Countertop Oven

Abstract

A countertop oven includes a housing having a rear panel, an upper panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, an opposing second side panel and an open front end, together defining a cooking cavity therebetween. The cooking cavity is accessible via the open front end of the housing. At least one heating element within the housing selectively heats the cooking cavity. A door is movably attached to the housing via at least one 4-bar linkage mechanism. The door is selectively movable between a closed position, wherein the open front end of the housing is covered by the door, and an open position, wherein the door is positioned generally atop the upper panel of the housing, thereby uncovering the open front end of the housing to access the cooking cavity.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A countertop oven comprising:
 a housing having a rear panel, an upper panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, an opposing second side panel and an open front end, together defining a cooking cavity therebetween, the cooking cavity being accessible via the open front end;   at least one heating element within the housing to selectively heat the cooking cavity; and   a door movably attached to the housing between a closed position, wherein the open front end of the housing is covered by the door, and an open position, wherein the door is positioned generally atop the upper panel of the housing, thereby uncovering the open front end of the housing to access the cooking cavity;   wherein the door includes a glass panel, the glass panel being pivotably attached to the door at one end thereof and selectively, removably latched to the door at an opposing end thereof, wherein unlatching of the opposing end of the glass panel from the door permits pivoting of the glass panel relative to the door.   
     
     
         2 . The countertop oven of claim  11 , wherein the glass panel comprises a latching member biased into a corresponding slot in the door, the latching member being selectively retractable from the slot to unlatch the glass panel from the door. 
     
     
         3 . A countertop oven comprising:
 a housing having a rear panel, an upper panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, an opposing second side panel and an open front end, together defining a cooking cavity therebetween, the cooking cavity being accessible via the open front end;   at least one heating element within the housing to selectively heat the cooking cavity; and   a door movably attached to the housing between a closed position, wherein the open front end of the housing is covered by the door, and an open position, wherein the door is positioned generally atop the upper panel of the housing, thereby uncovering the open front end of the housing to access the cooking cavity,   wherein the door includes a glass panel, the glass panel being removably attached to the door.   
     
     
         4 . The countertop oven of  claim 3 , wherein the glass panel is removably latched to the door, and unlatching of the glass panel from the door permits removal of the glass panel from the door, the glass panel being selectively re-attachable to the door. 
     
     
         5 . The countertop oven of  claim 4 , wherein the glass panel comprises a latching member biased into a corresponding slot in the door, the latching member being selectively retractable from the slot to unlatch the glass panel from the door.