Rotisserie cooker

Abstract

A horizontal axis rotisserie oven with versatile electronic controls. The rotisserie further includes: an improved spit for quick mounting of food, and a door which hides blemishes due to normal use, and easily referenced food cooking indexes, and means for keeping countertops clean.

1 . A spit rod assembly for removable placement within a rotisserie oven, the rotisserie oven comprising a housing and a cooking cavity disposed within the housing, the cooking enclosure including one or more cooking element disposed therein, the spit rod assembly comprising:
 a first spit plate having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface includes means for being rotatably supported within the cooling cavity;   a second spit plate that is spaced apart a distance from and positioned parallel to the first spit plate, the second spit plate comprising means for engaging and being rotatably supported within the cooking cavity; and   first and second spit rods extending between and connected with the first and second spit plates, wherein the first and second spit rods are each aligned parallel and spaced apart from one another, wherein the first and second spit rods are positioned off axis of a center point of the first and second spit plates.   
     
     
         2 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second spit rods are fixedly attached at common ends to one of the first and second spit plates. 
     
     
         3 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 2  wherein the first and second spit rods are removably attached at common ends opposite the fixedly attached ends to the other one of the first and second spit plates. 
     
     
         4 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 3  wherein one of the first and second spit plates comprises a pair of connectors extending outwardly a distance from the inner surface that are configured to removable accommodate ends of the first and second spit rods therein for removable attachment. 
     
     
         5 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 4  wherein the connectors are provide in the form of tube elements sized to fit over an end portion of the first and second spit rods. 
     
     
         6 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the rotisserie oven includes means disposed within the housing for engaging and rotating the spit rod assembly, and wherein at least one of the first and second spit plates comprises an outer surface configured to engage the means for rotating. 
     
     
         7 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 6  wherein the means for rotating is a gear mechanism, and wherein one of the first and second spit plates comprises a plurality of teeth disposed along the outer surface to engage the gear mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The spit rod mechanism as recited in  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second spit plate inside surfaces include a generally planar section that extends radially inwardly a distance from a peripheral edge of the first and second plates, and a recessed section that occupies a center portion of the first and second spit plates and that extends outwardly away from one another. 
     
     
         9 . The spit rod mechanism as recited in  claim 8  wherein the first and second spit rods at connected to the first and second spit plates along the recessed section. 
     
     
         10 . The spit rod assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first and second spit plates includes a supporting element that is centrally position and that extends outwardly a distance away from an outside surface, the supporting element engaging guide and support means disposed within the cooking cavity. 
     
     
         11 . A rotisserie oven for cooking a food object therein comprising:
 a housing;   a cooking element disposed within a cooking cavity within the housing;   a timer for activating the cooking element for a determined amount of time;   a front door for removably covering an opening to the cooking cavity and that is formed from a transparent material;   a spit rod assembly comprising:
 a first spit plate having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the outer surface includes means for being rotatably supported within the cooking cavity; 
 a second spit plate that is spaced apart a distance from and positioned parallel to the first spit plate, the second spit plate comprising means for engaging and being rotatably supported within the cooking cavity; and 
 first and second spit rods extending between and connected with the first and second spit plates, wherein the first and second spit rods are each aligned parallel and spaced apart from one another, wherein the first and second spit rods are positioned off axis of a center point running between the first and second spit plates; 
   wherein the rotisserie further comprises means for engaging and rotating the spit rod assembly within the cooking chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 11  wherein each of the first and second spit plates include a number spaced apart openings positioned along a peripheral edge, and comprising a further number of spit rods retractably disposed within the openings, wherein the spaced apart openings are positioned radially outwardly from the first and second spit rods. 
     
     
         13 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 12  wherein the further number of spit rods include means attached thereto for rotating the rods within the spit assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the means for rotating the further number of spit rods comprises a cam element attached to an end of the further number of spit rods and that is positioned adjacent the outside surface of one of the first or second spit plates. 
     
     
         15 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 14  further comprising means for rotating the further number of spit rods. 
     
     
         16 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 15  wherein the means for rotating the further number of spit rods is the same as the means for rotating the spit rod assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 11  wherein at least one of the first and second spit plates comprises a plurality of teeth positioned along a peripheral edge, and wherein the means for engaging and rotating comprises a gear mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 11  wherein each first and second spit plate comprises a generally planar annular section that extends radially from a peripheral edge to center portion that is recessed relative to the annular section, wherein when mounted within the oven the center portions are recessed outwardly away from one another. 
     
     
         19 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 18  wherein the outside surface of the first and second spit plates include an outwardly projecting section opposite the inside surface recessed center portion, and further comprising a spit support base that includes a recessed center portion to accommodate placement of one of the spit first or second plate outside surfaces therein to support such first or second spit plate in a vertical position. 
     
     
         20 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 18  wherein the first and second spit rods are connected to the center portions of the first and second spit plates. 
     
     
         21 . The rotisserie oven as recited in  claim 11  wherein common ends of the first and second spit rods are fixedly connected to one of the first and second spit plates, and the other of the common ends of the first and second spit rods are removably connected to the other of the first and second spit plates.