Storageable countertop cooking system

Abstract

To provide a countertop cooking system that occupies minimal counter space when not in use.SOLUTION: A cooking system is positionable on a support surface and includes a housing having an internal heating compartment and an opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment. The housing is movable between a first position and second position. The opening is arranged within a first plane when the housing is in the first position, and the opening is arranged within a second plane when the housing is in the second position, where the first plane and the second plane are distinct.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to cooking systems, and more specifically to countertop cooking systems having storage locations that require minimal counter space.

Background Art

[0002] Existing countertop cooking systems, such as toaster ovens, can be used to conveniently warm or cook food in place of an oven or range that is mounted to a larger wall. Countertop cooking systems typically cover a significant amount of counter space. In a kitchen where counter space is limited, the space occupied by a countertop cooking system when not in use is inconvenient for the user. As a result, the user may store the countertop cooking system in another location, reducing the accessibility and usability of the countertop cooking system. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a countertop cooking system that occupies minimal counter space when not in use.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to an embodiment, a cooking system that can be disposed on a support surface includes a housing having an internal heating compartment and an opening formed in the housing to access the internal heating compartment. The housing is movable between a first position and a second position. The opening is disposed in a first plane when the housing is in the first position, and the opening is disposed in a second plane when the housing is in the second position, and the first plane and the second plane are distinct.

[0004] According to an embodiment, a cooking system attachable to a support surface includes a housing having an internal heating compartment and an opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment. A swivel structure is disposed outside the housing, and the swivel structure defines a swivel axis. The housing is rotatable about the swivel axis between a first position and a second position.

[0005] According to another embodiment, a cooking system includes a housing having a plurality of sides defining an internal heating compartment, a first opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment, and a second opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment. The first opening is located on a first side of the plurality of sides, and the second opening is located on a second side of the plurality of sides. A cleaning door is movable relative to the housing and selectively seals the second opening.

[0006] According to yet another embodiment, a method of accessing an internal heating compartment of a cooking system includes moving a housing defining the internal heating compartment from a first position to a second position, the housing having a first opening located on a first side of the housing, and opening a cleaning door disposed in an overlapping arrangement with a second opening located on a second side of the housing to access the internal heating compartment.

[0007] According to an embodiment, a cooking system includes a housing having a plurality of sides defining an internal heating compartment and a first opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment. The internal heating compartment is located within the heating compartment and includes structures therein to optimize the heat distribution therein. The structures include at least one of a reflector, at least one heating element having a heat output that varies along its length, and at least one heating element guard having a desired opening distribution along its length.

[0008] According to yet another embodiment, a method of operating a cooking system includes providing a housing having a plurality of sides defining an internal heating compartment and optimizing the heat distribution within the internal heating compartment by positioning structures within the heating compartment and including one or more structures therein to optimize the heat distribution within the internal heating compartment. The structures include at least one of a reflector, at least one heating element having a heat output that varies along its length, and at least one heating element guard having a desired opening distribution along its length.

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of this specification, include some aspects of the present disclosure and serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

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[0011] The detailed description will explain embodiments of the present disclosure with advantages and features while referring to the drawings. Referring now to the figures, an example of a cooking system 20 suitable for use on a support surface 22 such as a countertop is illustrated. The cooking system 20 includes a thermally insulated housing 24 that defines an internal heating compartment or cooking volume 26. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the housing 24 includes a left sidewall 28, a right sidewall 30, an upper portion 32, a bottom 34, and a rear wall or back wall 36 that are connected together to define the internal heating compartment 26 therebetween. In one embodiment, the housing 24 further includes a front wall 38 through which the internal heating compartment 26 is selectively accessible by a user. However, it should be understood that embodiments in which the housing 24 does not include the front wall 38 are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0012] The front wall 38 of the housing 24 may include a door 40 that is movable relative to the remainder of the housing 24 to selectively provide access to the internal heating compartment 26. As shown in the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the door 40 includes a transparent panel and is hinged along its edge for rotation about a hinge axis X between an open position (FIG. 2) and a closed position (FIG. 1). The hinge axis X is illustrated as being located at the bottom edge 42 of the door 40, but embodiments in which the hinge axis X is defined at the upper edge or side edge of the door 40 are also within the scope of the disclosure. Further, although the door 40 is described as being pivotable about the hinge axis X, it should be understood that embodiments in which the door 40 is configured to translate relative to the housing 24 or in which the door 40 is removably coupled to the housing 24 are also contemplated herein.

[0013] In some embodiments, door 40 may define the entire front wall 38 of housing 24. However, in other embodiments, door 40 may define only a portion of front wall 38, and front wall 38 may further include panels 44 positioned adjacent to one or more sides of door 40. As shown, panels 44 may each extend between left and right side walls 28, 30 of housing 24, and between upper 32 and bottom 34. In such embodiments, an opening 46 (best shown in FIG. 2) for providing access to internal heating compartment 26 of housing 24 is formed in panel 44, and door 40 is attached in an arrangement that overlaps opening 46. It should be understood that embodiments where the front wall 38 of housing 24 includes only panels 44 and no door 40 are also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0014] Referring now to FIG. 3, at least one fixture 48 is attached within internal heating compartment 26 of housing 24. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, a pair of opposing fixtures 48 are attached to the inner surfaces of left side wall 28 and right side wall 30, respectively. One or more fixtures 48 are arranged to support one or more cooking accessories 50, such as removable cooking racks, baskets, spits, or drip trays, at desired positions within internal heating compartment 26.

[0015] The internal heating compartment 26 of the housing 24 is heated by at least one heating element. In one embodiment, the cooking system 20 includes one or more first heating elements 52 disposed within the internal heating compartment 26, adjacent to, for example, the upper portion 32 of the housing 24. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the cooking system 20 includes a plurality of first heating elements 52, such as three first heating elements oriented generally parallel to the hinge axis and spaced across the depth of the upper portion 32 of the housing 24. It should be understood that any number of first heating elements 52 and any configuration of the first heating elements 52 are contemplated herein. Alternatively or additionally, at least one second heating element 54 may be disposed within the internal heating compartment 26, adjacent to, for example, the bottom portion 34 of the housing 24. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiments of FIGS. 10-11, the cooking system 20 includes a plurality of second heating elements 54, such as three second heating elements oriented generally parallel to the hinge axis and spaced across the depth of the bottom portion 34 of the housing. The first heating elements 52 and the second heating elements 54 may be substantially aligned or staggered relative to each other.

[0016] The heating elements 52, 54 of the cooking system 20 are illustrated and described as being located generally adjacent to the upper portion 32 and the bottom portion 34 of the housing 24, but embodiments are also contemplated herein where the cooking system 20 alternatively or additionally comprises one or more heating elements (not shown) disposed adjacent to the sides of the internal heating compartment 26 or within the center of the internal heating compartment 26.

[0017] One or more heating elements 52, 54 of the cooking system 20 can be selected to perform any suitable type of heating, including, but not limited to, conduction, convection, radiation, and induction. Thus, at least one heating element 52, 54 can be any type of heating element, such as a tubular, quartz, tungsten, and halogen heating element. In embodiments of the cooking system 20 having a plurality of heating elements 52, 54 disposed at multiple locations within the internal heating compartment 26, the plurality of heating elements 52, 54 may be substantially the same or, alternatively, different, and further, it should be understood that they may be operable to perform similar or distinct types of heating. In one embodiment, both the first and second heating elements are radiant heating elements. However, heating elements operable to perform other combinations of heating are contemplated herein. Further, in some embodiments, the cooking system 20 may additionally include a fan 56 operable in conjunction with or independently of the heating elements 52, 54 to circulate air or another fluid through the internal heating compartment 26.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 12 - 16, the configuration of the internal heating cavity 26 of the cooking system 20 can be selected to optimize the heat distribution therein via one or more structures located within and contained therein. This optimization can be carried out in various ways. In an embodiment, the cooking system 20 includes a reflector 110 located within the internal heating cavity 26 and configured to redirect a portion of the heat radiated from a plurality of heating elements, such as the first heating element 52, to achieve an even heat distribution throughout the internal heating cavity 26. In one embodiment, the reflector 110 has a width and depth substantially equal to the internal heating cavity 26. However, embodiments where the reflector 110 is smaller than the internal heating cavity are also contemplated herein.

[0019] The reflector 110 may be made of any suitable material and has surface characteristics such that at least a portion of the heat or light that contacts the surface of the surface reflector 110 is redirected within the internal heating compartment 26, if not entirely, by surface reflection. In the non-limiting embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the reflector 110 has a corrugated configuration that includes a plurality of upper flanges 112 and a plurality of bottom flanges 114 that are connected by inclined surfaces 116. The inclined surfaces 116 that extend between adjacent upper surfaces 112 and lower surfaces 114 may be similar or, alternatively, different. As shown, the plurality of upper surfaces 112 may be disposed within a first plane U, and the plurality of bottom flanges 114 may be disposed within a second plane B. The first plane U and the second plane B may be parallel to each other, but need not be. In an embodiment, the first plane and the second plane are offset by a distance that is approximately equal to the height of the first heating element 52. The plurality of first heating elements 52 are generally disposed within an opening 118 defined between the plane U of the upper surface 112 and the plane B of the lower surface 114 and adjacent to the upper flange 114.

[0020] Depending on the position of the heating element 52 within the internal heating compartment 26, the depth of the upper flange 112 associated with each heating element 52, and the position of the heating element 52 relative to the upper flange 114 can vary. As shown, the depth of the upper flange 114 adjacent to the rear wall 36 is greater than the depth of the upper flange 114 adjacent to the front wall, and greater than the depth of the upper flange 114 at the center of the internal heating compartment 26. Similarly, the heating element 52 positioned adjacent to the front wall 38 is offset in a direction toward the front wall 38 from the center of the corresponding upper flange 114. The central heating element 52 is substantially centered with respect to the corresponding upper flange 114, and the heating element 52 adjacent to the rear wall 36 is similarly offset from the center of the corresponding upper flange 114, for example, in a direction toward the front wall 38. In one embodiment, the first end of the reflector 120 extending along the front wall 38 includes a partial bottom flange 114, and the second opposing end 122 of the reflector 110 abuts against the rear wall 36 via a downwardly inclined surface extending from the upper flange 112. Examples of models of the heat distribution achieved using an outer frame reflector, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, are shown in FIGS. 17 and 18.

[0021] Alternatively, or additionally, the heat distribution within the internal heating compartment 26 can be controlled by including one or more guard elements 124 in an overlapping arrangement with a heating element, such as a second heating element 54. As shown, each guard 124 includes a body 126 that extends around at least three sides of the heating element 54. One or more openings 128 are formed within the body 126 to allow heat radiated by the heating element 54 to penetrate into the internal heating compartment 26. In one embodiment, the configuration of the openings 128 formed in each of the guard bodies 126 varies based on the position of the corresponding heating element 54 within the internal heating compartment 26. The configuration of the openings 128 can similarly vary over the length of each heating element 54. Examples of guards 124 for use in combination with a heating element 54 disposed adjacent to the front wall 38 are shown in FIGS. 14A - 14B. As shown, a plurality of large openings 128 extend substantially uniformly across a plurality of sides of the body 126. Since heat within the internal heating compartment 26 is lost through the openings formed in the front wall 38, the guard 124 for the heating element 54 disposed adjacent to the front wall 38 allows more heat to pass therethrough than the guard 124 that is connected to the heating element 54 disposed at the center of the internal heating compartment 26 and adjacent to the rear wall 36.

[0022] Examples of guards 124 for use with a heating element 54 disposed at the center of the internal heating compartment 26 or, alternatively, adjacent to the rear wall 36 are shown in FIGS. 15A-15B. As shown, the body 124 includes a plurality of smaller openings 128 formed on the upper surface of the body 124. Further, the density of the openings 128 varies over the length of the body 124. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, a greater number of openings 128 are formed adjacent to the ends 130, 132 of the body 124 and thus adjacent to the ends of the heating element 54 than at the center of the heating element 54. This reduced number of openings 128 adjacent to the center of the guard 124 is intended to reduce the heat radiated from the center of the central and rear heating elements 54. Thus, the openings 128 formed in the guard 124 are intended to control the distribution of heat radiated by the heating element 54 between the front wall 38 and the rear wall 36 that define the internal heating compartment 26 and between the left and right side walls 28, 30.

[0023] Furthermore, referring to FIG. 17, in one embodiment, the heat output across one or more of the heating elements 52, 54 can vary. In an embodiment, one or more of the heating elements 52, 54 are constructed using coiled wires disposed within a tube that heats and radiates radiation when power is supplied. By varying the spacing between adjacent coils along the length of the heating elements 52, 54, the amount of heat radiated at different portions of the heating elements 52, 54 may be greater than others. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the heating elements 52, 54 are configured such that the spacing between the wire coils within a first region of the heating elements 52, 54, such as the center of the heating elements 52, 54, is wider than the coil spacing within a second region of the heating elements 52, 53, such as adjacent to the ends of the heating element 54. For example, the coils within the first 12.5% of the length of the heating elements 52, 54 may have a first coil spacing, the next 75% of the heating elements 52, 54 may have a second coil spacing, and the final 12.5% of the heating elements 52, 54 may also be configured with the first coil spacing. Further, the configurations of the first heating element 52 and the second heating element 54 may be separate. In one embodiment, one or more of the plurality of first heating elements 52 have a first coil spacing equal to 1.25 times the second coil spacing, and one or more of the plurality of second heating elements 54 have a first coil spacing equal to 1.5 times the second coil spacing. It should be understood that three or more regions of different coil spacings, and heating elements 52, 54 having different ratios of coil spacings, are also contemplated herein.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 4, a control panel or user interface 62 for operating the cooking system 20 is attached to an external portion of the housing 24, such as panel 44 or the top. The control panel 62 is part of a control system 60 that is electrically connected to one or more heating elements 52, 54. The control panel 62 includes one or more inputs 64 related to energizing one or more heating elements 52, 54 of the cooking system 20 and for selecting various operating modes of the cooking system 20. The one or more inputs 64 may each include a light or other indicator to indicate that the respective input 64 has been selected. The control panel 62 may further include a display 66 separate from and associated with at least one of the inputs 64. However, embodiments where the display 66 is incorporated into at least one of the inputs 64 are also contemplated herein.

[0025] The operation of the one or more inputs 64 is described in more detail below. As shown in FIG. 4, the control system 60 includes a controller or processor 68 that controls the operation of the heating elements 52, 54 in response to user input provided via the one or more inputs 64 and uses an algorithm to execute a stored sequence of heating operations. In embodiments where the cooking system 20 includes multiple heating elements 52, the heating elements 52, 54 may be operable independently. Further, the heating output of the one or more heating elements 52, 54 may be variable in response to the power supplied to the heating elements 52, 54. The control system 60 may include one or more sensors S arranged to communicate with the processor 68 and operable to monitor one or more parameters, such as the temperature within the internal heating compartment 26.

[0026] In one embodiment, at least one input unit 64 on the control panel 62 is an on / off button that can cause the user to activate or deactivate the control panel 62. When the control panel 62 is deactivated, neither of the heating elements 52, 54 is energized. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one input unit 64 is operable to select one or more manual operation modes of at least one of the heating elements 52, 54. As another way, or additionally, at least one input unit 64 is operable to select a stored sequence of operations of at least one of the heating elements 52, 54. In some cases, the stored sequence may be particularly suitable for a predetermined method of food preparation and / or for a particular material or type of material. A plurality of stored sequences associated with at least one input unit 64 may be stored in a memory accessible by the processor 68. As another way, the plurality of stored sequences may be stored remotely from the cooking system 20 and may be accessed by the processor 68, for example, via wireless communication.

[0027] Further, the user may be able to input the time associated with the operation of the cooking system 20 in a desired manual mode. The time may be input via the same input unit 64 or a separate input unit 64 used to select the operation mode. Further, in an embodiment where the cooking system 20 is configured to execute a stored sequence in response to a selection of one of the input units, the display unit 66 may indicate the time remaining on the display unit 66. For example, a temperature or other parameter such as toast color may also be input via the input unit 64.

[0028] At least one input unit 64 may include a separate start button intended to start operation in a desired mode, a separate stop button to stop all operations, or a stop / start button to start and stop functions. As another method, the cooking system 20 may be operable to automatically start operation after a predetermined time has elapsed when an input unit is selected and the necessary information is provided to the control panel 62. As another method, for example, one or more other input units 64, such as a knob, are operable, such as by pressing the knob towards the control panel 62, to start and stop the operation of the cooking system 20 regardless of whether the cooking system 20 is following a stored sequence or is in manual mode.

[0029] One or more input units 64 are operable to start the operation of the cooking system 20 in a plurality of cooking modes. Examples of the operating modes of the cooking system 20 include, but are not limited to, toast, bake, broil, grill, warm, reheat, and steam cooking. Independent control of the heating elements 52, 54 enables the user to configure the cooking / heating cycle based on the type of food item placed within the internal heating compartment 26.

[0030] In one embodiment, the housing 24 of the cooking system 20 is movable between a first operating position or “active” position (see FIG. 7A) and a second non-operating position or “stored” position (see FIG. 7B). In the first active position, the control system 60 is operable to energize one or more heating elements 52, 54 and the fan 56 of the cooking system 20. When the cooking system 20 is in the second stored position, the one or more heating elements 52, 54 and the fan 56 may not be energized. For example, the cooking system 20 may include a switch schematically illustrated at 70 in FIG. 4 such that when the cooking system 20 is in the second stored position, the switch 70 is open, thereby preventing power from being supplied to any of the heating elements 52, 54 and the fan 56. However, it should be understood that embodiments are also contemplated herein where the heating elements 52, 54 and / or the fan 56 may be energized when the housing is in a configuration where it is stored.

[0031] In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the housing 24 of the cooking system 20 is rotatable about a pivot axis S between a first position and a second position. The pivot axis S is defined by a pivot support 72 that is coupled to or integrally formed with the housing 24. Accordingly, the pivot support 72 is located at least in part on the housing 24 relative to the support surface 22. In the first active position, the housing 24 and the internal heating compartment 26 defined therein have a generally horizontal orientation. As shown, in the first active position, at least one of the upper 32 and lower 34 portions of the housing 24 is disposed generally parallel to the support surface 22 on which the cooking system 20 is located, and the front wall 38 including the opening 46 formed therein is oriented generally perpendicular to the support surface 22. In one embodiment, the cooking system 20 includes one or more first feet 74 extending from the housing 24, such as from its bottom 34. In such embodiments, the first feet 74 cooperate with the pivot support 72 to dispose the cooking system 20 on the support surface 22. However, in other embodiments, the housing 24 of the cooking system 20 may be fully supported by the pivot support 72 in a cantilever configuration, for example, when in the first active position.

[0032] The cooking system 20 is rotatable about a pivot axis S in a first direction indicated by arrow A towards a second storage position. In an embodiment, the cooking system 20 is rotatable by about 90 degrees between the first position and the second position. As shown in FIG. 7B, in the second storage position, the housing 24 and the internal heating compartment 26 are oriented substantially vertically. In the second storage position, at least one of the rear wall 36 and the front wall 38 is oriented substantially parallel to the support surface 22, and the bottom 34 is oriented perpendicular to the support surface 22. In an embodiment, the cooking system 20 includes one or more second feet 76 extending from the housing 24, such as from its rear wall 36. In such embodiments, the second feet 76 cooperate with the pivot support 72 to dispose the cooking system 20 on the support surface 22 in the second storage position. However, in other embodiments, the housing 24 of the cooking system 20 may be fully supported by the pivot support 72 in a cantilever configuration, for example, when in the second storage position.

[0033] From the storage position, the housing 24 of the cooking system 20 is rotatable about the pivot axis S in a second direction indicated by arrow B towards a first active position. As the housing 24 of the cooking system 20 deforms between the first position and the second position, the front wall 38 and / or the associated opening 46 or door 40 rotates out of plane, i.e., from a first plane to a second plane different from the first plane. Since the projected surface area of the housing 24 in the second position is substantially smaller than the projected surface area of the housing 24 in the first position, the surface area of the support surface 22 occupied by the cooking system 20 when the cooking system 20 is not in use is minimized.

[0034] In one embodiment, the pivot axis S is located near the edge of the housing 24. For example, the pivot axis S is disposed adjacent to the rear corner of the housing 24, near the boundary between the bottom 34 and the rear wall 36 of the housing 24. However, it should be understood that embodiments are also contemplated herein where the pivot axis S is disposed along another edge of the housing 24, such as adjacent to the boundary between the bottom and the side walls 28, 30.

[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 6 - 8, in the illustrated non - limiting embodiment, the pivot support 70 includes a base 80 having a first support arm 82 extending from a first end 84 of the base 80 and a second support arm 86 extending from a second end 88 of the base 80. However, it should be understood that a pivot support 70 including only a single support arm or three or more support arms is also within the scope of the present disclosure. The first support arm 82 and the second support arm 86 may be integrally formed with the base 80 or, alternatively, may be separate components fixed thereto. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 80 has a generally horizontal configuration and the first and second support arms 82, 86 are oriented generally perpendicular to the base 80, although embodiments are also contemplated herein where the support arms 82, 86 extend at different angles. The base 80 may have a generally rectangular body having a surface area equal to or less than the projected surface area of the housing 24 in the second position. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the depth of the base 80 may vary across the width of the base 80. For example, as best shown in FIG. 6, the depth at the center of the base 80 is greater than the depth at the ends 84, 88 of the base 80. This increased depth may enhance the stability of the cooking system 20 when in the second storage position.

[0036] As best shown in FIG. 8, each of the first support arm 82 and the second support arm 86 includes a pin connector 90 that can be received within a corresponding opening 92 formed in a side surface, such as side walls 28 and 30 of the housing 24. In the illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the pin connectors 90 of the first support arm 82 and the second support arm 86 are coaxially oriented. Together, the pin connectors 90 cooperate to define a pivot axis S. The pin connectors 90 may contact the inner surface of the opening 92 directly, or alternatively, a bearing (not shown) may be located at the boundary portion between the pin connector 90 and the opening 92 to facilitate movement of the housing 24 relative to the pin connector 90. In one embodiment, the pin connector 90 and / or the opening 92 may be configured to limit rotation of the housing 24 about the pivot axis S beyond a first position and a second position. However, rotation of the housing 24 about the pivot axis S may be controlled or limited via any suitable mechanism.

[0037] In one embodiment, the pin connector 90 is located near the distal end 94 of each of the first and second arms 82, 86. As a result, adjacent surfaces of the housing 24, such as the bottom 34 of the housing 24 when in the first position and the rear wall 36 of the housing 24 when in the second position, are offset from the base 80 and the support surface 22. This gap 96 defined between the base 80 and the housing 24 allows the housing 24 to freely rotate about the pivot axis S without interference.

[0038] In another embodiment, as best shown in FIG. 9, the pivot support 70 may be a rounded feature disposed at the edge of the housing. However, the rounded feature of the pivot support 72 is different from the rounded edge of the housing. In an embodiment, the pivot support 72 includes one or more arcuate features 98, such as ribs, located on the outer surface of the housing 24 and extending between the bottom 34 and the rear wall 36. Each base point of the arcuate feature 98 defines the pivot axis S, and the contour of the arcuate feature 98 facilitates rotation of the housing 24 by the user between a first position and a second position.

[0039] In an embodiment, the cooking system 20 may include a secondary door different from the door 40 or an opening associated with or formed in the front wall 38 of the housing 24 for accessing the internal heating compartment 26. Continuing to refer to FIG. 9 and further referring to FIGS. 10-11, in one embodiment, the cleaning door 100 is formed within the housing 24, more specifically, within the rear wall 36. The cleaning door 100 may extend over a portion of the rear wall 36 or, alternatively, may cover substantially the entire rear wall as shown in the figures.

[0040] When the cooking system 20 rotates relative to the first position, i.e., when the bottom is not disposed parallel to and directly adjacent to the support surface 22, the cleaning door 100 is movable between a closed position (FIG. 9) and an open position (FIG. 10). The cleaning door can rotate, translate, separate, or any combination thereof to convert between the closed and open positions. In an embodiment, the latch mechanism is at least partially illustrated at 102 and selectively couples the cleaning door 100 to the remainder of the housing 24. When a force is applied to the latch mechanism, the cleaning door is separated from the housing 24 so that the cleaning door 100 can move between the open position. When the cleaning door returns to the closed position, the latch mechanism can be configured to automatically engage and couple to the cleaning door, thereby restricting movement of the cleaning door relative to the housing.

[0041] Due to the increased size of the cleaning door relative to the door 40, the user can more easily access the internal heating compartment 26 via the cleaning door 100. As a result, the removal of one or more components mounted within the internal heating compartment 26, such as the liner 104 positioned in an arrangement overlapping a portion of the interior of the housing 24, for example, is better performed via the cleaning door 100.

[0042] The cooking system 20 illustrated and described herein provides an improved user experience by reducing the total counter space occupied by the cooking system when the cooking system is not in use.

[0043] All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

[0044] The terms "a," "an," "the," and similar referents used in the context of describing the disclosure (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to include both the singular and the plural unless specifically indicated otherwise herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to") unless otherwise noted. The listing of ranges of values herein is intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is hereby incorporated herein as if it were individually set forth herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless specifically indicated otherwise herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The use of any examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein is merely intended to better clarify the disclosure and does not limit the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in this specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosure.

[0045] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the present disclosure. Variations of these embodiments may become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect those skilled in the art to adopt such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the present disclosure to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, the present disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims as permitted by applicable law. Further, unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is included by the present disclosure.

[0046] Appendix 1. A cooking system, comprising: a housing having a plurality of sides defining an internal heating compartment; a first opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment; a second opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment, the first opening being located on a first side of the plurality of sides and the second opening being located on a second side of the plurality of sides; and a cleaning door movable relative to the housing for selectively sealing the second opening.

[0047] Appendix 2. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, wherein the housing is movable between a first position and a second position, and the second opening is accessible when the housing is in the second position.

[0048] Appendix 3. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, wherein the second opening is accessible when the cleaning door is in an open position. Appendix 4. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, wherein the second opening is inaccessible when the cleaning door is in a closed position.

[0049] Appendix 5. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, wherein the area of the second opening is larger than the area of the first opening. Appendix 6. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, further comprising a door movable relative to the housing so as to selectively close the first opening.

[0050] Appendix 7. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, wherein the plurality of side surfaces include a left side wall, a right side wall, an upper part, a bottom part, a rear wall, and a front wall, and the first side surface includes the front wall. Appendix 8. The cooking system according to Appendix 7, wherein the second side surface includes the bottom part.

[0051] Appendix 9. The cooking system according to Appendix 1, wherein the housing is movable between a first position and a second position, and when the housing is in the second position, the cleaning door is movable between a closed position and an open position.

[0052] Appendix 10. The cooking system according to Appendix 9, further comprising a heating element operable to heat the internal heating compartment, the heating element being de-energized when the cleaning door is in the open position.

[0053] Appendix 11. A method of accessing an internal heating compartment of a cooking system, comprising: moving a housing defining the internal heating compartment from a first position to a second position, the housing having a first opening located on a first side surface of the housing; opening a cleaning door disposed in an overlapping arrangement with a second opening located on a second side surface of the housing to access the internal heating compartment.

[0054] Appendix 12. The method according to Appendix 11, wherein moving the housing from the first position to the second position further comprises rotating the housing about a pivot axis.

[0055] Appendix 13. The method according to Appendix 12, wherein rotating the housing about the pivot axis further includes rotating the housing from a horizontal configuration to a vertical configuration. Appendix 14. The method according to Appendix 11, wherein moving the housing from the first position to the second position further includes de-energizing a heating element operable to heat the internal heating compartment.

[0056] Appendix 15. The method according to Appendix 14, wherein de-energizing the heating element occurs in response to moving the housing from the first position to the second position. Appendix 16. A cooking system, a housing having a plurality of sides defining an internal heating compartment, a first opening formed in the housing for accessing the internal heating compartment, and wherein the internal heating compartment is located within and includes a structure within the heating compartment to optimize the heat distribution within the heating compartment, the structure including at least one of a reflector, at least one heating element having a heat output that varies along its length, and at least one heating element guard having a desired opening distribution along its length.

[0057] Appendix 17. The cooking system according to Appendix 16, wherein the at least one heating element having a heat output that varies along its length includes a first region having a first heat output and a second region having a second heat output.

[0058] Appendix 18. The cooking system according to Appendix 17, wherein the first region is disposed adjacent to at least one end of the heating element and the second region is disposed at the center of the heating element.

[0059] Appendix 19. The first end and the second end of the at least one heating element are in the first region, including 1 / 8 of the length of the at least one heating element, the center of the heating element is in the second region, including 3 / 4 of the length of the heating element, the cooking system according to Appendix 17.

[0060] Appendix 20. The heating element includes a coiled wire, the coiled wire in the first region has a first interval, and the coiled wire in the second region has a second interval, the cooking system according to Appendix 19.

[0061] Appendix 21. The first interval is 1.5 times the second interval, the cooking system according to Appendix 20. Appendix 22. The first interval is 1.25 times the second interval, the cooking system according to Appendix 20.

[0062] Appendix 23. The at least one heating element guard having a desired aperture distribution is at least one heating element guard having a varying aperture distribution, the at least one heating element guard having a varying aperture distribution includes a first portion having a first aperture distribution and a second portion having a second aperture distribution, the cooking system according to Appendix 16.

[0063] Appendix 24. The first aperture distribution is larger than the second aperture distribution, the cooking system according to Appendix 23. Appendix 25. The first portion is arranged adjacent to at least one end of the at least one heating element guard, and the second portion is arranged at the center of the at least one heating element guard, the cooking system according to Appendix 23.

[0064] Appendix 26. The at least one heating element guard having a desired aperture distribution is a plurality of heating element guards, each of the plurality of heating element guards includes a plurality of apertures, and the plurality of apertures vary depending on the heating element guard across the depth of the internal heating compartment, the cooking system according to Appendix 16.

[0065] Appendix 27. The cooking system according to Appendix 26, wherein a plurality of heating element guards include a first heating element guard adjacent to the front surface of the internal heating compartment and a second heating element guard adjacent to the center or rear of the internal heating compartment, and the plurality of openings of the first heating element guard are larger than the plurality of openings of the second heating element guard.

[0066] Appendix 28. The cooking system according to Appendix 16, wherein when the system is in a cooking mode, the at least one baffle is disposed at a relatively high portion of the internal heating compartment.

[0067] Appendix 29. The cooking system according to Appendix 28, wherein when the system is in the cooking mode, the at least one baffle includes a plurality of relatively upper surfaces and a plurality of relatively lower surfaces connected by a plurality of inclined surfaces.

[0068] Appendix 30. The cooking system according to Appendix 29, wherein the configuration of the plurality of upper surfaces varies over the depth of the internal heating compartment. Appendix 31. The cooking system according to Appendix 30, wherein the depth of each of the plurality of upper surfaces varies.

[0069] Appendix 32. The cooking system according to Appendix 31, wherein the plurality of upper surfaces include a first upper surface near the front surface of the internal heating compartment, a second upper surface at the center of the internal heating compartment, and a third upper surface adjacent to the rear portion of the internal heating compartment, and the depth of the second upper surface is larger than that of the first upper surface and shorter than that of the third upper surface.

[0070] Appendix 33. The cooking system according to Appendix 30, wherein the lower surface disposed at the first end of the at least one baffle abuts against the front wall of the internal heating compartment. Appendix 34. The cooking system according to Appendix 27, wherein at least one heating element is disposed within an opening formed between the plurality of upper surfaces and the plurality of lower surfaces and is disposed substantially adjacent to the upper flange.

[0071] Appendix 35. A method of operating a cooking system, comprising: providing a housing having a plurality of sides defining an internal heating compartment; optimizing the heat distribution within the internal heating compartment by positioning and including within the heating compartment one or more structures that optimize the heat distribution within the internal heating compartment via the one or more structures, the structures including at least one of a reflector, at least one heating element having a heat output that varies along its length, and at least one heating element guard having a desired aperture distribution along its length.

[0072] Appendix 36. The method according to Appendix 35, wherein the at least one reflector disposed within the internal heating compartment redirects heat within the internal heating compartment. Appendix 37. The method according to Appendix 35, wherein the at least one reflector is disposed adjacent to an upper surface of the internal heating compartment.

[0073] Appendix 38. The method according to Appendix 35, wherein the reflector includes a plurality of upper surfaces and a plurality of lower surfaces connected by a plurality of inclined surfaces, and the at least one heating element is disposed within an opening formed between the plurality of upper surfaces and the plurality of lower surfaces and is disposed substantially adjacent to an upper flange.

[0074] Appendix 39. The method according to Appendix 34, wherein the at least one heating element having a heat output that varies along its length includes a first region having a first heat output and a second region having a second heat output.

[0075] Appendix 40. The method according to Appendix 39, wherein the first region is arranged adjacent to at least one end of the heating element, and the second region is arranged at the center of the heating element. Appendix 41. The method according to Appendix 39, wherein the first end and the second end of the at least one heating element are in the first region, including 1 / 8 of the length of the at least one heating element, and the center of the heating element is in the second region, including 3 / 4 of the length of the heating element.

[0076] Appendix 42. The method according to Appendix 41, wherein the heating element includes a coiled wire, the coiled wire in the first region has a first interval, and the coiled wire in the second region has a second interval.

[0077] Appendix 43. The method according to Appendix 42, wherein the first interval is 1.5 times the second interval. Appendix 44. The method according to Appendix 42, wherein the first interval is 1.25 times the second interval.

[0078] Appendix 45. The at least one heating element guard having a desired aperture distribution is at least one heating element guard having a varying aperture distribution, and the at least one heating element guard having a varying aperture distribution includes a first portion having a first aperture distribution and a second portion having a second aperture distribution, according to the method of Appendix 35.

[0079] Appendix 46. The method according to Appendix 45, wherein the first aperture distribution is larger than the second aperture distribution. Appendix 47. The method according to Appendix 45, wherein the first portion is arranged adjacent to at least one end of the at least one heating element guard, and the second portion is arranged at the center of the at least one heating element guard.

[0080] Additional Note 48. The at least one heating element guard having a desirable aperture distribution is a plurality of heating element guards, each of the plurality of heating element guards includes a plurality of apertures, and the plurality of apertures vary by the heating element guard across the depth of the internal heating compartment, according to the method described in Additional Note 35.

Claims

[Claim 1] A cooking system as described herein.

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