Cooking oven with a cooled door that permits pyrolysis
A cooking oven includes a heatable oven chamber that can be loaded with product from the outside area through a loading port. An oven door serves to close off the loading port of the oven chamber from the outside area. An inner pane faces the oven chamber, an outer pane faces the outside area, and one or several intermediate panes are positioned between the inner pane and the outer pane. An outer cavity is between the outer pane and the neighboring intermediate pane and an inner cavity space is between the inner pane and the neighboring intermediate pane. A cooling system moves cooling air through the outer cavity while thermally insulating air can be held stationary in the inner cavity.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/411,574 filed Apr. 10, 2003, which claims the benefit of German patent application Serial No. 103 07 086.9 filed Feb. 19, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to a cooking oven equipped with a heatable oven chamber loadable, with product to be cooked, from the outside through a loading port, and an oven door that serves to close off the loading port of the oven chamber from the outside. The present invention specifically relates to a cooking oven that incorporates an inner pane facing the oven chamber, an outer pane facing the outside area, and one or more intermediate panes positioned between the inner and the outer panes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn an earlier oven design per DE 100 47 016 A1, cooling air is drawn in between an outer pane and a neighboring intermediate pane, from there into the space or cavity between two intermediate panes and finally into the space between an intermediate pane and the inner pane, ultimately to be exhausted again. The cooling of the outer pane, however, is obtained at the expense of an effective cleaning of the inner pane by pyrolysis.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a cooking oven. A heatable oven chamber of the oven can be loaded with product from an outside area through a loading port. An oven door of the oven serves to close off the loading port of the oven chamber from the outside area. The door including an inner pane facing the oven chamber, an outer pane facing the outside area, and at least one intermediate pane positioned between the inner pane and the outer pane. An outer cavity is provided between the outer pane and the neighboring intermediate pane and an inner cavity is provided between the inner pane and the neighboring intermediate pane. The oven includes a cooling system by means of which cooling air can be moved through the outer cavity while thermally insulating air can be held stationary in the inner cavity.
In accordance with one example feature, the present invention improves pyrolytic cleaning of the inner pane while ensuring effective cooling of the outer pane. Dividing the cooling into an active ventilation of the outer cavity and a partial or complete isolation of the inner cavities ensures that, while providing good cooling of the outer pane, the inner pane that is exposed to high temperatures can contribute effectively to the pyrolysis. The stationary intermediate air engenders high temperatures as well as a homogeneous temperature distribution and correspondingly effective combustion of particles on the inner pane.
In accordance with another example feature, the present invention provides the cooling system as a system with a directional air path whereby the cooling air, primarily from the outside, is caused to enter the outer cavity from below and/or from one side or both sides and is then vented out toward the top or bottom as the case may be, and the thermally insulating air is completely enclosed or is allowed to enter the inner cavities, sealed on the top and both sides (cul-de-sac-style), from the bottom. In one particular example, the air ducting encompasses two mutually parallel longitudinal supports designed to laterally separate the inner cavity or cavities from the outer cavity. These longitudinal supports have a preferably U-shaped cross section, where the longer, outer leg of the U-profile can be attached to the inside of the outer pane especially by cementing, and the shorter inner leg of the U-profile laterally delimits the inner cavity or cavities while forming an air gap in the direction of the inside of the outer pane.
In accordance with another example feature, the present invention provides that the outer legs of the U-profile of one or both longitudinal supports are provided with air-intake openings preferably positioned in one plane with the outer cavity and/or connecting to a channel that extends in alignment with the outer cavity, counteracting (near the cemented areas) any turbulence and lowering the temperature within the longitudinal support posts, on the side panels and on the outer oven surfaces of the unit. The air current laterally entering the longitudinal supports (door posts) can be controlled and indeed naturally optimized as a function of the lateral distance between the edge of the outer pane and a side ledge or a front frame, assuring an even temperature distribution across the entire surface of the outer pane.
In accordance with another example feature, the present invention provides that the air ducting preferably also includes a transverse support which, from the top, separates the inner cavity or cavities from the outer cavity. The transverse support has a U-shaped cross section of which the outer, longer leg of the U-profile is attached to the inside of the outer pane preferably by cementing, and the inner, shorter leg of the U-profile delimits the top end of the inner cavity or cavities while forming a gap toward the inside of the outer pane.
In accordance with yet another example feature, the present invention provides that the U-shaped cross member connecting the legs of the U-profile transverse support is provided with air-exit vents preferably facing away from the outside area and pointing in the direction of the oven above the oven chamber. Here as well, to avoid turbulence and to enhance the cooling of the outer pane in the area of the door handle above the intermediate and inner panes, the transverse support is provided with a channel that is aligned with the outer cavity, connecting the latter with the air-exit vents.
In accordance with yet another example feature, the present invention provides that the transverse support is preferably mounted atop the longitudinal supports, connecting to these in a preferably detachable and, more specifically, in a slip-on fashion. In conjunction with the longitudinal supports after being detachably connected with them, it can be attached jointly with them to the outer pane, typically by cementing. This simplifies assembly and requires less cementing. The otherwise shorter leg of the U-profile is preferably extended from its two longitudinal ends to the inside of the outer pane where it, too, can be attached by cementing. For the purpose of reducing the temperature at the connecting or contact points the cemented areas may be interrupted by air gaps or applied for instance in a spot configuration.
In accordance with still another example feature, the present invention provides that the air ducting includes a connection between the bottom of the outer cavity and, where appropriate, that of the inner cavity or cavities and the outside area. In addition to the air ducting the cooling system preferably includes one or several blowers that draw the cooling air in from the outside and through the outer cavity and then exhaust the air back to the outside. The blowers are preferably located above and/or behind and/or underneath the oven chamber and connect at one end to an intake channel that leads to the air exit vents in the oven door and at the other end to an exhaust channel that leads to the outside area especially at a point above the oven door.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
An example of an oven 2 that incorporates the present invention is shown in
The housing 4 is a generally a cubic structure with an open front, and the oven chamber 6 has a generally cubic shape. The housing 4 has two mutually opposite side panels 12 (only one shown), a rear panel 14, a bottom panel 16 and a top panel 18. The oven chamber 6 has two mutually opposite side walls 20 (only one shown), a back wall 22, a bottom plate 24 and a top plate 26. Extending between the top panel 18 of the housing 4 and the top plate 26 of the oven chamber 6 is a horizontally extending clearance space 28. A vertical channel 30 is located between the rear panel 14 of the housing 4 and the back wall 22 of the oven chamber 6. The vertical channel 30 opens toward the bottom. A blower 32 is located in the area of the junction of the clearance space 28 and the vertical channel 30. An intake opening of the blower 32 is connected to both the vertical channel 30 and a forward-pointing horizontal intake channel 34, and an exhaust opening of the blower connects to an exhaust channel 36 above the intake channel 34. Both the intake channel 34 and the exhaust channel 36 are flared in the direction of the blower 32. A vertical vapor chimney 38 that leads into the horizontal intake channel 34 is recessed into the top plate 26 of the oven chamber 6. The oven 2 is heated by an upper heating element H1 mounted inside underneath the top panel 18, a lower heating element H2 mounted inside above the bottom panel 16, and an annular heating element H3 mounted inside in front of the back panel around a fan B.
The door 10 can be tilted around a horizontal pivot 42 in its lower section between a horizontal position in which the loading port 8 is open to admit product for cooking, and a vertical position in which the loading port is closed. An upper end of the door 10 protrudes upward past the top plate 26 of the oven chamber 6. A control panel 44 is provided above the door 10. Extending between the top end of the door 10 and the bottom end of the control panel 44 are at least in sectionally spaced fashion one or several slots or slot-shaped exhaust openings 46 that are aligned with the exhaust channel 36 and lead to the outside area A.
The door 10 (see
The pane configuration is basically held together by two mutually parallel support posts 58 (see
The support posts 58 have a U-shaped cross section (see especially
The shorter leg 64 of the U-profile support post 58 is provided at its free end with a short outward-pointing section 74 that can support one edge of the intermediate pane 52, which has a lesser longitudinal extent than the outer pane 48, neighboring the outer pane (
The outer surface of the shorter leg 64 of the U-profile support post 58 abuts against the end faces of the two intermediate panes 52 either directly or via more or less resilient elements 76 that may be in the form of strip gaskets for laterally sealing the inner cavities 56 and/or spacers for maintaining the distance between the intermediate panes 52 and between these and, respectively, the outer and inner panes 48 and 50, for instance as continuous extrusions made from rubber or a heat-resistant plastic material with ledges engaging in the space between the intermediate panes 52.
Abutting against the cross member 66 (
At its longitudinal free ends pointing away from the transverse support 60, the otherwise shorter leg 64 of the U-profile is provided with sections 80 (see
The transverse support 60 has a U-shaped profile (see
The outside of the shorter leg 88 of the U-profile transverse support 60 can support one or several sheet-metal pane retainers 98 (see
The pane retainers 98 and the resilient elements 98′ may extend along the entire length of the cross member or they may be spaced apart (see
At its two free longitudinal ends the otherwise shorter leg 88 of the U-profile transverse support 60 features sections 104 (
The shorter leg 88 of the U-profile transverse support 60 is provided at its two longitudinal ends near the cross member 90 with perforations especially in the form of slots 110 (
Extending within the U-shaped cross section of the support posts 58 are U-shaped air ducts 114 (
The legs 62 of the support posts 58 are provided with one or several air intake openings 120 (
The U-shaped transverse support 60 contains a U-shaped air duct 122 (
The U-shaped cross member 90 of the transverse support 60 is provided with one or several air exit openings 128 that extend along the transverse support 60 between its longer U-leg 86 and the nearest U-leg 124 of the air duct 122 encased in the transverse support 60 (
The air ducts 114 (
The inner U-leg 124 of the air duct 122 is attached, via screws 130 (See
To support the intermediate panes 52 and the inner pane 50 (with the door closed) from below, L-shaped plastic retaining elements 134 (
In addition, the lower sections of the support posts 58 are equipped with hinges 142 whose lever arms 144 extend through longitudinal slots 146 in the cross members 66 of the support posts 58 and through lateral openings 148 in the inner pane 50 that is further supported by sitting over its entire width on the cross member 66.
The support posts 58, the transverse support 60, the air ducts 114 and 122 as well as the upper pane retainer 98 are made from sheet steel while the seals, attenuators and/or spacers and in particular the resilient members 74, the lower pane retainers 134, and the upper pane-retainer inserts or resilient elements 98′ consist of a highly heat-resistant synthetic material such as polyamide that may be glass fiber-reinforced, or of silicone.
For a secure tilting movement, mentioned further above, the hinge lever arms 144 can be engaged and locked in openings of the oven 2 in a conventional fashion.
The door is assembled in the following manner. First, the two support posts 58 and the transverse support 60 are separately equipped with their accessories, the support posts 58 with the air ducts 114 and the hinges 142, the transverse support 60 with the air duct 122 and the upper pane retainer 98 including the resilient element(s) 98′ (pane retainer inserts). After the transverse support 60 is slipped on the support posts 58 (
Next, resilient elements (e.g., spacers) 76 (
Next, the second intermediate pane 52 is inserted in an adjacent groove between the projections of the resilient element 98′ in the upper pane retainer 98 (
The system works as follows. When the blower 32 is activated, air is drawn in from below through the bottom opening of the door 10 and from the sides through the air intake openings 120 in the support posts 58 and moved through the outer cavity 54 between the outer pane 48 and the neighboring intermediate pane 52, through the air exit openings 128 in the transverse support 60 and through the intake channel 34 located above the oven chamber 6, and is finally exhausted via the exhaust channel 36 above the intake channel 34 and via the slots 46 above the door 10 back to the outside (
Since the inner cavities 56 between the inner pane 50 and the neighboring intermediate pane 52 and those between the two intermediate panes 52 are open on the bottom only, the air contained in these cavity spaces is unable to circulate. In this fashion, the outer pane 48 is kept cool through active cooling (forced convection) in the outer cavity 54 and by passive thermal air insulation in the cavities 56, thus protecting the operator, yet the inner pane 50 is kept hot, which promotes good pyrolytic cleaning of the inner pane through adequate decomposition of the particles adhering to the inner pane. This process is also helped by a homogeneous temperature distribution owing to the stationary air pattern in the inner cavity spaces.
Concurrently with the cooling air, the blower 32 can draw vapors from the oven 6 through the chimney 38 into the intake channel 34 and vent them via the exhaust channel 36 and the slots 46. It is equally possible to mix into the cooling air K1 drawn from the door cooling air K2 from the channel that extends behind the oven chamber, thus cooling the oven enclosure as well and/or reducing the temperature of the exhaust air.
Claims
1. A cooking oven, including:
- a heatable oven chamber that can be loaded with product from an outside area through a loading port;
- an oven door that serves to close off the loading port of the oven chamber from the outside area, the door including an inner pane facing the oven chamber, an outer pane facing the outside area, and at least one intermediate pane positioned between the inner pane and the outer pane, with an outer cavity provided between the outer pane and the neighboring intermediate pane and an inner cavity provided between the inner pane and the neighboring intermediate pane;
- two mutually parallel support posts that extend vertically when the oven door is closed to secure the inner pane and the at least one intermediate pane together; and
- a cooling system by means of which cooling air can be moved through the outer cavity while thermally insulating air can be held stationary in the inner cavity.
2. An oven as set forth in claim 1, in which the cooling system includes air ducting that serves to guide the cooling air, primarily from an outside area that is at least at one of a location below the door and to the side of the door, into the outer cavity and through a top portion of the door to the outside area, and to entrap thermally insulating air in the inner cavity for at least one of a location at the top portion of the door and the sides of the door.
3. A cooking oven, including:
- a heatable oven chamber that can be loaded with product from an outside area through a loading port;
- an oven door that serves to close off the loading port of the oven chamber from the outside area, the door including an inner pane facing the oven chamber, an outer pane facing the outside area, and at least one intermediate pane positioned between the inner pane and the outer pane, with an outer cavity provided between the outer pane and the neighboring intermediate pane and an inner cavity provided between the inner pane and the neighboring intermediate pane; and
- a cooling system by means of which cooling air can be moved through the outer cavity while thermally insulating air can be held stationary in the inner cavity,
- in which the cooling system includes air ducting that serves to guide the cooling air, primarily from an outside area that is at least at one of a location below the door and to the side of the door, into the outer cavity and through a top portion of the door to the outside area, and to entrap thermally insulating air in the inner cavity for at least one of a location at the top portion of the door and the sides of the door, and
- in which the air ducting includes two mutually parallel longitudinal supports which laterally separate the inner cavity from the outer cavity.
4. An oven as set forth in claim 2, in which the air ducting includes a transverse support which from the top separates the inner cavity from the outer cavity.
5. An oven as set forth in claim 4, in which the transverse support has a U-shaped cross section with a longer outer leg that is attached to an inside surface of the outer pane and with a shorter inner leg that bounds a gap with the inner surface of the outer pane and that delimits a top of the inner cavity.
6. An oven as set forth in claim 5, in which a cross member of the transverse support connects the legs the cross member is provided with air exit openings, and at least some of the air exit openings are oriented toward the oven.
7. An oven as set forth in claim 6, in which the transverse support includes a channel that is aligned with the outer cavity and connects the outer cavity to the air exit openings.
8. An oven as set forth in claim 4, in which the transverse support is positioned on top of longitudinal supports.
9. An oven as set forth in claim 4, in which the transverse support and longitudinal supports have interconnection portions that provide for detachability of the interconnection portions.
10. An oven as set forth in claim 9, including cement to affix the transverse support and the longitudinal supports to the outer pane.
11. An oven as set forth in claim 10, wherein at least one of the longitudinal and the transverse supports has a U-shaped cross section with a longer outer leg that is cemented to the outer pane.
12. An oven as set forth in claim 11, in which the cement is provided as a series of spots.
13. An oven as set forth in claim 2, in which the air ducting includes a connection between the bottom end of the outer cavity and the outside area.
14. An oven as set forth in claim 1, in which the cooling system includes at least one cooling blower that draws the cooling air primarily from the outside area through the outer cavity and to blow it back into the outside area.
15. An oven as set forth in claim 14, in which the blower is connected respectively to an intake channel that leads to air exit openings of the oven door and to an exhaust channel that leads to the outside area through an opening above the oven door.
16. An oven as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a transverse support detachably connected to the support posts.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 1, 2004
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2005
Applicant: Electrolux Home Products Corporation N.V. (Zaventem)
Inventors: Christoph Walther (Rothenburg), Harald Porner (Schnaittach), Vladmir Pelic (Montreal), Robert McKechnie (Cabot, AR), Patrice Murguet (Cernay Les Reims), Dietmar Hildner (Furth)
Application Number: 11/002,032