Abstract: An oven for cooking a food product, at least partially by hot gas flow and at least partially by microwave energy, includes a housing defining a cooking chamber for receiving a food product for cooking, and a conduit for providing gaseous communication outside of the cooking chamber, between the chamber bottom and the chamber top, the conduit also serving as a hot gas plenum. Preferably the conduit has a free volume of space less than the free volume of space of the cooking chamber, and the oven has custom cooking and/or custom finishing capabilities.

Abstract: In a system for rapid air temperature modification in a recycling oven using hot air impingement for cooking, a fraction of the recycling air may be made to selectively bypass the heat exchanger, thereby to rapidly achieve reduced cook chamber temperatures, as desired by the user. The system includes a shell configured and dimensioned to receive a stream of air through an inlet and to discharge a stream of air through an outlet. The shell is further configured to provide independent first and second paths of travel to guide independent streams of air passing between the inlet and outlet of the shell. The first path houses heating means so that all air passing through this first path will be conditioned (heated) by the heating means. The second path has no heating means and merely permits unimpeded passage of the stream of air through the shell.

Abstract: An oven for cooking a food product, at least partially by hot gas flow and at least partially by microwave energy, includes a housing defining a cooking chamber for receiving a food product for cooking, and a conduit for providing gaseous communication outside of the cooking chamber, between the chamber bottom and the chamber top, the conduit also serving as a hot gas plenum. Preferably the conduit has a free volume of space less than the free volume of space of the cooking chamber, and the oven has custom cooking and/or custom finishing capabilities.

Abstract: A recycling cooking oven for cooking food at least in part by hot air flow and providing a substantially closed but vented environment includes a cooking chamber for receiving a stream of hot air from an upstream thermal plenum via a plurality of openings in the cooking chamber, the cooking chamber cooking food therein at least partially with hot air from the plurality of openings and the cooking of such foods adding oxidizable components to the hot air. A blower circulates the stream of hot air in substantially a continuous travel path including the thermal plenum, the plurality of openings and the cooking chamber. A main catalytic converter is disposed in the continuous travel path for flamelessly oxidizing the oxidizable components leaving the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A microwave oven excitation system comprising a cylindrical microwave launcher for radiating microwave energy into a heating cavity of a microwave oven which is mounted adjacent to the heating cavity, a quarter-wave matching waveguide secured to the launcher, a rectangular waveguide secured to the quarter-wave matching waveguide, and a source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the rectangular waveguide remotely from the launcher. In addition, a mode stirrer may be optionally installed within the cylindrical microwave launcher. Also, an iris may be optionally mounted between the cylindrical microwave launcher and the heating cavity.

Abstract: A microwave oven excitation system comprising a cylindrical microwave launcher for radiating microwave energy into a heating cavity of a microwave oven which is mounted adjacent to the heating cavity in either a substantially vertical position or a substantially horizontal position, a first hollow waveguide secured to the launcher, a first source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the first waveguide, a second hollow waveguide secured to the launcher substantially perpendicular to the first waveguide, and a second source of microwave energy at a predetermined operating frequency secured to the second waveguide. Alternatively, a single waveguide is secured to the cylindrical launcher and has only a single source of microwave energy secured thereto. In either case, a mode stirrer can be installed within the cylindrical microwave launcher.

Abstract: A recycling cooking oven providing a substantially closed environment, includes a thermal plenum for supplying a stream of hot air into a cooking chamber and for receiving a stream of hot air from the cooking chamber, the thermal plenum maintaining a reservoir of hot air therein. The cooking chamber of the oven supplies a stream of hot air into the thermal plenum and receives a stream of hot air from the thermal plenum, the cooking chamber cooking foods therein at least partially with a stream of hot air and such foods adding oxidizable components to the hot air of the stream. A blower and ducting cause the stream of hot air to circulate in substantially a continuous travel path including the thermal plenum and the cooking chamber.