Toaster

• US 20050204927A1
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Debord, Jeffrey, Hayes, Robert, Kopczewski, Michael, Gausmann, Keith, Brueckner, Robert, Boyle, Kenneth, Hsu, Paul, Lafrenz, Kristi, Stark, Sally, Drenten, Doug, Petersen, Gary, Schmitz, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,351,939 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/389
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0857 with bread supports or heating means movable during the toasting operation

Abstract

A toaster is provided having a base which may be interchangeable or integral with the toaster unit. The toaster also contains an angled heating chamber having manually moveable heating element assemblies, a centering carriage, and a toast lift that optimize the distance between the heating elements and the bread product. Furthermore, an angled top for viewing the bread product within the heating chamber, and including a user control interface for controlling the actions of the toaster, located on the top surface thereof are provided.

Claims

1. A toaster comprising:

a housing;

a heating chamber positioned in said housing and having a bread product receiving section;

a first movable heating element assembly on a first side of said bread product receiving section and a second movable heating element assembly on a second side of said bread product receiving section;

a carriage assembly in operable connection with said first and second movable heating element assemblies, said carriage being movable between a raised position and a lowered position;

means for moving said first heating element assembly and said second heating element assembly in connection with a movement of said carriage assembly, said means for moving said heating element assemblies comprising at least one linkage leader operably attached to one of said first and second heating element assemblies and at least one linkage trailer in operable connection with said linkage leader, said carriage assembly being in operable engagement with at least one of said linkage leader and said linkage trailer for movement of at least one of said first and second heating element assemblies; and

a control interface system for controlling a function of said toaster.

2. The toaster of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a base which is separable from said housing.

3. The toaster of claim 1, wherein said heating chamber is positioned at an angle.

4. The toaster of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second movable heating element assemblies comprises a heating element and a grill.

5. The toaster of claim 4, wherein each said heating element assembly further comprises positioning said heating element a constant distance behind said grill, said distance comprising an optimum spacing for heating a food item.

6. The toaster of claim 4, wherein said at least one moveable heating element assembly comprises:

a first linkage leader operably attached to a first end of said heating element assembly;

a second linkage leader operably attached to a second end of said heating element assembly; and

a linkage trailer operably connecting said first and said second linkage leaders for a combined movement.

7. The toaster of claim 5, further comprising a spring return operably attached to said first and said second heating element assemblies for assisting in a movement thereof.

8. The toaster of claim 1, wherein said carriage assembly further comprises:

a lever arm pivotally attached near a rear portion of said heating chamber;

a carriage plate operably attached to said lever arm adjacent a front wall of said heating chamber; and

a carriage lever operably attached to said lever arm for said movement of said carriage assembly.

9. The toaster of claim 1, wherein said means for moving said first heating element assembly and said second heating element assembly comprises:

a first pair of linkage leaders attached to said first heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a first linkage trailer;

a second pair of linkage leaders attached to said second heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a second linkage trailer;

a spring return operably attached to said first heating element assembly near a linkage leader from said first pair and to said second heating element assembly near a linkage leader from said second pair, said spring return biasing the movement of said heating element assemblies toward each other; and

wherein said carriage assembly is operably engaged with at least one of said linkage leaders and said linkage trailers for assisting in the movement of said heating element assemblies by said at least one spring return.

10. The toaster of claim 1, wherein said control interface system comprises a concentric rotary dial for shade selection surrounding a central button for activation of said toaster.

11. The toaster of claim 10, further comprising a function button positioned adjacent said concentric rotary dial for selecting a function of a toasting cycle.

12. The toaster of claim 10, wherein said control means is positioned on a top of said housing.

13. A toaster comprising:

a housing;

a heating chamber in said housing, said heating chamber having a bread product receiving section;

a first heating element assembly in said heating chamber, said first heating element assembly comprising a first heating element and a first grill;

a second heating element assembly in said heating chamber, said second heating element assembly comprising a second heating element and a second grill;

means for moving said first and second heating element assemblies laterally in said bread product receiving section, said means for moving said heating element assemblies comprising at least one linkage leader operably attached to one of said first and second heating element assemblies and at least one linkage trailer in operable connection with said linkage leader; and

a carriage assembly movable between a raised position and a lowered position, said carriage in operable engagement with at least one of said means for moving said first and second heating element assemblies.

14. The toaster of claim 13, wherein said means for moving said first and said second heating element assemblies further comprises a spring return operably attached to said heating element assemblies for biasing the movement of said first and said second heating element assemblies.

15. The toaster of claim 13, wherein said means for moving said first and second heating element assemblies further comprises:

a first pair of linkage leaders attached to said first heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a first linkage trailer;

a second pair of linkage leaders attached to said second heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a second linkage trailer.

16. The toaster of claim 15, wherein said means for moving said first and said second heating element assemblies further comprises a spring return operably attached to said first heating element assembly and said second heating element assembly to bias the movement of said first and second pairs of linkage leaders and associated heating element assemblies.

17. The toaster of claim 16, further comprising at least two spring returns.

18. The toaster of claim 17, wherein said spring returns bias the movement of said heating element assemblies toward a center of said bread product receiving section.

19. The toaster of claim 13, wherein each said heating element assembly further comprises positioning said heating element a constant distance behind said grill, said distance comprising an optimum spacing for heating a food item.

20. The toaster of claim 13, wherein said carriage assembly further comprises a manual lift.

21. The toaster of claim 13, wherein said carriage assembly further comprises:

a lever arm pivotally attached near a rear portion of said heating chamber;

a carriage plate operably attached to said lever arm adjacent a front wall of said heating chamber; and

a carriage lever operably attached to said lever arm for said movement of said carriage assembly.

22. The toaster of claim 21, wherein said carriage plate further comprises a guide surface for matingly engaging a surface of said linkage leader, wherein a movement of said guide surface across said linkage leader in connection with said movement of said carriage-assembly causes a movement of said linkage leader.

23. A toaster having a moveable heating element assembly, said movable heating element assembly comprising:

a first pair of linkage leaders attached to a first heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a first linkage trailer;

a second pair of linkage leaders attached to a second heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a second linkage trailer;

a spring return operably attached to said first heating element assembly near a linkage leader from said first pair and to said second heating element assembly near a linkage leader from said second pair, said spring return biasing a movement of said heating element assemblies toward each other; and

a carriage assembly moveable between a raised position and a lowered position and operably engaged with at least one of said linkage leaders and said linkage trailers for assisting in the movement of said heating element assemblies by said spring return.

24. A toaster comprising:

a housing having a top face with at least one opening and a glass base, said base being interchangeable with said housing;

at least one heating chamber positioned in said housing at an angle from a horizontal surface, said at least one heating chamber being accessible through said opening and having a bread product receiving section;

a base chamber positioned between said heating chamber and said horizontal surface for supporting said heating chamber at said angle;

a heat shield at least partially covering said heating chamber, said heat shield having a top with integrally connected front and rear walls, said top having at least one opening corresponding to said opening in said housing top;

a first heating element assembly in said heating chamber, said first heating element assembly comprising a heating element and a grill;

a second heating element assembly in said heating chamber, said second heating element assembly comprising a heating element and a grill;

a first pair of linkage leaders attached to said first heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a first linkage trailer;

a second pair of linkage leaders attached to said second heating element assembly and supported for combined movement by a second linkage trailer;

a spring return operably attached to said first heating element assembly near a linkage leader from said first pair and operably attached to said second heating element assembly near a linkage leader from said second pair, said spring return biasing the movement of said heating element assemblies toward each other;

a carriage assembly movable between a raised position and a lowered position, said carriage assembly comprising a bread rack positioned in said bread product receiving section for holding a food item thereon and comprising a slidable connection with a guide rod and a damper for absorbing at least one of noise and vibration associated with a sliding movement of said carriage along said guide rod, said carriage assembly further comprising an operable engagement with at least one of said linkage leaders and said linkage trailers for assisting in the movement of said heating element assemblies by said spring return; and

a toaster control interface on said top face of said housing, said toaster control interface comprising a concentric rotary control for shade selection surrounding a central control means for controlling a supply of power to said heating elements.