Convection part for electric oven range

A convection part of an electric oven range is provided. In the convection part, a convection motor is provided, a convection fan is connected with the convection motor, and a fan housing encloses the convection fan and it includes at least one pair of discharge ducts in opposite directions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electric oven range, and more particularly, to a convection part for an electric oven range.

2. Description of the Related Art

An electric oven range is a cooking device that has a plurality of heaters generating heat from electricity to cook food. An electric oven range is a kind of a combined kitchen appliance that includes an oven function for cooking food in a closed space using heat generated from a heater and a range function for cooking food by applying heat directly to a food container placed on a top surface.

Electric oven ranges can heat both the inside and outside of food, such that they can cook food faster than gas oven ranges. Also, since electric oven ranges use electricity to generate heat, they provide a safer way of cooking and higher efficiency in using generated heat. Therefore, electric oven ranges are being more widely used.

An electric oven range includes a convection part for drawing air form an oven cavity, heating the air to a specific temperature, and discharging the heated air again to the oven cavity. This air circulation is caused by a convection fan installed in the convection part. Also, the convection part includes an air intake and an air outlet to allow the airflow.

However, since the convection part includes a plurality of air outlets around the outer wall of the convection part, the sizes of the air outlets are relatively small. Thus, air is not smoothly discharged from the convection part through the small air outlets. This decreases heat convection in the oven cavity to cause non-uniform heat distribution in the oven cavity. Therefore, food is heated non-uniformly and more time is required to cook food.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a convection part of an electric oven range, which has an improved structure for smooth airflow.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a convection part of an electric oven range, the convection part including: a convection motor; a convection fan connected with the convection motor; and a fan housing enclosing the convection fan and including at least one pair of discharge ducts in opposite directions.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a convection part of an electric oven range provided with an oven cavity in which food is cooked and the convection part at a rear side of the oven cavity, the convection part including: a convection motor generating rotary motion from supplied electricity; a convection fan rotated by the rotary motion to circulate air and including a plurality of fan blades formed by bending a portion of the convection fan; and a fan housing enclosing the convection fan and including at least one pair of discharge ducts to discharge air.

In a further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a convection part of an electric oven range, the convection part including: a convection fan; a fan housing enclosing the convection fan; and a discharge duct formed at the fan housing.

According to the present invention, air can smoothly flow into and from the convection part, such that food can be uniformly cooked in the oven cavity with less time and increased efficiency.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1is a perspective view of an electric oven range employing a convection part according to the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, an electric oven range includes a top burner part100on a top to cook food in a general way. A food container filled with food is placed on a burner (described below) of the top burner part100, and heat is radiated from the burner120to the food container. The radiated heat is conducted through the food container to the food to cook the food. When cooking food using the top burner part100, cooking state of the food can be easily seen.

The top burner part100includes a top plate110on a top surface. The top plate110is made of ceramic material to resist high temperatures, and it covers the top surface of the burner part100. Also, the top burner part100includes a plurality of burners120under the top plate110to generate heat from electricity. The burners120generally include coils. The coils are usually circular shaped and they radiate heat to a food container.

That is, heat generated from the burner120using electricity is radiated through the top plate110toward a food container filled with food to be cooked. Here, the heat is radiated only through a portion of the top plate110where the heater120is located, such that other portion of the top plate110is not heated. Therefore, careless users can be protected from injury.

The electric oven range further includes a control panel200on a rear top for controlling the operation of the electric oven range. The control panel200is formed integral with a rear surface of the electric oven range, and it includes a display210at a center portion to display operation state, time, temperature, etc. Also, the control panel200includes a plurality of control knobs220protruded from both sides of the display210for a user to control the operation of the electric oven range.

The control knobs220include knobs that are respectively corresponding to the burners120to control the burners120individually. Also, the control knobs include knobs to control the operations of an oven compartment300and a drawer400. That is, each of the burner120, oven compartment300, and drawer400can be individually controlled.

The oven compartment300is located under the top burner part100for baking or roasting relatively large items. The oven compartment300is provided with a plurality of electric heaters to generate heat. The heat generated from the electric heaters increases the temperature of air in the oven compartment300and food in the oven compartment300is cooked by the heated air.

In detail, the food in the oven compartment300is cooked by radiant heat from the heaters, conductive heat from a heated metal plate, and convection of the heated air. With the oven compartment300, relatively large items can be cooked and food can maintain its original taste and savor after cooking.

The oven compartment300includes an oven door310on a front side for selective opening and closing. The oven door310is hinged on the front side of the compartment300such that it can be rotated up and down for the opening and closing motions. The oven door310is formed with a protruded door handle312on a front top for a user to grasp.

Further, the oven compartment includes a transparent window314on a front center, such that a user can view the inside of the oven compartment to check cooking state. That is, a user can cook food while checking the cooking state through the transparent window314.

The drawer400is installed under the oven compartment300to store cooked food at a warm temperature and heat up cool food. Sometimes, simple cooking can be carried out in the drawer400. Therefore, the drawer400may be provided with a separate heater in a top portion or a bottom portion, or both the portions. Heat generated from the separate heater is directly radiated to food and also conducted to the food through a heated metal plate, such that the food can be stored at a warm temperature, heated up, and cooked in the drawer400.

The drawer400is box-like shaped with open top, and includes a recessed drawer handle410in a front side for a user to grasp. The drawer400is slidably installed in the electric oven range, such that a user can open and close the drawer400by pulling and pushing the drawer400.

FIG. 2is a schematic view of an electric oven range employing a convection part according to the present invention, andFIG. 3shows an oven compartment employing a convection part according to the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the oven compartment300defines an oven cavity320to receive food for cooking. The oven cavity320is box shape with open front, and the open front is selectively opened and closed by the oven door310.

The oven cavity320includes plates such as a rear plate350on a rear surface, a bottom plate360on a bottom surface, and side plates370on both side surfaces. The plates may be integrally formed or attached using fasteners.

The oven cavity320further includes an upper heater330on an inner top surface to generate heat from electricity and a lower heater340under the bottom plate360to carry out the same function as the upper heater330. That is, heat generated by the upper and lower heaters330and340is used to cook food in the oven cavity320.

Though not shown, the rear plate350may include a temperature sensor to measure the temperature inside the oven compartment300and an oven lamp as an inside lighting unit to allow a user to see the inside of the oven compartment.

On the rear plate350formed on a rear side of the oven cavity320, a convection part500is formed to circulate hot air heated from the heaters330and340by convection. The convection part500includes a convection fan540therein to circulate hot air through the oven cavity320to cook food evenly. The convection fan540will be more fully described later.

The convection part500further includes a fan housing510and other components. The fan housing510is protruded from a front of the rear plate350to enclose front and lateral sides of the convection fan540.

That is, the convection part500includes the fan housing510protruded in a front direction to define an enclosed space and the convection fan540accommodated in the enclosed space to circulated air through the oven cavity320. Further, the convection part500includes a convection motor550and a shaft560. The convection motor550is installed on a back side of the rear plate350to generated rotary power from electricity, and the shaft560is connected between the convection motor550and the convection fan540through the rear plate350.

As explained above, the convection part500includes the components to circulated hot air through the oven cavity320by convection to cook food placed in the oven cavity320.

FIG. 4shows a fan housing of a convection part according to the present invention, andFIG. 5is a sectional view taken along line I-I′ inFIG. 4.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, the fan housing510includes an air intake520in a center portion to allow inflow of air.

The lateral surface of the fan housing510is coaxially with the air intake520and it has a predetermined height. The height of the fan housing510may be higher than that of the convection fan540to accommodate the convection fan540therein.

The fan housing510further includes discharge ducts530at up and down portions to discharge the air drawn through the air intake520by the convection fan540to the outside of the fan housing510(i.e., to the inside of the oven cavity320).

The discharge ducts530are formed at the up and down portions of the fan housing510. The upper discharge duct530discharges air in a left direction, and the lower discharge duct530discharges air in a right direction. The discharge ducts530define discharge holes531in exit ends, respectively. The discharge ducts530are formed in opposite directions, such that air discharged from the discharge holes531can be whirled in the oven cavity320. Thus, heat convection can be evenly generated in the oven cavity320for a uniform temperature distribution in the oven cavity320.

The fan housing510further includes a connecting flange514formed along an outer periphery of a lower end. The connecting flange514is bent from the lower end of the fan housing510in a radial direction, and it defines a plurality of screw holes512for fixing the fan housing510to a front side of the rear plate350with screws. The connecting flange514has a predetermined width. The fan housing510is coupled to a front side of the rear plate350by applying screws between the fan housing510and the rear plate350after contacting a bottom surface of the connecting flange514with a front surface of the rear plate350.

FIG. 6is a plan view of a convection fan of a convection part according to the present invention, andFIG. 7is a perspective view of the convection fan depicted inFIG. 6.

Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, the convection fan540is shaped like a circular plate shape, and it includes a coupling hole542at a center for coupling with the shaft560and a reinforcement bead544around the coupling hole542to increase strength. The reinforcement bead544is protruded from a surface of the convection fan540, and it includes a circular portion at a center and a branch portion extended from the circular portion in radial directions.

The convection fan540further includes fan blades546that are formed by slitting an outer circumference inwardly. That is, each of the fan blades546is formed by slitting the outer circumference in an inclined direction and bending it. Therefore, the fan blades546and the convection fan540can be formed in one piece. The fan blades546are arranged at an angle to each other, such that air circulation can be increased more smoothly due to increased effective surface area.

The plurality of fan blades546are formed along the outer circumference of the convection fan540by slitting and bending processes. As a result, the convection fan540includes slots having the same shape with the fan blades546. Also, the fan blades546are formed outside the reinforcement bead544.

Hereinafter, an operation of the electric oven range will be described. First, an operation of the top burner part100will now be described. A user can turn on the burner120using the control knob220of the control panel200after placing a food container filled with food on the top plate110.

When the burner120is turned on, heat is generated from the burner120and transferred to the food container through the top plate110. That is, heat generated from the burner120is radiated to the food container and conducted to the food through the food container, such that the top burner part100can cook food.

Secondly, an operation of the oven compartment300will now be described. A use can rotate down the oven door310to open the oven compartment300by pulling the door handle312. Then, the user can put food into the oven cavity320from the opened front. After placing the food in the oven cavity320, the user can close the oven compartment300by rotating up the oven door310.

After that, the user can turn on the plurality of burners, the upper heaters330and lower heaters340, installed in the oven compartment300using the control knob220of the control panel200. When turned on, the plurality of heaters generate heat from supplied electricity.

The heat generated from the plurality of heaters increases the temperature of the closed oven cavity320for cooking the food. With the increase of the inside temperature of the oven cavity320, the food in the oven cavity320can be cooked.

Also, the convection motor550installed on a back side of the rear plate350is rotated. Upon the rotation of the convection motor550, the convection fan540connected with the convection motor550through the shaft560is also rotated. The suction force of the convection fan540draws air from the oven cavity320into the fan housing510through the air intake520defined in the center of the fan housing510.

The drawn air is directed to the discharge ducts540in a radial direction by the convection fan540, and then it is discharged outside of the fan housing510(i.e., back to the oven cavity).

The discharged air is circulated through the oven cavity320by the blowing force of the convection fan540. With this air circulation in the oven cavity320, heat can be transferred by convection. Therefore, the temperature inside the oven cavity can be kept uniformly and thus the food in the oven cavity320can be cooked evenly.

For example, the fan housing can be designed to discharge air in left-upper and right-lower directions, instead of discharging the air in left and right directions.

According to the present invention, the convection part is formed with the discharge ducts on both sides, such that air discharged from the convection part can be whirled in the oven cavity. Thus, heat convection can be smoothly created to uniformly maintain the temperature inside of the oven cavity. Therefore, food can be evenly cooked in the oven cavity with increased efficiency and less time.

Further, since the discharge ducts are formed on both sides of the convection part, the sizes of the discharge ducts can be increased. Therefore, air can flow in the convection part more smoothly and it can be discharged from the convection part more smoothly.