Multiconveyor convection oven

• US 6,539,934 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2002
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zesto Food Equipment Manufacturing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zesto Food Equipment Manufacturing, Inc.
• Inventors: Moshonas, Georges, Czajka, Chuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US10/045,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 126/21.A, 126/15.A, 126/21.R, 126/19.R, 126/15.R, 126/19.A, 219/388, 219/400, 994/43.C, 994/75, 994/76, 994/77, 993/86, 342/16, 342/17, 342/25, 342/03--08, 432/145, 432/152, 432/136
• US Class Current: 126/21.00A
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 1/245 with a plurality of air nozzles to obtain an impingement effect on the food
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 1/33 Ovens heated directly by combustion products A21B1/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A21B 1/48 with surfaces in the form of an endless band

Abstract

The multiconveyor convection oven comprises a baking chamber, at least two spaced-apart conveyors mounted transversally one over the other in the baking chamber, a heating chamber behind the baking chamber. A convection system is provided for allowing a circulation of the air from the baking chamber to the heating chamber and back to the baking chamber to cook the food. The convection system comprises air return passages providing a fluid communication between the baking chamber and the heating chamber, a blower housing extending vertically outside the heating chamber on a side thereof, at least two centrifugal blower chambers, one for each conveyor, mounted one over the other within the blower housing. Each centrifugal blower chamber has an air inlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for drawing air from the baking chamber and an air outlet for throwing back heated air at high pressure. The convection system also includes plenum chambers and ducting means disposed within the baking chamber for conveying the heated air at high pressure exiting from the plenum and dispensing the same in the baking chamber to cook food.

Claims

1. A multiconveyor convection oven, comprising

a baking chamber

at least two spaced-apart conveyors mounted transversally one over the other in the baking chamber;

a heating chamber behind the baking chamber, the heating chamber comprising an air heater to heat air circulating in the heating chamber;

a convection system for providing a circulation of the air from the baking chamber to the heating chamber and back to the baking chamber to cook the food, the convection system comprising;

at least one air return passage having an air inlet in fluid communication with the baking chamber and an air outlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber;

a blower housing extending vertically outside the heating chamber on a side thereof;

at least two centrifugal blower chambers, one for each conveyor, mounted one over the other within the blower housing, each centrifugal blower chamber having;

an air inlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for drawing air from the baking chamber via the at least one air return chamber and the heating chamber; and

an air outlet for throwing back heated air at high pressure;

at least two plenum chambers, one downstream from each centrifugal blower chamber, disposed one over the other in between the baking chamber and the heating chamber, each plenum chamber having;

an air inlet in fluid communication with the air outlet of a corresponding one of said centrifugal blower chambers for receiving said heated air at high pressure; and

at least one air outlet for throwing back said heated air;

ducting means disposed within the baking chamber for conveying the heated air at high pressure exiting from said at least one outlet of the plenum chamber and dispensing the same in the baking chamber to cook food.

2. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 1, comprising:

control means for controlling the distribution of the heated air dispensed in the baking chamber.

3. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 2, wherein the air heater comprises a burner capable of releasing a gas jet.

4. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 3, wherein the burner is disposed in a bottom portion of the heating chamber, and the control means comprises a substantially transversal deflector mounted transversally within the heating chamber above the burner for controlling the distribution of the heat within the heating chamber between the bottom portion and the top portion of the heating chamber.

5. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 4, comprising two of said blower housings, one extending on a first side of the heating chamber and the other one extending on a second side of the heating chamber opposite the first side.

6. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 5, wherein the control means comprises a substantially vertical deflector mounted vertically within the heating chamber and facing the burner, and capable of controlling the distribution of the heat within the heating chamber between the first side and the second side thereof.

7. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 4, wherein the transversal deflector is arc-shaped.

8. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transversal deflector is adjustable.

9. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transversal deflector comprises an arc-shaped middle section and at least one planar section connectable to each end of the middle section to transversally adjust the deflector.

10. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claimed 1, wherein the ducting means comprises:

a set of parallel finger ducts disposed over and/or below each of said at least two conveyors, each finger duct having an air inlet connectable to a corresponding one of said air outlets of the plenum chambers to receive the heated air therefrom and a plurality of air outlets to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber.

11. A multiconveyor convection oven, comprising:

a baking chamber;

two spaced-apart conveyors mounted transversally one over the other in the baking chamber;

a heating chamber behind the baking chamber, the heating chamber comprising an air heater to heat air circulating in the heating chamber;

a convection system for providing a circulation of the air from the baking chamber to the heating chamber and back to the baking chamber to cook the food, the convection system comprising;

at least one air return passage having an air inlet in fluid communication with the baking chamber and an air outlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber;

at least one blower housing extending vertically outside the heating chamber on a side thereof;

two centrifugal blower chambers mounted one over the other within the at least one blower housing, each centrifugal blower chamber having;

an air inlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for drawing air from the baking chamber via the at least one air return chamber and the heating chamber; and

an air outlet for throwing back heated air at high pressure;

two plenum chambers, one downstream from each one of said two centrifugal blower chambers, disposed one over the other in between the baking chamber and the heating chamber, each plenum chamber having;

an air inlet in open communication with the air outlet of a corresponding one of said centrifugal blower chambers for receiving said heated air at high pressure; and

air outlets for throwing back said heated air;

ducting means disposed within the baking chamber for conveying the heated air at high pressure exiting from said at least one outlet of the plenum chamber and dispensing the same in the baking chamber to cook food.

12. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 11, comprising:

control means for controlling the distribution of the heated air dispensed in the baking chamber.

13. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 12, wherein the air heater comprises a burner capable of releasing a gas jet.

14. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 13, wherein the burner is disposed in a bottom portion of the heating chamber, and the control means comprises a substantially transversal deflector mounted transversally within the heating chamber above the burner for controlling the distribution of the heat within the heating chamber between the bottom portion and the top portion of the heating chamber.

15. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 14, comprising:

two of said at least one blower housing, one extending on a first side of the heating chamber and the other one extending on a second side of the heating chamber opposite the first side.

16. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 15, wherein the control means comprises a substantially vertical deflector mounted vertically within the heating chamber and facing the burner, and capable of controlling the distribution of the heat within the heating chamber between the first side and the second side thereof.

17. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transversal deflector is arc-shaped.

18. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transversal deflector is adjustable.

19. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 18, wherein the transversal deflector comprises an arc-shaped middle section and at least one adjustable planar section connectable to each end of the middle section to adjust the deflector.

20. A multiconveyor convection oven as claimed in claim 11, wherein the ducting means comprises:

a set of parallel finger ducts disposed over and/or below each of said two conveyors, each finger duct having an air inlet connectable to a corresponding one of said air outlets of the plenum chambers to receive the heated air therefrom and a plurality of air outlets to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber.

21. A multiconveyor convection oven, comprising:

a baking chamber;

two spaced-apart conveyors mounted transversally one over the other in the baking chamber;

a heating chamber behind the baking chamber, the heating chamber comprising a burner disposed in a bottom portion of the heating chamber and capable of releasing a gas jet to heat air circulating in the heating chamber;

a convection system for providing a circulation of the air from the baking chamber to the heating chamber and back to the baking chamber to cook the food, the convection system comprising;

at least one air return passage having an air inlet in fluid communication with the baking chamber and an air outlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber;

two blower housings extending vertically outside the heating chamber, one extending on a first side of the oven and the other one extending on a second side of the oven opposite the first side;

two centrifugal blower chambers mounted one over the other within each of said two blower housings, each centrifugal blower chamber having;

an air inlet in fluid communication with the heating chamber for drawing air from the baking chamber via the at least one air return chamber and the heating chamber; and

an air outlet for throwing back heated air at high pressure;

a first set of two plenum chambers, one plenum chamber being downstream from each centrifugal blower chamber mounted in one of said two blower housings, said two plenum chambers being disposed one over the other in between the baking chamber and the heating chamber;

a second set of two plenum chambers, one plenum chamber being downstream from each centrifugal blower chamber mounted in the other one of said two blower housings, said two plenum chambers being disposed one over the other in between the baking chamber and the heating chamber;

each of said plenum chambers having;

an air inlet in open communication with the air outlet of a corresponding one of said centrifugal blower chambers for receiving said heated air at high pressure; and

air outlets for throwing back said heated air;

a set of parallel finger ducts disposed over and below each of two of said conveyors, each finger duct having an air inlet connectable to a corresponding one of said air outlets of the plenum chambers to receive the heated air therefrom and a plurality of air outlets to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber; and

control means for controlling the distribution of the heated air dispensed in the baking chamber, the control means comprising;

a substantially transversal deflector mounted transversally within the heating chamber above the burner for controlling the distribution of the heat within the heating chamber between the bottom portion and the top portion of the heating chamber, the transversal deflector comprising;

an upwardly curved middle section; and

at least one adjustable planar section connectable to each end of the middle section to adjust the deflector; and

a substantially vertical deflector mounted vertically within the heating chamber and facing the burner, and capable of controlling the distribution of the heat within the heating chamber between the first side and the second side thereof.