Patent ID: 7365287

Claim:
An apparatus for baking one or more parts in a batch comprising: a housing having side walls and a top wall defining a substantially closed container with a substantially closed top end and an opening at a bottom end; at least one heating assembly within the housing at a position therein below the top end for generating heat in the housing such that heat rises in the housing from the heating assembly and causes the top end above the heating assembly to reach an oven temperature for baking the parts; a carrying arrangement in the housing for carrying the batch of parts; a lifting and guide arrangement for guiding movement of the carrying arrangement upwardly in an upward path from a first position at the bottom end of the housing to a second position at the top end and in a downward path back to the first position; the housing, the lifting and guide arrangement and the carrying arrangement being arranged such that, in the first position, the carrying arrangement is exposed at the bottom end for loading the batch for baking and for unloading of the batch when baked; and a control system for controlling said at least one heating assembly and the lifting and guide arrangement such that, in the second position, the carrying arrangement is held stationary for a period of time for baking of the batch; said at least one heating assembly comprising a generally planar heating array arranged along one side wall inwardly of the side wall and such that the carrying arrangement passes said at least one heating assembly as it moves from the first position to the second position; a shield arrangement located in front of the heating array relative to the carrying arrangement so as to block at least part of the heat from the heating array from directly radiating onto the batch of parts on the carrying arrangement as the carrying arrangement passes the heating array.