Toaster

• US 6,431,057 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2002
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Simatelex Manufactory Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Simatelex Manufactory Company Limited
• Inventors: Leung, Chi Wah, Luk, Shek Chuen, Fung, Chi Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US10/039,298
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 993/26--33, 993/37, 993/38, 993/85--91, 993/93, 993/99, 994/00--02, 219/521, 219/518, 219/537, 219/386, 219/492, 219/481, 219/494, 219/489, 219/497, 392/373, 392/375, 392/337, 392/407, 426/241, 426/243, 426/466, 426/523
• US Class Current: 99/326
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0807 with radiating heaters and reflectors

Abstract

A toaster includes a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions. A lever arm with a handle is operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions. A user releasable latch retains the toaster rack in the upper position. When the latch is released the toasting rack falls to the lower position and a toasting cycle begins. At the end of a toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.

Claims

1. A toaster comprising:

a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions, and

a lever arm having a handle and being operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions, and wherein

a user releasable latch retains the toaster rack in the upper position, and when the latch is released the toasting rack is able to fall to the lower position.

2. A toaster as claimed in claim 1 wherein at the end of a toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.

3. A toaster as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lever arm is pivotally mounted substantially at a balance point between the toasting rack and handle such that the toasting rack falls to the lower position only when a splice of bread is present on it.

4. A toaster as claimed in claim 1 wherein the releasable latch is associated with a switch for energising toaster elements, when the latch is released the toaster elements are energised for a toasting cycle.

5. A toaster comprising:

a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions, and

a lever arm having a handle and being operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions, and wherein

the lever arm is pivotally mounted substantially at a balance point between the toasting rack and handle and a user releasable latch retains the toaster rack in the upper position, and when the latch is released the toasting rack falls to the lower position and a toasting cycle begins, at the end of a toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.

6. A toaster as claimed in claim 5 wherein the releasable latch is associated with a switch for energising toaster elements, when the latch is released the toaster elements are energised for the toasting cycle.

7. A toaster comprising:

a toasting rack moveable between upper and lower positions,

a lever arm having a handle and being operable to move the toasting rack between the upper and lower positions,

a user releasable latch for retaining the toaster rack in the upper position, and

a solenoid for retaining the latch in a released position,

when the latch is released the toasting rack falls to the lower position, the solenoid retaining the latch in the released position until the end of a toasting cycle.

8. A toaster as claimed in claim 7 wherein at the end of the toasting cycle the toasting rack is moved to the upper position by manual operation of the handle.