Combination bread toaster and steamer device with shared wattage and method
AssigneeBack to Basics Products, Inc.
InventorsBrian K. Beesley, Eric Hales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combination bread toaster and steamer device and method includes inserting at least one piece of bread into a bread slot of a combination bread toaster and steamer device; placing water into a heater pan of a steamer compartment on the combination bread toaster and steamer device; placing another food into the steamer compartment; activating at least one bread heating element disposed adjacent the bread slot and a steamer heating element disposed adjacent the steamer compartment; and activation of the steamer heating element reducing wattage to the bread heating element that would be used by the bread heating element when operating alone.
Claims13
A method for toasting bread and simultaneously cooking or warming another food with a single device, comprising:
- inserting at least one piece of bread into a bread slot of a combination bread toaster and steamer device;
- placing water into a heater pan of a steamer compartment on the combination bread toaster and steamer device;
- placing another food into the steamer compartment;
- activating at least one bread heating element disposed adjacent the bread slot and a steamer heating element disposed adjacent the steamer compartment;
- and
- activation of the steamer heating element reducing wattage to the bread heating element that would be used by the bread heating element operating alone.
A method for toasting bread and simultaneously cooking or warming another food with a single device, comprising:
- inserting at least one piece of bread into a bread slot of a combination bread toaster and steamer device;
- activating at least one bread heating element disposed adjacent the bread slot for a first time period and at a first wattage;
- placing water into a heater pan of a steamer compartment on the combination bread toaster and steamer device;
- placing another food into the steamer compartment;
- activating a steamer heating element disposed adjacent the heater pan, and the bread heating element for a second time period longer than the first time period and at a second wattage lower than the first wattage.
A combination bread toaster and steamer device, comprising:
- a) a housing;
- b) at least one bread slot extending into the housing;
- c) at least one bread heating element disposed adjacent the bread slot;
- d) a steamer compartment, disposed on the housing, including a heater pan configured to receive water;
- e) a steamer heating element disposed adjacent the heater pan;
- and
- f) a controller operatively coupled to the bread heating element and the steamer heating element;
- and
- g) the at least one bread heating element including a variable wattage heating element and the controller being configured to reduce wattage to the variable wattage heating element when the steamer heating element is operated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.