Enclosed Rotisserie with Detachable Electronic Components

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward an improved rotisserie oven, having the following features: a removable side mounted control box; single wall oven cabinet construction; single wall oven cabinet construction with tabs protruding from the lower side edges of the oven cabinet which mount feet to support the cabinet; a rigid heat coil structurally connected to the removable control box; a heat coil, supported by a bracket within the oven cabinet which both allows the heat coil to be slid in and out of the oven cabinet and allows for expansion of the heat coil when the coil is energized; a light bulb integrated with the removable control box so that the bulb's globe protrudes into the interior of the oven cabinet when the control box is mounted on the oven cabinet; a drive mechanism integrated into the removable control box which allows the control box to be easily removed from the oven cabinet; a drip pan located below the spit, which has its liquid catching reservoir recessed in from the pan's perimeter; a drip pan cover with an array of small holes recessed into its surface; a spit assembly, whose axis of rotation is located closer to a glass view port located on the oven cabinet's exterior than to the heater located within the oven cabinet; and a spit assembly, whose axis of rotation is located closer to the oven cabinet's loading door than to the top, bottom, back and heat coil within the oven cabinet, using the rotisserie in combination with specific foods and eating schedule, to help people lose weight.

1 . An oven comprising:
 a cabinet comprising a wall structure defining a cooking chamber;   a spit assembly disposed within the cooking chamber; and   an assembly removably attached to an exterior portion of the wall structure, the assembly comprising:
 a drive mechanism operatively connected with the spit mechanism to rotate the spit mechanism within the cooking chamber when activated; and 
 a heating member that projects a distance within the cooking chamber and that heats the cooking chamber when activated. 
   
     
     
         2 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly further comprises a switch for activating the drive mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly further comprise a switch for activating the heating member. 
     
     
         4 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly further comprises a switch that activates both the drive mechanism and the heating member. 
     
     
         5 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly is configured to be attached and removed from the cabinet by hand. 
     
     
         6 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the cabinet has a movable door positioned in a front portion of the cabinet through which food is loaded into the cabinet, wherein the door comprises a transparent material for viewing inside of the cabinet. 
     
     
         7 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly comprises a control mechanism that operates the drive mechanism and the heating member. 
     
     
         8 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly is removable detached from the cabinet by moving generally orthogonally away from an adjacent exterior portion of the wall structure. 
     
     
         9 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly comprises a countdown timer which activates and terminates operation of the oven. 
     
     
         10 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the assembly comprises a control mechanism that activates a food warming feature after cooking. 
     
     
         11 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  wherein the drive mechanism is a gear member that engages teeth positioned along an adjacent portion of the spit assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The oven as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a light disposed within the cooking chamber. 
     
     
         13 . A food cooking oven comprising:
 an enclosure comprising a cooking chamber disposed therein;   a spit assembly movably disposed horizontally within the cooking chamber;   a heating element disposed within the cooking chamber; and   a control assembly removably attached to an exterior of the enclosure and comprising a control mechanism for controlling one or both of the rotation of the spit assembly and the activation of the heating element, wherein the control assembly comprises a drive mechanism that engages the spit assembly to cause rotation of the same.   
     
     
         14 . The oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the heating element is removably disposed within the cooking chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The oven as recited in  claim 14  wherein the heating element is connected with to the control assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the control mechanism comprises a count down timer mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . The oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the drive mechanism is an integral part of the control assembly. 
     
     
         18 . The oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the drive mechanism comprises a gear that engages teeth disposed along an adjacent surface of the spit assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the spit assembly rotates about an axis running horizontally within the cooking chamber, and wherein the cooking element is positioned behind the axis adjacent a back wall surface of the enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . The oven as recited in  claim 13  wherein the enclosure includes a front door that comprises a transparent material and that is disposed between opposed side wall surfaces, and wherein the control assembly is attached to the exterior of one of the side wall surfaces.