Abstract:
A smoker device having a low profile fits beneath the lower most rack of an oven thereby allowing full use of all possible shelves of the oven. The smoker device comprises a uniquely shaped bi-level heater element that allows the smoker device pan to be cradled just above the bottom wall of the oven chamber. A method and system allow a processor control of the smoker device manually or automatically as a part of a programmed recipe.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an oven with a smoker device and a method and a system for controlling the smoker device and particularly for an oven that is capable of operating in a convection mode, a steaming mode and/or a smoking mode. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Current implementations of smoking technology in combination ovens preclude the end user from using all of the rack capability when the smoker device is placed in the oven chamber. The current smoking devices are too large in the height dimension and, thus, become an obstacle to use of the lower rail positions, thereby reducing the cooking capacity and output. Current implementations of control of the smoker device do not provide for an integrated control of the smoking device together with other food preparation assemblies of the oven. 
         [0003]    Thus, there is a need for an improved oven with a smoker device capability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A first embodiment of an oven for cooking food products of the present disclosure comprises an oven chamber that includes at least one side wall and a bottom wall. A thermal unit supplies thermal energy to the oven chamber to cook a food product. A smoker assembly supplies smoke to the food product. A controller comprises a processor, a cook program and a smoke program. The processor executes the cook program and the smoke program to operate the thermal unit and the smoker assembly to supply thermal energy and smoke to cook the food product. 
         [0005]    In one aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the cook program includes a plurality of cook procedures. The cook program invokes the smoke program when executing at least one of the cook procedures. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the oven further comprises a plurality of switches and a power source. The processor controls connections of the thermal unit and the smoker assembly in circuit with the power source to provide thermal energy and smoke in the oven chamber to cook the food product. 
         [0007]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the thermal unit is a member of the group consisting of: a convection assembly, a steam assembly, a radiant heat assembly, a microwave and any combination thereof. 
         [0008]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the oven further comprises a control panel. The smoke program is invoked by a user making a manual selection from the control panel. 
         [0009]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the smoke program is invoked by the processor based on execution of instructions of the cook program. 
         [0010]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the oven chamber comprises a plurality of pan racks that include a plurality of shelf holders. The smoker assembly comprises a heater element and a pan that contains a smoke media. The pan and the heater element are shaped for disposition in the oven chamber below a lowermost one of the shelf holders and above the bottom wall. 
         [0011]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the heater element comprises an upper level, which extends through the side wall and a lower level that supports the pan below the lowermost shelf holder and above the bottom wall. 
         [0012]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the heater element comprises first and second spaced apart legs in the upper level and in the lower level and a portion in the lower level that connects to the first and second legs. Each of the first and second legs includes an incline between the upper and lower levels. 
         [0013]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan comprises a slot and wherein the lower level of the heater element is disposed in the slot. 
         [0014]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan further comprises a plurality of apertures that allow smoke to pass into the oven chamber. 
         [0015]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan further comprises a lid that is installed and removed in a sliding motion. 
         [0016]    In another aspect of the first embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan further comprises a handle that is removably attached to the lid. 
         [0017]    A method of the present disclosure cooks food in an oven that includes an oven chamber that includes at least one side wall and a bottom wall. The method comprises: 
         [0018]    supplying thermal energy with a thermal unit to the oven chamber to cook a food product; 
         [0019]    supplying smoke with a smoker assembly to the food product; and 
         [0020]    controlling a processor with a cook program and a smoke program to operate the thermal unit and the smoker assembly to supply thermal energy and smoke to cook the food product. 
         [0021]    In one embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the cook program includes a plurality of cook procedures, and wherein the cook program invokes the smoke program when executing at least one of the cook procedures. 
         [0022]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the processor controls connections of the thermal unit and the smoker assembly in circuit with a power source to provide thermal energy and smoke in the oven chamber to cook the food product. 
         [0023]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the thermal unit is a member of the group consisting of: a convection assembly, a steam assembly, a radiant heat assembly, a microwave and any combination thereof. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the smoke program is invoked by a user making a manual selection from a control panel of the oven. 
         [0025]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the smoke program is invoked by the processor based on execution of instructions of the cook program. 
         [0026]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the oven chamber comprises a plurality of pan racks that include a plurality of shelf holders. The smoker assembly comprises a heater element and a pan that contains a smoke media. The pan and the heater element are shaped for disposition in the oven chamber below a lowermost one of the shelf holders and above the bottom wall. 
         [0027]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the heater element comprises an upper level, which extends through the side wall and a lower level that supports the pan below the lowermost rack and above the bottom wall. 
         [0028]    In another embodiment of the method of the present disclosure, the pan comprises a slot and wherein the lower level of the heater element is disposed in the slot. 
         [0029]    In a second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the oven for cooking food products comprises an oven chamber comprising at least one side wall, a bottom wall, and a plurality of pan racks disposed on the side wall that include a plurality of shelf holders. A thermal unit supplies thermal energy to the oven chamber to cook a food product. A smoker assembly supplies smoke to the food product. The smoker assembly comprises a heater element and a pan that contains a smoke media. The pan and the heater element are shaped for disposition in the oven chamber below a lowermost one of the shelf holders and above the bottom wall. 
         [0030]    In one aspect of the second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the heater element comprises an upper level, which extends through the side wall and a lower level that supports the pan below the lowermost shelf holder and above the bottom wall. 
         [0031]    In another aspect of the second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the heater element comprises first and second spaced apart legs in the upper level and in the lower level and a portion in the lower level that connects to the first and second legs. Each of the first and second legs includes an incline between the upper and lower levels. 
         [0032]    In another aspect of the second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan comprises a slot and the lower level of the heater element is disposed in the slot. 
         [0033]    In another aspect of the second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan further comprises a plurality of apertures that allow smoke to pass into the oven chamber. 
         [0034]    In another aspect of the second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan further comprises a lid that is installed and removed in a sliding motion. 
         [0035]    In another aspect of the second embodiment of the oven of the present disclosure, the pan further comprises a handle that is removably attached to the lid. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0036]    Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like elements of structure and: 
           [0037]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the oven according to the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view of an internal structure of the oven of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of  FIG. 2  with smoker assembly offset from installed position; 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the smoker assembly disassembled of the oven of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the smoker assembly of the oven of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  is a view taken along line  6  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of the control section of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 8  is a flow diagram of the smoke program of the control assembly of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0045]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an oven system of the present invention comprises an oven  20  that includes an external structure that comprises an external top  21 , an external side  23 , and external side  25 , an external bottom  27 , an external back  29 , a door  31  and a control panel  33 . Oven  20  further includes an internal structure that is supported within the external structure and that comprises an oven chamber  22  defined by an internal back wall  28 , an internal bottom wall  30 , an internal top wall (not shown), an internal side wall  24  and an internal side wall (not shown) disposed opposite side wall  24  and offset internally of external side wall  23 . Door  31  covers a front of oven chamber  22 . A control section  32  is disposed behind control panel  33  outside of oven chamber  22  and between internal side wall  24  and external side wall  25 . Oven  20  also includes a smoker assembly  34  and a thermal energy unit that comprises a steamer assembly  36  and a heater assembly  38 . In alternate embodiments, the thermal unit may comprise steamer assembly  36 , heater assembly  38 , a microwave assembly (not shown) or a combination thereof. 
         [0046]    Heater assembly  38  may be comprised of any suitable heater, such as a convection heater, a radiant heater and the like, that provides thermal energy to cook a food product. For the purpose of the present disclosure, heater assembly  38  is described herein as a convection heater, which comprises a fan (not shown) and a heater (not shown) that are disposed in a fan box (not shown) and that are in fluid communication with oven chamber  22  to circulate heated convection air between the fan box and oven chamber  22 . The heater may be any suitable oven heater, such as gas, electric and the like. The fan is located to inject air into oven chamber  22  via one or more ingress openings and to suck air in from one or more egress openings of oven chamber  22 . The ingress openings and egress openings may be located in any of the side walls  24  and  26 , bottom wall  30 , back wall  28  and the top wall (not shown). For example, the ingress openings may be located in the top wall (not shown) and the egress openings may be located in back wall  28 . 
         [0047]    Steamer assembly  36  is preferably located within oven  20 , but outside oven chamber  22 . For example, steamer assembly  36  is disposed to convert water into steam in the circulating hot air flow by flashing water on a heated surface, such as the convection air heater or a surface, which it heats, such as blades of the fan. Alternately, steamer assembly  36  can be independent of oven  20  with steam generated by steamer assembly  36  being conveyed to oven  20  via a tube, pipe or other conduit. 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a pair of spaced apart pan racks  43  and  45  is disposed in oven chamber  22 . Pan racks  43  and  45  each comprise a plurality of shelf holders  40  to hold wire shelves  42 , of which one wire shelf is shown in  FIG. 6 . In alternate embodiments, steaming or baking pans can be used instead of wire shelves. 
         [0049]    Referring also to  FIGS. 2-6 , smoker assembly  34  comprises a heater element  50  and a pan  70 . Heater element  50  comprises two side rails  52  and  54  that are threaded through openings  56  in back wall  28  and that are connected at their distal ends to a connector rail  64 . Heater element  50  is connected via side rails  52  and  54  in electrical circuit with a switch and a power source as described hereinafter. Heater element  50  is located just above bottom wall  30  and far enough below the lowest rack  40  to allow enough space for pan  70  without any interference with the lowermost shelf  42  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0050]    In a preferred embodiment, side rail  52  has a high level member  55  that is connected to a low level member  60  via an angled member  57  and side rail  54  has a high level member  58  that is connected to a low level member  61  via an angled member  59 . The distal ends of side rail lower members  60  and  61  are interconnected via a bridge member  64  that contains a U-shaped bend  66  between and at the same level as lower members  60  and  61 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , high level members  55  and  58  of heater element  50  enter oven chamber  22  via openings  54  in back wall  28  at a first high level  44  above bottom wall  30 . Heater element  50  then angles or inclines downwardly via angled members  57  and  59  to low level members  60  and  61 , which are at a second low level  46  above and closer to bottom wall  30 . 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , pan  70  includes a media container  72 , a removable lid  74  and a handle  76 . Media container  72  comprises a box having a front wall  78 , a back wall  80 , a bottom wall  82  and side walls  84  and  86 . A plurality of vent holes  88  are disposed in front wall  78 , bottom wall  82  and side walls  84  and  86  for smoke to escape into oven chamber  22 . 
         [0052]    A low profile slot  90  is disposed in back wall  80  to allow entry of heater element  50  into media container  72 . Side walls  84  and  86  include at their upper edges flanges  92  for mating engagement with removable lid  74 . Smoking media  94  can be inserted into media container and heated by heater element  50  to produce smoke that is vented via vent holes  88  into oven chamber  22 . Smoking media  94  can be any suitable smoking material, such as, wood chips (flavored or natural), processed biscuits and the like. 
         [0053]    Removable lid  74  includes a flat portion  96  that matches the shape of media container  72  (rectangular, square, circular, and the like). Flat portion  96  includes flanges  98  on its side edges that matingly engage flanges  92  of media container  72  for a sliding motion during installation on or removal from media container  72 . Flat portion  96  also includes a stop member  100  that extends downwardly from its back edge to engage back wall  80  of media pan  72  to stop the sliding motion of removable lid  74  during installation. Flat portion  96  further includes a slot  102  that receives handle  76 . Flat portion  96  is dimensioned so that when covering media container  72  a front part of flat portion  96  including slot  102  extends beyond front wall  78 . 
         [0054]    Handle  76  includes a grip  104  that is attached to a member  106  that has at its distal end and a vertical tab  108  that mates with slot  102  of removable lid  72 . 
         [0055]    Pan  70  has a low profile so as to fit between the lowermost rack  40  and bottom wall  40  of oven chamber  22 . The end user can utilize all of the racks, thereby enhancing the cooking capacity. Pan  70  also is dimensioned with an overall area to accommodate an adequate amount of smoking media  94 . Pan  70  is constructed with any suitable material and preferably is stainless steel. Pan  70  can be left in oven chamber  22  during a cleaning cycle of oven  20 . Pan  70  can easily be installed and removed from oven chamber  22  for changing cooking conditions when smoking is desired or not desired. Heater element  50  is robust enough to withstand typical end user incidental contact (e.g., wire shelves, baking sheets and the like). Heater element  50  is designed to operate between 25 to 30 watts per square inch of surface area to provide an optimum heat of 430° F. for kindling wood (producing smoke) without igniting the wood (producing flame). 
         [0056]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 7 , control section  32  houses a controller  122  and a power source  124 . Control panel  33  includes buttons or other interface that allow an end user to select a steam mode, a hot air mode, a combi mode and a smoke mode. A combi mode includes convection heat and steam. Control panel  33  also includes a set time selector that allows the end user to select a set time, which, for example, is the amount of time smoker assembly  34  operates. 
         [0057]    Controller  122  responds to end user selections on control panel  33  to control smoker assembly  34 , steamer assembly  36  and heater assembly  38  to perform a cook procedure for a food product. Controller  122  includes a processor  126 , a memory  128 , a switch control  130  and switches  132 . Memory  128  includes a smoke program  134 , a cook program  136  and a timer  138 . Although shown separately, smoke program  134 , cook program  136  and timer  138  can be combined in one or two programs. For example, smoke program  134  and cook program  136  can be combined in one program. Alternately, cook program  136  may comprise a plurality of cook procedures. Smoke program  134  can be invoked by any of the cook procedures or by processor  126  when executing instructions of the cook procedures. 
         [0058]    When the end user selects one of the cooking modes from control panel  33 , processor  126  invokes one or more of the cook program(s) needed for the selected mode. Processor  126  then executes or runs the invoked program(s) by issuing commands to switch control  130  to control switches  132  to provide electrical energy from power source  124  to the selected one or more of smoker assembly  34 , steamer assembly  36  and heater assembly  38 . 
         [0059]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , a flow diagram includes a combination of smoke program  134  and cook program  136 . As noted at box  140 , oven  120 , for the purpose of the present description, is in an idle mode in which the convection fan and heater and the steamer are switched to an off idle position. For example, in the idle mode, processor  126  commands switch control  130  to turn the convection fan off, switch control  130  and control switches  132  to provide reduced power to the convection heater to maintain an idle temperature in oven chamber  22  and to turn steam assembly  34  off. A display (not shown) of control panel  120  shows cooking set time and temperature. The procedures may be either manual or automatic. If automatic, the display indicates the set time and the set temperature. If manual, the display indicates a set time of 00.00 and controller  122  awaits an end user entry of a set time. 
         [0060]    Smoke program  134  can be incorporated into any step of an automatic cook program. Alternately, smoke program  134  can be manually performed prior to or at the end of execution of an automatic cook program. Box  142  represents a capability of smoke program  134  to be run manually. 
         [0061]    If the end user selects smoke and manual from control panel  120 , step  144  prompts the end user to enter a set time. At step  146 , processor  126  responds to this selection and entry of set time to command switch control  130  to control switches  132  to turn on heater element  50  of smoker assembly  34  and initializes timer  138  to begin a count down. Also, processor  126  can keep the convection fan and the convection heater element off for the duration of the count down. At step  148 , processor  126  responds to the count down reaching the end of count down (e.g., 00:00), by commanding switch control  130  to control switches  132  to turn heater element  50  of smoker assembly  34  off and to return oven  20  to the idle state. At step  150  the smoking operation is complete and smoke program  134  is exited. 
         [0062]    Should the end user select from the control panel  120  an automatic cook procedure or recipe, which includes the smoke operation as a step, processor  126  responds to the pressing of a start button (not shown) at step  152 . At step  154  processor executes the first step of the programmed recipe with the selected mode, steam, combi or hot air. At step  156  cook program  136  begins the smoke option. At step  158 , processor  126  commands control switches  132  to turn on heater element  50  of smoker assembly  34  and causes timer  138  to begin a count down of a predetermined time. Also, processor  126  can keep the convection fan and the convection heater element off for the duration of the count down. At step  160  processor  126  responds to the timer reaching the end of the count down, by commanding switch control  130  to control switches  132  to turn off heater element  50  of smoker assembly  34 . At step  162  it is determined if the last step of the recipe has been completed. If so, step  165  returns oven  20  to the idle state. If at step  162  it is determined that the recipe has more steps, the processor runs the remaining recipe steps. When the remaining steps of the recipe have been completed, at step  165  the processor returns oven  20  to the idle state. Box  166  represent the end of cook program  136  and processor  126  exits program  136 . 
         [0063]    The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.