Food cooking rotisserie

• US 6,782,805 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronco Holdings Inc. (Ronco Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advantage Partners Limited Liability Partnership
• Inventors: Backus, Alan L., Popeil, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEXANDER, REGINALD
• Application Number:
  US10/177,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20020166458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 994/19, 994/21.H, 994/21.P, 994/21.R, 994/27, 994/21.HH, 994/21.HV, 126/25.AA
• US Class Current: 99/421.00H
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/912 Cookware, i.e. pots and pans

Abstract

Enclosed rotisserie including a 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 from time to time covered by an inclined glass panel door which may be opened in various ways to facilitate food insertion into and removal from the enclosure, and which may be easily removed for cleaning or other purposes.

Claims

1. A spit assembly for use in a cooking device, comprising:

a first plate-shaped member having an inner side, a peripheral boundary, and an interior area wherein said first plate-shaped member comprises a heat-resistant material having a substantially circular shape and a plurality of teeth situated around the peripheral boundary of the first plate-shaped member and the interior area and the peripheral boundary are positioned in two different planes;

a second plate-shaped member having an inner side, a peripheral boundary, and an interior area wherein said second plate-shaped member comprises a heat-resistant material having a substantially circular shape and a plurality of teeth situated around the peripheral boundary of the second plate-shaped member and the interior area and the peripheral boundary are positioned in two different planes; and

at least one spit rod having a first end coupled to the inner side of the first plate-shaped member and having a second end coupled to the inner side of the second plate-shaped member.

2. A spit assembly for use in a cooking device, comprising:

a first plate having an inner side, a periphery, and a frustum wherein said first plate comprises a metallic material having a substantially circular shape and a plurality of teeth situated around the periphery;

a second plate having an inner side, a periphery, and a frustum wherein said second plate comprises a metallic material having a substantially circular shape and a plurality of teeth situated around the periphery; and

at least one spit rod having a first end coupled to the inner side of the first plate and having a second end coupled to the inner side of the second plate.

3. The spit assembly of claim 2 wherein the frustum of the first plate and the frustum of the second plate are conically shaped.

4. The spit assembly of claim 2 wherein the cooking device comprises a back wall, a first side wall and a second side wall.

5. The spit assembly of claim 4 wherein the frustum of the first plate extends toward the first side wall and the frustum of the second plate extends toward the second side wall.

6. The spit assembly of claim 4 wherein the first plate has a projection extending from the plate toward the first side wall and the second plate has a projection extending from the plate toward the second side wall.

7. The spit assembly of claim 6 wherein the first side wall has at least one indentation and the second side wall has at least one indentation.

8. The spit assembly of claim 7 wherein the projection of the first plate extends into the indentation of the first side wall and the projection of the second plate extends into the indentation of the second side wall.

9. A cooking device comprising:

an enclosure;

a spit assembly comprising a first plate having an inner side, a periphery, and a frustum wherein said first plate comprises a metallic material having a substantially circular shape and a plurality of teeth situated around the periphery, a second plate having an inner side, a periphery, and a frustum wherein said second plate comprises a metallic material having a substantially circular shape and a plurality of teeth situated around the periphery, and at least one spit rod having a first end coupled to the inner side of the first plate and having a second end coupled to the inner side of the second plate wherein the first plate and the second plate each have a projection extending from the frustum.

a first and a second track in the enclosure, the first track adapted to receive the projection of the first plate of the spit assembly and the second track adapted to receive the projection of the second plate of the spit assembly;

a heating element located inside the enclosure; and

a drive mechanism to rotate the spit assembly when in contact with the spit assembly.