Multi-door single chamber oven apparatus

• US 20040031782A1
• Filed: 08/15/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salton Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Salton Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Westfield, Barbara
• Application Number:
  US10/219,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031782A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/391
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/02 Doors specially adapted for stoves or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/022 Latches

Abstract

A heating apparatus that includes a single heating chamber with an opening, and two or more independently moveable doors. Each door covers a portion of the chamber opening and selectively controls access through the chamber opening to a respective portion of the heating chamber.

Claims

1. A heating apparatus comprising:

a single heating chamber having an opening; and

a plurality of independently moveable doors, each door covers a portion of the chamber opening and selectively controls access through the chamber opening to a respective portion of the heating chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating element operably connected to heat the chamber when in an operating state and to automatically turn to an off state when one of the doors are opened to allow access to the respective portion of the heating chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each door is pivotably mounted to the chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each door is hinged to pivot about one side of the door and the apparatus further comprises a means for opening at least two doors in unison.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein one of the doors is hinged on a vertical axis of the chamber opening while another of the doors is hinged on a horizontal axis of the chamber opening.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of racks, each rack is adapted to hold an item to be heated and to be disposed within the chamber such that a respective one of the racks is accessible when one of the plurality of doors is opened while the remaining one or more doors are closed to prevent access.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each rack is removable.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one rack is attached to a respective one of the plurality of doors such that the one rack is at least partially removed from the chamber as the respective one of the plurality of doors is opened and the one rack is completely disposed within the chamber when the respective one of the plurality of doors is closed to cover the respective portion of the opening.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each rack is attached to a respective one door such that each rack and respective attached door is removable from the chamber and is interchangeable with another rack attached to another door.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one rack is a basket.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least two of the plurality of doors are disposed side-by-side along a horizontal axis of the chamber opening.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein heat within the chamber is at least partially inhibited from escaping between the at least two doors of the plurality of doors when the two doors are closed.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least two of the plurality of doors are disposed side-by-side along a vertical axis of the chamber opening.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein heat within the chamber is at least partially inhibited from escaping between the at least two doors of the plurality of doors when the two doors are closed.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a means for removing in unison two or more of the plurality of doors.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein another one of the plurality of doors has a rack attached thereto such that both attached racks are also removed in unison.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for removing comprises a latch disposed on the one door and adapted to extend to engage another door so that the two doors move in unison.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of handles, each of the handles being associated with a respective one of the plurality of doors.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for removing comprises a handgrip configured to be removeably attached to both the first handle and the second handle so that the first and the second handle move in unison.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a first handle and a second handle of the plurality of handles each has a respective base and a respective grip removeably attached to the respective grip, the base of the first handle is attached to the one door and the base of the second handle is attached to the second door, and the removing means includes a handgrip adapted to be removeably attached to both the first handle base and the second handle base after the first and the second handle grips are removed therefrom so that the one and second doors move in unison.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first handle is substantially aligned with the second handle and the means for removing includes a latch disposed in association with the first handle and adapted to extend to engage the second handle so that the two handles move in unison.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the removing means includes both a first handle and a second handle each being rotatably attached to a respective door such that each is removeably attachable to another door.

23. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein at least two of the plurality of doors are disposed side-by-side such that heat within the chamber is at least partially inhibited from escaping between the at least two doors of the plurality of doors when the two doors are closed.

24. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when one of the doors is opened to allow access, heat from portions of the chamber not accessible via the one door is at least partially inhibited from escaping through the chamber opening.