SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING ROTISSERIE OVEN

• US 20110142998A1
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: JOHNCOCK, JAMES C., SWAYNE, STEVEN M., KESHEH, FOAD M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,402,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/233
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/10 General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/04 Roasting apparatus with movably-mounted food supports or with movable heating implements; Spits
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/041 with food supports rotating about a horizontal axis A47J37/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/049 Details of the food supports not specially adapted to one of the preceding types of food supports
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/164 Rotisserie spits inside ovens

Abstract

An oven for performing a rotisserie cooking operation includes an oven cavity having a door for selectively accessing the oven cavity, at least one heating element for heating the oven cavity and a rotisserie arm adapted to support a food product within the oven cavity. A motor is operatively coupled to the rotisserie arm for rotating the rotisserie arm and a food product. The oven also includes a control interface having a rotisserie cooking mode input and a control system for controlling the rotisserie motor and the heating element. In addition to other functions, the control system automatically causes the rotisserie motor to cycle on and off to allow for intermittent rotation of the food product supported on the rotisserie arm when the oven door is opened.

Claims

1. A method for operating an oven having an oven cavity, at least one heating element for heating the oven cavity, a door movable between open and closed positions for selectively accessing the oven cavity, a rotisserie arm adapted to support a food product in the oven cavity, a motor operatively connected to rotate the rotisserie arm and a control unit, the method comprising:

upon selecting a rotisserie cooking mode of operation for the oven, activating the rotisserie motor to rotate the rotisserie arm supporting a food product in the oven cavity, while operating the heating element to heat the oven cavity, with the door in the closed position; and

upon shifting the door to the open position, automatically cycling the motor on and off to cause intermittent rotation of the food product supported on the rotisserie arm while the door is open.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein cycling the motor on and off provides for an intermittent 360 degree rotation of the food product supported on the rotisserie arm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the intermittent 360 degree rotation of the food product occurs in 20-30 seconds.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling rotation of the rotisserie arm based on a preset timing sequence.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a cooking phase when the door is shifted to the closed position; and

altering operation of the rotisserie arm supporting the food product, from when the door is in the open position, during the cooking phase.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said heating element and said rotisserie motor are cycled simultaneously during the cooking phase with the door in the closed position.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

sensing a temperature within the oven cavity during the cooking phase; and

controlling rotation of the rotisserie arm based on a sensed temperature.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the rotisserie arm is continuously rotated during the cooking phase with the door in the closed position.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the heating element is activated when the rotisserie motor is stopped during a portion of the cooking phase.

10. An oven for performing a rotisserie cooking operation comprising:

an oven cavity;

a door moveable between open and closed positions in order to selectively access the oven cavity;

a heating element for heating the oven cavity;

a rotisserie arm adapted to support a food product positioned within the oven cavity;

a motor drivingly connected to rotate the rotisserie arm;

a control interface having a user selectable input for a rotisserie cooking mode; and

a control system for controlling said rotisserie motor and said heating element wherein, upon selecting a rotisserie cooking mode through the user selectable input, the control system activates the rotisserie motor to rotate the rotisserie arm in the oven cavity while operating the heating element to heat the oven cavity with the door in the closed position and, upon shifting the door to the open position, automatically cycles the motor on and off to cause intermittent rotation of the rotisserie arm while the door is open.

11. The oven according to claim 10, wherein the control system cycles the motor on and off to provide for an intermittent 360 degree rotation of a food product supported on the rotisserie arm.

12. The oven according to claim 11, wherein the control system causes the intermittent 360 degree rotation to occur in 20-30 seconds.

13. The oven according to claim 10, wherein the control system regulates rotation of the rotisserie arm based on a preset timing sequence.

14. The oven according to claim 10, further comprising:

a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature within the oven cavity, wherein the control system regulates rotation of the rotisserie arm based on the sensed temperature when the door is in the closed position.

15. The oven according to claim 10, wherein the control system causes the rotisserie arm to be continuously rotated during the rotisserie cooking mode while the door is in the closed position.

16. The oven according to claim 10, wherein the control system simultaneously cycles both the heating element and the rotisserie motor while the door is in the closed position.

17. The oven according to claim 10, wherein the control system activates the heating element while the rotisserie motor is stopped during a portion of a cooking phase with the door in the closed position.