Method and system for controlling smoker device integral to an oven

• US 20100247721A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cleveland Range Llc (Ali Holding Srl)
• Original Assignee: Cleveland Range Llc (Ali Holding Srl)
• Inventors: Lastoria, David R., McGhee, Owen R. JR., Schwerzler, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,304,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/235
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/044 Smoking; Smoking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/056 Smoking combined with irradiation or electric treatment, e.g. electrostatic smoking ; Apparatus therefor

Abstract

A smoker device having a low profile fits beneath the lower most rack of an oven thereby allowing full use of all possible shelves of the oven. The smoker device comprises a uniquely shaped bi-level heater element that allows the smoker device pan to be cradled just above the bottom wall of the oven chamber. A method and system allow a processor control of the smoker device manually or automatically as a part of a programmed recipe.

Claims

1. An oven for cooking food products comprising:

an oven chamber comprising at least one side wall and a bottom wall;

a thermal unit that supplies thermal energy to said oven chamber to cook a food product;

a smoker assembly that supplies smoke to said food product;

a controller that comprises a processor, a cook program and a smoke program, wherein said processor executes said cook program and said smoke program to operate said thermal unit and said smoker assembly to supply said thermal energy and said smoke to cook said food product.

2. The oven of claim 1, wherein said cook program includes a plurality of cook procedures, and wherein said cook program invokes said smoke program when executing at least one of said cook procedures.

3. The oven of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of switches and a power source, and wherein said processor controls connections of said thermal unit and said smoker assembly in circuit with said power source to provide said thermal energy and smoke in said oven chamber to cook said food product.

4. The oven of claim 1, wherein said thermal unit is a member of the group consisting of:

a convection assembly, a steam assembly, a radiant heat assembly, a microwave and any combination thereof.

5. The oven of claim 1, further comprising a control panel, wherein said smoke program is invoked by a user making a manual selection from said control panel.

6. The oven of claim 1, wherein said smoke program is invoked by said processor based on execution of instructions of said cook program.

7. The oven of claim 1, wherein said oven chamber comprises a plurality of pan racks that include a plurality shelf holders to hold a plurality of shelves and wherein said smoker assembly comprises a heater element and a pan that contains a smoke media, and wherein said pan and said heater element are shaped for disposition in said oven chamber below a lowermost one of said shelf holders and above said bottom wall.

8. The oven of claim 7, wherein said heater element comprises an upper level which extends through said side wall and a lower level that supports said pan below said lowermost shelf holder and above said bottom wall.

9. The oven of claim 8, wherein said heater element comprises first and second spaced apart legs in said upper level and in said lower level and a portion in said lower level that connects to said first and second legs, wherein each of said first and second legs include an incline between said upper and lower levels.

10. The oven of claim 8, wherein said pan comprises a slot and wherein said lower level of said heater element is disposed in said slot.

11. The oven of claim 10, wherein said pan further comprises a plurality of apertures that allow smoke to pass into said oven chamber.

12. The oven of claim 10, wherein said pan further comprises a lid that is installed and removed in a sliding motion.

13. The oven of claim 12, wherein said pan further comprises a handle that is removably attached to said lid.

14. A method for cooking food in an oven that includes an oven chamber that includes at least one side wall and a bottom wall, said method comprising:

supplying thermal energy with a thermal unit to said oven chamber to cook a food product;

supplying smoke with a smoker assembly to said food product; and

controlling a processor with a cook program and a smoke program to operate said thermal unit and said smoker assembly to supply said thermal energy and said smoke to cook said food product.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said cook program includes a plurality of cook procedures, and wherein said cook program invokes said smoke program when executing at least one of said cook procedures.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said processor controls connections of said thermal unit and said smoker assembly in circuit with a power source to provide said thermal energy and smoke in said oven chamber to cook said food product.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said thermal unit is a member of the group consisting of:

a convection assembly, a steam assembly, a radiant heat assembly, a microwave and any combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said smoke program is invoked by a user making a manual selection from a control panel of said oven.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said smoke program is invoked by said processor based on execution of instructions of said cook program.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said oven chamber comprises a plurality of pan racks that include a plurality of shelf holders, and wherein said smoker assembly comprises a heater element and a pan that contains a smoke media, and wherein said pan and said heater element are shaped for disposition in said oven chamber below a lowermost one of said shelf holders and above said bottom wall.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said heater element comprises an upper level which extends through said side wall and a lower level that supports said pan below said lowermost shelf holder and above said bottom wall.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said pan comprises a slot and wherein said lower level of said heater element is disposed in said slot.

23. An oven for cooking food products comprising:

an oven chamber comprising at least one side wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of pan racks disposed on said side wall, wherein said pan racks include a plurality of shelf holders;

a thermal unit that supplies thermal energy to said oven chamber to cook a food product; and

a smoker assembly that supplies smoke to said food product;

wherein said smoker assembly comprises a heater element and a pan that contains a smoke media, and wherein said pan and said heater element are shaped for disposition in said oven chamber below a lowermost one of said shelf holders and above said bottom wall.

24. The oven of claim 23, wherein said heater element comprises an upper level which extends through said side wall and a lower level that supports said pan below said lowermost shelf holders and above said bottom wall.

25. The oven of claim 23, wherein said heater element comprises first and second spaced apart legs in said upper level and in said lower level and a portion in said lower level that connects to said first and second legs, wherein each of said first and second legs include an incline between said upper and lower levels.

26. The oven of claim 23, wherein said pan comprises a slot and wherein said lower level of said heater element is disposed in said slot.

27. The oven of claim 23, wherein said pan further comprises a plurality of apertures that allow smoke to pass into said oven chamber.

28. The oven of claim 23, wherein said pan further comprises a lid that is installed and removed in a sliding motion.

29. The oven of claim 23, wherein said pan further comprises a handle that is removably attached to said lid.