Rotisserie for oven

• US 8,272,321 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Capital Cooking Equipment, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Capital Cooking Equipment, Inc.
• Inventors: Kalsi, Surya Kanwal, Romero, Rafael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Simms, Jr., John E
• Application Number:
  US12/027,177
• Time in Patent Office: 1,693 Days
• Field of Search: 994/19, 994/21, 994/21.H, 994/21.HV, 994/21.HH, 994/21.V, 994/21.M, 99D/IG.14, 994/43.R, 743/85, 744/12.R, 744/16, 744/17
• US Class Current: 99/421.H
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/041 with food supports rotating about a horizontal axis A47J37/042 takes precedence

Abstract

A removable rotisserie accessory for an oven includes a motor assembly positionable beneath a floor of the oven to provide rotational energy about a vertical axis perpendicular to the floor of the oven. A vertical rod is insertable through an opening in the floor of the oven to engage the motor assembly and to rotate about the vertical axis. A horizontal rod has a first end supported by the vertical rod and has a second end supported proximate to a sidewall of the oven. The horizontal rod supports at least one engagement device for an item to be cooked. A miter gear assembly includes a first bevel gear mounted on the vertical rod to rotate with the vertical rod and includes a second bevel gear mounted on the horizontal rod to rotate the horizontal rod in response to rotation of the first bevel gear.

Claims

1. A removable rotisserie accessory for an oven comprising:

a motor assembly positionable beneath a floor of the oven to provide rotational energy about a vertical axis perpendicular to the floor of the oven, the motor assembly including a rotating output coupler that rotates about the vertical axis;

a bushing assembly positioned through an opening in the oven floor, the bushing assembly aligned with the vertical axis;

a vertical rod removably insertable through the bushing assembly in the opening in the floor of the oven to engage the output coupler of the motor assembly, the bushing assembly securing the vertical rod in a vertical orientation and enabling the vertical rod to rotate about the vertical axis;

a horizontal bearing assembly removably positionable at the top of the vertical rod and supported by the vertical rod, the horizontal bearing assembly rotationally decoupled from the vertical rod such that rotation of the vertical rod does not rotate the horizontal bearing assembly, the horizontal bearing assembly including a bearing surface that is concentric with a horizontal axis;

a horizontal rod having a first end portion removably positioned on and supported by the bearing surface of the horizontal bearing assembly and having a second end portion removably supported by a support structure proximate to a sidewall of the oven, the horizontal rod supporting at least one engagement device for an item to be cooked; and

a miter gear assembly comprising a first bevel gear mounted on the vertical rod and secured to the vertical rod to rotate with the vertical rod and a second bevel gear mounted on the horizontal rod and secured to the horizontal rod, the second bevel gear removably positioned in engagement with the first bevel gear to rotate the horizontal rod about the horizontal axis in response to rotation of the first bevel gear and the vertical rod about the vertical axis.

2. A removable rotisserie accessory for an oven comprising:

a motor assembly positionable beneath a floor of the oven to provide rotational energy about a vertical axis perpendicular to the floor of the oven, the rotational energy provided at an output coupler of the motor assembly;

a vertical rod assembly that includes a vertical rod insertable through an opening in the floor of the oven to engage the motor assembly and to rotate about the vertical axis;

a horizontal rod having a first end supported by the vertical rod assembly and having a second end supported by a support structure proximate to a sidewall of the oven, the horizontal rod supporting at least one engagement device for an item to be cooked;

a miter gear assembly comprising a first bevel gear mounted on the vertical rod to rotate with the vertical rod and a second bevel gear mounted on the horizontal rod to rotate the horizontal rod in response to rotation of the first bevel gear; and

a funnel assembly coupled to the output coupler of the motor assembly to rotate with the output coupler, the funnel assembly having a lower portion that engages a lower end of the vertical rod to cause the vertical rod to rotate with the funnel assembly, the funnel assembly having an enlarged upper portion that is larger than the lower end of the vertical rod, the enlarged upper portion receiving the lower end of the vertical rod even when the vertical rod is displaced from the vertical axis, the upper portion guiding the lower end of the vertical rod into engagement with the lower portion.

3. The removable rotisserie assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein the enlarged upper portion of the funnel assembly has a substantially rectangular shape.

4. The removable rotisserie assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the output coupler includes a central bore; and

the funnel assembly includes an extended lower post, the lower post having a cross-sectional shape selected to engage the central bore of the output coupler of the motor assembly to cause the funnel assembly to rotate with the output coupler.

5. The removable rotisserie assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein the motor assembly further comprises a bearing assembly positioned in alignment with the output coupler, the bearing assembly supporting the weight of the funnel assembly and the weight of the vertical rod, including the weight of any mass supported by the vertical rod.

6. A rotisserie for an oven, the oven having a floor and a pair of sidewalls, the rotisserie comprising:

a motor positioned beneath the floor of the oven, the motor including an output coupler that provides rotation about a vertical axis;

a vertical shaft having a lower end that passes through a bearing positioned in an opening in the floor of the oven and that engages the output coupler of the motor to rotate with the output coupler about the vertical axis;

a floating horizontal bearing having a lower end that is supported by the vertical shaft and that is aligned with the vertical axis, the floating horizontal rotationally decoupled from the vertical shaft such that the floating horizontal bearing remains stationary when the vertical shaft rotates, the floating horizontal bearing having an upper bearing portion having a bearing surface concentric with a horizontal axis;

a horizontal spit having a horizontal shaft that rotates about the horizontal axis, the horizontal shaft having a first end portion supported by the floating horizontal bearing and having a second end portion supported by a support structure at one of the oven sidewalls; and

a gear assembly having a first gear secured to the vertical shaft that rotates with the vertical shaft and having a gear secured to the horizontal shaft and that engages the first gear when the first end portion of the horizontal shaft is positioned in the upper bearing portion, the second gear rotating the horizontal shaft about the horizontal axis when the vertical shaft rotates about the vertical axis.

7. A removable rotisserie accessory for an oven comprising:

a motor assembly positionable beneath a floor of the oven, the motor assembly having an output coupler that rotates about a vertical axis in a horizontal plane generally parallel to the floor of the oven;

a bushing positioned in an opening in the floor of the oven, the bushing including an inner bearing surface concentric to the vertical axis;

a vertical rod assembly comprising;

a vertical rod having a cylindrical outer surface, the vertical rod having a lower end and an upper end, the lower end insertable through the bushing in the opening in the floor of the oven and engageable with the output coupler of the motor assembly so that the vertical rod rotates with is rotated about the vertical axis by the output coupler, the bushing providing a close fit about the cylindrical outer surface of the vertical rod to support the vertical rod in a vertical position aligned with the vertical axis;

a drive gear proximate to the upper end of the vertical rod, the vertical drive gear mounted on the vertical rod to rotate about the vertical axis when the vertical rod is rotated by the output coupler of the motor assembly; and

a horizontal bearing support supported by the upper end of the vertical rod, the horizontal bearing support rotationally decoupled from the vertical rod to remain stationary when the vertical rod is rotating below the horizontal bearing support, the horizontal bearing support including a curved bearing support surface having a horizontal axis perpendicular to the vertical axis; and

a horizontal spit assembly comprising;

a horizontal rod having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion of the horizontal rod supported by the horizontal bearing support, the horizontal rod having a horizontal axis;

a driven gear proximate to the first end portion of the horizontal rod, the driven gear engaging the drive gear and rotating the horizontal rod about the horizontal axis in response to rotation of the drive gear about the vertical axis;

an end support bracket mountable to an inner surface of a sidewall of the oven, the end support bracket supporting the second end portion of the horizontal rod; and

at least one engaging device mountable on the horizontal rod for engaging an item to be rotated on the horizontal rod assembly.