U.S. patent application number 09/947501 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-06 for conveyor oven having a removable front cover.
Invention is credited to Gilleland, John, Kingdon, Charles, Zapata, David.
Application Number | 20030041851 09/947501 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25486243 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030041851 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kingdon, Charles ; et
al. |
March 6, 2003 |
Conveyor oven having a removable front cover
Abstract
The present invention is a conveyor oven that has a base. The
base has a first end and a second end. A housing is secured to the
second end of the base. A fixed end of a cantilevered top is
attached to the housing. The cantilevered top extends generally
parallel to the base and towards the first end of the base. The
volume between the cantilevered top and the base generally defines
an oven chamber.
Inventors: |
Kingdon, Charles; (Flower
Mound, TX) ; Zapata, David; (Dallas, TX) ;
Gilleland, John; (Arlington, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Sanford E. Warren, Jr.
GARDERE WYNNE SEWELL LLP
Suite 3000
1601 Elm Street
Dallas
TX
75201
US
|
Family ID: |
25486243 |
Appl. No.: |
09/947501 |
Filed: |
September 6, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/21R ;
126/21A; 99/443C |
Current CPC
Class: |
A21B 1/26 20130101; A21B
1/48 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/21.00R ;
126/21.00A; 99/443.00C |
International
Class: |
F24C 015/32 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A conveyor oven comprising: a base having a first end and a
second end; a housing secured to the second end of the base; a
cantilevered top having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end
attached to the housing, the cantilevered top extending generally
parallel to the base and towards the first end of the base; and an
oven chamber generally defined by the volume between the
cantilevered top and the base.
2. The conveyor oven of claim 1 further comprising a removable plug
that fills an area defined by the first end of the base and the
free end of the cantilevered top.
3. The conveyor oven of claim 2 wherein the removable plug has one
or more handles to facilitate removal and replacement of the
removable plug.
4. The conveyor oven of claim 2 wherein the removable plug is
insulated to retain heat within the conveyor oven.
5. The conveyor oven of claim 1 wherein the oven chamber is heated
by forced convection.
6. The conveyor oven of claim 1 wherein heated air is introduced
into the cooking chamber by one or more plenums.
7. The conveyor oven of claim 6 wherein the heated air is heated by
a resistive heating element.
8. The conveyor oven of claim 6 wherein the heated air is heated by
combustion of a fuel.
9. A modular oven system comprising: a housing having an upper end
and a lower end; a base having a first end and a second end, the
first end of the base attached to the lower end of the housing; a
top having a first end and a second end, the first end of the base
attached to the upper end of the housing, the top extending
generally parallel and adjacent to the base; an oven chamber, the
oven chamber generally defined by the volume between the base and
the top; a removable plug to generally fill an area between the
second end of the top and the second end of the base; a removable
conveyor within the oven chamber.
10. The system of claim 9 further comprising one or more removable
upper plenums extending generally adjacent the top to deliver
heated air to the oven chamber.
11. The system of claim 9 further comprising one or more removable
lower plenums extending generally adjacent the base to deliver
heated air to the oven chamber.
12. The system of claim 9 further comprising one or more removable
upper plenums extending generally adjacent the top to deliver
heated air to the oven chamber and one or more removable lower
plenums extending generally adjacent the base to deliver heated air
to the oven chamber.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to conveyor ovens and, more
particularly to, an improved conveyor oven having a removable front
cover to facilitate disassembly and cleaning of the interior and
components of the conveyor oven.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many restaurants use conveyor ovens to prepare food. A food
service professional may place food such as a pizza or a dish of
lasagna, for example, on the conveyor and the food is cooked or
heated as it is conveyed through the oven. As the food cooks,
cheese may melt and drip on the oven surfaces, tomato sauce may
splatter on the oven surfaces, and crumbs of food may fall from the
conveyor and collect in the oven. Because most conveyor ovens have
relatively confined cooking chambers, cleaning the oven after a day
of cooking can be a difficult task.
[0003] Some conveyor ovens have removable interior components that
allow the food service professional to partially disassemble the
conveyor oven for cleaning. However, typical oven designs have
significant obstacles to cleaning. For example, many conventional
conveyor ovens have a tunnel-like cooking chamber that is open on
opposite ends. The conveyor moves food from one end of the cooking
chamber to the other. The cooking chamber is difficult to clean
because access is limited to either end of the oven. Additionally,
thoroughly cleaning areas near the center of the cooking chamber in
larger ovens may be difficult or impossible for a food service
professional to reach these areas. Cleaning cooking chambers in
smaller ovens may be difficult because the limited space in the
oven also limits access by the food service professional.
[0004] Removing interior components of a conventional conveyor oven
may only slightly improve cleaning tasks. The interior components
must be removed from the relatively small opening at either end of
the conveyor oven. Because the orientation of the oven may be
parallel to a countertop or table, maneuvering the interior
components for removal and subsequent reassembly could be awkward.
Access to the interior of the oven may still be limited because of
the orientation of the oven on the countertop, even after the
interior components are removed.
[0005] Inspecting the interior of the cooking chamber before and
after cleaning is also difficult because of the confined area
inside the oven. Areas of the oven may not be cleaned because the
food service professional may not be able to clearly see certain
regions of the cooking chamber. Similarly, an inspection of the
oven after cleaning may not reveal unclean regions. As a result,
improperly cleaned ovens may be less efficient, wear faster,
decrease the quality of the food or even cause adverse health
conditions.
[0006] It would, therefore, be desirable to have an improved
conveyor oven that does not have regions that are difficult to
access for cleaning. It would also be desirable to have an improved
conveyor oven that is not difficult to disassemble for cleaning.
Further, it would be desirable to have an improved conveyor oven
that does not require a particular orientation for disassembly and
cleaning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is a conveyor oven that has a base.
The base has a first end and a second end. A housing is secured to
the second end of the base. A fixed end of a cantilevered top is
attached to the housing. The cantilevered top extends generally
parallel to the base and towards the first end of the base. The
volume between the cantilevered top and the base generally defines
an oven chamber.
[0008] In one embodiment of the invention, a modular oven system
has a housing having an upper end and a lower end. A first end of a
base is attached to the lower end of the housing. A first end of a
top is attached to the upper end of the housing. The top extends
generally parallel and adjacent to the base. The volume between the
base and the top generally defines an oven chamber. A removable
plug generally fills an area between the second end of the top and
the second end of the base. A removable conveyor is located within
the oven chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
including its features and advantages, reference is now made to the
detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings of which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a conveyor oven
that depicts an embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is top view of a conveyor oven that depicts an
embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front view of a conveyor that depicts an
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is a side view of a conveyor oven that depicts an
embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] While the making and using of various embodiments of the
present invention is discussed in detail below, it should be
appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable
inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of
specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are
merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention,
and do not delimit the scope of the invention.
[0015] A conveyor oven according to one embodiment of the present
invention has many useful advantages over a typical conveyor oven.
Typical conveyor ovens have an entrance and an exit. Food is placed
on the conveyor at the entrance; it is carried through hot gasses
in the cooking chamber; and, presumably, the food exits in a cooked
state. The dimensions of the entrances and exits of the typical
oven are designed to be large enough to accommodate various foods
but small enough to retain the heated gas and maintain efficient
operation. As discussed above, cleaning and maintenance of the oven
are hindered by the confined nature of conventional ovens. A
conveyor oven having the improvements described in detail below
overcomes this and other disadvantages of conventional ovens.
[0016] As depicted in FIGS. 1-4, an oven 10 has a housing 12. The
housing 12 may house various components of the oven 10 such as
heating elements, a power supply, switches, motors and the like.
The housing 12 may be fabricated from stainless steel or other
suitable material such as aluminum or carbon fiber. A stainless
steel housing 12 may be formed by a brake or fabricated from
multiple pieces and bolted, screwed or welded together, for
example. The housing 12 may rest directly on a countertop or table
or may have adjustable feet (not shown) to compensate for
out-of-level surfaces.
[0017] The weight of the housing 12 may be altered according to
desired design characteristics. For example, weight may be added to
the housing 12 to increase the stability of the oven 10. Plates of
steel may be added to the housing 12 or heavier gauge stainless
steel may be used to fabricate the housing 12 to increase total
weight. A heavier housing 12 is less likely to slide across a
surface if a user accidentally bumps the oven 10. Consequently, a
heavier housing 12 may enhance user safety. Increased weight may
also impart an additional perception of quality to the user of the
oven 10.
[0018] Alternatively, the weight of the housing 12 may be reduced
to save material and shipping costs, thereby reducing costs passed
to the customer. Reducing weight may be accomplished by using a
lighter gauge stainless steel to fabricate the housing 12. Smaller,
more efficient components may also be installed in the housing 12
to reduce weight.
[0019] A base 14 is attached to the lower portion of the housing
12. The base 14 may be welded, bolted or screwed to the housing 12.
Similar to the housing 12, the base 14 may also be fabricated from
stainless steel, aluminum or other suitable material for the food
service industry. The base 14 may impart additional stability to
the oven 10 by distributing the weight of the oven 10 over a larger
area. The dimensions of the base 14 will generally define the size
of the oven 10. Smaller capacity ovens 10 will usually have a
smaller base 14, whereas larger capacity ovens 10 will usually have
a larger base 14.
[0020] The base 14 provides support for a conveyor 16. The conveyor
16 may be a wire mesh that conveys food through the oven 10. A
motor within the housing 12 typically drives the conveyor 16 but
the conveyor 16 may also be driven by an external drive or other
drive that is housed within the conveyor 16. Alternative methods of
driving the conveyor 16 will be apparent to those having ordinary
skill in the art of conveyor ovens.
[0021] The base 14 may also support one or more lower plenums 18,
although some ovens 10 may not have lower plenums 18. The lower
plenums 18 deliver heated air or gasses to the lower side of a food
that is cooked in the oven 10. The lower plenums 18 may be
fabricated from stainless steel, aluminum, molded plastic or other
material that is suitable to channel heated air or gasses. The
lower plenums 18 may simply rest on the base 14 or interlock into
the base 14 or the housing 12. The lower plenums 18 may be easily
removable from the oven 10 to facilitate cleaning and maintaining
the oven 10.
[0022] Heated air or gasses may be generated in the housing 12 by
electric heating elements or gas combustion, for example. A blower
within the housing 12 may force the heated air or gasses into the
lower plenums 18. The lower plenums 18 may be tapered towards their
distal ends to maintain air or gas velocity along the length of the
lower plenums 18. The heated air or gasses may be discharged from
the lower plenums 18 through a series of air distribution ports in
the upper surface of the lower plenums 18. The series of ports may
be sized and arranged to deliver an appropriate volume of heated
air or gasses and properly cook food within the oven 10. Heated air
or gasses from the lower plenums 18 travels through the conveyor 16
and may impinge on the lower surface of the food. This directional
distribution of heated air or gasses aids in cooking separate
portions of foods such as the bottom of a pizza crust, for
example.
[0023] A top 20 is attached to an upper portion of the housing 12.
The top 20 may be fabricated from materials such as stainless
steel, aluminum or other materials known in the art of oven
manufacturing. The size of the top 20 may have dimensions similar
to the dimensions of the base 14. The volume of space between the
base 14 and the top 20 generally defines a chamber 22 of the oven
10. The size of the chamber 22 determines the size of the conveyor
16 and ultimately determines the size or amount of food that may be
cooked in the oven 10 during a particular time. Different sizes of
ovens 10 may be manufactured by varying the lengths and widths of
the top 20 and base 14 and varying the distance between the top 20
and the base 14.
[0024] The top 20 is attached to the housing 12 in a cantilevered
manner. The housing 12 provides structural support for the
cantilevered top 20. The connection between the top 20 and the
housing 12 may be screwed, bolted, welded or fastened in another
manner known to those of ordinary skill in the oven fabricating
art. The top 20 is rigid enough to have little or no deflection at
the distal end of the top 20. Consequently, the top 20 requires no
additional support structure.
[0025] The top 20 may support one or more upper plenums 24,
although some ovens 10 may not have upper plenums 24. The upper
plenums 24 deliver heated air or gasses to the upper side of a food
that is cooked in the oven 10. The upper plenums 24 may also
deliver heated air or gasses to the chamber 22 to thoroughly cook
the entire food rather than cook only a particular region of the
food, such as the top of a pizza, for example. The upper plenums 24
may be fabricated from stainless steel, aluminum, molded plastic or
other material that is suitable to channel heated air or gasses.
The upper plenums 24 may interlock into the top 20 or the housing
12. The upper plenums 24 may be easily removable from the oven 10
to facilitate cleaning and maintaining the oven 10.
[0026] The blower within the housing 12 may force the heated air or
gasses into the upper plenums 24. The upper plenums 24 may be
tapered towards their distal ends to maintain air or gas velocity
along the length of the upper plenums 24. The heated air or gasses
may be discharged from the upper plenums 24 through a series of air
distribution ports in the lower surface of the upper plenums 24.
The series of ports may be sized and arranged to deliver an
appropriate volume of heated air or gasses and properly cook food
within the oven 10. Heated air or gasses from the upper plenums 24
may be directed to impinge on the upper surface of the food. This
directional distribution of heated air or gasses aids in cooking
separate portions of foods such as the meat or cheese toppings on a
pizza, for example.
[0027] The cantilever structure of the top 20 imparts many
beneficial features to the oven 10. One result of the cantilever
structure is that the chamber 22 of the oven 10 is only bounded on
one side, which may be located at the back of the oven 10. This
beneficial result allows internal components of the oven 10 such as
the conveyor 16, the lower plenums 18 and the upper plenums 24 to
be removed from the front or the sides of the oven 10.
Consequently, cleaning and maintaining the oven 10 is simplified
because the orientation of the oven 10 does not hinder access by
maintenance and cleaning personnel.
[0028] Because access to the chamber 22 is not restricted to the
entrance and exit, the chamber 22 may also be cleaned from the
front. Cleaning the chamber 22 from the front results in more
thorough and sanitary cleaning. Many areas in the chamber of an
oven without a cantilever top are confined, difficult to reach and
often impossible to observe without using specialized equipment. As
a result, these areas may not be thoroughly cleaned, which could
contaminate food that is cooked in a non-cantilever oven. The
cantilever top 20 on the oven 10 according to one embodiment of the
present invention allows much better access to the chamber 22 and
the interior surfaces of the oven 10 for cleaning and maintenance
purposes. Therefore, the cantilevered top 20 allows users to
prepare food in a more sanitary manner.
[0029] Heat may be lost through the area between the distal end of
the top 20 and the distal end of the base 14. A plug 26 may be
fitted in this area between the top 20 and the base 14 to reduce or
eliminate this heat loss. The plug 26 may have one or more handles
28 to facilitate installation and removal of the plug 26. The plug
26 may be fabricated from stainless steel, aluminum, heat-resistant
polymers and the like. The plug 26 may also be insulated to reduce
heat loss through the front of the chamber 22 and to reduce chances
that users will be injured by hot surfaces on the oven 10. A
friction fit between the plug 26 and the distal ends of the top 20
and the base 14 may hold the plug 26 in place during use. The plug
26 may also have detents that mate with protrusions on the distal
ends of the top 20 and the base 14 to hold the plug 26 in place.
Other methods of removably fastening the plug 26 to the oven
include, but are not limited to, springs, straps, thumb screws,
hinges, latches and the like.
[0030] The top 20 may also provide support for easily removable
baffles 30 and side covers 32. One or more baffles 30 may be
removably attached to the top 20 or other portion of the oven 10 to
contain and redirect heated air or gasses within the chamber 22.
The baffles 30 may help prevent heated air or gasses from escaping
through the entrance or exit of the oven 10, and thereby improve
the efficiency of the oven 10 and the environment of a user. The
baffles 30 may be removed from the front of the oven 10 after the
plug 26 is removed to facilitate cleaning the chamber 22. One or
more side covers 32 may also be removably attached to the top 20 or
other portion of the oven 10. The side covers 32 may be insulated
to help protect users from injuries caused by hot surfaces on the
oven 10.
[0031] Whereas the invention has been shown and described in
connection with the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be
understood that many modifications, substitutions and additions may
be made which are within the intended broad scope of the appended
claims. There has therefore been shown and described an improved
conveyor oven that accomplishes at least all of the above stated
advantages.
* * * * *