Rotisserie oven having a shaped food basket

• US 6,450,087 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2001
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronco Holdings Inc. (Ronco Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alan L. Backus, Ron Popeil
• Inventors: Backus, Alan L., Popeil, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US09/783,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20010032547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 994/27, 994/21.H, 994/21.R, 994/26
• US Class Current: 99/427
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/041 with food supports rotating about a horizontal axis A47J37/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/042 with food supports arranged on wheels or spiders rotating about a horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/043 with food supports rotating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/047 with rotating drums or baskets
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0623 Small-size cooking ovens, i.e. defining an at least partially closed cooking cavity A47J37/0605 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0635 with reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0641 with forced air circulation, e.g. air fryers
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0664 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0745 with motor-driven food supports

Abstract

Enclosed rotisserie with added convenience, including a countertop resting box enclosure housing a safety rear mounted heating element and a power rotated dual rod spit assembly. The spit assembly may also be mounted at various distances from the heating element to decrease cooking times. The open front of the enclosure is covered by an inclined glass panel door. The embodiment'"'"'s design makes efficient use of valuable counter space by recessing back and raising off the countertop its controls. Accessories include wire baskets a rotating stir fryer and a generally cylindrical container capable of being affixed to the spit rod to rotate with the spit rod. and a rotating stir fryer. Foods may be cooked on top of the embodiment as well using an included warming tray and an inserted steaming tray with cover. Grease-tight rotisserie/barbecue gloves make food handling easier and safer.

Claims

1. A rotisserie oven for cooking food, comprising:

an enclosure;

a heat source within the enclosure;

a first spit rod and a second spit rod capable of being supported in the enclosure so that the first and the second spit rod can rotate about a horizontal axis within the enclosure; and

a generally cylindrical container capable of being affixed to the first and the second spit rod so that the generally cylindrical container can rotate in concert with the first and the second spit rod.

2. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical container includes a door that allows food to be placed in and removed from the container.

3. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical container includes a plurality of partitions projecting into the interior of the generally cylindrical container.

4. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 3, whereby the plurality of partitions cause food to be agitated when the spit rod and the generally cylindrical container are rotated.

5. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical container is affixed to the first and the second spit rod by sliding onto the first and the second spit rod.

6. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical container has two end plates, each of the end plates having at least two holes, whereby the generally cylindrical container is affixed to the first and the second spit rod by the first and the second spit rod sliding into the holes in each of the end plates.

7. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 1 wherein the generally cylindrical container is fabricated from one of the following materials:

stamped metal, rolled metal, cast metal or glass.

8. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 1 wherein the generally cylindrical container is solid and further comprises a vent.

9. A rotisserie oven for cooking food, comprising:

an enclosure;

a heat source within the enclosure;

a spit rod assembly capable of being supported in the enclosure so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis within the enclosure; and

a generally cylindrical container capable of being affixed to the spit rod assembly so that the generally cylindrical container can rotate in concert with the spit rod assembly;

wherein the spit rod assembly includes two spit rods and the generally cylindrical container has two end plates, each of the end plates having two holes, whereby the generally cylindrical container is affixed to each of the spit rods by each of the spit rods sliding into a hole in each of the two end plates.

10. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 wherein the generally cylindrical container includes a door that allows food to be placed in and removed from the container.

11. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 wherein the generally cylindrical container includes a plurality of partitions projecting into the interior of the generally cylindrical container.

12. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 11 whereby the plurality of partitions cause food to be agitated when the spit rod assembly and the generally cylindrical container are rotated.

13. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 wherein the spit rod assembly and the generally cylindrical container share a substantially common axis.

14. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 wherein the generally cylindrical container is fabricated from one of the following materials:

stamped metal, rolled metal, cast metal or glass.

15. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 wherein the generally cylindrical container is solid and further comprises a vent.

16. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 further comprising:

a motor driven gear, the driven gear being located within the enclosure and capable of being selectively enabled; and

a geared periphery on one end of the spit rod assembly;

whereby the geared periphery engages the driven gear when

the spit rod assembly is supported in the enclosure so that the spit rod assembly rotates when the motor driven gear is selectively enabled.

17. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the spit rod assembly having a first plate at one end and a second plate at the other end, the first and second plates having a plurality of positions for supporting kabob rods.

18. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a plurality of kabob rods located in the plurality of positions in the first and second plates.

19. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 9 wherein the heat source is an electrically energized rod-type heating element.

20. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 19 wherein the heat source is “

M”

shaped.

21. A rotisserie oven for cooking food, comprising:

an enclosure;

a heat source within the enclosure;

a first spit rod and a second spit rod capable of being supported in the enclosure so that the first and the second spit rod can rotate about a horizontal axis within the enclosure; and

a tubular container affixed to the first spit rod and the second spit rod by sliding onto the first and the second spit rod so that the tubular container can rotate in concert with the first and the second spit rod.

22. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 21 wherein the tubular container includes a door that allows food to be placed in and removed from the container.

23. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 21 wherein the tubular container includes a plurality of partitions projecting into the interior of the generally cylindrical container.

24. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 23 whereby the plurality of partitions cause food to be agitated when the spit rod and the tubular container are rotated.

25. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 21 wherein the tubular container has two end plates, each of the end plates having at least two holes, whereby the tubular container is affixed to the first and the second spit rod by the first and the second spit rod sliding into the holes in each of the end plates.

26. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 21 wherein the tubular container is fabricated from one of the following materials:

stamped metal, rolled metal, cast metal or glass.

27. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 21 wherein the tubular container is solid and further comprises a vent.

28. A rotisserie oven for cooking food, comprising:

an enclosure;

a heat source within the enclosure;

a generally cylindrical container having a first support axle, a second support axle and a geared section;

a first and a second track within the enclosure, the first track supporting the first support axle and the second track supporting the second support; and

a drive motor having a drive gear wherein the drive gear engages the geared section of the generally cylindrical container when the first support axle and the second support axle are placed in the first and the second tracks to cause the rotation of the generally cylindrical container.

29. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 28 wherein the cylindrical container further comprises a door that allows food to be placed in and removed from the container.

30. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 28 wherein the generally cylindrical container includes a plurality of partitions projecting into the interior of the generally cylindrical container.

31. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 28 wherein the generally cylindrical container is fabricated from one of the following materials:

stamped metal, rolled metal, cast metal or glass.

32. The rotisserie oven as claimed in claim 28 wherein the generally cylindrical container is solid and further comprises a vent.