Abstract:
An oven comprising a main body having a cooking space and at least one sliding door attached to the main body that slides upwardly with respect to the main body wherein the sliding door is moveable between a closed position in which the cooking space is enclosed and an open position in which at least one passage way is formed between a front face of the door and the main body.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an oven. In particular the invention relates to an oven that has a wood or charcoal fuel source and will be described in this context. However, it should be appreciated that the features of this oven may be applied to other types of ovens. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Commercial kitchens use a variety of different ovens for the preparation of meals. One type of oven that has become popular is a charcoal broiler oven known as the Josper® oven. This charcoal broil oven is a fully enclosed oven and is fired entirely with charcoal. The Josper® oven is popular as it provides the features of an enclosed oven with the traditional characteristics of char grilled cooking. The oven is able to maintain high temperatures for extended periods of time using the charcoal which also helps to influence and enhance the flavour profile of food being cooked within the oven. 
         [0003]    The Josper® oven has a hinged door that opens at the front. Charcoal is located in the base of the oven below a series of racks. As stated above, the burning charcoal provides the heat source for the oven. The operating temperature of the oven is often above 300 degrees Celsius allowing food to be cooked quickly and enabling a high throughput of food through the oven. 
         [0004]    One issue with the Josper® oven is the high temperature of the oven which is created by the charcoal fuel source. As there is a high throughput of food through the Josper® oven, the front door must be opened frequently. Whenever the front door is opened, a user is hit in the face with hot air that is pulled from the oven by opening the oven door. Smoke often accompanies the hot air which can choke and blind a user. Accordingly, users cannot operate the Josper® oven for extended periods of time without considerable discomfort. 
         [0005]    The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the invention to overcome and or alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages and or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one form although not necessarily the only or broadest form, the invention resides in an oven comprising; 
         [0008]    a main body having a cooking space; and 
         [0009]    at least one sliding door attached to the main body that slides upwardly with respect to the main body; 
         [0010]    wherein the sliding door is moveable between a closed position in which the cooking space is enclosed and an open position in which at least one passage way is formed between a front face of the door and the main body. 
         [0011]    Typically there is a single door. However, there may be two doors located at opposite ends of the main body. 
         [0012]    The main body may include two side walls which are interconnected by a top wall and a base. The main body may have a rear wall which interconnects the two side walls, top wall and bottom wall when there is a single door. However, when there are two doors a rear wall is not present. 
         [0013]    The main body may include a series of racks, trays and or grills that extend across the cooking space. The racks, grills and or trays may be supported by the side walls of the main body. 
         [0014]    A pit may be located in a lower portion of the cooking space. The pit may be lined with ceramics. The pit is typically located below the door when the door is in the closed position. 
         [0015]    A flue may extend through the main body into the cooking space. The flue typically extends through the top wall of the main body. 
         [0016]    A stand may be used to support the main body. The stand may include a storage space for cooking articles. The stand may include one or more wheels. The stand may include one or more legs. 
         [0017]    The sliding door may slide substantially vertically. A handle may be attached to the sliding door for this purpose. A lifting mechanism may be connected to the door to assist in lifting the door. The lifting mechanism may include one or more counterweights for assisting in the lifting of the door. 
         [0018]    The sliding door may include a guide mechanism to ensure that the door slides upwardly. The guide mechanism may include one or more guide members that are attached to the sliding door. Typically there are two guide members attached to respective sides of the sliding door. The guide members may be in the form of guide plates. 
         [0019]    The guide mechanism is typically connected to the lifting mechanism. Typically the one or more guide members are connected to one or more counterweights. 
         [0020]    A synchronisation mechanism typically links the two or more guide members so that the guide members move in unison. The synchronisation mechanism typically includes at least two gears which are rotated simultaneously and engage with the respective guide members. Typically the two gears are mounted on a shaft that extends through the main body or stand. Each of the gears may engage with a rack that forms part of each guide member. 
         [0021]    At least one cavity may be formed in the rear of the sliding door. The number of cavities is normally the same as the number of passageways. Normally there is only a single cavity. The cavity may form the passageway when the sliding door is in an open position. 
         [0022]    A seal may be located on the main body around the enclosed space, the seal engaging with the sliding door when the sliding door is in the closed position. 
         [0023]    Further forms and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanied figures in which, 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an oven with the door in a closed position accordingly to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an oven with the door in an open position accordingly to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is sectional view of an oven with the door in an open position accordingly to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an oven showing details of the lifting mechanism, guide mechanism and synchronization mechanism; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the sliding door with the associated lifting mechanism, guide mechanism and synchronization mechanism in a closed position. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of a side door with associated lifting mechanism, guide mechanism and synchronization mechanism in an open position; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6A  is a sectional view of the oven with the sliding door in a closed position; 
           [0032]      FIG. 6B  is a sectional view of the oven with a door in a partially open position; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 6C  is a sectional view of an oven with the sliding door in a fully open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0034]      FIGS. 1 to 3  show an oven  10  that is able to be fueled by an organic fuel source such as charcoal or wood. The oven  10  is formed from a main body  20 , sliding door  30  and stand  40 . 
         [0035]    The main body  20  is formed from two side walls  21 , a rear wall  22 , a top wall  23  and a base  24 . The side walls  21 , rear wall  22 , top wall  23 , and base  24  are connected to form a cooking space  25  located within the main body  20 . The side walls  21 , rear wall  22 , top wall  23  and base  24  are all insulated so the exterior of the side walls  21 , rear wall  22 , top wall  23  and base  24  are able to be touched without a user suffering significant burns. 
         [0036]    A pit  26  is located within the cooking space  25  adjacent the base  24  of the main body  20 . The pit  26  is lined with ceramic tiles  27 . A series of cooking grates  28  are positioned above the pit  26  with the cooking grates  28  being supported by the side walls  21 . 
         [0037]    A flue  50  extends through the top wall  23  of the main body  20  to assist in controlling the temperature within the cooking space  25 . A flue valve  51  is located within the flue  50  which can be moved several positions between a fully closed position and a fully open position. A valve handle  52  is connected to the flue valve  51  for this purpose. A flue surround  53  surrounds the flue  50 . A flue slot  54  that includes a series of notches  55  extends through the flue surround  50 . The flue handle  52  extends through the flue slot  53  and can be located within the notches  55  to hold the flue valve  51  at predetermined positions 
         [0038]    The stand  40  is used to support the main body  20  at a desired height. The stand  40  is formed from a frame  41  within which is mounted a sliding draw  42  which is to store cooking articles or fuel. Two adjustable legs  44  and two wheels  45  are located below the base of the frame. 
         [0039]    The door  30  is located at the front of the main body  20  and is used to enclose the cooking space  25 . The door  30  includes a door panel  31  that is insulated in the same manner as the side walls  21 , rear wall  22 , top wall  23  and base  24 . A cavity  32  is located within the door panel  31  behind a front face of the door panel  31 . A lip  33  is formed around the external edge of the door panel  31 . A seal  29  is formed around the side walls and top wall of the main body adjacent the door panel  31 . A handle  34  extends outwardly from the door panel  31 . 
         [0040]    A guide mechanism  60 , shown in more detail in  FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B  is connected to the door panel to allow the door panel  31  to be lifted vertically. The guide mechanism  60  includes two guide plates  61  which are connected to respective sides of door panel  31 . A guide slot  62  which extend substantially the length of each of the guide plates  61 . Rollers  63  are attached to the main body  20  and stand  40  to guide the guide plates  61  when the door panel  31  is moved between an open position and a closed position. 
         [0041]    A lifting mechanism  70  is connected to the door panel  31  via the guide mechanism  60  to make the door easier to open and close. The lifting mechanism  70  includes a counter weight  71  located on each side of the main body  20  and stand  30 . The counter weights  71  are located within respective tracks  72  that allow the counter weights  71  to move upwardly and downwardly as is required. Primary cables  73  are attached to a centre of the top of counter weights  71  and to a bottom of the guide plates  61  via counter weight rollers  74 . Safety cables  75  are also attached is to a bottom of the guide plates  61  and to an offset position of the top of the counter weights  71 . Retainers  76  are located adjacent respective counter weight rollers  74  to keep the primary cables  73  and safety cables  75  within the counter weight rollers  74 . 
         [0042]    In normal use, the primary cables  73  are taut whilst the safety cables  75  are slack. If primary cable  73  breaks, then the associated safety cable  75  becomes taut as it now supports the counter weight  71 . As the safety cable  75  is attached to the counter weight  71  in an offset position, the counter weight  71  will become skewed within its respective tracks  72 . Accordingly, the counter weight  71  act as a brake until the primary cable  75  is replaced. 
         [0043]    A synchronization mechanism  80  ensures that each side of the door panel  31  and associated guide plates  61  are moved together in use. That is, when the door panel  31  is opened or closed, the door panel  31  will move smoothly without becoming skewed. The synchronization mechanism  80  includes a rack  81  which is mounted to each of the guide plates  31 . A shaft  82  extends through the stand  40  and has associated gears  83  (in the form of pinions) which interconnect with respective racks  81 . Accordingly when the door is moved either upwardly or downwardly, the guide plates  61  must move together as they are interconnected via the racks  81 , gears  83  and shaft  82 . 
         [0044]    The side covers  90  are used to cover the guide mechanism  60 , lifting mechanism  70  and synchronization mechanism  80 . The side covers also cover the main body  20  and stand  40 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 6A to 6C  show the operation of the sliding door  30 . When sliding door  30  is in the closed position, the door panel  31  engages with the seals  29  located around the main body  20  adjacent the cooking space  25  as shown in  FIG. 6A . This ensures that no hot air escapes between the main body  20  and the door panel  31 . When the door panel  31  is lifted, the cavity  32  located within the door panel  31  provides a passage way  35  that is located between the door panel  31  and the seals  29 . The upward movement of the door panel  31  pulls air upwardly and causes hot air from within the cooking space  25  to pass through the passage way  25  as shown in  FIG. 6B . This passageway  35  thereby reduces the amount of hot air flowing out of the cooking space  25  past the door panel  31  and into the face of a user. The passageway  35  continues to allow hot air to pass through the passageway  35  when the door panel is in a fully open position as shown in  FIG. 6C . The passageway acts as a type of chimney. 
         [0046]    The oven described above provides a user with a high temperature and high throughput oven that can be operated in a commercial environment without substantial discomfort to the user. 
         [0047]    In this specification, the terms “comprise”, “comprises”, “comprising” or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a system, method or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed. 
         [0048]    It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.