Temperature control for a toaster oven

Details Temperature control for a toaster oven Temperature control for a toaster oven

2000-01-11

2001-03-06

Paschall, Mark (Department: 3742)

Electric heating

Heating devices

With power supply and voltage or current regulation or...

C219S497000, C219S518000, C219S501000, C219S514000, C099S328000, C099S3290RT

Reexamination Certificate

active

06198078

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a toaster oven broiler and, in particular, to a toaster oven broiler with a temperature control and to a method of toasting a bread product.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ART
It is known in the toaster oven broiler art to use a mechanical thermostat mounted either directly outside of a wall of the cooking chamber or to a small heat pipe that conducts heat from the cooking chamber. Both of these constructions are subject to delayed operation and response because of the time required to conduct heat through the wall of the cooking chamber. The thermostat operation is generally limited to oven operation in non-toasting modes, such as baking, broiling and the like. For the toasting mode, a simple mechanical timer that, when moved from zero to a particular toast color, energizes the oven heater at full power until the timer returns to zero. Mechanical timers are not very accurate and, over time, drift. This causes, for example, the oven toaster to toast a bread product as medium, dark and burnt for color selections of light, medium and dark, respectively.
An object of the present invention is to provide a toaster oven with an accurate electrical control that automatically adjusts toasting time as a function of oven temperature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A toaster oven according to the invention includes a heater that, when energized, heats a toasting chamber. A temperature sensor is disposed in the toasting chamber and provides an electrical signal signifying the temperature therein. A controller responds to the electrical signal to determine the oven temperature. If the oven temperature is approximately a predetermined temperature, such as room temperature, the controller causes the heater to be energized for a first toasting interval. If the toasting chamber temperature is at a greater temperature, the controller causes the heater to be energized for a second toasting interval that is shorter than the first toasting interval. Thus, if the toasting chamber is at room temperature, the first interval is selected and is a normal toast time from a cold start. On the other hand, if the toasting chamber is at a warmer temperature, the second shorter toasting interval is selected. This results in toast that has the same color over consecutive toast cycles, regardless of how much time elapses between the cycles. The second shorter toasting interval is in the range of about 30% to about 42% of the first toasting interval. The toaster oven is programmed for a maximum temperature so that the oven cannot produce an excessive level of heat.
The toaster oven of the invention may also include a color control for signifying at least two different toast colors. The controller uses different time lengths for the first toasting interval for the two different toast colors. Preferably, the temperature sensor is a negative temperature coefficient device with a tolerance of ±15° F.
The method of toasting a bread product according to the invention monitors the temperature in the toaster chamber. If the chamber temperature is approximately the predetermined temperature, the heater is energized for a first toasting interval. If the chamber temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, the heater is energized for a second toasting interval that is shorter than the first toasting interval.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4170932 (1979-10-01), Lalancette
patent: 4742246 (1988-05-01), Mori
patent: 4978838 (1990-12-01), Sanjuan

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