Counter-top electric cooker

Details Counter-top electric cooker Counter-top electric cooker

1999-04-12

2001-03-13

Pelham, Joseph (Department: 3742)

Electric heating

Heating devices

Combined with container, enclosure, or support for material...

C219S400000, C219S392000, C099S476000, C126S333000, C126S02100R, C220S769000, C220S770000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06201217

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to electric ovens, and in particular to counter-top electric cook ovens.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Counter-top electric ovens are known in the art. In comparison to conventional ovens, counter-top electric ovens typically offer the advantage of being less bulky and having quicker cooking times. It is common for counter-top ovens to include a power head having a heating unit that is used to heat the cooking enclosure. It is also common for the interior of the cooking enclosure in such ovens to be accessed by manually lifting an upper portion of the cooking enclosure from the remainder of the cooking enclosure. To reduce the weight of counter-top electric ovens for portability and to provide a cooking enclosure that allows viewing of the cooking operation, counter-top electric ovens typically utilize plastic materials for a majority of their housings, including for the cooking enclosure. To reduce the cooking time, counter-top electric ovens typically will rely on a hot air stream that is cycloned around the food by a high speed fan associated with the electric heating element, or by utilizing an infrared heating element in combination with a relatively low speed fan that generates sufficient air circulation in the oven to ensure a relatively uniform temperature distribution in the oven. One example of a counter-top electric oven that utilizes an infrared electric heating element, a relatively low speed fan, and plastic housings, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,420 issued Apr. 4, 1995 to Eugene Song.
One problem associated with such ovens is the heat generated by the heating unit of the power head. This heat can potentially damage plastic components of the oven and can also potentially increase the temperature of the oven housings to a point where a user cannot comfortably access the cooking enclosure. This problem is especially of concern for the components and housing near the heating unit.
As seen in the Song patent, it is also known for the lower portion of the cooking enclosure of such ovens to be defined by a metallic pan having an interior surface at which the heat generated by the heating unit is directed. The metallic pan is supported and surrounded by a plastic base which prevents the heat transmitted from the metallic pan from damaging the counter-top on which the oven is resting. One problem associated with this construction is that the metallic plate can transfer sufficient heat from the heating unit to damage housing components contacting the pan, or can transfer sufficient heat surrounding the housing to a point where a user cannot comfortably touch the surrounding housing. Another problem associated with this construction is that it can be very difficult to remove the metallic pan from the base, especially when the metallic pan is hot.
Other concerns common to counter-top ovens are the assembly and disassembly of the housings to allow the insertion and removal of food for cooking, and the cleaning of the interior of the cooking enclosure and the heating components therein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved counter-top electric oven.
It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved counter-top infrared electric oven.
It is another object of the invention to provide a counter-top electric oven that minimizes the risk of heating housing components to a point where the components can be damaged or where a user cannot comfortably handle the housings during operation or soon after operation has been terminated.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves at least some of the foregoing objects in a counter-top electric oven for cooking food that includes a cooking enclosure and a power head detachably connected to the cooking enclosure. The cooking enclosure includes an upper surface with an opening therein. The power head includes a heating unit extending into the cooking enclosure through said opening, a fan chamber positioned above the cooking enclosure and the heating unit, a fan mounted in the fan chamber to create a cooling air flow through the fan chamber, a plurality of air inlets to the fan chamber to allow the cooling air flow into the fan chamber, and a cooling manifold surrounding the opening in the upper surface and facing the upper surface outside of the cooking enclosure. The cooling manifold is in fluid communication with the fan chamber and includes a plurality of air outlets arranged to direct the cooling air flow from the fan chamber toward the upper surface of the cooking enclosure to cool the upper surface.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a counter-top electric oven for cooking food includes a cooking enclosure, a power head detachably connected to the cooking enclosure, and a plastic base that supports the cooking enclosure. The cooking enclosure includes an oven housing and a metallic oven pan having interior and exterior surfaces and located beneath the oven housing. The power head includes a heating unit extending into the cooking enclosure. The heating unit includes an electric heating element arranged to direct heat toward the interior surface of the oven pan. The plastic base has an interior that surrounds the oven pan with an air gap and includes one or more supports for the oven pan and one or more thermal insulators between the posts and the exterior surface of the oven pan to prevent overheating of the base by the heat directed at the interior surface of the oven pan.
According to one aspect of the invention, an electric oven for cooking food includes a base, a cooking enclosure supported by the base, and a power head detachably connected to the cooking enclosure. The cooking enclosure is defined by an oven housing and an oven pan located beneath the oven housing. The oven pan is surrounded by an interior of the base and includes a lip defining an outer periphery of the oven pan. A pair of retractable handles are mounted to the lip for movement between a first position where the handles are extended from the lip so that a user may grasp the handles to remove the pan from the base and a second position where the handles are retracted toward the lip to allow the oven housing to be positioned above the oven pan without interfering with the handles. The power head includes a heating unit extending into the cooking enclosure.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a counter-top electric oven includes a cooking enclosure and a power head detachably connected to the cooking enclosure. The power head includes a heating unit extending into the cooking enclosure. The heating unit includes a heating element for heating the cooking enclosure. The power head further includes a controller configured to selectively power the heating element between a minimum power and a maximum power and to limit the cooking time at maximum power to a predetermined period to prevent overheating of the cooking enclosure.
According to one aspect of the invention, an electric oven includes a cooking enclosure, and a power head connected to the cooking enclosure and including a heating unit extending into the cooking enclosure. The heating unit includes a heater housing defining a cavity, a heating element mounted in the cavity for heating the cooking enclosure, and a protective grid mounted to the heater housing between the heating element and the cooking enclosure. The protective grid includes oppositely directed legs, with each leg slidably received in a mating aperture in the heater housing to detachably mount the protective grid to the heater housing. The heating unit further includes a fastener engaged with the heater housing for movement between a first position where the fastener engages one of the legs to restrict movement of the grid relative to the heater housing, and a second position where the fastener is disengaged from one of the legs to allow removal of the grid from the heater housing.
According to one aspect of the invention, an electric oven includes a base having an upwardly extending

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Counter-top electric cooker does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Counter-top electric cooker, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Counter-top electric cooker will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2488807