BLOWN AIR DISTRIBUTOR FOR A CONVECTION OVEN

Abstract: The blown air distributor (34) is suitable for use with a convection oven (2) of the type comprising a baking chamber (6) and a convection system including a blower (30) to draw air from the baking chamber (6), a source of heat (82) to heat the air drawn from the baking chamber (6) and a plenum (32) in open communication and downstream from the blower (30) to recirculate heated air into the baking chamber (6). The blown air distributor (34) is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of finger ducts (42) mounted in parallel on a single plate (36) removable from the baking chamber (6). Each finger duct (42) has an air inlet (44) to receive the heated air from the plenum (32) and a plurality of air outlets (38) to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber (6). The single plate (36) has opposites side edges (39) each slidably receivable in a guide way (37) provided on a corresponding side wall (16) of the baking chamber (6). The single plate (36) is also provided with a plurality of air inlets (40) to receive the air from the baking chamber (6) and drawn by the blower (30). The blown air distributor, thanks to the fact that all the finger ducts are mounted on a single plate slidable into the baking chamber, is very easy and rapid to install without mixing up the respective emplacement of each finger ducts in the baking chamber. It is also very simple to dismount for cleaning up.

Description: BLOWN AIR DISTRIBUTOR FOR A CONVECTION OVEN FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved blown air distributor suitable for use with a convection oven that cook food by impingement. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Impingement food ovens are mostly used in fast food restauration for rapidly cooking food such as pizza, pre-cooked meals, sea food souffle, cookies cooking etc. by air streams which impinge against the surface of the food products . Example of prior art impingement food oven are described by way of example in US Patents no.US 5,584,237 in the name of the applicant; 5,423,248; 4,965,435; 4,462,383; and 4,753,215. Most of prior art impingement food oven comprises finger ducts mounted in the cabinet of the oven above and below a conveyor to form streams of forced heated air which are directed towards the product on a conveyor. In general, the finger ducts rapidly become dirty or fouled up and must be regularly cleaned up. In prior art, the finger ducts are independent from each other so that they are mounted or dismounted one by one by sliding each one of those in guide rails adapted to receive a corresponding finger duct. As can be easily understood, the cleaning up of all the finger ducts is time-consuming and very expensive because each of those finger ducts has to be removed, cleaned up and put back in the oven, one after another. Moreover, often, the finger ducts are not put back in their proper place, causing an improper cooking of the products. There is thus presently a need for an impingement convection oven provided with finger ducts that may be rapidly and easily dismounted from the oven or installed therein. Another drawback often encountered with the elongated finger ducts of prior art impingement food oven is that the heated air leaving the plenum and forced in each finger duct is moved directly to the opposite end of the finger duct due to its high velocity and causes the food to be cooked uneven. Attempts to resolve this problem by using deflectors mounted inside the finger duct in order to apportion the incoming air flow therein have been proposed in US patents no.4, 462, 383 and 5,423,248. However the design of the deflectors proposed in those prior art documents have not shown satisfactory results and often does not provide a uniform cooking between the product on the front portion of the conveyor and the one in the back portion. There is thus also a need for an impingement convection oven that will consistently show a uniform cooking throughout the oven. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to propose a blown air distributor suitable for use with a convection oven that satisfies the above- mentioned need of having finger ducts that may be rapidly and easily dismounted from the oven or installed therein. Another object of. a preferred embodiment of the invention is to provide a blown air distributor for a convection oven that shows a very good distribution of heated air throughout the baking chamber. A further object of a preferred embodiment of the invention is to provide a convection oven which is very economic in term of the energy required for its operating. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The blown air distributor according to the present invention is suitable for use with a convection oven of the type comprising a baking chamber, a convection system including a blower to draw air from the baking chamber and a source of heat to heat the air drawn from the baking chamber. The appropriate convection oven also comprises a plenum in open communication and downstream from the blower to recirculate high velocity heated air into the baking chamber. The blown air distributor embodying the features of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of finger ducts mounted in parallel on a single plate removable from the baking chamber. Each finger duct has an air inlet to receive the high velocity heated air from the plenum and a plurality of air outlets to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber. The single plate has opposite side edges each slidably receivable in a guide way provided on a corresponding side wall of the baking chamber. The plate is also provided with a plurality of air inlets to receive the air from the baking chamber and drawn by the blower thereby providing a communication between the baking chamber and the blower. A convection oven may advantageously be provided with only one blown air distributor according to the present invention or preferably two, one for installation over the food to be cooked and the other one for installation under the food. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the blown air distributor is characterized in that it comprises an adjustable deflector in each finger duct to control a flow of heated air therein. Preferably, each of the adjustable deflector comprises an inclined baffle wall having two 903 opposite side edges secured to a corresponding side wall of the finger duct. The baffle wall has a back end extending towards the inlet of the finger duct and a front end extending towards a front end wall of the finger duct. A controllable plate having an end hinged to the back end of the baffle wall is provided. This controllable plate is pivotable between a downward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet of the finger duct is directed towards the front end wall of the finger duct and an upward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet of the finger duct is directed generally under the baffle wall. The plate is controllable by means of an operating handle mounted on an outer surface of the finger duct and operatively connected to the controllable plate to pivot the plate between the downward and the upward position. Another object of the present invention is also to propose a combination of a blown distributor with a convection oven as described hereinbefore. According to a preferred embodiment of such combination the convection oven is characterized in that it comprises an aerodynamically-shaped duct defining the plenum of the oven. The aerodynamically-shaped duct has an inlet in open communication with the blower and an outlet in open communication with the inlet of each of the finger duct. As can be appreciated, the blown air distributor according to the present invention, thanks to the fact that all the finger ducts are mounted on a single plate slidable into the baking chamber, is very easy and rapid to install without mixing up the respective emplacement of each finger ducts in the baking chamber. It is also very simple to dismount for cleaning up. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising an adjustable deflector within the finger ducts, the blown air distributor allows a user to easily and rapidly adjust the degree of cooking required in the baking chamber. The deflector may be adjust to obtain a uniform cooking throughout the baking chamber or there may also be adjust to obtain different degrees of cooking. A non restrictive description of a preferred embodiment will now be given with reference to the appended drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an impingement convection oven embodying two blown air distributors according to the invention; Figure 2a is cross-sectional view of the oven of figure 1 taken along line II-II with the legs and conveyor removed, showing a blown air distributor mounted above the conveyor and another blown air distributor mounted below the conveyor and also showing the flow path of the circulated air in the oven; Figure 2b is an enlarged partial view of Figure 2a showing an adjustable deflector; Figure 3 is a back perspective view of the oven of figure 1 with its back panel and legs removed, showing the shape of the plenum; Figure 4 is a top view of the oven of figure 1 with its top wall removed; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the oven of figure 1 taken along line V-V; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a blown air distributor, one finger duct being illustrated with its upper plate removed to better see the adjustable deflector therein. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to figure 1, the convection food oven (2) includes an enclosure (4), also called a cabinet, which defines a baking chamber (6) best shown in figures 2 and 5. In the embodiment shown, the oven (2) is supported on legs (8) mounted on rollers (10). The oven suitable for the invention is also intended to be stackable and not provided with such legs. The enclosure (4) is delimited by a top wall (12), a bottom wall (14), two opposite side walls (16), a front end wall (18) and a back end wall (20) as shown in figure 2a. Two opposite apertures (22) through which a food receiving conveyor (24) passes to move food to be baked at a given speed inside the baking chamber ( 6 ) may be provided in the sidewalls (16). Advantageously, the oven (2) may comprise an access door (26) for easy loading of quick cooked items such as precooked meat. Like prior art impingement convection food oven, the oven (2) according to the invention comprises an air circulating system to circulate air within the baking chamber (6). Referring to figures 2 to 5 , the general principle of the circulation of air in such convection oven (2), which will be explained in more details herein after, is that the oven (2) comprises a blowing chamber (28) ultimately in open communication with the baking chamber (6) and including a blower (30), shown in figure 4, devised to draw the air from the baking chamber (6) to be reheated and recirculated. A plenum (32) is created downstream from the blower (30) which reinjects high velocity heated air back into the baking chamber (6) via blown air distributors (34) in open communication with the plenum (32) and the baking chamber (6). The arrows in figures 2 to 5 show the flow path of the air in the oven. Referring more particularly to figures 4 to 6, the blown air distributors (34) according to the present invention comprises a plurality of finger ducts (42) mounted in parallel on a single plate (36) removable from the baking chamber (6) . Each finger duct (42) has an air inlet (44) to receive the high velocity heated air from the plenum (32) and a plurality of air outlets (38) to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber (6) in form of jet streams. The single plate (36) of the blown air distributor (34) has opposite side edges (39) each slidably receivable in a guide way (37) provided on a corresponding side wall (16) of the baking chamber (6) . The single plate (36) is also provided with a plurality of air inlets (40) to receive the air from the baking chamber (6) and drawn by the blower (30) and thereby providing a communication between the blowing chamber (28) and the baking chamber (6) . As shown in the preferred embodiment illustrated, two blown air distributors (34) may be used with the oven (2) , a first one (34a) for extending substantially in parallel with the top wall (12) above the conveyor (24) for cooking the upper surface of food and a second one (34b) for extending substantially in parallel with the bottom wall (14) below the conveyor (24) for cooking the bottom surface of food. As best seen in figure 5, a passage or suction chamber (46) is defined all around the finger ducts (42) . This suction chamber (46) is in open communication with the baking chamber (6) via a corresponding set of inlets (40) in the main plate (36) . Referring more particularly to figures 2 to 4 , the blowing chamber (28) of the oven mentioned before is in open communication with the plenum (32) and the suction chamber (46) . The blowing chamber (28) includes a blower (30) for drawing the air from the baking chamber (6) then through the suction chamber (46) towards the plenum (32). A source of heat (82) is coupled with the blowing chamber (28) for heating the air drawn from the baking chamber (6) before a recirculation therein. Preferably, the source of heat (82) is a gas conversion burner mounted across the blowing chamber (28) and producing a flame (not illustrated) within the blowing chamber (28). As illustrated in figures 2 and 4, the air drawn from the baking chamber (6) through the suction chamber (46) passes through the blowing chamber (28) to be heated. In this preferred embodiment, the blowing chamber (28) extends behind the back end wall (20) of the oven (2). The plenum (32) of heated air is generated downstream from the blower (30). From the plenum (32) the heated air is reinjected back into the baking chamber (6) via the blown air distributors (34) which are in open communication with the baking chamber (6). Referring to figure 6, each finger duct (42) comprises a bottom face (48) provided with a corresponding set of outlet openings (38) and two opposite side plates (50a, 50b) each having an edge (52) secured to the main plate (36). The finger duct (42) further comprises an upper plate (54) slidably received between the two side plates (50a, 50b). The finger ducts (42) may be tapered or they may have a uniform rectangular cross section as the preferred embodiment illustrated. The blown air distributors (34a, b) preferably comprise adjustable deflector means in each finger duct (42) to control a flow of heated air therein. Referring to figures 2 and 6, the adjustable deflector means comprises a first adjustable deflector (58) in each finger duct (42) comprising a first inclined baffle wall (60) mounted within the finger duct (42) and having two opposite sides edges (62) secured to a corresponding side plate (50) of the finger duct (42). The baffle wall (60) comprises a back end (64) extending towards the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) and a front end (66) spaced apart from the bottom face (48) and extending towards the front end wall (56) of the finger duct (42). The first deflector (58) further comprises an adjustable plate (68) having an end (70) hinged to the back end (64) of the baffle wall (60), as best seen in figure 6. This adjustable plate (68) is pivotable between a downward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet (44) is directed towards the front end wall (56) of the finger duct (42) and an upward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is directed generally under the first baffle wall (60). A first operating handle (71) is mounted on an outer surface of a side plate (50) of the finger duct (42). This first operating handle (71) is operatively connected to the first adjustable plate (68) to pivot the same between its downward and its upward position. Advantageously, the deflector means in each finger duct (42) may also be provided with a second deflector comprising a second baffle wall (74) mounted within the finger duct (42) close to the inlet (44) thereof. This second baffle wall (74) has a free end (76) opposed to another end (78) hinged directly to the bottom face (48) of the finger duct (42). The second baffle wall (74) is pivotable between a close position where it is closing the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) and an open position where it is extending substantially parallel to the bottom face (48), such that the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is completely open. In this case, a second operating handle (80) is mounted on the outer surface of a side plate (50) of the finger duct (42). This second operating handle (80) is operatively connected to the second baffle wall (74) to pivot the same wall between its close position and its open position. Depending on the food product to be cooked or the degree of cooking required, this second baffle (74) may be more or less opened. For example, if someone wishes a tender bottom face for its pizza, the pizza will be cooked with the second baffle (74) almost closed. On the other hand, if someone desires a crispier bottom face, the pizza will be cooked with the second baffle wall (74) is more open. Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A blown air distributor (34) for a convection oven (2) of the type comprising a baking chamber (6) and a convection system including a blower (30) to draw air from the baking chamber (6) , a source of heat (82) to heat the air drawn from the baking chamber (6) and a plenum (32) in open communication and downstream from the blower (30) to recirculate heated air into the baking chamber (6) , the blown air distributor (34) being characterized in that it comprises: -a plurality of finger ducts (42) mounted in parallel on a single plate (36) removable from the baking chamber (6) , each finger duct (42) having an air inlet (44) to receive the heated air from the plenum (32) and a plurality of air outlets (38) to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber (6) ; and -the single plate (36) having opposite side edges (39) each slidably receivable in a guide way (37) provided on a corresponding side wall (16) of the baking chamber (6) , the single plate (36) being also provided with a plurality of air inlets (40) to receive the air from the baking chamber (6) and drawn by the blower (30) . 2. A blown air distributor (34) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises: adjustable deflector means in each finger duct (42) for controlling a flow of heated air therein. 3. A blown air distributor (34) according to claim 2, characterized in that each of adjustable deflector means comprises: a baffle wall (60) having two opposite sides edges (62) secured on a corresponding side plate (50) of the finger duct (42) , a back end (64) extending towards the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) and a front end (66) extending towards a front end wall (67) of the finger duct (42) ; a controllable plate (68) having an end (75) hinged to the back end (64) of the baffle wall (60) and being pivotable between a downward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is directed towards the front end wall (67) of the finger duct (42) and an upward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is directed generally under the baffle wall (60) ; and an operating handle (70) mounted on an outer surface of the finger duct (42) and operatively connected to the controllable plate (68) to pivot the plate (68) between the downward and the upward position. 4. A blown air distributor (34) according to claim 3, characterized in that adjustable deflector means further comprises: an additional baffle wall (74) mounted within the finger duct (42) close to the inlet (44) thereof, the additional baffle wall (74) having a free end (76) opposed to an end (78) hinged to an inner wall (48) of the finger duct (42) and being pivotable between a close position where the additional baffle wall (74) is closing the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) and an open position where the additional baffle wall (74) is extending substantially parallel to said inner wall (48) of the finger duct (42) such that the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is fully open; an additional operating handle (80) mounted on an outer surface of the finger duct (42) and operatively connected to the additional baffle wall (74) to pivot the additional baffle wall (74) between the close position and the open position. 5. The combination of a blown air distributor (34) with a convection oven (2) , the convection oven (2) comprising: a baking chamber (6) ; a convection system associated with the baking chamber and including a blower (30) to draw air from the baking chamber (6) ; a source of heat (82) to heat the air drawn from the baking chamber (6) and a plenum (32) in open communication and downstream from the blower (30) to recirculate high velocity heated air into the baking chamber (6) ; and the blown air distributor (34) characterized in that it comprises: -a plurality of finger ducts (42) mounted in parallel on a single plate (36) removable from the baking chamber (6) , each finger duct (42) having an air inlet (44) to receive the high velocity heated air from the plenum (32) and a plurality of air outlets (38) to dispense the heated air in the baking chamber (6) ; and -the single plate (36) having opposite side edges (39) each slidably receivable in a guide way (37) provided on a corresponding side wall (16) of the baking chamber (6) , the single plate (36) being also provided with a plurality of air inlets (40) to receive the air from the baking chamber (6) and drawn by the blower (30) . 6. The combination according to claim 5 , characterized in that the convection oven (2) comprises an aerodynamically-shaped duct defining the plenum(32) of the oven (2) , the aerodynamically-shaped duct having an inlet (84) in open communication with the blower (30) and an outlet (86) in open communication with the inlet (44) of each of the finger duct (42) . 7. The combination according to claim 6, characterized in that the blown air distributor (34) comprises: adjustable deflector means in each finger duct (42) for controlling a flow of heated air therein. 8. The combination according to claim 7 , characterized in that each of the adjustable deflector means comprises: a baffle wall (60) having two opposite sides edges (62) secured on a corresponding side plate (63) of the finger duct (42) , a back end (64) extending towards the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) and a front end (66) extending towards a front end wall (67) of the finger duct (42) ; a controllable plate (68) having an end (75) hinged to the back end (64) of the baffle wall (60) and being pivotable between a downward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is directed towards the front end wall (67) of the finger duct (42) and an upward position where most of the heated air received through the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is directed generally under the baffle wall (60) ; and an operating handle (70) mounted on an outer surface of the finger duct (42) and operatively connected to the controllable plate (68) to pivot the plate (68) between the downward and the upward position. 9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 , characterized in that the adjustable deflector (58) comprises: an additional baffle wall (74) mounted within the finger duct (42) close to the inlet (44) thereof, the additional baffle wall (74) having a free end (76) opposed to an end (78) hinged to an inner wall (48) of the finger duct (42) and being pivotable between a close position where the additional baffle wall (74) is closing the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) and an open position where the additional baffle wall (74) is extending substantially parallel to said inner wall (48) of the finger duct (42) such that the inlet (44) of the finger duct (42) is fully open; an additional operating handle (80) mounted on an outer surface of the finger duct (42) and operatively connected to the additional baffle wall (74) to pivot the additional baffle wall (74) between the close position and the open position. 10. A combination according to claim 9, characterized in that the convection oven (2) comprises a conveyor (24) to support food to be cooked. 11. A combination as claim in claim 10, characterized in that the convection oven (2) comprises opposite side walls (16) provided with an aperture (22) through which the conveyor (24) passes so as to move food to be baked.

Inventors: MOSHONAS GEORGES, SILVA WALDO, VATISTA GEORGES, MOSHONAS, GEORGES, SILVA, WALDO, VATISTA, GEORGES
Applicants: MOSHONAS GEORGES, SILVA WALDO, VATISTA GEORGES, ZESTO FOOD EQUIPMENT MANUFACTU, MOSHONAS, GEORGES, SILVA, WALDO, VATISTA, GEORGES, ZESTO FOOD EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING INC.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: F24C15
IPC codes: A01N25, A21B1, F24C15