WO2008148846A1

WO2008148846A1 - An oven

Info

Publication number: WO2008148846A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/057001
Authority: WO
Inventors: Davut Ayhan Serabatir
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2007-06-08
Filing date: 2008-06-05
Publication date: 2008-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2009-12-08
Also published as: TR200908301T1

Abstract

The oven (1) of the present invention comprises a cooking chamber (2), one or more fans disposed outside the cooking chamber (2) for activating the air, a rear wall (3) that separates the volume containing the cooking chamber (3) and the fan, for directing the air activated by the fan into the cooking chamber (2), more than one suction hole (6) situated on the rear wall (3), formed in various numbers and shapes and in various combinations, preferably on the center of the rear wall (3) at the portion corresponding to the area swept by the fan, enabling the air activated by the fan to be circulated in the cooking chamber (2).

Description

AN OVEN

[0001] The present invention relates to an oven wherein the airflow is controlled.

[0002] At least one heater and a fan are provided in ovens wherein the cooking process is carried out by way of convection. The air heated by the heater is activated by the fan and delivered into the cooking chamber through the holes arranged on the rear wall and the food is cooked by means of heat transfer interaction of the hot air with the food to be cooked.

[0003] In state of the art embodiments, separators are explained that divide the cooking volume into at least two partitions for the food with different features to be cooked simultaneously, or instead of heating the entire cooking volume, dividing the volume and thereby performing the cooking process in a smaller volume.

[0004] In the state of the art documents of United States of America No

US2006027559, European No EP0253278, French No FR2581165, Great Britain No GB2267339 and Japanese No JP58096927, an oven is explained comprising a separator that divides the cooking volume into at least two, in a leak proof manner.

[0005] An oven is explained in the state of the art Japanese Patent Application No JP58193031 comprising a shutter that is triggered by an extension on the separator and opening, closing the hole on the rear wall. In this document, the holes are closed in the normal position, only the holes that open to the volume above the separator are opened when the shutter is triggered.

[0006] In state of the art, the cooking process can be implemented in the cooking chamber divided in two by the separator, only in the volume determined by the producer.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is the realization of an oven wherein the cooking volume is divided into more than one compartment and controlled airflow is provided in the separated compartments.

[0008] The oven realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention, explicated in the first claim and the respective claims thereof, comprises a separator that divides the cooking chamber into two such that each one contains holes for passage of air, an initiator situated on the separator that can be arranged in more than one location, shape and position and an air distribution mechanism that moves over the suction holes in different amounts, allowing air flow into the user selected one of the compartments divided by the separator.

[0009] Consequently, when the separator is placed into the cooking chamber, the air distribution mechanism functions like a shutter depending on the location, shape and position of the initiator, allowing the cooking process to be performed in the compartment selected by the user. This enables the cooking process to be performed in a smaller volume and to be completed in a shorter time period.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present invention, the air distribution mechanism is configured like a hand with opened fingers or a semi-impeller; the air distribution mechanism moves at different rates upon contact of the initiator, thus determining which holes that open to the compartments divided by the separator are to be opened or closed. Thus, the cooking process can be performed in the above or below volumes divided by the separator.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present invention, the air distribution mechanism comprises a shutter that moves on the suction holes to open, close these holes, a shaft on which the shutter is seated, moving in the axial direction, and a guide formed helically on the shaft that transfers the axial movement of the shaft to the shutter in the radial direction.

[0012] Due to the shaft being activated linearly at different rates by the initiator of a different length, the guide also moves at different rates and the shutter moving connected to the guide, moves at different angles depending on the linear motion of the shaft, providing air flow in the volume remaining above or below the separator.

[0013] By means of the present invention, airflow is provided in at least one of the compartments of the cooking chamber divided by the separator, providing savings in both time and energy.

[0014] The oven realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures, where: [0015] Figure 1 - is the perspective view of an oven.

[0016] Figure 2 - is the exploded view of the oven.

[0017] Figure 3 - is the exploded view of a rear wall and the air distribution mechanism. [0018] Figure 4 - is the front perspective view of the air distribution mechanism in the position wherein the suction holes are not closed. [0019] Figure 5 - is the rear perspective view of the air distribution mechanism in the position wherein the suction holes are not closed. [0020] Figure 6 - is the rear perspective view of the air distribution mechanism in the position wherein the suction holes below the separator are closed. [0021] Figure 7 - is the front perspective view of a shaft. [0022] Figure 8 - is the perspective view of a shaft from another angle. [0023] The elements illustrated in the figures are numbered as follows:

1. Oven

2. Cooking chamber

3. Rear wall

4. Intermediary element

5. Separator

6. Suction hole

7. Air distribution mechanism

8. Shutter

9. Shaft

10. Spring

11. Head

12. Guide [0024] 13. Initiator

[0025] The oven (1) comprises a cooking chamber (2), one or more fans disposed outside the cooking chamber (2) for activating the air, a rear wall (3) that separates the volume containing the cooking chamber (3) and the fan, for directing the air activated by the fan into the cooking chamber (2), and more than one suction hole (6) situated on the rear wall (3), formed in various numbers and shapes and in various combinations, preferably on the center of the rear wall (3) at the portion corresponding to the area swept by the fan, enabling the air activated by the fan to be aspirated from the cooking chamber (2) (Figure 1). [0026] The oven (1) furthermore comprises a separator (5) that divides the cooking chamber (2) into two such that each one contains suction holes

(6) remaining therein, at least one initiator (13) disposed on the separator (5), that can be arranged in more than one location, shape or position and an air distribution mechanism (7) that closes the suction holes (6) remaining only above the separator (5) or under the separator (5) depending on the location, shape or position of the initiator (13) when the separator (5) is placed in the cooking chamber (2) (Figure 2 and Figure 3). Accordingly, the cooking process can be performed in the enclosure remaining either below or above the separator (5) depending on the preference of the user.

[0027] The suction holes (6) enable the air in the cooking chamber (2) to be aspirated by the fan. The suction holes (6) are arranged in a circular area corresponding to the area swept by the fan. The suction holes (6) are preferably shaped as arc segments and arranged with certain spaces there between. The separator (5) divides the cooking chamber (2) virtually into two. In this position, the suction holes (6) open to above and below parts of the cooking chamber (2) divided into two by the separator (5).

[0028] In this embodiment of the present invention, the air distribution mechanism

(7) covers some of the suction holes (6) while moving, leaving the others open. Thus, the cooking process can be performed in that volume of the cooking chamber (2) divided by the separator (5) and selected by the user by means of selectively closing only the suction holes (6) remaining above the separator (5) or remaining below the separator (5).

[0029] When the separator (5) is not used, the air distribution mechanism (7) does not cover the suction holes (6). In this position, airflow is not obstructed since the air distribution mechanism (7) is not covering the suction holes (6) (Figure 4 and Figure 5). In this embodiment, the air distribution mechanism (7) is configured in a half-impeller shape conceived by joining more than one vane. In this embodiment, the impeller vanes remain between the suction holes (6) and do not cover the suction holes (6).

[0030] When the separator (5) is placed in the cooking chamber (2) by the user, the initiator (13) on the separator (5) contacts and activates the air distribution mechanism (7) on the rear wall (3). The air distribution mechanism, (7) that does not cover the suction holes (6) when the separator (5) is not used, is activated as the separator (5) contacts the initiator (13) and moves to cover only the suction holes (6) remaining above or below the separator (5) dividing the cooking chamber (2) into two. This provides air to flow at the desired rate only on the selected side of the cooking chamber (2) divided into two by the separator (5). Consequently, food can be cooked faster in a smaller space depending on the preference of the user. This allows for providing savings in both energy and time (Figure 6).

[0031] In another embodiment of the present invention, the separator (5) is preferably a quadrangular shaped plate. In this embodiment, two initiators (13) of different shapes are provided on the separator (5). The initiators (13) are situated on the sides of the separator (5) that are perpendicular to the side walls of the cooking chamber (2). In this embodiment of the present invention, the initiators (13) are configured as recesses of different depths. Moreover, while the separator (5) is inserted into the oven (1), which side, hence which initiator (13) is moved towards the rear wall (3) determines which suction holes (6) opening to the parts above or below the separator (5) will be opened or closed for allowing air flow. The air distribution mechanism (7) turns with an angle - for example by 25.7° - when the shorter initiator (13) on one side of the separator (5) contacts the air distribution mechanism (7). In this position, the suction holes (6) opening to the upper compartment in the cooking chamber (2) divided by the separator (5) are closed and only the suction holes (6) opening to the volume below the separator (5) are opened and air flow is allowed only in this region. The air distribution mechanism (7) turns with another angle - for example by 154.3° - when the longer (13) initiator (13) on the other side of the separator (5) contacts thereto. In this position, the suction holes (6) opening to the lower compartment in the cooking chamber (2) divided by the separator (5) are closed and only the suction holes (6) opening to the volume above the separator (5) are opened and air flow is allowed only in this region.

[0032] In another embodiment of the present invention, the air distribution mechanism (7) comprises one or more shutter (8) having vanes thereon, shaped virtually in the same form as the suction holes (6), closing the suction holes (6) at least partially when moved, a shaft (9) that passes through the center of the shutter (8) moving in the axial direction and to which the initiator (13) on the separator (5) contacts, a trough shaped guide (12) formed along the shaft (9) helically (screw pitch), that transfers the axial movement of the shaft (9) to the shutter (8) in the radial direction (Figure 7 and Figure 8).

[0033] In this embodiment of the present invention, the shutter (8) and the shaft

(9) are fitted just like a nut to a screw. Thus, as the shaft (9) is pushed by the initiator (13), the shutter (8) rotates on the guide (12) and around the shaft (9) axis clockwise or in the reverse direction. In this embodiment, when the separator (5) is placed inside the cooking chamber (2), the initiator (13) on the separator (5) pushes the shaft (9) situated on the rear wall (3) in the axial direction. As the shaft (9) moves in the axial direction, the shutter (8), through which it passes from the center, is rotated around the shaft (9) axis due to the configuration of the guide (12), in proportion with the distance traveled by the shaft (9) in the axial direction. Consequently, the movement of the initiator (13) in the axial direction is transferred to the shutter (8) by means of the shaft (9), thus rotating the shutter (8).

[0034] In this embodiment, the air distribution mechanism (7) furthermore comprises a head (11) situated on the side of the shaft (9) extending into the cooking chamber (2) that facilitates the initiator (13) on the side of the separator (5) to be seated and to contact.

[0035] At the same time, the air distribution mechanism (7) comprises a spring

(10) situated between the rear wall (3) and the shaft (9). When the separator (5) is not used, the air distribution mechanism (7) does not close the suction hole (6) due to the force applied on the air distribution mechanism (7) by the spring (10).

[0036] Furthermore, the air distribution mechanism (7) comprises an intermediary element (4) shaped like a ring that surrounds the shaft (9), having arms on the inner surface which fit into the guide (12) so that the shutter (8) can be movably seated on the guide (12). The shutter (8) is seated on the shaft (9) by means of the said intermediary element (4). The said intermediary element (4) can be an independent element as well as an element of the shutter (8).

[0037] By means of the present invention, savings both in time and energy are provided by maintaining air flow in only one of the compartments divided by the separator (5) in the cooking chamber (2).

Claims

1. An oven (1) that comprises a cooking chamber (2), one or more fans disposed outside the cooking chamber (2) for activating the air, a rear wall (3) that separates the volume containing the cooking chamber (3) and the fan, for directing the air activated by the fan into the cooking chamber (2), more than one suction hole (6) situated on the rear wall (3), enabling the air activated by the fan to be aspirated from the cooking chamber (2) and a separator (5) that divides the cooking chamber (2) into two such that each one contains suction holes (6) remaining therein, and characterized by at least one initiator (13) disposed on the separator (5) that can be arranged in more than one location, shape or position and an air distribution mechanism (7) that closes only the suction holes (6) remaining above the separator (5) or below the separator (5) depending on the location, shape or position of the initiator (13) when the separator (5) is placed in the cooking chamber (2).

2. An oven (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by an air distribution mechanism (7) shaped like a half propeller configured by joining together more than one vane.

3. An oven (1) as in Claim 1 , characterized by two initiators (13) of different shapes disposed on the separator (5).

4. An oven (1) as in Claim 3, characterized by initiators (13) configured as recesses of different depths and situated on the sides of the separator (5) that are perpendicular to the side walls of the cooking chamber (2).

5. An oven (1) as in Claim 1 or 2, characterized by an air distribution mechanism (7) comprising a shutter (8) shaped virtually in the same form as the suction holes (6), closing the suction holes (6) at least partially when moved, a shaft (9) that passes through the center of the shutter (8), moving in the axial direction, to which the initiator (13) on the separator (5) contacts, and a trough shaped guide (12) formed helically along the shaft (9) that transfers the axial movement of the shaft (9) to the shutter (8) in the radial direction.

6. An oven (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by an air distribution mechanism (7) comprising a head (11) situated on the side of the shaft (9) extending into the cooking chamber (2) that helps the initiator (13) on the side of the separator (5) to be seated and to contact.

7. An oven (1) as in Claim 5, characterized by an air distribution mechanism (7) comprising a spring (10) situated between the rear wall (3) and the shaft (9).