Toaster

• US 7,351,939 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Hayes, Robert, Gausmann, Keith, Brueckner, Robert, Boyle, Kenneth, Hsu, Paul, Lafrenz, Kristi, Stark, Sally, Drenten, Doug, Petersen, Gary, DeBord, Jeffrey, Schmitz, Gary, Kopczewski, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US11/075,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20050204927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/521
• 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, the carriage assembly further comprising;

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

means for moving said first heating element assembly and said second heating element assembly in connection with a movement of said carriage assembly, each said means for moving said heating element assembly comprising a first linkage leader on a first end of said heating element assembly and a second linkage leader on a second end of said heating element assembly, said first and second linkage leaders being supported for combined movement by a linkage trailer, 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. A toaster comprising:

a housing;

a control interface system for controlling a function of the toaster;

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; and

means for moving said first heating element assembly and said second heating element assembly in connection with a movement of said carriage assembly, each said means for moving said heating element assembly comprising a first linkage leader on a first end of said heating element assembly and a second linkage leader on a second end of said heating element assembly, said first and second linkage leaders being supported for combined movement by a linkage trailer, 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, the means for moving said first heating element assembly and said second heating element assembly comprises;

a spring return operably attached to said first heating element assembly near a linkage leader and to said second heating element assembly near a linkage leader, 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.

3. 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, each said means for moving said heating element assembly comprising a first linkage leader on a first end of said heating element assembly and a second linkage leader on a second end of said heating element assembly, said first and second linkage leaders being supported for combined movement by a linkage trailer;

at least two spring returns operably attached to said first heating element assembly and said second heat element assembly to bias the movement of said linkage leaders and to bias the movement of the associated heating element assemblies toward a center of said bread product receiving section.

4. 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, each said means for moving said heating element assembly comprising a first linkage leader on a first end of said heating element assembly and a second linkage leader on a second end of said heating element assembly, said first and second linkage leaders being supported for combined movement by a linkage trailer; 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, the carriage assembly comprising;

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.

5. The toaster of claim 4, 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.

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

a first heating element assembly having a first linkage leader on a first end of said first heating element assembly, a second linkage leader on a second end of said first heating element assembly, and supported for combined movement by a first linkage trailer;

a second heating element assembly having a first linkage leader on a first end of said second heating element assembly, a second linkage leader on a second end of 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 and to said second heating element assembly near a linkage leader, 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.

7. 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.