Abstract:
The instant high efficiency carousel pizza oven is an oven of the open cavity or open input type which permits food access and fluid communication with the atmosphere through a proximal or front opening within the oven housing. The present oven is preferably defined in terms of a method which employs a solid rotating thermal reservoir in the nature of a circular panel capable of storing large amounts of thermal energy per unit of mass. Rotation of the panel assures that hot spots will not develop thereby eliminating scorching of food items cooked thereon. Provided beneath the panel, in thermal communication therewith, and preferably along a radius thereof situated substantially normal to an axis of rotation of the panel, is a flame burner which furnishes greater heat to the panel as a function of increase in distance from the axis to thereby provide cooking of uniform heating to the rotating panel as a function of increase in circumference relative to distance from the axis. Thereby, thermal values are very efficiently transferred from the gas burner flames to the panel which, through conduction, provides heating to the pizza through the bottom surface thereof.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/225,227, filed Jan. 4, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,677 entitled High Efficiency Carousel Pizza Oven, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/071,638, filed May 1, 1998, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The insant invention relates to the area of ovens for commercial and other large volume cooking, such as restaurant ovens. More particularly, the invention relates to an oven for the high efficiency cooking of several pizzas or other food items at the same time. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There have long been ovens for cooking food items, such as pizzas, in large quantities. A problem with these ovens has been that the persons operating the same must periodically rotate and reposition the items to achieve even and uniform cooking. Also, and even more importantly, has been the fact that pizza ovens and the like, as known in the prior art, require between ten and fifteen minutes to accomplish satisfactory and complete cooking thereof. Accordingly, a restaurant or so-called pizza parlor has been inherently limited in its capacity to furnish completed pizzas to customers by the period required for the cooking of a pizza therein; resulting in the revenue and income of a typical pizza restaurant being more a limitation related to the cooking speed of their ovens than the customer base itself. In addition, prior art pizza ovens do not utilize available heat efficiently and, resultantly, significant thermal values escape from the door of such prior art units thereby diminishing the cooking capacity of the oven, and increasing the energy demands thereof, increasing cooling requirements for the restaurant, and causing undue discomfort. 
     The prior art, as is best known to the inventor, is represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,055 (1996) to Nevin, et al, entitled Pizza Oven. Such art however does not combine overhead radiant heating with underside conductive heating through use of a rotating heat reservoir as is set forth herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant high efficiency carousel pizza oven is an oven of the open cavity or open input type which permits food access and fluid communication with the atmosphere through a proximal or front opening within the oven housing. The present oven is preferably defined in terms of a method which employs a solid rotating thermal reservoir in the nature of a circular panel capable of storing large amounts of thermal energy per unit of mass. Rotation of the panel assures that hot spots will not develop thereby eliminating scorching of food items cooked thereon. Provided beneath said panel, in thermal communication therewith, and preferably along a radius thereof situated substantially normal to an axis of rotation of said panel, is a flame burner which furnishes greater heat to the panel as a function of increase in distance from said axis to thereby provide cooking of uniform heating to the rotating panel as a function of increase in circumference relative to distance from the axis. Thereby, thermal values are very efficiently transferred from the gas burner flames to the panel which, through conduction, provides heating to the pizza through the bottom surface thereof. In a further step, there is provided an infrared energy source positioned within the oven but over said rotating panel to thereby provide heat into the region above the plane of rotation of said panel, this while directly striking the toppings of that pizza, this within a narrow area of said plane which is characteristic of the line of site function of heating by radiation. The relative intensities of the above forms of heat transfer are balanced through the use of a thermostat sensor located beneath the rotating panel. In such balancing, it is recognized that the heating by conduction which occurs beneath the rotating panel entails the use of a lower temperature, however with greater heat or energy content, while the infrared heat source positioned over said panel, i.e., the rotating thermal reservoir, entails use of a higher temperature, however in a much lower amount of total heat or energy in that the primary function of the latter is to provide cooking to the pizza toppings which is a more delicate cooking function than is that of baking of crust of the pizza from beneath. 
     The present inventive method also makes use of heating by convection through the provision of a geometry at a rear or distal region of the oven which, in combination with said infrared element, creates a region of high temperature which is optimal for high efficiency cooking of food types such as pizza. Further integral to the present method, and associated with the use of such a region of high temperature cooking, is the passing, at a rate of 0.5 to 3.0 rpm of the food item into and out of such region to preclude scorching thereof while gaining benefits of taste. Further heating by convection is accomplished by circulating otherwise unused heat, beneath the rotating panel, radially outwardly and then upwardly beyond the periphery of the panel and into the region thereabove. This is further accomplished through internal venting and circulation means within the top of the oven. As such, three forms of heat transfer, namely, conduction, radiation and convection are employed in a balanced fashion in the context of open cavity fluid communication with the atmosphere in order to provide the within objects the advantages thereof. 
     It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of cooking, having particular application in commercial pizza service establishments, which operates at improved efficiency, providing increased food access, improved taste, and reduces energy consumption for both the oven itself and cooling of the ambient work station. 
     It is another object to provide a food item cooking oven for cooking of each food item therein evenly and without need of opening a door or entrance thereof to rotate or reposition food items and wherein the efficiency of the oven is not compromised when food items are removed from or repositioned therein. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method of heating to provide a cooking oven which is reliable and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. 
     It is yet a further object to provide a method of cooking which employs a rotating thermal reservoir as a cooking substrate and, in combination therewith, balanced means of conduction heating of the bottom of said panel, heating the top of the food items to be cooked, and heating by convection throughout the oven, this inclusive of a region of high temperature cooking into which the food periodically passes in and out of to thereby obtain the benefits of high temperature cooking without risk that food items to be cooked may become scorched or overcooked. 
     The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention and Claims appended herewith. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective front cut-away view of an oven in accordance with the present inventive method, showing the atmospheric communication food access opening. 
     FIG. 2 is a side diametric cross-sectional schematic view thereof. 
     FIG. 3 is a front diametric cross-sectional schematic view taken at an angle of about ninety degrees relative to the view of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the heat convection assembly as it appears at the top of the oven housing. 
     FIG. 5 is a top breakaway view of the oven, showing the region of high temperature cooking and parts of the heat convection assembly. 
     FIG. 6 is a view of a chain drive motor assembly for rotating the heat reservoir panel. 
     FIG. 7 is a partial top perspective view of the oven, showing the plenum, flue, and chimney thereof. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 are views of an alternative embodiment of the cooking panel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The preferred embodiment of the present inventive method may be seen with reference to the below-described cooking oven  10 . More particularly, oven  10  includes a housing  12  having a generally cylindrical envelope (see FIG. 1) this including a generally circular horizontal cross-section (see FIG.  5 ). The housing  12  is further characterized by a front or proximal access opening  14  located at the front or proximal portion of the oven  10 . Said food opening  14  provides for open cavity fluid communication between the oven interior and the atmosphere. As may be noted in FIG. 1, the oven  10  may, if desired, be mounted upon a plurality of legs  16  which may or may not include swivel wheels  18  thereon. Alternatively, oven  10  may be placed upon any stable surface within the establishment making use thereof. 
     With further reference to the structure of oven  10 , it may (see FIG. 2) be seen that the housing  10  includes an insulative floor  20  and an internal ceiling  22  which slopes upwardly from the proximal access opening  14  to a rear surface  24  of the oven at a pitch of about eight percent, that is, one unit of increase in height for each twelve units of distance from front to back of the oven, to define the slope of the internal ceiling  22 . At the right of FIG. 2 is defined a region  26  of high temperature or intense cooking (see also FIG.  5 ), which is more fully described below. 
     The most notable feature within the interior of housing  12  is that of a preferably circular cooking panel  28 , formed of a material for such as calcium aluminate, which is able to store large quantities of heat and to withstand temperatures of at least 2200 degrees F., although this specific tolerance level is not required for proper oven operation. Panel  28  is therefore formed of a high thermal capacity material, the measurement of which is about 0.235 BTU/LB/° F. or 75,000 BTU&#39;s. 
     The panel  28  is rotatably mounted upon an axle  30  which includes journal means  32 . The specifics of such mounting and gearing for rotation of panel  28  are more fully described below. As may be noted with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, cooling panel  28  exhibits a diameter relative to the diameter of housing  12  such that an annular area  34  exists between the outer periphery of the panel  28  and the interior dimension of housing  12 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  5 , may be seen a substantially linear elongate gas burner  36  which is positioned underneath and within thermal communication of panel  28 , preferably such that flames therefrom touch panel  28 . Said burner, as may more particularly be noted, with reference to FIGS. 1,  3  and  5 , extends radially outwardly from axis of rotation  38  (see FIG. 5) toward peripheral edge  40  of the panel  28 . As may be noted in said figures, burner  36  is preferably near the rear or distal side of oven  10  to produce greater heating toward the rear of the oven and away from the food access opening  14 . Therefore, burner  36  is preferably situated in region  26  of intensified heating. 
     A space  42  beneath panel  28  is relatively small so that minimal heat is spent in this region. Resulting, most of the energy output of burner  36  is directed to the bottom of the panel  28  which, after the oven is started for a given day&#39;s activity, acts to eventually fill the thermal reservoir to a considerable percent of its thermal capacity. It may, with reference to FIG. 3, be noted that the flame of burner  36  becomes progressively wider and otherwise more intense from the axis of rotation of panel  28  to the peripheral edge  40  thereof, this to compensate for the increasing panel area which occurs as a function of increase in radius of the panel from the axis  30  of rotation thereof. A gas input  44  to the burner  36  is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In view of the above, it may be appreciated that by virtue of gas combustion against the lower surface of panel  28 , heat will be stored in the panel and communicated by conduction to the bottom of any pizza or food item upon the surface of the panel. As such, crust heating occurs from the bottom of the pizza through this process. Because of the substantial thermal capacity of panel  28 , continuous and uniform heating is provided until panel  28  reaches a high temperature of about 700 degrees Fahrenheit at which temperature the thermostat causes cycling of burner  36 . 
     Alternatively to the above referenced use of burner  36 , electric resistance heating elements  70  (see FIGS. 8 and 9) may be selectively distributed internally to panel  28  and supplied with power through electrical induction from induction means (not shown) provided upon axle  30  as a part of the journalling of panel  28  upon the axle. 
     Through the use of an infrared radiant heat source  46 , a temperature of about 1750 degrees F. energy is applied within a focused area  48  (see FIG. 2) on the panel  28  within said region  26  of intensified heating. It is to be appreciated that infrared energy source  46  is a high temperature, but lower heat or thermal value device than is burner  36 . In other words, while the temperature radiated by source  46  to the pizza crust is substantially higher than the 700 degree F. temperature of panel  28 , the quantity (BTU&#39;s) of heat applied to the topping side of the pizza is much lower than the quantity of heat applied at the bottom of crust side. That is, infrared energy, while high in intensity within its area of focus  48 , does not exhibit the heat transfer capacity of conductive heating means such as said burner  36 . Such high temperature, cooking of the topping of the pizza is highly desirable in accelerating the cooking process without scorching of the topping, this in combination with the continuous rotation of panel  28  and its associated pizzas in and out that region  26  of intensified heating. 
     It is to be noted that infrared radiant heat source  46  may be adjusted to higher or lower energy levels to enable cooking of food items other than pizza. Further, solid state ignition, or an entirely solid state infrared element, may be employed in lieu of the use of perforated ceramic modules which emit a gas-air mixture which combusts on a surface of the burner so that heating of the ceramic modules causes infrared radiation to be emitted. 
     Distal of radiation heat source  46  is a deflector  50  (see FIGS. 2 and 5) the function of which is to contain convection heat within the heating chamber  52  which is collected on the ceiling of region  48 . 
     It is noted that the interior surface of the heating region of the oven is provided with an entirely black finish as, for example, may be effected through application of a black protective layer to the metallic material of which housing  12  is formed. Such a black interior surface is important in terms of uniform heating and efficient use of energy. This is achieved through the use of the phenomenon known as black body radiation which dictates that an enclosed black surface will absorb more of the infrared energy relative to the amount of radiation reflected back in the direction from which radiation was received. This phenomenon increases the efficiency of the use of the radiant heat source  46  described above, this by containing the energy within oven interior and not reflecting it out through the opening  14  thereof. 
     At the rear of oven regions  42  and  52  is optionally provided a flicker flame manifold  54  (see FIG. 2) which extends vertically across the rear of the oven interior and serves not only to provide a pleasing wood burning appearance, but also to furnish additional heat within the rear of the oven housing. That is, to region  26  of intensified heating to thereby increase cooking efficiency, through radiation, of the entire system. Flicker flame  55  of manifold  54  burns at approximately 1000 degrees F. It is however to be understood that the insant inventive method will function, although at a slightly reduced efficiency, without the use of the flicker flame  55  or flicker flame manifold  54 . Alternatively to the use of gas as the source of energy for flicker flame  55 , solid state means or intermittently activated phosphorus within an inert gas filled tube or flame-shaped glass envelope may be employed. 
     Further to the above, it is to be appreciated that three distinctive forms of heat transfer are employed in the present method, i.e., baking of the pizza crust by conduction underneath from panel  28 , top heating by radiation from radiant element  46 , and through convection from heat values of radial flame burner  36  which are not communicated to panel  28  and which, thereby, pass around lower region  42 , thorough annular area  34  of the oven, into upper cooking region  52  and, therefrom, into region  26  of high temperature heating. The relative intensity of all three of the above forms of heat transfer must be carefully balanced for the particular type of food item to be cooked to obtain optimal results. Such balancing is controlled through the use of a thermostatic probe  56  (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in region  42  and through the use or electrical control of gas input  44  into flame burner  36  of the quantity of gas to the infrared heat source  46 . 
     As above noted, yet additional heating by convection is obtained by regulation of the output of the flicker flame manifold  55 . It is noted that through the use of region  26  of intensified heating, the otherwise adverse effect of open cavity entrance  14 , and its fluid communication with the atmosphere, is overcome. In other words, by providing said region  26  at said distal or rear part of the housing  12 , the effect of the continuously open food access opening  14  is compensated. Therewith, the many benefits of flavor associated with such atmospheric communication cooking as, for example, is described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,285 is effected. In addition, through such design, the exterior of the oven housing  12  remains relatively cool, with only two inches of housing insulation. Also, the only heat which necessarily must be exhausted from the system is in connection with flicker flame  55 . Cooking and energy efficiency are thereby maintained, this particularly through the control of convected air by means of blower  58  through input  57  and therefrom back into upper region  52 , as is shown in FIG. 5. A flue  60  is provided if, upon balancing of the above described heat transfer forms, it is determined necessary to exhaust heat from the system. However, unused combustion gases are effectively removed thru flue  60 . 
     More particularly the control of convected air by means of blower  58  through input  57 , which results in a negative air pressure assists combustion and efficiency of the radiant burner  46 . Said burner is enhanced with a forced hot air stream obtained by diverting exhaust gases through plenum  62  which in turns collects excess gases and distributes them in part to radiant burner  46  and in part to flue  60  to be exhausted. That is, input  57  exerts control over and directs hot air rearward, before it escapes through proximal opening  14 , plenum  62  then divides the air by injecting an and injects an air stream into a venture of radiant burner  46 . The unused air is then exhausted outside through flue  60 . 
     Pieces of wood may be optionally placed near the center of panel  28  to smolder adding flavor to cooking pizza and food items located outwardly from the axis of rotation 
     With reference to the bottom view of FIG. 6, it may be seen that axle  30  is rotated by a shaft sprocket  64  connected to a drive motor  68  through a gearbox  65  by means of a chain  66 . The oven is preferably equipped with pedal control means (not shown) to momentarily stop panel  28  from rotation for ease of introduction or removal of pizza and food items from the oven by a novice. 
     In the top view of FIG. 7 is shown plenum  62 , above infrared heat source  46 , which contributes to the positive air pressure at input  57  (see FIGS. 2 and 5) by and through the fan  58 . Air is thereby exhausted out of the proximal area of region  52  by fan  61 , whereby air is moved across the food access opening  14  creating a venturi effect. As a result, smoke from the optional burning wood pieces, referenced above, is brought distally out and through oven chimney  60 . 
     Resultant of the above-described structure by which the present inventive method may be practiced, one may cook at a temperature of 1000 degrees F. within region  26  because the topping of the pizza is heated by the overhead infrared radiant heat source  46 . Additionally, such a high temperature may be employed within region  26  because the continuous rotation of the pizza or food item ensures it will only momentarily be exposed to such high heat and, thereby, will not scorch the top thereof. Therein, one avoids the well known problem with prior art pizza ovens which requires that the cook reach into the oven to move pizza therein into hotter or cooler spots because of lack of uniform temperature therewithin. Prior art ovens are limited to a 450-500 degree F. internal temperature due to the above-mentioned restrictions. 
     Also, as above noted, the lack of any door or permanent closure to the oven affords the benefits of atmospheric communication heating above set forth. 
     Inasmuch as the system is provided with its internal thermostatic probe  56 , there is no need to turn the system off during slow periods during the business day. In terms of construction, housing  12  preferably includes inner and outer walls or shells which are spaced about two inches apart from each other with two one-inch layers of insulation therebetween. The inner shell (the interior surface of which is subject to the above-reference coating) is optionally made of a 12 gauge A36 mild steel, but can be made of other forms of steel and other materials as well. 
     Summarizing the thermodynamics of baking a pizza in accordance with the invention, firstly, the crust has to bake; secondly, the cheese has to melt; and thirdly, the toppings have to get heated and amalgamated with the cheese to make the pizza a palatable, pleasant looking and tasting food. In this process, by virtue of fact that the panel  28  is very hot, baking of the crust can be accomplished in less than two minutes. To manage the problem of melting the cheese and heating the toppings, the invention employs infrared energy which is line-of-site specific and, for a very short time as the pizza on the deck rotates through the line-of-site, the pizza passes through the intensive heat area  26  and under the infrared element  46  which causes the cheese to melt rapidly and the toppings to become heated. Using this method, the time necessary for the cheese and topping conversion is less than two minutes. Because this is so quickly accomplished, one obtains the benefit of having a higher panel temperature to thereby bake the crust much quicker than the normal pizza oven which uses a 450 to 500 degree F. panel and ambient temperature within the convection heated region  52 . This would normally be a restricting factor because at such temperatures the cheese and toppings require twelve to fifteen minutes to become fully cooked and ready for serving. However, with the use of temperatures herein, one achieves an increase in panel temperature to achieve a baking time of the crust of two minutes while simultaneously melting the cheese and cooking the toppings, this allowing one to cook the product in a much reduced time. In addition, the quality of the product, including flavors and tastes of the toppings, are of a much higher quality than occur from slower cooking conventional pizza ovens. 
     While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of the instant invention it is to be appreciated that the invention may be embodied otherwise than is herein specifically shown and described and that, within said embodiment, certain changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the underlying ideas or principles of this invention as set forth in the Claims appended herewith.