Sandwich making appliance and method of making a sandwich with the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10244893-B2
Application number	US-201514580558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2015
Priority date	Jan 14, 2013
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

An appliance for cooking a food item comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a cooking assembly. The cooking assembly comprises a top heated plate, a bottom heated plate, and a center ring therebetween. The top heated plate is selectively movable between (i) an open position and (ii) a closed position in which a top cooking cavity is selectively formed by the top heated plate and the top housing when the top housing is in a closed position. The bottom heated plate is selectively movable between (i) an open position and (ii) a closed position in which a bottom cooking cavity is selectively formed by the bottom housing and the bottom heated plate. A center cooking cavity is selectively formed by the top heated plate, the center ring, and the bottom heated plate when the top and bottom heated plates are in their respective closed positions.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising:
a bottom housing having a top surface;
a top housing having a bottom surface, the top housing being movably attached to the bottom housing, the top housing selectively moveable between a closed position and an open position; and
a cooking assembly positionable between the top surface of the bottom housing and the bottom surface of the top housing when the top housing is in the closed position, the cooking assembly comprising a top heated plate, a bottom heated plate, and a center ring therebetween;
the cooking assembly's top heated plate is selectively movable between (i) an open position and (ii) a closed position in which a top cooking cavity is selectively formed by the cooking assembly's top heated plate and the bottom surface of the top housing when the top housing is in its closed position;
the cooking assembly's bottom heated plate is selectively movable between (i) an open position and (ii) a closed position in which a bottom cooking cavity is selectively formed by the top surface of the bottom housing and the bottom heated plate;
the cooking assembly further comprising a center cooking cavity selectively formed by the top heated plate, the center ring, and the bottom heated plate when the top and bottom heated plates are in their respective closed positions.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a hinge affixed to the top and bottom housings for hingedly attaching the top housing to the bottom housing.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the cooking assembly is movably attached to the hinge to enable the cooking assembly to move between a down position and an up position.

4. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the cooking assembly is selectively movably attached to the hinge to enable the cooking assembly to move between a down position and an up position.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cooking assembly is movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the cooking assembly to move between a down position and an up position.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the cooking assembly is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the cooking assembly to move between a down position and an up position.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the top heated plate is pivotably attached to the center ring to enable the top heated plate to selectively move between (i) its open position and (ii) its closed position; and wherein the bottom heated plate is pivotably attached to the center ring to enable the bottom heated plate to selectively move between (i) its open position and (ii) its closed position.

8. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the top heated plate comprises a heating element embedded therein or attached thereto; and wherein the bottom heated plate comprises a heating element embedded therein or attached thereto.

9. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the top surface of the bottom housing comprises a heating element embedded therein or attached thereto; and wherein the bottom surface of the top housing comprises a heating element embedded therein or attached thereto.

10. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a circular ridge projecting downward from the bottom surface of the top housing, such that the top cooking cavity is formed by the circular ridge, the bottom surface of the top housing, and the top heated plate when the top housing is in its closed position and the top heated plate is in its closed position.

11. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:
a semi-circular ridge projecting upward from the top surface of the bottom housing; and
a semi-circular ridge projecting downward from a bottom surface of the bottom heated plate;
wherein the semi-circular ridge projecting upward from the top surface of the bottom housing and the semi-circular ridge projecting downward from the bottom surface of the bottom heated plate cooperate to form a circular ring when the top housing is in its closed position and the bottom heated plate is in its closed position, such that the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the circular ring, the top surface of the bottom housing, and the bottom heated plate.

12. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a circular ridge projecting upward from the top surface of the bottom housing such that the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the circular ring projecting upward from the top surface of the bottom housing, the top surface of the bottom housing, and the bottom heated plate when the top housing is in its closed position and the bottom heated plate is in its closed position.

Assignees

• Hamilton Beach Brands Inc

Inventors

• Garman Michael
• Jackson David L
• Longmire Abraham S
• Stamper George
• Pierce Micheal M
• Mccullough Derek A
• Steiner Mark C
• Radford Andrea L

Classifications

• A23L5/10

  General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying · CPC title

• A47J37/0611 Primary

  the food being cooked between two heating plates, e.g. waffle-irons · CPC title

• A47J37/049

  Details of the food supports not specially adapted to one of the preceding types of food supports · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A47J37/043

  with food supports rotating about a vertical axis · CPC title