Forced Circulation Patents (Class 126/21A)
  • Patent number: 6138660
    Abstract: A forced convective track oven comprises a track conveyor including first and second circular spirals, the first circular spiral for conveying bakery trays and dough products upwardly and the second circular spiral portion for conveying bakery trays and dough products downwardly, thereby minimizing the number of changes of direction of the bakery trays as they travel along the track conveyor. A plurality of burners discharge heated air through discharge tubes and discharge nozzles into engagement with bakery trays carried by the track conveyor. First and second oval spirals may be used in lieu of the circular spirals when the track oven is used in a reduced ceiling height environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Sasib Bakery North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Middleton, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6131559
    Abstract: A convection heating apparatus with smoke and grease management means and an improved temperature controlled gas delivery system. The apparatus includes an exterior cabinet, an interior chamber and intermediate walls disposed between the exterior cabinet and interior chamber such that an intermediate cavity is provided between the interior chamber and intermediate walls and an outer cavity is provided between the exterior cabinet and intermediate walls. The apparatus further includes a product support, preferably a conveyor, disposed in the interior chamber. A blower for circulating temperature controlled gas into said interior chamber is also provided which is in fluid communication with at least one duct (preferably a plurality) having a jet plate with orifices positioned to direct temperature controlled gas toward the product support. A second blower is provided for circulating air through the outer cavity and intermediate cavity to cool the exterior cabinet walls and interior chamber walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Patentsmith Technology, Ltd.
    Inventors: John R. Norris, Michael J. Dobie, Linda J. Talley, Jarald E. High, Carl J. Dougherty, Neal S. Cooper
  • Patent number: 6114664
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Amana Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Edward R. Cook, Joseph R. Adamski
  • Patent number: 6093919
    Abstract: A cooling device for halogen lamps in microwave ovens is disclosed. In a microwave oven, the halogen lamp is installed on the top wall of a cavity. The lamp is operated by electric power applied thereto through a sealing part provided at each end thereof. The lamp thus radiates heating light waves, having a predetermined wavelength, into the cavity. A light reflection plate surrounds and holds the halogen lamp while forming a lamp chamber on the top wall of the cavity and allows the light waves to be guided from the lamp into the cavity, with the sealing parts of the lamp being positioned outside the light reflection plate. A cooling device generates a cooling air current and guides the cooling air current to the sealing parts positioned outside the light reflection plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Dong-Wan Seo, Sang-Ki Lee
  • Patent number: 6093918
    Abstract: A cooling device for microwave ovens with halogen lamps is disclosed. The cooling device is designed to divide the cooling air current, generated from a cooling fan unit, into two currents, an upper current and a lower current. The upper and lower currents are respectively fed to the passages above and below the top wall of a cavity. The cooling device comprises a halogen lamp installed on the top wall of the cavity and radiates heating light into the cavity. A lamp protection filter is provided on the top wall of the cavity and allows the heating light to be led from the halogen lamp into the cavity. A cooling fan unit generates the cooling air current, which is guided to the passages above and below the top wall of the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hwi-Chang Sohn
  • Patent number: 6093922
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wall mounted microwave oven including a body forming a cavity for accommodating the food to be cooked, a casing enclosing said body and having an inlet port and an outlet port respectively at the bottom part and on the top part thereof, to form a hood duct, and a hood fan being installed within said hood duct, comprising: a first switching part disposed on a main power source line interconnecting said hood fan and a power source, for switching on or off power transmission to said hood fan, a sensing switching part disposed on a sub power source line connected in parallel to said main power source line, and being turned automatically on or off depending on ambient temperature to switch on said hood fan when ambient temperature is over a predetermined temperature, and a second switching part disposed on said sub power source line, and being turned manually on or off to allow said hood fan to be switched of during said sensing switching part is on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 6076516
    Abstract: A air circulator for an oven includes a housing having inlet and outlet walls with openings in each wall for permitting air to pass through the housing. The air circulator further includes a fan assembly within the housing having a rotatable fan element and a plurality of fan blades attached radially about the fan element for drawing air through the housing upon rotation of the fan element. A spring motor assembly is positioned within the housing and coupled with the fan assembly for rotating the fan element. The air circulator further includes a heat sensitive switch formed of a combination of metals which contracts upon an increase in the ambient air temperature of the oven for activating the spring motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Inventor: Iler D. Tucker
  • Patent number: 6070517
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for removing dampness form a cooking space (3) of a steam cooking device or a pressure cooker (1). The cooking space is at least partially filled with steam. The steam or the mixture of hot air and steam, respectively, is circulated in the cooking space (3) by means of a ventilating wheel (9) or a radial fan. The gas mixture to be circulated is sucked in substantially axially in the central area (10) of the ventilating wheel (9) and is drawn off to the outside substantially radially, with superfluous steam or superfluous mixture of hot air and steam, respectively, being removed from the cooking space (3) through a waste air opening (11) and dry fresh air being supplied from the outside for removing dampness. The dry fresh air is supplied at the rear, is sucked in through an opening (27) provided in the rear front end (25) of the ventilating wheel (9) and is deflected to the outside of the ventilating wheel (9) by way of a deflecting device (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Eloma GmbH Grobkuchentechnik
    Inventor: Peter Helm
  • Patent number: 6065463
    Abstract: A forced convective track oven comprises a track conveyor including first and second cylindrical spirals, the first cylindrical spiral for conveying bakery trays and dough products upwardly and the second spiral spiral portion for conveying bakery trays and dough products downwardly, thereby minimizing the number of changes of direction of the bakery trays as they travel along the track conveyor. A plurality of burners discharge heated air through discharge tubes and discharge nozzles into engagement with bakery trays carried by the track conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Sasib Bakery North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan Martin
  • Patent number: 6060701
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: TurboChef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip R. McKee, Earl R. Winkelmann, James K. Pool, III
  • Patent number: 6058924
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: TurboChef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James K. Pool, III, David H. McFadden, Earl R. Winkelmann
  • Patent number: 6054686
    Abstract: An oven for warming food, which includesa carcass (2) delimiting a warming chamber;a rack (8) provided with two opposed perforated sidewalls (12) and placed inside of the carcass (2) so as to create first and second lateral spaces (13A, 13B);a blower unit (14) mounted on the back wall (7) of the carcass (2);unit (15) for guiding the air blown by the blower unit (14).The unit (15) for guiding the air blown by the blower unit (14) and heated directs the air only toward the first lateral space (13A). The blower unit (14) draws the air from the second lateral space (13B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Sogerma
    Inventors: Alexis Pauly, Jean-Michel Lequertier, Philippe Braconnier
  • Patent number: 6049066
    Abstract: An impingement heat transfer device for transferring heat between a stream of temperature controlled air and a product wherein an air supply duct and an air return duct have a common wall. A tube has one end communicating with the inside of the air supply duct and another end extending through an opening in the air return duct. Air is circulated to reduce pressure in the air return duct and increase pressure in the air supply duct such that a stream of air flows through and out of the tube and spent air is drawn through the opening encircling the tube into the air return duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Inventor: W. Robert Wilson
  • Patent number: 6044833
    Abstract: A baking oven comprises a re-circulation air heater which comprises a burner with a combustion chamber and a cross-counterflow heat exchanger disposed downstream thereof. This heat exchanger comprises serpentine heat transfer tubes which are connected to a single flue gas supply channel and a single flue gas discharge channel. The heat exchanger is fixed at only a single fixing spot in each coordinate direction of a Cartesian coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Gebhardt, Bernd Dannenhauer, Frank Blumel
  • Patent number: 6041768
    Abstract: An improved oven of a type having an on/off pilot and gas valve for receiving gas, with the on/off pilot and gas valve being purely mechanical and having inner workings and a manually operated push button knob, a pilot in communication with the on/off pilot and gas valve and the oven for igniting the oven, a manually operated shut-off valve in fluid communication with the on/off pilot and gas valve for shutting off the gas, and a thermostat in fluid communication with the pilot and in fluid and mechanical communication with the oven for controlling the temperature of the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Inventors: John Giammona, Frank Lopa
  • Patent number: 6041694
    Abstract: An oven with multiple pans is composed of a base, a base plate, rotating frames and roast pans, the base includes a motor which extends its spindle upwardly through the base plate linked with a transmission gear, the base plate having a plural recesses around the motor with a centrally formed shaft extending therefrom for accommodating a spindle of roast pans therein. The roast pans comprise gears at the edges to be meshed with the transmission gear and activated by the motor to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Lundar Electric Inductrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tony Hsu
  • Patent number: 6041767
    Abstract: A baking oven comprises at least one hearth with a baking chamber, a heater, a vaporization device for the supply of vapor and/or fresh air, a devaporization device for the discharge of vapor and/or used air and an overpressure reduction device for overpressure in the baking chamber to be reduced. The devaporization device and the overpressure reduction device are connected to the hearth via a joint discharge duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Dollinger, Josef Hafner, Claudia Knost
  • Patent number: 6037569
    Abstract: An automatic heating oven system employs a cabinet containing a heating chamber with radiant heating elements and a turntable rotatable at a fixed slow angular speed. A thermocouple controls the heating elements to maintain the turntable above a minimum elevated temperature at all times. An entry chute with proximity switch extends into the chamber, and passage of a food-laden tray down the chute to the turntable triggers the switch, activating the turntable and an exhaust fan and, if not already on, the heating elements. A guide bar extending across the turntable at an oblique angle to all possible paths of travel of the food item on the turntable directs the food out an exit to a receiving rack outside the oven, before the food item completes a complete revolution on the turntable. A retriggerable timer turns off the heaters, fan and turntable a fixed time period after the most recent activation of the proximity switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: McFarlin Supply Corp.
    Inventors: James E. Lincoln, Steven R. Lincoln
  • Patent number: 6021709
    Abstract: An apparatus prepares food products using high velocity air flow. The apparatus includes a cabinet for holding food products and a blower for supplying an air flow to the cabinet in order to heat the food products to a preparation temperature and to maintain the food products at a holding temperature. The cabinet includes a plurality of air inlet ports through which a portion of the air flow enters the cabinet, and a plurality of air outlet ports from which the air flow exits the cabinet. The air flow is controlled at a rate within a range of about 1800 to about 2000 cubic feet per minute during a preparation period and within a range of about 810 to about 930 cubic feet per minute during a holding period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Henny Penny Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Koopman, Barry Baker
  • Patent number: 6019033
    Abstract: An apparatus for destroying pathogens on food, including a steam chamber having an entrance opening and an exit opening. An entrance door structure nominally closes the entrance opening in the steam chamber and an exit door structure nominally closes the exit opening of the steam chamber. Each of the entrance and exit door structures are composed of a plurality of closely vertically adjacent segments that are mounted to the entrance and exit openings to open and close independently of each other. Flanges extend horizontally from the upper and lower edges of the door segments to maintain a relatively close seal with the adjacent door segment even though the door segments are opened or closed a relatively differing amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Frigoscandia, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert C. Wilson, Jerome D. Leising, John Strong, Jon Hocker, Jerry O'Connor
  • Patent number: 6018158
    Abstract: A microwave oven has an inner casing for forming a cooking chamber, and an outer casing for enclosing the inner casing. An air duct is formed between the inner casing and the outer casing. A drawing port and an exhaust port are formed respectively on the lower and the upper sides of the outer casing, and the air duct interconnects the ports. A ventilator is installed beside the cooking chamber in the air duct. The ventilator has an axial fan rotating about a vertical axis so as to draw air into the air duct through the suction port and exhaust air in the air duct through the exhaust port. The size of the cooking chamber is not reduced by the ventilator since the ventilator is installed beside the cooking chamber, and the drawing force of gas increases to thereby enhance the ventilation effect since the ventilator is disposed near the drawing port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeon Hong Kang
  • Patent number: 6012444
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fast cooking system through the use of an oven having radiant burners located interiorly at the top portion thereof. The oven includes a rotary spit on which the meat is supported and rotated to prevent burning. A blower is located at the lower portion of the oven below the spit to remove smoke and simultaneously pull heat from the top of the oven causing airflow downwardly from the top of the oven. The blower facilitates combustion and increases cooking efficiency and eliminates the need for a Ni-Cad screen adjacent the ceramic plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Inventor: David J. Skender
  • Patent number: 6005235
    Abstract: This invention relates to a cooling apparatus for a microwave oven using lighting lamps as a heat source other than microwaves. According to this invention, the microwave oven comprises a pair of lighting lamps set on the upside and downside of a cavity and a pair of cooling fans to supply airflow for cooling the lighting lamps. The airflow by the cooling fan goes towards the inner part of the microwave oven from its outer part, thereby primarily cooling the lighting lamps. In addition, part of the airflow cooling the lighting lamps is exhausted from the microwave oven through the inside cavity of the microwave oven inner air of cavity in harmony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Un Shin
  • Patent number: 5996572
    Abstract: A turbo-charcoal barbecue is designed with five main features; a detachable turbo unit, an adjustable rotisserie ensemble, a moveable charcoal tray, removable ash trays, and fire screen. The detachable turbo unit is positioned to recirculate hot air from underneath the charcoal tray and redistribute the hot air to the upper and lower areas of the grill. The turbo-charcoal barbecue includes an adjustable rotisserie ensemble. Both the turbo unit and rotisserie are driven by a 12 volt motor or from an electrical outlet using a transformer. The charcoal tray sits on a plate which is attached to a crank shaft mechanism used for raising and lowering the charcoal tray. A rectangular shaped fire screen contains small holes spaced evenly apart from each other designed to both block flash flames and allow the heat produced from the ignited briquets to flow through it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Inventor: Artemio M. Ilagan
  • Patent number: 5990467
    Abstract: Disclosed is a microwave oven comprising, a body divided into a cooking chamber and a device chamber, a magnetron installed in the device chamber of the body, a high voltage condenser and a high voltage transformer, and a blower for cooling elements installed in the device chamber. The blower comprises a fan for forcedly blowing air, and a motor having a stator, a rotor, and at least one fixing rod. The stator is equipped with a bobbin with a coil wound thereon. The stator provides the fan with a driving force. The fixing rod is extended from the stator and coupled with a rear panel of the body. The fixing rod passes through the rear panel, and is formed with a screw part at an end part thereof which is assembled with a nut. The blower for cooling the devices for generating microwave is directly fixed onto the rear panel of the body without using a bracket. Accordingly, unit cost is reduced due to a reduced amount of elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ha-young Yang, Jong-keun Kim
  • Patent number: 5970857
    Abstract: In a baking oven comprising at least one hearth, a baking conveyor belt, which is guided over a deflection roller, is allocated to each hearth. The deflection roller is extended out of the baking oven through openings where it is lodged for displacement in the direction of the oven. A sealing arrangement is provided for this opening to be sealed, comprising a base plate and a sealing disk resting tightly thereon. The sealing disk is pivotally supported on the deflection roller and simultaneously lodged in a guiding groove in the base plate by means of a guide pin. The edge of the sealing disk is shaped such that on the one hand it covers the opening in all the positions of displacement and on the other hand is displaced in the direction of displacement only by a length which is considerably shorter than the length of displacement of the deflection roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Dollinger, Josef Hafner, Claudia Knost
  • Patent number: 5971246
    Abstract: An oven (100) for reflowing circuit board assemblies (102). Air is pumped into a heating chamber (104) from which the air is then communicated through one or more apertures (112) in a panel (114) to a reflow chamber (106). A conveyor track (108) conveys the assemblies (102) through the reflow chamber (106). In use, the oven turbulates the air sufficient to vibrate components on the assemblies (102) and, thereby, realigns components inadvertently displaced off pads of the assemblies (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Lam Cheow Patrick Aun, Ka Tiek Lim, We Kok Nyo
  • Patent number: 5967027
    Abstract: A smoking apparatus includes a smoking chamber for containing the food material, a smoke or liquid smoke supply generator connected to the smoking chamber for feeding and spouting the smoke or liquid smoke into the smoking chamber, and a vacuum pump connected to the smoking chamber for making the smoking chamber vacuous. A control device is connected to the vacuum pump and the supply generator. The control device is programmed to previously operate the vacuum pump so that the vacuum pump makes the smoking chamber vacuous to exhaust the food material of air, and then operate the supply generator so that the supply generator spouts the smoke or liquid smoke into the smoking chamber to smoke the food material with the smoke or liquid smoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Higashimoto Kikai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi Higashimoto
  • Patent number: 5967135
    Abstract: A cooking device suitable for barbequing food while indoors, used in conjunction with an external heat source. The cooking device comprises a water containing drip pan, a pin attached to a bottom of the drip pan and a multiblade fan rotational on the upper end of the pin. The fan rotates under the influence of convection currents generated when the external heat source is activated. A food substance placed in proximity to the upper surface of the fan is cooked by the heat generated by the external heat source, and air currents produced by the rotating fan force fumes and smoke due to the cooking of the food substance up and away from the drip pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Saeed Shariat
  • Patent number: 5964044
    Abstract: A conveyor oven is capable of heating precisely and uniformly an article to be baked as the article is conveyed through the oven at a designated speed. Precise and uniform heating is promoted by 1) a combination supply/return duct assembly positioned above the conveyor and configured to promote uniform airflow towards the upper surface of the conveyor, and 2) discharge orifices configured to further promote uniform airflow from the supply ducts without generating whistling or other unpleasant noises. The arrangement of this supply/return duct assembly, incorporating both supply and return ducts in the same plane, also promotes a low profile oven--an important consideration in applications in which minimizing space is a priority. The profile of the oven is reduced further by placing the heating element beneath the conveyor and by configuring supply and return passages to circulate air between the heat source and the supply/return duct assembly using minimal space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Wisconsin Oven Corporation
    Inventors: Duane H. Lauersdorf, David A. Strand
  • Patent number: 5951907
    Abstract: An exhaust structure for ventilation-hooded microwave ovens is disclosed. The exhaust structure includes an exhaust motor mounted to the rear portion of an air duct, an instrument compartment divided into front and rear portions by an air guide plate, an internal exhaust passage formed at the rear portion of the instrument compartment, and a lower panel mounted at the lower portion of the instrument compartment. Electronic equipment, used for generating microwaves, is installed at the front portion of the instrument compartment. The lower panel has exhaust holes communicating with the internal exhaust passage, thus allowing the exhaust passage to be linearly formed on the same plane at a position between the exhaust motor and the lower panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Myung Yeol Kang
  • Patent number: 5942142
    Abstract: An oven for cooking foods, and especially for browning foods, has heated, radiant walls. Heat may be supplied by a gas burner flame in a plenum behind the walls, with products of combustion thus being isolated from the food in the oven chamber. In one embodiment food products are continuously conveyed through the oven chamber and, depending on oven temperature, are either cooked or simply browned in the oven by the radiant wall heat. Fats and other materials rendered from the food products, if not fully incinerated in the oven chamber, may be transferred along with exhaust air from the oven chamber to a separate combustion chamber, for incineration, the heat from which is used to contribute to heat requirements for the plenum. Steam or other inert gas is introduced to the oven chamber to minimize oxidation and prevent flame, and the steam can be produced by heat exchange with exhaust plenum gases. An alternative wall heating system uses electric resistance heat elements inside a thin ceramic wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Pyramid Food Processing Equip. Mfg. Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Forney, Ernest C. Brown
  • Patent number: 5937845
    Abstract: An air flow chamber for cooking or chilling using alternating horizontal air flow has an air heating or cooling apparatus and an air recirculating flow control mechanism for forcing heated or cooled air through an enclosure wherein said air is alternatingly directed horizontally through said enclosure in a first cycle in one horizontal direction and in a second cycle in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Inventor: Andrew J. Gladd, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5934178
    Abstract: An oven for continuous cooking of products carried upon a open mesh wire conveyor provides the impingement of a cooking vapor from air discharge structure having ports arrayed above and below the conveyor. The discharge ports extend laterally of the conveyor and communicate with upper and lower plenums each charged by blower fans which draw cooking vapor from low pressure corridors alongside the product conveyor. Gas, electric or thermo fluid heaters are disposed in the corridors. The discharge ports are in slot form disposed about the apex of a Vee shaped riser spaced from the adjacent riser to provide a low pressure flow channel communicating with the corridors giving a rapid velocity change of the cooking vapor from turbulent to a less turbulent flow. The distance for vapor travel between the upper discharge ports and the product carrying conveyor is variable. Temperature and moisture content of the process vapor can be changed to suit cooking conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Heat & Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew A. Caridis, Anthony A. Caridis, Clark K. Benson, Leonardo P. Murgel, James A. Padilla
  • Patent number: 5927265
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: TurboChef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip R. McKee, Earl R. Winkelmann
  • Patent number: 5928541
    Abstract: A heating apparatus of the present invention relates to a high speed oven having a turntable mechanism for heating food products by utilizing a combination of jet impingement of heated air (a jet impingement) and microwaves or either of them, the apparatus comprising a safety device and an exhaust device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Fujimak Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Tsukamoto, Akio Ueoka, Hiroshi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 5928540
    Abstract: An oven door for closing a cooking chamber of an oven, the door being composed of: a frame on the oven; an inner wall and an outer wall both supported by the frame so that the inner wall is located between the cooking chamber and the outer wall, the inner wall and outer wall being positioned relative to one another to delimit an air space; and ventilation elements for establishing a flow of air between the inner wall and the outer wall in order to maintain the outer wall at a low temperature during a cooking operation, wherein the inner wall is made of glass, and the outer wall is removable from the frame and is made of a plastic material selected to withstand the temperatures to which it will be exposed during any cooking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: SEB S.A.
    Inventors: Dominique Antoine, Michel Gass
  • Patent number: 5918589
    Abstract: An oven having a ventilation system capable of providing reduced temperature, low moisture exhaust air is provided. The oven has an oven cavity defined by a partition having a through hole and enclosed by an oven door having an air inlet to accept incoming air and a separator located within the door to divide the incoming air into at least a first path and a second path. The oven has an air duct surrounding the partition having at least one inlet at the front of the oven below the door, at least one inlet at the back of the oven and an air outlet at the front of the oven above the door. Also, the oven has a ventilation system capable of providing reduced temperature exhaust air out the air outlet located at the front of the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Miguel A. Valle, Bobby Joe Jenkins, George A. Mikalauskas, Gregory J. Paul
  • Patent number: 5915372
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for a cooking chamber extends around a ventilator fan of the cooking chamber and has a burner tube connected to one end of a first portion of the heat exchanger and has a reverse bend so a second portion extends parallel to the first portion in the opposite direction. The tube is mounted by the burner and the opposite end so that the reverse bends allows for compensation of thermal expansion in the tube during a heating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Rational GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Wiedemann, Franz Koch, Gerd Gumienny
  • Patent number: 5910264
    Abstract: The invention relates to a household electric cooking apparatus, of the frying type, without oil bath, intended to cook frozen or fresh food products such as french fries, etc, without unpleasant smell, without smoke and in a dietetic way. It is comprised of a body which contains a metal housing (2). The cooking is performed by short wavelength infrared radiations. Inside said housing, a removable basket (12) made of perforated metal, rotating upon itself, is driven by an electric motor (13). Between the inner housing (2) and the resistors (11), is provided a removable reflector (14) to facilitate the cleaning of the frying unit. The apparatus is light, has reduced dimensions and cooks very rapidly food lproducts without the risks and disavantages related to the manipulation of boiling oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Inventor: Michel Henri Dauliach
  • Patent number: 5886330
    Abstract: An over-the-range microwave oven includes air intakes in its bottom wall and fans disposed at an upper portion of the oven for drawing air through respective intakes. The fans are mounted in respective cases, each of which forms an air inlet and an air outlet. Each air inlet communicates with a respective intake, and the air outlets communicate with a common duct leading to a discharge grill. Filters extend across respective ones of the air outlets and are of substantially the same size as the respective air outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jun-Hong Kang, Sun-Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 5881636
    Abstract: An oven for baking food products includes a spiral conveyor having a wire mesh conveyor belt for transporting food products from a loading bin to a storage bin. The spiral conveyor is surrounded by a threaded cylindrical housing having apertures which communicate with the loading bin, heat source, plenum, and recirculation fan. Heated air is blown into the threaded housing such that a downward spiral or vortex of air is created which envelops the food products upon the spiral conveyor belt for efficient baking. The housing is partially removable for cleaning or maintenance of the conveyor. Heated air within the housing is drawn about the food products as it is suctioned into a recirculation tube for distribution to the storage bin and to the plenum for recirculation through the housing. In addition, the loading bin is mounted upon a vibration device such that food products are evenly distributed upon entry to the spiral conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Inventors: Dan Sweet, Sheila K. Sweet
  • Patent number: 5878655
    Abstract: An automatic convection heating baking apparatus for bread or cake making with greatly improved automatic-baking quality is disclosed. Baking in this apparatus is achieved by two hot air streams each covering about half of the baking chamber space. Hot air circulation is produced by forming suction and blowing regions within the baking chamber by placing an electric fan within a single ventilation compartment. The machine is compact and low-cost since only a single electric fun is needed to cause circulation and to produce two hot air streams, premature hot air return to the ventilation compartment is prevented by using air-regulating means. Dual timer for mixing and baking is provided to improve cake fluffiness by controlling heating during ingredient mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: China Packific Trade Ltd.
    Inventor: Wing Kin Chan
  • Patent number: 5875705
    Abstract: A baking oven comprises several oven modules disposed one after the other in the longitudinal direction, each of which comprising independently controllable heating devices and at least one supply duct for vapor and/or fresh air which leads to the hearths and at least one discharge duct for vapor and/or waste air which leads away from each hearth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Werner & Pfleiderer Lebensmitteltechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Knost
  • Patent number: 5874714
    Abstract: A microwave oven includes a housing forming a cooking chamber and a compartment next to the cooking chamber for containing various electrical components. A power supply cord extends from the compartment through a cord hole in a back side of the housing to supply power to the electrical components. A heater, fan and fan motor are disposed adjacent a rear portion of the cooking chamber for performing a convection cooking operation, whereby a hot zone on the rear side of the housing located directly behind the cooking chamber may be heated to a temperature capable of damaging the cord if coming into contact therewith. An element is screwed to the back side of the housing below the cord hole to contact a portion of the cord located exteriorly of the housing to physically isolate the cord from the hot zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lim Gyu Sik
  • Patent number: 5868064
    Abstract: A hot air oven for food preparation, with a housing, with a cooking chamber that is defined by side walls as well as a bottom wall and a covering wall, with a blower for generating a hot air current in the cooking chamber, with a basket for the food, which basket can be inserted into the cooking chamber, wherein the basket can be rotated around a rotational axis and in operation, is penetrated by the hot air current, and is particularly easy to clean because, at least in sections along its circumference, the basket has a wall that is made of sheet metal and is provided with openings in its wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Ubert Gastrotechnik G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Harald Ubert, Helmut Heller
  • Patent number: 5865108
    Abstract: A steam convection oven includes a base, a container positionable on the base for containing food, a lid housing for covering the container, and a steam generator assembly for the instantaneous production of steam to contact and steam cook the food in the container, and a fan and electric heater on the lid housing for convection cooking of the food in the container to cause braising and sealing of the food surface after the food has been steam cooked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Production Engineered Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: James Montagnino, Wyley Kitzmiller
  • Patent number: 5866886
    Abstract: An over-the-range type oven incorporating a bottom plate having substantially triangular shaped openings, or inlets, is described. In one embodiment, the bottom plate has a first, interior surface and a second, range-facing surface. First and second triangular shaped openings, or inlets, extend through the bottom plate, and each triangular shaped opening has a first leg, a second leg and a third leg. The bottom plate may further include a first air guide positioned adjacent at least one of the first opening legs and extending from the bottom plate first, interior surface for directing air flow through the first opening and into the oven cabinet, and a second air guide positioned adjacent at least one of the second opening legs and extending from the bottom plate first, interior surface for directing air flow through the second opening and into the oven cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Wayne Lange, Matthew Samuel Miller
  • Patent number: D412807
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensaku Noda, Yasunori Kusachi, Masatoshi Okuda
  • Patent number: RE36941
    Abstract: The oven of the present invention is a low profile, dual .[.conveyer.]. .Iadd.conveyor .Iaddend.oven including an oven cabinet, two closely spaced .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.and an air heating and circulation system. The .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.and the oven cabinet are adapted so that the .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.can be easily removed .[.from the.]. from the front or side of the oven cabinet. The oven cabinet houses the .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors.Iaddend., ducts and manifolds which all can be easily removed for cleaning or other maintenance. Each of the .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.include separately controlled drive motors capable of driving .[.the.]. each of .[.conveyers.]. .Iadd.conveyors .Iaddend.at different speeds and in different directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Inventors: Ronald D. Wolfe, Dwane D. Wolfe