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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9370275-B2
Application number	US-201414186812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Jan 14, 2013
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A small cooking appliance comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. The bottom housing has a top surface that forms a bottom cooking surface. The top housing has a bottom surface that forms a top cooking surface. The top housing is movably attached to the bottom housing and moveable between a closed position and an open position. The ring assembly is positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position. The ring assembly comprises a top ring, a bottom ring, and a center cooking plate. The center cooking plate is adapted to be removably inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring such that a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities when the center cooking plate is inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising:
a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;
a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being movably attached to the bottom housing, the top housing moveable between a closed position and an open position;
a ring assembly positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position, the ring assembly comprising a top ring, a bottom ring, and a center cooking plate selectively therebetween, the center cooking plate dividing a space defined by the ring assembly into top and bottom cooking cavities; and
a food item support supporting a first food item above a second food item when the second food item is in the top cooking cavity, the food item support comprising one or more support arms selectively slidably insertable through a wall of the top ring.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the a one or more support arms is movably affixed to the top housing.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the one or more support arms is movably affixed to the top cooking surface of the top housing.

4. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the support arm is pivotably affixed to the top housing.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the top housing further comprises a top housing cavity for holding the first food item; and wherein the food item support selectively supports a first food item and the one or more support arms are movably affixed to the top housing, the support arms being selectively movable between a first position at least partly blocking an opening of the top housing cavity to retain the first food item in the top housing cavity and a second position not blocking the opening of the top housing cavity such that the first food item is not retained in the top housing cavity.

6. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising:
a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;
a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being movably attached to the bottom housing, the top housing moveable between a closed position and an open position; and
a ring assembly positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position, the ring assembly comprising a top ring, a bottom ring, and a center cooking plate, the center cooking plate being adapted to be removably inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring such that a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities when the center cooking plate is inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring;
wherein the top cooking cavity is formed by the top cooking surface, the top ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing is in its closed position and when the center cooking plate is inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring; and
wherein the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the bottom cooking surface, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing is in its closed position and when the center cooking plate is inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the ring assembly is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the ring assembly to move between a closed position and an open position.

8. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the top ring is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the top ring to move between a closed position and an open position;
wherein the bottom ring is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the bottom ring to move between a closed position and an open position;
wherein top ring is adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the bottom ring; and
wherein the bottom ring is adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the top ring.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the center cooking plate is adapted to be removably inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions.

10. The appliance of claim 9 , wherein the ring assembly further comprises at least one spacer element to maintain a desired spacing between the top and bottom rings while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions.

11. The appliance of claim 9 , wherein the ring assembly further comprises one or more stop guides, the center cooking plate engaging the one or more stop guides when the center cooking plate is inserted between the top ring and the bottom ring such that the center cooking plate fully overlaps a bottom open end of the top ring and a top open end of the bottom ring.

12. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising:
a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;
a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being movably attached to the bottom housing, the top housing moveable between a closed position and an open position; and
a ring assembly positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position, the ring assembly comprising a top ring, a bottom ring, and a center cooking plate therebetween, the center cooking plate dividing a space defined by the ring assembly into top and bottom cooking cavities;
wherein the top ring, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate each comprise left and right portions;
wherein the left portions of the top ring, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate together comprise a left ring assembly portion;
wherein the right portions of the top ring, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate together comprise a right ring assembly portion;
wherein the left ring assembly portion and the right ring assembly portion are movable in relation to each other and to the top and bottom housings;
wherein the top cooking cavity is formed by the top cooking surface, the top ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing is in its closed position and when the left and right ring assembly portions are positioned abutting each other; and
wherein the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the bottom cooking surface, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing is in its closed position and when the left and right ring assembly portions are positioned abutting each other.

13. The appliance of claim 12 , wherein the left ring assembly portion comprises a unitary left ring assembly portion such that the left portions of the top ring, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate are unitary and are movable only in unison; and wherein the right ring assembly portion comprises a unitary right ring assembly portion such that the right portions of the top ring, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate are unitary and are movable only in unison.

14. The appliance of claim 13 , wherein the unitary left ring assembly portion and the unitary right ring assembly portion are pivotably affixed to each other.

15. The appliance of claim 13 , wherein the unitary left ring assembly portion and the unitary right ring assembly portion are each affixed to a rack and pinion mechanism such that the unitary left ring assembly portion and the unitary right ring assembly portion

Assignees

• Hamilton Beach Brands Inc

Inventors

• Jackson David L
• Garman Michael
• Longmire Abraham S
• Stamper George
• Pierce Michael M
• Mccullough Derek A
• Steiner Mark C
• Ashley Claire

Classifications

• A47J2037/0617

  with means to adjust the distance between heating plates · CPC title

• A47J37/0611 Primary

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