Patent ID: 8519307

Claim:
An oven apparatus ( 24 ) for curing paint on the surface of a vehicle body (( 26 )) comprising; at least one oven module ( 30 ) extending along an axis (A) parallel to the direction in which the vehicle body ( 26 ) moves when passing through said oven module ( 30 ), said oven module ( 30 ) defining an oven interior ( 98 ), said oven module ( 30 ) including a base ( 42 ) and a pair of walls ( 50 ) extending vertically away from said base ( 42 ) in spaced relationship with one another, at least one radiant heating tube ( 100 ) disposed in said oven module ( 30 ) for heating the vehicle body ( 26 ), at least one convection return air assembly ( 128 ) disposed in said oven interior ( 98 ) of said oven module ( 30 ) and defining a passage for removing gases from said oven interior ( 98 ), said convection return air assembly ( 128 ) having a return air outer surface ( 94 ), said return air outer surface ( 94 ) defining at least one return air duct ( 130 ) into said passage for removing exhaust air from said oven interior ( 98 ), and characterized by, said convection return air assembly ( 128 ) being disposed adjacent to said base ( 42 ) and one of said side walls ( 50 ) with said return air outer surface ( 94 ) of said convection return air assembly ( 128 ) extending in a trough shape to define a channel partially surrounding said radiant heating tube ( 100 ) for reflecting radiant heat from said radiant tube ( 100 ) toward the lower part ( 22 ) of the vehicle body ( 26 ).