Abstract: A combination cooking appliance controls a radiant heating element provided in an oven cavity, both a blower and a convection heating element provided in an air plenum, and microwave energy sources to provide for numerous potential operating modes. The present invention is particularly concerned with the manner in which the various cooking components are configured and flexibly controlled to provide for short cook cycles in a variety of operational modes.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an outer cabinet within which is provided an oven cavity which can be selectively accessed by movement of a door mounted through a door linkage system which enables the door to be shifted between opened and closed positions through either sliding or tilting movements. In particular, the door can be automatically or manually shifted between open and closed positions, through either the sliding or tilting motions. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the door can be automatically opened at the end of a process or cooking cycle, or manually opened.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes an outer cabinet within which is provided an oven cavity which can be selectively accessed by movement of a door mounted through a door linkage system which enables the door to be shifted between opened and closed positions through either sliding or tilting movements. In particular, the door can be automatically or manually shifted between open and closed positions, through either the sliding or tilting motions. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the door can be automatically opened at the end of a process or cooking cycle, or manually opened.

Abstract: A microwave intensification system includes a base frame having a plurality of support members, a microwave transparent, central vessel, and at least one dielectric unit positioned within the central vessel. A cooking surface is formed by covering the dielectric unit with a protective covering. In operation, a food item is placed within a processing container and positioned on the cooking surface over the dielectric unit. The processing container is sized such that an overlap exists between the container and the dielectric unit in order to balance the exposure of the food item to a microwave energy field. With this arrangement, the food item can rapidly undergo a cooking process in a manner wherein central and edge portions of the food item are exposed to a uniform cooking process thereby increasing the quality of the final product.

Abstract: A combination cooking appliance controls a radiant heating element provided in an oven cavity, both a blower and a convection heating element provided in an air plenum, and microwave energy sources to provide for numerous potential operating modes. The present invention is particularly concerned with the manner in which the various cooking components are configured and flexibly controlled to provide for short cook cycles in a variety of operational modes.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating system capable of combining radiant, convection, microwave and conduction heating techniques to perform a cooking operation. The cooking appliance includes a cooking chamber and a bifurcated air plenum having an angled divider that defines a tapered air delivery portion and a tapered exhaust portion. The tapered air delivery portion actually guides a convective air flow through an air emitter plate positioned at a top of the cooking chamber. The air emitter plate includes a recessed, serpentine-like channel having a plurality of openings that lead to the air delivery portion. A radiant heating element is nested within the recessed channel. The cooking appliance further includes a convection fan, as well as a magnetron having a rotatable antenna positioned below the cooking chamber and a conductive plate upon which food to be cooked is supported.

Abstract: In a broad aspect, the invention is a conveyorized oven for heating food products comprising: a cavity having two continuous access openings; a convection heating source, the convection heating source including a heating element, a blower, and a plenum in communication with the cavity, the convection heating source providing heated air to the cavity; an upper radiant energy heating source in communication with the cavity, the upper radiant energy heating source including an infrared light source and at least one reflector providing radiant energy to the cavity; a lower radiant energy heating source in communication with the cavity, the lower radiant energy heating source providing radiant energy to the cavity; and a conveyor system for transporting food products through the first continuous access opening, the cavity, and the second continuous access opening at a rate of speed sufficient to allow the food products to be heated.

Abstract: An oven comprises a cooking chamber, first and second energy sources, a cooling fan, and a controller. The first energy source provides radiation heating in the cooking chamber, and the first energy source has a low mass for rapid heating. The second energy source provides convection heating in the cooking chamber, and the second energy source has a high mass heating element and a convection fan for moving air through the cooking chamber during convection heating. The cooling fan moves cooling air over the first energy source. The controller energizes the first and second energy sources during at least initial convection heating so that the first energy source rapidly heats the cooking chamber in order to facilitate the initial convection heating and to eliminate the need to pre-heat the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A clothes dryer has a plurality of high energy lamps. The high energy lamps are mounted so as to emit high energy radiation toward a drying chamber. A blower is arranged to move air to the plurality of high energy lamps so as cool the high energy lamps. The air that cools the high energy lamps is delivered to the drying chamber. The plurality of high energy lamps is operated to emit ultraviolet energy for sanitizing the articles in the drying chamber and to emit infrared energy for drying the articles in the drying chamber.

Abstract: A browning grill is arranged for use in a high power density radiant oven. The oven includes a cooking enclosure having a ceiling and a floor, upper radiant energy sources located near the ceiling, and lower radiant energy sources located near the floor. The browning grill has a grilling surface and a debris collector. The grilling surface has a plurality of grill tines. The grilling surface is located between the upper and lower radiant energy sources, and the grilling surface establishes a cooking plane to the upper radiant energy sources. The debris collector catches food debris from food being grilled on the grilling surface. The debris collector is located between the grilling surface and the lower radiant energy sources, and the debris collector is arranged to permit heating of the cooking plane by the lower radiant energy sources.

Abstract: A compact oven assembly has a housing and a high power density, low mass heating element. The housing defines a cooking cavity and a slot which permits access to the cooking cavity. The high power density, low mass heating element is supported by the housing above the cooking cavity. The compact oven assembly may include a food support which is arranged so that, when the food support is inserted into the cooking cavity through the slot, the slot of the housing is substantially closed off. The compact oven may also include a switch operated by the food support when the food support is inserted into the cooking cavity through the slot in order to energize the high power density, low mass heating element. Each high power density heating element has a formed parabolic reflector located above it and opposite to the cooking plane. Accordingly, the energy from the high power density heating elements is directed toward the cooking plane.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a screen useful for forming three-dimensional films, the screens and the three-dimensional films produced using those screens are disclosed. In forming a screen, a substrate material is applied to a base. A predetermined amount of portions of the substrate are removed to form a predetermined pattern in the substrate. A screen material is applied to the patterned substrate material. A predetermined amount of portions of the screen material are removed to form a predetermined pattern in the screen material. The predetermined pattern in the screen defines a plurality of first perforations in the screen material. The substrate material is removed from the screen material, such that second perforations are formed in the screen, whereby each first perforation is in communication with an adjacent second perforation.

Abstract: An oven with high power radiant cooking elements which are capable of operating at different intensities is disclosed for cooking food quickly with infrared radiation. The conduction of this infrared radiant energy varies substantially from food to food. Accordingly, the user of the oven must develop a unique data base or recipe for each food. A recipe consists of a number of stages each of which defines the output intensity of each cooking element for a period of time. A method is disclosed for the real time development of a recipe by varying the intensity of the cooking elements during the cooking cycle, optimizing the developed recipe to reduce the number of stages, storing the optimized recipe in memory and retrieving the optimized stored recipe for future use.

Abstract: An ellipsoidal reflector is provided for a light energy emitting lamp which is used as a heating element within an oven. Because an ellipsoidal reflector is used, the light energy emitting lamp may be positioned at the first focal point of the ellipsoidal reflector in order to concentrate light reflected by the ellipsoidal reflector on the food being cooked. Accordingly, a charbroiled surface effect common to gas or electric cooking grills is produced. The light energy emitting lamp may also be moved away from the first focal point so that light is reflected by the ellipsoidal reflector more uniformly.

Abstract: A module for use in a heating appliance has a frame with first, second, third, and fourth sides. A first heating lamp is mounted substantially along the first side of the frame, a second heating lamp is mounted substantially along the second side of the frame, a third heating lamp mounted substantially along the third side of the frame, and an fourth heating lamp is mounted substantially along the fourth side of the frame. Fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth heating lamps are mounted substantially diagonally to the frame. A first reflector reflects radiant energy from the first heating lamp, a second reflector reflects radiant energy from the second heating lamp, a third reflector reflects radiant energy from the third heating lamp, and a fourth reflector reflects radiant energy from the fourth heating lamp. A fifth reflector reflects radiant energy from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth heating lamps.

Abstract: A gas convection oven having a radiant burner and fuel feeding apparatus which enables the single burner to be operated in either a broil mode or a bake mode. In the broil mode, the radiant burner is operated in conventional manner with the flame being held by an inner screen to heat the outer screen to a radiant luminous temperature. In the bake mode, forced air is injected into the burner by a fan thereby providing a leaner fuel-air mixture with higher velocity. As a result, the flame burns outside the outer screen of the burner with the outer screen serving as a flame holder. Therefore, hot combustion gases as produced while the outer screen remains non-luminous.