Toaster and control system for a toaster
AssigneeConair Corporation
InventorsKIN MAN LAI, LAI MAN TSE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A toaster includes a housing having a slot for receiving a food item, a heating element associated with the slot for toasting the food item, a carriage assembly having a supporting rack movably mounted in the slot for supporting the food item within the slot, a first slider member connected to the supporting rack, and a second slider member operatively connected to the first slider member, a motor, and a driving member having a first end operatively connected to the motor and a second end received in a slot in the second slider member such that when the motor is driven to rotate the driving member, the driving member drives the supporting rack, via the first slider member and the second slider member, to slidably move within the slot.
Claims20
A toaster, comprising:
- a housing having a slot for receiving a food item;
- a heating element associated with the slot for toasting the food item;
- a carriage assembly having a supporting rack movably mounted in the slot for supporting the food item within the slot, a first slider member connected to the supporting rack, and a second slider member operatively connected to the first slider member;
- a motor;
- and
- a driving member having a first end operatively connected to the motor and a second end received in a slot in the second slider member such that when the motor is driven to rotate the driving member, the driving member drives the supporting rack, via the first slider member and the second slider member, to slidably move within the slot.
A method for toasting a food item, comprising the steps of:
- providing a toaster having a housing having a slot for receiving a food item, a heating element associated with the slot for toasting the food item, and a carriage assembly having a supporting rack movably mounted in the slot for supporting the food item within the slot;
- receiving, at a control unit, information corresponding to a size of the food item;
- and
- in response to the information, moving the supporting rack to a predetermined vertical position within the slot.
A toaster, comprising:
- a housing having a slot for receiving a food item;
- a heating element associated with the slot for toasting the food item;
- a carriage assembly having a supporting rack movably mounted in the slot for supporting the food item within the slot, a first slider member connected to the supporting rack, a second slider member operatively connected to the first slider member, and a third slider member operatively connected to the first slider member;
- a motor;
- and
- a driving member having a first end operatively connected to the motor and a second end received in a slot in the second slider member such that when the motor is driven to rotate the driving member, the driving member drives the supporting rack, via the first slider member, the second slider member and the third slider member, to slidably move within the slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.