OVEN APPLIANCE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING OVEN APPLIANCE

Abstract

Oven appliances and methods for operating oven appliances are provided. An oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along a vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction. The oven appliance further includes an inlet aperture defined in the bottom wall, and a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture. The oven appliance further includes a heating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber, and a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to oven appliances, particularly oven appliance having lower heating elements that are outside of the cooking chamber, and to methods for operating such oven appliances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional residential and commercial oven appliances generally include a cabinet that defines a cooking chamber for receipt of food items for cooking. Heating elements are positioned within the cooking chamber to provide heat to food items located therein. The heating elements can include, for example, radiant heating elements, such as a bake heating element positioned at a bottom of the cooking chamber and/or a broil heating element positioned at a top of the cooking chamber.

Generally, oven appliances are preheated prior to inserting food items into the appliance's cooking chamber. Such pre-heating can be necessary to heat the oven appliance's walls, doors, and other exposed surfaces and bring the temperature of the oven appliance up to a steady-state operating temperature. Prior to such pre-heating, radiant heat transfer from such components can be insufficient or unsuitable to properly cook food items within the cooking chamber. Generally, oven appliances activate the broil heating element and the bake heating element during the operation in the pre-heat mode. In particular, the broil heating element and the bake heating element are generally operated at a single constant power output during the pre-heat mode until the steady-state operating temperature is obtained. During such pre-heating mode, any food items placed in the cooking chamber may not cook properly because the amount of heat provided to the food items and the exposure to radiant heat from the broil heating element does not match that of a pre-heated (steady-state) oven. For example, the top portion of the food items may cook more quickly than the bottom portion of the food items due to the activated broil heating element.

To avoid such heat imbalance, a user must generally wait for the cooking chamber to reach the steady-state cooking temperature before inserting food items therein. However, waiting for the oven to pre-heat can consume a significant amount of the user's time. For example, operation in a pre-heat mode can take over ten minutes to complete depending upon the operating temperature desired.

Recently, oven appliances have been developed which utilize bake heating elements that are located outside of the cooking chamber, such as below the bottom wall of the cooking chamber. These designs have become popular due to the ease of cleaning the bottom wall inside the cooking chamber. However, the location of the bake heating element outside the cooking chamber further increases the pre-heat mode time, by requiring heating of the cooking chamber by the bake heating element through the bottom wall. Additionally, activation of the bake heating element during a pre-heat mode must be intermittent, such as through cycling on and off, to prevent damage to the walls surrounding the bake heating element.

Accordingly, improved oven appliances and methods for operating oven appliances are desired. In particular, oven appliances and methods which include bake heating elements located outside of the oven appliance cooking chamber, and which further facilitate decreased pre-heat mode times, would be advantageous.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are each perpendicular to each other. The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked and including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction. The oven appliance further includes an inlet aperture defined in the bottom wall, and a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture. The oven appliance further includes a heating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber, and a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.

In accordance with another embodiment, an oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are each perpendicular to each other. The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked and including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction. The oven appliance further includes an inlet aperture defined and generally centrally located in the bottom wall, and a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures generally equally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateral direction. The oven appliance further includes a heating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber, and a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method for operating an oven appliance is provided. The oven appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked and including a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and including the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction. The method includes activating a heating element in a preheat mode, the heating element disposed within the heating chamber. The method further includes activating a fan disposed in the heating chamber when the heating element is activated in the preheat mode. Activation of the fan causes an air flow along an air flow path through an inlet aperture and a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures.

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an oven appliance in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 provides a sectional view of the oven appliance of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of an oven appliance in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cutaway front view of the oven appliance of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cutaway perspective view of an oven appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of an oven appliance 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 2 provides a section view of oven appliance 10 taken along the 2-2 line of FIG. 1. Oven appliance 10 defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L and a transverse direction T. The vertical, lateral and transverse directions are mutually perpendicular and form an orthogonal direction system. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, oven appliance 10 is provided by way of example only, and the present subject matter may be used in any suitable oven appliance. Thus, the present subject matter may be used with other oven or range appliance configurations, e.g., that define multiple interior cavities for the receipt of food and/or having different pan or rack arrangements than what is shown in FIG. 2.

Oven appliance 10 includes an insulated cabinet 12 with an interior cooking chamber 14 defined by an interior surface 15 of cabinet 12. Cooking chamber 14 is configured for the receipt of one or more food items to be cooked. Oven appliance 10 includes a door 16 rotatably mounted to cabinet 12, e.g., with a hinge (not shown). A handle 18 is mounted to door 16 and assists a user with opening and closing door 16 in order to access cooking chamber 14. For example, a user can pull on handle 18 to open or close door 16 and access cooking chamber 14.

Oven appliance 10 can includes a seal (not shown) between door 16 and cabinet 12 that assist with maintaining heat and cooking fumes within cooking chamber 14 when door 16 is closed as shown in FIG. 2. Multiple parallel glass panes 22 provide for viewing the contents of cooking chamber 14 when door 16 is closed and assist with insulating cooking chamber 14. A baking rack 24 is positioned in cooking chamber 14 for the receipt of food items or utensils containing food items. Baking rack 24 is slidably received onto embossed ribs 26 or sliding rails 28 (see FIGS. 3 through 6) such that rack 24 may be conveniently moved into and out of cooking chamber 14 when door 16 is open.

As shown, various sidewalls define the cooking chamber 14. For example, cooking chamber 14 includes a top wall 30 and a bottom wall 32 which are spaced apart along the vertical direction V. Left sidewall 34 and right sidewall 36 (as defined according to a front view as shown in FIG. 2) extend between the top wall 30 and bottom wall 32, and are spaced apart along the lateral direction L. A rear wall 38 may additionally extend between the top wall 30 and bottom wall 32 as well as between the left sidewall 34 and right sidewall 36, and is spaced apart from the door 16 along the transverse direction T. Cooking chamber 14 is thus defined between the top wall 30, bottom wall 32, left sidewall 34, right sidewall 36, and rear wall 38.

Insulated cabinet 12 further includes and defines an interior heating chamber 40 defined by interior surface 15. In general, the heating chamber 40 is disposed below the cooking chamber 14, such as along the vertical direction V. For example, heating chamber 40 includes the bottom wall 32 and a base wall 42 which are spaced apart along the vertical direction V. Left sidewall 34 and right sidewall 36 (as defined according to a front view as shown in FIG. 2) further extend between the bottom wall 32 and a base wall 42, and are spaced apart along the lateral direction L. Rear wall 38 may additionally extend between the bottom wall 32 and base wall 42 as well as between the left sidewall 34 and right sidewall 36. Heating chamber 40 is thus defined between the bottom wall 32, base wall 42, left sidewall 34, right sidewall 36, and rear wall 38.

A bottom heating element 46, e.g. a bake heating element is disposed within the heating chamber 40. In exemplary embodiments as illustrated, the bottom heating element 46 is an electric heating element, as is generally understood. Alternatively, the bottom heating element 46 may be a gas burner or other suitable heating element having another suitable heating source. Heating element 46 is used to heat cooking chamber 14 for both cooking and cleaning of range appliance 10, as discussed herein.

Additionally, a top heating element 48, e.g. a broil heating element may be disposed within the cooking chamber 14, such as adjacent top wall 30. In exemplary embodiments as illustrated, the top heating element 48 is an electric heating element, as is generally understood. Alternatively, the top heating element 48 may be a gas burner or other suitable heating element having another suitable heating source. Heating element 48 may additionally be used to heat cooking chamber 14 for both cooking and cleaning of range appliance 10, as discussed herein.

The operation of oven appliance 10 including heating elements 46 and 48 may be controlled by a processing device such as a controller 50. Controller 50 may be in communication (via for example a suitable wired or wireless connection) to the heating elements 46, 48 and other suitable components of the oven appliance 10, such as a fan 70 as discussed herein. By way of example, the controller may include a memory and one or more processing devices such as microprocessors, CPUs or the like, such as general or special purpose microprocessors operable to execute programming instructions or micro-control code associated with operation of appliance 10. The memory may represent random access memory such as DRAM, or read only memory such as ROM or FLASH. In one embodiment, the processor executes programming instructions stored in memory. The memory may be a separate component from the processor or may be included onboard within the processor.

Such controller 50 may also be communication with a temperature sensor 52 that is used to measure temperature inside cooking chamber 14 and provide such measurements to the controller 50. Temperature sensor 52 is shown (in FIG. 2) in the top and rear of cooking chamber 14. However, other locations may be used and, if desired, multiple temperature sensors may be applied as well.

Controller 50 is operable to activate various cooking modes based on, for example, user selection thereof. For example, controller 50 may be operable to activate a preheat mode and one or more cooking modes, such as a bake mode and/or a broil mode. Preheat mode may generally be a mode in which the cooking chamber 14 is initially heated in preparation for a cooking mode, such as bake mode or broil mode. Cooking modes, such as bake and broil modes may variously be utilized to cook food items, etc. within the cooking chamber 14.

Heating element 46, as well as heating element 48, may be operable to heat the cooking chamber 14 during operation of the oven appliance 10 in, for example, a preheat mode and/or cooking mode. Additionally, the present disclosure may further be directed to oven appliance 10 designs which facilitate improved heating of the cooking chamber 14. For example, oven appliances 10 in accordance with the present disclosure may have reduced, more efficient pre-heat mode times. Further, during a preheat mode of an oven appliance 10 in accordance with the present disclosure, the heating element 46 may advantageously be allowed to remain on constantly without risk of damage to, for example, the bottom wall 32 or other walls surrounding and defining the heating chamber 40.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 5, for example, oven appliance 10 in accordance with the present disclosure may include at least one inlet aperture 60 and a plurality of outlet apertures 62 each defined in the bottom wall 32. In general, the outlet apertures 62 may each be disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall 32 (which may generally be defined by the door 16, left sidewall 34, right sidewall 36, and rear wall 38). In other words, each outlet aperture 62 may be closed to the periphery of the bottom wall 32 than the inlet aperture 60. Advantageously, during operation of the oven appliance 10, an air flow may be created along an air flow path 64 through the inlet aperture 60 and outlet apertures 62. This air flow may facilitate improved heating of the cooking chamber 14. Specifically, this air flow may decrease the time required for a preheat mode before a target temperature is reached. Further, such air flow may advantageously heat the cooking chamber 14 evenly, and may prevent or reduce the risk of damage to the bottom wall 32 and other walls surrounding and defining the heating chamber 40.

As discussed, air flow along the air flow path 64 may advantageously facilitate even heating of the oven appliance 10. The use of multiple outlet apertures 62 with a single inlet aperture 60, as well as the arrangement of the inlet aperture 60 and outlet apertures 62, may advantageously contribute to such even heating. For example, in some embodiments as illustrated, the inlet aperture 60 may be generally centrally located in the bottom wall 32. For example, a center point of the inlet aperture 60 may be located approximately at a center point of the bottom wall 32 along the lateral direction L and the transverse direction T. Further, in some embodiments as shown, each of the plurality of outlet apertures 62, such as center points thereof, may advantageously be generally evenly spaced from the inlet aperture 60, such as a center point thereof, along the lateral direction L and/or the transverse direction T.

The air flow path 64 in exemplary embodiments as shown travels from the heating chamber 40 into the cooking chamber 14 through the outlet apertures 62 and from the cooking chamber 14 to the heating chamber 40 through the inlet aperture 60. To facilitate air flow along the air flow path 64, the oven appliance 10 may further include a fan 70. The fan 70 may be at least partially disposed within the heating chamber 40. For example, blades 72 of the fan 70 may be disposed within the heating chamber 40, while a motor 74 of the fan 70 may be disposed outside of the heating chamber 40. Alternatively, the entire fan 70 may be disposed within the heating chamber 40. Fan 70 may be operable to flow air along the air flow path 64 between the cooking chamber 14 and the heating chamber 40, such as through the inlet aperture 60 and the outlet apertures 62. For example, rotation of the blades 72 may move air within the heating chamber 40, and this air may move along the flow path 64.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5, a cover panel 80 may in some embodiments be disposed within the cooking chamber 14 adjacent to the inlet aperture 60. The cover panel 80 may generally cover the aperture 60 (while still allowing flow therethrough) to prevent spillage through the aperture 60 during oven appliance 10 operation. For example, cover panel 80 may be slightly spaced from the bottom wall 32 and inlet aperture 60 along the vertical direction V, such that air flow through the inlet aperture 60 must travel between the bottom wall 32 and cover panel 80 to reach the aperture 60.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5, a partition 82 may in some embodiments be utilized to further define the air flow path 64. Partition 82 may be disposed within the heating chamber 40, and may serve to separate portions of the heating chamber 40. For example, the partition 82 may separate the heating element 60 and the fan 70 such that the heating element 60 is for example disposed in an upper portion 84 of the chamber 40 and the fan 70 (or at least a portion thereof) is disposed in a lower portion 86 of the chamber 40. Further, in exemplary embodiments, an air flow aperture 88 may be defined in the partition 82, and the air flow path 64 may travel through this air flow aperture 88, such as from the upper portion 84 to the lower portion 86. Air flow aperture 88 may, for example, be generally centrally located in the partition 82 and/or aligned with, such as generally concentric with, the inlet aperture 60. Alternatively, air flow aperture 88 may be defined at any suitable location in partition 82.

As discussed, controller 50 may be in communication with heating elements 46, 48 and fan 70. The controller 50 may be operable to activate and deactivate the heating elements 46, 48 and the fan 70 as desired or required for a particular operation of the oven appliance 10 in, for example, a particular mode. For example, controller 50 may be operable to activate the heating element 46 (as well as optional heating element 48) in a preheat mode. While in some embodiments controller 50 may activate the heating elements 46, 48 in a preheat mode such that one or both are only intermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e. cycling on and off during the preheat mode), in other exemplary embodiments controller 50 may activate the heating elements 46, 48 in the preheat mode such that one or both are constantly active during the entire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the preheat mode). Further, controller 50 may be operable to activate the fan 70 when the heating element 46 (as well as optional heating element 48) is active in the preheat mode. While in some embodiments controller 50 may activate the fan 70 in the preheat mode such that it is only intermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e. cycling on and off during the preheat mode), in other exemplary embodiments controller 50 may activate the fan 70 in the preheat mode such that it is constantly active during the entire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the preheat mode).

Controller 50 may further be operable to activate the heating element 46 (as well as optional heating element 48) in a cooking mode. Controller 50 may activate the heating elements 46, 48 in a cooking mode such that one or both are only intermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e. cycling on and off during the cooking mode) or such that one or both are constantly active during the entire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the cooking mode). Further, controller 50 may be operable to activate the fan 70 when the heating element 46 (as well as optional heating element 48) is active in the cooking mode. Controller 50 may activate the fan 70 in the cooking mode such that it is only intermittently active during the preheat mode (i.e. cycling on and off during the cooking mode) or such that it is constantly active during the entire preheat mode (i.e. constantly on during the cooking mode).

The present disclosure is further directed to methods for operating oven appliances 10. In exemplary embodiments, a controller 50 of oven appliance 10 may be operable to perform the methods steps as disclosed herein. A method may include, for example, the step of activating a heating element 46 (as well as an optional additional heating element 48) in a preheat mode, the heating element 46 disposed within a heating chamber 40 of the oven appliance 10 as discussed herein. A method may further include, for example, the step of activating a fan 70 disposed in the heating chamber 40 when the heating element 46 (and optionally 48) is activated in the preheat mode. Activation of the fan 70 may cause an air flow along an air flow path 64 through an inlet aperture 60 and a plurality of outlet apertures 62 defined in a bottom wall 32 of the oven appliance 10, as discussed herein.

Further, in some embodiments, a method may include the step of activating the heating element 46 (as well as the optional additional heating element 48) in a cooking mode, as discussed herein. A method may further include, for example, the step of activating the fan 70 when the heating element 46 (and optionally 48) is activated in the cooking mode, as discussed herein. Activation of the fan 70 may cause an air flow along an air flow path 64 through an inlet aperture 60 and a plurality of outlet apertures 62 defined in a bottom wall 32 of the oven appliance 10, as discussed herein.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.

Claims

1. An oven appliance that defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are each perpendicular to each other, the oven appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked and comprising a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and comprising the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction;

an inlet aperture defined in the bottom wall;

a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture;

a heating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber; and

a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.

2. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the air flow path travels from the heating chamber into the cooking chamber through the outlet apertures and from the cooking chamber into the heating chamber through the inlet aperture.

3. The oven appliance of claim 1, further comprising a cover panel disposed within the cooking chamber and adjacent the inlet aperture.

4. The oven appliance of claim 1, further comprising a partition disposed within the heating chamber, the partition separating the fan and the heating element.

5. The oven appliance of claim 4, wherein an air flow aperture is defined in the partition.

6. The oven appliance of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the heating element and the fan, the controller operable to activate the fan when the heating element is active in a preheat mode.

7. The oven appliance of claim 6, wherein the controller is further operable to activate the fan when the heating element is active in a cooking mode.

8. The oven appliance of claim 6, wherein the controller is operable to activate the fan such that the fan is constantly active during the entire preheat mode.

9. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of outlet apertures is generally equally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateral direction.

10. The oven appliance of claim 1, wherein the inlet aperture is generally centrally located in the bottom wall.

11. An oven appliance that defines a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction that are each perpendicular to each other, the oven appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked and comprising a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and comprising the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction;

an inlet aperture defined and generally centrally located in the bottom wall;

a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures generally equally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateral direction;

a heating element disposed within the heating chamber and configured to heat the cooking chamber; and

a fan operable to flow air along an air flow path between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.

12. The oven appliance of claim 11, further comprising a cover panel disposed within the cooking chamber and adjacent the inlet aperture.

13. The oven appliance of claim 11, further comprising a partition disposed within the heating chamber, the partition separating the fan and the heating element.

14. A method for operating an oven appliance, the oven appliance comprising a cabinet defining a cooking chamber and a heating chamber, the cooking chamber configured for receipt of items to be cooked and comprising a top wall and a bottom wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the heating chamber disposed below the cooking chamber and comprising the bottom wall and a base wall spaced apart along the vertical direction, the method comprising:

activating a heating element in a preheat mode, the heating element disposed within the heating chamber; and

activating a fan disposed in the heating chamber when the heating element is activated in the preheat mode, wherein activation of the fan causes an air flow along an air flow path through an inlet aperture and a plurality of outlet apertures defined in the bottom wall, each of the plurality of outlet apertures disposed proximate a periphery of the bottom wall relative to the inlet aperture.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the air flow path travels from the heating chamber into the cooking chamber through the outlet apertures and from the cooking chamber into the heating chamber through the inlet aperture.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating the heating element in a cooking mode, and activating the fan disposed in the heating chamber when the heating element is activated in the cooking mode.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the fan is activated such that the fan is constantly active during the entire preheat mode.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of outlet apertures is generally equally spaced from the inlet aperture along the lateral direction.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the inlet aperture is generally centrally located in the bottom wall.