34 . The door handles also provide protection against breakage for glass panel  48  which comprises most of door  34 . The door handles are suitably comprised of PBS or other high temperature plastic. Glass panels, including tempered glass panels, are most vulnerable to breakage when impacted on their corners or edges. Door handles  46  by protruding beyond the corners, the forward and back surfaces, and the edges of glass panel  48  help protect against impact to corners and edges which might otherwise break glass panel  48 . Likewise, pivot pin  50  runs along the bottom of glass panel  48  and protrudes beyond both its lower comers, to provide similar protections as door handles  47 .  
         [0038]     To facilitate both cleaning and use, dimension  22  is between 10½ inches and 16 inches. For similar reasons dimension  24  is between 9 inches and 14 inches, and dimension  26  is between 8½ inches and 14 inches. Such dimensions allow the embodiment to be cleaned in or around a kitchen sink, while still providing adequate interior space for cooking on a horizontal spit such popular foods such as: turkeys, chickens, roast beef, leg of lamb, and other common foods. It also allows a vertical axis turntable within the oven cavity which is sufficiently large to cook such foods as: pizzas, cookies, hors d&#39;oeuvres, and other popular food items.  
         [0039]     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , control box  36  is rigidly connected to heating element  32 , and both may be pulled away from oven cavity  28  by gripping control box  36  in recesses  52  and  54 , and simultaneously squeezing latch  58  to uncouple control box  36  from right oven wall  56 .  
         [0040]     Latch  58  is partially contained within upper recess  52 , and includes leaf spring  60  which may be pressed toward lower recess  54  by finger pressure. Such pressing moves cantilevered tip  62  of leaf spring  60  downward (arrow  53 ) within tapered hole  64  located on right oven wall  56 , and thus uncouples latch  58  from right oven wall  56 . This permits control box  36  and rigidly attached heating element  32  to be pulled away from right oven wall  56  as shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0041]     Heater support  66  provides support to heater element  32  and rigidly attached control box  36  when they are attached to right oven wall  56 . Heater support  66  also helps prevent warpage and distortion of heater element  32  when it is cooking. Both of these benefits are partially due to the free sliding movement of heater  32  within both upper hole  80  and lower hole  82  of heater support  66  which helps to compensate for expansion and contraction of heater  32  when it is heated and cooled in use.  
         [0042]     Heater support  66  also helps direct the movement of heater element  32  and rigidly attached control box  36  when they are being attached to, or removed from, right oven wall  56 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . This makes it much easier to install and remove control box  36  from right oven wall  56 .  
         [0043]     Also helping in this; forward pin  76  and rear pin  78 , both of which from right rail  84 , project into forward hole  81  and rear hole  83  respectively, both holes located on the bottom of control box  36 . This pin-in-hole disposition also helps to support control box  36  when it installed on oven cavity  28 .  
         [0044]     Ventilated heat resistant support  86  which is integrally attached to control box  36 , helps reduce the amount of heat reaching the interior of control box  36 .  
         [0045]     Light  112  is part of control box  36  and is protected from breakage and from producing glare outside of oven cavity  28  by guard  114 . Light  112  illuminates food being cooked within oven cavity  28 .  
         [0046]     Left oven wall  68 , right oven wall  56 , roof  74 , floor  70 , and back wall  72  may be of a single or multiple ply, and may be constructed of any appropriate material. As examples, they may be constructed from steel or aluminum or other metal or other materials such as high temperature plastics; any of which may or may not be coated with such materials as: electroplated metal, nonstick coating, paints or other finishes. They may also be fabricated using any appropriate method. As examples, they may be: stamped, drawn, molded, pressure formed, or otherwise constructed. Alternative construction techniques to those taught herein are well-known in the art and thus are not described in this document.  
         [0047]     As a more specific example, perimeter walls  68   56   74   70  and  72  may be constructed from single ply 0.022 inch thick mild steel with a nonstick coated interior and a high temperature paint coated exterior. The outer shell for control box  36  might be molded from 0.120 inch mean wall thickness polypropylene plastic, with ventilated heat resistant support  86  constructed from stamped and drawn 0.022 inch galvanized steel painted on its exterior with heat resistant paint.  
         [0048]     Perimeter walls  68   56   74   70  and  72  might be attached together as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . As illustrated, tabs  96  slide into and become aligned within slots  98 . Further, tabs  96  have resilient members  100  which lock tabs  96  within slots  98  merely by pushing tabs  96  into slots  98 . This has advantages of being: simple, extraordinarily strong, inexpensive, accurate, and consistently repeatable in manufacture, when compared against other manufacturing methods such as welding, screwing, riveting, or drawing. It also has the advantage of producing a relatively smooth and even finish detail which may be easy to clean and which may have no or few projecting sharp edges or points.  
         [0049]      FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate the installation of vertical axis turntable  104  within oven cavity  28 . Drive gear  106  engages perimeter gear  108  of turntable  104  to provide rotary motion to turntable  104  whenever drive gear  106  is rotating. Thus, instead of drive gear  106  engaging gear teeth on spit assembly  20  to provide horizontal axis rotisserie cooking, drive gear  106  engages perimeter gear teeth  108  on turntable  104  to provide vertical axis rotisserie cooking. Such versatility allows for both vertical and horizontal axis rotisserie cooking with attended advantages already stated.  
         [0050]     FIGS.  6  shows removable stationery axis pin  110  installed in oven cavity  28  with turntable  104  being lowered onto stationery axil pin  110 .  FIG. 7  shows turntable  104  after it has been fully installed.  
         [0051]     As an alternative, turntable  104  could be powered by its own dedicated motor which could either be installed in the cabinet, as an example below the floor; or under turntable  104 . If such a motor were electrically powered, a low or high voltage electrical cord could go out around the door in the front, or go through the floor, or plug into the cabinet.  
         [0052]     To help in cooking, reflector  116  may be introduced into oven cavity  28 . Reflector  116  rests on spit supports  30  and engages heating element  32  using tabs  118 . Tabs  120  engage cooking position  90  to limit fore an aft movement of reflector  116 . Reflector  116  helps even out the heat distributed radiated onto turntable  104 . Blocking/support member  122  which is attached to reflector  116  also helps make the heat directed onto turntable  104  even by blocking radiant heat emanating from heating element  32  which otherwise might burn food on the perimeter of turntable  104 . Blocking/support member  122  also connects and provides structure between reflector  116  and tabs  118 .  
         [0053]     As already mentioned, several different foods may be cooked on turntable  104 . As examples, and not by way of any limitation, pizzas, cookies, cake layers, and hors d&#39;oeuvres may all be cooked as well as many others known to those in the art. As further examples, and not by way of any limitation, American pancakes and flapjacks can be cooked. Also, French crepes may be cooked on turntable  104 . The crepes may be cooked directly on the flat upper surface of turntable  104  in a manner similar to making American pancakes, or, as shown in  FIG. 10 , dome shaped turntable  124 .may be used to cook the crapes, perhaps in the traditional French manner as known to those of the art.  
         [0054]     Dome shaped turntable  124  may also be used cooking meats and vegetables. Here, thinly sliced pieces of food may be placed on top of turntable  124  with a result that during cooking, greases and oils are shed from the food over the dome shaped cooking surface. To help in this, a torus shaped drip tray may be inserted around pin  110 . Projections from the upper surface of turntable  124 , including, but not limited to, an outer perimeter wall or dimples or projections in the domed surface, might help in stabilizing foods placed on the dome shaped surface to keep them from sliding off. A raised texture on the upper surface of dome shaped turntable  124  might also help in separating greases and oils away from food being cooked.  
         [0055]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 11 , and to U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,142,064 and 6,568,316 and associated patents, spit assembly  20  includes spit plate  126 , as well as axle pin  128  which is surrounded by cylindrical sleeve  130 . Cylindrical sleeve  130  is self lubricated and rotates independently of axil pin  128 . Axil pin  128  is integrally connected to spit plate  126  and captures cylindrical sleeve  130  between spit plate  126  and head  132  of axil pin  128 . When food is being cooked, cylindrical sleeve  130  rests into cooking position  90  of spit supports  30 . This arrangement helps reduce noises when spit assembly  20  is rotating including: squeaking, rubbing, and other noises.  
         [0056]     Depending on specifics, such as ambient temperature, and greases, chemicals, and oils to which it might be exposed, cylindrical sleeve  130  might be fabricated from any of many different materials known in the art. Such materials include by way of example, and not by way of any limitation: Teflon, brass, self lubricated bearing materials, acetyl plastic or other materials known to those with knowledge of the art. As an even more specific example, Teflon provides both high heat resistance as well as resistance to chemicals, greases, and oils. It is also good at absorbing sound generated by movement.  
         [0057]     Because it&#39;s removable and covers so much interior space, spit plate  126  on spit assembly  20  may be coated on inside surface  134  with a nonstick coating to make cleaning of oven cavity  28  easier. The unusual arrangement of having a large plate at one end of, or large spit plates on both ends of, spit assembly  20  means that it provides a substantial inner liner for oven cavity  28 . This inner liner, when coated with a nonstick coating, is easily removable and easy to clean. Outside surface  136  of spit plate  126  may also be coated with an easy to clean surface to facilitate cleanup. As described in earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,142,064 and 6,568,316, spit assembly  20  may have two spit plates. Either or both spit plates on spit assembly  20  may be treated in the manner described above.  
         [0058]     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , a preferred embodiment spit assembly is shown which is used to cook breads and other farinaceous products. Cylindrical wire screen perimeter wall  150  is attached on one end to solid circular wall  152  which has cylindrical spit axil  154  at its center. Capping the other end of cylindrical wall  150  is removable cap  156  which is geared on its outer circular periphery, and which is penetrated on its face by holes  158 ,  160 ,  162 , and  164 . Wire protrusions  166 ,  168 ,  170 , and  172  which are connected to the open end of cylindrical wall  150  respectively protrude into each of these holes, and help secure and center removable cap  156  to cylindrical wire screen perimeter wall  150 . On the center of its face which is opposite cylindrical perimeter wall  150 , removable cap  156  has a second cylindrical spit axil which is not shown in the figures.  
         [0059]     The preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  may be constructed of any of a variety of materials known to those knowledgeable in the art. As an example, and not by way of any limitation, perimeter wall  150  might be constructed of aluminum screen of a window screen size match, with solid circular wall  152  constructed of stamped, 0.06 in. aluminum. Removable cap  156  might be constructed of steel, and coated with either chromium or a nonstick surface such as Teflon.  
         [0060]     Wire protrusions  166 ,  168 ,  170 , and  172 , might be constructed of 0.1 in. chromium plated steel wire. Cylindrical axil  154  might be constructed of chromium or Teflon coated steel.  
         [0061]     In operation, a user would remove cap  156  from perimeter wall  150  and insert an uncooked bread loaf. Cap  156  would then be replaced over the open end of perimeter wall  150 , and the entire assembly would then be placed in a rotisserie oven similar to that described earlier in this document. After cooking, the entire preferred embodiment would then be removed from the rotisserie oven, and removable cap  156  taken off to allow the then cooked bread loaf to be removed for serving.  
         [0062]     The preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13  has at least the advantage that cooking is done evenly on all sides of the bread. Variants of the embodiment also appeared to cook breads significantly faster than use of a conventional oven.  
         [0063]      FIGS. 14 and 15  show a preferred embodiment to cook breadsticks. Perforated cylindrical walls  174 ,  176 ,  178 , and  180  are lodged between spit plates  182  and  184  which cap each of the cylindrical walls&#39; respective ends. Spit rods  186  and  188  suspend and support walls  174 ,  176 ,  178 , and  180  between spit plates  182  and  184  by means of penetrating intermediate support plates  190  and  192  as shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 .  
         [0064]     In use, spit plate  182  is removed, thus opening the ends of cylindrical walls  174 ,  176 ,  178 , and  180 . An uncooked breadstick is then placed inside at least one of the cylindrical walls. Spit plate  182  is then replaced and the entire assembly placed into a rotisserie oven such as described earlier in this document. Here it is cooked. After cooking, the entire assembly is removed from the oven and spit plate  182  removed so that the cooked breadsticks can be removed for serving.  
         [0065]     This preferred embodiment may be constructed using materials and techniques described for the previous preferred embodiment.  
         [0066]     Besides being able to be used to cook breads as described, both of the above described embodiments may be used for other purposes. As examples, and not by way of any limitations, they may be used to: cook rolls and other shapes of bread, roast coffee beans, pop popcorn, roast nuts, or roast or cook other food articles.  
         [0067]     What has been described herein are specific preferred embodiments of the present inventions. Many changes and variations will be easily derived from the descriptions contained herein by those knowledgeable in the art. As examples, and not by any way of limitation: embodiments might be constructed at any desirable scale; embodiments might be freestanding, without need of a countertop to support them; embodiments might have oven cavities of different shapes such as a cylinder on its side or a vertical cylinder; control boxes might be located on the top, bottom, or front of the embodiment; horizontal and/or vertical spits might utilize only a single rod, or might have more than two rods; the spit drive might utilize a socket coupled to the end of the spit rod to rotationally power the spit assembly; heating elements other than the rod type electric one shown might be utilized including gas or liquid powered elements or less conventional electric heating elements such as quartz or solid-state elements; or embodiments might be built into household ovens.  
         [0068]     Such variations and many others would be readily apparent to one knowledgeable in the art and hence should be considered as obvious from the descriptions contained herein.