Toaster Oven Control Knob and Method of Controlling a Toaster Oven

Abstract

A toaster oven comprising a housing defining a food cavity, an opening defined in the housing, a door movably affixed to the housing, a cooking grid selectively mountable within the housing, one or more heating elements within the housing, a timer controlling activation of the heating elements, and a timer control knob engaged with the timer. The timer control knob is selectively rotatable in a second direction from the off position to a third position to activate at least one of the one or more heating elements until the timer control knob is selectively rotated in the first direction back to the off position. The timer control knob has a selectively depressible pushbutton, such that the timer control knob is only selectively rotatable in the second direction from the off position to the third position when the pushbutton is depressed.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A toaster oven comprising:
 a housing defining a food cavity;   an opening defined in the housing to enable access to the food cavity;   a door movably affixed to the housing and selectively movable between a closed position closing off the opening thereby blocking access to the food cavity and an open position enabling access to the food cavity;   a cooking grid selectively mountable within the housing;   one or more heating elements within the housing;   a timer controlling activation of the heating elements; and   a timer control knob engaged with the timer, the timer control knob being selectively rotatable in a first direction from an off position to a second position to set the timer and activate at least one of the one or more heating elements for a desired amount of time corresponding to the second position, the timer control knob being selectively rotatable in a second direction from the off position to a third position to activate at least one of the one or more heating elements until the timer control knob is selectively rotated in the first direction back to the off position, the second direction being opposite the first direction, the timer control knob having a selectively depressible pushbutton;   wherein the timer control knob is only selectively rotatable in the second direction from the off position to the third position when the pushbutton is depressed.   
     
     
         2 . The toaster oven of  claim 1 , wherein a stationary block projects outward from the housing;
 wherein the timer control knob comprises a lock lever engaged with the pushbutton such that depressing the pushbutton moves the lock lever from a first position to a second position;   wherein, in the first position, the lock lever is aligned with the stationary block to prevent rotation of the timer control knob in the second direction from the off position to the third position; and   wherein, in the second position, the lock lever is not aligned with the stationary block to permit rotation of the timer control knob in the second direction from the off position to the third position.   
     
     
         3 . The toaster oven of  claim 2 , wherein the lock lever is biased to the first position. 
     
     
         4 . The toaster oven of  claim 2 , wherein the lock lever pivots from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The toaster oven of  claim 2 , wherein the lock lever has an angled surface that engages with the stationary block as the timer control knob is rotated from the third position in the first direction, such engagement pushing the lock lever from the first position to the second position to permit rotation of the timer control knob in the first direction back to the off position without depressing the pushbutton. 
     
     
         6 . The toaster oven of  claim 2 , wherein the lock lever has a planar leading edge that is substantially perpendicular to a corresponding engaging edge of the stationary block. 
     
     
         7 . The toaster oven of  claim 2 , wherein the selectively depressible pushbutton is a first selectively depressible pushbutton;
 wherein the timer control knob has a second selectively depressible pushbutton opposite the first selectively depressible pushbutton;   wherein the timer control knob comprises a dummy lock lever engaged with the second pushbutton such that depressing the pushbutton moves the lock lever from a first position to a second position;   wherein the dummy lock lever does not engage the stationary block in the first position or in the second position.