TOASTER AND CONVECTION OVEN WITH VARIABLE CONTROLS

• US 20160029829A1
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Conair LLC (Conair Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Conair Corporation
• Inventors: KLEIN, ANDREW J.
• Application Number:
  US14/447,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029829A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0641 with forced air circulation, e.g. air fryers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/08 Bread-toasters

Abstract

A toaster and convection oven includes a housing having an internal heating compartment, a heating mechanism in thermal communication with the heating compartment and configured to heat the heating compartment, a user interface including a plurality of user controls to be manipulated by a user, the user controls allowing the user to program a dual cook mode including a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, and a control unit operatively connected to the user interface and to the heating mechanism. The control unit is configured to receive a signal from the user interface and to control operation of the heating mechanism in dependence upon the signal to run the first cooking mode and the second cooking mode sequentially without further input from the user.

Claims

1. A toaster and convection oven, comprising:

a housing having an internal heating compartment;

a heating mechanism in thermal communication with said heating compartment and configured to heat said heating compartment;

a user interface including a plurality of user controls to be manipulated by a user, said user controls allowing a user to program a dual cook mode including a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode; and

a control unit operatively connected to said user interface and to said heating mechanism, said control unit being configured to receive a signal from said user interface and to control operation of said heating mechanism in dependence upon said signal to run said first cooking mode and said second cooking mode sequentially without further input from a user.

2. The toaster and convection oven of claim 1, wherein:

said first cooking mode includes a first cooking function, a first cooking temperature and a first cooking time; and

said second cooking mode includes a second cooking function, a second cooking temperature and a second cooking time;

wherein at least said first cooking temperature is different from said second cooking temperature.

3. The toaster and convection oven of claim 2, wherein:

said first cooking function includes one of bake, broil, roast, pizza, sandwich and keep warm.

4. The toaster and convection oven of claim 2, wherein:

said first cooking function is bake; and

said second cooking function is broil.

5. The toaster and convection oven of claim 1, wherein:

said heating mechanism includes at least one upper heating element adjacent to a top of said heating compartment, said at least one upper heating element being operable at a first wattage between zero and full power, and at least one lower heating element adjacent to a bottom of said heating compartment, said second heating element being operable at a second wattage between zero power and full power.

6. The toaster and convection oven of claim 2, further comprising:

a convection fan in communication with said heating compartment and configured to circulate air around a food item within said heating compartment.

7. The toaster and convection oven of claim 6, wherein:

said user interface includes a digital display; and

said plurality of user controls include a start/stop button for initiating a cooking cycle, a dual cook button for initializing said dual cook mode and an oven light button for turning on and off light within said heating compartment.

8. The toaster and convection oven of claim 6, wherein:

said plurality of user controls include a convection button for controlling said convection fan to a first speed and a speed convection button for controlling said convection fan to a second speed;

wherein said second speed is greater than said first speed.

9. The toaster and convection oven of claim 6, wherein:

said plurality of user controls includes a rotatable and depressible selector knob for selecting said first cooking function, said first cooking time and said first cooking temperature, and said second cooking function, said second cooking time, and said second cooking temperature.

10. The toaster and convection oven of claim 6, wherein:

said plurality of user controls includes an add time button operable to automatically add 30 seconds to any cooking function.

11. The toaster and convection oven of claim 5, wherein:

said at least one upper heating element is three upper heating elements; and

said at least one lower heating element it two lower heating elements.

12. A method of operating a toaster and convection oven, said oven including a heating compartment, a plurality of heating elements within said heating compartment and a user interface including a plurality of user controls, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first cooking signal and a second cooking signal in response to actuation of said user controls, said first cooking signal corresponding to a first cooking function having a first cooking parameter and said second cooking signal corresponding to a second cooking function having a second cooking parameter;

controlling said heating elements to perform said first cooking function; and

controlling said heating elements to perform said second cooking function automatically, subsequent to performing said first cooking function and without further actuation of said user controls.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein:

said first cooking parameter is different from said second cooking parameter.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein:

said first cooking function includes one of bake, broil, roast, pizza, sandwich and keep warm.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein:

said first cooking function is bake; and

said second cooking function is broil.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein:

said first cooking parameter is a cooking temperature and said second cooking parameter is a cooking temperature that is different from said first cooking temperature.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

actuating a convection fan during one of said first cooking function and said second cooking function to provide circulation of air within said heating compartment in response to actuation of said user controls.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:

extending the duration of one of said first cooking function and said second cooking function in response to actuation of said user controls while performing said cooking function.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein:

said steps are carried out by a control unit operatively connected to said user interface and to said heating elements.