AU2008216995A1

AU2008216995A1 - Sliding toaster

Info

Publication number: AU2008216995A1
Application number: AU2008216995A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Recep Atil Kizilbayir
Original assignee: Arzum Elektrikli Ev Aletleri Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Current assignee: Arzum Elektrikli Ev Aletleri Sanayi ve Ticaret AS
Priority date: 2008-09-12
Filing date: 2008-09-12
Publication date: 2010-04-01
Anticipated expiration: 2028-09-12
Also published as: AU2008216995B2

Description

P/00/01Il Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Sliding toaster The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 SLIDING TOASTER TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to the field of toasters and apparatus for toasting bread. BACKGROUND 5 Known toasters; work by means of putting the slices of bread in the toaster holes in a closed body and taking the toasted slices from the machine when these holes move upwards. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a useful alternative toaster to the known 10 form of toaster described in the background. Without limitation to the generality of the preceding paragraph, embodiments of the present invention may assist to prevent the buying of bread put in the machine for toasting and/or ejection of slices of bread from the machine as a result of discharging from the machine after being toasted. In addition or alternatively, embodiments of the present 15 invention may more readily facilitate cleaning in comparison to the known form of toaster described in the background. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a toaster including a toaster body, a graded temperature system, a control panel, a sliding plate, a channel in the 20 toaster body for receiving the sliding plate, metal base plate on the sliding plate, the metal base plate including a grill. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a toaster including a toaster body including heating elements for toasting bread and a carriage for at least one piece of bread, wherein the toaster body and carriage are adapted so that the carriage can, 25 through horizontal translation, move into and out of the toaster body.

3 In one embodiment, the toaster body includes opposing channels which receive the carriage and wherein the carriage slides along the opposing channels. In one embodiment, the carriage includes a plate and an upwardly facing grill above the plate whereby crumbs can fall onto the plate through the grill. 5 In one embodiment, the toaster has a body generally in the shape of an inverted channel with at least one open end, wherein the carriage slides into the area of the channel through the open end. In one embodiment both ends of the channel are open and the carriage can be slid into the area of the channel through either of its ends. Further aspects of the invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the 10 preceding paragraphs will be apparent from the following description. Further aspects of the invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, either alone or in combination with the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPONENTS SHOWN IN THE DRAWINGS 15 Figure 1: Toaster body Figure 2: Sliding plate Figure 3: Metal base plate and grills Figure 4: Sliding plate (side view) Figure 5: Sliding plate (slices of bread put in the plate) 20 Figure 6: Sliding plate partially slid into the body Figure 7: View of the control panel on the body Figure 8: Sliding plate with slices of bread thereon partially slid into the body 4 PART NUMBERS 1. Toaster body 2. Graded temperature system 3. Control panel 5 4. Sliding plate 5. Channel 6. Metal base plate 7. Grill DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 10 Referring to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of a toaster of the invention is shown, which includes: a toaster body (1), a graded temperature system (2), a control panel (3), a sliding plate (4), a channel (5), a metal base plate (6) and a grill (7). The toaster body (1) includes the graded temperature system (2). The graded temperature system (2) allows bread to be toasted to different degrees. The graded temperature 15 system (2) may control the degree of toasting by: A) adjusting the duration that the graded temperature system (2) remains active; B) adjusting the temperature at which the graded temperature system (2) operates when active; and/or C) adjusting the temperature of operation of the individual heating bars forming part of 20 the graded temperature system (2) so as to adjust the heating profile. In one embodiment, the graded temperature system (2) controls the degree of toasting only by adjusting the duration that the graded temperature system (2) remains active. In 5 another embodiment, the degree of toasting is adjusted only by adjusting the temperature of operation. In other embodiments both the duration and temperature may be adjustable. In still other embodiments, the relative temperature of individual heating bars may be variable, including variations where all heating bars are active and variations where at 5 least bar is not active while one or more other bars are active. The body (1) includes a control panel (3) to control the operation of the toaster. In this embodiment the control panel includes a screen that displays information relating to the operation of the toaster. For example the screen may show the setting of the graded temperature system (2) and the remaining time that the graded temperature system (2) will 10 remain active before toasting is complete. The screen may also display a measure of units of energy used to toast the bread, the degree of toasting that has been set using the control panel 3, and/or an indicator of the temperature of operation of the toaster. What information is displayed on the screen may depend on the control parameters of the graded temperature system (2). 15 The control panel (3) may include a start button to commence toasting and a may include a button to stop toasting. These and other buttons may be provided in other locations around the outside of the body (1) and need not be provided together. The graded temperature system (2) will also include appropriate electronics connected to the control panel and adapted to control the operation of the graded temperature system (2) as 20 described herein. Two channels (5) facing each other are formed in the toaster body (1) to enable the sliding plate (4) to slide into the body. The sliding plate (4) is designed in a way to be slid into and pulled out again from the toaster body (1) easily, by fitting into the channel (5). 25 The metal base plate (6) fits on top of the sliding plate (4) and has grills (7) for bread crumbs to fall down through onto the sliding plate (4).

6 METHOD OF OPERATION Slices of bread to be toasted are placed on the sliding plate (4) out of the toaster body (1). The sliding plate (4) is then slid into the toaster body (1) by fitting the sliding plate (4) into the channels (5) in the toaster body (1). 5 Graded temperature adjustment of the heater for toasting the slices of bread to a required toasting level is achieved by operating the control panel (3) so as to control the graded temperature system (2) is operated. Information relating to the operation of the toaster may be displayed on the screen as described above. After the bread is toasted, the sliding plate (4) is taken from the toaster body (1) by 10 sliding it along the channels (5). The toaster of the present invention may provide a reduced risk the hand of the user being burned when taking the toasted bread from toaster in comparison to some known toasters. In addition, the toaster of the present invention may avoid potential problems arising from the use of ejection mechanisms in some known toasters. 15 The design of the toaster of the present invention may also assist in reducing or eliminating the retention of residue pieces of bread in the toaster after the toasting process has been completed. Cleaning may be relatively easy in comparison to some known toasters and hygiene potentially improved. In particular, some known toasters include additional mechanical accessories, panels and wire surfaces that get dirty. 20 Crumbs from the bread fall to the sliding plate (2) through the grills (7) found in the metal base plate (6). The metal base plate (6) may be removed from the sliding plate (4) and crumbs on the sliding plate (4) removed. In some known toasters bread periodically gets jammed in the toaster, requiring removal by hand. The toaster of the present invention operates by sliding the bread into 25 and out of the toaster body (1) and therefore avoids jamming in this way.

Claims

1. A toaster including a toaster body, a graded temperature system, a control panel, a sliding plate, a channel in the toaster body for receiving the sliding plate, metal base plate on the sliding plate, the metal base plate including a grill. 5

2. A toaster including a toaster body including heating elements for toasting bread and a carriage for at least one piece of bread, wherein the toaster body and carriage are adapted so that the carriage can, through horizontal translation, move into and out of the toaster body.

3. The toaster of claim 2, wherein the toaster body includes opposing channels which 10 receive the carriage and wherein the carriage slides along the opposing channels.

4. The toaster of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the carriage includes a plate and an upwardly facing grill above the plate whereby crumbs can fall onto the plate through the grill.

5. The toaster of any one of claims 2 to 4, the toaster has a body generally in the 15 shape of an inverted channel with at least one open end, wherein the carriage slides into the area of the channel through the open end.

6. The toaster of claim 5, wherein both ends of the channel are open and the carriage can be slid into the area of the channel through either of its ends.

7. A toaster body substantially as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. 20

8. A toaster including a toaster body and a carriage for bread, wherein the toaster body and the carriage are substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. A toaster substantially according to any one of the embodiments herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.