Apparatus and method for controlling a conveyor oven
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A conveyor oven comprising:
- an oven chamber in which food is cooked;
a conveyor moveable to convey the food through the oven chamber;
a main blower that circulates air within the oven chamber, the main blower operable at a first speed, a second speed slower than the first speed, and a third speed slower than the second speed;
at least one gas burner to generate heat for the oven chamber;
a combustion blower that provides air to the at least one gas burner; and
a controller configured to detect and control the speed of the main blower and the combustion blower and to change the speed of the main blower from the first speed to the second speed and, based at least in part upon the detection of the activation or increase in speed of the combustion blower, to change the speed of the main blower from the second speed to the third speed; and
a pressure sensor positioned to measure air pressure generated by the main blower and the controller changes the speed of the combustion blower responsive to air pressure measured by the pressure sensor.
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Abstract
A conveyor oven includes a controller configured to change the operation of a first set of burners and a second set of burners from a cooking mode to an energy saving mode based at least in part upon detection of the absence of food in the oven chamber. The first set of burners operating at a first intensity during the cooking mode and are off during the energy saving mode. The second set of burners operating at a first intensity during the cooking mode and being adjustable to a different intensity during the energy saving mode, where the second set of burners produce heat during the different intensity.
304 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A conveyor oven comprising:
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an oven chamber in which food is cooked; a conveyor moveable to convey the food through the oven chamber; a main blower that circulates air within the oven chamber, the main blower operable at a first speed, a second speed slower than the first speed, and a third speed slower than the second speed; at least one gas burner to generate heat for the oven chamber; a combustion blower that provides air to the at least one gas burner; and a controller configured to detect and control the speed of the main blower and the combustion blower and to change the speed of the main blower from the first speed to the second speed and, based at least in part upon the detection of the activation or increase in speed of the combustion blower, to change the speed of the main blower from the second speed to the third speed; and a pressure sensor positioned to measure air pressure generated by the main blower and the controller changes the speed of the combustion blower responsive to air pressure measured by the pressure sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A conveyor oven comprising:
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an oven chamber in which food is cooked; a conveyor moveable to convey the food through the oven chamber; a main blower that circulates air within the oven chamber; a first chamber in communication with the oven chamber, the first chamber having a first air pressure; a second chamber having a second air pressure; at least one gas burner having an outlet disposed in the first chamber and an inlet disposed in the second chamber, the gas burner in fluid communication with both the first and second chambers, wherein a gas burner airflow rate is based at least in part on the difference between the first and second air pressures; one or more first sensors to detect the absence of food in the oven chamber and configured to transmit a signal associated with the absence of food product from the oven chamber; one or more second sensors to measure the first and second air pressures; and a controller operable to change the speed of the main blower from a first speed to a second speed slower than the first speed responsive to a signal from the one or more first sensors associated with the absence of food in the oven chamber, and vary the second air pressure responsive to a change in the first air pressure measured by the one or more second sensors to maintain a desired air pressure difference between the first air pressure and the second air pressure. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification