Abstract:
A toaster oven features a moving, pivoting heater element to yield improved toasting capability. The toaster oven also cooks food with traditional bake, broil and toast functions, but also has the capability of having an additional heater element that can be positioned closely to the bread rack to give optimum toasting performance. Once the toasting function is completed, the additional heating can be repositioned out of the way, providing increased oven height for cooking bigger sized items.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/122,645 filed Dec. 15, 2008, entitled “OVEN WITH IMPROVED TOASTING FUNCTION,” Gary Wayne Johnson and Jill Kreutzer Orent, inventors, which application is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes as though fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a toaster oven with movable heating element for improved toasting function. 
         [0003]    Prior art toaster ovens typically include a housing and a cooking chamber defined within the housing by a top wall, a bottom wall, side walls and a rear wall. A door is pivotally mounted to the housing and pivotal between an open position whereby food items can be inserted and removed from the cooking chamber and a closed position closing the cooking chamber. 
         [0004]    Toaster ovens are useful in a wide variety of cooking processes, including baking, warming, broiling, browning and toasting. Heating elements are mounted to or near the top panel and the bottom panel. Typically, the bottom panel heating element may be used for baking functions whereas the top panel heating element may be used for broiling functions. As the size of toaster ovens continue to increase, yielding larger capacities, this larger capacity greatly diminishes the toasting performance of the toaster oven. 
         [0005]    It is well known that ovens can provide toasting functions but they take longer and provide sub-par toast quality when compared to a traditional toaster. What is needed is to provide a dedicated toasting compartment that will provide optimum toasting results yet having the ability to provide increased oven height when the oven is being used for baking and broiling. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the invention to provide a toaster oven with improved toasting capability. 
         [0007]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a toaster oven with a movable heating element to yield improved toasting capability. 
         [0008]    A toaster oven according to the invention features a moving, pivoting heater element to yield improved toasting capability. While the inventive toaster oven also cooks food with traditional bake, broil and toast functions, it also has the capability of having an additional heater element that can be positioned closely to the bread rack to give optimum toasting performance. Once the toasting function is completed, the additional heating can be repositioned out of the way, providing increased oven height for cooking bigger sized items. 
         [0009]    Other features and advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this invention, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention in general terms. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
         [0010]    The foregoing aspects and other features of the present invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective drawing of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective drawing revealing the mechanisms of a movable heating element of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective drawing revealing the mechanisms of a movable heating element of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a perspective drawing revealing the mechanisms of a movable heating element of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view of the toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a perspective drawing of a movable heating element of the toaster oven of the present invention in a vertical position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a perspective drawing of a movable heating element of the toaster oven of the present invention in a horizontal position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a side view of a movable heating element of the toaster oven of the present invention in a vertical position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a side view of a movable heating element of the toaster oven of the present invention in a horizontal position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a movable heating element of the toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a perspective drawing of another embodiment of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a front view of the toaster oven of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a front view of the toaster oven of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  is a perspective drawing revealing another embodiment of the mechanisms of a movable heating element of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  is a perspective drawing revealing another embodiment of the mechanisms of a movable heating element of a toaster oven of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  is a side view of the toaster oven of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 13 ; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 19  is a side view of the toaster oven of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 12 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, below, left, and right may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words “connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through mediate elements or devices. 
         [0031]    Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-11  in particular, a toaster oven  10  is shown comprising a cooking chamber  17  within housing  18 , which chamber  17  is defined by left wall  11 , right wall  12 , rear wall  13 , bottom wall  14 , top wall  15  and door  16 . Toaster oven  10  also comprises upper heating elements  30  and lower heating elements  40 . In a preferred embodiment, heating elements  30  and  40  are fixed and not movable. 
         [0032]    The inventive toaster oven  10  further comprises a movable heating element  50  and, in a preferred embodiment, a movable reflector  70 . When the toaster oven  10  is not being used as a toaster, movable heating element  50  and reflector  70  rest parallel to rear wall  13  (i.e., in a vertical position) as depicted in, for example,  FIGS. 3 and 5 . In one embodiment, when the heating element  50  and reflector  70  are parallel to rear wall  13 , heating element  50  is disabled so that it gives off no heat. In another embodiment, in such a vertical position, the heating element  50  can be enabled to assist in faster heat up for baking and broiling functions. 
         [0033]    The heating element  50  and reflector  70  can be positioned horizontally (as shown in, for example,  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  6 ) for toasting functions in order to provide optimum heat to the bottom of the bread slices. In the horizontal position, the reflector  70  defines a toasting space  60  that is smaller than cooking chamber  17  when reflector  70  is in a vertical position. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 7-11  show one embodiment of the mechanism for repositioning heating element  50  and reflector  70 . The repositioning mechanism comprises position dial  20 , first connecting rod  100 , second connecting rod  110 , third connecting rod  120 , lock bracket  130 , spring lock  140 , lock base  150 , bracket  160 , and right and left rotating shafts  80  and  90 . 
         [0035]    In this embodiment, heating element  50  is in a fixed position with respect to reflector  70 . A right side of reflector  70  is rotatably connected to right rotating shaft  80 , which shaft  80  is attached to right wall  12  of toaster oven  10 . A left side of reflector  70  is fixedly connected to left rotating shaft  90 , which shaft  90  is fixedly connected to first connecting rod  100 . First connecting rod  100  is in movably connected to second connecting rod  110 , which in turn is movably connected to third connecting rod  120 . Third connecting rod  120  is, in turn, fixedly connected to position dial  20 , which in turn is affixed to left wall  11  via lock bracket  130 , spring lock  140 , lock base  150  and bracket  160  with screws and washers  170 . 
         [0036]    First, second and third connecting rods  100 ,  110  and  120  are connected to each other via pins, as known in the art. Position dial  20  takes one of two positions. In one position of position dial  20 , second connecting rod  110  is not aligned with third connecting rod  120  and reflector  70  and heating element  50  are in a vertical position such as depicted in, e.g.,  FIGS. 3 ,  5 ,  7  and  9 . In the other position of dial  20 , second and third connecting rods  110  and  120  are aligned with each other and reflector  70  and heating element  50  are in a horizontal position such as depicted in, e.g.,  FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  6 ,  8  and  10 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIGS. 12-19 , which depict another embodiment of the present invention, a toaster oven  10 ′ is shown comprising a cooking chamber  17 ′ within housing  18 ′, which chamber  17 ′ is defined by left wall  11 ′, right wall  12 ′, rear wall  13 ′, bottom wall  14 ′, top wall  15 ′ and door  16 ′. Toaster oven  10 ′ also comprises upper heating elements  30 ′ and lower heating elements  40 ′. In a preferred embodiment, heating elements  30 ′ and  40 ′ are fixed and not movable. Toaster oven  10 ′ may also include oven racks  180 , as required. 
         [0038]    Toaster oven  10 ′ further comprises a movable heating element  50 ′ and a movable reflector  70 ′. When the toaster oven  10 ′ is not being used as a toaster, movable heating element  50 ′ and reflector  70 ′ rest parallel to rear wall  13 ′ (i.e., in a vertical position) as depicted in, for example,  FIGS. 12 ,  14  and  16 . In one embodiment, when heating element  50 ′ and reflector  70 ′ are in a vertical position, heating element  50 ′ is disabled so that it gives off no heat. In another embodiment, in such a vertical position, the heating element  50 ′ can be enabled to assist in faster heat up for baking and broiling functions. 
         [0039]    Heating element  50 ′ and reflector  70 ′ can be positioned horizontally (as shown in, for example,  FIGS. 13 ,  15  and  17 ) for toasting functions in order to provide optimum heat to the bottom of the bread slices. In the horizontal position, reflector  70 ′ defines a toasting space  60 ′ that is smaller than cooking chamber  17 ′ when reflector  70 ′ is in a vertical position. 
         [0040]    The mechanism for repositioning heating element  50 ′ and reflector  70 ′ comprises handle  20 ′ and rod  100 ′. Heating element  50 ′ is in a fixed position with respect to reflector  70 ′, which is fixedly attached to rod  100 ′. A right side of rod  100 ′ is rotatably connected to right wall  12 ′ of toaster oven  10 ′. In a similar way, a left side of rod  100 ′ is fixedly connected to handle  20 ′ through left wall  11 ′. 
         [0041]    Handle  20 ′ takes one of two positions. In one position, as shown in  FIGS. 12 ,  14 ,  16  and  19 , handle  20 ′ is normal to bottom wall  14 ′ (i.e., vertical) and reflector  70 ′ and heating element  50 ′ are in a vertical position. In the other position, as shown in  FIGS. 13 ,  15 ,  17  and  18 , handle  20 ′ is horizontal and reflector  70 ′ and heating element  50 ′ are likewise in a horizontal position. Spring latch  25 ′ is slidable with respect to handle  20 ′. To maintain this horizontal position, latch  25 ′ can be slid under an end of handle  20 ′ as shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 16 , reflector  70 ′ and movable heater  50 ′ are shown positioned vertically against rear wall  13 ′. Reflector  70 ′ and heater  50 ′ are fixedly attached to pivoting rod  100 ′ which can be manually pivoted by the attached handle  20 ′. Latch  25 ′ engages with the handle  20 ′ to maintain the heater in the horizontal position in the improved toasting orientation. When the improved toasting position of the heater is not needed, handle  20 ′ can be unlatched from latch  25 ′ and can be strategically positioned vertically along rear wall  13 ′ which allows additional height for taller foods to be introduced into the cooking cavity. 
         [0043]    It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, pivoting rod  100 ′ may be replaced by modifying the ends of, e.g., reflector  70 ′ to have extensions to take the place of the rod  100 ′. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within the scope of the appended claims.