IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0740594
(2013-01-14)
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등록번호 |
US-9462912
(2016-10-11)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Jackson, David L
- Garman, Michael
- McCullough, Derek A
- Stamper, George
- Ashley, Claire
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
13 |
초록
▼
A small cooking appliance comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. The bottom housing has a top surface that forms a bottom cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing has a bottom surface that forms a top cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing is movably atta
A small cooking appliance comprises a bottom housing, a top housing, and a ring assembly. The bottom housing has a top surface that forms a bottom cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing has a bottom surface that forms a top cooking surface of the appliance. The top housing is movably attached to the bottom housing and moveable between a closed position and an open position. The ring assembly is positionable between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position. The ring assembly comprises a top ring, a bottom ring, and an optional center cooking plate. The center cooking plate is movable between (i) a closed position in which a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities and (ii) an open position.
대표청구항
▼
1. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising: a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being
1. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising: a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being movably attached to the bottom housing, the top housing moveable between a closed position and an open position; anda ring assembly positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position, the ring assembly comprising a top ring that has an open position and a closed position, a bottom ring that has an open position and a closed position, and a center cooking plate, the center cooking plate movable between (i) a closed position in which a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities and (ii) an open position;wherein the top cooking cavity is formed by the top cooking surface, the top ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing and the center cooking plate are in their respective closed positions, and wherein the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the bottom cooking surface, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate when the bottom ring and the center cooking plate are in their respective closed positions, and wherein the center cooking plate is moveable between its open position and its closed position while the top housing is in its closed position; andwherein the center cooking plate moveable between its open position and its closed position while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions. 2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ring assembly is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the ring assembly to move between a closed position and an open position. 3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the top ring is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the top ring to move between the closed position and the open position; wherein the bottom ring is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the bottom ring to move between the closed position and the open position;wherein top ring is adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the bottom ring; andwherein the bottom ring is adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the top ring. 4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein, when the center cooking plate is in its open position, at least a portion of the center cooking plate remains between the top and bottom rings while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions. 5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the ring assembly further comprises an open position stop guide to limit the movement of the center cooking plate so that when the center cooking plate is in its open position, at least a portion of the center cooking plate remains between the top and bottom rings. 6. The appliance of claim 3, further comprising: a plurality of handles separately affixed to each of the top housing, the top ring, and the bottom ring to enable a user to independently move the top housing, the top ring, and the bottom ring, at least one of the plurality of handles having one or more through-holes defined therein; anda handle affixed to the center cooking plate to enable a user to slide or pivot the center cooking plate. 7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the center cooking plate is pivotably attached to at least one of the top ring and the bottom ring. 8. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ring assembly further comprises at least one spacer element to maintain a desired spacing between the top and bottom rings while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions. 9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ring assembly further comprises a closed position stop guide, the center cooking plate engaging the closed position stop guide when the center cooking pate is in the closed position such that the center cooking plate fully overlaps a bottom open end of the top ring and a top open end of the bottom ring. 10. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the ring assembly is removably attached to the bottom housing at a hinge point; wherein the ring assembly comprises a hinge pin about which the top and bottom rings hinge, the hinge pin having opposing ends, the opposing ends of the hinge pin having different diameters;wherein the hinge point comprises opposing channels for receiving opposing ends of the hinge pin, the opposing channels having different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of the opposing ends of the hinge pin. 11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the opposing channels are angled relative to a plane of the top cooking surface when the top housing is in its closed position such that the ring assembly cannot be removed from the hinge point when the top housing is in the closed position. 12. The appliance of claim 1, further comprising: one or more heating elements in at least one of the top housing and the bottom housing to heat at least one of the top cooking surface and the bottom cooking surface;wherein, when the top housing is in a closed position, contact is maintained between (i) the bottom cooking surface and the bottom ring, (ii) the bottom ring and the center cooking plate, (iii) the center cooking plate and the top ring, and (iv) the top ring and the top cooking surface. 13. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising: a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being movably attached to the bottom housing; the top housing moveable between a closed position and an open position; anda ring assembly positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position, the ring assembly comprising:a top ring selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the top ring to move between a closed position and an open position,a bottom ring selectively movably attached to the bottom housing to enable the bottom ring to move between a closed position and an open position, anda center cooking plate, the center cooking plate movable between (i) a closed position in which a space defined by the ring assembly is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities and (ii) an open position;wherein the top cooking cavity is formed by the top cooking surface, the top ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing and the center cooking plate are in their respective closed positions;wherein the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the bottom cooking surface, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate when the bottom ring and the center cooking plate are in their respective closed positions;wherein top ring is adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the bottom ring;wherein the bottom ring is adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the top ring; andwherein the center cooking plate is moveable between its open position and its closed position while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions. 14. The appliance of claim 13, wherein the center cooking plate is pivotably attached to at least one of the top ring and the bottom ring. 15. The appliance of claim 13, wherein, when the center cooking plate is in its open position, at least a portion of the center cooking plate remains between the top and bottom rings while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions; and wherein the ring assembly further comprises at least one spacer element to maintain a desired spacing between the top and bottom rings while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions. 16. The appliance of claim 13, wherein the ring assembly is removably attached to the bottom housing at a hinge point; wherein the ring assembly comprises a hinge pin about which the top and bottom rings hinge, the hinge pin having opposing ends, the opposing ends of the hinge pin having different diameters;wherein the hinge point comprises opposing channels for receiving opposing ends of the hinge pin, the opposing channels having different sizes corresponding to the different diameters of the opposing ends of the hinge pin. 17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the opposing channels are angled relative to a plane of the top cooking surface when the top housing is in its closed position such that the ring assembly cannot be removed from the hinge point when the top housing is in the closed position. 18. An appliance for cooking a food item, the appliance comprising: a bottom housing having a top surface, the top surface forming a bottom cooking surface of the appliance;a top housing having a bottom surface, the bottom surface forming a top cooking surface of the appliance, the top housing being hingedly attached to the bottom housing, the top housing moveable between a closed position and an open position;a ring assembly positioned between the top and bottom cooking surfaces when the top housing is in its closed position, the ring assembly being selectively hingedly attached to the bottom housing to enable the ring assembly to move between a closed position and an open position, the ring assembly comprising a top ring and a bottom ring, the top ring adapted to move independently of the top housing between a closed position and an open position and independently of the bottom ring, the bottom ring adapted to move independently of the top housing and independently of the top ring between a closed position and an open position; a cooking cavity is formed by the top cooking surface, the ring assembly, and the bottom cooking surface when the top housing and the ring assembly are in their respective closed positions;a center cooking plate, the center cooking plate movable between (i) a closed position in which the cooking cavity is divided into top and bottom cooking cavities and (ii) an open position; andwherein the center cooking plate is moveable between its open position and its closed position while the top housing is in its closed position; and the center cooking plate moveable between its open position and its closed position while the top and bottom rings are in their respective closed positions. 19. The appliance of claim 18, wherein the top cooking cavity is formed by the top cooking surface, the top ring, and the center cooking plate when the top housing and the center cooking plate are in their respective closed positions; andwherein the bottom cooking cavity is formed by the bottom cooking surface, the bottom ring, and the center cooking plate when the bottom ring and the center cooking plate are in their respective closed positions. 20. The appliance of claim 19, wherein the top ring is selectively moveably attached to the bottom housing; and wherein the bottom ring is selectively movably attached to the bottom housing.
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