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 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 which is preferably capable of combining radiant, convection, microwave and conduction heating techniques to perform a cooking operation. The cooking appliance includes a convection fan and at least one heating device. A controller is provided to regulate a triac to create a variable fan speed and variable heater intensity through phase angle firing. Essentially, an AC waveform provided to the fan motor and/or the heater resistor travels through the triac which is turned on by the controller at predetermined points in the AC waveform, with the delay from a zero point waveform crossing functioning to reduce the amount of power sent to the heater resistor and fan motor. When the signal from the controller is removed, the triac advantageously turns off at the next zero crossing of the AC waveform such that an operationally and economically effective control system is provided.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating system which is preferably capable of combining radiant, convection, microwave and conduction heating techniques to perform a cooking operation. The cooking appliance includes a convection fan and at least one heating element. A controller is provided to regulate a triac to maintain a desired heater intensity through phase angle firing. Essentially, an AC waveform provided to the heater resistor travels through the triac which is turned on by the controller at predetermined points in the AC waveform, with the delay from a zero point waveform crossing functioning to regulate the amount of power sent to the heater resistor. When the signal from the controller is removed, the triac advantageously turns off at the next zero crossing of the AC waveform such that an operationally and economically effective control system is provided.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating system which is preferably capable of combining radiant, convection, microwave and conduction heating techniques to perform a cooking operation. The cooking appliance includes a convection fan and at least one heating device. A controller is provided to regulate a triac to create a variable fan speed and variable heater intensity through phase angle firing. Essentially, an AC waveform provided to the fan motor and/or the heater resistor travels through the triac which is turned on by the controller at predetermined points in the AC waveform, with the delay from a zero point waveform crossing functioning to reduce the amount of power sent to the heater resistor and fan motor. When the signal from the controller is removed, the triac advantageously turns off at the next zero crossing of the AC waveform such that an operationally and economically effective control system is provided.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating system which is preferably capable of combining radiant, convection, microwave and conduction heating techniques to perform a cooking operation. The cooking appliance includes a convection fan and at least one heating element. A controller is provided to regulate a triac to maintain a desired heater intensity through phase angle firing. Essentially, an AC waveform provided to the heater resistor travels through the triac which is turned on by the controller at predetermined points in the AC waveform, with the delay from a zero point waveform crossing functioning to regulate the amount of power sent to the heater resistor. When the signal from the controller is removed, the triac advantageously turns off at the next zero crossing of the AC waveform such that an operationally and economically effective control system is provided.

Abstract: A microwave apparatus and system that monitors the amount of food products within a cavity and adjust the microwave power provided to the cavity. The apparatus and system uses a product sensor system and a movement sensor system to accurately determine the product load in the microwave cavity. A computer controller, based on the product load information provided by the product sensor system and the movement sensor system, operates to adjust the amount of power provide to the microwave cavities by the microwave transmitters.

Abstract: A method of trimming and end-rounding bristles and a device for carrying out the method are provided. The method includes providing a group of elongated continuous filaments arranged so that the longitudinal axis of each of the filaments is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the other filaments and so that the ends of the filaments define a plane; advancing the group of filaments to an end-rounding device; end-rounding the group of filaments; and cutting the filaments to define a bundle of end-rounded filaments having a predetermined length.