Rotisserie oven having horizontally and vertically oriented cooking elements

• US 7,514,651 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronco Asset Owners, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ronco Acquisition Corporation (Ronco Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Popeil-Stairs, Shannon, Popeil, Lauren, Backus, Alan, Popeil, Ronald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PELHAM, JOSEPH MOORE
• Application Number:
  US11/274,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20070034621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 219/753
• US Class Current: 219/392
• 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 37/0623 Small-size cooking ovens, i.e. defining an at least partially closed cooking cavity A47J37/0605 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0629 with electric heating elements

Abstract

Indoor use rotisserie ovens which have construction features and scale which make the cleaning process easier. Shown are indoor use rotisserie ovens which also may rotate cooking foods about either a horizontal or vertical axis, which makes their applications more versatile. Construction features include: a scale appropriate for cleaning in a typical kitchen sink, use of removable electrical components, and single oven wall construction, all to allow easy cabinet cleaning. Also shown is a locking tab manufacturing detail which creates an inexpensive, light weight, oven cavity, which is easy to clean and also permits oven cavity washing and/or immersion in water. This manufacturing detail also is easy to handle by the end-user without projecting sharp edges. Self lubricated spit assembly axles are shown as well to help deaden sound.

Claims

1. A device for rotationally cooking food comprising:

an enclosure,

a cooking heat source disposed in the enclosure,

a first rotating food support adjacent to the heat source and having a horizontal axis and gear teeth,

a second rotating food support also adjacent to the heat source and the second rotating food support having a vertical axis, gear teeth and a generally horizontal cooking surface, and

a drive gear positioned on a side wall of the enclosure, wherein the drive gear is adapted to mate with the gear teeth of both the first and second rotating food supports.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first food support is not simultaneously present with the second food support.

3. The device of claim 1 where the drive gear rotationally energizes the first rotating food support through a detachable gear engagement.

4. The device of claim 1 where the drive gear rotationally engages the second rotating food support through a detachable gear engagement.

5. The device of claim 1 further including an oven cavity housing both the cooking heat source and the first food support.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein there is an oven cavity which houses both the cooking heat source and the second rotating food support.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein the heat source can be removed by hand from the oven cavity without the use of tools.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the first rotating food support includes a first horizontal spit.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the first rotating food support also includes a plurality of spit rods.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the generally horizontal cooking surface is not perforated.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the generally horizontal surface is dome shaped.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the first food support can be removed from its adjacency to the cooking heat source by hand, without the use of tools.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the second food support can be removed from its adjacency to the cooking heat source by hand, without the use of tools.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the generally horizontal cooking surface has a top and a bottom and wherein the gear teeth of the second food support are located on the bottom of the generally horizontal cooking surface.

15. A device for rotationally cooking food comprising:

an enclosure,

a cooking heat source disposed in the enclosure,

a first rotating food support adapted to be placed adjacent to the heat source and having a horizontal axis and gear teeth,

a second rotating food support also adapted to be placed adjacent to the heat source and the second rotating food support having a vertical axis, gear teeth and a generally horizontal cooking surface, wherein the first rotating food support can be removed from the enclosure and replaced with the second rotating food support, and

a drive gear positioned on a side wall of the enclosure, wherein the drive gear is adapted to mate with the gear teeth of both the first and second rotating food supports.

16. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an oven that includes a drive mechanism,

(b) placing a first food support in the oven,

(c) rotating the first food support only about a horizontal axis using the drive mechanism,

(d) removing the first food support from the oven,

(e) placing a second food support in the oven, and

(f) rotating the second food support only about a vertical axis using the drive mechanism.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the drive mechanism drives the first and second food supports via a direct gear arrangement.