Toaster Oven

Abstract

A countertop toaster oven has an internal compartment heated by at least four heating elements and a door for the compartment. At least two of the heating elements are top elements, located adjacent to a ceiling of the compartment. Two of the heating elements are lower elements, located along a floor of the compartment. At least one of the elements is controllable to provide a variable wattage including one or more operational wattages that are for at least a portion of the heating cycle, intermediate between zero power and full power.

1 . A countertop toaster oven, comprising:
 an internal compartment heated by at least four heating elements;   a door for the compartment;   at least two of the heating elements being top elements, located adjacent to a ceiling of the compartment;   two of the heating elements being lower elements, located along a floor of the compartment;   at least one of said elements being controllable to provide a variable wattage including one or more operational wattages that are for at least a portion of the heating cycle, being intermediate between zero power and full power;   the elements being controlled as to variable wattage in accordance with one or more user selected modes.   
   
   
       2 . The toaster oven of claim i wherein:
 a fifth element is, in operation of the toaster oven, controllable but not operated in unison with the top elements in every mode;   the fifth element being positioned between the two top elements.   
   
   
       3 . The toaster oven of  claim 1  wherein:
 the lower elements are regulated with triacs to vary a thermal output.   
   
   
       4 . The toaster oven of  claim 2  wherein:
 it is not possible to operate the fifth element at the same time that the lower elements are operated.   
   
   
       5 . The toaster oven of  claim 2  wherein:
 toasting is achieved quickly by utilising four of the five heating elements at their maximum wattage and not utilising the fifth element.   
   
   
       6 . The toaster oven of  claim 2  wherein:
 the toaster oven can deliver, when toasting, the maximum allowable power from an available power supply.   
   
   
       7 . The toaster oven of  claim 2  wherein:
 the fifth element is physically protected by a radiation shield;   various perforations being provided along the length of the shield;   the perforations are irregularly spaced from one end to an other end, so that a central portion of the fifth element is more shielded than the ends.   
   
   
       8 . The toaster oven of  claim 1  wherein:
 the lower elements have shields located above and within the upward projected diameter of each element.   
   
   
       9 . The toaster oven of  claim 1  wherein:
 the heating elements are quartz elements each having an internal coil;   a coil having, along its length, regions of different pitch;   a central portion having the greater spacing between adjacent turns than an outer portion.   
   
   
       10 . The toaster oven of  claim 1  wherein:
 a central part of the ceiling is relatively flat and a curvature is provided in the ceiling, both behind a rear element and in front of a front element.   
   
   
       11 . The toaster oven of  claim 1  wherein:
 an interior floor of the compartment is protected by a removable crumb tray having curved reflective portions in front of a front lower heating element and behind a rear lower heating element.   
   
   
       12 . A user interface for a toaster oven having a plurality of heating elements, the user interface comprising:
 a control module coupled to the plurality of heating elements, the control module adapted to independently control thermal output of one or more of the heating elements;   a plurality of user operable controls coupled to the control module, wherein the plurality of user operable controls includes: a first input element operatively associated with selecting a mode of operation, a second input element operatively associated with selecting a mode specific preference indicative of cooking temperature or cooking intensity, and a third input element operatively associated with selecting a mode specific preference indicative of cooking time or cooking quantity; and   a display module coupled to the control module for indicating a selected mode of operation.   
   
   
       13 . A user interface according to  claim 12 , wherein the display module includes
 a first display feature for displaying an indicator of a selected mode of operation;   a second display feature for displaying an indicator of a selected mode specific preference indicative of cooking temperature or cooking intensity; and   a third display feature for displaying an indicator of a selected mode specific preference indicative of cooking time or cooking quantity.   
   
   
       14 . A user interface according to  claim 13 , wherein the first input element is located in vertical alignment with the first display feature; and wherein the second input element and the third input element are vertically orientated with respect to the second display feature and the third display feature. 
   
   
       15 . A user interface according to  claim 12 , wherein the control module is adapted to initially configure the display module to present a default selected mode specific preference indicative of cooking temperature or cooking intensity and a default selected mode specific preference indicative of cooking time or cooking quantity. 
   
   
       16 . A user interface according to  claim 12 , wherein the first input element, the second input element and the third input element are each a rotary dial input element. 
   
   
       17 . A user interface according to  claim 12 , wherein the control module independently controls thermal output of one or more of the heating elements in accordance with a selected mode of operation by selectively suppressing cycles of an alternating current waveform supplied to the one or more heating elements. 
   
   
       18 . A user interface according to  claim 12 , wherein a mode of operation is selectable from one of a set comprising: toast mode, bagel mode, bake mode, roast mode, broil mode, pizza mode, cookies mode, reheat mode, and warm mode; wherein the display module displays a movable indicator for indicating a selected mode of operation. 
   
   
       19 . A user interface according to  claim 13 , wherein a mode of operation is selectable from one of a set comprising: toast mode and bagel mode; wherein the display module displays a movable indicator for indicating a selected mode of operation, and wherein
 when the selected mode of operation is toast mode or bagel mode as indicated by the first display feature, the second input element is operatively associated with selecting a darkness as indicated by the second display feature, and the third input element is operatively associated with selecting a number of portions as indicated by the third display feature; and   wherein during a process according to a selected mode of operation, the third display feature displays an indicator indicative of remaining cooking time.   
   
   
       20 . A user interface according to  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of user operable controls further includes:
 a fourth input element operatively associated with selecting a frozen food preference, for enabling the control module to adjust cooking time to account for frozen food.