Patent Publication Number: US-2011062143-A1

Title: Sliding control system for a cooking appliance

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliance controls and, more particularly, to a touch-sensitive sliding control system which enables the simultaneous adjustment of starting and stopping times for a cooking cycle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In modern cooking appliances, cooking temperatures are usually adjusted utilizing a numeric keypad, which requires typing in a desired cooking temperature. Some products include arrow buttons which allow a user to toggle a temperature up and down by pressing a requisite button until the desired temperature is reached. Additionally, modern cooking appliances often provide a feature which locks the control panel buttons. When locked, any buttons pressed, either intentionally or accidentally, are not registered. Enabling and disabling this lock feature usually requires a precise set of actions to ensure the intention of the user. Recent products ask the user to hold down a button for several seconds, for example. However, many users often make mistakes during this process, such as releasing the button too soon. Once unlocked, heating generally begins when food is placed in the cooking cavity. Some products contain control features enabling heating to be delayed, so that cooking starts at a predetermined time. This type of control generally takes two forms. In a first control method, a user is allowed to set a start time which tells the cooking appliance when to turn on. In another control method, a user selects a stop time which tells the oven when to turn off. If a cook time is set, and it is shorter than the difference between the stop time and the current time, the result will be a delay in cooking. Unfortunately, current products only support one control method. Therefore, there exists a need to provide a control system which addresses both users who tend to think more about a starting time and users who tend to think more about an ending time of a cooking event. Additionally, there exists a need for a user-friendly temperature adjustment method which does not require repeated toggling of switches and a locking option that provides an easy mechanism for effectively locking and unlocking the controls of an oven. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an oven including a control display adapted to display an interactive cook time delay screen having a slide bar for selecting a cook time delay. The slide bar has a length corresponding to the total time of a cooking cycle, such that moving the slide bar along a timeline simultaneously adjusts both the start time and the stop time of the cooking cycle, while also allowing a user to delay the start of a cooking cycle. The control display is also adapted to display a temperature select screen including a slide bar for selecting a cooking cycle temperature, and a cook time select screen for selection of a desired cooking cycle time. A control lock feature allows a user to lock and unlock the control display by moving a slide bar from a lock position to an unlock position along a track. 
     In use, a user first unlocks the control display screen if necessary, and activates a home screen. After choosing a desired cooking cycle, the user may choose to activate the temperature select screen to choose a cooking temperature, and/or the cook time select screen to choose a desired time period for the cooking cycle. The user may then choose to delay the start of the cooking cycle for a desired period of time, based on either the desired start time, or the desired stop or end time of the cooking cycle. A controller operates the oven based on the selected cooking cycle, cooking temperature cooking time and cook delay time selected. 
     Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an oven incorporating a sliding control system in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a Cook Time Delay screen of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a Temperature Select screen of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a Cook Time screen of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5A  is a plan view of a Control Lock feature of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a plan view of an alternative Control Lock feature of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is an oven programming flow chart depicting a method of controlling an oven in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With initial reference to  FIG. 1 , a combination radiant heat and convection oven including the sliding control system of the present invention is generally indicated at  10 . In the preferred embodiment shown, oven  10  is a wall-mounted or built-in oven, and includes a cabinet  12  which forms an oven cavity  14 . A door  16  is pivotally mounted to cabinet  12  for selectively closing oven  10  and sealing oven cavity  14 . Oven cavity  14  includes opposing side walls  18  having a plurality of spaced rails  20  for supporting repositionable racks (not shown) in a manner known in the art. 
     Oven  10  also includes a plurality of heating elements. More specifically, oven  10  includes an upper broil element  30  mounted adjacent an upper wall  32  of oven cavity  14  and a lower bake element  34  mounted adjacent a lower wall  36  of oven cavity  14 . Upper broil element may be constituted by a 3600 watt resistive-type electric heating element, while lower bake element  34  may be constituted by a 2800 watt resistive-type electric heating element. A convection cover  40  is adapted to be mounted over first and second motor driven fans  46  and  47 . Fans  46  and  47  may be constituted by multi-speed electric fans which can be continuously operated or pulsed as detailed below. In the embodiment shown, fans  46  and  47  are centrally mounted and vertically arranged within oven cavity  14 , such that first and second fans  46  and  47  are aligned with and positioned at respective first and second circular apertures  50  and  51  formed in convection cover  40 . Convection cover  40  also includes first and second plurality of spaced angled louvered openings  52  and  53  on either side of first and second fans  46  and  47 , with louvered openings  52  and  53  being adapted to distribute heated air evenly throughout oven cavity  14 . At this point, it should be realized that the details of oven  10  above are for illustrative purposes only. In general, the present invention is directed to a user interface  54  arranged in communication with a controller  55 , and is not meant to be limited for use with any particular oven. 
     In accordance with the present invention, interface  54  includes a plurality of mode or operation selectors  56  and  57 , as well as a touch-sensitive control display  58 . In the embodiment shown, touch-sensitive control display  58  is constituted by a 7-inch LCD screen. Control display  58  is adapted to display a plurality of user interface screens including an interactive Cook Time Delay screen  60  depicted in  FIG. 2 . Cook Time Delay screen  60  includes a virtual slide bar  62  adapted to be positioned by a user at various points along the length of a virtual track  66 . Virtual track  66  is in the form of a timeline, including time indicia  68  located at intervals along virtual track  66 . Time indicia  68  are preferably in the form of a digital time display  69  which spans a 7-hour time period. For example, as depicted in  FIG. 2 , digital time display  69  includes time indicia  68  for 3:00 pm through 9:00 pm. Cook Time Delay screen  60  further includes a text display  72  adapted to digitally display a cooking cycle start time indicated at  74  and a cooking cycle stop or end time indicated at  75 . Cook Time Delay screen  60  further includes a first virtual toggle button  78  adapted to adjust the start time of the cooking cycle by a positive set time increment upon selection of the first toggle button  78 , and a second virtual toggle button  79  adapted to adjust the start time of the cooking cycle by a negative set time increment upon selection of the second virtual toggle button  79 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , for example, toggle buttons  78  and  79  are set for plus and minus 15 minute increments respectfully. 
     When a user desires to set a start or stop time for a cooking cycle, the user can adjust the time in one of three ways. First, a user may touch control display  58  at slide bar  62  and slide his/her finger across track  66  until slide bar  62  is positioned at a desired start time  74  or stop time  75 . Slide bar  62  has a length L corresponding to a total time of a cooking cycle (which is also set by a user as detailed below), such that sliding slide bar  62  along track  66  simultaneously adjusts start time  74  and stop time  75  of the cooking cycle, while also allowing a user to delay cooking. For example, slide bar  62  depicted in  FIG. 2  has a length L corresponding to a 1.5 hour total cooking cycle. As slide bar  62  slides along track  66 , the corresponding start and stop times  74  and  75  are displayed on text display  72  and adjust automatically so that a user can quickly and easily identify the position of slide bar  62  on track  66 . Another way in which a user may select a delay time is by touching an empty portion of track  66  at a desired location based on time indicia  68 . Slide bar  62  will automatically move to the location selected by the user. Slide bar  62  may also be configured to shift to the nearest start point location on track  66 , to the nearest end point location on track  66 , or to the nearest mid-point of slide bar  62 . Another way in which a user may set the delay time is by touching virtual toggle buttons  78  and  79 , which will automatically move slide bar  62  along track  66  while displaying the chosen time period on text display  72 . When a desired start and/or stop time  74 ,  75  is selected, a user touches a Set Delay button  82 , at which point the selection is set, and controller  55  controls the operation of one or more of elements of oven  10  based on the delay time selected. 
     A menu exit button  86  may be selected to return the user to a previous menu screen or home screen (not shown). In accordance with the present invention, control display  58  is also adapted to display a Temperature Select screen  90  depicted in  FIG. 3 , which can be accessed by selecting an option from the main menu or home screen (not shown). Temperature Select screen  90  includes a virtual slide bar  92  adapted to be positioned by a user at various points along the length of a virtual track  96 . Virtual track  96  includes temperature indicia  98  located at intervals along track  96 . Temperature indicia  98  are preferably in the form of a digital temperature display  99  which generally spans the temperature range of oven  10 . For example, as depicted in  FIG. 3 , digital temperature display  99  includes temperature indicia  98  between 100° F. and 550° F. Temperature Select screen  90  further includes a text display  102  adapted to digitally display a selected cooking temperature indicated at  104  of a cooking cycle. Temperature Select screen  90  further includes a first virtual toggle button  108  adapted to adjust the temperature of a cooking cycle by a positive set temperature increment upon selection of the first toggle button  108  and a second virtual toggle button  109  adapted to adjust the temperature of the cooking cycle by a negative set temperature increment upon selection of the second virtual toggle button  109 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, toggle buttons  108  and  109  are set at plus and minus 5° F. increments respectfully. 
     When a user desires to set a temperature for a cooking cycle, the user can adjust the temperature in one of three ways. First, a user may touch control display  58  at slide bar  92  and slide his/her finger across track  96  until slide bar  92  is positioned at a desired temperature. As slide bar  92  slides along track  96 , the corresponding temperature  104  is displayed on text display  102  so that a user can quickly and easily identify the position of slide bar  92  on track  96 . Another way in which a user may select a temperature is by touching an empty portion of track  96  at a desired location based on temperature indicia  98 . Slide bar  92  will automatically move to the location selected by the user. Optionally, slide bar  92  may be configured to shift or snap to the nearest temperature indicia  98  on track  96 . Another way in which a user may set a desired cooking temperature is by touching virtual toggle buttons  108  and  109 , which will automatically move slide bar  92  along track  96  by increments of 5 degrees while displaying the chosen temperature on text display  102 . When a desired temperature is selected, a user may touch a Start button  112 , at which point a cooking cycle starts. During the cooking cycle, controller  55  controls the operation of one or more of heating elements  30 ,  34  and fans  46 ,  47  based on the temperature selected. If a user wishes to delay the start of the cooking cycle, the user may select a Delay Start button  114 , which will bring up Cook Time Delay screen  60  of  FIG. 2 . Temperature Select screen  90  also includes a menu exit button  116 , which may then be selected to return a user to the main menu screen (not shown). Additionally, an indicator  118  displays a current cook cycle setting. 
     If a user wishes to set a cook time for the cooking cycle selected, the user may select indicator  119  to activate a Cook Time screen  130  shown in  FIG. 4 . Cook Time screen  130  preferably includes a plurality of numeric buttons  132  and a text display  134  for displaying the set cook time as indicated at  136 . Additionally, Cook Time screen  130  includes a start button  138 , as well as a food warmer option indicated at  140 . In accordance with the present invention, a Delay Start button  142  is also provided to enable activation of Cook Time Delay screen  60 . Additionally, an indicator  144  displays a current cook cycle setting and an indicator  146  displays a current temperature setting. A home button  150  is also provided for returning a user to a main menu screen (not shown). 
     Another aspect of the present invention is a Control Lock feature  160  depicted in  FIG. 5A . Control Lock feature  160  preferably appears on an idle screen or clock screen (not shown) of user interface  54  when oven  10  is in a standby mode. More specifically, Control Lock feature  160  enables a user to selectively lock the controls on control display  58  to prevent any unintentional or unwanted programming of oven  10 . Control Lock feature  160  includes a virtual slide bar  162  adapted to be positioned by a user along the length of a virtual track  166 . Control Lock feature  160  further includes a lock indicia  168  at a first end  170  and an unlock indicia  172  at a second end  174  of track  166 . In use, a user touches slide bar  162  and slides the bar along track  166  from one end (either  140  or  144 ) to the other end (the other of  140  or  144 ). Track  166  may be in the form of a straight track  166  as depicted in  FIG. 5A , or may be in another form, such as the generally serpentine track  166 ′ as depicted in  FIG. 5B . Like slide bar  162 , slide bar  162 ′ can slide from a first end  170 ′ to a second end  174 ′ of track  166 ′ to selectively lock or unlock user interface  54  as indicated by indicia  168 ′ and  172 ′. It should be recognized that more complex shapes for track  166 ,  166 ′ are generally more difficult for a child to trace accurately, thus restricting the use of oven  10 . Additionally, more complex shapes help prevent accidental deactivation or unlocking of the control system while wiping or cleaning user interface  54 . In accordance with a preferred method of the present invention, unlocking the control display requires following the shape of track  166 ,  166 ′ from a first end  170 ,  170 ′ to a second end  174 ,  174 ′ in order to move slide bar  162 ,  162 ′ along track  166 ,  166 ′ from a locked position to an unlocked position, wherein failure to follow the entire length of track  166 ,  166 ′ results in a failure to unlock control display  58 . 
     A typical programming cycle for oven  10  will now be discussed with reference to the flow chart in  FIG. 6 . Initially, when oven  10  is dormant, an idle screen (not shown) will be displayed which includes Control Lock feature  160  or  160 ′ as depicted at step  200 . If the user has previously locked user interface  54 , the user will slide bar  162 ,  162 ′ along track  166 ,  166 ′ from a locked position at end  170 ,  170 ′ to an unlock position at end  174 ,  174 ′ as indicated at  201 . Once the Control Lock feature  160 ,  160 ′ is unlocked, a menu or home screen (not shown) will be presented as indicated at step  202 . A desired cooking cycle may then be selected by the user at step  203 . The cooking cycle may be a bake cycle, broil cycle, convection cycle, preheat cycle, or pre-programmed cooking cycle, for example. If a temperature setting step is required and indicated at step  204 , a user activates Temperature Select screen  90  at step  205 . In a preferred method of the present invention, the desired cooking temperature is set at step  206  utilizing Temperature Select screen  90 . Alternatively, a user may select a desired temperature using conventional controls. If a cook time selection step is required and indicated at step  207 , a user activates Cook Time screen  130  at step  208  and selects a desired cook time at step  209 . Once any required temperature and cook times are set, a user may then choose to delay the start of the cooking cycle at step  210  by activating a Cook Time Delay screen  60  of the present invention at step  211 . This step may be practiced by selecting one of delay start buttons  114  or  142  on respective Temperature Select and Cook Time screens  90  and  130 , or by selecting a delay start button displayed on another menu not shown. The user then simultaneously selects the cooking cycle start time  74  and the cooking cycle stop time  75  utilizing slide bar  62  at step  212 , as described in detail above. Controller  55  will then activate oven  10  at step  213 , including cooking elements (i.e., one or more of broil element  30 , lower bake element  34 , and fans  46  and  47 ) in accordance with the cooking cycle selected at step  203 , taking into account any cooking temperature selected at step  206 , cooking time selected at step  209  and time delay selected at step  212 . 
     Advantageously, the control system and method of the present invention allow a user to focus on either a desired start time or a desired stop time for a cooking cycle. Although described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. For instance, although user interface  54  is depicted as a LCD touch screen, it should be understood that actual slider buttons could be utilized without departing from the spirit of the invention. In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of the following claims.